Dreaming of Becoming a Dog

I have been sitting on a couch, staring at this blank screen, trying to come up with something to write. My ever faithful companions, Tiny, Twilight, and Sparkles are right by my side supporting me, but not doing a very good job of suggesting writing topics.

Or, maybe they are a font of information and I am just too ignorant to understand them.

As Twilight drapes herself on my shoulders, Tiny nibbles on a bone by my knees, and Sparkles cleans the ears of her sisters, I start to feel a little jealous. Seriously, how great would it be to live like a dog?

The three amigos

The three amigos

When you’re a dog, you sleep as much as you want. Tired? Take a nap. Bored? Take a nap. It’s Tuesday at 2 PM? Take a nap. I LOVE naps. Even when I was little, and most kids were giving up the afternoon siesta, I held on to mine with a death grip. I have no idea why my kids give up theirs so quickly. You’d think if they had even an ounce of my great respect for slumber, they would still be napping and sleeping in later than 7 AM.

People cuddle you and rub your belly. The little dog, Tiny, will stop what she’s doing, flop on her back, and roll around like a worm on concrete until you scratch her tummy. When you do, her eyes close and that tiny pink tongue of hers slowly works its way in and out of her mouth. That is pure joy. Now, I don’t know if I want people rubbing my belly, but I love a good back rub. When someone works out the knots in my shoulders, I am riding a cloud of bliss straight to Happy Town. I don’t stick my tongue out… well, maybe I do. I really don’t know.

No matter what you do, people will forgive you. My pups have demolished shoes, ingested at least a 64-pack of crayons, released all manner of stinky things from both ends of their body in my home and still I love them. The most I say to them is, “Puppies! Bad dogs!” Imagine if you could run through someone’s house, break whatever you wanted and pee on their living room floor, and all they would say to you is, “No, thank you.” You would be able to work through all manner of things. Your boss makes you mad? Poop on his desk. What can he do? Swat your nose with a newspaper? Yeah, it’s good to be a dog.

You can poop and someone else cleans it up. My dogs poop all over the yard, be it rainbows, rope, or just straight up feces, and I clean it up without fail. Every week, I fill up a plastic bag full of doggie droppings. As a side note, were you aware that if you leave poop outside, it gets moldy? Yup. Moldy poop. And I pick it up. I also scrub toilets, spritz Lysol on all the pee my son deposits outside of the toilet, flushes everything my daughter leaves behind and never complain. Okay, there’s a little complaining. But wouldn’t it be awesome if I pooped and someone else cleaned it up? Someone else had to scoop, spray, and flush? I’d be living the dream if that happened.

So, you see, the dog life is pretty sweet. One day, I’d like to live like a dog. Maybe not the pooping outside part. I mean, I can poop in the toilet and still have someone else clean it up, right? Is that acceptable in faux dog land? Well, even if it isn’t, I think I could be convinced to do otherwise if I get time for napping and back rubs.

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George Washington, Jesus, and a Catholic School Education

When my husband and I decided to send our daughter to private school, we thought she would get an exemplary education coupled with a solid religious foundation that would set her up to one day rule the world.

No pressure on her private school.

I think she’s getting a whole lot of religion and history, and everything else thrown at her, because it seems to be blending into an education puree in her head.

The Girl: So, do you know George Washington?

Me: Yes, I do.

Girl: He died.

Me: Yes, he did. (Where is this going?)

George WashingtonGirl: He died and told God to make cars, and roads, and cars…

The Boy: You said cars already.

Girl (talking over her brother): Well, he died. And God died.

Me: Jesus died.

Girl: God died.

Me: Same thing,

Girl: Oh, yeah.

She launches into an Our Father with God Bless America thrown in at the end. Because, why not. Luckily, we don’t go to Mass that often, so she hasn’t had the opportunity to regale the parish with her mish mosh of an Our Father.

My poor son who is in year three of Jesus School, keeps trying to correct her on everything from how to cross herself to the right words to pray to the saints. Although, he does say the saints should, “Hooray for us.”

I kind of like that better than pray for us. Who knows if the prayers will do anything to influence the big guy, but I could really use a “hooray” every now and again. Especially if it’s St. Jude. If the patron saint of lost souls hoorays for me, then there really isn’t anything I can’t do. I mean, he probably saw some really messed up stuff.

I am going to assume that my daughter will sort everything out eventually, but until then, I think I am going to enjoy her interpretation of how the Catholic faith works. Who knows, I may learn a little something about Jesus, and George Washington.

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Portrait of a Harried Mother

It’s Groundhog Day every Saturday in my house, but I don’t have Bill Murray playing the piano or making ice sculptures. Instead, I have two kids with early morning extracurricular activities and zero motivation to get their shit together to participate in these activities.

