I've been tagged....

My wonderfully talented scrapbook-y friend Marlooney has tagged me with the "Over the Top" blog award. So sweet! Let's see - she said,
"(she always tells it like it is.....like me!....
but she's much more "refined" about it...I don't think I've ever heard that bitch swear...how does she do it?)"
I had to laugh because I think I swear plenty, but I guess I don't do it much here!
After all, my MIL reads this blog and we have to make
sure that she continues to think that I am the sweet
innocent darling who married her son!
I am uber humbled that anyone besides my family reads this and a- thinks I am entertaining in any way or likes it enough to even come back.
Most of the time I just feel like I am whining!
Believe me, if she wants honesty, there is a "raising a teenage girl" post brewing that will be packed full of honesty!
But for now I am to pick 7 blogs that I think are Over The Top and tag them, so here goes.....
Again - I have no idea how I find most of these, I click and click on other posts and blogs and come across these little gems. I am attracted to food, flowers, nature and great photography, as well as brutal real honesty by real people going through real things. I also tend to love stories of faith and courage. One thing you will most like never find on my blog is Susie Q blogger with 3.2 perfect blond- haired blued -eyed kids who can do not wrong, always perfectly coiffed, always getting straight A's, excel in every sport, oh isn't my husband so wonderful ,and look how beautiful my house is and look at my wonderful life types. That is for sure. I believe in keeping it real.
So here in no particular order...my favorites....today...could be totally different tomorrow...I will purposefully exclude Pioneer Woman because I believe I have shared way too many times how much I love this woman and want to be her in every way , from her attitude about life and love, to her wonderful witty humor.
1. I must Re-tag Marloony. I am so blessed to have gotten to know her through my hobby and enjoy every bit of her humor as well as her talent. I lovingly often refer to her as "one of my canadian friends" - perhaps because it makes me feel more "worldly"! LOL!
2. Next is Audrey. Again, witty beautiful soul who keeps it real. Very honest about her life, faults and all, and I love that about her. She also shows incredible survival and strength and I also admire that.
3. This is a new one I have stumbled across and I am growing every day to love it more and more. She appreciates nature, and photography just as much as I do and I really enjoy her photography and words.
4. This one, I have no idea how or where I even stumbled across him, but I love his honesty. He is a step-father to a developmentally delayed boy and new father to a baby girl...and his chronicle of their struggles to find a place in it all is really inspiring to me. He is brutally honest, and keeps it very honest and very real. He'll make you root for them immediately.
5. I have been following Cathy for about 2 years I think now. I often lovingly refer to her as my "soul mate on another coast" because we share a lot of similarities in our lives and feelings. I love her honest raw faith, and her willingness to share it. I strive to be more like her every day.
6. I of course could not get away from this list without sharing my latest food blog find. Dessert Stalking I believe I followed from Kate's blog....a wonderfully yummy collection of dessert recipes all in one place! Any one who knows me knows my obsession with recipes and trying new ones.....this site certainly has made it into my kitchen more than once in all these snow days!
7. Hmm...number 7...I am torn between on I may have to add an 8.....because I am also a quote hound....ya know when you can't find your own words to organize a thought or feeling, there are 1000's of quotes out there that can do it for you...my latest favorite...Notebookdoodles fits the bill well..along with really cute doodles and photos.
8. I have to add an 8 - I have been following April on this blog for nearly a year now. She too is funny, honest, and tells a great story. She also lives a life I would love on a farm in an old farmhouse. She even has an equally as entertaining and funny husband as well. And you can even learn how to skin a used to be live 10 minutes ago chicken if you like! Eavesdropping in her world satisfies my desire to have chicken and pigs and other creatures roaming the back yard.

There are of course dozens more I could share. Lots scrapbook related. Lots food related. But for now these are the ones I try not to miss.
As per Marloony's tag I am supposed to list 7 things I love......I think I will save that for tomorrow.
I am really sure this will come up on the list.
What I wouldn't give right now to see some green !

Young Man

Aye Aye C'apin!!
I am not even sure they know that this is an alcohol reference...
they just see the commercials....

This "young man" - no longer a boy
is wearing his father's old pants.
In the "men's" department....
Wore is father's shoes last week....

Voice is getting deep
Hair is getting crazy
His does not want to bathe
Face in his iTouch most of the time
Wears the same hoodie until I steal it to wash
Sleeps til noon
And will be 13 in a little over a week.
Man where does the time go.

Yet, one look at me
and he can still melt my heart.

Sn-oh boy!

Seems it snowed, huh?
The "Great Blizzard of 2010"
We haven't seen this much snow since 1996 I believe.
We have been holed up for nearly a week yet
I did not find the time to blog!
We are baking, and sleeping, and reading, and resting....
the kids are getting bored and on each others nerves and mine!

Some of us were excited!

Some of us had to work.

We are literally tunneled out the front door.

OH lookie - the plow went through.
Notice the garbage cans that J left out -
"just in case the garbage guys got here before the storm got heavy"-
Now I believe they are embedded in the snow bank til June.

Think the mail lady will come?
Well - she didn't.

Finally Dad got to have some fun with us since his office was closed too!
This was a momentary glimpse at the ten seconds that he managed to
stay on that saucer. My leg was bothering me from shoveling, so
I bagged the saucer this time around.

I am not sure I have words for this one!
K of course is "too cool" for snow pants any longer.

We were taking bets on whether or not the plow would push the pile as high as the sign.

Just some perspective on how high these piles are.
I am so glad the kids got to experience, finally,
and honest to goodness snow storm.
Not this couple of inches of wintery mix crap
we usually get.
Now there are predictions for another "major" event on March 7th...
I am not sure we can handle much more!

Life with a teenage girl

Hair.
The bane of existence for most females.
I don't think there are many that like their hair.
K absolutely hates hers.
And to her credit it does take a lot of time and product to tame those curls.
So - in November she had announced that
she was totally SICK of her hair and wanted to dye her entire head blonde.
Period.
No discussion.
She was going to WalMart and buying a dye kit and dumping it on her head.
Visions of Sun-In disasters from the 1980's flashed through my mind.
For this parenting moment, I went to bat. Drew a line in the sand.
But all my life experience and teaching could not deter her.
To say there was a "lively discussion" in our house that evening would probably be the understatement of the century.
I was very glad that my opinion and permission still mattered to her,
but it did not make saying no any easier.
But being a parent is not about being best friends.
There were a lot of tears.
There was a lot of ultimatums.
Then there was a compromise.
The agreement was, I would pay half of what we decide to do, if only she agree
to go to a professional.
And I would not be paying to maintain it.
Thankfully, we have a really young stylist that K seems to trust
and was on my side. (weehoo!)
The maintenance alone of dying her whole head was not even fathomable.
So Stacy talked her into chunky, VERY blonde highlights.
No problem.
It's only color.
Isn't orange or purple.
And made her happy.
And we thought it was a big deal.
We worked through it

Then comes the new year.
And again.
"I am SICK of my hair. "
She has always resented the time it takes to tame this mess every morning.
Can't say I disagree with her, but this is what God and her grandmother's genes gave her.
I am of the school of "learn to manage and live with it"...years of perming and coloring have taught me that you really can't fight mother nature.
But hey, what do I know!
So, now she decides it needs to go.
Well - I am the one that held her as she sobbed last summer
when she decided to go short and hated it.
I reminded her of this little fact.
Which is met with the oh so confident teenage, "So?"
"Ok - fine. So what you want", I say, "But don't expect me to hand you the tissues!"
(I actually prefer her with short hair. I think it highlights her face so nicely.)
So - off to the stylist we go again.
And she winds up with a reverse bob, that she
apparently "loves"...
Wheew.
Tears averted.

Ok, so now it is last week.....
Three weeks since the bob.
And once again.........
I hear,
"I want to cut my hair again"
OK, this time I do do a double take.
There isn't any going much shorter really.
So, once again...call the salon, and got the same reaction from Stacy....
"She wants to what? We can't really go much shorter", she says.......

But, apparently you can!
(with help from relaxer and a razor comb)
and inspiration from Halle Berry.....

And as severe as my reservations were.....
I love the results!
She loves it, or so she says for now!
She did say she wants to let the bangs grow in a bit.
I think she looks fabulous and can really rock the style.
She has been jazzing it up with skinny head bands and is thrilled now that she can wear some of her hats.

I have had my share of comments as in...
"How could you LET her do that?"
"Why didn't you stop her?"
"You could have said no"

But you know what.......
It is HER hair.
She has to live with it.
She has to love it.
It grows back.
(Although growing this in with her frizz and curl
is not going to be a pretty sight, but we will deal with that as we go)
She did not ask for
piercings.
Tattoos.
Five different colors.
She simply wanted it cut.
It was not about me wanting to be a lenient parent, or her best friend.
It is about letting her express herself as she wants to - within reason.
I dug my heels in on the blonde and insisted
that she go half way in January before she cut it all off.
She still wanted it cut.
and
it is HER hair.
Not mine.
She is soaking up the teasing she is getting from Daddy,
loves being told she looks like a model and looks beautiful.
She is holding her head higher and smiling a lot more.
And to me, that is what it is all about.
I think she is gorgeous.

Now let's see what February holds!