Bracelet

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Click here to see the bracelet I will be receiving!

How do you wear your boa?

It can be a "dress" and a "belt" as modeled by Bella!

Or can be worn the traditional way, around one's neck as modeled by Brooklyn!

Or it can be worn as a hat, apparently the latest trend in boa-wearing, as modeled by Bella with Brooklyn looking on...

Another shot of the latest trend modeled by Brooklyn with Bella looking on..

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So, how do you wear your boa?

Blog Scattegories

Did you ever plan the game of Scattergories? It's a lot of fun, and here is a way to play it on your blog.

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"SCATTERGORIES" ...It's harder than it looks!

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Copy and paste into your blog and try it!

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Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following --they have to be real places, names, things ...nothing made up! You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

What is your name....................Beth

4 Letter word........................Baby

Vehicle..............................BMW

City.................................Birmingham

Boy Name.............................Bryson

Girl Name............................Bridgette

Alcoholic Drink......................Brandy

Occupation...........................Bookkeeper

Something you wear...................Bra (haha)

Celebrity............................Ben Stiller

Food.................................Bacon

Something found in a bathroom........Bathtub

Reason for being late................Bella and Brooklyn

Cartoon Character....................Bugs Bunny

Something you shout.................. Brush it off!! (ok - so I don't shout this - but I do say it when the girls fall - I couldn't think of anything I shouted)

Animal...............................Barn Owl

Body part............................Boob (haha)

Word to describe you.................Blessed

My Firsts

I saw this neat little questionaire on Michelle's blog -- My Semblance of Sanity. I thought it looked like fun so I decided to join in on the fun! -
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1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Nick Ray.

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2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? Yes - I married him!

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3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? Wine.

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4. What was your FIRST job? Babysitting. Outside of that I was a Co-Op student my senior year in high school for the City of Anniston - I worked in the Personnel Department, the City Clerk's office and the trash collection (we collected payments) department.

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5. What was your FIRST car? Toyota Corrolla

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6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? Don't really receive a lot of texts..none so far today

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7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? I guess that would be Bella - because her foot was in my face!

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8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Christy Triplett.

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9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?Arizona with the Girl Scouts to a Wider Opps Conference

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10. Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with them? Suzie Howard. Unfortunately, we do not keep in very close touch these days - but I still think of her so very fondly as we were like sisters growing up....

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11. What was your FIRST sport played? I played softball for one season.

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12. Where was your FIRST sleep over? The one that stands out the most - The Beams house. Dr. Beam is a vet and we went out for pizza and then I decided I wanted to go home (wasn't much for staying over) but instead we went to his office to see the monkey would could chew gum! Well, I still ended up going home at around 10 pm that night

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13. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? It was turning the bedroom light on and telling Brannon and Bella it was time to get up - they both moaned and rolled over!

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14. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? My sister, Jennifer.

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15. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? Turned the heater up!

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16. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? New Kids on the Block

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17. FIRST tattoo or piercing? just ears..

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18. FIRST foreign country you went to? Switzerland (also visited England and France on that trip)

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19. What was your FIRST run in with the law? My first wreck.

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20. When was your FIRST detention? I'm a goody-goody, I don't think I ever had detention

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21. What was the FIRST state you lived in? Alabama.

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22. Who was the FIRST person to break your heart? I don't know....

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23. Who was your FIRST roommate? Suzie

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24. Where did you go on your FIRST limo ride? From the airport to training!!! I was an auditor in a previous life and they'd send limos to the airport to pick us up and transport us to the training location.

Typing Test

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76 words

Speedtest

This would be thanks to my two years of typing class I took in high school - best classes I ever took!!!! Credit to teachers: Naomi Williamson and Sabrina Meadows (I think that was her name - sorry I don't remember for sure)!

I WON!!!

Remember yesterday's post about the Baby Story Contest at My Semblance of Sanity? Well, I WON!! Hooray for me (I can only recall one other time that I have won something and that was a Cinderella VHS tape at a Halloween Carnival when I was a wee little girl)!!!

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Click here to watch Michelle's video blog from today announcing the winner!

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I would like to thank everyone who voted for me, haha!!! It's a bracelet not an Oscar!

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Thought I'd post the story that won here, in case anyone wants to read it!

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My 1st daughter was around 6 months old when a friend of mine called to tell me she was pregnant (our first are 2 weeks apart). I was breastfeeding 100% of the time (pumping while at work), but knew that you could get pregnant while nursing – I also had already gotten my cycle back – but we were being careful. There was no way we were pregnant again! Well, I wasn’t sure when I should start but had a feeling – so we were in Target and I picked up a pregnancy test just to alleviate any worries. My husband was taking a shower, so I “took” the test. We were not pregnant – no way!! HAHA – joke’s on us! It was positive, as were the following two tests that I took. I called my friend, 2 weeks to the day from when she called me, and told her I was pregnant!

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Being 6 months pregnant at my 1st child's 1st birthday was just BIZARRE but it was what it was and there was nothing I could do about it. I bucked up and tried to be at peace with this thing I SO did NOT plan. (Ok, I stole this paragraph from Michelle – but it is so nicely worded and so APPROPRIATE and how I was feeling). We choose not to find out if we are having a boy or girl – didn’t’ know with the first and didn’t with this one either! My husband, however, predicted that this would be a girl, I would go past my due date, and “she” would be born in the middle of the night! WHOA!!!

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A girl I worked with and I were due the same day. I was so hoping this baby would arrive early and mostly expected this – as our first one was 4 days early! Hey – 4 days is 4 days! My co-worker had her baby 2 weeks before our due date – precious little girl – boy was I jealous she was already off work on maternity leave, but more so that she wasn’t pregnant anymore!!
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I had my regular OB appointment on a Monday and all was fine. They said they could strip my membranes to speed things along – HMM..NO THANK YOU! Baby will come when ready.
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The Big Day
I had been having contractions on and off that day – a bit more than usual – even so much that I was charting them at my desk (yes I was still working). This I think freaked out my boss and co-workers a bit (they were all male)…Made them nervous I think (they knew of the quick labor and delivery of our first daughter). Kind of funny for me!
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My due date came and went!
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I worked a full day until around 5 pm. We went to grab some dinner and then went to Home Depot as our bassinet needed to be repaired (nothing like waiting until 2 days after your due date to fix the baby’s bed)! We were in Home Depot and husband was trying to make a decision of what materials he would need to fix the bassinet and was taking his sweet time. All of sudden, I looked at him and said “we have to go NOW”! He said why? I said “NOW”!! I thought I had peed on myself – I wasn’t having contractions at this point and felt fine. He proceeded to make his decision and head to the checkout, while I headed to the truck!

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We went home, put Bella to bed, and carried on as normal. There were no signs that it was my water that had broken and again I felt fine and besides the little “surge” I had in Home Depot – nothing else. I was sleeping on the couch by this point for comfort reasons and husband was in our bed. At least one of us should get some sleep, right? So we all went to sleep.
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Around 12:47, I woke up with contractions and I’m not talking mild contractions!!! I proceeded to get my book and try to take a bath (I have natural, unmedicated childbirths)! That didn’t work and I was more uncomfortable in our bathtub. So I got out – still didn’t want to wake up husband – again someone should get some sleep! But it just kept going and they seemed to be getting closer together and more frequent. I finally woke him up and told him to rub my back – I have back labor. He did as told but it wasn’t helping and I had the urge to pee every time I had a contraction. I actually ended up hugging the porcelain God – sitting backwards and hunching over – wow – what relief!
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We decided that we should probably start heading to the hospital. We had two friends on call – one lived about 5 minutes away and the other, maybe 10 minutes. Husband called friend #1, no answer, voicemail. Husband called friend #2, no answer, voicemail. He is in the process of leaving friend #2 a message when I say “hang up the phone, my water broke, this baby is coming”! WE ARE STILL AT HOME!! So, he hangs up the phone with friend #2’s voicemail, calls 911, gets a towel (wouldn’t want to stain the carpet!), lays it in front of our bed and helps me to the floor. I push maybe 2 or 3 times and SHE arrives AT HOME at 3:57 AM!! WHOA – Husband was right – past due date, girl, and middle of the night! Maybe I should start listening to him….He is talking to the 911 operator and Bella (1st daughter) starts crying and that bothers me – I tell him to give me the phone and go get Bella!!! I talk to the 911 operator and tell him we are fine, baby is breathing and nursing, we had wiped her down a bit and she was wrapped in a blanket on Mommy!
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Finally about 10 minutes after her birth, the fire department/rescue squad arrive – sirens and all!!! How exciting! We finally get off the phone with 911 and the firefighters proceed to our bedroom where they cut the cord (haha – they ask Daddy is he wants to and he declines – all they had was a straight edge to cut it with – like Daddy hasn’t been involved enough?). They check out the baby and all is fine – they load us up on a stretcher and we proceed to the hospital.
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Brannon starts called family (all our family was out of town) and when he says “It’s a girl” and they respond with “you were supposed to call us when you left for the hospital” he replies “ok, well I’ll call you when we leave”!!!
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On the way to the hospital – Brooklyn Elizabeth turns a bit blue and they have to put the oxygen mask around her (not on her completely) and they turn the sirens on and speed up the pace – this was a little scary but the EMTs assured me she was fine – and she was.
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We get to the hospital and it is quite crazy – EMT is trying to get all my insurance information; hospital is insisting I get registered; they’ve taken my baby to check her over and I want her back! My husband stayed behind with Bella to get her to a friend’s house to watch her.
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After a brief one night stay in the hospital – we were released and she is now 16 months old!
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That’s our story of Brooklyn’s birth!!!

First and Second Day(s) of "School" Pictures

Here are the girls on their first and second day of school! They seem to be doing pretty well with the transition. We are told that they are having good days and playing well with the other kids! Brooklyn has been terribly cranky in the evenings, which is very unusual for her - she has always been the happiest little creature!! But it's only been a week, and not even a full one at that.

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These are from Day 1 of "school"! On this day, Brooklyn could have cared less that I left - she was off exploring and getting into everything she could!! Bella had a bit of a rough go but did great!

She was not upset about going to "school", but did not want to have her picture taken!

But when she peeked over, I managed to snap the picture!!!

These are from Tuesday - Day 2 of "school"! When we got to school, Bella was excited to be back at "her" school and her only concern was "you come back Momma?". Brooklyn, on the other hand, was not at all happy about me leaving her at school! I was told, however, that pretty much as soon as I left, she stopped crying and did just fine and played well with the other kids! She has continued to cry each day this week upon my departure, which breaks my heart, but they assure me that she is not crying for long after I leave!

A New Room Arrangement

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On Sunday, Bella was in time-out for a very long time because she would not stay in time-out and serve her 2-minute sentence. As a result of not staying time-out, she started "losing" things from her room until her room was completely empty (I'm not joking - everything except her dresser was out of her room)! After she finally served her 2-minute time out (that only took an hour and half to do), we put everything back in her room. I decided to rearrange her furniture a bit. I moved her bed to the middle of the room and used the canopy that she had over her bed to make a little "reading area" for the girls! Bella loves to read - actually preferring books to toys most times and Brooklyn does show interest in reading - but she won't quite sit still for a book yet. Here they are in their "reading nook"!

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Perhaps, I need to get her an ottoman to rest her feet upon!

Daddy's Helper

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On Sunday, Brannon worked in the yard transplanting some monkey grass into our ditch (hoping it will eventually take over the ditch) and cutting the grass! While he was working on the monkey grass project - Bella was outside "helping" him. Brooklyn was taking her nap!

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Sunday Morning Breakfast

Sunday morning I decided to make French Toast and Bella wanted to help!
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Say Cheese

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Lately, whenever you tell Brooklyn to "say cheese" or you say "Look at insert name", Brooklyn will make this face! It is too cute!

Also - please notice that she is AGAIN on top of the table!!! I left the room for a second and came back and there she was - I guess she wanted some of my drink!

Strolling the babies!

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On Saturday, the girls and I went out for a walk and they (well, Bella and then Brooklyn had to do the same thing as Bella) insisted that they bring their strollers! Brooklyn got the stroller for Christmas and we had to get another one for Bella because she was constantly taking Brooklyn's (regardless of the fact that Bella has 2 other strollers in her room)!

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VOTE FOR MY STORY

Michelle over at My Semblance of Sanity is having a contest for the Best Baby Story. I entered Brooklyn's birth story into the contest and am one of the finalist for the prize - A beautiful bangle in the winner's choice of color from Shiny Adornments!

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If you have a minute - please VOTE FOR MY STORY by placing a comment saying "I vote for Beth's story"!! You vote in the Post that the above link takes you to - you do not have to go to my story. The person with the most votes wins the bracelet!

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If you choose to vote - you must do so today, February 27th. As an added incentive for those that like to see pictures - I won't be posting any new posts until tomorrow because I want this to remain my first post (hey - I'm competitive and I like to win - plus have you looked at the bracelets, they are pretty!!)..

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Thanks,

That My School

The girls started "school" yesterday!! As I had mentioned in a previous post (at least I think I had), we were going to have a lady come into our house to be with the girls while Brannon and I were at work. Unfortunately, that situation did not work out. HOWEVER, we were able to find a daycare that had 2 openings and more importantly, that we were comfortable taking the girls to. I will be doing drop off as Brannon has to be at work at 5 am two days during the work week and then has a 35-40 minute drive to his office the other three days.

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Drop-off yesterday (Day 1) went pretty well. When we pulled into the parking lot, Bella starting saying "that my school, that my school" - I was relieved at her excitement. Once inside, Brooklyn appeared to care less whether I was there or not! She was into everything and playing with all the toys in the "big room". Bella on the other hand was a little reluctant to let me leave. But eventually I did have to leave! And they did GREAT yesterday. The teachers that were there when I picked them up yesterday said they both had a great day, especially for first timers! When I asked Bella what she did at school last night she said "Bella plaay (she draws out her words sometimes - too cute), Bella watch a movie" (they had Cinderella on when I got there). I asked her what she ate for lunch (we get a sheet for Brooklyn but not for Bella) and she very clearly said "noodles and sauce" (they had spaghetti). I am so thankful she is able to tell what she did at school!!! While Brooklyn cannot tell us yet, her demeanor said it all - she was just as happy and content and not the least bit fussy last night!

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This morning (Day 2) went pretty well also. On the way to school this morning I asked Bella if she was going to have a good day at school and her response was simply "Mommy you come back?". I told her I, of course, would come back when I was through with my work! She seemed content with that answer and walked right into school and never looked back (she is in the "big room" for kids 2 1/2 years and up). Brooklyn, however, had a bit of a harder morning not wanting me to leave. I am sure she cried for just a few minutes (maybe only seconds) after my departure and is having fun playing with her new friends (she is in the "baby room" for 6 weeks - 18 months, but there are two other little ones right around her age, so I am happy for that)!

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All in all - things went much better than anticipated! I just wasn't sure what to expect given Bella hadn't been in daycare for 16 months and Brooklyn had never been!! Kids - they are resilent little creatures! I do, of course, have pictures of the girls from yesterday morning, I just haven't taken them off the camera yet!

It's a Dance Party!

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Friday evening while we were waiting for Brannon to get home the girls and I had an "impromtu" dance party!

If you're happy and you know it...

Reach real high!

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DOING THE HOKEY-POKEY!!

You put your left leg in....

You do the hokey-pokey...

and you turn yourself around!!
That's what it's all about!

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Some other current favorites are (as Bella would call them): The Bumblebee Song, The Spider Song (aka The Itsy Bitsy Spider), The Puppy Song (a made up on that goes something like this: How much is that puppy in the window? ARF ARF The one with the Waggily Tail. ARF ARF), The Ladybug Song (another made up that goes something like this: 1 little, 2 little, 3 little ladybugs, 4 little, 5 little, 6 little ladybugs, 7 little, 8 little, 9 little ladybugs, 10 ladybugs on your toes (or fingers - whichever she prefers at the moment))...

More Climbing

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I think Brooklyn has more monkey DNA than human - she is such a climber!! I took Georgia out on Friday afternoon and when I came back in (not 2 minutes later) this is what I found! Mind you - the chair was pushed in under the table, so she has now learned how to pull the chairs out AND climb into them!

I just liked this picture of Brooklyn!!!!

An Evening Wagon Ride

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We took the girls for a wagon ride one night last week! They love riding in their wagon, especially Brooklyn. If we go outside that is the first place she will go and she will get in the wagon, sit in her seat and try to buckle herself in!!

You lived in the 80s if....

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.
2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton
3. You know that "WOAH" comes from Joey on Blossom
4. If you ever watched "Fraggle Rock"
5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
9. You played the game "MASH"(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)
10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
11. You know the profound meaning of " WAX ON , WAX OFF"
12. You wanted to be a Goonie.
13. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us...head-to-toe)
14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.
15. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
16. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pailkids in the schoolyard.
17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
18. You still get the urge to say "NOT" after every sentence.
19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
21. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
22. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"
23. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up"
24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
25. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.
28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
29. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB"
31. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved By The Bell," The ORIGINAL class.
32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART. 33. You just sang those words to yourself.
34. You still sing "We are the World"
35. You tight rolled your jeans.
36. You owned a bannana clip.
37. You remember "Where's the Beef?"
38. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?"
39. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!

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How many can you relate to???

A Phone Call from the Boss

The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees had not phoned in sick one day. Having an urgent problem with one of the main computers, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. " Hello ? "

"Is your daddy home?" he asked.

" Yes ," whispered the small voice. May I talk with him?"

The child whispered, " No ."

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?" " Yes ."

"May I talk with her?" Again the small voice whispered, " No ."

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, "Is anybody else there?"

" Yes ," whispered the child, " a policeman ".

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?"

" No, he's busy ", whispered the child.

"Busy doing what?"

" Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman ," came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, "What is that n oise?"

" A helicopter " answered the whispering voice.

"What is going on there?" demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive. Again, whispering, the child answered, " The search team just l anded a helicopter ."

Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, "What are they searchi ng for?"

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle... " ME ."