sAy AnYtHiNg

What did you say your name is?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

What is in a name and what goes into choosing a name?  I would venture to say that most of us have at least a general idea of why our own name was given to us by our parents.  For example, many of us were named after a relative, or for a name in the bible, or maybe a name that had just always been a favorite of your mom or dad.  I was named for my paternal grandmother and my mother.   You get the idea.  There are some names, however, that leave one scratching their heads and wondering what, in the world, their parents were thinking.  Two caveats before I give you the list of names that have me saying "you've got to be kidding.  One, all these names are totally and completely verified as true, and they are their given names...not nicknames or stage names.  Two, as I have personal knowledge of who these people are, I know that they come from all different races, socioeconomic levels, and educational backgrounds, thus this is not meant as a commentary on any one particular type of person.  It's just for fun.

Category one:  Really?!

Harry Bald - Yes, his first name is technically Harold, but he goes by Harry.
Dijon - Named because his mom read it from the jar of mustard and thought it would make a pretty name.
Charity Ball
The next four are all brothers and sisters:
Legacy Drakar (this is first and middle name, not first and last)
Heaven Angel (also first and middle, not first and last)
Steel
Bronze
Another brother and sister pair:
Carless
Carhonda

Category two:  Slightly x-rated, or "why don't you just install the stripper pole in the crib"?

Last name Titts, first name Lushus, therefore, Lushus Titts
Kisslick
Satin Sheets

Hope these gave you a smile, and feel free to add any that you know of in the comment section.  (Thanks to those of you that gave me a few of the names already on the list.)

What's Your Thing?

Sorry I'm late today, I've been out and busy playing my new favorite game;  "Dodge the Potholes"  or should it be "Hide and Seek" with the road and I'm "it".

Speaking of driving, which I kind of was, the lease on my car is up in a few months.  I currently drive a Toyota Sequoia.  I really have enjoyed it.  The extra seating is a huge Plus, but the gas mileage: A Huge Minus.  I am totally and completely undecided on what to get next.  I think one of the main problems is that I am just NOT a car buff.  I like nice cars, but really they don't move me.  My son wants me to get one of his dream cars, a Ferrari or a Lamborghini.  Aside from the fact that at this juncture both of these cars are completely impractical, my apathy toward cars would make spending that kind of money on one of them a very difficult thing.  This would be true for me even if we were gazillionaires. I just don't care that much.  I think I've made the point that I am not motivated by cars. 

Any suggestions on what I should drive next will be taken under advisement, but here is my question:  What is one your dream items?  Money is no object.

Right off the top of my head, I would say for my family our list would go something like this:

My husband:  A fully equipped music studio in our basement, and a Continental Bentley.
My son:  A Ferrari or a Lamborghini.  The fact that he is only 9 notwithstanding, he would find a way to have one of these in our garage.
My daughter:  An unlimited budget for dress up stuff (clothes, shoes, make-up... the works) and all the Hannah Montana stuff she could find.
Me: An unlimited budget for shoes and a second home in South Carolina.

What moves you?  Be decadent for just a second...I know all of you would feed the world, bring peace to all mankind, etc. etc.  However, today, dream a little materialistic dream with me!

Happy Valentines Day

   I hope you all have a wonderful day full of love and joy shared with family and friends!

Win some lovely items at Chased by Children today to make your Valentine's day a little sweeter!  Good Luck.

Christmas Hoopla

As I mentioned yesterday, I have been tagged for a "Christmas Hoopla" by A Day in the Life of the Ordinary.  Therefore, I am to share 12 (yes, 12 which seems like a huge number at the moment) things about myself relating to Christmas.  Let's get started.

1.  My grandmother made me this Advent calendar when I was  a little girl.  I love it!  I am now blessed to be able to use it with my kids every year.  They place an ornament on the tree from December 1 thru  December 24.  Santa puts the ornament of himself on the tree for the 25th.  She also made me a stocking that I still use at my mom's house. 

2.  My background on my paternal side is Scottish.  My grandfather loved having a Scottish background, therefore, it was our tradition to have oyster stew every year for our Christmas Eve dinner.   When I was little I would only eat the broth, but as I got older I would usually eat an oyster or two.  Believe it or not I kind of miss this tradition.  My uncle still makes it every year...I think I need to get the recipe so I can start the tradition again with my family.

3.  My maternal grandfather loved peanuts.  Every year he would send us all Hubs peanuts as one of our gifts.  They are truly delicious and something we all looked forward to every year.  This year my uncle decided that he missed getting his Hubs and figured the rest of us did, too, so he sent us all Hubs.  I cried when I got them.  It made me miss my grandpa, but I was so touched that my uncle had carried on the tradition.   

