Made my week!

Just wanted to say that while I was at the gym the Duke cleaned the kitchen for me. It's the little things in life these days that just brighten my day! :)

Also, for those of you who are not from around these parts, we had our Annual service of Lessons and Carols. The Duke directed a small ensemble that I was allowed to sing in. It was the most fun I have ever had singing. I got to help pick out all of the music. Between us and the big choir, we offered music from the 10th century to the 20th! How amazing is that? There were a few parts that didn't learn their music well, but some of the pieces were so pretty and moving.

The Duke and I sang a duet together for the first time ever 'There is No Rose of Swych Vertu'. It's a medieval piece of music that is just beautiful in text and harmonies. I had a god friend today tell me that it was really romantic and sweet when we started singing together, and another friend told me that she actually got teary at that moment the other night.

I had a great time and wish we could do it more often! It was very fulfilling for me at a time where I really needed something great. Thanks Duke.....YOU ROCK!

Can I get a freakin' hand around here?

Have you ever realized that everything you do around your house is magically reversed...within a matter of seconds. Then you finally resign yourself to just living in pure filth?

My husband had the nerve to ask me this morning when we were going to put up the Christmas tree. I smirked, then kindly said "When this family decides they can help get this disaster cleaned up". When I get stressed about the house he always says "get a maid to come over". Well, right now she wouldn't even be able to get to the filth. They don't pick people's crap up....that is every one's own job.

When I kindly asked 9 year old why he has not cleaned his room (after weeks of being asked) he said "It's too hard". Hmmmm, I might give that same response when people ask me why they don't have Christmas presents.

Also having a ridiculous hard time with the job. With the Duke working on harpsichords nearly everyday, I don't have the time it needs from me. There are also a number of financial issues I won't even bother to address on here.

Let's just say....stress is in the air. I need a kickboxing class.....quick!

Everything I ever needed to know about life I learned from a turtle

My girls are obsessed with the Wonder Pets. We watch it several times a day. The littlest runs up to the TV clapping and yelling "Ming ming!!!" (one of the characters). Each episode these pets; a guinea pig, a duckling, and a turtle save the day when they rescue an animal in trouble....AND they sing operatic tunes while doing so! It's actually one of the more tolerable shows on.

Last night they had their Christmas special, "The Wonder Pets Save the Nutcracker". I was rolling my eyes as the girls asked to watch it for the 4th time today. But, I found hidden meaning in it.

Some of the quotes from turtle Tuck during the show:

"So you're down because you have 1 present just 1...well 1 present is better than none!"

"If you have a warm place to sleep in at night, you really have it alright"

"Be happy with what you have"

Hmmmmm....a theme here? They are quite brilliant cute fluffy things. Maybe they should have the Wonder Pets "Save the Economy"

Strange but true

I can't stand pumpkin pie. I know I'm not American...but I don't like the smell, the texture, the taste. Well, I can't say I have actually tried it, because the smell makes me want to vomit.

What's weird is that I love pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, pumpkin scented candles, pumpkin muffins from Starbucks....

Does anyone else find this to be total bizarrity?

Mother of the year?

In the past week I:

-forgot to bring cookies to a teacher appreciation banquet at 2's preschool. It was my first function to help out with since she started. Yay me. Way to make an impression.

-let my toddlers eat sweet potato fries and natural cheetos for lunch

-forgot to take 1's lunch to school after promising

-turned the monitor off in the middle of the night when 3 was whining

-gave 3 adult anbesol for cutting teeth just to get some P&Q (baby oragel is a joke)

-fed family pizza twice

-procrastinated on making a ticket box for #1s carnival. It was taken to the booth 15 mins late. They were using a paper bag....(Did I mention that I am the room mother for his class? This was my first task.)

So sign me up for mom of the year! Do I get a trophy with that?

In honor of our projected new president...and the Halloween post that I missed.

Business as usual

Wow, has it really been that long since I posted? Things have been crazy. We have been through two rounds of runny green noses...and I'm finally starting to recognize that Sunshine's is most likely allergy related. This girl LOVES taking medicine...but not Claritin. She can even tell it's the Claritin before tasting or smelling it and starts slowly backing away from me. So the noses continue to flow.

I stepped in at the 11th hour to sing for a friend who is the new director of our local community chorus. They were a little short on altos, and I was happy to help. But...I was very disturbed by the audience...or lack of it. For a church that is a "proud sponsor of..." there was no one there except our music director and a few choir members. No clergy, no vestry, nothing. It was just wrong. Not only does the church "support" this choir, but the director is a member of the church. Certainly if not to support the group...why not him? Oh well. Par for the course lately. I'm starting to sense that no one has time for anything but themselves these days. In fact, I have trimmed my friend list accordingly. Sounds rude right? But seriously, why waste time over someone who always takes? We all should take time to give. Good friendships have a little push and a little pull...give and take...and of course SHARE!

Anyway, enough of that. It was so nice to be genuinely thanked and appreciated for once. The members of the group were so kind and generous saying I will always have a place to come back and sing. Being a SAHM, feeling appreciated for something I did is a concept from my past. I loaded the dishwasher 10 times last week (and unloaded), took out 7 bags of trash, changed hundreds of diapers, washed 12 loads of laundry (that no one has bothered to put away)...all without anyone saying "Hey MOM!!! Thanks for the clean undies! It's nice to not go to school smelling like dirt." LOL Does anyone ever really hear that? Ha! I'm not complaining...I chose my path and I enjoy being here for my kids....but it is a thankless job of never-ending to-do lists.

Another reason I have been busy is that I started my own business. Not really. It wasn't my idea. I'm just taking someone else's idea and bringing it to the Dallas area for the first time. It's a foreign language program for kids. And...it's very exciting! I work mostly from home, but I do venture out to check out sites for holding classes, and to interview teachers. I think I have amazing candidates. Just wish I could find more qualified Spanish teachers. Who would have thought that would be so hard in Texas? I can't wait to see them actively teaching little ones. It's a fun job....but highly stressful at this point since I don't know how the idea is going to go over in this area. Most parents I talk to want for their children (and themselves) to learn a second language. But sadly these same parents are feeling the stress of a slow economy.

So wish me luck. Our classes kick off in January!

6 unremarkable things about me!

I've been tagged by Elastigirl.

1. I HAVE to start my morning with coffee. Usually 2-3 cups. I have tried to go without, and it just doesn't work. I like the taste, the smell, the texture....and especially sitting on the back porch watching the sun come up while sipping. All of these things signal morning to my brain. The oldest child will sometimes come ask if I have had my first cup of coffee yet before he asks question of me. How thoughtful.


2. I skipped 4th grade. I don't know exactly what happened, but near the end of 3rd grade I was tested and sent to a shrinky and they moved me on up into a 5th/6th grade combination LEAP class. Talk about a kick in the butt!!! I struggled for 2 years to get caught up and start making decent grades again. Anything I can't answer these days, I smirkishly say under my breath, "I probably would have learned that in 4th grade".


3. I have an unnatural fear of Santa Claus. I have always thought of him as quite creepy. I don't even take my children to sit on his lap. We wave from a distance. Whoever thought of children sitting on a creepy fat man's lap...was out of their mind!


4. My face is extremely uneven. I have worn glasses since 8th grade (the same time I got braces...man I was soooo good looking) but I rarely wear them because of this. My left ear is lower than my right which makes the glasses lean. The bridge of the left side of my nose is flatter than the other side which adds to the problem. And to make matters even worse, my left eyebrow is higher than my right. Which creates the illusion of them being crooked even if I have the glasses corrected to fit properly. I have found a way around the crooked glass look with sunglasses....just buy ones that are so big they cover my eyebrows. But wearing regular glasses, as much as I love them, is a pain!

5. I hate using a top sheet. I have tried using a top sheet over and over, but it always ends up bunched up on the floor. I can't stand the feeling of my feet being bound while I sleep. They have to be on top of the blankies. I also have to have a "knee pillow".

6. I too have a few movies I will watch over and over again: Ever After, The Princess Bride, Sound of Music, Pride and Prejudice, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Love Actually, Dangerous Beauty, Anchorman (The Duke and I quote that movie daily)....."When in Rome....". He he. I still cry at sappy endings....even if I have seen them a million times.

I tag MB, Dana and Dawn Michelle.

Insanity hits the burbs!

Today, in a lovely suburb of large metropolitan area, in a small shopping center, in 90 degree weather...Christmas lights were being hung in the trees with care.

SOOOOOOOO not ready for the fat man in a suit just yet. Let me have fall first please!

Even yuckier Saturday

I wanted to go to a craft show today and buy shoes at Macy's. Like retail therapy will help with sadness...right? Maybe I will still try.

Today marks the 5 year anniversary of my brother's passing. It kind of snuck up on me. No anniversary has hit me like this before.

To make matters worse, we lost a beloved choir member this week, and I will have to sing at her Memorial...exactly 5 years to the date (Tuesday the 30th) since my brother's service. If she weren't a choir member, I would have to pass. But, I know C would have been there for me, and she also sang at my brother's service. It's the right thing to do.

Yuck Friday

I've probably never mentioned this on the blog, but about a month ago a corporate giant fitness company bought out our small home town, family-oriented gym. I have been a member there since Drama was a baby. The staff there was caring and the programs and atmosphere were geared towards a family environment (i.e. no showing your belly in the gym, it must be covered).

So they came in and stole our gym, said we would have to move over to Lifetime (the corp. giant), then hiked our rates more tan $70 a month. Our rate went from $42 to $108 a month. Naturally, over 300 members left and went other places. The gym was also a place for rehab patients that were covered by Medicare. MC paid their dues...Lifetime is not a partner in that program. Where will those seniors go? Then they made the employees "try out" to keep their job. I know of 3 instructors that will go with us to Lifetime, but the others are gone. And those going with us have had their schedules cut way back, AND I can't take class with any of them because they teach at times not convenient to my schedule.

We went ahead and made the switch though. LT is the closest facility to us that does not mak you pay per workout for childcare. The second nearest decent club is LA Fitness. I tried driving to all 3 of them in the area and all took around 20 minutes in traffic. I know I wouldn't use it if I was busy and waffling on whether or not to go. So, we followed the masses...which is what LT wanted everyone to do (eliminate the competition...get more members....make more money).

Today was the last day that formal classes will be taught at HAC. I went to lift weights, but took time to walk through the halls. I won't be able to work out here anymore since the childcare center is being closed. The walls were bare, the pool stripped of all it's toys, the cycles being wheeled out and loaded onto a big truck, the office windows darkened. All the signs of my family health club...gone. It was so sad to walk through and see the staff, maybe for the last time. What a shame that corporate greed has led to this. I realize the owner of HAC agreed to sell, so it's not all LT's fault, and I know I will grow to love my new club (they make a great smoothie and I already have a friend to work out with on T/Th)...but it will take time to get used to it. Ugh....I hate change!

Sad but true

I am appalled at the immaturity of seemingly normal educated people during this election.
This is something a middle schooler would do:

TV anchor who resembles Palin gets 'hate mail'

Seriously??? Why don't you guys spend your time learning about the huge financial mess that is going on instead. Maybe you would learn something important, like who is actually responsible for the crisis.

And another absurd headline today:

Palin Syrah: Wine Drinkers Balk at a Chilean Wine With Hints of Alaska

Come on people. Over wine? Really??? What if they had switched the label. Would it have hint of moose in it then? I think not. For Pete's sake grow up!

Barf!!!

Ok, I'm really trying to make this new eating plan work for me. My trainer recommended protein (with low fat and no sugar) at bedtime. She prefers a can of tuna. Have you ever eaten a can of tune without anything on it? Ugh. At bed time? That's just fishy gross.

My favorite health/fitness magazine, Oxygen, calls cottage cheese the "perfect" bedtime snack because the high protein and slow to digest curds feed your muscles through the night. So I tried it last night. I even added Stevia (a natural no calorie sweetener), then some vanilla extract, and I still could not stomach it. I got halfway through it. The taste isn't really that bad, it's the curds that make me gag. Ya know, the things that make it so valuable to your training diet.

You can check out Oxygen fitness magazine here! I do NOT endorse all the ads for fat burners and other dangerous supplements, but hey, you've got to pay for a magazine some way....right? The women on the front are GORGEOUS. Not model skinny, but not huge body builders either. Sleek, muscular, and shapely. They are an inspiration to me!

The good, the ok, and the smelly

Well we've been on this "eating clean" plan now for a few weeks. I like to think of it as more of a clean lifestyle really (except my house...eww). I have bought SLS-free shampoo for myself and the girls. The boys are much more resistant, but we'll get there. I also have SLS-free body wash for us girls (lavender and vanilla-almond just don't really inspire those guys). We eat more veggies and fruits than ever, and I am proud to say my husband and I have both dramatically reduced our soda intake...well the bad kind anyway. The Duke has replaced DP with Hansen's and Jones colas sweetened with pure cane sugar instead of HFCS. We are still looking for a filtered shower head, though, and I have to admit that we ate at Chik-Fil-A this weekend. (Shhhhhhh) It's a work in progress.

So what's it like?

For the most part, I love it. Here is the low-down on our experience going organic:

The Good-
Jason's Deli (offers a lot of organic choices on the menu now....and they are YUMMO! My favorite is the Cibatta Bing sandwich)
Maria's Safe Salsa- The best salsa I have EVER had!!!! http://www.mariasfreshfoods.com/
You can buy this at Sprouts!
Ezekiel Breads- Sprouted whole grain bread that is a complete protein
Avocados- Who knew healthy fats could be so yummy on nearly everything?
Burt's Bees Papaya face scrub- Reduced the size of my pores within the first two uses. I LOVE this stuff.

The OK-
JASON- SLS free shampoo (doesn't do much for my hair, but I don't hate it
Kefir- Much stronger than plain yogurt flavor, but generally not bad
Stevia- The natural sweetener...um...no so sweet, but then again it's not a chemical and it's calorie free.

And the smelly-
OK, I HATE aluminum-free deodorant. I guess I can pass it off as the weather gets cooler, but I will be reaching for my Degree anti-perspirant. Yowza! I have only tried one brand (ABBA enzyme deodorant). Anyone out there use the Crystal????

Wow...

Just spent some time catching up on other's blogs. It seems I am going to need a break from reading blogs until after the election. I am absolutely sick ...stopping now. Why do people attack the individuals that run? The only reasonable discussion I have had about this election was with a friend who listens to both sides instead of looking at the party affiliations. We both want a non-partisan candidate. Not just a dem or rep dressed in "libertarian" clothing.

She says the candidates try to mold themselves into the D or R groups "platforms" so they can win the party nomination. I could't agree more. Then they back-peddle everything they have said to win the "swing states" to the point where no one stands for what they really believe in...just what they think people want to hear. And who knows what anyone stands for with all these stupid ads? The back-stabbing, mud slinging....make it stop. Just say what you stand for! I say F*** partisan politics.


But while we are all shopping...why not??? My new bumper stickers and T-shirt, inspired by Obama's new tax plan, and Biden's comment "Paying taxes is patriotic". No, it's a duty. Flying the American flag, being proud to be an American no matter what, and praying to God to hold your country in his hands during these tough times is patriotic. You lost me there big guy.

Wild boys

What is it with boys (and grown up boys fall into this category as well) that they can sit and watch 2 spiders (or 2 of anything really) fighting for hours. And be mesmerized...

I'm getting a play by play from a 9 yo and his buddy. It's like fight club for arachnids here. Here's hoping the girls wake up and want to play dolls. Much more my speed!

Ladies and gentlemen...my son (part 2)

This morning Drama demanded that he take his lunch. He couldn't be bothered to endure the horror of corn dogs in the cafeteria. All I have at home is "clean eating stuff" which he also refuses. I made him a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat (which he refused to eat because of the 'seeds' in the bread), gave him a couple cookies and told him to buy the rest when we went to the gas station. I gave him $5 while I put gas in the car.
Wanna know what is in his lunch???
A Sunkist (drink, not a real orange)
the sandwich
the cookies
a baggie of goldfish
and drum roll....

a brown sugar pop tart!

I think my child is going to turn into an 85 pound bag of sugar. We'll just call him carb from now on. Yes it is my fault for allowing it. In my defense...I didn't argue with him since I had already forced him to wear an itchy shirt and gel in his hair for picture day.

Toxic friends

I've been wrestling with some things over the past month, and the only person I've had to share them with is the Duke. He is a dude, so he can't make much sense of my feelings. Also, he could do without the rest oft he world and be just fine. He would be happy with our happy family of 5 living on a small tropical island...as long as it had access to FIOS TV! I tend to be more social, but I am trending away from that. Here is why. Maybe one of you all can help me make sense of these awful ugly feelings. I have to be really careful too, since most of my friends read this blog. These feelings aren't directed at any person in particular, just a general feeling of waterloo on the friendship battleground.

Let's go back to grade school. I didn't have any girl friends at my school. Any kids that lived on my block went to public school. I was at a private school up through 8th grade. I would chat with friends at recess, but no one would come over and play, or spend the night the way girls do. I skipped 4th grade and was moved into a 5/6 grade combination LEAP class...which was extremely intimidating!!! I didn't have friends again for a short time, then connected with a girl I danced with. We'll call her A. A and I danced together 4-5 times a week for most of our childhood years. She was the most popular girl in school. Rich, pretty, smart...she had it all. We had so much fun together...sleepovers, carpooling to ballet, parties. Then she stayed at private school for high school and I went to public. She dropped me like a hot potato. That sucked.

My best friend in high school was a boy. We'll call him S. S and I were in most classes together, but really had the most fun in Drama. We were bff's for all 4 years. Though every time I had a boyfriend, or he had a girlfriend...things would get weird for awhile with our other peeps. We were an odd pair. He was the witty dark Thespian, I was struggling for an image at all. A cheerleader, choir member, swim team, drama person....I had many friends. But none were as close as S. Until my senior year where I got close to T and R. (They were girls). T and S and I were in Jazz Choir together. R was a cheerleader with me. Quickly me, R and T became a threesome of bffs. But we would often argue as hormonal girls do, and generally R and T were closer. S remained constant....always there. The last week of school S told me he had been in love with me since our freshman year. WOAH! From that moment I questioned the validity of our friendship. Was it because of that? Or were were actually friends? To this day, we have not spoken since graduation. How sad is that? (I am still in touch with T and R, and visit them often when I am in town, but they are still closer to each other just like in high school).

Thus started my 3-somes of friends. In college my bffs were D and D2. We were all bffs. But they lived together, were in the same sorority (not mine). We are still friends, and they are both Godparents to my children, but they are still closer...they always have been.

I told B when I met him that I have a lot of friends, but not a single close girlfriend. The gf that you call everyday to ask what she is doing. The one who you can call at 4 am. The one you always get a call back from. He was happy to take on that role. And now I am proud to say, that my husband is my tried and true BFF!!! Since we have been married we have found couple friends that we become close to at times, but then things get crazy and we go months without hanging out at all.

I do long for a close girl friend. I always have. Why do I seem to always have boys for bffs? Can I relate to them better? Am I lacking in estrogen? Do I smell? Is it my small boobs? Do I not listen well enough? Am I mean hearted? Shallow? I really am looking for answers here.

Here is what I have wrestled with:

1. In my life I have been in 7 weddings, but have never been the maid of honor.
2. We have 10 people in our lives that we felt strong enough about to be God parents to our children. Yet no friend has ever asked that of us. (I am Godmother to my brother's children, but he lived with me...he knew how awesome I would be to my God babies!) Do we look irresponsible? Is our relationship with God seemingly not strong? Who knows. Should I care?

This all came on strong this weekend when I invited a bunch of girls to go see Mamma Mia. I invited everyone. I bought the tickets. I had a pre-party. I was so busy making sure everyone had food and drink, that I missed the call-outs on cars. Not that it was a big deal, but everyone went in other cars except my mom. She wanted to ride with me. But no one seemed to. And I know it wasn't an attack on me, but after struggling with all of this baggage, that didn't help my case. Mom and I eventually rode with my friends D and D and had a great time.

This book I am reading talks about eliminating toxic friends from your lives. The ones who stress you out, or leave you angry, depressed, irritated. How do you know which are just the daily ups and downs of a normal friendship, and which are really just a bad relationship? Especially when most of my bffs have been boys? Am I out of touch with the ladies? Is there a course for that? Somebody help me out here.

Pastics information anyone?????

After reading my post last week a friend sent an email about plastics leaching poisons into the beverages we drink. She then said "Don't even get me started on what those little triangles mean".

Does anyone have any more info about this??? I'm intrigued...and worried.

Why I heart Sarah Palin

I didn't vote in the last presidential campaign. I couldn't stand either person running. Watching them both made me want to stab a pencil in my eye. They say if you want change....then vote. Don't complain if you don't vote. I said....give me something I can work with.

I never get true, honest, un-biased opinions in my arena. My family (husband, parents, in-laws, everyone I am related to) are staunch conservative Republicans. All of my friends are liberal Democrats. What's a middle-of-the-road girl supposed to do? I can't ask someone to help me make sense of the issues, because they are all speaking with conviction for their cause. What about my cause?

Fast forward to this year. I watched the primaries go by just watching the candidates make their cause. I actually thought I would vote for Hillary. What an empowerment to have a woman in office! But thank goodness she didn't win, my husband would have left me on the spot. LOL! There's a reason those voting booths are private! I really enjoyed some talks by Huckabee because he talked about something that is a HUGE issue for the Duke and I. The Duke owns his own small business. And, I aspire to own my own very soon. We are the little people. Raising taxes for government programs puts small businesses out of business. But Huckabee was quickly defeated by a man I wouldn't even give the time of day. Why? I saw McCain as "the establishment" and I don't want any part of that.

Then there was Obama. Hmmm. I thought, well he is a great speaker. People seem to love him. I could vote for him. But the more I watched him, and the more I heard "Hope, hope, change, change" and "let me generalize that subject" I grew tired of that cause and decided to just not vote. (Though I do like Joe Biden).

My husband MADE me watch Giuliani's speech the other night, which was pretty funny. He's a funny guy. Then Sarah walks in looking sweet and innocent. Then she started talking. WHOA she is feisty....like me (my husband refers to it as bitchy). What a cool lady!!!!! She has a great name ;) and a good head on her shoulders. She is (sort of) from my generation at only 44 years of age. I loved her accent, and her lipstick joke. She also mentioned lowering taxes so small businesses can survive. She is a pro-lifer...like myself, but more importantly...she is a mother. I respect any mom who can look that good after 5 children, who can pull herself together to go to work defeating "the establishment" because she knew it could be better. She is a woman who was just like me at on point....a soccer mom who signed up for the PTA.



I think this is cute:







Granted, I don't much about Palin or her background and people may call me shallow for just going with the woman, because is a woman. But hey....I'm voting! How much do we ever really know about candidates? You can't believe what they say...because they say what you want to hear. You can't believe what the media says because they have an obvious agenda. I jut like her personality, spunk, and positive attitude. I would feel so much better having a God-fearing mom in the White House who has my interests at heart: education and family values. I am finally excited about this election. I went from not voting, to wanting to be the first in line at my precinct. (Now if I could just find out where that is LOL).

*disclaimer*
This post isn't intended to piss anyone off. After all, all of my friends are Dems...my family Reps. I don't care who they all vote for...that's what makes our country great. We have a choice! Amen. God Bless America!

Toxic Friday

I bought some new vitamins last week and they came with a free book. The book is called Perfect Weight America by Jordan Rubin. The book really upset me a first. They first take your BMI. Mine is 23. A healthy BMI is one which falls into the 18-24.5 range. So, I am at my healthy weight right? No exactly, according to this book. I then had to measure my wrist where the hand meets and divide that measurement into my height in inches to determine my frame size. You may be surprised to learn that I have a very small frame according to those measurements. But I bet you will be even more surprised to hear that I am not at my "ideal" weight. I would have to lose 12 pounds at the very least to even fall in the range of my ideal weight. So naturally, I turned my brain off to these crazy ideas and tried not to think too much about it. Who needs another diet program anyway?

Then I happened upon another book at my parent's house. This book is totally insane! In fact I was rolling my eyes the first few chapters....but I couldn't stop reading. It was about natural cures. In this book they state that the sun is a natural healer of disease, and by keeping yourself from it, you disturb this healing process. Then it goes on to say that sunscreen, not the sun, causes cancer. Hmmmmm.

The main message behind the book is to avoid chemicals and chemically -altered foods, medicines, water, etc. As I read this I started feeling sick. #2 on the top 5 list of things to avoid is aspartame...a known carcinogen. Nice. I've actually known this, but I am addicted to diet sodas. And now I know why. Apsartame and other artificial sweeteners are highly addictive. I might as well be doing cocaine. I felt sluggish, greasy, and dirty after reading this book and asked my mom to watch the kids so I could walk through Sprouts (a local "whole" foods market). I picked up some things there to help ease my family into this huge transition. I had already decided to start "eating clean" last week after purchasing 2 of Tosca Renos cookbooks:

Now I am feeling the need to take this a step further. Both books were sending the same message. Eat clean, get rid of processed foods, and reduce the chemicals you expose your body to. They go as far as saying if you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin. It all goes into the same bloodstream. I know I can't rid my family of all chemicals and micro-manage everything they eat. But I can give them the tools to make the healthier choices. And maybe that weight range isn't so off target if I were to actually get rid off all the toxins trapped in my fat cells, and al the bloating that comes from eating processed chemical foods.

So today I am letting my kids and I clean out the toxic food. Drama had a chocolate Pop Tart for breakfast. Mmmmmmmmmmm......gotta love that high fructose corn syrup. And the girls are happily munching on goldfish as I type this. I will drink my last cold Diet Dr Pepper today...and then I am officially done with artificial sweeteners. If people can quit smoking....I can stop drinking poison.

I know this new lifestyle will come with a cost. And honestly, that scares me. I bought 5 things at Sprouts last night and my bill was over $40. But if we will all be healthier in the long run...even live longer...can you put a price on that?

Fried!

Can't type...must sleep.

Drama started 3rd grade today. He had a great day! However, getting kids ready to send them off to school is exhausting. I noticed when looking at the first day of school pics that we missed that all-important before school haircut.

Which I was going to do today....BUT...

Sunshine has been sick since Saturday. We were out for a friend's Bday when we got the text that she had a 103F fever. UGH! Just got Tink and Drama over that icky fever/throat thing. It sounded like croup, so I treated it like croup. We had the right diagnosis, but today she really seemed to go downhill. By the time I got her to the Dr she had stridor (a high pitched sound resulting from turbulent air flow in the upper airway...audible on SS during inhalation and exhalation). Just sitting in the Dr. her fever went up a whole degree and a half and her breathing deteriorated from oxygen sats at 100 to 98 (which is still ok from what I understand).

The Dr. was worried enough (since croup tends to get worse at night and she was sounding that awful at rest...what if she were crying...or coughing) that she decided to skip the oral steroid and go straight for the IM shot. She said it would work faster (within 6 hours as opposed to 24) and hopefully keep us out of the ER tonight.

She also warned us that croup is highly contagious. Weeeeeeeeeeee! Since SS and TB share a room, there is really nothing we can do but pray. The poor thing sounds awful. She has no voice and we have to keep the monitor up super loud to be able to tell when she is crying. Drama (being dramatic and loving of his sister) actually tears up every time he hears her talk because it sounds like she is "so sick". I keep assuring him she will be just fine with a little humidity, fluids, and rest.

Meanwhile... the Duke is frantically typing his dissertation paper that is to be turned in Wednesday. Pray pray pray.....

So painting, haircuts, cleaning, and organizing has taken a backseat for a bit.

It's beginning to look a lot like...September???

There's something about the start of school that makes me want to get the house cleaned and organized. In the past I have had one child's room and closet to go through and toss the old, and find places for the new things. Now there are three. I know thing 1 and 2 don't have school yet, but I still feel the need to organize.

The clean drive was ignited last week after a shopping trip to Wal-Mart. I found the perfect "ammonia remover" powder to sprinkle in the cat's litter box so it can stop stinking up my bathroom. The plan completely backfired and we came downstairs the next morning to a mountain of poop on the girl's freshly laundered clothes and a huge pee stain on the couch. The cat PEED on or dry-clean only couch. I'm sure you are wondering why in the world we have a dry-clean only couch with 3 children. Easy answer. Couch was purchased BG. (BG in our house refers to "before the girls"). We got the house that is too small, the couch that is too hard to clean and a multitude of other idiotic choices before we knew they would grace our lives.

So we found the couch we want...leather. We have a leather recliner and the thing looks brand new every time you condition it. Best choice for kids. If you are looking for a sofa, chair, car, anything and you plan on having kids....spent the extra money on the leather. Barf, breast milk and blood all wipe up nicely! Couch is back-ordered until end of month so we have a little time to think about what it will look like in the room. This has spurred craziness in Casa de Insanity.
We have decided to paint three rooms...and have already started on one. Most of the walls to paint are the original builder's white complete with kiddos fingerprints, cat barf, and crayon. What a shame to cover all that history up. *sigh*

Now my house is a disaster as we try to clean up and move things around to paint and then make another mess painting, only to clean that up, etc etc. The good thing is when you paint a room you have to move things around and vacuum, clean floors, etc. And painting (to me) is very calming. That will be awesome. But do you know how impossible it is to paint with little people around? I can do 2 hours a time during naps. That's it. I don't think we will be done in time for school to start. So I will have to settle for being organized somewhere in the vicinity of 2010...

Things that make me even happier!!!

1. Tomorrow morning, my car will be in the shop to get it's instrument panel cluster replaced. We received a letter about a class action lawsuit against GM for the speedometer failures happening in 2003-2005 models. In response, they have decided to extend the factory warranty on the instrument cluster for 7 years or 70K miles. Thank goodness we are under it! No costs...no worries. So, after tomorrow, I will once again know how fast I am going!

2. N Texas is having some unseasonably cool temps for august. There is a lot of rain...and humidity. But who cares when it is 76 degrees??? Keep 'em coming.

3. I sang at church on Sunday with a group of friends. It is always fun to do this, but even more helpful to me when the Duke is around to hear. His opinion matters more to me than anyone since #1- he is an amazing musician, fully educated in the style of the music I prefer to sing and #2- He will always tell me the truth. Brutal or not...he is honest. And he said it was the best singing he has heard me do so far and recommended to Mr Choir Director that I do a solo next. I told him he has to pick it.
I've never really cared for my voice. In high school I was known as one of those altos who didn't really have a great voice, but could read anything cold. So I was in choir... 3 of them! But I wasn't that great. I didn't like my voice, and it seemed others didn't either. I've never had a big voice. I was rarely (if ever) chosen for solos. Then, after singing alto for years, I was told I could possibly be a soprano. I have never had any formal vocal training except 4 lessons with an Early music soprano, some coaching by Duke, and mostly ear training. After being married to Duke, I have found a place where my voice fits. My clear, non-wobbly sound has found a home. I have found a new confidence in the sound I hear coming back at me, and have really enjoyed singing this past year. And it feels really good to be told by my husband (who by the way is extremely critical in a good way) that I sounded like a professional. Yay!

4. Did I mention school starts on Monday???

Things that make me happy!

• USA Olympic swimming
• My new coffee maker (a thermal carafe pot as suggested by many friends)
• Drama's artistic ability and love for his little sis'
• Tinkerbel's low, raspy, yet very sweet voice
• Singing great music this coming Sunday at church
• A nice hard rain on a hot summer day
• Ezekiel sprouted grain bread, English muffins, and NEW tortillas! YAY!
• My CW Dream Hair shampoo and conditioner
• The sweet sugar I get from kissing my babies' heads
• My husband telling me how "beautiful and young" I look lately
• Sunshine saying "I miss you Mommy" and "I love you" and "Is Sunshine a princess?"
• My new Sharkie steam mop. It cleans floors (sterilizes even) without chemicals!
• The work we did in Iowa. Hard labor, but it felt amazing!
• Laughter...from anyone

It continues...

This morning my coffee maker broke. It's not old, or new really. We got it for our wedding...4 years ago. My coffee maker is to me like a pacemaker is to someone with a bad heart. I hopped in the car and drove to Starbucks that minute...no make-up, hair disheveled, pjs on. When I walked in from SB, skinny latte in tow, my soon to be 2 year old Sunshine said "Mommy got coffee?". It's almost like she was as relieved as I was. Tink is cutting top teeth and last night was horrific.

Must buy new one today. Any suggestions on best brands for that perfect perk me up???

Under siege!

Do you ever feel like a little black rain cloud is following you around?
Having a professional musician as the bread winner in the family means that summers are slim around here. Students drop off for summer vacation, and the University rarely has a summer school enrollment for harpsichord 101. Every thing has to fall right into place to make it work. Well, the short story version is that things have not been in place. Not at all...


On our blissful drive back from the beach we noticed our speedometer seemed to be reading high. Maybe 20 mph high. Now, it is stuck on 120 mph all the time. I have no idea how fast I am going unless someone is driving close by. Cost for a new instrument panel??? $600

Two weeks ago, our dryer broke in the middle of two loads of towels. I had moldy towels for a week until my "I can fix anything" dad came over and saved us from buying a new dryer by rigging up a small fix. The real part would have to be ordered. If he weren't around...we'd be screwed. Our dryer is only 3 years old.

The day after, our garage door broke. (I'm not kidding about this). Dad came over and changed a small part and it was working again. But by this point I was asking the Duke what could possibly go wrong next? I should not have asked. Two kids got a nasty throat virus with fevers as high as 104F. It was a long miserable weekend...but I had clean towels...

...until the rigged part died and the dryer stopped working again. Thank goodness above mentioned part was in! Dryer worked again....things were good. I had no idea how fast I was driving, but life was good.

Then the Duke's car died. The alternator was bad. Replacement cost: $300. Dad fixed the car. Car ran well. I kept thinking this was over. I have no idea how fast I am going, but at least D's car is running again.

But tonight in the middle of driving to work the car died again....WITH it's new alternator. And when the D came inside he said the garage motor was sounding "funny" again.

I swear I feel like our last month has been right out of some sitcom...or a cartoon with a little black cloud over my house that follows me around. I'm ready for the storm to blow on through. Let's see a little bit of sun!

Where in the world is the DOI???

Hmmmmm,

I feel lately like I am being pulled in a million directions....
Let me 'splain in short detail since Army Wives is on and all God's children (at least the younger ones that reside here) are in bed. Not necessarily asleep, but in bed.

We went on our fabulous beach trip, and up until that point I had a mission and a wonderful commitment to changing my family to a positive, healthy, and active one. We are not an "inactive" folk per se, but I think we are so darn worn out after caring for 3 plus the two of us that we choose the easy way out. Like tonight....it was 7pm....didn't want to make dinner so I drove to Sonic. Bad bad bad choice. I even feel like a grease ball after eating it so much that I am making a stop at the shower before I watch AW.

Since we have been home my mission has imploded, my focus waned, my mind feels mushy and my thighs squishy again. I have not been to the gym since July 9th. Up until now....that was unheard of in my house unless a babe or I was sick. My grocery trips have been random spurts of "we need bread", "must get beer", and "our milk expired". It's like something has to be wrong for me to drag myself to that place. That horrible place. I HATE grocery shopping. I would rather iron for 3 hours than grocery shop. No kidding.

I also had a trip with a few friends that was planned for the week after we returned. No kids, no boys, just friends and shopping at outlet malls. Well, that feel through but something wonderful happened. I decided in it's place I would go on a mission trip for my church. I have never been on one before, and it seemed like the right call at the time. I am still very excited, but nervous about being away from the girls for 3 1/2 days. I have never been away from them for more than 21 hours at any given time. Yes it's time...but it is hard.

Which brings me to another point about where I have been. A friend (Tink's Godmother) just had a baby. She so much wanted a natural birth experience, but after nearly 24 hours of labor without progression and baby having decels, they ended up with a C/S. Every friend I have known who this has happened to (including your truly) had a really hard time with this and I feel the need to support her. It is her first baby, and she was having a difficult time with the weepiness. She has been told by many that it is completely normal, but it's nice to have someone to cry with. So, I sit with her and offer to hold baby so she can...fill-in-the-blank....whenever I have free time. By the way I would love to add here that as adorable as my friend's new babys are....holding them has affirmed my choice to end my childbearing years. Don't get me wrong...I love the smell and feel of a newborn...but thank GOD I can give them back when I am done.

Speaking of free time, the Duke and I were blessed by my parents who kept the girls overnight so we could get away for our 4th anniversary. What a treat. We stayed at a fancy hotel in the city and had yummy Italian food without anyone screaming, throwing food, spilling water, etc. The next day we had a couple's massage before picking the kids up. They had a really good time, but my parents looked exhausted. It's nice for them to re-visit this part of their lives so they can thank their lucky stars I grew up and moved out....twice!

I feel sort of like a Roomba. Have you seen these things? They quietly go about their business cleaning floors without any help from another. Once they are done with one room they go to the next and the next, only to come back and do it again. My housework is eating my lunch. I spent 2 hours in Drama's room today (at his request) to help him organize. I just went in to tuck him in and it is a disaster yet again. The upside is that he is quietly reading an enormous chapter book quietly to himself. What a change from the boy who wouldn't read just a year ago. He is now writing his own chapter books. How inspiring! Maybe he should start writing this blog....

The Duke is on a mission to become the best harpsichordist in the world, or something like that. So, he is now practicing 3-4 hours a day. He wants more. I feel that since this is his career, I should let him have the time and make it happen. If I had a salesman husband and he had to finish a presentation, there would be no questions. He would have to get it done. And in all honesty, him performing great recitals will help him make a name for himself. But it is so hard to give him the time. It takes away from my time (to get my housework done) and from our time (when the kids are in bed). So what do you do? He also has informed me he wants to put on a private recital in our home. Now that inspires me! We could have so much fun with that. But our house is small, and space is limited. What to serve? Who to invite? He is, by the way, sounding awesome!

The beauty of multiple children

Yesterday we moved Tinkerbel's crib into Sunshine's bedroom so we could reclaim our office. There's something about moving furniture around that gets me all gung ho about cleaning and organizing. We have family coming over for Tink's 1st Bday this weekend, so that may also have contributed to the craze.

Anywho, I had Drama place all of his "too young for me" toys in a box located in his bedroom. Since they were boy toys, I figured I wouldn't save any of them and we would take to CCA. However, Tink and SS found said toys and have been playing with Buzz Lightyear for about an hour now. I am pretty sick of hearing "to infinity and beyond", but they are peaceful, quiet, and happy. This is good after the horrific morning of temper tantrums!

WTF??? (and other random thoughts)

-The other day in the grocery store a man commented to his wife "hey honey...it would actually be cheaper if we could put milk in our gas tank". Sure enough I looked at the price of 1 gallon of milk ($3.29) and compared it to the $89.95 it took to fill my tank the day before (at $3.89/gal). I remember an ad in the newspaper several years back to keep people from complaining about gas prices and they used milk as an example. If you think gas is expensive, imagine if you had to fill your tank with milk. That would be nearly $3 a gallon. I would gladly fill my tank with milk. Could I use the expired stuff in my fridge?

-Also the other day, at a local Starbucks (around 9:30 AM), a mom walks in with her obese daughter. Daughter looked to be maybe 9 or 10. Mom wasn't thin, but not huge. Anyway, she orders herself a tall non-fat latte, then proceeds to order her daughter a grande hot chocolate...extra whip. Then says "oh and a donut". Hunh??? Why don't you just order her a side of diabetes and a heart attack with it lady...you are killing your offspring.

-My 11 month old and 22 month old wear the same size in clothes right now.

-My 8 year old is almost as tall as his best friend's mother and is one shoe size away from men's footwear. Do they put miracle grow in Fruity Pebbles?

-On a random day at 2 pm in Texas, in the middle of June, it was 72 degrees. Sweet!

-I'm getting a bikini wax this Friday. When I made the appt. they tried to sell me a .5 oz vial of "numbing creme" for the pain for the bargain price of $17. I said no thanks and proceeded to drive across the street to Wal Mart and buy the same stuff, in a 6 oz bottle for $3. Highway robbery at best.

Holy canoli!

Has it really been 4 weeks since my last post? I was catching up on Elastigirl's blog, and saw that it had been awhile since an update. Since most of you read my family blog...you know I have been busy with 3 kids at home this summer. If you don't read it...and want to see the babes, check it out here. What is my excuse for not blogging? I don't really have a good one.

My baby started walking, and climbing which could be it's own post... complete with expletives. One day while sitting inside amongst a few girlfriends, I looked out at her and she was standing on the kid's patio furniture. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph...how did she get up there, I wondered quietly to myself??? Before screaming at three adult males (including her father) "someone get the baby!!!!!". Do they not see these things? Do all parental skills fly out the window the minute you put a beer and a grill tool in their hands? Do they see an 11month old dancing on a chair and dismiss it as normal? Are they normal? Don't answer that.

I have also been going to the gym everyday (not weekends) to make up for my complete lack of commitment to my goals and thus, my jello-like physique. We leave for the coast this weekend, and I wanted to be solid. As my trainer always says, "I don't care how big it is, as long as it doesn't jiggle". I know here are people out there rolling their eyes at me right now as they read this... I am hard on myself when it comes to fitness. It's my only hobby right now since my choir totally went defunct. Fitness is all I have outside of my family duties...and I feel like I have failed. Here is my take on it. People will spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on cars, shoes, jewelry, etc...but many spend very little time or money on their body...their health...their livelihood. You get one body to last your lifetime. How long will you keep your car??? House? last year's Coach purse??? Exactly. I DID get the Duke to sign up for the gym, and we have been training together. That is a lot of fun and I am so excited he is working out for his health and well-being. What a great thing for couples to do together!!!

My third and lamest excuse is that my 3 children at home, and the chores that come with them...are exhausting. The floors....OMG the floors....!!!! Did you know it only takes ants 5 minutes and 24 seconds to locate a dropped piece of waffle on the floor. They are everywhere....the floors....did I mention I hate them??? My brain does not work so well right now. Thoughts are mostly garbled junk, interspersed with a random brilliant idea...that fades silently with the lack of motivation I feel right now. I have not forgotten about you, all two of my loyal readers...I'm just lazy.

Shouldn't bloggers follow the lead of prime time TV and just show repeats during the summer? How would that work? Highlights from the past year? Low lights? Crap...I need to get my hair done.....

We are each other's angels

The whirlwind that was last week is finally winding down. The Duke got home in one piece...but brought home friends. I have had his nasty Peruvian cold virus now for a week. I thought I was getting better Friday, but now it's descended into my lungs and I just feel awful. Along with the homecoming, I had a baby shower I was co-hosting this week. It is always fun to plan parties for friends, but after co-hosting 5 showers in the last 2 years...I am officially retiring. I don't care WHO of my friends gets preggo...they are on their own. It's kind of sad because I have become quite crafty at making diaper cakes. Sigh....maybe a business venture for the future???

Anyway, I never got around to officially thanking all of my "angels" from the 12 days Duke was gone. I could have never made it without all of my support from family and friends.

• Mom, who watched the girls so I could pick up items at the store without an entourage and attend a nice dinner with friends. I always feel comfortable leaving my children with my parents. They also watched the girl the night before the Duke left so he and I could have our first date in a year. how sad is that??? It was wonderful. We need to do that much more often.


• MB who brought pizza (and wine!!!) and helped watch a child so I could put the other in bed without her being unattended. Also gave me much needed adult time!


• Elastigirl who offered to watch the girls Friday so I could have a "me" day. When the Duke heard about this he bought me a "day at the spa" to use . It was amazing! I had a facial, massage, and aromatherapy steam shower. I also came home to a clean floor, and freshly washed dishes. Thanks EG... you rock!


• Friends Miles and Riegers, who came over one Friday night just to hang out and give me company.


• Super-dad T who watched the girls so I could escape to get a haircut and lunch....then hosted Mrs Swizzle and I for adult time while kids played happily on back patio.


• Friend Mrs McG who called several times and invited me to tag along with the fam just to get me out of the house.


• Friend DM who droped by just to say hi several times.


• The Swizzles who had the most wonderful Tequila Rockband Extravaganza one night despite my very unhappy children (and my cranky self).


• Dad, who took Drama to school everyday and picked him up so I didn't have to wake up the girls.

I know I am probably leaving someone out. But you can get my idea. One of the reasons the Duke said he felt comfortable leaving us for so long...so far away...is because of our awesome support system. We are blessed to have such angels in our lives. I hope I can return the favor for a friend in need one of these days. It brings to mind a song I love by Sara Hickman.

We Are Each Other's Angels

Well, I hope I see you later
Cuz it's time for me to go
And my ride has just pulled over
But it sure was good to know you
Go answer your calling
Go and fill somebody's cup
And if you see an angel falling...
Won't you stop and help her up?
Cuz we are each other's angels
And we meet when it is time
We keep each other going
And we show each other signs...
Sometimes you'll stumble
Sometimes you'll just lie down
Sometimes you will get lonely
With all these people around
You might shiver when the wind blows
Yea, you might get blown away
You might lose a little colours
You... you might lose a little faith...
But we are each other's angels
And we meet when it is time
We keep each other going
And we show each other signs...
Well, I reached my destination
Yea, I finally made it home
God sent ten thousand angels
To make me one of his own...

A completed chapter of my life

Last week while the Duke was gone, I decided to do some spring cleaning. I still have a long way to go, but on thing I accomplished was cleaning out the kids' clothes that are too small. I've boxed and bagged them up, along with my leftover maternity clothes, and they are awaiting decisions as to where they will go. So sad to pack away those baby things. So tiny...so cute! I kept most of the newborn clothes for the girls to use as doll clothes, and I kept all the sentimental things to cherish.

The biggest closed chapter, however, is the end of my breastfeeding career. I have nursed all three of my children as long as they wanted, and now...my baby has decided she is done. She nursed the longest of the 3 by far. Drama was 6 months, and Sunshine 4 months (cut short by pregnancy with Tink affecting the taste...she doesn't seem any worse for the wear). A part of me is sad to know that chapter is over.

The big boobs of pregnancy and nursing have given way to the saggy, mismatched, water balloons of motherhood. But at the same time I feel like I have regained a portion of me that has been missing for quite sometime. I have been pregnant or nursing a child since December of 2005. I have not been able to take any good medications for colds, headaches, etc...or drink in any great or regular amounts. Not that I drink that much, or take many OTC drugs...but the point is that now I can. I can go away for the weekend and not worry about pumping, storing, or engorgement. It's a liberation that is refreshing. Last night I actually slept through the first night time feeding in 2 1/2 years...and the Duke took care of it...and I never knew it until I saw a bottle in the sink this morning. How sweet is that??? And I can always look at my beautiful children and know that I gave them the best start in life, with a sacrifice that was more than worth it!

Goodbye 32 DD boobs....hello mini-freedom!

Today is the day!

In about 1 1/2 hours, the Duke's plane will land...and assuming I can wrangle the children...we will be waiting at the baggage claim. I've been really curios to see how each child will react towards him. Sunshine has been having serious separation anxiety crying out for me at odd hours of the night, yet Drama said "wow, already...that was a fast trip". Tinkerbell seems no worse for the wear. She does say a lot of words now when prompted, so it will be fun to show him her new skill. Her words include da-da, ma-ma, uh-oh, baby (doesn't sound very much like baby), ba-ba, and no. Sometimes I can't tell if she is saying na-na, or just two or more "no's" in a row....so possibly another word. I was hoping she would have been walking more, but I guess it's a good thing that he didn't miss much. She did take 5 steps towards me on Wednesday, but has yet to repeat the process.
Sunshine has also picked up some interesting words. When Tink cries she says "she go nite-nite". REALLY cute....unless SS hits her first and then says that. Um, no SS, she is not crying because she needs to sleep, she just needs you to stop hitting her.

Do you all have any experience with dads/moms being gone long? Should I expect SS to react negatively? My mom mentioned that I ignored her when she came back from a trip when I was SS's age. I guess we can't really predict children, and how they will react. And...after the weeks I've had with the Duke gone I would say he deserves whatever is coming to him. Mwa ha ha ha!!!

Sleep...what's that?

Most women I have known in my life say they do not sleep well when their significant other is out of town. I am right there with them. I get the whole bed, don't have to fight for covers, and no one is snoring in my ear...but can't doze off. It's too quiet. Eerily quiet. I am a light sleeper...always have been. This has been magnified by having children...I have the monitors turned up so loud I can hear them breathing.

This trip I have been thrust into crazy mode. I don't sleep. I listen for every sound outside and in. Dogs barking, son getting up to use restroom at 3 AM, babies sneezing, car doors closing, airplanes flying over....it makes my head spin just thinking about it. Every night the kids have gone to bed by 8:30, and slept well. But I have been tossing and turning until around 2.

Last night I decided to give myself a break and take some Tylenol PM. Have you ever had the stuff??? It's good stuff. My OB recommended it for the last few weeks of pregnancy when I could not sleep to save my life...and it DID save my life. It was still sitting on the shelf in the medicine cabinet and called to me yesterday. I took two (I usually take only one).

BIG MISTAKE!!!!

Tinkerbel was up screaming from 9-11 last night. I also (dumb move) let Drama attend a baseball game with his Godparents and he walked in the door at 11:15. Then around 11:30 got a text from the Duke saying he missed everyone and would be traveling most of today blah blah blah. I finally fell fast asleep...until Sunshine starting shrieking around 1AM. I rocked her to sleep and put her soundly in her crib...3 times. She would wait until I crawled into bed, then started up again. Around 2:15 she woke her sister up and I told her she was on her own until I got the baby back to sleep (I figured she would be easier). She went down like a breeze, and I went back in, gave SS a Motrin dose and some water to drink, then rubbed her back for 15 minutes. She finally fell back asleep. Then TB was up for her usual 6AM feeding.

Sheesh I am tired. It's almost like my kids knew that I took a sleep aid. How do they do that???

Let the screaming begin...

It's already started. Sunshine has been up for only 10 minutes and they are already fighting. They fight over anything...toys, sippys, nothing. Tink is screaming because it appears that she wants a teddy graham that Sunshine is sitting next to. SS is screaming back "NOOOOOOOOOOOO" at the tops of her lungs and throwing them in the opposite direction. Does sibling rivalry really start this young? I have made many attempts to have 2 of most things. But it's just impossible. Besides many times SS will just take both and run off yelling "MINE" since TB is still only crawling and much slower. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes that A: TB can catch her and B: TB is bigger than her (because it is obvious that she will be).

I am exhausted. The Duke is on Day 5 of his trip. He gets to sit on a bus for 7 hours today, do one concert, then have a leisurely dinner. Tomorrow he gets the day off to do whatever. I've heard they might visit a fabulous mercado to "shop". HE HATES SHOPPING!!!!!! How is this fair? I think I am going to buy a plane ticket for Cozymel and when I go to pick him up at the airport next Monday just drop the kids and leave. What do ya think? Would that be mean?

Now before you answer, let me give some background information. I went back to work when Drama was 6 months old. I worked in a position where I traveled 3-4 times a year...mostly to Canada. It was liberating to go places and see new things. Yes I missed my child, but I had a life, good hair, and always freshly painted toenails. Fast forward 8 years and here I am literally stuck in my own situation. The Duke just told me he was going to South America one day and I had nothing I could say to keep him here. I was invited with friends to go out of town for 3 days this summer (only 2 nights....not 11) and was given the third degree. Where are you going? What are you doing? What about work for those days? Uh darling...wherever you are out there. I don't care....I am going. Figure it out amongst yourselves.

Can you tell I am mildly irritated? I am tired, the girls were up crying every 30 mins last night until 2, and I have had a headache every night since the D left. And the screaming....oh...the screaming.....make it stop!

God save the Duchess

The middle one...Sunshine (which by the way I really need to work on new names) can open doors now. Why God? Why this week?

She just let Tinkerbell into Drama's room, which is still a mess from last week though he has been asked everyday to fix it. And...there were crayons...and coins...and I am pulling my hair out.

Where do you get those door things to keep kids out??? And do they deliver? Jeez I don't want to go out in public with thing 1 and thing 2 right now. I want to crawl under a rock and hide...would that be child abandonment? Hmmmm???

On the other side of the world

Right now, the Duke is flying somewhere over the equator. He is far far away. When he lands in South America tonight, we will be over 4200 miles apart. When you look at the globe, he is literally on the other side of the world. The cold winds come from the South Pole, it is autumn...turning into winter there. It seems strange to me...like he is in another world.

Getting ready for this trip has been extremely hard for us. About a month ago it hit him how long 12 days is, and he quickly regretted agreeing to go on this excursion. It wasn't required of him. He had only 24 hours to think about it and give an answer to the director. He says with another few hours to think on it, he would have answered no. The trip is poorly planned and until Saturday we didn't even know where he would be on any given day. He has received a vaccine for yellow fever and been warned to not take a shower loner than 2 minutes. No brushing your teeth with local water. Everything to drink must be brought to you in sealed bottle, which is then to be wiped down, and finished with a straw. Apparently the water could make them very sick. He has a special diarrhea kit, mosquito spray, and several rehydrating packets. So again...why is he there?

Some Baroque music festival. I hope it is worth it for him....and for me! He called from Miami during his layover and talked until they made him turn off his phone just in case we can't talk while he is away. I feel empty without him. I know that sounds strange, but he really is my best friend, my soul mate, my second self. I miss him already....and the breaks I get from the crazies...and the fact that he does the dishes every morning...and makes my morning coffee for me (sometimes brings it to me in bed). How will I cope tomorrow?

So far I have the coffee pot on auto. Hopefully I won't forget that you have to add water, and coffee...so much for auto. Sign me up for a magic coffee pot. Do they make those?

Quick bikini challenge update

Had an appointment with the trainer today. I have lost 5 pounds since March 5th, including 2 pounds of fat. The bad news is that while my overall body fat % went down a point, I lost 3 pounds of muscle. She says I'm not eating enough; and she's not on board with Ms Michael's one snack a day garbage. She reminded me to up my protein intake, not skip meals, and eat every 2 hours....and keep up the good work. I can see a bikini of some sort in the not-so-distant future.

Day 13

How am I doing? Well, I fell off the wagon last weekend. I hopped back on for the exercise portion this week, but I was too tired and irritated to make diet food...why??? ...period number 3. Yes, I am smack in the middle of my once-every-3 months cycle. Hooray. I think I make up for the other two months all in about 3 days. I am low-energy, low-patience, and low-willpower from chocolate.

So, I started last week off strong. I ate perfectly M-F and worked out M/T according to the book. Unfortunately I was too sore to complete Th/F workouts. Oh well. By the end of the week I was honestly seeing a difference in my stomach area. It was so motivating. Then for some reason this week I hit the workouts hardcore, but ate terrible things (like home made peanut butter cookies...MMMMM, and some frozen Cadbury eggs I was saving for August...sigh). I feel pudgy again and fluffy. My belief now is that if you can only handle one discipline, go with the diet. It made more of a difference in my body....in a HUGE way. I felt more in control last week, more focused. The food gave me energy to exist in my crazy corner of the world. This week has been full of energy slumps and sugar crashes.

Let's hope next week is better. I need to plan better. Though, I don't know how I will do all this with the Duke out of the country. Let me ponder that for awhile....and get back to ya.

Support for the girls

So, at church last week, a friend whispered to me asking if I had found "the bra". LOL
Of course I did, you think I'm gonna let the girls hang out after nursing 3 children? Fat chance.

I actually did quite well. I was dropped at TJ Maxx without the children and was given 30 mins to find something. Have you ever tried to find a bra at TJ Maxx??? I mean a good one? I was looking for something to lift the deflated water balloons off of my waist. However, there was one strapless bra in a size anywhere close to what I should be wearing, and it had to be. It was the most uncomfortable thing, besides a nursing child with teeth, that has ever touched my boobs.

Moral of the story...don't shop for foundations at a discount store.

Speaking of discounts, however, I did find some FABULOUS knock-off shoes at a discount shoe store for the wedding. Have you heard of Carlos by C. Santana shoes??? OMG they rock!!!!

Check them out here.



Anyway, they retail for $98. I found mine for $48. They are basically the same shoe. In fact, several women on the ship commented on my awesome "Carlos" shoes. Ah, if they only knew. Maybe the real ones don't give you blisters. Yowsers!



Here is me in my wedding attire, and then....the shoes....

Day 1

A friend of mine got me interested in a book by Jillian Michaels. She's the hardcore buff brunette trainer (Jillian that is, although Mrs. Swizzle could probably beat me in an arm wrestling match...and is brunette as well) on NBC's Biggest Loser Challenge show . The book is called "Making the Cut". It's a book with a 30 day plan (diet and exercise) for those who want to lose those last stubborn 10-20 pounds and get "ripped". (For those who want to lose more she suggests starting with her first book, "Winning by Losing".



In my sleep-deprived craziness, I decided to give it a try. Ever since I was a personal trainer (9 years ago....sheesh I am aging fast) I am fascinated by reading about new diet methods and plans and giving them a try. Honestly, most of them are crap. The ones that work are based on the same principal. Eat more whole foods, less sugar and junk, eat less calories than you burn....blah blah blah. I once tried the infamous South Beach diet and actually lost the 8 pounds in 2 weeks they promised. Of course the minute I added chocolate chip cookies back in...those 8 were back...plus some.

So now I have officially lost 40 pounds from the day I gave birth to Tinkerbel. YAY! I still want to lose between 10-15, but honestly if I stayed this size forever, I would be genuinely happy with it. I have worked hard for this size....so why I am stepping it up a notch???


Three words:
Summer beach trip.


I have not been able to travel the last 2 summers due to pregnancy/delivery/etc. So this summer we are going for it. 1 week in Dauphin Island, with some friends. I want to not be afraid of the bikini, I don't want my thighs to touch anymore and I want my butt lifted about 4 inches. So look out J Michaels. I am taking on your challenge.


Today I have stayed strictly on the diet but I added about 300 calories to what she gives the average Joe since I am still nursing. I did have a diet soda (which is a no-no) but other than that I have stayed true. And honestly, I feel good. I don't feel hungry like usual. This is a pleasant surprise. I also started the Day workout and OUCH! I was dying. I am not used to working out at that pace and I couldn't even perform some of the moves she dictates. Hopefully that will improve as I gain strength.
So here's to 30 days of no alcohol, no soda (except today), no sugar andno fast food.

That looks scary!

Wish me luck!!!

We're back!

We got home late Monday evening. The airplane ride was quite peaceful since both girls fell asleep. I got to watch "Enchanted" with no sound. Where do the airlines get off selling crappy earphones for $2 a set? Remember when they were free? I guess if I had my own Ipod (hint hint next Christmas...), I would have had my ear buds with. Oh well, I'd already seen the movie anyway.

So we were sitting on this completely packed flight when the captain announced over the PA that were grounded for 55 minutes due to a tornado in Texas. AS I tried to hold Tinkerbel still on my lap and my mom wrestled with Sunshine, I prayed that something good would come of this. I prayed for sanity, peace, and that the man sitting next to me didn't hate children as much as his facial expressions led me to believe. Then, the captain returned. He mentioned that due to all the storms we would need extra fuel in case we needed to circle above, and we could not carry a full passenger load with the extra fuel. 10 passengers were booted off. Guess who???

Yep, grumpy man sitting next to me. High five God! My children had their own seat to share and on take-off they both passed out. Is that wrong that I was so happy he was kicked off? He was flying standby anyway, and I'm sure his trip was much more enjoyable without kids kicking him from every angle.

So now I am back to reality. No more yachts in sunny Newport Beach harbor. No more fancy shoes and cocktails dresses, massages and pedis. I am back to jeans and T's, flats and laundry....endless loads of laundry.

I do have to insert here that the Duke impressed me in an amazing way.
He is anti-housework. I always joke around that I refuse to handicap my children the way MIL handicapped my husband. Sh did all the housework. She was STILL doing Duke's laundry when we met. That should have been a sign to run the other way! But I stayed and have been fighting a losing battle ever since.

BUT...

On Monday, I came home to a clean house! Not just picked up, but mopped, and vacuumed! He even washed the girls crib bedding (including bumpers) and put them back on. How wonderful it was to walk in to a clean house, and roses.

Geez, I need to get away more often. Next time without the crazies!
Where should we go???

Checking in

Hi friends,

I'm in California for the week. I left Tuesday and won't be back until late Monday night. I took the girls with me too. Crazy hunh? It hasn't been too bad. I have just really come to appreciate baby-proofing.

My dear friend, T, hosted us in Bakersfield. P.s. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH T!!!!!!
I never worried about anything there because she has 2 children of very similar ages and everything that was in reach was ok for them to touch. Everywhere else we have been has been a different story. I am constantly running around pulling things out of Tinkerbel's mouth and pulling Sunshine out of cabinets.

Apparently my stress about my children tearing apart other people's homes has led a family member to call me "High maintenance".

Hmmmm....I don't think I agree with that assessment. I just like things the way they are at home, and I have been a little shaken up at not having luxuries like 2 high chairs, 2 cribs, 2 baby monitors. I don't need much else, but I do need sleep, and a bra for this wedding tomorrow.

HOw in the world and I going to find a strapless in 15 minutes. That's about how long I will have to find one.

Wish me luck!!!!

Good Friday

I have very fond memories of Easter weekend as a child. I went to a private Christian school up through junior high, so we never had classes on Good Friday. Where I grew up it doesn't rain. (OK it does, but not much. 5 inches a year compared with our 32 inches here). But it always seemed to be rainy on Good Friday. It was such a great day. We would stay inside and start cooking and decorating the eggs as a symbol of new life and the Resurrection that would happen in three days.

Well, today is anything but rainy, cloudy, and cold. I feel a little cloudy since I feel terrible, but the sun and sky are as gorgeous as ever. When we woke up this morning I rolled over an poked the Duke saying "This is what the sky should look like on Easter, not rain and clouds"....sigh. The forecast calls for two cold fronts to pass through in the next 48 hours. And as soon as everyone is up and dressed. I am off to look for sweaters and tights to match the girls' outfits.

My thoughts right now are completely about my voice and solo tonight. How will it respond after all the coughing? I was still able to sing yesterday, but have not tried to vocalize yet this morning. I already have a hard time getting through the piece. The words and notes are piercing in a most dreadful way. I have a hard time singing the last line without choking up.

To leave you with a Good Friday thought, I am posting the words to the piece I am singing tonight. May you have a blessed Easter!

The Crucifixion
-Samuel Barber

At the cry of the first bird, they began to crucify Thee. O swan!
Never shall lament cease because of that.
It was like the parting of day from night.
Ah sore was the suffering borne by the body of Mary's Son.
But sorer still to Him was the grief which, for His sake,
came upon His mother.

The way things always seem to be

First of all I would like to apologize to all 2 of my faithful readers. It turns out that the Duke was very sick with pneumonia. So my free time when splat! And I'm still catching up on cleaning and laundry. All this is going on during the midst of Holy Week in our church. We have church everyday from today through Sunday. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Great Easter Vigil on Saturday night and then of course Easter Sunday.

This year I was asked by my choir director to sing a piece called "The Crucifixion" on Good Friday. Usually we don't have a formal choir at that service and I stay home because we are so involved in every other service. But of course I said yes, and have been working on this piece that is completely out of the realm of music I would normally choose to sing. I'm having a difficult time with it. Oh, and did I mention G Friday is tomorrow????

A friend and I had also been talking about singing a duet. There is a great piece I have always loved and wanted to sing. The accompaniment was written for basso continuo (frequently done in the Baroque period). The instruments are not specified and many different options exist. However, if you look at the score the bottom line (for the accompaniment) is just one note, occasionally surrounded by a few numbers. Playing continuo involves interpreting these figures into a whole part. It's all done by improvisation. The only person I know who can read figured bass is my husband. So I asked our director if we could sing the duet on the Saturday before Easter because the Duke will be able to attend church with me that night and play (our church organist does not read figures). Of course, he said yes. Then, he was fishing for something to do during Communion on Easter Sunday. You can see where this is going....yes we are repeating the duet on Sunday.

So this weekend is going to be full and busy. I also have all the Easter stuff that parents normally need to do: get haircuts, buy Easter shoes, and tights, and sweaters?

Which brings me to my point of this post. The last 4 Easters that I can remember (except for when I was pregnant with Sunshine) it has been chilly (or rainy) on Easter Sunday. Girls have been wearing large sweaters and jackets over their pretty dresses. Boys have cords on instead of cute short sets. It's just not right! We live in an area that has the most beautiful Springs! If you look at our forecast for the next 10 days it will be sunny and around 75 everyday...except Easter. High of 50, and rainy.

Why does this keep happening? Easter is supposed to be beautiful and sunny and springy and happy! I know it's just the weather. It does not lessen the miracle of the Resurrection. I would just like it to be sunny and 75 for once. So my girls can wear their dresses and Drama can wear his nice shorts and sandals.

If that weren't bad enough, I am starting to feel like I am getting what the Duke had (my mom has also had it, and Drama, so I guess I'm the lucky next in line). But see....I can't afford to get sick. I have to clean my house, shop for E baskets, find shoes, sing three times in front of a total of possibly 500 people, then pack to go out of town next Tuesday. I can't get sick. But it always seems that I do get sick when I have important things to do. I always seem to get sick when I have to sing. Wat would it sound like if I could actually sing when I am well? Would my voice even work without having to fight over phlegm and a swollen throat?

Why does this always happen? Am I cursed? Is it because I am so busy and stressed that my immune system collapses?

I am taking every homeopathic remedy I know of to gt well faster. But it's not working and my level of stress keeps rising as I worry about my solo tomorrow, Saturday, and the next day.

Just curious???

Who ever made the rule that when the kids get sick, they get to rest? When the dad gets sick he gets to rest? But when the mom gets sick, no one gives a darn???

The Duke has been very sick the last two day with fever and body aches. By George, I think he's got it (the flu that is)! He has been camped out in the recliner or bed since Thursday afternoon. In the mean time I have picked up his slack as well like taking out the trash, cleaning up his dishes, etc. So I do feel sorry that he is so sick, but a part of me is resentful that if I end up with this miserable bug I will still be making lunches, doing laundry, feeding children, and paying bills.

Does that sound normal?