The Devil's Arse

This morning we escaped the devil's asshole by going to church. (devil's asshole meaning, the heat. Another lovely Urban Dictionary term from our podcast) Being un-airconditioned, lately the sanctuary IS the devil's asshole--oooo!--but both last Sunday and this we had the service in the air-conditioned area. (I'm sure there is a fancy churchy term for that room, but alas, I have no clue what that would be...!) I sang in the choir this morning again, always fun. We always manage a bit of goofing off. All in the name of the Lord, of course.... !!

I've also been spreading the good news about voting for Kim and I's show on FM107. Please, if you haven't voted already, do do do! (or heck, vote again!) The days are creeping by, waiting for the news. They'll announce it on Tuesday, I guess. I'll just be happy to know, one way or the other.

I'm also focusing on getting ready for our Brookside vacation! We leave in less than a week already--hard to believe. I'm praying hard that it cools down a bit by then--with no air-conditioning in a cabin full of 9 or so people, that would definitely be the devil's arse.

Podcast tonight! Woo woo!

We Did It!

Well, it's done. Whew. Our live FM107 Undiscovered Divas audition is a thing of the past! Now we wait. And you vote! For us!! :-) I guess they will announce the winners on August 1st, on the air. Wonder if they'll call, too, in case we aren't listening?! This time we got there nice and early. We sat in Phat Thunder in the parking lot, and I must say he got a lot of looks. Nice. It was nice to have that time to sit and veg and mentally prepare for the show.

Here are some photos of the night. (could my mouth be any bigger?!) They were all taken before we started. First we met with Lori and Julia, they were the cutest. (Lori is the one you can barely see, behind Kim!) They were so easy and fun to talk to--no surprise there. The part with them felt very relaxed and we had a blast!

Then it was our turn. Because we over-talked with Lori and Julia (big surprise!) we had barely any time to get on our own mics and get down to business for our own show. It was a killer, waiting for the news and that Elvis Costello "Radio" song to end--but before I knew it, Producer Rob was introducing us! I have to say, the first segment of our show felt difficult. By the time it came to the first commercial, we felt like we had gone through most of our material and wondered what the heck we were going to do with the remaining 20 minutes or so that we had left. A little panicky there! But you know, things just flowed and it started to feel more natural as time went by. We did our little Urban Dictionary bit (except this time using the more radio-appropriate 'Slang Site') and then it was over. Whew.

Of course listening to the show afterward had to be a saga. A Scion Saga, no less. We received a CD copy of the show from Rob, and of course I popped it right into my player so we could catch some on the way home. Brian had recorded it, so I dropped Kim off so she could finish it there and then drove back here. Pulled into the driveway, pressed eject, and....nothing. Stuck. My radio spot is stuck in my CD player! Good grief! So I had to drive over to Kim's and get it from them. (gee darn, I had to hang with Kim again and talk it to death. !) We did listen together and felt good about what we did.

I have to say, leaving, neither of us felt like, "We Got It!" I think both of us really missed having Stephanie there, it certainly didn't have the same off-the-cuff goofiness and ease that our podcasts do. But after listening to the show, we both agreed that it actually sounded better than we feared, and we're pretty proud of it. I have no idea what to expect, or how it will go from here. It's anybody's guess who will win! It was just such an amazing opportunity, I just have to stay in the moment with that one. We were on the air, on national radio, doing what people dream of doing but never get the chance....even if it never goes further than that.

But who am I kidding?! I wanna WIN! So please vote for us, people! And I guess you can vote as much as you want. I'll keep you posted!

It's Official!

*WARNING*--entry not visually exciting, because for whatever reason I can't get the cute photos that I had uploaded. Irritating.

