If I can ever get out of my pajamas

Whoa! A new post!

2009-06-29T14:48:00.001-05:00

yeah yeah yeah, a new post. So sue me!! ;)

The realization of the effects of growing up

2009-06-29T14:30:00.002-05:00

This past weekend we packed up the vehicle with kids, a change of clothes, and a cooler full of capri suns and headed East. "East" was the direction of Vernon, Texas and the destination of the weekend family gathering also known as a "family reunion." After rolling into town and finding the correct church to head to, we all poured out of the car ready to see the faces of loved ones we had not seen in years.

Among these faces were some of Hubby's cousins that we had not seen in well over 2 years. This doesn't seem like a long time but given the fact that new marriages have taken place, some marriages have dissolved, and babies have born...it has been too long!! The afternoon brought the same family reunion rituals I think all families practice. There was the fried chicken lunch with at least one side dish item you weren't certain about but you go ahead and eat it and discover how yummy it was. There was also the annoying hold your smile until your cheeks crack photography session. And to top it off, the small children running around while the older kids play their hand held video games quietly in the corner (we have some of those kids! yes!)

The afternoon drew to a close and our motley crew retreated back to the cool comfort of our hotel. It would be here that the real fun was had.

It wasn't that all hell broke loose or that something happened that would be talked about for ages occurred. It was simply that during the course of the evening and into the night, the effects of becoming older and growing up appeared. No longer where the cousins the rag tag crew of young kids, we were now grown adults with kids.

This was the first time in probably about 13 years that many of us gathered in one spot for 5 hours and just talked. Granted a little drink took place and the clock quickly showed the "AM" side of things, the main thing and the most glorious thing was that we just talked.

Memories were shared and laughter ensued. It was a beautiful thing to be apart of and a wonderful thing to behold. It was the re-tying of family bonds that time had untied just a bit. After everyone left our room (yes, we old married couples can still host a party!) the hubby and I commented the laughter that had filled our hotel suite.

It is a shame that growing up means often that you grow apart. We are all so eager to grow up and move on to bigger and better things that often those things we move from are the bigger and better. This weekend I watched my husband reconnect with cousins that he spent not only vacations and holidays with, but also tears of joy and sadness and family crisis. We lamented the fact that we rarely see them any more but the realization set of "well, when would we otherwise?" It was then the realization that set in that growing up isn't always the best effect on life...

The Top of the Pyramid

2009-04-13T12:41:00.002-05:00

I'm a very fortunate lady as the man I married still after all these years knows how to treat me like a queen. I know that I don't always shower him with such love and adoration so there are many times I feel quite undeserving.

The Hubby somewhat joked some time ago that his life is a pyramid and I'm at the top of that pyramid. He basically repeated that after watching a Seal interview in which Seal stated that his wife, Heidi Klume, is at the top of his pyramid. I like the idea of being compared to Heidi Klume so anytime Hubby says that I'm at the top of the pyramid, I tend to just shut up and agree.

Apparently my youngest, Goober Girl, is not happy that Mommy is often at the top of the pyramid. She announced that other day in the car that she was at the top of the pyramid. I turned around and asked "oh really?? But Mommy is at the top of the pyramid!" Goober Girl stopped and thought about it and then changed her mind.

"Mommy, you can be at the top of the pyramid with me. I can sit in your lap."

Compromise...works for me!

Shiny clean teeth!

2009-03-03T14:17:00.003-06:00

There are many times I really don't know what to blog about. And then I remember I have kids and that is always a good place to go to for blog material.

The other morning my Hubby called me into the bedroom with the Incredible Z Girl. He instructed me to shut the door behind me and sit down on the bed. Incredible Z Girl looked worried and the Hubby prompted her to talk. All I could think of is "uh oh!"

Incredible Z Girl started off very slowly talking about brushing teeth and her older sister, Mom Junior. She then rattled off about how she took Mom Junior's toothbrush and proceded to put soap on it.

(Insert moment of silence followed by laughter.)

This caught me so off guard that I began to laugh. I then had to quickly stifle my laughter because this is a serious offense. I asked Incredible Z Girl why she would do such a thing and she simple replied, "she's mean."

I went on to explain that we don't do such things to our sister's toothbrush cause it could make her sick. Incredible Z Girl did explain that she already apologized for what she did. Good to know.

I asked the Hubby later how Z Girl got caught and apparently it was by Mom Junior. Z Girl then tried to cover herself by saying she was simply trying to wash her sisters toothbrush. riiiiiiiiiight!!

Alas, our luck hath runneth out-eth...

2009-02-12T11:41:00.003-06:00

Here I sit at my cubicle. I've downed my super mega infused with Vitamin C juice and am now staring at my orange about to be consumed for more vitamin c. In my lunch sack is a can of chicken noodle soup. My nose, stopped up. My sinuses, raw and flowing. My eyes are half blitzed by the sleepless night I had with Goober Girl (formerly Goober Baby) last night and the last dose of benedryl currently coursing through my veins.

Goober Girl has confirmed Strep Throat. One of my co-workers has confirmed Flu.

Where is my white flag??

So soon?!?!?!?!

2009-02-06T14:15:00.002-06:00

When our first born daughter came into our world, we knew we had a precious little girl that would one day be a giggly boy crazy girl. And this very thought made us queazy with the notion that our world would be invaded by boys not suitable for our daughter's affections. I don't think Mom Junior was in size 2 diapers when her Daddy proclaimed that "she would not date until she was married!!!!"

Of course this queaziness was doubled when the Incredible Z Girl came along and then tripled with Goober Girl (formerly the Goober Baby) made her arrival. My poor Hubby realized that a large snarling dog and a very large shot gun would perhaps be secured in preparations for when the time came that boys came around.

And it appears that time is quickly approaching.

We were enjoying the last bit of afternoon warmth the other day with the girls riding their bikes around the drive way. Our next door neighbor's son was out playing with a few of his friends in his front yard. Within a few minutes Incredible Z Girl zipped around the corner with a huge goofy grin on her face. "MOM!!" she quickly blurted out. "I was riding my bike around Daddy's truck when I saw the boys next door. I said 'hi' to them when one of them said 'she's hot!'"

I quickly found myself laughing and mortified all at the same time. All I could think is "NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Incredible Z Girl quickly ran inside to tell Daddy what just happend. Soon after Mom Junior came up to me with an embarrassed grin on her face. "They just told me 'Hey DUDE!'"

Later that evening after the girls went to bed, I talked to my Hubby about what happend early that evening. I think he was more mortified than I was and we both agreed we are so not ready for this.

So.

Not.

Ready.

Swirling around us.

2009-02-06T14:06:00.002-06:00

I keep tempting fate every time I say this but I quickly follow up with a quick knock on wood. This winter has been THE healthiest winter we've had...EVAH.

And the thing is, I can slowly feel the illness closing in on our family. We've had soooo many brushes with sickness that it is not even funny. Last Sunday the Hubby went and played 9 holes of golf with a co-worker who then on Monday called in sick to work with the flu. Our family spent Sunday watching the Super Bowl with the Hubby's family which have recently had nasty stomach viruses. It seems like all my cubicle mates have been sneezing or complaining of sore throats.

This all means that either...
1. My attempts at a healthier lifestyle is perhaps benefitting the whole family. (Sound good in theory right?)

OR

We are perhaps just carriers of disease and making everyone else sick while we stay perfectly healthy.

In any regards sick karma will rear its ugly head and probably within the next 48 hours I will be paying homage to the porclain god with many sacrifices.

Cause sometimes you can go back

2009-01-19T17:14:00.002-06:00

This past weekend I gave myself a gift and put on my tap shoes that hadn't been worn since high school and took a tap class with the tap teacher from my youth. It had been 15 years since I last tapped a combination so I wasn't sure what was going to come from my feet.

I drove up to the studio with a few butterflies in my stomach. I was looking forward to spending the time with my tap teacher as I've been taking under her since I was just a kid and now my kids are at her studio. The butterflies became excited as I peaked into another studio and watched the competitive dance troupe in a workshop.

I followed my teacher into the studio and quickly put on my tap shoes. They are about 16 years old but still amazingly but snugly fit. Soon we were standing in the middle of the floor and I watched my teacher.

It was slow and steady as we ran through various combo's of "irish, buffalo step, times step" until we finally got up to speed on the stuff I loved doing. In a hour filled with "catching up" chit chat and lots of tapping I found myself literally giddy from the fact that my feet still work. And what really took the cake was the fact that I got to show off some of my old stuff to the young girls who were there. My ego and my spirit were flying.

Of course there is not a huge market for 32 year old tap dancing, Mom of 3 kids, but to still be able to do something from my youth was the ultimate and like a drug addict, I want more. My teacher obliged and gave me the flyer for an upcoming tap workshop...3 hours of tap.

Answering Life's tough questions

2009-01-05T10:37:00.003-06:00

When kids came along, the Hubby and I agreed that there was never a start time in dealing with the whole sex discussion with our kids. From the moment they discovered their own body parts and realized that Daddy stood up to potty, the discussion began. We both agreed that discussing sex with our children involved the truth however a somewhat restrained truth as to not make their heads explode. What we have discovered is that no matter what you discuss with your kids, there is always some kid in their class who will tell your kids something you hadn't. That something being the phrase "doing it."

This simple phrase has turned into several not so simple discussions over the past couple of weeks. We've had to do the careful dance of trying to figure out what actually was discussed while not making our child die of embarrassment as they discuss this with us. We've also tried to discuss it as the opportunity allows because we also want to encourage open and continuing dialogue (damn this parenting thing is difficult) and not have it a one time thing only.

Yesterday found another opportunity to discuss the subject with our oldest and as we concluded the discussion, we reinforced yet again that we wanted her to come to us if she should have any concerns or questions.

Our darling daughter looked at us puzzled and you could tell a question was coming. The Hubby and I braced for what was to follow. She took a quick breath and then asked....

"What is 10 times 20??"

Party like we've got 3 kids!!

2009-01-02T12:42:00.002-06:00

Each New Year's we are quickly reminded that having kids means more than "I can't find a babysitter!!" It means we can not even if we tried, party like non-kid having adults.

After a last minute but well welcomed invitation for the kids to spend the night with their Granny, the Hubby and I headed over to a New Year's Eve party for the evening. We had a lovely time as we enjoyed food, drinks, games and friendship. What was really funny was you could spot those of us with young kids as around 10 p.m. we all started yawning.

By the time 11 o'clock rolled around, many of us were wishing for a little nap to help push us to midnight. Midnight came and by 12:15 we were all saying our goodbyes and heading out the door. The Hubby and I came home to find our next door neighbors in full party mode with their party spilling outside. "Happy New Year!!" they screamed across the yard as they were just smack dab in the middle of their festivities. I told my Hubby that he was welcomed to go next door to party but I was headed to bed. I was fast asleep in no time flat.

Happy New Year'sssZZzzzzzZZZzzzzzZZZzzzzz

Big beds for all!!

2008-12-29T09:53:00.003-06:00

Something monumental occured at my house this past weekend. Goober Baby's toddler bed came down and was replaced with a brand new twin size bed. This means my house is crib free. (Toy cribs don't count.) Am I sad? Surprisingly no. Big beds for all!!

While Mom's away the kids will shove things up their nose...

2008-12-22T14:29:00.003-06:00

Here is a riddle pertaining to the lastest events currently taking place at my home while I spend my day at work. Do know that the answer to the riddle is in the question.

Ready?

What did Goober Baby stick in her nose??

Stumped?

Perplexed?

Confounded?

Bewildered?

Running out of good SAT vocabulary words to simply describe "I don't know?"

The answer:

an "N."

A dear co-worker gave my older girls a nice canister of those styrofoam sticky back letters. Last night Goober Baby and I were playing with them and sticking letters on a piece of paper. Today Goober Baby apparently decided it was cool to just shove one way up her nose. And since Hubby was home with them while I am at work, he got the lovely task of playing Nose Fishin' and retrieved the capital letter "N" from Goober Baby's nostril.

Let's just hope Goober Baby doesn't repeat her older sister's fondness for sticking things up her nose or in her ears. Like she did this time...or this time...or this time

Blog roll update!!

2008-12-10T11:19:00.002-06:00

I finally updated my blog roll to include a few more blogs that I read and as a good friend put it "blog stalk." :) What I found interesting in my update is that some of the blogs that I was going to go back and link to, are now defunct. It is so interesting because some of those were ones I used to read on a daily "Oh my god I can't live until I read her blog" basis. I guess as blog friends are much like friendships in real life, there are some you will always have but there are some that are there solely because of how they relate to you in this stage of life. And I guess that is both good and bad.

This is where I call myself a whore.

2008-12-10T11:02:00.002-06:00

Yes, you read that right and I'm sure you are now asking yourself why I would say such a thing.

Let me clarify...I am finding myself these days to be a complete compliment whore.

It pretty much began a few months ago when I started losing weight. It got worse as the pounds came off and I bought clothes that fit. It started off with "have you lost some weight cause you are lookin' good" to the pinnacle of "you are lookin' sexy!!" And let me just add that while that sexy comment could probably be construed as sexual harassment as it occurred in the workplace. I completely don't care as I've spent the last 7 years of my life with the bloat related to Mommyhood. "Sexy" was only something that Justin Timberlake brought.

What makes me a compliment whore is that people now preface their compliments with "Can I tell/ask you something??" I could easily stop them and say "yes, I have lost weight" but I don't because I'm a whore for the compliment and love to hear them say "you are looking so good!!"
Perhaps I can blame the youth of my life in which I was carefully guided to always set my self-worth upon the foundation of knowledge and the talents I posses. Either way, to be noticed and be complimented based on my physical appearance is completely new and I'm so going to take it for all that its worth.

When you've spent the past several years of your life with stretch marks and spit up, being noticed for looking good is much welcomed change of pace.

