Don't Call Me Shirley

I had the absolute pleasure of having lunch with the perky, hilarious Baroness von Bloggenschtern yesterday. She was visiting my neck of the woods for a couple of days and was gracious enough to meet up with the NATUI-clan at an equidistant Panera for a little coffee and conversation.

She got to meet Mr. NATUI, LittleBird and LittleMan. My kids took to her like a long-lost auntie, and I swear they would have driven off with her without one backwards glance. After having hot chocolate and receiving awesome Vancouver Olympic swag, Hubbie took them to raid the local Target so that the Baroness and I could get down to brass tacks.

I learned several things in the course of our conversation, the first of which to never order the mozzarella, tomato and basil panini at Panera. If you've had the real deal, this one will make you gag. I promise.

I also learned that coming up with a blog handle in the confines of your own home can seem cool and groovy, but to have two preschoolers loudly referring to you as The Baroness makes for odd looks in public. I was happy to accommodate the Baroness by switching to her real name, but it also gave me a near-irresistible urge to repetitively quote Leslie Nielsen.

In preparation for this lunch date, I made sure I wore my NATUI avatar-shirt. I figured it would make me easier to spot if we didn't recognize each other. Now, I don't have a lot of boobage, but somehow my poor dude still comes out looking like he's got a bad case of encephalitis. How the Baroness was able to keep her fluids down is beyond me.

All too quickly, it was time to say goodbye. I really hope we have the chance to hang again. It isn't often I have the opportunity to converse with someone whose language and humor is as colorful as my own. It was the mental health day I'd been looking for, and it was completely worth the two-hour hellacious car trip in DC traffic.

So, Baroness? Thank you so much for your grace and wit. You charmed my entire family. Next time, the latte's on me.


LittleBird ready to give herself up for adoption


The Baroness and NATUI

Killer Tigers, Freecycle and Disney

One day, a badass blogger in Tahoe met a kindred blogging spirit and shared a little inspiration over a wronged tiger.

Eventually, badass Tahoe Blogger ends up in a new state. She discovers an active Freecyle community and revels in the generosity of these free-spirited folk.

Come today, a disheartened NATUI takes her preschooler to the dentist to fill her first cavity. Though she is excited because she scored a gorgeous toddler bed for her LittleMan, the events of the past few days weigh heavily on her heart.

Until she gets home and goes through her email. She sees something from her blogging tiger-loving pal, and can't understand why she has used that email address.

NATUI reads and blinks. Why is Poetic License commenting on an email that NATUI received from her Freecycle gal pal?

Because in a twist that would put Disney into full cardiac arrest, NATUI's free-spirited Freecycle friend and neighbor knows Poetic License in real life.

That's right, folks. My good friend and through-the-back-fence neighbor works with and is friends with Poetic License.

I haven't stopped grinning or humming all afternoon. It's a small world ladies and gentlemen. You just can't make this shit up.

Fear and Coalmining in Atlanta

Put on your jealous pants. Yours truly and CMGD got together today.

It was a whirlwind of discussion of children, coffee, constitutions, and how much computer gadgetry is possible to stuff into the walls of a house without having oneself placed on a CIA watch list.

Having five kids under the age of four running in all directions may intimidate some, but our kids were shockingly well-behaved. So well-behaved that nary an argument was heard nor a tear shed. I am almost afraid to do this again. I mean, after having that much fun, surely it will all go to shit the next time. Right?

LittleMan cooks himself lunch because we're taking too damned long.



I get to read to J-Man.


Heather gets to read to Miss Miss, Bubba and LittleBird. I think my daughter is ready to move into the CMGD household.


A whole lotta lunch goin' on. Heather says Oh yeah. I can take it!


All in all, totally worth the crazy drive and possessed GPS. I can't wait to do it again. If Ty-man will let me back in the house!

I Met D at Poetic License!

Note: I totally stole your photos, D, because ours did not turn out well.

We have had crap weather this weekend, so on the spur of the moment we decided to find a SuperWalmart and take a drive. I know many people are anti-WalMart, but if no one else is going to sell the products I need, what to do?

In my usual last-minute, half-assed fashion I dropped D over at Poetic License an email telling her we'd be up in her neck of the woods. We picked this store specifically because we knew she lived there. I hoped she was free to meet for coffee, and hell yeah she was!


She has written an exceptionally kind post on her blog today about our meeting. Her hubbie was amazing with our kids. LittleBird and LittleMan were actually well-behaved for once, thank the rain gods. We had a really great time, and since the kids did not scare the bejeezus out of them, I do hope we can meet up again soon. It sounds like we may all have a date for Talk Like A Pirate day in September.

D, I know you guys have been going through some painful shit this weekend, and I really really appreciate that you took the time to meet with us. We had a great time. I will post a MIL Monday just for you!

The Ol' Switcheroo

The past 24 hours have been an interesting observation in credit card security and human laziness.

Coalminer Heather and I met up for lunch yesterday. That's right people. Indulge in a jealous moment. Go ahead. Uh huh.

Now that that is out of your system...we had lunch together at an equidistant chain restaurant location to make the coffee exchange.

CMGD ended up having to bring her brood along. To see us all packed into a booth was quite a sight. But aren't we always?

Lunch was great. Conversation was great. We played musical children. I supervised or held as needed while she did the diaper changes. Juggling toys, snacks, and boxes of leftovers we said our goodbyes and all was well.

Until the phone call this morning.

Apparently, we had juggled more than the kids' belongings. We had swapped credit cards. Now, this is not as exciting as if we had swapped husbands, but this presented a whole different dilemma.

It explains why yesterday afternoon at a certain superstore my zip code was not accepted as valid and my charges were denied. I had chalked it up to the move. That my husband had already changed our account information to our new address.

What is does not explain was the shopping I did with my mom last night. I swiped my card, the woman asked for my ID. My out-of-state ID, I might add. She held my drivers license next to my credit card, compared the signatures, thanked me and handed them back.

That's right. Just thanked me and handed them back.

My decidedly Slavic last name in no way, shape, or form resembles CMGD's British-esque last name. Unless the cashier was drunk, retarded, or lazy (possibly all three) there is just no way to confuse the two.

You can read CMGD's adventure to the grocery store to hear her version of how drunk, retarded and lazy her grocery story clerk was. Just leave it to say that we both seriously question the extent of our credit card company's security policies.

The end of this tale involves hours of driving to the nether regions of the Atlanta metro area. The upside is that she got to meet my little ones, and I got to take her out for the best damned Burro de la Roqueta this side of the Big Peach.

Thank god we like each other. CMGD has joked that we were separated at birth. She obviously got the smarts and the common sense because I am the one that fucked up the credit card exchange. I don't know what I was left with, but when I figure it out I will let you know.

And A Good Time Was Had By All

I am happy to report that Heather and I had a BLAST last night! We got a late start because of the kiddos, but we practically shut the place down! Suddenly, it was 11.30 p.m. and we both had quite a drive on our hands to get home. I can't even believe how much we talked about. We even talked religion, and I NEVER talk religion! LOL I am sure the table next to us thought we were bizarre because our topics really ran the gamut.

I am totally glad we met up, and I wish she lived closer to my folks so we could hook up on a more regular basis. I have a picture to post, but gotta figure out how to download it onto my parents computer. If you get the opportunity to meet a fellow blogger, I totally recommend it! Especially without the kids!

Okay! Photos are downloaded and uploaded! Are we a pair of sexy bitches or what!

Going On My First Blind Date...But Don't Tell My Hubbie

Yes, I am happily married. But tonight I get to go on a blind date of sorts. Heather over at Coalminer's GD and I are hooking up for dinner tonight! I have never met a fellow blogger before. Honestly, I never thought my blogging activities would amount to much. Boy was I wrong!

In a sense it feels like a blind date--What should I wear? What are we going to talk about? More the problem: We have a TON to talk about, and limited time in which to get it all out! LOL If it weren't for the fact that my kids have had me in tears on three separate occasions today, I would have a silly grin on my face. Instead, I am praying that naptime will soon commence, then begin the countdown until my mom gets home to watch the kids. This evening cannot come soon enough! I am bringing my camera to commemorate this momentous occasion. And for sake of all that is holy, I CANNOT forget the coffee!