won't you be my neighbor?

Today was a great day, aside from the fact that after I got home from showing homes to a client, started dinner (well, sort-of, it was mac and cheese in the blue box) and got the kids and their friend inside the house and cleaned up, my doorbell rang.

Standing on the front porch is my local police officer. I open the door cautiously, holding back Mojito from licking him to death. He says to me, "ma'am, would you mind talking to me about your neighbor?"

Me: uh, uh, what would you like to know?
PO: well, he says your kids are driving some scooters?
Me: No, they don't have scooters, they have the little Jeep power wheels
PO: Well, he claims that your kids were on his property and that the Jeep got stuck under his car and his daughter had to move it
Me: I highly doubt that, see, officer, last year, this very same crazy man stood in the middle of the street yelling at me and another neighbor about how we don't watch our children and just let them run willy nilly around the neighborhood, how we allow our kids to draw on his driveway and that he is the owner of the sidewalk. You see, sir, the man next door is CRAZY. He has a camera pointed at the driveway and another camera on the back side of his house. He keeps the window of his front door boarded up. Quite honestly, sir, I wouldn't be surprised if he's got a meth lab in there, or maybe he's producing porn in the garage. I really don't know. All I do know is that under NO circumstance was my child or children EVER on his property. This I know because each and every parent on my street KNOWS that the kids must stay off of his driveway.
(I took a breath here)
Now, Officer M, my father was watching the kids, so if by some mistake, one of them crossed over onto his property, I apologize, please let him know it will never happen again.
PO: Thank you ma'am. I'm not writing a report but here's my number if you have any problems. Maybe you could have a barbecue and invite him over and become friends.
Me: Mmmmmm, yeah, I don't see that happening. And, I would like it if you wrote up a report, just so there is a record someplace of this man's lunacy.
PO: Okay, well, uh, have a good evening. Sorry to bother you.

Can you believe this guy????? Aack!!! This man is completely insane. I swear to you, in the three years we've lived here, they have had ONE guest!! Seriously. (I am a nosy neighbor, in case you were wondering) So, I'm waiting for your ideas on how to plot my revenge....remember, there are cameras so it has to be fast and I can not be identifiable. Ok?

On another note, it's midnight and I just now realized that I've been walking around with my underwear on backwards. How on earth did I not notice? I mean, they're not a thong, so I guess, maybe....but, no, I think I just was having one of those days.

Happy Thursday to you all!! Don't forget -- post ideas!!

oh no she didn't....

Today was one of those hysterical days where everything that comes out of the mouths of the babes just sounds really silly. I know we've all thought, "oh, there's something I'd never hear" - but here's just a few of the things that I have uttered most recently...

"K, get the lime out of your underwear"
"K, don't suck the dog"
"K, don't put coins in your panties"
"K, I'm serious, get the lime out of your underwear"

I wanted to post the picture of the Princess with a lime in her underwear, but, decided it might border on distasteful. So instead, I will describe it for you. It all started when Princess K decided to put a lime in her shirt - around the belly area. "Look, I have a baby in my belly"

Fast forward ten minutes and all of her clothes have come off, except the little pink panties. The pink panties that now house a very large sized lime in the front! I really, honestly, tried not to laugh. But seriously? If you saw your almost three year old with a lime in her underwear, you'd react just the same - you'd grab the camera and laugh until you cried, which is exactly what I did!!

So instead of embarrasing her for life with that picture, I've decided to post a photo that shows just how girly and sweet she really is.
I pray you're having a good week so far. And, yes, I've joined Weight Watchers. Will report on progress next week, after I've done it for a full week....so far, so good, though. Peace.

friendship

I just hung up from a lengthy phone conversation with one of my oldest friends. We haven't spoken to each other in over ten years and until last year had no contact whatsoever. I'm so thankful and happy that we are now "together" once again. Isn't it amazing how you can not talk to someone for such a long time and pick up right where you left off??

She said to me, "I feel like I know you again"....me too. I can't wait for our kids to meet each other and to play, maybe in the surf, or maybe in the mountains.

I also think how incredible it is that we were not in each other's lives and still ended up on the same path....kids the same ages, same faith, same values. Life is so much more wonderful with a friend. A true friend.

She knows all about my dorkiness in high school and loves me just the same, or rather, loved me just the same. We were so alike, most thought we were sisters and deep down, she is my sister. I love you, RS. Thanks for a second chance.

holy cow!!!!

