Hot Tub Time Machine – Laughed my ass off at this movie!  Love it, love it, love it.  And, because I’m an eighties girl, I also love John Cusack.  It’s a requirement.

Kick Ass – I really liked this.  Not quite as funny as Hot Tub Time Machine, but it was a good movie with a decent story.  The little girl?  Awesome.  Just awesome.  Worth watching.

Also, season three of True Blood wrapped up on Sunday night. Again, not the same as the books, but still darn good. It’s really like a whole new GOOD story. If you don’t get HBO, go rent the first two seasons from Netflix or something. If you have a weak stomach, nevermind.

I’ve also started watching The Big C on Showtime. I’ve been catching it while the kids are at school on OnDemand.  So far, I like it.  Here’s a video for that:

Seems like I haven’t really watched anything bad.  Maybe that’s because I’m just happy to be able to watch SOMETHING.  Although I did fall asleep during the Jets/Ravens game last night.  Meh.  That’s what Tony gets for putting football on at night.  Although, if it were a Steelers game, I would have been hootin’ and hollerin.’

Have a great day, and get some entertainment!

My neighbor had a little bit of a problem.  Well, not really a problem, but here’s the deal.  Her brother-in-law (married to her husband’s sister) is in the band GWAR.  Now, her husband had seen the band plenty of times.  But her?  She just never got around to seeing a show.  She had been backstage, taken the kids to see their aunt and uncle.  But their show is not exactly kid friendly.  Not even close.  So, she would then take the kids home to the safety of  our little suburban-ville.  Have you heard of GWAR?  I mean, they’re really not kid friendly.  Wanna see?

And that’s just a video.

Anywhoo, my friend decided that it was finally time to see a show.  And she decided to make a party out of it.  She got three other couples (including us), and one stray husband (whose wife just, well, wasn’t interested).  We were all in.  Did I remember GWAR?  Well, not really.  There was a vague, cloudy memory of them being on Beavis and Butthead.

We were all excited to have a grown up night out. We were headed to Mr. Smalls in Millvale, which just so happens to be a converted church. The church that my mother had her baptism, communion, confirmation and wedding. Really.  Now, I had been forewarned.  I watched one video on youtube (that you can see above) and was told that they like to squirt fake blood and other gooey stuff on the crowd.  Um, okay.  I knew that we had VIP seats up in the balcony (I’m guessing that was where the organ once stood…now it has a bar) and we had a bar tab.  Bonus.  As we pile out of the cars and walk to Mr. Smalls, we meet Brad, who is in the band.  He was very polite and, well, normal.  We head up to the entrance and get enough wristbands to last me for quite a while (one for admission, one for VIP and one saying that I was over 21 (eww…almost twice 21…anyway…..).  The second opening band was already playing.  Typical heavy, death metal.  Loud, but fine.  They looked normal.  Jeans.  Tees.  Long hair.  We made our way up to the VIP area and enjoyed the band.  Just before GWAR was about to start, my neighbor told all us ‘ladies’ that if we had to use the restroom, better do it now.  The restroom was downstairs, through the crazy, crazy crowd and out a door.  We looked at each other and were getting ready to go.  Just then,  a video started, and the crowd went crazy.  We decided…um…we didn’t need to go that badly.

As the music started, the crowd went nuts.  There was, of course, a mosh pit. But they were all very respectful of each other.  There wasn’t any fighting…it was more like organized pushing.  I noticed that everybody close to the stage had plain white t shirts on.  Hmmm…I figured maybe they were hoping to get squirted with some goo and have a souvenir. Well, “squirted with some goo” was an understatement.

They came out with these huge water cannon thingies.  Filled with fake blood and such.  IT WAS EVERYWHERE!!! (I was slightly clued in when, before the band took the stage, every surface but the floor was covered with plastic).  So, so, so glad I was up in the balcony.  We were enjoying the show…there were a lot of theatrics.  I compared it to X-rated performance art.

Eventually, however, our bladders were calling.  I asked the bartender if there was an employee restroom I could buy my way into.  No such luck. They had to use the restroom that was downstairs, too. We HAD to go down onto the floor. I’m all for going with the flow, but I didn’t want to be drenched in fake blood.  Really not my style.  Tony led the way downstairs (with me and three other girls following) and through the crowd.  We made it to the restroom.  And we got a slight taste of fresh air.  It was SO INCREDIBLY HOT IN THERE!  Imagine…650 people, no air conditioning in an old church.  And to top it all off, it was getting damn steamy with all the fake bodily fluids and real sweat.  After using the restroom (and seeing a poor girl with her eyebrow cut open – old stitches had come out – but she was OK), I HAD to go outside.  I just needed some air.  Badly.  Tony and I went out and it felt HEAVENLY!  The other girls went back upstairs, and we followed a few minutes after.

