Do the Palm Court Strut......

"...swing your butt.
Do the Palm Court Strut.
Swing your butt
Swing it to the left
Swing it to the right
Swing it to the one that you love all night
Swing your booty....all night long"

yeah BABY!

But sadly, somewhere along the way, I managed to raise a pair of prudes, not to be confused with a pair of prunes, although prunes and prudes seem to go together like Jack and Jill...but I digress.

Back to the setting

I play Co's Mardi Gras CD in the car with kiddos in tow yesterday

They LOVE CO.

When are we going to MG again???

When are we going to see J and Miss Co again?

Can I wear my beads to school?

Are we having King's Cake? I WANT the baby this year?

So on and so forth.

Then we get to the "Strut"

BamBam: Mommy....MOMMMY!!!! They said the "B" word

ME: B word...what B word?

Thumper: Mommy, (whispering) they said butt. That's a potty word.

Me: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Uhmmmm...why do you think that's a potty word?

Bambam: My teacher says so

Me (in my best Bill Cosby imitation) Riiiiiiiiiggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttt

Me: Who's the mommy?

Boys: You!!! (duh??)

Me: Who makes the rules?

Boys: You!!!

Me: Have I ever told you "butt" is a bad word?

Boys: (looking at each other for confirmation) NO!!!

Me: So let's SING!!!!!

Do the Palm Court Strut.
Swing your butt
Swing it to the left
Swing it to the right
Swing it to the one that you love all night
Swing your booty....all night long

Amen and pass the King's Cake!

Laissez les bon temps

.............rouler

This is for you Co

Mardi Gras Memories (one year later)

I remember.............

Driving to NO to meet a girl and her family that I had only "met" through the net.

Hearing your strong sure voice guiding us as we crossed the bridge over Ponchatrain.

Hugging you for the first time and how it felt like it had always been.

Being enveloped in the spirit and the love that is family

Falling off my perch, poking a hole in my pants and bounching back for more.

Being lifted up, dusted off and offered solace (ie another libation)

Finding out that, family is not only what you are born into

But what you MAKE of it.

Laiseez les bon temps rouler mon cherie.

I'll be wearing my oyster and HOT sauce throw....ALL DAY for you tomorrow!

I HATE it when I'm right (sometimes)

Yep Sasha stopped, dropped and rolled.....crap.

I hate it for her. Although truth be told, her prospects for post amateur lucre are so much brighter than the days of say, Dorothy Hamill

Cause really the only games in town were Ice Follies and Ice Capades.

And if you weren't golden, you were gone. Back to the rinks to drum up a living coaching. Which isin't all bad and can be very rewarding, but really isin't all THAT!

But Brian Boitano was the one who changed all that. Why you might ask?

Because he shared the wealth. Coming off his gold, he formed his own show. Gone were the hokey cheesey acts of Follies and Capades. And stupid group numbers. And single one draw stars.

Hello lighting and mood and rockin music with LIVE bands and the ultimate skater's reward ARTISTIC CONTROL!!!

The skaters were given carte blanche to cut LOOSE, have FUN! Not concepts that were or are associated with the highly controlled and often stodgy world of amateur skating.

His show generated so much buzz, that it led the way to organized professional competitions.

Hello money! Hello entertainment! Hello life after amateur!

So while I'm sorry Sasha dusted her tushy. I also know she's going to be okay, more than okay really.

Cause she's got the IT factor and she's got options.

Those two things ARE golden!

Where I predict that Sasha Cohen

will ace the short and crap out in the long.

Everyone agonizes over the fact that she just isin't consistent enough to win the gold.

True on the gold front, but in the consistency arena

She is absolutely pitch perfect on consistency because she makes one HUGE error EVERY time.

And that's all it takes folks.

Buh bye warm GOLD with all it's endorsements and deals.

Hello cold, cruel not quite there Silver.

And lest you think I am a world class Beyotch, just know this breaks my heart because she is truly one of the most mesmerizing and lyrical skaters that I have EVER seen.

Even more so than Michelle Kwan

GASP....there I said it. And it's true.

Come to think of it, she and Michelle have a lot in common.

Unrealized potential.

