Zappo

I was about ready to hand in my Mom resignation papers today. Yes, it was that kind of day. And here's why.

*In a dressing room at Target. I'm trying on a few cute t-shirts.*
Spencer: Uh oh Mommy. You've got to change my diaper.
Me (muffled under a shirt): Hhmm?
Spencer: You need to change my diaper.
Me: Spencer, you're not wearing a diaper.
Spencer: Oh.
Me: Spencer, did you poop in your pants?
Spencer (sounding a bit like he's trying to cover it up): Um, no.
Me: Then why do I need to change you?
Spencer: No.
Me: Spencer, did you poop in your pants?
Spencer: I don't know.
Me: Did you poop in your pants?
Spencer: No.
Me: Are you sure?
Spencer (Sounding genuinely confused): Yes. No.
Me: Did you poop in your pants?
Spencer: Um, yes. Can I have a cookie?
Me: Zappo.
(I have taken to saying 'zappo' when I don't know what else to say. It fit perfectly as an ending to this strange conversation. What child has the audacity to ask for a cookie after admitting to pooping in his pants?!)

Since he didn't really smell and wasn't leaking anything, I decided to finish my shopping before I changed him. Besides, I figured it would help drive home the point that pooping in your pants at the store is not the best idea. He could still walk around, although you could tell he was a bit uncomfortable.

So we finished, paid for our things (including two cute shirts), and I schlepped three full shopping bags, my purse, Josh, and Spencer into the women's bathroom. Luckily the handicapped stall was open. Even luckier, the bathroom was actually pretty clean (it was early in the morning), so I only cringed a little when I realized that I would have to put Josh on the floor.

I ended up just throwing away Spencer's underpants - they were pretty gross and I wasn't about to carry them around with me for the rest of my errands. He wasn't too pleased about that or about having to go commando, but too bad for him! His bottom was gross, but as luck would have it I had just bought a bunch of baby wipes with some random coupons I got in the mail.

Up until then, Josh had been a very well-behaved giant baby. But while I was cleaning Spencer Josh decided to act like a normal giant baby by pulling out of the bags every single item that I had just bought and throwing them on the floor. I was so engrossed in cleaning Spencer and asking him why he didn't say he needed to go potty that I didn't notice Josh's activities until I saw him pull out the last item - one of my new shirts - put it in his mouth for a little taste, and then toss it onto the public bathroom floor. Gross.

So I quickly washed my hands and started repacking the bags. Of course this was quite boring for Spencer, who decided this was a good time to flush the potty - repeatedly. This is always fun for Spencer for two reasons: 1) it's always fun to flush the potty!, and 2) Josh is deathly afraid of loud industrial toilet flushes. So Josh started freaking out, Spencer started laughing uncontrollably and flushing the potty more, and I crawled around on the bathroom floor, looking for the new earrings that Josh had flung into the far corner of the bathroom.

It was at this point that I realized why many people stop at two kids. What would I have done at that point with a third child? More to the point, what would that third child have done to add to the joy of the moment? Oooh, I just shivered a little.

So what does that have to do with the picture above? Nothing, I just like the picture.

Zappo.

3.14159265

Today I went to Butera Apple orchard. Because of the late frost this spring they didn't have any peaches or blackberries, but I didn't come away empty handed. I got five pounds of the yummiest apples I've had in a while. And what do you do when you have plenty of apples and lots of housework you don't want to do? You make a pie, of course!

I am extra pleased with this pie not for how it tastes, but for how it looks. (Don't get me wrong - it's pretty yummy!) I don't want to toot my own horn, but I've been around the baking block a few times. I've been known to make a pretty mean cookie/brownie/cake/pie/baked good. But pies have always been my downfall as far as looks are concerned. It's that dang crust - I can never get it to look right. In fact, I hate making pie crusts - too many variables that affect the final outcome. That's why I use refrigerated crusts -I think they taste pretty good and are a lot less work. But even with those I still can never make the pie look good. But this time I actually made a decent looking pie! It won't win any awards, but I'm not embarrassed to post pictures. :)

On a different note...

