Stories from a Super Ninja Mommy

Busy Busy Bee

2011-03-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have so neglected this blog, as well as most of my other new years resolutions. It all started when hubster started nights. Getting used to this schedule has been trying and I am undoubtedly lonely, even with three babies. However, the quality time with the babies has increased and my house is crazy clean. Then, since we signed Rowbug up for baseball, I felt as though Taldoodle needed an activity as well. We decided on gymnastics because he is so wild, fearless and surprisingly flexible for one of my hubby's children. He has loved it and since Rowbug's baseball hasn't quite yet started he is the jealous one. Baby Lulu has become completely mobile, crawling anywhere and everywhere. She started clapping and just smile so big that her cheeks actually hang past her chin! Talk about the most adorable, happy, considerate baby and not just because I'm biased but because she is amazing!

So needless to say, I'm tired. I realize that when the children are older and in several activities each it's going to be much much more but for now, this is my tired. This is my max. A lot of people comment on how difficult it must be to have 3 young children of my own and also run a daycare out of my home and all I can say is that people think they are stretched to the max until more is added to the equation. We always think we have all that we can handle until we realize that more is in the future. I love looking back at my freshly married life in a one bedroom apartment and my part time job and thinking how crazy I was to think that I was tired and stressed. I love seeing my friends complain about how they have so much to do, and I don't doubt that they do and that they feel that way, but inside I just giggle. To be honest, after all the daycare babies leave for the day, my 3 babies feel like a vacation to me!

I promise to give this blog more attention. I promise to give myself more attention. But for now, I'm off to teach ABC's and tend to a ladybug named Herman.

With Love and My Busy

Snow Day!

2011-02-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

Today we are snowed in. Actually, iced in! My front yard looks like a good ole' skating rink and there is more to come. We are all geared up as apparently we are expected to lose power. We figured we would have a lil' campout, thank goodness we went for the wood burning fireplace when we built our house. We have hot dogs and marshmellows all set with campfire roaster sticky things ready. I would actually be happy if we lost power, not electronics to distract us from family time. As long as it doesn't get too chilly that is.

Since we haven't lost power yet, I have decided to look through the wonderful web and get decorating inspirations. I am so stuck! I have never been a decorative person. Heck, throwing a color on the walls was a huge step for me. However, this is our forever home and I have this hectic need to hurry up and decorate it exactly how I want it. So much stuff I want to get done but I have no clue what, where or how. I love the little nick nacks with history around other people's houses and I long for that. My stuff needs a story! I love character (get this straight, I said character not characters *bleck*). Even though I have no clue what to do, I do know what I want, if that makes ANY sense. I don't buy anything unless it's perfect. I'm cheap like that. But I would spend thousands of dollars on something I love. I hold out big time for that perfect. It always seems like I hold out for way too long and the perfect is never quite out there.
Currently, I need inspiration for my two boys' bedrooms. The oldest loves robots, and aliens, and computers, and transformers. I was thinking lots of greys and bright blues and greens. The younger boy is much quieter about what he wants. He's the tough one. Should I do a camping inspired room? I mean his furniture (including bunk beds) is pine so it would be kind of perfect. I have no idea and I can't find anything I love either.

Oh and don't even get me started on the entertainment center I want. It has to be at least 34" high ~~so I don't have to constantly clean off fingerprints~~ so the kids can't pull it over on them. I prefer an armoire style but really? To hold a 50" flatscreen? Oh why does my hubster need such a big tv? I will eventually have the home I have always dreamed of decoration wise but for now the bones of it is amazing.

With Love and Inspirations

Spending Time

2011-01-26T07:58:00.000-08:00

It seems with the world as busy as it is, spending time together has been neglected. Me and the hubster plan a night in a "saturday night it's just us a movie and a blanket" kind of fashion. I remember growing up that we spent a lot of time together. Our big thing was going to the different hobby shows at the fairgrounds and it was so special. My little family spends so much time together but I want more. How can we be together more? We eat dinner together every night. Bath and bed is all done as a family. We cherish those little moments that make up our day but it's all the stuff that gets in the way that I'm battling with.

This is all come about because my dad is in the hospital. He will probably go home today and it is only a lung infection but it stirred up feelings as if I don't get time with him. He is not a huge social person and does not like attention so we don't talk as often as we should and I miss that. I was always a daddy's girl growing up and I want so much to rekindle that relationship.

