Where the @#$% You Been???!?!

Well, people, let me tell ya - 'Real Life' came along and just knocked my dick in the dirt (so to speak). I have been running around like a crazed woman, putting out fires, taking care of business, making plans for Big Daddy's layoff, following kiddies around with a puke bucket, and working my ass off, the whole time watching my back to make sure I don't get a shank stuck in my spine again.

Yep, had some problems at work, some bitches threw me under the bus. There should be a limit on how many women are allowed to work in one office space. And I think that limit should be ONE. I freakin' HATE HATE HATE working with women!!!! Women are catty, ruthless, hateful, vidictive little bitches in the workplace (well, and everywhere else to, but that doesn't bother me as much)... But, after several weeks, things are finally turning around and should start going better ( /crosses fingers, toes, eyes, etc.). Hopefully all my bullshit apologies and ass kissing will pay off.

Since it has been so long since my last post, I will not bore you all with a "play by play" of what's been going on, on my side of the fence. But I will give you a "Highlights and Low-lights" of the past few weeks, and hopefully that will be sufiencient.

Start at the bottom, and work your way up, so here are:

'The Low-lights'...( /blows raspberry "Booooo!")

1. Work sucks. Stupid people with stupid problems and people who can't mind their own fucking business make my weekdays miserable.

2. Pat is getting laid off, as of... well, as of 3:00 this afternoon...

3. All the kids have sick CONSTANTLY. Everything from sore throats, coughs, the flu, sinus congestion, and all that shit, we have had it all. I am SO very tired of cleaning up puke...

4. Blake is still on "2nd Shift" schedule for sleeping and I am up until about 1 am every night with him, and getting up at 6 am for work. No rest for the wicked, I guess...

5. Made the idiotic mistake of trying to wax my legs and bikini area... OMFG that is a WHOLE other blog... ( /slaps forhead - "stupid, stupid, stupid!")

6. I ran out of vodka... twice... (SHAME!)

THE HIGHLIGHTS!

1. I paid off my car. Woot!

2. I met my weight loss goal, and even passed it by 4 pounds. I lost a grand total of 44 pounds since October, and yesterday bought my first pair of size 6 pants in 7 years!

3. Probably as a direct result from number 2, I have been having a lot of sex! /claps excitedly

4. I got married! (Kinda...) Had to sign a "Common Law Affidavit" so I could put Pat on my health insurance at work. So, now - according to the state of Kansas - we are married. Awwwwww, how romantic...

5. Wrote (what ended up being a very popular and highly forwarded) an email to a company that works with special needs children (including my nephews and niece) here in town. From that email, my sister and I were invited to an Advocate's in the Community Luncheon. From the luncheon, we have gotten involved in the proposed bill to remove the waiting period for the KS Autism Waiver. I got a lot of comments and recognition for the email that I wrote, and it really made me feel good about myself, and I was pleased that so many were touched by it.

6. Bought more vodka!!! TWICE!!!! :)

So.... there you go. I've had a lot going on, and I'm sorry to everyone for not being able to write on here, or visit other blogs. I am trying to get back on more often, so don't give up on me!

Playing "Ketchup" - Award Ceremony for Yours Truly... Only about 2 weeks late...

OK - Sorry I'm a big ol' loser, and I am JUST getting around to posting these, but I have been given some fantastic awards lately and they need to be recognized!

First, we have a homemade award from Needsleepy! This one was a big surprise and I have to admit, I got a tiny little swell of pride when I saw this on there... I have even included HER NOTE that she put about me on her page!! :)

DIRECT QUOTE FROM NEEDSLEEPY:

"This one I HAVE to give to Super Mom over @ Breed 'em and Weep. Whether she is having a shitty day or a fabulous day...her stories just draw you in. I read her posts everyday! I love following stories with her hilarious children and of course her special man in her life. Sometimes she just writes about weird and off the wall stuff that comes out of nowhere, it's GREAT! Again, if you have not taken the time to read this one....you should! Thanks for keeping my day entertaining....always!"

Awwww, thank you dahling!!! Love you, love you, love you!!!

Next is from a fantastic woman, one of the most inspiring women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. It is from my mommy, WalkingInADream. Isn't that sweet?

But really, my mother has taught me so much about how to be your own person, how to be strong, decide what you believe and stick to it, and how to endure anything life might throw at you. She has also shown me that I can do ANYTHING and to never let myself or anyone else's opinion of me get in the way of what I really want out of life.

I hope I can lead by example and teach my children these same values. I love you mom.

And finally, I have also been given the Mom of the Year award!!! Holy shit, does ANYONE actually READ my blog???? lol But, I will go ahead and graciously accept this award on behalf of my 3 little angels. :) Oddly, they often look a lot like the little girl in the picture... "MOMMY SAID NO!"

This one comes with rules...

1) Admit that ONE thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are NO LONGER allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a good mom!

2)To remind yourself that you ARE a good mom, list SEVEN things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself of EVERY DAY that you rock!

3)Send this to FIVE other Moms of the Year that deserve forgiveness and a reminder that they, too, are the best moms they can be!!! Remember to send them a note to let them know you've selected them, and add a link to the person who nominated you!

So, number one...

I feel horrible that I let my kids watch WAY too much TV. I have so much crap to do in the evenings, and that is what they always want to do - it just seems easier than having to fight with them about it....

Josie told me over the weekend, while she was watching me hang up her clothes, that I needed to get a "Wonder Hanger" and proceeded to tell me all of the fantastic attributes of this wonderful product that she saw on TV. She also informed me of what all you got on your order, how much it is, and if I ordered now I would get 2 stick up lights to use in closets, etc... I am SO very thankful that we were at home and not out in public somewhere... or else I would have had to pretend that she was practicing her lines for her lead role in the school play titled "I have a Lousy Mom who lets me watch too much TV while she is cooking dinner, doing dishes and taking care of my baby brother, so I have seen infomercials so many times I have them memorized"... She also told my sister all about "Bend-a-roos" while on the way to her birthday party... I was humiliated...

