Memories of a Mommy Blogger - The Third

In this week's installment we find me and Boo Boo La La at Costco.

She videos part of the story - and acts the part of "Mango".

Enjoy your watermelon!



Grocery Shopping In The Chevy Traverse from Lisa Scherber on Vimeo.

#RockTheGarden Recap - Or - My birthday pretty much rocked this year.

Sunday was a big day.

Final Round of the US Open.

Father's Day.

First Official Day of Summer.

My birthday.

Yes, it was my birthday on Father's Day. Not a typical occurrence, but it happens.

This year I decided to ask for what I really wanted.

Ticket's to Rock The Garden at the Walker Sculpture Garden!

I didn't really care who was playing, but with JD McPherson, Babes In Toyland (SCORE! Reunited Legends!) and Modest Mouse as the beef of Sunday's lineup, I was pretty stoked.

Let's get a closer look at JD McPherson.

Ahem.

I loved every minute from my bloody mary at Spasso that morning to the view of Modest Mouse that evening as the sun set over the back of my shoulder. 

Mmmmmm

Ahhhhh.

But my favorite part of any event is of course....

People Watching.  

I mean I learned from the best, my dad natch. He loves to sit there and watch all the loonies go by. From the local mall to the granddaddy watching place of all time The MN State Fair my dad would poke my side and point out anyone or anything cool, beautiful, funny, silly, or unusual.

He would have loved the transvestite Santa Claus who popped up dancing from a few rows in front of us Sunday night.  :) Hair in a pony and wearing RED Converse All Stars with his/her red mini-dress. 

Another excellent thing at concerts are the t-shirts. People will wear ANYTHING on a t-shirt at a concert. The best were the Minnesota Themes on shirts.  My two favorites:

Now those are some good musical references!

So thank you Terry for saying YES to a concert. I love going places with you - even if you are checking your phone to see who won the Open every 30 seconds from 8:45 to the moment your sports app told you Spieth won.  :)  

Love you baby!

We have it pretty good, don't we?

Yesterday morning I was pissed off.

I was pissed off and tearing up all day.

I was mad about a lot of things and was wishing things were better.

Then, I realized how lucky I had been yesterday and today this morning.

Something was wrong with my car. >-<

Something was wrong with my car, but I am lucky enough to have a husband who uses a work van - so each day there is an alternative vehicle I can take to get my daughter to daycare and myself to work.

How lucky am I?

I have a working washing machine to clean my daughter's gymnastics leotard so that she can go to the class we can afford to pay for....even if I forget to wash it until the morning of gymnastics.

How lucky am I?

My family is healthy and all have jobs and a warm home to live in.

How lucky are we?

I have a fantastic group of ladies and gentlemen who attend the meetings for our Parent Teacher Organization at my child's school.  Involvement goes up every year.

How lucky are all of us?

I have friends who take me out and laugh (at me and with me) Cookie exchanges, beers, wine, fun, random card games, tears.

How lucky am I?

I got flowers and cards in the mail at work today because some of the people I work with really appreciate what I do.

That sure is lucky.

I should think about this every day.  My problems are typically First World problems.

Woah is me.  Gloom, despair, agony.

My latte got cold. I got cut off in traffic. Someone forgot to EMAIL ME THAT CONTRACT!

None of it is really that important.

But you are important to me.  So in this season I say to you.

We have it pretty good, don't we?

Happy Holidays,

ML

I am trying to be proactive here...

Mother's Day and my Birthday are so close together - its like CHRISTMAS ya'll.

Seriously.

I don't really want more than spending time with my family, but if T-bone is looking for ideas I thought I would throw some out there.

Source: toms.com via mommylisa on Pinterest

Tom's would be excellent - Give one, get one! I am a size 8. (Un-Tranny Hooker Peep-Toes!  Word!)

Source: zappos.com via mommylisa on Pinterest

And I LOVE me some Rocket Dog summer sandals. Zappos has these! :)

And finally -

I want TWO 50' Pocket Hoses Please!

A girl has her priorities.  

Cute shoes and a well watered lawn and garden.  

Sick on vacation...

This is my view for the first few days of vacation.

It turns out this crappy humid weather has played havoc with my nasal passages.  I have vasomotor rhinitis and am now taking flonase and ibuprofen and trying to rest.

It bites.

So Boo Boo La La and Jake and Daddy have been swimming and I have been just resting.

Blah.

Hope you are doing better than me.

A to Z of Mommy Lisa

Yup. Glamorous!

A.  Age (For crying out loud do I have to???!!!?) 44 sigh.

B. Bed size: Queen – I would like a King but our room is too small.

C. Chore that you hate: Dusting – I am allergic to dust and I sneeze my way through a box of Kleenex every time I dust.

D. Dogs: I have had three dogs in my life.  Rufus (And yes my cat's name is Roofis, but 'cuz he is CRAZY we spelled it as in "Da Roof is on fire") when I was little – he was a cockapoo and we loved him, but we moved from a farmhouse in Blue Earth to an apartment in Shakopee when my dad got a job so we gave him to a nice family.  Toto was the crazy dog we got and then didn’t have time for so my parents gave him to a nice lady who babied him.  Buck was my dog in Indianapolis – 90 lbs of pit-bull/boxer and he thought he was a lap dog.  When my boyfriend at the time moved out, he took him.  “It’s the dog or the cat.” He said.  And Lucky was my cat for WAY longer so I kept the cat.  I was sure my ex would have gotten rid of the cat and/or ignored him.  Boo.

E. Essential start to your day: Job searching lately.  But the very first thing I must do every day is make the bed.  Yes, I am that person.

F. Favorite color: A very specific bold blue color. 

G. Gold or Silver: Silver – I am too pale to look good in gold.

H. Height: I say 5’5” when asked, but really its 5’4 ½”

I. Instruments you play: I played flute and piccolo in elementary through high school.  I tried taking guitar lessons, but couldn’t fit practice into my routine – yet! I still have the guitar and will try again. 

J. Job title: Unemployed – PTO Secretary – Mommy – Job Searcher – PT LBC for JuiceintheCity.com – too busy and not paid enough – and now Girl Scout Troop helper. 

K. Kids: Three, step-daughter Sair, step-son J-Dogg and @Iambooboolala

L. Live: On the edge.

M. Mother’s name: Mary Ellen – and yes a lot of people call her Mary Ellen, or maybe it’s just my dad? 

N. Nicknames: Dad called me Snicklefritz a lot, in Elementary my friends and I gave each other names – I was Bubbles :P, the first nickname that STUCK was LAB in college.  It was my initials, but everyone called me that for a few years.  Now?  Mama. 

O. Overnight hospital stays: Probably when I was born?  In my late twenties when I had surgery for my neck, then again when the incision got infected!  Then when I had my baby we were there for two nights for some reason…

P. Pet peeves: A lot of things, but right now complicated online job applications.  No lie on one they asked me on the first page to copy and paste my resume, then they asked me to fill out each item on my resume on the next page – no parsing – and you could not move forward until you filled out each section, including HIGH SCHOOL!!!, then they asked me to UPLOAD my resume.  WHO CREATES THESE THINGS???  Online is supposed to mean simpler. 

Q. Quote from a movie: "Men.  You can’t live with them…you can’t shoot them.” St. Elmo’s Fire

R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: Pete, he’s awesome.
T. Time you wake up: I don’t sleep very well so sometimes 3am – sometimes 7.  When I had to work I had to get up at 4:30 if I was going to the gym before work and 6 if I was just going to work…right now it doesn’t matter unless I have an interview.

U. Underwear: I really like boy shorts.

V. Vegetable you hate: Is red onion considered a veggie?  I hate red onion.

W. What makes you run late: Trying to do too many “things” before I get out the door.  The IshouldjustgodownandputinanotherloadoflaundrythensweepthebasementbeforeIgouptoputawaytowels syndrome.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Hand, ankle, teeth, neck MANY times, chest checking for pneumonia and yes…I had it.  Blah.

Y. Yummy food that you make: I love my cooking usually – but especially my lasagna, alfredo and chicken stew.

Z. Zoo animal: I ADORE the zoo, but I am going to go crazy and say the dolphins.  We were all set to go to our zoo for Family Zoo Adventure – Dolphin Magic tomorrow, but two things.  One of the dolphins injured themselves so it got cancelled and my Grandma Lucy is not feeling well.  Please send prayers for the lady who indulged my every whim as a child.  I am so sad right now – I was not going to say anything about this, but now it’s just pouring out of my keyboard.  My grandma is starting to leave us…her body is just too tired to keep going much longer.  She is still of sound mind, but her poor little body is not cooperating.  My dear hubby is going to drive Boo Boo and me to visit her tomorrow so we can give her kisses and tell her we love her so much.  (Until the ramble I was going to say I also can’t wait to see Dolphin Tale in the theatre.  It must be in the theatre because I want it on a BIG screen.  I will probably cry at that too.) (And YES, its really weird that the link for my chicken stew also brings up a photo of my granny.)

So that is me A to Z.  Link up here and check out more stories and tangents like mine. 

I love you guys thanks for reading.  

Monday Minute Memorial Weekend Edition

1 - Aside from your armpits, what body part of yours sweats the most?
My head - really if I start to sweat I sweat out my head first...and with fine hair that is so! fun!

2 - You have two slices of bread.  You can add one additional ingredient to make a sandwich, but as much of it as you want.  What are you putting on it?
Cheese, duh!


3 - Can you put your entire fist into your mouth?
Not even close. No.

4 - Open your email.  How many emails do you have in your 'Inbox'?
10 in my work email - just finished clearing it out.

and finally...

5 - If an adult male is taken for ransom, is that considered kidnapping?
I am not sure how to answer this except to say:

Kidnapping is a common law offence requiring:

1. that one person takes another person away;
2. by force or fraud;
3. without the consent of the person taken;
4. without lawful excuse.^[2]

At least according to Wikepedia

Circles in the Sand

The sun was really hot that day in early June 1985.  In fact the whole spring had been sunny, warm, and ripe for skipping class and sitting on our deck behind the lilac bushes - or stealing a few precious hours between classes and dinnertime lounging at our lake.

But today was different.  It was the very last day we would all be together.  That night we would graduate.  I did things I wouldn't normally do in the afternoon.  I drank large cold glasses of Malibu and pineapple juice.  I put Sun-In in my already impossibly blonde hair.  I kissed a boy in the shady patch of trees off the beach.  A boy who was taken, but used to be mine.

It was too much, so I left and went home to lay down.

Soon it was time...too fast I had to wake up from the lazy nap in my cool, dark room and get presentable for the ceremony.  Ugh.  Why had I put that Sun-In in my hair?  What was Colleen thinking telling me it was awesome stuff?  Blah.  Nothing a super quick shower won't fix.

I got to graduation in my "Marilyn Monroe" dress.  Showered, tan and sweet smelling from my favorite lotion.  I made it with a few minutes to spare and lined up between "my guys" Steven and Sean.  My locker posse for the last four years.  And as we were about to promenade through the gym and take our seats I reached up to scratch an itch and found the few grains of sand that I missed...and swallowed back the tears of what I was about to leave behind. 

We should have been invited because we are birthday twins!

Born June 21, 1967

Boy at the top? Born June 21, 1982

Girl in center? Born January 9, 1982

Born January 9, 2006

Psst.  Don't tell @ThePeteBye about this post...he is sick of hearing about "The Royal Wedding" already.

I might be a big fat liar and need to return my Grammy.

I woke up just before 5am this morning...and I still didn't get to work until 9am.

Why?

Well first it was because I didn't want to open my laptop - I just lay in bed and dozed to old episodes of Full House.  I missed the end of the one where "Uncle" Joey decides he wants to be called Joe because Phyllis Diller crashed his HBO Special dreams...did he stay a comedian?

Then at 6 am just as Sponge Bob started -  I turned on the laptop and switched the channel to the morning news instead.  Yes, I watch news and blog surf - can't you multi-task?

Don't You Love Me??

I realize that now it is getting ridiculously close to 7am.  I get out of bed, make the bed, go to wake @IamBooBooLaLa and smell....

Yes, I am going to need that bath.  So I switch the channel back to Sponge Bob.

It's The BEST DAY EVAHHHH!!!

At 7:28 am @IamBooBooLaLa announces "I HUNGRY!" and since she has had a little cold I decide to comply with her breakfast request - even though she can get breakfast at daycare - oh "And mama, Dora is coming on and I don't like her." so we surf over to Sprout.

Chirp!

I gather my lunch items in the fridge while I get breakfast and Viola - its now 7:45am and we should be out the door.

I get dressed, dry my hair, get @IamBooBooLaLa into her velour track suit that should be a memory, but its like 45 degrees and POURING RAIN outside.  I throw on a little makeup so I don't scare anyone and we then head back downstairs to bundle up.

I am in the kitchen filling my lunch sack with my goodies when @IamBooBooLaLa walks in with the cardboard portion of the Tangled DVD and asks, "Where is the rest of this mama? I want to take it to J's house."

I comply and find the DVD, meaning I had to turn on the DVD player and fish it out, which turns on the television, then I have to turn them back off, and hand her the DVD.  Why?

#IdonotknowIwastiredandrunninglatebythistime.

We get on our rainboots - coats - etc. and head for the car.  It is COLD AND WET out there people I was not a happy girl.

Finally - Finally we make it to daycare.  And you know what?  Because I didn't rush her and complied with requests there were ZERO tears this morning.

I just didn't get to work until 9am.

I blamed it on the rain...

Phone calls can be so impersonal...

This is in response to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt this week -



3) Describe a phone call you will never forget.

June 1988

My mom was at a meeting, my dad was probably at work, my brother and I were home and the phone rang.  I picked it up.

My Aunt:  Lisa, is your mom at home?
Me: No, she's not.
My Aunt: Well, Grandpa died...

I didn't hear anything else.  I just knew my brother finally took the phone from my hand. 
This was my Grandpa - My Aunt's and Mommy's Daddy - One of my four favorite guys in the entire UNIVERSE and she was telling me he was...

gone.

Just like that?

He survived lung cancer, prostate cancer, so much...and he had been HEALTHY lately. 

What happend?

It turned out he had a massive stroke in the house right after lunch I think...and shortly after he bought my 21st Birthday Card.

Grandpa always picked out the nicest things for the grandkids.

Easter Dresses
Christmas Dresses
Ties for my brother
Cards

Whatever it was he got it right.

He taught us the difference between a weed and a plant.  How to dead-head the lilies and the iris in the yard.  To appreciate flowers and plants.

He had games that we only played with him.  You could never beat him at Slap or Thumb War.

He was so strong.

And now...he was gone.

I still miss him terribly.

My Grandpa and I - always in the yard!

Take a look around..

So welcome - this is the new design thanks to Kate.

Still some things to tweek, but whattayathink?

Been busy - but nothing too exciting.  My boss took three of us to a Twins game yesterday and they lost to the Kansas City Royals. BOO!  But I won tickets from a contest on Gust Gab's blog so they can make it up to me then and pound on the Seattle Mariners.  Yeah!

Do you like sports?  Football, Baseball, Golf - nothing?

Ohhh Baby I Must HAVE You....

 This weeks prompt I selected....

4.) You stole WHAT!?! Spill

My college girlfriends and I get together from time to time for holiday parties, happy hours, bbq's...

One sleep deprived winter we decided to reserve a room at a local restaurant because no one could get it together to have a holiday party in their home.

An elegant restaurant was selected.

The guests were invited.

Babysitters booked - or husband's roped into giving Saturday bath's and putting the kids to bed.

Awaitng the table I have a lovely glass of Spanish white at the ever-so-hip dimly lit bar.

We are seated and well, it's a tapas restaurant, but not everyone is into the type of food that they serve.  I can't listen to the conversation because I will eat anything.  You ladies just order. 
It's cool.

I order more wine.

I drink more wine.

I begin to think to myself. "Self, this is a pretty cool wine glass.  Seems like it might hold half a bottle or so...hmmm.  Self, I would love to have this glass."

I order more wine.

I slip a glass into my massive tote bag/mommy purse.

The waiter brings me my new glass of lovely Spanish white and I drink it.

Seven Deadly Things

I am really really really lame lately.  I cannot think of much to blog about.

Sure, life is happening, but I cannot seem to pull it all into a decent post. 

So you get this that I promised to write nearly two months ago for my friend at the blog Know When To Shut-Up! because I am telling you I am SERIOUSLY LAME these days. 

Sorry Mel.  I am lame.

Seven Things You May Not Know About Me

  

1. I was a lifeguard for many years and taught most of the kids in Eden Prairie, MN how to swim at the Community Center between 1986 and 1988.
2. One summer I temped at McGlynn's bakery and lost a fake nail in a frozen struddle mishap. I apologize if you purchased said struddle.
3. Not only did I work in radio, but so did my brother and grandmother.
4. I spent THREE plus years trying to get pregnant with @IamBooBooLaLa and then pushed her out with no drugs after a mere five hours of labor and twenty minutes of pushing.  Got lucky.
5. I breastfed my daughter for twenty-two months.  That is MONTHS, not weeks or days.  And I am not a hippie or member of the La Leche League.
6. My husband and I have a small collection of snow globes that started with one he bought me after a big fight.
7. I buy Powerball and Hot Lotto tickets every drawing. It was my substitute for my smoking habit that I kicked...so nyah!
   
   I hope you enjoyed this and will take your turn!  If you do remember to direct me to your post!  And please try to enable email responses to your comments...I WANT to reply back to you.  Enabling me to email you from the comment makes it so much easier! 

NoMoreRacks!

I found this site through SponTwits and I tell you what it looks like an AWESOME deal. 
And $2 flat rate shipping!?!!

And if I can get 40 people to give them their email address in the next 72 hours I get this handbag.

Really!  You get $10 to spend when the mood strikes you for something at their website - and I get that cool handbag.  They have other offers for higher signups and lower signups, but that Nicole Lee Bag speaks to me personally.

Go ahead - Click This Link!

And thank you very much.

A Giveaway for you!

So - I have been so stinking busy & lazy about blogging - but this is NOT an apology, nay it is a summary of my life for the past two weeks or so...

* Dear Snake gets the flu
* @Iambooboolala and I go to see "If you give a Moose a Cupcake" with my parents
* @Iambooboolala gets the flu & I foolishly allow T-bone to go snowmobiling with his buddy all that day!
* LOSE MY SAPPHIRE FROM MY ENGAGEMENT RING
* Work, work, work
* Ignore blog
* NEVER ENDING LAUNDRY PILES
* worry, worry, worry
* Get sick myself
* Get annoyed by EVERYTHING under the sun
* Ignore blog some more
* Hubby gets sick so I foolishly take @Iambooboolala to McD's on a FRIDAY NIGHT???
* Clean, put stuff away, more laundry
* Drive to the boonies for nephew's birthday
* Teach Sunday School and immediately drive out to the largest mall in America to take @Iambooboolala to yet ANOTHER birthday party, lunch with T-bone during, and foolishly go to BUILD A Bear on the DAY before Valentine's Day???
* Ignoring blog on FULL power now
* work, work, work

So you see I am up to my neck in foolishness!  ;)

But for you - a giveaway from BuildASign - do you see over there in the side column?  That is the cute sticker BuildASign allowed me to make for my car.  Have you seen those EVERYWHERE?  They are too $$$ for me - but not at BuildASign.

Here is the sticker on my car:

As you can see I am a BIG FAN of the window cling - there are more on my back side windows too.  Yes, I am THAT freak! 

Wow are Build A Signs bumperstickers and window clings affordable.  So if you needed/wanted to advertise something - you could VERY inexpensively with Build A Sign's help!

And they have cute stickers too!



And since you don't want one of MY FAMILY - they gave me ten cool cling stickers like this one:

How do you get one?  Be one of the first TEN commentors on this post - BE SURE your account is connected to your email so I can email you to get your address!!!  If its not you MUST include your email in your comment.

So you ask....

Why that one?

Well - here is the story of how my hubby and I met.  Just in case you missed it the other two times I posted about it.  Happy Trails!

Imagine June 1999 - it is HOT and HUMID in Minnesota and my brother, my buddy Kyle Ann and I decide we need some cold beers and sweaty singing. We head up to NordEast to hang at a place called Arrones -- not sure I would go there anymore, but at the time the bartender Mike* and the Karaoke Chick were tons of fun --

I was wearing (or it was stuck to me) a cute Target grey tank top with blue flowers on it and these army green cargo pants I got at Abercrombie & Fitch. One day I hope to fit back into those things...the pants, I mean.

We sit on one side of the bar, Mike* gives us a cold one, and we begin to pick out our songs. If I remember accurately I probably sang (forgive me):

"Livin' La Vida Loca"
"Heartache Tonight"
"I touch myself."

But, wait! There at the "mic" is a cute guy in polo and shorts - and he is SINGING "Pretty Woman" ....I wonder if he will do the... Oh yeah, he can growl like Roy Orbison, SWEET!
I lean into Kyle Ann and say,

L - There is my boyfriend.
KA - HE's too old.
L - Too old for you maybe. Remember I have a few years on ya babe.
Brother Pete- HEY, should I go get my "Chocolate Salty Balls" cd and sing that?

Polo shirt and shorts finishes singing and starts to work his way around the bar to where we are sitting and gets halted by "Trucker Girl" wanting him to play pool.

L- Bitch, get away from my boyfriend.
KA - You need another drink.

FINALLY about midnight Polo shirt sits at the barstool next to mine -being the smooth chick I am I lean over toward him and say -

"You're cute, what is your name?"

Yes folks that is how I met the madman I am married to...he will say he sang the song because HE saw me first, I buy that, but he will also say that he TALKED to me first and that is a
bold-faced lie.

Just ask Kyle Ann, she was there. Unless she had too many Long Islands that night. ;)

* God bless Mike wherever you are!!(he died a few years ago, we went to the funeral. THAT is how charming this bartender was.)

p.s. the line I used on my hubby worked EVERY TIME. Single? Use it tonight!
p.p.s. REMEMBER if you comment ensure I have your email if you want a bumper sticker!
p.p.s.s. This item was provided to me at no charge by the company in exchange for a fair and honest review. The ideas, opinions, and story told are my own words.  I was not paid nor compensated in any other way.

Don't bother me today I am moving into my new office or Haiku Re-deux

PINT - I must be getting old!

 

 

Guest Posting Today!

Today I am a Guest Poster at The Life of Jamie - Wife of 1. Mom of 2. Going crazy by 3!

If you have not read her blog, you really should.  I love her honesty in her writing.  - Try one of her "What I learned this week" posts, or a Sarah Palin recap- you will get it.

:) Happy Hump Day Peeps!

Monday Minute - All about myself!

Today is Monday - and we are joining Christy for the Monday Minute - you link up too if you like!

1) Have you ever been hospitalized? (OK, maybe that one isn't so upbeat)

2) What’s the last bit of good news you received?

3) Who was your favorite teacher?

4) Do you sing in the shower?

(5) Describe the happiest day of your life.

1. Yes, I have been hospitalized.  The worst was when I got an infection from my spine operation - I had a disc pushing on nerves down my right arm and they cut off the part that was protruding - I was in and out in a day for the surgery and back for a WEEK from the infection.  I was REALLY sick and got very weak, but they took good care of me.
2. That my mom wants to bring pizza over one night this week and hang out with my Boo Boo La La!
3. I had GREAT elementary school teachers, Ms. Rossum and Mrs. Bleck stand out there - and in High School I really liked Mr. Sinks - I am sure many would disagree with me on him!!!  But my favorite teacher was the lawyer who taught my online ethics class at Capella!
4. Not out loud; I do hear music in my head frequently.
5. I would have to say the happiest day was the day I had my daughter.  I was not at all sure I would be good at managing the pain of childbirth, but I was totally surprised at how quickly it all went for us.  Quick summary: I was checked in January 8th just after dinner to be induced January 9th because of my age and blood pressure.  I went into labor in the night and the nurses kept telling me I was not in labor as the monitor was not picking up on the contractions.  About 6:30 am I said if I were not in labor I was going to need an epidural because I was in a good amount of pain already...the shift change was happening so about 8am finally someone showed up to give me the epidural and start pitossin.  The nurse wanted to check how dialated I was and WHOOSH!  My water broke and my daughter shot down the birth canal.  YES, it can happen that fast.  They had to grab a random doctor in the hall as they were on the phone with my doctor telling him they were starting pitossin; my doctor made it to the room just moments after Boo Boo was born and that only took about 20 minutes!  I was so happy it was quick, relatively easy, and that I got such a healthy baby!

10/26/10 update - if it was not clear in the sequence of events - I did NOT get an epidural and had a drug-free birth with my Boo Boo La La.  When the water broke and she started crowning it was too late.  But it was sooooo fast I didn't need them anyway.

 Hope you enjoy the Monday Minute and can play along with Christy who took it over from Ian!