By this time, the concert was just about over.  We got our t-shirts (because, well, I wanted a t-shirt), and Tony bought some “nightgowns” for the girls (junior tees, size medium).  It was an awesome night out with friends.  Brad came up to the VIP area about ten minutes after the show, looking no worse for the wear.  I could only imagine how crazy hot it had to be in that costume.  Nuts.

I would go see them again.  Mostly because it was a great night out, there were no kids around, and not everybody has seen GWAR.

Too bad it wasn’t on the bucket list.  Oh well.  It was an adventure, and I’m glad it happened.  I am nicking at that bucket list, though.  You know the one where I’m supposed to replace everything my kids have stained?  I’m starting with the (icky) couch…new leather one is coming in a week!

Have a great holiday!

But we had a blast.  We went on the kids’ favorite, the Jackrabbit at least three times.  We hit all of the classics…the Paratrooper, the Kangaroo, the Pirate Ship, the Turtle.  We went on Noah’s Ark, which completely freaked Becca out. (Chloe was a little scared too, but she just hides it better).  I think that most of Becca’s problem was having a couple of 11 or 12 year old boys behind her, making extra noise.  Becca was actually tall enough for the Racer and The Exterminator.  Which she thoroughly enjoyed (although, because The Exterminator is dark, she just sort of clenched my hand in fear the entire time.  But when we exited, she was really excited about it.).  The kids played games, won stuffed animals, got their cotton candy and had an overall great day.

Because the lines were so short, we really had ridden all that we wanted to ride by 4:30.  So, we headed home.  On the trip back, I asked the girls what their favorite part of the day was.  Chloe said it was winning the stuffed animals and riding the Jackrabbit.  Becca said stuffed animals and the Racer.  Then I asked what their least favorite part of the day was.  I was expecting Becca to say that it was Noah’s Ark, but she threw me a curve by saying that it was riding the three rides she rode in Kiddieland.  Chloe agreed.

There’s a little part of my heart that is sad about that.  They used to be so excited to get on those rides.  They look at me, so proud that they could ride something on their own.  That day, however, they looked at me like I was making them watch a documentary on making cheese.  I guess I can’t avoid the fact that they have to grow up.  At least I get to ride the fun rides with them!

Speaking of that, I had the opportunity to cross something off my bucket list (the Skycoaster).  Problem was, they were only accepting triple rides (meaning you had to have three people to go).  The girls were tall enough to go on, and I actually pressed it a bit.  Chloe was more than willing, but Becca wasn’t so sure.  Then Tony looked at me and very gently asked, “Do you want to be the Mom who scars them for life on Mothers’ Day?”

OK, guess not.  I’ll have to try another day…

Yesterday I had our day all planned out.  The weather was crappy.  Windy, cold and rainy.  And I knew it was going to be like that.  So, the plan was to do our little Saturday morning routine at the restaurant and then hang in the house.  I had the girls all prepped for an afternoon of jammies, movies and the Wii.  Perfect.  And while they were doing that, I was planning on catching up on some housework (you know, clean a couple of bathrooms, vacuum, laundry) and some internet work.  But wait…there was more.  After putting them to bed, I planned on reading my new book from Charlaine Harris (Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10)) for a couple of hours before watching Betty White host Saturday Night Live.

It all started out great.  The girls (after a little, um, “discussion” about what they were going to watch) settled in to watch Goosebumps and All Grown Up.  I chatted with Tony for a bit, got some work done, and we all decided to have a snack of ice cream about 3:30.  That is the time of day that my energy hits that gigantic dip.  I brewed coffee and sat on the couch with the kids, enjoying Rugrats:  All Grown Up.  Well, I think I was actually enjoying the inside of my eyelids.  Then it happened.

The power went out.

Thank God the coffee had already brewed!  We sat and waited for a couple of minutes to see if it was just a flicker (because that happens more often than a long stretch of no power).  No go.  The kids continued to play, but I was sort of stuck.  Couldn’t do laundry.  Couldn’t vacuum.  The bathrooms that needed cleaned were the ones without windows, so that was out.  No internet.  So, I started reading my book.

And that’s what I did until the power came back on around 6:00.

