A Little Southern Comfort in Colorado

whiney teenagers

2011-12-05T12:25:00.001-07:00

So, I'm off work today and just sitting around watching 16 and Pregnant on MTV, because I'm bored to death, and it hit me just how whiney some of those girls are. I mean, I'm sorry that it's tough to be pregnant and you can't go to the football games and parties and all, but it was really your choice, wasn't it? If you choose to act like an adult, you have adult consequences when you screw up. Sorry, I'm just not feeling very understanding today.

finally...

2010-08-23T09:03:00.001-06:00

I'm working on redesigning my website, which I've been wanting to do since LAST summer. But between work and kids and The Spouse, it just never happened. Life got in the way, as it usually does. But now I'm not working (unless I want to, and then, only when it's convenient for me - I'm SO DONE with the 9 to 5 grind) and Hunter's in school, so now it's ME time and I promise myself, right here in front of the internet, God, and the 3 homeless people at the library that I will get the site redone!

seen and heard

2010-08-22T08:53:00.001-06:00

So, living downtown has been interesting so far. It rocks that there's so much to do and a lot of it is so close that you can walk to just about everything. Last weekend, Kenin and I decided to go to a Rockies game and we were able to walk there in 15 minutes, which I must say was pretty awesome. When we were in the burbs, it was a 40 minute train ride, plus the 15 or so minutes it took us to get to the station, so it's a definite upgrade.

And yeah, the people here are a bit different, too. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, I was stopped at a stop sign, and there was a guy on a bicycle next to me. He looked to be 35-40 and was clearly uncomfortable, which I'm guessing had something to do with him getting cat calls from a guy on the corner dressed like the biker from the Village People.

someone please tell me

2010-08-17T22:11:00.000-06:00

Why is it that I've clicked on the 'next blog' link in the upper left corner of the page more than 10 times (no inflated number here, yessireebob) and not a single one has been in English?* I mean, seriously? Yes, I know that the internet is the epitome of global, but aren't there a good many of us who speak English? Shouldn't we be represented a little better than by a 1 in 10 ratio?

*Try it and let me know what numbers you come up with!

the perfect gift for the sports nut in your life

2010-08-13T18:10:00.001-06:00

For the SPORTS nut in your life: Former Kansas City Royals pitcher Mark Littell is pitching (a horrible pun, I know) his new invention, an anatomically correct protective cup for the sportsman in your life. With names like “Hammer,” “Boss,” “Hog” and for really big men, the XL-sized “Mongo,” every wearer of the Nutty Buddy will feel macho and protected at the same time. Visit nuttybuddy.com for more info.

rafting down Clear Creek

2010-08-12T07:41:00.001-06:00

While Larry and Sharon were here, we went rafting down Clear Creek in Idaho Springs. We had a great time and have already talked about doing an overnight trip the next time they come up.

visitors from Hell (aka Texas)

2010-08-11T07:28:00.002-06:00

Larry and Sharon, two of the most awesome folks on the planet, came to visit us in early June.

June 2010: Paul and Lukas

2010-08-10T07:21:00.002-06:00

I laughed so hard I almost wet myself

2010-08-09T15:35:00.002-06:00

I meant to post this last year, but you know how distracted I can... ooh, I see something shiney... ;)

From CNN.com:

A recent college graduate is suing her alma mater for $72,000 -- the full cost of her tuition and then some -- because she cannot find a job.

In her complaint, Thompson says she seeks $70,000 in reimbursement for her tuition and $2,000 to compensate for the stress of her three-month job search.

As Thompson sees it, any reasonable employer would pounce on an applicant with her academic credentials, which include a 2.7 grade-point average and a solid attendance record.

I don't know what planet this girl's from, but it ain't this one.

I love...

2010-08-08T06:58:00.001-06:00

my dog, Bella, because she's the only one in the family that doesn't talk back or argue with me.

I'm back...

2010-08-07T06:50:00.000-06:00

So much has happened since I last posted and yes, I know that was 5 months ago, thank you very much.

We finally got Patrick into a group home. When we found out he'd been approved, we decided it'd be a good time to downsize, so we moved into a loft apartment in downtown Denver. Then, I decided to quit my job as a Significant Special Needs (SSN) Paraprofessional because it would a monsterous pain to have to drive back and forth to Highlands Ranch every day. So now I'm going to be concentrating on my photography and jewelry design.

Gosh, to see it written down it doesn't look like much, does it? It honestly was way more than it appears so I guess that gives me topics to expound uppon in the future, doesn't it?

nope, I'm still here

2010-03-28T17:59:00.000-06:00

I swear I have Attention Deficit Disorder. The older I get, the harder it is to keep a thought in my head for any longer than it takes me to think it. It used to not be quite so bad because I'd just write things down, but now I don't even remember to write stuff down! Ugh. Getting older bites.

And speaking of getting older... Courtesy of Jena, I get to become a Nana for a 2nd time at the end of May. Or, first of June. You know how those babies can be, doing their own thing and all, without a care when it comes to other folks' schedules.

