River Deep Mountain High

Taking the kids, to run a couple of tedious errands, and then we are going into the mountains. (Well, hills to some of you, mountains to a lady from the Great Plains) They are in need of some fresh air, and a good hike.

I am sure there will be photos to post!!

I hope you take a moment, to check your chi today!!

You won't believe what I got from the ZOO.

*Photo from April 2006 a visit to the zoo.


I checked my e-mail and found this from the local zoo.

Central Arkansas Water for Wonders of the Watershed II, an interactive and educational day of fun-filled activities for the whole family! WOW II is free with general Zoo admission. Don't miss the CAW Water Wizard or the Waste Water's very own Sewer Man! Learn all about the importance of water and watersheds to humans and animals during WOW II this Saturday!

A Sewer Man? Like there is nothing else at the zoo to see, but a sewer man? No Mommy, I do not want to see the monkeys, I want to go see Sewer Man.

I will mention here, that our zoo sucks (gee really?) They need money, they have lost accreditation before, they need money. I am not sure if Sewer Man, is the BIG MARKETING they should be pushing.

1st Family Book Review....And by a democrat none the less...

First off to prove there is no bias here. My Father has not even purchased the book yet. A blog? A book? Huh? *crickets...* If and when he reads the book, I will post the review here.


However Dear Husbands Step Father, bought his copy, and has started to read it already. Note here he is PROUD to be called a hippie, and a Democrat. (GASP in horror) I guess when he is not out saving drowning puppies, he is giving poor people money just for fun. He is also a Democratic delegate for the state of Nebraska.

So, I sent him the Amazon link for the book (Shameless promotion here). I also told him off the boat, I hoped he understood the premis of the book, and I also told him, I was unsure if he would understand it.

He sent me this e-mail in return.

Curse you Army Wife Jones---- I now have sold my soul to Amazon.com to buy a book. The next thing you know I will be drilling for oil in Anwar. Normally I would reject books being produced through the military Industrial complex. I usually wait for the 10,000 Villages editions which are produced one at a time in third world countries on morally superior paper that still has chunks of bark in it. The trees of course having been salvaged in the aftermath of storms caused by global warning and then hauled from the forest by happy unionized elephants (not like those forced to represent a certain political party).

I sent him a note that said.

Do not worry the trees are safe, we used puppies to make the paper.

So I was SHOCKED this morning to recieve this...

Got my copy of the book in the mail and have started reading it.

Interesting that you had wondered how I might view the book. . I think it is really pro soldier and family and that the people are the story not the conflict. Reality has a way of providing something for every view point as well common ground. .If rhetoric, politics, and special interests are stripped away only the people and the situation remain and that is what we have to care about.

Once a hippie always a hippie, but geesh I love this guy

Plate Tectonics

I woke this morning, as DH departed. 6:ooam, still dark, The Collective awake, and already challenging themselves with puzzles. For 2 days, they have been putting puzzles together. There is a little cooperation that takes place. The puzzles are 24 piece puzzles, Dash has mastered them long ago, Pink Ninja, is learning the art, and wants to do it ALL alone. When she gets stuck, she asks for help from Dash. However, I am noting his help is required less and less. I like puzzles, they are quiet.

The last couple of days have been sort of noisy. PinkNinja has taken to wearing Daddy's deer call as a necklace. Well, of course she cannot be the only one making racket, so Dash had to start carrying a whistle. OUCH, the deer call or buck call, or whatever it is is pretty quiet, the whistle is shrill.

There is also the matter of Dash teaching himself to write words, and sentences. He seems entranced by his new skill, so he will sit with his Magna Doodle for hours. He has recently has become fascintaed with Chinese charactors, he noted on an inflatable pool toy. So he is trying to learn how to write Chinese. And Although DH could be of help in this matter as he took Mandarin in college, it is lost on Dear Mom. I have trouble with English, so the Chinese is confusing to me.

This morning, before breakfast Pink Ninja, rifled through a clean basket of laundry because she was looking for her favorite outfit, and then she found an outfit for her brother as well. They helped one another get ready for the day.

Then they told me they were hungry. They rounded up breakfast supplies from the pantry.

It is nice to realize my focus as a Mother is changing. I am no longer, nursing, and dressing, and changing babies. I am becoming a guide to the planet, this is a cosmic shift for me.

Every Voice Counts...

~information on the book

"This," cried the Mayor, "is your towns darkest hour! The time for all Who's who have blood that is red To come to the aid of their country!" he said. "We've GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So open your mouth lad! For every voice counts!" ~Horton Hears A Who

I found "blogs" by accident. I was up late one night looking for information on my Dear Husbands unit after not hearing from him, and hearing of IEDS, mortars hitting around Camp Taji, and The road to the Baghdad International Airport. This was my DH's home.

So I think I googled Camp Taji, and my DH's unit, and I was there. Perhaps, not "there" to be exact. But I found online journal after online journal giving daily glimpes of military life. I was relieved someone was there, telling me what day to day life was like. Sometimes, it made me cry, and sometimes it made me laugh, it always made me feel less alone....

I would read in the comments...
"Thank you for posting this, do you know my DH, he is there at your camp? "
"I am so glad you are posting this, my DH does not tell me what is going on"
~I cried, I was glad to hear I was not alone.I was immediately relieved I was not alone. You see my DH was deployed with a National Guard Infantry Unit for 18 months.

I was 7 months pregnant, with a 22 month old.. And in a town where 2 or 3 men were deployed. My closest family was 12 hours away. I was not alone....

I think the first Blog I found was Mr. Blackfive, then Mudville, Hook, Chief Wiggles, Colby Buzzell.Through Blackfive's blogroll I found others, my blog mentor, and Mom
Tammi, a diarist and military supporter, Boudicca, a Mom. Who knew? There were so many voices wanting to be heard.


The following is a list of Authors that are included in The Blog of War

365 and a Wakeup
A Day in Iraq
American at Heart
American Soldier
Argghhh!
Armor Geddon
Army Wife Toddler Mom
AustinBay.net
Biting Their Little Heads Off
Blog Machine City
Boots in Baghdad
Cali Valley Girl
Counter Column
Courage Without Fear
CPT Patti...the Sweetest Woman on the Planet Goes to Baghdad
Dadmanly
Doc in the Box
Fire Power Forward
From My Position...On the Way!
Going Green Again
Howdy (Camel Spider)
In Iraq for 365
Learning to Live
Ma Deuce Gunner
Magic from the Baghdad Cafe
Makaha Surf Report
Medicine Soldier
Military Bride
Mudville Gazette
New Lives
One Hand Clapping
Pull on Superman's Cape
The Questing Cat
Rebel Coyote
Red State Rants
SGT Hook
Sic Vis Pace, Para Bellum
Six More Months
Some Soldier's Mom
Smash
The Sniper Eye
A Soldier's Perspective
Talking Salmons
This Is Your War
Training for Eternity
Trying to Grok
Wordsmith at War

And Powerline's combat correspondent "Major E"



I remember the day Mr. Blackfive begged the question, I am putting a book together, and I want to know who you my readers want to be included. I immediately suggested a post from Some Soldiers Mom to be in the book.

I suggested, the post where her son is injured, and not because it was exploitive, but because she reacted exactly like a Mom would, and she captured the moment in words so perfectly, the horror of the phonecall, the collapse, the auto pilot, the absolute horror.

After making the suggestion, I went back to see Fuzzilicious had recommended my posts. I had no idea she had heard me. At the time I started my blog, I probably had 10-20 visits a day, on a good day. I was writing for myself, because I guess I wanted to be heard. I needed to know I was not alone.

You see, I did not start my blog until my DH came home. I also am a diarist, I am not a mil-blogger. My blog started with reuniting, by the grace of God. I was lucky. I am one of the lucky wives, and I do know it. I wake every morning and I thank God I am so lucky. Because there are some of us, that were not as lucky...like Learning to Live.

