Really?

An Open Letter to the Lady Smoking at the Gas Station:

Have you ever read the warnings when you are pumping gas?  The very first one is "No smoking or open flames." Have you ever wondered why they put that on everything around a gas station?  It is that gas is highly flammable and is likely to EXPLODE!

I have worked very hard to attain my very boring life.  I have two kids that like having me for a mother, and a husband that likes having me as a wife.  I also have 20+ relatives that kind of enjoy having me in their life, and that is just my car.  There were five other cars at the pumps at what could easily have been at ground zero. 

Perhaps you could wait the five minutes it takes to pump your gas to light a new cigarette.  I know I would really appreciate not getting on the front page of the paper or the headline story on the news tonight. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

Random Thoughts

I like watching the Biggest Loser.  I hate that beeping noise when they are weighing the people.  I have to record it and fast forward to avoid 20 minutes of it.

Colin couldn't talk to our neighbor at school because she was surrounded by her "girl posse".  Sixth grade is so hard. 

Ryan had a project for school that was to disguise a turkey so it could make it through Thanksgiving.  It was supposed to reflect something about our family.  After much discussion we decided that it should be a leprechaun because we are Irish.  I was trying to convince him it needed a pot 'o gold and a rainbow and he wasn't hearing any of it.  Finally in exasperation I asked him why not.  He said he wanted him to be a ghost.  I realize that our home is guarded by the spirit of Uncle Joe, but I think that might be taking it too far.  Then again, it was his project, why did I care so much? 

I have a new guilty pleasure called Long Island Medium.  It is on TLC on Sunday night right after Sister Wives.  (That is another guilty pleasure.  I just can't look away from that.  I think the idea of Brother Husbands would be interesting.)  Long Island Medium is crazy.  She is the stereotypical Long Island woman with long nails, bleached blond hair and is sooooo loud.  On top of that, she is compelled to walk up to strangers and to give them a reading.  I am telling you, you have to take the time to check this out. 

Can you believe the Duggars are on #20?  I think Michelle thinks her body is a clown car.

A bottle of Pine Sol spilled under my kitchen sink.  The smell is overwhelming and is making my stomach hurt. 

Our school levy passed!  I am so excited for our city. 

I have switched from being a long time "Today" show watcher to being a GMA watcher.  I love Anne Currey, but she is not a great anchor.  I felt as if I was cheating on them when I switched, but Lara Spencer is great!

I am sad that Regis is moving on.  I enjoy the banter with Kelly and think that they have an amazing relationship.  That chemistry is going to be hard to replace. 

That is all for now.  Hope you have a great day!

A Rant

Tonight I was cooking dinner when Kate and her friend Seth came to my door to tell me how horrible Ohio is with Coal Pollution and don't I think this is horrible?  She asked this as if she was asking if beating a child is horrible.  She then revealed that she is with the Ohio Citizen Action. 

I am all for a clean environment.  I am happy to sign your petition to pledge my support.  I am even happy to go as far write a letter to my senator if you only tell me which one you would like to target.  What I am not happy to do is to be bullied into giving you money.  This was our conversation. 

Me:  I am cooking dinner.  Can we please cut to the chase and tell me if I can sign your petition without giving a donation. 

Kate:  Would you like to do a check or credit card?

Me:  I am so sorry, we are very involved in Relay For Life and give all our monetary donations to them.

Kate:  We are looking for a household donation of $37.00.  Can you meet or beat that?

Me:  No

Kate:  My smallest donation yesterday was $2 in quarters.  Can you meet or beat that?

Me:  No

Kate:  It will really put some weight behind your signature if you contribute with a donation as well.

Me:  No

Kate:  Can I ask you to write a letter? 
Me:  Sure.  Do you have some information so I can send an intelligent letter?

Kate:  (as she hands me a paper)  It works the best if it is handwritten and put in an addressed envelope.

Me:  Doesn't it have to be in an addressed envelope to get to the Senator?

Kate:  If you have it written by 8:30 and tape it to your door, I will be back to pick it up so it can be sent in bulk.  Can you have it written by then?

Me: Sure

Kate:  How about that donation?

Me:  I shut the door. 

Here is my beef with this.  I did not have to justify my choice to not donate.  I did anyway.  Accept my decision and take what I am willing to give you.  We live in a city that is not willing to give an extra $5.00 a week to pass a school levy.  I sure as hell am not going to give my money to you.  Also, before I give you that much money, I want to make sure your organization is using the money wisely.  The American Cancer Society uses 93 cents of every dollar on research or programs to help the people affected by this disease.  Plus, how do I know that your lobbying efforts are in my best interest as we are looking at all alternate energy sources. 

In short, respect my time and answers or get the heck off my porch.

Weekend Round-up

So Dave was sick last week which is really unusual.  He had all the symptoms of Strep Throat without actually having it.  He came home on Wednesday and looked horrible.  This put a damper on any plans we would have had since his throat was still sore on Saturday.  We most likely would not have done anything anyway because I had a dinner party with the girls on Saturday night.

This dinner party was rescheduled from when I had strep last month.  It is always so much fun to meet up with Kellie and Lynn from the 40th Birthday Trip.  The dinner club also has Mary who is Lynn's sister and Meg who was Lynn's friend, but is now friends with all of us.  These dinners are always so much fun and my face hurts from laughing when I go home.  It kind of leaves me with an identity crisis as these people remember me at my most horrifying self, but have now seen me at what I hope is getting to be closer to my best.  There is nothing quite like having someone tell you how great you are and then in the next sentence tell you that they remember when it seemed like your legs came out of your head which was capped with a really bad perm, glasses and a mouth full of braces. 

On Sunday we went to the Cleveland Legofest.  It was not what I expected, but I am not sure what I was expecting.  All it was was a bunch of Lego's.  If you were in the 12 and under set you enjoyed it.  For those of us in the 40 and over set, it was a big rip-off.  There was an area where you could make a car and then race it down a track.  There was a city that was built by the master builders where you could build other things to into it.  The boys both made a boat.  As soon as you walked away a woman would come by and take your creation away.  My favorite part was called the Mystery Mosaic.  They gave each of us a 2" x 2" tile that had different colors on it and then we had to match those up to the Lego's on the table.  Then you took your square and helped to place it in the big mosaic.  One of them was the landscape of Cleveland and the second one was the different characters in Lego video games. 

After we were done with the Logos we went to get something to eat at Bob Evans.  (Ryan insists that it should be called Bob Ebans.)  As we came out a man approached us and told us that he was out of gas and he forgot his wallet.  Could we please lend him some money to get some gas so he could get home.  I gave him some money and Dave thought I was crazy.  I ask you, would you have given him the money?  Incidentally, he did go to the gas station.  I feel like I paid into the Karma bank with it.  I hope one day if I need help someone will help me.  You know, the whole do unto others as you will have them do unto you. 

It was a fine weekend as far as they go.  We made some memories for the boys and spent time together as a family.  Really, what more can you ask for? 

Reaffirming Decisions

Ryan is in kindergarten and there are so many opportunities to volunteer in the classroom compared to the sixth grade.  In middle school they are just as happy that you aren't there.  Since I have some flexibility in my paying job I am helping out for one hour a week on Fridays.  There have been times in my life where I have wondered if I made a mistake by not being a teacher instead of going into sales.  Today I am confident that my decision to get a business degree was, in fact, a good one. 

It is not that the kids were bad.  A bit loud, but what does one expect when there are 20 kids in one room during snack time.  It is not that the kids weren't cute.  In fact, a few of them melted my heart.  The emotions they have are so genuine and on the surface.  They so want to have your attention and love that they will do almost anything to get it. 

I think the thing that makes me crazy is that there is constant motion and energy.  It is as if you are sitting on a bomb and if you make one false move it will erupt into a ball of chaos that will never be under control again.  Ryan's teacher has been teaching for 20+ years and was immune to it.  I could never be. 

Tonight Ryan and I went to the family dance and basket raffle at his school.  Dave is sick so he didn't have to endure the bedlam that ensued.  If I had any doubts after this morning they were shattered this evening.   Did you know that small kids equate dancing to running and tackling?  They also think that screaming is the only acceptable form of communication.  Combine that with the DJ and it was a recipe for pandemonium. 

There will be a special place in heaven for people that can be elementary school teachers, most of whom truly love what they do.  I am grateful for people that have that special talent and character.  I am also grateful that God saw fit to lead me down a different path.    I have faith that he knew I didn't have it in me. 

