I Love My Boys!!!

I love the weekends!

This was a really great morning! When I woke up, my alarm clock didn't wake me up with a "COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOOOO!" (yes, my alarm clock crows at me to get up. It was the only one obnoxious enough to get me out of bed at the butt-crack of dawn!) over and over again at 4:30am. No, as a matter of fact, I didn't even set my alarm last night. I was able to sleep until just after 8:00am - BLISS!
My husband, Jackson, and Leo all climbed into bed with me and we had our "Good Morning, Family-Hug", and I got to snuggle with my Little-Man for a bit under the covers, smelling his hair, and cuddling with him for a few minutes.

I don't even feel bad that it is almost 9:00am and I am still in my pj's. As a matter of fact...I don't know that I will even take them off and change clothes until the afternoon.

I think I will go make some coffee, go outside in my back yard, and watch Jackson play in his play set/tree house, and laugh when Leo tries to climb up the tree house with Jackson.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! I know I am going to - and I might try to post some pictures, too!

Baby Grace

I can't get it out of my mind! I really, really wish I could, but I can't. As a Mother, I am enraged, sickened and heart-broken by this story! I have so many questions like, "Why?", "How could they?", and "WTF were they thinking?"...
I don't know how many of you keep up with the news, but in October of last year a fisherman found the remains of a little girl stuffed into a plastic container on an uninhabited portion of West Galveston Island. Authorities named the little girl, Baby Grace. I won't go into much detail about what happened, but you may read it here: http://www.click2houston.com/news/18572302/detail.html

Baby Grace was a two year-old, blonde haired, blue-eyed little girl who's real name was Riley Ann Sawyers. She was literally beaten and tortured to death by her Mother and Step-Father in an attempt to "teach manners". Apparently, Riley forgot to say "please" and "yes sir", so for that she paid with her life.

Authorities learned that Riley was killed in July, and her parents, instead of trying to HELP this little girl, went to a store...picked up a plastic container...stuffed their daughter in it, and LEFT her in their SHED for "A MONTH or TWO" before they dumped her in the bay.

Prosecutors spent three hours telling a grand jury why they should upgrade the charges from Injury to a Child to Capitol Murder, and the jury took nearly three minutes to agree. The pair were also charged with tampering with evidence for disposing of Riley's body.

Now, we live in a state that embraces Capitol Punishment. I really hate to sound to brass about this, but it's true. There is no beating-around-the-bush about it. Texas leads the nation in the number of executions performed, and it is my opinion that the crime that took place here fits the mold for an execution for BOTH of these evil P.O.S's!
Unfortunately, the couple will NOT lose their lives if convicted of Capitol Murder (even though murder of an individual under six years of age IS a capitol offense) because Galveston officials believe the death penalty would be thrown out on appeal because, and I quote, "there was no evidence that (Trenor or Ziegler) would be a continuing threat to society." If convicted of capital murder, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.

I have two words for these people, and I pray the jury feels the same way I do... GENERAL POPULATION.

As a Christian woman, I believe these two will have to answer to God for what they did to this sweet little girl. I know that judgment on Earth pales in comparison to that of our Heavenly Father. In cases such as this one, my belief provides me with comfort, knowing that ultimately they will get theirs.
As a Christian woman I say, MAY GOD SHOW THEM NO MERCY!

Out With The Old, In With The NEW!!

So I ditched my old, potentially damaging, blog site through BraveJournal. I did copy the other entries from my old blog and transferred them here. I am still trying to get the hang of Blogger. So far, I think things are going well, except that I can't seem to place pictures where I want them. When I try to upload a picture to a post, it sends it straight to the top of the post, NOT where I place my cursor. Strange.

If anyone has any advice on how post pictures on the sides of my blog, I would really appreciate it!

YUM!

YUM!!!

Just look at this delicious meal! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Heather from Want What You Have for this (varied) recipe. This picture does not do it justice, but I had to quickly take this picture with my camera-phone before my husband tore into it! Seriously, the reason the picture came out soo dark was because he was literally standing beside the stove, spatula in hand, waiting for me to snap a photo so he could dig in, lol!

Heather's Turkey Lattice Pot Pie Recipe can be found http://economicaleats.blogspot.com/2009/01/lattice-turkey-pot-pie.html .

I didn't have any turkey, so I used chicken breasts instead. I also thought rice would be yummy in it, so I added 1 cup of Mahatma Basmati (white, long grain) rice. The rice definitely made the Pot Pie thicker, but we all like it that way!!! I tell my guys that it "sticks to your ribs, and helps them grow" - my husband says he doesn't need to grow anymore...LOL.

Happy 5th Birthday, Jackson!

Today is our son's 5th Birthday. I consider this to be a Milestone Birthday because he is officially a "Big Kid" now. It seems like yesterday that I held him in my arms, would rock him to sleep, and hold his tiny hands to help him walk. Now he is independent, opinionated, and very seldom "needs" me anymore. (sigh...I miss being "needed". I have shed tears all morning long.)

He has boundless energy (except when he is watching his shows), and LOVES to play chase games around the house, or his all-time favorite, "BOO!". That's where he literally sneaks around the house when you least expect it, waits for just the right moment, and then either grabs you or just jumps out of nowhere to scare the bejeezus out of you! He finds great humor in this. I can't get too upset at this though...I started it. He's a quick-study, and certainly has managed to cause my heart to beat in my throat a few times, lol.

Sometimes he gets the sillies, and it really takes all of me not to get too frazzled, but mostly he is a complete joy, and I thank God that He has blessed us with such happiness.

He had his 5 year-old check up with his doctor last week, and he is (as always) in the 97th-99th percentile for his height and weight. He's 3' 8 3/4" tall and weighs 52 pounds. Recently, I had to go and buy more uniform pants for him because within a matter of weeks his size 5 in boys are too tight. So now he wears a 6...and a size 1 in boys shoes. He is indeed going to be a very big-boy! He also had to get FOUR shots; one of which was his flu shot, and he was none-too-pleased about that. He said to me with giant tears in his eyes, "I told you I don't like needles! Why did you let her poke me so many times?" Talk about a heart-breaker.

We also had his Parent/Teacher Conference this week, and his teacher told us that Jackson is doing amazingly well in class, and noted the night and day difference in his behavior from the Summertime to this Fall Semester. During the Summer, Jackson was getting in trouble in class, A LOT. We're talking 5 time-outs a day, kind of misbehavior! Jack and I tried to be understanding of the phases he may have been going through at that time and the emotions that all of us were feeling after we lost Sanford, our Neo-Bull Mastiff, but enough was enough and we were forced to take drastic and creative measures where his discipline was concerned. I am extremely proud to say that it has been six weeks since Jackson has had any problems at school, and he seems to really enjoy his new-found position as the "Teachers Pet".

His teacher also told us that he is really good at Math and Reading. That makes me happy because I struggled with Math when I was young. He is learning how to build a solid foundation in understanding math concepts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) by using both concrete materials and manipulative's. He is beginning to bring home work where he is writing out each number 0-100! As far as reading goes, he is learning with a phonetic approach, and he sounds E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G out, and it is precious as can be!

I really can not give enough praise for the Montessori environment. He's been attending a Montessori School since he was 18 months old, and it truly has done wonders for his desire of learning, his self-esteem, and his socialization.

In case you don't know about the Montessori philosophy of education, it's basically the idea that all children carry within themselves the person they will become. In order to develop physical, intellectual, and spiritual potential to the fullest; the child must have freedom – a freedom to be achieved through order and self-discipline. The only valid impulse to learning is the self-motivation of the child. Children move themselves toward learning. The teachers prepare the environment, direct the activity and offer the stimulation, but it is the child who learns, who is motivated through work itself to persist in a given task. If Montessori children are free to learn, it is because they have acquired an inner discipline from their exposure to both physical and mental order. This is the core of Dr. Montessori’s philosophy. Patterns of concentration and thoroughness, established in early childhood produce a confident, competent learner in later years. Montessori education teaches children to observe, to think, to judge. It introduces children to the joy of learning at an early age and provides a framework in which intellectual and social discipline go hand-in-hand.

To my sweet, wonderful son on your 5th Birthday.

You are so very special to us and loved in every way!

God gave me a precious gift
the day he gave me you.
You've brought such love and joy into
my life and lots of laughter too.
The years have passed so quickly
for it seems like yesterday,
your tiny body was cuddling mine,
and in my arms you lay.
We may not always get along

and at times we disagree,
but always know how loved you are
you mean the world to me.
As we celebrate this special day,

We wish the best for you,
may your life be filled with happiness
and your hopes and dreams come true.
You may be growing up
but forever you will be,
my sweet thoughtful little boy
that God gave to me.

We love you very much, Little-Man!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Your Personality is Very Rare (ESTP)

Your personality type is dominant, driven, poised, and self-aware.

Only about 5% of all people have your personality, including 3% of all women and 6% of all men.

You are Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.

Houston Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club

First, Jackson and I are taking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Typically, the instructor only allows children ages five and up to join the class, but due to Jackson's comprehension level and size, they went ahead and let him join. During Jackson's first lesson he was paired up with another young girl to practice with. The children are given drills and taught different maneuvers to learn, and at the conclusion of the class, the children get to demonstrate what they have learned with their partner in front of the instructor.

Jackson did very well, and out of the lessons he demonstrated, he only "lost" one match. He was crushed, and yes, he cried. He is such a perfectionist that when he "loses" or can't do something the first time, it upsets him greatly.I was very happy that the instructor showed him compassion and patience instead of belittling and chastising him. That right there showed me that I made the right decision in choosing this class for him!

I am taking the adult class after Jackson's class, and I have to say...it's pretty intense! I am the only woman in the class, so of course I had to prove myself and "earn my respect" from the other guys. Before the class started, I went to the restroom to change out of my dress, and when I came out, one of the guys said to me, "Oh...for a minute there I thought you were changing for the adult class.", to which I replied that I did. Then, the guy laughs at me! I asked him why he thought that was funny, and he says to me, "(still with the smirky-smile) Well, what made you decide to do Jiu-Jitsu? Have you done this before?" I furled my brow at him, and basically stared him down. I explained that, no, I have not done anything like this before, and that I suppose I decided to do jiu-jitsu for some of the same reasons he decided to join. (Cue staring match no. 2...)

Once I received my gi, I joined the guys who had already began their drills. We ran, galloped forwards and backwards, had to do flips (where you basically dive between your legs and flip over), and did this exercise the really works your lower abs...more than I have worked them in six years, lol! We also had to do this thing called a "caterpillar", which is where you begin in a push-up position and do a push-up, "jump" your feet to where your hands are, and then "walk your hands out" back to a push-up position and start over...and we had to to this the entire length of the practice area. I was tired before our lesson even began! Unfortunately (for me) I could not let on that I am out of shape because I was still trying to prove myself.

We learned how to get out of someones mounted guard, and put them in your guard, and also how to get out of a standing head-lock, and submit (or break one's arm out of their rotator cuff) them.

At the conclusion of our lesson, all of the students have to show the instructor what we have learned and receive our critiques. I am very happy to say that I was one of the few students in the class that did not have to re-do my maneuvers for the professor because I nailed it the first time! YEA FOR ME!!! After the class was over, the guys came up to me and introduced and congratulated me on my Job Well Done! That made me feel good!

Again, it's all pretty intense, but completely worth it to know that I am able to take care of myself (and Jackson, too!) if I should ever be put in that situation!

International Radio Talk Show...WOW!

I just wanted to let you all know that I will be appearing as a featured guest on Pageant Talk Radio, the pageant industry's leading live Internet talk radio show. The show will air live on Tuesday, September 16th, from 11:00 AM to Noon CST (Noon to 1:00 PM EST/9:00 AM to 10:00AM PST).

I'll be taking live questions, so if you'd like to dial-in to ask a question the number is 1-888-463-6748 for callers within the U.S., and international callers can dial 011-847-470-0937.
If you'd like to email a question for the show, just send it to info@PageantInterviewCoach.com with my name and "Pageant Talk Radio" in the subject line.

