I've been featured

Lolly's Sweet Thirteen Birthday party is today's mini feature on Creative Parties and Showers. If you haven't run across Shannon's website, you need to head over there now. You'll want to spend hours looking at all the parties!

I Was Tagged

I've been tagged by Coco at Coco's Cuckoo World to tell 10 things about myself that you may not know. But before I start my list. I want to talk about Coco. She's fabulous and funny. She has two of the cutest kids ever. If you visit her blog you're bound to become a regular. Her son, Bram is so funny he should have his own tv show.

Ok on with my list...

1. When I was young I wanted 8 kids until I was clued in on the birthing process. Then I wanted zero. I grew up thinking I wouldn't have kids and wasn't really a big fan of kids. Funny since I went on to manage a Gap Kids store, teacher Sunday school to 4yr olds, and have my own daughter. (who I wanted the minute I found out about her)
2. I was raised in a Postal family. I have at least 11 family members who worked for the Post Office.
3. One summer during college, I delivered mail. Old school style, on foot.
4. I love to travel by myself. Prior to Mister I used to travel quite a bit. My favorite place to go was New Orleans and I'd go several times a year. I love theFrench Quarter and it's provided me many, many memorable stories.
5. Mister and I have been to New Orleans once, to celebrate my birthday. The trip is remembered more for Mister's unfortunate incarceration rather than my birthday celebration.
6. I came into the world as a Chavez . I like to think that is why I am always one conversation away from a revolt, demonstration, or boycott of practices, policies, or the school of thought of corporate America. Thank goodness I currently work for great company so my battles are pretty small scale.
7. My family reality was altered about three years ago when I was re-introduced to my biological father and met two half brothers.
8. If I was president the first thing I would change is the ability to tack on unrelated issues on to a bill to get things passed. Totally sketchy. Also I'd increase teacher's salaries so that their compensation was in line with the importance of their jobs. I'd also get rid of the teachers who are just phoning it in.
9. I grew up labeled the smart one, and my sister the pretty one. No harm meant but it messed both us up. I have made it a point to make sure Lolly know she's smart and beautiful inside and out.
10. I graudated with a degree in Apparel Merchandising. My dad still thinks I am joking.
    
    

Freak of the Week

It been such bad news week lately, that I thought I'd put a lighter spin on this week's freak. It was either the majority of Minnesotans or one of my little brothers. I went with my brother because I think it's three kinds of crazy to get into a cage with someone else who's objective is to beat the crap out of you, but hey that's just me.

My brother is in the black trunks, he wins in 3:10. While I am labeling him Freak of the Week, I am immensely proud of him and love him very, very much.

Table Topics Tuesday

" if you got a tatto what kind would you get and where would you put it?"

some of you may remember that I recently blogged about my tatto envy . So I would probably go with the Beatles walking across Abbey Rd. Where placed, unsure still thinking about that.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, I have had to make that decision. I chose a very small scorpion on my tail bone area. (It's my sign, and very true to my personality) Small and so far down that I'd have to be wearing absolutely nothing to be able to see it and if you saw me in real life you'd probably never guess I had one. It was something I did for me, not for show. I got it one night in New Orleans. I walked into a tatoo palor with 2 guys and was the only one man enough to go through with it but, that's a story for another time.

What would you chose and where? Spill it...

Are We There Yet?

This has got to be one of the hottest summers in Georgia in a long time. You sweat just standing still. I've been moving boxes, climbing stairs, and just plain smelling terrible. You see, the last couple weeks, especially weekends, have been dedicated to nothing but moving.

The nice thing about being able to take our time is that I can move and unload things box by box. No living out boxes once the move is complete. The bad thing about being able to take your time, it feels like the move will never be complete.

However, come Wednesday the movers arrive to handle the BIG things and one more dumpster is set to be delivered to purge even more uneccessary stuff.

It took a mile and half move, almost 5 years, and 2 mortgages to realize what was really important. No lesson learned like one learned through stupidity.

Freak of the Week

Seriously, if you are in the public eye do you really think you can disappear for a few days without it getting noticed? At least get your stories straight.


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/24/report-south-carolina-governor-traveled-argentina-appalachian-trail/

What was South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford really up to? Dare I say, the real question is who was in Buenos Aires, Argentina with him? (do I sound a tad bit jaded?)

Table Topics Tuesday

Would you rather date a famous athlete, CEO, great chef or esteemed writer?

Since John Cusack wasn't part of that list, I'd pick a famous athlete. Does that make me shallow? I don't know who, but preferably a hockey player.

Who would you chose?

Promise this is the last Jon and Kate post...

This just cracked me up. I am not sure if it's the picture of Kate, or Elizabeth saying get a job. I tend to believe that when you are on tv and make pretty good money and have a football playing husband it's a little easy to forget how the rest of us live. Could you image the cost of day care for 8 kids? I am not sure what Kate will do. I don't really care, but I was happy to hear the show is going to be on hiatus til August. Maybe she'll grow her hair out...

Elisabeth Hasselbeck to Kate Gosselin: 'Get a job!'

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Confession

This is confidential right?
If it wasn't for the hours of 7-4 M-F, I might not ever get any blogging or blog reading done.

I suspect this will change when The House of Fowler downsize is complete and the computer will be in direct view of a tv. (hard to be in places at one time.)

note to self: I really must get a laptop.

Rumor Has It

RADARONLINE.COM WORLD EXCLUSIVE! Jon & Kate To Announce Divorce RadarOnline.com

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Shocker right?! I hope it's a quick one. I am tired of seeing that awful spiky hair cut on the front of magazines. What a train wreck.

Could Jon and Kate have reached the 14:59 minutes fame point? Fingers crossed...

Freak of the Week

I've kicked around the idea of having a Freak of the Week feature for awhile. This may not be the best inaugural post for that feature but Jesus, Mary, and Joseph whatever your opinion, you are going to find a freak in the "poster" or the "commenters".

Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist "What's the connection between abortion and careers"

Perhaps Penelope's meaning is lost by the subject matter but I still can't properly verbalize the many feelings this post evokes..reader beware... Is she a freak for being so honest, is she a freak for her decision? It freaks me out that we live in a society where women feel they need to chose because having kids can be seen as a handicap in work world. It freaks me out that people who may be making that decision may one day wake up and realize that a career is something they should of had to allow them a life rather than be their life.

Withdrawal

Reading. Sad. Crabby. Uncomfortable.

I should seriously be able to take medical leave to kick this habit. It's that bad...

Table Topics Tuesday

This weeks question...

What's the nicest compliment you've ever gotten?

I once had a guy tell me "You're every woman".

I was a manager at the Gap and found him a shirt he was looking for - some men are just easy to please.

So what nice things have you heard?

Lost In Translation

I told Mister I wanted Lolly's bathroom in the old/new house to look like her current bathroom - meaning the same color. This is what I arrived to find...

A little off, no? Mind you that Mister passes Lolly's current bathroom everyday. In fact if he didn't veer to the left at the end of the hallway to go downstairs he'd walk right into it. After seeing it for 4 years, you'd think he'd come a little closer?

Hammertime

Note to self:

Either work hard or you might as well quit.

Table Topics Tuesday

About 6 months ago I won the Girls Night Out Edition of Table Topics. Occassionally Lolly and I will pull them out and use them as dinner conversation (with a little editing, that is). I thought they might make a good blog feature and ensure I have at least one thing to write about each week.

The first card pulled is quite appropriate in that I have been plagued for most of my adult life as to "what do I want to be when I grow up?". However, this answer comes to mind in a split second...

if you were going to college in the fall what would you study?

Mideval and Renaissance History with the intention of probably becoming a college professor.

So, what would you study?

Trading Spaces

As luck would have it yesterday while at Home Depot picking out tile for the bathroom, I ran into Wall Pops. These are the stick on dots that I had used inLolly's room but could not find anywhere in Atlanta. Seems that Home Depot has just started carrying them. Lucky for Mister, he won't have to "plaid" a wall for me.

I'll be able to keep Lolly's room decor pretty much the same

minus the loft bed plus a few improvements to be detailed later...

Meet My New Bestie

The roll-off (dumpster) that was dropped off this morning. I plan to be very generous to her over the next couple of days!

Disregard the missing siding on the garage. Termite damage, nice huh?! Before moving to Georgia, I'd only seen termites in cartoons.

Most of the outside work is done and today they're working on getting the ceilings painted and some of the walls. The basics. But, I am more interested in what to do with Lolly's room. Her current room has these great peel and stick pink and green polks dots. I planned to do the same thing but a couple months ago I went to Lowe's to start stocking up only to find they no longer carry them. So my parting question to Mister was "how hard would it be to "plaid" a wall in Lolly's room?" I think I heard moan as I backed out of the drive way...

Remember When

Having multiples was an oddity and not a meal ticket? I am just saying. Enough already.

Tattoo Envy

A few weeks back somewhere on the Blogsphere I saw a girl with an Abbey Road tattoo. Ever since, I've been fixated on said tattoo

1. because I didn't think of it myself
   
   
2. because my all time favorite class in college was The History of The Beatles ( shout out to Glenn Gass at Indiana University)
   
   
3. because I can't think of a pretty and well hidden place to put the tattoo that wouldn't contrast with my conservative business suit image.
   
   

For now I will have to day dream of time when I am a little less fleshy in some places and have hired Kat Von D to ink me with a small version of The Beatles walking across Abbey Road in a very inconspicuous place.

Let's Get A Move On

The renters are officially gone. Let the downsizing begin. That is, once the carpet is replaced and the whole place is repainted to get rid of the cigarette and cat smells. Nice.

I Dreamt

I was married to him
Getty Images photo

And it must have been good because the Wedding Singer happened to be on last night and I blushed as soon as I heard his voice.

Don't you hate when you can't remember all the details of a good dream?

Filing Day

Today is filing day not for taxes but divorce papers for my closest friend in the world. My heart breaks for her. Our "end" stories , 11 years apart, are eerily similar being that there was no real cause other than I just think I'd be happier without you. My heart breaks for her because I know how it feels

• to have the rug pulled out from under you


• to have the person who was once crazy about you, turn his back on you


• to have the man you loved and had children with become cold hearted and unfeeling towards you


• to realize all your plans of growing old together are no more


• to have to answer " I don't know what went wrong" and for people to respond "whats wrong with him"


• like your heart has been ripped out of your body and at times you can't even breath

My heart breaks because I can't be there in person for her today, but I do know

• She will come out the other end a stronger person


• That research shows divorced women tend to marry better than their ex-husbands next time around


• One day she'll meet a man that believes a deals a deal and have a better growing old plan


• That while he may have forgot or lost sight, your friends and family have never forgotten how wonderful and amazing you are and just how damn lucky he was to have found you

Oh, and one other thing I know, Eric you're an ass.

Because I am deep like that...

My Facebook Daily Tarot:

The Hanged Man - This card denotes the need to look at your current situation from a different perspective. The Hanged Man creates change by acting passively and accepting fate. By surrendering control and making yourself vulnerable, you will facilitate change in your life. In order to see the bigger picture, you will need to take a
step back.

Could this be speaking to my overwhelming dread of having to drive to the middle of nowhere, sit in the muggy, mosquito infested great outdoors at 8:00pm and watch a bunch of 13yr old girls lose yet one more softball game? Probably not, but I guess I should change my outlook. However after a no-win season and a loss in the first game of the tournament, I think I am fairly equipped to predict the outcome of tonight. Hey I am a realist, what can I say. But great hit last night Lolly!

A few parents even discussed that maybe we should start tailgating before the games to make them worthwhile, not to mention to medicate ourselves for the painful 75minutes to follow.

Secret to Happiness

On Memorial Day we went to see Night at the Museum: The Battle of the Smithsonian.

The theme of the movie: the secret to happiness is to love what you do.

Something, I am always telling Lolly when we talk about future careers for her. Something I haven't lived except for about a 5/6 year time frame. Something that eludes me now*.

Strange that I recieved the secret to happiness is to love what you do message several times over a three day period. So I am currently working on a " What do I love list" right now. Have you found the secret to happiness? What do you love?

* I don't dislike what I do now, I just don't love it. I don't look forward to it. I do love my company though

Jon and Kate Plus 8 = SICK

Did anyone else watch this last night? Was it just me or did Kate seem to be playing it nicer? I typically don't watch the show. It only took a few episodes for me to realize I don't like Kate at all, and I was not a big Jon fan. Prior to word of the recent scandal I just thought Jon had been beat down, now I just think he's pathetic. I don't mean to belittle the pain the family is going through. What a terrible situation. Which one of the older girls is always pouting and stumping off? I hope Kate is putting aside some of the money and "love offerings" from her speaking job for the future therapy or bail the girl is going to need. Maybe it's time to get out of the public eye. Oh but that would mean the money would dry up and how could one possibly raise 8 kids with the money being produced by the show? I could hook you up with some very large Catholic families for some tips. Seriously, is this reality tv at it worst?

I love TLC's blurb of how the show has always been a show about a real family. Yeah because a live in Nanny, mega house, product placement and a butt load of stuff donated to you is REAL LIFE.

It's safe to say I can go back to not watching this American train wreck.

image: Handout, Karen Alquist/TLC

Thank You

Thank you seems inadequate but it's all I have