Dear So and So...2010

Dear 2010,

Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

Not Impressed,
Kat
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Dear Readers,

Happy New Year! I hope this coming year is way better than 2010.

Love,
Kat
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We're In For A Rude Awakening

We (we, meaning LaLa and I) are in for a rude awakening once school starts back up. She and I have both been staying up entirely too late at night. I have to admit, she is doing worse on the bedtime front than I am. She has been stalling bedtime until nearly 11pm for the last week. I am an adult, so I am allowed to stay up til 1am if I want. She is a child and should be in bed no later than 8:30pm tops (in my perfect world where there are unicorns, rainbows, pink kittens and sparkles all the time).

To say that we have been sleeping in a little would be an understatement. We haven't been getting out of bed until the God awful entirely too early hour of nearly 10am for the last week. I haven't been setting my alarm clock and I don't get out of bed until one of my kids prods me if my alarm isn't set. KiKi has been getting up at her normal weekend time of about 8:30-9am. However, KiKi isn't a kid that will prod me to get out of bed. She prefers to play quietly in her room until I get out of bed (the child is an angel, seriously, doesn't get into things, just plays in her room). So, I sleep. Then I get a crack of daylight peeking through my blackout curtains and know that it is entirely too late in the morning to be sleeping. Let's face it folks, I live in England, if there is light coming through your curtains on a winter morning, it is well past 9am. Then I prod LaLa out of bed, with her moaning about how she is "exhausted" and needs "just a few more minutes" .

So what I am basically trying to say is....Tuesday, January 4th, when the kids go back to school, LaLa and I are going to be in a world of hurt at 7am when the alarm clock goes off. Who wants to bet we are late to school?

Things I Learned Over Christmas

I had a wonderful Christmas and here is a list of things I have learned over this holiday...with pictures (of course).

1) It is impossible to keep the kids away from their stocking while their dad is in the loo.



2) Santa is goooooood.



3) Zhu-Zhu pets look like prey to Sam Kitty.



4) Bags are good hiding places.



5) Cooking for 16 people isn't all that bad. I might moan about it, but I secretly loved every minute of it PLUS it got me out of most of the house cleaning.



6) Ethan does smile every once in a while.



7) Kevin might be a pirate.



8) Friends are the family you choose.



(That's Robin and Debbie. They're pretty damn awesome.)

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So...Merry Christmas

Dear People at the Grocery Store,

I am about to leave my house here in a bit and go get eggs because I of course forgot eggs yesterday while I was at the store. Now, I need you lot to listen to me. There will be no, trolly road rage, elbows being thrown, no fighting over the last thawed out turkey, no smacking of each other with parsnips. You will actually allow me to walk to the eggs; actually if you would pretend you are the Red Sea and that I am Moses I wouldn't complain. Then I will pay for my eggs and be on my way. Sound good to you? Ok good!

Merry Christmas,
Kat
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Dear Children,

I know it is Christmas eve, but would you please calm down just a tad? Mommy just woke up and needs massive amounts of caffeine in her system before she gets functional.

Love,
Mom
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Dear Everyone,

I hope you have a Merry Christmas. Be kind to one another.

Love,
Kat
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If you have your own Dear So and So letter please link up!!

RTT- Wouldn't That Just Make a Mess?

It's time to get random with Random Tuesday Thoughts..... You can thank Keely for this one.

The US astronauts took Tang (a powdered orange drink mix) on their flights in the 1960s. That must have been real hell to learn how to mix in no gravity. Could you imagine the mess? You open the can and a big orange dust cloud evelopes the entire cavity of the space craft. Wouldn't you hate to be that guy? "sorry guys, weightlessness, I thought I had it...I didn't get the water there in time....*shuffles feet* sorry. Well don't blame me, blame the person who thought bringing a powdered drink into space was a good idea. If you're gonna yell at anyone it really should be him. He should be sacked! But, yeah, sorry.". I mean it really, there must be like a half year long course just on "how to eat and drink in space so you don't screw up the equipment".

On Saturday I had 15 children and 7 adults in my house for LaLa's birthday party. I am still twitching.

It is so cold outside that Sam Kitty isn't even trying to escape the house. When I open the door to let him out he gives me a look that says "Yeah right, nice try there, human".

Four more sleeps til Christmas!!!

If you didn't get a Christmas card from me this year, then look here. Oh, and I haven't sent out Christmas cards so don't feel left out if you didn't get one.

I got woke up by KiKi puking in her bed at midnight. Good times. Hopefully, it was a one off deal.

Ok...well I feel better. That's enough random for one day.

Silent Sunday- My Christmas Card

Click these to enlarge if you can't read them:

Dear So and So...In the Words of Ren and Stimpy "Happy Happy Joy Joy"

Dear Everyone,

My husband is coming home today!!!!!!!!!!(is that enough exclamation points? I think not)!!!!!!!! There is however a problem. My house needs to be cleaned, my daughters birthday party decorations need to be erected (hehehe erected) and yeah...I am losing my mind a bit! So, I am going to get off the computer now and be productive. If you see me around the Internet give me a good old swat to the arse and tell me to get back to work.

Love you guys,
Kat

PS- If you have a DSS letter, please link up!!
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What I Am Doing on Saturday

The cashier today raised her eyebrow at me today when I plopped the My Little Pony pinata up next to the till. Then with horror she said “Please don't tell me you are having a birthday party this close to Christmas!?!” Well, yes, actually I am. You see, my daughter didn't have the choice to plan her birthdate. As luck had it, she was born three days before Christmas. She is my lovely Christmas baby. Guess what? She also deserves to have a birthday party just as much as every other child on this planet and I refuse to short change her just because her birthday falls in a very busy and money strapped time of the year. So, yes, I am buying her a My Little Pony pinata for her party.

On Saturday my house will be filled to the gills with roughly 15 invited children and probably most of their parents. We will eat pizza, play party games, have the My Little Pony pinata stuffed with sweets, dance, and have cake. I am also baking the cake. My daughter will be deliriously happy. I might be certifiably insane by the end of the party. However, the strain of organizing a party near Christmas is a small price to pay for the smiles I will receive on Saturday. I think that is a very fair trade.

Baby It's Cold Outside- Clifford James Slipper Review

The weather in England right now has turned the corner from autumn chilly to winter cold. We have had our first snows and frost so thick that it has turned the landscape into a winter wonderland. A little over a week ago I was approached by a PR from Clifford James who asked me to review a pair of slippers. Since I was sitting on my sofa, my feet in socks and dreading to put my feet down onto the cold hardwood floors I immediately accepted the offer. The dread of feet on cold floors is very persuasive.

