Antler Ear Photos

So I had this idea that everyone would wear antler ears and I'd take a picture.

The problem was, Tommy was like, "No thanks."

Then Tom surprised me and said he'd wear them so I was like, "Yay!" Natalie agreed and then it came to the challenge.

Max.

The cat.

I got him cat antlers.

Lucky for us, he's pretty chill, especially after he's just eaten.

So I was able to put them on:

Doesn't Max look thrilled. He's probably thinking, "Hope this lady knows the tree is going to be clawed to death tonight."

He's so coughing up a hairball into my shoe, isn't he?

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: Noisy Kids At Movies

I know I hit on this when I wrote how I saw Breaking Dawn Part 2.

It bugged me so much so I decided to mention it again on Things That Annoy Me Thursday.

Kids. Babies. In movie theaters. When it is not a children’s movie.

I don’t get it.

I remember when I went to see a SCARY movie (Paranormal Activity) and I was shocked when a family walked in. The kids didn’t look older than 5.

I suppose it’s not so bad if the kids are quiet throughout the movie. You want to give your kid nightmares, great. That’s on you. But if the kid starts running around and being noisy—you have to remove him or her. Sorry. A lot of parents don’t seem to comprehend this. They’ll either A) ignore the kid or B) just go “shhhh” and try to bribe Junior with some Milk Duds.

When I saw Breaking Dawn Part 2, a kid started wailing and the parents did nothing! The proper thing to do is to remove the kid. But no, they just let the kid whine and cry.

Seriously, if your kid isn’t going to be quiet, wait until the movie comes out on DVD.

Don’t annoy everyone around you.

And it is not cute if your kid goes dancing down the aisles over and over again. Make your child stay SEATED.

Signed, everyone at the movie theater.

I Went Out On Black Thursday

People. There were people everywhere. And yuck, the ones in front of us kept smoking so the smoke kept wafting into my face. Did they need a new cigarette every twenty minutes? I mean really. I don’t look down on people who smoke—my Dad smoked for years—but he was a polite smoker. He would have never smoked in a line. He’d have stepped off to the side and done it.

At least it wasn’t cold.

My friend Jennifer and I were standing in line at Target on Thanksgiving. It was a little after 7 and the line was already stretched pretty far back. The store didn’t open until 9.

I know there were some complaints from people saying that the workers shouldn’t have to go in on Thanksgiving, that it would take time away from family…which I get, but then I was like, “Um, military people work on holidays all the time. Some are even deployed. At least the people who work get to go home after. The ones who are deployed can’t.” Plus, most of the time, Thanksgiving is over by 4 since most people eat early.

Of course when I said this on Facebook, some people didn’t get it, which is their right, but honestly I did not feel guilty shopping on Thanksgiving. The people who work at least get time and a half. When my husband worked on Thanksgiving, he didn’t get that. He worked a lot of holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years…we just dealt with it.

There were actually barricades out to prevent people from charging inside from the parking lot. This happens a lot. When I did Black Friday in Wyoming, I waited in line at Kohls and when the doors opened, people who were waiting in the comfort of their warm cars (it was FREEZING in Wyoming) rushed out and pushed past everywhere. If you’ve ever done this before, shame on you. Wait in line.

The time passed quickly and when the store opened, no one charged. It got a little nuts inside the store since people were rushing for the TVs but nothing insane. No fights, thank goodness.

I ended up with an outdoor fire pit for $29.99.

Now we can have s’mores! Mmmm.

I did not go back out at 4 AM. No thanks. I actually preferred going out Thursday evening so I hope the stores keep those sales going.

Because I will be there.

Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.

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To have decorated the house with Christmas stuff the day after Thanksgiving.


To not be surprised that Justin Beiber met the Canadian Prime Minister in overalls. He seems the type to do that.


To have gotten That’s My Boy from Netflix. It was pretty funny. I was mostly amused that Vanilla Ice was in it.


To hate when online stores are like “Free shipping!” And then in tiny print it says “On orders of $100 or more.” You guys suck.


To have entered in a fabulous giveaway for a beautiful necklace over at YourCharmedLife. Kelly makes great stuff!


To have not seen Lindsay Lohan's new movie Liz and Dick. I hear it was quite laughable.


To be happy that they are making a spinoff of Boy Meets World! This show will be about Cory and Topanga's daughter. Find more info here.


To think it’s funny that Tom insisted on getting this for our yard:

So I Saw Breaking Dawn Part 2

So I saw Breaking Dawn Part 2. And if you’re expecting me to gush about it, you might as well leave. That’s not going to happen.

Okay, so I went with my friend Jennifer. We saw it in the balcony of the theater which meant we wouldn’t be surrounded by the teen fans that squeal and the creepy adult fans who also squeal. I’ll never understand the adult fans who call themselves twi-moms. I don’t care if Edward is really like a hundred or something. It’s still weird.

Anyway.

The best thing about seeing a movie in the balcony is the warmed seats. I always chill in movie theaters. The second best thing is the food. You can order from a menu and they bring it to you. We got the cheese fries. The third best thing is that you can watch the people filter into the theater below you. You feel like royalty. “Look at me in my awesome box and look at you in your regular seats surrounded by the teen fans…and the children and infants..”

Seriously. People brought children and infants to Breaking Dawn Part 2.

Children. And infants.

I’m not judging or anything.

Actually, I am. It’s not appropriate to bring children and infants to that type of movie.

So the movie started and it’s all…ooo, thanks for all the shots of the snow. Awesome. Then it shows Edward with his constipated look on his face staring at Bella. He still weirds me out. I mean, guys, he watched her sleep when she was human. This is not a healthy thing. That’s what serial killers do. But a lot of women are like, “How romantic!” How do you figure? How can people sleep when people are staring at them? What if you drool? That’s not sexy. What if you snore? Not sexy.

Then came the part that was really distracting. They used a CGI baby as Renesmee which I understand because getting an infant to place her hand lovingly on Bella’s cheek probably wouldn’t have gone well. Still. They could have used something better.

Bella and Edward have vampire sex, which made me giggle, because in the middle of it a burst of light appears around Bella’s face which I’m assuming meant she orgasmed? I know I was probably supposed to think, “How romantic!” but again I was like, “This is just all sorts of strange..”

The fight scene came later in the film, which was entertaining enough. I won’t spoil anything but the scene didn’t make me sad or anything. It could be because one of the infants that a parent decided to bring started to wail and it took them awhile to PARENT the child. If you have to bring Junior to the movies, immediately leave when it starts to make noises. If I can hear it from the balcony, imagine how loud it must be down there.

The movie ends with Bella and Edward sitting in a field of flowers and Bella is like, “Let me show you something,” and the look on Edward’s face made me whisper to Jennifer, “Did she just fart or something?” because he had his famous constipated look that oddly enough seem to make women swoon.

All and all it was an okay movie. Nothing I’d need to see again. Some people were gushing about it, saying it was the best thing they had ever seen which made me want to get them to watch proper movies such as The Sound of Music and Gone with the Wind. Stat. Those are good movies. One about werewolves and vampires? Not so much in my eyes. (And so many are calling it epic. Huh?)

After the movie Jennifer and I went to the bathroom where we found this sign:

I know it’s meant to be sweet and such but it made me laugh. (And yes, it is missing a word..) Who leaves affirmations in the bathroom where people pee and deficate? Was it because we had paid $18 a seat to be able to be in the balcony? Did balcony bathrooms get affirmations?

Anyway, at least the Twilight movies are over. I’m ready for Catching Fire to comeout. That’s a series I really enjoy.

Although the fact that Miley Cyrus’ fiance is in it is somewhat annoying, but I’ll push through that.

Go Katniss! And thank you for not looking constipated.

Friends Gift Pack Winner

I did a giveaway for a Friends gift pack here.

I used random.org to pick a winner and it chose...

...number 8, which is All Things Yummy!


Congrats!


If you didn't win, I will have future giveaways to try again at!

Enjoy The Turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. And for those who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving today, I hope you have a wonderful day.


I decided to make a list of things that I am thankful for.



--Chocolate. It has helped me through a lot of hard times. I don’t drink wine so this is my go to treat when no one is listening to me or when my DVR breaks and doesn’t record the latest Grey’s Anatomy even though I TOLD IT TO. Stupid electronics.


--My husband. He’s had to work many a holiday and I’m glad he gets today off. I’m also grateful that he’s around to cut the turkey. I don’t know how to cut turkeys properly. I usually butcher it to the point where my husband asks if a bear broke into our home and mauled the turkey.


--My kids. They are loud but they are pretty fantastic.


--Deoderant. Without it, we would all stink. My son, especially. He’s only 10 but he NEEDS deoderant. Otherwise he can clear out a room.


--Good TV shows. I love when I find a show that keeps me excited. Or guessing.


--Electricity. When I watch shows like The Tudors I’m extra grateful for it. Having to handwash clothes would make me terribly cranky.


If you plan on shopping tonight, stay safe! And tell me what you got!

I won't have a new post up Friday because I'll be busy getting all our Christmas decorations out from the garage.

Send good thoughts that I'm not crushed by all the boxes we have out there.

Christmas Dress Shopping Sucks

“Okay…pull it up…I’m sucking it all in. I’m sucking it all in. Pull it up!” I instructed to Tom.

