The one with the Birthday...

Today is Mater's birthday. My baby is 5 years old.

Budman and I decided to take him out to the driveway to give him his gift first thing. Budman blindfolded Mater, and told him "I put your present somwhere out here. Go find it." Then he spun him around once or twice, took off the blindfold, and sent him to search for it.

Note the location of Mater's present... (Hint: It's the bicycle)

Mater headed out into the yard, while we shouted "You're getting colder, you're getting warmer...

This was great entertainment - for us. (He even looked back at us a time or two!)

After looking all over the yard, he FINALLY saw it:

Budman told me "I want a picture of his face the second he sees it.

How's that??

He couldn't wait to hop on and take a ride!!!

After lunch, he opened a few more presents...

And of course, Monkey HAD to get in on the pictures, too.

A Wooden Spoon: The end of the giveaways

Lori at My Wooden Spoon has been doing giveaways all summer long. (You might remember, I actually won one of them!) Well, July 31st is the deadline to enter, and she still has three terrific contests running right now.

BUT, the big one has arrived. This contest consists of 3 prizes which equals 3 winners! The 3 prizes are:

$300 Gift Certificate to Amazon
$100 Gift Card to Williams Sonoma
$50 cash via Paypal

So, get over there quick, because you only have three days left to get in on these contests!!

Change of name

I've changed my name. I don't know if anyone will notice or not, and it's not a big deal, but I decided that I shouldn't put my real name on my posts. Truly, it's not that big a deal, I'm not paranoid, and anyone that wants know my name wouldn't have to try hard to find it... My name is MELODY. See, told ya!

And to be perfectly honest, I thought of it the other day, and there was a logical reason why I thought I should make this change, but I cannot remember it now. I think it had to do with comments, and not wanting to make it too easy for family and such to find this blog. I'd rather have strangers read it. Although, there are so many of you who really don't feel like strangers anymore.

Geez, I seem to be rambling a lot lately (or maybe I always did). Now that I have the 100th post block out of the way, it's like verbal diarrhea overload

So anyway, no bog deal, but FYI, if you see Sunshine posting comments on your blog, just know that it's plain old Me.

Besides, I do so love nicknames...

On to today's business. Budman and I are taking my cousins to a concert tonight. No one you've heard of, just a friend of Budman, from back before he married me and became an old fuddy-duddy like his wife...

I'll post all the details Monday for the Weekend Update. Right now, I have to get busy, because I only have an hour and a half left in my work day and I still have 6 contracts to prepare and send out. YAY!!!

Introducing Pop

Exhausted today. I haven't gotten to sleep at a decent time in weeks because my husband is a horndog I've been staying up too late and getting up way too early, which doesn't really help the whole insomnia thing.

Last night, Budman and I went to the VA hospital to spend a little time with his dad, who will henceforth be known as Pop. Pop has cancer. Budman's mother was able to go home and get some rest, which I know she really needed.

The VA hospital is such a sucky place. If it ever comes up, and you have the power to keep someone you love out of the VA hospital, I TRULY TRULY hope that you do. Unfortunately, Pop doesn't have any other options.

He looks pretty weak, he has fluid on his lungs (AGAIN, after they just drained it last week). They are installing some sort of drain/catheter-type thing, so that he will be able to drain his lungs as needed, since it takes an act of God to get anything done for him at that hospital. It seems to me, that they won't DO anything (at least not anything worthwhile) unless it's in order to save his life. If he's just having trouble breathing, they put him on oxygen (he has that at home) and breathing treatments (he has those at home) and run tests on him. If he's about to die, then they pull out all the stops and do something.

I'm frustrated, and maybe that's not really the way it is there, but it seems like it. That place was so awful. The air was hot and stale, and walking down the hall to find Pop's room, there was a horrible stench in the air. I whispered to Budman "Someone pooped themselves", and he muttered agreement. The rooms are unlike any hospital I've ever seen. Three, sometimes four beds to a room, and I can tell that the rooms were not planned that way, because they only put two TVs in each one. So, they're just overcrowded, or cutting costs, or I don't know what. The people that fill these rooms, I can only assume that they are the men and women who served our country in the military (Isn't that what the VA hospital is for?), don't they deserve better?? As we drove up, I was surprised at how nice the outside of the building looked, I was expecting a real shit-hole. The lobby is decorated and bright - like a regular hospital. But the upper floors, where the patients are...

