Form Letters

I love Bowl time...where college teams are paired up to play the "BIG GAME" at the end of the year...some for pride, others for a championship. We're here watching our beloved Bulls struggle through the first half of the Sunbowl. The teams break for halftime...the band and dancers take the field, and some guy named Baby Something is rapping along with 100 girls dressed up in gold go go dresses. Who is this guy? Didn't realize I had gotten that old over night.

Well, I did a little Googling and came across last years halftime show featuring Rhianna (a much more popular star) and read the article. So I Google again, knowing that this Baby Person is not Rhianna, and I find that the Baby Person, who is named Baby Bash, is Arista's new up and coming star. Cool, and good for him. I read the article to learn a little more about this Baby......and hmmm...Dejavu?

Rhianna:
“It is truly exciting to have one of the nation’s premier artists perform at the Helen of Troy Halftime Show,” said Sun Bowl Association President John H. Folmer. “Rihanna brings such an added value to the ticket buyer, who can now see the excitement of college football with a live halftime performance from the female artist of the year.”
http://69.89.31.165/~sunbowlo//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=2

Baby Bash:
"We are really excited to have an up and coming artist like Baby Bash perform at the Helen of Troy Halftime Show presented by Clear Channel," said Sun Bowl Association president Linda East. "He brings added value to the ticket buyer, who can now see the excitement of college football with a live halftime performance from one of the top Latin entertainers."
http://69.89.31.165/~sunbowlo//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=168&Itemid=2

So in the world of Form Letters, we also have Form News Article!

Makes perfect sense though doesn't it....just fill in the blanks:

A ____________ was found ________ at _________, police are still investigating. We will bring you the latest as details come in.

How many times do you hear that a night on the news? Precisely why we don't tune into any news stations on the TV anymore. No creativity in reporting, but plenty of depressing murders and rapes to delivery with a smile. Easy to do when you're just reading a form letter every night, desensitizing at its best.

Oh yeah, and back to Bowl Game Halftime Shows....no, I can't go there, that's a whole other post.

Happy Holidays

...or the not so happy ones? It seems that what SHOULD be a happy time with relatives and friends, always seems to turn into one big stressful season for everyone.

We hunt down the right gifts, hoping that the receiver will even remotely like it, much less understand why you picked it out for them.

We bake and bake trying to fulfill our quota of sweets while making sure we have the juiciest turkey on the block.

We wonder how our football team will do now that we're getting into playoffs, recalculating the stats from your fantasy football league.

Kids seem to pick more fights with each other, with the fear of Santa not coming because every time they are caught, a finger wag and "no Santa this year" is the worst threat they'll ever hear.

Extended families are brought back together under the premise of good cheer and tidings to find that some of the reasons they no longer live near each other are still in place. It's good to be reminded of this from time to time though.

After we have made it through these stressful happy holidays, the farther we get into the new year, the more of the good things we'll remember. Wasn't Jane's baby so cute! I can't believe they are getting married!, I can't wait to see how much the kids have grown next year.

Through our sometimes drunkin haze(stress or booze) at this time of year, remember that the person next to you is probably on edge as much as you are. Take a moment, smile and relax....the person next to you may have a sister that is probably twice the witch than yours!

We'll make it though, raise your glass of egg(rum)nog and toast with me.....

"To old acquaintance we forgot
la la laaaaa la la la laaaaaaaaa......
La la la la la laaaa la la
la la la for Auld Lang Syne"

Childhood memories

We all have memories of childhood...happy times, sad times and scared times. A smell or situation or even a picture can often bring back a childhood memory that was once forgotten.

For my brother and I, when Pixar and Disney Studios came out with the movie Cars, both of us had a spark in our brain that brought up a shared memory...it was of a little blue car cartoon that we had seen as kids. We KNEW that we had seen this cartoon and just couldn't remember where it had come from.

As my family and I were at Disney World last night, we decided to take a walk through Mickey's house at Toontown...on the way out...was this book:

This was the car!!!! I got all excited, telling my husband about this car, and the memory I had about, and my brother. My brother and I were both bit by the car bug after seeing this cartoon. He's big time into restoring a car now, and has had several show cars in the mean time. I have also had my fair share of cars and have ventured into repairing my own car. I couldn't wait to share this with my brother this morning.....

But before I did, I went on youtube.com and found the old cartoon!