Number two - Seven things that I love about my kids:

1. I love all their different personalities. They are all so different, and each one is so very unique. I love that Josie is so friendly, that Mia is so rambunctious, and that Blake is so "Chill out and Relax". I hope they all keep their individuality as they get older.

2. I love it when Josie is leaving for school and Mia runs up to give her a hug and a kiss goodbye. They hug, and kiss then tell each other they love each other and Josie says she will see Mia when she gets to Gramma's later... Then Mia stands at the door watching Josie walk out to the car, saying "Bye Bye Dosie!!!" and blowing kisses.

3. I love it when Mia says Please, Thank you and You're Welcome... particulary when she actually supposed to! Nothing cuter when you say "Mia, can you put that in the trash?" She says "OK!" You say "Thanks, hon." She says "You're Welcome Mommy!" Awww.... or the little "Tank You!" when you give her some juice or a cracker... awww....

4. I love hearing "I Love You, Mommy". Nothing in the world can top that. Ever.

5. I love Blake's smile. The girls are darling and have the sweetest smiles and laughs, but for some reason little Blake's smile just melts my heart. Probably because he seems to know exactly when you REALLY NEED that smile. You can be running around like crazy, make him sit in his chair for 30 minutes while rushing around doing a million other things. You know he should be totally fucking pissed at you, but the second you turn to him, he shoots you the most heart warming smile. Its like he's saying, "Hey no sweat mom. It's cool. I know you are busy, but I still love ya". Well, at least that is what I am pretending he is saying in my head... I'm sure he probably just has gas...

6. I love when the girls are playing in their room together. I remember playing with my sister when I was little, playing together... squealing and laughing, running, jumping, giggling, all that... the most wonderful background noise ever. Until something crashes...

7. I love that my kids are well behaved in public. They can be rotten to the core at home, but in public they are USUALLY sweet as pie. Everyone always compliments me on well behaved my kids are and what little angels they are... Thank gawd they don't see us at home or I would be getting weekly visits from whomever it is that visits you when your kids are BAD...not Santa Claus, the other one....

And number three.....

Every mommy deserves this award!! Take it and run, ladies!

Geez....

Ok, I know it has been a while since I put up a new blog, and although this TECHNICALLY counts as a new blog, it's really not...

This is just an apology and begging you all not to forget about me.

My stupid ol' REAL LIFE is constantly getting in the way of my virtual one!!! I am super stressed at work, things are crazy at home, kids have been sick, have a birthday party to host on Saturday, and blah blah blah... geez, I'm even boring the shit out of myself with this post.

Ok, I'll try to get on here tonight (yea right, Angie... WTF EVER!) or tomorrow and play a little catch up with blogspot life.

xoxo

"S" is for...SUPER MOM!

Sooooo, J.J. in L.A. was playing the Alphabet Game on her blog last week, and asked for volunteers to play along. Well, you know me, I am always up for some game-playing, so I said "Sure! Why not?"

She assigned me the letter "S". I am supposed to list 10 things that start with "S" that I like...About 5 minutes after getting my assignment, I decided that JJ must REALLY like me, as she has given me the easiest freakin' letter in the alphabet. Within 5 minutes I had the required 10 and still had "S"s popping to mind...

SO - being the overachiever that I am, I have decided not to share TEN things with you, but I'm going to really challenge myself, and double it... that's right folks! TWENTY big ones, comin' atcha! Oh, and I tried to limit the food references... they seemed like a cop out considering half the foods on the planet start with S. I mean, there is seafood, swiss cake rolls, sugar cookies, sour cream and chive dip, Skittles, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Spaghetti, Spaghetti O's and meatballs, etc., etc.

So, without further adieu, here we gooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.....

1. Sleep

I love to sleep. I don’t GET to sleep much, but there is nothing better than going to bed and not waking up until YOU DECIDE to wake up!!! I usually get up because of an alarm, a baby crying, TV blaring, kids fighting or a large crash… all of which immediately put me in a shitty mood for the day. I think if I was allowed to, I could sleep for an entire 24 hour period without even having to wake up for a pee break… ahhhhh sleep, how I miss you, you elusive little…

2. Sex, Sex, and More Sex

Well, DUH. OF COURSE this would be on my list – I have 3 freakin’ kids!!! It is a little obvious that this would be a favorite past time… But again, just because I LIKE to, doesn’t mean I GET to. I have an exceptionally high sex drive, which few men have ever been able to keep up with. I frequently feel like the “the man” in the relationship, constantly badgering my partner for a little “roll in da hay”. At the beginning of our relationship, Pat could “keep up”. Then, after a year or two, it plummeted to a “Stock Market-like” low. But over the past few months, probably due to closing down the baby making factory, I am (FOR THE FIRST TIME) having a difficult time keeping up with HIM!!! Omg, it must be payback for making me giving birth over and over again… I would have had them all sooner if I knew THIS would happen! WHOOOO! Now the only problem is finding time away from kiddos so we can “do it”… I think I need a tree house… or a garage…

3. Sin City

Oh, Sin City, how I miss you. I know a lot of people say that Vegas is too loud, too gaudy, too smoky, etc. Well those are all the things that I LOVE about it!! I would go there at least once a year if I could… I think one of the biggest attractions for me (besides gambling /slaps hand) is the fact that there is ALWAYS something new to go check out. And the fact that you can walk down the street, in and out of casino after casino, while holding a foot tall margarita and chain smoking as you check out “all the new stuff” makes Sin City my #1 vacation spots in the continental US.

4. Slow dancing

Awwww, slow dances… I love holding someone close, swaying back and forth to the music, laying your head on the man’s shoulder, breathing in his cologne… Ahhh. Now, as much as I love this, Pat and I have only slow danced MAYBE 3 times. Ever. Now, it’s not because he refuses to dance with me or just plain hates it or anything like that – it’s because he is SERIOUSLY 13 ½ INCHES TALLER THAN ME. Yea, really. Over a foot taller, which makes slow dancing a little awkward… Strangely enough, it doesn’t make the above number 2 difficult at all… I guess we will just have to stick to that instead of slow dancing… sigh, I guess I’ll just take one for the team… :)

5. Sundays

Oh, I love me some Sunday afternoons. Usually Saturday is the day that I clean house, start laundry, do grocery shopping, all that other bullshit. Saturdays are pretty much a work day, so they pretty much just suck. BUT Sundays… that is my “F” off day. I sit around on my ass watching TV, talk on the phone, playing a video game or going out with the family. And now, you can even buy booze on Sundays, which makes it even better. LoL. Best day of the week, in my opinion.

6. Spa days

Omg, a day at the spa… where else can you go and walk around in a robe, get a facial, a full body massage, manicure, pedicure, your hair washed, cut and styled AND they serve you lunch?? I think they have said that heaven is like that, but it’s a little harder to get in to…


7. Slippers

Wow, I love slippers. I wear them ALL the time!! Well, not to work, but… I am one of those tacky people that go to the grocery store, gas station, the bank, where ever, in my slippers. I make sure to buy the kind that has rubber soles so they don’t get messed up on my trip around town… I DO leave the robe and hair curlers at home, as I do not want to be THAT tacky!! But I’m still young, so that might change in the next few decades… I’ll keep ya posted…

8. Subway Sandwiches

For those that have no idea what Subway is (is there anyone still living under a rock or in the Soviet Union, maybe?), Subway is the best damn sandwich shop EVER. I always “liked” it, but during my pregnancies I really began to appreciate it to its full extent. I ate this SO often, that the employees all knew what I wanted as soon as I walked in. Not only that, but they even knew my due date, the sex of the baby and any names I had picked out…

My favorite sandwich, you might ask? “Foot long on white, ham and cheese (American cheese, please), double meat, double cheese, with EXTRA mayo”. They have the BEST freakin’ mayo on the planet… I know it’s gross, but I can’t help myself. If the sight of someone eating a sandwich with mayo dripping out one end (and then that person licking it off and going “mmmmmmmmmmm”) grosses you out – you might not want to take me to lunch at Subway…

9. Singing in the car

Out of my MANY talents, I would have to say my ability to take a perfectly good song and butcher the hell out of it in my car is probably my most proficient. I have been perfecting this art for over a decade and I really think if there was a competition for this, I would win, hands down. I sing off key, too loudly, and usually don’t REALLY know all the words… not the right words, anyways…

10. Smoking

I love to smoke. I have smoked for 16 years (with the exception of pregnancies and/or breastfeeding times) and I have no intention of quitting. I do not smoke in the house, or around my children. Back when there was “smoking sections” in restaurants, I never sat in them if I had my children with me. I love to smoke when I drive, when I have a drink, or while I am waiting for my food and/or after eating. Dining alone on my lunch hours, I usually pick somewhere that still allows smoking, which usually turns out to be a Bar and Grill. Unfortunately, since they enacted the no smoking city ordinance, there are several places I used to frequent on lunch hours that I no longer go to because you can’t smoke there. I will go there for dinner, but on my lunch I want to smoke, since I can’t smoke at my desk at work… they tend to frown on that…

11. Swearing

Holy shit, I can’t help my fucking swearing. I make a VERY strong effort to not swear around my kids, but it doesn’t always work. I NEVER swear AT them, but I have done it around them which is apparent by my oldest daughter reminding me that I “Shouldn’t say that word, it’s a bad word, mommy” at least once a day. Then I’m like “Oh, shit honey, I’m sorry”. Actually she is a big help – otherwise Mia’s already crazy-ass behavior would become “social services worthy” if she started popping off with “Oh shit! Dammit!!” when she spills her juice, or “Kiss my ass, ma!” when I tell her to pick up her toys…

12. Sal’s

Sal’s is a Japanese steakhouse that cooks their food hibachi style, right at the table. The give you a ton of food, the food is fantastic, the cooks are hilarious, and they have a HUGE drink called a Volcano. It is “supposed” to be enough for two people, and comes with a fire in the middle of it. WOO HOO! They are also the only place in town that I have found plum wine, which is soooooo good – the only way to make it better would be if they would give you your wine in a “big girl” glass instead of the little baby one that it comes in…

13. Sisters

I am so very glad that I have two girls, because they each have a sister now. My sister is one of the most important people in my life and I would be lost (and probably pretty bored) without her! I think it is just so cute when Josie is getting ready to leave for school and her sister comes barreling down the stairs to give her a kiss and hug good-bye; Or at night, when they go to bed, and they INSIST on sleeping in the same bed, snuggling down into the covers giggling and laughing together. I hope they grow up to be as close as my sister and I are. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

14. Sleeping in the nude

Wearing clothes to bed bothers me. I get too hot and sweaty, and my pants always get twisted around my waist or around my legs. My underwear crawls up my butt and my shirt gets jammed into my armpits. Being naked just eliminates all the irritants and allows me to actually STAY asleep through the night. And makes number one and two easier to accomplish on my tight schedule...