“I…I can’t. It’s not moving,” Tom said polietly. Polietly, because he didn’t want to make me cry. It terrifies him when women cry. For those who have read my book The Swimmer's Assistant, remember the scene when Jane wants to throw a box of tissues at Vanessa’s head and run? That’s Tom.

“I’m sucking it all in!” I repeated as though that proclaimation was supposed to make a difference. Newsflash self: it wasn’t.

I was trying to squeeze into the dress I ordered online. I got it in a size 5 because I wear size 5 pants. Wasn’t that how dresses worked too?

No.

No, that’s NOT how dresses work. Because mine wasn’t zipping up no matter what I did.

“Look, I’ll lie down on my stomach. You just zip it up,” I said. The zipper went up—until it went to the middle of my back—then it refused.

“Amber..I’m worried I’ll break it. It’s not going up. Maybe…maybe try…” Tom’s voice trickled away. He didn’t know what else to suggest. He knew he couldn’t say, “It’s not going to go up. You have too much back fat.”

“What’s going on?” Natalie asked, coming into the room. She stared at us in confusion. I suppose it was odd seeing me sprawled out on the floor with Tom over me trying to conquer the zipper.

“Daddy is trying to fix my dress,” I explained. I motioned for Tom to try again and he sighed.

“It’s not going,” Tom explained gently. The same way he spoke to me after my favorite series Lost ended because he could see how shaky and sad I was. (“There will be other shows,” he had said gently. “But none with JACK! And Hurley!” I had cried.)

“Now what?” I moaned into the carpet. I shouldn’t have bought a dress online. It’s just, I wanted to avoid going to the stores. But going to the stores is exactly what I had to do. I decided to go to JC Penney because it was close and because I had a $10 gift card.

There are scary looking dresses at JC Penney. And there were some that I thought, well, maybe that would look okay. But then they didn’t. Some looked like I was wearing a colored paper sack. Others left little to the imagination. I did not want to be THAT wife at my husband’s Christmas party. You know, the one who thinks she’s sexy but in real life looks like a cheap you-know-what?

I tried on over 10 dresses and towards the end I was beginning to HATE dresses. At one point I almost got stuck in a dress. I picked a size that was too small (you’d think I’d learn the first time, but no..) and when I went to take it off because it made me look like a sequined sausage, I found I couldn’t.

“Uh,” I said, tugging. What would happen if I couldn’t get it off? Open the changing room door and be like, “You! Man sitting on the chair waiting for his wife. Can you help?”

I managed to wiggle out of it. I had to remind myself that I was NOT the same size that I was in high school and to quit picking out small dresses.

In the end, I found a black dress but was worried that it might be too revealing. Again, I don’t want to be one of those wives. I’m not at all. I don’t think I’m sexy. I’m awkward in social situations and I don’t know how to walk in heels properly. I don’t want to be the center of attention. At all.

Anyway, here is the dress:

(I won’t wear the sunglasses. I wasn’t trying to be Audrey Hepburn, it’s just my eyes looked scary. I wasn’t drinking of anything.)

I’m wearing it with nylons, which apparently several people told me were out. What does that mean, out? As in, am I forbidden to wear them? If I do, is Joan Rivers going to pop out and slap my hand?

I’m wearing the nylons. With opened toed shoes, which is apparently also a no-no. Again, I don’t care. I don’t have the patience for fashion crap.

The heels are the same ones I wore for my vow renewal. They aren’t very comfortable but then again, I’m told most heels aren’t. I hate heels. I just hope I don’t lose my balance and go spinning into Tom’s commander. That would be awkward.

I also have to make sure I eat the meal that is served there delicately. I tend to eat like a man and shovel it all in.

I also have to get some dress tape to ensure that little dipping part in my dress doesn’t go too far down when I sit. Otherwise some poor guy is going to see my (faded) strapless bra.

Dress shopping sucks.

Heels suck.

There better be some awesome cake at this party.

Friends Blu Ray Series Winner!

I did a giveaway for a blu ray set of the Friends series here.

I used random.org to pick a number and it chose...


....number 75, which was Jessica!!


Congrats!


If you didn't win, I also have a Friends gift pack giveaway going on here and I'll have other future giveaways.

Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.

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To be looking forward to Thanksgiving. I love turkey. We’re having it at my friend Jennifer’s house. I’m bringing the green bean casserole, stuffing, and apple pie.


To not be sure if I’ll do Black Friday or not. Apparently there’s some weird Oklahoma law that passed saying that Oklahoma won’t get the same deals. ?


To have volunteered to help set up and clean up at Natalie’s Thanksgiving party tomorrow that she’s having at her school. I’m going to be surrounded by five-year-olds. And now I’m picturing Kindergarten Cop.


To have started watching Married to the Army on the OWN network. It just started and I’m sure it’ll be repeating if you were curious.


To be going to see Breaking Dawn Part 2 on Wednesday with Jennifer. We’re seeing it in the balcony where I can order booze in case I get irritated. The movies are okay, but nothing I’d ever gush about.


To have really liked the first season of Homeland. Must watch season 2 now.


To know it’s going to be a long week because the kids are off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.


To have a Friends giveaway ending tomorrow. You can win a Blu Ray Friends series set here!

What Makes My Eyes Roll

The following things have been making my eyes roll...



---When people shorten words. It’s adorable, not adorbs. It’s totally, not totes. I would die in Los Angeles, I think, land of the cray cray.


--When people carry their dogs around in purses. It’s a pet, not an accessory.


--When people push their cats around in strollers. It’s a pet, not a human being.


--When people go on and on about only allowing organic food in their home. It’s your choice, not mine.


--When people don’t understand why others don’t parent like they do. Again, it’s your choice, not mine. I’m not going to make my own baby food or cloth diaper. I’m fine with that, and you should be too.


--When people tell me that certain things are no longer in style. Like nylons or wearing the same shoes all year long. I don’t care what is in style. I’ll wear what makes me comfortable.


--Basically the entire AMA show. I didn't even watch, I just saw clips, and that was enough for me. THAT'S what people consider music?!

Road Tripping Tips with #kiaholidays

It’s the holidays which means it’s time to decorate.

And, for a lot of people, to travel.

I was contacted by someone from Kia and asked to talk about road trips, which is perfect, because we’ve done road trips. Since we’re a military family, if my husband gets another stateside base we’ll have to drive there.

We drove from Wyoming to Oklahoma.

And my parents live about 6 hours away from us now so we travel there too.

What are some ways to keep the family comfortable during road trips?

For us, we always bought new toys for the kids. Nothing huge, mind you, but small toys. The ones you can find at the dollar spot at Target. We’d also buy books and yes, we would have DVD players with new DVDs.

What also works?

Comfort.

Kia has a variety of different vehicles that would ensure a comfortable ride.

And they have these hampsters, who never fail to make my children laugh:

If the kids get rowdy, I recommend either A) buying earplugs or B) turning up the volume of your radio.

I’m kidding.

If the kids get noisy, I would just dig out another toy. I would never give them everything new at once. That’s a Travel DON’T!

There are also different road games you can play. Some that are easy for young kids is to have them find different colored vehicles (Kia has a whole bunch of awesome colors!) (And did I mention the dancing hampsters? Yes? Well, the dancing hampsters rock.)

I also mentioned the space, right? Well, look at all this space in the 2013 Kia Sorento:

So basically, here is what you need to have an enjoyable road trip with children:

--new toys

--game ideas

--space

--booze


Okay, that last part probably isn't safe. So maybe if things get rough, have a stash of chocolate on hand.

Or, you know, the earplugs.


(To learn more about Kia, you can like their Facebook page.)

Inside Natalie's Closet: Fall Styles!

It’s fall! Hooray! That means I was able to drag out Natalie’s fall outfits from one of my favorite stores Gymboree:

First up is her butterfly dress:

She’s like, “Why aren’t you running into the house?”

There we go.


Here’s another outfit. Cherries!

I can’t remember if I shared this one or not.

And finally, here’s an awesome dress:

She dresses better than I do.

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: Facebook Nonsense

“This is to see if the people on my friends list pay attention. Leave a one word comment on how we met!”

“Click LIKE if you love your husband! If not, keep scrolling.”

Um. No.

I’m not a fan when people post that nonsense on Facebook. It’s not that I don’t pay attention: it’s that I don’t like being told to make a certain comment or DO something.

I know. That probably makes me a brat. But seriously, if people post that crap, I generally ignore it.

It’s nothing against you.

It’s just I don’t have the patience for it. Not clicking like doesn’t mean I don’t love someone.

And I also ignore game requests. I don’t do Farmville, sorry.

Oh, and while I’m at it, stop forwarding those chain e-mails. No one is going to keel over and get bad luck if you don’t send it to 10 people. I promise.

Hickory Farms Cheeseball

“It’s here!” I shrieked and almost started rushing over. Then I remembered, oh, I had my family with me and that would be rude to just leave them standing there.

“What’s here?” Tom asked, annoyed. He was already in a Mood because there were so many people at the mall. He’s not one for crowds. He hates going to stores around the holidays.

“Hickory Farms. Cheeseball!” I started fast-walking towards the set up. A worker was standing there in a Hickory Farms apron.

“Care for a sample?” he asked, holding out a tray of sausage bits. (Which are also SO good.) “Mint?” he continued, pulling out a container of those melt away mints. (Also delicious.)

“No. I just need a cheeseball,” I said and walked over to the cooler. I plucked one out.

“You know, if you buy two, you can save,” the worker said.

“Nah. One is fine. But thanks,” I answered.

“You sure you don’t want a sausage?”

“That’s what he said!” I joked. No, not really. I just thought it.

“Can I offer you a sample of fudge?”

Fudge?

How many samples did this man have?

And what did he mean FUDGE? I didn’t recall Hickory Farms having fudge. They had FUDGE?

I love fudge.

But..

“No, thanks,” I said. If I tried a piece, I’d have to buy a box. And the box was…oh, 19.99. Yikes.

“You sure?” He could sense my weakness and opened his sample box. There were perfect bite sized cubes of fudge.

“NO!” I yelped, louder than I intended. But I think it worked because the worker jumped and quickly put the sample box away. I’m sure he was thinking, “Okay. Crazy customer. Got it.”

Mmm, cheeseball.

“Aren’t you excited?” I asked Tom.

“It’s a ball of cheese,” he answered. Tom doesn’t get excited easily.

“A ball of DELICIOUS cheese,” I said.

Seriously though, if you’ve never tried one…you should!

Makes for a fantastic snack. I usually get Ritz crackers to go with it but any will do.

(And if you get the fudge, let me know how it was..)

Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.

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To have started watching Homeland with Tom. I like it! And yes, I did see the SNL skit about it.


To hope my best friend Jennifer likes the base in Spain. She’s moving there for two years. It’s one of those tiny bases.


To love the holidays because of the awesome deals you can find. Yes, I do Black Friday but sometimes I mainly do it online. Amazon usually has fantastic toy deals starting in late November. They’ll just randomly pop up. I once got a wagon for 10 bucks!


To be buying the movie Brave today. Natalie will be happy. I’m getting it from Target since it comes with a free book.


To also be buying the new Call of Duty game to surprise Tom.


To really not understand why people still aren’t using their turn signals. If you know someone who doesn’t, tell them to stop being so lazy!


To have two Friends giveaways going on right now. One for the Blu Ray Series set here and another for a gift pack here!


To have gone to WalMart while hungry and picked up these:

Yes, the Gingerbread Oreos are fantastic. Go buy some.

A Turkey Named Sam

So Natalie came home with a turkey.

A fake one, mind you.

(Could you imagine if it were real? We wouldn’t even be able to eat it because at that point Natalie would have gotten attached and named it.)

Anyway, we had to decorate it with anything we “had on hand in the house.”

It’s no secret that I’m not crafty. The crafty moms probably had an entire drawer dedicated to things like that.

Me?

“Uh, Natalie. Do you want to use the leftover spice drops that we used for Tommy’s project?”

I rifled around kitchen drawers and oh…oh…I found a few spare puffy ball thingies. I think I had bought a pack from when Tommy had to decorate a turkey. Some had dust balls attached to them.

“Glitter!” Natalie shrieked, holding up the bottle like it was the holy grail. “I found GLITTER!”

Oh, fantastic. I hid that from her awhile back because she started to sprinkle glitter all over the house.

“Because,” she had explained to me like I was the idiot, “I’m Tinkerbell.”

I laid everything out in front of Natalie and told her she could go to town. As she started gluing the puff balls everywhere I started to think, “Should I be helping her?” I mean, you know some mothers totally pushed their five-year-olds out of the way and decorated the turkey like an actual turkey. They probably went to Hobby Lobby and bought feathers and other fancy craft things.

Me? Well, I wanted to clean out the junk drawer.

So I let Natalie do it all. And actually, she did a pretty good job:

“I named him Sam! And he likes glitter,” Natalie said proudly. Then she tried to sneak the glitter upstairs but I found the bottle in her underwear.

“This stays down here. In case you have other projects,” I added when it looked like Natalie was about to put up a fuss.

When we took the turkey to school I saw some fancy turkeys. The ones that said, “An Adult Was Here.”

I’m proud to say that Natalie’s turkey says, “My name is Sam and a five-year-old decorated me.”

Friends Gift Pack Giveaway! **CLOSED

**CLOSED. Winner posted here**


Remember on Friends when Joey and Chandler had a chick and a duck?

And when Ross had a monkey?

Pretty funny stuff, huh?

You guys know I have a Blu Ray series of Friends up for grabs. Now I have another Friends prize. This one is smaller, but still super cool. You get two oversized cappuccino cups, plus a yellow frame like the one Monica had on her door, courtesy of PartnersHub.

