It's all about....The Me

Cheryl over at A peek into my life: I've been TAGGED!! has tagged me for a MEME.

So. Here. We. Go.

1.What’s your current obsession?

Peeing. Chalk this one up as too much information, but People….I hold it in….all day long…all night long. My excuse during the day is that I can’t seem to actually make it to the bathroom. I try….I make the effort…but since my attention span seems to have diminished with motherhood…as soon as I head down the hall…I notice something that I should have done 20 minutes ago and I go do it…you know…put laundry away…fold laundry…remind one of the kids that they shouldn’t be playing with the toilet water…manage a current dispute among the offspring…eat a cup of pistachios that happen to be along the way…take a phone call…do my work….field a question from the offspring…and give in to their request to play for just a few minutes on building a marble maze. You know…important stuff. My excuse at night is simple…if I’ve been blessed enough to be in bed and not to have been disturbed by anyone else’s needs…my errr..needs can WAIT! However, my fear is that I will get my youngest out of diapers only to put myself in them.

2. What’s your weirdest obsession?

The peeing thing wasn’t weird?

3. What are you wearing today?

Jeans, flip flops, and a breast feeding blouse in a lovely shade of lilac. You know which ones I mean…easy in and easy out? OK….I know…I haven’t breast fed in almost 2 years….I know I know…however, I’ve convinced myself that this particular blouse hides a multitude of flaws and I. Will. Not. Give. It. Up. ...not until I’m a size errr…single digit.

4. Why is today special?

Every day is special…I’m in love.

5. What would you like to learn to do?

I’d like to learn to base all of my decisions on faith rather than fear.

6. What’s the last thing you bought?

Ridiculously expensive hair care products…but don’t tell HIM!

7. What are you listening to right now?

The sounds of my children avoiding sleep. The dishwasher running. The grumblings of aftershock earthquakes.

8. What’s your favorite season?

Spring and Fall – the Awakening and the Slumber.

9. What’s your most challenging goal right now?

To stay in the moment and not think about the next thing I need to do.


10. What do you think about the person who tagged you?

I like Cheryl and her blog – I like peeking into her life and finding a real person with real joys and real problems. Thank you Cheryl!

11. What's your favorite guilty pleasure?

Going into the bedroom to fix the bed/get the laundry/find something/some great act of sainthood, but instead, grabbing a book and laying down for a few minutes of literary pleasure. Oh yeah…I’m a bad girl.

12. Favorite vacation spot?

Anywhere with my guy is pretty spectacular. And Italy is always my number one spot…however…a vacation in Santorini, Greece that I took a few years back stays in my memory as one of the most spectacular places I’ve ever been. I’d like to go back and spend a few weeks with him there…and the children…enjoying the life.

13. What would you like to have in your hands right now?

4 tickets to Santorini, Greece along with three months paid vacation. Is that too much to ask?

14. What would you like to get rid of?

I’d like to get rid of all the anxiety that I’ve quietly and insidiously taken on in the last five years.

15. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

I’d go to lunch at a little restaurant in a little town called Roggiano Gravina in Calabria, Italy with all of my cousins.

16. What bad habit do you have that you would like to terminate?

I have so many that it seems disingenuous to pick just one…and counter-productive.

17.What super power would you like to possess?

I am a woman – I already have super powers – I just need to cultivate them.

18. What is the one thing that you have done in your life that you are the most proud of and if you had the chance to do it again you wouldn't change a thing?

Hmmm…this is going to sound ridiculous to most of you…but breast-feeding my children for over a year each was one of the most challenging things and one of the things of which I’m most proud.

19. What’s your favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?

A summery, crocheted black blouse – it’s crocheted on the top and on the bottom is a silk piece of colorful material that looks like a party. I wear this top with a pair of black pants and it looks like I’m ready for anything…especially a mixed drink!

20. What’s your dream job?

To be a writer. Ummm…a paid writer. OK. A very WELL PAID writer.

21. If you had $150 now what would you spend it on?

Books.

