the boy 02/07 and the girl 04/07

the boy 02/07 and the girl 04/07

Originally uploaded by mommywindow.

I can not even believe how quickly times goes by. It seems like just yesterday Crazydad and I was sitting at Remington’s and decided April might be a good month to go off birth control and try to have our first baby. How would we ever know the long journey that decision would bring on and how many great rewards it would mean for us after all was said and done.

These children never cease to amaze and delight me. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

When more is too much more.

I don’t know if it is because we have never been around family for the holidays and shipping a boatload of gifts is too expensive or out of sight out of mind but this year was overwhelming. 

 The amount of toys these children got is almost embarrassing. I’m not sure but I suppose over the last five years I guess we (crazymom and dad) had been trying to make up for the lack of family gifts. This year we purchased about the same amount of gifts for the kids as we always do but then we had three houses to visit. All three we made aware to please do not go crazy. Meaning one or two gifts each… well no one listened and we returned home with half of Toys R Us in our van.  

I am not trying to sound ungrateful and I know all family members involved were just trying to show the children how much they love them but OMHECK . The children really like the gifts and we got everything we hoped the children would get. 

 On the list for the boy was:

An Optimus Prime Transformer and a remote control car (crazydad’s family)

A Gameboy Advance (Crazygrandma)

A scooter    (Crazy Aunt)

A musical instrument (Crazypappy)

A Game Cube (from us) 

On the list for the girl was:

A wooden cradle (from us)

A rocking horse   (Crazygrandma)

A doll house (Crazy Aunt)

A musical instrument (Crazypappy)

Ballerina items (crazydad’s family)

  But then the “stocking stuffers and extras was over the top…… Crazydad and I are also guilty of this…..But it was all around out of hand… 

I knew the children would receive some unaccounted for gifts from aunts and uncles but it was almost shameful. I prepared for new toys. I took toys away over the last month, selling some and donating others, while putting others away for a raining day. But last night when we came home I immediately sorted the new items into what would go onto the toy shelves and what would get put away for another day. I hope no one gets angry but after the toy shelves were full I found myself putting two full plastic bins away on my closet shelf. I just can not bring myself to give my kids that much stuff at once.  

Some items that were surprises that made it on the shelf were; Art supplies, a remote control dog, a map puzzle, books, a jewelry box and a walkie talkie set.    

What I learned from this we (crazymom and dad) next year will be buying each child one big gift and one small gift in addition to filling their stocking but no more. We will stress to extended family to please try to stick to the list. Everyone is short on money and to not stick to the list is just wasteful. I will also include with the kids’ lists other items that if you feel you absolutely must buy more what are some good ideas like art supplies, books, games etc. 

 I feel so guilty that all this money was spent and the children were spoiled when others have so little. I know our families love my children so it is hard to tell them to stop buying, especially when I personally have the same problem but I will be working on this myself from this moment on.  

Less IS more.  

Airing of Grievances,Feats of Strength and the family Festivus Pole

The big day is almost upon us and the house is buzzing with excitement. We have the plan all set. Christmas Eve with Crazydad’s family. We asked them to think less is better then more in the present department…. but crazygrandfather has informed us that request was not taken to heart. Then tomorrow morning we will do a small family breakfast here, then off to my father’s side of the family to celebrate and then after we will head to my mother’s for the celebration there. From my understanding our less is more request was ignore both places there as well. All in all it should prove to be very draining but the kids will love it.

This is the first Christmas we have ever been home for since having children. The first time we have not been just our nuclear family. It is strange and Crazydad is not looking forward to it. I long for and very much enjoy the big family things. This is why we moved home, this is what I felt we had been cheating our children.  

Everyone has been enjoying our children over the past eight months but I think no one more then my father and that makes me so happy. I still miss our old life out west. Mostly my friends there and that has affected me and how I make relationships here. I am much more reserved as far as that goes. I’m not sure why but its true.  

