Chased by Children

Day One

Happy New Decade!

So, as usual, on my first post of the year I have a few predictions for the year ahead.  It's gonna be a good one! 

Sleepless in OL one of my favorite commenters will have the most stress-free year of her life.   Mostly because she won't have to do all the miraculous stuff that she already did in 2009.

Add Humor and Faith will become a national sensation once this video goes viral.  If you knew my mother the way I do you will not be able to stop laughing.

The Eastsider will move to the West side and have to change her commenting name.  I'm thinking something pithy like, "Amy O's"

Andy at Finding Fairy Tales will become allergic to hilarity and start writing a blog about knitting.  Not that knitting blogs can't be hilarious....it's just not the sort of thing Andy would typically blog about.  And I would love to hear all the swear words she can come up with for knitting needles.

Llama Momma will swap me one of her three boys (Twin B please) for one of my three girls (Coco, she's wonderful to everyone but her mother).  She will teach CoCo to do all the housework that she doesn't want to do (and I haven't been able to teach her because I honestly don't know how) and I will let Twin B do all of the Science experiments that we have over here.....I hope he hasn't already done all of them....and I hope he already knows how to clean up after...

Fat Bridesmaid will become engaged to Clive Owen.  However, she will break it off after she discovers he likes to rise early on the weekends and he doesn't look as good in sweats as she would have thought.

Stie at These are a Few of My Favorite Things will trademark the "Hellcat" franchise and market it to much success.  She will pen a book called, "Raising Hellcats in Saint Louis"... and will remember all her bloggy friends in the forward, something like "This would have all been impossible if not for Jenny from Chicago"

 

Happy 2010!!

I'm in Love!

Given that I can't get the "Muzak" version of Santa Baby out of my head I surmised that it must be coming on Christmas.

Since I have three princesses to shop for I figured I must need to get myself out to the mall.  And can I just say, judging by the parking lot: what recession?

Anyway, I found myself in a Barnes & Noble and came across a book that really spoke to me.  This was true for many reasons, but mostly because its the book I would have written if I weren't such an undisciplined blogger.

Why my Third Husband will Be a Dog.   by Lisa Scottoline

I'm in love with this woman.  She's funny, smart and divorced.   All the stuff I wish I was.....but I digress.

Her sense of humor is summed up in this phrase:

"I've never been in an accident if you don't count my two marriages"

Love her.  I would steal her work and post it here if you guys wouldn't suddenly notice the huge leap in readability and lack of grammatical errors.  You would notice right?  guys?  hello?

Oh the posts I would post

Not having the capacity to write during this computerless stage of my life has left me with delusions of granduer.

I have forgotten the daily discipline of writing and so when I think about a topic for a post I think about how great it could be...if only I could...

In my own mind I am not limited by my own talent(lessness?).  I don't have to worry about the number of typos.  I am brilliant.  brilliant I tell you.

Topics I would have written about if only I could:

My new obsession: Twilight (book, movie, actors et al)

My mother.  Ha!  I could go on and on...

MiMi's graduation from Kindergarten that wasn't

Sharpie ultra fine permanent markers in 47 colors (heaven)

Pig Flu and it's effect on my weight.

Dieting and Budgeting - bring on the rain.

Buddah turned 40!  And I have pictures to prove it.

sighhhhhhhhhhh!

It won't be long now folks.  I feel a computer hurtling toward me through space...it will be a gaming computer so it will be fast, and cool.  It will be a lap top with a chill pad so it will be literally cool and won't burn me.  It will do laundry (as long as I'm dreaming...).

398 posts

My laptop computer was stolen (or lost) at O'Hare last week.  That is why I am not blogging.  I have to beg borrow or steal time on other people's computers to even squeak out this message to you.

This is unfortunate.

I have so much to tell you.

I also need to give something away on my 400th post...chocolate was the winner.

So please contribute to my tip jar if you want to help pay for a new computer.

Otherwise, just keep your fingers crossed that one falls from the sky.

Mondays are for Thankfulness?

So, my computer was acting up this weekend.  Trust me, if you had to hang out with ME you would act up too.

So the post that it kept eating had to do with THANKING all of you who participated in my little contest, because every comment was a gem.

I especially loved Christie's reponse about if she won she'd want chocolate, but if anyone else won I should send them celery.  Is it any wonder that we are bloggy buddies?

There were lots of great suggestions: the food pantry idea really touched me.  mostly because you thought of me as that sort of magnanimus person.... have you ever even read the blog?

On the topic of thankfulness -- I am also thankful to Bambi and her lovely husband who literally lifted my floundering spirit on Friday night.  I showed up at their door unannounced, somewhat sickly, and definately droopy.  I drank every martini they handed me (Bob makes a mean martini).  I ate the most delicious hamburger I've ever eaten -- and I told them all my sob stories.  Through it all they were supportive, cheerful and funny.  Thanks for being my friends.  You guys rock.

I'm also thankful that I made some new blog buds through the experience.  Check out the following blogs, some you will recognize and then others are new ones that I was led to through the contest.

Angela at The Rockpile  she has the funniest post about her own demise.

Not Trying for a Boy who answers clearly the question all of us who have three daughters get asked.

Fat Bridesmaid, who you already knew about but I just love all that she is about so I wanted to give her some props.  She was also one of only four people who posted about my give-a-way.  Love her.

ElleBee at Musings of a Working Diva  I've seen her around before but I spent a few hours this weekend on her blog.  She's funny.  She's really funny.

The Lurker at Exile in Momville who has given us a sneak peek at her daughter's knowledge fair project. Gracie is doing CoCo Chanel....my CoCo (who was actually named after CoCo Chanel) is doing Venice.  Go figure.

Chief Rock Chef who is a MAN with a sensitive side came by and was sweet enough to 1) realize that I should give away one of my children and 2) that Danielle should be the one to recieve that child. 

Only Half Nuts who seems nuts enough for me.

Lynette at The Best Things in Life are Three who is actually friends with Bambi on Facebook.  I don't know what that means but I do feel worlds colliding.

Nancy at Random who seems like such a good egg.

Dodi at It's a Dodi's Life who cracks me up on her home page by describing herself as someone who has no interest in housework.  Soulmate?  Is that you?

Kari at Alas 3 Lads who has the opposite problem of me, because she has three boys (and a daughter apparently).  She's someone I'm excited to get to know.

And Amanda at Insatiable is awesome...today she has a post about snowman poop...what's not to love.

And of course the lovely winners Danielle who inexplicably started signing off as Dan and so now one of my friends thinks we are an item because she signs everything "Xoxo".  And Ranelle at More than We ever Imagined who is sweet and clever.

Prayers for Danielle at Sitting in Silence

Danielle is a doll.  Ya know, a snarky, funny, hysterical kind of doll.

Danielle writes at Sitting in Silence which is full of informative stuff.  Ya know, snarky, funny, hysterical kind of stuff.

She is the only person outside of the U.S. that I let play all of my give-a-ways.  Mostly, because she is the only person outside of the U.S. that cares if I have a give-a-way (don't worry Andrea I'll let you play too from now on).  But I digress...

This dear sweet Australian woman is ill.  There is something wrong with her heart which I find utterly unfathomable because she has the most wonderful of all hearts (snarky, funny, hysterical and KIND).  Examples can be found all over her blog but also in the comments she's left here at mine....

"Ummm Am I like losing the post or has this entry been posted 4 times...Crap....I really have to put my glasses on...xoxo"

I had, in fact, posted 4 times but this was the only comment that made me laugh about it.  Then when my computer blew up she sent sympathy, sort of....

"That sure sucks...hang in there...it could be worse...your IPod may pack it in as well...xoxox"

And she continued to encourage me when I started the volleyball season last fall...

"What could go wrong ?....4 female coaches?..LMAO...(sigh) LMAO....Cant wait for part two !..."

But, by far, my favorite comment was left to yesterday's post about the Laundry Fairy. 

"Your one hell of a brave woman J....the last time my laundry got done ..... My MIL yelled out to the hood....."Danielle...which way to I hang these knickers, there is no bum in them ? "...

Oh yes....priceless...I could hear the neighbours laughing over their TV sets....grrrrrr..."

I love that she calls them knickers...and I love her.  Please join me in praying that the fabulous Miss Danielle is restored to full and blissful health.

XOXOXO back atcha baby!!

My Mother is willing to be interviewed.

Okay.  Here's the deal.  My MOTHER has agreed to be interviewed.  I now know how Barbara Walters feels when the Jonas Brothers return her call(s).

So, tomorrow at 6am the definitive interview of my life will be given.

I will ask the tough questions that all of you are dying to know.

Of course, you will have to go  to her blog to read her answers....but that is not the issue.

She will also be asking me questions. 

yikes.

Is the Blogosphere big enough for two Chased by Children blogs?

It's weird.  You name your blog and then you never really think about it again.  I've gotten used to having "Chased by Children"  all to myself.  Then, while researching what google searches brought traffic to my little spot in the world I discovered this....  Someone with the nerve to use Chased by Children as her own.  Nervy, eh?  Yeah, except that she started blogging before me.  Does that make me the nervy one?

i poked around a little bit on her blog.  Her name is Dbab.  She has 5 kids (show off).  Her first language is Mylasian but she sprinkles a lot of english into her posts so you can understand it.  And I get the sense that she has a great sense of humor, observe:  "hafta start thinking and preparing now..and finish up all the housework yg 'terbengkalai' aka ironing.The fact that i 'jaga' my lil dahhling children,cooking, cleaning, washing, laundry'ing'..makes me so malas to do the ironing.
Always said to myself 'pelan pelanlah..don't strees yourself okie!'.This self- motivation of mine equals up to be 'MALAS'.Say no more....."

Almost every post is like that, funny, endearing, sweet.  I would start to feel a little threatened except that she hasn't posted in two years, since she gave birth to her fifth.  Slacker.

The Funnest New Thing evah!

Say it with me people:  Live Blogging.

Fat Bridesmaid is one of my blogging heroes and tonight she hosted Biggest Loser as a live blog.  SO MUCH FUN!!  Everybody watches the same show and we all comment as we watch.  LuLu and MiMi watched it with me and added to the overall enjoyment.

I've never even seen Biggest Loser but it was a chance to share with a group of bloggy gals every snarky comment that popped into my head without my children being negatively influenced by it.  SO MUCH FUN!!

And while the format of Biggest Loser is a little too "practiced" reality show for me I really got into it....I even managed to find some villains among the "Losers".  The Silver team didn't really seem much like friends considering they were supposed to be best friends.

LuLu summed it up at one point by saying, "This is torture."  High drama indeed.

So for a very tired Mommy and two energetic little girls it was a very entertaining half hour of television....did I mention that we only caught the last half hour of the two hour show?  yeah.  It was great.

Go here for a recap of the entire show.

The Last Day

Well, here it is.  The last day of the year, the month and most importantly the last day of my month of madness. 

I did it, didn't I?

And I have to tell you that it was satisfying to see my calendar there on the right  fill up and show daily progress.  Not as satisfying as a nap but I digress...

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement.  In fact, due to your encouragement I have a little announcement: 

I think I will do it again in January.  Why?  Because I need you a lot more than you need me.  That's why.

See you in the New Year.