Pick My Shows

Please help me to find something to watch on TV,
that doesn't have a crime or medical theme.
The reason that I watch television is to relax with SH.
He works while we watch, so I get to pick the show.

There is nothing relaxing about watching House
diagnose another rare disease.
Grey's Anatomy is also now off my list of shows,
as I can't find anything enjoyable
about watching sickness, even with good looking doctors.

That leaves Desperate Housewives, which is rather
boring this season, and Privileged,
as the two shows that I tune into weekly.
Privileged is fun, although I won't miss it when it is gone.

I prefer hour long shows, as I record and skip commercials.
I do not like science fiction.
SH wishes that I did.
We both enjoy Dirty Jobs, and The Exterminators.
Whenever the Vexcon episodes were on Dirty Jobs,
I would get all excited, because Billy Bretherton is super sexy.
He isn't as sexy as my favorite Bill, of course.
I have to close my eyes whenever there is a rodent on the screen,
but I am happy he has his own show.

Many years ago, I saw a mouse run across the pantry,
as I put away a bag of cookies that I had purchased
in Columbiana, Ohio.

I grabbed PG and we slept at my mom's house.
SH waited years to tell me that he couldn't kill the mouse.
Nope, the goof drove the thing somewhere and dropped
it off to make more mouse babies. Ew!

To give you an idea of our personalities:

We still really, really miss Arrested Development.

I adored Swingtown. However, unless the Clintons
knock on our door, we won't be entering the lifestyle.

My very favorite show of all times is Freaks and Geeks.

SH's favorite show of all times is The Dick Van Dyke Show.

I am one of the few people I know who did not like Seinfeld.
One of my close friends was in Larry David's fraternity.
I still don't like Seinfeld.

Neither of us was a fan of Friends.

Both of us loved Taxi.

One of our past best television watching memories was
watching reruns of Route 66, while a baby PG slept in her crib.

I think Wife Swap is great fun. SH thinks it is dumb.
Come to think of it, SH despises all reality TV.

The Daily Show makes us happy.
We'd swing with Jon Stewart, but only if his wife...oh, never mind.

If I haven't lost most of my blog readers,

here is on more thing that makes us laugh:



Any ideas for something to keep us occupied until the Clintons ring our doorbell?

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Bean Spreads

Visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesday for more yummy recipes.

Good Morning!
Here I sit, choking down what might be the world's worst coffee.
SH thinks I use too much coffee when I make it, so today I used less.
The result was coffee flavored water. YUCK!

At least breakfast was yummy.
I can never go wrong with a rice cake spread with peanut butter.
For many years, this family has been keeping the J.M. Smucker company
in the black.
Smucker's crunchy is sooooo good.

The peanut butter is lookin' a tad anemic
Food styling and photography are not my forte.

For the past two weeks, Walmart has been out of creamy.
I suspect that SH and BG think I have been lying, as they prefer creamy.

When we aren't spreading peanut butter on rice cakes, we are eating beans.
Bean spreads are better served on bread or crackers.

Black Bean Spread

1 16 oz. can black beans
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
garlic to taste

Rinse the gucky stuff from the canned beans and drain.
Blend everything in a food processor until smooth.
Chill and then spread on bread or crackers.

Upon noticing that these recipes specified a 16 oz
can and a 15 oz can of beans, I checked in my pantry.
The can of kidney beans that I have is 15.5 oz.
Like everything else, canned beans must have changed
in size. Interesting.

Spicy Bean Spread

1 15oz can kidney or pinto beans
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 glove of garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Rinse the gucky stuff from the canned beans and drain.
Blend everything in a food processor until smooth.
Add a bit of water if too thick.
Chill and then spread on bread or crackers.

Blue Monday - Cardigan

According to The History of the Cardigan Sweater, cardigans are still a popular fashion item.
This fills my mind with relief, since I have always found men in cardigans to be quite appealing.

Upon Googling Mr. Rogers fetish, out of curiosity, not because I have one, I learned that March 20th, Mr. Rogers' birthday, is now celebrated as the day when people dress to honor him.