Ashlyn moved out a couple months ago, and I've gotta tell you, it's pretty nice but weird at the same time. She and Boyfriend come over sometimes for dinner and it's great to see her growing up in a way that she wouldn't have if she'd remained here. And another awesome benefit of her moving out? I now have a Woman Cave!

Mormons confuzzle me...

2009-11-30T06:52:00.006-07:00

Not much can make me speechless. I can carry on a conversation with a tree stump and am not nearly as hesitant as I should be when it comes to sharing my opinion. But there are some things that I just can't fathom, and the things that I saw when I visited a Mormon church service yesterday is a prime example.

Since when is it okay to do paperwork or play with your cell phone in the middle of a church service? What happened to people taking their disruptive children out of the sanctuary during worship? Why do people, particularly adults, think it's okay to talk during the service? Why is it okay to knit a hat during Sunday school? And where was I when it became acceptable for adults - or anyone for that matter - to carry on a texting conversation in church?

Now I know that the older I get the more I become like my father, which isn't necessarily a good thing. I know that I'm judgemental but I really don't think I'm out of line in wondering what these people were thinking.

I grew up going to church. I've been to the Church of Christ, Catholic churches, Baptist churches, Lutheran churches and non-denominational churches and in all my experiences I've never seen this kind of disrespect toward God. While there are aspects that I like about the Mormon church (not so much the whole prophet business) this has really turned me off from learning more about them.

because it made me LOL

2009-09-28T14:07:00.000-06:00

just 'cause...

2009-08-12T22:04:00.000-06:00

"Physics is like sex. Sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it." - Richard Feynman, physicist

free associate with me 19

2009-08-03T10:55:00.000-06:00

Road trip :: Myrtle Beach

Pool hall :: Rack and Grill

Extraordinary :: talent

Jackson :: Michael

Heartfelt :: sincerity

Wet :: dog

Strangle :: someone

.com :: betsyhuffphotography

Touched :: by an angel

Insipid :: stupid

advice of the day

2009-08-02T21:26:00.002-06:00

Be authentic with people today instead of being accomodating.

advice of the day

2009-08-01T21:26:00.000-06:00

Resistance is pointless. Give in to your anger and put up a fight.

free associate with me 18

2009-07-27T10:54:00.000-06:00

Log :: cabin

Plaything :: seesaw

Broom :: Hilda

Heels :: red

Smoke in :: van

Guests :: friends

Attraction :: Fatal

Shiny:: new

Risked :: everything

Velvet :: Red

free associate with me 17

2009-07-20T10:52:00.000-06:00

Animal :: sanctuary
Temporary :: insanity
Moan :: and groan
Rapid :: City
That’s for me to say :: I told you so
City :: Slicker
Bumper :: sticker
Eclipse :: Twilight
Problematic :: problems
If? :: Why not?

get your own

2009-07-14T12:04:00.001-06:00

Hunter, proudly displaying his new Michigan State t-shirt he received from his grandfather: Isn't it awesome? I love it! Thank you, Pawpaw!

Kenin: Hey, Hunter, that IS an awesome shirt. Are you going to let me wear it?

Hunter: No. Get your OWN grandpa!

free associate with me 16

2009-07-13T10:50:00.000-06:00

Lease :: rent

Dead :: wood

Removed :: trees

Broke :: up

Lips :: kiss

Flight :: airplane

Three hours :: long

Give :: up

Technical :: writing

Hurry :: up

free associate with me 15

2009-07-06T10:45:00.000-06:00

Soul :: food

Fold :: up

Breakup :: make up

Will :: or won't

Fond :: like

Powers :: that be

Ho-hum :: blah

Hustle :: and flow

Avenue :: Fifth

Tower :: Records

free associate with me 14

2009-06-29T10:42:00.000-06:00

Avoid :: food poisoning

Castle :: TV show

Episode :: Star Wars movies

Limited :: time only

Nail polish :: purple

Dip :: stick

Share :: friends

Damage :: control

Improper :: handling

Handle :: with care

free associate with me 13

2009-06-22T10:40:00.000-06:00

Again :: the shoe dropped

Shower :: baby

Flirting :: dancing

Moving on :: moving truck

Rachel :: Friends

Chips :: and dip

Texting :: at work

Feel better :: well

Cashmere :: rabbit

Sucked :: bad

a funny

2009-06-15T22:10:00.000-06:00

free associate with me 12

2009-06-15T10:37:00.001-06:00

Vex :: Thou vexeth me (Robin Hood)

Relapse :: rehab

Twinkle :: Twinkle Little Star

Crawls :: baby

Optimistic moment :: none

Cage :: Nicholas

Superwoman :: mom

Personal :: little black book

Vapor :: Batman

Grocery store :: Culbertson, MT

just one reason why I love Obama

2009-06-10T09:43:00.000-06:00

President Obama proposed Tuesday that the government adopt "pay-as-you-go" rules for federal spending.

"Paying for what you spend is basic common sense," Obama said. "Perhaps that's why, here in Washington, it's been so elusive."

