Wacky Songs That Make Me Warble

I have another secret, perhaps even deeper than the Reality TV Confession a couple of weeks ago...I love the craziest kinds of music.  I think growing up the youngest of 6 made my musical spectrum expand.  As a little girl I didn't listen to Sesame Street soundtracks, or more than an occasional Broadway musical, my musical education came from 3 teenage sisters and a magical 8 track stereo. 

Chronologically I'm a musical child of the mid-late 80s - I Walk like an Egyptian, understand that Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, and cry Papa Don't Preach.  These are the songs that take me back to the halls of my Junior High, Livin' on A Prayer made by heart twitterpate, I wondered right along with Whitney Houston How WIll I Know? and Depeche Mode was the stuff of dreams.  When I am humming along the road and hear Take Me Home Tonight or Manic Monday I'm transported back to my 13 year old bedroom and all the excitement of discovering the teenage freedoms I had always longed for.

 

But deep down I still love me some 1970s goodness.  I may not remember which child has a field trip this week, or what I made for dinner last Tuesday, but I know the words to every single Air Supply song---just ask my kids.  I adore ABBA, the Eagles, Styx, Barry Manilow and the rest of my musical childhood.  Sometimes I don't even realize I know a song, and I've been singing right along for the past 2 minutes.   It's funny how those early childhood memories embed themselves.  I clearly remember cleaning the house with my sisters while Neil Diamond's Jazz Singer 8 track rang through the halls.  

The funny thing is that while I love the soundtrack of my childhood and my early teenage years, they don't blend together in the clearest of ways. It's still that way.  I like all kinds of music, and very few kinds of music make me want to change the station.

For example-skip forward a few years to when I was 16 and met and started to "hang out" with my future husband..and he liked this kind of music---->
And, so I began to enjoy myself some 80's hair bands, especially the ballads-wow, could those boys sing a power ballad that was sweet to dance to.  And, dance we did, and cruise along on many a date accompanied by mix tapes that included these guys and all their glamour rock buddies.  When he made me a mixed tape for Christmas (insert sigh here) it was full of power ballads, and guitar solos.  So that was the soundtrack I fell in love to, and I still love me some Guns N Roses, Cinderella, and Bon Jovi and admit to cranking up the radio to unmentionable levels when Paradise City or Welcome to the Jungle come on.

My musical wackiness continues to extend, if you check my iPod you'll find every genre except Rap, that's where my line is drawn.  I love this version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow just as much as I love Seether's Rise Above This, or Jack Johnson's You and Your Heart.  In fact I've listened to all of the following songs as I typed this post, and I love all of them.  Go ahead, take a listen, maybe you'll discover a multiple musical personality as well.  Or maybe you'll just discover you like a song outside of your usual genre, go ahead, give it a try!

This post is part of Miss Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday, take a look at my classmates here:

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Random Acts of Kindness

When someone reads your blog and asks their friend to help you, and the friend of the blog reader is super kind-is that random?  I know, it may be too early for really deep philosophical questions, but thought I'd throw it out there anyhow.  

That's what happened last week, you may have read how some evil villains stole all our peaches - or maybe it was people in desperate need of food for their family did something they never thought they'd do-I'm trying to believe the latter, it helps me sleep at night.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can check it out here  .   So Jenny, read here blog here , got in touch with me through another Jenny, read her blog here  , and let me know her 85 year old neighbor had peaches in her fridge she wanted to share with us.  

How kind is that?  Amazingly kind, makes you believe in good people and the hope for all humanity kind-well, almost that kind anyways.  It was a great blessing to us, and my family will fondly think of her when we eat our peach jam this winter!  This sweet neighbor also gave Jenny a frozen peach pie for us, and a jar of her homemade peach jam.  Then Jenny picked it up and hand delivered it right to our doorstep.   (this next picture should be a picture of the peach pie, except I have 5 kids and a husband, you do the math).


Funny how people you've never met become friends when you share your lives in the blog-o-sphere.  How is it that when I opened the door to Jenny M. I felt like I was welcoming an old friend? Maybe because I know she walks with Nordic Walking Sticks and silently curses the little old lady that has baked goods smelling up the neighborhood at 6 am?  Or because I know she loves garage sales, and has the best knack for finding cool old stuff?  Or it could quite possibly be that she has discovered the show "24" and she and Mr. Jenny love it almost as me and my mister.    Whatever the reason, I'm happy to have found Jenny, and others like her. 


It's so heartening to discover so many people want the same things I do.  And that while all the whack jobs and villains in the world get the air time on the news, good people abound on this earth.  Can't wait to meet a few more of you! 

It's especially good to be reminded of this after the not so good ones 

make themselves known by stealing all your peaches.

Thanks Again, Miss Jenny!

Good Things to Come

This video is called "Good Things to Come"

I watch it and I have to just keep telling myself to have hope, there are Good Things to Come.  Sometimes,
Life is just Hard,
and this is one of those times for our family.
Had myself a good cry while I watched this, hope you find comfort, joy, or hope when you watch it-
whatever you need.  

P.S.  If you can't view the YouTube video above, click here to view:

Good Things to Come

What's Up? Just learning to save a few lives...that's all

This summer Kiefer is spending time working at the Mesa pools, learning to teach swim lessons and how to be a lifeguard.  In a couple of weeks he'll start his official certification class.  He tried to find a job this summer, and is still looking (just in case anyone out there is looking for a nice, clean cut, hard working almost 16 year old to hire).  He put in applications on line and in person, and no luck.  Not wanting to "waste" the summer I started hunting up other options for him, and found the Jr. Guard program here in Mesa.  The kids take a class and learn some basic teaching skills, then they are put to work assisting lifeguards and official swim teachers, they can also work in the office of the pools.  My hope was two fold-1-give him something constructive to do this summer, and 2-help him gain some skills so he has a better chance of being hired next summer.  This winter or next spring he can take the Water Safety Instructor's Course and become a certified swimming teacher.  Can't have too many skills when you're looking for a job is my opinion!  So, if you're out at any of the Mesa Pools this Summer look for him, you just may catch a smile!

Victims of a Violent Peach Crime

I know, I know, you're thinking what is a violent Peach Crime?  What, are peaches running amok in the streets of Mesa these days?  No, nothing as creative and newsworthy as all that.  Instead, my poor peaches (and my poor family!) were the Victims of a  Vile peach crime last week, and it has violently assaulted my heart, and my pantry!

My peach tree is one of the best parts of my home, it gives generously, and my family adores the fruits of it's long labor.  Last year I made 70 pints of peach jam- not just peach though, we enjoyed strawberry peach, apricot peach, blueberry peach, tropical peach, raspberry peach, and blackberry peach as well.  It was heavenly all winter long. We also enjoyed giving some away, and eating some fresh off the tree.

I borrowed this picture from my friend Jenny's blog, for two reasons-okay three reasons-1-she actually got to make peach jam this year & posted photos, 2-that's just the kind of friend she is & I know she won't mind, and 3-posts are just better with pictures!

This year our peaches were taking their sweet time getting ripe.  My neighbors were reporting fruit falling from the branches in their yards, tales of sweet jam were making their way through the neighborhood, and still I waited.  Last week it was time, I was done waiting, we were going to pick that tree clean and get started.  I sent my two oldest boys out to get started as I lined up all my jam making supplies...30 pounds of sugar, boxes of pectin, and clean jars on the counter.  Not two minutes passed and those boys were back.  Kiefer said "Mom, I think you have too much sugar."  What was he saying?   Did he even know how much sugar went into a batch of jam?  "These are all the peaches there are," he said, holding out a measly 15-20 peaches at the bottom of the basket.

Impossible! I thought they were trying to get out of tree picking duties, so I brushed them off and made them come out to the tree with me.  My jaw dropped.  What had been branches dripping with peaches just a few days before was now a barren tree.  Completely empty.  We had been Peached Out!  I was shocked!  Who does that? I kept thinking! Who steals PEACHES?

Now, you may wonder how we didn't notice, but you see our fruit trees are hidden in a corner of the yard, invisible from the street, or any other part of the front or back yards.  You can't even see the tree tops from anywhere but the alley.  Anyone could have come and gone through the back gate --located oh so conveniently mere feet from the trees.

Peach-Raspberry Jam image found here

I was devastated.  Still am.  The thought of all those juicy peaches gone, all that homemade goodness stolen, kills me! I send one of the kids out to check on the Apricot tree every day, every time a car drives down the alley I walk outside to make my presence known.  Still not ripe, but still fruited, thank goodness!  I am hoping to outsmart the thieves and grab that fruit before they return to pillage again.

Thanks for stopping by your trip through Miss Jenny's Alpahbe-Thursday! Click here to check out more posts brought to you by the letter "V"

Summer's Here!

This being Arizona, Summer has been here for a while, but I've only mentioned it in passing.  It really deserves it's  own celebration though!  Summertime 'round these parts means one thing: HOT.  To go along with our favorite three lettered word you can throw in a few more-library, popsicles (though not at the same time, I have a feeling our friendly librarian wouldn't be so friendly then!), W A T E R, Cub Day Camp, Carpools, garden, swim team Fruit, and Primary Softball.  This summer we are adding some new ones to the mix: Football, Lifeguarding, Homework (ugh! thought it was summer?), and Waterpolo.

We'll leave some of those for later posts, but right now let's talk library...This is what's on the shelf  for my book club this month:

learn more about the book here

Sounds really interesting, only one slight problem...can't find the book anywhere! So, if you've got it and you want to feel generous I welcome any copies!

I love to read, and often come across books that look interesting in the store, but I'm not going to buy them all, so I snap a shot with my phone and then I have it handy when I'm at home or the library.  I can usually find something on my phone on the shelves, or I can place a hold.  

This is the latest one I saw at Costco last week, anyone read it?  It is set in 1907, a man places an ad for a "reliable wife" and the woman who answers has plans to slowly poison him and make off with his riches.  It sounds good, I need to check into it a little.  I don't like graphic scenes of a sexual or violent nature, so I try and flip through the book or find a really good review on line that mentions some of those points.  If anyone has read this let me know what you thought.

Summer Haircuts

Thane got a summer haircut, well the first half anyways. I told him we'd let him be a punk for a few days, then we will finish the job. He is milking it for all the attention he can get!

The Usual....and the Unusual

(*Disclaimer: I thought this posted last night, how sad I am to have been tardy to class and missed the party, Ms. Jenny! It won't happen again, I promise!)
This week as I contemplating how I could do justice to Ms. Matlock's class-brought to us by the letter U- I realized our week has been full of the usual things, with an unusual twist.  So, I present to you the usual, and the unusual....

The Usual                                                                                                And  The Unusual:

Yes, the normal sight of Mom driving away on the way to carpool is quite"usual" -so is the trash can lying on it's side at the end of the cul-de-sac-and no I didn't side swipe it! What was unusual? Sighting this miniature horse (or pony?) and carriage driving a carpool away from swim team.  I whipped out my phone to snap a shot before it got away, and this is the best I could do...I laughed out loud though.  That was very unusual-especially in Mesa, AZ!

The Usual                                                                                                And  The Unusual:

At the tail end of 4 boys, Cub Scouts is very much the status quo around here, what was unusual was this...Cub Scout Day Camp!!!  Woo Hooo-at least for the Cubs! It's been HOT here in Arizona this week, and after the way we've been spoiled with mild temperatures this spring and early summer, it wasn't fun to check the mercury and see 105 on the drive to day camp.  Day Camp is OUTSIDE in the dirt and rocks, they do get to swim in a pool, and there are water balloons and squirting spray bottles galore, but it was still HOT!  I went the 3rd day, from 2pm-10:30pm, and it was a     L   O   N   G  day.  But so worth it to be with my Thane on his last day ever of day camp.  Next year he'll be an 11 year old boy scout, and no day camp privileges will be found in this house.  Hard to believe after 8 years of Cubs it's almost over!

The Usual                                                                                                

And  The Unusual:

Swim meets and swimming pools are pretty normal around these parts, so what was unusual about this one?  For the first time EVER both swim team participants in our family made relay teams.  A true day for celebration.  If you've ever had a swimmer, you know the day they do time trials and pull out the sharpie and write their relay position on their arm is a huge event.  Now, my kids swim, but they aren't the fastest fish in the ocean...until this week that is.  This week they came home happily sporting the sharpie of honor.   (that's Sage on block 7, and Thane diving in-I was so glad I caught him at just the right time!)

There you have it

The Usual                                                                                                And  The Unusual

Television Confessions

I'm officially coming out of the closet (although some of you have known my guilty secret for a while now).

I  
L.O.V.E.
Reality TV

I know some have a true disdain for this form of entertainment, and feel it's forever ruined television-or even society in general.  I am not among your numbers.  I love watching "real" people face challenges, seeing their relationships deteriorate or thrive.  I love observing people when times are tough, and cheering them on as they rise to the occasion.  It's like people watching to the 10th degree.  I love when my kids watch with me and we talk about character and how they are treating each other.  Rooting for the Cowboys on the Amazing Race was the best! They were so kind, and such great sports throughout the  entire race.

 Sadly, I can not convince my husband to come to the dark side, although a few of our children have joined me.  When he's away on business I find myself gluttonously enjoying new episodes.  Just to show you how serious my addiction is I'm going to really come out of the closet and show a glimpse of my DVR list:

Amazing Race

Survivor

Biggest Loser

Project Runway

Shear Genius

Design Star

Food Network's Challenge

American Idol

What Not to Wear

Say Yes to the Dress
Wipeout

Not on My DVR, but sometimes I also catch:

19 Kids and Counting

Ace of Cakes

Chopped

Top Chef

Minute to Win It
9 by Design

and sometimes, when there's nothing else to feed my addiction I sink even lower and watch:

America's Next Top Model

(I can't even write that full size, it's just too embarrassing)

I know, I need a 12 step program.  Now, you might be thinking how can one person watch all of those? One simple, beautiful answer...DVR  I believe DVR was invented just to allow me to indulge my addiction.  I watch while I'm on the treadmill, folding laundry (oh, how I miss you Amazing Race!), dusting, vacuuming, braiding hair, ironing, etc...  It really adds up, you'd be surprised how many challenges you can watch while you do other things, espcially when you skip the commercials (don't tell the advertisers I said that!) Thankfully TV schedules have progressed so instead of one long season, or even a fall/spring lineup we have at least 3 starting times, and usually there are only 2 or 3 running new seasons at any one time.  Listen to me, I sound like a typical addict trying to rationalize their addiction.

That's it, no more rationalization.  I like what I like, and you can join me or mock me, your choice.  I love watching people in real life and I love it on Reality TV.  Let me know if there are good ones I need to add to my DVR list!