Free Stuff!

We saw a "sign" today that just made me think.....hmmmm.
Well- either that or "I'll take Spelling for 100 Alec"

A trailer was spray-painted "FREE TRAILOR- YOU MOVE"

(yes- you read that right)

Biographies

I'm a huge fan of biographies. Not because I really care much about the people who are in these shows, but it does give me something to watch when nothing else is on. They can make anyone look like they were superstars on that channel. There are lots of times I'm watching the show and think "Wow! How could I have been so much into my own world that I didn't notice Right Said Fred was the it band for so long! Here I thought they only really had one song, and all along they were a world-wide success with more than one album!"

I would however like to ask the producers of these shows a question. I watch the show and they have contacted every friend, relative and ex spouse of these people. They ask them questions and spend seemingly hours and hours interviewing them! The details and research that goes into just this one hour is amazing. What they AREN'T willing to do however is get any more than about 2-3 clips of the person the biography is about. WHY IS THIS? Do they get so tired of the person, that they say "Hey Joe- just grab whatever crap you can find on youtube. No one will care." Or is it that they enjoy torturing me with the same clip of Shelley Long walking into the bar with the smirk on her face?

I'm just saying...

Funny Song

Love this!

Happenings

This past few days has been a little crazy. May always is with all of the end of year activities! This week is our last "crazy week" for a while, and then we are looking forward to next week as things wind down. The kids are getting anxious for their recital and all of the end of year activities! Here are a few highlights of our past few days/weeks.

We just had Chicky Magoo 1's Birthday party. Yes, her birthday was 2 months ago, but hey, we just are getting around to celebrating with her friends. She had a bowling party and had a blast with her friends. It is fun to watch them all grow up! 8 year old birthday parties are a LOT different than a 4 year old party.

My cousin just had her baby! YEA! Can't wait to meet you little one!

Mr. Magoo and I went to a Gala this weekend, black tie attire and all. It was fun and we apparently know more people than we realized! Free drinks and interesting people to talk to always equals a good time!

We had our yard sale! Can you say the crazies were out? The police were actually called about an incident down the street. My guess was it was either over parking or a 25 cent item. People are so insane!! We made some good money, and it was worth it I think. We didn't do a whole lot of prep work, but I just priced things as the day went on, and we finally got it all out there! We only had 4 boxes at the end of the day, so I felt good about that! I did get a kick out of how many times I had to kick people out of the garage though. "Hey people, stuffs in the yard, not the garage, which is why I'm sitting here trying to block you from getting in the garage. Um no, this chair that I'm sitting in is not for sale." And the ever popular "No- we don't have any instruments or tools." which actually means "No- we don't have anything here that you can buy at a bargain price and mark up on Ebay to make millions."

Got together with my bunco group! It is always a good time, and I think we talk, eat and this time danced more than we played the actual game. If you have never had a Cherry Long Island you need to try one! They are good, but a little scary good. Tastes a little like a Shirley Temple, and we ALL love our friend Shirley...
...which might be why there was excessive dancing and trash talk during the game.
1 oz White Rum 1 oz Cherry Vodka 1 oz Gin 1/2 oz Triple Sec 1/2 oz Cherry Juice 1/2 oz Sweet & Sour Top off with ice and Sprite

Book club was interesting this month! We read Three Cups of Tea and had some good discussion. We all tried the tea they talk about in the book. YUCK! I don't know if anyone liked it! Sort of tasted somewhere between sweet dirt and liquid butter that had gone bad. I know- sounds tempting doesn't it. :)

Hope you all didn't miss me posting too much!

Kids Having Kids

Chicky Magoo 2 has it all figured out!

Chicky Magoo 2: "Daddy, I think I figured out why babies don't have babies."
Mr. Magoo (eager for her answer): "Why?"
Chicky Magoo 2: "Because their Mommy's haven't finished their baby books yet."
Mr. Magoo: "May be!"

Of course if this IS what prevents you from having kids:
1- My kids won't be having kids ever.
2- The teen pregnancy rate should be pretty low.
3- Only first born children would have them.
4- If your Mom's scrapbooking ability is what it's all about. YIKES!

Just So You Know, I WON!!!!

Look! I WON a MAJOR AWARD!!!

I Heart My Tab Key! Becky

Update:
My friend Becky is so awesome! She has now made my Top 10 Awesomeness-iest list! Guess you can't be the greatest web designer and not know how to fix such things as tabbing! Thank God someone knew how to fix it! Why am I not surprised that somehow this is my fault.....

Is tabbing so hard? Tabbing you ask! Yes, tabbing. When you fill out a form online with your name and address. Doesn't seem like it should be hard does it? Well- you wouldn't think so!

I would like to ask the people who make all websites, WHY does it have to be hard? You design extensive websites with immense functionality. Is it too much to ask to design the site so that when I tab my way through filling out the monotonous forms that you NOT SKIP THE STATE!!! I have been peeved at this for some time now, and I feel I'm being reasonable. Why can't you tab to the state? You can tab from Name to Address. Address to City. But then somewhere in the mix, tabbing from City will only take you to Zip Code!?! WHHHYYYYYYYYY!! Why mighty web designer? Why must I click the mouse to find my state?!?

It might seem trivial to you, but to me it is an annoyance I can no longer put up with. I have become a tab snob I realize. Not wanting to click the mouse pad on the laptop as if I am somehow better than it, but I love the little tab key. It is a useful friend. Please people who design websites. Please come up with a way to tab to the State. I think I will start a petition. Of course I have no one to send it to. But it will make me feel better to know I am not alone!

May The 4th

May The 4th Be With You

I just found out that it is the Unofficial Star Wars day. How is it that I live with a Star Wars MANIAC and he has never noticed this? Hmm-
Article Here

Little Guy

Here is a video of Little Guy!
3:52 may be too long for some of you, but not for his Aunt!!!

Kiva

Chicky Magoo 1 just got a gift for her 1st Communion from Uncle and Aunt Magoo 2! It is a gift certificate for Kiva. It is a site where you loan someone $25 for their business to help them improve their life. They pay it back and then you can loan it to others around the world. Pretty cool concept! Check it out!

