When I die it will probably be because someone who said they loved me didn't step up to the plate .. .

Me:  If someone kidnapped me, what would you do to get me back?

Aaron: Whatever they want me to do.  You know, within reason.

Me:  What do you mean "within reason"?  What would be unreasonable to save the life of the woman you love, who also happens to be the mother of your child?

Aaron:  I don't know but there's probably something that would cross the line.

Me: Would you have sex with 6 men?

Aaron:  What?

Me: Would you have sex with 6 men to save my life?

Aaron: Why would 6 men kidnap you to force me to have sex with them?

Me: I don't know, kidnappers are a mysterious, twisted bunch.  Would you do it?

Aaron:  Am I pitcher or catcher?

Me: Both. 3 pitching and 3 catching.

Aaron: Depends.  Would Carson ever find out?

Me: He might, if the kidnappers taped it and put it on the internet and some day in the future he's looking at gay porn sites and comes across it.

Aaron: No, I meant would he ever find out I let you die?

Pitiful.  For the record, I would have sex with 6 men to save his life.  BECAUSE I'M THAT SELF-SACRIFICING. But only if they were going to kill him, because I'm also faithful. Except in life or death situation.

i can assure you, i was totally freaked out

I've had a few rough days but I found this video and it makes everything better.  Just to note, I don't speak French but there are subtitles (although some stupid ad covers part of them and you have to click the x to get rid of it). 

I watch this and laugh and laugh and feel better.  Then I think about how I'm laughing at baby ducks being blown around and feel bad because I'm obviously a terrible person.  So I have to watch it again so I feel better.

Magic Poufing Powder

So, my friend Cindy (who requested a shout out on this) gave me the heads up about this amazing new hair product, volumizing powder.  She and I both have fine, limp hair (although mine is finer and limper) and she said this product gave her instant huge hair.

Well, I ran right down to the drug store and not only found the magic poufing powder but it was on sale!  What is this miracle product?  Got2B's  POWDER'ful Volumizing Styling Powder.

Now, normally my hair is so smooth and shiny that nothing can make it hold volume - not product, not curlers, NOTHING.  so I go about with it flat and limp.  One little shake of this stuff and Houston, we have volume. 

We decided to test the product.  Here is me with air-dried, product-free hair (how I look every day).

Also, no make-up. And kind of a double chin.  The powder did not effect that.

I put a small amount in my hand and rubbed it in good -- like I was scratching for lice. We call it "nitting it up".

It has not smell and feels a little sticky.  Like you could rub it on your hands to give extra grip if you were lifting something heavy and didn't want your hands to slip.  I lifted up the sections of my hair where I wanted lift and rubbed it in.

And here's what it looks like after that.  Be warned -- this is without any further styling, just rubbing in the powder and lightly finger combing my hair.  Also, still no make-up.

This isn't the best picture but trust me, I had at least double the volume.  And it lasted all day.  If it started to droop I would just nit it up again and it was back to poufyness.

The next day I blow dried (with volumizing spray), used the powder, and curled and here is the result:

Uh, it's kind of messy but it still has lots of pouf even after being out in damp weather.  And my double chin disappeared.  Magic!

Now, I know you're thinking "hmm, Kate seems to decorate her home with cubicle walls".  Alas, this is not true.  This test was done at work because several of the ladies I work with were interested in the results.  They were so impressed that they all ran downstairs to the drug store and bought some.  Bonus: it was on sale for 5 bucks.

My review: This is an effective product.  The volume it gave me lasted pretty much all day and the ladies who had less tempermental hair had even better results.  The bottle is small (about the size of a spice jar) but you only need a tiny bit.  Even if you don't use it every day, you could keep it in your purse and if you are out and your hair needs a boost, use it for instant pouf. 

I give it 4 out of 5 high heels.

ADHD Awareness Week

Happy ADHD Awareness Week!  We will be celebrating by . . . trying to remember what we are celebrating.  In our family we have great PLANS to celebrate things but we often get lost in the details.  Executive functions aren't a strong point.

I often have people ask me if I really believe ADHD exists or if it's just an excuse for lazy parents/out of control kids.  Anyone who spends time with someone with ADHD can attest that it does exist.  I struggle daily to keep on task, keep focused, remember what I need to do and not be distracted.  It's frustrating and sometimes heartbreaking to see how easy other people manage to do something as simple as make a meal.  For me it likely means some ingredient will be left out, or something will be burned, or the side dish will be served with the dessert because I forgot to put it on in time to eat with the main course.  It means that the dishes don't get entirely washed because when I went to the living room to pick up empty glasses I noticed the jacket that should go on the hooks, where I found a box that needed to go in the sun porch, where I found the laundry hamper that belonged in the bathroom .  . .

It means that I'm continually explaining to people that my kids aren't being mean when they get rough, or rude, or impulsive.  It means explaining to teachers that Sam CAN'T remember to bring his homework home without a reminder and this will not stop once he's "got into a routine" around Christmas.  It means explaining to teachers that Liam NEEDS to fidget in class and sometimes leave the room because the urge to fidget is almost painful.

It also means that we have a house of fun-loving, up-for-anything people with lots of energy, creativity and optimism.  I often emphasize to my children that ADHD isn't a disease, just a different way of interacting with the world that has some good points and some bad points.  We deal with them as best we can and try to laugh over the mistakes and problems we have as well as celebrate when things are going well.

If you want more information on ADHD Awareness week or ADHD in general, this website is a good starting place.

Interesting Times

image from AwakeRevolution

As an information junkie, I read a lot.  I've been reading and thinking lately about the economic future of the world -- because we are all too interconnected to believe that a problem in one area won't eventually effect the rest of the world.  Phrases like "global village" arise for a reason.

Two articles I've read recently are resonating with me.  The first, The death that sparked a revolution,  is by Rebecca Solnit and it gives a interesting and moving recap of the events that have happened world wide since  Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia immoliated himself after having his street vending wares confiscated and being refused an audience with the authorities who could resolve the issue. This act galvantized the people of Tunisia and started the domino fall of North African governments that continues today.

The second Thirteen Observations made by Lemony Snicket while watching Occupy Wall Street from a Discreet Distance is by one of my favourite authors who gives his "observations" with his usual wry humor.  My favourite: 

      11. Historically, a story about people inside impressive buildings ignoring or even taunting people standing outside shouting at them turns out to be a story with an unhappy ending.

We live in interesting times.  And interesting times came be a little scary.

We went to the pumpkin patch

And found this!

Dill's Pumpkin Farm is where we went.  Every giant pumpkin in the world today is a descendant of one of Howard Dill's world champ pumpkins.

Aaron and I took Carson there while the big kids were in school but didn't pick out a pumpkin because we were walking and it would be too heavy to take home. We'll go back in a week or so and pick out a good one -- or 5.

Thanksgiving #2

We celebrated our second Thanksgiving of the year at Aaron's brother's.  We brought:

pumpkin cheesecake pie

AND

chocolate cake balls -- mmmmmm

 AND

a birthday card.

It was a beautiful warm day -- we were outside for most of it.

Tomorrow we have our third Thanksgiving feast -- this one will be ham though as we are turkey'd out!