Resolutions

Here we are on NYE and as usual, everyone wants to talk about resolutions. Everyone makes them, even if you say you don't...you do. There is something that you tell yourself you are going to change this year. Something you are going to do differently, wrongs you are going to make right. Or maybe some rights you just want to make wrong, hey, whatever floats your boat!

So, let's revist my resolutions from last year shall we:

1. Attempt to keep my house in order. Not just throw everything in the closet b/c people are coming over order...I mean real order. Like toys actually have homes and my couch is not constantly covered in the never ending cycles of laundry.
FAIL!

2. Be debt free by the end of the year. This is pretty much an ongoing thing. Luckily, we don't accumulate more, we're just still paying off the old stuff. Eh, whatever....it's a work in progress. We've paid of 3 of the biggies and another will be gone by the end of Jan...that leaves 2 bigger ones (a student loan and a CC) and 1 small one (the other student loan) left.
We're not debt free but we did get one of those loans paid off and a decent chunk put in to savings.

3. Attempt to be a better mom and appreciate the time I spend with my boys...rather then wanting to claw my eyes out if I have to play one more game of I-spy.
Eh, I have my moments b/c seriously you can only play the same game over...and over...and over again without wanting to run screaming in to a blue margarita. Over all, I wouldn't say it was a fail, necessarily...

4. Plan more date nights. We need this...I think everyone needs this.
FAIL. What can I say, we suck at planning date nights. We did get better at taking time each week to just snuggle and watch a show or a movie after the kids are in bed. So, maybe not a total fail


This year, I'm keeping it simple.

1. Save more money. We have less income but I still want to save more. I need to be better about the budget and I need to just spend less.

2. Organize my 1800000 pictures, digital and prints, in to albums. Create back ups of all our pictures and videos.

3. Survive another year of raising 2 boys.

And yea, that's pretty much it. I might still Jen's idea of setting monthly goals, I like that....but I'm kind of a lazy whore, so we'll see.

What are your resolutions this year??

Why do I find time to blog on Wednesday?

And yet I suck at finding time the rest of the week? Hmmm.

Whew. Who else is happy to see Christmas behind us? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas...I just don't love the aftermath of it all. The piles of toys that have no homes, the new clothes that need put away, the stuff you don't want/need but yet now have. Come on, you know it's true! Every year some well meaning family member sends you something ridiculous. So, what did YOU get this year? :)

I have a whole toy post planned out but it's going to have to wait. I don't have that much time today :)

And with that, I leave you with these. Ah, my boys.

Wednesday

That means it's okay to post a half assed blog entry, right?

Oh, what's that? All my recent blog entries have been half assed? Ah yes, I suppose that is true!

At any rate...here are pics. Family fun time with my boys.

I have no idea what they are doing, but they were having fun doing it!



He looks so tiny


and yet...not

With Santa:



Merry Christmas!! I probably won't be around for a few more days (shocking, right?)

Ah, time to blog

I'm sitting here, at my cluttered desk with only the Christmas lights on, sipping an adult beverage and it finally feels like Christmas. Granted, we don't have snow, but my shopping is done...I have a closet full of hidden gifts and a kitchen filled with cookies. I have back to back holiday parties this weekend...and honestly? I couldn't be happier.
I'm one of those rare breeds that actually enjoy Christmas shopping. No, really. I do. I like picking out gifts, especially for my boys and I can.not.wait. for them to open them next week. I might be more excited then the almost 7 year old.

Speaking of him, yes he'll be SEVEN in THREE WEEKS!! Holy freaking cow. We're taking him to stay in a fancy hotel (free night!) and then hitting the Natural History Museum. Then sometime later in the month he'll have a sleepover with some of his best buds. Lord help me!
He was making his teacher a Christmas card today....I helped him spell it all out and then told him he could draw a picture. He thought for a moment and then replied "Can I draw me and Mrs. O shooting guns with fire bullets at cans?!"
Um, no sweetie. I was thinking maybe a Christmas Tree?
"Oh, I don't know how to draw that"
Oy. I haven't looked at the finished product, but I think it is some sort of tree.

I spent today doing the following:
T2's hair cut
Craft Store
Target
BJ's
T2's EIGHTEEN MONTH CHECK UP!!!
Attempted nap - FAIL
Baked mint chocolate chips cookies, lemon cake cookies and no bake cookies
put together 2 cookie trays
wrapped ribbon on 26 rice krispy treats for T1 to take to school tomorrow.
and managed to feed everyone in there at some point. It's a bit of a blurr.

And now...I blog. Ahhh...peace and quiet and I feel like a bit of the stress is leaving my body. That is, until I remember that ohmyfuckinggod my inlaws are going to be at my house 2 days after Christmas and ohmyfuckinggod what am I going to feed them? This will be a whole other post in itself. Short story, in the 10.5 years Jared and I have been together, his dad has only been to our house, maybe 5 times...for no longer then 20 minutes. His dads wife, only once. They're coming to spend the day with us...so yea, ohmyfuckinggod my house will be a disaster and look like Toys R Us exploded. Must distract with food and cute kids.

Christmas Funk

I generally love Christmas, I'm usually eager to hang the lights and get the tree up. I actually LIKE Christmas shopping. I love picking out gifts for people that I know will make them happy, especially my boys.

This year though, I don't know, I just can't get in to it. Maybe it's b/c November was so unseasonably warm. Maybe it's b/c money is tight or maybe I'm just turning in to a cynical old bitty.

The tree is up but it's not decorated. The stockings are hung but the rest of the decorations are still in the boxes. Thing 1 is sick, so decorating will be put off another day or two and that would usually bum me out...but not this year. This year I just don't care. Just call me lady grinch.

I am almost finished with my shopping...and I am excited about the things I bought. We found T1's much requested Devastator and the baby will simply be happy playing with the boxes and wrapping paper. Of course he'll get some gifts as well, like the Little People Farm House. :)

Oh...and to add some stress to my Christmas Funk, I found out the in-laws will be coming for a visit the Sunday after Christmas. Oy. It's a story for another day, but HH and his father have a strained relationship, at best. His step-mom is not the nicest person or the easiest person to get along with. At least the boys will be here as a distractions. They haven't seen T2 since he was a month old. :/

Wow...this was just a grinchy ass post. Sarcasm and bitchiness coming back soon, promise.

A conversation with myself

Allow me to set the scene. I just put T2 down for a nap and am thinking now would be a good time to shower. Showering is just as important as the dishes, laundry and work I should be doing. Yes, I think I'll shower.

Hmm, it's been awhile since I weighed myself.
I did already eat breakfast though.
Eh, whatever, let's do this.

....oh, damn. Guess I haven't lost any more by eating Chipotle and drinking Starbucks. I'm shocked.

In case you are wondering, I've been bouncing between 3 numbers that are okay but still 5lbs heavier then I was last November. Blah

Anyway...
Getting in the shower

I should probably lay off the cookies
oh, cookies. I should bake a couple mint chocolate chips ones when I get out. Those sound good.
Wait, how is that laying off the cookies?

I'm so going to blog about this.
If I don't forget.
Everytime I say I'm going to blog about something, I forget about it.
Should I really start a blog about getting in the shower?
Eh, whatever.
I've really been slacking in the blog department. No new posts and thanks to google reader I rarely leave comments. I really need to fix that. I'm a bad bad blogger friend.


And after that...my mind wandered off to think about Christmas lists and how on earth I'm going to find this damn Transformer that T1 wants for less then $100. Oy. Tis the season.

Annoying

The title of this post is so open, I could go on and on. I won't...but I could.

As I was getting T1 ready for school today he said something so funny. Seriously, I was cracking up. It would have been a 2 line post but it would have been fabulous. However, in true mommy fashion, I can not remember what he said. It was just over an hour ago and yet...no clue.

This is what mommyhood does to you. They call it baby brain while you are pregnant, what they don't tell you is that it doesn't go away once you shove that baby out. Nope. I have to leave myself notes and make lists otherwise I would forget simple things, like you know, feed children. Kidding, kidding. kind of

So, since I can't remember what I wanted to blog about....and so that you don't feel that you totally wasted 30 seconds of your Friday reading...I will leave you with these pictures.

Not to get all sappy on you, but this right here is what keeps me going. My boys playing and laughing.

I'm not sure I want to know what they are plotting


The three of them were playing. HH would have the snake, talking to T1's transformer and T2 would swoop in and steal the snake. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.
-oh, and it was after bath time, I don't normally let my toddler run around naked in Nov.Go on, put down those phones. No need to call in CPS



And this is what happens when you try to take pics of a 17 month old with cars

Wow, I'm boring

I was trying to think of something to blog about, when I realized I haven't blogged in awhile. You'd think I would have some great stories saved up and that I'm just super crazy busy with my fabulous life to blog. Um, no.

We're having beautiful November days, which I am loving. It'll be gray soon enough, so I'll enjoy seeing sunshine while it lasts.

I was introduced Twilight Fan Fiction. I'm so screwed. As if the books weren't enough of an addiction, now it's like a never ending supply of Edward. Oh, and let's not even discuss the Stephanie Plum fanfic I have waiting for me. Ahhh...Ranger, oh Ranger.
I don't normally ask questions...but if you have read the Stephanie Plum series, I have to know. Are you team Ranger or team Morelli? If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out Janet Evanovich. You won't be sorry.

Oh...New Moon comes out on Friday. I'm excited as hell. No, not just for the movie...for the fact that one of my best friends and I are meeting up Monday morning for Starbucks and then smuggling some of the best cupcakes known to man in to 11am showing. It's going to be sinful and glorious and much needed girl time. Ahhhhh.

Handsome Hubby hates his job. My heart breaks for him when I see how beat down he is getting, it's really taking a toll on his self esteem and it sucks. He's ridiculously smart and doesn't give himself enough credit and I wish something would change for him, and soon. *sigh*

Yep, that's about it around here. The boys are good...T1 is still a chatter box in school but is doing well when he does manage to get his work finished. T2 is in to every.thing. So much fun and so maddening all at the same time :)

Oh...and my PSA for the day:
It is November. We have not had turkey yet. DO NOT TURN YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON!! Seriously, don't do it. It's wrong. Hang them? Sure, go for it, but leave the damn things turned off until Black Friday. K, thanks.

Ah, being evil is so much fun

I've mentioned before that HH and I are done having kids. We're both totally fine with that and even on the days that I feel the urge to cuddle and snoogle an itty bitty baby, the idea of actually having another one to care for full time right now makes my head spin. That being said, I love to torment my poor husband, who I think is still afraid that I am going to come to him all doe-eyed and wistful asking to please just have ONE more.
My friend Natalie bought me a birthday card and the outside says:

"Congratulations! I heard you're expecting..."

The inside:

"Another Birthday
(Scared ya, didn't I?)"

Ah, it was perfect.

So last night, while HH is unsuspectingly playing Wii bowling with T1 I casually walk over and say "oh, check out the card Nat bought me" he takes it and read the front and I could literally feel his heart stop beating, his face turn white and in those 10 seconds I thought for sure he might have a heart attack...or pass out...or go for the bottle of vodka on the fridge. Then he opened it.
HH: That's not even fucking funny
M: Blame Nat
HH: Why don't you just get her on the phone.

Mind you, Nat is pregnant and due in Jan, my other friend Karol (and I would link her blog but ahem, she hasn't updated in MONTHS!!! Jeez, like she's busy with work and school and kids or something) is due in April (or is it May?!) I did get Nat on the phone and HH informed her that he was going to put out a restraining order. Since the 3 of us had our first babies all around the same time, I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm going to hop on the bandwagon.

Ah, fun times torturing my poor poor husband...I think it scares him that if I DID decide I wanted another, he'd eventually be the father of 3 b/c let's face it. What mama wants, mama usually finds a way to get. :)

Don't worry hun, I think you're safe on this one!

Lucky to have a job - - a rant

In case you aren't aware, the economy sucks.

People are getting laid off, hours are getting cut, prices are going up and income is going down or just not moving.

IT.SUCKS.

That being said, I am incredibly tired of hearing "just be happy you have a job". A lot of employers are using this economic situation to just be dicks. Hey, let's cut payroll by 10%, ask them to do twice the work, scream at them and then just tell them they're lucky to have a job. Let's raise prices and turn in to complete douche bags b/c hey, we need the money.

Fuck that.

How does that help moral? How does that keep employees wanting to actually do a GOOD job rather then just showing up to collect a paycheck? What happened to simple human kindness and actually appreciating the fact that these people come in to do a job that might suck, but they do it well. How about rewarding the employees that show up on time, do what needs to be done and then some, goes above and beyond without ever asking for anything. How about rather then cutting payroll you cut things like, oh, unlimited cell phone plans and spouses on payroll who don't even work for the company? Gee, there's an idea.
Wasn't there a time when businesses were run like family? Yes, I know that is a pipe dream...but, when someone in your family needs help, you help them. You don't back stab, you don't have this "it's all about me and my money" mentality. Who says just because everyone else does it one way that you should to? What happened to being different and going against the grain, to being BETTER HUMAN BEINGS?!

Yes, this is personal. Yes, I'm bitter. Honestly, I can not wait for the day that this "crisis" is over and all those who have been treated like shit (definitely HH) can tell their bosses to fuck off and walk the hell out.

Yes, we're lucky to have jobs, I get it, but I'm so over people thinking you just need to bend over and take it b/c you don't have another option. Guess what? Karma is a bitch. (and yes, at the moment, so am I)






PS, this is my semi-annual opinionated rant, I need those once in awhile :)

One of my finer mommy moments

I'm not sure I've blogged about this one, although it's a classic so most of you who know me IRL have heard it. And no, it's not the time I locked T1 in the car, although that is another classic.

T1 was 3-4, it's all kind of a blurr, blocked out by alcohol and my ability to repress traumatic events, I'm sure.
We were doing our grocery shopping, no small task with any child. Through Sams Club he'd become increasingly loud and annoying, until he eventually hit the meltdown. The yelling, the defiant NO, the kicking, grabbing stuff of the shelves. No? Just me kid? Eh, whatever.
So, in an attempt to simply get through the check out, I took him out of the cart and let him walk. That worked for about 30 seconds.
Here's the thing...my cart is full of groceries we need and it would make him immensely happy to just leave rather then have to stand in line for another 10 minutes. Sorry, I'm not leaving just to come back and have to do this yet again another day. I do not enjoy grocery shopping that much.
So, we're in line and then meltdown turns in to straight spawn of satan. On the floor, kicking and screaming. I'm sure I'm getting all sorts of stares while I just nudge him along, waiting my turn.
Finally, some poor childless girl comes over and offers my screaming brat of a child a balloon to make him happy. Yes, let's reward this behavior. The balloon did make him happy for, oh, another 30 seconds.

We did manage to get out of the store...and for the record you can hold a 3-4 year old in one arm and manuever a huge cart of food out to the car at the same time without dropping the child or ramming the cart in to a car, or person. Really, you can. Try it, I dare ya.

On the way home I'm pretty sure I saw his head spin exorcist style...or maybe that was mine? He'd managed to grab the diaper bag that was in backseat and took the extra clothes out. I could see him in my mirror and I knew what he was about to do. By this point, mommy had hit the breaking point. I warned him NOT to throw those clothes and yet before I knew it, I had toddler pants sailing through the air and smacking me in the head.
Yes, my head did spin.
I grabbed his balloon, grabbed a pen from the center console and popped that sucker. Immediate tears from the backseat. Sobbing tears, comments on how he couldn't believe I did that.
Hey kid, I warned you not to throw those pants.

I'm such a pain in the ass

And such a GIRL!

My birthday is Thursday. HH started asking last week what I wanted. And hey, this is planning on his part. It's usually the day or two before the event that he asks. He's the guy that does his Christmas shopping on Dec 23rd, at one store...or the mall.

Here's the thing...I'm horrible at asking for gifts for myself. I love receiving them, don't get me wrong, but I hate handing someone a list and saying "here, buy this for me". Especially HH because the guilt kicks in. I have an even harder time spending money on myself, and it doesn't help that my birthday falls just before Christmas shopping season begins and just after our Anniversary.

Here's the catch, I can't tell him to get me nothing because then I'll be bummed and yet I can't give him a list because what I really want, is for him to figure it out on his own. I rarely have to ask for lists because I'm constantly putting ideas away for future reference, things he says he would like, stuff he needs but won't buy etc. The stupid girl in me wants him to do the same. However, the realistic girl in me needs to slap the stupid girl around and remind her that he's a man. 10 years together and I've planned pretty much every event/date we've been on. This is not going to change and I need to stop being a pain in the ass and just tell him what to buy me. *sigh*

I sent him a link for tickets to see


If you want something done right, do it yourself, right? Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll plan the rest of date night? Or maybe he'll surprise and do something totally different. We shall see. I'm kind of over this whole birthday thing anyway. Who needs to turn 29?

As if the candy wasn't bad enough!

I checked my email to find the following birthday offers:

1. Baskin Robbins, free scoop.
2. Dairy Queen, free 16oz blizzard


3. Chili's, free dessert with entree purchase
and who can say no to this

4. Betty Crocker, free birthday party planning magazine. Complete with cake/cookie recipes.


We won't even discuss the fact that I have already eaten a mini snickers and reese's cup today. Nope, won't even talk about that.

I'm an attention whore, but it's MWW, so it's allowed

As much as I love summer and hate to see it end, I do love fall. I love the colors and the crisp air. If the whole year could alternate between Summer and Fall I would be in heaven.

I took the boys out to play in the leaves since we were having a beautiful day and they are going to be few and far between until, oh, June 2010! (YIKES!)

So, in true attention whore fashion, here are way more pictures of my boys then you care about. :)









And you thought this was bad, just wait until after Halloween. Here is a sneak peek :)

And I wonder where he gets it

Text with HH

M: Will you be home for dinner?
HH: Should be home before 5:30. What's for dinner?
M: Chicken Divan
HH: That will do, I suppose.
M: Ass :)
HH: That's more like it
M: hahaha

Then, in the morning:

T1: Daddy, why are you wearing that shirt?
HH: What do you mean, it's my shirt?
T1: So why does mommy wear it?
HH: Mommy wears all my clothes.
T1: WHAT? Why does mommy wear your clothes!?
HH: I don't know, you should go to school and tell everyone your mommy is a cross dresser
T1: HAHAH Mommy is a cross dresser! Mommy is a cross dresser!
M: HUN!!!!!

*giant eye roll*

btw, I don't wear all of his clothes. Just some of his tshirts...and maybe a sweat shirt or two...and okay, PJ pants...and maybe I've been known to steal his socks in the winter b/c they were so comfy. Hey, I do the laundry!

Sleep is over rated anyway

I'm sick, baby is sick, hubby is out of town...and here I am, wide awake because the cold meds haven't made me pass out yet...but have made me just dopey enough to make doing anything more complicated then blogging, impossible.

So, while I'm waiting to crash, I bring you this conversation:

T1: Oh crap!
M: Hey, you don't say that.
T1: But Jimmy* says crap all the time. He said it 3 times today.
M: Well, I don't want to hear you saying it.
T1: What about "Oh crudnuts"
M: Can't you just say Oh Crud?
T1: but that's boring
M: *sigh*
T1: How about ass? Is ass a bad word? Can I say ass?
M: NO! You can not say that, I don't want to hear you say that again.
T1: But Jimmy says it, and his mommy doesn't like it either.
M: Well then he shouldn't say it.
T1: But she's not around when he says it
M: *sigh* Santa is watching.
T1: Yea, you're right. I probably shouldn't say ass.

*changed to protect the "innocent"

Or how about this gem from last night:

T1: T2 gets to have all the fun!
M: He's sick, that's not much fun
T1: Yea, but he doesn't have to go to school
M: You're right, he gets to stay home and take naps
T1: I want to stay home
M: Are you sick?
T1: No, but what if I faked sick so I could stay home?
M: You're too young for that, eat your dinner.

Seriously?! Fake sick?! Don't I have a few more years before he's holding the thermometer up to the light and complaining of stomach pain the miraculously disappears just as it's too late to go to school?! *sigh*

I'm usually bad about these

But I'm actually accepting an award, in a timely manner. Maybe I'm turning over a new leaf? Or maybe I'm just out of stuff to blog about today.

Thanks Noelle!!

Here goes!

1. Where is your cell phone? Hmmm...probably still on my nightstand

2. Your hair? a mess

3. Your mother? rocks!

4. Your father? the best I could ask for

5. Your favorite food? mexican...or pizza...or chocolate...oh, sushi.

6. Your dream last night? don't remember but it wasn't pleasant

7. Your favorite drink? starbucks white mocha, I need a 12 step program

8. Your dream/goal? wish I knew

9. What room are you in? back part of the living room

10. Your hobby? I don't have time for those lately

11. Your fear? the dark, spider, being lonely

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Anywhere but here

13. Where were you last night? home with the boys

14. Something that you aren’t? today? myself

15. Muffins? chocolate chip

16. Wish list item? small camera for my purse

17. Where did you grow up? Ohio

18. Last thing you did? tried to upload pics to facebook and then got mad when it wouldn't work. damn FB!

19. What are you wearing? yoga pants and a sweatshirt

20. Your TV? is rarely on unless HH is playing video games

21. Your pets? RIP, Four :(

22. Friends? the absolute best

23. Your life? is generally good

24. Your mood? blah

25. Missing someone? yes

26. Vehicle? Saturn

27. Something you’re not wearing? makeup

28. Your favorite store? Target

29. Your favorite color? Green

30. When was the last time you laughed? yesterday

31. Last time you cried? yesterday

32. Your best friend? can be frustrating

33. One place that you go to over and over? Walmart

34. One person who emails me regularly? Natlie :)

35. Favorite place to eat? A1

SOOOO... now I tag...

Um, I'm breaking the rules...I may come back and tag people but for now...if you need blog filler, feel free to take the award and do this. All of you rule, obviously, you ARE following me after all ;)

The whitest legs on the block

But the shoes make up for it, right??







Happy Wednesday!!









Oh...and I've lost 2 followers in the past week...hmmm...maybe they didn't appreciate me wishing my boys to be gay? ;)