I won!!!!

Some of you helped me win this... and you will be entered in the "reward pool" if you are a "liker" on my Facebook page.  You can still "like" my page even though the contest is over ;-)

But...

Woo hoo!!!!!

It is so satisfying to have beaten out Charo, David Duchovny, The Berenstain Bears, and Darth Vader. I didn't really consider Conan O'Brien a contender ;-)

I think it was my swank scotty dog headband.

Or was it the camel-toe?

Fidel?

Burn, Baby! Burn!

What's cookin', kids?

So the other day when I was in the garage finding all the photos for my awesome collection of Big G's first year as a traveling man, I was simultaneously starting to cook my lunch.

Based on my pies... whether turkey pot or mixed berry... and my awesome gadget collection, you'd think I was some kinda somethin' in the kitchen. But I have been very honest with you about my lack of culinary prowess... or is it simply a case of "CRS"... can't remember s***?... so let's drop all expectations.

I was so distracted engrossed in my trip down memory lane research project and recovery mission in the name of The Blog, that I did it again...

And this time the toxic crap from the melted plastic of the steamer ruined the best 50-year old, popcorn-making Revereware pan in the universe. I am in so much trouble :(

Both the pot and the steamer were goners.

Also cookin'...

This kid on the track... she LOVES to run! If you don't remember her indoor workout from a few weeks ago, you can see it here. And now that the weather is super nice, she got a chance to stretch her legs outside...

That is not a load in her pants... I promise. The pants and diaper just look like it is. Really.

The last item on our menu of what's cookin'... or not cookin'...

I have been so slow and struggling with my running all week. My legs still feel thrashed from that hilly leg of the Oakland Marathon Relay last Sunday :(  On Tuesday, I squeezed out a tempo run that felt okay enough to feel good about, but Thursday night... whoa...

Just an easy 5 miles was slated. I headed out at 8:40 PM. Yes, PM. And I really wanted to be out there running... really, I did. But my legs didn't :(

But I made them :) 

We went around the loopy-doos 6 times for 4.5 miles and then they just said, "uncle... no mas." And I obeyed. I have a tenner on the docket for this weekend, and I want to be able to do it. I was going to do it today, but my husband just now told me he has to work all day, and I have to work tonight (yes, people, I kind of have a .... yob .... steering clear of the "J" word... can't quite bring myself to use it). Looks like the big 1-0 will have to happen tomorrow. I'm scared ... wish me luck!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! see the sidebar! 
remember it is all for YOU if we win :) ... if you have 'liked' the Taking It On Facebook page which you can access by clicking on the badge also in the sidebar  
>>  >>  >>

And enter to win that Williams-Sonoma gift card, too!

And if you want a postcard from a cool place, go play the guessing game :)

Don't underestimate The Force!

I neeeed your votes!
>  >  >  >  >  >  >

First we were up against the Berenstain Bears... and in a dorkiness contest, those guys are pretty hard to beat.

Then it was Charo.  The girl is looking "tired" and plastic... and the contestant is looking pretty dorky ;-)

I thought the competition couldn't get any stiffer after they threw David Duchovny at us.  Not too much dorkier than having your pic taken with a sex addict celebrity.

But now it's....

Darth Vader!

********

Guys! Help! Fidel and I need your votes to win you the prize!

Remember... I am doing this for all of YOU! click on that to see the deets...

So go click on that pic in the sidebar... it'll take you right to the voting station.  And go click on that Facebook badge a little lower down on my sidebar, then "like" that Taking It On Facebook page for a chance to share in the contest winnings.

Ever had your picture taken with a celebrity?  If yes... go enter the contest!

Contests...

You might notice some changes going on around here.

The first thing you might notice is the ROCKIN' pic of yours truly and Fidel over on the right >>>>>>>>

When you click on this picture it will link you to a contest... me + celebrity photo contest... "the dorkier the better" is what the creators put in their tag line.  The creators are some pretty hilarious and out-there women... the ladies behind the brain of Lady Brain.  If you want to know about manscaping or 15-minute O's or if women journalists should be placed in dangerous situations, you need to check the ladies out!  Their radio show and website covers EVERYTHING... really.  

The winner of the contest wins....

ONE HUNNNNNNDRED DOLLARS

I want to win this contest.  But I don't want to win it for me... I want to win it for YOU.

And this takes us to the second thing you should notice on the page...
the NEW FACEBOOK BADGE!

If you click on the BADGE with the lovely picture of Baby X silhouetted against the sunset, you will be transported to the NEW FACEBOOK PAGE for Taking It On.  Woooo hooooo!
Low readership on one site isn't enough for me!  I need to experience being ignored on multiple sites ;-)
So what you do is....
click on the BADGE.  Then once you are on the new Taking It On Facebook page, you click the "LIKE" button... the one with the little 'thumbs up'... near the top where it says Taking It On.

