The Latest and Greatest

The other mothers at playgroup are totally jealous of me. 

Lil' Bit has taught himself how to pee pee in the potty by watching his big brother.  SCORE!  That is so awesome!  He did it the first time the other morning.  I got Big Red up for school and he took his mandatory morning bath.  About the time he was ready to get out, Lil' Bit woke up and wanted to get in the water.  I let him splash around as his brother finished up getting ready to head for the bus.  Once he was thoroughly water-logged, he climbed out and spent a little time wrapped up in his towel. He was watching some Curious George au'naturel while I supervised Big Red heading to the bus stop from the front porch.  When I came back in, he ran to the bathroom, lifted the lid, lifted the seat, stood on his toes and peed!  It was fabulous!  I clapped & cheered and he was so proud of his accomplishment.  So far our success has occurred at times when he's already running around nekkid.  I'm not pushing the progress and letting him set the pace.  I don't think it will be long at all and diapers will be thing of the past.

We have VIP Status at the Urgent Care Center 

The past couple of weeks have been interesting, medically speaking.  First, Big Red has had an ongoing battle with ear infections that have led to 3 after hours visits, multiple scheduled appointments, 4 hearing tests and a referral to an ENT.  Currently, he has both an external (similar to swimmers ear) and internal ear infection.  It's looking like he may be a good candidate for tubes if we can't get things under control soon.  We should know something my March 10th on that.

Lil' Bit decided it would be fun to take on the corner of our dining room table - head on, literally.  He has a fabulous cut on his eyebrow that's about 3/4 of an inch long.  Handsome got him all cleaned up and Lil' Bit handled it like a champ.  I placed a call to our pediatrician's office to ask if they could take a walk in for stitches.  The lady who answered asked where they were put in, and when I replied with, "they haven't been put in yet, we need some," the tone in her voice became very serious as she explained to me that I needed to go to the ER right away.  We ended up making a trip in to Urgent Care for some medical grade super glue and steri-strips, which the Bit removed within minutes of getting in the car.

Over the holiday weekend, the boys were out on the trampoline and Big Red ended up rolling his ankle.  After a few minutes with an ice pack, we could see it rapidly swelling.  Handsome loaded him up in the truck with 5 Years Old, his favorite stuffed beagle, and headed again to the Urgent Care Center.  A few x-rays determined nothing was broken.  Big Red worked his hardest to get a wheelchair, crutches or at least a couple days out of school.  He was not successful and after a couple of days of dramatically limping he was itching to run and play in the yard with his friends.

I am falling back in Love with Photography 

I haven't been taking pictures consistently since I began working full time with the military, almost 2 years ago.  I did a few sessions for repeat clients and a couple of creative projects as I had the chance.  Overall, I just didn't have time, I was essentially a single parent, working full time, remodeling a house and doing volunteer work.  With all of that going on, I wasn't moving in the direction I wanted to go creatively.  I know my customer service suffered and I felt burnt out. 

Since I am no longer on orders, I've been giving a lot of careful thought to going back into the photo-biz.  I no longer have a studio so I'm hesitant to pursue portraits.  Outdoor sessions are wonderful, but I don't know many locations nearby that I could use and there is always the issue with weather.  I got so spoiled having my own space.  I'm leaning towards focusing on weddings.  I love weddings and I believe there is a lack of quality photographers at a reasonable price point.  I don't want to undervalue my work, but at the same time, I couldn't afford wedding photos and that sucks!  If I can find the balance between what I need to bring in and what your average young couple can afford, I'm all for it.

I am pursing Fine Art.  There is a gallery here in town that I have submitted samples to.  Once the images are juried, I find out if I've been invited to hang prints, for sale, in the gallery.  I'm hopeful.  Even if I don't end up selling any, it would be cool to have some of my work on display.  I've been taking photos around town as I have the opportunity.  I've also been going through my old images and editing the ones I think have promise.  I really enjoy the creative process and finding interesting subjects.  I think it may be just what I need to get that spark back.