To listen to the show live, just go to www.PageantTalkRadio.com and click on the Listen Live red box in the upper right corner. To listen to a broadcast after it has aired, scroll down the Pageant Talk Radio show page to access previously aired episodes.

I'm excited about being a guest on the show and hope you'll be able to tune in or call-in with a question!

What Does Your Name Mean?

What Christie Means

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.

You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.

A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.

Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.

Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing.

You're a strong person.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.

You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you.

You're very intense.

You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble.

But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound.

It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly.

You don't stick with any one thing for very long.

You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time.

Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.

You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.

You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak.

Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.

You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life.

You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations.

You're most comfortable when you're far away from home.

You are quite passionate and easily tempted.

Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble.
You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat.

Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible.

But for the important things, you pull it together.

What Jack Means

You are fair, honest, and logical.

You are a natural leader, and people respect you.

You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries.

You are rational enough to see every part of a problem.

You are great at giving other people advice.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.

You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.

You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.

You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.

A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life.

You are very adaptable.

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life.

You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip.

People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them.

What Jackson Means

You are fair, honest, and logical.

You are a natural leader, and people respect you.

You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries.

You are rational enough to see every part of a problem.

You are great at giving other people advice.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.

You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.

You have the classic "Type A" personality.You are very open.

You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.

You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.

A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life.

You are very adaptable.

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life.

You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip.

People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them.

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.

You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.

You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak.

Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.

You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.

At times, you can be a bit too serious.

You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are very intuitive and wise.

You understand the world better than most people.

You also have a very active imagination.

You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy.

You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

Just One Word

I got this from Heather at "Want What You Have"

1. Cell phone? Check!
2. Significant other? Mine!
3. Hair? Long
4. Mother? Funny
5. Father? Protective
6. Favorite thing? Family
7. Dream last night? Strange
8. Favorite drink? Coke
9. Dream/goal? Design
10. Room I'm in? Lobby
11. Church? Christian/Non-Denom.
12. Fear? Alone
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? w/Family
14. Where were you last night? Home
15. What I'm not? Weak-Minded
16. Muffins? Banana Nut
17. Wish list item? Home-Owner
18. Where did you grow up? Everywhere
19. Last thing I did? Type
20. What are you wearing? Dress
21. TV? No
22. Pets? Mastiff
23. Computer? Lifesaver
24. Life? Sweet
25. Mood? Happy
26. Missing someone? Husband
27. Car? Clean
28. Not wearing? Earrings
29. Favorite store? Affordable
30. Summer? HOT!
31. Love someone? Absolutely!!
32. Favorite color? Blue
33. Last time you laughed? Today
34. Last time you cried? Unsure

VENTING

I have never been one to doubt myself. As a matter of fact, those of you know me, know that I am a pretty confident person who makes informed decisions. I am rarely emotional (rare for a woman, I know), and while I take my gut instinct seriously, I don't heavily rely it. I suppose you could say that I use that instinct as more of the "icing on the cake" to solidify an opinion, judgment, or decision.

I am a very well-rounded person. I have been fortunate enough to travel the world and experience many cultures when I was young. I grew up in a military family, and didn't stop traveling until my Father opted for an early retirement in the mid 90's.

I (at the time) was an only child, and because of the military background of my family, a lot was expected of me. I learned what it meant to be responsible at a very early age. Yes, I was a bit spoiled, but again I mention being an only child...what else were my parents going to do with me? With the privileges I received, there were certain expectations. "To whom much is given, much is expected." I began babysitting when I was ten years old...Today, you can pretty much guarantee that I wouldn't let a ten-year old near my child unsupervised for ANY length of time! I was a Girl Scout and was Certified in CPR and First Aid, not to mention the numerous babysitting classes/courses I attended and was certified in. I had more than just a basic understanding of Right and Wrong, and was extremely trustworthy.

