Tuesday, November 17, 2009

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

What have I done?

Apparently the chaos of home hasn't been quite hectic enough.

Let's throw a road trip into the mix!!! Yeee Haw!

*sigh*

Yup, I've gone and done it now...


I booked tickets for the kids and I to go to New Hampshire in December for five days... FIVE...... and NO, that's not a typo... the kids and I..... nope, no spouse.


Holy crap... (actually, i accidentally typed 'holly' crap - which is kinda funny, but i digress)

Two fun filled days of travelling with two children who subscribe to the belief of 'perpetual motion' -

Along with 3 fun filled days in an 800 square foot house that is sure to be missing the 'necessary' child friendly babysitting options (i.e. video games, movies, television, computer, etc.)

And... BONUS... it's New Hampshire... so it's freakin' COLD!


again... *sigh*

This is how my children were dressed the last time we went up North...... in AUGUST - they were freezing then.. how are they going to be in DECEMBER?

*sigh*












And this is them just after we landed and got into the rental car on our last trip to New England.
They look so cute, don't they?
Looks can be deceiving.
Allison had just thrown up because she ate too much crap that we threw at her to keep her quiet on the plane. Danny had just gotten through with his dry heaves because his sister had just finished throwing up in the rental car and his stomach strength leaves a little to be desired.












*sigh*
Watch out Mom and Dad - you're in for five days of fun!


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Overwhelmed?

Do you ever just feel completely overwhelmed?

Every once in a while I just lose it entirely. It's like my eyes are suddenly opened to the true amount of chaos in my world.

...and it ain't pretty.

I know that you're supposed to just take one thing at a time and consider it an accomplishment, but man... when the projects all seem monumental it's hard to really wrap your head around it.

It seems like there's always little things that get in the way of beginning the BIG things.

As I stand at my back door looking out into the yard (which everyone else in the neighborhood can see as well) all I can do is *sigh* and back away from the door. There is just so much to do!

fences to be mended
gates to be power washed, sanded and painted
landscaping to be done
lawn to be cut
rubbish/debris to be removed

*sigh*

So what do i do??? Do I take the initiative, roll up my sleeves and start working?

No

I play Bejewled.

(I am rolling my eyes as I type this)


You know what???? This is what I'll do.... I'm going to post a 'BEFORE' picture of my backyard.

Then, perhaps, I can be shamed, (whooops sorry, I meant to say MOTIVATED! Yay!!) into accomplishing something -

Keep your fingers crossed that the 'AFTER' picture doesn't look worse!



Good lord, I just went out to take the pictures and now I'm really in panic mode!
Any advice is much appreciated.
ugh.

~of course we can always hope for rain! (she says hopefully!!!)










Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Yet another little epiphany

Blech....

I hate the fact that I am so incredibly passive/aggressive. It's one of those traits where you KNOW your reaction is coming, but dammit... you just can't seem to help it.

Know what I mean?

Here's example number one...

(names changed to protect the guilty)

I'm angry today at 'someone'.... let's just say for the sake of argument his name is 'Rick'

so here's the deal. Do I say, 'Rick' I'm angry with you.....

oh HELL no....

I go and hang out at someone else's house because..... 'that'll show him'


WTF... really????


Here's the kicker... 'Rick' doesn't give a wing-ding because 'Rick' isn't home.


So stupid... you have to laugh at yourself.


I do this crap all the time. I get mad and do the 'I'll show YOU' routine and end up doing something equally as ridiculous like -not putting the dishes away- oooohhhhhh - impressive!!!


Yup, 20 years of therapy....


..... useless .....


But... We had a GREAT Halloween...

Just look at my monsters!



Hopefully we can save them before their teeth rot out of their heads!
I'm not going to mention that I snagged all of the Hershey's miniatures (that are now gone)......

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Whaaat?

No no no no no
What do you mean my baby is growing up?

no no no
My baby boy is going to his first sleep-over on Friday night.
*sigh*

Granted, it's a friend he's had since kindergarten..
Granted, his Mom is a teacher at our school district
Granted, he has two older and a younger brother.
Still....
I asked him if he wanted to take Pooplet (see prior posts) and he said 'Mommmm, Puleeze'
I asked him if he wanted to take his 'blanket' and he said 'of course... and my armadillo too!'
I told him that I'd miss him if he went... and again with the 'Mommmm, Puleeze'

...my baby...

again... * sigh*





Did i mention that Allison apparently gets her 'surliness' from me...

case and point...
Think I'm in a little trouble here, or what?

Friday, October 9, 2009

Happy Anniversary






Did I mention that I love my husband?


I'm sure I don't say it enough (does anyone?)



He's a good guy. No, really.... he's a GOOD guy!

He puts up with more than his fair share of $hit and never complains. He just nods his head alot and says... 'uh hmmm'

That's a bonus.

We've been married for 11 years. Eleven. Wow. Even typing that looks funny. I still remember on our wedding day that Father Mario said that we should go out to breakfast (at Denny's) before all of the hullaballoo started and really take stock in what we were doing. FOR....THE...REST....OF...OUR...LIVES...


Things have changed, things have happened: kids have been born, family members have died, jobs have come and gone - new friends, new houses, new worries, new issues, new hobbies, new trials, new tribulations. Yada, yada, yada.


One thing has remained the same.


I love my husband.


I still get that 'butterfly' feeling in my stomach when I see him and I don't expect to.


I still marvel at the way he handles the kids - whether they're being good, or bad, or if mama needs a nap.


I still think he's the smartest person I know... (well... not trivia-wise... that's me)


I still believe that he can protect me, and Danny and Al from just about anything. Lightning, hurricaines, intruders, Bob Howard.... anything!


He lets me trim his eyebrows.... I mean really.... How many guys let their women do that?


He made me a chicken quesadilla for lunch.


He keeps his mouth shut when I add green beans to dinner - the kids don't even know that he hates them.


He travels with me, even though I'm a psychotic traveler that has no business being on any form of mass transportation.


Last weekend, he stopped watching the Cowboys play (his #1 love... after his family) to film me and the kids making cookies...


He tries to put my clothes away (even though he's color-blind and I color coordinate everything in my closet)


He loves me.


And I've never questioned it.


He still kisses me every time he leaves the house.


He still gives me the 'good spot' on the couch.


He is honestly the best thing that's ever happened to me.


...and I love him.



Happy Anniversary Ricardo... (spouse)



breakfast is my treat this weekend... Looking forward to 50 more years with you, love.








Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Just so you don't think I'm completely inept


What can I say? the girl LOVES to cook! She's actually great at it. no lie! She made meatloaf last night and it was excellent. Danny says that her meatloaf is his favorite.
Just FYI - 7 year old boys don't say things just to make you 'feel good'. He honestly thinks so!
But... we started young...

My kids have made so many baked goods in their lifetime. It's amazing we're not all 500 lbs.


and the fun continues!




Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Really???

Polish up that trophy!


Yup, the 'Mother of the Year' trophy is coming my way! I'm SURE of it! There's no question!!


Would you like to hear why I'm so confident that I'll be the next recipient????


Of course you do...


because it will make you that much more positive that even the 'Octo-Mom' is a more able parent than I am....


As many of you know, I don't deal well with mayhem, pressure, clutter and randomness...

(I have enough little voices in my head that make things confusing enough, so adding to that just results in a complete breakdown and usually assuming the fetal position, beer in hand.)


Well... I had no idea that 2nd grade would be this hard. No.... REALLY! I'm not kidding! It's ridiculous! Danny's math abilities have already FAR surpassed mine (to the point that Daddy has to help him with his homework, because, again, Mama assumes the fetal position and cowers in a corner).

There's this new crap where they have to figure stuff out in a window pane pattern or some such nonsense

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh0JgiATWkg

See???? I told you!!! I did a google search for 'window pane math' and guess what? Cy-Fair ISD is the only one that does it. Lucky me... Lucky, lucky, lucky me...

But, I digress... Actually, I don't know why I was even going on that tangent... I guess to add to my argument that the Octo-Mom has me beat...

Anyways... Danny comes home from school on Monday, homework in hand, attitude galore, and hiccuping like a crazy drunk hobo.

Now, Mondays are stressful around here because after waiting for 45 minutes in car line (the work of the devil, I'm convinced), we need to get home, get homework done, have a snack, get to religious ed, get home and get fed, bathed and brushed and bedded. This is what happens on a "normal" Monday. .. Adding the hiccups to the mix just put us all over the edge.

"Mama?" he says...
"What Dan?"
"I need some hiccup medicine."

You may not be aware that there is hiccup medicine. It's all psychosomatic in my household... Here are my options:
1. pickle juice
2. worcestershire sauce
3. lemon juice

Any one of these, delivered in a spoon, to a member of my family, shocks the system into forgetting about the hiccups. Really... it works.

So in the interest of curing Danny's hiccups *quickly* I gave him a spoonful of pickle juice.

"Um, Mama?"
"What Dan?"
"Um.... hic..... it..... didn't..... hic.... work"
"Oh for Pete's sake, Danny.... Here, try this"
A spoonful of Worcestershire sauce coming up!

Fast forward thirty minutes... Mama has forgotten all about the 'medicine' and is throwing Danny in the car to head to Religious Ed.

"Here, have a cookie and a Danimal...." (liquid yogurt, essentially)

*My stomach is reeling, just typing this

Long story short... well.... you can imagine how green this poor boy was when I picked him up at church.

He went right to bed, without dinner, clutching his stomach saying, 'Mama? Why did you make me eat/drink all that? You made me sick."


I've got a shelf all ready for my trophy...

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Wanna hear something funny?



I went to college to be an art teacher... yup. me.



For those of you that know me now, I'm sure you're making that 'say whaaaat?' face.



Not just because I can no longer draw a stick figure, but because I'm (ahem) not very good with children.



Yup, it's true. I'm not quite sure where or when it happened. I used to LOVE kids. I used to babysit, coach, hang out with and just enjoy being around kids. Now.... not-so-much.



Don't get me wrong... I love my kids. I love my kids friends. I love my friends' kids.



But the rest of 'em????? Oh sweet Jesus.... I don't have the strength for them.



Now, I know that if this blog 'falls into the wrong hands' it has the potential of making me a social pariah.



'What?' 'You don't like kids, you say"

'What kind of a monster are you, anyway?'

'You should be banished to a 'loft' downtown'

'How can you not LOOOOOVE children?"



I'm guessing it's a lot like that Bill Cosby skit that has Jeffrey.... 4 years old... on a plane.. if you don't know it, look it up... it's freakin' hysterical.



Today, I spent most of the day watching other peoples' kids. By choice? No. By necessity? maybe. Because I felt like someone had to? Yes.



I wish I could just let other people parent the way they do and not worry about it. But instead, I take it ALL on. The 'what if's' and the 'Where did they go' and the 'Is he okay' and the 'who's gonna buy him ice cream when everyone else on the street has it, and no adult is here to give him money..." yada, yada, yada.



This 'responsible adult' thing really sucks.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Now what? Indulge me for a moment...

The dying process is a period of time when the body begins to shut down and prepare for death. It's an important period of time for the dying person and their loved ones during which they can express their feelings and show their love. It's a time of preparation for the dying person and their loved ones -- preparing for inevitable loss.
The actual process may be very quick or happen gradually. Recognizing the signs early and feeling confident in the care you provide can ensure this is a special time.



... Special time???? WTF?



For any of you that don't know, my dad is dying.



It may be quick, it may take a while. As the doctor he saw today said, 'cancer is a very personal thing'.



Now, for most people this would be a definite 'boo-hoo' moment. But for me, it's a time of head-scratching and saying, 'huh???'



In April, my Dad was diagnosed with Stage III Esophageal cancer. Sucks, huh? Well, here's the kicker... he could have been cured by now. He CHOSE not to be. Yup, CHOSE.



How do you process something like that? He has chosen death over life. He has chosen a whole lot of nothing over ME. Over my Mom. Over my brother... Over my kids!



How is that even possible?

My kids are awesome.

Hell, I'M awesome!



I know it's HIS decision. I just can't quite understand how he came to that decision.



You know, I almost died once. When I was pregnant with Allison I was told to 'get my affairs in order'. I'll never forget that little conversation. My baby boy isn't even two yet, and here they are telling me that I probably won't live through childbirth.



Yeah, me! Yeah Rick! Yeah, Danny! Yeah Allison!



But here's the deal. No matter what... No matter how... No matter what the circumstance.... I wanted to live...



...for my husband

...for my kids

...for my brother

...for my mom

...for my dad



I couldn't put them through that. I wouldn't put them through that.



Why does my dad feel its okay to do this to me, and my mom and my brother and my kids?



I guess I'll never understand.



But...

yup... always a but....

I forgive him.



it's his choice. it's his life. it's apparently something that's waaay far out of my realm of understanding. And as a very wise friend of mine told me.. Forgiveness is a gift you give someone. You don't wait for a 'return'. You don't wait for a 'thank you'. You simply give a gift and walk away and know that you have done something for someone else. You don't give gifts for yourself. You give gifts for others. Dad, this gift is for you. I forgive you and your decision, no matter how much it hurts the ones that love you. how much it hurts the ones I love.



I forgive you and wish you godspeed.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Okay, this is just funny

Can you say 'Deer in a headlight'? Poor guy had his eyes closed for last year's picture so he overcompensated.... Bwahahahahah -- it never gets old!




Saturday, September 26, 2009

Quick quick, there it goes











How does it happen? Where does time go? Why is it that it seems to take about 14 hours to get through dinner, but you blink and your baby is no longer a baby. Sure... she's still got the 'baby fat' and the chubby little cheeks, but that's about where the similarities end. Now she's off at school for 8 hours a day. Now she speaks her mind and has opinions and *corrects* me!

It's such a wonderful feeling when you fall in love with your kids all over again. You realize what astonishing little people they are. There is actually thought that goes on behind that gaze of theirs. I honestly take them for granted. When they have an off day or are acting up, I am so quick to reprimand and 'correct' - but when it comes right down to it... those days are few and far between. I probably have more 'off' days than they do.

Danny is in the process of losing another tooth. He's scared. I don't know why. All I can think of is that it's because his others haven't come in yet. Poor guy is going to look strange when he finally does get teeth. We're going on three years now without front teeth. Thank heaven he's cute!


I can't even remember when Danny was a baby. It seems like soooo long ago. Too long ago.
Guess I'll have to give them extra kisses when they get home!




















How does time fly so quickly?

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Out with the old, in with the new!

Wow... Almost 10 months have gone by since I last posted. My, how things change.

First and foremost... I am now 40... Yup... BIG milestone. Hard to even imagine! The spouse surprised me and whisked me away to Vegas for my birthday... that was pretty cool. (wish we came back with some extra cash, but hey... we didn't hit the ATM machine so that was a win/win situation). I'd post some pictures, but they all seemed to end up as the 'hold your arm out and take your own portrait' type.




I got my 2nd tattoo (with my mother along for the ride this time). Actually she was the 'designated driver' for bunch of drunk fools out celebrating with me! (Thank you girls of Viviene Westmoreland!)


Ma was definitely a good sport about the entire thing. The last tattoo I got was when I was 23ish and I managed to hide it from her for several months... to her credit back then, her only comment was 'Damn it, you little $hit... you DID get one'


She's come a LONG way! Now she's aiding and abetting!


I think we were *this close* to getting her to get one!



A few other new developments in our household... in no particular order....


Allison can read.


At a 1st+ grade level.

She's five and just started kindergarden. I can't spell things aloud anymore because she knows what I'm spelling... That's a BIG deal in this house. Thankfully Danny is oblivious, but Allison is nosy nosy nosy and wants to know EVERYTHING that is going on. I'm trying to use my rudimentary Spanish... but the dang kid knows that too.


Danny has discovered girls.
My sweet, sweet baby boy is coming home from school with notes from the teacher now... 'Danny had to be asked 2x to keep his hands to himself' and
is having issues with self control' -- ugh.


He's in 2nd grade for pete's sake. What the heck?!?!?


Rick is a rock star.

Well.... Rick wants to be a rock star... he just doesn't want all of the drama that comes along with it. It's funny how having a full time job and a family to support causes you to take some responsibility on... As much as he'd love to be out every night 'gigging' - He's finally getting the fact that he's having trouble having it all.

Well... and then there's that little thing called football season as well.


My mom and dad just moved back to New Hampshire.
I guess that's probably the primary reason I haven't blogged in so long.
It's been one hell of a year.... But more about THAT later.


I'm going to try to ease back into this.. I just got the kids to bed. I just opened a Mich Ultra and I just decided that it's time to watch my shows.


It's nice to be back!