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  • Sex - Who Needs It

    Sex - Who Needs It

    "Where ya goin', Hon?" The Cowboy adjusts his Stetson and moves towards his wife.

    "Off to the doctor. It's that time of year again." Kellan rolls her eyes as visions of stirrups send a cold chill from her feet all the way up her spine.

    "Oh, good. Maybe ask him about that sex thing again. See if there's something he can give you to make you frisky - like you were when you were younger, you know, before we had all them doggone kids."

    Kellan sighs loudly. "Okay, Hon."

    *Six hours later*

    *Nurse enters waiting room filled with 64 women waiting for their annual exams*

    "Kellan - the doctor will see you now. Come this way. Take off all of your clothes. Put on this gown made of Kleenex. Sit here on this stirrup table with your back and ass fully exposed and stare at the huge vagina on the wall for fifty-six more minutes and Dr. I-only-became-a-Gynecologist-so-I-could-brag-to-all-my-college-buddies-that-it-was-true-I-do-get-to-look-at-vaginas-all-day-every-day-I-bet-you-wish-you-were-me ... will come in and see you shortly.

    *Fifty-six minutes later Dr. I-only-became-a-Gynecologist-so-I-could-brag-to-all-my-college-buddies-that-it-was-true-I-do-get-to-look-at-vaginas-all-day-every-day-I-bet-you-wish-you-were-me meanders into the tiny room*

    "Hi, Lady. How are you.?"

    "I'm Kellan. It's me, Kellan. Remember me? I saw you last year. And, the year before that and the year before that. You delivered all of my kids. I've been coming to you for 20 years. Kellan. Remember?"

    "Oh, no. I can't possibly remember all of you ladies. I don't remember you. No. You know, this is like a freakin' cattle call around here. We herd ladies in by the dozens each day and I don't have time or the inclination to actually remember any one's name," he says too casually and then straddles the small stainless steel stool across the room.

    "Oh."

    "So, how have you been?"

    "About the same."

    "Are you eating?"

    "Yeah - I eat. But ... I need to ask you about my sex drive."

    "How about sleep? Do you sleep?"

    "Yes, I sleep. But ... I have no sex drive. I haven't had a sex drive for over ten years."

    "Your legs and arms work?"

    "Yes, they work. But ... I could care less about sex."

    "How about your fingers. They okay?"

    "Yes, my fingers are all fine. But ... I need something for my sex drive. I just don't have any desire to have sex anymore."

    "How about your breasts? How are they?"

    "They hurt most of the time."

    "Too much caffeine," he says, jotting notes in my chart.

    "And, your head? How's your head?" he asks, appearing a little bored.

    "Hurts most of the time."

    "Too much caffeine," he states, jotting more notes in my chart.

    "And, how about your mood?" he asks and yawns.

    "Cranky. Mean. Bitchy," I say, trying hard not to be cranky or mean or bitchy.

    "Too much caffeine," he says, his answer echoing off the walls of the claustrophobic exam room and around the inside of my numb brain.

    "But ... Dr. I-only-became-a-Gynecologist-so-I-could-brag-to-all-my-college-buddies-that-it-was-true-I-do-get-to-look-at-vaginas-all-day-every-day-I-bet-you-wish-you-were-me ... what about my sex drive? I never want to have sex. I'm not at all like I was when I was younger. My husband is going to find someone younger to have sex with if I don't get this fixed."

    "How many kids do you have?"

    "Four."

    "Well, there's your problem. Nope. We can't fix that. Nope."


    *blink blink*

    "Sorry, can't be fixed. We don't' have a clue how to fix it. Honestly, we really don't care. You know, that would take millions of dollars and years of research to figure all that crap out and that just makes no sense to all of us men who are running the country and the research companies and insurance companies and, you know, we run the world and we don't care much about that sort of crap."

    "Um - it can't be fixed?"

    "Uh, no. It's broken," he says dismissively.

    "What's broken?"

    "Your rubber band," he raises his eyes along with his voice about three octaves.

    "Rub-ber band?"

    "Yep, the one in your brain," he says, lowering his eyes to my chart again.

    "Maybe I should see a Neurologist - since it's a brain thing?"

    "Nope. Can't be fixed. It's not just the brain. It's thyroid, hormones, fatigue, stress, caffeine - too much to fix. It's broken," his tone is nonchalant as he stands to go.

    "Um, okay. Thanks, Dr. I-only-became-a-Gynecologist-so-I-could-brag-to-all-my-college-buddies-that-it-was-true-I-do-get-to-look-at-vaginas-all-day-every-day-I-bet-you-wish-you-were-me."

    I change back into my street clothes, throw the Kleenex robe into the trash and head back home.

    *Later that night in bed with The Cowboy*

    "So, how'd it go at the doctor today? Did you get some pills or some juice or some acupuncture to fix that sex thing?" The Cowboy slips off his cowboy boots, jeans and shirt and falls onto the bed - still wearing his Stetson and a big smile.

    *sigh*

    "It's broken and it's can't be fixed. Sorry, Hon." Kellan reaches for a book on her bedside nightstand and flips it open to read.

    "What's broken?" The Cowboy asks curiously.

    "My rubber band."

    The cowboy gasps loudly. "NO!" His eyes are as wide as a lasso.

    "Yep - can't be fixed. How did your appointment go?" Kellan lays the book on her lap and listens.

    "It went great." The Cowboy reaches over to the nightstand on his side of the bed and retrieves a freezer-size baggie full of colorful pills. "I didn't even actually have to see the doctor." He smiles real big as he shakes the baggie full of pills in front of Kellan's face. He goes on, "There's like all these pill dispenser machines in the waiting room and they dispense ten pills for a quarter. These are the pills I got." He shakes the bag again enthusiastically.

    Kellan sits up in the bed and takes the bag of pills in her hands. "So, what's this red pill do?" She holds a red pill in her palm and stares at it in amazement.

    "Oh, that's to make it harder for like 3 hours."

    "And, what about this blue pill?" Kellan drops the red pill back in the bag and touches her finger to one of the blue pills.

    "Oh, to make it longer," he says snidely as he clasps his hands behind his neck and puffs out his bare chest.

    "How about the yellow pills?"

    "Oh," he chuckles, "those make it glow in the dark." His grin is wide and exaggerated.

    "Case you can't find it?" Kellan giggles.

    The Cowboy doesn't laugh.

    "What about these rainbow colored ones and sparkly ones?" Kellan pushes the rainbow and sparkly pills around the plastic bag.

    "So if you want it to be rainbow colored or ... sparkly," The Cowboy says in a sarcastic tone.

    "Ah." Kellan shrugs. "What about the green ones?"

    "Oh, those are new!" The cowboy exclaims and sits up excitedly. "Those make it dance." His smile is so big, Kellan thinks it's going to break The Cowboy's face.

    "And ... the black ones?" Kellan pinches a black pill between her fingers.

    The Cowboy grunts and then rolls his eyes.

    Kellan slaps herself on the forehead. "Oh, but of course," she responds, visions of especially large pickles that are grown in Africa popping into her broken brain.

    Kellan falls back on her pillow and sighs loudly.

    "So, what do you want to do?" The Cowboy asks, adjusting his Stetson on his head and then turning on his side to look into the eyes of his useless wife.

    Kellan holds the bag of pills up in front of her face.

    She reaches inside and grabs several pills.

    She hands them to The Cowboy.

    "Here - take these and then turn off the lights," Kellan says, her tone a bit bored.

    The Cowboy pops the pills into his mouth, flicks the switch on the clock radio to a country station, tosses his Stetson on the floor, turns off the bedside lamp, pushes the covers aside and ... he and Kellan spend the next 3 hours watching his humongous, rainbow colored, glow-in-the-dark penis dance in the dark while ... yet another rubber band twists and stretches until it breaks inside of Kellan's head.

