Dear Someone

Dear Turbo,
Thank you for giving me so many reasons to smile.  Your enthusiasm is contagious.  The laughs you inspire make my days easier to get through.  It makes me happy when you play with Bruiser.  The giggles I hear make all the work worth while.
And the other night when you told me to turn off the TV because it was distracting you from your reading?  The most surprising moment I've ever had with you.  That coming from my TV loving boy was great.  Keep up the reading--it's so good for you.
Loving Mommy

Dear Bruiser
Please start talking more.  Intelligible words would be nice. Grunting and point and screaming only go so far.  You are picking up words, just not fast enough.  And I know that there will come a time when I wish you would shut up, but I want you to start talking soon.
Confused Mommy

Dear Migraine,
I would not be hurt if you skipped your monthly visit.  I know that it is coming into your season to visit more frequently but really I can do without you altogether.
So Over You

Dear Nick,
Have fun at hunting camp.
BRING HOME MEAT!! 
The freezer, she's a looking pretty bare.
Hungry Wife

RD-Birthday edition

So let's answer the birthday girl's questions.  Happy birthday Linda!
1. From "Men Are Dumb ....": If you had a theme song that played whenever you walked into a room full of people, what would it be?  A theme song?  Well I guess...hmmm...it would have to be the Queen song Princes of the Universe--played here.  At least that is what Nick thinks and I kind of agree.  It's an awesome theme song.

2. From Pam of "Alert And Oriented x 4": Which of your shoes are your absolute favorite, and which are of the object of your most painful shoe-buyer's remorse?  I don't spend a lot on shoes.  I love my Keens because they are sooo comfortable.  As for buyer's remorse--it would probably the Doc Martins I bought years ago.  Not nearly as comfortable as I thought they would be.

3. From Susanne of "Living to Tell the Story": Tell about your favorite birthday celebration that you've personally experienced.  The surprise party for my 35 birthday.  Nick set it up so lots of friends showed up and I was only expecting a couple of people.  It was a great evening.

4. From Lori of "Just me and My Life": If you were a flavor of ice cream, which would you be?  Butter Pecan--It's comforting with out being vanilla.

5. Cindy Swanson of "Notes in the Key of Life" asks: Have you ever had a crush on a movie star? Who was it, and are you still crushing?  I had a teenage crush on Tom Cruise.  So over that now.

6. Jill from "Jill Boyd's Place" inquires: Glasses or braces--if you had to wear one, which would it be?  Well, I wear contacts but spent years in glasses and years in braces.  Braces are better--you will eventually get them off.  Glasses are with you forever--as contacts or reading glasses even if you do the lasek.  I have weird eyes so the lasek is not really an option for me.

7. Nel from "Fasteneau Facts" asks: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?  New Zealand.  The geology there is awesome.

8. Thena from "Patiently Waiting" wants to know: If money were no obstacle, what would be the perfect birthday gift to receive?  A remodeled kitchen and Alton Brown's new cook books--The Early Years and The Middle Years.  I so want them and the ideal kitchen to cook in.

9. From "Life Through Bifocals," LynnMarie asks: What is your favorite birthday meal?  Anything seafood.  I love seafood.

10. Debby at "Just Breathe" checks in with: Do you still send hand-written thank you notes?  For things that require thank yous, yes I do.

11. Linda from "Mocha with Linda" poses this question: What is something you've done that you never thought you'd do?  Rock climbing when I was younger.

12. Jewel, my homegirl from Indiana who writes at "Musings from the World of Jewel," is very insistent that we answer this: Mount Rushmore honors four US Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. If you could add any person to Mount Rushmore, who would you add and why?  This one is a hard one.  If I limit it to presidents, I'm not sure who I think is worthy of the honor.  Maybe FDR, he did lead us through WWII.  And held office four times.  And lead the country out of the depression.  He may not have been great but he was effective. And being effective is better than being great.

Go link at Linda's and share your own answers.

Random Tuesday

And it's Tuesday.  Comes once a week, you'd think I'd be used to it by now.  Some how it always kinda surprises me though.  Anyponder throw up (on second thought don't, I had to clean up after the cats and the dog this morning, I've had enough throw up, thanks) your random thoughts and link with Keely--everyone's doing it.