How About Those Apples

As I have mentioned about 100 times, I have given up pop and most processed sugar.  Okay, except for the five candy bars I had today.  The kids shouldn't have left it on the kitchen counter if they didn't want me to eat it.  I had to sample one of each kind.  Can you believe that they hardly got any Reece's Peanut Butter Cups?  Anyway, in place of donuts and cookies I have been eating fruits, mainly apples, bananas and grapes. 

When we were little we lived in a neighborhood where most of the people that lived there built their houses.  There were three houses on the street that had kids, and the rest had grandkids that would come visit.  In one of those houses lived Mrs. Harmon.  How do I tell you what she meant to me?  First, she was the person that watched my sisters when my parents went to the hospital to have me. I have known her literally since the day I was born.   She was as close to a grandparent that I had after all of mine had passed away.  I could go down to her house to "talk politics" with her.  She would listen to me talk for however long I wanted, and she never once made me feel like I was wasting her time or that she had something better to do. 

If we had a problem, we could call her at any time and she would do her best to help us.  We called her once to find out how to get black grease out of our brand new carpet.  She found a way.  She would encourage us to drive her car when she would be out of town so the battery wouldn't die.  I am pretty sure it wouldn't have had a problem for the two weeks she was in Texas visiting her real grandkids. She knew the competition for a car in a house with four girls.   In short, she would have done just about anything for us.  She had an amazing laugh that I can still hear today.  Her smile was infectious and she had an energy that made anyone around her feel warm.  We were loved.

The other thing that Mrs. H had was an apple orchard in her back yard.  We would play outside all day in the summer and if we got hungry we would grab an apple or two.  We would run down to her house before the bus came and grab one for our lunch.  As I have been eating these apples the last few weeks I think of her every time.  I was so lucky to have her in my life, and I still feel loved every time I eat one.  Thanks Sherri and Melissa for sharing her with us.   She was loved very much.

Halloween Wrap-up

It is not a secret that I am not the biggest fan of Halloween.  When I was little it fell during the height of allergy season and I was usually too sick to go trick or treating, or one of my sisters were and we would carry an extra bag for her.  People that didn't know us really well would think we were just trying to get extra candy.  I am also the youngest of four kids so it seemed like I was always getting the costumes that were on the edge of death, and not in a good halloweeny way.  I am sure that this is not the case, but I had youngest kid syndrome. 

Since Halloween was a big deal for Dave's family growing up, and I want my kids to have all the experiences youth has to offer, I try to make the effort for the kids.  Each year I let the kids pick their ideal costumes, and if I can get it at a reasonable price I will do it. 

This year Colin decided he wanted to be a Tootsie Roll.  Have we established that I am not the crafty mom?  In case we haven't, I am not that mom, in fact, I am the antithesis of that mom, but I was up to the challenge. 

I went to the fabric store and scouted out my options and decided that felt was the way to go.  $7 later and I was on my way.  It might be a good time to point out that I went to the store right after the step class.  My face was as red as the red felt that I needed for the costume. 

I made the costume while Dave took the boys to get their hair cut.  I measured the black felt and made sure that it was not too long for Colin so he wouldn't step on it.  I sewed the white and red stripes together and then sewed them on the black.  Here is where it proves that I am not the crafty mom.  I didn't take into account that this would add about 10 total inches to the length of the costume making it about 4.5 feet tall.  Colin is around 5 feet tall and I hadn't sewn on the straps yet.  Heck, Dave would have been too short for it.  It would have fit Shaquille O'Neal.  I cut it apart and took out a big chunk and then took an inch off the top and the bottom and started again.  Some blood (I stuck my finger with a pin, and Max got in the way) sweat, and swearing later, and this is what we ended with:

After all that work I have to say that I am pretty happy with the result.  It is adjustable so Colin could wear his heavy coat.  (It was freezing here, as usual.) It will also be the go-to costume for any time I have to dress up in the future.  Maybe I should also take this time to tell you how much I hate to dress up.  You will have to take my word for it that Colin was cute since I am still resolved not to post any pictures of my kids faces on this blog. 

Now on to Thanksgiving.  Food and Family is a holiday I can get behind!