It’s this time

So go here The UnMom

We good?  Okay.  Then here we go.

In case you don’t follow me on Twitter or you don’t follow the greatest team of all, Joey Votto won the NL MVP award yesterday.  So that made my Monday.  In case you forgot who he was, see picture below:

It’s Tuesday. I’m so late in RTT but who the heck cares right?  Right.

So you know what to do.  Click it.

What the heck Green Mountain Coffee?  You send me a coupon for $3 off my favoritest drink in the world (Apple Cider) but it’s never in stock! Coupon expires end of the month.  You. Are. Killing. Me.

Have you tried MetroMint water?  It’s so good.  Because I am so awesome and several RTT’s ago mentioned that I wanted to try them, they sent me free samples.  Seriously.  That was awesome.  I sampled four flavors, GoodBerryMint, Spearmint, Peppermint and ChocolateMint.  My favorite was Peppermint followed by Spearmint.  The ChocolateMint would be an excellent choice for those who want a little chocolate taste but not the calories.  Because did I tell you?  Zero Calories!  Amazing amounts of wonderful.  Pick it up and give it a try.  It’s incredible.  If you can’t find it at your local store you can go here: MetroMint Store Locator or buy it online.  If you buy GoodBerryMint 10% of the proceeds are given back to the community to help feed the hungry.  How awesome is that?

We got Direct TV today.  In fact – it’s being installed as I type.  And yes, I really did change from our previous cable because I couldn’t get any good hockey coverage.  Honestly.

I got a great cd the other day at Target, Christmas Cheer by Straight No Chasers.  It makes fun of traditional Christmas songs (somewhat) and also laments that even before Halloween has ended Christmas decorations are out.  That’s something I’ve been saying for years, thank you very much.

I got my Rosie Reds membership card today.  Yea!  For those not in the know, Rosie Reds is kind of like a philanthropic/social club for women who love the Reds.  Yes, every road does lead back to baseball.

I signed up for NaNoWriMo.  I’ve written exactly 34 words.  Pfftt, maybe next year.

Wendy said the other day she was reading Wuthering Heights (which I only read for the first time last year).  I pulled my copy out and am going to reread it.  I actually loved it, dark and twisted book that it is.

I have coupons in my wallet but the problem is I never remember to use them.  They aren’t even the get $.30 off when you buy 5 of these kind of coupons either.  They are the FREE ITEM type of coupons.  Where I could just walk into the store and snatch the item from the shelf plunk down the coupon and walk out without taking out a penny.  But I never remember to use them.  Weird.

Have you seen the ads on my site in the right sidebar there?  Go ahead and click em.  Promise nothing’s going to explode or anything.

What’s Random about you today?  Feel free to share it and then go see The UnMom.

Thank you to the person who said the thing about being weirded out by the end of the toilet paper roll. You know, when the paper’s all kinda glued on?  Now I’m skeeved out and developing a complex.  So thanks!

As always go here

So, what the fruitcake shall we talk about today?

These two were in the house on Sunday.  Cute no?

And here’s the Chick at school.  Wonder where she got the shopping at Kroger with a Starbucks thing from?  Eh em.

They are learning about food and shopping. Guess who donated the Starbucks cups??  Don’t tell me I don’t contribute to my kids education!

There are further pictures of her and her friends making and buying UDF ice cream and Krispy Kreme donuts.  Public schools are all about health, obviously.

Yesterday was the start of NaNoWriMo and as of this post, I’ve written zip for my word total.  I’m going to be a late bloomer on this one I think.

Yesterday was a fun day.  I had a doctors appointment and as part of the physical they asked me a series of questions.  Including the classic Have you ever thought about killing anyone?


Let’s see, there was this grey Tahoe that cut me off, so that’s one.  The kid at the grocery store who put my bread and a 5 lb bag of potatoes IN the same bag, that’s two.  Most of my neighbors for their lack of common sense (and seriously deficient taste in music), that’s three.

I did answer correctly.  I said no.  Mostly because if I said yes I’d go (willingly) to the place with padded walls and silence because let’s face it, everyone needs a break now and then right?  But I think they would have confiscated my phone…so, had to go with no.

I am so boring.

I started reading the Scarlet Letter.  I’ve never read it before.  I’m not sure how far into it I am because I’m reading on the Kindle and their lack of page numbers makes me batty.  But thus far, I think it’s a war novel.  Right??

