Dipping my toe back in....

What's been going on??? I get that question via email a few times a day.  I have dropped off the blogging hemisphere since the ease of iPhone and Facebook makes it so much easier to communicate in 140 characters or less.  My incredible husband reminded me last night I had not blogged in a while. I told him it was hard to find the time.  He said "Facebook is making you a lazy writer" -- as usual, he is dead on.   I am going to post a few photos from things that have been happening in our lives.

We have survived school starting and I am getting a barrage of new questions daily coming from the mouth of a three year old that leaves me from snickers to tears of laughter.


Last week we had Fall Fair at Sinclair's school. This is a fantastic gathering of all the various grades joined by parents, games, face painting and fatty foods.  As of late, Sinclair has a lot of statements that start "when I was a baby" or "when I was in your tummy do you remember..." I tell her I recall all these moments fondly.  My daughter had her three year old serious face on and  looked at me with her wise blue eyes and said "Mommy, when I was in your tummy, I knew then I would be a great line leader"  

Missing in Action

I started my online persona back in 1993.  Overnight my web presence garnered spots in USA Today, The New York Times, Forbes, Playboy, Wired,  Fortune and the Wall Street Journal among a few. 

After a hiatus, I started writing again and fell into the label of the "Mommy Blogger" There were a few people who believed in me from the beginning:  some of my first commenters. 

Strangers, who made my day.  Some that grew to friendships that will last forever.  

And nearly every one of the blogs who welcomed me into this community and made me feel loved, have stopped blogging. 

There are different reasons, some I know, others I don't. I stay in contact with a couple through email, but others have deleted their blogs and I haven't heard a word.

It's like a friend moved away.

Which feels strange, just typing those words. How can I miss people I've never met in real life or spoken to in person? 

I just experienced my first blogging conference where I put faces with names. It makes it all more real. Because (news flash) REAL people write blogs!

I've been thinking about why bloggers stop blogging. Do they run out of words because they've said it all? Are they compromised in some way?  Too busy? Or just simply burned out from too much of an online life? There are probably a million different reasons.

If you blog, please remember that your words are powerful. They are read. The good and the bad. And when you leave this parallel world you are missed.

I know many bloggers stop out of disappointment or because they don't feel their blog is successful. 

I think this is why commenting is so important. It's not about receiving a hundred comments a day, it's about the affirmation, the companionship that you receive. I make it a point to comment on several new blogs every week. Someone I don't know, never heard of, because I want to be someone's first commenter. 

Why do you blog? Do you ever want to stop? 

I have to say, I hope I'm never done.

(I know many of my readers do not have a blog, but I'm still very glad you're a part of my world. How would you feel if you clicked to your favorite blog and it was gone?)

I have been gone for a while -- but for those that kept sending me constant reminders of adoration it was truly appreciated.  I am dipping my toe back in the water gradually.  Thank you for your patience, understanding and feedback.

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch....

This is our latest addition to our four legged steeds..."Banner West" 

Big shout out the Rehm Quarter Horses in the cool Pacific Northwest

Thanks to Judi and Alyson Rehm on trusting us with their sweet boy "Banner"

Banner is quite the celebrity back in Washington - we are THRILLED to have him retire at our ranch!

sinclair and her stuffed animal backup singers - 2 years old

Hard to believe where the time has gone! My little angel muffin is two here and is already directing the show!

ERMADOESNOTLIVEHERE

Who says three women can't have a love child? We break rules all the time, and the occasional law as well. Who's to say we can break the laws nature too? For months now, Ryland, Sher and I have been working on Erma, our pet name for our website. Often

One more than once occasion we have all been compared to famed humor writer Erma Bombeck, alas, we like to think we've got certainly have a more current voice and a whole new set of challenges facing the modern woman. Dear God, did I just say modern woman? Well, It's before 3am and I haven't had my Dr Pepper yet. So, when you have some time, visit Erma. We'll be updating her regularly, certainly more often than I update here, and the posts will be a hell of a lot funnier and not every single one will be about my kid or frazzled family. See you there! Oh! Be sure to check out the Shameless Plugs tab for a good chuckle.

Big, Gentle Ben's Story

BEN'S STORY:

February 7, 2009 around 9:00PM my old friend, Ben Bordelon had a single vehicle accident in his truck. He was making a phone call to his wife when his tire went off the shoulder of a gravel road and he lost control. He is alright! But got banged up pretty bad. Ben is at Ochsner New Orleans in stable condition. The accident occurred in the Mathews vicinity off of the Gayosa sugar cane field road. His truck rolled 4 times ejecting Ben from the truck. He was taken to St. Anne General Hospital in Raceland where he was stabilized and was transferred to Ochsner New Orleans via helicopter. Ben has 14 broken ribs, 2 punctures in his lungs, several fractures in his pelvis and high and numerous cuts, bumps, and bruises. No major organs were damaged besides the lung punctures. He was admitted to ICU and underwent the first surgery of many on 2/17 to repair his pelvis.

