I Gave Her My Heart & She Gave Me a Pen.

Oh, Heavens! One of my all time favorite movies is on tonight! Say Anything!

I think Lloyd Dobler is the guy ever girl dreams of. The perfectly emotionally available, deep thinking guy that'll point out the broken glass in the 7-11 parking lot and walk you all the way around it.

Ah......that movie was a milestone in my high school years. Of course, I never found a guy like Lloyd back then, but I think I've got one now, for sure!

Everything about that movie is fabulous! The music. The storyline. The dialogue.

Those were the days, man. Those were the days. Mall bangs and Swatch Watches, chocolate mint Bubble Yum, blue eye shadow and big hoop earrings. Can we say KEDS?!? Of course, they weren't that cool unless you FRENCH CUFFED your jeans!

Who's with me?!?!?

Hamburger Beans for a Good Cause

Tonight I made a big attempt to "cook" in my nasty, outdated, lame as all get out kitchen/laundry room/office/command central.

I signed up at work to make a meal for co-worker Sara and family, as she just had her 3rd son, 10 weeks early (baby's still in the hospital) and has 2 growing boys and a new husband at home. I had NO idea what the heck I was going to whip up when I signed up to help out, but I wanted to do something!

I dug out the ol' electric skillet, since my oven is a freaky, nasty old thing that looks like a giant toaster oven. I'm scared to use it, and 2 burners don't work anyway. We're saving up a little for a kitchen remodel, but for now we've been making do with the microwave, a crock pot and the electric skillet. And the pizza delivery guy is our new best friend.

So what could I come up with that would be easy and tasty? My world famous, recipe stolen from my ex-in-laws, Hamburger Beans.

This looks disgusting, but its super yummy. I really love it in a pita with some cheese on top. Its hambuger, pork'n beans, BBQ sauce, some onion, garlic salt, worchestersire sauce, and a pinch of brown sugar.

At any rate, it was made with love, and just in case the boys don't like it, I'm sending some big giant store-bought chocolate chip cookies over, too. I do hope they like it though, and I hope mommy gets to take her baby home soon!

I'd Rather Have Teeth Pulled.

I love to shop. For just about anything. With one major exception.

I absolutely HATE car shopping. HATE it. I'd rather go to the dentist and have teeth ripped from my mouth. I detest everything about it. I'm not the kind of girl that needs a fancy car, I don't have to have the sweetest ride in town . . .if it runs good, the A/C works and its not a COMPLETE turd, I'll drive it. I could care less about status or otherwise.

So Monday, I found myself in car lot hell with Jimbo. He'd been hinting for a while that he wanted to turn my little Saturn (which I love and its very dependable) over to Miss Rebekah, who just turned 16 and has been beating the streets for a part-time job. She'd have to pay the insurance, but otherwise, its way too fantastic of a first car, and she couldn't pass on his offer when it was suggested.

After some persuasion, Jim talked me into checking out a few options for myself, since Becky would be getting my silver bullet. There was the Chevy HHR. There was the Saturn ASTRA. There was the Toyota YARIS. I told him I'd like to take a look at the SCION out on east Kellogg, and he was all about it. Originally, I thought I'd like to see a little Scion XA. But the minute we pulled into the lot, he spotted the XD, and it was on.

And I must admit, I think I'm in love. Its so damn cute.

Will we purchase it? Probably. I'm not going to get excited about it, and if I do happent to accidentally get excited about it, I would never admit it to Jim, but I sure dig it. Its adorable and its totally me, right down to the color.

But I'm not getting excited about it.

**UPDATE**

We bought the car and I LOVE it! Its so much fun to drive! Yes....I'm excited about it.

Good grub, bad colons, and a mocha.

This evening Jimbo and I took ourselves down to the Copper Oven for dinner, just cause we were feelin' a little trendy and cool. I love the atmosphere. The prices are a little steep, but the wait staff is wonderful, the owner came over and visited with us like we were regulars, and man, did we look oh, so L.L. Bean.

I ordered myself a fabulous cafe mocha to sip on while I waited for my fatoush salad with grilled chicken. Hillbilly Jim, of course, ordered what else? Cheeseburger. Way to broaden your horizons there, big boy.

My salad was super tasty, as was the mocha.

When Jim stepped away to use the restroom, I was left at the table to finish the magical fatoush. Since I was alone, it became very easy to hear the conversation at the table next to me, especially since the four sitting there were not exactly speaking softly. I found myself getting all the dirty details of one gentleman's colonoscopy, as told by his wife! Right down to the blow by blows of his excruciating prep work the night before.

Really, people? REALLY?!?!? HELLOOOOO.......eating a salad here!!

At any rate, I think I may have to slip back in there and get me some carrot cake very soon! That bakery case was awful tempting!

Have I mentioned how sick I am of winter? I must confess though, my ride home from work tonight was actually, dare I say, pretty? The snowflakes were HUGE.

I'm so ready for spring.

My toes are going through flip-flop withdrawl. My short sleeved shirts hanging in the closet have all lost their will to live. They've given up completely. The inside of my car looks like an army of vikings have tromped through it, leaving clumps of mud, sand and Starbucks napkins in their wake.

For heaven's sake, spring, where are you?!?!

DayQuil + Miller Light = Good Show

I forgot to take my camera with me Sunday night to the Tesla show.

So please do enjoy my super awesome $10 Tesla coffee mug that screams "SOCCER MOM"

I love this thing. They may have to bury it with me when I go. Becky and I bought some super cute t-shirts too.....just a couple of concert merchandise whores, we were.

My cold is so nasty, I was completely out of it Sunday night, but had enough wits about me to know that the show was FANTASTIC! Those guys are cool no matter how old they (or I) get! And there's nothing funnier than intoxicated people, when you're not. It was a sold out show, and ripe with drunks for the people watching!

Becky's night was made when the cute lead singer of the opening band accidentally brushed her on the shoulder as he slipped through us, east side of the stage. (we were watching Tesla from that side, as there was a breeze blowing through there and it felt good on the ol' fever.) He smiled at her. Heavens!

As for the cold, I do believe the fever cooked my brain a little. The words in my head and the words that come out of my mouth don't quite jive. Its a little scarey and slightly annoying.

So today, I'll rest up a bit more, lay around in my jammies and sip some joe from my awesome new coffee mug.

Death Bed, But Concert Ready!

Oh, I'm so sick. BUT READY TO ROCK!
As is my rocker chick buddy, Heather. Sick, but ready to rock.

I've discovered its possible to be so out of your mind with a fever that dead friends and family will appear to you, LITERALLY, and you can actually hear their voices in your head. Thats just crazy.

I don't think I have it in me to glam it up for tonight's festivities, but I am up, I have a pulse, I've slapped on a bit o' war paint, and I'm ready! Since I'll have my 16 year old daughter in tow, I'll have to keep the concert slutty factor to a minimum, anyway.

Even a Modern Day Cowboy could not keep this Little Suzie from being on the UP, Lookin' for the Spotlight. I'll Hang Tough, even though Lady Luck took a walk.

Too Busy To Get Sick!

Oh, my, am I feeling crummy. AND I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR IT!! I work on the weekends, got Special Olympics Basketball Regionals in the morning AND a hair cut (all before I go to work), my kid is out of school on Monday, AND A BIG CONCERT ON SUNDAY NIGHT!!
This is no good.

Gotta fever, throat hurts, tummy hurts, actually, EVERYTHING hurts...

One of my favorite bands of all time is coming on Sunday, and MY BUTT WILL BE THERE FRONT AND CENTER!!! No matter what.

Oh, sweet Tesla. Boys with long hair.
God bless 'em.

I don't care if I have a fever straight outta hell, I'm going. I could be on my death bed.....I'M GOING!

PICTURES TO COME!!!!!! (cause I'm GOING!)

