Pour Your Heat Out

PYHO with Shell at Things I Can't Say. If you are visiting from PYHO, please don't forget like I did last time to check out the others linked up to her today!

Y'all, I'm mad. I've got some weight that I've got to shed. Real quick like. But why do they make it so flippin' hard??

Trying to eat healthy? Pffft....have you been to the grocery store lately? Healthy foods cost two arms and two legs!! Buying "healthy-er" and low fat foods for one person I could swing. But organic, whole wheat, low fat, yadda yadda yadda for 8 people will put you in debt real quick like. And I'm for shizzle not making 2 separate dinners around here. Making one meal big enough to feed all of us is work enough. Just one small package of shredded low fat cheese is $4.00. Do you know when I make casserole for my family I usually end up using 2 small, or 1 large, package of cheese. That's $8.00 just in low fat cheese. Paaaaleeeese folks....ain't gunna happen.

So I looked into a gym membership. Are they friggin' serious??!? No point in me getting a personal membership. Summer vaca starts in 7 days, which means I'll have kids with me at. all. times. Mr. Goose Poop works insane hours in the summer, and isn't home much. So I looked into a family membership at the Y. Yea...$200 enrollment fee, and $110 a month. Ha! Double Ha! That's $8.00 per day just for cheese on my casserole and $3.67 a day to go shake my jiggle away at the gym.

Ahhh....what's a girl to do??

What are you pouring your heart out about today? Go visit Shell and see what's on the minds of others.

Tuesday Trivia

How smart are you this Tuesday? Are all your brain cells working this morning? Let's see...


1. My Heart Will Go On came from what movie?
2. Who played Rachel Green in Friends?
3. Which talk-show host appeared in The Color Purple?
4. What state is called the Corn-husker State?
5. What is the main color on a Chinese flag?
6. Which actress married for the seventh time on Michael Jackson's ranch in 1991?
7. What kind of codes did American Supermarkets introduce in the mid 1970's?
8. EuroDisney was built in which country?
9. Who was president during WWI?
10. Who was born first Chevy Chase or Nicolas Cage?

OK...how'd ya do? Are your brain cells really moving now? Check your answers!

1. My Heart Will Go On came from what movie?
Titanic

2. Who played Rachel Green in Friends?
Jenifer Aniston

3. Which talk-show host appeared in The Color Purple?
Oprah

4. What state is called the Corn-husker State?
Nebraska

5. What is the main color on a Chinese flag?
Red

6. Which actress married for the seventh time on Michael Jackson's ranch in 1991?
Elizabeth Taylor

7. What kind of codes did American Supermarkets introduce in the mid 1970's?
Bar Codes

8. EuroDusney was built in which country?
France

9. Who was president during WWI?
Woodrow Wilson

10. Who was born first Chevy Chase or Nicolas Cage?
Chevy Chase

Friday Flip-Offs

Time for another edition of Friday Flip-Offs with Momma Kiss. Though I'm noticing a trend here with her...can't remember the last time I saw a Friday Flip-Off post from her! *wink**wink*

At any rate, do it up folks. Yell, vent, cry or scream...do what-ch-ya gotta do!!!

Flip-Off You Wanna-Be Ice Cream Truck...Remember when you were a kid, all minding your own business and stuff, sweat dripping from the backs of your knees, and you heard the ice-cream truck's ever so familiar jingle of Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush? Remember that? And you would sprint in the house begging for a dollar, praying you'd make it back outside in time to beat the ice-cream man. You'd bolt to the curb hoping he'd make a turn down your street. Remember that? This is probably the general idea of the truck you were anticipating, right?

Cute little colorful truck, eh?

When the heck did it become acceptable to slap a few pictures of some popsicles on your conversion van, play Vanilla Ice Ice Baby, and drive around the neighborhood preying on little kids? That's exactly what we see once in awhile here in the Ghett-ohhh!!!

