When we go to MiMi's farm Meg usually picks out one barn kitty to smother with love Lenny Small style. Every time she begs to take the kitty home: she has only been told "yes" once.
Meg's beloved weekend kitty passed away on Sunday morning, after a Saturday of playful love. Then when we woke up this morning our beloved hamster passed away.
Sometimes life can be a total asshole to a four year old.
"But...but I saw the kitty's tail move and she winked her eye at me"
Don't let her looks decieve you, she is a lean-mean-stress-causing machine. Have you ever been woken up at 3 am to find a Petal and then you can't find a Petal and you have a four year old crying "Where is Petal???" and you're like "I have no idea where Petal is, it's 3 am can't you sleep with Charlie Brown?"
Dumb question.
This pink bunny has seen a lot and been everywhere.
The grocery store. School. The Library. The Park. The Badger game...
The fire station....
Petal will even be in this year's school picture.
And the idea of leaving her at any of these places sends my blood pressure up.
"Where's Petal?" "Do you have Petal?" "Did you leave Petal in the cart?" "Fire Truck?" "On the book shelf?" "In the bleachers?" "On the swing?"
Because when the sun has set and the moon is high and it's time to tuck little girl into bed and there is no Petal, God have mercy on your soul.
Everyone says this too shall pass. One night she'll forget about Petal and fall asleep. But for now Petal is a part of our family. And who could resist that pink face...
I am a product of a divorced family. Try explaining why you have two moms and two dads to a seven year old, it goes something like this:
Son: "Mom, why does your mom live in Wisconsin and your dad in Tennessee?"
Me: "Well mommy's mommy and daddy are divorced and my mommy and daddy don't love together."
Son: "You and daddy are divorced?"
It's a hard thing to explain and harder since there are few relatable characters for him to refrence , it is always easier to explain with characters that he sees on T.V. or in a book. Nolan is getting more curious about the world around him, he is starting to see differences and question them.
One of our favorite shows to watch is Arthur. Arthur has tackled some really cool issues that kids today face. Last year I was happy to see that Arthur brought on a character with Aspergers, Binky Barnes has a peanut allergies and Buster Bunny's parents are divorced. Using Buster's family has helped my kids understand divorce.
This season of Arthur is no different, starting off Arthur's friend The Brain learns about what life is like for those in a wheelchair. Elwood City new character Lydia Fox shows The Brain how to play basketball and how to deal with everyday situations in a wheelchair.
Also stay tuned for Arthur's very special Halloween episode with special guest Neil Gaiman, author of the book Coraline and The Graveyard Book, set to air October 25.
Disclosure: I received a screener of Arthur no other compensation was given. All opinions and stories above are my own. All pictures are owned by PBS KIDS.
I live near a college town. A big college town. A Big 10 college town.
And at any given minute we can be blessed with football tickets and being only a hop, skip and a long wait on University Ave. away from the fun we are always on.
It doesn't hurt that it was Homecoming and we were playing our biggest rival, one of the LONGEST RUNNING rivalries in NCAA college football history. It doesn't hurt also that said school is, time and again, named one of the top party schools.
Good Times.
And if you don't have fun you got a giant stick shoved somewhere.
So what's up for grabs, besides bragging rights for a year?
No silly bell or jug, you are in real man country. A jug? You silly kids.
Yes, tailgating would have been nice, but like I said this was last minute. We start this journey passing through this magical arch. And it is magical. You walk through it, rich, poor, man, woman. Your love or hate for football does not matter, you pass these gates and we all become fans. These gates are only second to heaven's.
My boys ready for some football. No, excuse me. FOOTBALL!!!!
It's called Camp Randall. It's named for tradition, not a corporation. This is why I love it.
You come for the football you stay for the band. If you have never seen our marching band you are a sad mac. Sad. Mac.
Two young fans waiting for their team. They are some cute fans.
And here they come. Real men wear red. And white.
Double the U, Dot the I, Curve the S, Curve the C, Round the O, Slant the N, Curve the S, Dot the I....and N. I snapped too soon. I forgot the last N. Do not mistake, it is an important N.
Nice tight end. What? Really that's a tight end.
Okay who am I kidding. Nice butt.
Picture of the cheerleaders for this cheerleader...
Yum! good pom-poms. I am so glad I payed the 100% mark-up for those. She was one happy 4 year old.
"First and 10 Wisconsin" Our kid got everyone around him screaming that. And he got more then his share of high fives. He loves football. No, excuse me, HE LOVES FOOTBALL!!!
Jump Around!
See under the giant billboard? Those are all the students. They are crazy fun to watch. If you are going to a college game sit as close to the student seating as possible. But not in the student section, you're just asking to be puked on.
And the winner was....
....did you ever doubt it. The Axe comes back. It always does.
GO BADGERS!
Now as a public service I feel it is my duty to show you all How to Bucky. Because that is what I am. A giver.
I have IBS. It is a little known fact about myself. Of course I don't like to talk about my bowels much, who does? It is not a topic that comes up in every day conversation. "Hey how's your bowels today?" "Did you take a nice crap today?" "Why no, I didn't, I have IBS so taking a crap is actually a pain in the ass, literally and figuratively!"
My IBS is part self-diagnosed and part clinically diagnosed. After months of pooping in a cup and smearing my shit on a card to no avail, I stopped short of them sticking things up my anus for a 100% diagnosis. There is only so much shit a girl can take. Literal and Figural.
This started out about 11 years ago after a case of adult acne and a round of the drug Accutane. You know those commercials you see on T.V.? They aren't just lip service, it is real issue. It's kind of scary that a drug can rip your stomach apart for the rest of your life just to repair a vanity issue.