Sorry it's been so long since my last post.  Thanks for stopping by and I promise, I'll post again soon. 

Froo Froo Bath Goo

I LOVE taking long showers, and not just sort of long.  I'm talking drain the hot water tank kind of long.  I always have. My dad used to get majorly bent out of shape with me as a kid and especially as a teenager.  I guess he's not a fan of cold showers. 

I don't sing in the shower like some people.  I practice speeches that I may give as president someday and I practice television interviews.  I have fabulously conditioned hair and I do my best thinking in the shower.

Yesterday, I was looking at my shower gel, reading the list of ingredients and I thought about the ridiculous amount of money companies like Burt's Bees and Bath & Body Works make by selling smelly froo froo bath goo.  I reminded myself to look up the ingredients on google and figure out how I could make a million bucks whipping up something in my kitchen.  I was thinking about what I could do differently, how could I find my own special niche to make my product stand out from all the others?

THEN IT HIT ME!

I will make an androgynous smelling froo froo bath goo that can be used by men or women and name it BI-PRODUCT!  I will market it to the Lesbian/Gay/Transgendered/Transsexual Community and supporters!  I'm going to shoot for product placement on RuPaul's Drag Race and Glee.     

I will also market it to the ANTI All-Natural/Organic community.  (You know, the people that shop at Walmart for juice boxes with High Fructose Corn Syrup, paper plates & don't bring their own reusable grocery bags)   For them, I will design special packaging that looks like hazardous waste barrels.   

So much potential, I'm going to have to write a business plan and everything.  Someone should really invent waterproof whiteboard things with suction cups for the shower.  That way when a brilliant idea strikes, I could write it down without it washing away.  Oh, another good one!  I may be on infomercials sooner rather than later.

**DISCLAIMER**  Steal my ideas and I will stab you with something rusty!  

My Husband Sucks

He spends too much time at work
He doesn't fold the laundry the way I like
He leaves toothpaste spit in the sink
He plays too rough with the boys
He's not romantic enough
He this
He that
nah nah nah

I am exceptionally hard on my husband.  It's not one or two things either, it's everything!
Things that are in his control
Things that aren't
Things he didn't read my mind and do before I asked him to
Things I asked him to do and he didn't
or the WORST
Things he didn't do the way I wanted them done!


Now really, my husband is AWESOME and I am coming to realize that I am not fair in 99% of my complaints.  He is after all, human, and I can be a psycho bitch difficult on occasion.  I try not to take things for granted in my life and damn it, THINGS ARE GOOD!

While I think he should be able to leave work everyday at noon, he has the type of work ethic that won't allow him to do things half-assed.  He cares too much sometimes but when it really comes down to it, he wouldn't be who he is if he didn't care the way he does.  He looks after his troops as though they were his little brothers and sisters.  He wants whats best for them professionally, personally and he expects the best from them.  He inspires people to follow him and earns respect.  I love the fact that he has stories to share about his day when he comes home.  I love that he asks my advice.

I have absolutely no room for complaining about his housework abilities.  Actually, quite the opposite.  Handsome does a lot around here, especially when you consider that I'm home all day and technically, housework should be my responsibility.  He's really good with not complaining about the condition of the house when I haven't done shit get behind.  (he probably wants to say something but realizes that it's in his best interest not too) Not to say he's perfect.  He does leave his fair share of mess, but in reality, I don't think it's any more than the mess I leave in my wake.  I think I notice his more because well, I didn't make it.  If I make a mess, I know in the back of my mind that I have to come back and clean it up (eventually).  I will give him credit too, when I have called him on something silly, like not putting out fresh TP, he puts forth effort to improve.

One of the things I appreciate most is how he spends time with the boys even after being at work all day.  It would be so easy for him to come home and shoo them away because he was too tired to be bothered.  We have talked on many occasions about how being a stay at home parent can be like living at work.  You are on duty 24/7/365 and work follows you everywhere, goes with you everywhere, even the bathroom!  I think he is one of the only men I have ever met that GETS it!  He fully and truly understands that I love my job but I need a little time off each day.  He plays with the boys when he gets home and helps get them ready for bed every night.  On the weekend, he's up early with them while I'm sleeping in.  Which is Glorious! Spending time with his children when I'm not home is not babysitting, it's PARENTING! (I think if more men understood this simple concept when they first became fathers, there would be a lot more happy mothers in the world)

Handsome does a great job being my best friend.  He listens to me when I have crazy ideas or need to vent.  There is a lot I don't talk about, and he seems to know when I'm just not going to talk.  He is great about asking for instructions when he doesn't know what I want.  He's asked me on more than one occasion, "Do you want me to just listen?  Do you want me to break something? Do you want me to fix something? Do you want me to hug you?  Whatever it is, I'll do it, I just need to be clear on what you want me to do."  I laugh at that, but seriously, how many men are smart enough to ask?

I get frustrated that sometimes he's not more perceptive but I gotta give it to him, he has been honest with me.  He told me years ago, he does not get hints.  Subtlety will not work with him.  If I want something or need something from him, I have to say it, directly and without all the crazy woman code.  Sometimes, it's harder than it may seem but when he has been that straight forward with me, how can I argue when he doesn't pick up something that I've only alluded to?  I am getting better at clueing him in though.  Like a teacher in school that stomps their foot during a test review when the important topics are covered.  I'm thinking we can meet in the middle on this one.  I'll give him good, clear, fair, hints and he'll realize eventually that I'M NOT REALLY HINTING!    

At the end of every day, I realize how lucky I am. I may get frustrated with the silliness of day to day life but I know I have what most people only dream about.  I have a man in my life that treats me with respect and kindness.  He loves me and lets me know it with both words and actions.  He is honest, works hard and is the kind of father every child should have.  He provides for our family in every sense of the word.  I am blessed and I know it.  (It totally doesn't hurt that he's sexy as hell either) 

My favorite wedding photo.  Yummy!  I could just eat him up!

God sends Gravy to the Juice Box Hero and dials the wrong number

I was about 12, totally pigging out at a Hometown Buffet with my parents and younger sister.  The song Constant Craving by K.D. Lang comes on overhead and my sister started singing along.  My mom got a funny look on her face and started listening more closely.  Suddenly she starts laughing and asks what are the words?  My sister proudly and matter of factly states, "God send Gravy."  We all start laughing and at some point, my dad mentions that we can't tell Grandma because she will take offense.  My sister, totally confused asks, "Why would Grandma steal a fence?" 

Big Red has always loved to rock out.  It started out when he was a toddler, riding around in the truck with his dad blasting Beastie Boys.  The sight of a 2 year old playing air guitar while strapped into a car seat is a hilarious sight.  He would hold up one of his little hands, close his eyes, scrunch up his face and whip his head back and forth in true head banger fashion.  Add to that visual the audio of a sweet little voice saying, "What choo want? What CHOO want? Yeah!"  It's enough to make even a mime laugh out loud.

Once he was old enough to start really singing along, things got even more interesting.  The Foreigner song, Jukebox Hero has been forever changed.  Big Red randomly walks around the house singing at the top of his lungs, "Cuz he's a Juice Box Hero with stars in his eyes."  That one line over and over again, because it is the only part of the song he knows.    

His latest fav has been Tommy Tutone's 867-5309/Jenny.  Only his version is more like 876-3509-9-9.  He repeats the nines instead of stretching out the note like in the song.  I had to pull the video up so he could sing along.  He and Little Bit danced, played air guitar and sung along for at least 3 encore's before bed tonight.

It is now stuck on loop in my head.   

