Kids for Sale – 7 1/2 year old boy relatively good student but prone to sudden mood swings, more apt to mouth off than offer to help; 2 year old girl, always wants to help wash dishes, but does lead to minor flooding, loves the word “no” and leaving all her toys out; must sell as a set as I fear they wouldn’t know what to do with themselves – he wouldn’t have someone to pester and she wouldn’t have someone to annoy. Mom and Dad are just looking for a night out alone. Very open return policy. Will take them back even after a few hours (we’re sure that’s all you could stand anyway). All reasonable offers will be considered.
Birthday Girl August 27, 2009
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- August 29, 2007
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- July 2009
Two years ago today you graced us with your presence. Our little gift from God – ten fingers and ten toes. Even though you decided to make your entrance early, God really blessed you and us. You’ve made our family. Always know that you are loved.
When Left to Their Own Devices. . . August 22, 2009
I will be the first to admit that I’m not very good about getting the laundry hot out of the dryer so I don’t have to iron. Thus, I’m usually left with a LOT of clothes to iron out. TodayI decided it would be a good day – hot and humid – again - to tackle it. The kids weren’t fighting with each other so I set myself up in the bedroom and started tackling Mount St. Oh My Gosh That’s a Lot to Iron. A 1/2 hour passed, the kids weren’t fighting, so I kept going. Another 1/2 hour passed – it’s sad to admit I really did have that much ironing and folding stacked up – and the kids weren’t fighting so I decided to keep going. Wait a minute! The kids aren’t fighting. For an hour. They aren’t fighting. OMG someone’s hurt and dying and the other isn’t coming to tell me. So I decided I better go and check on them.
When Mommy's not around
Caught. . .
They had every pillow and cushion and even pillows from their beds on the floor. The couches were their “ships”. Well, at least they weren’t fighting. . .
Synopsis of My Night July 16, 2009
Just got a visit from Plymouth’s finest. . .WTH now my chimney’s leaking. What a night – moldy cheese on my spaghetti, broken wine bottle in the frig, Crash Test (Buddha’s new name) pushes the panic button with a direct link to the police department, now the chimney’s leaking – I’m done.
Let me explain further – First, getting my dinner ready to eat and poured Parm/Reggiano cheese on my spaghetti only to find that it was moldy – Yuck. Empty plate. Start to get more but hear a crash from the refrigerator. Open the door, a wine bottle had tipped over and broken. Clean up the broken bottle and the wine that has spilled all over the door compartments. Just finish cleaning that up and the house alarm goes off. Crash Test moved a chair over to play with the lights, but I guess the alarm keypad was just too tempting so she pushed a “panic” button. It’s a direct link to the police department so they showed up within 5 minutes. She came right to the door with me and said to the officer “Me, me did.” Got that all settled, a new plate of food for me, Bug in the shower, and I sat down to eat. In between the roar of the thunder I hear a distinct “plop, plop” coming from the fireplace – water’s leaking down the chimney. Wait a minute – I hear another “drip, plop” sound coming from the mudroom. Yup, sure enough I’ve got a leak there too now. I’m really done now – tomorrow’s another day. And for those of you that think being a SAHM or WAHM is easy – this all has happened since 7:40 tonight and the time is now 9:40 p.m.
Just ventured outside to see why all the cars are turning around on our street – it’s flooded knee deep. Can this night get any better.
I Remember When. . . June 25, 2009
I remember when I was 23. I remember late nights out with my friends. I remember the freedom of not knowing where my life was going and constantly changing my mind about what I was going to do with my life. I remember living in no less than 6 different places between the ages of 22 – 25 and a few roommates from hell. I remember dating a least the same number of guys in the same number of years. I remember feeling like someone was digging my heart out with a old, dull spoon every time one of the (well at least 2 of them broke up with me). I remember some of the stupid decisions I made along the way – not quite remembering how I got home after a late night out at the bar, doing 95 (and faster) on I-95 after last call, giving a complete stranger - really a dance with a guy at a club does not mean you know him – a ride home and go in for a “cup of coffee” – Yeah right. Stupid, stupid decisions, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Do I regret doing some of the things I did? Yup. Am I thankful every day that I made it out alive from that time in my life? You betcha. Am a grateful that I Higher Authority kept me save and everyone around me save from harm? YES!
So why am I writing all this out? One – because it’s 1:50 in the morning and I can’t sleep. Two – because I feel it’s very therapeautic to reflect back on certain times of you life and realize how far you’ve come (and how thoroughly stupid you were with some of the decisions you’ve made). And three – because I hope someone of my what dozen followers and find a lesson for themselves that I’ve already lived through.
It wasn’t easy being that age – 22 – 25. For the most part, unless you decide to go on to grad school, you’re education is done. Think about it since the age 5 your job has been school. That’s your primary responsibility, the moving force in your life. Sure you may have had part-time jobs during high school and college but your primary goal was to complete your education, no matter how far you wanted to go with it. Then all of sudden – WAHM (no not work-at-home mom) you’re thrust into the “real world” with rent, utilities, student loans, credit card debt, insurance, car payments and the drudgery of a 40 hour work week. Sounds really appealing doesn’t it. Of course, who wouldn’t want to blow off a little steam now and then? Who wouldn’t throw caution to the wind and make decision that lack any amount of common sense? I did. I’m sure just about everyone I know did. As did many others out there. I didn’t have a husband, kids or a mortgage. I didn’t have anyone else dependent on me. My decisions didn’t really affect anyone else. Or did they? How easily some of my decision could have turned really bad, really fast for not only me, but people around me, total strangers.
Like I said, I’m so very thankful that nothing seriously bad happened because of my decisions. I’m thankful that my parents probably never fully knew all that I did (well, now they do). I’m thankful that no one got hurt. And I’m thankful that I grew out of it. That age was fun. I saw a lot, learned a lot about myself, and grew a lot. But I wouldn’t want to relive it – not in a million years.
Thought for Today June 16, 2009
So my youngest, single and child-less, sister is visiting with us this week. She came with me and the kids and experienced grocery shopping with two children the other day. As she was strolling down the aisle, much like I used to pre-children, I was wishing I had a cattle prod to move her along. For anyone who has never gone shopping with children, here is my Thought for Today. Grocery, or really any type of shopping, with small children is meant to be done quickly and with the least amount of trauma inflected on yourself, the children and the many other innocent customers/store employees you are bound to come in contact with.
Sometimes I Miss It. . . May 18, 2009
Sometimes. I definitely miss the money associated with having a traditional full-time office job. I sometimes miss wearing clothes other than sweats or yoga pants. I sometimes miss the structure of working the same hours 5 days a week. Sometimes. I sometimes don’t miss the commuting at least 2 hours a day. I sometimes don’t miss the struggle of wanting to help out at my son’s school but not having enough hours in the work day to do it. I sometimes don’t miss writing a check out to daycare for 1/2 my pay. I sometimes don’t miss not having the flexibility to take my daughter for a walk or go out and play on the swings if I want to. Sometimes. . . sometimes.
Feeling a Change Coming On May 16, 2009
A while back I wrote about how it seems like every couple of months I shake things up a bit and get a new lease on life type of attitude. I feel one coming on again. I quit a job that just wasn’t working out for me and my family. I’ve committed to going back to working out 3 – 4 times a week. I’ve started a diet and fitness journal. I planted some new flowers and a vegetable garden – we’ll have to wait and see how that works out. I’m the self professed Queen Dunce of Gardening. I’m trying to take more time each day to just enjoy my kids – play with them, read to them, snuggle with them. I’m trying not to stress out over the little things, because in the end all that’s really going to matter is that I was true to myself and my family, and friends.
Motherhood Lessons April 17, 2009
Okay – so I was tagged by Tishia over at http://www.momstalknetwork.com/resources/motherhood-lessons-big-mistakes-are-forgiveable/ a while ago to share a motherhood lesson I’ve learned. For those of you that don’t know, I’m the mom to two wonderful though sometimes defiant challenging children – a 7 year old boy and a 19 month old girl, Bug and Buddha, respectively.
When my son was born, and all during his first few years of life, I remember I would call my parents either in tears or utter frustration – or both – and ask “Where’s the instruction manual?” The response would always be the same – “There is no instruction manual, sweetie. You’re doing fine. You’re a wonderful mother.” Great – Thanks. That really helped. But in a way it did. Being a mom – rather, a parent – isn’t about doing everything “right”. It’s about having the confidence to know that you are doing the best you can for your child. It’s about realizing that you definitely aren’t going to get it right, and that it’s okay. There are going to be speed bumps along the way – hiccups so to speak. But that “this too shall pass”. So I guess I would have to say gaining confidence was the best motherhood lesson I’ve learned – thus far. I realize life is filled with lessons. I’m constantly learning from by children and about my children. For instance, did you know it’s perfectly natural for a child to stop listening to basic commands, like “stop hitting your sister”, “stop running”, “stop kicking the table” whenever you go out in public! This whole motherhood/parenthood thing is full of challenges and obstacles, but it’s also filled with just as many moments of shear pride and joy. Having the confidence to face those challenges is a necessity. Because if you let them see you sweat, it’s all over. Even if you don’t know everything – act like you do. You know Moms are supposed to know everything – at least according to my 7 year old. “Mom, did L e-mail you back?” “I don’t know, Bug, I haven’t checked my e-mail this morning.” “But don’t you know if she e-mailed you?” “No, I haven’t checked my e-mail.” “But you’re supposed to know EVERYTHING.” “Oh, right, sorry. Then, the answer is ‘No, she hasn’t e-mail me yet’.” See – don’t let them see you sweat. Have the confidence and believe you are right, even if (GASP) you might not be 100%. Don’t worry – 25 or so years down the road, when they ask you “Where’s the instruction manual?” You can say, “There isn’t one. Don’t worry. You’re doing a great job, sweetie.” Then, and only then, will they truly understand.
