Best Birthday Ever!!!

As we get older, birthdays seem to lose their excitement. I mean, really another year... thanks for reminding me...NOT! But this year... WOW! What a great day. I really couldn't have scripted my day any better...

I slept until 930am!! When I got up John had gone to Starbucks and gotten my favorite drink and Brenna had decorated my "spot" at the table with a poster, streamers, a birthday tiara and all my gifts!!! I got homemade cards (my absolute favorite) and one of THE FUNNIEST cards I've ever gotten (thanks Kelly, Debbie and Karen). It was one of those talking cards and we probably listened to it a gazillion times. I started rationing the listening time for fear that the battery is going to run down!

My gifts were exactly what I wanted... A set of Wizard of Oz Pez dispensers... Don't hate now...and the new Star Trek Movie... Can't wait to watch it again. I also got thoughtful gifts from my friends... so nice!

Brenna did my chores for me! The sun was shining... the dogs and I walked... John cooked dinner... I went to Michaels and spent my gift card and used my gift certificate! I also wore mybirthday tiara all day. I wore it while I walked the dogs, I wore it while I raked some leaves. I wore it while I did laundry... I did not take it off... I'm wearing it now!

What a great day. Thank you to everyone who made this such a special day... I don't want it to end. :o)

The Great "Leggo' My Eggo" Shortage

I don't know if you all are aware but there is a NATIONWIDE Eggo waffle shortage... My kids keep putting waffles on the grocery list and each week I come home with empty bags... it's tragic - I know.

Anyway, the "Great Waffle Shortage" was actually on the news on Good Morning America this morning. I ran downstairs to tell my family that I was not, in fact, lying and boycotting waffles, but it was on the national news this morning.

John laughed and said, "How can there be a waffle shortage?" and without missing a beat... Zack said... "Maybe it's us?"

Love that kid!

When Did????

When did...

1. 10:00pm on a Friday night become "late?"

2. Music at concerts become too loud?

3. Going to the grocery store alone become a "treat?"

4. Hunter's Widows Weekend go from this...

So tell me..

When did Hunter's Widows weekend go from Chippendale Dancers, Shot glasses to the Ceiling and puking in the parking lot to...

An evening with my gay designers (Project Runway), my gay chefs (Top Chef), the Beauty Salon Bitch from Hell (Tabitha's Salon Takeover) and a box of Dove Bars?????

My "First" Comment

Yesterday I received my first comment. Let me clarify, my 1st comment from a "stranger", from someone who doesn't know me, someone who linked to me or found me! I am not in anyway detracting from my friends and family who have commented, I love you all, but it's sort of like when your husband tells you - "you look beautiful" - I always feel like, "yeah, right... you have to say that, you're my husband." :o) So, a comment from someone who doesn't know me is very exciting! Even better... it's someone I "know!" Well, I don't really "know" her, but I've been following/lurking around her blog for a long time. I discovered her through my friend Kristie's AMAZING blog.. http://notquitewhatihadplanned.kristieokc.com/.

My "commenter" is a woman who has suffered a tragedy that most of us imagine only in our worst nightmares. Yet she continues to blog with an intensity and honesty that is amazing. Her blog is brutally honest, terrifyingly heartbreaking and funny.

She has let me into a world I had absolutely no experience with, she has opened my eyes, I hope increased my compassion and at times made my heart bleed with sorrow. While I can't say I've always enjoyed following her through this tragedy, I will thank her for letting us all in.

I hope that I learn something, I hope that I am more understanding and supportive and more than anything I wish I could do something...anything for her. http://gorillabuns.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Ghost of Halloweens Past and Present

We had another wonderful Mt. Burnside BBQ for Halloween this year. Got the tent out, the BBQed butt, the friends and the candy... Oh the candy! That's half the fun, all getting together and trading candy.

This year and for the last 3-4 years the kids have really been in charge of doing their own costumes. They really don't want mom's input anyway.

So this year, Brenna recycled her Harry Potter Costume from Spirit Week at the High School. Easy enough and frankly a legitimate costume in my estimation. Zack on the other hand, dressed all in black, sort of. The original concept for the costume was he was going to be a shadow, lay around in the grass leaping up and scaring people. Hmm... not so much... really, we don't get enough people to scare and those that we do are small people who are pretty much scared all the time at Halloween. So, then it sort of morphed into a burglar? Really I just think maybe more of a thief... cause he's just stealing your candy with that crappy costume. :o) But who am I to judge.

A number of people mentioned and seemed confused/irritated/appalled that I would let my children still trick or treat at their advanced ages, but as long as they have a "costume" and say Trick or Treat I don't have a problem with it. And as I watched the "adults" at the BBQ, myself included, rifle through all the different candy buckets setting aside their "favorites" I decided you're really never to old to Trick or Treat!

Feeling a little nostalgic, I went through all the old photo albums and scanned some pictures of when I was truely in my heyday of Halloweening... when I still had "control" of my children and what "they" wanted to be... Plus, I needed to prove to myself that I wasn't a totally neglectful mother for not still crafting or purchasing costumes... So enjoy a trip down Halloween Memory Lane....

Halloween 1999 (Brenna -61/2, Zack - 1 1/2)

This was the first year that I had the idea to "theme" their costumes. Brenna was wearing a flowergirl dress and was an angel. And much to my eternal parental shame, Zack was deep in his Teletubbie phase and was "technically" Po - we said he was a devil. So... Angel and Devil. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Halloween 2000

This may have been one of my finest moments. Brenna was a scarecrow and Zack was a pile of leaves! I spent hours sewing those leaves all over a red onesie suit!
Halloween 2001

This is my finest moment! Little Miss Muffett and her spider! Yes, I actually sewed on this costume and we won a trophy at a local parade!

Halloween 2002

Dorothy and Toto... again literally weeks sewing little tuffs of yarn all over a black sweatsuit.

Halloween 2003

A witch and her bat.

Halloween 2004

A Housewife and her bag of "Gross"eries! You can't see it, but there are grease stains and plastic cockroaches and maggoty pantyhose sausages in these "gross"eries.
Halloween 2005

This year marked the beginning of the end... I think it was about 2 days before Halloween and still nothing. They ended up being a Nerd (with Nerds candy taped all over his shirt) and a Smartie Pants (with smarties taped all over her pants.) They seemed fine with the idea, but I knew... that the end was near... I had used up all I had...

Halloween 2006

Skater Dude and Butterfly Fairy. Really... it's wear your own clothes and carry a skateboard and wear your own clothes and borrow the neighbors fairy wings so I can still look good! This would be the last year that Brenna trick or treated with us. :o( She soon moved on to "better and cooler" company.

Halloween 2007

Zombie Scary Guy... courtesy of Dad's makeup skills and way too sexy Flapper Girl.

Halloween 2008

This was the Halloween with no Mom... I was working at the High School Football game. Zack was white face scary guy with cool blood that fills up the mask and then drips all down the costume and all over the garage! And Brenna was... beautiful, goth vampire something? :)

Probably only a few more years of costumes at all... Now it's more about the grown-ups hanging out, drinking some brews, BBQing some butt and swapping candy. I guess it could be worse.