Halloween

I like Halloween. Very much and so I have to ask: What in the heck is this business that some towns do by designating a "trick or treat night"? Um...how about on HALLOWEEN, hmmm...how about THAT. Why should it be on any other night? Whats next? Christmas on the 25th but "present opening day" will be on the 27th? I mean really...leave well enough alone. Maybe they THINK they have a good reason, but there is no good reason. Halloween should be on HALLOWEEN. No matter what day of the week it actually falls on, people. Luckily, my town has not started that nonsense..not YET, anyway.

Also...how come 70 percent of the homes on the street are not giving out candy? Party poopers. Its not like youre not home...most of you are. I SEE you walking around in there, I hear your television...turn it off, get off your lazy butt and hand out some candy already. AND if your not playing...for Pete's sake...turn all your lights out and go the hell to bed or something, so my kids dont run up to your door all excited for Lemon Heads or whatever, only to have to walk back down your drive way with long faces empty handed.

Oh and WHY on earth have Halloween decorations out if your not handing out candy? Nothing is worse than going up to a door of a house with super cool decorations only to have their little knocks unheard. Its just not nice, so cut it out.

I remember when I was a kid in So Cal...Halloween was so much fun. First there was a parade..all the kids in town got to walk down the main street in their costumes..and everyone wore a costume. We had costume contests at school, AND we could be whatever the heck we wanted to be...none of this.."no toy weapons, no masks" stuff. Although, sadly, I understand why those rules are necessary now. People used to hide in the bushes and scare trick or treaters, which was a blast.

When I was childless, one of things I dreamed about doing when I had kids was the whole Halloween thing. Now that it is here, and they are here, it makes me very happy...and not because I get to eat some of their candy, but because Its like a dream come true and they love it too, so we all win.

Today brings a close to some things and the start of many others....A's last football game was today, ALL sports are done until baseball season, which is awesome because I am sooo tired. In about a week my kids are getting a huge surprise, which I will blog about later, and today my wonderful husband gave me my late birthday present and you can see a sneak peek of him here.

Right now the house is quiet, the Yankees are beating the Phillies, A is sitting next me, out like a light, his head on my shoulder, snoring and he is drooling on my shirt. N is happily watching the game and S, although she is not thrilled by the baseball game seems quite content to have had some candy and now is laying on the loveseat, wrapped snuggly in a blanket. Tonight was their second Halloween here at home and hopefully it marks for them that they are really staying. This is home.

Too True Tuesday

It's time once again for Too True Tuesday as brought to you by Essie. This week's question is: What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?

Oh..and your not allowed to say "pay off bills" for yourself or anyone else. Hey, them (intentional use of word here) are the rules; I didnt make it up. I would do those things for sure, but first? Im not sure about doing them first.

You know I am really glad that Essie has given us a theme to go by every week, because quite frankly I was starting to look a giant moron with all the confessions of stupid things that I have done in my life...like forgetting my child, and walking out of restroom in a crowded place with toilet paper trailing behind me...so thanks Essie for saving what remained of my dignity. Much appreciated.

Anyhow, back to the question...the first thing I would buy is probably a bottle of champagne to celebrate with and an obsene amount of chocolate. Honestly. Or buy the things I need to replace because I broke a bunch of stuff jumping around in my excitement. Oh and I would go straight to Hallmark and buy my boss a card that says, "thanks, but no thanks, have a nice quiet life". Small, but necessaary stuff.

Then I would buy some new bras and underwear, because mommy never buys that stuff for herself, and honestly....its really time. Then I would buy new towels for the house because ours are really sad; hard and stiff, not soft and comforting when drying off AT ALL.

Then I would buy a new house, still untouched by children and the havoc they wreak...and just sell the old one as is or just let it sit there...dont really care. I would buy one with low maintenance yard (or at this point no yard at all, because I so dont have time for yard work). No carpet for dog, juice, and whatnot stains, one level of stairs for my old knees to contend with. I would still have to have a pool, so I would buy one with a retractable roof, so the ever present wind couldnt blow all its crap into it and we wouldnt have to open and close the pool every year it could stay open (Im at the point right now that filling it in with cement doesnt sound bad at all). OR I would just hire my own pool/yard guy. One just like the cute dude in "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" would do just nicely, thank you. Yes, his chihuahua has to come too.

There you have it. That is what I would do because Im tired of working, both at work AND at home, tired of crappy towels, and under garments, and carpet. That is the truth.

Apologies, complaints and other stuff

Im pretty over whelmed and just plain exhausted these days. Dont get me wrong, I love my kids, I do. I think they were absolutely meant to be with us, however...Im tired. Its my own fault though; I insist that they get to do all the stuff they never had a chance to do that they should have been able to, so Im burning it at both ends, shoving 20 pounds of poop in a five pound bag (you can go ahead and blame my husband for that little analogy, its one his faves).

Ive been somewhat neglectful in my blogging and my blogging reading as well, so I am apologizing for not being around and commenting more, although I am trying to read and keep up to date with everyone. Ive been neglecting my SNA friends too (you know who you are), and Im bummed out about it.

I have all kinds of photos, videos and what-not (love that word, or phrase whatever it is)to post, but the extra ten minutes it would take for me to load the pics, etc...is just too much for me at this point.

For what seems like six months now, Ive been running between two football teams and a soccer team, all the practices, games etc. Its actually only been since August, but it feels a lot longer. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though, and by Halloween, all the sports will be over until baseball season. The funny thing is, next year..I will do it all again. Why? Because I think its good for my kids. They light up when they do something great on the field, or just get to see their friends. They play hard, they are building muscle and they are eating well. They are healthy. If you saw them when they first came home to us, that was simply not the case. They were pale, skinny and lacked muscle tone. N has had to do push ups and sit ups at home to build up the muscle he should have at his age in order to play these sports, and he has. He is catching up quick and it makes me smile to see him catch a ball, to run like the wind, and to be able to do pull ups in his PE class He has actually passed some other kids his age in baseball skill, who have been playing for a long time. He has worked hard. He has a ways to go...but hes doing it with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. And so, Im tired...but I will be doing it all again next year.

Ive got some things to look forward to. Pretty soon I get to share with my kids something that was important to me as a kid, and something that my family did, something that was a huge part of my childhood, and for that Im very excited. I will share about it soon; it is a surprise for them. In June I should be done with school, and that will free up some time and maybe I can go work somewhere else where the powers to be actually have brains. Wow..imagine that?

There are some things I am not looking foward to. Like my fortieth birthday. That is in two days...and at the moment Im feeling every single year of that. My hip hurts, I have to dye my hair, I watch the news...Im old.

I have a lot to share on here,and I suppose I could have done that instead of rambling on right now as I have, but I am tired, and so ramble I will.

I will leave off with something amusing my daughter said yesterday. I was watching Nancy Grace (which I usually dont watch in the presence of the kids-but for some reason it was on)and S was in the dining room drawing.

S: She (meaning Nancy Grace)is always interrupting people and making fun of what they say.

She is so observant sometimes. Im off to bed...to read and hopefully to fall into a restfull, dream free, cat-fight-outside my window free sleep. Is that too much to ask?

The Weirdness that is me

Everyone has weird dreams I suppose, however I think mine might be a bit weirder than the average. The one I had this morning is a prime example.

I dreamed that I was at a big fairgrounds or something and you could enter to race a horse, like be a jockey, for fun. So, of course, I did. I raced once and came out like third, then I wanted to go again, but there was a long wait until the next race. So, I wondered around for a while with my cousin. My cousin is like three years younger than me, and in this dream she was calling me "Mom" as if I was now her mother. WTH???

Anyway, we make our way to the bleachers of a stadium and I was supposed to find my horse and its owner in the stands and sit by them, so I did. Yes, the horse was sitting in the bleachers, with its big horse butt on the seat and everything. So we sat there listening to God knows what, and the horse who was in between me and its owner put his arms (front legs) around us both and pulled us together so our heads were touching and then laughed.

I was laughing and everything, but then I started to throw up..so I asked where the bathroom was and someone said, "Its kind of a pain in the butt to get to", and they pointed me in the direction of the bathroom. Well, I had to enter like a house type building, and had to wind around all these weird stairs, then I had to climb over cabinets, under tables, up more stairs and over a mound of boxes until I finally reached the bathroom.

I dunno. I obviously need professional help. Maybe it means that while Im in the bleachers at my sons' football games that I act like a horse's ass. Im NOT going to use the bathroom at the game tonight for sure..Ill go before I leave and wont drink anything....

So, whenever I have one of these weird dreams I end up having a weird day after words, and Im cranky. This morning was no exception. Im up and dressed and waiting for my mother to arrive, who is going to watch my daughter because she broke her arm the other night (a whole 'nother blog post)and cant go to school until she gets her permanent cast on. I check on the boys and their progress in getting ready for school. I noticed that A had his heavy winter coat on, and well...its been kind of warm so I told him to put on his sweatshirt.

His reply?
A: Ill just wear this.
Me: No, I think itll be too warm, put on your sweatshirt.
A: But I wanna wear this...

at this time my mom arrived and I got side tracked in giving her dog/daughter instructions for the day, but in the back of my mind I was thinking that there must be a reason A was insisting on wearing the big puffy coat...and I thought I knew why.

Once I got done talking to my mom, I went back downstairs, and on my way past the bathroom where he was doing his hair, I said, "Lets go put your sweatshirt on".
He followed me into his room and low and behold...No sweatshirt..just as I thought.

