You know you're an adult when...

1. You wake up at 9am and you are annoyed because you have slept the morning away.

2. At the end of the day you feel accomplished after stocking up on groceries, completing multiple loads of laundry (and possibly having the clothes put away), having empty trashcans around the house, planning meals for the next few days, clearing out the dishwasher, and bills are ready to be mailed out the next morning.

3. Red cups are used to hold paint for touch ups rather than beer.

4. You wonder how you can increase your fiber intake.

5. You anxiously watch at the grocery store checkout for final discounts and then discreetly celebrate with your husband if the savings are sufficient.

6. You realize people who furiously speed on the freeway are just wasting gas.

7. The statements come for retirement accounts and you check it out before peeking at catalogues.

8. You get catalogues in the mail.

9. You ask hosts for recipes of dishes served at dinner parties.

10. Your favorite music is played on specialty "flashback" programs on the radio.

Those are just a few things that make me feel like an adult. Not old, but progressively seasoned. What are somethings that make you realize you are no longer a youngin'?

Pics from back in the day:

Katy & me- dig the overalls

Red cups with Shanna and Brooke

Random house party when we were dating

Dorm days

Random pics

of/with people that I love. The list isn't complete...

Hell has frozen over

Two people I never thought I had anything in common with, other than the whole needing oxygen and water to survive part, provided soundbites I agreed with this week. The world really is coming to an end.

Mike Huckabee (former prez candidate) on our blooming economy:

"I'm disappointed and disgusted with my own Republican Party as I watch them attempt to strong-arm a bailout of some of America's biggest corporations by asking taxpayers to suck up the staggering results of the hubris, greed, and arrogance of those who sought to make a quick buck by throwing the dice." Fortune

Lynne Spears (2006, 2007, and 2008 nominee for Mother of the Year award) on teen pregnancy:

"I mean, the mother, [Sarah] Palin, was celebrated for this. Every woman in the world has applauded her strength and her convictions and poor little old Jamie Lynn - you saw how she was crucified. Everybody did, firsthand ... I just feel like it's been a very hypocritical situation." Newsweek

One of my non-negotiables

Just a warning: another political blog.

I can't say much because I am so annoyed about Proposition 102 (defining marriage between one man and one woman). So why bother saying anything? Well, prop 102 deals with one of my non-negotiables. And, jus in case you didn't know, gay marriage has all but been squashed in the state of Arizona.

Since 1996, Arizona has had a law that contains the one-man/one-woman definition. In 2003, a homosexual couple challenged the law as unconstitutional before the Arizona Court of Appeals. They lost their case, and in 2004, the Arizona Supreme Court refused to review the matter, which kept the door shut on same-sex marriage in this state.

So why is the proposition on the ballot this year? Have you heard the term "beating a dead horse"? Some day we might look back and liken the treatment of homosexuals today to the treatment of minorities when we made it illegal for them to marry a White person and other Jim Crow era beauties. Or, we might come to the realization that there is a separation of church and state. I respect people's faith, but I draw the line when you use your religious convictions to dictate my personal freedoms without consideration of other possible doctrines.

Straight people have effed up the institution of marriage. Why not let the gays have a go at it? Well, at least not in Arizona, please excuse us while we beat the rotten corpse of equal marriage rights.

Technology hates me

In case you didn't know, I would rather not talk to you on the phone. It's nothing personal, really. I'm just a bad phone-talker: I get distracted by something, I don't have anything to say, or my kid throws a fit because he sees me on the phone and he wants to talk on it. I prefer texting above all forms of communication. Apparently the tech gods are trying to make this a more likely form of communication.

I dropped my phone this morning. Not a big deal, it happens all the time. I later realized I dropped it just right and now my phone doesn't ring. The only indication I have of an incoming call is my phone vibrating. Now I will never answer my phone, which is a step down from rarely answering my phone.

Feel free to text away. You can still call if you want to talk to me, but I will probably have to call you back.

Oh, and if you want my cell and don't have it, just let me know.

An American dreamer

From a Myspace bulletin...

I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG. Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man,
woman and child, so 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up. So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend. Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam. But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved
Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college - it'll be there
Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs
Buy a new car - create jobs
Invest in the market - capital drives growth
Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehmann Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+! As for AIG - liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

I know, I know... not totally realistic, but I can dream, right? Or has that been flushed away by the Bush administration too?

Something to do...

Sometimes it is tough to find fun, local things to do other than the zoo and the mall. Here is one at Borders bookstore.



I know they are doing this at both Mesa locations, so they might be doing it at other stores around Arizona and possibly out of state.

Let me know if you are going! We'll be there.

PS- I got some coupons in the email I got from Borders, so if you would like me to forward that to you, let me know. My email is under my profile.

The unnamed visitor

This week a person came to visit from somewhere in the south where he is studying at a school for some profession. I asked my brother if he ever visited my blog and he said only once and he'd rather I didn't write anything about him. I figure he might check it to see if I was good on my word. After this, I figure he will forget and I am in the clear to write about him.


It was nice to see him. I have been so used to only seeing him a couple times a year and this is his second visit in the last month or so. Plus, he will be back next week!

Here is a picture from breakfast this morning. It's a good thing they called each other to coordinate their blue polos.

Halloween help

I need a costume idea for B. At this point in time I am considering putting a band-aid on him and saying he is injured.

If it wasn't for Old Navy he would have been a baby for Halloween last year.

You stole my name!

I'm starting to get the baby itch, again. Don't get excited. This time around it will be a slow-build, mainly because I know what I am getting myself in to. Don't get me wrong, I love my bebe, but I am forever scarred by the chapped "lips" of breastfeeding, endless drool, the spontaneity of barf, etc.

My baby itch starts with thinking of names. (I'm expecting feedback, especially from you Ms. Holliday.) Here are some names I am liking for numero dos. Only boy names because I have my girl name. No I will not tell you.

• Sebastian- I would prolly call him Bastian (in a whisper) a la the Childlike Princess from the movie Neverending Story.
• Theo- My gpa's name is Theodore, not cuz of Cosby.
• Cash- bc Jeff and my gpa love(d) Johnny Cash.
• Elliot- I adore this name period.
• Henry- It's my dad's. Yes, it could be weird, but cathartic when I am scolding him.
• Owen- The first time around I liked this for a girl, but everyone thought I was crazy.
• Milo- Relatively new to my list, so it might not be around long.

Sometimes I think about having a big family because I like the idea of a full house and (honestly) so I can use all my bebe names. Then I remember how much I like vacations and eating out.

Hmmm, after writing this short bit, the itch has subsided. For now.

Despite everything

Putting aside the seemingly unending work week, B's temper tantrum drama, a busy weekend looming, the fact Glenn Beck still has a job, an awkward doctor's appointment, and that I feel like I haven't slept in three weeks, I still love coming home to this:

teaching B to feed himself...





bath time...




and reading books before bed.



'Night

blah blah blah

Jeff and I have been working with B and his words: lots of dialogue, reading, pointing, singing, etc. Essentially his language is delayed because of his ear issues. He has words: dada, mama, dog, Tack, down, hello, here, and so on. He understands much of what we say to him, but he isn't quick to talk back.

I know kids tend to be stronger in one area of development than others, and my kid is very physical. He is dancing, climbing, running, jumping, etc. But he won't talk. We spent twenty minutes at dinner trying to get him to say "fry" or "want" or "yes". He just had a royal meltdown. He is so frustrated and it hurts to watch.

I'm trying not to get discouraged; a lot of moms have told me that around 18 months they just start talking and don't shut up. Any suggestions, other than being patient?

Just in case...

you aren't on Myspace or Facebook, I want you to see these incredible pics. My cousin Jenna is seriously the most talented artist e-v-e-r. Need proof? Here you go...

She totally made us look cool. How rad.

(Does my use of rad negate the coolness? If so, substitute appropriate verbage.)

TNG=GOV?

I don't know how you celebrated your Labor Day, but I enjoyed mine by watching the Star Trek: The Next Generation viewer's choice marathon on Sci-Fi channel. Yes, I am serious. Why are you laughing? Please stop, you are hurting my feelings.

I used to adore that show when I was little, mainly because I got to stay up until 9pm. Watching it now, though, I found the experience to be more profound. (Well, as profound as TNG can be.) I thought, "Why are all these astronauts so good-looking?" It's kind of the same thing I think when I watch the DNC and RNC. Don't you think all the candidates and their families are just a bit to0 pretty?

It's probably just me. It usually is.