Saturday, July 30, 2011

Potty Training and School Supplies

Good Morning!

I am working on potty training right now.  I have to say, little girls may get cute clothes and hairbows, but boys get cool underwear.  Carson and Dylan look SO adorable in their little "Cars" underwear.  Dylan's chunky baby fat fills them out and last night when we first put them on him, no one said anything, we just giggled to ourselves because he looked so stinking cute.  Carson pointed to him and said "Too tight."  It was pretty funny.  Dylan has big, round, plump legs and a cute bubble butt.  Carson's underwear are roomier and his skinny little legs dangle out.  I'm not sure how the potty training is going to go; we are just toying with the idea right now because Dylan keeps showing interest and is peeing on the potty.  They gets M&M's if they go, which they love. 

I have to get ready to go.  I am going to Pilates this morning and then school supply and shoe shopping. 

We met the kids' teachers yesterday and they are SO nice! 

Here's the Word of the Day:


gazump \guh-ZUHMP\, verb:

To cheat (a house buyer) by raising the price, at the time a contract is to be signed, over the amount originally agreed upon.

Friday, July 29, 2011

TGIF

Yesterday I was singing that Katy Perry song,  "Last Friday Night", which is really appropriate, right?  Lindsey was listening to me chant "T-G-I-F, T-G-I-F, T-G-I-F," and she said "What does that mean?"  I sort of giggled because kids are so cute and I told her what it stood for.  Then I told her about that Friday night line-up on TV when I was a kid.  Remember, TGIF?  They aired Full House, Family Matters, Growing Pains, and at one point Dinosaurs?  Remember Dinosaurs?  "I'm the baby!"  I posted a picture below.  I remember it being cute, but it's actually sort of creepy looking!



I also remember a show with a basketball coach and his 10 kids, but I don't remember the name.  What was that called?  Anyway, I was telling the kids that I watched it every Friday night and my mom got me a babysitter.  I loved when she left because it was the only TV that I was ever allowed to watch.  She hated the TV, so it was a special treat when she wasn't there to tell me to turn it off.

I was talking about how awesome TGIF was and Don came in the room and said "TGIF sucked."  I was like "You know what?  YOU suck."  Haha.  TGIF ruled.

Have a great Friday!

Here's the Word of the Day:

aureate \AWR-ee-it\, adjective:

1. Characterized by an ornate style of writing or speaking.
2. Golden or gilded.
3. Brilliant; splendid.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

It's B-R-I-T-T-A-N-Y

Does anyone else have a name that is constantly misspelled or flat-out massacred?  Rarely does anyone spell my name correctly anymore, and mine is the original spelling—not some made-up version of the province in France.  Brittany was established in 1532 as a province in France, and it is one of the 6 Celtic nations.  It is supposed to be a beautiful place, and it isn’t called Britney, Brittney, Brittnay, BrittKNEE, or my favorite, B-R-I-D-N-E-Y?  Bridney?  There is no D.  Since when is there a D?  That’s disgusting.  I don't even care if someone spells it wrong as long as it resembles my name, but inventing new sounds within the name?  Blughhhhhhh.  For example, I know a woman who spells my name "Brittney" over and over, and after two years of emailing her and signing my name on forms, she still spells it incorrectly and I don't even care because I don't revere myself enough.  It's not like I think I'm important enough for anyone to care, I just mainly hate what my name has become and that's what I am griping about. 

 
I am actually old for being named Brittany, and a result of that is that I was the only Brittany in my class, even my school when I was a little girl. It was sort of an unusual name back then, in the old days.  Ha ha. Actually, I remember when the Chipettes were popular; I was so excited and loved Brittany (the chipmunk) because I never saw anyone with my name—but it wasn’t spelled B-R-I-D-N-E-Y.  Lindsey’s friend’s mom is maybe 10 years older than me and she once said “I can’t believe that I have a friend named Brittany” and laughed.  I told her that I was old for a Brittany, she agreed.  Anyway, it’s sort of a young, goofy, cocktail-waitressy name now, and I find myself wishing that my mom would’ve given me my middle name as my first, Elizabeth. 

It doesn’t really matter though; no one calls me by my name anyway,  no one ever really has.  It’s either “Mommy”, “Baby” or “Brit” these days and I am perfectly fine with that.  My mom is one of the few people who actually call me Brittany and it’s only when she’s mad at me.  She says “Brit-t-a-ny Eliz-a-beth…..”  pronouncing every syllable, and she calls me "Britty" when she likes me.  Actually, now that I think about it, the only time that Don calls me Brittany is when he's angry with me.  That's sort of funny.  I’m "Brit" to all of my friends, "Britter Critter" to my grandpa, "Beetle" to my dad, and "Bert" to my step-dad.  I thought it was funny, in college, even my professors called me "Brit" unless they were calling roll. 
Here are some pictures of Brittany, France.  It is so pretty!  Can you imagine living somewhere so picturesque? 


Speaking of names, why do girls steal boy names for their little girls?  Carson is a boy name, and yet there are a lot of little girls being given that name.  And Dylan?  What about Dylan McKay from 90210?  Didn't he pretty much seal that as a DUDE name?  But that's been stolen as well.  I had a friend say that she was going to name her little girl (in the future) Dylan, when Dylan was about two weeks old.  It irritated me.  Names are important and they change with time, which is why it's scary to name your kid!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Help

I started to read "100 Days of Solitude" but I am taking a break because my mom gave me "The Help" and I started it on Sunday.  It's so good that I cannot put it down.  I only have about two chapters left and I am dying to write about it, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.  Whether you decide to read the book first, or just see the movie coming out August 10th, definitely get to this story somehow.  They are comparing it to "To Kill a Mockingbird" and I thought "yeah, right.  That's blasphemy." That's one of my Top 5 favorites and I didn't think that it could compare and found it obnoxious that they were even saying that, but the story really is just as important. 

This book is about segregation in the 60's, more specifically, it's about the maids in Mississippi.  These women do everything in the house, including the raising of the white children. The children love the women and the women love the children like they are their own.  They were "free" but they really weren't, with the Jim Crow Laws still existing.  The white employers are a mix in this book.  Some of them are decent, and some are just absolutely repulsive. There are parts of the book that will churn your stomach and boil your blood.  I just keep thinking "The 60's weren't that long ago".  If it isn't something that you don't think about every day, it is shocking to think about the changes that have been made in such a short amount of time.  I can't even imagine "black schools" and "white schools" and drinking fountains and such.  The book is also very funny at times, and when you get to the Terrible Awful Thing that Minny did......I can't say anymore.  All I can say is that I am VP of the "I Hate Hilly Club" and my mom is President.  She is a hideous person and you will hate her.  Do me a favor.  When you read it, tell me so we can talk about the Terrible Awful!  I'm laughing and you don't know why!  HAHA!

Logan is enjoying football so far; he's tired though.  He was weighed yesterday and he was close to 90 lbs.  There are some boys in the 10/11 group that are so big, I can't believe it.  Apparently one kid is 5'9 and 180 lbs.  The minimum requirement for being red striped is 125, which is more than I weigh!  I can't believe that a child in 5th or 6th grade could tackle me to the ground.  It's weird, isn't it?  And these kids are coming at my kid?  Geez.  Logan is strong though and he always shocks people when he hits them, which isn't surprising to me at all.  Logan has always been hard to manage physically.  That sounds weird, but you know what I mean if you have toddlers who throw temper tantrums.  He'd often go limp and turn to lead if I carried him somewhere that he didn't want to go, mostly in public, and spanking him?  Well, let's just say that it was a nightmare and it didn't work.  I'd try to swat his butt and it was nearly impossible because I'd get beat up in the process.  He'd kick me in the throat and the stomach, punch and scratch my arms, it was awful.  Time-out was painful too because every time that he would get up and I would put him back in the chair, I'd get beat up again.  I was so out of breath after attempting to discipline him that I won't ever forget how strong he is and I don't worry about him getting hurt very much. 

I told the kids that I am taking them to the pool or something today, after I finish a few things around the house. 

Here's the Word of the Day:

hoary \HAWR-ee\, adjective:

1. Tedious from familiarity; stale.
2. Gray or white with age.
3. Ancient or venerable.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Power Outage

Around 4 am the power went out for a couple of hours.  I woke up because the alarm beeped and I heard everything shut off.  It stormed yesterday, bad enough for football to be cancelled, so I assume  that something was damaged and they had to work on it in the middle of the night.  I don't know why I'm like a five-year-old, but when it shut off my first thought was "What if an intruder cut our power?"  How ridiculous is that?  I also had a very bad headache and I was afraid to go downstairs to get some medicine because, well, I don't know why I was afraid, because it was stupid.  I looked out the window and was relieved to see that the entire cul-de-sac was dark and that an intruder had not cut our power, but then I was afraid to go get the medicine because I couldn't see.  I was afraid that I would tumble down the stairs and break my neck.  Once again, so silly and stupid.  I had tried waking Don, but he could sleep through a tornado, so I had to get over my adolescent fears. I rummaged around for a lighter, which was difficult to find since I don't smoke.  I finally found one, lit a candle and went downstairs to get medicine for my pounding head.    I am such a baby, aren't I?  No wonder Lindsey is scared of everything! 

Pilates was strange today.  None of the regulars were there except me, and it's the regulars who actually enjoy the difficulty of the class.  (I have talked about this class several times in this blog.)  The people who have only come once, or have never been, are always the ones whining.  I understand talking about it being hard, and that type of thing, but requesting that the teacher change it for you?  That type of whining is unacceptable.  How about not coming to that class and trying another instead?  For example, when I came in this morning there was a lady saying "I don't want to do any arms today.  And I don't want to do anything that will put a strain on my back.  I only want to do abs."  I actually laughed and covered my mouth.....it just slipped out.  The instructor said "Well, I can't modify the whole class and what we do for one person, but you can do what you want, of course."  It turns out that this lady always says the same thing whenever she comes to one of the instructor's classes.  (I only know this because we were gossiping about her afterward and laughing about it.)  Some people are so annoying.  This instructor, I won't call her by name, says that they are always in need of Pilates instructors and she's trying to talk me into getting certified.  I would really like to do it, but I lack the confidence.  I have a hard time counting and talking while I work out because I get into my zone and breathe quietly.  Actually, it's pretty funny, when I lift weights with someone else I always lose count and sometimes ask them to count for me.  Counting reps and working out is like rubbing my tummy and patting my head.  I don't know, I am thinking about it and she said that she would help me.  They have a certification test in February.  Maybe I'll have to learn to count to 20 again. Ha ha. 

I know that I talk a lot about the things that annoy me in this blog and that I probably sound mean and negative sometimes, but I'm really not.  It's just that the older I get the more I notice how ridiculous people are and I use this blog to talk about it.  I guess my hope is that my readers can find comfort in knowing that we all get irritated by something and that it's okay.  We all get irritated by stupid people, traffic, and things that we can't control.  And I know that we all contribute to the chaos, but it feels good to vent about it when we're on the other side.  Anyway, I just thought that I would mention that and I hope that you can find humor in the things I find irritating!

Today we aren't doing anything eventful.  I am cleaning out closets and getting things organized.  I take lots of breaks and play with the kids, since I missed having them all together. 

Here's the Word of the Day:


mantic \MAN-tik\, adjective:

1. Of or pertaining to divination.
2. Having the power of divination.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Winehouse and Flatbed Trucks

First of all, doesn’t it suck about Amy Winehouse?  It’s sad, but I am irritated that the media is acting surprised.  Really?  You’re surprised?  Did you look at her?  Did you watch her talk and walk?  Did you actually listen to her music? “They tried to make me go to rehab, I said noooo nooo nooo.”   I mean, my gosh.  Don’t act surprised.   It’s like being surprised that a 1000 pound man has a heart attack.   I am shocked that it didn’t happen earlier.  What is sad is that she made a lot of money, not only because she’s a great musician, but because of her whole image.  Maybe she was afraid to change.  Chris Farley was afraid to lose weight because people liked to laugh and “the fat guy”, which is one reason that he was depressed and overdosed.  It would be cool if people would endorse only acceptable things, but I can’t talk.  I love Chris Farley and I bought “Back to Black” and listened to it regularly.  People love watching stupidity and train wrecks.

Speaking of stupidity, I passed a flatbed truck on Friday that said “Its better in my bed”.  First of all, wow.  What clever sexual humor.  How incredibly sexy, right ladies?  Wouldn't you like to meet the stud who thought that one up?  Can you see him at a bar?  He's the guy that we all avoid, right?  Secondly, ITS is supposed to have an apostrophe, which irritated me.  Why don’t people check their spelling and grammar before they advertise for their business?  I think I know why.  I have a visual of the guy right now…..right hand sticking out of his pants like Al Bundy, he’s spitting his chewin’  tabacci, his left hand is working hard to stick those stupid letters on straight.  He’s thinking “The ladies are sure to love this right here.  I must be the sexiest, most clever son of a—” What a shame.  It may have appealed to me, had he only remembered that apostrophe! 
People are so stupid on the road in general, and although I got to Kentucky safely, there were a few moments where I realized how dangerous the highways are.  And there is only one thing worse than a bad female driver.....a man who drives like bad female driver.  It's so annoying.  And, it's unatrractive.  I remember when I was single, if I went out with a guy who drove like a girl, I was instantly unattracted.  To me, guys are supposed to be good drivers, in control, and smart.  Fast drivers are ok, but if they act like idiots and their instincts suck, it's unattractive.  I see a guy that doesn't know how to drive and I think that he is the biggest dork.  I seriously wish that we had tickers on our cars so we could write messages to bad drivers.  This guy almost hit me because he was riding my butt so closely, and it didn't matter which lane I was in and how hard I tried to get away from him, he was behind me.  He was going off the road, switching lanes for no reason at all, and being aggressive.  If I had had a board for messages I would have told him that he drives like a girl.  AND I would've said that he was a douche.  I'm right too, because when I got a chance to look at him I saw that he was wearing a visor and all of his hair was spraying out like a cartoon character.

So far things are going really well with the kids.  There hasn’t been any fighting at all, and I can tell that my mom and Greg really worked with them.  I was so excited to see them, and I can tell that I needed the break because now I am so calm and happy to be with them.  Lindsey is going to be the most work right now because I can tell that she still needs to fix some bad habits, and that’s all they are, habits.  She’s used to being negative with Logan and she doesn’t even know that she’s doing it.  (Since she’s been here.)  I just calmly remind her that we’re starting fresh, and she’s fine. 

Carson and Dylan played ALL day with Logan and Lindsey.  Dylan won’t leave Lindsey’s side for a second, and Carson cried so hysterically at bedtime last night for Logan I had to let him sleep in the room with him.  (Logan slept in Carson’s room, that is.) 

I have a lot to do today.  Football starts tonight and I have a lot of errands to run.  Things are about to get crazy again! 


Here’s the Word of the Day:




handsel \HAN-suhl\, noun:
1. First encounter with or use of something taken as a token of what will follow.
2. A gift or token for good luck or as an expression of good wishes.
3. A first installment of payment.


Sunday, July 24, 2011

So Much to Say!

I picked the kids up and we are back safely!  I had a nice visit with my Uncle Andy and Aunt Krystal and I have so much to say, but I am busy getting the kids unpacked and back into the swing of things. 

Here's the Word of the Day:


somatic \soh-MAT-ik\, adjective:
1. Of the body; bodily; physical.
2. In anatomy, zoology, pertaining to the body wall of an animal.
3. In cell biology. pertaining to or affecting the somatic cells, as distinguished from the germ cells.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Yay!

I'm meeting Greg today to pick up the kids!  I'm so excited! 

My mom sent me some pictures last night, which I will post below.  Many people don't know this, but I collected dolls when I was little.  The majority of them are Shirley Temple dolls because she was my favorite person in the whole wide world when I was little, but I have a lot of other dolls as well.  Anyway, I didn't start giving them to Lindsey until I knew that she would take care of them, so last year I put a shelf in her room and my mom has started giving them to her one or two at a time.  My mom makes a scrapbook page for each doll telling a story about when and why I got it.  Below is a picture of Lindsey with my Dorothy doll.  Dorothy was one of my favorites because she came with  Toto in a basket, which I'm pretty sure I yanked out and my mom had to glue him back in.  She also has pretty ruby slippers, of course. 

The other doll in the picture is one of my most memorable dolls.  Most of you probably don't know that I played violin for a very long time.  The doll in the pink dress was given to me after one of my recitals....I think.  I was like 4 or 5 when I got it, so I barely remember.  I loved her because she came with an intricate violin, bow, and case. 

Here are the pictures.  Lindsey's so goofy!:



Logan was also surprised last night.  Greg ordered ALL of the "Harry Potter" books without telling him.  Here he is, being the goofball that I love so much. 


Before I go, I will mention that the boys have acted especially TWO the last couple of days.  You can't turn around for two seconds or they're into trouble and they are extremely demanding and whiny.  I think that they are sick of not being able to go outside though; just feeling cooped up.  It's too hot, and if we do go outside, the bugs tear them up.  It's just ridiculous. 

Here's the Word of the Day:


feign \FEYN\, verb:

1. To represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of.
2. To invent fictitiously or deceptively, as a story or an excuse.
3. To make believe; pretend.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Drastic Measures

I won’t explain all of my reasoning because it’s a story that would take 10 years to explain, but if you have followed this blog long enough (or know  Logan and Lindsey) you know how bad their fighting is.  We realized that they get along better when they are forced to be together, so guess what……next year they are in the same classes, and they have always been separated.  When I first mentioned the idea to the kids they were afraid that it would be a nightmare because they would embarrass each other intentionally, but then they started telling ME why it was an awesome idea.  Logan was excited that they could help each other with homework, help each other stay organized, and if one of them misses what the teacher says the other can tell them.  Lindsey said that she liked that when I chaperone for a field trip we can all be together, and if I come to read to one of their classes I don’t have to “even it out” by going to the other’s class, which I hadn’t even thought of.  That will be nice!  You should have seen me at Meet and Greets and Open Houses, going back and forth from class to class, missing most of what the teachers were saying.  Luckily, last year the rooms were back to back! 

They have 7 periods next year, so I think that it will be really good for Lindsey academically and I think that it’ll give them something in common.  If something funny happens in class, they are there to share it.  If the other is having a rough day, the other can help cheer them up, and so on.  I will obviously have to set up some basic rules for how to treat each other and immediately stop any bad behavior and unhealthy competition, but I think it’s going to be really cool.  It’s drastic, but we need something drastic to get them out of this awful cycle they’ve gotten into. 

I split Logan and Lindsey up in Pre-K thinking that you give twins their own identity so they’ll be more secure later in life.  You may notice that I never call them “the twins”, I have never thought of them as a unit.  They are their own people.  But now I wonder if I made a mistake by not making a big deal about them being twins, because now I have to remind them of the cool bond that they share, and why they’re special.  I’ve been more concerned about everything being fair and equal, and now that’s what they expect from me and from life....fairness.  You can't win, I swear.  You think, as a mom, that you're doing the right thing and it bites you in the butt later.  I used to make sure they had equal amounts of socks, toys, etc.  Lindsey said to me yesterday "I've always had to share everything!"  It's completely ridiculous because I've always gone out of my way to make everything fair, but does that matter?  No, because they share me and Don and they share a birthday.  Geez. 
Whether we realize it or not, twins are born different than we are and they do have a unique bond.  I have seen the twin bond with Carson and Dylan and I was probably too young and busy to notice it when I had Logan and Lindsey.  You have to remember that I grew up with twins in my family and they were separated and had their own identity, so I followed suit.  (Of course, everywhere we went it was “Awwwww, twins!” and I hear that I got left out in the cold and wasn’t happy at all after they were born.  I’ve seen evidence—pictures of my sad little face.)

Anyway, that’s the plan.  We’ll see how it goes.  I know that when they have something in common they do seem to enjoy it.  For example, when Logan plays football, Lindsey genuinely cheers for him on the sidelines.  Once I remember her saying "That's my brother!"  And when he watches her sing in the talent show or dance on stage he is genuinely proud of her and talks about how she's "the best". 

I hope it won't be a disaster, but I feel good about it.  Have a great day!

Here’s the Word of the Day:




detente \dey-TAHNT\, noun:
A relaxing of tension, especially between nations.


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Countdown......2 days

Today I'm taking Carson and Dylan to a movie.  They play old movies at 10 am for $1, which is perfect for them because they won't be cranky.  We're seeing "Charlotte's Web"; the boys call it "The Piggy Movie."  As for the rest of the day, we're not doing much.  I'm trying to soak in the calm before the big kids come back.  I am really excited to see Logan and Lindsey and I really miss them.  Of course, when they get back things are going to start getting crazy again.  School starts August 1st, so we have registration, school shopping, etc.  Football starts on this Monday, and dance and cheerleading start the day they go back to school.

Lindsey, Ashli, and Amelie went ice-skating yesterday.  My mom said that Lindsey loved it and that her dance muscles were helping her skate.  She wore one of my sister's old skating outfits.  I told my mom that Lindsey looks almost as tall as my sister, but I thought that it had to be an optical illusion.  My mom said that she is almost as tall as she is!  Awwww, Ashy.  She's such a cute little shrimp. 


Have a great day!
Here's the Word of the Day:

dearth \DURTH\, adjective:

An inadequate supply; scarcity; lack.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Short, but funny....

