Liquidambar Styraciflua

Spiky Ball of the Devil

Aka Sweetgum tree. If you have ever lived in the South East with one of these trees in the yard, or in your neighbors yard, or in a park close by, or really anywhere, you know what a Sweetgum ball is. Those prickly little brown balls that fall from the Sweetgum trees by the billions every time the slightest wind blows. Making your yard look like a real life Minesweeper game. Tiny little angry balls of hard spikes all over, some sitting out in plain sight, some covered by leaves for you step on while wandering the yard barefoot and scream like you've been stabbed. Which you have been. By a Sweetgum ball.

I actually did a little research on this tree this weekend because there is a huge Sweetgum tree in our front yard and we are endlessly stepping on them or they get stuck in Bob's paw and he hobbles around until we dig them out for him (its pretty hilarious actually). Basically though, I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to make the huge tree in our yard stop shedding these little balls of knives. Turns out there is nothing that can be done.

At least they are pretty in the fall.

It also turns out that they are actually kind of neat trees. (*pushes up glasses with finger*). Sweetgum trees are aromatic and the balls of knives are actually its flower. Cruel little flowers but flowers nonetheless. Each "flower" can house up to 50 seeds which means they are pioneer plants and tend to grow their own little forests if allowed. They house Luna and Prometheus moths. They also feed and house a crazy variety of fungus and animals for a tree.

Needless to say, that kind of took the wind out of my sails about hacking the thing down. I guess we will learn to live with the little balls. Or wear shoes. You know, for the sake of the wilderness and all.

Black Friday 2012

Ok, so since I admitted that I wasn't as excited about the whole Thanksgiving/ Black Friday thing this year, I have had a little time to look over the ads scans. Now, for he last several years, I would have done this weeks ago in preperation for getting everything all ready for the big day. I would have analyzed shopping times and ads and made a compreshensive list of where to go and what to get. Some years I even had maps.

So, looking over the ads a little late this year has been overwhelming to say the least. Which is kind of insane considering that you used to have to wait for the Thursday paper to even see the ads. My sister and I would always get up early and go find a newspaper to sprawl out in the floor with after lunch (but before naps). After I got married, it was our job to aquire a paper on our way to my mother's house. Then, it got to where you could just look it all up on the internet a week before hand and not have to bother with the paper.

Of course, I still get the paper. I'm old school like that I suppose. Even when I have my list nailed down by Wednesday, I still make that early Thursday paper run. I like to think that its so that I can check the ads to make sure its all in order but maybe its just nostolgia at this point.

Anyway, after looking over the ads this year, I have to admit: I'm disappointed. It seems like Black Friday is no longer the intense, fun rush it used to be. Stores are opening earlier and earlier and what used to be 3 hours of intense runing from store to store, now starts at 8pm on Thanksgiving (?!) and runs through Noon on Friday.

The. Heck.

If your sale is on Thursday, its not a Black Friday sale. Its greed. Its taking families away from their loved ones on a holiday that used to mean more than consumerism in this country. ::end rant::

So, I guess having it all spread out, kind of ruins the fun for me. Add that to the fact that you can now get most of these deals online and not have to get out of your jammies and it just seems pointless. Stores like Wal- Mart and Toys R Us have ruined the fun for everyone. Thanks for that.

Still, I figure I will head out for the morning early and hit up a few of the stores opening at more traditional times. In other words 4am. Which, I guess, is not really "traditional" for most stores. It is on Black Friday though.

Are you a Black Friday shopper? What do you think about the crazy times and such this year? Will it slow you down?

The 47%

My sister and I came from a family that some would consider privileged. We were affluent in the fact that we never wanted for anything. We spent our childhood moving around the country from city to city, state to state as my father changed jobs frequently to make sure we had it all. Eventually, when my parents marriage fell apart, things got a little rougher but at that point, I was of an age where I was able to get a job (or 3) and support myself.

When I married, I married for love. My husband came from a blended family that was much less fortunate than mine but we loved each other greatly. We both spent the first 3 years of our marriage working. Working hard and saving what we could so that when I had our first child, I was able to stay home with him.