**Those aren't my kids, I have no idea who those kids are, if there yours, I mean no harm**
Like I'm going to let my kids buy a sno-cone from the broken out window of your conversion van, dude!! Riiiiiight! Get real here. You wanna be an ice-cream man? That's fine, but for reelz yo...for the love of all that's holy, get a real damn ice cream truck. Your conversion van just isn't cuttin' it!!
Flip-Off Great Wolf Lodge...Our kids raised the most money for a fundraiser we had last week. The grand prize was a family trip to the ever Holy ground of Great Wolf Lodge. For a family of 4. If you remember correctly, we're not a family of 4. The biggest room the Great Wolf Lodge holds is 6 people. Which means we have to have 2 rooms. Which means this little trip they won is going to cost Mr. Goose Poop and I a good $300 or more. Yay!!

Thursday Three

1. Roaring

2. Ditch

3. Family

It's Memorial Day Weekend, and we have no kids until Sunday night. We will be meeting Best Friend and Mr. Best Friend at the cottage for the weekend. We will for sure have a rip-roaring good time. I'm so excited!!

Mr. Goose Poop is finally back home again, home again jiggity-jig. And tomorrow he's going to ditch work and spend the day with us. Ok, he's not ditching, he's gotten it off on the account of a downpour tomorrow, but I didn't know how else to use the word ditch!!

Mr. Goose Poop has a co-worker, who has a daughter, Payton, that was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease. The short version is Mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90% of the energy needed to sustain life and support growth. When Mitochondria fail, less and less energy is created within the cell. Cell injury and even cell death can follow. If the process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person whom this is happening is severely compromised. It can cause devastating developmental and/or physical delays. Life expectancy of children with Mitochondrial Disease can be very bleak. It is a relatively new disease and its cause and treatment is limited due to awareness and funding. The family has set up a website, found here, to raise awareness and funding for little Payton. Please visit Payton, and her family, and if nothing else help them raise awareness to help find a cure for this devastating disease.

Pour Your Heart Out Wednesday

Another PYHO with Shell at Things I Can't Say. Enjoy! Be sure to check her out, and all the other bloggers linked up to her today under her post!!

I have a Best Friend (yes, I capitalized that, she's that important!). I've had a Best Friend for 18 years this summer. It's been the same Best Friend for all 18 years, too. I feel strongly about commitment as you see.

There's not one thing in this world that I wouldn't do for her. Not a single thing. Mark my words. I'd go to the end of the earth and back if she needed me to.

We're those annoying Best Friends, too. We hug. Alot. We kiss. On the lips. Ok, ok, ok wait...that didn't quite come out like I meant it to!! We don't swing that way, what I was trying to say is we are close. A hug and a quick peck when we see each other or when we are parting. I think it grosses some people out, or at the very least annoys them.

We've practically grown up together. We lived just down the street from each other as kids. We were together all. the. time. (Unless I was grounded, which, now that I think about it, was all. the. time. too!! But that's for another day!) We went on vacations together. We had classes together. When my dad got his pilot's license, he flew us to Mackinaw Island together. Our parent's paid way too much money to AT&T when we were kids from all our talk time. We spent the night at each other's house every Friday and Saturday. We snuck out of the house together (it's ok...our parent's already know. In fact, it was the cops that told them. When they brought us home one night!). The thought of me calling her parent's Mark and Lin weirds me out. Because they are simply mom and dad. And vice versa with my parent's and her.

She calls my mom and dad just to chat. She sleeps at their house. Without me. I stay at her cottage in the summer with just my family.

We have more memories that you can shake a stick at.

And now you see why I'm so sad. She moved. Away. Away from me. Almost a year ago, now. Now, it's not as bad as it could be. She didn't move to like England or anything. Not even Alaska or California. She didn't even move across the country. She moved across the state. 2 hours away. 2 whole hours. 2 hours away from me.

At first I was ok with it. She had just gotten married, and new hubby lived in a different city. She had been driving the 2 hours back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And was excited to finally live there. And in turn it made me excited for her. But truthfully I was sad. My Best Friend was moving. Away. 2 hours away.

Oh, I didn't show it. When she called me a month before the move, crying, saying she was scared to leave everything she knew, and live in a new city, I told her to knock off the water works, she'd be fine. (No, I really did say that!! That's the kind of friends we are! Always give it to each other straight!) But I did throw in some sentimental and encouraging words to carry her along.

And then on the hottest damn Saturday of my entire life, Mr. Goose Poop and I packed up my Best Friend and moved her 2 hours away.

