Mommy Cracked

The One Where I Apologize

2008-07-24T08:35:00.002-05:00

Mommy Cracked would like to take a moment and apologize to her readers and any guests for her lack of posting this week. Mommy Cracked is burning the candle at both ends and she will be unavailable to properly respond to comments and visit blogs until probably Saturday.

Imagine, Mommy Cracked actually having a life this week! The very idea!

She promises not to make a habit of this.

She also promises to have some good, thoughtful posts upon her return.

Assuming she still has her mind left.

Mad Scientists For Jesus

2008-07-21T22:50:00.004-05:00

We're up to our ears in Vacation Bible School this week. The theme for this year is Power Lab and the kids are having way too much fun making slime and alien headgear. I volunteered to teach the 3rd and 4th grade this year and had 16 kids in class tonight. It was wild. I also thought I'd never see a disco ball hanging from our sancturay ceiling. I'm sure the elder church members are praying for our souls before they go to bed every night.

You've Got Questions...Part 2

2008-07-19T22:33:00.003-05:00

Now it's time for the second installment of You've Got Questions! I know, I know....try and contain your excitement. I cannot be held responsible for any coronary activity this post produces. No, seriously. Calm. Down.

I kid.

Trish asks....What CD are you listening to most right now?

Well, my car doesn't have a CD player. I know. I'm still in the dark ages. BUT. The tape we listen to most is Greg and Steve Playing Favorites. It's one of E.B.'s most favoritest collection of songs and that's the one I hear the most. Sadly.

What is the best vacation you have taken?

Oh, definitely St. George Island, Florida. The beaches are just pristine and awesome and the condos...man! But I've also had some really fun trips with my girlfriends before I was married.

Coast Rat asks...What's your favorite, down-home Mississippi food(s)?

Mmm. Chicken and dumplins, fresh vegetables cooked in lots of butter and bacon grease. No wonder Mississippi is the fattest state in the country!

MamaGeek asks...I want to know what's on your iPOD. What music do you love?

See, I don't even have an iPod! I am soooo out of it, people. But I do want one. But I love 80's music (especially Duran Duran. I heart them forever) And I also love 90's music. Pretty much everything except country.

And THEN I want to know what you love and dislike about blogging please! :)

I lurve writing. And I love that people actually give a hoot to come in here and read my thoughts. And the people...bloggers are the best! It's a fun way to interact with people and document our daily happenings.

What do I dislike about it? Sometimes it seems competitive. I know that sounds incredibly silly, but it does.

HRH asks...Why did you start blogging?

I started last summer when I decided to preschool homeschool E.B. It was a neat way to keep up with what we were doing and connect with other homeschoolers. And then I branched out beyond just homeschooling blogs and fell in love with mommy blogging. And here I am today!

Thank you all so much for the questions. This was so much fun and it definitely got me out of my writing slump!

So. What Brings YOU Here?

2008-07-16T20:06:00.002-05:00

I've been looking over my Google Analytics reports and cracking up over what people search for that bring them to my blog. Here are just a few of the funnier ones:

Big black naked mamas- Umm...nope, don't believe you will be finding any of that here. But thanks for stopping in. Now run along with your perverted self!

Why do people like to make complain? - Honey, I sure wish I knew.

What are the calories in Sonic Mocha Java Chillers? - Who cares? They're good. That's all you need to know, trust me on that.

Ice Cream van Conversions - You might want to check this post. I can probably help you with that.

How do you make puffy bows? - Honestly, I have no clue.

I can't decorate!! - Me either, honey. I do like to watch some of those design shows, though. A girl can dream.

Crackalackin method - No way, dude. That's like the Colonel's secret recipe. I'm not giving that one away.

Creaked hell cream - I'm almost too scared to ask. Do people need cream for Hell? Ohhh...you mean cracked HEEL cream? I say spring for a pedicure!

Why does my 16-month old bite me? - I give up. Why?

I'm so glad this blog can be such a big help to these people.

You've Got Questions...Installment 1

2008-07-15T21:33:00.003-05:00

I'm so glad you actually had some questions for me. I was afraid I might hear crickets chirping in that last blog post. I've decided to take the first few questions I have so far and answer them in this post. If you have anymore questions to ask, see this post.

JanMary asks:

OK - here are a few - because of all the eggs on your blog - what is your favourite egg recipe? (yes I know I can't spell the US way, but I refuse!)

Umm...My husband's scrambled eggs he makes me with fried potatoes. I know, not exactly original. And my mom makes a killer potato salad that has boiled eggs in it. You just can't go wrong with eggs.

What is your earliest memory?