He finally admitted that he left it outside at recess...this makes two sweatshirts in one week. It was his cutest one two..a little plaid one with little skulls on it...very cute. Anyway I explained that him saying he "just wanted to wear" his coat when the truth was his sweatshirt was lost was to me, like lying, so I said he would be punished this is what he said:

A: I did say I lost it.
Me: No, you didnt.
A: I just said it really softly so you didnt hear.
Me: Oh, ANOTHER lie, huh?
A: Well, Ok I THOUGHT about saying it.


Aaaargh. Any other time I would have maybe thought it was a little funny....his comebacks, but this morning, no, not laughing. He got to see creepy, not so nice mommy. Im blaming weird dreams with weird horses and weird bathrooms for it.

Of course I tell my hubby and HE laughs....I haven't told him about my dream yet. He'll just say I have issues, which I know already.

I heart Halloween tunes....

..I do. I had the best time making up the Halloween playlist for this blog. I hope you like it as much as I do. I found some old faves, as well as some really cool sufficiently creepy music. My husband always hooks the speakers up in the front yard and plays cool creepy stuff for the trick or treaters, so now I have found some more stuff to add to our arsenal of audio assaults (I just made that up, pretty neato).

So check it out, turn on your sound, and listen to my Halloween playlist. Do it now. I'll wait here. Ok...

Some of it is obvious stuff and some is not so obvious, at least I dont think it is, and its my blog so what I say goes.

In my opinion one of the coolest ghost songs is by Genesis, "Home by the Sea". It is a song that for me anyway brings on chills as well as tears. Its a song about souls trapped in a sea side home. Its beautiful and haunting and actually quite moving. Take a listen, and make sure you listen to the words. Youll hear great lines such as:

"...then out of the dark, I suddenly heard, 'welcome to the home by the sea'....shadows but no substance, in the shape of men.....help us..someone let us out of here, we've been here so long undisturbed, dreaming of the time we were free.."

Another one quite similar in subject is Sinead OConnor's "Jackie", another haunting sea/ghost song.

Of course, you have the chilly themes to movies like "Halloween" and "the Exorcist" and "Amityville Horror". These are always fun.

The Winchell's Doughnut Halloween record is fun. I had that when I was a kid..its like a creepy little tale and Halloween safety message all rolled into one. They gave them away at Winchell's when I was a kid, in the 70's. It was one of those floppy flexible, 45 size records. Very cool.

One of my new discoveries is the stuff by Manheim Steamroller. Nightmare fuel for sure, to borrow a term from my very awesome friend Ryan. I will have to acquire this for my house.

Then there is Warren Zevon...RIP. One of my favorite songs ever...Halloween or not is "Werewolves of London". They dont get much cooler than that. "Excitable Boy" by Mr. Zevon is also a dark, creepy tune...the lyrics anyway, not so much the music.

Alice Cooper's "Welcome to my Nightmare",Ozzy's "Bark at the Moon" and the Ramones "Pet Cemetery are also fun. Well heck, its ALL fun, isnt it?

Before I had children, I used to listen to My Chemical Romance, especially around Halloween. They are just a band whose lyrics are full of ghoulish imagery, and not in a slasher film type of way either, more of a romantic, gothy way (and I know the band hates to be called a "goth" band, but whatever, its my blog and last I checked I am NOT on their payroll). Anyway, I must have listened to their "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" three hundred times in a row when I first got it. Thats really not an exaggeration either. I mean I didnt sit there and listen to it that many times in one sitting, but I must have listened to it that many times before I listened to anything else again. LOVED IT. I havent listened to it in a while because I think its too much for little kids, they need lighter stuff, in my opinion.

So hopefully you enjoy the music, and let me know of any of your favorite creepy tunes.

Annoyments and Enjoyments of This Very Moment

Things that I am enjoying:

This fabulous Bee Gees tune from my disco dancing childhood.

The fact that I just spent 10 minutes in my co workers office laughing my butt off-hard laughter that makes your stomach hurt is THE best.

The fact that all sports events for the evening have been cancelled (what WILL I do with my time?) due to weather

My boss isnt here today

Knowing that the Hell's Kitchen finale is waiting for me to watch on Tivo-Go Dave!! Or Ariel..as long as it isnt that Kevin creep (ssshhh...no spoilers please).


Annoyments:

This makes TWO Bee Gee songs in a row? What..did Barry or Maurice die?

The sun is out. Yes this annoys me...I do not want my phone to ring with news that sports games/practices are back on.

The worker in the office next to me who keeps sighing. Im going to have to go over there and see what the problem is, and Im quite busy, thank you.

My office smells strange and I have no idea why.

Another award..

