Mud is Just Fun Spelled Backwards

These pictures are not for the faint-of-heart, or for, should I say, wimps.

They would make hubby / Grandpa have chest pains, and they will likely cause some mild alarm to Susan. Fortunately, Grandpa wasn't home, (and doesn't do blogs), and Susan will reserve judgement until all the facts are in. . . Jessica will certainly file a formal complaint.

We didn't intend for Charlotte to go outside into the muddy, neglected backyard. I was out there tending to the ficus trees, and she insisted that Mary bring her out there. (Being outside is her VERY Favorite thing in the World).

Of course, Mary got distracted, Charlotte headed right for the freshest, wettest mud, and well, once she had dirt on her shoes and the bottom of her pants, she might as well stay and play, right?

Her shoes and socks were caked with mud, her shirt hem had splotches of dirt, but the muddiness was best represented on her pale blue pants. And, boy, did she scream when we were ready to go inside and be clean again: boring!! She soon calmed down with some Veggie Tales and Cheddar Bunnies, then just went about her business of taking care of her baby doll.

Spray 'n Wash !!!

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AI

American Idol last night.

Michael - I don't think it was his best performance, but I also don't think he has any really bad ones.  

Syesha - she just bores me.  I don't think she gets what this contest is all about.

Jason - really;  I've said it before:  he gets to be the "same old thing", but I like him.  I can easily imagine buying his recordings.

Kristy Lee - her attitude was starting to annoy me last week, but I actually like her.  She looks like a country star.  It's very easy to picture her in a music video.  I don't really know why she's struggled so much in this competition.

David Cook - his music is not my style.  I understood very few of the words of the song he sang, but I think he is very talented; a great entertainer.  I look forward to and enjoy seeing his performances, even though I doubt I'd ever download his songs.

Carly - there are just so many "off" things about her, in spite of her great voice.  Someone mentioned that she always looks angry when she sings, and I agree.

Baby David - love him;  the song was okay.  He looked very tired and overwhelmed  : (

Brooke - boring.  I really liked her at the beginning, something has made me disenchanted with her, and I think it has been her yakking back at Simon.

Speaking of yakking at Simon, so many of these contestants have started talking back and having conversations with the judges!  That has usually been a big no-no in the past, and landed them in the bottom three or voted off completely.  

My favorite is and will continue to be Baby David, but I'd be surprised if he wins top spot this season.  It'll probably be David Cook.

Bottom three:  Carly, Syesha, Brooke.

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Back to the Beginning

I don't feel like I got very much done yesterday; Mondays always feel like "wasted" days for me. The kids had Spanish, I did an obligatory load of laundry, went to Kroger . . . not that much.

Today we had Charlotte, AND Mary had an orthodontist appointment, AND I had to take her to deliver Avon, AND we took Charlotte to the park, AND I had to go to Target, AND we had to meet Susan and Jessica because Mary is spending the night with them, AND I did the obligatory load of laundry.

But in the afternoon, the BIGGIE: Hubby and son actually drug our sticky, dusty ficus trees (my very first post describes them) outside to the backyard deck. It is supposed to storm tonight and/or tomorrow, and I am soooooo hoping that they will be permanently cleaned off. And, if not permanently, then at least for a few months. The atrium looks very different and empty without the trees, but it is giving me a chance to really clean the "sticky" up without them in the way, and constantly producing more messes. I've been wiping and mopping and re-organizing, and plan to get so much more done tomorrow.

I took a break for American Idol and some hot tea. A little blogging, and good night!

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Please Share

If you have a moment, please visit my daughter Mary's blog,

and leave a comment about your favorite Bible story.

THANKS!

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Sunday Scripture

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Henry and Lily

Thanks to everyone for bird name suggestions and votes!

The little pests pets are officially named Henry and Lily ; I'll let you know when they start answering to their names! : )

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Unfair!

I've posted previously about my need and efforts to eat less and exercise.  It's the only thing that works for me:  counting calories and working out.   But I hate it!!

I hate it even more because MattBabb (yes, he is used to being called by his first and last name as if it is one word) is doing exactly that, and the pounds literally just drop off of him. 

 

He is dedicated, mind you, and he gets credit for amazing self-discipline and perseverance, but that is ALL.  Because apparently for men, if you do what you are 'supposed' to, you will be rewarded instantly, consistently,  and in a BIG way.

To lose weight, I cannot consume more than 1200 calories a day.  Well, MattBabb LOST more calories than that in his workout this morning!!  Please!!!

I could work out just as hard, and my online weight-loss system would say:  "Great job!  Good girl!  You burned 25 calories!  You can have an extra olive today!!  Keep up the good work!!  

MattBabb gets to eat a cheesecake by himself as a reward.  Where's the pain if your workouts guarantee that you can still eat whatever you want?

This does not inspire me.  This makes me want a bowl of ice cream.  NOW.

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Secrets

This is Charlotte at the top of our hill / front yard, just before she took off at high speed toward the curb / street. (Let's go ahead and say that her access to concrete was blocked; Grandma photographer wasn't the only one watching her).  

This is NOT where she made it halfway down, legs like windmills, before she fell head first and slid part of the way down.  This is NOT where she looked surprised and confused that the Hill did that to her, and it's not where she just brushed the grass off her hands and started windmilling again.

This is her resting . . . and honestly, no prompting, but sssshhhhhhhing as if she agrees with my running commentary that her mom and dad would have a heart attack if they saw her.

And anyway, all's well that ends well, right?  Yeah!!

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For Muddy

I've got something going here, with these 'personalized' posts.  My first, For Susan, was about my high score on Virusbuster / Dr. Mario.   Muddy stole my glory over that, because her high score was more than double mine and Susan's.  (But, Muddy, it didn't make me give up; I'm still trying, and I'm up to 1060 now!!)

Then, For Elana was inspired because her 'blogging tips' post was directed to me; at least that's what I believe since I failed to meet most of her 'good blogger' requirements.

And here's where Muddy comes in again, and makes me feel even more like a slacker, because she's a fantastic picture-takin'-video- compiling-daily-posting blogger.

But! Susan can't catch up to me on Dr. Mario, Elana is right, and Muddy has given me the reason for this post, by asking my thoughts on American Idol.   It's all good.

On this week's two nights specifically:  I enjoyed them because I really like Dolly Parton!  Also, there were at least 3 or maybe 4 songs that mentioned Jesus - refreshing, even if it wasn't "Christian" music, so to speak.

Now, that band that played:  ?????  The instruments were great, but that singer sounded terrible.  Then again, maybe it was the AI 'system' or something, because Dolly didn't sound completely like herself, either.

The contestants:  my faves are Baby David first, and then Michael Johns and David Cook are tied for second.  I think it really doesn't matter which of the three of them win;  they are going to have music careers.   

I like stinky-head Jason,  but he is just the same thing over and over.  ( I don't know if his head stinks, but you supposedly can't wash those dreadlocks, and when he did his outdoor interview, there were gnats flying around his head. . .)

I DID like Kristy Lee, but she has been too sassy lately.  And I used to like Brooke okay, but she now gets on my last nerve the way she talks over / interrupts / argues with Simon. And she didn't "get" the Jolene song  - she shouldn't have been smiling while she sang it.  She's also a bit too much of the same thing, like Jason.

I have NEVER been able to reconcile Carly's voice with her appearance.  I know I'm not the only person to say they have to close their eyes to enjoy her singing.   Her clothing is atrocious, her  grimaces are distracting, and she seems to wear nothing but sleeveless tops so that we can never get a break from her arm tattoo.  She has such a beautiful voice and sweet face; that tattoo confuses my brain.  It would have looked perfectly 'normal' on Amanda Overmyer, but. . .

Then there's Syesha.  I don't know what it is about her;  she's pretty and she has a great voice, but she does nothing for me.  She makes me understand what the judges mean when they say someone 'doesn't connect with the audience'.  

That's about it.  This season seems to going by quickly; and I'm not 'stressed' about any eliminations because I do think my favorites are going to be winners even if they are only runners-up. 

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For Elana

Bossy junior blogger Elana, aka sourpatch, has made some of us senior bloggers feel guilty after reading her blogging tips and helpful hints.

She's right, of course, and she's providing a valuable service, but still. . .

( Junior and senior are actually just euphemisms for young and 'old', because we started blogging about the same time. . . . I'm no more experienced than she).

NUMBER ONE: Post every day.  

Number 10 - post about anything.

So, Elana, this riveting Wednesday report is in your honor:

Today I got out of bed. . .

 I looked at all the Avon catalogs and literature because Mary was placing her order today.

I went over to Sharon's to proof-read a brochure she was working on for her church.

I took Mary to sewing class, then stopped and got gas on the way home.  $30ish for 10ish gallons!

Ate lunch after gathering papers and adding figures for our taxes:  had sardines in olive oil with some organic stoneground wheat and flaxseed crackers.  

Popped a peppermint in my mouth for the sake of everyone around me when I went to pick up Mary from sewing.

Home, tax guy, home, brain age, laundry, Sharon's again.

Dinner:  organic steak, skillet corn, and edamame.  I LOVE eating edamame because it is an event as well as delicious.  And I LOVE saying edda-mom-A.

I directed dinner but Christopher and Mary cooked.  They used our stovetop grill that we bought at the Subsidium Carousel of Shoppes last year, and the steak was great.

Watched Wheel of Fortune while I cleaned up the kitchen (since the kids cooked), then did this little bit of blogging.

Time to watch American Idol now and see who gets eliminated.

Tune in here tomorrow!  I'm going to be better about posting!

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