It's attack of the killer tomatoes in my garden. I've given up trying to keep them caged and staked - they just outgrow it all. They're taking over everything! I guess I could prune them, but the thought of that just kills me since it would mean cutting out a lot of green tomatoes. No sir. Homegrown tomatoes are the best part of summer, and I don't want to lose a single one! As you can also see, there is still plenty of basil for anyone who would like any!

A Father Son Conversation

*Note: this conversation really took place between Lance and Spencer during family prayer this evening. It was especially funny because Spencer was totally serious and Lance was really teasing.*

Spencer: I have an owie!

Lance: I'll show you a real owie!

Spencer: You have to kiss it.

Lance: I'll give you a kiss with my fist!

Spencer: No. That will hurt.

The Order of the Phoenix

Lance and I finally got to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix today.

Opinion? LOVED IT! Least favorite book, but favorite movie. (Which was a relief, because book 4 was my favorite book but my least favorite movie!)

I loved the directing and am really happy that David Yates is directing the next one, too. Plus, the acting is exponentially better compared to the earlier movies. (Hey, after five movies anyone's going to get better at acting!) Yes, they had to leave out a lot of stuff from the book and even change a few things. But from a pure movie point of view, it was great. It was a good movie - not just a good Harry Potter movie, but a real movie. Does that make sense?

Anywho, I highly suggest seeing it. This one will definitely be joining the other DVDs in our collection.

Stroller Lust

I have been lusting after this stroller ever since my friend Misty showed me hers a couple of weeks ago. She LOVES hers, and I am thinking I would love one, too. I have a double jogging stroller already, but it is far too big and bulky to lug around places. (Although I do love going on walks with it!) This one folds up smaller than the regular stroller I have now.

At first I decided I would get the Joovy stroller for our next baby. But now I'm thinking that is just too long to wait! Besides, Spencer is always climbing up on our old stroller, wanting to 'ride' or sit on it because he's tired or bored. And our old stroller is literally falling apart. I can tell Josh doesn't really like it all that much; it's more like he puts up with it. Plus, it would be PERFECTO for a short Chicago trip I am taking with my family in August; I know there will be lots of walking and Spencer will want to ride in the stroller.

It's a bit pricey, but certainly not prohibitively so. Plus I just edited two papers that would more than cover the cost. The stroller has 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and I've noticed that the people who give it fewer stars are the same who are never happy with anything they buy!

What do you think? Should I go ahead and get it? Or are there other strollers that you would suggest? I need a little peer pressure here.

Primary Talk

*Update: we practiced the talk and it was too long. Spencer is only 3, after all. So here's the new version:

Mary was a pioneer girl in Missouri. When she was five years old, a mob had tried to hurt her family. Mary’s family had to leave their home and all of their things.

Mary’s daddy was sick too sick to work. This is why they had no money or food. Mary’s family did all of his work for him.

During family prayer, Mary’s family asked Heavenly Father to help them find a way to earn enough money to buy food.

That night Heavenly Father sent Mary’s Daddy a dream about their family in the forest, making baskets and boxes. This was how they could make money!

That morning, Mary’s family started making baskets and boxes. They sold them in town for food. They were saved!

That night Mary’s family prayed to Heavenly Father and thanked Him for His many blessings and for answering their prayers.

If our families have faith, pray, and work hard, we will also be blessed by Heavenly Father.

**
Last Sunday I learned that Spencer has been asked to give a talk in Primary this Sunday. I was actually pretty excited about it until I read the topic: "an example of a good family from church history". Oh. Sorry, could you please be a bit more vague? I don't know if I can work with such a narrow topic... Agh! Why couldn't we just get a scripture or a specific scripture story to talk about?! Sheesh.

