Stinking of FUNK

I don't know if it's the cruel deprivation of serotonin that living in Ohio inflicts upon us or my ever growing to-do list, but I've definitely fallen into a funk!

You tell me what is worse...

Going from this



To this

------OR------

February To-Do List
Plan Kami's birthday party
Have Kami's birthday party
Unload overflowing storage unit back into our overflowing house
Take house off market
Register boys for Kindergarten...sniff, sniff...are you serious?!!!
Register boys for soccer
Register boys for spring hockey
Register Kami for some 1 on 1 mommy and/or daddy time
Figure in the above 3 into our calendar
Recover documents from crashed computer
Buy new computer
Plan winter and spring remodeling projects
Get taxes done
Create a plan of attack to get rid of the baby weight I can no longer say is baby weight when she's almost 2 and they're 5!

It was somewhere between unpacking from vacation paradise and realizing I won't see those clothes again until after 2 more months of winter and sitting through kindergarten information night while trying not to sob in my latte, that I realized I was seriously missing a motivational gene and needing a happy pill of some sort!  I would imagine if they packaged a happy pill for mommy it would have to include a serious dose of caffeine, a heaping serving of pinot, a dash of patience, a pinch of "me time", and a twist of chocolate.  If Pfizer would only return my messages we could really get this thing on the market!

In all honestly, there are just those days when you look around and wonder "what did I accomplish today?"  I know I'm exhausted, so I know I did SOMETHING, but I can't physically see what I did.  And only we can say that to ourselves, because when the hubs walks in and looks around and dares to ask, "Sooo...what did you do all day?" I will seriously rip his face off!!!!  But, the worst days are when you put the littles to bed and you feel like all you did was yell...those are the worst!  Lately it feels that those days are a little more frequent than few and far between, which has probably helped push shove me off the ledge and into funk.  So before drowning myself in white wine I'm trying to find a way to climb my way out.

I don't think I would ever deny I am somewhat of a control freak, so when I feel like the control is slipping away I do 2 things...1.) Overhaul the house in an organizing frenzy and 2.) Retail therapy.  Obviously the organizing is an outwardly way to obtain control in midst of chaos (no need for a Freudian correlation there), but it does do double duty to get things organized, cleaned out, and help run a little bit smoother.  This is also helping us prepare for the storage unit we'll be moving back in after we take our house off the market.  (Check back for my organization projects I completed.)  The retail part of the therapy is not necessarily about the buying, although very therapeutic, but it's the odd serenity that comes with walking through Target, ALONE, without a real NEED for anything, but just taking the TIME to LOOK at everything without 6 hands flying out the cart grabbing at anything that has sugar, shoots darts, or needs glue.  Ahhh...it's the simple things sometimes.

So instead of ripping my hair out or buying stock in a grape vineyard, don't judge me, I just have to tell myself that yes, I am mom, yes, I am chef, yes, I am taxi driver, yes, I am accountant, yes, I am wife, daughter, sister, aunt, granddaughter, friend,  BUT...I AM HUMAN!  I can have my moment and lock myself in the bathroom for a few minutes and eat chocolate (shhh...don't tell, they don't know that's what I'm doing in there), I will not go to mommy jail if the laundry gets piled up, and tomorrow will bring a whole new day of reasons I will yell at my children so they'll forget what I yelled about the day before! 

I will never pretend I have it all figured out, but I will always share the good, the bad, and the sour.  The greatest therapy of all and what makes it all worth it is watching these 3 knuckleheads having a round at Just Dance 2....because sometimes you just have to let it all go! 

(Yes, that is my Christmas card holder still up...again, don't judge!)

Cheers,

Gone Fishing...

Well I haven't actually gone fishing, however I am away relaxing!  I don't think you can really know just how much you need to relax until you're actually able to do it.  As hard as it is for me to disconnect from the world I am going to do my darnedest by threat of divorce if I don't shut off all things electronics (the hubs can disconnect a lot easier than I can).

Don't worry, I will have lots to report on from the hubs getting pulled over on the way to the airport to experiencing first class to all the other amazing things we're experiencing in Jamaica. 

Until then...

