My New Look

My hair has been the same style for quite a few years now. I began to feel like I was in a rut and wanted to try and freshen up my look. So, I did some research on the up and coming hair trends of 2009. I took lots of different things into consideration. I knew I wanted to keep it long, but I was also looking for a change. That is why I decided to get bangs. It's fun, it's different, and I don't mind being compared to actress Anne Hathaway.

In all actuality though, the bangs are just too high maintenance for me. I am a go with the flow kind of girl. I like to try and look chic and stylish every now and then, but most days I just let my hair air dry and this cut does not allow for air dry. Believe me I've tried, it HAS to be fixed. There are no other options. So there you have it, that is my new, "now you see it now you don't" modern hair do. It was worth a try.

Now then, before you think I totally abandoned the topic this week (Extreme Blog Makeover) I am going somewhere with this. I wanted to do something different with my blog. So I went for it and if you've read any of my blog posts this week you already know it has been stressful and nothing like I imagined, but it wasn't all bad. At least I faced my fears and I did learn something new about blog design. I even managed to add the About Me Page and About This Blog too. I also have a new template and new profile picture.

With that said, I've got new look all the way around. Both are kind of funky, kind of different, and very temporary. Speaking of temporary, we aren't going to live forever, so if you try something new and you don't get the outcome you expected don't beat yourself up. Take a chance, step out, and enjoy every experience, because life is just too short to be stuck in a rut.



Photos: 1. A silly pic my husband took of me this afternoon
2. Anne Hathaway from the Devil Wears Prada

Does This Layout Make Me Look Fat?

When I first started looking for a background for my blog I was scrolling through and there was a lot of cute, fun stuff to choose from. I felt like I was shopping for new clothes and I got to pick out anything I wanted. Only, much like a trip to the mall my emotions swung from care free to anxiety after too many items just didn’t fit right.

I found a lot of layouts that were really close to what I wanted except for one or two details. I really liked this one, but I am not a big fan of pink, so I figured I would keep looking.



So then I found several more, that were doable, but they had weird messages on them like “RELEASE ME”, “PISCES”, AND “I LOVE MY GIRL”, not exactly the image that I was going for. Then there were some templates that I liked, but they were in other languages so I couldn't even read the instructions to figure out how to download them.

After putting in a quite a bit of time and still turning up short I was getting fed up with the whole idea of a blogger template shopping spree. I switched my layout several times and at one point I accidentally deleted my site altogether. That is why in the end I came full circle back to the pink one. It has splatters and distressed texture that make you think of "messy", but yet it's artistic and trendy, and it allows me to keep my header. After such an exhausting search I can get over the pink.

I really think if I had a choice I would rather go on a shopping spree for clothes. It's a lot less stressful, except at least with blog layouts you don't have to ask, "Does this make me look fat?"

The Great Blog Debate

The word blog was originally a contraction of the words WEB log. If it's not on the web, it's not a blog, and therefor choosing where to post your blog on the web is a pretty big decision. I put a lot of time and research into choosing what platform I would use when I set out to start themessymom.com. Not really, I picked blogger because I wanted to blog and it had the word blog in the name so it sounded like a winner to me.

I have really enjoyed the whole blogging experience thus far and decided I wanted to take things a little further. That is when I realized there is a whole new world to be discovered when it comes to blog platforms! There is actually a war going on between the two major blog hosts, Blogger and Word Press and the opinions on which to use vary as much as the writers that use them.

I liken this dramatic battle to that of the social network giants My Space and Face Book.

While My Space still has more traffic, the tables are turning rapidly as droves of people switch over to Face Book everyday.

My Space has a lots of options for customizing your page, with Face Book on the other hand, there are no skins, no codes, no templates. You get what you get.

My Space is wildly popular with the youth, and Face Book is appreciated among the more "mature" audiences.

If blog hosts were social networks then Blogger would be My Space and Word Press would be Face Book. Of course I have made all of these blanket statements based off of mere observation and some online articles, but there are always exceptions to any of these assessments.

I read one blog after the other comparing Blogger and Word Press in full detail, and I still felt unsure about which one to go with. So I sought help from a Fellow blogger. The Thrifty Mama blog started around the same time as The Messy Mom and her little niche blog about saving money has since then sky rocketed to a new level of success and I knew she would be just the one to talk to about my dilemma. She was emphatic about her choice of blogging platform. Her exact words were "I am not with blogger anymore. I actually transferred to wordpress and I am SOOOOO happy!!"

At this point I was ready to jump ship from Blogger to Word Press after hearing and reading tons of evidence showing it to be superior. Not so fast though, while I have one leg over the fence and I am getting ready to sign on the dotted line, I read this on the Word Press website:

"To support the service we may occasionally show Google text ads on your blog, however we do this very rarely. You can remove ads from your blog for a low yearly fee. In the future you’ll be able to show your own ads and make money from your blog."

WHAT!? On Blogger not only do I not have to pay "a low yearly fee" to keep unwanted adds off, but I have the option of posting adds that I do want and earning revenue from them without paying a dime.
With Word Press you can have a premium account with self hosting and endless possibilities, but it costs and I am just not ready to pay money to blog at this point. I am also not ready to give up my advertisements either. While my total earnings of $15 may not be much, it's still $15 that I wouldn't have with the free version of Word Press. I do plan on having my own self hosted website someday, but until further notice, I will stick it out here in the blogger world.