How was your halloween?  Everyone about done with candy yet?  Let me tell you why we only gave out one piece of candy.

The neighbors, they of the famous block party, sent out an email to the HOA reminding everyone that they were having their annual candy table set up in their driveway.  We were all encouraged to come over, drop off our bowl of candy and “hang out”.  Basically destroying all that is trick or treating.  Because all of my neighbors are completely freakin’ wacked, that’s what they did.

We went to take our kids to ring doorbells and found only one in this huge neighborhood that had the lights on.

We had to pack up and drive ten minutes to the next town and some friends who live in a nice, normal, trick-or-treating neighborhood.  Where my kids got their trick or treat on.   If there weren’t already three houses for sale on this street alone, this baby would be on the market.

My neighbors are just nutso.

It’s the last day for my children’s book giveaway, Gifts From the Heart by Victoria Osteen.  You can go here to enter.

She’s not nuts….she’s um, Canadian.  Head over to Keely at The UnMom.  I might just have to move to Canada.  Where people are normal.

Won’t you be…won’t you be…won’t you be my neighbor!  Hi Neighbor.

I do it all in the name of Random.  Get crazy. Go here:

So, the mail came yesterday and amongst seriously crappy bills and stuff was the latest REI catalog.  I don’t know why they sent me one.  I haven’t been to REI since like…1996?  Anywho, cool stuff.  I just really really want one of these:

My favorite part of it is the way they are selling it.  The description reads as follows: Inject some playfulness into her ski wardrobe.


What idiot would actually buy one of them as a gift?  A breakup gift maybe…Is it just me though?  I would seriously never be caught dead in that.  Or alive actually.

Did you all know I’m a hockey fan?  So now that baseball is over, you get to listen to me talk about the Flyers.

I left a comment the other day, um actually yesterday I think, about baseball and how people can be so mean and rude and down right nasty if you like an opposing team.  The person didn’t believe me when I said I was unfollowing people on Twitter because it’d gotten so bad.  Not everyone is this way but some.  I wrote a whole post about it over here, When Enough is Enough.

I haven’t dropped my phone yet.  It’s something of a miracle.  I did buy the Otter Box Commuter TL for it just in case.  The second I do I’m splurging for the whole next case the Defender.  The salesman threw his phone in a defender case across the store and it survived with nary a scratch or blip.  That’s really the sort of thing this Butterfingers Mama needs.

By the way, any idea how to get kid pee out of a couch?  You just let me know cause I’m looking for advice after yesterday.

I went to a Reds bowling party Saturday night.  Go me!  I didn’t actually bowl but still I got out on a  Saturday night.  The proof.  Me, Better Off Red’s Jamie Ramsey and fellow Reds Fan,  Cindy.

Halloween is in six days.  I have neither bought my children’s costumes nor carved a pumpkin or purchased halloween candy to pass out.  I’m personally going to see just how close I can cut this one cause I like the little extra boost I get from anxiety.

That’s all the Random I’m capable of today.  If you need more be sure to go and visit Keely.  She’ll keep you entertained.

How’s everybody on this fine Tuesday?  Egads, I haven’t written anywhere in a week.  Very bad blogger am I.  But I always like to chime in on Random Tuesday Thoughts day because it’s my favoritest day of the week.  For all the latest and greatest you need to go here and see Keely:

Or here: The UnMom.

Okay I have a question for Keely, the Questionable Advice page on your blog, does it pop up in the reader if you write on that page or is that one of those I have to keep checking back kinds of things?  I love Questionable Advice.  I don’t want to miss out.

Would it even be Tuesday if I didn’t say something about Twitter?  Cause I usually do.  Wow.  In case you didn’t know (cause you live under a rock and don’t spend enough time on my blog where I haven’t written lately…meh) the Cincinnati Reds are facing the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of playoffs starting Wednesday.  Let’s just take a second to say OMG.  Both my teams, against each other…I may just cry.  The only way I can look at it is that at least someone will be moving on (hoping it’s the Reds)  How does Twitter play into this you ask?  Well, I’ve never seen people smack each other down like Phillies and Reds fans.  It’s (mostly) in jest but some people…I hope I never meet you in a back alley.  Just gonna say that and get it over with.

Chick told me she ate dirt at school yesterday.  As a mother I’m so proud.

She is also in charge of the class pet (Tim the Turtle).  If he goes missing…well, God bless the girl, she is cute.  Even in Preschool Jailhouse Orange.

Leaving tomorrow…just in case I haven’t mentioned it. Can’t. Wait.

This does mean things here and here will be even more sporadic.  Either I will have loads of time and catch up on the 500 plus blogs in my reader and possibly write something or you may just get pictures.  Beautiful pictures of changing leaves and a river and a lake.  And maybe my nephew kicking butt playing football.  If his mom says it’s cool that I post pictures here.  He was less than 4 pounds when he was born and I think it’s fantastic that he now plays football. 

I mean wrap him in bubble wrap please, but as a teen I don’t think he’s going to let anyone do that.

I cleaned my office yesterday.  How many times am I going to say that?  But this time I actually took everything off my desk and truly started over.  Wanna take bets on how much stuff that’s not mine ends up there this week while I’m gone?

I’ve had several people offer to write over here.  I can’t even tell you how grateful and honored I am.  Truly.

I checked out a book from the library called Tortilla Curtain.  Again, a book that sold it on the title alone.  And the cactus on the cover.  It is fiction.  I have no idea what it’s about though…

I want to watch the Wizard of Oz.  It all started with this post over at Better Off Red, the brainchild of one Jamie Ramsey, the Reds baseball media mogul. (something to that effect, he did give me a free, most awesome, BOR t-shirt.)  (read the captions, get to the one with Joey Votto talking to Scott Rolen, it doesn’t get better than that…oh wait it does…) Thanks to Cindy, without whom I will never look at the movie again without giggling and saying #BORgiggles.  Best invention yet.

I want to have more Random but I don’t know if it’s in me today.  I am knackered.

You’d think that my sleepy pills would help me out there.  But nope, I feel just as tired lately as if I never slept at all. 

I said two weeks ago that I velcro’d a monkey’s butt.  I really did.  I velcro’d a sock monkey to the dashboard of my car.  I didn’t really think about it at the time and the car is a lease and they may not like a monkey’s butt stuck on there.  Things you think of after the fact. 

That’s got to be Random enough right?  If it’s not, go visit Keely.  Go forth and be Random.

Come one and come all!  It’s Random Tuesday Thoughts time.  Link up at Keely’s.

So as always there’s a million and one things sitting in the reader and I’m avoiding reading writing blogs like the plague. It only reminds me I haven’t done crap-ola with my own work in forever.  And that I really really need to get it in gear, finish editing, keep writing and get this WORK out the door.

Bleh.

I don’t feel like it.  Right now I’m all caught up in schtuff and baseball and hockey season is here and….the excuses keep on coming.  I also got this on Saturday:

But I got the 3GS cause I really didn’t like the way the 4 felt in my hand.  I like the rounded versus the squareness of it.  Plus it was a hundred bucks cheaper.  I’m cheap.  I admit it.

It’s not helping me do anything but waste time on Twitter, which I didn’t really need help with anyway.  It did come in handy when I went to get a haircut yesterday.  I could read the news while I was waiting.  Total time saver.

I went with brown lowlights instead of the blondish highlights I had previously.  Umm, I’m really not so sure about that.  For a very low maintenance person like me, this may have been a big mistake.  (And for the record, wth is the difference between lowlights and highlights, other than the PRICE?  This is only the third time I’ve had the whole haircolor in a salon thing done.  I’m so virgin at it. I’m all “Whatever YOU think is fine!”)

Of late I’m really into comfort food.  I made ratatouille Monday.  I may make goulash tomorrow and the day after may just call for chili and I’m pretty sure a dose of blue cheese mac n’cheese should be in there somewhere.  All I want to do, apparently, is eat.

It was 90 on Friday and yesterday it was 52.  Could you please make up your mind already Miss Weather?

I reloaded my Starbucks card.  Oh yeah, stupid move.  Now I have even more incentive to drive to Starbucks.  Did you know they also have an iPhone app for Starbucks?  I mean really, do I need to make pretend drinks on my phone?  (apparently yes, because I downloaded the app and made myself a drink.  It did not however magically appear at my side.)

Speaking of magic, who else is EXCITED about the next Harry Potter movie?  Huh huh???  The wait will do me in and it’s only about 6 weeks till it gets here.

I’m going to the Reds game tonight for the first ever RedsTweetUp.  A gathering of other geeky minded Reds baseball freaks like me who all Tweet about baseball.  They even sold special tickets so we can all sit together in the same section.  Hmm, now that I think about it, it’s a bit weird. I guess they don’t want us mixing with the regular folk.  (All in all, probably a smart idea…)  Either I’ll be watching the Division Champion Reds plays the lowly Houston Astros or I’ll be watching the Hopefully Division Champion Reds take the title. (Cardinals have to lose Monday night for Reds to clinch or the Reds have to win the game against the Astros.  Since I write these posts in advance I don’t know which it is yet.) I will be watching the Reds play FOR the title.

Phillies win 4th straight NL East Division Title.  Oh Yea.

You think I bore you with baseball? 

Hockey season has started.  Just wait. Go Flyers!

I have a bunch of interesting/thought provoking/brain numbing newspaper/magazine articles in my “To Do/Ideas” bin on my desk.  Maybe I’ll get to one of them this week and give you all something worthy of reading.

Recent conversation on Twitter between me and another mom:

@mayaREguru Ho-Ho’s. It’s what’s for dinner. Bought them for the kids but they’re mine now! Muhaha
@BlogMamaAndrea Don’t mess with a mama and her ho-ho’s. That didn’t sound right did it?
@mayaREguru  no not right but totally awesome!

It didn’t come out correctly then or now, did it?

Chick was whining about not getting a third snack so I sent her upstairs to play. After crying and then singing she is now silent.  Either she’s up to something or she fell asleep.  Proving once again if I ignore her long enough, she will leave me alone.

Until next time, be fearless and go see Keely.  I hear she doubles as a Super Ninja Warrior.  That may be just rumor but…I wouldn’t turn your back on her if you know what I mean.

It’s Random Tuesday. If you don’t know what it is, you’ve been living under a rock, go see the fearless leader, she’s our SuperHero…don’t know many more ways I can say so just Click It.  The UnMom.

Last week the family and I went to a Reds game.  Before the game one of the pitchers, Bronson Arroyo, was sitting outside with a guy playing guitar…giving a free concert.  Arroyo can totally sing.  I ordered his cd and it came in the mail.  Completely love at first ears.  I kid not.  Go to his site and listen for free, then buy it!  Not bad for someone who also kicks butt at pitching!

I got to test out Junior’s Cheesecake thanks to 1-800-Flowers a few weeks ago.  Oh so yummy!  It was delicious and didn’t last long around here.  If you have a need to order something yummy for friends, family or yourself you should definitely go to 1-800-Flowers and look up getting a Junior’s Cheesecake; it’s heaven in a box!

This falls under the category of something you might like, so I’m sticking into Random Tuesdays to spread the word.  It’s tomorrow!!

Designers Stewart+Brown Talk Eco Fashion 9/22: “Wicked Fresh! Wednesdays” Live Video Chat Series Finale

When: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 – 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST / 8:00 p.m.to 9:00 p.m. EST

Where: Hosted on Tom’s of Maine Facebook page –www.facebook.com/TomsofMaine – via the Live Chat tab

What: Tom’s of Maine “Wicked Fresh! Wednesdays” live video chat series with Karen Stewart and Howard Brown, founders and designers of the pioneering sustainable clothing line Stewart+Brown. Get the insider fashion scoop about their fall fashion tips, balancing entrepreneurism with family, how they source their fabrics and much more.

I checked out a book from the library called “Get A Life That Doesn’t Suck” by Michelle DeAngelis.  It has a picture of a straw stabbed into a lemon.  Don’t know what the books even really about other than not having a sucky life.  Cover totally sold it though.

One thing I hate about the local library is when they say they have a book online, but when you get there…it’s nowhere to be found. Always happens.

Every night about 5 I get all dizzy (I don’t know what that’s about but I’m sure not enjoying it).  On Sunday Chick was playing with my hair while I was sitting on the floor.  I actually had to lay down.  She put a pillow under my head, covered me with a blanket and gave me her pink fluffy dog to sleep with.  Then she brought me a lollipop.  This kid rocks.

I literally velcro’d a monkey’s butt yesterday.

