Something Important To Write

 Finally.  Just when I thought that work and life had completely stolen my writing mojo, I was given a very important writing assignment to complete.  It may even be my proudest work to date, because it comes directly from my soul.

Dear Eldest Weasel,
     I love you.  I've loved you from the first moment that the doctor surprised me with the news that you were growing within me and I got to see the pure, unadulterated look of joy on Dad's face when I shared the news with him.

     You gave me the best gift that I have ever received and the one that I most cherish.  You made me a mom.  Holding you for the very first time overwhelmed me, in that I never I had never seen a sight as beautiful as your eyes and instantly knew a love more powerful than I ever knew could exist.  Thank you.
   
     Watching you grow and learn have brought me more happiness than could be summed up into simple words.  From your first smile to the toddler streaking down Elbur Avenue, "The Great Lipstick Incident of 1995", wrapping your arms around Dad and I and calling us 'your guys' and reading Go Dog Go to me when you were 4 because you wanted to make me feel better when I had the flu, to the way we held each other the day your sister died, watching you succeed academically, socially and competitively, your strength of character, responsibility,  amazing sense of humor and the way that you will want to correct this run on sentence and hand it back to me, all bring a smile to my face, a warmth in my heart and a pride of my daughter.  These are all memories that I thank you for giving me and that I carry with me always.

       You have grown from my baby girl into an exceptional young woman.  Your accomplishments, maturity and the person you have have grown to be amaze me.  I have so much love for you and couldn't be more proud of you.  Soon you will be leaving home to start your own life venture.  Know that I have the utmost confidence that you will soar, continue to learn, grow and make me proud.  Most of all, know how much I love you and that Dad and I will always be 'your guys'.

Roadtripin' Weasels

Ah, the open road in a closed up minivan filled with 4 of the Weasel Children, both of their parents, countless hamburger wrappers and the smell of burning diesel or did Boy Weasel forget to shower this morning? , for a 10 hour cross country haul to Grandmother's house we went.

* Yes, We left 17 year old Eldest Weasel......home alone because she had to sing and dance to Bob Seger in her underwear through the house work obligations.

The extended family time in the car gave plenty of opportunity for Mr. Weasel and I to pass down generational traditions, such as yelling, "Stop poking your sister", "Keep your hands to yourself", and even the grand pooba of family road trip cliche phrases, "Don't Make Me Turn This Car Around!". 

At one point I threatened to leave Smallest Weasel on the side of the turnpike if she asked "How much longer until we get there?" one more time in the next 10 minutes (This question had been posed by her approximately every 5 minutes since the first hour in the car).

Speaking of the turnpike, around hour 6, just when I am starting to get punchy, I usually don't get stabby until around hour 9.  while cruising through Ohio, heading east mind you, Mr. Weasel and I spot this:

Sorry that it is sideways, but notice that it says SEA-CHI right above the pronouncement of U.S. Mail.  This guy missed his exit 6 hours and 2 states ago!  This clears up so many questions about the U.S.P.S.  It's a wonder we ever get any of our mail.  Anyway, I found the sight amusing and thought that I would share it with you.

We don't get out to my in-laws part of the country very often, but when we do it is nice because not only do we get to visit family, but being only 10 minutes from where Mr. Weasel and I met in college, we get to see many old friends who still live in the area.

Along with the added bonus of my brother in law and his family being in town town simultaneously, we had lunches and dinners with old friends, attended another friends wedding, where we ran into many more blasts from the past.

Sunday morning it was time for Mr. Weasel and I to pack up the car and head home.  The Weasels would stay on and have their own special vacation with their grandparents.  It just so happened to be our 18th anniversary and we decided to drive home, via Cleveland, to do what else........have lunch and visit with yet some more old college friends.  Lunch turned into dinner.  Dinner turned into an overnight stay.

The next morning we continued our relaxing trek home, stopping for outlet mall shopping and eventually dinner, when a thought had come to me; We had not planned a special anniversary trip or organized any formal plans to see the people we did.  We just had a date and location for a wedding that turned into the ultimate reunion with both family, friends and each other.  I couldn't have planned a trip this good if I had actually planned it.

9 Years Post Apocalypse

It's been nearly 9 years since that fateful morning that Mr. Weasel and I awoke to find our entire world crumbling down around us.  In one brutally swift moment in time, life as we knew it was over.

It was apocalyptic.

Just one short week prior, all had been right with the world.  The doctors had given our brand new baby girl a clean bill of health and we would take her home from the hospital the following day.

Mr. Weasel and I left the NICU during the evening shift change to have a dinner at home with our other children for the first time in a week.  A week that had been filled with fear, anxiety and many more questions than answers.  Yet, we had emerged from that week victorious; I had 5 healthy children, a loving husband and father and a happy home that we would soon bring our newest addition, Claire, into for the first time. 

Anxious to be away from Claire's bedside, I headed back into the car, after a simple meal and a quick visit, for the 40 minute drive back to the hospital.  The sun was shining, the sky had been almost as beautiful as her blue eyes and a warm June breeze drifted through the air.

I was possibly the happiest that I have ever been.

I cranked up the radio in the minivan and sang along with a smile that you couldn't have smacked off my face as Steven Tyler belted out words that surely had been written for me and this exact moment in time. I couldn't wait to get back to Claire and I sure didn't want to miss a thing.   A song that unbeknownst to me, was foreshadowing what was soon to come, the theme song to Armageddon.


A mere 8 days later, it happened.  Death, like a thief in the night, had stolen our beautiful baby girl away from us.  Our world ended.

Armageddon.

However, 9 years later, I am here to say that we have survived.  We lived through the trauma, crawled through the rubble, hid in the trenches and sought refuge with fellow survivors.

Though not nearly as stoic, triumphant or glamorous as Hollywood blockbusters with end of the world themes,  We Have Survived.  

Starting from scratch, we began to rebuild our world amidst the fallout.  We slowly regained hope and kept our family huddled close.  There were countless dark days before we ever felt the warmth of the sun on our faces.

