I totally should have put a Furnunculus curse on that bee-yotch.

I know, I know, it's another link post.

But I would be selfish if I didn't tell you about how I almost got into a fight at the Harry Potter exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science - and how to avoid almost getting into a fight at the Harry Potter exhibition. Because fist fights in front of the kids is just wrong. Deserved, but wrong.

Wand fights are way better.

Regardless, if you were planning on going while it's in Boston or when it comes to your area (Canadians, I'm looking at you. I guess it's headed your way next.) I did all the hard stuff so you wouldn't have to. You're welcome.

And if you're a New Englander and you haven't checked it out yet (Ahem) we have this huge roundup of First Night celebrations from all around New England guaranteed to satisfy all your First Night celebrating needs. Well, not those needs. Sicko.

I do this for you, because I love. I love hard. Not that hard. Sicko.

Seriously? Wow. I'm very disappointed in you. Petrificus Totalus, and stuff.

All I want for Christmas is...

Some very small physical modifications. That's all. Really.

Oh and world peace.

And maybe universal healthcare everyone can live with. But we probably missed the boat on that one, though.

Anyway. Maybe acceptance is the way to go. Be grateful for what we get, yada yada yada. As Chicky's preschool teachers always say, "You get what you get and you don't get upset." Which, you know, is fine for 4 year olds but always kind of bugged me.

*sigh*

(But Merry Christmas anyway! I hope Santa fills your stockings up good... and I mean that in a totally non-dirty way. Maybe. Ho ho ho!

You dirty ho, you.)

WWJD? Probably roll his eyes, turn some water into wine and eat some lobster stew.

An elementary school in Massachusetts is making national news this week because school officials sent home an 8 year old boy after he (allegedly *wink wink*) drew a picture of Jesus on the cross for a (alleged *nudge*) holiday assignment. Being a former Catholic and survivor of seven years of parochial school, of course I had to weigh in. What do you think about all the fuss?

(Oh, and there's an awesome recipe for lobster stew. How bad can that be?)

Like a busy bee with a slight case of ADD *and* OCD

Busy, busy, busy.

Running hither and yon getting my Christmas shopping done; chasing after children who never stop, EVER; solo parenting; finding time to see friends; starting a meat CSA today (glad I waited to see Food, Inc. until this past weekend. Yikes!) and getting the New England Mamas up and running again.... Busy, busy, busy. Like a little bee with ADD. Bzzzz.

Also, by the way, the sound in my head right now. Bzzzzzzzzz....

But even though I'm busy, I took the time to scour Etsy looking for perfect holiday teacher gifts so you won't have to. Because I love you that much. No need to thank me - unless you were planning on sending chocolates. Then you can thank me all you want.

Bzzzzzz...... (also the sound of a sugar high. fact.)

I swear, she's never seen "Leave it to Beaver"

But maybe we've been watching Martha Stewart too much? Possibly?

----------

In other domestic news, I've got a new review of the Sylvania PalPODzzz LED nightlight over at May We Recommend for PBN. Don't let the name of the product scare you off. Boo!

(Get it? Nightlight? Scary monsters? Oh forget it, it's too early for any good jokes.)

And the word "NO" isn't mentioned! Not even once!

We had a tough day with Chicky today. A really tough day. Let's just say this - she's lucky she still has her tongue.

Lucky for me I have video proof that she was once cute and would do the most ridiculous things to make me happy. Instead of going out of her way to make my head explode.

Save your ice pick, I'll show you what a real crazy chick uses

Remember that scene in Basic Instinct when Sharon Stone chops up the ice for her drink with that ice pick and you knew then she was a few blocks short of an igloo and maybe, if he were smart, Michael Douglas should stay away from the crazy bitch but he doesn't because he was going through that phase where he would bang any psycho broad in a 5o mile radius?

Maybe if she had a bigger ice pick she wouldn't have killed those people. Allegedly.

Talking to walls

Sick kids, days on end stuck in the house and emergency trips to the doctor's for the littlest one have made me a little bit introspective today. Which is to say, there's a new post at Operation Get Happy.

Wiping noses is fairly mindless work. I've had some time to think. How about you?

Simple

New post at Operation Get Happy - Finding pleasure in the simple things.

There's happiness all around, sometimes I just need to open my eyes and take notice. Who knew?

(Not me obviously.)

I never said I was 100% truthful

I've got a new post up at Operation Get Happy - This is me at the beginning of this journey, unhappy. With makeup and my hair not in a ball cap but with a shot of longing for fun. Eh, whatever.

Also, it's delurking day. So delurk already will ya? Here or there. You'd make my day because I? Am a comment whore. And I'm not afraid to admit that.

*added* I'm a twit. I didn't give you anything to comment about. I mean you could just say "Hi!", that would be cool, but having something to comment about would make things much easier on everyone. And I'm all about making things as easy as possible.

So.

There are some things I feel very strongly about, and one of those things is jelly. As in, jelly vs. jam on a PB&J. What is your "J"? Personally, I'm old school. I like straight up Welch's grape jelly and lots of it. Then again, I put sugar on my Cheerios so I clearly have a sugar problem.

What sayeth you? Grape, strawberry, blueberry? Jam or jelly? Or Fluff? Mmmm, Fluff.

Housecleaning

I should have made a New Year's resolution to update this blog more. Sure, I would have broken it almost immediately but at least I would have given some sort of consideration to this poor space. My last post was my 600th. Six Oh Oh. As in "Oh oh my CHRIST. The things I could have been doing with that time". I mean, holy shiteballs. I could have built and ark and personally overseen the conception and birth of every pair of animals to load on to it. Not that I would have wanted to but you get the idea.