...and to think there was a time when I thought..."Ill probably never get one of those". This award is from JennyMac and her fabulous "let's have a cocktail" blog. I love the way she writes and she is witty as all get out. I like saying that..."all get out", almost as much as I like saying, "ruckus" which is a lot lately. The rules are as follows, make your self a drink (even coffee or tea...Im changing the rules here) and pass the award on to four blogs you love.

Im sick again, so Im drinking some hot water, with lemon and a shot of whiskey to try and kill this bug. Here are some of the blogs I love:

Monkey Trouble
Mommy Doesnt Live Here Anymore
Happy Meals and Happy Hour
Essie the Accidental Mommy

Wiener dog races

We went to the wiener dog races and entered our Carmen and she was victorious in the first,heat...which is way more than I was expecting. To see her in all her glory..visit my other (I mean HER)blog...right here

Check this out

Want another groovy adoption blog to read? Check out Shanti's blog!

Happy Birthday John

In the past I have written quite a lengthy blog post about one of my favorite music people..and my favorite Beatle, John Lennon. Today Im going to just say HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN...I miss you terribly.

....I would also like to thank....

Shanti...she gave me the award too, so thank you Shanti!

I got an award!!! Thank you ESSIE! The rules are as follows:

Answer the survey below…you can only use one word answers!
Pass this along to 6 of your favorite bloggers!
Alert them that you have given them this award!
Have Fun!
_______________________________________________________
Where is your cell phone?- Someone needs to call it – Car
Your hair? -awful
Your mother?- funny
Your father? – obnoxious
Your favorite food?-pasta
Your dream last night?- forgot
Your favorite drink? coffee
Your dream/goal? – australia
What room are you in?- office
Your hobby?- everything
Your Fear?- clowns
Where do you want to be in 6 years? – sane
Where were you last night? – football
Something that you aren’t? malicious
Muffins? pumpkin
Wish list item? jacuzzi
Where did you grow up? california
Last thing you did? complained
What are you wearing? sweater
Your TV? hanging
Your pets? adorable
Friends? scattered
Your life? busy
Your mood? worried
Missing someone? yes
Vehicle? denali
Something you’re not wearing? watch
Your favorite store? Book
Your favorite color? red
When was the last time you laughed? lunch
Last time you cried? morning
One place that I go to over and over? Mexico
One person who emails me regularly? Linda
Favorite place to eat? Italian

Im going to pass this to:
Yogagrrl
A
JennyMac
Foxy
Heather
FunnyRunner
BusyIntersection
Sitting on the mood swing
Carol

Here we go...a whining post (feel free to ignore)

A short while ago I wrote about Guy In Charge of Everything (GICOE) and it seems like his idiocy has caught up with him. Only its catching up with me too. See his Second in command is going to be taking over and this will directly affect me, because while I was mildly annoyed with GICOE, I dealt very little with him. Now, because GICOE is going somewhere else and will not have anything to do with where I am at, our whole system is being re constructed, and I will have to do with the #2 Bozo. I am not just being cute either...he is a Bozo. Not as quite as bad as GICOE, but close enough for comfort...and quite frankly, Im worried.

I just found out I will be given added responsibility and Ive been advised to seek a pay raise, because the other person that does these tasks Im about to take on gets paid quite a bit more than I do. So, you bet I will. I dont mind being paid extra, I dont even mind having more responsibility (to a point), however, I do mind receiving treatment I know this guy is known for giving. I KNOW people who have worked under him and it pretty much sucks. So, if you are inclined, please say a prayer for me. My first meeting with Bozo is this afternoon, like in thirty minutes and I would rather chew on a razor blade than have to do this, but hey...I need my job.

Just to give you an example of what Im dealing with here (and those of you not on the West coast or familiar with the Skippers chain possibly wont get it).

We (random people, around the proverbial water cooler ya know) were talking one day about having to go into the big city. Someone mentioned that they going there for the weekend. Here is what Bozo said:

Bozo: Oh, well..do you like Seafood?
Other guy: Yes, I do.
Bozo: There is a great place down by the marina, wonderful seafood really, nice location.
Other guy: Really? Whats the name of it, do you remember?
Bozo: Yes, it was called Skippers.

Me: (choking on my coffee)
Other guy: Uh...across from the park...on West street (just a random street name, I cant remember the name of it really)...near the Marina?
Bozo: Yeah...thats the one. You know it.
Other guy: yep.

Later on after Bozo left the room
Me: Skippers...the fast food Seafood chain?
Other guy: Thats the one.

See? It would be like asking someone if they like good burgers and then suggesting McDonalds.....

To give you another example, while I was typing this a co worker came in and I complained to her that I had a meeting with "Bozo". Her reply?

WHICH ONE?See? Its not just me. I.am.surrounded.