Feeling Great in 2008

Week 5- in bed by ten; read book or magazine NOT school related, up by 6:30. I would love to see you how you are keeping up if you are joining me.

Can You See Me Now?

So, I went to the Eye Guy on Friday. It went well: the lady made me look at weird pictures and fuzzy lines, the lady blew air in my eye (could have done without that), the guy made me answer lots of questions. I guess the usual check up sort of stuff. Then the amusing part came when my doctor gave me my diagnosis. Apparently, my eyes are tired. ::scoff:: What was that? You made me pay you how much money to tell me that? Next time, how about we make it a phone visit to cover all the obvious information. Then, maybe it won't cost me so much. I have eyeball fatigue, which is causing my eyes to wear out before my day is through. I am good in the morning, but as the day progresses, my eyes begin to shut down making it difficult for me to see clearly. The bad news is I had to pay a lot of money I didn't feel like paying. The good news is I got the greatest pair of glasses: red and blue with flowers on the sides. They are the greatest throw back to the 60s. I will just like my mother, which is a compliment.

So sad

I can't even say how sad I was this morning when my alarm clock radio told me one of the yummies has died. Heath Ledger, on my top ten list of yummies died. Sigh. He was 28.

Feeling Great in 2008

So this is my own cheesy slogan for the list of things I have planned for this new year. My resolutions this year will be stretched out over a the 52 weeks of 2008. Each is a baby step, but I am hoping (and praying) by the end of the year at least a few will have stuck, and I will have developed some knew good habits. I will try to post each new one as I start it each week. I don't think any of them are too scary to share, but i can't say for certain. Some are physical, some spiritual, emotional, and others are just good habits to have. Feel free to ask me how I am doing with them; I welcome the encouragement. Stay at home moms don't get a lot of that. I will list my first few for January. I have already started them, and so far, I am doing pretty well.

January
Week 1- Night Routine and in bed by 10:30
wash face & FLOSS
Week 2- Bible and Prayer each morning, clean up bathroom before leaving it
Week 3- Morning routine & up by 7am
wash face & get dressed to my shoes and makeup
Week 4- Exercise 20 mins on treadmill 3x/wk. & drink at least 1 cup of water each day.

I know these all seem easy, but so far I have been challenged. I am working on not being so rebellious against doing what I know I should be doing. So each of these steps, while simple, have caused me to remember I am not invincible and I need to take care of ME. I do a lot of caring for others- mostly short people. This year is all about me.

What I wouldn't give

What I wouldn't give for a neighborhood elementary school that didn't suck. This morning I awoke at 6:45 to snow covering our streets. So much so, I can't tell where the side walk ends and the street begins. These are not good driving conditions, clearly. Because there is still a feud over who we belong to (Cold Springs apparently tried to become its own town because apparently we have our own ideas @@. whatever.) we are the forgotten streets when it comes to snow plowing, even though we usually get the most snow. With my daughter's school being near the church, they see no need to have a delayed start. Why would they? So I am here now, needing to have left 25 minutes ago to get Isabelle to school on time. I tried checking to see if we were on a delayed start, but there was no news anywhere: not on the radio, not on the school or district website, and not at the school as we have to leave 15 minutes before they open to get there on time. All of this information makes me sigh repeatedly throughout my day. By the time I got in touch with anyone, we were too late to leave to be on time anyway, so I now have to wait until The Man comes home with his giant snow tires and five feet of clearance before I can leave to take her. Who am I kidding? I am totally going to offer him favors in hopes that he will take her.
My point really, is I hate that we have to be zoned for possibly the worst school in our school district. One of the only over crowded elementary schools, one of the only elementary schools to have reported confiscated weapons, and one of the only schools in the district that has less than 1% black students. Call me crazy, but I am not interested in my children attending an all white school. And before you remind me of the Hispanic and Latino population, they don't really exist up here either. If I were a stranger looking in, I would guess Cold Springs is code for "Mormon Commune." The only people I know that have two or less kids, have just started and have plans for more! We are the norm up here. Plus, we never get those missionaries at our door. They must think we are already converted. Or they still have my name in their black book of homeowners that made a missionary cry. Seriously, one guy was so exasperated with me he put his head in his hands and leaned heavily against my house. I asked if I could pray for him and he threw his hands up and said sure. Apparently I was not getting his purpose. Good times.

Funnies from the Archives

I love finding lost funniness. While unpacking the past few weeks, I have come across a lot of memories. The following is a journal entry from sometime around 2004.

"Mommy! I have to go potty!" Eli said, holding out the "o" in potty. I jump to my feet to reassure my two year old that I think potty training this instant is as important as he does. Even though in my mind my eyes are rolling, my arms and legs are suddenly 40lbs. each, and I just know this is going to be another false alarm. Sigh "RUN! RUN! RUN!"
I swoop him into my arms and onto the potty. My bathroom is the closest so that is where he lands. This means I have to use his bathroom because of course the second he sits down, the dam on my bladder releases so that my Dr. Pepper is knocking at my downstairs door.

"I have to go potty, too. DON'T get up." I try to say this last part slowly so he recognizes I think this part is important, but watching his reaction, I don't think he has heard me at all.

I run to the kids' bathroom. The whole time I am gone, scenarios of what I may meet when I return stream through my mind: a puddle of pee, little brown streaks smeared across the toilet seats, or a mound of toilet paper quickly turning to cement at the bottom of the toilet.

I return to Eli standing in front of my toilet in his oversized jammy tee shirt. He is using one hand to grab at the side of his shirt; the other hand is reaching under his shirt in desparation. Eli furrows his brow, really grimacing.

"OUCH Mommy! Take it off. I can't get it off."

"Son, what are you doing? Did you go potty?"

"OW!! GET IT OFF! I DON'T LIKE IT!"

Once I get a little closer, I realize Eli has adhered one of my pantyliners to his entire naked nether region, front to back. After a very brave minute and a whimper and a tear from him, i am able to peeeeel it off.

"Son, don't touch mommy's things."

"oh" he says in true suprise, "these are your things?"

As I lean in to hug him, he reveals his other arm is nicely lined with a super absorbant, extra strength, maxi pad with wings.

Awesome.

Quick Funnies from Pearl the Squirrel (aka Addison)

First, this picture is of me wiping her nose with the inside of her shirt. She is three; this works for now lol. Again, I love that my photographer Jessica the Speckled Bird included this in my photo shoot proofs. Crack me up.
Funny #1
me: whoa! What was that noise?
Addie: my butt.
me: ew! What is going on over there?
Addie: it was my butt freak show. (Please know she was not calling me a name but naming her experience.)

Funny #2
ring ring- my cell phone rings to the sound of Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer when The Man calls me.
Addison: MYYYY HOTLIPS!!!!! (at the top of her lungs as she dives for the phone)

Funny #3
Addie: EW! UGH!! ARGH!! GROSS!!! MOOOOMMMYY!!!
me: what.
Addie: I went PUKE in the toilet. Come wipe my butt!! Don't smell in here; it is a-sgusting.

Ah the joys of mothering.

Pennies in my Pocket

This is more for the ladies than the mens, but I just love this website. Okay, she is my friend, but she just seems to have a nose for great deals. She is running a blog series of "Redecorate in 2008" that showcases super great decorating deals and ideas. Plus, she does weekly giveaways. These freebies are nothing to snerk at. My favorite was the free National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on dvd. I have completely worn out my copy on VHS (VHS what the heck is that?) No fear; my new BFF sent it to me just before Christmas. I love her.
Anyway, today's giveaway is a set of ten really great gift bags from PennyLane Papers. Don't worry if you don't win the giveaway though! They are normally priced at only a buck a piece! WHAT!?? That is unheard of. Seriously they are great. Check out the Pennies in my Pocket website by clicking on the link over there>. Look for the pennies.

AND ACTION!

Yesterday was a hit. I was a little anxious about living life's new schedule with so many new factors. I enjoy change, but mostly when it is my idea and because I say so. This past year was one of those "totally out of my hands" years. I am happy to report that having babies wasn't one of the big events for last year, but we now have a preschool aged squirrel and a fish-faced toddler running rampant while we attempt to homeschool (with Isabelle in public school) and The Man finding his place amid the chaos of our daytime home. He really hasn't ever had a good glimpse of what we do here. He peeked in periodically yesterday but mostly kept his distance. He has to feel a little on the outside. We have had this giant rolling ball of homeschooling in progress for four years without his involvement. Any time he was off work, there was a holiday to celebrate, a weekend to enjoy, or a baby being born so we had a school break.
So, now we are on day two and The Man has left early to drop Isabelle off at school. If this is the only good change that comes from it all, I will be satisfied. Off to school..

So close to sanity

To all you loverly people who made the past few weeks easier, thank you thank you thank you so very much. God will bless you richly. We are finally in our new home...that we own. YAY. Now we are working on getting unpacked and settled in to our new house, new careers, and new neighborhood. This morning the kids and I enjoyed the warmer weather by running amok in the cul-de-sac, roller blading (yes I did it too), riding bikes, and plugging our ears when the potty mouthed construction workers started speaking. Overall, we are loving the new house. All are welcome to visit, but we are planning a house warming party near February the beginning. See you all soon.