Stupid Commercials

With all the hype about Super Bowl Commercials I felt a rant posting coming on.  I don't know if this commercial was shown during the game, probably not, because I have seen it many times before yesterday and it doesn't strike me as Super Bowl worthy.

Does anyone else have a problem with this commercial?

Here are my issues.  (ok, I have many issues, but these are my issues with this particular commercial)
 
1) the deer wandering away at the beginning implies to me that the car hit the deer.  The deer is perfectly fine, but that car is jacked up!  Now, I'm glad that there were no deer injured during the making of this commercial but come on.  What is that SUPER DEER?

2) I have always been taught that the first thing you do after an accident is turn on the hazard lights.  That way if another vehicle were to approach you, they would know to use caution and slow down.  Maybe even offer assistance (if you're not afraid of serial killers)

3) there is NO indication that the airbags deployed.  If I hit the Deer of Steel and my car got that messed up I would expect the airbags to pop out.  If this happens to a lot of people, I'd also expect a manufacturer recall and a class action lawsuit.

4) why is a guy strong enough to pull a brand new car out of the trukk of a wrecked one not driving something waaaay cooler.  For that matter, why is he driving at all?  He probably has other superhuman abilities and can fly for all we know.

5) how come the chick isn't more impressed with this guy?  He just pulled a whole new car out of the trunk!  Sorry man, if she isn't impressed with that, there is nothing that you can do that will EVER be good enough.

6) the happy couple just drives away leaving their old busted up junk heap in the middle of the remote winding mountain road!  No warning triangles to warn people approaching from what appears to be a BLIND CURVE.  Probably the same blind curve that caused you to hit Super Deer to begin with.  Mr. Strong enough to lift a brand new car out of the trunk must have been too tired to move the old vehicle out of the way for other poor travelers.  Nice dude, really.  Karma will get you!

There are plenty of commercials that rub me the wrong way and I don't know exactly what has drawn my dislike so strongly to this one.  I think this falls into the same category as technical errors in the movies.  Like people portraying military members that are improperly wearing the uniform or calling other characters by the wrong rank.  My bottom line: If you're going to spend the money to do something all fancy, do it right.

DISCLAIMER:  I can't say one way or the other if the company depicted in this commercial is a good one or not. Please do not interpret as this post as an endorsement either for or against their services.

Monster Jam

  Big Red is a HUGE fan of monster trucks and since Lil' Bit loves everything big brother does, he is as well.  We have the entire assortment of matchbox size monster trucks and they are EVERYWHERE!  There are 1 or 2 (duplicates) in the toy box, the majority are laying on the floor, there are about 20 in the bathtub and every few days and couple turn up in my bed.  We DVR every Monster Jam that airs on TV and the boys watch them over and over and over again (and over and over and over).

  We tried a few months ago going to a live show and it was a heartbreaking bust.  Handsome and I loaded the kiddos into the car and drove an hour and a half to the venue.  We told the kiddos where we were headed as we exited the freeway and turned onto the road leading to the stadium.  Big Red squealed with delight and went through his full repertoire of Yes's, Get Some's and Awesomes!  We found a parking spot within walking distance and followed the crowd of mullets to the stadium.  As we approached the ticket booth, the person in front of us was turned away and I felt a horrid twang of disappointment.

  They had sold out!  Never, in a million years, would I suspect that a monster truck show could sell out!  

  Handsome and I felt horrible as we tried to gently explain to Big Red that we couldn't go inside.  They were out of tickets.  The worst part came as we walked right past the lot where the trailers of each truck were parked.  All of them illustrated in striking color with the team name, sponsors and respective huge truck and their damned giant tires.  Big Red stopped and tearfully listened as the announcer began welcoming the crowd and to the roar of the trucks as they fired up. It took about 10 minutes of tears and having to carry him back to the car before he calmed down.  Lil' Bit was thankfully oblivious to what was going on and sweetly consoled his brother with hugs, saying "K." (his way of asking if you're OK, or telling you that things will be OK).

  Once we were all buckled into the car, we decided to go out for dinner.  We ended up at Outback and had a very nice time together.  The boys were extremely well behaved, even after waiting for 20 minutes for a table and were thrilled with being allowed to get dessert.  We promised them we would buy tickets ahead of time for the next show that came to town.
  Flash forward to January, and the commercials for Monster Jam start showing up on the television.  As soon as payday rolls around, Handsome and I jump online to purchase tickets.  As I'm reading through some information, we find out there is a pit party before the Saturday show.  Tickets to the pit party get you down on the track with the trucks and drivers for autographs and pictures.  WE MUST HAVE PIT PASSES!  I search and search for a method to acquire the pit passes with no luck for several days.  Then, magically, as if being led by the "Force" I click a link that takes me to a list of SuperCuts hair salons that will be giving out pit passes for FREE, while supplies last.  These holy grails of monster truckdom are not available yet, but they will be.... on Monday, only 3 days away.

  When Monday rolls around, we decide to call our closest SuperCuts to ensure they have the passes and we can come get 4.  They do not.  The passes have not yet arrived.  I call every other location within 50 miles only to find out that NONE of them have received the passes.  A day later, Handsome calls the local store and the manager agrees to set 4 aside and call us when they come in. The following Monday, the house phone rings and I answer it, expecting to hear my mom on the line.  It's not my mom but instead, an ANGEL that informs me she has 4 Monster Jam Party in the Pit Passes waiting for us.  I thank her profusely and told her I would come straight over as soon as I got my son off the bus.  I had Lil' Bit already buckled in the car waiting on the bus.  When Big Red got off, I told him to jump in and we sped to SuperCuts.  I debated for several seconds before getting out of the car whether or not I was obligated to get haircuts if I went in for the passes.  Lucky for me, they looked pretty busy so I just asked for the passes and we bolted out of there.

  Big Red is starting to read and he KNOWS what the Monster Jam logo looks like so it took all of about 3 seconds for him to know what those tickets were for.  We had to write Monster Jam on the family calendar and mark off a day at time so that he wouldn't make me crazy asking if tomorrow was the day for Monster Jam.

  The day of the show finally arrives and we get up early, get dressed and head to IHOP for breakfast.  We eat a big meal and make our way to the stadium.  We get a great parking spot and only wait in the lobby for a few minutes before the doors are opened and we make our way down the stairs onto the dirt track.  There are Monster Trucks, Monster Truck drivers, Remote Controlled Monster Truck replicas and surprisingly, not as many mullets as I expected.  We spend the next hour moving from truck to truck taking photos and getting autographs.

All the trucks on the track

Big Red holding up a monster truck

Autograph from a driver

  Once the pit party is over, we head up to our seats and get settled in for the show.  We spend $10 for a poster and $15 on a bag of cotton candy with a foam truck on top.  (That stupid foam truck was ripped before the intermission - RIP OFF!)  $30 for popcorn, sodas and a soft pretzel left me feeling thoroughly redeemed for the disaster that was the last show.

  The boys had a great time cheering for the trucks and watching the wheelies, jumps, donuts and roll overs.  Lil' Bit was scared of the loud noise the trucks made when they started up and revved their engines.  He watched most of the show through his hands as he covered his eyes.  As long as his ear plugs didn't fall out, he was happy and excited by the action.  Big Red was mad that the people with the t-shirt cannon didn't shoot him a t-shirt but overall he was thrilled with the way the day happened.  I had the most fun watching them get so fired up.  They both knocked out in the truck on the way home.

Peeking through his hands

  We grabbed some chicken in a bucket close to the house, ate and called it an early night.  It was an awesome day.

Moral of the story: BUY MONSTER TRUCK SHOW TICKETS IN ADVANCE! 

Bedtime Stories, Chapter 1

Our bedtime routine is one of the few processes around this household that remains consistent.  Each weeknight about 8 we wrap up whatever game we're playing or show we're watching and run a warm bath for the Bit.  After some time spent streaking the house, we brush teeth and all pile up on the big bed to read a story or two.  Once story time is over, Little Bit gets put in his crib and Big Red heads to his bed.  I chat with him for a few minutes while tucking him in and lately he LOVES to hear stories about himself as a baby.  Recounting his funnier moments has become part of our nightly ritual.  I've started retelling some of the stories, which is a shame because there are so many more to choose from.  I have decided to start jotting down the stories we tell in a journal so that I can pull from the stash anytime and also so that in the future the boys will have them, in their mother's words, forever.  I'm happy to share some of them here, since everyone loves cute kiddo stories. 

 The Birth of Big Red

 A few days before my due date, Handsome told me he had a dream about our son.  He told me the dream was a little fuzzy and he didn't remember all of the details.  He did remember clearly that the baby had a head full of bright red hair.  I remember smiling and dismissively saying, it's possible.  We both have redheads in our families but secretly I was sure we would have a brown haired, brown eyed boy.  I didn't give it much thought after that discussion. 
  My due date came and went.  Two weeks later, I was FINALLY induced and after MANY, MANY hours of unproductive labor we ended up in surgery having an emergency c-section.  My recollection is extremely foggy but the one crystal clear memory I do have, is the sound of a nurse gasping and saying, "Ahhh, Red Hair!"  I immediately responded with a high pitched and squeaky, "What? Let me see!"  Handsome leaned down and excitedly told me, "He does, he's redheaded, like in my dream." It took a few moments, but sure enough, when they held him up over the curtain, he had a mop of red hair.

Handsome was pacing and focused on the baby as the medical staff did the post birth routine, cleaning and swaddling him before handing him over.  Handsome brought him to me and we stared and awed at our new little boy for a while, counting fingers and toes, nuzzling and hugging.  Handsome was telling me the first thing the baby did when laid on the table was S T R E T C H.  Then things faded to black and I woke up in the recovery room a few hours later.

So many people told me his hair would fall out and grow back in another color.  This irritated me to no end because I loved the color.  I tried as nicely as possible to say that I was hoping it would stay, after all, his eyelashes and eyebrows were also red.  He wasn't going to loose ALL his hair.  Some of it did fall out and the baby had a Michael Bolton mullet going for a couple of months: long in the back, thin and balding on top.  As it grew back, it stayed red, although a slightly darker shade and still is to this day. 
       

Self worth measured in piles of laundry

  I have recently become a stay at home parent and I've been feeling a bit lost.  I love my family and I am thankful for the opportunity to spend this time with my children but I am having an identity crisis. 

  I'm not a very self disciplined person.  I function best with clear guidelines, rubrics, and deadlines.  I procrastinate, A LOT, but I can turn in a quality product on time.  If it is a topic that I am enthusiastic about, I jump in with both feet and run full throttle through the finish line.  When I was a full time college student, I could measure my progress, my success, by my GPA and I excelled.  In the military, performance feedbacks, checkrides and other formal methods of appraisal were my measure and I did well there too. 

  How do I determine if I am doing a good job as a wife, mother and homemaker?  What is my gauge of success? 

  I have visions in my head of the perfect home: freshly vacuumed carpets, dust free, sparkling bathrooms, fabulous gourmet meal in the oven and something hellishly sweet (made from scratch) for dessert.  Immaculately dressed and well behaved children sharing toys and laughing in their bedroom.  My husband, handsome and strong, walking in the door with flowers.  Me in a pretty dress, pearls, and perfectly coiffed.  In my imagination, I'm a lot like Bree Van de Kamp, only nicer and not as anal.

