Let's Get Real!

I enjoy reality TV. I think everyone does, to some extent. Tyler would argue with me since he thinks the reality shows I like are lame, but doesn't mind watching Animal Planet or Food Network. He seriously rolls his eyes when I get excited for a new episode of my kind of reality. Now, here's the thing. I am fairly intelligent enough to realize I am not being stimulated mentally, that there's not a ton that makes a difference in the world showing on reality shows, and then it's pretty appalling at what some people will do on national television. And yet, I LOVE IT. I am totally voyeur-istic (hello! blog lurking much?!) and find it an interesting study of the human condition on HOW people handle interactions with others, WHY people say and do the things they do, and WHERE IN THE WORLD they come up with the stuff they come up with to actually broadcast. Tyler's beef (well, one of them about reality) is that it's not really reality; that there's so much of it that's fixed and fabricated. And, I am totally okay with that. Especially when I don't really have to engage in a serious plot or follow some dynamic character development.

And pretty much I am not discriminating. I like all sorts of reality shows. With the writer's strike, I have been able to keep up a little more religiously on the shows I like with the help of my DVR. So, let me point out some of my shows and what I find most interesting about them. Like, do y'all watch Jon and Kate + 8. They are this family with twins and then sextuplets. They have the whole camera crew thing follow them in their day-to-day life, which is interesting to me since it's mostly whining kids who fight with each other and a lot of laundry. But what I really love is the parts where just Jon and Kate speak on camera. They're, like, squeezed onto this loveseat and then you can tell how dry and sarcastic and drained the dad is, while the mom is controlling and over-bearing and opinionated. Last week she is talking and turns to the hubby mid-sentence and says, "Gosh, do you have to breath so loud?" [She turns to the crew] "Can you guys hear how loud he's breathing? It's gross." [Back to him] "Stop breathing." So, the husband just looks at her and then over-exaggerates his breathing to be really loud and then turns to the crew and without saying anything takes a big gulp of breath and holds it. He's just looking at the camera, like, GEEZ! Cracks me up. Look at the mom's face in this picture:

I love that I can semi-relate to this family. Even though they have an amazing amount of kids, they still go out in public (albeit, I'm sure with a cache of nannies behind the camera), and the kids are all color-coordinated. I love that!

Okay, and let's hear it for BRAVO! I don't even know why the network was created, but I am sure the reality shows have brought it into it's full potential. I mean, can we even have blog room enough to talk about how FIERCE Project Runway is? And yes, I am not above Make Me a Supermodel every now and then. Bravo's great because they show these marathons of their reality shows, so you can totally catch up on an entire series in an entire Saturday. My current can't miss shows running on Bravo are Top Chef (airs show #2 tonight) AND The Real Housewives of New York City.

Last week Nimma (I think that's how you say it) had to "Pack Her Knives" and go home, which I concurred with the judges decision. Now, this show's definitely more high brow compared to Housewives, and I do feel like it's a bit more legit to watch a cooking competition filled with HUGE egos and tons of skill compared to a bunch of socialites who are catty, frivolous, and seriously deluded about reality.

And, of course, for the water cooler conversations (well, not so much in my life, but for social situtions nonetheless) I have to catch American Idol here and there. I'm kinda over the whole Beatles thing, not to diss the Beatles, but I do like some diversity. And while I enjoy the commentary from the judges, I love Tyler's reactions to the commentary and bantering. He cannot stand Ryan Seacrest and he totally cracks up when Simon makes fun of him. My personal favorites are Brooke, little David A, and Seyesha (just cuz I think she's really pretty). I'm not much for the rockers, love the ballads, and can't stand the cheesiness they're working through the past couple episodes.

And last, but not least, THE BACHELOR has returned. Daniel TOTALLY gave a good recap on his blog yesterday (which, was gratifying on so many levels that we have truly converted him to this piece of slop and it was SO noteworthy some of the stuff that went on). Some shows can be justified as semi-educational or entertaining, but this one (like Housewives) really has no redeeming value. I mean, 25 women on National TV lusting and competing over this random stranger, who this season happens to be from Britain. Of course we had our Bachelor party and Erin, Stacy, and I were picking our favorites and doing a lot of "Oh No She Didn't" as they were vying for Matt Grant's attention. I get a kick from the catty-ness and stink eyes, but the embarrassing antics of some women are REALLY why I tune on. Like this week, homegirl Stacy full on stuffed this pair of underwear (presumably the ones she had been wearing) into the Bachelor's suit pocket. He was totally disgusted, she was so drunk (and even passed out on a mattress mid-party), and NO! she did not get a rose. Too much.

Doesn't she look semi-hoochie anyway? Oh, poor thing. And there's something about the Bachelor that reminds me of my cousin, Greg. I mean, minus the British accent. Okay, and minus the cute Aunt Clo in front of him and not so 1990s, but does anyone else see it?

Anyhow, for those of you who made it through this, you're probably pretty disturbed that not only do I watch that stuff (our friend Tom would say I'm in the"Thick of Thin Things"), but have spent my 200th post writing about it too. I'm okay with that part of me, and do rationalize that I can DVR it and have it as my house-cleaning/blogging background. We can't all be tuned in all the time.

Holy Bloggage!

I'm just sayin' I have hooked y'all up for some morning blog reading. Keep reading because I have posted 5 times tonight!

Rascal Flatts Facts

Firstly, just a quick shout out to our good friend Derrick Stewart who TOTALLY hooks us up with good concert tickets all the time. When I heard Rascal Flatts was coming to town again, I asked Tyler to see if we could double date with Sherry and Derrick (since we also LOVE them as people even without their fun tickets!) cuz they're one of my favorite groups. AND Derrick was another guy who took his girls to the Hannah Montana concert, so that let's you know what kind of a guy he is, sooo, HOLLA Derrick!

Here's the facts:

I was still SOO sick. Seriously, don't I look green? I was able to function, but I was coughing and had a runny nose the whole night. You can tell my nose is raw in the photo and how thrilled Tyler is that I'm making him pose for a picture, huh!?

Derrick ended up going hunting the weekend of the concert, so we missed the double date with the Stewarts. While that was a bummer, we found some worthy replacements, and we took my sister and Kevin. They're fans, and we all had a good time.
Kelly Pickler opened for Rascal Flatts and she was cute and pretty good. She's teensy tiny and was POUR-RED into her clothes. She was having a hard time keeping her microphone pack in her back pocket. And she took her cute shoes off after the second song. I kept getting distracted by how dirty her feet must be throughout her set. She talked a lot, too, but was cute.

The set for the main show was pretty amazing. Probably one of the best I've seen in a while. There was a mini-stage in the middle of the venue and a bridge that lowered and raised so they could get out "with the people."

The boys put on a good show. We had heard a couple different things going both ways about the show, so we were pleasantly surprised about how good it was. They said something at the beginning of the concert about wanting to win fan favorite at the Country Music Awards, so maybe they were working it harder than they normally would.

Pretty much we had a great time. Other than the chic who spilled beer down Kevin's back, the people around us were really entertaining. I did enjoy all the songs they sang and thought the whole show was awesome. There was even a guy who proposed to his girlfriend on stage; which was cool. So, thanks again, Derrick. I'm glad I didn't die that week so I could make it to the show. Rock on Rascal Flatts!

Have I mentioned I have a 2 yr. old BOY?

I thought I'd give a visual representation of what a typical day does to Brock. We started the morning all clean-faced and bright-eyed.

Then, we went and got donuts (first day of track/spring break tradition), ran a couple errands, cleaned the car, went to the park with Grandpa Bruce where Brock scored a huge Spiderman ice-cream treat from the ice cream man, rode bikes/scooters outside, and VOILA. This is Brock this afternoon.

All boy, FOR SURE! And why did I even think white was so cute for this t-shirt? I should have thought that $5.99 purchase through a little more!

And about the park trip with Grandpa Bruce. What a blessing! I was at my wit's end with my kiddos (I KNOW IT'S A RE-OCCURRING THEME!) when we stopped by G & G's for a potty stop before the park. We were trying to steer clear of Paula's cleaning magic at home for the day and I was spent after everything else we had accomplished. BUT, to use a little more of their energy up AND because they really helped clean the car, I told them I'd take them to the park. However, once I sat down on the couch, I was really hoping the kids would change their mind and want to hang out for a bit. No so such luck, BUT, my wonderful father-in-law told me to go lay down for an hour and he'd take the kids to the park. So, I crashed on the couch for an hour. The good, 'oh-I'm-stiff-from-not-moving-a-muscle', kind of a nap until they all came back home. What a tender mercy, seriously. He's a wonderful man in SO many ways and I'm so grateful for him seeing me on the brink and sparing my sweet kids from the carnage :) Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I may not be Irish, but I am very LUCKY!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Water Boarding

Isn't water-boarding a form of torture or something? I don't know the details 'bout that, but I thought I'd update y'all on last week's rock-throwing/ceramic-frog-smashing incident at our house. If you thought I was upset, you should have seen Tyler when he got home that night and saw the carnage I was unable to pull from the spa. In Tyler's defense he almost always has to get the rocks off the bottom of the pool (or the cars or balls or whatever else has been launched in) and he was DONE with it. We were sitting down to dinner when Tyler got home, so he went and looked at what had been done (cuz you know that day I had called him at work to complain about the situation) and when he came in he announced to Brevin and Brock, "When you're done with dinner, you'll be stripping to your underwear and getting in the spa to pick up all those pieces." Brevin immediately protested, the girls started to get upset FOR the boys because they knew how cold the water would be, and I looked at Tyler with a are-you-really-gonna-make-them-do-that? look. Tyler just reiterrated the punishment and explained it would be cold, but they wouldn't die.

Sure enough, after dinner, the boys got in their skivvies and Tyler dropped him in the spa. It was freezing. I opted to get in the shower so's not to be involved and the next thing I know both the girls are bawling at my door for their brothers' plight. (Kinda sweet, in a way.) When I came out, Tyler had them in the warm tub and the tears had mostly dried. Brevin was SURE that night that he was never even going out back again cuz he didn't want to have to get in the cold water again.

Brock? Yeah, he littered the pool with about 15 rocks the VERY NEXT DAY! What are we gonna do with that kid!

Somethin' to chew on

Last Wednesday I gave the kids a fifteen minute warning that it was time to get in the car to take Brevin to soccer and then the girls to gymnastics. They were supposed to clean up their mess, change their clothes, and get shoes on. Then, get in the car. Not that complicated, right? Oh, I did throw in a reminder to go to the bathroom so we could avoid the always urgent plea AS SOON AS we pull out of the driveway of "I gotta go." So, the 15 minutes pass and none of the four kids are even ACTING like they're on their way to the car, so I picked up myself and told them I was leaving. Brock was the only one to follow me, so I thought, "Great, I'm leaving with the only one that doesn't have any place to go, but that's fine by me." However, once we get to the carseat, I realize he's poopy, so BACK inside we go to do a change. (REALLY, what is it about that we're leaving announcement and my kids' bowel movements??? they seem really related.) Now I would imagine the scene inside is pure panic at the thought of being left home from their activities, but OOOOHHH NOOOO, Kenzie, Caylee, and Brevin are lounging around like they didn't even know I was leaving them. And then I was a little bugged that they had totally not even heard my threat. So, as I am changing the diaper, I yell again, "I am leaving you guys home if you are not in the car by the time I am done changing this diaper!!!!" Out walks Caylee NOT in her gymnastics outfit. OH, I was so frustrated. At this point, she was a little panicked and I got a little rise out of that, "Oh, crap, I should have listened 15 minutes ago!!!" freak-out. So, by the time I got Brock buckled in his carseat, the other kids are racing out to the already running car and rush in as I am backing up. Cuz, I was seriously ready to leave them. So, with all that hubba-baloo NOW we're late and I am ready to read them the riot act and I launch into this mom-tyrade about listening to me when I tell them to start getting ready, and not farting around watching TV instead of picking up their mess, and taking responsibility for being where they're supposed to be, and on and on and on. We had gotten quite a way out of the neighborhood when I realized I was droning on and on and what I was saying was probably not resonating with any of them, so I said, "OKAY?! Ya got it? Have you had your butt chewed enough?" So, what do I get back? Brevin's little voice asking, "Mom, why do you wanna eat my bum?" I'm so glad all my energies are making a difference! Yet another reminder about how I am molding the future people!