As soon as we got there, we had no sooner exchanged pleasantries and sat down, when Pop asked Budman to take him out for a cigarette.

• One could argue that he doesn't need to smoke, that it will only make him worse, his breathing is bad enough, no open flames around the oxygen tanks... (Just kidding about the oxygen tank)

• Or, you can say to yourself, this man is dying, and one or two cigarettes are not going to change that, nor are they going to speed up the process anymore than it already has been. The doctors have basically told him already that all the changes he's made to his diet over the past few years aren't going to prevent the inevitable, so now he eats what he wants. So then the argument becomes: if you're down to your last moments, (however many - or few - there may be left) you might as well live them the way you want to.

After initially telling his dad that he wouldn't take him downstairs (and knowing full well that he can't make it on his own, because he gets winded walking to the bathroom, and he has to use a wheelchair-as-a-walker for that), he has the above mentioned argument with himself (I know, I could see the thought process reflected on his face, and because I was having the same argument in my head - I told you we share a brain) and gives in.

So, Pop gets to go downstairs, outside to sneak half a cigarette. Seriously, he can't even smoke in the smoking area, he does have an oxygen tank on his chair (it was turned off), and no oxygen equipment in the smoking spot. Budman felt a little guilty for taking him down there, but he's a grown man, and he does have a right to decide how he wants to live the rest of his life...

At some point during our visit, a young Doctor comes in, and gives him a marker. She explains: After he is bathed and prepped for his procedure in the morning, he is to take the marker, and write "YES" across the right side of his chest. Yep, you read that right - due to the potential for mistakes, they require that all patients mark themselves as to what area/side their operation is to take place. I told Budman, I would have written "You're the Doctor, you figure it out" across my chest if I were Pop. This does not instill a great deal of my confidence in their skills, people or facilities.

I know that they have a hard job. I know that they are most likely all underpaid. They are certainly overcrowded, and probably understaffed as well, becuase if I were a medical professional with a choice of places to work, I would not choose that place.

I'm pretty sure this is all disjointed, and my thoughts are not organized well, because you're getting them as I think them, and because, well, I'm just plain tired.

I've been meaning to post more detail on Pop's condition since the first time I mentioned him, and after last night, today seemed as good a time as any to get it all out.

Thou shalt not Covet...

But oh my goodness, I just can't help myself!!

The Lawyer's Wife from The Pink Clutch has recently launched a new business. I heard about it from Live.Love.Eat (which, on a completely separate note, just recently became one of my favorite Food blogs...) and of course, I instantly fell in love with her monogrammed slipper, cooler and tumbler glasses. (and that's not the half of it) I've borrowed a few pictures to show you some of my favorites, but you really must go check it out.

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I feel an overwhelming NEED for that travel mug!!

When did I become such a girly girl??**

**It MUST be my subconscious way of combating all the testosterone in my house...

100 Things - FINALLY

In honor of my 100th post...

1. I have been dreading this list for quite some time.

2. I'm not really interesting enough to come up with 100 things about me.

3. My thumbs are double jointed.

4. I worked as a waitress/bartender in a strip club a long time ago - I did NOT dance.

5. I am a grammar snob

6. I have a red spot on my nose that appeared one day about 6 years ago. At first I thought it was a pimple, but it never went away.

7. I should probably have it removed. At best, it's a pain to cover with make-up, and I hate to think about the worst.

8. I am a pack rat of the highest order. I keep some of the stupidest things.

9. But every so often, I will go through a fit of UN-sentimental-ness (I know, not a word - the grammar snob in me is cringing) and throw away almost everything I find.

10. I have a bad habit of correcting people when they are wrong - whether they've said something erroneous or pronounced a word incorrectly.