To say we struggled financially is an understatement. Between my husband losing job after job for various reasons and the cost of living raising at an alarming rate, along with adding a second child to our household, money was tight. We had no health insurance and very little money for food, but we never turned to government assistance. We struggled along and did the best we could. I continued my part time Nanny job to provide as much extra as I could and he worked two jobs to put food on the table. I suppose it was part pride and part trying to keep our chins up and not give in.

Plus, I had love. Love for him and love for my two young sons. It was important to us that they have a parent at home. Partly because young children need a parent but also because even if I had managed to find a full time job, the cost of childcare is outrageous to the point it was cheaper for me to stay home. That was the thing that saw me through the years of mental and emotional abuse that had become something that, without health insurance, I simply denied myself the luxury of seeking help for. I stuck in and held on with fingernails, trying to fix what was beyond my control.

Then, in February of this year, my beloved husband, the one I had loved and lived for, walked out. He packed his bags and walked away from our two beautiful young boys and his wife of 7 years. Why is something that is between him and God but without him supporting us since then, I have had to rely on bits and pieces of government assistance in order to feed and care for the health of both me and my boys.

Do I regret having to rely on government assistance to keep us safe and healthy?

No. I do not.

In the time he has been gone, things have been hard on us. Hard financially, despite me getting a job, and hard emotionally. Being thrust into single parenthood head over heels was a shock to all of our systems. Both mine and the boys. We had our love for each other. We persevered and I made sure that the boys felt as little of the burn as possible but still, they did have a hard time adjusting to a life where little luxuries had all but disappeared.

Here's the thing though, I am finally getting the help that I was in such desperate need of with regards to my health (which was way worse off than I had ever imagined), my oldest son has been able to undergo therapy and care that has helped him learn to deal with his energy and confusion about our situation, and we have not had the burden of being scared to death to call a doctor if something is wrong.

We have had food on the table where we would have simply gone hungry. We have had shelter we would have otherwise been denied or been able to afford. We are alive and well.

Then there is the statement that I feel entitled to this kind of help.

That's a load of honkey.

For someone to come along and try to make me feel guilty for doing what it took to protect my children is complete and utter bullshit. If I had felt entitled to it we would not have struggled when my husband was still with us. Who knows, it might have even kept him home to have some of that strain relieved. My boys and I would not have waited around to even apply for help for as long as we did.

The truth of the matter here is that sometimes, especially when the economy is in the pit its in and you are thrust into a situation beyond your control, people need help. Someone with as much money as Governor Romney, may not understand what it is like to literally go hungry for days at a time so that your child can eat. I know that feeling because I have lived it in order to fight going on public assistance.

I know what it is like to be denied health insurance for pre-existing conditions and to live every day in unbearable pain from and arthritis or fibromyalgia episode because you can't get the most basic of care. I have the debt to prove that public assistance was not my first choice when my oldest broke his arm or when my heart damn near gave out because of the stress surrounding my situation. Where would that have left my children?

It boils down to this: I think I can speak for most of the rest of the "47%" when I say that a line was crossed. I don't appreciate being lumped in with people who are truly using the system. I don't deny it happens. Heck, I probably know a few people who do. Fact is though, its wrong to accuse people of abusing something without finding out their individual story and what is going on that is causing them to rely on assistance. I'm waiting on my call Mr. Romney.

Letting Go on #TuneinTuesdays

A very good friend of mine started up a new weekly link up called "Tune in Tuesdays". Those of you who have been around awhile remember the Music Mondays days around here and this is the same premise. A song you love to share with the group.

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*This week's song comes with a strong language warning!

 

"Just when it can't get worse I've had a shit day
You've had a shit day
We've had a shit day
I think that life's too short for this
Want back my ignorance and bliss
I think I've had enough of this
Blow me one last kiss

I will do what I please

Anything that I want

I will breathe, I will breathe

I won't worry at all

You will pay for your sins

You'll be sorry, my dear

All the lies, All the lies

Will all be crystal clear

I think I've finally had enough

I think I maybe think too much

I think this might be it for us

Blow me one last kiss"

This pretty much sums it up. I'm done. Done being a punching bag, a dump for other people's problems and frustrations. Even when they have created them on their own. Done with the Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Here we go...