    The End

    Note: This is a fictional tale brought on by too many discussions with my women friends about the unbalanced treatment and attention to women's issues compared to men's. The only thing true in this story is my name and the fact that all of my rubber bands are indeed broken. Oh, yes, and I do like when The Cowboy wears his Stetson to bed.

    -

  • The Small Cowboy

    The Small Cowboy

    I am at the elementary school.

    I have just finished my Friday morning voluteering in my son's classroom - stuffing the Friday folders.

    I see my son and call him over to say good-bye. He is wearing a black cowboy hat, jeans and a pink cowboy shirt - as it is Western Day at school - he looks A-dorable.

    I hug him and he lets me.

    I leave and as I am walking down the hallway and about six classrooms away from my son's classroom, I hear footsteps running up behind me and my son saying, "Mom, Mom ..."

    I turn in his direction.

    He is a bit out of breath and he says, "Can I ... (*fake panting*) Can I ... have someone spend the night ....... (*pant, pant*) next .... weekend?"

    I put my hands on my hips and looking into the eyes of the cowboy in front of me, I say, in a loud whishper "I know you didn't just come running out here from your class .... to ask me if you can have someone spend the night ---- NEXT WEEKEND!"

    "I asked my teacher if I could come tell you something - she said it was okay," he's shuffling in his cowboy boots and fidgeting.

    "Yes, but she didn't know you were going to ask me this. You have a camping trip this weekend - next weekend is 7 days away - we'll talk about it later. Now ... get back to class," I push him along and turn to go on my way.

    Before I turn the corner, I hear, "Mom, Mom ..." in a loud whisper, and I look back.

    He is standing in the middle of the hallway, turning on his cowboy boot heels and he says, "Thank- ya Ma'am," in a thick Texas drawl and then he reaches up to the front of his hat, grabs the brim between his fingers and tips it at me - like he's John Wayne talking to Miss Daisy in front of the Wild Rose Saloon.

    A teacher, walking up behind my theatrical son, sees this Gun Smoke reinactment and she laughs.

    I laugh.

    The small cowboy bows his head, moves out of the way of the two ladies, turns and shuffles across the dusty road (*hallway*) back into the saloon (*his classroom*).

    On the upside ... So, if all goes according to the cowboy's plan -- there will be a showdown (*sleep-over*) the following weekend. That is ... if he can convince Miss Daisy to prepare a room for one of his buddies. Miss Daisy never could resist the small cowboy - he most likely ... will have his way (*cue sun to set dramatically in the Western sky*).

  • Let's Talk About My Sex Life - Shall We

    Let's Talk About My Sex Life - Shall We

    I know - I'm a mom (blah, blah, blah) and ... this is a Mommy Blog (blah, blah, blah) and ... some of you are probably screaming, "She's not seriously going to talk about SEX is she?"

    I AM.

    This is my blog and I'm not getting any younger and ... I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SEX!

    (Mom and Dad - get on outta here - I'm fixin' to talk about SEX. Seriously - GO!).

    I never write about such things as sex on my blog. I talk about my kids. I occasionally talk about my shoes. I talk about the cats and the dogs and the plants in my yard. I don't talk much about cooking or post recipes - cuz I iz not a good cook.

    Today - I'm talking about SEX!

    I'm all for SEX and have never had a problem talking openly about SEX.

    Today - I'm talking about SEX!

    When I married The Cowboy - we were twenty-two years old.

    He was very cute!

    We had SEX all the time.

    We did!

    This was back when I was also cute and tiny and sexy and ...

    Drove a pretty, white, Firebird with T-tops, leather interior and a rockin' CD player (this was when CD players just came out in cars).

    I'd drive around town in my beautiful sports car, wearing short shorts, tank-tops with no bra and have the radio blasting my favorite Michael Bolton, Soul Provider CD (shut-up Jen - he WAS cool back then).

    When I'd get home ...

    I'd search out The Cowboy ...

    Whisper sexy nothings into his ear ...

    Rub up against him ...

    And, we'd ...

    Fall down anywhere we wanted in our empty house ...

    Or search out some exotic or risky location ...

    And we'd ...

    Have ...

    SEX!

    It's really all we ever thought about back then.

    It's really all we ever needed to do to have FUN!

    Now ...

    I'm a mom (blah, blah, blah).

    I have four children and the poochy tummy and stretch-marks to show for birthing those four children. I've been driving a van for seventeen - SEVENTEEN - years! I am lucky to find a bra that still has the under wire intact and ... I don't even want to talk about the underwear.

    And ... what do we do for fun now?

    Well, let me just put it this way ...

    If I ever fall down on the floor in my empty house - I'm usually looking to retrieve lost Legos or Barbie shoes from underneath the TV cabinet or scraping gum off the tile floor with a butter knife.

    And ... the only thing the word exotic applies to anymore is the animal print rugs we have on our family room floor and risky only applies when The Cowboy and I attempt to actually try to have sex when the kids are awake.

    There is nothing - NOTHING - I have needed lately, more than ... TO FEEL YOUNG AGAIN.

    You know?

    So ...

    The other night ...

    I brushed my hair.

    I brushed my teeth.

    I slathered on some Obsession body lotion all over my not-so-firm-and-stretch-marked body and ...

    I crawled into bed next to my snoring cowboy and I woke him up at 1:30 in the morning.

    And ...

    The Cowboy and I ...

    HAD SEX!!!

    *Okay - hold that thought. I have to go to the dentist. I'll be right back*

    *Tick-tock*

    *Tick-tock*

    *Ticktock*

    *Ticktock*

    *Ticktock*

    *Ticktock*

    *Ticktock*

    Okay, I'm back - sorry about that.

    YES!

    WE HAD SEX!

    What was so amazing was ....

    Well ...

    Aside from the fact that we actually had SEX ...

    Was that ....

    IT WAS FREAKIN' FANTASTIC!

    It was that kind of sex we had when we were younger.

    It was that kind of sex we had when we were in the earliest years of our marriage (BC -before children).

    It was that kind of sex where you talk dirty (if that's your thing - it's our thing - there was dirty talking).

    It was that kind of sex where there were lots of good, long, lust-filled, lustful, lustalicious ... kisses. YUM!

    It was the kind of sex that young girls that drive cool TransAms have with really cute cowboys!

    It has been a while since we have had this kind of SEX.

    Too long.

    Way too long.

    LONGER THAN SHOULD BE LEGAL!

    I don't know about you but ... kids sure put a cramp - a seventeen year cramp - in my SEX life.

    I've tried to keep the spark alive (well except for that one five year stretch in there where I couldn't give a crap about anything other than sleep).

    I've tried to shake things up from time to time to keep things interesting.

    I've tried to put barricades against the door to our bedroom to keep those little monsters from storming in ...

    It's not been easy *sigh*.

    The Cowboy won't mind that I told you.

    He's all about people thinking he's having sex.

    He's all about actually ... having sex.

    When we were through the other night, The Cowboy rolled over, sighed deeply and said, "That was just like when we were younger."

    I passionately agreed and then said ...

    "Yes ... it was," *breath breath* "just don't turn the lights on. I look like chit."

    And ... I did.

    But, that was only after.

    During ...

    I was beautiful and firm and sexy and ... 22 again!

    On the upside ... The only thing that worries me is ... there's a really good possibility that this was all ... a dream.

    -

  • Our Cowboy Ghost

    Our Cowboy Ghost

    It was about this time, fourteen years ago, that we bought our house.

    My mother and I had been out driving, drove by this house with a For Sale sign on it - I called my realtor and asked him to meet us quickly at the house to show it to me. By 6:00 p.m. that evening we had made an offer on the house, contingent on the sale of our other house. One month later, we were moving in.

    That afternoon, when my realtor rushed over to show me the house, I entered the property and didn't even have to go inside the house - I knew I wanted to buy it. It had a huge 1 acre yard that was entirely fenced in and I knew this would be the perfect home for our family. My twins were 2 years old at the time.

    So ... we bought it and moved in and have lived here ever since.

    I have since realized that this is not the house of my dreams, but it has become the house my children have grown up in and it is our home. I think we will live in this house for the rest of our lives.

    There are many special things about our house - but, not necessarily special to the naked eye. One of those things is ...

    the cowboy ghost ...

    that lives in the upstairs hallway leading to our bedrooms.

    YES - a ghost!

    I had seen the ghost many times, after we first moved in. I would be sitting in our little den area down by our kitchen and every so often - about 2 times a month - I would catch a glimpse of the ghost in the upstairs hallway.

    I was always surprised and startled.

    I was always confused.

    I woud ALWAYS get up and go inspect the hallway and the bathroom - trying desperately to explain what I had seen.

    The ghost would move from right to left. From my daughters' bedroom, across the hallway and then into the bathroom - a tall, dark shadow. That's the only time I ever saw him and that's all he ever did - move across the hallway from right to left. I never saw him go back again and I never saw him anywhere else in the house.

    I was, however, the only one that ever saw the ghost and I never mentioned that I had seen him to anyone - not even my husband. That is, not until ...

    One evening, my mother made the comment, "Did you know that there's a ghost in your upstairs hallway?"

    I, of course, perked up to this statement. I did not offer my experiences - I requested that she tell me what she had seen.

    She said, "He's tall and he wears black. He wears a hat and a trench coat and boots. He moves across the hallway, from the girls' room over to the bathroom."

    She thought she was telling me something I didn't know. I said, "I know - I've seen him too," and went on to explain that she had perfectly described the ghost I had seen many times before.

    My mother and I sat there and could not believe that we had, in fact, confirmed our sightings - without even realizing or trying. It was spectacular.

    I have gone on to tell people about the ghost, but don't encourage the talk around my smaller children, as when they pick up on the idea, it sort of scares them.

    About 8 years after we bought the house, we added on a new master bedroom. We also tore down some walls in our kitchen and den area and renovated our kitchen/dining room/living room area. Since that renovation, and redesigning our den, we no longer have the seating arranged in such a way that you can sit at the bottom of the stairs and look up. Because of this, I have not sighted the ghost in a long time - at least not in the hallway.

    When we added the master bedroom and then moved in - I began to sense that the ghost was in our room.

    There have been many nights when I will sense that there is someone sitting (I can feel the movement) at the foot of my bed. When this happens, I will bolt up in my bed, expecting to see a cat or one of my children.

    There never is.

    I am not afraid of our ghost, as he has never done anything other than wander. I believe he is a lost cowboy.

    The neighborhood I live in is an area where Indians lived. The name of our neighborhood is named after these Indians. There are caves near our house that have been said to have drawings - left behind by those Indians.

    Like I said, I am not afraid. He's a lost cowboy and I am perfectly content letting him live in the upstairs hallway of our house. I'm even okay with him sitting at the foot of my bed watching me sleep.

    But ... if he decides to move again - if he gets it in his head to crawl in bed next to me ... he needs to leave his trench coat thrown across the chair and his boots on the floor.

    I guess he can leave the hat on.

    I'm a sucker for cowboy hats.

    (I wrote this post for Suz, over at Busy Bee - she wanted to hear the story.)

  • They Are Beginning To Trip Over Themselves ... Just To Get At Me - HA!

    They Are Beginning To Trip Over Themselves ... Just To Get At Me - HA!

    Remember in May - when I was on TV?

    Remember?

    That interview I did on one of our local morning television shows ?

    It was a good interview - I thought.

    I enjoyed it.

    I was famous - for a whole hour - here in my home city.

    Well ...

    I guess word is getting around ...

    I guess it was only a matter of time ...

    That I would one day ...

    Be contacted by a prime-time television show!

    YES - I was.

    Yes - it came in the form of an e-mail from a producer of the CBS show - inviting me to consider being a ...swap-ie.

    I won't name the title of the show - as I am not sure I am supposed to because ...

    I declined.

    It's really ...

    THE LAST THING I NEED!

    For the whole nation to sit down, turn on their televisions and ...

    See me ...

    Shipped off to some other lady's house in maybe - Iowa ... and have her shipped into mine!

    For the whole nation to tune in to see ...


    Me ... slopping pigs or milking cows ...

    Or ...

    Driving a tractor or bailing hay on a family farm.

    All the while ... the mom-replacing-me would be showin' the world ...

    All those cars sitting in my driveway ...

    Hear stories about how we find dead deer in our pool and how the father of the On The Upside household lasso's the deer, loads it into a wheel barrel and carts it off into the woods and dumps the poor thing - with his little redneck son by his side.

    For the whole nation to come into my house and witness the fact that my children take baths only every few days or so and farther between ... if they have been swimming.

    For the whole nation to look inside my laundry room and SEE those baskets of white socks that I am NEVER going to match up. That I just go out and buy new socks ... so I don't have to do this duty!

    For the whole nation to see that I allow my forth child to eat rotten fruit.

    For the whole nation to see that I have more shoes than I have places I will ever where so many shoes - to!

    For the whole nation to hear about how I rely on our neighbors to castrate our cats.

    For the whole nation to hear and possibly even see how the youngest On The Upside girl - only 7 years old - is allowed to wear little-girl-make-up.

    For the whole nation to hear how the mother of the On The Upside family is sometimes so preoccupied that she will agree to most anything.

    For the whole nation to see and hear how the boy child is destined to be a carnie.

    For the whole nation to see how the On The Upside mother sometimes tells the small daughter that armadillo tails are really unicorn horns.

    For the whole nation to find out that the only reason we go to church is because the 7 year old wakes the entire On The Upside household with LOUD SCREAMS on Sunday mornings - to go church - like the loudest church bell you have ever heard.

    For the whole nation to see how the On The Upside kids sometimes wear their pajamas all day long, stay up way too late at night and have to fix themselves bowls of Captain Crunch cereal for lunch.

    Oh, yes ... and for the whole nation to learn about the cowboy ghost that lives in our upstairs hallway.

    For the whole nation to come into my house and learn that ... while I do help run my husband's electrical contracting business, maintain and run a household, monitor and chauffeur and feed and clothe and teach and raise - 4 children and 2 dogs and 2 cats and ... volunteer on the board of the PTA and in the school's of my children, and ... live a very busy life of cleaning and shopping and paying bills and running here and there ... that I also ... spend some of my time BLOGGING!

    Nooooooooo ...

    I don't need the whole nation to learn these things.

    See these things.

    Hear about these things.

    I declined.

    I just couldn't imagine any good coming from me being shipped off to some other family's house to - take care of and feed their children or interact with a strange man I would likely not like near as well as I like my own.

    I could not imagine any good coming from my children being introduced to a potentially nicer mother or a woman that might influence them to believe that things are not being done correctly 'round here!

    NOPE!

    I declined.

    If I'm going to be featured on a reality TV show ...

    I'm holding out for ...

    SURVIVOR!

    I figure I have way more experience and years of useful covert tactics to tackle a show like that! And ... the worst things I might be expected to do is eat some bugs or sleep in the jungle with some snakes or some monkeys. I'm already living in a house full of monkeys and ... I've known worse things than eating bugs. *It's raising children and pleasin' husbands I'm not so great at!*

    Or maybe ... Extreme Makeover!

    I'd be open to Ty Pennington coming down here to Texas ...

    He doesn't even have to build me a new house ...

    He can build me a bookcase - I'll just stand there and help him for an hour and ... wipe the sweat off his brow ...

    On the upside ... Maybe one day they'll be tripping over themselves just to get at me (tee hee). Right now - all I got is this blog and that other blog. The first of which my littlest daughter still on occasion calls ... On The Outside. I keep telling her, "It's ON THE UPSIDE - UPSIDE!" *sigh*

  • Final Thoughts On The BlogHer Conference

    Final Thoughts On The BlogHer Conference

    This will be my last post about the BlogHer conference.

    Honestly, I don't think anyone cares about it for days and days and days - so ... I will try to recap as much as I can - quickly - and be done with it for this year.

    I went into this conference with several goals.

    Some goals I met - Like ... meeting many of the bloggers that I have known for a while and wanted so badly to meet and also reaching out and meeting new ones as well. Like ... stepping way out of my comfort zone to take this trip alone - travel from Texas to California alone on a plane, take shuttles and taxi's stay in a hotel by myself, introduction after introduction to one stranger after another. Like ... networking as much as possible. Like ... attending as many sessions as possible and learning as much as I could about blogging. Like ... ENJOYING MYSELF!

    Some goals I didn't meet. Like ... meeting EVERYONE! Like trying to feel comfortable in most any situation. Like ... putting on my best face - all the time. Like ... doing and seeing everything I really wanted to see and do. Like ... not taking enough pictures!

    I did okay.

    I'd have to say that I am 97% satisfied with the whole trip. And that 3% I was not satisfied with was ...

    How lonely I felt when I would return to my room after a long day. My great big beautiful room with the king sized "Heavenly Bed and Bath" - the one with the great view of the city from the 7th floor - the one that I had all to myself with a desk and large TV and my own bathroom and bar and closet. I so wanted to be ecstatic when I would walk through that door each evening to retire. Instead - I immediately noticed how quiet it was - how alone I felt. I wanted to enjoy every moment of solitude on this trip and smother myself selfishly in the lavishness of it all and I was surprised to hear the ... silence ... and not be happy about it. I missed my children and their NOISE! And ... a certain cowboy to share that big bed with!

    And ... I'll just be honest ---

    You CAN NOT bring 1000 women (a few men) together and expect it to always be delicious coffee, scrumptious chocolate and rose scented bubble baths! NOPE! There were certainly moments - that is for sure.

    I won't go into those moments that happened to me - specifically - but ... I will say:


    • Some people I thought I was going to love - I DIDN'T!

    • Some people I was sure I was not going to like - I LOVED!

    • Some people I thought were a certain way - WERE NOT!

    • Some people I assumed were another way - WERE PLEASANTLY BETTER.

    • Some people I expected to accept and include me - DID NOT!

    • Some people I thought I would definitely want to embrace - I CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT!

    • Some people are SOCIAL IDIOTS and need to take some CLASSES!

    • Some people are sincere and generous and kind and fabulous!

    • Some people need to learn how to hide when they are rolling their eyes at you!

    • Some people need to go to etiquette classes.

    • Some people need to try to be more positive and stop the damn whining and complaining all the time!

    • Some people need to stay away from the BLOGHER CONFERENCE if they are not there to meet and talk to other blogging people - UGH!

    Okay ... that's enough being mean. I AM SURE that some of these things others could say about me as well.

    All in all - the women I met were wonderful and interesting and friendly. But ... there were a few ...

    One of the things I loved about meeting so many of the women I have only known through their blogs is that I now have a face and personality and voice to associate with the words I read on their blogs - VERY COOL!

    I also enjoyed seeing how people were so different than I expected - taller or shorter or prettier or uglier or smarter or funnier - very interesting!

    It was also fun learning their real names or their children's real names. And learning where they live and more intimate details about their lives than they are willing to share on their blogs.

    As far as the conference goes ---

    BlogHer did an EXCELLENT job - in my opinion - at organizing (WOW!) this massive conference! The food was excellent - the accommodations were wonderful - the parties were fabulous - the sessions were informative and useful! And ... the sponsors were impressive! I think the conference was everything I hoped it would be and so much more and WELL worth the money and time!

    And then ...

    There was San Francisco!

    I did not get to see much of the city, but our hotel (The Westin St. Francis) is right downtown in Union Square and every time you stepped out on the street, you were right in the midst of everything. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and feeling how ALIVE the city is.

    On Sunday morning, I took a taxi (by myself) down to Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf. I saw Alcatraz off across the bay, The Golden Gate Bridge through the fog, the sea lions lounging in the water, the outdoor market, the wonderful shops (did a little shopping) and after I had seen as much as I had time to see, I stopped by the small little restaurant that my sister recommended and had a bowl of clam chowder and a shrimp sandwich - THAT WAS DELICIOUS! I'm so glad I made time on this last day to go down to Pier 39 - it was a treat!

    Here are some of the pictures I took:

    The founders of BlogHer speaking to the 1000 attendees.

    Sesame Street was at the conference and had their own room. You could go there and meet the Muppet's, Grover and Abby Cadabby, and also meet the fabulous puppeteers behind those fantastic characters. It was very cool!

    They also allowed time for people to have personal tapes (free) made with the Muppet and I had one made with Abby for Alexis, as Alexis' Birthday is coming up at the end of the month. Abby talked directly to Alexis and sang Happy Birthday! It was very COOL! I also got Abby's autograph for Alexis.

    A San Francisco trolley car outside our hotel. Is there anything cooler or more fun than this these trolley cars???

    China Town - from my taxi. I learned that China Town in San Francisco has the largest population of Chinese anywhere in the world - outside of China. And, that there is also a China Town in Oakland, CA.

    Pier 39 - duh!

    The beautiful shops on Pier 39.

    The fabulous market on Pier 39.

    Of course I had to stop in the Ghirardelli Chocolate shop - WOW!

    I made it to Fishermans Wharf!

    The view of Alcatraz from Fisherman's Wharf. It is not as close as it looks in this picture - I zoomed in so as to see it better.

    The foggy view of the Golden Gate Bridge from Fisherman's Wharf.

    Here are some of the ladies from the conference - lounging in the sun. Sorry - not really!

    This was one of the most delicious lunches I have ever had! My sister begged me to try and go to this little restaurant down on Fisherman's Wharf and so I did. It was so DELICIOUS. My sister said, "Go there! And ... if you can figure out how to bring that chowder and sandwich back with you on the plane - DO IT!" Honestly - I'd almost fly back to San Francisco just to go back, sit at this little restaurant and eat this lunch again - looking out across the bay! It was the PERFECT ending to a fabulous trip!!

    Thanks for tolerating my ramblings about the conference and being so thoughtful and encouraging and kind with your sweet comments. It was quite a great experience and I hope we ALL can go next year. I have not heard where it will be, but I plan on attending and I hope you will too!

  • When Watching His Wranglers And Eating Pecans ... Was The Plan For The Day

    Before they had children, there were eight previous years when it was just the girl and her husband.

    They spent those early years of their marriage growing up together, in their early twenties. They spent their time eating out at fancy restaurants, sleeping in on the weekends, relaxing on the couch in the evenings in front of the TV in each others arms, moving forward and upward in their careers, buying cars, buying houses and building the foundation for their lives together by making plans and goals and dreams.

    In the earliest part of their relationship, she followed him everywhere. They were newly in love and they often wandered. They'd take trips down to his home town where he'd spend long days with his buddies - and she'd be there. Watching as they'd play pool or work on cars. She'd sit in the sun, on the hood of his truck, with a pair of pliers, a lap filled with pecans she'd gathered from the ground beneath the pecan tree and she'd crack and eat nuts while he worked. She'd look across the yard and there he would be, with his head under the hood of a car. Every so often he'd stop working long enough to gaze in her direction and smile. And sometimes, he'd walk towards her and she'd watch him in his jeans and cowboy hat. He'd lean on the truck beside her and they'd talk a bit. And then he'd touch her face softly and kiss her. When he'd walk away, she was not sad, but pleased that he had considered her. She felt proud to be his girl. She was content in his presence. She was content knowing that he wanted her with him. She was content basking in the sun and eating pecans on the hood of that truck.

    They also spent many a night driving. They'd head downtown or across town or over to the airport. They'd sometimes pull their car, a white Firebird with T-tops, into the grassy area, just off the freeway, on the fence line of the airport. They'd line the car up with the landing strip, take the T-tops off the Firebird, recline their seats, turn the music on soft and low, hold hands and kiss and wait for the planes to land. They saw stars and cars on the freeway. They talked of their plans and unloaded their problems. They spoke kindly and touched freely and then braced against each other when the roar of the planes approached and then they'd stretch out their arms ... as if they believed they could touch the wings.

    When their babies came along ... their lives were changed. They became busier, more stressed, more occupied with the lives of their children. And this was not a bad thing, as it was inevitable. They moved on and created ... a family.

    They lost much of what they were in their youth and yet they grew into more than they ever imagined. The love they had grew stronger and wider and touched not only the two of them, but their children as well. They no longer wandered, but created stability and security. They became wiser and left their childish whims behind. They became parents and their priorities changed and so did their visions and dreams. They grew older.

    It was a long time ago, when they were so young. There are many people that would say that her husband is the one following her. And sometimes ... that is so. Sometimes she does look back to see if he is coming. But, more often than not ... she is the one looking forward to make sure that he is still searching her out ... that he is waiting for her. She followed him then ... 22 years before ... just about anywhere he wanted her to go. And ... she follows him now.

    Sometimes ... she goes there ... to the days of their youth. When they were overwhelmed by lust and drowning in love. When it felt like they had not a care in the world. When all they really wanted was to be together, to gaze helplessly into one anothers eyes, spend time in the darkness and every so often ... reach up together ... and touch the sky.

    Billy ... I would say that we are lucky ... you and I. I would say that we have come along way from those days of our blissful youth. I would say that I am privileged to have you love me and I would say thank you ... thank you ... for constantly lifting me up ... so that I can touch the sky.

    Happy Anniversary my sweet Billy. Of all the things that God has given me ... that I most certainly did not deserve ... you would be my most cherished gift. I love you dearly.

  • When Your Daddy Is A Texan ...

    When Your Daddy Is A Texan ...

    Once upon a time ...

    There was a Texas boy.

    Who got married and ...

    Had himself a set of twins.

    It didn't take long for those darling babies - those precious baby girls ...

    To grow ...

    The years just flew by ...

    Until one day ...

    Those baby girls were ...

    16 years old .

    Playing high school basketball and ...

    Needin' cars!

    So ...

    The cowboy ...

    Being the true Texas boy that he is ...

    Searched ...

    And searched ...

    And searched ...

    Far and wide ...

    For the ...

    Perfect car ...

    For his twin daughters.

    Until ...

    One day ...

    He found it!

    "IT'S A MUSTANG!" the twins exclaimed!

    "It's NOT YET!" the mother muttered.

    "It will be beautiful," the cowboy stated - in a thick Texas drawl.

    And then ...

    He put those girl twins ...

    To work!

    Courtney sanding a fender - or something.

    Chloe - holding a fender - or something!

    Note the Texas dog in the background with the red bandanna around his neck!

    The trio - hanging fenders - or something!

    Shuffling the body parts around the yard.

    Chloe inspecting a fender - or something!

    Sanding some more.

    Courtney - looks like she knows what she's doing!

    They seem to enjoy this Texas - let's build our own car - stuff!

    Well ... I don't know that "enjoy" is the accurate word!

    The cowboy is in heaven.

    Building a car.

    Spending time with his twin girls.

    Making a BIG OL' REDNECK MESS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR DRIVEWAY!

    On the upside ... One day - It WILL be a car. I have no doubt. It will have an engine. And doors. It will even have seats and a steering wheel. When that day comes ... I will take a picture. And ... that will be the end of the "car building" around here ---- that is ... until that boy child turns 16 .... and we'll likely do it all over again!

    *Note - To those new readers that have come to my site to read this post through Stumble Upon - welcome! And ... thanks for coming by. While you are here ... I hope you will take time to read some of my other posts - I'd love to share my stories with you. If you like my site - please subscribe to my site in your reader, as I post new stories daily and would be honored if you came back again . I'd also appreciate a thumbs up on this post if you liked it - thanks - Kellan

  • Seven Random Things

    I have been tagged again for the 7 Random Things Meme by Forgetfulone and also by Mary @ Happenings Today - thanks ladies for thinking of me.

    So, I am going to list 14 things and here it goes:

    1. I am a lot funnier in my head - than I am in real life. I can be funny - when I am around the right people (like a few of my closest friends and my family), but I am not one of those people that humor comes to quickly or easily - except inside my head. In my head ... I am HYSTERICAL! This is also true about how I perceive myself - I am way better looking in my head - than I am in real life! Also ... a lot smaller.

    2. We have a ghost in our house. Our house is about 40 years old and the ghost lives in the hallway that leads to our bedrooms. When I (and my mother) have seen this ghost, he is always crossing the hallway (from my twins' bedroom) and goes into the bathroom. He wears a black trench-like coat, black boots and black hat (like in cowboy movies). The neighborhood we live in is well known for a particular Indian Tribe living here. I believe this ghost is from that time. My mother and I are the only ones to have ever seen him, but I have seen him at least 25 times over the past 13 years. It has been a while since I have seen him and I have recently began to believe that he has moved from the hallway to my bedroom and sits at the foot of my bed (as I feel the bed move, like someone is sitting - jump up even to see who is there - like one of my kids or a cat - and there is never anyone there. I usually have to then, pull the covers over my head so the ghost won't come near me). I've never been afraid of this ghost - and I am not one to really believe in this sort of thing - but he does live in my house.

    3. On a scale of 1 - 10, if you were to ask me how happy I am in my life ... I'd have to say that I am at a 10. And, this is not something that I have just suddenly come to realize - I think I have been at a 10 for a lot of my life. I seldom feel as though my life could be any better. I don't believe that is true of very many people and I feel fortunate to be able to say that. I thank God often for blessing me and for giving me my wonderful life.

    4. I totally believe in God. I believe he is standing next to me and guiding me - all the time. I truly believe he is completely aware of how much I love him.

    5. Something I hate ... let me list something I hate. I hate "high-maintenance" friends. I want my friends to be simple. I want to be able to call you and say, "What are you doing?" and I want you to tell me, "I'm mopping the kitchen floor." I want you to know that I care about that - I want you to know that you can tell me that, even though it may seem insignificant - I want for that to be how simple our relationship is - that we talk about stupid crap and can turn that stupid crap into an hour long, ridiculously funny, memorable conversation. I want my friends to be completely and emotionally capable of dealing with me and me with them - on the simplest and purest level - no pretenses. I am too old and too tired to have to figure you out - I don't have the patience for that anymore.

    6. I do not like spaghetti, pancakes, watermelon, sloppy Joe's, peanuts, cinnamon rolls or pretzels. I can eat all these things, but I don't like them.

    7. I am nocturnal. I've always been a night-owl and love the night. I also love a dark room and seldom turn on many lights in the room I am in. I also turn off lights in every room that I think is too bright. My family is just the opposite and are always turning on every light in the room and I go behind them and turn most of them off. My mother complains constantly that I should open the blinds or turn on a light. I like the way a dark room, a cloudy day or the night makes me feel - cozy and closed in. I do, however, also ... worship the sun and love summer and stay outdoors a lot when it is hot.

    8. I'd rather give a gift, than receive a gift. I love buying gifts and am always looking for a reason or occasion to do so. I think I drive my friends crazy because I buy gifts often for, what seems like, crazy reasons. I love buying gifts.

    9. I keep a lot of lists. I am a list maker. I get this from my Dad - he was and is a list maker. I have lists to keep up with my lists.

    10. I am drawn to clocks. I am also drawn to lamps, vacuum cleaners, socks, rugs and throw pillows. I have to talk myself out of buying these items every time I go into any store.

    11. I often look at my husband and think, "He is so handsome - how did I get such a handsome man?"

    12. We have 9 TVs in our house and one in my van. There is always a TV on, somewhere in our house - sometimes many are on. I keep a TV on at all times when I am home alone - for the noise. I turn the TV on as soon as I wake up. I don't watch TV, hardly ever, during the day ... but it is always on. It is on right now in my bedroom and I have no idea what channel it is on or what show is on.

    13. If I had to admit to one regret I have in my life, it would be that I did not do more with my life. While I am completely content and happy with how my life has turned out and totally happy with everything that it is ... I believe that I honestly have not reached or lived up to my true potential. I wish I had had more drive, direction, ambition and detailed goals, when I was younger that might have led me to pursue a path of something that I loved (like animals or art or writing).

    14. I do not like to walk or run - anywhere. I don't know why ... but I don't want to do either. I don't have any desire to hike or enter marathons or walk from the farthest parking spot in any lot. I am not a lazy person and I don't think there is anyone in my life that would say that I am - but I don't want to walk or run - ANYWHERE!

    Thanks again to Forgetfulone and Mary @ Happenings Today for tagging me for this meme. I know I am supposed to tag seven more people, but I am going to leave this tag open and if you'd like to take it and do it - consider yourself tagged.

  • Tee Hee - I Crack Myself Up!

    Tee Hee - I Crack Myself Up!

    My sister calls, "Are you going to the thing tonight?"

    I'm in my bedroom, wearing a pair of comfortable sweats, curled up on my bed and watching a movie. "I'm not going. I don't want to go and I'm not going. I already told everybody I don't want to go. I don't even like spaghetti. The Cowboy can take the kids if he wants to go - he likes spaghetti, but I'm not going."

    "But, it would be so much more fun for me if you went," she pleads, using her most previously successful sisterly giggles.

    "Sorry. I'm not going," I stretch out my legs on the bed and put my arm behind my head. "Nope ..."

    An hour later, I walk down the stairs in a pair of black slacks, pink top and heels. My brother is in my kitchen with my dad and sister and my entire family. My brother is in his Scout uniform (long story). "Where are you going so dressed up?" my brother asks and they all look in my direction.

    "I'm going to the d*** spaghetti dinner," I sit in the nearest chair.

    They all laugh.

    We are, if nothing else ... a bunch of kids (my sister, brother and I) that always do the right thing!

    This was a Boy Scout Fund Raising Spaghetti Dinner. I did not want to go. I had no desire to go. I was not required to go.

    I went.

    Not for my kids. Not for my husband. But ... for my sister and for my brother. And for the Scouts (*holds up three fingers - the Scout sign or something*).

    So ... I'm at the Boy Scout Fund Raising Spaghetti Dinner, sitting across the round table from my sister and brother-in-law. He says something funny. I find it funny. I often find what he says funny. I say, "You think you're funny, don't you?" meaning that he really does - think himself funny.

    He curls over and laughs and says, "Yeah," through a huge, burly smile.

    "I know you do. You think you are funny," and I know this because of the smile he gets through his eyes when something witty comes out of his mouth. It's like the moment he says the funny thing, his eyes twinkle with satisfaction and you can see that he is happy with himself. It's like the way Jerry Seinfeld is. Jerry Seinfeld does this when he says something funny. You can see on his face that he is about to say something funny because he has already amused himself before he has even said the words. He already knows and believes it is funny before it even comes out of his mouth. It is funny - to him.

    My brother-in-law laughs, "Yeah," he says.

    "You don't even have to have anyone around, to have a good laugh at yourself, do you?" I say.

    He is still laughing at himself and says, "No."

    I love this about him. Because - he is funny. And, he doesn't have to have anyone acknowledge anything he says because as long as he finds what he says, humorous - it counts. If what he says, makes you laugh, then that is just a bonus - and it usually does. But, I believe it is secondary to the joy he gets from his own humor.

    This is a unique quality - this ability to make yourself laugh. And ... it is fun to watch and hard not to envy.

    I am lucky I get to watch him often. I will try to learn this craft ... this humor ... this joy.

    On the upside ... It wasn't so bad. My kids won prizes in the raffle. I bought $5.00 worth of delicious cupcakes for myself and ... my sister had more fun because I was there.

    Note to self: Sister and brother both ... owe me one!

  • What Happened To The Good Ol' Birds and Bees?

    What Happened To The Good Ol' Birds and Bees?

    Son is 12 years old - soon to be 13.

    Has a girlfriend - who happens to look just like him - a lot like me when I was a kid (really weird).

    He's on the phone with her non-stop (from the few conversations I could force myself to eavesdrop on - endure - they were mostly speaking in tongues - talking gibberish - much to my relief).

    I see my husband in front of the TV. "Where's the boy?" I ask.

    "On the phone with the girl," he offers with a bit of a proud smirk on his face.

    I step right in front of him. "You've had the talk with him, right?" Hands on my hips as I glare down at my cowboy husband, who, by the way, is far too proud of his boy and his new relationship - proud in the way redneck fathers are proud - you know ???

    His eyes flutter up to me - confused.

    "The. Talk!" I huff.

    He sort of rolls his shoulders and gives me that look that is meant to imply he will obey - only he might not, actually. He might just have let my (demand) request seep right in one ear and out the other - hope for the best - you know - with the boy - with me.

    "I did bring up the girl today," my husband offers proudly, like the mere fact they discussed her would impress on his offspring to never ... actually TOUCH her!

    "Yeah? And ...?" I ask, hands still firmly on my hips.

    Husband pulls me closer. Says, "He saw right through me. Created a diversion. Asked me, 'And what about all those animal noises I hear comin' from your room at night?'" Husband pulls back, eyes wide, sparkling, humored.

    My mouth drops. I say, "You don't ... you don't think he actually hears anything, do you?" Surely he was just trying to distract you - making up stuff."

    Husband shrugs and peeks around me to see the TV.

    I begin to walk away and then look back over my shoulder. I say, "Talk. To. Him! And, next time, don't let him get you side-tracked. And, for cripes sake, don't explain the animal noises."

    Husband laughs.

    On the upside ... Okay ... so I guess I'm going to have to sit the boy down and seriously talk to him - again. God only knows what sort of noises the boy thinks he's actually heard ... and how anxious my redneck husband might be to pass along a few pointers. Ugh! You might be a redneck if ... you pat yourself on the back when your son points out he's heard animal noises coming from your bedroom.

    *Disclaimer: There has never been actual animal noises emitted from our bedroom. My husband might be a bit of redneck, but ... I am not. I would not be at all enthused to hear a sheep bawling ... or a cow mooing, if you know what I mean. Now ... jungle noises. Or firehouse noises. Or rodeo noises. Okay ... enough of that.

    -

  • I Must Have Stopped Thinking - Because I CAN NO LONGER HEAR MYSELF!

    I Must Have Stopped Thinking - Because I CAN NO LONGER HEAR MYSELF!

    My Daughter, Courtney, talks all the time! I tell her constantly, "You just talk to hear yourself talking," and she does. But, they all do really - all of my kids. They are the talking-est bunch of kids you could ever imagine. I don't know where they get it from. I talk way more since I've had kids, than I ever did before, but I was never a talker.

    My sister was the talker. My brother and I couldn't get a word in for all the magical talking our sister could come up with.

    And ... all of you that have kids - kids that talk - are well aware, that most of this talk is pretty much nonsense. It's about bizarre stuff about Pokemans and sponges and so much gibberish I stopped trying to comprehend it or decipher it, long ago. I sometimes just pretend like I'm listening (I've got that face down good - stare right into their eyes, raise an eyebrow every now and then to show interest, shake my head a lot and smile if a smile is called for). If I actually tried to digest all the gibberish coming out my children's mouths, day in and day out ... I'd have to move all the really important stuff (like their names) out of my cluttered brain, to store this constant barrage of useless information. Nope ... I learned this technique from my husband - I act like I'm really interested and hope that they don't notice that my eyes have glazed over.

    And just about the time I think they have run out of things to talk about or the clicking or tapping noises are as bad as it can get - someone starts with the fighting, whining, screaming, jumping or banging on walls. Bouncing balls, slamming doors, banging on piano keys, loud TVs or radios ... the noise is endless. If I don't hear noise in my house, I immediately panic and run to see where everyone went.

    Talk is overrated. My husband and I can go days - days - without passing more than ten words between us. And we've been married for 23 years (maybe that's why). And ... we have come to where we don't even communicate in complete sentences, at all anymore. He's pretty much eliminated words altogether and mostly he just resorts to a nod of his head, a wave of his hand or a grunt or wheeze. I just throw out code words like: Late? or Hungry? or Mad! and then he just knows the correct response and if he doesn't, he makes up a new one and I eventually get it. My husband and I are like cave people ... grunting, hunting and gathering and whipping up grub. The kids are doing all the talking!

    On the upside ... when the day comes, that it is just my husband and I again, and all the kids are gone ... maybe he'll put on his loin cloth, sling me over his shoulder and I'll be contently happy with communicating by painting symbols on the wall or pictures with a stick ... in the sand. I'd be pretty content with that ... right now. (*Note to self: Buy loin cloth for The Cowboy).

  • DITTO

    DITTO

    The first time my husband, Billy, said, "I love you," after returning from a trip to San Angelo, Texas, in January, 1984, one month after we first met ... is the exact same way he says, "I love you," to me now. And ... this is not necessarily a good thing.

    The Cowboy, is not a sentimental person. He never says, "I love you," unless I say it first, and when he says it, it sounds like he's reading it off of a scripted page. I swear. He might as well just say, "Ditto."

    For the longest time I worried about this. I wondered if it sounded this way because he didn't really mean it. But, twenty-five years later, he still says it this same scripted way, so I pretty much know by now that he is just confused as to how to do this any other way.

    And ... when he gives me a Birthday or Anniversary card - they are always the most thoughtful, beautiful - exact, perfect cards. But ... he signs these sentimental cards to me with, Billy. Sometimes he will write a note, but not love notes or sappy poems. No ... apology notes. They will read something like, "I'm sorry I never do the things I'm supposed to do," or "I'm sorry I make you mad all the time."

    I informed him, after receiving one too many cards with these sad apology notes, "Enough already with the apologies. Can't you just sign the thing, 'I'll Always Love You, Billy,' or 'You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Love, Billy.'" Noooo ... when I die and my children run across all of these special cards I have kept over the years that my husband gave to me, they will read these sad apologies and surely say, "Poor Dad. He must have been just miserable."

    These cards ... those with the apologies ... say more about me, than they do him. I have kept them to remind myself of not only the special occasion ... but also ... of the burdens he carried.

    On the upside ... He still gives me the most beautiful cards and he has stopped apologizing ... and he may never say the words, "I love you," easily ... but I know he does. I don't need the words ... I know.

  • If You Live In Texas ...

    If You Live In Texas ...

    If you live in Texas, you might want to go to the Rodeo.

    If you are a Texas girl ... you might want to blow dry your hair - curl it - poof it up real big - and spray it with tons of hairspray.

    Also ... as a Texas girl ... if you want to fit in at the Rodeo - you might want to wear the biggest, gaudiest earrings and make very sure you wear those gaudy earrings with a shirt that has rhinestones, gems or sequins all over the front. You could wear a cowboy hat, but this would mess up your big hair, so opt for very large sunglasses with rhinestones instead.

    When you get to the grounds of the Rodeo, make sure you search out and buy ... cotton candy, a funnel cake, some fudge, some beef jerky, a turkey leg and don't forget a piece of delicious ... roasted corn.

    While at the Rodeo - walking the grounds or touring the horse or pig barn, make sure you look around. And don't be looking at the ground for piles of doo-doo -- No ... keep your eyes on the horizon because ... this is where all the good looking men gather - cowboys in every direction - as far as the eye can see!!

    If you plan it right, you might buy yourself a ticket for a seat inside the arena ... way down in the front ... right near the COWBOYS ......

    That way ... if you tire of watching the bull riding or calf roping (which you will) ... you have something pleasant to look at. This is also as close as you will ever really come ... to a ... REAL. LIVE. COWBOY.

    That is ... unless you are me.

    And you get to bring one home with you ...

    One that often talks sweetly to you, in a slight Texas drawl.

    One that looks nice in Wranglers, a crisp western shirt and a Stetson hat.

    One that holds you tight on a country dancehall floor as you sway and dance beautifully to a two-step or a waltz.

    One that might whisper softly into your ear, "When I was young ... I only ever danced with the girls ... so I could get laid afterwards."

    Yes ... you might get lucky ... like me.

  • Before I Lost My Mind

    Before I Lost My Mind

    Before I had kids ...

    My mind worked perfectly normal.

    It did.

    I didn't have to remember all that much.

    I didn't care about all that much.

    I only had to buy candy for just me (TWIZZLERS and DOVE CHOCOLATES).

    I went about life as if I had all the time in the world.

    I made decisions that accommodated the important issues in my life and those decisions were usually correct.

    Somewhere ...

    During the span of time since before I had kids ...

    And ...

    After ...

    I had kids ...

    I lost my freakin' mind!

    My brain stopped functioning normally.

    Decisions that would seem illogical to the pre-kid-Kellan ... somehow now often get lost in the rational part of my brain and the irrational part takes over, making those irrational decisions seem ... logical.

    Like ...

    Recently ...

    "Hon. Hon. We need to do some work on that cute little gazebo that sits in our backyard. It needs some repairs and we need to get that done," I said to my cowboy husband not too long ago.

    "Uh ... okay," was his (usual ) appropriate response.

    So ...

    We went about doing repairs.

    It took several weeks and then ...

    It was done.

    All nicely painted and caulked and repaired.

    Just like new.

    So that I could now maybe make it into a cute little tea room. Because - you know - I often have my old lady friends over for tea.

    Or ...

    I could maybe use it for a cute little pool house. I could stack all the towels in there neatly on cute little Pottery Barn shelves. Hang some curtains. Purchase some fun multi-colored rugs. Maybe a towel rack. Maybe ...

    Or ...

    I could use it as a potting shed ... put all my pots and shovels and dirt in there. Have a nice little room for me to bond with my plants. I could put a little portable radio in the corner, turn on my music and escape into my little potting shed for hours and hours. No one would ever find me.

    Or ...

    We could put a hot-tub in there and maybe get in some late night hot-tubbing with The Cowboy.

    Or ...

    Maybe we could ...

    Give it to the boy child ...

    For ...

    HIS BAND!

    See ...

    This is where my mind went wonky and somehow between ...

    Perfectly logical ...

    Perfectly beautiful ...

    Perfectly reasonable ...

    Perfectly normal ...

    Perfectly thought-out ...

    Thoughts ...

    I lost my freakin' mind!

    On the upside ... I know ... Giving the boy child a drum set was a pretty good clue that I had already lost too many brain cells to even consider making this gazebo decision without outside intervention *hear off in the distance other insane mommy inmates banging their heads against the walls and crying out in the night*.

    -

  • If Your Daddy Is A Redneck - Part #2

    If Your Daddy Is A Redneck - Part #2

    Hosted by Cecily and Mama Geek

    It has been a labor of love ...

    as well as ...

    Fulfilled every redneck fantasy my cute cowboy husband has ever had ...

    It started out looking pretty pitiful ...

    Pretty darn hopeless ...

    Downright awful - sitting very "redneck-like" on the driveway by my house.

    It (obviously) was a fixer-upper ...

    Requiring a lot of work ...

    And searching the land far and wide for missing parts.

    It needed some serious body work ...

    Pieces of this monster hung from tree limbs to be inspected, banged on and painted.

    And then there was more painting.

    And more painting ...

    All while continuing to search the land far and wide (okay - the internet) for an extensive list of missing parts.

    And then one day ...

    It started to look like a pretty nice car ...

    It was coming together with its shiny new paint job and sparkling new chrome.

    Until one day recently ...

    Almost two years into this Mustang project ...

    The announcement finally came ...

    IT IS DONE!

    (THANK THE LORD!)

    So, the car was a gift to our twin daughter's, Courtney and Chloe, for their 17th Birthday.

    They only recently drove it to school (once their dad got the A/C put in it).

    A football player stopped the girls in the parking lot. "Who's car is that?" he asked, envy in his eyes.

    "It's mine," Courtney answered shyly.

    "You've gotta be shi**in' me!" he exclaimed.

    "Nope - it's ours." Chloe smiled proudly.

    "What kind of engine's in it?" the burly football player asked, his eyes wide and curious.

    *blink blink*

    "I dunno. Loud." Courtney answered quietly.

    The moral of this conversation is: Football players that would know the size engine in this 1969 Mustang are probably more deserving of such a sweet car than twin girls that are more interested in a functioning A/C and loud speakers.

    The only problem with the completion of this two-year project is ...

    Now ... my cute, redneck husband is searching the land (and the internet) far and wide for a new piece of junk car to restore for the boy child.

    *sigh*.

    -

  • Yep - I'm Having A Weekend CONTEST!

    Yep - I'm Having A Weekend CONTEST!
    flat earth

    I'm sorry I haven't done any of the memes I have recently been tagged for! I'm sorry!

    I don't want anyone to think that I am not grateful for being thought of for these memes - because I am grateful.

    I am also lazy - when it comes to memes.

    LAZY!

    I honestly like a lot of them ... but, am just too busy or LAZY to get around to actually doing one myself. They take time and a lot of thought and I simply don't take the time or have enough energy sometimes to put enough thought into them ... and so ... they sit and I never get them done.

    I'm sorry!

    And ... don't get all excited because ... I'm not doing any of them now, either.

    What I am going to do is ... have a contest!

    All you have to do is ask me a question. I am going to answer any questions about myself that you might want to ask (I know - boring). You can ask personal questions, questions about my kids or family, about my background, about blogging - about anything. And ... you can leave up to 5 questions each. But, it has to be a question (not a comment) and a sincere question. Don't ask me what my favorite color is - it is green. Don't ask me how tall I am, I am 5'3" tall.

    I will try to answer every question and publish the questions and answers in a post in the near future (I stole this question/answer idea fromOHMommy over at Classy Chaos - you should go over and check out her Q&A post she did a couple of days ago - so many fun questions and answers - thanks OHMommy!). While it is just questions and answers about me (again ... bor-ing) - I will TRY to come up with a fun way to post the results to make it interesting.

    If you leave me a question, I will be drawing 4 names from all who participate and I will send you each a $25.00 gift certificate to either Target, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble or Old Navy - that I will mail to you (if you live in Indonesia or Australia or Norway or Canada or England or anywhere other than the U.S. and you win and you don't have any of these stores available to you - we will work something out - some on-line gift certificate or something). Otherwise, once you win, I will notify you on your site (make sure I can link back to you or leave your e-mail if you don't have a blog) or your e-mail and request your address so I can forward your certificate to you.

    I will leave this contest open until 9:00 on Sunday evening - so you have all weekend to leave me a question.

    Once the contest is over, I will transfer all names to tiny pieces of paper and put them in a cowboy hat (tee hee) and have one of my children draw the 4 names. If anyone's name is drawn more than once, I will draw another name. You can leave up to 5 questions - but win only one gift certificate per person. I will publish the winners on Monday evening.

    Thanks for participating in my FIRST (and possibly last) contest and GOOD LUCK! I know this does not make up for all the memes I've been ignoring, but it is my small way of trying to show how much I appreciate my friends - appreciate all of your support and friendships.

    Have a great weekend!

    UPDATE: I have decided to answer some of the questions as the contest goes along. I might hold some questions back and do special posts on those, but most I will try to answer in the post right below this post (titled Answers). It will take me some time to answer the questions, but I will update that post as the contest goes along - this is the only way I can imagine being able to answer all the questions. CONTEST WAS ON 2/29/08

  • Cowboys Are Following Me

    Cowboys Are Following Me

    So ... you know about the cowboy ghost that lives in my house, right? No? Then go here if you want to read more about him.

    Anyway ... I think he has followed me to our house at the lake.

    So, there I was, just lying in my bed watching a re-run of the Deadliest Catch (Time Bandits - WOO HOO - love that show!) snacking on a bag of Twizzlers, and the door to my bedroom, that was slightly ajar, suddenly closes on its own *creek, creek, ... click*. I SWEAR!

    The cowboy ghost (I have gotten to where I call him "Cowboy" - it totally works!) has been flirting with me for many years. If he has followed me to the lake, decided he is finally going to start smooching on me ... he'd better use those invisible hands to lock that door!!

    -

  • A Painting By A Stranger

    A couple of years ago, I went to the San Antonio Rodeo with my family. During the course of the day, we made our way into the exhibit barns where there are hundreds of booths set up selling everything from cowboy boots to cow hyde rugs. There was this one large booth where art was being exhibited and sold. After looking a while at the art, my mother pulled out this beautiful print of a small girl. She left the print, went searching for me and when she found me, she insisted that I return to the art booth to see the picture.

    I bought that beautiful print and it hangs on the wall in Alexis' bedroom.

    This print was done by a wonderful artist by the name of Ann Hanson. Mrs. Hanson lives at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains just outside of Shell, Wyoming.

    While this is the most beautiful painting, titled "Tickled Pink", of a precious little girl, and would look darling in any little girl's bedroom - those were not the reasons I bought it.

  • Deal Or ... No Deal?

    Deal Or ... No Deal?

    The sun is rising in the eastern Texas sky.

    The birds are waking from a night of rest.

    My husband is standing beside my bed on an early Saturday morning ...

    "Kellan --- you'd better get up if you are going to take the girls," he speaks softly.

    I stir.

    I stretch.

    I yawn.

    I grab my cozy comforter, pull it up to my neck, roll over away from my husband and try to sneak back into sleep.

    "KELLAN," he pushes my shoulder. "ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THE GIRLS?"

    I stir.

    I stretch.

    I yawn.

    It is SATURDAY morning!

    I love sleeping in on SATURDAY mornings!

    I beg ...

    "I don't know why you can't just take them," I mumble sweetly. "You're going out anyway - can't you drop them off first?" I am now flashing my most persuasive smile (*all the while realizing my hair is sleep-smashed, make-up is sleep-smeared, breath is sleep-stinky and I am likely the most unattractive beggar on the face of the earth*) and speaking in my *sexy* voice and ... I reach up and touch my husband's hand lovingly.

    *silence*

    Then ...

    I see hope ...

    I see a twinkle in his blue eyes.

    I see the wheels beginning to turn in his head.

    He finally says ...

    In his sexiest Saturday morning voice ...

    "Okay ... I'll take them. If ......." he leans down and whispers seductively - like the sly, blackmailing cowboy that he is ...

    You pay me back later with ...

    sex."

    On the upside ...What are we on ... Deal or No Deal?

    I sat straight up in bed and ... hit that red buzzer, "DEAL!"


    I half expected Howey Mandell to step out from behind my deal-making-sex-craving-husband to shake my hand.

    It's pretty obvious ... who the smarter of the two of us is. Without a doubt - I am! Only --- not smart enough to realize I should be using that little bargaining chip ... way more often!