15. Sexy lingerie

I don’t know what it is about lingerie, but I actually wear it for MYSELF more often than for someone else. Maybe it’s because regardless of my weight, clothes or my haircut, if I wear a sexy pair of panties and matching bra, I FEEL sexy for the whole day…

16. Soda

I’m a soda drinker. I love soda, Mountain Dew in particular. I used to drink 9-10 cans of Dew a day, from the moment I woke up until right before bedtime. Since I went on my diet, my doctor told me I was no longer allowed to drink regular soda, and I almost cried. I have adapted to this new requirement as best I can, but every time I go to the vending machine for a Diet Dr. Pepper, I can’t help but stare at the Mt. Dew button, while my mind tries to convince my button pushing finger that “just one would be ok”. I am proud (and depressed) to say that I have been able to talk myself out of it each time, and continue to push the DDP one… /sob

17. Silence

I LIKE IT QUIET. You will probably NEVER hear me say “I just need some background noise”. Fuck background noise. If there is ever a time where I am at home with no children and no man, I can guarantee that the TV will be off, the radio will be off, and I will be quieting enjoying a good book, a hot bath or a much needed nap. Also, I rarely drive with the radio on, unless someone else is in the car with me. I am fine with driving in silence…

Pat has a horrible habit of turning on EVERYTHING in the house that makes noise, in every room. Go into the kitchen – radio is blaring. Go to the bathroom – radio is going in there too. Living room – TV on, and turned up WAY to loud. Bedroom – TV and/or radio is a must, and if he magically goes to bed before me I always have to brace myself for the inevitable 3 seconds after I flip the TV off - “What are you doing??? I was listening to that!!”

18. Seeley Booth

Oooooo, Seeley Booth. For those of you who do NOT know who this is, this is the FBI agent on the TV show "Bones". He is shhhhh-moking hot, super sexy and a good guy to boot! He is the classic Knight in Shining Armor that your mommy told you stories about when you were little. I think the most attractive thing about him is the fact that despite all the wonderful, noble things he does, he RARELY takes credit for, or brags on his self about. He is a Genuine Nice Guy, and a caring and loving father… and, yes I KNOW he is a fictional character. He would have to be, because no man on the planet is ACTUALLY like this… dammit…

19. Suede

Oh, luxurious suede – I have suede coats, suede boots, suede gloves… I love the look, the feel, the smell of suede. It just hugs you and caresses your skin, and makes you feel a little more important than you know you actually are…

20. Smiles

I love smiles. Especially baby smiles. Those just warm me right down to my toes!! Everyone needs to feel special, appreciated, and noticed. A smile accomplishes ALL of that! If anyone on here tries to tell me that a baby smiling at you doesn't make you grin, you are full of shit.

One of the coolest thing about a smile is when you give one away, you almost ALWAYS get one back. Try in line at the grocery store tonight! I bet you a dollar it will work! (Be sure it is a genuine one though... doesn't usually work with those fake, shit eating smiles...)

Well, there you go! My "S"s!

Now, to be honest, I could keep going... there is all kinds of shit that I could put on here, but frankly I'm running out of time, and my head is starting to hurt a little... :)

If you would like to play along, just let me know, and I will give YOU a letter too!!! Come on, you know you want to!!!

Don't F%@! With a Winner

Oh, yes, my good friends... I'm a winner. I have - AGAIN - been given the prestigious honor of being selected as a half assed good blogger!! WOO! If my mother could see me now, she would be soooo proud! lol

I have been given 2 (COUNT 'EM - T W O!) more awards!!! Let's check them out, shall we??

So, my wonderful sister and lifelong friend, Needsleepy, has nominated me for the Sisterhood Award!!!!! This award is given to those blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude. Thanks sweetie!!! I love it!! It is sooooooo very purty!!!!!



(Although.... I regretfully suspect I won this by default, because of the name "Sisterhood Award"... I just don't know if many would agree that I possess or project onto this blog "Great Attitude OR Gratitude"...but hell, I'll take it! I LOOOOOVE winning shit!!!)

This is very sweet, Shell. Thank you very much. :) Love you!!!

Now, I do have to lay down "The Rules"... they are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post. (Done! - Damn I'm an overacheiver...)
2. Nominate 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude(If you don't have 10, its ok.) (I will not have 10, but I know it will be ok...)
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. (See below, por favor)
4. Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blog. (I will definitely do this!! If I remember...)
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award. (I did THIS already too!!! See above...)

Ok, my nominations goooo toooooo:

Whiney Momma - She is a very dedicated blogger! She is my "Always has a new post to read" gal and I love ya for it :)
Brittany (The Greer 5) - Her most recent post inspired the hell outta me lol :)
J.J. in L.A. (The World According to JJ in LA) - Now, this woman could very well be the most deserving of this award. Her entire outlook on life is amazing, and I can only hope that one day I could learn to adopt her attitude...she truly has a great one, and that is what this award is really about.
Mommy Chrissie (Mommies Keeping it Real) - Such a very cool lady. As hard as most moms think they have it, she has a little extra obstacle to overcome, but makes it look effortless. :)
And how can you pass up a little lady that loves playing with her son AND can never say no to a little "Bones".... Kendrasue!! (Life in the Slow Lane)

Anyways, there you have it! My 5 (we will just go ahead and call it 10, just for argument's sake), be sure to check them out whenever you have a few extra minutes! Good reads, all of them! :)



Ok, Second we have the - well, I'm not really sure WHAT the name of it is, but it's fucking fabulous, regardless...

So, now I have to share 10 facts about myself, and provide a meaningful quotation. Finally, I have to list 5 people who I believe deserve this award.

So, 10 facts about me... where to begin? I have told SO MANY facts about myself in the past few months, I'm trying to figure out if there are any FACTS LEFT TO TELL?!!!! LOL

1. My favorite things to shop for are shoes and purses... why, you ask? Because I've NEVER said or HEARD anyone say "Does this purse/shoe make my ass look big?" You know WHY I've never heard it? Because purses and shoes don't MAKE your ass look big... That's why I like to shop for them :)

2. I love to talk on the phone. All the time. To anyone. About anything. Or about nothing. Give me a call, we'll chat. :)

3. When I was a teenager I used to eat Doritos dipped in cottage cheese, and I LOVED it. Still Do.

4. I type much faster on an ergonomically correct keyboard. But I am too cheap to buy one for my computer at home, so I just chicken peck at the crappy one I have at home, cussing at it and wishing I was at my desk at work with my perfect EC keyboard... I have even thought about stealing it from work, but I worry that they wouldn't buy me a new one, then I would REALLY be screwed...

