Survey says...

So I'm already bored with my new digs, and I'm ready for a change. However, after several runs at it I can't decide which direction to go in. So...I'm looking for a few votes from you. What do you think?

Yo, I'm totally a mommyblogger.

Home, home on the range.

Brainy Kellyology

It's storming outside, and I'm about to be blown away.

Weekly Winners

Boys vs. Girls

The Coach Stands Alone

Planning a Strategy...at least to those who are listening.

What's that screaming?
Oh. It's just Daddy again...

Swimming Lessons

Rock Star

Rock Star 2

For more

click the link above and enjoy!

Boogie Monster Crud

Another example of classy dinner conversation at Kellyology's house...

Big D, "What set you off giggling last night?"

Me,"You reaction to the Boogie Monster coming to get us."

6-year-old Little C, "What's a Boogie Monster?"

8-year-old Little B without missing a beat, "It's a monster who comes in the middle of the night and puts boogers on you while you're sleeping."

Little C, "REALLY???"

Little B, "Yeah. You know that crud that's in your eyes in the morning?"

Little C, "Yeah..."

Little B, "Well those are the monster's dried boogies."

Little C, "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!

You know he never cracked a smile.
Sometimes I have so much pride it overwhelms me!

12:47 am

I think last night at 12:47am my fever finally broke.

What fever?

Well the fever I've had from the hell flu which arrived at 11:32am last Saturday.

How do I know that it broke at 12:47 am?

Well that's the time that I got the inappropriate giggles again.

Remember those? You know. Sometimes they happen when your trying a new "contemporary" service at church and out of the corner of your eye a woman's hand goes up while her head goes down and she alone starts swaying and gyrating to the "holy spirit." Then you start giggling so hard that your husband has to escort you out of the church as to not embarrass him totally and completely? You know. Those kinds of giggles. (Yes. I know. I'm totally going to hell for that one.)

And I got them again.

Only this time I was giggling at my husband who at 12:47am jumped out of bed, landed in a sumo wrestler position on the floor, raised his fist in self-righteous indignation and yelled in a deep, half asleep man voice, "Hey!"

Why did he do this?

Well we have this snarky door in our house that connects the garage to the house and sometimes it flies open on it's own. This time it happened in the middle of the night setting off our house alarm.

And my response to the house alarm going off in the middle of the night indicating that we might have a house invader?

The inappropriate giggles at my oh so manly sumo wrestling husband.

It must have been giggles of relief in that I was finally feeling better.

Yeah that's it.

You know because my fever finally broke.

And that was at 12:47am.

La, la, la, la

You know your getting older when the class of 2008 opens a time capsule to celebrate the 100th birthday of your high school, and it's you class's time capsule which was buried before they were even born.

Starving Kelly - It was the wine.

{So last week I got a comment on Kellyology from Jessica that I should cross-post my Starving Kelly entries at Life On 20 Weight Watchers Points a Day. So after a few e-mails with the lady in charge, I was signed up, and you will find this post cross-posted. Thanks for including me ladies, and I hope the fact that I actually get 20 + one points a day doesn't get me kicked out.}

Today I went to my weekly Weight Watchers (WW) meeting and discovered I had gained some weight. Looking back over my food journal the reason for the gain was obvious. For some reason all of my social occasions for the month were crammed into one week of lunches, dinners, and lots and lots and lots of wine drinking.

Oh sweet glorious wine, why do you call to me so?

Needless to say no matter how careful I was with the points, I didn't actually eat a vegetable on some days. Or if I did eat a vegetable I totally ignored the milk. Oh and there was that one evening where I ate pickles and red wine for dinner in a desperate attempt to avoid the delectable barbecue that was being served at a friend's house.

So I went to my meeting this morning and was up 0.6 pounds. Now that doesn't sound like a lot right? 0.6? But for a person who the last time they did Weight Watchers averaged 0.92 pounds loss a week, that's massive. But what wasn't massive this time was my reaction. In fact I didn't really have a reaction at all. I sat down in the meeting, looked at my weigh-in card to see what I had done for the week, and said to myself, "Yup. That's what I thought it would be."

Wait.

Who is this woman sitting in my body?

For the old woman that used to sit in my body would berate and belittle herself for a gain until she ended up at McDonald's with a Big Mac and a super-sized fries. But not this time.

This time I sat through the meeting in a pretty good mood. I answered questions in a positive way when asked. And when I got into my car to go home I opened up my no-bake protein bar and drove right past the McDonald's that lives in the same parking lot as my Weight Watchers center.

Hey!

Maybe that old mean woman is gone.

I hope so.

The new one is a lot more fun. And, she sure makes me smile.

When do you draw the line?

So the past few weeks, Little C has been coming home with a few choice questions and comments.

While I'm fixing dinner, "Mom, why don't we pray when we eat?"

While I'm putting on my makeup she's watching me, "Mom, does God make makeup?"

When it starts pouring rain outside, "Don't worry Little B, God won't let us drown."

These questions and comments have kind of thrown me for a loop. For you see, a few years ago, when Little C was very small, my husband and I have made the choice not to attend the church that we had been attending any more. And while we've been on this break I've been spending time thinking about whether or not I even want my children exposed to an organized religion. Sure I meditate, think about things greater than myself, and question life's meaning. Who doesn't? But until a couple of weeks ago I hadn't even been to an organized religion's facility and neither had my children.

So where did these questions from Little C come from?

I assumed it came from her little friends at school. For although my family is part of a very small percentage in this part of the country that doesn't attend a church, most of Little C's friends do.

But the comment about the rain was very specific. And after I attended a Valentine's party at school where the kids prayed before they ate (yes, she goes to a public school), I started to become suspicious.

So I said to Little C, "Where did you get that?"

Little C, "What?"

Me, "Where did you hear about God and the rain."

Little C, "Mrs. Migilicutty." (Little C's kindergarten teacher.)

Boy howdy.

Was I angry.

I have always believed that a parent has the right to determine, at least until children are old enough to pick for themselves, what type of religious indoctrination their child is to receive. Who was this woman to teach my daughter at a public school about God? Would she not have been angry if her children's teachers were Muslim and taught them about being a Muslim or what if their teacher's were Atheists and told her children there was no God?

I said all of this to my husband and he said, "I don't care as long as what she's teaching them isn't harmful."

So now I'm thinking about it some more. Is what is being taught to Little C harmful? I mean if it gives her comfort during the rain, what harm can it do? But where do I draw the line? When do I say, "Enough. You are a teacher at a public school. You teach her Math, English, Science, History, Music, Art, Social Studies and P.E. You stay away from her spiritual upbringing. That my dear is my domain." And when I draw the line, when and how do I do it without out making Little C "the kid with the pain in the ass mother?"

I don't know.

It just makes me mad that I have to think about it at all.

Sometimes living in the middle of the Bible Belt makes me crazy.

"I won't forget you baby! Even if I should, yeah."

So I'm putting together a video for my class reunion of funny pictures of our class. Some of the pictures that are being sent to me are HILARIOUS! But no picture is funnier to me than my own. OK. I'm being kind. There are some that are funnier. Like the shot of our high kickers at prom where every single one of them had on some version of metallic. Can you say Lamé? But back to me...

Can you say 80's ???

(I think I still have those earrings.)

But more to the point, can you say 1988?

(Bangsimus Maximus!)

And finally can you say Prom in the 80's?

(Now those wings took some serious skill and major, and least 1/2 a bottle of, Aquanet! Not even the famous Oklahoma wind could move that mushroom.)

And now to the title of this post.

5 blogger points to the first person who can correctly identify the song from which the lyrics were taken, a.k.a. Kelly's Class Song, and the group who sang it.

Give up yet?

I'll give you a hint.

"Talk dirty to me."

Now that song screams 80's.

You don't believe me?

Go press play on this week's video selection.

{Disclaimer: I have been accused of being a Poison fan. Oh no-no, no-no, no, no, no. Someone in my class of 550 people picked it as our class song. I don't know who. But now, 20 years later, it makes me laugh. So I thought I'd put up a song. OK? Geez. I didn't lose all sense of musical taste.lol}

Starving Kelly - On Dreams

You know you're cutting back on the food when you dream that you are on Top Chef and rather than having 3 judges taste your food, you and the other chefs taste everything and the category is pie. Tequila pumpkin pie, vanilla bean custard pie, peanut butter pie, apple strawberry pie, and what finally wakes you up is the nastiness of a butterkase date pie. I guess my dream stomach was full.