It's official!! We are on the list for a Cavachon puppy!!!!!!!! My dear husband totally surprised me last night and told me to go ahead and write the check out to Cindy, the breeder we're working with. I was all in the mind set that we had to wait until after we got back from our vacation to put that deposit down, which of course is probably the smartest thing to do. Even so, it was totally killing me. I think The Coreman probably told me to go ahead mostly so he wouldn't have to listen to me whine and worry about it anymore. :-) The poor guy. But I'm so excited I can barely stand it! There will be 3 litters, all born at the end of August and beginning of September. So now comes the waiting game. But that's okay! I know it's coming!!!!!!!! I think we've already settled on the name Shubey. Sullivan actually came up with it, which I thought was so cute. It's perfect--it comes from Scooby Doo (it's a friend of his!) which is very Sullivan, is a nickname Cory's friends used to call him, and of course conjures up images of someone foot-loose and fancy free, doing a little dance. It's all good. Of course, it could be like a baby--you end up changing your mind 20 times in the months you have before you actually have the thing in your arms. So we'll see! What do you all think of the name?

Tomorrow night, Kim and I will be official temporary radio personalities on FM107 with our 'Undiscovered Divas' show, at 6:00 PM! We are both very excited--and nervous, of course! Kim's coming over tonight so we can go over everything before the big day. Of course we'll need to reign things in from how we are on Feminine Hijinx...it won't be Motherhood After Dark, after all, but Motherhood At Dusk. Kids are still awake--and as Stephanie so wisely added, so is the FCC! But I'm not too worried. We will have a blast! So please, everyone listen to our show and then go to Fm107's site and vote for us! The voting will begin on Friday, the 28th, after 7:00 PM. You can only vote online. I have no idea where they will have the 'voting page' but I imagine they'll make it easy to find. I don't know how long you'll have to vote, but I do know whoever wins starts their show the very next weekend, so please vote ASAP! Here's hoping that we will soon be Official Radio Personalities, not only temporary. (well, even the grand prize show is temporary...but it will be a fun 8 weeks!)

The Great Out-of-Doors

Happy Saturday! I woke up this morning and went out to Lake Harriet for yet another weekend run--this time solo. Alas, poor Kim had her back just about go out on her yesterday! Luckily it didn't keep her down for long, but she was still feeling it this morning and wisely decided to skip our jaunt. Boy, do I feel her pain. I hope she's feeling better as the day goes by, she and Emily are going to 'Wicked' today! I'm sure they are very excited!

We are getting all geared up for having more people on our patio. Our friends the Franks and the Schacherers are coming over this afternoon for a BBQ. That latter name is pronounced 'Shockers"...one in the pink, two in the stink...hey, if you don't know what that means, I'm not explaining. This was actually something I recently learned myself, both from my Hijinx girls and Mike Schacherer himself!!! Naughty! It's a nice day, the kids should have fun running and playing in the great out-of-doors and us adults should enjoy drinking in it. (me and my Tablespoon of liquor!)

And speaking of the out-of-doors, look at my little birdies! Aren't they sweet? A few blog entries ago I posted a photo of their eggs resting in a nest that was residing in one of our hanging begonias. Now they've hatched! Our babies! I love hearing their very loud 'cheep cheeps' every so often, that I imagine they do when they are hungry and want Mommy to feed them. I'll be sad when they fly the coop!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Good Medicine

Another day, another puppet show. But all done now. Finished off VBS week with the story of blind Saul. Another uplifting summer tale! I could have used some Jesus healing yesterday--I woke up with a horrible back hitch. Not completely out, thank goodness, but it kept me pretty crooked for a while there. Of course of all the days, we had to be in a 'cave', which meant having our puppet stage set in a different room and just happened to be in front of a very hot gas fireplace that couldn't be turned off. Sitting myself on the mantle, all teetered to one side because of my back, was quite interesting. Poor Char--I was definitely teetered over in her personal space, practically screaming in her ear as I loudly recited my puppet lines and was probably reeking as I sweated bullets from both the heat and the total muscle control I was having to exude to keep myself in that position and keep my back from going out. It was quite a sight, I'm sure. Maybe I did get some Jesus healing, tho, as today I am feeling much better. My back is so strange. I never know what it's going to do. Kinda like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

At least I got to see BOTH of my good peeps yesterday--coffee (decaf, of course!) with Stephanie in the morning and hanging out with Kim (and her cute little niece, Audrey!) as I dropped off Vivian in the afternoon. That was definitely good medicine.

And some more good medicine...we've been to visit Bentley the Cavachon (that's him on the left, his mommy Carol gave me these photos of him!!) twice now, and Vivian's been fine around him! YAHOO! It's been quite a process, and quite a time of visiting different breeds. I will say, everyone is so nice about sharing their doggies...whether I know them or they are complete strangers. Gives you kind of a warm fuzzy feeling inside. But what really gives me a warm fuzzy feeling is to think that a Cavachon puppy may very well be in our future!!!!! We will be on the waiting list for a puppy that is due at the end of August--there will be 3 litters of pups to choose from. (can you believe the due date for one of the moms is August 29th, MY very own birthday?! Kismet!) Then of course the puppies wouldn't be ready to go home with anyone until November. That gives us a lot of time to read up, get used to the idea of having a furry friend, and let's face it--save up the dough-re-mi! These 'designer' dogs are not cheap! When we come back from our vacation to Brookside in a couple of weeks, we'll start the process and see where it takes us. So exciting!!!!!!!!!!!

Puppets and Pizza

Started out the day as a puppeteer once again for our church's Vacation Bible School. No Davey and Goliath this time--just an unidentifiable Elmo-lookalike guy. Tomorrow ought to be interesting...I get to act out with another puppet (reuniting with Char once again as the puppeteer! Yay!) who is Lazarus, the guy who J raised from the dead. Lovely. Then the kids get to decorate grave cloths. Such an up-lifting summer theme, wouldn't you say? Should be an interesting week!

The other night I went out with my friend Sarah, we had a great time. She's a friend I met in Missoula, back when we were living there. She and her then-boyfriend were regulars at the Atomic Grind, our coffee shop. To make a long story short, she ended up moving out here and is now living in Saint Paul. It's one of those ridiculous things that even though we are only across the river--and she works downtown Minneapolis--we rarely see each other. When we get together, though, we fall right back into place and have a great time. This time was no exception. We had dinner at California Pizza Kitchen at Southdale. We laughed, we cried, we shopped. Good fun had by all. There was even an Orlando sighting at B. Dalton's book store. I found a book of Pirates of the Caribbean reusable stickers! Ooooo! Of course my first question was, where shall I stick him?! Hmmmm.

I get another fun girlie night tonight, as I meet my friends Darcie, Sara (different one!) and Anne for dinner and chat.

Helter Swelter

Whew, it is darn hot out there. (notice I said darn, and not damn. already practicing up for the FM107 show...!) Believe it or not, I started out this roasty-toasty day in an early morning run with Kim around Lake of the Isles. Even though we were out by 8:00, alas, it was not early enough...it was already bloody hot. We ended up walking as much as we ran! But, we made it around, and then over to Yum Bakery for some breakie and chat about our upcoming Undiscovered Divas show. YUM is a great name for that place--the food was excellent, coffee superb--and served in the coolest insulated tumblers! I think I may have to get me some of those! We had a great time coming up with ideas for the show--I feel pretty confident that it will go well.

No sooner did I get home than Coreman said we were running to the Super Target out in Minnetonka. Sweaty, stinky me, with no shower. Ah well. That's 40, people. You just don't give a darn. (did you catch that? again, darn.) As we drove a guy passed us and threw the heavy metal salute out his window to me--I kid you not! He must have been showing me his approval of my rear window pimping. I honked back at him. Hilarious!

