MIA

Oh my goodness. I can’t believe I haven’t blogged in eight days! I haven’t even logged on to read all the blogs I follow. Shame on me! I really don’t know why either. I’ve been in a little bit of a funk this past week, maybe that’s the reason why. I’m not in a bad mood or upset at anything in particular; just a funk. And I really don’t know why. Oh will. At least the week went by quickly and now it’s the weekend. Time to hang out with the family and begin next week with a fresh start.

By the way, Tahoe was wonderful! Friday our trip came crashing down when my mother called morning of to let us know she was super sick and wouldn’t be able to help watch the kids. Thankful I have a wonderful mother in-law (duh, i know she’s reading this. brownie points!) who offered to take all three for the entire weekend. Then some how we managed to get there AND back without using chains. The weather was gorgeous as soon as we got over the summit and all day Saturday. Instead of Adam losing money, he broke even on the roulette tables. And I got to dance into the weeeee hours Saturday night with my favorite cousin and some awesome friends (plus the gay guys!). Even better, no hang over Sunday morning! :) Yes, Tahoe was wonderful!

*P.S. – A special thank you to my in-laws. Dave and Deena, you are wonderful! Thank you so very much for not hesitating to take all the kids this past weekend. (and no, i’m not saying that cause they are reading this. they truly are wonderful.)

Weekend Getaway

Tomorrow at noon our bags will be packed, the car loaded with chains in the trunk, kids dropped off with family, and the ice chest full of BEER food. Yes, we are going away for the WHOLE weekend! A weekend that is far over due! But when you have 3 kids, work, house, school, sports, life, etc… a weekend away is always long over due. This weekend especially. With the stress from the short sale of our first home to us purchasing our new home; life has been one big ball of stress this past year (to say the least).

I know there are some people out there that think its wrong for me to leave my children for a weekend. Or wonder how I can do it. Here’s how: I pack their things, I drop them off, I get in the car, I drive away, and I come back two days later rejuvenated. Very simple. You may think that’s mean, but let’s be honest, mean is Nebraska’s safe haven statute. I leave my children with loving family, I check in on them throughout the two days, and I come back. I am no where near mean.

Going away on a mini vacation with my husband is not an awful thing. It’s also not wrong if I go away with just girlfriends. I’m a firm believer in breaks, adult time outs if you may. They are needed to keep our sanity. If not, I would become a full blown alcoholic. Really. It’s a way to reflect, regroup, and reconnect. But most of all… BREATH. Parents don’t breath anymore, they scream.

This weekend is going to be amazing (even if there is a storm and the drive will take us HOURS)! A weekend to spend quality time with my best friend (aka husband), hang out with awesome friends that we haven’t seen in a really long time (minus one, which makes me bummed), sleep, eat, and drink WHATEVER is in sight. It’s exactly what the Doctor ordered!

Holiday Weekend

What a good weekend! Started out with an awesome (beside the damn over-pass 2x) run Saturday morning, a kick ass football game by the New Orleans Saints in the afternoon, followed by PBR Saturday night with Krazy Karen to celebrate her birthday. Krazy Karen would be my moms’ nickname from about 10 years ago. But in her defense, if Baby Girl is anything like me from the age of 17-22 then I’ll be taken on the same name, minus the Karen part. :)

  

Sunday couldn’t have started any better. My wonderful ball and chain let me sleep in till 11am!! Then off to Cody’s “best friends” bounce house birthday party. Naptime at 3pm (which included me) and dinner with some great friends at 6pm. And Monday was a holiday! The kids and I hung out with my dad most of the day and then I go some me time by getting my hair cut in the evening. What a wonderful weekend! It was like Christmas all over again!

* There was only 2 things I didn’t get done on my weekly list. 1 working on Baby Girls blanket, didn’t even get a chance to touch it. 1/2 would be finishing baby shower gift, almost there though! And another 1/2 because I ran 2x not 3x. I love my lists!

Save The Drama For Your Mama

Seriously? SERIOUSLY! How old are we? If there is one thing in this world (and most likely there are more) I hate, it’s DRAMA! I’ll be the first to admit that back in the day I was all about it. I was probably (ok, i was) the one instigating it. But since growing up, having kids, a family, job, life, etc. I just don’t think it’s necessary. It makes me anxious, upset, wound up; but most of all… it drives me F’ING NUTS! I have enough to deal with on a daily basis. If I really had the extra time in a day, I’m pretty sure I would be doing something much more productive (or at least fun)  then responding to childish text messages or emails.

Drama is pointless and unnecessary; negative energy. Something I do NOT want to surround myself with. Over the past six months I’ve ended friendships due to all of this. It was hard, it sucked, but I dealt with it and MOVED on. But it’s back , like an annoying pimple that just won’t go away. Can’t these people crawl back under the rock they came from? Why do they feel the need to keep playing games? Are their lives seriously this pathetic?

Please, grow up! And if you can’t do that, LEAVE ME ALONE!!

 

*Ok, thanks for my first rant. I feel much better! :)

Autism Speaks

1 in 110 children are affected by Autism. 1 in 70 boys are affected. Chances are you know someone that is. I do. Help get answers. Help find a cure. Help change the world. And if that doesn’t make you want to buy… your outfit won’t be complete until your wearing one of these. I mean it!

I ordered mine. Will you?

Maybe the pin isn’t your style. Perhaps this is.

*100% of proceeds will go to Autism Speaks

Weekly List

Once upon a time, long, long ago I made lists. I would make a grocery list, weekly to do list, honey do list, house project list, list, list, and more lists. Now I make nothing, now I feel like I never get anything accomplished. So now, I’m going to start making my lists again. Post-it’s will once again be my friend! Here’s my to do list for the week of 1/11 – 1/17:

• Call Laguna's Awesome Party Palace and schedule the boys Bday party
• Start the boys Bday invitations
• Play date with Ryan
• Watch the Sumner girls
• Baseball registration
• Turn in preschool form
• GST 2x
• Run 3x
• Lunch date with Marissa
• Moms Bday night
• Ryan’s Bday party
• Finish Tawny’s baby shower gift
• Work on Baby Girls rag blanket
• Clean car

Of course this list includes all the typical stuff: laundry, dishes, dinner, clean, grocery shop, pay bills, take to school, etc….

Blankets, Blankets, Blankets

Oops, forgot to post these after Christmas. I made them for my little monsters plus one extra sports theme for our cousin Tyler. I decided to make these larger (2 yards) then normal so they’ll have them for a long time. And they loved them! Something about blankets and kids go together.

Damage Control...

When Adam gets home from work today and calls me to ask, “What did you do all day?” (meaning 7:30am-1:30pm) I’m going to tell him, “DAMAGE CONTROL!!”

My pantry:

What it should look like:

My kitchen:

The movies (can you tell where they couldn't reach?):

Cody's closet:

Taylor's shoes: (which was ok since i needed to take out the small ones):

What the shoes should look like:

My bathroom (as I was taking a shower, begging her to stop):

By the way, I'm putting locks on EVERYTHING this weekend!!

Top Ten Goals for 2010

Rather then making a New Years Resolution for myself each year, I make goals. I make myself a top ten list of reasonable objectives and go from there. This way I don’t promise or pledge to do something that I most likely will not achieve. Unless each year my New Years Resolution is the same; be 100% devoted to my children and husband. But how obvious is that? And boring? :)

Top Ten Goals for 2010 (listed in descending importance):

10. Wash my car inside and out every two weeks.

9. Eat less, drink more (water, DUH).

8. Eat out less on the weekends.

7. Keep my online shopping to a minimum (i’m already telling you this will be my HARDEST goal).

6. Get and STAY organized.

5. Finish at least one half-marathon in 2.50, that would be a 13min pace. An overall improvement of 20 mins from my last half-marathon.

4. Count to 10, slowly, before raising my voice at my children.

3. SLOW DOWN! (this will be my second hardest).

2. Spend more quality time with my family.

1. Be happy! “Happy feelings will attract more happy circumstances.” – The Secret

4 Christmases

1 day, 2 exhausted parents, 3 cranky kids, and 4 Christmases = MADNESS! And to be quite honest, I think I'm over it. Growing up, Christmas was about spending time with family and playing with our new toys. Not rushing from house to house with a trunk full of unopened toys and dinner on a to-go plate sitting in my lap. We spend more time in our car Christmas Day then we do laughing with our family members. When did this all change? And why? I vow to myself and to my family, Christmas 2010 will be different. For Christmas 2010, I will enjoy a sit down meal with my family and not worry about getting ingestion because I ate to fast. I will enjoy the smile that lights up my child’s face when they are playing with their new toys. But most of all, I will watch my children play with their cousins. Knowing the bond they build between them now is a bond they will have in 20 years. Teaching them that family means everything.