Check out this totally funny video that my friend Jake sent me (the Jake that records all the Candy Band CD's!!!). It sure ain't no Ozzie and Harriet!!!! Enjoy xoxo A.Joy

http://inthemotherhood.msn.com/Default.aspx?source=email&videoID=3

My daughter was sleepwalking last night. I posted this picture because that always reminds me of Frankenstein (sorry Bec). She got up and walked into the kitchen and sat down and just stared. My husband picked her up and put her back into bed. When you think about it - sleepwalking is a weird thing - have you ever seen anyone do it?? xoxo A.Joy

It's Candy Band's 4 year anniversary this month. Check out one of our first band pictures. We haven't changed a bit!!! Rock on!! xoxo A.Joy

Maggie McCabe and I kicked off the school Core Democratic Value Parade yesterday with our version of the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful. Don't we look patriotic??? xoxo A.Joy

Today I am happy - the last 2 of my shows left for the season had their finale. Lost was awesome - I won't spoil it but - wow!! Also, Jordan Sparks won American Idol as I knew she we would. Time to get on with my life and quit watching TV. I actually don't watch alot - just about 4 shows - but very glad they are over. Now let get on with some Candy Band shows - we have alot coming up!! xoxo A.Joy

Wow - look at one of our new "casual" band pictures. Thanks Jeff Matlock! I love how we all (unintentially) have different color hair from each other - kind of like Charlies Angels! We could be Willy Wonkas Rockers??? xoxo A.Joy

How exciting - I just got my Monday night back. Watched the season finale of "24" with my friend Jim - kind of an uneventful ending - but it cleaned up well (unlike last season!!). Now I just have to get through Lost and American Idol and I can reclaim the entire week!!! xoxo A.Joy

On Friday, I had the honor of being asked to appear at Career Day at Bunche Elementary School in Detroit. I spoke to the kids about being a musician along with a policeman, fireman, lawyer, author, karate pro and 2 cheerleaders from the Pistons Automotion. I really enjoyed talking to the kids and I even played Rock Paper Scissors and Spongebob. Thanks a Bunche!!! xoxo A.Joy
***Thanks Maggie McCabe for taking these photos!!!***

MAJOR COOL CD REVIEW FROM GARY AT www.motorcityrocks.com Thanks Gary!!!

Senor Gary Blabs: CANDY BAND - CALLING ALL KIDS This is a seriously cool thing the Candy Band has going on. Yeah, maybe the idea of Detroit punker/rocker moms playing kid oriented is a bit cutesy for some, but as a father, I have a hard time finding fault with Calling All Kids. Good times abound when the band chants, “Let’s eat a lot of cake – it’s your birthday!” over a four-chord garage rock rhythm. “The Alphabet Song” takes some fun liberties with ABCs, throwing in some guitar runs and goofy letter association along the way (“A is for alligator, B is for baseball…”). The tacked on live track “Monsters” is sure to drag out some giggles with its sly little nod to Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” on the chorus. “Three Little Pigs” is a wonderous rock number (and a much better interpretation than the Green Jello stuff from the 90’s) that hops from pigs to cats and dogs, throwing in a nice guitar solo for good measure. The best tune, though, is the ever-goofy and imaginative “Octopus On My Head,” which is a fine toe tapping rock song that talks about the downsides of having a sea creature on one’s head (“It’s messing up my hair / It’s tickling my ear … I hope it won’t make breakfast of me”). The corny octopus jokes during the guitar break don’t hurt anything, either. As someone with two boys (the oldest is three), I’m lucky – three-year-old Drayke likes to listen to Queen and The Beatles, while 16-month-old Landon rocks out to Dinosaur Jr. with his daddy. Still, there are a lot times when they want to take in some children’s music, and it makes me a much happier parent to know that amongst all of the Barney, Doodlebops and Wiggles CDs, stuff like the Candy Band exists to cleanse the pallet of kids tunes. From one parent to four others, Candy Band, thanks for changing the children’s music landscape a bit in mom and dad’s favor. (Major props for the giggle inducing Clash-alike album cover, as well, ladies)

