5 things about Martina

Talked to Martina McBride today. She's the combination of sweet and funny with a hint of mysterious up her sleeve.

Here's what we learned:

Martina is the disciplinarian in her home. Her hubby's 'a softie,' according to Martina. Can't blame him with three girls.

Curfew for her oldest daughter, who has a learner's permit, is 10:30 pm.

Martina is not a crafty, sewing-type, but she likes going to movies.

She's a twitter gal. Says she enjoys tweeting to keep fans up to date on her 'mundane life.'

Martina isn't afraid of a pulling off a little prank. She recently pranked Trace Adkins during his performance of Honkytonk Badonkadonk, wearing a big 'ol fake booty on stage.

Check it out here.

And that's five.

an unexpected moment

Sunny day. Kids playing in the backyard. Husband mowing the grass.

You've been there.

That was the setting last night at my house, after a round of pancakes and bacon for dinner. During that meal, my 5-year-old mentioned something about looking forward to going to bed.

Who are you and what happened to Hayden?

The kid who is famous for the phrase 'One more minute?' when told it's bedtime all of the sudden couldn't wait to be tucked in? He went on explain that he planned to wear his superhero pj's, the ones that light up when you move, the ones from Papaw Mike. 'Cause when it lights up, I know he loves me.' I smiled. A smile soon followed by a lump in my throat, a bitter combination of missing my sweet dad, yet happy my little guy has held on to fond memories. After all, he was only three when Dad died.

Hayden went on to say he missed Papaw Mike sticking his tongue out at him, the Dum-Dum suckers he snuck the boys, and his hugs.

Me, too.

So, while the boys played baseball and Greg trimmed the yard, I ran upstairs to my memory box and sifted through some of Dad's favorite things that I grabbed for safe-keeping nearly two years ago:

The half-eaten pack of Necco wafers.

The last grocery list he wrote, with a rarely mispelled word.

The now-faded McDonald's receipt where he purchased his last coffee.

I hadn't done this in a long time, yet it was important for me to feel this connection. I quietly tucked these items away, and suddenly looked forward to our usual hectic bedtime routine, just to see Hayden's pajamas blink in the dark.

A moment that would usually go unnoticed, yet now seemed so significant.

care if I eat with YOUR kid?

I love surprising my 3rd-grader at school for a lunch visit. Been known to do so a couple of times here and there. It's a popular thing to do among parents.

I even mentioned to a teacher last year that I probably wouldn't continue the practice much in the future, as Griffin would be entering the third grade and it would likely not be considered 'cool' to dine with your old mom.

She told me that's not the case, that the school has an open-door policy, and even fourth-graders enjoy seeing a familiar face from home. Obviously, by the time these kids get to intermediate school, they'd rather dine with the kid who picks his nose and doesn't wash his hands than the ol' dreaded parent.

So, yesterday, I waltzed in with a pizza delivery in hand, ready to make my 3rd-grader's day.

Or so I thought.

He seemed thrilled to see me, but more so because he gets to eat in the atrium and pick two friends to join him, not to mention the lure of pizza and breadsticks. The rest of the lunch was clearly all about boy talk, with the occasional glance in my direction. That's when it hit me. He'd outgrown me. The nostalgia had worn off, and though he enjoyed the treat of Pizza Hut for lunch, my presence really didn't matter.

And that's okay.

Part of getting older, though it's not always easy to accept. I remember smiling to myself that this was probably a turning point, and mentioned it briefly later that night:

Me: Hey, Griff...just wanted you to know I won't show up for lunch anymore at school.

Him: What do ya' mean?

Me: You know. You're getting bigger, and probably don't need me bopping in. I noticed you were busy visiting with your buddies, and that's what you're supposed to do. It's part of getting older.

Him: Well, Mommmmmmmm. I liked you visiting me today.

Me: I know. But, I could tell you were doing just fine on your own. Hey, that's a good thing!

Him: Well, I still love you, ya' know.

Me: Yeah, I know.

I didn't have the heart to tell him that I'll really miss the school's salad bar. That was good stuff. So, maybe I'll show up and get a plate to go one day.

MAYBE.

oh, brother

Love my co-hosts.

Sort of the brothers I never had. And like brothers, they can drive me crazy on occasion. Take Friday night, for example. The three of us made an appearance at Victory Field, to lead the crowd in singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame.' Greg and the boys joined us for the game, and Kevin was nice enough to entertain the kids as he always does.

My 5-year-old talked to Kev about anything and everything that came to mind, including the baseball game he would be playing the following morning at 8 am, the eyeblack he would wear and the stance he would use if put in the catcher's position.

The kid loves baseball.

Kevin took the opportunity to share some advice, which we later discovered. Here's what happened when we arrived home:

Me: Hayden, let's brush your teeth and get your pj's on. It's time for bed...you've got a game in the morning.

Hayden: But, I'm not wearing pj's.

Me: Actually, you are.

Hayden: No, I'm not. Kevin said I didn't have to.

Me: Kevin said what?

Hayden: Kevin said. He told me I should sleep in my baseball uniform, since I have to get up real early.

Me: WHAT? When did he tell you that?

Hayden: Tonight. He also said I probably shouldn't sleep in my bed.

Me: Oh, really? Where did he suggest you sleep?

Hayden: The car. That way Dad just has to drive me there.

Me: (Under my breath) I'm gonna kill him.

Hayden: (Now in tears) Please, Mom? Can I sleep in my uniform?

Me: No, you cannot. I'm pretty sure Kevin was teasing.

Hayden: (Tired, and now throwing a fit.) Kevin told me to!

Greg: Tell Kevin I said, 'Thank you!'

I'll get Kevin back, you can count on it. Hayden eventually caved after ten minutes and wore his pj's.

And Kevin laughed all the way home.

here's what you DIDN'T see at the MGM

billy currington & jim in his birthday suit?

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Reba says she's no ad-libber

what happens in vegas, stays on my blog?

Been another whirlwind of a week, and I'm hoping things slow down soon or I just might need some time-management therapy. I'll be posting photos and vids of our time in Vegas for the Academy of Country Music Awards, and sharing the highs (and lows) of our trip that resulted in many laughs. And when I say lows, think three guys in one room awakened by housekeeping at midnight.

We learned all kinds of things, like what Gretchen Wilson keeps in her purse, what Carrie REALLY wears under those short skirts, and where Jason Aldean likes to shop. Plus, what producer Gator wears on his wrist at the pool (we unanimously agreed it is NOT a good look), why Jim got flipped the bird, why Deb asked for a wake-up call when she wasn't IN her hotel room, and what Kev discovered at the baggage claim.

Gonna catch up on sleep tonight, and I promise to fill you in tomorrow.

Until then, here's our chat with Carrie:

what brothers say at the doughnut shop

5-year-old: Hey, Griffin?

8-year-old: What?

5-year-old: See those two girls walking in the door?

8-year-old: Yeah?

5-year-old: They're hottttt.

Carrie talks wedding plans

Carrie Underwood hits the stage at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indy tonight. Looking forward to the show, as Carrie always seems to nail every note in her songs. Hard to believe she went undiscovered during those years prior to Idol.

Meanwhile, here are the top 6 things we learned about Carrie when she recently stopped by the show:

She won't have a traditional wedding cake when she ties the knot with fiance' Mike Fisher. Though she says she's a traditional person, she plans to go the popular cupcake route.

Those cupcakes will be created by the wife of one Carrie's bandmates. Carrie says they taste 'amazing.'

Carrie thinks the process of selecting a bridal party of bridesmaids/groomsmen is somewhat political. 'You don't wanna hurt anybody's feelings.' So true. If you ask this person, you've gotta ask that person, etc, then suddenly, its hello snowball effect.

Carrie will NOT be singing to Mike at their wedding. Who wants to 'work' on their wedding day?

Carrie couldn't tell us if she gets recognized in fast-food drive-thrus, telling us, 'I don't eat fast food.' The girl has some willpower.

Carrie says she drives Mike's pickup truck when she's visiting him, but admits to having trouble parking it because of its size.

And that's six.

On break, just not taking one

Yep, my computer still works.

It's just that Spring Break hit on two separate weeks in my family. One school break was last week, one is currently this week, the hubby started a new job that he loves, and we're pulling quite a balancing act with the help of some family members that we owe a big thanks.

But, it's working. As a result, my usual naps to catch up on my early morning hours didn't make the priority list and unfortunately, neither did my writing on this blog.

Nevertheless, here we go.

I took advantage of the boys extra time off to get in a visit with a new pediatric dentist. To me, pediatric means warm and fuzzy, but the word dentist tends to freak out young children, and mine are not exempt from thoughts of horror. So, I heard the usual, such as:

I don't wanna go.

What's she gonna do?

Does it involve needles?

You have to, just a cleaning, and no, I answered, telling them to hop in the car before momma gets charged a late fee. And off we went. We found ourselves sitting in the waiting room for their names to be called, when a hygienist pushed open the door and the following conversation took place:

Hygienist: Josh's mom?

Josh's mom: Yes?

Hygienist: He's all done.

Josh's mom: Is he still...ALIVE?

Hygienist: (Laughing) Oh yes, but he fought us tooth and nail...hee hee...We had to hold his arms down the entire time.

That's probably when both boys looked at me wide-eyed, as if they'd just seen Grandma naked, and I spent the next ten minutes talking them out of bolting for the door.

Good times.