It's a Beautiful Life

I'm BACK!

2011-06-02T14:52:00.000-04:00

I was missing for a while. While I was gone, blogger changed things on me. I kept trying to go to www.blogspot.com. Wait..am I losing it? Either way..I had to go to blogger.com. I am so confused. Shocker. Well...I have been missing from bloglife. I think its my ADD. Bad ADD lately. I mean my mind keeps racing...every time I think to pick up my camera or write down my thoughts, my thoughts jump around and I lose track of what I was just about to do. I am a walking ADD poster ad.

Yesterday, I was on my own in getting both kids, dinner and entertaining them until bed time. I had to bribe Aidan with a smoothie from McDonalds. He wanted to go to the grocery store. It is pretty bad when your 4 year old begs you to go to the grocery store to buy food. I was way too tired for the grocery store, 95 degree weather, high heals, 2 hungry kids and missing Daddy. That was NOT going to happen. So I bribed him with a smoothie and made spaghetti. Instead of cleaning up the mess, I distracted myself by going outside with the kids. Watered the flowers and played with toys. Mason ended up taking his little car and taking off towards the park. So the park it was I guess. 7:30 at night going to the park. I am always that panic looking Mom at the playground. The one stuck in her head thinking of all the horrible things that could go wrong. Mason could fall and break a bone or land on his head. What if he gets a bug bite and somehow has an allergic reaction to it. I mean crazy thoughts. And then after I come back to reality I see this!

This boy is going to give me a lot of freak outs. He is determined to do everything his older brother can do. His older brother is determined to show him everything he shouldn't do. On the way back from the park I had to throw Mason over my shoulder. We got back to his car thing to push back to the house and he refused to wear his shoes. He took them off and wanted to walk barefoot all the way home. I of course would not allow that. Remember, I freak out in my head of all the things that could go wrong. I could just imagine a huge piece of glass getting stuck in his foot and I having to rush him to the ER. Well...Mason would not let me put on his shoes and I would not let him walk barefoot. So I was that crazy neighbor walking after 8pm through the neighborhood with a SCREAMING 2 year old wiggling off my hip while hitting me, pushing this red and yellow car thing with my 4 year old behind me laughing because he is hitting me with this bike. Ahhhh good times.

Another reason I have been MIA is I have been vacationing in Spain. No I'm kidding. Really though...been in Louisiana visiting my husbands side of the family. All I can say is it is a DIFFERENT world down there. Drive through margarita places (yes with real alcohol) and casinos located conveniently in gas stations. I wanted a picture of that one..but hubby was too busy texting to get out of the car and take a damn picture. That is another story though. Oh and the food. I am talking lots and lots of food. All I did was eat down there. Life is centered around its food. I was even daring enough to try crawfish. I learned how to break the tail and suck the head....(insert sarcastic comment here). Awesome time..awesome trip. Wish I took more pictures. I blame the ADD.

the Fresh Beat Band...again...

2011-05-16T10:18:00.000-04:00

More Fresh Beats

2011-05-11T14:09:00.001-04:00

Found a few more pictures on my cell from this past weekend. Now that we saw the Fresh Beat Band live, it has become a family event watching the show. We talk about how they looked different in person. Aidan noticed not only was there a "new" Marina but her outfit was slightly different. Good find Aidan...good find.

Middle of the King Size bed in hotel....bed hogs. Side note...Mason would not go to sleep that night unless he as cuddled next to Aidan. My heart melts...

~~Wasting~~ playing with water.

TWIST

Mason stalking Elmo.

Notice below Aidan's leg is propped up...????...????

FRESH BEAT BAND!!!!!

2011-05-10T15:14:00.000-04:00

It was like the running of the bulls. Organized chaos. Dads and Moms running with a purpose. I will get to what I am talking about in just a second. Wanted to start with a cliffhanger to suck you in. Did it work?

Aidan's favorite cartoon is The Fresh Beat Band. See birthday cake here. Fresh Beat Band was featured on his bday cake! So as his Mom, I take things a little too far. He shows one tiny ounce of interest in something and I go overboard. Like with those robot bugs. It is more of an obsession. He is so into The Fresh Beat Band (FBB)...I have started him in drum lessons. His favorite member is "Twist" who I adore. They are just great. So like any crazy ~~mom~~ kid fan, he of course would flip if he got a chance to see his favorite show/band. Growing up I wanted to meet Full House so bad. I would lay in bed dreaming of the day I could meet them. So after researching FBB I actually found out they were going to be playing a few hours from my house at Sesame Place. However, you needed reservations. I bookmarked the page and waited and waited and waited for the reservations to open up. I am a member of a Fresh Beat Band blog who sends emails as well. One day it came in! An email saying the reservations were open to the public. Quickly after that email..another one came to see they were sold out :(. WHAT..sold out in an hour. So what do I do? I go on their website and try it anyway. "Sold out" it said. I tested the website and they were right. Sold out :(. But what if I try a strange combo...like instead of 4 people or 3 people, I try one adult and one kid. BINGO. It went through..so I did that again and again until I had 6 reservations to see The Fresh Beat Band. So I decided not to tell Aidan until the day before we left. We were going to drive down there, stay in a hotel (with an indoor pool) and go see Fresh Beat Band in concert and then Elmo and friends for lunch. He was also going to get to ride his first roller coaster. The excitement I had for 2 months was uncontrollable. We recorded Aidan when we told him. I'll put up the video later this week. He was beyond excited about the news he was going to a hotel with a pool and to see Fresh Beat Band and Elmo and Roller Coaster. All in the same weekend.

Planning for this event took some Internet research. I read on their facebook page about how thousands of people were upset they did not get a reservation. People were outraged! This was a HUGE deal. People coming from all over the united states to take their kid to see Fresh Beat Band. It is like the Lady Gaga of toddlers. Just nuts. Hotels were sold out in the area. I had to splurge on one that cost way too expensive. I wanted to get there the night before just so we had plenty of time to get in line at the park. I wanted front row view of the band. Joe actually went an hour before us and waited in line before the park even opened. When the gates opened up...people were running. I mean...running like mad parents trying to get in line. There were two lines. One for the "stand by" folks without a reservation and one line for those with a reservation. Hubby did good and we were right up front. All was good...my planning worked out. We were also able to give 3 of our reservations to a couple we met that had been waiting for hours the prior day to try and get into the concert. It made us feel good to help someone out.

I'll let the pictures do some of the talking....

Hotel pool...it's crazy how much excitement a pool can provide.

King size bed for parents, crib for baby, pull out sofa for 4 year old. All kids ended up in king size bed with Mommy hanging on the edge. Happy Mothers Day to me!

Remote in one hand...phone in another. WOW

Super excited to be in a hotel

So much excitement led up to the concert. Waiting here until it was time to leave.

Hopefully all the running bulls...I mean parents were able to get into the concert..cause it was AMAZING. Even Joe was having fun.

His favorite..."Twist". He had front row view of Twist. Aidan was star struck. Didn't show too much expression. Was just in a trance. Joe and I had a blast watching their expressions. Nothing like being able to provide that type of excitement for your kid. It was the best feeling.

Aidan's first ride on a roller coaster and Mommy took him to the front. What was a thinking? Poor kid. However..he wanted to do it again. And again. And again. The last time he said "Mommy...you don't need to hold me" Such a big boy!

Lunch with Elmo and Friends....My boys were NOT scared. Mason ran around pointing and making this sounds like "what the heck are these things?"

Mason's face...need i say more

While taking this picture below...the guy "suggested" we take Mason paci out. He had just woken up...yeah no that was not going to happen. It is called a plug for a reason.

Joe and I said several times we had an amazing day. We were at a small park with two young kids on Mothers Day. May not be your ideal day as an adult but our kids had the time of their lives. Aidan got to see his favorite tv show/band. Mason stalked Elmo around the park. They were so happy. Happy Kids = Happy Parents.

