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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Weren't You a Fuzzie?

At a Christmas party on Sunday, I was busy socializing with some fairly new friends.  As it turns out, we live in a large, tight-knit neighborhood.  Everyone seems to know everyone and there are definitely some cliques to contend with.

Anyway, my husband was talking to a new "friend" and he happened to attend my university.  He then told my husband that I looked like a girl he used to know who was a Fuzzie (Alpha Zi Delta Sorority).  He then said something to the effect that if I wasn't a Fuzzie, I should have been.

I tried not to read into it.  Not an easy task for me.  I read into everything.  But really, a Fuzzie?  I remember them all being tall and blonde.  I'm not tall.  I'm not blonde.  And I'm trying to decide whether or not to be offended.

For the record, I wasn't even Greek.

Friday, December 11, 2009

What I've Learned From Soap Operas

For two years of my life, my grandmas watched me during the day while my parents worked.  At my maternal grandmother's house, no day was complete without soap operas.  She watched CBS which included Young and the Restless, A Search For Tomorrow, As the World Turns and Guiding Light (RIP GL).

Sadly the addiction began way back as a tiny little person and it continued  into my teenage years.  I remember being so embarrassed when the actors would start muggin' down.  I'd pretend to be reading something or looking the other way when they'd make out...which is quite a lot on soaps.

Even into my 20's I was recording soaps...you just never know what you might miss. =)

It was a sad day in September of this year when Guiding Light went to be with the Lord.  That's where all good soap operas go, right?  Well, it wasn't sad because I'd have a hole in my day, as I'd ceased my soap obsession, but it was like a part of my grandmother (who passed 10 years ago) died again that day.  I will always think of her when I see a soap.

All of this to say (making a very long post) I think I learned not to lie from soap operas.  It doesn't take long to see that there would be absolutely NO story line if the people would be straight forward and honest.  I really have no patience for lying...especially from my kids.

Take today for example.  I'll spare you the details but basically Girl Wondertwin disappeared for 15 minutes during Brunchinner (we woke up too late for breakfast and she leaves for school too early to eat lunch...it was also dinner because she was eating her meal from the night before that she had refused to eat).  I finally got her to come upstairs to eat and I asked her if she had been watching TV.  No, of course not Mom.

I knew she was lying but didn't say anything until I went downstairs and found the TV on.  She lied AND didn't bother to turn off the evidence. Wasting electricity was added to her list of iniquities.

She then missed her school bus and will be spending 30 minutes in her room after school.  I was TICKED.
When do children learn NOT to lie?  I have little patience for it.  She needs a good soap opera to teach her a lesson.

A Conversation with Little Dude

This is what Little Dude said to me yesterday.

LD:  "I kick butt, Mommy?"

Me:  "What?"

LD "I kick butt?"

Me:  "Did you just ask me if you kick butt?"

LD: "Ves" (translates to Yes from 3 year old speak to English)

Me:  "We don't say butt, buddy.  Where did you learn that?"

LD:  "God and Jesus taught me."

Well of course they did.  And yes, Little Dude does Kick Butt.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Another Way to Save

Hi Blog friends!  Just wanted to share a great link with you. 
www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=nhLHZx%2BpURwisjAqvroa%2Fw%3D%3D

This is Ebates!  If you are like me you are making a lot of online purchases right now.  I've been doing all the Christmas shopping for my in laws (meaning I'm buying the kids' presents that will be given by my in laws).  Not an easy task when I'm shopping for my 3 but at least I'm using their $$!

I've been using Ebates and so far I'm getting $13 dollars back!  Not bad since I'm not spending my own money in the first place!  Use the link above and check it out. 

Monday, December 7, 2009

Lost and Found

It's a day like this when I thank my Good Lord above for my blog.  Buckle your seat belts, blogworld, because I'm about to vent.

Against my better judgement (but REALLY needing a workout since I skipped Saturday) I dragged my 3 to the athletic club.  The twins were excited to go but Little Dude was dragging his feet (both literally and figuratively).  We arrive and park as far away as humanly possible from the front of the building.

The twins fly out of the car and seemingly disappear into some portal in space.  Worried about Little Dude and his ginormous fit that he his throwing, I'm consumed with him.  I finally get his pants zipped and I refuse to zip his coat because I realize that the twins are long gone.  I try to rush Little Dude but anyone with a 3 year old knows that this is generally counterproductive.  He dug in his heels and would NOT move.  Keep in mind, it's 29 degrees outside and flurries are flying.

Somehow I finally convince Little Dude to move in a forward motion.  After who knows how long we arrive at the entrance of the building.  Right away there is a desk where a "professional" checks you in using a membership card.  I ask her, with a little bit of concern in my voice, "Did you see 2 five year olds run past here?"  "Nope" she answers flppantly.  A little more concerned, I say, "Are you sure you didn't see 2 five year olds run past here?"  "Nope" she says without a care in the world.  Just to clarify, I say, "So, you are telling me that 5 year olds did not come through here?"  NOPE was her answer, obviously annoyed by my tenacity.

Worry and dread crosses my face as I begin to rush toward the child center.  The woman behind me, sensing my urgency, says, "I'm sure they went to the child center".  At least she cared.  At least she was human.

The child center is in the very back of the building.  When I finally reached the Child Center (with Little Dude still moping along SLOWLY behind me) I found the Wondertwins hanging up their coats.  Relieved, I begin to tell the child care workers what happened.  They could not believe the lack of concern I received at the entrance.  Realizing that it wasn't just me, that this was an obvious oversight in humanity, I went back to the "professional" at the entrance.

I said to her, "Just so you know, my 5 year olds DID pass you".   Without a care in the world, she says, "Well, I didn't see them".  At this point I started to fume.  Wouldn't a normal person say, "Oh, I'm so glad you found your kids."  Or anything but how she chose to respond.  I then said, "Well, I was VERY worried when you said you didn't see them and that made me think that they didn't come in...that maybe something terrible had happened to them."  She says, "I just told you that I didn't see them".  REALLY??  REALLY?? Is this how a normal human responds?

Nothing could stop me at that point, after telling her that I didn't appreciate her attitude, I went straight to the Manager.  Telling him that this MUST happen on a daily basis, he responds with understanding and saying he would pull the "professional" from the front and put her on another duty after a "talk".  He then offered me free lunch for my kids and myself.

I didn't take him up on his lunch.  That wasn't my point.  Anyone with multiple children understands how easy it is to get separated from one while tending to another.  All this "professional" needed to do was offer me just a little bit of humanity.  A, "Gosh, I'm so sorry"  or "Can I call down to the child center and make sure they are down there" or "Wow, that must have been really scary". ANYTHING.  All she did was defend herself.

I don't want this girl to get fired or anything but goodness!  I think she would have been MORE concerned if I had told her I lost my earring.  She would have at least directed me toward the lost and found.

What the heck is going on in this world?

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Recommended Reading




Just finished 90 Minutes In Heaven.  I have to admit.  I was skeptical.

Don't get me wrong.  I totally believe in Heaven and I look forward to eternity there.  I just wasn't sure that this man actually visited Heaven.  After reading it, I have to say that I might just believe him.

In case you haven't heard this man's story, he got in a terrible car wreck, getting hit by an 18 wheeler.  For 90 minutes he remained in his car while various EMTs and rescue workers checked his pulse and covered him up with a tarp, declaring him dead.  During this time a pastor came upon the wreck and felt "called" to pray over this dead man.  During his fervent prayer, the man came back to life.

The book has a chapter about his experience in Heaven but much of the book is about his recovery process and everything he went through.  What I took away from the book is a stronger view of the possibilities of Heaven and the reality of it's existence. I've believed in Heaven since I was a little girl but this book caused me to think about it in a whole new way, that someday I will be there without a worry or a care.  My only concern will be telling God how great HE is.

Could this man have made it all up?  Possibly but I think there are a lot of factors that back up his testimony.  God is a big God and I think it is real that He might have allowed this unique opportunity to this man so that we might know HIM better.

I don't know.  What do you think?  90 Minutes in Heaven is well worth the read and can be read easily in a day.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Snow Pride

There are many WEIRD sources of pride in the world.  Over the past 6 years (the amount of time we've lived in the snow belt) my husband has pointed out that we Ohioans are VERY proud people.  This is saying a lot coming from a Texan, I must say.  He says we are all about ice cream and snow pride. 

I agree with the ice cream thing. I'm pretty sure (and Oprah agrees so it must be true) that we have the best ice cream in the world.  The fave brand here is Graeter's but there are two others that are quite compettitive, in my opinion.  Those brands include Jeni's and Handel's. 

More about ice cream in another post.

This one is about snow.  Yesterday Houston got 4 inches of snow.  I really don't know how they measured that since the ground was probably around 60ish degrees so it basically melted on impact.  It did snow enough that my 7 year old nephew was able to build a 2 foot snowman.  It sounds like it was the kind of snow that anyone NORTH of the Mason-Dixon line wouldn't even bother to put on snow boots.

Snow is such a big deal down there since it happens so rarely that every Texas Facebook friend had some picture or verbal posting about the snow.  Many schools called off and some businesses sent their workers home.  It's easy to laugh at this after enduring a 20 inch storm a few years but hey, that Texas snow (that melted in hours, mind you) was a big deal that might not happen again for years.  Who knows. 

My "snow pride" tells me those Southerners are big wusses but I bet I would have been out playing in that snow too if I lived down there. 

PS.  Sorry for the rambling...I should have gone to bed an hour ago.  I'm exhausted.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Bakugan Hell


This is actually a Bakugan Alarm Clock but it is basically a large version of my sons' obsession.  Almost a year ago today I saw my first Bakugan Ball.  I thought it was the coolest thing ever.  My sons soon got their first Bakugan Balls and we've been all about it ever since.  The bad thing about these little things is that they are VERY easy to break and even EASIER to lose.

Take today for example.  Little Dude received a Bakugan Ball as a gift yesterday and for 24 hours straight he had this thing in his little mitts.  We headed out to the mall today to use a 15% off coupon that I'd forgotten the last time I was there.  (Side Note:  It took this girl 15 minutes to return and then "re-sell" me the items I purchased just days ago.  I even had to tell her HOW to do it. I haven't worked retail since college.  Grr.)

Somewhere along the way, Little Dude had left his new Bakugan Ball.  As the cashier struggled with my purchases, the woman behind me said that she had just seen a Bakugan Ball in the bathroom by the playland.  I left the struggling cashier and booked it to the bathroom.  Guess what?  No Bakugan Ball.  You know some grubby kid grabbed that $6 ball as soon as he saw it.  His mom probably encouraged it knowing how much those obnoxious things cost.   

I don't have to tell you that Little Dude screamed the whole way home.  I have a stash of Bakugan Balls as stocking stuffers but I may take them back.  I know they really love these things but if he is going to leave a trail of $6 Bakugan Balls everywhere we go, I just can't go there.

It's just a season, right?  He won't be 3 forever.

Unprecedented

I'm begging Hubby to do a guest post here at Ventalicious regarding his Santa conversation with Girl Wondertwin.  Hopefully he chooses to share with us.  It was definitely an ironic and humerous conversation.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Funny

I have nothing against Florida State.  Whether it was right or not to fire Bobby Bowden, I really have no idea.  If it was his time, maybe JoPa should follow suit...although JoPa is winning.
Anyway, this video is pretty funny.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

"A Child is Abandoned Every 18 Seconds"

This is a post written by a friend of mine.  She adopted a baby from the other side of the world.  I asked her to write a blurb about her experience.  I posted it here.  It's well worth the read.

I Must Be Sick

You know how it is.  After you have kids it's not about you anymore.  Well, for most parents anyway.  It's all about the kids' needs, wants and volume.

I've been feeling pretty cruddy after picking up whatever Girl Wondertwin found along the way.  For her she had a low grade fever for 12 hours, missed a day of school and made me crazy the whole time because she never really felt sick.

Then Little Dude got it and it hit him harder.  His fever was higher and he was really, really grumpy.

Then it hit me.  Pretty hard I think, although I haven't had a lot of time to sit back and think about it.  My only evidence is that I crashed around 5:30pm (just as hubby was walking in the door) and didn't wake up til 7:30pm.  That's saying a lot considering how loud my kids are. 

By 11:30 I was so exhausted I went back to bed and didn't wake up til 8:30am.  Again, pretty amazing considering the general volume of my children.

I must be sick.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Earning Their Keep?

I was in a mad rush today.  After the gym we ran home and stuffed our faces in order to get the kids on the Kindergarten bus and Little Dude to preschool.  I had to jump in the shower too.
After fixing the kids lunch, I jumped in the shower.  With soapy hair, I realize there is no bar soap in the shower.
Apparently hubby had run out and took my bar to his shower. Grr.

Doing what any mom would do (who couldn't afford another day without soap!!!) started screaming for the kids' help.  Finally all three of them show up in my bathroom.  I explain to them what I need and they all run away.

I kid you not, each kid brought something into my bathroom a total of 7 times each. 
They brought:  Liquid soap, hand soap, conditioner, cleaning products of many different varieties, and who knows what else.  It was literally 10 minutes (and remember, we were in a hurry) Boy Wondertwin found a bar of soap.

Why don't my children know what soap is and when will they start earning their keep around here?