I really, really want to be proven wrong on this one.

Our Passports have Arrived!!!

to the National Parks System!!

Thanks to Christi for cluing me on this little gem!

Washington DC is filled with National parks so I ordered these passports for the boys so they can start collecting stamps and cancellations as we visit each monument or attraction.

The passport is divided by regions of the country and provides a list of cancellation sites for each region along with mini history lessons for the region.

It's something they can take with them wherever we go in the US for the rest of their lives...cool stuff!

AND....we just got an email from our congressman last week giving us all of our reservations for the different tours, so I've been working on finalizing our itinerary.

The countdown begins.......only 11 more days!!!!

What is Wrong with this picture?

I looked at my post below on SrapGal and realized it read like a laundry list

When did I start measuring my worth as a

1) to do list

2) a multi tasker

3) Super Woman

Because seriously....there is very little ME time in the day that was to be my "day off" detailed in depressing and excruciating detail below

Where...why...when.... did I lose me?

***********************************************

WOOT! Play dates were lined up for both boys (oldest DH and his buddy at my house), so I have accomplished the TWELVE TASKS

1) Return and remix of paint for family room (that took an HOUR!)

2) All 2005 finacial records sorted and stored and boxed for tax prep

3) Photos from 2004 forward, sorted and stored

4) Annual OB/GYN appt (DH home at lunch to tag in)

5) THREE loads of laundry done and put away

6) Bills paid

7) Check book balanced

8) One mini album and 6 layouts done ( I LOVE Scrapworks!!)
For those who want to know...this took 2 hours...no really...TWO hours

9) Dinner made, dished and cleaned up and tomorrow's dinner in the fridge ready to be dropped in the crockpot by DH at lunch tomorrow.

10) Lunch for me and snacks for DS' packed

11) SHOWER time (nuhnuhnuhnuh...nuhnuh......nuhnuh...break it down)

12) Kids asleep, dog asleep, mommy following closely behind.

Ice Follies

Today I took my two boys to the ice skating rink for a birthday party.

Yes... that would be me, little miss former ice princess, lacing up rentals (oh the horror!) because I couldn't find my custom boots in the abyss that is our basement.

And then moving on to lacing up the boots of my two boys and 6 other children because it was a drop off party and I'm a sucker and I said I'd help.

Actually someone narked on me and told the birthday host mom that I was a former competitive skater and she begged me to stay and help.

Yes, the operative word is "former" as in I haven't laced up a pair of skates in 15 years.

So I took a deep breath before setting blade to ice and I prayed...hard.

"Please God....don't let me fall on my ASS!" (I am a firm believer in brevity and specificity when talking with the Great I AM)

And let me just say...God is GOOD!

I was a little tentative at first, but even with crappy rentals and 15 years of neglect to the muscles and timing and posture....it all came back.

I was able to help a bunch of the kids (including my own) skate a little more confidently.

And by the end of the session I was spinning and my forward and backward strokes were good and solid.

BamBam even asked if we could come back on Monday because we had the day off.

I think I may have to search the basement a little harder for that link to my past.

A Multi Tasking Revelation!

Yeah baby!

I have this new crockpot cookbook, called Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

LOVE it!

I predict a heavy rotation in the week-day meal planning since I've shifted my schedule (sheduuuuule...as the folks across the pond would say) working until 2:30 four days a week starting next week.

I really like this one along with my Donna Pye America's Best Slow Cooker Recipes because there's lots of tips about prep the night before and adding things in the last hour so it tastes and looks FRESH!

Anywhoo...so while contents of said crockpot bubble happily away, you can bake rice in the oven to go along with said dish.

So there is time to

1) Help kids with homework

2) pay bills

3) do laundry

4) or my personal favorite....blog or surf the net!

WOOT

here's how the deed is done.

Preheat oven to 350

Spray a 4 quart casserole with lid with Pam

Combine

3 3/4 c. broth (Guess what! Those boxes of broth you can get at the grocery store? Guess the measurement...no really guess!! okay never mind...you figured it out...yes spot on...weehoo!)
2 cups converted rice
1 tablespoon oil

Stir to combine.

