Friday Fragments and Confessional

Friday Fragments: A way for you to see little pieces of what's going on inside my head, and probably more than you care to. See more Friday Fragments at Half Past Kissin Time

So ♪I went to a party last Saturday night, uh huh, it aint no big thing ♪ (Lita Ford)
I really did go to a party, and I had a great time playing games with friends. The best game we played: Just Dance for the Wii This game was so much fun the controller senses your movements, and you rack up the points, unless you totally suck like me, then you just say "Well, at least I'm exercising." If you tried Dance Dance Revolution and didn't like worrying about stepping on the right arrow thingy's, then this is the dance game for you. I liked it so much, I ordered it from Amazon, and my kids and I have been dancing our butts off, all week!


Have you ever been half way through your day when you realized that you forgot to put on deodorant?! Gasp! Oh no! And, without a spare one to put on, do you then hold your arms tight to your body, in hopes of holding in any odor that may try to escape?! No?! yeah, me either. ♪Oooh that smell, can't you smell that smell♪ (Lynryd Skynryd)

I have 2 good friends that were together for a bout 3 years, 2 years ago. At the time, they both wanted different things. She wanted to get married, have children, etc.. He just wanted to have a good time. Realizing, they wanted 2 different things, they went their separate ways. Tonight, I am going to their engagement party. They are now in the same place in life with the same desires, and they now realize that they were meant to be together. So happy for them both!

Hubby Bear's, knee surgery has us sleeping on the wrong side of the bed, and is it ever awful?! He can't get comfortable, because of his leg, and I can't get comfortable because of our bed! not only, are we on the wrong side, but our bed is terrible! After 10 years, it has definitely seen better days. Ouch! What the hell is that?! Oh, that, it's nothing, just a spring...go ahead and stick it back in the mattress, for now..


In Twitter Style some Follow Friday's:
If you're not doing anything later, come hang out @Ann Again for Virtual Girl's Night Out. @SupahMommy Always good for a laugh, @mylifeinpurple because she's fabulous!

Now to join in on Glamazon's confessional:
I confess...

I kicked hubby's bad leg. I didn't mean to, not really, but he was being difficult, and I was in a bad mood, so, maybe he's right and it was subconsciously, on purpose. ♪sometimes you kick, sometimes you get kicked♪ (INXS)

Sometimes, I tell the kids that they can do something, even when there in trouble, just because it is easier than dealing with the attitude that comes from saying "no." And, because, they really are good kids. Shhh...don't tell them I said that. It's our secret, okay?

I text my kids while they're in school. It's against the school rules, I know, but, sometimes it's important stuff that they need to tell me like #1 telling me she qualified for a scholarship! That's big news! or like the text I just got
"LOL someone put a squirrel in the classroom as a prank" "it ran up the principals leg!"
That's important stuff! ♪The day the squirrel went berserk♪ (Ray Stevens)

Post-it note Tuesday- That Annual Thing

♪Hello, is it me you're looking for♪ (Lionel Richie)


♪Hangin out...Not a thing to do, but talk to you♪ (Cheap Trick)

♪I wanna talk about me, wanna talk about I, wanna talk about number one, oh my me my♪ (Toby Keith)




Friday Fragments- Change for Haiti

Let me start this fragmented post by letting you see, um, er, hear; the inner workings of my mind. Rattle Rattle thump thump thump Rattle Rattle thump thump. Do you hear it? That pounding, throbbing, rattling, sound?! That's the sound I woke up with this morning. Still don't recognize it? Why it's a train! A freakin' train is running away inside my head! I don't know who put it in there, while I was sleeping! But, no matter what I do today, it won't go away! ♪a freight train running through the middle of my head♪ (I'm on Fire by Bruce Springsteen)

Ok, I'm gonna shut my eyelids to muffle the sound. Oh wait! bad idea! I'm just not that good a typer. Not the hunt and peck type, but I just never learned to not look at the keyboard, so having my eyes shut, just, won't work. So here goes, headache and all ♪with eyes wide open♪ (I know I know, it's arms! Arms wide open! by Creed but what can I say you see it as it's played in my head)

So, #2 just texted me to ask about spending the night at a friend's, even though she knows tomorrow is the children's parade (Tampa Gasparilla- Arrrgh! I'm a pirate!) and we have to get in costume and makeup in the morning. And, I actually almost told her yes! Why, do I always feel bad telling them they can't do something?! Afterall, they never feel bad for asking! Hmm!

