Family Night--PPPPBBBLLLLTTTTT! We'll Try Again Tonight...

Well, man's greatest plans are God's greatest follies once again. There's nothing like a home improvement project to highjack family night. It was my choice so I planned a low key night of trying out Papa Murphy's Pizza and a card game or dominoes. PPPBBBLLLTTT! (I seem to have made lots of zerberts this week...am I reverting back to being a toddler when my plans go awry?) The pizza we did. However, with power tools about and progress being made on his dreams of repairing the long-overdue siding issues, Hubby Dearest was on his own mission.

Let's start with Papa Murphy. When you walk in their door, it's like going to QuickTrip. "Hello! Welcome to Papa's!" he says enthusiastically like I am the only customer that has been in that day. I look around in anticipation of having a take-n-bake-n-save pizza of my choosing. There's nothing fancy about the pizzas in general. You have three sizes, medium, large and family. You have all the usual toppings and the choice of hand-tossed, extra thin, or stuffed. They have the requisite specials that no one takes advantage of because it is for some specialty pizza with sausage and olives...gag!

If it seems I am being a negative nancy about this, I am. It says on their wall, "Take, Bake and Save." I figure with removing the convenience of a delivery and then having to cook the pies myself, it would cut the price in half since that is half the point of ordering a pizza in the first place. I spent the same amount of money for two pizzas and a two liter of soda as I would have by calling Pizza Hut and not having to do any of the work. THAT IS ONLY BECAUSE PAPA KNOCKED $2 OFF EACH PIZZA FOR ME BEING A NEWBIE! RIP. OFF.

I arrived home with my gold-embedded (NOT REALLY) pizza pies and hubby and Darling Daughter were excited to try something new. After I told him there was no difference in price, MyChad was less than enthusiastic. However, there was still hope that these would be the best tasting circles of goodness we'd ever had. Eh...not so much. Now we have to throw on there that they really didn't taste that spectacular, and we'll just keep it PG today and say we won't be a return customer.

As for the games, Darby and I watched our recorded shows while Chad jacked around with a stalled power washer. When he finally gave up and came in, I heard thunder. The three of us dashed back out to bring in the tools that didn't need to get wet and cover anything too big or stinky to be stored in the house.

We enjoyed standing in the back yard watching the lightening (we are such GOOD parents) and will shoot to play dominoes with Granny and Papa who will be here this afternoon. We are excited to have my parents for the weekend! Darby starts hockey practice tonight and Sosie's shower is tomorrow. I think there is a surprise in there somewhere too, but I'll never tell.

What would your ideal family night be like?

Thursdays are Happiness Reports--September Healthy Eating

BBBBPPPPLLLLTTTTT!!!!! Well, September started with a bang and whoopee!! However, it ends with a fizzle and hope that we have at least learned that making a food plan makes it somewhat easier to not hit the drive through so much. The lesson we learned this month: MAKE A PLAN BUT BE FLEXIBLE WITH CHANGES.

PHOTO SOURCE

October is about having more Energy! Let's see what I come up with for that. The calendar I made up a few months ago says, "Research Relaxation and Engery, Sleep at least 7 hours a night, work out at least five days a week, and add yoga and Zumba to your regime." There's the plan!

I wish I could report great joy and happiness, but it isn't going to happen today. I finally have a dream about Gayla and am geared up for the great peace that it is supposed to bring me and my subconscience has her start screaming at me. I am going to research whatever makes me just not dream! Blah!

Thank you for continuing to support this little bit of crazy each day! Visit my blog each Thursday to see how My Happiness Project is going! Here's the plan by month so far:

• August--being organized
• September--eating healthier
• October--having energy
• November--being thankful
• December--focusing on family and friends
• January--focusing on marriage
• February--focusing on parenting
• March--being creative
• April--being helpful
• May--working smarter
• June--being adventurous
• July--loving Jaimee

Crazy Bear Toy I Bought for My Nephew

Happy 3rd Birthday, JamesIII! Aunt J-Me loves you 

and cannot wait to share this craziness with you!

Write On Wednesday--It Is Well With My Soul

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 16:

Hadge says: Take a favorite (or even random play) song and write the story behind the lyrics, not something inspired by the lyric, but the flesh on the bones of the story. It gives lots of scope for interpretative writing. Use the lyrics or theme of a song for a piece of flash fiction (50 to 200 words). To clarify, write your version of the story behind the lyrics in a song.

Gill, at InkPaperPen, I have to say, I almost just threw in the towel this week and said, "I don't know how to do this so I won't even try." This is my typical M.O. Sad to admit that. I am not someone who is overly involved with her music. I like, love or hate songs. I don't form relationships strong enough to write about them. However, at the final hour, a song spoke to me. I may not be totally on target for this meme, and I apologize. However, this is my heart, thrown out there so don't trample too hard. Thank you Misters Spafford and Bliss for penning and composing "It Is Well With My Soul"; you touch my heart, Daniel Martin Moore for your version heard on Parenthood last night and speaking to my soul.


When I regularly attended church, the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" was my favorite. I loved any song I could really belt out (and sound good doing it). I felt it was God's way of saying, "I'll make you good at this song because I want to hear your praise in this way." Selfishly self-centered I can be.





Six months ago, I felt like God slapped me in the face with so much force that it destroyed my love for Him for all time. At the same time frightened and angry, I wasn't sure what to do but just loathe and beg for forgiveness almost in the same breath. It is extremely hard to even write that because I am ashamed at the same time that I am angry and hurt.


Last month, when Sosie and AnnieMama lost their little sister Becky, the song was playing in the kitchen...them trying to decide to play it at her memorial or not. I had to leave, and all I could say as I retreated away from the beauty that hurt so much was, "IT IS NOT WELL WITH MY SOUL! NONE OF THIS IS WELL WITH MY SOUL!"

The Last Photo Ever Taken
of MyGayla and Me, February 2011

This crisis of faith, as my therapist calls it, is "normal" when grieving. It isn't normal for me because my faith has been the one constant my whole life. Prayer came to me more easily than walking. Why now, when I needed Him the most, did I suddenly decide He was not there. I was a fool for believing in my "imaginary friend God." I told myself all the things you can imagine including, "What kind of God based in Love and Compassion would take away such young, beautiful, loving women? How could He think that this world would be better unless they were in it? He must not really exist."


Probably because my injured foot kept me bed-bound yesterday, and I wasn't able to stay busy, my mind kept me firmly planted at the bottom of that dark hole, weeping and desperate to have my sister back. However, as I barely watched the Parenthood episode last night, the song jumped out at me again. Except this time, I didn't feel assaulted; I felt like I was hearing it for the first time. I felt relief for enough time to pray instead of cry. I prayed like my heart had to say it all before I could revert back to anger. Mostly, I felt peace. Whatever is my lot in this life, I found peace again. I still hurt. I still grieve. I still miss MyGayla. I always will. However, I will also move forward everyday until the day "my faith shall be sight." 




It Is Well With My Soul


When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
...
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul

Try Something New Tuesday...Parenting

So Tuesdays are supposed to be about trying new things and telling the world about the newest and greatest adventure. No new adventure, but I think I will share with you about my new parenting method. BEST PUNISHMENT EVER...TORTURE! Ha! Just speaking in hyperbole...but it was really good.

Darling Daughter used to fuss about what she wore to school to the point of missing the bus sometimes. I bought the ugliest Hanes sweat pants and sweat shirt and let her know that whenever she was taking too long, she would have to wear this $6 Walmart special. No more problems. Yay us!

Well, in high school the preferred garb of the slouchy is sweats so scratch that! Darling girl however has taken to buying clothing, or more specifically spending my money to buy clothing she never wears. We are not millionaires who can afford tagged clothes growing dusty so I have started charging her. Since DD gets her finances from me, it seems a little odd that she owes me money that I am going to give her to turn around and pay me back.



