2009... See Ya!!!

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? went on a family vacation, just the 5 of us (Tom's there, really, he's just behind the camera=)

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? well, last year I said there are lots of things I would like to accomplish in my life but no "resolutions", no time frame, just a determination to keep working on "things". I'm still working on "things", but I have had some successes;) And I even managed to set a running routine on the treadmill; now I just have to get back into it=)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Leslie had li'l miss Ruby.

4. Did anyone close to you die? nope.

5. What states/countries did you visit? Ohio, woo hoo! I went to Cedar Point with my sisters. Other than that, I think I couldn't escape stayed in Michigan this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? less stress and worry over financial matters. I've said it before but this time I think it's really true... Lord willing, the credit card and one (of the many) school loans will be paid off this year!

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Tom getting the keys to his "new" business. We checked out the facilities one Friday nite, made "decorating" plans and then went to celebrate this big new step with dinner at the Beach Bar. The kids' first day of school. A significant conversation with my dad.

8. What was your biggest achievement? Making it thru 2009. (And actually enjoying most of it.)

9. What was your biggest failure? My relationship with Tom. But sometimes you need to fail to realize that you really do want to succeed. And admitting the fact that I failed could actually be my biggest success, right?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Austin's asthma was almost totally under control, just a few minor flare~ups. I'm still waiting for results from a cervical biopsy.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My children's education. Every time I walk into their school I am so reaffirmed in our choice to send them there. I love everything about it and it's totally worth the financial sacrifices, crazy work hours, and hectic coaching schedules to make it work.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Tom's for stepping up and accepting a wonderful business opportunity. Austin's for learning to ride his bike without training wheels (even after a mailbox jumped out and tackled him to the ground, he got back up to ride again). Audrey's for being independent and walking into preschool like she owned the place; and Lexi's for mastering writing the letters "H" and "A"! And let's not forget Bubba and Lindsey for gradgitating and landing "grown~up" jobs=)

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Everyone makes mistakes, right?

14. Where did most of your money go? (This probably won't change for a long time) the house and the kids .

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? my kids' accomplishments, Tom's successes, my days off from work, the times Tom would take the kids out of town and give me "mommy~free" weekends. (even when the kids look completely "motherless" in the vacation pictures;) Don't look too close, but when Lexi dressed herself, she got her legs mixed up in her panties and wore her leg thru the waistband, Tom knew and didn't change it for her. C'mon, Daddy, help a girl out!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? Darius Rucker "It Won't Be Like This For Long" reminds me to enjoy every bit of my time with the kids.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
 a) happier or sadder? I'm pretty happy and content b) thinner or fatter? Let's not ask that question right after Christmas... let's say the same, give or take a few pounds=) c) richer or poorer? richer in the long run but only because we've paid off some debt. But financially, things are pretty tight right now. I don't know how many times God will have to teach me to completely trust in Him for our provisions, but He has never failed us once; He is always faithful!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Getting up early to enjoy the quiet of the morning and being ready to start my day before the kids are up.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Worrying. Obsessing about all of the "what~ifs" in life.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With our families. Hosmer family Christmas Eve morning. Hrebec family Christmas Eve. Just our family Christmas morning. With my mom later in the afternoon and with my Grandma Collins in the hospital that evening. Then Christmas nite with Tom's family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Every day more deeply with my kids.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Little People, Big World: John and Kate plus 8 (before John went psycho); Bill and Gulianna; Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? nope, hate makes your heart heavy and your life miserable.

24. What was the best book you read? Twilight saga. (I normally don't get into this "type" of book, but I *loved* these.) Thanks to my track girls for getting my hooked with the movie and my SIL Rona for lending me all the books.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Lexi singing. She will often just bust out in song and I love to hear her sing "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me.

26. What did you want and get? my new tattoo... finally! And Tom got his, too, so it turned into a "date nite" ;) Reconciliation, it's a wonderful, peaceful thing to experience. Oh, and a new Canon=)

for my kids: Austin: blue, Audrey: pink, and Lexi: purple (biggest to littlest)

the kids' birthdays

27. What did you want and not get? The opportunity to stay at home FULL time with my kids.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? New Moon. I can't wait to buy it on DVD! I also really liked The Proposal and Marley & Me.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 29. I had a track meet in Colon. It was freezing cold and I was absolutely miserable. It was a very generic day. Not a whole lotta special, but I guess that's what happens when you become "grown~up".

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? a less chaotic lifestyle. Is there really such a thing as a "typical/normal" life?

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Clearance racks at Kohls and Target and one rockin' pair of semi~stilettos=)

32. What kept you sane? Blogging~ it can be so therapeutic. Play dates, and girls' nites out.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? eh, no one really.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? I don't "do" politics.

35. Who did you miss? No one- everyone is close by

36. Who was the best new person you met? I don't think I met anyone new.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. God is always in control, even if His plans don't match up to my type A/ control freak plans.=)

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "My best friend gave me the best advice, he said each day's a gift and not a given right... that first step you take is the longest stride... if today was your last day, tomorrow was too late... would you live each moment like your last... if today was your last day..." Nickleback

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Well, better late than never, right? And considering that the kids have been gone all weekend, if I don't blog now in all of my free time, then there's really no excuse. (And for the record, it was Audrey that put the star up this year, so it will be Lexi's turn next year {because there's always a debate;})

Christmas Morning

"I saw presents with my name on them! (big sigh of relief) I was on the nice list!" ~ Audrey

The 12 Days of Christmas... Austin's Version

I was going thru Austin's reading journal for the month of December and came across this. He has learned how to read and write phonetically and now that he's learning words that don't spell like they sound he has been struggling. It's been a work in progress so when I found this I was so proud of how far he's progressed. It seems as if he has some pretty big expectations and now Santa is frantically scrambling to fill some of the order. (I'll tell you RIGHT now there is no way, Never EVER he's gonna get #1;) Unless, of course, baby Jesus wasn't the only Christmas miracle.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve vikings Jrseys

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven Ds i

... 10 gluv's (gloves... smart kid~ he'd have 5 sets;)

9 Christmas presint's

8 hot weels

7 gold medl (gold medals)

6 feet of snowe

5 buy cusin's (boy cousins... on the Collins side of the family it's girls, girls, girls!)

4 ice creem cons

3 cor's (cars)

2 mor webciz (2 more webkinz)

and babee brother!

My spell check is going nuts! Love this kid!=)

'Tis The Season...

... to be stressed! I love, love, LOVE the Christmas season, so despite the busyness, I really still try to enjoy constant, never ending list of things to do. But this week I think I've taken on a little more than what's humanly possible:

• Christmas cards in the mail
• phone calls to Snapfish and Current to check on order statuses... because they're just not coming!
• coffee dates with Rona and Cheri (mmm, love me some coffee and girl time!=)
• a Christmas cookie exchange for the elementary teachers. As room mom, it was my job to recruit 9 or 10 moms to each bake a dozen cookies on behalf of the preschool class. I sent out a note last week and got 1 response. Somehow it is easier for me to bake to rest of the cookies myself than to take the time to call 16 moms and beg/plead ask for cookies.
• not only baking, but packing said cookies with all of the other room moms Wednesday afternoon
• last 2 jr. high b~ball games of the season
• all of the end~of~season responsibilities: paperwork, collecting/returning uniforms, etc., etc.
• cheerleaders' pizza party/ gift exchange at my home Wednesday before the game
• Audrey's Christmas party Thursday am
• the kids' Christmas open house at the school Thursday pm
• Austin's Christmas party Friday am
• a playdate with Austin's bestest school friend all Friday afternoon
• Micah and Lindsey's graduations from WMU on Saturday morning
• I asked for Saturday am off to go to the graduation ceremonies and somehow ended up with the whole day off! So while the kids are with grandma H. Tom and I will hopefully get the chance to finish up our Christmas shopping.

10 days to go! Santa is smart... he has elves! (Where can I get me one of those?)

Today's Big Questions

I'm being inquisitive today. Lots of questions. Maybe not so many answers. Here's what's going thru my mind:

• why do I keep finding pieces of stale, crusty eggo waffles in Austin's room when we haven't had eggos in months?
• where are they coming from?
• can I really send my daughter to school in too~small/short snow pants and fashion boots when there's 2 inches of snow on the ground?
• does this warrant an explanatory note to the teacher?... Dear Mrs. W, Please don't judge my mothering skills. It's really not for lack of fashion and/or common sense but simply that my daughter chose to have a meltdown as I was trying to get her around to take her to Target. Instead of going shopping for new winter attire, she ended up in her room for an extended time out and I ended up on the couch with some Bailey's in my coffee for a little peace and quiet. (I nixed the idea of letter writing in favor of spending the time digging thru my Christmas stash to find the snow boots I had picked up for her in May at the clearance price of $9.)
• Why do I live in Michigan when I am cold intolerant?
• Why can't Santa be for grown~ups? I'm pretty sure I've been good this year, unless you're asking that question to my daughter from her place in time out, and I have a pretty good wish list.
• why do kids always pick out the marshmallows from Lucky Charms?
• why does my dog like cheese so much?
• where does the morning go? Time to go pick up Audrey!

Today I'm Lovin'...

• sisters that play well together
• peppermint chai latte
• Williams~Sonoma "My Favorite Things" cd from their dinner companion series
• a sparkly Christmas tree
• fun surprises in the mail
• an equally poor brother who has mutually agreed to fore~go exchanging Christmas presents this year;)
• God's protection for my family
• a dog who has figured out how to crack open nuts with his teeth, eating the meat, and leaving the shells behind
• free babysitting (kids' Christmas program practice) for a quick coffee date tonite

Christmas Details~ Now You're In The Know

I copied this from Kristin's blog:

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I bought really nice wrapping paper from Stampin' Up a couple of years ago, even got color coordinated grosgrain ribbon to tie around the gifts (not for the kids' presents but for the "adult" gifts so they'd look pretty under the tree). Aside from that, I have never had to buy a roll of wrapping paper. My mom hits the day~after sales and stocks up for me.

Real tree or artificial? Real. Of course. The freezing cold hunt. The young children sawing a massive tree with a very sharp saw. Shelling out $40 for a tree that will end up in my FIL's burn pile in 3 weeks. The wrestling it into place. Crawling under the extremely prickly branches for the constant watering. And the smell. The smell of fresh pine. The smell of Christmas. Gotta have it.

When do you put up the tree? 4 Christmases ago, our tree was up, but undecorated until the wee hours of Christmas morning when I tiredly threw on a couple of ornaments and called it good. 3 Christmases ago, we pulled into the tree farm on December 23rd at 4:55pm (farm closes at 5pm) to get our tree. And this year we haven't gotten the tree yet, but we still have 23 days, right?

