On With The Show

To something more lighthearted...at my expense.

Last night my belly started hurting something terrible. It was a cross between

"oh I ate something BAAAAAAD"

and

"what kind of menstrual cramps are THESE?"

(sorry IG)

and

"am I gonna blow? and from which end?"

It is STILL hurting right now, this morning. In fact, it just made an awful gurgly noise. I really, really hope they fixed the bathrooms on this floor last night.

This office is staying so cold my fingertips are purple.

My post yesterday lost me *2* followers! Gasp! Right? Ah well. Can't win 'em all, and apparently can't have differing opinions with them all, either. Clearly, after 3 years of blogging and only 123 followers, I wasn't in it for a popularity contest. I never did win any of those when I was younger either....

You know what else I never won? The lottery. I guess I'm good.

What I HAVE been missing, however, is a girl's gathering. Maybe once my gurgles subside, I can work something out. Ouch.

Freedom of Speech, or Simply Disrespect?

Let's make one thing clear. This has nothing to do with politics. In fact, I'm fairly certain I sit on the opposite side of Governor Brownback from Kansas on most everything.

It's about respect.
It's about parenting.
It's about knowing your place.
It's NOT about freedom of speech.

The local teen, Emma Sullivan, who has recently made headlines for her juvenile (and rightly so, she is only 18) tweet while visiting Governor Brownback is wrong. Her school officials are wrong. Her parents are wrong.

Yes, people should get to say what they want. No, we shouldn't stifle it because we disagree. HOWEVER...............

There comes a time and place when we should exercise this right respectfully. "He sucks" and "he blows a lot" is not a respectful or intelligent way to express your freedom of speech. It's not insightful, and it's downright rude when you've been welcomed into his place of employment for an educational and informational gathering. As a student. Which means, in my eyes, as a child.

Since when did parents stop making their children apologize to other adults when they've been rude to them?

We've become so ingrained as a society to ALLOW and GIVE that we're failing an entire generation of kids. They have no concept of a society having roles and structure and respect. It's about them, it's about now, and it's definitely NOT about understanding a time and place for everything. To them, the time and the place is all about them.

I'm disappointed. Maybe I'm the one overreacting. But isn't it time some of us did? For the RIGHT reasons?

Monday Mumbles

With each passing Monday we get closer to the holiday weekend in December. Not the warm fuzzy, let's toast and kiss weekend. THE weekend. The sacks full of wasted paper (newspaper in recycle mode if you're "cool" like me).

1. The Jayhawk football coach was dismissed from his duties yesterday. This makes me sad for a man only given two years to make it HIS team. Do I think he was in over his head? Possibly. Does that make me feel less sad for him? No.

2. I text Hubs and said if the ex-coach needed a place to stay, he could sleep in my bed. (What? For a 49 year old man, he's handsome. Sue me.) Hubs responded, "For 6 mill, he can sleep in mine too." Yes, indeed, the payout on his contract makes it less hurtful for him. More importantly, having a Hubs with a sense of humor makes it less painful on me.

3. In all seriousness, it's not about the money. It was refreshing to have someone in ANY sort of powerful position who demonstrated morals, goodness, and the passion to create compassionate and thoughtful, hardworking and spiritual human beings. That was his goal, and while he might have failed on the field, I doubt he'll feel like a failure otherwise.

4. Remember how I told you that OJ and Evie couldn't keep their hands off one another? They really can't.

5. Is anyone else tired of thinking of meals to make? Maybe this just happens to those of us who dislike cooking?

6. Thanksgiving was good for us. Was it good for you? The weather was SPEC.tacular. I had a lot of helpings of a lot of things. Food coma? Yes.

7. Over a span of nearly 3 weeks, my dad's side of the family just grew by 4. My cousin's wife had their son November 8 (Liam), my cousin had her twins November 17 (Carter boy and Kinley girl), and then my other cousin's wife had their daughter November 23 (Kelsey). Christmas will be nuts!

8. When women wear leggings or tights, what's the secret to keep from getting a camel toe? I don't wear these clothing items, so this isn't a personal necessity. But some women have it, and some don't. Is it simply a matter of not yanking them up to your neck? Is it about the undies underneath? What gives?

9. For those who read and don't know what a camel toe is, it's better left to a personal email. So send one if you need an explanation.

10. I am itching to start a new book, so I need to raid my bookshelf. There are a few on there that I haven't started yet. Shame on me. I'm secretly hoping to get a few new ones at Christmas. Shhh.

THE Home or MY Home?

My sister called me last night and asked that we chat about what to do with Mom and Dad. I was confused. Our parents are divorced, so I wasn't sure if something happened between Thanksgiving night and Friday night to cause a stir about Christmas time shared. I wasn't sure if she was being funny about some anecdote that I missed while most of them had the day off and probably saw one another.