PHOTO SOURCE

My best idea ever! Darby had to earn her payback by cleaning Hubby Dearest and My bathroom! The major stipulation was that it had to be "Jaimee Clean," not "Darby Clean" (a clear spot in the middle of the room with the corners piled up and a fear of looking under the bed or opening the closet door). I gave HD a week's notice, told him to not clean up after himself, and really let it get scummy. Then I sprang the news on our girl. She procrastinated so long that our own gag reflexes were starting to warn us we may have to clean the mess or never enter our bathroom again (more hyperbole). PARENTING 101: NEVER DOLE OUT A PUNISHMENT YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO LIVE WITH!

Finally, I told her to get in there and get to cleaning. I gave her no way out of it. After two hours on Saturday, Hubby gave her a work furlough and let her promise to finish on Sunday. The next morning, I wanted to do something fun because parenting with punishments always makes me feel rotten (don't tell her). I woke her up with the promise that we were going to do something fun so I needed her to go take care of her obligations first. It took her another two hours to get the "Jaimee Clean" that was required. However, out bathroom was immaculate.

While getting pedicures later that day, I asked DD what she learned from this experience. Darby sassy-ly said, "I learned I never ever want to owe YOU money again." Well that is one way to look at it, sweet pea. Maybe wasteful clothing will factor in there somewhere too.

UNRELATED NOTE: Once again I have fallen during a house improvement project and hurt my foot and probably sprang the rest of my body! Hubby says I am never allowed to help him ever again. He thinks this is a secret plan of mine to never have to help. I am enthusiastic to help (heck, I was sweeping the drive!). I am also just clumsy (tripped over the flower bed edging). Right now I am in a lot of pain and my foot looks like that of an old person. Pbbbbbllllltttt!

Mama, Mommy, Mother, Goddess...

Growing up, I was always told, "You look just like your mama." I would say thank you and just beam because, in my mind, my mama is the most perfect, beautiful woman in the world. It isn't just because of her gorgeous skin or cute little nose; my mama has the most amazing heart. Her sense of humor can keep me in stitches for hours. Plus, Mama is freaking brilliant! She reads constantly and absorbs knowledge like a dry sponge. I have watched my mama jump a fence to save a baby from plunging into a pool. I can remember at least three runt cats and a mangy stray poodle that she brought home because she was going to give them the home they deserved. I know she's given to those in need almost as much as she's used to raise us kiddos to adulthood. Brenda Moore is an amazing woman, and I am lucky to have learned so much about how to be a good mother, wife and daughter from her.

Now don't think I live in a fantasy world. We have had our down moments too. If there is one person in this world I can ever say I have truly fought with, it would be that same woman I admire so much. That, I guess you could say, is the down side to being so much alike. We are opinionated and strong willed. Part of being successful for us both is that when we set a goal, we are dogged to annoyance in order to reach our desired outcome. I like to think that it's our passion for our beliefs that drive us. Others might see it differently. However, luckily, we really don't give a flip most of the time what "others" are up to.

All this love fest brings us to this week's listography--The Ten Greatest TV Moms of [My] Time. I've only been watching TV for three decades or so. Therefore I realize I am limited. Please feel free to educate me in the comments about your ten great mothers.

1. Carol Brady--Although I think Alice did the bulk of the mothering, she did manage to make it fashionable (I'll overlook that you had an affair with your "kid" this time).
2. Marrion Cunningham--She was the right kind of clueless that kids like my husband would have enjoyed. Her sweet nature made her a push over but also quite comfortable.
3. Clair Huxtable--Girl, you made being a sassy mom look good! I liked that she kept the eyes in the back of her head carefully concealed with great hair!
4. Rosanne Conner--Sure, you may have had a grandchild before your teen was out of the house and fought tooth and nail with your hubby, but sometimes the best example of what not to do it as good a preventative as any. Plus, it was nice to see real life creep into TV land. Life isn't perfect but you survive by keeping a sense of humor.
5. Kitty Forman--You taught me that a little greasing of the wheels occasionally can make the most unruly spouse and child seem almost comical. Plus playing the ditz gets you out of anything too taxing.
6. Marge Simpson--You are a goddess! You put up with and still love the strangest family in America. Plus, anyone who can survive more than 20 years of dirty diaper years with a baby that never ages deserves an award of some kind.
7. Cam Tucker--Modern Family's stay-at-home-dad gets an honorary mother award for teaching me that making songs up to teach a lesson keeps you from yelling what you really want to say. “Take a bite of an apple / Take a bite of a pear / Take a bite of a cookie that you left over there / But there is one thing you should never do / Is take a bite of Billy or Brandon or Sue / People aren’t food / People aren’t food / They won’t play with you / If they think they're going to be chewed / And on a side note, private parts are private.”
8. Camille Braverman--You let me know that after many years of making to wrong choices or oopsy-ing my way to her adulthood, when it's Darling Daughter's turn to parent, I will have better answers for her than I do now.
9. Mary Cooper--Lord knows raising Sheldon was not easy. However, you did something right because all his friends have to do to get him into line is make one little call to you. That's grit!
10. Angela Rizzoli--I dream of having a daughter who can hold her own and still have a heart of gold. You did good girl! You did good!

Who else makes your list of greatest TV moms of all time?

PHOTO SOURCE

Fun Teen Gift Wrap

I Missed My Calling As a Florist...

I made this center piece for Sosie's shower. Sometimes I amaze myself!

Can you spot the Peacocks?

Family Night--Darling Daughter's Choice...or WAS IT?

Shout out to Plano's Jasper High School administration for having "NOT Due Fridays." This thinly veiled admission that football games, which are on Thursday nights, are religion in Texas, is the perfect excuse for me to force our little gang of three to spend time with each other. I LOVE IT! Let's see, we've done ice cream, love notes, dinner and DVD, and now, Chili and Dollar Movie, which is really $1.50 after 6 p.m. IT'S A SCAM I TELL YOU...A SCAM!

Crockpot Turkey Chili was awesome and way easy. We threw it over cheese and Fritos to make it funner (YES, I am aware it's "more fun." I am quoting a teen). Here's the recipe: brown 2 pounds of ground turkey in olive oil. Drain and place the turkey in the crockpot with two cans of tomato sauce (not paste), 2 cans of mild enchilada sauce, , chili powder and a packet of McCormick's Chili seasoning. Easy peasy and yummy in the tummy!

Now a family of three can easily spend $100 going to the movies at the cinema. That's why we usually RedBox it for $1. However, Super 8 was on at the dollar theater and we thought its cinematography would be best admired on the big screen. Not really! Darby couldn't think of what to do again so Daddy Dearest suggested she see what was playing. Then she checked out the rotten tomatoes reviews. They texted me at work to let me know it was on and had pretty good reviews. I was in!

"Pretty good" and "Not bad" are puny ways to describe Super 8. I sat there the whole time just marveling at how J.J. Abrams had re-incarnated the beloved movies of my youth like Goonies, Stand By Me, and E.T. It was age appropriately sorta scary, and it never once lagged in story line, even with a little love story thrown in.

IMDB's synopsis: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.

Tell me that is not a face every
mother would love! PHOTO SOURCE

Let me say, Joel Courtney as Joe Lamb, our hero, was what every mother of a teen aged daughter hopes she brings home to meet the parents so she can date him. I absolutely fell in love with his character and would adopt him in a heart beat! His rag tag gang of buddies had the requisite "Fat Kid", "Goof Ball", "Pyro/Bad Boy", "Dunce", and "Nerd". Those boys could hang out at our house any day. And look out Dakota, little sister Elle Fanning is going to give you a run for your money as a little starling! Joe's love interest Alice delivers heart tearing lines in the main movie as well as in the fake zombie movie the kids are making (BTW...stay for the credits to see their final product...it's HYSTERICAL!)

I am sure Super 8 gets its PG13 rating for the multiple stoner references and the jumping violence and spooky kidnap scenes. However, this is good campy fun scariness. It was a little tough to watch in places because little Joe's mother had been tragically killed in the beginning of the movie, and he and his dad were openly heartbroken. That kinda dug at some personal wounds but did not detract from my falling in love with the movie.

The funniest line of the movie is after the stoner store clerk who's driving the kids around town to save the day passes out from smoking too much pot, and Joe has to take the wheel but drives everyone into the war zone town. Bombs are going off, soldiers are running around shooting at what I am not sure, and tanks are shooting rounds at the kids. They can't get stoner to wake up and get out of the car. It's very intense. Martin says, "Drugs are bad!" We laughed so loud. Yes, they are, little one!

I think the best line of the movie was when Joe is grabbed by the creature. OH NO! Don't eat him! Joe screams at the alien, "We understand! Bad things happen...bad things happen...but you can still live." That really hit home. Bad things do happen. We survive them so that we can continue to live. I love that Family Night is quickly becoming a way for us as a family to keep living.

Thursdays are Happiness Reports September--Eating Healthy CrockPot Cooking

I think this pic catures my feelings this week
perfectly! PHOTO SOURCE

Huh! Nothing like a crazy week of travel to throw off a project. Check out The Crock Pot Girls on FaceBook; they just started it on August 18, 2011, and already have 1,215,057 fans! They have a ton of easy crockpot recipes to make life a little bit easier.

Hubby Dearest is making chili for Family Night tonight in the crockpot and has a roast and porkchops on tap for sometime in the next week. We've reverted to ordering Pizza and driving through since this week has been sort of scattered all over Texas. Once again, having a plan is good but being flexible is the key to survival.

I have been down this week so it stands to reason that the happiness project took a detour. I am veering back on track and will hopefully have something better next week. I think we were supposed to focus on meals that freeze for the future. I think a few of the crock pot meals do just that. We really need to have a fish fry to clear out some space in our deep freeze, or I won't have room for future-meals.

On a special note, in preparation for next month's plan, I have joined our local Recreation Center. Gyms cost entirely too much for our family! One month of gym membership is the same price as a year at the rec center for me. Crazy!

Thank you for continuing to support this little bit of crazy each day! Visit my blog each Thursday to see how My Happiness Project is going! Here's the plan by month so far:

• August--being organized
• September--eating healthier
• October--having energy
• November--being thankful
• December--focusing on family and friends
• January--focusing on marriage
• February--focusing on parenting
• March--being creative
• April--being helpful
• May--working smarter
• June--being adventurous
• July--loving Jaimee

Write On Wednesdays--People Watching in Austin

Gill at INKPAPERPEN continues to inspire this writer wanna be! I do have to say I am going off assignment a bit this week. As an avid people watcher, I can't go to Austin, Texas, the city whose motto is "Keep Austin Weird" and not commentate. If you offend easily, you might skip today's writing.

 

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 15 - Give yourself some time to notice the people around you. The people who may cross your path each day. The lady in front of you at the supermarket, the man who helps the school kids cross the road, a neighbour, a waitress in a cafe, a librarian, anyone at all. Choose one person, someone you don't know, and this person will become the basis of the week's writing exercise. Describe this person as you see them, describe their surroundings. Then imagine a problem, create conflict for this person. Describe the conflict. Describe how your character deals with the problem. The conflict might resolve itself, it might not. It is up to you. Perhaps, the lady in the supermarket has forgotten her wallet. Does she bursts into tears? Maybe the librarian finds a lost child. The aim is to show how your character responds to conflict and in the process, reveal something about that character. Tell us their story.

Unique and Funky Art Installment
at the Austin, Texas Airport

Hello, fully tatted, with sleeves and leggings, pixie cut Goth girl. Your spaghetti strap tank and hot pant shorts gave your pretty but pierced face that Girl With The Dragon Tattoo chic-ness. However, the cowboy boots were a poor choice.

Excuse me, VERY, VERY pregnant mama hollering at the toddling little cherub behind you as you push the stroller with the other precious angel sleeping, 1) if you can't figure out what is causing that, I can give you the answer, and 2) I don't think you're supposed to be flying.

Ahem, Adonis looking airport worker who's yelling at the poor night manager of the greasy spoon airport Mexican restaurant about why he didn't hire you to work at his little venue, you're just ugly. I don't care how svelte your physique was! You're rude and ugly.

Hey! Completely bald business man in the $500 suit, you're an a-hole. Not one of us wanted to hear your entire telephone conversation while waiting to board the last flight out last night. You're lucky I was too tired to start some stuff with you when you didn't end your call and power down your phone after the captain and two flight hostesses asked you nicely. I swear I wanted to thump you in the back of your head!

Young enough to be my Mama morning cab driver, you're too old to have a roommate that has to wake you up in the morning (why did I have to know this information?), and neon green acrylic nails aren't even cute on a 13-year-old.

Barely old enough to drink afternoon cab driver, you probably shouldn't swear while spouting Bible verses and trying to convert me to your cult.

Sad, weeping woman sitting by the loading gate furiously typing on your Iphone and trying to catch the escaping tears, sitting over the engine on your flight home did a mighty fine job of drowning out your sobs. Wait...don't I know you? Oops! That was me.

Try lots of new things Tuesday!

I was mesmerized by the Hyatt Regency Austin's
atrium. Pretty, pretty, pretty!

I have to make this quick since I'm at the Austin airport with no charger and 25% battery power left. I flew in and out of Austin today on Southwest. There are multiple new adventures in that but I'm abbreviating for battery's sake. Today my parents also closed on my sister's home. For some reason when the news arrived that the deal was done I felt like I had lost her all over again. The following conversation between hubby dearest and I should explain the rest.

Me: I actually feel like I've lost her again because the house is no longer hers. Isn't that insane?

Hd: It's a forced recognition of a reality that we would all like to ignore.

Me: I keep catching myself holding my breath. I don't understand that.

Hd: Sucks!!! Is the best descriptor. Don't do that. You f@#$ing pass out in the airport and you will be the news. Hehe...put that in your blog! ;-)

Me: haha. I totally will.

Hd: I don't think that falls within the range of "Try Something New Tuesday."

Me:I'm totally going to use my last 25% to blog that!

Hd: And I don't want to be on the news. See me now... "Who is that white trash fool in the wife beater making Texans look bad? Oh crap! That's me..lol!" I'll let you get to your writing. Luv u.

Me: Love you baby. You make my life better

Hd: I love it when a plan comes together. We are a team. Luv u.

Peace out at 16% battery! I did it!

UPDATE: Now that I am home, with battery fully charged, I am safe and sound but tired and feeling ill. I came in and cleaned this up a bit for grammar, expletives, etc. Also, I sat over the engine last night because for some reason I started boo-hooing and couldn't stop. I think I scared the flight host and hostess. Bless their pea-pickin' hearts! Maybe they should have passed the word to the cabin crew that the lady in 24A was having a nervous breakdown and she probably doesn't want any peanuts or drinks. Here's a list of the things I tried out yesterday in case this didn't make sense:

1. Business Travel

2. Flying Southwest

3. Flying without checking luggage

4. Flying there and back in the same day

5. Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Green Chilies (surprisingly good!)

6. Blogging from my telephone and using blogger's special secret way of uploading it to my blog

Chad told me when I got home that Gayla would have been proud of me for doing something that scared the crud out of me and doubly proud since I did it without a hitch. Easy peasy, baby! I don't think I will make traveling a regular activity though. Not unless it can be to a vacation with the ones I love.

The list continues to grow:

· pomegranates

· making jam

· Russian cuisine

· New Boston Pioneer Days

· business travel all in one day

· kayaking

· 5k training to eventually RUN a 5k

· mud bath

· banya (not just food; they have a spa too)

· Zumba

· Ballroom dancing class

· Watch a Bollywood movie at a Bollywood theater

· Quilting

· Take Darby to see a Midnight show of Rocky Horror

· Participate in a flash mob

· Boot Camp

· Art Class

· Dance on a Bar

· Puerto Rican food

· Meditate at a Buddhist temple

· Volunteering at a homeless shelter

· being a tourist in my own town

· snow skiing

· order and eat hash browns "all the way" at Waffle House

· Make a Funny Face Book

Lists



Faith and Darby beating us at Chicken
Foot on Saturday--I think this is my
new favorite photo!

Lists are the saving grace of the attention deprived and anxiety ridden. I have used lists as a coping tool for years and think it very intriguing that there is a whole genre of books, calling themselves journals, of nothing but lists. Listography is a new trend of self expression where you tell about yourself, your family, your love, your friends, your goals for the future, etc., and you do it all in list form.

For years I have listed just to get through the days and weeks and not drop any of those little balls I am always juggling. Hubby Dearest uses lists so that his ADD doesn't over take him and leave him stranded having forgotten something important. For both of us, there is great joy in checking or lining out items on a list, a sense of accomplishment and immediate gratification. 

I think I shall try the journaling lists for a bit using my blog space each Monday for a Listography. Hopefully, my readership won't dwindle any further than it already has. Please join me and share your lists too!

1. Your Name: Jaimee Christine Hunter (nee Moore)
2. Your Sign: Scorpio
3. Do you think your sign is important: NO
4. Which of Your Parents Named You: I think they both had a hand in it. As the second girl born in a time before you found out the gender of your baby, I think they wanted a boy to name after my daddy. Since I was a girl, I was dubbed Jaimee. The spelling helped "girl-i-fy" me.
5. Your Idols: Ellen Degeneres, Michelle Obama, Queen Latifah
6. Five Characters from Books/Movies who describe you well: Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman for her laugh; Nikki Blonsky in the now defunct TV show Huge for the days I feel like the world judges me for my size; America Ferrera in Real Women have Curves for the days I don't give a flip what the world thinks of me; Miss Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice for her heart and loving devotion to her sister and friend, including willingness to go to the mats for them; Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter books because I become physically ill when breaking the rules. Bonus: MegRyan...I get the feeling she has a secret coo-coo side that she keeps hidden from the world with her cuteness (:-) Me too!).
7. Your biggest fear: storms and being in a wreck...summary dieing
8. How do you behave when you are nervous: I make jokes and most of them are insanely off topic or inappropriate.
9. Three Words that Describe How You Want People to See You: generous, wise, and beautiful
10. If you ever ended up on the news, you would want it to be for: starting a children's organization or something else that changes the lives of children.

No One Will Ever Call Me "Mama"

I love that nephew
William smiles at me.

Do you have a social occasion where you almost always decline the invitation, where you feel out of place or sure that you might just wither and disappear? Mine are baby showers. I enjoy weddings, and I would be okay if I never had to go to another funeral or memorial service either. However, baby showers tear me up the most. I want to be happy for the expecting parents. I want to ooh and ah over all the little socks, onesies and giant diaper cakes. I want to gush with the same excitement Mommy-to-be feels as she smooths her rounded belly and lovingly talks about the dreams she has for her new little munchkin. I even ache when she complains about having to pee every five minutes or not being able to sleep through the night. I always send a gift (sometimes going overboard) but almost always decline to attend.

As much as I hate being dirty,
it makes me happy when
nephew JamesIII always
wants to play in the dirt.

I am always happy when a new soul is brought into this world to be loved and nurtured. The problem is that I am also jealous of missing out on this part of life...the expecting part, the dreaming part. Once they are here, I am okay. I mean it! I look forward to Sip and Sees because I can ooh and ahh over a little bit of God's joy. You put me around an already hatched homo sapien, and I am a cooing, coddling, spoiling-him-or-her Aunt J-Me. I'll play in the dirt, build a million lego houses, read the same book over and over, color every page in the coloring book, sit daintily for a tea party, sing every silly song, and make a few of them up too. I'll also teach the little dear to say funny things like, "Aunt Jaimee is the best!" and "Gig'm Aggies!" I am still working with JamesIII to hold up his muscles, kiss each bicep and say, "Look at my guns!"

Darby and I have
fun being buddies, and
I am looking forward
to following her around
to all her hockey events.

Also, I love being a mother for DarbyDoo! Don't misunderstand what I am saying. I would be nothing without that beautiful, smart, funny, sassy, growing-up-too-fast, teen of mine. She is my light and my hope for a better world. I have had a full life for the last five years mostly because she is in it. She is the center of our universe and always will be. I just hurt for the baby that is half Hubby Dearest and half me (he or she could have my eyes and his complexion). I lament that giving birth never will be. I don't think we could ever adopt either because I would want to take them all home! (BTW, that is the same reason MyChad says DarbyDoo and I cannot volunteer at the animal shelter either.)

You will never know the joy
I had in my heart when Rori's
mama Annie said I was these
little angels' Aunt J-Me from
now on!

So if you find out you are expecting, I do want to know. I will tell you how happy I am for you. I will most likely send you a gift if I am not broke from spending all my dinero on Darby, Chad and the nieces and nephews. I will spoil your little miracle once he or she is here. However, please don't be hurt or offended if I miss the shower or if I cry a little when I see you and all your pregger-ness. It's not that I don't want happiness for you and yours; it's that I just remembered there is a dream that I have had since I was a little girl that never will be. No one will ever call me "Mama."

Tinky is full of personality, and
I love her sassiness!

Mo has the most gentle heart,
and reminds me that love
is one of the easiest things
we do as family.

Family Night--Hubby's Choice

Hubby Dearest was in charge of Family Night last night! After jokingly blaming my parents for ruining his night of excitement playing dominoes by not showing up, MyChad opted for dinner and a movie.


Our new favorite joint to patronize for yummy chicken strips is Cane's. They opened two locations in Frisco in the last couple of months and, much like In-N-Out Burger, they are starting to have ridiculous drive through lines.

I am absolutely in love with their Cane's Dipping Sauce and begged HD to ask for extra. Last time, he said they wanted $.30 extra so he skipped it. Last night, I told him I have a quarter and a nickle in my purse if he would please bring me extra sauce. I even told him he could use my account for the entire meal if he would please ask for extra sauce! That turkey showed up with extra sauce for himself as well! Ha! Even with two little shots of yummy dipping greatness, there just wasn't enough to satisfy either of us.

Also, if you're a sweet tea lover, then this is the place to go! I asked HD to get me a soda last night and he questioned why I didn't want their tea. I said, "It's too sweet. You know it's too sweet if I would rather have a coke than tea."

For the movie selection, HD and Darling Daughter found Thor on blue-ray at the Kroger Red Box. Now, had we payed $9 a head at the movie theater, I would probably not have a favorable review of the flick. Because it was just $1 for the night, I think I liked it very much. The story is predictable but easy to follow. Only you have to know a bit about mythology to understand the relationship dynamics between Thor, Loki and their father. A little explanation would have been helpful.

I think Darby and I both agree that the...er...cinematography was stupendous! Chris Hemsworth is shirtless for a good bit of the movie. His voice reminds me of the late Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale and I could totally have seen this part going to him if life were different. For some unexplained reason, I kept waiting for Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki, to pull a Pee-Wee Herman laugh. Don't ask me why. Also, it was pee-your-pants-funny when Darby asked, "Is their dad Hannibal Lector?" Yes, sweet child, Anthony Hopkins, even with one eye in this feature, plays the great and powerful Odin. Of course he only has to sleep for a good portion of the movie, but, HEY, he's earned it.

Except for when Thor mistakenly asks a pet store clerk if he can ride a dog, cat or bird in place of his requested horse, I was quite happy that the leading ladies delivered the funny lines! Darcy (Kat Dennings) starts us off with, "I am not going to die for six credit hours." Anyone who's ever had an unpaid internship gets that one. Then she says to Thor, who is cramming down whole pancakes a bite at a time, "How can you eat an entire box of Pop Tarts and still be this hungry?" I was a little perturbed that Natalie Portman, who was kick tail in V for Vendetta, was a little whiny and complainy at times. Give me Princess Amidala or don't take the part, girl. That's what I say!

Good job on your first choice of Family Night, Chad Darling! It was a relaxing evening. BTW, I am still waiting for you to finish my love note from last week!