AMT: In Which I Spill My Guts

1. How did you get your name?

Madeline comes from the books. Yep. For real. My mom liked the name when she was younger and apparently held on to that thought until 1986. I'm cool with it. My name wasn't super popular when I was younger. I only know 2 other even remotely similar aged Madelines. Now I get yelled at in grocery stores/Target/parks. I know they aren't actually yelling at/for me but I turn every time anyhow. I am a Madeline rhymes with paddlin' not Madeline rhymes with fine. 

Clarice was my Great-Grandmother's name. I love my middle name. I wanted to use it for baby girl's middle name too but I was vetoed. But I am happy with what we chose so it's all okay. Also, we pronounce it like my Great-Grandmother did so not "Hello Clarice" ala Silence of the Lambs but Clarice rhymes with Paris. 

My last name which I am not going to publish right here and now... well want to know a secret? Not like an actual secret but something that you probably don't know? I kept my name when we got married. Want to know why? Because I wanted to. Because it is my name. 

No really. You see, I really like my name. It has a flow. You know how when you're naming a child and you practice saying the first and middle name with your last name over and over to determine if it works? Well my name has that. And I have always always always loved my name. It has a good flow. Consequently, Husband's last name does not flow. It is one syllable. And when paired with my first and middle name acted as a big old period. Blah. 

So I kept my name. Simple. Easy. (SO much easier with no name changing paper work.) Fun fact: my name is pretty uncommon and includes a silent D. Yep. Very Polish. And a silent D. It's nearly ALWAYS mangled and I am very very used to it. If it bothered me Husband's last name is very easy so I would have switched. But I like my unique last name.

Coincidentally, my initials are ideal for Wheel of Fortune bonus round letter guessing. MCD. And if I had changed my name my initials would STILL be exceptional letter options and I would use P as my 4th consonant if I had the wild card. True story.

C has his father's last name and so will baby girl. Just in case you were wondering if we did the whole hyphenating thing, we didn't. 

2. Do you have a set time for prayer in your day? 

Lately no. I used to have a morning ritual but now it's kind of when I need help, grace or as I am falling asleep.

I should probably get back to a routine. 

3. Did your mom work or stay home (or both)?

Besides a brief stint in 10th grade when her company was bought out and she was job looking she worked. I always liked that she worked. I still like that she works even if her job has long hours and she doesn't get home until late sometimes. I never minded day care. Or coming home alone with my brother. 

But you know, it was nice when she was home too. 

I basically just like my mom. And everyone knows that if mom is happy everyone is happy. 

4. Do you vote?

It depends what we're voting on. If it's a race or situation I feel strongly about I sure do. For instance I always vote for President, Governor, Senators/Representatives and Mayor. I also vote for levies and ways that my area wants to spend tax dollars. 

My parents always took us with to vote. It was at my elementary school. I always got one of the stickers. I turned 18 at college, in Iowa and I REALLY wanted to vote at a booth, so I registered with my on campus address. The next time the Presidential election rolled around I lived in Missouri for grad school and it was also my hometown mayoral election so I re-registered at home and absentee voted. They don't give stickers for absentee voting. It was sad. And the experience was underwhelming. 

The Minnesota sticker

I went to my first caucus for the Presidential Election in 2012. The joys of living in Iowa. We get a say before anyone else. But this also means we get commercials longer than anyone else. And because we are in the QCA we get all the Illinois commercials too. It REALLY makes me mad when they don't tell me which state they are running in. Then I turn the TV off and do actual candidate research. 

The Iowa sticker. More patriotic, less what I grew up with and therefore wanted.

I usually don't vote in primaries however.  

5. What's your favorite drink?

I love Fountain Coke. (I know Whome, I drink too much sugar pop.) 

Fountain Coke tastes so so much better than any other kind of Coke and McDonald's Coke is the best of all the fountains. I've been told it's because they calibrate their syrup on a more frequent basis so it stays sweet and fresh and delicious. 