• Eighteen months olds are impossible to reason with.  You can't explain anything to them.  Bruiser has wants, and can indicate them, but does not understand when I tell him he already has a snack and does not need another one that is just like what he has.  The screaming get to be a bit much after a while.
• Last night I tooted and had the presence pf mind to blame the cat that was sitting on my lap at the time.  I haven't lived with all these guys for nothing.  Blame it on someone or something else--always.
• I'm trying hard to find my scrapbooking mojo.  It's not going well.  The desire is there, the get to it is not. Maybe once hunting season is over and Nick can spend some time watching the boys--especially Bruiser--I will be able to get going on Bruiser's baby book.  I so don't want him to be the clssic second kid who has nothing in the book while his older brother has two--one baby, one for the first year.  Yeah, I have really been procrastinating, and finding excuses for not doing any scrapbooking.  
• Got the car washed yesterday.  It sprinkled last night.  Just enough to leave spots all over the car.
• Has anyone seen the commercial with the moon rover and the hip hop song Jump?  It's here if you want to see it.  Nick loves this commercial--it makes him laugh and now Bruiser will dance when it comes on TV.    It's so cute.

Well that's my random, go check out Keely's for more random thoughts.

Monday Minute

Time for the Monday Minute with Christy.  Answer and link up!  Here we go:

1. What's your biggest pet peeve?  Slow drivers, the ones who go 20 mph everywhere and think they are safer because they are going slow.  No, you are not safer, you are a hazard to those of us going the speed limit!
2. Describe your first kiss. (Ian's suggestion, thank you Ian!)  I was sixteen before I had my first kiss, and it was nothing spectacular.  My first kiss with my now husband was much more fun.
3. Describe the drunkest night of your life (or at least, the drunkest night you can remember).  I've had lots of nights where the alcohol flowed a bit too freely, but the night I had the most fun was when I went out with my friend Stacy and it was graduation night here in my fair city and the bar was crowded and the band was awesome and we got serenaded by the sax player.  Great time!
4. What's the last movie you saw and what did you think of it?  In the theater?  Ice Age 2--it was pretty good, we took Turbo for his first movie theater experience.  We don't get to the theater very often, it's way too expensive.
5. Do you prefer taking a bath or a shower?  I like a shower in the morning to get going, but love a long soaking bath with a glass of wine and a good book to relax and warm up. 

Spin Cycle--Make me laugh!

The SpinCycle this week is all about what makes you laugh.  We laugh often at our house.  Turbo and Bruiser are great sources of laugh inducing moments--tickling and the resulting giggles are sometime irresistible. 
But I think the best laugh I've had recently came from a post on Suzicate's blog back in May.  May was rough on us and the night I noticed this post on her blog I really needed a laugh.  I laughed so hard I had to share it with Nick.  By the time I was done reading it to him he was laughing so hard he almost fell off the couch.  So I thought I'd share it with you all.  You must read to the end, it's so worth it.

LIZARD BIRTH
Overview: I had to take my son's lizard to the vet.