Do you like eggnog? I will have a couple of sips, but it's way too rich and creamy for me. Austin saw the penguins chug eggnog on Party with the Penguins (Madagascar's Christmas DVD) and he has been asking for eggnog ever since.

Favorite gift received as a child? The Christmas I was 8, Santa was good... very good! A cassette Walkman, a sled, a cool pink blanket. But even as I got older, I always got the "big" present I asked for~ a stereo w/ CD player, a black leather jacket...

Hardest person to buy for? My Grandpa and Grandma Hrebec. It's usually Christmas Eve, a few hours before the family get together and I'm still trying to find the "perfect" gift. Any suggestions?

Easiest person to buy for? Myself. I "help" Tom out by doing my shopping for me;)

Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but not as many as my mom. One year, as I was using her small washroom off the kitchen I happened to count 3 or 4 nativities crammed into the tiny space. She has them EVERYWHERE so it became somewhat of a joke.

Mail or email Christmas cards? E~mail Christmas cards!?! That just seems really tacky.

Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I think it might have been an X large pink tee shirt with a ginormous pig face with the words "Piggly Wiggly". Apparently it's a Southern thing. But I'm not Southern. (And I hope I'm not X large.)

Favorite Christmas movie? Elf. Love. LOVE that movie!

When do you start shopping? I do a little thru the year. If I come across a great deal, I'll pick it up and stash it. I was in line at 3:30 this last Friday morning outside Kohl's for some Black Friday deals and I'll watch the ads to pick up the remainder of the gifts on the list thru Christmas Eve (unless inspiration for the Grandparents Hrebec gift hits early).

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? You'll never know. I do try not to re~gift an item back to it's original giver;) Now that would be embarrassing!

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mmmm! It's all good!

Lights on the tree? White lights

Favorite Christmas songs? I love Christmas music. There's not a whole lot of Christmas tunes I don't like.

Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home Christmas morning but travel around Jackson to all the family gatherings.

Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen (Austin's current fave), Comet, Cupid (Audrey's top pick), Donder, Blitzen, and Rudolph.

Angel on the tree top, or a star? Star.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? The elves' bring jammies Christmas eve nite but everything else gets opened on Christmas morning.

Favorite ornament theme or color? Our tree is decorated in bright jewel tone colors. Purple, blue, lime green, and magenta. My absolute favorite ornament is one I received from Nicole a couple of years ago thru an ornament exchange. Love it!!!!

What do you want for Christmas this year? If I could really dream, I would love to remodel our upstairs bathroom, or a new stainless frig, or a table and chair set for the dining room.

Sometimes It's The Simple Things

• a little man who stills wants me to snuggle him (because I know this won't last forever)
• my sweet little Audge who can be the best little mommy's helper
• my baby girl who woke up this morning and said she dreamed about "toots" last nite (always the silly entertainer)
• a husband who gets up and goes to work everyday, long before I open my sleepy eyes
• a dog who wakes up to excitedly greet me even at 4 in the morning

• a cup (or 2) of coffee in the morning
• warm flannel sheets
• reading the newspaper
• a new recipe
• clean laundry

I could probably sit here and add to my list for hours. Life is hard. Life is messy. Life is far from perfect. But even now, in all the struggles, God is good and there is so much to be thankful for. Sometimes it's the simple things.

I Need A Chill Pill

One.Of.Those.Days.


I failed as a mother.
I failed as a wife.
I failed as a friend.
I failed as a FREAKING HUMAN BEING!!!
Enough said.


(and usually Mondays are so wonderful)

Flashback Friday

My Little "Baller"

December 2004

I'm 9 - 2 Now

I'm not doing so well on this once a day posting challenge. Once again, I got busy and completely forgot... until I was at work and there was nothing I could do about it. I need something quick, I need something easy, so I'm stealing ideas. This one, I found on Leslie's blog, but now I'll claim it as my own;)

3 NAMES I GO BY:

1. Maria
2. Mommy
3. Ria
   

3 JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE:

1. Basically Bulk


2. B&G at Amway


3. SAHM (my personal fave;)

3 PLACES I HAVE LIVED:

1. Jackson


2. Sparta


3. Grand Rapids

3 TV SHOWS THAT I WATCH:

1. Diners, Drive Ins, & Dives


2. Cake Boss


3. Little People, Big World

3 PLACES I HAVE BEEN:

1. Orlando


2. Austin


3. Chicago

3 PLACES I WANT TO GO:

1. Hawaii


2. Tahiti


3. Mediterranean

3 OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:

1. dessert


2. cheeseburgers


3. Mexican

3 THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:

1. Thanksgiving


2. Christmas


3. Tom finishing up his degree

3 ANIMALS WHO I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS WITH:

umm, I don't get really "friendly" with animals, but Eddy is my favorite and my best

(how could you not be friendly to a face like that?)

