Obsession or compulsion?

If I even need to grab a few things whenever we're going out, there's a very high probability that they will end up in a plastic bag (like the kind from Walmart). Upon returning home, the bag is brought in & usually ends up on our office floor in the corner. Not a big deal you would think, right? Wrong! More often than not, these bags go unnoticed until the plastic bags have become a living swamp thing inhabiting the corner of our office floor! Now the real irony is that I don't like to carry things lose in fear of losing them somewhere in the car; but then again, we end up having so many bags with little items in them that many items often get misplaced (much to my dismay)! I can't tell you how much it irritates Hubby that I feel such compulsion to put things in bags (especially plastic). Then again, he may not call it compulsion... more like obsession!

Wifey is here!

Everything has been insanely busy but Hubby wrote a little 'snack' about our drive home this weekend. I know you'll enjoy it because I was cracking up as I typed it for him in the car! Now go bust a gut! ;-)

Recipe For Insanity

Hello, Hubby here! Here's a recap of the end of this last weekend. Enjoy!

Sitting in the car, facing a five-hour drive home, we started off with the intent to drive as far as possible before having to stop. Fifteen minutes later we pull off the road, to retrieve my wife’s computer from the backseat. Not a big deal, I think. Five minute detour at the most. The following is a description of our FORTY-FIVE minute stop.

1. Grab the computer from the back seat. Let’s go!

2. As long as were stopped, let’s change our son into his pajamas. Good idea! Our daughter is sleeping so let’s just leave her alone. Bring son into the front seat & start changing him.

3. Hmmm… something feels a bit warm. Son knocks over HOT SPICED CIDER which proceeds to pour down my leg. Spend the next ten minutes cleaning that up.

4. As we’re cleaning up the sticky cider, our daughter starts to cry. Faint aroma of poop drifts up from the backseat.

5. (SIGH) Okay… let’s change our daughter too. Put son back in seat & get our daughter. Hmmm…no poop yet. Gently massage daughter’s butt to release the golden nugget. Son asks for toys to play with. Car begins to smell like ass.

6. Put daughter back in car seat. Pick up toys son dumped on the floor. Daughter begins to cry. (SIGH) Okay… let’s make a bottle.

7. Bottle is taking too damned long! Daughter erupts into screaming fit. Meanwhile son’s animals are singing what only can be described as a demented opera at full volume, designed to explode heads of every person in the audience with each crescendo.

8. Wife begin to laugh uncontrollably as I bang my head against the back of my seat. Only four hours & forty-five minutes to go. Oh, someone help me!!!


When I told that girl in choir that I had a crush on her, I never dreamed that fifteen years later I would be stuck in a parking lot next to the highway with two screaming kids in the back seat with my wife frantically making a bottle as scalding hot cider slowly drips down my leg. By the way, after that we stopped every twenty minutes as my wife’s pea-sized bladder inevitably filled up.

Make a difference!

Join in Earth Hour this Saturday evening from 8-9 pm & remember that each person can make a difference! The site is kind of slow, so please be patient.


This video talks about how Earth Hour 2007 went.





Then someone made a music video about Earth Hour 2007 & this brought tears to my eyes hearing the cheers among the crowds.

A new type of award!

Did you know there are annual YouTube Awards now? What a strange time we live in! Vote here!

You want to do what?

The other day my son & I were in the car while our daughter was sleeping. Our conversation astounded me!


Mama: "Remember to be quiet so your sister can sleep & get bigger."

Son gets excited: "She will get bigger & bigger like Daddy!"

Mama: "Yes & one day you, your sister & Daddy will all be taller than me! I'll be the smallest of the bunch."

Son gets very concerned: "Oh no! You're going to be small?? I'm going to be small like you!"

Mama: "It's okay. One day you'll be as tall as Mommy..."

Son interrupts getting excited: "Oh & then I can drive a car like you, Mommy!!!"