11. I try to do it nicely, though...

12. I have three hairs on each of my big toes. Eeeww.

13. I like to use big words. I'm not really a show off, I just enjoy them.

14. I played the clarinet for 10 years.

15. I still remember most of it, although, undoubtedly, I am no longer as good at it as I once was.

16. I like to think that I am a musical person because my parents named me Melody.

17. Budman told me once when we were dating that he always knew that the person that he ended up with would be musical...

18. I still melt when I think about that.

19. There are a lot of things about Budman that make me melt.

20. I hate my job.

21. My dream car would be a '70 or '71 Hemi 'Cuda.

22. I have my dream house planned out down to the smallest detail. If we ever build a house, I'm going to be a pain in the rear to work with...

23. I can't believe this is only 23.

24. I like to watch the car auctions on the Speed channel with Budman.

25. I kicked Budman's @ss at cribbage last night.

26. You have no idea what an amazing feat that is.

27. When I was younger, I used to repeat myself. Not out loud, but I would mouth the words to myself right after I said them. I used to get made fun of for this.

28. I love to read.

29. So much that I used to try to read at bedtime using the light bouncing off the wall from the bathroom.

30. My mother credits this action (night after night) as the main reason I ended up needing glasses.

31. I need to quit smoking.

32. I like to quote movies. Usually obscure movies.

33. Budman does this too, just another reason we are so perfect together.

34. We also frequently complete others thoughts, at which point the other one will say "Get out of my head" This happens a lot.

35. I'm watching Stranger than Fiction. I haven't wanted to see it up until now because it has Will Farrell and his movies are all stupid. This one is a little strange, but not very stupid. I like strange.

36. This reminds me that although I named my blog after a movie, I still haven't seen the movie. Not all of it at least.

37. I started watching it, but it was really... um... not interesting.

38. For many many years, my celebrity crush was Tom Cruise. Then he left Nicole Kidman, and suddenly he's not so attractive.

39. If I had to choose 5 celebrities I totally dig, I would choose:

40. Orlando Bloom. Especially 'Lord of the Rings' Orlando Bloom. Wow.

41. Colin Farrell - although sometimes, his wild boy ways turn me off a little.

42. Ewan McGregor - Apparently, I like accents.

43. Dane Cook

44. Brad Pitt

45. It was awfully hard to come up with more than three. ;-)

46. The dream house that I already have planned? It includes a play room that I have spent years perfecting (in my head). It would rival the clubhouse from Barney. Both of them.

47. I'm afraid my children will outgrow it before we get it built.

48. I could live on Ramen Noodles

49. Or white rice with butter and salt.

50. I tend to go a little overboard when I eat pretzels, because they have no fat.

51. This is not good.

52. I can't believe I have come up with more than 50 inane facts about my life.

53. I can't believe I still have 47 to go.

54. I just realized that every time I type the word beleive, I spell it wrong.

55. I'm supposed to be doing laundry.

56. I frequently battle insomnia.

57. Part of this has to do with Budman's need to have the TV on to fall asleep at night.

58. If the TV is on, I must watch it.

59. The only way I can get past this is to set the sleep timer, which works only if he is already asleep when it goes off, and as long as he doesn't wake up later in the night and turn it back on.

60. I'm not terribly creative, but I daydream a lot.

61. An awful lot.

62. I just scraped the heel of my foot by backing into the edge of the litter box while doing laundry.

63. It really hurts.

64. Mater gets his clumsiness from me.

65. Poor child.

66. If I have control of the remote (which isn't often), I cannot pass up a chance to watch The Deadliest Catch. I do not watch this show as a rule, but if I happen to find it on, I am inexplicably sucked in to it.

67. When it starts to get hot in the summer, I find myself wishing for a huge rainstorm, or hurricane or something, so that we can get rain.