It put me in a great mood.  I happily made dinner.  I set the kids up in Chloe’s room for their quasi-sleepover.  I kept on reading.  I surrendered my to-do list for a day of doing what I wanted to do. I mean, I had to diffuse some fights.  I had to freak out when they wouldn’t just LAY DOWN AND GO TO BED AT 10:00.  But I finished my book.

Just in time to watch Saturday Night Live, which was awesome! This was probably my favorite:

And guess what?  I DID vacuum this morning.  And do some laundry.  Oh, and I got breakfast in bed!  (Watermelon , a fiber bar and iced tea from Chloe.  Iced tea and a salami sandwich with a broken up string cheese on it from Becca.  Awesome.)

Have a great Mothers’ Day!!!!

She’s gotten a new name for her blog.  She’s writing for Pittsburgh magazine.  And she’s a real person.  And a mom.

Awesome.

I think that going ‘public’ has lifted an incredible weight from her shoulders.  I mean, could you imagine that feeling of not wanting to get found out?

Anyway, kudos to PittGirl Ginny.  Or as she’d like you to say, Your Majesty.

I know that I’ve discussed this before, but I have a serious attachment to the stories in the Sookie Stackhouse Series (the books).  At some points in time, it makes it difficult to watch True Blood.  I was very intrigued with the introduction of Maryann at the end of last season.  And, for the most part, I have enjoyed the new and original story line that she is involved in. (Except for the fact that they’re in Sookie’s house.  That is bothering me.)  However, I’m about done with that story line.  On Sunday night, I saw that there were only three episodes left, and it seemed that the two major story lines were about to mingle together.  Could be interesting.  I’m hoping that it happens in the next episode, because the whole “Maryann hunting after Sam” thing has started to bore me.

It was pretty cool when Sam turned into a fly.  Original.  Now, I went over to the Charlaine Harris website, and found a link to a little essay that she wrote for Borders.  I never thought about the fact that the books are COMPLETELY through Sookie’s eyes, and how logistically difficult that would be for a television show.

As she says, I’m trying to think of the tv series and the books as two totally different stories.  But I’m still attached to Sookie.  And I don’t like that bitch Maryann in her house.

OK, I feel better getting that off my chest.  So?  Only three more episodes?  That will take me into September, then there’s a new book coming out in October.  (It’s called A Touch of Dead, and I believe it’s a collection of the short stories that she has written).  I’m going to pre-order it through Amazon Kindle, so it goes right to my fancy schmancy new iPhone.  It’s only ten bucks if I do it that way (and, no shipping!).  It will probably be the first REAL book I read on my phone.

Yeah…I still love my phone

OK, back to normal mommy complaining and stories tomorrow!

The kids took it VERY hard.

We came home on Sunday after a whirl wind day of Sarris Candy, painting our own pottery and chinese food.  Tony had just returned from the Buccos of Suckitude game.  He asked me to look at the tv, it wasn’t turning on.  Jinkies.  I check the power, and it’s dead.  Once the power supply goes, it’s just cheaper to buy a new tv.  Or pretty close, anyway.

The girls FREAKED OUT!  Through their massive tears, they screamed the questions:

Where are we gonna watch tv!?!?!?  (Um, on one of the FOUR other tv’s we have?)

But I wanna lay on the couch!!!  (lay on the couch downstairs!)

I wanna watch Rugrats! (It’s on the DVR, I told them to watch a DVD)

WWWAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

We headed down to the “man cave.”  I’m not quite sure why I still refer to it as the ‘man cave.’  Tony’s never really here to enjoy it.  But before we bought a restaurant, we turned our unfinished basement into Tony’s hide out.  There’s a big 52″ flat screen on the wall, surround sound and a beer fridge.  Original plans were to build a bar in the back, but since we went out and bought an ACTUAL BAR, those plans have sort of fallen to the way side. You could tell the girls just weren’t comfortable down there.  I mean, they watched the big honkin’ tv, but they still weren’t happy.

So, as I went to work on Monday, Tony headed out to try to find the best deal.  Our new family member is a 32″ flat screen LCD.  It’s pretty.  It looks  a little strange in our entertainment center, though.  The old tv was a big old tv.  Honestly, it had to weigh at least 150 pounds.  And we had to poke the big perforated hole out of the back of the entertainment center so that the back of the old tv could stick out.  The new tv, however, is all sleek and light.

So, even though my girls were more upset about the tv than they were the death of their fish, I believe they’ve completed the healing process.  And when I need to get something done, my babysitter is again available.