  The reality is, well... not as glamorous.  There is so much cereal ground into my carpet sometimes it sounds like walking on bubble wrap.  The layer of dust on every horizontal surface acts as a protective coating and the bathrooms, well.... let's not go there.  I won't complain too much about the gourmet meal because I do enjoy cooking a little and I usually can whip up something relatively healthy and edible.  Dessert consists of an ice cream sandwich or a cup of hot chocolate, not quite homemade and hellishly sweet, but I'll take it.  The kids can be found running around barefoot and shirtless with their hair sticking up in wild cow-licks like long haired guinea pigs.  On motivated days, I brush my hair, teeth and put on a bra.   A really motivated day will entail a shower before noon and a fresh pair of sweats.  My husband, bless his soul, is handsome and strong, but hasn't sent flowers in over 2 years. 

  When I was working full time and as a "single" parent (military separation), it was so easy to let the laundry pile up until the weekend.  I became a master at 1 dish meals in less than 20 minutes.  No friend of the earth, I shamelessly used paper plates, plastic silverware and disposable cups - anything that meant I didn't have to do as many dishes.  I got to the gym nearly 5 days a week and did fun things with the kiddos.  I visited with friends and even planned a community event with a parade, dinner and overnight party for 500 people.

  I was always going, going, going and yet, I am more tired now, than ever. 

  I don't think I'm depressed.  I had pretty intense postpartum depression after the birth of my first child and I don't feel anything like that now.  I'm more melancholy than sad.  I waste a lot of time, doing nothing of real significance even though there is plenty I should be doing.  I spend too much time on the internet, checking and rechecking my email, facebook and favorite forums.  I just feel lost.  Who am I now?

  Playing Legos, mixing up chocolate milk sippy cups and snuggling is FANTASTIC and I love it.  I don't regret any second I spend on the couch watching and re-watching Cars or Monsters Inc with my little men.  I just need to find the balance of maid, mother and me.  

  I'm not very good at housekeeping, I admit it.  I despise dishes, laundry and anything that involves scrubbing.  I just wish I didn't feel like I'm failing because I don't pursue these activities with enthusiasm. 

  I'm open to advice and would love to hear how others do it.   How do you do it?  Quality time, cleaning, cooking & everything else. 

  

  

My very first post! I'm a real woman now!

About Me:
   My name is Adrion and I'm 29-ish.  I have 3 boys in my life: Big Red is 5 and in kindergarten.  Little Bit is 2 and my constant companion.  My husband & BFF, Big Sexy, is career Air Force and we have been married for 7 years.  We currently live in Virginia but have no idea how long we will be here.  I love photography and at one point owned a small portrait studio.  I have a B.S. in Professional Aeronautics (doesn't that sound FANCY!) and have been in the military myself for a little over 10 years (Air Guard for those who know what that is).  Currently, I am a SAHM (stay at home mom) so that means I'm boss hog around here and I don't let them forget it. 

  So this is my first attempt at blogging and I'm not exactly sure where to start.  I have recently become a huge fan of a few blogs and thought it would do me some good to get the crazy things stewing inside my head out and documented.  All of this nonsense will come in very handy for either a book that will one day tell the magical tale of my life, or for court proceedings.  I don't know how I came across Jenny Lawson's blog but I instantly realized that she writes like my inner voice speaks.  I have to admit I totally agree with the fact flying squirrels don't get enough respect. 

  Through Jenny's blog, I came across Lori's blog and my heart breaks for the situation she is working her way through.  I applaud her openness, her willingness to be real and I am amazed by how unashamed she is to talk about things others want to shush away and hide from. 

  I believe it was through a comment on Lori's page that I found Tanis Miller's Blog, and after reading her posts I developed yet another "crush" on the words of someone I have never met.  When I need a laugh good enough to make me snort and giggle to the point of tears, The Tale of Blue Thunder, does it every time!


  I find myself checking in on the latest posts of these women to laugh, cry, and identify with the mayhem that seems to parallel women everywhere.  I'm hoping to have at least a fraction of the fun at this blogging thing that these women obviously have.

  Thanks for joining me at the circus, it should be a good show!