Campbell's Soup Label Collector Rules

10 Things I Have Learned Being the Campbells Soup Label Mom for Our School:

1- Cutting is an obscure term.
If you ask people to cut something, their idea of cutting is apparently all over the board. The term cutting ranges anywhere from tearing it with your teeth, to just ignoring this request.

2- Counting.
1+1 does not always equal 2.

3- Separating is not a politically correct term.
We don't like to separate based on race or religion and by damn we aren't separating based on the fact that the labels say 1 or 5 points. Asking people to do so is absurd! Well, you can ask, but no one will actually do this for you.

4- You can make a family activity out of cutting labels and sorting them. (thanks guys!)

5- Just because you print out instructions that say only the barcode needs to be turned in, does not even remotely mean that you will get the barcode. In fact, doing so will make it harder! You will get all but the barcode in most cases.

6- Sometimes it is best to NOT know what people are eating in their homes.
Oyster soup in a can is something people consume on a regular basis. Who knew?

7- Finding a label that looks like it is 20 years old might seem novel at first, but then becomes routine. Again, I point you to number 6!!

8- People will cheat to gain their school 1/64th of a penny!
Keep your eye out for people trying to just cut out the little Campells guy and play it off for a barcode.

9- Copying a label on a bad printer does not work!
My eyes have gotten a little worse over the years, but seeing a streaky lined "red" label that has an orange hue to it, is something that even I can spot as fraud!

10- The amount of time you think you are going to spend on this project is going to be WAY under what it is going to take you to send these things in and get credit!

Older Muscle Cars

Since spring has sprung I have seen lots more old 'muscle cars' on the road. I don't really get this concept. Now I get that people enjoy fast cars. To me, who doesn't want to get somewhere in less time!?! But what I don't get are the ones such as the old Mustang or any older cars that need SO much maintenance and care that you baby the thing to death!

I see these guys in old cars and they really think they are something. "Come! Look at my car!" All I see is someone touting a car that you have to take great precautions to make sure the thing runs. It isn't cool people! Besides, we don't do this with other things in our lives! Why has the car become something that because it is old and running it is still cool?

Can you imagine doing this with your computers? "Come! Look at my PET computer! It takes a hell of a lot of maintenance and the thing is damn slow, but it still runs!" And who wouldn't want a computer that runs? Does a computer that has 4K of RAM really sound good to you? To me this is just like the car. Not as good and old! I often wonder do the rest of the things in their house look like the car? Do they enjoy old things? Or is it just the car? I'm sure I just don't get it. I would understand if they wanted to have something antique and use on occasion, but to drive around with it and try to look like you are in the 60s again just isn't cool. Feel free though to drive them, just know that I will be blowing by you in my "Mom-mobile MDX".

Yes. Them's throw down words.

Mary, Mary, How Does Your Garden Grow

This past week we decided it was time to get the garden going (finally!) I know for all of you gardening enthusiasts you are thinking "This should have been done a while ago. Don't you think?" Yes- we are aware of that. But like everything in our lives, we buck the trend and roll the dice even when no one else would. :P

This year the kids picked strawberries to plant. We thought it would be nice to grow something that probably all of us would eat. Chicky Magoo 2 is iffy on this one, but if we put sugar on a plate for her to dip it in, we have a chance of her eating it.

It took a while to dig up all of those weeds and then to figure out just what the weeds were, and what was an herb. They pretty much all look the same to me. We just went with the "if it has fuzzy prickly things on it, near the roots, it might be a weed" theme. After digging up the "weeds" and everything was ready to plant, we went to Home Depots (or as CM2 likes to point out THE Home Depot) garden to get the strawberry plants and found that one of the plants that we pulled was probably oregano. Oh well.

Aliens

I just saw this article about space aliens. Apparently, an Apollo 14 astronaut has come out and said that space aliens are real and that we are being visited. It was at a conference and they are calling on the government to release documents about it. Thought it was worth a read....

Which got me thinking. Do you guys believe in aliens? I certainly do! I can't imagine how giant this universe is and that there is only this one planet in all of space that has life!?! Mr. Magoo has a theory that the reason we haven't found a missing link is that the link is actually an alien. And why do people portray aliens as ready to harm us? I mean there is a chance of that, but I'm guessing it isn't a 100% chance like every movie would have you believe. And why do they have to be smarter than we are? Well- wait. I guess after my McD's post, there is a HUGE chance that aliens are smarter than we are.

CURL: Astronaut says we're not alone

By Joseph Curl POLITICAL THEATER | Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell, the sixth man ever to walk on the moon, has a message for all citizens of Earth: We are not alone.

"We are being visited," the 79-year-old grandfatherly "spacefarer" told 100 or so UFOlogists gathered at a National Press Club conference called by the Paradigm Research Group (motto: "It's not about lights in the sky; it's about lies on the ground").

"It is now time to put away this embargo of truth about the alien presence," said the astronaut who made the longest moonwalk in history. "I call upon our government to open up ... and become a part of this planetary community that is now trying to take our proper role as a spacefaring civilization."

With a new, perhaps more intellectually curious president in the White House, UFOlogists say, the time is ripe for the United States to follow the lead of other nations and release all classified files about government interaction with extraterrestrial beings. In fact, PRG founder Stephen Bassett demands that the Obama administration dump the documents, and quick.

"If it does not disclose, by the end of May - this is not a threat or anything, you don't threaten the United States government, they're heavily armed ... the PRG has an enormous and substantial network, and quite a bit of documentary evidence connected to this, particularly politically ... and we are going to be extensively putting that out to the media, and we're just going to make it as difficult on them as possible," Mr. Bassett said.

If Mr. Obama refuses, Mr. Bassett said there's a chance "above 50-50" that the United States could fall victim to another space gap, this time by being beaten by another nation more willing to finally admit "the extraterrestrial presence."