I think of it as this shelf I've been refurbishing. I love this shelf, the bones are great but I can't figure out what to do with it. I have nurtured this shelf with three different colors of paint in the last two days. I think I finally decided on a avocado green color. Just like the shelf I don't know how to handle a relationship with my dad. He loves but he sees no point in reaching out. He only calls if necessary, and no matter how many colors of paint I throw on it there is no reiteration of trying on his part. I think relationships thrive on two sides reaching out and he just doesn't. Not that he doesn't want to I just don't think he knows how. I'm willing to teach him how.

With Love and Refurbished Relationships...

All Domestic and Such...

2011-01-20T04:59:00.000-08:00

When it comes to domestication, I have good days and bad days. Some days all I want is a tv with interesting cartoons, some fast food and a nice comfy couch to hang up on. There was a time when a wife in this role was looked down upon as weak and submissive. I think that is no longer the case and thank goodness! Now I'm not only a stay at home mom and wife but I also run a daycare out of my home. Most of my days I could build a stack taller than me of all the diapers I've change, mysteriously all poopy ones.

Yesterday, I worked a full day, had a work out session, built a puzzle ((Twice)), homeschooled my babies, made a heart garland (don't you just love love decorations), did a load of laundry, packed my hubsters lunch for today (he is having a pitch in at work) and cooked a homemade cottage pie that was absolutely delicious! We had friends over because the guys were going to the gym after dinner and my friend asked "how do you do it?" my hubby replied "she's all domesticated and such, and I love it". This absolutely made my day! We all get paid in hugs and kisses and trust that those are more than enough for me, but acknowledgement that we are doing good in the world by outsiders is something very fulfilling. I shrugged off the conversation like no big deal but in reality, it was the icing on a very domestic day. What more could I want? Absolutely nothing, for I know I am worth far more than rubies.

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

~Proverbs 31:10-12 and 25-31

With Love and Gratefulness...

Update.... because I have no stick-to-it-ive-ness

2011-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

So I severely slacked last week on this blog, sorry, I love you, I promise. Basically school came back from winter break to hurt me and ask me to write my final paper. Recently my handsome hubster has been working out. It wasn't a resolution because he didn't want that type of committment but he has been doing amazing. He's a hottie already but boy oh boy can I see his transformation. I'm so proud. I've also started a thing, Jillian Michaels JumpStart 14 Day Cleanse & Burn, but I'm only on day 2 aka the cleansing part so it's not that fun so far...

I've been doing good with my resolutions, kind of. I'm on my third chapter of Lit: A Memoir (P.S.). So far it's pretty good. We're basically learning about her history at this point but I really just want to get to the rock bottom then rise to fame part. Luckily, I already have my next 10978437945 books picked out. I have a huge issue with diving in deep and then getting bored. I would like to read more inspirational books because I feel a need to get in touch with my inner faith. Any suggestions would be amazing!

I also tried a new recipe last week, Beef Stroganoff. This recipe was fun to cook because I felt all fanci-fied deglazing the pan with wine. That's where the fun stopped. Maybe I drank to much of the deglazing wine because I had to have done something wrong. Don't get me wrong, hubster and the kids said it was the best food I had ever made and went back for seconds. I'm a member of the clean plate club, always, and I opted for the salad instead of eating any more of that. So maybe it was because I was still stuffy and a little tipsy but I probably won't make it again.

So that's my update for now.

With Love and Loving Life.

Quote of the Day

2011-01-12T04:56:00.000-08:00

Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even if you wish they were. ~Author Unknown

Recipe of the (last) week

2011-01-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

So for the new year one of my hopes (not resolution, thank you) is to try a brand new recipe each week. In preparation, I have signed up for every cooking email, and I'm dvr'ing my favorite chefs on Food Network ((Hello, Giada!)). This weekend, we had a brunch. I was pretty weak from the sickness so hubster helped me cooked this one! Nothing hotter than a man crackin' eggs... let.me.tell.you! This weekend we tried a Giada recipe called Baked Gruyere and Sausage Omelet except hubby grabbed the regular sausage (he later admitted he saw the turkey sausage and made an executive decision) and Smoked Gouda (because I didn't bring the recipe with me to the store and got confused... hey they both start with a G).

Anyways, this recipe is superfied easy and so yummy. Rowmeister didn't like the red peppers and proved that to us in a really long, dramatic, awkward chew fest and then spit-a-thon in the toilet but the rest of us devoured it. Row just ate around the diced red peppers of doom and loved it because of all the cheesy sausage. I really liked the smoked gouda in it because it gave it kind of a bacon flavor... and I LOVE bacon. I will absolutely make this again, but pick the red peppers out of his piece next time.