Yes... that was when my jaw dropped. My almost-four-year-old was getting excited about driving a car twelve years before he can get a license! Oh I am soooo going to have my hands full with him! He just can't wait to grow up so up.

Which sequel?

If you're interested in movies, look up new or updated movie info at ComingSoon.Net. It's a great resource!

What's a wedgie dance???

My hubby & I love the show scrubs. Sarah is a fantastic actress & really does a great job making this fun video for Hanes doing the wedgie dance. Chek it out!

It's melting... it's melting!!!

Break out the fall coats, people! We're having a heat wave here of 40 degrees & man is it nice. (At least for the next few days!) The giant mounds of snow can melt just a teensie weenie more & I was able to break off the ice from the edges of our driveway. Unfortunately the ice hill in front of our mail box is 6-8" of frozen solid which wouldn't budge & is slow to melt (especially since it's in the shade). Ah well, perhaps our son can enjoy some time on the trampoline today. He would love that.


Now that the kids are napping ever so soundly, I'm off to tackle my enormous to-do list. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll be able to cross of a few things before either one of them wake up. Cross your fingers, foks!

How long is it???

Last night I made a list of everything (pressing & otherwise) that needs to be done that ended up taking up an entire legal page! Ugh... Since I had a terrible headache I relaxed for a while before tackling the dishes & some 'hot spot' areas. Then it was off to bed for me. Now I have a very busy day ahead of me... let's hope it's a good one!

Everyone is different!

Our daughter has a unique way of holding her bottle at times but she's getting good at it!

The rarity does happen!

Last week I posted about our date night where we had a fabulous time. It’s not often that we have a date night, much less hang out with friends at a bar til close! Here are a couple photos from the evening, thanks to another acquaintance I see from time to time when our friend’s band plays.




Guy on the left below was our dancing pal for the evening while our friend (the guy on the right below) & his band rocked the room!

How many puppies are on stage???

Yesterday I did my hair & make-up earning lots of compliments from my hubby all afternoon. It’s nice to know that after 16 years, I still do it for him. We took my son to the local children’s theatre to see ‘101 Dalmatians’. Although he refused to take an afternoon nap, our son was wonderfully behaved during the wait & then throughout the show. Sadly they did not use real puppies (as my hubby wondered if they would) but the show was very cute. After the show, our son followed the cast characters around lobby eager to talk to them.






At home, my hubby napped while my Mom & I did some computer research. My son played while our daughter napped. On the way to dinner later, we chased after & found a hot air balloon that had landed in a nearby local corn field. Then when we got the restaurant, they fixed the toy train for our son & let him press the button to start it. He does love his trains.

Night night baby!

Last Saturday we had some family over to visit. Daddy was so tired he fell asleep on the sofa while watching the movie with my mom, youngest sister & her boyfriend. Afterwards we were talking & covered him with a blanket with our daughter’s baby dolls. Isn’t he cute?

Moments of Clarity

Friday night I realized I may not be able to make it to the regular bi-annual resale clothing sale I go to normally each spring for our kids’ wardrobes. So I headed out & caught the end of two sales where I still got some good deals. I was also able to at least start getting some of their spring & summer wardrobe shopping together (versus buying full-price in the stores). Afterwards I did some grocery shopping where I ran into my youngest sister & her boyfriend.


As I was headed back home, I saw this burst of sunshine break out behind the dark clouds. It felt like days since things seemed so cheerful. Then I had a moment of clarity reminding me how I want our kids to remember me. It’s tough being the fun one when you have to discipline a lot during the day. I always try the best to teach our kids the right lessons so they can be the best people they can be.

Why is THAT there???

Friday night we went to the mall where my mother joined us. After dinner at the food court (I love the firecracker shrimp at Panda Express! Daddy took the kids to play area where another girl took our son under her wing & was playing hide-n-seek with him. Before we headed home, we transferred our ladder (which we were loaning her) to my mother’s car. The ladder looked so strange up in the middle of an empty parking lot, seemingly for no reason at all! Hence the odd picture…


Then on the way home, our son wanted me to take some pictures of him. He’s at the age now where he either does or does not want to be in the photo. Luckily for me, he’s pretty good about being in photos unless he’s cranky. He made a series of funny faces, while our daughter slept, before deciding that he was “going to sleep like his sister” all cuddled up in the blanket. Oh so cute!

What song would you use?

Comedian Eric O'Shea has got it right! Check out this video about tv commercials.

Weekend fun

My favorite times are when we can all go on family outings together. It means so much to have so much fun with the kids, especially since they're growing up so quick.

Last week we finally brought in our large floor rug for our dining room. Once it was vacuumed & ready to place under the table, our son took an interest in it as a new ‘toy’. He asked to be rolled up in it & then it was Daddy’s turn to be ‘rolled’ up; which was quite odd to see. (Cue the Soprano’s show!)

The day after, we had dinner with my in-laws so they were able to visit with the grandkids. They loved seeing them as always.

This past weekend was simply… wonderful! Saturday we took the kids (with my mother) to a city mall where our son had a ball. He got to climb all over the ‘Big Red Couch’ (sofa that was 12’ height by 15’ length) looking for coins (which were rewarded with prizes). Then it was off to the Children’s Museum that was always an adventure & educational. I loved dressing up with the kids in one of the rooms. Daddy looked especially good & our son had no qualms trying on ‘dress-up clothes’ especially the hats! After dinner, he fell fast asleep in the stroller but we woke him up as promised to enjoy several rides on the blue train. It took some doing waking him up (man… he was out!) but once he heard & saw the train, he started to wake up.

Once we got home, we quickly changed clothes, kissed the kids goodbye & left for date night! We had dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant in the area. We got to the bar (where our friends’ band was playing) & listened to the great bands. For the first time in years, we actually closed the bar down! We had a fabulous time!

Sunday we got some extra sleep & had lunch at Chuck E Cheese with my parents. They really enjoyed the time with the kids. Afterwards we did some grocery shopping where our son was happy to help (as you can see). We stopped at a family restaurant to feed the kids & get a light dinner four ourselves. There my nerves began to fry with our son’s behavior & his lack of listening skills.

This week has been interesting. So far, I went on my son’s school field trip to Pizza Hut where all the kids made their own personal pizzas. It was neat to see behind the scenes.

Then the other day, right before we had to leave the house our daughter woke up throwing up all over her bed & ours’. After sleeping most of the day, she managed to keep formula down come bedtime. She is starting a runny nose & still struggling to get back to her regular eating habits but is otherwise fine.

The hardest part is seeing our son act out towards everyone when he knows right from wrong. It’s like his mind is somewhere else even though he replies. He didn’t listen to any of his teachers so far this week & had to go to bed very early one night & hasn’t been allowed any TV as punishment. We’ve tried so many methods but can’t seem to find one that really works. It’s so frustrating.

I forgot...

The other morning I was getting my son out of the car for preschool when he hesitated getting out of his car seat. When I asked what he was doing he said, "I'm just stretching Mommy. I forgot this morning. It's okay."

He really can be a good boy & has a good heart with a great sense of humor. I only hope others can see it too despite his acting out. It's so painful to see otherwise when we know what his potential is.

Poor girl...

Hope you feel better soon! We're thinking of you!

Rogaine works!

"Isn't the new do' just grand?"

Uphill battle

The past month or so, our son has been acting out more & regressing in general & at school. It's not that he doesn't know how to do things; but that he doesn't want to do it. Now he's constantly distracted & rebelling completely against any structure. We have some concerns which we are checking out beyond your typical behavioural problems, possibly ADD/ADHD.


We're getting very aggressive about getting him potty-trained as well. He's now wearing regular underwear all the time (with the exception of naps, bedtime, school & trips outside the house). Frankly I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with laundry as it is! Let's hope this works... sooner rather than later.