My Play Place Experience

Jayme watched Cecilia and Gareth Wednesday, so I met them (plus Annie) at McDonald's for lunch.

This particular McDonald's Play Place isn't exactly toddler friendly. There was no way Gareth would have been able to leave the first little bubble. (Picture it in your mind. You'll know what I mean.) So, Deda to the rescue! We were the only ones out there, so I kicked off my flip flops and climbed on in.

[*Note: This is not the play place that we went to. In fact, I swiped this from some stranger's blog and those are actually her kids. But I felt you needed a visual here! ]

Together, Gareth and I scaled the many twists and turns of the Play Place, each of us with different obstacles to overcome: Gareth was too small to climb most of the way and I was too tall (something I never get to say...) to get through without crawling and twisting and flipping and all sorts of acrobatic moves. Cecilia was in front leading the way, and since she is the perfect size (and intended audience) for the Play Place, she would zip ahead and then turn back and yell "Come on Deda!" or "Hurry up Gareth!"

After a lot of twisting, shocks, and sore knees (me), butt hoists, nose wipes, and excited cries of "eee?!" (Gareth), grunts, huffing and puffing (both of us), we reached the top. Cecilia had waited on us and headed down the slide first. Next went Gareth who started on his bottom, but by the time he reached the bottom he had twisted many different directions. Finally I headed down, having to lean back because, again I'm too tall (hooray!). It was pretty fun to slide down a twisty slide again, but sure don't remember getting shocked this many times as a kid...

I ended up going up with Gareth again after Jayme did (I'm a sucker for that kid...) and I definitely felt like I needed to soak in boiling water for a while afterwards, but it was a blast being in there with them. I highly recommend it, but you should definitely accompany your own kid or borrow a friend's kid... otherwise you just look pathetic and strange.

My Golden Year Closes

I am closing out my 28th year of life. I call this my golden year because on March 28, 2007 I turned 28. Get it? 28 on the 28th? I think it's a yankee thing that this southern gal has adopted. Anyway -- this Friday the 28th comes around again (aka my birthday) and I will be saying goodbye to my golden age of 28.

I think it's time to go back to my original plan...

Many of you will remember that I really didn't like the idea of turning 25. 25 seemed old and like an age I just didn't want to be and an age I didn't want to go beyond. So, on my 25th birthday I decided to stay 24. On my 26th, I went back a year to 23. On my 27th, I decided to be 22. Then I was blinded by that whole golden birthday notion and went ahead and turned 28 as God (and my mother) intended. But now, I think it's time to go back to the original plan.

On this Friday, I will be turning 21 and will hold steady because, even though I don't drink often, I need to have the option...

My Addendum (for the Smug Marrieds Rant)

So I reread the Smug Married Rant post and feel really good about the frustration I expressed and how I expressed it, but then got sad and frustrated all over again...

Yeah, I'm frustrated about that particular situation that inspired that post and I feel sad that God has chosen something else for me right now and yada yada yada. But I think the thing that saddens me most is that none of my MANY married friends have commented on that post at all. I think I only have two singleton friends reading this blog and they were the ones who commented.

So, then I started wondering...

* Are the marrieds not commenting because they think I'm calling them smug? (I don't know of any smug marrieds who are reading this blog... You can be a married without being a smug married. But if you thought I was talking to you, maybe you should do a smug check to be on the safe side...)
* Are they not commenting because they are afraid they'll anger the singleton beast inside me? (I don't think any of you would say anything stupid... and unless you are stupid I will not lash out at you.)
* Why do I want them to comment? (I guess some validation from someone besides the other singletons that I'm dealing with some really clueless married people would be nice.)
* What do I want them to say? (Maybe some words of encouragement? Maybe something to represent the non-smug portion of your population? Maybe to tell me about your single God-lovin' cousin who wants to meet a good girl and settle down? Hee hee!)
* Do I want them to all comment on this post now? (Well, only if they want to. I'm just sharing and spreading awareness. :)

My First American Idol Post!!

My love affair with American Idol has been renewed! I think there it's because there are more Kelly Clarksons, Carrie Underwoods, and Chris Daughtrys in this group as opposed to Taylor Hicks, Reuben Studdards, and Katherine McPhees...
(In other words, TALENTED people who have a chance at REAL SUCCESS.)

My top three:

Number 3 - Brooke White

Okay, when I first saw her audition, I thought she was way too cutesy and smiley. She has a lot of teeth (a la Nancy Kerrigan) and has never seen a R rated movie. She gushes about her job as a nanny for twin girls. There are a million reasons that I, of all people, should hate her.

BUT I DON'T! I think she's 100% genuinely nice and sweet! If I ever find out otherwise, I'll be crushed. AND she's really talented. Plays piano, guitar, and a beautiful folksy kinda voice. (And her husband has adoreable curly hair...)

Number 2 - Carly SmithsonI have loved this chick from day one! I love her accent (she's Irish if you're not in the know), I think she's cute as a button (yes, you can be cute with tattoos), and it endeared her to me even more when she talked about how her husband was embarassed to be on TV during the auditions because his face is tattooed. Oh yeah, and this girl CAN SING! She has this amazing powerhouse voice that I just adore.

Number One - DAVID COOK!I don't remember him standing out that much for me in the audition phase. I thought his hair was weird and he sang okay. But since the "Hello" week where not only he sang the stuff out of that tired ol' Lionel Richie song, but I have to admit, he seduced me with those come hither eyes. (And I hate to tell all you bee-yotches, he WAS looking at ME.)

Hello, it is David I'm looking for.

My Exposure

Okay, so how in the heck did Jonathan find me???? I didn't realize that if someone has your email address they can track down your blog. TECHNOLOGY IS SCARY!!! I haven't even given Lee and Gwyn my blog address and Jonathan has already read it, commented, and linked it to HIS blog!

I'm exposed!

Update: I'm an idiot. If you click on the comment I leave behind on a blog, it lists my blogs on my profile thingy! DUH! Not hard to find huh? Jonathan isn't such a genius after all. :)

My Question

If you have a blog, but no one has the address, is it really a blog?

My Rant Against Smug Marrieds

Yes, I blatantly borrowed the phrase from Bridget Jones, and although she is a fictional character, I know she would be thrilled, honored even, that I borrowed that phrase from her because I know she would definitely understand where I'm coming from.

Note to all Smug Marrieds out there (you know who you are): Could you please do all us singletons a favor and THINK before you speak? When the pretty single lady who already feels like an outsider in your little group talks about how busy she is lately because she works like 60 hours a week and goes to grad school, don't say "I don't want to hear it. You don't have two kids and that (points to husband) to deal with!"

I don't have kids? Really? And no husband? Why, I hadn't even noticed that I was the only single person in the room above the age of 20! And I didn't realize that I'm eight years older than the newlyweds who just walked in (oh, and surprise! They are pregnant!) And I certainly didn't know that you aren't allowed to be busy until you have a husband and kids.

And while we're at it, could all you smug married ladies PLEASE stop with the bitching and moaning your husbands? First of all, you have no idea how it ticks the singletons off. Oh how we would love to have a husband to argue with, snuggle with, raise children with, serve with, and just live life with!

And secondly, I have a pretty good feeling that your belittling doesn't fulfill that whole biblical picture of what marriage is supposed to be: "Wives, submit to your husbands, but only if they never make mistakes. When they do screw up, please berate them in public and constantly make them feel like ignorant simpletons. For I am the Lord your God."

Nuh uh. Pretty sure that's NOT what it says.

But what do I know? I'm single.