Need to get my Blog on...

So, it's been a while. Again. I can't believe I did not post a single time in May. May is a blur. Beach trip. End of year stuff at school. New summer routine. Memorial Day week-end hogfest. I cooked my ass off that weekend. Fabulous. So, now it's list-making time again as the Southern Fried Family is headed to the beach. I heart the beach. Summer is my all-time favorite time of the year. Is that why my brain is turned to mush, and I can't think of a single entertaining thought to write about? Maybe.

Here are some hot topics I've been meaning to discuss:

Grey's Anatomy season finale. I don't hate them (the characters, because you know they're all real to me) as much as I did at the end of last season. I'm tired of them all being so whiny, wishy-washy, and so bound to screw up every good thing that might ever happen to them. Seems like we might be taking a step forward, which means there will probably be three steps back next season. I love McSteamy. I'm kind of over the DerMer thing...I really don't care if they stay together or not. They do kind of deserve each other.

Sex and the City movie. Loved it. Saw it with some girlfriends at the late show on opening night. Could watch it again, definitely. Would see the sequel. Just like watching the tv show for 2 1/2 hours on the big screen.

On a personal note, I'm getting ready to reunite with some girlfriends from high school at a party in my hometown later this month. I'm beyond excited. I haven't seen some of them in more than 15 years! Thanks to technology, I've connected with many old friends lately...so fun!

Now I have to get my kids out of the house, before they trash the place. Please leave me some love to inspire to get back to my blog!

Celebrating My Neuroses...

Hi. Remember me? I used to write a blog here. If anyone is still checking in on my sorry ass, please be patient with me as it's the end of the school year and my calendar is double & triple-booked most days. Where did April go, anyway?

One reason I've been scarce is that we had a big blow-out bash for my friend who's moving in the next few weeks. It was last night & we managed to keep it a surprise. The party was great fun with friends who have also been neglected due to my crazy-ass schedule lately. We partied old-school, complete with a lot of booze, a band, and My Baby's Daddy upchucking after we got home at 1:15 a.m. He smelled like a damn brewery and I went to sleep in the bottom bunk in the boys' room. Good times.

I am now officially on the countdown to my annual girls' beach trip. Since it is less than two weeks away, today has been list-making day. Nothing makes me happier than a good list. Besides my list of what to pack, and what to do before I go, there is the Snack List. Some years we bring homemade snacks, and others we just buy everything when we get to the beach. But since fuel is forty bajillion dollars a gallon, we decided it would help our budget to bring some stuff from home. I tend to think of myself as The Queen of Snacks, and take my title quite seriously. I'm thinking of taking a couple of old favorites and debuting something new. Any ideas?

I also plan to take pre-made labels with everyone's name on them to stick on the ziplock bags when I (being a food snob, control freak, and born entertainer) make everyone's sandwich to enjoy on the beach. In years past, we've had to label them with a pen or some other crude and inferior method. People will either envy me or think I am a neurotic control freak. Whatever. If they want their damn sandwich, they'll sing my praises like a bunch of canaries. Don'tcha think?

That's What Friends Are For

I've been thinking a lot about friendship lately. I found out last week that one of my closest girlfriends is moving 5 hours away. I always knew that it was a possiblity, but I was completely unprepared for the heartbreak of having it come true. I never had thought of the magnitude of what her absence in my daily life would mean. It sucks. Her leaving in a few short months is now the backdrop for every phone call, every lunch date, every time we see each other in carpool line. Did I mention it sucks? Then there's the heartbreak of not just my own friendship, but my children's. The President cried and said, "He can't go...he's my BEST FRIEND!!!!!" I can't really tell him that it doesn't suck...because it does.

I am actually quite experienced in the long-distance friendship thing. I met my best friend in the 9th grade, when she moved to the small town where I had lived all my life. Our houses were a short walk or bike ride apart, and we became inseperable almost immediately. At the end of that year, her family had to move again with her dad's job. To another state. It sucked. We stayed in touch and wrote, called, and visited each other. Over the years (more than 20!) we have actually grown closer, and now talk several times a week, and see each other a couple of times a year. I've been thinking about friendship because next Friday, she is coming here for a visit with no husband and no children (she has four)! My Baby's Daddy will be on the clock so that I can have a break & act like a teenager again. On Friday night, she will get to meet all my local girlfriends as we start our Bunco group back up after a year's hiatus.

All these old friends, leaving friends, wonderful, fun and much-needed friends on my mind, and then I got this:




Janet is someone I would definitely call a friend. Even though many miles separate us, our paths crossed through our blogs. We don't e-mail or talk every day or even once a month. We've never met in person. But she is my friend. She showed caring and support during one of the darkest times of my life. I just knew she was there, and was pulling for me. I've not been posting very regularly lately, but almost every time I can count on a comment from her. (She unfortunately can't say the same of me....) She's my friend, and she gave me this cool award.

Okay, that's enough! I'm the goofy and (sometimes hopefully) funny Southern Friend Mom. I talk about my sassy kids & my neurotic tendencies....this is getting way too mushy for my comfort zone. Go give your friend a hug!

"Mommy Wocks!"

How much do I love this?!?! Now somebody besides my brainwashed kids thinks that I totally rock...and I have the blog award to prove it! Thanks to my good buddy the Queen of the Mayhem for bestowing this royal honor. I'll now pass the award on to five more of my girls who rock, who haven't already been nominated. (You know you all rock!)



Let me be the first to nominate Ann at her new blog! We've all missed you, girlfriend!



I can always count on Mamma for a chuckle, and some unique mama-wisdom. She is definitely a rockin' girl blogger.

Anyone who refers to herself as the "binky bitch" has to make the rockin' girl blogger line-up. How could we not add Jennifer (the blogger formerly known as Playgroupie) to the list?

There's a special bond between (and a special place in Heaven for) moms of boys! The Queen of Shake-Shake opens up & shares it all.

Sara at Suburban Oblivion is another totally rockin' girl I'd love to have a drink or 12 with....Southern Blogging Conference anyone?!?!

Y'all know the drill...all the rockin' girls nominate five more, and so on. Then we'll all sit around and talk about how much we all....ya know, rock!