Bad A**

Today I woke up with a bad a** attitude. I like to dig up some obnoxious girl anthem and sing it super loud in my best karaoke voice. Keep in mind that I said karaoke and sing is a term I use loosely. It is more like rock wailing. Chris still cringes when my cell phone rings because I have not gotten tired of No Doubt being my ringtone.
So with Georgia off to school, Brody and I had ourselves a little concert. This morning's selection was from Pink's new album "So What". Love it! I know Chris was happy that he was in Houston today and missed it. Especially since I was in an ABBA mood last week and the three year old was reciting the chorus to Mamma Mia. There was a lot of eye rolling like I was stunting my child musical growth allowing him to appreciate Swedish pop music from the 80's. As if!

Lazy Mom

I have been a bad blogger lately. Over the last month I have felt overwhelmed, sad, a little blue and otherwise preoccupied. I am feeling the pinch of taking on too much and having to deal with it. I must be suffering from Super Mom Syndrome. Yes, I can do it all. I am Wonderwoman. I send emails at 4am, try to make perfect homemade whatever and never say no to others when they ask for help. I just need the nifty outfit and the invisible jet. Honestly, right now I think I just need to get to Thanksgiving and

take a deep breath and start over.

My case of the blahs happened upon the death of my grandpa a few weeks ago. I had the drop all of these juggling balls, re-focus and head home. I have to say that Pa-Pa was the sweetest man. He adored my grandma for 70 years and almost made it to his 94th birthday. He loved hot peppers, Louisiana Hot Sauce and dominos almost as much as her, I think. I have just one grandparent left, and that is a strange feeling for me. I was so lucky to have all of them until my 30th year.

I have not really felt like writing anything. I have so much to do at home that sometimes I can't get started, so I goof off. I started reading a woman's blog about her sister and her husband that were in a small plane crash and severely burned. They are the parents of four small children. It is heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. The woman is taking care of three of the kids while blogging about her sister and brother-in-law's recovery. Apparantly the sister is a blogger, too and has a very charming site. I have been so hooked, checking if she is out of her medically-induced coma and seeing what her kids are doing. It is addicting in a trashy romance novel on the beach sort of way. It is also quite voyeristic. But it makes me thankful.

Thankful that we are all healthy, that I have children to mug on, and that I am so in love with my best friend. The person that I think is both the most annoying person alive and one of the smartest people I know. I can want to wring his neck and miss him terribly five minutes after he leaves the room. It's complicated and exciting at the same time.

Has been for fifteen years. Too much information?

And just when you are thinking, good gravy, what a heavy post......Halloween is approaching. The kids have decided that they will be Hannah Montana and Darth Vader. I told Georgia that I would buy her the wig, but that she could pick from her own clothes and vast dress-up wardrobe since I think store bought costumes are cheesy (sorry I do-no offense) and she has more than enough sparkly, jewel-encrusted this and that to pull it off. She has seemed fine with this, especially since I broke my own Halloween costumes must be homemade rule with Vader. Until today when she expressed her disdain for me to the check out lady at Wal-Mart. I am unloading my cart and overhear "that I am going to be Hannah Montana, but my mom is too lazy

to make me a costume, so I have to pick from my sparkly clothes and make my own."

Did I say I was thankful for this little ingrate? I did.

Eat and Get Out

This is how I feel sometimes.

We headed up to Chicago to drag another relative through some of our favorite places and a few new ones. So far we have hosted Honey, Uncle Drew and now Aunt Amy, Chris' sister. Just a few more to go.

Georgia and Aunt Amy in their stylish diner hats

We tried the Field Museum, had another Meaty Legend at Gino's and were there for the grand re-opening of the American Girl Place. Georgia was so excited because we were having her doll's hair done at the doll salon for the very first time. I wish I had a picture of it...dropped the ball on that one. I even acquiesced to having Gabriella's (the doll) ears pierced-a totally new service. She was a little bummed that she could not watch it being done. I thought to myself that this was a good call. No one wants to watch their beloved doll get a spike hammered into its head. Probably would not fit with the oh so "pretty in pink" image they have going over there.

Our new stop for this trip was a diner called Ed Debevic's. Gigantic portions, cheeky waitresses (think of the PG version of Dick's Last Resort), and yummy, yummy food. Chris' milkshake was one of the best that I have tasted. We split this ginormous chili cheese hot dog. The darn thing was a foot long and not one of those skinny ones, either. Our waitress brought it to us saying "I've got a big wiener for you!" and calling out in passing,

"How's that big wiener going down?" and "Do you like my big wiener?"