Sitting on a red cooler in my parent's kitchen eating an ice cream cone that my dad bought me at The Varsity, a local hamburger place from way back in the day.

If I was coming to your area to visit, what local sights would you recommend?

Oh that's easy! I'd send you to look around here, to do some shopping here and then I'd send you to eat here. And then I'd send you up the highway to AFRo's house.

Karen asks:

What did you teach?

At my last job I spent three years as an elementary school librarian. Before that I taught middle school language arts. The librarian job was definitely the most fun.

And how did you get end up at a Christian bookstore?

Completely on a whim. My aunt and uncle own the bookstore, an employee had left and my aunt called me up one day to see if I would be interested. I was ready to go back to working, part time anyway, so I jumped at the chance, and I am so glad I did. I really do love working there.

And what children's books do you recommend (I have two girls, 3 and 2).

Goodnight Moon, Trashy Town, Pete's A Pizza, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Love You Forever, Where The Wild Things Are. These are our favorites here at Casa de Cracked. BUT....please go visit this blog because this woman REALLY does some wonderful, in depth reading and reviews of children's books all while preschool homeschooling and she is terrific!

Gotta Grow With It asks:

if you could have a superpower...what would it be?

I'd snap my fingers and dinner would be done. Is that considered a super power?

is your second toe longer than your big toe?

No. They're just about the same length, actually.

do you know anyone famous?

Personally? No. I've had some close encounters with a few famous people, but nothing more. *sigh*

favorite phrase or saying?

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner!"...from Dirty Dancing. I know, that was super cheesy.

paper or plastic at the grocery store?

Plastic. I really need to get some of those canvas totes I can re-use. We get no choice otherwise.

and the most important one of all...spongebob or patrick?

Definitely Sponge Bob!! My mom calls him "Square Bob", but bless her heart she really does try to keep up with the shows E.B. likes to watch.

And Jenni didn't have a question, but please join her at her blog today because she promised we were making "favorite lists", and I do love making some lists!

Thanks for those questions, ladies. I'll get to the second batch tomorrow!

Because I'm Just Fresh Out Of Ideas

2008-07-14T23:30:00.002-05:00

Is there anything you've just been dying to ask me? I sometimes read blogs where people send in questions and the blog author answers the questions in a post. My brain just can't think anything original this week...too much other stuff to really think deeply. And answering your questions would be FUN. So, fire away. I'm an open book!

Well THIS Made My Day!

2008-07-13T20:54:00.005-05:00

I just got a blog award! Mommy Confessions has presented me with this ultra cool blogging award and I feel so honored. She has a terrific blog (I love the design) and she picked me as one of her five to give an award to. And I get to pass it on!

Upon winning this award you are tasked with the following rules…

You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award. http://arteypico.blogspot.com/

Now...here are five blogs, and I read so many that is was difficult to narrow it down to just five.

Conversations With My Hairdryer- Jenni always has a great story to tell and I'm currently following her "How We Met" story on her blog.

Stretch Marks- I just discovered Melissa's blog last week and I am hooked!

AFRo- Always entertaining. I love her stories about The Wench!

North Carolina, New Beginings- One of my dearest "in real life" friends and I am super excited that she has a blog now. I love checking in on her daily.

From Talbots To Target- Queen Mommy's posts about her cat Pumpkin are some of the best I've ever read. She also lives in a farmhouse. How cool is that?

And see? I could easily pick 20 more blogs I love, love, love.

Pink Floaties

2008-07-13T10:04:00.004-05:00

Yesterday afternoon E.B. and I attended a pool party for a freind's daughter's birthday. I was hesitant to take E.B. at all. He can be very hard to manage sometimes and Cracked Daddy wasn't home. I just knew if I took him I would be chasing him everywhere and scared to death because this is a BIG pool.

However, I decided I was prepared to at least give it a try and if things got crazy, we could always just go home. So we left at 6 PM for the pool party with our towels and a beach bag filled to the brim with the necessities like extra Little Swimmers, sippy cups and everything but the kitchen sink.

E.B. was super excited when he figured out where we were and what we'd be doing. He scoped out the baby pool area and played there a little while. But the temptation of that bigger pool was just too much, so we ventured into it...me hanging on to him for dear life.

About that time my friend "E" offered to let E.B. use her daughter's floaties that the little girl refused to use. I was highly skeptical that these things would help much, but we pushed his little arms into the pink floaties and put him back into the big pool. I hung onto him still and my friend "E" had to coax me to let him go. I was hesitant...but I could tell E.B. was holding up pretty easy, so I did it. I let go. And he floated!

All over that big pool, with me standing near him, he floated to his heart's content. And he screeched with excitement, laughed, and just had the Best. Time. Ever. I also felt a little relief that he didn't have a constant death grip on me the whole time...we could float along and just enjoy the moment with each other. It was one of the best times we've ever had together and I'm glad I didn't let my fears dictate the situation.

I suppose that's how it's going to be during his growing up years...me, hesitant to let him go and try new things and then him trying them with or without my permission and proving to me that he CAN do it. And then both of us feeling satisfaction...me in knowing he is growing up and developing his own survival skills, him that he is doing something on his own and feeling independent. (Can you almost hear "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King playing in the background?)

When we returned home, this happened at 9:15 PM:

That's a record, people. Swimming really IS good.

Sunday Best

2008-07-13T10:01:00.002-05:00

What is "Sunday Best"? Links to some of the coolest posts I've read in the blogosphere all week. Check these out:

In a blogging funk?

Are you caught up in the Mommy Blogger "stuff"?

The best cry I have had all week.

What Happens When You Refuse To Paint Your SON'S Toenails...

2008-07-12T03:27:00.005-05:00

I'm pretty sure I've told y'all before how EB is fascinated with my "red toes" (red pained toenails). Everytime I'm doing the pedicure thing this kid gets MAD because I won't paint his toenails, too. Cracked Daddy would have a coronary if I did that, but we won't tell him about the time I painted just one little toenail of EB's with clear polish.

Ahem.

So while EB and I were outside in the pool today, he started talking about my red toes again. And a few minutes later, he came running to me so proud to show me HIS toes. His YELLOW toes.

He dunked a piece of chalk in his pool, got it good and wet and then colored his toenails.

And then he did it with blue.

Because he will be damned if his toenails don't have some color this summer.

And Another Thing...

2008-07-11T17:12:00.001-05:00

If you read here regularly you probably recognize that I've changed my layout again, and I totally screwed up my blogroll in the process. If you're not on there and you want to be, please leave me a comment in this post. Thanks! Love ya! BFF!!

Bad Commenter

2008-07-11T16:25:00.006-05:00

There's definitely one thing I envy about Wordpress bloggers and that's that they can reply by email to their commenters. I've been searching around Blogger for something similar and haven't found it. I can't tell you how cool it is to get a personal comment from a blogger I've left a comment for. Coast Rat and The Angel Forever are a couple that come to mind. And AFRo. That girl answers everybody.

And? I feel like a bad commenter here. In the past a couple of times I've answered a commment in MY comment section, but what if that reader never comes back to read it? I can't decide if answering comments here is a wash or not.

But I do read EVERY comment on my blog. Know that. And sometimes I'll venture to your blog to respond, but also know I feel like a dork because it can't be more personal.

I don't know which option is the best to do, but from here on out I'm vowing to do better.

Wall-E Schmall-E

2008-07-10T21:51:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday afternoon we took EB to see Wall-E. This was EB's very first theater experience, so we were excited. OK, Cracked Daddy was excited...I was just nervous he was going to act a nut and disrupt people and then we'd have to leave and there goes $20-something dollars, not counting the cost of snacks.

But EB did ok. Much better than I expected, and Holy Chill Out, Mama! There were other kids there acting the same way because, DUH....it's a kid's movie!! I didn't think about that minor detail beforehand.

I may be the lone dissenter, but I wasn't super impressed with Wall-E. By the time it ended I felt like I had been watching one big long "Save The Planet" cartoon. Wall-E isn't even cute, say, like R2D2. Or maybe it's because I just don't have anything for robots. Unless they're from Star Wars...that's sacred stuff. And you couldn't understand a stinkin' thing Wall-E said. You pretty much had to figure it out for yourself, and it wasn't hard at all...just some normal dialogue would have been spectacular.

I'm chalking this one up to "but it's the experience of EB getting to go to the movies that counts".

I'm Over It

2008-07-09T21:42:00.002-05:00

The blogging identity crisis, that is.

I really, really, really, really, really a million times squared appreciate all the wonderful feedback you guys gave me. It was such a trivial question that you could have easily skipped on by, but you left me a comment and it warmed my little cracked heart.

And I'm staying Mommy Cracked. But I did change my blog design, because the itch to change SOMETHING was so bad I had to do it. I only like change when I can control it. I'm sure that's some sort of complex that has a clinical name, right?

Rescue

2008-07-08T16:54:00.004-05:00

Dear Bonnie,

I don't really blame you for climbing that tree Sunday afternoon. When I heard the neighbor's HUGE dog let out a deafening "WOOF!", I knew he had escaped his backyard. I also knew that you and Clyde were out enjoying the mosquitos, so I immediately panicked and went looking for ya'll. Your brother Clyde came running to the door immediately, but I didn't see you. I assumed you had come back in the house at some point. And I also didn't see white fur hanging from Bad Dog's mouth, so I assumed you were ok.

