Halloween Leftovers

Does anyone else have leftover goodies from Halloween? Notice there's never any leftover chocolate? I only have one official Trick-or-Treater now. This is Mimi the Diva. In other words she dressed as herself this year. It's all about me, me, me! It's hard being the baby of the family.
We had a little party at Randy and Kari's house. I loved the metallic bronze eyelashes that were discarded halfway through the night. I'm sure the reflected light had something to do with that. And, yes, they are as fun as they look.

We laughed and laughed and laughed. We laughed so hard our cheeks hurt, our sides hurt, our heads hurt, we were coughing, sputtering, hooting, howling, crying, snorting, breaking chairs, nearly wetting ourselves, and almost passing out from the lack of oxygen! Our kids were begging us to stop! And that, folks, is not an exaggeration. We were drunk on laughter. This is Ricky and Dianne.

This is me and my dear husband, Jared, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. I also dressed as myself this year. I already have next year's costumes planned.

The kids need leftover candy so we can steal it to give us energy for the Christmas shopping the next day. Did you hear they were trying to change Black Friday? (Linked up for my foreign friends that might not know what that is, since you totally miss out on Thanksgiving altogether.) I don't shop early on Black Friday. I don't like to see the ugly side of people. I think it's a taste of what it will be like when/if we have a world economic collapse.

So....coming up - my daughter Ali is performing in her high school musical - Opening Night Tuesday night, Nov 16th. She is Sandy in "Grease". It was meant to be her part - she was BORN in Australia, you know! She was speaking Australian up until she was three and a half. Seth spoke with an accent until he was about six. People would ask him how old he was and he would answer, "Fahv and a Hawf." I'll try to post some more in the next few days. Lots happening!

Getting Back to "Normal"

I'm waiting for my life to get back to normal. I've had another absence again, but with good reason. My dear step dad passed away on September 17th. Art has been my step dad for 25 years. Even when a person is considered elderly, even when their health is failing, I still don't think you are ready for it. He was "terrible good" until the end.

The Patriot Guard Riders escorted us to the cemetery on their motorcycles and saluted Art, an army veteran and a Harley Davidson rider when he could ride. They made a path to his final resting place, while his grandsons carried him in the casket he made himself.

There's a lot of deep thinking when someone close to you passes away. It's as if everything has paused for you but life is still running in fast motion for everyone else. You contemplate what is really important and realize there are many things that force you to lose focus on them - like work, school, and fatigue.

I've been thinking a lot about these things. Not the fatigue part but the work and school part. This posting has been so serious - not like me. I'm trying to get back to normal. These things help me:
This is Ali with her friend Rob before their Homecoming Dance.
This is me and Holly in the back, KyAnn, Jackie, Lisa and Shauna in the front. We had a Girls' Night Out and ate at an Italian restaurant and talked about blogging. It was nice to get out and laugh with some of the funniest and nicest "girls" on the planet.

Okay, now that I got you caught up, I can't leave you without a funny story. I was shopping in my second home, aka Wal-Mart, when an elderly lady asks me if I knew the store very well. I know the store better than I should and she asked me where the tampons and Kotex would be. I told her they were on the other side of the pharmacy on the right. She turns to her husband and says, "See Harold. I was close but no cigar." Don't worry, I didn't laugh out loud.

Lessons From Drama

So, I told you about my sucky letter that I got on Saturday. I was a bit emotional about that on the weekend but I'm good now. Just had to get it out of my system. I'm still a little bitter. I could spew out some sarcasm, I'm sure.

Saturday, as I sat at my desk and cried, my wonderful 17 year old daughter Ali walked in and asked me what was wrong. I told her I didn't even get an interview for the position at her school that I really wanted. I had told her about it before and she thought it would be cool if I got a job at her school. I told her they probably had someone in mind for the job already.

My precious daughter put her arms around me and said, "It's okay, Mom. In theater we learn that sometimes people are already picked out for parts. And even when you do your best and you try out for a part and you don't get it, it doesn't mean you weren't good enough. It just means the part was already given to someone else. There's nothing you could have done to change it. You're still a good actor and there will be other parts."

