Some People Should be Sterilized

I went to the Georgia Tech basketball game last night; they played Northwestern.  They lost, but it was still fun.  Don gave me his ticket to go with his dad and brother because I was getting stir-crazy and he thought that I needed to get out of the house…..I did need to.  I love my children so much and I love being with them.  I don’t feel like I need much time to myself, but I do need it occasionally—everyone does.  It was healthy to get out and be among adults and take a break from The Cat in the Hat and Curious George.  Everyone needs to take a breather. 

Some people just need to be sterilized. 

Did you hear about that HORRIBLE set of human beings that nailed their kid’s door shut, with the child inside???  What I want to know is WHY are these people even having kids?  And if they didn’t want the kid, why not give it up, or drop it off on a doorstep?  Anything would be better than what they were doing!  I want to know how two people can do something so horrific.  Why isn’t there one parent who says “This may not be a good idea?”  If one parent is going crazy like that, nailing the door shut, wouldn’t you think that the other would step in and take over parenting for a while?  This couple must have found each other at a Satan worshipping convention because they are BOTH insane and they should be both shot, drowned, stabbed, starved—any of the above.  Read the story and come back…..

http://abcnews.go.com/US/couple-locked-toddler-bedroom-nailing-door-shut/story?id=15033079

So what I want to know is why there are people in jail for non-violent crimes and yet child molesters and abusers are free in sometimes five years?  These two pieces of crap should never see the light of day again.  Actually, here’s how I really feel……if you use your hand as a weapon against a child, we chop it off.  If you use your genitalia against a child, we’ll castrate you.  If you hurt a child like this, GUESS WHAT—the people of the Unites States are going to decide what to do with you, not some lawyer with no conscience and a jury who probably just wants to get on home for dinner.  I realize that I am saying a lot of crazy things about our justice system.  I appreciate that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and I appreciate our country, but there are too many loopholes.  WHY ON EARTH do people feel comfortable doing things like this in this country?  Because we don’t punish them enough!  How do you have proof that a couple has left their tiny child locked in a room starving, sitting in a soiled diaper so long that there are open wounds on his legs, living in feces……and not put them away forever????  How can we allow this to happen to our children? 

Why are people even having kids if they are just going to abuse them?  It breaks my heart.  The person who told me about this story said that he would take this child and raise it because it bothered him so much.  Thank God for adoption, huh?  Hopefully this child will have a chance, since every kid deserves one.

Now I'm just mad.  Here's the damn Word of the Day:

churlish \CHUR-lish\, adjective:

1. Boorish or rude.
2. Of a churl; peasantlike.
3. Stingy; mean.
4. Difficult to work or deal with, as soil.

Lightknee Keeen

Dylan used to carry his bear around everywhere he went.  The bear’s name is Bo, for those of you who didn’t know that, and Dylan used to rub his nose with its ear while he sucked on his pacifier.  It was by far the cutest thing that I have ever seen.  Dylan still loves Bo, but they are no longer inseparable.  I used to have to turn the car around for this bear because Dylan screamed bloody murder without him.  Forgetting to bring Bo was a no-no.  Not only does he not rub his nose anymore, which I assumed was a habit that would go with the paci, but surprisingly he has sort of replaced the bear altogether. 

I realize now that Dylan is the type of child that has “friends” and one in particular that he is very loyal to.  While Bo is often crumpled in the corner, Dylan now walks around AND sleeps with “Lightknee Keeeen”.  (Translation: Lighting McQueen.)  It’s a hard, plastic Lighting McQueen car that races on its own.  Dylan feeds this car at the table, he sleeps with it, he takes it everywhere and it is in his hands at all times…Lightknee Keeeen is the new Bo in town. 

He’ll always love Bo, but it’ll never be the same.  Poor Bo.

Bo and Dylan, at the park together

serry \SER-ee\, verb:

To crowd closely together.

Blah Monday Morning

Was it just me, or was it really hard getting up this morning? 

I have to take Carson to the doctor this morning so they can check on his leg.  I'll give everyone an update ASAP.

Have a great day!

panegyrize \PAN-i-juh-rahyz\, verb:

1. To eulogize; to deliver or write a panegyric about.
2. To indulge in panegyric; bestow praises.

4 AM

The entire family fell asleep watching TV last night.  We watched some football first……Florida lost to Florida State.  Go on, Brea.  You have waited like 15 years to talk some smack.  It would be boring if we always won anyway! After we watched football we watched “Fred Claus”, and then I guess we all passed out.  Peyton, Logan and Lindsey were sprawled out on the floor, I was snuggling on the couch with Dylan, Carson was sleeping somewhere near my feet, and Don had fallen asleep sitting up in the big chair.  I woke up around 4 AM and laughed because no one looked comfy. 