I suppose about 2 hours passed before I started really missing you. I called and called, but you didn't answer. On my last attempt I could finally hear your meows, but I just couldn't find you. But then you got persistant and I was able to finally see you. All the way up in the big tree in the front of our home. ALL. THE. WAY. UP. You were hot and crying and I immediately summoned Cracked Daddy.

Cracked Daddy tried with a regular ladder and climbing, but you were too high, and frankly I was worried he would bust his hindparts trying to rescue you. We then had to call Paw-Paw, because he has an extended ladder. This ladder was being stored at another family member's house that had last used it, so we had to go and retrieve it.

While the ladder was being summoned, no less than 6 of us stood under the tree trying to coax you down. My mother suggested calling the fire department. Cracked Daddy insisted that we would most certainly NOT be wasting city resources on a treed cat. You tried to move around, but you were just too scared to go out on a limb. No pun intended, of course.

Finally, the Really Long Ladder arrived and Cracked Daddy had you down in less than a minute. You happily ran off as soon as your paws hit earth and looked at us as if to say you meant to do that.

You're lucky you're so cute.

A Blogger's Identity Crisis.

2008-07-07T00:19:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking way too much lately about the fact that there are several hundred blogs with the title "Mommy" in them. And that's not a bad thing, it's just that I like to be different. Or is it difficult? Anyway....I was thinking I wanted a catchier blog title...something that could sum me up in one word or two...something memorable.

Am I nuts?

Of course there would be the serious pain in the ass of changing links, updating stuff, and all of that.

So, all five of my loyal readers....should I do it? If so, can you help me think of a name? Or should I just leave well enough alone?

Sunday Best

2008-07-06T10:22:00.001-05:00

So You Want To Grow A Garden? Dishpan Dribble can help get you started.

Don Mills Diva makes good on a promise.

June Cleaver Nirvana's kids have designed the next big kids shoe.

Really Bad Hair Day wants to know your freedom story.

How We Spent The Fourth

2008-07-05T10:24:00.006-05:00

We spent the day of the Fourth at my parent's house. Mom had some beautiful, fun little paper lanterns hanging on their front porch:

Old Glory was flying at several houses on their street:

We ate barbeque, played in E,B.'s pool, and just enjoyed the afternoon. Then we all took naps.

Later that night we went to my aunt and uncle's fireworks stand. We bought tons of fireworks and Cracked Daddy and my two younger cousins put on an ameteur fireworks show for us. The mosquitos almost ate us alive, so E.B. and I only saw a small bit of them, but E.B. was impressed nonetheless.

A sampling of our show, and these aren't the greatest pictures:

But overall it was a fun day and we can't wait for New Years so we can enjoy the fireworks when it will be too cold for mosquitos.

The Jumpolene Is A Huge Hit!

2008-07-03T23:32:00.002-05:00

This thing is way bigger than I anticipated and 100 plastic balls just isn't going to be enough I don't think.

But he LOVES it.

Our First Anniversary

2008-07-03T22:37:00.003-05:00

OK, so technically Cracked Daddy and I have been married 9 years today, but this is the FIRST time in 9 years we have been able to spend our anniversary together. I know! Hard to believe. Our first year of marriage Cracked Daddy got deployed to Korea and so he was halfway across the globe. For the past 8 years his job has kept him away. But this year he was able to work it out where he would be home the day of our anniversary and through the rest of the weekend.

So what did we do to celebrate? We went out to the best little steak restaurant here in town. And we talked and laughed and marveled that we were actually together today.

And then we came back to reality, picked up E.B from his grandparent's house and are now home inflating the jumpolene for E.B.

How romantic.

Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck

2008-07-03T07:19:00.000-05:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Love Starts With Elle
(Thomas Nelson - July 8, 2008)
by
Rachel Hauck

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rachel Hauck is a forty-something, a child of the '60's, '70's, '80's, '90's and '00's, who roller skated through the '70's into the '80's with Farrah Fawcet hair and a three-speed orange Camero. She graduated from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) with a degree in Journalism.

After graduation, she hired on at Harris Publishing as a software trainer, determined to see the world. But, she's traveled to Ireland, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, Canada and the U.S. from California to Maine.

Rachel met Tony, her husband, in '87, at church, of all places. They married in '92.
They don't have any children of their own, just lots of kids-in-the-Lord and they love them all. However, they do have two very spoiled dogs, and a very demanding cat.

With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ' 04, Lambert's Pride, a romance novel. My current release is Sweet Caroline from Thomas Nelson. Romantic Times Book Club gave both books their highest rank of 4.5 stars, with Love Starts With Elle being honored as Top Pick!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Elle's living the dream-but is it her dream or his?

Elle loves life in Beaufort, South Carolina-lazy summer days on the sand bar, coastal bonfires, and dinners with friends sharing a lifetime of memories. And she's found her niche as the owner of a successful art gallery too. Life is good.

Then the dynamic pastor of her small town church sweeps her off her feet. She's never known a man like Jeremiah-one who breathes in confidence and exhales all doubt. When he proposes in the setting sunlight, Elle hands him her heart on a silver platter.

But Jeremiah's just accepted a large pastorate in a different state. If she's serious about their relationship, Elle will take "the call," too, leaving behind the people and place she loves so dearly. Elle's friendship with her new tenant, widower Heath McCord, and his young daughter make things even more complicated.

Is love transferrable across the miles? And can you take it with you when you go?

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand

2008-07-03T07:08:00.004-05:00

There's just nothing like a good summer read that involves a character breaking all the rules and becoming entangled in a torrid affair that keeps you on the edge of your seat, especially when the character is your average middle-aged mom. A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand weaves the tale of Claire, a former glassblower, mother and wife and the charity event she agrees to co-chair with a handsome married man. As you can imagine, the innocent working relationship is shot to hell after a few meetings as these two turn to one another looking to fulfill different aspects that their own marriages are lacking.

Set in beautiful Nantucket, the story unites these two lovers under the strangest of circumstances, which I won't give away, but suffice it to say if you read this book, you'll be telling yourself, "She wouldn't!", and then, "Oh no she didn't!!". And like any affair, you'll be left wondering why in the world anyone would want to risk everything that is good and right in their world for something so unpredictable.

A Summer Affair can be purchased at Amazon.

I Scream, You Scream....Pimped Out Ice-Cream

2008-07-01T23:13:00.005-05:00

I can remember when I was about 4 or 5 we had an ice-cream truck that came through the neighborhood that sold sno-cones, ice cream, and popcicles. As soon as I would hear the circus-type music playing, I'd run into the house and grab the nearest parental unit with money. I'm sure my parents hated to hear that thing coming on a daily basis. But somewhere down the line that truck stopped coming around and my friends and I would ride our bikes to a nearby sno-cone stand to get our cold fix once we were old enough. Such simple times.

About a month ago we were cooking out with my parents when all of a sudden we heard that same loud, circusy music start to play. E.B. was mildly interested. I think Cracked Daddy and I were more excited than anyone. We went to the front yard to check things out, and sure enough, another ice cream truck was making its rounds once again in our neighborhood. However, this wasn't the same type of ice-cream truck I remember as a kid. This thing was loud-sounding, loud-looking, and just all kinds of wrong.

I don't know. Everytime I see this thing it just screams "Pimp My Ice-Cream Truck". And it's not even a truck! These kids nowadays are getting ripped off from the true ice-cream truck experience. And that's just sad.

Carseat...Ur Doin' It Wrong.

2008-07-01T13:07:00.002-05:00

Calling all seasoned mothers....parenting guru's....professional nannies and child psychologists, know-it-all's, and anyone else that can help.

EB and I fight a daily Battle of the Backseat. He will NOT stay seated in his carseat. We have tried three different carseats, his straps are as tight as they will go and STILL the backseat Houdini manages to escape. I'm fearful for his safety and it is honestly making me a nervous wreck while I drive. Not to mention I am sick of having to pull over 3 times on a half-mile trip to the store.

Any advice? Any carseat recommendations? Anyone just want to hold my hand and tell me they've been there and magically make it ok again?

Buzzin' All Over Me

2008-06-30T15:04:00.005-05:00

One of the many benefits of living in the Mississippi Delta is the annual blood drive that takes place every summer. Only we don't get the big bus that pulls up or the free t shirts for donating. In fact, our blood is free for the taking, taken often, and all we have to show for it is unsightly bite marks.

Last night I'm almost positive I killed over 20 mosquitos in our house. Everytime I would get all settled in the bed one would come buzzing around, eventually biting me or E.B until I could track it down and send it on to meet its maker. The fly swat was smokin' from all the action it saw last night. And my walls? Lets just say I'm pretty sure after the summer is over that full paint jobs will be in order.

Our city sprays but the mosquitos are still terrible. So today I went out and bought two Time Mist dispensors and two bottles of Purge to hang outside above the doors. Every hour or so the dispensor will spray out a couple of squirts and this will help keep them from around the doorway. All for the low, low price of $80. Good thing we have that money tree in the backyard.