I won't lie. I've shed tears. I've shed lots of tears. Most days it's ok. I'm a mom to too many kids and barely get time to hang out anyway. But it's times that I talk to her, and she has the morning off, and I think if she lived closer she could come over and have a cup of coffee like old times, that I miss her the most. Or after a rare weekend of seeing her.

Like this weekend. Mr. Goose Poop and I hung out with Best Friend and Mr. Best Friend Friday night and all day Saturday. We didn't to anything that most would consider special, but every moment we spent together was special for us. Even the campfire in the rain, and games in the rain, and the pontoon boat ride in the rain. It was all special. In the rain!! So special, that I didn't even stop the special-ness to snap a few pictures.

So after this weekend of special-ness, I realize it's not going to be ok with her living 2 hours away. I miss her to pieces.

Be sure to check out all the other's pouring their hearts out today with Shell at Things I Can't Say!!


p.s. I love you!

p.s.s (or is it p.p.s? I never did understand it!) I miss you to pieces!

Monday Mis-Haps!!

Well....it started using this....

And ended with Mr. Goose Poop calling his mom thanking her for giving him the fire extinguishers all those years ago!! **Thanks mom!!**

You see, last Thursday I was going to grill some brats for dinner. For the record...I grill alot. I do most of the grilling around here. Not because Mr. Goose Poop isn't capable, quite the contrary...he's a great griller. But because Mr. Goose Poop usually works late, I usually man the grill around here. (Shot out to my dad...he taught me to be a master griller!!) So, what I'm saying is...this isn't my first grilling rodeo.

A few weeks ago, it was Carter's birthday, and the birthday kids always gets to choose his/her birthday dinner. Carter chose "chicken on a bone" as we like to call it. Or as most call it, chicken drumsticks. My family uses my grandpa's famous recipe....brushing on melted butter and lots and lots of salt during grilling. C'mon humor me....it's famous now!!

Anyway, point is...the grill was greasy and there was little bits of chicken meat stuck to the grates. But there always is after chicken. So I'm getting ready to grill brats, and I do what I always do. Turn on the grill, and let it burn off the chicken. Then I go out to wire brush the grates...like I always do. Always. For 10 years I've been doing this without a problem. Well...I can't say that anymore!

So I turn on the grill...like I always do...and let it burn off. I go in the house to open the brats and put them on a platter. As I'm standing in the kitchen, I see lots of smoke. Not unusual. I mean, I'm burning off chicken grease and chicken nasty, right? It's gunna smoke some. (By the way, in the mean time, Mr. Goose Poop got home from work early, and is across the street helping some neighbors lay some bricks.) I hear the kids yelling that the grill is smoking really bad. I ignore them, I already knew that. Then I hear them yell it's on fire. I think they think (did ya get that?!?) smoke automatically equals fire. I ignore them. I look out the window, and think there is an unusual amount of smoke in front of my window, so I poke my head out the door to re-assure myself I'm right and my kids are wrong.

WRONG!! The whole damn grill was on fire. I'm talking flames here people. Engulfed!! The whole thing. Flames are shooting out from under the lid, out the sides, from the bottom grease dripper holes, in very close proximity to the propane tank. I reach thru the flames and shut off the burners thinking if there's no gas feeding the fire, it'll surely die out. Nope. In fact, the flames got bigger.

I act all cool, calm, and collected. I yell across the street to Mr. Goose Poop. "Hey babe, can you come here a second?" "Yup, hang on!" he calls. "Um, I don't really have a second, I need you here right now!" I yell, watching the flames reach the wood railing on my deck and inching closer to the siding on my house.

Just then, on of the kids decided to yell that the grill is on fire. Mr. Goose Poop runs at an alarming speed. Let me explain here...Mr. Goose Poop has been victim of two house fires. Not just little stove fires, but get-your-ass-out-right-now-call-911 living in a hotel for months fire. I've never seen the man run as fast as he did last Thursday!! He was across the street in .00045 seconds.

