Does anyone really care about the pics because I'm quite sick of hearing about them

There has been much buzz on the web, expecially in the blogosphere of moms about the pics of Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana aka Billy Ray's offspring. The one that has caused such a ruckus is the one with her back exposed (I'm guessing there may be others, but I have only seen three of the magazine pics on the web. When I first heard this, they made it sound like she posed for Playboy). The controversy seems to break down to: are we exploiting a teenager and how to tell the kids.

1) Are we Exploiting a Teenager? My personal opinion on this whole thing is her parents were there and if they thought it was bad taste, should have said so during the shoot. She is a minor if everyone has forgotten. If Bri or Jimmy was asked to do something in poor taste, do you think I'd go along with it? Hell NO! From the pics and video I saw, it did not look like anyone objected or complained (the pic of Miley and her dad was creepier that the backless one that has caused all the discussion).

2) How to tell the kids? I come from the school of thought not to bring it up unless they say something. If Bri got a subscription to Vanity Fair behind my back, we may need to talk. The talk is going to basically say Miley made a decision and should have thought more about her actions before she undertook them. She is uncomfortable with the outcome (or did Disney say something to her now causing the change of heart?) She has a chance to say at the shoot she was uncomfortable, not when the magazine is coming out. I think she made a pood judgement on when to speak her mind and I haven't read or heard anything that mom and dad object to the pics. If she felt uncomfortable, now is a little late to voice her concern. She's also a teenager which you go between wanting to be a kid and wanting to be an adult and why is Miley/Hannah any different that any other teenager in America? Ok, a teen in America will not be concerned over photos of themselves in a magazine, but it goes to be a lesson in if you are not comfortable with something going on, speak up then. If you are now embarrassed by your actions, say so. Say at the time you thought it was the right thing to do, but in retrospect it is not. You cannot agree then and now say you objected when there is proof you agreed. End of discussion.

If you think I'm out of line on this one, please voice your objections nicely. I am always interested in hearing different points of view. Everyone is going to do things differently and this is my opinion of the matter.

Things are changing around here

I was going to tell you all about the fun that is 9 six years olds at a birthday party, but I need to talk about something else. I'm still upset about it.
It happened Friday with me and my daughter. I am going to give you the short version, if you want the long version, I'll tell it in another post.
I got a call from my daughter's school that she was sick. So I left work, and drove to her school. I was let in and never asked who I was. There was a child sitting by herself in the office while I was waiting for someone to help me. After a few minutes, it was figured out it was not my kid who was sick. So, now I need to find a new school. I am amazed they cannot tell my child from another. So they have the same first name and last initial, the girls both have brown hair and that's where it ends in similarities. How can I work if I have to worry every day that she isn't safe. We found out a few other things that have happened at school this year from one of the moms at the birthday party and its amazing no one has complained louder. So we have seen the schools around here and need to find an opening. This is what we have as choices
Catholic School # 1: called and have to wait for the "Admission Committee" to call me. Tuition is same, but you have to donate a % of income to a fellowship fund. Would cost me 3x as much as I pay now. Way too many committees they want parents to volunteer for.
Catholic School #2: Web page sounds reasonable, enrollment is at least double current school. I left a message to talk to them.
Catholic School #3: Parent's parish, slightly out of the way, about the same cost as current school.
Public School: This is where I went and where Jimmy goes to EC. Would get busing to school, worry she may not be challenged enough. She knows one girl who will be going to the school next year for first grade.
So now, I get to figure out where Bri is going to go next year and what church we will be joining. I had always hoped we would send out kids to one school and belong to one church for our lives here. Now I am changing school and church that will be our home. We have already let Bri know what is going on and we are changing for her safety, no other reason. Always good times in Toastland.

The newest edition to our family or I'm a grandma at 32

We did get to American Girl today, not like a month ago where we were supposed to go to a kids expo and never made it. Of course, my stomach was making me cough a lot (I haven't had my Protonix in over a week, I blame the mail order pharmacy) so I got a late start, had to ger Sponge Jimmy Crabby Pants on his EC bus, and then when we were heading to Eema's to get Bri, James and I realized we needed to eat so we grabbed a Panera breakfast sandwich each. So we got there about 10:20 or so and we didn't need the two hours I figured to shop. Let's cover the highlights:

Here is Bri, plotting destruction to my debit card, I mean looking at what outfit she would like for her doll.

The selection of the Just Like You Dolls. Creepy, huh? Her doll was not under either display, but my worst fear would be that they did not have it in stock. It was at the register.

James looks postively scared at all the clothes and accessories that can be obtained for the American Girl Doll. I think he's rethinking this decision.

Its a girl! We welcome Emily to the family. She's 18" tall, weights a couple pounds and is better behaved than the other two real kids. She's a light eater and well accessorized.
Care to guess what this is? Its a holder for your doll when you go to the bathroom at AG. I think its a great idea. No, they are not for sale and I am not putting one in my own bathroom.
Lunch finally! We had a special table for her birthday. We got a sign and scruncis on our napkins. James gave me his. He doesn't have the hair for it. Anymore. We ate lunch, which wasn't too bad, but next time I'm getting one of the kid entrees.

mmmm, cake! There were eight birthdays while we were there, eight! I think we were the only ones who ordered cake, half of it is in my fridge. And we got goody bags! I'm taking mine to work.

So I think Bri had a good birthday, We got home around two, Bri and Emily changed into matching outfits and went to Eema's to celebrate some more. They had dinner and she got ice cream. Ah the good old days. And I need to correct her teacher, there is no clearance section anymore. Only online.

One long evening around here

Last night, James had to go for a sleep study due to his snoring. I'm really hoping its his nose and that surgery will fix it and we will not have to share our bedroom with a C-PAP machine. So I had both kids last night, had to get them to bed and get some sleep myself. So here was the, uummmm, highlights (yeah, that's it, highlights) of my evening:

9:00 pm - "guys, its time for jammies and brush teeth." Bri charges up the stairs, Jimmy walks with me. Bri got herself changed while I changed Jimmy and got their teeth brushed. Jimmy asks for jiuce box when giving meds to them.
9:10 pm - "mom can we watch Sponge Bob again?" Bri asks. "Sponge Bob!" Jimmy announces.
9:59 pm - "time for Sponge Bob to go to bed". Jimmy gets upset and announces he's going in his room. Good, I think, some sleep for me. I hear Jimmy moving around in his bed tent, every once in a while asking "mom?" or "dad?" he goes quiet, I doze off to the news
11:30 pm - greeted by whinning 3 year old, "come up by mommy, let me move you in the middle of the bed," at that point realizing that Jimmy has a wet pair of PJ shorts. Go get a new pull up and change him, leaving off the pants, he falls back asleep.
1:00 AM - see TV is still on, doze back off
2:30 AM - turn off infomercial on TV, go back to sleep
3:00 am - Bri rolls over, Jimmy says "thank you"
3:40 AM - "Mommy, TV broke." Jimmy says. "No Sweetie, its asleep" I reply, Jimmy goes back to sleep
4:00 AM - do birds have to get up that early? Is every bird in the neighborhood in my yard????
4:15 aM - WHY DOES IT SOUND LIKE SOMEONE IS SHAKING A BOTTLE OF PILLS??? I have ghosts! (found out later, it was a woodpecker)
4: something am - "grrumble gournion, glup?" I have no clue what Jimmy said, but he's not upset. Goes back to sleep.
5:00 AM - James' alarm goes off, figure how to turn it off.
5:09 AM - Turn James' alarm off again!
5:45 AM - James comes home
6:20 AM - give up and get ready for work.

And after all that, went to work for another day. So, we now wait for the results and I told James he can sleep in his work truck if he gets the C-PAP or maybe I'll go sleep in the family room.
Tomorrow is Bri's birthday and we are going to American Girl store. I hope Bri's teacher was right they have a clearance section. We will so be there. My allergies are kicking my butt and I need to take more meds, so I'm going to sleep now.

We've survived the attack of Hello Kitty!

Saturday was Bri's family party. We do this every year, usually after her birthday. This year, however, my mom and dad are going to a Police and Fire commission event downstate and my cousin graduates from college next weekend, so we moved it to this weekend. Which was fine except for a lot of people came late, left early or did not make it at all. We prepped for a lot more than were here. Oh, and it kept raining on and off all day, but was so humid we had to turn on the air conditioning. So we had leftovers except for cake, which everyone devoured. Oh and her party theme was Hello Kitty, so we had plates, napkins, balloons, tablecloths and she placed her Hello Kitties around the living room. Yes the kids get to pick the theme of their party.