Yes, I still long for the world that once was; the innocence, simplicity and luxury of naivety that we once lived, but that world is gone forever.  We live in a new world now.  We've found a 'new normal', and for all of the negatives that we have come through, it's not without positives.  We love deeper, cherish stronger, prioritize better, and appreciate everyday together more sincerely than we ever have before.

Tomorrow, I will bake cupcakes and buy balloons.  All of the Weasels will pile into the minivan and we will head to the cemetery for a somber birthday celebration, as we hold tight the gifts that Claire left behind for us.  Gifts that were tools that carried us through the worst of times; Love, Hope and Joy.

You'll Go Blind

Every teenage boy throughout the ages has heard the old accolade of "You'll go blind!", most likely from his mother at some point in time.

However, there is not one documented incidence of man, nor boy, having ever permanently lost his vision for failure to heed his mother's repeated warnings.

You may ask yourself, "Why on earth would a mother make up such an atrocious lie to scare her offspring away from such behavior?".  After all, mother's are supposed to be nurturing, loving caretakers put in place to guide their children through the process of learning, growth and maturity.

As a mother, I am here to give you the honest to God, bottom line answer to that question and to eradicate any confusion on the topic of if this act of self can actually endanger your vision.

And that answer is

----------Drum Roll Please------------

Your Mother  wasn't trying to outright lie to you.  It's just that "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!" was already taken.

Chicago With 1 S

Yes, I am back and better than ever, if I do say so myself.

I have many people and reasons to thank for it, but one woman in particular stands out in my my mind,  for more than 6 years of intensive research, work and planning, that have not only led to me crawling out from beneath my rock but has also reminded me of how good the sunshine feels on my face.

That woman is the fantabulous, Melisa with 1 S, also known as The Suburban Scrawl.  She has no idea of what a powerful and positive effect she has on me.  How does she inspire me?  What did she do to that pulled me out of my funk and back into one of the things that I take pure joy from in life, you ask?

She wrote a book.  In fact, it is her second book.  More about this fantabulous creation in a minute.

As part of the launch celebration of her labor of love, sweat and tears, she threw a party.  A party that she knew I could not possibly resist,  A party with an open bar.  for all of the love and friendship she has given to me.  I could not conceivably turn down the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate her success and triumph.   A party that placed me back in my element, among friends, old and new alike, that reminded me of what I have been missing out on while hiding under my rock.  She showed me once again, who I am and what I love.  She brought me back to writing and socializing with people that I enjoy.  She brought me back to myself.

I chatted with fellow bloggers and social media contacts that I consider friends.  I blossomed like a rose bush after a long winter and made a conscience decision to leave my hibernation.  Ya'll can thank or curse Melisa for that.

On top of everything else that this incredible author has done, she gave me a copy of her new book "Chicken In The Car And Th Car Won't Go".  OMW (OH MY WEASEL), this is an incredible guide to things to do and see in the Chicagoland area with teens and tweens.  Most travel guides and tips for the area are centered around families with small children and focus on petting zoos.  Melisa found a void when raising her own family and filled it!  This book is full of information on things that to see and do that tweens and teens will enjoy as much as their parents!

Not only is this a great and handy book to have if you live here there are so many  attractions in this book that I never even knew existed and are looking to have ways to fill the dog days of summer and build lasting memories with your family, this book is great for anyone with older children who are planning to vacation here.

With nearly 200 attractions listed by price, history, activity and location, there is surely something that everyone can agree on and have a blast doing.  She even includes tips on driving routes and mass transportation.  I know what my bible of Chicagoland activities is going to be this summer.

I have no idea how Melisa knew six years ago that she must take on the enormous effort of researching, compiling, editing, writing and launching this book in order to pull me out of my funk she didn't even know me when she started this process.  She must be a clairvoyant.  All I do know is that I am incredibly proud of her, amazed by her work and perseverance, but most of all, I am grateful to call her my friend.

I also know that I encourage you to buy a copy of her book, especially if you live in, around, anywhere near or plan on ever visiting the Chicagoland area.

Thank you,  Melisa.  I love you.

(Navy) Seal(s) of Approval

By now you have no doubt heard the FANTABULOUS news that Usama Bin Laden has expired after having suffered a severe allergic reaction to high velocity lead, served up to him by the Navy Seals, with the compliments and courtesies of the Red, White and Blue.

What A Great Day This Is!

It's been almost 10 years since that beautiful September morning turned into one of immense national grief.  None of us will ever forget where we were, what we saw, nor how we felt as thousands of our fellow citizens were horrifically murdered at the hands of radical Islamic madmen.

Since then, our nations military, intelligence services and Presidential administrations have worked tirelessly and relentlessly to protect our national security, citizens and allies from future attacks, as well as hunt down those responsible for the attacks.  Sunday, May 1 they had a tremendous victory and the world is a better place for it.

Sure, another crazed, hate spewing, murderous Son of a Demon is waiting in the wings to to apply for the recently evacuated position of 'Training Target for U.S. Special Forces".  Not nearly as prestigious as the job title suggests.  The War on Terror is far from over, but let this day serve as a warning to terrorists everywhere....

It's a dead end job.

My hat is off to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, the U.S. Intelligence gathering Community, both Presidents George W. Bush and Barrack Obama for their steadfast commitment to the cause and a special Big Wet Smooch to the Navy Seals.

Job well Done!

We have won an important battle, but the war is far from over.

“We will not waver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail” ~ President George W. Bush

 We Can't afford to.

Now go Keep up the good work.

Scheming, Conniving, Lying Bloggers

ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST!

I love them and I mean that from the bottom of my unmanicured toes.

I shared with you all a week ago the recent struggles and conundrums that are taking place in Weaselville and the problems that arise in our daily lives because of them.  I vented.  I threw a tissy fit.  I released some pressure from the valve of my own fragile psyche.  I got it out.

I also got trolled because of it.

However, that didn't bother me, because A.)  I have way too many other things on my plate to make room for such an ignorant entity.  2.)  Y'all had my back in such a way that it wasn't even able to be a distraction to me.  You, my dear friends and readers were the most awesome mosquito repellent ever and surrounded me in a mystical cloud of hope and support, all the while protected me from annoying and itchy pests.

Y'all Rock.

Simultaneously, I received incredible amounts of love and understanding in the form of emails, skype chats and phone calls.  Friends to lift me up, offer a helping hand, an open ear and most of all, a compassionate place to vent.  You'll never know how much strength your encouragement and support gave me.

Meanwhile, some where plotting behind my back.  Cohorting with each other in the dark reaches of cyberspace to lend a practical helping hand to me.  This came in the form of gift cards to my local grocery store, from people that are in no better financial situation than I am.  People who lifted me up by their actions and caring words while they awed me with their generosity.  These are incredible people.

Then, I got a message from a fellow blogger and friend who has worn my shoes and been down my path.  From her experience and through her compassion she could offer me more than just empathy, but a complete understanding of the minute by minute trials that we are facing as a family.  She could offer me a solution to help our day to day lives get easier and may hold us over until the Smallest Weasel's treatment and medications are able to be effective (these things take a while to build up in a persons system and to find the right dosages, etc).

This fantabulous human being spent a minimum of 15 hours researching on the internet until she had found a link that she sent to me for Smallest Weasel to be able to order an Ionizing Personal Decontamination Unit online.  A unit that she can use to spritz down any surface, room, person or breathing area to rid them of any form of contamination from exposure to peanut butter or ranch dressing to germs.  A great new technology breakthrough that is so revolutionary it changes peoples lives.

When I received this link, I could barely wait for 6:30am to arrive so that I could show it to Smallest Weasel.  Smallest was so excited and relieved by the prospect of having such a tool in her arsenal that she was able to eat breakfast, get dressed and be in the car in time to go to school.

As of this morning, the product had shipped, but is not yet in her hands.  Still, just knowing that she will soon have it alleviated her stress level enough that we had a second morning in a row of low level drama and made it to school on time.

I wished time and time again for a magic wand to make life easier.  We all could use an easy button.  What I received in their stead was a chorus of Angels and a Fairy GodMother.  Far better than a button or a wand.

I am feeling so much better today and my life is a little easier.  It's all thanks to Scheming, Conniving, Lying, Wonderful Bloggers. 

I love this community and all the people that I come to know through it.

Thank You All!

I'm Not As Good As I Once Was...

Just like Toby, I have quickly come to the realization that the passing of 20 years takes it toll on the human body and it's ability to maintain energy levels.

I am exhausted.  Work is great and I am truly enjoying what I am doing, however I am still trying to get back into the swing of being of being on my feet and in constant motion for upwards of 9 straight hours a day.  It's been 17 years since this was a regular part of my daily routine.

By the end of my shift, the hamster is ready to fall of the wheel and even basic math becomes challenging as my mind draws a blank at the simplest of equations.  My feet attempt to swell right out of my sneakers and my back longs for a prostrate position, preferably involving a pillow top.

This all makes me sound like an old blue hair ready to hit the early bird dinner special before retiring for the evening pre- sunset, but that's not really the case.  It's just a matter of my having forgotten how much work that much physical labor entails and getting my body tuned into the ritual, yet again.  I can still do the job and soon it will come much more easily, but I will have to put twice as much effort into getting there as I had to when I was 25.

On the positive side, this much regular motion, i.e. exercise, is bound to help trim up and firm up this old gray mare.  I shall be ready for shorts weather when it hits.  Although, I am not holding my breath for a swimsuit season miracle.

So I to may not be as good as I once was, but I'm definitely as good once as I ever was.

I'm off to work.  Have a great weekend all!

I'm Off!

My body clock is off.

My sleep schedule is off.

My home routine is off.

My appetite is off.

As usual, my sense of humor is waaay off.

And today just happens to be my day off.

All of these are mostly due to my having gone back to work outside of my home and computer screen.

After several months of searching, applying, interviewing and being rejected, I have graciously been given a job accepted a daytime position, where else, but behind a bar.  Yes indeed, it is a natural fit.  Let me tell you how it came to be.....

Having scoured the want ads and craigslist fairly religiously and getting little to no response to my inquiries and/or applications, I landed an interview at an establishment that was about to re-open under new ownership and management.  The interview went very well and I had a good feeling that I wasn't going to get rejected, yet again this was going to work out.

Throughout these past months of searching, my application/resume would quickly wind up in the circular file once it is realized that I have been at home raising my children for the past 17 years.  This place however, is fond of hiring moms like me for their ability to handle controlled chaos with ease and calm.

So, I waited for that phone call. and waited. and waited.  It never came.

I was bummed and deflated.  I really had a good feeling about this one and it seemed I had been wrong.

Saturday a week ago, were the local St. Patrick's Day parades and Mr. Weasel and I decided to take the afternoon together and get our St. Patty's pub crawl on.  We have always wanted to do this together and yet, in all of our years together, it has never happened.  It didn't happen this year either.

By happenstance, our first stop was this particular establishment, now opened, that just like all of those dates in college, never called me back like they said they would.  We went in, bellied up to the bar and I had just started sipping on my first beer when I ran into the woman who had interviewed me.

I congratulated them on opening on time, yada, yada, yada.......and she said, "Hey, you were on our hire list!  We called you!" and proceeded to pull out my highlighted application and show me.  The call had never come in.  Maybe it was a mis-dial?

Anyway, at that particular moment I didn't care.  They were a bit overwhelmed with the parade crowd and needed some extra hands.  I offered to start immediately and was tossed an apron.

Talk about baptism by fire!

Twelve hours later and my first shift was complete.

The rest will someday be ancient history.

Don't worry, you will still find me around these parts too and I will update you all soon.

Luck of the Irish or Murphy's Law?

Happy St. Patrick's Day All!!!!!

While most of the country celebrates with the Irish today, I will be making money off all you drunken fools working all day and into the evening.  Yes, I now indeed, have picked up a regular day job.  I'll tell you more about that next week.

The actual point that I am trying to get to is that, as a good Irish and German girl, I made my corned beef yesterday because I will not be home to make dinner today.  Weasels love corned beef.  I cook my corned beef low and slow all day and it comes out so incredibly tender and delicious.  