I received the slippers two days later. I was very impressed by the promptness in which they were dispatched. They were exactly what I wanted. Red bootie slippers with a sole hard enough that I could go outside to take the trash out without having to worry about changing into proper shoes. The soles also provided a non-slip surface, which is really nice on wooden floors. The warm faux fur lining in the slippers was also a nice feature.

I immediately slipped the new slippers off and I must admit I have rarely taken them off since I received them. I have even accidentally left the house in them. Twice. Yes, you will get weird stares when you do your weekly grocery shopping in slippers. It was an honest mistake though. They were so comfortable and the bottoms are waterproof so I didn't even realize what shoes I had on until I was halfway down the tinned veggie aisle. Oops.

The slippers provided to me by Clifford James were the Trinny Slippers for Ladies. They retail for £7.50, which I think is a great value for money. Clifford James has a wide variety of other slippers for both ladies and men. I think they would be a great presents during this holiday season.

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So...Ooooo You're my Best Friend

Hey! It's time for Dear So and So....you ready???

Dear Those in Car Parks,

Yes, I have had many gripes about parking areas in the years past. However, I must point out that if parking is in really close quarters you shouldn't open your door as fast as possible. My poor Jeep does not appreciate the paint transfer.

Just Pointing Out Common Courtesy, Kat
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Dear Beast,

You kinda smell like Fritos. Maybe it is time for a bath?

Your Human Mama, Kat
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Dear Sam Kitty,

Yes, it really is that cold outside. Yes, that is ice. Sorry for the inconvenience, Your Highness.

Love, That Woman Who Feeds You, Kat
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Dear LaLa,

As much as I am tickled pink that you are enamoured with math, really, I am, 10pm is not the time to be sneaking in in extra math exercises. You are more than welcome to do math problems when you get home, before school....well, basically anytime other than when you are supposed to be sleeping. Falling asleep in class is counter productive, trust me on this.

Love, Mom
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Dear Electric Company,

I swear all these lights that are on are not my fault. They are also not the fault of the shorter winter days. They are the fault of my 4 year old daughter who insists upon turning on the lights in every single room she enters. Bill her.

Fed Up, Kat
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Dear Readers,

Please don't forget to link up your letters!!!

Love, Kat

The Gallery- White

The temperatures here in England have gone subzero and I have never actually seen a frost this thick before. The weather forecast called for a "hard frost" here in Suffolk. Now, I know that means that it is going to get really foggy and then the fog is going to freeze to everything around it.

(Please click on the photo to get all the detail)

This is part of The Gallery hosted by Tara

1,2,3, Not It!

So as I was laying in bed the other day this came into my brain. England sent Prince William, David Cameron, and David Beckham to Zurich, Switzerland to press the English bid for the World Cup in 2018. This got me to thinking, how do you think they decided who got to bring up what points to the Fifa panel who decided where the World Cup is to be held. I like to think they played 1,2,3, Not It! This is how the conversation happened in my head.

David Cameron: So who wants to bring up the BBC Panorama Fifa corruption charges? 1,2,3, Not It!
Price William: Not It!
David Beckham: Not It! Damn.

DB: Who wants to talk about the fact that we have some of the worlds finest football pitches already? 1,2,3, Not It!
DC: Not It!
PW: Not It! Damn.

PW: Who wants to expound on the fact that we will already have the infrastructure to support the hoards of crowds since we already are going to be hosting the Olympics in London in 2012? 1,2,3, Not It!
DB: Not It!
DC: Not It! Damn!

DB: Who is buying dinner tonight? 1,2,3, Not It!
DC: Not It!
PW: Not It! Damn.
DC: Oh come on Wills, it isn't like you can't afford it!

By the way, Russia will be hosting the World Cup in 2018. I guess their strategy didn't work.

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So...Yeah I Almost Forgot

Time to hop on the Dear So and So...train. All aboard!!

Dear LaLa,

I swear you can go to your friend's house on Monday. Enough with the waterworks.

Love, Mom
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Dear Ely Toy Shop,

Thank you for actually having what I needed in stock after I saw it a month ago. I might not have gotten exactly the roller skates that I wanted, but they will work and LaLa will have a VERY Merry Christmas because of them.

A Very Happy Customer, Kat

PS- I love you very good and personalized service. It is so rare these days.
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Dear Body,

I know it is cold outside and you are getting a bit run down by our hectic schedule, but right now is not the time to get sick. I can't be sick. I refuse to be sick, so you will just have to wait to collapse AFTER the New Year. K Thnx.

I Don't Have Time For This, Kat
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Dear The Man,

I miss you. Dammit.

Love, Kat
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Dear Christmas Tree,

I am going to attempt to get you out of the loft in about 15 min. Please do not do the following: break, crash down, maim me, kill me, disfigure me, crush the dog, crush the cat. Thanks for your compliance.

Not Very Coordinated and Working Alone, Kat
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Dear Readers,

If you have DSS letters please link up!!

Love, Kat
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The Gallery- Celebrations

Every year I struggle to get good pictures of my girls to send in my Christmas cards. It isn't because I can't find the perfect outfits or find the perfect location, it is because I have kids who can almost never take a serious picture. So last year this is what happened.

"What is up with that face LaLa? Let's try this again."



"KiKi, hun, you have to face the camera."



"Tongues back in the mouth please!"



"I said tongues in you mouth please...KiKi"



"Oh, now you're just taking the mickey"



*sigh* "I am guessing this is the best we're gonna get"

Sam Kitty's Guide To Being A Cat

Being a cat is a lot of work.

5am- Stick Nose in large sleeping humans face. Purr. Try to get stroked.
5:01 am- Purr louder. Rub head against sleeping human's face. Dodge sleeping humans flailing hand.
5:02 am- Make self comfortable between large sleeping humans legs. Make sure the human can no longer change position. Snuggle up close to maintain maximum warmth.
6:00 am- Refuse to move from between large humans legs. Act indignant when forcibly removed.
6:05 am- Find marble to play it with on the hardwood floors.
6:10am- Hide when large human gets out of bed to confiscate marble.
6:59am. Stick nose in large sleeping human's face right before that loud noise happens.
7am- Run! Loud noise!!
7:05am- Meow at backdoor til large human opens door.
7:06- do "business" in the shrubs; preferably near the rose bushes.
7:06:30- Run back inside.
7:07 am- Breakfast time! NOM NOM NOM!!!
7:30-8:30 am- Meow at backdoor. Keep meowing.
8:45 am- Watch door in order to trip large human as she escorts small humans out the door. Pray small humans never return.
8:46-9:15 Curl up next to warm boiler and sleep.
9:15- Give large human "the look of death" as she opens the backdoor and lets a draft into your nice warm sleeping area.
9:30-11 Meow at backdoor. Go outside and hunt. Come back only when it suits you.
11am- Meow to be let inside. Bat dog on nose as she sniffs you to welcome you, her conquering hero, home. Ignore human.
11:15- Lunch!!! NOM NOM NOM!!!
12 pm-3:15 Sleepy Time!!!!
3:15pm- Give large human a sneer as she opens door and lets in draft.
3:15-3:45 Sleepy Time!!!
3:45- Awww crap large human brought the small ones back. Damn.
3:45-5 Meow at backdoor. Time for more hunting.
5pm- Demand to be let back inside.
5pm-7pm Time to plot next hunting trip and demise of dog.
7pm-8:30pm- Sleep under warm radiator. It is muy beuno.
8:30pm- Lay on large humans rear end as she puts small human in bed.
8:45- Get mad at large human for moving back to couch.
8:45-10 Sleep under warm radiator. It is really nice. You need to try it.
10pm- Snuggle on large humans lap. She is really warm. Muy bueno!
11pm- Night night time with large human. Make sure to find the warmest spot on bed. Claim as your own.

