Fairytales and Margaritas

Shouldn't I be goofing off or something?

My boss in on vacation all this week.  And actually until Wednesday of next week.

I get all giddy when I know she's not going to be here.  I can come in late, I can leave early.  I can take long lunches.  Yay!

My plan is to plan on the Internet and basically do nothing.

Except this week I've been working my little hiney off.  I've been using the time to shred old files (6 boxes down, 7 to go), organize my book shelves, inventory my files and create a new index, clean HER office. 

What the heck has gotten into me?  I really do love to organize stuff, but jeez, usually I reserve that for my closets at home (who gets excited like me to clean closets?  anyone?).  I actually think that part of me feels bad for leaving her and I'm trying to do my part before I leave.  I don't want a new person to have to deal with her pack-rat tendencies and have to figure out all this PAPER.  AND, there's no way I could get rid of this stuff if she was here.  She saves EVERYTHING.  Like notes from meetings from 1997.  I'm pretty sure we'll NEVER need those again.

So, instead of goofing off (although I still play on the Internet a good portion of the day) I'm reorganizing, shredding and filing.  And I like it.  So sue me!

Blogtations

Ever heard of Blogtations?

It's a cool site where people nominate cool quotes from their favorite blogs. 

They're coming close to having 500 quotes submitted.  And she's running a contest.  All you've got to do is look around, find your favorite blog quote, post about it, link to the quote author and go back to Blogtations to let her know.  And you can win a $50 Amazon gift card.

I don't normally participate in contests where you have to post about it just because people rarely read those posts.

BUT this time I will because I actually nominated someone before.  So, my choice is easy.

My favorite blogtation is "Turdlets don't fall far from the ass."  from the wonderful Heather at Queen of Shake-Shake.  Her story about misbehaving kids in Chick Fil A was funnier than heck!

So, go check out the quotes for yourself.  And remember to nominate someone and enter to win the gift card!

How old am I?

Too old, I tell you!

Friday night we went to Happy Hour for my friend's birthday.  We went to a little hotel bar where they play a little music and have a little dance floor.  I didn't have much to drink because I knew I'd be driving home later, so only one margaritas (and two shots) for me (and don't worry, later was six hours later).

But, they started playing music and we started dancing and dancing and dancing.  And I still had my heels on from work.  And then we ran out of chairs so I was propping myself up on the table and squatting.  For about an hour.

Needless to say, I'm STILL sore.  I guess I have to start acting my age sometime.  I'm certainly not 21 anymore!

Of Kids and Sports

With all the Olympics coverage, my kids are really interested in sports right now.  Unfortunately, Robert would like to take up rowing.  I'm not really sure where he can train in the middle of the desert, but I'll look into that.  They're liking beach volleyball too, but I don't think there are any beaches nearby.  Xander thinks gymnastics look fun and judging from his dance skills on Fourth of July, he's a natural!

(Sorry, can't figure out how to embed from photobucket, just click the link)

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The funny thing is that when they're young, sport sound fun and exciting.  And the practices aren't demanding and every gets a trophy, YAY!  But, as they get older, they find out what sport are REALLY like.  And that it's work and dedication.  And sometimes you're not that good or at least not the best.  And sometimes you make errors and sometimes your team looses.  Right around that time, they decide they don't want to play anymore.  It's not FUN anymore.

But, we don't let them quit.  Call us mean.  Call us heartless or unfairly motivated.  But, we require each child to play A sport every year.  I don't care what sport it is, but they have to play an organized sport every year.  They can change sports every year.  They can pick an individual sport or a team sport, but they must play something.

I have a lot of reasons why I feel this way.  First off, I never played sports.  Not for my lack of wanting to, but it wasn't really encouraged in our house.  By the time the decision was mine to make (high school) a lot of the kids had already played sports for years.  And when I tried out I sucked, BIG TIME.  And I missed out on the camaraderie of the team and the feeling of competition.  And I'm really sad about that as an adult now.   

Also, I think it's obvious that this country has serious health issues.  And I want my kids to know sports as an everyday part of life.  So that they stay healthy.  And that it's not such a struggle as an adult. 

Thirdly, I think kids learn a lot of life skills from sports.  They learn about teamwork and dedication and discipline.  They learn to push themselves to the limit.  They learn to deal with teammates they may not like, but have to work with toward a common goal.  They learn that they won't always be the best and they learn to deal with defeat.