Christmas shopping Goober Baby Style

2008-12-08T12:23:00.002-06:00

This year, 3 year old Goober Baby finally "gets" what Christmas is all about, toys. (Now don't go all "Jesus" on me and tell me what Christmas is all about, she's gets baby Jesus but the baby she wants is currently available at Sam's with the related stroller and feeding chair.)

A few weeks ago Goober Baby got her hands on the Toys R Us biggest book catalog. Her little hands couldn't flip the pages fast enough as she took in all the over priced and made in Taiwan treats held within. She carefully pointed to each picture on each page and told me "I want that" to each and everything on that page. I would then confirm her wishes with a head nod and quickly tell her we would add it to her list.

My thoughts would quickly turn to thoughts of real world bills and conundrums and Goober Baby would start back to the first page of the biggest book. All was well.

A few more weeks and a few more commericals later have found Goober Baby drunk with toy power. Each flashing image of cupcake makers and peeing baby dolls have welded my child giddy with its high level octane of plastic fun. She simply can not resist commericalism.

The result of this giddiness is how she now shops through the circulars and catalogs. Instead of carefully pointing to each and every little item. She now waves her hand in a circular swoop over the entire page encompassing all items and then a quick "I want that for Christmas." Of course you can't blame the gal too much for completely and total embarrassing toy greed. I have been found a time or two doing the same thing with many a crafting magazine.

Your check gladly accepted here!!

2008-11-12T13:57:00.003-06:00

Once upon a time, I would write a check for everything. Then the magical debit card came into my life and my checkbook took a long dark sabbatical in the bottom of my purse. It only saw the light day when bills were concerned and even then the majority of them are paid online.

It wasn't till children came along that my checkbook came out into the light and started to see a increase in use. Here's a check for that doctor's co-pay. Two months later, here's another doctor co-pay. Two weeks later, here's another co-pay. Two days later, here's another co-pay.

Now that my children are enrolled in school, the checkbook pretty much just stays in my hands. Checks are ripped out faster than you can say "Mommy, here is another fundraiser." And the thing is, these fundraiser people are SMART. They know how to get ya. They pull on the heart strings of "providing a better school for your child" or "give the gift of art all year long." They then go after your kids by enticing them to sell this crap and they get a shot in a drawing for a scooter!

I about blew a gasket when my eldest Mom Junior went into great detail that if she just sold 10 items, she could fill out an entry form and possibly win a scooter. Seriously, if educators could teach as effectively as these dang promotions can entice kids...there would be no need to test to see if kids are learning.

Last week it was gift wrap paper, this week it was magnets made from my child's art work. And its not even December.

$%^#$% time change!!

2008-11-03T14:41:00.000-06:00

Thankfully my children dealt with the time change with passing colors. I was really worried that they would wake up at 6 this morning. Of course it didn't really matter cause I was up at 5 o'clock. I tried to lay there and drift back to sleep but my body said, "nope! you are awake now get up."

Not a total bummer as I got another load of laundry done and some much desired quiet alone time.

We have survived!!

2008-11-03T14:02:00.002-06:00

Friday night brought sugar induced comas for all who live in this household. My girls went to bed at a respectable 10:30 at night with one hand in their bags of loot. After their bedtime the Hubby and I circled their bags like vultures and plucked out those tiny gems of Reese's peanut butter cups and Hersey bars. At one point I felt the strong desire for meat in hopes to balance out the amazing amount of sugar coursing through my veins.

Saturday night brought on major heart attacks and bouts of panic for all two Texas Tech alumni who live in this household. My poor Hubby had chewed and chewed his finger nails down to the knuckle that he paced back and forth trying to find something to take his nervous energy out on. We huddled around the TV and its glow like two frozen travelers warming up to the heat of a roaring fire. Our eyes transfixed to the screen as we silently screamed and cheered at the football game playing before us. (Couldn't be too loud as our brood slept in their wee beds.)

Saturday night brought on major euphoria not experienced before for all two Texas Tech alumni who live in this household. We ran outside and gazed upon the heavens and pumped our fists in celebration as our football team beat "them." Our eyes danced with the image of a football being carried into the end zone over and over again. It was sweet and it was happening to our team.

Yes, our weekend was filled with way too much sugar, way too much drama, and way too much emotion. We have survived!!

The Work of Satan!!

2008-10-29T14:28:00.003-05:00

I have an awful horrible weakness...its called snack size or fun size candy bars. And my horrible co-workers are Satan's minions bringing up bags of said weakness. I seriously can not NOT eat from their candy bowls. Those little snack size of satan's evil call my name and draw me into their evil trance. I continue to go back until I know all of the evil is finally gone. It is truly a horrible time of year for my diet. Now off to check on the latest delivery of evil in Order Entry.

If this is for Halloween, I'm screwed when Christmas gets here...

2008-10-29T14:14:00.002-05:00

One of the amazing things about being a Mom is that understanding of the ever increasing level of awareness that your child has. Things that we did when they were small toddlers were done for our enjoyment, now the things we do in their youth is done for their enjoyment. And that enjoyment is alive and eager for the next big thing.

This year's Halloween has been so eagerly anticipated and awaited that my children are now counting down the days till the 31st. Incredible Z Girl announced to me this morning that we only have 2 more days before Halloween. Goober Baby is asking when do we get to go to "Kiki's House" for the Halloween party. Mom Junior is already asking when they can go trick or treating by themselves. In many ways I no longer have to worry about remembering to get costumes ready or to plan for the next event, I have 3 kids who are more than happy to do that for me. And not only are they reminding me about what we are doing next, they are already making plans for next year.

Yeah, counting down for Christmas is going to be painful this year.

Is it time yet?

2008-10-27T15:00:00.002-05:00

You can officially mark me down as ready for Thanksgiving. I so can not wait for that turkey and sage sausage dressing. And the potential 5 day weekend isn't too shabby of a thing either. ;)

Baby Blue

2008-10-20T13:03:00.003-05:00

Yesterday morning my sweet 3 year old Goober Baby awoke and came crying into the bathroom where I was getting ready for church. Her face was half way scrunched with morning sleep and half way scrunched by the 3 pink satin baby blankets she insists on sleeping with every night. Between the scrunch I noticed blue.

Upon descrunchifying my child's face, I discover that her mouth and nose are blue. Since she was upright and crying with full breathing power, I knew she was oxygenating and okay. The only other culprit was a blue marker. Further investigation revealed little blue pools of marker on her night gown. Lovely. I went to her bed where I found her sheet covered in similar blue pools of marker. Apparently the little Goober grabbed a marker before bedtime and slept with it the entire night.

What really cracks me up about this is the fact that her favorite baby right now is a baby doll with a blue outfit and shoes. She calls this baby "Baby Blue." For a short moment I had my own "Baby Blue."

3 kids, 3 times the opportunity of being sick

2008-10-14T12:16:00.004-05:00

Really the title says it all.

Either they need to come up with bleach foggers for the home or I'm going to start sending my children in hazmat suits to school. I'm literally sick and tired of the crap they are bringing home. I don't think my stomach or my poor pooper can deal with much more. I keep waiting for when our toilet says "Seriously??!??!?!"

"Do Not Disturb"

2008-10-02T09:34:00.003-05:00

Its days like today....

In which your husband leaves the house at 3:15 in the morning for a work trip that you only learned he was taking 12 hours before...

In which he was only home for one day from being gone Monday and Tuesday for a different work trip...

In which has sent your three girls into crying jags because they are just not used to their Daddy being gone...at all...

In which your youngest wakes up and procedes to throw a 30 minute temper tantrum right beside the bathtub that I'm trying to take a bath in....

In which you realize that today is the 2nd and all sorts of childcare related expenses are due....afterschool care, PDO, school lunches...

In which you realize that no matter how hard you try, you are already late for everything that day..and you just woke up.

In which you've canceled and uncanceled a weekend trip to the mountains with your family that you now have to get ready for by yourself.

In which you have arrived at work to be bombarded by tiny little fires that all require your immediate attention....

It is days like today that I wish I could just put the "Do Not Disturb" sign out on my life. Ugh...

What do you do....

2008-09-24T15:21:00.002-05:00

So what do you do after...

You've spent your morning in a doctor's office with two cranky kids and an equally cranky husband.

You've just dished out a chunk of change on two co-pays and two prescriptions.

You are already 2 hours late for work.

You've left your husband at home to take care of your sick kids because he gets paid time off and you don't.

You've just spilled an entire glass of ice and diet dr. pepper in your lap driving to work.

You've just spilled an entire glass of ice and diet dr. pepper in your lap that was wearing khaki's.

So what do you do??

You freakin' laugh your ass off because girlfriend there ain't nothin' else you can really do about it. (Plus 11 am is really too early to start on that bottle of wine....)

So thirsty...

2008-09-22T10:45:00.002-05:00

Confirmation that you are in the deep throws of Motherhood....

When you scavenge the deep recesses for your purse for any stray quarters so you can get that much desired mid-morning Diet Dr. Pepper, all you find are Chuck E. Cheese coins.

Calves of the non-mooing kind

2008-09-15T12:18:00.002-05:00

The calf muscles on my legs are VERY sore. Sore from the new exercise class that I tried out Saturday morning (and LOVE.) This soreness is causing extreme pain in my life and I curse everytime I have sat too long and the stiffness sets back in.

Let me just that my calves are exercise intolerant.

A new outfit

2008-09-15T12:08:00.002-05:00

I am blessed to have many friends and many of those friends blog. You probably don't know this because 1.) I typically don't provide a link to said blogs because of my own desires to safeguard everyone's privacy and 2.) my link to any blogs evaporated a few days ago when I started messing with the layout of my blog.

Anyways, that is not really here nor there in pertaining to the actual point of this point which is...

I have a fancy new bloggy outfit on!!

I'm not one to fuss much with such things such as a blog template but one of my friends who also has a blog has such a cute blog template that I wanted one too. (How about them apples for a freakin' long run on sentence.) So here's a shout to my friend "Mom of N&P" (not her actual name so don't go searching for it) who showed me to the land of blogger templates.

Dear God, Its Me and I'm a Mother

2008-09-08T13:50:00.002-05:00

I remember as a young tween reading Judy Blume's book "Are you there God?? Its me Margaret." It was like a portal looking into the world that lay before me. I was unlearned in the ways of "how your body changes as you grow up" and therefore many a page was read with my eyes as big as saucers. While I never had to wear one of those funky belts like Margaret did in the book, that book served as a source of reflection as I became a "woman." This past weekend I was quickly reminded that perhaps it is time to re-read that book and every tween/teen related filled with angst and hormone book I can get my hands on.

For we took our daughters to shop at "Justice...just for Girls."

Now if you are like me and perhaps only have ever frequented two stores, that being Target and Walmart, there are actual shops that exist outside the realm of big box shopping. These shops can target specific groups or genders such as tween age girls wanting to wear leggings and baby doll tops while listening to pop music blaring overhead. Yes, I know shocking.

I've come into contact somewhat these types of shops. From occasion to occasion I've been in Gymboree or The Children's Place praying to God that the magical clearance rack is filled with size 8 clothes and its all 75% off. (Must not be paid up in my tithe cause God never answers that prayer.) These shops are somewhat tame. There are no candy filled racks or cute little outfits proclaiming that wearer is the next Mylie. So imagine the literal sugar shock I received when we walked into Justice...for girls.

After letting my blood sugar levels come down to a somewhat normal level, we began to shop around the store. Cute shirts here, too short a skirt there...adorable baby doll shirt and leggings here. It was all cute until I started checking out the price tags. And in many ways they weren't that bad but after 7 years of clothing 3 girls, I tend to balk at anything over $10. Thrift is name of the game we play. So you can see, I've already set myself up for failure.

So I get over the initial sticker shock and the Hubby has found a few tops on sale. (Whew!) It is now time to see if the girls would like a shirt. They do of course but the great thing about this shopping trip is the dressing rooms. Up to this point, they've never dealt with going to try something on. They were so eager to venture into the dressing room by themselves to try on their shirt that I found myself stunned as they literally morphed from ankle biting toddlers to "best of both world" singing girls (that's the title song of Hannah Montana by the way) right before my eyes.

Seriously, these girls were the girls that just 3 years ago where chillin' on my couch drinkin' their focklit (that is chocolate in Z Girl speak) milk from sippee cups while watching Doodlebops on Disney.

After Mom Junior and Incredible Z Girl left the dressing room with their selections, I sensed something different about them. Of course, it was the sight of two girls who just came into contact with tweenhood. Can I just say a literal "O.M.G." please help me!?!

Hubby made the purchase and we walked out of Justice...for girls, and I left a part of my daughter's youth in there. While I know that for heaven's sakes they are just 7 and 6, but in short order (and I mean very short) all things hormonal will be in our house and I'm sooooo not ready for that. One more time for effect...O.M.G!!!

Enjoy the Silence

2008-08-20T12:39:00.000-05:00

One summer during my junior high years, I went camping with my best friend. We would spend the day walking the springs, eating sandwiches from the cooler and hanging out by the camp pool. I really loved the pool because it was under a canopy of tall cottonwoods and fed by the springs. This made the pool as cold as a tall glass of ice water on a 100 degree day. One could only swim for a few minutes cause it was so cold. This made the pool more enjoyable to lounge around instead of in.

On the occasion where I found myself lounging around the pool, I would listen to Depeche Mode on my walkman and watch the passing clouds as the trees swayed in the breeze above me. It was always appropriate that "Enjoy the Silence" would play during that time.

These past few months, "Enjoy the Silence" has been playing in my head when I thought of this blog.

Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world

So many times I would fire up blogger and sign in but I just couldn't say anything. There was so much to say but no way of really being able to say it, so the silence. Lately I've had quite a few reminders and gentle nudges (you were not the only one Linds!!) as to what I've been up too and so I'm crashing in onto my little world with words.

So what have I been up to...

Death does not seem to be taking a holiday as it is a reoccurring theme for my family and friends. This past winter found my best friend speaking at her Mother's funeral, thanking the hospice care nurses and the doctors who helped give her Mother comfort during the last stages of cancer. This past summer found me carrying my very old sick tabby cat to the vet one last time and looking into his eyes as the life left his soft, furry, bony, little body. What made that even harder where the little eyes of my girls filled with tears as I explained what happened to Max. I try to justify to myself that he was just a cat, but he was apart of our lives for so long that he was a part of many of our memories and that makes it a loss worth morning. Of course, summer still found us with one more death to mourn as my Grandfather died this past July. The truly sucky thing from his death was the AMAZING drama that has surrounded his death and has just now started to settle a bit. I wasn't incredibly close to my Grandfather but I felt his loss when I saw my Grandmother, his wife, of 60+ years walk through the door alone.

Thankfully death wasn't the only thing going on in my life. My girls are still growing like weeds and getting OLDER. The tooth fairy has come so many times to our house these past few months that the FDIC is stepping in to secure a line of credit to stabilize the tooth fairy cash flow. My Mom Junior will be a SECOND grader this fall and let me just tell you how cool it truly is to watch your kid read books by themselves. Its right up there with the "first word" and "first step." The Incredible Z Girl is still on track to be a rockstar. This past May we had the girls dance recital and Z Girl told me very intently and with all seriousness "I just want to sing and dance on the stage and be a rock star." And with all the drama that girl has in her little pinky, I do believe she will be a rockstar.

Goober Baby isn't so much a baby. She's a rockin', sockin' her sisters, almost 3 year old. She can hold her own and is fearless. We've gone camping several times this summer and in no time flat,the Goober has wondered off chasing life. With two older sisters to pattern after, her vocabulary and actions are that of a 6 and 7 year old which makes life very fun around our house.

Even if it has been a while since you've seen me, do realize that there is less of me to see. This Spring the Hubby and I started taking control of our health. We've both lost 20 pounds and are still working on more! And before you ask, no official "diets" or exercise plans. We are simple eating less and moving more. Granted turkey burgers have replaced their mooing counter part but other than that, we are still having our cake and eating it too...just less of it!

Other than that it, its just been life around here. I've discovered that life is something that happens even when you don't blog about it. There is always something lurking around the corner, finding out what it is the true joy in living. Whether I blog this afternoon or another 4 months, who knows. I guess you and I will have to find out, either way, enjoy the silence.

I approved this message...

2008-02-13T19:17:00.000-06:00

Can I just say how annoying it is for Texas to suddenly be thrown into the primary spotlight??

Last night while waiting for the Hubby to come home after a very late meeting, I was flipping the channel when suddenly I found myself with my mouth wide open. Before me on the screen was Hillary Clinton at a rally in El Paso, Texas.

My wide mouth expression was the result of a realization that the political bombardment had arrived and it was knocking on my backdoor. Soon after watching a little bit of the rally, the commericals began. "Oh NO!!" is all I could think of.

The Hubby came home and I told him of Billary's arrival in Texas and we both rolled our eyes and said a quick "give me a break." To know that just weeks ago our state basically meant nothing to now meaning everything is just down right annoying. It is somewhat entertaining to think that Texas is now becoming the focus of the Democratic primary. Texas, which is typically Republican and lest we forget the home state of a certain current President, could be the deciding factor for the Democratic nomination. Does anyone else see the irony about this??

After our grumbling about the politicos we both quickly agreed that if there is a Clinton appearance here, we are so going!!

AAAAAAhhhhchoooo!! oh crap.

2008-02-12T11:35:00.001-06:00

Last night the Increbile Z Girl and I made a short trip to the grocery store. On our way into the store some sort of allergen mades its way into my right nostril and began to quickly do the tango in my sinus. In two seconds flat I could feel my right eye ball tearing up and soon I was inhaling to prepare for the multiple sneezes about to be let loose.

During this lovely sinus attack I was trying to snatch a basket and make my way into the store to hide within the grocery aisle. Of course this was proving to be a huge task as I couldn't see (my right eye ball was at this point pouring out tears) and I was sneezing every 2.2 seconds. Poor Z Girl was haplessly following her blind sneezing mother into the store, being guided only by her hand firmly attached to the basket.

I ducked into the first aisle I could get to and made it half way down and stopped. The sneezes continued only this time my sinus felt like a balloon about to pop as whatever offending allergen felt like it was rooting deeper into my nasal cavity therefore inflaming the whole right side of my face. I was finally able to pull out my handy packet of tissues and get a few good nose blows in and to wipe the tears from my eyes. I was a sneezing woman on the recovery.

I stood there dishelved from the sneezing and with one eye red, inflammed and still tearing up a bit. I thought I had conquered the sneeze until I had one more good sneeze...

It was at this point that I remembered why it is important for Moms to always go out with an empty bladder. That sneeze resulted in a good ol' "I just peed my pants" moment. I was literally pissed with myself and now in a quandry as to what to do. Do I just turn and go home? or do I just carry on and take care of business. Any woman who ventures out to the grocery store semi-alone can understand this quandry. Getting to the store is a feat unto itself and any set backs must be carefully weighted and measured cause you will never know when you can get out again.

I decided that my big purse and the shopping cart would have to protect me and so onward we went. Therefore with kleenex in hand, inflammed eye and peed pants, I carried on and secured groceries for my family. I am woman hear me roar...just let me pee first so I don't accidentally pee myself.

It's a popular model of blackberry...

2008-02-07T14:33:00.000-06:00

Last night the Z Girl and I were at a friend's house enjoying some birthday cake and friendship. I was standing and resting against my friend's kitchen counter with my hand tucked up under my chin. Friend's husband proceded to compliment me on my selection of blackberry.

It took two seconds for me to realize what he was talking about and I died laughing. He proceded to show me his left hand with several written "to-do's" on them. We both agreed, "whatever works!"

This Blackberry doesn't require batteries

2008-02-06T10:37:00.000-06:00

This system has never failed me. It is always right in front of me and waiting for information to be put on it. However, if I was my hands then I'm screwed.

For the moment, a very important "to-do" is occuping space on my left hand. In black ink reads "Z Girl Snack" as it is our turn to provide snacks for the class tomorrow and I must remember this important task!! Only once have I remembered, all the other times my poor Hubby has been forced to run to the store before school starts to snag the snacks for that day.

The funny thing is my boss noticed something on my hand. I was tempted to say something like "its the stamp from the club last night" but realized that sometimes keeping one's mouth shut is better than any laugh. ;)

I don't need any more reminders

2008-02-01T12:39:00.000-06:00

Colors:
blue
gren
pink

Boys:
Luis
Johnottan
Steeven

Cars:
cheevy
toyota
ford

Spiral: 6

As and adult you may not understand the list. As a 6 year old kid you would instantly recognize it and would soon begin marking out letters as you played M.A.S.H.

I can not begin to tell you how the above list immediately flung me back to my youth and to those days of playing M.A.S.H. and how much I chuckled thinking about it. I also can NOT begin to tell you how one feels when they realize that their First Grade child has been playing this game with her friends after school.

Its not a feeling of happiness or sadness but one of "Oh My God, my kid is playing the same game I did in school!!" more like a realization that you are now the parent and its YOUR kid going to school and that this is the first of many realizations of their increased awareness of the world around them. Long gone down memory lane is the first time Mom Junior found her own hand as a wee babe and spent hours mezmorized by its movements. Her world was wrapped up in her own little hand. Now that hand is scribbling boy's names and writing down potential wedding colors for a game of MASH.

I realize that this is just a small drop in the proveribal parenting bucket of "just wait till they get older and do this...." but this event of MASH just reminds me that everyday we are just speeding faster and faster to our kids becoming grown and heading out the door and there is nothing I can do to slow this time down. That whole saying of "they grow to fast" is so cliche but so true.

A question for the universe

2008-01-21T10:50:00.000-06:00

We went out to see "27 Dresses" this past Friday night. Not only did we get to see "27 dresses" but also 27 clones of the same fashion style of jeans and Uggs.

Can someone please clue me in to how these boots are actually considered stylish?

**Let me just add that I do own my own pair of Ugg Cluggettes, but those are only worn at home...

A new point to ponder for Optimists and Pessimists

2008-01-10T11:44:00.000-06:00

If you find yourself halfway through your workday wondering if you put on deoderant that morning...

Do you consider yourself lucky that you only have half of your day left to ponder before you rush home and apply the underarm goo??

or

Are you now pained that you've spent half of your day treating your co-workers to ungaurded pits??

or are you just greatful that you are in an office far away from everybody and you are the only person subject to your pits?

A new show for my conference room buds

2008-01-10T11:37:00.001-06:00

The past few days my conference room buds have been able to see how many times I make a trip to the bathroom. Today they may get to see something even more entertaining...me doing the "potty dance" as they have just shut off the water for an hour to work on some plumbing. Oy!!

There she goes...there she goes again....

2008-01-09T10:28:00.000-06:00

I'm sure that someone thought it was a brilliant idea to turn an old unused office into a conference room. What I'm pretty sure wasn't such a brilliant design choice was to have the doors of said conference room facing the entrance of the ladies bathroom.

The past several days there has been some ongoing meeting with people talking, pointing and then typing it all down in their laptops. I can tell this is all going on cause they leave the door open to the conference room. Of course this also means that in the past several days, these people have watched me go into the bathroom a few million times. What can I say, I consume large quantities of Diet drink and equally large quantities of ice to get me through the day. The bladder of a Mom who's gestated and pushed out 3 babies can only hold so much.

And yes, I do wash my hands...

The love for the lovey

2008-01-08T11:46:00.000-06:00

I came across an article today that I think many a parent can relate to, the lengths we go to, to find or replace a child's lovey. I know that in our house, there are several treasured keepsakes that can cause tears and drama if they are lost and that is just for the lovies that belong to the Hubby and I! Hubby has a lump of fur that has the outline of a teddy bear that he has toted since childhood though currently stored in the closet. I have two gorillas that I have stored away. One of which probably wouldn't pass safety standards today because of the fabric and fillings used and actually is quite ugly but for whatever reason its always been mine.

Of course with the girls births we have accrued many stuffed animals and trinkets that have achieved lovey status. Goober Baby is currently deep into lovey land with her selections. She has a pink satin blanket that is her "gucky" that I have a few back-ups for. I made the horrible mistake of washing all 3 pink satin blankets the other day and during the whole entire wash and dry cycle, Goober Baby cried for her "gucky."

In addition to her beloved blanket, she also cuddles with a key. One day she wanted to be like Mommy and carry around her own purse and keys. I snatched a single key off the key rack and handed it to her. Of course now she needs her key whenever we go out but that has also included nap time and bed time.

I know lovies are a serious business. A friend of mine who sells on ebay, recently sold a walmart brand baby blanket for some serious cash for the sake of the lovey.

Anyways, read the article and shake your head in agreement while you laugh and understand the power of the lovey.

Add this to the list...

2007-12-27T09:59:00.001-06:00

...Of things I also enjoy about the holidays.

CLEARANCE SALE

I took a little trip to the store last night for some much needed ice (I'm a major ice junky and need the store bought ice to fulfill my habit.) Before I snagged my 20 pound bag of ice, I did a quick little walk down the seasonal aisle to see what was on sale. Since it was the day after Christmas, there would be goodies to be had.

I just had to laugh as the "75% off" tags were everywhere that a holiday related item was. And because of this, most of the shelves were cleared out.

It is funny to me that we will probably never really be prepared for a natural disaster. If a snow storm were to be fore casted in a few days, we would be feverishly trying to score all the much needed items. But for some reason, we are driven to go out and score discounted decorations that will be stored away and not used until next year. And don't think I am putting myself above this, I'm on the look out for a new artificial Christmas tree. Oh, and I scored some Hershey kisses with cherry cordials for the Hubby at a sweet discount.

Carbon Copy

2007-12-26T14:41:00.001-06:00

One of the things that I love about this time of year are the family photos we received in the mail. Which makes me ask...does anyone do actual cards anymore? Or am I fashionably late on the whole "you send out a photo greeting card instead of an actual card" thing??

Anyways, I do enjoy the photo thing cause I get to see the offspring of friends and family. And what cracks me up about this is how many of said offspring are literally like identical reproductions of their Mom or Dad.

We recieved a particular photo showing our good friends with their two sons. I SWEAR that the eldest son is just the physical carbon copy of his Daddy. It was if no other genetic material was used in his creation besides his Daddy's. He is the miniature version of his Daddy.

Today, we met up with some friends whom we have not seen in over 3 years. (Its a long trip to make from North Carolina to Texas.) And of course in the 3 years since we have seen them, we had Goober Baby and our girls have gotten bigger. But yet again, I just stood there in amazement of the carbon copy reproductions of their children.

So forget the whole theory of "baby gets half of its DNA from its Mom and half from its Daddy" I am beginning to think that children are the result of some wacky form of a human copy machine!!

A little advice from me to you

2007-12-21T09:01:00.000-06:00

If you seriously want to save yourself some serious aggravation and time...before you dive into all those presents with your happy and excited children. Get yourself some industrial strength snips and scissors.

For every 1 pound of toy that has been purchased and wrapped, there is at least 5 pounds of plastic, twine, tape, and twist ties holding it in a plastic prison that you must free. A good pair of wire snips and some scissors will be your best friend in freeing all those toys from their packaging. You'll thank me for it!! I promise!!

What is the answer??

2007-12-20T10:51:00.000-06:00

It has been very interesting reading the many articles, blog entries and comments about the recent Spears pregnancy. There are so many aspects of the discussion to read about, just take your pick from parenting choices, to personal responsibility, to today's attitudes about teens and sex. I know personally that I have given much thought about this situation cause as the Mom to 3 girls, this could very well be a situation happening to our family (minus the celebrity and the tabloids.) I've tried to think of all the aspects of the discussion and perhaps what is missing from the teen pregnancy prevention equation. Is it sex education + available contraceptives = lower pregnancy rate? Or is it abstinence+ parental support=lower pregnancy rate? Or is is sex education+abstinence+support+available contraceptives=lower pregnancy rate??