Meanwhile, the dog obsession continues. Since the Cavalier fiasco I've been looking into other breeds that may work with poor Vivian's allergies. After talking to Vivian's doctor, I did regain a little hope that maybe something will work out. Sadly, the Cavalier thing is definitely done, (at least for now!) but Dr. Garvis said it's very possible that there could be another breed that she could be just fine around. ! So of course I've been running with that one. The latest ideas are Cavachons, Cavapoos, or Cockapoos. The first two would be so great because as you can probably guess by the name, they are both Cavalier mixes. Of course this could mean that the Bichon Frise or Poodle mixed with them may still not cancel out the allergy-inducing Cavalier part, but I figure it's worth a try. To make a long story short, we got a hold of a woman who has a Cavachon in Minnetonka, and we went out to visit him today. (what is it about Minnetonka and the dogs that I love?!) His name was Bentley, can you stand it?? The very same name of that adorable Cavalier puppy I put on the previous listing below! Maybe it's a sign?! It was hard to tell how it went with Vivian, to be honest. She did have one part on her face that seemed itchy, but I didn't see any hives, and we were also outside in 101 degree weather today. Bentley didn't lick her much, and I don't even remember if he even licked her in that spot. She certainly was not sniffly at all. He didn't shed any hair that I saw, which is the thing with that breed and is AMAZING--so that would definitely help. But we rubbed a shirt on him like we did on the Cavaliers, and we'll see how Vivian does with that. At least these are a little less money than the Cavs...but not much...! So all hope is not lost. I am not giving up yet. This guy sure was adorable.

Got home, played Scooby Doo, made dinner, and then FINALLY washed my stinky bod. Tonight when Kim and Brian pick up Emily from her play date with Viv, they will stay for a beer or two. Nice. A little bit o' Kim in the mornin', a little bit o' Kim in the evening. Ain't we got fun?

The Divas We

Last night Kim and I had our orientation for the FM107 Undiscovered Divas thing. We had to be there at 6:00, which was a source of stress being that we had to get onto 94 during rush hour. At 5:45 we were panicking, because even though I had picked her up at 5:15 we hadn't even gotten off of 394 yet. Yikes! Luckily tho, once we got through the tunnel it was smooth sailing. We ended up getting there with a few minutes to spare, but all of the doors were locked! We had no idea how to get in. Lucky for us we saw another pair trying to get in, and they knew about some security entrance around the back of the building and let us ride with them around to the other side. Whew! Nice Divas!

So we got in and were greeted by some behind-the-scenes people, all very nice. We were immediately handed a sheet with all of the FCC regulations on it, explained in detail by a lawyer whilst we all sat around some huge conference table. Of course the first two rules are "Don't Talk Dirty" and "Don't Swear". I couldn't help but think to myself, what ever will we talk about?! This guy was anything but stodgy, though, and it was fun and interesting to learn all about it.

After that they took us down some winding hallway to get copies of our driver's licenses (probably so they can sue us if we break an FCC regulation and they get fined...!) and then gave us a quick tutorial about how to work the mics. We went right into the broadcasting room to see how everything goes. Fun! One person has to sit in front of the window, so they are in site of 'Rob' the producer, who basically oversees the show. This person is generally in charge of the commercial breaks and so on. Kim immediately looked at me and said, "That will be you..." eeeek! What have I gotten myself into?! Here's an interesting thing...I guess radio (at least FM107, don't know the specifics of all of them) is actually on an 8 second delay. So if you drop the F Bomb, you have to press a red button (the big shiny red button--a little Ren and Stimpy reference there) appropriately called the Dump Button. This will erase your boo-boo and save you from that big-ass fine. Ooops, I should say big-butt fine, as the lawyer suggested watching our swearing in these next few weeks so it doesn't slip out on air. Dump Button, here I come...

It was fun meeting everyone, although un-nerving to size up the competition and get a taste of what they may have in store. We have no grand plans for our show. We are just going to be us, chatting. The sky's the limit it seems, with the station...they say we can have call-ins, themes, contests...as long as everything is cleared with them, of course. And that kind of stuff may be fun if we actually win the long-term show. But we both agree that for this first one, we'll just keep it simple, and hopefully that will be enough! It's so exciting! I get Pssst, the FM107 newsletter, and here is an excerpt from it:

***Excitement filled the halls of FM 107 this week when all of the Undiscovered Diva finalists stopped by for their Radio 101 orientation. They got a crash course in FCC rules and a brief tutorial on the set-up in the studio. Tune in beginning Monday July 17th through Friday July 28th, from 6pm to 7pm to hear a different pair of radio-host-hopefuls give it their best. Lori and Julia will be in charge of welcoming the Undiscovered Divas into the studio on the tail end of their show, and offering some helpful advice. You can bet this will be interesting.

