The Boys Take The Field with the Diamondbacks

Last night, the boys got to participate in the "Take The Field With Players" promotion at the Diamondbacks game. Eight children were selected to take part. Originally, Kyle was the one chosen from our family, but when someone didn't show up, Lucas was asked if he would like to step in!

Both boys got to run out onto the field with a Diamondbacks player: Kyle was paired with Short-Stop, Steven Drew and Lucas was with 2nd Baseman, Orlando Hudson. They got to run out onto the field, visit with their assigned player, and stand with them during the National Anthem. Each of the kids got a baseball autographed by their player. They also got their names on the scoreboard, pictures on the Jumbotron, and FREE t-shirts!!!!!

The pictures below tell the story better than I ever could. Last names were displayed at the game, but I chose to edit the photos for Internet safety purposes. Click on the photos to see them larger.

Thursday 13

1. I don’t particularly like wearing dresses. I prefer pants and jeans. I own very few skirts, and I wear them only when I have to.

2. In my opinion, the best looking men are the ones who drive minivans and 4-door family cars.

3. I have gotten on a recycling kick as of late. Every few days, I fill the trunk full of shipping boxes, milk jugs, water bottles, and junk mail and take them down to a recycling bin at the park. Then, I drop Styrofoam peanuts off at the UPS Store. They're always so thrilled to have them.

4. I tend to edit, un-edit, and re-edit my blog entries many times before I’m truly happy with them.

5. That Geico commercial with Charo annoys me to the point where I will change the channel and risk missing part of the show I'm watching.

6. I just reached 1,000 songs on my iPod.

7. I inherited my Dad's sense of direction and navigation skills. Give me a Phoenix address and I can drive straight there. I might need to take a quick glance at Yahoo maps, but I always know where I'm going. Once, my Grandpa told me that my written directions to our new house were among the best he'd ever gotten.

8. I come up with my best Thursday 13 items at times when I'm least able to write them down: at school, in the shower, in the car, at the grocery store... Once I sit down at my computer, writer's block sets in.

9. I do not know how to buy liquor. Q once asked me to buy vodka for chocolate martinis, and I drew a blank. I don't know cheap vodka from a premium label, or even flavored from unflavored. It all tastes the same to me. I ended up buying a bottle of Seagrams vanilla. I won't know the difference, and I don't think Q will either.

10. Speaking of liquor, I cannot stand the taste of wine or beer (I'm starting to think I'm adopted for this very reason). They both make me sick. I prefer the hard stuff--in the form of pina coladas, margaritas, daiquiris, mudslides, and flavored martinis, garnished with a pineapple wedge and an umbrella.

11. My debit card has become my best friend. Between that and online bill paying, I rarely write checks anymore. The only checks I write anymore are for Luke's drum lessons, the school book orders, and for the boys' lunch money.

12. Jango has gotten very attached to me. If I'm gone all day, she waits at the laundry room door and screams at me the minute I come home. She then follows me around, screaming while I take off my shoes, check messages, put things away, etc.

13. I tried hard to like this new show Fashion House. But with the bad acting, cheesy music, bad acting, wannabe pretty people, bad acting, cosmetic surgery, stock footage of expensive mansions, and bad acting, it reminds me of those *ahem* "cheaply produced" shows on Cinemax. It's just lacking the only things some of us watch Cinemax for!

The Doctor is IN

If there's one thing Q enjoys, doctoring recipes. Since we have a lime tree in our back yard, he adds lime juice and/or lime zest to just about everything we eat.

Tonight's creation is the best to date--a concoction we named the Neopolitan Martini. Just mix vanilla vodka with Creme de Cacao and garnish with a strawberry.

Mmmmm....it's better than the ice cream. And that's a statement I don't make often.

The A List

ABBA... alone time at home... Ace Frehley... Al Beadle architecture... April in Arizona... Asian food... alternatives... Air Supply... avocados... antique shopping... A&E’s Biography... air conditioning... afternoons at the mall... aloha shirts... Anthropologie... art and craft shows... Ajo Al’s Mexican Restaurant... almanacs... Amazon.com... authentic designer handbags ...auctions... animation... acid jazz

Ms. Val's Bargain of the Week

I was a bad girl this week. On Wednesday, Q asked me to go to Radio Shack to buy some batteries for his garage door opener and keyless entry remote. Afterwards, I wandered into Signatures--one of my favorite, yet seldom visited stores. This shop sell gifts, cards, home accessories, and lots of Brighton goodies. And sometimes, they even have Brighton things on sale!



That was the case this week. I stopped in Signatures "just to look". I didn't plan on buying anything until I saw this little pink handbag. Hey, this is the sort of thing that happens when I run Q's errands for him! :-)

The purse fit all my criteria: it was an authentic designer bag, it was PINK, and it was on sale! I bought this $150 bag for $50.

Runner up: I paid $2.59 per gallon for gas.

Arizona Barbie Dolls

Mattel recently announced the release of Limited-Edition Barbie dolls For the Arizona market:

Scottsdale Barbie: This princess Barbie is only sold at Scottsdale Fashion Square. She comes with an assortment of Kate Spade handbags, a Lexus SUV, a long-haired foreign lapdog named Honey, and a semi-custom dream house with a Saguaro cactus in front. Available with or without tummy tuck and facelift. Workaholic ex-husband Ken comes with squeeze-me Skipper and a Ferrari.

Chandler Barbie: This modern-day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar minivan and matching gym suit. She gets lost easily and has no full-time occupation or secondary education. Traffic-jamming cell phone sold separately. Can swear in English or Spanish.

Apache Junction Barbie: This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, bowie knife, a 78 El Camino with dark tinted windows, and a meth-lab kit. This model is only available after dark and can only be bought with cash, preferably small bills, unless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.

Ahwatukee Barbie: This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card set, and country club membership. Also available are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. Ahwatukee Barbie hasn't been affordable since the early 80's.

Mesa Barbie: Pale Blonde shoulder length hair and blue eyes with android-expression, complete with bible in one hand and a crucifix in the other. This Barbie sports a special limited edition "What Would Jesus Do?" sweatshirt and drives an American car with an "Abortion Stops a Beating Heart" sticker. Sedan also available with "Focus on the Family" bumper sticker.

Goodyear Barbie: This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too small, a classic Metallica shirt, and Tweety Bird tattoo on her shoulder. Wants to major in NASCAR at EMCC. She has a six-pack of Coors Light and a Hank Williams, Jr. CD set. She can spit over 5 feet and kick mullet-haired Ken's ass when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free. Available at Ross.

Van Buren Barbie/Ken: This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the "snap-on" parts.

El Mirage Barbie: This tobacco chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased Beer-Gut Ken out of Goodyear Barbie's (discontinued) house. Her ensemble includes low-rise acid-washed jeans, fake fingernails, strawberry lip-gloss, and a see-through halter-top. Comes with Barbie's dream doublewide trailer. Available at Wal-Mart. Cheap.

Anthem Barbie: moved into the most family friendly community in Arizona, but none of the Barbies stay home with their kids. All Barbies are blonde and look way older than they really are. The Starbucks cup is permanently glued to her hand. She constantly complains of scorpions and the I-17 traffic. Ken drives an Explorer and comes with a golf club set. Skipper comes with her own anti-depression pills and laptop to keep up on MySpace since there is nothing to do here.

Sedona Barbie: This collagen injected, rhinoplastic (nose job) Barbie wears leopard print spandex, and drinks cosmopolitans to new age music with friends at the lodge. She's into crystals. Comes with Percocet prescription and two alimony checks. Also cheap.

Phoenix Barbie: This Barbie now comes with a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include a G.E.D. and bus pass. Gangsta Ken and his '79 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant.

Flagstaff Barbie: This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, archless feet, hairy armpits, no makeup, and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her "Willow." She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Flagstaff Barbies and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag sticker for free.

Gilbert Barbie: Is pregnant, drives a new Ford Excursion and is perfect in every way. We don't know who Ken is because he's always away hunting or in Japan on business. Gilbert Barbie aspires to become Scottsdale Barbie. Not cheap, but still very naive.

Tucson Barbie: Into basketball and marijuana. Dropped out of PCC. Does nothing but complain about Phoenix Barbie.

Sun City Barbie/Ken: These dolls are going fast! Well, what we mean is they're old and don't have much time left. Both write checks for everything or pay in change, and can provide hours of endless repetitive conversation about "The good ol' days." Drives a golf cart, signals right to turn left. Can be seen in Barbie Grocery Store (sold separately) arguing over prices. Available at the doctor's office.

Glendale/Arrowhead Barbie: Owns mini van or SUV bearing vanity plates and the CCV and multiple "my kid is (pick any NUMBER of wonderful adjectives)" stickers. Lives in Tuscan or Santa Fe style-home with 2.5 children, one dog, one cat (optional). Ken works as a police officer/firefighter/realtor/construction supervisor. Arrowhead Barbie is fit and fashionable but frugal (she does, after all, help to pay the mortgage), she works outside the home AND in the home, hosts small groups and monthly gatherings of friends and family, does not know how to form the word "no" on her lips and comes with bruise permanently tattooed on forehead from banging head against the wall in frustration because her plate is far too full!

Tempe Barbie: Loves booze, Einstien's bagels, and shorts with stuff written across the ass. Is experiencing way too much life to have a Ken doll, a clean apartment, or job that starts before noon. Is probably late for class right now, cuz she can't remember where she parked her white 2001 Civic Coupe. Comes in two models: light blonde and dark blonde. Thinks she saw P.Diddy at Fat Tuesday's.

Bullhead City Barbie: Could very easily have been Kingman Barbie, but all of a sudden a few nice housing developments and new restaurants that aren't in Havasu makes Bullhead City Barbie think she's hot stuff. Works across the river in Laughlin as a cocktail waitress, pretending getting pinched in the ass 500 times a day makes for a good job. Still lives in a doublewide that costs $500,000 due to housing inflation, but plans on moving to Laughlin Ranch someday, once that meth-lab pays off. Ken now works for the city of Bullhead, but used to work for the city in Lake Havasu.

Kingman Barbie: Looks like she might have been attractive, but something tragic happened in the final stages of manufacturing at the Mattel plant. Lives with Ken the Cable Guy (Git 'R Done!) who is missing many of his teeth. She works at one of the convenience stores, smoke four packs a day and wonders why her teeth are yellow. Complains about Havasu Barbie thinking she's such hot stuff, but secretly wants to be her. Comes with a brown 1982 Chevy pickup truck. Ken the Cable Guy comes with an old aluminum bass tracker and a white '78 Camaro that hasn't run in 10 years, but Ken plans on fixing it up.

Lake Havasu City Barbie: Was LA Barbie, but decided to sell her Malibu mansion and move to Lake Havasu where she and big-ass truck towing big-ass boat-driving Ken frequently vacationed. She's starting to show her middle age, all except her boobs, which are only 10 years old. She has two kids, but who knows where they are? Besides, she and Ken have their own lives to live, going to Red Room and out on the lake. Comes with big truck, big boat, 350Z and a stack of letters from collections agents.

Great News!

Yesterday, I got a call from someone at the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. It seems Kyle has been selected to participate in Take The Field With The Players before next Thursday's game. In this program, Kyle and eight other kids will each get to accompany a D-Backs player onto the field and stand with them during the National Anthem. We also get tickets to the game, coupons for Blimpie subs, and Kyle will get an autographed ball.

Apparently, Q signed the boys up for this during a trip Blimpie's a few months ago. I had forgotten all about this until yesterday when I got the phone call. But we are all really looking forward to our son's first five minutes of fame. I took Kyle out for a haircut and Q and I are contemplating buying a video camera this weekend.

This is going to be FUN! I'm looking forward to an evening out on someone else's dime. Of course, I'll post photos next week!

Thursday 13

1. I hate being late for anything. When going anywhere, I always make allowances for heavy traffic, construction, road closures, or car trouble. As a result, I usually get to my destination so early that I end up trying to kill time before my appointment or class.

2. I have never tried any illegal drugs in my life. And I wouldn’t know where or how to acquire them if I wanted to.

3. I hate repeating myself.

4. I like “City of New Orleans”, as sung by Arlo Guthrie. Quinton strongly favors the Willie Nelson version. We will be fighting out that issue ad infinitum.

5. On Tuesday, Lucas informed me that he didn't make it into his school's SAGE program. He took the news better than I did.

6. For Halloween last year, I dressed up as Paul Stanley from KISS.

7. I am too vain for my own good.

8. I want the weather to hurry up and cool off so I can start hiking again. I'm anxious to try out a new hiking trail that was constructed near the house.

9. Kyle and Luke like me to e-mail them…even if it is quicker for me to walk in the other room and talk to them in person.

10. I can hold conversations while driving, but don’t ask me thought-provoking questions while I’m trying to negotiate a difficult left turn. You will be ignored.

11. My favorite time of the day is the morning down time I get after the rest of the family has left for work and school. I love having the house to myself. I get to eat breakfast, read blogs, and watch the news in peace and quiet.

12. I only buy cinnamon-flavored toothpaste.

13. I love it when Lucas makes jokes about my music choices. Once while listening to Captain and Tennille, he politely asked me to “please turn off that middle-age sex music”. Then the other day, the iPod was playing Mongo Santamaria. Over the lively Latin music, Luke chirped: “Hi, welcome to Garcia’s! Will there be four of you dining this evening?”

Unhappy Motoring: Not Once, But Twice

It’s been a rough week. Monday afternoon, Q called my cell phone to tell me that he got a flat tire on the freeway. I offered to go pick him up, but he told he already called a tow truck and to “sit tight”—he’ll call me back if he needs me.

Not being one to obey orders, I hopped in the Mustang and raced into the city. En route, Q called to tell me that the tow truck driver installed the spare and he’s now on the way to the shop to get the tire fixed. He asked me to meet them there.

It was going to take a few hours before a mechanic can get to our car. No big deal. Q and I grabbed lunch at the sandwich place next door, and I drove him back to his office. He picked the car up after work.

Not willing to be outdone by the Dodge, the Mustang, decided to act up too. Yes, that’s right. That night…that VERY SAME NIGHT, as I was leaving the college, the car wouldn’t start. I called Q: “What’s it doing?” he asked. “It. Won’t. STARRRRTT!!!!!” I yelled back. “When I turn the key, it makes a fluttering sound”.

We agreed that I have a dead battery. Some nice people visiting nearby gave me a jump start, but it didn't keep. I only got 5 miles up the road before the car stalled again.

Long story short, the car didn’t make it home. The Mustang died altogether in the middle of 67th Ave. Luckily, a bunch of really nice people pushed it into a parking lot. Q and the boys were on the scene within minutes. It was almost 10:00 so Checker’s was already closed. So we locked up the car and left it in the Boston Market parking lot.

Yesterday morning, Q and I drove back down there. We bought a new battery, installed it, and all was good in the world. But still, I was flustered. Why, oh, WHY can’t we have car trouble in the safety of our own garage? Heck, even a well-lit parking lot, where all the businesses are open wouldn’t be so bad! Why do all of our breakdowns have to take place on desolate roads, busy freeways with very little shoulder, and dark parking lots, late at night?

White, white, and MORE WHITE!

I stopped in The Depot the other day to pick up some white paint samples. I am looking to paint the bathroom cabinet, and I want it to match the countertop. I have seen too many amateur redos where the white in the cabinets was different than the white in the counter. And it always ends up looking odd. For instance, the cabinet will be painted bright, bright white, while the sink is yellowish-white. I am trying to avoid that.

When I got to Home Depot, I had it in my mind that I would grab “just a few” samples of white. I would grab samples of eggshell white…off white…Navajo white…bone white…ultra pure white…and antique white. Because after all, that's all I would need and that's all they would have, right?


Wrong. Twenty minutes later, I walked out with a deck of 63 samples…all of which came from different sections classified as “white”. It’s funny, really. When lumped together, the samples all look so different. But when looked at individually, they look exactly the same—just plain white.

Some the colors on the samples left me a little perplexed. There’s one called Frosted Juniper. From my experience with Fiesta, juniper is a very dark bluish green color. Frosted Juniper is white with the very slightest tinge of minty-mint green.

Swiss Coffee, Vanilla Delight, and Almond Cream look exactly like they sound—like something you would find on a Starbucks menu.

Most of the color names conjured up images of snow (Frosty Morning, Polar Bear, Snow Fall, and Glacial Tint), weddings (Bridal Veil, White Glove, Soft Lace, Wedding White, and Champagne Flute), clouds (Billowy Clouds, Canyon Clouds, and Cloudy Day), and bed sheets (Natural Linen, Crisp Linen, Fine Linen, Silk Pillow, and Linen White)

Then there’s Cinnamon Cake. That name doesn’t exactly make one think of white…unless it was covered with vanilla frosting. No, Cinnamon Cake, to me, sounds more like the color of Jango.

My favorite is name is Divine Pleasure. If I end up using that color, I may never leave the bathroom!

The Song List

Best Duet: “You Don’t Have To Be a Star Baby to Be In My Show”, Billy Davis & Marilyn McCoo

Best Disco Song: “Romeo and Juliet” by Love ‘n’ Kisses

Best KISS Song: “Strutter”

Best One Hit Wonder: “Escape (the Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes

Best Power Ballad: “Amanda” by Boston

Best Hippie Song: “The Rain, the Park, and Other Things” by the Cowsills

Best TV Theme Song: Theme from “Battlestar Galactica” (the old one)

Best Instrumental: “Unfinished Business” by the Blackbyrds

Best Story Song: “Ode to Billy Joe” by Bobbie Gentry

Best Sing-along Song: “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” by Dionne Warwick

Best Song for Gettin’ Busy: “Baby, Come to Me” by Patti Austin and James Ingram

Best Driving Song: "Runnin' With The Wind" by Eddie Rabbit

Best Solo by a Former Beatle: “All Those Years Ago” by George Harrison

Best Country Song: “Cherokee Fiddle” by Johnny Lee

Best 80s Song: “Union of the Snake” by Duran Duran

Best Motown Song: “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder

Best Song I Couldn’t Find on iTunes so I Had To Buy an Entire CD: “Pilot of the Airwaves” by Charlie Dore

Best Song for a Good Cry: “Wildfire” by Michael Martin Murphey

Best Song for Curing Headaches: "Fly Away" by John Denver

Best Hair Metal Song: “The Zoo” by the Scorpions

Best Song that’s No Longer on the Radio: “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin

Best Song for Relaxing: “Castles in the Air” by Don McLean

Best Song from a James Bond Movie: “All Time High” by Rita Coolidge

Ms. Val's Bargain of the Week

All summer, the boys--Kyle, mostly--had been begging to take them to Waterworld, a water park near our house. I had putting them off for various reasons. For starters, Waterworld costs $22 per person admission. That's $88 for our entire family, plus food, raft rentals, and locker fees once you're in the park. Also, Quinton's condition and energy level prohibit him from fully enjoying the park's various slides. Lastly, we have a perfectly good swimming pool in our back yard.

That's why I convinced Kyle that the Sunrise Community Pool would be a better choice for his birthday. That place costs only $4 admission for our entire family. For that price, there's no guilt if Quinton gets tired and we have to leave after only an hour--and that's exactly what happened.

Also, unlike Waterworld, Sunrise wasn't very crowded. The line for the water slide was, at most 5 people long. Bench seating was plentiful, the place wasn't so large that you would lose sight of your kids. Also, the lifeguards at Sunrise are nicer. I've found that there's some rampant abuse of power among the teenage staff at Waterworld.

The trip to Sunrise Pool left us with enough cash to have lunch at In-N-Out Burger, go to a movie, and go to a Chinese restaurant that night for dinner. If we had gone to Waterworld, we would have gone home afterward, where I would have fixed Top Ramen for four.

Before: The Downstairs Bathroom

Not satisfied with a new back door, new appliances, and a crop of new accessories, I have decided that I want to redo the downstairs bathroom. Here's how the bathroom looks now:

While I don't exactly hate this room, I....OK, I hate it. I don't know what I was thinking with that color. It looks like the curtains my dad's second ex-wife put up all over their house. I like the shower curtain, but it doesn't exactly fit in to my design plan. About the only things that will survive the makeover will be the little white cabinet above the potty and a pretty 4-hook towel rack that was added after this photo was taken. Oh, and I'll definately hang on to the plate Kyle painted for me.

I will be painting the room a light, dusty lavender color called Vintage Violet. I also found the mirror I want. It has beveled-edge glass and a white, distressed shabby-chic wood frame. The mirror is $100 at Joann ETC, but they routinely send out a mailer with 40% off coupons. So I put myself on their list, and when my first coupon arrives, I will go buy the mirror.

I'm also planning on painting the vanity. It will go from a white-washed oak-look finish to white with beadboard paneling inside the cabinet door frames similar to what I did to the playroom wall unit. Quinton suggested that we get a pedestal sink. It's a nice idea, but bringing in such a sink would eliminate 90% of our storage for that room (I have a problem with leaving a dozen TP rolls out in the open). Plus the area under the current cabinet is not tiled. Bringing in a pedestal sink would require us to retile the entire room, and that's a lot more work than we care to do right now.

I also want replace the current faucet. The one we have now is a cheap-looking piece of crap that came with the house. The handle is a clear plastic ball that's cut to look like a prismatic crystal. I refer to it, and other such features as the Contractor's Special.

Problem is, I need to convince Q to let me buy a $140 faucet. Here's a picture of it. Look at it. Drool longingly. Isn't she pretty?

While it's not the most expensive faucet in Lowes, it's certainly not the cheapest. Also, it's diffent looking than most of the other faucets out there. And anyone who knows me knows that I like to do things that aren't necessarily normal and conventional.

I'll also be putting in a new vanity light. Or more aptly, Quinton will. The one I want is shown here. It will be replacing cheap chrome light bars with the exposed bulbs, just like the ones sold at The Depot for $8.

I'll be doing this project in stages. I'll do the walls, mirror, and light first. The faucet and cabinet painting will happen later. I'll need that time to work on Quinton. I think I'll print out a picture of the faucet and tape it to the mirror so he can see how pretty it looks.

Oh, and as always, I'll post photos of my progress.

Thursday 13

Kyle's 12th birthday is this weekend. So today's Thursday 13 will be dedicated to him.

1. Kyle was a premature baby, weighing in at 5 lbs, 4 oz. When he was two days old, he had to be air-evac’d to a hospital with a neonatal care unit, where he was put on a ventilator. He was there for 10 days before I got to bring him home.

2. Kyle did not start growing hair until he was 3 years old. He had a little colorful beanie that I always had him wear outside for protection. He liked that hat so much that he even wore it indoors. He looked so cute in that cap. I still have it around here somewhere.

3. Kyle is his father’s son. He likes to accompany Dad to the Diamondbacks games, while I take Lucas pottery painting or antique shopping.

4. When Lucas was learning to talk, he had a hard time pronouncing Kyle’s name. It always came out as “Kowie”. We thought it was so cute that for awhile, we actually called him that. But Kyle didn’t like it much. He would get exasperated and yell “Quit…calling…me…KOWIE!!!!!!”

5. Kyle likes Star Wars. He also likes Legos. His favorite toys are the Star Wars Legos.

6. One of Kyle’s favorite meals is orange chicken and walnut shrimp from the Chinese place down the street. He sometimes eats the leftover chicken without even heating it up.

7. Kyle has been saving up for months to buy a Nintendo Wii. He's been very disciplined about it too. He's been very good about not wasting it away on little things like candy and more toys. He’s hoping to have all the money he needs when the Wii goes on sale later this Fall.

8. Ice cream and popsicles are not safe around Kyle.

9. Kyle’s favorite movie is Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, and he likes watch it in a dark quiet room. He wears his Revenge of the Sith t-shirt so much that it’s now faded and is starting to get holes in it.

10. Kyle drinks more than anyone I know. His favorite beverages include iced tea, Gatorade, chocolate milk, and refrigerator water…anything that’s cold.

11. Kyle has started taking an interest in girls. I have said too much already.

12. I promised Kyle that when he grows up and moves away, he can take Jango with him. He loves that kitty so much that he doesn’t object to me referring to her as his baby sister.

13. When he grows up, Kyle wants to be a video game designer.


Happy Birthday, Kyle. You may be growing up, but you’re still my Treasure.

It's been a very busy week

Here it is so far, in a nutshell:

Monday: Got up…got everyone dressed, fed, and off to school/work. Checked email…read blogs, nosed around eBay. Called Dodge dealership parts department…they want $65 for a replacement hubcap for a 2001 Dodge Stratus. “I’ll get back to you”. In the meantime, I’m morbidly embarrassed to be seen driving that car.

Got dressed…ran errands. Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s…went to Let’s Do Lunch with Quinton. Had the usual: California BLT for him…egg salad on sourdough for me. Bread was dry. This place has really gone downhill.

Took Q back to work…stopped at the grocery store on the way home…couple’s making out at the deli counter…EWWWW!!!! I’ll come back when they’re gone. Bought eggs…margarine…stuff for tuna noodle casserole. Paid and went home.

I forgot the beef. STUPID sucky-face people! Back to the store! I would have skipped it, but roast beef is the only thing Luke wants in his lunchbox.

Boys came home…snacks…homework…dinner. Left for drafting class...took the Mustang…big mistake…big storm…parking lot flooded…favorite pink leather sandals SOAKED…bottom 10 inches of jeans, also soaked.

Came home…Q’s on phone…boys are fighting…everyone’s pissed because we got no rain at our home in Peoria…hectic bedtime routine begins…Jango starts screaming…I finally got the privilege to go to bed around 10.

Tuesday: Got up…and got everyone dressed fed. Everyone left at the same time. Driving south, it looks like rain…LOTS of lightning…odd sight at 8:30 in the morning…started raining HARD…traffic lights were out at 3 intersections. It took me almost an hour to get to school

Good thing finding a parking space was easy. Sort of. Parking lot was flooded AGAIN…got my new brown mocs wet…made the mistake choosing to carry a suede purse. Went to Staples…bought supplies for design history class…met Q for smoothies... drove to Scottsdale to buy supplies for drafting class.

Address on syllabus turns out to be a business office for a catalog company that sells drafting supplies…translation: “we don’t sell that stuff here”…Drove across the street to Kierland so the trip wouldn’t be a total waste…I was a bad girl at Anthropologie and Banana Republic…Hey, Mama needs new school clothes too!!! Called Meredith for advice on where to find drafting supplies…she gave me a nearby address…they had everything I needed. Time to go home.

Boys get home from school…time for a quick snack before taking Luke to drum lessons…came home…nothing’s thawed for dinner…Kyle and Q eat hot dogs…Luke and I eat sausage and fried eggs…baseball game on TV…homework…everyone needs Mommy’s help at once…baths and showers…quiet reading time….everyone’s in bed. Now, it’s my turn.

Before and After: The Bannister

When we moved into this house 7 years ago, everything was white: the walls, the appliances, and the woodwork. Unfortunately, that included the bannister. And in an effort to keep the house affordable, we tried to keep overpriced builder upgrades to a minimum. As such, having a shiny, wood- stained stair rail rated low on the list.

After a few years, painting a few walls and watching a few decorating shows, I fancied myself an expert. I was going to make the Mission-style railing look like white-washed oak--just like the cabinets in the nearby kitchen.

Instead, it looks like a bottle of Pepto Bismol exploded on the bannister. Oh, and what the %#@* was I thinking with those wall colors? I wanted Granny Smith apple green. Instead, I got lime popsicle green. And that garish blue looks like that same color as the toxic paint Adam had Jeff's office painted on Dynasty.

I hated it immediately. But at Quinton's urging, I agreed to live with it for a few months. Let the countdown begin.

Then one Saturday morning, in a fit of boredom, I put a small amount of paint stripper on a hidden corner of the newel. I couldn't believe the beautiful wood underneath! I was so excited, I made Q come see what I had done. He too was impressed and agreed we should strip all the paint and expose the wood. And since he had a week's vacation coming up, that would be the perfect time to do it.

Shortly after we began, we realize we had made a mistake. The paint was coming off slow and gummy (those stripper cans make it look so easy!). This was going to take forever! We had to work hard to protect the surrounding walls and the carpet below. We made countless return trips to The Depot, buying every kind of tape, drop cloth, solvent, steel wool, scraper, and sanding block we could find. We even bought a second detail sander so both Q and I could work without having to take turns.

I had the stain chosen and bought before the paint was removed. But while stripping the spindles, we discovered that all 13 spindles were made of 13 different types of wood. Oops! That honey-colored stain isn't going to cut it. The only way to solve that problem was to stain the spindles with the darkest stain possible. In this case, I used walnut.

Nine days, and numerous tantrums later, we completed the beautiful stair rail shown here. I was so proud that I had to show it to a neighbor who has the same house we do...still with the white painted bannister. When she saw mine, she gasped: "VAL! How much would you charge to do this to mine?"

I told her: "You don't have enough money."

Ms. Val's Bargain of the Week

This week, the boys went back to school. So, since I don't start school until next Monday, I had the entire week to do some marathon shopping.

This week's bargain (or more aptly, bargains) came from Old Navy. Their clothes aren't the greatest, but for my boys, it's a race to see whether they will ruin the clothes first, or outgrow them. Besides, had a coupon that was about to expire.

For Kyle, I bought 2 pairs of cargo shorts ($6.99 each), 1 pair of denim shorts ($7.49), 2 pairs of jeans ($6.99 and $7.99), and--the bargain of all bargains--1 pair of swim trunks ($1.97).

There wasn't much available in Luke's size so he only got 2 pairs of cargo shorts ($6.99), and a pair of drawstring cotton shorts ($4.49).

And then there's the coupon. That puppy got me $10 off my total purchase. The grand total, after tax came to $50.62. Not bad for 9 articles of clothing.

Runner up: This prize goes to a lady on the Fiesta message board who won a medium green (rare color for you non-collectors) sauce boat on eBay for $3.50, including shipping.

The Mom List

1. "Mom, where's my other shoe?"

2. "Moooooooom!!!!!!! Jango threw up in my rooooom!!!!!"

3. "Mom, can I go out and play?"
"Did you finish your homework?"
"No, but can I go out and play?"
"Didn't you hear what I just asked you?"
"Yeah, but can I?"

4. "Mo-om! Lucas is hogging all the Pop Tarts!"

5. "Mom, for my birthday, I want a guitar, an amp, an iPod..."
"But your birthday is, like 10 months away!"
"And your point is....?"

6. "Mom, why can't Lucas practice his drums when I'm not home?!"

7. "Mom! I found your secret Oreo stash!" ;-D

8. "Mom, can I use your computer? Mine's all the way upstairs!"

9. "Moooooom! You were supposed to remind me that today was ravioli day in the cafeteria!!!"

10. "Mom, where's my Nickelback CD?"

11. "Mom! You didn't wake me up!"
"Your alarm went off! I heard it!"
"Yeah, but...you...didn't...come...in...and...wake...me...up!!!!!!"

12. "Mom, how come Jango always jumps on your bed, but not mine?"

13. "Mom! You and Dad went to Tokyo Lobby without US!?!?!"

14. "Mom, you have to wash my jeans more often!"

15. "Mom, can I unload the dishwasher later?"
"Later when?"
"Just later."

16. "Mom, why don't we have a DVD player in our car, just like "Joey"?"
"Because we have a convertible."

End of discussion.

Separated at Birth?

A few months ago, I took this picture of Jango:


Then yesterday, while surfing around Cat of the Day, Lucas found this:

The resemblence between the two pictures is just uncanny! Not only are both cats chocolate point siamese, but they both sit with their front paws crossed and take comfort in teal green linens.

Thursday 13

1. I always chuckle at the “Bad Robot!” part at the end of Lost.

2. When we visited Grand Cayman a few years ago, our rental car was a green New Beetle. Driving on the left side of the road was weird!

3. I don’t look good in yellow clothes…just yellow cars.

4. Every year, on the first day of school, I always have a batch of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies waiting for the boys when they get home.

5. My favorite VH1 panelist is comedian Bill Dwyer. He's hilarious AND he's...very nice looking.

6. I threw a loud fit in the parking lot when my car got its first door ding.

7. It’s hot in Phoenix! I always offer cold water bottles to the pool guy, the pest control guy, delivery people, and any other workers that come to my home. The guy who delivered our washer called me 5 minutes after he left to thank me again for the water. He said, “You guys were really nice”.

8. My favorite Fiesta color is persimmon.

9. I always wanted a personalized license plate for my car. Early contenders included: FLMBYNT, BGNHNTR, and CYKOMOM. Quinton vetoed them all (we’re always swapping cars). Besides, CYKOMOM was taken. You can see the winners here.

10. My favorite male Sex and the City character is Charlotte’s lawyer-turned-husband, Harry.

11. If the ladies’ room is occupied, I will avail myself the use of the men’s room. This happened a lot when Q was in the hospital.

12. My dream job is to be a program director for an easy-listening radio station. The station would specialize in love songs and feel-good ballads from the 70s and 80s. Sales of Zoloft, Lexapro, and the like will go down QUICK!

13. I will not wear t-shirts. Every top I own either has long sleeves or NO sleeves.