My brother and I both have babies now.....his son's room is decorated with the Cars theme, and my lil boy is obsessed with anything with four wheels and makes noise. Who knew that Susie the Little Blue Coupe could affect two generations of family so much?!

No matter how many times you tell them.....

a compiled list from moms:

.....they never check to see if the dishwasher is empty/dirty and just put their dishes in the sink.

....they never take their own clothes and put them in the hamper in the laundry room, they just toss them on the floor!

....they never take the garbage out even tho it's all bagged up sitting by the steps.

....they never throw away the EMPTY boxes of triscuits or crackers, just leave them in the cupboard for you to throw out!

....they never TIGHTLY CLOSE the bag the bread is in so it won't get stale!!!

....they never wipe the crumbs the leave up off the counter.

My kid is ONLY 18 months lady

Mother's can be SO judgmental. I took my 18 month old son to toddler time at the Library today, and he is the youngest one there, but he LOOKS the same age as the 2's and up. He's a big boy, but he's still only 18 months and just learning words.

JC hasn't gotten a hold of the concept of sitting down with a group to read a book, but each time we go, the more he understands and copies what others are doing. The best compliment I get is that "he's such a happy child".....yeah, well at least mine isn't clinging to my pants like a dryer sheet to pants out of the dryer.

Most times, I let stuff like this go...something JC and I just have to deal with...but today a mother basically stared me down from across the room....like "why can't you control your child" Now I also have to mention I have my six month old girl on my hands as well.

C'mon mom's, let's work together here.....our children are NOT in competition with each other to see who is the most mature. Please don't judge my son for his height...your children were 18 months once too, and ya know what, your child was probably clinging to you then too. I say this in spite...but maybe they are just jealous of JC's outgoing and fun loving view of life. He'll learn how to sit quietly for a book at toddler time soon enough.

Stuff stuff stuff your face.....

I love holidays where it's ok to eat way to much at one sitting and then boast about how full you are or how much food you managed to get down. Then of course afterwards you get to top off the stomache acids with a healthy dose of pumpkin pie and whip creme.

Yes, it's a great holiday :)

I hope that everyone else had way too much to eat and are all thankful for your beautiful families

Toddler Time....Curse or Blessing?

Since I started taking JC and Lola to play times and toddler times, it seems they have attracted one cold after another. It's so hard to see your little ones suffer, it makes me wonder if it is all really worth it!!!! We miss every other week of activites due to someone being sick! This new cold, it came from a little girl (who was sick at the time!!) when she coughed right in JC's face. This happened at toddler time at the library.

IF YOUR KID IS SICK, PLEASE DON'T BRING THEM TO TODDLER TIME!!!!!!

grrrr, I can only assume that Lola and I are next :(

Na na na na...hey hey hey....good bye....

*sniff*

Today is the final game for the University of Miami Hurricanes in the beloved and historic Orange Bowl. While many look on it as an eye sore and a money pit, others revere it as an icon and an old friend. The stadium seems to have it's aches and groans like anyone growing older. It leaked from every corner, flooded in the concession areas(I know, I worked cooking hot dogs in 2 inch deep slime water)and seem to always need a new paint job...there has to be like 50 layers on paint on that stadium.

This stadium boasts a unique history in Miami. It's the site of many super bowls in the early days, thousands of concerts and even a soccer game or two. My first memorable visit was to a UM home game against the Florida Gators. I was 16 years old and going with my best friend and her dad. We had a blast, and I was officially hooked on Miami Hurricanes football. As a college student, I attended UM for a few years, and marched in the band for 3 years on the drumline. My pride for the school, the team and the bowl increased with each victory and game. It was my second home during those days. My favorite game....the last game vs. Notre Dame. The Bowl was never louder than that day. My most memorable concert was seeing the Micheal Jackson and his brothers in the Victory Tour. I also worked many concerts like the Monster's of Rock for the band boosters.

I'm sure the alumni and current students are going to miss this old rickety stadium. The residents around the stadium are going to miss it too. The stadium is in a unique place, smack in the middle of an old style Miami neighborhood. The residents around the bowl would sell lawn space as parking spots and pregame tailgaing locations. This is a major source of income for these people. Some could fit 10 cars on their property and make $20.00 off of a car....you do that math for a weekend of fun. Those residents will be missing that extra money as the OB is torn down to make way for the new Marlins stadium. So what is hoped to strengthen the economy in that area, is going to be hurting the residents in the mean time.