22. Do you admire anyone’s style?

Yes, I admire quite a few people for different reasons, fashions sense, composure, kindness etc.

23. Describe your personal style:

I like to wear versatile solid pieces and flavor them with good shoes and accessories.

24. Who’s fashion show would you want tickets to?

Anne Klein, Versace

25. If you could slap one person with no repercussions, who would it be and why?

Myself. I need a wake-up call most days.

26. What are you most proud of?

The life I’ve helped to create with my husband.

27. If you could choose one person who has passed to have lunch with who would it be and why?

My Dad. He died when I was 14 and I miss him. I want to have lunch with my Dad, my husband and my kids and I’d love to hear their conversation and enjoy the joy.


Now the rules of this tag:

1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention
2. Tag 7 other people you would love to learn more about. Here’s mine:

EVERYONE WHO READS THIS - PLEASE leave a comment and answer these questions on your own site - link back here so that I can go read them! Thank you again Cheryl!

****I invite The HIM to do the same!****

Mama, You Scream Too Much

While driving my 2 1/2 year old Little Girl to our Parent Participation Preschool Program (Hurrah for alliterations!), and searching songs that were being requested from her memory bank of fabulous songs, she dropped the following bomb, casually....


"Mama, you scream too much."

My heart stopped for just a fraction of a second and all the breath got sucked out of my body.

"What did you say, Sweetheart?" I asked gently....hoping she'd say "Mama, you mean so much" or "Mama, you clean too much" (yes..I know...reaching)



"Mama, you SCREAM too much", she said clearly.



"I do?" I asked. "Yes, you do!", she responded. "You scream all the time." she explained further. Matter of factly. Bluntly. Openly.



Tears filled my eyes.



"Daddy scream too much, too." she complained. "Nonna scream too much, too." she continued to rat us all out...with a shout out to her brother to end the outing. "Tonio scream too much too".



I asked gently, "Do you scream too much?" to which she replied...."Yes Mama, I scream too much."

I wanted to be thrilled that everyone else in the house had been implicated in the screaming, but the reality is that I am aware of my Dragon Mom status and that the bellowing starts at the top and screeches it's way down the totem pole.

• I'm Italian - loud voices are normal.


• I scream so that I can be heard over the kids screaming.


• I scream out of frustration.


• I scream out of habit.
  
• My speaking voice kinda sounds like a scream?
  

I always feel bad about it. (Does that make me human or a rationalizing bastid?)

I wanted so badly to pull over, shine a light over my angelic little curly tops head and ask my little one to DEFINE screaming, you know, in her opinion. But I didn't want to alarm her and I was kinda hoping she'd forget about it before we arrived at the Child Development Parent Participation class and told all the other mothers my dirty little secret.

I honestly want to be the Mom who calmly intervenes when she spots the children pulling the dogs ears in seperate directions and hanging on to the tail as the poor animal is running for safety, but I tend to be the mom who inhales as if she's witnessed a drive by shooting and I start to yell.

I long to be the Mom who calmly goes to my 4 year old and gently hugs him after he's slapped the crap out of another kid and asks what he was feeling and what made him do that. But my honest to goodness first reaction is to quickly assess and bellow from where ever I am, "Knock it off!"

I honestly feel bad about my nut job reactions to the 6th time I've told one of the kids to stop whacking the other, through clenched teeth. I mostly regret my incredulous, bombastic intake of breath as one of my kids overflows the toilet. And I almost *GET IT* that screaming doesn't really do anything to change the behaviour but only serves to hurt and alienate my children.

And I guess it really isn't the big deal moments that cause me angst...it's the repetative small things like the constant nagging (me, not them) about washing hands, or the mind bending requests to pick up toys ...it's in those moments that my voice reaches it's highest decibals.

In my defense, I come from a family of screamers. In fact, I must be a push over because I would have never had the nerve to tell my Mom or Dad that they were screaming too loud....the fear errr..respect level was too high.

Anyway, I promised her that I would try very hard to control my temper and not scream. And I even meant it.

Any other screamers out there?

