Mommy Madness!

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I have been waiting excitedly to tell you about the latest opportunity this amazing blog has brought to me.  I had to take care of a few administrative things before I could say anything but now, rather than bursting, I am going to share with you my secret.  I’ve been selected as one of only five mom bloggers in the DFW metroplex to take part in the “Mommy Madness” campaign for CBS Radio and North Texas Chevy Dealers.  What does this mean?  Well, in short, it means that I get to test drive (meaning live out of) a brand spankin’ new Chevy Travers for the next 8 weeks.  They are calling us the Mom Squad.  We have missions to do and errands to run but they are all fun for not only us, but for the entire family!

On Friday (during a downpour that made my liver quiver) I drove to the CBS studios to meet some of the CBS Radio DJ’s and pick up my Traverse.  Let me tell you something about the two fabulous DJ’s I had the opportunity to torment harass get to know:  They were hilarious and fun!  I am talking about Gene and Julie from the KVIL morning show.  Things I did not know before I chose to sit between them:

  • Gene actually would choose to eat baby food bananas if asked to. (He admitted it and it is on tape somewhere.)
  • You can totally be a smart alec with people who do it for a living and they aren’t afraid of your “out there” personality!
  • Calling yourself “the supreme being of all around me” will only get you the response, “Sorry, that is my title but if you need to borrow it you can.”
  • These two people are perfect together and I now have a duel DJ crush.

I also was able to meet  with the North Texas Chevy Dealers, more CBS radio personalities from Jack FM, KLUV and KVIL, all the marketing people you can fit into one conference room and the other 4 Moms who are a part of the “Mom Squad.”

The DFW Mom Squad moms are:

    After the meet and greet and tell us what you would eat (if you were to eat baby food), we were paired up with our very own dealer from our very own dealership. I was honored to be paired up with Jerry’s of Weatherford.  Poor David was the man selected to show me all of the amazing features of the Traverse.  I say poor David because we spent half the time going over the features and half the time laughing so hard people thought we had lost our mind.  For example, while he was showing me the features of the back seat DVD player he looked up and noticed me hugging the seat and fondly caressing the car.  To say the least it threw him off track.  Pretty much all of the features he showed me had similar responses from me.  He was absolutely hysterical as I responded to each amazing part of the Traverse with glee, giddiness and a bit of lust.  What a great sport!

    And now, where you can help me.

    The wonderful people behind this program want you to vote for you favorite DFW Mom Squad member.  (This would be ME to you, my wonderful readers!)  Just go to the Mommy Madness site and vote. (Again, for me.)  It isn’t hard.  It doesn’t hurt. AND when you vote you have the chance to win a spa trip to Lost Pines Resort & Spa in beautiful Austin!  You know you want a piece of that!

    AND if you are in the DFW area and go to any North Texas Chevy Dealers and test drive a Traverse, you can get a ONE HOUR massage at Massage Envy.  Show me one person who doesn’t need that one!

    I will be uploading pictures of my new foster baby Traverse later.  For now, go vote.  It is your patriotic duty, people.

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    Join us at the Motherhood as we Flip out!

    The Motherhood just launched a fun new project.  Real moms. Unscripted. Unrehearsed. Unedited.  Just doing what we do best.  Want a sneak peek?  Go over to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Flip and see what I have to say about our girlfriends–those women in our life who help us get through our day to day lives.  Kind of like The Motherhood!  Also, we have some fun and wonderful moms who will be making appearances all week.  You won’t want to miss it!

    Come over and join us! You, too, can play vlogger with rest of us!

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    Happy wedding day to Mir

    Today Mir is getting married to the man of her dreams, Otto.  (Name changed to protect the lovebirds.) I have been invited to participate in her bridal shower by sharing a photo from my own wedding and/or a bit of advice or a quote.  In honor of their marriage, I am offering up both.

    Here is a picture of that amazing day.  (Give me a break on the hair and big dress.  It was 1990–which as we all know is still the stepchild of the 80’s!)

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    I wondered what it was about this picture that I love so much.  I think it is because the moment captured in this picture is my favorite wedding moment in all weddings.  This is the moment when you know it is real.  The wedding has ended.  The planning has been taken care of.  The only thing left is to party and enjoy being man and wife.

    With that I offer you this quote:

    My Greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years your love for each other will so deepen and grow, that years from now you will look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least.

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    The Question for the Masses

    Question:

    Do you think that the (and forgive me for this word, I don’t know a better replacement) blogosphere is overall a good place or overall a bad place?

    I am serious here.

    Is it a place where you can be yourself or a place where you better watch your back because someone can and will turn on you if they can?

    Is it a place where you can make real friends or a place where you can talk to people who will forget you as soon as you don’t IM them after a week?

    Is it a place where the people you do make friends with can sustain a friendship or is it a place where you can find out that the people you thought you knew you really don’t know at all as they are willing to dis you when given a chance?

    Is it a place you feel free in or a place you feel stifled?

    I really want to know what you think. 

    And if you feel that it is a good place, are you a blogger?  If you blog, do you feel you owe anyone who asks that you defend your thoughts, actions or writings deserves an answer until they feel satisfied or do you feel that what you have written for years suffices as a testament to who you are?

    Finally, are you willing to ignore it when you see a lynch mob forming online or do you jump in knowing you will be targeted next?

    Like I asked when I started this:

    Do you think that the (and forgive me for this word, I don’t know a better replacement) blogosphere is overall a good place or overall a bad place?

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    Guess what I did!

    Go on!  Guess.  I started another blog.  (Shuddup, Amalah!  I can so add one more!) It is not a typical Mommyblog, but it does have Mommyblogishness to it.  Go on over and check it out.  Please.  I mean, begging is not above me, but come on people, as of this moment, I have not had more than one cup of coffee, so if I get down on my knees to beg, I just may fall asleep down there.

    Go meet Marama and at my new Mom Gamer blog:  Aggroqueen.

    Did I mention that you are my favorite reader?  Don’t tell anyone else, but really….you are my favorite!

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    Celebrate good times…3 years!

    imageClint said there were fireworks planned.  And parades.  Celebrations all over town.  He asked which one I wanted to attend. 

    “Well, shouldn’t I attend them all?” I replied

    “Why would you do that?” he asked.

    “Fireworks.  Celebrations. Cook-outs. Parades.  I mean, if they went to all that trouble to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of my blog, I should go!” I told him with glee and self importance.

    “Dear (always with the dear when he is trying not to have me committed), it is NOT always about YOU.”

    Silence

    “Yes it is.”

    Rolling is eyes, he replied, “Yes, all of America is celebrating the 3rd anniversary of you starting your blog.  It has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that this is Independence Day or anything.”

    “Awwww, aren’t they sweet!” I batted my eyes at him.

    “You’re insane.  I love you.  But you are INSANE.”

    So, Happy 3rd Birthday to my BLOG (a day late).  And Happy 4th of July to everyone else!

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    Blogging machine. Or Other ways to fill an entry with lots of other things I have written.

    image Check out who is being featured over at Blog Herald!  (Umm, you really should click the link, but if you don’t, I will spare you the suspense.  It is me!) I love this site, so I am excited to be one of the bloggers chosen to highlight in their series “How I Blog.” Go show them I have a reader or two and visit.  A comment would be nice, but I won’t put that kind of pressure on you.  Reading it is good enough for me!

    Over at Mommybloggers, we have a good discussion going on about labels.  Who are you?  But when I ask that, I really mean who are you?  Go join in on the discussion and carry it over to your blog, too.  I want to get to know you people beyond the labels that have been smacked on your forehead.

    Are you back?  Just one more link and I will let you be…at least for this morning.  I am totally going to be all up in your grill later today after more coffee.  Carmen at Mom to the Screaming Masses had a great entry about having male babysitters.  Being the blogger (or BlogHer) that I am, I snagged that baby up and put the discussion up on BlogHer.  I want to hear your thoughts.  When it comes to babysitters, does sex (and by that of course, I mean gender) really mean anything to you or not?

    I think that should keep you busy for a while.  More from me (if you can actually handle more from me) later today. 

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    I'm here, there and everywhere!

    I know!  I know!  I totally owe you a real entry with real thoughts and feelings.  But honestly, I had a rough weekend.  I am working on that post now.  In the mean time, I am going to send you to a few fun places to read some really fun things that I have been able to get written.  You know you want a piece of the Jenn. 

    Over the weekend, in honor of Mother’s Day, Mommybloggers had a HUGE Q&A Cagematch!  We had more Mom’s participate in this version than ever before.  (I know.  I read them all and helped format the answers!) Some of the funniest, most reflective and insightful women participated in this.  You do want to go check it out.  It is a fun read.

    I am also over at BlogHer where I am talking about the kinship between Moms that passes time, distance and any generation gap that could exist.  I was inspired by Chris of The Big Yellow House.  (Does she rock or what?)

    And finally, I want to send you over to help me out with my new gig.  Remember when I told you that I was now blogging for ClubMom?  Well, I am there.  And, well, frankly, I have not seen a lot of you there.  You’re breaking my heart, here, people.  Okay, actually I wanted to tell you about a new feature I am staring at Hip Mom and Trendy ‘Tweens. (They had the final say in names, so hush!) Anyway, we are starting up a Q&A where if you submit a question or ask for an opinion, you get a two for one kind of deal.  You will get not only the Mom side, but the ‘tween side as well.  You can be a fly on the wall of your ‘tween’s world.  Come over and submit something.  Don’t leave me hanging. You all have been with me for ages.  They don’t know me there yet.  Show them that I am not the total dork that you have come to know and love.  Help me Club some Moms!  Let’s all pretend I AM that Hip Mom.  Deal?

    In return, I will be back here with the real entry I am working on for you.  It was just one of those that come from the heart and it takes some time to get it out.  You’ll be back, right? Because I would miss you.  Yes, even YOU.  The one who reads and never comments.  The one over there who thinks I don’t know you are here.  And even that one over there who comments, but only when I don’t post.  (But not you over there with the penis enlargement pills.  I won’t miss you!)

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    Will Blog for pay and perks (but mainly pay)

    Okay, so I am sure that many of you figured out what my good news is.  I am going to go see Busy Mom so that we can put our evil powers to good use in order to take over the world and force everyone to get tattoos saying “I love all mommyloggers!  Power to the Moms!” and then we are going to laugh about our evil ways over coffee…only the best blends, of course!  Actually, not so much true.  I want to go see Busy Mom and I know we could totally take over the world and force those tattoos and stuff, but that is for a later day.  (Do you know how hard it is to tattoo thousands of people at one time using only the Magic Markers we have at our disposal?  We have much planning to do!)

    So the real good news is that I got a job!  At home.  Where I can drink coffee, work in my jammies and say, “Not now.  Mommy is working (while surfing the net of course).” Actually, I will be getting paid for it.  A paid blogging gig.  Imagine that?!  Yes, I am one of the several other bloggers you may have come across announcing that they are joining the ranks of ClubMom blogging headed up by the roundup blog queen goddess herself, Amalah. (Suck up much?  Of course!) There are more that I know have signed on to join us, but I will wait until they tell you themselves. 

    And really, I am very excited about this!  Although I didn’t come up with some amazing topic that will be life changing like a Weight Loss blog or Training for a Marathon or helping the world to get out of debt forever and ever or even how to establish world peace with just a blog.  I didn’t even sign up for something that would justify my addiction and obsession with the gossip mags that so often frequent my coffee table.  Ready for this one.  I am blog about life with ’tweens

    I will pause now while people who know me in real life (a) stop laughing and (b) drop to their knees thankful that they no longer have to be the sole recipients of my rantings and such about my ‘tweens.

    I really don’t expect much from this gig in regards of rewards and perks.  I mean, a simple appearance on The View if it is before Meredith Viera leaves or on the Today Show if she has already moved over.  A meeting with Andrew Shue to discuss life and Melrose Place and soccer.  Nationwide fame and fortune.  But other than that, I am not expecting too much.  Oh, what I really do expect is all of you who read me to come over and read me there.  Trust me.  They could use the readers I have here coming over there and commenting and reading there.  Can we say diversification needed?

    Anyway, this job came at a perfect time.  It seems the stars are lining up because this is one of a few projects I am working on that are looking (*knock on wood*) pretty good.  Maybe this year IS turning around for the best.  So, promise me you will come see me over there?  Pinky swear?  Because you know I will still love you best!

    I will let you know as soon as they name the blog and tell me, oh I don’t know…the url and how to find it because at this point I don’t know.  Just please don’t let them name it something that makes me want to vomit.  No Name Vomit.  That is all I ask.  That and the Today Show.  And fame and fortune. But that is all.

    [Update:  I WILL continue to blog here.  Mommy Needs Coffee isn’t going anywhere.  In fact, I will do all I can to keep this one growing and being all that YOU want it to be.  Kind of like the Army, but I won’t make you do pushups or anything! And Mommybloggers will stay active and grow as will BlogHer and my monthly posts at DotMoms.  I plan on handcuffing myself to my laptop, you see! But don’t worry.  This new job and the other things I have lined up are not going to keep me from blogging here or finishing my book.  Those are tops!]

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    Yes, I AM cheating on you with other blogs. But I love YOU best!

    image I am not great at list making.  I am more a Post-It note kind of gal.  It really seems like a great idea and it IS fun to rip those post-it notes down when I have finished a project.  But sometimes, it tends to make me feel overwhelmed.  I dunno.  Like maybe I am taking on too much now and then. But I was able to take down two of these post it notes this week!

    I came across an amazing post over at Motherhood Uncensored that gave an amazing description of The Sacrificial Mother.  I wrote about it and added my two cents over at BlogHer.  Go check it out!  And then come back because of course I took care of yet another post-it note as well.

    Back?  Good. 

    Because I also was able to write about something that most of us (all of us in my own mind because that makes me feel better) have dealt with at one time or another.  Mom Guilt.  I have been overwhelmed with the issues of Mom Guilt these past few weeks.  And yes, again, I will be sending you to another part of the Internet where I wrote all about it.  Go over to Mommybloggers and read all about the issue that faces all moms at one time or another.  And why I am feeling it especially strong now.  Mom Guilt.

    Now before you get mad that I am cheating on you loyal readers by posting on other sites and not here, relax!  I have every intention of getting back into my daily postings.  I am finding that I am becoming more myself as time goes by.  I am certainly not myself yet, but I am getting there.  Slowly but surely.  Things have been just so crazy for me. (I said THINGS have been crazy.  I admit that I have always been a bit crazy.  No secret there.) Anyway, I have several new projects in the works that makes those post-it notes covering the office look amazingly sparse and simple. The tip of the iceberg, so to speak.  BUT the things that are brewing are really good things.  Things that are exciting and fun!  Things that I can’t wait to talk about, but you know how bloggers are.  We must say, “But I can’t say anything yet.” Bummer, huh!

    But you know that YOU are going to be the first to know.  Because of course, I love you most!

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