And that my friends is how to be a successful cat.

First Snow

On Thanksgiving we got our first spattering of snow. It wasn't impressive, didn't stick and therefore was not a real snow. It did however make me happy because it was the first sign that winter is on its way, and winter means Christmas!

Today we got our first real snow. A half inch of glorious white stuff. Of course I managed to accidentally set my alarm for 8am instead of 7am last night and instead of leisurely sipping my coffee and checking for school closing updates, I whipped off my duvet in a panic ran from room to room getting school uniforms onto my half asleep children whist checking Facebook to see if school was still on (it is the most reliable source round here), howling at the girls to eat their breakfasts, taking the dog outside so she didn't pee in the house, and de-icing the car so that I could get out the door ten minutes late. I forgot chasing the cat back inside because he is still doing that little trick of chasing my car as I am leaving the driveway. Stupid cat.

We made it to school on time- barely. It sure is Monday, a beautiful snowy Monday.

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So...Happy Day After Thanksgiving

Open Letter The Day After Thanksgiving:

Thank you to everyone who took time yesterday to Skype me, Twitter me, and Facebook me to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving. It really meant a lot to know that I had people thinking about me. This Thanksgiving was especially hard because my husband was gone, my family is back in America and I was just honestly super duper lonely. I did go to a friends house for Thanksgiving dinner and that made things a bit more bearable.

So today I am going to eat my Thanksgiving leftovers, throw the paper plate in the bin and get on with normal life and look forward to Christmas. No more feeling down. My husband will be home soon and we will spend a very Merry Christmas together. Then we will celebrate a New Year and tell 2010 to kiss our backsides, since it hasn't been very kind to us.

So, thank you again for thinking about me, the girls and The Man on Thanksgiving. It meant more to me than you will probably ever know.

Love, Kat

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The Gallery- Black and White

Silent Sunday

Dear So and So....This One's For LaLa

Dear LaLa,

I understand that what you are wearing used to be a dress, but it shrank in the wash and is now so short that the only way you can wear it is as a shirt. I don't care if you are going to wear tights under it! If you bend over the bottom of the "dress" comes halfway up your bum and there is no way on earth I am letting you out of the house like that! So, go put on a pair of jeans under it and then you may wear it. Sorry, I know you are anti-jeans but it is just too damn bad.

Love, The Woman You Call Mum Who Won't Let You Out of the House Looking Like A Stripper
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Dear LaLa,

I don't know what your obsession with playing in the bathroom sink is about but you need to stop it. I have little bits of wet toilet paper stuck everywhere like spitballs and it is really ticking me off. Quit.

Love, That Woman You Call Mum Who is Constantly Yelling at You to Get Out of the Bathroom
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Dear LaLa,

I am so proud of you! Well done on the class award for Maths. You are so smart!

Love, Mom
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Dear LaLa,

I would like to get out of the house on time this morning so please turn off the Wii and put your shoes on like I have told you 50 million times.

Love, Mom
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Dear Readers,

If you have a Dear So and So...post that you would like to link up, please do.

Weekend Safety Briefing: Have Fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

Love, Kat
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Conversations With LaLa...again

This kid just makes me laugh.

LaLa: Hey Mom, how does water get into the pipes to come out the taps?
Me:*thinks for a minute and mentally cusses question* Well the water comes from streams and lakes and the sea and it goes to water treatment plants where they filter it and clean it...
LaLa: So they kinda add Finish* to the water to make it clean then?
Me: ....ummm we'll go with that...

*Americans call it JetDry

Dear So and So....I Can't Come Up With a Witty Title

Alright it is Friday time to jump on the Dear So and So... train. All aboard!

Dear Eastern European Girl at Taco Bell,

I am so so so sorry that when you were asking for my receipt so that you could check that you had everything for my order that I thought you were saying recipe. Yes, I did think it was strange that you were asking for my recipe considering you and your team were the ones who were supposed to be doing the cooking. It is also really embarrassing because my minor at University was Russian Studies and I should very well be able to understand an eastern European accent. Maybe if you weren't speaking so quietly?

Thoroughly Embarrassed, Kat
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Dear Sam Kitty,

This thing you do where you try to chase my car down when I am leaving the house like a dog when you are outside in the driveway has got to end. I am already paranoid enough about you getting hit by a car, but I don't think I could handle it if I was the one to run you over. Please use a bit of kitty common sense and stay away from moving cars.

Love, Your Human Mama
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Dear Ghost in My House,

I hope that was you up in the loft last night and not mice. I think I can handle a haunting much easier than mice.

Please be a ghost, Kat
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Dear Mother Nature,

Enough with the wind, alright?

Gone With the Wind, Kat
--------------------------------

Dear House Elves,

Are you the ones keeping LaLa's room clean or is the star chart actually working? I am confused by the clean state of her room.

Love, Kat
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Dear Readers,

If you have lovely letters that you wished you could send please link up below!

Weekend Safety Briefing: Don't drink and drive, if you keep making that face it will freeze like that, don't talk to strangers, don't take candy from strangers, don't help strangers look for their lost dog, if you kill each other do it outside, you better pray that comes out of the carpet, make sure you wear clean underwear, shut the door- you weren't raised in a barn, act your age and dammit eat your vegetables.

Love Always, Kat
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America's Finest

This post was written by my husband, The Man. If you were not aware my husband is a member of the United States Air Force. He has been in the Air Force for eight years and he has been to war in Afghanistan. He asked to write a post for the Bungalow so he could express his gratitude for those who served before him and remind other Americans about the purpose of our national holiday "Veteran's Day". In the UK and Canada it is known as "Remembrance Day". A day to remember the sacrifices that our service members and the civilians who supported them during times of war. Please take a moment to remember the service members who have tried their best to keep you safe, no matter what country you are from.

As many Americans take this Veteran’s Day off from work, I want to remind all Americans of the importance of this day. It may be a well deserved break from the daily requirements of your job, but it serves a much higher purpose. As Americans, we live and breathe the freedom that many take for granted. This liberty that we all value has come at a steep price for many families and generations of Americans. We have persevered as a nation on the backs of ordinary men and women that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. From our nation’s “War of Independence” to the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq today, thousands of our military’s greatest have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Our nation’s “finest” have continually fought for America’s freedom through the generations. People who values consist of God, nation, family, integrity, and service before self. People who consistently bear the awesome task of defending America. People who put individual desires to the side for the good of all Americans. These are the people who should be remembered on this holiday. America is the greatest nation on earth because of these people who sacrifice to defend freedom and liberty. As you go about your day, please take a moment to reflect and remember the lives of “America’s Finest,” who gave it all to make our nation what is it today.

Photo credit: U.S. Census Bureau

Defining Backtalk

After months of unacceptable behavior from LaLa, culminating with her acting like a heathen at the Yultide Bazaar on Saturday, I had a massive blow up. Then I had a moment of clarity. I remembered I had this unused star chart sitting on the side of the refrigerator. When I say completely unused I mean completely unused, well except for when LaLa went and put one of her stars up next to a chore, exclaimed loudly she did it and then expected me to bend over backwards to give her allowance (nice try, kiddo, by the way).

So, I sat down Saturday night after I had already confiscated her Wii (to her sheer horror) and redefined each chore with her and added "good attitude" and "no backtalk" to the list to try to tackle her behavior problems. It worked like a charm Sunday. She did all her chores- cleaning her room, removing her toys from the living room, bringing her clothes to the dirty clothes bin, brushed her teeth, made her bed and even did well with not back talking and having a good attitude. I was seriously impressed by her effort.

Then tonight at dinner the conversation ensued.

LaLa- "Mom what exactly is back talk?"
Me- "Well, it is when I ask you to do something and you tell me "no" or "I don't wanna" or are disrespectful back to me"
La- "So if I tell you no that I am not going to do something I don't get my star?"
Me- "Right."
La- "But, if I say yes and do it I get my star?"
Me- "Yep"
La- "But if I say Ok and then later say no and don't do it, then I don't get one, right?"
Me- "Yeah"
La- "But if I say no and then do it I get it?"
Me- "ummm"
La- "cause I did it"
Me- "I guess"
La- "ok..."

I can see it now, she is finding loopholes. It is kind of like Bill Clinton defining the word sex.

Words of Wisdom From The Man

When my husband is out of town we have epic instant message conversations that can last for hours. Actually, we do some of our best talking when he is gone- mostly because he actually has time to have a conversation when he is gone. His insane schedule when he is home rarely lends itself to quality time to converse. Here are some gems from our Friday night IM conversation (and yes I got his permission to blog this):

Talking about how LaLa is growing up too fast:

The Man: yeah i know...lala is getting big and old lol
Kat: we should trade her in ;)
Kat: lol
The Man: not in a million years...ask me that again though once i have to deal with periods, social status, and boys' penises
Kat : ROFL

Talking about how we talk more when he is gone:

The Man: u know what is weird?
The Man: we actually talk more when i aint around
Kat: yeah cause you actually have TIME
Kat: and aren't asleep
The Man: true
The Man: dont hate the airman..hate the game lol


Words of wisdom to live by.

Dear So and So....Back With a Vengence

Dear So and So is BACK. Strap yourselves in; it's gonna be a wild ride.

Dear Bin Men (garbage men, whatever you want to be called),

You were just having a laugh the other day when you dumped my recycle bin and then just casually placed it smack dab in the middle of my driveway weren't you. You're lucky I was for once paying attention and didn't hit it. Can you imagine the type of wheelie bin carnage that could have ensued? Scenario 1= I hit the bin it flies across the road into the farmers field where I have to then wade through weeds and mud to retrieve the bin. Scenario 2- I hit the bin, it goes into the 50 mph road in front of my house then gets broadsided by a passing car. This could a) destroy my bin b) wreck someones car c) kill those in the car. So, Mr. Bin Men, please put the bins to the side of my driveway and NOT smack in the middle of it from now on. Got it?

Would rather not cause carnage with a wheelie bin, Kat
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Dear People Who Park On Double Yellows,

It's illegal, A-hole.

Got it?, Kat
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Dear LaLa and KiKi,

Can we please skip the right before we leave out the door for school dramatics. Just put your coat on, grab your book bag and get your little behinds out the door. I don't care if she has your toy, or your book or your blah blah blah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah...Oh wait, what? You started to sound like Charlie Brown's teacher there for a minute. Yeah, I don't care what the other did to you let's go.

Lovingly Yours, Mom
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Dear Radio 2,

I heard a Christmas song two days ago. Too soon!!

Love, Kat
----------------------------

Dear House Elves,

You're fired. My dishes aren't done, the laundry isn't done. What? Your mythical?....

Damn., Kat
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Dear Readers,

Please jump on the Dear So and So train. I will be posing a new DSS each Friday with a linky. Please join in when you have a chance.

Weekend Safety Briefing: Don't drink and drive, don't talk back, don't run with scissors, super glue is not for children, don't give me that look, if you make that face it will stick, if your friends jumped off a bridge- don't, always ask for directions, make sure you have enough gas in the car before you embark upon your journey, make sure your tires are properly inflated and for goodness sake don't make me come back there!!

Have a good weekend, Kat
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CyberMummy 2011 Meet and Greet

The date has been set for CyberMummy 2011! It will be happening June 25th down in London. I am already so excited that I can barely stand it. CyberMummy, for those who do not live in the UK is the closest thing we have to BlogHer here in the UK for mummybloggers (and Tim). It is a chance for us to learn from each other, meet and have a good time around for the most part like minded people.

Last year Mummysshoes.com had the great idea to put together a little who's who on her blog. This way we kind of had an idea who each other were, since many of us had never met in person. Here is my entry for this years Meet and Greet.

Name: Kat- also answers to "hey you" "3bedroom" or "dude"

Blog: http://3bedroombungalow.blogspot.com (of course you already know that if you are reading this on my blog)

Twitter ID: @3bedroom

Height: 5'7"

Hair- Brown for now. Most often found in a ponytail or bun since I can't be bothered to pull out my hair dryer most mornings.