First off, there was a kids jello eating contest.  Becca and Chloe were ready for the action.  Chloe was talking some trash!  She eyed Julia (her cousin) up as her biggest competition.  She told her that she’d be eating her jello “all in one bite.”  Turns out that her other cousin, Rachael, won.  Chloe just very methodically scooped small amounts of jello into her mouth with her hand.  And kept on eating, even after the contest was finished.

Now, I didn’t have too much to do with setting this thing up.  Our bartender, Tim really did it all.  So, I didn’t realize until Saturday that my brother planned on competing.  I was a little nervous for him.  Scratch that.  I was nervous for his wife.  I’m sure you can understand.  Anyway, my brother, without any preparation or practice, dove right in there and ate ten sloppy joes in eight minutes.  Third place.  The winner ate fifteen.  I was shocked, impressed, and a little worried.  Here’s his winning grin:

So, mark your calendars for next July…if you have the stomach for it!

It all started Thursday night.  Thursday, Friday and Saturday I fell back into my old sleeping habits.  You know, fall asleep with the kids around nine or nine thirty, wake up about midnight or 12:30 completely energetic, stay awake until about three in the morning and then head back to bed.  Three nights in a row this happened.  This sleeping pattern makes me crabby for a couple of reasons.  One, obviously, is the lack of solid sleep.  The other is that I never really get my ‘me’ time.  I mean, I get it in the middle of the night, but I’m so crabby because I feel asleep that I don’t really get to enjoy it.

Next was the PMS.  It started on Saturday night.  I noticed that I was snippy, my patience was about nil.  Then I was cool mom and let them have ice cream twice in one night.  Talk about mood swings.

The third (and final) set up for the perfect storm?  No break.  You know from reading this that I love, love, love my chickies.  Sundays I usually get a little bit of a break, though.  Tony is usually off, and he’ll entertain the girls for an hour or two just so I can relax.  Or work.  But working without having to worry about the kids IS relaxing.  Well, this Sunday Tony had to go to the restaurant.  We had a big charity bike run happening, and he really DID have to be there.  But the sleep deprived mother with PMS?  She didn’t get that break, and it showed.

It wasn’t pretty.

There were threats.  There was that one fleeting moment (yes, fleeting and brief!) in Costco when I was ready to just hand them over to any woman who looked like they would be a good mom.  In retrospect, it probably WASN’T a good idea to take them to Costco on a busy Sunday in the middle of the ‘Perfect Storm.’  But you know, sometimes when you’re in the middle of that stuff, you just don’t think straight.

I’m sure many moms have been through this before.  And whether you admit to it or not,  just know that we’re all in the same boat.  And we all get cranky.

All is better today   I’m in a good mood, my children aren’t living some place else, and we’re having family day today.  Oh, and I got to watch another episode of True Blood last night.  Which followed the book a little better, and that made me happy.

Have a great Monday!

Our latest indulgence? Wipeout on ABC. They really look forward to watching it every Wednesday (it’s on at 8:00).  It’s a big obstacle course.  A difficult obstacle course.  With lots of mud and foam, and tons of falls.  Just watching it makes you flinch and say ‘ow.’  Then, there are the big balls.  Yup, they repeatedly say big balls.  This is a part of the obstacle course that looks like this:

I have never seen anybody make it all the way across.  Granted, I haven’t watched every show, but they really get pummelled on this obstacle!

So, anyway, the kids love watching other people fall.  You know, just like when they’re infants and they see somebody trip and fall.  They get a kick out of it!

If you have kids my age, you probably have your ‘go to’ shows, also.  We have some other shows that give mom a little bit of quiet time.  They change pretty frequently.  Right now, we’re on a SpongeBob kick.  Classic.  Then there are a couple of other shows that are not quite as well known.

First, there’s Phineas and Ferb.  I think this show is hysterical!  It’s about two boys on summer vacation and their adventures.  They are always building or doing something crazy, and their older sister Candace is always trying to get them in trouble.  It’s from Disney, and it’s a good watch.

The other show (which is actually pretty good) is Johnny Test.  Really, the general story follows Phineas and Ferb a bit, except the show focuses on the younger brother (and his dog) who has two older sisters who are scientists.  The older sisters are the ones always creating crazy stuff.  And, Johnny Test’s hair is really cool. It’s on Cartoon Network.

So, relax.  Let the kids watch some trash.  Just even it out with some stuff to keep their brains sharp for the summer, and all will be good.

pf_graphic by Disney
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