OK, so maybe those weren’t exactly the words (but can you name that classic Olivia Newton-John tune?)

I am not politically active. And really, how could I be? I moved away from Canada when I was 18 and have lived in an alien land ever since. The most political I’ve ever been was when watching that one show that was named after me.

But no matter what end of the spectrum you were on, there was a common energy and kinship that radiated. Why? Because whether Democratic, Republican or Alien, we were all blogging geeks who, for a few hours, felt cool.

More lovelies were added to the list before long: Aimee of Greeblemonkey, Julie of Mothergoosemouse, Amy of Inherent Passion, Suzanne of Crunchy Green Mom, Laura of LaLa Girl, not to mention Marge in Real Life. Really.

(Julie, me, Melissa (front), Laura, Suzanne, Amy and Heather)

I now heart Lijit because 1) This means I no longer have to feel self-absorbed by Googling myself to reference past stories and 2) You, my dear friends, can type in something like “pumpkins” in my site’s little Lijit Search Wijit and find out just how deep my husband’s obsession runs. In one sitting.

We left the party with her two friends and strolled 16th Street Mall taking in all the revelries. Bands were playing in the streets, Obama action figures were everywhere and Denver came alive as it shone in the national limelight.

So, whether or not you are a believer, I was so glad that for a few short hours this week, I was a taker.

Are you political? What do you think of McCain’s choice in VP? Are you swept away by Obama-rama? What are your views of this political season?

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog

Deeeeeeeeep Thoughts: By Bode

“Mommy mommy mommmy mommy mommy mommy mommy mommy?”

“Yes, Bode.”

“Choo Choo Train!” [Then repeat 1,000,000 times per day, substituting the occasional truck and ball.]

Deeeeeeeeep Thoughts: By Hadley

Part I: “Mommy, do you wish I could be ice and you could be the water to make me?”

Part II: When driving past Colorado University, I schooled Hadley on the benefits of a good education. After a mind-numbing lecture of how she can study to be anything she wants, I queried,

“So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“A princess.”

“Gee, that’s nice. But what is your back-up plan if the princess gig doesn’t work out?”

“A queen.”

Deeeeeeeeep Thoughts: By Amber

It was a rare afternoon of leisure. Hadley was at a playdate and Bode was napping.

I sank into Jamie’s large leather chair in front of the computer, stretched lazily, reached for a black marker and sniffed, long and deep.

But then I wondered–

Is this normal?

Deeeeeeeeep Thoughts: By Jamie

In Case You Missed It Part I, this was part of the post that I wrote from my deathbed when I had salmonella:

If you don’t hear from me for a while, blame the pumpkin. I don’t know why. It just seems appropriate. As my last request, I plead with you not to let Jamie put one on my tombstone. Because he’s just kind of obsessed like that….

In Case You Missed It Part II, this was the comment Jamie left on my blog:

I actually plan on burying Amber in the big pumpkin. I expect to grow one big enough that she can easily fit inside. That way my two great loves can be together for eternity. What can I say? I’m a romantic. – Hunky Hubby

Side note: we are miraculously not in deep for Labor Day and have absolutely NO PLANS. What are yours?!

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog

First, thank you for all your great insights in what became an unexpectedly heated debate yesterday. If you missed all the “fun,” make sure to check it out.

Second, I am pleading for your help. My 4-year-old daughter Hurricane Hadley has fallen off the wagon.

No, she’s not drinking again but this is in direct correlation to the beverages she consumes because she is peeing again. And not in the potty.

For those who have descended into the very depths of potty training hell with me know, it took a long time for her to be potty trained. Three years and nine months to be exact. And ‘ner was there an accident after she finally started doing it.

Until this summer.

It started when we were in Canada at the beginning of July and continued throughout all our travels. I tried not to make a big deal about it because of our lack of schedule but now that we have been home for a few weeks, she is still doing it. Every. Stinkin’. Day.

This time is different. Before, it was a power trip not to go on the potty. Now, she sneaks around and changes her clothes not wanting to draw attention to herself. Her only excuse is she forgot because she’s so busy.

Perhaps I should get her a Palm Pilot so she can schedule it in.

When we were on a trip to Yellowstone a few weeks ago, Jamie threatened to put her back in diapers. This worked temporarily but any subsequent threats have almost brought the house down with great kicking, wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Now, let me establish that she is otherwise completely delightful these days. She still goes on the potty most of the time and after an eruption of poop (that resulted in my own eruption ) at the Calgary Stampede that forced us to go home early, she has never had one of those accidents again.

And so my dear friends, I am putting this out to you: have you ever had this happen? How would you handle it?

Oh, and as for those folks who have been asking how Bode is coming along, any mention of the potty draws one emphatic response: “NO.”

They say boys are tougher than girls. Please shoot me now.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog

For those not in the know, I am married to a man who is obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. When not traveling, our summer has been consumed by this orange monstrosity that currently weighs almost 400 lbs and gains 20-30 pounds a day.

Jamie documents its growth on his goofy pumpkin blog,which sort of gets my juices flowing in a weird sort of way.

Especially when he talks about Chlorothalonil fungicide.

But make no mistake, this obsession comes at a price and the cost is a husband who obsessively charts its growth. Who is always online looking for fertilizers. And a man who lives at his parent’s house every evening to provide Dillboy (yes, he named it) with TLC.

Just why is he growing Dillboy at his parent’s house? Because we do not have room to house the orange monstrosity’s vines that measure about 24 X 30 feet.

Instead, he is schooling Hadley on the Fine Art of Pumpkin Growing and her “little” 100+ pounder is taking over a corner of our yard.

Four weeks ago, I staged an intervention. I was sitting on his parent’s deck when he came home from work, breezed past me without a glance and proceeded to tend to his pumpkin for the next 20 minutes. After he finally acknowledged my existence, I blubbered, “You didn’t even say ‘hi’ to me first!”

Note to self: do not stage an intervention when you are PMSing and hormonal. The pumpkin will come out looking better than you.

Jamie has opted not to enter it in our town’s harvest festival, leaving all the glory to Hadley who he hopes will win the children’s division. Rather, he will be at Colorado’s largest competition against The Big Boys–those men whose wives have been suffering from the obsession for years.

I knew it had truly gotten out of hand a month ago. When I was in Canada with the children, I left pictures of us with little notes about how much we loved and missed him all around the house.

A week later, I went to San Francisco for BlogHer. And what was on our headboard upon my return?

‘Nuff said.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog

Despite the fact that I am Madame Mommy Blogger I must admit that I am resistant to new technologies. I have never sent a text message in my life and the only reason I bought a cheap cell phone last year was so Hadley’s preschool could reach me in case of an emergency. I use it only a few times a month.

But not to text (see above).

My reluctance to get a cell phone was two-fold:

1) I despise talking on the phone. Always have, always will. I am remiss to say I have let friendships go to the wayside because these people wanted to [gasp] talk and not email.

2) I don’t want to be disturbed when I’m out with my kids. I constantly feel distracted when I am at home so when I am out with Haddie and Bode, I give them my undivided attention. I just don’t want to be that person ignoring them on the playground because I’m checking my email. I do that plenty enough at home.

Enter: the iPhone 3G. Jamie bought one and offered to do the same for me. I indignantly refused. Until I fell in love with his on our trip. I am still holding strong with my piece-of-crap Nokia and keep reminding myself if I got the 3G, I would have to actually use it.

Twitterpated

Though I am still holding strong against the cell phones and Crackberries of the world, I finally caved on twittering last weekend.

For those as clueless as me, Twitter is a free social networking micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users’ updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.

Twitting was The Thing To Do at BlogHer. I resisted because it seemed like a royal waste of time. It probably still is but now that I have jumped on the bandwagon, I’m kind of enjoying it because:

1) I can keep apprised of people’s day-to-day happenings in short little bursts. It is much more convenient than blogging in this respect and takes less time. In fact, I encourage all my friends to come on-board (whether or not you have a blog.)

2) I finally found a venue for all those small profundities of my day. The cow that chased off the bear in Colorado? Twittered it. And when I dreamt hunky hubby was a murderer? Definitely tweet worthy.

So, come check it out. I can be found at http://twitter.com/themilehighmama or on my blog’s right-hand sidebar. I’m a newbie at this so let me know if you’re on Twitter, too! And for those veterans, please send me any tips of the trade. And make sure to tune in for my tirades.

In 140 characters or less, of course….

So, what’s your pleasure? Twitter? Blog? Cell phone? Texting? This is a technological conFESSional so let’s fess up!

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog

Thanks to the thoughtful severance package Jamie received when his former employers kicked his booty out the door, we finally have enough money to finish our basement. Or at least we thought we did until a little thing called a new car put a minor dent in it.

And if it was possible for Jamie to think about something more than pumpkins, this may be it.

We only have a half-basement so are trying to make good use of the space. This space will be a Man’s Mecca and include a home entertainment center with a projector HDTV and we will finally have a home for Jamie’s old-fashioned soda fountain that has been sitting in our garage for TWO STINKIN’ YEARS.

We hired a big, hunky contractor from the local LDS Single’s Ward, which made Jamie a bit nervous.

“I don’t know how I feel about you being home alone all day with such a good looking guy.”

What I wanted to say:

“Oh, you mean that Greek God whose chest is as broad as Bode is tall?”

What I did say:

“Don’t be ridiculous, Honey. He is a mere child.”

The Greek God mere child will be dry walling this week so we have been in the throes of paint and carpet swatches, along with furniture shopping. Overall, Jamie has great taste so I am pretty much letting him do what he wants. I figure it will be nice for him to finally find a home for all those framed baseball cards and Norman Rockwell posters I banned from the rest of the house.

Generous of me, non?

During a recent phone conversation, he mentioned he had bought a popcorn painting for the home theatre room.

“Is that OK, Amber?”

“Whatever you want, Jamie.”

“No, I want you to be a part of it all!”

“Is that why you just bought the picture without consulting me?”

“BUT I WANTED IT!!!!!….”

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog