Babblin Fool

Children.
Aren't they great when they cooperate for a great photo?
Nothing like getting Bobster's arm in the photo as well.
Thank God they are all varying ages.
I could imagine if they were all 4 & under.
Good Lord!

OOH! OOH!
I won a prize in Target's Bless Your Nest Sweepstakes.
2nd prize, matter of fact.
Are you ready?


Wait for it!


Wait for it!


I won a recycling bin.
Yep.
It's black & says Dasani on it.
We will be using it for toys since we have a big ole recycling bin out back for the complex.
It was a nice surprise tho.
I love to win.

A few weeks back I got a coupon for a totally free bag of Ore Ida Sweet Potato Fries.
Cheeks called them "Tiger Fries" because they were orange & black from were they got a little too done.
Sadly, no matter how done they were, they sucked.
Bobster ate all his only because he was hungry.
I wasn't that hungry & mine hit the trash.
I really just don't get the whole sweet potato phenomenon.
Like the Grandpop says "Good is what you like!"
Have you tried them?
Did you like them?

Now that summer is here, I'd like to address a little wardrobe issue.
I understand it's hot.
I understand plenty of people don't give a hoot about what others think
BUT
Just because of these two reasons, does not give one the right to let it all hang out.
You know what I am talking about.
Bra straps showing.
Muffin tops spilling over.
Cellulite jiggly on the thighs in the Daisy Dukes.
And most of all, unsightly feet in flip flops, sandels, slides, whatever.
It takes minutes to make your feet pretty.
Please.
Do it for the public.

I tend not to wear shorts.
I'm more a capri girl.
Why?
Well Casper is tan compared to me & my thighs are not for the eye of the public.
Trust me.
I am keeping them to myself.

So just a note.
From me.
To you, if you fall in that category.

So tell me, what do you like to wear for the summer.

Caio!

What I'm Reading Now: Here, Home, Hope by Karia Rouda

Let me tell you about this book...love it!
It is such a fun read.


Here's a little background about it:

Kelly Mills Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her ordinary middle-American existence and her neighbors’ seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding but exhausting.

This book is a fun, easy, relatable read.


For the first time in a long time, I relate to the main character. She wants something to call her own, do what she wants to do, loves her dh, her kids & takes in a daughter of her friends. Hello...that's me. I've taken in peeps before. That is just what I do.


Kaira Rouda writes with such ease that I feel like I am in the book. You know it's great when you get that involved. Not to mention I am sneaking, reading it at work. Tsk tsk...that's a no no but my boss is great & she is also an avid reader.


Kelly seems a lot like me. She wants to help others, wants to help herself, please her husband, raise good kids, & decorate all at the same time. Anyone whose followed my blog for awhile knows I am trying to redecorate on a budget...ha...that's means I am not doing anything because we have no budget for decorating but I digress.


Anywho, if you'd like something that is an easy read & will keep your interest make sure to check this book out. You will not be sorry.


Leave me a comment & tell me what you are reading now.
Give me ideas for my next book!

*I received a copy of the book for review from One to One Network. All opinions are 100% mine.

Signature Scent

Do you have one?
A signature scent that triggers what time of year it is.


I do.
This time of year I love:

I love Yankee Candles Cherry Lemonade.
Screams summer.


I also love their Harvest & Mistletoe.
I'll let you figure out what time of year I burn those.
Don't hurt yourself.


Cherry Lemonade is not part of their regular collection.
I think it's part of their Treasures Collection...don't quote me on that.


Other scents trigger smells associated with certain times of the year or certain memories.


There is a cologne, I have no idea what it is, but when I smell it, I remember being a kid, running around in my Uncle Bob's house. Guess he wore this scent. I think it's Stetson but I don't know...I was like 8.


What scent is your signature scent for certain times of the year?
I'm dying to know.

O is for OMG Olives!

I’ve had food on the brain lately. Must be because I have really been unable to eat anything except bread products. I’ve been living on bagels & soft pretzels, albeit last night I had mashed potatoes. Having some stomach issues. Hopefully getting them sorted out with all these visits to the docs & specialist.


What this post is really about is: OLIVES.
I do not know whose bright idea it was to eat these but they should be shot.
Don’t get me wrong, I love me some EVOO but an actual olive. Ew, patooey.
I wouldn’t force feed those to my enemy.


They are just so bitter. Then you have that little pimento doohickey if you are eating the green ones. Ick! As for the black olives that are loved by our local diners you can keep those too.


I have never tasted anything worse than an olive. That includes watermelon & if you read my last entry you will know I am not found of watermelon.


For some unknown reason these olives love to show up in pasta salads for the summer. Almost every single recipe I find has those in it. Yes I know I can leave them out but come on! Can’t we find something else to put in ‘cept the olive? Does it even have nutritional value?


I think I am just exasperated with the whole food thing lately.


Tell me what food to you despise?

Watermelon, an evil fruit

You know how you play the game of tell me something no one else knows about you.
A fact.


*deep breath*


I skeeve watermelon.
Oh yes.
Tis true.


I loathe this fruit.
I hate the taste.
Detest the smell.
Loathe the texture of the rind/fruit.


Normally, not a big deal for your average American woman.
Not so much for me.


See I used to cashier for a long time.
Summer would hit & customers were buying these babies in droves.


I took massive amounts of Zanax before I'd go to work in the summer.
Not true...not a Zanax type of girl.


I'd suck it up because I needed my job.
Truthfully, everytime I had to touch one to move from belt to the bag, I got a shiver up my arm.


I thought my phobia of watermelon was behind me.
No.
No.
No.


Cheeks loves the melon.
So like any good grandmother, the Nana, buys him watermelon, cuts it up & gives it to him.


Thank God because if he waited for me, he'd be 35 wondering why he never heard of watermelon.


Don't get me wrong.
I think watermelon decor is nice.
Little watermelon dresses for little girls...cute.
The fruit...not so much.


So please, if you invite me to your picnic, don't ask me to bring the watermelon.

Men do it on purpose.

Men fall asleep.
In front of the tv.
With the remote in their hand.

Leaving, you, the woman, with an extremely loud tv show on the Speed channel or the 89th rerun of Super Bowl 20 on ESPN.

Try to remove that remote, gingerly from the man's hand, & his eyes spring open, he death grips & says "Im watching that!"

Yes, dear, of course, you must have just blinked a really long time.

This is my life.

I'm waiting for the 4yo to try that.
Luckily we don't let him control the tv.
Otherwise we'd be watching "The Avengers" 24/7.

Who controls the remote in your home?

Summer is here!

As we celebrate the "unofficial start" of summer this weekend, let's not forget the real reason for the long weekend, pool openings & great sales.


Memorial Day.


A day to remember all of those who fought & died for us.
For this country.


Let us say Thank you to our military men & women.
The ones who are current enlisted & those that are no longer listed.

One of those we'd like to thank is the Grandpop.
Tht's him on the left.
Handsome devil, no?
Cheeks looks just like him.

And of course we need to thank my Poppy who served in the Navy & was on the USS Missouri when the Japanese surrender.  Poppy passed away years ago but thanks to him, the Grandpop & all the others we get the blessing of living how we live.

Thank you to all for all that you do!

Creepy Confessions

I, Meghan, of Meghan's Mindless Mutterings, am of sound mind & body would like to confess my creepy confession.


I adore puppets.
Love them.


I think it all began with a Madam.
Not that type of Madam.
Get your mind out of the gutter...feel like I am dealing with Bobster.


I'm talking Madam of Waylan Flowers & Madam.
Viola:

Please do not tell me you have no idea who I am talking about.
They used to be on Hollywood Squares.
In the 70's.
Although not center square.
That was reserved for Paul Lynd.
Of Bewitched fame.
Uncle Arthur.
Whose Uncle Arthur?
You're all killing me.


Anywho.
I simply get the biggest kick out of puppets.
Like stop in my tracks & watch til I pee my pants kick.


Especially Jeff Dunham.
You know, Achmed....

Cheeks recently saw his special on tv & now walks around going:
"Silence...I kill you!"

It was funny the first time.
Not so much the 999th time in five minutes.

I love the Muppets & miss "The Muppet Show"
Good times!
Remember when John Denver guest starred?
I seem to recall he was on there a lot.
Maybe he was porking the pig?

Tell me, what's your creepy confession?

Do you??

Coupon that is.
Do you?
Clip away & save the moola on your grocery bill?


I do.
I love it!
Love to go food shopping & get the bargains.
Of course, I love to go by myself because it's solitude & I can take my time & match up coupons etc.


Have you seen the new TLC show "Extreme Couponing"?
I am addicted to it.
Watch it every week & watch the reruns.
Am I sad & pathetic?
If that's wrong, then I don't wanna be right!


Where do you find your coupons?
I am mainly getting mine from the paper.


I can't print at home...don't ask.
Work frowns upon you doing personal stuff online.
Cest le vie.
I did find one site that I can print out (at work..shh!)


It is Kelloggs:



So hit the pic, sign up (it's free) & print yourself out some badboy coupons.
Mostly tho., leave me a comment telling me where you get your coupons.

This is my life.

Stress.
We all have it right?
It sucks.


My stress is so high that in the morning I get to have a CT of my stomach to see if my ulcer is going strong or what the heck is happening in my belly.


To add more stress to my life, I worry.
Worry about finances, my kids, my parents, my sister, my job, my house.
Same things we all worry about, right?


You know Saturday. This coming Saturday.
May 21st.
It's all they can talk about it.
I'll refrain from saying what it is...as most know.


Here's the thing. It bothers me.
I feel that all of the churches would be saying something about it.
Not just that one.


It's just a bit iffy.
You know, earthquake in Japan, floods in Iowa, Tornados, just natural disasters.


It gets me to thinking.
Nothing we can do about it tho., right?
I just joke about.
That's what I do when something secretly bothers me.


Like my weight.
O.M.G.
My weight.
It's not pretty.
Like not pretty in a "OMG! Omar the tent maker is here for Meg's fitting"


I definitely need to do something about it.
Or next Thanksgiving, the handlers will be stringing me up so I do not float away in the parade.
I'll give you a second to catch on to what I am saying.


As for saying, (do like that segway..NICE), my 4yo has picked up a new saying.
He debuted it at preschool today.


Apparently, he didn't like something that was going on or he was befuddled by something because he just let out with:


"WTF!"


And I don't mean he shouted the abbreviation.
Full on sentence.


Tells me it's by accident.
He knows he's not allowed to say things like that.
I don't say things like that.
Ok, fine, it slips every so often.


Told me he head it in Transformers.
Told him he will not be watching that movie any more.


Please no flames on the fact that I let him watch PG & PG13 movies.
Hence the PG...Parent's Guidance.
He doesn't get to watch them all unless I've seen them first.


He was punished.
Cries, tells me "I won't say it again. It was an accident"
Yes, yes, that word is just accidentally said.
MMhmm.


Has your little one ever said anything out of line or embarrassing?
Are you fretting over this weekend?


Caio!

Quirks

First, I'd like to take this moment to say, it's officially 2 months til my birthday.
Get to shopping now peeps.
In a mere 2 months, I will be, ahem, 29, 35 ok, fine! 41.
I think to celebrate you should all get me 41 gifts.
Deal?
Deal?
Hello, anyone out there.

I digress.

I'd like to discuss quirks.
You know like this:

source

I want to know one of your quirks.

Like do you wear funny jewelry? Do you like certains foods that traditionally do not go together? Do you have to avoid stepping on cracks to avoid breaking your mother's back?

One of my quirks is food related.

Then again, look at my shape, how is it NOT food related.

I have to say I love the skin of pudding or the skin that forms when Jello sets, at the bottom.

Oh my!

Yummy.

I just bought premade pudding tonight.

Sad to say, no skin on it.

Not that it wasn't deliciouso, it was mucho deliciouso but with out the skin, it was missing that certain something.

So leave me a comment & tell me one of your quirks!

Health Screening aka Scared Me To Death

Yesterday our health insurance came to our work place to give a free 15 min health screening.
No need to fast.
No need to do anything but walk to the training room.

So I did.
The nurse pricked my finger.
Took some blood.
While the blood went into some machine, she took my blood pressure.
Are you ready for this?
Wait for it.


Wait for it.


144 over 108.

Do you know that is high?
Yea, blew me out of my seat as well.

She waited about 5 minutes & took it again.
The same.

Apparently I am in Hypertension Stage 1.
Good times.

As for my glucose reading, that put me in the pre-diabetic stage.

They couldn't get a cholestoral reading on me becaus their machine doesn't read under 15 on the HDCL. 
My overall number is ok.

BMI index?
Well let's just say "Oh. My. God!"

My dad had a heart attack at 38.
Quadruple bypass at 50 something.

I do not want to experience either.

Both of my parents are diabetic.
I had an 11 pound, 1 ounce baby.
Passed the diabetic testing they give you but the hosp ped. said they had to have misread it.

Am I scared?
Yes!
Am I upset?
Yes, but I did it to myself.
No one else was shoving Twix bars down my throat.

So wish me luck in my endeavor to get my health back on track!

Tidbits in my life

See the shortest one in the group?
Can't show his face.
Witness protection & all.

The other day I stopped at a store to pick up some shorts for the angelic child.
Checking out, I asked him to come over to me.

He, nonchalantly, walked on over, propped one elbow up on the counter, looked at me & said:
"You are getting on my last nerve"
Well after the cashier regain her composure I said:
"Oh Im getting on your last nerve?"
His reply:
"Yes & if you don't stop I am going to smack your hiney"

Had this been me with the Nana, I'd have absolutely no teeth left in my mouth.
The Nana took no crap.
Broke a few spoons over my tushie growing up.

I corrected Cheeks w/o a smack on the hiney.
Thankfully I am no longer on his nerves.
I was worried, don't want to be on the bad side of the 4yo.

Tata!

Almost 6 years, our story

That's us.
Stunning aren't we?
I think that is the only recent pic of us together & it was taken in 2008.
Gonna have to work on getting a new one.


I thought I'd tell the story of us.
How we met.


Once upon a time a lovely red headed girl was going through a surprise separation from her first husband (i.e. never saw it coming that he wanted out..oh well, c'est la vie).


It was the end of the summer & she was out to dinner with her best friend from high school.  Some how it came up that she was indeed going to be single & that did her best friend know anyone b/c she was getting over being depressed.

Lo & behold, she did.
She knew someone.
That someone was Bobster.

The friend arranged a picnic at her house so the red headed girl could meet Bobster.

That was at 3pm on a Sunday, Aug 28th.  At 12am they said goodnight after leaving the picnic & going to a local diner to get to know each other.

Bobster was divorced, with 2 children, who just figured he'd meet a nice girl.
Little did he know the girl he was going to meet would have a hickey on her neck (not my proudest moment, I prefer not to discuss but wanted to be honest).  Bobster overlooked it and they went again that Thursday.

They continued to see each other.  Bobster ended up movin into the red headed girls apartment.
On Dec 21st, her divorce was final.
On Dec 24, she took a test that she passed with a big ole + sign.

The rest is history.  He gave her a total of 3 children (which after having an 11 pound chid, she is glad she didn't have to carry the other 2).  She gave him more hair loss, weight gain & indigestion.  What can I say, I am a giver.

So there you have it folks.
Our story.
I love him.
He loves me.
A fairy tale come true.

Tell me, how did you meet your other half?

My First Vlog~Take Two

Think the kinks are worked out.
Let me know if I talk funny!

New Guilty Pleasure

Who has seen the new VH1 reality show "Mob Wives?"

The one in red is Sammy "The Bull" daughter, Karen.
The other's are involved with the mob but I couldn't tell you how.

This show is great.
I mean it's like an accident, you don't want to watch but you do & you can't look away.


My fav is Renee Graziano. Her dad was the highest ranking member of La Cosa Nostra (crime family).
This woman is a trip.
She is someone who thinks she should not be messed with.

Tonight she said her age.
I'll give you a minute to study her.

Keep in mind the photo is most likely airbrushed.
So, what do you think?
50?
55?

That's what I thought.
Then, POW, reality hit me.

This chicky baby is 41.
41!
Darn!
Someone has led a rough life.
Of course, she smokes & we all know that will age you.

Hello, I will be 41 in 2 months.
I don't think I really look 40/41.

Maybe I do.
Don't know.

Seriously though, Renee, looks old.
She has a hard edge to her.
Definitely not Mom's Apple Pie look, know what I mean?

What do you think?
Do you watch this show?

What is your guilty pleasure tv show?

Have you met Eddie Haskill 2011?

Oh this one?
He's a charmer for sure.


Take for instance:


One night, last week, as we ate dinner I was talking to him & explaining to him that what he did was wrong (I forget what he did), when I was done he looked at me & said:
"Mommy! I love your sweater...it's beautiful"
Then gave me a cheesy grin.


Yesterday, as I put him in the car, I was explaining to him that I will always know when he lies.
Before I was finished he took his hand, tickled my cheeks & said
"Oh! Such a pretty girl! So pretty"


Sigh.


Eddie Haskill for sure.


P.S. If you don't know who Eddie Haskill is, please google & don't let me know b/c I will officially feel old.

Is it me or

Or does anyone else find "Mayhem" attractive?

I've liked him since his days on HBO's "Oz"
Remember that show?
I loved it.
Used to watch it every week.
Miss it.


Here's a question.
Should New Kids on the Block & Backstreet Boys perhaps change their names to reflect their maturity & the fact that most are married & parents?
Maybe Old Men from Around the Block & Backpain Bums?


Just throwin it out there.
They are definitely no Duran Duran.

Now those boys grew into some fine men.
My fav was always Roger.
Then I realized he was like 5'8.
Why, why, why do they all have to be short?

Did I ever tell you I almost got into a brawl in 2005 at a DD concert in Atlantic City?
That's right.
I did.

Some d-bag in the crowd was pushing his girl & he inadvertently pushed my sister.
Well big no no.
I was like "Yo, don't push my sister"
&
He got nasty but then his girlfriend pulled him away.
Thanks God.
I would have beat him to a pulp.
Ok, I would have called security but whatev!

Tell me, what concerts have you seen as adults of artists who you liked as kids?
Do tell!

Whew! Stop the world, I need to blog

It has just been a whirlwind of fun & chaos these past few days.
First up & most important today is the Nana's birthday:

That's right.
It's her birthday.
Go Nana!
Go Nana!
She told me she was 39.
Funny because I turned 40 last July & now I am a year older than my mom.
How does that work?


Isn't that a cute pic?
Nana invited Cheeks over to dye some Easter Eggs at her place.
Sucker!
That boy is messy.
I stood by, camera in hand to capture the moments.
Of course, I now have a dozen hard boiled eggs & no one, including the egg dyer, eat hard boiled eggs.


Yesterday was Easter.
Bobster surprised us with a trip to the Cape May Zoo.
Ever been?
It's fabulous!
No fee to enter...you strictly donate.
Beautiful zoo.


The nice thing was an Easter miracle happened.
I got a photo of all 3 boys.
Say it isn't so you say!?!
Check it out!

Good looking bunch, no?
17,12 & 4.
Where does the time go?
Seriously.


They are good boys.
Mouthy but so are their parents.
Of course, the little one up there, with the angelic face.
Yea.
He mooned his entire class today on the playground.
Good times.
Good times.
I was given a talking to by the preschool teacher.
Well at least he doesn't have hair on his butt is all I'm sayin.


So how was your holiday weekend?

Peep! Peep! Peep!

It's that time of year.
Time to break out the Peeps!

I love peeps.
Always have.
The Easter bunny always left them in my basket.


My favorite way to eat them is to let them get stale. So they are hard. Then I bite their head off. Sugary sweetness & decapitation...a two for one really.


I have to say I have a great memory of Peeps.
The first time I put a peep chicken in the microwave.
I was all by myself & wanted some warm marshmallow.
Grabbed that chick, plopped it on a plate, set if for 20 seconds & hit "Start"


My eyes got huge.
As did the chick.
It blew up.
Like 500x's it's size. (It was a really big microwave).
I just kept thinking, if this bad boy bursts, the Nana is going to have a fit. 
Plus I wouldn't want to clean that.
Marshmallow is not cleaner friendly.

Anywho the best was as soon as the microwave was done, the Peep deflated in size and while it was deformed slightly, it was the best warm sugary mashmallow concoction a 17 year old could want.

I must have done it five times in a row.

This year I showed my four year old this trick.
That's all it took.
He's hooked.
Loves it & asks constantly to watch.

Thankfully the Easter Bunny will be bringing some more this weekend for a little Easter Micro Fun!

I also like to add some Peeps to my hot chocolate. 
Cheeks loved this!
He said "They are swimming mommy!"

So thanks to my mom the Easter Bunny I am passing the Peeps tradition to my kids.
I was brought up on stale peeps and while they are tasty treats fresh, they are best stale.

I remember my mom, once the Easter Bunny, made his delivery, would open up the cellphane & store them in the cabinet to "age", then the best day was the day she announced they're ready.  Ah, sweetness.
Plus you can also suck on them and get the sugar in your mouth...ah, I am salivating like Pavlov's dogs about now.  Thinking the Easter Bunny is going to have make a midnight run to the store.  One fresh, let the rest "age".

Are you a fan of peeps?
How do you like to eat them?
Any fond memories of peeps?
Do you prefer a certain color? I like PINK! It's my signature color (bonus points for you knows that what movie that line is from).

Don't hold back readers.
Give it to me straight.
Yea or Nay for Peeps?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and PEEPS blogging contest, for a chance to get a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.