Okay, it wasn't just a vanity issue, nodular acne is painful. I am serious it was painful. And when you are a new bride and your face looks like the surface of the moon on crack it breaks you a little inside. After rounds of creams and oral medicine, Accutane was a last hope.
Apart from the fact that I had to be on birth control to prevent having alien baby, and not being able to go outside all summer it went well. I had no acne. I felt good.
Then a short while later, after being off the drug, I would eat something and spend a night in bed doubled over in pain. I was constipated all the time. And a serious case of hemorrhoids that even Raymond couldn't fix.
I found myself in the doctors office. I was sent home a lot. I remember once asking the doctor if taking Accutane did this to me. I was told "NO!" Then one day reading some forgotten-titled magazine I read a story about Accutane and IBS.
"Thank you anyway I don't want a tube up my butt, I have my answer!" It was a relieve to say the least. I had my answer and I could live with it.
My IBS doesn't bother my everyday. It flares. It comes and goes, depending on stress or if I pig out on copious amounts of cheese and fried foods. Time has slowly healed me. Or I just know how to control the symptoms better. I spend less time in the fetal position and more time enjoying life.
And it is a lesson learned. I am more careful of what goes in my body. I thank God for Google and Web MD. I look at side effects and long term effect of drugs and decide if it is worth it.
IBS ain't got shit on me. Literally. Figuratively.
I couldn't help but catch the news about Tyler Clementi.
Because it is moments like that, when I first read these stories, that I realize how much I hate people. People are mean and cruel and terrible.
Then I remember hate is what got us here in the first place.
I have a lovely family member who is a part of the LGBT community, and if anyone- ANYONE tried to hurt them I'd....Well I'd...
....but then I remember I would be fighting fire with fire. My cruelness. My aggression with words or fist makes me no better then those who torment.
I don't know what to say or do....or do. I am but one small person with one small blog.
And what do I have to say? Does it matter?
Then I remember it matters to me. And it matters to that lovely family member, who I would protect to the ends of the earth.
Being gay is okay. It is more then okay. It is normal. It is who a person is. And when someone uses what a person is to weaken, deface, manipulate them, it is a crime against humanity. It makes my heart break. It makes the world break.
Please remember our words and our actions have power, use them wisely.
I heard this song today and it was everything I wanted to share here....
This is where Joey Sparkles sits when I am frying up bacon. He looks up at me with longing eyes, waiting patiently for me to drop a juicy, crunchy morsel. I always oblige, who could resist that face??
"In “Reviving Ophelia,” sisters Marie (Jane Kaczmarek) and Le Ann (Kim Dickens) have always leaned on one another through life’s challenges, but discover they need each other more than ever as they navigate the complexities of understanding and raising their teen daughters. Marie’s 17-year-old Elizabeth (Rebecca Williams) has the picture-perfect life, with a seemingly equally wonderful boyfriend. Meanwhile, Le Ann is raising 16-year-old Kelli (Carleigh Beverly) as a single parent and finds it difficult to relate to the pressures her daughter is facing with boys, friends and school. When Kelli starts to suspect Elizabeth may be abused by her boyfriend (Nick Thurston), no one will believe her. But when Elizabeth lands in the hospital, Kelli’s surprising insights help Marie give Elizabeth the courage to leave her violent relationship." ~ From Lifetime TV
I had an opportunity to preview "Reviving Ophelia" and felt the message of the movie was far greater then my personal opinion, and more important to share.
First I really wondered if this was a timely message? Is domestic abuse really an issue teens face? It is not front and center on the 100s of news channels, you don't read about it in the newspaper: frankly you just don't hear about it.
The truth is 1 in 5 teen girls have reported being physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. (source) In the conversation teens seem to be left out, the sad truth is nearly half of adult sexual offenders report committing their first offense before the age of 18 (source). The teenage years are when we really start forming those one-on-one connections, it is where the cycle starts.
I am not going to pretend I have all the answers here, because I don't . Truthfully I just learned these facts after watching "Reviving Ophelia." Knowing one day I will have to have this discuss with my girl is a bit scary, but now I know it has to happen. Watching this movie with your daughter just might be the perfect launch pad for discussing this scary but important issue.
See preview here.
Guides: Lifetime TV works with Break The Cycle to help you have that talk with your daughter. Go to the"Reviving Ophelia" page and click on "Teen Dating Violence."
Disclaimer: If you are someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, check out National Domestic Violence Hotline, with a "Quick Escape" button. Also note that not only teen girls are subject to domestic violence, but teen boys as well. Any person, in any relationship, straight or same-sex, can experience domestic abuse. Domestic abuse does not discriminate.
Review Disclaimer: I received a copy of Reviving Ophelia to review from Lifetime TV, no other compensation was given and the opinions above are my own.
1 fish oil tablet- The Doctor swears by these for physically and emotional well-being, it is the Jesus of supplements.
1 multi-vitamin- don't need to state the obvious here, do I?
1 calcium and vitamin d tablet- no slouchy-slouchies for me
2 Advil- as needed but find I need it most mornings, time to get my eyes checked....or my hair cut.
St. John's Wort- My happy ending.
Sadly I had to add one more pill to my regimen this morn: A sinus pill.
Yes, tis the season. I can hardly keep my eyes open my cheeks hurt so bad. So I end this story and you can give me pity, cause I need it.
So long cruel world.
and 
, set to air October 25.
and
.
" Lifetime TV has a new movie set to air October 11, 2010 at 9:00 pm et staring Jane Kaczmarek and Kim Dickens.