Tag, I'm it...

Ketchup Queen, one of my favorite virtual people, has tagged me for a MeMe. I love that she thought of me. I love her devotion to ketchup, my favorite condiment. But, mostly, I love that doing this MeMe is keeping me from folding my laundry.

1. What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

When I was little, it was The Ten Commandments. I seriously had nightmares for several days after seeing that movie in the theaters. I was just sure that the Angel of Death was going to come into our house in the night and kill my brother, because he was the firstborn. (yeah, I was a little dramatic)

As an adult, I really don't go to scary movies. (maybe PTSD over 10 commandments) but I did see "What Lies Beneath" and I gripped my hubby's arm HARD the whole time.

2. What was your favorite Halloween Costume from childhood, and adulthood?

From childhood: I once dressed as a gypsy and won a school contest. (back in the day when you had Halloween parties at school) Also, one time my brother and I got these "old people" masks and dressed as old people. We stopped at one home with a very elderly couple and the woman invited us in saying, "Oh, it's so nice to see some folks OUR age out tonight!" We thought that was Sooooooo cool. I love older folks. I should blog about that sometime.

Adulthood: Once I dressed up as every man's nightmare. I had on a green facial mask, a tattered robe, curlers, a remote control in my pocket, a box of chocolates, and gossip magazines.

3. If you had an unlimited budget, what would your Fantasy Costume be for this Halloween?

I would love to dress our entire family in costume as different characters from the Wizard of Oz. I would be Glinda, the Good Witch. Because, after all, Halloween is about becoming someone you are not.

4. When was the last time you went Trick Or Treating?

Ok. Confession time. I don't really like Halloween. It is strictly in a "have-to-get-7-children-in-costumes-and-out-the-door-and-sometimes-it-snows-that-day-and-that-is-lots-of-walking-which-usually-means-carrying-a-toddler-or-three-most-the-way-home" kind of way.
So, all my siblings and I bring their kids over to Grandma and Papou's house for chili and donuts, and then Daddy takes all our little ones out to trick or treat while I get to stay back in the warmth of my mom's house and chat with whoever didn't want to go out there, either.

5. What's your favorite Halloween Candy?

I love 100Grand bars, and Reeses cups. I also love candy corn very, very much.

6. Tell us about a scary nightmare you had.

I have nightmares all the time. Usually someone is trying to shoot me. I am generally driving, and keep thinking to myself that if I can just duck and drive away fast enough, I will be okay. I also "play dead" in dreams where people are trying to kill me. I don't know what this all means, nor am I certain I wish to know.

7. What is your Supernatural Fear?

I'm good with the supernatural. It's the here and now reality that scares the crap out of me.

8. What is your Creepy-Crawlie Fear?

Snakes. Oh. I am so scared of them that I didn't even want to write the word.

9. Tell us about a time when you saw a ghost, or heard something go Bump in the night.

I have never had any ghosts in white sheets, doors shutting, books moving kind of things happen. My experiences with the spirit world have been much different.

10. Would you ever stay in a real Haunted House overnight?

Maybe. Would my kids have to be elsewhere?

11. Are you a traditionalist (just a face) Jack O'Lantern Carver, or do you get really creative with your pumpkins?

I am a traditionalist, but we usually buy the kids those little cutting kits for fancy shapes. You know, the ones where the kids all get hyper because they want to carve out their pumpkin RIGHT NOW not pull out all the stupid seeds and where they fight because of course 2 or more kids will want to do the same design and where the kids get bored about 3 minutes into the project and whine to go outside and play so Dad ends up finishing all of them?? Yeah, we get those.

12. How much do you decorate your home for Halloween?

I have a shelf above my wall coat rack in my entry way that I decorate for each month. So I decorate about 2 1/2 feet's worth.

13. What do you want on your Tombstone?

"...and her children shall rise up and call her blessed."
And I tag TxMommy to do this meme.

Moms don't get to be sick...

This is one of those unwritten rules they don't tell you about when you are pregnant with your first child. They just figure that you'll find it out soon enough.

And you do. You find it out, big time.

Just because moms don't get to BE sick doesn't mean moms don't get to FEEL sick. Oh, no. You go right on ahead and feel like you just got hit with a MAC truck, Mommy...but there are still dishes to be washed and laundry to be folded and dinner to be cooked.

I used to feel comforted when my hubby would say, "It's OK, sweetie...don't worry about the house, just go upstairs and rest until you feel better." Uh huh. What that really means is "you rest and when you feel better, everything will still be right here...where you left it...and perhaps even a whole lot worse than you left it." Nothing can force me out of bed quicker than the thought that the longer I lay there, the more work I will have waiting for me once I get up.

And I love the little pep talks we moms get when we're sick. From the toddlers we hear wonderfully tender remarks like, "Mommy, are you in there?" while poking Mommy's eyes open. "I need a peanut butter sammitch." From the husbands we receive the loving advice, "You'll feel better if you get up and vacuum something." Tears build in our eyes as our teenagers come home from school and empathetically inquire: "What's up with you? Can you drive me over to Jessica's?" Ah, family. Nobody cares about you like they do.

So moms don't get to be sick. And you learn to live with it. Just like all the other "mom" things you learn to live with. Like afterbirth pains, longer boobs, and finding crayons in the wash. Like having "company" when going to the bathroom, Radio Disney on your car stereo, and spending 15 minutes getting your kids bundled up so they can go outside for 45 seconds and then come in soaked and needing hot chocolate.

It's what moms learn to live with, but fortunately the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience.