perhaps just a little over the top

Do you remember my obsession with mentadent toothbrushes? Well, that's not the only personal care product I am obsessed with. I love Dove deodorant. Before I started using Dove my armpits would get really dry and that hasn't happened to me once since I made the switch. I guess that one quarter moisturizing cream really is good stuff. There are actually a number of Dove deodorant products on the market and I'm sure it's all good stuff, but I really wouldn't be me if I weren't particular about which one I use. Which one, you ask.... Dove Original Solid deodorant in original clean scent. It has a solid blue lid...no not the clear blue lid...the solid one and I haven't been able to find it lately. It's been slowly falling off store shelves. Other women are more fond of the clear lids or the invisible solid or clear something or other. I too shun deo stains, but I find that my coverage far outweighs my fear of white smudges. (prepare for full disclosure: I have very sweaty underarms. They don't stink, but they sweat. It's quite embarrassing actually and that embarrassment only makes it worse. I've tried drysol, etc, but they still sweat.) I need a full coverage deodorant and a clear lid just won't do.) Recently, Wal-Mart has been my last hope (I will surely go to hell for saying that and supporting the company and their horrible practices, but what's a sweaty girl to do?) I went to Wal-Mart last week and guess what? No original solid. I went no another one...nope. I looked on the website where I found my toothbrushes. Huh-uh. I looked on the Dove website...no such luck. So, what could I do? I e-mailed the company.

A little crazy? Perhaps. Necessary? Absolutely. Helpful? Not a bit.

They assured me they are still making the product. They said I could persuade my store to order it for me. I'm kind of thinking Target's not going to be excited about ordering a particular deodorant for just me. So, have you seen it?

Straight Nasty

Someone on TV tonight was eating brussels sprouts. I've only eaten them once in my life and my cousin very kindly held a napkin under the table for me to spit them out in. In college, when I smelled them in the cafeteria, I went back out the door. I just don't ever think I could actually be a fan, which is why I jokingly asked my husband if he wanted me to serve them when we have kids.

Him "Sure"

Me "You like them?!"

Him "With vinegar"

Me "I've just learned your secret."

Him "What's that?"

Me "You like all things nasty as long as they're served up with a dose of vinegar."

Him "No I don't"

Me "Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Greens"

Him "OH! You know what else I love to put vinegar on?...SARDINES!"

Me "I rest my case."

time to change

I updated my avatar. Since I haven't worked at the hospital since August, I thought she might need a change of scenery. Her hair has also grown quite a bit. I'm growing mine out to donate to Locks of Love. I'm sure they have piles and piles of hair by now, but I grew it pretty long for the wedding and had always kind of wanted to do it once, so I just kept going. I think it's actually long enough to cut now, it's way down my back, but I don't want it to be too short when I cut it, so I'll keep going for a bit. I actually would kind of like to cut it short, but I think my face is too round. So, I guess lucky girl will get the makings of a 'fro wig when it grows a little longer, or I lose 20 pounds...or maybe both.

I also updated my doggie. I don't have a corgi, but they didn't have our sweet little mut and this friend in the raincoat looks pretty close.

I chose a spring background because I am loving the warm weather we're having. I'm sure it'll snow tomorrow.

You know what I realized while choosing my background. I haven't been anywhere. How pathetic is it that updating my computerized image made me feel bad about myself?

I'm legal now. Come to my block!

We're finally home from NYC. Thanks to Skybus for allowing us to take a special tour of the Philadelphia as we battled purchasing last minute tickets, watched our connecting flight take off early, and experienced an airline closing down after stranding us in the Big Apple. But, it's all good because I got to touch a New Kid. Donnie was never my favorite, but I'll take what I can get. We shook hands. I wasn't bod enough to ask for a hug. Maybe I won't take what I can get because I just took a very close up shot of Danny instead of touching him...let me tell you that boy is tan and much shorter than I thought.

 I wanted to touch Jon. He was always my favorite. I had that shirt that had their pictures on it in separate squares and I thought it was kind of funny that Jon's picture was right on my boob heart. You could tell poor old Jon was having a hard time though. He had a body guar with him at all times and was the only kid who had to sneak out to the sound booth for a smoke in the rain. I'll still give him props though. Remember how he cried on Oprah? He has a hard time with crowds. I wasn't sure he still had idol status with me after that show. Don't get me wrong. I work with mental health patients. I understand what it is to live with extreme anxiety, but if there's one thing I learned in my chaplaincy training, I know that I've got my own issues, I don't need to take on anyone else's, but Jon, I wouldn't kick you out of the bed for eating cookies (my husband might, but he's currently busy with the furniture market, so feel free to stop by)



Here's a few happy snaps.

Making my signs the night before









We had been up for 22 hours the day before and didn't hear our alarm clock for an hour, so we were a little late arriving. We were able to squeeze in, but not very close.

Here are the first glimpses I got.















I guess my mom didn't get enough back in the day. She was a real sport hangin' tough with me in the rain.






Then the boys made the rounds and I got a better look and a handshake from Donnie D (he's on the back up and drug free, so put the crack up)















Those first girls thought they were obsessed because they got up early and got the good seats, but they didn't stick around long enough to find out that the boys were coming back at 9:30. When the crowd cleared, we got a great spot for the second interview...and lots of pictures. That's when you see me looking all crazy in the you tube video with my mouth open.

my dog is smarter than your honor student.

I knew the dog was smart. I taught him to roll over and give me a hug in one night and even though he barked for the entire 60 minutes of his first Pet Smart doggie class, he could do all the tricks better than his classmates. He frequently changes our tv to zoom mode. (That one took us a few weeks to figure out how to undo. It involved three different buttons. But, we've got it figured out now so whenever Oprah is missing her forehead we know how to get it back


This time he's really showing off. I'm in the guest room, which my husband prefers to call the computer room because that's where our lap top sleeps, resizing my NKOTB pictures so I can repost my blog about the big day and some music started playing in the den. It took me a second and then I realized that it's Toubab Krewe. Apparently the dog was feeling nostalgic and wanted to watch our friends' wedding dvd. To do this, he had to turn on the tv, switch the input to dvd, power up the dvd player and hit play. He's a genius that one.

I just popped in to check on him, and I wanted to see if the dvd had gotten to the part where they're dancing the hora, and sure enough, he is up to something big. He has gathered these various items from around our house: tape measure/level, hand sanitizer, cell phone, packet of kleenex, and car keys.

He only looks innocent.

I'll be loving you...

...forever

Did you catch this?


'Cause I sure did! Once you're finished reliving your childhood, go back and check out 8:28 (9:41 on the Today show screen). See the crazy slick girl with her mouth wide open screaming like a little girl? No, look again, she's got a "Hangin' Tough in NC!" sign and it's upside down so you can barely see the NC....see her? Yup, that crazy girl is me.

Don't believe me. I've got more pictures to prove it.

if I can make it here I'll make it anywhere

I'll have very exciting news to report next week from my trip to NYC, but the most exciting is that I may be taking up permanent residence. We were supposed to fly home on Skybus tomorrow evening, but that airline shut down last night. Thanks for the heads up. So, now we've got to figure out how to get home without spending a king's ransom.

did I miss it?

I spotted Suri and Shiloh holding hands on the cover of a magazine yesterday, but I couldn't check it out because I was with a client. However, I did notice something in the headline mentioning the two girls about to turn two and getting ready to be big sisters. Have we gotten confirmation that Katie is indeed pregnant again? I think people have been speculating since Suri popped out (thank God I'm not a celebrity. Everyone would sweat that I'm expecting sextuplets.) However, I haven't seen any hard evidence and I've been investigating. I just checked Google.

On another note. I didn't realize that S and S were so tight. I may have to pick up the mag and get the scoop.