Check out our website to meet the finalists and hear a clip from their shows. Then when all the on-air try-outs are over make sure you go online to vote for which pair of hosts you think should get their own show.***

So there it is, people. July 26th, from 6-7, we'll be live, on the air! Listen and vote for us, please! Talk about a dream come true it would be, to win that contest and get that 8 week show. Does that mean I'll have to stop swearing and talking dirty from then on, though? The horror!

Ask Me Jesus

Remember the Magic 8 Ball? Well, question-answering has gone to a whole new level now. Now you can Ask Me Jesus. A week or so ago I was shopping in Patina and came across this gem. So far I've bought one for my friend (and Pastor's wife!) Nancy for her birthday, and then I just had to have one for myself. One never knows when they will have to Ask Me Jesus...and now we don't have to wait for some mysterious sign! We can get an answer right away! All one needs to do is flip Jesus over and take a peek under his robes. I whipped him out during our latest podcast, we had a lot of fun with him. Of course, we always have fun. Here's Kim having too much fun on our patio after an afternoon with Lord Fletcher.

Tonight Vivian went downstairs and discovered Ask Me Jesus. She was like, "what the heck is this?" When I told her she immediately asked it, "Is my Mom for real?!" to which it answered, "I died for this?!"

Puppy Blues

Today I mourn the loss of a dream. A puppy dream. You've read how all of a sudden I've been inflicted by a serious case of Puppy Fever. Don't know how, don't know why, but lately it has been an obsession, a total craving. I am the first to admit that I'm sure it's a hormonal thing, but hey! Hormones are real, too. And they must be a-ragin'! I know I don't want another baby, but man. The puppy thing has come on strong.

So even though we hadn't even gone through the family decision making process as to whether or not it's really a good time for a puppy right now, I thought it would still be a good idea to bring Vivian to a breeder to see how her allergies would hold up around the Cavaliers, just in case. She's been just fine around many other dogs lately, so we started to think that maybe those allergies were waning. Sunday afternoon we took a drive to visit Kris at Mystic Knight Cavaliers, where we were greeted by no less than 12 Cavaliers off all ages and colors! Oh man, I was in Cavalier Heaven. The kids were totally delighted, there is nothing better than the sight and sound of puppy-induced giggles. We had brought a shirt and blanket along at Kris' suggestion, something for Vivian to sleep with and/or wear in the days to come to see if she reacted. Well, there was no need to even experiment with that. By the time we left about a half an hour later, Vivian was itching a spot on her face and I saw that hives were developing. She went through an entire travel-sized Kleenex package on the way home, blowing her nose. (and if I had let myself go, I would have used the entire travel-sized package of Kleenex as well, from crying!) So needless to say, I don't think a Cavalier would be the healthy choice in our home at this time. Maybe it was the fact that there were 12, but still, chances are...not a good idea.

The next step will be to see what the allergist says. Of course we couldn't get in until August. At that point we'll talk to him and see if we have any options at all--possibly one of those 'hypoallergenic dogs'' that I've heard about? Don't know if there really even is such a thing, as often the dog's saliva can be the culprit, not just the fur or dander. Of course I'm so glad we did all this before we had our hearts broken even more by owning a puppy and having to get rid of it. And of course nothing is more important than the health of my little girl.

But damn. I'm sad. (so sad in fact, that even my dear friend Stephanie was moved to dedicate an entire entry on her blog about my puppy blues! Awwww, what a friend!) When we returned, upon seeing me my lovely husband who understandably doesn't quite get the idea of spending that ungodly amount of money on a dog, told me that someday when Vivian moves away I can get my Cavalier. Sigh. That's a long time to have puppy fever. I know these things wax and wane, however, and that's helping me through. But can you stand that face up above?? Wouldn't you know, as soon as we found out it was a dying dream a breeder sent me this photo attached to an email saying this little guy was available right now for a very affordable price. Sigh.

