A Torturistic Ritual I Insist Must Happen Annually

If you think that it's easy to get 6 kids properly aligned with the stars at just the precise moment you need them to be, wearing semi-matching clothes, sporting semi-respectable hairstyles, and semi-smiling simultaneously...

Find another blog to read! One that's written by a Non-crazed Mother!

At ten bucks per person for a sitting fee, even the local Walmart studio would cost me a minimum $60, just to walk in the door. Tack on the price of the photos, all the extras they guilt me into purchasing, plus the ones that actually ARE adorable and I've just plunked down the equivalent of what's left in gold at Fort Knox. (Scratch that...the politicians spent it on their mistresses.) Regardless, large families and photography studios for a one-income-earner family in a bad economy just don't mix. Then, you add in the hilarity of trying to get a child with Angelman Syndrome to co-operate with his annoyed-at-having-to-dress-up siblings and keep his hands out of the baby's hair while being gripped around the neck by the three year old...

Just. Ain't. Happening.

So, to make up for all these issues, once a year, I tell the kids what color to pull out of the dresser drawer (or pick up from the floor, depending on the child in question). They groan. It's simultaneous! Why can't the smiles be like that?!? I make sure the camera batteries are charged - this project usually takes a while, and I'm not about to let a little thing like dead batteries cause me to have to start over! Tom dons his armor, and collects a significant amount of noisy toys and other paraphernalia that may prove useful in distracting and/or attracting attention, deflecting flying shoes, and removing embedded articles from walls, Christmas trees, and heads.

Following below, in no particular order, are the results of this group effort. Individual photos are in order, oldest to youngest.

I need a good stiff drink, thank you!






The best shot of the day...we'll take it.



Bucky, trying to convince everyone of a job well done. Emphasis on DONE. Tiffany, praticing mid-air River Dance moves.



Bucky, posing goofy, since we're NOT done, while Tiffany tries to clean Dylan's ears.



Dylan, whining because Preston is enforcing Mom's "Keep Dylan's socks out of this picture" request.



Bucky, catching Tiffany as she decides she can't stand the pressure and will be in her trailer! Preston is apparently considering growing a mustache for those thoughtful, yet fun-loving moments when one pauses to stroke the upper lip.



All children are in various stages of recovery, following Tiffany's foot connecting with Dylan's cranium. He only required 97 stitches and a sidestop at Sonic Happy Hour for 1/2 price slushies.




Preston, nearly 18



Bucky, 16.5



Gabe, 15



Savannah, 12.5



Dylan, nearly 4



Tiffany, 17 months



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It's Monday and Sometimes I Just Rattle

THIS article is goofy! Do we really need to be told these things? I can go a step or two further in pointing out what should be obvious, but apparently isn't, since a news article has to be written to address these issues. Did they just need filler for this edition?

Bottled Water -
Everybody knows it's cheaper, short term, to drink water from your kitchen sink. (I say "short term", because over the course of your life time, you'll drink lots of water. You'll also be consuming fluoride in that water, if you live in town. So are you really saving money? How much fluoride does the average person take in during their life span? It ain't good for ya, you know! Highly toxic crap there, people.) I cringe when I see people buying those big 24-packs of water bottles. Even on sale, you rarely find them cheaper than 4 dollars a case, and that's for the store brand! Unless you're going on vacation and need the convenience, quit buying those bottles and go to your local Culligan water supplier, and fill up a few reusable containers. It's 25 cents a gallon. You do the math. (And if you're drinking filtered water for health reasons, you should be cooking with filtered water as well, by the way.)

Gym Memberships -
I think I have more friends who do NOT use their gym memberships than those that DO. "I haven't been to the gym in three months. I just can't find the motivation." Well then, can you just cancel your membership and give the fifty bucks to me every month? Go for long walks on warm days, and pick up a set of weights at a garage sale this summer for cold days. You'll be further ahead, plus you'll have the added benefit of improving your arm muscles by dusting the weights off once a month. We all know you're really not that into physical exercise, anyway.

Organic Produce -

"Sure, buying organic makes you feel like you’re doing the right thing, but it isn't always the best choice for your wallet. Fruits and vegetables like kiwis, sweet corn and broccoli require very little pesticide to grow. Others -- like avocados, onions and pineapples -- have thick or peelable skins that reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals. “Any pesticide that remains is not getting through,” says Lempert."

