A Pot to Plant In

I am totally into my pot right now, people, and I don't mean cannabis. I do, however, mean a plant--many plants as a matter of fact! My lovely friend Lisa recently took me to Bachman's to pick out my choice of plants to put into the pot she bought me for my 40th birthday. (see, I AM still getting things for my 40th...!) Since my birthday is at the end of August and not exactly good planting time, she had told me that come May 2007 we'd fill 'er up--and we did! Lisa went above and beyond the call of duty and even came back here to plant them. Woo, any time someone else gets their hands dirty for me--you've gotta love that! Pots are my kind of thing--I have a total black thumb and can't grow a thing. With pots, all you have to do is make sure you have the right kind of plant for the area it's going into--shady or sunny--and then water. I can handle that. In fact, now I'm addicted. I can't get enough pot. (s) Our plain old patio is becoming very colorful, and I'm loving it. I even had to buy a Wandering Jew, just because of the name. Fuhgetaboutit!

It may not be the naughty kind of pot, but I think this kind may still be addicting and giving me a high...weee! The other kind may be more metal, of course, but this one is legal.

Happy Memorial Weekend!

That doesn't sound quite right, does it? Even though we all use this weekend either to get away somewhere or just to relax/party at our own homes, I suppose we should take a moment to think about the reason we even HAVE this holiday.
There. I gave it a moment, and I hope you did too. On to the getaway! We had a nice weekend up north where we not only hung out at 'Grammy's house', but also in Kim and John's brand-spankin' new 32 foot trailer, definitely a home-away-from-home. Parked out on Grammy's beautiful 2-lot lawn, it was a very nice and relaxing place to hang for both the human and canine species. We ate very well and did the shopping-tourist thing. Nice. It was definitely a good thing to get away for a few days.

In the spirit of our friend Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods show on the Travel Channel--that both of my kids adore watching, by the way-- Vivian decided she was going to actually try escargots--or snails--and film herself doing it, with the hopes that it will make it on an episode. (Andrew does indeed ask for videos of people eating bizarre foods.) Of course to many people snails are not a very crazy thing to eat, but it sure is to an eleven-year-old. I have to say, I was impressed that she would even try it. She filmed the whole process from how they were prepared to eating it, and she did it--although the jury is still out as to whether she actually swallowed one and not just the french bread that she also had in her mouth at the same time. Showing off, she popped another one in her mouth but once the camera was off she quickly spat it out on the lawn...! (good thing we were eating outside!) Hilarious. I think she gets points either way. Who knows if Andrew spits things out once the cameras stop rolling?? What say ye, Andrew? Inquiring minds want to know...personally, I don't know how the guy can keep things down like a still-beating frog's heart, a shot of sake half filled with fresh turtle's blood or a live 12 inch or so long mangrove worm--but if it inspires my kids to try some new and interesting things--hooray! Better him than me, is all I can say.

Anyhoo, I hope your Memorial Day festivities were memorable as well...

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Ahhh, another quest. I've started to realize that with me, it never ends. That's sort of depressing. But then again, what would a girl be without a quest?? Once she's happily married she's not going to go searching for a MAN, for goodness sake, why not the next best thing? Fashion accessories???

Jennifer Garner is going to be mentioned again in my blog, and this time it's not what she's saying--it's what she's wearing. At least in her cover shoot for the May 2007 In Style magazine. The dress she has on is amazing, but I'm not even going to go there--I KNOW it's going to be beyond my reach. But the necklace....I've been thinking about how I need to jazz up my wardrobe with some longer jewelry pieces these days. I am a big choker girl, and my usual necklace length beyond that is a mere 16 inches. Lately though, I had the urge to layer. And if one wants to layer, one needs a long necklace for the final touch. The one that Jen is wearing is perfect, in my humble opinion...big and gaudy, clear lucite so it goes with anything, very glitterati and glam with that giant chandelier-type pendant hanging down. oh yeah. Well dumb me threw the magazine away without looking to see who made the thing, so I was left to do a blind search for 'lucite necklaces' on the internet. Not an easy task.

Lo and behold--here it is!! Or at least one that looks a heck of a lot like it, and that will do. You've gotta love Bluefly. Granted I'm not running out and buying it right now since I just bought my lovely Do Son perfume--a girl does have to be someone practical--but I'm definitely bookmarking this one. There is something so satisfying about having something in mind and actually finding it! The quest has been found. Now I can rest. Until the next one comes along, that is....

For My 40th Birthday

In the spirit of my 40th birthday--which you readers know I'm STILL milking for all it's worth--I'm wishing someone would buy me this castle. Okay, so it's actually closer to my 41st birthday at this point than my 40th...but you could still get it for me for 41, I'd let you. Even my son knows about my love for castles, which he proved just today as he showed me a beautiful painting of one in an antique store and said, "Look Momma! You would like that!" A Metal Mommy bringing up her children in a castle. I could totally see it. Now if only I had a cool 15 mill..... Sure, I would spend my entire lifetime cleaning the thing...as soon as you finished cleaning all of the rooms, the first one you did would be full of cobwebs...but I think I can honestly say I would enjoy castlework. There is a survey on the CNN page asking if you'd want to live in a castle--would you?

Happy Birthday Coreman!

Well, it's actually tomorrow, but since we're having a celebration of 3, count 'em 3 birthdays tomorrow, I figured I probably wouldn't get a chance to post. May is like Christmas around here--no less than 4 major brithdays and 3 Mother's Days to celebrate. Since the Coreman shares his birthday week with his sister and Mom, we often kill of those birdies with one stone and do a family get-together. We'll be hosting it on our patio and the weather looks perfect. Yeah! Gotta love those spring birthdays.

So Happy Birthday sister-in-law Kim, mother-in-law Connie, and especially my dear hubbie Cory. Where would I be if it weren't for your loving support?? A day to celebrate indeed.

A Metal Mother's Day

Motherhood. "I love the universality of it. There are very few women in the world that I can't have a conversation with now." Wise, wonderful words spoken by relatively new mom Jennifer Garner. I love that statement, it is so true. Motherhood (or, parenthood in general) opens your life not only to new feelings you never knew you had and the experiences of raising a child that are simultaneously awe-inspiring and frightening, but it also opens yourself to others. Most of my dear friends I have I've met through my children. Children give you the excuse to talk to a complete stranger in a park, to strike up a conversation with someone that, for the mere fact that you both have children, you have something in common. Makes the world seem a little smaller, a little cozier, doesn't it?

I had a very nice Mother's Day. I really don't believe in making a big fuss out of these sorts of occasions, so we usually just keep things simple...but my family always makes a big fuss over me, and that is darn sweet. This morning I woke up to some lovely cards AND chocolate from each family member--Nice! I also treated myself to some perfume that I've been pining over since we did that 'smelling' on the podcast, I believe I mentioned it on a previous post. It's called Do Son, made by Diptyque. Heaven, my friends, pure spring-flower freshness heaven. I think I sprayed it on twice today, I couldn't get enough. I was worried originally that it may be too light, but actually a full-blast spritz does last quite a while. So that was a nice splurge for myself.

We started off at choich this morning, then spent the afternoon in Purgatory. It's true. There is this amazing wooded area with lots of trails to tread, and it's called Purgatory. You've gotta love that. We took Digby and we all enjoyed walking in the breezy sunshine. It actually got quite hot today! From there we went to the cemetary. The kids have wanted to explore the cemetary we see when we're at the lakes for quite some time now, so we thought today was a good day. We found Cory's grandma and grandpa's grave markers, it was nice. I used to be so afraid of cemetaries as a kid--too many ghost stories, I guess. Now I find them so beautiful and peaceful. And hey, it's not every day you get to purgatory and the cemetary in the same day....well, maybe it is!!!!

For dinner we perused my favorite Byerly's for a Bit of This and a Bit of That Dinner. I love those. Where you just go through the store and pick and choose things from the deli, chinese food counter, sushi counter, whatever...YUM. It feels so luxurious! Sushi, a bit of some Sunflower Pasta Salad, fresh pineapple and ice cream bars for dessert. All on the patio. I don't think it gets much better than that. What a lucky Mommy I am, not to mention the fact that I have the most amazing kids on the planet that have made Mother's Day possible. And I guess with Purgatory and the cemetary, it was a very Metal Mother's Day. Nice!!!

Pretty in Man Salmon

You know, when your kids play hookey it can actually be kind of fun. Well, okay, Vivian wasn't exactly playing hookey...she IS sick with strep throat, poor girl. But thankfully she doesn't get deathly ill with it, it always starts as a sore throat, then comes the headache and a bit of a sore tummy. None of that throwing up stuff, which can often go along with the virus. (thank goodness!) So she's sick enough not to have a lot of energy or go to school, but still wants to hang around and play games, watch TV (but of course!), that sort of thing.

Yesterday morning we started The Lost Boys. It's an 80's movie that I just knew she would love, being so into the macabre as she is. That movie--at least in my humble opinion--definitely stands the test of time. It's the perfect mix of horror (which of course compared to today's standards is SO tame...and about what I can handle now in my autumn years) and humor. Great writing, great acting, lots of fun. I watched it first, since I hadn't seen it in so long, trying to see it through an 11 year old's eyes to see if it was okay for her. Of course we all have our own standards as to what's okay and I'm sure to some it wouldn't be. There is language and some implied hanky-panky goin' on, but watching it together feels okay to me. My little girl is growing up!

After Sully came home, it was game time. Nothing like an afternoon with some Cadoo and Chutes and Ladders. Of course come summer, we'll be doing this all the time! But there is something about doing fun things like that when you are supposed to be doing something responsible, like going to school. It's not me missing school, of course, but I can live vicariously through my kids. :-)

Today I sent Sullivan to school in his new pink polo. (speaking of the 80's!) I'm not sure how the Coreman feels about Sullivan donning that feminine color, but I think it's the cutest thing ever. I told Sullivan if anyone gives him grief about wearing pink he should reply, "It's not pink, it's Man Salmon." I think that really sunk in because he was saying just that at the bus stop.

Rise, Shine, and Shiver

Okay, groggily sipping my coffee in my morning stupor, I did NOT need to read this news story. This is what urban myths are made of. And just now as I type this and my sweet son eats his morning waffle, he casually mentions that last night he was roused by the feeling of something crawling across his face!!!!!!!! I hadn't even mentioned this story to him. I just don't even think there is anymore to say about that. All I know is that I'll be itching my ears all day long now. UG!

Can You Smell Me?

What a day! There it is, until it gets beastly hot around here (which sadly, won't be too long from now) I am going to make you all nuts by raving about the glorious weather on every post. I mean, who couldn't? Sunny, breezy, in the 70's...perfection. I would be a very happy camper indeed if it never got hotter than this. Do I really need to don a bathing suit?? nah. A t-shirt and shorts or a skirt do me just fine, thank you. Let's leave the bikinis for the young single-without-children ladies. Although...I do have to say I'm looking forward to some chillin' with my peeps by Stephanie's pool....!!


Our latest podcast is live, and I have to say, it was great fun this time. Who am I kidding, it's ALWAYS fun, but I got to be EXTRA girlie on this one and rave about perfume. I recently got in touch with Robin from Now Smell This, an amazing perfume blog, and we did sort of a perfume sniffing (sort of like a wine tasting!). I told her what I liked and disliked in perfumes, and she sent me some samples to try based on that information. Oh, I have some fragrances that I enjoy but a girl is always looking for a new scent. (at least this girl is.) I know my taste in perfume definitely has been changing over time, and often--like a cup of coffee--I never quite get to the bottom of a bottle before I'm done with it. Right now I would love a nice light spring/summer scent to celebrate this glorious season. I'm going to make you listen to the podcast to get the inside information--did Robin pick my new scent? How many tampons up did I rate each one, and why??--because I know you are all burning with desire to hear the end result. Let's just say I'm thinking a new perfume just might be the perfect Mother's Day gift...ahem...:-) Actually I could really and truly care less about getting gifts on those 'must prove your love' occasions...lets face it, when you are happily married with fabulous children you certainly don't need proof that you are loved. (lucky me!) That said, a new scent is my latest Quest. My poor husband....:-)

So! Stay tuned, not only will you get to find out the results of my perfume quest (lucky you!) but eventually you will get to hear Stephanie and Kim give their rants and raves over some samples as well. Huzzah!