"We will wake up and pick up The Washington Post or The Washington Times and the headline will read: 'President [Nicolas] Sarkozy of France today will tell the French people about a confirmation of an extraterrestrial presence and provide evidence from defense military files.' We will follow, and they will lead."

Packed into the First Amendment Room on the 13th floor (UFOlogists are apparently not triskaidekaphobic), the conference featured a half-dozen experts - all but one titled "doctor." Former U.S. Air Force Lt. Milton Torres entranced the audience with a firsthand account of his encounter with a UFO.

Flying over England on May 20, 1957, "I got this blob - it was not a blip, it was a blob" on his radar screen, big as an aircraft carrier, he said. "Then he took off at Mach 10," something around 7,000 mph. The 77-year-old retired professor of civil engineering choked up as he retold how he was forbidden by a "spook" ever to speak of the incident, even to his father.

The incident came out in late 2008 when Britain declassified a batch of Ministry of Defense files on unidentified flying objects. "It was such a relief for them to let me know that I can talk about this," he said between sobs.

Roger Leir, author, lecturer and "alien-implant researcher," told the group that "multimillions" have been abducted worldwide, and some have been implanted with strange, tiny devices used to monitor or control.

Holding court afterward, the doctor said the devices are similar to how we humans "tag" animals. Tagging "about 15 percent of the species results in enough didactic knowledge to satisfy the curiosity of whoever put 'em in."

Cheryll Jones, a former CNN news anchor, said she was surprised when she first started attending UFO events. "I was expecting a lot of crazies, tinfoil hats and all," she said with a laugh. "But I think we can all benefit from being a bit more curious. Look at the cattle mutilations. Maybe it's the military, but I don't know."

Most, though, appeared to have come to see Mr. Mitchell. As perhaps the highest-profile claimant of alien visitation, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology doctor in aeronautics and astronautics told the gathering the time will come when we have to get off this rock we call Earth.

"The sun will burn out in due course, and we have to be off this planet if our species is to survive," he said. "At this point in human history on this planet, we're now starting, and should be, to reach out beyond our planet and then beyond our solar system to find out what is really going on out there."

After the press conference, Mr. Mitchell said he got involved because people with UFO encounters "figured I was reliable enough to carry their stories and not compromise them."

"All of a sudden, when I began to realize the UFO phenomenon and alien visitation was real, I thought, 'OK, we're not alone in the universe.' That's pretty big news for we humans."

Asked why there still is no definitive proof, he said: "We have that, it's just that it's been covered up and denied by the powers that be in our own government," adding that "there's a secret government" that may be run by the "military-industrial complex."

"We've got to get to the bottom of this. It's our place in the universe we're talking about. We are really universal beings." And as to whether his foray into UFOlogy is detracting from his reputation, he said, "Maybe I'm damaging it, but it doesn't matter, because I know we're right about this."

Jokes From A 4 Year Old

CM2: "Why did the chicken lay some eggs?"
Us: "Don't know. Why?"
CM2: "Because it needed some chickens."

How Fast Is Fast?

I realize that all of us have a different standard of "fast". How do I know? Because when I tell my kids to get going "and fast" it is blatantly obvious to me that their perception of what they are doing is fast, but to me it is at a snails pace! Ugh!

While I realize that kids like to stop and smell the roses, and yes there are times that I do to, I would expect that the average adult would not be sniffing them in the McDonalds FAST FOOD drive thru! While in the drive thru yesterday I was going to grab a quick lunch and head to my next destination, expecting that since I didn't have a whole lot of time Micky Ds would be my best solution. So I pulled in....

There was a line of about 4 cars, but hey, it is 4 cars in a drive thru line. These people are ALL wanting to be somewhere else, or they would have stopped in and had a bite. Right?

The line moved quickly at first but then the lady in front of me in the cream colored Ford Edge somehow lost her train of thought. Not while she was ordering, but there must have been something in her car that was ULTRA intriguing because she forgot she was in line! She sat there while everyone else moved up. I was thinking well SURELY she will move up. Then after a moment, my thoughts went to "Do we honk in a drive thru line? Would that work? If I did would she come out of the car and stomp me?" Hmmm- anyway, she FINALLY figured it out and pulled up.

There are 2 ordering windows at this McDs, so she went to the first one. I pulled up to my window said "Number 3 no cheese and a large coke." I was ready to go!! But WAIT!!!! Old Ms. Ford Edge apparently had no idea what she was going to be ordering. She sat there and then chatted with 'person in the speaker' for a while and then finally pulled up. Now by this point most humans know what is coming next. I think my 4 year old could go step by step in a drive thru line and be prepared for the next part. But Ms. Ford Edge seemed quite surprised that in fact at her next stop she would be asked to get money out and pay! What? You need money? I thought this was a free food line?!?....

Well she again finally found some spare change and paid for her food, but you guessed it. She wasn't prepared and I waited yet again for her to figure out this next step in the oh so very complicated drive thru process! What do I do with this strange liquid in a cup that you just gave me?!? UGH!! PEOPLE! I know there is a learning curve to things, but I also know that if this is the first time you have done something DO SOME RESEARCH so you don't annoy those around you.

I finally got my meal, and although I didn't time it, I'm pretty sure I ate faster than it took me in line. I hope Ms. Ford Edge will learn that fast food actually is trying to do what it says....get you food FAST! And while I know that we all have a wide variety of what fast is, I can't imagine that what she did would even be considered by the 'slows' to be fast!!!

Back the Arts!

Does anyone else find this photo by the Indystar to be funny? It was taken at a rally for Indy's cultural scene. Do they not see the irony that there is a VERY plain sign in the photo and almost nothing but white people? I mean really? Is this photo really supposed to grab attention and make people back Indy culture? This is supposed to be a rally for artists. ARTIST people!!! Is this all that the arts can come up with? A black and white sign on a stick? I've seen better advertising out of Mentos!

Twitter Hilarity

This is what I totally think of Twitter. Does anyone care what I'm doing 24 hours a day?
Love the bird!

Sorry My Friends

Dear Reese's Pieces,

I apologize for forgetting just how good you are! I get confused by the M&Ms and their cartoon figures touting their wares in such a fancy way. They strut around and had confused me by taking on that round shape and thinking they are so good with their commercials and figurines. I had forgotten just how good the little peanut butter morsel is in the round chocolate coating. I will not be swayed again by the chocolate! I love you Reese's Pieces, but seriously, you should think about a new marketing strategy!

Your friend-
Mrs. Magoo

Moms Playing Fantasy Football

“What? Did I hear you right? There are Moms playing Fantasy Football?” Yes! This phenomenon started 7 years ago for me. I headed into my first online Fantasy Football draft while nursing my daughter. My team, Mom's Army, had some success, and that is how the obsession started!

In my league, I was the only woman, and even though I knew a thing or two about football, I wasn’t sure a fantasy team was something I could pull off! So- I made my picks for Team Mom’s Army, and headed into battle against 11 other players.

I wasn’t exactly sure how the draft was going to go. I had done some online research, but had done just enough to be dangerous. After the first round was over, I knew I was in trouble because people were picking players for running backs still, and not knowing what I was doing I picked a kicker. I got jeered in the comment box, but I just kept plugging along doing the only thing I knew how. I picked players I had heard of. Now that seems reasonable, doesn't it? The most amazing thing was that the people I picked turned out to be pretty good, and I came in near the top that year!

Each year I have learned a little bit more about fantasy football, but by far the biggest lesson I learned last year, is that research does pay off! This past year I thought I “knew it all” and could wing it at the last minute. You would think after 7 years I would know what to do just off the top of my head. Not SO! That and hampered by my youngest not going to bed on time and continually getting up, set me up for a terrible season!! What I thought I knew about players from last year was not really what was valid that season. So, let me give you a few pointers on how to jump into the fantasy football game, and come out ahead! This should be a lesson that each year you start fresh. Which means that if you are a beginner, the playing field levels a bit year after year, so you can jump in and do well, even if this is your first time.

First off, don’t let it scare you! Just because you have never watched football, or you think you won’t be good, should not be a reason to quit before you try! There is a whole lot of luck in the game! Some of the “best players” could be injured (think Tom Brady) or some nobody could score big points.

Secondly, there are sites to help! There are so many things set up to help you during your draft and throughout the season. I have always been a part of the Yahoo! Fantasy Leagues, because they give you hints each week during play, and good information during the draft! If you don’t know who to pick up for a player, it chooses for you.

Once you have decided on a league to join, start your research. There is a lot of information out there and it can be overwhelming! Just start simple. I will usually use three sites for information to start. My top pick for sites are Yahoo Fantasy, ProFootball Talk, and FF Toolbox. The first place to start is draft central in whatever league you sign up for. See who they have picked as their top players. Click on the links to read a little about why they think each player will do well. This is what I do for my top three sites. Look to see who they have picked for each position. Who are their top Running Backs? Why did they pick those players? Print out their chart of who they would pick and their order of players. This will be your first line of defense during the draft. Use each of these to figure out why one place ranks them as #3 and another as #5. They will probably give reasons, but if not it will give you an idea of who should be your pick based on the experts. Now if this is scaring you already, don’t let it. You don’t have to remember a THING! This is just to get your feet wet. Just remember that if all else fails, sit back and let your fantasy draft pick for you. If you use Yahoo it will do this automatically if you can't make up your mind.

Once you have your list, it is a good idea to go through the first 15-20 players and make sure that there isn’t anything that has happened to them. Let’s say they picked someone like Michael Vick without knowing that he in fact was arrested. This could be a problem! These stories might be a big deal to people into football, but you might not really know anything about it. Check out this site to find the latest information about this. I have not found a better site to get you in the game quickly. Often you will get information there before anyplace else has it! Just reading this site for about a week, will get you "in the know" quickly about what is going on around the league. I have used this site to sound savvy more than once! In fact, it is a good place to go and then use one of their articles to start up a conversation with your husband. (ex. Did you know that the Dolphins are thinking of trading Ronnie Brown?) This type of thing is sure to perk up a husband who thinks they know it all about football. Now- once you give away your ProFootballTalk.com secret, it will be likely those conversations go more like this….”Did you know that the Dolphins are thinking of trading Ronnie Brown?” Husband: “I read that too.” Either way, it is an amazing way to get into the details of the game.

I urge you to start now with your research! Start to get a feel for who the players are, and feel like you are in the mix of things so that by fantasy draft time you are more prepared to get into it!

Go to Yahoo Fantasy Football. Sign up! I will tell you that if you are involved in a fantasy team, you will be more likely to enjoy ALL of the games that are on tv, because you will have players on your team from all over the league! You will want to know what they are doing and how many points you are getting! See what everyone is talking about! Don’t let any of it scare you! If you are involved, football will be better and a TON of fun!

Check Back For More Fantasy News

The Pampered Pet

Most of you know "The Giz" and her many talents. She is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, she can add three digit numbers and can communicate through clicking. Well- maybe not all of those, but she can look cute, stay in the yard without a fence and the older she gets the more her vision of outside has expanded to carpeting.

On our recent three hour trip to the in-laws, she climbed into the car to get settled. This time she decided that the toy basket in the middle of the girls was the best fit for her. Luckily I had just put the kids blankets in the car, so she cleverly used it to snuggle. Good work Giz.

(The photo quality is pretty poor, since it was just with the phone while we were driving.)

Here's My Card

I have thought about getting a business card for this blog. It would only have the address on it, but I think it would come in handy. When someone does something stupid I could just give them a card and say "Thanks. You will be on here tomorrow."

Kudos To BMWs Marketing Dept.

BMW with some sweet advertising....
Read the left Audi ad first.

Now that is a good ad campaign!!
Brand 72

The Great Q-Tip Debate

Okay- I know I'm going to get some responses to this post. So go ahead and rip!

I am an avid Q-tip user. I can't go on vacation without them, and a day without Q-tip use would seem preposterous to me. I did a little research on Q-tip use, and found this article.

