An Iowa Mom

I'm Going In ...

Okay ... while you all are busy taking pictures of your favorite rooms or places in your home, I'm going to go down and tackle one that I love, but is a little difficult getting into.

What? You don't know what I mean.

Here take a look. But be warned, this is not for weak stomachs. Okay? If you have trouble looking at grotesque and nasty things, turn away. It's really bad ...

I present to you ... my craft room:

Oh!  There is More ...



It's almost over ... just one more ...




GOOD GOD! 

How embarrassing is THAT?  I can't take it anymore ...

I'm going in ...

If you don't hear from me within 24 hours, call 911.

Favorites ... Again!

This one I'm posting REALLY early in the morning to give you plenty of time to do it.  And I do want to refresh your memory ... that you HAVE TO DO IT!

As a reader of my blog ... it's your OBLIGATION!

I really don't do well trying to make people feel guilty, do I?  I'll have to work on that I guess!  Wouldn't that make a great New Year's Resolution?

"Ah Yes, my resolution is ... to become more efficient in making others feel guilty if they don't do what I want them to do!"

PERFECT!  I'm all set ... Two and a half months early.  Now that is what I call being on top of things, huh?

ANYWAY back to the point - I'm posting this early so that you'll all have time to do it.

SHARE A PICTURE OF YOUR FAVORITE ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE or FAVORITE PART OF A ROOM IN YOUR HOME and why it's your favorite.

If you have a blog, post it there and leave us a link here in the comments with the URL of your post displaying your picture.  If you don't have a blog ... email me the photo and I'll make sure to get it posted for all the others to see.

So, get your cameras out ... and get that picture taken.  It really won't take but a minute ... and you HAVE TO DO IT!

Again ... I'll share mine so I don't get a ration of you know what ... ;)

My favorite room right now is my dining room.  There is really nothing at all special about it, but I just like it in the fall.  When you come down the stairs in our house, you see this room and so every time I make my way down the steps ... which is MANY times a day ... I smile.  Okay, maybe I don't smile every.single.time ... remember I have four children I'm usually screaming at ... but even if I'm angry at someone ... it still makes me a little bit happy.

Note to self:  Hide the cord from the lamp that is so totally showing and looking really ugly.

More Favorites. 'Cause It's All About You!

Okay ... yesterday went well.  I got comments from some of you that I've never even knew existed.  And I was able to visit those people at their blogs and learn more about them.  More about the people who pop in and share in all the happy, fun loving, beautiful, June Clever type moments that happen in our house almost daily.

Excuse me while I go hack up this big ball of BULL CRAP that is lodged in my throat.

Oh yeah, that's better.

And please, don't get me wrong.  This herd, big and small, known to all of you as my family ... you know, the ones I bitch about almost daily ... well, they happen to be my FAVORITE people in the whole wide world.  I do all my criticizing and tattle-tales and bashing out of the utmost love and respect for these people who make my life worth living.

However, this post is not about ME ... or MY FAMILY ... it's about YOU.  Remember?

So, let's see ... another FAVORITE question that you all can answer ...

Hhhhmmm, this is hard.

Okay ...

WHAT IS ONE FAVORITE THING THAT YOU OWN THAT YOU BELIEVE MAKES YOUR LIFE EASIER ON A DAILY BASIS?  ONE! 

We could probably all list a million, but I want you to tell me ONE and why you think it makes your life so much easier.

And I got crap yesterday for not answering my own question ... but, it's because it's not supposed to be about me ... it's all about you.

However, so I don't have to endure another lashing, I'll tell you ...

Mine would be my Dust Buster.  When Jessie was put down ... I realized just how much cleaning she did when the kids ate.  So ... in order to keep up with all the crumbs that made their way to my floor after every meal ... I got a Dirt Devil Cone thingy and man ... I use it at least 10 times a day and makes my life SO MUCH EASIER, because I hate crumbs on my floor.  Now ... I just sweep them all into a pile and suck 'em up.  I guess I should also include that for some reason ... I CAN.NOT.STAND sweeping stuff into a dust pan.  So irritating.  Thus, why my little dust buster dirt devil thing-a-ma-jig is a life saver.

Okay ... now YOU ... remember, you have no choice ... you HAVE to answer.

And You Thought I Was Lying ...

when I told you that Emily was like Angelica from The Rugrats.

Remember that?  If you can't recall, then you must really be getting old ... because it wasn't THAT long ago. 

Anyway, the other night Emily came down from her room in her FOURTH outfit of the day, because she likes to irritate the snot out of me by changing clothes a million times so that I either rewash them (causing me work) or have to hang them all back up (causing me work).  I swear the day will come when I just leave all the dresses and crap laying on the floor and heaven forbid she has to wear something "dirty" and "wrinkled". 

Yeah, I'll do that.

And then I'll tape it so that we can all watch her meltdown. 

Doesn't that sound like fun?

So, back to my story, she comes downstairs and low and behold THIS is what I saw:

I am NOT EVEN KIDDING.  I couldn't believe it.  It cracked me up ... not only because she has the "look" of Angelica.   But, she has Angelica on her shirt.

If she knew what I was up to, she would have never cooperated for a photo, so I gasped and told her how beautiful she looked and could she PLEASE grace me with a picture to remember the moment forever.

As you can see ... she obliged.  Even then ... sporting the evil looking, Angelica, shit eatin' grin.

Aaaahhh ... my girl! 

Isn't she a peach?

It's All About You - My Favorites

That's right ...

YOU!

I don't think many of you know how much you're appreciated. 

By me.

You come everyday.

To read my silliness.

And I want to know about you. 

YES ... YOU!

There are so many of you that never comment.  EVER!

NEVER!

NEVER.  EVER.

So, for the remainder of the week, I'm asking questions.  Easy questions.  I'm asking for your favorites.

And the entertainment will be in the comments ... by you!

It will be simple.  It will be fun.

I mean really ... it's your favorites ... how effortless is that?

So ... are you ...

Ready?

What is your ALL TIME favorite gift? A present that you've received that holds the number ONE slot.   

Tell us what it is and why it's so special.  But ...

*TWIST* You can not answer 'your husband' or 'your children' */TWIST*

I'm so excited to hear your answers.

And for once (ONLY FOR THIS WEEK), I'm not being sarcastic.  I'm really anxious to hear what you have to say and to get to know my readers better.

So get to it. 

Your favorite gift. 

Ever.

Everyone.

You are NOT allowed to NOT answer.

Come on.

Know Your Neighbors - UPDATE!

UPDATE:  I went back and did this again and different names and convictions came up!  Maybe the site is just looking to collect street addresses.  Seems kinda silly!  So, I'll keep this post up, but only to make you aware that the site must not be for real.  SORRY!  However, Jennifer informed me that you CAN get this info by using the following link ... and this one is NOT a hoax.  http://www.familywatchdog.us/

This site was passed on to me from a neighbor and at first I almost didn't even click it ... because I thought it would be a waste of time. After all, I live in one of the safest communities ever ... right?

Well ... they say ... you learn something new everyday ... and I think I learned more than I WANTED to, but I NEEDED to. It's important to know as much as you can about the people around you. And the people around your kids. The people that technically have access to your children just by living in your community.

Check it out. This will tell you all the people living in your area that were convicted of a felony ... and what that felony was.  After you visit this site, come back and tell us how many were listed in your community.

http://www.felonspy.com/search.html - THIS ONE IS A HOAX.  Use the URL above in the update!

Being Honest With Oneself

Every Friday, Drew comes home with a sheet that he fills out.  It's called "My Week In Review".  The majority of time it makes me chuckle because Drew has always been very honest with others and with himself. 

Yes, Drew is the kid that will hunt me down outside just to tell me that he snuck a chocolate chip cookie and is sorry.  A cookie that he and I both know that I would know nothing about if he didn't fess up. 

He's just honest like that.  Always has been.

And I hope always will be.

Anyway - on Friday when I opened his "blue folder" that holds all the paperwork that needs to be shared with parents and teachers throughout the week, I eagerly grabbed the purple sheet with the words MY WEEK IN REVIEW on the top.

I know it's hard to read, but go back and review #3 and #4.

I'll wait.

You can click the picture to make it bigger if you're in need of glasses and are too lazy to get to the eye doctor ... or too lazy to get up and grab them off the counter that is about 10 feet from you.

Seriously, I'll wait.

Okay ... do you notice that Drew acknowledged that he received a "2" on his report card for not following directions?

And then states that his behavior last week was NORMAL, because he didn't follow directions.

Yeah.  That's my kid. 

Not following directions at school ... is NORMAL ... and he has no problem admitting that.

Gotta love him.

Unless you're his teacher ... right?