The Christmas Dress... and Pic

Yes, I said Christmas and not Holiday...ok??  We celebrate Christmas and every year it is tradition that my mother gets Kyra and now Franny their dresses/outfits for the holidays.  And so, the hunt is on.  I saw some on Old Navy but I think they are gone b/c most of them weren't even on-line today.  Saw some on Children's Place but wasn't a big fan this year.  Tried to look up some stuff on-line but was unsuccessful.  And, of course, I want the girls to match.  Funny how we don't really care what the boys wear??  Thinking of going out at some point to try and find something matching...even if it's not your typical Christmas dress, you know??

While I am thinking about their dresses, I also have to think about the Photo for the cards.  If you don't know me, I will tell you that my cards usually go out on Christmas Eve and I make sure they say Happy Holidays and New Year (b/c I know they won't go out way before xmas and sometimes not until after...so Happy New Year here's a pic of my kids on my card!!)  I've done so many different things with them over the years...had some fun looking at the pics so I thought I'd take you down memory lane with me:)  Enjoy!! (I don't have the pic we used when it was just DJ but we'll start with the following year)

2004 (DJ almost 2 and Kyra was 6 mos)

2005 (DJ almost 3 and Kyra 18 mos)

2006 (DJ almost 4 and Kyra 2.5)

2007 (DJ almost 5 and Kyra 3.5)

 2008 (Max 6 mos, DJ almost 6, Kyra 4.5)

2009 (Max 1.5, DJ almost 7, Kyra 5.5)

And Finally, 2010 (Franny Girl 2 mos, Max 2.5, Kyra 6.5 and DJ almost 8)

Yes, this is the same sweater as last year... and, he could wear it again this year...lol...)

Four Day Weekend...or NOT..

I know most of the world had the pleasure of having a great 4 day weekend over Thanksgiving break.  And I naively thought I had one too... ha ha ha... not so much.  I had so many things to get done not realizing that I actually didn't even get 1 of those days 'off'.  And so, nothing got done and Franny's crib is still full of crap and so we didn't actually get her in there.  Boo!!

Here's how my 4-day weekend went down (this is after baking several pies/cheesecakes and rice pudding for sale):
Thursday (Thanksgiving)- well, that just says it all.  When you are cooking and 'hosting', you don't really get much of anything else done.  It was a GREAT day and I'm glad we were able to do it and spend the day with the MIL and her sister... but... would've been great to just get stuff done around here, you know??

Friday- had Baby J until about 1ish and then I really did do nothing (after being able to eat leftovers for lunch) for about an hour.  Got kids ready for their sleepover and headed out to Walmart on a bin hunt for our china.  Got some xmas presents and some baking ingredients too.  By the time we got back home, it was too late to really get things going in Franny/Kyra's rooms and Max had to go to bed... And Franny just didn't want to go to sleep... she is NOT fun when she's overtired and doesn't go to sleep!!

Saturday- mad dash to make cupcakes for my niece's b-day party that I was also working for.  She was having it at the place I do the birthday party hosting side job.  Also mad dash to get he 1/2 sheet cake baked and the buttercream made so I would just have to put it all together.  After niece's party, went to a bonfire at a good friends house.  Great weather and good times.  Though, had a bit too much wine or something... it seemed to affect me way too much that night (almost felt like I was back in college... think slurred speech, dizzyness, and basically passing out after drinking a TALL glass of water... YUCK)

Sunday- mad dash to put 1/2 sheet cake together, get Kyra to Nutcracker rehearsal and go to work at the library followed by my own Nutcracker rehearsal.  Didn't get home until after 7:30.  Yeah, not getting up to the room that night either!!

And so, aside from Thanksgiving, I basically worked every day over this weekend.  And not just at 1 job but 4 of them... geez... that was a LONG weekend and I'm even more tired!!

On a positive note- Nutcracker is in 2 weeks and that will be OVER!!!  As much as I love doing it and that I love that my kids love it, I will be so glad when it's all over.

New Goal- put Franny in the crib during xmas break.  go on, laugh, I know you want to... I'm a sucker and I know it.  She knows it too!!  I'm gonna need A LOT of wine that week:)

I also know that you all think I'm crazy b/c I want to start a Blog about the trials and tribulations of baking... but I think I've narrowed it down to 2 Cookbooks to go through.
The Dorie Greenspan Baking http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=dorie+greenspan+baking&hl=en&prmd=imvnsoe&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&biw=1224&bih=688&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=4833208600077065188&sa=X&ei=AWjUTq3aIcHj0QHN8JDaAQ&ved=0CGMQ8wIwAA#ps-sellers
or the
 CIA Pastry and Baking.  http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Pastry-Mastering-Art-Craft/dp/0471443824/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322543300&sr=1-2

Anyone care to comment???  What would interest you more??

Also...still thinking about what to call the Blog...
Wanna be Baker
Trial and Error Baker
Bake my Mistakes
Bake (and mistake) with Me
Stay at Home Baker

Please feel free to shout out anything that comes to mind.  Maybe I'll have some 'give aways' with the outcomes...

Hope you all had a great weekend.  Good night:)

A Day of Thanks and some Pepsi Malfunction..

Today was a good day in our house!!  It was Thanksgiving and there was a lot of thanks to be had:)

Woke up this morning and the house still looked like a bomb had exploded.  Started on the stuffing and turkey so I could get it in the oven.  Hubby came downstairs and offered to be my 'bitch for the day'...lol.  And yes, he was.  I kept telling him what to do and he kept on doing it!!  I think I had only 1 moment of my own bitchiness but that was it.  I was CALM and we just kept on going until everything was done!!  House got cleaned...food got prepped...china was brought up (ha ha...story about this)...MIL and her sister arrived... apps were eaten... naps were had (Franny and Fran..lol).. dinner was eaten and so was dessert.. Pepsi was sent crashing to the floor and exploded all over.. Scrabbled was played and everyone went to bed!!

China story- made hubby go down into our crawl space to dig out our China...the stuff we got for getting married but has never been out of the boxes.  Thought we would use it today.  Turns out there is a major crack in the wall and water has been leaking in for awhile.  The boxes of each place setting was literally destroyed and disgustingly moldy.  And, we actually only received 5 full place settings.  What to do, what to do??  Clean it up and toss the boxes of course.  We used the big plates for the adults and the salad plates for the kiddies.  I even gave the kiddies their own 'wine' glasses (cheap wine glasses that I have stolen from our Myrtle Beach hotel...didn't care if they accidentally broke glasses).  They were thrilled to use them with their sparkling grape juice.  The adults used my good crystal glasses from Ireland:)

Pepsi all over the floor

Pepsi Explosion- in keeping with our pattern this week, Franny decided (at the end of our meal) to literally end it with a HUGE bang.  Yup...she managed to pull off a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi and it somehow ended on the lid and EXPLODED all over my floor.  I'm thinking that she's really a smart little booger and is trying to tell me I need to CLEAN my house.  And so, my floor was mopped today.  It was actually funny and I had a good laugh about it... but also bummed b/c she pulled over MY Wild Cherry Pepsi!!  Boo Franny Girl..

This is what was left..

MIL and her sis had a good time.  I was glad they were able to come up and especially hubby's Aunt.  She lives in Kentucky and he never sees her.  I met her once about 5 years ago.  She was up in the area to help out the MIL b/c she just got out of her rehabilitation place and basically needs the help.  MIL is having a hard time realizing she's getting older and unable to do things for herself.  You know, the basic things we all take for granted like being able to get up and off the toilet and couch??  I wonder how long she will last on her own once her sister leaves her to go home next week.  Hubby needs to take some days to go down and help his Mom go through her house and clean it up and stuff, you know??

We ended the night playing Scrabble with the big kids.  That was interesting.  Playing with hubby can be quite frustrating... he takes so darn long to form his words as he's always trying to find the word with the most points.  Him and I 'helped' out the kiddies so they would get words longer than 3 letters..lol... it was nice to sit down as a family and play a game.  Even with Franny girl trying to eat, play, sit on my lap and stuff.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!

These turkeys were made using their feet as the bodies and hands as the feathers!

Cinnamon Anyone??

On first glance, you might think this is just merely peanut butter on her face from lunch that I haven't wiped off b/c I'm preoccupied trying to bake pies and cheesecakes for the Thanksgiving Season.  But than, your three year old walks into the room and his clothes are covered in some kind of brownish substance and you have to wonder what it is... his hands are tinted brown.  Oh, and than you take a better look at Franny and realize her clothes are covered in this same substance as well as her hands.  Hmmmmm...what in the world could it possible be, I think to myself as Baby C is crying next to me and Franny is cackling at me and Max claims to have NO IDEA what it could possible be.  OH CRAP...THE CINNAMON... come to find out, it's not just on them but practically all over the play room!!  Yup... ALL OVER!!  Even Barbie got some...perhaps she needed to bake something.  And the trucks had some interesting soil to drive in... oh geez...not exactly how I wanted to be vacuuming that room!!

I think the pictures will speak for themsleves:

And so, when you come into my house and walk past the playroom...don't think how clean the room is and how wonderful it smells and ask what the 'scent' is in there because there is no deodorizing element.  It's just plain old Cinnamon... and I know I will continue to find it for the next year or so!!

PS- while I was vacuuming, Max was taking all the nicely folded clothes (future Franny clothes that I had just painstakingly gone through and organized and folded and sized, etc) and throwing them over the gate on the stairs at Franny.  NOT A GOOD DAY!!

Hope you all got a good laugh... I will laugh tomorrow.

Later!!

The things we say too often...

Going through the days and listening to myself, hubby and some other parents out there (yes, I've heard others say this stuff too), I thought it might be fun to write them down...

- Oh, come on

- Seriously??

- What were you thinking??

- What do you think I mean when I say blah blah blah??  I don't mean 'opposite' of blah blah blah!!

- What are you doing??

- Don't look at each other, speak to each other or touch each other!!

- Does everything have to be a competition around here??

- I can't believe you did that

- I'm so disappointed right now

- Do you think I'm your maid??

- Stop whining/crying/moaning/rolling your eyes/etc

- Don't lie to me

- What's behind your back...show me both hands!!

Perhaps I should just start really throwing out and giving away all the crap they leave all over my house.  And perhaps I should just make them stay in their rooms with no contact to the outside world or each other.  I don't know...some days are rougher than others and today was not a good one...

Some things we should say more often (or not)

- I love you

- You are awesome

- Great job... Good sharing... Thank you for picking up after yourselves (ha ha ha)

I often feel like my kids just don't appreciate what they have and what I give to them.  Case in point... I made pancakes for dinner and did some 'shapes' using my cookie cutters.  After about 8 pancakes this way, I went on to make plain old circles b/c it's faster and I wanted to get the batter all made (I make double so that I can freeze the leftovers).  Kyra decides that this is the right time, you know while I'm slaving over the stove not eating with them, to question why there aren't any more shapes b/c she wants another one!!  A bit cheeky if you ask me... And DJ seems to think when we say you can have a treat from your Halloween bag, that he can take 4 (not 1) and hide them behind his back hoping we, the parents, wouldn't see the extras he's taken!!  Oh, and those couch cushions really need to be stapled to the couch at this point...Max just isn't understanding that they need to STAY put!!

OK- lots of baking to be done...gonna be a LONG day... and crazy as it sounds, I'm thinking of trying to pull out my china for Thanksgiving this year.  It's been in storage pretty much since we received it for our wedding...never used.  So, hubby has a task for Wednesday:)

G'Night

I made a Printable...

Hello all... I was at work the other day (the library) and I had to try and make a smaller page fill out an 8x10 page using the copy machine.  Ummm... I'm an idiot and had a hard time and used up a bunch of paper.  I totally couldn't figure it out but I think the problem was the original was not proportionate to the 8x11 paper, you know.  And so, I thought I would just make a similar one on the computer...much more up my alley... and I think I will be printing them off for our Thanksgiving and letting my kids color it.  We can use it as place mats with everyone's name at their seats...

And, since I'm really tired and can't think about anything else to write tonight, I thought I'd share with anyone who has kids and who might like something to color on Turkey Day...

I hope you can print it or down load it or whatever you want with it...or just ignore it if that's your pleasure.  But, I stress, it's late and I really am not sure how to attach it properly.

Back to my hubby and his positiveness of the day:  Today he finally realized that he had 4 kids and they are the reason he cannot possibly sit in a tree every single weekend of Hunting Season!!  At least, I think he finally understands...hopefully:)

Thanksgiving...

This year for Thanksgiving I was going to by-pass all the trimmings of the standard meal.  Why, you might ask??  Well, I didn't really feel like cooking a big meal and going through all the trouble for just us. You see, we weren't planing on going anywhere or having anyone over, so why make this huge meal for just out family.  And someone did say to me "Well, aren't they (my family) worth it??"  YES...they are worth my efforts and time to cook them a meal of thanks.  But, you see, none of my children will eat the turkey and only 1 or 2 will eat the mashed potatoes and hubby and I will eat the stuffing...and depending on the veggies- you never know who will eat it.  So, I thought we would get our "free" lasagna and make that.  All of my children will eat that and will appreciate that meal far more than the traditional turkey (perhaps they have more of that Italian blood running through them...lol).

But, alas, it turns out I will be cooking a traditional meal on our Thanksgiving this year.  My MIL will be joining us as will her sister.  And I know how much she loves this meal and all its trimmings.  And for her (and myself), I will indulge in the huge meal.  I love the turkey and mash and my stuffing and cranberry sauce and gravy and biscuits and apple pie, etc.  So, I will get my meal this year and so will MIL.  The difference this year is that I will not freak out about the absolute cleanliness of my house.  I will have a clean bathroom and that's all I can promise at this point.

I have lots of pies and cheesecakes to make for others but I will be making a lovely apple pie for us and whatever else I make that is 'leftover' from baking for others.  At this point, looks like we will have a pumpkin cheesecake and some rice pudding:)

Perhaps the movies will take place the day after Thanksgiving for the kids?  I will force hubby to take them.  He owes DJ a movie for his perfect attendance last year in school...yeah, we haven't done that yet... we're a little behind:(

On another note... had a great night tonight with my brother and his fiance and daughter.  We really need to keep it up and hang out more often.  It was great to have them over and just hand out.  Perhaps we should try and make it a Friday thing... maybe 'training' the kids so that we can enjoy a game night for the adults??  Speaking of Game Night...I have to start planning another one... I think everyone had a good time last year and another one would be good...

OK- enough for now... have a lot going on this weekend.  What else is new, right??  Last soccer game tomorrow, Nutcracker rehearsal and some xmas shopping.  Sunday, Kyra will be doing some Polish dancing in public for the first time.  Still trying to decide if I want to take pics or video.  Need a video tape though...so it may just be pics...

I am thankful that I don't have any birthday parties to do this weekend... it just frees up my time:)

Have a great night!!

Kids...a Reflection of Ourselves..

Since becoming a parent, almost 9 years ago, I have tried to raise all of my kids the Right way.  Is there a right way, you ask??  Probably not and I know I've made a ton of mistakes.  I also know my kids will be in therapy for some of the stuff I've tried with them...lol

But, your kids are a Reflection of who you are, I think.  And, I think this is why I have such a hard time accepting DJ for who he is... I know, back to the whole DJ thing, right?  You're saying 'Just get over it... he is who he is and he can't help it'   But, I lack some self-confidence and I feel as though I am being judged for who my son is.  How horrible does that sound, right??  He's not a bad kid...just a kid with a lot of energy who has problems sitting still.  And sometimes has problems listening...but I guess you could say, What kid doesn't??  I am slowly getting over some of the embarrasment I sometimes feel but there are times when I just don't get it.  How could I have a kid that's so off the wall??  And when he does have his 'mood' swings (they're awful) and his foot stomping episodes, it drives me crazy.  It's a constant struggle to accept this from him and calmly deal with it... I know we joke in my family that he's a special kid.  But, sometimes it gets to me.  I was watching him in gymnastics today and it drove me insane watching him literally bounce off his imaginary walls.  I feel like I could've done something differently or should know how to control him...and I feel like I, personally, am being judged.

Most days, I can shake it off...but today did not start out as a good day so these things tend to bother me when I'm already having one of those dull and dreary days.  Max (love him) wanted a kiss and afterwards said "Do you feel happy now Mommy?"  Well, he did make me smile!!  And DJ makes me smile in other ways and I do TRY.  I guess that's all I can do, right??  JUST LET IT GO AND ACCEPT HIM FOR WHO HE IS AND STOP BLAMING MYSELF FOR TRYING TO MAKE HIM WHO HE ISN'T.  Whew...I feel better!!

Back to the beginning of my day... Hubby and I didn't get off to a great start.  Nope... it was pretty bad.  We had words (loud words) and I was informed that I yell at our kids more then he does and if I didn't believe him I should go ask a family member who shan't be named b/c they said it to him.  Nice, right?  I know that I yell at them a lot more than I want to.  And I feel completely awful when I do.  I feel like I need a week's worth of sleep and a ton of couples therapy with hubby...maybe we would communicate better??  Maybe we would LISTEN to each other better??  A couples retreat anyone??  perhaps we can be reminded of why we fell in love... it's been 10 years now and a lot has happened.  4 kids, a house, bills, making ends meet while keeping 1 parent home, broken cars, sleepless nights, etc.  Great things and shitty things and we are still here.  Now, we just need to figure out how to get us over this hump and move on to enjoy what we do have, you know??

So, back to our children and how they are a reflection of ourselves:  I am so proud of my kids and happy to know that they truly are GREAT kids in every way!!  We are doing something right.  Both kids had rave reviews from their teachers tonight!!  Aside from the annoying noises DJ makes to disrupt his class that is.  They are both doing Awesome academically and both teachers commented on how polite they are and that they are just good kids.  Now, I just have to remember that when they both piss me off for something...lol  DJ is Mr Social in his class and Kyra is Ms Manners (always willing to help others... apparently she is getting close to being fluent in sign language and often helps other students with this)

I know, this post is all over the place...thanks for being patient with me... I will leave you with my thoughts:  I will be more patient, I will try to stop yelling so much, I will accept my children for the beautiful individuals they are and I will get over myself to do all of this!!

How to tell you have a 1 yr old...

Yes, it's true...1 year olds are complete home wreckers... And Franny Wrecka (as we call her) is in her prime wrecking years...  so, thought I'd put together some things I'm sure you have all experienced and may have a laugh at...

1. You turn away for a second and all the puzzles/books you just picked up are back all over the floor.  My Franny thinks it's funny to stand on the fireplace and chuck this stuff on the floor...

2. It seems to take forever to fold a basket of clothes and feels like it is never-ending.  Oh, wait, that's b/c your 1 yr old keeps unfolding them and throwing them on the floor and/or back into the basket

3. Walking out of the room creates a loud cry with lots of tears.  Yeah, she can't see you anymore...crap... separation anxiety has fully set in

4. Every household object becomes a step... yes, upside down pots included and bins are things to empty out throwing items wrecklessly everywhere so they can now climb in and sit

5. While in your pediatrician's office, you need to sit on the floor right in front of the cabinets so that she cannot open them and pull everything out (think these doctors need to child proof their cabinets and drawers)

6. Remote controls go missing only to turn up months later in the back of your tupperware closet... at least you hope it will turn up and she didn't decide to throw it in the garbage or eat it...

7. There is no such thing as sitting down and eating a full meal while it's still hot.  

8. You watch these shows with Moms who have quints and or 20 kids and curse them out b/c they are calm cool collected           The 3 Cs you've lost and may never again have!!  But, you continue to watch in the hopes they, too, will lose it and start yelling.

9. Strange things may end up in your toilet if you accidentally keep the door open...

10. You find random kitchen utensils strewn around your house.

11.  You've lost track of saying NO realizing that it doesn't work and yet you continue to say No constantly hoping they will learn what No really means... yeah, right!!

12. Staircases are gated...all of them... and sometimes they are gated in somewhere, anywhere, just so you can sit for a few minutes...lol

13. There is a constant line of crumbs surrounding the high-chair and on the high-chair tray and there may even be a stray piece of food in the diaper (yes...a whole piece of food that was meant to go into the mouth and missed??)

14. If you don't get out much, your conversation skills will deteriorate greatly... unless of course those around you also understand pointing and grunting and babbling

15. YOU GET THE BEST SNUGGLES AND HUGS AND KISSES ALL DAY LONG!!!

I'm sure there are a ton more but, you see, I do have a 1 yr old and my brain is a bit muddled these days.  Hope you enjoy!!

Long Weekend...

Whew...it's Sunday night.  Oh, wait, it all starts again tomorrow???  Feels like there are no breaks here and it is neverending.

I love doing the Nutcracker and I love that my kids are enjoying their roles in the production... but boy will I be glad when it's over.  Hopefully, with no rehearsals we will get some stuff done around this house.  This dirty, messy house that I am in charge of.  I am beyond embarassed about my house these days.  I don't want anyone coming in it right now.  The floors need a good cleaning and the playroom needs a good 'cleansing'.  I could also use about a day to go through all the bags of clothes I have sitting in the girls room right now.  Mostly clothes that no longer fit Franny girl.  But, I have no one to pass it on to...perhaps I should organize it in lots and sell it on ebay or something.  I have A LOT of clothes which we have been fortunate to receive...would totally love to pass on.  I love the circle of clothes amongst my circle of Moms but right now it looks as though the girl clothes stops with Franny.

Weekends have stopped being a 'catch up' time right now.  We had soccer yesterday morning, I worked in the afternoon while DJ had rehearsal and then I had rehearsal myself.  Afterwards, I worked on making some 'baby' cookies and pink cake pops for a baby shower this evening.  Today we had religion, rehearsal for Kyra, work for me, Doug and kids went to see his mother and I had an evening with the ladies celebrating a new life about to join us.  Good times.

And so, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps not cleaning is a good thing.  Yes, we are all a little sick but not nearly as sick as what's out there right now.  I think it's b/c we are all used to GERMS circulating around the house...LOL... oh, and hubby had the audacity to try and tell me how and when to get laundry done around here...b/c you know, he had the 3 older ones with Max not in preschool and not watching any other babies and so I should do it just like he did while I was away i Ireland.  Oh, Ireland how do I miss thee let me count the ways...

OK- goal this week...finish laundry and sort out the clothes in Kyra's room (and the spillage into my hallway).  Let's see if I can get that done!!

Have a great night:)

Good Hubby of the day: he took the kids to see his mother (she is out of the rehabilitation center and back at home)

Boobs...

So, the last two entries were a little serious... thought I'd go a little humorous tonight and talk about BOOBS!!

Yes, we (women, and yes, some men) have them.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  I think I may have experienced all of them...well, except for maybe those super huge hang to your knees kind.  But, I have had super huge ones (like a size E...thanks DJ for that experience).  Flat, round, perky, melony, square, droopy, lopsided, wrinkly... you get the picture, right??

Right now, mine are a bit huge and not so perky.  But, I do love them.  Isn't that the point??  To love your boobs and everything else about yourself??  But, as I was dancing the other night with my boobs double strapped in sports bra paraphanalia I thought how much I hated sports bras.  They tend to squoosh'em in and schmoosh'em up against your body.  No shape what-so-ever.  Yuck.  If you've got boobs, you like to show'em off, you know??  And sports bras just don't do that.  But, finding just the right bra for your boobs could take a life time.  I am always on the hunt for a good bra and when I find one, I just buy several of them.  And than WHAM, they change!!  These suckers have been through so many changes I can't tell you how many different bras I have to try and keep them looking nice.  I have 1 right now that I really love.  That's it.  I have some Victoria Secret ones that fit so nice in the dressing room but were so disappointing when I got home...I don't know...they just didn't do it for me.  I've even been measured and tried several styles in the size I am supposed to be.  But I still haven't found that Perfect Fit.  Perhaps Oprah needs to go back into business so I can get properly measured and fitted with My Ultimate Bra!!  Wouldn't that be nice:)

My boobs will never be young again but they will continue to comfort the very young and probably the old.  Nice, soft cushions that they are..lol... I do enjoy them right now (especially when they are sitting nicely in that 1 great bra I have).  I know they will never be back to that young and perky stage (that stage didn't last very long for me, how about you??) but I must embrace what my children have done for me!!  To look on the bright side, I will never need a padded bra!!  ha ha  Besides, I think our boobs almost define who we are as women and make us who we are.

So, embrace them and show'em off...whether you're an A or an E:)

That's all I have to say about that:)

Good hubby comment of the day:  tonight I watched him sit at the table with Kyra while she was coloring and he was really admiring her and all her cuteness...I was very touched watching their relationship (but, now I know why she has him wrapped around her finger)

Have a good night:)

Bomb Scare...Oh my

I don't generally get my thoughts together during the day and usually don't know what I'm going to write about until much later in the day...let alone do I have the time to actually write anything during the day.

But, as things happen in life, my brain needs to get it out and I have 2 sleeping babies with Max playing quietly in his playroom.

This morning started out a normal day... crazy hectic morning getting everyone up, fed, dressed and out the door.  Big kids on to the bus and Max out to Preschool.  Morning was going fine and normal (yes, craziness is normalcy in this house and there was lots of crying earlier today).  I get a phone call from the person who picks Max up at school to say that there had been a Bomb Threat on the school and everyone inside was on Lock Down.  WHAT!!!  How does that happen and why aren't I there to pick him up??  My heart stopped and my body started shaking slightly.  My sweet little boy was inside a building and didn't even know what was going on.  As I registered this information, my thoughts became blurred and all I could think about was my little Max and his bubbly personality and how he comes running out of the classroom to hug me and tell me how much he missed me.

As the minutes passed on with no other word, I found out that the threat came in before the school started.  Max goes to a preschool at the Boces and his part starts before the actual school starts.  The actual threat was made for a different building but on the campus.  The buses that drop off the high school students were not letting students off and everyone already inside was LOCKED inside.  Ummmmm, WHY??  Perhaps they thought the kids inside were safer in that building??  And why the HELL didn't I get a phone call from the school??  That just baffles me.  My sweet little innocent boy is inside a Lock Down and you don't call me??

Thanking the Lord (and He and I have had our issues in the past so I don't often do that...) that my little boy is back home with me and playing quietly without a care in the world.  I'm still a little shaky and my eyes continue to tear up, but all is good.

Bomb Threats and schools is another one of my biggest fears in life.  I send my kids to school every day and I occasionally think of what could happen to them while they are there.  You always wonder if someone pissed someone else off that day and something is going to happen.  This is a crazy ass world we live in and today makes me cherish my children so much more!!

So, HUG your kids today and LOVE them to the fullest!!  I know I will.

Life..

2 people died today on a road that I might happen to drive on about 5 days out of 7 and more than once on some days.  It appears as though a driver had a heart attack while driving, veered into the other lane and crashed with an on-coming car.  There were no skidmarks...no reminders...no notice... WOW... how horrible.

I cannot even fathom something like this happening to my family and friends.  I heard the 2 people who died were older... but it doesn't make it any less horrible.  My heart goes out to the families of the deceased even though I have no idea who they are.  It makes me grateful for my family and friends and makes me want to "Seize the day" so to speak.  NO REGRETS, you know??

One of my biggest fears is dying... and not just dying.  But leaving this world with regrets and/or leaving with those around me not knowing how I feel about them.  I hope to live a very long fulfilling life.  I want to experience everything my children have to offer and I want to grow old with my husband.

I don't know what else to say.  I am truly sorry but at the same time thankful... is that strange??  I am sorry for the families affected but am thankful no one I know was hurt.  There are too many tragedies in this world to 'just get by'.  You know??

The mom of one of the babies I watch was coming to my house on this road to pick up her baby.  She missed this tragic accident by minutes.  I cannot fathom this.  I think I might be freaking out a bit.

Again, I can't think of anything else to say.  Please, go LIVE!!  Enjoy your time here on earth with NO REGRETS!!  Advice even I, myself, need to follow.

Hypocrisy and Mommyhood

Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually have.^[1] Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie


Yup...that's me.  Most definitely towards my kids too.  I was standing at the coffee counter making my coffee at a deli last week.  DJ and I had a few minutes and I wanted something hot and caffeinated so we stopped.  I told him he could get a drink b/c I had the extra few bucks that night.  He brought me one of those juice type drinks that is essentially SUGAR.  As I stood there pouring the sugar into my coffee, I told him NO b/c it was all sugar.  And then it hit me, what a hypocrite I am when it comes to my children... I probably poured more sugar into my coffee than what was in that drink but I wouldn't let him have it.  


And so, I started thinking about other things I won't let them do/have but I turn around the do it or have it...here are some:


1. No cake for breakfast  (yes, I've been know to stand at the counter and dig into the cake with a fork just to get something in my stomach...)


2. Eat your vegetables or no dessert... ha ha ha... I am really not a lover of veggies and so I don't really eat them.  But, in my defense, I do eat them just so I can say to them that they, too, should also eat them.  Though, sometimes I don't.


3. Drink your MILK...as I sit at the dinner table with a soda  (I don't have one every night but it is kind of hypocritical to make them drink the milk when you, yourself, are drinking sugary soda)


4. Don't do drugs or drink alcohol... and my kids will point this out to me that I do drugs (tobacco is now a form of drugs in their little minds) and I drink alcohol on a daily basis (yes, a glass of wine)... but hey, at least they know NOT to do it as they lecture me daily about it...


5. Pick up your shoes, clothes, jackets, etc and put them in their place.  Yet, I can look around and see my stuff not put away... How can I enforce this rule unless I show them the example??  Geez, I'm a mess and yet I expect them to NOT be like me...  ok, this one I gotta change b/c all the clutter makes me crazy.  I can handle my own clutter just not that of 5 other people (hubby is worse when ti comes to this crap)...


6. Turn the TV off and do something constructive... yeah, this is a good one, right??  All while I am lounging on the couch with no desire or energy to get up off my ass and do anything.  Ok, I don't sit here all freakin' day but I usually am sitting down with not a care in the world when I tell them to get off their asses and do something... lol


7. Put on some clean clothes...meanwhile I am still wearing the same sweats from after my last shower which was however many days ago (can never remember when that last shower was)


Yeah, I AM A HYPOCRITE...but, I'm also a Mom and sometimes you really have to tell them 'Do as I say and not as I do', right??  Or do I need to change myself in order to make an example for them to follow??  Do I really need to start eating all those Good for Me foods??  And making sure I've got all those fruits/veggies in me before I eat the 'treat'?  I try really hard to pick up this house so that they can see we need to clean up and be organized and stuff...but some days are a little harder than others, you know??  Is it right to bark out orders and rules without following them myself??  Who knows... Perhaps I'm harder on them for this stuff b/c I don't like it about me and I don't want them to be like that??  Kinda like I am towards my hubby...I'm always telling him what NOT to do towards the kids and some days I realize I've been doing the same thing.  Only, when I see hubby doing it, it just pisses me off and I get angry at him for some of the same things I do.  Does anyone else out there ever feel this way??


Ah well, those are my ramblings for the day.  I leave you with my favorite thought:  Don't judge others unless you've walked a mile in their shoes:)


Good hubby moment:  Was leaving to take Kyra to Polish dancing tonight when Franny girl exploded every direction out of her diaper... after realizing that we couldn't just clean her up with wipes (ummmm, there was poop on her shoulders/hair from the onesie going over her head), hubby scooped her up and declared tubby time.  Both boys followed behind and he was totally ok with me leaving and him having to deal with it... Go hubby!!


Random picture of my beautiful baby:

Weepy Moments

I finally got to see DJ in his rehearsal for the Nutcracker and they had their costumes on yesterday.  When I saw him and little cannon, I do believe I almost cried.  I totally got those weepy tears in my eyes and I couldn't help it.  He looked awesome...and so proud to be the Bunny Soldier.  He really is taking his role seriously and he loves it!!  Here's a pic:

He looks a bit bug-eyed in this one but cute:)  Here's another from farther away, while he was waiting in the wings:

Continuing with the weepy moments, I got tears in my eyes when we started singing On Eagles Wings in church today.  My all time favorite church song and for some reason it made me cry.  And than almost cried when they presented the local farmers with baskets of seeds the kids helped get donated.  Geesh...what it my problem, right??  I can't be getting all soft now, can I??

Here's a random pic of Kyra from today... she got this nice fitted jacket from a neighbor and she just had to wear it today:

Good hubby crap of the day: he made lunches for the kids tomorrow and finished my dishes b/c I had Franny girl...

Poker Night... guys Night IN

Tonight, hubby was invited to a Guys Night In to play poker... yes, my anti-social hubby was to go to a Poker Night.  I think I kinda forced him to go b/c I knew if it was up to him, he'd have stayed home, watched TV and gone to bed.  But, I forced it on him and now it's almost midnight and he isn't home yet. Hmmmmmmm..... wonder if he's having a good time.  LOL

This is a very odd thing that happens in this house.  Hubby is always the 'one' at home and I'm always the one going out and hanging with friends.  I'm glad he's gone out and is being social.  He does need it and if I had to push him out the door than so be it.  My hubby is a homebody, you know??  He's very content to stay here and catch up on his 'deer' shows and sports and stuff.  I'm not.  I like to hang out with people and chew the shit with my 'women' friends.  We used to be pretty social people when we were dating and newly married.

Having a house and kids makes the funds for 'socializing' pretty slim.  So, generally, I am the one to head out of the house at night and hang out with friends.  I enjoy company and these days I tend to need to GET OUT of this house.  Most days I feel like the walls are closing in around me and graciously accept the invites to get out, you know??  Every room in this house is so cluttered and messy it's driving me crazy!!  Thank goodness I'm not sleeping in my bedroom b/c I don't think I could handle the clutter up there even while I'm sleeping!!  The playroom is a constant upkeep (thanks Franny Girl and the rest of them) but I can generally keep my living room pretty clean.  I have this need to pick up everything around me before I go to sleep.  Well, except for tonight b/c Franny was asleep when I got home and I just didn't have the extra energy.  And so, I will most likely not sleep well knowing there are toys on the floor and there is a basket of unfolded clean clothes on the other couch, but I guess that's ok.  Ugh, I think I have a load of laundry in the washer from yesterday... One of these days my washer/dryer will be on the same floor and that might not happen as often.  But, alas, I have come to accept the fact that some loads of laundry will have to be re-washed several times before they make it to the dryer:)  ha ha

Tomorrow, we clean!!  I hope:)  We have CCD in the morning and Kyra has rehearsal 'til 1:30... but after that we are free and clear.  I was going to try and get to BJ's and Walmart (our family portrait is in) but I'm not sure that's going to happen.  Wonder what hubby is going to do in the morning as far as hunting.  His last words to me before he left- I'm not going to stay late so I'll see you soon.    ha ha ha   Guess he's having too much fun!!  I hear our neighbor is kicking some serious ass but I guess I'll hear all about it later!!

I think the next step is Girls Poker Night!  ha ha

OK- here's a good hubby thing for today- He did do the dishes this morning:)  thanks!!

Frazzled Mommy Moment...

Been a long week... started watching Baby C every day instead of just the 3 days so I have been unable to catch up on any of my 'housework' that I try to do when he wasn't here.  Should be interesting what I can attempt to get done this weekend considering everything else that we have scheduled!!

Tonight, both kids had to be somewhere so hubby and I had to split up.  Because DJ had to be somewhere at 5, that was my job.  And, as we generally do, we took the truck...the family car...the one with all the carseats in it.  Ha Ha Ha... completely forgot that Kyra had to be somewhere at 6 and hubby would need the truck b/c he also had the babies.  Thank goodness for neighbors with babysitting age kids who were home tonight!!  Only needed someone for like 30 minutes so hubby could take Kyra to her class, but still...DUH!!  I was able to come home in between DJ's classes (he has an hour break where we usually have pizza and gelato together...) and switch out cars/kids and stuff.  But, WOW, talk about complete blackout... Everything turned out great and everyone got where they needed to be.  Whew

Weekend consists of me working in the morning, DJ soccer game in the morning, DJ rehearsal in the afternoon, me rehearsal in the evening, Doug going to Guys Poker Night, CCD, Kyra rehearsal, and perhaps a trip to BJ's and Shop Rite... Now, laundry laundry and laundry...when are you gonna get done. Very sporadically I foresee...

Things I'm glad I didn't do in my frazzled mommy moment:
-Lock my kids in the car with the keys inside and Max not buckled
-Forget to pick up a kid
-Forget a kid at home
-Forget a diaper/wipes and have a kid crap out of their pants

I'm glad the Nutcracker will be over in December...and soccer ends next weekend.  I think these 2 things will take out some stress in our lives.  But, we made the commitment for both so we're sticking with it.  We all know there is an end in sight!!

So, after a full week of Baby C and Baby J here today as well- I was still able to bake cake, make frosting, mix up some cake pop mix, make the pops, bag 'em and get everything ready for tomorrow.  My kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it but I got everything done!!  My kitchen will probably look like a war zone until Sunday night and my laundry will still be sitting in 'clean' piles around the living room unfolded for awhile (hey, at least it's clean, right??).

Hope you all are having a Great day!!

Good Hubby Thing:  tonight he made me my poster for the party I'm doing in the morning... glad he can draw b/c I really do suck at that!!!

Coffee...

Oh, coffee, how do I love thee and what would I do without you??

Aside from the fact that my coffee machine is dying a slow and painful death, we are OUT OF COFFEE!!!  How in the world could I let that happen??  I know, hubby was home too many times in the morning and we used more but shouldn't I be more vigilant to know when we're getting low??  YES... I should've know to just buy the damn coffee when I went grocery shopping...I even thought about it and wondered if we needed it or if we could go another week.  Guess my calculations were dead wrong this time around huh??  And so, knowing that I wasn't going to have coffee, I dug out the espresso machine and all it's trimmings, so I could have some form of caffeine in the morning.  Yeah, it was good...even great!!  But there's something to knowing you still have some little black magic juice still waiting for you to take.  With the espresso, you actually have to dump the grinds every single time and wait for it to ooze it's double whammy yummyness out.  Sometimes, this extra duty is totally worth it (like today)... but what I really want is to just go pour a cup of coffee.  And so, I sit here and think if I want to make another double espresso drinky or am I too lazy to do it, you know??

Maybe this will give the ol' coffee machine a break and she can chug out the magic juice tomorrow??  She seems to not be handling all the brewing we've been doing lately and has been throwing up her grinds and leaking all over my countertops... hmmmm ... so, maybe this espresso thing is not as much work as the coffee thing these days??

OK- I think I'll go brew some more MAGIC!!

OK- good hubby thing of the day (haven't done this in awhile)- last night he didn't go sit in a tree so that I didn't have to take Max and Franny girl to gymnastics!!

Lost in translation... HELP!!

So, I have grown seriously frustrated with my kids and their ability to LISTEN to what I'm saying and I don't know what to do anymore... perhaps I should come up with a different Language??  Or learn theirs??  I don't know... but here's a few examples and perhaps you guys can help me know what to say to get them to do what I want...lol  

Here goes:

When I say, go out and get in the truck, they hear: go outside play in the snow, run around a bit, and NOT get in the truck.

When I say, go upstairs and brush your teeth, they hear: Walk into the playroom, turn on the TV and plop on the couch.

When I say, Kyra, bring me the brush so I can brush your hair, She hears: go brush your own hair and leave the whole back side unbrushed, frizzy and notty...

When I say, Dinner time, they hear: NOTHING

When I say, Time for BED, they hear: time for Dessert

When I say, clean up the playroom, they hear: go to the bathroom for a really long time and then go into the playroom and play with everything instead of putting it away.

When I say, sit down and DO YOUR HOMEWORK, they hear: do cartwheels and handstands to the table, sit down and look through everything BUT homework, talk to Max and get him all riled up to the point of there being no calming him down... oh, and don't worry about doing your homework it will be ok, you don't have to get it done...

When I say, go downstairs and put all the $$ recycling in this garbage bag, DJ hears: put 1 container in the bag and come back up (took sending him down there about 5x before he got the idea)

When I say, I'll give it to you AFTER you finish your homework, they hear: take your time doing your homework and studying b/c it doesn't matter how long it takes, she's still going to show it to us or give it to us anyway... NOT!!!

When I say, no running at the bus stop, they hear: TAG, we get to play TAG!!

I think you get the point here.  Sarcasm doesn't seem to work b/c when I tell them to jump in the puddles and get soaking wet, THEY DO IT!!

And so, I am stuck here... is there a universal language for kids that adults don't understand??

Found this and I Think I need one of these to add to my collection...lol..