Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."
~Mary Anne Radmacher

Just another load of laundry

Its 3:30 a.m

I hear Mama....Mama...Mama ringing through the monitor.

I hope if I ignore it long enough it will just stop.

No such luck.

Now, do you remember, not long ago, when I was celebrating the fact that my daughter was officially potty trained...ringing any bells???

Well, can you be so kind as to remind me again why this was such a great thing?

Because there was nothing celebratory about cleaning a wet bed, wet sheets and a wet child at 3:30 am.

She was nice enough to Thank me though!!

Side Note:

I have gotten a few concerned phone calls over my last post.

I am OK.

I have gone to the Dr.

Hoping I have found my cure.

I will keep you updated.

overwhelmed

I am overwhelmed.
everything overwhelms me these days.
breakfast. lunch.dinner.showering.dressing.house work. laundry. relationships. friendships.decisions.EVERYTHING!
I can't wait for this feeling to go away.its exhausting.I mean, the thought of having to go to bed to just wake up to another day. aaaah. anxiety!


this chick magnet though.
brightens my world.
waking to his baby blues.
is seriously, the best!

I am a proud owner of a new parking spot....

It has been 8 days since my last post....
sorry but I have been busy....
Vomit, Ear Infections, Bronchitis, Loose Bowel, runny noses...
name it, WE got it!
the dr.'s office has been gracious enough to give me my own parking spot!!!
I have too many kids...I know this BEST when they are all sick.....
at ONCE!!!!

I surrender...THEY win!
I need sleep. I need clean sheets to stay clean. I need to buy stock in Puffs. I need a new "mush" free brain. I need sleep.

Speaking of sleep, check out Ben's new big boy bed....

Cute huh??
I did mention it was Ben's right?
It is a huge HIT in our house...

Each night before the lights go out Kenzie says

"good night benny... go sail away!"

they may be sick. they be winning. but, man they are cute!

"It's Working!"

I have been hesitate to make the BIG announcement, fearful that I would jinx it, but in her own words:

"It's Working!!!" and "I am Good at it!!"

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you've guessed it.....Kenzie is officially pooping on the potty!

Its been about a week ......and do you want to know the Best part??
I know each time its happening because she declares to the world that
"its working"....

Have you heard her yet???? Listen for it, you will!!!

Its a great thing!

Now, please don't ask me for any potty training advice, because I have none!

Trust me though, when they are ready, "it will work"

My Dirty Little Secret

In these tough economic times, my family has had to shed a little fat these days...Tighten our boot straps if you will....We have had to eliminated things such as:

If I die, my husband will no longer receive any money! (Don't worry ladies, we are still paying his!)

College funds are at an official stand still .....(dad, thanks for helping!)

and Trash pick-up .....Well...



that has become a thing of the past..






But, I promise, as soon as things get better the first thing......Well, maybe the second thing...The first thing I get, will be my very OWN house cleaner...I mean, come on....my husband already has one, it's only fair!!!! But I promise the SECOND thing will DEFINITELY be trash pick-up...and hopefully this will be re-instituted BEFORE the warmer months or else, the third thing will have to be Febreeze!

If I show you mine, will you show me yours??

I am a bit apprehensive to even post this picture in fear that my mother may be reading..... I certainly don't want her re-claiming any of these.....

Who am I kidding? I am pretty sure she can't even find her computer...BUT that is a different post for a different day!

Anyway, I am really curious as to who has a cabinet that looks like this??

AWFUL! right??





I am constantly throwing and then QUICKLY shutting! To then only re-open it the following day and watch as they all come flowing out....My husband LOVES this ritual even more than I do!

I really do like to think of myself as a neat person, but this cabinet is a constant reminder that I am not!

In No Particular Order

Since I have been a bit "wordy", I have decided to devote this post strictly to photos!

Enjoy!

Here is our Christmas Tree...December 26th
(Notice the green "Stuff" underneath?)

One of the MANY snow days!

Edible!

Super Edible!

"Fired Up"

Awesome!
Did I mention we jump off of couches too?!

The Trio...

Ok Ok Ok....there were a FEW words!

Last One....
Gotta represent the Pop (pacifier)!

You can Thank me Later!

We often hear the phrase, "Keeping up with the Joneses", but who are they??? Who are these people that make us feel inadequate participants of our own lives?? Who are these people that make us anxious over what we are doing wrong and make us feel we are not up to par?? Who are these people keeping us up late at night thinking about all of the things we are NOT doing that we are SUPPOSED to be doing??


Since no one has stepped up to claim this infamous name, I have decided to officially announce my family's name change...

We are the Joneses !!!

I accept this new role with a smile. AnD because I am willingly, taking one for the team, I am hopeing it will allow everyone to finally sit back and start enjoying their lives. I mean, in all honesty, if you are attempting to "Keep Up" with me, you will never feel inadequate AGAIN! You may actually feel quite successful and maybe even perhaps superior for once! BUT, Before I allow your ego's to get TOO big, I will lay down a few of the things I do/don't expect so you have a bases for your comparisons.....

I do require my family to brush their teeth ONCE a day

I do require fingernail/toe nail clippings, once a WEEK

I do require a please and a thank you in most situations

I (myself) shower, blow dry and make-up EVERYDAY

I do NOT require a coat in cold weather (the kids learn quick! Trust me)

I do laundry almost everyday

Books ARE read every night!

My oldest is 3, she still uses a pacifier and a diaper to Poop

My 2 year old doesn't talk

My 4 month old still eats almost every two hours

Only at Dinner is the food required to stay at the table (notice I didn't say kids)

Hands must be held in ALL parking lots

At least one article of clothing is required to be worn while home

Kids are required to put toys away after use

Jumping on the bed is permitted

Something Green MUST be eaten once daily

Chocolate milk is allowed once a day (unless at Mimi's)

I look at my Blackberry every time it "Alerts" me to

My family has fruit snacks every morning with breakfast

Safety First...But Fun is always encouraged!

I BUY baby food...(non-organic is fine, I don't discriminate)

I buy store brand food

EXCEPT Ketchup and Mac & Cheese MUST be name brand

Hands must be washed after using the bathroom

My kids are vaccinated (I trust my Doctor, just like they trust me as their Realtor)

Kids are allowed to play hand held devices (amount of time is strictly dependant on what I need to get done that day)

We use 1-2-3 Magic for discipline purposes

Dessert is permitted after each meal as long as food was eaten

Going outside is optional during the winter months...its cold out there!



Are you thanking me yet?? Don't worry if you don't send me a Thank you note, I don't require them!


I am hopeing that now you have a face to the "Joneses" you will begin to accept yourselves for who are, instead of what you are not!

AND

You may actually see that you are in fact "Out Doing The Joneses"


Can you feel the relief yet?

P.s. My kids are very happy and Healthy! They even call us the best mommy & daddy ever! and isn't THAT what its all about??

Middle Child

I am too tired tonight to blog.....

But, BEFORE I go...I would like to say,

Happy Birthday Benny Boy!

Life is so much sweeter with you in it!

You are the greatest little boy!

I Love you!

Lunch Time!!

Its 11:50 a.m. are your kids dressed.......

In their Pajamas???





MINE are!

PLEASE forgive me!

I was at IKEA not long ago and I decided to take the elevator up to the showroom. In the elevator with me was a young girl, her grandparents & an IKEA employee. The party of 3 were there for IKEA's fine dining. During our travels, the IKEA employee sparked a conversation with the little girl: (this is the short hand version)

Employee: Hi, How are you?
Girl: Hi, good
Employee: So, you like coming to IKEA?
Girl: Yes, its my favorite place!
Employee: Oh, maybe when you grow up you can work here

Grandma: NO, she is going to college!!!!!

oh SnAP!

This immediately made me think back on when I was in college. My roommate went on a diet. She came back from winter break and was really excited to show me that she was now wearing my same pant size. (oh to be that size now) naturally I congratulated her, right? Oh no, not me, instead, I turned to her and said "See.... I told you I wasn't thin!"
I know! I know! I know!
It still makes me cringe! I didn't mean it the way it came out! and 11 years later, I stiLL remember that awful moment!

I lack the filter, the ability to think before I speak. clearly I am not the MoST intelligent person! you would think I would have learned to take a few extra moments to make sure my words were correct before blurting them out. NOPE. Imagine being in my company after a few too many cocktails. Yikes! And I actually wonder why my only friends are my kids? ? ?

Sooooo.. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize. to anyone and Everyone! if I ever said anything that was insulting. I seriously didn't mean it. Clearly the filter needs some replacing.....and my goal is to accomplish this before I take my grand kids to fill up on Swedish Meatballs!

Round 2!

Well, as I look back on the WHOPPING 3 posts I did a year ago....It is impossible for me to not reflect on the last 12 months. My middle child is turning 2 on Friday.....(oh yeah, Did I mention I got pregnant and birthed a 9 pound 6 ounce baby in the last 12 months....#3 was a HUGE shock! I can promise you though, ALL necessary precautions have been taken to be sure that if this is in fact the only post this year, I will NOT be introducing you to baby #4 in my first 2012 post).

So, my second born will be 2 on friday, my first born will be 16 (you may think this is a typo, but it is NOT, trust me, this 3 year old is pre-menstrual, with a capital P) in March and my third born will for 4 months in about a week. Me, I will be 30 this April and I can't tell you how excited I am for this. I am so done with my 20's and am really looking forward to my 30's. I mean, aren't you finally an adult at 30?? right??.... Bueller? ........ Bueller??

Anyway, this past year has been quite a ride...We are now a family of 5.. my day consists of running the washing machine 3 times, dishwasher once, emptying the garbage, changing 3 poopy diapers, watching "UP" twice, emptying the garbage, hearing the beloved "Mama" chant more times than I want to count, arguing about fruit snacks, giving in to fruit snacks, emptying the garbage, showering, changing the kids out of their pajamas just in time to put on a new pair, cooking (mMmm, maybe warming is a better word here), cleaning, more cleaning, emptying the garbage, working out"ish", coloring, jumping, drinking lots of coffee, emptying the garbage, oh and in the amount of time it takes the kids to eat a Popsicle, I try and sell a house. WAIT, did I mention, emptying the garbage??? I would be lying if I said oooh I love it, but man, I wouldn't change a thing about my life....
EXCEPT maybe the parked car I hit last week...That was Awesome..I could have totally done without that!