So I searched in some old copies of the Friend and discovered this story from August 2006. I've greatly simplified it for Sunbeam level. We'll take a wooden basket as a visual. I'm not sure if it's what the primary is looking for, but when you give a topic on par with "the color blue", you can't be too choosy. What do you think?

Baskets and Boxes

When Mary was five years old, a mob made her family leave their home in Adam-ondi-Ahman. The mob had tried to hurt them. Mary’s family had been forced to leave their home and all of their things behind. They had no money or food.

Since the night of the mob, Mary’s daddy had been sick. He was too sick to work. This is why they had no money or food.

Mary’s mommy and her eight brothers and sisters had to do all the work for their daddy. They cleared trees, built a house, and planted corn.

That night they had family prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for their new land and house, and for saving them from the mob. Then they asked Heavenly Father to help them find a way to earn enough money to buy food.

The next morning, Mary’s daddy told his family that he had had a dream about their family in the forest, making baskets and boxes. This was how they could make money! Heavenly Father had sent him the dream as an answer to their prayers.

That very morning, Mary’s family started making baskets and boxes. They sold them in town for food. They were saved!

That night Mary’s family prayed to Heavenly Father and thanked Him for His many blessings and for answering their prayers.

Through the faith and hard work of Mary and her family, they were able to make enough money to buy food and the things they needed.

If our families have faith, pray, and work hard, we will also be blessed by Heavenly Father.

Tippecanoe County Fair

Yesterday we had Family Home Evening at the Tippecanoe County 4-H fair. It was actually pretty fun! (Especially because there was no admission fee!)

We started with all of the animals - cows, pigs, poultry, rabbits, horses, and ponies. Fun! Stinky! Loud! (Reminded me of some mornings at home!) Josh, of course, was scared of the pigs. Probably because they were really noisy and right at the level of his stroller. Spencer was scared of the poultry because I warned him not to stick his fingers in the cage because they could bite him. Then I forced everyone to look at the Home Ec exhibits - hey, I deal with enough testosterone everyday. I deserved a bit a girly stuff! (I thought of you, Christy, when I saw the knitting entries!)

There were two highlights of the evening. The first was riding the ferris wheel. From the minute we got to the fair, Spencer whined about going on a ride. We figured the ferris wheel was a good starter ride for him. Plus, all four of us could go in one basket and enjoy it together. I think Spencer really liked it, although I have the sneaking suspicion he would have liked something a little faster. (Our little daredevil!)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The second highlight was the funnel cake we shared. It was fresh out of the oil, topped with Bavarian cream and cherries. YUM. In fact, it was so yummy that we ate it all before I could get a picture. (So here's a generic picture.) Totally worth the outrageous $5 price.

Even with the occasional weird carnie, a very fun evening!

Google Me

Admit it - you've Googled yourself before. You know you have. I did it today, just for fun. Usually I just get a bunch of Swedish or Norwegian sites (because of the Maren) or Scandinavian sites (for Madsen). This is the picture I came up with today:

Hmm... apparently I'm not as popular as I thought. :)

Catch Up

I finally finished Harry last night! (No thanks to two little boys who, despite being desperately tired, didn't want to stay in bed!) Loved it. Loved the plot. The ending of the story was great. The last chapter - not JK's strongest writing, but still pleasant. I won't give any spoilers for anyone who hasn't finished. But I think that if you're a Potter fan, you will enjoy the book. It's sad that it's over, but it also feels good. Now go about your daily lives.

Here's a few of the pictures of our exciting life that I would have posted this weekend had I not been reading in all my spare moments!

On Saturday we enjoyed a BBQ at Columbian Park with the Webers, Holdaways, and Souths. Highlights included Man Catchin' Brownies, feeding the ducks Cheerios, and constantly yelling at the kids to stay within sight.

I picked (and ate!) the first bell peppers out of my garden. Yum!
This isn't really exciting, just funny - notice anything unusual about Spencer in this picture? (Or on Spencer?) Yes, he really fell asleep like this.

Spencer turned into a deranged butterfly at the Columbian Park Zoo on Monday.

Then Spencer became the king of going down the big slides
and yelling into the sounds pipes.

Finally, Joshie experienced his first popsicle crisis. (Hold it and freeze your fingers off, or not get to eat it? Such a dilemma!)

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Harry Haiku III

The book is awesome!
Demanding Spencer and Josh
Slow my progression

本は驚くばかりである!
要求のSpencer およびJosh
私の進行を遅らせなさい

Harry Haiku II

Cannot eat or sleep
Must finish Harry quickly
Crucio spoilers!

食べるか、または眠ることができない
ハリーをすぐに終えなければならない
Crucio のスポイラー!

Harry Haiku

Where's Harry, UPS?
The book should be here by now
The day is so long

ハリーどこに、UPS はいるか
本は今ごろはもうここにあるべきである
日はとても長い

Brrrr... July

Here is Lance modeling the new LANily Home Evening shirts. Flabioh is his screen name. Very sexy.

Tonight we had a sprinkler party in our back yard for the LAN Party Widows and Orphans. Even though it is the middle of July, it only got into the high 70's/low 80's today, with low humidity. Perfect for us moms out in the yard, but a little cool for the kiddos in the sprinklers. That didn't stop them, though, from playing in the water for a good hour before giving in to the shivers and chills! (Poor Spencer had blue lips and could hardly speak he was shaking so badly!) Although it was unseasonably chilly, everyone had a good time playing, eating treats, and visiting.

Shower Scene

I love showers. They are the best part of my day; I'm warm, clean, happy, and blissfully alone. Well, at least that's the idea. There is rarely a shower where I am alone the entire time. The scene generally goes something like this:

Me, thinking: La la la la... I love being in the shower! It's the best part of my day...
*Sound of the door creaking open*
Me, thinking: For the love of holy Pete - cannot I not get a moment's peace?!?!
Spencer: Mommy?
Me (knowing exactly what's coming but trying to sound nice and patient anyway): Yes sweetie?
Spencer: Mommy, I need some juice.
Me: I'm sorry, Spencer. I'm in the shower. You're going to have to wait until I'm done and have gotten dressed. (I have learned that I have to specify that I will be getting dressed first. Otherwise, he will expect me to get out of the shower, walk naked and dripping to the kitchen, and pour him a cup of juice.)
Spencer (whiny): Whyyyyy?
Me: Because I'm taking a shower.
Spencer (more whiny): But whyyyyyy?
Me (losing a bit of patience): Because I am NOT getting out of the shower, walking naked and dripping to the kitchen, and pouring you a cup of juice. You're just going to have to wait.
Spencer (demandingly): But I want JUICE!!
Me (losing a bit more patience): That's too bad. Go out to the living room and I'll be out soon.
Spencer (yelling): JUICE!!!
Me (losing all patience): Go... to... the... living... room...
Spencer (sensing the danger he's in): FINE!
*sound of the door slamming*
Me, thinking: Serenity now... serenity now...

Sound familiar to anyone? And I know it's only going to get worse once Josh is mobile and vocal. At least Lance has learned to leave me alone while in the shower. It was cute when we were newlyweds - not so cute now.

p.s. Yes, I have tried giving him a full cup of juice before-hand. If it's not juice he wants, then it's something else. "I want a snack, I want some milk, I want my blocks, I want my blankie that's sitting on my bed in plain site but is apparently invisible to three year olds...)

Would You Like to be a Widow?