He tries to reach under the grill to get the propane off. No deal, it's screwed into place. Now he's yelling for the kids to back up. I'm thinking to myself "shit...it's gunna blow at any moment, I'm going to loose my legs, and my dear husband is going to loose an eye. I'll still love him though," I'm thinking to myself. He yells at me to get the fire extinguisher. I run, more like sprint, into the house. Now I'm feeling like a fire man, "gotta save the day, gotta save the house, gotta save my hubby's eyes, my legs." I bolt to not the closest fire extinguisher, I run it outside. It was something like a movie. I throw the cylinder at Mr. Goose Poop, he fumbles with it for a second, pulls the pin out, throws it over his shoulder like a super hero would, and pulls the duck like trigger.

**POOF** the fire's out! Just like that! But we were left with a yellow-y powder-y mess all over our grill, deck, and driveway!! The thermostat goes to 700 degrees, and let me tell you...it was buried. And took awhile to not be buried!! The paint had melted off in some spots from the extreme heat!

For the record, I still wanted to use the grill. Mr. Goose Poop told me, in a few less words, that I was crazy, and there was no way were were turning that grill on again until it's been cleaned out, and the fire extinguisher dust is cleaned off. What?? I hate brats fried in a pan! Grilled are so much more yummier!!

Lord help me with my "Monday Miss-Haps!" Since I've been doing this little gig...my van's been hit and I've lit a grill on fire!! In all my 30 1/2 years of life I've never been in an accident or set a grill, or anything for that matter, on fire! Surely, I've jinxed us and we are doomed for misfortunate happenings for the rest of our ever living lives!!

Friday Flip-Offs

Linking up with Momma Kiss (though I see she hasn't done this in awhile...hmmmm!!), for Friday Flip-Offs! Yell, vent, cry, or scream...do what you gotta do to get it out!

Flipp-Off Weather...HOLEEE-KA-MOLEEEEY! Damn Gina it's muggy around here! I'm all for the warm weather, trust me...but I like to have the air on when it's this friggin' hot out. And I refuse to put the air conditioners in before June 1st. Otherwise, we put them in, use them 3 times in a month, and look like white trash for a whole month before we have to! A happy medium around 75 with low humidity would be just perfect.

That's all I have to flip off this week thanks....

Pour Your Heart Out

Time to Pour Your Heart Out with Shell!

I don't need to be rich. In fact, to be completely honest with you, I don't even want to be rich.

But I don't want to be poor either. Now, I'm not saying we're either one of them. We're certainly not rich by any stretch of the imagination. And on the other hand, we're not exactly poor. But I wouldn't really call us a happy medium either. Some months we rob Peter to pay Paul. But in the end we always make it.

And here lays the problem...I'm sick of just making it.

I don't need to have so much money that I don't know what to do with it.

I don't need mani's and pedi's every week. Hell, I don't really need them at all.

I don't need to have a house so big you get lost in it. But having 2 kids to one room would be nice. Not tripping over a child every morning would certainly be a plus.

I don't need Gucci sunglasses or a Prada purse. But not having to buy knock-off perfume would be nice.

I'd still buy my kids' clothes at the consignment shop, because I'd still think $35 for a t-shirt is bonkers. But it would be nice to not have to think twice about buying that adorable Children's Place matchy-matchy outfit my daughter fell in love with, once in awhile.

I'd still coupon, because, like duh, who doesn't like to save money?!? But it sure would be nice to not think twice about buying that package of Oreo's that I'd kill for, even if it wasn't on sale.

I'd still look on Craig's List for the patio furniture I'd love to have to go underneath the new gazebo my husband kids bought me for Mother's Day. But when I've been looking for a month, and summer is threatening to be over, it would be nice to run to Wallyworld and pick up a set.

It sure would be nice to send my kids to school every Wednesday with more than $1.00 each for chapel money.

A vacation sure sounds nice. I'm not talking Jamaica, Hilton Hotels, and massages every morning. But a nice family camping trip for a few nights sure sounds like heaven.

It doesn't seem fair that Mr. Goose Poop works his ass off every week, just to pay the bills. Last week he worked well over 70 hours. Yesterday he went in at 6:00 am and didn't get home until 8:45 pm. Which means, not only did he miss the school play, but he didn't even see his kids at all yesterday. And today there is a good possibility that he won't either.

