At Least I Didn't Drool

Something tells me I need to go to bed.

Since I get up earlier than what most people consider normal, I'm usually a bit sleep-deprived. Just now I went to post a new entry on my blog, and...

...dozed off while staring at the screen.

The last time I dozed unintentionally was when I was leaning on my cart while staring at the vegetables at Sam's Club. I awoke to a voice behind me saying 'excuse me.' Oh sure, I thought to myself, and tried to pretend I was really mulling over whether to buy the canned green beans or peas.

I think I'll call it a night.

Good Advice For Moms and Dads

Every morning at 6:10 am I read an inspirational piece on the air.

Hopefully those who hear it take a moment from this thing called life to take it in. Yesterday's piece is one any parent can relate to and I plan to tack it on my fridge. After all, kids are only little for a little while.

Oatmeal Kisses

The baby is teething-the children are fighting. My husband just called and said to eat dinner without him. Okay, one of these days you'll shout: "Why don't you grow up and act your age!" and they will, or "You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do...and don't slam the door!"...and they won't.

You'll straighten up their rooms neat and tidy...bumper stickers discarded...spreads tucked and smooth ... toys displayed on the shelves...hangars in the closet...animals caged, and you'll say outloud: "Now I want it to stay that way!" and it will...You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in it and you'll say, "Now there's a meal for a company." and you'll eat it alone.

You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around, no pantomimes, no demolition crews. Silence! Do you hear?"...and you'll have it. No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti, no more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent, no more dandelion bouquets, no more iron-on patches, knotted shoestrings, or tight moots.

Imagine, a lipstick with a point, no babysitter for New Year's Eve, washing clothes only once a week, no P.T.A. meetings, carpools, blaring radios, Christmas presents out of toothpicks and paste. No more "Wet Oatmeal Kisses." No more toothfairy giggles in the dark, or knees to heal.

Only a voice crying..."Why don't you grow up?"... and the silence echoing ......."I did."

-Author Unknown

Things Heard Around My House

We don't open the windows very often around my house.

I say that tongue-in-cheek, but the truth is some interesting things can often be heard from the boys. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's mind-boggling, and other times...well, I blame Greg.

So at the risk of raising a few eyebrows, I share with you the following actual spoken phrases in my home. I wouldn't dare share the ENTIRE conversation, after all, you might wonder about us.

Hayden telling us about his friend Angelica at school, and when I asked if she's his girlfriend, he responded, 'No way. She always has snot and boogers.'

My oldest son asking me while laughing to 'give him a wedgie.' Don't people usually AVOID those?

Greg telling our youngest that he has outgrown the Ninja Turtle costume he is wearing, and Hayden saying, 'No I haven't Daddy. It just goes up my bottom.' Uhhh...exactly.

Hayden asking me to make cornflake chicken for dinner, then later insisting I scrape the cornflakes off. What's the point?

And finally, my youngest saying 'I don't think so little lady' when I told him he needed to sit in time alone. Guess who sat there a little longer?

And that's all folks.

A Pair of Idols Stop by WFMS

What do Carrie Underwood and Taylor Hicks have in common?

Both have won American Idol, and BOTH will be visiting with us on the show, Thursday!

Carrie was recently named ACM's Entertainer of the Year and says she would like to thank WFMS listeners for their votes in making that happen. Several people have emailed a question for Carrie, which we'll throw her way. We also want to know how those beach shots of her in a bikini were taken without her knowing. Or did she?

Then Taylor...Hicks, that is...stops on by, fresh off a performance the night before on American Idol. Not to mention we'll be giving away tix to see Taylor Swift, in her drum major uniform no less, at her headlining show when it swings through town.

Carrie and a couple of Taylors.

Life is good.

On Tucking in My 4-Year-Old

I've heard many parents say that bedtime routines can sometimes take forever. I've been there.

There is always one more story, one more drink to take, one more something. Of course, I realize these times won't last forever, but Momma needs to hit the sack before the paperboy delivers the day's news.

My 4-year-old will think of all kinds of reasons to delay the tuck-in process. And at the end of his countless excuses, such as 'I need some cream...I have the itchies, I forgot to shut the toilet lid, What do I do if I get hot,' etc, he always asks me or his Dad the same question.

Are you going to stay up?

And we always say yes. He doesn't care what we'll be doing, but he doesn't want us to go to bed. Spend time on the computer, watch tv, take a bubble bath, write my blog, but don't sleep. This has been a routine of his for a couple of months now. It's as routine as stepping into a pair of underwear, yet that's probably not the best example since this is the son that often forgoes 'em. I've even found myself offering up the information before he asks, saying 'Night, Hayden. Mommy loves you. And I'm staying up.'

Curiosity eventually got the best of me, so I asked Hayden why he always wants to know if we will stay up, and he responded...

'Because I'm just a kid and I need an adult to take care of me.'

Well put.

What We Do When We're Bored

Ever had a set of tubes put in your ears?

Obviously, I'm talking surgically. My oldest son has gone that route, not once, not twice, but THREE times. The darn things seem to work themselves out as he ages. And it looks as though it's about to happen again.

Every so often Griffin asks me to 'check and see if they're still there.' So, I do, and nothing spectacular happens. 'Yep, they're there,' I say and so it goes. No big celebration dance to do, no journal to keep track of our tube-checks, I just reassure him that I can see the little blue things and off he goes. It's almost routine by now.

Until last night. He got out of the shower, threw on his pj's, asked me to check his tubes, I did, and then he said, 'I wish I could see what they look like.' Call me crazy, but I figured, why can't he? So we spent the next 10 minutes taking digital closeups of the inside of his ear. Yes, I'm sure SOMETHING was on tv that could have caught my interest, like Dog the Bounty Hunter, but hey, I was entertaining my son.

Just in case you are wondering what a tube that is almost out of an ear looks like, I posted the pic. And now I'm left to wonder if you think I've lost my sanity.

Oh, the things we do.

On Screwing Up at UPS

I experienced a rather embarrassing moment last week and Kevin pretty much forced me to share it on the air. So now that hundreds of thousands of people know about it, I figure I may as well as blog about it too.

Dear Mr. UPS Man,

Thanks for not laughing at me. I'm sure you remember who I am. I'm the one who came rushing through your doors, after leaving where I work to mail something and trying to get back for a meeting. You were so nice to greet me with a friendly smile, never mind the fact that I threw my purse on the counter with half of its contents ready to spill out, including the three car chargers for a cell phone because I wasn't sure which was which, so I grabbed them all.

I won't actually mail you this letter, it's just my way of explaining to others that you made a humiliating moment not so bad after all. I remember being asked how you can help me, so I told you I needed to overnight something, and then I said...

'I need to FedEx it.'

At UPS.

Yet, you never even cracked a smile. Instead, you stood directly across from me in your suitcase-brown shirt with a big UPS logo on it, and no I didn't seem to notice that, and politely said, 'Uh, ma'am, we can only UPS.'

Of course you can.

Yet, I could hear the clock ticking, and knew I had minutes to get back to work, so I dug a deeper hole and asked, 'Would you know where a FedEx is?'

And you told me.

I'm sure I was the subject of a laugh or two around your dinner table that night, with my absent-minded ways and all. But, at least you managed to strike a poker face in my presence. And I thank you for that.

Let's hear it for Mr. UPS man.

Holding On

It will take time.

That's what many people would say when we lost my Dad just over eight months ago. Friends and family were very comforting, yet I didn't want it to take time. In that moment, I wasn't wanting to make it all better. I wanted my Dad. I've accepted that he's gone even though we didn't get to say goodbye, but I find myself holding on to memories to keep him close to my heart.

Memories like the time he sat by the pool in shorts and a John Deere hat, watching proudly as I tried to teach Griffin to overcome his fear of swimming. He would shout out words of encouragement in between puffs on his cigar, and Griffin would take bigger risks with each try. These moments make me smile.

Yet, I'm also holding on to tangible stuff.

A receipt from McDonald's where Dad bought his last coffee, a piece of wallpaper from his home, the last grocery list he wrote. I look at it from time to time and smile, admiring the way he wrote in all caps. I saved the gift box that held the bracelet he and mom gave me for Mother's Day, and I tucked away our family photo that was used on his last Christmas card. The Butler Bulldogs t-shirt that I got him is now in my closet, and I sometimes pull out a pair of his thick, white socks and put them on my feet to help me feel close.

I do these things to help ease the pain.

We all have our own way of grieving. Some may say that gathering pine cones that dropped from the trees around his pool is silly, but I still found myself collecting the sticky things last month and placing them in a plastic bag. What I will do with them I don't know.

The sun continues to rise each day, yet it sometimes feels like the hourglass of life got knocked over and sand is just barely sifting through. And who knows, time may one day ease the pain. Until then, I'm holding on to the things Dad left behind.

Pinecones and all.

Junior Stops By

Hank Williams Jr stops by this morning to visit with us!

Hank doesn't do many interviews, so this is our first time to talk with Bocephus. We promise to ask about his plans to maybe run for office, and in return, he promises a funny story about someone who didn't know what to call him. You can bet they got corrected.

Hank joins us at 8:10 am!

Eye See You

I've never been accused of having too much free time on my hands. Yet, the guys and I found ourselves taking weird pictures in the studio today.

Here's my fave, though it gave our producer the creeps.

Carrie Visits Jim, Deb and Kevin

Carrie Underwood joins us on the show next week!

We've talked to Carrie lots of times and we've learned a lot about the star over the years. She's told us what's inside her purse, that she has a tattoo, that she's never had a speeding ticket, that she sometimes wears a wig but people still know it's her, and that her legs are often what she gets complimented on the most.

Is there something you would love to know about Carrie? Like what magazines she reads or if she ever eats breakfast for dinner? Send it our way. Comment here or email me at honeycut@indyradio.com.

Stay tuned, and soon we'll be talking to ACM's Entertainer of the Year!

Don't Hit Snooze Tomorrow

Taylor Swift is coming to Indy...and tickets go on sale this Friday, at 10 am!

Don't be left standing, no pun intended, without a seat. The girl is the hottest thing going since Oprah signed up for a twitter account, and you could be at her show, backup dancers and all! Tomorrow isn't just any old Thursday, it's a Taylor Swift Thursday...which means we've got your 'preemo' Taylor Swift seats at Conseco Fieldhouse!

Listen for Taylor to tell you to call in, and you could be going to her show! Got to get up for class? No sweat. We know Taylor has a big following among the kids, which means we're doing this early so you have a chance to win before snarfing down a Pop-Tart and getting on the school bus. Maybe even earlier than you have to roll out of bed on a normal day. Be listening in the 6 am and 8 am hours, and good luck! Not in school? Listen to win more great seats all day long!

P.S. Taylor's Nashville show sold out in ONE minute. Something tells me she's going to make it in this business.

The Brothers I Never Had

Country Music Expo is over, which means I spent two solid days with Jim and Kevin.

A lot can happen when you spend that many hours together. Kevin often says I'm the sister he never had, and I jokingly say he's the brother I never wanted, but that's not true. I realize I'm lucky to work with good friends, so here are just a few observations that I made from the weekend.

I owe Kevin about 2 packs of gum. He is always the go-to guy for a breath freshener, and I was a borrowing fool.

Jim and Kevin both were the keepers of my beloved tube of lipgloss. They tucked it away in their pockets so I wouldn't have to carry a purse. I'm not sure Greg would oblige, but Jim and Kev are down with that.

Jim ran to get a water and grabbed me a Diet to save me a trip. All very nice things, yet there is always a flip side. Such as...

Kevin telling Blake Shelton that I'm a fan, but that my 'favorites' list changes by the hour. Thanks, pal.

They were the first to point out when I tripped going up the stairs onstage. You'd think they would be used to it by now. Even Blake Shelton's manager offered to catch me. Call me Grace.

Kevin, as brothers sometimes do, told Hazel that I was watching what I eat after overdoing the calories on vacation. That led her to later announce to thousands on stage, 'Deborah thinks she's heavy.'

Brothers.

Check Yes or No

My oldest came home from school last week to tell me that all of the second-graders were invited to the school's Cinderella Ball.

And that the boys were supposed to ask a girl to the dance. Second grade? When I was that age I was still trying to figure out why my Mom dressed me in plaid socks up to my knees, and why my older sister was sporting a matching pair. I've got the pictures to prove it.

I suggested he ask someone and go to the dance, not like a girlfriend, but a friend to hang out with and have fun. He shot me a look as if to say 'I know what you're doing,' then surprised me when he half-heartedly replied, 'Maybe.'

Maybe was better than NO.

So I continued on, trying my best to describe the fun my lanky 7-year-old would have with a female pal by his side, while awkwardly sipping some punch. I suggested he ask Bettylou, and yes, names have been changed to protect the innocent. Bettylou lives down the street, a blonde sweetheart who rings our doorbell to play and was Griff's first date to get ice cream. Or maybe not. Is it a date when your mom drives and your little brother goes along for the ride?

Griff nodded yes, said he would ask Bettylou the following day, and we called it a night.

The next day arrived and the bus made its rounds, and there was my son, stepping off from a long day at school. He told me he took the plunge and asked Bettylou to go with him to the Cinderella Ball and she agreed.

Yet he didn't seem thrilled with the results.

Griff went on to say, 'Then before the bell rang she told me she decided she didn't want to go after all.' NO! I didn't exactly have a Plan 'B' hidden up my sleeve. Fast-forward four days later. I just tucked Griff in bed, and as I write this, he yelled from his room that he forgot to tell me something. 'What's that,' I asked? He replied, 'I forgot to tell you that...

...'Bettylou changed her mind.'

Heartbreak avoided.

Blake Gives Grandma Some Love

As promised, here's my sassy 85-year-old Grandma who stalked, I mean hugged, Blake Shelton at the WFMS Country Music Expo. Swooning would be an understatement.

I apologized to Blake, who said he 'felt violated, but then liked it.' Always the guy with the one-liners, I asked Blake about the age difference, and he acknowledged it but said it's 'not enough to matter.'

The woman has a way about her. She tried saying she was cold and hugged Blake tightly so she could warm up, but I know better. The Expo ended, and Grandma, clutching her 8x10 glossy of Blake, waved goodbye to my co-workers, telling them she'd be back next year.

I think I've created a monster.

It's Good to be Grandma

Country Music Expo has come and gone.

Here's a pic of the airstaff posing with Darius Rucker, who closed the show today. I told him backstage that my 85-year-old grandmother was in the house and was looking forward to hearing him sing. "That Rucker guy," she would say, when asked who she came to see.

Well, that Rucker guy now has a fan for life. Darius sweetly dedicated his new hit "It Won't Be Like This For Long" to the 'lovely Evelyn' while performing.

Awwwww, shucks.

Grandma also managed to flirt her way over to Blake Shelton, and I'll post that pic tomorrow. I might have to rethink giving her a backstage pass next year. One thing's for sure, the woman ain't shy.

I Think I'll Pass

Our Inquisitive Co-Host

One phrase you hear often among us in the studio is 'We tease because we love.' So, in true piranha fashion, I just HAD to share with you one of the things about Kevin that makes him the loveable guy he is.

In addition to being slightly taller than Shania Twain, he is very observant. He notices things that most men don't. Like clothing. Greg couldn't tell you what I wore yesterday, yet Kevin will ask me, 'Is red your color? I notice you wear it from time to time.'

Oooooooooooooook.

And so it goes, the daily dose of questions we hear from our pal Kev. Some can be odd, some even bizarre. Some can make us say out loud, 'Do you ask your wife this stuff?'

Here's a list of questions Kevin has rattled off just this week:

While watching the Today show, 'How many suits do you think Matt Lauer owns?'

'What position do you guys sleep in? On your back, or maybe the fetal?'

'Ever wonder why they make cat food AND dog food, and why they don't eat the same thing?'

'Do you guys have any tattoos? Would you ever get one?'

'What's that one thing you would love to do if you guys weren't on the radio? I'd be a mortician.'

And that just scratches the surface.

We're Doing Somethin Right

Just had to share this photo of my two favorite boys. We were on vacation, and I caught them holding hands (one of many times). My youngest admires his big brother, and I snapped it when he wasn't looking. A proud moment for me.

I'll fish this photo out of a drawer the next time I see one of the boys putting the other in a headlock.

Onstage and Backstage

It's almost that time of year again.

Time for our annual Country Music Expo, WFMS's version of what many still call FanFair in Nashville. Lots of acoustic performances from some of the Who's Who in country music. Lee Ann Womack, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Mark Chesnutt, Jason Michael Carroll, Heidi Newfield and the list goes on.

We've put on this event for years, and we always leave with some fun stories. Here's a list of our faves that we share with new interns at the station year after year:

Wynonna having her bus take her from the hospitality building to the stage building on a rainy day to preserve her hair. Distance? About 40 feet.

Clint Black asked my co-host, Kevin, for his backstage lanyard around his neck. Who knew the singer collects them?

Garth Brooks was in town for a concert tour, but decided to 'stop on by' and say hello. He surprised the crowd by walking out on stage and doing a couple of Q&A. Not that he needed em, but he gained a few new fans that day.

One male artist, better not mention who, asking me to apply his stage makeup. His manager wanted him to wear the stuff, but he was against it. We said we did, but really didn't.

John Rich sporting a diamond ring bigger than the state of Texas in the letters 'MM.' No fur coat though.

Blake Shelton skipping the VIP room and sitting with staff to eat his barbeque in the hospitality room.

Trisha Yearwood saying she made Garth Brooks a 'washtub full of chicken salad' when she left him alone to be at the Expo.

Keith Urban, an up-and-comer at the time, looking like he had seen a ghost when he spotted the crowd.

Randy Owen of Alabama jokingly telling our overnight guy that his shirt needed to be ironed.

Kellie Pickler sporting a Peyton Manning #18 jersey for the Colts fans in the crowd.

And Rodney Atkins taping his video for 'These are My People' at the Expo, then coming backstage to grab his laptop and proudly show us pictures of his boy, Elijah.

Gotta love that.

Are These Boys Related?

I have two boys.

Two completely different personalities. One is sentimental, the other wants to punch and throw down any chance he gets. I was reminded of just how different the two are when I came home from Barnes and Noble with a book for each. My kids may not be the next James Whitcomb Riley, but they need to crack a book from time to time. I told the kids I had a surprise for them, which they responded with by saying, "Is it candy?"

Sorry to disappoint.

I told them to close their eyes and hold out their hands, and laid their books in their tiny fingers. Their reactions? Polar opposites.

Griffin beamed a big smile, said 'Cool...thanks!, then ran upstairs for what would eventually be two hours of quiet time for momma, I mean, reading.

Hayden frowned, said 'A book?', in the same tone that I used when Greg gave me a can opener for my first birthday celebration of our relationship, (yes I married him anyway), then my four-year-old dropped the book on the floor, and exclaimed, "How booooooring."

Looks like Momma's getting a refund.

Wanted: One Used Canoe

I just had the oddest conversation with our producer, whom we call Gator. He told me to let him know if I happen to receive any e-mails about a canoe.

A canoe?

Turns out, Gator is in the market to buy a used canoe, which struck me as funny. It's not as if a canoe is a common household item, like a couch or a dresser or a steamcleaner. I can picture a pack of comic books, but I've never come across a canoe.

I told Gator good luck with that one. Here's the rest of our conversation:

Me: I don't think it's going to be easy to find.

Gator: Oh, sure it is. (I appreciate his optimism.) People sell em all the time.

Me: I've never seen people sell them.

Gator: Oh yeah, at garage sales, people have them out.

Me: Well, I've never seen em.

Gator: Well, YOU WEREN'T LOOKING!

He's got a point.

Our Vacation's Top 5 List

It's back to work today.

We enjoyed our spring break getaway from life's routine, yet we could have booked a hotel locally and gotten the same result.

That's because we spent most of our time in Daytona Beach at the hotel's hot tub, thanks to a cold front. Add to that severe winds, and we were like four sticks of chalk who showed up in tank tops and left in hoodies. So, Hayden's first beach experience didn't exactly leaving him begging to return, but that's ok. We rented movies in the room and I heard quiet for the first time in, well, ever.

I'll share more this week, but for now here are the top ten most memorable moments from our trip.

5. Greg screaming from the hotel bathroom that his 'back was burning!' Turns out, he had a reaction to the Nair he had applied to his shoulders. (Yes, he reluctantly let me mention it here. Yes, he now knows there are spa treatments for hair removal.)

4. Trying to find a toy that Griff lost at the bottom of the indoor pool and accepting the help of two other kids, only to locate it sitting on top of our lounge chair. Uh, thanks kids.

3. Greg telling me it would be a matter of days before I lose my room key, yet guess WHO locked the four of us out of our room? (Hint: Rhymes with egg.)

2. My oldest son telling his father, who was changing clothes, 'Dad, why do we have to see your nudity?'

1. Getting sandblasted on the beach and hearing my youngest ask me, 'Mom, WHY did you bring me here?'

The boys said it all as we pulled away from our hotel and I asked them to tell me their favorite part about vacation. Their response?

'The room.'

Forget the Autograph, Take a Whiff

Ever been bombarded by those people in a department store who want you to try the latest and greatest fragrance?

I have.

Even worse, I used to be one of those people back in the summer job days during college. Over break, a magazine I picked up featured ten or so of the trendiest scents and the celebs that claim to wear them now. I guess that means we are supposed to run out and buy them. Though, if it's a Billy Currington scent, I may ditch my girly stuff and start wearing men's cologne.

All of the talk about scents and odors reminded me of the time we interviewed Lee Ann Womack. I asked her what's the most unusual question you've been hit with in previous interviews, and she responded with, "You won't believe this, but I've been asked what Willie Nelson smells like?" An odd question, though I'm sure the reason behind it is obvious, and at the time she had recently worked on a project with Willie. Yet, it was her response to the initial question itself that I loved. She fired back...

WHAT DOES ANYONE SMELL LIKE?

Urkel, a Swim Shirt & THAT thing Mom Wears

What is it about boys and undergarments?

First my youngest goes on strike against wearing underwear, (no, chaffing has yet to be a problem,) then my oldest suddenly realizes that mom has her own set of undergarments for the upper half. Somewhere on his journey of life, he learned that there is in fact such a thing called a 'bra.'

Help.

That's all I've heard on vacation this week. If I'm in the bathroom, with the door locked no less, my 7-year-old can be heard from the other side saying, 'Whatcha doin', Mom, putting on your BRA?' Laughter always follows. If I'm lounging on the bed, he says 'Uhhh, Mom, I see your brastrap.' So, I hide it behind my tank top. 'Nope, still see it.' C'MON! IT WAS THERE THREE MONTHS AGO AND YOU NEVER SAID A WORD!

My youngest is also obsessed with clothing, but his focus is on his own. I've already told you he would rather eat a bushel of broccoli than put on a comfy pair of SpongeBob underwear. And we learned on spring break this week that he is addicted to his 'swim' shirt, kinda like his Mom is addicted to a Venti non-fat extra-hot white mocha, with no whipped cream. In other words, he's got it bad.

Hayden wore his new swim shirt with pride the first day we got to the beach, yet it was way too cold to step foot on the sand. When it was time for bed, he begged to sleep in the same shirt, then begged to keep it on the following morning. It came as no surprise when he begged to wear the beloved swim shirt to lunch, then dinner, then back to the hotel pool, and you get the idea. It has been a constant game of back-and-forth negotiating, with me winning only by a hair some nights, mainly because it is soaked from a swim and smells of chlorine. My shirt-obsessed 4-year-old wore a collared shirt to dinner tonight, but returned home to once again don his favorite clingy shirt to bed. So I tell myself, 'Will I really care ten years from now?' And the answer is...no.

We've also noticed Hayden's desire to tuck his shirttails in. His swim shirt, and on the rare occasions he's worn something else, has to be tucked in to his shorts. 'That's how you look good,' he will say. He even tucked in his sweatshirt that he threw on when it got chilly this evening. I must say, I love my boy, but he looks a bit like Urkel.

Nothing to worry about, after all, no fashion patrol is coming to write us a ticket, just something I want to remember years from now when the boys are long gone and I'm wondering what happened to these silly years.

By then, they'll be grown men and deny it. But, I've got the pictures to prove it.

The $14.00 Piece of Chocolate Cake

We're still on spring break.

Me, Greg, and the boys. And it's been a 'trip,' to say the least. We weren't exactly expecting cold weather at the beach, but that's another story, another day. We've been watching what we spend, but last night at the hotel, I got that 'heck with it' feeling and decided we needed some dessert by room service.

I went for the bread pudding and my 7-year-old chocoholic locked his eyes on a slab of cake the size of California that was featured on the menu. We ordered it to room 1187, and sat back to await our sugary treats.

About five minutes later, guilt invaded my thoughts. After all, it was 10:30 pm, and we should be in bed. My youngest was, having fallen asleep on his daddy's shoulder in the elevator. Greg was refolding the clothes in his suitcase to satisfy his need to be organized, and didn't care one way or the other.

I looked at Griffin and said, 'I can't believe we ordered dessert this late at night.' He responded by saying, 'Mommmmmm. It's spring break.' In other words, live a little.

And we did. Our treats soon arrived, and we sat in the dark on the bed, so his brother could sleep, and feasted on a killer bread pudding and what we later learned was a $14.00 piece of 7-layer chocolate cake.

His chocolate-toothed grin said it all.

And in true Griffin fashion, I heard him say, "This is the best day of my life."

Taylor: Never Drank, Smoke or Been to a Wedding

Taylor Swift says she's never been to a wedding.

Not 'been in' a wedding, but never attended one. I've been in several, and have the dresses that were worn only once to prove it. We all have a list of nevers. Here's mine:

NEVER

Downloaded a song from itunes

Used liquid Band-Aid

Made chicken and noodles from scratch

Eaten sardines...and hope to keep it that way

Interviewed Garth Brooks, though I've met him

Driven a stick-shift

Had trouble falling asleep

Worn skinny jeans

Liked my driver's license photo

Gone snow-skiing

Listened to my dad when he said 'You're going to miss me one day.'

So true.

I Love it...I Love it...I Love it

My Starbucks addiction continues.

I've been teased by friends who seem to think I've lost it for booking a hotel on the beach because it just so happens to be next to a Starbucks. Makes sense to me. After all, if Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Kidding, of course. I justify my daily trips by saying I don't really like to shop. And I don't get my nails professionally done. And I got a heck of a deal on the hotel...so Starbucks, here I come! (Oh yeah, kids, the place I booked has a nice pool, too.)

Is it wrong that I get excited just to see the baristas in their green aprons? Or that I know the people who work the drive-thru by the radio station because I'm there so often? Or that I save my coffee if I have any left over, then heat it up later? As my Grandma says, it's not good to be wasteful.

Everyone has there thing. That's mine.

Jobs, Kids and All That

Every parent asks their children from time to time what they want to be when they grow up.

Mine did.

As a child, I often told my parents that I wanted to be one of those girls who worked with a cash register. I was fascinated with cash registers. I can remember shopping with my mom at Paul Harris and watching the clerk's every move, and wishing I myself could have a tiny bungee-like cord around my wrist with a key hanging from it. I would often mimic those employees in my bedroom at night. Ok, so maybe I needed a hobby.

I also wanted to change my name to 'Daisy' as a young girl. I begged and begged, and mom finally told me it would require going to the courthouse to change it legally. That was fine with me. Not fine with her. And so, Deborah it is.

This week, I asked the boys what they want to be when they are older. A dad? Hayden said, 'NO WAY! I'm not changing diapers.' Griffin says he wants to be a racecar driver when he's older, and Greg says that's probably because he sees how mommy drives. (Hey, I've NEVER received a speeding ticket, it can't be THAT bad.)

So, after several back and forths over the job topic, Hayden finally came up with one. Something he has a quirky interest in, just like me and cash registers.

'I wanna be a trash man,' he said with a proud smile on his face.

Cross Your Fingers...We're Roadtrippin'

Building memories.

That's what my husband calls our road trips, especially the never-ending ones to Florida that seem to go on and on and on. Remember the last one I told you about? I got hit in the back of the head with a banana peel from one of my boys. The other asked for a snack, and when I handed him a Pop-Tart, he said, 'Did you bring the toaster?'

And we insanely decided to do it again.

The boys packed their own backpacks of things to keep them entertained, (I should probably make sure they didn't bring those plastic swords I am always confiscating), and hopefully they won't argue too much. No, Greg never got the 'limo divider' between the seats installed as he once suggested.

Now, if I could just get their bladders in sync, life would be good.

Wish us luck.

A New Gig For Rascal Flatts

We'll be kicked out of the studio on Monday.

The guys from Rascal Flatts are taking over and will serve as guest deejay's on WFMS for part of our morning show. Tune in to see how the gang handles their early morning wake-up call!

They've promised to share more about their new album which comes out the following day, Tuesday, April 7th, and personal stories as well.

And wait till they hear from Hazel!

Should be fun.

Could I Wear it as a Cover-up?

I was upstairs last night and overheard Griffin helping his dad make a list of things to pack for our spring break trip to warmer weather.

Of course, nothing too out of the ordinary:

Swim trunks

Goggles

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Books

ipod

And on and on and on. After they had listed a good page of items, I heard my son say...

...The Snuggi?

Thankfully, we won't need it.

How's This for Repetitive?

I occasionally come across a funny sign...thought I'd share.

Oops...Take two

Ever messed up at work?

We all have. Innocent, tiny mistakes that make you want to kick yourself when you realize what occured. It happens to us, too.

My co-host, Kevin, reminded me of the time we joined Jo Dee Messina on her bus for an interview, and I noticed his eyes as big as saucers about half-way through. After a complete tour of where Jo Dee sleeps and the movies she watches, I stepped off her bus only to hear Kevin say 'I don't think we got that on tape. I looked down and noticed the recorder wasn't rolling.'

Oops.

We later fessed up to Jo Dee and she laughed it off. Hey, it happens.

An interview with Reba McEntire backstage at the Indiana State Fair went south as well. It was our first time to talk with Reba in person, and possibly our last. The microphone came unplugged. We've also had an occasional bout with dead batteries, but only on very rare occurences.

On the flip side of the coin, things have gone wrong for the artists as well.

Joe Nichols never made it to our annual station event because he was being treated for a spider bite to the face. Ouch.

Clint Black DID make it to that event, but was sick with laryngitis, so he could be seen walking backstage with a sign around his neck that read, 'Can't talk. Voice rest.'

Josh Gracin didn't make it to an interview with our show last month because he overslept. Been there...done that.

And then there was the big mistake. An artist we interviewed by satellite thought the microphones were off after it ended, and said a few choice words that certainly left a lasting impression in our book.

And there you have it.

Paid in Full...Eventually

We've all done it...borrowed money from our kids.

Without them knowing, no less. And so it goes when I found myself without any moolah and in desperate need of a Starbucks. I was at work and needed to jumpstart my brain after staying up till 11 the night before with my hand wrist-deep in a gigantic jar of trail mix WHILE DOING SITUPS. Hey, I multi-task.

So, I made my way to the drive-thru of my beloved coffee shop when I realized I was without cash. Sure, I could have used a debit card, but hated to do so for such a small amount when I realized my oldest son keeps his Pacers wallet in my backseat. He never has much, but maybe enough to help mom out.

Should I? What's a few dollars? I could always pay it back.

I borrowed four ones, (though my co-hosts say to 'borrow' would imply that I asked for permission), paid for my joe and called it a day.

A couple of days later, Griffin and I were running an errand when I heard him yell, "MOM! I've been ROBBED! I've been robbed by a robber!"

Or...his mother.

I certainly had good intentions of repaying the debt, but forgot. Then I had to explain my dilemma and told Griff his mom was extra tired and thanks to him, he saved the day. I figured making him the hero would get me out of this.

"Glad I could help out," Griff said. "But you owe me four dollars."