Frightening frogs

North America is missing out! I saw a video by Michael the Turtle entitled "Ghostbusters." For some reason, I could not look away. I had to do some research on what I had just witnessed.

It seems that it must be connected to the Crazy Frog phenomenon. Seriously, why is this not all the rage in North America? We secretly harbor the love of cheesy 80's music.

I most definitely need the video game. It is for ages three and up. Yippee for frog action! Is there someone in Europe who can hook me up? It is time to get Strawberry addicted to video games.


It seems I hastily posted this yesterday. Obviously if we were exposed to it on this side of the ocean, it would be something that we'd love to hate. It's called The Annoying Thing for a reason.

My main point was how can one culture embrace this to no end while we are oblivious to it? There is a Singing Plush frog that plays the ringtone when squeezed. They also have been snatching up the board game, a desktop nodder, keyring, backpack, lunchbox and even air freshener.

And yes the froggy's wee wee gets complaints there too. He must be a boy.

I have never noticed video games, in particular PS2 games that are marketed for ages 3+. I'm only aware of teen and mature ratings. If there are PS2 games that are available for young children I would like to own a couple. I'm not looking for educational games, just the regular fun kind. I don't want to expose my children to violence but I guess a scary looking frog I could handle.

In the mail...

Dear Brit,

I just heard the news. Congratulations! I'm sure it was a little unexpected but everything happens for a reason. Just think little Sean Preston will have an Irish twin! Wahoo less than a year apart! Kori and Caleb must be so excited too.

This just cannot be the reason you are thinking of sticking it out with Kevin. Come on! He's a scum bucket. I'm surprised you weren't double bagging it. Who knows where that thing has been lately?

You've got to remember to be a role model to your fans. You need to show them that you are a strong woman who can overcome this leech. You'll get all kinds of support if you play the "he's a cheater, who disrespected me" card. It worked great for Denise until those photos turned up. You know, the ones of her with her best friend's husband.

I just know that you'll make being a single mom look so easy! What with your mom's help, oh and a nanny, person trainer, maid and chef it shouldn't be so bad. Plus after your second baby is born you'll only be 25! You're sure to find husband number 3 before you turn 27. (I know you think Jason doesn't count.) But what I'm saying is there are plenty of fish in the sea. K-Fed is nasty. It won't be hard to find somebody better.

As you were once in love with him, you should try to convince him to get a vasectomy. You'll be doing him a great service, as he won't be able to support more than four children on his music career. Not to mention that the world will thank you. Big time!

Ok girlfriend. Be strong! You're babies are counting on you. Maybe next year you’ll be deemed one of the Top 5 Sexy Celeb Mom’s. I’m sure you can push Posh Spice out.

P.S. I found that photo of you with Sean Preston and thought you might want to add it to his baby album. He sure is a cutie pie!

P.P.S. When you are picking the date for your C-section, be sure to give me a call and I can help you decide what day works best astrologically.

Chew on this

Warning: Dentyne Ice Frost Bites are powerful. Not so much that they'll freeze your head off. This is not my favourite commercial.


I actually bought it for the packaging. I'm a sucka for packaging. Good thing I don't live in Japan.

Now back to my community service announcement. I popped in three chiclets and was overwhelmed by this extreme gum. To demonstrate how lovely I thought my breath would be from this new product, I leaned over to my husband and blew some air his way. He literally screamed out in pain. "It burns. It burns. My eyes!" I could see this dragon like super power being useful in some situations. Mental note: it might be better to limit myself to two chiclets at a time.

On a side note: There is now another beautiful girl in Alberta. My cousin had her second daughter yesterday. I'm so thrilled for them. Too bad we don't live nearby, as our children are so close in age.

Forward Thinking

I am an accepting person. There are not too many things that would get me riled up. I go by the philosophy that what's right for you, is ok by me. I cherish differences. I value other people's opinions. There are however two topics that get my knickers in a knot.

1. Smoking
In this day, after all the medical research has proven the consequences; I am surprised that anyone still does it. Yes, I know that it is an addiction, but it's not like doctors say that smoking is fine in moderation. This is not one of those things.

The banning of public smoking is making it easier to have a fun night out, if only that was the way when I had a social life. There were too many years that I was forced to stand next to someone who was smoking so that I could watch my favourite band perform. I desperately wanted to tell them that their choice was killing me.

It leaves you smelling extremely disgusting. I don't care how many times you see hot actors lighting up. Smoking is not cool.

Don't even get me started about people who smoke in front of children!

2. Open relationships
For the most part it really doesn't bother me what other people do in their bedrooms. I know that it does not affect my life in the least. I've struggled with why I find the idea of married couples in open relationships so repulsive.

I think it mainly stems from my question as why bother making a commitment to each other if you have no intention of honoring it? Go ahead. Have an open relationship; just don't pretend to be married.

It's like these people feel that they have to fall into a society standard of being married. If they really want to sleep around, why not remain single? A person claiming to be in a loving open relationship is pure hypocrisy.

If you love someone you don't want to hurt them. If you are honestly fine with your partner having sex with other people, then you are probably not truly in love.

Those are the two things that I should never bring up. I feel better now.

Photo happy

I had big plans! I thought it was about time for me to share a photo of myself. If I leave it much longer, it will only turn into a disappointment. I would hate to raise your expectations for me to look a certain way, only to discover that I am hideous. Quick! Look away.

I let the hair dye seep into my skull for an extra long time. Be gone grays! I wore my contacts and applied new makeup. I put on a slimming black outfit. I dressed our girls in fancy party dresses for the special family event that was about to take place. I've come to rely on their cuteness to distract from my atrociousness.

We had fun! A little too much fun. It was my turn to let loose so Colin kept the gin and tonics flowing. I am an uncomfortable drinker. I start listening to myself speak to make sure that I don't slur or say inappropriate things. I get angry with myself for getting chatty and it never fails that I go over the details of the night the next morning, pointing out to myself how embarrassing it is to be me.

But damn we had a good time. Why is that trying to get a man on the dance floor is equivalent to finding a cure for a disease? Not something I'm likely to achieve in this lifetime. It always ends up a circle of women shaking their booties.


Strawberry was shy and hung off of me. The more uninhibited I got, the more she came out of her shell. By the end of the night, she was tearing it up on the dance floor. Our girls were the only children still going at the end of the night. Yes, we closed the hall down.

After we got home, I was eager to load all the pictures on our computer. I felt more than a little self-conscious while I was playing photographer but Colin's family has come to expect my camera happy, insane addiction to capturing every 10th second. I even let Colin take a couple of me for this planned reveal.

In my tipsy tiredness, I downloaded the pictures, sorting them to our organized folders. The next morning I was anxious to see if the pictures were presentable or not. I searched every folder. I racked my aching brain, but in my haze I must have deleted all pictures of me from the camera. They are nowhere to be found. Maybe it's not meant to be or possibly it's a sign telling me "Don't Do It!"

The wonderful, Auntie Rojo said she didn't mind if I shared this photo of her new tattoo!

It's only fair that I find a photo of myself to include. As I said over at Kittenpie's place, it is important to find your comfort level. I think I feel good about posting this one.

Don't you think this outfit is truly to die for? I'll work on a slightly more recent picture in the near future.

Don't just stand there,

Bust a move.

Stop looking at my banana!

A Day in the Life of a Basket Case

After I had my first child, I received this sheet to help me identify how I was feeling. I found it bizarre but hung on to it. I actually put it on my fridge behind some recipes and artwork. Today when one emotion after another piled on top of each other, I decided I better try to sort out my state of mind.

I'm tired. Buttercup was extra super cranky and awake for most of the night. I was losing my patience and feeling rather desperate. By 5:30 A.M. I had to ask Colin for a little help. I got further upset when it took him all of five minutes to have her asleep. Why couldn't I do that? But that feeling lasted all of thirty seconds as I fell fast asleep.

While being half brain dead, vegging on the sofa and zoning out cartoons, I noticed a minivan drive up in front of our house. I was amused when a lady came out with her camera and started taking photos of our front yard. I egged Strawberry into peering out the window in an attempt to make the lady uncomfortable. I don't think she noticed as she happily snapped pictures of our flowers. This brought about some laughter. I always find this humorous but it's hardly the first time a stranger has trespassed to photograph our flowers. Every year a man on a bike comes by and does this but she was the first person to drive here. News of our picturesque yard must be spreading like wildfire. I was completely embarrassed that I have yet to do any gardening this season so the weeds are out of control. After she drove off I thought I should run outside in my PJ's and try to capture what she might have on her camera. Better judgment got a hold of me and I decided not to give the porch monkeys* something to laugh about over dinner. I threw on my jeans and then I took this shot for you.

My lightheartedness soon vanished when I discovered the contents of Buttercup’s fancy baby shampoo had disappeared. Half of the bottle must have gone down the drain. It was a gift for her barely there hair. I trusted this gentle, mild soap. How disappointing.

It was about this time that I decided to let some fresh air into the house. The screen door to our backyard jammed. When I shoved a little harder, it broke completely off the track. At the same moment a tired baby started crying her heart out. All this drama made me lose my mind. I broke down in tears and rage bubbled up internally. A quick phone call to hubby and I was able to calm myself down.

Feeling a burst of energy, I was about to tackle some of those previously mentioned weeds surrounding our flowers. A daily dose of vitamin D from the sunshine is always a good thing. I took the girls out front to find a sweet skunky scent drifting towards us. Seems our neighbours were having a little afternoon high in plain daylight. (Stay tuned for a "who are the people in your neighbourhood" post.) I was not sure what I would feed the little ones if they got the munchies so the gardening would have to wait. We headed to the backyard for some fun in the sun.

While they enjoyed the fresh air, it made them tired and therefore a tad crankier. That is not what I need. Especially with Colin heading out for a boys night and a mountain of laundry that I simply must conquer.

Also during the day, I've been beating myself up for my lackluster posts. I know this passionate new hobby should not be taking on such power. It shouldn't cause me to think poorly about myself. In particular, I don't think I have given my children's current milestones the attention they deserve. When at first you don't succeed try, try again.

Did I mention that my Butter-baby has spoken a real word! It's both a noun and an action packed verb! While it is only two little letters, it perfectly suits her favourite activities: jumping in her jolly jumper and clapping her hands! Oh yes, I did previously mention that she now cheers "Go!" I'm a proud mama. Communication holds the key to happiness and that is what I am in pursuit of. Thank goodness there is hope for tomorrow...

*Edited to note: I had absolutely no idea that this is a derogatory term. I've always used it to describe the older couples who sit all day and night on their porch and watch the world go by. I hope I don't offend anyone!

The Go Go Girl and Other Short Stories

Buttercup has said her first official word. "Go!"
She repetitively chants, "Go, Go, Go" and we continuously repeat her.


Here is our little Go Go Girl.

I find it curiously ironic that Suri Cruise and Grier Henchy, (daughter of Brooke Shields) arrived on the same day! What are the odds of that happening? 1 in a gazillion! Will this fire up any rumours or new wars? Maybe their parents will arrange some play dates and they can be best friends. Now that would be sweet.

Lately I find strangers giving Strawberry free food. She got a slice of cheese from the deli. Her Auntie Rojo took her to the corner store where they gave her this delicious looking treat.


Marshmallow Gummy Burgers - Suitable for Vegetarians.

Entertainment

I'm all for a rock show in a small venue. Miracles never cease; Colin and I escaped our routine. We actually went out together! It was a date night. A good friend looked after the girls so that we could check out Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders. My ears are still ringing.

It was a good set. Their album has not yet been released in Canada, so they played to a half filled room of hipsters. In Toronto the big show tonight was Franz Ferdinand and Death Cab For Cutie.

Taylor seemed a bit nervous as he drummed and sang his way through eleven of his own songs. He mentioned that the band ate at Coco Lezzone. He claims his band mates are the best jazz musicians playing rock. (For this being their inaugural tour, they are very tight.) They played a tease of a Rush anthem and for their encore they came out with "Hotel California." Taylor announced that the band was “horny and rough and ready." They weren't the only ones.

Half the entertainment was the girls standing in front of us. I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on their conversation. They complained that it would be better if the men they dated were single but they just couldn’t help the fact that they are married. Of course they felt it was wrong that “Jeff” was with one of them while his wife was pregnant with his son. Of course Jeff had told her that his wife was a crazy bitch so that seemed to justify the situation for them. Here is a wake up call. What else would he say?

The other girl spent most of the night glued to her phone sending text messages and sharing received ones with her hussy friend. Technology advances ruin a good rock concert.

I had an overwhelming desire to accidentally spill a drink on these two skanks. In the end I didn’t think they were worth the price of my drink.

Build me up

I'm saving my not-so-religious post for another time, as today held more significance for us. It has been nine months since Buttercup made her forced appearance into the world. Obviously that is not her actual name as we are not super famous celebrities. Instead that is one of the affectionate names that we refer to our second daughter.

So this belongs to Buttercup...

I can't believe how fast the last nine months have flown by. They went so much quicker than the nine months it took for you to be ready for this adventure we call life. We had been told that you were likely a girl but for some reason I kept thinking that you would be a boy. That was probably because I secretly hoped you were a girl all along. Your big sister always told me that there was a little sister in Mommy's tummy.

We went back and forth on your name. Your Daddy and I didn't decide until your fourth day, which was when we left the hospital. You'll be happy that we didn't take your big sister's advice or you'd be named after Dora's friend Isa the iguana.

You are such a good baby. You don't sleep much during the daytime but in the evening you regularly sleep through the night with only one 4 A.M. feeding. Then you just need your milk and usually do not even open your eyes.

You light up every time your big sister talks and sings to you. She likes to pat your head and squeeze you tight with big hugs. Now that you can sit, you are starting to play together. Although when anyone takes something out your hands you protest very loudly with "the world is coming to an end” crying.

You perfected the art of clapping at a very early age. Whenever you hear the word clap, you eagerly showoff your talent.

Three months ago you had already become a master of the jolly jumper. Often you will use both feet to gain great air in your joyful jumps. Whenever I call out your name you'll take another great leap and smile the biggest smile.

You enthusiastically feed yourself Cheerios but don't seem to be adventurous with trying new foods. Your little nose crinkles with disgust when I introduce a new taste. However you broke that rule today when we offered you a little piece of chocolate.

When you turned four months old, a horrible rash appeared. After several visits to the doctor it was determined that you have eczema. It took us well over a month to get it under control. I had never seen a baby itch. At times you still find it necessary to scratch your back and tummy, or nuzzle your face furiously into my shoulder.

I love to breathe you in. I will always remember that you were naturally baby powder scented.

I spend hours every day making you giggle. This is an easy thing to do. I can just look at you and you'll burst out with laughter. You are a very happy baby that is why you are so easy to love. Then again, you had our hearts from the moment we looked at you.

From my bunnies to yours

Happy Easter! Thoughts to come later.

Brain throb

My brain is pulsating. I have a nasty headache that won't go away. I couldn't possibly be hung over from having too much fun on Tuesday night or could I? I am out of practice but I didn't go that overboard.

I'm contemplating running out to the trunk of my car where the Easter Bunny has stashed his goodies. Advil can't cure me but maybe chocolate can.

When I get this way, all sorts of crazy thoughts come popping in my head.

Does anyone else find it repulsive that those sexy, dangerous racecar drivers have to wear Depends? It's not something I've given much thought to before but six hours in a hot car while drinking Gatorade has to go somewhere. They don't get potty breaks. Gross.

Why was every cashier so nice to me yesterday?

How will I explain that the Easter Bunny couldn't find a yellow Funshine Care Bear? Does it sound ok if I say that the Easter Bunny doesn't have the same connections that Santa does?

Why do men change the channel periodically even after watching fifteen minutes of a program? I understand that they would have a breakdown if they had to watch one commercial. Just don't go channel surfing in the middle of a classic episode of Seinfeld.

Why does every comment I leave after three in the morning seem so brilliant but not so much the next day?

How many kisses are too many?

The Six Show

I'm it! I've been tagged by The Lovely Mrs. Davis, Nicole and Mrs. Chicky.

Here are six weird facts/things/habits about me:

1. My hair turned gray when I was ten years old. It's hereditary. My dad went gray at sixteen. I used to like to freak people out by saying it was because I saw a ghost.

2. My mom tells me that I was conceived on their honeymoon, while they were visiting my aunt in Nova Scotia. The too many details fact was that the deed was done in my cousin's bed. Hopefully she doesn't read this.

3. To get my mom back, she was the first person I called after I lost my virginity. Ok I was a late bloomer but I lived where there were slim pickings. My mom was thrilled that I told her and her first question was "Did you use protection?"