WHAT??!?? "Here, Deanna - we only put a little rat poison on this broccoli. It will only make your left eye twitch for ten minutes after you eat it. But mind you, if you eat the apple that we full-on sprayed with the junk, watch out for full body convulsions followed by your tongue protuding out your mouth and wrapping itself around your neck causing death by strangulation. Don't bother suing us, because we warned you. And besides, it would probably be considered suicide."

For real organic stuff that won't cost an arm and a leg, and even if you have VERY limited space, check out Square Foot Gardening. We have big plans this year that hopefully will yield much better results than last year's space-wasting attempts to be more healthy!


Music Downloads, Insurance, Warranties, Overdraft Fees - Don't we know this stuff already? Must be the fluoride...

Dumpster Diving

OK, so I'm gonna break down here and admit that every once in a while, something comes across my path that just grinds me.


Normally I can deal with these rare occurrences and no one is any wiser as to the wrestling in my brain. I am no Monk by any stretch of the imagination (my clutter would push the poor man into a permanent catatonic state), but I do have a couple squeamish tendencies that make Tom refer to me as a germ-a-phobe, in a very loving sort of way. I use hand sanitizer the minute I exit Walmart, I use my own pens to sign papers at the doctors office, and I hold the electronic stylus pen at RiteAid with my sleeve when I sign for prescriptions. I think that's only logical! Who goes to the doctor and pharmacy? Sick people!! (I also prefer my kitchen cupboards to be organized by food group, can size and labels turned OUT, and my bathroom closet to have all towel edges turned IN - does this indicate a need for psychological evaluation?)

Despite what you may be thinking right-about-now, the subject of this post really isn't my minor OCD issues. No, the subject - the daily grind, if you will - is TRASH CANS. In particular, OUR trash cans.



Our kitchen trash can being full doesn't bother me. The fact that I'm the only person in the house who routinely notices that it fills up bothers me. The fact that I am still, after nearly 17 years, explaining to my children the task of properly taking the trash to the outdoor trash can and REPLACING THE BAG IN THE KITCHEN TRASH CAN bothers me.




The lid doesn't bother me. We utilize the trash receptacle so often that I generally don't even keep the lid on it. It's stored near the trash can, and prior to company coming over, we'll dust it off and dutifully slap it on top of the (hopefully) empty can. It bothers me that I don't have a "place" for my trash can other than way-too-near my kitchen table, but it works out great for tossing the dry pizza crust and chicken wings and flipping the Corona bottle tops without getting off our chairs.




Dirty trash cans REALLY grind me. Growing up, my mother used paper grocery bags to line the trash can. Paper bags are shorter than the average kitchen trash can, so this effort really did nothing to keep the trash can clean. Emptying all the trash cans in the house was one of my routine chores, so you can imagine my displeasure at having to haul a nasty can outside to the burn barrel and watch the days' disgust roll down the side of the stained, formerly-white-now-dingy-gray can into eternal ashy oblivion.

As you can see in this picture SOMEONE didn't bother to make sure there was a trash bag in the can before tossing a few coffee grounds in, or else SOMEONE ripped a hole in the bag that was there, and a few coffee grounds slipped through. However, my solution to this problem is this: when I mop the floors, I use my kitchen trash can for a bucket. It keeps it nice and fresh. The bottom of my kitchen trash can is NOT stained, and in fact is so clean, that I wouldn't cringe if a piece of chocolate fell in - I'd probably consider the 30-second rule, blow off the imaginary germs, and depending on the day of the month, yes, I would probably eat it. Because I use a botanical germicidal spray on my trash cans, they are actually pretty clean in between changing bags. So that the other trash cans in my life don't feel left out, I let them masquerade as mop buckets every so often, too. My house may be a mess, but by golly, the trash cans are gonna be clean!



Something else that bothers me is the price of trash bags. Have you bought them lately??!? A couple years ago, I could get 96 quality bags for under $5. Now it will cost me almost $8, for 80. And the box they come in is flimsier! It's not even heavy cardboard, it's barely cardstock weight! So I had to salvage the last heavy box we had. When I get ripped off buy a new box of trash can liners, I toss the box they come in, and put the roll into the old box. I have nightmares that someone with lesser trash can liner fears than mine will toss the old box and I will daily, sometimes more than daily, have to face the fact that I no longer can purchase 96 bags at one time. Seriously, I'm tossing money into the trash can! It's preposterous!



This is my saving grace, though. It proves that I'm not a complete lunatic. It proves that not all trash cans are created equal. It proves that I can find ways to stick it to the man save money.