Any case, I didn't have it figured out until this morning when I read a post from a message board that really just brought it all together for me. (I hope she doesn't mind...I just find her words that hit the nail on the head perfectly for me.)

"This subject is a little hard for me. I was a very young mom. Pregnant at 17, had her at 18. I can only say that I will never nor have I ever referred to the situation as a mistake. I was given the biggest gift a person can receive so it wasn't a mistake but it was VERY hard and not a path I wish on anyone let alone my own children.

I believe whole heartily that for 99% of girls that become teen moms, its because they are so desperately searching for someone to love them. Whether that be from the man they are having sex with, the group of friends they are trying to fit in with, or from the life they are creating, the need is all the same. This day in age, I think its very rare for it to happen souly because of lack of education on the subject.

So the best advice I can give is to educate, be open and honest about all things, and to raise your girls (and boys) to love themselves and have good self esteem. Lets face it, we will not be able to stop it once it starts. So what you hope for and work towards is that when that time comes, they are educated well enough to be smart about it and that they love themselves enough to respect themselves and the lives that would be effected because of their actions.I think jamie lynn is screaming on the top of her lungs right now that she wants to be loved and I would LOVE to hear what her mom has to say in her book. I think she needs to stop worrying so much about having her family name out there for the world to see and start actually being a good parent!"

2007-12-19T12:00:00.000-06:00

During the cabbage patch kid craze in the 80's, I was one of those little girls that so wanted one for Christmas. I remember watching the evening news and seeing the chaos at stores of Moms clawing and climbing over each other trying to get one. I knew my Mom was looking for one has she voiced her frustration at dinner time.

Imagine my glee when Christmas Eve came and my Mom carried in the last minute wrapped packages and placed them by the tree. She placed a box down that distinctive in size and shape. It took only seconds to recognize the slant on the front of the box as the slant of a Cabbage Patch Kid box.

Of course it was the first gift I opened that Christmas and I still have Delta Mitzi even though she now lives in my girls' toybox. I look back on that Christmas and not only do I remember the gift, but the hoopla that surrounded it and still chuckle when the Cabbage Patch craze is referred back to cause I knew I was one of those kids that those Moms were fighting for.

Since then, I have pretty much been off the "hot toy" radar even with the "Tickle Me Elmo" kurfuffle. That is, until this year...

The hubby and I started whispering to each other about the Wii a month or so ago when we started discussing Christmas presents. The whisperings grew louder and finally at the beginning of December, we were talking about getting a Wii. Once the decision was made we quickly discovered that there was this incredible shortage of them and that getting your hands on one would be a miracle.

Soon the hubby and I were tracking and stalking every source possible. Every day we would report back to each other our findings and changing our game plan. As the days past, we knew that we would get a Wii, it just maybe after Christmas when we would get one. We pretty resigned ourselves to the fact that we wouldn't be getting one in time for Christmas.

And then Tuesday came...

I happend to be crusing a wii message board and someone posted that amazon had them. I blinked and clicked to amazon. I thought it was too good to be true, they had them instock!! Of course I was up against the clock as these suckers go quickly and I didn't even have an account yet!! Like a crazed woman I created an account and hurriedly proceded to check out. I still didn't believe my purchase until I recieved confirmation that I had indeed purchased a Wii.
I've already checked shipping information several times last night and this morning just to be sure it was still there.

You can call it getting wrapped up into the consumerist hype or you can just call it sheer excitement over a new toy...either way I will look back on this Christmas much the same way I look back on my Cabbage Patch one and chuckle. Except this gift won't end up in the girls' toy box without a diaper on.

Save the Baby Jesus, Save the World

2007-12-17T10:58:00.001-06:00

This weekend we finally tackled the Christmas tree and related decor much to our children's' delight. Among the favorite touchable decorations is the Little People Nativity Scene which the girls just adore.

Yesterday morning while the Hubby and I were getting ready for church, the girls were in the living room playing with the Nativity. Apparently things were getting a bit heated as I could hear all 3 girls trying to play with the one set, it was definitely a fracas. Soon screaming could be heard through the house and above the fray I heard...

"Save Baby Jesus!! Save Baby Jesus!! Save Baby Jesus!!"

I had to stop what I was doing cause I was laughing so hard. The girls just looked at me.

Are you kidding me??

2007-12-13T10:46:00.000-06:00

There are things that I come across from time to time that I shake my head at and move on but I cannot just shake my head on this one...

http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/121307/loc_121307034.shtml

In a nutshell they are saying that two sketches can not be shown cause they are deemed too "offensive." One sketch is of a naked pregnant woman and one of a Mother nursing her baby. If there are ever two images that promote the beauty and wonderment of life it is these!! How can something so beautiful be offensive?!?!?

Ugh...

Little sticky paper life savers

2007-12-12T10:25:00.000-06:00

There was a moment yesterday that I swore I was giving everyone on my Christmas list a super huge package of Post it notes. It seemed that I couldn't turn around without remembering something and writing it down on a sticky so I wouldn't forget. First it was a phone number, then it was a short to-do list, then it was all the activities I needed to put on the short to-do list, and finally the grocery list. When I was done with my grocery list I was in a quandary of where to put my sticky note. I decided that I would put it on my trusty cup that I take with me to work everyday. Satisfied with my post it note delegation I left work and went out into life that was organized via post it note.

I was doing good until I reached the store and realized that I made it in without my post it note grocery list (and with a very cranky Goober Baby in tow, I was not going back to retrieve it). I cringed as I wandered each aisle and picked up everything that I thought was on the list. You can not believe such satisfaction when I reached the car and read my list. I got everything on the list!! It was almost as if I was reaffirmed by my sticky note.

It is a new day and a new opportunity for another sticky note, like "remember to pick up Goober Baby." Seriously, I need more sticky notes!

And the dish ran away with the spoon

2007-11-29T10:01:00.000-06:00

I climbed into bed last night very cold. I quickly inched my way over to my slumbering Hubby and began to warm up. Since he had been in bed for awhile, he had already reached that maximum peak of nighttime hybernation temprature which made for perfect cuddling. I guess it was the dramatic temprature shift against his body but he stirred and was receptive enough to grant my request to be "spooned." He began the spooning procedure and I excitedly started rearranging my pillow nest to accomodate the spoon.

We then had a conversation that pretty much sums up being married with children.

I had nestled in when he asked me "what's with the spoon?" I quickly shot back "well honey I asked to be spooned...what's wrong with that?" He answered "no dear, what's with this spoon?" and with that he shoves a plastic spoon in my face. I started laughing and told him "that belongs to your youngest who brought her spoon with us to naptime." (Goober Baby and I enjoyed a nap together yesterday afternoon on my bed.)

I can just imagine what would have happend if it was a fork. I'm sure if he had asked "wanna fork?" I probably would have punched him in the arm and rolled back over to my side of the bed.

Here's my own horn and I'm going to toot it!!

2007-11-20T10:56:00.001-06:00

Over the past year I've been staying up late and spending ungodly amounts of money on ribbon, making hair bows. It started out as a necessity for my own sanity (hello, I have 3 girls!! Bows are a much needed, often despised, necessity.) I then started selling a few to some playgroup Moms. I expanded my hair bow empire a little more over the months while participating in several craft fairs and sales. This past fall my bow empire has literally exploded as I sold more bows than I ever thought imaginable. I secured two bow customers in all this that keep me so busy that I almost second guessed myself in thinking "what in the hell was I thinking doing this??"

And in all this wonderful chaos, I have finally come into the greatest success to date...I'm now carried at a local children's' boutique. Whooohooooo!!!

I'm sure you are going to ask if I have a website which I do, however, I've been so busy that I only have 1 bow listed on it. So until I can get more product listed on that site, you'll just have to wait in suspense till I share the link. ;)

I do have to give props to my darling hubby as I've taken over our dining table and there is no end in sight as to when it will be recovered from bow duty. He's been so incredibly supportive when I spend many a night at the table cutting, folding and putting together bows. Smooches to ya my dear!!

Google, Otherwise known as "Can of Worms"

2007-11-13T12:41:00.000-06:00

Google is a very interesting critter. You type in what you want it to look for and in less than two seconds flat, it retrieves what it thinks you want. This can be a great thing whether you are looking a recipe or perhaps an old friend. But it can also be a bad thing in that you discover things you may not really want to know. After doing my own stupid google search yesterday, I am renaming Google "Can of Worms" cause that is exactly the often result of google searches...opening a can of worms and wondering how in the hell you are going to deal with all that information just going everywhere.

Just when you think you have seen it all as a Mom

2007-11-09T13:11:00.000-06:00

It is almost like a literal baptism into motherhood with the amounts of fluids that come your way once baby is born. The leaky boobs, the 6 week fun, the newborn poop and spit up, all baptise you into the new order of "Mom." Ever since my initial baptism I get occasional re-affirmations of my Momhood. This comes in forms of snotlets, sneezes and fermented sippee cups. And sometimes when one needs a good re-baptism, all they have to do is wait.

I have been thrown up on and even sat between two girls who were both tossing their cookies at the same time. I thought THAT was the end all of baptism until today. Today we had a triple blessing as Z Girl threw up on me, the bathroom counter, and her baby sister who standing beside her. It is times like that you literally start laughing and crying all the same time. Thankfully Z Girl is old enough to know what to do. Go give your offering to the porcelain god. Meanwhile Goober Baby is standing there with this look of "MOM?!?!? What the hell just happened??" as she stood with her arms out waiting for her nastified shirt to be taken off.

Yeah, I think I'm good on the baptisms for awhile.

trash can, washing machine, trash can, washing machine

2007-10-30T12:32:00.000-05:00

The other night I was busy flying around the house (not on a broom, thank you very much!) picking up socks, trash, sippee cups, and the diaper that got left on the floor from a quick change. I had just started up the washing machine that was filled with the girls socks and light colored clothing. I kept finding random socks around the house so I kept having to make another trip to the washer to put the socks in while the machine was still filling.

I was also making trips to the trash can to throw away whatever child produced trash. So I found myself alternating going to the trash can and the washing machine. I made one more swoop and made my way to the trash can. I had socks in one hand and two dirty diapers in the other.

I was about to toss one of my hand fulls into the trashcan and make my way to the washer for the other delivery when I stopped myself. I literally had to stand there and think "Socks do NOT go into the trash and diapers do NOT go into the washer. " I was so happy with myself that I caught myself before a big "Oh crap!" moment.

fried mac & cheese and tacky next door neighbors

2007-10-29T10:19:00.000-05:00

I have to first get this off my chest before I can move on to the more pressing issue at hand.

Has anyone seen Sonic's new promotion for fried mac & cheese?? They look like little fried nuggets that when you bite into them, you reveal little macaroni noodles. I feel somewhat like a bad mother when I let my children ingest noodles smothered in cheese or fried foods but I think I might have to stop at the fried noddles smothered in cheese.

Okay...now to the other discussion.

About a week and a half ago, we had a neighbor two doors down from us, take his life in his backyard with a gun. This has totally shaken me as I think about the family he left behind and what grief, despair and sadness he felt those moments leading up. I also think about the countless times we passed each other's path and just waved or smiled but no real interaction took place. It has really bothered me about how I connect with my neighbors. I'm not expecting to be every one's best friend, but at the same time, I don't want a wave or a smile be the only connection I ever have to my neighbors.

A few days ago the neighbor next door to me (and next door to the grief stricken family) started decorating for Halloween and more specifically for a big party they were having. I started rolling my eyes when they spray painted a sheet with "enter at your own risk!!" and mounted it to the front of their house. The scary decor began to intensify with ghoulish paper cut-outs and strobe lights and even a big fake spider on top of the house. Granted most of my reaction came out of being a bitchy neighbor not really wanting to have to look at what I considered tacky but at the same time I kept hoping that they would have some tact for their grieving next door neighbors.

As the decorating increased I realized that they apparently had no clue what had happened to their next door neighbor. This realization became perfectly clear when they put a fake dead person on a table in their front yard. My irritation level just intensified 10 fold as it bothered me beyond belief (call me a crazy bitch but I have no appreciation for dead body displays in my next door neighbor's yard.)

I just couldn't let it go and my poor husband got so many ear fulls of "don't the realize what happened next door? Don't they think that perhaps his wife doesn't want to see a dead body in their front yard every time she pulls up to her house after what just happened behind her house?? That is just tacky!!!!!!" My friends also got a dose and where kind enough to listen to me rant.

Come to find out, they didn't know what happened to their next door neighbor. (I was kind enough to fill them in...and no...there was no hostile exchange.) I thought that after their party they would at least remove the dead person from their front yard but nope...there it still laid this morning. I sigh as I think about my inner conflict pertaining to my neighborly connections and the conflict of really just wanting to wave and say hi when I see them. Hopefully they won't treat their Halloween decorations as some do their Christmas decor and leave them up till Easter. "Look mommy a funny egg!! No honey, that is a fake eyeball left over from Halloween."

**Snarfle asked if we were home when it happend. Yes, but I don't remember hearing anything (and I've run through my memory banks wondering if I did). I just know that about the time the Hubby was to come home, I opened the door and saw tons of police cars, an EMS truck...but no ambulance so it was really hard to get a grasp on what was going on (at the time).

Like a tangled mess of necklaces in your jewlery box

2007-10-24T11:48:00.000-05:00

I remember as a child playing with my Mom's jewlery. (Who didn't?) I always was enamoured with her necklaces. There were assorted sizes of chains some with pendants some without. Of course some of my favorites were twister beads. (Does anyone else remember those?) I also enjoyed necklaces that could be used in my hair. Nothing says "enchanted princess" as having a beautiful necklace on your head. I always had a fun time but somehow always ended up getting into trouble. As careful as I would be putting everything back, the necklaces would knot themselves all up and of course it would be my Mom who would discover this. She would then sit at the counter with two needles furiously picking through the necklaces trying to get them apart.