**UPDATE**
Yep, I'm sick again. Woke up this morning (Saturday) with a fever, the chills, body ache, nasty little cough....why I keep getting sick is beyond me, but I'm beginning to feel like the monkey from "Outbreak" . . .but Tesla here we come! - Heather, I'm countin' down the hours!

The Masacare . . .

As in St. Valentine's Day. Or, if you prefer, the day or two BEFORE.

I was one of the spouses dumb enough to roll on down to the nearest drugstore last minute on Tuesday to get a little sumptin' for my other half.

It was mostly husbands, descending upon the Wal-Greens at Central & West Street like vultures. Crazed, glittery card shopping vultures. It was kill or be killed in the Valentine isle. They were snatching up heart-shaped boxes of chocolate like mad. I witnessed men WAY too old to be purchasing giant teddy bears actually contemplating it.

Don't do it, dude . . .it will haunt you for the rest of your life, that poor, obviously not creative, last minute buy. Nothing says "no effort put forth here" like a ridiculously large plushy.

I think there's too much pressure put on the male gender this time of year. I mean really, girls, wouldn't we rather have random acts of unexplained sweetness all year round than have them scramble at the drug store ONE day a year?

Put down the chocolate rose wrapped in red foil and step away, boys! Just step away.

And to the old man with the crazy eyebrows that elbowed me out of the last box of chocolate coverd cherries - UP YOURS PAL!

Living / Dining Area Complete! (Almost.)

Well, my formal living room is finally LOOKING like a living room.

Today my dining room set was delivered, minus 2 chairs and a buffet.

Cause somebody messed up.

Its much bigger than I remembered it in the store!

Of course, Riley the Super Chihuahua, my quality control manager, had to inspect it.

Really, Punks?!

Rebekah had a strings performance last night. It was awesome, as usual.

Can you see her here?

(hint: NOT the kid with the mohawk.)

Jim and I ALMOST had to give some punk-ass kids sitting very near us a beat down. I couldn't believe it. They were talking and laughing and using their cell phones and being straight up obnoxious and loud. The kicker was, 3 of them had just come off the stage from performing, themselves! I got so angry, I leaned over Jim and had a full on stare down with one of them. The place was crawling with teachers and parents and no one did a thing about it. Of course, Jim complained very loudly all the way out of the auditorium after the performance, and sure enough, people are nodding in agreement......but nobody DID anything!!!!

Doesn't anyone teach their children respect anymore?! Apalling. If Rebekah behaved like that I'd kill 'er. And she knows it! I just cannot fathom behaving like some of these teens do today.

At any rate, the senior high (my baby's group) was FANTASTIC! They did some songs from the musical, Chicago, and their Beethoven's 1st Movement was the bomb!

VERY Early Monday For a Good Cause.

This morning Jim and I got up at 4 a.m. to trek it over to KGSO Sports Talk Radio, for our annual Special Olympics radio fund raiser. We helped man the phones and what not.

Every year around this time, we do an "Adopt An Athlete" to raise money for the big state basketball trip to Hays, KS, coming up in March.

My good friend, Todd Johnson, the GM over at Steckline Communications, helped orchestrate it. Todd is also a Wagonmaster (River Festival) and he got his fellow Wagonmasters to raise $2300 before we even had the fundraiser this morning! Thats a fantastic start!

Please note my 4 a.m. hair. OUTSTANDING!

(Its talk radio - nobody cared how bad I looked . . .)

This is our Athletic Director, and my very good sister-friend, Kim Mudd. (She doesn't like having to talk on the radio). Kim's amazing. Not only does she and her husband Gene run the team, they are foster parenting one of our 12 year old athletes, she works for the city all day, and she's way more than a coach to our athletes - she's a "mom" to so many, in so many ways. I could go on forever. She's a true Super-Woman, and my hero.

Her husband Gene LOVES talking on the radio . . .to a fault. But he got us $4000 in pledges this morning.

Jimbo and fellow coach, Bob Stanbrough, stuffed invoices, stamped envelopes and ran totals. It was a very early morning but in the end, (thanks to the Wagonmasters) we raised a total of $6300 dollars, and that's about a quarter of the cost for the big trip!

Its time for a little nap!

Blood Diamond

Last night I sat through the movie Blood Diamond with Jimbo. It was disturbing. REALLY disturbing. I didn't know if I was going to be able to get through it, as two minutes into it, innocent people (men, women, children, babies) in a little African village were getting shot up and the hands of young boys were getting whacked off by groups of rebels, and the country's military were blowing everyone to bits because nobody knew who was a rebel and who wasn't.

First I was thankful that I live in a country where such a thing just doesn't happen, and then I started to feel a little guilty. I don't live every day on the run, in fear for my life or the life of my child. I don't live in fear of being snatched up and enslaved into dirty, bloody work, mining for something of substantial worth to people in other countries who have no idea how it comes to be, so to speak.

I looked down at my left hand and wondered . . . how do you KNOW if you're wearing a "Conflict Diamond" or not? How do you KNOW if the fancy little must-haves that we all pine for haven't come at an unthinkable cost for someone else? And what about other things? Like my tennis shoes maybe? Did some little 12 year old kid in a 3rd world country make them in some dirty sweat shop? The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt!

It was certainly a thought provoking flick.

Fun Last Night, Stupid & Sloppy Today.

Last night Jimbo and I attended the housewarming party of my dearest friend Jeannie and her husband Sean. They have a FABULOUS house in Riverside, right on the river. At one time it was a multi-person dwelling, so its got some funky spaces, but its ADORABLE!

I think this is her best friend, Dan, and his partner
(the 2 on the left - Dan is wearing tan pants).

The beauty of a Jeannie party is she's got ALL kinds of friends from all walks of life, and nobody knows each other, but it doesn't matter! Everyone chats it up about anything under the sun and a good time is always had! Jeannie is a lover of all people and knows no strangers. I love that gal.

I have no idea who this dude was,
but he was an absolute SCREAM.

Here's me & Jeannie.

This picture is dreadful. I'd like to blame it on my husband who can't work the digital camera, but there really are other factors involved . . .
There's an old rule of thumb that should be STRICTLY stuck to. Instead, I slid right off of it: "Beer Before Liquor, Never Sicker." - They ain't a kiddin'.
This photo was taken AFTER the 2 Miller Lites I had at dinner, and the 3 glasses of wine I had at the party. (One more was consumed post-photo, if you can believe it.)
That may not sound like much, and really, I have held way more than that, but last night, I got my butt kicked. I've become quite the lightweight.

I had a ton of pictures I snapped of the rest of the house, but I believe my hillbilly husband accidentally deleted some. Its such a great house!

My Big Girl & Little Man.

So today is my sweet Beckyboo's birthday. The Big 16. I'm feeling pretty old. And a little sad. When she was a tiny thing, I thought about this day and it seemed light years away. Now that its here, all I can think about is how much I miss that squeaky little voice pestering me at 6 a.m. for poptarts and milk.

I remember one spring day when she was 3 or 4 - Becky and I drove my grandma to a doctor's appointment, and then on to Wendy's for lunch! (grandma & Becky loved Wendy's) Smiling at my little angel wolfing down nuggets, Grandma said to me, "THESE are your golden years - not old age, right here right now." - She was so right. I was such a young mother, I feel like I took a lot of it for granted.

I hope all the things her dad and I have tried to instill in her all these years sticks. She's on a good path so far! I couldn't be prouder.

Now as for her little brother. He's another story. I think I need a dog whisperer.

Since the move, he's become even more needy. He hears new noises that must be barked at, he's nosey, and he just cannot stand to have anyone do anything but hang out on the couch with him. He's pathetic. Monday he tried to give the mail man the what-for. Its actually quite funny - he's got a touch of the old Napoleon Syndrome - big man, little body. Makes me crazy. You should see what happens when you ask him "Where's Becky?" - he LOVES that girl!

Sweet (16) Child O' Mine!

My baby turns SWEET 16 on Wednesday, so tonight we hit the town for some grub. Surprisingly, my eccentric offspring opted for a corporate eatery (TGI Friday's) as opposed to a spot that might be full of local flavor. She usually enjoys visiting those places a little different than the norm, but tonight not so much. . . We had us some potstickers and they were the bombdig.
Rebekah has always been a music lover. She plays the cello, loves all kinds of musicals, and recently, she's become obsessed with The Beatles! We got her the Beatles movie "Help" on DVD, a some Beatles CD's and a few other Beatles items.

Its hard to believe my little angel is 16 years old now. The time, it does fly. But I'm so proud of her and she's never been anything but smart, creative and absolutely accepting of other people. She refuses to change for anyone, and loves others just as they are. She's the best kid!!

After dinner, we drug poor Jimbo with us to Hot Topic, where we purchased some Sweeney Todd t-shirts. . . he was thrilled to no end.

Speaking of Big (step) Daddy, Jimbo has proven himself to be perhaps THE greatest husband on the planet. Super early this morning, he drove all the way to Salina, KS, to buy some curtains that we needed (valances in the middle) for the new place that had been discontinued at all the area Wal-Marts. After some searching online, we discovered that it was the only store in the area that still had a few, and he was hell bent on getting them. Whatever Mamma wants, Mamma gets, and today she got the curtains she wanted. On top of that, he spent most of the day helping me get it all up. One project down, 1,999 to go!

I might keep him around for a while after all.

Post #2 - The Beverage Critic!

Have you seen this? Very interesting. I gave it a shot.
Not bad, kinda strange, reminds me of that chocolate mint Bubble Yum from back in the day - that stuff was the bomb - and smells just like the

cherry-chocolate Cocoa~Cola lip gloss I had in Jr. high.
I actually liked it better than regular Diet Dr. Pepper.
But the BIG question is,

how will it taste with rum in it?
Cause thats kind of important.

The Princess & The PEE.

(Come on, that title is just FUNNY.
Or it will be in a minute.)

I have discovered something odd in the bathroom of the house we just bought.

Perhaps I should give you the "poop" first. (MAN, I'm on fire today.)

The bathroom of the new place is what could be called a "Hollywood Bath" or maybe its a bit of a "Jack & Jill" - its a long galley style room, in the middle is a bathtub/shower combo, lovely skylight, and on each end of the room there is a toilet and sink, with a few doors here and there, making it possible for more than one person to use the facilities at the same time.
It had been completely remodeled before we bought the place, and the toilets are fairly new.

Here's the deal . . .one of the toilets, namely the one closest to the bedroom (for a middle of the night dash in) is EXTREMELY tall. I mean, really. My husband and I are very short people, and I don't know about him, but I look like Edith Ann climbing up on that thing, and my feet dangle! Seriously! Its so tall the paper roll next to it is WAY up on the wall, as well.
The sellers did not strike me as lanky people. Was it on sale? Was it a close-out thing down at the Home Depot? They needed a new crapper and the price was too sweet to pass on? Who knows, but for stubby little me, its reminiscent of the famous children's story of that gal with the stack of mattresses.

Modern Technology Always Bites it on The Weekend

It never fails. (Well, yes, it does I guess. . .) All the bad stuff happens on the weekend while I'm working alone.
Today, our company's network took the big sleep, and I had a stack of obituaries that needed input, funeral homes asking where their proofs were . . . it was crazy. Suffice it to say, more than just the network died today, and I am NOT referring to the customers. God bless the guys up in Technology. I'm absolutely positive they're tired of being stalked by me! Are we fixed yet? How 'bout now? What about now? Now? . . .
Do you hear that dripping noise? Its my meltdown.

**UPDATE**
For my friends at the Big Bird . . .problem got fixed at straight up 5:00! How's that for skin o' your teeth for those I.T. boys! Thats not to say I was still at it for quite some time, but it coulda been worse!