4. Detailed patterns make my brain go wacky. For example a room with wallpaper that has dots on it can practically make me hyperventilate. I become possessed with a desperate need to claw the repetitive design away. I hate looking at patterns.
5. The eerie sound of wind chimes can make my skin crawl. I find myself walking a little faster and wondering if I'm in a horror movie.

6. When I'm in a bad mood, the cheesiest, bubblegum, pop songs almost always make me snap out of it. They've got to be good for something!

And now my six:
BridgerMama
Domesticator
Izzy
Mrs. Fortune
Sunshine Scribe
The Domestic Goddess

Here are the rules:
1. Reveal six weird facts/things/habits about yourself and then tag six people.
2. Leave a "You're Tagged!" comment to let the people you have tagged know they have to reveal six things (or the entire blogosphere will explode and it will be their fault).
3. Leave me a comment letting me know that you have completed your mission (if you have chosen to accept it!).

Peeling a layer of an onion

I've purposely avoided talking about my career within my blog. It has been fairly easy while being on maternity leave but that is soon coming to an end. My career is a huge part of who I am and I feel like I'm being secretive about myself by not dishing out any clues as to how I earn a living.

I know that in .2 seconds anyone who wants to find me could use the almighty google and my identity would be exposed. By just mentioning the overall industry, I'm a little too easy to find. But my job is a driving force of what makes me tick and it has always been my passion. I don't work to live. I live to work so it's only fair that I divulge this dirty little secret.

Like the advertising industry, it is very fickle with regular lay offs. People shuffle around hoping the next company will appreciate their creative efforts.

Competition is fierce. Companies merge and downsize. Every job is fought over like we are pirates dueling for the treasure.

It's very much still a boys club. Only women with serious balls climb to high spots on the corporate ladder. It is acceptable for business to be done in strip clubs.

There are too many Fakers. They think they are all that, as they flutter around a room giving out air kisses. Too much importance is thrust upon remaining young and attractive in order to earn the respect of our peers. We all lie about our age and are in search of cool clothes.

Office hours are a little more flexible as we are required to be out many evenings until 2 A.M. Parties are a plenty. Drinking is mandatory. We keep bars open with massive tabs being racked up every night of the week.

There are way too many people within my industry cheating on their significant others. It is also very incestuous with many couples finding true love within this same profession.

It's an industry raging against the Internet. Realizing they are fighting a losing battle, they have begun to embrace it much too late in the game.

So do you have any guesses? Think Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll. I feel pretty lucky to make my living in the music industry. That is pretty much all I can write since I have signed my confidentiality agreement in blood. But so far, no pacts with the Devil.

Lacking Bower Power

Being a mom I know how difficult it can be to squeeze in a shower. Well I have a confession to make. The last time I had a shower was on December 3, 2005. I bet you can smell me from your computer.

In November, I headed west with our girls to visit my family. Colin decided this was his golden opportunity to fix the leaky bathtub faucet. He had always hated our bathroom tile and this motivated him to tear it all out. Then out came the flooring, tub, sink and toilet. Finally goodbye walls. After three weeks without us, he had still not gotten around to reinstalling the necessary bathroom pieces. Of course, I hastily decided that we would extend our time out west. I couldn't help but tease him that Ty Pennington can tear down, rebuild and decorate an ENTIRE home in seven days... What the hell was going on with our tiny bathroom? I know that is hardly fair but I couldn't resist. Not to mention that was one of the more loving phone exchanges that happened during this period.

Living through renovations is dreadful. Colin's had little time to dedicate to the project that he insists on doing entirely himself. Four months with an open concept bathroom leaves absolutely no chance of having guests over. We finally have the exterior wall and door back up. Oh, I remember that word now... Privacy.

We don't have the floor down so Colin hasn't put in the sink. I hate brushing my teeth in the kitchen so I will blame him for my gingivitis.

Our new deep Jacuzzi tub is great for relaxing but impossible to lean over in order to bath an infant. Once again my back problems are his fault. I swear our new tub is defective. After one week, the stench from the jets is so powerful that I believe it would be wonderful to have Michael Jackson's nose. The recommended heavy duty cleaning procedure that, according to the manual is required every three months is a weekly occurrence. This is a serious pain. I'm at the point where I say throw the damn expensive tub out and get me a cheap ass one.