Mr Rogers' famous sweater was a red zippered cardigan. With all due respect, I think zippers belong on pants, not cardigan sweaters.

SH shares my adoration for cardigans. My Blue Monday entry is his blue cardigan.

If you were shopping for thrift store clothes, this sweater would be passed by.
It is faded, stained, and has its share of pills.
SH does not wear it anywhere, but around the house.
In my nightly quest for warmth, I borrow it to top my pajamas,
when all of my hoodies are in the hamper.

After my eyes were closed in every photo she took,
BG suggested we try a mirror shot.
Pretend it is arty.

Striped flannel peeking from the ancient sweater.
Words can't describe this fashion don't.

The blue cardigan is old.
While I am not sure of the exact date of purchase,
I found family brunch photos, proving this nylon number
was quite cute back in the day.

Five years before deaf daughter's birth, grandma is already signing, while
PG drinks from her bottle, unaware her mother is Casper's kin.
SH sporting the blue cardigan, and John Cougar Mellencamp hair,
holds his napkin , wishing his father in law would put down the camera.

SH wishing that I had lost the baby weight,
before I decided to plop down on his lap.

Bonus Google Fact:
Argyle fetish takes you to an Argyle , New York personal site,
not a gathering of women who appreciate designs in wool.

104,000 miles since 1992

Last night I stood in my driveway sobbing, as an expressionless 19 year old guy stared. SH handed him four copies of the key, before he jumped into the driver's seat of my old car, most likely thrilled to be escaping a weird crying woman.

First, let me explain that I am not a car person. Driving is not an activity I enjoy. If you gave me an unlimited car budget, I still would be driving my Toyota Yaris.

The car that we sold was a spare. I have had three other cars, while my sweet Corolla has waited patiently for a new owner. It seemed selfish and stupid to keep a car in the driveway, so that SH could wash it, take it for a spin around the neighborhood, and pay for insurance.

For some unknown reason, SH and I could not part with the little white Corolla. SH had bought it for me when I pregnant with BG. It was my third Corolla. If Toyota hadn't increased the size, I would still be driving Corollas. I do not like change.

The new owner has a pregnant girlfriend. I like the idea of a carseat in the car. I didn't ask if he planned on marrying the mother of his child. I know it isn't any of my business. Still, I can't wrap my head around the concept of not getting married if you have a baby.

I was going to ask if he would bring the new baby over to meet me. I refrained, only because SH would have thought I had lost my mind.

When I came home tonight, I pulled my car into the space where the Toyota used to reside. SH came outside to greet me. He shook his head knowingly as we walked into the house.

'Fro Me to You, - My Wedding

Visit Sincerely 'Fro Me to You for more "interesting" posts. You won't regret it.

Because I wasted the fancy shmancy, country club wedding on a marriage that lasted all of a minute, my marriage to SH took place in a court room. Luckily, my family knew two judges to marry me, because having her daughter marry twice within two years was highly embarrassing for my mother.

It was really inspiring to walk down the hall as people were heading to custody hearings. I was dry heaving in a public bathroom, minutes before my mom showed up with a small bouquet for me to clutch.

"I'll get you my pretty."

As I stare at our marriage license, my stepmother tells my mother how she feels about her. My paternal grandmother is smirking, as she thinks how she still likes my mom, even though she divorced her son. My father stands apart from the fray, happy that he is hard of hearing.

If I ignore you, maybe you will shut up.

My mother ignores the icy look and stares at me, as I hold back tears from the pain of the seed pearls that are cutting off my circulation. SH picks at his cuticles, ignoring the urge to tell his new father in law's wife that wearing sunglasses on top of one's head at an indoor wedding ceremony is just plain bad form.

Next week I will share more of our wacky beginning, including when someone who always dresses in tailored clothes, spreads her fashion wings and opts for a "what was she thinking" jumpsuit to wear to her wedding party. Even for the eighties, it was frightening.

Kimberly Who???

