Channeling My Inner Witchiness

My daughters and I have a Halloween tradition where we watch the 1993 movie "Hocus Pocus" together. If you've ever watched this movie, you know just how silly and funny it is! It's a spoof on what are supposed to be these three scary sister witches brought back to life, but they are just dim-witted.

We have the entire move memorized and we say our favorite parts along with it, as well as sing the songs. It starts Bette Midler, so you know the singing is great! Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are also in it and Kathy is the nuttiest of them all and totally cracks me up. For example, someone steals their brooms so they are forced to improvise, and Kathy gets stuck with a vacuum. LOL

Anyhow, this year, to get ready for the movie night, I bought a witches hat. But of course, not just any hat would do. I would wait until all the decent looking hats are gone, so there is just one more left in the dismal pile of ugly stuff no one wants in the Wal-Mart Halloween section. The one with big ugly flowers on it, and a small piece of net that goes straight out the back. Oh yea, that's a scary one. (insert rolling eyes here).

My daughters arrived and laughed at my hat (not the reaction I was going for but oh well). They took a picture of me looking as scary as I could, but later they said I looked more constipated than scary.

After we enjoyed the movie they caught me in action with a little toy.
 

What? Doesn't every Halloween witch play a scary tune on their uber-scary melody maker?

Have a fun and safe Halloween!!

Farrah Fawcett

As I'm sure some of you know by now, Farrah Fawcett died this morning from anal cancer, and it made me so sad, I cried. I've never been a fan of hers, or followed her in movies or the tabloids, so why does it bother me so much?



It goes back to about one month ago when I watched her documentary special on tv. She talked about her cancer, her acceptance of it and her faith. I have to say she totally inspired me.



I used to think of her a this 1970's trashy bimbo from Charlies Angel who evidentally liked showing her chest to everyone, and perhaps she was that way then, but she was now very down to earth, spritual, family oriented, so sweet with her elderly father, a loving mother, and a total pillar of strength with how she dealt with her cancer. She had more courage in her pinky than I do in my entire body.

It made me stand back and take a look at myself. So I have some health issues...so what? Let's focus on the big picture....I'm not dying! At the time of the movie she was dying. And she knew it, and yet she greeted every day with a smile and with courage no matter how weak she was getting.



A couple of comments she made in the movie really stuck with me:



*If you do what you've always done, why would expect to wake up with different results?



*If you want things to change, don't sit around waiting for someone else to change them. YOU make the change.





*I ask myself.....Did I do my best today?





*Don't give up, no matter what they say to you, keep fighting.





I have printed out her picture and taped it by my computer, and included these sayings. She has become my inspiration. To see her struggle and be in such great pain, and yet go on without complaining and whining and while still having a smile on her face is what I aspire to as I continue to improve my health. No whining, only gratefulness that you have another day and another chance to do your best.


While I'm sad for her that she lost this battle, I am happy to know she is at peace and no longer in pain, and I know she greeted the heavenly gates while still wearing a smile.



God bless Farrahs family.

What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate

As I go along as CEO of indoor operations in our home, things are busy, things get hectic, things get craaaaaaaazy. But, I am very careful to be sure that everything is uploaded, downloaded, and cross-referenced at Command Central (aka: the calendar on the front of the kitchen fridge). I also double check throughout the week to make sure I have the same information on our portable Command base (aka: my blackberry). ~~~Must keep them synced or chaos will run amok!

Amok! Amok! Amok! Amok! Amok!

(which is a favorite saying of Chelsea and I and it comes from the ditzy blonde witch played by Sarah Jessica Parker in Disney's "Hocus Pocus", which is a very funny movie by the way. It also starts Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy. Oh my goodness - Funny stuff.) Of course you can't just say it, you have to dance around in a circle flipping your hair at the same time to get the proper effect.


OK - FOCUS! Where were we?

So while I fail miserably at keeping my home Martha Stewart organized, I do keep our daily/weekly/monthly schedules organized. If it's happening to someone in our family, I know about it and it's documented. I have survived many years of dance lessons, band and vocal concerts, horse shows, 4-H meetings, church choir practices, etc and not missed any (well, hardly any). My system has always worked great. Papers come home from school - pertinent info is retrieved from said papers and transferred to both command central and portable command. Done.

PANIC: Sound the alarms!!!

A flaw has been discovered in my system. This flaw is technically known as:


Offspring #3, or as I refer to him:

Teenage Son who never tells his mother squat.

*sigh*

Don't be deceived by his innocent smile. He's devious and delights in withholding information that is crucial for Command Central database records.

Every Sunday night I go over the upcoming week, just to be sure we're on top of things for the week. This past Sunday night I double check the school calendar and it says that this next Saturday is the state solo & ensemble competition for both band and vocal. Since Austin has never mentioned anything about this, or brought home any information about it, I assume he's not participating.

It's times like this when I remember what my grandma always said about why we don't "assume".

"Austin? You're not participating in the band and vocal competitions this next weekend is that right?"

He answers very nonchalantly as if I'm asking if he'd like Spaghetti for supper "Yea I'm in it."

"You are? For band?"


"Well, yea band, but vocal too."

Yes, Grandma I know.....never assume.

"Oh OK, great. What exactly are you singing? Octet? Quartet?"

"Um, I'm doing a quartet and 2 solos".



WHATTTT?????

He's doing not one, but 2 solos? He's singing? Out loud? Alone? In front of judges? In front of people? My son? MINE? No way!

I looked at him and said "I am so proud of you, but I do have one question: Who ARE you and what have you done with my Austin?"

Actually, all teasing aside, I am super excited to learn of this and am looking forward to going on Saturday. I have no doubt that he'll do awesome, and I'm proud that he is going to try something new and outside of his comfort zone.

And yes, it is now documented in pen at command central. Now I need to find a fool-proof way of foiling any future flaws. Any suggestions?

I'm Sorry Richard

We don't go to a theater very often. Partly it's because I'm cheap. I can't stand paying ridiculous prices to see a movie and eat stale popcorn. Plus, I always seem to end up sitting right in front of the people who talk through the whole movie. That drives me crazy - just ask my family.

So usually we will wait until it comes out on video or we'll get it through pay-per-view on tv. When "Nights In Rodanthe" came out on video I saw it in Target. I was there with one of my daughters, and I said "Oh we should get this movie", and she promptly wrinkled her nose. I asked what the problem was and here's how the conversation went:

Mom, do those two on the cover like....kiss?

Well, I haven't seen the movie, but from what I know of it, it's a chick flick, so yea, I'm guessing they do.

Eeewwww. That's just nasty.

What? Why is that nasty?

Mom. He's so...so...

What?

Old.

(*Shock on my face*)You did not just call Richard Gere old. He's Richard Gere. He has been handsome since "An Officer And Gentleman".

You call him handsome. I call him old. Look at him Mom. He's got gray hair and everything.

But he's Richard Gere!

Mom. Put the movie back. I do not want to see old people making out.

*sigh* And I thought I raised you better.

Well, a couple of days ago I was in Target and guess what...the movie was still there. It was even on sale - Bonus! That night I was home alone so I decided to pop the movie in, knowing there was no way Jay would want to watch a romance movie with me, and there wasn't enough money in the world to bribe Austin to watch it with me.

Oh Richard, I don't care what my daughter says, you're still dreamy.

This was a great movie until it got sad. And then the tears came, and more came and pretty soon I was doing the ugly cry, and glad no one else was home.

Excuse me.....Why didn't anyone warn me that this was a sad movie????

Would I recommend this movie? Yes. Just make sure you have your tissues nearby!

The Thrill May Be Gone

Just a hunch, but I think Gabby is tired of watching Mamma Mia with me.