I woke up because I was having nightmares.  And no wonder—the Discovery channel was on.  It’s a great channel, I love it, but it shouldn’t be on while you are sleeping unless you want to have jacked-up dreams.  The show “Taboo” was on and the subject was Rites of Passage, or something like that.  Did you know that men in New Guinea allow people to slice them thousands of times on the back with a RAZORBLADE so that they will look like crocodiles?  This shows that they are tough, AND INSANE!!!  Ughhhhhhhh, shivers down my spine even thinking about it.  Carson woke up a few minutes after I did and we changed the channel to some "Konkey Gorge" (Curious George), he had some milk and we went back to asleep.

I am missing church today because I may have to take Carson to the ER.  His leg is bleeding through the bandage.  I noticed a couple of tiny spots of blood on the bandage when we woke up yesterday morning, so after freaking out and crying, I called the nurse.  She said that it’s probably ok since he doesn’t have a fever and he isn’t complaining.  She said that sometimes blood makes its way to the surface, even a couple of weeks after surgery.  This morning he says that it hurts and there’s a bigger spot of blood, so I am having Don look at it when he gets home.  I can’t even look at the bandage or I get dizzy and freak out, so Don has to do it.  I am not someone with a weak stomach, except when it’s my kid.  I get light-headed, dizzy, and I get very upset when I see something wrong with my child.  Normal, right?  Please say prayers.  I am imagining the worse, like infection spreading, stitches popping—I am trying not to worry, but it’s not an easy thing to refrain from. 

stertor \STUR-ter\, noun:

A heavy snoring sound.

The Cynic Clears the Air

I received some comments yesterday that made me think that my sarcasm didn’t quite come through yesterday.  I was mocking girls, because I am a girl and I am allowed to do that.  When I was making comments about what women want, it was based on the Twilight series, and so was my advice to men.  By no means do I actually think that all women want these things or that it’s acceptable—I was commenting on what seems to appeal to its readers, and poking some fun.  Meyer invents the perfect man, and there is no doubt that every woman believes that.  Therefore, Edward’s actions, I would think, would also be considered to be perfect by women.   He’s the perfect balance of bad-ass/sweetheart, and unless WE can be perfect, we can’t expect that from a man!  Basically, I was making observations that led to unfair generalizations, as all generalizations are.  What I said yesterday would be similar to saying “Soap Opera fans love drama.”  Not all women watch soap operas, so obviously I am not including all women, but women who love soap operas probably love drama.  But be honest……don’t most women love drama? 

My brother-in-law made some comments and he said that I could share them. I think it’s cool to get a guy’s perspective on my blog, so I am adding it. 

•             “Women want a badass who will protect them”:  I know plenty of “nice guys” who are fully capable of protecting their wives and children from all manner of evil.  Like John Travolta said in Swordfish, “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.”  Just because you are generally a nice person doesn’t mean that you aren’t a badass when you need to be.  Further, guys that are badass all the time are just compensating for some deeply rooted issues from their early childhood.  I guess that means that they need saving…maybe women feel like they need to do the saving… 

Exactly. 

•             “still allow them their freedom to have a guy friend”:  I’m not one of those folks that believe that men and women can’t be just friends.  But, I’ve known plenty of people who should adopt that philosophy.  I guess it’s a matter of maturity or maybe just conviction. 

Yep.  Some can handle it, some can’t.  But in the case of Bella and Jacob, let’s face it, they were never just friends—therefore, it never would have worked.

•             “you aren’t supposed to get mad at us if we kiss the guy friend”:  Well, in that case, I guess you weren’t just friends now were you?  And, no, we won’t get mad…as long as you are ok with “an eye for a fingernail” or something like that!  But, seriously, even so, we’d still be mad!  If people would just think about how they would feel if the tables were turned before they did something stupid like that.  It’s amazing how folks can spend hours, days, and weeks building something up in their mind to the point where they feel totally justified.  Interestingly, in most cases, if they were to spend about two minutes thinking about how they would feel if the tables were turned then there is no way that they could go through with it.  But, of course, it would be too inconvenient to spend two minutes thinking about such things, right? 

Exactly!  That’s why Bella is sort of a hoochie mama, right?  I was making fun of this whole situation in Eclipse.  I wasn’t condoning it.  She says “I love you more,” and in real life, this would not be true.  Edward sits there patiently and says “I know.”  No man SHOULD do this to himself, but obviously, the girls swoon at his patience.  Meyer wrote it, and the girls ate it up.  What does this say about its readers?