Looking for the Grotto Esmerelda!

I would like to start out by saying that The Me and I both apologize for not giving our loyal readers much to read of late. We've been..as you all have, I'm sure...been busy. The days seem to just roll into each other sometimes. Our son is playing teeball now. We are still....hosting "those dinners" :) My wife has taken on a new business....Needless to say...our life is full. Let me also say that we are having the time of our lives even in the midst of the insanity. We are having a blast raising our kids...they are so much fun. We actually have to pinch ourselves sometimes just thinking about how lucky we are to have them in our lives. It is an awesome responsibility taking care of these little people.


With that being said...our family has been back from Italy for sometime now. We have not blogged much about it much mainly because we've been so busy with family life. Never the less....we have stories...one in particular will go down in the annals of our family travel history :)

It starts out as a drive on the beautiful Amalfi coastline (I being from California describe the Amalfi coast as Big Sir on steroids). The Amalfi coastline is beautiful!! Enough said. This story also involves 7 of us in a minivan (one cousin, one nonna, one friend, 2 little ones, my wife and me). It involved tight roads...shear cliffs...white knuckle driving by me...did I mention....it's stinkin BEAUTIFUL??!! (see above) It unfortunately involved the gas station below and an attendant named Nino (see below).

Let me set the day......

Breakfast was great. The little ones enjoyed their Italian latte's and toast. We our espressos and sweets. Lot's of laughs and an anticipation of the day.....

My wife's dear cousin from the area wanted to show us the Amalfi coastline in all it's splendor....Amalfi, Positano, Ravello. Our first stop was to be The Grotto Esmerelda. Problem was that we could not find said Grotto. Our cousin raved about it. We drove back and forth. We asked for directions...we still could not find information on it. After some time we settled on just heading toward Positano. It was after this decision that our day took a turn of great proportion....no one died...no one got hurt....let us just say that our plan of filling the memory chip of our camera did not occur.

Ten minutes down the road we came across the aforementioned gas station and Nino....who we now just refer to as Jackass...and that is probably being kind. I'm sure our Italian cousin was calling him much worse in the following six hours. As you can see from the picture above...this gas station was fairly isolated...out there! It had a great view...but it was isolated...meaning help was not close at hand.

Anywho...We pull into the gas station. Most gas stations do not let you pump your own gas in Italy so we let Nino pump it for us. "Diesel Per vore" I exclaim! He pumps the gas...I pay the bill...we are on our way right? Well...we got about 100 feet out of the drive before the car began to sputter and died. Fortunately we were on an incline and were able to coast backwards back into the drive....with alittle help from the attendants we were able to push it back into the gas station..you can only imagine our confusion!

Needless to say this event kind of sparked some interest in the other attendants at the gas station, namely the gas station manager. He asked Nino what gas he put in the tank....after the verbal dressing down he gave Nino we learned that he had put the "wrong gas" in our car!! What could they do?? We are on a picture taking adventure here!! We need to get going!! How does this happen??!!! Well...I've mentioned we were in these bozo's company for six hours! Here's alittle run down...

Hour 1

They decide that they need to syphon the gas out of the tank...this process takes close to 45 minutes to accomplish. In the meantime...crackers are handed out to the kids...we try our best to keep them entertained...ya see, we made the decision that they were not to leave the car because leaving the car would have subjected them to the danger of the speeding cars that wizzed by us every so often...all you had to do was to step 15 feet from our car and you would have become part of their windshields!

After they finished taking the "wrong gas" out of the car, we pushed the car into the lane for the "correct gas"! They filler up and test it out. Well...the test didn't go very well. It managed to sound worse than when we coasted back in to the station :). On to hour 2!!

Hour 2

Did I mention that is was stinking beautiful here?? It is in the second hour that we become concerned not so much with getting the car fixed, but with keeping the kids entertained and happy. My wife and I, being the communication junkies that we are, had our Iphones at the ready...loaded with Mickey Mouse cartoons and a couple of movies. Let just say by the end of our ordeal our kids became experts in manipulating our phones :) We did not have an infinite amount of power in them though and no way of charging them since the car was dead. We at this time did not think of that because we still thought we might be out of here soon.....HA!