So once a month about 15-20 women in my stake are made widows. No, not by death - by computers. Think golfing widows, only geekier. There is a big LAN party, where the guys all get together and 'socialize'. And by socialize I mean lugging all of their computers to someone's house, networking the computers, putting on headphones, and then not really having any sort of conversation for the next 7-9 hours. (Unless you count computer trash talk as conversation.) They eat junk food and drink lots of caffeinated soda; although, in their defense, Cole always provides the token veggie tray. They start at 6pm, take a couple of hours setting up, and then play until the wee hours of the morning. Lance often gets home around 4am. The next day they are all tired and grouchy, and no one wants to be around them because they think they are still teenagers and can stay up all night and not experience any side effects. :)

I imagine them strutting their stuff like peacocks and proving their masculinity like rams by comparing their computers and gaming skills. Monitor sizes, memory amounts, video cards, RAM speed, accessories like gaming keyboards and mice... arr arr arr! (Home Improvement grunts.) Very manly. Very geeky.

I must confess that my husband is the main instigator of this madness. He initially talked everyone into coming the first time. He (with my help, I admit!) came up with the group's name: LANily Home Evening. He created their website. And he has now designed a shirt (pictures tomorrow) and convinced everyone that they need one, too. So I guess you could say that he's the cause of all these widows.

But I have tried to make up for it by creating a group of my own with the wives and the kiddos of the LANers: the LAN Party Widows and Orphans. (Okay, so the kids aren't technically orphans, but it has a nice ring to it.) We get together on the LAN party nights and try to wear the kids out so that they will sleep well that night even though their daddies have abandoned them for computer games. This month the activity is at my house - the kids will have fun playing in the sprinklers and the moms will have fun chatting, snacking, and refereeing kids. Which leads me to my picture of the post. I have been working on these off and on all day and will be serving them tomorrow. Being a widow doesn't seem so bad now. :)

Free pesto!

After playgroup today Spencer and I worked in the garden and the yard. We tied some wayward tomato branches to their stakes. We snapped off any new suckers we found on the tomatoes. We weeded the garden, except around the pumpkins - they're too prickly! Okay, I also didn't weed around the flowers, but there were just too many weeds and I just didn't feel like it. So there. Then we did something Spencer has been dying to do for quite a while: pick green beans! I blanched and froze most of them, but we did have some for dinner. Super yummy!

I also picked a TON of basil because I was crazy and planted two three-foot-long rows of the stuff. It was getting ready to flower, so of course I had to prune it. And of course I couldn't just throw away the basil I picked, so I made some basil gnocchi and a whole mess of pesto. (To add all of the pesto I've already made frozen this summer!)

In fact, I have so much pesto that I would like nothing better than to give it away. I have five 1C servings in my fridge for anyone who would like to come over and get it. You can serve it on warm pasta, use it as a dip for crackers, mix it with some cream cheese and milk for a creamy pesto sauce; I even like it on toast with a warm slice of tomato. Heaven. So if you would like some, let me know.

Actually, I have so much basil that if you would like to come pick your own, that would be great! Just let me know and we can set up a time. (I would say just come on over and let yourself in the back yard, but my watchful neighbors would probably turn you in for basil theft!)

For L-Dub.com

Tonight was L-Dub.com's and Gigmeister's last Bunko night. We will miss them so much! We were all in rare form, with lots of nicknames created and strange family stories swapped. (Liz and Misty won that prize, hands down. I will always think of you, L-Dub.com, when I hear the word "misdemeanor".)

L-Dub.com is the queen of the elusive Travel Bunko. She also helped create my Bunko name: Bunko Dizzastah.com. Nice.
L-Dub and the Gigmeister.
Gigi with future Bunko star Bergen.

Rachel and Margot and their hot dice!

Okay, is she spitting on the dice or blowing a kiss?

L-Dub.com and Misty. (Thank goodness we get to keep Misty!)

BunkoSnot.com works on her Bunko gang sign.
Lafayette Bunko gals! (Wait, where's Misty?!)

Representin'!

Hungry Baby

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Corn Horn

Kevin's Reply

Here's Kevin's reply to my post yesterday. (Again with insightful and delightfully entertaining notes from me!)