Afternoons in Weaselville are very busy and hectic.  Constant drop offs and picks ups in the car for track practice, train station pickup etc., often make me wonder if I should really install a revolving door on the house.

After having started dinner at 8am and gently babysitting it all day, I returned to Weaselville around 6:30, having picked up Mr. Weasel just and pulled into the driveway seconds behind Eldest Weasel and the rest of the gang who were just returning from track, to find the house completely filled with smoke.

Somehow, the stove had gotten turned up to high, no one remembered to turn it off before having left the house, the pans ran out of water and were mere moments away from breaking out in flames when we returned home.  Instead of corned beef brisket, we now had corned beef briquette.

I ran inside, turned off the heat, and started opening doors and windows to get clear the air of the thick cloud of smoke that had engulfed every inch of square footage in the house.

So at the end of a long and particularly stress filled day in Weaselville where nothing seemed to run smoothly, some would call the dinner or now, lack there of fiasco, Murphy's Law ~Anything that can go wrong will and at the worst possible time.

I however, call this the Luck of the Irish!  Although dinner was ruined and my day became even more chaotic than it already had been, we were lucky enough to return home before flames broke out and to still have a home to sleep in last night with no damage except that of the stink of burnt food and smoke.

Maybe I'll make another corned beef dinner on Saturday and with any luck, we'll actually get to eat it this time.

The Good Old Days?

Recently, I was on a road trip with Tracy, of Just Another Mommy Blog.  As per usual, when you put two women together in an enclosed space for a prolonged period of time, there is no telling where the conversation will lead.

This particular time, the conversation led back to odd and non-sequitor tidbits of our childhoods and things that I hadn't remembered or thought about in years.

Case in point; Gum Was Evil and Forbidden.
I have no real idea why, but my mother forbade my siblings and I to have gum.  Chewing or bubble, it did not matter.  She was convinced that chewing gum would cause us to lose all of our teeth.  Soda and candy were just plain and dandy daily staples, never rationed, but you couldn't let mom catch you with gum, ......ever!  Go Figure?    

Case in Point 2;  ~ TMI Alert! ~ I learned about tampons from my Baby Sister!
As commonly happens to young teens, I was caught off guard by mother nature while at work.  Lucky for me, my boss was a woman and she had a tampon to offer me.  She asked if I knew how to use one and if my mother was okay with me using them.  Of course, I answered yes on both counts.  What teen girl is going to admit that she has never even seen a tampon, let alone didn't know what to do with one?  Nor, ever even heard her mother mention the word?  I proceeded to the ladies room and was extremely flummoxed about what to do next.  The best I could figure out is that they were worn in the same fashion as a pad and that's what I did.  All the while confused by why women would choose to use something so completely uncomfortable and ineffective to boot.  It was the end of my shift, thank God, and I went home to take care of things in a more familiar manner.  Upon mentioning this incident to my younger sister, she filled me in, to my wide eyed and gaping jaw astonishment, about how tampons work.  Where did she learn this?  Oh yes, I asked......from my older sister!  Why didn't my older sister ever inform me??????, because I never asked.  I never used pads again.

I was also instructed to NEVER let my mother know that I was using tampons, because they were strictly for use by tramps.  Go figure!

Case in Point 3; McDonalds Apple and Cherry Pies were so much better back in the day when they were deep fried!  They new (in my lifetime) recipe and the 'baked pies' that they serve are lousy!  I love the fried pies and would step my way over my own mother to get one!  Biting in too soon and scalding my mouth with hot grease and pie filling is a joy in life that I really miss.  I wish that McDonald's would bring them back.  Sure, they are not the healthiest option, but so what.  I don't go to McDonalds for their calorie count.  I go because of taste factor and as an adult I can choose to eat what I want, when I want.  Sometimes I just want a fried pie, dang-it.  I happen to know that BusyDad feels the same way.  Maybe we should start an entire online campaign to get McDonalds to bring back an old school joy in our lives?  Who's with me?

So anyway, there is your randomness of WeaselMomma back in the driver's seat.  I hope to be around a lot more regularly soon.

A Break In The Clouds

I know, I know, I know....... I haven't been around to fill you all in on the daily chaos that ensues in Weaselville, but it's been a rough couple of months.  It's not all been bad though, just, ...well, chaotic.  One of the rays of golden sunshine that managed to push it way through gray February skies, like a beak in the clouds, was that I spent a good chunk of February tooling around in some of the GM fleet cars and thank God for it because both of the Weaselmobiles decided that they should have major malfunctions and meltdowns in February.  Hmmm, I wonder if a car can take on the personality of it's owner like a dog can?

So to share with you the highlights of my late winter escapades, I've spent 20 hours going blind editing video made you a few fun videos.

Check it;

BTW, The gas millage worked out great.  1 tank took me 2 states away.

And on Monday morning, I got this surprise treat;

And which do I like better?

Summer in February

Yes, I do indeed know that it is now March, but due to time and a failed root canal that led to a nasty apses, ungodly pain, oral surgery, fever, inability to speak, eat, drink or type coherent sentences anyway (I love you vicodin, you are my friend),  I am only getting to tell you about this cool adventure now that I am coherent as I ever actually get.

Anywho..... Two weeks ago I was invited to head out of Chicago for a little getaway weekend, in the middle of FEBRUARY!  Anyone who knows me, knows that I will take any excuse to leave this gray and frozen tundra at this time of year, even if it's to remain at the same latitude.  So off to the gray frozen tundra of Sandusky, Ohio I went along with Tracy of Just Another Mommy Blog and a really cool ride that I will tell you about later this week.

I can hear you now, "WeaselMomma, Cedar Point Amusement Park is in Sandusky and certainly they are not open during February.  So what in heaven's name were you doing in Sandusky??????".  Slow down gang and I will tell you!

Yes, Sandusky is the home to the coolest roller coaster park in the country that  also happens to be a personal favorite of mine and no, they aren't open for the season yet.  However, Cedar Point also happens to have an indoor water park hotel/resort, that is Castaway Bay!

After a fun 5 hours of girl talk, laughter and road tripping, Tracy and I arrived at the resort and felt immediately as if we were transported to Jamaica.  The warmth, decor and scenery made me completely forget about the below freezing temps and winds that were outside these walls.  It was girl time in the summertime!

We checked into our room, threw on our suits and headed straight to the water park.  Sitting in poolside lounge chairs Tracy and I enjoyed more than a few libations as we imagined ourselves on the beach in Montego Bay.  We raced each other on the water slides, hit the wave pool and I enjoyed my first time ever riding a WATER COASTER!  We were having just as much fun and probably more as any kids that were there.

We were on a tropical vacation, in the middle of February, in North East OHIO!

That night, we were invited to attend a special event held poolside at the spa on the first floornwhere you can enjoy a massage, mani/pedi's or throw a private party. We were introduced to local service providers whom you can contract for your party, such as a hula hoop fitness instructor and a plastic surgeon specializing in botox.  No, I didn't get any botox.  Do I look like I need any?  Hey, stop laughing.  Even the Bare Minerals Spa Rep couldn't find anyplace on this Picasso, umm, I mean Michael Angelo,  to put some wrinkle hider.

After the event, Tracy and I hit one of the restaurants for a late night snack before heading off to our Caribbean slumber.

The next morning, we hit the water park for some more fun, splashes and the company of fellow bloggers before it was time to enjoy more girl road tripping on the way home.

More about the road trip itself, to come soon.

If you decide to take this Caribbean getaway yourself, be sure to tell them that I sent you so that they can look at you funny and have no idea what you are talking about.  Same thing if you decide to spend any amount of time at the spa.  BTW, there are special offers available to you if you do and you can use this handy little button for the hyperlink to those offers.

*These are my own words and opinions. Accommodations were provided. All other expenses were my own.

Do I Sound Funny To You?

There is this meme traveling around the blogosphere that is right up my alley and a lot of fun. That's redundant, eh?  So what am I to do, but jump on that bandwagon?   Laugh with me, not at me and enjoy!

aunt, route, wash, oil, theater, iron, salmon, caramel, fire, water, sure, data, ruin, crayon, toilet, New Orleans, pecan, both, again, probably, spitting image, Alabama, lawyer, coupon, mayonnaise, syrup, pajamas, caught (I added coffee)

• What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
• What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
• What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
• What do you call gym shoes?
• What do you say to address a group of people?
• What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
• What do you call your grandparents?
• What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
• What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
• What is the thing you change the TV with?
• (the one I added) What are the things you put on your legs when wearing a dress?

This was bunches of fun and I have to give some link love to some of the other participants who's vlogs were great fun to watch and inspired me to play along.

Dawn of Dishing With Dawndi
Liz of This Full House
Patty of A Day in My NYC

I have a busy week ahead of me, but check back because all week I'll be filling you in on the cool stuff I've been up to lately.

Jump, Jive and Wail!

Okay people, this is cool.  Cool on two fronts!  I received an email yesterday that had great news that I want to share with all of you.  First off, free fun for the kids is being offered on Presidents Day at Chicago area Jump it Up locations!  Secondly, Chicago is finally getting a choice in energy providers!  Read on to get all of the details on these amazing developments.  Both of these things will have my kids and I, Jump, Jive and Wail!

Chicago-area residents now have the opportunity to CHOOSE an energy provider! Spark Energy is a multi-state provider of low-cost electric service offering significant long-term savings to current ComEd customers. Learn more at http://www.sparkenergy.com/ <http://www.sparkenergy.com/> .

To Celebrate, Spark Energy in Chicago Offers a FREE Session of Jumping Fun at Pump It Up!
This President’s Day – Monday, February 21st – many children will be off of school and moms will be searching for kid-friendly activities. Spark Energy in Chicago will be offering a downloadable coupon for a FREE session of jumping fun atdesignated Chicago-area Pump It Up locations.

How to download the coupon – available beginning at 5:00 p.m. CST on 2/19:
·      Like Spark Energy in Chicago on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/SparkEnergyChicago

·      Click on the Offers tab to download and print the Pump It Up coupon for ONE free session of jumping fun for Monday, February 21st – one coupon per adult – while supplies last!

·      Present the original printed coupon to one of the designated Pump It Up locations (see coupon for locations) and receive one free session of jumping fun.

I occasionally receive compensation in the form of gift cards and products for posts. However, the opinions I share are solely my own.

Seriously?

The title of this post is probably the most used word, complete with question mark, in my lexicon.

I mutter this incomplete sentence, usually to myself, all the dang time.  I used it even before it became the catch phrase of Grey's Anatomy.  If I had only had it copyrighted I could have been rich.

I say it when I open the dishwasher to find it completely overloaded, yet not run.

I say it when one of the cars refuses to start in sub zero temperatures.

I say it when the snow begins to fall for the umpteenth time in any given week.

I say it when I find clean clothes in the dirty laundry, still folded.

I say it when I find the kitchen trash can overflowing and know that I am not the first person to have this discovery, thanks to the visual knowledge that is trash dropped placed on the floor next to the can.  Because heaven forbid anyone else living in Weaselville take any kind of initiative without written orders and actually take the trash out and change the bag!

I say it after returning home from taking the Weasels to school to discover an orphaned lunch box sitting on the table in need of it's owner to be of any use.

Basically, I say it about a bajillion times a day accompanied by swear words head shaking, disbelief and muffled muttering reminiscent of Dick Dastardly's Dog, Muttley. 

I don't know why I say it.  It's not like I have enough short term memory loss that any of these things should come as any sort of surprise to me, yet they always seem to catch me off my guard.  Go Figure.

Seriously?, has become my catch phrase over the years, what's yours?

The Prequel

My life should be a reality show.  Seriously.  Life is never dull in Weaselville and odd things happen to me at an inordinately frequent rate.  Not only do I believe in Murphy's law, but I think that that guy really has it in for me some days.  It would make for absolute compelling programming, simply because people wouldn't be able to look away from their sets, for fear of missing what absurdity would happen next.

I mentioned yesterday that I went to a  media preview of the Chicago Auto Show and told you about the fun I had playing with some of the cars.  What I didn't tell you about was how my morning unfolded prior to my grand entrance in the conference room, because well, that morning warranted a post all it's own.

We'll call this The Prequel to the auto show.

I woke up on Thursday morning and readied myself to leave the house by 7:15am in order to catch the 7:48 am train into the city for a 10am working brunch.  Please note that this is the LAST express train into city of the morning and it's still an hour long trek.

Mr. Weasel was combating the lion's share of the morning mayhem that takes place daily in order to get the Weasels out to school on time.  The morning mayhem goes as smoothly as ever with Weasels not wanting to leave their cozy beds, panicking about homework that they 'forgot' to finish, meltdowns about what was being packed in the lunches, etc.

My morning shower was intruded upon no less than 3 times by Weasels who realize that I am cornered and thus a captive listening audience for their morning mayhem emergency situations such as, "----- is using my hairbrush!" and "I can't find the lint roller!". 

Just as I am finishing up my preparations to actually leave the house on time, for once, Eldest Weasel rushes into the bedroom, all prepped to go out the door to school herself, with the announcement, "My Car Won't Start!".

First of all, it's not her car, but Mr. Weasel's car that she uses to drive back and forth to school.  This is a regular back and forth subject of contention in Weaselville.  She has taken to calling the car Keith in order to prevent my regular reminders and dirty looks every time she says, "My car".

Secondly, it is now that it comes to my attention that it is -10º F outside, not factoring in the wind chill.  Cars don't always enjoy starting in these temps.  No problem, I will drive her to school in the Chevy Cruze that I currently have on loan from GM that BTW, started perfectly on the first try, before I head to the train, myself.  I will miss the last express train and that alone will extend my commute by 30 minutes, but I can get on the 8:17am and still get to McCormick Place on time.

Only, by the time I get to the later train, all of the parking had been sucked up by rush hour commuters and I have to park 4 blocks away.  Remember when I mentioned that it was -10º F?  Yeah.  

I trek it up to the train station by foot from parking lot Siberia just in time to hear the announcement that the 8:17 train is running 25 minutes late.  So much for my being on time, but that was not nearly as big a concern in my life as the fact that the only sensation I could feel in my feet was burning and pain - thanks to the joys of Chicago in February.  I feared taking off my shoes to find little blackened stubs of frostbitten toes.

The train finally came into the station and the ride itself was fairly uneventful.  That is until I realized that I had everything that I needed, except my crendentials to get into the event.  Yay Me!  Thanks to a phone call and the Awesomeness that is GM's blogger babysitter social media coordinator for the Midwest, Connie Burke who doesn't mind or doesn't show it if she does, that I am a complete putz.  Follow her on twitter, she's cool.

Once off the train, I needed to catch a cab to my destination.  No problem there.  I am in a cab less that a minute after stepping outside.  The ride was only about a 15 minute trip.  At one point, while stopped at a light, the driver opened his door and emptied a cup onto the asphalt.  No big deal.  We start moving again and I'm just mere moments from my destination when I hear a sound.  An unmistakable sound.

The unmistakable sound of the driver urinating into his recently emptied cup!

Shock.  Awe.  Jaw dropping astonishment.  Un-be-flippin-lievable!  That is except if you are me.  I seem to be a magnet for this kind of crazy sh*t.

All I could think was, 'get me the hell out of this stinking cab!' and then, 'OMG!, How long has that guy been sitting there exposed!'.

Lucky for me, my view had been completely obstructed by the cab partition.  I was so flustered and flabbergasted that all I could focus on was being seconds from my destination and wanting to run.  I didn't even think to get his name, number, cab number, not phone number, or cab company.

Who else do you know that this would happen to?  You wish I had video of this entire episode, don't you?

Yeah, compelling reality television, alright.

Style Fit For A Weasel

Anyone who knows me would tell you that I have style.  A style all of my own.  I like to travel in style and I like to enter a room with style.

That is why last Thursday, when I attended a brunch sponsored by GM and special media preview of the Chicago Auto Show, I decided to make an entrance so grand that all eyes would be on me and my name would not easily be forgotten.

I confidently strode through the marble laden corridors of pristinely waxed and polished grandeur toward the conference room, rocking a sleek business casual  ensemble, complete with black leather boots.

Having navigated my way through McCormick Place, and turning the last corner toward the event room, I slipped.  Then I tripped, stumbled, shadow danced, fell to my knees and slid across across the floor straight into the entrance way of the meeting room as if I were an air hockey puck.

A grand entrance indeed.

Lucky for me, GM has a style and class that makes even I look good.  After helping me up from my knees and offering me some sustenance in the form of hot coffee, a beautiful breakfast buffet and the company of fellow bloggers that had also taken part in the Driving the Midwest Chicago photo challenge, I was given the opportunity to take the Chevy Volt out for a cruise down Lakeshore Drive.

Now, electric cars aren't my usual preference.  I'm not "green", except when I have  stomach flu or if I am seasick, but the Volt was pretty impressive and fun to drive.  It runs so quietly and has so many informational displays that it feels like your driving something right out of the Jetson's.  It also doesn't lack in pick up.  It has some sweet torque. There is no doubt that the Volt is a glimpse into future travel and the future starts now.

After the test drive I hobbled wandered around the car show with Tracy to have some fun and check out some of the newest eye candy that the 2011 model year has to offer.

The New 2001 Camaro Convertible makes me look good!

 

 

The 2011 Corvette definitely fits my style!

  Can't you just imagine me yourself cruising around this summer in one of these sweet rides?

 

 

 

This car is so HOT, they had to write a song about it!

So head down to the Chicago Auto Show this week and check out the sweet rides, new technology and extreme eye candy that awaits.

Don't Blame The Beer

Okay, so we have all heard stories or watched cliched movie scenes or lived the sad reality of men and women over imbibing on distilled goodness and then waking up the next morning next to someone who is coyote ugly.  Someone, who only a few hours before they would have sworn was somewhere between an 8 and a 10.  This phenomena is often referred to as wearing beer goggles.

I have chosen to stand up before you today and defend the good name of beer and all of it's fermented relations of joyous libation.

Alcohol may indeed lower inhibitions, slow reflexes and have a negative effect on fine and gross motor skills alike, but it does not make someone grow less attractive as your blood alcohol level returns to normal levels.