5. I do not know how to burn a DVD, and I am afraid I will never learn, because I will never ask to be taught because I feel stupid for not knowing.

6. I was a huge geek/nerd/reject in school. I have really grown up, found myself, and have really become a people person (I think, anyways...). I even think I'm kind of cool now... but everytime I run into an old classmate, I feel like a reject again...

7. I was 9 lbs 1 oz at birth. BOOOOOOOOOORN fat and just grew bigger. lol

8. I always wanted to be a rockstar. I can't sing for shit, and I know it, but I used to have dreams in grade school about singing concerts on the playground. The closest I ever got was singing Karaoke shit-faced drunk in a local bar... and doing it badly, I might add... I think I might actually have a little resentment toward my ex about the rockstar thing, because he actually had talent to do it, but lacked the drive... seemed like such a waste of talent to me.

9. I think feet are the ugliest part of the body - especially MINE. If I had the means to do it, I would try and have plastic surgery on my feet to make them more attractive... first thing - I would have my big toes "thinned".... they are freakshow fat. I have never understood feet fetishes and I never will.

10. I don't really like my new haircut... I wish I had not gotten layers. You would think after this many years, I would have learned by now... dammit...

And my meaningful quote is:

"If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten." - Bunker Hunt

For some reason, this quote really hits home with me. I actually have it as my screensaver at work, so I never forget - sometimes, things HAVE to change...

And for 5 people that deserve this blog? Well shit, I think we all deserve it. I know it sounds like a cop-out and I just don't want to list 5 people in particular, but that's not really true. I could list 5 people that really do deserve it, but then there would be a whole slew of bloggers who deserve it too, but didn't get "picked". And I think that is kinda shitty.

We all pour our souls into the vast emptiness of the internet on a daily basis. Sometimes just to vent, sometimes to celebrate, sometimes to get help. Sometimes we even write things that we would NEVER say out loud to a real person, because deep down we are all afraid of judgement.

We put our selves out there for the world to see, and just HOPE that there might be someone else out there that feels the same way, someone that you can relate to...

I personally think that anyone who takes time to write a blog (a real blog, mind you, not a web page full of pictures of boobs and the margins full of dick and fart jokes...) deserves to be recognized.

So I present this award to YOU. Every one of my readers, public and anonymous. (All THREE of you!!! LOL)

Everyone should feel the excitement of getting noticed, even if it is something as "insignificant" as a blog award. It's not the Noble Peace Prize or even first place in a wet T-Shirt contest, but damn it, I have to admit, it sure felt good to log in here and see that someone else had given me an award! It was fantastic, and I want everyone to feel that way too. :)

So:

Needsleepy, Momma Young, Mommy Chrissie, Merynne, Ambersmilez, Christine, Upkaran Gupta, Holly, Vodka Mom, Tom G, avm0525, Lisa, Chichiluv2, Twisted Lisa, Chasing Cars, WalkinginaDream, Sissi, No Sex in the City, and Kendrasue - Congratulations! You are ALL big winners... and you don't fuck with a winner, right??? :)

Please take it and post it, list your facts, and your quote and pass it on to another blogger who you feel would like being recognized.

(Whoops, sorry about my touchy feely rant... my soul was showing... I'll try not to let it happen again... :)

Clapping for Poop

I had decided that I was going to start working on potty training for Mia over the past month or so and it was not going well.

I read info on the internet, in books, etc, trying to decide the best way to go about it. I felt bad because she is two and still in diapers... and I thought back to Josie when she was that age. Josie was always very advanced at most things (walking, talking, colors, numbers, letters, all that) and I remember her being in pullups at two... BUT she wasn't actully potty trained until she was three.

I remember speaking to Josie's daycare provider when she was three, asking for their help in potty training her while she was there. I remember being embarassed that she was 3 and not potty trained yet.

Then they told me that three is actually about the right age for it...any time before that, you are really just training the parents to take the kid to the bathroom every 30 minutes to an hour, "in case" they need to go... that is not really THE CHILD deciding they need to go to the bathroom, that's the mommy guessing they MIGHT... At three, they have a better understanding of the process and can be potty trained in a matter of days. I was skeptical, but I decided to try it.

The first day, I sent her to daycare in big girl panties (and a few extra pairs of pants and stuff). She had an accident that day, but only once. The next day, big girl panties again and NO ACCIDENTS! It took less than a week for her to be accident free all day, and only one accident at night before she was accident free at night. (And, fyi, I also found out that she was one of the first ones in her daycare class to really be truly potty trained, so I didn't feel so bad in the end. And I guess girls catch onto the potty training thing faster than boys...)

SO ANYWAYS, remembering that, I decided that for now, I would just work on getting Mia to tell me "as soon as she goes to the bathroom", and then we will work up to the "telling me BEFORE she goes" part...

This has been hard, but I think she is finally getting the idea. She used to go "Number Two" and just keep it to herself. Just sit around and marinate in it until someone noticed that she stunk to high heaven...

Now, she comes and tells me "Mommy I poop"... and I clap!! "Yea for Mia! Thank you for telling me!!! You are such a good girl!!!" :) She grins, SO very proud of herself, and claps for herself too.

(I really think that she will be able to start telling me a little ahead of time within the next couple of months. I will just let her do it on her own time table instead of trying to push her...)

But now, it has become such a habit, that I caught myself clapping for Blake over the weekend, and I even clapped for Josie last night... /sigh... "Good job, kids! Show that poop who's boss!" "That's right, you wipe your butt and flush TOO!! That's my girl!"

I've reached a new low - I clap and cheer for poop. I swear I used to be cool....

OMG! PLEASE HELP ME!!!

Ok, now that I have your attention... I need help. (In more ways than I can count, but this time it is for a particular problem...)

I received a mp3 player for my birthday (a week late, but at least it showed up at all) from Patrick. I abosolutely LOVE it! I painstakingly downloaded about 300+ songs in a week, listened to it while cleaning, while at work, while at the store shopping, on the computer, everywhere!!

Until... it broke.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Yep. Freakin' thing won't even turn on now... how come it is always MY SHIT breaks???? Why not something of Pat's? EVER?

Always mine... /sob /cry /sob

Anyways, my darling man went ahead and had the company send a new one out, and I am sending the broken one back. Great. But now, I will be getting a blank mp3 player back. Now, I am really bad at music, song names, artists, album names, etc. Someone can say "Hey do you like that song Something or other? And I can say "Never heard of it..." or "Hey did you here the new Whoever's song?" And I can say "who?"... get the picture? I was going through folder after folder of music that Pat had already downloaded on his pc (literally 1000+ songs) and I picked about 120 of them... And I wasn't sure about half of them because Pat suggested them and I didn't know the songs by titles...

Then I went to my sister's house, and dug through another 10,000 songs, picking about 150 or so... not sure about half of them because my sister suggested them and I didn't know the songs by titles... see a pattern here?

While I was listening to them, I noticed that I skipped about 2/3 of the songs that came on... usually the ones I picked myself, so apparently I have no taste.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN.

Since apparently I only like songs that other people suggest, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE suggest some of your favorite songs for me!!!

I like a little bit of everything. Even a little rap and a little country, but I prefer rock, alternative, pop, R&B, oldies, dance (NOT techno, Shelly), and just plain fun songs that you can sing to. I like new stuff, old stuff, 70's, 80's, 90's, whatever... I think I do anyways...

PLEASE HELP ME!!!! I don't care if it is ONE SONG or 100 SONGS! I need help! Please! I'm musically challenged!!!! TELL ME WHAT TO DOWNLOAD! I have 4G of music that I can put on this thing, and I can only think of MAYBE a dozen songs... geez I'm such a loser... (Makes "L" shape with thumb and forefinger, and puts it in front of forehead)

PS - Come on, this could actually be kinda fun! :) Play along!! It's for a good cause! lol

Thank you for your time, you may now return to your regularly scheduled blog readings... :)

Plagerism at it's Best

Got a fantastic email earlier this week... I figured since I am brain dead (from no sleep, constant overload at work, and just general stress of 2 sick kids, deadlines, finances, and all the other shitty things that have berated me over the past week) I thought I would cheat, and post it today instead. I have added some of my own notes on a few of the subjects (my comments in blue), as well as added a couple of my OWN thoughts to the end, but I promise a completely original piece of work is on its way... later this week... ENJOY! :)

THE SPOILED UNDER-30 CROWD!!! (Now, I know I AM under Thirty, but juuuuust barely. Plus, I FEEL a hell of a lot older, so I am considering myself part of the "Over Thirty" Crowd...)

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking Twenty-five miles to school every morning. Uphill...barefoot...BOTH ways...Yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, There was no way in hell I was going to lay A bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it And how easy they've got it!

But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of Thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today.You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalogue!! (I remember in Middle School one of my girlfriend's got the Internet. Good Ol' "DIAL UP" of course. We would sit anxiously for 30-45 minutes, sometimes longer, just to get on a chat page and talk to total strangers. And I also remember that when I was a kid, my parents actually had a FULL SET of Encyclopedia Brittanica's... Does ANYONE have those anymore?)

There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter, with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there! (Who had a pen pal growing up? /raises hand... Anyone who didn't - probably under 30)

There were no MP3' s or Napsters! (Just got my first EVER mp3 player about a week ago... /sigh, I'm such a loser...) You wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself! (did this a bunch...) Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ'd usually talk over the beginning and fucked it all up! (I taped SO MUCH shit off of the radio... my sister and I both had tons of "homemade complilation" tapes...and they all sucked and had every DJ from KKRD on them. Some of them even had US on them, because eventually you would tired of waiting for the song you want, and would break down and CALL the station to request it.)

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it! (beeep, beeep, beeep... = most annoying sound on Earth.)

And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your Bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister! (I remember when we GOT caller ID. That was the coooooolest thing EVER. You could SEE WHO WAS CALLING!!! OMG!!! And if you were too "loser" to get caller ID, you got the next best thing...*69!! How freakin' cool was that, guys? Someone calls you, and you can CALL THEM RIGHT BACK! Bye bye crank callers... /sad face)

We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari! (And the original Nintendo.) We had games like 'Space Invaders' and 'asteroids'. Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your Imagination!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen - Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE! (I remember thinking Pong and Joust were freakin' awesome...THEN came the original Zelda and blew them ALL out of the fuckin' water!!!)

You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the Channel. (Now, we DID have a remote, but it was one of those huge silver ones. And eventually it would get covered in sticky black stuff [aka dirty from your hands] and you spent half the time trying to pick it off so you could see the freakin' numbers.)

And there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-bastards. (OMG Saturday morning cartoons were THE BEST! They were worth the wait. lol)

And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up we had to use the stove ... Imagine that! (We did have microwave, but they were new enough that a lot of my friends didn't have them. And I remember my mom making homemade macaroni and cheese in it MANY times...AND I remember blowing up SEVERAL packages of hotdogs on the quest to perfect the "defrost" option...)

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled. You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!

Regards,

The Over 30 Crowd

ANGIES ADDITIONS:

I remember the year we got our very first VCR. Oh, yeah, that's right. It was the size of a current day computer and it was ONLY in my parent's room. (I'm sure they were watching "educational" shows only...)

