Pretty Much The Best Thing That Has Ever Happened To The Universe

Pretty strong words, don't you think?  

Apparently, the New Cherry Dr. Pepper is pretty darn good.  The above statement is what my sister (age 16) used to explain to me the level of satisfaction the new flavor of Dr. Pepper has brought to her life.

Oh, to be young again.

Who am I kidding?  I probably would have used some equally overly dramatic phrase to describe it if I had the opportunity to try it.  Sadly, caffeine doesn't exactly agree with me these days, so the only Dr. Pepper I get the pleasure of consuming is of the decaffeinated variety.

Chloe is up with a cough that rivals the bark of a dog, so sooner than later I may be really sad about the caffeine situation...

Sigh.

I guess you'll know how it turns out if this post is later followed by a live blog of whichever episode of Sesame Street we watch to pass the time.  I'm guessing that series would be less popular then the American Idol version.

So, if you'll excuse me - I have to see how using a Cheez It cracker for a tire works out for the Twiddle Bugs.

See what I mean?  Pray for me.  If Chloe goes to bed soon, that would be pretty much be the best thing ever to happen to me tonight.  

Hands down.

American Idol Top 4

Mixing it up on Idol....  Duets? Better yet, Rock duets? This I've got to see...

Oh my mercy Adam is kicking it up a notch!  I didn't even know that was possible.

And Slash, I don't even know what to say.  Well, since I was a huge metal fan (HUGE) once upon a time, I can speak intelligently on the subject.  

But I won't. 

In fact, I'll just keep pretending that I didn't spend a lot of money going to concerts like Korn, White Zombie, Pantera, and OzzFest.

Yes.

I went to OzzFest.

I do not recommend it.

No condemnation, people.  Jesus forgave me and you should, too.

Speaking of no condemnation...

Adam - I'm taking it to new heights with my guyliner and manscara - Lambert Whole Lotta Love

Alright, listen.  I realize most people who find their way to my blog probably do not have a history with the heavy metal, but please tell me you can see talent when it stares you down and sticks its tongue out at you.  That was crazy good, yo.  Crazy good.  That a capella part?  What? UnBelievable. 

{Okay someone get Kara some medication, quick!}

Allison - My hair and lipstick match perfectly - Iraheta Cry Baby

Is it too low in parts? I guess it was just the beginning.  Wow.  That was pretty good.  A lot of hollerin', but like I said last week, if I hollered that good - I'd be doing a lot of it.  

Oh and Holy Boots! I would not want to met those boots in a dark alley.

Kris and Danny - Wouldn't it be AWESOME if they did a Casting Crowns song?  I would just die.  - Renegade Styx

I agree completely with Randy - the harmonies where sick.  (Slang for excellent for any of you without a 22 year old brother.) I think Danny sounded good, but Kris didn't blow me away at all.  Powerful and compelling?  Yeah, definitely not.  

{Where are they with those meds?}

Kris Allen - Come Together

I'm so glad he changed his mind.  I think Revolution would have been not so good.  Let's see what he does with Come Together.  Oh my word.  I'm LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY that Kris said he almost wanted to pee his pants!  All I can think is, Kris!  You don't want to pee yourself you just do it.  You don't think about it.  When you're overwhelmed or scared silly or whathaveyou - it just comes out.  Now, if he'd said he almost peed his pants.  Wouldn't have been funny.  But since he said he almost wanted to pee his pants, I'm about to pee mine.  Great, now you're all thinking that I'm the one that needs the medication.  You might be right.  

Moving along.

Okay - I pulled myself together and I'm loving this!  Loving it.  Wow.  For starters, I have chicken skin.  (read: goose bumps)  That.  Was.  Hawt.  I loved it.  His vocal were tight.  He was into it.  I loved the arrangement.  He worked it out, dawg.  So good.  And I really think Revolution would have been cheese E. 

{Pauler has word of the day toilet paper and I'll give you one guess.  Compelling.}  

What, Simon?  Really?  Are they freaking trying to throw the competition again?  Have I bumped my head?  I would say was my ice cream bad, but I haven't had it yet.  What in the world?  I need to watch it again, I guess.  My first reaction is usually right.  Am I alone?  Am I deaf?  What is going on?  ** I watched it again and stand by my original reaction.  **

Whatever.

Danny - this could be the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life - Gokey  Dream On

First I would like to state that this is a really hard song to play on Guitar Hero.  I think it will be 132 times harder to sing live.  Would you like to join me in prayer?  Oh Danny, I hope you know what you're doing...

Hmmm....  For a second, I thought he was going to nail it.  The chicken skin even came back for a sec.  Then I got irritated by his annunciation, then the chorus came, and I thought he might be bringing it back around. But then he missed some notes, and then he blew it on the last...  the last...  whatever you want to call it.  You saw it, you know what I'm trying to say.  That was not so good.  Eek. Honestly, it (the song, not the end) was a lot better than I thought it was going to be, but it wasn't amazing.  Not even a little. (or perfect or that great, according to Randy.  I agree, Dawg.)  Yes, Simon, horror movie - that's what I was looking for. That last whatever was horror movie worthy.