As far as the pit crew at the gas station was concerned...they popped the hood and began to "work" on to the problem....well..they worked on the problem for all of hour two!....On to hour three!!

Hour 3

It is here where the owner tells us that he needs to call a mechanic in to look at the problem...it is about here that we know that we are not going anywhere soon and our day in Positano is probably not going to happen. He mentioned that he could be here in 20 minutes...we at this time had a real feeling that it was going to be more than 20 minutes....we just kept our fingers crossed.

It still is beautiful here!!....the crackers and snacks are startinig to be depleted though. How much longer will the Iphones hold out? How much longer can we keep the kids happy?? The clock is ticking on their patience!!

We did occasionally take some pictures. But how many pictures can you take of a gas station, a road and a fence ..... a beautiful flowery fence (see above), but a fence non the less that blocked our view of the ocean to a certain degree. It was near the end of this hour that my wife's cousin very boldly got us an invite to a home on the other side of that fence...she just asked and the owners were very nice and accomodating...maybe they knew Nino too and felt sorry for us :) Anywho ..this home had a beautiful view of the ocean (see below)... It had 100 steps down to the water down below...we loved it!! We also learned that they did rent it out occcasionally! It is here where we started to devised a plan for our return :).....did I mention that the mechanic still hadn't arrived?? On to hour four!

Hour 4

It is in this hour that the mechanic did arrive....not the 20 minutes that the owner said (to our shock!)...but more like an hour and half later!! He now begins his surgery on the car......

While waiting, I found one the ironies of the afternoon. While mindlessly looking through our telephoto lens I came across a sign about 50 yards up the road!

Can you even believe it??!! Four mindlessly spent hours later we find the first direction towards our intended first stop...the Grotto Esmerelda!! On a bus sign!! We'll we know it's on our way back if we ever get underway again.

Alittle later, and just into hour 5, we came across the...as voted by the stranded 7... the funniest moment of our adventure to Amalfi...as in the previous....on to hour 5!

Hour 5

Hour 5 begins with the mechanic looking alittle frustrated...alittle shorthanded...he looked like a guy that really craved getting this car back to his shop...me working for a machine shop know the advantages of having something at your shop instead of in the field. Me being the guy that didn't understand much Italian kept prompting my wife to asking him questions...he just kept shaking his head...still trying to figure it out....it was after one of these promptings that he came back with..."there is water in the gas"....you notice I didn't use exclamation points on his response...it was rather reserved. Me on the other hand was thinking "THERE'S WATER IN THE GAS??!!!" I was dumbfounded...how in the world could this happen...the mechanic...not trying to point any fingers just looked at the pump in the gas station...it was then that we knew that we needed to point the finger no further than at......you know who...Jackass!!!

Now it comes to the funny part...it was moments after this discovery that an eldery couple came driving into the gas station...the older man got out and proceeding in our direction....nosiely sticks his head under the hood and asks of the mechanic..."umm...what's the problem?" Our mechanic in his unassuming voice just mumbled..."they have water in their gas"....lol...well...this older man whips around...yells at the top of his voice "FERMATE FERMATE!!!" (For those of you that are Italian challlenged...that means as you can only imagine "STOP STOP!!!") He then strides over to his car .... yanks the gas nozzle out of his car and Jackass's hands....proclaims to all in the station that "THIS GAS HAS WATER IN IT!!". The local Cabinerri that just happened to be handie came over and tried to calm the situation....we witnessing this ... even in the midst of our dispair.... had to laugh! :)

It is after this that the mechanic has to recommend that we call our rental company. He said he could tow it back to his shop and fix it but it would take overnight. We took his advise and called Hertz! We think Hertz...they will take care of us!! Ya know...OJ running through the airports!! They have the Neverlost system !! They will help us! Well...they did...sort of. They told us to stay put.. that they would send a tow truck. When we asked when our replacement car would arrive, they said, that we would have to go to Naples to pick it up. NAPLES!!! You mean two hours away Naples?? You see where this is going. This not only was a 6 hour stay at Jackass's R US...it turned into another 6 hours till my wife and I were back at the hotel with our party. Ya see we had to...after the taxi took us back to our hotel 20 minutes away... take said taxi over the hill to Naples that was almost 2 hours away.

The picture above was one of those shots we will remember. We have to give props to our taxi driver Dominic....a nice older man that knew the area quite well. In fact on our drive he specifically stopped at the above pictured location...not the greatest of pics but you can only imagine how great a view is was....Salerno below and Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

It is here were I will wrap up quickly. It was indeed as you have read...quite a day for us. A beautiful day on the Amafi coastline. Too bad we had the same view for a good part of it :) Dominic got us to Naples and the Hertz dealer. We managed to find our way back out to Amalfi and our hotel. We got to bed around midnight and had to pack up the next morning and head out.

I don't want you to feel though that we did not get our fair share of pictures of the coastline though. The next morning we did pack up all our luggage and passengers and headed out for a day of picture taking in the city of Amalfi and Ravello....and yes....we did fill our memory chip :) Maybe someday, when we get around to it, we will just post those pictures...no words would be needed :)

Musical Monday: Non Ti Scordar di Me - Pavarotti

I am a first generation Italian American, which is to say, that both of my parents were born and raised in Italy. I've had the privilege and opportunity to visit and travel throughout Italy quite a few times: as a child, as a young adult, as an single adult and now as an adult with my own family. I have been truly blessed to visit and partake in the vistas that my parents enjoyed as they grew and helped to form them. There is a sense of familiarity with the land itself, with the hospitality of the people, with the beauty of the arts and oh, lets not forget the food.

Growing up, I listened to all sorts of music with my parents with equal measures of Italian and American fare, but this one song always filled me with magic as a child and now fills me with the joy of my Italian heritage.

Just like the country and her people, my choice for Musical Monday pulls at me and moves me in a very profound and emotional way. I hope you will turn up your volume, close your eyes and let the music take you on a journey.

Non ti Scordar di Me: Luciano Pavarotti

Here are the words for you - first in Italian and then a translation:

Partirono le rondini

nel mio paese freddo e senza sole

cercando primavere di viole

nidi d’amore e di felicità.

La mia piccola rondine partì

senza lasciarmi un bacio

senza un addio partì.

Non ti scordar di me

la vita mia è legata a te

io t’amo sempre più

nel sogno mio rimani tu.

Non ti scordar di me

la vita mia è legata a te

c’è sempre un nido nel mio cuor per te

non ti scordar di me.

Non ti scordar di me

la vita mia è legata a te

c’è sempre un nido nel mio cuor per te

non ti scordar di me.


Do Not Forget Me

The swallows have left

my cold and sunless land,

to seek the spring among the violets,

love nests of happiness.

My little swallow has flown,

without leaving me a kiss,

without saying goodbye.

Do not forget me,

my life is joined to yours.

My love for you will always grow,

you will always be in my dreams.

Do not forget me:

my life is joined with yours.

There’ll always be a nest in my heart for you,

Do not forget me!

Do not forget me:

my life is joined with yours.

There’ll always be a nest in my heart for you,

Do not forget me!

What's moving you today!? Please go check out Jori & Diane's Musical Monday and share your own!

Martha Stewart, meet Cruella De Ville

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I say it’s paved with at-home dinner parties… specifically MY HOME dinner parties.

