His Name is ... KId ROCK!

Oh my gosh-- the cutest guy I've ever seen played the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA last night. We went to my sister's this weekend and she kept a paper that had his write up in it about the concert that was last night. I sooooo wanted to go back and go but with school, Brent's schedule, baseball and CCD it would have been impossible. That's OK, my Bobby will wait for me and I'll wait for him. Too cute. My sisters even like him now --- I can convert anyone into a Bobby lover. OK, no time to chat - going to youtube to see if I can see some live footage. YUMMY...

Obama's On His Way...

MMMM, first Bill visits our little city then less than a week later Michelle Obama visits our little city and tomorrow, yes, yes, Obama will visit our little city. OK, Hillary? When are you coming? I have no idea what's going on around here but we were downtown yesterday getting boots for Brent and there were a lot of federal cars roaming all over and everything looked a lot more "picked up and neat" than our downtown usually looks, which is broken down and dilapidated to me. So by my estimation Hillary should be visiting sometime soon, as the Texas Primary is March 4th which is next Tuesday. Tried to go see Bill Clinton but everyone chickened out on me so I have two "maybe's" for tomorrow on Obama. Just keeping all of my options open. So who are you voting for? If you McCain I'll have to delete you from my comments because well, because I can since it's my blog and you can't do anything about it. Ha Ha Ha So my love goes out to all the Republicans in my life and there are a lot!

Brent took off yesterday so we could go spend time with our CPA and get all of our business and personal taxes taken care of and it feels good to not have that hovering over my head today. Hopefully we'll have good news soon and we can decide what we're going to do with our refund. Brent is working tonight so I'm cooking a roast and it just happens to be the boys favorite meal so I'm going to use Pioneer Woman's roast recipe so it'll be new but it doesn't look or seem too different from my version so I think the boys will enjoy it. (OMG did you see how long that run on sentence was? Oh well I can do that if I want to and I can end a sentence with a preposition too!) We have baseball and CCD tonight so I guess it's all up to me. We had fun yesterday. We went and ate breakfast and shopped at the Cracker Barrel and I tried to get toys for their Easter baskets. I usually do a theme so it's baseball this year. I know, not very inventive but I found some baseball soaps and cd holders to include so that's coming along slowly but surely. I analyze this crap so much that it becomes an obsession. I still have time to order stuff off the internet if need be so I'm going to do a lot of nostalgic candies and the Cracker Barrel has the biggest selection around here. The Candle Cottage on Boston has some taffy and stuff like that so I guess I'll include some of that. Any ideas on what to include in their Easter baskets this year??? Then we came home and enjoyed the peace and quiet and washed and cleaned and detailed my truck and then went to get Brent's boots. We drove around and looked at all the old buildings and I made the comment that I should have been an architect because I appreciate all the history and love that part of our city. A lot of the streets we went down were the stomping grounds of my dad when he was a young boy growing up and I just love remembering all his stories about how vibrant it used to be and how much fun he had. So I guess when I go downtown and see the federal building he worked in for 35 years and all the other sidewalks he walked down and buildings he stood in front of, it makes me sad because that's what I miss. I miss his stories. I miss his memories. All I can do now is pass them down to my sons so that's what I do, maybe not as much as I should but I do. I tell them stories and about their Italian heritage and one day they'll pass them down. Liam remembers them and tells Ian so I guess they'll go on ... even when I am gone.

Just saw there was an earthquake in Manchester so I hope everyone is alright. My people live there... my family that I miss terribly. The news said there were minor injuries and minor damage but I'm sending out my prayers anyway. Hope all is well and y'all are in my thoughts and prayers. Love to all. XXXOOO

Poor Little Earless Toshi!

