Fashion in the House of Tot

The fashion was edgy and the models were FIERCE!

The agency's newest model is rumored to be the next big thing on the catwalk. Here he can been seen sporting a crimson fleece jumpsuit embellished with racecar embroidery accessorized with a single white, lace glove and black cowgirls boots with silver toe and hot pink stitching accents.

Seven Day Spending Spree

…canvas art for Sister Stephanie’s dining room
…four framed wine themed tiles for Sister Stephanie’s dining room
…brackets for Sister Stephanie’s stacked book shelves in office
…three sage green candles for Sister Stephanie’s candle holder in dining room
…framed picture noting “Always Kiss Me Goodnight” for Sister Stephanie’s bedroom
…floor mats for Sister Stephanie’s front and back entry ways
…green dragon bubble machine for SugarLips
…gallon size tub of bubbles for prior noted machine
…five pair of jeans for Jeff to wear at work
…pack of wife-beaters for a husband who would never beat his wife
…pack of socks for above mentioned husband
…new outfit for TaterTot to wear to interview
…hot pink and black canvas shoes with skull/checker motif for Doody
…two scrolled iron candle holders for bedroom
…two tarnished bronze leaf-inspired wall pieces for bedroom
…one tarnished bronze & iron scrolled wall piece for bedroom
…king-sized bed sheets
…king-sized comforter set and three matching decorative pillows
…two gallons paint for bedroom
…entertainment center for living room (Sister Stephanie needed one so I bought new and passed down old)
…sage green rug for front entry
…white wood curtain rods for Doody & Mimi’s bedroom
…white valances for Doody & Mimi’s bedroom
…tickets to Roller Derby
…sushi and cocktails with Bombadee
…coffee and scones at Mudd Puddles with Sister Stephanie
…lunch at hospital while visiting step-dad after back surgery
…treats at Dairy Queen with Sister Stephanie
…breakfast at White Pines Inn with Mimi and SugarLips
…dinner at PineCricker with Sister Stephanie (surf & turf…YUM!)
…dinner at McDonald’s with family before Roller Derby (bleh!)
…lunch at Applebee’s
…and my favorite purchase that I have to wait two weeks for: our first brand-new bed, king-size. We’re sleeping on a poking-spring used mattress we bought from my older sister’s roommate 14 years ago and my parents frame and headboard from 1978. It was time for an upgrade.

In queue to be purchased soon:

…king-size mattresses; looking for a sale, I’m out of money
…framed picture noting “Always Kiss Me Goodnight” for my bedroom; Jeff was bummed when I told him it was for Stephanie’s room and not ours
…19” widescreen LCD monitor; now that I have the Internet at home 15" CRT will not do

Will an "A" Get Me In?

I found a quiz online today, asking readers Got Religion?

I only missed one of the fifteen earning a 93%, although I will admit one of the True/False was a total guess and I happened to pick the right one. (No bragging on my blog about your perfect score Dan!).


The article that lead into the quiz has prompted me to put Professor Steve Prothero's soon to be published book "Religious Literacy" on my reading list. This statement regarding the professor rang close to home for me:

"The professor is not an advocate for any faith, though he's a great admirer of the faithful."

But, as I read on he is an advocate to "teach religion in public schools. Prothero believes that before graduation from high school, every American should take a Bible course and a world-religions course—dispassionate humanities courses whose purpose is not to catechize or evangelize but to educate."

Sounds like a good read, and an opportunity for me to be swayed into a change of opinion...something that doesn't happen very often.

Scruples: A Tot in Need

Similar to something that my pal Jenny emailed me the other day, I made a statement during a board game with friends last night that has weighed heavily on my mind ever since.

While playing the game Scruples with the Bombadee’s and Blahzeeblah’s, my closest friends who I am comfortable saying anything in front of, I found myself quickly answering a question before giving it much thought. You have the option to answer all of the hypothetical questions with a yes, no or depends. A “depends” requires additional explanation, but rarely the way I respond to anything. While my ability to give an opinion quickly and precisely can depict a woman who is steadfast and confident in her beliefs it can also reveal that sometimes I speak before I think, as in the case last night.

So what is the question that has haunted me for about 14 hours now?

Would you consider leaving your spouse if it was discovered they could not have children?

Before I knew it, “YES” blurted out of my mouth to my wide-eyed friends, a husband who said “gee…thanks a lot” and a friend who said “that’s the case for my brother and his wife”. Her brother and his wife have been married for 15 years and after thousands and thousands of dollars on fertility treatments and invitro have only been left with too many heart aching losses to count and too much debt to visit home.

Yeah, I can be a real ass sometimes.

So why did I say yes? I’m not sure, knowing I have the ability to conceive and carry a child to term and having experienced that, I would be able to give that up for anyone. Being pregnant, that is. But of course that is easy for me to say, I have conceived and carried three children to term without complication. I appreciate there are women out there who are unable to conceive, carry and/or have babies and my heart breaks for them, I will never understand the grief they bear. My quick, thoughtless response was inconsiderate not only to my husband and friend but to the thousands of families who suffer broken dream after broken dream. For that, I apologize.

So after putting some much needed thought into the question, I would have to change my answer to “depends”. Ever since I can remember when I was asked the question “What do you want to be when you grow up” my response was always the same…quick and precise: “A mom”. My mind equated that question with not being a mom, and it should not have. There are many ways for one to be a mom, and apparently many ways for one to be an ass.