It's just not fair. Why does a person have to work so dang much just to pay the bills? Working is hard. I get that. I get that a person has to work hard to live a good life. I'm ok with working hard. But why so much? Why so much hard work? Why is my husband working so much, not seeing his wife, not seeing his kids, not having time to relax, no time for a camping trip, missing dinner every night, no giving the kids goodnight kisses, just to pay the bills? Doesn't seem fair if you ask me!

I don't want to think twice about taking the kids to the movies twice a year. I want to take a short weekend trip to the Cleveland Zoo. My kids have never been out of the state, and have been begging for us to take them out of Michigan. I want to be the cool mom that drives them into Indiana, just to have lunch! I want to take them up to Mackinac Island for a few days without having to budget for 2 months. I want to buy a small used camper, for weekend camping trips. I don't need some big, glorified motor home decked out with a bathroom, kitchen, washer & dryer, a flat screen tv, and a small city inside it. A small, ok medium sized, used, in good condition camper would be perfect.

So you see, I don't need to be rich. Don't even want it. But what I do want is enough money to enjoy the life God has given us.

Too Blessed to be Stressed Sunday - Mother's Day Edition

I am blessed because of him...

And him...

And him...
And him....

And him...

And him...

And her....

And him...
I am blessed for all the reasons above, and then some!

I am blessed that God chose me to guide these little one's to adulthood. I am blessed that He trusted me enough to send them to me. One way or another, we all ended up together, right where we were supposed to be.

This mother's day I'll enjoy the hugs, loves, and kisses more than any rose, ring, or dinner. I'll enjoy the fights, screams, and arguing more than any massage, breakfast, or break. I'll enjoy them all a little more, because I know they were made for me.

If we died with Him, we will also live with Him;

If we endure, we will also reign with Him;

If we disown Him, He will also disown us;

If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for he cannot disown Himself.

~2 Timothy 2:11-13

Save My Sanity Saturday

Somebody, please save my sanity on this

Saturday because....

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week at school. And since I got roped into am on PTL, it's been a hectic week to say the least! By Tuesday night I had drove to and from school 9 times!! Plus I'd also driven to the studio in Ithaca and back also!! I did recess and lunch duty Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday so that the teachers could go to church and enjoy a quiet lunch hour. We brought homemade breakfast to them each morning. Thursday's lunch was catered in for them. And Friday I made potato salad to go with their pulled pork sammies another mom was making! It's maddening around here! Well, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves!!

My kitchen Wednesday afternoon, right before I headed up to school for lunch/recess duty! I was in the middle of baking 2 loafs of cinnamon bread and 24 muffins. Yup, I totally left it looking like this when I left!

Why is there an upside down stool on my stove? I haven't a clue!!




What my kitchen table looked like when I left. I was also in the middle of putting together cute baskets to put the bread/muffins in. Cuz, you know I'm crazy, bread tastes so much better coming out of a pretty basket, than it does wrapped up all kitty-wampous in tin foil!

Laundry was getting done, just wasn't getting folded!! That never happens in my house. Laundry always gets folded as soon as it comes out of the dryer! Apparently not during Teacher Appreciation Week!




Then Thursday night Tyler and his bike got into a little brawl. Guess who won??



This photo doesn't do him justice....his whole nose, eye, and cheek are scraped up. Poor kid...

So now do you see why my sanity needs to be saved on this Saturday??

Friday Flip-Offs

Today I'm going to link up with Momma at Momma Kiss. She does a Friday Flip-off...yell, scream, vent or cry...do what you gotta do to get it out!!


Flip-off Body...I know I call you old all the time, but c'mon..yer only 30 years old for goodness sakes!! It seems like just yesterday I was a-okay with 4 hours of sleep a night. Now, I'm barely human after 6 hours! Look, I'm a busy mom, wife, and homemaker, so if you could just function off 6 hours of sleep I'd be real appreciative. Mmm-kay-thanks!

Flip-off Ex-Husband...Good job there pal! You learned how to screw the system! Nice going! Lieing, saying you haven't had a job since 2009, and have been on unemployment the whole time, worked. Now your child support is less than half of what it was. Way to screw your kids over jerk-wad!