But I know in my heart we made the right choice coming home. My kids will grow up a lot like I did and I think that is important. 

  Anyway I hope everyone has a Merry    

Christmas

Chinese New Year

Hanukkah 

Yule 

Kwanzaa

Festival of the Bells And a Happy Festivus to all!

I clearly need help…..

Man I tell you when I fall off the wagon I fall so far I can’t even see the road!

 

Yesterday was another good day. I walked and did an exercise DVD. I was at 950 calories even after eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks. I was all set. I had a plan for the evening. One 140 calorie cereal bar. They have the right mix of carb and sweet. I would be fine…. Then we started watching a movie and the internal struggle began. I wanted popcorn… NO I don’t need any…. But I want it…. But I’m hungry…. You’re not just you think you are…. And then my loving crazydad said go ahead it’s the holidays and as if that were a golden ticket I made my popcorn. After eating it I felt so crappy about my wasted day, and completely losing control I ate a piece of chocolate cake just for good measure. 

 Will I even have control? Do I want to die someday soon because I can’t live without popcorn? What is wrong with me?     

What time is it?

Well my morning has start off on the right foot. Last week I started walking at the park for 45 minutes (about two miles). My commitment is three times a week. Well life sometime gets in the way of the best intentions so this morning I knew I have a meeting I have to attend and then clean the house to prepare for me hosting playgroup tomorrow and I need to put in at least three hours at my two part time job. I know how easy it would be to blow off my exercising. So first thing this morning I got on the treadmill, grumpy and all. I am proud of myself. I didn’t want to get out of bed, once out of bed all I wanted to do was get on the computer but I didn’t. All last week I’ve even managed to eat breakfast everyday and for me that’s big.

 I will not declare this is a new habit for me and I won’t even say after twenty times. My goal this time around is live a healthier lifestyle for twenty weeks and then we can start talking habit. I have found this blog very inspiring.    

Do you give love a bad name?

You know you’re a child of the 80’s if……  

1. You’ve ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.

2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton

3. You know that ‘WOAH’ comes from Joey on Blossom

4 If you ever watched ‘Fraggle Rock’

5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.

6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.

7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.

8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.

9. You played the game ‘MASH'(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)

10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.

11. You know the profound meaning of ‘ WAX ON , WAX OFF’

12. You wanted to be a Goonie.

13. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us…head-to-toe)

14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.

15. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.

16. You took lunch boxes to school…and traded Garbage Pailkids in the schoolyard.

17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.

18. You still get the urge to say ‘NOT’ after every sentence.

19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.

21. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.

22. After you saw Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure you kept saying ‘I know you are, but what am I?’

23. You remember ‘I’ve fallen and I
can’t get up’

24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.

25 You have ever played with a Skip-It.

26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.

27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.

28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.

29. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.

30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool…and don’t even flinch when people refer to them as ‘NKOTB’

31. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on ‘Saved By The Bell,’ The ORIGINAL class.

32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi – SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.

33. You just sang those words to yourself.

34. You still sing ‘We are the World’

35. You tight rolled your jeans.

36. You owned a bannana clip.

37. You remember ‘Where’s the Beef?’

38. You used to (and probably still do)
say ‘What you talkin’ ’bout Willis?’

39. You’re still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren’t you!

that was just a wee bit scary and sooooo true. sigh.

Dream

Ok I need a dream Interpreter I had a bad nightmare last night. I am almost certain it has something to do with my food issues but what exactly I’m not sure. It felt so real!

 

Ok so in my dream my family is on vacation at my grandparent’s house on the beach. Something we are lucky to do a few weekends every summer. In real life there is a restaurant next door to the house we frequently get take out from. So in the dream I go to the restaurant to pick up take out dinner for my family while they stay at the house. So I walk in and speak to the hostesses, telling her my name and asking the total for my order I had called in. She informs me they do not have an order for me. I say well I know that I called so please check again. She is very snobby, and acting like a twit and refuses to check again, just dismisses me. So I find the manager and ask her to check with the kitchen. She does and yep she finds my order all boxed up and ready to go. The manager asks who told me they wouldn’t check the kitchen for my order and I tell her. The manager goes over to the hostess and speaks to her (I can not hear what is being said) and all of a sudden the hostess tosses a plate full of food on the manager and the manager then yells “You’re fired”. OMHeck. So after the hostess leaves I’m a little freaked out. But ok…. So I gather my boxes and start to walk out. As I am walking in the parking lot I can see Crazydad at the beach house. I’m walking and smiling at him and then out of the corner of my eye I see the hostess in a car in the parking lot. She leans out the window and shoots a gun at me and then its slow motion. I feel the bullet hit me in the side of my neck. I fall to the ground and I put my hand over the spot where the bullet went in and I can feel the hot sticky blood gulping out. I can hear people screaming and someone telling the hostess to “go, go”. And that is where I woke up with a start. Laying on the ground, bleeding and wide eyed….

  So what do you think?     

IDK? My BFF Jill……

Over the years I have been on many message boards and forums. Mostly about mothering. And there are certain terms we all (at least most of us) have come to read just as if the words were types out.

 

DH0 (Dear Husband)

DC (Dear Children)

LMK (Let me know)

YIM (yahoo instant messenger)

LOL (laugh out loud)

IMO (in my opinion)

And thanks to a certain cell phone company IDK (I Don’t Know) and BBF (Best Friend forever).

 

Sometimes these “computer” terms are more then letters it a word spelled out or in most cases misspelled (on purpose)…

 

– Sekret (Secret)

– Jelous (Jealous)

– Seks (Sex)

-hawt (hot)

 

Even the term Blog comes from web log.

  

But there has been one common term that I never knew the meaning. It’s used so much that I felt stupid asking. I gathered it is a good thing but the origin I had no clue and have never used the term myself. Until today! On the yahoo home page there is an article that caught my eye;

 

“W00t,” a hybrid of letters and numbers used by gamers as an exclamation of happiness or triumph, topped all other terms in the Springfield-based dictionary publisher’s online poll for the word that best sums up 2007.

Merriam-Webster’s president, John Morse, said “w00t” was an ideal choice because it blends whimsy and new technology.

 

Now I don’t know about whimsy and new technology because every time I see it I think of the wise old owl in Mr. Rodgers for some reason. But now I am happy to know the wheres and whys of “W00t”.

So W00t, W00t me!

Whatever you do don’t open my medicine cabinet!!!

Sometimes I really think I have it together. Armed with my lists and surface cleaning, then other times I realize I am just treading water as not to drown!

 

Along time ago there was this girl in my MOMS Club who thought I totally had it together to the point that she couldn’t be friends with me because she felt so lacking in her own ability. I tried and tried to convince her I am really good at making it LOOK that way but really I am just as over my head and at a lose as everyone else.

 

I was thinking about this the other day when I saw a women who looked like she had it all together and found myself tossing her invisible daggers with my eyes. It makes me wonder what really is going on in the lives of people who seem to have it all.

 

The family that seems to go on vacation after vacation to exotic places, are they well off or in debt up to their eyeballs?

 

The women who is dressed to the nines. Full hair, make up and nails perfect… what’s her story? Eating disorder? Drug habit? What?

 

The mom who has all day to do nature walks, art projects and no TV time for the kids. Does she neglect the house?  Is she medicated? What?

 

I realize we all have moments in life where we think that someone else is doing a better job then we are and in some cases it may be true. What I’ve come to accept is I am doing all I can to the best of my ability.

 

I know I juggle so many tasks at once and not doing a too bad a job of it. The kids and I are still in our PJs. Yes the breakfast and lunch dishes sit in the sink all day. Sure there are crumbs under my table currently. And you guessed it my TV is on to Nick Jr right this minute but you know… it’s like Preschool on TV. Right?