For more on the blog war go to pulsed.blogspot.com
or
search for blogging.com

I want static?

I have spent most of my life trying to avoid static. Whether it be my hair, clothes, radio, or TV, static was never a good thing. Yesterday however all that changed. I wanted my blog to be multi paged like a typical website. As it turns out, (warning for techies: I am probably going to totally botch up this information) there are two types of pages: Static and Dynamic. Dynamic web pages deliver custom content to the user based on a request. Static is a more basic informative page that never changes, it's mainly just text. That is all I want, just a few simple static pages.

That is why yesterday I ended up trashing all the previous work we had done, and reverted back to my original blog design. I realized that with the alternate template I had lost a bunch of gadgets including my site meter, and I couldn't get any static pages which is why I changed everything in the first place. I know this may sound like greek to non bloggers and I am sorry this weeks content isn't the most exciting topic. Or maybe there is nothing you love more than talking about gadgets and static, but for those of you that aren't nerds, I hope to have this all wrapped up soon and get things back to normal again, whatever that is.

Headers Make My Head Hurt

As you may know, I am trying to spruce up my blog design this week and it has been no small feat. I want to keep it simple, but unfortunately I seem to specialize in complicated. Last night I worked long and hard to get my page from this

to this...

I struggled for a while trying to figure out how and where to begin. As I mentioned yesterday I was determined to do this all by myself, but truth be told I was in dire need of some assistance.

Turns out the quickest way to get your husband to help is by not asking him for it. I should have known this already, since he usually loves to chime in with a word of advice when I least appreciate it. However, this time I would gladly accept his counsel.

When he saw what I was working on he said he liked the template, but that I needed to add The Messy Mom header. I thought so too, but this template didn't allow for headers.

This prognosis didn't stop him though and he suggested we perform an internal operation. So we cut my blog open and dug deep into the guts of the CCS code in order to transplant my customized logo. It was an extremely LONG process of trial and error, but in the end we felt a sense of accomplishment. I tip my hat to anyone that does web design. You might be thinking, "what's the big deal? It's not brain surgery", but I don't know, it kind of is like brain surgery... for robots.

Now I have just run into another snag, and I might have to do away with this whole template altogether. If I am bald by the end of this week it will be because I have pulled all of my hair out. It's only Tuesday though, and I am not giving up that easy.
We'll see what Day 3 brings.

Look Back and Laugh: My Life on My Space

As someone who is NOT very structured, punctual, or organized, I am always searching for new ways to get my act together. At one point I saw that you could have a calendar that was hosted via your myspace account. So I thought maybe that would be just the thing to help me stay on track. I filled out all my plans for the next month and tried to include mundane details like going walking or grocery shopping. The next day when I was looking at my profile I saw my calendar on display for all to see. I was freaking out, I just felt so exposed. I had no idea how to change the settings on it, but eventually I was able to just take the calendar off altogether. Their were a few people that saw it and admitted to thinking it was kind of weird to have my personal life on display for all to see. I still cringe more than laugh when I think about it. It could have been worse though, at least I didn't chart my monthly cycle on there!

Extreme Blog Makeover

It’s been 6 months of blogging here at themessymom.com, and I have decided that am ready to make a few changes in the way things look around here. Now I just need to figure out HOW!
I have thought about it for a while, but I’ve always dreaded the overwhelming task of anything involving the slightest bit of code or web design. Many members of my family are exceedingly web savvy, but I am not one of them. Usually I will just call one of these IT super heroes to my rescue when it comes to a computer crisis, but not this time. This is something I have to face on my own. I flew to Mexico by myself when I was 12, I started my own business when I was 20, and a year and a half ago I gave birth to an 8 pound 11 ounce baby… without any medication, but somehow the computer intimidates me. I can do this though, I can learn how to update and customize my blog. I am going to try and make that happen this week in my own Extreme Makeover: Blog edition. I hope you will bear with me. I have no idea what to expect as my site goes under construction, it could get messy.

Discovering Music

One of the most incredible parts of being a mom is the joy of seeing your child discover and experience something for the first time. While talking about music this week I began to think of my 1 year old son and how he seems to already take after his father and I when it comes to being passionate about music.

I remember being 8 months pregnant and going to a Delirious concert. The sound and energy in that auditorium was so strong that my baby boy was just kicking away to the rhythm of the music the entire time. I will never forget it.


As soon as he could sit up he would bob his head to whatever song would be playing. You don't have to teach a baby to dance it's just something that is inherently in them. Often times they can't even talk or walk yet, but boy do they know how to bounce when there is a good beat going.

Then there is the age old scenario of a toddler that pulls all the pots and pans out of the cabinets just to clank them together and make their own imaginary symphony.

One of my favorite moments in motherhood was hearing my son sing for the first time. It was just a little melody he made up, there were no intelligible words, but to me it topped the charts.


