What's going on with Miley?

Ok, I have to admit I don't really follow all that crap...are you shocked?

But the oldest, she's trying to live and breathe Hannah Montana and the whole Disney mess. I can only limit so much since it seems all the other parents are just lining up to waste their money on cds and magazines and they allow their kids to bring that crap to school.

I understand she is 15 years old. My daughter isn't. Even if she was I have to worry wonder about who these pop people are. I was naive when the kids were first placed with me. "Oh sure, Disney, go right ahead--make my kids brain dead." I trusted Disney, even though I have personal issues with the whole princess waiting for her knight bullshit. I learned quickly.

Trust no one, even in the land of animation.

But I noticed lately that MY radio station has been playing Miley and even the DJs are puzzled as to why they are playing it. I knew the transition was coming. She's getting too old and the exploitation machine has to jump on that ASAP.

But take a look at Miley. Who the hell is she? Or is she supposed to be. I originally saw photo shoot pictures on tv and could not figure out who that girl was and felt sorry for her. You can plainly see she is a child playing grown up. Look at what is supposed to be her "artistic pose" she looks so vulnerable. Isn't that hot for all the pedophiles? I mean I think of what is supposed to be her fan base and if they were truly at their age level and hadn't been sexualized yet, what would that picture say to you. I am assuming her target is from 6-9 by the snippets of her show that I have seen.

I think in a weird stray from the norm, if you wanted a picture like that of your child "crossing over" from child to young adult--maybe by a stretch you could have a photo like that done up. It would be pretty gross in my opinion but hey, my mother used to have a photo keychain of me as an infant naked in the bathtub, full frontal. So to each their own, but for God's sake- that's private. Not to be published in mass you know?

What have they done to this girl? Does she really have a sense of herself? I mean she's Miley/Hannah/Britney/Lindsay-- does she even have a chance despite her father's riding on the coat tails of her success support?

Time In A Bottle

I know it's almost a month later but I wanted to share what Hubs got me for our one year "paper" anniversary. I have to admit I was shocked and I wasn't sure what kind of expression to make because I really wasn't sure.

At first, when I saw the box and it's shape and even when I opened it and it was filled with paper shavings I thought "he better have not". See, we had both been online seperately searching the Internet in the hopes that something inspirational would land our way when I came across toilet paper that said "Happy First Anniversary". I chuckled and shared it with Hubs because the quote the company gave as a testimonial was "She cried!". I was telling him...suuure she cried, but not in a good way. So I thought he might have gotten me the toilet paper since I had seemed to be so amused with it.

But luckily for him me he didn't. Instead he got me this and I have to admit once I had opened it and read it, I cried.

When I first took it out, I was like "Oh!... Look Oprah's favorite most romantic gift!" (yeah, I'd come across it on the web too.) The feel of the wood casing is soooo smooth. I was so surprised.

When I opened it there was this inside. Blue is my favorite color. Inside the bottle was a personal message written by Hubs.

It was the message that made me cry. "Our Song" is Time in a Bottle and his message captured all of it. Us coming together and being a family. I'm about to tear up right now thinking of it.

It was just perfect, like him.

The Beginning of the End...

Ok, I know I have so given this up before but I had excuses to go back. Now, I don't. This was my last can of Coke. I will no longer buy Coke unless I am eating out or some such and they have no fruit punch or lemonade or something.

I know this is mainly what has made me fat and I don't want to be fat. It sucks. So, I am going back to my non soda drinking self from less than two years ago.

Buh Bye!

This and That...

(This is a pic of the boy and how he spent most of the trip, luckily he straightened out mostly when we got home)

The kid's therapist said there could be a possible backlash after the adoption with the kids. She said sometimes kids act out before the adoption, sometimes after and sometimes not at all. It looks like we are getting the after. Right now I have two kids at home. Strawberry Shortcake just felt like she didn't have any rules anymore. So did Poufy.

This morning I made the decision to keep them home. Actually, It was just going to be Poufy because she's been all kinds of bad for months now. I felt that we needed some one on one time and I think I was right seeing that she's behaving herself and I can see how desperately she wants to please me now that no one is really around and she can drop her tough image.

Strawberry Shortcake on the other hand is just testing the waters to see what she can get away with. She's been pushing it with tantrums,whining and all out disrespect which is not in her character at all. She was a last minute hold back this morning because she chose to tantrum instead of go off to school.

I just hope the school understands that I have some serious issues going on at home and this isn't a case of ...well, I don't know what. School is very important and these kids will have no shortage of school work today as I have plenty of workbooks and worksheets that they work on for fun but are really based on their grade level curriculum or higher. It feels weird that I have to worry about such things and it's a stressor.

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

It's a sad thing but it must be done at last. lol

I felt that Easter was just well sort of overlooked this year. It just seemed to me that Easter was rushed and I didn't want it to be so I extended our celebrations by keeping our decorations up longer. I couldn't figure out how much longer and with the adoption and all they stayed up even longer. But today is the day they all come down.

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

Lastly, for this post, Hubs and I have been researching swing sets. Currently we have nothing in the backyard for the kids but wide open space for them to ride their bikes. But since I have to replace all their tires with those self healing tires, well...bike riding on flats isn't fun. Who knew? I bought them cute little license plates for our state that has their names on them, that has to count for something.

I have all the tires, I just need to put them on, but how is the mystery. lol

We wanted to get a wooden one but I read so many bad reviews about warped wood, missing pieces, and broken pieces and I didn't want to go over $1500 because even that is stretching the budget. But it had to be one that the oldest could use and could accomodate a ton of kids at once. I found a metal one that seems to fit the bill, it accomodates 12 kids and only costs $249.

I don't know when we will go check it out but I really do hope it works out. These kids need an outlet for all their pent up energy.

The Grand Canyon--and final post on my never ending "vacation"

Ok, so finally Grand Canyon pics. I was lazy and that's why these weren't up sooner. I decided I needed to catch some zzzz's until I wasn't dreaming that I was driving anymore. lol

This was our second visit to the Grand Canyon for Me and Hubs. The first for the kids. We took them to the IMAX movie before taking them to Canyon itself so they'd have an idea because they basically had no idea what or where we were at no matter how many times we tried to explain it. Before we went in, I showed them the silhouette image of the person falling down the canyon and I explained to them that this wasn't like Disneyland. They didn't try really hard to make sure you are safe at the Grand Canyon and that was totally your job to make sure you are safe...because, well it is.

We stayed for about 4 hours all and all. Hubs had wanted to go out on the glass shelf but it turns out that's on the Nevada side of the Grand Canyon and I personally did not feel like driving to that side. Sorry Hubs, maybe next time.

We had a couple of scares both caused by CDQ with her brother. That child is either pure evil or has no common sense. At this point, I am choosing to believe the latter. lol

When we were looking at an information station close to the rim of the canyon, CDQ decided to shove her brother into the fence so she could get a look. For those who haven't been to the canyon, there is a fence but there are also large holes where the rim and the fence don't meet. Definitely large enough for a child to fall through. My 12 year old could fall through. I was so angry with CDQ, I gave her a lecture and I thought she understood. But then I'm recording the canyon and I hear CDQ right next to me telling the boy "Let me show you something really cool!"

I put the camera down just in time to see her trying to lift him up on the gate as in if I hadn't caught her that second, she could have flopped him over. I hit the roof and they thought it was funny! Kids...too bad they have to find out the hard way that they are not invincible. After that mild heart attack we left the canyon.

The next part...

Ok, sorry this is late and will probably be later because I have to pick the kids up in 10 minutes but I am buried in forms. Name changing forms, new social security card forms, next year's school registration, summer school, swimming lessons, girl scouts both for my kids and for myself. I have to take like 5 training courses and oh yeah, dental appointments and regular appointments and First Communion planning and First Communion pictures...and well yeah. I probably just spent half my blogging time going on about things I should be doing.

And I'm a little nervous. Today I transport possibly 9 girl scouts to Build-a-Bear. I'm giving them a ride and their parents will pick them up. Still nervous.


Anyhow, Grand Canyon....but first I forgot about the Flintstones. I'm not sure exactly what it's called other than the fact that it's a restaurant/RV camp or some such thing. Hubs and I stopped that way when we were moving here to check it out but it was closed. Still they have some pretty cool props to take pictures with...so here they are.

Here's the kids running towards Fred. It says "Yabba Dabba Doo Welcome" on it.

Here's a close up of Fred.

To get an idea of just how big Fred is here's the kids(blurry) standing in front of Fred.

They had some cool props like this wood carved car and trailer.

Here they are on the car... and then in trailer.

There was this dinosaur made of chains from something. It was pretty big as well.

Here the kids are acting like the Dinosaur is going to attack them. If you ask me the beautiful sunset stole the show.


Ok, so Grand Canyon next time. Really, I'm going to fore go boring you with the legos we saw in downtown Disney or Disney Market. Whatever it was called.

You're Going to Disneyland!

So Hubs and I figured a way to get the kids to Disneyland after the adoption. We were staying about an hour away.

We didn't tell the kids because we wanted it to be a surprise. Ok, truthfully we didn't want to hear "Are we going to Disneyland today?" because we were already hearing "Are we going to the Grand Canyon today?" over and over again all day.


The oldest already knew about Disneyland because she read our itinerary which she wasn't supposed to do. I suspect CDQ knew too. But the video it produced. Well, you'll see. Just watch the boy.

I've been to Disneyland, I think 4 times. I think I was like 5 the first time. I remember putting on my new short set, red shorts with a red shirt with straps that tied. I loved the shirt because it was a rainbow or pony or some object with gold glitter highlights. I loved the glitter. lol I had on a fishermen's cap to protect me from the sun. Very stylish and cool. *wink*

Anyhow, as we got closer, the excitement escalated. Only the oldest had been to Disneyland and the younger ones had no idea what to think exactly. I had told them the exit number so they counted down as we passed each one. They discussed meeting princesses and what kind of rides there might be. As far as they knew there were teacups and that was it.

Here they are at the entrance in front of the Mickey Mouse flowers. I had to get this shot because although I no longer have my photo album, I used to have a picture of me in front of this very spot.

There were characters signing autographs and taking pictures right as we walked in. They got to meet Snow White, Minnie and Pluto.

Um, Snow White was a little too much in character or something. She was kinda freaky to me but the kids enjoyed her. We were excited to be getting a picture with an actual mouse. Even if it was just Minnie. lol

We were next in line for Pluto but they dragged him off. Sucked. I was able to catch this pic as he was leaving. I thought it was funny that he was patting the kids.

Unfortunately, I didn't get too many pictures because I was riding with the kids. I had no idea how they were going to react to rides and such. As you can see in the photo above one child has a dreamy expression, the next looks like he's going to have a bathroom accident and the third looks up in amazement and wonder. Those looks shifted when they were on the actual rides. lol

I rode on the bigger roller coasters like Space Mountain and Matterhorn with the oldest. It was a little strange because I could remember riding the same ride with her mother years before with her in the same position in front of me and it being her mother's first ride on a roller coaster as well.

I was so disappointed that It's A Small World was down for renovations. That's my favorite ride and I wanted them to experience it.

I always wanted mouse ears, I think at some point I did get them when I was younger and perhaps my grandmother has them or something so I made a point of buying them each ears and having their names embroidered on them. It was towards the end of the day and we all had mouse ears. I wish I would have got a picture of everyone, but it was so dark and I didn't think all the ears would show up. I did get individuals though.

The oldest
Strawberry Shortcake

Poufy

The Boy (I got a better shot but I just like this one better for some reason.lol)

CDQ

I think they had a blast and I hope this is a day they will remember forever. Hubs and I talked about maybe going back in 5 years or so once we've forgotten what a PITA it was when they are older. It depends on whether there are toddlers or not to drag along.

Next... the Grand Canyon...