Have you listened to any good music lately?  I’m currently in love with Sara Barielles’s new cd, Lifehouse, Matt Hires and the soundtrack to The Last Kiss.  Other popular iPod pop ups are On the Rocks (All the Above), Jurassic 5 (with Dave Matthews – Work It Out) and The Band Perry (If I Die Young).  What are you listening to? (I haven’t played Pearl’s iPod Predict’s The Weekend shuffle in awhile.  I may have to do that this week.)

Thor got himself three minutes of fame on Friday.  You can see it over here: Better Off Red.  (He’d be thrilled if you clicked through!!) FunkBlast.

Again, I’m already all randomed out.  I have to stop trying to write these in advance, late at night, while watching baseball.  On that note, I don’t know what I’m going to do when the season ends.  Take up basket weaving?  Oi.

If you want even more Random go see Keely at The UnMom.

And I don’t have a post pre-prepared like usual.  Weird I know! I’m in baseball mode so no one here wants to hear about that.  So instead I invite you all to go see Keely at The UnMom. She keeps me on my Random Toes and NOW she also gives unsolicited advice.  Pretty awesome huh? Anyway, the badge of love and lets get moving:

So all I’ve been reading about in every magazine (Philadelphia, Bloomberg, WSJ) is how colleges rank and who they accept and yada yada yada.  And then they get to the tuition….and here’s where I die a  slow effin painful death.  Let’s just say Thor’s a genuis so he’s set for scholarships.  Chick, sweetie, you better work on your golf skills hun, cause that’s how we are getting you kids to college.

My previous college, the then Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now Philadelphia University) charges $38, 302 a year.  And that’s one of the cheap schools!  Haverford tops out at $52, 606  You’d be tickled pink to know U Penn only charges you $47, 638.

Scholarships kids, scholarships.

I don’t want to think about college for them, I have enough trouble figuring out paying for me.

I keep promising the Sing-A-Ma-Jig I got at BlogHer so here you go:

You want one don’t you?

I hired a babysitter for Chick tomorrow so I can take Thor to the baseball game.  I don’t know who’s more excited, me or him.  We haven’t done a Mom and Son thing in forever.

Does anyone know how to transfer itunes from side of a Mac to the other?  All the music is kept on CP’s side and you would think I could access it from my side but no.  I can’t.  Makes me insane.

I slept last night.  For those of you who follow my Twitter stream you’ll know what a big deal this is. SeVen Hours  SEVEN HOURS.  Granted it took a prescribed pill to get me there but Seven Hours.  Felt like heaven with a pillow.

There are groceries to buy and things to umm, do so go see Keely and get your Random on.  Every Tuesday, rain shine sleet or hail (even when she’s on vacation!).  The UnMom.  Be like Nike and just do it.

It’s Random Tuesday Thoughts time!  Join Keely at The UnMom for lots of Random Tuesday Fun.

My teams lost yesterday.  That kinda stinks. I had this to say via Twitter:

BlogMamaAndrea Me: “Those boys need a spanking!” CP: “And you’re more than willing to give them one?” Me: “Yes!!” #reds 4 #rockies 5 in the 5th

about 4 hours ago via web

Yep, and that would have worked too.

I read this article in Philadelphia Magazine by Richard Rys last week and was completely sickened by what’s happened to Old City.  Old City used to be where I went in college for First Friday’s (art gallery showings the first Friday of every month) and then Italian food.  It’s supposedly becoming the Jersey Shore of Philadelphia.  One restaurant owner was quoted as saying she couldn’t tell the regular people from the hookers.  That’s really, really sad.

The best line from the Green Zone with Matt Damon:

How do we know we’re not walking into an ambush?
We don’t. Put your F-in game face on.

I feel the same way every time I go to Walmart.

Thor’s beta fish died last night.  I’m amazed it survived that long.  It had been with us since May? June?  I thought he might get upset but his only words were “Well, it only had a 14 day guarantee mom.”  Right you are my son, right you are.

I found a library receipt from 8/06/05 in one of my books.  I’ve saved it (consciously).  It was the first time I read the first Harry Potter book.

I’ve also kept my traffic ticket from the Polizei.  I have no idea exactly why.  Fond memory maybe?  Eh.

As always, it’s also Tuesday’s Terms.

That’s all the Random I have time for.  If you like Random then head over to see Keely at The UnMom for more.