Maybe that is why I like music so much, because it comes so naturally. You don't have to understand it to appreciate it. It's not like an acquired taste or something that you grow into. Babies respond to music they hear in the womb before they are even born. From the earliest stages of life all the way through to the end music is a part of us, and when you find the right fit, it just feels good.





Photos From Top To Bottom:
My pregnancy with Z at 36 weeks
Z at our piano, 6 months old
Z on the drums at Iron Wing Studios
Video of Z and his "Gu-tar"

Rapping On Road Trips

This week I am talking about music. Music can have many purposes. I have mentioned this before, but I think first and foremost it can be a part of worship. It can also be used to get you pumped during exercise and sporting events, or help set the tone for a romantic atmosphere. One thing that I really appreciate about music is how it makes car rides tolerable. Sometimes it's the one thing that keeps you going on long road trips. I will never forget the drive from Texas to Kentucky with my parents. I was bored stiff. Out of Eden was a christian R&B band that I really liked at the time and there is a part of one song that includes a short rap. While listening to it on this trip I thought why not teach dad to rap? I don't listen to a lot of rap music, but even with as white as am, it is a little known secret that I am a closet rapper. So line by line I taught my dad this little diddy and by the time he had it down, we were almost to our destination and had managed to have a lot of fun along the way. That was over 10 years ago, but he still remembers it (for the most part). It just so happens that my dad is in town right now, so after much begging and pleading, I was able to record him doing the rap on my web cam! He asked to be incognito, which explain the oversized sweatshirt and sunglasses. As far as the hand motions, I made him do that too. Thanks again dad, for being such a good sport, both in my teen years and now. With that said, I present to you the man of the hour, I.T. engineer by day, gansta rapper by night...

Froogie Boogie: Free MP3

Looking for a way to legally expand your music collection at no cost? The latest craze in promotional offers seems to be free song with purchase. Pepsi, Gap, and Amazon have all used this technique to suck in consumers. I would never recommend buying something just to get a song that is worth maybe 99 cents, but it's not always a bad thing. You may have passed up free music before because of the hassle. You have to have itunes, you have to know the code, yada yada yada.

On the other hand anyone with a mac or a PC can download itunes for free at itunes.com and when you do you automatically have the option of downloading a new free single every week. Starbuck's also has free songs available every week. They look like this
and a lot of my music has come from a collection of these handy dandy cards. I discovered Citizen Cope, Jem, and Adele through downloading a free single and I love these artists. I don't download everything, just what I think I may like. If you did though, you could get 2 free songs every week. Over a year you could have more than $100 worth of free music. You don't get to pick what songs you get, but free is free, and sometimes you might get just what you were looking for.

What's Your Pandora Station?

Music can be so defining. We associate different types of music with different cultures, clothing, ages, and even personalities. Someone that you think you could classify may listen to a style of music that breaks the stereotypes. Music has the power to form bonds between total strangers. It can sway your mood, make you move, it can be inspiring, or depressing. What we listen to is a part of who we are.

Today I thought I would share with you some of the music that I enjoy and I hope that you will do the same . While this should seem simple enough, my mind went blank on where to begin, so I went to Pandora.com to take a look at the stations I have created over the past year.

If you haven’t heard of Pandora it is a web based radio station that you can customize to your own musical preferences. You just type in your favorite band or song and it picks out more music that it thinks you would like. If you don’t like a song it plays there is a thumbs down button and it will veer away from that song and if you do like it click thumbs up and it will play more music like that. It’s a great way to hear new stuff or just enjoy old favorites.

Being that I have a wide range of musical tastes I have a variety of Pandora stations that I will play depending on my mood at that moment.

First off I have the Hillsong United station because I love worship music. I love Jason Upton, Brian and Jenn Johnson, John Marc McMillan, and Phil Wickham who I got to see live in concert a couple nights ago. It was awesome.



Second, I have the Jeremy Enigk station. I listen to a lot of rock music. Some of them are legends while others are indie. My favorites include Wilco, Cold Play, Midlake, U2, Eisley, Mute Math, Matt Kearney, Rogue Wave, Radiant and the list goes on.

My third Pandora Station is Bobby Darin. I love the big band era. I don’t listen to Swing music that frequently, but sometimes I just need my fix of Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and Rosemary Clooney. Pandora’s great, but I prefer listening to these classics on vinyl.

Lastly, I have a Justin Timberlake station. I have to have some upbeat music when doing housework. Although I couldn’t rattle off a bunch of hip hop artist that I listen to, I am not ashamed to admit that I do like to shake it every now and then.

That's pretty much it other than Lauryn Hill, Water Deep, The Cranberries, The Once soundtrack, and Adele.

Surely out of all that music we must have something in common, or maybe not. Either way share with me your Pandora station, or what it would be if you had one. There just might be a connection there.

Look Back and Laugh: Band Names

I have never really been able to keep up with all the up and coming artists that hit the music scene. I have also never been able to figure out what the deal is with the obscurity behind most of these bands names. Put the two together and you end up with a lot of confusion.

When I was around 11 years old I remember one of my brothers friends asking him if he liked Smashing Pumpkins. I had never heard of the band so I thought he meant literally smashing pumpkins. When my brothers said yes, I couldn't believe this news. I could just picture him smashing pumpkins into smithereens and I wondered if he had any other secret obsessions that I didn't know about like crushing watermelons or smooshing bananas?

