Cricket!

We have an unwanted house guest. A cricket has invaded our house or walls or something. He starts everynight about 11 and continues til 6 am. We have searched and searched. The annoying chirping seems to come from behind the cabinet in the kitchen. We took out the drawer below the stove, certain he was there. He was not. We emptied all the baking sheets from the lower cabinet, certain he was there. He was not. Last night I started thinking maybe he is stuck. He has been in the same spot night after night and doesn't seem to even care that we are looking for him. He continues to chirp as if he is directing us in that old "hot and cold" game. After giving it our best efforts and the better part of an hour to find him we have decided to go to plan B- bug spray! Since this is truly "must read blogging" I'll keep you posted...

Nine days

Nine days. That's how long it takes a penney to pass through a 2 year old little boy. You know how many poopy diapers I had to dig through in 9 days? I lost count. We were of course trying to speed up the process by giving him raisins and juice and all kinds of "poopy food." That made the digging even more enjoyable.

Now I suppose there are those Mary Poppins moms out there that would have cleaned the penney and saved it for the kids wedding or to use in some other Marth Stewart crafty sentimental project. Good for you. You are supermom and we all wish we had your coordinating placemat, curtain, kitchen rug set. However, I just tossed the penney out with the poop. So sue me. His future wife won't have that lucky penney to put in her shoe on her wedding day. Not that it wouldn't have been kinda cool...except there really isn't a way to tell the story without saying "poop" which isn't appropriate talk for a wedding.

Admissions

This morning has been full of cleaning and music. Anytime I need to do some work I don't like or have to sweep (which I hate!) I crank the music to make it go by faster. I can get lost in songs. I have a playlist full on my pc and it is a very eclectic list. There is some Michael Buble right at the top- a bunch of his songs right together because sometimes a girl just needs a little of that sexy Frank Sinatra sound. Under that I go into the Nick Lachey grouping. Man, I feel so bad for him. He loved Jessica so much. I really think she's going to wake up one day and realize what she has done. Its so sad. When that day comes part of me hopes they get back together and part of me hopes he sends her off to her next "public affair." The worst part is Jessica is so dang likeable herself...like Nick, I just can't hate her anymore. Then I move into a girl section of songs. You know songs like "This Ones for the Girls," "Wide Open Spaces," etc. etc. One day I got into Lonestar and downloaded a bunch of theirs...I actually have more country on my playlist than I care to admit. I've never considered myself a country fan... yet...maybe I am? Uncle Kracker and Kenney Chesney are up next. Sometimes a girl needs a Kracker in her life. One of my new favorites is "Don't Ask Me How I Know" by Bobby Pinson. Go to aol music and add that one to your playlist (yes, its free) That is just a good song. I went to high school with Bobby and his sister Amy. I didn't know them very well. Stillcool to hear him on the radio now. But thats just a good song everyone can relate to. Finally I have my nostalgia section...I'm a child of the 80s so nostalgia means BOY BANDS! Every now and then you just have to go back to the 80s. It's ok...you can admit that...we all do it...theres not a girl out there than can honestly deny those junior high boy band crushes. So, whats on your playlist?

Random thoughts

Day # 4 still no penney.

I read a blog this morning from a stay at home mom that wants to change the world. Good for her. Really. I mean that. But I don't have such desires today. I think the McDonald's cheeseburgers I fed my kids for lunch are just fine. I think they will survive if they watch some tv and eat some junk food. They aren't fat. They aren't even close to fat. In fact, if watching tv and eating some junk will add a little weight to them- even better. I buy most my vegetables in the can form. I don't know where my meat was before it showed up at the grocery store. That's ok with me. I don't recycle. Sure we have the crates. Sure sometimes we put stuff in them and set them out but as far as really truly recycling...no, we don't do it. I like styrofoam cups- they keep my drink cool. I'd rather drive to the pool than sweat the 6 blocks and walk it. Yeah, gas is too high and we should all protest. We won't though. Someone won the lottery- over 200 million. I wish it was me. Money probably would change me. I'd wear better clothes. I'd travel more. I wouldn't quit my job though. I like to have somewhere to be every day. I guess I'm not a treehugger. I don't think I ever pretended to be. I highlight my hair and tan my skin. Why doesn't anyone ever blog about these things? Too honest maybe? Not politically correct? I don't care today. I'm not in a bad mood or anything. Actually I'm in a good mood- just an honest one. I think that's ok.

This too shall pass...

Child #3- the one that has been to the ER twice, loves adventure, and always seems to have a scrape, bump, or bruise can now add "swallowing a penney" to his resume! He has recently become quite impressed with money. Any piece of change will do...he loves it all and has started a collection. Well this morning he came running to me saying, "Dat penney in my mouf- it went bye bye! Can you get it for me?" I said, "what?" He said, "dat penney in my mouf went bye bye- can you get it for me?" This time he had his little fingers in his mouth trying to retrieve that coin that is completely nonretrievable at this point. By now I have the jist of what's just happened and say, "gee buddy, did you swallow the penney--did you eat it?" He says "uh-huh. I did. Can you get it?" Calling the doctors office is now added to the list of things to get done this morning. In pure "Supermom" form I decide we can multitask and call while on the way to Great Clips. Getting both boys a haircut was also on the list. After all I know they are going to tell me he is fine and just "let it pass." Right? The nurse said the first thing I should do is get him something to eat and drink right away. Oh ok...didn't think of that...let me quickly swerve into Hardees. "He should eat?" I ask. She says, "yes that will tell of for certain that he can swallow and hasn't gotten it stuck somewhere." Why didn't I think of that? As I pull up to the drivethru the other kids start spouting off orders like this was a planned lunch stop! I said, " NO! This is just to make sure the penney isn't stuck- get me small fries and a sprite." This time being smart, I gave him the Sprite first. I don't want to be driving if he chokes on the fries. Sprite goes down fine. No problems....except that he spills a good portion of it on his shorts. "I pilled it Mom. Mom, I pilled it." Those are exciting words to hear coming from the back seat. I pull into Great Clips and examine the damage...it's not too bad..I'll just tell them it's Sprite so they don't freak out. By the way I gave him the fries and he seems to be just fine. We head into the Great Clips and the ladies start working on my 2 boys haircuts. The one asks about the penney situation...
"Where's the penney? Is it in your stomache?"
"Nope."
"I bet it is."
"I bet its not."
"I bet it is."
"I bet its not."
That went on for awhile longer. Lady, don't argue with the kid. He ate a penney. Do you think he has the knowledge to know where it went from there? However, I am quite sure they got the last laugh as I herded my circus crew out of there after the haircuts.

Tuesdays Top Ten

Top ten things I've learned about Carolina living so far.

10-Sweet tea is everywhere but some places really don't know how to make it.

9-There are more trees here than most people will ever see in their lives!

8-They don't have too many railroad tracks- just enough to keep it fun when you see one.

7-Staying up til 11 to see the news is overrated...you can get it at 10 on another channel.

6-This is probably one of the few places you can get rear ended, invited to church, AND to an antique auction all in the same incident!

5-There must be a law that every road has at least 2 names- three or more is preferred.

6- Street names must include the town you are in and the town you could get to if you stayed on the road long enough.

5-It genearlly takes 15 minutes to go 4 miles because there are no straight shots.

4-Panther stadium really is pretty.

3-That whole NASCAR thing is way more fun than it looks!

2-When you get lost, stop and ask for directions. People here love to offer directions.

1-There's no place I'd rather be!