Giving Up On Perfect

Good times.

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:20:00 +0000

I neglected my computer over the weekend, and it kind of felt good.

It turns out that when I turn off the computer, I have a lot more time for baking and laundry and stacking blocks and laundry and running errands and laundry.

Seriously – how do three people generate so much laundry?

We had a good weekend. I rented a movie on Friday night. Yes, that’s all I’m saying right now. Just stay tuned for that review. And then somehow, miraculously, Saturday brought a rush of motivation. Do not even ask me where it came from. I don’t question it; I just go with it as long as it lasts.

Mark had planned a poker night for Saturday night, so I made him beer bread and brownies. And I only ate a few of the Doritos I bought for him. “Daddy’s chips,” Annalyn said – over and over. Until I let her eat a handful out of the Cool Ranch bag. Then she didn’t seem to mind that I’d said they belonged to Daddy!

We tried to get flu shots in the afternoon, but that didn’t work out so well. Just like getting Annalyn’s two-year shots earlier in the week didn’t work out. Apparently it was just not our week for shots.

We got to the health department three minutes too late for her regular vaccinations, and all the angry tears and forced calm explanations in the world – I work full-time and this is the earliest I can get here, and oh yeah, our insurance doesn’t cover shots at the pediatrician – didn’t budget the receptionist. And the flu shots? We were looking at a three-hour wait – just minutes before naptime. That didn’t seem like a good idea.

So basically, we’re just crossing our fingers that we don’t get sick for now. I’ll let you know how that works out.

After I helped Mark clean the house (Hey! It was his poker night!), set up his snacks and put the kiddo in bed, I left the boys to their poker and drove to Smitty’s apartment.

Did I mention that in the midst of the cleaning and the laundry and the cooking and the not getting flu shots, we also had a rip-roaring fight? The kind that made my poor, scarred-for-life daughter say, “Mommy sad. Mommy sad.”

[Sigh. Yes, baby, Mommy’s sad. And now she’s even sadder because I’m fighting in front of you. Way to go, Parents of the Year.]

I think she’ll be okay. Mainly because we resolved things well before she woke up on Sunday. You know, because we’re just that mature and loving (ha!). And maybe because my long drive to Smitty’s – and a good time eating dinner and hanging out with my bestest friend – did me some good.

I think I should take a long drive every week. Or at least a couple times a month. Seriously. There’s just something about getting in the car, rolling down the window, cranking up the stereo and speeding (only five miles over, officer, I swear) down the highway. It just makes me happy. Especially on a Saturday night, when I can find fun music on the dial (or the button, as the case may be).

From Kanye West (sorry, Taylor) to Jason Aldean to Van Halen, I was jamming. As in, if there had been a secret camera and that footage was ever shown to anyone on the face of the earth, I would just lay down and die – that kind of jamming.

It was good.

On Sunday we had church and homemade pizza and naps and Bible study. (About marriage and communication – and no, the irony was not lost on us, coming the day after a good, solid fight.)

We didn’t make it to the park, the cats may or may not have peed on the kitchen rug, and Annalyn spent two hours in the middle of the night Sunday hollering and crying and generally keeping me awake.

But it was a good weekend. How was yours?

Compassion Bloggers Trip: El Salvador

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:02:00 +0000

UPDATE: I just read that a hurricane hit El Salvador over the weekend, killing 91 people and certainly affecting the Compassion Bloggers trip. Please pray.

On Monday, Compassion is taking four bloggers to El Salvador, where they will witness firsthand the ministry that Compassion International has in the tiny Central American country. You can travel with them through stories, pictures and videos on their blogs.

But wait! Before you click over and subscribe to these blogs, you should know that reading about this trip might just break your heart. It might even change you forever. But if you think you can handle it, head on over to join their journey. I guarantee you will not regret it.

Heather Whittaker (from Whittaker Woman)
Kelly Stamps (from Kelly’s Korner)
Molly Piper (from The Pipers)
Shaun Groves (from, well, himself)

Why are they doing this, anyway? While I don’t know each of their individual reasons, I imagine at least part of the rationale for leaving the comfort of home for the great discomfort of a foreign land and incredible poverty is the same reason I sponsor a child and why many of you do, too.

When you sponsor a child, you are linked with one particular child who will know your name, write to you and treasure the thought that you care. He or she will pray for you often and write to you. Your tax-deductible contribution of just $38 a month connects your child with a loving, church-based child sponsorship program that provides food and clean water, medical care, educational opportunities, life-skills training, and most important of all, your sponsored child will hear about Jesus Christ and be encouraged to develop a lifelong relationship with God.*

Wanna help? Here’s how:

1. Pray.

To see the names and faces of the bloggers going, visit the Compassion Bloggers Trip page.
Pray for their families they’ll leave behind, their spiritual and physical and mental health/stamina, their ability to take in a lot of information quickly and experience a lot of emotions and find the words to write about it all.

2. Twitter.

Please send your followers to the trip’s page using this link: http://bit.ly/CBElSalvador
Tweet any specific posts you’d like to pass along using the hashtag #cbes
If you ask your followers to sponsor a child, please use this link: http://bit.ly/ESKids

3. Facebook.

Shaun Groves created a widget for Facebook pages (works on Myspace and blogs too). It displays pictures, videos and posts from our trip as they become available.
No need to know what the heck a widget is. Just go to http://bit.ly/4euihb and click “Facebook” to add this widget to your Facebook wall.
Or hit the “share” button above and choose “Facebook” from the options.

Do you sponsor a child with Compassion or any other organization? Would you like to get involved today?

*From Compassion.com.

The holiday usuals

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:02:00 +0000

My cousins and I have been exchanging e-mails, figuring out when and where to hold the family holidays this year. I got an e-vite a few days ago from my cousin on the other side of the family: Thanksgiving is officially on the calendar now. My mom told me tonight that she and my dad have been planning menus for all the upcoming holidays.

And so it begins.