For more of the outdoors, visit Outdoor Wednesday.
Susan does a wonderful job in bringing us all together
to post outdoor photo. Susan, my apologies for my rather
lame post. I could only find one outdoor picture from
Put-in-Bay, and I refuse to go outside and show more
of my dead winter yard. Yuck.

While flipping through a photo album , I came across this photo of PG and
a baby doll. What caught my attention, was the sign. For the life of me,
I could not place Kimberly's Carousel. I figured that BG would remember.
She inherited my father's photographic memory. So did my younger sister.
What did the genetic genies give me, you may ask. Thinning hair comes to mind!

After three days of forgetting to ask my daughter where she would have
ridden Kimberly's Carousel, I turned to the man I love. No, not SH. This
time I needed help from my other man, Al Gore. Not only could I easily
locate the carousel, I found links to other places we had visited.

Put-in-Bay, Ohio is the home of not only Kimberly's Carousel, but fun
stores, and a restaurant with the best lobster bisque. The scary thing
is, we have visited there more than once. You would think I might
have remembered.

I have been rather proud of myself for always making sure photos are
placed in albums. I have also created 22 scrapbooks, where I do add
descriptions, but the "I am too lazy to count" photo albums are brimming
with friends whose names I have forgotten, and destinations that we enjoyed,
but can't quite place. Yes, there is a lesson in there.

Lisa's Recipe Box

BG made me this wooden recipe box at a workshop for children. It was either at Home Depot or Lowes. She took part in the free workshops at both stores, when she was younger. The children get their own mini store aprons. A parent has to stay and help. That means daddy has to wait until Johnny is done hammering, before he spends lots of the money that mom had earmarked for important things like clothes.

Kids Wokshops at Home Depot - ages 5-12
Lowes Build and Grow Clinics

Here are some of the recipes that I have posted:

Mexican Pasta Salad
Minted Couscous Salad
Pickled Beets and Eggs
Ramen Salad
Watermelon Salad
Broccoli Salad with Feta Dressing
Couscous with Nectarines



Chocolate Cafe Au Lait Cake
Can't Leave Alone Bars
Coffee Meringues
Crescent Caramel Swirl
Crock Pot Applesauce
German Apple Pancake
Ghosts in the Graveyard Dessert
Monkey Bread-"Healthified"
Popcorn Balls
Pumpkin Cookies
Rice Pudding
Rocky Road Fudge
Thumbprint Cookies

Beans
Greens with Garlic and Raisins
Haroses
Molasses Baked Beans

Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast Casserole-"Healthified"

Crescent Veggie Tree

Ham with Chutney

Bourbon Slush

Ramen Salad

For more yummy recipes visit
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Ramen Salad

Mix in Bowl:

2 (14 oz) bags coleslaw mix
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup sunflower seeds
6 green onions, sliced
2 pkgs ramen noodles - oriental flavor (crunched)



Dressing:

1 cup oil (I use extra light olive oil)
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 flavor pkgs from the ramen soup mix

Mix and pour over the dry mixture. Chil at least 30 minutes before serving.

Drip Dryin' Daughter

SH is appalled that I talk on the phone while using the bathroom.
I do this almost daily. My friends still call, even if they know they
will get to listen to flushing and hand washing.

I practically live in the bathroom. This has been the case since childhood.
My nasty junior high school sewing teacher, Miss Nickel, complained that
I always had to use the bathroom during her class. She also yelled at me
because I had trouble threading the sewing machine needle. I have bladder
and vision issues, and some people shouldn't be teachers.

Until today, I was not aware that my daughter also uses a phone in the
bathroom.
Had she not sent this text, I would have remained in the dark.

Because English is not BG's first language, she has an interesting way of
expressing herself. ~faith~hope~ and in my case ~giggles~

Do you add "in bed" when reading fortunes?

Ignoring the weird looks I received each time the flash went off,
I snapped a few photos as I ate lunch at Subway. I had fished an old
fortune cookie from the depths of my purse, so I wouldn't be
tempted to purchase Subway's chocolate chip cookies.

My Favorite Boy

Happy Valentine's Day


1959
Before he was my valentine

Luna Bars and Clerks

After an IEP meeting, I had some time to kill, before heading back to BG's school to watch her participate in a quiz game. Because driving causes me quite a bit of anxiety, I decided to read a book in my car, instead of venturing to a shopping area, to spend the time. Then hunger struck in a big way. Almost always, I keep some sort of protein bar in the car, and my camera in my purse.

Yeah! A glorified candy bar awaiting my mouth

Luckily, it dawned on me, Nutz could mean peanuts.

I called SH, figuring he could go to the FDA's peanut butter recall site to look up the Luna bar. My husband was either on another line, or away from his desk. Then, it occurred to me that there was an 800 number on the wrapper. The number directed me to a second number, where a very cordial man instructed me to dispose of the bar, in a manner that no one could possibly eat it.

Yes, my bar, the bar that was going to get me through the six hours until I was back home, was on the recall list. I panicked. What if, while I was in the school, someone stole my car, spotted the snack, and started munching. If I used a wastecan in the school, would a janitor notice the wrapped bar and eat it? Would aliens land...

When I purchase Luna bars, I do so in multiples. being this was my last bar, that means that I had eaten at least five of the recalled product. I put that out of my mind, as I went in search of some sort of fast food, hoping that there would still be a pull into space on my return to the school, as I can not parallel park. I blame this on not having a drop of depth perception.

Betta? Chedda? Will they next refer to their products as roast beef sammies?
I have a zero tolerance policy for that sort of thing. It ranks up there with Kwik.

Clerks would not have been the same if Dante had worked at Kwik Stop.
On my search for food, I passed a convenience store. the seediness of the building
prevented me from stopping. Notice that I did not insert a reference to Jay?
Difficult as it was, I don't want to be one of those annoying people who
mention movies at every turn.

The fifteen grams of protein in the Arby's roast beef sandwich, proved to be perfect
in staving off additional hunger. See, see, see? I do eat beef when desperate.

I returned to the school, excited to watch BG compete
in the academic challenge.

Both teams impressed me with their knowledge.
BG correctly answered a geography question
and a deaf culture question.

At times, I wonder if the dire predictions
regarding my daughter's cognitive skills were a
blessing. I appreciate her intelligence much more than
I would have if I had taken it for granted.

The other team, a group from Connecticut, tied 25-25
with BG's team.

In typical teen fashion, BG refused to pose for pictures.
I snuck in a few, anyway.

As for the Luna bar, I wrapped it in two bags, before throwing it in the trash.

Outdoor Wednesday - Still Winter

Visit Outdoor Wednesday for more of the outdoor world

The leaning tree.
For we have not fallen, merely stumbled.
Yeah, yeah, stumbling trees.
I should stick to posting recipes.
A bunch of crap is weighing heavily on mind.
A myriad of issues.


More importantly, why so many windows?

Mommying in suburbia, I am better suited.

Tag-Award Combo

Heidi has tagged me. Elaine has awarded me the Kreativ blogger award.
A big thank you to both of these sweet women.
I am combining both of these honors, because I am lazy.

Here are the rules of the tag/award:
Grab the award for your sidebar.
Post seven things that people may not know about you and/or seven things that you love.
Link to the person who tagged/awarded you.
Then give the links of the people you are going to tag/award.

1. I love thrift stores.
I enjoy the nostalgia, as well as the prices. Last week I spotted a set of 70's contemporary dishes that my mom owned when I was a kid. I get all excited when I see clothing that I owned in the past. I often don't buy a thing. I have enough stuff. That leads me to:

2. I prefer not owning many possessions.
I would bet that I own less stuff than anyone reading this. I hope to keep it that way.

3. I have never been in a casino.
I don't have any desire to gamble.

4. I think showing cleavage is tacky.
This is not based out of jealousy, though I would be hard pressed to create cleavage, even with a Wonderbra.

5. I almost never utter a word without feeling that I shouldn't have said it.
There are only a handful of people with whom I don't have this problem.

6. I get very anxious if I don't do laundry daily.

7. I love Walt Disney World.
My family makes fun of me when I start crying when we enter Main Street.
No one understand my Disney World obsession, because I don't like the movies, nor am I into the characters.
I love the atmosphere, the entire experience of getting lost in the fantasy, and the food. Amazingly enough, there is some really good food in many of the restaurants.

8. I was the mouthpiece behind a popular Internet site for many years.

9. I love IMDB.

10. I am very afraid of animals.

11. Badminton and racquetball are the only sports that I have ever enjoyed.

12. I wonder often what people are hiding.
Are any of the men I know secretly cross dressing, eating their boogers, or sitting to pee?
Those three things, and a host of others, cross my mind.


13. I love when people tell me stories about their childhoods.

14. I think the practice of shaking hands is icky.

15. I love almost anyone who can be described as loquacious.
This is not based out of narcissism, but because I am an awful listener, I prefer people who make it their business to be heard, preferably at a rapid pace, so I don't rudely finish sentences.
Don't wait to be asked, just tell me things. I care, but I do not want the responsibility of interviewing. Just spill!

16. I love Christopher Guest's films.

17. While my verbal SAT score was quite a bit higher than my math score, I am well aware that 7+7=14.

Seven bloggers who I hope will play, even though they might want to smack me:

Sheila
Fiona
Lindsay
Cam
Belle
Carol
Deaf Hippie

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Rice Pudding

Visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesday for more recipe fun.

This recipe makes the type of pudding that is cut in squares, not the mooshy bowl served variety. I watched the Frugal Gourmet make it on a TV show, many years ago. He added 1/4 cup of brandy. I have never tried that, simply because I don't want to buy a bottle of brandy to use for one recipe.

Rice Pudding

My friend, Jenny, gave me this cute bowl.

In a bowl, mix together:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (I use skim)
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add:
2 cups cooked rice (I use brown)
raisins, if desired (I use about 1/2 cup)


Poor into an 8x8 inch square pan.
Bake at 325°F/ 162°C for 60 minutes
or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The "Get to Know Your Friends" Meme

1. What is your occupation right now? SAHM

2. What color are your socks right now? My socks are boring black. My outfit is a variation of my usual stay warm while at home look. I am wearing purple, pink, and green flannel pajama bottoms, a green sweatshirt, and to top it off a cream colored fleece hoodie.

3. What are you listening to right now? The faint sounds of the soccer match my husband is watching.

4. Last person you spoke to on the phone. My sister called, ranting about how her friend posted old, pre-rhinoplasty photos of her on Facebook. It could be worse, people have asked me why my parents didn't get me a nose job, too. Gee, that might be because they didn't think my nose was THAT bad or maybe they just liked her more.

5. How old are you today? 45

6. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? I don't like to watch sports. I will on occasion watch golf, because I like to sit with my husband.

7. What is your favorite drink? coffee with fat free half and half

8. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes, I have had gray since I was 24.

9. Favorite food? almost anything Indian

10. What is the last movie you watched? Zac and Miri Make a Porno (DVD) Milk (theater)

11. Favorite day of the year? July 4

12. How do you vent anger? I yell. I even yell at my deaf daughter. Sometimes she pretends she can hear me, and complains I am hurting her ears.

13. What was your favorite toy as a child? I liked art materials, dolls, and books.

14. Living arrangements? House with daughter and husband.

15. What was the last thing that you cried about? The usual PMS week of crying about everything.

16. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Brian is an old friend with whom I have stayed in contact. We met in 1980 our freshman year of college. I did, however, recently reconnect with Kathy, a high school friend. There is some merit in Facebook.

17. What did you do last night? Spent hours talking to Kathy, my friend from high school. We started out at Panera, moved to the car, and then to my house.

18. What are you most afraid of? Bad things happening to my family.

19. In how many areas of your country have you lived? two

20. What is your favorite flower? zinnias

Zac and Miri Eat Chinese

It was fun watching a movie that was filmed in my town. It also didn't hurt that I love Kevin Smith movies.