You gotta like a guy who has the guts to be honest.

free associate with me 11

2009-06-08T10:35:00.001-06:00

Lisa :: Lisa and Cult Jam

Hope :: Floats

Irene :: Laverne and Shirley

Tony :: Sisson

Anna :: Bobannafofanna

Dolly :: Madison

Laura :: From General Hospital

Debbie :: Little Debbie

Wilson :: Phillips

Paula :: Abdul

isn't that the truth?

2009-06-02T10:25:00.001-06:00

This was the horoscope for Leos one day last week:

Nothing is out of the ordinary today. Everything is a wild ride.

scary

2009-06-01T13:07:00.002-06:00

I'm on the phone on hold about a doctor bill and do you know what I'm hearing? TLC's Waterfalls on MUZAK!!

free associate with me 10

2009-06-01T10:34:00.000-06:00

Nursery :: rhyme
Side effect :: medication
Heart to heart :: talk
Try :: it, you'll like it
Hog :: Wild
Symptom :: sick
Collide :: atom
Fury :: Jean-Claude Van Damme (don't ask why - I don't know)
Incorporated :: business
Summer :: nights

because I really needed some useless trivia today

2009-05-06T16:45:00.001-06:00

Compliments of Eric Alt at Mental Floss:

(Mental Floss) -- Although you probably use it every day, here's some interesting trivia you may not know about deodorant.

1. Be thankful for your foul body odor. According to anthropologist Louis Leakey, it might be responsible for early man's survival. Leakey's theory claims that most predators avoided feasting on humans because our body odor was "too repugnant."

2. Not only did the ancient Egyptians give us pyramids and flush toilets, they also pioneered the field of deodorants. Egyptians were the first to popularize the idea of applying scents to armpits, usually using cinnamon and other spices that wouldn't turn rancid in the heat.

3. The Roman poet Ovid preferred a more proactive solution. In Book III of the Art of Love, he cautions women against carrying goats under their arms. (This was a problem?)

4. Antiperspirants are classified as drugs by the FDA. Technically, they affect and/or alter your body's natural functions.

5. The first modern brand of antiperspirant, EverDry, hit drugstores in 1903. The original formula was so acidic that it regularly ate through clothing. (No thanks, I'll just stink.)

6. Of course, modern antiperspirants can also ruin your clothing. Aluminum chloride, the ingredient that blocks glandular openings and prevents sweating, is notorious for turning T-shirts yellow. So, blame your antiperspirant for your pit stains, not your body.

7. Offensive body odor is actually illegal in libraries in San Luis Obispo County, California.

8. One thing modern antiperspirants don't do is cause degenerative diseases. Medical science has found no conclusive evidence that absorbing aluminum chloride through the skin can lead to memory loss or slurred speech.

9. Aoki, a Japanese company known for its menswear, has developed a deodorant suit that supposedly absorbs sweat and neutralizes odors all over the body.

10. But that's nothing! The greatest Japanese innovation in the fight against B.O. is Fuwarinka scented gum. The so-called "functional candy" contains aromatic compounds that cause your skin to release "Fresh Citrus" or "Fruity Rose" aromas for up to 6 hours after chewing.

11. When Kurt Cobain wrote the lyrics for Nirvana's breakout song "Smells Like Teen Spirit," he didn't know Teen Spirit was a popular deodorant brand. The Mennen Company, which produced the deodorant, wouldn't say whether the song caused sales to spike, but six months after the single debuted, Colgate bought the company for $670 million.

12. (my personal favorite) In May 2008, actor Matthew McConaughey revealed that he never uses deodorant or antiperspirant. The next day, he received a year's supply of deodorant body spray from the Axe Company, along with a note on why he might want to start.

how to spread swine flu

2009-04-30T16:38:00.000-06:00

free associate with me

2009-04-04T15:07:00.000-06:00

Assets :: liquid
Concern :: too much
Over the top :: Stallone
Supplies :: office
Mustache :: mustang
Doug :: who?
Coach :: TV show
Bleachers :: basketball
Stripes :: Bill Murray
Assortment :: candy

refugee birds

2009-03-26T14:57:00.000-06:00

Taking refuge from the Denver blizzard

free associate with me 9

2009-03-24T15:50:00.001-06:00

Studio :: Apartment
Meetup :: Hook Up
Ostrich :: Head in the sand
Jokes :: Funny
Estranged :: Husband
Random :: Actions
Slap :: Ouch
Hotel room :: Sleep
Inscribe :: Write
Polar :: Bear

do I suck or what?

2009-03-23T16:06:00.001-06:00

Yes, yes, yes, I know it's been forever since I've updated, and I know you 3 homeless guys who hang at the library are pretty mad, but, hey, I'm lazy. You ought to know that by now; it's not like it's a big secret or anything.

Ah, but look what I've been up to...