I'm not responding to my recent venture on the scale; but, rather, I am shocked that it has been SIX days since I last posted anything! Wow.

Hmmmmmm, what to tell. I saw my shrink again. Gained three more pounds. Found out my insurance pays for Weight Watchers. Starting this week. I just need to lose 20 lbs., that's it. I'd be happy with 15 but ECSTATIC with 20. Definitely. Will go online and sign up. Tomorrow. For sure.

I did read a book over the weekend. Can you keep a secret? by Sophie Kinsella - basic chick lit. It was eh, pretty good. I also saw 27 dresses - it was cute but if you have any friends who are expecting - go see it with them because apparently it can help induce labor. My friends Amy and Jen and I went Sunday night. I looked at Jen and said "you're having that baby any day now" (EDD was Feb 8) - she went into labor that evening!!!!! Pleased to announce little Hannah Lynn was born yesterday evening! She's just a tiny little five pound darling!! Can't wait to get my hands on her!

Also, have you ever noticed how everything seems cooler if you add "licious" to it? As in, bootylicious? Yea, I thought so too, so I've coined "vomitlicious" - it really could have multiple meanings and uses, like

a. you're covered in baby vomit - yeah, you're vomitlicious
b. you're so full of food - you could become vomitlicious
c. you've had five days of cleaning up puke - yep, again, you're vomitlicious

Vomitlicious could even be a smell.....as in, you smell vomitlicious - that lovely aroma of vomit and peanut butter and jelly.

Have a Happy Happy Wednesday and I'll try to do better this week. Oh, and any of you who have ever done WW, HELP! LOL

i've been tagged!

Okay, so I've never done a meme before and am very excited (and scared) to do one finally! Thank you, Smitty76...this ought to be fun!

So here are the instructions:
Archive Meme Instructions: Go back through your archives and post the links to your five favorite blog posts that you’ve written. But there is a catch:

Link 1 must be about family.
Link 2 must be about friends.
Link 3 must be about yourself, who you are… what you’re all about.
Link 4 must be about something you love.
Link 5 can be anything you choose

.
Link 1: HERE
Link 2: HERE
Link 3: HERE
Link 4: HERE
Link 5: HERE

Now, just a little bit of explanation - I try not to write about my friends and family in such a way that anyone would recognize them so some of these links may not be totally relevant. And I also came across this and had to add it. Good luck getting it out of your head! LOL

Hmmmmmm....now I tag Keri and Dawn at stripeycat and thoughts from along the broken road. Can't wait to see your posts!!

Have a great rest of the day!

the crack....

yep. we went to the crack for dinner tonight with my parents. you know, cracker barrel...my kids' favorite toy store on earth!

little prince finally went back to school and now is complaining that he doesn't feel well, is tired, thinks he's going to throw up and hubcaps said he felt really warm .... could this week get any better?

saw my doc today ... more on that another day when I feel like divulging all the gory details...not a great visit, but one that made things a bit clearer for me.

oh. and apparently, i've forgotten my brain at the door, because our insurance changed with hubcaps work and i allegedly signed up for the wrong plan! hopefully, they'll let me switch to the one i thought i had signed up for!! double ugh.

i tivo'd american idol, so i'm sure after i watch, i'll have something to say about the lack of talent that is being constantly perpetuated on our society.

hope you're all having a productive week. i'm looking forward to the weekend.

am I the only one???

Totally bizarre thought for the day - - do you think that when we look in the mirror we actually see what the rest of the world sees, in a literal sense?? For instance, when I look in the mirror, I will notice that my nose is crooked. But when you look at me, do you see that not only is the nose crooked, but it's green and boil covered? I know, I know, gross. This is a thought that keeps me up some nights.

For example, does a severely obese person really know that they are obese? Do they SEE it?? Kind-of a reverse anorexia. The main reason I wonder this is because those who deal with anorexia always look in the mirror and see themselves 'fat'....so it would only make sense that the rest of us, who might have a challenge with weight, see ourselves thin.

So, yeah, these are the thoughts that cloud my head, day in and day out. Do ugly people know that they are ugly? I am almost 33 years old and I swear to you, I have been asking people these questions since I was 11. Anywho, hope you've had a great Monday, have a terrific Tuesday and hopefully I'll have something with more meaning to talk about tomorrow! OH - I will!! I go see the shrink tomorrow, that alone will give me something to vent about, and the vet, yippee!! What a thrilling day awaits for me.

could it be my hair?