I do it almost weekly. I speak with a friend(s) or a family member(s) and I enjoy the conversation so much that I follow it up with a heartfelt and slightly delusional, “Why don’t you all come to dinner this weekend? What date works best for you?” If he’s around, I always glance at my husband and see the glazed over deer-in-the-headlights look that always overtakes his face. I’m always surprised by it. He always enjoys these effortless social experiences. If he’s not around, I always call immediately and make sure he hadn’t planned a jet-set getaway to Paris for us….err..no. I always sincerely ask him, “Does that work for you, Sweetheart?” and he always fumbles and mumbles his reply. “Sure, Honey….if…um…it works for you.”. I always feel really good about the whole thing as I’m inviting. Ahhh, I say to myself…this is going to be fun! Tra la la! Then the real joy of the planning begins. Hmmm…where should we eat…inside…outside….should we add twinkly lights outside….hmmmm..what should I make….cheese fondue and filet mignon….pasta and a roast…ohhh…that dessert I saw in that magazine…yes….it must be that dessert…..what music should I play….ahhh…the MAGIC is in the details! I always picture my home, not as small and cramped, but as warm and cozy. I never picture our backyard as ravaged by the war between beast (my Labrador) and man (my 4 year old and 2 year old) but as a charming oasis of peace in a hectic world.

OK, just so you have the timeline correct….let’s say…Monday, the invitation is made…the die is cast, as they say, and Saturday night is our quiet little event. Let’s be clear….the amount of time in between the invitation and the hosting is really not what’s important here…whether I have a week, a month or 6 months to prepare...it always ends the same. Here’s what happens in between:

Monday: Casually invite friend, family member to our home. Happiness and anticipation abounds.

Tuesday: I start thinking of what we should make for dinner and where we will actually sit down to eat. Somehow, doctor appointments, school and other social engagements start filling in every afternoon and evening leading up to our dinner. I start to worry. I push the worry aside and continue on.

Wednesday: I get a real clear look at my house and it needs a thorough cleaning and/or demolition.

Thursday: I plan when I’m going to go to the store on Friday and start mentally making a list. I don’t need to actually write anything down. My mind is a steal trap. Beyond that, I start saying that I need to clean the house. I say this to everyone who is within hearing distance and I even call a few people.

Friday: I start feeling pressure. I haven’t cleaned the house. I haven’t gone grocery shopping. I am working a full day and have a play date scheduled for the kids as well as a social engagement I can’t get out of that night. I start wondering how I’m going to get everything done. I mention this to my husband and he soothingly tells me not to worry, that we should go out , eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow will take care of itself. He gives me a pep talk on how we are a team and that he will help me clean whatever I want later on that night. Around 9:30 I’m still complaining that things aren’t cleaned. My husband tells me to relax and that tomorrow morning will bring fresh energy and a clearer picture of what needs to be done. I’m consoled and I sit down to watch a movie with my husband. Isn’t he great?

Saturday Morning: “This is a mistake!” I scream. “Why do I do this?”, I wail. “What business do I have hosting 10 people in a house the size of a mouse trap?!” This is all said as I’m clearing the kitchen counters of all of the clutter that has accumulated from my previous dinner party. I start throwing out orders and doing what I do best. DELIGATE. Husband – grocery store run. “Please bring the kids with you!”, I beg. I have already forgotten the simple elegant meal I had planned and suddenly 13 course elaborate meals seem more appropriate. It takes a bit of time for my husband to talk me off the ledge and to talk me into making one of his favorite dishes. Done. My mother, God love her, quietly melts into the background dusting everything in sight and cleaning the guest bathroom.

Saturday Afternoon: “Why did we buy such a small house?”, “Who leaves all this stuff around?!?!” I’ve now managed to clear everything from the dining area, living room and kitchen area and pile it precariously in my office. Quickly, I close the door and pray that no one walks into the room accidentally. I next cordon off almost half of the rest of the house to walk through traffic. If people feel they need to use the other bathroom, they will have to exercise their control muscles, because there is no way I’m going to allow it. Husband returns with the kids and groceries and I begin to put together this incredible meal while juggling tasks and setting the table, putting fresh flowers through the house and idling threatening my 4 year old and 2 year old against putting any toys on the floor. We wouldn’t want anyone to think that kids actually play here. Throughout this whole experience I make my kids cry at least once through my hysteria, my mom tremble with annoyance at least twice and I break down crying at the very least three times. Usually about 10 minutes before people arrive I have a Sophie’s choice experience deciding whether I’m going to put finishing touches on the meal or whether I’m going to shower.

Saturday Evening: The guests arrive, my hair is partially damp and my blood pressure is causing a little vein on the side of my head to start throbbing. I start passing out beverages, my great husband perfectly hosts and we begin the evening…..and halfway through the meal…. I relax. And a beautiful thing happens. I remember why I do this so often. It’s fun! Setting the stage for a wonderful meal and conversation with friends and family IS fun…and NEXT TIME, I promise myself, I will get myself together sooner and not leave things for the last minute!

Sunday Morning: I get a call from friends that I haven’t seen in a few weeks. We talk about how great things are when we get together and I casually mention that we should get together for a meal. “What are you guys doing next weekend?”

Musical Monday - Alain Clark: Father & Friend

I was recently watching an Italian Musical Festival Extravaganza!!!!, Festivale di San Remo and caught this father son act from the Netherlands. I LOVED IT immediately and wanted to share it with all of you!

This song is what's currently moving me on many different levels....I love the obvious love and respect between father and son and I enjoy the idea of that love and respect being passed on to future generations. It makes me think of the special relationship between my husband and son.

What's moving you? Go check out Jori and Diane's Musical Monday and share yours!

Partisanship Begins At Home

We just walked in from having dinner at a local restaurant, you know, doing our part for the local economy and getting me out of having to cook dinner tonight. A win win. We walked in and I was reminded that our President is addressing the Congress tonight. So I quickly went to the TV, tuned into ABC and was gratified to hear my 4 year old son say, "That's Barack Obama, my President! I voted for him, Mama. Why is he on here?"

I explained that he was talking about all the good things that are coming for our country and all the things we need to do to help our country move forward.

He looked at me and said, "I think you voted for John McCain, didn't you, Mama."

I said, "No...didn't you go into the booth with Daddy and vote for John McCain?"

He said, "No Mama, not me, I voted for my President, Barack Obama"......in a whisper..."the winner."

Cracked me up.

Crikey - She's Barking Mad!

Auds at Barking Mad is... truly barking mad! She is giving away a $250.00 Target gift card in honor of, well... she's barking mad!

Jori-O, of Musical Monday fame, turned me on to this insanity and when I win the $250.00 gift card, I'm going to pick up a thank you card and express my appreciation!

Here's Aud's deal....you need to highlight 5 or 10 of your own favorite posts! And to that I say" Only 10???"..(cough, cough)...but then I remembered and decided it'll probably only be 6.

Ok...so here it goes!

• Current Status: Bathing Optional
• Why Do 30 Minute Meals Take Me 1 Hour and 1/2?
• Sometimes I'm Just Tired...
• Chicken Mystery: Solved!
• Skin Tags... What The...?
• Lessons in Life by The Him/The Husband/ The Dad

OK! Now let your fingers walk you over to the Barking Mad lady who is giving away all this crazy money and show us your favorite posts!

Musical Monday: Tell It Like It Is

Hot on the heels of a Valentine's Day full of great old movies and equally great snuggling romance I MUST choose Aaron Neville's Tell It Like It Is for Musical Monday!

OK. Let me coach you on how to get the most out of this song. Please follow these directions EXACTLY. Turn the lights down in the room you are in. Turn up the volume on your PC. Push play. Close your eyes and let the beginning strains of the music and Aaron Neville's super sexy voice reduce you to puddles.

(sigh)

This song is equally effective when you are feeling put out by your lover and are driving to ...say...the grocery store. Even in a mini van - this song played at the top decibel and sung at the top of your lungs will help heal whatever ails you. Aaron Neville is killer good stuff!

OK. Now it's your turn! Go over to Jori or Diane's and join in Musical Monday. Link up and tell us what's moving you!

Current Status: Bathing Optional

There was a time in my life when I showered daily. I would wake up from a full 8 hours of sleep feeling refreshed and excited about the day to come. I'd get in the shower enjoying the warm water and fresh smell of soap! I'd then take time to dry my curly head of big hair. I'd apply makeup and look like...well...a girl...a freshly scrubbed, twinkle in my freshly mascara lashed eyed, bright cheeked woman! A fresh smell and a bright smile my signature. (yes..I brushed my teeth a few times a day too!)