For these reasons we stress sports as an important part of growing up.  Over the years Carissa has played:  soccer, Tball and gymnastics.  This year she tried out for the middle school volleyball team and made team B1 (out of 66 girls)!  Finally it seems as though she's found something she likes.  She doesn't complain or beg not to go to practice.  I think she's finally seeing what it's like to be part of a team and she likes it.  She's also going out for Track in the Spring because she's got legs a mile long and is always beating her teammates when they warm up.  I think it's great that she's doing one team sport and one individual sport.  I hope that she sticks with it and appreciates all those years that we made her do SOMETHING.  Because until now, she's hated going to practice and hated every minute of it.

Robert has already found his niche.  Baseball.  It's the only sport he plays and he likes it.  He's played since he was 3.  He shows no interest in anything else and that's just fine. 

Xander is starting soccer in a few weeks.  It'll be interesting.  He says that "the Pittsburgh Steelers are my team, but soccer is my sport".  Don't know if he understands, but he's excited.  And if he doesn't like it we'll try something else.  Maybe he will end up doing gymnastics.

So, how do you feel about sports? 

What up G?

So, what do you think of this picture? 

I took it the day after I got my new haircut.  I love my new haircut and wanted to show off the fact that I could actually style it!  I showed it to some friends and then threw it up as my myspace profile pic.  I really like how you can see the front and back and that I actually look halfway decent.

But, I've gotten A LOT of flack for it (yeah, I mean you Monica)!  Everyone says I look really mean in it.  Or that I'm a gangster.  Or that I'm about to kill someone!

I know I'm not smiling, but I feel all cheesy when I'm taking my own picture and I've got a goofy grin on my face.

So, what do you think?  Gang banger or normal soccer mom?

Four kids will change you

It's true what they say about parents becoming more lax with subsequent kids. 

The whole thing about being neurotic for your first born and easing up a little with the next, etc. etc.

I'm here to tell you that having four will change your life DRASTICALLY.  To quote a good friend (although she was talking about her third) " the last one pulled the stick out of my ass when he came out". 

That has been SO true for me.  I  know I've mentioned my anal, OCD ways before.  I was still this way with three kids.  Our playroom was highly organized with labeled bins and shelves.  My motto was "a place for everything and everything in it's place". 

I was great at remembering where I'd put things or who I'd loaned things to.  I always knew where the binky was, never lost a sippy cup, always had the diaper bag with me.  I managed this with three kids, but the fourth one broke the bank.

I no longer can find anything.  We go through pacifiers like water, I throw out sippy cups on a weekly basis.  And I don't even care about the house anymore. 

I used to mop at least once a week and I would pick up the living room every single day.  I couldn't stand to see things out of place.  Now, eh, if the floor gets mopped once a month I give myself a high five.  If the toys are put away one day a week I'm ecstatic. 

Candy falls on the floor, go ahead and eat it.  No five second rule here.  You could find an M&M a week later and I'll let you eat it.  Want to play in the toilet?  I won't pour Purell all over your whole body, probably just a quick little bath.  Want to play with bugs?  Go right ahead.  Want to eat some dirt?  It'll make you stronger.

Seriously, I just CAN'T be anal anymore.  There isn't enough time or energy.  But, you know what?  I think I'm a better parent NOW.  I can just relax.  I'm not constantly trying to get the next thing done while life is being lived.  I'm not trying to protect everyone from everything while they're trying to have fun. 

I can finally just live in the moment instead of trying to make the moment the best moment ever while losing site of what really matters.

Um, your headlights are on

Ok, seriously, this really bugs me. 

How can a woman not know that her nips are sticking out?  I have to tell you this is a huge pet peeve of mine. 

Ok, sure, part of me is probably jealous because I'm not very well endowed in that area.  But, c'mon. 

I just walked past a co-worker who had on a light blue shirt, with a nip accessory.  And I'm not a guy!  I wasn't even looking.  But, there they are, staring right at me!  How do you look away?

I just don't understand how you can't tell.  I don't wear thin bras (read: mine are padded), so I haven't been in that situation, but can't you tell?  Seriously?

Its distracting dang it! I once had a boss that was ALWAYS cold, I swear.  I couldn't even concentrate on what she was saying because I always wanted to tell her that she looked like she was competing in a wet T-shirt contest, without the water.

Ladies, do us all a favor and wear thicker bras!

(Wow, right after a deep post, I move onto this.  Wonder where my daughter got her ADHD from?)

What do YOU do Sunday mornings?

So, a group of my friends and I have been discussing religion.  In detail and great length.  And I just love the frank discussions we can have.  It's really refreshing to be able to tell people exactly how you feel and not feel judged at all.

See, I sleep in on Sunday mornings.  Or get up and get my newspapers, clip my coupons and go grocery shopping.  Or, lay around and watch movies.  Or....  Pretty much anything but go to church. 

Here are my excuses:  it's too hard to get everyone up and ready by 8:30 on a Sunday morning, it's our only day as a "family", when my husband is in the field he often works on Sunday and I'm NOT taking four kids by myself, it's the only day I have to get errands done (my husband works Saturdays and I work full time), it takes ALL day, my husband doesn't want the "fellowship" part, just the worship part, we don't totally agree on what religion we want to be, we haven't found a church we like.

But, my number one reason that I don't go to church is that I'm just not sure I believe.  I don't have blind faith.  I just can't wrap my head around a lot of the ideas in the Bible.  I have a strong scientific background.  That's my forte.  And things with my science education don't jive with things in my religious education.  And I've never been comfortable enough to talk to anyone in "authority" about my thoughts without feeling like they were trying to "convert" me.  I just want some questions answered.

I do have a friend that goes to a pretty progressive church and some of their ideas appeal to me.  They don't believe in a literal six day creation.  More like that's a metaphor.  I also have friends that are Catholic that still believe in evolution.  I need someplace like that.  Someplace that allows women to preach and gay people to worship.  Someplace that doesn't have so many rules about HOW you must worship.  And someplace where people will explain to me what they believe and how my "evidence" of scientific things fit into the whole picture.

AND I need someplace that my husband is comfortable.  He was raised in the Catholic church.  He likes tradition.  I am unwilling to join a Catholic church (that much I know, my extended family is VERY Catholic, that's one church I know I'd rather not join).  He's willing to try other churches, but doesn't really want people accosting him as we go into church or trying to get us to join and get involved in stuff.  Especially on the first day.  That doesn't go over well at all.  Also, he cannot stand "praise bands".  That's way too UNtraditional for him.

Plus, I'd like someplace with Sunday School for the kids and a good youth group (many of my fond memories as a teenager involved our youth group).

If I had a place where we were comfortable, I think I'd find it easier to explore Christianity a bit more. 

Do you worship?  Do you like where you worship?  What type of church do you go to?

Look! Over there!

See that on the left hand side at the bottom?  That would be my newly updated blogroll.  Seriously, people.  You don't know how much I HATE updating my blogroll.  Tedious tasks are not my forte.  But, for YOU, I did it. 

Please tell me if I accidentally left you off or if you WANT me to take you off.  I'm easy like that!

I *Heart* the USA

Man, oh man.  I'm such and Olympics junkie.  I just love to watch all the sports, winter and summer.  I love to hear the "backstories".  I love it all.

I think part of it is just seeing these kids (and sometimes older people, GO DARA TORRES!) get to that top level.  They train and train and have these hopes and dreams and just to make it there is wonderful.  And when they win and they cry and just can't believe it.  It makes me so proud of them!  Even though I don't know them. 

And to see all these countries come together in one place, even though they don't "get along" is amazing.  The patriotism and the pride are just cool to watch.  Every time they have a medal ceremony I tear up.  Whether it's the Star Spangled Banner playing or some other national anthem.  I just love it all.

But, the best part is the backstories.  Like the story of the little boy that walked in with the Chinese team.  He was buried under rubble in the earthquake, yet went back in to try to save his classmates.  To see that little child next to Yao Ming was really moving.  Or the story of the now German gymnast (who's 33!) and he son with leukemia.  She lived in Russia and their were no facilities to treat him.  So, she reached out to people she knew in the gymnastics community and they sent her to Germany where her son received treatment and is now in remission.  Those are the stories that just touch my heart.  That in spite of all the struggles these people have, they keep pushing on and never lose hope or lose track of their dreams.  We could all learn a little something from them.

So, enjoy the rest of the games, it'll be awhile before we see them again!