•             “They want a guy who only has eyes for them, maybe even more than one guy like that.  A guy who will live and die for them, that will make every move based on their satisfaction.  They want a romantic, old-fashioned, family man—but don’t forget to still be adventurous after a long day of at the office!”:  So, basically, they want HAL 9000 – a robot. 

Or a vampire.

•             “I read somewhere that married women have been complaining to their marriage counselors that they want their husbands to be more like Edward.”:  What I really want to know is, “what are these married women like?”  I mean, if these women are pulling down six figures, while raising 2.3 kids, while aggressively pursuing their husbands sexually on a daily basis, while being as medically adept as Florence Nightingale, while cooking three nutritious/delicious meals a day, while looking like Cindy Crawford, while being affectionate, kind, caring, supportive, and loving, then I’d say that it’s only fair that they expect their husbands to be like Edward.  Otherwise, forget about it. 

I know, right?  Who are these She-Devils???  Sounds like the old Stepford Wife debate.

Finally, I thought that this was great.  Thanks, Bill…….

•             “What I know about Women from Reading Twilight”:  To this entire section I quote a woman:  “It’s not [about] having what you want.  It’s [about] wanting what you’ve got.” 

He also added:

In general, I think the dichotomy is at least partially explained by the following: 

•             Pure logic without emotion is usually not optimum. 

•             Pure emotion without logic is usually not optimum. 

•             When emotion is expressed within a framework of logic then both are enhanced.  The converse is not true, however. 

I also want to add something else.  I hear myself speak and read my writing, and I realize that I come off as pretty cynical sometimes.  Most of the time, I promise, I just find reality to be hysterical. Last night I told my mom that The Little Mermaid is the dumbest of all fairytales.  I said "Ariel doesn't know it yet, but she really just traded in her fin for legs so she could run away when Prince Charming starts to irritate her.  Now she can go get a facial while he watches football all day."   When I say stuff like this, it doesn't mean that I hate guys, on the contrary!  I realize that people are people and no one is perfect!  And when you expect a Prince Charming, you miss out on how wonderful guys really are!  And come on!  Grow up!  The guy who dates you, who courts you.....that's only half of the guy.  And thank goodness I am raising Lindsey to know that!  I don't want her to say after she's married "Why don't I get flowers every day anymore?" No man should be expected to be perfect.  Are we? 

My parents have been divorced and remarried a lot, so I never grew up thinking that things are easy or that they work without a lot of commitment and effort.  Relationships are work—all relationships, not just marriages.  If you go into something thinking that it’s supposed to have a happy, perfect ending and your spouse, or child, whoever- is supposed to complete you, you’re never going to be happy. 

I do believe in love.  Love is real, and it's even more rewarding than in fairytales.  People don’t always love in their relationships, and that’s where we fail.  If we would all just love each other, we'd all be happy.  Applying the Golden Rule is the best thing you can ever do.

I went to yoga yesterday and there was an ignorant woman spouting out stupid things after class.  She was talking about how all Muslims evil, and I couldn’t help but saying “That is a really ignorant comment.  There’s extremism everywhere.  Have you ever read the Koran?”  Well, neither have I, but I have enough sense to know that all of the religions that I have ever heard of, IN THEIR TRUE FORM, preach LOVE—Muslims too.  The crazy Muslims are not acting from what the Koran says.  What an ignorant fool she was…..very narrow-minded.  She's the reason people have issues with organized religion. 

I know that this blog entry started one place and ended somewhere completely different, but I wanted to touch on the things on my mind today.  I want to close with this; I think it’s fitting.

1 Corinthians 13

 1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Here’s the Word of the Day:

procrustean \proh-KRUHS-tee-uhn\, adjective:

1. Tending to produce conformity by violent or arbitrary means.
2. Pertaining to or suggestive of Procrustes.

My Take on Twilight

The Sunday after Carson had surgery I began reading Twilight.  Ok, let me back up.  I SWORE I would never read these books because, ok, well, I was being snobby and I wasn’t interested in any book filed under the “Teen Paranormal Romance” section at Barnes and Noble.  I’ve also never been into werewolves and vampires—I’ve just never understood the fascination.   It’s like people being obsessed with Unicorns or something.  What’s the point?  I don’t tend to jump on a bandwagon just because something’s popular; in fact, I’m usually only dragged like a carcass and kidnapped onto the wagon….where I finally form an opinion.  This is what has happened with the Twilight series.  I have a daughter who wants to read the books and see the new movie, so I decided to preview them first.  I was also flat-out tired of not being able to have an opinion and defend my anti-Twilight-stance with my Twilight-obsessed friends.  After reading them, I can say that I am somewhere in the middle of the road. 

First of all, my daughter will not be seeing the new movie.  It was entirely too gory.  When adults are running out of the theatre holding their mouths so the vomit won't spew everywhere, I take that as a sign that my daughter is too young. 

Don’t kill me; it’s just my personal experience!

First of all, this will be the shortest review ever because I am only touching on the things floating through my head right this second and I can’t imagine that people will care to read if I elaborate much more. 

Stephanie Meyer is obviously a good story-teller. I wouldn’t however call her a good writer because she is very one-dimensional.  What you see is what you get and there isn’t much more than the story to chew on and analyze.  What I thought the story was, it ended up being.  As I expected, she didn’t use metaphors, enough foreshadowing— all of the tricks that make English teachers tingly.  The fourth book had a lot of mistakes in it and I was disappointed with the story, but I blame the editors for that.  But what do I know?  I can only dream of her kind of success! 

I will say that I am pleasantly surprised that I allowed myself to see past the vampire and werewolf thing.  Edward is the dreamiest, most perfect “man” ever to have been created.  Meyer captured exactly what women want.  I have always had a serious crush on Rhett Butler, but I have to say—Edward is right up there with him.  Edward is exactly what you want in a man, and he makes Bella feel exactly what we as girls want to feel.  Too bad it’s called FICTION.

I was entertained through the first book and New Moon, but somewhere in the middle of Eclipse, I lost interest.  I didn’t like that Bella was going to become a vampire, and I preferred the star-crossed-lovers thing.  The tension, what kept me interested, was lost once I realized that Bella really would live forever with Edward.  Who wants to live forever on this planet?  Not me!  I would prefer to go to Heaven where everything is perfect.  And how will she feel when Edward starts doing something obnoxious, like balling up his socks and throwing them into the hamper for her to sort out?  She was with him for two years!  What does a 17-year-old know about forever?  I can’t even picture living for eternity on Earth.  Anyway, I wanted to scream “Don’t do it, Bella!!!”  I guess I am too much of a realist to see the beauty in living on this Earth with ANYONE forever.  Marriage for 70 years, cool.  I said "I do" to that.  A million years?  Uh, I think I may have gotten cold feet.  Love you, Don!

Of course, I have a lot more to say about the books, but I promised to keep it brief.  If anyone wants to take me out back and beat me with a stick, just call me and we’ll set it up.  I realize that I am not making many girlfriends right now.  I’m about to make it ten times worse……

Advice to Men based on the Twilight Series

1.       Women want Edward, so read up.  To be more specific, they want the “bad-ass” who will protect them but still allow them their freedom to have a guy friend, even if it’s a guy who really wants to sleep with them.  That’s reasonable, right?  Oh, and you aren’t supposed to get mad at us if we kiss that guy friend, because we love you more. (Eclipse.) 

2.       They want a guy who only has eyes for them, maybe even more than one guy like that.  A guy who will live and die for them, that will make every move based on their satisfaction.  They want a romantic, old-fashioned, family man—but don’t forget to still be adventurous after a long day of at the office!

3.       I read somewhere that married women have been complaining to their marriage counselors that they want their husbands to be more like Edward.  You will never be Edward, so I guess you’re all screwed. 

What I know about Women from Reading Twilight

1.       We want Edward. 

2.       We will never have Edward; therefore, we will have to keep reading books where a man like this exists.

3.       We love the idea of one, perfect, soul mate.

4.       We want to be cherished for all of eternity.

5.       We want romance every day.

Ladies, based on the above observations, why are there so many men out there claiming that girls only go for guys who treat them like crap?  Am I the only one who finds this Twilight phenomenon slightly confusing?  What do we want, ladies? I really don't know what to tell my sons.  I really don't.

Ok, I am now taking orders for a butt-kicking in my direction.  Kerri, you first.

Here's the Word of the Day:

dipsomania \dip-suh-MEY-nee-uh\, noun:

An irresistible, typically periodic craving for alcoholic drink.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving and one of the things that I am thankful for today is that I remembered to drive the exact speed limit yesterday and didn’t get pulled over on my way to Birmingham and back.  (Not that I am some crazy speed demon, I’m not, but you can still get pulled over for going even a little over the limit.)  I left around 10:00, picked Peyton up and got home around 5:00.  Obviously, the cops had anticipated the traffic and speeders because there was a cop at practically every other mile marker.

One of the reasons that I was so careful not to get a ticket is because I realize that I just don’t have the time or energy to give cops excuses anymore.  I also no longer get upset to the point where tears roll down my face, which was definitely an advantage when I was younger.  I used to start crying genuine tears before the cop even got out of his car.  Annoying, right?  Obviously, I got off with a lot of warnings because I was just flat-out pitiful.  I got pulled over for making an illegal U-turn a couple of months ago and I was very matter-of-fact and to the point with the cop.  I said “I’m sorry.  Yes, I did it.  I didn’t see the sign because the kids were all screaming and I was on the phone.”  He said “So you were distracted.”  I said “Yes, I’m really sorry.  I was very distracted.”  He gave me the ticket and I was free to go home and eat, which is all I really cared about that exact moment.  Why waste my time and his time trying to get out of it and manipulate him into feeling sorry for me?  I hate when my kids do that to me, so I just don’t want to do it to a cop.  It’s so aggravating when my kids know that they did something and they won’t own up to it. 

It really did suck that I got that ticket because I had only gotten like one ticket in my life, and it was in like 2003 for speeding.  And really, the cop probably should have felt sorry for me.  I had like 6 screaming kids in the car, it was time to eat, we’d been at cheerleading practice for 2 hours—I would’ve felt sorry for me. 

I hope that you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving meal and wear stretchy pants! 

A note to my family and friends—I love you all and I am thankful every day of my existence that you have been placed in my life!  Ever since I was a little girl I have always known that God has blessed me with a love for people and a mouth to speak to them with.  (He probably blessed me with a strong lung capacity as well.  You have no idea how much air it takes to talk this much!)  Some people are blessed with the ability to build skyscrapers, to build computers, to heal the sick, to pass a math class with flying colors—not me.  My gift is the people in my life, I am sure of it.  I have always been thankful to have so many people to love and that love me back.  If I lost all material possessions, my health….whatever, I would still have the people who God has blessed me with.  Thank you!

Here's the Word of the Day:

  

appetence \AP-i-tuhns\, noun:

1. Intense desire; strong natural craving; appetite.
2. Instinctive inclination or natural tendency.
3. Material or chemical attraction or affinity.

No Thanks, Snail Mail!

One of Lindsey's best friends, Julia, moved to Maryland yesterday.  (This is the little blonde girl in the iLindsey videos.)  I'm going to miss this little girl because she is one of Lindsey’s best playmates.  They always used their imaginations and behaved like 10-year-old girls; they didn’t attempt to impersonate teenagers.  Lindsey has some friends that think they’re too old to play with dolls, act silly, etc.  It drives me nuts.  Little girls should act like little girls.   Also, Julia and Lindsey always entertained themselves.  They never plopped down on the couch and said “We’re bored, entertain us!”  I hate that.  I have enough to do without telling a 10-year-old how to play.  

Julia spent the night on Sunday and we brought her back right before the moving truck pulled away.  The girls said that they aren’t going to be old-school pen pals; they’ll just email each other because it’s much faster.  Julia said “It’ll take like FOUR DAYS to send her a letter from Maryland!”  I laughed and tried to convince them that it’s fun to buy stationary and write a letter.  I told them that it’s even better discovering a letter in the mailbox, but they both turned their noses up at the idea of snail mail.  I’m telling you, Instant Gratification should be named the 8^th Deadly Sin. 

I could go on and on about how different kids are nowadays, but I’ll spare you.  We all know that it’s different and we know why.  Things have changed dramatically, and it’s our fault for not regulating amongst the changes.  For one thing, we are too paranoid that they’ll be kidnapped, so they don’t play outside like we did when we were young.  We have the nerve to moan and groan about how kids are hooked up to some kind of electronic device in the house, but we’re the ones purchasing them.  Kids expect things to work instantly because we have TiVo and other devices that bypass through the crap that we had to endure as children.  Why wouldn’t they be impatient and freak out if there’s a commercial that they can’t fast-forward though if that’s all they’ve ever known?  Remember what you did when your old, grey Nintendo didn’t work?  You’d instinctively blow into the game and pop it back in.  My kids would probably toss it out the window or take it back to the store immediately.  Why didn’t we do that?  Why did we all settle for a machine that seemed to be across the board, defective?  Because we had patience and didn’t expect everything to work the way things do now.  Don and I were talking a couple of nights ago about how much it sucked to have to use the TV Guide channel.  Never failed, as SOON as you would get close to the channel you were seeking, you’d look away or leave for a second—come back and OHHHHHH, your channel had just passed and you’d have to start over.  It took forever too! 