So, this could be the headache driving this, but I need to vent for a moment, and I realize it might make some of you mad, but I'm going to say it anyway.

Haiti! We all know what happened is terrible! It is an awful tragedy, and they really do need our help! But (and this is where some of you may get angry) But why? Why should I just start giving my money away to any organization that says "Help Haiti" or "Haiti Relief Fund!" How do I know it's even going to Haiti?! This is just the latest "cause" that everyone is screaming for! Even my grocery store asked me for money today! Yet, there is no real organized plan to help them. They have a poorly organized government, people there have lived in poverty and sickness forever, and when they tried to come to America for help, we fed them some rice, and sent them back on a boat, while the refugees from Cuba eat steaks, and are given SS benefits.
And Now! We want to help! Now, that it is the hottest thing on the news! Many people will make money off this, (don't let the term non-profit fool you, someone is getting a salary for organizing it) and those poor people will still be without homes, and food, and clothing! Did the Tsunami victims get the money donated to them?! What about Katrina's victims? People are still without homes, and we are NOT a third world country! So, where is this money going to go to?! And, when will we really stop and take a look at the world around us, and realize change is needed, but not the change from our pockets?!

♪We gotta make a change. It's time for us as a people to start making some changes. Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live, and let's change the way we treat each other. ♪ (Tupac)




Home Sweet Home

Writer's workshop: The prompt- Write a journal entry about all the places you've called home in your life.

"Home is where the heart is." This is so true! As a kid, my mom decided to drag me away from everyone and everything I loved to follow her heart, follow her dreams, to finally do what she wanted, and get out of that small town New England life, (his name was Tom.) ♪Ah hey ma ma hey into the night ah hey mama maheyah life in a northern town♪ (Little Big Town)
We picked up and left New Hampshire for Florida.

The beautiful Sunshine State, with Palm trees and sandy beaches, no snow shoveling, shorts year round, aaah, the life....
Keep dreaming! Oh, sure there's beaches, but not across the whole state! There is a lot of land in the middle of the state, you know, land that has never seen a sandy beach, or the beautiful people of Miami Vice. Can you hear the Miami Vice song in your head? see the Flamingos? me too, but, not where I live.

And Palm trees? Sure there everywhere, but so are the Palmetto bugs! What?! You've never heard of a Palmetto bug?! It's a nice word designed to make you feel better about having the Arnold Schwarzeneger of roaches, crawling inside your house. Stated calmly "oh, it's just a palmetto bug. Everyone has them, they like water."
Me, screaming insanely, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, JUST, A PALMETTO BUG?! THAT THING IS BIG ENOUGH TO EAT ME! AND IT FLIES! WHERE THE HELL AM I?! THE LAND OF THE LOST?!" ♪Land of the lost♪

So, I'm in Florida. Mom's in love with Tom, we live together in a small house with a "Florida room" (that's fancy for a glassed in porch,) and I can't wait to get "home," but life is okay. I play outside a lot, I feed the ducks at the pond, and I make some friends in the neighborhood. Soon, summer comes, and I get to go home to NH for a few months.

When I come back, something's different. Mom is now in love with Jack, and Tom is now Uncle Eddie? Yup, Mom left Tom for his brother, and for some reason we now refer to him as Eddie, like the rest of the family. Confusing, huh? Even more confusing is the many number of places we would live over the next 10 years. We went from the cute little home with Tom, to a motel with Jack, then a 1br duplex, to an apartment, to a house, to a trailer, and then the trailer was moved around for awhile. And all the while, I couldn't wait to go "home."

And, every summer I did. I went home to green grass that I could roll in, lakes that I could swim in, mountains I could hike, and aaah, the beach! How I loved going to the beach! The cold water, the rocky shore, the boardwalk. It was all perfect. And, it was all home to me, because that's where my heart was.

Finally, when I got married, I found a new home. I'll always claim New Hampshire as my home state, but, my heart is now somewhere else. It is with my hubby and 2 girls. Together, we've lived all over Florida, and in Maine, and back to Florida, again. Yes! with those damn palmetto bugs! (which by the way, I'm deathly afraid of! So much so, I can't even kill one myself! Nope, I'm paralyzed at the site of one. Irrational, I know, bit they're frickin huge! I don't want to piss one off, and have the giant roach family come after me! *shudders*)

So, why do I live here? In this place that I hate? Where there is too much traffic? Where excitement is plotting a hurricane on a map, and secretly hoping it comes close enough to get a day off, but not close enough to do any damage? Where it's way too hot, to actually go outside, for the majority of the year, and it's infested with bugs, snakes, and gators?
♪I don't like spiders and snakes, and that aint what it takes to love me♪ (Jim stafford)

Because, it works for us. And it's home. We may live somewhere else someday, and wherever that is, it, too, will be home, because we'll be together, and home is where the heart is.

♪I'm on my way, I'm on my waaay. Home sweet home♪ (Motley Crue)


Mama's Losin' It

Wordless Wednesday The Other Woman





This is where it happened.







And this is when it happened; the incident with the other woman.


♪You're just too good to be true. Can't keep my eyes off of you♪ (Frankie Valli)


Isn't it beautiful? That's exactly what my husband was thinking as he stepped down off the sea wall onto what he thought was a step, and landed 2 feet below with a twisted knee. But it wasn't his fault, he couldn't help himself. You see, he is a true Seaman (that's seaman, with an "a" get your mind out of the gutter.) Anyway, he is a true seaman at heart, and the ocean (or in this case, the Gulf) is his mistress. He was mesmerized by her charm and held captive by her beauty, so he just could not look away long enough to see that he was stepping on the wrong side of the handrail.


And the price of his enslavement?! A lovely torn ACL! Yep! 6 months after this beautiful moment, and after an incorrect diagnosis of a sprain, he just underwent surgery for a new ACL (well not completely new, someone else has used it before, but it's new to him.) I'm hoping the doc was able to fulfill my request for one that could dance, because (to me, anyway,) that would make it all worthwhile. You see, as much as I love music, and dancing, I still married a guy that won't dance, (he says he dances horizontally) and apparently, when in the hypnotic gaze of THE other woman; he can't walk either.



♪I've known about you for a while now

when he leaves me, he wears a smile now

As soon as he's away from me

in your arms is where he wants to be...

But does he love you, like he loves me♪

(Reba McEntire)

Cereal Eaters Consume Less Fat Than Non Cereal Eaters. Cereal is Nutritious, and Not Just for Breakfast

I have the hardest time keeping cereal in my house! My kids love it! They eat it for an afternoon snack, they eat it for dessert, and, sometimes, when I'm not home, they eat it for dinner. Now this used to bother me, because you know they should have a healthy dinner, and what not... But then, I figure if breakfast is the most important part of the day, and cereal is made for breakfast, then it must be healthy for dinner, right?!
♪And that's close enough to perfect for me♪ (Alabama)

So, being that my kids, and me and hubby all love cereal, I was excited when Blog Spark asked me to tell you some interesting news from General Mills, and they gave me 4 boxes of cereal, for free!* That's a box of cereal for each of us! Perfect! I got Multi-grain Cheerios, #1 got Cookie Crisp, and hubby and #2 both got Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which by the way, they've already eaten after only 4 days!

So here's the news:

General Mills announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets.

Other cereal benefits:

Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.
Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.
More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures. Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office. For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

So, how great is that?! Less sugar, more nutritional, and a healthier body weight?! Wow! guess I'm not such a bad mom after all!

* Online coupon link, VIP coupons, and information provided from General Mills through MyBlogSpark. Post may contain Affiliate links. All opinions expressed are my own.

Writer's Workshop- A Kiss from a Rose

It's that time of week, again. Mama Kat's writer's workshop. This week I'm struggling with picking just one topic, so you're getting a little randomness.

1. Time for your tangent. What's your latest complaint?
Ok, so, I totally talked about this on Monday, here. (go ahead, I'll wait) ridiculous, huh?! Archaic procedures in a time of instant gratification. It should really be fixed! ♪ Just another Manic Monday♪ (The Bangles)
2.If you could have given yourself a snapshot five years ago, of what your life is like now, what would the picture be of, and how would you have felt?

Something like this:

It's a whirlwind, sometimes scary and out of control, but always electrifying! ♪ It's electrifying!♪ (You're the one that I want, John Travolta)
And I would have thought "Oh, good! It gets better!"

3. What's in YOUR Name?
I actually, started to write about how I'm named after this country singer that was my mom's favorite in the 70's and how she wanted to name me Kelly, but my dad didn't like it so she stood by her man, and gave me the name of her favorite singer and about a year later mom gave dad a D-I-V-O-R-C-E, but then I realized you would think "I don't know any 'Amethyst' person that sang country in the 70's, what the heck is this girl talking about?!" So, I won't be writing about this one.

4. Write a letter to the 1st person who broke your heart.
Dear Heartbreaker, Why did you do it? Why did you leave me? And, without even saying a word? I loved you! Without question! There was not a day spent with you that was not a good one! Oh, how I miss you. I miss you so much that some mornings, I just don't know how I can go on without you! Please come back! I miss the way you made me feel. I always felt so beautiful with you! Your scent lingers on me as I long for your return. ♪The smell of your skin lingers on me now ♪ (Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie)
Please come back, Beach Blonde Ocean Waves Seaspray, I'm not the same without you!

5. Provide roses to the 10 people or items in your life that you would like to continue a relationship with. (kinda like The Bachelor, which I don't watch, but I get the idea)
1. The first rose goes to the love of my life, my hubbybear. You are the only person I can tolerate for any real long length of time, so it must be destiny. ♪ I've looked for you forever and a day♪ (Where've you been by Kathy Mattea)

2. This goes to #1. You are so smart, and pretty, and I'm lucky to have you. Even if you do say the dumbest things at times, and take pictures with food hanging out of your mouth. I love you even more for it.

3. #2, a rose for a Rose, you are a beautiful, funny, smart girl who happens to be a little lazy, okay a lot lazy when it comes to school, but you are my baby girl and I love you. And, where else could I find someone that burps so loud, and rolls her eyes with such skill and attitude?!

4. Mypoints.com this one's for you. Even before you paid for referrals I loved you. You were the first rewards program I joined in 1998 when I first began shopping online, and over the years, you've given me many giftcards, so I'll stick with you.

5. My little friend, please stay with me, I love that you let me use you anywhere we go, I can always be seen touching you, especially at redlights. I feel like I'm still getting to know you.

6. Hans Zimmer, you make the best film scores, that provide me with hours of listening pleasure, although, never any lyrics, that I can use on my blog, no one would ever know what I was talking about if I just sung your instrumental stuff like this one ♪Dundadadadadundadada♪

7. Potato chips, I just can't be without you. You have to be in my life! especially, you, Sourcream and Onion! I know everyone hates the way you smell, but forget what they say, I love you anyway! ♪I don't care what they say about us anyway, I don't care bout that♪ (Buddy Holly by Weezer)

8. Camera, we are only just now getting to know each other. You came into my life at such an important time filling a void that was left by another.

9. Computer, I can't even begin to imagine life without you, okay I can, but it sucks! Together, we make such sweet music!

10. At times, I may seem irritated with you, but I really do like you. I like that you make him happy, and give me time to spend with 8 and 9, but...sometimes...sometimes, I just wish you would go back where you came from, because he's my man! mine! But, for now, I'll let you stay, and see where this goes.

♪I compare you to a kiss from a rose♪ (Seal)

Wordless Wednesday- Falling Slowly

I took these pictures in New Orleans, and they just seem so peaceful to me. The song I've chosen to accompany them is just a beautiful song from the soundtrack for the movie Once. If you haven't heard it, before, I encourage you to listen to it. Enjoy!





Falling Slowly

(Glen Hansard/ Marketa Irglova)


♪I don't know you

But I want you

All the more for that

Words fall through me

And always fool me

And I can't react

And games that never amount

To more than they're meant

Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

You've made it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me

And I can't go back

Moods that take me and erase me

And I'm painted black

You have suffered enough

And warred with yourself

It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice

You've made it now
Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice

You've made it now

Falling slowly

sing your melody

I'll sing along♪

Tuesday Post-its Strange






Friday Fragments- Feelin Hellagood

Friday Fragments- just some random fragments floating in my head that I must get out. Check out more FF at Halfpastkissintime

First, I have to tell you about Alice because, I recently discovered it, and love it, and just finished another shopping trip with it. It's a great site for deals on everyday things, and it always has free shipping! More detail on WickedLovelyThings or just check it out.
♪Go ask Alice I think she'll know♪ (Jefferson Airplane)

Did you hear about the teacher in PA that is being asked to resign because of nude pictures on her phone? Not, because she showed them to a kid, Not because it had a kid in the pic, but because a student stole her phone and showed everyone! How ridiculous! She's stupid for leaving her phone around, but...shouldn't the student be in trouble?! news article
♪Stupid girl you stupid girl♪ (Garbage)

After so many short weeks with vacation and holidays, this feels like the longest week ever! TGIF! ♪Thursday goes too slow, I've got Friday on my mind♪ (The Easybeats)

Can I just say that I think it is so rude to not tell someone "Happy New Year" if they've gone out of their way to say it/text it to you! Regardless, if you talk on a regular basis anymore or not, it's just the right thing to do!
♪People are people so why should it be, that you and i should get along so awfully?♪ (Depeche Mode)

Friday is Megaswagbucks day at Swagbucks. You can get up to 100 points today just for using their search engine. If you aren't using swagbucks, you're missing out on free stuff. I just started using the search engine a few months ago and I've already received (and spent) $10 at Amazon! (of course it all went to music downloads for me, but it was free! woohoo! Love me some free!)
♪I'm in the money, I'm in the money♪

So, I was just looking at some of the pics from our Disney trip when I was reminded of the most random question #1 asked while we were there. She said "Do wearing thongs make you poop more?" She cracks me up! you know I don't know hmmm....there is extra stimulation which maybe relaxes the... Oops, sorry thinking out loud again :o) ♪that thong, thong, thong, thong, thong♪ (cisquo)

Those weather people lied again! They said it would snow today! I know it's Florida and therefore, was a ridiculous prediction, but they get paid for their predictions, so they should be more accurate! I wish I was allowed to be wrong 50% of the time in my job and still get paid for it!
♪humidity is rising, Barometers getting low, according to all sources, the streets the place to go cause tonight for the first time...♪ (Weather Girls)

Products I'm loving right now: Zapps Voodoo chips (discovered in NOLA had to order them online) Chex Mix Muddy Buddies (peanut butter, chocolate, powdered sugar, yum! but now I can't seem to find them, might have to look online) Diet Dr. Pepper (never been a fan of diet, but oh, it tastes so good!)

You know I love music! And, I love to sing! You should sing, too. It lowers your stress level, it can help with asthma, and more... so sing along:

♪You got me feelin hellagood so let's just keep on dancin♪ (No Doubt)

Writer's Workshop- Civil War

Writers workshop prompt: Write about a heated argument you had with your parents. Well, I could write a whole book on this prompt, but here's just a tiny look. Check out Mama's Losin' It for more writer's prompts.

Mom: "What the hell, are you listening to?!"
Me: "It's Bell Biv Devoe" ♪That girl is poison♪
Mom: "I've told you I don't want you listening to that nigger music!"
Me: "It's not that! It's hip hop, and I like it!"
Mom: "Can't you get some white friends?!"
Me: "I have white friends!" "And, who cares what color they are?!"
Mom: "People will talk"
Me: "I don't care what people think!" "I like people of all kinds!" "You're such a racist!"
Mom: "I am not. Some of my good friends are black."
Me: "Well, so are mine. So, leave me alone!"
followed by doors slamming, screaming, hair pulling, kicking, slapping, more screaming...the battle was raging...

There it was the start of the great civil rights movement of... 1990?! Yep, not the 60's, the freakin 90's! My mother was a young smart, professional,modern woman, with these horrible backwards ideas. And, the worse part was they weren't really her ideas, at all. It was all about her keeping her man happy. That was what he thought, so she would think it, too.

Together, they stood to create a battle line that I was challenged to cross. I tried hitting it head on, and demanding that I be allowed to date and be friends with whomever I wanted, and listen to whatever music I wanted. I hit, and was hit back harder. Every tape, (remember before CDs, it was all about cassette tapes?!) of any music other than what was deemed acceptable, (definition of Acceptable: White music: not hip hop or rap) was taken away and destroyed. MC Hammer: gone! 2 Live Crew: Burned! Beastie Boys: out the door! (but they're white! you say, doesn't matter, they were rapping that "black crap" so they were UNACCEPTABLE!)

So, with Hitler's regime, in command, I had only one choice. I couldn't just give in to their way of thinking. I had to do something. I needed my music! I needed my friends! So, I did what anyone would do. I lied!

I began plotting a way to go to homecoming with who I wanted, by introducing my mom to someone she would like as my date (oddly, enough, he wasn't white, but was Mexican, and somehow, that was, ok. Crazy!) So, I plotted and schemed, and sure enough I went to homecoming, in a limo, with the boy I wanted. And we danced, to hip-hop! ♪The humpty dance, here's your chance to do the hump♪ (Digital Underground)

Victory was mine! Although, it was short lived. Because, as parents often do, they found out about my little lie. They knew who I was dancing with, and, I was grounded "for life!" So, in my room I stayed just me, and nothing to do...nothing but listen to my...Headphones! Thank goodness for headphones, mix tapes, and the radio station! With my headphones on, I could listen to anything! ♪Ooh. baby, baby, bababy, baby Push it, push it real good♪ (Salt n Pepa)

Show Me Yo Booty Hole?!


♪I wish yo ass was all up on me so I could put my tongue up inside those cheeks This hole that hole this hole that hole eeny meeny miney mo, let me eat yo booty hole♪


Aaaah such rhythm, such...*screeching brakes* "WHAT'D THAT SAY?!" "SHOW ME YO BOOTY HOLE?!" "REALLY?!" "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LISTENIN TO?!"


This is what my 15 year old was jammin to in the car! No subtle genius in these lyrics. Nope! Saosin just puts it out there! I'm fairly liberal in what my kids listen to, and I'm definitely against artist censorship but...Really?! This one is just gross! (mainly because it's my kid listening to it not because I'm against booty lickin, receiving, of course, oops,probably TMI. Sorry.)


I don't expect every song to be a sickenly sweet disguise of meaning like ♪Yummy, yummy, yummy I got love in my tummy ♪ (if you don't already know that one's about oral sex.)


I've been known to ♪shake it like a salt shaker ♪ and I've been caught ♪doin da butt♪ and I like to make ♪that tootsie roll♪ So, I have nothing against songs about the booty. Just try to get me not to sing when Baby's got back comes on. It's impossible! ♪My Anaconda don't want none unless you got buns hun!♪


But, the BOOTY HOLE?! That's just not what I want to hear a song about, and I surely don't want my daughter singing along to it!


The good news?! She's not into the song for the sexual connotation.*Whew! big sigh of relief* She just thinks it's funny. But still!

Post-it Note Tuesday- Nope!

Ok, so this was supposed to be a post-it note posting, but as you can see... NO POST-it Notes! For some reason Blogger does not want to cooperate with my Post it notes today, and after creating them, uploading, and organizing...3 TIMES! I'm done! so no Post it notes today! I know when to stop beating my head against the wall...as soon as I get a headache! And this headache is huge! Seriously! I did the post 3 times, and it was all perfect, and then *poof* all gone!

