Flashback Friday: On My Honor...

I made the mistake of mentioning an old Girl Scout photo to my blogging buddies Marisa and Tia...and ended up promising I'd post it...so here you go:

It was a crowning moment for me...it was the first time...maybe the only time...that I had won anything. My Junior Girl Scout troop (Troop 212...woo hoo!) had a cake decorating contest...one of the many badges we were all trying to earn...and I entered this technicolor Nike running shoe cake...and won the blue ribbon. Leave it to me to bring a shoe cake to the table. I'm just glad I didn't get laughed out of the building. I remember going into the contest that I was convinced this girl named Tracy...the troop leader's daughter...tall... pretty...good at everything...was going to win. Tracey ALWAYS won things. In school, she always got the top grades...on my soccer team she was the team captain...you get the picture. Yet, I was always one of those blindly optimistic kids back then and even if I knew it was a cold shot in hell, I still secretly believed I might win...and this time I really did. I still have my blue ribbon...and my keen sash with all of my badges tucked away in a box.

I know I keep cheating and posting more than one picture, but while I was flipping through my old Girl Scout pictures, I found this one and wanted to post it too! This was taken the night I was inducted into the Brownies. I was in the third grade and I remember that my mom had to work (or was it she had to go to school?) that night, so, in a rare instance, my dad took off of work early to come to my ceremony. I remember him looking sharp in his Navy khakis (in the Navy their white uniforms are mostly for dress occasions) and I was so proud to have him there to see me.


Anyone else have any Girl Scout memories...or any other memories, for that matter, that you want to share? Stop by Tia's blog and join in the trip down memory lane!

The Vistors Have Landed

****TAKE NOTE...extreme Sci Fi geekiness to follow...don't say you weren't warned!****

Any of you who are regular...or even sort of regular readers already know that I'm a Sci Fi nerd. No one will be surprised, then, when I tell you that back in the 1980's, I was a HUGE fan of the TV miniseries "V". "How big a fan?", you say? I even watched the horrible spin off weekly series they made once the miniseries became a hit. Yeah...that big. When ABC announced they were redoing "V"...I had mixed feelings. I'm the first one to roll my eyes at Hollywood's extreme sloth lately since it seems like no one knows how to write an original script anymore...but then the uber geek in me was curious...maybe even hopeful, that the folks over at ABC...the same ones who put "Lost" on the map...might do it justice. Hey, they even recruited actors from two shows I love..."Lost" and "Firefly"...so really, how bad could it really be? I wrestled with my TV inner critic "should I watch?"..."nah, I'm not going to watch"...and in the end...I programmed the DVR.

I lasted two whole days without watching the recorded show (how's that for willpower?)...but this morning I caught a break...after doing my Pilates workout and catching a shower, the kids were still sleeping (they'd woken up early two days in a row)...so I watched. I won't spoil it for anyone out there who, like me, wants to watch it, but hasn't had a chance to. I will tell you that it has a lot of the same feel as "Lost"...and still manages to take a basic story line that you might already know and makes it feel new and exciting. It feels a lot less campy than the 1980's version...and even pays a small homage to the movie Independence Day (how could they not...giant space ships hovering over the world's major cities?). I'm looking forward to what the season will bring...and hope they manage to make it until the spring without screwing things up!

If you are interested in watching, ABC is putting the premiere episode online to watch on Saturday, November 7. The show airs on ABC on Tuesdays at 8 pm (7 pm central time). So...if you were a "V" fan of old...or just curious...come and watch with me!

Aly's "Barbie Shoe Theory"

It's a brilliant conspiracy theory...if I do say so myself! Want to know more about it...well then you'll have to go over to The Mama Dramalogues and get in on the scoop...

The Post Sugar High Halloween Recap

How was our Halloween? All in all...a success! Miss Polka Dotted Witch (costume made by...ME...fabric chosen by my SweetPea...WOO HOO) and Mr Hula Boy hauled their sugar loaded booty...