I also really like frozen strawberry margaritas. But Husband thinks that tequila tastes dirty so I actually don't remember the last time I had a strawberry margarita. I am pretty sure when this baby comes out I am going to have one though. 

6. How are your photography skills?

Not professional quality and not as good as Husband's but I can hold my own. I am getting really swell at the composition and have even managed some great shots in manual! Here are some of my favorite pictures I've taken in the past year or so. I took most of them for Theme Thursday hosted, shockingly, on Thursdays at Clan Donaldson. Just in case you want to try your hand at stretching your creativity and photography skills. It's sure helped me!! 

This week's AMT is brought to you by the number 6, the letter M and the word Kendra. Thanks for hosting 

It's Friday. So Here's 7 Quickish Things.

1. That One Soccer Game

Apparently the World Cup is still going on. The thing about not having cable is that I didn't see any single second of any of the World Cup games. Well... it's possible I subconsciously did a few weeks ago when we were at a bar killing time before a wedding reception started but pretty much that shouldn't count.

And I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire during my "Read the whole series in July: 2014." That's the one with the Quidditch World Cup. Kind of fitting maybe. Apparently the Vatican is not condoning the "two popes World Cup" thing. And you know I was really into it when you put it that way because... it's still a soccer game. Yeah. Whatever.

2. The Non-Polar Vortex Returning

Hey-O! It's not actually the Polar Vortex it's residual weather from some tropical storm. But I'll admit it. I am kind of excited that it's going to be chilly this next week. So anyone who's disappointed in the weather can go ahead and blame me, but I'll be the preggo who is not suffering for a full week in July. Any respite from being hot is good by me. I am fully aware most people who are pregnant in July are saints. Clearly this wasn't meant to be one of my sufferings. (Which all but guarantees a sweltering August.)

3. Mowing the Yard

My next door neighbors are polar opposites. On one side we have Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and he is OBSESSED with mowing. Just obsessed with mowing. There was a point when his yard looked like this:

And he mowed. But this guy also power washes his sidewalk weekly and washes his truck multiple times per week. I am pretty sure he just needs a hobby. An indoor one preferably because he is ALWAYS in the yard looking at us. But whatever.

The other side... well they mow when they feel like it. Last summer it was literally once a month. And their grass was knee deep before they'd mow every time. (Yes, they were ticketed.) They are doing a better job this year with an every 2-3 week yard clean up.

It's nice to be in the middle. We're never as bad as one side so even if we let the lawn grow a little longer than I'd like because of rain/unforeseen circumstances it never matters as much. We always look good by comparison without looking like total nutters like Marky Mark.

4. All These States Are Legalizing The Mary Jane

I sure do not need search engines finding me because of that word. Here's the thing... I understand that it helps with taxes or something. I don't know. What I do know is that I disagree with legalization. Because it stinks. And if it was legal I feel like I would smell it more often.

5. Toddlers Are Funny

All these opinions and big feelings. And there is no reasoning with them. If today they like Elmo they will not like Elmo tomorrow.

6. Baby Names 

Nothing stirs the pot quite as much as baby names. People LOVE to give you opinions before a birth but usually keep their mouths shut when a smushy infant is looking at them. Have you seen this list floating around? Clearly Colleen is a trend setter already. 

The one hope here is that since the list is based on searches and not actual "what kids were named" data that people changed their minds about naming future generations: Khaleesi or Django. 

Here's a hint: Neither our girl first name or boy first name are on this list. But both middle name choices are. 

7. Have A Good Weekend 

That's it. Have a good one. Stop over at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes. 

Theme Thursday: Bright

You know that one song? 

If All the Raindrops? Well the third verse is about how if all the sunbeams were lemonade and ice cream! Oh what a sun that would be! (Please don't subject yourself to the Barney version. Laura Doherty's version is lovely and far less obnoxious.) 

Too bad at our house instead of lemonade and ice cream you get a bowl of rice Chex with raisins and Craisins. I lovingly call this breakfast trail mix. It allows a certain toddler to graze eat which is pretty much how mornings go around here. 

I like how red Tupperware glows in the sunshine. It's a bright, happy Thursday. 

And funny enough, that is the theme of the week over in the O-Clan Corral. So you go link up all the bright and happy in your world and I'll peruse them. While listening to Pandora, playing cars and possibly stealing a rice Chex or two. But you'll never prove it. 

Have a delightful and bright Thursday. Even if it's not perfect like it is here today. No. Really. It's perfect. 

How Did I Get Here?!

One of those days. Everything is great. It's beautiful and sunny. I'm talking 76 and sunny. Turn off the AC, open the windows and feel the breeze. The day was productive to say the least.

We woke up, had a delicious breakfast of oatmeal (me) and rice Chex and raisins. (C) We got dressed and proceeded to head outside. I tided the lawn of the moron squirrel's nest remnants of the night and C played with his trucks and car. After a while when that got old we moved on to playing World Cup with his goal and then destroying the ant hills because that's just the best thing ever.

When it the yard looked decidedly tidier than when we came out, we went in. We listened to music and played cars and while we were at it, did the dishes. That's basically water play. Which is fun and educational. After a reading break I started the dishwashers (because I am not foolish enough to do them ALL by hand) and made lunch. Colleen says I need more protein so I had scrambled eggs. C had a PB sandwich, more raisins (his request) milk and some animal crackers. Then the downstairs was cleaned, toys put away and carpet vacuumed.

I mean that's a pretty good day. Throw a load of laundry in during rest time, made dinner and promptly washed the dinner dishes. My house is clean and I engaged my child with both free play and activities that would encourage learning.

So let's blame it on the iPod shall we? During the cleaning I just hit shuffle. Which both is exciting and annoying because you know you'll get some random SFX clips and the whole of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is on there in many many many 3 minute "songs." So inevitably you will have to stop whatever you're doing to switch the iPod ahead. I am not Jennifer during Lent and I do not care if I am not in the mood to listen to accent monologues. (Monologues of people speaking in accents to learn how to form words properly.)

It all started with "You Took the Words Right Out Of My Mouth." Meatloaf at his finest my friends. And I reminisced about going to the Meatloaf concert with my friend Becky. It was at the casino so my mom took us. And as I sang along I thought about how many concerts I have really been to. A lot. And some good ones too. Prince. Neil Diamond. Enrique Inglesias and Pitbull. John Mellencamp. The Dixie Chicks. I used to go to a lot of concerts.

But then with my GA position in grad school I also worked a bunch of concerts. Some really really lame ones. But some were pretty great. David Cook (this was RIGHT after he won American Idol) Kevin Bacon and his brother have a band called... wait for it... the Bacon Brothers. BJ Thomas who was apparently kind of a big deal but my only knowledge was that he wrote/sang the Growing Pains theme song. He was nice enough to sing it for me live though and even dedicated it to me.

Michael, Me and Kevin Bacon

And I looked at all I had accomplished today and all that I had hoped to accomplish in my life and I went down the worm hole. The "How Did I Get Here" worm hole. It isn't about regret. I do not regret getting married though I never expected to live here again after undergrad. How could I possibly regret C or Baby #2? I can't explain how much I love them (already) and how could a life be regrettable?!

But I had hoped to get my PhD. I NEVER expected to be a stay at home mom and certainly not to enjoy it. There are rough days, don't get me wrong, but if you had told me that when my son turned one (the point we said we'd reevaluate the SAH situation) I would be a sobbing mess at the idea of leaving my baby with someone else I would have told you that you were a lunatic.

I still think I will go back to work at some point. Really. And I would LOVE to finish my degree path and hopefully I can make that happen. But it is still an introspective day to look back at your journey and really decipher what small decision led to a life you couldn't have imagined. My life is not perfect. Who's is?! But it's pretty good.

I'm cooking a baby who is most likely female. I have a really sweet little boy that I cannot stop squeezing. Even if I am sick of walrus videos on YouTube. I have a husband who comes home from working hard every day and loves me. (He even lets me sleep in on Saturday!) I have a house. Cars that work. Food on the table and that makes me pretty darn lucky.

I write all this not because I had ennui. Or because I am somehow disappointed in my life. I write to bring perspective to who I have become and who I am still yet to change into. Sometime down the road I will probably look back and see how this day (and other's like it) led me to where I'll be. That's kind of cool.

AMT: Another Round of Randoms!

1. Have you ever walked out of a movie?

Not that I can recall. Back in the day I really really disliked Pearl Harbor and it is possible leaving was discussed but I was 14 and went with a bunch of other 14 year old girls so it would have been pointless to leave because we'd be stuck there. 

And strictly speaking, I don't go see a movie in the theater unless I am sure I will like it, I've read the book or I've Googled the ending ahead of time. I am totally THAT girl. 

I did leave CATS at intermission once. 

2. What do you most often use for blogs and blogging: desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone?

The laptop is our only computer currently. Which is what I use mostly. Occasionally I upload a picture from my phone, but I save it as a draft and finish the post on the computer. 

3. Have you ever had anything stolen from you?

Nothing major. My house has never been broken into (that I know of) and neither was my dorm room. My car's passenger side door was unlocked in my driveway the summer of 2010 and someone took my work cell phone (a blackberry), my iTrip and random glove box stuff like a multipurpose tool. 

Because my job used Sprint though as soon as it was reported stolen the phone was useless so... I felt at least partially vindicated. And luckily for me my other job had a staff meeting at City Hall so I was able to make the police report on the way to work. 

4. Do you identify as a member of a particular ethnic group? 

Nope. I do not. It made me mad there weren't any "normal kid" scholarships to apply for and no support groups either. In Junior High and High School there were support groups for: blacks, Somalis, Hispanics, GLBT/supporters and people with eating disorders. 

Apparently it's racist for white people to need support groups. 

To be fair, I didn't really need a support group but it was the principal of the matter for me. 

I am 50% Polish but since I didn't grow up in Chicago it's really not a big part of who I am. And I am not one of those people who let's everyone else know that I am Polish. (Or whichever ethnic group.) 

5. Do you abstain from meat on Fridays?

Usually. We don't eat that much meat anyhow but yeah we usually do abstain. Sometimes we forget or a holiday happens but we do try.  

6. Seen anything weird lately?

It's not weird exactly but we have a mentally challenged squirrel in our tree who is trying to build a nest. I say mentally challenged because this squirrel chews off some leaves/twigs etc. and starts building the nest, then clumsily drops the entire nest out of the tree into my yard.

Then the moron squirrel opts not to collect the remnants but starts over from scratch. I'm going on 3 yard waste bags full of leaves and twigs. (Some were probably from our storms I guess...) So it is not the most brilliant rodent. Most squirrels are pretty clever actually. This one is not.

I do not care for squirrels. They have thumbs. And they are creepy. Anybody want to come take a squirrel from my yard please? 

Theme Thursday: Sand

No seriously people. After all the ruckus I made trying to get my beloved Theme Thursday back and I fizzle by week 3? Lame. Lame. That's weak Madeline. Like "Did you even try?" He was there and we were there and he didn't even try!*

Sand. We don't really have any beaches around here. Not ones that I'd go to anyhow. The one closest to us would cost $11 for us to visit and that is ever too much money for the time we'd spend at a lake beach. Most others are currently under water.

Not my picture. This is our weather man's picture. Of the river. Not staying in the river. Clearly.
There are some sand bags though, Which makes it theme appropriate. 

We don't have a sand box. Or frequent any playgrounds that have sand. And, excuses excuses but most of the time when I scramble to come up with a picture for Thursday all that scrambling takes place on Wednesday. Yesterday our daily high was 68 at midnight. For most of the day we sat at about 65. And C and I picked up a lot of leaves/twigs/sticks that were littered about in my backyard by all the storms. And they're still falling out of the tree in case you're wondering.

I just scrolled through my entire phone to see if anything even remotely worked for Sand. No.

Funny enough now I have John Travolta singing "Sandy" in my head. That last "why-yi-yi."  Video embedded not because I doubt you know what I'm talking about but just.in.case you now need to get this song out of your head by listening.

Okay. Okay. I've decided to go all Throwback Thursday for today's Theme Thursday. So close your eyes and journey with me back to August 2012. We went to visit my grandma in Florida so she could meet my nearly 3 month old. One morning we went, just our little family to the beach. We didn't stay long but it was pretty fun and relaxing.

Baby meets sand. 

Oh my gosh, this picture makes me want to cry. Look how little he is?! He would be ever so much more impressed by the ocean now but alas, he will be much older before that is a repeated experience.

So... there you go. I would only get a participation ribbon this week but I am okay with that. Not that Cari does ribbons. Or awards. And even if she did she really doesn't strike me as a participation ribbon kind of person. But whatever.

Sand.
Link up over at The Clan.

Have a lovely Thursday and holiday weekend. Our fireworks would have been tonight but see how the river is flooded? So they're cancelled because they launch them from the river. And in fairness, we don't go to fireworks anyway because ... underwhelmed. Always. But go on with your bad self and party like it's 1776! 4th of July on a Friday is nothing to scoff at people!

*Totally a line from Hook. Because it's a classic. 

Wedding #2 Recap

You know how they say "if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." That's like a saying right? Well I planned Saturday perfectly. And nothing until about 5:30 went according to plan. 

Husband's family is the anti-plan. No, really. I think if they planned something spontaneous human combustion would occur. Everything is vague. On time is also vague. So it should not be shocking to me that things did not go according to plan. Flexibility is the key to happiness with these people but usually some part of my plan works. The only thing you need to know is that Husband didn't pack C's sound machine. (In fairness I thought "his bed stuff" included the noise machine.) And he can't sleep without it. This means he rested but did not sleep. 

But I am not going to focus on the negativity here on the ye olde blog so let's just skip ahead to the wedding reception since that's where we come in. 

We had such a good time. For not taking a true nap C was great! We ate dinner. Took a few laps around the room to use some energy. Watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the Kindle during the toasts/clear some tables to create a dance floor/first few dances. Then he danced the night away. 

I made my boys go all matchy and mini-me. Also not according to plan was leaving my phone in the car. Which was parked in a field. And the pouring rain made it irretrievable. So I was stuck with Husband's phone. Which is a totally sweet 4+ years old flip phone. It takes really good pictures. Especially in dark rooms. *Sarcasm people. Sarcasm.* But they did look REALLY cute. And everyone kept complimenting them. So... we'll count it as winning! 

If you squint you can pretend it's a cool filter and not the result of a crappy flip phone camera. 

We danced. We danced hard. While they had possibly the weirdest DJ I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. He started the night with 2 slow songs never to play any again for the next hour and a half. Played Styx "Come Sail Away" which I love but is not really a song you can dance to as much as sway and sing dramatically to. He wasn't a bad DJ just weird. Oh except screwing up the genders of the bride and groom and calling them Mr. and Mr. I know we're in Iowa but really... and he said Erin wants to dance with his mom/Jesse with her dad and well it's a female Erin and male Jesse so other way around then. 

But in spite of weird DJ we still had room for some Cupid Shuffle and YMCA and other amazing options. From the first song we were all allowed to dance to until 9:30 we danced. And ran in circles. We took turns being in control of the toddler. But he likes the fun lights so that was a good solid distraction as well. 

And I survived the day that did not go according to plan. I felt no sadness while departing the next morning however.