4.  Every year on Christmas Eve I got to open one present.  It was always pajamas for me to wear to bed that night.  One year, I opened my package on Christmas Eve only to find a hat and scarf.  Imagine my surprise!  Turns out my dad had mixed up packages, so I got to open another one that contained the PJ's.  That was the only year I got to open two presents on Christmas Eve.  I have now continued this tradition with my kids.

5.  My favorite Christmas cookie is what we always referred to in our house as just "Christmas cookies", but most people know them as "thumbprints".

6.  I love not having to set an alarm clock for the entire Christmas break.

7.  After Thanksgiving dinner we always bundle up and go for a walk around our neighborhood to see what Christmas lights have been displayed already.  This is one of my favorite traditions.

8.  I always received an ornament as one of my gifts, so that when I went out on my own I would have a start to my Christmas decorations.   I had to arm wrestle them away from my mother, but now that I have I enjoy unpacking them every year.  I have now started this tradition for my kids too.

9.  Christmas is my husband's favorite time of the year, but he HATES to decorate, therefore, it is primarily my job to decorate our house.   Although, he is a big fat baby really good sport about helping me with the outside lights.

10.  I made this stocking for my son.  I started it when he was three, he finally got to start using it when he was six.  Why yes, my nickname is "Lightening McQueen" how did you know?  I haven't started  my daughter's yet.  She will probably have it for her "Sweet Sixteen" Christmas.   

11.  My favorite Christmas special is "The Year Without a Santa Clause".  Heat Miser and Freeze Miser ROCK!

12.  Mostly I just love the cozy time with my family.  It is truly a magical time of year.

Whew!  I'm finished, hope I didn't wear you out! 

Here is the deal, I must specifically tag someone for this hoopla ( please do not refer to it as the "m" word that shall not be named MeMe, so whom shall I tag?

Well, I think Chased by Children is probably going to be too busy chronicling her trip to Disney to participate and I Should be Folding Laundry has decided on a relaxation theme for her holidays, so she is probably too relaxed to participate, so I am going to have to tag the creator of the Underblog award that crazy gal Dixiechick.  Hope she is up for the challenge!

Merry Christmas!

Justice Served

As you may remember in my last "Random Musings" post my mom and my step-dad have been having a little raccoon issue.  Well I am happy to report that the villain has been apprehended!  Here he is in all his glory.

Now before you get your Peta panties all in a twist, read the quote below on what will become of him.  The quote is by my step-father occasionally known as "Gangsta Tommy", but that's another story for another time!

"The "perp" has been captured and will soon be entered in the Witness Relocation Program wherein he will reside henceforth in the 600+ acre Forest Preserve. There he can do his "bidness" anywhere he wants."

Ode to....

Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin oh what would I do without you?

Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin you are truly a dream come true.

Two days ago, two days ago my throat hurt so badly I couldn't talk.

Two days ago, two days ago my body ached so badly I couldn't walk.

The Dr. prescribed you my pink little friend.

The Dr. prescribed you and assured my pain would soon end.

Cue the Hallelujah chorus for the Dr. she was right.

Cue the Hallelujah chorus for after only two days my pain is nearly out of sight.

Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin oh what would I do without you?

Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin you are truly a dream come true.

P.S.  Advil liqui-caps I love you too.

P.P.S.  Thank you for all your well wishes!

The Explanation

   Last week when I posted this picture of my son (and when people saw him in person) on Halloween, two things happened.  One, people complimented him like crazy and said how great he looked, and two people like Daddy Forever  wondered how ,at nine, he even knew who Kiss was.

Exhibit A:  A picture of the corner of our dining room (it looks like this almost ALL the time, I have witnesses)

For those counting, that is 3 electric guitars, 1 bass guitar, 1 acoustic guitar and a bongo drum.  The guitar with the lightening bolts is my son's guitar.  Everything else belongs to my husband.

Exhibit B:  A picture of my husband when we were dating, and, yes, that is his real hair.

"Nuf said!"

Busy, Busy, Busy

I know aren't we all.   Today, however, I have been at a dead run since I woke up at 6:05am.  To school to drop of the kids.  Home to shower and get ready for coffee with the girls.  Yes, it is an essential activity to have coffee with the girls now and then.  If you are a girl you know what I mean, if you are a boy...too bad for you!  Plus, we have an awesome tradition of giving each other the "traveling compote" filled with fabulous swag on each of our birthdays.  Today was my day to receive the compote.  (It's not my birthday today, it was last month, we like to extend our celebrations)Wheeeeee.  Check back here on Monday to see some of my goodies as they will be included in the Christmas Gift Carnival that Don't Try This at Home is hosting. 

Home to wrap a birthday present for preschooler's classmate.  Out the door to go to said birthday party with preschooler at Chuck U. Jesus.   Chuck E. Cheese's to the rest of the world, but this is what my son called it when he was a baby, therefore, it is forevermore Chuck U. Jesus in our house. 

