Is it just me or do the hands on that clock over there seem to be frozen? Maybe the earth is turning slower and time…..is….beginning……to…..stop.

Are we there yet?

Have you ever thought about stepping off the curb in front of a bus so that the resulting coma would allow you to rest in a hospital bed for a few weeks?

Yeah, me neither…….

For the moment this is funny. At the time, Mommy was a little bit pissed!!!!! You should see the inside of the car!

I was diligently typing away at my computer and the dreaded statement rang in my ears and made its way down my spine.

“Daddy I went poopoo.”

Genuine Boy has done really well with the potty training lately, he will drop whatever he is doing and run into the bathroom go number 1. Number 2 on the other hand usually entails him finding a secluded spot in a corner and deliberately pooping in his pants and then making his announcement.

Just before I was about to tell him to go tell his mother (yes, I am that devious….oh, because I learned it from her) I looked and saw him holding his Scooby Doo’s (the current cool briefs of the day). Upon closer inspection, they were not only dry, but they were clean!

“Did you go poopoo in the potty?”

“Yep”, he said with a grin

At this point you would have guessed that my son had just hit the game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth during game seven of the World Series. There was serious high fives being exchanged and kisses and hugs. At one point I might have had to dry a tear. Upon hearing the ruckus, Mrs. G came out of her room to find out what had happened.

“Guess who went poopoo in the potty?” I screamed!

It was another round of high fives and kisses and a parent with happy tears. That one moment of time, was like winning the big game. Under pressure without the watchful eye of Daddy or Mommy, his secluded corner to do his business, this time, was the potty.

I am finishing up Chapter 6 of the Genuine Romance last night and discussing writing strategy with Mrs. G, when I stopped and thought for a moment, how many men write romance novels? Surprisingly, more than you would think. During lunch I decided to do a little research into the topic. I am not sure of the exact figures, but I did find a few references.

The problem with men writing romance is the fact that they are men. Women do not want to read a book written from the perspective of a man. They can get that at home. How could a man possibly know how to write from the mind of a woman? Some of you may be reading romance novels right now that are written by men. Some men are writing romance under a pseudonym.

I found a site that is outing some of the more popular romance novelists and the aliases they are using. You can read for yourself whether your favorite is on the list. I guess after most of my research into the issue, I should definitely not quit my day job. As long as it is taking to write the Genuine Romance, I should probably get a night job too!

Trying to find time to have sex is hard enough, but add in trying to write about it and it is like adding salt to the wound. Actually, the draft of Chapter 6 is the most action I have had in a while. Honey……I swear, Natasha is not really real!

Go over and check out my wife’s Peaks! She just received her new layout from Ro over at Ciao! my bella designs.

Just give it a peek.

I wanted this week to get off on the right foot, to enter the week with a good attitude and to put nose to grindstone with a smile. Then once I got to work and went to the restroom, I glanced in the mirror and noticed that even a guy without a lot of hair can have a bad hair day! I lost the coin toss to go back home and get into bed and start over. I guess I’ll have to face the day with that just woke up look.

It’s that time of the week again for my meander across the blogosphere. I wanted to try something a little different and go with a blog that I have been reading and that is located in the Round Table, and I wasn’t disappointed when I read her post today. I’m talking about Paper Napkin, and she does a pretty good job of explaining the meaning of life as a parent might define it. Go and read her version.

From here I decided to venture into a new read recently that I saw, but can’t get enough. I am talking about Very Mom. She has a post from Saturday that most of you women will find hilarious, and even got a chuckle out of this man. It is definitely worth a stop and a read.

I looked down her blog roll and immediately picked out my next blog to visit. I went to Slightly Insane Mom, where her tag line reveals that “All Mothers Are Slightly Insane.” That should be enough for you to check out this site and have a ball. She is dealing with a two year old and sleep deprivation so I’m sure you can all relate to her in some fashion.

From the insane to the brain, I visited Mom Brain. I love her introductory tag line:

“Not your average Dr. Phil watching, cat owning, Gap wearing, freelance writing, former career woman, stay-at-home mommy!”

Although she does not post everyday, I did find her posts to be fun to read and worth the time to stop and peruse.

Obviously for a Monday morning you have to have your dose of Strong Coffee. This was my last stop on my walkabout, and I found myself getting to know a new read. I loved her description of swimming lessons, and after “the talk” with her hubby, it appears he is about to get snipped. Sound familiar?

Thanks for walking with me on this Monday Meander I hope every one has a good hair day, and a wonderful week!

Remember to visit your own five blogs and track back here so I can visit them as well! Or just leave me your site address so I can check you out.

My daughter seems to be excelling in the lesson plan for opposites. I sat and watched her do her homework in this area. Her brother wanted the TV on she wanted it off. The baby seat had a canopy that goes up and down. He wanted it up, she wanted it down. I watch as she purposely tortures him and tries to get him to scream and then smiles. Is this something that is taught to girls early on? I’m not sure but I think she was put on this planet to drive her brother crazy!

Is it a bad thing that I want to stop at McDonalds on the way to a family reunion picnic? I am not so much interested in eating there as I am interested in earning points for showing up. Perhaps that is poor etiquette. What would Miss Manners say?

Kym gave me the great suggestion to post our shopping list at Costco.

I went to look for our receipt, and noticed that we had actually only had 40 items. Our Costco does not yet have the ability to sell alcohol, so this is what is normally purchased on a single visit.

1. Charmin ($12.99) Funny how I could go ½ a year with the purchase of this much toilet paper as a bachelor, now we do this purchase every month.

2. Kleenex ($10.49) Although I can never find one of these just after one of the kids walks in with the obligatory runny nose, we always seem to buy this at least once a month.

3. Kirkland White Bread. ($2.85) I think we must pay too much since none of the kids eat any of the crust.

4. New York Steaks ($23.08) mmmmmmmmm Every man has a vice.

5. Wings of Fire ($12.49) Just have to remember not to forget washing hands when going potty.

6. Beef Flank Steak ($18.24) I love me some burnt mammal flesh.

7. Grey Poupon ($5.99) Now I just need that white Roils Royce.

8. Refried Beans ($5.19) Great source of protein and we like Mexican Food!

9. Bounce 200 Count ($6.15) Another box that used to last about 9 months as a single man. Now we do that monthly.

10. Tequila Turkey ($12.99) We had this tonight for dinner. I grilled each breast and it turned out very good. Too much lime for my liking though. The Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley was the highlight of the evening.

11. Pasta Sauce ($6.59) Good for three meals, we eat lots of pasta.

12. Kirkland Fiber Tablets ($7.99) A healthy Colon is a happy colon!

13. Sunflower Seeds ($6.58) My oral fixation.

14. Mustard ($3.19) Mrs. G makes killer potato salad.

15. Chicken Broth ($6.99) A staple that needs to be in every pantry.

16. Bacon ($11.85) There is a heaven. It’s a pork fat thing.

17. Huggies #3 ($29.89) the most expensive item on the list and the one that has been there nearly 5 years.

18. Capri Sun ($6.23) Genuine Boy loves him some juice!

19. Liquid Tide ($16.75) Did I say that we do a lot of laundry?

20. Donuts ($5.39) I blame Papa (my father) for this, because he taught them how to dunk these waxy chocolate morsels.

21. Cereal ($5.99) Yes Tony the Tiger is a Staple in or house as well.

22. Benadryl Elx ($6.89) For the sniffles and sometimes even for bee stings. (works great as a sleep aid for the kiddos…..shhh don’t tell anyone.)

23. Pepcid 20 mg ($19.99) See item number 8.

24. Turkey Breast ($8.19) Lunchmeat that I think I have just about everyday.

25. Desitin ($7.99) Because I hate when I have that diaper rash.

26. Coffee Mate ($4.29) Mrs. G like her coffee a little more tame than mine.

27. Infant Tylenol ($6.19) We have no use for this yet. Let’s hope!

28. Bag Balm ($3.89) The snake oil of our generation. Actually, this is a fix all for the kids and me. No, I don’t put it on Mrs. G’s udders.

29. Mini Babybel ($6.99) A wonderful cheese I like to take in my lunch. It’;s great with a few wines when entertaining.

30. Kirkland Baby Wipes ($12.99) I have a very messy and poopy family.

31. Blue Cheese Crumbles ($5.88) Great with salads and for sauces for steak. Some sandwiches need a little kick with these as well.

32. Dove Body Wash ($9.39) When I first saw this I thought Mrs. G had snuck in some of those Dove Bar on a stick chocolate covered ice cream bars….then I had a bad feeling about pregnancy again……..where is birth control on this list?

33. Starbucks Coffee ($15.99) Black Gold and worth every penny!!!!

34. Green Chile ($5.49) See number 23.

35. Q-Tips ($6.89) Guy can’t have spuds growing in his ears.

36. Pancake Mix ($5.19) Kids like Daddy to make pancakes in the morning. Just add water, almost as easy as pour in bowl and add milk.

37. DVD 3 Musketeers ($17.99) Daddy will do anything sometimes to get the kids to shut the hell up!

38. Spaghettios ($5.99) I would rather eat dirt but my kids love it. Why?

39. Pam Spray ($6.69) I used to spray this on my football jersey…..at that time it wasn’t against the rules. Now I use is just to keep my fat intake down.

40. I should mention we did have a $3.00 off coupon for the wipes.

We had about $23.00 in tax. Hey I gotta do my part. Do you have a Costco or Sam’s Club where you shop? Posting your receipt and shopping list might open your eyes a little. Go on Kym your turn! You’re my Secretary of the Treasury, I need a budget!!!