I remember when Tiger Beat was THE magazine to get! And it always had those fold out "penthouse style" posters of one of the Corey's in it. (If you didn't know that was a reference to the infamous duo Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, please raise your hand so my friend can come over and hit you with a tack hammer, because you are a RETARD).

Also, we didn't have cell phones. Neither did our parents... and we CERTAINLY didn't have them in high school. You know what cool gadget I got when I was in high school? A PAGER. OH YES. And I was damn proud to be sporting it too!!! There were pay phones at every gas station and on street corners all over town - and people actually used them. A lot. And, and I must mention a call from a pay phone was NOT 50 cents, or even 35 cents... they were a quarter. And some of the really good old ones were still hanging around with that 10 cent price tag...

Oh, and in fact we didn't even have CORDLESS phones until I was in high school. You had the phone with the loooong ass cord that you drug all over the freakin' house trying to get a SMIDGEN of privacy. And if your jerkass siblings want to use the phone? They just grab the other end and PULL.

Oh, and text messaging? In school, we called that "passing notes", maybe you've heard of it? Yea, that is where you have to write down your secret message and fold up as small as possible. Then you think of some genius way to deliver it... whether you throw it to your friend across the room when the teacher isn't looking, or employ all of your other classmates in the "passing" (this was how we practiced teamwork and being able to trust and depend on others), or you decide to take a little walk over to the trashcan and discreetly drop the note on your friend's desk as you pass by... the "passing" was the fun part about it all!!!! The possibility of getting caught! And you never really wrote anything tooo bad, because if you did get caught, the teacher would read it aloud to the whole class and everyone would laugh and point at you...

Ok, that's all I can think of at the moment!! Please feel free to add your own, or comment on mine!

See ya all later!

"Who's the Big Winner?"

ANGIE'S THE BIG WINNER!

That's right folks, I got on here yesterday to find that I have not one ONE, but TWO blog awards! WHOO HOO!!! :)

So the first one is from my sister Needsleepy. It is the Pink Lemonade Award! I'm not really sure what this is for, but I'm going to go ahead and say it is for my uncanny ability to take the lemons life tends to hurl at me at 100 mph, add Tequila and make margaritas!!! Um... I mean, Lemonade! :) Hehe, thanks so much, sweetie! My first blog award ever!!!

The second award I have gotten is from Momma Young! Now, to be honest, this one was a huge surprise to me. This is one of my readers who apparently slipped in under my radar. She has posted many comments on my blogs in the past (much love sweetie!) and I kept looking for her blog updates on my dashboard thingy...never finding any! Well, that is because I a freakin' retard and never started following it... (shame on me, /slaps own hand). Well, I have since remedied the situation, and I am now an avid follower! She is such a sweetheart (and I have no idea WHY she would like MY blog, as I am NOT a sweetheart, lol) and her blog is a lot of fun to read (so go check it out!!)

Anyways, she has given me the "Honest Scrap" award. I am guessing that this is a euphemism for "Real Shit" when you apply it to my blog... LOL :) Anyways, this one has a little catch though... I have to tell 10 honest things about me. And I am supposed to "dig deep" to come up with some good ones... so... here we go! Now, I will warn you, I sat for a long time thinking about the whole "dig deep - honest things about you" thing and I took it seriously. A lot of these are things that not many people really know about me. And probably for good reason... in all HONESTY, some of these I probably should have continued to keep to myself! lol

1. I am a little bit afraid of the dark. I am always worried that there is something there, watching me. I have a hard time getting out of bed in the middle of the night, whenever I am home alone... I guess for some reason I feel like whatever is watching me conceals itself more when anyone else is around.

2. OBVIOUSLY, I believe in ghosts. I am convinced that my parents house was (and STILL is) haunted when I grew up there. Their house is just fucking creepy and I can no longer stay there alone. If they ever go out of town and need a housesitter, I think I will definitely have to pass. I did it once to take care of the dogs they had at the time, and I don't think I slept more than 2 or 3 hours the 2 days I was there. All the reasons that their house scares the shit out of me will have to be their own post sometime - there is just too much to write here...

3. I'm not that sure I'm a very good mommy. Oh, I know, poor Angie, right? But anyone who knows me in Real Life knows that this is something I stress about. A lot. I feel tremedous pressure to make my children's life perfect, probably due to all the guilt I feel for fucking up their home life. I feel guilty for Josie because I divorced her dad and she only gets to see him for 2 1/2 days, every other week. I feel guilt for Mia and Blake because I am not married to their father. I know that EVENTUALLY they will learn how to do math, and realize that they were born out of wedlock (that is, IF we ever actually get married!!) and think that their mommy is a big whore. This is probably a whole other blog post too, but I will probably never write it, because it depresses me.

4. I used to be an exotic dancer. I know my mom reads this, but I also know that she is not stupid. I told my family that I was a waitress at a "Gentlemen's Club" for about 3-4 years. I was NOT a waitress. I'm sure my family knew, but they were nice enough to pretend to believe my lie. NOTE TO MOM: If you really didn't know, then THIS NEVER HAPPENED. I really was a waitress, I swear!

5. I do not have a college education. In fact, I have a G.E.D. ("Good Enough Diploma). This is something that at 16 I didn't give one shit about, but as an adult, I am extremely embarrassed. In fact, it is also a little sad, because I never went to prom, I never went to graduation, and I will not be invited to my class reunions. When people ask me what year I graduated, I usually tell them 1996. They then do a little math on my age and usually assume I must have skipped a couple of grades in order to graduate early... I rarely correct people who make this assumption...

6. I HATE porta-pottys. HATE HATE HATE them. I think they are the grossest fucking thing ever, and if I had lived in the time of outhouses, I would have shit in the bushes. If I go to a fair or event that lasts all day and the only place to pee is a porta potty, I try very hard to not eat or drink anything. The only exception to this is the Renaissance Fair, and that is because I work the bar, so I am required to have a FEW beers! :) But I don't get tanked because the more you drink, the more you have to use the "closet o' poo".