The closed for remodeling sign changed my lunch plans.


Weird Random Fact:
PG was in a play with a guy who was in Dogma.

Freezing in the City

Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice
Anton Chekhov

Today

walked around the city

the walkways were cleared of ice

took out my camera

cursed the nine degree weather

five clicks and the weather won

back in the car

thought about how all people should be allowed to marry

how disgusted I am by people who want to prevent

people in love from a piece of paper that is much more than that

ate lunch while listening

to a group of women discuss SNL

the old skits of Akroyd and Belushi

saved my fortune cookie in my purse

forgot to give it to my daughter

Now I sit, thinking about how all I do is vote. I do nothing more to help insure that my children one day live in a world where all people have the same rights.

Outdoor Wednesday - John Waters Come Visit Our Garden

Visit Outdoor Wednesday for more of the great outdoors.

Children have a way of changing our perspective. Before my daughter taught me otherwise, animal statues, in my mind, were akin to metal skewered pink flamingos in their tackiness quotient.

BG, aka Bunny Girl, thought the live species, which abound in our yard, were not enough. She began a collection of small bunny statues, which she carefully arranged in our garden. Each fall she would arrange baby bunnies on the porch, where they would wait for spring.

BG and her babies, before they multiplied

THIS YEAR she abandoned her bunnies.

A snow covered creature and edging that is popping out of the ground.

Someone named Lisa left a birdcage to rust.
Look, there is more plastic (yes, yuck, but it's cheap) edging.
The G word for SH is golfing, not gardening.
Maybe he is hoping the edging will crack, so, come spring,
I won't start nagging him to dig.

I'm thinkin' HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION

Not to be outdone by this family's forgetfulness,
The neighbors got into the act.

A forgotten wheelbarrow
as seen through my window.

Guilty as Wiped

We came out of the grocery store and found this:

There was no way that SH could open his door to enter the car. He climbed through from the passenger side. Do you think when the driver of the Hummer parked, that he or she thought about our car? It would be mighty obvious when he got out of his vehicle, that there was a large amount of room on one side of the parking space. That would mean he was not parked correctly.

I don't understand how someone can not worry about his actions.

I feel guilt when I wipe my counters.

I use disposable cleaning wipes.

I drive a small car, which I don't park on top of other cars, BUT I use disposable wipes to clean the house. I feel guilt over throwing away the wipes.

I am beginning to think that I am addicted to cleaning wipes.

I carry home my cleaning wipes in cloth shopping bags. Does that make up for buying such an awful product?

Is there some sort of wipe out (no pun intended) for bad purchases?

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Applesauce

For more tummy tempting recipes visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesday .

Crock Pot Applesauce

Roughly chop as many apples as you desire.
We used unpeeled Granny Smiths and one Gala.
The peels get very soft when cooked, but if they bother you, peel the apples.



Fill the crock pot with apples.
Sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice.
Mix to coat the apples.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Sugar can be added, but we don't use it.

Cook on High until desired consistency.
Ours was ready in 3 hours.






Mmmm, hot chunky applesauce.
Perfect to serve with potato pancakes.
We did not make any potato pancakes.
We ate it hot.
We ate it cold.
We ate it nine days old.
Just making sure you are paying attention.

It was very, very yummy. At least I thought so. BG did not agree She sent me an email, just in case I didn't understand the signs for "Yuck, why did I bother chopping apples, when I could have been texting friends?"

Sorry, I don't like that applesauce. It taste not tasty. I like Mott's applesauce.

I do not like what we made.

Make at your own risk! To me, this was the best applesauce I have ever tasted. I will not return to making applesauce on the stove.

Yeti 'Nother Dream

Remember to visit Blue Monday for more Blue Fun!

The "Year of a Million Dreams" a Disney promotion, which began October 1, 2006 and ended December 31, 2008, featured Disney cast members awarding a million dreams to randomly chosen guests as part of a "Disney Dreams Giveaway" promotion. Many Some of these dreams were priceless scary experiences.

If you are new to my blog, or haven't yet gathered, I am a crazed super fan of Walt Disney World. Even before my daughter became a cast member, I would make a huge production before our WDW vacations. Prior to the Internet, I would use books to plan out everything from how we would attack the parks, to what we would eat.

When I read about the Year of a Million Dreams, I thought it sounded like a great idea. Figuring we would never be lucky enough to be chosen for a dream. I was hoping to witness someone else's dream, since a major part of my WDW excitement is watching other people have fun, especially young children. There is nothing as thrilling as watching a little girl meet a princess.

Animal Kingdom Parade
I enjoyed watching the school children in their blue shirts.

During a November 2007 WDW visit, PG and BG ran off to get their photos taken with characters. They came skipping (she's a performer, so yes, PG still skips) up to us, all excited that they had been chosen for a dream. BG had a commemorative hat, as well as pins and armbands for all of us to wear, so we could take part in the dream.

Two blue hats are better than one!

We were at Animal Kingdom when our dream was awarded. After the park's closing, we would be able to stay for two extra hours, where a few guests, which in Disney parlance means 2,000, would be able to ride and attend a dance party.

As much as I love WDW, I am a big wimp when it comes to some of the attractions. I had never attempted Expedition Everest. The rest of my fearless family assured me that it was not scary at all. They wanted to get a photo that included me.

We attended the dance party, were first in line for a ride on Dinosaur, which I have always enjoyed, and then before I could run, I was sitting next to my husband, trying not to think about the upcoming 80-foot drop. As I squeezed SH's hand, my children told me that I would love the ride. "Hey, you like Space Mountain. This is not any scarier, " PG said.

I hated it. As we went to view our photo, I thought how I would never have to ride that terrifying contraption ever again. WRONG! Our photo did not include everyone, as we had sat in two separate cars. Sometimes frugality is a good thing and other times it is dumb. We should have purchased both photos. Since this was our dream, there was no line. We immediately got ready for ride number two.

A look of happiness on my face, while an oblivious SH, daydreams about golf

My "will ride anything" family and a blue paper covered ex boyfriend

After the second ride, I was happy to go back to the hotel. I showered, and then climbed into bed, where I ate dinner, and tried not to imagine PG sitting in her apartment, laughing over what a baby I am. I once was fearless. I remember a WDW vacation with my parents and sister. The three of us begged my mom to ride Space Mountain. I couldn't believe she was afraid of a ride.

On a return visit, BG suggested I ride Expedition Everest again. "You went on it two times. Remember?" I decided to brave it once again. I stood at the bottom and snapped photos.

SH ignoring the camera as he daydreams about golf

BG's Blue hat is proudly displayed on a shelf in her bedroom.

The Kids Bleed Black and Gold

My interests do not include watching large men tackle each other. I once tried to like football. In high school I attended one game. I had more fun making homemade confetti to toss, than sitting on the bleachers, pretending I cared which team won.

In college, my father, a huge Pitt fan, could not believe that I didn't want to attend football games. I was forced as a sorority pledge, to save seats at a game, so that the sisters could spend more time primping, as to attract the attention of drunk boys, who hurled pilfered cafeteria bagels at each other.

Instead of feigning excitement over tonight's Super Bowl, I am posting a photo of my daughter, PG, showing her black and gold make up application prowess. Her love of the Steelers is evidenced by the face and hair paint she exhibited as a middle school student. My offspring have been known to show a passing interest in watching the fine athletic skills of pigskin passers.

Here is further proof that I am not raising the next generation of anti-sports freaks. Let me add, that while I think exercise is wonderful, I do not understand the benefit of movement by proxy.

A few minutes ago, BG proudly posed for me in her Black and Gold. She is darn excited about the game, or maybe it is the bag of Doritos, purchased as a special game night treat, that she is anticipating.


Everyone sing:

We're from the town with the Super Bowl team, we cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers. Except for our weird mom, who would rather read, we cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers.