Lists

Things I brought on vacation that we didn't actually need:

• Shorts
• T-shirts
• lots of light weight pajamas

Things I left at home but ended up needing hence many trips to Target:

• Light weight coats
• sweatshirts
• hats/mittens
• fleece sleepers for the baby

Fun things we did in Florida:

• Hang out with the family
• Drink
• Japanese Steak House
• Date Night at Universal Studios
• Pedicures
• Go-Kart Racing (who knew!)

Things that should have been fun, or were sort of fun, but were dampened by the dang crowds:

• Universal Studios- Islands of Adventure
• Disney World- Animal Kingdom
• Disney World- Magic Kingdom (Which they actually CLOSED because it was FULL!)

Lessons learned:

• Target is everywhere and it's more fun to buy new stuff anyway.
• The cheaper entertainment that is less well known will be more fun than the big guys.
• Alone time and couple time is priceless... Thanks Grandparents!
• Family time is what really makes any vacation.

Va-Cay... here we come!

The whole fam-damily is celebrating Christmas in Florida this year! We head out tomorrow, on my BIRTHDAY! And come back New Years Day...

SOOO many things still to do before we leave the house tomorrow afternoon...

One thing NOT left to do... Santa! Santa made a special stop at our house last night so we wouldn't have to ship much back and forth. The kids were adorable this morning taking turns opening presents and ooohing and ahhing over most stuff. The clothes were barely looked at while the big hits seemed to be the "Touch-n-brush" and the Snuggies. Who knew!

Now- on to marathon cleaning and laundry and packing...
We are on the plane in 23 hrs....

Me Time!

There used to be a time when if you were a mom, that is all you were. Now we are so many other things that our lives can become endlessly confused and hectic. The current solution for that, which I heartily agree with, is Me Time.

We are even teaching our kids about Me Time. When they've played together too much and the last nerve is frayed, the whole family will take Me Time. Brianna often plays babies, or now her DS, in her room. Grant takes his cars and picture books to his room. Adam usually watches TV. Me, I facebook.

I believe I may have an addiction forming to facebook. I could be on there for hours everyday if time permitted. It started during my maternity leave and I actually did have hours to spend. First I love reading the live feed and looking at all my friends posts and pictures. Then, I MUST care for my Farmville farm. I make a point to help all my other friends farms too so I can get more coins and points to move ahead and get better stuff. Usually, my next act is to care for my fish tank in Happy Aquarium. I can't leave them alone too long, they get sick! If I still have time before the family melds together again, I play the free games like Bejeweled and others. I admit, sometimes I facebook multiple times in one evening.

I'm working hard at stepping away from the computer! I have a book I'm reading... this used to be my Me Time... before "The Book". I don't want to spend money for Me Time... manicures and pedicures are just not in the budget right now. I would love to bake more but I might as well just apply the dough to my hips and butt at this point.

What do you do for Me Time?

Today I loathe my job!

Yesterday, my administration, took a project I had worked hard at, a project where I'd worked out all the foreseeable details, a project in which I had great pride and sense that I had done something good for the students of this school, and they changed it.

I suppose that is their right. I am, as my husband informed me, "only a teacher". But! I go above and beyond for this school. I work my butt off trying to help this school. And they didn't even tell me. I found out when an uninvolved person told me about the project. (They didn't know it was MY project.) And the details were all wrong. I can appreciate that they are the bosses and might see things I don't see. I can appreciate that they are at least following through on the ideas even if they've changed portions of it.

I do NOT appreciate that I didn't even get the courtesy of a phone call or email explaining to me that they'd made changes and why. I can not, will not, understand the lack of return communication. Don't give me the freedom to create a project, and then take it apart with out at least telling me why! Today, I will be spending a portion of my day looking for new jobs. It will be pointless this time of year but it feels like an action I can control.

I'm officially old

I had the B.E.S.T time Saturday night!

My parents took the big kids for a sleepover, we got an over-qualified babysitter for Chase, and we went out! to a Bar! with Friends!!!!!!!! I don't remember the last time I did that. But I digress...

During our evening out, here are the reasons I decided that I am officially old now.

1. Everyone was texting during dinner. Although I have full texting and Internet abilities on my phone, there was no one left to text and no reason to be texting. All my friends were either there, or busy doing other things.
2. I lost count of my drinks after 4... I can't really recall if I had 4 or 5 drinks.
   
3. I had to go home when I spilled my last drink. I didn't just spill it... I spilled it without even realizing I'd touched it. Then I sat there staring at the mess too devastated about losing my yummy drink to even realize that it was creeping across the table towards my purse and my lap!
4. I was in bed by midnight!
   

Hi, How are you?

I believe I've mentioned a few dozen times that I am a teacher. This means that for a small but significant part of my day, I "wander" around the halls... to the copier, to the lounge, to the office, etc. In a school- there are ALWAYS people in the halls. Common courtesy dictates that you acknowledge them.

If you don't know them well, a nod of the head or a simple "Hi" will do. If you know them by name, most people politely ask... "How are you?". I don't ask this and I'll tell you why...

If I really wanted to know how you were, I would have called, emailed, or actually sought you out for this purpose. In the 15 seconds I see you in the hallway, you can not actually tell me how you are.

When people ask me, I usually say "fine". (Don't we all just say "fine"?) What would that other person do if I told them how I really was... "Well, I stayed up too late last night and I think a cold is coming on because my throat feels like I've swallowed nails but we've got a babysitter for this weekend so unless I'm hospitalized I'm thrilled that we're going out drinking on Saturday." What would my mere acquaintance think of that!?!

Min has another interesting answer... "It's Friday". I may borrow that...

So disappointing

We went to our favorite photo studio on Monday. It was past time to get Chase's 3 month shots, and Grant and Brianna haven't had a professional picture since this time last year.

It was N.O.T. good. If Chase was happy, Grant was making funny faces. When we tried to get Grant to stop, he started crying. Several of Brianna's shots look like she's grimacing in pain! The family shots- oh geez! Not one decent one of all of us.

AND THEN- the prices! We were just there 3 months ago for some newborn pics and the prices were somewhat reasonable... now- Through the ROOF! Adam wanted to walk away, not purchase anything. However, I'd already paid $30 to get my hair done and I'd gotten the whole fam-damily in coordinating dress-up outfits. There was no way in frozen hell that I was walking out with out something for my efforts.

So we got our holiday cards, and decent pictures of each child individually. We ordered NO family shots, save the one on the card, and NO shots of the kids together. And I am never going back to that place again... or not without one doozie of a coupon. And maybe with one kid at a time!

I'm not sure what to say

On a daily basis, someone asks me what it's like to have 3 kids. I don't want to complain, I fought hard to have 3 children and I love each one of them more than I could ever describe. I also don't want to give a false impression to my well-meaning inquirer. It's HARD to have 3 kids. Just mornings alone would probably kill me if not for my incredible husband and very understanding day-care.

Just yesterday... I was running late getting out of the house. I had to take the 2 boys to daycare, Adam had Brianna. Grant had decided to pretend that his car seat was playing music... He instructed me not to turn on the car until he started his music first. I must have responded with an "OK" or something, then I promptly forgot. I started the car and he started crying and yelling at me because I didn't wait for him to tell me to start the car. I (unfortunately) yelled back about being late and frustrated. A moment or two later, we both calmed down. I apologized for yelling at him. I explained that even when I was angry or frustrated I still loved him and I would try to listen better the next time. He was quiet for a few seconds before he sternly responded, "Mommy, saying sorry doesn't always get you what you want. But thank you for using your words".

That moment actually made my whole day better and I smiled all morning.
Just when things are looking the worst, one of my kids will do something funny (usually unintentionally) and turn my whole day around.

That's what it's like with 3 kids.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

I had been saving this outfit for after a Bears win... but since that will NEVER happen...

From the mouths of babes!

This morning, I was distracted trying to get everything ready...
So I wasn't fully listening until I heard Grant say, "Mommy, I don't know that type of candy, can I have one?" My brain still didn't register anything other than the fact that it was 6:30am and my son was asking for candy. I somewhat disgustedly replied that No, he could not have candy at breakfast. He again harped on it... "Mommy, can I just see that new candy, I've never seen it before."

There was no candy in sight...
I couldn't figure out what he was talking about...
Until I really paid attention and saw that he was focused on...
The tampons I had just dropped next to my purse!

Candy! HA! I've been laughing to myself for hours!