Freakshow Friday : Surprise Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, I'm a little scared.

Lens Crafters rethought offering
portrait sessions to customers with dilated pupils.

You got a better one for me?

If so, you may just when this awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

Mama Time : Chores and Poetry

A new series is popping up here
on good ol' Leigh vs Laundry.

I'm thrilled to have some mama time
while my two little monsters are at school.
So, I'm going to celebrate, from time to time,
the wonderful moments I spend all by myself,
without a kid in site.

One thing that I have more time for is housework.
It's so much more lovely
to perform this task without
a little one undoing and messing up
what I just cleaned.

I'm so thrilled that I decided
to create a photo essay coupled with
a haiku in honor of each of my daily chores.

An ocean of clothes
the wave crests on my couch
I drown in cotton

I push and I pull
gliding over the carpet
shaking the earth clean

A whirlwind within
soapy water swirls and spins
dishes glimmer in the sun

Kids These Days

So, do today's children have it easier than previous generations?
Do you think that kids today are being raised
with a sense of entitlement?

Please click here to join the conversation
by leaving a comment over at Athens Patch!

Life Well Lived : Make Up and Feeling Fabulous

Blogher asked me...
How do makeup, dressing up and strutting your stuff help you feel fabulous, confident and ready to rock the world?

I wasn't really aware of how important make up was for me
until I couldn't wear it any more.
When I discovered that I had a super sensitive gluten and soy allergy,
I had to stop using all of my make up because
I was having an allergic reaction to every single bit of it.
My make up was making me sick.

At first, I just wanted to feel better,
so I didn't think twice about going out into the world without make up on.
Yet, as the fog lifted and I healed from my exposure to all the hidden ingredients,
I really missed my make up.

I missed the ritual of taking care of myself.
I missed feeling confident in knowing that I looked refreshed and healthy.
I missed my rosy cheeks and berry lips.
I missed my eyelashes, without mascara they disappear.

So, I did some research and invested in some gluten and soy free make up.
I was so excited to see that I actually had options!
So, after a week of checking the mail and waiting, my make up finally arrived.

I've never been so happy to put lipstick on!
My eyelashes are back and I feel like myself again.
I believe that we all have a natural glow that radiates from inside
but my light just shines brighter when I put make up on.

I'll write up a post soon telling you about
all the awesome and wonderful gluten and soy free products that I found.

Please head on over to Blogher and share your experience with us over there.
Be sure to click here and answer the Life Well Lived Moments
to enter for a chance to win an iPod Touch!

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 25

My mom and I joined the YWCO near our house
and we've been spending some time
swimming laps and doing water aerobics together.

It's time for this Mama to get back into shape
and I think that swimming is a super fun way
to get my body moving.

The place is swarming with old folks
but I like it.

It makes me feel like a spring chicken.

Of course, I had to get a retro swim cap
because we all know that working out
is so much more awesome when you look fancy!

A water aerobics class meets
at the same time that we go to swim.
I tried it once and it was actually
really scary because I was
surrounded by 80 year old ladies
during their social hour.

Most of them gave me the stink eye
because I'm young and maybe
they were jealous of my snazzy swim cap.

I love being around old people though
and hope that when I'm 80 years old
that I'm full of spice,
gabbing away with my girlfriends,
and giving middle-aged moms dirty looks!



Perhaps the thing that makes me the happiest
is this old Kenny Rogers poster
that hangs in the hallway
outside the ladies locker room.

I like to imagine that he's serenading
me as I walk down the hall to go work out.

Sometimes he sings "The Gambler".
It makes me smile!

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae172/leighbug_photo/stuff2/2875824415_abeaebc155_m-2-1-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Winner : Electric Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

The Knitty Gritty Homestead
Trouble brewing in the woodwinds section...

w
coming soon from the producers of harry potter and american pie.
because this one time, in band camp...

Linda D.
Latest Olympic Sport in Rio. Medalists
must not only play flawlessly but
also win an instrument sword fight.

and the winner is...
The Knitty Gritty Homestead

Trouble brewing in the woodwinds section...

The Knitty Gritty Homestead

is the funniest blogger in all the land.
Please visit her blogand marvel at this fantastic award she just earned!

Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Freakshow Friday : Electric Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, these guys are in-tense.

Mike and Brad are currently not friends

You got a better one for me?

If so, you may just when this awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

The Stay at Home Mom Chronicles : Being a Soccer Mom

My days around here seem to run together.

Ordinary moments unfold around me daily
and I need to stop and relish in them.
One day, my boys will be out living life
and I will miss these everyday experiences.

So, I am taking the time to document
the simple moments that pass between us.
I'm calling this little collection of memories...



Being a soccer mom.

I love when it's soccer season.
Standing on the sidelines and cheering on
my amazing soccer player is so much fun.

I love that our entire family
goes to every practice and game.
I love that feeling of togetherness
that's felt on the field.

I love watching Griffin be a part of a team
and the sound of all the high fives
slapping in celebration.

I even love the sound of hands
patting backs in encouragement
when there isn't a win.

I love knowing that we will
look back at the time spent
at soccer games
as some of the best times.

I love providing Griffin
an outlet for his talents
and watching him succeed.

I just totally and completely love
being a soccer mom.

Over-sharing Parents, Beware

Are you guilty of over-sharing about your kids on Facebook?
Have you lost a friend to baby world?
Do you think that these sites are funny or offensive?
Do I ask enough questions.

Please click here to read the article
and join the discussion by leaving a comment on Athens Patch.

Mama Time : Meditation

Neglect.
That is the word that comes
to mind when I think of myself.

It happened slowly
over the years while
I've been a full time stay-at-home mom.

I thought that sending my youngest to school
would throw me into an identity crisis.
After all, I've identified myself as mama
all these years.

It's not at all like I anticipated.
Granted, Koen is only gone for 3 hours in the morning
but I have discovered just how
badly I've needed some "Mama time".

So, now I have time to breath.

I've decided to practice
Deepk Chopra's Free to Love 21-Day Meditation Challenge.
I sprawl out my yoga mat, all alone,
and perch on my pretty pillow to breath.

I breath in and say "soul".
I breath out and say "hum".

Before I know it,my soul is humming.

I had no idea
how badly I needed to simply breath.

I can feel my life slowly shifting
and I like the direction that it's headed.

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 24

We've had this storage unit for 5 years
full of stuff that we never ever use or see.
It's been like a graveyard for forgotten items
and a bit of a mental and financial drain for us.

We decided to rummage through
all our dusty stuff and clear it out.

It was like a time capsule,
filled with boxes that had
been stuffed so long ago.

It was emotional to encounter
little baby toys that weren't needed anymore.

We decided to donate almost
everything we touched to charity.

It was time to say goodbye.

So, I photographed the super special stuff.
Like, my awesome Kung Fu purse
that I used when Roger and I first started dating.

Oh, the sass I had back then
as I karate chopped
anyone who remarked on my bag.

Or the fancy outfit I wore
when I won a dance contest at an Atlanta bar
so very long ago.

My stage name was Lil' Magic
and I danced to Neil Diamond's song America.
I wore a tiny Uncle Sam hat on my head
and pranced around with sparklers.

To remember that crazy girl covered in sequence
made me smile and shake my hips a bit.

We drove 4 carloads of our beloved stuff
over to Goodwill and didn't look back.
Hopefully, someone will love our stuff
as much as we did, once upon a time.

It felt so good to purge our stuff
and say goodbye to the past that
we were holding onto.

We are just too busy enjoying our life now
and it was time
to truly live in the present.

Our souls feel unburdened.

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae172/leighbug_photo/stuff2/2875824415_abeaebc155_m-2-1-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Winner : Circle of Life Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

w

mike and jan plan on feeding cubby frosted flakes.
they taste grrrrrrreat!

Kelly Lund and Kids
waiting for our little cub to be born...
since we do it like they do it on Discovery Channel

Linda D
"Excuse me hon, but you've got a spot on your outfit."

and the winner is...
w

mike and jan plan on feeding cubby frosted flakes.
they taste grrrrrrreat!

w

is the funniest blogger in all the land.
Please visit her blog
and marvel at this fantastic award she just earned!

Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Freakshow Friday : Circle of Life Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, these are going to be some awesome parents.

I guess that he knew how to make her purr.

You got a better one for me?

If so, you may just when this awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

Toy Jail Parole Day

Under normal circumstances,
I would never ever invite the world
to look upon my messy work area.
(my mama raised me right!)

But, I just had to share the absolute chaos
that took over my desk over the summer
while I was busy keeping my boys out of trouble.

Please observe the stack of unchecked mail,
art projects, and craft books.

I'm sure that you noticed
the huge pile of crap on top
of the tippy top of my big ol' office desk.



That is a special place of honor
for confiscated weapons,
trouble makers,
or any other potential random naughty producing object.

If the boys were smacking each other with something,
I would just march over,
snatch it, and put it in jail
for the rest of the summer.

Sometimes it was a pre-emptive snatch.
The pile just grew and grew and grew
into this crazy group of ne'er-do-well toys.

So, today will be a big day at my house.
While the boys are at school
I plan to set all the summer trouble makers free.

And I'll get my beloved desk back!
I just love toy jail parole day.

Truancy Sweep

Should parents be held accountable by law

for their children's school attendance?

Click here to read the story

and leave a comment over at Athens Patch.

Koen's first trophy!

Koen was in a little gymnastics "meet" over the weekend.
Really, it was just a bunch of three-year-olds running around
and showing off all their awesome moves.

It was so cute to watch Koen
flex his lil' muscles so proudly.

The best part was that he got a trophy.
They had a little ceremony and he
was able step up on a foam podium
like he had won an Olympic gold medal.

To say that he was stoked
about his hard earned trophy
would be an understatement.

I love my little gymnast.

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 23

Yesterday was the first day of school!
Oh, the excitement of heading out the door
for the big day is almost too much to stand.

It was Koens' first day of preschool and it went really well.
He walked onto the playground slumped over
and then turned into a limp noodle.
I had to pass his limp body over to the teacher
where he hung in her arms like a ragdoll.
I think that he shorted out.

But, no tears! A mama couldn't ask for more.

I came home to an empty house
and decided to lay in a clean
pile of laundry and have a good cry
about the fact that my last baby was in school.

Yet, as I laid there and tried squeeze out tears,
it dawned on me that I wasn't sad at all.
I was actually excited about my
home that was empty of children.

So, I pulled myself off that laundry,
put on some happy music,
folded those clothes,
and danced around the house
as I delivered them to each room.

It was so fun!

Later, when I went to pick up Koen from school,
he came running to me
with a huge smile and a hug.

He did so great that we took
a trip to the toy store
and let him pick out a treat.

Because it's not everyday
that you start school for the very first time ever.

That's something to celebrate.

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae172/leighbug_photo/stuff2/2875824415_abeaebc155_m-2-1-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Winner : Pool Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

Moooooooog35
We don't swim in your toilet, don't piano in our pool.

Andrea
All hope sunk for the Chlorinators to find a decent drummer.

Linda D.
Now we all understand why
Dave Matthews Band sang "Don't Drink the Water"!

and the winner is...
Andrea

All hope sunk for the Chlorinators
to find a decent drummer.

Andrea
is the funniest blogger in all the land.
Please visit her blog
and marvel at this fantastic award she just earned!

Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Freakshow Friday : Pool Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, these people seem confused.

No one in the band
could admit that they
were washed up.

You got a better one for me?

If so, you may just when this awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.