Did you know mice can read?

Neither did I.

We've had a bit of a problem this summer with field mice burrowing through my flower beds. We've had some mousetraps set (not those snapping ones, the slightly more humane cardboard box ones), but no luck. We weren't sure if the mice were on to us, or if they just moved on to one of the neighbors. Yesterday Victoria came to me and said, "I know why the mice aren't going in the traps. It's cuz there's a dead mouse on the package." Well, duh! I guess the picture was a "dead" giveaway (pun intended)!

Back to School – Finally!

Is it wrong that I’m so happy school is starting again?

Victoria started this past Tuesday, and Alex starts on Monday. I know I should be a little sad that my youngest is starting full-day kindergarten but, truthfully, I’m almost giddy!

Let’s see…school starts at 9:15, so by 9:16 I will be doing a happy dance in my living room ALL BY MYSELF!!! I don’t think I’ve been all by myself for a whole day in 7 years!

I know, come Monday morning, I may get a little misty-eyed as my baby enters the building with his big sister. But don’t worry, I’ll get over it. I may even skip back home!

Times they are a changin'

In our house we have a never ending battle over what's for breakfast. Alex thinks a single sausage link is a balanced meal, while Victoria is more likely to have a waffle (cut into strips) every day for the rest of her life.

As we prepared for the start of the school year, I thought I would mix it up a little and ask the kids for new ideas for breakfast food. Maybe oatmeal, cereal or-I don't know-something crazy like eggs.

In the cereal aisle at Walmart, I told Alex to pick out whatever kind of cereal he wanted. He said he hates them all. (I think it has something to do with his aversion to honey. The rest of us like Honey Nut Cheerios, but Alex can smell the honey from the next room and has a fit!)

Anyway, I tried to get him to get a box of Kix. I told him, "You used to love Kix. You used to eat it all the time." To which he replied, "Times change. Seriously, mommy, they do."

Associated Content Rising Star Award!

Wow! July was a great month!  I am very proud to announce that I just got word that I was one of five recipients of Associated Content's Rising Star Award for July 2010!!

Each month, AC awards five up-and-coming new contributors who have started publishing in the past four months. Winners are determined based on factors such as publishing volume, community involvement, writing style, page views and, most importantly, potential for future success.

I didn't even know I had received this award until I started receiving a bunch of congratulatory messages!

Click here if you would like to read the whole announcement.  Yay me!!!!

Random Ramblings

Went to the drive-in last night. First time for the kids. They loved it. Went in their PJs, brought candy and popped popcorn (although we did have to pay a $5.00 "outside food and beverage" fee for bringing our own food), set up pillows and blankets in the back of the SUV. Made it through the first movie (Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore). Would have stayed for the second movie (Inception) but there was some lightning and a few raindrops. Not to mention the train that went by every 10 minutes, making it hard to hear. Anyway, got home at almost midnight, and the skies opened up for one hell of a storm. Good timing on our part.

The other night when tucking Victoria into bed, she was watching one of her baby movies. She asked if I had any movies from when I was a baby. I said no. She said, "Oh yeah, that's right, cuz there wasn't, like, power."  Nothing like a shot to the ego to end your day.

Alex starts football practice on Monday. He's very excited. He's been practicing throwing and catching the football with Daddy. The league even gets to attend a Browns game and go on the field for some pre-game activities.  Daddy is planning on taking the kids to Browns training camp this week.

Can't wait for school to start in a couple of weeks!

Associated Content Featured Contributor

I am proud to announce that, in addition to being a Featured Contributor for Arts & Entertainment on Associated Content, I have just been accepted as a Featured Contributor for two more categories: Travel and Home Improvement.

Look for lots of Disney tips in the Travel category, as well as traveling with small children.

In the Home Improvement category, I'll be sharing lots of ideas on designing a custom closet, home office, garage, etc., as well as general organization tips.

If you haven't noticed, I've redesigned my blog to add pages by category, which are listed across the top of the page.  Here you'll find links to my articles and specific blog postings.

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy!

Don't Miss Toy Story 3

One rainy day last week, I took the kids to the movies to see Toy Story 3.  Let me tell you, it was the best Disney-Pixar film I have ever seen.  If you are a fan of the first two Toy Story movies, don't miss this one. 

And don't forget the tissues!  There were many moments that I teared up (thank goodness the 3D glasses disguised it), but I was crying like a baby at the end! 

My kids were like, "Are you crying?!"  And I'm like, "Shut up and watch the movie."

For my complete review and other movie news, check out my Arts & Entertainment page.

SPOILER ALERT! Do not read the Toy Story 3 review if you haven't seen the movie yet!

I Married Mr. Potato Head

So I get a call from my dear hubby this morning telling me his head is swollen.
“What do you mean ‘swollen’?”

“The whole top of my head is swollen. I have an indentation all the way around my head from my hat.”

So I’m thinking, “Take your hat off.”

Keepin' Busy on Summer Vacation

The kids have been out of school for two weeks now, and I'm already tired!  It seems we are on the go every day with one activity or another.  Take last week....

His Bowl Runneth Over

My 5-year-old doesn’t like to wipe. Maybe it’s a phase. Maybe his arm isn’t long enough. I don’t know. But it seems like I spend half my day asking if he wiped, flushed and washed his hands.

So the other day, I go into the bathroom and I see the water in the toilet is pretty high.

So I flushed.

Big mistake.

Another One Bites the Dust

The other day Alex and I were in the car and Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust was on the radio. Alex asked me what that meant. I told him it means that something or someone has died. He exclaimed, “Dust can kill you?!”

For the duration of the ride home, he provided a litany of who did and did not bite the dust:

“George Washington bit the dust.”
“Abraham Lincoln bit the dust.”
“Michael Jackson bit the dust.”
“Barack Obama didn’t bit the dust cuz he’s still a-life.” (We’re working on a-life vs. alive.)
etc.
etc.

American Idol Season 9 Finale - Lee Wins!!

And so comes the end of another American Idol season. After surviving 18 cuts, Crystal Bowersox finally succumbed to Lee DeWyze, the newly crowned season 9 American Idol.

True to form, American Idol stretched out the results show to a seemingly never-ending two hours until it reached the climax in the final moments announcing Lee DeWyze was the new American Idol of season 9.

Farewell to Simon Cowell

The season 9 American Idol finale had a duel mission. Not only did millions of fans tune in to see if Lee DeWyze or Crystal Bowersox would be crowned the new champ (it was Lee), they also tuned in to see Simon Cowell’s final appearance as he exits American Idol.

White Glove Test

After leaving the house strewn with toys, Alex exits through the garage on his way to school, looks around and sees assorted grass clippings, dirt, and mulch from a weekend of gardening and announces, “You guys really need to clean this place up.”

Writing Gigs a-Plenty

I’ve been honing my writing skills on various topics for several different websites while I try to decide if I want to specialize in a certain area. So far, much of my writing has been pretty self-indulgent, reporting on the weekly minutiae that is American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. (More on those later.)

A New Outlook on Work

So I’ve been trying this writing thing for a while now and am actually enjoying it quite a bit. I have found, however, that I tend to get lost in the virtual abyss and can actually lose blocks of time while reading other people’s blogs and articles. Therefore, I have decided to construct a schedule for my workdays so that I actually do some work every day. What a concept!

Time to catch up!

Things have been hectic lately and I apologize for being very lax in my blog posts. Here's a quick rundown of what's been happening:

*  Spent Mother's Day with Grandma and Papa. Loved my homemade gifts from the kids.

*  Starting a vegetable garden. I need to get these plants in the ground this week before the jungle takes over my dining room!

*  The kids had dentist visits last week - no cavities!

Mommy! You said you were 29!

After posting about Alex's birthday party, and seeing my comment, "It's hard to believe my baby is 5 years old", it reminded me of a funny thing that happened on my last birthday.

We were at Grandma & Papa's for Thanksgiving. My birthday is also Thanksgiving weekend, so we always celebrate my birthday along with my husband's and sister's who are also in November.  We were sitting around talking and my mom said, innocently enough, "I can't believe my baby is 43 years old." 

Alex is 5!

It’s hard to believe my baby is 5 years old. He’s such a little man!

We had his party at Bounce City this year, one of those indoor inflatable, bouncy house places. The kids had a blast and everyone was thoroughly worn out by the end of the evening.

DVR Failed Me Tonight!

N24WS7HVY9UA (pay no attention to this-it's a confirmation link for signing up on Technorati.com)

I am so pissed tonight!  While getting the kids to bed, I was recording Dancing with the Stars - like I do every Monday night!  I noticed that the red Record light wasn't on, so I checked out my Recorded List, and sure enough it showed that it was recording. But when I came downstairs to watch it, it was gone! I don't know what happened, but now I have to wait until tomorrow (or whenever) to watch the show online from ABC's website. No luck tonight with You Tube or any other sites for that matter. Sorry - just needed to vent!

Hunka Hunka Burnin’...I mean, Raw…Meat?

My First Steak on a Stone Experience

Anyone who knows me knows that I like my steak well-done. Not medium, not medium-well, but WELL DONE, as in no pink, got it? You can imagine my surprise when we attended our niece’s wedding rehearsal dinner at Steak on a Stone and I was informed that I would be served a raw steak!

Bedtime Battles - Published!

Another article published on Associated Content!  Follow this link to read the article, "Bedtime Battles - Establishing a Bedtime Routine for Your Child."

Again, if you would like to receive notice whenever I publish, just click on the Follow me link under my name when viewing the article. 

Enjoy!

Transformed - Now Published!

a quick note to let you know that my Transformed article has been published on Associated Content. Follow this link to check it out.

Associated Content is a website that features content in the following categories:

Arts & Entertainment
Automotive
Business & Finance
Health & Wellness
Home Improvement
Lifestyle
News
Society
Sports
Technology
Travel

I have submitted a few other articles and am awaiting publishing. Bookmark the site and check back often. Or, you can click on the Follow link under my name and receive updates whenever I publish new content.

Enjoy!

Transformed

My four-year-old son Alex loves Transformers. He loves everything about them – the movies, the games, the action figures – you name it. If it has Transformers on it, he wants it.

We watch the movies together, we do the puzzles together and, of course, we get down on the floor and play with the action figures together. I have to admit, Daddy is much better at this game than I am. And my son is quick to correct me if I call a Decepticon by an Autobot name or, heaven forbid, forget that Optimus Prime is the leader of the good guys.

Job Search Continues…

I was determined to get back into gear with the job search this week, but I’m so frustrated with the job listings. I’ve been looking through the Plain Dealer classifieds (pitiful) as well as online with Careerbuilder, Monster and Craig’s List. It really is depressing to think that there are so many crappy jobs out there!

Catching Up: American Idol & DWTS

Busy weekend...no time to post...here's my catch-up on my favorites. I'm 2 for 2!!! Shannen Dougherty got the boot on DWTS and Didi Benami was sent packing on Idol. Can't wait to see what this week brings!

Hope you had a Happy Easter!

Break is Over...Back to Reality

Well, Spring Break ends today. Back to the real world tomorrow: school, work (well, in my case look for work), packing lunches, etc. We always think breaks go by too quickly, but I am actually looking forward to getting back into a routine tomorrow.

Victoria Lost Her First Tooth!

Well, it’s about time! I thought she was never going to lose a tooth!

Here’s how it happened:

A couple of weeks ago, she comes home from school and says a friend was looking in her mouth and said she’s going to need surgery. First, what was her friend doing in her mouth? And second, what kind of surgery?

American Idol Top 10 Performance Night

It was Soul/R&B night on American Idol last night, and Usher was the mentor this week. I think he really gave the contestants good feedback that they could immediately use for their performances – if only more of them would have taken his advice and actually used it!

Thank Goodness for DVRs: American Idol & Dancing with the Stars

OK, so I watch Dancing with the Stars, too – don’t hate me!

Tonight is the results show, which is a compilation of last week’s dancing and this week’s dancing, to determine who is the first celebrity booted off in Season 9.

Hooked on American Idol

OK, I admit it. I’m addicted to American Idol. I’ve been a fan since Season 1 when Kelly Clarkson won the coveted title over the teenie-bop favorite Justin Guarini (how could you not love that hair?!).

Each season during the early rounds, Scott and I pick our favorites – and then try to remember who they were as they proceed into the dreaded Hollywood Week. I’m on pins and needles as the poor contestants are forced to make the loooong walk to the judges to find out if they are going to be on the show as part of the Top 24.

Spring Break 2010

The kids are on Spring Break for the next 8 days – Ugh! um, I mean Yeay! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy sleeping in just as much as the next guy, but I can’t help freaking out about what we’re going to do all week.

Victoria and I spent about 3 hours this afternoon making Easter cards for Grandma, Papa, Aunt Amy and Uncle Dan. Yes, I said 3 hours for 4 cards. They’d better appreciate them, too – they cost me about 30 bucks in scrapbooking supplies! And the best part is, tomorrow Alex wants to make his own! Anyway, she had fun and the cards really are cute.

Kids' Choice Awards 2010

I just watched the Kids Choice Awards on Nickelodeon with the kids. Lots of slime, very little interesting content.

Katy Perry got a face full of slime that knocked her off her feet. I’m not sure it was planned that way, but she was hit full force with green goo! My kids loved it! If you have kids and are at all in touch with the current tween stars, this was the place to be. Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Lautner, et al. I can’t believe the Chipmunks movie beat out Twilight New Moon for best movie but, hey, I guess my tastes are a bit different than a 13-year-old girl’s!

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

I just finished watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and I couldn’t wait to get online and write about it! I watched the premier on Sunday night and was blown away by several things.

First, the rudeness of the people he was trying to help was appalling. The radio talk show host was downright offensive in the way he treated Jamie. Here is this charming, successful chef who has taken time away from his own family to try to suggest some improvements that can actually change the lives of our children in a good way. He hit a roadblock every step of the way, from the radio guy to the lunch ladies, to the principal of the school and even the superintendent and! The radio host was so closed-minded that all he could say was that they weren’t going to eat lettuce all day.

Hello out there! Newbie blogger on board!

Well, I've finally taken the plunge into the blogosphere! My first post on my first blog. After all of the time, thought and research put into taking this step, there should have been some fanfare to my grand entrance...but, no, it's just me at the computer, kids playing in the background with Daddy, dishes in the sink from supper -- just another day.