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Zoo Day

May 21, 2009 by Kelli

Whew – we’re home and we’re worn out. After nearly 45 minutes of wandering Forest Park looking for the blasted Zoo, I finally found the detour route that led us there. Um, could we possibly get a flippin’ sign out there folks? Kthanks…

The kids were awesome, partly because they really are just great kids and partly because I told them we’d go straight home if they started fighting with one another or me – and they knew I meant it. I wasn’t messin’ around today.

We’re still fighting the crud around here. I hoped a day in the sun would knock it out of them a bit. Tia is getting over croup, everyone’s getting over pink eye, and Landon’s nose is a constant flow of thick green mucus. Mmmmm…aren’t you glad you stopped by today?

Anyway, moving on…I’m thrilled, nay, ecstatic that cutie-pie Kris Allen won American Idol last night. In fact, I voted for the first time ever on Tuesday night. I voted five times, actually, which I thought was a lot until I read on Facebook that some lady voted 10,000 times on her cell phone. How is that even possible? How do you even keep track of that? Like, was it actually 10,000 times or was it only 9,782 and she rounded up? Baffling.

We are going to lay low this weekend – thank the good Lord. It’s been nuts around here lately. I am thrilled to have no real solid plans for now. Happy almost Memorial Day to you all. I may be back tomorrow, or I may not – because I’m not committing to anything for the next few days. Ha! That feels good…

Oh yeah, and it looks like I may have the new design up by Monday. Very exciting.

*original post as follows*

It’s beautiful out today so we’re headed to the Zoo. I’ll be back later with an update. If anyone is interested in joining us, come on out. I’ll be the crazy lady in green trying to wrangle three kids into submission. Why am I doing this again? Oh yeah, because I love my kids…

Filed Under: Kids, Life, the boob tube

American Idol and other stuff

April 8, 2009 by Kelli

So I’m kind of enjoying talking about American Idol on Wednesdays. It’s an easy topic idea that requires little thought – and I’m all over that which requires me to use minimal brain power.

So here it goes, and this is going to be brief because I’m tired today: I did not love Danny, especially the beginning. I did like Kris and actually really enjoyed the big band feel to the song.

I don’t understand the judges sometimes – make it your own, and then a contestent does and they yammer, you made it too much your own, blah, blah, blah.

Li’l appears to have run her course on the show. Scott is a doll but I think even he knows he’s on borrowed time. Anoop did well last night but he still rubs me the wrong way so I didn’t love him. Allison was good, but really? What does a sixteen year old know about making someone love her? That was a little weird. Matt rocked it out. He was crazy good. And Adam, well I don’t know because the show went over and my DVR cut off. It would appear from Simon’s reaction, though, that he did very well.

In all, a pretty good show. And I’m sorry my recounting of it is so dry. I was up almost the entire night with Landon who is indeed sick. Remember the awesome hugs and snuggles I told you about yetserday? Yeah, it was a fever. So I’m tired and feeling lazy today. Don’t these kids know that mama needs her sleep?

For a more entertaining version of events, visit Boo Mama’s site.

Filed Under: American Idol, Landon, the boob tube

The one in which I laugh inappropriately

April 6, 2009 by Kelli

Here’s something that many of you already know about me: I am a crier. It doesn’t take much to get me going. I know this isn’t a big deal , but it’s not something that I love about myself.

You see, the problem is that I am a noisy crier. I can’t cry softly. If I try to cry softly, it usually just builds up until I explode into a slobbering, blubbery mess. This can be quite humiliating when I’m, say, in a movie theater.

I sobbed throughout much of my wedding ceremony. The tape of the service is almost comical because I’m sniffling so uncontrollably. But once I start crying, there’s no stopping that train until I get it all out.

I have, over the years, developed a couple of defense mechanisms in an attempt to reign in my sobbiness. The first is to fight with every fiber of my being against the tears, which can only work for so long. At some point, though, when my throat is throbbing painfully, I have to sneak away to some place private where I explode like Krakatoa spewing tears and snot in every direction. This is, obviously, not ideal but is sometimes necessary. It’s served me well at the last couple of funerals I’ve attended where I’ve managed to keep it together relatively well until Lee and I get in the car, then I dissaolve and scare my poor husband near to death. I don’t think he’s gotten used to this side of me yet.

My other defense mechanism tends to rear its ugly head at the most inappropriate of times. I laugh. It’s horrible and even more embarrassing than the crying itself. What’s worse is the fact that I have little control over what happens in an emotional situation. I never know if I’m going to be the loud crier, the suppressive exploder or the obnoxious laugher. It just happens.

This was especially embarrassing a couple of months ago when I took Sloan to the doctor for his five year check up and he had to receive shots. Oh, have I mentioned I hate needles? And I hate watching my children go through pain? This was a lethal combination for me that was sure to lead to some sort of humiliating reaction.

As the nurse shoved a needle into my son’s arm and he started to cry, I felt the all too familiar lump form in my throat. Of course, I’m trying to be brave so I can’t cry in front of him. The next thing I know, I’m laughing near hysterically and the nurse is looking at me like I’ve just grown a freakishly large second head. I felt like a jerk. But I didn’t cry.

On Friday night, we had a family night. We set up the projector screen and shined the movie Marley and Me up on the wall. It was sweet and fun, until Marley died. My sweet, tender-hearted Sloan got so upset that he buried his face in Lee’s chest and sobbed.

Me? I laughed. I laughed hard, all the while blinking back tears. Tia, who was sitting on my lap, kept turning around and looking at me and saying, “What, Mom? What hunny?” And that only made me laugh/cry harder until I’m laughing and racking in sobby breaths.

Geesh.

So, if any of us are ever together during an emotional time and I start laughing callously, please do forgive. And take comfort in knowing that all it really means is that I’m a big fat baby who has no control over her emotions. Don’t you all feel sorry for my poor husband now? I do.

Oh, and incidentally – for those of you who have not shown Marley and Me to your young children, I’ll let you know that while it is very sweet and generally wholesome, there are at least two scenes that we had to fast forward and I had to clear my throat several times to cover up bad words. It’s not a movie I would let my kids sit down and watch without Lee and I sitting with them to monitor. But mostly I found it to be a great movie – just be prepared to comfort sad kiddos at the end.

Filed Under: Family, Kids, Life, the boob tube, Uncategorized

American Idol: Thoughts

April 1, 2009 by Kelli

I know you’re all dying to hear my thoughts on this season’s American Idol. Well wait no more! Here is exactly what I think.

Anoop: I’m sorry, but I have no mad love for Anoop. He just kind of gets on my nerves and has from the beginning. I think it’s unfortunate that he lasted longer than Alexis. Last night was no exception. I mean really – Usher? I do feel for the guy because I think he’s trying just a little too hard, but honestly – nobody should try and do Usher unless they can back up the vocals with the entertainment. Usher is an amazing performer – Anoop is not, therefore his performance came across as really bad karaoke.

Megan: Oh how I want to like this girl. She’s adorable, she’s got a great attitude and she has such a unique voice. But she’s just not keeping up. These last two weeks she’s sounded like an old lady in a seedy bar. Megan needs to stick to coffee shop type song choices – Ingrid Michaelson, Adele, even Sara Bareilles. And, for once I understood, and agreed with, Paula – Megan needs to sit on a stool because blessherheart, I’ve never seen someone more awkward in their movement. Yeesh.

Danny: I do have mad love for Danny. He looks like a man, he sings like a man and he has a great attitude. But I did not love his song last night. It could have something to do with the fact that I am apparently the only person in the world who doesn’t like Rascal Flatts. So sorry to offend, but the lead singer’s voice is like fingernails on a black board for me. So that was one hit against Danny. And I thought he was so pitchy through much of the performance. But the judges love him and I’m sure he’s just fine.

Allison: Before last week, Allison really irritated me. Then she slayed Papa was a Rolling Stone and suddenly I kind of liked her. But last night reminded me again that I’m not crazy about her. No doubt about it, the girl can sang. But I could not listen to an entire CD of her sanging screaming. She’s cute and definately precocious, but not my favorite. She is, however, the only girl who seems to have some longevity.

Scott: Oh sweet, sweet Scott. I think he’s reached his peak on the show. He’s a doll, but honestly, I would rather just sit and listen to him play piano rather than sing. He has little control over his voice and I’m always a little nervous for him when he heads up into the upper part of his register. And the hair? Oh no – nononono.

Matt: I do have me some mad love for Matt. But he needs to develop more of a personality. I think that’s why he keeps ending up in the bottom two. He’s just not very interesting. He’s a wicked performer, but he’s a little flat when he’s not singing and playing. But I have hope that he’ll pull through because his version of Let’s Get It On from last week had me all swoony and stuff – so you know…C’Mon Matt!

Li’l: What is the matter, Li’l?!? You can flippin’ sing, but why in the world would you think Celine Dion was a good idea? People have been comparing her to Mary J. Blige for weeks, but she hasn’t done anything Mary J-ish since the early rounds and that’s going to hurt her. She needs to step up her game or she’s gonna be out of there fast. I did, however, want to pick up her daughter and give her a little squeeze because oh the sweetness!

Adam: I do like Adam, I really do. That guy is a freak of nature. I mean, seriously, he sings higher than I do! I didn’t love last night’s performance as much as last week’s, but he still killed it. Unfortunately I do not think I could listen to an entire album of him screeching like that so I’m not overly thrilled with the prospect of him winning. But he’s still crazy good.

Kris: I love Kris. He’s adorable, first of all, and his wife is adorable. He’s genuine and he’s really, really good. Last night was, by far, his very best performance. It was the first time that I thought he not only had the chops as a singer, but also as a performer and a personality. I really hope he makes it to the top three along with Adam and Danny, because that would be a real competition wouldn’t it?

Alrighty then. So there are my thoughts. My hopeful prediction is that it will come down to Matt, Kris, Adam and Danny with either Danny or Kris ultimately taking the whole thing, though I do think Adam may be the one to beat.

Aren’t you glad you stopped by today? So tell me – what are your thoughts?

Filed Under: American Idol, Random, the boob tube