Mom to the Screaming Masses

It's The Little Things, Really

Day "I lost track of all the numbers because it's been so long" of the PIGGY FLU continues. Emma's fever finally broke, after 7 days, but she's left with a horrific cough and sounds like she's about to hack up a lung. Mackenzie fell Thursday and has the same cough. I've been told that the cough lasts at least a month. WONDERFUL.

Riley did a favor for Gabriel. I don't remember what the favor was, but, as it was shortly after his birthday and he was flush with money - he gave her $5. She was IN HEAVEN. She had big plans for what to buy - a doll, a new iPod, a phone, a bunch of candy. She toyed with a trip to McDonald's and maybe one to Sonic for a slushie. My husband took Gabriel to the toy store to spend his birthday gift certificates on Legos and a Nerf pop gun - because,really, the 73 fake guns that he already has are not sufficient for his fun - and when they arrived home, Riley pouted and cried because SHE hadn't been able to go to the toy store - that Nirvana of the under 10 set.

I Believe

Please, come on over to Zwaggle and check out my new post, and keep on checking in, as there will be a big contest coming up there soon.  Also, on DietsInReview, come and see what I have to say about women in martial arts classes!

My sad news of this week led me, thanks to Headless Mom's recommendation, to a new blog.  I've read a fair amount of Issa's archives over the past few days, and this post is a direct rip off of one of her latest.

I Believe

I believe that there is recuperative healing power in the bucket of frozen sangria in my freezer.

I believe that no morning is worth beginning without coffee.

I believe that some of the best friends I have ever live on the Internet.

I believe that my family is amazing.  All sides of it, as is evidenced by the nice phone calls and emails I received this week - and how nice it's been to spend time together.  My niece has the CUTEST baby boy and I was lucky enough to feed him his dinner tonight. And, hello - my mom VOLUNTEERED to take Mackenzie to her 7:30 soccer call Sunday morning, since I feel completely unable to face another game that early with my little kids.

I believe that everyone should exercise, every single day.

I believe in eye rolling, heavy sighs and sticking your tongue out at people who deserve it. Although sometimes I want to smack my children for this. (Cut directly from Issa, as it was too perfect to change.)

I WANT to believe, with all my heart how I want to believe it, that the economy will improve.  It's never been as tough for us as it is right now, which is leading us to make changes in our family that we've never made before - and I'm TRYING to believe that they are changes that will lead to GOOD. Even though I believe that they will scare my insides right out of me.

I believe that if I don't get more sleep, I will certainly snap as I did in February.

I believe my hold on sanity is tenuous some days.

I believe that no teacher is ever paid enough. 

I believe that occupational therapy should be covered 100% by insurance.

I believe in flossing my teeth and washing my face every night.  No matter how tired I am, I still do both.

I believe that I need a pedicure.  It is not in the budget, but I still really need one.

I believe in reading.  I read every single day, without fail, and make sure my kids do the same.

I believe in the power of cupcakes.  And makeup.

I believe that when I am aggravated or annoyed, I cook.  And I've been cooking a LOT lately. To the point that we've run out of flour, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, butter and oatmeal.  And chicken.

I believe that I do not know everything, but I desperately want to.

I believe that I hate cole slaw.  (My hubby just offered me some, which prompted this belief.)

To Google - Is it Too Last Century?

Do you Google other people?  Do you Google yourself?

This week, I had a conversation with some of the instructors at my karate studio.  I've googled them all, as I do with just about everyone.  Stop looking at me like that - don't tell me that you don't do the same. I look at the background of anyone that comes in contact with my kids, and I find that Google is one of the quickest ways to do that. Not a fail safe way, as there is always something that doesn't jell, and often people have the same names, so you have to weed out the good from the bad.  But it's one of the quickest, most concise ways to find out a LOT of info in a short time.  I look on doctor and malpractice boards for the doctors and nurses that they deal with, study teacher reports for the school teachers that they have, and check pedophile reports in our area periodically. I look for information everywhere, and in some cases, I've found some eye opening stuff. I've googled my husband, who doesn't use his given name but a nickname, and he appears very little online.  Most of it is in conjunction with me.  Various other family members have large online presences, and some people are non existent.  My mom has the same name as a dentist who has been very prolific in her life.  My dad has the same name as a general manager of a surfacing plant.

One of the instructors has zero presence on Google.  Zero.  I commented on it in passing.  The other instructors couldn't believe that they were really on Google, and had to see for themselves.  What followed was a very fun 10 minutes, looking up various people with the same name as one of the teachers and the shocking realization that one of the youngest instructors is already a well known actor on a major PBS series.  They, in turn, couldn't believe that I wasn't on Facebook or MySpace. (edit - I am NOW on Facebook.  Guess what I did ALL weekend??)

Am I missing something here?  Is there a cool factor to those two programs, and I'm too unhip to know, or am I really lacking something in my life by not participating? I really don't have much desire to hook up with many people from my past, except maybe a girlfriend of mine named Kathy C., who had two kids the same ages as my oldest.  We hung out together with our four kids for a couple of years until she and her husband moved.  I also don't need to know where school mates are, although I do admit it'd be nice to know where Pete and Patrick are, two guys I went to Junior High and High School with, one of whom is the guy who brought me home from the Worst Senior Prom Ever.  And there's one person that I know where he is, but it's impossible to keep in touch with and so rely on google every random couple of months or so to see if he's still alive.  Which, uh, sounds really morbid.  But it's not. Pinky swear. ;)

So - the questions are - and, yes, I know, I ask a ton of questions, what can I say, I'm inquisitive - do you Google people?  Do you have a Facebook?  Do you have a MySpace?  What are the benefits of either?

And why should I?

_____________________

And, ok, I wrote this last week, and didn't post it, and then this weekend up and started a big fine hot mess over at Facebook.  But the people that I'm on FB with are the same people I'm on twitter with and the same people whose blogs I read and who read mine.  So what's the draw - am I missing something?  Does it make it easier to find me - hahahaha, as if THAT was so difficult!

Time To Play A Game

Guess what I'm doing this weekend, and where I'm doing it.

No fair if you know me in real life and know the scoop.

Give it your best shot - or your craziest idea, your wildest thought.

What is going on in my life this weekend - and, think carefully - I've given you some clues over the past week or so....