I dream of having a quick shower. This won't happen until the bathroom is completed. No tile equals no shower. At the rate we are going, my next shower will likely occur in 2011.

I never feel clean by bath alone. Remove mind from gutter. The theory of the good ole days was to shower (get rid of the grime), bath (relax) and shower (rinse clean). At the very least a bath consists of the bath/shower aka "bower."

Do all men procrastinate home renovations? Is my husband trying to torture me? For now, the closest I'll come to a real bathroom is viewing Scarbie doll's heavenly retreat.


Desperate for a pedicure. Oh and some walls would be nice.

Giggles

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Tippy Too

Tippy Too Who?

Tippy Too Ccccccccccccccccccccuh.

(I die laughing.)

Ok. I know that this does not translate but Strawberry wants to tell jokes. She loves to make us laugh. She does variations of her knock knock jokes all of which end with "Ccccccccccccccccccccuh." I can't help but laugh. Her little face looks eagerly to me, her eyes glimmer, full of mischief.

I just hope I'm not doing damage laughing so hard at her not so funny jokes. She'll go back to daycare in two months and try this routine out on her little buddies to be met with quizzical faces. Maybe she'll convince them that she's hilarious and they too will fall under her spell.

One drink drunk

Last night I was settling in to do my very first meme because the Domesticator tagged me. Colin brought me a Smirnoff Raspberry Ice and I knew right away that he had ulterior motives. It's not what you may think. He was only trying to bribe me to let him have some computer time. I rarely have a drink these days and it was going down pretty easy. Light, refreshing and 7% alcohol. I agreed that he could have a half an hour and then I was going to get to it, however the drink knocked me out. I'm such a cheap lush. At least it cured my insomnia!

4 Jobs I've Had In My Life:
4 Scooping Free Ice Cream Samples at the grocery store. One for you, two for me.
4 Display Information person for Government Exibit.
4 Hand model/Actress for Bank Documentary promoting ATM's.
4 Greeter at large retail store. Yes my job was to say hello to every person that walked in the store. Oh the jobs you can get in your youth with an award winning smile!

4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:
4 Trois couleurs: Bleu
4 The Pillow Book (Naked Ewan McGregor. Need I say more)
4 Grace of My Heart
4 Swimming With Sharks

4 Websites I Visit Regularly:
As if all the blogs I have listed are not enough.
4 CTV News
4 Sweet Spot
4 Robeez
4 IMDb Movie & TV News

4 Favorite Foods:
4 Spicy Tuna Maki
4 Perogies soaked in butter and onions
4 Chocolate
4 Chinese, Mexican, Italian and Thai (Do you think we eat out too much?)

4 Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
4 Eating popcorn at the movies.
4 Enjoying a dessert like coffee and a bitch session with a close friend.
4 Being mesmerized at an art gallery.
4 Reading some chic lit while, sipping a frosty beverage by the pool at a beach resort.

4 Most Wonderful Places I Have Been:
4 West Coast to East Coast all across Canada. It's a beautiful country with thirty million friendly people. (Okay I haven't met Bob in Edmonton or Michelle in Montreal but we are a polite and courteous bunch.)
4 Seattle in February with everything already in bloom.
4 Hawaii as an almost 16 year old girl on a special trip with her mom.
4 Quaint London, England. I need to visit more old cities.

4 Books I Could Read Over and Over:
There are too many books in the world to actually reread anything. I could list children's books that I have memorized but I read them for my girls not for me. Just to play along I'll list a random four that I've enjoyed:
4 High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
4 Syrup by Maxx Barry
4 Watermelon by Marian Keyes
4 Light on Snow by Anita Shreve

4 Songs I Could Listen To Over and Over:
Ugh, do you know how much I hate these things? I'm supposed to list four songs to represent my musical taste when there are more than 4,000,000 songs that could easily go on this list. Here are four that trigger memories for me:
4 "Heaven or Las Vegas" by Cocteau Twins
4 "Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam
4 "Gigantic" by The Pixies
4 "Groove Is In The Heart" by Deee-Lite

4 Reasons Why I Blog:
4 I started blogging on another site because it helped me stay in touch with family and friends that are far away. I soon realized how much I missed having a creative outlet.
4 It's mommy time.
4 It challenges my brain to form comprehensive thoughts. It helps me put things into perspective.
4 I hope to use this space as a way to remember little details about how much happiness my daughters bring to my life.