No.

She wanted to talk about what to do with them when they become...well...OLD. She didn't want to be having the same discussion she witnessed over lunch on Friday. Apparently my dad's siblings all decided to discuss my 90 year old grandmother and what she should and shouldn't do. Understandably, the 9 of them didn't agree on everything.

Yes, I said 9. My dad is #4 of 9. My mom is #4 of 5. I am #2 of 5, if you want to know.

So, my sister wants to put them in a home.

Really?

I suppose I haven't thought about it much. My parents seem so capable still, at 61 and 54. The idea that we'd have to put them in a home instead of bringing them into one of ours seems strange to me yet. But I suppose if finances wouldn't allow for us to devote time and attention to their needs, it might be required. I would rather think that, by the time this decision rolls around, I'll be able to take them in and care for them as I feel we should. And what would that be like, should we take them in, and they still have their right minds about them?

Dad is so bossy.
Mom talks. A LOT. (love you Mom!)
Dad constantly does chores.
Mom constantly cleans.
Dad ALWAYS watches sports.
Mom rarely, if ever, cares to watch sports.
Dad is content at home.
Mom always likes to be out of the house.
Oh, and they're divorced.

Should Hubs and I be the ones to take them both in (seems like a rather far-fetched idea considering that last bullet point), we would:


No longer be the bosses in our home.
Never get to talk about what we wanted again.
Be forced to do chores because dad was.
Be forced to clean more because mom was.
Set up separate television viewing areas.
Leave mom alone to watch hers, because...well...we like sports.
Be separated because one would be at home with dad while the other took mom out.

To be fair to my parents, odds are good that they'll be able to sustain on their own for a very long time. With regard to my 90 year old grandmother, she hasn't lost a bit of her sharpness, her mind is strong, her memory fine it appears. She's just slowed down. She still drives, and gets her hair done weekly.

My mom's parents are 86 and 77, still living on their own as well. My aunt lives there, but doesn't need to, necessarily. They both still drive, my grandmother still works. They are starting to worry their kids as is my 90 year old grandmother, but at these ages, my parents have luck and genetics on their side.

To humor my sister, though, we can have the "talk". But she should know...if she's still single and childless and making more money, she's totally taking them both in. Just sayin'.

Funny Faces Friday

they love playing in the target ball

Sissy and her Grandma

OJ and his favorite man, Dad

Evie's 1980s outfit as she exercised around her uncle's car one afternoon

Losing My Marbles Along With the World

I do not think of it as a mid-life crisis. I think of it as a semi-mid-life review.

Is the world crazy? Am I?

Lately, I get so sad when I hear about all the tragedies around us. The child molestation cases, the missing babies, the murder suicides, the mindless and horrible acts of violence against one another. And when I say sad, I don’t mean I dwell for a few minutes, remind myself how lucky I am and move along with my day. I get SAD.

What’s happening, people? Where is the humanity? The compassion? The simple acknowledgement that we are human, children need to be nurtured, and forgiveness should be one of the first lessons taught and one to repeatedly be practiced?

By no means do I succeed daily, but as I age, and as my children age and change almost by the minute, I reflect. Isn’t that part of our moral and human duty? To reflect and learn? Why do so many people wake up each day, and continue to live so selfishly, and with such little purpose beyond themselves?

The larger picture is being overlooked. It’s bigger than us. Every day, life is bigger than we are as individuals, bigger than our individual joys and sorrows, our individual successes and failures. It’s bigger because we are a collective whole that needs to hold one another accountable.

And there needs to be a distinction made between finger pointing and holding others accountable. It’s fine, sometimes, this distinction, but important. Too often we think we’re making sure others know what their responsibilities are by pointing fingers at them when they fail to uphold it. This is not the same as holding someone accountable. Pointing out failures and placing blame (whether accurate or not) is not the same as uplifting a fellow man and steering them to what is the right action, the moral choice, the responsible standard to which he should hold himself.

We need to be less afraid of offending our family and our friends.

We need to be stronger in our convictions about what is right and wrong as a people, and not allow the mentality “what is right for one is not necessarily right for another” to invade every single action.

We need to care again.

Monday Mumbles

The glorious weekend is over. Monday is here. Alas, a 4 day work week for some of us, 3 for others. Maybe still others are off altogether? Lucky dogs.

1. We had a surprise visit from my dad yesterday. He wanted to watch the Raiders with us, since they were airing on television in our viewing area. It's rare around here unless they're playing the Chiefs, so we cherish the games we get to see. It was even better with some excitement from Grandpa while we watched.

2. How in the world do you stop a child from jumping off furniture? Granted, I never wanted to be the type of parent who forbid fun in the house - you know the type. No jumping, no wrestling, sit quietly and properlike. I didn't want to be THAT...but maybe in hindsight...I should have?

3. OJ and Evie can't keep their hands off one another. And I don't mean in a good way.

4. To my siblings - Once OJ's hairs are cut, his head looks considerably smaller. So there.

5. Does anyone else have trouble getting motivated to do anything in the cold? I hate it. Hate It.

6. Have I ever told blogland about the man at work with apples? To be fair to the apple, which I really do detest simply due to the volume it creates when eaten, it's not just apples with him. He eats and slurps and chomps ridiculously loud. This is no secret, I've told him. But oh, how I wish he cared enough to change it.

7. Evelyn is getting quite the pot belly on her. I hope that means she'll be growing taller soon. Otherwise she might end up tripping on her hair.

8. Thanks to Hubs' proactive take on holiday shopping, we are nearly done with the kids already. We just have to wrap up Till's items. Yea! What a relief.

9. Speaking of relieving yourself, Evie is very aware of when she is peeing and poohing. She does not, however, care to relieve herself on the toilet. She simply tells me when she's emptying it into her diaper. I've had one successful pee in the potty, but that's it. I suppose at the turn of the new year, we'll get amped up about it.

10. I suppose I can be pleased that she at least blows her nose at 17 months. That's better than nothing, right?  Especially considering how much I hate sniffers. Please, if you're a sniffer, GO BLOW YOUR NOSE.

What I'll Miss

The luxury of the laundry basket.

The wonders of a set of keys.

Permission to squeeze and kiss chubby thighs.

Swabbing bare bottoms while smiling faces look up.

Jabber that no one understands, and everyone accepts.

Just a few of the baby gifts that Evelyn still has, but the boys have outgrown. I love the joys that a baby brings, but I know after her, it's time for our family to move into another phase. The bigger kid phase is fun, too. But oh, sweet baby phase, I do love you.

Now I must go play hide and seek in the couch cushions. Excuse me......

Funny Faces Friday

At a recent playdate, Evie found a nifty pair of shades.

And then the owner of the nifty shades showed her how it's done.

And then the brother of the owner of the nifty shades gave Funny Faces Friday lessons.

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Holiday Cheer - Not Here

It never usually is, though.

image found here

Monday Mumbles

Oh, sweet vacation. You are coming to an end. How incredibly sad. I realize, when I take too much time off work, how easily I could do without it. The work, not the money. So on with the show.

1. I get to coach Turner's basketball team again. Did I mention that last week? I think I did. We have our first practice tonight and I'm super excited.

2. I do sometimes feel like I'm taking away from Hubs by doing the coaching. I think men like to coach their sons, and moms should sometimes stick to coaching the daughters. But the sports girl in me just can't help it. Maybe I'll ask Hubs if he'd be inclined to assisting at practices and letting Till stay at home with the wee ones for an hour.

3. Last week, I made Till go out and run a 5K with me for FUN. He didn't put up a fight, but I don't think he was prepared for what 3 miles felt like compared to the 1.5 he was running in cross country, or the 2 miles we ran the other week. But HE DID IT. He had a side ache, and he grimaced for a majority of it, but he finished running the entire time. And we did it in an 8:42 pace!

4. What a productive weekend I had! Turner had his basketball skills test Saturday, I sat on the coaches panel and did the scoring, and then we held the draft for the NEXT TWO HOURS. Seriously, 2 hours? For 7 and 8 year olds?

5. When I got home, my mom was there to visit. We chatted and then she and I took Evelyn to dinner for a ladies hour out. After dropping Evie off back at the house and bringing Hubs some food, Mom and I went back out to Costco for a little holiday shopping.

6. We visited my grandma and grandpa and aunt Sunday as a belated "get well" to my aunt and "happy birthday" to my grandma. We then spent the afternoon with my dad and siblings, and I helped my brother with his resume. Full weekend. Family time. Thumb's up.

7. Oh, at the draft the men clearly weren't sure what to do with the female in the room. At the restaurant, Evie flirted with the waiter. And at my grandma's, Owen decided to call Turner a jackass when he was angry with him. In his defense, he had reason. Oy, potty mouth.

8. FYI, he learned it from his father. I'm sure of it.

9. I have my first basketball practice all planned out. The drills, the reason behind it, and what we're trying to learn or correct. I'm such a nerd.

10. And I love it. I love being a nerd. Rock on, teachers!!! Because we're all teachers, in some way or another, right?

p.s. Thank you Donna, for the contribution to the Turner Treat Fund. :) Good seeing you yesterday!

Funny Faces Friday

Getting By....in this big, bad world

Written in response to a friend's email.


I think the term "trust the process" is a load of garbage. My opinion of course. We are presented with situations and choices, and we make decisions. What we have to trust is that we're choosing the best option that does just a few things:

1. Makes life the most simple and direct for ourselves.

2. Maximizes the experience without detriment to others or ourselves.

3. Makes us proud in the moment and in retrospect.

These are the terms I'm trying to live by, NOW. In lieu of the mistakes I've made in the past.

As for staying afloat day to day, it's all a mindset. Nothing can drown you. Except you. Until you trust that you can handle all the outcomes of deciding to step outside the kiddie pool into the big one, you won't ever know what you can truly do. 

Or endure. 

Or receive. 

Nobody can say anything to destroy you. One person's opinion or 200 people's opinions or 2 million people's opinions don't matter, so long as you acted in a way that you can endure, live with, and forgive OR be proud of. 

What else is there, really? 

We wake up, we sleep. 

We encounter other people who we should treat with dignity and respect.

We handle and present ourselves in caring and loving and joyful ways. 

Those who don't accept or appreciate or become part of what we offer aren't necessarily meant to stay. And that's okay. Life is an experience. And a choice. Everyday.

Monday Mumbles

Mumbling on a day off from work. Oh wait, I don't just mean a day. I mean the week! I have so many things I want to do, to catch up on, and I'm GOING TO DO THEM. I will. I really will. Be quiet.

1. I've actually planned ahead and already have my funny faces ready to go for Friday. Check ME out. I told you I had things I wanted to get done.

2. Does anyone else scrub the bathtub and walls when you're actually taking your shower? Or am I alone here? Do moms ever stop looking at the house as "something to be done"? Because I know I didn't feel this way as a single chick living alone!!

3. I made some pretty awesome philly cheesesteak sandwiches yesterday. Bought some deli roast beef, diced and sliced it. Grilled it to warm, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and season salt. In another skillet, I sauteed green and red peppers and onions. Once each skillet was warmed just right, I portioned out the meat, portioned the veggies on top, and covered with provolone. Covered the skillet to melt the cheese, and buttered/toasted hoagie buns in the other skillet. Dished up the mix onto the hoagie and gorged. GORGED.

4. Anyone need to break for fashion after all that food talk?

5. You'd think I'd want to go running after I gorged on that sandwich, but it was actually just the opposite. I went running yesterday morning at a road race, a 5K. That's 3.1 miles for you non-runners. I opted for the recreational race instead of the elite, for obvious reasons.

6. I ended up winning my age group 30-34 year olds in 25:41. That breaks down to an 8:17ish pace for each mile. I hadn't run that pace in a loooong time, so I was pretty excited. So excited I MIGHT have peed my pants a tad. You MOMs know what I'm saying.

7. My friend Catholic Lady Michelle signed up to do it when our company announced they were sponsoring. I hemmed and hawed about doing it. I get way too nervous for competition. I learned in high school I don't like it much. But because she was doing it, I felt a sense of relief knowing I would know someone and we were both recreationally participating. Thank you, Michelle!

8. Sometime last week Owen declared the following when he had to leave the television to visit the restroom, "UUUHHH.  *SIGH* THIS....is unacceptable. I am TIRED of this. I am tired of going to the bathroom. I poop too MUCH."  Wouldn't it be grand if all boys thought like this at 3 1/2 and continued it for the rest of their lives? Imagine not having your sons or husbands or brothers taking up bathroom space for 30 minutes at a time. Leisurely doing business. I love OJ.

9. Hubs and Till eat too much. That's all.

10. Oklahoma City, or 45 some miles from it, experienced a 5.2 earthquake. Many people in the KC metro area said they felt the tremors. I did not. But it's okay. We felt one in Japan when we visited back in 2003, and that was enough for me.

Funny Faces Friday

A little more Halloween fun!

Spooky Greetings!

The town held a Boo Fest Saturday morning. These cheesy heads were all set to go!

Owen liked Mickey and so we got a photo. I love how he's eyeballing him, though.

My little Luigi has such sweet, lovely eyes. They capture HIM.

My lollipop girl is caught in the moment. Or simply caught up in keeping her hair out of the lollipop.

Must click. To enlarge. Too sweet to miss. These little faces look so sweet.

I donned my brother's costume for walking around. Evelyn is looking over her shoulder for me...to avoid me. She was not at all impressed but eventually found peace with Captain America and let me carry her while we trick or treated.

Oh my sweetness - Buzz, Luigi, and Pirate Princess.

Till is too old for trick or treating, and too big to boot. He did, however, get himself a little 'stache to wear. He had good fun with us last night.