Hi Maren,

Here are some more recent pictures of me. I think the glasses make me look smarter (hint, hint.) Okay, yeah, the picture I posted was old. But that's because in all of my recent ones you had your eyes closed or a goofy look on your face. I've posted your pictures plus one, for the ladies. Also my major is Political Science with a minor in History. I'm assuming that when you say I'm 23ish you mean I turn 23 in August. Yeessss... that's what I meant... I believe you gratuated the Y with a degree in Marketing Advertising, but of course you changed your major like three times while this is my original major. Marketing Communications, with minors in Business and Human Development. And hey, changing your major several times makes you a real college student, you fraud!

On your comments about why being married to Mary Jane is an advantage for Spider-man, its evidence of strength. The strongest Lion in the pack gets all the hot lionesses, so Spidey having the hotter woman is a sign that he is stronger. Hmmm... but didn't you know that lions don't really do any of the work? They make all the lionesses do it. Sooo... Spidey might have a hot wife, but he's totally lazy and doesn't have the skill to hunt his own prey.

Kevin

Guest Blogger: Spiderman vs. Harry Potter

In this day and age there are many important and serious topics that we could discuss. Oh well, I don't want to. And neither does my little brother, Kevin, who is my first guest blogger. (A great honor!) Kevin is a Senior at BYU-Idaho. He is majoring in history or political science or something like that. All I know is that he plans on going to law school. (Sorry I can't remember, Kevin. But can you honestly say you remember what I majored and minored in?) Kevin is 23ish, served his mission in Chicago, is a bit obsessed with Zombies and the video game Guitar Hero, has a great sense of humor, and is pretty cute. A good catch. (Am I right, ladies? Oh wait, you're all married. Well, you've got some younger single sisters or friends, right?)

Anywho, Kevin and I have had a long-standing debate: Spiderman vs. Harry Potter in a Deathmatch - who would win? (Yes, my family only debates the important stuff). It seemed timely in this Harry Potter week. I was impressed with Kevin's reply, mainly because I thought I'd just get a few lines and a few insults to me. Who knew he was capable of complex logic and reasoning? Not to mention the grammatical capacity to write a complete sentence! Just kidding. Take it away, Kevin.

BTW, my comments are liberally and Harry-supportingly sprinkled throughout.

I would like to thank Maren for recognizing my superior geek intellect, and though I should be spending my time writing my essay for Constitutional Law, I am writing this response to my sister’s question: Harry Potter vs. Spider-man - Who would win? My qualification for answering this question is that I own and have read Spider-man The Ultimate Guide and know quite a bit about the web slinger. I have also read every single Harry Potter novel and recently came in second in a trivia contest held at the movie theater where I saw The Order of the Phoenix at the midnight showing. I remember having this exact same argument with one of my Aunt Heidi’s kids while I was at the height of my Spider-man fandom and they had just moved from England (on an U.S. Airbase). At the time I thought Harry Potter was gay (Um, hello?! Cho Chang and Ginny Weasley!) and in no way comparable to Spidey. While my perception of Harry has changed drastically over the last few years, I still believe that Spidey would wail on poor Potty. Let me explain.

There are several similarities between Peter Parker and Harry Potter. Both were orphaned at a young age and grew up in their Aunt and Uncle’s home, but obviously Uncle Ben is a lot better to live with than Vernon Dursley. Both heroes have what Hermione calls “a saving people thing.” Spidey makes a living out of it and both Harry and Spidey have gotten into serious trouble from it. Both have lost surrogate fathers because of their mistakes. And both do not possess exactly unique abilities; Harry lives in a world of magic and Spidey in a city with groups like the Avengers and the Fantastic Four.

Harry is followed by his two best friends, Ron and Hermione, almost all the time. Spidey is more of a loner, but he has teamed up with a number of great superheroes, including Captain America and Dr. Strange. Advantage: Harry (since Spidey mostly fights alone) *For reals!*

Harry belongs (kind of) to the Order of the Phoenix. Spidey has belonged to the Avengers (who hasn’t, though) and even the X-Men. Advantage: Spidey *Whoa whoa whoa. I'd much rather belong to a group of wizards than to that motley crew, the Avengers!

Harry has defeated a number of opponents in his six years at Hogwarts: Professor Quarrel, a Basilisk, a legion of Dementors, and has faced Voldemort a number of occasions. Spider-man has faced and defeated such villains as the Green Goblin, Venom, Carnage, Sandman, and the Kingpin, to name just a few. Advantage: Spidey *Yeah, but let's consider the difficulty and the age at which they fought. Harry is much younger and fought much stonger/scarier opponents. So there.

The main difference between the two is experience. Harry has only been a wizard for six years, while Spidey’s adventures have been in multiple comics since 1962! Harry may have started his adventures at a much younger age than Peter, but he still hasn’t gained the skills to beat our favorite web-head. Advantage: Spidey *Pffft. What's 40 years of experience when you have a frickin' wand?*

Both heroes get their mack on with redheads; Harry currently has Hogwarts Heartthrob Ginny Weasley and Peter Parker is married to the famed supermodel/actress Mary Jane Watson. Of course, Harry’s good friend Hermione (actress Emma Watson) gets searched for on the internet quite a bit according to Yahoo! But still, Advantage: Spidey *Um, how would that help Spiderman beat Harry? If anything, that annoying Mary Jane would just get in the way or distract him. Ginny would at least be able to hold her own against any villains!

Peter Parker is a graduate of Empire State College in the comics and Columbia University in the movies. He is a genius and has used his problem solving skills to get out of many tight situations. Harry is still at the greatest wizarding school in the world and shows great ability in practical skills, but lacks a bit in the academic department, having to rely on Hermione to pass several of his classes. However, Harry is able to think on his feet and escape from the traps, like in the Department of Mysteries. Advantage: Tie

Harry is a public figure, having gone through a lot of bad press and rumors since he came to Hogwarts. While Spider-man gets vilified by J. Jonah Jameson in The Daily Bugle, he is able to escape from his alter ego and live regularly as Peter Parker. With this, Harry is able to show maturity beyond his years. Advantage: Harry *That's right, baby!

Spider-man has the ability to climb on walls and hide in the shadows. Harry has his trusty invisibility cloak and can fly on his Firebolt. Advantage: Harry *Being able to fly is way better than web slinging, although Spiderman seems to do alright.

Harry’s main weakness is that if his wand gets knocked out of his hand he is no better than a muggle, except for the occasional magical outburst when he gets really angry. Spidey has been able to beat the Sinister Six when his powers left him temporarily (comics). To win, all Spidey would have to do is either grab Harry’s wand with his webbing, or blind him with the old webbing to the face trick. The only chance Harry would have is that one of his spells hit Spider-man before he is disarmed, but if Spidey can dodge bullets, a spark of light heading at him is nothing. (Spider Sense. Hello!) Advantage: Spidey *Who's to say that magic isn't faster than a bullet? My money's on the magic. And the old webbing to th face trick seems a bit like cheating... which it is!

Lets face it, Harry, as we know him, isn’t skilled enough to go against the arguably greatest Marvel Superhero. Harry may become Bad A in The Deathly Hollows, we just don’t know. We do know that Harry’s greatest asset is his ability to love, which makes him perfect to defeat Lord Voldemort, but not so much against a man with enough strength to lift the Incredible Hulk! Now if Spidey were facing Dumbledore or Voldemort it would be a different story. But that’s another blog entry.

I would love to hear someone else’s opinion of this match and their reasoning behind it. If anyone is interested in predicting the events of book 7, MuggleNet.com (the largest Harry Potter fansite) is having a March Madness-like predicting contest.