Eyes- Green (see, I am not full of crap like people think)( If I was my eyes would be brown)(no offense to people with brown eyes)(My husband and kids have brown eyes)(I love brown eyes).

Likes- Encased meat (sausages, hot dogs (no I don't want to know what is in them thank you very much), bratwurst...), traveling, pretty things, chatter, Macs, technology in general, Peppa Pig, Star Wars (but I don't dress up or anything), people who are just as crazy as me.

Dislikes- People who complain or create drama, housework, sprouts, Captain Mack (it's a kids show in the UK), flat tires, people who fail to use indicators when making turns or on roundabouts.

House Cleaning

As of Friday Dear So and So... will be back. I have missed it and asked around, apparently others have missed it as well. So, I will get to work writing my letters, you should too! I will of course have a linky up so we can all go read everyone's letters.
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To my fellow Americans: I don't care if you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green Party, Libertarian, Tea Party, or The Rent Is Too Damn High Party (yes, it is a real party), we ALL need to get our heads out of our collective asses and get some work done to put ALL Americans back to work. For once we need to listen to each other, make tough decisions that may not go down party lines and just do the right thing. Word?
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Now the song that had LaLa clapping and singing in the backseat.

Let it Be

This morning while I was getting KiKi dressed for school this is the conversation we had.

Me- Daddy is leaving again for a while. Don't worry he will be back before Christmas.
KiKi- Is he going to school?
Me- Yep. He'll be in Germany for school! (tries to sound excited)
KiKi- Will his friends be there?
Me- Yep. He will have some of his friends there.
KiKi- Alright.

Needless to say the four year old was a little more understanding when told that The Man will be leaving again for work purposes. I on the other hand threw a tantrum a two year old would have been proud to claim. Usually I am the picture of a stoic military wife, on Thursday when I found out we had four days to alter our plans for the holiday season (he won't be here for Thanksgiving) I lost the plot. Don't worry. It only took me 45 minutes to gather myself and put back on my stoic face. What else can I do? I love my husband.

Test

Just testing that Intense Debate has reinstalled...ignore this post.

Shiny New Blog

Isn't it pretty?!?! I just have to thank my lovely lovely lovely friend Liz (@violetposy) for the time and effort she put into my site redesign. She made the whole process quick and easy and yummy (we met for coffee and cake to discuss what I wanted). So, thank you Liz! It looks wonderful!

My Own Florence Nightingale

LaLa has become obsessed with the idea of becoming a nurse when she grows up. I think it is great that she would like to nurture people back to health and am fully behind her if this is what she decides to be when she grows up. However, I think she has a very...odd...a bit off...view of what nurses are. See, she has really never had very much interaction with nurses. She has always been very healthy and the only times she has really seen nurses are when they take her weight and temperature at the doctors office.

Recently, she did a report on Florence Nightingale. This is how she has formed her opinion of nurses. Now, she has pretty much turned her bedroom into a Crimean War field hospital. She has taken to wearing long dresses with shirts tied around the waist as an apron. Barbies are her patients. They are laid out on her bed, like a gigantic ward floor, side to side with blankets covering them up to their necks. I half expect to go into her room and find her doing amputations with Chloroform as the anaesthetic and giving Laudanum for pain.

Also, I am pretty sure she thinks she is British.

The Distance Between Us

Sometimes distance is a good thing. It can pad me from feeling the raw pain of family tragedies. I want to be there to help during the bad times, but the distance also acts as an emotional buffer. I can hear about everything, but not seeing it, well, it can make it easier. Sometimes I am grateful about the distance.

During the happy times however, distance is horrible. It is the gap that I can not overcome. It is seeing weddings of cousins through Facebook. It is learning about the birth of a new baby through an email. I want to be there. I want to dance at the wedding and hold that sweet baby. I can't. I will miss it all.

Technology may keep me connected to those I love, but it can never make up for being there.

Just So You Know Those Adverts are Crap!

KiKi has had a cold for about three days now. She almost missed the last day of school before the half term break, but she was insistent that she needed to go to school so she could parade about in her leopard costume that her MiMi (my mom) sent her. She is a strong willed one, ya know.

The past two days she has just had this really violent cough that she just can't seem to shake. Despite the cough medicines I have given her orally, there is really no change. Mind you, it doesn't sound like it is deep in her chest, more at the back of her throat. It doesn't really bother her until bedtime and then it kicks in so bad that she can barely catch her breath. So, I decided to use what any good mom in the western hemisphere would use, good ol' Vicks Vapor Rub.

Let me for the record say that this ad is crap.



There is no gently smoothing the jelly-like substance across your child's chest. It is more like you have to hog tie or pin your child to the mattress and in the two seconds that your child's chest is actually exposed, rub on a bunch of menthol smelling goo. Meanwhile, they are screaming at the top of their lungs like they are being gutted (yes, really, that much fun).

I see no part in the ad that says I may or may not have to use rope in order to apply this product. However, I will concede defeat because, dammit, Vicks actually worked to stop her coughing.

As Elton John sang, "The Circle of Life"

I think I am going to have to give POW Sam Kitty a new name as he is no longer a POW and hasn't been one for nearly 3 months. Yes, I have given up the good fight of keeping him indoors. Yes, I live on a main road and fear for his safety, but nearly being killed by tripping on him and figuring out how to block his escape each and every time I opened the front door was becoming a huge problem (read-pain in the ass). So I adopted the view of that Russian (Dolph Ludgren in real life for the record) from Rocky IV, that says "If he dies, he dies". In truth I really don't want him to die, not only cause he is a pretty awesome cat, but for goodness sake I flew him across an ocean and I have entirely too much money tied up in him now.

So, as I was saying, Sam Kitty is now free as a bird now. Also, eating birds...and mice. Actually, I don't think he eats them all since he has now brought me 3 mice and a bird as sacrifices. I tried to explain to him, as a household of Christians we don't require blood sacrifices, but you know how it is with cats, in one ear out the other. Instead he has continued to play Grim Reaper to the mouse and bird population. Then I took the approach of accepting that cats eat mice, even The Farmer in the Dell* says so (you didn't know that takes means eat, did you?). So with resignation I let him continue to play Jason Voorhees in my backyard.

That was until Sunday afternoon. The day that will live in infamy (other than when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, cause that was really bad too). He puked mouse guts up on my utility room carpet. Oh Lord in Heaven help me! It smelled really really bad and I had to clean it up. Needless to say I almost made a matching stain on the carpet. Now, I am dead set against him exercising the circle of life in my backyard. I however am not willing to confine him to the house.

Flash forward to Tuesday afternoon. I am minding my own business doing the dishes and peering outside the window in front of me to the backyard. I see Sam Kitty, bringer of death, outside acting suspicious. I say out loud to nobody in particular, "Oh no! What's he got now?!" and he freezes in his tracks like he has heard me. Then looks directly at me with a mouse hanging out of his mouth. I take off like a shot outside yelling "OH NO YOU DON'T!!" (I'll be dammed if I am having mouse guts on my carpet again!) chasing him. He runs like the damn wind and ducks under the fence. Blast! I'm foiled!!! Not to mention, I look like an idiot and am once again glad that I have no neighbors. The joke is on him however because it starts raining shortly after and I won't let him inside until I am sure that he won't puke on my carpet. HaHa! Take that Sam Kitty, Grim Reaper of Mice!

*Farmer in the Dell lyrics

The Gallery- The Color (no I didn't forget the u) Red

Autumn is here!

Post for The Gallery, hosted by Tara at Sticky Fingers.

Gone to the Dogs

Friday night we had a fund raiser for the primary school- at the dog track. Yes, you read that right. We took our kids to the local dog track and for £10 you got entry and dinner (fish and chips that was so lovely I wanted to kiss the girls who fried it). I can't even imagine this being a little bit acceptable in the US. Gambling and exposing children to gambling is highly frowned upon where I am from. There is just no way in the world that an elementary school would ever even dream to have a fundraiser at the dog track.

Guess what though? It was FUN- loads and barrels of fun. I personally didn't gamble because I have horrible luck and my Granny always taught me to never bet more than a nickle on anything. Others did gamble and the girls had fun cheering on their friends dogs. I had never been to a dog track before and found it very entertaining. I'm not sure what kind of atmosphere I was anticipating, but I found one where the owners of the dogs were very nice. You could tell that they really cared about their dogs (very unlike the sterotype that I had seen on the episode of "The Simpsons" where Homer and Bart adopt Santa's Little Helper). There were also posters about encouraging patrons of the track to adopt retiring greyhounds which I found very sweet.

We had a really good night and I would love to go back even if it wasn't for a school fund raiser. Also, we raised £230 to add to our fund to improve the school library. Not bad for a small village school with around 100 students!

Lady Liberty

I was brought up to believe that everyone is equal. No man is better than any other. There is only those who try and those that do not. "You can be whatever you want to be!" That wasn't just lip service served up by my parents. I really believed it. I was brought up to believe that my country was great. My United States embraced all races, religions and creeds to build a better nation. My United States took the attributes of all her people (native and immigrant) and used them to make a better America. To me the poem at the bottom of the Statue of Liberty most closely represents my America.

The New Colossus

By Emma Lazarus, 1883

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

I have always loved this poem and now as I see my country fractured I can't help but wonder has the America in my head disappeared? What happened to the America that respected the immigrant? What happened to the America that wanted to embrace all and give everyone a shot at the American Dream. The America who with gall and enthusiasm said "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send THESE, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I life my lamp beside the golden door!" What makes the immigrants of today any less deserving of the immigrants that built the skyscrapers of New York or settled the farmlands of the Mid-west? Only one thing, time. Time for people to forget that America was built on the backs of immigrants. Maybe America just needs to remember that.

The Gallery- Favorite Photo

When Tara asked us this week to post our favorite photo again for the contest version of The Gallery I was getting ready to repost the photo that I posted last time. It has now moved to second favorite because my husband by accident took the most splendid photo of LaLa while we were at Legoland in Windsor.

This is my new favorite photo. A fluke of a photo taken from a weird angle whilst holding the camera out and away from LaLa. The most perfect photo taken of LaLa ever.



Just remember, sometimes you have to take your hands off the lap bar and be a little scared to enjoy life to its fullest.

Umm...nooo...excuse me.

I was sitting at the table this morning after breakfast, well after the children ate their breakfast, drinking a Cherry Coke Zero (breakfast of champions) and I got this huge air bubble trapped in my tummy. You know what I am talking about. One of those air bubbles that is going to come out no matter what you do to stop it.

BURP!

"Dad, was that you?!!!" LaLa yelled from the living room.

"Ummm...no. Dad already went to bed. Excuse me."

"But Mom, (she actually said Mum but I still refuse to acknowledge that) only boys burp like that!"

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In other news today the girls have to dress up as characters from their favorite books at school. KiKi is being Alice in Wonderland and LaLa is being Ariel from The Little Mermaid (cause I couldn't find any other costume without a stain on it).




After this picture of the girls was taken, LaLa went and nicked a sip of my Cherry Coke Zero (my precious) when she thought my back was turned. Cheeky monkey!

Conversation With LaLa

So LaLa and I are sitting at the table while she is doing her reading homework when she pipes up with, "So Chuck said that I need to decide if I want to marry him or Mark," and then kept doing her homework.

Me- "Well you need to tell Chuck that you are a free spirit who does not feel the need at this age to be tied down by the constraints of marriage"

LaLa- "What's a free spirit?"

Me- "A person who does what they like when they like"

La- "Oh"

Me (in my head)- so she wants to know what a free spirit is but has no questions about the word constraint.......

La- "I might want to marry Callum anyways"

Me- "It's good to keep your options open."

*All other kids names made up

At Least It Wasn't the Kitchen Sink

Monday was a helluva Monday. A Monday of epic proportions. It started off with KiKi puking at school and a phone call home to me to come pick her up. Not a big deal, I am immune to being rattled by kid's puke (you get puked on a couple time when you are working in a nursery and it kinda loses it's gross factor). So I go to pick her up, letting the workmen who were replacing the gas pipe to my house know that I would be back in 10-15 minutes tops and that they could continue to work as long as they didn't have to go in my house. Sorted.

I arrived home, puking child in tow, made her a place to lay down on the couch and positioned a bathroom sized trash can (with liner) in front of her in case of anymore upchucking. The men who were working on the gas lines then came inside and turned my boiler off and began the other parts of whatever the hell they were doing out there. I wasn't really paying attention. About two hours later they came inside to turn the gas back on and relight the pilot light on the boiler. The boiler wouldn't relight. So they told me to call my landlady and LEFT. They left me with no heat and no hot water. Just great! I call my landlady, who is goes completely off the rails because she wasn't notified by the gas company that they would be doing any work (rightfully angry and thankfully not at me) and she promises me that she will get back to me.

By this point KiKi is writhing in pain and grasping her abdomen and screaming cause it hurts. Plus she had upchucked two more times. I decide that it is time to go to the ER. Who knows it could be appendicitis with our luck around here. So I start making phone calls to arrange somebody to pick up LaLa from school. Then I hear a knock on my door. It is the landlady and she is telling me what she is going to do about the heat* (besides getting someone out the next day to fix it) and she hears KiKi in the back so she lets me go quickly. I pack up KiKi and head to the base to spend 3 hours in the ER to be told she has a virus and trapped gas in her tummy.

So, I get home that night and I get a phone call from my landlady.

LL- Hey Kat, where is your gate?
Me- What gate?
LL- The gate that goes across your driveway"
Me- Ummm...(thinking it is a trick question)..on the fence?
LL- Ummm...noooo
Me- Huh?
LL- Well I will call my dad and my husband and see if they know where it is...

So, my gate that goes on the fence that surrounds my property is missing...

She called me back today.

LL- Well, my father and husband don't know where the gate is so I guess it has been stolen.

Yes, thieves came I assume in the middle of the night and STOLE my gate.

*My landlady decided that she is going to replace the whole heating system in my house within the next month or two.

No! Nooooo! Nooooooo!

I saw a horrid commercial on TV and I guarantee this toy is going to be the "IT" thing for all girly girls this Christmas season. It is the I Love (actually it has a heart where the word love is supposed to be) Glitter Barbie. Are you serious? Glitter? Glitter for the doll's hair? Glitter that must be fastened to the doll's hair by "gel"? I am not even exaggerating a little bit when I say I started babbling "no no no no no no no no no" at the television. And guess what? My girls haven't even seen the commercial yet! Nor to I intend on them ever seeing it. In the Bungalow from now until Christmas we are going to be TV free. Ok, not really. Crap. I swear, if any of you lot (that includes you, Mom) buy my daughters anything with glitter I will hunt you down. Capeesh? Beacause the only words scarier than an unexpected "babe, I'm pregnant," is "LOOK, MOM, IT'S GOT GLITTER!!!!"

Symptoms of a Man Cold

Men always seem to suffer worse than women when it comes to the common cold. It is called a Man Cold. Here are some tell tale signs of a Man Cold.

1. Laying in bed coughing dramatically for effect.
2. Tissue box in the bed for easy access.
3. Moaning.
4. No desire for a shower.
5. General bad attitude.
6. Leaving Facebook statuses that say you are sick and want your mom.
7. Body aches.
8. Low grade fever.
9. Sore throat that everyone needs to know about.
10. Insisting that you are going to die.
11. Insisting sore throat must have warped into strep throat.
12. Leaky faucet nose (sometimes stuffed with tissue to avoid having to wipe every 5 seconds).
13. Using TV as babysitter.
14. Sniffling and snorting.
15. Unattractive gigantic (possibly dangerous) sneezes that nearly make you wet your pants.

I, Kat, have a man cold. Didn't think it was possible and that I could never be as annoying as my husband a man when I was sick, but I am. Dammit. Now, could someone fly my mom over here to take care of me?

(Mil)ing It Over- PCSing

Hi everyone! I have another video for (Mil)ing It Over prepared. It is about PCSing (or moving from one place to another in layman's terms). I hope you enjoy. I fixed the sound this time I think!!





Please visit all the other (Mil)ing it Over participants and hear their views on the subject!

Jenn @ Chances I'm Taking

Nicole @ Flip Flops and Combat Boots

Chelle @ It's a Hooah Life

Mrs. Ma'am @ Life of a Cajun Bombshell

RTT-Swirly Thoughts

Good morning ladies and gents. I haven't don't Random Tuesday Thoughts in a while so I thought I would give it a go and see what materializes. It is like Forest Gump said "Life like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get," only with thoughts. Oh and go visit the grand dame of RTT Keely. She doesn't bite...hard.



- At night I swear I am going to go to bed by 10pm and never make it there before midnight. Ever. You know what they say about the road to hell* and all... hell being the next morning when I have to wake up at 7am.

- Last night I got a horrible belly ache around 9pm. I then sat on the couch willing myself not to be sick whist watching Britain's Next Top Model, Dating in the Dark and then some documentary about the lack of equality in the British school system...no wonder I was so ill.

- My washing machine is on the fritz. I can't call the repair man until this next load of laundry is finished washing though because it has all my jeans in it. Can't go pick up KiKi in my knickers (fortunately for all those around me).

- It took me 2 hours to help clean** LaLa's room last night. Maybe inheriting that huge tub of Littlest Pet Shop toys from my friends tween was a bad idea. There is around 150 of JUST the animals not including all their little accessories. Pain in my rear. Just say "no" to LPS.

- KiKi got her first reading book with words. The second time reading through it she started to recognize the words mum, and, & dad by sight. W00t!!

- LaLa is studying Pablo Picasso at school right now. She spent two days drawing a "Picasso" picture for her teacher, not because she was assigned to do so, but because she wanted to. It was really sweet this morning when she presented it to her teacher and her teacher exclaimed "What a beautiful Picasso!!"

- Rain rain go away, come again another day. Seriously. I can't handle anymore rain right now. Plus it is destroying the bottom cuffs of my jeans....hence why all pairs of my jeans are in the wash.

*The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

**By help clean I mean I sat the the middle of the floor and directed traffic***

*** By directing traffic I mean I barked orders at LaLa and reminded her that her Wii was going to be mine until she got her room clean and kept it clean for a week.

Even Breakfast is Never Dull

Sitting at the breakfast table this morning....

LaLa- Hey Mom, did you know... (her famous phrase)
Me- Huh?
La- Did you know, if you point your middle finger in the air you're saying all the bad words in the world.
Me- *looking up in disbelief* Well, could you not do it at the breakfast table?
Her- *looking sheepish puts down her middle finger*

I'm Gonna Need a Lot of Stones...

I wrote this post on Tuesday night and then sent it to my close friend Jess for her opinion. Her opinion is in red. I am leaving in the parts that she didn't agree with and commented on. I hope that by publishing this it will lead to more discussion about the issue of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

If you are not aware, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the US military's policy on gays in the military was up for a repeal vote on Tuesday and was blocked in the Senate after being approved in the house. I am personally disappointed in the Senate. Let me rephrase that, I am ashamed and disappointed in the Senate.

I have never really made my views on gays serving in the military known on my blog. Mostly, because anyone who knows me would see my stance as a given. OK, it might be a shock to some. Let me spell it out for everyone. I support the rights of gays to serve in the military. I think Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a sham of a law. I don't think anyone should have to LIE about who they are to keep their job in the military.

I have heard a million arguments about why gays shouldn't be allowed to serve and I would like to take a minute to address some of them.

1. Gays will be harassed if they join. Hell, straights are harassed sometimes by their coworkers. It's called sexual harassment and can be punished under the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice).

Just as a comment, harassing someone because they are gay isn’t necessarily sexual harassment, but harassment nonetheless. I feel fairly confident that harassment exists right now for men and women, gay or straight. It is just part of life and particularly found to be part of military life. It goes with the manly-man machismo persona that is part of SOME (not ALL) the military lifestyle. It is also (obviously) VERY common in civilian life.