Sickness ((cough cough))

2011-01-10T05:18:00.000-08:00

Some type of super bug took over our house last week leaving me down for the count. Well as down as one could get with 3 kids. With this sickness it made me reminisce to the days of no children or responsibilities. What the HECK did I ever do? During times when I'm sick it would be so nice not to have to take care of 3 other lives or do any chores but I do because they need me more than I need that extra hour of sleep, even though I desperately NEED that. I look at my friends, the ones with no kids, and think what do they do with their spare time that makes them believe they are so utterly busy? I want to shake them and just say "You have no idea what busy is" but then that would be kind of rude, right? I really want to.

On that note, I can't stand selfish people who take advantage of others kindness. That is all I'll say on that right now.

All last week I did the bare minimum to keep this house in standing order. For feeling like I was on my death bed I did an excellent job but Saturday was like swimming in the pile of clean laundry from hades. You know those weeks where you wash and dry the clothes but somehow the clean clothes migrate into the bedroom unfolded and stacked in baskets. That was this week. How do we go through so many clothes in a week? FOUR BASKETS! So, I did what every person does who takes time off of work, I had to work twice as hard to make up for it. Oh, fun.

Today, I relax, take care of some babies who still have remaining sickness and work my butt off. Wait that's not relaxing. Crap.

With Love and Dedication to the Cause...

What I'm into this week...

2011-01-03T08:49:00.000-08:00

So in keeping with one of my resolutions I bought my first book of the year. For my first book I've chosen Lit by Mary Karr.

My realistic goal is a chapter a week but let's be real here, if it's a great book there might be several chapters a week but if the kids get their way... I'll never even get to pick it up. Check back for my thoughts and progress on the book!

On the same note, Taldoodle has made his resolution of having mommy read him a

book every night. For this book he has chosen Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I must say I was really proud of his choice. I didn't even guide him, which was a huge shock to hubster as he knows how much I appreciate classics and push towards them. I admit, I have a bad habit of convincing them into my choices but this was allllll him!

Back to life... ((back to reality))

2011-01-03T06:33:00.000-08:00

Good morning Monday morning of the new year. This means back to work for just about everyone, including myself. Let's all cheer in unison (yippee). My weekend was amazing, Saturday's impromptu party was great and we had tons of fun with friends who stayed after. Then Sunday we all woke up, minus hubby who had already woke and headed to work, and I realized that me and staying up until 2 am two nights in a row might not have been the best decision. I am typically a morning person not a night owl (although owls are pretty awesome, right?) so this whole party animal persona had to go. OK, animal is a strong adjective to the partying, it was more plant-ish. I am a mom you know.

Any who, I was bound and determined to do nothing for the entire day. It was my only goal for the day. It's so funny how my day of nothingness turned into a massive deep cleaning of the house that only the best merry maids could appreciate. It started with the concoction in the boys bathroom I had been avoiding for two days. The bathroom was basically quarantined until I could convince hubster that it was worth his time to plunge and scoop. Apparently I was unsuccessful at the attempt because there I sat with a cup and a nasty snarl. See the boys, specifically Rowmeister, thinks that a whole roll of tp is needed each trip but yet he never actually gets it all and still has "skips" in his roos. After he unloaded the roll into the pot and they were told not to use it someone did, a lot. It was the worst smell/appearance/consistency ever concocted in this house.

After that was cleaned up the whole house just felt like it needed a working, so I did. Then as soon as I finally sat down, company arrived. Blah, I did my domestic thing and cooked dinner for the whole crew and then cleaned up as everyone settled on the couch. Finally, I was able to sit down for the night and snuggle with hubster. He always smells so good. That was my "lazy" Sunday and now after that oh so relaxing day we are back to the grind. Good thing I adore my grind!

With Love and Productive Laziness

It's a New Year!

2011-01-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

With the New Year comes resolutions. Most of them won’t be kept no matter how strongly the gusto. Some might be kept. Most of them we scramble in December to get them done just to say “I kept my resolution for this year” in a super snotty voice at the next New Year’s party.

My resolution last year was to birth a baby. Considering I was pregnant at the time, my resolution was promising. Come June, I fulfilled that resolution with the birth of sweet baby LuLu. Also we wanted so badly to buy our first home. That was a reluctant resolution (more of a wish) that we were thankfully able to keep. We moved into our very first home in September.

At this point reflecting on the previous year, 2010 has been amazing to us. It seems like the years to come, we will be coasting through. There is nothing more in this life we could ever want or need and we are thankful beyond words.

With that said, coming up with resolutions for this year has been really challenging. I like my life, so why would I change anything? I realized that resolutions are not about changing but rather enriching. So then the question was how can I enrich my life? So here are the resolutions I have come up with.

1. Read at least 5 books throughout the year.

2. Form closer bonds with friends and distance myself from selfish friends. I have gotten much closer with my family this year which is great but I feel like we might have some friends who are not genuine and only want to be in the friendship when they have something to gain from it.

3. Write a blog. My boys are hilarious! People have told me for months that I should write one just telling of their daily saying. Seriously, they come up with some doozies so here we go!

4. Finish decorating my home. This will never actually be done but I do want a good base. We have all the bones, furniture we love and walls painted. We just need those little nik naks that people have lying around that make a house a home.

5. Of course, lose 5-20 lbs. I say that big of a gap because truthfully I have no idea what I weigh and I’m not that serious about it anyway. Just rolling with the punches. I’m honestly happy at my current state. I’m not big and I eat the best food. My exercise is running around with the babies but I guess I could concentrate more on exercise. I just don’t want to!

I would also like to add, more importantly, that New Years Day 2011 is also my Taldoodle’s 4th birthday! Today we planned on having corned beef, cabbage and black eyed peas with our little family. Well, we love our family and friends and kept inviting people over for the celebration and before we knew it we were having an impromptu birthday party today! I sent the hubby out for another brisket while I made Doodles requested breakfast of Belgian waffles, cheesy eggs and sausage for my kids as well as my nieces who had a slumber party at our house. Please note that Doodle requested a specific cake, strawberry cake with red icing. I’ll do what I can Doodlebug!

With love and Strawberry Cake…

Chaotic Goodness

2010-09-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

Every morning we wake up to the most beautiful chaos possible. It is almost a symphony of needs and hugs that chime throughout the house. First comes the boys, jumping and cock-a-dooing to wake me and hubster up. That then sparks a beautiful baby lulu cry. Baby cries are something in which a lot of first time parents take advantage of in the moment. Once their children grow and the baby cry is gone, they will hear a baby cry at a store and the heart automatically melts. That then shoots a sense of "oh my gosh that lady is crazy if she thinks this is cute" from the frazzled first time mom. It took me three to really appreciate that cry, and I do. Once we finally emerge from those oh so comfy sheets and blankets, it then becomes a short order cooks domain. I want eggs, oatmeal, sausage, pancakes, orange juice, blueberries and peanut butter on a spoon. I begin the process, stirring and mixing and pouring... then serving. Then comes breathing, until bedtime we are on easy play street. During this hectic time there are sweet good mornings and lovely kisses that can not be matched. Between the orders and loudness, the kisses and hugs become muffled but they exist as the best part of our morning.

The Source of the Name

2009-05-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful summer day 2 years ago, after both my boys were born and I had honed some major maternal instincts. My husband and I went on a camping trip, sans the chicklins’, with two other couples which we had known for the majority of our lives. While walking through a nearby town,hubster's best friend since just out of diapers resorted back to the days he spent destructing the neighborhood. He had, in his possession, a stretchy sticky hand (the ones that stick to EVERYTHING). Well, he kept slinging it about and at one point let it loose hitting a COP at the table near us. While that was quite embarrassing in itself, what really got me was when he started walking down the street and tossing the sticky disaster towards my face. I stated “If you chuck that thing again, I’m taking it away”. He laughed saying that my inner mom was coming out. He, predictably, started flinging faster and harder. I then simply and without looking or even turning my head, stuck my hand out and snatched the stretchy hand. All of the people around me stopped, glared and gasped as to how amazing (and I would have to say arbitrary) the catch was. The culprit stood in awe and finally said “OH MY GOSH, YOU HAVE SUPER NINJA MOMMY SKILLS!!” From that point on, I have been branded as the Super Ninja Mommy.
So that’s my story and it makes me proud that I have those mommy skills for which many would wish, that of which comes from experience but mostly just crazy instincts.
Just a side note, along with the natural super ninja skills also come the constant worrying about those crazy kiddos complete with heartburn and all.
With love and Nun chucks!