So to each of you for sharing, I thank you. You made me feel less alone for 18 months. In a town where I felt like no one understood, my pain, and my ache, and my lonliness, my anger, hurt, and worry...you were it. You helped me survive an eighteen month deployment. For my post to be included in such company, is an honor, I am truly humbled.....now if I can make it through the rest of the book.

You see, getting through the book reminds me of the nights I spent looking for news. While reading through the book, I can almost recall reading your posts for the first time, right after it was freshly written. I feel like I know you, and your girlfriends, Husbands, Wives. I have heard you speak of missing your children, wanting to smell your wife again. I have been lucky enough to meet some of you, at the Mil-blogging conference, and you were just as impressive as your written words.


For the Service Men and Women, amazing. It is hard to put what I feel for you into words, I am proud of you and your efforts. Your strength and bravery, and spirit. Your Spirit....amazing. For fighting the fight, so I do not have to, so my children do not have to. I thank you. You do make me sleep better at night.

To The Spouses, Family, and Friends. I have been an active duty wife, a civilian, and a National Guard wife. I have been through 3 deployments. I am continually amazed at the SUPPORT you give, the prayers you offer and your strength.



To the author and editor. Mr. Blackfive, thank you for recognizing the need for news, and the need for support for our Service members, families, and supporters. For all of the money you have raised, for all of the people you have helped, for the hours you have put in. I know you will start to turn around and walk away, hands in pockets, but I have heard it first hand from the folks at Walter Reed, from individuals, and families. You are the real deal, a gentleman. Thank You for giving us a voice.

With Sincere Pride and Gratitude,

Rachelle
AWTM

Making A Voice Count....

I need to tell you a little story about our family, some of it can be done in photos...some in words. Really most of it words. My Dear Husband was in Iraq from October 2003-April 2005.



*photo of Pink Ninja and I, I took to send to DH while in Iraq.

(I am realizing as I am going through the pictures of the children and I , there are few photos of them with Me, unless they are taken within an arms length. That makes me sad)



*Dash walking alone, in his first snow...


These 2 moments, are just 2 that DH missed while deployed.

Tonight, I sat in the rocker. Both of my children on my lap. Tonight I chose to read Horton hears a Who. A suprising choice, because we read three selections nightly, and Horton Hears a Who is a long night time story.

Dear Husband was in the kitchen speaking to his friend a MSG, who has just returned from Afghanistan....

I need to get a post up about Mr. Blackfives book. I, have not started a post yet. When am I going to be able to read the entire book? It is taking me a long time to get through? I wonder if the other bloggers are having a hard time getting through it?

The first book Curious George goes camping is over, I start Horton Hears a Who.

The kids are tired, they might fall asleep, dinner was later than usual, because of company. I really need to talk about the book...how?

"This," cried the Mayor, "is your towns darkest hour! The time for all Who's who have blood that is red To come to the aid of their country!" he said. "We've GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So open your mouth lad! For every voice counts!" ~Horton Hears A Who

I want them to know that our voice does count. Maybe someone will hear. What is the life of a soldier like? A wife of a soldier? A child of a soldier? I don't really know. I just know me....

A Storm In Afghanistan: My Hardest Post

A Storm In Afghanistan: My Hardest Post

I never have to look far...

This family is in need of prayer and support. Please...I am gonna beg you to offer up what you can...

Please go over and lend an ear.

Hold Me...

Love me, cuz I 'm free to do what I want any old time...
~Jesus Jones

What a treat today was. My DH, took the collective to work with him today. Ahhhh.....The good news is, they were well behaved , and had plenty of new experiences.

Always good for Mom, and "The Collective". They met blind and deaf people. They learned sign language, they thought it was no big deal...

They went fishing.

They had a very big building to run loose in.

I was told to RELAX, with the Sunday paper. I did not. There was a lot to do. I have the itch like the rest of you. It is fall, must get things done. It is hard to keep the house today with tiny folks underfoot....

I managed to blanch and dice the rest of the ripe tomatoes, took 3 sets of blinds down and scrubbed them, washed curtains, cleaned kitchen window, moved furniture, vacuumed, did a couple of loads of laundry, cleaned out the cupboards in Pink Ninja and Dash's bathroom.

I also prepared a brisket for a marinade, and the marinate for tomorrow.

Casa De Dust is having company for dinner, an Army buddy of Dear Husbands. We certainly do not want the house to live up to its name...

It felt fantastic to scrub and clean...

However, I am a little nuts I cannot find my fuzzy attachment to the vacuum. I must get out and get a new one. I cannot clean without it.

What I learned today.

1) I need to get out of doors and pressure wash the windows and screens.

2) The living room is in desperate need of a paint job.

3) All other rooms need paint as well.

4) The outside of the house needs a painting too.

I gotta run, I have blinds, and curtains to rehang. There is also the matter of the piles of miscillaneous crap that I never have any idea what to do with....

the piles, will be the death of me.

are we related?

My Sister called this morning going on and on about the movie Leap of Faith. Some dance movie with Antonio Banderas...

she went on

and on

and on

and on

and on...

ick.....

Morning Flakes?

Deadwood lost out tonight, because the History Channel had a show called
Wild West Tech on. Well, for those of you that do not know me, I love hearing about the Western Expansion of America. Well, I thought I was well schooled until tonight. This is an informative show that must be watched. Here is the show description of Wild WEst Tech: Vices, as listed on the History channels site...

In the Old West, there were whores a-plenty and rivers of homemade hooch. Sin was in and available in various flavors. Most vices were still legal back in the 19th century, and inventors could make a fortune creating new technologies to bring them to the masses. Back in the good old days, cocaine was even found in soda pop, and the cure for alcoholism was said to be heroin! Thanks to technology, you didn't have to slump at the opium den, you could get high at home. Take a "trip" out West to the frontier of sex, drugs, and lock'n'load!

Who needs Deadwood tonight?

Oh, and it is on again...so you really need to tune in.

The most interesting tidbit of information, or at least the most laughable. Cereal was invented, because 3 men, who happened to have little interest in sex, thought cereal may curb the sexual appitite.

The creator of the "Graham cracker", was Sylvester Graham. Originally billed as "Granola", but was in essence a fiber wafer. Why a fiber wafer? He thought it would solve wants of flesh....He wrote extensively on the topic, and even lectured. Graham's Lecture to Young Men (1834) was the first of its kind and launched a whole genre of medical tracts on masturbation, known then as "self abuse" or "self pollution."

"All kinds of stimulating and heating substances; high-seasoned food; rich dishes; the free use of flesh; and even the excess of aliment; all, more or less -- and some to a very great degree -- increase the concupiscent excitability and sensibility of the genital organs..." -- Sylvester Graham

As I am lying on the floor laughing with Dear Husband, it is brought to our attention that Graham was not alone. There is John Harvey Kellogg. Who actually sued Graham for the use of the word "Granola" for the name of his fibrous morning delicacies. To up the ante, he too wrote a book..


Plain Facts for Old and Young, a warning on the evils of sex. Of the 644 pages, 97 address "Secret Vice (Solitary Vice or Self-Abuse)," its symptoms and results. Included are 39 signs indicating someone is masturbating; a list comprehensive enough to indict everyone vaguely human:

#7. Sleeplessnes, #11. Love of solitude, #12. Bashfulness and #13. Unnatural boldness, #14. Confusion of ideas, #24. Capricious appetite, #28. Use of tobacco, #30. Acne.

It reminded me of the movie, I had seen about 10 years ago, called The Road To Wellville. Which was based off of a pamphlet written by C.W. Post (you guessed it, another cereal tycoon) The pamphlet used to come in boxes of grape nuts. C.W. Post, was a patient at the Battle Creek Sanitorium. When Post was cured....

He invented Grape Nuts and Postum....

I think we are going to have biscuts and gravy in the morning.

Oh, and I will be renting The Road To Wellville again.

Bill Mahershole

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Happy Birthday Ms. Donna of Donnaville

Hope the Femmes concert was a blast and your new lurv took you to dinner...

Overheard at Casa De Dust....

Whilst preparing the collective to go wash the truwk...

Pink Ninja: "Mom aren't you going to wear a swimsuit?"

She is a freaking comedian that one...

Sometimes I am Veruca Salt...

Veruca Salt: "I want the world. I want the whole world. I want to lock it all up in my pocket. It's my bar of chocolate. Give it to me now. "
~Veruca Salt from Willie Wonka and The Chocolate FactoryIt is the weekend, the back door is open. There is a breeze....ahhhhhh.

It will not be 110 degrees today. Which being a yankee has thrilled me. It even cools down when the sun goes down.

DH has today off!! Hooooray. The bad news is, he has to go in tommorow. Damn, that bomb was dropped on me last night. Hhhrrrmmmpppff. He has not had many days off. His schedule, crazy. Most people would have thrown in the towel. Most people would at least bitch. Not DH, he sucks it up and carries on.

Me, I am selfish. I want him home. I would like to function as a "normal" family, for like 7 days. HAAAA...

The other bad news, he is salary, so the extra hours. Yeah, they mean nothing.

So I need to take a step back and be supportive, rethink some things. Make his day off COUNT!!

24 hours just ain't enough. It just is not.

Especially, when there are projects both of us need to do sans "collective".

So I need to put on my big girl pants, and stop whining.

I need to recall the deployment again, and the lessons learned. There were many. Hell an 18 month deployment, there are at least the lessons. Honestly. YOu have nothing but the lessons at the end of the damn things. You promise yourslef you will do better, and be better...

Time to suck up chickie....just when i pretend I have no idea where "The Collective" get it..

You gotta Phight

Someone sent me an e-mail about phight club. I guess they found the piece on metaphilm. A great philm, phight club. Phreaking Phantastic Philm, iph you ask me.
They make a Calvin and Hobbes connection, re: Tyler Durden as a childs imaginary phriend. Phantasy vs. Reality?

Part I: The Hobbes-Tyler Connection
Picture this: a hyper, self-absorbed child initially concocts an imaginary friend as the ideal playmate, to whom more realistic qualities soon become attributed. This phantasm becomes a completely separate personality, with his own likes, dislikes, and temperament—and the imaginer and the imagined clash and argue constantly, though remaining fast friends. This pattern continues to the point where the child begins to perceive what was originally mere fantasy to be reality.

It is a must read, iph you ask me, in phact go over and read the phront page....

Daaaa Da Daa Da Da....( humm it like the theme of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show)

Hi---ohhhhhhh

Ok this is my clean laundry hanging....

I also think it is DH's pet peeve.

I hang it in the doorway between the dining room and living room.

Why?

Because, during the day, when no one is watching, I walk through it like the curtain on the old tonight show....humming the theme loudly...

Ace Of Spades

Ace of Spades...


As The Minister of Monor Perdify would say...
Nothing Rocks your Hole, like Motorhead...

Murphy's Law

Yesterday, was proof that my sense of humor is intact.

We have rolling blackouts here all of the time.

I am not sure why, because we pay more for power than anyone I know.

The Collective and I came home yesterday with a truck full of items that needed immediate refridgeration. Ice Cream, meat, and the like. Only to find my garage door would not open upon the touch of a button.

The neighbor lady was out of doors having a cigarette, and informed me that power would be out for 45 minutes at least.

Damn. It would figure wouldn't it?

So I checked all of the doors into the house. To find all of the storm doors chained at the top. Damn.

Brain storm.

I can squeeze my arm in and unlock the dead bolt with my key.

So I unlock the dead bolt, and beg for Dash to assist in rescuing us.

Remember he is 4 1/2 , there are risks involved. He could become side tracked by a shiny object, and the mission could lost. So I give him a pep talk!!

AWTM: "Dash, I need you to do Mommy a big favor!! I need you to go get a kitchen chair, and bring it up here to the door, climb on top of it, and unlock the chain at the top!! OK?"

Dash: "OK, Mommy, I am ready."

I realized upon letting him squeeze through the door, that Pink Ninja, has to be involved, because she insists. She just wants to help.

So they run to the kitchen, and they each grab a chair. I can hear chairs being pushed across the tile floor urgently. They are focused. Dash, reaches the front door first. Pink Ninja dragging her chair behind her.

He is my cautious child. He really doesn't want to stand on it, he is nervous. But he goes ahead and tries it, with an expression of fear and concentration and effort. Teeth showing, lips pulled back. EYES wide.

Damn the chair is not tall enough.

So then I instruct them to get the highchair.

Meanwhile I call Tammi, and DH. I am laughing my ass off, and need to pee. The Chiropractor across the street has her blinds open, and I am sure she is enjoying our little skit.

I immediately have to call them back to put the kitchen chairs back, because 3 chairs will not fit in the front hallway, and it will turn into some sort of rubiks cube in a moment.

I still have to pee.

So they run back, get the chairs, put them in the kitchen.

The highchair is nabbed and brought to the front door.

Dash climbs on it, even more fearful, it is higher. Pink Ninja, meanwhile grabs a bib, and brings it to the front hallway, and sits in the highchair. (It is an old highchair, no wheels.) I explain to Pink Ninja, that it is not meal time. She needs to get out so Dash can stand.

Dash is scared, and somehow overcomes his fear, with some prodding. He makes the climb, and works with the chain, and I hear the chain release.

The door is unchained. He proclaims himself, as a hero, saving the day. Which he really is.

I still have to pee.

So I get to the restroom, and thank the children. I sing praises of the efforts. (This was really like directing housecats.)


Power is still out, The Collective really want to rest, and watch the Tigger movie just procured from the library, they also each want ice cream cones, as promised. I have to convince them, I need to bring in all of the groceries, and I will get them ice cream.

So I unload ALL of the groceries, watermelon, a case of tomatoes. A Lot of unloading. As soon as I am done guess?

Yes siree, the power comes on.

Ughhh.....

So then I get the cones made, the ice cream is very easy to scoop.

I continue to praise the collective for the efforts, particularly Dash, he is proud of himself. I tell him, he can pick any treat in the house.

He sets his water down, and tells me, he would like a coke. (This is a BIG deal, we rarely have soft drinks at the house)

So I allow him a coke.

What do you think happens?

Yeah, it spills on my beautiful Persian rug.

SO I spend the next hour, blotting and cleaning.

Praying to God, that the ants do not catch a whiff of this.

I scrub, and dab....

I set all of the clocks, and put the Tigger movie in only to have the power go out, as soon as the last clock is set.

The children are whiney and upset. "But Mooooom, you said weeee could watch a movieeeee."

"Guys, the power went out again I am sorry."

I than ask Dash, what he would like for supper, because tonight's dinner would be in his honor. He picks lasagne, fruit salad, and lettuce salad.

So, I find them each a paint with water book and set them at the table, and try to keep them busy while I wash fruit, and 26 pounds of tomatoes.

Power comes back on, they want to watch the movie, so I put in the movie again.

I put some ground beef, and garlic in a pan, and turn on the stove.

It is quiet, The Collective watching a movie, and I am getting my work done.

I put a load of wash in, I start setting clocks again. When the last clock is set. Boom.


The power goes out again....

Really just funny, it just seemed like as soon as I fixed one situation, some other thing would fall apart.

Very entertaining, if I was starring in a commercial, for carpet cleaner, or some sort of convenience item...

I did manage to smile the whole time, and I only swore once or twice.

Holy Falling Leaves?

It is 69 out?

The back door is open!!

Yeah!!