After a long week of dragging the kids out of bed by their ankles, shoving them into their school uniforms, and tossing them into the hallowed halls of their elementary school, probably with their hair and teeth brushed, they decide to sleep in on Saturdays.

Usually I would praise Jesus, the Sandman, and everyone else for this great miracle, but I can’t, because WE HAVE SHIT TO DO.

The morning prep is a one-parent job because the other one is trying to scrub yesterday’s stink of their body. So that’s one parent to….

1. Feed the dogs, let them out, clean up the poop they’ll leave in the house even though you just took them out, dammit.

2. Convince The Boy, who is too tired to be bothered with pants, to cover up his junk.

3. Rip the nasty pull-up The Girl uses for a toilet off her body so her girl parts can air out and not smell like the hind end of a horse.

4. Feed the beasts, I mean kids, while nudging the dogs out of the way because they are part Hobbit and think it’s time for second breakfast.

5. Beg, plead, threaten, bribe, and anything else that can be thought of to get the kids to put on their clothes. One of these days I will take them to soccer or dance completely naked. I bet they would get dressed for me after that.

6. Shave The Girl’s head when she runs screaming in terror from the hairbrush.

7. Pin The Boy down and scrub the plaque off of his teeth with steel wool, or whatever is handy.

Finally, they are ready and it’s the other parent’s turn to shower. There are approximately 15 minutes to make the magic happen before leaving the house. Today, this was my result. I am so hot I can hardly stand myself.

Wow. Feel my MILF-y smolder.

Wow. Feel my MILF-y smolder.

I wish Bill Murray were here. He’d make the chaos of the morning all better. And he can remind to not drive angry.

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Weird Ass Crap I Found on Pinterest

Pinterest. I love and hate it all at the same time. The good: recipes I’ll probably never make, but REALLY want to, clothes that I could actually wear and look amazing in, and endless pictures of Benedict Cumberbatch and David Tennant.

Mmmmm… Cumberbatch…. Tennant…. I’m sorry. Where were we?

Yes, Pinterest.

And then there’s the bad. Anything crafty. I am crap at crafts. I have tried. Dear God, I have tried. And each time I am defeated in a humiliating fashion. It’s pathetic, really.

But then there’s a whole other side to Pinterest. There is a dark little rabbit hole of weird. And I don’t mean ironically weird. I mean weird weird.

Behold! The odd, creepy side of Pinterest.

weird-gnomes

Dude. What the hell? This is not normal.

The pinner said he wanted them for his birthday. You know what I want for my birthday? A purse, a massage, Not freaky-ass, nightmare-inducing gnomes. They are not gnomes. Where are the red hats? The cherubic smiles? NOT HERE.

skates

Work it, sell it, own it.

So, this guy has fans. Over 200 of them. Fans who repin his photos and shower compliments on him. Really. The dude in daisy dukes and roller skates has more fans than I do. Let that simmer a moment. Maybe I should wear skates and daisy dukes…. Maybe not.

oils

Yes, oils will stop snoring. And those weird foot pads really suck out toxins.

My husband snores like a freight train. I kick, pinch, pluck, and nothing works. He keeps on sawing those logs. So, you expect me to believe that oil on his feet will stop that buzzsaw? Really? I’d sooner believe my dogs are ninjas on the weekend. Just on the weekend though. They have naps to take care of during the week.

veggies

Veggies into pasta. Yes, that will happen.

Could you imagine turning vegetables into pasta? That’s dumb and weird. Not just weird. Seriously. It would never work. It would make a gooshy, stinky mess. And there is no way a child would ever eat that. Green pasta? Have the inventors ever met a child? Obviously not. Dumbasses.

dog

Poor dog. Poor, poor dog.

It wasn’t enough to shave the dog to help him cool down. No. They had to shave a pair of overalls into his back. I should call PETA.

barbie

Barbie, the Dia de Los Muertos edition.

Barbie has many fine qualities. She’s an astronaut, a horsewoman, she takes care of her many sisters, and cleans up her dog’s poop. I am good with that. I don’t need to know what goes on behind the plastic skin. Especially not with the girly parts. Although, I wouldn’t mind knowing how her feet are naturally angled for heels. I would love that. My hooves would sport awesome kicks all day long and never be uncomfortable because that’s just their shape.

exercise

Nope. Can’t say that happens.

Yeah, I have a hard time dragging my ass out of bed. Period. If someone offered my chocolate covered chocolate in the morning, I don’t know if I would be able get up and eat it. I’m that exhausted. Work out? I laugh in your general direction. Workout out in the middle of the night. Please. I might rupture my spleen with how hard I laugh at that thought.

So, you see, Pinterest friends, the world is a scary place. Weird, scary, and wonderful. Because, Benedict.

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Clash of the Couples

Hello, friends! I’ve been away in the wilds of Kentucky doing a lot of family bonding that I shall detail a little later once I’ve had some time to get the stink of caves and bourbon on me. So, until then, I am sharing some very exciting news for a few blogger friends of mine. They are going to be featured in an upcoming anthology called, “Clash of the Couples.”

A little teaser from the head compiler, the wizard behind MommiFried:

Coupledom. Fact or fable, Adam and Eve birthed the perpetual relationship drama as seen on TV today. Despite the serpents, this couple HAD IT MADE. Luxury real estate, lush gardens, and privacy out the yin-yang. Life was glorious until the bare-bottomed babe could no longer resist temptation. Despite her better half’s warnings and threats to sleep in a tree, she tasted the forbidden fruit. One bite of that seductive, juicy contraband and the stage was set for eternity— a nibble that has blossomed into an endless supply of tiny tidbits that divide lovers to this day!

Taking a cue from the naked explorers of authentic sin, Clash of the Couples is a new anthology featuring a collection of completely absurd lovers’ squabbles and relationship spats. Think couples fight over kids, sex, and money? Think again! Furniture, the last beer, and where to store the placenta are what genuinely ignite our feuds. And no argument is off limits. This book has it all!

Inside you’ll find a gut-busting compilation of stories such as: “I Can’t Believe You Ate My Sandwich,” “Never Assume Anything,” “Only I Can Talk About Me,” and “You Want Some College Boobs?” from forty-three fearless writers. Prepare to laugh, roll your eyes, and shiver in suspense. While Eve may have had the first bite, we ate the whole tree. And made pies.

Published by Blue Lobster Book Co., Clash of the Couples launches loudly and obnoxiously on November 3, 2014. You’ll hear us coming, but look for it on Amazon, B&N, Apple, and other places where you typically buy books. For instant updates, follow along on Facebook!

My own marriage is not nearly as uproarious as what you’ll find in this book. My husband and I fight over leaving him leaving his shoes out, how I never (ever) replace the paper towels when they’re out, and who should do the dishes after dinner. See? Not funny. These friends are funny.

The lineup includes:

Andrew S. Delfino of Almost Coherent Parent
Crystal Ponti of MommiFried
Camille DeFer Thompson of Camille DeFer Thompson
Kimberly Morand of Anchor Magazine: Navigating Depression, Bipolar, and Anxiety
Meredith Napolitano of From Meredith to Mommy
Chris Dean of pixie.c.d.
Linda Roy of elleroy was here
Kevin Zelenka of Double Trouble Daddy
Sarah Cottrell of Housewife Plus
R.C. Liley of Going Dad
Mary Widdicks of Outmanned
Marie Bollman of Make Your Own Damn Dinner
Ginny Marie of Lemon Drop Pie
Mike Reynolds of Puzzling Posts
Leigh-Mary Hoffmann of Happily Ever Laughter Blog
Lisa Petty of Lisa R. Petty
Lynn Shattuck of The Light Will Find You
Jeff Bogle of Out With The Kids
Stacey Gustafson of Are You Kidding Me?
Angela Godbout of FRaPS
Courtney Conover of The Brown Girl with Long Hair
Jenny Hills of Express Bus Mama
Marcia Kester Doyle of Menopausal Mother
Julia Arnold of Frantic Mama
Jessica Azar of Herd Management
Susan A. Black of I Like That
Dave Lesser of Amateur Idiot Professional Dad
Sarah del Rio of est. 1975
Nicole R. Wildhood of Naught Be All Else
Angela Keck of Writer Mom’s Blog
Alexa Bigwarfe of No Holding Back
Brian Sorrell of Dadding Full Time
Kathryn Leehane of Foxy Wine Pocket
April Grant of 100lb Countdown
Bev Feldman of Linkouture
Jodi Flaherty of The Noise of Boys
Scott Rigdon of Three Five Zero
Lydia Richmond of Cluttered Genius
Allie Burdick of VITA – Train for Life
Michelle Grewe of Crumpets and Bollocks
Barb Godshalk of Co-Author of Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey
Jonathon Floyd of One Funny Daddy
Amanda Mushro of Questionable Choices in Parenting
Chris Carter of The Mom Cafe

Here is the scintillating cover for you to ogle:

Clash of the Couples cover

Nakedness and snakes! Oh my!

I personally know Lisa Petty, Kathryn Leehane and Sarah del Rio, and am virtual blogger friends with many of the others. They are hilarious, honest, and more importantly, real. When this book comes out, I’ll be reading every story, and you should be too. Plus, you’ll own a book with naked people on the front. Awesome!

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Stopping by Woods on a Muddy Afternoon

Whenever my husband says, “Go with me on this journey,” I usually gird my loins to prepare for one of his stupid totally awesome plans.

This time the journey was to buy a plot of land in the woods, build a cabin on it and then rent it out most of the year so it will just pay for itself.

I was actually more on board with this than the last brilliant idea, which was to sell our house, buy some land and build our dream home. Great on the surface, but the truth is, we’d end up living in my parents’ basement for a year while The Hubs figured out how to build a house. From scratch. For the first time.

So you can see how a cabin in the woods would seem like a much better idea. At least I wouldn’t have to live in that mess while it’s being done. This girl does not do honey buckets, and requires electricity and water just to be content. Call me high maintenance, but I really like showers and power for my Keurig (okay that Keurig part sounds high maintenance).

Seeing that I didn’t say no right away, The Hubs seized the moment and whisked the whole family away one rainy morning to check out possible plots for our wooded kingdom.

The first one up for sale was adjacent to the downtown area of the region. It’s less of a downtown and more of a stoplight with a gas station. As we meandered through the side streets looking for the land, I noticed many double wides and could hear the dulcet tones of banjos in the background. This was not the wooded retreat I was seeking. It was the dark side of going out to the country. I have no interest in meth labs or squealing like a pig.

The road to the second piece of land was much more promising. There were trees, little log cabins, and instead of banjos, I heard cicadas. Now that’s more like it.

The woods

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep.

We followed the road, or dirt path covered in gravel, indicated by a prominently placed “For Sale” sign. It was lovely. Flanked by trees, the sun peeked through the leaves revealing a bucolic landscape. There was a stationary derrick, but as my husband pointed out, that would mean the property came with mineral rights and we might not have to pay for gas.

It was getting better and better. I like free gas. (Insert your own gratuitous flatulence joke here)

We came  to the end of the path, and decided to hike around the property to see what it offered. Other than a plethora of trees, there were creeks, clearings perfect for lazy deer to visit, and… 10-foot tall barrels with a metal ladder leading to them. I really don’t know what was being stored there, but it was the only thing wrong with the property.

High on the knowledge that we would be starting a new journey to get all Little House in the Big Woods, we piled into our minivan, ready to take a victory hike to the local caves.

We were ready to leave, but our van was not. In making a u-turn to head back down the gravel path, the little grocery-getter became stuck in the mud.

No one panics, because, hey, it’s just a little mishap. We tried pushing the car, rocking it back and forth, and putting sticks behind the wheels in a vain attempt to get just an inch of traction. The van would shift slightly, and then stop.

Mud, mud, mud

Our muddy little minivan.

Nothing worked. Still, no panic. But, then I heard it.

“I have to go potty.”

Now, I panicked. My daughter had to pee. If it were my son, I wouldn’t have cared, because boys have the natural equipment to pee in the woods. We women, hearty as we may be, do not.

I could not ask her to squat and pee, because I knew that would mean she would pee all over her clothes. She’s 5, and as coordinated as I am. Then, there was a second complication. I had to pee too.

There was no way I would squat either. It was shark week and I did not need to be covered in my own blood as well as my own urine. I could just see my stench attracting every bear and wolf in a 10-mile radius.

Being ever-so-resourceful, I decided to use the ladder attached to the barrels, thinking we could sit on a step and use it like a toilet seat. Smart, right?

I placed a paper towel on the step and had my daughter sit down. Her pee went flying everywhere, but thankfully not on her pants. I helped her clean up and peed on our toilet step too. Since it was shark week, I left a special something behind on the paper towel. Of course, my daughter wanted to know all about that.

“Mommy! Are you OK?”

“Yes, I’m fine. When a woman’s body is ready to have a baby, and a baby doesn’t appear, then the body gets rid of the baby material.”

“Hey, Daddy! Guess what? This stuff is just because Mommy had me. It’s OK.”

Oh, Lord. Yes, please tell everyone and show them what I have going on in my lady land.

We cleaned up, and then got back to the task at hand. I raked all the mud I could from behind the wheels, while my husband gathered more rocks, twigs, and grass to put behind the wheels.

But it wasn’t enough. We were now faced with waiting for a truck to come find us in the wilderness and tow our sorry minivan out. Thank goodness my husband came up with an idea to gather up all the rocks we could find and use them as traction to drive out of hell.

Muddy, tired, and angry at nature, we were free! Oh, sweet freedom!

Later, we discovered that the land we were on was not actually the plot we wanted to buy. Apparently, the one we were looking at was across the street. It explains the gunfire we heard and ATV tracks we saw.

Yup. All that. For nothing. Well, not nothing. It made for a great story that we’ll remember for a very long time. I guess family bonding is not a terrible consolation prize.

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