It seems these days my thoughts and my schedule is this pile of knotted chains. Between the girls growing up, being married, having a job...and well life, I find my brain quickly filling up with knotted up ideas and thoughts. Very frustrating and I'm afraid it will only get worse. Can someone stop by with some straight pens and get this mess straighten out??

Yet another toy recall

2007-10-12T08:52:00.000-05:00

This morning I read yet another email concerning toy recalls and I began to wonder...is anyone else just as pissed about this as me??

I had already decided that this Christmas we would be low-key in the toy giving department cause I'm already maxed out from the toy tornado that seems to hit the house every 2 days. But seeing the ever increasing list of recalled toys makes me want to take this a step further and basically boycott buying toys period!! If I can't make it with my own two hands or buy it from someone I know has made it with their two hands...then my kids will only get socks and underwear for Christmas.

I remember the worry I had when we bought our house and I had to sign a document pertaining to lead paint used on older homes. All I could worry about was whether my future babies would eat that one fleck of paint and come down with lead poisoning. How amazingly frustrating it is to know that I shouldn't be worried about the kids gnawing on the house but instead I should worry about the toys I give them.

Anyone else have a thought??

Not a free toaster, but I'll take it

2007-10-03T12:22:00.000-05:00

I realized that long ago I delivered the last of any remaining working brain cells with the delivery of Goober Baby. Its been downhill ever since. Remember this post? That just reinforces what I already know.

This past Saturday my absent mindness showed its full flair when I attempted to go to the bank drive-thru.

I had all my checks ready to go. I had endorsed them and had my account number on the back of them. I even had a paper clip keeping them all together. I was proud of my forthought to prepare my banking transaction before I got there. I pulled up to the little tube thingy and started getting to business.

I took a second to double check the backs of all the checks when I realized that I was at the wrong bank. We bank at two different banks and I endorsed all of my checks with the other bank account. D'oh!!!

I sheepishly apologize to the bank teller and slink out of the drive and start heading across the street to the other bank. I felt guilty for going to the wrong bank, like I was cheating on them. Oh well. I got over as I drove to the other bank when I look down and realize that I have the STUPID BANK DEPOSIT TUBE IN MY LAP!!

Oh my GAWD! I felt so stupid (this is now added to the re-upped guilt cause now I realize I have to go back to the original and face them yet again!!)

So I finish my adultery with the other bank and head back over to the first bank. I pull up to the empty stall which has now been "closed" (gee I wonder why...could it be cause I TOOK THE TUBE!?!?!?!?) I press the call button and tell the teller "sorry" for taking the tube. I could hear her (and her banking teller buddies) laughing and told me "not to worry about it....IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!!"

Good to know!

Always so much laundry

2007-10-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

When Mom Junior was born, doing her laundry was almost laughable. I felt like I was playing house while washing her cute little itty bitty baby clothes. Her little onesies, socks and creepers just to hardly take up any room what so ever and doing her laundry didn't take anytime to do. It was barely a load and sometimes I couldn't wait for her to spit up cause I was so excited to wash her clothing.

Of course Mom Junior got older and the laundry chore changed. It was still fun to wash her clothes, but it became more of a chore. As she got bigger and more into a kid, the stains changed. I no longer fussed over poop and milk stains but now had to deal with carrot and all other assorted child related stains. I became an expert in all sorts of stain removers.

When Z Girl came along the laundry chore changed yet again. I was skilled in stain removing so that wasn't too bad but then I started noticing the increase in laundry. I found myself in awe on how much freakin' laundry I was doing and doing just for 2 kids!!

As you can see where this is going, I can save my breath and tell you that now with 3 kids in the house, laundry is a ever increasing task. I just finished doing laundry and I now know that by the end of the night there will be new pile of clothes to add to the laundry. There is just no way of helping that. With 5 people now wearing, staining, and changing clothing on a daily basis, the amount of laundry is somewhat staggering. And let me just say that I KNOW that pales in comparison to those families with like 30 people in them where they own their own personal laundry mat to do the family wash but still...

The thing about the laundry saga is this. I can stop having children, but that doesn't stop them from growing. Not only do I have clothing in various sizes but also in various seasons. I have at least 4 different sizes of spring and fall clothing now mixed together in a huge pile on my love seat (which we have not seen since bringing Mom Junior home 6 years ago and the horrible child related laundry saga began.) Its to the point where becoming a nudist isn't such a bad idea...but then I would complain about my cellulite. Ugh...its just a horrible cycle. A cold wash cycle with normal spin if you will.

Walk like a Mommy

2007-09-26T11:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday at work, I was sent to retrieve someone out of a meeting. After the retrieval I walked back to my little office to get back to work. I walked ahead of my co-worker who then told me "I can tell you are the Mom to little ones, you walk fast!!"

Sherpa Available!!

2007-09-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

When I became a Mom, not only did I learn how to take care of a tiny human, but I acquired the necessary load carrying skills of a mountain Sherpa. I could carry a baby, diaper bag, several bags of groceries, a purse and car/house keys. Granted this load could only be carried a short distance, but I learned that efficiency and time were of the essence and I had to get multiple tasks done at once. Yesterday my Sherpa skills were quite impressive when once again I had the routine task of carrying groceries into the house.

I had delegated the small stuff to my tiny little offspring and forced them to carry a few bags of groceries in. I soon regretted that decision as I heard loud wailing of "I'm so tired, I can't carry this....its too heavy!!!" Who knew a loaf of bread could be so daunting to a 5 year old??
Since I got rid of the lite stuff I had the heavy things left in the car. And I knew that I was ready to wrap this little exercise in futility up so I got to work.

I tossed a 20 lb bag of ice onto my shoulder, tucked a package of diapers under my arm, slid the other arm under the handle of a 14 pound box of kitty litter and then grabbed a gallon of milk with my last free appendage. I then scooted like the wind to hurry up and get it to the house where I immediately dropped everything (gently of course) in the entry way. The whole entire way I sang to myself "I am woman hear me roar."

Who knew what amazing talents motherhood would bring to me??

Generation gap

2007-09-23T20:24:00.000-05:00

Today the Hubby and I volunteered for several hours, helping out at our church's youth food booth at the county fair. We actually had a great time as we were with friends and our volunteering was for an early shift that passed very quickly. It wasn't too bad and basically felt like cooking for July 4th except for a couple of hundred people instead of a few friends and family.

There were a few instances that I had to laugh as I realized that I was a pimply faced teenager when these pimply faced teenagers were born. I laughed and then cried as I got "ma'am" a few times. I then felt my age when I realized that when I was their age, cellphones where reserved for a chosen few. And those few carried around a phone headset that plugged into their car. Now teenagers carry around cellphones like I carried around change for the payphone. They just don't leave home without it.

Part of me feels a touch sad as they will always know the world as being constantly connected to it. They will never know the rush of calling home to check your answering machine messages or wondering if anyone has called while you were out. They will never know what it is like to wait till you got to a phone to try to catch someone. They will never know what it is like to work at a fair booth without a phone attached to their ear.

Of course Hubby brought up a very valid point and that is today we got a glimpse into our future. Shudder.

Application Error Memory Running Low

2007-09-14T09:29:00.001-05:00

This past week my brain has been absolutely fried. To the point that I'm afraid I might inflict harm on those around me.

Last Saturday we had a very busy day. We had gone to the store to pickup birthday presents for THREE birthday parties we would be attending that day. We checked out and the Hubby and I were scanning the receipt to see where our money disappeared to. The next thing I hear is someone screaming at us. I turn around and see three people at the check out counter waving at us and pointing to Goober Baby, WHO WE LEFT AT THE CHECK OUT COUNTER!!!

I was mortified and so embarrassed! I had never done anything like that before. I'm always running a constant count system as we navigate around town. "One kid, two kid, three kid" is what I repeat over and over as we move. But not that morning.

I thought it was an isolated incident leaving my kid behind until yesterday morning. I was on my way driving to the church to drop Goober Baby off at PDO. I was just going along until all of the sudden I realized that I just blew through a RED LIGHT!!! Not just "it was yellow and turned red as I drove through" but a "it's red and has been for quite a while."

It took all of one second for me to realize what had just happened and I about lost it! Thank goodness no one was driving the opposite direction cause I would have just plowed right into them.

My brain glitch continued to backfire as later in the day I forgot Goober Baby yet again!! This time we were walking out of PDO and the next thing I know my good friend is yelling for Goober Baby as she walked behind my friend's car. Good GOD!!! Will someone please save my brain???

This weekend I will be checking my brain into rehab. It apparently needs it. Perhaps I should be thankful that I at least remembered to put underwear on this morning.

Is it wrong??

2007-09-04T10:09:00.001-05:00

To want to sit back and lovingly caress my new work computer?? It's just so pretty!!

Knock Knock

2007-09-03T21:34:00.000-05:00

Who's there??

ME!!!!!

I know, I know...I just can't find a moment to stop and write. We just finished a month of 3 birthdays, the beginning of school for TWO of my children, and of course I just started back at my old job. Add to that having to sign up for dance classes, after-school care, and enroll Goober Baby into Parent's Day Out and make several trips to the doctor for well baby checks, ear infections and bronchitis (Mom Junior with the Ear Infection, Goober Baby with the Well Baby Check and me with bronchitis) and you've got our busy life. I find myself blogging in my brain and can honestly say that I am writing some seriously brilliant blog entries. But they are stuck in my head and until there is some fancy USB port hook-up to my noggin, those brilliant enteries will be stuck in my head and you'll just have to take my word that they are brilliant.

I'm sure the craziness will only continue as the calendar flipped over to another new month and we already have several Saturdays fully booked. In the mean time of all things crazy I do have a few moments of peace to share....

This past Friday found me chewing up the asphalt between here and my one day a week, out of town gig. The morning time was spent speeding to my first appointment and catching up on two years worth of conversations. The afternoon quickly paced itself out on getting loaded up on projects to take back home with me. It was the evening that I found myself happy to say hi to as I cranked up the CD and just let my mind wander as I ventured back home.

I'm sure the scenery will at some point become the "same old view" but for right now, it was a welcomed view to let my mind just spread out like the West Texas cotton field before me. I listened to my "Elvis Greatest Hits" and "Sinatra's Greatest" and just simmered in my thoughts. I didn't have outfits to set-out or lunches to make. For almost two hours I just had to watch the road, listen to Elvis sing, and chill. It was a nice little mental vacation and a nice change of pace over the month we just left behind.

Knowing that today was a Monday and that tomorrow spits me out one day behind in the work week just makes me look forward to that next two hour stretch of road. The following is a snapshot from my mental vacation road trip. If you want to know what it is like to live in the flats of Texas, this is it!! Years ago I heard the best joke from one of my college profs. They said that this area is God's Country, because where else can you stand on a tuna can and see forever?

2 weeks notice

2007-08-18T19:40:00.000-05:00

ya ya ya...I know, I've neglected this spot a lot lately. No surprise though. Blogging about life will take a back seat to life if that life has no opportunity to find time to blog about said life. Its a vicious vicious circle.

So I've been back to work about 2 weeks now. Its not bad but not at the top of my list. My job entails commissioned sales which I am not a big fan of. I've never been one to sing for my supper relying on tips or sales to bring it on home so I should have known better than to take the job. But (there is always a "but" hiding somewhere) I applied and they aggressively went after me so what can I say? I'm a whore for the attention.

The really interesting thing about this is, is the surprising turn of events that find me quitting this new job to take a new old job.

Long story short, my old work place has basically created a position for me to come back to and the really, really, really cool part of it is how freakin' flexible they have created it to accomodate my kidlets. Not only can I drop my kids off at school, but I can pick them up too!! I won't bore you with the other mundane cool shiney new props that also come with this position but do know that all of this truly gab smacks me. I can't believe that this has come up and offered to me, but what can I say...I'm a whore for the attention. ;)

Oh yeah...I forgot about that!!

2007-08-13T22:13:00.001-05:00

Work is going well. All I can say is "it's there", and while the thought of work isn't high on my list of favorites I know that in a few days I get my first paycheck. A paycheck which will be spent in two seconds flat as school starts just around the corner.

(A little aside here....When you have kids you realize the cost of them, via diapers, clothing and formula, etc. BUT, let me just tell you how that cost increases as they get older. Babies do cost but eventually you pay off the hospital and they get potty trained. School age kids come with a whole new list of costs that are about to put us in the poor house! Wait, we are already there...perhaps the poor cardboard box? School clothes, backpacks, lunches, immunizations, supplies, activities, school spirit shirts, organizations...it adds up quickly!!! So enjoy those expensive babies, cause in a few years they are going to cost you more $$$$!!! okay aside over....)

If there is anything that only took me 2.2 seconds to remember about the suckage of being a working Mom it is that feeling of "Oh crap I'm tired but I still have kids and dinner to deal with at home." Coming home at the end of the day presents its own unique challenges that requires some serious stamina to get you to the end of the day. The past few days I have thought nothing more than "when do the girls go to bed??" the second I walk in the door, not because I want to squeeze in all that love I missed during the day but more for "Mommy's tired and would like to go to bed NOW please!!"

I would type more but my bedtime is calling and I need all the help I can get to be awake for tomorrow!

The day my family doubled in size

2007-08-07T00:45:00.000-05:00

She was a total surprise for us the day we found out we were indeed pregnant with baby #2. If there was ever an example of "You make plans and God says 'HA!"", this was it. I had to totally let go of any perceived feeling of control the day we discovered we were having another baby only 14 months after having our first.