7. I LOVE to do housework - BUT ONLY IF THERE IS NO ONE ELSE HOME! If people are there, they just get in my way, mess up what I just cleaned or distract me from my cleaning spree. Then I just get pissed and decide that someone else can clean shit up for a change...so then NOTHING gets done... :) If I could convince Pat to leave with all the kids once a week (like maybe a Sunday afternoon, or something), for a few hours, my house would be spotless when he got back. I think he refuses because if he is not at home, then he can't play WoW, and that REALLY takes priority... :)

8. I am a pagan. Before you all go running for the hills, know that a pagan is NOT a heathen or a devil worshipper! Don't believe all the crap you see on TV! A pagan is simply someone who does not adhere to any major, organized or recognized religion. I believe there is good and evil in the world. I also believe in the need for balance in all aspects of your life. I believe in karma, and I believe in the preciousness of nature and in the natural world around us. I also believe in the power that each person holds within themselves, which can make all things possible. The power of the mind is vastly underestimated, and I believe that anything is possible when you seriously apply your mind.

9. I desperately want to be liked by everyone, even the people that I don't like. I always spout the "Eh, I don't give a shit what anyone thinks!" line, but in all HONESTY (that is what this is about, right???) I really DO give a shit. I don't like to throw parties or call old friends, because I'm very afraid that people won't show up or won't answer their phone - because they don't like me... And I always go out of my way to be extra nice to all the people at work (even the assholes I hate and all the people who make my life hell), because I want to be the "gal everyone likes". I was never popular in school (in fact I was the opposite) and I always said that I hated the popular girls... which was true. But I hated them because so many people liked them, they always had someone to talk to or somewhere to go, and I didn't have that. I was jealous, and I admit it. :(

10. I lie to my kids. Yes, I know we all do, big shocker right? I, of course, tell my kids of Santa and the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and stuff like that. But I also take it a step further... I told Josie this year if she didn't stop acting up, then I was gonna call Santa and have him skip our house this year. She of course FLIPPED OUT and was immediately a little angel for the remainder of the night. I tell her that chicken fried steaks are just really big chicken nuggets so she will eat them (she doesn't eat ANY meat besides breaded chicken and SOMETIMES fish...). I told her cottage cheese was ice cream when she was 3 and now it is one of her favorite snacks. She knows it is not ice cream now, and even calls it the right name, so I'm ok with that one... :) One time I made ham and Mia wouldn't eat it. I told her it was turkey and she gobbled it down so fast, saying "Mmmmmm yummy turkey!" the whole time... I have also told Mia that I was going to work one evening when I was going to a movie with my sister. Mia was getting very upset that I was getting ready to leave, and she understands "work" so I used it so she wouldn't be upset anymore. It worked and she gave me a hug and a kiss bye bye. :)

OK! So that is my ten. I'm sorry if they were too long, or too stupid, or too boring.

I am going to pass this wonderful award on to a few of my fellow bloggers as well!

Needsleepy at http://luckysmiles.blogspot.com/

Mommy Chrissie at http://realmommyissues.blogspot.com/

Christine at http://seetiggerbounce.blogspot.com/

J.J. in L.A. at http://jjinla.blogspot.com/

Looking forward to seeing what you all write about!!

Gonna knock the shit of the next person who asked me how my birthday was

UGH. My birthday was yesterday. I have been asked COUNTLESS times "So how was your birthday?"

To prevent anyone else asking me this, I am going to answer this burning question on everyone's mind...


My birthday sucked. It was just another day. I got to let Pat take a nap in the morning, I got to take care of kids, cooks meals, clean house and do laundry. I did not go out to eat, or go to a movie, or even receive a birthday card, let alone a gift from my husband. I think Pat mentioned the fact that it was my birthday around 2 or 3 that afternoon. And shortly after, asked what I was going to cook for dinner.


Now, I know that I am 29 years old, and by that time you should not expect much fuss about your birthday. That's perfectly fine and I understand... but, seriously, he couldn't run to Wal-Mart and buy me a fucking card? Nothing? Not even an actual "Happy Birthday, Sweetie!" or anything?


Over 4 years of birthdays, Pat has gotten a trip to Vegas, a huge surprise party (for his 30th) with a custom 3D cake in the shape of a 6 pack of beer, video games, movies, a mini fridge, cards from me AND the kids, and always SOMETHING else like dinner, drinks or a movie out with friends...


Over 4 years of birthdays, Pat took me to dinner with my friends and family last year (which my sister had to help him organize), and got me LOST season 3. We took the kids to dinner with us, and then went straight home afterwards...That's it. And those were BOTH for last year...


So, today (and even yesterday evening) when people call or swing by and ask me how my birthday was, I am actually embarrassed to tell them. Seems like everyone at work at it on their calendars and has come by to give me birthday wishes, which is so fantastic, but then they ALL seem to want to know "So, what did you do for the big day? Get anything good?" I DID NOTHING. I GOT NOTHING. (Well, I did get a card from my brother and his wife, which was so very sweet. Thanks guys, if you read this!)


So pretty much, I didn't really have a birthday... which is ok I guess. No big deal... but I am just really tired of having to TELL everyone that it was basically non-existent.


My sister HAS planned a dinner/night out for next weekend, which I REALLY am looking forward to. But Pat does not really know anything about it, so he can't even use "I thought we are celebrating it next weekend?" as an excuse. I guess I'm mostly pissed because HE ignored it... like always. I guess I just wanted to have ONE DAY that he treated me a little special, and made the day about ME for a change.

Next year, I'm just gonna plan a trip for my birthday... just for myself. And maybe my sister or something like that. Since I know I won't be ruining any plans or anything... I'm sorry, did that sound bitchy??

Anyways, Happy Birthday to me. Maybe Valentine's Day will be better... (laughs so hard I pee my pants...)