Me and Patrick

Kenin and Waverly

Hunter (aka Uncle Peanut) and Paul

Kenin, Hunter and Paul

Waverly and Paul

Patrick, Paul and Kenin

Paul and Jena

Jena and Paul

Paul (Isn't he cute? He gets it from me. LOL)

Jena, Paul and Hunter

Sean

Baby Paul @ 2.5 weeks

2009-01-28T19:28:00.001-07:00

free associate with me 8

2009-01-26T19:00:00.009-07:00

Unwanted :: hair
You’d better :: get busy livin'
Woman :: mother
Weighed :: scale
Upright :: bookcase
I feel :: tired
I'll :: finish the laundry tomorrow
It’s like :: that
Poor man :: rich man
Great :: googly moogly

from the peanut gallery...

2009-01-24T17:57:00.006-07:00

Kenin: Yeah, I stopped by the grocery store today and got some chicken gizzards for lunch.

Hunter: Uh, Dad? Um, isn't that chicken groin?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What's the scariest thing I've heard lately?

After seeing the trailer for the upcoming Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus movie, the following words were uttered by my dear husband (who I'm positive was at the time possessed by no less than Lucifer himself):

"That movie looks pretty cute."

the horse whisperer

2009-01-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

The Great Western Stock Show

here he is!

2009-01-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Paul Anthony, meet the internet.

brand new Nana

2009-01-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

At 7:54 pm CST on January 9, my grandson was born. Paul Anthony weighs in at a healthy 8 lbs. 4 oz. and is 19" long. According to his very tired mother, he's got a head full of dirty blond hair and big feet. And having already seen a picture, this brand new Nana says he's perfect!

what not to do when applying for a teaching job

2009-01-09T04:38:00.002-07:00

The other day one of my students needed to take a break from work so we headed up to the office to do some shredding. My kiddo shreds a variety of things such as old tests or memos or whatever needs to be done away with and it just so happened that on this occasion, it was resume shredding time. The following is a list of things I noticed that you should not do:

1. I don't care if you are an elementary teacher or not, don't send your letter of interest and resume in on kiddie-themed paper. You may love kids, but you're still an adult, so present yourself that way.

2. Don't misspell the name of the school or the name of the person you're sending your resume to. Attention to detail? I think not.

3. Don't use incorrect grammar and punctuation. After all, you're supposed to be teaching kids, not needing to be taught.

4. Don't include a photo (no matter how cute it is) of you, your family and your dog on your letter of interest. No offense, but no one cares. And if your family is so important that you need to share them with a potential employer, then you may want to consider being a stay at home parent.

5. Don't continue to apply for positions at a place where they obviously don't want you. If you've been thank-you-but-no-thank-you'd the past 5 times you've applied, save yourself the embarrassment (I can promise you the folks in the office - and those of us shredding your resume again - are wondering if you'll ever get a clue) of being turned down. Again.

Good luck in your search for employment.

free associate with me 7

2009-01-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

Confirmation :: Catholicism
Verse :: Bible
Authorize :: Allow
Blog :: Her
Thirty :: Something
Heir :: To The Throne
What are you doing? :: Thinking
Complaint :: Department
Leave :: Go
Tune :: Out

there's nothing like joining facebook to make you feel old

2008-12-23T15:17:00.002-07:00

Apparently the Augusta, Georgia, Westside High School class of 1987 turned out to be a little on the slack side. They're holding their 20th reunion in May, 2009, which is, um, yeah, a couple of years late. Now I certainly can't complain too much as my very own slack ass didn't even graduate from WHS, but you know me, always looking for a cause to champion/complain about. But enough of that, and on to the actual subject...

In the process of finding out about the 22nd year reunion, I was encouraged to join facebook.com as a way of keeping up with the info being distributed. And, upon doing so, I discovered I'd gotten old. But you know what the cool thing is about that? So has everyone else! There's maybe ~~a few~~ ~~a handfull~~ one or two or possibly three folks who look as good as they did when we were in HS. The thing about seeing people as they get older is that all the good looking ones, well, most of them just don't look so good anymore, and a pretty fair amount of the folks that were only so-so in high school are now pretty attractive, like they've grown into themselves. And then there are those for whom there wasn't any hope for in HS and they're still in that same condition today. And to make all those used-to-be-good-looking people I just offended feel better, feel free to tell yourself that I fall into this category.

And so many people chose different career paths than I'd expected they would, but some of them, I can totally see how they're in the job they have. In some cases it's like the super smart person in school is now the guy picking up your garbage and the guy you thought would be picking up your garbage is now a CEO. It's funny the paths our lives take. I couldn't even begin to tell you how I ended up where I am. But yet, here I am.

The other day I was trying to do a decent self portrait and after an hour I finally got 2 that were only 75% horrible instead of the usual 95% horrible, so I started doing post processing on them. While looking at the photos in high resolution, I saw things I hadn't really noticed before, like baggy eyelids, a quadruple chin (which is pretty much the en-tire reason I hate being in photos to begin with) and crows feet (not even feet actually, or even a single foot, more like just a really long toe) protruding (sounds like it's a wart or something, doesn't it?) from my left eye. How, I wondered, can this be the face - we're not even going to discuss the body - of someone who truly feels so young on the inside? And do you know what I discovered? It was my kids, 2 husbands, a lack of good judgement relationship and just plain ol' life that put them there. And you know what? I earned those puppies!