So what was in my notes? you ask. Well, it was something like this:

Most Downloaded song of 2009= Boom Boom Pow by black Eyed Peas- a catchy little diddy ♪I got that boom boom pow, thems chicks is jackin' my style... I'm so 3008 you're so 2000 and late♪

Stuff about 80's comin back in '09- jelly bracelets, neon colors, blah blah blah, music!

Flo-rida used ♪you spin me right round, baby, right round♪ for his hit song last year.

I Like Seether's Careless Whisper version. I don't like Miley Cyrus' version of Every Rose has it's Thorn. ( why even attempt to recreate it?!)

In fact: I could do without Miley Cyrus altogether! But then, my kids are old enough that I don't need a TV babysitter (Hannah Montana) just to get a moment of peace. I just don't get it! She has about as much talent as the singing purple dinosaur that used to babysit my kids! ♪I love you, you love me ♪

And what aggravates me, most about her is that her latest song, is awful damn catchy! It just goes around in my head over and over she sings ♪It's a party in the USA YEEEEEAAAAH♪ Make it stop!!!

My most random thought of this post: Stores are like Drug dealers pushing their damn holiday decor on us, theyv'e got me itchin like a meth head with the XMAS 75% off sale, and then what do they wave in front of me?! cupid pillows, and pink and red heart towels! Tinsel is the gateway drug to a complete holiday addiction! Now, it's cupid. Before you know it you'll be jonesing for leprechauns, and easter bunnies, followed by sparklers and flags. What's next?! Arbor Day?!

Should I start on the holiday album, for that now?! ♪Oh, the tree in the hole, and the hole in the ground, and the green grass grows all around all around♪

Disney! Give me a contract! I can sing for kids!

2010 Straighten Up and Fly Right

Wow! A whole new Year is upon us! And, I couldn't be more excited about it! 2010 will be my year! I'm sure of it!

I'm starting off with a clean slate. At the end, of 2009, we received word that our bankruptcy has finally been discharged! This was a very long process that started way back at the beginning of 2008 when we made the agonizing (and embarrassing) decision to file chapter 13. We were drowning in debt, were at risk of losing the house, and had a car repossessed. So, with no signs of things getting better, we did it. It was a huge upfront expense, and involved so much paperwork, but we knew it was the best option.

What we didn't know was that just 6 months into the plan (ch. 13 involves making payments to a trustee) hubby would lose his job. We were lucky that he found another job rather quickly, but his pay was less, and the damage was done. Once again we had to make a decision, and once again, a car was repossessed (though legally it shouldn't have been because it was under protection, but, ugh! don't get me started on that mess.) So, we converted to a chapter 7 and included our house with hopes of working out a plan with the mortgage company.

So, finally, after months of waiting, it was discharged. What a huge relief! We are still talking with the mortgage company, because they are so backed up. We would like to stay in our house, but since the mortgage was included in the bankruptcy, we are no longer obligated to do so. This means if we don't like the arrangement, we can find a rental that better fits our budget.

BUDGET! That is the key word! My plan for this year, is to really stick to a budget! Now, I'm great at saving money through coupons, and deals, but saving money as in not spending?! Forget it! Terrible! But, this year, that all changes! This year, I'm going to find a way to save money, make more money, and actually SAVE some money! No more being embarrassed about the mistakes I've made. Instead, I'm going to share what is working and what isn't, so maybe someone else won't make the same mistakes.

So, this year's theme song:

♪Straighten up and fly right♪ (Nat King Cole)

As for my goals for this blog: I have 3 goals

1. To post more frequently (but still with value, don't want some blah blah blah crap, just to post)

2. More Music- it's in my head, so I'll continue to share it, but I'd also like to do more music reviews, (especially with what the kids are listening to, that's how to stay connected with our youth) and I'm going to get better at posting the album of the week. Check out this week's choice. It's right over there ----->

3. I want to increase my followers! Help me spread the word! Can I reach 100 by the end of 2010?! Maybe, with your help. (please, please help) ♪Aint too proud to beg♪ (The Rolling Stones or The Temptations, I like 'em both)

So raise a glass and give a cheer to making 2010 our year!