"As it turns out, ear wax is important for your overall health, particularly the health of your ears. Ear wax removal should only be considered if you're having hearing problems or experience constant blockages caused by excessive production of ear wax in the ear canal. Thankfully, getting rid of ear wax isn't a difficult process. However you should have a doctor look at your ears before following the treatment for ear wax removal described here."

Now, I have heard this a thousand times, but it has gotten me thinking. Do any of us know of anyone who has ever had a really bad ear problem because of Qtips? I never have! I sometimes wonder if this is a medical conspiracy against the makers of Qtips. I know- I know, they have 1000 other uses, but really do people buy them specifically for these other uses, unless they are an art teacher, or do they just have them around the house and then use them for other things? Hmm- maybe this post has a Deep Thoughts By Jack Handy thing going on.

There are other ways to clean your ears. I understand that. But do any of them give you that feeling of 'ahhh' that this does? I don't think so, but maybe you non-ear cleaners don't understand what I'm talking about. I don't know, but for me one of the things that TOTALLY grosses me out is when I look over and can see earwax coming out of someone's ear! Ewww! Gross! I just can't take it!!! I want to go over and hand them a Qtip and say "Hey- I know you think it is dangerous, but what you are doing is just plain sick! Fight through the danger and PLEASE clean out your ears!"

I have also heard this concern as posted on this website "simply scratching or abrading the skin in the ear canal provides a protected growth site for fungus -- the dreaded swimmer's ear" Again, I know this is what people say, but I don't know anyone who has ever had this problem. Maybe I just know the lucky few who have gone by without any issues. Or maybe now I have cursed myself to go deaf when I put the Qtip in my ear today. Doctors say this, without any real statistics to back it up. Just how dangerous is it? I know drinking can be dangerous, but then that doesn't stop me from having a margarita when we are at the local Mexican hangout. Does it you? Whatever the case, I would like to know what you think. Is there something that I'm missing?

Hold That Church Up!

How do you turn an ordinary Easter into something to remember? Spend it with the Magoos! We went to my in-laws for the weekend and had a good time! Easter morning we were a little slow in getting ready for the 9:30 Mass. I figured when we left the house 5 minutes before time that there was no way we were getting a seat. So- we ended up standing in the back of Church with the other slow movers of the day. I was surprised to learn that when you are 4, standing for an hour is much preferred to sitting for an hour! When you are 34, sitting for an hour is much preferred to standing for an hour. But- we lucked out and the kids were really good in Church for us!

The family joke is that the past few times we have been to Church with my in-laws there is scaffolding! We tell my Mother-in-law that they are trying to hold up the walls for when she walks in. So I was only sort of surprised when we walked in to their beautiful Church only to be greeted by the ENTIRE Church (from front to back) with scaffolding! Now being the blogger that I am, and since we were standing in the back where Father and other parishioners were never going to see me, I had to snap a photo with my iPhone. Now of course trying to be discrete, I snapped it and tried to casually put the phone back away and just look like I was making sure that my phone was on vibrate and really looking out for others. But- Chicky Magoo 1 was quick to notice. She looked over at me and in a stern voice said "Mommy, what ARE you doing?" Umm- Oh no! I'd been caught. And by The ENFORCER no less! If there is anyone who is going to be quick to find out if a rule has been broken, it will be Chicky Magoo 1! We figure she will be the Attorney General one day. So- I just said "Taking a picture." as if that were a normal thing that we did every Easter Mass and she must somehow be confused that taking a photo was weird. I guess she was okay with it because she stopped the inquisition shortly after that.

For your viewing pleasure, this is what Easter Mass looked like to us! I am happy to report that the Church did not fall, and my Mother-in-law made it through the Mass.

In The Kitchen With Mrs. Magoo

Now- for those of you who are laughing and thinking "When does Mrs. Magoo EVER go in the kitchen?" Surprising, but I really do! I do however have rules to my cooking at home.

1- It can't take more than 30 minutes to make. (no I did NOT get this from Rachael Ray)
2- It has to be easy clean-up
3- Everyone has to like it who is eating it.

Now I'm careful on rule #3. It isn't that I think everyone should love my food. But I'm not slaving away in the kitchen to watch a 4 and 8 year old (well and 34 year old too) turn up their nose and not eat it. If I take the time to cook it, by damn, you will take the time to eat it! :)

And my Mom is thinking: If only when you were younger, you would have done this and actually eaten something for me that would have been nice. But no- instead she had 3 kids, all of which liked different things. I just have 3 people in my family who like only 2 things...meat and potatoes. It makes it hard to come up with varying recipes. How many ways can you make these things taste different? Well spices mainly!!!

Here is a recipe that I LOVE! It fills the requirements, because I can make it with or without each ingredient to suit the entire family. It is always a hit, and it tastes like I actually know what I'm doing!

Dijon Chicken
6 large boneless chicken breasts
6 T. Dijon mustard
Sage leaves
12 thick slices of bacon.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Use a baking sheet and put foil down. In my case I make little sections of foil with "walls" so that no ones touches anyone elses. God forbid the mustard taint Mr. Magoos! Then put the chicken down, and spread the mustard over each one. Please a sage leaf on top of that and cover with 2 slices of bacon. Bake for approximately 25 minutes.

If anyone tries this give me a shout and tell me how it went!

Lookin' Good

My sister and I look a LOT alike! We KNOW we look a lot alike! Most people comment on how much we look alike, and we just laugh. Because. We. Know.
The following story happened 5 days after my sister had her baby. I was at a family friends house. After looking back, I think I'll try to wear THAT outfit more often!

Family Friend: "Hey!"
Me: "Hey!"
Family Friend: "You look GREAT for just having a baby!"
Me: "But I'm sure I look like CRAP for having one 4 years ago!"
Family Friend: "OH MY GOD!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE YOUR SISTER!"
Me: (voice) "Everyone does that." (mind) "Did she really just say that?"

Peeps

The Washington Post has had their annual Peep Diorama contest! If you don't know what I'm talking about, you've got to see what some of the contestants have come up with! Click the photo for the link.

