Rainbow Dash and Corvettes

 These are the funny things that make it completely awesome to be a mom.

 The little things like discovering that, (although I'm sure Grandma S. would pull her hair out in panic), MiniMonster can love watching MLP Friendship is Magic with the same gleeful intensity as Top Gear (British or American.)

 ... Betcha it's Rainbow Dash he likes. ;D They've both got a need for speed.

It's my Kitchen and I pick the Menu

 So apparently my food whims inspire an occasional round of brattyness, since I bought the ingredients to make my Crock Pot Vinegar BBQ one of the next couple days ((Not tonight though I'm making fresh corn again. The season is too short to miss a good opportunity and I reallllly want more.))

 I'm a little afraid Tilmani will be bored with having corn again so soon, but I might just have to be kinda mean and pull the 'I'm pregnant and I say so' card, which I try not to do. That and if you don't help me plan the menu you eat what I give you. If you don't like it, check out the handy dandy leftover soup in the fridge.

 ...Ok that's me sounding meaner than I think I'd actually be, barring some serious crazy prego meltdown. Still, that's a couple meals this week I'm making purely because I want them. 

 I just feel kinda crazy grumpy and I'm trying to decide if I'm right or wrong about an situation with some paid art.

 I paid good money a while back to get a piece of art from an otherwise very sweet artist. Since that time, three years ago now, maybe a bit more, said sweet artist has dealt with some big issues IRL, including the end of a bad relationship.

 I sympathize with the demise of a bad relationship, but I do not sympathize with it taking three plus years to finish what I paid for... especially since there have since been vacations for the subject and gifts for other people. Gifts. For other people.

 ...I draw the line at gifts for others, especially when you haven't finished the list of things people paid you to do. I think, personally, that if you're going to charge people for art, you owe them that art, and you knuckle down and you DO that art before you go dither around making stuff for other people, especially if people have been waiting for -years- to get that art.

 ...Maybe I'm being crazy and bitchy and judgmental... but damnit. I want my art.

Little Red Monsters

Well I'll admit, one of the toys I did NOT want to see in this house was Elmo. In any form.
 That little red monster with his OBNOXIOUS voice and severe case of overmernchandisingitis drives me crazy on levels matched only by Disney crap, because the only thing more overmerchandizsed than Elmo is ANYTHING barfed up by Disney Corp. They even got to 'Cars'... it's terrible, though I'll admit monster has a "Tow Mater" plushie also.

 Anyway, we went to the candy store to drop off a hoodie that Auntie Roo forgot, and while we were browsing the bins of sugary goodies (so tempting), she handed him a little five dollar Elmo doll with a purple shirt that says "Hugs and Kisses".

 Something about that doll was a bigger hit than even his toy cars. He wouldn't put it down for love, money, or candy. He wouldn't even trade it for a big stuffed puppy, and he LOVES stuffed puppies.

 It was a highly calculated move by a manipulative Sales-Auntie, and we ended up leaving with it. He wouldn't even leave him in the car to run errands at Wal-Mart. Nope, that Elmo doll HAD to come with us, only briefly surrendered to a purse ride in temporary favor of some brand new fuzzy footie PJ's. After we got home, I dug him out of the purse and handed him back, where he was received with hugs and kisses, and fed (soggy) cocopuffs while I got the rest of the groceries in from the car. They're currently taking a nap together.

A date with two cute guys

 Went out yesterday with my two favorite guys. I think you can guess who I'm talking about.

 Originally I was going to go out to the Craftman's Faire with Auntie Roo and Grandma S, but for various reasons decided that it would make for a better day to go out with my boys instead.

 "Daddy" decided on our destinations, and one of our first stops was to go to a Fish Hatchery and feed the fish. They had three kinds of trout and Atlantic Salmon, all of whom boiled the water every time you threw food in. ((They had little quarter vending machines from which you could buy fish food pellets. MiniMonster did attempt to sample them, he concluded that he wasn't half as impressed with them as the fish were.))

 He did like walking along the edges of the pool though, since they had some spots where you could get closer to the water, and get a really good look. Some of the fish were almost as big as he was, which is hard to get a good perspective on from the photos, but you'll have to trust me on this one.

 MiniMonster was REALLY amazed, and we had to keep a hand on him because he tried to climb up on the edge, and left alone probably would have tried to get in the water with the fish. ((It looked like it was about knee deep at best.)) But we didn't let that fly. We also drove around the mountains, took some gorgeous shots of the views, then went out to a set of outlet stores and spoiled ourselves a bit.

We got some new corn dishes (makes it easier to turn the corn in the butter), a cast iron cornbread tray (...shaped like little ears of corn. It's cute. Shutup. *guiltyface*), a colorful plate for MiniMonster that he thought was fantastic, an onion saver, a pan for making doughnuts in the oven, some mixes for the same, and apple-jalapeno jelly. Additionally we bought MiniMonster a set of ten little cars, which he thinks are the most amazing thing to set foot in the house. I got the idea because the secretary where Tilmani works had given him a pair of little race cars, which have become his favorite travel toy. So we've expanded on these with a mixed set of cars, trucks, and emergency vehicles. Ten cars for eleven dollars was a pretty good deal. Finally everyone got a little clothes shopping. Tilmani and I got some nice shirts and stuff at Under Armor ((super comfy)), and we went to Gymboree and bought MiniMonster a couple things, including a new pair of shorts, two pairs of pants (With adjustable waists. Where have you been since he hit awkward sizing, adjustable pants????) and some nice shirts. He's got a little flannel button down and a long sleeved tee that says "My Mom Rocks" (with a little skull). We did look and see if there was anything we wanted for NomNom, but mostly they seemed to have super gender-neutral stuff, and not -nice- gender neutral, but super ugly greens and blah, forced looking prints.
 Gender Neutral does not HAVE to mean "looks like ass", people.

On the plus side, it did have us walk away with a coupon to use in September. Maybe they'll have some nice winter gear that will be useful, and since it works online, we can browse from home and order in. *thumbs up*