Squirrel Droppings

Ahhhh, Saturday morning, just me and my friend Jo hangin' out whilst the family still sleeps. Although I LOVE to sleep in, I have to say I very much enjoy the mornings when I actually drag myself out of bed. These days I take my coffee and sit on the porch, listening to the breeze through the trees and our little birdie-friends chirping away. Sometimes I'll catch a rabbit hopping by or some romping squirrels. Which reminds me...

The other day Cory and I were sitting on our patio having a nice chat as the kids played inside. (why is it that WE are often out enjoying the air and the kids would rather be in?! Don't get it, when I was a kid, I was ALWAYS outside...!) As we talked we were watching a couple of squirrels do their usual chasing and running, jumping from tree to tree. All of a sudden, not 10 feet away, a squirrel came plummeting down from a branch and landed with a thud. It was as if it was in slow motion--I saw the squirrel coming down, but as much as I wanted to turn away, I just couldn't. Ug, that thudding sound! Luckily it was only a bit stunned and was soon back to it's romp, but it was frea-ky. What was really sweet, tho, was that it climbed slowly back up into the tree after it happened and the other squirrel that had been playing with it came over, making little squeaking sounds, and literally put it's nose right up to the other's as if it were kissing it, making sure it was ok. Whew! Don't need to see/hear that again. I've only seen that happen one other time, and it was on cement. That was not pleasant either, but again, the squirrel just got right back up and into the tree. It's amazing that sort of thing doesn't happen more often, really. Ug!

Yesterday was a nice day--just did the usual weekly grocery run and then took the kiddies to the Rec Center pool. I have to say other than dealing with the crowd and just the thought of everyone's bodily fluids all swirling together in a massive cesspool, it's a great place to be. (don't I just make you want to be there right now?!) But really, I'm very thankful we have that only a few blocks away. The kids just love it there, and it really is very cool with it's slides, 0 clearance area, fountains, sand play area, you name it. We get season passes every year. I have to say here in Minnesota it's often too chilly for me to want to be in a pool--I have to have it blazing hot to really enjoy it, or I feel cold--but even if we only get there a few times I figure the place is worth supporting.

Just took a break from my writing to go have a run with my friend Kim. A run! Me! Twice around Lake Harriet, I might add. (which makes over 5 miles! woo!) I may have a gay gait, but I'm doin' it anyway! The legs are a bit sore, but overall, it was easy and I feel great! Woo! That's been a nice way to start a weekend, I might add. The rest of the day, I have no idea what it holds. Kind of a lazy day, which is nice. We may drive out to Scion to ask about the luggage rack. I don't really want to add one, but, there really isn't a lot of room in the back for stuff--and we'll need that room when it's time to go to Brookside! Of course, if I end up getting that radio show--eeek--then we'd be taking 2 cars anyway. It would really stink to miss the first 2 days of Brookside, but a small price to pay to be a semi-regular on FM 107. We shall see.

Right now Cory is once again trying to install an MP3 converter in Phat Thunder. This is the second one we've been sent. It's been just another chapter in the Scion Saga. I'll have to go into it sometime, but right now I'd better finish this novelette.

Who Needs Park Avenue??

I stole that photo from Steph's blog since I forgot to bring my camera along for the 4th festivities! We all enjoyed an amazing fireworks display on the Interlachen golf course--which I'm sure is the only time I'd be allowed on that green. Check out the dress code...no metal spikes. How not metal. And no fivesomes?! Sheesh, can't a person have any fun?? It's always fun to hang out with Stephanie and John, so that was no surprise. Sullivan was in rare form--last year he was pretty scared of the fireworks, holding his fingers in his ears and cowering on Dad's lap. Although he still had his fingers in his ears this time, his exclamations of "Oooh, pretty!" "Kowabunga!" and "That one made Vivian feel fancy!" were definitely signs that he was enjoying himself. Hilarious!

The afternoon at Bruggeman's was quite fun, too, and get this--some people actually brought their 8 week old puppy!!! It wasn't a Cavalier Spaniel, but it was a French Brittany Spaniel, and I will say as puppies they look a lot alike. Needless to say, I was all about that puppy. Vivian spent a lot of time with him and had no allergy problems at all. We even took her shirt and rubbed it all over him, as a breeder has said to do, and had Vivian sleep on the shirt--not an itchy eye or a runny nose to be had! So that was encouraging. We'll have to do the same test with the Cavalier, of course. But it sure was fun to be around that puppy. Sigh.

This afternoon we hung out with Stephanie, Nathan, Kim and Emily around and in Stephanie's pool. Ahhh, the life! It was quite luxurious, I will say. Who needs Park Avenue?! Hey, as much as I was able to actually lounge poolside in a very comfy chair with a beer and my fabulous peeps, with my kids splashing happily away, it may as well have been Park Avenue. Then it was home to throw a beautiful filet of wild salmon on the grill, kiss my husband goodbye as he went off to do a presentation at his monthly Photoshop group, and jet Vivian off to her weekly art lesson. Whew! Right now Sullivan is enjoying Madagascar on my FREE MOVIE CHANNEL--woo hoo!--and I think I'll go join him. It's amazing how just lazing around in the sun can totally make you sleepy. ZZZZ. Enjoy this beautiful evening, everyone!

Happy 4th!

Happy Birthday, America! I have to say, saying that statement there on my blog is about as patriotic as I get. I am not one to raise the flag in my yard. Now don't get me wrong--I'm appreciative of all we have in this free country, and of the people that fought (and continue to fight, sadly) and died (and continue to die, even more sadly) for me to have the life such as I do. But at this point and time, I feel it's almost an embarrassment to be an American. What with us trying to flex our muscles and try prove to every other country that we are the biggest and the baddest...somehow it just makes me think of a big two-year old. But I don't want to turn this entry into a political statement. I'd rather focus on the fun.

It was a good start to the day, kicking my husband's ass in a game of cribbage out on the patio. It was a lovely morning, a cool breeze blowing and our little birdie friends hanging out with us. And of course winning my game made it all the better. I even had to give my husband a quick flash in victory. Cribbage used to be the way we started every morning, before children. Coffee and cribbage. And we always had a victory dance, whoever won. (yes, even my Norwegian husband did victory dances. I've seen many a bare butt wiggle in my face over the years.) Now that the kids are getting older, we can actually get a game in once in a while. Very nice!

After cribbage I also started the day with a run around Lake Harriet!!! Kim and I went the other day, and she gave me some good tips about combining running and walking, assuring me that it is NOT whimping out. Yay! So I went around the entire lake with ease, I might add. Nice. Felt really good. It was sure crowded down there today! At the very end of my run, wouldn't you know...I saw a couple walking a ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the dog I covet. Sigh. I almost stopped them and gushed over the dog. I even contemplated asking them if I could rub my shirt all over it, taking said shirt off right then and there. (a suggestion made by a breeder, to give to Vivian and have her sleep with to see if she reacts) I can only imagine what a freak I would have looked like, so I abstained. It was difficult, though. sigh sigh sigh.

Seems to be a game day all around. I went out on the patio to find Vivian and her friend/neighbor Justin playing a game of Pokemon. Then I heard noises downstairs and found Cory and Sullivan playing The Dinosaur Game. Could anything be better? There is nothing I like more than a good game with friends and/or family. (well, maybe a podcast with my peeps...but that's a different category...!)

Lookit what I almost jumped into the shower with today. (sorry, Steph, but I had to do it!) UG! Usually the tub is the best place to find a spider or centipede, because a person can just grab a cup and wash it down the drain. This crunchy thing, however, looked as though it wouldn't even fit down that drain. UG UG! Thank goodness Cory was home today, I called him in from the studio to get it. He sounded annoyed but when he saw it, I think he understood. He even commented on how we could filet the thing. UG UG UG! So much for independence, though, having my husband get that spider. Since it's the 4th, I should have saluted that spider as Cory carried it out in it's crumpled paper towel tomb. You almost have to have respect for a spider that big.

So later today, we head to our friends Dawn and Mark's for some 4th fun. A swim in their pool and a hang with them will be very nice. Then in the evening we'll head over to Steph and John's for more fun and fireworks on the golf course! Woo!

Pimpin' My Ride

Check it out! I'm pimpin' out Phat Thunder! I may not have bought Skully, but no matter. I've got me my own skull. Isn't he cute? I'm quite proud of myself, actually...I picked out the font for "Metal Mommy" and had Custom Vinyl Graphics make it for me. (they did a great job!) Then I ordered the skull guy from ISymbols and put them together. 40 people, 40. It's a grand thing. You do ridiculous things like this and you just don't give a damn. (it's so ridic!) Just cuz you can, and it's fun. Woo!

The Not-So-Metal Cute Entry

All together now, "awwwwww!" This is the Cute Entry. I've just been surrounded by cuteness lately, and in one particular case, I'm hoping to be soon.

Yesterday we went to the Minnesota Zoo. Lot's of cuteness there. My favorite giraffes were there, adorable. Didn't get a pic of them, though. I found out later that I could have fed them--I guess you can buy (of course!) some sort of food and they will take it right out of your hand!!!! I didn't see that available when we were there, I would have been all over that. What's funny is that I remember doing that very thing as a kid, and it might have even been at that very zoo when I was about Vivian's age, bringing my brother John to MCAD. (Minneapolis College of Art and Design) Sullivan and I went into the butterfly garden. He and I just love butterflies. Vivian, on the other hand, is a little freaked out by the fact that they may land on her and tickle, so she sat outside and waited for us to come out. I found these two butterflies that looked like they were kissing! Awwww, cute!!!

Stephanie had a hawk on her deck, and I have little birdie eggs in our hanging flower basket! We've been noticing birds flying in and out of those flowers, and Kim made a comment that maybe they were making a nest. Sure enough, we took a peek and noticed the nest filled with eggs! Cory was so sweet, worried about the fact that we've been dousing them with water whenever we turn the house on the flowers. So now we gently take it down and water along the side. Gotta love my husband for being so caring about the little birdies. Awwww, cute!!!

This is the cuteness that I'm hoping to be surrounded with eventually. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. (say that 10 times fast) It's funny, I've never been much of a dog person, more of a cat person. A couple of years ago I saw one of these Cavalier pups on the lap of a mom watching my karate class and I fell in love. It was so adorable, just sitting there quiet as can be, wagging it's little tail at anyone passing by. I came home and told Cory that if we ever got a dog, that's what I wanted. So lately I've had the Puppy Fever. And in true Suz style, I have happened to pick one of the most expensive puppies you could buy. I talked to one breeder who gave me a price of Two Thousand Dollars. Gulp! Damn, even with dogs I have expensive taste. The problem is though, I fell in such love with that little thing, I will have nothing less. But we also have to find out more info about Vivian's allergies. We had to get rid of a great cat about 2 weeks after we got her because Vivian just swelled up with hives. The poor thing came down the stairs one day, holding Phoebe and looking like Quasimodo. Quite scary. We had her tested and sure enough-- allergic to cats, dogs and guinea pigs. But the dog allergy seems to be not as intense, so I need to find out more information about this before we go any further with this puppy idea. Don't ask me why I'm so gun-ho on this right now. This sort of pang comes and goes with me--but it hasn't gone away yet. I wonder if it's a baby thing?? Sullivan is at the age that Vivian was when I had him...but I know I don't want a baby! So, we shall see. At first Cory was like, No. But I think I may be whittling him down, bit by bit. heh heh. Awwww, cute!!!!

So there it is. I hope I made your day with the plethora of cuteness that I've displayed and talked about on my blog. Not so metal, but hey. Even Ozzy Ozbourne has a soft side.