Cheers,

Time For A Big Kid's Trip

As a much needed grown up vacation quickly approaches, my anxiety level is also quickly approaching!  Since its been 5 years since the hubs and I have spent more than an evening free from soccer practice, laundry, and kiddo conversation we are heading off to paradise in t-minus 3 days! To satisfy my OCD and help me feel sane before leaving the littles for 9 days (here is where I need to breathe), I make very detailed, indepth lists....lots and lots of lists!  Aside from large amounts of Pinot, lists help me gain control even from 1,600 miles away.

We are very lucky to have all of our family within a 10 mile radius of us so when mommy and daddy are away, all of the grandmas and grandpas are able to step in.  To help make it easier on the grandparents, aka Saints, my lists consist of who will have kids when, notes about school, notes about bedtime, emergency authorization forms, and clothes individually packed and labeled for each day of the week.  The hubs calls it neurotic, but it helps maintain some normalcy for the littles while we're away.

To help the littles feel that we're not that far away I setup Skype on everyone's computer so they'll be able to hear and see us.  I wrote little cards to each of the littles that I'll mail the day we leave and snuck little gifts I picked up at Target's fabulous $1 bin into their suitcases.  Hopefully between the novelty of seeing mommy and daddy "in the computer" and finding little gifts, which I'll probably wind up sweeping up or stepping on when we get home, the littles won't miss us nearly as much as I know I'll miss them. 

The hubs and I have mutually agreed that it is very important to take time out for our marriage so we return as better parents, a better couple, and better people.  So as my anxiety gets higher the closer departure becomes, I turn to my inspiration....

Picture courtesy of Sandals Royal Plantation

Cheers,

When Mommy is away...

When Mommy is sick with the flu and quarantined to her bedroom the past 2 days the following things may occur:

1. Daddy gives a try at doing hair and this is the results:

2. Corndogs, chicken nuggets, french fries, and applesauce because the new "balanced" dinner.

3. The littles begin sending you messages and handmade cards underneath your door and asking each other, "is she ever going to come out of there?"

4. Some much needed daddy/littles quality time occurs.

5. You will seriously consider a flu shot this fall!

As moms we are always so on top of making sure the littles wash hands, cover their sneezes, get their flu shots, but we most often forget about our own health.  I must have thought I was invincible since its been quite a long time since I've been sick, but boy did this one knock me out...HARD!

Getting sick is never expected and definitely never appreciated.  However, I do appreciate all the help and pitching in when mom is out of commission.  The hubs definitely has his own way of doing things, but at least the littles were fed, bathed, and breathing by the end of the day! 

Today I will add a little bit of oranges in with my lemonade!

Cheers,

Wordless Wednesday

When people couldn't understand why we wanted to get the kids a dog....well, this is why!  

Just Picked: Bathing Suits & Boogies {Giveaway}

I knew when I started this blog I not only was going to share the good, the bad, and the sour, but I also wanted to share some of my favorites!  I have been known to be quite the "Googler" and I love, love, love the unique, the handmade, and the anything that makes my hectic life downright easier!  So I will be sharing some of my "Just Picked" favs along the way. 

So first off I must ask...who created the equation that the first day back to school after break minuses out all of the clam, sweet Christmas spirit and equals crazy chaos and cranky kids?!  I mean honestly!  Today was just one of those days that I hate because I feel like I spend it yelling and barking orders.  It came to the point on the drive to school where we were having one of those stern conversations with your eyes through your rear view mirror...you know what I'm talking about!  Once it was all said and yelled I took a breath, took a sip of my "not a latte, but it'll have to do" coffee, explained why I needed him to behave, and then we hugged it out before heading into school.  Thus began the first day back to school and the clock on my 2.5 hour, seems like 20 minute dash before pick-up. 

My mission began to get some much needed essentials as well as start looking for birthday party supplies for little Miss Princess's 2nd birthday.  To my shock and horror, alongside the heavily discounted Christmas leftovers was none other than the dreaded bathing suits!  I mean honestly, bathing suits in January, in OHIO!?!  It was just another reminder that maybe that extra plate of Christmas goodness was still lingering well past Santa's visit, and living in Ohio means pale skin for 7-8 months out of the year, and holy cow I was leaving for vacation in 11 days!!!  Now trust me, if I wasn't leaving for vacation where a bathing suit was a necessity, I would have fallen over in horror that "someone" thinks NOW is the time to start thinking about getting into a bathing suit.  So instead of hitting crisis mode at full speed I decided I was going to find a way to escape the awful lighting of a retail dressing room and lose 10 pounds!

Here enters....PURE GENIUS!

 

As adorable as all those little bikinis are, after 3 kids that's just what they are...little!  Victoria's Secret has this great convertible, firm control one piece that is named perfectly, The Magicsuit!  So whether at the pool with the littles or on vacation with the hubs I can be comfortable, confidant, and feel like I have a different suit for each day of the week!  Bring on the magic!  Crisis averted, bathing suit ordered, sinful retail dressing room lights averted!  Vaca here I come!

With one item crossed off my list I was now able to focus on a much more important, more persistent, and more gross problem...boogies!  Again, living in Ohio not only boasts pale skin 7-8 months out of the year, but also sniffles and boogies for just about as long.  I am not quite sure the attraction, but for some reason it seems littles love to suck on baby wipes so therefore baby wipes will only be used for their intended purpose.  I have since fallen in love with Boogie Wipes.  These things are wonderful!  They were created by a mom, used by moms, and get the job done!  They come in a variety of different sizes, but I'm in love with the travel style that I can keep in my purse and on the go.  Click here to get a .50 off coupon or enter to win your own pack of Boogie Wipes. 

Entering Is Easy!

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GOOD LUCK!

Cheers,

Easy Like Sunday Morning

I think I've found some of the best and most memorable events come out of having no plan at all.  That was the theme of today...no plans!  I honestly couldn't remember the last time we've had an entire day to just spend together, so by all means I jumped on it!  Making the everyday special doesn't need to be difficult, expensive, or planned...all it takes is bacon!  Ok, let me explain! 

I love eating together as a family and we try to do it as often as possible.  Even more than that I think I love making a meal for the entire family when we're not rushing in from a long day, rushing out the door for practice, or we have 3 littles running on no nap and empty bellies...trust me, I don't recommend that one!  So Sunday morning breakfast is probably my favorite time to cook when everyone is just getting going with the day.  Ok, so here comes in the bacon.  As we sit down to eat my oldest (by 10 minutes) loudly explains, "YAY BACON!"  When I asked him why he loved bacon so much he happily responded, "because you made it for me!"  I could have made that kid a whole pound of bacon dipped in chocolate sauce if he wanted after that heart melting remark. 

So there you have it...it doesn't have to be planned, it doesn't have to be anything out of the ordinary for an amazingly sweet memory to be created.  We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our lazy day with Legos, a little Just Dance, only a few minor meltdowns, and lots of laughs!

Cheers,

My First Pitcher of Lemonade

So as the first day of 2011 comes to a close I sit back and wonder what am I going to do better, wiser, faster, healthier, more/less, etc.? What projects have I started and not completed, what accomplishments am I proud of, how fast has the last year gone by? Another year gone, another year older, and another year of many experiences. And then it just kind of hits me...lemonade! Hang with me, trust me it'll make sense once I explain.

As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, co-worker I wear many hats all throughout the day and yes it is a very difficult balance to maintain and I don't always do the best at all of them at once, but I do try very hard to keep them all going. I kind of feel like one of those circus performers that is trying to keep all the plates spinning at once...lets be honest, sometimes you'll break a dish or two and what I've learned is IT'S OK! Things can break, things don't need to be perfect, sometimes my 100% falls short, and most of the time life does hand you lemons. Ok, so here comes the lemonade...instead of just waiting (or usually holding my breath) until life decides to hand me lemons so I can make lemonade (as if we didn't have anything else to do, right?!) I am going to pick the lemons myself! If I am able to pick and choose what events, details, and memories are most important to create then I am able to pick those lemons before I have to make lemonade. I'm totally going against the system!

No one has to know what something was "supposed" to be, look like, feel, etc...it is what you make of it right?! When you look back on the memories and people that mattered the most no one is going to remember how clean the bathroom was, whether or not the casserole was burnt, if you were 15 minutes late to the birthday party...it's the little things, the little details, and the lemons you created. So there it is...my new motto, my new direction, and my new passion.

I figure that I cannot be the only person who has ever thought or felt some of these struggles at some point in life, so I welcome you to take this journey with me and share some lemonade!

Cheers!