3 THINGS I AM REALLY SCARED OF:

1. our finances;P


2. not being able to see my kids grow up


3. not being in control

3 FAVORITE BOOKS:

1. anything Nicholas Sparks


2. Twilight saga


3. Marley & Me

3 FAVORITE BANDS/SINGERS:

1. Nickleback


2. Alanis Morissette


3. Jars of Clay (blast from the past;)

3 FAVORITE MOVIES:

1. Dirty Dancing


2. Never Been Kissed


3. The Proposal (new fave)

3 FAVORITE DRINKS:

1. Captain Morgan and vanilla Coke or cider


2. Cherry Pepsi


3. Dr. Pepper

3 THINGS I FIND MOST ATTRACTIVE IN A GUY:

1. tall


2. dark


3. handsome (that describes Tom, right?;)

3 THINGS I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT:

1. family


2. my laptop


3. my van

Monday Mojo

Yay for Monday!!! My favorite day of the week! Most people dread Monday mornings, but since I work all weekend and Monday is my day off, it can't come soon enough. Usually, I am super ambitious in my plans to get things accomplished. All weekend long I make lists in my head of what I'm going to get done and then life ends up getting in the way and I never get done as much as I wanted to. So, today I'm keeping track of all things I manage to accomplish on my great day off:

1. got out of bed (hey, you gotta start somewhere;)
2. Austin dressed, lunch packed, homework completed, breakfast made, out the door to carpool by 8! Without a single whine or complaint (BIG accomplishment=)
3. budget and checkbook balanced
4. scheduled online van payment
5. started today's blog post
6. read thru Sunday's paper
7. started dishwasher load #1
8. cleaned out the science experiments from the refrigerator
9. rocked baby Ruby to sleep
10. made beds
11. packed away the Halloween decor
12. caught up Lexi's scrapbook to her 3rd birthday
13. restored order to the living room after our busy Sunday
14. went thru a pile of paperwork that had been sitting in my kitchen cabinet since July
15. picked up Austin and JoJo from school
16. went to the high school for team pictures
17. took back a van~load of recycles
18. put gas in the van
19. played P-I-G and H-O-R-S-E with Austin. (He blew me away all 3 times)
20. brought out a tub of Thanksgiving decor
21. made dinner (burritos and spanish rice)
22. cleaned up the kitchen & started dishwasher load #2
23. bathed & jammied all 3 kids
24. tucked 3 super~hyper kids (because Grandma showed up to do bedtime) into bed
25. re~tucked said hyper kids into bed multiple times after potty breaks, drinks of water, and tattle telling on offending siblings
26. scrapbooked 4 pages for Audrey's scrapbook

So much more could be done but now I'm preparing for my tomorrow... by going to bed! Happy Monday & good nite!!!

See? I Told Ya

What did I say earlier this week? Check back and I'll probably have missed a day already with this whole NaNoMoBlo thing. And I did. It wasn't exactly intentional. I thought about it last nite, but wasn't in the mood. I was planning on doing it later and then forgot until late this morning. So, I'm out. But I'll try my best to keep up with the daily postings thru the rest of the month.

I enjoyed a quiet evening to myself because Tom took the kids for a sleepover at his parent's last nite. I've had 2 WHOLE hours to myself this afternoon between cheerleading practice and work. The house is completely picked up and I have gotten quite a bit done (yay, me!;) But, as always, I could keep myself busy for hours. So now I'm getting ready to head into work Somehow I need to come up with a recipe for Hosmer Thanksgiving that I can make tonite when I get home. Something that doesn't require a lot of energy (so no pie this time;) and something that will sit well in the car for a couple of hours (while we're in church.)

I've never had Thanksgiving weeks before Thanksgiving before, but I'm looking forward to all the yummy food! (and spending time with the family, too;)

A Little Somethin' To Share

How Convenient

2 special birthdays, one special day.

23 birthday wishes for Micah, aka "Bubba" in Hosmerville:

17 birthday wishes for Lori, aka "War~wee" in Hosmerville:

Why Is Trust Such A Hard Thing To Learn?

Is it ever a good thing when the doctor calls and wants to discuss test results 2 weeks before your scheduled appointment to discuss said results? I just received a message from my doctor's office saying that's exactly what he wants to do. Of course, I called back and they are closed for the evening. My natural tendency to worry panic has me already thinking the worst possible. And yet, I can hear God whispering, "Trust me". Trust. It's such a hard thing to do. Especially for my type A, control freak personality.

Tonite is going to be hard. I'm working third. I'll be up most of the nite. It's quiet. I'm (for the most part) by myself. I'm tired. My mind starts to wander. I will try not to dwell on what I may be hearing when I call tomorrow morning. I will try to trust.

2 For 2

It's only 9am and I already have my post done for the day! You can find it here: halloween trickORtreats.

It's The Thought That Counts

Ok, technically I haven't failed miserably on the very first day of the NaMoBlo~thingy. You know, the thingy where you commit to writing a blog post every single day in the month of November. So even when I post this and the date reads November 2nd, technically, it's really still November 1st because I haven't gone to bed yet. And everyone knows that it's not a new day until you've been able to go to bed and wake up, right?

Ok, so I'm still in this. (Like it's some sort of competition that I'm afraid to lose;) (Like in a week I won't have been MIA from my blog for, oh, a week.) Ha ha. But for now, I'm still in the game. Right?

Just checkin'.

Supermom Has Found Her Limit

8:04 am. Crap!!! That's how my day began. School starts at 8:20 and I still have 3 sleeping kids to dress and load in the van before driving Austin across town for school. How am I gonna pull this one off? Austin's getting hot lunch and he's the only one to have to actually get dressed today. Thank goodness it's Friday and Audrey doesn't go to school. We might just make it. In the past, if I have overslept, we can still manage to somehow make it. Today we didn't. 8:04 is approximately one minute too late to get out of bed and still get everyone to school on time. But my kids are getting used to their overly~tired mommy crashing into their rooms, waking them up, demanding that they get dressed NOW because we are going to be late! Audrey, my morning meltdown queen, was half comatose as I put her in her car seat. The thought that maybe I should always wait till the last minute to get her up and out the door briefly crossed my mind. Maybe sleepy minds are just too incoherent to protest. This may be the key.

Anyways, I hung out in the front drive of the school after I dropped Austin off, waiting to hear the tardy bell ring. I didn't. Which means that Austin was tardy. Dang it! Not the great start to my weekend I was looking for. So now I'm attempting to restart my day. I've got to make a trip to Onsted sometime before cheerleading practice at 3. Austin has both soccer practice and his final game tonite. There are pumpkins waiting to be carved into jack~o~lanterns and caramels and apples to make a special treat tonite. And then of course there's the usual, laundry to be done, beds to be made, a dishwasher to unload, kids' rooms to un~bury from the most recent explosion of toys. I must get going. My day is waiting for a restart.

Blah De Freakin' Blah

Yeah, it's pretty much how I've felt the last couple of weeks. Like I'm in some sort of funk that I just can't snap out of. I'd drop the kids off at school, come home with Lexi and just want to sleep until it was time to pick them up again. I was getting things done but not really feeling like I had accomplished anything. It felt like there was a weight, perhaps anxiety, where I just couldn't relax and enjoy life. Maybe it was the crappy rainy, dreary weather we were having. Maybe after all the craziness of life it was just time for me to tune out for a couple of weeks. This week has been different. I have a better mindset. I have drive and ambition again. Still not a whole lot of energy, but what SAHM with 3 kids, 2 jobs, and a husband who works full time and is going to school does?

Just wanted to let everyone know I'm alive. I'm gearing up for a full month of daily posting with November being NaNoMoBla~thingy. So stay tuned. I'm back. I think.

Not Me Monday: What A Week!

• when a passing truck threw a stone on my windshield and made a ginormous chip in the glass, I immediately took time out of my carefree, nothing~to~do day to call the insurance company and arrange to have the chip repaired for free. So, because the chip was most definitely repaired in a timely manner, it definitely did NOT turn into an even more ginormous crack yesterday morning as a result of the heavy frost we received the nite before. This said crack will not cost anything to repair and my husband definitely understands that either of us is quite capable in picking up the phone and arranging to have the repair done, so I am definitely not solely to blame for what's transpired.
• I absolutely love my bank. I do not encounter frustrations or problems almost each and every time I do business with them. Take Friday for example. I did not wait over 10 minutes in the drive thru for them to take my cash deposit that my 6 year old son had just counted out in 10 seconds. I was most definitely not the lone drive thru customer at the time. I did not have to negotiate 4 lanes of traffic to return to the bank because I always promptly check my receipt before pulling out onto the road. The teller had not given me someone else's receipt for a much smaller deposit, so I definitely did not feel the need to return to the drive thru and wait an astounding 3 MORE minutes before I was even acknowledged to confirm that my deposit had made it into the correct account. I was definitely the example of a Christian mommy when my son asked what the teller had said and I ad~libbed "I'm sorry for being so completely incompetent, I have no idea what I'm doing." Nope, I never would have said anything like that, so I definitely did not need to apologize and correct myself after I calmed down a bit.
• my (nameless) daughter did NOT draw the correct anatomical feature on the prayer bear she was coloring yesterday in church. Apparently, this bear is a boy. But I wouldn't know that because she did not loudly inform me (outside of her junior church room/ in the hallway at church) that she "drew a wee~NUR" on her bear. And she most definitely did not repeat that she "drew a wee~NUR" 3 or 4 times because I was in deep conversation with another mom and not paying attention to her. I never, ever tune my children's chatter out.
• upon closer inspection, I did not also notice that this bear has "boobies". Maybe some gender identity issues? They were easy to miss the first time as his arms are folded in front of him so that he's able to hold a little Bible that reads "my Bible is sweeter than honey".
• I was absolutely not deemed "rude" by an overly "polite" customer on the phone the other day. I may or may not have told her that I could not hand deliver a money refund for non~organic avocados to her door. And if she really wanted her money, she would, in fact, have to come back to the store to get it herself. This was not after spending wasting 10 minutes of my time on the phone with her. C'mon, people, don't give me crap! Especially at work in a job that, aside from the paycheck, I could really care less about.

But today is Monday, which means I have the day "off" and I get to be a mom all day long. So I need to finish here so I can get to "work". Happy Monday, all!

Short And Sweet

it's been awhile, thought I'd quickly try to catch up:

• Austin scored his first goal in soccer, he's loving the weekly practices and games. I'm praying the weather stays nice so I don't look like the wimpy mom watching the game from the comforts of her van.
• Audrey was able to spend a full day at preschool for the first time last week. The highlights of her day included lunch and nap time on the "bouncy beds".
• I taught a mini science lesson to 6 different groups of young 5's, kindergartners, and 1st graders as they rotated thru learning centers on their educational field trip last week. I was one the stupid moms who didn't notice that it was a chilly 31* outside when I sent my son off with merely a hoodie and jeans. No mittens, no hat, no winter coat. He was in the second group that came to hear my lesson on frogs and ponds and he declared "this is the worst field trip EVER! Can we leave?" Lucky for us the sun eventually came out and warmed us all up.
• I blew happened to be driving Tom's Cutty when the right rear brake blew out, and then a couple of days later, a truck passing the other way threw a stone up on my windshield (which left a ginormous chip). Not a good week to be driving with me.
• Audrey spent the nite with Katy at grandpa and grandma Hosmer's. It's amazing how much easier it is with one less kid, but I missed her so much.
• Austin is out of school with his first cold~induced asthma attack. I'm hoping we can treat this quickly and get him back in the classroom tomorrow.
• It's Monday and I'm just trying to play catch~up from the busy weekend: laundry, dishes, paperwork, etc., etc.... Have a great week!!!

Not THEM Monday: Oh No They Didn't!!!

This week, it's all about the kids:

• I took the kids into Brooklyn this past week to get Austin a much needed haircut. While there, I did not look up to see Audrey performing a stage dance for all of the old ladies getting their hair done. This dance did not include lots of hip shaking and butt slapping, and I most certainly did not take credit for teaching her all of her savvy dance moves.
• Speaking of my middle child, her teacher did not gently suggest that we start working on "listening and focusing on the teacher during class time". Apparently my social butterfly is more concerned about scheduling multiple playdates with all of her new friends than she is about circle time. I was not absolutely impressed that it actually took 3 full weeks of school before we had an "incident".
• After repeated efforts to get the girls settled down and asleep one nite last week, I did not walk past their room yet again to see Lexi sitting up in bed playing. She did not see me look in but she must have realized that she was about to get busted. Because on my return pass, I did not glance in to see her laying flat out in bed, eyes scrunched tightly shut "sleeping" with a half smile on her face.
• Audrey's first official homework assignment last week was to bring in 3 small objects that started with the letter "B". We buh~buh~buh~rainstormed several ideas including buh~buh~buh~ubbles, buh~buh~buh~ook, and buh~buh~buh~ear. Buh~buh~buh~ut it wasn't till big buh~buh~buh~rother got involved that she gathered up a buh~buh~buh~racelet, buh~buh~buh~utton, and a buh~buh~buh~one. As in a gnawed on chicken bone from dinner. I did not actually put it in a ziplock bag and let her take it in and I certainly did not consider writing Mrs. W a note explaining that big brother had helped with the project.
• The kids were outside Thursday nite playing while I got dinner around. I had both the garage and front doors open so that I could keep an eye on them. At some point, I did not hear Lexi whine, "I'm telling on you!" to which I did NOT hear Austin reply, "let's pretend that just didn't happen." Apparently she "pretended" because I never got report of that particular offense. Although several minutes later I did glance out to see Austin playing dodge ball with his BASEBALL. Perhaps he beaned her and she didn't take too kindly to that?
• Audrey did not walk into the bathroom where I was getting ready one morning with her shirt hiked up and her little bear firmly pressed into her chest. She did not inform me that her bear was "sucking on her booby to drink milk" and then proceed to breastfeed it for several minutes until she pronounced it "not thirsty anymore". I am still wondering where this all came from, as it's been over 2 years since I have raised my shirt to offer liquid refreshment to a baby. One thing I do know is that she is going to be a stellar mother someday!=)

Happy Monday, all!!!

Just For Fun

Forget expensive rides and attractions, give my kids a hotel with bouncy beds and a pool and their vacation is MADE! These pics were from our recent vacation to Silver Lake. We were stuck inside waiting out the rainy weather but do you think the kids minded?

Monday's To Do's

I usually look forward to Mondays because they're my days off, but today I'm struggling to get into my Monday Mode and get a lot accomplished. If I ever find my groove today, here's what I'd like to do:

1. make beds
2. laundry (3 loads that just need to be folded and put away, another 1 to wash)
3. unpack the kids and Tom from their mini vacation this past weekend
4. clean out the van from said vacation
5. plan this weekend's tailgating menu (so excited for Saturday!!!)
6. drop off recycling
7. drop off/pick up prescriptions
8. pay bills
9. pick up Austin from school
10. play outside with the kids
11. make dinner
12. clean up kitchen
13. baths for the kids

Well, looking at my list, I have to at least get it together enough to accomplish number 9, but it'd be nice if I could check off a couple more items, too. Time to get things done!

I Think We Need A Bigger Bed

Tom came to bed late one nite last week only to find this:

He took the picture and then headed off to the couch for a good nite's sleep.

I Tweeked It...

... and today, I did NOT lose it!!! Last week I gave the kids 15 minutes as they we waking up to watch some tv. That way they weren't having to just jump into their day. Then the tv went off and we went on to have breakfast and get dressed. Well, this morning I figured "Arthur" could help me out a little and provide some distraction as I slipped Audrey into her clothes. It worked! She was so glued to the tv she never realized that her panties just might be riding up her biscuits or her collar was possibly rubbing her neck the wrong way. Austin dressed along side her so my major concern was getting through breakfast without someone spilling sticky syrup all over his/her clothes and having to start all over again.

Of course, I couldn't breathe easy just yet as we still had to do shoes AND socks before getting out the door on time. The socks I picked out didn't meet approval from the diva so we went back to her room together to get socks that would. Of course, she would pick out red Hello Kitty Christmas socks with snowflakes on them. Of course, her outfit was brown, pink, and yellow. I took 2 seconds to mentally debate if it was worth it to tell her no on the socks because it would probably result in the meltdown we had so far successfully avoided. Hmm, no long pants to cover up the offending article of clothing, they definitely did NOT match in any possible way,,, yup, it was worth it. Meltdown or not. But my Christmas came early and no meltdown ensued. Shoes on and out the door on time! And, most importantly, we were all HAPPY!!!

I think Arthur just may be my new best friend.

I Need A (Summer) Vacation

The honeymoon is over. Two days into the new school year and I'm ready for summer vacation to be here. I knew going into this year that mornings would be an issue. They were last year and I only had to get one child up and ready for school. Now I'm responsible for 2, one of which is a diva, being in school by 8:10am.

I've been thinking thru our morning routine for weeks now. Anticipating where the problem spots would be and how to avoid them before they even became an issue.

• Problem spot #1: getting Audrey dressed in dress code appropriate clothing... without a battle.
• Solution: reserve the bottom bar in the girls' closet for school clothes ONLY.
• Problem spot #2: wearing socks/tights as opposed to going barefoot.
• Solution: buy brand new "school" socks and explain that this is a non~negotiable school rule.
• Problem spot #3: slow moving kids in the morning.
• Solution: Allow for 15 minutes of cartoons to "wake up".

The list could go on and on. Yesterday was a good day. I chalked this up to everything being exciting and new. The anticipation of a new school year hung in the air and everything went smoothly. I ran, showered, dressed, and had my hair done before going out the door. (Quite the accomplishment in itself as that doesn't usually happen till late afternoon.) I even had time for a quick photo session with the kids before having them in their respective classrooms before the bell rang. Woo Hoo!!!

Today was a different story. I skip the morning run and shower and stay in bed till 7. I worked 3rds last nite and my body just won't run on 3 hours sleep. No biggy, I pull on a hat, apply more deodorant and call it good. Wake the kids up. Wednesday mornings are waffle mornings. Austin freaks because he wants mini pancakes. I tell myself "I am not going to lose it." Calmly explain Wednesdays = waffles. Eat them or go hungry. He eats them.

Next up, Audrey is a limp noodle who can't possibly get dressed by herself although she managed just fine yesterday. Decide it's not worth the battle and proceed to attempt to put her tights on. She freaks because they feel funny. Hmm, wonder why when she's sprawled horizontal across the chair and I'm trying to stuff her legs in? Tell myself "I Am Not Going To Lose It". Offer to try her school socks instead. Of course, the seam across the toe "bodders" her. She rips them off. Tell myself "I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE IT". I walk away. She goes for round 2 with the tights.

Austin gets his sweatshirt on over his polo. His shirt bunches up underneath. He freaks... again. Tell myself "I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE IT". I dress Lexi, Austin comes to terms with his sweatshirt and we all watch Audrey do the diva dance as she tries to get her fleece on over her dress, refusing all help, of course. I can't help but think as I stand there and watch her that someday she will be me and her daughter will be her. Smile to myself as I remember that paybacks are hell.

We all get into the van, Audrey still screaming loud enough to give the neighborhood a wake up call. Tell myself "I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE IT!!!"

I lose it.

By the time we reach school, the kids have learned that it costs a lot of money to go to their school! It is a privilege! It is a sacrifice for mommy and daddy to send them there! Daddy could be driving a new car if they didn't go to their school! We could go to Disney for a really long time and do alot of really fun things, and eat alot of really yummy food for the amount of money it costs to send them to school! Etc., etc., etc.!!! And most importantly, they have learned that mommy has really, truly lost it. But what more could they expect, really, since I'm functioning on 3 hours of sleep and haven't had my coffee yet?

Tomorrow is a new day. I will not lose it.

Things That Make You Go Oh!!!

It was one of those questions that every mother knows is eventually coming, but can never quite prepare herself to hear. "Mommy, how did we get out of your tummy?" Yikes!!! Miss Audrey posed the question in the van yesterday. I cannot remember how our conversation actually led to that point, but here is how it ended:

Audrey: how did we get out of your tummy?

me: well, I pushed really hard and you came out. (evasive maneuvers)

Austin: is the hole still there? (what, you mean babies don't just magically appear outside the belly?)

me: (vaguely) it's always there.

Austin: nu~uh, you don't have a hole on your tummy.

me: (oh, man!) well, when mommies can't have their babies the regular way, the doctor cuts open her tummy and pulls the baby out. That's called a cesarean section. Then the doctor sews the hole up with stitches and when it heals, the mommy has a scar but not a hole. (biting the bullet) But I didn't have to have a c~section, I had you the regular way and pushed you out a hole and that hole is called a _____ (insert your word of choice here, but, yes, in Hosmerville we use the "real" words and they already know plenty about this word).

Austin: ooohhh! (said in wonderment like this bit of information was the missing piece to his puzzle of life and now with this revelation everything finally made sense.)

There was a big pause to the conversation in which I could only imagine Austin was busy contemplating how he, in fact, had been born. Then a big exclamation:

Austin: that's disgusting!!!

Then another big pause.... like it was almost too much for him to imagine:

Austin: that's DISGUSTING!!!

Fast forward to this morning, Audrey had stripped down naked because she had wet the bed and Austin caught a glimpse of her naked bottom.

Austin: Audrey, I can see your baby hole!

At least they haven't asked how the babies get in their mommy's tummy... YET!

Lexi's 3 Year Stats

We started with tears...

We headed off to the doctor bright and early Monday morning. Lexi figured out where we were going and literally tried to grab onto anything and everything to anchor her in as I tried to pull her out of the van. Little drama queen. Things started off wonderfully with a finger poke/blood draw. The puppies on the band~aid seemed to take her mind off the hurt for awhile and she did cooperate by standing still on the scale for her weight and height. (37 1/2 inches tall and 30.5 lbs which puts her in the 60th percentile for height and 48th for weight with a BMI of 15.2) I double checked the nurse's BMI calculations against the calculations from FindMyBMI.com and that website categorizes Lexi's BMI as being in the anorexic body classification. Ha! This girl can definitely eat, although she's starting to get a little bit pickier in her old age. I guess I should start monitoring her daily treadmill workouts to make sure she isn't burning too many calories;)

She totally lucked out as she was a mere 4 days short of being ready for her next hep A vaccination. We'll catch that one later. Dr. Rao came in and the tears started all over again. She almost flew off the table when he came at her with his little rubber hammer. Hmm, brings to mind a certain other 3 year old who promised her mom to "just let me go" as she was being held down on an exam table 26 years ago. The mom bought it (sucka;) and the 3 year old went running out the door and down the hall before being dragged back in for her shot. Although this isn't a "not me monday", I will say that this certain 3 year old was definitely not me! But if it was me, then I guess you could say that this is payback time. Dr. R is always so gentle and calm with the kids and we made it out without any more drama.

... and gum and stickers made everything right with the world again

Happy Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday

to my beautiful, sweet

little Lexi!

I love you, baby big girl!!!

Austin's Perspective

Flashback Friday: August 2006

(someone special is turning 3 tomorrow!)

Everything You Really Need To Know About Cedar Point I Learned On Monday

On Monday I ventured down to Cedar Point for the first time in 11 years. Tom backed out at the last minute because he was too afraid of riding the big rides and screaming like a little girl citing back problems so it ended up being just me and my sisters going. I had a ton of fun (and I think Ann and Lori did,too). The trip brought back a lot of memories from past visits with the youth group and school. So I thought it might be fun to share with you the top ten most important things I learned from my day at "America's Roller Coast":

1. At 29, I am too old to ride the intense, fast rides.
2. skin is "in"~ and if you happen to have piercings and a tattoo (or four) then you get bonus points for showing them off.
3. the chemical reaction made when golden blonde highlites and sunscreen combine is not a desirable one. Unless, of course, you wanted orange~y streaks through your hair.
4. when I put "BigSexyHair" root pump spray mousse in my hair to make it big and "sexy" and then did 2 drenching water rides, a handful of roller coasters and fair rides, and went thru a downpour or 2, my hair was not Big and Sexy. Rather, it looked as if I was going for the homeless, matted dog look.
5. when the rain starts, EVERYONE goes to Disaster Transport.
6. one should not drink Starbucks coffee and then attempt to ride the Raptor 2 hours later.
7. even though it costs almost $45 dollars for 1 FunDay ticket, you still have to pay $10 to park. (yes, they do take Visa).
8. the smell of fairway food is amazing. Always has been, always will be. Someone should bottle it.
9. If you were to rate people's favorite rides by the intensity and the number of times they screamed then the Sky Hawk was by far my favorite ride.
10. I am too old to ride the intense fast rides. Something my stomach and my head tried to tell me numerous times. Apparently my brain did not get this memo.

I had a wonderful time, thanks for a great day, girls!

Double Pool Dippin'

Today was one of those amazing and fantastic days. You know the kind? The ones where almost everything goes right and there's so much to look forward to you're almost giddy. Yeah, that kind of day!

• I had fun emails from great people in my inbox.
• I got Tim Horton's to go for myself, my kiddos, SIL, and her sweeties for a playdate in the park.
• the playdate went well. We pulled into the park at exactly 10am. I felt like I deserved a mommy raise for that but settled for high fives all around. No major catastrophes on the playground, lots of Tim Bits to keep the kids' sugar high running strong.
• a new razor in the shower to get my legs "pool ready".
• a pool date with one of my bestest girls and her kids. Sunshine and warm water. Contraband crackers and frozen blueberries to snack on.
• a second 2 hour & 45 minute swim session because my kids were sooo good. Sooo why not?
• 2 very brave kids 1 brave little girl and her scaredy cat big brother (who sent brave little sister down first) conquering the big, blue slide.
• my littlest mermaid continually jumping completely under water~ head and all~ only to come up gasping for air and wanting to do it again (and again, and again, ....)!
• silence on the ride home as my kids devoured their McD's dinners. All plans to cook dinner at home went down the pool drain when hunger pains overrode the ability to think rationally and practically.
• all 3 kids tucked in and asleep by 9:30.
• best $12 (pool admission) I've spent in a long time.

Keri and Andrew's Wedding~ July 5th

I've known Keri and her family since I started babysitting for them over the summer of '96. I came to meet her parents looking for a summer job to help pay for the "new" car I had just bought. Four years later, my "munchkins" arrived at my wedding decked out in their finest to serve as my ring bearer, flowers girls, and junior bridesmaid. Last month Tom and I celebrated Keri's special day with her and the family. It's crazy how fast time goes by and how grown~up these "kids" are now. Three beautiful ladies and 1 super handsome dude! ;)

Shellby, me, and Melanie

yum! cake!

This is a beautiful picture of the bride! Myself? Yeah, my dress makes me look like I'm pregnant :P

First dance: so sweet!

More Good Stuff

New Pics... FINALLY!!!

As promised, oh a month ago maybe, I finally have some new pictures to share. These shots are some of the first that Tom took with our new camera. These were all taken on the auto setting. Not exactly Nicole Barczak quality, but not too bad for a newbie;)