Really? Is she mine? How did I get a daughter so wonderful? My 19 year old son, Seth, came in and hugged me and said, "I love you, Mom." Mimi just came in and hugged me. My husband of course, said everything right and encouraged me. The dog reminded me that there was still ball to play and sometimes it gets stuck under the couch and you need someone to get it for you. There's a deep analogy there for you. My true friends have dived under the couch for me this week.

I'm feeling the pressure of improving my skills so I am not at the bottom of the totem pole but schooling is really taking a big bite out of my time. I love studying graphic design but it sure is hard having much energy for anything much after that. So I'm trying to decide if I need to cut to one day a week of school or what. That was another reason I was looking forward to having summers off, so I could fill in some more time with school. Well, I'll keep reading my fortune cookies and see what life has in store for me. Any advice?

Cheesecake Happens

Last night I had a dream that my son graduated and he was wearing a cap and gown. The thing was - he was graduating with a bunch of delinquents. I have no idea what meaning that dream has.

I got together with my BFF on Friday night while my husband went on a medieval camp with Mimi. No, I did not want to go and when Mimi called to tell me goodnight, she happened to mention there was no toilet and she would have to potty in the woods, that was an affirmation of my decision.

Karen and I ate at Rubio's where I had a sip of water that tasted like it was fresh from the toilet. Really. It was that bad. Try putting out a flaming mouth with that.

Thursday, I came home from work and our conversation went something like this:

Mimi: Why are you wearing a shirt under that shirt?

Me: 'Cause everyone would see my boobs if I didn't.

Mimi: You mean your crack?

Me: Yeah. It's actually called cleavage.

Mimi: Your crack is called cleavage?

Me: Yes.

Mimi: Your cleavage crack?

It reminds me of a time we were sitting in church, Mimi was about 2 1/2 years old. She was sitting on my lap facing me and it was dead quiet during our meeting. Next thing you know she pulls my scoop-necked T-shirt out and puts her head in and says loudly, "Mommy! You have a bum on your neck!" I handed her to Jared and didn't look up to see who saw that one.

I can't wait to explain what an anal cleft is, AKA gluteal cleft. Makes it sound so intelligently special. "Cover up your gluteal cleft." I guess that's what the thong was made for.

Thursday night I had school and Mimi wanted invitations to her birthday party to hand out the next day, which was the last day of school. So when I was telling my friend at work about her turning 10 on the 10th of June of 2010......I started crying. I didn't cry when my kids went to kindergarten, I thought they were so ready. But my baby turning 10? AND my other daughter is going to be a senior in high school this next school year. She's hoping to get a singing/theater scholarship and she said friends are talking about scholarships being better out of state. I told her she's not allowed to go out of state. I would have to move out of state with her and be her roommate.

You may notice I've put on a few pounds since my profile photo from last year. It happens fast and it sucks. I'll blame my birthday when everyone gave me cheesecake. So tonight after a girl's night with Karen, I ended it with reading all the blogs I'm following and had some cheesecake to drown my sorrows (two girls growing up).

Mother's Day

I know some of you are wondering what happened at my house for Mother's Day. Did my kids acknowledge me? Will there be Christmas this year? You remembered what happened at my birthday!

Mimi was the first awake. She was cranky as she always is in the morning. She handed me a Toblerone candy bar and says begrudgingly, "This is what Dad bought for me to give you, 'cause he wouldn't take me shopping to get you a present." Then she handed me two cards and still in her grumpy tone she said, "I made this one in Primary and I made this one in school. Dad wouldn't take me shopping."

Then Ali came up and handed me a store bag from the store she works at and inside were some earrings and a necklace. She hugged me and told me Happy Mother's Day. She got me some ice in a bag because my eye was all swollen and I had a big bag under it.

Seth gave me a metal rose that was handcrafted. He also wrote me a beautiful letter. He said in one part, "I've been thinking about all the favorite memories I have with you but I've literally been thinking for half an hour because there are so many....just a few of them though are - when I was a kid you taught me songs like "Gallump said the little green frog" and "How much is that doggie in the window." When I remember them it's your voice that sings them still." Is that so sweet? I use to sing a lot with the kids.

So, I guess Santa will come this year. I was going to give Jared the budget and let him do everything if the kids forgot me. I hope all of you had a great Mother's Day.

Brag Moment - Please Tolerate

Okay, okay. I realize other people "just aren't into my kids" as much as I am. You could care less about the fact that my beautiful daughter went to prom with her boyfriend and her bestie and her bestie's boyfriend last night.

From left to right, Caden, Ali, Alex and Jocelyn (aka Joey). And they wore my favorite two colors. Not pink and black - pink and pinker, of course!

They all looked super smashing!

Here are the two beauties posing without their dates. It's kind of a shame no matter what boys do, they just don't look as stunning as girls. They try - and they do clean up well. But there's just something about a girl in a princessy dress.

Here is my darling daughter with her cute boyfriend. I thought I would only torture you with only three pictures...... though I have many, many more. I haven't looked at the disk full that Joey's dad sent over, yet. One might just happen to slip in in another post. Thanks for tolerating my brag moment. I just love that girl! She has amazing friends, too.

Some Random Pink Stuff

Just another day in paradise.......you know, I wake up, eat my Shredded Wheat and Bran cereal with chocolate soymilk, have a headache, take Excedrin and a handful of vitamins, clean house in my pjs, and some one knocks on my door at the early hour of noon. I'm still in my pjs, braless and feel the need to fold my arms. The choice is to either tuck them under my arms or hold them up with my arms. I should have practiced in the mirror to see which looks better. It's probably dangerous to do housework without a bra on anyway. But I didn't want to get that all sweaty and stuff anyway since they cost like $50.

Mimi announces, "It's Katie!"

I said, "Tell her to come in. COME IN, KATIE!" She says, "I CAN'T." So I come to the door, half tucked in, half tucked out (can't hide 'em) and she points behind her. Down my three stairs is a BABY CARRIAGE with her new adopted baby girl! So I had to go outside and show the neighbors, that yes, I am a pink maniac with a beer gut that is actually boobs without support, but who cares? It was a cute little precious bundle of perfect girlishness! She was asleep and looking so sweet. Now I have an excuse to go out and buy a cute pink outfit which will happen next Saturday because this one was shot.

I sang happy songs as I cleaned my toilet (or maybe I swore to familiar tunes) and had a meeting at the high school with the "Productions Director" to counsel her on colors. Did I mention my Ali is playing Gertrude McFuzz in "Suessical the Musical"? So it looks like my Tuesday night will be spent painting or detailing or something.

Then I took Ali to try on prom dresses at my friend's house and she is going to wear a very princessy pink dress. Daughter's just shouldn't look that cute at 17, they should wait until they are closer to breeding age, like 25. Especially, when she has a friend that she's been dating for the last eight months and has only graduated to boyfriend status two weeks ago. And you know how long it takes boys to mature. He's a sweet boy, but can he really last that long? Maybe I'll go to prom with them. That will be the true test. He has passed other tests, like he actually sang karaoke with me. And when I blamed him for leaving Mimi's Littlest Pet Shop toys all over the living room he said he wasn't finished playing with them. So he's quick, too. Maybe I could adopt him and make it really awkward.

To end my day I read all my favorite blogs and left brilliant comments on each of them. This is my world and I think they were brilliant. If I didn't leave a brilliant comment on yours, then let me know and I will rectify that.

Which brings me to my next topic (don't fall asleep yet) is HOW THE HECK do some people have so many followers? I read one un-named blog (not on my sidebar) with a gazillion followers and it was all about how wonderful they were and calling the readers names, which won't be repeated. I don't get it. "'Cause I'm so great and all you %$#(# love my butt!" Basically. I kinda get sick of that and un-follow their cocky butts. 'Cause I consider myself a friend and not a fan of some puffed up ego. Maybe none of you have ever visited blogs like that before. One power outage and POOF! Your fans are gone but your friends are here to stay. So I hope you didn't mind me bragging about my droopy boobs earlier.

Yes They're Real and They're Fabulous!

We've had a bit of tragedy in my neighborhood and I don't know how faithful I'll be on my blog for this week. Some friends of ours 25 year old daughter took her own life Friday night and we're left in a somber mood. I'm reposting one of my favorites that I originally posted in Sept. '08.

Some people actually pay to have them! Not me! I like the more natural look. You can spot the fake ones from a mile away! People admire them whether they're real or fake as long as you show them off.


Both of my daughter's want some just like mine. My eight year old and 15 year old are already trying to grow them. I tell them to hold off until they're a little older and told my eight year old, Mimi, they look ridiculous on little girls. The kids at school are going to think she's a little different and what will her teacher think with her sporting them around?!


I guess Ali is old enough and they do come in handy at her age. Boys usually think they're attractive and even the girls like them. And can you believe even girls her age are getting fake ones? A lot of them are jealous when they see how pretty they are, but no matter how hard they try they can't grow any if their life depended on it. I still don't think they look very nice when they are fake and can't believe what some people will pay! And also how it's hard to find a certified professional or they may not look even.


I thought I would put a picture of them on my blog, just to prove to people they can look good natural, without modification. Ali didn't want hers posted all over the Internet, but Mimi and I are proud of ours au naturale!:

My Golden Child

Name: Alexandra Faye

Born: February 17, 1993

Weight: 8lb 3 oz.

Place of Birth: Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

This is my very favorite picture of me and Ali
together. She looks like a little baby doll. I had made her little outfit which looks like an old-fashioned baby dress with pantaloons and an apron. The fabric actually has little polka dots on it. I always got so many compliments when she was wearing it because it brought out her blue eyes. She was a beautiful baby. I couldn't believe that I could be part of making a child so breathtakingly beautiful. This was winter so I would say she is about four months old.

This is her on her first birthday. Doesn't that look like fun to clean up. Actually, she was always really messy.

She would stuff her cheeks as full as they would go with food and then spit it all out and then eat the small, pre-chewed pieces. Now, she is a verminophobe. Don't even touch her roll to pass it to her or she won't eat it.

Her calling as a fashion model started young. This was at our house in Brissy (Brisbane - pronounced Briz-ben). She looks to be about two years old. We moved to the US when she was three.

It's a shame these photos fade with time. I'm going to become a pro at Photoshop soon, and restore them one day. This dress is actually a light blue and this was her Easter dress when she was eight years old. Her baby sister had a matching dress and they looked so darn precious together!

This is Ali at nine years old with her older cousins when we went back to visit Oz. They've all grown up to be beautiful young ladies. Imogen and Lizzie are both Uni students (that's Aussie for "university") and Ali is doing well in high school.

This is Ali when she was a blonde. It bothered her that her eyebrows were always darker than her hair, so she dyed her hair darker. Ask me if that slightly broke my heart. She was always my little blondie.

Here she is at age 17 with a cute, nice boy from her school on the night of the Preference Dance. Aren't they adorable. She still looks beautiful with dark hair and she is wearing the perfect color.

I think everyone should be lucky enough to have a daughter like Ali. She is so kind hearted, responsible, talented, smart. I never have to ask her to do her homework and she usually helps around the house if I ask her. She sings amazingly and will be in her high school musical as "Gertrude McFuzz" in "Suessical the Musical."

You know, as I was writing this I got a phone call from her and she had just gotten in a car accident. She is okay - her car not so much. Some one pulled out in front of her and they collided. She hurt her ankle, but it's not broken. How scary! I'm glad that her and the other teen (who JUST barely got her driver's license) are okay.

I just couldn't imagine if anything happened to my golden child.

Monday Mourning

I'm kinda sad today. The kids had a day off of school and my daughter, Ali, went on an official date for lunch. Why does that make me sad? It's just another reminder that she is growing up. This is my sweet little buddy who used to help me make my bed before she started kindergarten. She would run up the stairs and I would chase her pinching her bum saying "birdies gonna get your bum" or I would smack her little bottom. Then one day I was in front and I felt this tiny little hand smack my bum.

This is my little one who I nicknamed "Oodle Ali" taken from Disney's Robin Hood when the fox always said, "Ooh Dah Lolly!" We shortened it to "Oodle" and sometimes she will still answer to it. I also called her "Goofy Lou" and "Giggle Nugget" when she was being silly.

Now she's driving and going on dates. How did this happen? If all my kids were like her I could have had six. Genetics say otherwise.

