And the Fun Begins

It's that time of year. Next week is Thanksgiving. Time spent with family and lots of food, and a 4-day weekend off work. Much needed. We were going to go to Napa over the holiday, but its just not going to work out. Then the following week brings the beginning of December! (didn't we just have Halloween?) Wow, November went fast. The first week in December I have the "big party" with the LA Rubber Group. I have to find a nice cocktail dress that I don't have the body for to get all spruced up for a fun evening at the Waterfront Hilton at $120 a plate. Thankfully my work pays. The next weekend will be Tim's work party followed by my other work party the 3rd weekend. All the while in between will be work, the kids, church and above all Christmas Shopping. If you know me, you know that I don't like to shop and I have a huge list of people to buy for. This will take me the whole month of December till right before Christmas Eve. Then of course will come the wrapping of all the gifts I've spent weeks purchasing. No I am not the type of person to wrap as I go. I can't stand those people that have all their gifts bought and wrapped by December. I mean what possesses a person to do that. Do they not have anything else to do? Needless to say it is the beginning of "stress" for me. Stress of what to buy, how much money I'm spending, how much money I don't have and getting it done in time. To top it off I will be getting my Annual Review at work in the middle of it all. This should be fun. (not!)

Quote for the Day

"Be who you are and say what you feel
because those who mind, don't matter and
those who matter, don't mind."
---Dr. Seuss

How smart is Your Right Foot??

Just try this, it is from an orthopedic surgeon... It will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but you can't! It's preprogrammed in your brain!
1. WITHOUT anyone watching you (they WILL think you are GOOFY...) and while sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction. I told you so!!! And there's nothing you can do about it!
You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done you ARE going to try it again, if you've not already done so. I did several times.

Best Food Ever

Dinner time in the Linehan house can usually be pretty crazy. In order for Tim and I to keep the control we have come up with various games and discussions to play during dinner. Last night's discussion topic was "what is the best food you've ever had". Here are some of my answers.

1. The Lobster while on vacation in Maine.
2. The Salmon at the B&B in Solvang.
3. Coldstone's Ice Cream (any flavor)
4. The French Toast at Denny's on Katella near the Hub (don't laugh).
5. The Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding at Spark Woodfire Grill in H.B.
6. The Woodfire Grilled Steak at Spark.
7. The Potato Soup in Ireland.

Is your mouth watering at all? Now it's your turn to tell me some of yours.

I needed that.

So I am reading through my daily blogs when I get to Jamie's. She has one of those UTube commercials from Mastercard. Very cute. Kids with backpacks dancing to funk. Well after it is finished playing there is a list of other mastercard commercial. One catches my eye, so I view. I'm still laughing just thinking about it, so I thought I would share. Thank you Jamie!

Mom's Rule

This is totally something I would do.

New Scam going around

There is nothing I can't stand more then dishonest people trying to take advantage of me. There is a new "scam" that I have encountered, and their name is "Lil Angels". (the name just makes their scam that much worse) Lil Angels is a photography company that goes around to the preschools, dress your kids up and take their picture. They have all kinds of costumes and props, and they spend lots of time to make sure to get the perfect shot with multiple costume changes. Then the school sends home a notice that your child has had their picture taken, and the pictures will be available for purchase on said date. The day rolls around and you are at your child's school and here is this photographer with packages full of pictures of your child for you to look at. Of course, the picture is absolutely adorable and your child looks like a "lil angel" and you just have to have these pictures because you are sure they will never look this cute in a picture again. So now this photographer has you sucked in by your own child's cuteness and they go for the kill. "That will be $30 per sheet." PER SHEET! Are you kidding me? You think to yourself no way can I pay that much for one 5x7 and four wallets, but then you look down at the picture and you can't help it. You have just been scammed! Here is an example of my own weakness.Don't let yourself be the next victim! Beware of "Lil Angels"!!!

How well do you know me?

Hey Everyone. Click on the link below and test how well you know me or find out some things you didn't know. Short Quiz just for fun!

http://www.quizyourfriends.com/quizpage.php?quizname=070730192252-145390&

Oh the Angst!

My baby got braces yesterday! Poor Tommy. For the next 24 months no more soda, popcorn, candy, caramel apples, gum, sunflower seeds, nuts and all the other "no-no's". For a person needing to lose a few lbs, this sounds like the perfect diet, but for my son "Mr. Skin n Bones, I don't think so. I am going to have to come up with lots of things for him to eat so that he doesn't wither away to nothing. Oh the flashbacks of wearing braces. It seemed never ending for me. He is actually pretty lucky. He is only 10 and will probably have them off by the time he is 13. I got them on at 14 and didn't get them off until 17. Pretty much all of High School. Not a good time for a teenage girl to have a mouth full of metal.

Does anyone else have some horrible flashbacks or words of encouragement for Tommy (and me)?

Transforming the Wicked

I have a few reviews for you.

First, last night I went to see "Wicked" the musical at Pantages Theatre. For those of you who have no clue this is a musical that tells the story of the witches from "the wizard of oz" pre-Dorthy. The story is brilliantly written, very funny, the singing is phenomenal and the ending gave me goose bumps. I can't express enough how much I think everyone should take the time to see "wicked" while it is still here in LA. Sorry, but I don't like to give too much away. You will just have to trust me and go see it.

