In all Seriousness

Did you like my choices in songs?! Okay, maybe most of them aren't really my theme song, but they are fun to watch and laugh at. Milli Vanilli and Vanilla Ice were in there prime when I was in middle school/ high school. They still make me laugh!

But the reason I posted all those songs is that I couldn't really think of a theme song. But while visiting blogs last week I came upon a song that I love, from an artist that I loved when she was in her prime and I was in middle school. And I really think that this probably is my theme song and has been most of my life. What do you think?


If you want to see the original video you'll have to go here.

I really like this one too! I hadn't heard of Eva Cassidy before today but I really like her. She was truly talented.


And if you're as bored..interested as I was here are are few other renditions for you to enjoy.







All that said my favorite song by Cyndi Lauper is this one!! It's the reason I started listen to her music and was probably my first real, personal experience with music. What's yours?

Again, you'll have to watch the original video here.


Here's another cover by Eva Cassidy.


And there's always Phil's version.

My Song

My friend Sherry Carpet posted the video I posted yesterday on her blog. It is her "theme song" for now, until further notice. It got me to thinking, what song defines me? I came up with these...









Well, mostly just the last one.

What's your theme song?

Entertainment Value

For those of you looking for a little entertainment and feel a little bored...this one's for you. (You know who you are)

Where In the World...

Did you ever watch the show, "where in the world is Carmen Sandiagio?" I didn't, no I was much too old for that. And I only watched it for the a capella group who sang on it. Well, it was pretty fun. You ask where I have been, well no where near as exciting as the place on the show. But I'll give you a hint...it has walls and ceilings. Not enough? It's cold there...actually it's currently snowing!

Give up? As much as I'd like to tell you I've been somewhere exotic, doing important things with important/ famous people. I have not. I have been here...not entertaining the masses. But apparently my entertainment value has been missed. So I'm back by popular demand.

So what have you been doing, you ask? Well, many things. Let's see...where should I begin? Some bullet points might be in order. Here is what I've been up to not in any particular order.

• Going to parenting class. This has to be one of the most important things I have ever done. I don't want to burst anyone bubble and contrary to popular belief...I do not have all the answers. I have struggled with being a parent. What is the right thing to do and when? How help is too much/ too little? How in the world do I raise these kids that God has in trusted to me. In a notshell, I struggle. I read pleanty of books, talked to friends, family therapists, teachers, guidence counselor...you name it. I hear that I am doing a great job, but feel that I am lacking in so many areas and ways. External critisism has become internalized, has hit me pretty hard, and makes me question my abilities.

But along comes a parenting class that speaks to me. It is called Parenting on Track. It follows the Adlerain teachings of psychology and the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (S.T.E.P.) that Adler wrote. It has made an enormous difference in our family. We are all doing our part, most of the time even willingly. The kids are doing more for themselves and I don't play maid all the time. It's not without it's hitches. It's so easy to revert back to the old way...you know the one that doesn't work. But the most important thing that I have learned is that my kids have learned all their behavior from me and that I need to shut my trap and let things play out. When I do things run much more smoothly.

When I went up to thank her for all that she has taught me she told me to tell my friends and to have them go to her site and request for her to come to your area. If you ever have the opportunity go for it she is funny and great to learn from. She also has just put out a DVD/ audio set with workbook that is her class recorded. Probably not near as funny and adamated but it has all the information. I really want to get it, but (here's the cleancher) it cost a big chunk of change. If you order or request her to visit your area, tell her I sent you and maybe she'll give me a free copy! That would be great!

That's taken up the last 4 weeks. So what else..?
Sweetie Heart is doing great in school. She was just evaluated in reading and is reading a level 28, which means nothing to you because it didn't to me either until I asked. At parent/ teacher conference we were told she was reading at a level 16, which is where they expect them to be reading at the end of 1st grade. The literacy specialist and her reading teacher evaluated her again at the end of last week and had to keep getting harder books.

What No Sticker?

Yes, I voted today. I won't say it was an exciting experience, but I'm blessed to have the opportunity to cast my vote. I've votes in a few presidential elections, I have yet to have my endorsement win, but that's not the point. The point is that I have a choice and I chose to make it!

Voting in this little city has been a very different experience. I've been in big cities and medium but all have been busy, until I came here. Yesterday, Webby went to vote because he wasn't going to able to get to the polls today. He overheard the office workers talk about what they expected for today: long lines, crabby people, supper busy because it's a presidential elections. The doors opened at 9am (but I think I saw a few people seek in early.) Seems like I remember earlier times in the bigger cities I've lived in. I moseyed over about 10:30 figuring if the lines weren't too long we'd wait, it warmed up a bit today. And if the lines were really long we'd come back (we live a block from the fire house, our official voting place.) The last presidential election I voted in we waited for 2 hours with Sweetie Heart at nap time and she was 3. Well, Sweet Girl and I walk up and there was no line. We walked in and there was one person getting his ballot. There were many other people filling out their forms, but it's all different here. There are no booths with curtains, no electronic voting machines. It's more like a small square table you can stand at that is partitioned into four. Our ballot is a simple scan tron sheet. That's it! No waiting, no mandated privacy, no sticker. What no sticker? Well, if I have to trade the sticker for the wait in line, I'll take it!