my daily morning routine

It’s 6:30am…I can’t seem to peel my eyes open in order to enter the land of the living…I hear the “MOMMMMMMYYYYYY……ah done nigh nigh…Mommmmmmyyyyy”. But, I just can’t seem to make my body yank itself out of bed. Fortunately for me, I have a darling husband who happens to be a morning person…he just skips out of bed in the morning, greeting it with a smile (Gag me!!) Anyway, he lovingly cuddles little Munchkin and sets her in bed with me. As she pokes her fingers into my closed eyelids and incessantly yells into my face, “Mommy…Mommy…Mommy” I am thinking, “Oh, the morning has just come too quickly.”

I manage to roll out of bed eventually and stumble my way downstairs…being sure to not carry Munchkin down the stairs myself because I can barely balance my own body (WHY do I stay up so late???UGH) I get her set up with round ONE of Blue’s Clues (all the while listening to her banter on about the doggie and outside and eating and when are sissies waking up) and by round two, Honey Bunch (switching from Nipper…trying to find blog names that fit my 3 girlie girls…more on that later) and Peanut have awoken and I begin the “breakfast routine”…

Cereal for Honey Bunch, French toast for Peanut and cheesy eggs for Munchkin…along with apple juice for HB, orange juice for P and milk for M….I get them completely set up…I’ve dragged my feet throughout the entire process, willing my body to please wake up and smell the coffee!!! It takes a good amount of time for us NIGHT people to function in the morning and I am not exempt…

I ask them all…”are you all set? Do you have everything you need?” I can tell by the blank stares that they agree…they all have their food, their drink, and their TV (yes, I do allow my children to watch a full hour of TV in the morning these days…some parents are just better than others…oh well)

Not once during this entire hour process have I heard a peep…they obviously do not need a thing…they are content…quietly welcoming the morning…giddy with their breakfast, ecstatic that mom has finally relaxed on the whole TV watching thing…nope, not a word…I ask again, “sweeties, do you need anything else? Mommy REALLY has to use the potty (and I think I’m about stable enough to do it now!)”
SILENCE…okay…good…it’s the green light…I can now have 5 minutes to myself to really “awaken”

I climb the stairs to our bedroom and enter the master bathroom…check my eyes in the mirror, think about possibly weighing myself…change my mind…see the throne and shuffle toward it…just a few precious moments to myself…it’s not until I sit down that the yelling begins …”Mommy….I need your help!!! Moooommmmyyyyy!” It’s the tone of voice that scares every mother…has someone gotten hurt? Is there blood? Someone is breaking into the house? A fire has started somewhere?

I quickly get off and am yanking up my sleep pants as I franticly run down the stairs to see what has caused such havoc in the mere 2 minutes that I’ve been away… “Darlings, whatever is the matter…what do you need??”

“Mom, could you get me another spoon?”

Seriously? Come on now…seriously?

And the day has only just begun….

The Blog where I just blah, blah, blah my way to some sort of conclusion...and some other stuff...

My brother and his family came to visit this weekend...
They brought the whole crew of course...we had such a good time...didn't really go anywhere, just kinda hung out and I took a bunch of pictures...of which I thought I'd share, because, well, it's my blog and since I'm crazy about photography, I want to share some of the good shots that I get (mind you, "good" shots are a dime a dozen...I took over 100 pictures in a 24 hour period of time...about 12 turned out...I'll share a few)

Next, I've been obsessing again...it seems like I choose one thing to obsess about every once in awhile...this weekend it was "high fructose corn syrup"...what in the world? I've changed our bread, jam, crackers, cereal, (can't give up pop yet)...but goodness, it's in a lot of stuff...I love that commercial where the 2 people are sitting down to eat something and one says, "you're not gonna eat that are you? Don't you know it has high fructose corn syrup in it? You know what they say about that?" and the other person spouts off some thing about moderation and it's all okay...yeah, well, I'm all for moderation, but for heaven's sake, it's in EVERYTHING...how I can be moderate, if it's IN everything I eat...and regular stuff like bread, cereal, crackers...

Anyway, I'm trying to get a reality check, because I'm NOT going all organic and I'm not taking popcicles and ice cream away from the kiddos and start feeding them twigs and bark...but I am trying to be healthy, for my kids sake...we do a lot of talking about healthy choices...I"m not worried about their weight (they are skinny as rails) but, I worry about the health of their hearts and other organs in the future...

Okay, next on my list of blah blah blah...my husband got me a digital frame for mother's day (only $34, regularly $145...I was impressed!) If you know me, you know I love pictures...every picture in my house is of something I have taken...this is what leads me to my dilemma. That same awesome husband shared with me his ideas for our anniversary this year and I just can't doggone decide...here are my 4 choices:

1- JEWELRY: again, ifyou know me, I don't wear a ton of jewelry...I wear my wedding bands, a solid gold band he bought me on our cruise and my watch...I just started wearing earrings again (I own 2 pair) after a 6 year hiatus. BUT, I am starting to like it...I like things that stand the test of time...that I can pass down to my girls some day...so this has some value to it...

2- a new NIKON D90: I flipped out on this one...Italian Stallion has bought me 2 of my 3 SLR cameras since we've been together...they are used almost daily. However, I think I am going away from this option, because I want them to get the kinks out before I purchase a new one and I haven't necessarily "outgrown" my D70 just yet.

3- MERA KOH PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP PLUS AIRFARE: I totally flipped on this one...Me Ra Koh is a photographer, a high end one, celebrities, etc...I visit her blog often, because she is really good at explaining camera stuff to women and especially moms. However, this is an EXPENSIVE workshop...the plus side is that I've looked for photography classes before, but none of them teach the way I learn, nor really teach what I want to know...she would...UGH, it's just so hard...

4- an AMISH HUTCH to match our other amish furniture in the kitchen/dining area, especially against our newly painted red wall!!! I love this idea too...I've always wanted a hutch (more places to put picture frames) and to display my grandmother's crystal and our china (which is now ever so lovely packed back in a cupboard somewhere where I can't reach them)

I've already listed out pros and cons to each of these, so I won't bore you with MORE of my reasons why or why not to go with each of these ideas...although I will say that my husband is just the most thoughtful...oh my goodness, he is just my bestest friend in the world and I sometimes can't understand how I got so lucky!

Okay...so I think I'll just end now because my eyes are tired and if yours aren't BLEEDING at this point out of the pure insanity of this post, then you probably just "skimmed" it...have a great day!!!

It's Going by So Fast

Our "staycation" is coming to a close...I'm sure most of you are as tired of listening to me say "staycation" as I am of saying it myself...but I'm continuing to the end...and sad for us, that end is already in sight. It's been wonderful having Daddy home everyday. We've gotten lots done on the house i.e. the red wall, the front flower bed is finally complete (after living here for 3 years, we figured the anonymous home owners association would be happy), the garden is planted, the inside of the house is clean, windows are all washed, and the trim around the garage is painted.

We've done lots of fun stuff too: like...going to the park, bike rides, camping out, movie nights, family hikes, and lots more...(wish I would have brought my camera to more of them, but it was fun to just live in the moment!)

Which brings me to tonight...we went out to my fav restaurant, Molly Woo's, to celebrate. Loaded all 3 girls into the van and headed on our way. Anthony had a wave of sleepiness hit him as we started out, so we just sat and listened to the girls "talk" in the back. It was nice to just hold hands and listen to our children for awhile...and boy the giggles that came from the rear of the car were joyous...

The unending laughter continued all the way into the restaurant, where it "leaked" over to Mommy and Daddy...our girls make us so happy. (please do not read that they are perfect, because they are 1/2 of me and we all know you ain't gettin' perfect from that!!!) But, on these special occasions when life sorta slows down...you get to appreciate the simpler things.

In the middle of Woodles of Noodles and Lettuce Cups, while the snickers and smiles were still plentiful, I looked at Anthony and just said, "If I could capture that "feeling" in a bottle and save it forever...those smiles, that laugh, the twinkle in their eyes...it's all going so fast!"

I can't believe that my Sweetpea is heading to 2nd grade next year, and how is Peanut old enough to be in Kindergarten already? And Little Munchkin, holy cow...she'll be two so soon...it's going by so fast...I know why I take so many pictures and record endless video footage, but it still goes by...sometimes I wish I could stop time...but then, I think, if I did that, I'd miss out on the "next" stage of fun...

but anyway...that was my evening...a great way to celebrate the ending...Uncle Don, Aunt Laurie and the 4 Js are coming tomorrow and the my girls are ECSTATIC!!!

I'll end with a picture of Peanut...and seriously, couldn't you just eat her up? Want to just put her in your pocket and save her forever???

Murphy's Law for Moms

#1 Sippy cups that guarantee NOT to leak…WILL LEAK and will leak while you are in the car on your way someplace special and it WILL leak all over your child’s clothes and if not, then she will definitely be sure to POUR it on herself anyway.

#2 Noone will have to use the bathroom before they get out of the house, even with the constant reminders and “tries”…BUT, as soon as everyone is buckled up and you are pulling OUT of the driveway…THEN, they will need to pee!

#3 After everyone has gotten up before 7am on a beautiful day, and after you’ve all been rushing around for the past 2 HOURS getting ready to get out the door to enjoy the sunshine at the zoo, not until everyone is IN the car, buckled up, will they THEN remind you that noone has eaten breakfast and by golly they are STARVED!

#4 You will have every coupon imaginable in your purse or wallet, EXCEPT the very one that you need, that you realize was left on the counter right before you walked out the door.

#5 states that when your phone hasn’t rung all morning, the children are playing quietly in another room and you are just settling down to get some laundry done, the phone WILL ring, someone WILL ring the doorbell, one child WILL start crying, and the other two WILL start arguing at the top of their lungs AND just to throw in some “extra fun”, you’ll also get call waiting and someone will need a bandaid.

#6 once you have laundered all the bed sheets for all the children, put them all warm and snuggly on the beds…that very night will be the first night that your 4 year old wets the bed for the very first time in her life and your littlest Munchkin’s diaper will have fallen off in the middle of the night…therefore soaking all the before said sheets, with pee!

#7 The amount and timing of markers being drawn all over the walls, is directly proportional to when the walls had been painted (which will be the day before)

#8 Your name (MOMMY) being called throughout the day is equal to the number of stars in the sky.

#9 states that noone will “need” you UNTIL you get on the phone…then all craziness WILL break loose…however, the minute you hang up, normalcy will return. (this will all happen in a matter of 5 minutes)

#10 Not until you have sent your middle child upstairs to use the bathroom, and your baby is finally asleep, will that middle child (who has now already gone to the bathroom) yell at the top of their lungs that there is no toilet paper in the bathroom and could you please come and help her. (this will then ensure the crying of the baby who has now awoken)

please feel free to join the fun...list some murphy laws that you have so I don't feel alone:) These all happened within the past month, or actually, the past week...so I'm sure I'll get some more "doozies" in the near future!

A Few Stay-cation pics and a birthday

Today was hubby's birthday! Can't tell you how incredibly thankful I am for this day 34 years ago!

So here are some AWESOME things about my "Italian stallion" :)

HE IS:

my best friend, my husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend and an uncle

incredibly patient...probably more of a super human quality that he posesses

tall, handsome, an awesome hug-giver

a playful, thoughtful, insightful and FUN daddy to our girls

a morning person to the Nth degree and breakfast waffle lover

a hard worker, full of integrity and humble

a spread-sheet maker and video game lover

a "behind the scenes" sort of person, anonymous giver, generous beyond imagination

a quiet, contemplative person who can turn around and be hilariously crazy

a John Deere tractor loving, lawn mowin' fool

not afraid to say, "I'm sorry" or even "I'm wrong"

a Birkenstock sandal, with white socks wearer

confident in who God made him to be

insightful and inspiring and the most wonderful thing to ever happen to me...

Life is not always a piece of cake, but he never gives up, works hard, sacrifices much and I'm so very thankful for him! Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Yes and No

Yes, today is the official start to my hubby’s Stay-Cation.

No, I do not wish we were in Hawaii or some other tropical place.

Yes, okay I may have lied a little bit there…

No, really, I’m looking forward to having him home all week with us!

Yes, I will be getting a Starbucks sometime this week…perhaps a couple!

No, I do not feel guilty about spending $4 on a silly cup of coffee…it’s VACATION!

Yes, I painted my wall red yesterday and YES , I’m STILL giddy about it!

