Postits and Puppies

I moved!

2014-04-06T13:55:00.003-07:00

Here is an essay way to follow the new blog :) Come on over. I miss yall!

Coffee and Books Part 1 :Why I hate the third book

2014-02-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

Our house feels like the 10 plagues of Egypt. We as a family have been sick essentially since Christmas, we have had sinus infections, the flu, pink eye, ear infections, a viral stomach thing, and now we wait. Wait to get better. We are NOT good waiters. The family was sick all weekend so mama went on the backburner and is regretting this on a beautiful Monday reserved for running. I used yesterday morning to go to he Acute care only to get a painful shot and some Flonase. She recommended I get Mucinex and take it easy. I did so, and today I FEEL LIKE DEATH. Not to mention I woke up this morning with Pink Eye again. Yippie! The choirs sing joyous tunes.

Anywhoo, I have been catching up on the FX viewing glory of the Twilight films. I must say, it took me all these years of reading the books and watching the movies to attempt to determine why Bella is so dumb. I was watching the first movie today when Jacob is talking about the werewolves and the cold ones yada yada and was deeply annoyed that she couldn't figure out what Jacob was. Why would you determine that your boyfriend was a vampire, but never put it together that the guy telling the story about the vampire might know what he is talking about from experience! Silly Bella.

Thus I give you my list of worst THIRD books in no particular order:

1. Allegient - Divergent Series
2. Mockingjay - Hunger Games
3. Eclipse - Twilight
4. Prisoner of Azkaban - HP
5. Blink - Malcom Gladwell (Technically book 2)

I always get this feeling of, I have to finish this....so what do I write? This is not a feeling I enjoy as a reader. I also don't like long drawn out messages when it doesn't need to be! If it is time to end, just end it already!

Harper's 1st snow! In Georgia!

2014-01-28T16:28:00.001-08:00

Harper's first snow! She was super excited despite the picture making her look terrified. She kept looking around trying to figure out what the strange white stuff was!

Happy Snow Day to us tomorrow. Dear northern friends, southern friends are silly!

Lone Survivor, thoughts as an Army Wife.

2014-01-21T11:56:00.002-08:00

I wasn't prepared for the reaction I had. Do you ever do that? Kind of mentally prepare for something, only to realize it was completely in vain?

When Paul was deployed I tried not to be THAT girl. I wasn't going to constantly worry about him. I knew there was down time, as well as time where he was risking his life in dangerous situations. I knew that. That was MY reality, and what I became a part of as I joined the ranks of military wifedom. I knew that some days and times I wouldn't hear from him, or know if he was okay, I came to terms with that. However, there is a deep sense of the unknown, that prior to my adoption into the army, I found fascinating, this other world where these awful things happen to other people. I talked to Paul's best friend every night. During that deployment Brien was the medic that worked the night shift. If anything happened, Brien would know and I would find out that way, my preferred way.

All spouses have a surreal vision somewhere in the back of their head picturing the outcome of highly ranking officials standing at the doorway of their home. Thus, when my enlisted husband talks about wanting to deploy again, my gut wrenches and I suck it up, because again I married into this life. I chose to raise our babies alone if my world comes crashing down in that fashion. I watch as he shifts from job to job craving what only war and adrenaline seem to be capable of creating. Thus, when we went to see Lone Survivor, I knew I would cry. I knew that it would be sad, and I was prepared for that.

I wasn't prepared for the last five minutes, the excruciating minutes filled with candid pictures of dead soldiers and their spouses, kids, dogs, guns. It's not so bad in the abstract, we all know that people die in war. It is different when it is your people, and every person who died in Lone Survivor and every war since the beginning of time belonged to someone. Those babies lost dads, wives lost husbands. The brutality of the movie was less striking to me than the brutality of life. How does someone survive that kind of loss, then have a movie made about it. It is beyond my comprehension to love that deeply. It's beyond my comprehension the allure of war, the allure of death. Perhaps that is the difference between myself and my military husband, I have to live for him so he can die for me, because isn't that the sacrifice we make marrying into the beast?

Syllabi- the other white meat

2014-01-13T14:46:00.001-08:00

I love my professor, I really do, but this is my 2nd Master's degree, I don't need you to read the syllabus to me. There are only four teachers in the program, there are prerequisites and all of them use the same template.

Although I appreciate the concern, I can read my syllabus. Additionally, let's get to it. I'm paying good money for this. You teaching me the syllabus doesn't help me learn to counsel. Just sayin.

Frozen Hell Week

2014-01-09T11:41:00.001-08:00

Yall, my bones are cold, and I am from the North!

Georgia is colder than it has been in a decade, and although the cold has been a nice change, and it actually feels like winter and all. I. AM. DONE.

Monday was the first day back to school, and despite the ridiculousness of not having a schedule, not being able to sit at my desk, not having rosters and going to a zillion meetings, we topped it off with a broken heater at the school.

Tuesday, we had a one hour late start which changed it from 15 degrees, feels like 3 to 15 degrees feels like 4. Either way, it was cold and we had no heat.

Wednesday, we delay an hour again. Same thing. Except now a pipe is rusted and has exploded in the boiler room. This explosion led to a wet boiler room and electric control panel that must be replaced.

Thus today on Thursday, they brought in portable heaters. The portable heater in the hall is not helping the cold air blowing in my room! I don't have time to be sick!

DJ Pukey in the house

2014-01-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

E has hit that glorious age where she doesn't HAVE to nap anymore. By glorious I mean awful awful time, where mommy needs a nap in order to deal with E. Lil Miss attitudey doesn't have to have a nap, but everyone just feels better if she lays down for a few, all are rejuvenated. However, today HJ took her nap early so she was up during the naptime of E. And Emma kept yelling down the stairs to tell us that we should give H a bottle in order to quiet her up in order for E to take a nap. So if E is going to actually attempt a nap, we are going to do what we can. This is what we did.

Don't tell E we used her headphones and ipod to quiet her sister down :)

Memory Book: Lil E Part 1

2014-01-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

When P and I first met E had just turned three and P had just gotten back from deployment. His mom had been taking care of her during his deployment and she was such a funny little creature. I hadn't spent alot of time with kids that small and so it was always interesting to see what she was going to say or do. P, being the military man that he is is a bit on the anal retentive side and so E wasn't allowed to do things like mix Playdough colors or have multiple toys out at one time. I being all knowing in my kidlessness thought this was just silly. Kids should be able to color with all kinds of colors and mix playdough for the perfect color (now I know I should have kept my mouth shut, I just wish she would pick up her stuff now).

She used to take her little shoes and line them all up, matching next to her bedroom door. Given she couldn't put them on or tie them herself but there was always a little line of cute little baby shoes. She also used to get the biggest thrill out of watching me put on makeup. P had a mirror that sat on his floor that I used to get ready in the mornings. Apparently, she hadn't ever watched anyone put makeup on before and this seemed to be a real treat. This lead to a number of Lil E attempts at perfecting and beautifying her future mama. Boy weren't those the days! Now I have to beg to have my makeup done!

Resolutions and Removing the Negative from Life

2014-01-02T18:42:00.001-08:00

I had a conversation with a friend today about removing negative people from our lives. However, how does a person remove the negativity when they are responsible for the cause. I always struggle with blogging about my kids in a negative light. Not because I don't get upset with them, but instead I fear that someday my thoughts today will haunt me if they decide to read my blog and don't like what is said. That doesn't make anything less true, just something that I constantly keep in mind.

E is difficult. Period. End of Story. When her dad deployed, we went to therapy, and things got better for awhile but ultimately it appears that she will continue to have anger issues for the next forseeable future. Some of this occurs because she is 6 and wants her way and only her way. Some of it occurs because of things prior to me and out of my control. Despite these facts, she is angry. The smallest thing sets her off, and it isn't just pouting or shouting. She screams, calls names, hits and kicks things. Today it started because she was asked twice to put her shoes and socks on but instead sat and watched TV. Thus the TV was turned off. This lead to kicking a wall, calling me ugly, screaming that I was awful and that she hates her life etc. These are not words we use at home. Last week she called me a Fucker and kicked me. She learned that word from PDiddy, and although it wasn't funny at the time I am sure it will be at some point, if the behavior stops. After settling down and going to daycare today to play with friends, she came home seemed great, then had to have a no thank you bite of squash (which she typically eats) she decided to rage and scream that she wanted ice cream and that she wasn't going to bed or eating her food. She was going to have ice cream and that was it.

I guess I am just tired of this, daily. We had 3-4 good days this week where we had fun and did activities, but when she rages, it is the entire day and it is always a knockdown drag out fight. It results in me using restraint techniques to calm her down and being verbally brutalized in the process. I know that she doesn't think about what she is saying, but it gets old and is tiring. I am tired of it.

We need to go back to therapy to find ways to make this a better situation for everyone but therapy has to be a family change, not just an individual change and I need everyone on board for that. I did however read these two articles that really helped me to feel like I am not alone.
The Mom Confession
The Important Thing about Yelling

Either way, Happy New Year to All!

Cosleeping with furkids

2013-12-12T07:52:00.002-08:00

When Pdiddy and I were first together he had a full size bed and we were crowded, and I was hateful. This lady needs her room. I had a queen size bed for myself. Eventually we moved in together and used my queen size bed. Glorious. So then P deployed and I found myself a handsome new man. See below.

This new man of mine is rather, shall we say big boned, and large enough to walk onto the bed with minimal effort. Needless to say when P came back he was upset that I was sharing my bed with another man, so try as he might he attempted to remove him from our bed. Clifford was uninterested in this new floor sleeping arrangement and thus he waited for Paul to sleep and promptly jumped into the bed, between us might I add and went to sleep.

Then P decided he needed a furbaby to love him too, so we got Jack Jack. This fine beast will running leap into the bed at top speed for doggie kiss sessions. He sleeps below Clifford. So if you are a visual learner that means across our queen sized bed are me, then Clifford, below Clifford is Jack Jack and next to them is Paul.

So okay, beasts win round 1. And 2. So we move and decide we will spend our big kid money on a big kid king size bed. Only we didnt know you could get a half box spring. So we are sleeping along enjoying the comfort of all of our new room. Jack runs and bounds on the bed but Clifford is having trouble and when 140 lbs of doggie cant get to his spot, you have doggie drama. So we start lifting Cliffords back end to get his big ol'self on the bed. This is when we begin investigating the possibilities of decreasing the height of our bed. (The bed is probably 4 ft high and I struggle getting into it.) So we get a half size boxed spring and all is well.

Then I get pregnant. I sleep like my back is broken and its a very strange world for 9 months. At month 8 we take pity on an old biddy and invite Lady Bird into our home. Our expectation was she was at least 100 years old and would be meeting hwr maker sometime soon. Lies, all lies. She was faking it. She isn't going anywhere soon. She just is one of those young bucks with the gray hair. We got her a little doggie bed, we put some blankets on the floor and thought we were good to go. Clearly this was a delusion.

Lady bird has now rehabilitated and is ready to claw the crap out of anything in her way. OH! Your bed is hardwood? Lady Bird don't care. So she began scratching the side of the bed in order to get up. So now we lift her onto the bed in order to calm the incessant clawing sound. She will walk over both boy children in pursuit of the perfect spot, which includes possibly sitting on one of them and claim her throne wherever she damn well pleases.

Pdiddy and I have been relegated to the top of the bed. It's best for us not to disturb the delicate balance that is the king size bedroom takeover.

2013-11-19T10:49:00.001-08:00

I have too many thoughts, that aren't fundamentally coherent.

Preparing kids for college is great, if they are going to college. We leave 80% of our children out of the education process when we gear everything toward college bound students. College bound students are more self-driven and motivated than students who have no interested in a University future. Reading things like Shakespeare and testing on it has no valuable influence beyond, checking a box, passing a test and moving to the next class for someone doing anything but college, and even then I am not so sure. Further, I have a degree in English, hate Shakespeare and have never used my knowledge of its contents for anything other than Jeopardy and teaching. This archaic method of teaching isn't preparing our students for the stuff they are actually doing. It is preparing students for what we THINK they will be doing or HOPE they will go on to do.

Common Core which has been implemented in 46 states has left teachers feeling like robots and fundamentally underwhelmed with the position they chose as a career. The enjoyment and creativity involved in education and teaching has flown the coop and we are left with a series of tests. This isnt the education I signed up for.

Halloween 2013

2013-10-31T07:03:00.001-07:00

I love these munchkins.This is HJ's first Halloween and look at her excitement! This jammy set from Mom-Mom is only still on because she was trying to eat the footy part because they have pumpkins on them. HJ will be a dog tonight for trick or treating. We figured multiple outfits was acceptable since she is teething and slobbering and generally damp all down her front! Emma is a cat witch, minus the cat ears....she is 5, thus she can't decide. The other kids are a wide-retriever, a ruff leader and a rufferee. Only in our house...and we will take both children and all 3 dogs out tonight, because who doesn't love a walking fiasco.

Progress is here!

2013-10-19T18:06:00.002-07:00

The fam has been sick, I wrote about it a little last time, but it has really taken a number on our daily/weekly routines. HJ has been to the doctor once a week for the last 3 weeks dealing with teething and a sinus infection. Emma hasn't felt good either, but hers comes and goes and last weekend we had to rush our old biddy dog to the doggy ER in Alabama....exactly my idea of a rockstar time! Needless to say, I let my health and PDiddy's go down the drain. He skipped his 5K last weekend and I skipped mine last night. I finally caved and went to the Dr on Thursday and got a Zpack for my sinus infection and ear infection. I am hoping by Tuesday when my meds are gone I should be able to work out again!

However, the point is our house was gross yall. P ripped up the bathroom floor 3 weeks ago but because of the plague we (he, I haven't done anything but pick stuff out) haven't done anything. He finished the bathroom surround today and tomorrow comes the floor tile. Next week we are doing the glass tile and hopefully lighting, money permitting. Either way, our house was gross, not to mention we had NO groceries! So I went to Sam's and spent an exorbitant amount of money then heading home, made these muffins, because really who doesn't love a green muffin, then I cleaned everything. It was like the nesting I should have done before HJ got here!

Either way if you are looking for a rockstar cleaning slash kitchen jam session, check out the Imagine Dragons CD.

Exhaustion.

2013-10-16T17:24:00.001-07:00

I am so tired yall. I am honestly just overwhelmed. Two acquaintances are struggling with cancer battles taking a toll on my friends. Both friends have heavy hearts and my heart is heavy for them.

Additionally many friends are just struggling, across the board with a variety of things. I think everyone is just overwhelmed. This year just seems different. I wish I could pinpoint why but it seems as though it needs to be the new year and a revival is necessary.

To end on a great note, I have been with this handsome guy for three years today.

Other people's kids

2013-10-07T12:29:00.001-07:00

There is no place like a pediatric doctor to remember the only kids you really like are your own.

There are two rooms, one for the sick and one for the not sick. Guess where the toys are.... so as the parents coverse their children are climbing all ober this tree that is definitely not meant to be climbed on. I guess the benefit is that if anyone breaks anything they have to go to the hospital next door.

Another set of children is asking how they each cry when their mom doesnt give them what they want.

One of the children just came to look at Hj and the mother called her away and then explained that her kid may have strep. Then encouraged her child to stay away from the baby.

Oh well I guess you cant win them all! I just hope little one gets better soon! The dried boogies are putting a damper on the cute outfits!

This is a pic from last night at the doggie ER....

Ever have one of those days?

2013-10-06T18:39:00.001-07:00

Today blew. All sorts of no bueno. But I think all days with sick kiddos suck. Hj still has the plague and although I should be enjoying the little tidbits of sleep time I am getting I am here blogging. She and E didn't get to nap today because we were out and about getting stuff for our master bath redo, I am so excited. E had a breakdown because we had pot roast for dinner and it looks like chicken and chicken takes forever to cook. So tonight my 5 year old decided that she is going to make her meals from now on. Awesomesauce for me! One less person I have to accommodate! Hj went through nose sucking and diaper changing completely asleep but woke up when I tried to lay her back down. Luckily it seems the 300 bucks we spent at doggie Er were worth it since the old hag hasn't gotten sick in a few hours. I'm so glad I decided to call in early, since after today there is no chance I could have gone tomorrow.

10.3.13- Cieling Fans RULE

2013-10-02T18:40:00.001-07:00

Oct. 1, 2013

2013-10-01T18:38:00.000-07:00

E: Mommy, do you know why humans didn't live when the dinosaurs did?
Me: No, why?
E: Because some kids can't run fast. So they would die.
Me: How do you know that? Are you learning about dinosaurs?
E: Nope, I just know stuff like that.

E: Mommy, we are learning about the letter "a".
Me: What starts with "A"?
E: Apple, ankle, abacus
Me: What's an abacus?
E: The thing that keeps a boat from moving.
Me: That's an anchor.
E: What's an abacus?

Tuesdays are for losers

2013-10-01T18:34:00.001-07:00

I think it is going to be one of those weeks ya'll. Happily today I got all of the picture day stuff figured out. Although it makes sense that yearbook does school pictures, it is a huge pain in the ass. We can't make announcements over the intercom, teachers don't check their email, and not all of our kids are in a specific content area because we do a year long class in a semester. Thus not all students take a math or English first semester. However, I think I have it figured out, after selling my soul to excel.

My 3rd and 4th blocks are TRYIN' ME. My 3rd block argues all the time about asinine crap. Individually they are wonderful. Together they are overflowing with nonsense. Next year, if I am doing Yearbook, I will get to pick my own kids, so there is a flow and sense of urgency.

My 4th block is this, every day. I am THAT teacher during 4th block. I start a timer to determine minutes after school, and I hate that. Never have I had a class like this, even in my first year. The discipline secretary comes to visit often and the kids are apparently sent out of all classes. Although I should take solace in that, I am annoyed by my inability to figure out a solution.

My favorite thing about Tuesdays is that pizza at YourPie is buy one, get one free. So I call PDiddy to see what time he wants to meet and I am DENIED. He has stuff to do. So I go get it, and beer and bring it home. No one bats an eye. Not a good sign. So the dogs and I ate my pizza and played with the little nugget while the big nugget (E) went to bed because her stomach hurt.

Best. Of. Intentions.

2013-09-25T18:49:00.001-07:00

Not this week kids. If it is meant to get done, it is off the grid on a sticky note in no mans land. Hj is teething (really at three months) and this apparently gives babies diarrhea! Who knew, apparently just the people that read that What to Expect book. I did not. Thus my kick ass sleeper baby has become a napping baby in the evening. However she is the cutest little thing ever so I will survive.

School is overwhelming and it seems to be that time of year that everyone seems to be drowning. Just when you get close to the light at the end of the tunnel, there is a detour, a maze and a flash mob in between you and laying back in your chair to kick your feet up. I do hopes that this whole thing is temporary, but the continual loss of my plan time with an ever increasing workload is killing me. Beyond that It is hard to watch my counterparts also become and stay overwhelmed due to things out of their control.

As for me, I have a professional learning day Saturday which means I should have some free time to get things done while we review data I have already reviewed, followed by compiling data on the compiled data for the assessments over the stuff we didn't create nor know the the materials.

Monday Monday

2013-09-16T13:32:00.001-07:00

I'm home today unexpectedly with a sick baby. She has a cold and has begun teething, so our normal mild mannered happy kid is a crank. An adorable crank but a sleep preventative nonetheless. I've been suffered from a cold myself but the extra couple of hours of sleep were a tiny gift. I've eaten healthy, I've done by crossfit workout and I now I am watching my main squeeze, Nathan Fillion on Castle. I would do some naughty things to that man!

Now I have to figure out what to feed the family for dinner. I only have 200 calories to spend. Yay calorie counting. I need to be down 20lbs by our trip to Nebraska. Although, if I keep getting firmer I may be okay with that. At the rate we are going I am going to have quite the booty with all the squats and lunges I have been cranking out.

Oh goodness, the boobs

2013-07-07T19:04:00.001-07:00

Boob juice, the nectar of the gods, slippery nipples, you get the point. My junk is sore and tired. I've just come to terms with the fact that everyone has seen my lady lumps in the last few weeks. Not because I want to but when Bubba wants to eat, she wants to eat.

I've lost track of how much she has eaten yet I know that I feel like I never stop eating. This whole boob juicing thing better actually lead to a thinner me. And yes I know she is healthier because the fruit of my loins is like ambrosia and all but no one tells you about this process.

She's here!

2013-06-28T16:48:00.000-07:00

She is here! Yippie, no more being pregnant. Sadly, that doesn't dismiss random other post-birthing issues they don't tell you about. You think you are pregnant so period cramps go away..ha ha yea right. You think your boobs can't possibly get larger, they can. You think peeing all the time stops...it doesn't! Either way, I got a small person out of the deal. She is quite lovely if I do say so myself. This is our 2 week picture. Hi!I am Harper!

My preggo self

2013-04-21T14:20:00.001-07:00

Or the vertical turtle, or the lead ginger sneetch, whatever you'd like to refer to me as. 33 weeks.

Perspective

2013-04-21T11:00:00.003-07:00

When it comes to perspective, I am pretty good and keeping myself in check. However, when I stayed home this week, for the entire week, I had a hard time/am having a hard time dealing with not being able to do it all. I felt terrible M-W and finally went to the doctor on Thursday, they ran tests and put me on bedrest for the rest of the week with another appointment tomorrow. Last week grades were due at the ol' high school, and we needed to finish a project and start a new book. The problem being, we work at a school where subs don't want to come, and thus it really is a glorified babysitter situation, and thus who knows how far I really am behind. This week is finals week in grad school and I just want to be done. At this point, I am almost completely sure that I don't care about my grades....glad I got inducted into my honor societies this semester. However, the reason for the post, I am so blessed to have teachers in my life to say things like "You are the only family your family has, the kids have 70 other teachers and subs, and they aren't you but you need to take care of you." Which is true, and I know it is but I still have a hard time getting it through my think head. I want everything to be taken care of and I feel bad when something I am in charge of acts of or decides to not do what they are supposed to! Okay, self-guilt trip is done now. Happy Sunday yall!