Of course, the reason for Thanksgiving and Christmas is not food. But come on, it is a big part of our celebrations. Am I right?

In the past decade, I have hosted a few Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, even doing the whole turkey thing. And then there was the year we went to Mark’s extended family, where they deep fried a turkey. In the front yard.

But I digress.

Aside from the turkey years, I’ve mostly stuck with side dishes. Mmmm . . . I love side dishes. Mostly the ones that focus on carbs and/or cheese. My “usuals” are green bean casserole, cheesy potatoes, broccoli and rice casserole and baked beans. Well, you know, the baked beans are Mark’s usual.

Kelly is asking for holiday recipes today, so here’s mine for the broccoli casserole.

Broccoli & Rice Casserole

½ stick butter
1 small chopped onion
10 oz. package frozen broccoli
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small jar Cheez Whiz
2 cups cooked rice

Saute onion in butter. Add broccoli, soup and cheese. (And yes, it's got to be Cheez Whiz. Don't hate me. Just do it.) Stir in (cooked) rice and pour into 9x13 pan. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

What are your holiday “usuals”? Will you try anything new this year?

This post will also be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Sadly, my new modem is not on this list.

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:02:00 +0000

Image from The Legacy Builder

I live in the middle of the country, but my roots are Southern. Want proof? Listen to my daughter talk for any amount of time. I guarantee you'll hear her say, "Thank you" at least three times. If not a hundred.

Because that child of mine? Is thankful.

She says thank you for her milk, thank you for her waffle, thank you for her Elmo, thank you for turning on her movie, thank you for changing her diaper, thank you for helping her up the stairs - you get the picture.

And while it is possible that she's just hooked on this phrase (similar to how she has, on occasion, been hooked on the word, "poop"), I also think it does reflect our family's attitude. Mark and I aren't perfect by any means, but we do work really hard to appreciate each other. Even in the little things.

I chalk it up to those Southern roots.

Last year I posted daily in November, writing about something I'm thankful for. I'm so glad I did that, but woo-eee, it was hard. Never has November been so long! This year I'm going to stick to weekly thanksgiving posts. I'll add a MckLinky, so you can link up your Thankful Thursday posts, too.

I've got to tell you: I'm cranky. I've been on the phone with Time Warner customer service for the last 90 minutes. And despite that hour and a half I cannot get back, a new modem and an exercise in extreme patience when the fifth (FIFTH!) customer service person I was transferred to asked for my phone number AGAIN and then had me reboot the router FOR THE THIRD TIME, my internet connection is still out of whack. I kind of want to yell at someone. So being appreciative of the little things is probably a good idea. Here goes . . .

Absolute best part of my day on Wednesday was getting my 2010 planner. I'm not just excited to see the blank pages full of possibility - although, I am. But this year's planner came in a Trapper Keeper! Okay, not a Trapper. It does not have a velcro tab or neon colors, but it is a nice, leather portfolio with lots of pockets. It's so soft and pretty, and I want to pet it, George. And, yes, I'm an office supply nerd. That's been established, thank you very much.
We took Annalyn to get her pictures taken on Sunday. We hadn't gone for professional photos in almost a year, because a) it's so darned expensive and b) our last two experiences were terrible. So I was kind of dreading this, but it needed to be done. Grandparents were getting antsy. And though our photo session went straight into naptime - also known as dangerous territory! - I'm happy to report that thanks to an extremely patient photographer and a highly entertaining photographer's assistant, we bought way too many super cute pictures! Seriously - who needs 64 wallets? It's not like these were her senior pictures! Although . . .

Nice pose.

I realize those are two minor things to be thankful for today. But it's what I've got for now. I'm sure I'll think of 27 other things I'm way more thankful for as soon as I hit "publish." Maybe I'll write them down for next week.

What are you thankful for today?

Wordless Wednesday: My Ladybug

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

We didn't get a lot of great Halloween pictures this year, but here's what I have! Head over to The Mom Creative for more super cute Halloween photos!

What happens when a "what if" comes true?

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:02:00 +0000

A few years ago, before I had even the desire to have a child, my mom said to me, “I’m worried that you are afraid to have a baby, because you’ve known so many people who have had trouble.”

I was so annoyed. Just because I knew a couple people who’d had difficulty starting families didn’t mean anything.

I mean, sure, there was my cousin who spent weeks on bedrest and my other cousin who went through years of fertility treatments in order to have children. Then there were my friends who’d had miscarriages and the girl I knew who almost bled to death during delivery. And, of course, there was my mom herself who lost a baby before I was born.

Okay, so maybe I did know a lot of people who’d had traumatic pregnancies and deliveries. And to top it off with the years I spent working around children with leukemia? Having a child was sounding pretty scary!

And, yeah, it is.

Mark gets so annoyed with me when I tell him all the possible ways Annalyn can get hurt. Or sick. Or . . . you know . . . worse.

But then I remind him that he’s not the one bombarded with information. I am! From magazines to books to blogs to friends, I’m constantly hearing stories and warnings and nightmares.

And I can’t help but think . . . what if? What if the worst thing possible happened?

Mary DeMuth’s Defiance Texas Trilogy asks those same questions, and in A Slow Burn, the second book, Emory Chance’s “what if” nightmare has come true.

I read Daisy Chain, the first of the series, earlier this year. It was a hard book to read, an emotional punch in the gut more than once, but I’ve been looking forward to reading more of the story in the second book. Sometimes you just have to know what happens, even if you are covering your eyes the whole time you peer into the story.

A Slow Burn has finally been released, and you can read the first chapter online (and get hooked yourself).

Here’s a blurb about the book:

She touched Daisy’s shoulder. So cold. So hard. So unlike Daisy.

Yet so much like herself it made Emory shudder.

Burying her grief, Emory Chance is determined to find her daughter Daisy’s murderer—a man she saw in a flicker of a vision. But when the investigation hits every dead end, her despair escalates. As questions surrounding Daisy’s death continue to mount, Emory’s safety is shattered by the pursuit of a stranger, and she can’t shake the sickening fear that her own choices contributed to Daisy’s disappearance. Will she ever experience the peace her heart longs for?

The second book in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy, this suspenseful novel is about courageous love, the burden of regret, and bonds that never break. It is about the beauty and the pain of telling the truth. Most of all, it is about the power of forgiveness and what remains when shame no longer holds us captive.

“She can’t shake the sickening fear that her own choices contributed to Daisy’s disappearance.” I think this is the part that rocks me. Because I can only imagine – even though I don’t want to – how I’d feel if something happened to my own daughter. How I’d deal with that. How I’d face myself. How I’d live with myself – live with what happened, no matter what had happened – after that.

And the beauty of A Slow Burn is that it doesn’t just stop after answering the terrible question, “What if the worst thing possible happened?” It also answers the question of how you can go on living after it does.

How do you get over the “what ifs”?

Monday Music: It Is Well by Kutless

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

The first Monday of November, and what are two of our local radio stations playing? You guessed it: Christmas music.

Unbelievable.

I love the holidays. And I love festive music. But this starting earlier and earlier every year thing? Drives me up the wall.

Because now, even though I’ve finally gotten the presets figured out in my new car, I have even fewer stations to choose from. (My personal policy is to start listening to Christmas music not a day earlier than Thanksgiving. Because, really.)

Although, I’m not sure why I’m worried about it at all, considering the only way to keep Miss Annalyn from getting fussy in the car is by playing kids’ CDs. Constantly. Stopping to repeat on her favorite songs. Who needs a dozen local stations, when you’re just going to be playing “MY MOOZICK!” every afternoon anyway?

The mornings are mine, though. Mine to play whatever I want. And while sometimes that means silly chatter from the morning shows or peppy pop music to wake up my sleepy brain, more often than not it means one of the two contemporary Christian stations we have. For me, listening to uplifting – or, as they say, positive and encouraging – music gets me in a better mindset for heading into the office and facing my day.

I’ve tried to tell Mark he should do the same. Especially when he’s grumpy about this policy or that at work. Yes, he appreciates my helpful suggestions very much, thank you for asking.

Actually, he doesn’t. Because he doesn’t like a lot of contemporary Christian music. (Gasp!) He doesn’t have quite the same appreciation of overplayed, fluffy pop music that I do, though.

And that’s why – here’s the point, if you were looking for it – I’m excited about the latest CD from Kutless, It Is Well.

This CD came in the mail a couple weeks ago, and I have to admit: I was nervous to listen to it. See, I don’t own a lot of Christian CDs. Honestly, I am usually content to listen to whatever is playing on the radio – overplayed or over-poppy as it may be. And while I’d heard of Kutless, I wasn’t sure I knew specifically which songs are theirs.

I’m happy to tell you: This CD is great! And as soon as Mark gets home tonight, I’m putting it in his truck. Because it’s exactly the sound he likes – think Creed or Three Doors Down, maybe – but with better lyrics. (I wanted to say “a positive message,” but that sounds a little too afterschool special, I think.)

The band has taken several different types of worship songs – some old, some recent – and given each of them a Kutless spin. I love the way the CD starts off, with a high church choir singing, “It Is Well” and then the sound merging into the Kutless version. It’s hard to describe, but to me, it was a great way to introduce the album and announce, “Hey, we’re taking our favorite worship songs and making them ours.”

I’ve already put this CD into my iTunes, and I can tell you it’s going to be played heavily in our house (truck, office, etc.). If you like your rock to be encouraging – or if you like your Christian music to have some edge – check out It Is Well by Kutless.

And here’s a little bit about the album, from the band itself:

We began this worship project, It Is Well, by asking one question, “Can we do something unique?” There are many worship records; however, we were driven by the challenge to do something different, something Kutless. Although we’ve done a worship-oriented album (“Strong Tower”), we are in a different place right now and wanted this project to reflect our hearts.

From February through May 2009 we poured over hundreds of songs. We looked for songs that had a special meaning to us, songs that were traditional, songs that were modern, and songs we could make our own. As the list of songs started to form, we began arranging the songs to fit our style, after all, we are a rock band. This was a challenge in terms of how to take a hymn written in the late 1800s and make it sound like a Kutless song.

The recording process was unique for us for many reasons . . . We had one of those incredible experiences that happen to Christ-followers. We started with a goal, but, through the process, God took that goal and turned it back around to Himself. The quest for a special album became a unique time for us to go deeper in worship. The goal of composing original songs became a time for us to grow in our love and appreciation of each other. The epiphany for us was that the purpose of a worship record was to reflect who God is – His peace, freedom, power and ability to help us grow in relationship with Him and others. In the end, this “unique” experience happened to us in the making of It Is Well.

So, tell me: how do you like your Christian music? Or do you like it at all? I want to hear all your opinions. (Even if you happen to be my brother and want to tell us how choir music rocks.)

I received this CD from Overture Media but was given no other compensation for this review. And as always, this is my honest opinion. The Amazon links are affiliate links.

Breakfast, snack or both?

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:02:00 +0000

I mentioned this on Facebook last week, but I bought a box of Golden Grahams for a late-night snack. This would be a fine idea, except . . . I've eaten them for a snack and breakfast and, well, I've eaten the whole box!

Do you like to eat cereal for a snack? For breakfast? For both?

Image by x99elledge.

Halloween Giveaway Winners

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who participated in Giving Up on a Perfect Halloween! Random.org has spoken, and the winners are:

Giveaway #1 (the books): Comment #12 (Beth @ Not a Bow in Sight)
Giveaway #2 (the bundt pan & magazine): Comment #37 (melilotnfosco)
Giveaway #3 (Red Letter Words): Comment #27 (Lisa @ Simplified Savings)

Congratulations! E-mail me with your mailing address, so you can get your goodies! And everyone else, stay tuned for Giving Up on a Perfect Thanksgiving (November 20) and Giving Up on a Perfect Christmas (December 18).

Embarrassing Stories, Funny Photos, a Carnival and Giveaways – now that’s a perfect Halloween!

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Halloween 2007 came less than two weeks after we brought Annalyn home from the hospital. Those days are pretty blurry, but I’m pretty sure I spent that evening ignoring the knocks on the door (Hello, neighborhood kids. If the light’s off, keep on moving.) and checking on the teeny tiny baby sleeping in her crib.

Last year was much more exciting. My mom and I took Annalyn – in her ghetto kitty costume – to visit a couple people and then headed to their house for dinner and a movie (“It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”).

This year, I’ve been so excited that Halloween falls on a Saturday. That means we can take Annalyn to more than two houses for trick or treating and, more importantly, Mark can come with us.

I’ve bought a ladybug costume, borrowed an antenna headband, found some black tights and mapped out all the stops we want to make before going to my parents’ house for chili and the annual Charlie Brown movie. It’s going to be great.

At least . . . it’s supposed to be great. Mark told me yesterday that he might have to work on Saturday. And so I got a lesson in my own philosophy – give up on a perfect Halloween, Mary!

Seriously, do the holidays ever turn out like we hope? Like we plan? Like we expect?

Not in my world.

Back in the day when I could show a little leg. (Also known as college.)

Ah, the memories of hand-me-down clown costumes and face paint made of Mom's makeup.

Carving a pumpkin with my dad. I think something went awry between picture #1 and picture #2!

Take the Halloween Slumber Party of 1990. From the black hair dye that started on my friend Elizabeth’s hair and ended up staining my mother’s sparkling clean bathtub to my ~~insensitive~~ friends who insisted on watching “Carrie,” even though some girls (read: me) were too scared to even look at the television, that night did not go as planned.

But nothing beats the Big Halloween Party of 8th Grade.

My friend Mindy and I got all dressed up, stopped by my Granny’s house to get some candy and snap a picture, and then headed out to the country for a good ol’ barn dance.

Okay, so it wasn’t so much a barn dance as a real, live boy and girl party in a . . . barn. But the boys and girls mostly stayed on opposite sides of that barn, honest. And as it turns out, Mindy was the only one who showed up wearing flannel and overalls.

She was dressed as a hobo. I was dressed as a gypsy. And everyone else was dressed as awkward adolescents who did not dress up for Halloween.

We were mortified. We ran into our friend’s house and called Mindy’s mom. We begged her to bring us clothes to change into, and she was more than willing. Unfortunately, Mindy lived on Trick or Treating Central, so there was no getting out of the driveway.

Eventually, one of her neighbors took pity on us and drove out with two normal outfits. Finally, we could head back to the barn and stand next to the rest of the girls who were staring at the boys.

Have you ever had a costume catastrophe? A holiday mishap? A less than perfect Halloween? Tell us all about it – link up in the MckLinky, and leave a comment!

Need more motivation to comment? How about a giveaway? What’s that? You want more than that? Okay, how about three giveaways?

Click over to my new review/giveaway page for the details!

Link up your posts, check out the giveaway and comment! And remember – give up on a perfect Halloween. The results might just be spooktacular. Or, ah, bootiful?

Darn it. I went nearly 800 words without a cheesy Halloween pun. Sorry, friends. I just couldn’t help it. Happy Halloween!

Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today.

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I found out over the weekend that one of my dearest friends has left his wife of more than a dozen years.

As I learned about his affair and the battle that’s already begun over his two children, I sobbed. I didn’t know what to say, how to react, what to feel. I just knew that nothing about this situation is okay.

And I was reminded of a couple years ago when three of our couple friends (friend couples?) got divorced, all within a few months of each other. One couple went through a very public split that involved betrayal and infidelity; another couple lost a business, their house and eventually their love for each other. The third couple just stopped fighting and moved on.

I don’t say any of this lightly. Though I was close to each of the couples I’m describing, I’m well aware that I have no idea of the pain they’ve been through. All of my friends who have experienced divorce have hurt – they’ve hurt each other and they’ve been hurt themselves – and I know they still bear the scars of broken relationships, broken promises, broken hearts.

Thinking about this, facing this – it just makes me so sad. I don’t presume to know the details of anyone else’s relationship or what is right or wrong for anyone’s life. But I do know that each of my friends made promises to God and to each other, and those promises have been broken.

I’ve broken promises, too. Mark and I have been married for 10 years (woo-hoo!), but the majority of those years have been peppered with fights and frustrations and tears and tantrums and disappointments and – hmmm, I wish I could think of something else that started with a “d.” But you get the point.

We came into marriage with expectations and assumptions, and we each let the other down in every way possible. We’re going through a Bible study about marriage right now, and the chapter we just finished talks about focusing on the good things about your spouse and ignoring the bad things. Let’s just say we had that reversed for more than a few years.

Early in our marriage, we even considered whether or not we’d made a mistake by getting married in the first place. I said I didn’t know if it would work. I thought that maybe it wouldn’t.

I’m not sure how we made it through. Not without scars of our own, that’s for sure. But somehow, we kept putting one foot in front of the other. We kept coming home to each other. We kept trying to fight it out and figure it out. We talked, we cried (Okay, I cried. Mark handed me Kleenex.), we prayed, we screamed, we planned, we promised – and then we did it all over again.

Why did we stay together? Is it that we couldn’t stand breaking our promises for good? Were we afraid of disappointing our families? Were things really not that bad?

Well, no. They were bad. We’ve had, ahem, issues. But in the end, we still loved each other. (Even when we didn’t like each other at all.) And we realized that our problems didn’t make us want to escape the relationship. Instead, they just made us anxious – no, desperate – to fix what had gone wrong.

I am not judging my friends or anyone else who has ended a marriage. I know that it’s only by the grace of God that I have not been in their shoes. Those situations break my heart, but they also remind me of how blessed I am. I spent the afternoon after learning about my friend’s affair patting my husband on the arm, just making sure he knows that I’m still here, and that I’m glad he’s still here, too.

A few of my friends have written some beautiful posts recently about marriage, and I want to share them with you.

I also want to hear from you, about your relationships, about your experience. How have you made it through tough times in your marriage?

My (new) morning routine

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

My disdain for housecleaning has been well-documented, so it's a little odd that my daughter loves to clean as much as she does. But give that girl a Clorox wipe, and she is one happy camper.

Given her gotta-get-it-clean-Mommy tendencies, I haven't been surprised to see how much she loves brushing her teeth. But what has surprised me a bit is her love of my entire morning routine.

From the minute I step out of the shower and crack the bathroom door, Annalyn is fascinated by every step I take to get ready for my day.

"Panties, Mommy?"
"Umm, yes, baby. Those are Mommy's panties."

Thankfully her interest doesn't stop at my underwear. Because that would be weird. After she "helps" me get dressed, then we move on to our teeth.

"Remember, Annalyn. When I'm finished brushing, you're finished brushing."
"Okay, Mommy. Pft!"
"No, you don't need to spit, baby."

And then it's time for makeup, although Annalyn's Daddy kindly says we're beautiful without it.

"Some. Some, Mommy."
"Okay, baby doll. Here's some chapstick for you. Go like this: MWAH!"
"Cheeks! Cheeks, Mommy!" "Lotion! Lotion!" "Eyes, Mommy! Eyes!"

My new morning routine takes a bit longer to get through, but it works for me. What does your morning routine look like?

Don't forget!

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Remember - this Friday, October 30, is the Giving Up on a Perfect Halloween Carnival! I'll have a giveaway, a scary ~~embarrassing~~ story, pictures galore and a place to link up your own imperfect Halloween posts.

Need inspiration? Well . . .

Have you ever turned off the porch light and eaten the rest of your Halloween candy by yourself?
Have you ever had a great idea for a costume . . . that didn't quite work out?
Do you think it's more fun to enjoy Halloween as a kid or as an adult?
Do you like haunted houses and scary movies? Or do they make you ~~pee your pants~~ scream?

Or, what about . . .

Your best homemade costume
Your favorite Halloween candy
The tastiest Halloween treats you've ever made
Your family's fall traditions

Here's what it comes down to, friends: There's no perfect way to spend any holiday. So let's kick off the end-of-the-year holiday rush by not stressing out. And celebrating our funny, scary, sweet and memorable stories about Halloween.

And, oh yeah, by entering to win a big ol' prize. See you on Friday!

The Wow Factor

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:18:00 +0000

On an evening such as this, it's hard to tell if I exist.
If I pack the car and leave this town, who'll notice that I'm not around?
(Pinch Me, Barenaked Ladies)

One of my favorite songs has a vulnerable – and yet somehow catchy – line that seems to come out of nowhere, just moments after describing simple pleasures like running through the sprinkler and taking long naps.

But isn’t that how insecurity and fears are? Coming at us when we least expect it, slamming into our hearts and shadowing our minds before we even know what hit us?

Last week I auditioned for a solo at church. For nine months, I’ve known that I wanted to sing a certain song at the Christmas program, and Thursday was my day to make that happen.

Things did not go as planned.

To read the rest of this story, head over to (in)courage.

Shaky, shaky...

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

When I was a freshman in college, my roommate loved Elmo toys. She'd worked at Toys 'R Us, I think, and also had a young nephew to spoil - between the two, she'd really become fond of the annoying red muppet. And so she had a Tickle Me Elmo. And a Tickle Me Cookie Monster, or whatever he was called.

And she kept them in her bed. Where she occasionally would roll over on them in the middle of the night.

That's a weird thing to wake up to, let me just tell you.

I'm having flashbacks to those days, because Annalyn was given an Elmo & Cookie Monster Giggle Ball (yes, that's it in the picture), and when I accidentally sat on it, well, I'm sure you can guess what happened.

Yep. "Giggly, jiggly! Shaky, shaky! Ha, ha, ha!"

That link is not an affiliate link, by the way. Because I am not advocating anyone buy this thing.

And how was your weekend?

Saturday Review: Fame, Management & a Shopaholic

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Two out of three of us are still sick in my house, so this will be short and sweet. Or, at least, short. (And you know that my version of short is less than 600 words, right?)

Smitty and I went to see Fame after Annalyn’s birthday party. We had pretty high expectations, as lovers of the teen dance genre, and that may have been the problem.

Here’s what I’ll say: If the goal of this movie was to illustrate the difficulties of a young artist’s life that we might not know about or think of, then they succeeded. It was filmed in a gritty way, so it seemed pretty obvious that viewers are supposed to feel like we’re getting a real look at the lives of these students.

But here’s the problem: The movie follows several characters over four years. In less than two hours. It was almost more of a montage than a movie – short clips of characters with no real development. I could hardly remember all the main characters’ names, much less care about what happened to them.

On the other hand, I’m a sap for teen dance movies. So the music, the dancing, the teeny-bopper romance? Totally made me grin (a little bit) and maybe even cry (a teeny tiny bit).

Also, Megan Mullally is awesome in everything she does. And now I’ve added another movie to my need-to-see list: the original.

Mark and I rented Management a couple weeks ago. Redbox didn’t have any new movies out that we wanted to see, and Mark assumed that anything with Jennifer Aniston would be the kind of romantic comedy I like.

(Awwww, so sweet.)

It wasn’t exactly the kind of romantic comedy I normally watch, though. It was about a romance of sorts, and it had funny parts. But it was very dry and not fast-paced.

The gist is this: Jennifer Aniston is a businesswoman who meets Steve Zahn on a business trip at the motel his parents own. He’s kind of nerdy and immature; she’s kind of overworked and lonely. He takes a fancy to Miss Aniston and ends up following her around the country, wearing her down until she . . . well, you don’t want to know the ending, do you?

Somehow it manages to be not really as stalker-ish as it sounds. Really, it’s pretty good. Quiet, but good. Oh, and it also has Woody Harrelson, so if that’s a draw, it has that going for it.

When Chelley visited several weeks ago, we rented Confessions of a Shopaholic. Chelley had already seen it and liked it, although she said the book's different and better. I feel a little bad, because I didn’t really like it.

I think Isla Fisher is adorable, and there’s nothing better than a floppy-haired British romantic lead. (It turns out Hugh Grant was busy – or old – so they went with another Hugh, Hugh Dancy.) But the main character was real annoying to me. I’d like to think that people aren’t really that dumb, but maybe they are. So all I’ll say is that she isn’t the type of person I want to spend 104 minutes with.

Well, to be honest, it would probably be fun to go shopping with her. But to watch her try to dig herself out of the holes she’s dug herself? Not so much.

So – seen any good movies lately?

On the up side, it's Friday.

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

The good news: I don't have the flu.

The bad news: That's the only thing my neighborhood drugstore clinic is treating for.

More bad news: I waited an hour and a half to find that out.

The good news: It's Friday.

Last night, my choir director mentioned an incident that occurred when he was a waiter at Chili's. It involved veggies, a lap and a very angry lady.

That reminded me of my time as a waitress - three of the longest months of my life! I was not a good waitress, and I didn't enjoy it one bit. Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot about that job, but I do remember one night in particular.

The night I dumped a whole tray of drinks, splashing a huge (HUGE!) glass of tea onto a man's lap. He was kind and gracious and forgiving, but still. Embarrassing!!!

Cheer me up today. Tell me a horror story from one of your early jobs. (Or recent jobs, if that provides better material!)

Heading for the highway...looking for my gas tank?

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

We bought my car, an Oldsmobile Alero, six years ago. It has been clear to us that it's not the best car ever made in these 50 states for about five years. Mark has hated it for approximately five years. We paid it off just over one year ago.

Despite the rattling and whirring that occasionally popped up and the windshield wipers that only worked when they felt like it and the signal indicator that made its ticking noise even when the blasted blinker wasn't on, it was a decent car.

And by "decent," I mean that it got me from Point A to Point B. Every single time.

Until Saturday, that is. When a piece of metal lay (lie? laid? I don't know.) in wait on the highway, jumping up to attack our gas tank at the most inopportune time.

Or opportune, depending on how you look at it. Because, after what seems like weeks but has only been a few days of dealing with insurance agents, rental car guys, insurance adjusters, used car salesmen and - worst of all - cranky spouses, Mark and I are now the proud owners of a new car.

The very car that we had looked at a month ago but decided we couldn't afford. That's our new car. Well, a new used car. A new-to-us car. A crossover, or as others might call it, an SUV-wannabe. Or, as my dad called it, a station wagon. No matter. It's shiny and it's big and it's ours.

And I think it's going to get better gas mileage than my sad, old Olds.

Here it is. Except, not. Because this isn't the exact car we bought. I mean, it is. But ours doesn't live in the mountains. It lives in the middle of the country. In a suburb. With all the other SUVs and crossovers.

I'm just getting to know it, but so far, I love my new (used) car. I'm thankful that, despite my hopes and dreams for my old car lasting just one more year, God provided for us and moved up our car-buying schedule.

I will try to be just as thankful when the first payment is due in December.

What are you loving today? For more things to love, visit The Diaper Diaries.

Half full or half empty

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Photo by Jenny Downing

When I was in high school, I sang a duet at our spring concert. The song was called "Heart Half Empty," and it has been stuck in my head since I started writing this post.

Anyway.

Sometimes I hear people say things that are just annoying. Things like, “I don’t have time to watch TV.” Or, “Oh, I can’t eat fast food anymore. It upsets my stomach.” Or perhaps, “I just can’t go a day without exercising. I get cranky!”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that these things are bad or even untrue. No, they’re annoying statements because, sure, I’d love develop an aversion to fast food and television and spend more time working out. But that’s just not real life. At least, it’s not my real life.

And so I get annoyed.

But you know what I found myself thinking the other day when a co-worker mentioned that she doesn’t like water? “Really? Wow. Sometimes I crave water. I can’t get enough. I like water.”

I almost became one of those people with my annoying, self-righteous, good-habited statements.

But, just like those folks who hate fast food and love to exercise (and somehow don’t make TV watching a priority), I meant it. It’s the truth. I drink a lot of water. And I like it.

Does that make me weird? Maybe. But it's my one good habit, and besides, we all know the benefits of drinking more water: weight loss, better skin, live to 100. (Just kidding on that last one.) So perhaps I can offer some helpful hints on getting more water in your day. (More, as in six to eight cups, of course!)

If you’re a fan of bottled water (because, yes, I realize some of you probably are not in favor of disposable plastic bottles), buy a 24-pack and keep it in your car. Then you can drink a bottle on your way to work, while running errands or on the way to drop off the kids at school.
If you are opposed to those landfill-filling bottles, then get a good thermos. That way, you can keep your “car water” cold. And save the earth. (Serious side note: I’m all for non-disposable things. But in the interests of full disclosure, I often drink water from plastic bottles.)
If you work at a desk – or in the kitchen or in a classroom or, you get the point – keep a cup for water there. That’s what I do – I keep a giant plastic cup at my desk at all times, refilling it a few times a day.
If you can’t stand the flavor of water (really?), use the sugar-free mix-ins. I know Crystal Light makes lots of flavors; so does Great Value at Walmart.
Drink with a straw. If you need to, a colorful, twisty one. I can’t promise this will make your water taste like Diet Coke, but it might making drinking it a little more fun.
Add ice. Personally, I like cold water with no ice. But my co-worker swears that drinking water with ice speeds up your metabolism. Or at least makes the water colder.

Okay, how about you? Do you drink water? I know I have more trouble getting my water in over the weekend, when I’m on the go – or at least not at a desk all day. When do you find it harder to drink your six to eight?

Drinking water works for me. For more tips, visit We Are THAT Family.

New tunes on a Tuesday

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT! Random.org picked Jessie from Vanderbilt Wife to win this CD! Congratulations, Jessie!!

----------------------------

I have a confession. Even though I consider myself a music person, I’m not one of those cool music people. I don’t wear black, I can’t improvise and - here's the real kicker - I listen to the radio.

Given that my music-listening hours are occupied by the same 10 songs my favorite stations play, I don’t often stumble onto songs and musicians outside the mainstream. Or, even just new ones.

(Unless you count the new music battles that some stations play, where they pit the latest songs by two already-popular artists against each other. And I’m guessing that does not count.)

So when One2One Network gave me the opportunity to review and give away Brandi Carlile’s new album, Give Up the Ghost, I didn’t hesitate. Of course I signed up!

As I mentioned in my official disclosure last week, I will never tell you I like something if I don’t. That means you can take this at face value: I love this CD!

After I listened to it a few times, I started doing a little research. You can learn about Carlile on her web site, but you may already be familiar from her if you’re a Grey’s fan. The show has apparently featured several of her songs, which explains why her sound was somewhat familiar to me.

Carlile reminds me of K.T. Tunstall, and my new Brandi Carlile station on Pandora also plays Norah Jones, Adele and someone named Missy Higgins. Then again, it also played Coldplay, so this is only so helpful.

I really enjoy acoustic music, and Carlile’s real, sometimes raw voice is complemented beautifully by her guitar. My favorite songs on Give Up on Ghost are Dreams and That Year, but honestly, I love the whole CD.

And now it’s your turn to listen to some new tunes. Win a copy of Brandi Carlile’s Give Up on Ghost by leaving a comment. Tell me your latest music find or current favorite song. I’ll randomly draw a winner after midnight on Wednesday, October 21.

I guess the time was right for us to say…

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Extra credit to anyone who can name that song (in the title).

Do you make plans? I do. I’m a big planner. I like making plans. But sometimes – as in, right now in this very moment – I’m really not sure why I bother.

Let me start with the good parts of my weekend. Because despite that Debbie Downer statement, there were some.

Annalyn spent Friday night with my parents, because I had an awards dinner to go to for my job. On my way home from work, I found my car driving itself to the mall and parking in front of Macy’s. An interesting choice on the car’s part, really, because I didn’t have time to shop.

I also didn’t have anything to wear, really. I mean, what is cocktail attire, anyway? No, that’s not a good question. I know what cocktail attire is, and it’s lovely. I just don’t really have anything that fits the criteria. Anything that fits, at least. (Boo.)

So, my car took me to Macy’s, and I decided that I could just run in for a minute. Twenty minutes, to be exact. That’s how much time I gave myself to make a quick pass through the dress department.

First I had to find it. Why do all the dresses – regardless of size – need to be grouped together? In the opposite end of the mall than the rest of the clothes in my size? I don’t understand.

I mean, I get it when Target puts the diapers in the back of the store, with hopes that I’ll be tempted by 90s love song CDs, Halloween candy and drugstore makeup. But Macy’s? What am I going to be tempted by? Teeny bopper clothes in the juniors section that wouldn’t have even fit me when I was a junior?

Uh, no.

Well, despite this irritation and the ticking clock, I actually found a dress. It was beautiful, it fit well enough, and it was on clearance. The magic word! I’m happy to tell you that my lovely $110 dress cost me less than $30.

So, that was good. And the event was fun. My company went home with four awards from our local public relations organization, and I got a free dinner. The kind with the fancy green beans – you know, the ones Mark won’t touch. Mmmmm.

And, most importantly to me, I got to hang out with friends from my agency days afterwards. That was fun. I miss those guys!

On Saturday morning, my alarm failed me. And so I failed my friend and college roommate, Lisa, who was in town. We’d tentatively planned on meeting for breakfast that morning – after she ran a marathon and I got out of bed. Unfortunately, though she did, in fact, run a marathon, I did not get out of bed. In time, that is.

Sleeping in was nice, though. When Annalyn normally wakes me up at 7 a.m. or earlier on the weekends, opening my eyes to read 10:03 felt like a miracle.

Running over a piece of metal on the highway, which punctured our gas tank, did not feel like a miracle, however.

Yep, that’s right. On our way to pick Annalyn up from my parents’ house, we went and broke our car. Our paid off car. Our not-great-but-gets-me-to-work-and-back car. Our car that we can’t afford to replace for another year car. That one.

Needless to say (although I’m saying it anyway), our Saturday plans of getting Annalyn’s pictures taken and cleaning out the garage went by the wayside.

We’re still in the process of figuring out what we can do – and what we should do. If our insurance covers the problem, then everything will be fine. If it doesn’t, though, we’ll have to trade our broken, leaking car for a new one.

That was not in the budget.

The good news is we think we’ve figured out how to avoid renting a car for at least a couple days. We can definitely make do – even with our crazy schedules – with one vehicle. And based on what I’ve read about comprehensive insurance, I think (?) it will cover the damage. We’ll see.

Sunday was better than Saturday in so many ways. Our church is holding our annual missions conference this week, so choir sang a fun song about hearing the call of the kingdom. And then Annalyn attended her first birthday party that wasn’t for a relative. It was fun – although Evel Knievel was determined to join the big kids on the giant bounce house instead of staying in the toddler area.

And now I’m getting ready to watch this season’s episodes of NCIS with Mark. And eat some chicken. And mashed potatoes. Because I love them. (potatoes and NCIS and Mark)

Oh, and the title? The first line of “Love of a Lifetime” by Firehouse. Cheering me up immensely this weekend, despite the pesky car troubles, was the fact that I heard not one, but two, songs by Firehouse on the radio. (You are quite welcome for that link. How about that hair, huh?)

Because, we know our dreams can all come true with love that we can share. Yep.

First comes Homecoming, then comes marriage...

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:01:00 +0000

Fifteen years ago today (or yesterday by the time most of you read this), I went on my first date. And it just happened to be with my husband.

Thankfully, my mother was handy with the camera that night. For posterity. And the torture of teenage girls.

Despite the look of great annoyance on my face, I had a good time on that first date. Mark took me to dinner and our school's Homecoming dance. He talked constantly and then later told me that he was afraid I was too quiet. (If only he'd known...!) We danced together twice - to Seal's Kissed by a Rose and an embarrassing Boyz II Men song that was popular at the time.

After the dance, we went to my friend Jammie's house to hang out with several of my friends. If I remember correctly, we were the only ones who had actually gone to the dance, so I stood out in my skirt and - I know - pantyhose. (It didn't help that Mark's version of dance-appropriate attire was jeans and a button-up. Don't even get my mom started on how annoyed she was that we spent hours - HOURS! - shopping for a perfect outfit, and he showed up in jeans.) Luckily my friend had some sweats and a t-shirt I could change into. So fashionable, I was.

We played pool and ate junk food and hung out. I'm not sure what "hanging out" really entailed. Mostly just feeling awkward having my first date guy there with all my friends, including one guy who insisted on making fun of me the entire night. (Thank you, high school guy friend who surely doesn't remember this night like I do. You made an awkward evening even more awkward.)

After the dinner, the dance and the party, Mark drove me home. After all, my 6-foot-tall mother had made sure to intimidate him into a concrete commitment to my midnight curfew.

He pulled into my driveway. I think I said something about having a nice time or thank you for dinner or something. I distinctly remember gripping the door handle. And then, woof!

All of a sudden, his face was in my face. Yes, he kissed me. On the first date. Apparently, I'm that kind of girl. (But only with Mark!)

So, there it is. My first date story. Nothing terribly exciting, but it's mine. Now I want to hear yours. Tell us about your first date in the comments - or link up a post on your blog below!

You should cut me.

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

I was real ambitious with my TV-watching schedule. But in reality, life often gets in the way of the best couch potato intentions.

Which is why a small part of me is happy when a show doesn't live up to my expectations and can move from the must-see column to the watch-it-online-when-I-get-around-to-it column.

NCIS: Los Angeles is definitely on its way to that column. And much as I am loving Community and Modern Family, I can watch their 22 minutes anytime. No need to stick to a spreadsheet or schedule.

I thought I was going to add Grey's Anatomy to this list. I really thought I could quit Grey's this time. I watched half of the ~~deliciously~~ ridiculously emotional season premier and then skipped the next week's ep. But I found myself home during the show last week, and I got sucked back in.

I blame Cristina Yang.

Callie's speech to the Chief in the season opener was a little over the top, but enjoyable. "When people want the best, they page me. I've basically been running Dr. Chang's department all year. This is cr--. You're gonna regret this. No! I am excellent. And any other hospital would be thrilled to have me. I'm a superstar!"

I liked that. Yes, the superstar may have been a little bit much. But still - haven't you wanted to make that speech to someone, sometime?

Still. I could have resisted even after that scene. But then I went and watched episode four. You might think that the touching scenes between Meredith and Lexie/Lexie and Thatcher/Thatcher and Meredith are what drew me in.

But, no. It was Cristina's speech to the Chief. (The Chief's having a rough fall, huh?) After being shoved aside, ignored and assigned to grunt work all day (week? month? episode?), she'd had enough. And she let the Chief know.

I have good hands. They're fast, they're dexterous, they were made to throw ties and do complex procedures. These hands were made for surgery. Today they should've been deep inside a heart saving a life. Instead they removed a tick and pumped a p*n*s.

My point? You know what? You should cut me. From the program. You have to make more cuts, and I should go. 'Cause if you can't give me a brilliant cardiothoracic attending who's willing to teach me, then I can't get what I need from this hospital.

Everyone is scared of losing their job, and so am I. But if I can't learn, if I can't use my gift, then I guess that scares me more.

That's my point, sir.

I'm no surgeon. Actually, I have to watch Grey's (and Bones and NCIS and the spy movies I love so much) through my hands, covering up the icky parts of the screen. But I can certainly identify with Cristina. If I can't learn, if I can't use my gift, then I guess that scares me more. Yes, ma'am.

And that is why I can't quit Grey's Anatomy.

Have you been disappointed or pleasantly surprised by any TV shows this fall?

This post will be linked to Things I Love Thursday. Sadly, this isn't even the first time I've linked a TV post to that carnival. *sigh*

Disclosure Policy

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:51:00 +0000

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact givinguponperfect@gmail.com.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. In addition, I will and do accept and keep free products, services, travel, event tickets, and other forms of compensation from companies and organizations.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. I believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner of this blog may be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for posts or advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

This policy is valid from October 14, 2009.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org.

WHAT did you just say?

givinguponperfect@gmail.com (Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:02:00 +0000

I'm sure you'd never guess that this innocent little girl could make a sailor blush. If you guessed that she doesn't do it on purpose, you'd be right. But the words that accidentally pop out of her toddler mouth? Well, they definitely make her mama blush!

What kind of crazy things does Annalyn say? Oh, let me tell you.

Remember britches - said without an "r"?
And then there's truck and frog - which both somehow end up starting with "f" and rhyming with duck.
Oh yes, don't forget purse, which is a bag carried over the shoulder, not a bodily function like it sounds.
The first naughty-but-not word she said was fridge. And so adamantly, shoving her sippy cup of milk toward me, strongly suggesting I put it in the refrigerator. Which would be fine (minus the requisite "please"), except that somehow fridge sounded very similar to britches without an "r."
And last but most certainly not least is Annalyn's latest word: chilly. And in case you're not fluent in toddler distortion of clean language, imagine Annalyn saying it over and over at the grocery store, making the innocent word rhyme with itty bitty.

Yep. My sweet little girl has quite a mouth. Crazy, right?

My friend Hillary is having a parade of crazy over at her blog, The Other Mama, today. If you'd like to share something crazy - old outfits, things that you found in your car, advice you've tried or meals you've cooked with strange ingredients found in the back of your pantry - link on up! Or, just head over there to read a little bit of crazy. Who doesn't need some of that on a Wednesday?