Tuesday, January 20, 2009

He Beat Me to the Punch...

This evening I needed to take Jack's Christmas ski cap back to Grandma for a quick fix... Dorky kid wears the too big hat EVERYDAY (that is until it got a hole in the top and Steve told him that I would have Grandma fix it). So I went to my mom's house and the kids decided to stay home with dad.
When I got home the office that I was trying to ignore its pitifulness was undergoing a transformation. The office was on my short list for Wednesday (today was the pantry). Part of me was avoiding the issue all together because I really don't like organizing or cleaning other people's stuff (I know I am a mom and that is part of the job description but it doesn't mean that I have to like it). The office in the last few months has been taken over by the auto racing "stuff" (this is a PG story) that my husband has been collecting for his newest hobby. But what do my wondering eyes do appear? A husband sick of his own "stuff" taking over the room in the house where he spends most of his waking at home moments taking the bull by the horns and fixing the problem himself. I love this man! Especially since in stead of helping him I am sitting in the very room he is cleaning and writing my blog and reading the inauguration coverage on the Internet. Maybe he thinks I deserve a break because I did all of this laundry yesterday, by myself at the Laundromat.

The laundry is a story for another day...
Here are the results of all of his hard work!

This Mama is for Obama...

I can't say that I voted for the man but every time I think of him, what he has already done for history and our country. Tear well... I thought this morning it was more important for Jack to watch the news at breakfast then to put his shoes on. We had a discussion about who the new president is and who the old president is, about the first children, about mom and dad visiting the White House (separate trips), and about possibly going to visit Great Aunt Sue in Washington D.C.. I was amazed about how much Jack understood and the questions that he asked. Through all of this Abby sat passively eating her daily ration of waffles and a banana, she requested that "Barack Obama bring me a present." Confused I retraced the previous conversation in my head, why would the President bring Abby a present??? Then it dawned on me, she thought that we were talking about presents not THE PRESIDENT! From the mouths of babes! I wish the new President and his family well and I pray that President Obama is able to achieve the change that he has promised.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

And I thought I was that girl...

I had a slow drain in my sink. You know that annoying type that fills the sink with water while you wastefully run the water while you brush your teeth. Or while you are washing your face you accidentally use the yucky water that is left in the basin. It is just a plain nuisance.

So last night, fed up with the situation I decided that I could fix it myself with the help of my new friend, wikihow. I looked up the directions for "How to Clear a Clogged Sink". Clog- check. Shop Vac- what do I need that for? Bucket- check. Tools- I have my yellow cleaning gloves and an old toothbrush, does that count? I got right to work. After taking pictures of the water sitting and fooling around with the pipes under my sink, I heard Steve asking something about Joe the Plumber. Caught! I was avoiding asking him for help because I was expecting a lecture about my hair and how it is pretty much falling out for now reason other then it wants to perpetuate my lifelong struggle with it. Conversation I avoid like the plague, even if it means clearing the clog myself. I sheepishly told him that I think I have a hairball in the sink and he kindly helped me out without a word about my hair. (He's a keeper)

My Hero!
BOY am I glad that he did. As soon as he got the pipe off I could taste the throw up in the back of my mouth. GROSS! Grosser then washing your face with dirty basin water. Abby with her ever perfect timing came in to see what we were doing just about the time that I was recovering the bucket of black stuff (Steve said it was algae but not just hair- GOOD!) and water from under the sink. She agreed "kisscussking", but was fascinated by the things that were floating in the tub of cloudy water, Drano, and Ammonia (I tried to take the easy way out earlier in the day).

You know the picture doesn't even do it justice.

"Kisscussking" is probably the cutest thing Abby has ever said. This was the only picture from last night that was appropriate for anyone but my eyes.

By the way- I am not that girl that can fix the clogged drain without the help of her husband. That is some sick stuff! wikihow may have told me how, but there is no way that would ever do this again on my own.

Monday, January 12, 2009

For my Birthday...

You know the drill about 3 days after you child's birthday they start telling you what they want for their birthday the following year (theme, giftgivers, gifts, party favors, etc.)... Or is that just my kids? Last year I told Jack that I would not discuss his birthday until April of 2009. I made a mistake, Saturday morning at breakfast he caught me off guard, mostly because I didn't have my defenses up because I have been doing the "ask Santa" excuse since September.
No Santa = no defense +AGGGHHHHH!
When hearing her brother discuss his birthday party, Abby jumped on the party train. This is not going to be good. Event planning is one of my hobbies, so I was kind of digging that the kids had made definitive decisions about where they wanted their parties to take place. Maybe my kids love their birthdays so much because of the great parties I throw for them. Really this is a complement to all of my hard work - making invitations, inviting the right friends, have fun party favors and activities to do, good food, and most importantly having great dessert. I should be encouraging them to help me with their party planning, rather then dismissing them at the mention of it. Starting today I am going to adopt a whole new attitude about the topic of birthdays and I know that my kids are going to have the greatest birthdays this year!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

You WHAT???? (Or Why I Love wikiHow)

Last night I discovered this on Jack's bedroom furniture! YIKES! I know... what do you do with permanent marker on wood furniture. This morning as I jotted down my daily "to dos" Steve reminded me to call the furniture repair guy. I seriously dislike the furniture repair industry for some reason, which is why I convinced myself that I could remove the marks on my own (for almost free). In the parking lot at the gym I did a quick Yahoo! Search (another one of my favorites) on my BlackBerry for "remove permanent marker". My new favorite site popped up first:
A mother's dream come true! White Toothpaste- check! Soft rag- check! Permanent marker on furniture- check! Gone in 60 seconds!!!
SuperMom saves the day!!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Back to Life...

Back to reality...
Should have been playing on the radio when the alarm went off this morning. Today is a new day, everything changes today, right??? Well the morning went something like this, radio goes off, I finally roll out of bed (last day of gluttony was not good to me- dinner- cheese sticks, chicken strips, fish sticks, and tator tots- really I couldn't make that up). My mission today is to get everything that I want to get done and the things that need to be done with 2 kids in tow (Clovis Unified played this cruel trick on its parents by making today a Staff Development day rather then a regular teaching day- AGHHHH!). First words out of Jack's mouth "can't I just sleep in?" WHAT!?! This is the kid who since school has gotten out on the 19th of December has been up by 7:30 everyday, since the Wii was delivered Christmas morning it has been earlier then that some days. I was already feeling the diet crab coming out, "get up". At breakfast I carefully measured the proper serving of cereal and watched the kids eat their food. The En Vogue song kept replaying in my head "back to life... back to reality...". Two annoying lines repeated in my head. At the gym during my Fitness Challenge Test I got the worst news of the new year, the 6 Weeks of Gluttony has left me way over the weight that I thought I was and with a BMI that I don't even want to talk about. Cruel! At least I should be able to listen to some great music on my iPod while I do the mile test- WRONG!- iPod needed to be charged. I certainly hope this is not the way this week is going to go because I could fall off the wagon any minute now!
I wish it were Friday!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

The Resolution of it all...

The first Monday after New Years, a blessing and a curse at our house. Tomorrow marks the end of the "6 Weeks of Gluttony" and the start of the "Diet". It really isn't that it is a diet, it is the lifestyle change. If you don't know what I am talking about then it goes something like this...
Last week I attempted to eat myself sick of the best candy I have ever made (Rachael Ray I love and hate you all at the same time). Tomorrow, I will go to bed at 8pm in an attempt to not consume more then 1300 calories in a single day.
This year the "Diet" will include daily food journals. I saw on some TV show that if you write it down you will realize how much you eat and eat less... I know better, I have been a Nielsen Family. I know that if you have to record what EVERYTHING you watch on TV (or put in your mouth) the pure chore of having to write it down is enough to keep you from watching TV unless it is of the utmost importance (and the same goes for eating).
I have also signed up for a 12 challenge at the gym. Tomorrow at 8:30 I am going to put myself through a battery of tests to measure my endurance (running, push-ups, and sit-ups) and my weight and body fat. This could be torture... I kind of feel like I don't even want to know. But for $30 it is motivation to get my butt in shape in time for the "bathing suit-vacation-party-less clothing season". (My favorite time of the year).
So we will see how this all plays out.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

The Naked House...

I love Christmas. But there is something about when you finally get all the stuff put away
(which takes longer then it does to take out and seems to expand while it is out, thus requiring 9 new Rubbermaids- grand total 25 Rubbermaids).
Since the cleanup fairies finally came and went, I love my house again, so clean and fresh (actually now I see all the walls that need touching up and
the baseboards that probably should just be repainted).
I am relieved that I feel no need to pile things back to where they usually belong.
I am going to enjoy my naked mantle and brainstorm something to hang
above it other then the print that have hated for the last (Good God!)
12 years (it is time for it to go!).
I look forward to what 2009 has to offer.
And because the house has breathed a huge sigh of relief, it thanked me
and told me what he hopes to have in store for the new year.
Our home hopes that 2009 will bring:
1. a headboard for Steve and Rachel's bed.
2. a simple window covering for the Master Bath.
3. Pictures that are hung straight on the walls in the Game Room.
4. Many, many happy moments for those who live here and those who visit.