I need another vacation!

We're back...vacations with mom are never long enough. We got to stay at my sister's for a few days, and then went to a motel with a pool...and wifi...and continental breakfast. Boy, have those changed since I was a kid. (Yeah, EONS ago...)

I remember when we were kids, it was a donut and coffee or juice. And if you didn't like either, then too freakin' bad. Day's Inn really has a great continental breakfast. It was buffet/serve yourself style - two different kinds of cereal, two different kinds of oatmeal, various yogurts, pastries, breads, bagels, two juices, three differnet kinds of coffee with all kinds of different flavored creamers, and so on. You could even make your own belgian waffles!! (which we did - every morning we were there, except the last.)

But since I've been home I've not had time to do ANYTHING other than work or try to catch up on real life. We had a lot of fun, but were very busy, and I have yet to upload pictures from my camera. I should be able to do those this weekend. I've got a LOT of cool pictures from our adventures.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (and Rainforest), the Great Lakes Science Center, Rocky River Nature Center, and Monster MiniGolf all were a rockin' good time.

So what'd you do that was fun this week? Any vacation plans?

I'm playing Mean Mom today!

Children who don't do as they're asked, don't get to go places. Simple as that.

IF the cleaning had been done (and the bickering had been less), then perhaps an older child could have gone swimming at B's father's house.

IF small child had listened the first (or even the second) time, perhaps she wouldn't have lost her DS for two days...again.

I have explained the rules for this summer very simply. Both children stated they understood and agreed.

Their messes will be cleaned up and extra cleaning will be done because it needs to be done - NOT because all of a sudden a friend calls and wants them to come over.

Because, I am... The Mean Mom.

You are my (Guitar) HERO!

We don't have Guitar Hero for our Wii or PS system or whatever the heck it is on these days (because I'm old and don't know that stuff), but the girls and I recently got a chance to review Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits for the Nintendo DS system, a follow-up to the On Tour and Decades games that were already out there.

The game features 28 songs, all radio-edits of modern rock hits from bands including Coldplay, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, The Strokes and Wolfmother. (And I'm actually good at a couple of them.)

I was going to wait until after our trip to post our review, but we cracked open the boxes yesterday (after some good behavior and hefty cleaning), and decided to have a go at it. WOW!!

Kasia and I linked our DS's and went head-to-head, and I have to say, I didn't do too badly for the first time I've ever played anything like that.

There's single player, multiplayer, etc. And I plan on bringing it with us on our trip to Cleveland. It'll definitely keep the kids busy for awhile. And perhaps if they wake up before us, they can play it together quietly and let mom and dad have a few more minutes of sleep.

MomCentral says: "Recent games, such as Guitar Hero, give both parents and kids alike a chance to play video games and rock out to their favorite songs, including both today's popular hits and the classic songs from when we grew up. I've seen friends and family, hesitant to play, end up laughing and trying to keep up with songs by modern artists. I find the Guitar Hero games refreshing for families due to the lack of violence, providing an interactive and fun experience for both friends and parents."

I have to send out a hearty THANK YOU to MomCentral for allowing us to review this great game. The girls are thrilled, which makes ME thrilled. And while they're competing, it's a whole different "sibling rivalry" than the "MooOOOOmmmm....she's looking at me!" that I usually hear. So far it's all been good-natured ribbing and even this old far remembers some of the songs and is singing them in her head afterward (plotting her next revenge on the small child who beat her at the last game).

Emily, my (almost) 9 year old says, "Tell everyone about MomCentral. They're COOL! I LOVE MOMCENTRAL! Thanks, MomCentral for letting us try this super awesome game." I couldn't have said it better.

In memory of Puppy Monster...

We love you, Puppy Monster!



Lots of love and hugs to you, Dawg...

I am fighting The Sick again!

WTF. At first I thought it was just allergies causing my laryngitis. No pain, no cough...just laryngitis.

Over the last five or six days it's gotten progressively worse, and this morning I had a massive asthma attack with The Cough of Death. Still, the only pain is from too much coughing. There's not much mucous (because you really needed to know that, didn't you?), and I still. can't. speak. (Those of you who know me well realize that that won't stop me!)

Still, I'm TIRED. I'm HOT. I've got the fevah no fever (and thus, do not need more cowbell). But man alive, the frogs...they are in my throat! And not only little, tiny peeper frogs, but big GOLIATH FROGS FROM AFRICA! It's not even a deep, sexy voice anymore. (Coulda made me some money with phone sex there for a few days though...)

So tomorrow, I'm off to the doctor if at all possible. (I have to call at 9 a.m. to see if she's got any same-day appointments.) I do NOT want to go through a whopper of an asthma attack like that again. That was skeery!!