Flip-Off Cat...If you keep eating the plant, it'll poison you. And as much as Mr. Goose Poop would like that, lets not humor him this time, shall we?

Thursday Three

1. Heart

2. Roam

3. Mother

I have the best husband ever!! I've been here and there and everywhere for the last few weeks, and for the next couple days to come. Every time he comes home, it seems as though all I get to do is shoot him and kiss and wave at him goodbye. And he never complains. Ever. Even last week Friday, when I didn't have to go anywhere, but I did have to get out of the house for my own sanity. So with no warning, I got up after dinner, left the dishes for him and the kids, and told him I had to go out. By myself. He shot me a kiss and told me to have fun. No questions. No guilt. I heart him!!

"Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam, and the deer and the antelope play...." I want to move so very badly. I want a big sprawling house and lots of room to roam. I want to tell the kids to go feed the chickens after school. And to go get lost in the back 40! A girl can dream!

If I'm half the mother to my kids that my mother was to me, I know I've done my job!! It's almost Mother's Day! What'd you get your momma?

Pour Your Heart Out

Linking up with Shell at Things I Can't Say again today for PYHO Wednesday! Remember to visit her and the others linked up to her today!

So, school's really been on my mind lately. This school year is quickly coming to a close, so we are in the midst of next year's registration. I turned in the registration papers & fees a few weeks ago. Tuition isn't due until early July. On those registration papers, there were 6 kids listed. Yup, I signed Tyler up for the 2 day preschool this year. You see, there are 3 other mom's at school and we all have kids Tyler's age. Like, they were all born within months of each other. Some within weeks. Well, those mom's are sending their kids to the 2 day preschool this year, so I did too.

The thing is...I really, in my heart, don't know if he's ready yet. I'm not one of those mom's who cries on the first day of school, not ready to let my babies go. I'm also not one of those mom's who can't wait to send their kids to school at the end of a break or summer, to get them out of my hair. I'm a happy medium. I have my kids because I like to spend time with them and be with them. But I also realize there comes a time around age 4 that they will start school. And I'm cool with that, too!

But I just don't know if he's ready yet! All my other kids? They were ready, I had no question about that. But him? I just don't know.

I mean, he's kinda naughty. Ok...not kinda...really naughty!! If he was my first born I'd 1.) Wonder what the hell I'm doing wrong!! and 2) Never have another one of these heathens again!! For shizzle my nizzle!! But since he's numbero seven, I know it's not my parenting, since all the other's are relatively normal human beings! It's him. It's his personality. It's just the way he is. (And lucky for him, McKenzie wasn't like this...or he wouldn't have even been a twinkle in my eye!!)

But I've known the preschool teacher for 6 years now. And though I wouldn't call us the kind of friends that call each other up for a night of margarita's and gossip, I do consider us friends. We have called each other outside of school. We get advise from each other. She passes clothes clothes on to us. She has supported us, and prayed for us in some of our darkest times. She's a great person, mother, and teacher. Oh yea, and she has a daughter named Rachel, I mean how cool is that?!? Plus, Tyler, like, LOVES this lady! He runs to her every morning. Jumps right into her arms, and gives her a great big hug.

I've talked with her and the principal (who by the way is equally wonderful) about my reluctance of enrolling Tyler in school. They tell me he'll do great. He'll be fine. They can handle him. I don't doubt they can. But she sees him being lovey and giving hugs. What's she going to do when she turns her back and he's drinking the coffee from her desk, or when she finds out he thinks his farting ability is his magical power?!? I'm telling you, this kid is naughty!

I can't handle decisions like this. July can't come soon enough. After tuition is paid, there's no going back. No refunds. Wait...I wonder if they give refunds if your kid is so naughty he gets kicked right the heck out?!

Tuesday Trivia

Welcome to Tuesday's Trivia. Where you dig deep in the depth's of your brain to find that information you never thought you'd use again!!

