We don't say fart in our family

There are a few words I've been avoiding because I don't want my kids to say them. Some of them are: shut-up,stupid, its not fair, I'm bored, and fart. I haven't decided what exactly I want them to say instead of fart, so I don't say anything. In my family, we said, "stinker". In Dave's family they said, "fluffy". Apparently you really can't go through life without calling it anything, so Joseph now calls it "poop pop" and Isaac now calls it a "bum burp". My kids are awesome.

I'm really just using my funny kids to advertise session 3 of my music class. Ha ha ha ha! it was all just a trick to get you reading. My next class begins Wednesday, September 28 and goes for 10 weeks for $50. That's right! Every Wednesday (except the day before Thanksgiving of course!) from 10-11am at my house. The final class will be a performance for friends and family on December 7. If your child is between 2 1/2 and 5 years old and loves to sing,dance, play instruments and move, this is the perfect class for you!!!! I have room for 4 more kiddos!

Help me win tickets to Oprah!!!

I've always wanted to go to an Oprah show really bad and now there is one last chance to get tickets ! Just go to Oprah.com and scroll down until you see Oprah ticket sweepstakes. Click on it and fill out the form. Do it every day til friday before 9pm central time. You get a free trip to Chicago. The only hitch is you have to take me!! I gave you the info afterall. :) Please please please help me go!!!!!! I will be your slave forever and ever!

click here to go to the sweepstakes website and you want me to be happy!!!

My First Music Class Concert!

Yea! We did it! A week ago we had our first little performance for moms and dads. It was a little crazy but fun! The kids did really well and I'm so proud of them! I'm starting round 2 tomorrow and I have space for 2 or 3 more kids if anyone knows someone who is interested. You don't even have to start on the 6th with us. We'll see how it goes!!

I love saving money!

I just have to tell someone! I want to scream it from the mountain tops! I just went to Walgreens and bought $52 worth of stuff for only $15. I feel brilliant and frugal at the same time! I then went to Albertson's and bought $40 worth of food for $17. Saving money gives one such a high! So, if you haven't gone to grocerysmarts.com you have to go! It helps you match up your coupons with what is on sale that week. I love it!

So..I got kicked out of Arlington by an Iraqi

A couple weeks ago Dave and I flew to DC so he could attend a Tox conference. Poor sucker, he ended up sitting in meetings all week whilst I enjoyed touring DC! The only trouble was I ended up with a really crappy tour bus company called City Sightseeing Tours (for your future reference).They were always late, very rude,changed routes and had no people skills at all. So, one afternoon I got on the bus and rode out to Arlington Cemetary. I had an amazing time and tried to see all the coolest things like: The Kennedy graves, the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soliers, the spaceshuttle challenger memorial, and many more.

Toward the end I followed the map out to the middle of nowhere to look at the 9/11 Pentagon memorial (which by the way is shaped like a pentagon!) There was grass as far as you could see (with no grave markers). I learned that by 2025,at the rate of burial we're going, the whole cemetary will be full, which is so amazing considering how huge it is!! I started walking back to the parking lot to wait for my bus. I began to feel lost because all I could see was the grass. Then I saw a red bus and started to run frantically (it was getting cold!) toward the parking lot!! It turned out to be the other double decker tour bus company (the good one!) So I found a patch of sun and sat down. Soon after, 2 older couples came over to wait for their bus too. They were super nice and chatted with me for a long time. Another couple from England came and visited with us too. (Are you thinking, "gee Jo, you're being so social!) If so, Thanks. After about 30 minutes, THEIR bus came! (the good one) and I'm still waiting for mine. What the.....? They wanted to sneak me aboard and take me with them, but I thought I shouldn't. I called my company to see if they were coming and got the usual . "Anytime now!" I was now the only tourist in sight.

My back was really hurting after that long walk at the cemetary, so I laid down on the cold hard sidewalk and practically became homeless. I heard yelling. I wasn't sure who it was or what they were yelling about, so I ignored it. It persisted so I looked over and saw someone waving me over. I walked over and it was the security guard talking to me in Spanish. What the heck? I don't know what he's saying! He said "bus....quatro,cinqo,ses" and was pointing to the rode (sorry, I can't spell spanish!) I told him "No hablo Espaniol!" and he says to me, "I don't speak Spanish either, I speak Arabic!" I told him I thought that was pretty cool and he told me I need to wait for my bus outside the gates and that Arlington had closed half an hour ago. I felt so abandoned! I told him bus company is always late and he walked me to the gate. I asked him where he was from. He paused for a second and said, "Iraq". I wanted him to think me a friendly American who doesn't hate or judge Iraqis, so I shook his hand heartily and said, "Nice to meet you! You're the first Iraqi I've ever met!" Then he closed the gate behind me and I pretty much had to go wait on the side of the rode for my lousy bus, who then changed their route on me and did not take me where I needed to go so Dave and I didn't get to meet up to see the Lincoln Memorial. Oh the adventures of Jo. I could fill volumes.

Last of all, I will be starting up session II (Roman numerals are way more cool than 2) of my music class. It will run for 10 weeks at $50 again. It will go from April 6th to June 8th. I'm taking children ages 3-5 years old. Wednesdays from 10-11am. If you want to come check out our first music class performance, let me know and I'll secretly pass on the place and time.