I Get It - But I'm Just Shameless

I understand that people aren't as interested in my children as I am. I get it that people basically humor me by listening to me rave about my kids. Especially my fellow yellow, golden child, Ali. Those that know her know that she is a gem. I've referred to her as "my consolation prize", "a breath of fresh air", or "my blessing." I didn't say she's my favorite because I don't have one. I love each of my kids for the differences they have, but she has been my low maintenance child.

Today, she is a very sweet sixteen. Jared once said we shouldn't be proud of our children - because that's a display of pride. Rather we should be pleased with our children as God said about Jesus, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I'm well pleased." It's very difficult for me to be humble talking about Ali. I'm sure all you parents are the same about your kids.

Ali was born 13 days overdue 16 years ago today (or yesterday if you're in Australia). Yep. That's right. 13 days overdue. She was born in Brisbane at the Mater Miseracordiae Hospital or "mothers of mercy" in Latin and in Australian they say "motta hospital". She was the most beautiful baby ever to be born there so we gave her the name of a princess, Alexandra. Actually, we couldn't agree on a name and it took three days after her birth to name her.

I wanted to add some pictures, but they are buried in our guest room since we have had guests for about two weeks. The first was a fugitive who led the police on a high speed chase and now we have JR's cousin's son for just a few days. Such a nice lad. Back to Ali, she is having a party here with girlfriends only on Friday, so I will have to add pictures then.

For her birthday she got her driver's license. I don't know how she did it, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Bye Bye Barbie

Adios Legos.

Ali loved Barbies. I described her bedroom once as "Barbie Hell." My Mimi breaks my heart because she doesn't have the same love. She likes "Littlest Pet Shop" stuff. Time to file the Barbie chapter away in my life. It's going to be painful. All the beautiful clothes, shoes and accessories!

Seth loved Legos. We invested a small fortune in Legos. He loved the pirates and the knights and so did I. You may think it would be his father that would be the one to love putting them together, seeing as he's an engineer and all. Nope. It was me who loved reading the instructions and putting all the castles and ships together. I was sad when Seth was too old for the Safari Legos when they came out. I packed up the Legos a long time ago - but we're saving them because I'm sure they will appreciate in value.

Littlest Pet Shop. No clothes, shoes and accessories. Just a tiny dog bowl and fake dog doo doo. Yep. One of the little dogs has a fake feces. Nothing like pretending to clean up puppy poop. They obviously didn't design these things with moms in mind. By the time they're old enough to own toys that tiny - you're sick of poop!

Diggin' the Dancing Queen

Last night Ali and I turned on the Roland digital piano and stuck in some of our midi-discs and sang our little hearts out. It was more fun than pretty. We would add our little "ows" and "Xena calls" and had each other laughing. We would make up our own words to some of the songs just to make each other laugh. One of our favorite discs to sing to is "ABBA." I know. I know. Some people consider that child abuse. Mimi is catching on and loves singing ABBA too. Her friends come over and they have no idea what she is singing.

So.....then we make up funny dance moves and Ali does the "booty shake." Can I just say no one does it like Beyonce? We just do not have the right genes. Her dancing far surpasses my dancing and I could hurt myself with some of the moves she did. I haven't danced since the late 80's. Our purpose in dancing - to make the other person laugh.

It was fun "playing" with my daughter. I always love the one on one time I get with each of them. When I got home from work today Mimi and her friend were outside and she tells me, "We're playing 'Princess and Servant.' Lauren is the princess and I'm the servant." I said, "I want to play, but I want to be the princess." They said no.

Here she is.....Ali in her favorite place! Shopping! This is just one view of the never ending mall in Chermside. Here she is with Katherine (Kat) who looks like a fashion model after two kids. She cheats though, because she's a personal trainer. She teaches classes at local gyms on yoga, pilates and spinning. She explained that spinning is indoor cycling, which I replied, "Oh, I know what the exercises are, I just don't do them." I love the lime green couches in this store and they would look so cute in my house. It's out of the budget, though. I'll have to continue to love my red couches instead.





Here is Ali with Fiona, who looks like a fashion model, even after four kids. We had a great time shopping, having lunch and more shopping. We are still trying to recuperate from jet lag and eating dinner at 4 am our time. My digestive system is rebelling. It's only 8:00 pm and I'm ready to fall into bed. We were all awakened by the rooster early this morning. His days are numbered.