"TWoS" DaY: SPRiNG BReaK

Spring Break
Gone Nowhere

Entertaining Kids
At home
All week
So fun!
(Insert sarcasm!)

Bad weather
Including snow
Dampers spirits

Dropped The
Eff Bomb
Monday Morning

Some sun
Led us
To animals
The zoo!
With friends!
Big bear
Attacked us
Thank God
For glass
To keep
Her away.

Kids fighting
And yelling
Me, thinking
Of things
For us
To get
Through the
Very long
Week ahead

Now today
We’ll see
Monsters! Aliens!

I wonder
Which one
The kids
Think that
I am.

The monster
Or the
Gruesome alien?

Because most
Days I
Am both.

Kid crying
Right now
Outside playing
A game
And got
Finger hurt

Dear God
Can it
Please be
Monday yet?

Because I
Need a
Freaking Break!

I will
Admit though
Sleeping in
Every morning
Is the
Best part.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Previous "Twos" Days:

Lunch Time
Two Minutes To Write
My Diva
Original Twos Day
Goodbye Reproduction

Thank you for reading!

$5 FRiDaY . DooCe . JeN LaNCaSTeR . WHaT MoRe CaN i Do?!

Last night I had the chance to sit down and interview Heather Armstrong of Dooce.com about her new book, It Sucked and Then I Cried.

and I'll be sharing that interview on bettyconfidential.com and telling more about my night with some fabulous new blogger friends here on Manic Mommy later.


(Here they are, from left to right: SnarkyMommy, Martha Macgyver, Heather sitting, me, Susie Sunshine, and Jen Lancaster!)

Yes, THIS Jen Lancaster. Her next book, Pretty in Plaid, comes out in May, and it's awesome, beginning with tales of her exploits as a Girl Scout badge deceiver and cookie seller... order it now HERE!

But anyway, back to why you're here! TO WIN $5!

Last night there was another author there whom I really admire as well. I've met this NY Times bestselling author previously and I didn't know she was going to be there and I had the chance to talk with her a little bit. And it thrilled me! It was like a hat trick or a trifecta of authors last night! Getting three for the price of one!

Name the mystery author and win this week's $5 Friday challenge! Of course, those of you who were there last night CANNOT play this week, so don't guess!

Here are some clues:

I have blogged about her in the last year.

She has written about Santa, being joyful, and donuts.

GO!

Previous $5 Friday:

Guess which magazines I subcribe to?

Guess the dude's name?

What movie ticket stubs?

Guess the Lunch Bill?

NeW WiFi CoDe: KiLL THe MaN

So, I always lose the WIFI code we need to connect a laptop in our house, cuz we don't have a laptop (YET!) but we borrowed one last night and I had to dig up the code. I then thought it would be a good idea to send a copy of the code to hubby so he would have it in case for when I lose it again.

So of course, it's some gibber-gabber huge code that looks something like this but not really:

bqurehsough$wrwerwe07kdfhkdfghkhasdkh23423

And he emails me back asking this:

"Can we change it to something simple like myhubbyishot?"

My reply:

"Why would I want a code admitting that I might shoot you someday?"

Ha Ha. Do you get it?

MY.Hubby.I.Shot!

I kill me!

"TWoS" DaY: LuNCH TiMe

Depression can
hit you
any time.
Even now
when alone
staring at
my sandwich.
Ham cheese
Nothing else
No mayo.

Eating it
devours my
depressive feelings.

Or instead
fills me,
depresses me,
even more.

Who knows?
I’m hungry.
Chomp. Chomp.

What am
I masking?
I do
not know.

All I
did was
eat lunch.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Previous "Twos" Days:
Two Minutes To Write
My Diva
Original Twos Day
Goodbye Reproduction

Thank you for reading!

DiVa TooK oVeR My BLoG: SiSTeRS eiGHT

Diva is turning out to be a little writer herself and when I had the chance to talk with one of my favorite author pals who has just come out with a new series of tween books written with the help of her own young daughter ... well, Diva said, "I want to ASK THE QUESTIONS!" So she came up with all of the interview questions and we sent them off to the authors of the new series SISTERS EIGHT, which Diva is reading and LOVING now!

