what's up spotty chop

Dear Spotty Chop you are 82 months old today

2012-01-03T14:11:00.000-05:00

It’s a new Year! I hope this year brings you joy, peace, love…and video games!

This past month was crazy busy. You were a trooper throughout! I was able to go to your school and participate in the holiday shop again. You were so excited to buy things for people. You and your friends were fun to be with. I was in a car accident later that day and I was a bit of a mess when I went to pick you up from the afterschool program. I would have had Jman’s mom get you, but Jman had a doc appointment that she didn’t want to miss. I do really well during a crisis, but once the crisis is over I fall apart. You ran to your bag and said “mama, I think you need a present”. You gave me the gift you bought me at the holiday shop. Lemon Scented body glitter. God you make me laugh. I love this gift!

You have been spending a lot of time with Jman this month. Jman’s parents and I seem to be swapping picking you up. One night traffic was so bad I didn’t think I would get to you in time, another time Campbell (Jman’s mom) had a late meeting and didn’t think she would get to pick up on time. It is so nice to have a back up! Or the ability to let you play with your friends for longer. Jman had a birthday this month and you had a blast at the party. There was bowling, a cannon ball fight and an arcade. On his real birthday you went to his house after school so I could go to a cookie swap. I don’t think you left their house until after 9pm, you guys have such a blast together. Often after Jman is gone, you will sigh heavily and say “I wish we could just spend all of our time together.”

A school assignment you brought home was “I FELT LEFT OUT…”you wrote “because Jake has a sister and I don’t”. That nearly killed me. I feel really bad that you wish you had a sibling. Both dada and I explained that we were really lucky that we could have you and that another child just wasn’t going to happen. You seem to be ok with it. We then explained that you could have friends that were just as important as family, like Auntie Moo & Freak Show and Uncle B-52 and Lennon. You liked that idea.

Christmas was a blast this year. I was finally able to get you to tell me that you had asked Santa for an Lego Advent Calendar. I tried explaining that this was a gift that mama loved to give to you, but you were determined that Santa was going to bring you one so that you would have it for next year…You were very happy to see it under the tree on Christmas morning.

We also went up north for New Years. Santa’s Village had its own celebration and we had a great time enjoying an amusement park, in the dark, in the cold of winter. We stayed at the Red Jacket which boasted water slides, wave pools and…a hot tub! We had shown you a video of Eddie Murphy’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party and you did not find it funny at all. However after trying the hot tub you spent the rest of the weekend saying “it’s hot in the hot tub” and “it’s cool in the wave pool”.

I love you kid, may your hot tub stay hot

Hot Tub

Merry Christmas!!!!

2011-12-24T06:47:00.001-05:00

I wish a safe a happy holiday to all,

Dear Spotty Chop you were 81 months old awhile ago

2011-12-20T16:47:00.000-05:00

You have had a couple of nightmares this month. In one the world turned sideways and you were clutching the road. Then you were in your school playground and you asked your teacher if you were having a nightmare and she said yes. Then we weren’t even in our house but there were 3 gingerbread houses and I was going to give you the biggest one. Then you woke up and came out to find us.

You and I play a game “mad bull”. I get on all fours and chase after you. You try to hop on my back. Once you are on my back I whip around to get you off. It makes you giggle.

I got to go to school and eat lunch with you. There was a line to get into the cafeteria and lots of parents were already sitting down. When I got to you I could tell you were upset. Your teacher said she had just told you to put a smile on because I would be walking through the door any minute. I told you that if I say I am going to be somewhere I will ALWAYS be there. Jmans mom was dealing with a sick red and she somehow missed it. Jman is so even tempered, didn’t freak out, was very, “she must have forgot, it happens”. I told him that I would eat lunch with him too. You and he then proceeded to ignore me and play.

I went scrapbooking and you and Boy Toy came down the Cape to stay in the hotel and to swim. Unfortunately when we got there we found out the pool was closed. Fortunately they said they would give you passes to a hotel down the road and you could swim there. While I sat in a room with 80 women cutting and sticking, you guys: went swimming for hours, went bowling, went to an arcade, explored the hotel, and went for a walk on the beach. I am glad you guys came. If you had stayed home the two of you would have sat in front of the TV watching the boob tube or playing video games. The first time you came down to visit me all by yourself I told you how proud of you I was for finding your way to me. You said “mama I just follow my eyes, they know the way.”

You tried turkey this Thanksgiving and apparently like the dark meat. You also tried dinner roles and seem to love them. This is good, as the tragedy that I feared most has come to pass. You will no longer eat baloney sandwiches. You apparently no longer like bread, but will eat baloney plain, with a cheese stick. I almost had a nervous breakdown when for the 3rd day in a row you didn’t eat your sandwich. I’m like dude, all you had to do was talk to me, let me know. I just don’t want you to get hungry. I am not going to get mad because you don’t like something. But I do need you to eat.

You have had a REALLY hard time with your temper this month. So much so that I really want to…punch your father in the head with a 2x4. No a nail gun. Nono a morning star. Maybe the Washington monument? You are getting angry anytime we ask you to do anything. When I asked you what we could do to help you said “punch me”. You are also being mean and sneaky. I don’t like it. Dada thinks it is because you are not getting enough sleep. You have been waking up before 6am and not going to bed until 9pm or later. I think you are waking up so early because you want to play video games. I just told you that you will not be able to play video games or watch TV until 6:30am. If you wake up and just want to snuggle with me while I work I am good with that. We will see if that helps you stay asleep. I am purposely scheduling meetings in the early morning so that I don’t have to drop you off at the morning program and can let you sleep for an extra hour and then play and then drop you off at school and go to work. SLEEP CHILD!

Forgot to add how much in love you are with Froggy. Nannie gave you name holders for Turkey day and asked if you would put them on the table. One side of the table had 3 plates (for me your dad and you) the other side had 2 (for favorite bro and Froggy). You put the place holder for Froggy down and then you put the name holder with the name not facing outward next to her. Guess who’s name was on it? I don't know if someone spoke to you because after that you put your name on the other side of the table with Froggy between you and favorite bro. She is sooo tickled pink that you love her.

We are in the countdown toward the BIG DAY. I hope Santa is good to you.

Kisses

The mama

Stargate SG1 Season 9

2011-12-09T11:27:00.001-05:00

*I still love this series as much as ever, they make me laugh...and cry

Lt. Colonel Mitchell: [to Vala] Ladies first.
Vala: [to Daniel] Well then, after you.

Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Wicked!...and empty.
Vala: I haven't been this disappointed since Daniel and I had sex.

Vala: Well. Don't you all have me surrounded.
General Landry: Welcome to the SGC. I'm General Landry.
Vala: Vala. Vala Mal Doran. Thank you so much for the lovely greeting party. We all had a wonderful time searching each other, didn't we, boys?

Vala: These were her ceremonial marriage bracelets. She would affix them to herself and her husband of the moment.
Dr. Jackson: "Of the moment".
Vala: Yes, she had many. One of the few admirable traits about her

Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Room full of gold and jewels, and Dr. Daniel Jackson finds the one book

Vala: I've got tingles all over. And don't flatter yourself, I'm pretty sure it's not you.

Dr. Jackson: I'm sorry to interrupt, but um…if you brought us here to try and convert us, it is fair to tell you that we are really not in the market for new gods.

Prior: Origin will guide you on this path, and those who revere its wisdom shall be uplifted. I have come to spread the word to the unbelievers who have been... sheltered, and raised by evil.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: You have no idea how much he sounds like my grandma.

General O'Neill: Now, see, that's one of the great things about being a general. You pretty much get to do whatever you want.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: I suppose after you've saved the world seven or eight times…
General O'Neill: Who's counting, huh?
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Teal'c.

General Landry: Don't make me promote you

Inago: Vala! You cowardly, backstabbing sorry excuse for a woman. How've you been?
Vala: Inago. You filthy, double talking slug. Nice to see you too.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Obviously they used to date.

Lt. Colonel Mitchell: How good is this? Got the band back together!
Lt. Colonel Carter: Yeah, so what's with the extra back-up singer?
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Oh, she's good fun.

Dr. Jackson: Vala, this is a military vessel.
Vala: I know, darling. I've stolen it before.
Dr. Jackson: Well, just try to be, uh…
Vala: My charming self?
Dr. Jackson: Just a little less talk; a little more shut the hell up.

Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Witnesses?
Dr. Jackson: One. Some guy who was working overtime, spent most of the firefight under his desk, but was able to provide the descriptions of three individuals: big, tattooed, chain mail pants.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: So it's either our Jaffa, or KISS is back on tour.

Volnek: Oh, we have unfinished business.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Hey, take it easy.
Volnek: You shot me!
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: You shot me first!

Lt. Colonel Carter: Huh. Maybe it wasn't our fault.
Dr. Jackson: I thought it was always our fault.

General Landry: Colonel Carter, I've read your proposal.
Lt. Colonel Carter: And?
General Landry: And I'm not exactly sure what an aneurysm feels like, but I suspect I'm pretty close.

Dr. Lee: Well, trying to achieve something as specific as isolating one small part of the brain is like...it's like... trying to...do something...that's impossible.
Lt. Colonel Carter: Good analogy.

Prior: We are beacons on the road to enlightenment.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: No, you are dark-side intergalactic encyclopedia salesmen, but unfortunately, the home office hasn't been quite upfront with you.
Dr. Jackson: Nice work on the metaphor.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Thank You.

Vala: Came to see me off? That's sweet.
Dr. Jackson: Well, we've been through a lot together. I just wanted to come here myself and make sure you were… thoroughly searched

Vala: Thank you! I apologize for ever questioning your masterful skills at negotiation!
Dr. Jackson: He's doing the best he can.
Vala: That's what terrifies me!

Jared Kane: Do you ever give up?
Dr. Jackson: Not till I'm dead. And sometimes not even then

Worrel: So, you were done slaying system lords and decided to move on to more pressing agricultural concerns?
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: That's exactly it. Corn patrol.

Lt. Col Mitchell: Sir, I don't mean to gripe.
General Landry: Permission to gripe granted.
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: We're being put on babysitting duty?

Lt. Colonel Mitchell: That was alternate reality. This is alternate dimension. Hell, all I need is a good time-travel adventure, and I've scored the SG-1 trifecta.

Vala: I did my best to blend in. At first according to Tomin and therefore as far as the villagers were concerned I was the woman who fell from the sky which made me feel kind of special. I later learned that they always suspected I’d escaped from another village as a result of some scandal and then I started to feel much more like I’m used to.

Teal'c: You have been impregnated, without copulation.
Vala: Yes! And I'm absolutely terrified - have any of you ever heard anything like it?
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: W-Well.. there is one.
Teal'c: Darth Vader.
Vala: Really? How did that turn out?
Lt. Colonel Mitchell: Well, actually, I was thinking about King Arthur.

How to Start a Fight…

2011-12-05T11:39:00.002-05:00

*This really makes me laugh...

One year, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift...The next year, I didn't buy her a gift.

When she asked me why, I replied,

"Well, you still haven't used the gift I bought you last year!"

And that's how the fight started.....
______________________________

My wife and I were watching Who Wants to Be a Millionaire while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, 'Do you want to have Sex?' 'No,' she answered. I then said,

'Is that your final answer?'

She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, 'Yes..'

So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."

And that's when the fight started...
______________________________

I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some reason, took my order first. "I'll have the rump steak, rare, please."

He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad cow?"

"Nah, she can order for herself."

And that's when the fight started.....
________________________________

My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table. I asked her, "Do you know him?"

"Yes", she sighed, "He's my old boyfriend.... I understand he took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since."

"My God!" I said, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"

And then the fight started...
________________________________

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the shed, the boat, making beer.. Always something more important to me. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point.

When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house.. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush. I said, "When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway."

The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.
________________________________

My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels.

She asked, "What's on TV?"

I said, "Dust."

And then the fight started...
________________________________

Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the van, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day. I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible."

My loving wife of 5 years replied, "And, can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?"

And that's how the fight started...
________________________________

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary. She said, "I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds."

I bought her a bathroom scale.

And then the fight started......
________________________________

After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's License to verify my age. I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later.

The woman said, 'Unbutton your shirt'.

So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair.

She said, 'That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me' and she processed my Social Security application..When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office...She said, 'You should have dropped your pants. You might have gotten disability, too.'

And then the fight started...
________________________________

My wife was standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror.

She was not happy with what she saw and said to me,

"I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly.

I really need you to pay me a compliment.'

I replied, "Your eyesight's damn near perfect."

And then the fight started........

Lego Advent Calendar 2011 - STAR WARS!!!

2011-12-03T14:49:00.000-05:00

For the past 3 years I have been getting Lego Advent calendars for Spotty and my godson (a year or so older than Spotty). This is possibly one of the best gifts I think I have ever stumbled across. Each set comes in a unique box with a "scene" printed on it.

(The first 2 years were city scenes.)

Next there are 24 little slots which contain some sort of Lego "thing". Maybe it's a mini figure, like ice scaters or a construction worker, or Santa. It could be a traffic light, or a sled or a Christmas tree.

The only directions are on the tab that you open, so you don't have to worry about searching for directions on the 10th day. They are always there. They also add one or two extra pieces in case one gets lost.

This year much to my great joy the calendar theme was Star Wars. Made my heart grown 3 sizes that day!

I can't wait to see all of the things Spotty gets to build!!!

It's a Dadda and Spotty thing, Mama sits on the sidelines, but I am ok with that. I love to watch the looks on their faces as they build and try to figure out what they are building

Day 1

Day 2

This has quickly become one of my favoriet holiday traditions. I am not sure when they are going to get too old for this, with luck I will be sending these out to the boys for the next 20-30 years. If you are looking for a new holiday tradtion, or even a unique gift to give I say run, do not walk and pick one up. You won't be sorry.

pumpkin carving at Moo and Freak Show's

2011-12-01T10:24:00.002-05:00

*and yet more stuck in draft, when will the madness end?

Our annual pumpkin carving spectacular was a success!

We had battles against zombies (Spotty told Moo that she had to go back in there and let them kill her, but he'd bring her back to life so she could cook him sweet potato fries.)

