Well friends, it's 3:05 in the morning here and I have a big day ahead of me so the sane thing to do would be sleeping but since that is just not happening I decided to blog instead. Turns out January is the last time I blogged, for those of you who have given up all hope of me ever blogging again, your day has been made...or I just like to let myself think that.
So what is my reason for being up so late? My darling of a husband....I love that man but he has some strange and annoying sleeping habits that keep his light sleeping wife awake until all hours of the night. Okay, and maybe it was the pepsi I had earlier today, but that was at 5:00pm and I shouldn't be feeling the effects of that caffeine now should I? So what are the strange things my husband does in his sleep? Well for starters he snores, not so strange, I know, but it is sure annoying. I have realized though, that all I have to do to stop the snoring is push on his shoulder and he will roll over and the snoring stops. Some nights I shove a little harder than others depending on how many times I have had to get him to stop snoring. Some mornings he mentions that his arm is sore and I just give him the concerned wife look and act sympathetic. "Gee honey, I have no idea why your shoulder would be sore."
My husband is also a teeth grinder. I was first introduced to the grinding of teeth by a friend I had in high school. We had a sleep over and I was awakened by this God awful noise. When I realized the noise was coming from my friend I tried to make it stop, but you just can't! It was terrible and I really had to convince myself that she was a nice girl and I should still be her friend despite the sleep she made me lose. You see, sleep is one of my most favorite things to do. I look forward to it very much and would choose taking a nap over pretty much anything else in the world. When things make me lose my sleep nice Amy quickly disappears and you don't even want to see what the other Amy is like.
I found out my husband was a teeth grinder on our honeymoon. I was sleeping a beautiful sleep and then this horrible sound shattered my precious slumber. My first thought was, squeaky shoes? I wasn't fully awake yet, but when I finally did wake up I realized the sound was coming from my new and wonderful husband. And then I realized I married a teeth grinder. He didn't seem so wonderful after that. I really love my husband, but like I said my love for sleep is a close second, if not tied in first. How do you make the grinding stop? Ten years and I still don't know what to do.
The last thing he does is when he lays on his back he will slide his feet up the mattress and his knees will be in the air. He will then slowly lower his legs back down causing the whole bed to shake. And then repeat the whole thing over again. When I feel his legs start to go back up I just kick them back down, sometimes gently, sometimes not, depending on how late in the night it is. If he ever complains about his calves being sore I just paste on the concerned wife look and pretend to be innocent of anything that could cause his discomfort.
So my friends, for these reasons, and just the plain fact that I love sleeping....I will be taking a nap today
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
"Make your own" Monday
Two blog posts in the same month! Exciting isn't it?
I have decided to dedicate my Monday posts to things that I usually buy but have decided to try and make them on my own at home. Why? I don't know, why not. It saves money.
I got a ninja for Christmas. Not this kind of ninja:
Although I think my kids might listen to me a little better if I had these guys working for me. Hmmmm, I wonder....
Anyways.
This kind of ninja:
I have been wanting to give it a spin (get it, spin! Well I thought it was clever) and decided that today was the day. I put some almonds and a little bit of salt in it and made my own tasty almond butter.
But I couldn't stop there. After the butter I made some banana, chocolate, peanut butter ice cream. It was divine. All you do is slice about 4 bananas, then freeze them. Drop them in the Ninja and blend until creamy, add 2 tsp of cocoa powder and 2 tbsp of peanut butter and voila healthy ice cream. Does it taste exactly like Haggen Daz? Not exactly, but it is very good and will satisfy the craving and leave you with one less dimple on your thigh. That last reason alone is why you should try it. You could also leave out the chocolate and peanut butter and add some other frozen fruit to make a sorbet.
I also made lotion today using just coconut oil and shea butter. The directions I got from pinterest said to just whip them together in the mixer until light and fluffy. I am telling you this stuff looked like whipped cream when it was finished. I kept having to tell myself not to lick the spatula. Although this lotion looked and smelled divine, it is so greasy! Looks like whipped cream, smells like heaven, goes on like bacon grease. And I have two jars of it. So two out three "Make your own" projects were successful.
The best part of the day was definitely getting to use my new awesome blender. I love this blender so much I just can't let it live in that dark cold cupboard.
Sorry honey, he liked your pillow best!
I have decided to dedicate my Monday posts to things that I usually buy but have decided to try and make them on my own at home. Why? I don't know, why not. It saves money.
I got a ninja for Christmas. Not this kind of ninja:
Anyways.
This kind of ninja:
But I couldn't stop there. After the butter I made some banana, chocolate, peanut butter ice cream. It was divine. All you do is slice about 4 bananas, then freeze them. Drop them in the Ninja and blend until creamy, add 2 tsp of cocoa powder and 2 tbsp of peanut butter and voila healthy ice cream. Does it taste exactly like Haggen Daz? Not exactly, but it is very good and will satisfy the craving and leave you with one less dimple on your thigh. That last reason alone is why you should try it. You could also leave out the chocolate and peanut butter and add some other frozen fruit to make a sorbet.
I also made lotion today using just coconut oil and shea butter. The directions I got from pinterest said to just whip them together in the mixer until light and fluffy. I am telling you this stuff looked like whipped cream when it was finished. I kept having to tell myself not to lick the spatula. Although this lotion looked and smelled divine, it is so greasy! Looks like whipped cream, smells like heaven, goes on like bacon grease. And I have two jars of it. So two out three "Make your own" projects were successful.
The best part of the day was definitely getting to use my new awesome blender. I love this blender so much I just can't let it live in that dark cold cupboard.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
I'm back....again!
Hello again! I have decided to come back to the blogging world; however, if you have abandonment issues then you might not want to be a follower of my blog because there is not telling how long I will be doing this.
Here is a little recap of what has been going on since the last time I blogged.
The princess:
She is a big three year old now that loves to play dress up, wear lip gloss, and play with anything princess. She is a girly girl to the core and is a different Disney princess everyday, I believe today she is Rapunzel. She keeps telling me to watch out for her long hair so I don't step on it, so I get to spend the day trying not to step on imaginary hair. Oh the things we moms do.
She got press on nails for Christmas that had the Disney princesses on them. She loved them and would go around the house staring at her hands saying, "I am so beautiful," over and over. They didn't stay on very long though and now I keep finding little fingernails all over the house. Thanks grandma.
The toothless wonder:
He is 6 now and in Kindergarten. He loves school (favorite subjects are snack and recess) and is still into tornadoes, hurricanes, trains, and race cars. His most recent interest is dinosaurs. He had a dinosaur themed birthday party and I got the idea to bury little dinosaur skeletons in the sandbox so the kids could pretend to be little paleontologists. I was wondering aloud where I would find these little dinosaur skeletons and the little toothless wonder says to me, "mom, the skeletons are at the end of the cretaceous period." I am so not smart enough to be this kids mom.
He just lost his top three teeth, one of them is still MIA. We had put the tooth in his tooth fairy pillow that his grandma had made. That night after he went to sleep I went in to take the tooth out but it was already gone. The next morning I told Connor that the tooth in his pillow was missing, we both just looked at each other and for about a second I think we both believed in the tooth fairy. But if this fairy was real she took the tooth and didn't leave any money and who wants to believe in a tooth fairy like that. He still got money, but the tooth still remains to be seen.
The hard working man:
Oh wait, wrong picture. I don't know how that keeps happening.
Here he is, the hard working man. He really is! He is very cute I must say. I love this guy. He makes my heart happy!
Oh yes, there has been one more addition to our family. We have had her since May and I really think she will be a keeper. Unlike the dogs, and the fish. Oh, I didn't tell you about the fish? After the dogs and before the cat we got some goldfish. They lasted 3 days. I knew when Connor told me all the fish were sleeping that something was not right. I didn't think fish napped and if they do its not upside down at the top of the bowl. It must have been the chlorine in our water that did them in. I didn't realize that those gross scaly fish that swim in bacteria infected ponds were so particular about their water.
This our Chloe kitty. She has been a great low maintenance addition to our family. Emphasis on the low maintenance part. Connor told me would like another sibling, I told him Chloe was his second sister and that she would be the only other sibling he would ever get. He was okay with that and now tells everyone the cat is his sister. She is the furry child of the family.
And me, I have just been keeping things running around here doing laundry, looking for lost teeth, and picking fake fingernails out of the carpet. I learned how to crochet about a year ago and have been doing that a lot lately. I really enjoy it. I just bought a little folding basket thing to to keep all my stuff organized and was so excited to use it that I almost skipped out of the store. When I got home and showed my husband he told me how his grandmother had the same thing. Excitement gone. I feel like I just aged 50 years. Oh well, call me an old lady if you want...I still love to crochet.
That's it in a nutshell. Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully I will still be here in a week.
Here is a little recap of what has been going on since the last time I blogged.
The princess:
She got press on nails for Christmas that had the Disney princesses on them. She loved them and would go around the house staring at her hands saying, "I am so beautiful," over and over. They didn't stay on very long though and now I keep finding little fingernails all over the house. Thanks grandma.
The toothless wonder:
He is 6 now and in Kindergarten. He loves school (favorite subjects are snack and recess) and is still into tornadoes, hurricanes, trains, and race cars. His most recent interest is dinosaurs. He had a dinosaur themed birthday party and I got the idea to bury little dinosaur skeletons in the sandbox so the kids could pretend to be little paleontologists. I was wondering aloud where I would find these little dinosaur skeletons and the little toothless wonder says to me, "mom, the skeletons are at the end of the cretaceous period." I am so not smart enough to be this kids mom.
He just lost his top three teeth, one of them is still MIA. We had put the tooth in his tooth fairy pillow that his grandma had made. That night after he went to sleep I went in to take the tooth out but it was already gone. The next morning I told Connor that the tooth in his pillow was missing, we both just looked at each other and for about a second I think we both believed in the tooth fairy. But if this fairy was real she took the tooth and didn't leave any money and who wants to believe in a tooth fairy like that. He still got money, but the tooth still remains to be seen.
The hard working man:
Oh yes, there has been one more addition to our family. We have had her since May and I really think she will be a keeper. Unlike the dogs, and the fish. Oh, I didn't tell you about the fish? After the dogs and before the cat we got some goldfish. They lasted 3 days. I knew when Connor told me all the fish were sleeping that something was not right. I didn't think fish napped and if they do its not upside down at the top of the bowl. It must have been the chlorine in our water that did them in. I didn't realize that those gross scaly fish that swim in bacteria infected ponds were so particular about their water.
This our Chloe kitty. She has been a great low maintenance addition to our family. Emphasis on the low maintenance part. Connor told me would like another sibling, I told him Chloe was his second sister and that she would be the only other sibling he would ever get. He was okay with that and now tells everyone the cat is his sister. She is the furry child of the family.
And me, I have just been keeping things running around here doing laundry, looking for lost teeth, and picking fake fingernails out of the carpet. I learned how to crochet about a year ago and have been doing that a lot lately. I really enjoy it. I just bought a little folding basket thing to to keep all my stuff organized and was so excited to use it that I almost skipped out of the store. When I got home and showed my husband he told me how his grandmother had the same thing. Excitement gone. I feel like I just aged 50 years. Oh well, call me an old lady if you want...I still love to crochet.
That's it in a nutshell. Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully I will still be here in a week.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The Scary Bubble
I learned something a little strange about my daughter last night, the girl is afraid of bubble gum. It's strange, I know, but this is the girl that chews on anything metal, so I shouldn't be too surprised. I bought some bubble gum for Connor since he is five now and has never had any before and I thought he was ready to handle the responsibility of gum chewing. I am all about not making my life harder and until I was sure I wouldn't have to be cleaning gum out of my carpet or out of his sisters hair I refrained. I knew the swallowing of the gum would not be an issue since he is terrified of swallowing objects that don't belong in the stomach.
Anyway, I gave Connor his gum and had a piece myself since it has been forever since I have enjoyed actual bubble gum. I have decided it tastes much better when you are kid, the flavor loses something when you become an adult. I then proceeded to wow my children with my awesome bubble blowing skills (hey, I have to have some kind of skill). When Liv looked at the bubble coming out of my mouth she screamed in horror and ran back to her room crying. And me being the compassionate mother that I am laughed so hard I was crying. She would come back down the hallway and I would blow another bubble and she we scream and yell, "I need go sit on my bed!"
I am such a horrible mother, it was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. This went on for a couple minutes until I got in trouble from Scott for terrorizing our daughter. Hours later I was still laughing about it. I had to text my mom and let her know Liv's new fear. She was laughing too and was sorry she missed it. Like mother like daughter I guess. I gave Connor a piece this morning and she kept staring at me to make sure I didn't have any. She was ready to bolt down the hall to her room for safety, but I figure I have traumatized her enough....for now.
Anyway, I gave Connor his gum and had a piece myself since it has been forever since I have enjoyed actual bubble gum. I have decided it tastes much better when you are kid, the flavor loses something when you become an adult. I then proceeded to wow my children with my awesome bubble blowing skills (hey, I have to have some kind of skill). When Liv looked at the bubble coming out of my mouth she screamed in horror and ran back to her room crying. And me being the compassionate mother that I am laughed so hard I was crying. She would come back down the hallway and I would blow another bubble and she we scream and yell, "I need go sit on my bed!"
 |
| The Bubblegumphobic |
I am such a horrible mother, it was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. This went on for a couple minutes until I got in trouble from Scott for terrorizing our daughter. Hours later I was still laughing about it. I had to text my mom and let her know Liv's new fear. She was laughing too and was sorry she missed it. Like mother like daughter I guess. I gave Connor a piece this morning and she kept staring at me to make sure I didn't have any. She was ready to bolt down the hall to her room for safety, but I figure I have traumatized her enough....for now.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
What month is this?
Has it really been November since I last blogged? What have I been doing this whole time? Well, I am sure you don't want to hear everything that has happened in the last couple months so here are a few highlights.
Connor lost another tooth; or rather I pulled Connor's tooth out. Don't worry it was already loose. The tooth was barely hanging in there and I told him I could just pull it out but he didn't want me to. So I did what any good mother does to get her way, I messed with his mind. I told him that I sure hope he didn't swallow his tooth in his sleep, knowing how freaked out about that he was. He quickly decided it was better for mommy to take care of it right away. I barely had to push on it and it came right out. Then he started bleeding and freaking out about the blood because he knows if we lose too much blood then we die. Information I probably should have withheld from him until he was a little older. So after I convinced him it was just a little blood and he wasn't going to die he was calm about the whole thing. The best part about the whole thing is that while all of this was going on Connor was holding his toothbrush in his hand, and while he was distracted Olivia took the opportunity to eat the toothpaste off her brother's toothbrush. She is definitely one of those "I will eat that if you don't want it" kids.
Beside the tooth, the other exciting that that happened was...we got a dog. I know, I know. What was I thinking? We got a chihuahua named Poppy, and if you have ever watched Seinfeld and know who Poppy is then you know I should of thought twice about the dog. I asked Scott if we could get the dog since he was already potty trained and crate trained. For some reason he said yes, and my life was forever changed. Okay, maybe not forever, but for the next two weeks. It only felt like forever.
I liked Poppy for the first few hours we had him. I decided I would forgive him for pooping on the carpet within the first few minutes of being in our house. It was later that evening that my feelings for Poppy started to change. While we were sitting on the couch the dog stood up, wrapped his arms around me and before I realized what he was going to do, started humping my arm. I could have died right there. I still feel violated. Scott thought the whole thing was hilarious, but I was disgusted.
Still I decided to give Poppy another chance. I started learning his likes and dislikes, for example; he didn't like to go outside to go potty he would much rather do it in my nice warm house. I would open the door and tell him to go outside and he would start shivering and staring at me with those bulgy eyes, looking all pathetic. I would eventually have to pick him up and put him outside and then he would trick me and make me think he did his business, and then when I let him back in he would use my carpet as his bathroom. The pitiful looks don't work on me when you have just pooped on my carpet, or peed on my sheets, or threw up on my comforter.
But still I decided to keep working with him. I even got a bunch of books from the library on dog training. I read one book that talked about how dogs all have the wolf instinct in them. I am horribly afraid of wolves and I definitely didn't need to read that. He may be pocket sized but he is still wolf inside. I caught him staring at me a few times and licking his chops. I can't live with the fear of being attacked by a 3 pound wolf! Piranhas are small and look at the damage they can do!
By the end of two weeks I was so ready to say goodbye to Poppy, but my husband wanted to stick it out. Unfortunately ( or fortunately) I turned out to be allergic to the tiny wolf and we had to give him back to his original owners. Connor was a little sad but I told him we could get a fish instead. He was really excited about that and proceeded to list off the kinds of fish he wanted: Sword fish, sting ray, and barracuda. He is fascinated with dangerous marine life. I think we settled on a fighting fish.
I am so happy to say that life is back to normal in my house and it's safe to say we won't be getting a dog ever again.
Connor lost another tooth; or rather I pulled Connor's tooth out. Don't worry it was already loose. The tooth was barely hanging in there and I told him I could just pull it out but he didn't want me to. So I did what any good mother does to get her way, I messed with his mind. I told him that I sure hope he didn't swallow his tooth in his sleep, knowing how freaked out about that he was. He quickly decided it was better for mommy to take care of it right away. I barely had to push on it and it came right out. Then he started bleeding and freaking out about the blood because he knows if we lose too much blood then we die. Information I probably should have withheld from him until he was a little older. So after I convinced him it was just a little blood and he wasn't going to die he was calm about the whole thing. The best part about the whole thing is that while all of this was going on Connor was holding his toothbrush in his hand, and while he was distracted Olivia took the opportunity to eat the toothpaste off her brother's toothbrush. She is definitely one of those "I will eat that if you don't want it" kids.
Beside the tooth, the other exciting that that happened was...we got a dog. I know, I know. What was I thinking? We got a chihuahua named Poppy, and if you have ever watched Seinfeld and know who Poppy is then you know I should of thought twice about the dog. I asked Scott if we could get the dog since he was already potty trained and crate trained. For some reason he said yes, and my life was forever changed. Okay, maybe not forever, but for the next two weeks. It only felt like forever.
I liked Poppy for the first few hours we had him. I decided I would forgive him for pooping on the carpet within the first few minutes of being in our house. It was later that evening that my feelings for Poppy started to change. While we were sitting on the couch the dog stood up, wrapped his arms around me and before I realized what he was going to do, started humping my arm. I could have died right there. I still feel violated. Scott thought the whole thing was hilarious, but I was disgusted.
Still I decided to give Poppy another chance. I started learning his likes and dislikes, for example; he didn't like to go outside to go potty he would much rather do it in my nice warm house. I would open the door and tell him to go outside and he would start shivering and staring at me with those bulgy eyes, looking all pathetic. I would eventually have to pick him up and put him outside and then he would trick me and make me think he did his business, and then when I let him back in he would use my carpet as his bathroom. The pitiful looks don't work on me when you have just pooped on my carpet, or peed on my sheets, or threw up on my comforter.
But still I decided to keep working with him. I even got a bunch of books from the library on dog training. I read one book that talked about how dogs all have the wolf instinct in them. I am horribly afraid of wolves and I definitely didn't need to read that. He may be pocket sized but he is still wolf inside. I caught him staring at me a few times and licking his chops. I can't live with the fear of being attacked by a 3 pound wolf! Piranhas are small and look at the damage they can do!
By the end of two weeks I was so ready to say goodbye to Poppy, but my husband wanted to stick it out. Unfortunately ( or fortunately) I turned out to be allergic to the tiny wolf and we had to give him back to his original owners. Connor was a little sad but I told him we could get a fish instead. He was really excited about that and proceeded to list off the kinds of fish he wanted: Sword fish, sting ray, and barracuda. He is fascinated with dangerous marine life. I think we settled on a fighting fish.
I am so happy to say that life is back to normal in my house and it's safe to say we won't be getting a dog ever again.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Signs of growing up
We had some excitement at the house today, Connor lost his first tooth! It was so funny because he had no idea that one of his teeth had fallen out. He was eating his snack this morning and I noticed his bottom teeth looked funny so I made him open his mouth and show me his teeth. Sure enough he was missing one of the bottom front ones. I asked him if he knew his tooth was gone, and he said no. So then the next question is, where could it be. I thought he probably swallowed it which was very unsettling news for him. He just looked at me with the panicked expression asking me what was going to happen to him. I explained that he would just poop it out, but he kept grabbing his stomach like he could feel the tooth in there. He was so unhappy about the whole thing he kept asking me not to talk about it.
A couple hours later I found the missing tooth on the bathroom floor. Connor was very relieved to hear that there wasn't a tooth inside of his stomach anymore. And the kid made out with $6, so he should be happy about losing his tooth.
A couple hours later I found the missing tooth on the bathroom floor. Connor was very relieved to hear that there wasn't a tooth inside of his stomach anymore. And the kid made out with $6, so he should be happy about losing his tooth.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Trip to Bauman Farms aka A Not so Proud Mommy Moment
Today the kids and I went with a group of friends to visit a great place called Bauman Farms. It is a wonderful farm that has mazes, a pumpkin patch, tractor rides, a playground, animals that the kids can pet and feed, and so much more. We had a fantastic time and because today is Connor's 5th birthday he thought it was a party for him, which is great because his actual party isn't for another 2 weeks. Here are couple of shots from our day at the farm. When you look at these pictures you will realize why I don't take pictures of my children more often. They just don't get the concept of smiling at a camera. And don't even tell them to say cheese, it doesn't work.
And by now you are probably wondering what my not so proud mommy moment was. Well, let me just tell you I had a panic attack in the dark corn maze. I seriously almost layed down on the floor in the fetal position and waited for someone to come rescue me and my two children. The only way into this dark maze was down a huge slide. Connor went down first and then I forced Olivia to come down with me. The minute we landed at the bottom of the slide I knew I made a huge mistake. It was pitch black in there and all I could feel were walls all around me and no way out. So I did what any responsible mommy with two kids depending on her would do...I started screaming at my friends. I could see my friend Kelly through a small crack in the wall so I started yelling at her, "I can't see anything! I am panicking! My heart is pounding! Get help! Did I mention I am panicking!" So my friend Jodi came into the dark abyss and saved us. If it wasn't for her I am not sure what would have happened to me. We were able to feel our way out of the maze. I crawled through part of it until Jodi asked me why I was crawling because it was tall enough to stand up and walk through. (Sometimes I do ridiculous things.) Jodi is now my hero, I even hugged her when we got out of the maze.
I had a feeling before I even went down the slide that this was going to be a bad idea. It was probably the Holy Spirit warning me not to go in there, but I didn't listen. "How dark could it be?" I thought. Next time I will listen to those warnings since now I am afraid to even blink my eyes. I also had to apologize to my children for taking them in there, I should have known better. But I have to say they handled the whole thing better than I did. They held my hand and calmly walked through the maze while I just kept praying that I wouldn't pass out and have to be drug to the end. So my friends, make sure you listen to those little warnings even if what you are going to do doesn't seem like a big deal, you may find your self in a situation you are not able to deal with.
 |
| "Liv, look at the camera." |
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| "No, Livvie, smile at the camera." |
 | ||||
| "Olivia, pay attention! Look at the camera!" |
 | |||
| My big five year old. He makes my heart happy. |
 |
| Saying cheese. |
And by now you are probably wondering what my not so proud mommy moment was. Well, let me just tell you I had a panic attack in the dark corn maze. I seriously almost layed down on the floor in the fetal position and waited for someone to come rescue me and my two children. The only way into this dark maze was down a huge slide. Connor went down first and then I forced Olivia to come down with me. The minute we landed at the bottom of the slide I knew I made a huge mistake. It was pitch black in there and all I could feel were walls all around me and no way out. So I did what any responsible mommy with two kids depending on her would do...I started screaming at my friends. I could see my friend Kelly through a small crack in the wall so I started yelling at her, "I can't see anything! I am panicking! My heart is pounding! Get help! Did I mention I am panicking!" So my friend Jodi came into the dark abyss and saved us. If it wasn't for her I am not sure what would have happened to me. We were able to feel our way out of the maze. I crawled through part of it until Jodi asked me why I was crawling because it was tall enough to stand up and walk through. (Sometimes I do ridiculous things.) Jodi is now my hero, I even hugged her when we got out of the maze.
I had a feeling before I even went down the slide that this was going to be a bad idea. It was probably the Holy Spirit warning me not to go in there, but I didn't listen. "How dark could it be?" I thought. Next time I will listen to those warnings since now I am afraid to even blink my eyes. I also had to apologize to my children for taking them in there, I should have known better. But I have to say they handled the whole thing better than I did. They held my hand and calmly walked through the maze while I just kept praying that I wouldn't pass out and have to be drug to the end. So my friends, make sure you listen to those little warnings even if what you are going to do doesn't seem like a big deal, you may find your self in a situation you are not able to deal with.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
New Pets
Now those of you who know me are probably thinking to yourselves, "Amy has a pet?! I thought after that whole psycho cat fiasco, and the guinea pig that shrieked like a bird all hours of the early morning, and the puppy that made her wear two mismatching shoes to work and made her stand in her yard in her bathrobe at two in the morning so the darn thing could go to the bathroom and then it wouldn't go until the minute it stepped back in the garage made her decide she never wanted pets again." Well, my friends I have found the perfect pet for me, Mexican jumping beans. I am not sure they are technically Mexican, or shall I say Hispanic, since they came from Dallas, Texas but whatever. Scott actually brought them home for Connor but once he found out that he couldn't eat them (he thought they would make him jump higher) he pretty much lost interest in them. I however think they are kind of cute and they are really easy to take care of. I don't have to feed them or walk them. If I am feeling really adventurous I will let them out of their little plastic case and let them roam around the counter for a little while, I just have to make sure they don't jump off the counter and land on the carpet. I would hate to accidentally vacuum one up. The only draw back is that they don't show me any affection whatsoever and the clacking sound they make while they are in their little cases is kind of annoying. But other than that they are wonderful pets and a great low maintenance addition to the family.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Orange Flag
So I know this blog is supposed to be about my kids, but they have not been very inspiring lately so here is another story from my childhood.
I am pretty sure I had the most protective parents EVER when I was growing up. If I wanted to do something but there was the slightest chance I might get hurt, there was no way my parents would let me do it. They pretty much stomped any adventurous side I had to the ground, which is why I am probably the least adventurous person ever. White is a daring color for me. And me being the obedient child that I was would never do anything my parents said not to do. Although there was that one time when I was at my grandparents house. My mom wasn't there and my cousin wanted to go to the store, WITHOUT ANY ADULTS. And we had to cross the street to get there. I rebelled. We crossed the busy street and went to the Plaid Pantry. I was so afraid when my mom came to pick me up that it would somehow come out that I went to the store with my cousin. I felt guilt for many years every time I saw a Plaid Pantry. It was just a few years ago that I fessed up to my mom what I had done. Of course we laugh about it now, but if I had to do it over again I would have stayed at the house. So not worth the self imposed guilt. But I digress.
As parents we know that there are some things that you just have to let your children do even though they might have some risk involved, one of these things is riding a bike. This is something that was not taken lightly in my house. Before I could ride the bike I had to have the proper equipment and safety training. First, was the bicycle safety video. Yes, my friends, there is such a thing and I pretty much have it memorized to this day. The video had kids on it singing different songs that teach you bicycle safety. To this day I can't cross the street without first singing,
"You gotta stop, stop, look all about. Wait til the road's clear and then move out."
The next step of the bicycle safety was the helmet, of course. Gotta keep my brain safe. This is one of the reasons I don't ride a bike today. I don't want helmet hair, but it has been so ingrained in me that if I don't wear a helmet while riding my bike I will surely crash and die, that I am afraid to ride without one. I will just avoid the whole thing and walk or better yet, drive.
So, we have the bicycle safety video, the helmet, the reflective clothing, the bell to warn cars that there is a small bicyclist around; I thought I was good to go. Then one day "it" arrived. "Gee mom, what is the giant orange flag for? You gonna put it in the back yard or something?" "Why no Amy, we are going to strap this 10 foot tall orange flag to the back of your bike." Well if that won't make your friends laugh at you nothing will. Yes, everyone one in the next county could see that little Amy was riding her bike around. I am sure you could see it from space. And yes, my friends did make fun of me. It kinda took the joy out of riding my bike.
The orange flag is still a tender subject. Anytime I bring it up to my parents they say, "well, you're alive aren't you?" Yes, I am a live. I may be a little emotionally scarred and I my eye might start twitching at the sight of orange flags, but yes, I am still alive. Although they never made my brother or sister ride with an orange flag on their bike and they are still alive. Hmmm. Explain that one Mom. I guess I should just be happy that they cared about me so much, or maybe they really just liked laughing at me and my orange flag.
I am pretty sure I had the most protective parents EVER when I was growing up. If I wanted to do something but there was the slightest chance I might get hurt, there was no way my parents would let me do it. They pretty much stomped any adventurous side I had to the ground, which is why I am probably the least adventurous person ever. White is a daring color for me. And me being the obedient child that I was would never do anything my parents said not to do. Although there was that one time when I was at my grandparents house. My mom wasn't there and my cousin wanted to go to the store, WITHOUT ANY ADULTS. And we had to cross the street to get there. I rebelled. We crossed the busy street and went to the Plaid Pantry. I was so afraid when my mom came to pick me up that it would somehow come out that I went to the store with my cousin. I felt guilt for many years every time I saw a Plaid Pantry. It was just a few years ago that I fessed up to my mom what I had done. Of course we laugh about it now, but if I had to do it over again I would have stayed at the house. So not worth the self imposed guilt. But I digress.
As parents we know that there are some things that you just have to let your children do even though they might have some risk involved, one of these things is riding a bike. This is something that was not taken lightly in my house. Before I could ride the bike I had to have the proper equipment and safety training. First, was the bicycle safety video. Yes, my friends, there is such a thing and I pretty much have it memorized to this day. The video had kids on it singing different songs that teach you bicycle safety. To this day I can't cross the street without first singing,
"You gotta stop, stop, look all about. Wait til the road's clear and then move out."
The next step of the bicycle safety was the helmet, of course. Gotta keep my brain safe. This is one of the reasons I don't ride a bike today. I don't want helmet hair, but it has been so ingrained in me that if I don't wear a helmet while riding my bike I will surely crash and die, that I am afraid to ride without one. I will just avoid the whole thing and walk or better yet, drive.
So, we have the bicycle safety video, the helmet, the reflective clothing, the bell to warn cars that there is a small bicyclist around; I thought I was good to go. Then one day "it" arrived. "Gee mom, what is the giant orange flag for? You gonna put it in the back yard or something?" "Why no Amy, we are going to strap this 10 foot tall orange flag to the back of your bike." Well if that won't make your friends laugh at you nothing will. Yes, everyone one in the next county could see that little Amy was riding her bike around. I am sure you could see it from space. And yes, my friends did make fun of me. It kinda took the joy out of riding my bike.
The orange flag is still a tender subject. Anytime I bring it up to my parents they say, "well, you're alive aren't you?" Yes, I am a live. I may be a little emotionally scarred and I my eye might start twitching at the sight of orange flags, but yes, I am still alive. Although they never made my brother or sister ride with an orange flag on their bike and they are still alive. Hmmm. Explain that one Mom. I guess I should just be happy that they cared about me so much, or maybe they really just liked laughing at me and my orange flag.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Jesus Bandaid
Hello friends, it's been a while but I am back. I have no excuse for my absence so don't expect one. Here is a little story from my childhood for you to enjoy.
I can't remember how old I was when the "Jesus band aid" incident occurred, but I was young enough to still think band aids were awesome, but old enough to remember this incident and therefore be scarred for life. I was at home with the babysitter, I can't remember who it was. I have tried to remember her face but it's all blurry in my mind, I must have blocked it out. I was playing and somehow had gotten a little owie on my arm. I remember thinking to myself, "Yes! Now I can have a band aid!" Don't you remember when you were a kid and you would walk down the band aid aisle and see all the wonderful different band aids there were; and you just couldn't wait for the opportunity to get to wear one of those cool band aids? Please tell me I am not the only child who thought this way. Moving on.
So I go bounding to the babysitter to show her my owie and get my well deserved cool band aid. So she takes me in the bathroom and cleans up my little, pretty much insignificant owie and then says something that will forever change my life. "Do you want one of these band aids or a Jesus band aid." Wait a minute, what in the world is a Jesus band? Those certainly don't sound cool to me. Don't get me wrong, I love Jesus, but my little child mind just couldn't picture a Jesus band aid having anything really cool on it. I mean really, it would probably just have praying hands or maybe sandals, or Jesus' face on it. I'm sorry, but when compared to rainbow brite it just doesn't compare! So I sat and thought for a moment, but I just knew I had to choose the Jesus band aid. I didn't want my babysitter to get mad at me, and I certainly didn't want to upset Jesus that I didn't choose his band aid. "I guess I'll take the Jesus band aid," I said. So she looks at my owie and says, "Okay then, you're all done." Wait a second, what about my band aid? Apparently a Jesus band aid is no band aid at all! It's imaginary or some such nonsense. I sat there in the bathroom feeling tricked and betrayed. I have a genuine flesh wound and I don't even get a band aid for it. I should have chose the rainbow brite or whatever band aid it was. I may have had guilt for not choosing Jesus, but at least I would have had a band aid! And I am sorry, but I don't think Jesus would like his name attached to this kind of trickery. Now I would have to wait until the next time I got hurt to get a band aid and who knew when that would be. My situation was hopeless. And now anytime the word band aid is mentioned I think of the Jesus band aid that was really no band aid at all and I feel the despair all over again.
So my dear friends, please heed my warning and always choose the other band aid, even if it's just a plain old boring beige one.
I think I may need therapy.
Have great day my friends and consider yourself warned.
I can't remember how old I was when the "Jesus band aid" incident occurred, but I was young enough to still think band aids were awesome, but old enough to remember this incident and therefore be scarred for life. I was at home with the babysitter, I can't remember who it was. I have tried to remember her face but it's all blurry in my mind, I must have blocked it out. I was playing and somehow had gotten a little owie on my arm. I remember thinking to myself, "Yes! Now I can have a band aid!" Don't you remember when you were a kid and you would walk down the band aid aisle and see all the wonderful different band aids there were; and you just couldn't wait for the opportunity to get to wear one of those cool band aids? Please tell me I am not the only child who thought this way. Moving on.
So I go bounding to the babysitter to show her my owie and get my well deserved cool band aid. So she takes me in the bathroom and cleans up my little, pretty much insignificant owie and then says something that will forever change my life. "Do you want one of these band aids or a Jesus band aid." Wait a minute, what in the world is a Jesus band? Those certainly don't sound cool to me. Don't get me wrong, I love Jesus, but my little child mind just couldn't picture a Jesus band aid having anything really cool on it. I mean really, it would probably just have praying hands or maybe sandals, or Jesus' face on it. I'm sorry, but when compared to rainbow brite it just doesn't compare! So I sat and thought for a moment, but I just knew I had to choose the Jesus band aid. I didn't want my babysitter to get mad at me, and I certainly didn't want to upset Jesus that I didn't choose his band aid. "I guess I'll take the Jesus band aid," I said. So she looks at my owie and says, "Okay then, you're all done." Wait a second, what about my band aid? Apparently a Jesus band aid is no band aid at all! It's imaginary or some such nonsense. I sat there in the bathroom feeling tricked and betrayed. I have a genuine flesh wound and I don't even get a band aid for it. I should have chose the rainbow brite or whatever band aid it was. I may have had guilt for not choosing Jesus, but at least I would have had a band aid! And I am sorry, but I don't think Jesus would like his name attached to this kind of trickery. Now I would have to wait until the next time I got hurt to get a band aid and who knew when that would be. My situation was hopeless. And now anytime the word band aid is mentioned I think of the Jesus band aid that was really no band aid at all and I feel the despair all over again.
So my dear friends, please heed my warning and always choose the other band aid, even if it's just a plain old boring beige one.
I think I may need therapy.
Have great day my friends and consider yourself warned.
Friday, September 2, 2011
It's time to do it yourself
My darling son is going to be 5 in October and I have been realizing that it is time for him to start doing things himself. Things like wiping his own bottom, which makes me excited to not have to do anymore. He told me recently that he didn't want to learn to wipe his bottom until he was man. I just looked at him and thought to myself, "if you don't start wiping your own bottom now kid, you won't live to be a man." So this is something we have been working on. We got off on a rocky start. He didn't think wiping was necessary the first time and just pulled up his pants and told me he was all done. I was pleasantly surprised that he didn't even ask for help, until I realized he skipped the whole wiping thing. Back to the bathroom we went. Sometimes my kids really gross me out. The next couple attempts were better and also quite comical, especially when he had toilet paper hanging from his rear and had no idea.
The next thing we have been working on is getting himself dressed and putting his own shoes on. I realized it was time for him to start doing this when I noticed that his 2 year old sister could put her shoes on by herself. This fact didn't seem to bother him much, he would much rather me do it for him. Too bad. This has been going smoother than the whole wiping thing but his style is something that concerns me.
Yes, he picked his own outfit out this morning. At least the legs of his boxer briefs aren't coming out of the tops of his shorts like they usually are.
The next thing we have been working on is getting himself dressed and putting his own shoes on. I realized it was time for him to start doing this when I noticed that his 2 year old sister could put her shoes on by herself. This fact didn't seem to bother him much, he would much rather me do it for him. Too bad. This has been going smoother than the whole wiping thing but his style is something that concerns me.
Yes, he picked his own outfit out this morning. At least the legs of his boxer briefs aren't coming out of the tops of his shorts like they usually are.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Life is good when your at Grandma's
I got some live action nature shots of a killer whale in action the last time I was at my parent's house. I warn you these shots are not for the faint of heart.
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| Ferocious killer whale. Those are his fins behind his back in case you were wondering. |
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| Killer whale at play |
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| The mighty killer whale spots a pink dolphin....lunch time! |
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| Pink Dolphins are no match for killer whales! |
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| This dolphin won't go down without a fight |
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| And the fight is over. It's all fun and games until someone gets water in their eyes. The safety glasses were left at home. |
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Do other kids do this too?
Sometimes I look at my children and I wonder to myself, "are my kids strange or do other kids do that stuff too?" It seems the most often time I ask myself this is when they decide to play sleep. Yes, they like to play like they are sleeping, and this pretty much happens everyday. They will drag their blankets, pillows, favorite stuffed animals and babies of every shape and size and lay on the living room floor and pretend like they are sleeping. They just lay there with their eyes closed and a smile on their face like it's the most fun in the world. I most often find this strange when they decide that the grand fort I just built in the living room for them to play in would make a really great place to sleep, and out come the before mentioned sleeping accessories. It kind of bothers me because I did not spend all that time finding blankets and dragging the dining room table into the living room and listening to Connor tell me the best way to make the fort, so they could sleep. This also happens when I bring the Thomas the train tent and the princess castle tent into the living room. Everything is a bed for them.
Sometimes they will be in Livvie's room and I will wonder why it's so quiet back there and think that they must be doing something they shouldn't be doing, but no, they are laying on the floor, pretending to sleep. I just don't get it. I don't think I ever played "sleep" when I was little. This has to be my fault because they must hear me talk about how much I love to sleep and how I treasure my naps. They probably think that if mom loves to sleep so much then it must be the thing to do. I guess I should just be happy that they aren't terrorizing my house.
Sometimes they will be in Livvie's room and I will wonder why it's so quiet back there and think that they must be doing something they shouldn't be doing, but no, they are laying on the floor, pretending to sleep. I just don't get it. I don't think I ever played "sleep" when I was little. This has to be my fault because they must hear me talk about how much I love to sleep and how I treasure my naps. They probably think that if mom loves to sleep so much then it must be the thing to do. I guess I should just be happy that they aren't terrorizing my house.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
The big girl bed
Monday night we said goodbye to the crib and hello to the big girl bed.
I was unsure how the transition would go, but after only about 2 hours of crying, Olivia finally adjusted and things have been going smoothly. She was very excited that she could get in and out of her bed all by herself, which made me wonder if we were going to have escaping issues, but so far she has stayed in her bed until she is told she can get up.
Room time has been a little bit interesting though. She is no longer behind bars for room time and can freely roam her room. She tends to forget that room time means she has to stay in her room and play, and is often found wandering into the living room, or being pushed out of her brother's room, by said brother. I also have had to go over and over again that room time is for playing with her toys, not pulling all of her clothes out of her dresser and trying them on. The package of diapers is also now out of reach, those aren't toys either. Since the dresser was off limits she decided just to try on the clothes in her dirty clothes basket. I let her have that one. But she mostly spends her time trying on her 14 pairs of shoes. She is such a girl, and I love it!
Connor was feeling a bit left out I think so he asked me to take a picture of him in his really big, big boy bed. I am warning you that again, he is only wearing his underwear.
Room time has been a little bit interesting though. She is no longer behind bars for room time and can freely roam her room. She tends to forget that room time means she has to stay in her room and play, and is often found wandering into the living room, or being pushed out of her brother's room, by said brother. I also have had to go over and over again that room time is for playing with her toys, not pulling all of her clothes out of her dresser and trying them on. The package of diapers is also now out of reach, those aren't toys either. Since the dresser was off limits she decided just to try on the clothes in her dirty clothes basket. I let her have that one. But she mostly spends her time trying on her 14 pairs of shoes. She is such a girl, and I love it!
Connor was feeling a bit left out I think so he asked me to take a picture of him in his really big, big boy bed. I am warning you that again, he is only wearing his underwear.
Monday, August 1, 2011
My baby girl is all grown up
Okay, maybe not completely grown up, but she did just turn two. It seems just like yesterday that she looked like this :
And now look at her:
Gone is the little baby and in her place is a little girly girl that loves to have her mommy make her hair pretty and dress her in pretty dresses. She also already has a shoe fetish. Her favorite thing to do now is fill up her play shopping cart with her shoes and bring them into the living room and try them all on. And might I add she has 14 pairs of shoes, which is more than I have. Yes, I am jealous. If only we wore the same size. She also loves her hats, you will rarely ever see her without one on. She has about 10 different ones and sometimes has trouble deciding which one to wear, so she will just wear two at a time. She would sleep in them if I let her. And take my advice and don't ever try to remove her hat...she is very protective of them and can tear you to shreds if provoked, just ask Connor. Moving on.
Her birthday party was great fun even if she didn't really understand what was going on. The day of her birthday she kept saying, "happy birday mom!" Connor felt his purpose that day was to keep reminding Olivia that since she is two now we will be throwing her pacifier away. She seemed very confused about that and kept reassuring Connor that her pacifier was safe and sound and not in the garbage like he kept saying.
Even though half of her presents weren't wrapped (this would be because she has a phlagmatic mom and grandma) and there were no candles to blow out (this would also be because of the phlagmatic mom who is not good with details) she seemed to have a lot of fun at her party.There was a bouncy house and fun friends to play with. Here is the birthday girl jumping with her very grown up 7 year old friend Grace, or "grapes" as Olivia calls her. She just loves to play with her and copied almost everything Grace did the whole time they were together. And Grace was so sweet to play with Olivia and let her tag along.
And we can't leave out the most important part of any birthday party....the cake. Thank you to my wonderful mother for making the fabulous cupcakes!
Tomorrow Scott is going to get the toddler bed out of the attic so she can move out of the crib and into her big girl bed. And then the next step will be potty training and before I know it she will be wanting to wear makeup and will like boys and will want to drive and then she will want to get married and leave me. Well, I already have Connor convinced that moms get to go to college with their kid so the mommies don't get sad about their babies being gone, so I guess I better start working on Olivia now. They aren't getting away from me that easy.
And now look at her:
Her birthday party was great fun even if she didn't really understand what was going on. The day of her birthday she kept saying, "happy birday mom!" Connor felt his purpose that day was to keep reminding Olivia that since she is two now we will be throwing her pacifier away. She seemed very confused about that and kept reassuring Connor that her pacifier was safe and sound and not in the garbage like he kept saying.
Even though half of her presents weren't wrapped (this would be because she has a phlagmatic mom and grandma) and there were no candles to blow out (this would also be because of the phlagmatic mom who is not good with details) she seemed to have a lot of fun at her party.There was a bouncy house and fun friends to play with. Here is the birthday girl jumping with her very grown up 7 year old friend Grace, or "grapes" as Olivia calls her. She just loves to play with her and copied almost everything Grace did the whole time they were together. And Grace was so sweet to play with Olivia and let her tag along.
And we can't leave out the most important part of any birthday party....the cake. Thank you to my wonderful mother for making the fabulous cupcakes!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Does that make me old?
1. I love Neil Diamond
2. Secretly would love to go to bed at 8:00 when my children go to bed.
3. Loud music makes me tense
4. I love Neil Diamond
5. Am mostly afraid of technology
6. Love to watch reruns of Matlock
7. I eat lunch at 11
8. I refuse to miss my afternoon nap
9. I love Neil Diamond
10.Will watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune willingly
11. I love sayings like: "Here's lookin at you kid" and "It's the bees knees!" I don't know what that last one means but it makes me think of tiny little knees on tiny little bee legs. So cute
12. Would eat dinner at 4 if I could get away with it.
13. Enjoy putting puzzles together
14. I would rather listen to Frank Sinatra than listen to the top 40
15. I love Neil Diamond
2. Secretly would love to go to bed at 8:00 when my children go to bed.
3. Loud music makes me tense
4. I love Neil Diamond
5. Am mostly afraid of technology
6. Love to watch reruns of Matlock
7. I eat lunch at 11
8. I refuse to miss my afternoon nap
9. I love Neil Diamond
10.Will watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune willingly
11. I love sayings like: "Here's lookin at you kid" and "It's the bees knees!" I don't know what that last one means but it makes me think of tiny little knees on tiny little bee legs. So cute
12. Would eat dinner at 4 if I could get away with it.
13. Enjoy putting puzzles together
14. I would rather listen to Frank Sinatra than listen to the top 40
15. I love Neil Diamond
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Downfalls of being a phlegmatic
If you have been thinking that I must have been really busy because it has been so long since my last post, think again my friends. The real reason is that I have a problem....it's called being a phlegmatic. "What is a phlegmatic?" you might be asking yourself. I like to describe it as being a person with really great intentions but those great intentions rarely turn into actions once we see the work that is involved to make those intentions actually turn into actions. Let me just give you a few examples and you will see what I mean.
Example #1- My blog. I started out with great intentions of posting all the time. We can all see how that has turned out.
Example #2- My mom (also a phlegmatic) and I threw a garage sale almost a month ago. The fact that I am just now getting around to writing about the garage sale could be an example all on it's own. But if you would have seen us setting up the garage sale and then trying to price everything you would would really have gotten a good idea of what it is to be a phlegmatic. At one point of setting up I wanted to crawl under the tables and lay in the fetal position because I felt so overwhelmed with the work we had ahead of us. And trying to price everything, I think, is highly over rated.
Example #3- My kids' baby pictures, or lack thereof. I know some day when my kids are older they will ask me why there are hardly any pictures of them. The truth of the matter is that in order for me to take a picture I have to open the drawer the camera is in, pull it out of the camera bag, turn it on, change the batteries because it seems like they are always dead, and then try to take a decent picture of my "having their picture taken challenged children." It's just a hassle.
Example #4- My workout habits. I start the day by planning on working out before the kids wake up, and then it gets pushed back to room time, which then gets pushed back to working out during nap time, which then turns into after the kids go to bed for the night, which then brings us right back to working out in the morning before the kids wake up. It's a vicious cycle.
Another wonderful trait we phlegmatics have is the inability to make a decision, which was proven several times while I was out with my mother yesterday. I saw the look of panic and confusion on my mother's face while at Costco when the checkout person asked her if she wanted a box for her groceries. Now, this may not be a big deal for you, but for a phlegmatic to have to decide if they want a box or not and answer in a timely manner is no small feat. Sure we are use to the "do you want paper or plastic?" question, but to throw a curve ball like "would you like a box"? in there can completely derail you. After much contemplation she decided to go with the box. We later regretted that decision.
We then decided it was time for lunch and after a long conversation that consisted mostly of -
"Where do you want to eat."
"I don't care. Where do you want to eat?"
"It really doesn't matter to me" "What sounds good to you?"
"Oh, I am okay with anything." (Sounds alot like those vultures from the Jungle Book doesn't it?)
We decided on Olive Garden, where we were met with more very difficult decisions that had to be made. We ordered the soup, salad, and bread sticks. When our server asked us if we wanted our soup with the salad or after our salad my mom and I both just stared at each other, both of us hoping the other person would make a decision. We started asking each other what we should do. After an uncomfortable amount of time spent debating, we still didn't know what we wanted so I just blurted out that we would have the soup after our salad, which we later regretted and asked our server to please bring our soup out before we were finished with our salad. Then came the big, do you want cheese on your salad question.Will the questions never stop! I was ready to not have to make any more decisions for the rest of the day after that meal.
Not only are phlegmatics not very motivated or good at making decisions, but we are not very detail oriented. Which would be why all the posters hanging on my sons wall are crooked. And why I assembled a fake Christmas tree upside down and didn't notice. Or why when I go shopping with my mom and my sister (also a phlegmatic) we can never remember where we parked the car until after much wandering around the parking lot with lost looks on our faces.
So now you have been given a look into my life and the things that I have to work through. I have become better at being not quite as phlegmatic as I used to be now that I am married and want to keep my husband and children happy and fed. But some days, it takes alot of pep talks with myself to get that laundry done and that dinner made.
Example #1- My blog. I started out with great intentions of posting all the time. We can all see how that has turned out.
Example #2- My mom (also a phlegmatic) and I threw a garage sale almost a month ago. The fact that I am just now getting around to writing about the garage sale could be an example all on it's own. But if you would have seen us setting up the garage sale and then trying to price everything you would would really have gotten a good idea of what it is to be a phlegmatic. At one point of setting up I wanted to crawl under the tables and lay in the fetal position because I felt so overwhelmed with the work we had ahead of us. And trying to price everything, I think, is highly over rated.
Example #3- My kids' baby pictures, or lack thereof. I know some day when my kids are older they will ask me why there are hardly any pictures of them. The truth of the matter is that in order for me to take a picture I have to open the drawer the camera is in, pull it out of the camera bag, turn it on, change the batteries because it seems like they are always dead, and then try to take a decent picture of my "having their picture taken challenged children." It's just a hassle.
Example #4- My workout habits. I start the day by planning on working out before the kids wake up, and then it gets pushed back to room time, which then gets pushed back to working out during nap time, which then turns into after the kids go to bed for the night, which then brings us right back to working out in the morning before the kids wake up. It's a vicious cycle.
Another wonderful trait we phlegmatics have is the inability to make a decision, which was proven several times while I was out with my mother yesterday. I saw the look of panic and confusion on my mother's face while at Costco when the checkout person asked her if she wanted a box for her groceries. Now, this may not be a big deal for you, but for a phlegmatic to have to decide if they want a box or not and answer in a timely manner is no small feat. Sure we are use to the "do you want paper or plastic?" question, but to throw a curve ball like "would you like a box"? in there can completely derail you. After much contemplation she decided to go with the box. We later regretted that decision.
We then decided it was time for lunch and after a long conversation that consisted mostly of -
"Where do you want to eat."
"I don't care. Where do you want to eat?"
"It really doesn't matter to me" "What sounds good to you?"
"Oh, I am okay with anything." (Sounds alot like those vultures from the Jungle Book doesn't it?)
We decided on Olive Garden, where we were met with more very difficult decisions that had to be made. We ordered the soup, salad, and bread sticks. When our server asked us if we wanted our soup with the salad or after our salad my mom and I both just stared at each other, both of us hoping the other person would make a decision. We started asking each other what we should do. After an uncomfortable amount of time spent debating, we still didn't know what we wanted so I just blurted out that we would have the soup after our salad, which we later regretted and asked our server to please bring our soup out before we were finished with our salad. Then came the big, do you want cheese on your salad question.Will the questions never stop! I was ready to not have to make any more decisions for the rest of the day after that meal.
Not only are phlegmatics not very motivated or good at making decisions, but we are not very detail oriented. Which would be why all the posters hanging on my sons wall are crooked. And why I assembled a fake Christmas tree upside down and didn't notice. Or why when I go shopping with my mom and my sister (also a phlegmatic) we can never remember where we parked the car until after much wandering around the parking lot with lost looks on our faces.
So now you have been given a look into my life and the things that I have to work through. I have become better at being not quite as phlegmatic as I used to be now that I am married and want to keep my husband and children happy and fed. But some days, it takes alot of pep talks with myself to get that laundry done and that dinner made.
Friday, June 24, 2011
He's got a sensitive side....
and I am not talking about Scott, although he really does and I am pretty sure he cries more than I do, but those are stories for another time. Today I am talking about Connor. I started to see the sensitive side of my son when one day we were watching the kids movie "Meet the Robinsons" with my mom and sister. The scene came on where it shows the mom leaving her baby on the door step of the orphanage, and I happen to look over at Connor and his eyes are filled with tears and I can see he is trying his hardest not to cry. I barely managed to ask Connor what was wrong before I burst into tears myself at the sight of my four year old so broken hearted that a mom was leaving her baby behind. He looked at me with giant tears in his eyes and said, "mom, why is the mom leaving her baby? She is not supposed to leave her baby." My mom and I were both in tears and trying to compose ourselves so I could explain to him what was going on. He still didn't get it and just continued to cry. Talk about and emotionally draining Disney movie. We will never be watching that movie again.
Then today, my mom brought over Charlotte's Web that she had just bought at a garage sale. I put it in for the kids and they seemed to like it. Then came the part where Charlotte was about to die. Connor looks at me worriedly and asks what is wrong with Charlotte. I told him that she is going to die. I didn't think he would be so concerned about the fate of this spider. He looks at me panicked and says, "Mom, turn this movie off right now. Please, mom right now! This is too sad!" So I turned it off right before the end. This is probably another movie that will never be watched again. I already know that Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows are movies that will not be watched in this house. I can just imagine the shattered pieces of my sons broken heart those movies would cause. We will just stick with the natural disaster movies, apparently he can handle those ones.
Then today, my mom brought over Charlotte's Web that she had just bought at a garage sale. I put it in for the kids and they seemed to like it. Then came the part where Charlotte was about to die. Connor looks at me worriedly and asks what is wrong with Charlotte. I told him that she is going to die. I didn't think he would be so concerned about the fate of this spider. He looks at me panicked and says, "Mom, turn this movie off right now. Please, mom right now! This is too sad!" So I turned it off right before the end. This is probably another movie that will never be watched again. I already know that Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows are movies that will not be watched in this house. I can just imagine the shattered pieces of my sons broken heart those movies would cause. We will just stick with the natural disaster movies, apparently he can handle those ones.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Adventures of Translucent Boy and Fancy Hat Girl
Because it got quite warm today I decided to put the sprinkler out for Connor and Olivia. Connor loved it, Olivia did not. She kept yelling "It's waining" (raining) and cried when she got wet. She is such a prissy girl, I have no idea where she got that from.
I documented the sprinkler adventures for your viewing pleasure. I am warning you, Connor is wearing only his underwear. Be glad he has that on, if he had his way he would have been naked. Olivia however, would not leave the house without her lady hat on.
Side note: I did turn the sprinkler off so he could get the shovels, but being the mom that I am I turned it back on right as he grabbed them. Olivia and I thought it was hilarious, Connor, not so much.
I documented the sprinkler adventures for your viewing pleasure. I am warning you, Connor is wearing only his underwear. Be glad he has that on, if he had his way he would have been naked. Olivia however, would not leave the house without her lady hat on.
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| I am translucent boy, the sprinkler is no match for me! |
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| washing the "digger" otherwise known as a shovel. He doesn't like the water getting in his face. Only my child would play in the sprinkler with one hand covering his face. |
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| washing the "scrape" otherwise known as a rake |
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| "Dang, how am I going to get those without getting water in my eyes?" |
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| Fancy hat girl with "scrape and sidewalk chalk" Note, the whale on the patio. Yep, I drew that, I know impressive huh? |
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| The solution to the water in the eyes: safety goggles from the play tool set. |
Monday, June 13, 2011
Night and Day
That is how different my children are compared to each other. Olivia is enthusiastic about everything, even if it is something brand new. Connor likes to ease his way into things and usually can't do anything new without first letting me know how nervous he is about it. Olivia practically dances all day long. She can't even walk down the hall without bobbing her head back and forth and shaking her little booty. Connor, well, we are still trying to get him to bend his knees while he runs, it's great entertainment watching him.
This morning I made the kids something new for breakfast. I asked them if they would like to try cinnamon toast for breakfast. Olivia of course shouts "YA"! She doesn't care what it is as long as it's breakfast. Connor is concerned about having to try the cinnamon toast. I have to explain what it is a few times to him. I assured him he would love it and was really wanting some myself, but no, I have to eat a stupid egg because it's healthier. I am just a little bitter. Olivia dived right into her toast and yelled "Yum!" after every bite. I had to make Connor try his. Olivia was asking for seconds before Connor even took a bite. While I am making Liv more, Connor tells me he is done with his toast. The only part he ate was the crust. The crust! Who eats the crust on cinnamon toast? The best part is the middle with all that butter, sugar, and cinnamon. I just can't believe it. Oh, and while I was making them breakfast I was singing the song about the ant trying to move the rubber tree. Olivia just bobbed her head back and forth with a huge smile on her face enjoying the song, while Connor stared at me confused. I knew I was going to have to interpret the song for him. Sure enough, "Mom, why is the ant trying to move a tree? Is he looking for food? Is it a sugar ant? Can ants really move trees?" Oh my. I was already tired of having to explain things and it was only 7:30 in the morning.
It just makes me laugh how different they are, but I just love each of their personalities. They keep me busy and make me laugh every day. They do have some things in common, but the most important thing is that they both love to snuggle with their momma.
This morning I made the kids something new for breakfast. I asked them if they would like to try cinnamon toast for breakfast. Olivia of course shouts "YA"! She doesn't care what it is as long as it's breakfast. Connor is concerned about having to try the cinnamon toast. I have to explain what it is a few times to him. I assured him he would love it and was really wanting some myself, but no, I have to eat a stupid egg because it's healthier. I am just a little bitter. Olivia dived right into her toast and yelled "Yum!" after every bite. I had to make Connor try his. Olivia was asking for seconds before Connor even took a bite. While I am making Liv more, Connor tells me he is done with his toast. The only part he ate was the crust. The crust! Who eats the crust on cinnamon toast? The best part is the middle with all that butter, sugar, and cinnamon. I just can't believe it. Oh, and while I was making them breakfast I was singing the song about the ant trying to move the rubber tree. Olivia just bobbed her head back and forth with a huge smile on her face enjoying the song, while Connor stared at me confused. I knew I was going to have to interpret the song for him. Sure enough, "Mom, why is the ant trying to move a tree? Is he looking for food? Is it a sugar ant? Can ants really move trees?" Oh my. I was already tired of having to explain things and it was only 7:30 in the morning.
It just makes me laugh how different they are, but I just love each of their personalities. They keep me busy and make me laugh every day. They do have some things in common, but the most important thing is that they both love to snuggle with their momma.
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