1. How many US states border the Gulf of Mexico?

2. Who averaged 2 patents for every 3 weeks of his life?

3. What laundry detergent got lots of mileage out of the ad line "ring around the collar"?

4. What is the minimum number of musicians a band must have to be considered a "big band"?

5. What is the least popular month for a US wedding?

6. What spot once registered 134 degrees, the highest temperature ever in the US?

7. What was the first organ successfully transplanted from a cadaver to a live person?

8. How many months per year do residents of Tromoso, Norway go without seeing a sunset?

9. Who was the youngest person ever to become president of the United States?

10. What are the two top selling spices in the world?

11. What was the first commercially manufactured breakfast cereal?


OK....how do you think you did? How many do you think you got right? Let's check!!


1. How many US states border the Gulf of Mexico?
Five

2. Who averages 2 patents for every 3 weeks of his life?
Thomas Edison

3. What laundry detergent got lots of mileage out of the ad line "ring around the collar"?
Wisk

4. What is the minimum number of musicians a band must have to be considered a "big band"?
Ten

5. What is the least popular month for a US wedding?
January

6. What spot once registered 134 degrees, the highest temperature ever in the US?
Death Valley

7. What was the first organ successfully transplanted from a cadaver to a live person?
A kidney

8. How many months per year do residents of Tromoso, Norway go without seeing a sunset?
Three

9. Who was the youngest person ever to become president of the United States?
Theodore Roosevelt

10. What are the two top selling spices in the world?
Pepper and Mustard

11. What was the first commercially manufactured breakfast cereal?
Shredded Wheat


How many did you get right (without Google-searching!)? Maybe next week you'll do better! Have a great Tuesday!

Monday Miss-Haps!!

I think I jinxed us....

You see, last week I was thinking of my blog. Sometimes I go a long time without posting. I hate it, but sometimes I feel like there's just nothing to write about. I mean, you guys don't want to read about boring stuff. If you read numero dos here, you'll see that my life has become fairly ordinary. It's the same thing day after day after day around here. Who wants to come here and read about driving kids to school, laundry, and cooking??!? B-o-r-i-n-g, right?
Anyway, back to how I jinxed us...so I've been thinking about my blog for awhile now. Why I've had the blog almost a year now, and I'm still stuck at 19 followers. I know lots and lots of other people read it, and I know this because behind the scenes I know how many "hits" I have per day. Sometimes I'll get over 100 "hits", but no one is clicking the ever so important "follow" button right there along the right column. So obviously people are visiting and not liking, and in turn not following. Hmpft...

So I gotta do something here folks. I think of the other blogs I read. What do they have that I don't? Well, they are funny writers, so people follow them, but I can work on that. They do giveaways, but I can't do that really until I get more followers. Some blogs have over 50 comments on a post!! Yowzers! I don't even have 50 followers to comment!! Yeesh...

Looks like it's all coming down to these dang followers. I need more followers. But how do I do that? I've told everyone I know about the blog. I've begged people to please click that pesky little "follow" button. Promised them that they don't have to do anything, don't even have to read it if they don't want to. Just click that damn button people!! I've even thought about going in and making a bunch of fake Google accounts, under Gertrude, Esmerelda, Bertha, Dolores, Myrtle, Winifred and the like and just follow myself!! I'm about to drop at the feet of my friends that aren't following me yet, and cry, beg, plead, and "ride" on their feet like a 2 year old until they promise to follow.

OK, back on track! The point is I need followers, so how am I going to get them? I am going to have a "back up plan" for the days I don't have anything to write. Case in point Tuesday Trivia, Thursday's Three, and Save My Sanity Saturday. I am going to start linking up with the popular girls (Lord...how high school!!)! Case in point Pour Your Heart Out Wednesday with Shell and Flipp-Off Friday with Momma Kiss.

OK...all that to tell you how I really jinxed us! So Monday's I decided would be "Monday Miss-Haps", because usually something goes wrong over the weekend, and surely I can find some miss-hap that has happened to us. I usually write my posts a day or two before hand so that in the morning I can just publish the post, and it's there bright and early for those of you who actually follow AND read!! Ahem *cough*cough* just sayin'...