Mommy Guilt

2011-05-05T10:25:00.000-04:00

I am getting a cold. BLAH. The kind where you feel like you are floating around. Glands all swollen and snot that keep running down your nose but you are too tired to blow it. I should really think about wearing rain jackets in the rain or NOT leaving my umbrella at work. This may be why I am sick. I don't have time to think of that stuff. I am too busy running around trying to find my kids rain jackets. The cars keep eating them. I was that person at work yesterday. Walking across the parking lot with a sweater covering my head and realizing after walking all the way to the door that I forgot my work badge and had to go back in the rain to the car to get my badge. Have I ever told you I hate the rain.

So my last post where I threatened to leave the blogging world got me 6 comments (congrats Dawn...enjoy your first Mommy's day). Oh and 3 comments on facebook and a "like" on facebook. That tells me that I have an obligation to the 10 of you to keep on blogging. My not so computer talented sister in law also tried to comment but she has a hard time finding the power button on a computer so I'll give her a pass. So there are 11 of you. I hope you enjoy. Well I don't have much to say today so maybe enjoy next week.

I, like most of you, doubt my parenting from time to time. I can name off 5 things right now that I could do better.
1. Less yelling
2. Less sugar
3. Less TV
4. More Mommy kid play time
5. um.....ok i could only think of 4

Last night I had one of those moments. So I turned off Nick Jr and pulled out the books. Although I have friends who are teaching their kids addition and subtraction at this age, I don't have those type of teaching skills and I often feel very guilty. Either way...I turned off the TV. Mason, Aidan and I sat at the table. Mason colored his circles and Aidan learned his letters in his book. I know I can be a better Mom have to stop knowing it and just start doing it. Lead by example and maybe my husband will start as well. He can start by turning off his talk shows while the kids are around. The ones where I am 110% sure he is my baby daddy shows. One step at a time.

I know..pics are not too clear. I used my camera phone. Really need a new camera....

Mommy added a nice touch at the top.

Is anyone there??

2011-05-02T13:27:00.000-04:00

Does anyone even read this sucker...I get no comments on this thing so I am left assume I am talking to myself which happens a lot. I will walk to lunch at my office and start talking to myself...roll up on some innocent employee trying not to make eye contact and don't realize I am talking to myself until they are behind me. Oops. I am thinking about stopping this bloggin thing. Then again I don't blog for people to read. I blog to vent. But everyone likes attention right and if this thing isn't getting attention I should just blog in the privacy of my own word document. I think I want regulars. Yes I do. I want some regular blog readers. Then I want you to make comments to make me feel wanted. Loved. Yes...I do need more friends. Note moving away from my friends and having kids earlier then everyone else can create a division between you and your once friends. WACK. Come on Frederick peeps...don't you want to be my friend? It makes it more difficult being a working Mom. Play dates don't exists for working Moms. Mommy groups consist of you talking to the "men" at work about their kids because working Mommy's don't exists. Well they exist but I have yet to find one that works on my floor. Seriously. Just nut balls.

So let me get on with my rant for the Monday. No I won't rant about Osama Bin Laden's death and how he was tossed in the ocean for everyone NOT to see him. WTF? I want to see him. Make sure he is dead ya know? I am also not going to rant about the "Royals" and that huzzie of a girl Kate who stole my man Will. I am going to talk about raising boys. I only see the road getting stickier and stickier as they get older. Not to mention I have a 3rd boy that graces us with his presence every other weekend. This weekend I sat at the table to the older older boy "I want a trampoline...you said we were going to get a trampoline, why do I have to clean my room..I didn't make the mess" and the middle or just older boy "Mommmmmy help me, mommmmmy carry me my leg hurt, mommmmy I thirsty, mommmmmmy I hugy" Then when all else fails middle or older boy gets in that mood where he copies everything you say and ends with a "none your business". Then younger boy is going around terrorising the house. Making a huge mess of everything. How can a 23 pound boy make such a mess? See example of mess below. Took him only 1 hour to create (with help from the older and older older boy). Don't worry folks, we cleaned it up. We don't let it sit like this for more than a month. Actually this weekend I cleaned up his mess on Saturday and Sunday. I mean come on? Seriously....both my weekend days are filled with cleaning. That is just wrong.

So I know I am in for it. 2.5 boys. The eye rolling has started. The none of your business has started. The fighting to eat dinner has started. Well just the older and older older one fights about dinner. The younger boy eats everything and anything. We can count on that boy to eat .. all 23 pounds of him.

So I am super stoked about our trip this weekend. I will post a wonderful blog about it later in the week. whoooot whoooot. So if you are reading this blog...please post a comment. How about post some advice for me raising boys. I need all the advice I can get. k thanks!

EASTER

2011-04-27T14:54:00.001-04:00

Lost....kinda bored...I need to find another hobby. I am done with school. 2.5 years of getting my masters. Had my second son, bought a house and made a huge job change all in those 2.5 years. I am not sure what to do with my time. I know what I want to do...but actually doing it is another story. I am much more productive when I am busy. I am much more lazy when I am not busy. Thinking about taking some photography classes. Oh and being a better Mommy. On my agenda...for the next 6 months because after 6 months I am sitting down to study for my CPA. WHAT??? Am I NUTS?

Easter was nice...although I am upset I didn't take more pictures. It was a little stressful getting ready for Easter. We had a butt load of family coming in which I love. However...my sticky floors and finger printed walls don't love the company...but they will survive. I decided to host Easter..with finals due, 15 page paper due and working a full time. I kept telling myself that "they" will understand if it isn't perfect. I mean for peats (is that how you spell peats?) sake I have young clingy destructive kids. One 4 year old in particular that keeps telling me "none of your business Mommy" and he has decided to copy every word I say. Thank you for that Dora the Explorer episode that taught him that. I even had my cleaning folks come out on Friday to clean. Am I a failure for not being able to get it all done without help?

Funny story from Easter...I bought my niece a princess chocolate bunny for her basket. I found the wrapper to that choclate bunny behind a chair in the living room. All I could picture was that tiny little butt of hers hiding behind that chair eating her chocolate bunny. haha...so cute.

Some pictures...because I am not in the creative writing mood. I need inspiration

So whenever I grab the camera...Mr Mason Man runs up and clings to my legs wanting me to pick him up. I have a ton of these same pictures...you will see them often. I am now addicted.

Dyeing eggs....so they look like crap. I have not mastered the art of dyeing eggs. It says to add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. so do I add water too? I mean how can we die eggs with just 2 tablespoons of vinegar. I look at every one's pictures and then mine and laugh. My eggs look dinky. Next year...oh next year.

And this kid....entertainment to watch. Just sit back and watch him. Jump up every so often to chase after him but still entertainment.

Snatchin the neighbor's flowers...sorry Jenny

Gogurt all over his shirt..haha

Pointing at all the ants.

Look at his hair..blowin in the wind. haha

I think I am going to start working in the yard. These pictures remind me how bad I need to pull those weeds and grow some grass. My defense...it's been raining cats and dogs.

slumper dumper

2011-04-14T13:10:00.000-04:00

6 or 7 days of nasty rainy cloudy weather can really put you in a slumper dumper. It is sunny today and I am feeling fantabulous. Thank God...cause if it was cloudy one more day you might find me walking around in circles talking to myself. I hate the rain. Aidan told me the other day hate is a bad word. That kid is so smart. Hate is a bad word. So is fart, poop and pee according to him. No more saying hate, fart, poop or pee around my 4 year old.

I may go in hiding for 2 weeks. I have a 10 page paper due in 24 hours, 2 pages of a group project due in 24 hours, a final and a 10 page CFO project on my favorite store Gap due in a week. and then...drum roll please.....I AM DONE WITH MY MASTERS. That's right folks...2.5 years later.....I am DONE. Popped my second kid out in those 2.5 years. Bought a new house and two cars in those 2.5 years. Changed job positions in those 2.5 years.