Lunar Cycles Are The Real Culprit!  

Hear me out here.  The moon has control of the tides, werewolves, expectant mothers, emergency rooms and mental health facilities. Well, it makes people ugly too!

I witness this happen in my own home every night and I'm willing to bet that it happens in your home too.

Each and every evening in Weaselville, I kiss a dapper, distinguished, silver haired Prince Charming goodnight.  He's so good looking that even the Russian judge gives him an 8.75.

Then, through the course of the evening the moonlight starts the transformation. Not unlike what we all witnessed happen to Dr. David Banner once a week.

It causes glands of the body to go into hyperactivity; growing hair and releasing toxic oils and saline-like secretions to ooze from Prince Charming in a manner reminiscent of an iguana.

The gravitational pull of the lunar cycle strangles the bodily organs encased in the torso with such ferocity that odorous green gasses are forced out of his abdomen with hurricane force wind. Simultaneously,  equal force pushes through his diaphragm and airway like a tidal wave of constantly cresting and crashing storm surge.

After surviving the overnight hours of lunar torment, the transformation is complete and instead of the Prince that I kissed goodnight, I wake up to what looks grunts and smells like cro-magnon man.  After all, the poor guy has just been through the ringer!

And no, I don't wake up in the morning looking like sleeping beauty either.  It's much more like Brunhilda.  After all, the stress of knowing the torment that my Prince has suffered all night will wear and tear on a girl.

In conclusion, there is a decent chance that the 4 1/2 that you woke up next to this morning, was indeed a 9 last night.

Just remember, don't blame the beer.

~Now if this made you laugh, I'm going to ask you to CLICK RIGHT HERE and vote for me in the GM Driving The Midwest Photo challenge.  (It's easy one click voting at the bottom of the page.  NO REGISTRATION!)

Random Ramblings

~ We survived the blizzard just fine and wound up with about 2 feet of snow.  Snow is nothing new around here.  The scary part of the storm had to do with the insane winds that accompanied it.  Our storm door was bent from it's hinges and it's a wonder that we didn't lose any shingles.

~ It's February in Chicago any everywhere else too which means that it is bitter cold, slushy, windy and just plain old messy.  The only promising thing about March is St. Patrick's Day it gets us that much closer to summer on the calendar.  I am certain that global warning is just as real as unicorns, leprechauns and government spending cuts.  If only I could summon it up with a jumbo can of aqua net, I would.  I need warmth and sunshine, now.

~ While I am basking in fantasyland anyway, I have decided to get back to a regular workout routine my muffin top has grown into a jumbo cupcake  and shape up a bit before I have to trade in my 501's for 60542's shorts and swimsuit season is upon us.

~ I'm rolling in my 1.4!  This week a am crusin' around Chicagoland in a Chevy Cruze as part of a promotion for the Chicago Auto Show and a GM photo contest where I got to take a pic with my Cruze slush and falling snow in front of a Chicago landmark and I had fun with this one, thinking outside the box tell how that landmark inspires me with out getting as long winded as I normally do a short blurb.  Photos from 10 bloggers will be posted on a special GM website.  You get to go vote for your favorite snapshot, and I hope that you decide to vote for mine.  Polls open at 4pm.  Now please click this hyperlink and go vote for me?????
*UPDATE: The polls are now open.  It's one click voting with NO registration necessary!  I am the 1st entry, vote with 1 click at the bottom of the page.

~ You should be hearing from me again very soon as February is promising to be a very exciting and happily busy month in Weaselville and I'm hoping to get back into a regular Monday, Wednesday, Friday posting routine.

~ Have a great one!

The Real Bloggers of The Chicago Suburbs

As I sit watching reality TV, I understand it's draw.  After all, I'm watching it aren't I?  I really want to kick myself for watching it, because of why I watch it.  When I tune in, mostly to reruns at off hours I believe that I tune in for the same reason that anyone watching these shows does - these people are train wrecks!  It's not really even entertaining, but yet it's hard to look away in the same way that you can't help but glance over and rubberneck as you pass an accident on the highway.

Real life is definitely compelling and entertaining all on it's own.  There is no need to trump up  or exaggerate drama, relationships, scenarios or to throw in extreme amounts of wealth to be compelling television.  Sure, I see the need that networks have to put on something that people will tune into to satisfy a curiosity about a segment of the population that they haven't experienced, but really, sometimes it feels like dumpster diving.

This is where The Real Bloggers of The Chicago Suburbs come in.

Check it.  Bloggers are a segment of the population that are definitely growing in popularity, but that the masses do no yet understand and have a huge curiosity about.  Only the blogosphere is a pretty remarkable place filled with real people and real relationships that start online.

The perfect candidates for a pilot would be The one and only Suburban Scrawl -Melisa(with 1s), Michelle of Honest and Truly, Dawn Meehan of Because I Said So, Rita aka MegRyansMom, Tracy of Just Another Mommy Blog and of course, myself.

We are all women bloggers in the Chicago suburbs, that met each other online through each others blogs.  We are all from different back rounds, have different views on religion, are in different stages and styles of parenting and have extremely different personalities.  Yet, we are all friends by choice who met each other through blogging.  We have fun together, attend events together, plan lunches together and enjoy each others company immensely.

When we see each other, there is no backstabbing, cat fighting or hair pulling, even though there are few topics that we are in agreement on.  There are home schoolers, alternative schoolers, public schoolers and private schoolers in this group.  Some are green, some are PC and some are anything but.  Yet, we are still friends.

When we get together there is more laughter than you can get at a comedy club.  We play off of each other and with each other in ways that you would not expect such an eclectic group of women to be able to. 

Individually, we are all compelling enough personalities and writers to have garnered our own followings of people who wait with baited excuse the hyperbole  breath to see what we will write about next.  We read each other and comment back and forth.  We attend blogging events and conventions together and always have a great time.

We work together and pitch in when friends fellow bloggers hit hard times and go to the ends of the earth or at least Columbus when someone within the blogging community is in need and wind up featured in The Ladies Home Journal because of it even when we have never met them in person before.

If you ask me, I think that this would be highly compelling television that does not succumb to the least common denominator.  It would be highly entertaining to follow each of our families and how they work and follow the bloggers as we laugh, enjoy and have fun with each other when we get together.

I can guarantee that you would never see a fist fight in the back of a limousine.  Maybe that is a con for Bravo, but it's a Pro for me.  We are a group of compelling women and families, without the need for extra drama.  Life throws us enough of that on it's own, but when we do have drama happen, we band together to help, support and protect each other.

We are bloggers and these are our stories and our community.

Puck Me!

*By reading this post, consider yourself to be signing a Non-disclosure/and or non-compete agreement.  All thoughts, words and ideas listed here are the intellectual property of World of Weasels*

Yesterday I was out at the bar out having drinks with my friend, D, and not surprisingly, a great conversation came about that led to a fantastic idea. 

The conversation centered on, surprise.......hockey.  It was a sports bar after all.  I know that not all of you are hockey fans, but this blog is all about me and if you are here reading this, it is probably because I have entertained you in the past and my quirky little thoughts so trust me a minute before you click away and just let me run with it.

Anywho, for my birthday, Mr. Weasel gave me the gift of Center Ice.  That's a cable channel that shows every single game played in the NHL, live.  Every. Single. Game.  That's pretty cool and I love the gift and you know it's a gift of love because the Mr. isn't into sports and is willing to let me scream at the television for hours at a time while he holds down the fort.  The only thing that I don't like about this gift is that if two games are on simultaneously, I can only watch one and there are no re-runs of games that I may have missed.  Also, there is no pregame coverage and no post game coverage.  The channel turns on just moments before face-off and turns off just moments after the buzzer.

Maybe it's the tiny amount of estrogen that runs through my body talking here, but seriously, buy me a drink before you drop the puck and how about a little after glow.  I want pre-game and post game coverage!  Sure, the main event is great for me, but how about giving a little more and making my experience that much better.  It would make me look forward to our next face-off even more.

If you have Comcast, you get Versus.  They cover sports, complete with some pre and minimal post game coverage, but they only carry certain games.

The other available option is the NHL Network, but they don't cover live games!  They cover game highlights and hockey talk.  Everything NHL, except actual games!

My friend, obviously also a sports fan, feels my pain not only with the NHL, but out of market games in the NFL, too.  I expect the same is true for NBA and MLB.  Don't even get me started on blacked out games in local markets.  Gah, why would you cut off your core fan base?

The conclusion that we came to after our *itch session, is that we need to start our own cable network.  After all, what's the use of complaining if you can't come up with a solution.

A 24 hour network that would cover every NHL game, game highlights, hockey talk not to be confused with coffee talk, and re-run the games that you may have missed earlier in the day or the previous day.  We would call it............

Puck Me!

Seriously, can you think of a better name than that to describe such an NHL #*gasm?

You wouldn't have to subscribe to 3 or 4 different channels to get the coverage that you want as a fan.  You'd have it all in one magical place!  In the off season you would coverage of trades and injuries, post season news and replays of some of the best played games of the season along with going retro and watching Stanley Cup Finals of years past.

I think that D and I are onto something here and this model works for other sport leagues as well.

Now to research game licensing, business plans and funding.

Published!

I have never claimed to be anything other than a talentless hack a talented writer, but even a stopped clock is right on the money twice a day.

In that vein, I want to share with you that someone has thrown this squirrel a nut and that's way better than throwing a squirrel at this nut that a post that I wrote back in August has been published in the SIDS of Illinois news letter.  It's not the only time that this has happened, but seeing that I can't come up with anything to actually write today it is a rare occasion that I publish a piece of actual quality reading, I am linking you up to the post that now lives on in hard copy print.

I think it's worth the click through, but you be the judge.

In My Arms

.....and by the way, today is National De-lurking Day!  That means that all you who secretly read World of Weasels as your guilty little pleasure in life get to step out from the shadows and into the spotlight by leaving a comment and showing yourself and saying, Hi!  After all, I'm glad that you are here!
 

Weasel Flashback!

While fiddling around in the back room of World of Weasels this morning, better known as the archives, I came across a post that I absolutely love.  Actually, it's the video part of it that I love most. 

I thought I would re-share it with those of you who may have missed it the first time.

I am Become Death, Destroyer of Worlds.

Enjoy!

Wolves and Weasels

Weasels love hockey.  If you're a regular around here, you already knew that.  Of course, we are Philadelphia Flyers fans and follow the NHL closely, but it is rare and cost prohibitive that we get to attend a game.  Thanks to the Chicago Wolves and the AHL, we now have a remedy for that.

The AHL is league of professional hockey clubs one level below the NHL (think AAA baseball).  The games are extremely high quality, as much of this league is made up of men still fighting to reach their dream of playing in the NHL.  They play hard and with much heart.  At the same time, you can see these games and root for the home team at family friendly pricing.

This past Saturday the entire Weasel Family was invited to a special social media event to attend a Wolves game and enjoy all the family friendly fun that surrounds it.

Starting 2 hours prior to face-off, the Wolves host a family fun fest (at no charge) for their fans.  They have music, kids games, prizes, photo opportunities, face painting and a visit from their mascot, Skates, to entertain children young and old  before game time.

Young Child (Monkey Weasel)

Not So Young Child (Me)

As the time approached face-off and the players warmed up, so did the crowd.  A fireworks display and laser light show is a great way to introduce the home team and get the crowd fired up:

After every Saturday night home game the players stop outside the locker room to talk to fans and sign auto graphs.  However, at this special event we were lucky enough to meet Wolves forward, Jamie Hunt, during the 2nd period intermission.  Not only is he cute, He was very sweet and gracious.

Jamie Hunt #24 and The Weasels

Jamie Hunt #24 signed my hat as I swooned.

The game was a lot of fun, even though the home team was having a rough night against the Hamilton Bulldogs and with ticket prices starting around $10 and Fan 4-packs (4 tickets, 4 drinks, 4 hot dogs) starting at $63, we will be back for some great hockey and family fun.

*Weasel Family admission for this event was complimentary.  This post/video has not been compensated.