For those of you who don't know, I love Peeps! The best kind are the ones that have been open for a while!

Also- for all of you other Peep lovers, make sure to stock up tomorrow when they are discounted! YUMMY! They make great Smeeps! (Smores for the layperson)

Happy Easter!

I hope you all have a Happy Easter! The kids woke us up early this morning and we went on an egg hunt. They have been happy as clams this morning, until I asked Chicky Magoo 2 to put her dress on for Church. NOT A FAN! (apparently) She wanted to keep her new Tinkerbell pj's on and did NOT think we needed to dress up for Church! I told her that we needed to show respect for God and dress up, and that pj's in Church just wouldn't work. Chicky Magoo 1 decided that she would help out and looked right at Chicky Magoo 2 and said something that she thought would convince her to put that dress on.
(Okay- now I know that I don't dress up often, but after hearing this statement by CM-1 I knew that even they were aware of just how often this happens.) She said in all seriousness "Chicky Magoo 2, even MOMMY is dressing up for Church!" Um- thanks Chicky Magoo 1. I guess this was a bold statement, one that really hit home, because Chicky Magoo 2 decided that maybe if this event was THAT special that even MOMMY would dress up, that she should too!

(pics to follow)

Out For Medicine

Today Mr. Magoo and I took a trip to Walgreens to get some Claritin for Chicky Magoo 2. She seems to have a lingering cold, which usually means this will help fix it. SO- we walked into Walgreens and there are about 6 rows of Easter. They have cleverly "hid" the medicine in the back of the store so that no one needing it can find it. Now as we were walking in I thought that it might be a little hard if you were feeling bad to navigate your way to the medicine. But then as we were trying to find Claritin, Mr. Magoo noticed that Imodium is behind a locked door?!? Seriously? Imodium? Isn't this something that should be quickly gotten to? If you really need Imodium isn't quick really all you are thinking about? Who saunters to the counter and asks for the Imodium to be unlocked. Then waits for the cabinet to be opened. Then has time to get home before you would have already needed your meds????

Home Stretch!

UPDATE!!!
It has come to my attention that McDonalds may or may not be open tomorrow! ACK! What to do? I have to call and see if they are open and come up with a backup plan.

Well- I've almost made it through the ENTIRE Lenten season without one fry or one dip of ranch! That's right! It started off as an easier than expected chore for me. I had imagined sitting at home dreaming of my fries. Or solemnly passing McDonalds each day salivating! But alas, the first 3 weeks went by without any real problems. Then the 4th week came!!! Wow- did I want a fry. As for the ranch dip? Well- I had craftily decided to order honey mustard when I had a craving. And apparently for me, it doesn't matter the dip. Just that I have something to occupy myself with! But back to the fries... The last few weeks have been pretty hard. Okay, maybe torture is the right word. I have had the fry craving!!!! Last night the kids ordered some fries and I had to pass them back to them. I do admit to inhaling them as I passed them back. I realized then that I do have an addiction! :0 Too bad they don't have drugs for that one. So- only one more day til I can eat fries again, and since McDonalds has some of my favorite fries, you can bet that is where I'm going to be tomorrow afternoon! I just hope they are a good batch! I would hate to go there and get one of those batches where you think "why do I eat these things again?"

I do admit to thinking this morning, "What if I went longer? I bet I could do 6 months" I quickly squashed that thought with "Are you CRAZY? Settle down there with all of your thinking!" So tomorrow I dine.

8 Years Old!

Chicky Magoo turned 8 in March and she has been seeming older by the minute to me! What is it about the end of each school year that makes me realize, yes she is definitely acting more like a kid in the next grade, and less like the kid that started out at the beginning of the year? Years go by so quickly that you don't stop to think how much difference a year can make in a child. I think for children though, a year makes all the difference to them! To me as a child, a year felt like an eternity! As I got older a year didn't seem like "that long." But then I got pregnant...and again a year felt like an eternity! :) It is amazing what a difference a year makes!!!

We asked our lovely where she would like to go for dinner that night. Let me mention that Chicky Magoo 1 is a HUGE fan of a rare steak! Her first request was that we go to Ruth's Chris for her birthday and take the whole family. Umm- no. Seeing as we don't have $1000 laying around, and she did kind of want a present we had to rule this one out. ;) So we decided Outback would work. It was a nice dinner and Outback did surprise her with an ice cream at the end of dinner, which was nice. She and Chicky Magoo 2 had a delicious time eating it!

Then off to Auntie and Uncle Magoo 1s house for the celebration. I baked a cake this year and had the girls decorate it, since they enjoy doing that. I grabbed a few things to decorate with as we left our house, but apparently the "writing icing" I grabbed was to be used if you wanted your cake to look like you had written the letters with your toes! I have NO idea how people actually write with this stuff. This might be why it was at the grocery store aisle and not at a Wilton Cake Decorating Class.

I thought that I would help the girls out and start them with an H so they could finish "appy" and add "Birthday". Hmmm- turns out it looked horrible! Now if this were- in fact- a vampire cake, and that was written in blood, then okay, lookin' good! But this was supposed to be for my 8 year old girly, princess loving, scared by everything kid. Not exactly what I had in mind. I think the extra drop of red at the bottom left of the H really makes the whole thing! Wouldn't you say?

Even with my goof, they still had a blast, and were excited that they had a chance to decorate the cake, even if it was a mess!

Chicky Magoo got some fun gifts! She really enjoyed her day and had fun being 8! Happy Birthday Chicky Magoo 1!!! Can't believe I have an 8 year old!

Science Experiment

Last week Chicky Magoo 1 and I decided that we should do a science experiment since it was nice outside. We decided that we would make a volcano! I thought we had a few of the "ingredients" at home but had to make a few things work that we didn't have. One main thing was red food coloring. So who hasn't heard of a blue volcano?!? Maybe it was just SO hot that it was blue! Hmm- well let's just go with that anyway. Chicky Magoo 1 thought it was funny anyway, and enjoyed the experiment.

She is a HUGE science buff so this was fun for her to get to actually be the one to conduct the experiment. Afterwards we did a few "research questions" to see if she could figure out more of the whats and the whys. I explained why and then she looked at me and asked "Do volcanoes make CO2? Or is the lava CO2?" So of course I had to go from isn't this volcano experiment cool! to "It really is just called that because of the way it looks when it comes out. This isn't at all what happens when a volcano happens really. That is all from magma."

Guess we know she really is a little scientist. I was always told that in science, a good experiment will cause you to ask more questions rather than solve them all! Back to the scientific drawing board! I love that she loves science!

Aunt and Uncle Magoo 2 Visit

The last few weeks have been filled with visitors. We are on Spring Break now and the kids are enjoying visits from their Grandparents this week! My brother and his wife got to come spend some time with us last week. I am still in the process of downloading several pictures from all of these events, but here is one of the kids with him. They get a kick out of all of the things he will put up with that we wouldn't! (you know, the usual Uncle things that as a parent you have to either stop OR pretend you don't notice.) Roughhousing in the living room, playing chase in the house, trying out gymnastics moves near things that break.....

Soccer and Stress

Last night Mr. Magoo, my Mom and I all watched the USA play El Salvador in soccer. We are all big soccer fans but haven't watched the World Cup qualifier matches this year. In previous years we have, but it has been a while since I've been really into soccer. I played soccer from age 5 til about age 13 and then my brother played for what seemed like every weekend until he was in college. I think he still plays every once in a while, but those times get fewer and farther in between.

It has been such a long time that I had totally forgotten just how much stress soccer matches cause me!! I become so involved in the game that at the end I feel like I am the one who has played. I forgot how on each corner kick I seem to hold my breath or critique the players the entire time saying "Kick it!" or "What are you doing?" or "This goalie is terrible!" I do enjoy watching almost all sports, but there is something about soccer that really gets me into the game!

Two things that you need to know if you don't watch soccer:

1- If you have never heard anything other than the US sportscasters announce a game, you are missing a HUGE part of the game. Check out this link from the game last night.
2- The other thing to note is that at any given time players of soccer will go down writhing in pain for one of two reasons. A- They are actually in pain, and if this is the case they will try and get up and keep playing. or B- The other team is doing better than they are at that point, and they try to use acting as defense. Check this out to see what kind of acting I'm talking about!

After the game was over last night it took us all a while to even be tired! We were all so keyed up from the game that it took us until about 1am before we were ready for bed! All I have to say is "whew!" I do have all sorts of critiques of the game, but I'll keep MOST of them to myself. Except to say "Go Beasley. You rock!" and then "What is up USA? If we can't beat El Salvador then we need to work on a few things before the World Cup!"

We're Back

After being away for a week it is good to be back and into the swing of things. We have a busy week ahead of us. Catching up would be enough to do, but Chicky Magoo 1 turns 8 this week! I can't believe my baby will be 8!?! Where did the time go?

Little Guy

Welcome Little Guy to the world!
He was born at 7:20pm on the 10th!
6lbs, 11oz

Baby Watch 2009

We are officially on "Baby Watch" today for Auntie and Uncle Magoo. Their little guy will be here today or tomorrow. So far nothing to report. And we wait....

Blessing Cup Meal

Yesterday Chicky Magoo 1 had her Blessing Cup Meal in preparation for 1st Communion. It was a really nice event that they put on for the kids. We got to spend time with her and count our blessings as we had the meal. They gave each child a box and during the meal a bell would ring. When the bell rang we were to count a blessing in our family and put the stone in the box. That was a neat thing to do so that we were all more aware of the good things in our family!

Then the kids got to use the blessing cup that they had painted at school and share with us the bread and wine in preparation for next month. The kids were NOT fans of the wine, and Father even said "If your kids are the ones finishing this cup off instead of the parents, you might have a problem!" Just wanted to share a few pictures of this special time!!

Moon Shoes

Chicky Magoo 1 and 2 decided yesterday to get their "Moon Shoes" out. They had gotten them for Christmas last year, but hadn't ever used them. Chicky Magoo 2 was really scared of them, but I didn't know exactly why until yesterday when she said "Don't jump Chicky Magoo 1! I don't want you to go to the moon!" I explained that that was just their name and you didn't really jump to the moon, so she decided to give it a try too.

The kids had a really hard time standing up on them, as the following pictures show! The pictures were taken right in a row.... They laughed and giggled for about 1/2 hour in them, so it was well worth the wait! (The photos were taken from my phone, so they aren't the best quality!)

On to the 12th year!

Tomorrow is our 11th Anniversary!
Just wanted to post the song that most reminds me of Mr. Magoo. Possibly Sarah McLachlan somehow knows me and wrote this song about us?!? Well- maybe not. But then again could the 2nd verse be any more true?

Push by Sarah McLachlan
(Yes, I know you are all SO surprised that it is by Sarah McLachlan. I never pick her for favorite songs! wink! wink!)
Click Here to Hear It

Every time I look at you the world just melts away.
All my troubles, all my fears, dissolve in your affections.
You've seen me at my weakest but you take me as I am...
And when I fall you offer me a softer place to land.

Chorus:
You stay the course. you hold the line, you keep it all together.
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in.
You're all the things that I desire, you save me, you complete me.
You're the one true thing I know I can believe.

I get mad so easy, but you give me room to breathe.
No matter what I say or do, 'cause you're too good to fight about it.
Even when I have to push, just to see how far you'll go, you won't stoop down to battle...but you never turn to go.

Chorus

There are times I can't decide, when I can't tell up from down.
You make me feel less crazy, when otherwise I'd drown.
But you pick me up & brush me off, and tell me I'm OK.
Sometimes that's just what we need to get us through the day.


Chorus

Funny Signs

While I was out the other day I saw this sign that was worthy of a photo. I don't know if you can read it, but it says:

"HIGH DEBT? LET US HELP!
"We have money to loan!"

Hmmm- I'm no economic wizard, but something seems awry! WAIT- maybe they are who came up with the economic stimulus plan!!!

High School Tricks Not For 4 Year Olds

The other day we went to Fazzoli's for dinner. Chicky Magoo 2 is a HUGE fan of "shaker cheese" and will put it on just about anything. A lot of times if it is on the table at a restaurant, she wants a plate just so that she can eat the cheese by itself. The 4 year old version of an appetizer!

She sat down with her breadstick and waited for her food. She grabbed the "shaker cheese" and started to put some on her breadstick. She was quite surprised when the lid fell off and the cheese just piled up on the stick. I'm sure that whatever high school kid did this and thought it would be funny didn't know Chicky Magoo 2 would be the brunt of the "joke." She just looked at it and took the lid off and started smiling. To her it was no joke. It was her dream come true! A HUGE pile of the stuff and she didn't even have to really use that much time and energy shaking the cheese out! SCORE!

We did spend about 4 minutes explaining to Chicky Magoo 1 that it was probably someone's idea of a joke, which she did not understand. She kept asking question after question, but the thing she said that stood out was: "But they won't see the joke." Yes Chicky Magoo 1, this is the brilliance of the teenage mind. :P

Why is Diet Coke SO Special?

Warning: This post could cause controversy!
(yes, Diane, this is for you!)

To my friends who drink Diet Coke:
Why must you always refer to what you drink with it's full name?
People abbreviate things all of the time! Do we not say TV to mean television, Mom instead of Mother, bike instead of bicycle? When I say "Doesn't a Coke sound good?" why must people who drink Diet Coke correct me and respond with "Well a Diet Coke sounds good." Really?? Do we have to make this distinction?!? No one says "Well a Diet Caffeine Free Coke sounds good!" And why? Probably because that would be stupid. :P

I don't get the obsession with this drink. And by saying this I'm not saying that people can't like the drink, or that I don't understand that they like it A LOT! I enjoy my drink, you enjoy yours. No problem. I just don't get the reason that people make such a big deal about drinking it. To me this is like if I said "I love burgers!" and then someone else saying "Well I love 99% fat free burgers!" Do we need to make a distinction on the % of fat and calories for foods that we like? Do we need to call attention that in some instances you enjoy conserving your calories for other items during the day? I seriously think I'm missing something....

I guess it's a Diet Coke thing. I wouldn't understand.

Baby Shower

Today I'm throwing my sister and brother in law a baby shower. Just wanted to let everyone know I haven't forgotten about the blog. I've just been busy with getting things ready! I have a few posts in mind though, so if I have time I'll post today. If not- it will have to be tomorrow!

Religion. Maybe this is too deep?

I don't often write about religion, mostly because I feel like there is not one true religion, and people should be free to practice what they want. I just try to do what I think I'm being called to do. To me the basics of any religion are based on the principle of "Be Nice." I'm sure not ALL religions work this way, but for the most part. I feel like just as people have acclimated to their climates over millions of years, religion has acclimated as well. So that the "Be Nice" principle holds true, but the basics of trying to do good for others, being a part of a community and realizing that the world isn't about just you still ring true no matter what religion you practice. (Okay- I realize that a lot of you have just stopped reading my blog forever now!) To me, the difference in religions should be accepted and not looked down upon, just like different races. See the good in what others are doing while not concentrating on the bad! To me that is what God is calling us to do in all aspects of our life.

So yesterday in Church we had the reading below. This reading has always been confusing to me. Not because of what it says. I get what it says and am in agreement. But what I don't get is that this is read right before you go up to get ashes on your forehead. That has always seemed contradictory of what we are doing. I know some of you will think "Oh Catholics" but that is not what I'm trying to point out. I do enjoy the traditions of our faith. It just makes me chuckle when we listen to this reading, but then go get ashes, which I'm pretty sure would make others realize that you are getting ready to fast and sacrifice for Lent. Either that, or they think you have gotten one big bruise on your forehead that magically goes away later in the day. I guess what I'm saying is that each religion doesn't follow the Bible exactly, as hard as they might try. If they did we wouldn't get postcards about how much better one Church is than another. Or hear about how bad "others" are during services. We wouldn't see 'Jesus fish' on business signs. We wouldn't really try to find ways to keep people from God. I just chuckle because it is mankind once again showing their faults and as Christ-like as we all try to be, even the best of us makes mistakes!

Matthew 6: 1-6; 16-18
1. Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2. Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4. so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5. "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
16. "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
17. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18. that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Man- this was probably the deepest post I've ever made on here. What happened?

It's Ash Wednesday!

I've done some careful thinking about what to do for Lent this year! I usually think about this for at least a week and come up with about 5 things I could do, and then pick something from that list. I'm not sure what other people do for Lent, but I will usually pick something to give up, and then pick something to do that is positive.

This year for giving something up I have picked trying to make it on no fries. This one will probably be my biggest challenge I have undertaken. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but then again my fry obsession has gotten out of CONTROL!! Not only has the fry thing been there but in the past 6 months I have started to crave ranch dip. I am not a salad eater (refer to a few previous posts about this!), and I don't usually come upon a situation where I would have ranch. But a few months back I noticed that McDonald's had more than a few choices for chicken nuggets. (I apologize in advance if this is the first time you are learning this too. It will only lead to more consumption of sauces~) So I thought I'd give the ranch a try to see how the nuggets tasted with that. This of course lead to "Let me try that on fries!" Hmm- if it is good of fries, why not other things like the Southern Chicken Sandwich! How about...well, you get the idea. Why do I tell you all of this? Well, I told Mr. Magoo about my Lenten fry challenge, and he snidely said "I think ranch would be harder for you!" AHEM- excuse me? Did you just throw down a challenge? I honestly think he doesn't think I could do it. So Mr. Magoo- I'm here to tell you that starting today I will be on the Lenten Fry AND Ranch dip challenge!!! I'll keep you updated on my progress!

As for the something to do that is positive I'm still deciding on that. Any ideas?

So- goodbye my food friends!
I will see you in about 40 days.....