Chocolate and Fire Hydrants

Sometimes life can be like a box of chocolates . . .

That would NOT be this week.

Instead, it's more like trying to get a drink out of one of these . . .

I'm not complainin' by the way, just stating a fact. Too much of the BEST things can still be overwhelming.

So I had a little moment where I let things get out of control. Okay, so it was a big moment. Okay, so I ranted and raved and let my family see my truly insane side for more moments than I really care to admit.

I'm so grateful for children and a husband who listen so patiently to a momentarily insane mom. So grateful for children and family and a husband who don't get truly insane in return, but instead just listen to me vent for way toooo long.

Thanks guys - a little chocolate and a good magazine (and a little sleep) and I feel much better.

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Announcement for Mom's Everywhere . . .

Attention everyone!

I have an announcement for Mom's everywhere. I just want to clear up any confusion or misconceptions about how clean and tidy your home will be once the kids start leaving home.

I certainly always thought that once the kids were living away from home, it was be domestic bliss personified. I mean, after all, if the kids are gone, who is there to make a mess, leave papers, backpacks and shoes laying around, track dirt in from outside, spill cookie crumbs and soda on the carpets?

Surely, once you tidied things all up, did all the dishes, made up the beds (what beds would even need to be made up you would wonder?) things would stay pristine, and one could just bask in the enjoyment and cleanliness.

Wow, was I mistaken all these years. I blamed all the clutter, dirty dishes, laundry piles, dirty carpets on the fact that I had four kids living at home, running in and out and messing everything up. But what to my wondering brain should appear - it must be me and the husband who are making this mess after all! Because it's all still here, shoes, backpacks, sinks full of dishes, piles of laundry waiting to be folded. The only thing that's missing is 8 little helping hands. It's amazing what can be accomplished with 8 little helping hands.



I remember our family work days on Saturday. Everyone received assignments for 45 minutes worth of jobs and the house was sparkling from top to bottom. Now days, my 45 minutes worth on Saturday doesn't even get the master bathroom scrubbed. You know I think those same kids (minus one) are still running in and out just about as frequently. They just don't stay long enough for the weekly job assignments to be handed out. And I know they are doing their jobs in their own homes. Which brings up an entirely different question? How is it that their house is so much cleaner than mine?

What parenting stage is this? And how long does it last?

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The Uniform and other Random Stuff

Does anyone else have an actual uniform they get up and put on each and every morning? I try not to, I really really do. Sometimes I put on my jeans, just to dress up a little, and try to coordinate an actually matching top that could possibly be classified as cute.

I mean for me, JEANS are dressing up. I have like 5 different pairs that each have a purpose. There are the everyday jeans for everyday dressing up. You know the ones, you can actually bend over and scrub the tub and crawl around on the floor, and dust the blinds where like the dust absolutely goes everywhere.

Then, there's the pair that look a little nicer for if I actually have to go out of the house, like to the grocery store or run errands. I keep one pair of jeans that look really cute with my boots, so I usually save those for lunches out with friends, or book group or something like that.

I have ONE fantastic pair that actually make me look just a LITTLE bit skinny - soooooo THOSE are saved for the most SPECIAL of occasions, like a movie date or out to dinner with the husband. I think I tried on 37 different jeans the day I found those . . .

Otherwise, I pretty much look like this,

in the uniform . . .

Hoody and sweatpants.

Oh there's my husband calling,

I know it's him, it's his ring tone. His ring tone by the way - is my favorite romantic song, so I love it whenever he calls. It's "Only Hope" from A Walk to Remember by Switchfoot.

Since I'm on the subject, when my friend, Laurie calls, it's "Who Can It Be Now" because she laughed hysterically the first time she heard it play, I've kept it assigned to her name ever since. (Men At Work)

When my daughter calls it's "Dimelo", Enrique Iglesias, you know the one, the Ping Pong song, except in Spanish. Believe me the Spanish version is so great! We fell in love with it when we were in Ecuador last summer. (Caution: video may not be totally appropriate, lots of girls in swimsuits!)

Random calls elicit the theme song from "The Office", Except, I think someone is calling every time the videos get started in the DVD player.

Oh! I think I hear your phone ringing . . . what kinda music are you playing?

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