We had the good:


1. The pre-Halloween Block party snack 2. Hanging out in the "graveyard" 3. Munching on some hot dogs (note Lil Buddy's "second costume") 4. Posing pretty before going to the Mall to play

There was the "bad":


5. Lil Buddy not digging the monkey costume (costume #1) 6. Lil Buddy not digging the monkey costume or his teachers dressed in their costumes at the school Fall Festival 7. Lil Buddy really, really not digging the monkey costume all the way home 8. Proof that the entire monkey costume ordeal wasn't 100% unpleasant

Then there was...the ugly. OK, so it wasn't all that ugly...mostly just annoying. Our neighborhood had a Halloween block party (as you saw in the pictures). I'm sure I've mentioned before, The Man and I aren't the most social beings in the world...but we were trying. Mingling was uncomfortable and it was quickly obvious that a lot of the neighbors already knew each other and were friendly with each other...and not all that interested in being friendly with us. At some point, an "older" neighbor (not old...but by far not young) wandered over and told us and asked "who's ready for Jello shots". Both of us kindly smiled and said "no thank you"...to which she rolled her eyes and walked off in a huff. That was our cue...to go home. Fret not...for the fearless four (that's us by the way) still had an awesome time Trick or Treating.

So how was YOUR Halloween? I hope you all had a whole bunch of fun too!

Flashback Friday

Today I decided to share two completely unrelated pics...mostly because I was too indecisive and didn't want to choose between them!

This has always been one of my favorite pictures, taken when I was about two years old. It's among the few pieces of lasting proof that I own (my mom obviously has a lot more pictures of me at this age) that proves I was once upon a time a blonde. Whenever I do something flighty or airheaded, I always use the excuse that I'm having a "residual blonde moment". My hair stayed this color until I was in the third grade. From that point on, no one ever believed I was ever blonde. Many, MANY years later, I used this picture in a "Do You Know Who This Is?" game at work and no one guessed it was me.

This gem (har, har) is from a sixth grade track meet. We took a trip up to the high school (Pearl City High School to be exact) for this meet, we all thought it was a big deal. I had to run an individual 400 m and a 400 m relay. I lost my 400 m race (dead last, if I remember correctly) and came in third in the relay. I definitely remember that I ran the lead leg of the race...and was in first...until the girl I handed the baton off to dropped it. She always claimed it was my fault...but I always protested, since she told me "I've got it"...I let go...and CLANK, to the ground it went...but I'm not bitter about it...really :)

So do you have a memory you want to share? Join me...and my bud Tia over at her blog and do a Flashback Friday of your very own.

Oh and to everyone...have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

The Profiler...Redeux

I resurrected an old post from my blog...and did a little update to it...over at The Mama Dramalogues today. Hey, it's my birthday, and I'll be honest, I was being a little lazy! Go have a look!

How I Love Thee, My Dear iPod

Meet the newest addition to our household. No, not the super cutie spider candle holder...except...wait...I guess he's new too...I got him at Joann's on sale for 60% off...but he's not the one I'm talking about. I'd like to introduce you to... my 3rd generation, 32 GB iPod Touch. Isn't it swell? OK, I know it sounds like I'm bragging...but I'm really not...or I'm trying not to. I'm just so happy, I had to share :) I never thought I'd have one of my own, especially since I was practically the last of the gadget loving geeks on earth to get my first iPod. This flashy baby is my birthday present (and Christmas, and anniversary, and Easter and Mother's Day present...for the next five years or so) from The Man and the kids. I hinted...well, let's be honest, I flat out mentioned...that I wanted one and was surprised when The Man told me he was getting me one. I practically peed my pants...practically that is. I got to go to the Apple Store and pick it out...and take it home...and hold it...and kiss it...OK, so I didn't actually kiss it...I didn't want the smudge on my pretty touch screen...but I thought about it.

Now I can load up tons of new music, Podcasts, and some of those super cool Apps they make for it. I'll fess up...I wanted nothing more than to come home and upload the Rock Band for iPod App, but it costs $9.99 (what the hell is up anyway with Apple and their $_.99 items anyway?) and I just couldn't justify forking over even more money for a game...even if it's a game I REALLY want. For now I'm picking through the free Apps...and trying really hard not to download tons of rubbish. I may have to drop some hints to the rest of my family that I'd really love some iTunes gift cards for Christmas!

So if you don't hear from me again for the next couple of years, you can rest assured that I'm rotting away in some corner listening to my iPod with a big smile on my face.