Starving Kelly - Spiritually Enlightened and such...

So today at the Weight Watchers (WW) meeting they were talking about things that could get us off track like dinner club with the ladies, lunches with the 20th class reunion planning committee, coffee with the 20th class reunion planning committee, birthday lunches, stress from a possible move...ok, ok. Those were just my things that tend to throw me off of my WW track.

Then they started talking about how to get back on the track. Several ladies (Because let's just face it. The only man who was there was with his wife, and she did all of the talking.) mentioned remembering why you were there, religious motivation books (because we are in Oklahoma), and concentrating on short term goals.

Then I said it, "You know for me I had to get my head on straight and learn to feel good with who I am in the now, before I even joined. Otherwise I would just fail again." The leader lady seemed to really like this suggestion because she talked about it for a while. I was glad I spoke up.

Then it came to the awards part of the meeting. And I GOT AN AWARD! It was my 5 pound award sticker. I like mine better so here it is again for all of you readers who never ventured over to "Starving Kelly".
Much better than a gold star sticker with a 5 on it, no?

Anyway, when the leader gave me the award she said, "So you seem very spiritually connected. How does this award feel?"

Me?

Spiritually connected?

The girl whose friends all did a double take when I mentioned that I had tried a new church last weekend? The same friends who then breathed a sigh of relief when they realized I'm the same old girl and that the church was Unitarian?

So after stumbling around looking for words I finally said, "You know. I'm happy about the 5, but really I'm to the point where I don't care. I'm just more interested in living more healthy and learning about appropriate nutrition, portion control, etc."

However inside I was thinking, "Oh Crap. I hope the lady who talked about her religious motivational books doesn't corner me after this meeting."

After all I guess I am spiritually connected, but most Okies don't understand that you can be that and not be Christian. So when the meeting wrapped up I did what any chicken would do when they want to avoid an uncomfortable situation. I booked it out the door, jumped in my car, and zoomed out of the parking lot as fast as my spiritually connected body could carry me.

Wordless Wednesday - Self Portrait

Learning New Software

Photoshoppin'

I know I haven't been posting regularly but I've recently upgraded my Photoshop Album starter program to Elements 6.0 and Premiere Elements 4.0. I'm preoccupied with playing with the new features, building a new banner, and finally backing up my over 10,000 pictures that haven't been backed up. (I like to live on the wild side you know...) Hey, I may even make a video!

But until then, here's a little video that I've found particularly helpful. Enjoy!

A Good Night's Sleep

Have I told you that I most always remember my dreams? Some more than others and last night's dream really has stuck with me.

It was about my future class reunion.

In the dream some fellow alumni and I were in a room at some bar.

At the beginning of the dream there was no one I knew there, so I sat with a bunch of people I didn't know, formally known as the "popular" kids.

After a few minutes, Mr. Popular himself leaned over to me and said for no apparent reason, "You are fabulous! I'm going to buy you a drink and give you a job."

Woohoo!

But even in my dream I'm on Weight Watchers, so I had him get me a diet coke.

When he got back my high school crew, or at least all of my favorites, were there and the rest of his had shown up. I was so excited to see everyone there. I saw Cindy and Cheri and gave them a great big hug. I saw Beth and Jennifer and gave them a great big hug. And I saw a bunch of nerdy friends whose names I do not remember and gave all of them big hugs. We talked about those who were missing, and those who sadly were deceased. And we were all feeling warm and gooey with love.

Then I noticed I was out of diet coke. And as I got up to get myself another, I woke up, totally thirsty.

Now I don't know if my dream is a precursor of what is to come this July, but I sure hope it is. I mean what could be better than being surrounded by the people that you love and new friends buying you diet cokes giving you great jobs?

Wordless Wednesday -That is so 1975!

a.k.a. Why Everyone Says Little B Looks Exactly Like Me

Starving Kelly - Weighing In

Dear Weight Watcher Weigh-in Gods,

Please be kind to me today and give me a loss instead of a gain. I know that I ate almost all of my flex points, and I was sick for a few days and ate mostly carbs. I also know that I only worked out twice this week, and I griped, moaned, and complained during the two workouts that I did have. And really today isn't the best day to weigh in as yesterday I drank so much diet Dr. Pepper that I am retaining the water of a small lake.

But in my defense I am PMS'ing like a mother and the odds are you are more likely to be punished than I am if I don't get the result I want, a loss. So really this is more of a warning instead of a request.

Are we clear?

Sincerely,
Kelly from Kellology

The Mystery of the Knot

Sunday I took my daughter to see my former high school's rendition of High School Musical. As I was driving through the small town towards the school I started to get a knot in my stomach. It was the same knot that appeared when my friend sent me an e-mail concerning our class reunion. After I parked in the same parking lot that was the former "student parking" lot, and walked down the path towards the P.A.C., the knot grew bigger. Then I entered the school and my friend asked if I was having any memories. "Sure." I replied, and the knot grew bigger. By the time I climbed the three flights of stairs, handed my ticket to the teenage boy at the door, and sat in my seat, I was in full-fledged panic mode, and the knot had taken over my entire body. I started to feel claustrophobic in my center row seats and was relieved when the kids wanted to move, thus putting me on the aisle.

It seemed kind of ridiculous, you know, the way I had gotten myself so worked up. High School was almost 20 years ago. I am not that insecure girl from days past. But I tell you as I walked down the path after the show to my car my mood lifted dramatically. I couldn't figure out, however, what had gotten me so worked up.

That night I went through some boxes of old papers that my Dad had brought over from my parent's house. In them I found some work that I did early on in college. I was talking about those teen years and experiences I had had outside of school in my private life.

"What they don't see is the name calling...I have been called a slut, a whore, a loser, a failure...Adjectives that are used to describe me include domineering, hateful, selfish, self-centered, oppressive, pushy, mean, and lazy."

As I looked at those words, those memories on paper seemed so foreign to me. After years of becoming who I am now, a mother, a wife, a friend, a pleasure, I had forgotten about that girl from 20 years ago. I had forgotten all of those experiences and had instead replaced those mean adjectives with generous, loving, kind, funny, energetic, smart, and fabulous. I became who I am now, not who I was told I was. I overcame.

Sure, somewhere inside I guess the damage is still there. Probably it will always be there. But I am glad that I remember those memories the way I do now, dully. I'm glad now that my vivid memories are of babies, love, and the wiser, happier adult me.

At the Oscars Marion Cotillard who won in the Best Actress category said in her acceptance speech, "Thank you life, thank you love. It is true that there are some angels in this city." So true. They are everywhere guiding me, helping me to solve the mystery of the knot. And I am truly grateful.

Once Upon a Time

Some blogs you read for fun. Some blogs you read for news. Some blogs you read for great recipes or wonderful photography. And some blogs you read because somehow they calm you.

For me my favorite calming voice comes from a blogger who has taken up her very personal cause of Autism. So when last week she asked me to link to an entry in which she is trying to help another blogger whose three daughters have been diagnosed with Autism and whose husband has recently been laid off I, of course, was more than happy to help.

So now it's time for you to help as well. It's very easy. Just jump on over to her site, will you? Read about the fund raiser that Michelle is now championing. And if you're feeling really generous or are at least curious about the happy giving chemicals that she talks about, why don't you help out as well? Thanks.

"Once upon a time..."

You know you're not young anymore...

You know you're not young anymore when you go to the new 3D U2 Concert and the only person in the audience that doesn't have gray hair is you. (And that's because you dye it.)

You know you're not young anymore when you go to the new 3D U2 Concert and you think, "This is so much better than dealing with the smoke and the crowds at a real concert."

You know you're not young anymore when you hear Bono sing, "How long must we sing this song?" and you wonder to yourself, "I wonder when he wrote those lyrics if he knew it would be at least 20 years? Wait. Over 20 years?!?"

You know you're not young anymore when you realize that The Edge looks like your son's soccer coach.

You know you're not young any more when you go try to tell your 19-year-old babysitter about the concert and your memories of their video "Sunday Bloody Sunday" in 1983 (84?) she says, "U2? I wasn't even born when that video came out." Then you realize that the first U2 album she was alive for was Achtung Baby, which was released when she was only 2.

Weekly Winners

Like Father Like Son

Like Mother Like Daughter

Nourishment of the Power Shopper

2 Beers and a U2 Concert

3 Glasses of Wine and a U2 ConcertOne love baby!

For more

click the link above and enjoy!