Go on... click it.
It won't hurt.
You can do it.
Awesome!  Thanks so much :)

If When I win this photo contest, I am going to share the winnings with my Facebook likers!  My first thought was to split it evenly amongst all of us... we'd each get about two bucks. Then I realized that my popularity might suddenly begin approaching my generosity, and that would significantly diminish what we'd each walk away with monetarily... of course, the good, warm feelings of sharing and friendship and love and being a part of something bigger than oneself are impossible to put a monetary value on, and in that regard we'd all be richer than Bill Gates... or Oprah. Plus, I was reminded that the postage to mail a quarter to 400 people (my husband is the Eternal Optimist in addition to The Penguin) would kind of blow my budget :(

So what I propose to do should I win is to draw 5 names at random from the list of likers on that Facebook page and split the winnings between them. $100 ÷ 5 likers = $20.  I got the math thing down ;-)  Now I want to let you know that it won't be $20 cash... they are doing a gift card to some place as yet unknown, but I am sure I can figure something out so that it works the way I want it to :)

What this means is... 
click on the dang Facebook badge and go "like" my page!
Then...
click on the dang picture and vote for me and Fidel!
And...
don't forget to tell your friends and family to get them in on the action of helping US win!

And get ready....
tomorrow's Vecchio Venerdì is going to be pretty amazing :)

Are you open to change or do you resist it?
– it depends on the change... moving from a nice house to a dump... resist.  The other way around... open :)

What would you do if you won $20?
– if I won $20 million, I would pay of my debts and buy momma a new house. Then I'd go to Costco and buy a 52" widescreen HDTV and a new Escalade with spinning rims. Oh... not million? Okay... then I'd probably go treat myself to a burrito with guacamole and sour cream!  Pullin' out all the stops ;-)

Stylish Blogger Award? lol

I know it must have been the snot-sleeved little black tee I wrote about here that got me 'nominated' for this dubious honor!  lol  Stylish, indeed.  *snort*  don't they know who I am?  

But I love this tag game.  Because I have so many stupid erroneous facts to share!  So... many thanks to Amanda@Runninghood for giving me this opportunity to spew forth present a few interesting tidbits about meeeee!

In case you are unfamiliar with how this goes down, here's what needs to happen for this to work:

1. I must make a post linking back to the person who has nominated me for this prestigious award.
2. I must share 7 things about myself.
3. I must pass on the honor to 10 new bloggers I really like.
4. I must contact these bloggers and tell them they've been awarded this Stylish Blogger Award.

Whew!  What a lot of work!  I don't know if I am up to the challenge... especially after my tempo run ;-)  but I'll give it a whirl...

Got #1 out of the way... thanks, Amanda!  On to #2...

I've done this before here and I just put a bunch in a comment here on Diary of a Midlife Cruiser, but as I said I have a lot to share!

1.  I liked being pregnant!  yes, it got very, very old toward the end... ready-to-do-anything kind of old...

 even ready-to-end-it-all kind of old...

but I found that making a whole person inside of my own body to be just about the coolest thing imaginable!  I will forever miss the feeling of a baby moving around in there...

2.  I love Halloween... or any excuse to be in costume!  My most memorable costumes have been... oh, wait... this is a 'family' blog  ;-)  oh, heck... why not?

Pregnant dominatrix

(but must admit the previous year's was the best of all time and I can't find the pictures)

3.  I have breastfed all 4 of my kids.  I am a huge advocate of breastfeeding... but do not pass judgement on those who prefer not to or can't or whatever.  I have been a human dairy bar continuously since September of 1999.  And that may skeeve some people out... but hey, that's me ;-)  I will feed my baby whenever hungry and while that may sound awfully 'in-your-face', I am not like that about it.  I am not a flasher... I am discreet... sort of.

(not entirely sure how discreet this would be considered... on the Seine right across from the Musée d'Orsay... no benches so I just sat in the stroller... but you can't see my boob, so we're good, right?)

4.  I really miss real treats... especially ones with wheat.  Something has happened in my body and I now can't eat wheat without becoming cranky and getting a 2- or 3-day migraine.  Not worth it.

Eating the yummiest pastry known to the human race... a Réligieuse... cream puff-like base filled with chocolate custard, coated with chocolate glaze and topped with a smaller cream puff thing also filled with the chocolate custard and the two are attached with whipped cream

(and I look greasy and spacey because I am severely jet-lagged in this picture... nearly 24 hours in transit with 3 kids ... just eat the dang thing and crash)

5.  I was a really messy kid.  (my husband would argue that nothing has changed)  So I am not too terribly particular about how my kids keep their rooms... most of the time...

6.  You all already know about this:

from that last '7 random things' tag (see link).  Me, Fidel and my rowing partner... 1991 PanAmerican Games held in Havana, Cuba.  We came in second to the Canadians.  Bummer.  What a blast that was!

(what I am not showing you is that we were also in People Magazine... my partner was a big story... 42 and the mother of another competing athlete... it was the same issue of People that featured Jeffrey Dahmer... nice....and we were also on Wide World of Sports)  but this is such a fun one and everyone always gets a kick out of it... so I'm showing it again :P

7.  I am way smarter than I seem ;-)  and you'll just have to take my word for it!

Crikey!  Now to pick some other bloggers...

1. Kelley from Kelley's Break Room
2. Lee on the Run
3. KD from Life-Inspired by the Wee Man
4. NattyBumpo
5. Danny
6. Elkton Runner Girl
7. Table for Seven
8. GetRealMommy
9. Krumpledwhiskers
10. Catey

These are all people I want to know more random things about.  So if you are on the list and it is overwhelming to you to participate... fine... be that way (pout).  Nahhhh, I totally get it.  Don't sweat it.  But if you are cool with being a Stylish Blogger, please let me know more about you... either just in the comments here or in a post on your blog.

Pretty, pretty please!

I'll need to notify them all tomorrow... I need to go to bed... New Year's Resolution and all ;-)