Lego races - do you play with Legos? You should, then you could join our LEGO RACE OF DEATH, you would loose, as all of us loose, Spotty is the only one that knows what the track looks like

Pumpkin carving!

I am quite certain there was eating involved. There usually is. Lucky for us Moo keeps a well stocked larder (including but not limited to) ice cream, cheese, crackers, cookies, candy, homemade peach habanaro marinade and marmalade,pizza, noodles, Ice cream, homemade granola, fresh picked strawberries, homemade vanilla, did I mention ice cream? Pickles, Homemade Pear Vanilla thingy that isn’t jam, but is OH MY FUCKING GOD The BEST THING you have ever tasted. Did I mention she does her own canning? And grows her own peaches, apples, strawberries, has bee hives to make honey. Really the list goes on and on.

It’s somewhat embarrassing.

We found a new camping spot!

2011-11-30T07:56:00.000-05:00

*for some reason I seem to have left several posts in a draft state. I am obviously not right in the head.

Columbus Day Weekend found us down in Brewster MA at the Sweetwater Camping Ground. We had planned on staying there the weekend before we went to stay with my parents, but the hurricane put a stop to that. As I had already paid for the trip I decided to move it to another weekend. I don’t know how the weather was where you were, but down on the Cape it couldn’t have been better. The view was pretty nice too.

This place had 5 playgrounds and Spotty was determined to find them all. There was one just down the road a bit from us that he spent a rather large amount of time at. He met a younger boy there and every time we passed his site (either walking or in the car) he would shout out “HI M!” the response to him was at times deafening as two campsites would shout out “SPOTTY!!!!!” (I believe they were having a VERY good time for themselves.) I was feeling pretty bad about Spotty playing alone, until I realized that he was having a good time. At some point we need to find families that like to camp, and can put up with Boy Toy being the cranky bastard that he is. Yea, that should be easy…

It was Halloween weekend at the campsite and as luck would have it I happened to pack something that worked out really well. We have never trick or treated in a campground before, who knew it would be a blast? Did I mention there was a hayride as well?

I love this photo of Spotty

There was time for ping pong and video games, but sadly no canoeing, maybe next year!

Before we left the Cape we went out for breakfast. Spotty as usual seemed to have a good time.

Dear Spotty Chop you are 80 months old today

2011-11-03T12:31:00.000-04:00

This has been a pretty good month for you.

You had your first trick or treating experience with a friend. Boy Toy took you over to Jman’s house where you hit his neighborhood. You could have also done our neighborhood with the time left in the evening, but you decided to stay at his house to trade candy and watch TV.

You had an extra crunchy bonus movie night with Nannie and Papa when your dad and I went to a costume party. Then Nannie and Papa drove you to your swimming lesson and they got to watch you swim. They were blown away with how good you have become. They have only ever seen you fooling around in the water. They are so proud of you.

Speaking of swimming, your last session just ended and your teacher told us that she thinks you are ready to move up with the big kids. It is going to be challenging for you, but this teacher was also your last class’s teacher. You told her that your goal was to move up to the Ray class. You worked so hard she bumped you two classes, and now after working hard again she is moving you on again. I hope you realize that it’s your hard work that is getting you ahead and not just because you are beautiful.

You had a nightmare last night that zombies attacked and killed me, daddy and 3 beginner Pokemon. It was 3am and you were WIDE awake. You told me that every time you went back to sleep the zombies came back. This morning you told me that you have had this dream before. I let you know that I have several nightmares that have happened more than once. What I need to remember to tell you is that it’s not just nightmares that reoccur but sometimes there are great dreams that happen regularly too!

There were a few birthday parties this month and several play dates where you had a blast. We also had a snowball fight before bed. You are excited to have more snow in your world. There was apple picking and pumpkin carving too.

I knocked out one of your front teeth by hitting you in the face with a morning star (we take our battles seriously in this house). Luckily it was a baby tooth that has been loose for over a month. Before I did that you had said “I wonder if the tooth fairy is really real?” when I said “well what do you think kiddo” you happily answered “YES”. I hope you can keep your sense of wonder for a few more years.

You saw your first movie in a movie theater! Don’t look at me that way, you have been to the drive-ins more than I have! There never seemed to be a compelling reason to go. Up to now you have gotten really fidgety even during the drive-ins. But after the fantastic swimming upgrade and the fact that we just love you and want to see you happy, AND there was an animated film that looked worthy of our money, we hit the matinee to see Puss in Boots. You asked if we HAD to see it in 3D and we said “absolutely NOT”. So we went for the oldD version. When you walked into the theater your eyes grew to dinner plates looking at the screen. There was stadium seating which I knew would kind of freak you out as you don’t want to go “high”, but I went up a few rows and into the middle of the row where I knew you would have a great experience. At first you said “the screen is too big for my eyes!” but once you had the extra large “vat oh popcorn” , orange drink and saw a few previews you sat back and enjoyed the show. It was a decent movie, we went through 2 troths of popcorn. You said it was the best day of your life!

Unfortunately I have not been writing down the things you say. Which bums me out as there have been a few really good ones. I will try to do better next month.

Adjective Day!

2011-11-02T06:30:00.000-04:00

A few days ago Spotty’s school had an adjective day (all the kids dress up as an adjective.) Last year he wore black pants and a black Darth Vader T-Shirt. He was “Dark”. This year he decided that his adjective would be “handsome”. I think he nailed it.

Oh it was also pumpkin racing day. Even I got a chance to race, sadly I did not win, but Spotty was pleased with my efforts.

Look what we did right before bed tonight

2011-10-27T23:40:00.000-04:00

WOO WOO! YEA NEW ENGLAND!!!

My Roomie is mocking me

2011-10-17T21:40:00.000-04:00

So 3 years ago today my college roommate passed away. I posted a few things from an email she had sent to me in 2000 on her hubby’s Facebook page. He of course pointed out that she would have loved pointed out that I spelt pursuit wrong (as in her favorite board game was Trivial Pursuit). So I said MY roomie would never mock me…and then I noticed that there was an ad on Facebook. It was a Monty Python T-Shirt. We LOVED us some “what’s he going to do nibble your bum?” So I asked if everyone saw this. Her hubby saw political ads and crap. So it’s a sign right?

Well, as Spotty was falling asleep, he asked me how hedgehog babies were made. WTF? My roomie LOVED hedgehogs! Spotty mentioned hedgehogs once before. A day or two after she died he came running into the house to tell us that he saw a hedgehog outside. As far as I know he has never seen a hedgehog.

Byotch is mocking me

HOLY CRAP I forgot to post Labor Day Camping…with a 6 year old

2011-10-07T06:01:00.002-04:00

For the first time in a really long time this wasn’t our last trip camping this year (but more on that later).

Ahh Fransted how we have missed you! It was back to the White Mountains for us and boy are we glad we did. The campground looked great, the hurricane destroyed a lot of it but everyone worked really hard and you couldn’t tell anything happened (unless you knew what to look for). When we pulled in Jack laughed and said he had run up to our campsite this morning because after the storm they kind of forgot about it and he was hoping it was still there. It was the only site that didn’t receive any damage.

I decided before we left that I wasn’t going to do any cooking this trip, so we went out for pizza on Friday, brought pizza for the pot luck supper that was fantastic! You would not believe the spread that is put out. We hit Polly’s Pancakes, because I had a craving. We finished the trip with the 99. It was a good thing that I decided we weren’t going to cook, because Boy Toy was responsible for packing (I ended up working all day Friday) and he didn’t notice that there were no pots, pans or glasses to be seen.

We did our annual trip to Clarks where Spotty decided we would dress up as gangsters. The boys looked super cute. We watched the bears, went through a tour of the Tuttle house, rode a train and got a wee bit wet.

In fact, there was lots of river play. Which is just how we like it.

Apple Picking at Honey Pot

2011-10-05T17:44:00.004-04:00

Over the weekend we went apple picking with Moo, Freak Show, Hippy Chick and Cheese Please. Boy Toy was invited but it was a pretty miserable drizzily kind of day and Boy Toy declared “I am in wet trees pretty much every Fing day of my life, I am NOT doing in on an Fing weekend.” So Spotty Chop and I headed off ourselves.

At first I thought it was going to be one of those trips, you know the kind, every frelling photo you take just isn’t right.

But then I got these

I used to get incredible photos of Spotty Chop apple picking, but last years photos blew lemon scented chunks. These were ok

But this would have been Fing awesome. KHAN!!!!

I took this photo just for Boy Toy

Here is Freak Show HURLING apples at his beloved oldest child

LOOK at Hippy’s face – that is FEAR PEOPLE he is so mean

And this photo? This sums up Moo up perfectly. She is just like her mom, queen bee who expects to be obeyed.

This photo? Everyone who is Anyone has been on the receiving end of this look…although Freak Show has clocked more hours than anyone else

I just liked these

But my favorite is this

This is Moo and Spotty Chop’s relationship “Auntie MOO can I tell you something?” Auntie Moo , drops whatever she is doing and focuses on Spotty “TELL ME!”

Not only did we get to pick apples, but we had 100’s of donuts, convinced other people that they must have donuts, went through mazes, fed goats and piggies and went through even more mazes and then had even more donuts. But then? We got to pick up Boy Toy and head down to the Moo compound where Hippy and CR made us pizza, and let Spotty borrow some wacked out Japanese PS2 game, and Moo sent us home with more canned goods than the Ingalls had on the prairie. I also got an applesauce recipe that was so simple even I could do it!

Dear Spotty Chop you were 79 months old yesterday

2011-10-04T07:25:00.000-04:00

You are now in 1st grade. Your 2 best friends sit next to you in class. You love your teacher. You were a little freaked when you were told there was homework, until we did the homework. “Mama, I knew this in kindergarten.” You went on a field trip that I couldn’t attend. It was to the tidal flats down the Cape. You had a blast. You got to feed fish at the hatchery, eat lunch at the coast guard station and run around in the mud and water. You told us the day was “perfect…well it would have been more perfect if you went.” Amen son, hopefully next field trip we will get more than a 2 day notice (thanks Irene).

You and your dad were talking and you said “I am a miniature you dada. We are alike in every way. We like the same things, we have the same DNA. When you were a kid you loved to play video games just like me…” at this point Boy Toy interrupted you and said “bud, we didn’t have video games when I was a kid, in fact we only had 6 TV stations, and cartoons were only played on Saturday’s in the morning.” You looked at your dad with sad eyes, put your arm around him and said “I am sorry you had such a bad childhood, why don’t we sit down and play a video game together?

Your days with Papa are over again for a few months. Looking back you guys sure did a lot this summer: Aquarium, Science Museum, Hammond Castle, several beach trips, several kayak trips, I think I am missing some stuff. Papa and you also ran races, had battles, ran through the sprinklers. Set up a cemetery (for the mouse and chipmunk) you even found appropriate head stones for their resting places. I hope you can remember all the fun you have with Nannie and Papa, I don’t remember specifics with my grandparents. But then again we didn’t spend 1 day a week with them going on adventures.

We have had multiple play dates with JMan and Crazy Boy, I still need to reach out to Anadude’s mom and try and hook you two up. It’s super fun not having to travel 40 minutes for a play date! We went camping, apple picking and survived a hurricane. It was a busy month.

One of your adult front teeth has come in, the two front baby teeth are loose as all heck, but still attached to your head. You look adorable. I had to buy you new pants as you have grown like a weed! You still will not eat grapes, carrots, blueberries or green beans and Cherries are out of season. Dude I have no idea what you are going to do when you get sick of baloney…You are talking more on the phone and the people you talk to seem to enjoy this new side of you.

Of course no one enjoys you more than me. You rock my favorite son!

King Richard’s Fair

2011-09-28T12:41:00.000-04:00

We brought Spotty Chop to his first Renaissance Fair and wouldn’t you know he loved it? Boy Toy and I used to frequent these all the time, but haven’t been in probably 10 years or so. We got there early to see the opening ceremonies and then spent the rest of the day. Spotty had such a good time that Monday morning he asked me “mama do you think you could write down everything we did so I can bring it to show my friends?” Hell yes baby boy. This is the listing:

Played in a human chess game

Put daddy in the stocks

Threw ninja stars

Threw darts

Shot cannons

Tried to climb an un-climbable ladder

Shot Arrows

Watched a joust

Bought a sword, shield, pennant, pendant

Had sword fights

Walked through a history of torture (may have been a mistake – but no nightmares and I didn’t go into detail on what we were seeing)

Went to knight school

Knighted by the king

It was a full day. When Boy Toy asked what Spotty’s favorite part of the day was he said “Knight school and being knighted by the King”.

He is so frelling CUTE.

Dear Spotty Chop you were 78 months old several days to a few weeks ago

2011-09-13T12:48:00.001-04:00

You have grown a bit; all of your pants seem to end at your calves.

J Man was finally at camp and the two of you have been adventuring like crazy.

You were a real trooper when I had to hit the hospital and was out of commission for a few days (more like 3 weeks of crazy). You never complained when I couldn’t do the things we usually do, and you and dada managed not to kill each other, so thanks!

You are Papa’s best bud. You only want to play with him and have adventures. Nannie says she doesn’t mind…but I think she may be a little grumpy about it. You work Papa so hard that he usually needs to take a nap before you leave. You two had some amazing adventures this summer. Aquarium, Science Museum, multiple kayaking trips, Hammond Castle , trips to the beach, drawing of maps, playing in sprinklers, playing hide and seek and other crazy chasing games. You keep Papa young.

You will not eat grapes, blueberries, green beans, or carrots. The only 3 foods you have always turned to whenever you are hungry. You are eating cherries, which is grand, but the season is ending and dude, you got to find some other fruits and veggies.

One of my cousins got married and we all went to the wedding. You made my heart stop when at one point during the night you walked over to me held out your hand and said “mama will you dance with me?” Multiple people came up to me to tell me that they were

1.) Jealous that their sons didn’t ask them to dance

2) Amazed that you had to courage to dance in front of everyone. May this last your entire lifetime!

I am truly one lucky mama.

We had a pretty decent hurricane, Irene. We had no power for close to a week, and had to cancel a camping trip, but we did end up going to the Cape with Nannie, Papa, Favorite Brother and Froggy. The Cape had no power either, but there was plenty of sun at the beach. You are besotted with Froggy. You told me that you had a double crush on her because “she is so beautiful and nice, who wouldn’t have a crush on her?” You are the sweetest thing ever!

I know you did plenty of cute things, and had very amusing and insightful things to say, but this past month blew lemon scented chunks for me. Hopefully next month will be better.

The end of the summer is a bummer unless you have your 2 best friends in your class, then you can’t wait for the summer to end so you can go back to school and see them EVERY DAY!

What a difference a few months make!

2011-09-10T20:47:00.000-04:00

Spotty has started fall soccer and I am amazed with how much better he is playing this season compared to last season (granted, last season was his first season). His dribbling is natural, he is so much more aggressive and he seems to really get the game. He scored 3 or 4 times his first game but he also prevented 4 or 5 goals by being in the right place at the right time. We over heard a father telling one of the kids Spotty was playing with that “you can’t take the ball away from your teammate (Spotty); you have to get open so he can pass to you.” We started chatting a little while later. He was impressed with how good Spotty was and lamenting that his son didn’t quite know the rules as this was his son’s first time playing. We laughed and said that Spotty started playing last season and we were blown away with how much better he was playing now. We explained that last season all Spotty did was pass he never really wanted to run with the ball.

We were worried when we first walked up to the field because Spotty seemed to be so much bigger than everyone else on his team. Turns out he is the oldest member of the team by a month. Apparently he really grew this summer. His team does have a lot of little kids on it, but last spring he was the smallest on his team. I am glad he is still in instructional. I think this will be a big confidence builder for him. Plus? I love watching my boy run!

Doctor Doctor Give me the News and it better not be Kidney Stones....

2011-08-06T14:34:00.000-04:00

And I would appriciate it if it was good news. I think I am pretty much done with feeling like crap. Although last week really was the icing on the Frelling Cake

So I cracked a tooth, was in a tremendous deal of pain, dentist put a temp fix in. Went in the next day,while she was trying to fix the tooth, it exploded. She patched it up fine. Tooth pain equalls migraine. I had to call my neurologist because my meds weren't working. She had me try some different things. It finally worked. and then...THEN?

A kidney stone from hell. I had forgotten HOW bad a bad episode could be. I am used to them moving in their sleep, this was a ROAD TRIP.

I got morphine which helped tremendously. I was such an idiot. I was playing the martyr card a bit. By the time I drove myself to the hospital (my choice, I didn't want to wake Spotty up for this) I was in agony.

Start of headache, the doctor/nurse told me when I said I was starting to get a headache that morphine can do it to you, but Vicodin can help...For the love of Christ, I don't want to take more pills!!!! (and you know coming from me...that's saying something).

Now 2 weeks later I am set for surgery on Monday. I saw one doctor who thought since I may have passed a 10mm stone a few years ago I should be able to pass the 8mm one. Last Tuesday I spoke with another doctor who said "you will be in surgery by Monday, you will not pass this."

So it's lasers up the Woo Woo time again. This time they had better frelling find it. I DO NOT want to go through all this for nothing. Although if they do not find it, they will not have to put in a stint in and then remove it during an office visit.

Really?

Dear Spotty Chop you are 77 months old

2011-08-03T14:06:00.000-04:00

That’s the same number as Ray Bourque…just sayin.

You have a ritual when we brush your teeth. It used to drive me crazy as I saw it only as a delaying tactic. But, once I got over myself I realized how charming it was. You slowly walk over to me yawning, you sit on one leg with your arms around my neck and then you give me a kiss. After that there is teeth brushing and at times a water fight.

You still love to swim naked. I wonder when you will become embarrassed to be seen naked or if I will have to say “put your junk in the trunk my son”.

Papa took you to the aquarium. You LOVED it. Papa got lost and when he saw a policeman he told you to roll down the window. You told the officer that you were lost. The officer said “well, where are you going?” When Papa said “it’s a surprise”, the officer said “well then, let me come around to your side.”

You have really become a daddy/papa’s boy. You seem to be ignoring the womenfolk in your life. I’m ok with that.

You spend a LOT of time drawing elaborate maps/levels of games to play. You are also swimming as much as you can. You have a decent dive, and swim underwater like a dolphin. You also do front flips from the side of the pool. Can’t WAIT until you show Nannie that one…I will NEVER hear the end of it.

You are the tannest you have EVER been. I feel like a parental failure. I blame camp and the fact that you are outdoors all day. Speaking of camp…

You are having a great time at camp. Of course you can’t remember a single thing you do.

Me: what did you do today at camp?

You: I get off the bus, eat lunch, play at the playground, go swimming and then we go home.

You have made friends (but can’t remember their names) and the head youth counselor (your old after school counselor) told me that “Spotty is such a good kid, all of the staff really enjoy having him around”. That made me happy. You are not perfect, and you can truly be a pain in the ass. But you are a great kid, I wouldn’t change a thing about you.

Kisses

My Roomie would have loved this

2011-08-01T14:03:00.000-04:00

I found this at Pajiba who found it at Society 6

I was going through some old work notebooks and I came across this

2011-07-27T14:46:00.000-04:00

“Timmy’s Book 3 – Aug 24th 2008

Dada Doodoo

Twinkle Twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the bum so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle Twinkle little guitar
Twinkle Twinkle little diamond
Twinkle Twinkle little light
How I woder what you ares
Up above the lava lamp. Lava coin

Guij guij

Jusu jusu
Too Too Too Toto
Chachew Chachew

I believe these are lyrics that spotty used to sing to me…such a good boy

Best Thing in the World to Look At

2011-07-20T13:54:00.000-04:00

I think I saw this on someone's blog, can't remember who. What I remember is people talking about what they love to look at.

I like to look at stuff, maybe you do to

Spotty Chops face when he sleeps, smiles, laughs.
My father’s face when Spotty is snuggled up against him.
A beach in the moonlight.
Tulips, my mom’s favorite.
Dragonsnaps, because when my bro and I were littles my da would chase us around the yard making the “dragon roar”.
A field of wildflowers, just because.
A fire in a campsite.
The stars seen from anywhere away from a city.
A newborn baby.
A room my mom “stages”, so clean and inviting,so unlike the clutter filled mess I live in.
The view from THE PORCH, alas it is no more but it remains in our memories.
A bookstore.
Ice cream.
Old couples holding hands.
Men with children holding hands.
Photos of Boytoy and Spotty walking away from me.
The view when we are driving up to the white mountains on Memorial Day, after that dip in the highway when the mountains “just appear”.

Hey Nice Boobs!

2011-07-19T11:52:00.000-04:00

The other day we were getting ready to go swimming. Spotty walked into our bedroom and said
"is that your ladies boob covering thing? I like it, boys don’t need one because ours aren’t as big as yours, but yours is nice”

I rock the rack apparently.

Fransted Campground 4th of July 2011

2011-07-11T13:31:00.000-04:00

Happy Belated 4th of July to those of you that care about that kind of stuff. Guess what we did? NO, No…well ok but only when Spotty was asleep. We spent our time in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with our favorite campground that is celebrating its 50th year in existence. I have probably mentioned this before, but this is my favorite trip of the year. It is the one trip we keep to ourselves. Granted we really aren’t camping with folks much anymore. Between Boy Toy’s crazy search for a job where the Asshats run under supervision - not free (and perhaps some paid vacation time) and other people having kids that are now older and (gasp) lives of their own, well life happens. For those of you keeping track we still have to go camping 3 times a year through 2017 to get a decent ROI on the tent. Oh and they now have this.

I want this so bad I can taste it, but did you see the price? In Euro’s? and the exchange rate? Frell me hard, that will add a couple of years before optimal ROI, but I NEED THIS.

Odd but looking back at the weekend I realize that there was no rock throwing. NONE. In fact we didn’t go to the river at all. Spotty went to the office a few times. We had to hit Littleton early on Saturday because we found out at bedtime Friday night that Spotty’s air mattress had a leak. Luckily I brought 4 extra sleeping bags so we used that as a cushion. Turns out. THE MUTHER FUCKING MICE ATE HOLES IN THE AIR MATTRESS. I HATE THEM ALL!!!! We hit Duncan’s, Walmart and Chutters all before 10am. Then we headed back to Franconia to watch the Parade. They limited parking even more and we were a bit nervous (as it looked like folks started parking before we hit Littleton), but as luck would have it (and we have had several years of good luck) we were able to pull right into a spot under a tree so I had shade Yea! It did not see as crowded as in years past, not sure if the weather (I did mention that we set up in the rain didn’t I?) or if the gas prices are what keep folks away. We had a great time, there were floats, vets and folks tossing candy our way, what more can we ask for? The rest of the day was spent playing, reading, eating and a private fireworks display.

The next day was the Fransted Fair. There were waterslides, a bounce house and an inflatable obstacle course. I have no photos (not true I have several crappy photos) as it of course started to drizzle that turned into something that was less that a downpour, but more than a passing shower. We also tie dyed. Life is good. We had a scary moment with Spotty. He was bouncing in the bouncy house and he and an older kid smashed into each other, Spotty’s nose hit the kids head/cheek. Spotty was not himself for at least an hour, we were worried he had broken his nose. Luckily he did not, his nose finally looks normal, and after an hour Spotty was back to normal so all was well.

So not much happened, which is just the way we like it.

Dear Spotty Chop you are 76 months old today

2011-07-03T09:20:00.008-04:00

One day you were so excited to be part of “the band” that your afterschool friends created. The next day when I went to pick you up, you were dancing, spinning and jumping around. You told your daddy that the band had kicked you out. When we asked why you said “you don’t need to know why”, dada said “I would like to know”, but you instead told us that you said fine I will make up my own band with 4 people. The members of your band are: a girl and the 2 Y counselors. You frelling amaze me. I would have been devastated and crying hysterically. Maybe you were at some point, you are super sensitive like me, and it’s a curse not a blessing. But when I picked you up you were working hard on your dance moves, when you told us about not being in the band you didn’t act upset. I would have been upset for days and hurt for so much longer.

You and dada had a conversation before we started watching game 3 of the Stanley Cup. Dada told you that this was an important game and that the Bruins had not been this far in the series since the early 1990’s. You said “well after they win we should have a big celebration the day after. It could be like the best day ever!” You were right kiddo it was!

There has been a ton of end of the year stuff to do at your school. There was a concert with all the kindergarteners. Nannie and Papa were able to come. I screwed up the camcorder and only tapes about 30 seconds of it. I was bent out of shape. You asked Nannie and Papa if they would like to meet your friends and then proceeded to introduce them to everyone in your class, every teacher and then had them running around the school to show them all of your classes and what you did in each. It was so sweet. I am amazed at how old you are at times.

I volunteered at Field Day. I manned the Mummy Wrap station. There were lengths of cloth attached to a spindle like thing and your partner was supposed to wrap you up like a mummy. There was also a bin of “dress up stuff” and you could decorate your mummy if you wanted to. I also participated in a parent vs teacher tug of war. At first there was only 1 guy standing out there for the parents. I couldn’t let that be the end of it, and yes we won.

We also went on a field trip to Southwick Zoo. Jman and his mom were there as well as Crazy boy and his mom. We got there right as they were opening and then were told to hit the parking lot around 1pm (we were the last group out). You had a blast with the animals and your friends. But I seriously think you all loved the playground the most. Who knew?

We went to the drive-ins and saw Cars 2. We went with Jman and his family. It was awesome seeing you running around with the kids. We ate pizza, popcorn, candy and sat in the back of the Jeep as the mist slowly turned to rain. I won’t saw downpour, but it was certainly wet. You were a bit freaked out at first. You seemed to think it was going to be scary. It wasn’t but at one point Jman had his hands over his ears and you had your hands over your eyes.

You started summer camp. Every evening when I pick you up you run to me and when I ask you how your day went you tell me it was the BEST DAY EVER. You have made new friends. You are swimming in a lake. You are playing on playgrounds. You are making art. You are waiting for Jman and Flame (his sis) to come to camp as well. I hope they are going there. You are really looking forward to being in camp with them. A bunch of your friends went to the summer program run by the same folks that do the before and after school program. Dada and I started feeling bad that most of your friends (or at least kids you know) are together and you are not. Dada talked to you about this the other day and explained that we didn’t want you to have to do the same thing you do during school all summer long and that the camp you are in sounded to us like the most fun. You said “it’s ok dada, I really like this camp.”

You also started going back to Nannie and Papa’s 1 day a week. When I got to the house, you were hiding under the kitchen table with a napkin over your face. You were so convinced that Papa couldn’t find you. It was a good thing because Papa had a broom and was shouting “I will hit you with a broom until you cry like a little girl.” Which I guess if you didn’t know my father, or Spotty or me would sound vaguely wrong. Instead we were all shrieking with laughter. You were really upset when we left because Papa couldn’t get out of work early and you felt like you didn’t have enough time to play. I reminded you that you would be seeing them every week and maybe we could plan a sleep over so Papa could have you a whole day. That made you happy.

Our 2nd camping trip of the year is going on even as this is being read. The 4th of July trip is my all time favorite!

You have started coming back into our bed every night again. You have fine tuned your ninja skills as neither your father nor I notice it until we wake up at 5 am.

I love you kiddo!

Who Says…you can’t enjoy a pop song?

2011-06-29T15:40:00.001-04:00

I just realized I like this song. Is it a Disney manufacture? Yes. Is the “Star” actually singing? I think so.

I know a lot of people hate the “pop princesses” that Disney churns out. Approximately every 4 years or so, as soon as one becomes a bit too old for the tween crowd there is another waiting in the wings, ready to be over exposed and exploited. Lord knows I have made snarky comments on the interchangeable moppets’.

I believe that for many of them, Disney, their parents, the media, and they themselves do a disservice to society as a whole. But truthfully this affects me in no way whatsoever. Spotty Chop has no interest in them. Of course he may someday. Perhaps his heart will even break because of one of them. I will have to cross that bridge if it’s ever in my sights, but not today.

I think the world can do worse than a song that tells kids to question people that are full of negativity. It sucks that kids may have to hear this message in a song, but let’s face it, some kids have parents that SUCK, and some kids simply need to hear things multiple times before they believe. Hell, it isn’t just kids that need to hear the message.

Not everyone has a Spotty Chop in their lives.

You’ve got every right to a beautiful life…

Some of My Favorite Muppets Moments (thanks You Tube)

2011-06-27T13:55:00.002-04:00

Bohemian Rhapsody

Ode to Joy

Julie Andrews

Liza Manelli

Linda Ronstadt

John Cleese

Sandra Bullock

Martins Telephone

Star Wars

Patrick Stewart

Alphabet Song

I’d like to be a whale please…

2011-06-23T13:48:00.001-04:00

this email made me giggle

Recently, in a large city in Australia, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym.

It said, "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

A middle-aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern,

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans.) They have an active sex life, get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist.

If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex?

Just look at them ... where is IT? Therefore, they don't have kids either.

Not to mention, who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me:

I want to be a whale.

P.S. This is an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver, and a piece of chocolate with my friends.

With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies.

So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.

Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, ¨Good grief, look how smart I am!¨

Memorial Day Camping at FransTed

2011-06-22T13:39:00.000-04:00

I figured I should probably try to get this post in seeing as we are going camping again in a little over a week. God we love camping but let me tell you that this trip didn’t start off so great. I spent the night before tossing my cookies all night, why? Who frelling knows. I then had to pack up the car myself, not a big deal, I do it pretty much every trip as Boy Toy is always working. I felt like ass, it was hot, I wanted to clean the house so I could come home to a clean house…never happened.

The trip up was fine, we listened to the first 3 books in the Secrets of Droon series. Spotty LOVED it. He has mentioned that he wishes we had a DVD player in the car like Grammie, but I think books on tape/cd are so much better. I also found in Newbury Comics a CD of Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. We don’t have this book, but have Falling Up and we read it often. Anyhoo, Traffic SUCKED. Boy Toy was in a panic as the Bruins were playing an important game. We finally get up there and scope out a couple of bars to see if they have the game on. They do, but they are all crowded. We pull into the campground and a note is on the office door “no movie tonight Bruins Playoff on!” Boy Toy is in 7th heaven. We fly up to the site, put the outside of our tent up, he runs down to watch hockey. It starts to rain which turns into one of the worst thunder storms they have seen in a long time. Of course it is pouring. I am trying to get the rest of the tent together, it is pitch black, I have gotten our things under a tarp, Spotty is a little freaked out by the storm and all I want to do is throw up. I was certainly not as patient with Spotty as I should have been. I broke the pole of our additional shelter (goes over the table and keeps tons of stuff dry). Boy Toy comes up and I am huddled in a ball in the middle of the tent with Spotty leaning against me. It’s after 9pm we haven’t eaten since 2. Boy Toy drives us down to the office, we get milk and eat cereal. He drives us back to the site and then goes to watch the next period. Spotty and I eat cereal, I put two air mattresses on the ground with the sleeping bags on top and say “I am DONE, lets read”. Side note: our tent is German made, I have mentioned it on several occasions. I LOVE this tent. I would marry this tent and have its babies. But, the tent itself does not attach to the floor so long story short, bugs can get in. I did not care. We read and slept and the next morning had no bug bites at all (and as we ALL know by now, the Bruins won and advanced WOO WOO!)

Saturday was great, we hung out at the campground did campground things and also did the Littleton thing. I was starting to feel better and Spotty was feeling better because we set the tent up the right way “it just doesn’t feel like camping with the tent all wrong”. Sorry buddy.

Sunday was Story Land. Spotty and I had a blast.

Wasn’t the best trip we have had, far too much drama between Boy Toy and I. Here’s to hoping the next trip has less asshattery.

Holy Shit! The Bruins Win! 6/15/11

2011-06-15T23:30:00.000-04:00

DO YOU BELIEVE

GO BRUINS!!!!!

2011-06-13T23:20:00.000-04:00

Can't wait for Wednesday

Dear Spotty Chop you were 75 months old a week or two ago

2011-06-13T15:12:00.000-04:00

Before you went to sleep on Mother’s Day you came up to me and took my hand. “Come with me you said”. You brought me into the kitchen and looked up to me and said “Would you care to dance?” It’s so funny but I go around thinking “I couldn’t possibly be more in love with you” and then you do something that makes me realize that my love for you truly has no bounds.

We went to the Big Apple Circus and let me tell you it was a circus! The first Friday in May I said to Boy Toy – Hey don’t forget we are going to the Big Apple Circus on Sunday, we need to skip swimming. Tuesday as I drove home I thought to myself “self, we need to grab those tickets to see what day...oh FUCK, we missed the friggen Circus. You have been looking forward to this for about a year. It is the only “event” that you kept bring up. Back on line I go and somehow got front row seats for this past Saturday. You LOVED the seats. When the miniature white horses came out you looked at me in wonder. “MOM, they look like unicorns, without the horn!” Later on in the program the Asian troupe was out and one of the girls was sitting facing us. You were giving one of the guys a “round of applause” and she smiled at you. You stared at her and then blew her a kiss. She got the biggest grin. God help me but we are in trouble.

I need to pay more attention to the queues you give. One soccer game you were grumpy, refused to run, wouldn’t listen to the coach, basically had a lousy attitude. I pulled you aside and said “I’m not sure what your problem is, but if you can’t pull it together you will not be playing video games today.” You had a bit of a meltdown. I had you sit on my lap and I told you “you are not trying; all I want you to do is do your best and have fun”. You said “ok mama I will try”, and you did. Were you running as much as you usually do? No, but you were running, and you had a smile on your face, and? You got a goal! Your first! Later that night? Temperature of 103. You are normally 96 or 97. I told you I was sorry about soccer and said “if you didn’t feel well you should have told me”. You said “I didn’t know I didn’t feel well”.

Our first camping trip this year was memorable; you wanted to go down to the office by yourself. We couldn’t think of a reason why you shouldn’t go, so off you went, with a walkie talkie, you were told to call us when you got to the bridge, when you got to the office and then when you were at the bridge again. With the first trip under your belt you went down at least a couple of times a day. You even convinced some of the campground personnel to give your rides on the golf carts.

We had our first trip to the Drive In! We watched Kung Fu Panda 2. We picked you up right from the YMCA. We were the 2nd car in line. You had a great time. We had a great time. At one point when Po’s mom had to hide him to keep him safe I started to cry because that’s just what I do. You got really concerned and kept patting my arm and head, “its ok mama, it’s ok”. You are so frelling sweet!

You tried french toast and like it, you didn’t like lemon squares. You still love reading the Boxcar children. You won’t eat chocolate chip muffins anymore, or parmesan cheese. You are on the fence about yogurt. Sometimes you will and sometimes you won’t, same thing with milk, specifically chocolate milk.

I am sure there is more to talk about, but it will have to wait till the next letter. Know that I love you more and more each day. You really are the sunshine in my life.

So what did you do last night?

2011-06-02T13:50:00.001-04:00

Here in Massachusetts (I love spelling out the name of my state, kind of crazy, but it makes me happy . MA- SSA-CHU-SE- TTS. Actually now that I am singing it, it has a similar cadence as my last name. Who knew?

It was a crazy night. I was playing a video game (I sometimes get in 15-20 minutes before I go pick up Spotty Chop. Yes, I could get him earlier, but he always asks if he can stay longer so he can play with his friends, I don’t mind so we usually end up staying until the last kid is shipped out.) Anyways, I was playing Harvest Moon, and as I believe I have mentioned ,not even my profile, but Spotty’s profile that I deleted accidently and now am trying to get him back to where he was, when I saw the cable box flashing ERC (our emergency channel thingy) I thought it was a test. I had trouble at first understanding what I was seeing, there was a tornado warning (not watch) and when it switched back to the news a man was showing us a picture of where the projected path of the tornado was going and funny, it was headed our way. I grabbed food, water, blankets and big pillows and put them next to the basement door. Then I drove like crazy to get Spotty. I spoke to the head counselor and asked if she had heard about the tornado, she had and in fact the director had called earlier to tell them to find an emergency safe spot, which she had. I know where it is and it’s as good a spot as I would have picked. I am very glad they had a plan and were ready to implement at a moment’s notice. I felt much better once I had my hands on my boy. As we drove home I explained to Spotty that we would not be able to play video games or watch TV right away and proceeded to tell him about the Tornado. I asked him if he knew what a tornado was and he said it’s a big wind that can crush houses. I told him that I had a safe place for us in the basement and that I was going to gather stuff so that we could be down there and keep safe. He said he would get his toys together so we could play. I also told him that it was super important that he listen to me and if I said “get to the basement” he needed to run to the basement without arguing or stopping to get anything. Once we got to the house I started bringing everything to the basement including books because you need books to get you through any sort of adversity. Unfortunately our basement has turned into a…shit hole, ok maybe not that bad, but we store lots of crap down there and since the bad flooding of last year there is more stuff that is unorganized so it was a bit of a challenge to navigate quickly behind the bar. Once everything was in place I told Spotty to come on down, I had put down a featherbed and had lots of floor pillows and blankets and several lanterns so we were quite cozy. Our house phone didn’t work, and of course my crackberry doesn’t get reception in the house which meant that I could see that Boy Toy and my parents were trying to call me, but I was unable to pick up the phone to get a connection. Boy Toy did eventually manage to get through once to see if we were ok and to say he was coming home as fast as he could. He has some kind of “weather alert system” on his phone, which makes sense as he works out doors, but it showed him that there was a lot of violent activity where we lived and he worried. At one point Spotty asked if we were going to die. I told him I had no plans on dying, and that we would be ok.

Long story short, we were fine, the tornado never actually came our way, we were able to sleep in our own beds.

God Damn you folks in the mid-west, how the hell do you do it? That was some scary as shit stuff there, I am glad this happens only once or twice every 50 years. I can’t imagine how scary it would have been had the tornado actually touched down where we were.

Springfield MA, snaps to you! I hope you never again have to go through something like that.

Forgot to add -- I was emailing one of my colleagues in London this morning and told him what went on last night. After saying he was glad everyone was ok said:

We had some quite heavy rain at the weekend. I had to turn the radio up as I was sitting in the conservatory reading. All very annoying. Max asked if a thunderstorm was coming. It wasn’t.

I almost wet myself laughing.

Farscape and Netflix

2011-05-25T14:15:00.000-04:00

Last Night I started watching Farscape. I LOVE this series, I was a religious follower every Friday night. When Sly Lie channel canceled the series I protested, I signed things, I was PISSED. So pissed off that I boycotted Sly Lie for YEARS, who the Frell did they think they were getting rid of the best Sci Fi series since ever, and to put in its place SG1? Are you frelling kidding me????? (As I may have mentioned before, Post Partum was kicking my ass for a bit and the only way I could function was to have Spotty Chop lying on me and me watching…the cheese that is Sly lie. I watched ROAR, Star Trek and yes…I broke down and watched SG1).

Back to last night.

Boy Toy was reading to Spotty, so I start watching the first episode (it’s in my queue,) watching the opening minutes and getting kind of giddy as the sights and sounds rolled over me. And then Spotty came into the room and in a moment of clarity I envision watching this with him. The sense of wonder and holy crap this is Frelling un-be-leave-able. So I tell him “some day Spotty Chop you will watch this with me” I pull him up on my lap. “this show will BLOW YOUR MIND!!!!!” “I can’t wait for you to meet all of these people” IT IS UNBELEIVEABLE!!!! Spotty starts giggling. I am fist punching his arms in the air shouting WAIT FOR THE AWESOME!!!! Spotty starts laughing uncontrollably. I realize that I may be more excited about showing him this than I am Star Wars.

Ok now, pick yourselves off the floor. It’s just Spotty knows the entire story line and he has NEVER seen the movies (or the animated series). How can he not with a mom like me, who eats , sleeps and reads Star Wars stuff? So to introduce him to one of the best shows that has ever graced the screen is…mind blowing. And this is just the beginning, there will be Buffy and Firefly and SG1 and….THE HIGHLANDER and….Deep Space 9 and…that might be it…oh no forgot Beavis and Butthead!

I can’t wait!!!!!

25 ways to tell you’re grown up

2011-05-19T15:56:00.000-04:00

God am I old

1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can’t smoke any of them.

2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question

3. you keep more food than beer in the fridge

4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed

5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator

6. You watch the weather channel

7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of “hook up” and “break up”

8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14

9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as “dressed up”

10. You’re the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won’t turn down the stereo.

11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.

12. You don’t know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.

14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald’s leftovers.

15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

16. You take naps

17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.

19. You go to the drug store for Ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.

20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer “pretty good shit”.

21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time

22. “I just can’t drink the way I used to” replaces “I’m never going to drink that much again”.

23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar

25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking “oh shit, what the hell happened?”

BONUS:

26. You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn’t apply to you and can’t find one to save your sorry old ass.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-09T06:14:00.001-04:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic Mother's Day. I snuggled and played.

Got a beautiful card (that I was sobbing hysterically over by the second line)

and some fantastic presents.

I also got Boy Toy and Spotty Chop to go visit Grammie (Nannie will have to wait). And spent 3 or 4 hours BY MYSELF...(played Harvest Moon - for Spotty of course). There was no drama or trauma in my world. I hope you found yourself the same.

Dear Spotty Chop you were 74 months old yesterday

2011-05-04T06:03:00.000-04:00

You often break out into song and I will join you, our latest favorites seem to be from They Might Be Giants off of their Here Comes Science CD.

I like the stories
About angels, unicorns and elves
Now I like the stories
As much as anybody else
But when I'm seeking knowledge
Either simple or abstract
The facts are with science
The facts are with science

And

Iron is a metal, you see it every day
Oxygen, eventually will make it rust away
Carbon in its ordinary form is coal
Crush it together and diamonds are born

Come on, come on and meet the elements
May I introduce you to our friends, the elements?
Like a box of paints that are mixed to make every shade
They either combine to make a chemical compound
Or stand alone as they are

Seem to be stuck in our heads

We also randomly shout out

Photosynthesis
     AHHHHAAAAAAAHHHH
Photosynthesis
     AHHHHHHAAAAHHHHH
Photosynthesis
     AHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Boy Toy and I kind of giggled to ourselves last night thinking about how funny it would be if you turned into a scientist. Not funny in a “that’s so ridiculous way” more in a “wow, how super cool would that be”. You know we don’t care what you become as long as you are happy (although I would be a smidgen more happy if you didn’t end up doing manual labor…just sayin).