Next, this morning Tim and I took the boys to see "Transformers". Thumbs up again! This was a very cool movie, lots of action and another great performance from one of my faves Shia Labeouf. I become more and more impressed with him every time I see him. I first started watching him on "project greenlight" a few years ago (can't say I have ever seen Even Stevens). He is a very talented young actor. Of course lets not forget my favorite heartthrob Josh Duhamel. He plays a soldier fighting to save the earth. He was a little sweatier and dirty throughout the movie then I would have preferred, but that didn't stop me from being clued to every scene he was in. All in all I would again recommend this movie.

Black Wednesday

Today has been a terrible day. I started out still feeling bad about the fight I had with my sister yesterday, then at work I found out I had made the "biggest" mistake I have ever made in the 6 years I have worked here. Work was really busy today, and then on top of everything else I realized that Tommy's orthodontist appt next week was going to conflict with his daycamp trip to Knott's Berry Farm. Now what kind of mom would I be if I made my son miss out on Knott's to go get braces put on? That's a double blow don't you think, so we rescheduled the appt. I hate to ask if anything else could go wrong today, because you know as soon as I do something will. Only 7 1/2 more hours left before this day is over.

4 Movies I could see over and over

Well I am a big movie buff. A perfect night for me is dinner and a movie. I like to rate all new previews by "see it in theater, rent it, wait for it on HBO or no interest at all". There are a LOT of movies that I will watch over and over, but my top 4 are as followed in no particular order.

"The Parent Trap" - original starring Hayley Mills. One of my favorite Disney movies of all time.

"Ever After"- Drew Barrymore as Cinderella. This is my romantic fairy tale fave. Sappy I know.

"Sweet Home Alabama"- Reese Witherspoon is one of my fave actresses. She is so cute and perky, I can't help but adore her.

"Star Wars" (any episode)- George Lucas is the man!! I would watch every episode of Star Wars over and over. Some day I would like to do a Star Wars Marathon and watch all 6 back to back. Favorite character: Chewbacca (of course)

Ok, now it's you're turn. Let me know your 4.

Count Down!!

Only 12 more hours to go to the "Lost" finale!!!

Can I have a quarter?

Someone told me that I haven't blogged lately. Well I have a good one for you. Saturday we had a pizza party for Joey's t-ball team. We are at the pizza place and the kids keep asking for quarters for the games and stuff. They were spending $.50 to buy tatoos out of a vending machine, then they were going in the bathroom and putting them on. Soon they are all coming up to us parents saying "look at the tatoo I got" showing us their arm. Then soon back showing us their other arm.

Well then my Joey comes up to me and says "look Mom" lifting up his shirt. And this is what I saw....

My hands rushed to my face as I loudly gasped. Oh my gosh! The other parents broke out in laughter. They said my reaction was the best part. All I can say is "at least they wash off".

Parental Advisory

My sister bought Andrew (my 7-yr old) the new Beastie Boys (BB) "Solid Gold Hits". He is my hip-hop, rocker rapper type, and he loves music like that. Tim and I really like the BB, and everyone must admit that there is at least one BB song that they like. Well on the front cover, big as life, there is a "parental advisory". There are definitely a few songs that need to be skipped. So what does my son do, he takes the CD to school for sharing. Just lovely. lol Luckily his teacher knows us, otherwise who knows what she would think. Am I wrong to let my children listen to music we all enjoy (minus bad language of course)?

Lost Double Feature

Last night "Lost" was on back to back. At 9:00 they replayed last week's episode, which I missed due to launch team meeting and worship team practice. Then at 10:00 the new episode. I was clued to it all 2 hours. So the first hour, what was Sun thinking going with Julianne. There is no way that I trust her. And now what's this about another plane being found with all the bodies on it? Whoa! Then onto the next hour, and first up Sawyer. So he has figured out that Locke is up to something, so please tell me why he would enter through the door first? It's only common sense that he plans to lock you in there, so make him walk in first. Duh! Then what is Jack up to now? What's this little secret he won't tell Kate? And when will Jack find out about his little sister that's living right under his nose? I must say that I would love to sit down in the room with the writers when they are writing just one episode. Just to watch how their minds work. They are a really creative (rather twisted) bunch.

Don't miss the 2-hour Grey's Anatomy tonight!!

Dad's Birthday

Sunday was my dad's birthday. He would have been 59 this year. He died 10 years ago from Leukemia. I miss him all the time. My dad was the type of person that got along with everyone. People loved him. He was funny, smart, caring, compassionate, fun-loving, very hug-gable, life-of-the-party, every body's friend and confidante (especially mine). He was my best friend. I could talk to him about pretty much everything.

I don't have that person anymore. I am trying to let God be the one that I tell everything to, and go to with all my problems or exciting news. It's just not always the same. Even though I know God loves me just as much as my dad, and that he can reach down and rap his arms around me, I can't actually feel his arms. I can't just fall into his arms and let him hold me tight. And even though God can give me advice for my troubles, I can't always hear him or I don't always listen. At least not like when your dad sits you down and you are forced to listen. Don't get me wrong, God can get his message across one way or another. I am sure that any of you that has lost a parent can relate to what I am trying to say.

My comfort is knowing my dad is in heaven watching over us, and that we will be together again one day. I bet he is getting a kick out of his grandchildren. Those boys would have brought him such joy. Sorry to be such a downer.

I love you dad, and miss you always.

First Timer

So I am new to the blogger world, and not sure what I am doing. I don't know that my blogs will be as witty or eloquent as Jamie or Topher, but I will give my best. I welcome any helpful hints.