August 31, 2011

Books-A-Million

You know, I want my kids to love to read.

I really do.

And I am glad that they like books.

I really am.

But honestly....


Is it really THAT hard to look at just... one book at a time?

August 29, 2011

First day fuss

I had big plans today. "Had" being the operative word here. You know, the whole waking-up-early-to-get-things-done-and-be-on-top-of-it-all kind of plans.

But somewhere between Claira fussing at 4am, feeding her at 5:30am, shutting off my alarm at 6am, and hubby leaving for work at 6:30am, I rolled over in bed and saw that the clock in all it's evil, red digital number glory, was blaring a bright 7:30am in my face.

Oh blast! The bus comes at 8:00am!

Leaping out of bed... actually, it was probably more of a rather ungraceful swan dive out of bed, and feeling grateful I didn't break anything, I threw on some clothes and dashed off to get Savannah and Joseph up and ready for their first day of school.


Oh wow, what a good looking pair.

It was hardly the calm, organized morning I had planned. But at least they were fed, dressed and on time. At least that's something, right?

Still, I was a bit self-conscious as I stood with Savannah at the bus stop, and later when I dropped Joseph off at the school (kindergartners have to be dropped off and picked up the first couple days) knowing I had day old mascara flecks around my eyes and bed hair sticking up every which way.

It was just soooo.... not awesome.

Ah well, what can you do.


Anyway, last night hubby gave those two kids a father's blessing for the new school year. When hubby was done with Joseph and getting ready to bless Savannah, Jacob, who was sitting by me on the couch, turned to me and asked, "Mommy when will I get to do that?"

"Next year, when you start kindergarten." I replied.

Looking thoughtful for a moment, then excited he turned to me again, " And then daddy will call me Jacob the Powerful?"

It was all I could do to turn my head away and quickly smother my laughter behind my hands. 

Heaven help his poor, unsuspecting school teachers when the time comes.

August 25, 2011

So, I need to know...


Is it a bad sign when, after the person on the other end of the phone conversation asks you how you're doing, that you can somewhat nonchalantly, yet honestly answer," Oh... I'm sure everything will be fine, just as soon as I can figure out how to clean up the maple syrup Alayna poured all over these library books."



Just wondering.


August 24, 2011

Can you sound like a girl?


There I was, minding my own business, when it came out of nowhere! Kind of like when you discover that puddle you just stepped in, well... really isn't water. Nothing prepares you for it.


Joseph: Mom? Can you teach me to talk like a girwl?  (he still has a hard time saying his r's)

Me: *unsure I heard right, I quirked an eyebrow, my left one to be exact* Say what?

Joseph: 'Cause I can kind of sound like a girwl - like this high, *insert high squeaky uh... err.... noise* Ahhhhhh ahhhh ahhhhhhhhh....  See? So can you teach me to sound like a bettew girwl?

Me: *stunned and dumbfounded into silence as he stared at me expectantly* Uhhhh.... wow, ummm... why do you need me to teach you to sound like a girl?

Joseph: Because, mom, you awre a giwrl! (Oh tell me he did not just give me a mini eye roll!)

Me: Why yes, yes I am.  *still not quite sure how to take all this* Well, you just keep practicing and I'm sure you'll get it.

A minute later I turn at the sound of his high-pitched ahhhhhhhh-ing again to see him thus.


Joseph: *excitedly* My girwl voice is almost rwight! Ahhhhhhhhhhh.............


It was finally revealed to me that he was practicing to be the girl cootie bug so Jacob could be the boy cootie bug.

Well, it all makes perfect sense to me now.


But I confess, I was quite relieved there was an explanation.

August 22, 2011

Perfection is overrated, and the Entitlement Trap

I bet most of you didn't see the comment Marcie left on my last post. So I thought I'd re-post it here.

My primary president stopped by at 9ish the other day, all 100 pounds of blonde perfect hair perfect clothes perfect makeup of her. Her knock on the door got me out of bed, I ran and threw on the first clothes I found (this is why Owen is afraid of the doorbell, it always makes me run) and answered the door. Owen in a diaper, house a DISASTER with a capital D, and no bra. Trying to play it cool "Hi! What's up?" Long story short after she left I looked around my pitiful abode and Audrey said "What's wrong mom?" "I'm just embarrassed that my house is such a mess right now." "It's okay mom. The house is a mess because you play with us!". I felt better. Well just a little. :) But seriously would a phone call have KILLED her!? It's times like those that it's hard not to compare. I just try to think of how good I made her feel that day about herself. haha. And try not to be judgemental if I'm ever on the other side of the fence of getting it together. We women can be so hard on each other, unintentionally I think but the appearance of perfection is not the same as the perfection of character we are supposed to attempt. Holy cow, sorry for the novel. Love ya!

Oh girl, I've so been there and done that, more than once... or twice... or twelve times... or..... eh hem, anyway, you get the point.

The most embarrassing time for me was when two maintenance GUYS (yes, an in members of the male species) rang the doorbell as I was getting out of the shower.

I threw on whatever clothes I could find, I can't remember what concoction it was but I'm sure it was something the lines of a formal gown tucked into some sweats. I didn't have time for a bra as I dashed over toys and books, dodging diapers and clothes on my way to the door.

Yes, the flushed red face that I exhibited that day was from more than just exertion. It was from down-right embarrassment.

It wasn't until after they left that my eyes fell upon a bra I had left on the couch in a horribly conspicuous place for all the world to see.

Oh... so awkward.

I suppose I could consider myself lucky seeing as I've been forced to move beyond the appearance of perfection a long time ago. As this blog is unfortunate proof of.

I mean, come on, let's face it. Most of you read this blog because it makes you feel better knowing someone out there is WAY less put together than you. Am I right, or am I right?

Oh, I'm right. I'm always right! I just can't quite seem to convince my Hubby of this though. Hmmm....

Anyway, just yesterday, I started cleaning up the kitchen after lunch. A couple HOURS later, it was finally decent again. As I was sweeping the last of the cheerios, cracker crumbs, bread chunks, paper scraps, etc. into the garbage, some friends swung by unexpectedly.

I was so happy that I had decided to clean up the kitchen I could almost taste the relief.

See Marcie? Now don't you feel better?  Ha ha! 

~~~~~~~

Now, on a total and completely different note, I just wanted to make you all aware of this:


NYTimes bestselling authors, Richard and Linda Eyre have written an exciting new book called The Entitlement Trap: How to Rescue Your Child with a New Family System of Choosing, Earning, and Ownership and they invite you to join them in the cause to stem the tide of entitlement that is causing so many problems in today’s world.

August 22nd is National Entitlement Awareness Day. On this day, we invite you to help us spread the word about The Entitlement Trap and pre-order it yourself. You’ll get a book that may very well change the future of your family and your children - plus you’ll get a chance to win some exciting prizes.

To find out more, or to pre-order the book at a discount and enter the giveaway with your receipt, have a look at http://www.entitlementtrap.com/giveaway.htm

Enjoy! 

August 18, 2011

Forgive me for re-posting

*crinkle... stuff...chew chew*

*speaking with mouth full*  You know, *swallow* sometimes you say something once and it seems like you just can't say it any better than you did that very first time.

So it is in this case. So forgive the re-post but it's just so... it just feels so... perfectly adequate today.

Just don't ask me why. *crinkle crinkle dig dig*     Ah nuts... I'm out of chocolate chips....




"Did you ever get the feeling that you were being watched, and that maybe that thing watching you is... ehhh, a giant elephant in the sky?"  -Horton Hears A Who



Heh, and you know those times when you just feel like every little thing you do is wrong and horribly awful even if it really isn't it just feels that way because someone else has it more together than you do and you know you shouldn't compare yourself to others but sometimes it's hard not to especially when it feels like everything is spinning out of control and you are at a loss as to how stop it all and get back on track and save your children the embarrassment of having such an awful parent who seems to goof up everything all the time and who wonders why the heck they were even given children if they are just going to mess up their lives with their own imperfections and so you feel like the scum of the earth for even existing and having the gall to become a parent in the first place and messing up all of humanity and bringing nothing but chaos and destruction to the world!


*massive intake of breath*

Do you know that feeling?

*crickets chirping, blank stares*

Whew... *nervous laughter * me either.

August 16, 2011

Weekend news to come and the hairy facts

I've had family here all crazy weekend, even met my future sis-in-law. So my computer has been neglected, forgotten... abandoned really.

But I plan on writing all about it, as soon as everyone departs. *sniffle* 

In the meantime, I have something for you.

'Cause it makes me happy to see... every morning.


By now you must be sick of seeing pictures like this on here, but I can't help it. It's just... *sigh*... awesome.


Of course, Alayna's starting to have a little competition in the "awesome hair" department.

I mean really, who can out-do the infamous bald spot?


No one, that's who. And this little gal pulls off the bald look remarkably well. Far better then I ever could.


Not that I'm bias or anything when it comes to my own children so, it's just fact people. 

I make cute babies. I do good work. The end.

August 11, 2011

I did it again - Moderation in all things

In an effort to get a handle on things around here, yesterday I decided to start with cleaning the kitchen.

While cleaning the kitchen, I noticed the bananas were in such a state as to make the perfect banana bread... and I just wanted them off my counter. So I stopped cleaning and made banana bread.

While making bread, I figured that since I was already cooking, I might as well cook up the chicken for dinner that night. So I started cooking chicken.

Then Claira made it known that she was hungry, so I stopped to feed her. After that I realized she really needed a bath. So I gave her a bath.

While getting her dressed, I looked around my bedroom and decided I hated the way it felt so cluttered, I then decided to move my computer, desk, and anything office related downstairs.

But first I needed to clear off the work space Hubby had made for me in the storage room. So I started organizing that.

Then I realized the chicken was done and needed to be diced. So I stopped cleaning and diced chicken. After that was done the banana bread was also done, and the kids were hungry, so I fed them lunch.

When they were satisfied, I finished clearing off the work space in the storage room and moved my computer downstairs.

Then got distracted after I turned it on by emails and an intense game of facebook scrabble between my mom, myself, and my sisters.

I know, we live on the edge.

After Claira had a diaper blowout, I remembered that I still had wet laundry in the washer, so I went to go switch it over but then realized that the dryer was still full. So I emptied the dryer and threw all the clean blankets on the couch.

A fight broke out in my bedroom so I went in to shoo the kids out, and since I was already in there, started moving office stuff downstairs. But then I ended up sorting though all the papers to throw out what we didn't need anymore.

That was interrupted by hungry children, diaper changing duties, mini splash parks on my kitchen floor, and a rather intense fight over a blanket.

In the middle of all that, the doorbell rang and some friends had stopped by, much to the everlasting delight of my children.

So while we moms were chatting, I noticed the kitchen was still a disaster, mostly because it was covered in banana bread crumbs, and all my clean laundry was in a nice big heap in the middle of the living room floor.

So embarrassing.

Then I also realized it was almost dinner time. So I started working on that... again.


And so, by the time Hubby came home and helped me move the computer desk downstairs, dinner was half made, the kitchen half cleaned, the bedroom half destroyed, the storage room half organized, the laundry half done, and the family room downstairs in total chaos.

On such days, I try to make myself feel better by telling myself I am simply following the counsel of "moderation in all things."

Aside from the total chaos in the family room and the banana bread, I don't think I completed a dang thing yesterday.

Awesome.



August 10, 2011

Oh, to be so happy

While at the store the other day with the kids, I was in the cleaner isle trying to decide on which smell I liked best for carpet deodorizer.

But really, anything would smell better than dirty laundry... and, er, well, other things.  Eh hem... anyway.

The kids were all in the cart except Jacob. He and his insatiable and bottomless amount of hyper energy was racing up and down the isle laughing hysterically.

Literally. You'd think he's never seen a Walmart isle before.

Or that he was just a wee bit wonky.

A fellow shopper, a woman who looked to be in her mid-forties or so, suddenly heaved a rather big sigh and said heavily, "Oh, to be so happy."

Surprised, I looked up at her from my crouched position. She gave me a rather sad smile, then turned and walked away.

I hurt for her and I have thought of her often since. I hope she has found something to make her life a little brighter.

While I don't pretend to know all answers to everything, I do know one thing. Sometimes I too wish I had his infallible ability to laugh and find joy in anything.

Of course he is only four years old so don't worry, I try not to be hard on myself. Because let's face it, if I acted like a four-year old, well...


let's just not think about it, okay?


And if in your search for happiness you decide to attempt Jacob's European Runway method, please do not tell me.

I'd just rather not know.

Thanks.

August 8, 2011

Childhood mysteries

So, not only does my family have a knack for falling asleep in crazy positions, they also have a tendancy to fall in sleep in interesting places.


In total honesty though, she had started out asleep on top of the bed, but then she rolled off with a rather loud thud. I totally expected her to wake up screaming but she did no more than whimper for a moment before falling back soundly asleep.


Wait... now I understand why I use to wake up under my bed all the time as a kid!

Man that use to drive me crazy because hang it all, I sure I had fallen asleep on top of my bed.

One of the great mysteries of my childhood solved.

Now if I could just figure out why my toothbrush was always wet in the morning....

August 5, 2011

We sure hit the budget mom!

Back to school clothes shopping kills me. Even if there's a clearance on top of a sale on top of a discount on top of a rollback, it seems to me that stores still require that you give them a kidney and your life's savings so you can afford to buy clothes that kids will outgrow in a year.

As I was on my way home today, I decided at the last second as I was driving by the entrance to our subdivision, that I would check out a garage sale or two before going home.

And after only one stop, I managed to hit the jackpot baby!


Thirteen items of lightly used clothing for $13.

Now Savannah has jeans for this year and next, all for a dollar each instead of the ten I was planning to budget in, and beyond all hope, a nice pair of shoes for only a freaking dollar! And here I was getting up the nerve to go spend  fifteen on some for her.

Even the boys got jackets for this year and next, and Joseph was super excited to get a couple of items as well.

After exclaiming that we had hit the jackpot, Savannah asked me what a jackpot was. So I explained.

After we got home, I was still all pumped about our killer find when Savannah came up to me and said, "Man, we sure hit the budget, mom!" 

Awesome.


And Hubby is never again allowed to give me hard time for garage sale shopping.

Ever.

Never ever.

The end.

August 3, 2011

One year older and wrinkly too...

My family wanted to know what I did all day for my birthday. So, here it is.

12:01am - Hubby comes home from work. He says, "Happy Birthday" then we go to sleep.
5:00am - I wake up exhausted yet restless, unable to fall back asleep.
5:45am - Hubby leaves for work
7:00am - I fall back asleep
9:00am - Noisy kids wake me up - the day begins.
11:00am - Take the kids to the library
1:00pm - A friend and her kids come over to play, not knowing it was my birthday. But it worked out perfectly. I had someone to talk to and my kids had someone to play with while I cooked and baked all afternoon. One dinner for my family and one for a family who just had a baby.

I even baked myself a cake knowing the kids were all about cake on birthdays, even if it's not their own.

So imagine my immense surprise when Hubby walks through the door at 5:00pm with a small cake, ice cream, my favorite cookies, and roses... all with the Walmart price tags still attached.

I had to smile. The man's improving! 

Of course then we had to joke that Walmart needs a new slogan. What do you think, "Walmart. Saving the world. One marriage at a time."

Seriously, have you ever tried going there at 11pm the night before Valentine's Day or Mother's Day?

Man city.

5:30pm - Friend and her kids leave
6:00pm - Take dinner to other family
7:00pm - My brother and his wife arrive. We eat dinner.

By then the kids were beside themselves. They wanted that dang cake and ice cream! So we obliged them before one of them had a stroke from too much anticipation.


Whew! I know I'm getting old and all, but I sure was impressed that I could blow out all 28 candles in just one little breath.

That takes skill people. Real skill.


Then the roses were handed to me. One from everybody. 

(And I still don't understand why men can't just be normal for the camera. Wait... maybe the goofy faces are the normal ones! Hmmm...)


Even little Claira had a rose for me.


My bother and SIL gifted me why some wonderfully perfect jewelry. Just my style.

The kids were finally in bed about 10pm.

Hubby and I watched a show, then collapsed into bed. Sleep was almost instantaneous.

I must be getting old.

August 2, 2011

Sharing


You try so hard to teach them how to share with each other, you really do.

And for a brief moment, you feel this great parental pride at seeing them share so willingly. 


But then the reality of the situation starts to sink in and you can't help but think, oh... what have I done?


Because I promise you, by the time four slobbery little mouths had hungrily gobbled up all the fruit loops from the necklace, more than just cereal had been shared.

Gross.
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