68. I promised Mater a bicycle for his birthday on Sunday, and I still haven't gone shopping for it.

69. I'm watching The Holiday now. Add Jude Law to my list. In fact, he can replace Dane Cook.

70. I am addicted to Dear Abby and Dear Margo.

71. I am completely addicted to Dr. Pepper.

72. And bubble wrap. I cannot have a piece of bubble wrap and leave it alone. It screams to be popped.

73. I need to go through my Reader and clean it up. I have so many blogs to read that I can't keep up with them all.

74. Don't worry, though - I'm not unsubscribing from yours... :-)

75. I just realized that my dream house doesn't have a dining room.

76. I don't really care, since I have never used the dining room in any of the places I have lived in the past 10-15 years.

77. I just had three or four things I was going to add to the list, but by the time I got back to my laptop, I forgot all but one of them.

78. I STILL need to be doing laundry, and I NEED to have it all finished before Budman gets home.

79. I will almost always choose a salty snack over a sweet one.

80. I also realized I didn't put bathrooms in my pretend dream house.

81. This could be problematic.

82. The dog wants in, but I'm too lazy to do get up, and the kids are ignoring me when I call them to come do it.

83. I'm getting up.

84. I'm worried that Possum's mom doesn't plan to send him back to us at the end of the Summer.

85. I get sucked in to computer games WAY to easily.

86. If I play Solitaire, or Bejeweled or, well... any other game a lot, then I see the game when I close my eyes at night.

87. This may have something to do with my insomnia.

88. I have literally lay awake at night, solving an imaginary Sudoku puzzle or playing Tetris, or poker.

89. I'm not really sure what this says about me.

90.Only 10 more to go.

91. Someone else finally let the dog in. Whew... Never mind 83

92. I probably better start thinking of something for dinner.

93. Sometimes, Budman says that he wishes that we had met years ago, so that we wouldn't have wasted so much time without each other.

94. I do too, but I worry that if we had, then something would have happened to keep us from ending up together.

95. I'm sure that I wasn't mature enough or strong enough back then to have handled a relationship with him.

96. Since I can't change the past, I'll never know, so I'm just really glad that I met him when I did.

97. And that he was relentless in his pursuit of my attentions.

98. I think he's an amazing man, I'm so very lucky.

99. And no, in case you're wondering, he doesn't read my blog.

100. I sincerely hope that I never have to do this list again.

Procrastination and linky love, etc...

I've been getting closer and closer to that 100th post. In fact, I'm there. The next time I post, it will be my 100th. So, until I finish that blasted list, this will have to hold you. I know, you've been waiting with baited breath, checking in daily just to see what I might have to say next.

I could just post the little snippet above and be done with it, but that would be cheesy (Gosh, do I use that word a lot or what?)

AFTER the 100 things post, the next thing I'm going to have to figure out is how to do a blogroll. In the meantime, though. I'm going to give a little bloggy love to a few of those bloggers that I cannot miss on a daily basis. Now, this isn't everyone I love, so if you're not here, don't get mad. I have big plans to continue this little project in the future, so there's time for me to include everyone.

If recipes are your thing, then you need to check out Lori at My Wooden Spoon. I have tried quite a few of her terrific recipes and even won one of the awesome contests. She has other blogs as well, you should check them out.

Of course, When we're talking recipes, I can't not mention The Pioneer Woman. The recipes are amazing. Budman will forgive almost any sin for Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich or some Wings, and I've had to stop making the Onion Strings, because I ate them ALL. BY. MYSELF. And I'm addicted to all her other blogs, too.

For the Kids, and fun stuff to do with them, I always read Marie at Make and Takes. She just had a new baby girl, and she is the cutest thing! I also love Michelle at Scribbit. I'm fascinated by Michelle's life in Alaska. I would love to live there - y'know, except for all that cold...

For my everyday, keep me entertained/what did her kid(s) do today/what funny thing was said/done to make me snort coffee out my nose/pee myself laughing/announce to my co-workers that I sometimes snort when I laugh (Just kidding about that last one - I don't. No, really, I swear!!), here are a few (just a few, because really, I NEED to get back to work soon) of my favorite bloggers.