Let's Say Thanks

2008-12-10T08:11:00.001-07:00

Although it's after Thanksgiving, please take a minute or two out of your day to visit Let's Say Thanks. It's a website sponsored by Xerox that sends cards to American troops overseas to let them know how much they are appreciated. Most of us cannot imagine the difficulties of being away from our family and in harm's way as they are, so let's let them know that we appreciate all they do to help make the world a safer place.

walking in a winter wonderland

2008-12-02T04:22:00.000-07:00

my interior designer

2008-11-27T20:35:00.001-07:00

first snow

2008-11-16T11:00:00.002-07:00

The season's first snowfall

What is this stuff?

Attack!

doozies

2008-11-15T10:11:00.010-07:00

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Precipitation: (as defined by dictionary.com) falling products of condensation in the atmosphere, such as rain, snow, or hail

From the intercom: "Good morning, students. If you have already arrived, you may come to the office to wait until the bell rings."

And a few minutes later: "Due to the wetness of this morning's precipitation, you may wait in the office until the bell rings."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Teacher: "Why can't owls eat bones?"

Student: "Because they don't have forks."

free associate with me 5

2008-11-11T12:10:00.002-07:00

Coverage :: Teacher/student ratio

Cynical :: My dad

Gust :: of Wind

Improvised :: Whose Line Is It Anyway?

V :: Sci-fi miniseries in the 1980's

Guests :: Wedding

Brutal :: Cold

Grant :: Wish

Pull :: Rope

Streaming :: Video

I'm still around, just not here

2008-11-07T08:28:00.004-07:00

It may appear that in the past few weeks I've gotten pretty slack about posting, and I guess that's true to a point, at least when it comes to this particular blog.

Occasionally (ha!) I tend to loose focus on one thing when a new interest/obsession crosses my path. You ever hear that saying that goes something like "Some people think I have ADD, but I - ooh, look, a shiny object"? That would be me. If I get more than one thought in my head at a time it becomes too crowded and the extra ones must vacate the premises immediately. But anyway, I digress.

In June I got bitten multiple times by the photography bug and that itch it's causing? It just won't go away. In fact, it's gotten worse. On the other hand, I'd like to think my ability to take pictures has improved. I'm really into wanting to just click away at everything under the sun/clouds/rain/raging blizzard/dark of night. This interferes a little bit with other things like eating, sleeping, doing laundry and working, but I'm not much concerned with trivial things like that when I'm obsessing. Anyway, to 'showcase' what I've done, I put together a photoblog and in the last week have managed to hit up most everyone I know, begging them to pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top let me take their picture. If all goes as planned, tomorrow I'll be taking photos of some friends.

If you live in the Denver area and are interested in having some photos taken for free, let me know. You can email me at betsy(dot)huffstetler at gmail(dot)com and we'll see what we can do!

my girl

2008-11-03T06:12:00.003-07:00

a boy and his dad

2008-11-03T05:47:00.002-07:00

naked vs. nekkid

2008-10-29T16:40:00.005-06:00

It's come to my attention that there are actually some folks out there that didn't know there is a difference between "naked" and "nekkid". For those of you who are unsure what that difference - beside the spelling - might be, let me step up to the podium and explain.

The main variable in the "naked" and "nekkid" battle is intent. "Naked" is something you are with your spouse, partner or lover, but "nekkid" is what you were when you hooked up with that guy from the club (What was his name anyway? LOL). "Naked" is respectable, like Botticeli's Venus, or a baby in the tub. "Nekkid" is a little different in that it often involves a password and monthly subscription.

It doesn't matter to me one whit if you're naked or nekkid, but now you know the difference.

free associate with me 4

2008-10-29T12:32:00.002-06:00

Contemplate :: The Meaning of Life

In the house :: My Grandmother's Sleeping Porch
Classical :: Music

Quest :: Johnny Quest

Best friend :: Lynn

1991 :: Ashlyn was Born

Never will :: End

Fool :: Money

Unhappy :: Gray Skies
Best man :: Wedding

George Washington I'm not

2008-10-28T16:59:00.005-06:00

This is the tree that sits in my front yard and is out to get me. It's all of about 10 inches in diameter, maybe 12 just to give it the benefit of the doubt. Regardless of how large or small it may or may not be, the damn thing jumps in my way when I'm throwing the Frisbee to Bella. I kid you not, if I aim at the house, the Frisbee somehow, someway manages to hit the tree.

And it's not as if there isn't 12 feet to the right and 30 feet to the left of clear, unobstructed, well, air. And the funky thing is that it's not like I'm aiming too high and hitting the branches. I'm hitting the trunk, people. I'm not out committing crimes against Mother Nature, either. TruGreen Chemlawn can verify that my yard receives a little extra lovin' on a regular basis, but still that tree thwarts my dogs exercise. She doesn't pee on the tree, and most of the time not even in the front yard, so it can't be a vengence thing.

And since I'm being all honest and everything, I'm pretty sure that if I actually owned this house, that tree would be first on my list of things that would be gone.

bless her heart

2008-10-28T12:35:00.006-06:00

Teacher: This is the book we're going to read this week. It's called The Littles Go On A Hike.

Boy: It's a fiction book.

Teacher: Yes, it is a fiction book. Can you tell me why it's fiction?

Girl: Because they don't really go on a hike.

I swear this actually happened. I know it did because I heard it with my own ears. And then I walked out of the room and giggled for a full 2 minutes.

a day at Chatfield State Park

2008-10-27T06:59:00.005-06:00

Bella and her Frisbee

Proof Bella can swim when she wants to

Coming out of the drink

In mid-shake, but still in the water

A boy and his dog

Hunter

My mother's smile

Evening view from our deck

tee hee

2008-10-26T09:25:00.001-06:00

What's black and white all over?

Michael Jackson

(courtesy of Hunter)

I have o-fficially lost my mind

2008-10-24T10:35:00.003-06:00

I love my dog, Bella. I love her a lot, even. This dog is spoiled rotten and it's all my fault. Just how spoiled is she, you ask? I not only throw the frisbee to her a minimum of 3 times a day, every day, for about 20 minutes at a stretch, but the other day I was doing it IN THE RAIN. Rotten ass dog...

an early October day trip

2008-10-19T16:34:00.006-06:00

Taking advantage of fall

Capturing the moment

Amazing Majesty

Kenin at Summit Lake on Mt. Evans

Looking down from Mt. Evans

Forest on Fire

Kenin

It's me, Betsy.

some of us even have sense

2008-10-18T18:26:00.001-06:00

This photo was taken in Mississippi the day of the presidential debate.

rocktober 18

2008-10-18T11:53:00.000-06:00

18. Mother's Finest

Thanks big ol' bunches to my ex, David, for introducing me (oh so many, many years ago) to one of the best songs ever, Mickey's Monkey.

rocktober 17

2008-10-17T11:10:00.002-06:00

17. Prince

1999. 'Nuff said.

ugh

2008-10-16T13:07:00.002-06:00

How can it be that mentally I still feel 29, but my body insists on looking 39? I'm getting crows feet and I am not okay with it.

rocktober 16

2008-10-16T11:03:00.002-06:00

16. The Eagles

Some folks just need to learn how to suck it up and Get Over It.

the lesson I learned this weekend

2008-10-15T12:37:00.006-06:00

I'd like to think that I'm a pretty decent person, certainly not someone you'd see on Cops or anything like that. But there are times when someone will piss me off and I just want to get 3 shades of redneck. However, I'm usually pretty good at controlling my temper because on the (thankfully) very rare occasion that I loose it, unpleasant things are bound to occur.

Don't you just hate it when someone eggs you on? You can see it coming from a mile away, that it's going to end and not only will it end, but it will end badly and with a fair amount of carnage, none of which will be you because you are the one carrying a big stick and an extra large can of whup ass. Well, I just plain hate it when someone can't let something go. And I particularly hate it when that someone is my normally wonderful husband and he's just doing his level best to make me mad.

So, if you're like me and someone's aggravating you sure as they're breathing and you've told them 3 times that this is a conversation better not conversed right now and they still push you, here's what not to do:

DO NOT THROW your very favorite $65 heavy metal stock pot toward the sink (throwing it at your spouse is probably not such a great idea either, but hopefully you know this already). If you do throw the pot, it will bounce off the rim of the sink and head toward the wall. And when it gets to the wall, it will then leave a hole the size of your palm in the wall, and that's going to be a real bitch to repair. And just imagine the mess if that pot's not empty when you throw it.

The moral of this story? Don't throw your favorite stock pot. It'll dent and then you'll have to buy a new one. And that sucks.

rocktober 15

2008-10-15T10:51:00.002-06:00

15. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

My favorite? Breakdown. And Refugee. Oh yeah, and Runnin' Down a Dream.

rocktober 14

2008-10-14T10:46:00.002-06:00

14. Garth Brooks

And to think it all started with Friends in Low Places.

pals

2008-10-13T19:46:00.000-06:00

Hunter and his friend, Jacob, plaing video games.

rocktober 13

2008-10-13T10:37:00.002-06:00

13. Travis Tritt

My favorite songs are The Love of a Woman and It's a Great Day to be Alive.

free associate with me 3

2008-10-12T19:26:00.002-06:00

Zoo :: The Scorpions
Neighborhood :: Montclair
Salute :: the Troops
Immortality :: Vampires
Dominion :: Old Dominion
Rhonda :: Help Me Rhonda
Parties :: Confetti
Prince of Darkness :: Devil
Garbage :: Stupid Girl
Standard :: and Poor's

rocktober 12

2008-10-12T10:32:00.003-06:00

12. Madonna

I like her but not as she is now. She was great until the mid 90's, then she started to go downhill. So, in my not-so-humble opinion, she's pretty much at the bottom of the hill at this point, and stopping altogether would be a good idea.

rocktober 8-11

2008-10-11T11:47:00.002-06:00

Better late than never!

8. Cyndi Lauper

The early stuff is the best - a bit wacky, but always fun.

9. The Commodores

In August 1999, Kenin, Ashlyn, Hunter and I were stuck in traffic on the Washington, DC, beltway when I popped a new cassette in the tape player. Out came Brickhouse, which quickly - and I mean by the end of the song kind of quick - became Hunter's favorite song.

10. Christina Aguilera

This is probably my favorite song by her.

11. Cher

She's so great, I don't even know what to say about her.

rocktober 7

2008-10-07T06:59:00.000-06:00

7. Lynyrd Skynyrd

You just can't help but feel the pride when you're singing Sweet Home Alabama.

rocktober 6

2008-10-06T05:36:00.001-06:00

6. Brooks & Dunn

Whenever I hear Boot Scootin' Boogie, it reminds me of hanging out with my friend, Betty Jo, at this itty bitty hole in the wall bar called Sue-Ann's.

hmmm... very interesting

2008-10-05T09:22:00.003-06:00

I got an email from my favorite Yankee, Bob, who passed this link along from the ABC website. There are 26 statements, 13 made by each candidate, and you choose the statements you feel best echo your own sentiments. At the end, it tells you whose policies you're most likely to agree with. Of the 13 statements, I only agreed with 3 that McCain made - which is no surprise to me. The really honest thing about this is that you don't know which candidate made which statement, so there's no such thing as going with the party line.

Try it and see if your beliefs really put you with the candidate you think they do!

rocktober 5

2008-10-05T05:35:00.000-06:00

5. Sarah McLachlan

Mirrorball - the best thing to come out of Lilith Fair.

rocktober 4

2008-10-04T05:26:00.002-06:00

4. Def Leppard

The summer I was 14, Pyromania came out. My friends and I would hang out in the parking lot of the bowling alley (yes, I know how cheesy that is - no need to tell me) with Ray's stereo blaring Photograph and Foolin'.

rocktober 3

2008-10-03T05:21:00.003-06:00

3. Boston

I got turned on to Boston during the summer of 1984 by our neighbor, Rusty. I rode to summer school with him (I was a wee bit of an underachiever) and he'd play Foreplay/Long Time and I'd be about half deaf by the time we made it to school. But what great memories...

no more lost buddies for me

2008-10-02T16:35:00.003-06:00

I just came across something that makes life so much easier for moms. And y'all know I don't just jump on the first bandwagon I come across, so don't go thinkin' I'm typing just to hear the keyboard click. Remember how I was about the brandy butter sauce? Well, this is just about as good, except bathing in it isn't an option.

My Lost Buddy is a website that offers patches - available in several cute designs - for your kids' stuff so that if it gets lost, you've got a better chance of getting it returned to you. You iron or sew the patch onto whatever particular item (what a great thing for coats and hoodies!) and if it gets lost or misplaced, all whoever finds it has to do is go to MyLostBuddy.com and type in the registration code and their contact info and waa-la (I'm fairly certain that's not how you spell that, but hey, some days you should just take what you can get)! Through the magic of technology, you're contacted that your item's been found. Now, how cool is that? I wish they'd had this when my monsters were little, but alas, that's not how it was.

You better believe I'm going to buy a whole mess of these for my currently gestating grandson. He's never going to lose his favorite blankie - at least not for very long!

rocktober 2

2008-10-02T05:18:00.004-06:00

2. Led Zeppelin

Overheard on my school bus when I was in 8th grade:

"Do you know who Led Zeppelin is?"
"Yeah. He's really cool."

rocktober 1

2008-10-01T05:15:00.005-06:00

Each day this month (unless I forget, and I'm gonna try really hard not to!), I'm going to post a musical group or artist that influenced me or ranks way, way up there on my list of favorite musicians. Why? Well, basically because I can. :)

1. Fleetwood Mac

Rumors. Need I say more?

no mo', no mo', no mo'

2008-10-01T04:42:00.004-06:00

You know, I don't really mind getting older. I mean, the last time I got upset over having a birthday was when I turned 17 and realized I'd wasted a fair amount of my teenage years being a bonehead. Turning 30 didn't bother me and 40 isn't appearing as a great looming horror in my mind's eye. I still feel in my mind like I'm in my 20's, and have even been known on occasion to act like it. So like I said, getting older isn't bothering me one bit. But I've gotta tell you, I'm pretty damn unhappy about what this aging crap is doing to my body.

Having gray hair doesn't bother me. God knows I've earned each and every one of them, so in my eyes, it's kind of a badge of honor. However, I've got the ugliest, most mousy brown hair though, so I dye it. I swear it's not about the grays - ask anyone who's known me, I've been dying my hair since I was 20. What's aggravating me is that my once super thick hair is getting thinner and that's pissing me off. It used to be so, well, thick. And now it just hangs there, limp and lifeless. This is not okay. Just because my grandmother wore a wig to cover her 4 hairs doesn't mean I want to.

