Happy Halloween?

I just dropped Marsha and Greg off at the Youth Center Halloween dance. It is there that they were to meet up with a group of friends and party until 10:00. Being that this is a Halloween party, the kids were to dress up (if they so chose). Of course, there was no way they were going to pass up that opportunity, so dress up they did.

Unfortunately Greg's costume this year is big, heavy, and hot...so we had decided that just for tonight he would dress up as something other than "Mr. Hyde". And what costume did we finally decide on? Marsha. Yep...Greg went to the dance as Marsha. He was a little leery at first, but I convinced him it would be hilarious (as it was). The REAL Marsha lent him her clothes, belt, bracelet, shoes, nail polish and the famous necklace that she hasn't removed in 5 years. We flopped a blonde wig on his head and viola...instant Marsha.


Marsha dressed up as a "goth girl". She looked cute. Too cute. In fact if her daddy were here he would've made her change into a football uniform I'm sure. Ah well. There are very few perks to daddy being away...I suppose this would be considered one.

The kids both looked great. I'm sure they will have a fantastic time.

Quickie

I A-D-O-R-E Robin Williams. I just needed to say that.

Midnight Curry Run

Decided at midnight that curry sounded absolutely divine. So Cindy and I left the rest of the kiddoes asleep in their beds and made the run to CoCo's (ah, the perks of not having to wake for school)!

There she is in her p.j.'s and slippers grinding on some tasty sausage curry. During the drive home she told me the curry made her sleepy (not so sleepy, however, that she couldn't scream the lyrics of Don't Fear the Reaper out her open window). Now she is crashed out in mama's bed.

CoCo's, our tummies are eternally thankful!

Wonder of Wonders

So this afternoon Greg had his initial football weigh in. At age eleven the boy is tipping the scale at a whopping 67 lbs. Considering the boys in his league can weigh up to 120, I'm thanking God that my child can run fast!!

Anyway, after recording his weight they sent us back to a room with huge towering shelves teaming with helmets. Greg was to try a few on, find a good fit, and sign for it. No problem, G.M. boys were there, so I wouldn't have to figure out what a "good fit" should be.

Seconds after stepping foot into this room I glanced up and saw the most beautiful helmet imaginable staring down at me. It was as if God himself placed the helmet there and shone a bright light on it at that exact moment. I had to catch my breath...I touched Greg's shoulder and pointed to the third shelf from the top. "I don't care if the thing fits...we have to have it!" He ran and snatched the helmet up, shoved it on his head and wonder of all wonders...IT FIT!!!

It's a little scratched up and a little old, but that's alright. The other boys left with shiny white helmets, but not mine. My son proudly walked out of that warehouse wearing the biggest and brightest smile you can imagine and carrying the only helmet with a logo stenciled across the side......

The Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead.


And the Heavens were opened, and a bright light shone down on the earth, and the angels sang: "Hallelujah....GO CHIEFS!!"

ooooooh-oh-oh-oooooooh (doing the "tomahawk chop" as I end this.)

My Celebrity Hotties

I've decided it necessary to add my two cents to the wonderful world of bloggers and post my own list of celebrity hotties. Granted this list will be cut drastically short due to my desire to fill my life with other things besides this computer (go figure). Regardless, these hotties are sure to tide you over and perhaps even give you a little insight into the freakish desires that lie within.

Believe it or not, I'm walkin' on air. I never thought I could feel so free-hee-hee. Flyin' away on a wing and a prayer. Who could it be? Believe it or not, it's just me.

Ah yes, The Great American Hero. Sure my love affair with the man only lasted from age three to six, but oh how the memories linger. That blonde curly hair. Those red tights. What toddler couldn't resist?


Animal. My very first "rock star" crush. He was absolutely WILD!!! I mean, honestly, they had to chain him down. How H-O-T!! And just check out that eyebrow. Those teeth. And all that hair!


When it came to the Corey's, you were either a Feldman or a Haim fan. This likely said much about your personality considering Haim portrayed such a sweetie and Feldman...well...did not.

I was, as I'm sure you can imagine, a Feldman fanatic.

Stand By Me still ranks as one of my top favorite movies of all time. I also am a huge fan of The Goonies. And although I can't say they are still among my favorite films, there was a time around the age of eleven when I would rent License to Drive and Dream a Little Dream almost every weekend. Ah yes, those were the days.

While I must admit Hugh Jackman was the hottest Wolverine EVER (Yeah Hugh, you should be on this list...you bonafide hottie you), the truth is, my heart will always belong to The Beast.

He's big and strong, a little hairy, and oh so intelligent. (You can tell because he wears those glasses, or is that because he's old?) No matter. He is still a major hottie.

Sir Sean Connery. Ahhhhhhhh. Like a fine wine, the man only gets better with age. I find him far more alluring now that he is a bit older than I ever could have as - Bond, James Bond.


Gary Oldman as Bram Stoker's Dracula. Oh Yeeeah! It might be the pure sensuality the man exudes, or perhaps it's just those amazing teeth. Either way, he makes me melt.

Hugh Grant. I really don't give a rats rear what the man was caught doing whenever and wherever. He's a cutie. Heck maybe all that drama made him even hotter....curious.

Jack Black. Funny, wild, loud, and a little off. He makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...in a filthy dirty sort of way.

Oh Dave. Sweet, Sinful, Delectable Dave. He is Y-U-M-M-Y. I can't even nail this down to one particular reason. His music, his ink, his piercings, his eyes. So yummy. Dave Navarro is definitely, without a doubt...fighting for #1 on my all time hottie list. Did I mention that i think he is yummy?

Okay, so I don't really swing that way, but if I did...I'd be swinging towards Jenny McCarthy. She is cute, funny, and oh so brazen. I think her absolutely fabulous. A definite hottie.


Matt Kennedy Gould (a.k.a. Joe Schmo) Don't ask me...I don't know. His personality is spectacular and I'm fairly sure it is what makes him such an unbelievable hottie. I didn't even realize that I thought he was a hottie until a few weeks ago while watching Battle of the Network Reality Stars with Kim. I was mesmerized. You Go Joe er..um..Matt.

And my final hottie...Oh yes...Those of you who know me know all too well my great obsession with the stunning Johnny Depp. Eccentric and mysterious, this man has it all. A good many of my friends and family think me insane to be fascinated by such a man...yes people I said fascinated. It rarely happens, but occasionally lightning strikes and fascination does indeed overcome me. And Mr. Depp certainly is lightning. Odd, my first thought was to say "Johnny Depp, there are no words." But I managed to find some didn't I. Mmmmmmm.

Well there you have it folks. My short list of Celebrity Hotties. Kudos to all those who made the list, and my deepest apologies for those who did not. Not to worry, there's always next time.

Peace

Ah...10:27 pm on a Sunday night. The kiddoes are fast asleep and I am brewing a pot of freshly ground coffee, watching the Insomniac Tour on Comedy Central, and waiting for the dryer to buzz. (Yes people, I said brewing coffee...I got it like that!)

This is my time. I can clean to my hearts content, watch a little television, even take a stroll around my yard to pick up after a long weekend of dodge ball and trampoline parties. All without any interruptions (save for Sumo's occasional plea to be let out). My house is quiet, the phone isn't ringing, and I can R-E-L-A-X. Woo Hoo!!!

Our weekends are always so busy, even though we rarely leave the neighborhood. This house is reminiscent of Grand Central Station, with not only my six kids in and out, but all of their little friends as well.

"Mommy, can I have a snack? And can Lamar have one too?" "Momma, Isaac scraped his knee and needs a band-aid." "Mommy, Lauren's house is too far away. Can she use our restroom?" "Mom, can Jonathan come in to play the playstation?" "Hey mom, Shelby and I are gonna be on the phone in my room." "Momma, Jenny and I are going to play barbies." For heaven's sake, how many friends do these kids really need?!

If the kids get too awfully bored then I turn into "Mommy chauffeur". Driving the kids to the movie theater, the store, friends houses across town, and the never-ending stream of birthday parties. Ah yes and lest we forget that football season in almost upon us. Thus our Friday nights and Saturday mornings will soon be jam packed with games as well. Oh sweet Jesus! How ever will we survive!?!?!?!

No matter. It's only the weekend. Two days a week of chaos, then we can return to our weekly schedule. (Which is only chaotic after 3:00 pm) Writing a Thank You note to the Superintendent of Schools as we speak.

Ah the aroma of coffee beckons me...as does the buzz of the dryer. Off to my "end of the weekend" duties. Sweet Silence.

My New Man

It's October. Time to summon a little creativity and gear up for all the upcoming costume parties.

Here's a photo of me, "Somethinmirelda", and my new man "Ja" (aka: K.L.). She won best costume tonight at Bunko (picture...poker night, only with women, dice, & prizes!).

Funniest part of the evening? Driving to Camp Shields and having to stop at the Guard Gate. I hand the man my ID. He glances at it, uninterested...eyes K.L. in the passenger seat...and says, "Excuse me sir, do you have an ID?"

I break into laughter. "Ma'am. You mean ma'am." I'm tearing up now and can barely breathe. K.L. is laughing and attempting to lift her wig to prove that she is a woman. The poor MP didn't know what to say. "Uh, okay. Just go ahead". Yep, she's my new guy now.

Oh and Al...look closely...my hair is LONG in this photo. That's as close as you're gonna get babe.

Kamikaze

Last Thursday afternoon, on a whim, I bought a white parakeet. Originally the bird was to go to either Marsha or Greg, but he was so strikingly beautiful I decided to house him in the antique bird cage that hangs in my entry. K.L. and I both agreed that his white against the dark metal would be stunning.

Unfortunately, during my ER run on Friday this bird somehow managed to break free and drown himself in a bathtub full of water. (Obviously this was a bath that had been run, but never utilized by one of my children...eh hem, Bobby).

The kids returned home from school only a few minutes before I hobbled through the door. This is when they realized the mystery that had befallen our humble home. Did someone come in our house just to drown this innocent little bird? Surely not. A ghost, perhaps. A ghost must had set the winged thing free only to seal it's doom. I seriously doubt it.

What did happen to such a poor little creature? G.M., K.L. and I assessed the scene and came to this conclusion: The bars on the birdcage are, at least, an inch apart. The bird must have shimmied his little body free of the prison that held him, at which point he likely flew directly into the bathroom (the cage hang very near that door). From there all remains a mystery.

I am privy to think that I am the ONLY woman on the face of the earth who could find and buy a depressive, suicidal bird. It's pathetic really, utterly pathetic.

"Footpick"

About an hour after my last post I somehow magaged to inpale my foot with a toothpick. GOOD TIMES!!

After attempting to pull it out myself I decided to drive to K.L.'s to give her a whack at it. No luck. We seemed to have accomplished nothing more than making my foot even MORE tender and MORE swollen. So off to the ER I went.

Thankfully no one seems to need ER services on a Thursday morning. They took me straight up to x-ray (this I found brilliant considering the toothpick was WOOD and very likely not going to show on film), and decided we had to cut it open.

After nine...yes NINE shots to numb the ball of my foot, the doctor pulled out his scalpel. "Is this going to make you nervous or ill?" he asked. I giggled. "No. If I can manage to give birth to 6 kids and do my own piercings I think I can handle a scalpel." And we were off. He cut my foot and pulled out a lovely inch long piece of toothpick.

It took a good 20 minutes for my foot to fianlly stop bleeding. Then they wrapped me up, told me to stay off it, and sent me on my merry way.

What a morning. And all I wanted to do was clean my house.

See my smile?!

I'm glad...really glad...so very very glad...that R.L. is still here on island...really. Even though the man was supposed to leave this week. I'm thrilled...really. See my smile?!

You see, I'm perfectly comfortable saying this sarcastically because everyone, including R.L., knows that deep down I am truly thrilled for their family. Time home with the guys is always precious as it happens so sparingly. We need this time to live life as A FAMILY. I LOVE having Al home (K.L...does not. *wink*). So knowing that K.L. has a little much needed time with her husband brings me joy.

On the other hand, we wives (like our husbands) are used to living our lives...alone. Which means I am used to having K.L. to "myself" for lack of a better term. And visa versa. When the guys are gone we are free to do coffee, lunch, shopping, playdates, dinner and a movie at her house, dinner and a movie at my house, or dinner and a movie OUT. Whatever and whenever it may be...we are free to hang out...together

So as much as I dig K.L. having her man back, I still miss my friend. Before you ask...YES, we really are cut off from one another. It is our unspoken credo "Men walk in, Friends walk out." This is as much at the request of our husbands as ourselves. The only way to avoid this dilemma is when Al and R.L. have overlapping time at home (which rarely happens). So pretty much...yeah, cut off.

After a bit of time passes, we tend to find ourselves stealing away moments. For instance, after work yesterday R.L. took a short nap, at which point K.L. and I ran to the pet store together. This may not seem like much, but it gave us time to talk and time to laugh. I have to admit, both K.L. and I were somewhat bummed as it was a perfect evening for moving our laughter to Starbuck's. However, the phone call from R.L. reminded us that we didn't have the time. Oh well, you take what you can get.

Before you decide to send me a "hate comment" for being so terribly selfish, please note this: I am fully aware of my bellyaching. I am also fully aware that I am not the only one who suffers through "temporary friendship loss". G.M., H.M., J.J., I could name a multitude. Anyone associated with a "wife" will at one time or another feel the fullness of this loss. Heck, even the readers of this blog knew that loss for a time. It happens...I get that.

You also need to be aware that as much as I want to hang out with K.L. again, I will be the very one praying to God after R.L. leaves, that he return home quickly. I would rather live every day without K.L. than watch her live a moment without R.L. Well, maybe not EVERY day, but still...I'd rather him be home.

I am doing my bellyaching now, and K.L. will be doing hers early next year when Al is home and R.L. is not. This is the cycle of our lives. The reality of our friendship. For eight years we have helped one another through the ups, through the downs, and through everything in between. Trust me she knows what I am going though...because she's been here.

All I can say is that right now I am just glad R.L. is home...glad...really glad...so very very glad.

H-N-T

In honor of my very first HALF-NEKKID THURSDAY....a photo for your veiwing pleasure (or disgust). Thanks K.L. for lending your foot to this venture! Happy Thursday All!! Hehehehehe!!!

Kyle

I wanted to post this photo of Kyle & Maliea. I just hung up the phone from a lengthy conversation with my brother and I don't think he knows what it's done for me. I am smiling.

Because you are the best brother in the world. Because all my childhood memories are sweeter with you in them. Because you make me smile when I can't find any other reason to. Because we can talk for hours about everything...and nothing at all. Because after all these years you still know me, and love me in spite of it all. I love you Kyle. And I love Maliea for loving you. There's no one I'd rather had been "just me & you" with. I still think you are wonderful, little brother. I always will.

Where's your smile?

In light of the recent phone call I received in which I was informed that the "black" photo of me was frightening, I have decided to add a different photo for your viewing pleasure. Things are better. Cindy and I have been spending an absurd amount of time watching Dora and Diego.

I never did make it out to run those errands yesterday, but I did manage to clean all the kids rooms. They look pretty fantastic I must say. Cindy and I weeded through closets and dressers, toy boxes and under beds. Now I need to work on the rest of the house. Sometimes you just need to cleanse. I'm not completely convinced that is what I am doing however. I tend to think it's just something to keep me busy. But whatever, one does what they must....

Hope that something spectacular comes along to blog about soon, or at the very least something upbeat!

*****

I'm not in a real happy place right now. Al is gone, which always seems to throw me over the edge. Also having trouble with the kids. Why can't things ever go smoothly when he walks out the door? I've been cleaning all morning and now need to run errands which I would really rather not have to run. I can feel myself toppling into that "I don't want to see anyone or talk to anyone" mode. Not a good thing, not a good thing at all.