Stick in oven. Walk away for 40 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. Replace lid. It will hold for another hour in the oven turned off!

(and for all you sassy singles out there.....bag it in 1 cup portions in ziplocs and freeze. Sassy singles need multi tasking tips too!)

YES....see I am a simple girl with simple needs.

Anything that streamlines my lifestyle and gives me more time for the important stuff....well THAT is a good thing!

My Ten Favorite Sounds

Stole this from Corrie

Thanks for the inspiration girl!

1) The sound of a good hard down pour lulling me to sleep

2) The snap of a sail as it tacks into the wind

3) The sharp swish of a blade on glassy ice

4) The crunch of new fallen snow under foot

5) The pounding drumbeat of the ocean's surf

6) The call of a hawk to it's mate

7) A sigh of contentment

8) The squeal of delight from my boys when they see Jake, the wonder dog, in the back seat of the car during carpool

9) The clug, clug percolating sound of coffee brewing

10) silence!

Houston...we are go for primer

YES!

The walls (aka ancient disgusting panlelling) are primed, and the trim...and the trim...and the trim.

As DH so succinctly put it....this whole #$%#^#$ room is trim work.

But it's bright and white and PRIMED!

Now if my girlfriend would just call me back from her week long "jaunt" with hubby and tell me who the blankety blank blank makes

D'anjou Pear

We'll be good to go!

T minus ten and counting!

Can you tell I'm a little loopy from the smell of oil primer?

Geesh, and I was wearing a bloody ventilatition mask.

AND woohoo, yay ME! I managed to throw veggies and gound beef in the crockpot in the morning, so there was soup for dinner!

Women? Weaker sex? I think NOT!

Home Improvement

The PLAN was to paint the family room this week-end.

Which means

Saturday

10:00AM

Run to Porter Paints to get D'Anjou Pear

Porter Paints doesn't make D'Anjou Pear

10:30 a.m.

Call girlfriend who is making painted floor canvas for family room to ask where, if not Porter Paints, did she get the paint samples, since I asked her to use Porter Paints

Girlfriend is out of town for a week.

Go to Plan B

11:00 a.m.

Run to Lowe's for a quick pick up of paint prep supplies

There is no such thing as a "quick pick up" of paint prep supplies.

12:00 pm

Go to grocery store to get ammonia to make solution to scrub down ancient panelling, as recommended by nice Lowe's paint department worker.

Scour shelves in cleaning aisle for 10 minutes. Ammonia is at the bottom. It's only 88cents. So I buy some tortilla chips since I don't think I can debit card 88 cents and I have no cash.

12:30

Make PBJ's and toss on plate with tortilla chips (Yay Mom!) to ravenous children. Toss wet laundry from washer to dryer.

1:00pm

1) Wash down panelled walls circa 1961,with ammonia/hot water solution.... oooooh...ick....gah!! How can the walls be THAT dirty???

1:30 pm

Stop what I'm doing to wrap present for youngest son to take to birthday party in 15 minutes. Youngest DS and DH depart for party.

1:45 to 2:30 pm

4) Begin to tape off all the windows and trim and doors. And WOOT....I "invented" a cool quick method to do this, it involves sharp blades. I also now have a small wound and a pretty Sponge Bob bandaid. Put it works...really!

2:30 to 2:45

Change my holey, ratty clothes and throw some make-up in the general direction of my face to make myself "presentable" for birthday party pick-up.

2:45

5) Leave to pick up youngest DS from birthday party since DH is at a county required little league coaching clinc.

3:15

Arrive back home. Change back into holey, ratty clothes.

Finish taping off all the windows.

5:00

Now I am exhausted and it's too late to start painting with an oil based primer which will stink to HIGH heaven and needs at least 6 hours to vent out of the room so we all don't end up loopy in lala land.

And we need to eat. To tired to fix dinner. Cottage cheese and mandarin oranges it is!

You get the picture.

Tomorrow we might actually get the primer on the walls.

YAY us!

And note to self....while I love "While You Were Out" ain't no way they do what they do in 48 hours without a MINIMUM 1 month of prep work.

Goodnight & Godspeed Gracious Lady

Yesterday I sat and watched the funeral of Coretta Scott King that was held here in Atlanta.