I don't envy those students at UM now. They are going to have to drive all the way to the Broward/Miami-Dade County lines for a college game. This will most definitely have an effect on the student attendance at future games. Hopefully the school will provide free bus transportation for the students, with plenty of time for them to tailgate and celebrate a win at the end.

R.I.P. my Orange friend, you will be missed, but you will always be in my heart.

Florida "Winters"

Florida winters have got to be the most beautiful days ever created. The temperatures drop to just above needing a fireplace, and cool enough to dig out a light jacket to get to the car and back. Here in Florida, we are thankful that we don't have snow....wanna know why? DRIVING!!! We can't even handle the rain, the insurance companies would have a field day in Florida if we had regular snow. We already have some of the highest insurance rates in the US, it would be a record.

I digress.....the weather did it's "change" this week. The AC is off(yay lower electric bill!!!) and the cats are frisky. No more walking out side and sweating, making you want to run inside and take another shower.

As you northern people settle down into your winter, we'll be thinking of your salt topped roads and shovels full of snow, as we sit on the back porch sipping a refreshing beer and watching football while the kids romp in the yard.

Wanna visit?

Diapers

Why do babies always poop in a fresh diaper?

: Yawn : still sick....

One of those sleepless nights....Lola threw up all over the place in her bed, so at 10pm at night, we got her up for a quick bath and a bottle of water to get her back down. We had her sleep in our room in the Pack n Play to make sure she was ok during the night. Then at 2:30am....another attack of diareah....:sigh: got her up and changed her and put her back down to sleep.

Up this morning, took KK to school....and ugh, diareah all over the car seat...so that's in the washer now...guess we won't be trick or treating tonight :( Can't have her pooping in her costume or all over the stroller....there is always next year :)

Sick Kids

Well, I had it a little over a week ago, my son got it next and handled it like a champ, now it's my baby's turn.

I woke up to the most horrific smell, diarrhea and throw up. Had to take my little girl right to the bathroom and give her a bath. She was a mess :( Luckily she downed her first bottle this morning, and has gone back to sleep in her vibrating chair.

No mommy wants to see her baby(no matter how old) sick. My heart goes out to her and her little upset stomach. Hopefully she'll be feeling better soon!

Store Employees

Ya know, nothing bugs me more(other than clueless drivers) is when store employees cut you off as you wander around the store shopping.

Girls and Drums

I was at "Toddler Time" at the local public library this morning, with my toddler son and infant daughter. When it came time for music and instrument time, I saw a little girl reach up and ask for the drum. The teacher promptly handed her the drum and the little girl was happy to march around banging on her drum. That warmed my heart and brought a tear to my eye.

Why? Because when I was a little girl in Kindergarten, we had to pick instruments in a similar way, and I spoke right up and asked to play the drum. My teacher said..."Girls don't play drums." WHAT KIND OF THING IS THAT TO SAY TO A 5 YEAR OLD!!!! Yes, she said it. I was crushed. It's one of those vivid memories that sticks with us forever and even effected my life. And you know what....I played the drums. I played on the University of Miami Drumline for three years, and it was one of the best times in my life.

I hope that in the microcosm of our local public library that this somehow hopefully represents how the world has changed (or changing). It's ok for a girl to play the drums.

Teenagers....

Anyone...who is mother or father...who has raised a child through the teenager years just shivered at the title of this blog. As parents, we KNOW how we were at this age, and then to see our children grow and start this stage of life...it's enough to call up your own parents and offer the most heartfelt apology you'll ever give.

What makes it so hard? They talk back. They have a voice now. At the terrible twos(which is somewhat relevant to teenagerdom)all the child has is crying, kicking and screaming. Although it's somewhat annoying, it's tolerable and often laughable. But the teenager has moved beyond this, to learn how to piss you off with words. Today's common phrase..."I'm just sayin'" is enough to drive you to the bottle when whined by a teenager.

The teenager doesn't know when to stop. They push, and push and push, trying to find out where their boundaries are, just like when they were two. I try to reason and have a conversation with my teen about her social tortures and classroom dramas, but that phrase...."I'm just sayin'" throws me off the deep end.....(you know it's true kk)

I love my tween, soon to be teen.....and someday....when she's in her 30's...and her baby is saying the phrase of the day to her...she's going to call me, and say..."I'm sorry mommy", I'll have the biggest grin on my face, and simply say..."thank you". And after I hang up, my husband and I will toast and have a secret giggle.

Fridays

Everyone is working for the weekend. It's a chance to spend quality time with the family for those that are working the week though. It's more time to watch the kids play and have fun, something that isn't obtainable on the weekdays due to dinner, baths and bedtime. Kids love the special time they get to spend with their parents and usually any sort of routine that is followed on weekdays is out the window on the weekends.

For me, as a stay at home mother, it's a different story. I don't have the typical work week. My job seems be be a 24/7, 7 days a week infinity loop. I am not complaining in any way, I'm lucky to have this schedule. I'm blessed to be able to stay at home and watch my baby and toddler grow up. I like being able to be available to pick up my teenager from school when she has after school activities.

The weekends for me are more of an instructional learning time for my husband and daughter. They don't see what the babies do every day, and this is their chance to hang out with them. I find myself in the background, telling them what each baby wants or needs by the way they communicate. My husband also gets a glimpse into what goes on in my day while he is at work. First thing in the morning I'm a busy bee, running around, drinking my coffee, cleaning up any messes left from the day before, doing the dishes, doing laundry....every little spot out of place drives me nuts! When the kids are done with breakfast is usually when I sit down and we have play time together.

Thanks to my wonderful husband (see, I appreciate you baby) I do get time for myself to do things.....hold on, I think the boy just woke up.......naptime is over, but let me finish......

As I was saying, I do get some me time which provides me with a little refreshing break. But I find that I don't want to spend too much time without my family. I enjoy being with my kids and with my husband. I feel like I'll miss something if I'm not there.

Because Fridays are so important in my husband and daughter's week, I make sure to welcome them home and to the weekend. Eventhough my week never seems to end, I can share in their relief that the week is finally over!

TGIF!!

New Blog

I started a new "job" today blogging for a new site called AllFloridaBlog.com. I'll be writing daily on it about things that happen in Tampa. Take some time and read it, leave a comment (please), and hey, click on an ad from time to time (that's where our revenue comes from)

http://allfloridablog.com/category/tampa/

I actually spent today browsing myspace, craigslist and other online spots for writing jobs. I want to beef up my resume and get to writing as much as I can. Maybe I'll get that book written one of these days!

Sexism in Toys

Believe it or not, we condition our children into sexism. That is, the separation of what is right for girls, and what is right for boys. The toy market is the first step in a child's life when they are exposed to boys and girls being different. My example is the Power Wheels motorized car toys for children. If you check out their website, you'll see that every single motorized car is being driven by a boy, except for the bright pink ones. Of course girls can only drive girlie cars....Power Wheels says so. These commercials are SO influential on our children. Kids study these commercials, decide which toy they want really bad, and run to mom and dad to beg for it. That's what the toy industry wants, right? Boys are being taught already that they are built for a rough and tumble testosterone filled life, while the girls are meant to sit pretty in their pink cars and go shopping.

http://www.fisher-price.com/us/powerwheels/

The new Monster Traction commercial is the most blatant commercial directed at boys. The entire thing is all boys are the bomb, and tough. No mention of a girl having fun with this toy. The commercial even ends with four boys crossing their arms and looking very gangsta like.

The toy industry needs to stop being so sexist about their toys. Girls CAN play with trucks, and boys CAN play house.

The Magic Words

Thank you is probably one of the most honored and frequently used term that is at the top of the list of "magic" words. We teach our children to say "please!" and then reply with "thank you" from the time they start toddling and reaching for food and goodies.

Slowly, along the way, we as adults tend to forget to use these magic words ourselves. As much as we try to instill it into our children's lives, we tend to leave it out of our own. Think about it, how many times do you really say thank you in your daily life. Do you tell the grocery store clerk thank you after she hands you your receipt, or do you simply take it and continue on your way. Do you ever thank your waiter/waitress at the end of your meal (besides with a tip)? Of course you give the obligatory thank you as your meal is served, but do you go out of your way to tell him or her a true thank you?

I think the more thank you's we hand out, the more smiles we would see in people. Maybe the person that you said the magic words to will pass that on to their next personal encounter.