No, I will not paint the rest of the house red because of said giddiness.

Yes, Anthony did some all of the prep work and all I did was pick up the roller.

No, he’s not upset about it, he just likes to rub it in that I’ll get the credit even though HE did most of the work.

And NO, I don’t feel sorry for him.

Yes, I am almost finished planting the entire garden and am sooooooo excited for summer to start.

Yes, we are trying corn again, along with pumpkins, peppers, peas, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini, strawberries, herbs, potatoes, garlic, onions and asparagus…

No, my hubby is not all that happy about the corn again…he doesn’t really see why we need to FEED THE DEER (which is what happens to those crops)

Yes, my Middle Peanut turned 5 and purchased her very first set of Bendaroos with her birthday money.

Yes, I will admit that they are fun and the girls have had a great time in imagination with them…

No, I am not thrilled with the bendaroos that now “decorate” every inch of my house, their bedrooms and leave a pleasant residue on all my windows!

Yes, I’ll continue to let them play with them…because I am such a cool mom!

AND YES, I am totally looking forward to an AWESOME week!!! Happy Monday!

oh and YES, this is the 2nd post in just 12 hours...got a lot to say I guess:)

Red Wall

I have a red wall in my house now…

I never thought I’d be the type of girl to HAVE a red wall in her house…you see, I always envision “those” women as confident, daring, and stylish…and since I don’t tend to exemplify those qualities all that much, I am quite amazed that: I HAVE A RED WALL in my house…

I know it sounds trivial…perhaps just plain dumb…come on girl, it’s a wall…so, it happens to be red…so what?

Yeah, I know…it’s just a wall…but, (and please bare with my “deeper meaning” here) to me it also shows me that God’s doin’ a work in me…funny how He teaches me…I’m SUCH a visual learner!

I’m not the most confident of people…I know that I come off that way to some…but it’s mostly because I’m one of those people who “talks their way to a conclusion”…the type that says what they WANT to believe, even though they “may not” believe it just yet…if you know me well enough, you know that you have to stick around awhile to actually GET what I’m saying…it takes me awhile to get to the POINT (thus my endless blogs!) But, I’m learning to KNOW what the truth is and MAKE myself hang on to, regardless of the other voices that tell me otherwise.

I’m not the most daring of people…I’m more cautious and want to know what’s ahead before I take the next step…but God has allowed me some baby steps along the way here and I am learning to let it go (thus Little Munchkin going down the MASSIVE slide with her hands up in the air…ALONE)

And I’m NOT stylish…yeah, this is the area where He’s not focusing all that much attention…I still have clothes from high school and college in my closet. Oh I long for the days when my roommate would say to me, “So, can I iron that for you before you go out in public?” I just don’t always “put it together” right either…but, c’est la vie.

So…I have a red wall…what does that tell me? It tells me that God is making me focus more on what HE thinks rather than what I think…so I’m free to be ME! I’m such a “comparison” freak! And I’m ALWAYS on the loosing end…He’s been trying to teach me this for so long, but, frankly, I just tune it out! Not as thin as, not as pretty as, not as intelligent as, on and on and on…

But, today…I painted my whole wall red! It’s a cool reminder…or a “hot” reminder (as red is more of a warmer color)
And, I think I may just blow up THIS picture that I took that is another “visual” reminder for me as a mom! And I might just hang it there on my RED WALL!

Enjoy!

First Fruits

I'm so giddy I may have just peed my pants a little bit!!!

We got to pick some lettuce/spinach tonight from OUR OWN garden! Oh my goodness, I was bouncing all the way to those mounds of green. I was all giggles trying to choose which bunch I was going to rip from the dirt. I am not much of a decision maker, but boy oh boy, I was ready tonight! I've had my eyes on those growing green leaves for the past month.

We've never grown lettuce before...this year is the first and I'm happy to add that it will NOT be our last! I got back to the house with a bag filled with romaine, bib lettuce and spinach for Anthony and I to share with some grilled chicken, etc...he asked me how much I had picked...10%?, 20%, is there a lot left?

Honey...I probably picked about 3-5% of what is out there...we are SET! And, man it was good! IT was delicious, who am I kidding? Now, don't take this as bragging...I mean, what in the world did I do but put little seeds in a pile of dirt? It ALWAYS amazes me to see what comes from those itty, bitty seeds!

I am READY for planting the rest of the garden...I'm READY for summer and then for a harvest! YUMMY!!!

So in case you are just dying to see our beautiful, delicious, wonderful greens...I took pictures! Just for you! Enjoy (although not as much as I am about now!!!)

It's a STAYcation!!!

Yep...I'm sure the name is copywrited somewhere, but, as it concerns me, my hubby made it up and he's startin' it TODAY!!! The girls and I can't wait! We've already made him a strawberry pie and it's 'a-coolin' in the fridge as I write this!

Every other year we head to Florida for a 10 day break with Italian Stallion's family...on the off years, we usually take a small family vacation to some place we can drive to...We've done Hilton Head and Williamsburg...but this year we decided that we just needed time around the ole homestead to get some chores done...(I sound like we live in Little House on the Prairie:)

We've got lots planned this week: mulching and planting the front flower bed, painting the master bathroom & kitchen, finishing up and mulching around the garden, painting the trim around the garage, cleaning out the basement, washing all the windows...it's a never ending list, but we hope to make a dent at least...

We also have some fun stuff planned like: the park, the zoo, the beach, dessert night out and of course, you KNOW I'll be running to Starbucks every other morning or so:) That's MY vacation treat anywhere we go (or don't go in this case)

School will probably be put on the backburner next week, but considering we've already finished all the curriculum (about 2 months ago) I think we'll be okay...I've gotta say that this year was really neat just learning with my girls. I have found just how different they all are in not only their learning styles, but how they relate and respond to me and to others. I feel like I've learned a ton and have my spots that I know I need to watch for in the future with regards to certain areas...especially as we put them back into public school next year.

Sweetpea lost another tooth yesrday, actually I pulled it out...after an HOUR AND A HALF of "talking her down"...she is me all over again, and I had to use every tactic I could to calm her little heart down...when it was all said and done, she was all smiles (minus the tooth)...and then, Macie came along and chowed that tooth down...it's disgusting I know, but somehow she found it and I saw her munching...I guess she hadn't brushed it in awhile and Macie thought it was quite tasty!

Middle Peanut has a heart that always keeps me in check...as we were driving yesterday, we were listening to some old Steve Green Hide 'Em in your Heart CD...the music and words were about Jesus being our savior and taking our place...she finally spoke up, "Mommy, could you please turn it to the next song, I can't stop crying and I need to be ready for gymnastics" MELT ME!!!

And then there's my Little Munchkin whom has FINALLY begun talking...she'll be 2 next month and it has finally happened...it's a whole new world opened up for her...and she is LOVING it! She wakes up extra early (6:15am) each day because she can't wait to start...and start she does, even from her crib, "Mommy, all done nigh-nigh"

I'm looking forward to a great week! I get Italian STallion home EVERYday, ALLday for the next 10 days!!! YIPPEE...

Not Me Monday

It's Monday again.

Thought I'd try a Not Me one....again.

So, I did NOT start this blog post with only 3 hours left in the entire 24 hours of MONDAY because I was having some sort of mental cramp. Nope, not me...I'm confident as all get out! I always think I'm funny!

I did NOT act like a crazed, lunatic at my daugther's b-day party this weekend trying to do a puppet show. I'm very calm and organized!

I did NOT tell every adult at the party, who was in charge of a game station, to give the birthday girl the BIGGEST prize and then at my station, only give her a piece of candy. I mean seriously, what kind of mother breaks her own rules and especially doesn't spoil her child on said child's birthday?

I did not ONLY bring a diaper & no wipes to a restaurant again and little munchkin did NOT load her pants...and I most certainly would not have just slicked her down with the clean parts of the messy diaper and put on a new one anyway. That's just disgusting, I would soooooo NOT do that!

I did not spend umpteen hours creating trading cards for Sweetpea's soccer team, pay for them to be printed, cut them all out and THEN realize that I didn't spell check! Seriously, how irresponsible, nope, not me!

Little Munchkin (who doesn't say a lot words) did NOT very loudly ask for a drink of "POP" in front of my mother in law...I was NOT embarrassed by the fact that my one year old knows how to say POP, but can't say Nana...and I was certainly NOT feeling lower than low that my MIL now knows that I give my children large sodas to pacify them.

And, I most definitely did NOT spend 1.5 hours working out this evening only to come home and pour MYSELF a large soda and suck it down like I was dying of thirst...nope...not me!

That's all I got! Tuesday, here I come!

Ridic-UH-lous

...Blutterfly..."I'm alright...." (after falling down for the hundredth time)..."Mommy, tell me about when you were a little girl"...green skirt, purple top, yellow headband, and winter boots in the middle of summer...

That's my Middle Peanut...and today she is FIVE!!!

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She chose a BUG CARNIVAL theme for her party...which was a change from the Bolt party...which was a change for the original Narnia party...I believe she inherited the "wait 'til the last moment possible" syndrome from her mother...but we "thrive" on the adrenaline rush to get it done at the last second...so...it's fun!

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Here are the pics from the party day...and a few things I love about my middle girl:

*the fact that she has waffles every morning for breakfast.

*how she loves to tackle with her hugs.

*she doesn't like to do anything with her hair...pretty much EVER...but still looks cute.

*that she will wear winter boots in the summer and cowboy boots with no socks, just because.

*she doesn't dress to look good, but to be comfortable (and of course, the "twirl" factor)

*she tears up at even the "thought" of something sad.

*her compassionate heart, especially for her sisters.

*that fact that she "makes a new friend" practically every place she goes.

*she likes to wear her bike helmet just because she's outside playing.

*her free-spirit and fearlessness.

*her giggles.

*her awesome "snort" impression of a pig.

*her crazy bowling technique while playing Wii...it's a sight to see!

Happy Birthday my special girl!!!

The Concession Stand

The Fishing for Buggy Treats Stand

Cone-a-rama Game

Buggy through the Hoop Game

The "excited" face that she had on throughout ALL the gifts...it was a

Littlest Pet Shop Extravaganza

Mommy had to get out all her old puppets for a good 'ole fashioned puppet show

YES...this is my HUSBAND in the rainbow clown wig...I think he had as much fun as the kids!!!

What a Day!

Everyone has good days and bad days...it just comes with life. I am finding though that I have more like a good day/bad day/good day/good day/bad day/good day...maybe I shouldn't be someone who quantifies in terms of "day"...perhaps it's more like moments...I wish I could say that I were a more "stable" person, but I'm more like a roller coaster. I so often let my emotions get the better of me...I can crush my girls' spirits in a blink of an eye, but I can get them laughing even faster with my craziness...I'm working on it though. They are my legacy...and I strive for more good moments over the bad...and with that:

I will say, that we had quite a few good Moments today...and I thought I would share!

Gotta love the tongue action...

or perhaps a game of "peek-a-boo"?

This is our little "pig snorter"...she does the BEST pig impression!!!

Here is one of those "bad/good" moments...my husband decides to teach littlest munchkin (who happens to only be 1 year old) to go down the 10 foot slide with her hands up...

Momma's not havin' a "good moment" here

This last picture will have to do, because the REAL photo I want to put here, isn't a photo anywhere but in my mind...you see, today, my little angels were all swinging while Mommy was
"reading" in her little chair in front of them. Sweetpea decides that she wants to read too, so she goes to get her book bag full of books from the library earlier today...once she comes out, Peanut decides she wants to read too, which leads to Little Munchkin choosing a Curious George book to look at whilst in her bucket swing...To say that my heart swelled with pride and love is an understatement...I wanted to go inside and grab my camera, but I chose to soak in the moment and continue reading/swinging my girls as we ALL read our books together on the swings!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...good moments today!

Date Night

Well...not really...I mean if you want to actually "call" it that...it was more like spending an evening in "Hick-ville" (not referring to any directional or global location, you'll get what I mean in a sec)

So, we dropped the older two off at AWANA...yes, freedom for just a few wee hours. We still had little munchkin, but that's not a big deal...heck, what were we thinking when we only had one...man, to go back in time and not feel stuck to a nap schedule...ANYWAY, I digress...

We dropped them off and we had a couple hours to do whatever we wanted...we could:
* go out for dessert
* head to Barnes N Noble to catch up on some reading
* take baby to the mall play place and sit for awhile
* go home and relax together on the couch
* surprise some friends and pop over for a quick hello

NOPE...what do 2 thirty-somethings do in our "out in the boonies" country town???

They head to the grand opening of MEIJER to walk around! Yep, that's how we spent this evening folks...walkin' the aisles of Meijer...for "fun"! I'm feeling a little old!

Not Me Monday

A friend on facebook today said, "MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU!"

Yep, it's THAT kind of day! And so I begin with Not Me! Monday...MckMamma is the start of all this...so I need to give credit where credit is due...check out her blog here

I did NOT just spend an entire hour screaming my head off at a 7 year old soccer game...I mean, come on, they are ONLY 7, why would ANYONE need to scream the entire time...NOT ME!

I did NOT allow my children to eat goldfish crackers and cheese curls for lunch and deem it nutrious because of the "dairy" content of the cheese...nope...not me!

I did NOT loose my head completely and drag my kids to 3 different stores because I was in such a hurry and then buy them big hug pops to pacify them...come on, think of all that high fructose corn syrup...no GOOD mom would do such a thing!

I did NOT tell my children that I threw away all the candy in the house and then secretly stash it for myself...

My children did NOT whine or argue at all last week when I asked them to finish their work and help me clean the house before the weekend...nope, they are angels I tell you!

A couple weeks ago, I most certainly did not NOT change my daughter's diaper before we went to Costco even though I knew she had loaded it...and then I did NOT feel the poo running down my arm...and of course, I most certainly did NOT leave the wipes in the car and have to strip her down and wipe her with the stiff, coarse paper towels in the bathroom and proceed to then allow her to sit in the one diaper I had left for the remainder of our shopping trip. And I did NOT smell of poop, nor have a large yellow stain the entire length of my arm on my long sleeve WHITE tee shirt...nope...no siree!!!


I did NOT just send out invitations to my daughter's birthday party that is THIS Saturday...I"m a planner...I've had the party details set in stone for months...I mean, who would wait to the last possible minute to plan such an important event as a 5 year old birthday party...not me of course!

Well...I'll leave it at that for now...thanks MckMamma for the idea!

Soccer Games

So, what is it about little kids' sports games that gets everyone RILED up???

I have to really be on guard with myself at these little "soccer games"...good grief! I find myself yelling and cheering...runnin' up and down the side lines...snappin' pictures left and right...I want to encourage those girls and I get so excited for them. They are trying so hard. I think I must drive other people nuts, but I'm just so into these games...anytime they pass the ball or dribble it just a few feet without it being stolen...man I'm cheerin' them on like nobody's business...and I have a BIG mouth!!

"You can do it"
"Dig deep girls...GOOOOOOOOO"
"WooHoo...You Go Girl..."
"AWESOME....You are GREAT...Keep it up!!"

And then...(there's always an 'and then'...) inevitably, there are those older, bigger girls from the other teams that tower over my baby like giants. Their coaches are in for the kill, they are in it to win...they post those giants in front of the goal with the goalie and camp out there until our little girls come down the field with the ball...and the ATTACK SWARM begins...I've got to believe it's intimidating for our girls...but what gets me is the "meanness" that ensues...

Here are the "other" things going through my head during these types of games that I do NOT say out loud:
"Get your elbow OUT of my girl's face!"
"Push her back sweetie, knock her down!"
"If you so much as touch my girl again, I don't care that you are only 7 years old...(insert mumbles)"
"trip her trip her trip her!!!"
"Don't let her grab you sweetie, pull her shorts down!"

Now really, lest you think I"m some mean spirited mother who wants to "seek and destroy" all other opponents to my OWN daughter..please understand, that is NOT the case. I know those other little girls on the opposing team are NOT evil, nor do they really have "HURT THE ENEMIES" in their mind...it's just that Mama bear in me and perhaps a "tad" of a competitive spirit???

In the end, I join the parent tunnel line and I yell and cheer for ALL the girls...I recognize a good shot (even from the other team) and I let them know...once the whistle blows, it's all over. My adrenaline kick subsides and I'm back to breathing normally!

I don't even think the girls care that much whether they've won or lost, they all slap hands, hug, poor water on their heads, giggle...and then look for the snacks!

Only 3 more games to go...whew...I can only handle so much! :)