I was talking to this single guy at work the other day. I mean single as in no kids. I was telling him how crazy my mornings and weekends are with kids. He said to me "everyone is busy". Dude...he has NO idea and one day he will have kids and I will come back to him and say...now you understand? It kind of pissed me off..because I always thought of myself as "more" busy than a lot of people. Am I not? Is everyone busy just like me but handle it much better than I do? Do I have no excuse not to have my house perfectly clean and my hair perfectly combed. I am confused......maybe we are all the same..just we handle it in different ways. That doesn't give me much confidence if I can't handle stress for crap. Eh...another ramble...another time.

Funny story of my night. I got permission from my loving husband to post this. I come home from the gym and sit in the car before going into the "madness" of my house. I heard a little voice.."Mommy..Mommy" and find Aidan already outside greeting me. First thing he says as I get out of the car "Mommy..Baby peed in the tub and Daddy said it was ok". Yes...my 4 year old just tattled on his Daddy for letting baby pee in the tub and NOT draining the tub and refilling it so my baby boys don't bathe in pee. I have been there. I have wanted to ignore the pee ... but just couldn't. Every single time that boy pees in the tub I drain the water and wipe down the tub and "RE-BATHE" my boys. Oh husband...you do things in such a husbandly way. All I can do is laugh.

Countdown to the Beach (I have a countdown app on my phone so Aidan can see how many more days till the beach)....so until then we practice with his new goggles. Aidan can now hold his nose and go underwater while opening his eyes..no fear....

More toys bought for the beach to play in the pool. These are what Aidan calls "Torcheetos"

Sports

2011-04-11T15:15:00.000-04:00

I was an athlete growing up. I was good at everything I did and usually was better than 99% of everyone else. I was good at sports..but didn't always have the resources to play. My husband was good at sports. Played baseball longer than he can remember. He is good at everything he does...except cleaning bathrooms and picking up his hats around the house.

So...you would think our kids...would be great. I am talking the junior Olympics type great. Yeah no...doesn't work out that way. I know they are young...but I think you are able to tell at a young age. Take this last weekend. Aidan had Tball (Daddy is coach) practice. The hour and a half practice you could find Aidan squatting...complaining his head itched..and screaming...the top of his lungs full out baby cry. Why may you ask? Well..Aidan wanted to throw rocks in the creek next to the Tball field. He no longer wanted to play Tball. Embarrassing much??? This is Aidan though. When he did gymnastics he would love it one day and hate it the next. Soccer...he would scream and cry when someone "took" his ball. Try explaining to a young kid that other kids are supposed to get the ball. I want more than anything for him to have passion for anything. I will of course feed that passion. I know he is young..and maybe he will learn to love a sport...but my guess is he will be more of a free spirit. Playing drums in the garage...watching fresh beat band his entire life. Well..maybe won't go that far. Whatever his little heart desires...I'll support..just won't know anything about it unless it is sports. Hey..I can learn the marching band. I'll just need a how to book from amazon.com. He did have fun at his opening day for Tball. Did I mention how serious baseball is in my town. I mean SERIOUS. Opening day with a parade..the whole nine yards. I missed it :( because I had to do some work and homework. I was real upset about missing it. I was more upset I didn't get to watch Aidan's excitement walking in a parade and getting his face painted. There will be many more I am sure. Aidan loved getting his face painted and spent 12 hours asking me over and over "is my tiger messed up?? is my tiger messed up?"

This little guy though....he is a busy busy busy body. He would take Aidan's spot on the Tball team in a heartbeat. Look at him...not even 2..and understand how to play the game. Whenever the team is off doing something..he sneaks in for a hit.

Aidan oh Aidan

2011-04-05T11:30:00.000-04:00

Looks like Aidan got a hold of my camera...few funny pics followed.

This was a good one...good job Aidan

Ok?

Trash?

Oops...still a snowflake left over from Cmas decorations. Good find Aidan.

And of course...face pictures to follow. A must...taking pictures of your own face after swiping the camera.

Now...warning..video below is weird. Aidan likes to make funny sounds and then play back over and over and over again.

Blogalishis

2011-04-04T13:23:00.000-04:00

I am always rushing, unorganized, stressed...not living in the moment and I hate it. This morning I went downstairs rushing to get to Zips in time to drop off by 9 pick up by 5. BTW...didn't make it by 9. I forgot to blow dry my hair. Run back upstairs blow dry my hair run back downstairs. Forgot my shoes. Run back upstairs get my shoes run back down get in the car..get Aidan's grumpy morning butt in his seat and can't find my credit card. I have to concentrate to figure out where it is..but all I hear is Aidan "Mommy I want pop tart, Mommy open my yogurt, Mommy are you picking me up from school, Mommy I don't want to go to school, Mommy is Baby going to school, Mommy..Mommy" Finally remember where I had my credit card last. Run back inside...dig through dirty laundry to the last pants I wore and grab my card. Drive down the road...hit 270..realize I don't have my gym bag. WHY??? I try so hard to stay on top of things and plan....but I always feel so behind. I hate that feeling. Because that feeling trickles to my kids...in my attitude toward them. I am frustrated..so I snap at them. Then I realize I am snapping at them and it's not their fault so then I settle down listen to what they are asking and engage in a conversation with them.
Me: "Aidan, why are you crying so much, Mommy doesn't like it when you cry"
Aidan: "Well Mommy, you make me cry"

Ok...I don't "make" him cry. This morning we left zips and we were walking down steps. I wanted him to jumb but he was scared so I grabbed him and pretended to jumb and said weeee...well Mr. Aidan was not happy he didn't have the courage to jump so we went back over and I placed him on the TOP step and had him jump in my arms. He was happy...UNTIL...we mad it to the curb. I tried to get him to jump and he stood there with that grumpy look on his face. So I grabbed him and said weeee..and picked him up. Well...he was upset with himself that he didn't get the 'jump' off the curb and started to cry in the car. Now...I guess I did make him cry because I didn't go back to the curb and sit there waiting for him to "jump" while cars are driving by and it is cold and I am like an hour late for work.

Aidan and Mason have been playing a lot lately. I hear this coming from Aidan througout the day: "Baby what do you want? Baby what do you want?...come here Baby"

Aidan crying about who knows what..and Mason Man hugging him.

Aidan "posing" for the picture..?????

These pictures came from my new HTC EVO SHIFT phone. I LOVE MY NEW PHONE. Fantastic I tell you. However...worried at my next bill. Aidan has been downloading every game he can get his finger a hold of. From tossing trash in a trash can to smashing ants. My phone is loaded with useless game to entertain a 4 year old for hours. What ever happened to that $150 Nintendo DS he begged for????? IPhone..Pods...IPads and anything that resembles one is the "new" toy for 4 year old. Lucky kids.

Funniest quirk about Mr. Mason Man. He is such a little adventure boy. Always..always...always on the go. He gets into everything. He will pull chairs up to the pantry and search for fruit roll ups. He will tumble down stairs, get up..rub his head and keep on going. He will run out in the street. He will throw plates and watch them break. He is my dare devil. However......Mr. Mason is afraid of none other than the swing at the playground. Strangest thing in the world. He will grunt and stop breathing if I put him in...then cling to my hip for dear life if I go near one. So strange. the kid is frealess....except for the swing. The other day he ate something that didn't settle with his tummy...threw up all over his crib..stood up and said "uh oh". One time..pulled a hot plate down and hot gumbo got on his face..instead of freaking out crying he goes "hotttttttt.....hottttttttttt". He will go head first off the couch on wood floors and stand up with a bloody nose and just kinda wine a little. Tuff Tuff kid. Just don't get him near the swing.

I love watching this kid eat. He is so darn cute.

Worked from home the other day with this little guy. I felt horrible that the TV ended up being his babysitter. This is what I walked into when I checked on him.

Aidan in his Tball uniform. Other day at practice he cried and wanted to go home becaue he was cold...while Mason ran around try to put the ball on the T and hit with a bat. My boys are so opposite!

Started getting Mason interested in the potty....he sits down gets up..takes the potty out and tries to sit down...he is now trying to use the potty with the missing center...oh my!

Spring cleaning..ants in the house...Introduced Aidan to the vaccuum. Smartest thing I could have ever done!

Wrapping up my last few weeks of school...FOREVER! Soon to be Masters in Accounting and Financial Management. what what..whoot whoot.....Party at my house when it is all said and done. So...warning you I will be overly bloggy when I am done with school so watch out and get your reading eyes ready!

Note...spell check was not working today. Remember I said I was an Accounting major...NOT ENGLISH folks.

boundaries

2011-03-23T22:32:00.000-04:00

I have a favorite article I read once in a Parenting magazine. Giving parents advice...one phrase in particular stuck out...it went something like this "Mommy...I can't actually eat the entire bag of cookies..just wanted to see if you would let me." As parents we juggle with boundaries. When to pick and choose our battles. When to say no and be consistent. Sometimes Aidan can eat a late night snack. Sometimes we won't let him. I have to work on that. Sometimes he is all up in our bed at night...sometimes we say no and put him in his bed. It is so hard to know when to say no, when to teach a lesson, when to make a big deal out of something and when to just be loving and understanding. Mason doesn't believe in boundaries. He will know something is wrong, look at me and do it anyway. Then do it again. And again. No fear. I want to find a happy medium. I want to let them get away with things...but not all the time. Just need someone to tell me what things I should let go and what things I should make a big deal out of.

So who gives parents boundaries? I strongly believe God gives me signs...or boundaries....it's God's way of guiding me through this crazy game. The other day I had Aidan and Mason in the tub. I washed them both and was letting them play. I explained to Aidan that I was going to jump in the shower. The shower is right next to the tub..a small small small wall dividing the tub and shower. I told Aidan to watch Mason and make sure he doesn't go under the water. So throughout my 3 minute shower I asked how Mason was doing. He will be 2 in July so it's not like he is that small. Aidan is 4. Aidan kept telling me Mason was fine..and I heard Mason blabbing away. I turned off the shower and heard a splash. Aidan was laughing so I thought they were just playing. Well I jumped out to see what the splash was anyway. Mason was under the water thrashing trying to sit up and he couldn't. Aidan thought Mason was playing..I ran scoopped him up. Mason was fine...just startled. But I FREAKED the F out. I of course was mad at myself for taking my eye of Mason. I explained to Aidan that baby couldn't breathe and he needed to help him. That was God..telling me where my boundaries were. It was like that huge scare made me realize I can't ever take my eye off him. I was testing my boundaries but was quickly reminded where the line was that I had crossed. That night I went in Mason's room. He was falling asleep. Picked him up and rocked him for about 20 minutes. It was a scary night.

Another sign I was over stepping boundaries. Joe and I had let Aidan go out with his brother who is 10 in front of our house to play basketball. We don't usually let him go outside by himself. EVER. So I had a weird feeling about it..but Aidan insisted and I of course checked on him often. Well....about a week later there was a scare in the town about 15 minutes from us where this guy try to grab a 4th grader and drag them in their car. Luckily the kid got away. But I believe that was my "sign". After hearing that, I of course told myself I would NOT let Aidan out with anyone but adults. I may be crazy...but I think those are signs that warn me I was letting my kid's go over their boundaries. Mommy boundaries. Ok..I think I said boundaries one too many times. No more promise.

Video...here is one of Aidan playing the drums. He goes to lessons now and LOVES it. In the video we had a Mommy made drum set. Don't laugh. Ok....also don't laugh at the mess in my living room. Obvioulsy I let my kids go crazy with their toys. I picked and did NOT choose that battle.

I got this!

2011-03-21T12:37:00.000-04:00

I got this juggling thing down. The homework, husband, kids, visitors, party, Tball, homework (yes it got worthy of being repeated), house and dinner thing down. It is a feeling hard to describe. When I am laying in bed on a Sunday night and I say to myself..."I did it". Got my 4-6 page paper done by midnight along with other homework busy work. Eh..I only did two loads of laundry and I didn't get to a few rooms...oh and my car is nasty. The kind of nasty where you worry someone will walk by and peak in and go..holy cow that person is nasty funky nasty. But I did do it this weekend. I got everything accomplished and spent some quality time with the family. It was a great weekend. Maybe because I sprung on an outback trip with the family and a few extended family members. We go out to eat once every 4 months. Maybe even 6 months. So when we go to Outback on a Saturday night and the place is PACKED..the kids are exhausted from the day and so are the adults...it doesn't matter. Because we are going out to dinner. It was fantastic. Even though I had to leave everyone there early. Mason started to lick the table and Aidan had banged his head and was not laying in my lap. It was all good. Cheese fries to go to enjoy the next day. FABULOUS!

Next on the blog agenda...Aidan's new hobby. Ok maybe it's my new hobby. I have this "thing" or an obsession. When my kids show any interest in something, I go overboard with it. Mason loves stuff animals and he can barely fit in his crib with all the stuffed animals I have bought. Aidan likes these little HexBugs.....so one has turned into 3 and now they have their own little home. We have even named the bugs. The Easter bunny has already bought some additions to their home and maybe one ore two more bugs. I get to name the next one. Bubba Jack and Car all need new friends.

Daddy is the new TBall coach in Myersville. He really enjoys and and I really enjoy him being a "coach". Aidan asked him the other day if he was still going to be his "Daddy" if he was his coach. It was too...stinkin....cute. They are seriously serious about Baseball in Myersville. It is no joke. It starts with TBall and it takes 3 coaches to coach 8 kids. I think its good though because the kids get one on one attention. They had their first practice on Sunday. It was a long one. Daddy made an announcement that I was "team Mom". Um....yeah not really fitting. I am out of my element. I have a hard time "fitting" in with other Moms. I think its a phobia. I still feel kinda young and immature when compared to them. I am not your "typical" parent. I just feel awkward. But..I am proud of hubby for taking on the challenge of coach and have a feeling he will be coaching for many many years to come so I will suck it up and be a "team Mom" whatever that entails. Here are some cute pics from Aidan's first Tball..oh and lovin this function on photobucket..they make my pictures look cool..

I think Mr. Mason man as imitating a dog that came to practice.

He was guarding his gold fish crackers...

I have many pictures that look that this..I am sure most Moms do as well..

Aidan L O V E S to have his picture taken...and well I love to take them.

Wat Up!

I'm Cool...

Strike a POSE

The door is my prop

How bout this angle Mommy

Don't JUMP

It's like I clean and clean and clean..and I turn around and it doesn't look it at ALL. What the heckadoodle???? eh....my kid's are happy and healthy..I am blessed. Truly Blessed.

Frequent Visitor to Urgent Care

2011-03-14T16:44:00.000-04:00

I blame daycare germs. Or maybe I should run faster when Mason digs in the trash pulls out some leftover food and puts it in his mouth. Either way I am tired of germs, runny noses, fevers, ear infections, coughs and grumpy kids. Bring on SUMMER!

I have not logged onto this little thing called blogger because I was in bed from Tuesday to Saturday. It was that bad. Those darn crumb snatchers got me sick. Didn't help I was wearing myself thin with working overtime, going to gym and homework till all hours of the night. I made it so easy for those germs to hop right in and go for a ride. Oh...it was a miserable ride. The kind of ride where I prayed for my appendix to burst so I could go to the hospital and have them take care of me. It was "that" bad. Aidan was cute though. At one point he brought me up toast. Then decided he wanted the toast for himself. It's the thought that counts.

This morning Mason was mad about something and remember I told you he was into this hitting phase. Well sometimes he is so mad he will just hit himself. Joe said, "do you think something is wrong with him?". I told him no, he was normal, Aidan is the one that isn't normal. We tend to compare Mason to Aidan and in reality, Aidan wasn't your typical "boy" baby. He wasn't into everything, he was neat and clean. He was different at Mason's age. Then again, I shouldn't put a "normal" tag on either one. They are both unique. But, I did google "baby hitting himself" just to be sure.

You know what has really started to bug me. Those signs above the interstate. You know, the digital ones that say "I-70 4 miles, 4 minutes". What is the point? First of all, you slow down traffic for MILES before the sign because everyone has to slam on their brakes and read the darn thing. Even if it said "I-70 4 miles, 75 minutes" it wouldn't change anything. There is nowhere to get off the highway. There is no u-turn that can be made. We are stuck there for those 4 miles, so is it really necessary to tell me how long it is going to take to go 4 miles? NO, it is not. It just causes more problems and more accidents. I am debating on writing a letter to someone important to get this resolved. Either that, or I am going to take a big truck tall enough to ram into the darn sign. Such a waste of money that sign.

So I am the kind of parent who tries to give my kids choices. I want them to make their own choices at a young age. I give them options. Maybe not such a good idea. Mason freaked out when he picked out shorts to wear and I didn't put them on as a shirt. Aidan melted down the other day when we put the sponge bob toothpaste on his toothbrush instead of the cars one. Sometimes I don't want to give him choices. It is a learning process for this veteran/new Mommy. I am a veteran Mom to my friends but in reality I am a new Mom. I am learning...but I am so wise at the same time. Oh so many angles.

I am not in a writing blog kinda mood but I wanted to keep the 2 that read this sucker entertained so here ya have it. Random nothings about my life and my family. I promise to get more creative in the week. T-Ball starts tomorrow, so I am sure to have some cute stories.

In my attempt to wish Summer upon us, I have daydreamed my way back a few years ago to Turks and Caicos. I want to go back so bad. I want to go back so bad. The BEST place ever to go. I want to go back so bad.

Just look at those beaches..and that water. MAGIC I tell ya. 2012 here we come. Oh wait..I want to get "surgery" in 2012. 2013 here we come Turks and Caicos!

It's a Beautiful Life

2011-02-28T13:17:00.000-05:00

It's a beautiful life, oh oh ooo
It's a beautiful life, oh oh ooo
It's a beautiful life, oh oh ooo
I just wanna be here beside you
stay until the break of dawn
Yes I got the title of my blog from an Ace of Base song. Is that copyright infringement?

So I don't feel well today. The kind of don't feel well that when Aidan asked for Cheetos for breakfast he got Cheetos. eh...it's not his fault cleaning my house and grocery shopping didn't make the weekend cut. All we had were Cheetos and yogurt so that is what he got.

Was a busy weekend. Had a ton of homework. Bday parties to attend to and kids to entertain. I didn't let my homework ruin the beautiful weather and many times said screw it as I shut the laptop and darted outside with the kids. Joey asked why Mason didn't have socks on yesterday afternoon with his shoes. I told him we were in such a hurry to get out and enjoy the weather. Trying to find matching socks and sitting an overly tired, hyper baby down to put his socks on takes away from outside time. Priorities people!

The kids were worn out..just how I like it. Mason fell asleep at 7:15 last night and Aidan was so tired he starting talking to himself by 8:30. Mission accomplished.

I think this may be a genetic thing. The dislike of any vegetable green. It came from my husband and spread to my kids. They won't even taste it. Mason will pick through his vegetable medley throwing all the peas on the ground. See picture evidence below.

Look what keeps showing up on our floor...yep...peas

The guilty...

so proud of his robot bug thing that cost way too much! Thanks Shannon and Parker! Then again...I am sure Parker will want a DS now. We are even.

Bday party #1. Chuck E Cheese's at 9:30am. Seriously the smartest way to have a bday party there is to have it at 9am. so smart..so smart...

Huh??? what is this thing?

Yeah I was trying to let him win...but won on accident.

Don't understand why they make the peddles on these darn games so far away. Definitely had a leg cramp after this game.

Nope...we still have not gotten Mr Aidan a hair cut. Don't judge.

Should I be doing this? I know it's wrong?

I'm guilty again aren't I?

HAHAHA..Dancing.

He is ready to box in this picture...

Amazed by Chucky...Mason had chocolate for lunch. See evidence on face. Daddy's fault not Mommy!

Is that thing real?

Bday part #2, My Gym. AWESOME place. Mason was in LaLa land. He was however pretty upset he couldn't figure out how to go "up" the slide.

Aidan kept saying.."come on Mason...come on" So darn cute.

All MINE!!!

Yeah..we have our hands full...just darts into the street!

So my homework just barely got done. Paper written by 10pm last night (due by midnight). No groceries were purchased. Only one load of laundry done. Eh....the kids had fun. That is all that matters. I'll make up for it today. Kmart Double Coupon week up to $2 coupons. WOHOOO!!!!

1,000 miles per minute

2011-02-25T10:33:00.000-05:00

"Mommy I want Popsicle"
"Mommy I want Popsicle"
"Aidan the rule is you have to eat your dinner before desert"
"Mommy I want Popsicle"
"Mommy I want Popsicle"
"Mommy I want Popsicle"

Have you ever tried to listen to that question over and over from a 4 year old mouth for 1.5 hours straight while your other child is flinging his corn across the kitchen. God was testing me last night. He decided it was time to see how much I could take in a 24 hour period. Well, God, I made it out and Aidan did end up getting a Popsicle after Mommy refused to give in and had to spoon feed him his corn (the broccoli was spit out immediately after entering his mouth). I just hope I still have my sanity. If I lost it, I wouldn't know because I am insane. Only those around me would know. If you think I am insane now, please keep it to yourself and let me enjoy the craziness that is happening in my head.

I friend of mine wrote about her cup being full and having a girls weekend empties her cup just enough for her to come back to her kids a happier Mommy. My cup is way full. It is overflowing leaving this ring of milky coffee all around the bottom of the cup. Actually my cup is a large cup. The one that could hold ice cream or soup. A megga cup. Even that cup is full. I need a break. Big time. The kind of break where I leave everyone and go by myself somewhere far away. Well that wont be happening anytime soon.

I want to run you through the past 24 hours. It will help me empty my overspilling cupocoffee. Thursday morning husband has to go to work. He wakes up when it still dark outside. Of course all the kids wake up too. Damn light sleepers. It doesn't help that we had guys outside banging on our house fixing our siding. Who can sleep through that? Sorry neighbors if they woke you up too!. Aidan spent a good hour crying about wanting to see the guys fix the house for which I assured him we would see them on our way out the door. That of course is not good enough so I had to hear this "Mommy I want to go outside" "Mommy I want to see" "Mommy what is that" "Mommy what are they doing" Over and Over and Over again. Picture that while I am running around getting 2 kids ready and myself showered and ready with a 19 month old snot nosed boy following me around crying wanting me to pick him up and when I don't pick him up he hits me for which I tell him to be nice, show him how to be nice by rubbing his hand and hug him for which he hits me on my head. Marathon people...I run a marathon every day with these boys. I grab whatever I can feed these crumb snatchers in the car. Drop Mason off first not after he has used my shoulder for a snot rag. Aidan cries because he not only wants to eat his breakfast but mine as well. I bribe him with chocolate. It works.

Then I drive to work (could take 30 minutes or 1.5 hours). Work so hard I only allot myself 1 pee break (it's my busy week). Leave by 4:30pm so I am able to get to Mason by 5:30 (thankfully I have a 30 minute window cause on rainy traffic days it takes longer). Pick up Aidan first. Aidan sits in car seat asking if I got him a surprise. LOL. No..I did not get you a surprise for which my response is followed by this whiny cry that lasts for um....lets see...until he goes to sleep. Pick up a Rotisserie Chicken for dinner get Mason who tries to flee the car into the street. Get home prepare dinner while all the time I hear Aidan whine and cry about he is hungry, he wants his shoes off, he wants his coat off, he wants to watch his show, he wants desert, baby did this, baby go away, baby hit me, he is hungry, he doesn't want chicken, he doesn't want corn, he doesn't want broccoli, Mommy take off my shoes, Mommy you are not nice.

Bath follows. Aidan doesn't want to take a bath, Aidan wants to play nick jr on the computer, Aidan wants Mommy to set up computer. Aidan has to poop. Aidan doesn't want to go poop (sorry for the nasty). Mommy makes Aidan go poop. Aidan ignores Mommy. Mommy sends Aidan to room followed by big cries. Aidan finally goes poop. Comes out of the bathroom and yells at the top of this lungs "YOU ARE NOT NICE MOMMY, I DON'T LIKE YOU". Followed by Mommy counting to 10 so I don't lose it. I didn't lose it. I did good. I just told him that was not a nice thing to say and it hurt my feelings. While all this is going on Mason is running around naked after his bath throwing things, knocking everything off dressers and messing with Aidan on the computer. Mason spends the next 20 minutes running from room to room naked.

Get Mason to sleep at 8. Wearing a rain coat he refused to take off. Daddy comes up and takes Aidan (thank the good Lord). I finally get time to sit down and do homework. 8 page paper on mergers and acquisitions due Sunday as well as class participation and 2 group assignments. Do you really think I can concentrate after the day I just had? I ran a freakin marathon. Aidan woke up twice last night and wanted to come in our bed. Mason woke up at 6am that is an hour of sleep I lost for me to do it all over again today. When will I have time to do my homework? When will I have time to play with my kids? Is all this worth it? I am exhausted......but it was pretty darn cute watching Mason fall asleep with his rain coat in my arms yesterday.

Mother of the Year

2011-02-18T20:07:00.001-05:00

That would be me! Mother of the year right here. Mason's sitter and I have been trying to figure out why he keeps getting these red blotchy rash type things on his body. Like someone is going around behind our backs and pinching him. Or slapping his cheeks when we turn our heads. So I googled every single phrase you can think of. "Toddler red blotchy rash" "Baby red rash go away" "Slapped cheeks toddler". Then it clicked. He can't drink milk because his tummy can't handle milk protein so then realized that hives are a side affect of milk protein reaction. Found out he had yogurt today and rash appeared right after. Ding Ding Ding. We have now entered the world of milk protein allergy in our house. I thought it was just milk at first. So what do Mason's parents do after finding this out. We give our son ice cream of course. What on earth were we thinking? So now lil man has hives all over his legs. Mother of the year I told you.
Mason has also been hitting a lot lately. I swear there is no hitting going on in this house for him to mimic. I have no idea why he is doing it. A reaction maybe. He will slap the crap out of your face and it will shock you. You don't know if you should slap back, scream, laugh, yell and as a result you just sit there and stare at the kid. Deep mean no smile stare. Then Mason stares back. Deep stare and then he decides to either hit back or hug you. The hugs are nice. The hitting back is not to be tolerated. We need to buy a time out chair. Yes we do!

Aidan is in this spiky hair face. It came about after Mommy and Daddy slacked off so bad we delayed getting his hair cut way past the kid looks like he has a rat's nest in his head. So...as a Mom who wishes she had a girl, I have started to "do" my kid's hair in the mornings. Full out curls for mason and full out spikes for Aidan. I am just sorry for all Aidan's teachers at daycare who have to listen to him all day long "is my hair still spiky?" "is my hair still spiky?" "is my hair still spiky?"

As promised after a few hours of trying to figure it out..I was able to get my videos on my computer. Funny story. Lost the charger for the video camera for like a year...husband got me a new one. Lost that one and while tying to find it I found the first one. Only me...So this video is of Aidan and Joe when Aidan was about 2.5 years old. It was cute...he did a little singing...did a little dancing...did a little football..and hit daddy thankfully after we had kids cause I doubt he can now! You may want to pause the playlist at the bottom of the blog so you can hear Aidan hit his high note. :)

This day we call Love

2011-02-14T13:36:00.001-05:00

A Grinch
A Misanthropic
A Drag

A quick google search of those who dislike Valentines day and you may find a few of those words. Not sure why I dislike this holiday ... oh wait...not really a holiday...but a commercial gimmick as some would call it. I am not known to be an overly happy person but I also am not a grumpy Debbie downer either. But for some reason..I just don't really like this day. That is why I celebrated on Friday and the only reason I celebrated on Friday was because my son's daycare had some special thing where we could drop off the boys at night for a few hours.

As teenagers we get all hyped up about this day. We have our crushes at school. We wonder for weeks if our "crush" will end up buying us something ... or acknowledge this day to us. A wink. A rose. A card. Anything. Only to be disappointed and left feeling like you are not special. You go into days like today with such expectations only to be let down. You have a boyfriend or a husband. You just expect so much and are always let down. I don't think it's the mans fault. I mean..they just don't have that romance gene in them. Well most don't and the ones that do are coached by their friends who happen to be girls. I have a hard time believing that any man came up with their wonderful valentines plans themselves. I am not hatin on the man. You were not made to be that way. I remember one valentines day I got a rose from someone only to find out later he gave them to all the women in his life. He had like 15 roses he gave out. OUCH. Or another issue would be getting a Valentine from someone you "don't" see that way. How awkward. I have had a few good Valentines days but mostly I have some really crappy ones.

This is not a ding on my husband..although he is NOT Mr. Romance by any means. He didn't do anything wrong. I just don't like valentines day. Think of all those single folks out there. Is it national depression day today? Maybe they are sitting around hoping for a secret admire. By midnight tonight their hopes are crushed and they are left sad. Just not a fan of today.

I have two boys though. I don't want to raise them to become a Grinch or a Drag so I put on a happy face. Wake up and say to Aidan "Will you be my Valentine" for which he responds "Mommy...You can't take Valentines to work." I will come home from the gym tonight with a card and stuffed animal for the boys. I will squeeze them and tell them I love them. Thankfully for me..they are boys. I don't think they will have these concerns growing up.....

Valentines Day

2011-02-11T11:07:00.000-05:00

So I am supposed to do this stuff right? On Valentines day...well almost Valentines day. Spend it with my LOOOVVVVVVVVVE. Be all gooshy mooshy and kissy bissy with my husband. Yeah that isn't really my thang.  However, in my attempt to blend into society and also keep my husband my husband I am going to dedicate this blog post to our loovvvvvvvve. oohhhh lala

Some have already heard this story. The day we met. Funny actually. We both worked at the same company and I liked his friend. At a work function I used Joe to try and talk to his friend. Joe had other plans and decided to stalk me. HAHA. Well he may have a different story. He randomly sent me an email after meeting me and asked to hang out. I wish I still had that email. I had no idea who he was...I was walking around the office saying who is this guy? Well the sucker I am went on a date with him anyway. Hooters of all places. We were both dating other people and quickly got rid of them and started dating each other. I mean the key to a woman's heart is Hooters wings and beer right???? We both have been through the whole dating seriously thing married thing for him and knew what we wanted in a significant other. After a month....we just knew. So we put the speed button on our relationship. Had a kid 2006, married in um....200...um....I can't remember. I think 2008 right Joe? Had another kid 2009 and I feel like now we are just starting to really enjoy each other. We are seriously made for each other. We can finish each others sentence and we sometimes call each other at the exact same time. The other day I was walking to the pantry to get some popcorn and on the way Joe yells from the other room, "hey can you pop some popcorn?". Seriously?

Top 10 reasons why I love my husband:

1. He thinks I am hot. Even 9 months preggers going in labor, he still hits on me. I almost tossed him out the hospital room.....but I still love that about him.

2. He freaks out if I use too much of the $.79 a box spaghetti noodles. He thinks I am wasting it.  But he will go out and be suckered into buying a $100 tooth brush.

3.  He checks the mail every day and takes out the trash on command.

4. He is a social butterfly.

5. He loves his boys more than he loves me. It's ok..it's supposed to be that way.

6.  Ask him any question about any sport and he will know the answer.  Sports Trivia..he dominates. Ask him where running back from the Texans went to college and he will know.  Ask him who won the world series in 85 and he will know.  Ask him who was the coach of Superbowl 25 and he will know.  Ask him about some boxer or ultimate fighter and he will know.  Ask him where he put Mason's shoes and he will NOT know.

7. He is obsessed with Jersey Shore and Bad Girls Club. Seriously horrible shows. This is an annoying tid bit about him..but I love the annoying things too.

8. He takes longer to get ready than I do.

9. He accepts my faults. Except the grumpy in the morning fault.

10. He doesn't put up with any one's BS.

To conclude I posted below some of our wedding pictures. We were married in Turks and Caicos. AMAZING place and I can't wait to go back :) Love you Joe!

Happy Valentines Day!

De-clingin my kid

2011-02-09T11:45:00.003-05:00

As if I didn't feel guilty enough for having to work every day and leave my kids, Aidan who has been going to daycare since he was 4 months old felt the need cling onto my leg for dear life this morning as I dropped him off at daycare. Now Mason has no problem leaving me. He will go to complete strangers and try to take their food. Two boys..complete opposite. Aidan is to start kindergarten in roughly 19 months. I have 19 months to de-cling. Operation de-cling. I am always told that I will miss this one day. He will not want to hug me or be around me. I have a very hard time believing that. My brother is a Momma's boy. Always been one. He is 27 (I think I can't count) and still lives with Momma. I don't think Aidan will be much different. Mason on the other hand will walk right by me and go to his Daddy or Miss Jenny. Mason is not a Mommy's boy. Now that is sad. I do wish he was :( I remember one time he was an infant and crying, Daddy tried to calm him down but only Mommy could. That was the only time in Mason history he wanted Mommy over Daddy. Ok enough of this Mommy Daddy talk..I sound like I am 3.

Aidan is in the "talking" stage of his life. I don't think this stage will end for a while so I have embraced it. Mason likes to throw things off our banister. Every once in a while we will be in the kitchen and CRASHHHHHHHHH. There goes some random toy or household item off the cliff. The other night Aidan and I heard a CRASHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Aidan: "Mommy, Bibi threw something, uh oh"
Bibi: "uh oh"
Mommy: "oh no..baby is bad"
Aidan: "But we still love Bibi"

How stinkin cute are my kids? Now my nice hard wood floors on the other hand are not lookin too cute with all these items being flung over the ledge and landing on them.

We took some family pictures in the cold weather at Harper's Ferry the other weekend. I am all about getting family pictures because I actually like being in them. I can't really stand going to those random places in the mall or at department stores for family pictures. They always come out horrible. So even though my husband disagrees...I try to get some professional ones done 2-3 times a year by my favorite photographer Lisa Shafer. She is awesome..and I think she is so good because she has kids herself. Anyone who can handle taking pictures of a family with 3 boys in the freezing cold gets a gold freakin star in my book. My kids were not all happy and flowers. When one is happy the other is crying. When they both are happy they are going in different directions. The older one likes to be in every picture and complains when he isn't. Oh...poor Lisa. haha Here are a few from the other weekend.

only picture of the 3 of them. Mason kept trying to leap off the edge

Joe thinks his pants are up his butt in this picture so I made sure to enlarge it on the blog ;)

I told him I would buy him a new DS game if he took these pictures and smiled

I forgot to brush my hair obviously

Here is my weekly rant. Cell phone companies. Mason ate my phone. Seriously ate it. Slobbered to the point where it had water damage and the keyboard was "corroded" as sprint would call it. I can't go without a cell phone. It is my lifeline. It is my house phone. It is my facebook stalker. It is my right hand man. I pay $7 per month for a "service warranty". That comes to $84 per year. $168 if you add my husbands. My phone breaks from slobber. They want to charge me $100 for a replacement phone. That comes to $184 per year. In addition, you usually upgrade every year or two. That is an additional $150. You are going to tell me on top of my $200 per month bill, I am also supposed to pay you $334. That means per year I am paying roughly $2,734. And that INCLUDES my discount from my job and being a "premier" customer. And you are telling me you can't give me a free phone because my son slobbered on it. Not to mention all these random charges by some vault thing for $9.99 per month which I have been trying to get them to take off for 6 months now. Do you smell something shady going on here? I told you 2011 I was going to penny pinch. UGH

ok done...have a GREAT week. I know I will. I will be working..homework..and cleaning up the random items being thrown off my banister balcony cliff thing of my house.

I'm ALIVE...well kinda

2011-02-01T15:19:00.000-05:00

I have 15 minutes to type this and I don't want to lose my blog followers. A whopping 12 to be exact!!!

Where have you been? Oh I miss blogging. I have some freakin awesome videos I want to put up. Give me a few days. Ok a few weeks. I promise to put them up in the next year!

So last Monday Aidan was sick. I blogged about it. Then I went missing. I am alive..I promise. Wednesday was ruff one for me. Was it Wednesday? Oh I can't even remember. So we always get conflicting weather reports. I have learned to ignore them. I guess I should have listened this time around. I got on the road at 5pm to a blizzard. YES a blizzard.

As soon as I walked outside of my office..I was like...shhhiiiii

So it takes me an hour and 45 minutes just to get a mile form my job. Once on the major highway from my work, which the radio folks told me to take, it was every man for yourself. I was weaving in and out of cars swerving all over the road. It was like Armageddon minus the whole alien thing (wait were their aliens in that movie...I don't have time to google that one). There were a few times we would stop and just sit there for hours come to find out a truck had jackknifed and cars couldn't make it up a hill. I was so angry. Why doesn't everyone drive 4wd? My phone is dead at this point. I am bored out of my mind. I started to read the jeep manual. I feel horrible for all the folks stranded. I am worried that my husband and son didn't make it home in their light as a feather Prius. 7 hours later I make it to an exit and get off to call my husband. Looks like traffic is thinning out and roads are started to clear up. HAHA I make it to two miles from my house and stop. Not move...don't move...fall asleep...lose my mind for 5 hours. That is right folks. My final trip home from work last Wednesday was a whopping 12 hours. UGH. 12 hours of my life taken away from me.

I bet 1 out of 5 of those cars left their cars on the side of the road. Seriously..it was that bad

So....school has started for me..and let me tell you the work load is kicking my ass.

I got some type of "I think I may die or please kill me now" stomach bug Sunday night. Let's just say someone is kicking me while I am down and trying to take all my extra hours away from me. I NEED THOSE HOURS.

Went snowboarding Saturday. Freakin awesome.

Aidan started drum lessons. Freakin awesome.

My boys are getting along so nicely. NOT

Mason makes my life so much easier. NOT

Aidan last night flipped out. I am talking cry for 30 minutes because his cereal had crumbs in it. yes CRUMBS. WHat???? He cried he wanted to wear his boots this morning so he got to wear his boots then cried in the car because he didn't want to wear his boots.

I love my family. I love my family. I love my family. :)

Thank you to my husband for holding down the fort yesterday. Tonight I get to clean my throw up infested bathroom. Yummo.

Momma to the rescue

2011-01-25T11:43:00.000-05:00

Lots going on in the P household.

When I was preggers with Mason, Joe and I made the decision to stop having kids. So after Mr Mason man was born the doctor's made it official. Now...I don't regret my decision. God told me a long time ago I could only handle two kids. He is right..but that doesn't mean I don't get the itch every now and then. I have it real bad lately. EVERYONE around me is pregnant and having girls. Seriously..everyone. I want a girl so bad and if Mason or Aidan is reading this 20 years from now..I wanted you even more baby boys.

