Will You Come and Follow Me...

Blogger has a nifty new widget called Following. (Mine is in the sidebar, under the Player.) If you have a Blogger profile (you don't have to blog to create a profile) click on 'Follow this blog' and your picture will appear. Click on my followers to see their profiles with links to their blogs.

It's an easy way to keep track of your favorite blogs, which are automatically added to your Google Reader and to the Reading List on your Blogger dashboard, and discover some great new reads like Parish the Thought by Fr. Bud Pelletier.

If you have a Blogger profile I invite you to follow me! If you don't have a profile, create one and follow me! C'mon, all the cool kids are doing it...

Wordless Wednesday - As Seen on TV

Wordless Wednesday

Menu Plan Monday

I'm an Organizing Junkie

I'm still menu planning, I just haven't been blogging my plans - until I saw this week's theme, "Family Favorites Edition".

I post many of my family favorites on my recipe blog, Diva Mom's Meals.

This Week's Meals:
Saucy Cheeseburger Sandwiches, fruit salad, chips *Family Favorite*
Beer Brats, baked beans, corn *Family Favorite*
Alton Brown's Grilled Cheese, fresh & easy's tomato 'n basil soup *Family Favorite*
No Fuss Taco Salad

Dan has gigs 3 nights in the next 7 so it's an easy cooking week for me. The Little Heroes are always happy with quick and easy meals like Quesadillas, Annie's Pasta Meals, and probably one trip to the Golden Arches.

Have a delicious week!

Happy 17 Months, Ittyboy!

At 17 months, Ittyboy:

• Has numerous words/phrases: dada, mama, buh-bye, hi, up, down, blub (for his tummy), eyes, nose, butt (when he needs a change), kitty, dog, birdie, baby, 'cuse me, good (when asked, "how are you?"), car, cookie, apple, , cheese, all done, nite-nite.
  
• Loves to do his 'jobs': pushing the garage door opener, putting the trash can back under the sink and closing the cabinet door, and picking out his shirt each morning (his favorite being his Wal-E shirt).
• Climbs onto the couch and from there the end tables.
• Climbs onto the dining room bench and from there the dining room table.
• Has mastered the child-proof cabinet locks, the child-proof stove top burner locks and one version of an oven lock.
• Loves to dance.
• Has his 8 front teeth completely in and is working on 4 molars.
  
• Thinks Jon and Kate Plus 8 is hilarious because of all the "BABIES!"
  
• Makes the sign of the cross and then shouts, "AMEN!"
• Nurses at nap-time and occasionally bed-time.

9/27/08 UPDATE: Diva Mom needs more caffeine/sleep/to regenerate the brain cells lost during two pregnancies. I originally posted this as 'Happy 18 Months, Ittyboy!'. Today (2 weeks later) I realized Itty won't be 18 months until October 17. Holy missing IQ points.

The Simple Woman

I've seen this on several blogs and it looked like a good way to start the week.

~The Simple Woman~

For Today...

Outside my Window... blazing hot sun. Will fall ever arrive?

I am thinking..."Is my coffee done yet?"

I am thankful for... Mr. Coffee, whoever he is.

From the kitchen... planning a run to Fresh & Easy after dropping Bittyman at school. The fridge is bare!

I am wearing... denim capris and an Old Navy polo shirt.

I am reading... St. Paul: Jubilee Year of the Apostle Paul Edition: A Bible Study for Catholics

I am hoping... it cools down soon so we can start walking to school instead of driving.

I am creating... a pile of items to put on eBay.

I am hearing... sniffles from Ittboy. Not sure if it's due to the 4 molars he's got coming in or allergies.

Around the house... Mondays are my general cleaning day, a la FlyLady.

One of my favorite things... relaxing with my three Heroes on Sunday afternoons.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... visiting with Grandma and Grandpa I. after they arrive tomorrow, a trip to Costco, continue my quest to find a Black Spiderman costume for Ittyboy (to go with Bitty's Red Spiderman costume), meeting our playgroup at a concert Friday night.

Here are two picture thoughts I am sharing with you...

Never Forget

The Anchoress has a fantastic post, 9/11: Remembrance and prayers, with a long list of links all worth gazing at today.

ABC's of Homemaking Meme

From Tracy's.

Aprons - Y/N? If yes, what does your favorite look like?
My 'apron' is whatever Old Navy t-shirt I'm sporting.

Baking- Favorite thing to bake?
My body, poolside.

Clothes line - Y/N ?
Aprons, clothes lines - who wrote this meme, my Great-Grandmother (God rest her soul)?

Donuts - Have you ever made them?
No, but Bittyman wants me to get one of these so we can make donut-like pancake puffs.

Everyday - One homemaking thing you do everyday.
Make coffee.

Freezer - Do you use a deep freeze?
Dan bought a chest freezer for my birthday last year. Although I didn't talk to him for days afterward, I have to admit it's pretty darn handy.

Garbage Disposer Y/N?
Not having one is an option?

Handbook - What's your favorite homemaking resource?
The Food Network and HGTV

Ironing - Love it or Hate it?
Don't do it.

Junk Drawer - Y/N? If yes, where is it?
Yes, in the kitchen. But I'm pretty clutter-phobic. It's not very junky.

Kitchen - color & decorating scheme.
Rich Creme with an accent wall in Mother Nature (green). Decorated in Tuscany meets Pier 1 on clearance.

Love - what is your favorite part of homemaking?
Anything that involves the Heroes. They're entertainingly helpful little critters.

Mop - Y/N?
Swiffer wet, almost daily.

Nylons, machine or hand wash?
I only wear them on Christmas. I splurge for a new pair yearly.

Oven - Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
Window. Safer with Ittyboy around.

Pizza - what do you put on yours?
Black olives and extra cheese for the Heroes. BBQ chicken for me. Dan will eat anything. Darn, now I'm craving CPK.

Quiet - what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Sit. Usually at the computer where I read blogs, play Scramble and even pray.

Recipe Card Box - Y/N?
Box, no. Blog, yes.

Style of house - what style is your house?
Whatever they call the stucco/tile roof style that's popular out here in the west.

Tablecloths and napkins?
Napkins. A tablecloth + Ittyboy is asking for new dishes... hmmm... I'm kinda tired of my 12-year-old set...

Under the kitchen sink - organized or toxic wasteland?
Nothing but the trash can and stored paper towels. Ittyboy has mastered child-proof locks.

Vacuum - how many times per week?
How about per day? Usually after each meal.

Wash - how many loads of laundry do you do per week?
Again, per day. At least 2.

X's - Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
No. Sorta follow the Flylady system. (But don't sign up for her e-mails. They'll clutter your inbox.)

Yard - Who does what?
The HOA.

ZZZ's - What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Picking up the countless plastic toys scattered about, briefly fantasizing about tossing them all into the trash, but realizing the psychological damage that would cause, I instead return them to their proper baskets and bins.

I tag anyone who wants to play. Let me know in the comment box if you do.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Bittyman's Second Week of Kindergarten

• Whoever came up with the idea of 'afternoon kindergarten' only had one child.
• Younger siblings of children in 'afternoon kindergarten' have an uncanny way of waiting to fall asleep for their nap until 20 minutes before Mommy has to leave to drop off or pick up their older sibling.
• There is no changing from 'afternoon' to 'morning' kindergarten. Apparently it's one of those commandments from the tablet that Moses dropped when he came down from Mt. Sinai: "Walkers, thou shalt attend afternoon kindergarten."
  
• 5-year-old boys who have been sitting in a classroom for 2 1/2 hours emerge with more pent-up energy than a shaken can of soda pop. (Yep, I wrote soda pop. Gives you a clue to my regional upbringing, doesn't it?)
• 16-month-old boys with 5-year-old big brothers believe they are also 5. And in the blink of an eye, will follow a mob of kindergartners on the playground to the top of a 6-foot-high slide and hurl themselves down it.
• Diva Mom can sprint 15 feet and make a diving catch in the time it takes a 16-month-old to reach the bottom of a 6-foot-high slide.
  
• Women can't park SUV's. Yep, I wrote it. But when every other parking space in the school lot is unusable because the two SUV's on either side are parked over the white line, at a diagonal, Ladies, you're just perpetuating the stereotype.
  
• When forced to park on the street and walk that much farther to reach Bittyman's classroom, in triple-digit heat, hauling a 22-pound Ittyboy on her hip, Diva Mom is cranky and judgmental .
  

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Bittyman's First Week of Kindergarten

• Without Bittyman around, Ittyboy will take a 2-hour nap.
• I can accomplish more in 2 Hero-free hours than I can in a Hero-full week.
• PTA fundraising begins on school day 2 and won't end for another 12 years. (Anyone want to buy an Entertainment book?)
• Apparently no child is allowed to walk home from school in the rain, judging by the 800 cars jostling for a parking space during last Monday's storm.
• When it rains, leave the house 30 minutes before the final bell or don't bother driving to pick up Bittyman. Just walk the 1.5 miles 'cause I won't get a parking spot much closer.
• Walking 3 miles round-trip, while pushing a stroller, when it's sunny and 105F, is asking for a migraine.
  
• Global warming is caused by all the minivans and SUVs idling in front of elementary schools. (My Town & Country included until our daytime high temperatures drop below triple-digits. See above.)
  
• The cost of a Dunkin' Donuts small vanilla spice iced coffee for Diva Mom and one Munchkin for Ittyboy is $1.36. (Our post drop-off treat. Shhh, don't tell Bitty.)
• The answer to the question, "What did you do in school today?" is a heavy sigh, rolling of the eyes and a mumbled, "Art projects and stuff. What's for snack?" I imagine this will be the standard reply for the next 12 years.

YESSS!

Honestly John McCain was not my first choice for the Repbulican ticket - or even my second. And when rumors started swirling that Senator McCain might chose a pro-abortion running mate I was angered and frustrated that the social conservatives were going to be completely, well, dissed by McCain.

I've been a fan of Sara Palin for months. One of Dan's younger sisters lives in Alaska and 'introduced' us to her Governor. Once I started learning more about Mrs. Palin I thought she'd be an excellent choice for Vice President, but thought her chances were slim to none.

I screamed for joy once the McCain-Palin ticket was announced. Literally. And after hearing her speak at length - Wow! I can't contain my glee!

It's going to be a fun ride, folks! An no matter what your political affiliation, it's wonderful and inspiring that both an African-American and a female are at the top of the tickets this year.

God bless those who choose to run and serve our country!

Bittyman's First Day of Kindergarten

I just dropped Bittyman off at his first day of kindergarten. We met his teacher at orientation last week and the three of us were thrilled to discover that Mrs. B. is the mother of one of Bitty's Sunday School classmates. Bittyman is in wonderful hands.

Bitty was "very excited" all morning long, picking out a "cool new outfit" and proudly posing for the above pictures. When we arrived at school he was annoyed that he didn't have time to play on the kindergarten playground until Mrs. B. assured him they'd go out for recess later.

But as his class lined up to walk into their room, Bitty anxiously looked up at me and whispered, "Mom, I'm scared!"

I choked back tears, wanting to cry, "I'm scared too! I'm not ready to let you go!"

Instead Diva Mom took over and whispered back, "You know what, it's OK to be scared. I bet every kid in this line is a little bit scared. But just think of all the fun you're going to have. And I'll be back soon to pick you up and take you to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate!"

"OH, RIGHT! I forgot about Chuck E Cheese! OK, bye! I love you!" And with visions of greasy pizza and arcade games dancing in his eyes he proudly marched into his room, not once looking back.

I waved until the bright blue classroom door shut behind him. Then with the click of the metal latch the tears began to stream down my face behind my sunglasses. At that point I didn't care. My goal was accomplished - Bittyman never saw me cry.

I looked around and noticed that there were two obvious groups of Moms. The bawling ones, like myself, whose first-born children were starting kindergarten. Then there were the gals doing a happy dance and cheering, "FREE AT LAST!" who have already gone through this day with their older kids.

Since then I've texted my entire address book a picture of Bitty in front of his school, drove home and put Ittyboy down for his nap, made a tearful call to Daddy to tell him how it went, uploaded these pictures and wrote this blog post. Now it's already time to go pick up Bitty.

Good thing 'cause Diva Mom wants her Little Hero back.

Happy 45th Anniversary

to Grandma and Grandpa I! (My parents, for those of you new to the blog.) It's their 'Sapphire' Anniversary... so I hope Grandpa hooked Grandma up with some pretty blue bling!

It seemed like such a wonderful day to get married that Dan and I decided to follow their lead and get married on the same date, 12 years ago today.




Dan is playing organ/piano at the 8am Mass and I'm cantoring at 10am and noon so we'll be getting our Graces on this anniversary. We'll spend the rest of the day poolside with the Heroes, trying to beat the 107F desert heat. A few frosty libations, pizza delivered to our lounge chairs - I can't think of a better way to spend our 'Silk' anniversary.

(OK, who am I kidding. I'd rather be here, where we spent our 5th anniversary, but Bittyman starts Kindergarten on Monday and we can't miss that... unless someone wants to make a ginormous PayPal gift donation. Then we're homeschooling in Mexico for his first week!)

Oh and boys, going to bed at a decent hour would be the best gift you could give Mommy and Daddy - hint, hint. I know you can read this, Bittyman. I've seen you find your favorite shows on the Tivo list and navigate the Firefox bookmarks. So in the words of your Little Critter book, JUST GO TO BED!

UPDATE
We were given such a wonderful gift this morning. After the homily at the 10am Mass I was cantoring, our dear friend and celebrant, Fr. Phil, called Dan and the boys up to the altar and gave us a nuptial blessing for our anniversary. We were completely taken by surprise and very honored. (Although having to sing the rest of the Mass was tough! I've become one of those Moms who cries at everything.) So many thanks again to 'Goofy Fr. Phil' (as Bittyman affectionately calls him) and to everyone who was present!

I've Won A Gold!

Maybe not a medal, but a Gold 'Blogging Friends Forever' award! Tracy was kind enough to bestow this award on my blog. She has an uncanny way of posting meditations that are exactly what I need to read when I need to read them.

Now it's my turn to spread the wealth!

The Blogging Friends Forever Rules are:

1. Only five people allowed.

2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.

3. One has to be someone new, or recently new to your blog, or live in another part of the world.

4. You must link back to whoever gave you the 'Blogging Friends Forever' award.

Amy
Cris
Mia
Sharon
Sunshine Mom

Congratulations, Gals! Now go forth and share your newly-won Gold Card with your Blogging Friends!

Haiku for Bittyman

Hat tip to Aunt Cristie for this fun site!



Haiku2 for bittyman
this quick test and find out death by caffeine my results gulp down 64
@ aboutmylife.netadvogato.orgblogger.comblogs.gnome.orgblogspot.comdeadjournal.comgreatestjournal.cominsanejournal.comlivejournal.commyspace.comspaces.msn.com
Created by Grahame

Haiku2 for bittyman
ever since a new dunkin' donuts coffee and you're quick to move
@ aboutmylife.netadvogato.orgblogger.comblogs.gnome.orgblogspot.comdeadjournal.comgreatestjournal.cominsanejournal.comlivejournal.commyspace.comspaces.msn.com
Created by Grahame

Haiku2 for bittyman
proud chef the menu turkey and provolone on wheat with pretzel sticks
@ aboutmylife.netadvogato.orgblogger.comblogs.gnome.orgblogspot.comdeadjournal.comgreatestjournal.cominsanejournal.comlivejournal.commyspace.comspaces.msn.com
Created by Grahame

A Fall Movie I Will Be Seeing

New Film Spoofs Michael Moore and Hollywood Liberals

A Summer Movie I Won't Be Seeing

Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder. A fantastic post explaining why.

(It just occurred to me that the last movie I saw in the theater that wasn't rated 'G' was Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The last movie Dan and I saw in a theater together? The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - when I was pregnant with Bittyman! I remember Bitty, then known as 'Baby Cheese', kicked whenever the sound got too loud and I was worried he or she would suffer permanent hearing loss! But I digress. I definitely won't be purchasing Tropic Thunder on pay-per-view. )

Too Cool for School

Happiness is taking Bittyman back-to-school shopping at the Converse outlet and finding sneakers in his size on the clearance rack.

Ecstatic is discovering matching All Stars on the same rack for Ittyboy.

Overheard

"Itty, can you say, 'Bumblebee'?"

(Awww, I think to myself, Bittyman is reading the My Big Animal Book to Ittyboy.)

"Itty, can you say Bulkhead? How 'bout Optimus Prime?"

(Ah, not so much reading the My Big Animal Book, but Bittyman's new t-shirt. And if you don't know what kind of shirt he was sporting, then you either aren't male or have never been the Mom of a male.)

R U READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?

The 2008 season is here!