My hormones are more whacked out now than I ever was, even during my incarnations of crazy. I'm not talking about emotional hormones, either. I mean, I feel like I'm going through adolescence all over again (except this didn't happen before!) and it was not the most pleasant experience the first time around, let me tell you. My skin is doing strange things, like I break out on my chest, and I have extreme itches on my neck, which (naturally) happen in the middle of the night and I wake up with red welts on my neck from where I've scratched myself too much. And I don't sleep - at least not for more than 4 hours - without the aid of good pharmaceuticals.

Basically, this getting older crap just isn't working for me, so I'm officially declaring that I refuse to age even one more single, teeny, tiny bit. I'm done, finished, over it, not doing it anymore. But just in case push comes to shove and I loose it and beat someone to death with a shoe or something, I plan on using hormones as my defense. And you just know that unless that jury's comprised solely of men, I'm getting off scott free.

free associate with me 2

2008-09-28T13:36:00.004-06:00

1. Hearing :: Loss
2. Aggression :: Mad
3. Charged :: Ion
4. Traveler :: Blues
5. Hydrate :: Water
6. Detox :: Amy Winehouse
7. Qualify :: Insurance
8. Prison :: Break
9. Frontal :: Lobotomy
10. Pep talk :: Football

Ike and the aftermath

2008-09-27T11:47:00.003-06:00

Proof that beach dwellers have a sense of humor

Dumbass #1

Dumbass #2

Wall of water

Buried treasure

Fish out of water

What interstate?

Photo Friday - spontaneous

2008-09-26T07:34:00.004-06:00

spontaneous

The Photo Friday meme

no shocker here

2008-09-25T05:12:00.000-06:00

And this was a surprise?

I'm not really sure how this happened - Part 3

2008-09-24T06:31:00.008-06:00

Apparently, this is absolutely not, in any way, shape, form or fashion, Ashley Biden. This is according to some guy who dated her in college and left a comment to that effect on the original post. Who am I to argue with that? I don't even know why the post is still getting hits because it's about as old as dirt.

However - didn't you just know that there was a caveat in here somewhere - according to a google.com image search and the Christian Science Monitor, this is the real Ashley Biden.

free associate with me

2008-09-23T06:46:00.004-06:00

1. Heist :: money
2. Hack :: computer
3. Dane :: Cook
4. Stings :: bee
5. Monkey :: business
6. Junkie :: Chris Rock in New Jack City
7. Pumped :: up
8. Brass :: monkey
9. Fight! :: junior high
10. Vouch(er) :: FEMA

say what?

2008-09-21T09:29:00.002-06:00

On the way to Waffle House this morning:

Hunter: I'm so hungry I could drink a whole cow.

I'll stay right where I am, thanks

2008-09-20T09:45:00.004-06:00

The other night Hunter and I were talking about the differences between co-workers and bosses.

Me: So, Ms. Special Ed Teacher is technically my supervisor, but she's also my co-worker because we work very closely. I'm not on the same level as Mr. Vice Principal or Mrs. Principal.

Hunter: No, you're not. First you'd have to be a real teacher. Then you've have to get your Master's Degree. And then, you'd have to get a degree in politics if you wanted to be a principal.

If he only knew how true that really is...

sugar and spice

2008-09-17T05:13:00.000-06:00

Have you ever met one of those people who are so nice that you just know deep in your heart of hearts that they would love nothing better than talking to you for hours upon end about your worthless, pathetic life? This would be the kind of person that you're pretty certain the devil never even considered tempting them because they're just that damn perfect. You know the ones? They ones that have a bazillion friends and are so genuinely nice that you want to hurl? Well, I'm not one of those people.

But one of the ladies I work with is. She's never without a smile on her face, she's always dressed nicely, even if it's just in jeans, and every last child in school adores her, even my own kid who purposely ignores me if I happen to be in the same hallway, or worse, near his classroom. She's so perfect I want to hate her, but I can't because not only is she nice, she's from the damn South and that just wouldn't be acceptable behavior for a Southerner (me) who's way too far from home.

So I guess this means I'll just have to like her along with everyone else.

total lunar eclipse

2008-09-16T06:42:00.000-06:00

scary scenery

2008-09-15T06:54:00.000-06:00

This is Crystal Beach, Texas, where, until last year, my in-laws lived in a house 2 blocks from the beach. They live about 20 minutes outside Houston now, just a couple of blocks from Kenin's sister and one of his brothers. Thankfully, they only sustained damage to their fences and are, of course, without power.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who's been affected by Hurricane Ike. Please do what you can to help those in need.

are you pimped out?

2008-09-14T10:22:00.010-06:00

Kenin: Hey Hunter, do you see what I'm wearing? My new carpenter jeans?

Hunter: Cool! Now my dad's all pimped out!

(I'm not real sure Hunter has discovered this yet, but he's actually a white boy who lives in the 'burbs.)

courage

2008-09-11T09:48:00.000-06:00

courage