Naaah. You didn't really think I'd be giving a domestically geared tip for all those Easter eggs, didya?  nah.   

These are bloggy leftovers, written on Easter.

1. I've been out of town, having gone to see Kim-12yr. Turns out all my panic and stress beforehand were unnecessary - for once - as the visit went surprisingly well.

2. You know that picture in the last post? And... you know how the top of the page reads "true confessions...?"  yeah.  Well. I know I look cute in that picture. There. I said it. HELLO? That's why that picture is there. Thank you for telling me how cute I am anyway - last week was the sort of week I really needed it. And my eyes DO look a little weird, but I was quite thrilled when that photo turned out looking so darn cute, because you SHOULDA seen the others. Oh my. 

Well, ok, why not. Here we go. 

I'm not sure what Seth-1yr is licking off his finger, or what I'm looking at. The rodeo is NOT in that direction.  That must be my "pretend you don't know Mike is taking your picture" pose.

Again, looking the wrong way, feigning aloofness, and also, "Got Neck?"

I'm going back to this one, because I have to tell you about the people in the background.  (Click on it, it'll get bigger. And do NOT click on the others.)

See the guy across the aisle? Ok. Now look at the black patent leather shoe in the seat behind him. That belonged to a young lady who appeared to be drinking for the first time, and not doing it well. (Duuuude. Been there.) She kept rubbing her foot on his arm, which would cause him to turn around  - and as cowboys sometimes do - gallantly apologize to a pretty lady for something SHE did.  Now. Repeat this. And repeat this.

Add in where the cowboy's wife gets annoyed with the whole scene, and neither the cowboy or the drinking rodeo-goer in black heels notices. Just the weird lady across the aisle with a mile long neck, unbelievably fake aloofness, cute kid who has to POINT OUT to his silly mother in which direction the rodeo actually is taking place.

3. Hey! Heather gave me the heads-up on this!! Very cool to get an award for blogging for God. Humbling, since I'm usually chronicling poop. Congratulations to Heather as well!  I can't get the button to work for some reason, so I'm posting it here. Isn't it cute? Thanks to Mother's Day Central for the award!

4. I'm not ready to blog this, since the mud has barely dried and my sense of humor is not quite ready to regale you with how it happened. (kinda my fault in a biiiiig way)But. A big thank you to Mike and his dear friend who came to rescue me. It took hours, a lot of work, a lot of trouble on their part, and a lot of gratitude on mine.

So, in case Mike and his dear friend see this, THANK YOU. I intend to post eventually and your truly heroic acts will be properly recounted.

5. I bought a purse.

6. Number 5 is super significant, and I'd like to tell you all about it, and I think I will, but not yet. I need to first decide that hate mail is ok, and hey... who cares?  I bought a cute pair of shoes once, DID NOT mention price, and my inbox filled with hate mail from readers who incorrectly assumed my shoe purchase somehow took away from my family or their family or the world at large.

7. Why not just shut up about the purse and never bring it up in the first place...?

8. Because. I was trying to explain it to my mom on the phone earlier and the words that came out of my mouth - although stupid - were "Mom. We walked into the store and THERE. IT. WAS. It was just... on the wall.  If that purse had had eyes, our gazes would have locked. And that was it."  No other purse in the store really mattered after that love at first sight, totally unexpected moment.

No accessory has ever captured my heart as fully as that bag did at that moment in time. NOT EVEN A SHOE. Really.

9. So how could I NOT tell you guys?  Of course I will, even at the risk of certain hate mail.  Y'all are special to me that way. Actually, I think i pretty much just DID tell you about it. Picture forthcoming of course.

10. If number 8 didn't tip you off, I write romantic fiction. I'll keep you posted on the details of my soon to be published debut novel. ('soon to be published, debut novel...' now those are beautiful words!)

11. I'm behind on my email. All of you Total Transformation parents, hang in there! You're doing great, and there IS life on the other side of this crisis parenting thing.

12. Last night constitued at least 9 blog entries all on its own, and maybe part of a book or two. Gah. It's a loooong story, but the worst part was when Airport Police was summoned to question/detain a friend and I over  $1.25. Yuh huh. A buck twenty five. When I got home and told Mike (financial advisor, remember), he clarified a few details and then calmly explained why we didn't even owe it in the first place. Well. A midnight almost-arrest in the early Easter hours over a BUCK TWENTY FIVE should really be capped off with the indigity of knowing it wasn't even owed. But there ya go. I'll tell you all about it soon. (Again, kinda need my sense of humor to catch up on that one first.)

13. Y'all are really, really the best. Thank you.

If you found this post because you searched Total Transformation, please hang in there. You can do this.  And I truly believe the TTP will help.