And all I can say is when I pass on, I want my family and friends to gather and remember me (on a much smaller scale of course) the way she was remembered yesterday.

It was a true celebration of her life and calling.

Laughter and tears mixed together as four presidents, religious and civil rights leaders and family, friends all eulogized this great lady and the music, oh my word the music! There had to have been at least 10 different choirs singing, all of it moving, spiritual, deep.

As I sat and listened to speaker after speaker pay tribute to this woman, I learned so much about her as a woman, a mother, a friend, a quiet woman of force, a true "steel" magnolia.

I owe her and her husband a debt of gratitude for their impact on my life because the civil rights movement was about equality for ALL, not just the back minority and I think that message caused a social reordering that spilled over and empowered the womens rights movement of the 70's.

Coretta's legacy for me is not that she was merely the wife of a great man, although that role was one of great importance. It was that she continued on with her husband's work and vision, when I think personally, I would have withdrawn from public life.

So thank you Mrs. King.

Thank you for your part in helping me have all the opportunities I have today.

Thank you that you never, ever stopped trying to bring about the realization a better world.

Thank you for making a difference.

Goodnight and Godspeed.

Super Bowl Sunday

Yes folks, it's here......the long awaited EXCUSE to watch the most clever and humorous commercials of the year...WOOT!

Me, myself and I have been spending the last 7 hours enduring Thumper's plaintitve whines of:

"Are we going to the party YET? How many more hours? Is it time yet? I'm boooooorrrrrrrreeeeddd!!!!!"

Meanwhile, I'm dressed in black and gold...I'm pulling for the Steelers (really....black and gold is what's clean in my closet)

Longhorn Caviar is chillin in the fridge

And we're T minus 2 hours and counting until we splash down at the cul de sac where the Friday Zoo Crew awaits.

I have been a bad little blogger

I can't believe I have gone almost a week without blogging....I blame it ALL on the 7 day process that is known as birthday week insert WOOHAH here!) or the lingering effects of Saturday night.

Read on.

I am still in total shock from Saturday.

Take note ladies and gentlemen, that after 18 plus years of marriage my husband, STILL manages to surprise me.

Remember the little bit about the wine bar on Saturday night?

I am so excited! I have on my flirty little black fringed skirt and peasant top and killer boots and I beepop (yes beepop) into the wine bar and head for my customary place on the cushioned banquet filled with sumptious pillows, plop myself down and hubby says

"Oh honey look. We can't sit here. All the seats are reserved. See the little placecards?"

"HUH????? In the what what??? It's MY birthday...that is so not RIGHT!"

Flounce to beautifully carved mahongany bar "Well guess THIS will have to do" Plop...slight pout

Life is not fair sometimes, even on your birthday. So there we sit, me consoling myself by munching on a cheese plate and crab cakes and salad.

Ahhhhhhhhhh yes....the Salad.

That would be the bartenders salad. He let me eat all of the little marinated onions out of his salad before he started because he saw me polish off all of hubby's in 5 minutes flat. And well cause (throwing hands in air and squealing) "It's MY birthday!

And well, we're regulars and did I mention I had a really cute little flirty fringed skirt with killer boots to match?

Note...... I'm not pouting as much now.

Back to my oblivious munching and drinking of very good Pinot Noir. After about an hour, I'm talking to hubby and look over his shoulder to see a PROCESSION.

And in the procession who to my wondering eyes should appear.... but 15 of my closest friends (my Friday Zoo Crew) filing into the restaurant shouting "Happy Birthday" at the top of their lungs.

A PROCESSION I say ...cause I'm the QUEEN and every QUEEN needs a procession...dang SKIPPY!

I turn to hubby. He smirks, then grins. DAMN, I love that man.

And yeah, the reserved signs on the tables where I couldn't sit?

Yes...those would be for MOI!

I blushed. I cried. I laughed...hard.

More people arrived throughout the night.

I was showered with cards and presents and love and food and FRIENDS.

Postcript

Sometimes when times seem their darkest, a warm light shines that just bathes you in love and comfort.

Saturday night was one of those nights.

And I'll hold it in my heart forever.