Repeat after me,
“I promise I will NOT play April Fool jokes on the very pregnant, hormonal Cathy.”

This month I have the honor of hosting the Rocky Top Brigade’s Volunteer Tailgate Party. As always, a stroll through the brigade shows the great diversity of bloggers represented by the Rocky Top Brigade. Just this month:

Liz at the Appalachia Alumni Association has a very timely post about pharmacists who refuse to dispense prescribed contraception.

Nikolai at Communists for TennCare would like everyone to read their Manifesto and then join them on a March to Save TennCare on Friday, April 8th.

Cathy at Domestic Psychology has, oh wait, that’s me, hidden among a dozen Girl Scout cookie recipes a vaguely political post and just this week felt the need to explain my unusual Easter pictures.

Great Smoky has a very succinct comment about Senator Frist as well as a link to a military themed art exhibit.

Elizabeth at Harelipfrog has a recipe and photo diary of her experience with pickled eggs.

Inn of the Last Home’s Barry tackled Knox County’s truancy problems and shares his feelings about the Red Lake tragedy.

Jeff Blogworthy has a tongue-in-cheek post relevant to the story that has dominated the blogosphere recently.

Nashville Files posted a wonderful photo diary of his recent visit to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery plus a thoughtful commentary on the use of security cameras.

Newsrack Blog gives his thoughts on bankruptcy bill hackery and continued his insights about it here.

Poop Happens breaks down the daily news report and sends a message to a friend.

SayUncle has a lot to say about Knox County’s new adult bookstore regulations and gun control laws.

Sugarfused has the shortest and funniest post of this month’s tailgate party.

Whites Creek has a very Southern story about 4-wheelers and hogs as well as an Easter sermon, well, sort of anyway.

Finally, Whoa Mama has some very cute baby pictures to share.

Pop in and say hello to these and a few of the other Rocky Top Brigade’s bloggers for some Southern hospitality, politics and just good old fun.

Tonight’s episode of Lost is not a rerun! I plan to watch it sitting rocking in my early birthday present from my parents. Amy likes the footstool better than the chair and the box it shipped in the best of all. She’s been playing in the box all day today.

Have I whined about Daylight Savings Time yet? Getting up in the morning an hour before your body thinks it should and trying to put the children to bed when their bodies think they should be awake still pale in comparison to the “But it’s still light out” debates that will continue for weeks. Blech.

This picture was strange enough, what was I thinking when I posted this one? Well, I’m pregnant so I run on hormones and not rational thought. Still, I’ll try to tell some of the back story. My original intention was just to paint my belly and post it for fun on Easter. I decided it would be much easier if Doug painted my belly since I can’t see below the belly button. Doug found this all to be great fun and painting the flowers was his idea. I was sitting cross-legged on the bed which I am really too round to do comfortably so I kept rocking back onto my hands to ease the pressure. The longer it took to paint, the more I wanted to scratch the area being painted. Uncomfortable and twitching with itchies already, my bladder decided to start complaining. I asked Doug to throw some paper grass over the area I didn’t want photographed. Doug took one handful and carefully covered the requested area but it looked far too obscene (green fro?), so I dumped the entire bag across my lap while Doug grabbed the camera for a few quick pictures. I was cool with the belly shots but the pictures of the flowers made me so uncomfortable I couldn’t look at the camera despite Doug’s barrage of jokes to try and make me laugh. The look on my face was either inspired by Doug’s offer to let me paint his body or his asking if I wanted to publish photos of his upcoming vasectomy in my blog. Both were very funny at the time. At any rate, I thought the amount of effort Doug put into painting deserved recognition and I was in a hurry to get bathed and dressed for church so I posted two pictures intending to remove one later. Doug and I only visit my parents’ church a few times a year and this was one of those days. When I realized that Knox County’s sheriff was sitting directly in front of me at church I had a mental flash that he would be arresting me for public indecency right then and there. He shook my hand with a blank expression so my fears were unfounded. I guess I enjoyed the blogosphere’s reaction to my risque escapades because I decided to leave the pictures up, just tucked away a bit so people wouldn’t have to see the flowers.

I have the leftover Easter ham bone (with LOTS of meat still attached) in the crock pot with navy beans and water. The house is starting to smell yummy!

After giving away eggs AND eating them, we still have 34 boiled eggs in our fridge. Tonight we’ll probably make this:

Easter Casserole
2 cans cr of mushroom soup
3 cans asparagus
6 boiled eggs, sliced
shredded cheese
bread crumbs

layers- two of each
soup
eggs
asparagus
cheese
bread crumbs
bake in 350 degree oven for 35 or 40 min. or until bubbly.

Even though I’ve watched “The Incredibles” a zillion times, I still keep expecting Bob’s boss to say “In-con-thievable!”

It’s the Easter belly! 

Apparently I’ve been blocked from some offices. My belly is painted as an egg and I have two flowers that may make this “not safe for work” albiet tasteful.Click to VIEW the hidden picture.Hide picture.

This picture is a bit too graphic so I’ll take it down shortly. I am not liable for any blindness caused by the horrors of this photograph.

It’s going to be nearly 70 degrees outside for the next three days. The dogwoods and daffodils are full of blooms. I can almost hear the birds singing their pre-sunrise morning song before I hear Noah and Amy celebrating being the only morning people in our house. The malls are packed with women searching for their Easter outfits. White sandals and pumps are going to be everywhere this Sunday. One of my favorite sights is the seniors wearing their new hats. I never wear a hat but I like seeing them on other people. I love springtime in TN.

Sarah is getting her very first pair of shoes from the women’s department today since she has outgrown good old Stride Rite. I am proud and terrified all at the same time.