Ahhh… Easter.

I will start by saying that both my husband and I were raised Catholic. We celebrate Easter with family, dyed eggs, ham, and loads of chocolate. We had a very nice day filled with family and fun. Then this will promptly turn into a rant. Sorry.

What is it with all of the “stuff”?!

The Easter Bunny brought chocolates, Peeps, jelly beans and a bubble blowing whistle for each of my kiddos. We try to keep it simple and remind our children that holidays are much more than scoring tons of new toys. I have noticed quite the opposite trend going on in other households though. In my opinion our kids are pretty spoiled, especially when compared to how we were raised. I am simply astounded by the way that other parents over spend for holidays, whatever the holiday be. While the Easter Bunny did fill a big ol’ basket with enough candy to make an entire city diabetic in about 20 minutes, I just don’t get what I am hearing about what this crazy bunny left for others. Does it mean you love Jesus more if your kids get 9 DS games, 6 jars of Play-doh, 14 Barbies, and a Karaoke machine?! I think not.

It seems to be a bit excessive. What exactly does this say to our young ones?

I have noticed the same trend around Christmas time. Does St. Nickolas really need to bring an entire load or just the traditional goodies that fit in the shoe? I actually heard one mom say that she was buying a Loving Family house for her daughter for St. Nick’s Day! Really?! What the hell is little Veruca getting for Christmas later the same month? Gold plated bike? Trip to Fiji? What has happened to us as a society?!

I realize that with the rise in divorce some parents play the “I love you more” game. I also realize that these little brats will eventually be adults. If the trend keeps up will Santa be able to fit a Ferrari in little Johnny’s stocking and will the real reason for the season just be dead? 

I think family traditions are being lost to the hype. We always got fruit and nuts along with candy in our Christmas stockings. We would get the one thing our heart’s desire under the tree from Santa. Ya know, the big one. Not $1800 worth of every toy we asked for all year long. I am trying my hardest to keep family traditions alive. My boys each got the one thing they wanted most, begged Santa for, and pleaded for in their letters. It was accompanied by a couple smaller toys and your run of the mill stocking stuffers. Neither of my kids died. No arms flew in the air with exclamations of “is that all?!” and they were sure that Santa really did listen and they really were good boys all year. Then they go off to school and hear of the ridiculous excess that happens in other houses. “Mom, my friend Dan said that he got the entire LEGO City from Santa!” Really?! I want to slap Dan’s mom. Why can’t Christmas be about the birth of our Lord instead of the $700 in tiny building blocks that Dan’s parents thought were just what was necessary to make the day special? One kid got a pony and a horse!!! I thought we were in an economic slump right now. Lets teach our kids about that. They will be the ones running this country some day!

So back to Easter. I was talking with an acquaintance the other day and after she got done rattling the items she compiled for her kids for Easter, ranging from board games to sports equipment, she added “I still need one more thing for the baby so they have they same number of things”. Just who is keeping score? And what is up with taking pics of your kids’ loot to post on Facebook?! Is this really even about the kids, or the holiday for that matter? It’s not like these were pics of the kiddo’s surprised faces and the joy of rifling through their haul. Just pictures of stuff. Tacky.

My kids got baskets from us and from Grandma. Each loaded to the hilt with a mother’s nightmare, and a dentist’s dream. Not once did my children ask why they didn’t get the 4 Bakugan toys they need to complete their collection, or why the Easter Bunny didn’t drop off a swimming pool. They hunted eggs and were not disappointed in the least when the plastic ones held pennies and candy instead of $5 bills.

Our Santa is kind and generous without extending our credit into financial ruin. Our Tooth Fairy still brings coin (lots of it but still coin). Our Bunny fills a basket, not the living room. Our kids know the reason for the things we celebrate, beyond the “stuff”. They experience the magic first hand. They believe in fairy tales and fictitious characters that reward them for being good people. The thought never crosses their mind to be greedy.

Maybe if this were more about the traditions associated with Easter and less of a contest our kids will benefit from the experience. Brush up HERE.

Think about the “stuff”. Ask yourself what you are teaching. Lead by example.

I truly hope everyone had a lovely Easter/ Passover/ Summer Solstice.

Let’s get Spring underway!

Much Love.

A charitable post

I absolutely adore charity work. I don’t mind taking one for the team when someone really needs it. I have donated both hours and dollars to many an organization. We, unfortunately, have also been on the receiving end of a couple such organizations too. If you aren’t sure why read HERE, RIGHT HERE, and OVER HERE for some small glimpses of may little dude’s journey, since I don’t have the balls to write it all down just yet.

So… for obvious reasons I am quite partial to charities pertaining to children. Or cancer. Or hell, children with cancer. Which brings me to my weekend to come. My sis has a wonderful friend who is celebrating her 10th year of being cancer free. She had breast cancer. She is in her late 20’s. Yep. You heard that right, not only is high school bad enough but now you have to survive the year bald and fighting for your life. This chick is amazing and her charity does some good work. This weekend is their second annual Pinkapalooza trivia benefit and the money collected will head off to help out with breast cancer research. Check out her website HERE. The event is crazy fun and put together by her and her hubby and about a bazillion other volunteers. I am one of these fortunate folk.

My sis is a photographer. She is friends and a co-worker of the spearhead of the event so naturally is asked to come document the evening. Then, Lord only knows why, she asks me to help her with the evening. The first year I was handed a camera and told to do my best, all the rest will hit the cutting room floor. Thank goodness for digital. I would have wasted more than my mortgage in film had this been done like “in the old days”.

Long story even longer… last year was such a hit that this year has already exploded, selling out in no time and it promises to be unforgettable. Which is where my sis is once again involved. Except this time she has called in some reinforcements. So, three of us will be wielding cameras, two professionals and this yokel. Sheesh.

Back to the original point of this post. Ya still with me?! Great.

When I say that I will be volunteering at a charity event and it takes preference over all other things that could be going on that night I have been getting the reply “oh, charity” like “why the heck waste time on that when you could be (fill in blank)”. Just so happens that this IS very important and unless you are, or have a loved one very close to you that has been, on the receiving end of such an event, you will never understand. This is how I make my mark. Behind the scenes. The thing to do, it seems, is to do a charity run. Well this momma don’t run. Weeeell unless I’m being chased. By a dog. Or the cops. So this will just have to do. Besides being way fun, it is kind of like a payback (forward? ugh. this could go on foreveaaa). After all this amazing lady showed up to “walk” (mosey) on our team that honors my son and raises money for one of our favorite charities.

I think that if you are the type to roll your eyes when someone says “charity”, or are too busy/lazy to help out when others are in need then you need to remember that everyone has somebody they are trying to save. Mine? I made.

I challenge all of you to do something good for someone else this weekend. I don’t care what it is. Just good.

Much Love!

Thanks Mom.

I got this in my email tonight, from my Mom. She always seems to have the right words to say and even if they aren’t exactly her words the quote is always more than appropriate.

I am a mother of two little boys. I appreciate stuff like this:

TODAY
Today he is Batman
His true identity concealed 
Via his jet-black cape still damp from the dryer
 
Today he duels evil
Racing against time
In his convertible top, two-door plastic 
Playschool car
 
Today he breaks cryptic codes 
Hacking into his Etch A Sketch and
Disabling reactor buttons on his
Mom's cell phone
 
Today he saves Gotham City
One cruel-intentioned
Peace-threatening plush toy at a time
 
Tonight he departs to the Bat Cave
After a long day of portraying Batman
He closes his eyes and ponders what is 
To come tomorrow.
 
Tomorrow he is Captain Hook
And Barbie is walking the plank.
 
--Jessica McKeon
 
Embrace the little treasures, they are fleeting.
Love to all,
MOM

We roll Imperial style ‘round here. Play is serious business in these parts.

These are old but I couldn’t resist. 

I love you too Mom! XOXO

I live for the little things.

Lately I have been a little off, mood-wise. I have been grumpy or down, depressed or angry. It has been an emotionally tough week. Nothing seems to be going right and when things start looking up it seems some little thing always throws things off again. I am usually a pretty upbeat person, or try to be (if you ask my hubby he will swear I am a die hard pessimist). I try and be a good person and act kindly towards others. It seems lately it is more my law than Murphy’s and my Karma is just a tad shy. I feel like yelling “smite me oh Mighty Smiter!”, name that movie.

So today, pooped out and still in jammies at 11:30, I am trying to turn this frown upside down. So I have to stop and say to myself “self, what is the big friggin’ deal with your crap ass attitude?! Snap out of it!”. I need an adjustment. So I will pull my big girl panties on and reflect on what I love instead of all the yuck. I think we should start with the little things. Things that you don’t really notice day to day but rather when they are gone. These are a few of my faves:

• The way my little guy mumbles “I love everybody in this family” while snuggling.
• When my older son, who is too cool for school much less holding Mommy’s hand, laces his fingers in mine.
• The fact that my dear husband still finds me attractive.
• Laughing with the man I married.
• Entenmann’s Rich Frosted Doughnuts
• The rare occasion when my sissy says “bye” before she hangs up.
• Hugs from my Mom and Dad.
• Smiles from strangers.
• Hearing my little sis’s voice.
• Napping in a pile with my boys.
• Spending time with my Grandparents.  
• Dr. Pepper (which I gave up for Lent).
• How my dog always knows when my feet are cold and promptly lays across them.
• Being the first to slide into clean sheets.
• The smell of raw silk.
• One hour of yoga.
• A too-hot-for-your-skin bath and a book (doesn’t matter which one).

Today I challenge you to look at the little things that make your day brighter.

Care to share? I’d love to hear it.

What cha readin’?

It is a question I often ask. It is important to me. It kinda gives me a gauge of the conversation that will naturally follow. I don’t care if you answer Boynton or Dostoevsky. Just as long as you’re reading something. I believe reading is important. My hubbs does not read much, he prefers visual stimulation (i.e.: video games) but he will read periodicals. That is good enough, it is still reading.

I have read to my children since before they were born. Before my life became kid laden and ultra busy I could pull down about 1000 pages a week. I know, right? N-E-R-D! Nowadays its more like I am lucky to grab 300. To me the gift of literacy is one of the most powerful talents a person can posses. Just think, you would be missing out on my ramblings without it!

I have two babies. One who is too smart for his own good and a bit on the ADD side of things. He must constantly be busy. He eats information like I eat potato chips (hey! they’re like kryptonite!). Also much like me, if he is being fed he is at peace. My little one has a blissfully average intellect with a bit of a mechanical streak. He is totally interested in putting things together (or much my bane, taking them apart) and has no interest in ever singing his ABC’s, not that he can’t, he just doesn’t want to. He is 4 and wonderful in as many ways as his big brother just in the opposite direction. It always amazes me that polar opposites can be made of the same ingredients.   

My big boy, who is in Kindergarten, has just discovered the joy of reading. How he finds it is a mess since he finds it to be extremely frustrating. He wants to just know things instead of taking time to learn them. His greatest challenge is that he can’t read like I do, but instead more like a kid. It irritates him to have to start from scratch. He told me once that when he understands every word his life will be so much easier. Pretty profound, if you think about a 6 year old making this statement.

This is an oldie but too sweet not to share.

They are 7mos. and almost 3 here.

A couple of months ago I attempted a chapter book. I introduced Judy Blume’s Freckle Juice. It was a short book with a cute story that they both enjoyed. Since I am reading to two, each with a different level of patience, I must choose wisely. I couldn’t dream of picking up Harry Potter or Artemis Foul (yet) because I would never be able to hold my audience with such a demand on their imagination. Though they can watch Mr. Potter with no trouble, actually they can last through just about any “big kid” movie (Percy Jackson and Last Airbender are our latest faves), I have to be careful to read something that they both can sit through.

I am a regular at no less than three of our local library branches and while wandering through the other day I decided I needed another adventure to read to the boys. I wanted one that was far fetched and fast paced. I landed on The Spiderwick Cronicles by Tony Di Terlizzi and Holly Black.

I started the series two nights ago and we are already deep into the second of five books. I even worked last night and surprisingly my hubby read two chapters without my asking. The boys (all three of them) are hooked! My beloved came in to listen the first night and he came back again tonight even though there was a show on in the other room that he didn’t want to miss.

These books are wonderful! The story is very entertaining, clever enough to keep their attention, and the bonus for us all is there are amazing sketches every other page or so. No one is happier about this than the baby. He has to examine every inch of the illustration before I am allowed to continue.

This excites me in a big way. I am moved to tears. I can’t wait to grab the other three and find out where the Grace children end up. I can’t think of a better family activity than some good ol’ storytelling.

 

So… drop me a line. Let me know what you are reading! 

-The Happiest Bookworm in the House

Movin’ right along, ditty dum-ditty dum…

Does anyone remember that song? Muppets? Now it is lodged in my brain. Grrr…

I am sure my friends on Facebook are getting pretty sick of me by now but it has only just begun! Actually, just by the one-liner updates it is hard to decipher whether we are building a house or a lame porno! First I had a hole, now we have wood, and so on. tee hee It really is pretty easy to entertain me lately, think 5th grade.

 

Check out my wood. Yeah, it looks small here but in person it makes a big impression. tee hee

In other news… my backsplash is D-O-N-E!!! My loving and ever encouraging *ahem* husband really loved it too. No joke. Probably because it turned out exactly just as I had planned. It is the same lovely color as the kitchen sink and all the painstaking labor made it appear that I changed the color of the grout as well. Is that even possible? Sounds like a pain in the arse. I would have just started from scratch but I didn’t have to. It worked out just fine the way I did it. Now look at some pics. Don’t judge. I am no photographer and we actually live here.

You remember where I left off, right? This is washed, sanded, and primer/painted with two coats.

 

 

Here I am mid-way, washing over it to help relieve some of the “bright white” issue.

Yes. I know. All of you who are actually good with a camera, who happen upon this page. I know things always look better when you don’t use your flash but there was hardly enough light in that spot and I do not have all the time in the world to navigate my Photoshop program that my super cool sister (who is an actual photographer) gave me to use. Get over it. 

Here is a little close up of the wall behind the stove. Remember? Check out the before HERE. See? Much better.

Ta da! Hey… don’t snicker at the ghetto stove! I happen to love it.

 

 

…Footloose and fancy free…

It’s been awhile…

Have I really gone months without an update?! Sheesh!

We have been super busy around here, that is my only excuse. Lame, I know. Between trips to the ER and big life decisions it has been a little crazy around here.

I know I have gone on before (way back) about my fun job and how it ended. I have not worked outside the house since April 2010, which is kind of silly to complain about since I am a stay-at-home mom. For my fun job I worked in a restaurant a couple nights a week for some social time and a little mad cash. I served tables, bartended, sometimes managed the place in a pinch. I worked for a wonderful family who I love and became good friends with. I miss them dearly.

I finally got antsy enough to look for work and have started a new fun job, which isn’t really all that fun yet. The money is great and the people (well most of them) are really nice, I just really hate being the new girl. This will change and it is only a couple nights a week anyway. I have already noticed the change that a little out-of-the-house responsibility can bring about. The kiddos actually miss me, the hubbs sees how much weight I carry around here, and I am happy. Hope it lasts.

We have also decided to move into a new home. I know, right?!

We looked high and low. We fought about it. We made up over it. Then we decided to build. We found a great little neighborhood which is just a little out of the way and set the gears turning. I have been annoying all on this jobsite with my daily picture taking. They either think I am psycho or have seen this a hundred times. I haven’t asked, I’m still too chicken. So…I go by my lot, a lot, and was pleased when I had more than a lot, I had a lot and a hole! But it gets better because now…

We have a foundation!!!

“Hi guys. Me again.”

This also means that we had a fire lit under our butts about the fixing up our current little shanty needs. In the end we will either need to sell it or rent it out so basically someone new will be living here. Fueled by a wild hair the little fire under my rear sparked and I found myself wandering the isles of Home Depot. Duh-da-dummmm.

I, alone, and all by myself had then decided to re-do the backsplash in our kitchen. If I were a better blogger I would have all kinds of advice and a step by step pictorial of my process and progress with full detail of every step taken. Sorry, you will have to get over it. Instead you get me. Flying by the seat of my pants. As usual.

I have shades of white in my kitchen mixed with wood. I decided to paint the circa 1972 tile that is my backsplash. I picked white. After a lengthy lesson from the hottie working the paint station I now know the difference between white, white, and white. I bought a paint and primer in one, in white. I really like Behr paint and the Premium Plus Ultra interior paint and primer in one in a semi-gloss enamel is what I am using. In white, no joke this time, he had to mix the paint to make it White (#1852).

  

This is a “before” to show just how amazingly awful this tile was. I guess you just get used to something and don’t realize how bad it was until you change it. Ignore the grime… I am mid-project. Besides that is the wall behind the stove.

I cleaned the wall, roughed it up a little with some sand paper and after one coat with a brush and two with a roller I get this:

No judging the filthy sink, you.

To this my dear sweet husband replied “that’s too freakin’ bright”. Yes, dear, I know. I am only getting started. I need a blank slate. I fully plan to diminish the glare with a little Antique White (#1823). I will make this super bright and shiny backsplash match the rest of the many shades of white in this kitchen where I live. It has to gel better with my almond sink at least. I know this. I’m working on it.

I will have an update on how it turns out in a day or two… hopefully.

I am off to go stalk my new house.

Have a great weekend!