Going Global

In the last two weeks I have had blog visitors from Brazil, Tunisia, Italy, Ukraine, Romania, France, Netherlands, Belgium and Finland--some of these more than once and all have spent at least 30 seconds looking at my blog.

I have visitors from all over the great United States.

I average 42 visits a day.

This week I have had 163 visits.

Today alone, 24.

Here is the important part to this -- I may think I am cool but I KNOW I am not THAT cool.

This blog doesn't have enough substance to have global friends. I am not popular enough to know anyone outside a 10 mile radius. For every post I do, I'm lucky if I get 3 comments. 24 people have looked at my blog today and I hope to get 3 comments!! So, in the wise words of El Guapo, what I'm basically trying to say is,

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU????"

I think having a private blog is lame. Oh, I get why people do it but let's face it, blogs get forgotten when they're private. I'm also not sure my dad could figure out how to set up a login ...I'd like to avoid this.

So, let's play a game. If you read this, leave a comment -- give me a little reassurance of who's actually looking at this blog! If we've burned the villages and pruned the hedges together, let's reminisce! If you live in Rome, let's be friends because I'd like to come and visit. If I don't know you, introduce yourself! If you live in South Carolina, do you happen to live near the beach and can we also be friends? If you are Mr. Tunisia and you are have pictures of my kids on your wall, give a shout out so I can delete this blog immediately. If you are stalking my blog because you knew me back when, FESS UP!!

I've played this game before -- back when I felt a little more safe and happy in blog land. My mystery Belgium visitor has me not feeling so safe and happy. Help me out, would ya?

Hope for Haiti

If any of you happened to be sitting in front of your TV on Friday night, chances are good that you caught the Hope for Haiti telethon. Two hours and a box of tissues later, my heart just ached. My favorite performance of the evening: Justin Timberlake, Matt Morris and Charlie Sexton. Amazing.

song #2

I need a happy song today. Infections in my body don't make me happy and unfortunately, it seems that I have a couple.

This song makes me happy. I didn't like it at first, but it's grown on me. Hope you are all infection and grumpy free!

And the card attached would say ...

Today is day 6 of this ridiculous cold. The kind where you think your sinuses might explode any minute, when you cough so hard you almost throw-up and you don't get a single ounce of sleep. Yes, I am on day 6. Day 6 is when the tears start coming because I'm feeling so sorry for myself and I think I'm never, ever going to feel good again.

I have amazing friends. And why do I love my friends?

- Immediate Facebook responses to my whining. I love when people respond.

- S. called and asked if she could do carpool for me. S. has spent the last two days dealing with her chemo crap but she asked anyway.

- V. switched playgroup with me without a single hesitation. I know she wanted to hesitate. This was glorious for me because a.) I hate having playgroup at my house and b.) I have another week to get my house back in order. Of course, this is all assuming that I might actually get better in the next week.

-J. brought over freshly baked, warm bread with a ribbon tied around it. I love bread and I love ribbons. It was absolutely divine.

-A. and J. (a different J.) came to my house with Cafe Rio and a Diet DP the size of my vacuum. A. even crawled out her driver window twice (picture Dukes of Hazard) to make sure I had everything. Heaven!

This all happened before noon today. I am feeling very thankful.

Uhhh.... not quite.

Now, bronze this, put it in my entry and I would be very happy.

p.s. Does anyone else think that Kate from Plus 8 might be one of the most ridiculous people ever? I have never seen that show, but that lady never goes away!

.

Confession

I've always wanted to be in a band. Really. With cheering fans and sweaty guitarists. This must stem from my need for attention.

Does anyone want to join my band? I can rock a slide whistle like you've never seen!

Song #1

Since I'm slowly starting into my training, I've decided that every week I'm going to find a great running song. Music makes all the difference in my exercising ability. I probably won't share all of my finds with you ...or maybe I will ... but today, I'm going to. Please share your faves as well -- I could use some ideas!

This song makes me happy. It is not new to the world and it is not new to my ipod. I took a break from it for a while but I've put back into the rotation.

Hope this makes your day happy!

I Got Nothin

I was really looking forward to Resolution #36. You know, jump back on the blogging bandwagon, share some of my incredibly insightful thoughts, show everyone how hilariously funny I am ... until I realized during my very first week back that I GOT NOTHIN!! I couldn't think of a single thing to say. Amazing, but true.

So, just because you're are all so lucky, here is some random stuff.

* I just finished watching the second half of the The Bachelor. I hate this show. Why, why, why does it always suck me in?!

* My feet are like blocks of velcro. Absolutely lovely. I'm trying to figure out how to make some improvements .... lazer removal might be my only option. Any foot softening suggestions? Please?

* There's a deliciously new dryer sitting in my laundry room! Oh, it's beautiful! Thanks for all your comments -- I love being validated! I thought my desire to do laundry would increase once I got it, but strangely, it hasn't.

* Book club was good this month. I'm thinking about going again next month.

* I love my calling. I'm so thankful to have it. But seriously? SERIOUSLY???

* Channel 4 might have the worst news people ever .... well, maybe 13 ... toss up, really.

* I think that if there's a hundred dollar bill in plain sight every single day, just hanging in front of my face, it's just begging to be spent.

* My triathlon training has started. Not in full force, but it has definitely started. My tired legs are telling me so.

* I am so thankful that school has started up again, that I got Jack into a preschool for fall.

* I really need to find a place to go for a February mini-vacation. I'm aiming to keep my Winter Depression under control this year. Anyone want to invite me and my kids to come and stay with them? We're really low maintenance -- just a soft bed, a few prepared meals, white fluffy towels .....

* When I get up and go to the gym in the mornings, my kids sleep until 7:30. When I don't, they rise and shine at 6:30. What the heck?!

* I just read the Andre Aggasi autobiography in 24 hours. If you like the F-word, read this book. However, F-words aside, interesting story. I had a big poster of Andre on my wall during my younger years .... my thoughts of him will never be the same.

Should I keep going?? I've got a million of them floating around this brain of mine ....

Why I won't do laundry.

Hello Again Hello

Hello?

[tap, tap]

This thing on? Anybody there?



Really ...... ANYBODY THERE??


It's been a while... I don't blame anyone for leaving .... there's only so much checking-back you can do, you know ....

hello?....

Anyway .... I'm back. Did you hear me? I'M BACK!! Resolution #36: Blog regularly (or at least somewhat regularly) .... However ...

Are blogs over and done with? Do people care anymore? Should I even waste more of my time doing this? I know I should say I'm doing this for journaling, or family history, or whatever, but have you read this thing? No sane mother would count this as journaling ... No sane mother would want her kids to read the ramblings of their half-sane mother ... .see what I mean? Makes no sense!

Anyway. I'll blog for while. See how it goes. In the mean time, the rest of you better work on yours!

When Ree came to town...

Ree was here. Heard of her? Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman. A book signing was held at The Kings English last week and it was absolute madness! Gazillions of screaming, hormonal women, trying to push their way through lines and crowds. Grumpy bookstore workers who hadn't done their homework. Funny friends talking to strangers about boobs and IBS. And Ree. We're friends now.

Ree was lovely. She had a big smile on her face because she knows all the crazy women in the room bought a book!

With some help of friends, I was able to sneak my way in to Ree's Q&A period. The gallery was filled to capacity and the Bookstore Nazi's were forced to face the mob and turn people away. Scary, scary job -- people were not happy. Luckily, one friend showed up early and made it inside and was able to talk a not-so-nazi worker into letting me in. I feared for my life. Really.

Jessica, Allison and Me. Waiting ....
After the Q&A session, Ree signed books. In order to get a signature, you had to have a ticket. Luckily, I had my golden ticket ... really, they were golden! If you saw the chaos, you would understand how appropriate that really was! This is how it worked -- pay attention. Every ticket had a letter, A-Z. Each letter had 20 tickets. They called you in by your letter to try and avoid injuries and to keep things running nice and smooth (what a joke!) I had a Q ticket, but somehow (Thanks Jess!) was able to to bump up to F. With my invisible F ticket in hand, we waited for over 2 hours! Thank goodness I didn't get stuck with the Q's!! Crazy thing, there were many, MANY people who didn't get a ticket. Who still waited until the end for the chance to meet PW! A little ridiculous, I say.

Ree added that heart after we talked for a few seconds. Love at first sight.

One of the best things about it -- I'm famous! We made the blog! Check it out --
Pioneer Woman meets Lacey and friends.

It was a long night, but it was sure fun! Allison, thanks for coming with me and for not making fun of my fear of the Nazi's. Jessica, we truly could not have done it without you!! So, so fun to be with you both!

A little boy and his big sister

We had a good Halloween. The weather was perfect, the soup was good, and the kids were excited! On the other hand, are there more brats being born into this world or am I getting more sensitive? Honestly, I had so many kids ask for different candy, complain about the one they got or insist they pick it out themselves. Oh, and are thank-you's not mandatory anymore? Sheesh! What gives?

Anyway, a quick story for you. There's a little boy I know who likes to hit people ... and an occasional bite. He has an incredible burping talent and lives in a home where spit can often be found on the floor. He's proud of his bum and likes to run around in only that. He likes tools and spiderman and can jump really high and run really fast.

This boy also happens to have an older sister who likes princesses and dresses and loves the color pink. Unfortunately, since she's older, there happens to be a lot more dresses, princess and pink stuff hanging around the house.

So Halloween comes around and the costume options are endless. You know, manly options. What does the handsome, studly little monster pick?
*sigh* When he saw that Ella got to wear wings there was no going back. A last minute trip to Walmart, 1 last pair of bright orange sparkly wings, and we were good to go. At least he didn't want the skirt, right?


Ella was a perfect butterfly! Thank goodness for easy costumes!

Hope everyone had a fabulous, sugar overloaded Halloween ... bratty trick-or-treaters and all!!

Winner winner chicken dinner!!

JoAnna!! You are going to need it with all the spit-up and poop coming your way!

Email me your address and I'll ship it on over!
lls_gatherum@hotmail.com

Thanks for playing, everyone! Glad to see there's still a few blog readers left out there!

Drum roll, please ....

In honor of the 1800 batches of laundry that must get done today, I am giving away my amazing laundry soap!! Disappointed??

This jar should last through 30+ loads of laundry (depending on how grimy and smelly you are). No more than 2 Tb. per load, safe for front loading washers (so I hear) and will absolutely knock your ridiculously clean socks off!

Anyone interested? Leave a comment by Saturday night and you'll be entered to win. For the three people that actually read my blog, your chances are high! Winner will be announced Sunday.

the state of my ....

1. Kitchen. A big fat mess. I'm in the middle of a kitchen re-vamp. I have grand plans but things are not going as quick as I thought they would. The biggest lesson I've learned? Never start a big project while you still have kids hanging around all day!

2. Backyard. Pumpkins! I love that our yard has a knack for growing pumpkins! This year we got about 13 good sized melons off our plant. I used my own cornstalks to decorate and we have our neighbors beautiful red leaves blowing into our yard! Love, love, LOVE fall!!
Wait, are pumpkins in the melon family?

3. Needles. My give-away item is halfway done. Another project that's taking me longer than it should. Oh, and I am loving how it's turning out! Loving it so much, in fact, I'm tempted to not give-away and keep for myself .... we'll see. Here's a teaser:

4. Give-aways. Speaking of, I'm going to do a small one tomorrow. Not as fancy as the previous picture of deliciousness, but still, something I love. Check back in if you wanna!
5. Car. I need to sell it. Fast! Anyone interested? Anyone know someone who might be interested? Fabulous car, great condition, 4x4, $8000 (negotiable). Let me know if someone will buy it!!
6. Face. Hives! I keep breaking out in them! Every day since Friday. Honestly, can't figure it out but it's starting to tick me off.

That's all I've got for now. Come back tomorrow!