We did.

Brody's First Day of Preschool

Brody had his first full morning of preschool today. Sure, he has been to Mother's Morning Out, be this is the big time. He says he is a "big boy" today because he is going to school. The transition was really easy, just a kiss and a "bye, mommy" and like that, my little guy took off towards the legos. Do I sound sad? A little.

Afterwards, after talking about the class fish, the play-doh and the trucks, he was very excited to tell me that he has a new friend named Drew. "Just like my Uncle Drew, but I didn't see a Matt like Uncle Matt." he says. I guess he misses you boys...I am sending a warm fuzzy from Brody. Hugs to you both.

Fairy Godmother

Ok, not quite. I probably can't turn the coach into a pumpkin, but I can get her all the stuff her mommy won't want her to have...like lipgloss when she's 4, high heel shoes when she is 14 and a trip to Victoria's Secret for, oh nevermind.

I am a godmother, though. We baptized Kyle Aubrey in the same christening gown that has been used in my family since 1910. My grandfather, mother, sister, me, and both of my children wore it. She was a real trooper, and did not cry until we had to recreate the water on the head scene because the priest wanted it to be a ceremony not a photo session. I guess it was his show. I wanted to cry because it felt like they turned off the A/C in the chapel. The feeling of sweat running down your back while you are up in front of lots of people, holding a baby and trying not to think really pissed of thoughts in church is uncomfortable to say the least. Ah...Texas summer. Kind of felt like the hotter version of Texas winter...my January wedding...hot...the church lady turning off the A/C right at the end of the ceremony, before pictures. But I digress.

With a Cluck, Cluck Here....

Brody talking to the Donkey

Brody and I attended a field trip with my mom's group to a farm that is run by our local park district. All the kids had a blast checking out the various animals. Brody was especially interested in the baby chickens, the donkey and the pigs.

Show me how the piggies eat!

We have visited several times and he never gets tired of it. He did spend extra time with the chickens. The little white puff balls that were there in May had grown a little and now sported bright red combs on top of their heads. I knew there were questions coming as he squated, looking at them for several minutes.

Contemplating Chicken Combs

Brody: Are those queen chickens?

Mom: Queens? No.

Brody: They have crowns. Red crowns.

Mom: No, that is how you can see that they are little roosters. The girls don't have the red crown. It is called a comb.

(pause)

Brody: They can't comb their hair with that.

Mom: Nope.

I did think about continuing the conversation as to why chickens don't have hair, as Honey would do when I was growing up. Ever the biology teacher, I always got these great scientific explanations from my mom that stay with me. It is one of the reasons why I do well at trivia and look like a dork for knowing a little bit about everything. I sometimes think people believe that I read the Encyclopedia Brittanica as a kid.

Sweet Corn

Chris came home with 21 ears of sweet corn today. His plant allows a local farmer to use land inside their fence and plants sweet corn for the employees to pick in return. The kids enjoyed learning how to shuck it. I don't know what possessed him to pick so much other than he is as addicted to corn-on-the-cob as our children. I need to to look up some corn recipes....pronto!

Brody es Tres Anos!

The little guy turned three today. We celebrated with friends at a local park with Star Wars cupcakes, juice, and plenty of running around. Brody said his favorite thing was the spinning tire swing because it "went fast" and then he "couldn't see" (was dizzy) and then he "fell down."

After lunch and a nap, he opened his presents and had a great time playing with his new Batman and Star Wars "guys."

He has decided that he does not care for Robin and proceeded to run him over with the Batmobile that Honey and G.P. bought him. There was also a little sibling skirmish when Georgia was trying to point out that Han Solo did not belong in the Batcave. He was having none of it and they had to go to separate corners.

We ended the night by blowing out his Darth Vader candle on his chocolate cake.

First Grader in the House

Today was Georgia's first day of first grade. She is a veteran bus rider and has been ready for school to start again since the end of May. She found a backpack while we were in Canada and being the lover of all things unique, was very sure that no one at school would have one that matched.

So off she went, five inches taller and the slight reluctance of a kindergartner gone. If you think it is kind of early for school, she has a balanced school calendar, which starts at the end of July, but gives her a three week break in both the fall and spring.

When she got home, she reported that her teacher, Miss Smith is very funny, very cool and that they each have their own mailbox in her classroom.

Ziplining

While in Whistler, we made sure we saw some of the mountain sights from another vantage point...upside down. I so wanted to try it and it was FANTASTIC. Not to be outdone, Chris followed right behind. We are not at all competitive.....does it show?

Kacee

Chris