You got your first cavity filled. I am so proud of you, you did a great job. You were a little nervous, didn’t like the taste of the numbing agent (I HATE it too buddy) and never noticed that she was giving you shots. The thing you hated most? The bright light. Even though you had sunglasses you were freaking a bit, but that also could have been the numbing stuff numbing your face. Unfortunately we will have to do this again in a month, but getting to stay home all day will hopefully make up for it. Gatorade the Devils own brew!

We are on our 3rd session of swimming lessons and you decided that you didn’t want to wear a bubble. You don’t want to be an Eel, you want to be a Ray and Ray’s don’t wear bubbles. You actually managed to swim across the pool without a bubble. We could only see your eyes but you did it! All of your stroke work went out the window as you just tried to keep moving forward and that’s ok because I am so FRELLING proud of you!!!!

We started reading the Boxcar Children. You loved it! So much so that after the dentist’s office we hopped into the Library and grabbed the next 2 in the series.

I accidently deleted your profile of Harvest Moon Magical Melodies. You wanted me to delete my profile but I convinced you that I would play nothing else but HMMM until your profile was back to Year 3, with all the stuff you had and more. I have researched the shit out of this game and I am in it to win it baby! Plus, this game relaxes me. It is mindless fun. Don’t get me wrong it’s no Dragon’s Age, but believe it or not? Sometimes I don’t want to take part in wanton slaughter (most of the time, just not ALL of the time). Don’t worry Ahn, you will have your level 2 Barn, level 3 house, 3 cows, 3 sheep and by GOD you will have not 1 but 2 horses or my name isn’t me.

Finally, last Friday daddy picked you up, when you got home you came running in to see me. “I have a present for you” you said and started unwrapping it.

“It’s for you to have hot coco or tea in”

I LOVE YOU. Sometimes I think these 3 words aren’t enough to express how earth shattering much I love you. But I do.

Thematic Photographic 143 - Please be seated

2011-04-25T09:03:00.000-04:00

A brief intro - Carmi takes photos, he challenges you the reader to take photos and post them to matche his theme challenge. I struggle with finding things that aren't Spotty Chop. YOU should not have the same problem

If you have never heard of this, click Here

This weeks theme is Sitting Sitting

Eggcelent!

Some Bunny Loves You

2011-04-24T21:54:00.001-04:00

The meaning of Easter? Helping your kid believe in magic

Spotty Chops Eggcelent Adventure

2011-04-23T21:53:00.000-04:00

We spent the day with Moo, Freak Show, Hippy Chick, CR and Cheese Please and about 6 or 7 dozen eggs.

Several weeks ago Spotty said “I can’t wait to go to Auntie Moo’s to color Easter Eggs”. So I immediately wrote to her to say “Not sure if you guys were planning on coloring, Spotty apparently is.

Moo wrote back

a) I do whatever Spotty says.

b) Of course we are coloring eggs.

One of the many reasons he loves visiting the Moo family. What are the other reasons? Well…

there is a puppy

A Pillow pile

An insane Lego race (that I got NO photos of…I was too busy building my ship, finding a force field and repelling attacks from Freak Show. )

And eggs!

Happy Egg Day to all!

News Flash Spotty Chop does something other than play video games

2011-04-21T13:10:00.000-04:00

Look at my baby!

I loved playing soccer as a kid. I was always good at it, not great, which was hard growing up in a town that seemed almost European in its fanatical pursuit of producing the BEST soccer teams around.

I think I could have been great…if I practiced, which I didn’t. I was lucky that I enjoyed being really good without effort. Mainly because I was very fast (I ran both indoor and outdoor track). The town we live in now? I don’t believe they really focus on soccer. I’m ok with that. I want Spotty to learn how to play on a team. I think it’s important especially as he has no siblings. He will learn how to compromise, how to pitch in, how to deal with the asshats that hog the ball, how to become something bigger than himself. I think he will be a decent soccer player, he is quite fast and seems to have an innate knack of body position. Will he be great? Don’t know and more importantly Don’t care. I want him to have fun with a sport that he will be able to play for most of his life.

This won’t be the last time you see photos of soccer…especially if I can find some of me playing!

Boston Bruins Prayer

2011-04-13T06:15:00.000-04:00

Our Father, who art in Boston.
Hockey be thy name.
Thy will be done.
The cup will be won.
On ice, as well as in the stands.
Give us this day our hockey sticks.
And forgive us our penalties, as we forgive those who cross-check against us.
Lead us not into elimination, but deliver us to victory.
In the name of the fans, Lord Stanley and in the name of da BRUINS! AMEN!!!

What’s in a name?

2011-04-09T12:41:00.002-04:00

So I heard of this and gave it a try you should too

Spotty’s anagram name is Soppy, Hot CT (when using Spotty Chop as his name)
Apparently we have a new state

If I use his actual name….

WHAT-HO! MAXIMISE SCUM DOZY TWIT

Mine? I’m glad you asked

IS A WIZARD NUKES

Damn straight!!!

Buffy Season 6

2011-04-07T05:42:00.003-04:00

My favorite quotes of this season...

Tara: It was supposed to confuse him but it just made him peppy. Its not supposed to mix with anything. You think he's taking prescription medication?

Willow: I got her head back on, didn't I? And I got her off those knock-knock jokes.

Xander: Scenario: We raise Buffy from the grave. She tries to eat our brains. Do we: a) congratulate ourselves on a job well done-
Willow: Xander, this isn't zombies.
Anya: And zombies don't eat brains anyway, unless instructed to by their zombie master. A lot of people get that wrong.

Xander: I know we've been going straight because I've been following the North Star.
Willow: Xander, that's not the North Star, it's an airplane.

Giles: Well, I know I'm back in America now. I've been knocked unconscious.

Warren: What the hell is that?
Andrew: Death Star, dude! Wicked, huh?
Jonathan: Uh, thermal exhaust port's above the main port, numbnuts.
Andrew: For your information, I'm using the Empire's revised design from Return of the Jedi.
Jonathan: That's a flawed design!

Dawn: So what are you supposed to be?
Anya: An angel.
Dawn: Oh, shouldn't you have wings?
Anya: Um, no, this is a special kind of angel called a Charlie. We don't have wings, we just skate around with perfect hair fighting crime.

Buffy: Did you know about this?
Giles: No. Unless I blocked it from my memory, much as I will Xander's vigorous use of his tongue.
Buffy: Is that why you're always cleaning your glasses? So you won't have to see what we're doing?
Giles: Tell no one.

Buffy: Were you parking? With a vamp?
Dawn: I didn't know he was dead.
Justin: Living dead.
Dawn: Shut up.
Buffy: How did you not know?
Dawn: I just met him.
Buffy: Oh, so you were parking with a boy you just met?
Justin: We've seen each other at parties.
Buffy: Shut up.
Dawn: Oh, like you've never fallen for a vampire?
Buffy: That was different.
Dawn: It always is when it's you.

Tara: To what? Violate my mind like that? How could you, Willow? How could you after what Glory did to me?
Willow: Violate you? I... I-I didn't ... mean anything like that, I-I, I just wanted us not to fight any more. I love you.
Tara: If you don't wanna fight, you don't fight. You don't use magic to make a fight disappear.
Willow: But I-I just wanted to make things better. Better for us.
Tara: But you don't get to decide what is better for us, Will. We're in a relationship, we are supposed to decide together

Giles: Magic! Magic's all balderdash and chicanery. I'm afraid we don't know a bloody thing. Except I seem to be British, don't I? Uh, and a man. With... glasses. Well, that narrows it down considerably.

Giles: We'll get our memory back, it'll all be right as rain.
Spike: Oh, listen to Mary Poppins. He's got his crust all stiff and upper with that Nancy-boy accent. You English men are always so... bloody hell! Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks. Oh god... I'm English.
Giles: Welcome to the Nancy tribe.
Spike: You don't suppose you and I...we're not related, are we?
Anya: There is a ruggedly handsome resemblance.
Giles: Yes, and you do inspire a particular feeling of familiarity and ... disappointment. Older brother?
Spike: Father. Oh God, how I must hate you!
Giles: What did I do!?

Buffy: Hey... how've you been?
Amy: Rat. You?
Buffy: Dead.
Amy: Oh.

Xander: Anya has a theory. She thinks that Martha Stewart froze that guy.
Anya: Don't be ridiculous. Martha Stewart isn't a demon. She's a witch.
Xander: Please, she-Really?
Anya: Of course. Nobody could do that much découpage without calling on the powers of darkness.

Buffy: Yeah, well, to you and me they're just candles, but to witches they're like... bongs.

Buffy: You know, this place is okay for a hole in the ground. You fixed it up.
Spike: Well, I ate a decorator once. Maybe something stuck.

Willow: You know, when I was little I used to spend hours imagining what my wedding to Xander would be like. And now I look at them and just think... he-he-he!

Willow: Just so you know, I'm prepared to hate this woman any way you want.
Buffy: Thanks, but no. I don't wanna seem all petty.
Willow: Well, that's the beauty. You can't, but I can. Please. Let me carry the hate for the both of us.
Buffy: Go nuts.

Andrew: Think your little witch buddy's gonna stop with us? You saw her! She's a truck-driving magic mama! And we've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers. And not one of you bunch has the midi-clorians to stop her.
Xander: You've never had any tiny bit of sex, have you?
Anya: The annoying virgin has a point.

Anya: I care if you live or die, Xander. I'm just not sure which one I want

Dark Willow: You called me a rank, arrogant amateur. Well buckle up, Rupert... 'Cause I've turned pro.

Dark Willow: Is this the master plan? You're gonna stop me by telling me ya love me?
Xander: Well, I was going to walk you off a cliff and hand you an anvil, but, eh, it seemed kinda cartoony.

Dear Spotty Chop you were 73 months old yesterday

2011-04-04T12:38:00.003-04:00

Your daddy and you were talking the other day about how nice it was having the sun be bright when Boy Toy goes to pick you up. Boy Toy said “do you know that up in Alaska during the winter they only get one hour of sun a day, but in the summer? It doesn’t get dark until 10 or 11 pm.” Your eyes grew wide, “I’m going to live there!” Boy Toy then said you would have to eat whale. You thought about it for a minute. “I’ll have to wear a whale coat.”
You told us last night that you have been kissing Olivia (classmate), when I asked what did Olivia do? You replied “she kisses me back”. When Boy Toy started to tease you by singing “Spotty’s got a girlfriend” you yelled back “she’s not my girlfriend I’m just kissing her!” My head is going to explode.

Another tooth bites the dust.

We went to Chuck E Cheese and Boy Toy said “hey bud there is Chuck E do you want to go over and say hi?” You looked at your dad and said “that’s not Chuck E”. Boy toy asked how you knew that and you said “look at his eyes, they don’t blink, he can’t be real.” Trust you to come up with a logical answer.

We went to the Providence Bruins with your school. You got a hat and a St. Patrick’s Day T-Shirt. You seemed to have fun even though only one kid from your class went… Olivia

You start soccer on Saturday. You have been out playing with me and your dad. I hope you like it. I think you will be good at it; you have great sense of the ball and your body. I can’t wait to watch you run down the field.

You have been reading chapter books by yourself and it’s kinda freaking me out. You read in the morning program and at school. I can’t even remember what the latest book is called. We went to the library and you saw it and said “Anadude has this book, I have GOT to read THIS”. You still let us read to you, I hope that never stops…although if you want to read Kushiels Dart, you are on your own

The YMCA has a “parent’s night out” program. For $15 you can stay & play & eat & swim from 6:30 –9:00 pm. I have seen the flyers but never game it much thought. Apparently you have. A few days before the event you came to us and said “wouldn’t you like to go out on a date and pretend it was your anniversary?” Boy Toy asked if this had to do with “parent’s night out” and you said “oh yes, I really really want to go.” So we brought you. You have a fantastic time and want to know when the next one is. Since baby sitters are getting $10 an hour, we will gladly go out to eat like it’s our anniversary.

You had your annual check-up. You are in the 50% height, 50% weight and your BMI has dropped. I love your pediatrician. He talks to you when he has a question, not to us about you. I remember at your last visit I sometimes spoke for you, but I didn’t need to then, and I certainly don’t need to now. I kept my mouth shut and let you do the talking. I did however mention that I have suddenly started getting migraines, and you twice have mentioned that your head hurt. The doc wasn’t worried, but put it in his notes in case that is something we need to watch for. The doc also told you that you need to drink at least 2 cups of milk a day. You asked if you could eat yogurt instead. You now remind us that you need to drink milk and yogurt.

Nannie and Papa made a treasure hunt for you for your birthday. Papa wrote out the clues. He had your running all over the house and yard to find the next clue/present. When it was all over he said “I completely forgot how many Fing rabbits are in the inside of the house and lions are on the outside.

We went down to Hyannis so I could attend a scrapbooking convention. The hotel had a great pool with waterslides and wave pool. You had a BLAST. I got to scrapbook, you and daddy got to play video games and swim. I can’t wait for the longer one in November!!!

I’ve changed my hours at work so that dada could take a new job offer. He doesn’t get to pick you up any more, this makes him sad. But he only has ½ days on Friday and he doesn’t have to work weekends which means he will get to watch you play soccer and we may be able to do more camping too. I now come home earlier so I can pick you up. I get to miss a lot of traffic and see you much earlier than I used to. As you would say “it’s an extra crunchy bonus!”

Love ya tons!!!!

Maple Sugar Days in Massachusetts

2011-03-14T21:40:00.000-04:00

I like to write out Massachusetts because I sing while I type. M A-SS A-CHUS-ETTS.

We went to Blue Hills Reservation on Saturday to enjoy a beautiful if windy day at Brookwood Farm in Milton. I have had just about enough of the winter and staying indoors. I needed us out enjoying the sun. Spotty Chop wasn't so sure. When we got there he said “if this is boring I’m gonna, I’m gonna…well I don’t know what I’m going to do, I won’t hate you because I love you, but I am going to be mad." God help me.

We took a trolley from the Houghton's Pond parking area to the Farm. Spotty had a perma grin stuck on his face, he loved looking around the trolley. Such a simple thing, an old fashion trolley, but being with him I saw it anew, beautiful wood and iron seats, big windows, a treat for the eyes.

We paid the admission fee, which supported the Trailside museum and followed our nose. There was a small barn and wafting from the inside was the delicious smell of maple syrup. There was a man boiling syrup and a table with samples of, quite frankly, the best tasting maple syrup I have ever tasted, and I have tasted a lot. We have spent a long time in VT and NH where maple syrup is king, but I have never tasted anything like this. Moo and Freak Show made maple syrup last year, I remember that it took forever, not sure if it was the best tasting thing in the world, but I can imagine it was close.

After getting samples and then getting the largest bag of kettle corn I could possibly buy we started our journey.

There were 5 stations starting with how the Native Americans may have made the first maple syrup. Apparently the sap from the maple trees will run on the saplings and would freeze and form icicles. The Native Americans realized that some icicles were sweet. They believe that they would cut open the trunk and drop heated stones into the sap. The first settlers would boil enough sap to make maple sugar to last the year, and to possibly sell. At one station Spotty tried drilling into a post with a hand drill and placed a spout and pail. We were able to taste sap coming directly out of a tree. It tastes like slightly sweet water and looks just like water. We also got to play some games,

Walking on stilts

Sawing a log

But the most fun of all?

When we finally got back to the car we asked Spotty if he had a good time. He replied, “I had a great time, we were outside in the fresh air and we had family time, what’s not to like”.

We will be planning some more outdoor adventures soon.

Big Happenings

2011-03-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

The tooth fairy is pleased she can finally come get a tooth. She's been like a black fly, buzzing here, buzzing there totally PO that she's been kept waiting. We were brushing teeth before bed when I thought I saw something odd, "spit in my had Spotty" he complied and low and behold, I held the tinest tooth I have ever seen in my life. I thought it was a piece of rice...we didn't have rice for dinner.

I am super psyched that Spotty's smile kind of hides the fact that he has a missing tooth, unlike SOME photos of smiling children where you can instantly see the gap. But by god this is a photo moment and I wanted to see the hole!

Now to wait for the second tooth to fall out. If it takes as long as the first one we will be camping before it comes out!

Dear Spotty Chop you are 72 months old today

2011-03-03T21:42:00.000-05:00

You wrote out all of your valentines out yourself. We started a week before Valentine’s Day so that you would have time to do this and not be rushed. You really seemed to enjoy picking out a special card for each of the kids in your class, writing their names and signing yours.

You and dada made me a valentine, Boy Toy asked if you should get me some chocolate to go with the card, you told him you needed to think about it. After some time had passed he asked you again and you told him “we don’t want it to be too sweet”. When Boy Toy said that you would be getting good chocolate and how much I love chocolate you then said “I don’t mean that kind of sweet, I mean…we don’t want to be too good.” REALLY? Who’s freakin child are you?

We have been very anti social this month. We stayed in and watched TV and played games. None of us has felt very good so we didn’t push ourselves.

You have been very excited about your birthday coming up and the fact that your dada and you decided you should stay home and do what you want to do.

We went to the Winter Ball. We boogied, we ate, and we won candy. At times it seemed like it was too loud for you. I think we are going to have to get you earplugs.

You spent time at Nannie and Papa’s for February vacation. You slept over. Papa played with you all day Monday, Tuesday he had to go to work for a few hours, but then he came back and played more. Nannie took you to Toys R us, just to look around; you came home with a slew of new toys.

You also spent time with your daddy. You went on a glow in the dark mini golf adventure. You also went to a McDonalds play place. You guys played Bakugan, Beyblades, Pokemon, cars, board games and of course video games. I am glad you all have fun while I worked.

You came home one day and your knuckles were really red and swollen. You said you didn’t know what happened. Your dada, who has to get to the bottom of everything no matter how trivial or insignificant, was able to get you to tell him what happened. You were working in clay and you got frustrated so you punched the clay block. Baby boy I love you so much. Please understand when I say THIS I WILL NOT ALLOW. We will not go down this road.

You are Six years old. My head hurts just thinking about it. You are such an amazing person. I really have a hard time remembering what life was like without you. I don’t need to. You bring me such joy. I hope you continue to have days like today, when you first woke up, when you went through the house to see how we decorated it, when you ran back from the living room and dived in-between us saying. “You guys are so awesome, my head is exploding, it is like splitting in two with goodness. I love you guys.” Not nearly as much as we love you kiddo. Happy Birthday!
Kisses
mama

Song from the heart

2011-02-26T20:39:00.002-05:00

Spotty Chop just sang to me while I was giving him a shower

I love you
And you love me
That’s the way it’s gonna be
FOREVER
FOREVER
I love ya baby foooorev-ahhhh

He sang it to Boy Toy before stories and he said “dada if you are ever missing me you can sing that and you will feel me here” and he took Boy Toy's hand and put it over his heart.

Queue waterworks, now I have to figure out how to tape it so I will have it forever...FOREEEEVERrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thematic Photographic 135 - Letters

2011-02-25T00:20:00.001-05:00

If you have never heard of this, click here
A brief intro - Carmi takes kick ass photos, he challenges you the reader to come up and post a photo that matches his theme challenge. It is sometimes a challenge but always enjoyable, So take a picture already.

This week's theme is Letters

I was trying to walk through my living room and thought I would share my view.

HOLY CRAP my baby is getting big

2011-02-24T18:53:00.000-05:00

The Gaelic Fire Department

2011-02-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

This makes me laugh every time I read it

One night outside a small town, a fire started inside the local chemical plant. In the blink of an eye, it exploded into massive flames. The alarm went out to all fire departments for miles around. When the volunteer fire fighters appeared on the scene, the chemical company president rushed to the fire chief and said, "All our secret formulas are in the vault in the center of the plant. They must be saved. I'll give $50,000 to the fire department that brings them out intact."

But the roaring flames held the firefighters off. Soon more fire departments had to be called in as the situation became desperate. As the firemen arrived, the president shouted out that the offer was now $100,000 to the fire department who could save the company's secret files.

From the distance, a lone siren was heard as another fire truck came into sight. It was the nearby Irish rural township volunteer fire company composed mainly of Irish men over the age of 65. To everyone's amazement, that little broken-down fire engine roared right past all the sleek newer engines that were parked outside the plant.

Without even slowing down, it drove straight into the middle of the inferno. Outside, the other firemen watched as the old timers jumped off right in the middle of the fire and fought it back on all sides. It was a performance and effort never seen before. Within a short time, the Irish old timers had extinguished the fire and saved the secret formulas.

The grateful chemical company president announced that for such a superhuman feat he was upping the reward to $200,000, and walked over to thank each of the brave fire fighters personally. The local TV news reporter rushed in to capture the event on film, asking their chief, "What are you going to do with all that money?"

"Well," said Seamus O’Connor, the 70-year-old fire chief, "The first t’ing we’re goin’ ta do is fix the brakes on that fookin’ truck !"

Good God am I in Trouble

2011-02-15T13:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Spotty Chop and his father come into the house after a Home Depot run. I hear Spotty stomping towards me and as he is walking into his bedroom (where I was folding laundry) I hear "MAMA, What do YOU mean you didn't marry Dada? YOU can't be living together!" indignant and with righteous anger.

"Oh baby", I said, "your daddy and I have been together for longer than most, if not all of your friends parents. We love each other and just didn't feel like getting married."

"Well, I don't know, I have to think about this, you shouldn't be in the same house."

So I go to Boy Toy "what the fuck!" and he laughing says "he asked me on the ride home if we had a good wedding and I said 'if you say so' and then he asked if we were even married and I told him he had to ask you."

THIS ladies and gentlemen is WHY I never married the asshat.

Dear Diary, Welcome to Boston

2011-02-10T15:00:00.000-05:00

an oldie but a goodie...

Dear Diary

Aug. 1
Moved to our new home in Massachusetts. It is so beautiful here. The
city is so picturesque. Can hardly wait to see it covered with snow.
I LOVE IT HERE

Oct. 14
New England is the most beautiful place on earth. The leaves are
turning all different colors. I love the shades of red and orange.
Went for a ride through the hills and saw some deer. They are so
graceful. Certainly they are the most peaceful animals on earth.
This must be paradise.
I LOVE IT HERE.

Nov. 11
Deer season will open soon. I can't imagine anyone wanting to kill
such an elegant creature. The very symbol of peace and tranquillity.
Hope it will snow soon.
I LOVE IT HERE.

Dec. 2
It snowed last night. Woke up to find everything blanketed in white.
It looked like a postcard. Went outside and cleaned snow off the
steps and shoveled the driveway. We had a snowball fight today (I
won).

When the snow-plow came by we had to shovel the driveway again. What
a beautiful place. Mother Nature in perfect harmony.
I LOVE IT HERE.

Dec. 12
More snow last night. I love it. The snowplow did his trick again
(that rascal). A winter wonderland.
I LOVE IT HERE.

Dec. 19
Snowed again last night. Couldn't get out of the driveway to get to
work this time. I'm exhausted from shoveling. Fucking Snowplow!

Dec. 22
More of that white shit fell last night. I've got blisters on my
hands from shoveling. I think the snowplow hides around the corner
and waits until I'm done shoveling. That Asshole!

Dec. 25
"White Christmas" my busted ass. More fucking snow. If I ever get my
hands on that son-of-a-bitch who drives that snowplow, I swear I will
castrate the dumb bastard. Don't know why they don't use more salt on
this fucking ice.

Dec. 28
More of the same shit last night. Been inside since Christmas day
except for when "Snowplow Harry" comes by. Can't go anywhere. The
car is buried in a mountain of white shit. The weatherman says
expect another 10 inches of this shit tonight. Do you know how many
shovels full of snow 10 inches is?

Jan. 1
Happy Fucking New Year.
The weatherman was wrong (AGAIN). We got 34 fucking inches of snow
this time. At this rate it won't melt until the 4th of July. The
snowplow got stuck down the road and shit for brains had the balls to
come to the door and ask to borrow my shovel. I told him I broke 6
shovels already, shoveling out the shit he plowed into my driveway. I
broke the 7th shovel over his fucking head.

Jan. 4
Finally got out of the house today. Went to the store to get food and
on the way back a deer ran out in front of the car and I hit the
fucker. Did about $3,000.00 damage to the car. Wish the hunters
would have killed them all last November.

May 3
Took the car to the garage in town today. Would you believe the body
is rotting away from all the fucking salt they keep dumping all over
the roads. It really looks like a piece of shit.

May 10
Moved to North Carolina today. I can't imagine why anyone in their
right fucking mind would want to live in the God forsaken State of
Massachusetts.

Thematic Photographic 133 - Singles

2011-02-07T13:27:00.001-05:00

If you have never heard of this, click here

A brief intro - Carmi takes kick ass photos, he is also a techie dork. He challenges you the reader to come up and post a photo that matches his theme challenge.

I do try on occasion to not have Spotty be the only type of photo I take.

Carmi’s theme this week is singles. So I am posting a few photos of my only college roommate.

Roomie died in October of 2008 and I have to say I am having a harder time now dealing with her death than I did when it was still fresh. Roomie and I could go months without speaking and then we would cram as much stuff into a few conversations as we could. I think it’s just been too many months of not talking to her..

This was Roomie at my baby shower. I now know that she had just miscarried her second child. She still showed up to support me and soon to be Spotty Chop.

This is a photo of us at a Father Daughter dance. Simmons was all over this crap. I love this photo because this shows her goofy side

This is a photo of us at The Others wedding. The 3 of us made a team of “tiny pagan ladies”. I think we both look awfully purdy.

So Weenie meister meister weenie Fuck you for being dead. I don’t like it and I still miss you.

Dear Spotty Chop you are 71 months old today

2011-02-03T22:11:00.001-05:00

You are playing Star Wars Lego’s. Cousin P let you take his X-Box version so you restarted from the beginning. Your daddy is amazed at how well you are playing. You had all of the characters in the first row except for one in a matter of hours. You wanted to quit, but your dad was like “no way, I know we can find this one, it’s in the room somewhere”. So he is running around, he can’t find it he is trying everything and you say “we need someone to fly” while daddy was thinking “someone that flies is R2D2 or Boba Fett” then you said, “daddy use Bobo Fett”. You and dada came up with the same resolution at the same time.

You are Wicked Smaht!

I wasn’t feeling well, bad cough and while I was in the bathroom coughing my lungs out you came in and started rubbing my back. “Are you ok mama? You will feel better soon”.

You are so sweet.

You started swimming lessons. You seem to be really enjoying them. Hopefully by this summer you will be even stronger than you were last year. Not that I will let you be in the pool area alone, but it will make me feel better once I know you are a strong swimmer. You are a pretty fast swimmer, maybe you will want to race?

You and daddy sometimes make dinner, it was going really well until you accidently brushed against a hot pan. You got a decent burn and said you would never cook again. Luckily you dad was able to convince you that you could still do prep work without touching any pans.

One of the snow storms we had recently forced me to do some shoveling. At some point the front door opened and you walked out, fully dressed with boots, hat, mittens and jacket. I was amazed that you could do all that without any assistance or prompting.

We were over Auntie D, #3 and Mantha’s, we haven’t seen them since before X-Mass. You had such a good time playing with their puppy. She chased you around the house and when you tripped and fell to the floor, she pounced and then licked your face for so long that you could hardly catch your breath because of how hard you were laughing.

We watched you sing at a school concert. Nannie and Papa came too. You were so handsome. I watched as your face lit up when you saw Nannie and Papa, then you were looking for us and if possible your face grew even brighter.

We went to the Providence Bruins, your cousin Hockey was playing in between periods. Hockey got the only goal for his team. When Hockey came back in the stands to watch the 3rd period you told him that “you are the best hockey player I know, I was really proud of you!” Hockey and his mom seemed really touched by that.

Love to love ya baby!

Thematic Photographic 132 – Curves

2011-01-28T11:16:00.001-05:00

If you have never heard of this, click here
A brief intro - Carmi takes kick ass photos, he challenges you the reader to come up and post a photo that matches his theme challenge. It is always enjoyable, so click on baby!

This week it’s time to reflect on Curves. This is my view in my cubical of DOOM. We recently moved and a new co-worker kindly installed a bar from the ceiling so I too could have fresh oxygen. I also happen to sit at the end of a long corridor. It makes me happy to see green.

Hey I spy with my little eye a few more curves as well.

Thematic Photographic 131 - Blue

2011-01-26T14:58:00.000-05:00

Its been a LOOOONG while, but I am jumping into Carmi's theme of the week and I am wicked late as he updates the challenge tomorrow, but what the heck.

If you have never heard of this, click here
A brief intro - Carmi takes kick ass photos, he challenges you the reader to come up and post a photo that matches his theme challenge. It is always enjoyable, so click on baby!

This week its time to reflect on Blue. Some back story. My mom has always bought my dad blue shirts because it brings out the blue in his eyes, and I though she was bat shit insane for doing it. Then I had Spotty, with eyes like this.

What did I find when I went looking for a photo to post? The fact that I only found about 2 photos that do not have blue in them. I am insane. I am also going to be doing a separate post of my favorite photos of Spotty. Not for you dear reader, but for me. I LOVE looking at my boy.

Here are some of the thousands of blue photos, that I have already used in my blog. Holy crap I say!

Ok, I need to stop, this isn't the half of what I have already posted...good grief Charlie Brown!

SG1 Season 8

2011-01-20T10:40:00.003-05:00

Dr. Jackson: I was just going over some research material on the delegates they're sending. Camulus was the one who sent the original message. Then there's Amaterasu, Japanese Sun Goddess, and the last one is Lord Yu.
Dr. Weir: Yu?
Dr. Jackson: Don't. Every joke, every pun, done to death, seriously.

Dr. Weir: Oh, I'm not sure anything can surprise me at this point.
Camulus: I wish to request asylum.
Dr. Weir: Well, it seems I was wrong again.

Col. O'Neill: Sweet. What is it?
Dr. Jackson: We don't know, you made it.
Col. O'Neill: No.
Dr. Jackson: Yes.
Col. O'Neill: No.
Dr. Jackson: Yes.
Col. O'Neill: No.
Dr. Jackson: Yes.

Col. O'Neill: I've spent my whole life stickin' it to the Man. If I do this, I'll be the Man. I don't think I can be the Man.

Dr. Jackson: Yeah, don't take General O'Neill's decision personally.
Col. Vaselov: Frankly, his attitude is offensive. It leads me to wonder if he knows the cold war is over.
Dr. Jackson: His attitude has nothing to do with you being Russian. He's an equal opportunity offender.

Lt. Col. Carter: Did you notice anything peculiar about him, sir?
Gen. O'Neill: I thought it odd he was shooting up the Gate room.

Ba'al: You dare mock me?
Gen. O'Neill: Ba'al, come on! You should know. Of course I dare mock you.
Ba'al: You have one more day.
Gilmore: Is it really wise to provoke him?
Gen. O'Neill: It's what I do

Dr. Lee: Well, I mean, we can input the parameters for different scenarios, but the vast majority of the simulation array comes from the mind of the user. The programming is actually built by interfacing memories from the individual’s consciousness with the chair’s matrix.
Gen. O'Neill: Carter, all I heard was "matrix" and I found those films quite confusing.
Gen. O'Neill: I thought a failsafe was meant to be somewhat safe from failure

Teal'c: On Chulak, a dispute between a man and a woman that cannot be resolved necessitates a pledge break. It must be requested by one and granted by the other.
Dr. Jackson: And if that doesn't work?
Teal'c: A weapon is required.

Gen. O'Neill: I never thought I'd hear myself utter these words: I need that report.

Jack O'Neill: They want a what?
Sam Carter: A goat, sir.
Jack O'Neill: You can tell them that lamb is far less gamy.
Sam Carter: They want it for a ritual sacrifice.
Jack O'Neill: Yeah, well you can tell them that's not going to happen.
Sam Carter: Yeah, I was hoping you were going to say that.
Jack O'Neill: They can have a piñata. That's always fun.

Gen. O'Neill: Look, T, I'm not gonna tell you how to raise your kid, but I've always found that sticking your fingers in your ears and humming loudly solves a whole slew of problems.

Bra'tac: May you love and fight like warriors. Just not with each other.

Dr. Jackson: They'll never see it coming.
Gen. O'Neill: Which is one of the advantages of a totally insane idea.
Dr. Jackson: Yeah, where'd I learn that from?

Gen. O'Neill: General!
Gen. Hammond: Jack. I let myself in, hope you don't mind.
Gen. O'Neill: Absolutely not! Welcome.
Gen. Hammond: Thank you.
Gen. O'Neill: Miss the chair?
Gen. Hammond: Actually I do.
Gen. O'Neill: Want it back?
Gen. Hammond: As a matter of fact I do. My new one just isn't the same.
Gen. O'Neill: That's not exactly what I meant...

Dr. Jackson: Uh, the name's Olo. Hans Olo.

Garan: Surrender your weapons, or die where you stand!
Gen. O'Neill: Oh, if I had a nickel...

Gen. O'Neill: Five bucks says Carter has a theory.

Gen. O'Neill: Jacob!
Jacob: Jack, we've got a problem. We need to talk.
Gen. O'Neill: Hi! Hello. How are ya? Long time, no see. What's doing? What's up? Hey, buddy!
Jacob: I'm sorry, Jack. It's good to see you again. Congratulations on your promotion.
Gen. O'Neill: Thanks.
Jacob: You deserve it.
Gen. O'Neill: Yes. Well... What's up?
Jacob: The Replicators. They've launched an all out attack on the Goa'uld. If the Goa'uld can't find a way to stop them, the Replicators will easily overrun our galaxy, in a matter of weeks.
Gen. O'Neill: Why didn't you say so?

Gen. O'Neill: Don't be afraid to remind him that we've saved his cute little grey bum several times.

Gen. O'Neill: I've got a better idea, instead of helping you, why don't we sit around and watch you get your ass kicked? That way you'll be dead, and we'll be glad.

Ba'al: You cannot be serious.
Gen. O'Neill: Yes, I can. I just choose not to, some of the time.
Ba'al: With your insolence you're dooming not just your world but all of humanity.
Gen. O'Neill: I think big.

Jacob: Come on, Sam. It can't be any harder than blowing up a sun.
Lt. Col. Carter: You know, you blow up one sun and suddenly everyone expects you to walk on water.

Dr. Jackson: You mean, they wouldn't have erased my memory and left me naked on a planet?
Oma Desala: That was your choice.
Oma Desala: Okay. Maybe not the naked part.

Lt. Col. Carter: This is great.
Gen. O'Neill: I told you.
Lt. Col. Carter: I can't believe we didn't do this years ago.
Gen. O'Neill: Well, lets not dwell.
Lt. Col. Carter::...There are no fish in this pond, are there?
Gen. O'Neill: Nope.

Dr. Jackson: I can't believe I'm finally gonna prove that the Great Pyramids predate the 4th dynasty.
Lt. Col. Carter: So, what are you gonna do? Stand in the picture holding a newspaper with today's date?

Dr. Jackson: Well, this can't be a good sign.
Alt. Col. O'Neill: Why's that?
Dr. Jackson: Where am I?
Alt. Col. O'Neill: Ancient Egypt?
Dr. Jackson: No, I mean the me from your time line.
Alt. Teal'c: I killed you.
Dr. Jackson: Why?
Alt. Teal'c: You were a Goa'uld spy.
Dr. Jackson: A good reason.
Alt. Dr. Carter: It was horrible!
Dr. Jackson: Yeah, I'm sure. Why are you here?
Alt. Col. O'Neill: Yes, excellent question.
Dr. Jackson: You don't know?
Alt. Col. O'Neill: Well, I thought I did, there, for a while, and then I realized I... didn't.
Dr. Jackson: Well, I know why I'm here.
Alt. Col. O'Neill: Good. Let's start there.

Friendship rekindled

2011-01-17T11:58:00.008-05:00

I was once told (or read) that friendships have expiration dates. I disagreed at first, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that it was true. You have high school friends, college friends, neighborhood, work, common interests, train buddies. And at any given point these people in their various groups may be your most treasured pal. Someone you would call dozens of times a day. See each other all the time…then…something happens, you graduate, get a new job, get older, have kids, learn a new hobby. And you find that you just don’t talk to each other as much. Maybe there is some small slight that has turned into something that crawls up your ass. Maybe your interests just aren’t the same. Whatever the reason you may find yourself dreading calling “the friend”, making excuses as to why you can’t meet up this Saturday. This doesn’t make you a bad person, or a bad friend, sometimes you just need to move on.

There are also friendships that are so deep and treasured that it doesn’t really matter how far apart you have become or how long it’s been since you have chatted, you pick up right where you left off.

Sunday night we were getting ready to go to a family party. I was helping Spotty Chop get dressed when the phone rang. I heard Boy Toy talking to someone and I couldn’t figure out who he was talking to, it sounded like someone he hadn’t spoken to in awhile. When he walked into Spotty’s room I faintly heard a voice. My heart started beating faster; it sounded like someone I hadn’t spoken to in about 5 years. When he gave me the phone I knew who it was instantly, Mrs. Furry Pants!

Furry Pants and I went to college together, she was a year ahead of me, blond, drop dead gorgeous, and perhaps the kindest person I have ever met. We have a habit of loosing track of each other. After college a few years went by and we got a notification that she was getting her masters. We showed up. Several years later we got an invite to a bridal shower; we showed up and then ended up staying for the weekend. Furry Pants was marrying FBI guy. We loved him the minute we met him. We also loved the Akita monster they had named Sage. Who apparently took a liking to us as soon as we pulled into their driveway. FBI guy couldn’t understand why Sage was so friendly to us as she usually hates strangers, hell she usually didn’t warm up to their friends either. Sage ended up sleeping with us that weekend which further blew his mind as it was the first time since getting her that she was not sleeping with them.

We again lost track of each other, then came an out of the blue email asking if I was the same me that went to Simmons and knew Mrs. Furry Pants. It was Furry Pant’s sister, she wrote to say that sis was pregnant and she wanted to surprise FP and FBI by having us show up. We did and again picked up where we had left off. This time including another puppy named Basil. We had two dogs sleeping with us…on a pull out couch…

After Spotty Chop was born, we lost track again. This time it was in part to FBI guy being deployed in Iraq for over 18 months, FBI’s parents dying less than 15 months apart, having another baby and Sage passing away.

When she told me I started to cry. I don’t know about you, but there are some pets your friends have that kind of become your pets too. They are as important to your friendship as the spouses or children. Not every friend and not every pet, but there are some that make your life worth living. We have been lucky enough to have this happen 3 times in our lives so far.

B-52 and Lennon had a cat named Doodoo. KICK ASS CAT. When we all lived together some days we would find her outside our door. She would come in, climb on one of our laps and just hang out with us. When we were cooking out on THE PORCH she would always bring us things to cook.

Moo and Freakshow had a dog named Damit. The sexiest Chihuahua that ever lived. She was a Fierce attack dog who not only upheld Moo’s honor, by not allowing Freakshow to kiss or get too close to Moo, but she also extended this protection to me. Boy Toy would get a growl and a nip letting him know she had her eye on him. She used to go camping with all of us.

Sage was the 3rd. Big, beautiful and furry! In writing this I realize that we no longer have a “pet”. That makes me feel a bit empty knowing that although our friends still have pets, and they all love us and we love them, they aren’t “our” pets.

Anyhoo Mrs Furry said “you need to come down and see all the craziness”, and I said “of course we will come down”. There was a pause at the other end of the phone. I could hear her smile and she simply said. “I know, that’s why we love.”

Is there a friendship that’s lagging? Someone you haven’t spoken to in years, but wish you had? I say DO IT! Pick up the phone, send an email, write a note, send out a Christmas card. I bet the other person will say “I will come”, heck they may be so excited that they show up for your wedding a week early…just sayin.

Words of Wisdom from my Dad

2011-01-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

On his 74th birthday, a man received a gift certificate from his wife. The certificate paid for a visit to a medicine man living on a nearby reservation who was rumored to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction.

After being persuaded, he drove to the reservation, handed his ticket to the medicine man and wondered what he was in for.

The old man slowly, methodically produced a potion, handed it to him, and with a grip on his shoulder, warned, "This is powerful medicine and it must be respected. You take only a teaspoonful and then say '1-2-3.' When you do that, you will become more manly than you have ever been in your life and you can perform as long as you want."

The man was encouraged. As he walked away, he turned and asked, "How do I stop the medicine from working?" "Your partner must say '1-2-3-4,' he responded. "But when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon."

He was very eager to see if it worked so he went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine, and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, "1-2-3!" Immediately, he was the manliest of men.

His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes. And then she asked, "What was the 1-2-3 for?"

And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition because we could end up with a dangling participle.

Remembering my Roomie

2011-01-14T09:41:00.001-05:00

I got a present in the mail

It came with this card

Remembering Roomie

This wreath is made from sweaters Roomie used to wear

They were cut into pieces with loving care,

By Sis, her sister, who loved her so

And wanted a remembrance of her to go

On your Christmas tree each year

To make you smile – now don’t shed a tear,

She is up in heaven with her father she loved,

They are watching down upon us from up above.

When you celebrate Christmas, please keep her in mind

As joyful reminders we try to find

Of days gone by that we shared with Roomie

Filled with good times that we have all seen.

Miss ya kiddo!

So THIS is why people go to Cape Cod…

2011-01-12T12:42:00.001-05:00

It’s snowing here again in New England so what better way to celebrate than to post about some summer fun.

My parents rented a place in Brewster for a week this past summer and they graciously invited us down to visit.

People in Massachusetts seem to be in two camps when it comes to summer fun. There are the beach people (the Cape, the Vineyard, Nantucket) or the mountain people (NH, VT). You may be able to guess from previous camping posts we are in the Mountain camp.

I was going to write “I am not a fan of the beach” but that isn’t true at all. I love the ocean, I love the sand, I love the sound of the waves crashing...what I don’t love is…the Sun. in fact if I say the word out loud I will instantly receive a 2nd degree burn, if not worse. However, a free place to stay is…free!

The house my parents rented was a 1 minute walk to the beach. It had 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (not including the outdoor shower), and 2 porches and the beach is rated one of the safest beaches in the Cape for kids, the water was incredibly shallow and there were multiple sandbars that kept the water warm. It was heaven. We could only stay one night because I was working on a release. My parents rented the spot again for next year. I am pushing for 2 nights maybe 3…

Christmas Palooza!!!

2011-01-07T12:25:00.001-05:00

So before I talk about how our Christmas was (and it was lovely thanks for asking) I need to talk about the drama and trauma that I faced.

Spotty Chop

1) told us late (but not so late that we couldn’t get it) that Santa loved you and was bringing the Xbox 360 with Kinnect to you

But

2) after sitting on Santa’s lap told me “I let Santa know what I wanted” and I said “what was it?” he looked at me as if I were a crack whore and said “I can’t tell you it’s a secret!”

There were nightly visits to Toys R us, calls to my parents and lots of praying. Guess what? I found it! Zoobles . Boy Toy wasn’t so sure about giving him a Girls toy. But he got the eyebrow of death and I wrapped that bad boy up. Spotty loved it and was so sincerely happy about getting it, “I knew Santa wouldn’t forget!” Made me cry.

Sorry lets back up the backup…or forward the back up and then kind of back it up again.

Christmas Eve started with our annual brunch with Lennon and B-52. The brunch is our way of gearing up for the X-mas madness. There is never drama or trauma, just friends hanging out, eating and playing. B-52 cooked up some extra diabetic snacks for Boy Toy’s dad which was a kindness. The best part of the visit was Spotty and B-52’s now annual cookie baking for Santa. Spotty decided to kick it up a notch and told us he wanted to use cookie cutters! I think B-52 enjoys this tradition a little. In fact, he told Lennon that he could drive his own damn car to our house because he was not rushing Spotty with the cookie baking. We don’t see them nearly enough. But it makes me happy that a few traditions have held true from 357.

Oh and look what my parents bought me, this AND this …Santa is gonna be BLOWN AWAY next year!

Christmas Eve night was spent with Boy Toy’s family. It was a very enjoyable evening. Spotty had fun playing with the Terminator and Hockey. The Terminator’s big brother was home from California where he is a proud member of the Fresno Monsters . He even purchased a Santa suit and wore it for photos and handing out the gifts. He is really turning into a fine young man (and holy crap did that just come out of my mouth?) Spotty got great gifts, we had good food, one of Boy Toy’s brothers stayed home because he had an elephant up his ass, and truth be told, he wasn’t missed…well except by his sons…douchebag! Boy Toy spent a lot of time with the youngest of the two, who just drank up the attention. The oldest is a junior in HS, and was surprisingly more vocal than usual.

We left there about 10 or 10:30pm, Spotty fell asleep in the car thank God because we needed to change his room from "baby/little boy" to "I'm a boy boy now" . Spotty didn’t notice at first (as it was dark) but when I turned on the light so he could find his Christmas jammies his head exploded. We then had to wait at the gate by the kitchen (child safety gate we used when Spotty was born, we installed it into the wall and have never gotten around to removing it) so that daddy could check to see if Santa came (and give him time to set up the video camera) and then? CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

My parents gave us a bonus Christmas gift (Spotty calls it “an extra crunchy bonus”) they told us to stay home and play. Much as I wanted to see my family on Christmas, it was so unbelievably fabulous to not go anywhere.

This is our blueprint for Christmas fun.

Spotty first opens some gifts, then we play with some gifts, then we open more, we eat breakfast, we read some new books, maybe mom & dad will open some stuff in our stocking (we don’t exchange gifts, but Santa brings us presents). We play some new video games, we open more gifts, we play more, we have lunch, or ice cream, or both. By 5pm we still had not gotten to the X-Box. We kind of “hid” it so I had Boy Toy pretend to go looking for something and hurt his foot by kicking it. Well, I am sure you can guess what happened after that.

Sunday we went to my parents, Favorite brother and Froggy were there. We again had great gifts and great food. I made Froggy promise that they would stick to a $25 per person for us because the bro and I can sometimes try and outdo each other if there are no limits set in stone. We opened up our GameStop gift cards and then Favorite Brother handed us a bag full of games. I started yelling, when he quickly assured me that these were HIS games and he eventually wanted them back. That is of course completely different and we are now enjoying Grand Theft Auto (san andreas?) Oblivion and Fable 2 (in addition to the Games Santa brought us Dragon’s Age (original) and Risen. We left around 4 or so, during our first snow storm of the season. Boy Toy got called in to plow later that night/early next morning so I got the 360 all to MYSELF…well after Spotty went to bed. I was in heaven.

And that is how we spent our holiday, how about you?

I forgot to add, this is what Spotty bought for me with his daddy….you should see me driving down the Mass Pike when I have to glare at an Asshat

Dear Spotty Chop you are 68 months old today (if i hadn't lost the post)

2011-01-06T14:59:00.000-05:00

(seriously, I just found this, apparently I had written up last months and just never put it up on the blog…as you would say “mama what is wrong with your brain?”)

You brought a book to school to read to the class. It was Hot Wheels Dino Racing. Your teacher was cracking up when she told us about it. Apparently you kept the entire class at the edge of their seats. You also prompted them like a professional. “do you see the dinosaur on this page? Who do you think is going to win the race!” She said that she may have you read all the books; it was much too fun to watch you do it.

When you try to pick someone to do something with you you sing:

Eeny, meeny, miny, mo,
Catch a tiny by the toe:
If he hollers let him go,
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo.

Sometimes you add:

The colors of the
American flag are
Red, white and blue

You love manipulating the outcome, so either dada or I loose.

You asked me on a ride home “mama do you remember the picture you gave me in case I got sad and missed you?” I said yes. “well, I may want that picture again someday.” I let him know it was on the fridge any time he needed it.

We also started buying Scholastic books!!! Oh happy day! I remember how excited I was getting new books and you seem pretty stoked yourself. I am trying to get both books that you can read on your own and books that we can read to you. You are like me when you get a new book. You can’t wait to dive into it and will keep reading until there are no more new books left.

You still play trot trot to Boston with me, well, actually I always have to trick you and tell you I need to snuggle you for a minute, then, when you are up in my lap BAM I spring like a leopard and trot trot the hell out of you. You laugh so hard.

I also will grab your naked foot and do this little piggy…you seriously SCREAM with laughter.

Christmas is coming my son. I hope you get everything your heart desires and more. My present is you, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Dear Spotty Chop you are 69 months old

2011-01-06T13:39:00.000-05:00

and I am a crappy mom. I’m not sure why I can’t get my ass in gear and blog. I will write up your letter for your 68th month, but I was worried that if I waited to do that first this letter would never get written.
So we had a month of Christmas prep, Christmas delivery and Christmas aftermath. You were a pain in my ARSE child. Not only did we find out last minute that you knew that Santa loved you and of course he was bringing the Xbox 360 with Kinnect to you, but after sitting on Santa’s lap you told me “I let Santa know what I wanted” and I said “what was it?” you looked at me as if I were a MORE-ON and said “I can’t tell you it’s a secret!”

HOLY CRAP talk about the pressure. I thank every God and Goddess out there that Toy’s R Us is only 2 minutes down the street as I was there every night after you went to bed, going up and down the aisles trying to wrack my brain for what you may want. See the Christmas post to see how I did.

I spent time at your school helping kids shop. The school has a program where you can give you kids money and the school has shopping days with all sorts of gitchy & cute things to purchase. It’s not a fund raiser, just a chance for kids to buy stuff for family and friends. You didn’t want my help, you wanted it to be a surprise. I loved seeing how your mind worked and the presents you got us. The kids I helped were so excited doing this and when I showed them what you had bought me a lot of them had to get the same thing because they saw me wearing it and showing it off. You showed it off to all of your friends at lunch. You were so friggen sweet and proud to show me off as well.

We all had the 24th – 3rd of December off…well actually that’s not quite true, you were supposed to go back to school on Monday, but I had a doctor’s appointment and was off and Boy Toy is laid off so we gave you a choice. Go to school or stay home and play video games. What do you think you chose? The week was spent playing games, visiting Nannie and Papa, baking and hanging out. We look forward to doing it again in February. I don’t think I can get the whole week off, but Nannie and Papa want you and do does your dad. Maybe I can work from home for a few days….

Your favorite after school counselor left to go work with teenagers, this is something he always wanted to do, but he was really sad to leave you. I thought this would crush you, but I didn’t give you enough credit. While you were sad to see him go, you were happy he was doing something important. In fact he had a harder time saying good-bye to you than you did to him.

Oh before I go I should mention that you have starting taking showers by yourself, well at least scrubbing yourself, you still want me in there, and brushing your own teeth. Next thing you know you will want to drive…

But that will have to wait my precious boy, you are still mine to snuggle!

What does this say about me?

2010-11-18T14:49:00.002-05:00

Your colleagues overhear you telling a client “I’m the happiness fairy”, and after the call you find them all huddled underneath their desks hiding behind waste bins because they think you have snapped and are about to go on a killing spree…

Mothers and the women who love them

2010-11-12T13:03:00.002-05:00

A few months ago, at some point, my car engine blew up for the second time in 2 months. I was a bit distraught and for some reason decided that working from my parent’s home would be easier than going into the office. Below is a conversation I had with a co-worker. And YES both mothers are still alive…

-----Original Message-----
From: me
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:14 PM
To: co-worker
Subject: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume
Then she said "you smell like pot".
Yes mom I need to toke up with Spotty Chop in the car on the ride into work.
No one has smoked pot anywhere near her in over 20 years...

-----Original Message-----
From: co-worker
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:15 PM
To: me
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

Your response should have been
"I was just about to say the same of you Mother..."

-----Original Message-----
From: me
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:16 PM
To: co-worker
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

GOOD ONE!!!!

-----Original Message-----
From: co-worker
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:53 PM
To: me
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

Just to make sure you don't feel alone...
Shorty wanted to tell me that my father finally admitted that she was right about sunblock... no one ever argued, we all just hate
sunblock.... She also tried to tell me about all the other things that she was right about, but I ignored her. I must have been busy when the announcement came out that God has stepped down and my little ray of sunshine has taken over... God help me.

-----Original Message-----
From: me
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:58 PM
To: co-worker
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

I just got the "you need to stop giving Spotty Chop mac & cheese. A study just came out. It is the worst thing you can give kids." Also "stop buying junk food. Boy Toy will just have to eat fruits and veggies."

I can't count high enough for the things that woman is right about and
the rest of us mere mortals are wrong...Maybe I can let her know that
God's spot is already taken by Shorty...after she wakes up from her nap.

-----Original Message-----
From: me
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:08 PM
To: co-worker
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

KILLL MEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

We just got into an argument. She went to take a nap. The phone rang. I let it ring. She comes waddling out of the bedroom. "who is it?"

How the F should I know ma?

So I say do you want me to answer the phone? She says "yes, tell them I'm napping". I'm like, I will just say you are unavailable. And I get, with tude…"This is not a business. Tell them I am napping."

Whatever byotch.

But really you want people to know you are asleep you old fart?

-----Original Message-----
From: co-worker
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:13 PM
To: me
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

I would say "I think the pipe finally caught up w/ her... she is just chillin'. Can she call you back when the buzz wears off?"

-----Original Message-----
From: co-worker
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:14 PM
To: me
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

I say let's put them in a room and let them find out who is #1 and who is #2... But I will warn mama me... Shorty's motto is "the view doesn't change unless you are the lead dog"...

-----Original Message-----From: me

Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:15 PM
To: co-worker
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

Mama me's motto is "bring it"

-----Original Message-----
From: co-worker
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:16 PM
To: me
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

We could sell tickets....

-----Original Message-----
From: me
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:17 PM
To: co-worker
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

I will sell popcorn!

-----Original Message-----
From: co-worker
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:19 PM
To: me
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

How about Mac and Cheese instead?

-----Original Message-----
From: me
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:25 PM
To: co-worker
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

But maybe they would spend so much time assuring each other that they did not fail as mothers that we could sneak away...

-----Original Message-----

From: co-worker
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:26 PM
To: me
Subject: RE: My mom just asked me if I was wearing perfume

Like they wouldn't hunt us down like dogs?

And if the phone rings again - start messing w/ her... tell her you didn't hear anything... Mom, how long have you been hearing bells?

The conversation went downhill from there…

Clark’s Trading Post 2010

2010-11-09T17:53:00.003-05:00

Over Labor Day weekend we found ourselves at Clark’s for our annual old time family photo. This is our 5th year. We did these photos with my parents when we were growing up, Boy toy and I have done several of them over the years, pre-Spotty. This is the second year that Spotty Chop chose our costumes. This year’s theme? Cowboys! It came out really well, but Spotty Chop really no longer looks like a baby, he looks like a boy. I don’t if I like it.

We watched the bear show. Clark’s is I believe the oldest bear show in the country. We rode on the train, got chased by the Wolf Man, rode water bumper cars and visited Merlin’s mansion. I think Spotty Chop had an ok time…

Spotty also decided he too wanted to take a picture. I LOVE it!

George Takei is my Hero: or what to say to an Anti-Gay douchebag!

2010-11-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

Peeps, it's the 21st century.

Intolerance can not be allowed to fester and grow.

You go George! Live long and prosper!!!

Apple Picking

2010-11-04T14:01:00.001-04:00

I feel bad that I have neglected the blog for so long. Especially since i have photo evidence that we have been social.

We went apple picking with Moo, Freak Show,Hippy Chick, Cheese Please, CR and a friend of Hippy Chick's, Amazing.

The sun was bright, and it wasn't ten thousand degrees which it usually is because Moo came up with the idea of going early in the season as opposed to late. We picked apples, sat in the sun and went through mazes. Spotty Chop has a freakish sense of direction. The boy ran through the hedge maze making only 2 or 3 wrong turns. He then ran back out, I was hard pressed to follow. Spotty wanted to go again, so Boy Toy gave him a walkie talkie and sent him on his way. He called when he first entered the maze, when he got to the center and then when he came back out. THANK GOD he doesn't have my sense of direction. I would still be wandering around if left on my own.

Yes it's a photo of Hippy Chicks butt...it made me giggle

I wasn't very happy with the quality of photos i took, but as luck would have it, quality people made it ok