School started back on Monday. Did Little Prince attend?

Nope.

He's been home all week because our house has been struck with THE PLAGUE. What's even better is that we don't all have the same symptoms. We each have gotten a different strand. Lovely, right? I've had a fever for two days, achy body and today, I awoke to the sensation of razor blades going down both sides of my throat.

Convinced I had strep, I hauled myself to an Urgent Care this evening after hubcaps got home from work, sat in the waiting room for an hour....

side note: I did almost finish a book I've been reading, so all was not in vain!

...had the throat culture, ONLY to find out, nope, not strep. The doctor said "I can see why it feels like razor blades - your throat is disgusting" - gee, thanks doc. On a good note, he did say that I looked much younger than 32 (almost 33). Must be the hair.

So yesterday, sickness and all, I showered, put makeup on and dressed myself and went to get my hair done. I couldn't cancel with twenty minutes notice!! So maybe, just maybe, my additional low lights made me look younger? Nah, I didn't think so either. Too funny. But this doctor went on and on and on about how the women in Florida look so much older than they really are because of the sun damage. Yikes. The strange thing, though, is that even though everyone knows you should wear sunscreen EVERY day - there are A LOT of people who don't. I love to go to the beach. I love the look of a tan, but honestly, I buy it in a can. I wear a hat, a t-shirt, sit under the umbrella and yes, all of my makeup has SPF 15 or higher. Not something I'm willing to risk for the sake of vanity. Can I get an 'Amen'??

Alright, so the soapbox is put away for now. There is nothing new to report. Just trying to get and STAY healthy. AND, maybe, just maybe, get the Little Prince BACK to school on Monday.

Welcome, 2008!

Well. 2008 is not starting off the way I had hoped it would. My big deal that was supposed to close this month has gone down the toilet. That was my catch up fund. Now what??? Thinking about selling the house. Simply cannot afford to keep it. Plain and simple. The market has tanked so badly that it will be YEARS before I can get out of it what we've put into it....
I found a great blog last week written by a mom who is a millionaire (self-made) - and the biggest lesson/advice that I've learned from reading her posts is that they were able to attain financial freedom by NOT owning a home. Used to. Downsized and took the difference (and the equity) and invested. Hmmmmmm, sounds like a great idea to me. I know, I know, too simplified, BUT, I do believe in the adage that you never really own your home, it ends up owning you. In this market, it just makes more sense to rent. At least for my family. Especially when my income literally is down to nothing...oops, sorry, I made 25% of what I had made the year before!! How's that for job stability?
Oh well. Life goes on, right? These are not the things of great importance. Both kids have developed really bad colds and Little Prince has a fever tonight. This is the greatest time of my life, in terms of my family life. THIS is what is important. It's sometimes hard to focus and remember those things. We get sideswiped by the mundane, the bills, the mortgage, the maintenance, all the things we "think" we need to have right now. We think we're poor, until we see that we have so much more than 90% of the rest of the world. We are truly blessed. God is good all the time. And all the time God is good. As one of my favorite songs says, "I'll praise You in the storm."
Have a great upcoming week!

princesses, pee and poop, oh my!

So, now I remember WHY, exactly we didn't have a dog. I've been successful at gettting two human beings potty trained. I thought I was done cleaning up pee and poop all over the house. Boy, was I wrong.
A few days before Christmas, we were given a beautiful puppy (about 14 weeks old). He's a Havanese and we fianlly settled on the name "Mojito".

Well, Mojito was being paper trained by his previous owner - I'm crate training. The first time he had seen grass was two weeks ago when he came home with me...needless to say, he does not like going number two on the grass. The booger will play outside for twenty minutes, come inside, and literally, within two minutes in the house, he's left his deposit somewhere in the house! It's beginnng to get a little bit frustrating! Argh!! If any of you have any ideas, please share!!
We've taken down all the decorations (except the outside lights, of course!). And today, as I sit here it is not even 50 degrees...unheard of in Fort Lauderdale. My kids are even wearing winter coats and little Prince insists on re-enacting The Christmas Story scene where the little brother "can't put my arms down"!! Kids are so funny.
Princess K is pictured here modeling her new threads from Gran:

Have a Happy Thursday, I can't believe the weekend is already here.