So all weekend I'm trying to think about today's post. It's a fairly quiet weekend so to speak. Saturday Mr. Goose Poop took all the boys to the cottage to fish. They were gone all day. Surely he'll come home with some miss-hap. Someone fell out of the boat, someone caught their brother instead of a fish, someone snagged a shoe instead of a sunfish. Nope! All was quiet and well. So while the boys were gone I took McKenzie and my niece to the mall. Oh how I loath the mall. Call me old if you so desire...but I hate it. Surely something will happen since I'm old and hate the mall. Nope. Boring day at the mall. Spent too much money on pretzels and slushies, girls dragged me to every teeny-bopper store imaginable, but no miss-haps. Great, now what am I going to write about? Don't they know I have a blog to write. Followers to try to lure in??

Now it's Sunday, and still empty handed. Mr. Goose Poop was going to hang trim all day with the boys, and McKenzie and I were headed up to school to decorate for teacher appreciation week. Nothing exciting.

Mr. Goose Poop left with the boys to run to Lowe's to get the trim. And Kenz and I headed out to pick up some last minute decorations.

And then it happened. The Monday Miss-Hap. I'm strolling the isles of the Dollar Store, and my phone beeps.

It's Mr. Goose Poop.
Me: "Hello Dear!"
Him: "Well, looks like we're going to be here awhile!"
Me: "Why? Everybody else decided to do home improvements today, too?"
Him: "Nope, someone hit the van!"
*Shame on me, cuz now I'm totally not concerned with the van...I'm thinking yes...here it is. Monday's post! What?!? He's talking right? Everyone must be ok!!*
Me: "What? What do you mean 'someone hit the van.'?"
*Crap...did I pay the insurance this month?? Or is it in that stack of "papers" that stares me down every morning?? Cuz that'd sure make for a much more interesting miss-hap!*
Him: "I was parked in the parking lot with the trailer behind the van, and some dumbass didn't see the trailer, whipped into the parking spot, and ran right up the trailer!"
*Oh shit! This is my dad's trailer. That we didn't ask to use. That we went to his house to get. While they were probably waiting at church for us to show up. Shit!*
Me: "Is the trailer ok?"
*Not, "Are you hurt?" Not, "Are the boys okay?" Nope...it's, crap, dad's going to kick my ass!*
Him: "I think so, it's scratched up a bit, but looks fairly ok. Can't say as much for the van though! I went in to Lowe's and they are going to pull the security tapes to see who did it."
*Oh good, the trailer is ok. Who cares about the van, we can deal with that later. We can still go fold the trailer back up, scootch it back in dad's garage, and he'll never be any wiser.*
Me: "Ok, good. So we can just--"
Him: "Great, it bent the ball all to shit. I can't pull this thing like this. It pushed the hitch up too. I'm going to have to call dad!"
*Panic. Breath, Mrs. Goose Poop, breath! There are worse things, right? Aren't there? No, nothings worse than skipping out on church with your parents, going to their house and "borrowing" their trailer, then it getting hit in the parking lot. Crud...*
Me: "Ok, call dad and let me know what happens!"
*I'm running away. Far, far away!*

So, come to find out...they guy drove up on top of the trailer because he didn't notice it. You know, until it was under his car!! Mr. Goose Poop called the cops, but they won't come out since it was in a private parking lot. Told him to get the guys insurance info, and if he won't give it to him, then he can call the cops and they will come out. Mr. Goose Poop tried to get the guys insurance info, guy said he didn't want to give it to him. He didn't want his rates to go up. Mr. Goose Poop said then you shouldn't have drove up on top of my trailer!! And if he didn't want to give up his insurance info he'd be calling the cops. Guy says he'd been driving around with a hole in his bumper for years and we could too!! Mr. Goose Poop says he didn't care what condition his bumper was in, we wouldn't be driving around with a hole in our bumper. Guy finally give up the info.

Mr. Goose Poop calls dad. Mom and dad come out with a new ball to tow the trailer home. We can't because our hitch is bent to shit. Dad's not mad. Says we are welcome to use his stuff any time we want, this time it just didn't work out so well. Dad said the trailer is a goner. It's bent to shit too. But luckily he thinks the trailer absorbed most of the hit, and that our hitch and towing package will be fine, but to make sure we get it looked at!
So now I've got to deal with insurance companies, and body shops.!

So you see...I jinxed us! All was just fine and well until I got all crazy mad that nothing miss-happ-iness had happened to us. Then *bam* the van gets hit! 'Least it made for a good story, huh? Hope your Sunday was better than ours!!