On top of that, let’s talk about straight people that sleep around, cheat on their spouses and those (military) who pay child support, but don’t give two shits about the child. When did it become OK to hate someone because of whom they choose to have sex with, but in the same breath find it completely acceptable that your friends have multiple partners, are unfaithful and ignore personal responsibility? Is THAT the kind of person I want to be serving my country? Someone who can’t even man/woman up in their own life, and I am expected to trust them with protecting mine?

2. Some gay will come onto me. Believe me, gays don't want to get punched as much as straights. If a gay knows you aren't gay, believe me they aren't going to push the issue.

Yeah, that misnomer always cracks me up. Do straight people try and hump every other heterosexual they come in contact with? This line of thinking just doesn’t make any sense. Why because you are gay does morality, consideration and respect suddenly fly out the window? Gays are JUST as respectful, if not MORE, than straights. As a matter of fact, I can PERSONALLY attest to some horrendous things men have said and done to me at bars to try and get me to go home with them. My ass has NEVER been grabbed (uninvited) by another woman

3. Gay men are too girly (fairy, flamboyant, etc) to be able to handle the stress, fire a gun, ect. Hell, I know men who are straight and couldn't handle military pressure. Have you never seen those really buff gay men who could probably kick some major ass? Yeah, I want that guy next to my husband firing his weapon at the enemy.

Do you really see Bobby (Bobby is her gay roommate who might be considered flamboyant by somebody's standard but to me he is just Bobby) joining the military? Believe me; the gays that are going to join the military AFTER “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is revoked (and one day it will be) are going to be the same gay men and women that have been joining since the beginning of the military. They join because they feel strongly about military service. It isn’t like the flood gates are going to open and all these drag queens are going to be showing up ready to go. Though drag queens can kick some serious ass. Don’t eff wit em.

4. It will cause undo stress on the military to integrate gays. Just like it caused undo stress to integrate blacks? You do know that blacks were not allowed to serve next to whites for a large portion of our nations history right? Shameful, right? Yep, that's what I thought too.

I have heard this before and that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard anyone say. Is it causing stress now? Cause you know that “the gays” have infiltrated, right? If those pesky gays hadn’t already integrated in the military, then we would have no reason to discuss “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

Let me put it to you this way. If someone is willing to die for their country, I don't care who he or she wants to hit the sack with; it is none of my business. Also, for those Christians who want to yell about the fact that is a sin, let me ask you this, aren't you supposed to love the sinner hate the sin? Do you think discrimination is love? If so, I might need the address to your glass house.

Again, I must bring up the unbelievable amount of fornication that happens within the church. I have PERSONALLY been involved with Christians that have cheated on their spouses, laundered money, been divorced multiple times…the list goes on. If they really want to talk about SIN then that is one thing, but it might be important to figure out what their definition of sin is. Apparently it has nothing to do with adultery or being dishonest.

I saw the below quote in an article earlier this week:

In a letter last week to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Land said he and his organization are "gravely concerned" that the repeal of DADT "would result in the resignation of large numbers of personnel who are currently serving in our all-volunteer services, and that it will be extremely difficult to recruit their replacements."

Re-tard-iculous. So, if these people leave the military, they are going to have to get jobs, right? Would it not be logical to say that there are going to be gays working at those jobs too? Are you going to continuously quit working and go on welfare because you have to work with gays? Do you think gay people just showed up this year? They have always been around. What the f*ck people.

I have only really commented on what you have written, but I would love to answer questions that your readers might have.

My qualifications are as follows: Card carrying lesbian. Child of parents that have both worked for the military (civilian) for 30+ years. Grandchild of three grandparents who served and retired in the Air Force and Navy. Sister of brothers who are in the Coast Guard and Air Force Reserve. Have gay friends in the military at this very moment.

I know that some of my views might lose me some followers and I am OK with that. This is my opinion and Jess'. If you disagree with me or her, I ask you at least be respectful in the comments. There will be no name calling or I will delete the comment. And for the record Jess and I are not going after all Christians because we both ARE Christians, just the ones who pick and choose what a sin is. Just getting the out in the open before someone gets their panties in a twist.

Nightly Conversation

Every night me and KiKi have the same conversation and it goes like this:

KiKi- Mom how old are you?

Me- 29.

Her- Oh, ok.

She asks me this same question each time, each time the answer is the same. Last night I changed it up on her...big mistake.

KiKi- Mom how old are you?

Me- KiKi, how old am I? I tell you every night, so how old am I?

KiKi (looking at me bewildered yet thoughtfully)- 35.

Maybe I should answer from now on.

De-cluttering Life

I think everyone comes to a point in their life that they say, "this isn't working it isn't making me happy". I have come to that point. I have too many things in my life that just aren't working for me anymore. I am doing a life reorganization and a good old de-cluttering. The house is being reorganized, as is my schedule and priorities. My guide in this endeavor is this philosophy, "If it doesn't make me happy or enrich my families life, I will not keep it or do it".

This is going to be the season of no. Saying no to clutter in my house and saying no to clutter in my life.

I'm OK With That

I am loud.

I talk a lot.

I am not everyone's cup of tea.

I'm OK with that.

I am caring to a fault.

My feelings get hurt easily.

I am strong and get over the hurt.

I am OK with that.

I am smart.

I read a lot.

I write.

I'm OK with that.

I mind my own business.

I don't spread rumors.

I keep my promises.

I'm OK with that.

I don't think before I speak.

I often wear my emotions on my sleeve.

I am not fake.

I am OK with that.

I get pushed to the side.

I get taken advantage of.

I get walked upon repeatedly.

I am NOT OK with that.

That is going to change. I am better than that.

(Mil)ing It Over

I was contacted By Jenn at "Chances I'm Taking" to be involved in a vlog project called "(Mil)ing it Over". A group of military wives are going to be answering questions about military life and their experiences that they have had being married to the military. This is my introduction. Enjoy.

Go visit the other ladies involved in the project as well!

Jenn

http://chancesimtaking.blogspot.com/2010/09/hey-everyone-welcome-to-launch-of.html
Mrs. K

http://mrskandcaptainj.com/2010/09/09/miling-it-over/
The Marine's Wife

http://flipflopcombatboots.blogspot.com/2010/09/miling-it-over-intro-video.html

Mrs. Ma'am

http://clementlifestyle.blogspot.com/2010/09/miling-it-over-meet-ladies.html

Mrs. S
http://simplysteele.blogspot.com/2010/09/miling-it-over-intro-vlog.html