For those that do not know Ben's strength...he is 6' 7" and weighs about 300 lbs! Ben played four years at LSU as a "Tiger" and then went on to the San Diego Chargers before retiring back to the Bayou to run his families shipyard and to raise his beautiful family with the most gorgeous woman (inside and out) Gemi....who has stood by his side every inch of the way. The strength of this woman is mind-boggling.


Here is a video her sister created on Ben and Gemi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxRPYd8nkQw

Aviation Marketing At Its Best!

I love this latest ad for Beechcraft....some ad executive just "earned his wings"

ANGELINA SHOULD GET THE MOVIE RIGHTS PLUS THE 14 KIDS!!!

As if tax payer dollars are not bad enough these days, Nadya “Octomom” Suleman has set up a website to accept donations for herself and 14 children. This comes one day after an interview she did with Ann Curry, in which she denied accepting government assistance, and said she wanted to support her family herself, with no handouts. The website readily accepts payment via credit card or PayPal…wow Octomom it did not take you long to extend the hand, did it?!?! I feel so bad for these 14 children…I hope the sperm donor is intelligent, because mama bear is as goofy as a billy goat on astroturf!!


I know there are some people out there who think that the coverage of the California octuplets has been excessive and ridiculous compared to today’s problems. Wrong. Let me count the ways.

Crazy OctoMom's time for her as far as endorsements, deals or even the typical corporate freebies lavished on multi-birth parents are concerned.

No corporation (in their right minds) wants to give this woman a free ride while laying their own people off. And I venture to guess that if you’re sitting in a house that’s about to be foreclosed, or you’re barely able to make the mortgage payments, or you’ve lost or are about to lose your job, or if your health insurance has been yanked you’re probably not reveling in Octomom’s joy. If you’re a taxpayer in the state of California, thanks for picking up the tab for Suleman’s “obsession” with children. I’m sure you’re happy to help, what with all the spare cash you probably have lying around.


I follow FOX NEWS and CNBC most of the hours during the day, now is not the time to assume that one's self-indulgence will be subsidized. Those of us who are expected to pay up just aren’t in the mood, especially when the market is crashing and oil is below $40.

If you’re a right-to-lifer, what do you have to say for yourself? Have you opened up your checkbook to help care for these children? Or does her single mother status turn you off?

If you’re a couple desperately seeking medical help to have a child, what to make of the doctor who implanted Suleman’s embryos, who appears to be a conman, fraud and crook, whose chief success was with one client - Suleman?

How about following the money? Why is it that Suleman had cash for IVF treatment and what appears to be extensive plastic surgery, but not to pay her mother for food or rent for the children? Why did Suleman lie about receiving public assistance? And why oh why did she continue to pump out children when half the ones she’d already had are disabled?

Will the fact that her food stamp payments totaled a whopping $490 per month finally put to rest the absurd notion that single mothers have more babies to live high on the welfare hog?

It’s no secret that there are many, many unethical, sleazy doctors in Beverly Hills, from the garden variety Dr. Feelgoods with their prescription pads at the ready to plastic surgeons who will accommodate any outrageous demand, even when the results are pretty damn scary. Is it safe to assume that given the fertility doctor’s lousy track record he implanted Suleman’s embryos in order to get more publicity for his ineffectual clinic? Is it ethical for a doctor to “just keep going” when he’s familiar with his patient’s medical history and knows that his patient is indigent and trying to raise three disabled children?

And finally, when will the media learn to stop treating multiple births as a reason to celebrate?

The bottom line is that there are now 14 children who are at the mercy of a woman who appears to be mentally imbalanced, whose sense of entitlement has cost the taxpayers plenty at a time when too many of us are feeling the sharp pinch of unemployment, bankruptcy and foreclosure.

Anyone who’s adopted a dog or cat from the local shelter can tell you that you can’t take your pet home until your home has been inspected. Are we to believe that 14 innocent children deserve any less?

Bottom line, If you’re already on welfare for your first 6 children, what in the world would make you think it’s OK to burden the taxpayers with your idiotic decisions? It’s obvious you’re working the system. I can imagine the check you’ll be getting every 1st and 15th, and I’m sure you’ve already filed the paperwork for the next batch of kids. I think this chick has more of an obsession with celebrity than with children. Kudos to you OctoMom, you’re now famous for being the biggest welfare case this side of the Mississippi!

All the lies are making me dizzy.

Baby Swimming Survival Video

With summer fast approaching someone sent me this video. This is without a doubt, The MOST Incredible video I have ever seen!

How did they hold the mom back to do this!? This was hard for me to watch.

It doesn't matter who you are, or how busy you are. This is a 'must watch' video, and I hope you'll pass it along. As parents we can never be educated enough when it comes to safety.

Goodbye City Life And Hello Simple Life....

This past weekend we headed out to the country.  We had two days filled with friends, ducks, fish, basketball, horses and puppies!

Zoey and Jack had a peaceful trail ride.  Clifford tagged along to help with any scraps that needed eating.