Since my Senior year in High School, I have had many different jobs that enabled me to discover new things about myself and aid in the confidence I have.
When I was in Co-Op, I worked for a doctor at a Pain Management Clinic. I started out as his assistant working with patients who were injured by automobile accidents, slip and falls (before they were "too common"), and later began doing all of the marketing for his practice. I dealt with pretty much all of the PI (Personal Injury) attorneys in the Greater Houston Area on a regular basis, was responsible for the expansion of his clinic, and ultimately a shift in his scope of practice that has been quite lucrative for him.
I also was a receptionist, photographer, and pre-school teacher. I volunteered in my community working with children and the elderly, and eventually developed my own program, Luggage for Kids, where I partnered with CPS (Child Protective Services) to provide gently used (or new) pieces of luggage to children who were in foster care. I developed this program when my younger sister was adopted. LFK was later adopted by the San Jacinto Girls Scouts.

After I met my husband, I "kept my resume up", but for the most part I stayed at home. After the birth of our son, I stayed at home until he was about four months old. My Aunt and her husband run another clinic (how I landed my H.S. job...), and her transcriptionist was on Maternity Leave. I was feeling a bit cagey, so I agreed to work for her part-time. My husband and I hired a private Nanny that would come to our house to care for Jackson after my Grandmother could not longer look after him. When he was around 18 months old we enrolled him in a Montessori School to aid in his socialization. I didn't particularly care for transcription work, but I did it until the other employee returned. After that, I began doing the collections for the clinics, and was quite good at what I did! I felt like I had finally found work that I enjoyed! I mostly worked with insurance companies and attorneys. Occasionally, I would have to work with the patients that had "fallen behind" in their payments. I trained at collection seminars and learned about different statutes of limitations (that I have used in "real life" as well!). I used to have to file cases in the small claims court against private-pay patients in our final attempt to collect payment. I am very happy to say that of all the cases I brought to the judge, I never lost a case! I would have to file grievances with the State Bar against attorneys that would not comply with providing information regarding case status or payment in full...one attorney came very close to losing his license to practice law! Some insurance companies, mostly for Worker's Comp, would not pay because they didn't feel that rehab for a patient that literally in some cases could not walk was necessary! So round and round we went every 45 day like clock work! They would soon tire of my relentlessness, and would eventually pay for either a portion or all of the treatment the patient received.

I went back to school for a Business Degree, and later opened my own business! Well, I was the creative force behind one, Gulf Coast Business Solutions, that was born from my work in collections. The other was Custom Crown Cases, a business that started out as a hobby but quickly turned profitable! I have been in business since 2005.

In July of 2007, I was offered a position at a pipeline engineering company that serves the oil and gas industry. I have been here for one year, and really enjoy the company and the people I work with. I get great benefits, paid time off, vacation pay, 401-k...and because I am working outside of our home, our son is able to attend (another) private Montessori School that has been phenomenal in teaching Jackson things that he most likely would not learn until the 1st grade! (Did I mention that our son is four?!) He's learning how to read and write, he knows about space, presidents, the continents, plants and what it takes for them to grow (and not just soil, water, and sunlight...I mean he knows about chlorophyll and the different parts of the plant itself!), skip counting, and way more than I could possibly begin to list here! I'm not being a braggart when I say that he is incredibly intelligent for his age, it's the truth, and being biased has very little to do with it!

So, in getting to my "Vent"...someone at my job actually had the nerve to tell me that "(I) was more astute that (she) gave (me) credit for". CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?! She even seemed a little surprised by "intelligence". Okay, first of all....you don't say that to people....and certainly not out loud even if that is what you think; and second....did she really think that after a year of working with me...talking to me nearly every day that I am just some airhead who need to follow a trail of bread crumbs to get to places?!!? I mean really! How rude can you get?!

My husband said that perhaps she was the one who was not as astute as she thought!

That made me smile.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished...

One week ago today we brought our new English Mastiff, Leo, home to our family. When Leo came to us at 12 weeks, he weighed in at a modest 13 pounds. Now, Leo is nearly 13 weeks-old and is tipping the scales at over 20 pounds!!! Yes, he is going to be a very big-boy!

Since Leo's Homecoming, we have been crate-training him. For the most part he's doing extremely well! He hasn't had any accidents (Knock-Wood) during the night in his crate, and on rare occasion he will have an accident inside, but he's still little, so there isn't much to clean up...for now at least!

I planned on taking Leo over to my best friend Sarah's house on Monday to play with her three kids (and Jackson) and to aid in his socialization so he will be a well-rounded puppy. A few days before, I purchased a travel-crate for when Leo needs to go to the vet, or just whenever I need to travel with him. The crate is medium-sized, and very soon Leo will grow out of it. Currently, it does the trick, and we will use it until we can no longer stuff him in it. Even though I brought his travel kennel with us for our little adventure, I thought I would be a nice Mommy and let Leo ride on the passenger-side floor board as we drove to visit our friends...Big Mistake!

At first, Leo was fine. He layed down and seemed to accept the fact that he was riding in the car, much to his dismay. After a while he tired of the floor board, and he decided to climb up into the passenger side seat to lay down there. Perhaps he was looking for a more comfortable spot that had cushion, or maybe he needed a different view. I tried to get him off my of seat, but driving in Houston traffic at 6:00 pm while attempting to push a stubborn Mastiff down from my seat proved to be a tad difficult. Rather than wreck the car with 3/4 of our family in it, I just let Leo stay where he was. I mean, what harm could come from him laying in the seat, right?

I'm glad you asked! Leo got up and was now standing on the center console (between the driver and passenger seats) trying to push past me to climb into the back seat, or so I thought. I nudged him to push him down, and in doing so I hear a "squish" sound. I'll not describe it, but trust me when I tell you that when you hear a noise like that, you KNOW what it is...

I was on the phone with Sarah; I had been for a while. I looked around quickly, trying to keep my car between the ditches, frantically searching for this "mystery noise", and then it hits me. No, not a car! It was the fulsome aroma of Puppy Poop! Yes, even Mastiffs get a touch of car-sickness occasionally. Once I located this mound of filth I realized the severity of my current situation. THERE WAS PILE OF POOP JUST SITTING BESIDE ME!!! I as completely grossed out, and Sarah wass absolutely dying on the other end of the phone. I grabbed Leo by his collar, and tried my best to pull him off of my leather seat. (If you will imagine for a moment what a cat might do if you were to attempt to put it in the bath, you would get a fairly accurate visual of what I was dealing with.) Even at 12 weeks, Leo is quite strong, so when I finally wrestled him to floor board, I had to rest my right arm a bit. That is until I saw the aftermath of his coup de main.

Feces was now smeared all over my seat, my purse, the towel I brought for Leo lay on, and on Leo himself! My car reeked, and even though I dropped my phone in my lap, I could STILL hear Sarah guffawing on the other end! Once she was able to breath normally again, I asked her if she would be so nice as to have some 409 and some paper-towels handy for me when I pulled up, as I was just down the street from her house. We drove the remaining distance with all of the car windows down so as not to heave from the stench...the temperature gage on my car read 117 degrees. Yes, it was awesome indeed!

Upon arrival, I rid my car of the waste, get both Jackson and Leo situated, and began fervently dousing my soiled seat with the cleaner, scrubbing and wiping as best as I can to sanitize my vehicle. You know that saying, "Like flies on stink"? Well let me be the first to tell you that no truer words have ever been spoken! Flies the size of Texas began swarming through my door and window to get a piece of what Leo left behind! I noticed that the matter seems to be coming up well, and the flies leave because they don't like to be sprayed with chemicals. My paper towel barely has a trace of excrement on it what-so-ever! However, I noticed a curious color staining the used, wadded up wipe. It was black, and for the life of me I couldn't understand why so much dirt was coming off of my seat! That is when I realized it wasn't dirt at all. The 409 was ruining my black leather!!!

I had Sarah come look at it, and as we stood there staring at the atrophy of my seat, we are able to rub enough of our brain cells together to come to the realization that warm, soapy water and a sponge would have been a much better solution to my problem than the abrasive cleaner I used earlier. After a few minutes, Sarah brought me out a dish of soapy water, and I begin to dilute the existing chemicals on my seat. Eventually, the black stopped coming off on my wipe, and I called it an afternoon.

My car no longer smells like an out-house, but my seat has these awesome chemical burns on it that I am sure will someday be a great conversation piece for Jackson to drum-up. "Hey Mom, remember that time when..."Yes Honey, I do.

No good deed goes unpunished.