Fairytales and Margaritas

Where'd you get those pants?

Isn't it strange that when women compliment each other in the next breath they almost always ask, "Where'd you get that ______?"

Isn't it odd that we immediately want to know where they got it?  Are we going to go right out and get a matching one?  Funny thing is, we could ask it to someone much smaller than us or much larger than us.  It's some weird universal thing.  We see someone with something nice and we automatically start thinking how we would look in it or how we could get one for ourselves.  And rarely do we follow through.  It's just one of those things that always comes out in conversation.

And on the other side, do you notice how often we REMEMBER where we got said item?  Nine times out of ten I can remember what store I bought something at.  Isn't that weird?  We can have tons of clothes and shoes and jewelry and somewhere in our minds we tuck away seemingly useless information about where we got them?

Now, men, HA!  Ask them where they got something.  They'll have no clue.  Except if it's some kick ass stereo or a car.

PMS X2

Did you know that if females live together their menstrual cycles tend to sych up?  No, well they do.

Did you know that I have a 13 year old female living in my house?  Yes, well you get the picture.

Pray for my husband and boys.  They're in for a hell of a week.

Parenting Advice #2

Again, here's my disclaimer- I am not a perfect parent.  I don't know everything.  But, I have learned some things along the way and I'd like to share another one of my little tips.

Here's a big one in our house:  Delegate, delegate, delegate.  I firmly believe in the power of delegation.  No, I haven't made my children my slaves (or maids as they like to refer to it).  But, they have to "earn their keep" so to speak.  We don't run a hotel or a restaurant.  Everyone has to pull their own weight.  I honestly believe that this makes them better people.  I think it helps them become productive citizens of society.  I cannot stand some of these people that think they are entitled to things and they don't have to lift a finger.

I teach them to prepare their own meals at a really young age.  As soon as they can reach the fridge, they're making their own lunches and sometimes breakfasts.  My kids pack their own lunches as soon as they start school.  Some people are amazed at this.  They want to know how I "do it".  It's not rocket science, I show them how and then expect them to do it.  I don't coddle them.  Sure, I'll help them spread the peanut butter if they need it, but I won't just do it all for them.  And I teach them what is an acceptable lunch.  Candy and pudding do not make a healthy lunch.  They typically have a sandwich, chips and a piece of fruit.  I ask for their input when shopping and buy their favorite lunch meats and fruits. 

They also dress themselves pretty much from the age of 3.  Sure, they need help here and there.  But, they pick out the clothes and most of the time get them on. 

They also do their own laundry.  Ok, maybe not when they're 3, but they learn young.  Although our 3 year old does put his own clothes in the hamper.  When they are about 5 they have to put their own clothes away.  I don't expect them to be folded, they're kids I don't care if their clothes are wrinkled.  Once a week they are expected to put their clothes in the proper drawer.  At around 10 they start doing their own laundry.  We stumbled across this one when Carissa started leaving markers and lip gloss in her pockets.  Everyone's wash was coming out stained, so she had to wash her own.  It's worked out really well.  So well that this year she started having the wash all the family's towels too. 

They also clean their own messes, including their rooms, the playroom, any mess in the kitchen, outside or in the garage.  Most of the time they don't need to clean every day, we usually have a set day each week to clean specific rooms.  When they clean the room it means top to bottom, under beds, in the closet and vacuuming.  Sure, it's not perfect each time, but as they get older, they get better. 

The kids also share a bathroom.  This is their responsibility.  Robert cleans the toilets (he actually loves this job, more power to him) and Carissa cleans the shower and sinks.  I still clean the mirror. 

The dog is solely their responsibility.  They feed him, water him, wash him and clean up after him. 

When we are doing a whole house cleaning, they chip in even more.  Carissa sweeps floors, vacuums, does trash duty and sometimes does the dishes.  Robert does a lot of the toy pick up and is my right hand man.  Xander does a lot of the running from room to room with stuff that needs to be put in it's correct place.

Now, you might see this and think they really ARE my slaves.  But, they're not.  We have specific days that specific jobs need to be done.  And most of the jobs that they do involve their own things.  We're trying to teach them to be responsible with their things and take care of them.  We're also trying to teach them that if they keep their things picked up then the job isn't so bad down the road.   If I picked up after them all the time I can imagine how much messier the playroom would be.

There is one lesson to be learned from delegation, though.  The kids DO NOT do a perfect job.  This is something that you have to learn to live with.  If you want perfect then you are going to have to run yourself ragged and do it all yourself.  If you can settle for acceptable, but the fact that you didn't have to bust your ass, then delegation is for you.

For us, I almost think it's a survival technique.  We've got six people in one house.  I can't do it all.  Even with my husband's help we just can't do it.  It's more like survival of the fittest, where I'm teaching my children to be the fittest!

the storm has come

So it was sooner rather than later. Three of the four kids are throwing up all over today. Good times. Hopefully the calm will return soon.

Here we are!

We ended up having a great time at the concert.  I ended up putting my jean jacket on fairly early, so the bra thing wasn't even an issue.  Can you believe there were 25,000 people there?

Here we all are:

Here are me and my friend Monica (I'm on the left w/ the weird mouth):

And here is the random guy that was wasted and I was messing with in the beer line:

I'm praying to the gods

Tonight I will be praying to the gods.  The gods of boobs to be exact.  Is there a god of boobs?  Or a patron saint?  Maybe a Tiki god?  Anything?

I really need help here.  As I've said before I got the bad gene in this department.  And I've had four children.  Let's just say that there's not much there and what is there is not pretty.  On a good day I'm a B cup and that's with the Secret from Victoria! 

So, here's my dilemma.  We're going to a Metallica concert tonight.  And I don't get out much.  So, I bought this super cute shirt to wear.  Problem is- I can't wear any traditional bra with it.  The straps show no matter what type: halter, racer-back, regular.  I've tried.  I've really tried.

So, I'm left with strapless.  Which most think is no problem.  Except when you have little itty bitty boobies.  There's nothing to hold it up. 

I think I've worn a strapless bra twice in my life.  And I had a REALLY, REALLY embarrassing experience one of those times.  My bra (padded I might add) (padded to the point that it had a life of it's own) (I mean seriously so padded that the bra WAS my boobs) started to migrate south.  And at some point it was so far south that it looked like I had two sets of boobs.  Except the set that existed because of my bra were much better looking than the real set.

So, I have a problem with strapless bras.  But, that's my only solution for tonight.  So, please be praying for me.  I hope the girls and I make it!

The Calm Before the Storm

Do you ever feel like you're just in a holding pattern of "goodness" waiting for something bad to happen?  Like everything is going so well that you just KNOW that someone is going to throw a wrench into things? 

I hate that feeling.  I try not to be pessimistic, but when life seems to be going well I tend to thing that somethings gonna happen to stir things up.

Right now I've got things pretty much under control.  I'm balancing work and home.  Everyone is pretty much healthy (J is getting some molars, so that's not fun).  My husband has been in a good mood and our relationship is going well.  The kids are almost done with this school year.  We're getting ready to go camping.

Life is good.  Except for that little niggling in the back of my brain.  The thing that's telling me to knock on wood right now.  The thing that creeps into my late night thoughts.  That little thing that tells me this all can't last.  That SOMETHING is bound to happen.  Who knows what or when, but things cannot keep up like this.

Why?  Why do I have these negative thoughts?  Why can't I just enjoy what I have RIGHT NOW?  Why must I always worry about what comes next?

It bugs me, really.  But, for now, I'm going to try to be positive and enjoy the moment.

But, I'll be back when that storm comes.

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BTW- Here's how I got the Blackberry deal.  I'm with Alltel (have been for 8 years), I knew I was close to the time where I could re-up my contract and get a phone for cheap.  I just wanted something with a full keyboard bc I'm a texting fool.  When I called they said they were getting rid of the older Blackberrys bc the Curve had just come out.  They were offering them for $0.99 so I jumped.  It was supposed to be a basic Blackberry with no camera (which I was unsure that I'd like, but they gave me a 30 day trial).  But, the guy messed up and sent me a Pearl.  Unfortunately, the first one didn't work, but I took it to the store the next day and they got me one that does.  And I love it.  It's taken me awhile to figure it out, but I'm in love.

If you want one, I suggest you call your provider and ask for a manager or retention specialist (saw a segment on the Today Show about this).  If you've been with your provider for awhile they'll bend over backwards for you.  Just suggest that you're thinking of switching to ABC company bc they're plans are cheaper or they have better phones.  But, if your provider could give you a Blackberry for cheap, you'll stay.  I ALWAYS get good deals on phones this way.  I was actually 7 months away from my re-up time, but they let me do it anyway.

100 things

So, my 100th post was awhile ago, but, as with all bloggy things, I'm behind.  I figured I'd fill this empty space with my 100 things.  Don't feel forced to read.  Seriously.  Just read 2 or 3 and then leave a comment.  Or don't read at all.  Or don't leave a comment.  Or forget you ever heard of me.  Or...

1.  I'm the oldest of 3.

2.  I'm the oldest by 7 years.  I thought I was an only child til my parents brought my stupid brother home.

3.  I've never done an illegal drug, ever.

4.  I wish I had.

5.  I would have 7 or 8 kids if money and time and space weren't issues.

6.  But, I could never be a stay at home mom.

7.  I change my hair color/style often.

8.  I've had every color hair imaginable. 

9.  My hair was past my butt in grade school.

10.  My mom hated combing it with me crying so she gave me a pixie cut!

11.  I love fairies.

12.  I don't believe in aliens or UFOs.

13.  I prefer fountain drinks to bottled or canned drinks.

14.  I hate beer.

15.  I love liquor.

16.  Except whiskey and gin.

17.  I get really loud and crazy when I drink.

18.  I'm a math and science nerd.

19.  I'm a Gemini.

20.  I am a reality TV junkie.

21.  I am a gossip junky.

22.  I spelled junky 2 different ways above.

23.  I hate bad drivers.

24.  I hate when people pass on the right without giving people a chance to pull over.

25.  I boycott McDonald's because I'm not happy how they handled a lawsuit.

26.  Sometimes I miss their french fries.

27.  I love camping.

28.  But, I hate to see pictures of my while camping. 

29.  I'm not pretty without makeup and hair done.

30.  Not that I'm pretty with them done, but I do look better.

31.  I get my nails done every 3-4 weeks.

32.  This is my one thing that I do to pamper myself.

33.  And I don't think I'll ever stop.

34.  If I don't get my nails done I bite them to the point that they fall off because they are so low.

35.  I wish I had a sister.

36.  I love my sister in law, though.

37.  Only one of them. 

38.  The other two are weird.

39.  One of them killed a man while driving.

40.  And went to get Dairy Queen while the police took the report.

41.  I hate her.

42.  I am a perfectionist.

43.  I have a hard time dealing with non-perfectionists.

44.  I lead a very sheltered life growing up.

45.  Sometimes I resent it.

46.  Sometimes I'm thankful.

47.  I lived with my grandparents til I was 5.

48.  I loved my grandmother more than anything.

49.  I was devastated when she died.

50.  She died on the same day at almost the exact time that my niece was born.

51.  I believe she is my niece's guardian angel. 

52.  Even though it's my niece on my husband's side of the family.

53.  I was raised in NY til I was 15.

54.  I rarely miss it.

55.  But, I do miss Abbott's frozen custard and Bill Gray's hamburgers.

56.  I love to go on cruises.

57.  I wish every vacation was a cruise.

58.  When we retire we plan to do a trans Atlantic cruise to Spain, then get on a Mediterranean cruise and then hop back on a trans Atlantic cruise back home.

59.  I hope my kids don't move far away when they're older.

60.  I would miss them terribly.

61.  But, I think it would be a blast to travel the country in a pimped out RV visiting family.

62.  Hopefully we will retire when we're 56 and 52.

63.  I need a federal job for that to happen.

64.  I've applied for 10 this week!

65.  The feds pay really well.

66.  I've only had pain meds once while in labor.

67.  And that was because she was breech and they thought they were going to do a c-section.

68.  I don't think childbirth hurts.

69.  But, I have no problem with others getting meds.

70.  I think I have a super high tolerance for pain.

71.  I wish I had known about water birth sooner.

72.  I would've chosen it for all my births.

73.  It breaks my heart that some of my friends can't get pregnant.

74.  For a long time I've wanted to be a surrogate.

75.  I think I would love it.

76.  But, it would be so weird to answer all the pregnancy questions when it's not your baby.

77.  I'd definitely do it for someone I knew. 

78.  I actually offered to my SIL when she had an emergency hysterectomy with her second birth.

79.  That was one of the scariest days of my life.

80.  They thought she was going to die.

81.  I was the first one to the hospital for the birth.

82.  She'd been on bedrest at the hospital for months.

83.  When I got there she was under general anesthesia and they wouldn't let me in.

84.  We waited for HOURS. 

85.  They finally brought her around after many, many pints of blood.

86.  I am very thankful.

87.  We wrote our wills last weekend.

88.  My SIL would get the kids if something happened to me and my hubby.

89.  They'd probably be better off without us with all the life insurance and social security they could collect!

90.  We're not taking a vacation this year.

91.  That bums me out, big time.

92.  But, we need to save our pennies.

93.  We're trying to pay off the credit cards.

94.  We've never had credit card debt until this year.

95.  It sucks.

96.  I still haven't received our stimulus check.

97.  I am impatiently waiting.

98.  I hope my new Blackberry is here today.

99.  I got it for $0.99!

100.  When I get it I will call you all. (If you leave me your phone number!)