Almond Joys happiness for the day is.....Laying in bed this morning with the ceiling fan going and hearing the birds chirp. Perfect temp - perfect breeze - perfect sounds. Then....the alarm went off and Drew and Mike are complaining about something!!! Oh well, happy day!! xoxo A.Joy

We got our ants from Uncle Milton in the mail yesterday. This is the new ant farm using gel instead of sand. 3 of the ants did escape onto our dinner table, but they were promptly caught (after a little bit of a wild ant chase). The ants they send you are huge, red and they bite. You have to put them in the fridge to "wake them up" from their long journey that started in California. More on this later!! xoxo A.Joy

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Detroit Zoo to see us perform on Saturday. It was a beautiful day - the music was great and the kids were cute! We played behind the butterfly house!!

Now we have a couple of weeks off and then TONS of gigs! Next up - the Kingsbury Fair in Oxford, Michigan!! Rock on!! xoxo A.Joy

Want a great way to start your Mothers Day? Tune in to WDET 101.9 FM at 10am sharp to hear some songs that we taped and an interview for a Mothers Day special. Rock on!!!! A.Joy

This happens to me more often than not: I wake up one minute before my alarm goes off!! I must have an internal clock that is set to the exact time of my alarm clock (or open eyes under my hairy head??) xoxo A.Joy

Slim pickins on posting ideas for today - so I thought I would post this ultra comfy and chicky toilet. Look, they even put a glass of wine there!!

xoxo A.Joy

Doing anything this Saturday? Well let me help you make your plans! Come on out to the Detroit Zoo and see Candy Band and some polar bears. It's the weekend for Mamapazooza!! Also appearing will be Maggie McCable with her Irish lassies and Jo Serraparre and the Mydols! Time? 2-4pm (Candy Band goes on around 3:30). Rock out and check out some cool animals all in the same day!!! xoxo A.Joy

This morning I make a plea to all my readers to recycle. Please save the planet - you can make a difference. I found this cute web site for kids that helps keep it all in perspective. It makes me sad when people are so wasteful and don't recycle. I have one neighbor that is so bad at it, last week he threw out returnable beer bottles. Luckily a garbage picker came by and snatched them up (he got there before I did). Check out this web site http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/ I have even started a recycling "club" in my neighborhood. We will take turns going to the waste management center at 8 mile and Evergreen to dump all of the recyclable things that our city doesn't take such as green glass and styrofoam. Rock on!! xoxo A.Joy

Is this a Candy Band dream or what? I dreamed last night that I booked the Wiggles to come to our local YWCA and NOBODY SHOWED UP!! I was the only person in the audience (because I booked the show). Maybe they are not so popular anymore and the toy companies will start making Candy Band Leap Pads and toys instead!!! xoxo A.Joy

Today I did some spring gardening in my yard. One of my favorite jobs is to plant my annual "rock garden". It's really quite simple. I take all the rocks that I have gathered on last years beach vacation and I plant them somewhere in my yard. It's the kind of garden you don't need to water!! xoxo A.Joy

Dandy NOT!! Okay - they're here and I don't know how to get rid of them!! I think if you pop them out - it just spreads more "seeds"?? Tell me if I am wrong. Maybe I should just let the kids keep picking them and keep the weeds mowed? I give up!! xoxo A.Joy

Such a guy show! Are any moms out there watching "Deadliest Catch?". My husband loves that show and so do alot of other guys I know. They all want to go on the crab fishing boat. Every episode is the same. The waves are big, everyone is tired and sometimes the pots come up full of crab or with hardly any in it (oh yeah, and it's freezing in the Bering Sea!!). I guess the only plot is that the boats are racing to see who gets the most crab by the end of the season. Me - I'd rather be in Tahiti watching fish swim by in those crystal clear waters!! xoxo A.Joy

Hey everyone - yesterday Candy Band went to WDET to record some tunes for a special "Mother's Day show" due to air on Mothers Day at 10 am. Give it a listen!!! xoxo A.I broke my toe Joy