Here's what happened: Just after dinner one night, my son came up to tell me there was "something wrong" with one of the two lizards he holds prisoner in his room.
"He's just lying there looking sick," he told me. "I'm serious dad, can you help?"
I put my best lizard-healer statement on my face and followed him into his bedroom.
One of the little lizards was indeed lying on his back, looking stressed. I immediately knew what to do.
"Honey," I called, "come look at the lizard!"
"Oh my! gosh," my wife diagnosed after a minute. "She's having babies."
"What?" my son demanded. "But their names are Bert and Ernie, Mom!"
I was equally outraged.
"Hey, how can that be? I thought we said we didn't want them to reproduce," I accused my wife.
"Well, what do you want me to do, post a sign in their cage?" she inquired. (I actually think she said this sarcastically!)
"No, but you were supposed to get two boys!" I reminded her, (in my most loving, calm, sweet voice, while gritting my teeth together).
"Yeah, Bert and Ernie!" my son agreed.
"Well, it's just a little hard to tell on some guys, you know," she informed me. (again with the sarcasm, you think?)
By now the rest of the family had gathered to see what was going on. I shrugged, deciding to make the best of it.
"Kids, this is going to be a wondrous experience", I announced. "We're about to witness the miracle of birth."
"Oh, gross!" they shrieked.
"Well, isn't THAT just great! What are we going to do with a litter of tiny little lizard babies?" my wife wanted to know. (I really do think she was being snotty here, too. Don't you?)
We peered at the patient. After much struggling, what looked like a tiny foot would appear briefly, vanishing a scant second later.
"We don't appear to be making much progress," I noted.
"It's breech," my wife whispered, horrified.
"Do something, Dad!" my son urged.
"Okay, okay." Squeamishly , I reached in and grabbed the foot when it next appeared, giving it a gentle tug. It disappeared.
I tried several more times with the same results.
"Should I call 911," my eldest daughter wanted to know. "Maybe they could talk us through the trauma." (You see a pattern here with the females in my house?)
"Let's get Ernie to the vet," I said grimly.
We drove to the vet with my son holding the cage in his lap. "Breathe, Ernie, breathe," he urged.
"I don't think lizards do Lamaze," his mother noted to him. (Women can be so cruel to their own young. I mean, what she does to me is one thing, but this boy is of her womb, for God's sake.)
The Vet took Ernie back to the examining room and peered at the little animal through a magnifying glass.
"What do you think, Doc, a C-section?" I suggested scientifically.
"Oh, very interesting," he murmured. "Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, may I speak to you privately for a moment?"
I gulped, nodding for my son to step outside.
"Is Ernie going to be okay?" my wife asked.
"Oh, perfectly," the Vet assured us. "This lizard is not in labor. In fact, that isn't EVER going to happen... Ernie is a boy. You see, Ernie is a young male. And occasionally, as they come into maturity, like most male species, they um.... um....masturbate. Just the way he did, lying on his back."
He blushed, glancing at my wife. "Well, you know what I'm saying, Mr. Cameron."
We were silent, absorbing this.
"So Ernie's just...just... excited," my wife offered.
"Exactly," the vet replied, relieved that we understood.
More silence. Then my viscous, cruel wife started to giggle. And giggle. And then even laugh loudly.
"What's so funny?" I demanded, knowing, but not believing that the woman I married would commit the upcoming affront to my flawless manliness.
Tears were now running down her face. Laughing "It's just...that...I'm picturing you pulling on its... its...teeny little..." she gasped for more air to bellow in laughter once more.
"That's enough," I warned. We thanked the Vet and hurriedly bundled the lizards and our son back into the car.  He was glad everything was going to be okay.
"I know Ernie's really thankful for what you've done, Dad," he told me.
"Oh, you have NO idea,"  my wife agreed, collapsing with laughter.
====
2 - Lizards - $140...
1 - Cage - $50...
Trip to the Vet - $30...
Memory of your husband pulling on a lizard's winkie...Priceless

Moral of the story: Pay attention in biology class.
LIZARDS LAY EGGS!

Now go see Sprite's Keeper for more funny spins.

Writer's Workshop--Panic Time

The Prompts:

1.) Describe the worst diet you ever put yourself on.
2.) But teachers know everything!! Write about a time a teacher disappointed you.
3.) …And then you panicked.
4.) Signs that your little one is just not that into you anymore.
5.) 10 reasons why you’re glad it’s Fall.

I'm doing number three:

....And then I panicked.

Friday the 7 of May, was a normal Friday.  I went to work and then came home and was all ready to spend the rest of the afternoon with Bruiser.  He was just beginning to run and really had no braking ability.

I had just changed his diaper and was straightening up the changing table(which is in the living room, don't judge, the kid's bedroom is in the basement and I'm not schlepping to the basement every time he needs a change).  Bruiser had gone into the kitchen and came running back into the living room.  As he ran pell-mell into the room he tripped over the carpet(why is carpet so trippy for little kids?)  I heard more than saw him hit the corner of the coffee table/TV stand that holds toys and plants--don't ask, it's to hard to explain--and knew that one would leave a mark.  The thump was loud.

I immediately picked him up as he started to scream and saw the blood oozing from the tri-corner tear in his forehead.  And then I panicked.  And called Nick so he could come home and help with the trip to the ER.   There is just a feeling of helplessness when your child gets hurt.  You can't wrap them in bubble wrap, but it's awfully tempting.

Go pick a  prompt for yourself and link up with Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

Followers, followers!

Hey looky there, right there, no silly over to the left.
 Yeah there, at the followers list. 
I have almost made it to 100. 
Wow.

 Not sure how that exactly happened, but I'm loving it.  This blogging thing has become such a fun and great place and I have met some fabulous people.  Thanks to everyone who checks out what I have to say.  It may not be much, but it sure helps my sanity.

Image from Google images

Random Dozen--aliens and such

Time for the Random Dozen With Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee.

1. Do you believe, somewhere deep inside, that blondes do indeed have more fun? That they are "dumber" than brunettes or redheads? Be honest! I'm not sure blonds have more fun but I like having an excuse for those moments where I am less than bright.
2. Which animal would you most like to observe in its wild habitat?  Hmmm, I get to see many animals in their natural habitat, but I would love to see the spiders inhabiting my bathroom moved back to the great outdoors
3. This week the U.N. announced that Dr. Mazlan Othman has been appointed the official "Alien Ambassador," should any extraterrestrials contact us. Have you, or has anyone you know, ever seen a UFO?  I have seen odd lights in the sky that I could not easily explain but that's all.
4. Name your favorite Hitchcock film.  I don't really like any Hitchcock films.
5. Would you rather spend time at the library, the mall, a craft store or home?  A library most definitely.
6. Which Disney princess is your favorite? (Or Disney character, if you are a guy)  I live with boys, so I have to say my favorite character is Helen Parr from The Incredibles. 
7. What kind of art is your favorite?  I love good photography.
8. How do you feel about viral videos, that is, videos made by amateurs that end up on Youtube receiving thousands of hits?  It depends on the video.  Some are funny, some are stupid and some are not worth the viewing.
9. Where do you buy your jeans? Kmart, Walmart or JC Penneys
10. Tell me about your first automobile accident.  I was seventeen.  It was two weeks after my high school graduation.  I stopped at a stop sign and then went pulling out in front of a truck.  I didn't see him at all.  He hit my little Plymouth Champ and bent the frame and the car was a total loss.  Great way to start the summer.
11. Have you ever been honest when you knew you would benefit more if you would be dishonest? I have spoken up at time when it would have been easier to stay quiet.
12. If you were appointed "Ambassador to Aliens," what would you show and tell first about life on Earth? What would be the most difficult thing to explain?  I would try to show an average family and an average town.  The hardest thing would be the entertainment industry--the way we treat our celebrities and who we see as celebrities--Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, people like that.  Heck, I don't even know why they are "famous".

Now go answer for yourself and link up!

Random Tuesday

• I'm getting a cold.  It was inevitable.  Bruiser was sick and Turbo has been in school a month.  I was going to catch a cold sooner or later.  I just hope it's quick.
• I have found a new show this fall that I like.  The Undercovers was fun and interesting last Wednesday and I think we will be watching it this fall.  We also liked the season  opener of Bones.  And all are looking forward to Mythbusters starting Oct. 6.  Turbo is waiting for Dirty jobs too.  Bruiser doesn't have much of an opinion yet.
• Nick got his Antelope and it is quite tasty.  Turbo and he went out Saturday morning and were home with it by 10:30 am. A very short hunting season for antelope this year.
• It's sad but I'm really hoping for the first snow to fall.  I need help with the allergies and we could use less smoke in the air.  We have had two fires within 45 miles of our town in the last month.  More are on the horizon if we don't get snow soon.
• And now for a laugh go here.  It's a little gross but funny just the same--hey I live with guys, this is my funny now.

Now go see Keely for more random. 

Monday Minute with Christy

(1) What’s the last restaurant you went to and what did you order?  I went to Arby's with my mom last Thursday.  I had a chicken sandwich.  It was quite tasty, but it's getting smaller than it was a few years ago.


(2) What's your greatest phobia?  Arachnophobia--fear of spiders.  I'm also afraid of bugs, especially flying, stinging ones.  And I'm especially afraid of bugs and spiders that are in my house.

(3) On a scale of 1 to 10, how hot are you?  Hmmm, self-rating can be ego boosting.  I'd say I'm a solid six, maybe a seven.  Nick might rate me differently, but then he sees me differently than I do.

(4) You just found out you (or your partner) are having a baby. What's your reaction?  OH NO, NO WAY!  We are done having kids, period!

(5) You just won a free vacation to anywhere in the world. Where would you go?  New Zealand, if I have to go out of the country.  Hawaii, if I have to stay domestic.  Either place has great geology to look at and beaches.  There must be a beach.
 
Now go answer the questions and link up with Christy at Is there a Doctor in the House?