...Sigh

I am having a hard time letting them grow up.

In case you can't see the resemblance I gave you a reference for Boy Child.

Girl Child is not hard to identify. Just hard for her Momma to look at.

She has wanted to be a Rock Star for years...just like Daddy.

Pictures of Daddy's costume to follow tomorrow.

I promise you will want to come back to see. The transformation is absolutely amazing.

In the mean time I am sharing their handy work from the evening.

Girl Child couldn't stop grinning when it came to her choice.

Boy Child cut the whole thing out himself. Those "are not fish! They are bombs. You know, bursting in air??" He has asked for a "Bomber" pumpkin for a looong time.

Those of you who know us personally are cracking up at this pumpkin of Big Shooter's I know. Those of you who don't, trust me when I say, "This? This is fitting for the year he is having. "

Love Note to my Big Shooter: Ooooh Boy, you do realize this is a fair and public notification of a up and coming posting of pictures right?

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Love Note to my Big Shooter: Darlin' I am tryin' hard to fight the voices. But, they are gettin' louder and louder. I figure you have two choices: 1) Let me speak my mind freely when it comes to the election...or 2) Make sure my Xanax perscription is FULL (to the tippety-top) please.

Love Bugs, Kings & Queens and other Traditions

I said traditions in the title, but really I don't think they are considered family traditions as much as they are considered Quirks.

While we were driving today Boy Child called out that he'd seen a yellow Volkswagen bug to which Girl Child and I immediately sang out, "I'm so happy you're my brother/son." When we see a red one it warrants a blowin kiss and an "I love you" to the finder.

When Big Shooter and I were dating we began with the familiar Slug Bug game. It quickly changed to Hug Bug and then just as rapidly evolved to Kiss Bug for obvious young hormonal love reasons. When we introduced this game to the kiddos we also quickly came to our senses and realized we did not like the Slug Bug version and the Hug version didn't seem to work out easily either. So we came up with a color coded Bug Game. Red means we show love to each other, yellow is happiness, and green is all of it. Other colors mean you can use your imagination as long as it's positive. "Old antique" bugs mean double of whatever color it is. And by old antique I mean the kind I grew up with.

Our next quirkiness comes from our habit to kiss as soon as we cross a state line. We used to just jam our foot as far under the dash as we could so we'd be "the first in the state", until we had the bright idea to kiss instead. Ahhh, again with the virtues of young, horny love...

The last one I'm sharing today is one many of you have heard us do. I don't even remember how or why it began. I will say, though, it tells a whole lot about people and their relationships. Whenever Big Shooter and I have a non-agreeing point of view on something you will hear one of us say to the other, "You know you're going to have to say it, right?" to which the other will confidently reply, "You mean you're going to have to say it!"
The it is a simple statement uttered when one or the other's point is proven incorrect. They have to say, "I was wrong. You were right. You're the King (or Queen)." Now while you smile or giggle at this I would love for you to try it with your spouse.

This is what we've learned over the years:

• Some people cannot even get out the "I was wrong" part.
• And some can't get the "You were right" part past their tongues.
• But, for some reason, naming someone your King or Queen seems to hold the most difficulty.

Try it and let me know.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: I told you I wouldn't share them all...now you have to say it. It's like music to my ears. "You're the Queen."

Snake Oil - Edited

Edited at 4:44pm

Sorry y'all you know I can't help myself.

This guy asked the exact same questions I have been wondering:

"Has any major candidate for president of the United States ever received less critical examination than Barack Obama?" I find it absolutely fascinating the love affair the media is engaged in with Obama. And like any new love all undesirable characteristics are over looked and pooh-poohed away. I am all for bringing up the past, digging deep to find the real character traits for both candidates. But, when a question arises that may be too touchy the Obama camp screams foul? Every single time. All the while pointing fingers?

"Who is this man, who was only elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004? How did someone with his meager record of accomplishment become the Democratic nominee for Commander-in-Chief?" Seriously. This is the scariest aspect of the whole deal to me. He has been a senator for all of two years and been campaigning for the other two. I am blown away every time I think about it. Does no one remember 9-11? The feelings of desperation, helplessness and betrayal? The slow dawning of knowledge the world hated us. And we are handing over our fragile country to a man who will not wear a flag pin or say the pledge of allegiance? Seriously?!

Edited Version (or should I say corrected): "And we are handing over our fragile country to a man who will not wear a flag pin or cover his heart during the National Anthem?" Thank you for pointing out the errors of my propagated opinions my friend. The problem now, for me anyway, is that this fact makes me even more sick to my stomach. I ask you again, "The person you want to be Commander in Chief does not agree with placing his hand over his heart during our nation's most fought-for, bled-for, and sacrificed-for song?!!" Seriously??? Are you going to agree with him when he says it can no longer be sang in schools????

"How did someone with the most liberal voting record in the U.S. Senate and long-standing relationships with a former terrorist, a racist minister, and the corrupt operators of Chicago Machine politics end up as a supposed beacon of a newer, cleaner, bipartisan politics?"
Like I stated above, we can't talk about these issues. They are either 1) too racist 2) too personal or 3) ignored completely. Amazing.

"Why is Barack Obama a politician who goes beyond "abortion rights" in supporting de facto infanticide? To become the lone voice who opposed a bill banning infanticide-by-neglect — a stance too extreme even for Nancy Pelosi?" Y'all I am not going to get into a debate about abortion here. What I am going to point out is this: infanticide-by-neglect simply translates to "the baby is too big to be cut and sucked out by the normal fashion so the mommas actually give birth to babies who are non-viable (cannot make it outside the womb yet) then the babies are left to die a natural death with no medical intervention." And his is the lone voice supporting this in the Illinois senate. No wonder the National Abortion Rights Action League says Obama is the most pro-abortion candidate they have ever backed. But, please let's make excuses, ignore, and point fingers else where instead of actually letting this fact digest: He doesn't see a problem with women giving birth to live unwanted babies and allowing them to die naturally. The most vulnerable souls on the planet cannot count him as friend, but I am suppose to think he can be trusted with 300,000,000 American souls?

Edited Version: @ 10,000catholics4obama I read several eloquent quotes from Barack. I think it was meant to change my mind but once again it made me even more aghast at the flagrant disregard to what he's saying. Here it is, you decide. "The other email rumor that’s been floating around is that somehow I’m unwilling to see doctors offer life-saving care to children who were born as a result of an induced abortion. That’s just false. There was a bill that came up in Illinois that was called the “Born Alive” bill that purported to require life-saving treatment to such infants. And I did vote against that bill. The reason was that there was already a law in place in Illinois that said that you always have to supply life-saving treatment to any infant under any circumstances, and this bill actually was designed to overturn Roe v. Wade, so I didn’t think it was going to pass constitutional muster." I'm sorry? The bill was "purported" to require life-saving treatment, but he wouldn't vote for it because (his true reason revealed) it was "actually designed to overturn Roe v. Wade". Am I the only one who sees him as a slick smooth talking lawyer? Slick as, dare I say, Snake Oil???
What he didn't go on to say was it was reintroduced twice more because no one could believe someone would oppose it and he blocked it. Blocked it people... because it was a threat to Roe vs. Wade. Which, no matter how pretty he can flower it up - he is obviously willing to go it solo to protect. Some may think that strong convictions, character or what have you. I, personally, do not want to face the 48 million lives that have been lost to Roe V Wade and say, "Sorry, I didn't stand up for you,"... I will not pussyfoot around the fact I believe there is no other moral issue we face of greater importance than abortion. 3, 600 every single day. (Imagine every letter on this post as a child and you will have a picture of how many babies were killed today. Talk about an inconvenient truth.) And don't try to fool yourself, we will all have to give an accounting of ourselves one day. What exactly are you going to say?

Sorry my friend, I visited both sites to see what he had to say and wound up even more disgusted in the whole arena called politics...

All that said, these are my opinions. It's inferred in my name and it is definitely in my nature to call it like I see it. And like my dear, sweet friend Sheila, we just agree to disagree.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: Thank you for always looking out for me when I don't feel great...and you feel worse then me. You're a saint. I am wondering if the cold meds have me all hyped up to type up?

Pregnancy Cravings

Sauerkraut.

That was mine.

For breakfast.

For lunch.

And again for dinner sometimes too.

Big Shooter and I had a little on Saturday and it reminded him of waking up to the nauseating smell in the mornings during our very first pregnancy.

I didn't have any particular, singular cravings like that in the next three pregnancies. I would think of some thing that sounded good around 3 or 4 in the afternoon and then my dinner was not complete until I'd had whatever it was. For instance, if I had a fabulous baked potato soup in the crock pot waiting at home with all the fixin's and I thought of a chicken Caesar salad around 4, I wouldn't feel like I ate dinner no matter how much yummy soup I ate until I had the salad. We just learned to go with it...after many late night runs to the grocery or late night take-out. The cravings were rarely the same from day to day like the sauerkraut had been. It would range from a grape icee in the dead of winter to acorn squash with butter and brown sugar the next day. No rhyme or reason.

I am not really sure why all this came pouring out today.

It was kinda like the cravings.

Just came outta nowhere.

Did any of you have any cravings?

Or other oddities?

Love Note to my Big Shooter: Wow. What a blast from the past! I loved walking down Memory Lane with you this weekend. It was refreshing in many ways. So many years, so many unbelievable moments and experiences. I wouldn't trade a single one.

Weeell, that's stretching it a teensy weensy little bit. There might be one or two we could skipped.

Edited Version of: GrammE Birthday

Happy Birthday to YOU,

Happy Birthday

Dear GrammE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUU!!!

We hope your day is fabuloso!!!

Post Note: My mother's comment was, "Wow. Your blog was pretty tame today."

Really? Okay. So, now that we have permission, I can add these comments from the kids.

1. "You are old as dirt."

2. "I can't believe at your age you're still walking...and breathing."

3. "63? That's it. I thought she was at least 70!"

4. Annnnddd...

Niiice. My mother with my child's undies on her head.

We still hope your day is FABULOSO!!

Life Lessons by Amelia Ant

"Mesmerizing." ~ Girl Child age 8

"Entertaining." ~ Boy Child age 10

"Incredible Ingenuity." ~ Big Shooter age 40

"Show Stoppers." ~ Straight Shooter age almost 40

"Unbelievable, Incredible Feats of Strength." ~ All Shooter family members several times daily

At first, it may sound as if we were describing a Broadway hit or at least the Freak Sideshow at the circus, but it is not to be.

We are speaking, a-gain (say it like Forest Gump when he went to the White House...a-gain) of our industrious house guests ~ the Ants.

We have all spent so much time observing, commenting and critiquing I finally had the brilliant idea to record some of my favorites.

Before I share, I want it stated for the record, I will not be giving credit where credit is due because I don't remember where credit is due. What I do know is I will more than likely commit the first ever mistake of my life and incorrectly give credit to the incorrect person and then hear about it from the correct one. Which in turn will cause arguments amongst Big Shooter's Spaw...I mean our loving, kind and patient blessings might kindly ask me to make some minor, inconsequential post editing changes at my earliest convenience. So out of the kindness of my pea-picker, I will just state my business and move on.

I am going to title these observations: Life Lessons from an Ant's View Point.

* "Never give up! The break through is sooo close!"

* "No task is too daunting with persistence."

* "Determination will get you places...amazing places!"

* "Every little bit helps."

* "Your load may seem heavy, but someone else's is guaranteed to be heavier."

* " You can always back yourself out of tight places."

* "Diligence pays in giant rewards!"

* " Always give the right of way."

* "If the mountain in front of you seems too big, find another way or go under it."

* "It is always better to have a friend's help."

* "Together we can move whole mountains!"

* "There is light at the end of the tunnel!"

* "When disaster strikes, there is only one thing you can do - start over."

* "Team work! Team work! Team work! Rah, rah, rah!!"

* "There is always more than one way to get there."

* "Our world is fragile and must be respected."

* "Really hard work pays off!"

* "Chip, chip, chipping away gets rid of something unwanted."

* "A breakthrough is cause for great celebration!"

And my favorite observation thus far:

* "Frequent grooming is a very good thing..."

Amen Sister!! ...or Brother.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: Let's play Ants. You be the Daddy Ant and I'll be the Momma Ant and I'll meet you in the shower for some "frequent grooming" 'kay?