My pregnancy with her was my hardest but ironically my easiest delivery. Apparently one can be rewarded with a fast quick easy delivery after spending 9 months caring for a baby and dealing with pregnancy complications. She was also my largest baby. She tipped the scales at 9 pounds 3 ounces and I sat in shock in the stirrups that she delivered so easily.

But if there was anything that I remember from that day was the overwhelming sense of immense joy of love that I felt for her. Not only was it the love I had for her but for the love of the love I had for her. I was so unsure if I had enough to give to another child and how I would love another child, but the second her hot plump just delivered body was lifted up and placed on my stomach, I knew. I instantly knew the answer to my question that lurked in my mind.

My heart ripped open with what I felt for my little baby and my soul filled with the joy that I now had two little hearts to care and love for. When my little baby was brought to me all swaddled and my oldest lifted to my side to see her new baby sister, I felt so fulfilled and so alive seeing my two creations staring at each other.

Happy birthday to my darling Z Girl...bless you for the joy and happiness and the many dramatic moments you have brought to my life and into my soul these past 5 years.

The ill side effects of Working and singing Viagra Commericals

2007-08-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

First, thank you for the many well wishes for my return to work. I've made it through my first few days unscathed and my girls are more than happy to spend this time with their Granny. The only set back we are having is Goober Baby screaming her head off for close to 2 hours the past two nights therefore not going to sleep till after 11. Hopefully this has more to do with the "snickies" the girls have and not with me going back to work. Because if it is the later, then I'm turning in my notice on Monday. Sleep over money anyday!

On to other things mother and child related...

I totally despise the new Viagra campaign of the men singing "Viva Viagra." I totally love Las Vegas, Elvis and the song "Viva Las Vegas." My first plane landing into Vegas found a very giddy woman (that would be me) singing quietly to myself...."Viva Las Vegas!!" So just imagine my "nails on a black board" reaction when I heard a group of men singing about a little blue pill. I don't like it.

But what I really don't like...

I REALLY don't like hearing my soon to be 5 year old Incredible Z Girl singing along to "Viva Viagra." I don't like it. It's not normal for a small child to be singing the praises of such a product. So anytime that commercial comes on, I sing over the chorus with a very loud "Viva LAS VEGAS!!!"

Whether I'm at home or at work, I'm still Mom

2007-07-31T12:16:00.000-05:00

The time of my "Stay at Home" Momhood is slowly coming to an end. By the end of the week I'll be in dress clothes instead of my pajamas and my girls will be happily playing with their Granny. With each temper tantrum of my screaming Goober Baby and with each sippee cup I step on with my bare feet, I tell myself "I can't wait to get back to work!" But with each blissful naptime and hugs whenever I want them, I tell myself "I don't want to go back to work!" But the decision has been made and the wheels have been set in motion, its just going to take that all important adjustment period to get back into the swing of things.

If there is anything I am grateful for, it is to have the perspective from both sides of the Mommy fence. I've been a Working Mom and I've been a Stay at home Mom and I can honestly say that there is just no comparing the two. First and foremost, whether you work or stay at home, you will sacrifice. It maybe a sacrifice of "missing out" or a sacrifice of yourself in sidelining your career but there are sacrifices to be made, that's just the nature of motherhood.

The Great Bikini Wax of Life

2007-07-24T14:03:00.001-05:00

Last night I had to make a run to the store to pick up milk. On the way home I just wanted to bang my head on the stearing wheel cause I was so perplexed as to whether I should take the job offered to me or not. There are so many variables involved and so many unknowns, but the biggest question is that of my girls. Just feeling that feeling of unfounded guilt made me want to cry.

I know that my girls will be just fine, but knowing that I now have to make plans for their well being outside of my care shoots me to the core. This is why I quit my job in the first place when I had Goober Baby. I had had enough of trying to work and be a Mom that I couldn't do it anymore and I wanted to be there for my girls and my baby. I keep telling myself that this time is a different situation, the Hubby is in a different job, I'll be in a different job...everything is doable.

But I still hate this nagging feeling of trying to make the best decision for everyone involved. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the big life decisions are like a bikini wax. Like hot wax applied to a very sensitive area, you know there is no turning back without some pain involved. Whether the wax is ripped off or wiped off with a hot towel, the wax is there and it is going to be painful. So you brace yourself and hope that the pain won't be as bad as you know it will be.

Ugh!! Will someone hurry up and pull up this cloth strip!! I can't handle the anticipation any longer...

Working 9 to 5

2007-07-23T14:43:00.000-05:00

So after two years of staying home and watching my girls grow, I feel it is time to head back to work. Mom Junior starts First Grade and Incredible Z Girl will be starting Kindergarten, leaving the Goober Baby and me at home. I've sat and thought and cried and repeated the whole process all over again for quite some time now. It wasn't until one Sunday morning ,while I sat in the tub getting ready for church, that I made peace with the thought. (I guess sitting naked in a tub of warm water helps clear the mind?)

I've applied, waited, and interviewed and I finally have an offer. Now the game of "I'm I making the right decision" has begun and am trying to figure out how to put all the necessary parts of the working puzzle back together again. Where the girls will go? Who will pick them up? Can we do this? Can they do this? Will this help or hurt our family? When can I start planning our trip to Vegas? (Just had to throw that in to see if you are reading, but honestly...When can we start planning our trip to Vegas?)

Here I sit, about to make a decision that will require me to get out of my pajamas by 8:00 each day. Let's hope I have a clean pair of panty hose that will still fit!! Oh and a pair of work pants too!!

Crying no more!!

2007-07-23T14:42:00.000-05:00

Aren't we a lucky bunch in that "High School Musical" replayed today at noon. The girls happily and gleefully danced and pranced along. Thankfully I had the internet to distract me from the high school teen angst.

Curse you High School Musical!!

2007-07-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

My children were baptized on Friday into the High School Musical craze when a Walmart associate gave them their very own VIP all access pass for High School Musical 2. Mom Junior directed me that "kids should get their parents permission to go to the High School Musical 2 website for special events." (I swear that kid is too smart for her own good.)

Mom Junior and Incredible Z Girl wore those necklace VIP passes for most of the weekend and became very excited when High School Musical came on Disney Channel tonight. They unfortunately only got to watch 30 minutes of it when we told them it was bedtime and time to turn the tv off. Those two have now carried on in extreme hysterics for well over 10 minutes because they don't get to watch High School Musical. Full on crying, screaming, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

Between their wails they brush their teeth.

"Wahhhhhh!!! brush, brush, brush, wahhhhhh!!!!! brush...spit...wahhhhh....rinse.......spit...wahhhh!!!!"

Between their sobs they hug and kiss Mommy and Daddy good night.

"Wahhhhh!!!! Hug....Wahhhhh!!!....Kiss......Wahhhh!!!"

Forget the difficulties of taking care babies who don't nap, or of toddlers who fall off the potty and require a visit to the ER or playgroup bullies who bite others, dealing with two little girls depraved of "High School Musical" is about to surpass them all!!

Is there a doctor in the house??

2007-07-16T16:23:00.000-05:00

I am the third of three kids in my family. I remember taking my shares of spills and thrills courtesy of my older brothers. It was just an automatic thing that while playing and following them around, I would somehow end up being hurt. Jumping off the back of my brother's bicycle (while it was moving) or falling off the back of my brother's back during a "monkey ride" was just part of everyday life. Thankfully my injuries were nothing more than a bruise and a scrap and I survived my childhood with more laughs than injuries.

For whatever reason, my third child, Goober Baby, is not as lucky as I. In her short 22 months as the third of three, we've called the doctor or visited the ER more times than the we ever had with her two older sisters. And today we added to the ER visit score board.

Since Goober Baby thinks she is 5 year old, she pottys on the big potty. This morning while she was trying to climb onto the potty, she fell off the potty and landed on her side. Thankfully she had no open wounds gushing blood but she was holding her arm and crying.

After a quick call to the doctor, a trip to the ER was advised. After a xray and exam, all Goober Baby did was sprain her wrist and they suggested tylenol for the pain and sent everyone on their merry way.

I figure if we had one of those "It's been __ days since our last workplace accident." We would probably only make it about 20 days before having to erase the "20" and start back at 0.

Here's to day "0."

What to do...what to do?

2007-07-13T15:30:00.001-05:00

Like any other blogger out there who neglects their blog and then feels guilty about it, here I am posting about it and actually not feeling bad about it. Why? Cause I've been reading that pretty much everyone is neglecting their blog too. I guess even blogs need a summer break too.

So here I sit, putting an entry in and wondering what to blog about....

Do I blog about....

Baby Poop?
The funny thing the girls said the other night?
My Goofy Hubby?
Last Saturday night in which my friend called me at 10:30 at night to met her at the bar and....

I say "nope" to all four. I'm sure you don't want to read about any of that. Specially about last Saturday night. I do have to say, perhaps the most fun I've had in a while but at the same time so sad to realize that I was partying it up with 21 year old who looked so baby faced and young without a care in the world. It was hard to look at them and know they could sleep off their hangovers but I would be awakened by 3 little girls demanding their morning sippees. Of course it was damn funny when my friend got mad cause she got "ma'amed." Screw these guys being nice and using manners, they called her "ma'am" therefore pushing her in the upper limits of being "old."

But like I said, I'm sure you don't want to hear about that. So what do I blog about? I guess it will have to wait as now naptime is over and a very cranky "I didn't sleep long enough" 22 month old is awake.

Voted most likely to get West Nile.

2007-07-06T10:56:00.000-05:00

Let me just start out saying that I have MASSIVE amounts of mosquito bites on my legs and feet. My ankles are peppered with bites and I've spent most of this morning slathering benadryl cream all over them. Pretty soon, I might have to sedate myself during nap time with a horse size amount of benadryl to fight the fight from the inside out.

I tell you this not for sympathy, but just to show you how stupid I can be. Between our 4th of July cookout and fireworks viewing, we ran by the house so I could put a few things in the fridge and clear out the car so the girls could gleefully climb about during the fireworks show. Stupid me took one of the bags in that contained the bug spray into the house, therefore rendering my body mosquito food during the fireworks display. The girls and the Hubby seemed to have avoided the mosquito madness (perhaps cause they stayed in the car.)

Over the course of the day yesterday, my fingernails found and brought forth every itchy bump on my legs and ankles. And today they seem to have multiplied and some have transformed into swollen lumps. Which that is what I really need, more lumps on my legs!!
So here I sit. Itchy, scratchy, and lumpy.

Can I get an Amen??

2007-07-04T02:21:00.000-05:00

Why is that you can stay up alllll night without a single inclination to go to bed...

BUT...

The second a child wakes up with an issue that will require a good chunk of the night being awake, you find yourself amazingly tired and cranky and wanting nothing more than your bed.

I'm a sap

2007-07-01T22:01:00.000-05:00

Of course with this Sunday being the Sunday before July 4th, our church's worship services were patriotic in theme. I am always a sappy weepy eyed person during services like these. All you gotta do is mix together some serious organ playing, a heap of wonderful voices from the choir, a couple of beautiful rendition's of patriotic hymns and you got me. Then all you have to do to bring me to full teary eyed mode is have military veterans stand up to be recognized during all of this. Time may have slowed their step and grayed their hair, but they stand tall and at attention when called upon in recognition for their military service.

A Moment of Thanks

2007-06-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

This morning I flipped channels to see the Memorial service for the fallen Firefighters. So let me just take a moment to say "Thank You!" not only for the fallen 9 but to every man and woman who deals with the dangers of keeping our homes and families safe. Danger has no clear face but day in and day out these fine people train and prepare to recognize it and fight it.

Thank you.

The internet....just one giant distracting flashy object

2007-06-22T11:55:00.000-05:00

This morning I fired up the computer to do one simple thing, check the current postal rate and see if our stamps were still "good." (Seriously, that should tell you something about our society today, hardly mail anything because of the net, but still need the net to see how much the mail postage costs!)

Of course one can't just do one simple thing when it comes to getting online. Checking something out means that you need to sneak in and check your email first. That is when the flashy distracting began. I was headed off happily following one side tangent to the next. And before I even knew it, I was so distracted that I was getting distracted from my distractions. So here I am almost an hour and half later, finally checking the postal rates.

And just incase you are wondering...it costs .41 cents to mail a letter.

I'm just sayin'

2007-06-19T12:54:00.000-05:00

Growing up I heard my Dad speak forth many phrases that summed up what he was feeling into a very colorful way.

"Sir, how are you doing today?"

"Finer than hair on a frog's ass."

I always chuckled when I could tell my Daddy was in a particular mood because of someone. Instead of just saying "He's an idiot," my Daddy took the creative turn of phrase.

"He doesn't have enough common sense to pour pee out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel."

There are phrases I have adopted to get me through my days. And yes, I have been known to use my Daddy's "Pee boot" anaylsis a time or two to describe my frustration with a very annoying co-worker. I've always taken a shinin' to...

"Sometimes you are the windshield, sometimes you're the bug."

"Happier than a duck on a june bug."

It wasn't till today after a trip to the grocery store that perhaps a new addition needs to be made to the phrase bank...

"Sometimes you are a Mom out and about with the kids at home. Sometimes you are a Mom at the store with 3 very cranky kids. In which two of the three are having meltdowns which include but not limited to occuring at the same time are screaming, climbing out of the shopping basket, covering out ears and screaming "I don't like the crying!" and finally the loud crying jag at the check out cause someone wanted candy."

Granted it is not a snazzy as "finer than hair on a frog's ass" but it gets to the heart of the situation.

Between a rock and hard place...is my kid's head.

2007-06-17T02:24:00.000-05:00

The girls just finished up an awesome week of Vacation Bible School and while my pocket book is exhausted from having to fill the car up so much from the daily trips downtown, it was well worth it to send the girls. And while I am totally over joyed with the girls getting to go to VBS, I have just one tiny little complaint...

To illustrate the fact that "God is strong" or something like that, the craft for that day was "paint your own rock." The girls thought this was the bee's knees and couldn't wait to show off their freshly decorated rocks. These rocks are the size of a big baked potato just so you can understand their size.

I knew we were going to be in trouble with these rocks when we didn't even make it out of the church and had our first rock incident. We were in the bathroom when the girls DROPPED their huge decorated rocks on the nice, hard, very acoustic, tile floor. "BANG" followed by a few little rock bounces echoed off the tile floor and walls of the bathroom. I silently screamed a few curse words to myself and snapped at the girls to get control of their rocks. Thankfully no tiles were broken in the process.

Incident number 2 occured once we got in the car and Goober Baby realized she didn't have a rock. Soon a screaming fit and fight began over Mom Junior's and Incredible Z Girl's rocks. Between me screaming at everyone I heard "THUD" "THUD" as both of the girls lost control of their rocks and they fell to the car floor. Then the crying for the lost rocks began.

We finally made it home and continued with the rest of the day when rock incident #3 occured. Z Girl was playing with her rock and Goober Baby on the couch when I hear an eardrum shattering scream from Z Girl. I find her crying in hysterics as Goober Baby stands beside her and the rock on the floor. In between the screaming I find out that GB had taken Z Girl's rock and threw it at her hitting Z Girl in the head!! This is when incident #4 occurs.

At this point I had enough of the rock and quickly take the rock and put it up (WAY UP!) so that no more floors or childrens' heads are harmed by large "God is Strong" rocks. Z Girl then looses it AGAIN because I took her damn rock away. Not only is she still screaming cause her head has been thumped by a large rock, but she is now screaming cause I took her rock away.
(This qualifies as one of those lose-lose situations.)

Having successfully avoided any more rock incidents for the rest of the day, imagine my wonderful surprise when on the next day Z Girl comes home from VBS with another decorated rock. Yeah, my thoughts exactly.

My Babies' Daddy

2007-06-15T22:28:00.000-05:00

I find it so amazing that now when I look into my Husband's eyes, not only do I see the sweet faced boy I married but I now see the Daddy of my babies. His flirty voice that wooed me to love him now also calms screaming girls and sings songs. His brown locks of hair are now peppered with gray and has been pulled many a time by a climbing child. And of course, those hazel eyes that I stared into on my wedding day now reflect back at me in my children's hazel eyes. His dimpled smile smiles just a touch different for his girls and even his eyes gleem just a tad more for them too. To see him transform from that boyish man to the soft steadfastness of a Father is truly something a wife can enjoy.

Alive!!

2007-06-11T16:48:00.001-05:00

I was gone this past weekend trying to make a little cashola therefore leaving my brood alone with just their Daddy to care for them for over 48 hours. I wasn't sure how everyone would fare since it would be the first time ever that the Hubby would be taking care of all three of his offspring for several days alone.

I came home and I was shocked. They were all still alive and my house was still standing. I nearly fainted dead when I discovered that not only did he successfully take care of his darling daughters but that he took them out by himself several times in public. He took them to a bank, the mall, and to church...ALL BY HIMSELF!!

Queens versus Puppies

2007-06-07T22:46:00.000-05:00

Those sneaky marketing people really know what they are doing. They have single handedly gotten my girls to get us to buy a specific type of toilet paper. Not based on softness or even that "fresh clean feeling." Nope, we buy toilet paper based on the stupid character that is printed on the outside of the packaging.

The other night Incredible Z Girl was talking a bath when she was discussing with me that she didn't like the puppy paper and would rather have the queen paper. I had no clue what she was talking about until I brought it up with the Hubby. He filled me in that apparently the girls prefer Quilted Northern toilet paper because of the cartoon queens on the packaging versus the little puppy on Cottonelle.

I stood there stupified and remembered this little conversation when the Hubby asked me what type of toilet paper.

Tonight Z Girl jumped with glee and chanted "Queens!! Queens!! Yeah!!" when she saw the package of toilet paper in the garage. We soooo sold out to the marketing ploy...

Ya know what I miss?

2007-06-05T21:03:00.000-05:00

As a kid I remember many a summer spent running and playing until late in the day. I knew that by the time the sun set, it was time to come in. Sometimes I knew I had to make it in early on a few nights cause some really good TV was on. Now, I'm not talking TV shows but more of the Mini Series. I can't for the life of me understand why perhaps that at the age of 8 or 9 I truly enjoyed a good ABC Mini series, but I remember some seriously delicious mini series from my youth.

From the "Winds of War" to the ever popular "Thornbirds" I can see the forlorn look of a woman lost without the love of her life. It wasn't until I watched "North and South" that my own heart beat began to flutter as fast as Partick Sweazy's love interest did. I soooo loved that mini-series that I spent many a day wrapping and tying my Garfield sleeping bag around my waist and then covering it with my pink bedside table tablecloth just so I could be dressed like a swirlin' and faintin' belle.

It wasn't until my daughter demanded that we watch the summer onslaught of tv crap that I realized that what we really needed was a good mini-series! Oh well, I guess if I want a good mini-series, I will need to put one on my netflix que list.

Tea for four with paint on the floor

2007-06-05T13:55:00.001-05:00

Mom Junior's birthday was yesterday. My first born is now 6 and even though she is now a year older, it doesn't feel like 6 years have past. It feels just like yesterday she was our little newborn baked potato having to be put in the bili rubin lights. Just yesterday it was when I took a shower when I got home from the hospital and in the two minutes I was in there at least 4 people came over to see the new baby. There I was standing in my robe and then I felt that wierdness of having my boobs swell and leak. Good times!!

To celebrate her sixth year, we had a small tea party yesterday morning. We had a few friends over and of course everyone had to be dressed to the nines. The girls were all dressed in their finest dress up clothes or flower girl dresses and sat down at a small table decorated with a large tea cup of roses. They dined on little sandwiches, fruit, muffins and pastries while sipping peach tea and listening to fine classical music. It was a sight to behold, those little darlings sitting and eating the most prim and proper they could.

We had a grand time and all the girls just had a blast. Later that evening we put together Mom Junior's birthday gift. We figured our budding artist needed an easel to draw and paint. We soon discovered that the birthday gift went from "really wonderful idea" to "what in the hell were we thinking?!?!?"

We didn't let the girls paint until Goober Baby went to bed and after some serious discussion about paint usage. Number one rule "Paint only on the paper and no where else." Number two rule, "A little paint goes a looooooooong way."

I then went into my own world only 5 feet away from them while the Hubby watched the final episode of "The Riches." It wasn't until I looked at the clock and noticed 45 minutes had passed when I finally really looked at what was going on.

The girls actually had done an amazing job, and I will definitely let them paint again. However, thank the Lord that paint was washable because there tiny globs and splats all over the easel and the floor. We then spent at least one roll of paper towels and 15 minutes on our knees cleaning everyone and everything around the painting. Good times!!

Of course part of the evening was thinking about the day we had our first born. It was fun to think about and realize how far we have come since that day. When she was born, I didn't even remotely feel like a "Mother." That was a label saved for someone who knew what the hell they were doing. I was so insecure and basically waiting for the responsible adult to show up and pick up their baby. I was simply the ignorant young thang that got knock up and really had no business doing so even though I had been married for close to 6 years and was well over the legal age of being an adult. Thankfully, with time, several nights of crying (me not the kids) and a good bottle of wine and adult conversation I realize that I'm a "Mother" and actually very confident to be one.

I do have to remember this cause in a few short years Mom Junior will be a Pre-teen!!! Oy!

15

2007-06-01T22:08:00.000-05:00

I rarely speak of this anymore basically time has distanced me from it. 15 years of distance to be exact. It was June 2, 1992.

All I will tell you is that my Dad and Mom were taking me and two of my friends to a church camp up in the moutains. We prayed that morning, before we left, for God to watch over us and protect us. While all of us except my Dad walked away with just a cut and bruise among us, I often wondered "Why? My Dad was taking us to church camp and we DID pray before we left." I mean we were going to a CHURCH camp and we PRAYED! Nothing bad like this should have happend.

But it did.

While I will not share all the details of the accident with you, do understand the miracle I lived that day. I sat behind my Father the whole entire trip that day. Before the accident took place we stopped and my friend and I swapped places in the back seat. This is significant when you look at the photo of the car (which I will only leave up for a day or so) and understand that the roof of the vehicle was crushed to height of the head rest. I am about 5'8" and my friend is about 6" shorter than me. I believe it was that swapping of seats that provided those precious inches that saved our lives.

It is hard to not crawl out of the back of a vehicle that is upside down, wheels still spinning and wonder why you are still alive and what purpose your life is meant for. It has taken these past 15 years to merely get a slight grasp on what that purpose might be.

In a strange way, I am thankful for June 2. There are so many perspectives, emotions and thoughts that have been molded and shaped by what I went through that day. I also can't look at my Husband and my three darling babies without thinking of "had that day NOT happend, they WOULDN'T be here cause my life would have gone in a totally different direction." In many ways I am able to answer the "Why?" with a simple "cause it had to."

He was a Garth Brooks song dressed in starched jeans. He was my Daddy and I miss him terribly.

Let them eat cake!

2007-05-31T21:31:00.000-05:00

So the Hubby and I were going to get all serious and change our eating habits. We figure at some point one has to stop watching the shows about weight loss and actually try it out for ourselves. I've been proud of the Hubby doing his best to change some of his bad food habits and even greenlighted zucchini and squash the other night at dinner. I've loaded down the shopping cart with assorted fruits and veggies and ramped down the snack portions to just the little 100 calorie packs. For just 4 days we were doing really good, but then I had to go get all cranky and made a yellow cake mix complete with a nice layer of chocolate frosting.

Whoops.

How to potty train your kid without really trying

2007-05-30T16:53:00.000-05:00

Potty training your little whipper snapper is a parenting worry right up there with "how do I get my baby to sleep through the night?" You know that at some point your child should be peeing in a potty instead of the portable one strapped around their waist. But yet, accomplishing that goal is about as mind numbing as trying to memorize all the numbers in a phonebook of a major city.

Here at the Casa de Crazy, we have already endured and accomplished the goal of potty training. And not just once, but twice. Potty training my girls is an accomplishment that I hold in highest regard. Almost in the same regard in obtaining my college degree. However do not expect me to frame any diapers to hang next to my diploma anytime soon. Realizing the amount of pee puddles and poopy britches we endured the last go around, I have not been just exactly giddy at the thought of training the Goober Baby. But alas, it appears I don't have to worry about even having to train her.

Let me just explain first that Goober Baby believes that she is not a toddler but in fact she is a kid ready to head to 1st Grade. She doesn't realize that she is only 21 months old because her sisters are not 21 months old therefore she wants to do everything exactly like her big sisters. This is not so cool when she grabs the crayons and scissors from her older sisters and goes to town coloring and cutting everything but very cool when it comes to the world of potty training.

A few weeks ago my Goober Baby came to me pulling at her diaper and saying "poddy." I took her diaper off and expected that perhaps she would want to sit on the little potty we have placed next to the big potty. This little potty has served us previously and very successfully with Mom Junior and Incredible Z Girl. They practiced on the little potty for quite awhile before finally graduating to the big bowl. So I expected the little potty would be used again (three times a charm, right?)

Imagine my surprise as my little Goober Baby refused to sit on the little potty but demanded to sit on the big potty. So I lifted her up and there she sat and sat and sat. This typically what happens in the beginning so I didn't worry about it. I was more impressed she was ready to take on the big bowl versus sitting low on the little potty but whatever, with the third kid there are really no more surprises and if there are, that is why you keep a bottle of wine on hand.
Imagine even a bigger surprise when I discovered that Goober Baby could pull herself and balance successfully and potty on the big potty.

After her bath, Goober Baby was toddling around in the nude when I went to grab a diaper. I came back into the bathroom to find GB perfectly perched on the potty. Incredible Z Girl was in the bathroom with her so I asked if she put Goober Baby on the potty. She replied "No, she climbed up there herself." My eyeballs about popped out of my head and didn't believe she could do such a thing. I went and grabbed Goober Baby and tried to put her in a diaper. She very vocally voiced her disapproval and proceeded to tell me "PODDY!!" And I stood in disbelief as she then climbed onto the potty.

It was much like a rider mounting a horse. She went to the side of the potty and grabbed the back part of the seat and proceeded to pull herself up until she could get a leg underneath her. She then somehow managed to swing a leg over the bowl and with a shift she was perfectly perched over the potty. I ran to tell the Hubby of this feat when I could her Incredible Z Girl yell from the bathroom, "Mommy, She tee teed!!"

I then ran back to a large grinned baby who just pottied. While she is able to get onto the potty, she still can't dismount so my help is still required. I grabbed her off the potty and proceeded to cheer and clap as if my gal just scored the winning goal.

We are still in diapers but the potty party has commenced and it is all in thanks to my older girls. Thank you ladies! I don't think you quite now how much sanity this has saved me!

Type, type, type, delete, delete, delete

2007-05-29T16:12:00.000-05:00

That pretty much sums up what I have been doing the past several minutes. I'll type something out and then erase it all. I'll start over with a different thought and then I'll erase that too. I do have something to say but then I decide I don't. Perhaps I can just chalk it all up to the perverbial Mom brain that is always in motion and always has some worry to think about. Or it could just be this time of year.

A big date is lurking around the corner and while it really has no bearing on the "here and now" time, but it still marks a major event in my life that basically picked me up and put me on the direction I am in now. And while in years past this date came and gone with little fanfare, this year I can't help but to hold my breath and wait for it to come. For that reason, I just can't keep my mind on anything.

There I go ahead...just typed out a whole bunch and then deleted it. Better stop for now before I delete this post!

It's over?!?!?

2007-05-25T11:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the end of the school year for Mom Junior. I'm still shaking my head in disbelief on how quickly this past school year has just flown by. And in all honesty, I am bracing and holding on for dear life cause I know that if I blink, tomorrow will be High School Graduation. How come it feels like you spend your youth waiting for life to happen and then ZAP! You are an adult hoping to God life will slow down cause its whizzing by so fast.

I realized yesterday that with the last day of school, my Kindergartner becomes a First Grader and my Preschooler becomes a Kindergartner. Its just bizarre thinking that I will have two kids in school and when September rolls around, I'll also have a 2 year old in tow. That is the up and downside of having two kids so close in age, they seem to reach those milestones together and faster therefore causing major Motherhood whiplash.

Before the school year ended we savored some wonderful achievements by Mom Junior. I have to laugh as I type this as I feel as if I am composing some really sugary sappy filled Christmas letter telling everyone how wonderfully smart my child is. But ya know, she is cause we now have proof!

We went to the Kindergarten Awards assembly where I waiting for the normal fare of blanket awards of "Best smile" or "Best Helper" being bestowed. I was shocked into disbelief when the school's Art Teacher gave out her art awards and gave Mom Junior the "Artist of the Year" for the whole Kindergarten class. You have to understand that Mom Junior is very very shy so getting her up to accept her award was almost painful to watch. She made her way up with a head down while chewing on her hand and then stuck herself to the Art Teacher's leg.

The Art Teacher peeled Mom Junior off her leg to hand her the award certificate and a little artist palette lapel pin for her to wear. Mom Junior then quickly ran over to me and gave me a big hug. I couldn't help but to cry a few tears seeing my sweet child win an award. But that wasn't all...

Besides winning Artist of the Year (which means I now have to share my art supplies with her) my darling little Mom Junior received the "Best Handwriting" award for her class and also was named the "Student of the Year" for her class.

As the Hubby and I went home, I shook my head in disbelief at my child winning an award. Up until this point, parenting has always been about changing dirty diapers, wiping snotty noses, and feeding empty bellies. Celebrations and high points had been about first steps and peeing in the potty, accomplishments that meant my little ones could live life independently from me. With Mom Junior winning an award based on her merits and talents, this is the first accomplishment achieved outside the realm of my parenting and that is mind blowing for me! She was successful because of something she earned on her own and I couldn't be prouder.

Prepping for the moment.

2007-05-23T16:40:00.001-05:00

I do have to say that being a Mom to two girls participating in a dance recital is completely different that being the participant in a recital. Over the past two days I have spent close to 5 hours curling, primping and prepping two little girls for their first recital.

I spent one morning going after sheer to waist pantyhose and the much needed bobby pins and water free hairspray. I then spent two afternoons curling and pinning curls in place and encapsulating my girls heads in at least an1" layer of hairspray to keep it all in place. I painted little eyes and dusted cheeks with blush and carefully applied "whipstick" to make sure their features didn't "washout in the stage lighting" and admonished my girls to "DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES!!" and heard at least one cry of "but my eye itches!!"

After fighting for elbow room with all the other Moms in the dressing room, I pulled and tugged and got two dancers dressed. After putting on their little hats and at least 5 hairpins to keep it place I did one more fluff and spray with hairspray and told my girls to "break a leg." I then had to spend a few minutes explaining that "breaking a leg" was a good thing and the phrase meant "good luck." I then left my dancers behind and ran like the dickens to catch a seat.

Even though the dancing was done I still had to sprint back to the dressing room, unpin and undress my little dancers and get them back to "street clothes." I then became a Sherpa carrying all the suitcase full of costumes, hairspray and tap shoes.

By the time we got home and got all the make-up washed off and the hair washed clean, it was late and my head and legs hurt. The moment was wonderful to watch as my girls tapped and bounced and sang their little hearts out but boy was it work getting to that moment!

And yes, I can't wait to do it all over again next year and the year after that in which I am sure the amount and size of costumes increase as we branch out into the different dance disciplines.

Tap shoes and sequins

2007-05-21T21:23:00.000-05:00

I got to enjoy the childhood activity of dance lessons. What started out as a way to help promote balance (had a lot of ear problems) ended up as 13 years of jazz and tap lessons with a few years of gymnastics, ballet and twirling tossed in. I loved taking dance lessons and every year looked forward to the Spring when festivals and recitals took place and I had a chance to perform.

That "stage" of my life pretty much came to a screeching halt when I graduated from High School. I no longer felt the draw to it like I did as a younger kid and hung up my well worn tap shoes to spend all my time with my boyfriend (now my hubby.) There were so many times that I didn't miss it, but so many more times that I did. But regrets can only bring you down so I got over it and moved on.

When the girls came of age, my Mom asked if the time was here to get the girls enrolled in dance class. I eagerly agreed (specially since she offered to pay) and this past fall we got Mom Junior and Incredible Z Girl enrolled at my old dance studio. I don't know who was more excited, me going back to my old tapping grounds or the girls who were wide eyed at the prospect of actually being instructed to make noise with their feet.

Over the course of the past 9 months, we have hauled our little lasses across town once a week to take their dance lessons and now we get to participate in the culmination of their hard work, with the RECITAL!!

Today was the dress rehearsal and starting promptly at 2 I started curling Z Girl's hair. Finally at 5:30 I was screeching tires to make it across town to make it to the rehearsal after spending all afternoon curling, hairspraying, and applying makeup to two very excited girls. After making it to the "big stage" as Z Girl called it, the girls donned their sparkly costumes and waited backstage for their turn to dance.

After getting the girls in line, I dashed back out to the audience where pretty much most of our family was waiting with every line of video and digital camera on and ready to go. I think I was as excited as my girls where. They would be dancing and going through the same excitement and nerves I did so many years ago.

It was soon their turn and out came my bespeckled beauties who just sparkled in the stage lights. After finding their colors they stood and stared at their dance teacher who was offstage ready to show any forgotten steps. The music started and so did my giggles as my two little girls bounced and shuffle stepped for approximatley 1 minute 45 seconds. If I do say so myself, they did a wonderful job and I can clearly see why they were placed in the center of the dance line. ;)

Their dance was almost over as fast as it began and soon I was high stepping it back behind stage to hugs my girls and getting them back into some non-sequined clothing. We made our way back to the audience where the girls found some very proud Grandparents, an even prouder Daddy and a very happy Goober Baby who ran up to them and with a big smile said "Hi!" My friend was also there with her two kids who were kind enough to bring flowers for the girls when they finished. Z Girl just ate up the adoration and hugged her flowers. Mom Junior got her hugs but her shyness took over and handed me the flowers with a very loud "I'm tired and want to watch the other dancers."

We had several meltdowns by the time we got home and spent a good amount of time removing bobby pins and the several layers of hairspray from their hair. The costumes need to be refluffed and the hair needs to be recurled, but I can't wait for the second chance tomorrow night to see them dance all over again at the recital. While I am certainly not trying to relive my youth through them, it sure as hell fun being able to be apart of it again, even if this time I'm just the Mom holding the camera in the audience instead of the dancer on stage.

Irreverent Remembrance

2007-05-17T20:35:00.000-05:00

It is not often that when you attend a funeral you laugh but I just couldn't help it.

How often is a Grandmother remembered for her love of going to basketball games, hockey games, and men in tight jeans?

2007-05-16T15:04:00.000-05:00

Day in and day out the grand perplexing movement of life takes place. Babies are born to eagerly awaiting parents and a horde of smiling family and friends. Cheers and congratulations are spread around with the bubble gum cigars and pastel colored teddy bears. It is life anew and the promise of a fresh beginning when a baby is born. But birth is just a small intricate part of this life movement for with birth, comes death.

Day in and day out life's last breath is taken. While the circumstances wrapped around the event of death are different, the results of its actions are the same. Sometimes loud heaving sobs of grief are heard and sometimes it is the inaudible muffled tears that serve as the sound of death. Hugs and tears are shared with the gathering group of family and friends. A somber mood floats through the air as the life that has just left is reflected upon and grieved for. Together birth and death pair together to continue the grand perplexing movement of life.

We often think of birth and death seperately. They are two events that are almost direct conflict with another. With life comes joy and happiness, with death comes sorrow and sadness.

This is on my mind as tomorrow as I will serve as witness to these completely different occasions that will take place on the same day. On one hand, I have been in constant communication with a friend who is scheduled to be induced with her first baby tomorrow. I have emailed her "just relax and enjoy the day" and "can't wait to hear the news!" I'm just so excited for her as she welcomes her first baby into this world.

On the other hand I will also be attending a funeral of a Mother of a friend. On Mother's Day I sat in the surgical ICU waiting room with my friend as she waited to see her Mother. My friend went into the details of finding her Mom and the resulting dash for the hospital and surgery. At that point it was just a waiting game but she knew that beneath the surface of these events that her Mom was already gone. Her realization became true yesterday as they pulled all life giving devices and she sat and watched her Mom take her last breath.

While the happiness of a baby born will crash greatly against my sadness for a grieving friend, I will be appreciative at the fact that I will be a small witness to both and try to wrap my small brain around this beautiful grand perplexing movement of life.

Genius!

2007-05-15T17:42:00.000-05:00

This morning I pulled out a set of cream colored bedsheets that when draped just so, they create a great background for photos. Since I've been feeling like crap all day, I took the pictures and just left the sheets on the couch. They where quite nice to have when I laid down to take a nap, I just wrapped them around me and snoozed (until my snot induced snoring woke me up.)

I didn't realize how genius I was getting those bedsheets out until the girls discovered them. They have been playing with those sheets for close to an hour. They have tried to bounce stuffed animals out of them. They have created "oceans" with them. They have been Cinderella with them. And right now, they are currently wrapped up in them wrestling around the floor.

My direction has only been "move away from the sharp corners" and "let your baby sister have a turn!" But other than that, giggles and laughter with a touch of screaming and the all important fact that they are happily playing without the need of me. GENIUS!

So Happy!!!....that's its not me!

2007-05-15T10:41:00.000-05:00

The late summer and early fall must be a very romantic time cause it seems babies are just being born left and right. I can't read a blog or go to playgroup or anywhere for that matter without being face to face with a pregnant belly. And finally I can be happy that its not me!!

Now don't get me wrong, having a baby is a beautiful wonderful thing and all that other cliche stuff, but it is equally wonderful being able to sit back and come across several realizations. Sit back realizing that your stretch marks will no longer grow in number and that you can finally rid of the last maternity clothing and baby gear. (Of course you then sit in terror that perhaps you might have an "oops" pregnancy so you then don't touch your husband until you hit menopause...but I digress.) You also realize that in just a few months, your baby will hopefully becoming friends with the potty and that bi-weekly purchase of diapers will come to an end. And I don't need to even discuss the realization of not having to go through the 6 week newborn daze of sleepless nights and amped up emotions!

And if anything else, realize that you are finally ready to move onto the next stage of your life and the next stage of being an adult. Sure I'm a little sad, I hit that roadblock a few months ago when I packed up almost all the rest of the maternity and baby stuff and got it sold. So now I can just sit back, and enjoy everyone else's pregnancy and be happy that its not me!

Less than 2 weeks and counting

2007-05-15T10:33:00.000-05:00

The end of school is near and this means the screaming levels will increase dramatically in my house. With Mom Junior at home 24/7 with the other two knuckle heads means that the screaming will increase from the several hours that start after she gets home to all day. While I am relieved knowing that we can now ease up on the "gotta be home in time to pick her up from school" schedule, I am just not looking forward to 3 mobile and vocal kidlets around all summer long.

You better believe that I have VBS already marked on the calendar!! Which reminds me of a story from my Grandmother....

She told me that in her day of raising kids during the summer, all the Moms on the block knew when the vacation bible schools would be taking place. Thankfully the different VBS's would be spaced around the summer calendar making it ideal for a Mom to sign her kid up for every VBS taking place that summer, therefore ridding of the kids out of the house and the dreaded "I'm bored!!". The kids totally loved going to VBS but so did the Moms!

Mommy Feet

2007-05-09T10:02:00.002-05:00

I know that I am a Mother not by the stretch marks on my stomach or the increased size of my arse. I know that I am a Mother not by the little cries for "Mommy" or for the wonderful scribbled drawings that are drawn for me. I am a Mother because of the things my feet endure.

My Mommy feet find little bits of squished bananas. Cold and brown banana bits left behind by Goober Baby after her morning "Nana."

My Mommy feet find numerous sippee cups. More often they are the ones that have been lost and forgotten about and are filled with milk that has now found its solid state. These findings are often heralded with a "POP!" as the lid goes shooting off and then followed up with a foul smell of ick.

My Mommy feet can't help but to kick numerous Leap Frog letter magnets across the tiled kitchen floor. This event is repeated several times through lunch making and dinner making. If I'm lucky, I'll even step directly onto one of these letters.

Like all Mommy feet, toys are a constant presence. Little Barbie shoes, Little People and their little accessories, blocks, dress up shoes...the list could go on as the number of items I have stepped on.

My Mommy feet have discovered all sorts of fluids. When the cats get sick. When the kids get sick. When the kids have had a potty accident. My feet typically find out before my eyes and nose do. Of course this should teach me to wear slippers or shoes around the house more.

My Mommy feet have also grown a size bigger since becoming a Mommy. They have painfully swelled and puffed out the tops of my dress shoes like tiny loaves of rising bread during pregnancy. I was elated when my favorite Doc Marten sandals seemed to accomodate my swollen footies only to be heartbroken when I discovered that my feet went back down, but not my sandals. They are forever stretched an will fling themselves off my feet if I even attempt to walk in them.

My Mommy feet have also pranced and bounced during the middle of the night. They have soothed cranky babies with their bouncing. They also check on little girls who are in the middle of a bad dream. Of course this also means stepping on a toy or two.

I'm a Mom. Nothing speaks this knowledge more than my feet. They have supported my body during labor and helped kick a sleeping husband awake. They have survived pain of little toys and the ick of some serious foulness. I couldn't be a Mom without them...perhaps a pedicure is line for this Mother's Day?