I’m not asking for a lot.  I accept that things are different—I just want my daughter to know how to address an envelope.  That’s all. 

Showing off the friendship bracelets they made.....

They're definitely theatrical.....

Here's the Word of the Day:

poltroon \pol-TROON\, noun:

1. A wretched coward; craven.

adjective:
1. Marked by utter cowardice.

Trolley Girl

I feel weird because I haven't been writing every day, but I have been trying not to stress myself out more than necessary by putting so many "to-do's" on my list every day.  Carson not being able to walk is constant work!  He gets bored and I am always banging my head against the wall trying to think of more activities!

Lindsey went to a wedding with my mom in Charleston last weekend and they took this picture.  She's going to be on a website and she’s been asked for a quote about the trolley.  She said "It was fancy, it was perfect, and I got the whole backseat!"  She's so funny.  She has a Christmas show coming up for dance and she’s been busy practicing every day.  Her dance is to that song by The Beach Boys, you know, the one that says “Christmas comes this time each year”.  I like that song, but I always want to say “Duh, it comes this time each year.”  What a stupid line!

Twilight Tonight

Ok, so I have this HUGE thing to write about the Twilight series.  I am full of opinions, but I really just haven't had the time in the last few days to write.  I still don't.  I am only on here to announce that I am going to see "Breaking Dawn" tonight with Kerri.  She's picking me up at 10:00, we're going to Starbucks and then to the midnight showing. 

I have not been a Twilight fan at all, in fact, I have made fun of the whole thing.  I'll explain later when I have time.

I hope I don't fall asleep in the movie.  I am like DEAD at 10:30.  I'm sucking down some caffeine, for sure.

Have you noticed how NUTS girls are about Twilight?  It's crazy, right???

Update

I just wanted to blog for a second to say that Carson is doing well.  He is cooperating and totally cool with not walking on his leg.  He just chills.  He's been coloring, watching TV, playing with cars on his lap....he does anything that will keep him happy and still.  He's definitely clingy and wants me to hold him most of the time and doesn't like when I get up for anything, but we all know that Carson tends to be like that anyway.  The hardest part for me is trying to spend some time with Dylan.  Dylan is very jealous, of course, and I feel terrible.  When I get a second to devote fully to Dylan (or a lap) I give it to him.  It has to be hard to be a twin, don't you think?  Anyway, I'll write again when I can.

By the way, is anyone stunned to see Christmas movies on TV?  I know that it's almost Thanksgiving, but I feel like it should still be August!  Man, when older people told me that time whizzes by the older that you get, they were serious!  I can't believe that it's almost December!

apocrypha \uh-POK-ruh-fuh\, noun:

1. Various religious writings of uncertain origin regarded by some as inspired, but rejected by most authorities.
2. A group of 14 books, not considered canonical, included in the Septuagint and the Vulgate as part of the Old Testament, but usually omitted from Protestant editions of the Bible.
3. Writings, statements, etc., of doubtful authorship or authenticity.

Carson's Surgery

I very quickly want to let everyone know that Carson had surgery this morning and that he is alright.  He is still his usual spunky self, just tired and in a bit of pain.  He was a trooper and I thank everyone who said prayers for our little guy.  I'll write as soon as time permits it.  It will probably be a couple of days.  I woke up at 5:00 and I'm pretty tired.  It's always hard to see your child have to go through something like surgery and I am pretty much drained.

Have a great weekend!

-Brit

Coldplay Days

Ok, so I am about to vent, but maybe you’ll read something that you relate with and it won’t be a waste of your time…..hopefully!

I took a psychology class in college that presented a couple of different theories about music and your mood.   One of them suggested that music changes your mood; the other stated that you seek music based on your mood you are already in.  I think that both are true.  I know that I tend to listen to Coldplay when I am sad, supporting the idea that you seek melancholy music when you are melancholy.  I have been listening to Coldplay today and it’s definitely because I am sad.  I keep tearing up about things. 