4 People To Tag:
Hope that you haven't already done this:
4 Mrs. Chicky
4 J's Mommy
4 Rhonda
4 Mega Mom

Whew, I think I need a drinky winky.

A thousand words...

(As I battle insomnia, I think I'll save some mumbo jumbo for other people's comments. I'll likely only be able to express gibberish in which case I also send my apologies.)

Word hunting

A particularly traumatizing incident in high school was discovering the results of their career aptitude exam. We were forced to write scientifically designed tests that were created to determine our intelligence level and interests in order to match us with the Ultimate Career Path.

I remember meeting with the guidance counselor who looked a little embarrassed to tell me (the overachieving honor student) my results.

Mattress Maker or Cake Decorator.

These jobs still mock me. Don’t get me wrong. I am sure that they make a fine career choice for many. Cake Decorating is very creative. I don’t think either job would challenge me or be fitting for me.

The real kicker was in this moment. It was further clarified that I had scored quite low in the vocabulary section. If those marks were altered, I would have made an excellent Lawyer or Journalist. Is that not a leap? I got very excited at that prospect, as I had been considering going to University for Journalism. The encouraging guidance counselor then told me that Journalism was really all about who you knew and therefore he didn’t recommend this option. Lovely! What fantastic advice. Apparently you would have made a better garbage man.

So why is this haunting me today? I’ve decided to take the advice of a former teacher and create a special word box for Strawberry. We bought her an Illustrated Dictionary for Young Children and now I’m going to type up all 1,300 words and put them in her personalized word box. She will pick out a word each day and together we will look up the definition. This is supposed to encourage an interest in language but I just think that it will be fun. Plus I hope no one ever tells her she is not capable of achieving anything that she puts her mind to.

A Moonshine exercise

Over at Moonshine, Izzy wants to know everyone better. She's asked her blogging friends to provide four adjectives that describe their personality and elaborate on each one. This of course got me thinking and so I poured my heart into it.

Imaginative
I am a daydreamer and I can spend endless hours fantasizing about anything and everything. I picture what my life would be like if I lived in the much larger house down the street. I have witty conversations with Dave Grohl. During cold months my mind takes me to sunny days at the cottage, looking better than ever in a new bathing suit. As soon as August rolls around I’m dreaming of doing my Christmas shopping during the first magical snowfall. I sip coffee with Darcy Tucker. (Of course he doesn’t say anything or that would ruin it, so instead he gazes at me with those saucy, wild eyes.) I travel to far away places, a pub in Ireland, a boutique in France and a winery in Italy. One of my favorite daydreams is of being a senior and preparing a special occasion meal for our large, extended family. My children are grown, with spouses and possibly children of their own. Everyone is giddy and jovial like a scene from a feel good movie. I know that I romanticize life but it’s therapeutic. My imagination knows no bounds.


Cheerful
I find myself smiling 97.2% of the day. Of course I’m smiling at my children but also at strangers and inanimate objects. I’m that crazy lady! Some people find this unnerving and glare back at me with a look of confusion as to what could possibly make a woman so happy. Other people naturally smile back. It is contagious, like yawning. Yes, the smiling wrinkles are already imprinted and slowly deepening but at least I won’t be one of those ladies with a permanent scowl across her face. Those women frighten me.

Contemplative
Deep in thought, there is hardly a moment when my mind is not racing. I ponder questions that I’ll never have answers for. I amuse myself. I mull over things that others probably don’t give a second thought. It’s hard to quiet the ideas that keep popping up. This can be a nuisance and I find myself wishing I could dust bust some of the thoughts out. However I know this would only make room for new ones.

Compassionate
Kind hearted in nature, I can easily imagine myself in someone else’s shoes. I feel others sorrow and delight. I have to avoid watching dog shows because I get overwhelmed with emotion at their victories. My children will easily figure out this trait and have me wrapped around their little fingers.

I know that Izzy only asked for four characteristics and I am good at math so I can count that high. It goes against my nature as a rule follower, (I only cross the street at green lights) however I couldn't resist listing the following three runners up:
Dedicated – Passionate to my career, I care too much about every company that I have ever worked for.
Generous – There is nothing like seeing someone’s face light up at a thoughtful gift.
Honest – I wouldn’t know how to be anything else. I value honesty in others and myself.

I think that paints a pretty clear picture of me. Words will have to do until I get around to colouring my hair.

I'd love to know your descriptive words. I find everyone that makes their way here completely fascinating and it would be great to get to know you better.

Don't mess with my clock

There are some things that shouldn't be messed with, one of them being time. I hate springing forward. First off, Colin and I are night people. We are up to the wee hours every night. We naturally run late for most daily activities, especially eating meals and getting the children to bed. Throw in a time change and all hell breaks loose.

My internal clock takes a long time to adjust. Thank goodness I don't have to get up tomorrow morning to get the girls to day care and me to work on time because it just wouldn't happen. Oh maternity leave, how I love you.

Daylight Savings Time is not something that I am used to. I grew up in the only province in Canada that doesn't observe this strange practice. Yes, Saskatchewan (and Arizona in the U.S.) know what time it's at! As a child of the flatland, I knew twice a year that we had to adjust our regularly scheduled television shows by an hour. Maybe this is why I question the need for DST and resist this change so fervently.

Of course falling back is a little easier. My family almost starts functioning like the rest of society but within a couple days we are back to our tardy ways. What I hate about falling back is that you leave your office only to drive home in the moonlight. It feels like the day is over when all your leisure hours have just begun.

Plus, come on clock factories! It is 2006. Can't you build in a computer chip that recognizes time change and automatically updates every clock? And why do we need a dozen clocks in my house anyway? The purpose must be to make me anxious that I'm running late for everything.

I think I should move to Hawaii. Tropical destinations generally do not observe this wacky ritual since the sunshine hours are similar during every season. I'd throw a big party every time you are adjusting your clocks and routines. I'd pound back Mai Tai's, as we'd scoff at Benjamin Franklin's absurd notion to conserve energy and the benefits of daylight. His regulations to reform the Parisians prove that this was just a lapse in judgment.

Insert tongue in cheek

I was going to write about March's lion and the lamb theory but instead I decided to make a little observation on the blog world. I'm very new to this and I don't know much about anything. Hell there are very few people that even know about me and my new little home here in Bluedom so I feel pretty safe in letting these thoughts flow freely.

Much like real life, this magical world is made up of a variety of players.

The Ultimate A List
Here you will find actual real life celebrities.
Right alongside are the legendary players. Everywhere you go people make mention to them like they are the almighty, powerful leaders.
People who have brought home the bacon with their writing. They are the naturals.
People who have blogs that have won awards of excellence. Your peers love you. I'm not familiar with the awards but I know they exist and I'm sure I'll eventually find you.
People who can be so thought provoking as to inspire half the blog community to run back to their own place and vent. Their words, love 'em or hate 'em, are creating a buzz.
And of course, the It Girls. They are witty and smart. Oh yes, these sassy girls are the real deal.
Many found within this list overlap definition. The A List people have a die-hard fan base that leave comments like they are going out of style.
(*Examples provided are only a few of many. They were added to reflect admiration.)

Respectable B List
These are people who have been around for a while. They are comfortable with what they write and have a loyal circle of friends here. You'll see their name on many a blogroll. If you consistently have double-digit comments on your blog, you are on the highly respected B List. This is where I aspire to be.

Average C List
The C List is made up of the newbies. They are still trying to find their voice and let it be heard. This is the list that I hope I'm currently on.

The Dreaded Downright Dirty D List
These are the crazy stalkers. They hang off the A Lists every word checking thirty times a day to see if they have a new post yet and what comments have been made. They dream about things to write but their posts rarely come out the way they were intended. They always use alliteration, repeating the same words and have a fondness for adjectives. Not an original idea in their bones, it is a given that their grammar and spelling is nasty. I have not found any bloggers that fall onto the D List and don't imagine that they are out there. It is likely just my all time consuming Greatest Fear that this is how others view me.

So now, think about your heart's desire.

Stare deeply into these stars and make a wish...


If you leave five comments on a variety of blogs within the next hour, you will find happiness.

If you add five people to your blogroll, you will be blessed with many friends.

If you leave five comments in blogworld and add five people to your blogroll, your wish will come true.


Wink, wink... Happy April Fools Day!