This came with our house. We bought this house and moved in 5 years ago today. Upon arriving in our new God-provided home, I was pleasantly surprised to find a couple outdoor trash cans loitering around the back door. Great, I thought. Wonderful. I won't have to buy new ones. So I didn't. I didn't care that this one didn't have wheels. I just prop it against the house, or the other trash cans. It works fine. It has serviced our dirty diapers, tomato soup cans (that don't get used on Tom's car), moldy bread, junk mail, used coffee filters, and empty Hershey wrappers faithfully for 5 full years.

But now...after 5 full years ... I have been put on notice. Apparently not everyone appreciates my money-saving finesse.

I've been served collection notices in the past, but they've never made me laugh. Until now... and they have a new twist. It's a NON-collection notice! Yahoo!



Two weeks ago, the trash guys left one can untouched on Trash Day. Sitting there so neat and orderly by the street, they abandoned it! We happened to have some extra stuff out that day, so I thought we were over our "limit", although we typically are and nothing ever happens. They're so nice, and they need our junk so much, they just take it for us. Our solution was to have the boys haul a couple of extra bags over to a neighboring house which never puts ANY trash out, because it's owned by a church and not occupied. The pastor's wife told us years ago if we had an occasion where we had extra trash, we were welcome to put it out at that curb, because the church pays for trash pickup for that location anyway. This was the first time we've taken advantage of her offer. (This pastor's wife had some of her own trash disappear a year or so ago, and she thought she was losing her mind. As it turns out, the police had swiped her trash bags from her curb in an effort to nail some drug dealers they thought might be dumping evidence in other people's trash. Ha!)

Voila! Problem solved. But wait! Two days ago, Preston Savannah brought in this lovely little green sticker from the handle of our free trash can. Now we know the real reason they left us in a lurch for trash space!




Have I mentioned we've lived here, and used this very same trash can, for 5 years???!??

I'm not sure why we're getting a sticker from the "Village of Delta" trash collectors. Tri-State Waste has always provided trash pickup for our village, to my knowledge. So I'm going to defend these guys by assuming that Tri-State must have subcontracted that day out to Delta, a town some 30-odd miles away from us. These guys would have no knowledge of my aversion to spending money on new trash cans, and as Tom pointed out, it is slightly difficult to keep the can standing up, with no wheels on it. This might explain why there was a dirty diaper left lying in my front yard after the truck pulled away...

But do you think I'm spending money on a new trash can now?

Think again. If I can screw a piece of wood onto the bottom of this puppy and stabilize it, I will not be replacing this trash can any time soon. The Trash Gods can just deal with it.

One Wedgie-Headlock Comin' Right Up

(image from google)

Take a walk through our county seat on a warm summer day, and you might be treated to the smell of Butterscotch or Cherry Dum-Dums being cooked. But trust me, when I get suckered, I don't feel much like taking the trolley tour of Spangler's Candy Company!

I've had some suspicious looking charges on my phone bill for the past 4 months. I thought it looked a little higher than should be, but it wasn't an extravagant amount, so I let it slide. Finally this morning I sat down to sort out last year's bills, receipts and other junk needed for taxes, and decided to deal with the problem of the extra $13.86 for Emergency Voicemail that's been lounging on my Embarq bill.

Can ya'll see the steam rising over Ohio??!?

Phillip at EBSI didn't act the least bit concerned that a John King (OK, thief! Can't you at least be original?) claimed authority online to charge my phone bill for a 1-800 number. No, Phillip can't tell me who this person is. Yes, he can trace the IP address, but I will have to file a police report and let them contact EBSI to gain access to that address. He will refund my phone bill a total of $51.80. He wasn't interested in chatting with me for long, for some reason.

Grrrrr!!

My phone call to Spencer at Embarq was much more productive, although just as disheartening. I wasn't happy with his answers, but he did say I wouldn't be held responsible for the charges. He was happy to enlighten me on how this happens, though.

It appears that there are 3 companies in particular that are allowed to 3rd-party bill through an Embarq customer's phone bill. They are the above-mentioned EBSI, and two more: UBSI, and IDL. Upon Googling these 3 miscreants, it seems that's exactly what they are - up to no good!

A ne'er-do-well boonswaggler randomly picks a non-suspecting phone number owner and signs up for various phone services online using that person's number. In my case, the twit only needed an Emergency 1-800 number, but I found other victims who had been charged hundreds of dollars for who-knows-what. Had I been hit with exorbitant bills, I would have investigated sooner; fortunately I was only being taken for 14 bucks a month - but by golly, that's a couple gallons of milk and a loaf of bread!

This problem can be avoided by having a 3rd-party block put on the phone account. Except that will mean no one can call our number collect. That could be a problem. Hmmm, Spencer, what can we do to fix this? (Placed on hold...again...) The solution to this was to place a block on each of those three companies individually, keeping the possibility of collect calls open. However, should more companies pop into existence, there's nothing stopping them from stealing from me, until I figure out what they're doing and have a block put on them as well. "Um, with all our technology, you can't fix this problem?"

"Unfortunately, Ma'am, that's the way our program works."

(Ever heard of firing your techs and hiring some real computer whizzes, then?) - No, I didn't say it....grumble...grumble...wish I wasn't trying to obey the Biblical book of James right about now...)

But my biggest question, which Spencer had no decent answer for, was this: When I call Embarq for ANYthing regarding my phone account, I have to verify address, phone number, and security word. They will not discuss my account with me if I don't know what the answer is to my security question. So how in the world could Mr. John King sign up online for ANYthing regarding my phone account???!!!????

Where's the Homeland Security when you actually need it? HA!

Bottom line? Watch your phone bills for weird charges. Better yet, call your phone company and tell them you want blocks on the 3 companies I mentioned. And if, on your way to StuffMart tomorrow to spend your extra $13.00 President Obama just gave you, you just HAPPEN to rear-end a car being driven by a Mr. John King, please remember his address for me - 'cause I'm gonna kick his butt!!!






(Googled Dum Dums Taste Better!)

Of Mouse and Me

It's no secret that my computer is dying. This relatively small mass of technology sitting in my house has been on it's last leg for several years. I might be on MY last leg from kicking the dumb thing! Today I've had to restart this confounded contraption at least 6 times. I've been quite unceremoniously booted from the Internet so often I've lost count. "You have performed an illegal operation..." Oh? Well handcuff me and send me to the clink! Does our country have a Technology Security Department that can arrest me and charge me with high treason? Oh, yeah I forgot. The Patriot Act made sure of that, with the creation of the Homeland Security Department, but never trust just ONE unneeded governmental office to do the job when two or seven or nineteen will suffice. But enough of the monologuing - this isn't about that subject...

I don't even pretend to convince myself, let alone any other human who lives in a developed nation, that I have the faintest notion on skillfully operating a computer. I readily admit that when it comes to being system savvy, I'm woefully inept. I don't often emit such atrocious words. I'm much better at bluffing than acknowledging that I have issues with which I'm not adequately prepared to deal. But ignorant I am, in this area. There. I've said it. I feel so much better about myself. Maybe I could start a 12 step program. "Hi, my name is Deanna, and I'm an idiot." I could fill a conference hall with personally handpicked attendees. Birds of a feather and all that... Just supply coffee, and nobody gets hurt...

But lest I have to take all the blame for my problem, just let me explain what I have to work with here. The device in question is the computer we purchased roughly 9 or so years ago, give or take a few months. It came fully loaded with Windows 98. (I have a brother-in-law who would scoff at that, and be able to point out myriad reasons why I should have never succumbed to that sales pitch. Again, not being properly equipped, I couldn't begin to argue with him. And granted, he does know his stuff, so I'll gracefully bow out of that debate, because I hate losing.)

Over the years, minor pieces have been replaced or added. I think that must be typical of computers, since I didn't have a problem locating the items when I needed them. I've successfully managed to install various programs. I often forget to uninstall the old programs, so naturally the system jams from overload. I'm bettin' there's a term for that, but in my bliss, I'm gonna ignore it.

A couple months ago, a friend from church took a look at the tower, he called it, and while normally this friend would have plenty to say, he basically just raised his eyebrows and informed me of the obvious - I need to update. Humph! Even I was starting to figure that one out. The monitor was showing some funky colors that aren't anywhere on the fashion wheel, so he sent me home with a 60 pound Gateway monitor to alleviate at least one problem. Wow! My kids' faces are flesh colored again in the pictures I have stored. They had been looking illishy green for long enough that I was considering calling the doctor.

On my list of things I really want, and actually need - a new computer with faster capabilities than the current model. I've been trying to browse through Shelly's homeschool stuff for quite some time, because she's WAY more organized than I am. It would be quite beneficial to my children's academia if I could utilize some of the information she provides. Nope - I think my computer's school philosophy is "If I can break it, why fix it?"