When I was 16 I was out on a date that was actually going quite well until I was horribly offended by what I thought was a very perverse question. He asked me if I liked Barenaked Ladies? I couldn't even answer. I just looked at him shocked and disgusted thinking "what kind of girl do you think I am?" I guess he caught on to the fact that I was unaware that Barenaked Ladies was a popular band and he sorted out most of the confusion. We still never had a second date though.

More recently I found a CD in my husbands car that looked like it had a girls handwriting on it and it said "death cab for cutie.”
“Oh you have got to be kidding me” I thought. I figured Death Cab was the bands name and Cutie was the inappropriate nickname some girl had come up with for my husband. No one is going to be burning CD's for my husband and calling him cutie! Once again, I was relived to find out that Death Cab for Cutie is a band, and my husband's friend just happens to have girlie handwriting.

I don't see band names getting any simpler, they have been this way for as long as I can remember. I am sure I will have more funny stories in the future, and probably even embarrass my children at some point. I can just picture it now "No mom, texting with my pinky is a band. It's not something you actually do!"

A World With Music

I have talked about a lot of things on this blog, like thrift store shopping, poetry, saving money, TV, decorating, shoes, games, and CHOCOLATE. These are all things that I love, but one of my most beloved pastimes has gone with very little mention and that is music. Who doesn’t love music? It really is the universal language and I don’t know how I could possibly narrow it down to a one week topic, but I will do my best.

I have always been a music lover. When I was little they called me “the singing bush” which was a character from the 3 amigos, an actual bush that sang constantly.
I grew up in an Assembly of God church and music was a big part of the services there. I am not talking about organs and hymnbooks. I am talking about a loud, key pounding, bass booming, dancing, clapping, shouting, revival culture. So that was my very first introduction to music, particularly live music, which I think is an important aspect.

I pretty much listened to whatever my parents did until the adolescent years. Then I began to experiment with my own style of music. Being the 90’s that style would include genres such as alternative, punk rock, ska, and sometimes maybe even a little pop. It wasn’t just about the music though, it was a lifestyle. I was always going to shows to listen to a live performance late into the night, dancing, singing at the top of my lungs, and being surrounded by other people sharing the same experience.

When I got married my husband insisted on live music for our wedding and he even surprised me with a love song that he wrote for me. When I was preparing for labor with my son I had spent hours strategically selecting songs that would make me feel calm and peaceful, which included the song that my husband played on our wedding day. He is currently on staff at our church and leads worship every Sunday and Wednesday. That means I get to enjoy live music every week, worshiping God with body of Christ. What an awesome opportunity. I cannot imagine a world without music.

City of the Month #5: Santa Fe

For the month of January I had to highlight the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It seems like the perfect destination for a winter get away. This article from the New York Times has great information on how to make the most of the “off season” tourist attractions and doing it cost effectively.

I love art, and Santa Fe has no shortage of it. From the famous Georgia Okeefe Museum to the native American exhibits you could spend days on end just experiencing the art culture that is buzzing throughout the area.

However you can’t spend all your time viewing galleries when there is so much outdoor recreation to experience. It is such a beautiful and unique part of our country that is unlike anywhere else I have been. If it’s beautiful sunsets you are looking for, you got it, if you are interested in hiking or skiing, well then, you are all set.

When I visited Santa Fe last year I didn’t get to spend a lot of time there, but we packed in as much as we could on our short trip and I would LOVE to go back. We were able to stay at a simple, but very comfortable hotel in the downtown area and everywhere we needed to go was in walking distance. There were all kinds of wonderful restaurants and shops and we had a great time.

I can’t end this little feature on Santa Fe without mentioning the chocolate. You can imagine any city that is famous for it’s chocolate has already won my heart. You can get decadent sinful hot chocolate at any corner and not just one kind, but many different flavors, including the famous Mexican hot chocolate made with spicey chile, yum! Oh, and while I am on the subject I have to mention the Chocolate Maven which is famous bakery, with all kind of must have menu items. The pastry chefs and the entire kitchen are on display behind glass near the dining area just adding to the atmosphere of this little hole in the wall restaurant.

Santa Fe; a relaxing, entertaining, memorable experience.

2008 Memories: Conclusion

This week I have shared some of the most memorable moments from my life in 2008. I talked about when my parents renewed their vows, our trip to Colorado, my son's first word, and my new car. Not really too much to report. We didn't suffer from any natural disasters, we didn't win the lottery or save the world. Yet, when I really stop to think about it a lot has happened.

My son has gone from being a snugly, chubby, baby...


to an inquisitive, rambunctious toddler.


For the past 4 years I have lived with an old kitchen that was falling apart. I had a stove that I had to light by hand that could barely heat to 350 degrees. There was no dishwasher, garbage disposal, or even sprayer hose for that matter.


It may have taken half the year to do it, but it's finally been remodeled. Even as I write this I am sitting by our kitchen window at the booth my husband built and looking at the new appliances, cabinets, and counter tops. I was happy before, but I am truly grateful for this blessing.


This past fall one of my best friends was expecting a baby. Her due date approached and nothing happened. Weeks went by with still no labor. We prayed and prayed for this little one and when the time was right he came. Now they have their healthy, precious, baby boy and we celebrate his life.


My husband's grandmother passed away at the end of the year. We were all praying for this lovely woman that expressed her desire to go home to be with Jesus and when the time was right she went. We've come closer as a family as we remember her and celebrate her life.



Now here we are in a new year and I guess you could say it's just the same old same old, but somehow it adds up to be so much more.

2008 Memories: Part 4

One of the biggest events of my life this past year was getting a new car. Anyone that has been through this process and doesn't have money to burn knows what a huge decision this is. I remember when we got my husband's car a couple years ago. He knew exactly what he wanted and we searched far and wide to find just the right one. At one point we traveled across the state to go look at a car that had been listed online. After a year of sharing a car, months of searching for cars, and traveling all day we finally met up with the dealer. I was sold. My only question was where do we sign?

My husband however, was more reluctant. He he looked under the hood, he jiggled every part he could reach, and checked beneath the seats. He even started sniffing the interior. I knew sniffing was a bad sign. I urged him to expand his mind. "It's just the aesthetics", I told him, "lipstick and rouge."

We left without a car that day, but my husband being the thorough man that he is had gotten the vin number and plugged it into carfax.com when we got home. Turns out the car had been stolen, wrecked, and found in a disaster area of New Orleans. Oops, so maybe I was a bit hasty.

That has nothing to do with this year though. That was pretty much my husbands car, this year I got MY car. It was kind of the same emotional roller coaster as last time. At one point I even fired our loan officer without telling my husband. It was bad. It all worked out in the end though. I found this email I had sent to my friend back in May when all this was going on. I was telling her about how long everything was taking and all the hoops we were having to jump through. I was stressing out, and compared it to buying our house. I will conclude with an excerpt from that email,

"I look at it this way, the bigger the decision the more complicated the transaction so it goes...
House
Car
Television
Shoes
Milkshake

and that is probably why I end up drinking so many milkshakes."

2008 Memories: Part 3

If you have been following my 2008 memories you might have noticed that part 2 is missing. There is a video that goes with it and I have been unsuccessful at embedding it. Hopefully I will get that up soon.

The first year of life brings many firsts. Before I had children I thought it was just first word and first steps, bada-bing bada-boom. Since I've had my son every little new accomplishment is a major event to document. You have the first smile, the first laugh, the first time clapping etc.
Here is a video of me obsessively looking for that first tooth. Bare with me on the annoying baby talk, it is another one of those things I didn't understand until I became a mom.


It isn't always clear cut when that milestone event takes place, at least not for me. Let's take the teeth for example. Does the first tooth have to be all the way out or is it considered a tooth once it breaks the skin? If the first time they roll over they are on a downward slant, does that count? What about first steps, do they have to stick the landing?

With that said we have had many milestones in 2008 whether or not I can clearly define when exactly they first happened, but I will never forget the day he said his first word. He mumbled mama and dada for a while, but it wasn't neccesarily directed to anybody or anything in particular. He could say ball if I said it, but I just assumed he was repeating me without really understanding the meaning. Of course I wasn't going to let the little guy off that easy, so I put him to the test and the next time I got a ball out I didn't say a thing. He began quietly chirping ba...ba...? I knew he was saying ball and I was so excited. He still loves balls, but he gets a little confused when he sees oranges, melons, or any round fruit. Every time we go through produce he starts pointing and shouting enthusiastically "BALL, BALL, BALL!" He'll get it eventually.

So that is the story of Baby Z's first word and just one more moment that made 2008 such a memorable year.

2008 Memories: Part 2

I have had some really awesome road trips in the 8 years that my husband and I have been together. This past trip we took to Colorado in April was no exception. It was the first time we had taken a vacation with the baby. Truth be told, it was technically a business trip because I was photographing a wedding, but you better believe we made the most of it, taking days to get there and come back. There were so many great moments that I don't think words would do justice, so without further ado here is a glimpse of my family getaway 2008

Colorado

Look Back and Laugh: Blue Teeth

There were many funny moments of 2008, but the one that sticks out in my mind was when my husband left the house with blue teeth.

I have written in a previous blog post about just how much I love Listerene Smart Rinse. So when I saw Agent Cool Blue on sale at CVS and had a coupon I figured it would be the same thing and I snatched it up. My husband used it first and after a sufficient amount of swishing he spit and smiled. We both immediately noticed that his teeth looked slightly blue.

I told him that was just how listerene is at first and it goes away after a minute or two. Later this proved to be one of the moments that I only thought I knew what I was talking about because after I used the Agent Cool Blue my teeth started looking pretty tinted themselves, and I decided to read the bottle.

As it turns out it is a "pre brush tinting rinse" unlike Smart Rinse which washes your mouth out after brushing this is a product designed to help kids learn how to brush more effectively. You use it and brush until all the blue is gone. Don't you just love it when it's the kids stuff that makes you look like an idiot?

That was the last time we used the Agent Cool Blue after brushing and hopefully the last time we have blue teeth, with exception of maybe a snow cone or two.

2008 Memories: Part 1

“Let's start at the very beginning a very good place to start…”

Before I go into a rendition of “Do-Re-Mi” let me begin with my first memory of 2008. We started out the New Year in Kentucky for my parent's 30th wedding anniversary. They never had a wedding ceremony when they got married 30 years ago. That is why we encouraged them to renew their vows and do it up big this time.

The ceremony began with a slideshow of my parents throughout the years.


Then my brother played Canon in D on the guitar as they walked down the aisle together. My dad was wearing a brand new suit with some very rockin' snakeskin boots from Aldo that his sons had all chipped in to get him. My mom had a light gold, almost beige, formal gown with a lace jacket. My aunt stood by my mom's side as the maid of honor and my oldest brother was the best man for my dad. Their pastor officiated the ceremony in the same church that they went to when they first came to the Lord 26 years ago. In fact my mother was baptized there when she was pregnant with me.


My favorite part of the ceremony was when the pastor asked each of them “if you were back in that moment, knowing everything that you know now, would you do it all again?” Of course they both answered with an exuberant yes, otherwise this probably wouldn't be one of my top memories of 2008. This question was of great significance to me because my parents haven't had it easy. They have lived in and out of the country, they've struggled financially, they lost their youngest son and they've been wounded throughout the years. So when you pose a question like that it holds weight, it bares some thought. It was in the midst of all the struggles that they have grown closer and I think the 30 year marriage is testimony enough. So they stood at the alter, surround by family and loved ones who have watched them grow together over the years. They now not only have their 3 children, but also a son and daughter through marriage, a brand new grandchild and most importantly are still madly in love. With all that, how could you not want to publicly declaration of your commitment to one another?

They ended the ceremony with the song “everything I do I do it for you” and they walked down the stairs and slow danced together while the band continued playing in the background.



Some people have an extravagant fairy tale wedding and may or may not end up in a successful marriage. My parents on the other had never had the beautiful wedding ceremony, but they have beautiful memories and a legacy that has made an impact and will have a lasting affect for generations.

MY 2008

Last week I did my best to highlight some of the newsworthy events of 2008. I talked a little bit about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Michael Phelps, Tina Fey and Sarah Palin, none of which really had any affect on my life this past year. That is why this week I have decided to switch gears and talk about 2008 from a personal perspective. I often get in such a hurry to set new resolutions and to think about all the plans for the new year that I never really take the time to reflect.

We get so busy. Most of the time I keep busy by chasing the baby around all day!
"Don’t turn on that water." "Stay off the table" "No jumping on the couch" "PUT THAT DOWN!"

Then when I stop to think about it this time last year there was no chasing the baby around. He was merely 5 months old, and not even crawling, in January. That’s when it hits you that a lot happens in just one year.

My personal year in review will be entirely different than last week's. There won’t be any Britney Spears contarversies, no reports on the war, just a messy mom and her little family in an old house in Texas. This is where I experience the day to day life as I know it, life as I love it.

2008 Year in Review

2008 went by so fast, as did this week. It’s the last day of my Year in Review, and the only things I’ve talked about are, The Writers Strike, The Brangelina twins, and The Pregnant "Man". I never even touched on the biggest events of this past year such as The Olympics, The Election, and the Economic Crisis.

So here is my attempt to sum it all up in a few brief paragraphs.

The Olympics ’08 were monumental and had the entire world captivated for over 2 weeks straight. This is largely due to an American swimmer named Michael Phelps. Ever heard of him? Probably not before he smashed one record after the other, but just look at him now! He had us all on the edge of our seats, waiting, watching, and anticipating. Sometimes it was so close… to a wardrobe malfunction. Okay, maybe it wasn’t all about the ultra low swim suits, but they did have me nervous.

Now onto the election. We already now how historic this event was. So in order to keep it short I will just skip the sentiment and hope that I don’t get ostracized from the internet community because of it. I do want to mention one piddly observation though. This year was the most entertaining election of all time, this was due in part to Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and the look alike Saturday Night Live comedian Tina Fey. They really do resemble each other, one major difference is how much Palin was known for her beauty queen image, while Fey, who looks a lot like her, has never really been recognized for her looks. This is funny to me, one women is surrounded by politicians while the other is in the entertainment industry (and we all know what kind of women are in the entertainment industry). So what we have is the funny creative genius and a woman that is considered pretty, but ditzy. Just a little food for thought, with no relevance to the election whatsoever.

Lastly the economy. My economy hasn't really changed much. If it wasn't for the news I might be encouraged by low gas prices, awesome coupon deals, and steady work. In closing, because I would hate to end on a happy note, I should mention that unemployment numbers are on the rise and I am aware that many major banks and corporations are going under which affects a lot of people and in the long run affects us all.

So there you have it- The Messy Mom’s take on 2008. 2009 is here and I am sure it can only get better, right?

Froogie Boogie: Expired Inserts

Back in September I did a series called The Call of Coupons where I talked about how to get in on the money saving sensation that is sweeping the nation. I got a lot of response to a little video I put together about coupon organization.



It's a new year and and a lot of the coupons from '08 are expired. So it was high time for me to REorganize. I lucked out by finding a list of expired inserts on slickdeals.net which saved me a lot of time. This a great extensive list, but it only goes to December 1, and because the inserts vary by region I had some that didn't match this list.

Out with the old and in with the new. I threw away a ton of expired coupons and I feel like I accomplished a lot, so I wanted to help any other froogies that have an overwhelming stash of coupon inserts that need clearing out. Here is a list that I have compiled of the inserts that are still useable. It starts with June and ends in December, because I am a little behind on buying the paper. For future reference I plan on writing the expiration of the insert on the front so that it is easier to know when to toss.

Smartsource 6/1/08
Red Plum 6/8/08
Smartsource 6/22/08
Smartsource 8/10/08
RedPlum 8/10/08
Smartsource 8/17/08
Red Plum 9/7/08
Smartsource 9/7/08
Smartsource 9/14/08
Smartsource 9/21/08
Red Plum 9/21/08
Smartsource 10/5/08
Red Plum 10/5/08
Smartsource 10/12/08
Red Plum 10/12/08
Smartsource 10/19/08
Red Plum 10/19/08
Red Plum 10/26/08
Smartsource 10/26/08
Red Plum 11/2/08
Smartsource 11/2/08
Red Plum 11/9/08
Smartsource 11/9/08
Red Plum 11/16/08
Smartsource 11/16/08
Smartsource 11/23/08
Procter & Gamble 11/30/08
Smartsource- 12/07/08
RedPlum- 12/07/08
P&G- 12/07/08
Smartsource- 12/14/08
Red Plum- 12/14/08

check out the slick deals forum for more details.

Look who else is preggers

Yesterday I talked about Angelina’s pregnancy with the twins. Wow, what a year of babies it has been; everyone in Hollywood is having babies out the wazoo (no pun intended). Having a big round belly is no longer anything to be bashful about. At least for pregnant women, I can’t speak for anyone else. It has become such a sensation that even the men are getting on it.

Remember the headlining story of the pregnant man? Everyone from Barbra Walter’s to Oprah and even People magazine was covering it. I'll admit that even with as much as I was repulsed by the idea I was intrigued and like most of America I wanted to know just how this was possible.

I will tell you how it was possible; the man was actually born as a WOMAN! What a rip off. Here I was thinking the Arnold schwarzenegger movie, “Junior,” had become a reality.

Turns out I got sucked into an entirely different freak show.

The media is putting forth a story focused on the obscurity of this pregnancy. This is entirely backwards when in reality it is a physically altered woman, with all the inner workings of the female anatomy. Last I heard it wasn’t breaking news for woman to be pregnant. The real story should be about this woman taking drastic measures to change her gender and become masculine, that is the thing that is bizarre to me. In the end they had the baby, and they are already expecting another. “He” wanted to be pregnant again, therefore proving that "he" can’t possible be a man.

Although it may be kind of trendy to be sporting the baby bump right now, I don’t think we have to worry about it being the latest craze among men. Trust me I’ve been pregnant, this is definitely a woman’s arena and all the men I know are fine with keeping it that way.

Brangelina twins

This week I am adding in my two cents on the headlining stories of '08. Although it may not have any significance in any of our lives, it was big news when the Jolie Pitt twins arrived. Actually, I guess it was big news before they arrived.

Of course there could be no greater star power than the cosmic couple that is Brad and Angelina, or Brangelina if you are into that sort of thing. It all began with... a divorce, quite frankly. So we are already off to a fairy tale beginning. First comes love, skip the marriage, then comes several babies one after the other in a baby carriage. It really is the classic love story.

I am not trying to bash the Brangelina empire. In fact, I actually feel really bad for them and the lives that they live under the microscope of the media. I was looking in a magazine once where there was a picture of Angelina Jolie, her oldest son, her newly adopted daughter, and a big pregnant belly. The caption was "She already has her hands full, how we she handle the next baby?" and I thought to myself "GOSH. I don't know? No one has EVER had 3 kids before!" Since then the star couple has doubled what was an already shocking number of kids, by Hollywood's standards.

Then when she was pregnant with the twins, their was another headline in bold letters "IT WAS INVITRO." Is it just a coincidence that all of these celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, and Julia Roberts are waiting til mid to late 30's to start having babies and they all just happen to have twins. 35 is by no means old, but let's just say that in the world of fertility and eggs you are no longer a spring chicken, and having a little help with conception can greatly increase the chance of multiples.
I am not saying that none of these twins were conceived naturally no more than I am than I think that all skinny celebrities with big perky breast have had implants. It does happen. Either way, I don't care.

Lastly, the tabloid rumor that really gets me is, "Angelina pregnant again?" AHHH, I know these are just magazine covers and I need to ignore them, but they just make me either want to laugh or scream. Once again, maybe she is, whatever. What makes me mad is that everybody is always pregnant when it comes to celebrity gossip. If they are going to just throw out false rumors, maybe someone should get a little more creative. When they show the alleged proof of pregnancy by an arrow pointing to a baby bump it usually looks to me like a wrinkle in a shirt. A more accurate headline might be "Angelina had lunch" even that would be a stretch.

Okay, I am done ranting now. Best wishes to Brad and Angelina, and anyone else with twins, or a baby bump, or who maybe just had lunch.

Look Back and Laugh: The difference between Al Qaida and Alcoa

I'll admit it, I am no expert when it comes to world affairs. I have a hard enough time keeping the details straight in my own home, so if it is happening around the globe it's pretty much out of my league. So that's the first disclaimer explaining why I told people that my dad worked for Al Quida. One other thing I should mention in my defense is that this little error took place many years ago when the war in Iraq had just begun.
With that said, here is what happened;

I had a great opportunity as a budding photographer to work on a local ad campaign. I was nervous enough as it was and when making small talk with the graphic artist I mentioned that my dad worked for Al Quaida. He didn't react at all so maybe he didn't even hear me, but later (days later) I realized that I may have made a huge mistake. So I went straight to the source to check with my dad about his employer and he said he worked for ALCOA. I then realized the magnitude of my blunder.

Al Quida- a Sunni Islamist terrorist organization whose fatal techniques include suicide attacks and simultaneous bombings of different targets.

Alcoa- world's leading producer and manager of primary and fabricated aluminum, and is active in all major aspects of the industry.

One time I asked for Pomeranian sauce at Chic Fila when what I really wanted was Polynesian. How can words sound so similar and yet have such different meanings. Of course this kind of mix up is expectant from someone just learning the language, but I am not fortunate enough to have that excuse. In conclusion I want to be clear that my dad is not a terrorists and luckily the feds never showed up to make any arrests.

The Writers Strike

It seems like everywhere you turn right now from the Sunday Paper to Entertainment news programs everyone wants to sum up 2008. That’s what January is all about. It is a time to recuperate from Christmas, set goals for the new year, and look back at the year that just took place. I was looking through a magazine this afternoon that featured yet another "Year In Review" article. It mentioned the writer’s strike which I had completely forgotten about. Alas, the grueling 14 weeks of turmoil that seemed to drag on forever doesn’t seem so significant almost a year later.

This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve mentioned the writer’s strike on this blog. This excerpt was taken from The Kitchen Chronicles, August 28, 2008

“I don’t remember exactly how it happened, but I guess I felt like if the writers were going on strike for something that they were well compensated for (compared to the average American) for something that they loved to do, then I would go on strike for something that I wasn’t compensated for and I was sick of doing. Thus began my cooking strike”

That pretty much sums up how the writers strike affected me back in January and February of 2008. On the other hand this was an important issue for the Writers Guild of America. Times are changing and while more people are enjoying their television programs through the medium of DVD and the internet the studios are benefiting from it and the writers are expected to sit back and crank out scripts without seeing any money trickle down. So they quit crankin’ for a while to prove their value. In the mean time lots of people were involuntarily out of work, and many shows were never able to recover from the off air break. Some such as 24 are just now airing an entire year later!

After a long hiatus the writer’s are back and we all get to watch our favorite programs again and . The awards shows are back too, which may or may not be a good thing, but anyway everything is pretty much the way it was in the first place.

Was it worth it? Was it worth the hundreds of millions of dollars it cost what we now know was an already faltering economy? Did the production companies learn a lesson? Do we have better appreciation for the writer’s behind our favorite programs? I don’t really know. The point is the writers felt like they needed to take a stand and set a precedent before it was too late. They fought long and they fought hard, and they won… I think.

News worthy events of '08

There is never a dull moment here in the fabulous US of A. If there were, you wouldn’t know it by watching the news. 2008 brought a wide range of hot topics. This year we have seen it all, from a monumental election to the downturn of the economy, and for the entire life of this blog I have kept my mouth shut on such issues. I try to keep things topical and stick with what I know, like being messy and being a mom, thus the name. However, I will grant myself this one week to cram in everything that I would have wanted to say about the big news worthy events of 2008. It will be like hot topics on The View only instead of rich women sitting around a table it will be a 26 year old mother sitting at her computer. Sounds great, doesn't it? Stay tuned.

Christmas '08

The holidays are officially OVER. Other than a few lights that some of my neighbors are still showcasing at night, all of the Christmas festivities that have consumed our lives this past month are now no more than a mere memory.

We just got back from spending the holidays with family in Kentucky. We had a great time. My family decided to take a different approach to gift giving this year and we did almost all home made gifts. I'll admit I got off easy by giving professionally printed photos that I had taken...


My mom gave homemade recipe books of some of her favorite dishes, which also included the history behind them, and family photos. It was such a wonderful idea; cute, practical, and sentimental.


My brother, who has always been the most eccentric one, decided to make mink hats. I have never had a mink anything, so this is definitely a fun gift and very warm too (sorry PETA). This is a photo of my mom in her hat. Each one had was a slightly different style.

My sister in law made me the coolest apron ever. It has 3 different prints that all coordinate. I think it will help me with my resolution to cook more. This is a photo of me in my parent's kitchen cooking dinner for the family.

This next one will probably be in the record books as my all time favorite present. At first I thought was a framed poster, but it is actually hand painted. It is a replica of a painting by a famous Italian artist, and my dad customized it special for us. It fits in perfectly with our newly remodeled breakfast nook.

I am so touched by the time each person took to pour their talent and creativity into each gift. Christmas '08 might be just a mere memory, but it's a good one.