{Oi, Pauler's cup runneth over.  Again.  Didn't they say she had some announcement?  Is she pregnant?  Isn't she a little old for that?  Yeah, that's probably not it.  Never mind. Oh, and Kara.  More early Aerosmith?  Crying and Crazy are both newer Aerosmith.  Is that what you meant to say or did you bump your head, too?  It hurts, doesn't it?}

Allison and Adam - What will they sing?...  Slow Ride!  This is the Guitar Hero Theme Song!  At least, around here it is!

Oh, Adam...  Give Brett Michaels his pants back!  I'd say they did much better than Danny and Kris.  It was pretty good.  I have to say for both duets, they did a really great job staying together.  That's gotta be tricky.  I'll also have to say I'm glad it's a solo competition.  

{Pauler, a shirt that does it's job is also a beautiful thing.  Just sayin'.}

My TiVo cut off.  I didn't get to hear what Simon said about the final duet.  Did Pauler have an announcement?  Help a sista out.

Only two more weeks, friends.  I'm really quite sad.  I get more comments for AI posts than the rest of the week combined.  Whatever will I do to lure you all back?  I saw a commercial for the Bachelorette.  I can't do it.  I just can't.  I seriously would feel less icky at another OzzFest.  I'm not even joking.  So, if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!  

Don't forget to click on over to BooMama and see what everyone else thought of Rock Night.

Until next week, Rock On.

Stacy London Would Have A Heyday In My Closet

I need an intervention, a controlled burn, or maybe I should be arrested by the fashion police.

I seriously considered calling Big Mama for advice while I was attempting to clean out my closet.

"Yes, Texas?  Could you connect me to Big Mama?  No?  What about Beth Moore?  I think she knows Beth Moore.  Connect me to Beth and I'll have her forward the call."

The funniest thing is, when I got online to see what everyone was up to today, I find that Big Mama cleaned out her closet, too.  The difference is she actually gets rid of stuff...

Back to the dilemma at hand.  I am a certified pack rat.  Pack. Rat.  If it isn't junk mail or the Sunday paper, I keep it.  Period.  

Birthday cards from when I was 11?  Check.

Papers I wrote in high school?  Check.

Our wedding napkins from 10 years ago?  Check.

I'm aware that it's a sickness, but I'm not a fan of the drugs, so here I am with my sick self.

When it comes to clothes, I have multiple elaborate systems to purge old, obsolete clothing. These systems fail me repeatedly.

For instance, last year, I collected 4 huge storage containers of clothes with which I was ready to part.  My mom priced them for a garage sale, I played Taps and then it was time for the garage sale.  It was to be at my step-mom's house.  

It never happened.

So the marked, mourned clothing went into my closet.  I've dug through it seven times, since, and have resurrected, ( from the dead, people) two pair of capris that would have otherwise gone to some skinny garage saler.

In some crazy twist of fate, more of the clothing in the garage sale closet fits me than in my actual closet.  I don't quite understand the math of it all, but I'm twenty pounds lighter than I was when I got pregnant with Chloe.  If I figure out how it happened, I'll surely let you know....

So, now - as I clean my closet, I feel completely justified in my fear of:

A. throwing anything out, for fear it might be just what I need, at a later date.

B. selling anything to size 10 strangers.  (Because let's face it, size 10 and I will meet again,  just not in time to wear the super fun clearance scores from the end of season sales last year.)

Here's what I needed to ask Big Mama:

1.  Will flare legged jeans ever be in style again?  And if they are, will I be able to stand the weird (loud) noise they make when the legs rub together?

2.  Will the not-so-long t-shirts ever be missed if I huck all 173 of them into the bonfire?  I am what my grandma used to call "long waisted".  I have a long torso, grandma. 

3. What about the poncho?  Is it gone forever?  If it comes back will it be too late for me?  I'm already afeared to wear the leggings, in case I might look like a 12 year old.  

4. What about my purple Gap khaki type pants?  Should I wear purple pants?  They also have a bit of a flare, so go back to #1 and begin again.  What about my red Dickie pants?  They're more of a boot-cut, but should I be wearing colored pants at all?

I'm sure I could go on and on.  Do you see my problem?  Praise God my ADD kicked up and I moved onto less stressful pastures...  

I think my bed is covered with turtleneck sweaters, though.  That could be an issue a little later.

I'd like to return this digestive system, please. It's defective.

I forgot that my tummy always used to hurt.   What is this cruel joke that my digestive system has been playing on me for the last (almost) two years?

Tonight was the second night that I didn't nurse Chloe before bed.  She had no complaints with the weaning, and surprisingly, I was the one who was a little sad...  It was a long year, and 95% of me is doing a really obnoxious celebratory dance, but the other 5%?  She's a little sad...

Until I begin to realize that nursing was not only the best thing for the little darling, it apparently had more perks for me than I even realized.

I've had issues that point to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for quite a few years.  I've never been officially diagnosed, which is fine, since the diagnosis is basically the result of ruling anything else out, anyway.  One of those, "Hmmm....  yeah.  I don't know?  We can't seem to put our finger on it.  Well....  Let's call it IBS.  Yes, definitely!  IBS it is!" sort of diagnoses.   

I hadn't really even noticed those symptoms had gone away, until the last week or so.  When they came back...

Sigh.

So, it would seem I'm back to feeling, well, crappy a good portion of the time.

Awesome.

I don't know if we'll have any more children or not, but if so - I just may nurse for two years!