Oh, those were the days. I remember it like I was yesterday...but it wasn't yesterday...it wasn't the day before, either. That's my point. I'M NOT BATHING DAILY!

Don't judge me.

When, exactly, do we as women and mothers abdicate our rights, yeah...I said it...RIGHTS to shower daily..and when do we start believing that being clean is a luxury rather than a necessity?

I know women talk about bringing a new baby home and not finding time to shower...it didn't happen quite that way for me. Sure, it was hard to find time when I brought my little guy home, but I took the time to take care of myself and showering afforded me not only cleanliness but a few minutes to myself. No, for me it didn't start right away, the transition was quiet, insidious...a choice. It was when the little lady made her appearance and two kids, full time work (from my home office), playdates, parent participation preschool, doctor appointments, breakfast (every morning), lunch (every afternoon) and dinner (every freakin night) kinda became more important than...umm..well...bathing. It became a feeling of...well...I can either get to the doctors, feed the family, sleep...or I can shower and coif.

It's like a perpetual stinkin camping trip...and I'm really roughing it!!!! (I'm really a concierge level, 5 star hotel kinda gal)

I've made many attempts to reverse this madness. I've made promises. I've taken small steps. I've promised my spouse. This week...I am going to shower. every. single. day. It's bad enough to disappoint myself, but to see the sorrow in his eyes (I need to take a moment)

(deep breath)

I've made promises...and I've broken them. Every vacation I swear that I will jump back on the daily showering wagon only to fall short of my goal and go back to the smelly depths of my despair.

Well, tomorrow, as they say, is another day.


Authors Note: As of the posting of our story, our damsel in smelly distress has managed a shower, she's powdered and coiffed. She's entered a 12 step program and is promising to stay on the bathing wagon. We will check back with her occasionally to check her progress.

Chicken Mystery: Solved!

My four year old son explained the magical mystery behind getting chicken on our table.

Here's some back story to our own family nightly ritual....our own little version of Groundhog Day!

I make dinner....always something I know the kids will enjoy. My son has a lapse in memory and starts convulsing before he gets to the table demanding that he be heard:"I WILL NOT EAT THAT! EVER!" I explain in my calmest Italian American fashion that in fact, he has eaten this particular meal before and he loved it. I insist that he sits down, he insists that he will not be seated at a table that is hosting such a disgusting meal. His manners go from bad to worse and he is asked to vacate the premises and go warm the stool in his room. He cries. We wait. He calms down. He's invited back in the room. He tries the food. And he smiles and says, "Mmmm...this is good. My favorite. Mama, did you make this just for me because you know I like it so much?"

This is the point where I realize that God make children to be so beautiful and charming because if he didn't....they wouldn't make it past the age of 4.

I'm exhausted by the whole exchange and he's ready to open a bottle of Chianti and settle in for the night with a good meal.

So tonight, I decided to cut out the middle man when he approached the table. In an effort at a premptive strike I told him that he's eaten the meal, I know he thinks its vile, but in an effort to move things along...could we please bypass the bad manners and trip to his bedroom and just try the freakin chicken!?!?! He smiled and complied. And he said, "Mmmm...this is good. My favorite. Mama, did you make this just for me because you know I like it so much?"

Not having wasted all that time...we had time for some good conversation along with the Chianti. Here's how it went:

Little Man: Mama do you know how Chicken gets to our
table?

The Me: How, Babe?

Little Man:

Well, the Chicken Rooster spits out chicken.

Then the farmer mixes the chicken and puts it on a train.

Then it goes on a boat.

Then it goes on a truck.

Then it goes on another truck.

Then it goes into a store.

Then we go buy it.

You cook it.

Then we eat it.

Just like that.

The Me: Chicken Rooster, Babe?

Little Man: Yep, a Chicken Rooster spits it out. Mmmm..this is good.