Ladies And Gentlemen, May I Direct Your Attention To The Center Ring...

*The crowd quiets, the lights dim. A spot light follows a tiny little car to the middle of the ring. After the car stops the door slooowly opens. The suspense builds...*

Hello all you blog partiers!

I'm Missy, stay at home mommy to three gorgeous, smart, funny kids (no, I'm not bias) , wife of 14 years to my best friend, and owner of one stubborn, trouble making little furbaby. I've spent almost my entire life in the same 20 mile radius in the Midwest and am currently living in a beautiful rural community. Although I love where I live now I am a total beach bum and would love nothing more than to sit on the sandy shore of Destin, Florida. I dream of owning a pastel pink stucco house, sitting on my balcony and smelling salty sea air. I have never figured out what I want to be when I grow up, maybe that means I'm already doing it. I love to read and love animals and would probably have a small zoo if my husband allowed it. I attempt to find the funny in whatever happens. Even though I throw some of our personal life out there in cyberspace on this blog I really am quite shy, at least until we get to know each other.

My husband Dave and I are high school sweeties and he has been my best friend since I was 17. I think that is my one bit of advice to the unmarried set out there. The guy you can call you best friend and share everything with makes great husbands. He has been everything from a trash man (for two whole days) to upper-middle management of a large corporation where he can work from home. He worked hard and made lots of sacrifices to get where he is today and I am very proud of him. He is one of those people that just ends up in crazy/funny situations. He has fallen asleep on a jet and woke up landing in the wrong city, told off by a little person (is that the p.c. term for midget?), slapped strangers for touching cheese, and went on and on about most alcholi (you would have had to been there for that one) written on a sign at a local eating establishment.

As I said I have three adorable kids who never fail to entertain me.

First let me tell you a bit about my teenager Eddie. He recently turned 13 which was a bit hard for me to accept. So far, the ugly teen attitude has pretty much been non-existent. I ask you allow me to live in my denial that this is as hard as the teen years will be. He looks very much like his daddy. But to make up for not having any outside appearance of his mom he has my personality completely. Both the good and the bad. He is very laid back, is not a worrier, is extremely sensitive to those around him, and a master of sarcasm. But do not ever expect him to be in a hurry. His one liners are so funny at times that if he decides to rebel and not go to college he better go into stand up. One evening as my husband and I were trying to watch TV Eddie walks in and gets distracted by the show causing him to stand right in front of us. My husband said "Dude, you make a better door than a window." Without missing a beat Eddie looks over his shoulder and replies "Yes, but I make a pretty picture." Yeah, we could have gotten mad but it was just so funny all we could do was laugh. For the record he did move and find a better place to watch. Right now he is involved in Boy Scouts, karate, youth group, band (plays the trombone) and chess team at school.

Next is our only little girl. Erica is one of the Millenium babies born in 2000. She is my little mini-me in appearance except with blond hair. But 100 times more confident and self assure. She does have her daddy's organizing gene. That girl is always concerned about the time and being on time. She is a planner and is very good at taking charge. She hasn't decided yet what she wants to do when she grows up. She has talked about being a police officer, personally I think she'd make a great lawyer. She will argue a point until she just wears you out and you see it her way. She is also very sweet and thoughtful. She will take her award "dollars" at church and when they have their "store" she almost always buys gifts for her brothers. She was also recently awarded the student of character at her school for the month they practiced caring. As her teacher announced her winning the award she said that she not only walked in with a smile everyday and gave encouraging words to other classmates but she also volunteered to stay in from recess to help a classmate clean their desk. I had tears of joy watching her get that award. She is involved in Girl Scouts (where I am a co-leader), dance, gymnastics, and AWANAS.

Next is my baby (and last), little JonJon. He is the spitting image of neither mom or dad, but of his Aunt (my baby sister). Strawberry blond, freckles, gigantic for his age, and mischievous green eyes he went from the easiest baby ever to a walking pile of trouble. I don't know if he was just that much busier than his siblings at that age or I was just more tired and not on top of him like the others but those toddler years were a series of one crazy mess after another. We had doors colored on, a peanut butter covered living room (and dog), permanent marker on a Mercedes, shoes thrown away and Leapster cartridges flushed just to name a few. Thankfully he is past that stage now (I hope) and will start school this fall. That thought breaks my heart so I refuse to talk anymore about that. He is a very happy little guy that is always quick to smile. He is always the entertainer and is always having fun. He can melt your heart in one second and make you bust out laughing the next. Right now he is a huge momma's boy. I'll take that for now because I know not much longer it will be all about dad and then slowly it will be all about his friends. He is in swim lessons and Cubbies.

Being pregnant with Erica is what opened my eyes to online communities and friendships. I found a message board of other moms pregnant with babies due the same month she was. At first I was unsure and a little weirded out talking with strangers but 9 years later a good portion of us are still together now sharing more than just tales of morning sickness and baby kicks. And although I have still yet to meet most of the girls I still laugh with them, cry with them, share their joy, and pray for them. I consider them great friends. Eventually I found my way to the blogiverse.

So all you wanting to party join me and a whole lot of others at 5 minutes for mom and their Ultimate Blog Party.




PS- if I were to win one of the prizes I'd love the Kitchen Aid mixer or the mom/daughter flip flops.