Thursday, February 26, 2015

Birthday Song vs. Conception Song (yes, you read that right!)

Y'all, I am dying!!!!  It's been snowing all week.  Seriously, it snowed this morning and it's supposed to snow again tomorrow!  Anyway, because of that I turned on the TV to check the weather this morning when I got done dropping the kids at school.  I rarely turn on the TV during the day.  I'm usually too busy to mess with that stuff, but with all the crazy weather, everyone's schedule is jacked. Anyway, I ended up with Kelly & Michael (whatever that show is) in the background. They started talking about a website that will tell you the song that was the number one song the day you were born and the number one song when you were conceived.  I actually missed the beginning of the conversation, but it was pretty funny, so I used my handy-dandy DVR to rewind it and find out the website.  It's called Playback.fm.

Of course the website was completely jammed with traffic, but later I came back to my computer and it was up and running so I put in my birthday to great disappointment: Star Wars Theme Song/Cantina Song.  Ugh! Here's the link so you can hear it: http://youtu.be/WFcmuhTTqoY.  And it says my parents got romantic to a golden 70s song: You Don't Have to be a Star: http://youtu.be/-nb9jJg_wIU.

Then I checked out Chuck's song, because why not, right?  His was sad: Seasons in the Sun.  Remember that song?  If not, here you go.  I cringed when I heard it, but I also listened to the whole song whereas I turned my songs off immediately.  http://youtu.be/-tPcc1ftj8E.  And his parents got busy to My Love by Paul McCartney: http://youtu.be/vx5QxoWCG-I. Pretty sure I've never heard this song before.

Then I checked out Evie and I burst out laughing when her birthday song came up.  I'm not going to ruin the surprise, you'll just have to click HERE to find out how awesomely perfect this song is for her!!!  Y'all I'm just cracking up about this!!!!  I also think her "conception" song is funny too: Drop It Like Its Hot: http://youtu.be/GtUVQei3nX4.

As for Luke, he's cracking me up too!  His song is Yeah! by Usher.  I am loving this!!!  http://youtu.be/GsG1nHu1wxI.  And his "conception" song is Crazy In Love by Beyonce.  http://youtu.be/ViwtNLUqkMY.

George's birthday song is Single Ladies by Beyonce: http://youtu.be/4m1EFMoRFvY.  Not exactly the best song for my little Ginger, but maybe he will need to hear it as an adult when he fails to "put a ring on it".  And his "conception" song is Low by Flo Rida: http://youtu.be/ZLwvc5Qywzk.  What can I say? We like to get low. Suga' got low low low low low!

I hope y'all have as much fun with this as I did!


Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Snow Days Part II

The boys are back at school and it has made all the difference!  Of course, my sick little Evie is still here.  She's coughing some and that really makes her throat hurt, but otherwise, she's as spunky as ever.  Excited to get her back to school tomorrow!  She's such a trooper.  Here she is right after receiving the doctor's diagnosis of strep throat and commentary of "Wow! That must really, really hurt!"  When the doctor says it must hurt, then it must hurt!



So glad she is on the mend!  I love this picture of her with her cat.  It's how we usually see her in the evening.  Love this girl!



In the mean time, I discovered that George took over 100 pictures of himself, his hands, the dogs, the floor, and whatever else on my phone.  Here is a small sample.




And then he insisted on posing for a few more.





And check this out, he's just about ready to lose his first tooth!  I felt it last night and it is super wiggly!  He's so excited to be grown up!

This morning it snowed, and it's all almost melted already, but with a 10:00 delayed start to school, the kids got to leisurely watch the snow come down and then have waffles and bacon for breakfast.  (No idea why I didn't cook anything yesterday, but this morning I was feeling very domestic!)



You might be wondering where Luke is.  Well, he's in bed or in front of the computer most of the time.  I'm so glad he's back at school.  He's super sweet, but has no motivation to do anything at all!  Even the novelty of snow wasn't worth getting out of bed for him.

As for me, I mentioned how thrilled I am that the kids are back in school.  Chuck has been out of town for 48 hours, so I was in need of adult conversation even though my sweet niece Amber is here to break up the monotony of the kids' bickering.  As for work, it's been rather slow this month.  I need to start back with my advertising so that I can find more people to help!  

And sadly, these are the only snow pictures I took.  Luckily I'll have another chance since there is snow in the forecast for the next two days!




Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Snow Days 2015

Let me go ahead and explain to you that after four days of no school (2 from the weekend and 2 during the week), I am ready to lock my children out of the house.  I mean it.  Unfortunately, Luke has a sinus infection (likely from allergies), Evie has strep throat, and George is just too annoying and will start crying immediately if I even mention the prospect.

To top it off, the house is a wreck, and I've watched more kids movies than I can possibly list off for you.  Currently I'm watching a Disney original movie called "Bad Hair Day."  yes, that's the title, and yes, that is a movie and not a TV show.  It is really not good.  Not good.

Help me!!!

I'm trapped and looking at another day of snow!!!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Lenten Choices

So it is Ash Wednesday, and being a Catholic (not particularly devout), I plan to do something extra or give something up.  I've done several things over the years, and have gotten more serious about my commitments over the years.  Sometimes I fail, sometimes I do great.

Last year I gave up meat.  It was HARD!  Like, really, really haaaarrrrdddd!  But, I did it with only two or three flubs.  Up to that time, I had only ever given up meat on Fridays (and Ash Wednesday) during Lent, and that was hard enough to remember.  Oddly, I think giving up meat completely during Lent was much easier to remember because it was a daily commitment, but it made me think about what I was doing and why I was making the sacrifice much more during that time.  Three times a day, to be exact.  The first time I flubbed last year was when we were out at an event and they were offering free pizza.  I gladly helped myself to a piece, ate it contentedly and didn't even realize I had messed up until later that evening when I was deciding on dinner.  Still, I would say that my sacrifice was much more impactful on my life and made a big difference.

A couple years before that, I decided to give up mainstream music a few years in a row and only listen to Christian music. This was also pretty darn difficult because (1) I don't particularly care for most Christian music; and (2) I used to listen to music all day long when I worked at my desk at the old law firm.  Of course, I discovered a lot of new music and even decided that I liked some of it.  To this day, I keep one of my presets in my car on a Christian radio station and Luke even asks to listen to it sometimes.  I consider that a pretty good thing. (And I should give credit to my sister Cathy, because she did this when I was a teenager and I remember scoffing in disgust).

When I was in high school one year, my mom and I (we lived alone at this point) said the rosary every night together.  It was memorable because, well, I remember it.  But I didn't do it by choice so it wasn't as impactful as the two choices I mentioned above.

So, this year I've been trying to decide what to do again.  I really, really enjoyed the meaningfulness of giving up meat last year.  And I've been toying with the idea of doing it again this year, but I have soooooo many darn events that I'm going to that it seams like I'd be a drag and maybe even insulting if I showed up and didn't eat what was served.  For example, we are having book club at my house this week and my friend is catering it - actually, now that I think about it, it will be Friday anyway so I can't eat the meat anyway.  Moving on, we are signed up for a wine dinner this weekend and two of the courses have meat.  I don't want to waste the food. (Lame excuse?)  But the most concerning one is actually during Spring Break.  We have been invited to spend Spring Break at a beach house with my brother and sister-in-law (yes, they are awesome!), and the menu consists of meat for every meal. Of course, this is exactly what I would have planned if I had made the menu during the year, so I'm not complaining at all.  But, if I give up meat, what do I say to them during that week when they are hosting me and my sweet family?  Chuck pointed out that the entire purpose is to make sacrifices like these even when it isn't easy to do so.

I've considered giving up wine, but ugh... I've done that three times in my life for my children, and I'm not particularly interested in subjecting anyone to the crankiness that would ensue from such a sacrifice.  Coffee?  Not a chance; let's get real.  Sweets?  I don't eat enough to make it a real sacrifice.  Carbs? Not if I want to continue exercising.  Restaurants?  Actually this would be good, but is it actually feasible with our lifestyle? Probably not. My mom suggested pizza, but I realized this is probably going to be a staple for my family on Fridays when we can't eat meat and my kids don't eat fish.  Of course, macaroni and cheese is always an option.  My sweet sister-in-law and her whole family gave up fried foods last year.  That would be a great idea, but it turns out I don't even realized when I'm eating fried foods.  Did you know that donuts are fried?  Am I an idiot?  A lot of people give up Facebook, but that's actually a very important part of my legal business, so that's a no-go.  What else?

So, after all that searching, I still think the "no meat" thing is an option, but I've been trying to come up with things that are more like taking on something new - like the Christian music thing.  So here are some of my ideas.

  1. 40 miles in 40 days.  This would be good because I really do hate running and I try to put it off all the time.  If I committed to this, it would mean that I would have to run even when it wasn't convenient.  And perhaps I could use that time (which is only 15 minutes max for a mile run) to pray instead of listening to blaring music. 
  2. 40 Bags in 40 Days.  This is actually a "thing".  One of my FB friends (shout out to Angela here!) posted this and it sounds awesome, but it also sounds way, way, way too time consuming.  It would be great to declutter like this - and I'm the first to admit that we need to declutter - but yikes.  That's a lot to add to an already crazy schedule.
  3. Pray the Rosary Every Day.  Harkening back to my teenage years, obviously.  But maybe it would mean more now that I'm an adult and making the choice on my own?  Time consuming? Not too bad.
  4. The Little Black Book.  I've been doing this for several years, ever since our church started providing it each Lent.  I LOVE it.  I highly encourage anyone interested to order one of these. It's a little book that guides you through 6 minutes of prayer a day.  That's it.  Only 6 minutes.  I can and will do that.  This is already on my list.  My black book is in hand. But it just isn't quite enough for me, so I need something more.
  5. The Reverse Lent Challenge. This one came across on FB this morning and I'm in love with it! Seriously, it's great.  You buy 40 notecards and 40 stamps and send 40 handwritten notes during the season to just about anyone with an encouraging message inside.  I think this would be a fabulous choice, and I'm almost fully committed except for one thing.  I'm terrible at getting things in the mail.  This is not a joke.  I have a pen pal (I've written about her before HERE), but she usually receives her Christmas present in July because I'm so bad about getting things in the mail.  Of course, maybe this would be a great time to remedy that ailment.
So, what do y'all think?  I have to start today.

And for a little happy viewing pleasure - Check out this story about a man who is 109 years old and makes sweaters for penguins. That stuff is seriously cute!








Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Tweening

Came across this article about Tween boys and thought I'd give it a read. It's pretty good, but I don't think it will solve all my issues with Luke. At least it's a start!

Five Things Tween Boys Want From Their Moms:

Monday, February 9, 2015

What a weekend!

Seriously, we are exhausted after a long weekend like this!

We started out with Thursday night hibachi in Dallas (we're talking an hour and 15 minute drive one way) to celebrate Evie's best friend's birthday.  We had soooo much fun!  But the kids were exhausted by the time we got home (even though Evie spent the night with her sweet friend)!



The next day, the kids didn't have school, so I dragged them around with me for various client matters.  They are still amazed that people pay me to talk on the phone.  Blown away.  Of course, if I showed them my student loans, maybe they'd be less impressed.

I actually had to go by a funeral home and cemetery to pick up a refund check for one of my elderly clients.  The boys were fascinated.  They even asked to drive around the cemetery to look at the graves.  Interesting kids I'm raising.

Then I grabbed Luke's best friend Gabe and we spent the rest of the day just hanging out.  I have to admit that I was thrilled when we scheduled a last minute dinner with George's Kindergarten teacher and her hubby.  We enjoyed wine, company, and dinner out, while my ridiculously generous niece (Amber) stayed home with FIVE kids.  Luckily they are all old enough to really take care of themselves these days.  I love it!

The next morning we started bright and early at the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate breakfast and stock sale.  This is where they sell all the livestock that competed at the show.  The Grand Champion steer went for $240K.  Yes, that's amazing!  And it all goes to scholarships.  Craziness!  We met up with our friends Donna and Mike and spent the morning drinking Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and beer.



It's always fun, but I was glad we kept it under control because I had to run in a hundred different directions when we left at 11:15.  I grabbed Gabe and took him home.  Then I took Evie to Lira's actual birthday party at a skating rink and took the boys with me to run errands.

That afternoon, Luke started to feel bad - sore throat and fever, but you know I didn't let that get in the way of our plans!  We had to go to a masquerade party that night and one of George's friends was coming over for a playdate (while his parents had an actual date).  Chuck and I had a great time at this JWC event.  We both had to have masks, but we couldn't find anything at Party City that looked right on Chuck until I suggested a Batman mask.  I freaking love it, but of course, I can't find a picture.  Instead, here's a picture of me with most of the ladies on my Executive Committee.  I love these girls and was sad that two of them weren't able to be there!



I'm sure I lost the picture of me and Chuck because we got a call from Amber that night that Luke was throwing up.  High fever.  We rushed home, but he was already asleep by the time we got there.  Poor Amber had a shitty night.  I owe her big!  The next day, we skipped church and I took Luke to the doctor where he confirmed that the poor guy has strep throat.  Look how sad he was.  He napped all day and fell asleep with the light on while the other kids were taking baths last night.  I've never seen him sleep like this.  It really hit him hard!



I went to the store to get his prescriptions and do the grocery shopping, but after I loaded all the groceries (including popsicles for the sickie) in the back of my car, I closed the door and belatedly realized that I had left my keys in the trunk.  Let me tell you that I was having a shitty day myself.  Thank goodness AAA came to the rescue about 30 minutes later, and the popsicles were salvageable when I got home.  Still, the rest of the day, I spent on the couch doing laundry and nursing my poor little guy.  I was done going out.


Today I'm home with my kid except when I have to go up to the school to deliver cookies for the Kindergarten 100th Day of School celebration.  Here's George in his shirt - it has 100 Legos.  (Oh yeah, I did that yesterday too).



So really, it was quite a weekend!






Friday, February 6, 2015

Tween Hormone Attack

The tween hormones at my house are annoying and sometimes infuriating.  I don't understand this very strange phenomenon, but for about a year, the signs of angsty frustration have been slowly emerging through sighs and rolled eyes.  I can't stand it.  And the worst part is that I can't get him to stop being so full of it.  I've tried yelling, guilting, ignoring, punishing, etc.  Nothing works.  He just sighs louder, shrugs his shoulders deeper, mopes longer, and hangs his head lower with an irritated frown on his face.  You might ask, what I am doing that causes such a pronounced reaction? Well, just about anything that isn't related to Mine Craft or getting his way.  In fact, here are a list of things that have led to a foot-stomping episode of angst:

  • Asking him to brush his teeth
  • Asking him to fill my wine glass (okay, sure, I can see how this might be annoying, but I make him dinner and breakfast every darn day!)
  • Telling him to practice piano
  • Asking him if he has homework
  • Asking him to do his homework
  • Telling him to bathe (especially if he has bathed earlier in the week - God forbid!)
  • Telling him to change his clothes
This is just to name a few, and even after I tell him to do something, it doesn't mean he actually does it.  For example, I found this on the bathroom floor after I forced him to shower.  

Red plaid, blue plaid, gray Hanes.

Look closely.  You should be able to clearly see three pairs of underwear layered neatly over probably a three-day period, thus proving that he didn't shower for at least three days and he failed to change his underwear each morning for at least three days.  WTF?  

So, yesterday, he was pouting after I told him he had to practice piano this week.  He's been slacking for a while and actually announced he is ready to quit.  Chuck won't allow it.  I'm sick of dealing with it and sweet-talking, coercing, and bribing him to practice.  So, instead of arguing, I ignored him and forced him to go to Charming Charlie's with me and then to a little boutique store close by.  The misery on his face actually made me giddy.  I'm pretty sure this is wrong somehow, but I can't seem to muster any remorse.  Instead, I'm still chuckling over his pain.  If you think I'm a bad person, go ahead and keep those thoughts to yourself.  I'm going to relish this for a while - and especially every time he starts in with his hormonal attitudes.


So, today, I'm feeling lucky and blessed to have one little person in my life who still likes to snuggle and who has not been taken captive by raging hormones.  I'm soaking up every minute!



Thursday, February 5, 2015

The Heartache of Parenting

Oh, be still my aching heart.  I was browsing through my blog today to find some old Valentine's pictures of the kids when I came across this post: http://www.professionalmother.blogspot.com/2010/02/heavy-heart.html.  It's about my kids not being perfect.  And oh, honey, can I tell you that what they were five years ago is what they are still today.  Luke still doesn't finish his homework and Evie is super smart but can't remember her phone number or address.  But, they are precious and wonderful and all mine.  And they will grow up and they will be good people.



And for all those other mamas out there who question whether staying home will help, I can definitively answer: NO.  Doing your best by your child is all you can do.  This post makes my heart ache even more because I was/am that woman who struggled so much and wrestled with the idea that her kids could be better, smarter, happier, if only she had stayed home to spend more time with them. No.  Just no.  Please, please, please don't torture yourselves the way I did.  Of course, I know that my little bits of advice will be ignored by anyone who comes after me. Every child is special. Every parenting experience is unique.  And so, we, as parents, will torture ourselves with worry and doubt as we turn each corner of this journey.  Nonetheless, this is a healthy reminder of what my law partner said to me yesterday, "Kids grow up in spite of their parents."  Yes, yes they do.

It's Rodeo Time!

So, things haven't slowed down.  They may have actually gotten more crazy.  My new year's resolution to obtain 5 running medals by the end of the year has been put on the back burner.  I was supposed to run 9 miles this weekend (as in 2 days away), but I don't think I've run a total of 9 miles in the last month, so that's not happening.  To top that off, it's less than a month from the half marathon I'm supposed to run on March 1.  I'd say my resolutions are really getting the shaft so far.

Nonetheless, I've taken some time to spend with the kids.  I let them get an early dismissal on Tuesday, and I took them to the rodeo.  Chuck was supposed to go with us, but he had to work, as usual.  The kids are used to it, so we are not really surprised when he has to skip family events anymore, even though it still makes me a little sad.

We had fun anyway, so that's what matters!  They loved getting dressed up and I got hats (cheap ones) for all of them.  Today is western day at school too.  I should have taken a picture.  Instead you'll have to just be happy with these two from Tuesday's rodeo trip.


We had great seats - just three rows behind the VIP box and the rodeo announcer and judges!  We were up on the second level, but one bucking bronco was able to kick dirt all the way up onto us!  It hit Luke and Evie both in the face and me on the arm.  I couldn't help cracking up!  Then the people in front of us were on the Kiss Cam.  And even though the place was pretty much empty, I still saw 4 people we know - one of whom is an occasional reader of this blog!  What a fun day!