Let me first say some things about the way that I am…..if I don’t like you and you suck, it takes me a long time to figure it out because I usually like everyone right away.  Unless you are pure evil and you give off major devil-vibes, I like you.  I think that there is something beautiful and likeable about everyone in the world and I always look for it and see it.  There are faults and ugliness in all of us, so why concentrate on others’ faults right away?  But even if I like you and you don’t suck, if you keep hurting me or someone I care about and I get to the point where I am done, I am done.  There’s no looking back, I feel nothing, you are completely dead to me and you can never fix it.  Maybe this is wrong and I should be more forgiving, but I can’t help it because when I get to that point, there’s usually been so much abuse, it’s ridiculous and an ending is long overdue.  I know that it’s probably an extreme way to be, but I’m extreme on the other hand, too.  When I love and care about someone, I will do everything that I can for them and defend them no matter how messy it gets— sometimes it gets me into trouble and causes stress, but that’s the way that I am.  I’m sure that there are people who don’t like me because of it, but I don’t care.  My sister went out with a guy that I didn’t like.  He was scary and I knew that he would eventually hurt her.  She got drunk, passed out, and I made sure that I had a talk with him while she was unconscious....one that would result in him never calling her again.  She wasn’t mad because she knew that I was right, and I am sure that he hated me….I didn’t care.  He was evil.  I take it on if I love you and I don’t hesitate.  Now that I have said all of this, I can explain what I’m feeling lately.

I am sick of watching my loved ones being hurt by others, and sometimes watching them hurt themselves.  I want to let my fists fly at my pillows; I want to scream at someone, I want to let the profanities fly—bad stuff.  There’s been so much going on with so many of my friends and my family lately and I just want to pick up the phone and scream at the people causing them pain.  My cousin has three kids with a man who I am convinced is the most crazy and selfish person on the planet.  Then last week I talked to one of my best friends in the world and someone who has already tried to ruin her life is trying to cause her more unnecessary pain—I was sick to my stomach after I heard how he was acting.  After she finished the story I took a deep breath and realized that I had basically been panting the whole time she was talking because I was so angry.  I have become much more aware of my breathing since I have been taking yoga religiously.

There’s some stuff going on with another one of my friends that really upset me yesterday and I feel like it just finally hit me today that I am just flat-out sad.  At first I am always angry and running my mouth when something happens and that’s the easier way to be, but then I realize that there isn’t anything I can do about it and that there are horrible people in the world and that bad things happen and I get upset.  I guess all I can do is be there and support them and pray. 

I was thinking about why I tend to not stick up for myself but I always stand up for my friends and family….I realized that it is because I have never had to.  I have always had someone there defending and helping me—my whole life.  I have had people there to punch my boyfriends in the face, run their mouths when someone is disrespecting me, support me in every way imaginable……I’m a lucky girl. 

I am not perfect and I realize that by saying "Don't ever talk to me again", maybe it looks like I think I am, but I really don't.  I live with my faults every day, so I don't need you knocking me and the people I love into the ground too.  And I know it’s probably wrong that I don’t forgive people at a certain point, and I am thankful that others are willing to forgive me.  I thank God every day that people love me, flaws and all.  I can be a handful, a pain in the butt, opinionated, mean, selfish, a jabber-jaw, a hyper and crazy chick, I never shut up……but for some reason God blessed me with the best friends and family on Earth.

I am also sad because Carson has surgery tomorrow morning and I hate seeing him in pain.  I have avoided thinking about it, but it’s hard to do now, being that it’s tomorrow.  I’m dreading it.  I am not very hungry, I have knots in my stomach, and then everything else that’s making me sad is making it worse.  I went to the gym this morning and it made me feel a little better.  I listened to Lil John on my iPod.  His goofy “Yeaaah!” always cheers me up.  I wish I had an alarm clock that said “WHAT?  Yeaaaaah!  OKAAAAY!”  I’d wake up giggling every day. 

There was also a huge dork at the gym that made me chuckle this morning.  He was such a tool.  His shorts were way too short, he was grunting and making crazy faces because he was lifting entirely too much weight for his body, and he had a big water bottle with a pink drink.  Guys just don’t get it sometimes.  If you are swinging a weight and throwing your back out, you look like an idiot.  Go for a lighter weight and stop looking like such a d-bag!  See?  I'm mean.  Thank God my friends and family see past it.

I think that ending with this link is just perfect.  Ryan Tedder says it best. 

http://youtu.be/lBzZwh3BG0g

Nature Trail

The kids were out of school yesterday, so I took them to a nature center with trails and stuff so we wouldn't be stuck in the house.  We drove around looking for one particular spot on the Chattahoochee river; I found it when I was at Georgia State.  I once had to go out to the woods for a science class and take pictures.  I remember Don telling me that I shouldn't be going out to the woods alone and I blew him off, but now I realize that it was a pretty stupid thing to do.....so were the classes I scheduled at night.  I look back and shudder when I think about how far I walked to my car in Atlanta in the dark, then through parking lots.  Geez.  What a dummy. 

Anyway, back to my story......I looked for this one spot in particular because I knew that the kids would enjoy it, but we ended up finding a playground next to the river with picnic tables.  Then we got back in the car and looked again.  I never found it, but I stumbled upon a nature center for kids.  It had trails, a playhouse, playgrounds in the woods......it was so much better than what I had been looking for originally.  They had so much fun!

My three to the left, I babysit the kids on the right.  Logan stayed home with Don.  Don worked from home.

Lindsey and Hanna

Look at Lindsey?  She is always posing!!!  She cracks me up! 

Gettin' all of that energy out!

Grant, Finley, Lindsey, Carson, Hanna, and Dylan

Grant, Lindsey, and Hanna.  Look at Lindsey's leg.  See?  Always posing!

Carson and Dylan.  By the way, Dylan HAD to wear the monster hoodie.

Bottlecaps shaped like animals

The playhouse

Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey......

I hope that you enjoyed the pictures! 

I am really tired this morning because a friend called me around 1:00 and I couldn't go back to sleep.  I am going to the gym tonight because I am too exhausted today.  I am cooking and cleaning while I am home today.  Have a good one!

I guess I deleted the Word of the Day because it isn't in my inbox.  Ah well, too tired to look for another!  HA!

Dancing in the Frozen Foods Section

I am always laughing at Lindsey because she never just walks somewhere, she dances.  I tell her to put her laundry away, she does pirouettes.  She twirls, leaps and jumps everywhere she goes.

I took this video on my phone when she started dancing at the grocery store.  She has no idea I'm filming her.  Hopefully it will work.  Sometimes it will say that it's currently unavailable, but just keep trying. 

Here's the Word of the Day.  And one last thing......VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!:

plebiscite \PLEB-uh-sahyt\, noun:

1. A direct vote of the qualified voters of a state in regard to some important public question.
2. The vote by which the people of a political unit determine autonomy or affiliation with another country.

Marathon of a Day

I looked at the title after I wrote it and realized that it hasn't just been a marathon of a day, but the whole weekend was a race.  We picked Peyton up on Friday, I went shopping for the little guys on Saturday, we went to Dave and Buster's yesterday and when we were finished, I drove Peyton back.  OH!  I almost forgot to mention, Don hurt his foot and had to go to the E.R. yesterday morning.  I think it may be a blessing to be short because I can see everything on the ground.  Don is so tall that he is always injuring himself because he can't see everything on the ground.  He dislocated his toe.....it was sideways.  It was really gross.  This morning I got up and got ready, gave Dylan his antibiotic for his ear infection, fed and dressed the kids, went to the gym for cardio and yoga, and went to Bed Bath and Beyond.  (I had to call Don on the way and quote "Old School".  I said "Hey Don.  Got a nice little Saturday planned.  Going to the Home Depot.  Look at tiles, maybe wallpaper samples.  Maybe Bed Bath and Beyond.  I don't know.  I don't know if we'll have time!")  I'm always quoting movies; it's ridiculous.  Why aren't there commas between Bed Bath and Beyond?  There should at least be one after BED.  The comma after BATH would be considered an oxford comma, that's optional these days, but there should be one after Bed.  That's irritating that there aren't commas.

After I got the boys some new, cool sports bedding, I ran home to make a smoothie for myself and feed the kids lunch.  After we ate, we ran to the dentist and the boys got their teeth cleaned.  (No cavities, teeth look good.  Dylan cried and I had to hold him and Carson sat in the chair like a big boy and cooperated.  It was awesome.)  After that, we came home for a little while.  After I was rested and the boys were ready to go out again, I took them to get their hair cut. 

I am home now and so exhausted that I could pass out, but the day isn't over.  It's only 4:00, I have seven children here, I have 20 emails to answer, and I have to pick up the house.  Thank goodness we are having leftovers. 

The kids are out of school tomorrow for Election Day.  I hope I sleep well tonight.  If I don't blog tomorrow, you know why.  My plan is to take them to Kennesaw Mountain for a picnic and let them run wild. 


Here's the Word of the Day:

canny \KAN-ee\, adjective:

1. Careful; cautious; prudent.
2. Astute; shrewd; knowing; sagacious.
3. Skilled; expert.
4. Frugal; thrifty.
5. Scot. A. Safe to deal with, invest in, or work at (usually used with a negative). B. Gentle; careful; steady. C. Snug; cozy; comfortable. D. Pleasing; attractive. E. Archaic. Having supernatural or occult powers.

adverb:
1. In a canny manner.
2. Scot. Carefully; cautiously.