Marla, aka FADKOG at for a different kind of girl. Just the musical references alone are enough, but wait, there's more! You have to read the comments, too. She has some of the funniest readers!! I'm not nearly cool enough to be reading or commenting on her blog, but I do anyway and she doesn't mind, which is another reason I love her!! You just really must read. Go now. I'll wait.

Amanda at Shamelessly Sassy - Oh lord, I though my family was messed up. Truly some funny stuff. Look for the posts on 80s lady. You will NOT be disappointed.

And DaMama T... Funny things are always happening to DaMama

debby at Life's Funny Like That

Holly at June Cleaver Nirvana. Her illustrated posts are the best.

Rachel From the Land of Monkeys & Princesses. Also has some terrific recipes...

Kelly, the Don Mills Diva, has a cutie-pie son, who reminds me SO much of my nephew, N. She also has a new Recipe and Reviews site, so you'll want to take a look at that, too.

Creative-Type Dad. The only man on my list this time around. It is imperative that you take a look at his coloring pages.

The other Holly, Anglophile Football Fanatic. Yes, another Texas blogger - I can't help myself. We Texans are a talented lot!! Well, they are, anyway...

And last, but not least. Badger. I can't remember how I stumbled across her, but man, am I glad I did. Funny, funny stuff.

And last, but not least, I must include all the lovely ladies (and my new best friends) at AllMediocre. I have found LOTS of new faves through that site (and I haven't even gotten through the whole list - don't tell, though.). There are too many to list, and I wouldn't want anyone to feel left out, so you'll have to check them all out yourself.

So, now I'm wishing that I had time to include more, because I don't want anyone to hate me and stop reading if I haven't mentioned you yet, and hate me forever, and tell everyone what a stuck-up beeyotch I am.

If for some reason, I haven't found you yet, leave your link in the comments, and I will check you out!

Have a terrific day - and be patient with me while I finish that damn 100 things list.

Lazy days of Summer...

I've been so unmotivated lately. Vacation will do that to you, I suppose. Of course, now I'm back at work, and still trying to get back into the swing of things. I've switched to a 4-10 schedule. Four 10-hour days and one off. Unfortunately, we can't always have off a Friday or Monday, so no consistency. And, the possibility of overtime goes right out the window... Ah well, at least I will be able to use the extra day each week to work on schoolwork (or whatever).

We ended up going to see Get Smart (Thank you all for your suggestions) at the movie theater Saturday. As for dinner, I couldn't decide where to go eat, so I picked a theater that served dinner. I've been there before, and it was pretty good, but this time the service was AWFUL, and the food was so-so. We stopped off for drinks before, which was nice, and the movie was very funny. I think that Steve Carrell may be the only person on earth that could have done Maxwell Smart that well. I've tried to think of someone else who could have pulled off that role, but I can't.

I've been taking lots of pictures with my new camera (and I even uploaded them to my computer finally!) My kids are cheesy posers (I mean that they have to give me a cheesy pose anytime I take a picture), so I've been sneaking around taking pictures of plants and cats and squirrels and things (Squirrels NEVER pose...)

Here are a few samples.

Boys being silly (Please ignore our phallic swimming pool.)

More silliness...

The weed I replanted turned out to be a Sunflower. Now I don't feel quite so stupid...

Sunbathing...

Whoo Hoo! My camera kicks @ss.

This was done at the end of our driveway...

Remind me later to tell the story of how Budman darn near lost a finger while we were having our fireworks show.

Have a great week!

Ok, maybe it is a shameless ploy for comments

Or I could just really need your help.

I have to decide what movie I want to see this weekend. Keep in mind that the last time I went to a movie theater, was to see Harry Potter - Order of the Phoenix. So, while most people wouldn't have a hard time with this decision, this will likely be the only movie I see until November (when the NEXT Harry Potter movie comes out - NERD!!!!) and I want to pick THE movie.

I'm considering WANTED, INDIANA JONES and GET SMART. I'll also consider other movies that are suggested, because I really don't know what's worth seeing (or even what's out there right now)

So, tell me what you've seen lately - or what you want to see. Oh - and I did consider Sex and The City, but I'm pretty sure that forcing Budman to see that would ensure that he never takes me to another movie again...

The Weekend Update and all that stuff...

I can't really remember this weekend. No, I wasn't drinking (I'm saving that for the 4th - liquor and fireworks!!), but nothing spectacular happened. Saturday was the official start of our vacation, and Budman spent Saturday at home, we did a whole lot of nothing, which was nice. He spent a little time shopping for the boat part he needs, while I took the kids to the grocery store to get the stuff to make some lunch. I made some awesome buffalo chicken soft tacos, a specific request from Budman, since the restaurant that he used to get them at closed. Budman's brother came into town from Arizona, to see their dad, and help Budman with their parents house, which they are fixing up to be sold.

Sunday, my dad and I went to the shooting range, and I got in a little target practice with my pink .22. I got several compliments on my grouping, and no one made fun of my pink gun, because, as my dad says, "They know

better than to make fun of a woman with a gun", especially if she shoots like me. ;-) Budman and his brother headed off to work on the house, and I did laundry and cleaned our room all day.

Yesterday was a terrific birthday.

In the morning, Budman woke me up properly (wink wink, nudge nudge), informed me that he was taking me out to dinner and a movie on Saturday evening (A DATE!!!!) and then made me breakfast, while the boys made cards for me. Later he headed off to work at his parents house. Grammy took the boys to Target to get me presents, and I stayed home and played a game on the computer and watched Food Network. When the boys got home, Monkey and Mater rushed in to give me my presents right away, while Possum snuck his off to his room, so he could give it to me later that evening. Monkey gave me two bars of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate - One with Mint filling and one with Raspberry. Yum. Mater had picked out a box of Choxie truffles (I don't know what it is with those boys giving me chocolate, I think they're trying to make me fat(ter). They also brought me a flowering plant. Then they stood by my chair and said "Will you open the chocolates now - Can we have some?" NOW I know why they buy me chocolates...

I spent the afternoon cleaning out my closet, I still have plenty to do, but I made a quite a dent in it. I have two bags of clothes for Goodwill, and I threw out three boxes of stuff. Since it was my birthday, I got to request dinner, and we had Stewed Chicken, rice and green beans.

The boys gave me their cards (again) and Possum gave me a super-funny card (one of the ones that play sounds - My kids LOVE those. He also got me MORE Choxie Truffles, and RISK, the board game. I LOVE board games, and I've never played RISK, so I'm looking forward to figuring it all out. My parents gave me the latest Janet Evanovich book (which as of 2:30pm Tuesday, I've finished).

Then I got a phone call from my sister. She told me that my nephew, N, wanted to tell me something.

N: Happy Birthday

Me: Thank you, N! How are you?

N: Fine. I had a good green day today.

Me: You did? I'm so proud of you!

N: Yeah, I got a Popsicle and candy.

Me: You got candy? Wow.

N: Yeah, I got two candies, but I only ate one, cause then I was done.

Me: Cool! I really miss you, when are you coming to see us?

N: I'm coming to your house in about five minutes.

Me: Well, you need to come see me soon, we miss you lots.

N: OK. I love you, bye!

I told my sister that was the best present I could have gotten, N's not much of a talker, he's a little shy, even with family, since they live so far away and we don't see him that often.

Then we had cake and ice cream, and everyone sang to me and I blew out candles (We do it up right here - LOL!) My step-mom sent me to the cabinet to get some more napkins, which I thought was a little funny, since I could have sworn that we had plenty of napkins at dinner time, and because she's very funny about making sure that I didn't have to do anything on my birthday, but when I got in there, there was a gift bag, and inside was a NEW CAMERA!!! SO it's OK that I skipped begging Monday (although if they want to give me a camera, I will still be happy to accept. My new camera is a Sony Cyber-shot S750. It's not a DSLR, but I've been thinking that they might be too much camera for me, anyway. Besides, my new camera takes awesome, clear pictures, so I'm not complaining! LOL!

I told them all that it was the best birthday I ever had, and it was. Until next year...