Ahh, cake. Marble cake with whipped cream and food dye! Always a good idea to get a picture while everyone is waiting to sing Happy Birthday. They could not find the pic of the Hello Kitty cake so we took one of the Barbie designs, removed the Barbies and added Hello Kitty. Better than the backhoe/front end loader cake design she originally wanted. And we discovered the large HK is a bubble bottle. Let's play that popular party game, Everyone Help The Birthday Girl Open Her Gifts! Notice the wide array of party attire. Everything from jeans and Thomas shirts to fou-fou party skirts with sequins. She got some cool gifts, my aunt bought her two outfits for her doll, she got some clothes, a game, a Barbie barbecue grill and two months of her college fund.

This is what no nap looks like, we were debating the Catholic church with my uncle in the kitchen when Bri informed us that Jimmy was asleep in the living room. At 8:30 at night.

So that was it. This week Wednesday, which is her actual birthday, we are going to American Girl Place in Chicago to get her Just Like You doll and eat lunch (shhh, we're doing the birthday lunch, its a surprise.) James has been promising her the doll since she was born or shortly after. I think he wanted to buy one for her when the ultrasound tech told us it was a girl.

Then next Saturday is her friends party. 12 six year olds at a Princess Party at the Y, pray for me....I'm gonna need it!

More pics for the Wall of Intestines

I had my colonoscopy today. I must say the pill prep is A LOT better than the gallon prep. I'm functioning, coherent and awake still. I think last time I stayed in bed after I got home for the rest of the night. This time, I ate dinner and went to Target. Not too shabby. So I did the prep last night and this morning. They could not guarantee it would actually work, and I still may have had to drink the gallon of liquid and come back. The pill prep is the one my mother in law does so if she says its better, I'll take her word for it, she's had more of these type of procedures. So, I have hemorrhoids (internal and external) and a polyp. Yup, a polyp. 32 years old and now will have to get a colonoscopy every 5 years for the rest of my life (depending on what they find, it may be more often, whee). So now we wait for results, in two weeks they will send me a letter. The bad part is insurance counts this as surgery so co-pay and deductible apply. Not much fun. At least the two weeks will be busy so maybe it won't seem as long waiting for results.
I will not show the pics of my polyp (polypy as Bri would call it, make it into a friend not a possible cancerous tumor). Nor will I show any of the other pics. I have several from my other procedures; a few of my hiatal hernia, some of my stomach and so on. I've noticed of late, you take most 6 year old girls and they will turn an inanimate object into a friend. Van becomes Vany, Turtle become Turdy, milk becomes milky, you get the point. I thought this was only my child. When I went to her Daisy meeting last week, another girl there did the same thing (but I can't remember what she called her new "friend"). Hopefully, she'll outgrow the phase soon.
Oh well, I need to get to bed I have to go back to work tomorrow.

I guess I'm not winning the Britney Spears Parent of the Year Award

I'm not feeling a lot better, I'm trying to cope and hide as much as I can from the world.

I have those days as a parent that make me wonder if DCFS will be on my doorstep. I really wonder on the days the windows are open. The days where you are yelling at your son to put his clothes back on and your daughter is just being a real princess crabby pants because her butter touched her oatmeal and you just discovered by the smell an Alphatot fell on the bottom of the oven and is burning? Yup, those days. Well, I think this article trumps my chances. Go read it, I'll wait (eating a Weight Watchers Ice Cream bar and Watching Deliver Me on Discovery Health).


Oh, you're back. Did you get that?

What gang the toddler should join? Huh? Did I miss something? I know James and I fought over which Catholic Church to belong to (I lost) and we argue over which activities the kids should do (haven't registered them for anything), but not which gang to join. How does the initiation go for that? I don't get it. Really. I had to read the article a couple times to make sure it wasn't a joke.
This is another one of those things I just file in the back of my head for the REALLY BAD days. Being a parent is a challenge, but you deal with it. You suck it up and drink lots of coffee to keep up. This is not along the lines of children who are abused, that's a different post. This is the parents who make a bad decision, this will not totally ruin the child, but make for great therapy material.
Oh well, I'm going with Jimmy, James and my brother in law out to lunch. Gotta go.

(BTW, I am not making fun of Britney Spears. As a mom who suffers from untreated depression, my heart goes out to her. However, this is another case of the kids will have great therapy material, just like Michael Jackson's son. Remember that incident? We could get a whole list going and re-name the award several times over. Maybe I should start wearing a pink wig.)

In a funk

I am in a funk. Its grey outside, my sinuses hurt, I'm pooping blood again. Another med change coming up. Yup. Good times for all.
We did go to the zoo Sunday. We go there as soon as it opened. And with Jimmy running off on us once, it was fine. At least we were in the play zoo when he decided to bolt. The kids got to pick out a toy each when we left. So Jimmy got a Opossum and Bri got a vet kit. They both crashed in the car and it was finally quiet. Jimmy was overtired when we left the zoo.
This morning, Jimmy got mad and hit his sister with the Move N Sit cushion. Jimmy asked for oatmeal, but then got mad and ran off when it was done. Bri had eaten her bowl and wanted more, so dad gave her Jimmy's. Bri hadn't eaten any when Jimmy asked for more, so James asked Bri to move it back for Jimmy. Jimmy saw this and got mad. So he came down, picked up his cushion and began hitting Bri with it, Bri is ok, Jimmy got a time out. What a way to start your day when you're not feeling well.
I am right now just tired of dealing with people. A lot of people are on my last nerves. Seriously. I cannot deal with any more drama and stupidity right now. A lot is going on that will change my life (in mostly annoying and bad ways) and then having to listen to people who its like, you put yourself in that situation, I really don't want to hear it anymore. Did I know everything was going to happen when I got married or met James? No I did not. Or the ones who zone out when you try to talk to them. A lot of what is going on in my life is out of my control. I cannot do a thing about it. But the people who complain to me can change their situations if they chose, they put themselves into those situations. I have to explain a lot of things to a 6 year old I never thought I would be. I have to figure out what has been said to her by other people and tell her it will be ok, even thought its all scary.
I'm going to lay down, its hurting to look at the screen.

Another fun Saturday in Toast land

So, yes, we get some insane ideas around here. James bribbed Brianna with going to the zoo today, since she pitched such a fit about going to daycare yesterday. She does not like daycare anymore because she is one of the oldest and a lot of her friends from the center have left. So, Eema called last night to take the kids for the night in Indiana (that's another post) and we dropped them off last night. Of course, Bri did not forget the promise, so we picked her up early (too early and with no breakfast for my tastes since James and I slept in with no kids demanding Sponge Bob before the sun has risen). We drove by the zoo and saw the crowds going in and decided not to go today. My patience with people lately is really taxed. So we decided the next best thing would to be go to Rainforest Cafe for lunch. This is a rare treat as we do not live near one. We drove to Gurnee to go, which would have been ok, except for all the traffic. So we finally got there, got a table and ate lunch. Ok, then we said we would go to the Disney outlet while there. Went to the store and Jimmy kept trying to take everything home with us. James saw there was an Archivers so I got to go there after Disney and James took the kids to Bass Pro (hey he can improvise). After that, it was time to go. Jimmy melted down over a bottle of water. James got gas for the van while I ran to Corning Ware (I own three sets of dishes and all are discontinued. Makes fnding replacements so much fun). Then we made a side trip to look for Weight Watchers Cheese and came home. The kids ate Spagettio's and James and I split a beer, some coffee and I had a WW ice cream bar. Whee.
Tomorrow we are supposed to go to the zoo, but we'll see how much we get our acts together in time. If we do not get there when it opens, I really don't want to bother. The crowds get insane as it gets busy. Or if it decides to rain, I'll never hear the end of "but you promised to take us to the zoo." Yeah in a rainstorm, sounds like a great time, let me know how that worked out, 'kay?
As a side note, if anyone can get a Wii on the net with a Netgear 614v7 router, please leave me a note, I have tried everything Nintendo suggested and it WILL NOT WORK! IT knows there is a NETWORK, but gives me error 51330 OVER and OVER again! For what I paid for this, it should bring me spiked coffee every morning (and a fat free scone would also be nice). James cannot understand why I am even trying as we own two computers, but hey if I paid for it, I want the option to USE IT! I may use it one a year to impress friends and family, but its my decision. Ugh.

Things pondered while waiting at Jury Duty

Well, they didn't pick me. But here is what I came up with:

-A Wii would liven this up, how the hell do I hook it up to the TV WAAYYY UPPP THERE?
-$.95 for a Diet Coke? Seriously?
-How do I get my friend Sharon to do this Jury Duty thing with me? We so could catch up and bring our laptops. Just add coffee!
-Why didn't I bring the plug for my laptop?
-Why didn't I figure the battery lasts only 5 hours?
-Can't they get a few more couches? Maybe some cots?
-I don't get Bonanza, why are the women in town dressed like women of ill-repute? Why is the posse going after the posse? Why is the woman in the mountains the only one decently dressed?
-He brought a PSP, why didn't I think of that? Or at least my iPod?
-I don't think any of my ex-boyfriends are here
-I gotta get the new People magazine. Looks cool.

There you have it, your tax dollars at work.