A Virus, A Flat Tire, and An Experiment

Today, has not been great as days go. It started off well enough. I actually slept for more than hour last night literally for the first time in a week. T took the boys out this morning and let me sleep in then put them down for nap before leaving for work. I got caught up on sleep and got a little break from kid duty. Not that I don't love them but let's face it, sometimes quiet is nice.

Then, I got up to do my NaBloPoMo duties before an event I was going to tonight, only to find that my computer was very angry. Very angry indeed. Somehow, a virus has snuck in past the myriad of protection programs and firewalls we have in place. Fabulous. After an hour of getting nowhere, I shut down and waited for T to get home. I am more computer savvy than he is about internet related things but he has much more patience to figure out how to get rid of a virus (that was mostly likely downloaded willing by him. Like I said, not net savvy.)

I got dressed, got the boys dropped off and headed to my event only to get halfway there and have my front driver side tire explode. The one we had just had replaced this week. Yay. I got to the shoulder fine and got to work taking the tire off but I could not, for the life of me get the stupid lug nuts off.

Now, I am not a damsel in distress kind if gal. I have always been a tomboy and pride myself on being able to fix cars and mechanical things with a quick and efficient manner. I have done everything from replace radiators to changing bulbs. In fact, three days before I gave birth to K, I changed a tire in 98 degree weather, in a dress, on my way to my midwife appointment.

So, me not being able to get the tire off was quite frustrating. I yelled and cursed at the tire. I jumped on the tire iron in my sexy heels. I tried everything. Nothing worked. Eventually I called AAA and they had to bring an air gun to loosen the nuts. Long story short, I won't be using that tire shop again any time soon.

At that point, I just headed home. I had missed the event and was dirty and cold. When I got there, I cursed at the computer, flopped down on the sofa and here I sit. Posting from my phone because I am too tired and frustrated to do anything else. So, if this looks crazy or is full of typos, my sincere apologies. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Anyone have any tips on ridding your computer of a virus?  

Stitches

Part of the moving process is, of course, looking at houses. Like, I have said before, it is SO not my thing. I hate it. House hunting with kids, is even worse. My boys are quite.. rambunctious.. on a regular day. Add in taking them to a bunch of random empty houses and driving around for hours on end to the normal crazy and lets just say- its not pretty.

Last weekend, to try to help take some of the load off of me,  my mother offered to watch the boys while we went to look at a town home about half an hour away. I jumped on the chance with (possibly a little too much) enthusiasm and dropped the boys off with her the next morning for a little Nana time. They were excited about getting to play with a different set of toys, My mom was excited about playing with the boys, I was excited about looking in peace for a few hours. Win- win, right?

I met T at the town home, we looked around the neighborhood and checked out the place. It was nice but maybe too small. Close to his job but no yard. Yada, yada, back and forth. We eventually decided to get some lunch before we split up to go our separate ways. Him to work, me to get the kids. We sat and talked awhile about all the options we had seen so far, made lists, crossed things off. Ate our super delicious bar-b-que.

As I was finishing, my phone rang. It was my mother. I thought "Weird, she usually doesn't call me when I'm out like this".

As soon as I answered, my heart sank down to the pit of my stomach. All I could hear was K. Screaming his head off. Screaming his "I hate everything and you and this and that freaking hurt me WHYDIDYOUHURTME?!" scream in true hulk style.

All I could do was hold the phone away from my head and wait. Tommy and my eyes locked and he immediately asked for the check. I finally put the phone back to my ear and said loudly "what happened?".

"I don't know, he is bleeding like crazy! He won't hold still for me to help him! K hold still! I think he needs stitches but I can't tell!"

"Mom, try to settle him down and send me a picture. I'll be on my way in a minute."

Needless to say, she sent me a picture (of a calm, smiling monster) a few minutes later but I couldn't tell anything from it. He had a mark on his forehead but that was it. I took off back down to her house to assess the situation in person and check on my baby boy. About halfway down there, my mom called again and was totally downplaying it. About how she had put a bandaid on it and she thought it was okay. The only problem with this is, she is a bad liar. I sped up.

Once I got back to her house, I rushed inside and scooped up K. He had settled down but came running yelling "Mama, booooo booooo!" and jumped at me when he got with in arms reach. I sat him up on the counter and peeled away the bandage that my mother had put on him.

Yeah. Definitely needed stitches. A family first. I won't go into more detail so I don't run people off but it was deep. Small, but deep. I buckled him into his car seat and we hit the road to the emergency room. He was calm and singing the whole way there which did a huge service to my blood pressure.

Then, after we got checked in. We waited. And waited. And then? Waited. We waited for EIGHT. HOURS. Just sat. First in one room, then another. Sat and sat and played and tried our hardest to keep our 22 month old from literally scaling the walls. Tried being the key word there but in all reality after seven and a half hours, he was done. We all were. Exhausted and hungry and DONE.

Finally, I let my scary voice out on a nurse in the hallway and the doctor came in about five minutes later. He took a good look and said we should be able to glue it rather than stitch it. He also gave me the token lecture about how direly important vaccines are and how he would like to see him caught up. Having lost every ounce of patience I had left in my body hours before, I told him where to stuff his vaccines and focus on gluing up my kid. Not my proudest moment maybe but it was effective enough.

About ten minutes later, he came in with the supplies and we got down to business. Little K just laid there and looked up at the doctor. He never flinched, he never fussed. He laid there like a boss and let him fix his booboo. I was so proud. Not that I was surprised. He has always handled that kind of thing well. Even as a newborn, when they were taking blood from his heel every few hours, he never flinched or fussed. Tough kid. (We're in trouble).

Today is a week out. He has done great with the weirdness on his forehead. He doesn't even seem to realize its there. Bathing him has been... fun but doable. We had to turn down a trip to the pool this week too which was no fun for any of us considering this heat but hopefully by this time next week, he will be right as rain.

Music Tuesday?

*Ok, ok. I know I am all out of order this week but my mind is all in a blob in my brain and I really did think it was Monday but by the time I realized it wasn't I already had this all typed out and such but I really don't want to let it get lost before next Monday so now we are just going to go with Music Tuesday this week. Forgive me. Just this once? Please?*

Music is a huge part of Tommy and I's relationship. Its something we bonded over in the beginning and still connect with now.  I will be posting the lyrics to a song and what it means to me every Monday (hopefully). At least until I run out of interesting things to say (Or I forget). Make sense? Feel free to do your own but please link back to me and add your site to the comments below!


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King of Anything by Sara Bareilles



Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table
While I look outside
So many things I’d say if only I were able
But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by

You’ve got opinions, man
We’re all entitled to ‘em, but I never asked
So let me thank you for your time, and try not to waste anymore of mine
And get out of here fast

I hate to break it to you babe, but I’m not drowning
There’s no one here to save

Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

You sound so innocent, all full of good intent
Swear you know best
But you expect me to jump up on board with you
And ride off into your delusional sunset

I’m not the one who’s lost with no direction
But you’ll never see
You’re so busy making maps with my name on them in all caps
You got the talking down, just not the listening

And who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

All my life I’ve tried to make everybody happy
While I just hurt and hide
Waiting for someone to tell me it’s my turn to decide

Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

Let me hold your crown, babe.



Ok, so you can't tell me that any mother out there can not identify with this song.Who died an made any one the king of your life? Since when did anyone know how to raise your children, your family, better than you? Every one has an opinion. An opinion on how you should do it and what you are doing wrong and how they can help you be a better parent.  Its like as soon as people find out your are growing that teeny little bean in your uterus they assume you want their advice. How dare them tell you who to be? How to live? You don't have to agree with how I raise my children but don't dare challenge me and tell me how to do it your way. You are not me.

Am I right??

Mommy Confessions

Ok, so we all have them. I have decided its time to stop keeping them to myself in hopes that other mommies will realize that none of us are perfect. Here are my dirty little secrets for the week in hopes it will encourage me to be better. What are yours?

~ Last Sunday, we cleaned out our garage to the point where we can actually fit the van in there and not risk injury or death by falling piles of debris. On Monday, I discovered another perk of having the car in the garage. Now, I can get the boys dressed and ready to go, buckle them into their carseats and then gather up the things we need and get myself ready! Its fabulous. Usually they had undressed or made messes on their clothes by the time I got myself ready to go and now, they can't. Best part is, the garage used to be sealed off to make a room so it is really well insulated so they don't get cold sitting there waiting. They just sit and talk to each other or play games or chill. (Don't freak out though, the house is a ranch and I can hear them from my room if they need me.)

~ I got schooled on manners by D this morning. We were sitting and eating breakfast together and after he had finished his second Ikea cinnamon roll, he started poking his fingers around on mine and picking the icing off. I told him to stop poking his fingers in my breakfast and he replied "Thats not nice Mama. You supposed to share with me!". Le sigh. What can I say, he was right.

~ My kids have way too many toys. Way too many. They have so many that they tend to just dump them all over the play room floor and then go bother my underwear drawer because they are overwhelmed. I need to go through them and get them ready for a garage sale but every time I do that, they find my box and put them back in the playroom. I'm going to have to find a better box hiding spot I suppose.

~ I lost my shit yesterday. To the point I had to lock myself in the closet and hide for a few minutes. Its been a stressful month and while I am not the overly emotion showing, cry when it hurts kind of person, I couldn't take it any more. So, I locked my self in and had a good, snot ridden sob while the boys banged on the door trying to get in. Eventually I let them in and they sat in the floor of my closet with me and we sang some songs and they snuggled in to my chest and I felt much better.


What are your confessions for the week?

Cabin Fever

Day three of being stuck at home. Not cool. I love snow, don't get me wrong. We have had a blast playing outside in the snow and goofing off around the house doing nothing.

For the last three days.

Now, we are getting restless. D is done with playing outside in the snow. He keeps begging us to go to Monkey Joe's but the roads are still covered with about 2 inches of solid ice. So, here we sit. We have run out of tricks and the toys are all boring. I have watched Dora and the Wonder Pets so many times I think my brain is melting. I feel like I am stuck in a bad Simpson's parody.



For now, we are hoping to wander out tomorrow. For reals. We took a short field trip this afternoon but it just wasn't the same. Tomorrow, we are leaving the house. I don't care where we go even. Just leaving the house.

Music Monday

 Music is a huge part of Tommy and I's relationship. Its something we bonded over in the beginning and still connect with now.  I will be posting the lyrics to a song and what it means to me every Monday (hopefully). At least until I run out of interesting things to say (Or I forget). Make sense? Feel free to do your own but please link back to me and add your site to the comments below!


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Love the Way You Lie by Eminem Ft. Rhianna





Been awhile, no? I haven't been posting MM because I didn't have much to say regarding music and such and didn't want to fill feeds with gibberish. This song though, I have some things to say. If you don't know the song or haven't watched the video, I suggest you do that first.

First, I love the rhythm of this song. I admit it, I sing and dance to it in the car. Its catchy and has that mix of rough male vocals and sweet, dreamy female vocals that get into my head.

BUT. It bothers me. The lyrics bother me to my core. Especially given the young audience that most of this type of music reaches. Abusive relationships are not something to be glorified. Especially by a woman that barely escaped one herself. Women should never give the idea that its okay for a man to treat a woman like crap. To blatantly threaten her and say these types of things. Even for the sake of art.

Also, The truth is, women hate the way you lie, Mr. Mathers. Lies in a relationship are the number one way to kill it. Even little lies. Trust is not something that should be discounted or toyed with. To me, a lying man is an abusive man. Lies do nothing but hurt and it is a conscious kind of hurt. Not okay.

Then there is the video. It got some flack when it first came out and I didn't see it so I just kind of ignored it but then it came up in an auto rotation on YouTube a few weeks ago and I watched it. I can see how people were upset now. Not only do they describe domestic violence but they decided to show it. And make it all sexy like. "Look, this is how sexy looks, young minds!", "Almost punching your girlfriend in the face makes for great foreplay!". Or not.

I know a lot of people probably thing I am overreacting or blowing it up but they aren't me, are they? For me, this song takes it too far. This isn't a song about overcoming abuse, this is a song about why abuse is acceptable and worth sticking around for. To me, that is a bad message. A bad message for kids, for teens, for people who may be in an abusive relationship already. Its hard enough to walk away and break the cycle of abuse without someone serenading them and showing them that its somehow sexy.

Like I said before, I like the rhythm, I like the song but I don't like the lyrics. As a man with an abusive mother and a woman that was beaten by her boyfriend to the point of hospitalization, they had the potential to reach a lot of hurting people but this is what they chose? Hmm.

Mommy Confessions

Ok, so we all have them. I have decided its time to stop keeping them to myself in hopes that other mommies will realize that none of us are perfect. Here are my dirty little secrets for the week in hopes it will encourage me to be better. What are yours?

~Totally gave K eggs the other day, wondered why he refused to eat them and then realized the milk I had mixed into them was expired. Yeah, I'm smooth like that. Lucky for me, he is smart enough to know when Mama is accidentally trying to poison him. I guess thats good, right? Survival of the fittest? Thank goodness D wasn't up yet, he will eat anything.

~Speaking of D eating weird things, he found a little bag of uneaten popcorn in the van the other day and started eating it before I realized what he had. Then I rememberd him getting popcorn at a local festival four days earlier. Did that stop him from eating it? No. Did I take it away and then have to listen to him scream about wanting it back? ... No...

~I was headed out of the house the other day to go to an early appointment (What? 9:45am isn't early?) and as I headed out, I told D to get his shoes on, which he did and then we all piled into the van and took off. It wasn't until we reached our destination that I realized he had on one sandal and one tennis shoe. When I asked him why he said "Don't know Mama, why not?" Little goober.

~On Wednesday, the lovely little town we live in decided to cluster fuck us and turn off our utilities. Lovely little thing about living in the city limits is having city power but county water and apparently they aren't very bright. The power company didn't believe our power was off. They seriously had to send someone out to check. Water people got all confused and cut our water off instead of just transferring it into our name from the landlords even though we had already jumped their loops and paid their deposits. Much Mama anger ensued when I had to go to the offices to speak to them. Of course, I had the boys with me and that usually relates to mass chaos anyway but add in the fact they both woke up as soon as the power went off at 7am and it made it a billion times worse. Literally like the circus had entered.the building. D touched everything in the power office with his sticky sucker hands and I'm pretty sure he made a call to China or worse on their reception room phone while K sat at my feet and hulk baby screamed the entire time. The water office I thought I would be smart and put K in the umbrella stroller so he would be confined. In the end when we left, D had entirely rearranged the magnetic welcome sign to jibberish, moved the trash can to the middle of the floor and layer his brother, stroller and all flat on his back in the middle of the floor. K was not fussing but had a look of terror on his face to match that of the receptionist. Needless to say, I think they will probably be more willing to talk to me over the phone next time.

Music Monday

 Music is a huge part of Tommy and I's relationship. Its something we bonded over in the beginning and still connect with now.  I will be posting the lyrics to a song and what it means to me every Monday (hopefully). At least until I run out of interesting things to say (Or I forget). Make sense? Feel free to do your own but please link back to me and add your site to the MckLinky below!


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All I Want Is You By U2






You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want
Your story to remain untold


But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you


You say you'll give me
A highway with no one on it
Treasure just to look upon it
All the riches in the night


You say you'll give me
Eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbour in the tempest
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you


You say you want
Your love to work out right
To last with me through the night


You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold


All the promises we break
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you


You...all I want is...
You...all I want is...
You...all I want is...
You...




Tommy and I have been married for just shy of six years. While I wish that I could tell you those six years had been nothing but happy, sweetheart years, I just can't. We have had our share of fights and threats of leaving and unhappiness. Therapy and long nights. Part of it stems from our personalities. T is a slow to anger, keep it inside for too long type of guy and I am a let it out now, quick to anger and spout off type of girl. Volcano, meet tornado. Its definitely something that has both helped an hurt our relationship in totally different ways.


One of those spells, has been all too recent. Add the stress of him working all the time, having only one car, two kids, trying to make things great financially, etc and you get one cranky, hostile environment. The fights and the yelling and the stomping around here were pretty intense. Our saving grace has always been our ability pare back. To just start letting guards down and get back to the bare bones of our relationship. Back to those first few months where all we needed was each other. We made things work. We laughed about the things we couldn't. Our love in its simplest form has always been there in the background. Nagging at us when we were angry. Even through times where we couldn't even talk to each other, all we needed was each other.

Update on Sign-gate 2010

Ok, first, thank you all for your comments on the "vajazzle" situation. I think its great to hear other peoples views on things like this and I think its amazing how varied the replies were! From "Meh" to "ZOMG". I think its funny how many people didn't know what it meant too. I admit, I had to Google it the first time I saw it too, so you aren't alone. Not exactly something that comes up in polite conversation. Only mall store windows, apparently.

Anyway, I told you that I had sent them and email, along with a few friends complaining. Asking (not so nicely) to take it down. The next afternoon, no reply, sign still up. Surprise, surprise. Then, they posted to the mall Facebook page about an event they were having at the indoor playground, inviting people to come by and join them. My bestie posted a comment on it basically saying "Make (the store) take that sign down and I'll be happy to come". Needless to say, we all had emails within ten minutes or so saying that they had just talked to the store owner and told them to remove the sign. "Apology blahblahblah. Contact me directly if you have any more concerns".

We ended up having a friend check it out a little while later and the sign was gone. I was talking to T about it last night and told him I don't really care that much for my family but I can imagine how it might make things weird for others. We are very rarely mall bound anyway. Pretty much just to visit the indoor playground, which of course was in the line of fire here. I am glad they took it down but I do doubt it will keep them from putting it back up eventually. I guess that is where the "more concerns" department will be getting a visit. For now though, I still feel like it was the right thing to do asking them to remove the sign. Detrimental to society? No. Tacky and distasteful? Yes.

Do I WHAT?

This sign is displayed in a threading stores window inside our local mall. Now, at first, when T pointed it out to me at Christmas time last year, I didn't think much of it. Other than the fact of having to explain to my poor sheltered husband what it meant. I have to admit too to having the occasional giggle about it. What an absurd thing to feel the need to advertise. I mean, seriously people? Is that something that a woman would be walking through the mall and just go for? Like buying a pretty hair clip?

So, yeah, besides the simple absurdity of it even existing, this sign hangs in a window that is located right next to the children's indoor playground. I'm talking children children. So, every time I have passed it in the last few months, it has slowly started eating at me. I pass it and think is that really necessary people? Is it bringing in that much business? Does it need to be that big (its probably 3x4 feet)? It bothers me to think that people are probably having to explain what that means to their kids. Kids that are just learning to read or kids that are just learning about their sexuality in general. Are these people going to explain that for them? Is it that necessary?

Its weird to me, because I am not usually bothered by things like this. I am a relatively laid back, whatever- floats- your- boat kind of person in general. The fact that they offer this service is fine with me even, but when they bring it to the attention of everyone that passes, children too young to understand, that bothers me. A lot. Maybe more than it should. For sure more than it did before I had kids.

So, I posted it to Facebook and luckily a few other moms felt the same way I did. At least I'm not the only one. We ended up all sending a message to the mall services people complaining. Mine was... not as nice as it could have been, but I wanted to express to them how strongly I felt. I quite plainly let them know that I wanted a call or email back letting me know what action was going to be taken and I meant it. I expect an answer. I will let you know what their response is when (if) I ever get one.

In the meantime, what do you think? Am I over reacting? Would it bother you? What would you do?