Check out this widget:


You can take a quiz and find out which Friends character you are most like.

When you check out the video, you can watch different clips of the show:




Do you want to win the gift pack?

Giveaway Rules:

--Must be 18 or older

--No PO Boxes


Mandatory Entry: Like on my other giveaway, take the quiz in the widget and tell me what Friends character you are most like. If you already did it on the other giveaway, just give me your response here as well.


Extra Entries:

--On the video, tell me what your favorite part of the clip was. Come back every week to see a new clip and get another entry by telling me what your favorite part of that new clip was!

--Tell me what your favorite Friends episode is

--Follow my blog

--Tweet about this giveaway using the hashtag #FRIENDS




I will pick a winner in two weeks so on November 25th.

Good luck!

Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups Blu Ray DVD Winners!

I did a giveaway for two copies of a Blu Ray DVD of Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups here.


I used random.org to pick the winners and it chose...

...number 6, which is Shawna Kryshel and..

...number 29 which is Jenny.


Congrats!


If you didn't win, I have a Friends giveaway for a Blu Ray series set here so try again!


I will also have another giveaway for a Friend gift set up soon.

The Garage Hoarder

“Can we get rid of this box? It’s full of tapes,” Tom said and made a move to take the box and TOSS IT IN THE TRASH PILE we had started. Was he nuts?!

“Stop!” I shrieked, then calmed myself down. “I mean. I might listen to them again. There’s New Kids on the Block in there. And the Annie soundtrack.”

Tom blinked at me. “Get the songs on iTunes.”

A lump was beginning to form in my throat. “But. But.” The thought of my tapes being crushed to death in the trash was beginning to bother me. True I could donate to Goodwill, but what if the person didn’t appreciate the tapes? I had them since I was little! I remember jamming to The Right Stuff when I was 8. I had a massive crush on Joey and pretended he was singing Please Don’t Go Girl to me. (“Don’t worry, Joey. I’m not going anywhere!”)

“So let me get this straight,” Tom said and I knew what was coming. “You won’t get rid of your notebooks from high school. You won’t get rid of your sweats from gym class in junior high. You won’t get rid of your tapes. You practically had a meltdown when I suggested we get rid of Tommy’s baby clothes—”

“I kept my favorite outfits!” I yelled. Don’t think that I kept them all. No, we donated a bunch to the Airman’s Attic before we left the base in Nebraska. But I kept my absolute favorites. And yes, maybe five outfits to keep is a bit much, but oh well.

“What are you going to get rid of?” Tom asked impatiently. He had easily dumped some of the clothes he no longer wore in the donate pile. It’s easier for men. They don’t get attached to things. He could care less if we got rid of Tommy’s mini boxers that I bought for him when he was 3 months old so he could match Daddy.

“I got rid of that fan,” I reminded him, pointing.

“Because it was broken.”

Oh. Well, still.

“I also got rid of the kid’s trike. That’s been around since Tommy was two. It was very difficult for me.”

“Why? It’s too small for the kids!” Tom boomed. See? No attachment whatsoever. Didn’t he remember Tommy learning to pedal for the first time on the trike? It was a struggle for him to pedal and the doctors said it had to do with his sensory processing disorder. He had low muscle tone. When he finally got it, I was so happy. I even let him bring the thing into the house so he could keep pedaling. Tom wasn’t as amused with that one. He kept grumbling, “Bikes belong outside.”

“What is all this?” Tom demanded, opening a large plastic bin that was full of toys.

“Oh, that’s what I picked up at the Target 70% off toy sale. Some will be for Christmas, others are put aside when the kids are invited to birthday parties,” I explained.

“How are we ever supposed to organize this garage?” Tom wanted to know.

“Well, we have a pathway that we can walk through so that’s good,” I said. Then I flashed to an episode of Hoarders. Crap. They also make a pathway to walk through while their stuff looms around them. Sort of like the garage. Only we don’t keep trash in there and I swear, you won’t find a body of a squished cat either.

Still, Tom is right. So I’m going to make more of an effort to get rid of stuff.

Yes, I am a pack rat. Only, as I’ve said before, I like to call myself a Preserver of Memories. There’s a difference.

There’s a difference.

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: Cell Phones During Movies

The glow of the screen was distracting. Did the woman not hear the part when the booming voice said to turn off cell phones? I mean, maybe she couldn’t read? If so, that wasn’t an excuse. There was even a PHOTO of a cell phone with a line crossed through it which means TURN IT OFF. Or turn it on vibrate. Basically, put it away until the movie was over.

Sighs.

We were seeing Wreck-It Ralph and some lady across the way kept fiddling on Facebook. And oh…there was a guy a few seats over messing with his phone.

Why?

This is so incredibly rude. When the lights go down, it’s time for the cell phone to go away. It might be previews, but some people LIKE the previews. I like the previews and I get distracted when I see the glare of a screen. Maybe I have ADD.

It irritates me even more when people still have their phones out when the actual movie has started. I don’t CARE if you’re in the middle of an important text. Get up and go to the hall. If you’re waiting for an important text, seeing a movie is probably not what you should be doing. If you’re about to get three stars on Angry Birds, sorry, when the movie begins, it’s over.

You have no idea how hard it is not to toss popcorn at the back of phone users heads. But then I’d be creating a movie theater faux paux. Still. They would have started it.

I also hate when halfway through a movie people decide to check their phones. If you can’t go an hour without using it, don’t see a movie. If your phone vibrates and you think it might be someone important, take it to the hall. Okay?

So please. When you see a movie, put your phone away when the lights go down. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if you feel popcorn being tossed at you.

The One With The Blu Ray Friends Series Giveaway *CLOSED

**CLOSED! Winner posted here**




“We were on a breakkkkkkkk!!”

Love that line. (And I do, in fact, believe that they were on a break. But Ross still shouldn't have slept with the chick from The Wedding Singer.)

Heck, there are so many lines on Friends that I love. I still sing Smelly Cat.

Why am I talking about Friends?

Well, because I have Blu Ray Friends series DVD set for a lucky reader to win thanks to PartnersHub. I’m actually jealous because Friends is one of my favorite shows. Heck, I know what episode I’m watching 30 seconds in. So yes. Putting on my Chandler hat I’m like, “Could I BE anymore jealous?”

I’m glad I can offer this to a lucky reader though.

Check out this awesome widget where you can take do the Friends trivia challenge. I'm sure I'll be excellent at it. Come back daily and earn a different Friends character badge. You can also take a quiz and find out which Friends character you are most like. (My guess is that I'm most like Phoebe. I'm a little odd.)





Check out the video daily and find a new Mashup Friends clip:




So, do you want to win this fabulous set that I am SO SO jealous about?


Giveaway Rules

--Must be 18 or older

--No PO Box as the set is going to be sent via FedEx. Sorry!



MANDATORY ENTRY: Take the Friends quiz on the widget and tell me what Friends character you are most like.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

--Tweet about this giveaway using #FRIENDS

--Check out the Mashup clips from the Friends video and let me know what your favorite moment was.

--Blog about this giveaway

--Follow my blog


For each thing you do, please leave a separate entry.


I will run this giveaway for two weeks! Make sure you come back next week to see a new Mashup Friends clip and you can earn another entry.

A winner be be selected on November 21st.


Good luck!!



**The opinions and content are my own. I was given the opportunity to give away a Blu Ray Friends set to a lucky reader.**

Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.

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To have taken the kids to see Wreck-It Ralph over the weekend. It was a good movie.


To have also taken the kids to a weather festival since Tommy loves the weather. He had a blast.


To really wish stores wouldn’t play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. It tends to turn people into Grinches. Too much, too soon.


To love the Christmas goodies that are already out. Which probably makes no sense since I’m annoyed by the early music but I LOVE gingerbread flavored stuff.


To be glad that today is election day. I can’t take any more ads, Facebook postings, and annoying phone calls to vote for certain people.


To have been watching the latest Walking Dead episode while chewing my fingernails. I know, gross habit, but that episode kept me riveted. And nervous.


To not be a fan of time changes. It tends to throw everything off. However, it is nice for the sun to be out when I wake up.


To have a giveway for TWO copies of the DVD Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups here. And if you like the show Friends, I'll be having a giveaway for that soon as well.

What Happens In Public

“Hi Tommy!” I called out.

I was promptly ignored.

I should know better. We were In Public which means I Do Not Exist. He’s lucky I’m not one of those parents who shows up in pajama pants. I do have unkempt hair but it’s not my fault. My hair hates me no matter what I do to it.

I pulled out my camera, prepared to take pictures. I was at Tommy’s award assembly. He made the Honor Roll. No Perfect Attendance this time, which bothered Tommy. But really, he couldn’t have gone to school the one day he was absent. He was puking everywhere.

I took a picture of the back of Tommy’s head.

It remained that way the entire time I was there. Until he was called up on stage, that is. I remember when he was little how he'd light up when he saw me. "Mommy! Mommy! It's me! Tommy!" Now? I barely get a glance in my direction.

Tommy got his certificate, smiled briefly my way (probably so I'd stop hissing, "Tommy, over here!"), and then behaved as though I wasn’t there. (Yes, he does need a haircut. No, he won't let me get him one. Yes, I'm going to make him because he looks like a shaggy pants. I figure I buy his underwears, therefore, I get to tell him when he needs to get a hair cut.)

When the assembly was over, the teachers said the students could say hello to their parents real quick. Tommy didn’t look as though he was going to do this so I took matters into my own hands. I went over and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Good day,” I said brightly.

He gave me a forced smile. “Hi.” Gosh, his friends would be shocked to know that the night before he hugged me and said that he loved me very much.

“You did a great job. Congrats!” I continued.

This got a real smile from Tommy. “Thank you!”

“Well, I love you!” As soon as the words left my lips, I knew I had said the wrong thing. Apparently you can’t say that in public to a fifth grader. The color drained from Tommy’s face. His eyes flicked around the students by him checking to see if they heard. Weirdly, I suddenly wanted to shout, “Opah!” as a distraction, which is weird because A) we’re not Greek and B) that would have surely gotten attention and people would have been like ?

“Um, well, see you,” I said, trying to play it cool. Gosh, I’m awkward. I shouldn’t be like that with my own KID but now he’s older and there are unspoken rules that I just haven’t been able to grasp yet.

“Mmmhmm, see you,” Tommy mumbled.

I so wanted to give him a hug but that was Out Of The Question since we were still In Public. So I chucked him lightly on the shoulder, then worried his teachers might be like, “Abuse!”

He did give me a wave before I walked out though so I guess I was forgiven.

Until next time.

A Merida and a Boba Fett

So how much candy have you been eating?

Me?

Well, okay, I haven’t eaten ALL of that. But Natalie did let me pick out what I wanted. She’s nice that way. Considering I gave her life, it’s fantastic that she allowed me to have all the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

The kids were all ready to Trick or Treat:

Even though Tommy kept going, “I feel like a dork in this.” Dude, it’s Boba Fett. I could have made him be a prince to Natalie’s Merida but I did not. He would have been mortified at that one.

I did get him to pose for me:

“My breath reeks and it bounces back into my face when I wear this helmet,” Tommy grumbled.

Then he made Natalie cry when he kept shooting her with his play gun.

“You’re being very RUDE!” Natalie snapped.

Remember how the Merida wig wasn’t working?

Well, I ordered this from Etsy:

Much better. It would have looked even better if Natalie had let me pull her hair back but she wanted her hair mixed with the “red hairs.” Fine.

Oh and Natalie had to share that she had matching shoes on:

I totally had Fun Sized candy bars for breakfast by the way.

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: No Candy

Okay, I’ll admit it.

I get annoyed when people take their kids out trick or treating and don’t bother to give candy out.

Now, wait, before you get defensive, I know there are some reasons as to why people don’t give candy. Some people leave way out in the country and drive their kids to neighborhoods so they can get candy. I get why they don’t pass any out. Some people are struggling with money and such—times are tough.

But some people just aren’t being fair.

I live on base. This means that a lot of the time, the person in the military is deployed or has to work. (My husband has to work security on Halloween a lot.) This means that the remaining parent has to take the kids out so they might not be there to pass out candy.

This is what I do: I leave a bowl of candy out with a sign that says PLEASE TAKE ONE. So far, I haven’t had a punk kid take it all. I know this can happen. But even if it does happen, I feel like I’m still offering something to the neighborhood.

The amount of houses that weren’t passing out candy was astounding. Yes, some people might not celebrate Halloween. Some people might take their kids to the mall, zoo, etc..I get that too. But really, if you take your kids out to the neighborhood, you should offer up SOMETHING.

This is what we did on Halloween: my husband actually didn’t have to work so he passed out candy while I took the kids around.

Last year he did have to work so I left a bowl out for the first hour. Then when we came back I started passing out candy.

This base has a crazy amount of kids. Last year we ran out so I made sure to get like 10 bags of candy. Why? Because I feel if I can take my kids around to various houses, that I should have plenty to offer others.

Again. There are reasons why some people don’t. I get that.

But for the people who are quite capable of setting out some candy for the neighborhood since they are taking their kids around to get candy—should. (And no, I’m not saying get 10 bags like I did. But at least 3 or so. I feel like one reason why we get so many kids is because so many houses don’t offer any. So kids are searching around, hoping to find houses that actually HAVE something..)

Now, if you’ll excuse me…I’m off to snack on some Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.


Oh and PS. Someone put this sign on their door. It's blurry, sorry. I quickly took it lest the cranky inhabitants inside came out yelling. They seemed cranky. I mean, they could have just wrote NO CANDY and people would have understood. But they took it further. DO NOT RING DOORBELL. I believe the next line was "No one will come." Followed again by NO CANDY. Sheesh. Okay. Got it.