So what does one do to fill that baby girl void. She visits all her friends who have baby girls and hug on them and kiss on them and spoil them because they are oh so adorable. Baby Lyla below....I couldn't go one more weekend without kissing that head of hers. The only shot of Lyla below. I was too busy keeping my youngest son from destroying their home and did not take more pictures :(.

Monday morning 1am. I hear this strange sound coming from the other room and then this voice followed, "Mommy, I frow up". It is weird what happens next. Not so much weird but pretty damn cool. Mommy intuition kicks in. Like when Mommy cats have their kittens and they know to eat that sack around them. How do they know to do that? Anyway..if I haven't grossed you out enough with this last paragraph. But it is true...something kicks in. I jump out of bed wide awake and know exactly what to do. Clean him, hug him, give him water, stay awake to make sure he makes it to his toy bucket I used has a throw up bucket. Resourceful us Moms are. Funniest part of the entire night. My husband who had been up with a stuffy nose Mason comes in the room where I am laying down with Aidan and says, "lets switch kids, I need sleep". HAHAHAHAHAHA So are you implying that I have been sleeping this entire time??? Speaking of husbands..look at what he put Mason in last night. I told him that onesie didn't even fit him and his words back to me are, "Well it shouldn't be in the drawer". You know what Mr Husband...you can be in charge of all kids clothes. Switching out the ones that don't fit and boxing them up. For alllll three kids. Better yet no..nevermind. They would look like this every day!

I do love my husband. Never a dull moment!

Sneak peak at some family pictures taken by my favorite most patient photographer ever, Lisa Shafer. She keeps coming back for more and I can't wait until our next session.

Random...

2011-01-19T16:03:00.000-05:00

Most of you already know my dislike towards doctors. I, of course, could not go a week without another complaint. Mason had his 18 month checkup. No shots this time. Thank the good Lord for that one! I kinda get annoyed though. I had to fill out this paper asking questions about Mason. Does he point? Does he walk? Does he understand what you ask of him? Stuff like that. There was a few questions where I was like "NO" he does not do those things. One was if he can pretend get a doll dressed or pretend vacuum (while making a vacuum sound). The doctor of course dwelled on those questions I answered no to. She was very concerned. First of all...I have 2 boys and a step SON. So no we do not own baby dolls. Second of all..I don't vacuum. We hire a cleaning service to do that crap so he never sees anyone vacuum. The doctor then was concerned because Mason does not copy facial expressions. Well no doctors, I have not spend any time sticking my tongue out at Mason to see if he will copy me. Sorry. After feeling a little overwhelmed, I finally shouted out.."he picks his nose if he sees you doing it". She was a little stunned but I think I gave her what she wanted. The boy can copy me..now leave me alone. Some of those questions are not needed in my opinion. I already told you he can do things on command, he can walk, he can play with toys and interact with you. Does it really matter if he doesn't copy me when I stick out my tongue and he doesn't get dolls dressed. UGH!!!! It just makes me more paranoid. Especially with talking. He is of course behind just like Aidan was. But are you comparing my kids to those kids who are already speaking different languages and knows how to sign.

So Mr. Mason's measurements are funny to me. I also have my concerns with how they "compare" your child's measurements to the population percentile thing. That is another rant at another time. Ok get this..
weight: he is in the 3-5% range
height: he is in the 50% range
head: he is in the 90% range

I don't understand how a kid with such a big head can be so underweight. How is that even possible? You are saying my kid's head is full of air? Just strange. If one is big..shouldn't the rest be big. eh..he is happy and that is all that matters..even being a skins fan he smiles...

I decided to stay home on Monday...being a holiday and all. Mommy Kid day. So what was I supposed to do on a Mommy Kid day??????? Build a fort...thanks Amy for your idea!. Ok ready....

BEFORE

After

I am awesome.

Well..not so awesome at cooking. For breakfast that morning Aidan informed me he wanted cereal so cereal he got. Well..Mason had the last frozen waffle....and Aidan freaked the crap out over it. Why can't they just get along? Anyway...so I got creative and decided to make a waffle. I heard a lot of this coming from my pit crew.

"Daddy can do it better"

"Daddy wouldn't have used that butter"

"You messed up because you used this (pointing to oil) Daddy does not use that"
But I prevailed yes I did. :) I am a waffle fighter.

I wanted to get a picture of Aidan's eye lashes....but of course he forgot to smile..so I helped a kid out!

But seriously...look at those lashes....don't worry Karen..I photo shopped the uni!

18 months....Baby!

2011-01-13T14:24:00.000-05:00

18 months today this little guy entered my world. I know it's not his bday or anything..but 18 months is a big day for him. Think about it. It is the only month between 1 and 2 that has it's own clothing size. Not like any of the 18 month clothes fit him. He is barely 20lbs. My little peanut.

See photo montage below :)...my have you changed Mason....

My "curly toe" baby boy...

And the GRAND finale.....

Love you Mason...big little guy..18 months today :)

Body Combat!!

2011-01-12T17:38:00.000-05:00

About a year ago I bought a gym membership for Joe and I. At first he was pissed. How dare I spend money on him. I thought it was a good idea though. It is important to stay in shape and get out of the house away from the chaos and each other. It was about 6 months since I had Mason so I needed the exercise in a bad way!!!! Ok...I am sure those who know me just laughed after reading that last sentence. I didn't gain much baby weight and lost it all real quick...but when I lost it all...I lost it ALL including muscle.

So with that membership came that free personal training session. HA! That was funny. Why do those guys insist you come in at like 5am? Are they crazy???? And the expectations...after my free session I came to the conclusion I ate like crap..was lazy..and complained a lot. Hey..but I was at the gym so I was doing 'something' right. So of course with the new year I had all these goals and unrealistic expectations. Eating better..working out...blah blah blah. Do you know how hard it is to keep those goals? Almost impossible!!!

My free personal trainer session guy, Nick, insisted I take these classes. Classes?? All I could imagine in my head were these women..all these women...doing stepping routines and jumping around. Do those classes even work??? I mean...before joining the gym I had noticed that most those women were NOT in shape. These assumptions have since changed so don't freak out. All of the women and some men taking these classes are in amazing shape. I think it was opinions shaped from a gym I used to work at when I was younger. So I laughed at the thought of doing one of these classes but he insisted. He actually insisted I take two classes in a row. Was he nuts? I didn't know the difference between body flow, combat, pump, kick, scream whatever they were called. I just jetted from work one day and jumped in the next class available.

Body combat..boy was I in for a shock. I am a little confident and maybe even cocky when it comes to athletics. I am good..no..no..I am GREAT. Well...not this day. This class is intimating on more than one level. Not only physically...but emotionally. There are "clicks". Now..I love these girls now..and I feel like we all support each other in our personal and gym life. It is great. However..on my first day..and even 1-2 months later..it was ruff. Who knew that these classes had assigned "spots". If you got in anyone's spot..or were not a certain amount of distance from everyone else..you got the stank eye. The whisper...the stare. It was like high school all over for me. Being new to Frederick and not having too many friends reminded me of being new to the 9th grade. Maybe trying "too" hard to friend these girls. I maybe completely paranoid and a little nutto...but oh well.

So I survived the first class despite the fact that I almost vomited and couldn't walk for at least 7 days after. I was hooked. It is freakin awesome. I love it. It makes me want to go to the gym. If it wasn't for this class...I would not be going to the gym and would be one of many paying for a membership that is not used.

Soon after becoming hooked..I remember driving home from this class and calling my husband excited. The "click" girls like me now. They friended me and included in me in their "area". I now have a "spot". Ok..for all you body combat girls reading this..don't laugh. I know..I am retarded. But it has seriously impacted my life. I love the class..and love the support everyone shows. Everyone supports each others cause..and weight loss goals. I love it.

As I type this...I realize I have to leave like now in order to get to the gym in time to stand by the door to run in and get MY spot. PEACE

I stole this pic from you Lori..thanks!