Steeling Myself...

...for a week of transformation....

sigh

Prep Prom: Last Act

Helpful dawg.

Seriously, Dawg?

sigh

Kicking the Weekend Off Right

Today's Aquarius Horoscope:
May 29, 2009

You are probably going to have the urge to show off your abilities to a loved one today, dear Aquarius. Perhaps you are in the mood to impress them with a bizarre talent of yours that no one else knows about. Feel free to demonstrate your self-worth to the people around you. There is no need to hide the gifts that you have. Other people are apt to find your antics totally entertaining.

So, I am going to be more insufferable than usual?

Get yours here.

This-n-That Thursday

It's been a busy week for my little brain:

• I have discovered that you can use the switch panel on my treadmill to lay a t-shirt out flat to dry.  It will not be disturbed there.
• I have been very weepy about my babies' soon leaving me.
• My closet is finally clean.  I am going to wear the same thing for the next week so as not to disturb the beauty of it all.
• I cannot stop thinking about the first time I took my children to DisneyWorld.  The look on their faces at the wonder of it all is forever etched in my heart.
• I need to scale back my volunteering activities.
• Don't forget to visit Mango Girl and enter to win her gigantic martini glass/serving dish.
• I cannot wait for this week to end.  But I want time to stand still.  What to do....

Pay It Forward Winners!

Okay, I know you are all sitting on the edge of your blogger butts, or tossing and turning in restless, fitful sleep.  And because I want to put an end to all your angst, here are the winners of yesterday's Pay It Forward escapade.  I love the word escapade.

I went to Random.org and plugged in my numbers, and the first one was #20:  Noble Pig.  She is busy packing up her California home and moving to Oregon where she will produce the soon-to-be  Mental P Mama varietal in her new vineyard, so she declined the invitation to play.  I'll allow her excuse.  Next, we generated #14:  Starwood Gal, and she wants to play!  Starwood Gal, like Noble Pig, is an excellent cook.  Pay her a visit; you will be happy you did.  The last number that I generated was #4:  Mango Girl!  Woot!  If you recall, I pimped one of her contests last week for the MPM martini glass bowl.  She is an amazing artist, and she hates being hot just like me.  We are kindred spirits.  Except for the artist part. 

Anyway, I am excited to send these two their very own Pay It Forward prizes, which I will do when I get around to it as soon as they email me their addresses: mentalpmama(at)aol.com.

Now, carry on.

Discombobulated and More

Is it just me?

Or does anyone else feel a bit off after a three-day weekend?

However,

I do love a parade...

And there's more...

I participated in Daryl's Pay It Forward.

She sent me these goodies:

Wine holders for picnics!

And a ceramic coffee cup that looks like a deli cup;)

I commented on a shot she had of the same one on her desk.

She remembered, and sent me one!

That Daryl is so thoughtful.

By the way, her husband is just as adorable in real life as his toonsday husbandisms...

So here's the deal.  

If you want to play along, leave me a message in your comment.

I will randomly choose two 2 people to receive a gift from me!

The only thing you have to do is Pay It Forward on your blog!

Now I gotta go figure out what to do.

It is Tuesday?  Right? 

From Sea to Shining Sea

Memorial Mosaic

For all our brothers and sisters,

who cared more about their country than themselves....

Today, and always, I am remembering

my father, grandfather and uncles:

Col. A.R. Ives  

LTC A.R. Ives, Jr.

Col. R.N. Ives

Col. Y.Y. Phillips

And every, single patriot this country has known.

O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain,

for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed his grace on thee,

and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.

O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,

who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!

America!  America! God mend thine every flaw,

confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years

thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears!

America!  America! God shed his grace on thee,

and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.

Words: Katherine Lee Bates (1859-1929)

Music: Materna, Samuel Augustus Ward (1848-1903)

sing it....I dare you not to cry

And when you're finished, go here, and play along with Mosaic Monday.

If I can do it, so can you;)

A Stroll on the River, Mama Style

Our hostess.

The very best;)

George's beautiful Mama.

Another Mama.

I loved her.

Bleeding hearts.

All Mamas know this.

What are these beautiful things?

Mama Hawk.

Plus 3 babes.

Riverside Park, NYC, May 23. 2009.

On the Road

I am getting ready to go get that Annie.

  And some potting soil.

And drive down the road a bit to Daryl's place in NYC.

It's hard to schlep potting soil around town.

So we're going to help her out.

Because that's how we roll.

And we'll hopefully meet up with another Bloggy Friend;)

And maybe some Fleet Week Sailors....

I'm Not Feeling It

Maybe this wasn't the best time to wean myself off caffeine....

