What were they thinking?

It's Saturday night and we're hanging out in our PJ's just playing

a game of Scrabble Jr. as a family.

We hear something crunching below us.

Sweet Cheeks reached down underneath the dining room table to

retrieve whatever our puppy, Carly, was chewing on.

Here's what Sweet Cheeks found.

A catalog that was opened at this page.

Sugar Nugget immediately noticed the butt cheek piggy bank and laughed.

T-Bone then noticed the ad for the Women of the Bible book.

Did the people who created this magazine strategically place both ads on the same page?

Will people really pay $3 more for this piggy bank over the book?

Are both of those products geared to the same demographic?

Do the type of person who flocks to a butt-cheek piggy bank really

want to investigate the Women of the Bible?

Inquiring minds want to know.

It was a funny end to a wonderful day.

I was born a poor black child...

Well, not really.

That was actually from the movie "The Jerk" with Steve Martin.

But I feel like I fit into that culture very well.

In fact, last week while on the set of Better Off Ted with Sweet Cheeks,

I totally.....and, I mean totally,

fit in with two fantastic women of color.

My demeanor changed.

I became a black chick (in a very white-chick body) just by sitting and talking with them.

I was swaying my head left to right.

Saying "ummmm-huh" with attitude.

Workin' the "that's right, girl!" when appropriate.

I noticed that these Ladies exuded such an heir of confidence about them.

An "I deserve the best" attitude.

A "look at me" ummmm-huh posture.

On the other hand, they show a fiery side.

A "don't mess with me, girl" aura.

A "noooo you did-n't" viewpoint.

I just love that!

All this while strutting their baby-got-back figures.

It's no wonder I fit in.

Chacklitmilkulitallbithot....say what?

Sugar Nugget wrote this down on paper about 2 years ago when she was in Kindergarten.

She said "whew" after she wrote it because it was a super, long word for her. I laughed hard...really hard.  To the point where it became the ugly, face-distorting laugh.

It was worth it.  This was funny!

Side note:   Uuuuurgh....

I could not get this photo to download horizontally and just gave up.

It showed horizontally in my pictures file and in picnik but only

uploaded this way.  Turn your head and read, please.

Chacklitmilkulitallbithot - let's break it down:

Chacklit  - chocolate

milk - nothing to decode

u - a

litall - little

bit - bit

hot - hot

So, it's actually chocolate milk a little bit hot.  This is part of our morning and evening rituals.
Doesn't everyone like a warm beverage first thing in the morning and as your last beverage before bedtime?
Well, I know I do.  So my kiddies are following suit.

This beverage of choice probably began about 5 years ago when the girls were 2 and 4.

I don't know how it happened, exactly.  Thinking back on it, I believe that I was the culprit who started it.
I was always that mother who warmed the kid's bottles before serving it to my baby girls. 
I don't like freezing cold beverages in the AM,

so why would they?

Am I making my kids high-maintenance?

Would they drink it without being warmed?

Should I stop the madness?

Answers:  hope not, maybe but they prefer it warm, and no

So the pouring began...

As I mix what seems like the millionth one,
I wonder how many times I have poured, stirred, microwaved
and served this yummy drink!

So, I do the math...

What?  It's not in the millions yet!

Look at those happy faces!

iCarly and Spongebob pajamas, chocolate milk a little bit hot and remote in hand.

What a great end to a wonderful day!

Nightime = bath, chocolate milk a little bit hot and even a

20 minute TV show if they're lucky!

Last night they were lucky!

Three-vents! Most events comes in 3's

It's wierd how unexpected events usually come in 3's.

The most recent three-vent (my way of attempting to make the words creative) included...

Three-vent #1:

Driving through a huge, wet, fresh mound of white paint on the road.

This didn't look like a gallon of paint but a 5 or 10 gallon size.

The splatter went all over!

Off to the car wash for a $150 detail and paint-picking extravaganza

(yes, the detailers had to pick off some of the paint).

Luckily, it all came off, but the ever-so-delightful

white color still gleams on my rubber tires.

A daily reminder of my stupid mistake!

Three-vent #2:

The refridgerator went on the blink.

I'm not just talking the refridgerator....it was the freezer, too.

And, it had to completely die the day after I did $300 worth of damage

at the grocery store.

Ahhhh, this fridge has been quite a pain since we bought it new in 2002.

Yes, it's a Maytag which is known to be one of the best brands for appliances.

Well, not in this case.  We've encountered many problems, including broken

ice maker (2x), freezer door replacement, water/ice dispenser replacement,

leaky water hose for the water dispenser...

and the most recent three-vent where the whole thing just gave out.

Luckily, we bought an extra 5 year service plan which I renewed for another 3 years.

Ahhhhh, electronics!

I know you're probably expecting another not-so-fun three-vent,

but I've got some good news...

Three-vent #3....

F - O - U - N - D!

Beautiful diamond pendant (almost 2 carats - but whose counting?)

that was lost almost a year ago.

This gorgeous diamond, which does not photograph well, was left for me

when my Dad passed away almost 9 years ago.

I had it placed into this pendant and just love it!

Rewind to almost a year ago at Christmastime when we go visit my family in Arizona.

I packed all my things, including my jewelry individually in zipper bags.

While unpacking in Arizona, I couldn't find the necklace and thought I left it at home.

Two weeks later upon returning home....still missing.

I searched high and low.  T-Bone searched high and low.

I asked Sweet Cheeks and Nugget if they

had been playing in my jewelry....they said "no, Mama".

So, I chalked it up to a loss.  Bummed, yes!

Crying and freaking out...no.

It's an object, not a human life, right?

So, I count my blessings and move on.

The unexpected moment came while I was clearing out my closet to

fit my new boots, shoes and handbag.

I began searching through a plastic bag that had many little zipper bags inside;

like toiletries, etc.

And, just lookey what I found!  My beautiful pendant!

A few joyful tears came with the excitement!

T-Bone wondered how I could have this emotion when finding the necklace

and had none when I thought it was lost.

Let's hope that many months pass before another three-vent invades my life.