Chores

You know, my oldest son is responsible, or irresponsible, depending on who you ask, for all of the trash in the house. He is supposed to take out the bathroom and kitchen trash, when it needs taking and he is also supposed to empty the recycling, when it needs emptying. He is not great at it, but if I have a really big stick in my hand, ok, so maybe not a really big stick, but maybe a smaller stick...no stick, but you get the point, he takes care of his responsibilities enough to avoid certain death! He is also supposed to take care of the dog. She is to be brushed daily, so her hair is not all over my house. This just means I have to sweep more than once a day, if I don't want her hair all over the house, because as you have already guessed, the boy is not a great dog brusher either! He is 12. I don't expect him to really care about much, but I expect him to want to avoid being in trouble just enough to take care of business, when I am about to blow! Yep, that's what I expect! And, he is supposed to feed and water her, which is why she looks like a doggy tv star! Her girlish figure is not a chosen physique! He decides when she should be fed and watered! Again, this just means mom has to pick up the slack after he leaves for school and then mom also has to freak out when he gets home from school, because he didn't do what he said he had done! *cue the smoke billowing out of my ears!*

Anyway, I was sort of getting to the point...

I decided that the other kids need jobs. I am SO TIRED of my family watching my wheels spin, until all the cogs get mangled, that I thought a long weekend would be best spent with 6, 7 and 10 year old kids helping with laundry. I had Ponch and Bake putting the laundry in the washer and dryer, respectively and then Bucko had to help my fold it. It went pretty well, other than me having to hop up and chase Ponch down several thousand times, for yelling and screaming at me, when I asked/told her to get the laundry out of the dryer, but that is to be expected, since that is the relationship standard that she and I live by! (I can't stand it, but she is so trying and I am not going to give an inch, so it is what it is!) Bucko said he liked helping me fold the clothes and Bake asked if laundry could be one of his regular jobs. I think I could get used to this!

How was your weekend?

I hope it was great! I hope Thanksgiving was a nice time for family, food and fun!

Have a great day!

Ghostly Encounter?

Ghostly encounter? I think NOT! I am sitting here catching up, while my family sleeps! Yep, you all know how I feel, I am sure! I just thought since it is Sunday and I have to get things in order for Sunday School anyway, I would get a few other things done. Yes, I usually mess around until it is likely that I will have wet hair at church, but that is another story! Anyway, I just happened to move my foot a little and someone said "hello," which completely creeped me out and for a fraction of a second, I thought I was hearing something "ghostly," but then I looked down to see that there is a toy phone, half open, in the toy play pen. I must have moved just right, so that it would talk to me! Lucky me! I nearly had a heart attack and for what?! A toy phone?! Jeez!!!

I hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving and Survived Black Friday! I still don't think I will EVER shop on that day! I just don't care to want to smash the person next to me, just so I can get a Barbie doll 2 dollars cheaper than I can any other day! Some people get crazy over a bargain!

Anyway, have a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my blogging friends!

May you all be safe and blessed this holiday and every day after!

Thanks for being you and thanks for putting up with me!

A+B=WOW!

cup of spiced chai (at home)

+

1/2 spoon full of cocoa powder

=

SUPERFABULISTICHAPPYMOMMYDOCIOUS!

Another Kiddie Translation!

This is good stuff!

To set the stage, you must first know that my sister and I and both of my little girls were in the kitchen, so the girls could eat lunch. I was talking about always having to go to the bathroom, because I drink so much, during the day. And, then, it happened...

"All I do is drink and pee, drink and pee," I said.

"Drink and pee, drink and pee," my sister said in a sing-song voice.

"MOM, you don't dink yow pee! Dat's doss," said Boog, in a very matter of fact way!

I nearly died laughing, as I explained to her that I did not say I drink my pee! Jeez, and that I don't ever want to hear that she does that either, not that I think that will be a problem, with her response, at the very thought!

I hope your day was great!

Could someone please tell me why the task of dumping leftovers that have been left over too long seems like an Earth moving stunt today? UGH! I don't want ta! Do I have ta? Well, I'm not gunna!

Hmmm?

You know, I have been absent again lately. I have struggled to figure out why. I am pretty sure I have figured it out, but it doesn't make it any easier to live with.

I know that I talk about losing my mom, a lot, and I sometimes think others would probably like for me to just "get over it," but I don't think that will ever really come to be. I miss her. I can't change that. I don't want to. I loved and still love her SO MUCH! I want to feel her presence. I want to hug her tight, even though that is not something we were big on, when she was here. I want to give her a big goofy kiss, so she knows I love her. I really want all of those things. I know that I can't have them, but I desperately want them to be possible! I miss her so much!

I have been fighting with feelings for so long that I started getting confused about what exactly was/is causing the pain. I have recently started dreaming about others who have passed and I think that it is my mind's way of recognizing that any one and everyone does and will die. I can not stop it. I would not, even if I could, because I know God has a plan, even when I don't understand it. Still, I miss her. As I sit here with tears welling up in my eyes, I think we should all love a little deeper, while we can, because WE, you, me, they, he, she and even the it set does not know when we will no longer have the opportunity to love and that is hard to swallow!

Thanksgiving will soon be here. What are we thankful for?

Me, I am thankful for having a completely insane, super strong, sometimes grouchy, always smiling, (unless you broke something you shouldn't have) crazy hermit lady who worked from home, coffee drinking, dishes hating, fun-loving, wonderful person raise me!

I Copied This Post...

Please take a moment to look over this post. I copied it from the blog address below. Deb works in Liberia and could use our help!

http://debinliberia.blogspot.com/2009/11/send-some-joy-to-liberia-this-christmas.html

One of my favorite things over the last year working in Liberia has been, by far, CHRISTMAS!


It is amazing how simple it is-- a Christmas bundle filled with pencils, an orange, a toothbrush, a small toy and a few pieces of candy, flip-flops, a new set of clothes and a Christmas greeting from someone who cares. Very small by American standards, but for most of these kids it is the only gift they will receive this year and it is something of their very own. It is a day for each one to feel especially loved and unique, not just one of the crowd. Words cannot describe the look of pure joy each child has as they come up to claim their gift bundle and new clothes. I will never forget one boy last year who's entire countenance changed when he received his gifts. Bright smile from ear to ear and eyes sparkling, he looked radiant in his new yellow shirt as he clung to his new Hot Wheels car and school supplies in his bundle. And these precious children give something in return: a hug, smile, shy giggle and whispered thanks or a sweet chorus of familiar Liberian-accented Christmas carols. It is an honor to be able to serve such and amazing group of kids. I feel selfish really-- they give so much more to me than I could ever bring them.

Last Christmas Orphan Relief and Rescue brought Christmas to 135 children. Together we can increase that number this Christmas. We really need your help: $25 and a few moments to write a Christmas greeting can really bring joy to a child in Liberia this Christmas.

Go to the Christmas page at www.orphanreliefandrescue.org to see last year's joy, and help make Christmas even bigger and more special this year!

WooHoo...

WooHoo! Yep, I am excited! I am not exactly sure why, but I am! I came home, from getting millions of groceries, yesterday to an email about a craft show this weekend! Somehow, I had not seen anything about it until she sent me the email. It is not anything earth shattering, but from 9-2 on Saturday I get to pedal my wares! Dumb right? If you, and I know some of you are, are trapped at home all day and feel like you do not have a means for contributing to your household needs, you know what I am talking about! I am thrilled, even if I don't make much, because it is MINE!

Some days I feel like NOTHING is mine! I try to eat, after having made sure the masses have food, and someone wants a bite of my food...food--NOT MINE!

I have to pee and someone conveniently slides in under the crack in the door...bathroom time...NOT MINE!

I put on a shirt and try to look like I live among the rest of human kind and someone wipes a booger on me...clothes--NOT MINE!

I get ready for bed and as I settle in to lay my head on my pillow at night someone small rolls her curly locks right into my spot...bed--NOT MINE!

So, you see, if I can make $.15 that no one can lay claim to...WOOHOO, it's MINE!

I have been squirrel holing this money away, so as to help with Christmas, but for now...it's MINE!!!!

New Post

I just put a new post on my pic-0-blog! Nothing Earth shattering, but I have been too busy for words lately, I guess, so I thought I would take a shot at a picture post! Lazy? YES! Effective? That too!

I hope you all had a great weekend! We had a pretty good time! We had a double birthday, but that is a whole other post!

Sleepy Time "Baby"

Last night when S and I were going to bed, Meeeema started flipping out to get into bed with us. She screamed and cried and all the other things kids do to get our attention! So, she won, because I am a sucker, for the most part, about them sleeping in our bed and feeling safe. With that said, I will fast forward just a bit to the part where I was telling Meeeeema she is a big girl...

"M, you are a big girl and you need to sleep in your own bed," I said.

"I ont wike it bid url," M replied.

"Oh, you don't like being a big girl," I questioned.

"No, I ont wike it bid url," she replied.

"Oh, so what are you, if you aren't a big girl?"

"My baby," she resounded!




Now, that was priceless! I could not believe that my 22 month old had enough of an idea of what she wanted to say to let me know she wants to be a baby and not a big girl!