Today's Aquarius Horoscope:
May 22, 2009

Your internal fire is blazing red hot, and you are ready to take on the world, dear Aquarius. This is a fantastic day for you in which your masculine, outer-directed, aggressive spirit is validated, right along with your sensitive, receptive, and feminine side. With these two sides of your being working in harmony, you will find that nothing is impossible for you to tackle on this day. Aim for the highest mountain and run to the top.

your horoscope here

I am apparently going to be too busy running everything, so try to have a good day.  And watch out.

This-n-That Thursday

Mushy brained thoughts:

• I am loving my garden this year, but have had it with all the floating cobwebs.  
• I have recently developed an addiction to root beer.  Not diet, either.  This is a problem.
• I also like ginger tea.
• I am also on a grilled cheese kick.  I like to have a root beer with them.
• I wonder when those helicopter thingies will finish coming off the maple trees.
• Does anyone else like to have breakfast for dinner?
• I have never worn my red cowboy boots.
• I am excited to go to NYC on Saturday (to see some bloggy buddies;)
• Seriously, is it just me or do you have a lot of those cobweb thingies, too?
• I love pistachio ice cream.  I wonder if it would make a good root beer float.
• What is the coldest water temperature you can tolerate for swimming?  I like a minimum of 83.
• Anyone want to add anything?  I'm hungry now.

Pimping My Mango Girl

Okay y'all...please go here and enter this contest for the world's biggest martini container/chip holder.  Mango Girl wants us to share the wealth.  I'm a little too stingy for this sharing bit....In my own little world, I think she painted something just for me.  However, she wants some new tunes....

So go give her some new music ideas.

Just don't win this ...

Because I want it.

Seriously.

Go HERE and enter;)

Well It's About Time...

My Spanx Catalogue is here!

It's graduation time.

Mama says:  "Thank you, Laude."

For Spanx.

The end.

Monday Mosaic

Today is the last day of regular classes for The Baby Bird.

High School has been fun.

And we are going to have us some good times in college!

Please join us for some Monday Mosaic fun at Mary's Little Red House.

Love, Mama

Perspective

The eye of a human being is a microscope, 

which makes the world seem bigger than it really is.

Kahlil Gibran

True Happiness

My Guru, Mari.

Is there anything better than a color 'n cut?

Except maybe a nice new pair of tweezers?

Or waking up with a flat belly?

Or...

Hmmmm

Mom of 8 Kate.

Then and now.

I want her surgeon's number.

Dear Nancy Pelosi,

Please be quiet.

Thank you.

Oh, and I would apologize to the CIA.

This-n-That Thursday

I think I may need help:

• I have never seen "The Way We Were."
• While we were sweating to death running the half marathon last month, Lucia and I decided we needed some running skirts.  I may or may not have already ordered one.
• My cleaning lady just passed her citizenship test!  I am so proud of her.  What kind of gift do you give a new American?
• I bet if I had some running skirts, my time would be faster. Just sayin'.
• Why am I the only person in this house who actually wrings out the sponge?  Helloooo?  Bacteria, people.
•  Does that Kate woman with all those kids really think her hair looks good like that? I am scared of it.  And her. Would you call it a reverse mullet?  Seriously, she can afford better.

• Why do you sleep really well when you have nothing big to do the next day?
• What is your favorite self-tanner?
• Would you rather have a pedicure or a manicure?
• Morning person or night owl?
• gah or meh?

Did Someone Say T Shirt?

Since this week has turned into a colossal mental meltdown James Joycean Stream-of-Consciousness kind of time for me, I have decided to go with your idea of an MPM t-shirt.  I think it was Ellen who said it first, and the crowd other two of you agreed!  So, I am going to make it a contest....

All together now:  Yay!

Send me your ideas, either graphics or slogans, and I'll post them for a vote.  Then, I'll have the shirts made of the winning design.  The winner will receive the first shirt!

Maybe we can get Shauna to model it.

Wait.  I guess we need some parameters.  Let's see.  Email your entries to: mentalpmama(at)aol(dot)com by Monday, June 1.  I'll post all the entries after that, and we will have our election.  I cannot wait for your ideas.  And I'm a little scared at the same time.

Go forth and create.  Love, Mama

Virginia on my Mind

I think you all know by now that my Baby Bird is going to go to school in Virginia this year.  Sigh.  I'm still working on my commutation plan, and I may have something brewing.  In the meantime, I apparently went to a Shrimp Bawl Boil at Big Hair Envy's Virginia spread last weekend.  I'm such a party girl.  Here I am flanked by Noe Noe and Big Hair herself.  See how they love me?

In reality, I had my own Connecticut version of a shrimp something.  Just not sure what.  But how cute is that bag?  Another Shrimp Bawler, Marlene, made it for me after I donated to a worthy cause.  Anyway, I had a point to all this, but I cannot remember what it was.

Seriously.  I wish I knew what I wanted to say.

  I'm sure it was profound.

Small and Clever

Aquarius Daily Horoscope

Sometimes you can see just as well with a flashlight as with a floodlight, especially if you are examining something small. The simplest solutions are often the most ingenious, and it's the household gadget that makes most inventors rich. Small and clever is the order of the day, and it has staying power.

Emotions: Fair ~ Money: Fair ~ Wellness: Good
Power Numbers: 39, 25, 31, 40, 48, 46

Get yours here.

Small and clever?  I have an idea.  Gelling in my head.  I hope everybody had a great weekend.  Mine was wonderful!  My Mother's Day cards were especially sweet.  As was my loot!  I got  mani/pedi and massage gift certificates from Squazz (and I'm not even his mother), and some awesome music from the Baby Bird.  And Augie?  He gave his mama a brand new power washer! ? 

Can anyone beat that?  Now I must be off to my small and clever day.  Cheers.

Happy May Sunday

Mother 'o Mine.

Missing you.

Making Mother's Day

For some reason, my email function is on the fritz.

But yesterday, right before that happened, 

I got this from my baby boy:

Then, the following conversation happened:

Augie:  Goose?  Did you get my emails?

MPM:  Yes.  Who is in that picture?

Augie: I don't know, but I just thought you would like it.

MPM: (still sniffling)

Happy Mother's Day to all.

Enjoy every little moment.

They aren't so little after all.

This-n-That Thursday

Without further ado--

• Seriously.  Rain?  Enough.
• Wishing my Baby Bird luck--she has 4 AP exams this week and next...
• Do I want a Kindle? The new one looks really nice.
• Is it possible to be allergic to your own self? Maybe it's just mold.  Did I mention we've had a lot of rain lately?
• I am trying to figure out how to commute from here to UVA each week this Fall.  And still be able to go to Villanova for the weekends.
• I am a little concerned that no one has asked me what I want for Mother's Day.  I don't really care, but I want to avoid bursting into tears when presented with a new skillet.
• Why can't I remember anything?
• Hugh Jackman?  What's the big deal?  I don't get it at all.
• I went to Walmart for the first time.  Ever.  
• I am starting to turn into THAT old lady. 
• Before I forget, I love Walmart!
• I think food snobs are more boring than people who do nothing but talk about the weather.
• I have a girl crush on Mika Brzezinski.
• Oh look.  It's raining.

Innie or Outie?

I think Kelly Ripa looks amazing.

She obviously works hard on her fitness regime.

But I don't think I've ever noticed her belly button.

And I'm a little weirded out.

What is it doing?

I am seriously not going to do any more crunches if that is going to happen.  I'm just so proactive that way.

No Sirree.

Oh no.  I want mine to stay like it is.

I think I have a somewhat Innie at this point.

But I can't find it haven't looked lately.

You?

picture found here

Wordless Wednesday (Sort of)

"Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative."

-Oscar Wilde

Putting It Out

To the Universe.

Wisdom and self-sufficiency.

What would you like to put out there today?

Self Diagnosis

If I get this....

No need to trace my travels.

I will have contracted it in a 17 year old's closet.

In Fairfield County, Connecticut.

On May 4, 2009.

I think I have muttered his complete name 100 times today.

Along with some other words.

I just hope the washing machine stays healthy.

Gotta Love Monday

Today's Aquarius Horoscope:
May 04, 2009

Your curiosity is operating at a very high level and your intellect is particularly acute today. You might decide to delve into such fascinating fields as science, technology, astrology, numerology, and alchemy. Don't be surprised if you meet a lot of like-minded people in the meantime, dear Aquarius. Group activities should be especially rewarding, as could visits and social events. A lot of time may be spent in the car today. Don't let all these new ideas distract you while you're driving!

I don't know about you, but this seems to be telling me to go play.  And hire a designated driver.  

What does yours say?

The Year of the Bird

I love an underdog.

I love chutzpah and verve.

I love the ponies.

Mine That Bird: 2009 Kentucky Derby Winner.

50-1.

Date Night

Mr. and Mrs Goldfinch have a quiet moment.

Usually, there are hundreds of finches at this feeder.

Did you hear that, Annie?

And, is it me?

Or is the Mister a little bit chunky this Spring?

I feel your pain Mr. Goldfinch.

I feel your pain.

Happy Friday

And remember to wash your hands.

The President said so.