But first, some background!

The Sisters 8 is a family affair written by mom Lauren, dad Greg, and wonder daughter Jackie and is a series of eight books about OCTUPLETS (created WELL before Nadya the freak mom came along, I can ASSURE YOU!).

Anyway, these octuplets are mysteriously abandoned by their parents at the age of 7 on New Year's Eve but are each left with a unique gift.

This series is great for kids of all ages, and is stuffed with "suspense and hijinks!" The first two books have been out for a while and are titled: Annie's Adventures and Durinda's Dangers. Book three in the series, Georgia's Greatness, is available today, March 23!



To learn more, head on over to Lauren's website or just read this great interview between Diva and authors Lauren Baratz Logsted, her amazing daughter Jackie, and a few of the Sisters 8!

DIVA: How did your family come up with the eight names?

Jackie Logsted: Well, I thought of all the names except for Petal and Zinnia. My mom thought of Zinnia but no one knows who thought of Petal.

Petal Huit: Oh no! Who named me? Did a meteor name me? Will it crash to Earth? Oh no! The world's going to end!

Lauren Baratz Logsted: Petal freaks out sometimes.

DIVA: How long did it take you to write the first book?

LBL: Twelve days for the first draft.

Marcia Huit: That was Annie's book. I'll bet mine will take longer. I'm more complex. (I'm not usually this aggressive, but I do have Annie issues.)

DIVA: Do you like the first book better or the second one?

JL: I think I like the first one better, because it's the beginning and I really like the ideas in it.

Durinda Huit: How can you like Annie's book better than mine? I cook! (OK, maybe we're all a bit aggressive about Annie.)

LBL: It's hard to choose, but maybe the second book. How can you not love a book with a romance between a robot and a talking refrigerator?

Annie Huit: What??? I think a book where the oldest seven-year-old learns how to drive and gets to wear a fake mustache is much better.

Durinda Huit: It's all part of the human mind and human minds like mine better.

DIVA: What’s your favorite book in the series?

JL: Of what we have written so far I think it would have to be........ GEORGIA'S GREATNESS.

LBL: I happen to like JACKIE'S JOKES of those written. That title just has a certain ring to it.

Zinnia Huit: But mine hasn't even been written yet! For all you know, it could be the best! Why do I always have to be last???

DIVA: Did your family fight about the topics in the books?

LBL: No, but it looks like the characters do.

Rebecca Huit: I resent that!

DIVA: Why did you use 8 as your topic?

JL: It's just random.

LBL: There was no Octomom at the time. We thought we were being original.

Jackie Huit: Eight is a perfect number.

DIVA: Do you have any advice for parents who want their kids to read the books?

JL: Buy the books!!!!!!!!!

LBL: Read them with your kids. We're told adults enjoy them too.

Georgia Huit: You should definitely buy them because they're great, and I should know - I'm the star!

DIVA: Do you enjoy writing books with your parents?

JL: Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Eights: We would like to, if only we could find our parents. In the meantime, please visit us at www.sisterseight.com where you can even take a quiz to discover: Which Eight Are You??? If you come, that would make us very happy. It would almost be as good as a can of pink frosting.

DIVA: When I was reading I figured out that their birthday is on August 8th and August is the eighth month of the year.

LBL: Yes, and the Eights all will turn 8 on 8/8/08, that date not having occurred yet in the series even though it may have in your crazy world.

Manic Mommy: If you're looking for some great reads for your kids, for birthday gifts, for Easter baskets, check out this series! We're on our way out later this week to pick up Georgia's Greatness, and then the FOURTH book will be out April 20, and that's titled, Jackie's Jokes ... hmmm, wonder where they came up with that GREAT NAME?

Thanks for your time everyone! And of course, thanks to Diva for a great interview too!

$5 FRiDaY

AND WE HAVE A WINNER! Scroll down to see the answer ... And that was like in RECORD TIME, less than a half an hour for a correct guess to come in, and if you read through the post, there are clues embedded (well, one), plus, if you're on Twitter, I totally gave clues throughout the week leading to the $5 Friday question of the week! Thanks for playing! If you didn't get a chance to play, check out the comments to see how it's played out and come back next week for some more fun and your chance to win $5 next week!

This one should be really simple for you all out there.

Between Mr. Manic and I, we subscribe to a total of five magazines. Name two of them to win five bucks.

Hints:

Two are for pleasure.

Two are business/hobby related.

One is miscellaneous.

Four are specifically for me and hold no interest to Mr. Manic.

None of them are pornographic in nature.

You may each guess three times, two magazines per each guess.

GO! ....

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Previous Five Buck Friday:

Guess the dude's name?

What movie ticket stubs?

Guess the Lunch Bill?

JoNaS BRoTHeRS

So I had this dream that I’m on vacation in a pool with the Jo Bros. Like ON VACATION specifically WITH THEM. Me and the Jo Bros. And we’re all hanging out in this pool watching like Extra or some documentary on them on a TV that's plastered up in some swim-up bar type place at the pool. I'm trying to be all cool with the guys, and I don’t know why cuz I’m not into trying to impress them or anything - I mean, come on, I'm ALREADY ON VACATION WITH THEM, but we’re watching this show on their lives and their careers and I blurt out:

“So, which one of them is gay?”*



*For the record, I refuse to believe any of them is gay

"TWoS" DaY: THiS TooK TWo MiNuTeS To WRiTe

It’s Tuesday
I’m cluttered
I’m crabby
I’m freethought
Sunny today
Over 70
Stuck here
Computer clogged
Break through
Why here
Always stuck
Trapped on
This thing
What hold
Does it
Have on
My soul?

When I
Could be
Out there

Living with
The people
Who breathe
Who live
Who are
Out there

Instead I
Sit here
Day after
Day after
Day after
Every single
Day here.

This computer
Sucks my
Soul dry

And for
What point?

To bring
You readers
Two words?

Do you
Really care

What I
Have to
Say to
You today?

And if
So why?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Previous "Twos" Days:
My Diva
Original Twos Day
Goodbye Reproduction

Thank you for reading!

MaRio KaRT TaLK

Ajers: "UGH! You’re a buttcrack, Mario!"

Me: "Hey, don’t say that!"

Ajers: "Mom, it’s a videogame character. I’m playing Mario Kart. I’m allowed to talk to videogame characters like that!"

Me: "OK, just don’t call him an asshole."

THe iNTeRNeT GaMe FoRMeRLy KNoWN aS FiVe Bu©K FRiD@y!

Yep, you read that right. We have to change the name, and this is why. I got an email the other day that read:

I am sure you are not aware of the fact that Five Bu©k Frid@y is a trademarked named owned by a group of Florists. If you would like we can have the trademark information forwarded to you with our request for you to stop using the trademark.

I wasn’t mad or upset, because I am in the process of having the Manic Mommy name trademarked because there are others on the internet using that name and I believe to be the first who branded that name and I want to own it, so I kindly emailed the guy and said I completely understood his need to keep the name his. I told him that I would change it, which I am. However, I am putting those symbols in there for this post just so I can explain my need to change it. I figure the guy probably has a GOOGLE search on the phrase and he may check my blog anyway to see if I use his phrase again.

So, this is where I need your help.

We can no longer call our Friday fun game Five Bu©k Frid@y. We need a new name. I’ve thought a lot about it, and have come up with some suggestions. I could change the day. We could do Three Buck Thursday, and yeah, that would save me two bucks, but come on, that’s no fun for you! We could make it Six Buck Saturday or Sunday, but then that’s a lot more coming out of my pocket. Someone suggested Hi-Five Friday, which is very catchy and I really like, but then there’s that show on TV called Hi-Five, so what if I get in trouble for that?

We could call it $4.94 Friday and I could still give you five bucks?

So, in honor of having to change Five Bu©k Frid@y to another name, I’m gonna give away TWO FIVE BUCKs this week. One for the person who best comes up with a new name, and one for the person who can answer the Five Bu©k Frid@y question of the week!

Ready? You know how to play?

You get up to three guesses in the comments section, and there may or may not be clues as the guessing begins. Last weeks’ was WAAAAAAY too easy, so I’m making this week’s question really, really, really hard.

Today’s Five Bu©k Frid@y question is:

What is the man’s name who sent the email to me, and if you happen to BE THAT MAN checking in on me to make sure I am not violating any trademarking laws, which I am NOT, please don’t ruin my fun game, OK! Thank you!

Here’s one clue:

It is seven letters or less. How nice am I?

Oh, and here's another thing. If we happen to get to 100 comments without anyone getting it correct, which I find it terribly IMPOSSIBLE because come on, it's a guy's name, then YOU ALL LOSE! And you all have to admit defeat and you all have to send my blog address out to five of your friends and tell them I rock! OK? Deal? Fair. Fair!

Start your guesses my friends! And please, write in your suggestions for what we should call THe iNTeRNeT GaMe FoRMeRLy KNoWN aS FiVe Bu©K FRiD@y!

Previous Five Buck Friday:
What movie ticket stubs?

Guess the Lunch Bill?

WiNNeRS for ViRTuaL BLoG FoR BLooD DRiVe!

IMPORTANT Addendum to the Blood Drive Prize Winners:

If you'll notice in the second video, we pulled THREE $50 gift card winners, NOT two as originally planned for, and all three were announced. When I posted this, I accidentally forgot to list Melisa Wells' name, which Sue reminded me in the comments! And Melisa can confirm that I was not purposely hoping I would forget because if she looks at her cell phone's Caller ID, she will see that I tried to call her last night at approximately 6:05 p.m. (that's Wednesday, March 11 Melisa) because I was going to tell her I had done the drawing and that there MIGHT be a surprise for her! -- GO CHECK YOUR PHONE MELISA!)

So, we accidentally pulled one too many names, which is a $50 mistake, but that's OK, because it's well worth it, and everyone will be receiving their prizes! Melisa, congrats, you too, have received a $50 Visa Gift Card!


MaNiC MoMMy'S ViRTuaL BLoG FoR BLooD DRiVE winners are HERE:





$25 Target gift card: Brian Hess

$25 Target gift card: Sarah at Snarkalicious

$25 Target gift card + a copy of an existing doodle artwork from Organized Doodles from Rick: Kristen

$25 Target gift card + a cute bow purse from Jen from her site HERE:
Erin Hartmann

$50 Visa GIFT CARD: Michelle Behymer

$50 Visa GIFT CARD: Lynn C. Hicks

$100 Visa GIFT CARD: Jen Tufford

I forgot to specifically thank LAURIE HOBBS from Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort for coordinating with me for the fabulous six-day, five-night Florida vacation! Which brings us to our GRAND PRIZE WINNER ...

Ready ...

Set ...

GO!



ALL winners must email me at manicmommy@comcast.net with your mailing addresses and full names so I can mail you your prizes and information!

THANKS for a great outcome everyone!

Together you've helped save about 150 lives in your efforts this year at the Second Annual MaNiC MoMMy'S ViRTuaL BLoG FoR BLooD DRiVE!

BRiSToL & LeVi BReaK uP

Just a quick update on Bristol and Levi before the Blood Drive winner announcement. Comments appreciated!


Well, Was there really any doubt?

Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin’s eldest daughter Bristol, and Levi, her longtime boyfriend and father to their illegitimate two-month-old son, Tripp, are no longer together.

I was so hoping for an invite to a lavish wedding this summer up there in Alaska complete with “moose” pate and Alaskan king crab legs.

Drat.

The official Bristol Palin Statement:

“It is true that Levi and I are no longer together. However I am absolutely committed to being the best mom to Tripp Easton.”

Well, duh.

Dear, dear Bristol, let me enlighten, if I may. Just because you and your boyfriend are no longer together and don't want to play house, you can’t NOT stop playing Mommy.

Levi does see “Little Tripp” but he’s no longer at the Palin house as a “regular fixture.” It is noted that Levi and his family can see Tripp whenever they want. I have to wonder, does this mean through the windows with binoculars and not within 500 feet of the Palin estate?

I’m still friends with Levi on MySpace and he has not yet updated his page about the break-up. This is what it still says:

My girl is my life, for real. Bristol is what I live for, and now as everyone knows, I will be a father soon. Yea, I am young, but I still know what love and commitment mean, and love evry minute of my life.

"TWoS" DaY: MY DiVa

My Diva
Three moles
are gone
from her
precious body.

Eleven stitches
that we
can see.

There're more
Under skin
can't count.

First one
I watched
Her scalp
Her tears
The shot.
The pain.

Held hands
Her pain.
Her eyes.
Why. Why?

Pulled Flesh
From scalp
I watched.
Why watch?

Calm, calm.
Be calm.

So much
Blood bled.
A piece
of her
came out.
Sewn up.

That was
Last Monday.

Then yesterday
Two more
were taken.

I didn't
choose to
watch then.

Instead I
held her
hands tight.

She cried
of course
again yes.

But not
so much
this time.

She knew
what to
wait for.

Brave girl
My daughter.

I slept
with her
last night
long time
in case
she needed
her mom.

Or maybe
It was
that I
needed her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Previous "Twos" Days:
Original Twos Day
Goodbye Reproduction

THe DoNoRS, THe PRiZeS

Coming up later this week, we'll be doing the big drawing fot the Second Annual Manic Mommy's Virtual Blog for Blood Drive. If you missed it this year, do not fret, you've got plenty of time to prep those veins for NEXT YEAR'S EVENT! (If you're a big-name sponsor, contact me NOW!)

One of these fabulous qualifying donors (you know who you are!) will be winning a trip to Sandestin, Florida for six days, five nights! Here's the prize structure:

$25 Target gift card: ONE winner.

$25 Target gift card: ONE winner.

$25 Target gift card + a copy of an existing doodle artwork from Organized Doodles from Rick.

$25 Target gift card + a cute bow purse from Jen from her site HERE.

$50 Visa GIFT CARD: ONE winner.

$50 Visa GIFT CARD: ONE winner.

$100 Visa GIFT CARD: ONE winner.

GRAND PRIZE: Sandestin, Florida VACATION. (Travel not included.)

Thank you to Jen, Carlos, Melissa at Hope Floats, Rick at Organized Doodles, Laurie at Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort, (and moi!) for making all of these fabulous gifts available and possible!

And FYI, Target, I don't have to give away YOUR gift cards for this blood drive, I just do because I LOVE TARGET!

Also thank you to Heartland Blood Center for all of their special help during the blood drive.

So, later this week, we'll be doing the video announcement drawing live at the Heartland Blood Center locally, so check back on Thursday (hopefully!) to find out if YOU'RE GOING TO FLORIDA!)

Here are our wonderful donors this year. Will you just look at the faces of these AMAZING people! THey are all SMILING and GRACIOUS and BEAUTIFUL! And they're not smiling about the prize they may or may not win. They're smiling because of the selfless act they are taking part in. The life-saving act of donating blood!

Are you in for next year? I hope so!

Here they are! And not all of the donors are shown here, but we got close to 50 donors in a two-month period!

Me, kicking off the Second Annual Manic Mommy's Virtual Blog for Blood Drive:


Sarah:


Kristin:


Jennifer, Santa Maria, California:


Feisty Irish Wench (LOVE HER SCREEN NAME!) for donating, and she put up a whole blog post about her experience (I tried to put up her photo but had some technical difficulties so you'll have to go see her blog!): Go here to Feisty Irish Wench's blog!

Scott:


Debbie:


My Mom:


Brian:


Jules:


Shelly P.:


Melisa:


Michelle:


Nikki:


Monique and her dad:


Lynn:


Jessie:



We can't forget Kirsten who donated but didn't take a photo and doesn't care about the contest because she just had a trip to St. Thomas and is happy to just be saving lives anyway!!

Kim:


Andi:


Weaselmomma (the ONLY one to accept and take the Manic Mommy CHALLENGE!):


Mommy Melee:


Alicia:


Donald:


Jen T.:


Amanda H.:


Madison A.:


Nikki B.:


Maddie S.:


Gloria:


Michelle B.:


Sabrina:


Erin H.:


Ryan's Blood Bag:




Claire:
A Day Of Blood Loss - a very unique take on donating blood!

Amy:

Kristy:


Sue:


Candace:


Carlos:


Me:


Martha:


Laura:


Michelle: