Thanksgiving

What a long week! Thanksgiving was family filled and fun. Ms. Thang was at her dad's for the actual day, but we all went to Abilene and visited with family there and finally met my nephew! I burst out in tears like a moron as soon as my brother got him out of the car, but I finally got it together and we got some pictures.

Me and the cutie-patootie


Ms. Thang and her cousin


Baby cousins!



Here we are on the way out the door on Thanksgiving day to my in-laws. Ms. Thang is missing (at her dad's), the Scientist insisted on the hat, and Cutecumber's hair was being tugged at every few seconds (it's at that awkward stage in between long and sort) and she wouldn't keep her shoes on. I went for comfort this year and realize I am one step away from being that fat mom in a velour sweat suit. *sigh* But really, I posted this pic on facebook and a lot of you liked it. Monica even commented that my Honey and I were holding hands, which I thought was hidden by the boy and ya know.. I am liking this picture more and more. It's us. For real lol


That night at midnight I hit the sales. I went to Toys r us at midnight and then Walmart, Kohls, and Mardel. I didn't get home until 7:00am but I saved $96 off my total Christmas list, got a gift card for Toys R us ($10) and $30 worth of cash coupons for Kohls. I also got a crap ton of diapers for $5 a pack. It was worth it. Plus I got to sleep the entire day while my Honey took the kids to my ILs for left overs. Happy Thanksgiving to me! lol

Seriously though, I am not thankful enough for my fabulous life. I am grateful for this day that forces me to realize and take a moment to be thankful for it all and remember not to take the little things for granted. I'm blessed beyond belief and still find time to fuss over my weight, long lines, and clutter. I suppose it's all part of being a human, but I tried very hard to take it all in this year and to make an effort to change and learn to let the little things go and relish in the blessings of everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cutecumber light-hearted-ness, Deep ending.

She is just over a year old and still not saying much. She understands a lot though and recently picked up on a few new sounds and hand motions, the majority of them being rather sassy. She can swat the dog when she doesn't want to share her toys, and put her hand in your face and grunt when you are trying to tell her no. She doesn't have a problem getting those messages across, but most of her other words are expressed in a loud "ehhhh" which sounds like more of a question than anything. I think it's sassy also, because in actuality, she probably doesn't understand most of what we say, so her questioning "ehhh?" is probably her version of, "What? I can't understand you stupid. I'm a baby remember?"

Something funny she started most recently, was trying to "sing" as loud as she could when my musical clock chimes on the hour (Beetles songs including Hey Jude) which resulted in her being told to hush, mainly by older siblings watching TV.

The funniest part of it though, is that she picked up on the "shhh" hand motion where you put your finger to your mouth, but she got it a little wrong. Instead, she puts one finger up her nose and does the noise with a tongue filled "thhhhhh". Too cute!

Another cute thing she does is push around a little stroller and play, "throw the baby out". This involves her walking along, throwing the baby out and then looking at me until I say, "Uh OH! Your poor baby fell out! You better kiss her!", and she kisses the baby and puts her back in. Then she repeats it. It's funny to watch her try and muffle the laughter as she throws the baby out again and waits for my reaction. Sometimes she is laughing so hard, she can't kiss the baby well because she cant bring her lips together enough when she is smiling so big. It almost looks as though she's taking bites out of the dolls face. Aside from her throwing the doll out of the stroller and eating her face, there are some good nurturing lessons there right? lol

She is a fun little entertainer, and loves to make us all laugh. I enjoy watching her little personality blossom and having watched my other two, I know that there are some traits you are born with. Things that make you unique even from day one, without influence from anyone. It's an amazing thing.

From the beginning, Ms Thang was my emotional girl. She wears her feelings on her sleeve. You always know how she is feeling and you know exactly who she is from the day you meet her. She is passionate. Fire and ice.

The scientist has always been logical and literal. You can always see the little gears turning in his head as he analyzes every detail in every environment. He's very serious, but kind hearted and loyal. When he says something, he means it.

And then Cutecumber, although she has only been in the world a tiny blink in time, I notice a few things already. I see that it is hard to earn her trust. She does not smile for ANY stranger. Yet, when does get to know you, she finds a way to entertain you and make you smile. I think she will be a great friend. The kind that is strong enough to lean on, and fun enough to make you laugh. I think she is going to be an "old soul".

Being a mother is the most awesome thing I have and will ever experience in my life!

I know this started out light hearted and got deep, but sometimes, that is how my mind works. One minute I'm laughing, and the next minute I want to cry because if I'm laughing, I'm happy and that is a wonderful thing. :)

Back to Christmas- Starting a list with tradition

I know. I first mentioned it before Halloween and now another review before Thanksgiving.

My IL's are pushing for the official "lists" and I started one the other day, but ended up getting side tracked.

This year I am making a separate list for the IL's rather than sending them a copy of MY list. My FIL is very secretive about his gifts and since we had the same list, it made it difficult to know whether or not we were buying the same item. Luckily he married his polar opposite and I can usually get some clues, but he's onto her now and her chances of knowing anything about any gifts are nil.

My list always starts off with the traditions.
* Pj's that are opened on Christmas Eve. This allows for nice photos on Christmas morning. Well, lets not pretend we are picture perfect that early in the morning, but at least no one is caught in an old "Avoid the Noid" tshirt with little else on. Plus I love the whole routine of them taking their nightly baths, treating them to a warm towel I put in the drier just before they get out (thanks Mom!) and then seeing them all in new pj's by the fire as we read The Night Before Christmas.

*Santa is into personal hygiene when it comes to stockings. That goes back to my childhood. Toothbrushes (in fun characters that mom doesn't usually spring for), band aides, hair brushes/combs, lotions, lip glosses, chap sticks etc.. and a few more items from the dollar store which include the wash-towels that unfold in water. Those all sink to the bottom of the stocking though, so for that classic "over filled" look, they usually get a DVD, and a pack of beef jerky poking out of the top. This family loves beef jerky.
(dvd : Honey wants the New Star Trek, Scientist still doesn't have Toy Story 2, Ms Thang has been looking for The Lion King, Cutecumber will be getting Up, and I want Excess Baggage)


*We all give each other a gift. Siblings buy for siblings. Honey buys one for each kid that are only from him, and I do the same. They all buy for us. We buy for each other. It's probably my favorite shopping trip of the year, watching what they pick and the thought process that goes with it. Last year the Scientist wanted a remote control dog, but Ms. Thang knew it wasn't in the budget. Instead, she got him a baby pull toy (dog) and even though the kid was way over the targeted age requirement, he loves that thing. They still call it a robot dog. lol


*Each kid gets an ornament that is hidden on the tree. I always imagined this to be an exciting event, and envisioned giving each child a box of their very own ornaments as they got their first tree in their first apartments. So far it's mostly a fight, when the ornaments come out each year, with a lot of "Don't hang that one over mine!" or "So and so moved MY ornament". But someday that stops right?

I think that is all as far as tradition gifts go. Next post I'll focus on the classics.

Morning from HELL

It hasn't even become the 8th hour of this day and it's been one of those mornings.

1. My alarm was on a giant stack of Halloween crap that I need to take out to storage and sometime in the night, it fell off and was covered up so that I didn't hear it very well and wound up running about 5 minutes behind. Not that big of a deal if that were ALL that happened.

2. Go to The Scientists room and he is on the floor which means he wet the bed. I wake the kids , force him into a quick shower off, and throw his sheets in the laundry.

3. Start making lunches, which I normally do the night before but opted not to for a few more minutes of TV, and find out that The Scientist's lunch box is missing. Proceeded with giant zip-lock bag. (which made me pack it super healthy since everyone and their mother could see it)

4. Check in on the boy and he is building a little bed for a tiny black beetle that has been his shoebox pet since Monday. I hurry him with threats of taking him to school in his underwear and he starts putting on his jeans.

5. Ms. Thang has been yelling for me, and wants me to finish rolling the back of her hair. She's uber picky about it because this is school election week and she is running for class secretary. She's being a real snot. The better her hair looks, the more snotty she's getting.

6. Check in on the boy again and he still has one leg in his pants and is setting up a TV screen for the beetle. I yell this time (even though super nanny says not to, but I'm sure my situation is totally different...)

7. The oldest two are left in the living room to get their shoes on, while I get the baby ready to go. Suddenly I hear The Scientist screaming like he lost his best friend and yep.. he did. Ms. Thang was impatiently waiting to show her beautiful locks to her voters, and decided to throw his beetle out the door to get him moving. COMPLETE MELT DOWN! (for the boy, not for me..yet)

8. I calm him down with promises of letting him get a new bug after school, and remind Ms. Thang that I am the boss and she is one step away from getting her head buzzed bald. (She's scared cause she knows I mean it) and we walk out the door, Just as it shuts, Cutecumber has a shit explosion.

9. I run inside, change her at record speed while the kids pile in the van. Get in, and go to start it but the key will not even turn. It's not dead, it just wont turn. I make sure it's in park and it is. I have to call the husband who is in an important meeting (already know he is in a bad mood because he had to leave at 5am) and I consider calling the kids in sick to school, but remember what kids they are today and give him a call.
He isn't mad, but laughs and tells me to turn the steering wheel because it must be locked. I get in and yep, he was right. I get the kids to school with the oldest being 2 minutes late for orchestra. Luckily her teacher is always running late herself.

10. Finally, I let out a breath I felt as though I was holding since I woke up and decide to treat myself to a Caramel Java Chiller from Sonic, but of course, when I get there, the ice cream machine isn't working.

So there you have it. One of those mornings I'll cry over now because it's just so busy, and one I'll cry over later when I miss the kids as the house stays quiet and still.

Oh I can't end the post all depressing like that! Here is a scientist funny for you..

Real lyrics to Replay-by Iyaz
Na na na na everyday, It's like my ipod's stuck on replay

Scientist's lyrics-
Na na na na everyday, it's like my eyeball's stuck on ya plate