As usual, I am the last to find out about all the cool and funny stuff.

First, it was Pandora, then the Phillipine prisoners doing the Thriller dance. Oh, and let's not even talk about how I was still on myspace (thinking I was SO cool) even though everyone kept sending me facebook friend requests trying to get me to sign up.

The "JK Wedding Entrance" video has received over 11 MILLION hits on youtube and over 58,000 comments. They have been featured on countless tv shows, websites, and blogs (including this lovely one).

Seriously, how come no one came up with this sooner?

Were the really the first couple to re-invent the wedding entrance?

I always thought it was so lame and boring how everyone walks into the wedding doing the old "step-together, step together"....so blah!

Jill and Kevin, you ROCK! I didn't know they could move like that in St. Paul, Minnesota.

If I get married again, this is how it's going down!

We're doing the entrance JK style, of course to Mariah though (and she'll be singing live).

Would you do this at your wedding? If so, what song?

And, if not, you suck.

Just kidding.

I don't know how many historic events will take place during my lifetime.

But, I feel so honored to have been a part of the Michael Jackson Memorial.

Although MJ's personal life has been controversial, it is just that, his personal life.

I didn't know Michael personally. Therefore, I have no right to judge him or make accusations or assumptions based on...???

I realize there is a lot we don't know about Michael Jackson the person.

But, I do know Michael's music.

I know every time I hear PYT or Wanna Be Starting Something, I have to get up and move.

I know when I was a little girl I ran home from school to see the Thriller video debut on MTV only to cover my eyes during most of it, because I didn't want to be the only one at school the next day that hadn't "seen" it.

I know many years later, when Morris was 3 he was so infatuated with the same Thriller video he would watch it up to 10 times a day as if it were his first time viewing it.

I know when Morris was 4, he had his entire preschool class saying, "FUCK IT" because he misinterpreted the lyrics to Beat It...

     "No, mommy. They say show them how fuck it, strong is your fight, it doesn't matter who's  wrong or right so beat it..."

I know Human Nature and Rock With You are two of the sexiest songs ever recorded.

I know Remember The Time is one of the best music videos ever made.

I know that songs like You Are Not Alone, Man In The Mirror, and Black Or White will be enjoyed (and probably remixed) many years from now.

And I know that the music of Michael Jackson transcended race, religion, gender, and generation.

This is the person I went to the Memorial to honor. A great musician and entertainer who has given us many memories. I went away from the Memorial having learned that he was also a human being with a heavy heart, shy side, and a father, son, brother and friend to many.

Being a part of the Memorial service was an experience I will always treasure and remember. I was only feet away from the greatest entertainer of my lifetime. It was an honor to celebrate his greatness with his family and close friends.

Many people have asked what it felt like to be there, inside the Memorial. I had no idea what to expect and was shocked by the amount of unspoken respect and admiration there was for Michael. You could see it in the way people dressed: folks were either dressed so "clean" as if they were attending their own grandmother's funeral, or their attire was emotionally connected to Michael- a MJ tshirt, a single glove, shades of black, red, and white. You could hear the respect in what was NOT said. Fans weren't screaming relentlessly during the ceremony as I had expected. There were even prolonged periods of silence where upon a crowd of thousands, time seemed to halt. There was no noise, only reflection and respect.

The mother in me was deeply moved by 3 particular parts:

1. Brooke Shield's speech-It was so genuine and personal. It gave me insight into the human that MJ was from someone that was very close to him. Knowing that she is a mom, I thought she could relate to how the Jacksons felt to lose their son. And her words seemed very comforting and uplifting.

2. Usher's performance- You could feel his raw emotion in the room. You could hear it in his voice when he sang and see it in his eyes when he removed his sunglasses. His body language even told his story of great sorrow and respect. Even though there were thousands of people there, it was like he was having a private moment with MJ. And as a father of 2 sons, I'm sure knowing the Jacksons lost a son, father, and brother resonnated with him.

3. The speech from Michael's daughter- It was heart wrenching to watch and imagine a child growing up without a parent. Having only seen a few public encounters of Michael with his children, her devotion and professed affection to her father is a testament of his good parenting and positive impact on them as a father.

Obviously, MJ made a great impression on his family and close friends. We as fans never knew him on that level, and that's ok. It wasn't his job or responsibility to that. His job was an entertainer. A performer. And he excelled very well at it. It reminded me that we know Michael, The World's Greatest Entertainer, and that's how I want to remember him.

I will not judge someone I don't know. I can only continue to enjoy what he chose to share with me, and that's his music.

The King of Pop will reign forever on dance floors, ipods, and airwaves. At least in my house.

I had the honor of attending the Michael Jackson Memorial at The Staples Center in Los Angeles. It's still hard to convey my feelings into words, but here are some photos I wanted to share.

The program given to everyone at the Memorial Service

Nokia Theater, across the street from Staples Center

Paparazzi was stationed around Nokia, but nothing at Staples, it helped the Memorial seem more dignified.

LAPD did a great job keeping media, vendors, and fans away from the Staples Center.

The Wall fans could sign outside of Staples Center

Lionel Richie performing. He looked and sounded amazing.

The casket

Stevie Wonder singing and playing the piano.

Usher's emotional and amazing performance

The finale song

Inside the Staples Center. I was probably the only idiot smiling.

It was really hard to come up with the words to express the gratitude to all the amazing fathers (and father figures) out there, so I thought I'd let someone else take the floor:

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection." -Sigmund Freud

"One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the Father prayed, Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be." -Author Unknown

“Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad.” -Anne Geddes

“The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.” -Confucius

“Until you have a son of your own . . . you will never know the joy, the love beyond feeling that resonates in the heart of a father as he looks upon his son. You will never know the sense of honor that makes a man want to be more than he is and to pass something good and hopeful into the hands of his son. And you will never know the heartbreak of the fathers who are haunted by the personal demons that keep them from being the men they want their sons to be.”-Kent Nerburn

“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” -Ruth E. Renkel

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” -David O. McKay

...and a special quote for my dad (one of the most moral, hard working, honest, loving, family men I know):

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat.  Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound.  Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together.  Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.  ~Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

...and a special present for the dads:

And an extra special Father's Day wish to Maurice, for loving and taking good care of our wonderful boys.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

I have Trichoptilosis. You don't have to avoid me, you probably have it too.

I love watching beauty pageants and they ask the contestants,

"Miss Happy Liberty County, if you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?"

MLC: I wouldn't change anything about myself because this is the way that God made me, and God never makes mistakes. And God Bless America.

I always chuckle because ever since I was a kid, I've had bad teeth and split ends. Not sure if this is from bad genes or bad hygeine.

Don't think I'm gross. I do brush my teeth and wash my hair (eventually). BUT, I also love to eat candy and pick my split ends. So, if I ever decide to enter the "Ms. I Have Kids and Don't Give a Crap" Pageant, rest assured what my answer will be to that question.

I pick my split ends so much, that on a rare occasion when I get a haircut, I immediately start sifting through my newly trimmed locks looking for some breakage.  It's like I'm dependent on my broom bristle ends. I don't know why it's so frickin fun and appealing to pull apart all the tiny little v-shaped hairs.

Once, I found a hair that had split into so many little tears it looked like a centipede. I got so excited. I don't know why because I hate bugs (ewww....just looking at that picture makes me cringe). I even called my friend and told her about it, because this was much too exciting to keep to myself. She told me I was "gross" and hung up. 

I've realized the only cure for Trichoptilosis (split ends) is to have them cut. But here  are some tips for prevention.

1. Get your hair trimmed regularly, meaning every six to eight weeks. Yeah, this one doesn't work well for me. I'm lucky if I can wash my hair every six to eight days, much less try to make it to a salon for a cut.

2. Wear a hat. If your hair is super long and/or thick, be sure to get a hat that you will be able to fit all your hair into (preferably in a bun). Ok, my son already thinks I am so uncool and tells me I need to wear a pretty dress everyday, donning a big straw hat with my librarian bun stuffed in it will totally kill my chances at climbing his PreK cool factor ladder.

3. Find out if the water you use to wash your hair is harmful. I am the one in the restaurant that puts a lemon in my beverage of choice, tap water. If it's good enough to drink, my hair should approve.

So, it looks like me and my split ends are stuck together for a while.

***Please note, this blog entry took me over an hour to complete due to my frequent breaks to pick my split ends. I must have started and stopped my train of thought at least 30 times.

I was talking to a friend the other day and she was a little frazzled with all the pressures of being a mom. She has 2 kids and said:

Her: Nora, how do you do it?

Me: Do what?

Her: Raise 2 kids, but seem so put together. You never make any mistakes, your kids are good boys, you always seem to be so organized and calm.

Me: Really? That's what you think.

Her: You just seem so PERFECT. Like you never screw up. Sometimes, I'm so tired I just can't find time to clean the house, help the kids with homeowork, be a wife AND mother.

So, obviously her sleep deprivation has clouded her judgement and rendered her delusional. I am by no means perfect, nor do I strive for perfection. I just take it day by day and try to do the best for my kids. 

So, if this is your idea of perfection, then I'm proud to say: I'M EFFIN PERFECT!

My mom (Hot Mama Grandma Tee) told me about CARE's Wall of Mothers.

Here is their message:

Believe it or not, a mother dies every minute from complications during pregnancy or childbirth. In fact, in many countries where CARE works, a girl is more likely to die in pregnancy than to finish secondary school. 

We know that if all women could have access to family planning and obstetric care, maternal mortality could be significantly reduced. That’s why CARE is working to help make pregnancy and delivery safe for women everywhere.

You can  upload your picture to CARE’s Wall of Mothers, an interactive online photo gallery. You can also write a special message for mothers everywhere to appear with your picture. 

It is so easy to do, and it's fast and FREE. Of course I wrote something goofy and corny, but here is someone's message that really touched me:

"We are diminished as children of the Great Mother if only one of us is denied freedom and care. Reaching out is not just something we do for others. It is something we do for ourselves."   -Gary Nichols

You can read other messages from moms, sons, daughters, and dads. Grab a tissue though. It's really touching.

Then you can send a FREE ecard with a Mother's Day message to all your loved ones while promoting and supporting CARE's quest to save the lives of mothers around the globe.

Together, we can spread awareness about CARE’s poverty-fighting programs and help build a healthier future for all.

As a mom, I have learned to cut back in many areas to help save money. 

I hardly ever buy anything that isn't on sale. 

In this economy, it almost feels criminal to pay full price when there are sales everywhere. I always try to do my part to save money,

1. I consult the weekly grocery ads and do my shopping according to what is on sale. 

2. I clip coupons. 

3. I even go to 4 different stores sometimes just to cash in on the sale benefits (I often wonder if I'm really saving money when you consider the gas to drive to multiple locations just to save 50 cents).

4. In addition to buying on sale, I'm all about a compromise. I will spend money for a nice pair of jeans, but get the knock off shirt at Old Navy, H & M, or an online sale retailer.

There are many things I'm not picky about.  For example, gas.  I'm not a gas snob.  I will get gas anywhere.  I have no particular allegiance to the big orange ball, or don't care if there is a mini mart inside.  Another thing I'm pretty lax about is drinking water.  Honestly, as long as it is clean, I don't care.  Just because you see me out sipping from the bottle with the tropical waterfall in the background doesn't mean I didn't just fill it up with the filtered stuff on the fridge, get my drift?

But, through it all, there are 2 things I will pay full price for and CANNOT seem to do without: Kleenex and Charmin Ultra Soft.  I will not compromise what I wipe my butt and face with (all Hot Mamas have to luxuriate somewhere).  I'm sure the Kirkland brands are wonderful, but it's not for me. 

Someone bought a box of "soft and nice tissue" the other day and when I blew my nose in it, I thought I was going to have an acne outbreak or develop cold sores in my nostrils.  It was harder than a paper towel and stiffer than sand paper.  The Charmin knock off was no better.  You could probably clean up a gallon of milk with one sheet. It's THAT thick. Hence my dislike for public bathrooms.  I will practically do the pee pee dance from one end of the mall to the car just to wait to get home to the comfort of my ultra soft Charmin.

As a mom, I think we learn to pick and choose our battles. But, when it comes my Kleenex and Charmin, I live it up!

What item can YOU not live without?

I'm not a Foie Gras or Tuna Tartar kind of girl. I'm more of a salad and fries; smoothie and pizza chic.  I like my food how I like my clothes: simple, but good quality. So, when I heard about The Dolce Group's LA hotspot, Ketchup, I knew it was worth checking out. They take basic childhood dishes and give them a gourmet twist using fresh, high quality ingredients purchased daily from local markets. They currently have a LA and Huntsville, AL location, with a Washington DC store opening soon.  The dinner menu is pretty cool.  I could have gotten full off the appetizers alone.  

Since I like weird concoctions of food, Ketchup was an obvious choice for dining.  I started with a threesome: garlic parmesan, sweet potato, and cajun fries served with 5 different types of ketchup.  Some of the ketchup tasted a little odd (wasabi ketchup, seriously?), the mango ketchup is clearly the way to go. Then I moved on to the mini Kobe dogs filled with Kobe chili, cheddar, and of course, ketchup.  Next, the mini chicken tacos.  All the usual suspects for the ingredients, but topped with chipotle ketchup.  I'm not one for spicy, so I just wiped it off. But, believe them when they say "mini", the little tacos looked like something I would give Bronson. I needed something smooth to wash it down, so I was thrilled to see my favorite soup, Lobster Bisque on the menu. The lobster was pretty plentiful (a lot of places are really stingy) but the broth was a little weird.  I like thick creamy bisque, but theirs was more of a clear liquid topped with fried onions.  It was somewhat reminiscent of french onion soup, with lobster chunks thrown in.  It was not what I was expecting, but it was decent. I would get it again. Being from the South, I am a mac n' cheese connoisseur. And in true Ketchup style, theirs was made with truffle and dungeness crab. It was such a delight to my taste buds and very cheesy.  A must try for crab lovers. The truffle and crab really give it a pleasant twist (my friend kept saying it was good, but tasted a little fishy).

There was a roving cart that came to our table offering Martini samples using Tang, Kool-Aid, and Yoo Hoo. I passed and move on to dessert: Strawberry Shortcake. It was perfect.  Just enough strawberries and ice cream. 

I was surprised I liked the stylish, hip atmosphere (I'm more into the laid back California ambiance).  The service was excellent and extremely attentive (but that might be attributed to the servers gawking at my friend Gwendolyn, a 5'11 beauty). Valet was a little pricey at $10 (and I hate Valet parking ever since my sunglasses and lipgloss were stolen) but it's cheaper than getting a parking ticket at the nearby Sunset Plaza parking lot (ahem). Overall, Ketchup gets a thumbs up from me. Nothing beats a great menu of American classics with a modern twist. More Ketchup please!

I saw this story and as I watched I was instantly reminded of what inspires me as a parent and why I started www.ahotmama.com.  It's the universal struggle of doing any and everything to provide for our kids.

The video clip tells the story of how a man went from CEO of a hedgefund company to delivering pizza.  It's the story of Ken Karpman and how he went from making $750,000 a year to $7.29 an hour, plus tips. He took the job delivering pizza to keep food on the table for his family (not that there is anything wrong with delivering pizza).

Unfortunately in this economy, families losing their job and home has become an all too familiar story.  So, to all going through tough times now, keep your head up, and know good things are coming. But most importantly, remember your children love and appreciate you unconditionally.