I have, however, updated Operation Get Happy. What can I say? Happiness has been on my mind and my kids have been on my nerves. Guess who gets the special treatment?

Also, Jess and I are still looking for nominations for the latest ROFLs. We're posting the nominees on Friday. Why not last Friday when they were supposed to be posted? Well, how much work did you get done between Christmas and New Year's? Yeah, thought so. So get off my back and send me a funny post you read from the MONTH OF DECEMBER. Send it to Chicky Chicky Baby [at] hotmail [dot] com. Thankyouverymuch.

Now I need to go clean my bathroom, which hasn't been done since around post number five hundred and forty seven.

**added** There's a blogger's roast of Tanis, the Redneck Mommy, over at Cynical Dad. I may or may not have written I was all upset because I haven't seen the woman naked yet. I may or may not have given up on that cause. I may or may not need to get out more.

I can haz happy?

So.

I sort of started a new blog, which makes it exactly not at all different from the other blogs I've started in that I'll probably get overwhelmed and run away from it screaming in about 3 months. Or not. I'm fickle.

See, it's about finding my happy. I seem to have lost my happy and I'm setting out to find it with nothing but a blog, a dream, a pith helmet and maybe some ass-less chaps. Now I know what you're thinking - the pith helmet has little to do with finding my happy. But if you're so inclined you're welcome to follow along in my new endeavor to find my happiness again. And here's the fun part (and by fun, I mean totally wackadoo), I'm going to try to find my happy without prescription drugs. I'm a rebel that way.

Maybe I'll even stop referring to my depression as "My happy", but I doubt it.

Oh, the link. Yeah that would be good, wouldn't it?

Here it is: Operation Get Happy.

And before you start laughing at me for the lame title, remember I'm fragile and unmedicated. Tread lightly and at your own risk, because I may not be on meds but I do have knives and a mean throwing arm.

Because the next step is barbituates in her apple juice

The kids are kicking my ass.

No, really. Chicky just tried to kick me. Unfortunately for her she's too short to reach my butt and ended up on hers.

You can laugh. It was kind of funny.

That girl has more crazed energy than a Jack Russell Terrier after six double espressos. I'll do just about anything to get a bit of peace. Even... *gasp*...Video Games.

I'm reviewing the VTech V-Motion Active Learning System for PBN (Late, unfortunatley, because the kids are kicking my ass. Oh, I said that already?) over at my review blog today. It looked a bit like a Wii Fit for the preschool set but did it live up to my expectations?

(dun dun duunnnnnn)

Repeat after me: No matter how much I want to staple my kid to the wall, I must stay positive

Now, repeat that 50 times and read my review on "Ready for Bed" and "Ready for the Day" (for the Parent Bloggers Network), books not only for kids but also to remind parents to stay positive and help their kids make correct decisions. With all we've been going through lately they've definitely helped.

Seriously. Go read now.

Too much television isn't bad as long as it's educational. Right?

We're moving in two weeks. TWO WEEKS.

Oh my Christ.

So Chicky is spending a lot of time watching DVDs while I try to fit an entire room full of crap into two cardboard boxes. The way I see it, as long as she's zoning out in front of the boob tube she may as well be learning. Today at my other blog I've got a review for PBN of the "Meet the Sight Words", a DVD geared toward helping young kids learn how to read. You should check it out.

And now I will go back to frantically packing. Do you think I'll need bubble wrap for the cat?

Now I will reward myself with some of that chocolate

First, I can't think of anything to write about. Then, I'm all over the internet yappin' away.

Today I'm blogging at not one, but two blogs other than my own. First up, I'm over at the New England Mamas talking about my own secret place to get the best homemade chocolates (Mmm, homemade chocolate. Mmm...) and then I'm over at my friend Sarah's blog pinch hitting for her while she's off having an actual vacation. Damn her.

And for all my New England readers, don't forget we're having a contest at the NE Mamas. Share with us your secret spaces or hidden gems and you just might win something. Uh huh. That's right. Spill it.

After I rest up from all this writing business, I'll start working on your questions. You're waiting with baited breath, I can tell.

We interupt this heathen moment...

... to let you know about my latest review of Tiny*Prints personalized cards for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Go there, go there now.

I will now go back to hiding from the inevitable lightning strike.

Hair, There and Everywhere

My little Chicky - She was lucky enough to inherit my husband's blue eyes and his dimple and so far it seems like she's got my skinny legs and blond hair (What? I was a real blond... Once upon a time.), but the poor kid was doomed from the word Go in the fine hair department. Both Mr. C and I have fine, thin hair and Chicky's hair is a nightmare to find hair clips for.

PBN asked if I would review some barrettes from Maiden America and I was only too happy to say yes. They claim that their barrettes stay put, even in the thinest hair. But do they really? Go check out my review and find out.

I'm just trying to keep you in the will

Yes, my foot still hurts. No, I haven't given birth yet. No, we haven't picked a name out yet. Yes, I'm still cranky and surly. I think that about covers everything.

Everything except my new review for the free (Free!) photo sharing website, Kinzin. Do you suck at printing and sending pictures to your family? Have your parents forgotten what your kids look like? Do they still have photos of your little ones proudly displayed that are at least five years out of date? Well then, what are you still doing here? Check out my review.

Hey, Rookie

Y'all are baby name crazy. Remind me to enlist your help when it comes time to get a new puppy or kitten. Can't wait to see what you'll come up for an animal.

(Warning! Awkward segue coming up in three... two... one...)

If you're preggers like me, whether this is baby #1 or #2, or plan on getting pregnant in the not so distant future, or maybe you have a real baby shower to attend soon, I have a new review up about a book written by the Rookie Moms. If you want to take a break from all this name nonsense, go check it out.