Overheard this conversation between a mommy and her little girl in the bathroom (they were in the stall together) "Yeah mommy you did it!"  Giggled.  Dash from Chuck U. Jesus in time to pick up fourth grader from school and stop at the store on the way to pick up something for dinner since I forgot to put what was originally planned for dinner in the crock pot before I left the house for the party.

Encountered the SLOWEST check-out person in the world ever.  Fly to school as fast as possible on a totally congested road that made me understand road rage.  Pick up son 15 minutes late.  Home, whew!  Take 10 minutes to write this before starting dinner and getting son out the door to basketball practice.   Sound familiar to anyone?  I realize I have probably just described all of your days in one way or another.  Tomorrow I promise to be a better time organizer.  I said that yesterday too, but a girl can dream can't she?!

The New Addition

**In case any of you still need the answers to Tuesday's riddles, they are contained in yesterday's post.**

I have a new cowlick.  How this is even physically possible is beyond me, and yet, there it is, big as life, on the back of my head. 

I have had one for my whole life in the front of my hair.  It is slightly troublesome sometimes, but since I have had it FOREVER, I have kind of figured out what to do with it, most days.  This cowlick of mine was even rather useful in the "big hair salad days" of the eighties when I was going for the Niagara Falls look with my bangs.  It was at just the right place in my hair to give me maximum height before the falls.  Hard not to be jealous, I know, but fear not that look has passed.

I have been growing my hair out recently, but I still don't feel like it explains my new little friend.  I have had long hair lots of times, and nary a glimpse of this little guy.  I suppose I could attribute it to operator error with the blow dryer, but I've been using the same one for almost a year and have not changed my technique.  I just met my new cowlick about a week ago.  It is somewhat of a mystery.  All I know for sure is that I hope it is just renting space for a brief period of time and it will move on to its permanent residency on someone else's head soon.  I have enough bad hair days as it is without this trouble maker mucking up the works even further.

I'm It, and You Could Be Too

  Today I have been tagged with my first MeMe.  That crazy chick Jenny  got me.  By the way, she is having a contest in honor of her 100th post.  She is giving away a $100.00 Target gift card to the winner of a little challenge.  Simply answer this question:  If Jenny at Chased by Children wore a slogan Tee it would say...There are a few rules, so make sure you play by them or you could be dq'd.  I think her tee shirt would say, "True 'Dat!"

Back to the MeMe.

Four Things I have never done:

1.  I have never manged to stay on the list of "Works for me Wednesday".  What?! Like I could resist that opening! ;)

2.  I have never jumped out of an airplane.  Does not strike me as an entertaining way to spend my time.

3.  I have never read and/or seen "Pride and Prejudice".  I know there are a lot of mouths agape at this revelation, sorry, I have just not been moved to do so.  At least not yet.

4.  I have never crashed a dirt bike.  Not so, for husband and son.  More on that later.

Four Things I've Learned in the Last Year:

1.  I have learned that if you cut an apple in half width wise instead of lengthwise, you will see a star in the center of the apple.  Yes, you savvy readers that is the answer to the first riddle from Tuesday.  The answer to the second riddle is "nothing", which several of you smarties have already figured out.

2.  I have learned that toothpaste takes scuff marks off of fiberglass bathtubs.  How did I learn this? Two ways, first, a large master bath tub makes an excellent racetrack for toy cars and trucks.  Their tires leave marks.  Second, we don't have a full mirror in our room, and it is possible that on occasion someone might have stood on the edge of the tub to check their look.  Shoes can leave marks too.

3.  Dirt bikes are dangerous.  O.K. I probably have known this for longer than a year, but this last year both my husband and son got dirt bikes.  My son broke his collar bone while riding 5 days after he got his bike.  I am taking my husband to have his tail bone x-rayed today, as he had a crash yesterday.  I would like to sell them, they would not.

4.  Having a group of supportive friends is a true blessing.  I am the very lucky recipient of such a blessing.

Four Jobs I would Love, but will Probably Never Have:

1.  Broadway Star.  My daughter and I are the only ones who truly appreciate my voice.

2.  Talk Radio Show Host, but only if I got to do it with a friend.

3.  President of the United States.  I don't really want to be President, but it would be a cool title to have.

4.  Let's face it, I don't really want a job.

Four Jobs I have Actually Had:

1.  Worker in a day care.  I was 17.  Love kids, but learned I don't love 30 of them at once with no help.  The owner used to take naps all day, while I did all the work.  Luckily, my mom the lawyer, made me quit for liability reasons.

2.  Spotter on a para-sailing boat.  I did not actually get paid, but I did get a free para-sailing ride.  Lots of fun!

3.  Waitress/hostess/bartender.  Tips are a good thing, cranky customers are not.

4.  Bridal Registry Consultant.  Fun if the couple had good taste, rather painful if they did not.

Tag you're it, if you want to be!

P.S.  Happy one year Blogoversary to Are Things Complicated Yet?