I am eating breakfast and getting ready for Pilates this morning while watching "Cheers", the anniversary show.  I am cracking up because they showed a clip of Diane and Sam fighting, which were some of the funniest scenes ever.  She says “Do you know the difference between you and a fat-brain ass?”  He says “No”.  She says “The fat-brain ass would!”  HA!  She’s my favorite character, maybe of all of the shows I have ever watched.  If you didn't watch "Cheers" you have missed out!  It's in my Top 3 shows of all time. 

I have a lot to do today because I am picking the kids up this weekend, so that’s all I can write today.  I hope you all have a great day!

Here’s the Word of the Day:

zugzwang \TSOOK-tsvahng\, noun:
A situation in which a player is limited to moves that have a damaging effect.

Monday, July 18, 2011

In case you are wondering.....

I really miss Logan and Lindsey.  I hear that they are having fun though, and that makes me happy.  Logan went to see the midnight showing of "Harry Potter" with Bop-Bop last week and he is reading the third book.  Lindsey went to see "Beauty and the Beast" in Chicago, but I have yet to hear about it.  I'm assuming that they had a great time and they have been very busy. 

I think that Dylan and Carson are starting to catch on to the routine I've been working on since the big kids have been gone.  We get comfy, I sing "Baby Mine" to them, and we say our prayers.  Dylan participates the most when we pray and Carson senses that I am about to leave the room, so he's more concerned about telling me to lay my head on a pillow than he is with praying.  Dylan closes his eyes and covers his face and says "Thank you, God" (last night he did all of it before I even got to it) and when we are done he says "Ayyyyyy mennnnnn."

School starts August 1st.  Next week is our last week to play, so I am happy that the kids will be back to rest and get ready for school, and do some fun things with me!

Here's the Word of the Day:


canonical \kuh-NON-i-kuhl\, adjective:

1. Authorized; recognized; accepted.
2. Included in the canon of the Bible.
3. In mathematics, (of an equation, coordinate, etc.) in simplest or standard form.

My mom sent this picture of Lulu, Amie and Greg.....

I was also looking at old pictures for Google+ and I thought I would post some for fun:

Weren't they little???  Some of the pictures the kids were 3 and 6, the ones of Lindsey with the bangs that she cut herself, they were 5 and Peyton was 8. 

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Freedom

I finished “Freedom” by Jonathan Franzen yesterday.  I won’t talk a lot about it because I don’t know if you have read it or not, but I will attempt to persuade you to read it.  I will say that if you are the type of person who likes to walk around in a haze thinking that the world is a perfect place because you have your picket fence and SUV, you’ll have a hard time reading this book.  Also, it’s very political, and if you have a hard time looking at other points of view, then it also isn’t for you, even though you are the type of person who probably should read it and would benefit greatly. 

It’s about the good, the bad, and the ugly that resides in all of us, in our nation, and in our world.  It has so many different themes in it; I could sit and analyze it for days.  But in a nutshell, I would describe it like this:  There’s the planet, then there’s your country, then there’s your neighborhood, then there’s your family.  The root of the planet’s problems is the same root of our problems in our lives—that is, the problems that we inflict on ourselves.  The theme is that is that we are all arrogant, selfishness, petty, and stupid.  The characters aren’t likeable, but then again, in all of them there is something redeeming and endearing.  (That’s pretty realistic.  I am always saying that people are never ALL bad or ALL good.  Hitler is next to Satan, but he liked animals.  No one is one way completely and the world isn’t black and white.  Wouldn’t it be cool if we could remember that?)   It’s about how freedom means different things to different people, and it’s about the turmoil we go through with the constant push and pull.  Sometimes having the freedom to do what we want isn’t the best for us and it can lead to disaster, and yet deserved freedom is pure bliss—deciphering between the two is the problem.  There have to be rules and regulations for our own good, but the way that we fight with each other when we are coming up with those rules and regulations are ridiculous.  Basically I finished the book thinking “Can we ever really all be happy?” 

It’s clear that Franzen thinks that western civilization is a bunch of overindulgent morons who care more about their pocketbooks, their comfort, their identity, their kids…..is he wrong?  When you look at the money in the world, isn’t it disturbing that it’s spread so unevenly?  How can we be sitting here comfy worrying about the things we worry about when someone else is watching their child starve to death?  (I am guilty of it too, totally.)  Even if we are struggling financially, we aren’t covered in gnats and our stomachs aren’t swollen from having starved for days.

One of Franzen’s big themes in the book is the environment and what we are doing to it.  I am not an environmentalist by any means.  I care and I have made attempts to do something about it, but I haven’t ever gone outside my comfort zone and done something drastic.  Basically, I don’t litter and I sometimes recycle when it’s convenient.  Really impressive, right?  So, I can’t talk.  But anyway, one of the characters is upset about his neighbor’s cat being allowed to roam free and kill the birds that he works daily on conserving.  She says “I care more that my kids learn responsibility and that’s why I got the cat, so they could take care of him.  The cat likes to go outside and as long as he is happy and my kids are happy, why would I care about a bird?”  Ok, so whether you think that’s silly or not—that’s an example of what Franzen was saying.  We’re all about us, bottom line.  We think we should have freedoms to do whatever makes us happy, sometimes blatantly, sometimes inadvertently, but either way, sometimes it takes away others’ freedom to live. 

I’d like to say that I have the answer to the world’s problems, but I don’t, just like everyone else.  I try not to point fingers and I like to say “Glad I am not in a position of power!”  But the truth is, there are things I can do, and there are things that you can do.  We need to educate ourselves and others, we need to pay attention and use our brains!  Sometimes things are hard, but sometimes they are common sense and we don’t even try to use common sense anymore.  I don’t know.  The only thing that we can do is to care about others, do our best to be thoughtful and respectful of our neighbors and of the planet, and to try to work together to solve the problems.  We can try to un-do the damage that we’ve done by being stupid human beings—easier said than done, especially when religion and politics are involved. 

I watched “Invictus” which is about Nelson Mandela and how he used Rugby to bridge the gap between South Africa.  I thought what everyone else does when they hear about Mandela.  What must it have been like to be locked up for 28 years for simply fighting for the right thing?  How do you leave a tiny jail cell a better person?  How do you forgive and teach others to love their enemy?  I mean, obviously, Jesus told us to do so.  But here’s a man who actually did these things.  We are all better than the baboons that we behave like sometimes, so let’s remember that.  We aren’t as shallow as E! would have us believe, and we are smarter than the stupid-ass reality shows give us credit for.  I know it’s easier to watch crap rather than to do something productive, because it’s depressing and often there seems to be no answer to our issues, but if we all do that, well we may as well just, well, I don’t even know.  That’s a scary thought.  Mandela said that education is the most powerful tool to change the world, so let’s try to educate ourselves and others. 

I forgot to mention one thing….there are constant passages about masturbation and men thinking with their penises.  I think that Franzen was saying that those manly organs get us into trouble.  I’m not kidding.  If you read it, notice that it’s a theme…..penis thinking.  Do men really use it more than their brains when making decisions?  I think so!  I watched “What Would You Do” the other night and men were falling over themselves trying to help a pretty girl STEAL A BIKE, one of the men was with his wife!  So, become an accomplice, hmmmmmm, shouldn’t you use your brain when coming to that decision?  Penises make men so stupid and yet they are the ones ruling the country, well, the world?  I’m with Franzen on that one.  Ladies, we have to realize that men are at a serious disadvantage and maybe we should cut them some slack.  They have a brain and then another one with an IQ of zero.  Glad I don't have a penis.  It’s scary to think about the times that “penis” has been written in my blog this week. Geez.

I’m onto “100 Days of Solitude”. 

Here’s the Word of the Day, sorry I was so longwinded:

torque \TAWRK\, noun:
1. The moment of a force that tends to cause rotation.
2. The measured ability of a rotating element, as of a gear or shaft, to overcome turning resistance.
3. A collar, necklace, or similar ornament consisting of a twisted narrow band, usually of precious metal, worn especially by the ancient Gauls and Britons.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Did you know they served THAT at Taco Bell?

First, let me get one thing straight….I am pretty good about admitting when I am wrong. 

A few days ago I posted about the “loser” teenagers drawing penises all over the wooden posts of the pavilion at the playground.  I am aware that teenagers would surely call me “old” if they read that entry, but I am not concerned about that.  Defacing public property is never ok, and they know better.  (I complained, by the way.  Someone may have already fixed it.)  What I am concerned about is that I have forgotten how ridiculous I once was as a teenager and how easy it was for me to judge them.  I know that I remember a lot, because my friends and I always laugh about Mr. Mueller literally throwing me and my books out of the classroom while I laughed and thought it was a joke….he was seriously pissed—I got kicked out of Honors and had to go to the normal English class.  We often talk about how I was always in trouble for talking, and I was always laughing and making jokes at the worst times. I once laughed for five minutes straight while delivering the news to the entire school, LIVE, because someone in the studio farted really loud.  How very mature of me.  My teacher never heard the noise, and even if he had, I am sure that he wouldn’t have found it amusing or acceptable that I couldn’t pull it together and read the damned teleprompter because someone passed gas.  I was always grounded because I talked in class and got bad grades.  My point in mentioning all of this is that I realize, what makes us old isn’t just responsibilities and our tastes changing, it’s forgetting about the things that we used to find amusing.  If we forget these things, we are bound to hate teenagers.  And how did we feel when adults hated us for out immaturity?  I am still very unhappy that there are penises drawn all over the posts at the park.  It was against the law and it was wrong.  They should not have done it.  But I remembered today that I have done stupid things too, and I thought that I would share.   If you recall, I said something along the lines of “How funny are penises?  Really?  Why is that funny?  Grow up!”  Blah, blah, blah. That’s the part that I am focusing on.

So here’s the stupid story….Michelle, Kellie, Julie and I—sorry girls, I am calling you out—drove around one night in my car and videotaped our random excursion.  We saw a dork that we knew walking out of the movie theatre and we yelled out the name of the girl he liked (Julie), just to get him to turn around.  He did.  Then we stole an orange street cone, but ended up throwing it out the window because it had mud all over it.  Last but not least….I drove up to Taco Bell where Michelle proceeded to order “Two hard tacos, 1 nacho, and a LARGE PENIS!”  All I remember is that I was laughing hysterically and I spun out the tires because I took off so fast.  Michelle screamed “Brittany!  You were supposed to wait for her to answer!”  But I just kept laughing and driving away!  We were all laughing so hysterically and I would say that this is right up there with the kids who drew penises on the pavilion, right?  No, we didn’t deface public property, but we were just as immature and evidently penises ARE funny when you’re 16!  We weren’t drinking, smoking, doing drugs—we were just good kids, being stupid.  When I am wrong, I say I am wrong.  End of story.

Kel, do you still have that tape???  Can you imagine if our parents would have found it?  They would’ve thought that there was something wrong with us!  What nerds we were! 

A closing message to my girls….. We’ve done dumb and sometimes dangerous things together and we’ve protected each other too many times to count— all of the experiences are priceless to me.  We’ve been through hard times, good times, and we’ve stuck together no matter what.  I have always said that God blessed me with great friends at an early age, and I was right.  You are irreplaceable, and I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without your friendships.  Thank you for always believing in me, for protecting me, for listening to me, for putting up with my running mouth, and for loving me unconditionally.  I love you all.  It’s been a blessing to watch you grow up, and for you to be with me as I have grown up.  Now we just have to remind each other of the stupid crap that we used to do so we can relate to our own teenagers!  Remember….penises are funny, just not at the playground. 

Feel free to post memories!  I typically forget stories from back in the day and I would love to be reminded!  Nothing too bad though; my parents read this!  I may get grounded again just for old time’s sake.  Mom, I know you’ll remember this one….remember when Katie punched my old boyfriend in the face for pushing me and he flung over the back of a chair?  How happy were you when we called you from a payphone at 2 in the morning?  Damn, Katie, we had to use a payphone?  That WAS a long time ago!  Do they even make those anymore???  Where was our cell phone? 

Here’s the Word of the Day:


abject \ab-JEKT\, adjective:
1. Utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched.
2. Contemptible; despicable.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Rude or Not Rude?

This morning Don was listening to The Bert Show and they were debating whether or not it's rude to say "You look good, for having two kids" or A kid, or FOUR kids, you get the point.  Don asked me what I thought and I said that I really try not to say that.  I try to say "You look good" and then I may say "I can't believe you have kids" or "I can't believe you just had a kid".  I think that saying "You look good for having four kids" or "You're smart, for having brain trauma" -any kind of compliment with an add-on is sort of like saying "I'm sorry, BUT".  The reason is this:  you are saying that someone rates well in one category, but not in another.  You look good FOR HAVING A KID, but NOT  when compared to those who don't have kids.  (Which is completely ridiculous.  Have you seen some of the women who don't have kids?)

People often tell me that I look good for having two sets of twins and I don't take offense to it because I know that most people don't dissect their words and that they really are complimenting me.  I also think that people are genuinely shocked and therefore, why would I take offense to that?  That's awesome!  I'm 30 and have five children, four of them I have carried, and I am blessed to be the same size that I was when I was in high school- maybe smaller from being so busy with them.  I work out, I take care of myself, so whatever compliment I get, I take.  However, I still  don't think it's the best way to compliment a mother.

It also depends on who's saying it.  Mothers should know that there's a better way of complimenting a fellow mother.  I feel this way because I experienced mean moms when I was just a baby myself, having babies. Now that I am older, I see it firsthand.  I have recently heard other mothers making snide comments about the young mothers in bikinis at the pool, and why?  Jealousy.  Be happy for them and understand that they are young!  It's not their fault that you're older, I believe that God was the one who breathed life into you in 1965, not them.  Don't be mean!  When I was at the bus stop with my kids, no one talked to me.  Women would tell me what to do constantly or put me down, like I didn't know what I was doing because I was young.  AND I had two at a time....how many of them could say that?  How would they know any better than I did?  Easy.  They didn't. I can't stand women like that and I vow never to behave that way.  Women can be mean and it's because of them that people even have to wonder "Was that a compliment or a jab?"  It's all about intention and I can tell when the added on "for having kids" is a jab and when it isn't.  There are certain women, even some of my friends, who would rather gnaw their faces off than give someone else a compliment, sometimes me.  There are women who'd rather stick their fingers into a running Cuisinart than to make someone else feel good.  And I know who you are......

Women are so ridiculous sometimes, I am surprised that more men don't end up gay. 

It's simple.....be true of heart, say what you want to say in the nicest way possible.  A compliment is meant to make someone else feel good.  If there is a chance that you may slip, keep your mouth shut.  If you are trying to LOOK like a nice person, but would rather drink Drano than to compliment someone, SHUT UP.  Everyone sees through you anyway, so you may as well not bother giving someone a fake compliment. 

Mom, fellow mother of twins, I'd love for you to comment on this.  Any mother reading, I would love your feedback! 


Here's the Word of the Day:

apodictic \ap-uh-DIK-tik\, adjective:
1. Necessarily true or logically certain.
2. Incontestable because of having been demonstrated or proved to be demonstrable.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Unexplained Structure

My bro-in-law, Matt, sent this link to me.  It's really interesting. 

http://wimp.com/unexplainedstructure/

Here's the Word of the Day:



usufruct \YOO-zoo-fruhkt\, noun:

The right to use the property of another as long as it isn't damaged.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Fighter

I was reading that Casey Anthony is planning on wearing disguises and changing her name after being released from prison.   The article said that she doesn’t fully understand how many people hate her on the outside; she just thinks that there are a few crazy people out there that hate her.  Man, that girl really is in denial!  Can you imagine going next door with a Bundt cake and discovering that your new neighbor is Casey Anthony?  She’s said that she won’t have plastic surgery, but I think that’s a mistake on her part.  If I had the most hated face in America, I would change it.  She’s not all that pretty anyway, she could use the work. 

I watched “The Fighter” last night with Mark Wahlberg.  (I’m still tempted to say Marky Mark!)  It was a pretty good movie.  I usually can’t watch fighting because the spraying of blood makes me sick and I also hate looking at their gross cauliflower-shaped ears, but this movie wasn’t bad.  It is about Micky Ward (who I had never heard of) and his older half-brother, Dicky Ecklund.  Ecklund became a crack head sometime in the 80’s.  He was most known for knocking out Sugar Ray Leonard in the 70’s…..or did he trip?  Some say that he just tripped, but I wouldn’t know because I wasn’t even born yet.  Ladies, I will warn you, Christian Bale looks disgusting—playing a crack head will do that—but Marky Mark makes up for it.  Amy Adams played Ward’s girlfriend and she was really good. 
I almost forgot to mention that last night when I was tucking the boys in, we prayed and I taught them how to clasp their hands and say "Amen".  They sound so sweet.  Dylan says "Ayyyyyyyy  Mennnnnnnn"  while Carson jabbers about Heaven being up and in the sky.  I know that they don't really understand yet, but it's still so sweet and I am trying to start good habits. 

Have a great day!

Here’s the Word of the Day:


gumption \GUHMP-shuhn\, noun:
1. Initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness.
2. Courage; spunk; guts.


Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Park Problems

I took the boys to the playground yesterday, but we only stayed for about 20 minutes because it was too hot; I suspected that it would be, but they really wanted to go. 

While my sweet and innocent little boys played in the sand and ran around with their little smiles stretched across their faces, I was looking at all of the disgusting pictures and messages written in  permanent marker on the wooden posts of the pavilion.  Every time that I drive by and see teenagers hanging out at the playground I know that they’re up to no good and I think to myself “Losers”.  Last time I checked the BABY swings were for BABIES and not for 16-year-old girls.  Lindsey and I always laugh at them, but then Don reminds me that if that’s the worst thing our kids do, well then we’re lucky.  But it turns out that I am right, they are up to no good, because the messages on the wall went like this: Chandler is a Penis.  Mark is a Penis.  Sarah is a penis.  And then there were lots of pictures of penises ALL over the posts.  There was a funny looking guy scratching his penis and then the word itself, “PENIS”, written in bubble letters.  (That was a girl, which is very disturbing.  Last time I checked BOYS don’t write in bubble letters.)  I guess this much is true: The only teenagers that I will like will be my own, which is probably normal.   And YOU, Zoe, if you are reading!  But see, Zoe, you would never find that kind of activity fun, right?  Because you aren't a loser!  (Zoe is my 17-year-old cousin.)

First of all, what kinds of teenagers do that?  I know that when my friends and I were teenagers we had more important endeavors than drawing penises on a wall on a Friday night.   Secondly,  is it really THAT funny? 

My first thought was that I was going to call someone and and ask them to clean it up.  My second thought was that this is why extra-curricular activities are so important.  My goal is to keep my kids so busy that they don't have time for drugs, drinking, the opposite sex (serious relationships anyway), and drawing penises.

Kids!  Glad I never was one.  HA!

Word of the Day: 
 
assay \a-SEY\, verb:
1. To examine or analyze.
2. In metallurgy, to analyze (an ore, alloy, etc.) in order to determine the quantity of gold, silver, or other metal in it.
3. To attempt; try.


Monday, July 11, 2011

Clemens....to Care or Not to Care

Is it just me, or do a lot of people think that this Roger Clemens trial is a complete waste of our time?  Ok, so he lied to Congress, which is bad, but don’t we have bigger fish to fry?  We all know that he used steroids and HGH—look at him.  A lot of them did and maybe still do, but until I see ticket sales drop dramatically, I am not convinced that people care very much.  In my opinion, the players using performance-enhancing drugs may be bad-ass while they’re playing, but their bodies will pay for it later.  Isn’t that punishment enough?  If you’re dumb enough to inject yourself with crap that will  shrink your testicles and give you cancer, well go ahead…it’s a free country.  (Except that it's illegal, ha ha.)  Meanwhile, I just heard that terrorists are now considering having explosive devices surgically implanted into their bodies.....and I am supposed to care about Roger Clemens?  Let Congress stick to the things that matter: world peace, the economy, and passing important laws.  I can tell you that I am much more concerned that my grandparents will get their Social Security checks than I am about Roger.  Sorry, Roger. 

And what is up with the trainer who saved the supplies he supposedly used to inject Clemens?  What a snitch!  That’s like a drug dealer saying “Here!  I'll inject this Heroin into your veins, but hold still so I can get a good picture!”  He knew he’d tell on him!  What a little punk!

Here’s the Word of the Day:



trig \TRIG\, adjective:
1. Neat, trim, smart.
verb:
1. To make neat or trim.
noun:
1. A wedge or block used to prevent a wheel, cask, or the like, from rolling.
adjective:
1. In good physical condition; sound; well.


Sunday, July 10, 2011

Weekend Word

I've decided that from now on I will just post a Word of the Day on the weekends.  I'm much too busy on Saturday and Sunday to write more than that. 

I hope that you are having a great weekend!  Logan and Lindsey are doing well.  I talked to them yesterday for a while and they are having a great time.  Logan is reading "Harry Potter" after devouring other books that my mom has passed onto him.  She said that he reads so quickly that she says "Logan, there's NO way that you finished that."  She quizzes him, and sure enough, he's comprehended everything.  She said that I used to do the same thing and she told Logan "You are just like your Mama!"  I don't think that Lindsey has done any reading.  Lindsey tells me "I like stories, but I don't like reading them with my eyes."  Cringe.

I've been reading "Freedom" by Jonathan Franzen and it's of course, excellent.  He has been called the "Mark Twain of our time", and I for one agree.  He weaves everything together so beautifully and he's really good with themes.  You sense what he's getting at, but he isn't preachy and in your face about his ideas and opinions. He's very clever.  Read him-you're missing out if you haven't. 

Here's the Word of the Day:


skylark \SKAHY-lahrk\, verb:

1. To frolic; sport.