This thing is so outdated that it updated for Daylight Savings Time a week early!

Remember that last year DST extended into the first week of November? Oh come, come...you don't recall the government's further attempts to force you to become more energy efficient? (I'll note that the Honorable Ron Paul voted NO on that bill, thank you.) And speaking of ridiculous, I went into Walmart to buy light bulbs the other day - good ol' fashioned incandescents. I wanted 60 and 40 watts. Only I had to make the decision - do I want to go with the flow and conserve energy by purchasing the new 52 and 34 watt bulbs, because they no longer even HAVE the 60s and 40s available? No, I wanted bright light. So, I had to purchase the 75 watts, which isn't even 75 watts now - it's 67 watts! Am I saving energy? I don't think so! But wait, there's more - within a few years, they won't be available at all - because incandescents will be contraband. Geez, those government people are getting sneaky! If they can't cram mercury into our bodies through vaccines, maybe they can cram it into our homes with florescent light bulbs.

The fact that our government has outgrown it's britches has little to do with the fact that my computer is ailing, but given the fact that it's ME ranting right now, it should come as no surprise that the two subjects wind up marrying each other on this post. Too bad they won't have a happy honeymoon, as I'm about to go on a Gettin' Back to the Old Days rampage and shoot all technical devices in my house. Now where'd I put the BB gun?

Politicians Smell Like Bile

Dear Senators Brown and Voinovich:

Pardon me while I clean the puke off my walls as I'm typing. You don't mind, do you?
I mean, since it's your fault I'm puking, and all, I didn't think you'd mind my multitasking. Maybe you could help, since it is your fault, you know. I realize, Senator Voinovich, that your heart is heavy, and it may put undue stress on your physical body if you perform manual labor, so never mind. I wouldn't want to impose.

I called both of you today. You were apparently otherwise occupied and couldn't step to the phone, so I left a brief message with your friendly office staff. They sounded weary. I'm guessing they'd been working hard for hours. I had to wait nearly 15 minutes to actually hear them speak. The music you chose to play for me while I was on hold was a little boring, but then, I couldn't hear it real well anyway, because my six children were all nearby playing and doing their school work.

Speaking of children, did I mention I have six? You might not realize this, but it's difficult to keep food on the table with that many children in the house. Three of my children are teenage boys. Have you priced groceries recently? Our grocery bill is sometimes double our house payment. And speaking of house payments, we make ours monthly. Faithfully. Like clockwork. Every month, we stick a check in the mail to our mortgage company. They've promised we'll be done with their program in 25.5 years. So I just have to ask you? Why do we get penalized when other people don't make their payments like we do? If I don't have enough money to buy milk tomorrow, do you mind if I come to your house and empty your fridge? 'Cause my kids are hungry.

Just as a little side note, because I'm curious and nosy by nature...how does the Current Economic Crisis Situation translate
into offering tax credits for cars you plug in? My van is 14 years old, and doesn't have electrical outlets. Can I just wrap an extension cord around it and get that credit? And how can you have a solar and wind industry tax credit? Does that mean God gets a refund next year? And why do certain rural schools need extra help because of this Economic Crisis? Oh, and please tell Senator McConnell, of Kentucky, that we all prefer he uses his own money to bet on horses, 'cause we really didn't want him using ours. I suggest you have dinner with Ron Paul if you don't understand why. (He'll pay for his own, thank you. He doesn't expect his bosses to pick up the tab.)

Maybe I wasn't clear on the phone this morning. I thought I was, but maybe you mistook something I said. Since I am your boss, I would surmise that you'd listen a little more closely, but perhaps your hearing is going bad. What I told your staff to relay to you was that I wanted you to vote NO on this Big Scam that President Bush is shoving down your throat. But you didn't listen to me. I don't think I need to give you the benefit of the doubt, because I don't think you're deaf. I think you're stupid, though. If you try real hard, maybe you can convince your psychiatrists that you have a mental health problem. I'm told this new bill you just voted for has an excellent way to fix those kinds of things. Oh, forget the trying hard part - unless your shrink is a politician, he'll see right through you. The rest of us do.

And I'm sorry, but I believe it's in our mutual best interest if you no longer work for me. So I'm going to have to fire you. After today, if we're lucky, my fellow Americans will fire their employees for being stupid, as well.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go calculate if my checkbook will ever recover from your fiasco, and then I'll resume picking off chunks of Chicken Alfredo from my woodwork. Do you know what that stuff smells like, recycled?

Sincerely,
One Very Ticked Off Mom Who Will Never Vote For You Until You Have A Lobotomy And Come Back Human!!!!!

Toss 'Em Overboard!

I am so stinkin' mad I could just scream!!

The "honorable" Senator Sherrod Brown said nothing to make me want him to stay in office. (As if I wanted him there to begin with!)

Thank you for expressing your concerns with the problems in the financial sector and proposals to address them.

A lot of Ohioans, including me, are angry at the thought of bailing out people who made a lot of money making bad business decisions that created problems in neighborhoods across Ohio.
I agree that we need to avoid rewarding excessive risk taking. These institutions made unwise decisions, and taxpayers should not be expected to simply cover their losses.

Treasury Secretary Paulson this weekend sent a proposal to Congress that would give him almost unfettered authority to spend $700 billion purchasing troubled assets from financial institutions. On Tuesday, my colleagues on the Banking Committee and I held a hearing at which Secretary Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke, and others testified.

They made a strong case for the need to act quickly to prevent further damage to our economy. The turmoil in the credit markets has the potential to do great damage to a lot of innocent bystanders. I am afraid that if we do not act, the economic instability could affect thousands of American jobs and the savings of countless middle class families.

But Secretary Paulson’s proposal is not the right answer. No Secretary should be given a $700 billion blank check. Taxpayers must be given an opportunity to recover their money, and assurances their tax dollars will not fund lavish pay and golden parachutes. We need strong rules to guard against abuse, and to ensure all types of institutions and regions are helped.

In the days ahead, we need to focus on containing the damage to middle class families and local businesses as much as possible. In the months ahead, we need to take a hard look at how financial markets are regulated so we never find ourselves in this situation again.

Thank you again for contacting me. I will certainly keep your views in mind as the Senate debates ways to help restore strength to our economy.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown

HA! And to think I once met this man! Fat lot of positive influence I was!! Ba-humbug!

So sorry about all the poor middle class saps and local business owners. Better luck next time. Maybe the actual perpetrators will have to pay next time. (And no, I'm not into paranormal activity, if you're wondering. Hey! Maybe that's Washington's problem!!)

If you have not yet done so, please call your Senators and Representatives
and tell them to vote NO on any bailout scheme for the mortgage and banking industry. A recent poll indicates a mere 7% approval of a government (read that: TAXPAYER - you and I) funded solution to our economic crises. It's no solution - it's just more of the same!

We have to get these stupid criminals out of Washington! McCain and Obama aren't going to fix any monetary problems our country has. They helped create the problems! Don't vote for them! There are other choices on the ballot. Don't vote for someone that you don't want in office. And if there isn't anyone on the ballot that you DO want, then don't vote at all! Don't vote for senators and representatives in your state if they aren't doing what you want them to do. I highly doubt if too many people actually want to give banking executives bonuses for running their companies into the ground, but that's what your lawmakers are doing!


Apparently, the President no longer wants a bucket to bail the problem. Now he refers to it as a rescue, so the proper term would be a lifesaver. Ron Paul wasn't impressed with that, either. If you haven't yet signed up to get updates from him, you can do that here. The Campaign for Liberty website will keep you current with what's currently happening, from a truthful perspective.

I've used up my quota of quotation marks, and my blood pressure needs to return to a medically acceptable reading, so I'll shut up for now. But I'm still mad.

And I'm not voting for THIEVES in November, either!

*&^&*^!!#$

I love a good bargain. I'm cheap that way. If you're in the market for home school paraphernalia, here's a good place to find lots of group buy discounted resources.

Until the end of August, Discovery Education has a huge discount on their streaming subscription. Alas, due to the condition of my computer, I won't be purchasing this particular item at this point, but I'd like to. My kids would love it! I need a new computer, first. It's on my list of Seriously Need to Think About Getting items. Right below Bigger Van, Dishwasher, Garbage Disposal, and Fourth Trash Can.

Who knew that adding 2 babies to your house would double the amount of trash a household can produce in a week!!

The computer alone is about to take up the space in one trash can! And you can just forget me being Environmentally Friendly and recycling this stupid thing! Going green is exactly what this heap-o-junk has done - every picture I see on this screen looks like the best man in my sister's wedding, which took place in a (non) air-conditioned church on a hot July afternoon.

It has me seeing red. Red and green combined produce brown. Brown is the color of...well, this is supposed to be a family-friendly joint, so we'll leave that word up to your imagination. But it's equivalent to how I endearingly speak of my computer.