How in the world did we ever survive childhood… I mean without things like DVD players in the minivan!!  My kids know nothing different.  To them, being able to watch their show while we’re cruising is just part of a lengthy drive.  Crazy.  I believe my brothers and I entertained ourselves by constantly re-establishing the “do not cross into my seat territory” line and then dishing out dead arms to perpetrators.  Now, since my kids are all under 4, a good deal of the entertainment comes from the good folks at Big Idea, otherwise known as Veggie Tales.  I would like to thank the good folks at Big Idea for creating such catchy songs that they STICK IN YOUR HEAD AND NEVER LEAVE!!  Songs about belly buttons, hairbrushes, lips… not to mention a very entertaining Lord of the Rings Beans parody.  And that is why Veggie Tales have made it into a blog post.  We were driving from point A to point B the other day and my kids are watching another installment of the cutesy, surprisingly witty, life lesson world of singing vegetables, when I’m suddenly having a moment of conviction… from a talking asparagus no less.  Singing about a thankful heart being a happy heart.  And so that you can too can get the song stuck in your head experience this very important message for happy living, here is a cute little girl that I found on youtube singing the Thankful Heart Song.  Just wondering how dad was able to get all that on video AND drive… now that’s talent!  Now the the real fun will be seeing my kids in Sunday School as they refer to the Old Testament characters of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego as Rack, Shack, & Benny.

Since it’s Monday, I’m thinking it’s a Diggin’ It, Over It kinda day… aaaaaand because there are lots of things I’m DIGGIN and OVER.   And to keep on the Thankful theme, there’s going to be FOUR digs and only two overs.  I may have to re-balance the universe next time with more things that are irksome.

1. Vampires.  Let me clarify… Stephenie Meyer’s vampires.  They have officially made pasty fashionable.  I was completely baffled as a teenager by the fact that many of my friends would turn into bronze goddesses in the sun, and I would end up resembling Bob the Tomato.  I realized there’s this stuff in our skin that makes a tan happen and well, I just have sprinkles of it here and there.  Those would be my freckles.  Since my skin doesn’t darken in the sun, I had a Li-Lo style stint with the bottle tanners and then just decided white was better than Oompa Loompa orange.  I’ve learned to just own my pastiness and make best friends with SPF.  And now, thanks to sparkly vamps, it’s kinda cool to be pale.  
2. Jamie the Very Worst Missionary.  Anyone that can so eloquently convey the depths of a true procrastinator and even give it a more appropriate name, officially makes my Google Reader.  Warning:  not for those who are easily offended.
3. Post-its!  If you’ve been around my blog for any amount of time, you’ve heard me talk about Mom Brain.  Though I’m convinced having children makes the space left in your brain for everything non-child related significantly smaller, I refuse to let that be my cop out.  So my solution… POST ITS!  I’m telling ya… not only do Post-It crazed folk like myself keep that company in the black, but I’m pretty sure the CEO has a yacht and summer home in the Bahamas from the profits of Mom-Brain induced bulk buying of sticky little pieces of paper.  If I don’t keep up on the “to-do’s”, my office area could very well look like this:  
4. My minivan.  When I had my first child, it was like wearing this adorable little hip-accessorie wherever I went.  I drove around in a cute and sporty Kia Sorento and had a stylish little diaper bag with just a few diapers, wipes, and Hooter Hider inside.  Well, two kids later, a beach bag for a diaper bag, and the realization that three car seats don’t fit into zippy little Sorentos, I had to swallow my pride.  I swore I would never be a minivan mom because that just stereotypes you as a frumpy, been-in-the same-outfit-since-yesterday, on my way to soccer practice, all I am is a mom kinda mom.  Truth is, some of that is true.  I am still in the same outfit as yesterday as I type this and most days I’m sporting the frumpy look.  But remember our lesson from our Veggie Tales friends today… a thankful heart if a happy heart?  So I’m declaring here and now, I officially dig my minivan.  It’s a reminder of the three little blessings that require such a vehicle and I wouldn’t trade it for the world… frump and all.  Now sing it with me… “a thankful heart is a happy heart, I’m glad for what I have, it’s an easy way to start…”

1. Humidity.  So much for “at least it’s a dry heat” when monsoons come to town.  We’ve actually had very little rain, but that’s because it’s all sticking to the air.  Shay and I got to go visit my SIL Lori over in FL a couple weeks ago… going from hot & humid to humid & hot.  Now, my biggest beef with humidity is not that it makes your clothes stick to your body like you’re trying to win a wet t-shirt contest, not the profuse amount of sweating that occurs without an ounce of physical activity… my beef is the evil thing it does to my HAIR.  All I can say is I feel for you Monica.  Chia-heads unite!  
2. AT&T.  I love my iPhone.  Confused by the service.  Dear AT&T, how is it that I can go from 4 bars to 1 just by moving two steps to the left?

I love doing these posts… it’s therapy for me.  If you find something great, you gotta share it right!  And if you are irked, sometimes you just gotta get it out.  Got anything you are diggin’ or over’?? (that’s what the comment section is for)

Alright, I’ll be back tomorrow to talk business.  Newsletter subscribers already got the scoop (sign up HERE if you want to be in the loop early next time), but I’ll be getting the rest of cyber-space up to speed all thing EMP related here on the blog.  Hope your Monday is fantabulous.

Joyfully, Erin