The ultimate thank you, would be to your spouse or parents. These are truely the magic words when they hear how appreciated they are for raising you or cleaning the kitchen and making sure everyone is fed. Have you talked to your mother and flat out said..."thank you mom". She would probably have a tear peek out and a warm grin forming on her face. Motherhood is often the most taken for granted job there is, and a kind thank you is enough to warm even the most frazzled heart.


Tell your spouse thank you, they put up with you every day. None of us are perfect and we can bother our spouse in so many little ways,that the magic word can make all of those bothersome nit pics magically dissapear. No need to buy flowers or a card, say it from your heart and mean it. I bet you you'll get the most wonderful bear hug!

Take a few seconds of your time today. Tell a random person that you come in contact thank you for their help, for doing their job, or even your spouse. Share a smile, we could all smile a little more!

The "Terrible Twos"

Who made up this phrase?

My 16 month old son did not transition into this phase, but hit a brick wall and the tantrums began. He's currently a novice flopper, but as he gets more practice, I'm sure he'll reach champion levels.

Sixteen months....wow, I wish I had a little more time to be with my sweet little precious boy who always had a smile on his face(even when I told him "No!". Now I say "NO!" and his little face srunches up, and his bottom lip comes out and from somewhere in his cute little belly, a really good cry is about to unleash. In order for him to get maximum effectiveness from this upcoming cry, he must first flop to the ground as if he needs to wiggle and force it out of him. And by the time it makes it out to for all of the world to hear... he's on full blast temper tantrum. It's actually quite comical to watch, if that isn't too mean to say!

We have learned to look the other way during these times. We know after reading several official looking websites, that it's best to ignore and not feed the fire. This is "just a phase" as he is growing in independence and looking to control his own world. (hmm, sounds like a teenager I know

Speaking of teenagers, Kendall waited until she was at least 18 months old before unleashing her temper tantrum powers upon the world. She could throw some class act fits in public. One day in Germany, she decided something wasn't right, and went for a fit in her stroller.....she balked, she screamed, she cried, she yelled. Passerbys thought my stroller was some sort of torture device. Germans do not like public disturbances like this, they are a more reserved and quiet society.

So two children, both hit the "terrible twos" before they every reached two...so why give it this name? I think it's to fool parents. They'll believe that their precious little toddlers are going to be sweet and smiley until they reach two, and then they'll deal with the fits. I would have cried if someone told me I only had 16 months of precious child before he wanted his freedom!!

:sigh: I look forward to the day when he smiles at me again with no hint of a fit in his immediate future because I didn't hold him the way he wanted. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy Lola's smile....until...dum dum dum....15 months?

Why do we love Disney World?

As we come to the end of our year of fun with our premium passes to Disney World, we look back at the fantastic times we have had there with the kids.

We have spent time at the parks with my brother and his wife, my whole pregnancy with Lola, a special 12th birthday with Kendall, and even had JC's first hair cut at the Magic Kingdom. So many memories, I just don't have the time to list them all.

We love going to Disney so much that we would go every weekend we could. It's a magical place, where people are genuinely happy to be at. Kids, adults and teens from all over the world visit Disney and it's great to share in their adventures. We always meet the most interesting people. It's a place where people are at their best. We should all strive to have Disney days in our own lives. People look out for others, lend a helping hand, and exchange pleasant conversations. We love getting away from the every day humdrum of life, and get over to Orlando to people watch and enjoy the attractions. Young and old, there are more than enough smiles to fill us up with joy, hoping it will last us until the next time we go. I love it, because it's a place where it's ok to act silly and be a kid again. I can jump up and down as we head for the roller coaster...I can pretend to be scared at the Haunted Mansion, I can smile as I see my favorite characters sign autographs for curious children.

We look forward to bringing JC and Lola back as they grow older. JC is starting to take in the wonder of it all, discovering his own magic more and more as we go. This last time he discovered the Monorail, the steam train and the Ferry. As we all know, he's obsessed with cars and other modes of transportation.

Our year of magic is coming to an end and it makes us sad, but we know that we'll be back again soon. It's too important to us to stay away for too long.

For all of you, we invite you to come join us. We love sharing the magic we have found!

A Poem by Kendall

Crimson Blood forms with air
Cresening its mark within our hair
Gallows brings blood
But death brings tears
And falling skies
Bring us fear

The wind never dies
And the rain never stops
The earth keeps spinning
And the gallows don't stop

Maybe the gallows don't cause pain
But think of me in the falling rain

Tic Tac Stack

Talk about strange happenings....I bought a pack of tic tacs from BJ's the other day, and I was driving down the road, stopped at a red light and opened up the package...grabbed a pack, and woah...what's the chances of that happening?

Pretty cool, thought I'd pass it along :)

Race to the Mall!

In an effort to include girls in the ever popular car scene which has been male dominated hobby for so long....Polly Pockets has created a toy that is supposed to attract the young girls into the wonderful world of cars....and sadly street racing.

The toy is a saturated hot purple with glittery cars to match. While I appreciate the toy world coming to it's senses about the female representation in the car world, why did they have to chose a name like "Race to the Mall".

They're giving girls a car toy, yet taking away anything positive about it by still sending our girls to the mall. Isn't that where all little girls want to be? NO! And then...RACING? Aren't there enough articles about street racing and kids dying from it or being hospitalized without making a toy that could possibly promote it? Oh no! There's a sale at Limited Too! Let's ....Race to the Mall!!!! Polly Pocket does it! Not to mention that Barbie has been driving a pink Corvette for years...at least she has some taste in cars!

Ok, so what alternative could we give out little girls. Little Tykes makes a really cool toy with an engine that you pull apart and put back together, and even has a modifiable car. Who do you think they show playing with it? Little boys. Maybe if they made it in HOT PINK, girls would play with it?

Show a girl some respect.

Left turn only....

Ever sit at a traffic light, and as you wait patiently for your light to turn green, your mind wanders off to the cars across from you waiting to turn left? I'm always curious if I'll ever see two turn signals blinking at the same time (for more than 2 blinks) I watch as the row of cars come close to all blinking at the same time, and then progress into a wave of lights from first to last.

Well, one day I was sitting at the traffic light...and out of the corner of my eye, were two Mercedes turning left that had synchronized left turn signals!! A sight I thought I'd never see in my life time. I know I know, I'm a little goofy for this, but you know you have a quirk that is something similar.

I'm always on the hunt for the synchronized left turn signal...maybe I'll get another chance to see it again :)

More adventures with Bloo....

We were on our way to Disney MGM.....


He loved the coffee


and the donuts



We found out he LOVES the Tower of Terror


He hitched a ride on my shoulder waiting in line for the Doodlebops


which rocked in concert

Field Trip!

I took the kids out to the mall today.

We walked around a bit, and found the little tykes playground. There were two play cars there that immediately spiked JC's attention. He started pointing and saying "cars! cars!"

So I let him out and he made a bee line for the cars. While there, he befriended a 2 year old boy who was about the same height as him. They proceeded into a game of chase which JC LOVES. JC was running and giggling and having a blast! Once that little boy left, there was another group that came in to play that were a little older than him, but he kept up just fine. He watched the older kids climb over the things and laughed at everything they did.

All the while he would come back to me on the bench and check in with me (just to make sure I wasn't bored with Lola) After an hour of this...I packed him back up in the stroller and we went for diaper changes at the family lounge, then over to Chick fil A for chicken nugget lunch.

All of the other moms that were at the playground had somehow ended up in line to feed their own kids. We all chatted for a little bit, and then off to feed the kiddos.

It was very much a successful outing, JC passed out on the way home, and as I unbuckled him from the car seat , he never woke up. He layed his little head on my shoulder as I carried him upstairs. He curled up with his blankie and is snoozing peacefully.

I think we'll have to do this again :)

My lunch with Bloo.

First, he macked on my 1/4lbr w/ cheese!!!


Look...ALL GONE!


Then.....my coke...


:sigh: full belly and napping with lola....


he got a lil nutty....


and then i got.....a LAP(TOP) DANCE!!!

What's in a name?

Someone once asked me: "Did you pick the names out for specific reasons?"

So I thought I'd explain my children's names

Kendall Melissa
I went on a river rafting trip down the Green River in Utah where one of our guides was named Kyndel. I loved the name, and it was quite different. When it came time to name my daughter, I thought of her, and how strong she was, and it was something I wanted in my daughter. Her father and I went through a few versions of this name, and finally came up with Kendall and it just happened to be the name of the town me and her father grew up in.

Melissa is a simpler story.....it's from the Allman Brothers song..."Sweet Melissa". Her dad and I were big fans of the Allman Brothers and have seen them in concert a few times. Just good memories.

JC
Kerry and I named him John, after the two grand fathers...yes...both of our fathers are named John. It also honors my German heritage and is a strong name for a boy. Hard to make fun of a normal name like John

Corbin followed my father's initials of JCH. We also liked the flow of the name...John Corbin. We figured he could use it as a stage name if he became famous :) We had originally had his name as Corbin John, but changed it right before we told everyone the name. We call him JC now, just to not confuse him with the grandparents.

Lola Pink
We decided to give a girlie name to our littlest baby. Little did we know how much of an impact this name would have on people. When people hear her name, they often start singing a song. I've heard people sing...."Whatever Lola wants......Lola gets" from the Damn Yankees. Or, "Her name was Lola, she was a show girl." And then there's The Kinks...."lalalallal Lola" Her name brings a smile to others faces, and music to their mouths....I love it.

Her middle name of Pink, was something that Kerry and I both thought was completely precious for Lola. We love the reaction to the name, and have found that it fits our little girl perfectly.

We love our children, and are proud of their names. I'm sure every parent has some sort of story about how and why they named their child what they did. Ask them, I'm sure you'll find a good story!

Guess I spoke too soon..

Hmmm, well, I went to the bank today...and then drove through the Publix parking lot, just to check to see if my letter really did get some results....nope.

Not one cart....anywhere. Not one cart....in the corrals. Not one cart.....near a car.

: sigh :

So, I called to talk to the manager(the one who left a message apologizing up and down and saying they will be leaving some carts out) and he's not in, he won't be in until Thursday...and guess what, the manager I DID talk to....had NO IDEA what I was talking about!

uh huh, great communication there buddy.

So I guess the saga will continue on Thursday!

A New Kid in Town

My first nephew was born August 30, 2007. I never thought I'd feel so close to another person's baby, but over the years, my little brother and I have built up such a wonderful relationship. He and his wife are some of the best people I know. Holding their new son made me so proud. I can see the change in my brother, he's got the proud pappa look now!

I wish them all the best, and that Austin is a good boy for them. xoxoxoxo

Go Publix!!!

I have been having a small issue with my neighborhood Publix grocery store. I arrive at the store at around 9:30 - 10am with my kids, and have a hard time finding a grocery cart in the parking lot to get both kids into the store. JC is not able to walk next to me holding hands yet, and Lola is still in her carrier car seat. The staff is SO good at getting all of the carts...for me, they are doing their job too well.

I suggested to the management staff that they leave one or two carts in the cart corrals out in the parking lot, for mothers like me who may have two or more babies. It is really hard to carr my two children all the way to the store front. I don't even mind parking farther out, it means the safety of my children and saving my back!. There have to be other mothers/fathers in my situation! A week later, here I am, trolling the parking lot in my minivan hovering for the first cart that comes out of the store. I had enough.

I got on www.publix.com and wrote a very friendly and informative/persuasive letter regarding this situation. It was a pretty clever letter, and I even had a brilliant ending that combined my needs with their own slogan..."Where Shopping is a Pleasure!"

A few days later, I received a phone call from the manager of the store I frequent. He let me know that they agreed with my situation (duh) and have informed their morning crew to leave a few carts in the corral for moms and dads like me!

Thank you Publix for the quick response to my letter! I'm very impressed that they listened to me, and found value in my suggestion.

So yay Publix!!!

The Lawnmen/women

Why do they always seem to come mow/edge/blow just when the kids go to sleep?

Insurance

Whether it be auto, medical or life.....double check your statements!!!

Seems that every time I renew or change an auto policy, something pops up to nickle and dime me that I didn't ask for. Like "Road Side Assistance." How many times do I have to tell them to take it off, I have AAA. Or the rental assisatance...NO. I have to constantly check my policy for these little things they sneak back on.

Medical insurance.....We had an incident that we are still dealing with where Kerry was getting EOB's (Explanation of Benefits) for a chiropractic doctor for all kinds of dates. Kerry doesn't go to a chiropractic doctor, so I called up the insurance company telling them that this isn't ours. We were getting PAGES of EOB's sent to us. This person was going like every other day! The insurance brushed me off and told me to talk to the doctor. HUH!?!? This is possible insurance fraud and you want ME to talk to the doctors and solve this? no. So Kerry called back again, trying to talk to the claims department. They finally figured out there were 2 K.L. Martins in their system. They picked the wrong one to charge these visits to. So we had the insurance change K.L. to Kerry L. and now that poor K.L. person's doctor owes like thousands back to our insurance co. for the insurance co. improperly billing and sending out checks!! LOL

Another example...I have several medical bills piling up due to Lola's birth, so I pick over all of them with a fine tooth comb, because I'm not paying a dollar over what I'm supposed to. I match all EOB's to their proper bills and call claims whenever I have ANY questions. So I get a bill from the anesthesiologist...(a second bill) for $110.00. I check the EOB...I'm not responsible for it, so I call the insurance, just to be sure...nope, not my bill to pay....so then I call the bill issuer...."oh yeah, uh, no ....you don't need to pay that". CHECK EVERYTHING!!! My butt could have been out $110.00 if I had not paid attention to what I was doing!!!

I have another call to make this morning over $50.00. I received some kind of "extra" bill on the side to Lola's birth....some blood work that was done. The insurance sent a whole gobbly gook letter to the physician telling him off in so many words. Now the doctor wants me to pay what the insurance company told him to screw off for. hahahhaha, let you know later how that one turns out.

Moral of the story....don't pay without double checking others work. We all make mistakes! (especially the medical billing industry!)

What a weekend!

Kerry and I attended a company dinner and stay over at a beautiful resort on the beach....instead of showing up in our family car, we decided on a whim to go get a rental car. Being that it was Saturday afternoon, we headed to the airport. Once there, we managed to rent a 2007 Convertible Corvette!!

Oh dear this is a beautiful car. It's luxury and fast sports car all in one! The handling was superb and from a stop, this car just squats and goes. There is no tires slipping. It feels like a race horse breaking through the gates. Kerry and I took turns driving it around, taking care not to get a speeding ticket and having a blast at the same time. We both agree that this is definitely the way to test drive a car...to take it out for 24 hours and really use it in a real world application.

I think the next car we'll rent is a Dodge Viper...yummy :)

Kids Shows

What exactly catches the eyes and the attention of children when it comes to tv shows? My son stops everything he's doing when a certain show of "The Backyardigans" comes on (Castaways) and cracks up over "Charlie and Lola" throwing apples in an orchard. While "The Backyardigans" is bright on colorful, full of music and cheezy acting, "Charlie and Lola" is a low pastels colored, brother and sister relationship that shows their adventures together as children.

Who knows what's going on in those big brains of theirs. My son loves it when I can sing along with the songs, and dance like monkeys in the living room. Maybe it's the interaction with me that he remembers?

A new show came out, called "Yo, Gabba Gabba". It's definitely bright colored, musical and repetitive. The stiff puppet like, yet lovable monsters go over simple daily things like eating and dancing...who couldn't love a show about those things?!?! The young black man wearing bright orange clothing, too include a very fuzzy orange puff thing on his head, and glow in the dark white teeth can be disconcerting to a parent like me, raised on Howdy Doody and Captain Kangaroo. Would kids these days be enthralled by Mr. Greenjeans?

At least my favorite lil mouse is still in the picture...."Mickey Mouse Club House".....is NOT the club house you remember from the days of Annette and themed days of the week, such as Wednesdays are surprise days...no, we have a rough and basic computer generated 2o minute show that teaches simple concepts as shapes, colors and counting. My favorite part as a parent, is to look out for the hidden mickeys in the animation. :) JC's favorite part is when they sing.."hot dog hot dog hot diggity dog, we''ve got ears, it's time for cheers."

Gone are the days of black and white and simple cartooning. Obviously we were deprived of such awesome programming as children and we're building a super empire of colorful children who can sing a song about any problem and yell "cheers!" when they solve a problem. More power to them!

Cleaning House

Kerry and I went over to the rental house on Wednesday night to finish cleaning up the place. We have been putting it off, and probably for a reason we just weren't able to put a finger on.

As I started cleaning by the front door, I saw JC's little hand prints on the window from when he used to peek out when daddy came home from work, or the garbage truck would go by. It hit me then.....we had memories. We brought both JC and Lola home to this house, which in the past was just a simple roof over my head. I always said, I don't care where I live, or what kind of house....but I take that back. I took a sentimental journey of JC's first year, all of the people who visited, JC learning to crawl, his first steps, his first words.....there wasn't one room in the house that didn't have a cheerio in it! ( I even found a few in our closet!!!)

I looked around, I took it all in...then scrubbed away his little hand prints. They will forever be in my mind.