This is Toshi - my sister's little yorkie. He's cute and little but kind of gross. He makes me gag a lot because she lets him lick all over her face and shares food with him and well, you know .... he likes to lick his ASS! YYUUUKKK!!! We just died laughing when my other sister sent this out because as you can tail, his little ear on the left is missing it's tip. Yup, it's true... his groomer snipped off his ear when he went in for a cleaning or whatever the hell you call it. Snip, in one swift swipe the crazy lady cut off poor Toshi's ear. I don't get to see Tricia cry much but I was there when they called and she freaked out. She couldn't stop crying and I couldn't stop laughing. They rushed him to the vet to see if it could be reattached but to no avail. So now I call him "damaged." Poor Toshi. Oh well, he shouldn't lick his ass.

I cannot believe it's been like 10 days since I posted. You know, I actually used to be obsessed with all this and think it was sooo great, then I just thought about all the crap I'm not getting done so I decided I'd only do my posts at night when everyone is asleep and all the crap has been done. Well, guess what? Bad idea. I never remember. I love watching Ray and cannot hardly get to sleep without my dose of Debra and then of course I have to stay up and watch Jimmy Kimmel and switch between that and Craig Ferguson or watch something I recorded from earlier in the evening and on and on and on... and then I'm too sleepy. So sometimes when I hit the sack at 2am I'm not in the mood to pluck away on the computer. So that's the big story on me. Wanted to ask some advice about a problem but really, in the end, do we ever give a shit about anyone else's problems? Nah, not really. LOL So I digress, but I won't be asking for any hints or advice because as much as I want to share my problems or ask the advice, I really don't care what the answers are because in the end I'm going to do what my heart tells me to do and in the end, do you really give a shit? Thought so. So we'll just skip that whole ordeal and get on to something else.

Spent the whole weekend with Liam and my sisters. Liam needed to get away and have some fun without his brother and I needed to get away ... well, just because I did. Sooo, it was fun. We laughed and laughed and laughed. I'll have to write a post about it one day but we just cracked up and all kinds of crap and then I made up a story after we visited this 400 year old tree and the place where Evangeline (you know the poem by Longfellow) originated about what we be like if we lived back in the last 1700's and had to do all the crap they had to do. It was hilarious because I think I'd still be the one who thinks differently than everyone else and not let their judgments skew mine. Well, we all decided I'd probably have been burned at the stake for being blasphemous. I cannot say everything I said but it was really funny. We laughed all day. And then we went to see Definitely, Maybe. BORING>>>>> DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY>. Now, don't get me wrong. It was OK for a rental, but to pay $12 for me and Liam to watch it and it was waaaaayy too long and my back was hurting and I was tired and my contacts dried out so my eyeballs were sticking to my inside lids and my ass was asleep and Liam was hungry and one sister was asleep on one side and the other one was balled up in a little cocoon with her jacket and needless to say, I WAS NOT a happy camper. I was sooo tired. It DEFINITELY, MAYBE could have waited to been seen on a DVD in the comfort of my big, comfy couch. So we made it back in time (15 minutes) to go to our class. Brent and Ian stayed home and had a good weekend doing whatever they wanted. Brent threw a baseball into Ian's face and busted his top lip. I wasn't too happy but Ian said he forgot to catch the ball because he turned to watch the man mow grass a few houses down. (Whatever.) It looks much better today. So then I had to go pick up Ian at my other sisters, go to the grocery store at 8:00 last night to get stuff for their lunches and then come home and make grilled cheese and tomato soup for supper. YUK. I opted for peanut butter and apple but they gobbled up that nastiness. I hate tomato soup so I gag when I have to smell it heating in the microwave. My apple was guuud. Since the big meat scare and it being in lots of hamburger meat in our area school, although not out school district, Liam refuses to eat anything with meat in it at school. Can't say I blame him my poor little cute adorable germophobe. I told him he could still eat the chicken and he was like "nah, I'll just eat cheese sticks." Excuse me. Don't think so. So they usually buy about twice a week so I told them just tell me what you want and I'll bring it to ya'll for lunch so their request this week is asian chicken salads from Jack in the Box. Those are really yummy if you haven't tried them. Although Ian hates the chicken so I usually make him give me his pack of chicken. Oh, and tell them not to heat it. Heating it makes it taste disgusting and I feel like any germs and salmonella that may be lurking in the there are just zapped to life with that microwave. So we prefer our chicken cold. Germs can't grow in cold right? Right? Right. OK. Enough for now. Off to get the kiddos, give them a light snack then off to baseball practice for two hours. Good thing is that they both practice on the same field just at opposite ends so it makes it really convenient. Late on that. Will update more often but only if I have something interesting to say, well I guess interesting to me may not be interesting to you but oh well, you can decide. Ciao bella!

Happy Valentine's Day

Just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day to my friends and family. Appreciate each other in those little moments of life, not just on commercialized days.

To the man who has been a part of my life since February 19, 1983 and who has shared my life every day since June 16, 1990; I especially want to thank the man who has made me who I am, who has put up with all of my idiosyncracies and shortcomings and been the greatest father to our boys. You are the person that I get up for every morning, that I make the recipes without mushrooms for, that I put on make-up for and do my hair, chi my hair, glaze my hair, fill my nails when they need to be filled, floss my teeth, shave just about any hair on my body for except where it counts, buy two different deodorants for, paint my toenails the reddest red I can find, pick up after and clean out my car before you drive it so you won't be embarrassed and plan my every breath of the future for -- you are my best friend, my mentor, my confidante and my heart -- you are my soulmate. I love you so.

Every time I think of you I think of this verse in the song since the day we started singing it to the boys to rock them to sleep:

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray,

You'll never know dear how much I love you,

Please don't take my sunshine away.

Noggin Knots & Tasty Chicken

(My angel baby who bumped his noggin)

Busy, busy, busy. By 10am I was dressed to go shopping, had cleaned the house and was about to leave the house. I got a call from the nurse at Ian's school to come and take a look at him -- he had been pushed by another child and fell and hit his head on a metal balance beam on the playground and had this really big knot behind his ear, I guess it's part of his skull right? So, at first I'm like "So you want me to come and take a look or pick him up?" Of course, this is after I ask if he's OK and she assures me that he's fine and not bleeding to death. So, I have like zip, zero, nada nursing or body or anything that would involve actually touching a complete stranger, experience, and she's asking me to come and take a look --WTF? This is the trusting soul that we put our children's lives in the hands of if there ever were to be an actual accident or emergency! So, off I go and arrive within 5 minutes of the phone call, yes normally I would have to get dressed and all that but luckily not today. So then I go up to the school and I walk into the nurses office and "look at him." I'm standing there "looking" and Ian and the nurse are standing there "looking" at me. So ... I ask her what she wanted me to look at and she shows me the bump behind his ear/head and which, by the way, was pretty red, bruised and swollen. I asked Ian how long the ice was applied and he said "What ice?" She had told me she applied an ice pack. So, I asked him how he felt and he said fine and I said let's get your stuff and you can come home and spend time with me. Well, his little face just lit up -- too sweet. I told her I was bringing him home because evidently he didn't feel comfortable taking care of this at school today. We signed out and I brought my lil bug to McDonald's for a much needed Happy Meal and my fish sandwich (note to self: no meat on Fridays during Lent -- I have got to remember that!!) and we had a really relaxing lunch. He told me all about the other little boy who is sitting out of free play next week. He's in the first grade and reads on a sixth grade level -- I kid you not! (Note to others: I really like that saying "I kid you not" so I'll probably be using it a lot, and so if I offend you or you particularly dislike this and would not like me to use that statement for effect -- go create your own blog and blog about it because I'm going to use it anyway). I've witnessed it. So I think he's pretty bright only he is just so hyper and cannot keep his hands off of other kids. Well the other child next to Ian was pushed over by all the commotion also and fell head first onto the balance beam and there was a screw sticking up (all rusty from what Ian told me) and the screw punctured his forehead. Ian said blood was gushing everywhere. I would have fainted if I would have been the teacher to come across that scene. So, Ian scored pretty well considering what happened to his friend, not to mention a few inches down and it could have taken out an eye! My friend was furious and said she was going to make an anonymous phone call to the school and administration to have the playgrounds checked for screws and things that could be pose a potential danger. ISo, I guess I'll entrust my children to the school once again, hoping and praying each day it's the right decision. On with that....

(Photo courtesy of The Pioneer Woman)
SCOOOP!!!! This week I made this recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks:

http://thepioneerwomancooks.com/2007/06/marlboro_mans_s.html

and it was fabulous!! Brent and the boys loved it, I actually really liked it and I'm pretty picky about how I like to incorporate bacon into my food but it was one of the best things we've tried in a while. Note to others: This sandwich is great when it's hot and juicy and will definitely be put on our favorites list!

Lent, Brad & My Pancakes

Yeah, tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday, I guess a lot of people say Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. It's special to our family because my mom makes everybody ( and I mean everybody) these wonderful crepes with a lemon and sugar glaze that is OOOHHH so yummy. It makes our mouth water just thinking about our special pancakes. I'm not sure of the significance of the pancakes on Fat Tuesday, but ever since I can remember it's been our tradition. The boys get so excited when I tell them what we'll be eating with Nana tomorrow. The last few years we go after school and the boys will eat them for supper because it's a CCD night so we have to be back across town before 6pm. A little rushed but well worth it. I'm wishing I could run away with my sweetie to New Orleans for the day and see the finale of the festivities. I'd love to be there when the party is abruptly called to a halt at midnight and the street sweepers appear out of nowhere to get everyone off the streets, and all the trash. I wonder if Brad and Angelina are sitting out on their balcony, which, by the way, been there and actually touched (fondled, groped) his front door. I bet he's there now just taking it all in -- another yummy thing to think about tonight. MMMM. Yeah, Wednesday begins Lent so now I have to start thinking about what I'm going to give up for Lent. I always say sex but he doesn't even think that's funny -- then I usually counter with "cussing." Now, mind you, I absolutely, positively, freakin', friggin', and all that other lovin' LOVE to cuss. Don't ask my why, I just do. I love people not having that control over my mouth. That it is my fundamental right, according to the Constitution, to have Freedom of Speech in which no one else, under any circumstances, can tell me what to say or what not to say. It's just me. Hey, at least I'm not a "closet-cusser." You know who they are. They seem all sweet and wholesome but let somebody do one thing to piss them off, and they unleash a fury of nasty words that would make George Carlin blush. I've seen it happen and I'm like "WTF was that? bizarro world -- I'm thinking PMS." I know people like that and I always just wonder if they are the poser or am I? I sometimes just cannot/do not want to control what comes out of my mouth. At least they have the self-control to not let it all come out. I'm usually very good around people I'm not comfortable with, but once you get to know me, well, take it or leave it. Plus, like I tell my sister: I don't drink (heavily), I don't smoke, so I'll cuss if I f__ing want to! So, I'm thinking once again, this year I'll try and get through Ash Wednesday without saying a f___ing cuss word but that only lasted until the carpool line at 7:45am last year! Fucking freaks-- their brats always seem to be the most important that just have to get dropped off before anybody else, well you know what? They're right. If I had a brat like that in my car, I'd fight people in the carpool line to drop off that little sucker and get the hell away too!! Drive fast! I love my kids and I'll wait in the car patiently (laughing). I'm thinking the boys are giving up candy/cokes even on weekends. They usually don't drink cokes or anything like that during the week already, so giving up any carbonated drinks on the weekend should be enough suffering for their little butts. I would make them give up the wii or the Xbox360, PSP's, etc. but that would be punishing me -- so, no way, I didn't cuss that much, did I?? Brent gave up drinking beer (even with his Mexican food) last year so we'll see what happens this year. He's been stressing a lot lately so I'm thinking not on the whole beer thing but it's up to him. He voluntarily did it last year and I was really proud of him -- omg could you imagine what would happen if I gave up sex and he gave up beer? I'm thinking a War of the Roses scenario -- didn't you just love that movie. I still laugh through the whole thing every time I see it. I was laughing out loud while I was typing it....

OK, my ADD's coming back.... have you seen Good Luck Chuck? I'm telling you it's nothing your children can watch at all, but we watched it while they were gone this weekend and we laughed and laughed and laughed. It had some of the funniest shit I've seen in a long time. OH MY God! The ad-libs and outtakes, bloopers, were hilarious. The whole thing made me laugh all the way through it. It was definitely worth the rent. Oh, and if you've seen it or you see it in the near future it was even funnier because Ian came home today with a giant penguin they had colored and learned about at school. Brent and I just lost it -- you'll understand after you see the deleted scenes. We were laughing so hard looking at my poor baby's penguin and all I could think of was that stupid movie. Hope you enjoy it. I give it the Right Ring Finger. Oh, and by the way, that's good. The pinky is bad because in sign language it is used to make a "J" for "junk." The index finger is "OK, But I'm Warning You" and of course, the middle finger means it "sucked bigtime." You get the idea.

As far as we were told by the people in the neighborhood, this is Brad and Angelina's house. It takes up a whole corner and goes down the block. Workers were actually going in and out through the garage doing some kind of maintenance work but no sign of Brad while we were there -- too exciting. He was probably hiding out from those deranged women who were stalking him!!

Mardi Gras & Superbowl Ramblings

I cannot believe it's been almost a week since I posted. I've been so busy that I'd get on and check and see what other people had posted, but kept saying "I'll do it later" and never got around to it. It was a wild week with Brent having a stomach virus and tests and projects and CCD and selling candy for baseball and trying to get stuff done around here. Just a note that the chicken I made from Pioneer Woman was great. Brent and I really liked it the most, but the boys did eat it, well at least a couple of bites. I think I may have added a little too much Hot Salt and they thought it was a little too spicy, but I really liked it. I even cut up some and added to my salad the next day. I was impressed, but I guess it's kind of hard to impress a 12 year old and 7 year old who thinks pizza rolls are the best invention ever. I think they're gross but as a matter of fact they're eating them for lunch today because it is the Superbowl after all. I'm going to my class tonight although I think Brent is opting to stay home so he can watch the game, under the guise of "I'll watch the boys so they don't bother anybody while they're trying to watch the game." I just don't think his parents are that into the game but whatever -- I'll be working on him until it's time to leave so maybe I can change his mind. We learned a lot last week and had homework this week, which we actually sat down to do while he was home sick. We were laughing and having fun doing it so I guess not only does it work about our financial future, but in a way it is bringing us closer on another level (and we thought we couldn't get any closer).

So, Jon & Kate are going to be at a church near my sister in Lafayette and we're going to try and go next weekend, and then be home in time for class Sunday afternoon. I'm dying to see them, although the church said the children will not be there, it will still be interesting. If I don't make it I won't be too sad, but I think I'd really enjoy it. It said it's for married couples (???) whatever, so if Brent doesn't want to go (he hates the show) my sister and I are gonna pretend we're gay lovers and go and sign up. We thought it would be pretty funny. We could sit there and hold hands and watch all the people in the church gawk and stare. Nah, I digress but it would be funny. We joked about it but I know she'd chicken out. I'd get the biggest kick out of it and then they'd say "I bet they're Catholic!" Funny. Anywho, I guess that's my dry sense of humor.

Went to Mardi Gras parades last night and had fun. We took some extra kiddos and then took all the boys to eat. I forgot my camera at home or I would have taken some pics. There was this old guy that was really drunk and was lost and looking for his float. I was laughing because he belonged to the float that was a local CPA firm and I thought that I'm glad we don't use that firm for our taxes because this old drunk might invert some numbers and I'll end up somebody's bitch in the federal penitentiary. NO THANK YOU. I would pick being the Lipstick Lesbian, because I don't think I could fit the bill as the Butch Lesbian. Not my style at all. I really LOVE wearing my lipliner and MAC lipglass everyday so I could not make it without. My family would have to smuggle it in for me. OK, what's up with the two gay references today?? MMMM I'll have to think about that tomorrow. Oh, I digress again. OK, I hear Brent yelling and cussing at the book case he's putting together for Ian's room so I better go help. Have a great what's left of your weekend! CIAO!