my little basketball player

Parker has loved playing basketball since he was little. He had a little hoop and would just shoot the ball and had perfect aim.  He has been asking to play basketball for quite awhile now and has never been old enough.  He has sat on the sidelines and watched his sister play sports and go to dance class and daisy scouts.


He tried gymnastics for a little bit but that soon faded, alot of sports seemed to start at the age of 5 that he was interested in. 

The YMCA started a basketball program for ages 3-4 year olds and Parker was very excited to start playing.  Today was the first day of practice.  He looks thrilled doesn't he? Parker & his daddy took off to the YMCA for his first day of practice.

 Parker did very well, he enjoyed practice, his friend Jack is on his team and Parker has a weekly activity he can enjoy and we can all cheer him on it.  We are so proud of our little dude and can't wait to watch him grow into his own with this sport.

What's one more??

I only had 1 child for almost 13 years and I have to admit, having 1 is kind of nice.  He never even minded being the only child, he never wanted a sibling and had plenty of friends to play with. Our good friends and neighbors The Deyhle's had 3 kids when we moved in to our neighborhood when Kyle was 4, Ryan was Kyle's age and Shawn was pregnant with Zach.  Kyle & Ryan went off to kindergarten and became best buddies. Shawn had Zach and then became pregnant with Emma.  Kyle was always invited along and I always asked "Are you sure" and she always said "What's one more"?  When you only have 1 , 1 more seems like alot, apparently when you have 3 or 4 and you add more, it's no big deal. As Kyle got older and I started taking him and his friends places just one more was not as easy as Shawn & Greg made it.

Then I had 1 more and 12 months and 12 days later I had another one, then I had 3 kids. 

The other day Regan was at a play-date and I took Parker to NW kids Club to play with his friend Lennon.  Parker & Lennon are getting married one day, at least that is what they tell us. Parker really enjoys his one on one mommy time and he is a totally different child when he is just with me.  He is calmer,happier ( because his sister is not tormenting him, pushing him or bossing him), more talkative & much more cooperative. It is much easier to get one out of NW Kids club, McDonalds, the Museum or any other place.
Parker enjoys our Friday mornings when Regan is in school and it is just mommy & me time.  On the flip side Regan really enjoys her mommy & me time as well.  I really enjoy my kids and going places & doing fun things, but I will admit sometimes I do enjoy them more when I just have 1 with me.  I enjoy the no fighting, I enjoy not having to break up fights and the "mom, he did this, mom she did  that, mom tell her to stop, mom, mom, mom, mom........ 

Just one more isn't so easy for me, it may be for some moms, but not for me and I admit it.  Does that make me a failure?  Does that make me a bad mom? I don't think so, others might, but I know my limits. We still go and have fun, it just may mean I am a little more stressed when I have just one more, but it doesn't mean I don't love being a mom.

I may look like this when I come home but after a few glasses of this....
Life is ok :)

Have a New Kid By Friday? Believable or True good to be true?

Our Family Matters church group, well I should say my husband's as I am teaching Sunday School at that time ( I just go for the fun parties on Friday nights) is starting a new series.  This series is called "Have a New Kid by Friday" by  Dr. Kevin Leman.   At first I thought, have a new kid by Friday as in adopt? No thanks, that sounds illegal and I have enough kids thank you very much. Then I read further and realized what it was all about and I was curious yet skeptical.  Even more skeptical when I looked him up and saw the reviews and the lady who bought 10 copies for all her kids because he's that good.   Cha-Ching says Dr. Leman.   Not sure I even trust a dude that looks like this?? hmmmmmm
Yes, I am a skeptic, a skeptic of Dr. Spock, those people who write books on potty training your infant, the people who write books about having the happiest toddler on the block

  (sorry I read that book twice and while my kids are happy, they don't act like those kids "apparently" do in those books.  The worst I think is the potty training ones, that is just my opinion.  Give me real, give me Jenny McCarthy Belly Laughs who tells it like it is.  It's not glamorous, it's not pretty, it can suck at times, why sugar coat it? I babysat a sweet little girl once and at the end of the summer they gave me a present
(her mom was a teacher so I didn't have her over summer break), it was a book, somewhat on how to parent your kids, pretty sure that was an insult. My other friends who babysat got flowers and giftcards.    Why had she kept her daughter with me for so long?  Needless to say her daughter didn't come back and that friendship soon faded.  I also got a parenting book from an anonymous person in the mail once.  Apparently someone was to chickenshit to tell me I sucked as a parent.  To this day not sure who sent it, but pretty sure that person is even a suckier parent if they actually read that book that was written in the 70's when we lived in a safer time.  Who would leave there child in a grocery store and pretend to leave to scare them to staying with them next time.  Did they not know that is how John Walsh's son died, he went 1 aisle over in a store and then disappeared and was murdered.  I never let me children out of my sight.  Pretty sure that makes me the better person than the person who sent me that book!  What about the potty books where  people  think it's ok to put your 2/12 year old in a cold shower because they pee in their underwear while the parent is trying to potty train.  Again, in my opinion, that boderlines child abuse.  can't force a kid to potty train and pretty sure those kids will be bed wetter later in life or be scared to take a shower.  My point is  I am very skeptical and I am pretty sure I am not going to have a new kid by Friday and I am also pretty sure my kids are not that bad.  Yes, they don't listen sometimes, talk non-stop and have been known to have a public meltdown, but what kid hasn't?  I have seen kids in public act way worse so the way I see it, I'm doing pretty well ( with the exception of the airport incident of 2011)
I'm not the perfect parent but I volunteer at my kids schools,bakes cookies, make homemade treats, have organized fundraisers, I teach Sunday School, I am CO-VP of our moms club, my kids play sports, we go to many activities and do lots of fun things together.  Yes I have yelled at my kids, yes I make them play together instead of with me sometimes and yes I tell them mommy needs alone time sometimes. I'm sure there is more, but I will stop there.  If that is the worst parenting people see then maybe they need to go down to Family Building Blocks and see what true tragedy is.  Nothing pisses me off more than people who think they are the better parent, the better person or just overall better in general and to those people I say SUCK IT!
Will I have a new kid or 3 new ones in 5 days??? I'll keep you posted, I know you will all be waiting!

Just another manic Monday

My day started off when I woke up at 5:00 instead of 6 with my alarm which really made me mad , I laid in bed until 5:45 then got up & showered to start my day.  I looked at my planner, no, not to remind me to shower, but I do obviously need a reminder what day to wash my hair since I can go every other day and I often forget what day I'm on.

I made my coffee and was going to to start our meal for dinner and realized I forgot to take out the ground beef and there were a few steps other than just throwing it into the crockpot.  New Years Resolution Fail 1.

However, I can fix this! I will switch tomorrow's night meal with tonight's. I am back to being super mom again!

Super mom and Super dad are not so super when neither one can pick super daughter up at school~oops again. Good thing we have great friends who can help us, so thankful for that when calling your friend at 8am in the morning and she is ever so friendly as always.

I organize a bag for the morning, make sure Regan has everything in her backpack, straighten up the house and watch Regan re-enact her Oscar worthy performance of Veruca Salt singing I want it now in Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory for the 500th time and then off to school we go.  I head to Starbucks with my giftcard only to grab the wrong one so my free coffee ended up costing 4 something.  The coffee pod I bought for my future brother in law that cost 6.98 ended up costing me more to ship it. I then take off to a place I have been 5 times but put it in my GPS because I sometimes get turned around, I put in SE instead of NE and guess what I end up at the wrong place. I knew those roads didn't look familiar,ok turn around, cuss some and speed race off in the other direction, arrive, put my coffee down for it to be thrown away. Life could be worse, no use in crying over a thrown away 4+dollar Starbucks is there?? Oh yes it can be worse... what about the lady who asked me how far along pregnant I was and told me what a cute little pregnant person I was. come again??? I think I will go home and never eat again, thank you!

I had some time to kill between appointments so I stopped at the new Big Lots which was amazing, lots of bargains but not enough time to look, bummer, I will be going back before the newness and niceness is trashed.

I ran here, ran there, ran ran everywhere. picked up Parker to realize I wont have time to get Regan's from her friends because I have to be home because I am watching my friends kids who are being dropped off in 10 minutes~OH SHIT! Better drive it like I stole it.

Picked up my little dude, sped into my drive way to find this.... Oh Cincinnati Skyline, how I have missed you!! This made up for every other quirky bad thing that went wrong today.  Pretty sure my husband may come home one day and find me bathing in it, I LOVE IT THAT MUCH!!!!  So much for me starving myself!

At this point you may be saying to yourself..hmmmm.. didn't she say she was going to simplify her life??  Actually this is a simpler day for me.

I watch the kids,do some work on the computer for my job at the church and I  read an e-mail from our business office saying The Parent's Night Out Program received a $3,000 donation today... Yes you read that right $3,000 dollars.  Surely she meant 300.00 and typed 3,000 by mistake.  Nope it was $3,000, HOLY SHIT!!! God is GOOD!!!!!! I think I am still in shock, definitely feeling blessed .



I start to prepare dinner the load 3 kids in the car and pick my friends daughter up from school, drop my 2 plus my friends 2 off with a babysitter to maintain my sanity and head out for a run.  My ipod was put through the washer a few months ago, pretty boring to run without music, I need new running shoes, needless to say I made it 2 miles and walked 2 back. Better than nothing right?

Pick up my 2 kids, come home, finish dinner which was super yummy and I need to post on pinterest and chill on the couch watching some football with my hubby.  He told me to go look for some new running shoes & I am getting an Iphone for my birthday so I will have a sweet new phone and Ipod in one.  Yay hubby!!!! Maybe I'll just run at the gym in the meantime since I do have headphones, its cold out anyways and I don't like running in the cold, yes I'm wimpy that way. Did I mention I'm menopausal also? Yes that is always a fun workout or run with me!!

 As my manic Monday comes to a close, the kids are playing, we get ready for bathes, books and bed  and no matter how hectic my day gets or how much my kids can work the nerves I realize I am one lucky mommy.

C is for Cookie or is it for CRAZY??

My daughter joined the daisy scouts this year, they are fairly new as far as I know.  Back in my day, the dinosaur age as my 18 year old calls it they had Brownies, then Girl Scouts.  My sweet little girl has embraced daisy scouts, she loves going to monthly meetings, events with her troops and meeting new friends and hanging with the old ones.

Isn't she adorable, makes you want to buy 500 boxes of cookies from her doesn't it??  Excuse the photo-bomber in the back.

I can do alot of things, soccer mom, dance mom,PTA mom etc... what I am not is a girl scout mom. I give our troop leaders Jessica & Emily mad props for their organization, time, effort and patience with these girls.  Girl Scouts seems to change the rules alot and you need to know alot as a leader, these 2 ladies are both moms to 3 kids and I could never do it. As I watched Emily explain cookie names, cookie procedures and money to this group of very excited girls at last week meeting with a smile on her face I decided she should be sainted, STAT!!  I was content driving to meetings and events, volunteering to bring snack and watching my daughter enjoy this experience..... then came cookie rally 2012, or what I like to refer to as cookie chaos,these people love their cookies.

Don't get me wrong, I think the girl scouts are a great organization and teach great values. I did just learn they are a for profit organization and not a non profit, which I never realized but they are still great. What I don't think is great is having a 17 old ambassador tell a 5 year old that for 2012 boxes of cookies you can get an Ipad.  See these pretty purple t-shirts?  oohs and ahhs from these wide eyed 5 and 6 year old girls,yes we love purple.Mommy, I want that t-shirt.  You only need to sell 250 boxes of cookies. SAY WHAT??

Girl Scout cookies =big money,no whammies
It's tough being a daisy scout,brownie or girl scout these days. These sweet little girls are everywhere, every street, every grocery store and corner.  Everytime I hear Girl Scout cookies I think of that episode of Everyone Loves Raymond with the cookie booths the fight between Peggy & Raymond, that episode just cracks me up.  I think I might watch it on hulu after I type this blog.
I do think the prizes could be more reasonable.  Don't think my child should have to sell 30 boxes of cookies to get a patch to put on her smock, that should be given just for selling 1 box. Now back to that purple t-shirt for 250 boxes. Pretty sure the higher ups at The Girl Scouts of America aren't going to console my daughter when she is upset over not getting the t-shirt because she couldn't sell 250 boxes of cookies, that's all me dealing with that drama meltdown.  I feel like we are pimping our kids for cookies.  While I realize they are yummy deliciousness and a party in our mouths that pretty much sell themselves,why put such high standards on it? 

I know Miss 17 year old Ambassador went to Italy last year and is going to London this year which is amazing and I'm glad her & her sister who sell 1000 boxes each at a cookie booth, but these girls are 5 and 6. I just think that this cookie craze might be a tad to much for me and my child.  My child is a go getter and she has sold quite a bit of cookies in the past 2 days, but I don't want her to feel that she has to sell 500 boxes for a prize I can buy for $10-$15.00 at Target. She has asked to go door to door, asked to set up a table at the end of the driveway ( I did say no) and asks everyone she sees.  she is motivated, all on her own by going to her troop meeting and cookie rally and just by me mentioning the start of cookie season. I did gently talk her goal down.  Besides how many boxes of cookies does it take to get to London?? You don't want to know and I'm pretty sure that sweet 17 year old who was all sweet to these little daisies would probably run them over in a New York minute if it meant she got the better cookie booth spot or to the nearest buyer of the thin mints.

While watching other kids and parents at this cookie rally and hearing the way some of these moms were talking to their daughters I realized that I don't belong in this world and am hoping my daughter possibly decides to move on to something different in the next few years. I understand the whole cookie money thing and some girls need it for outings so anyone reading this, I do get it, I just think the Girl Scouts could handle it possibly better.  I also might add that if they had online ordering and direct shipping they could make some serious bank! Why not set up a deal with troops in other states, can't be that hard to figure out... or is it?? Is it because we are all so busy pushing out kids to sell 2012 boxes of cookies??

Girl Scouts is for some and again, it's great, I am not bashing them, it's just not for me, but since my daughter enjoys it I will do what makes my daughter happy. Isn't that what being a parent is all about??  Why are we selling cookies you ask or wonder? Because she is in a troop and that is what the troop does.  They set a goal and she met her goal and exceeded it.  I am so proud of my little daisy scout.

We will ride out the cookie craze through March, lord help me and I might be drunk quite a bit to survive it.

Cookies anyone??

2012 of thin mints for my freezer, why yes please!

New Year, New Me, Happy Family

Every year I make new years resolutions that I never keep and once again I made another one, but this year will be different because unlike all those years past, I AM KEEPING THIS ONE!

The last part of my 2011 was pretty crappy,  October started to go down hill, which lead to November, a surgery, a surgery gone wrong, another surgery, a stay in the hospital, a month long recovery followed by the starts of menopause. I was lucky to have wonderful friends who brought us meals, brought me coffee, rag mags, goodies and helped with our kids. For that I felt truly blessed.  Once I was cleared to drive,  I felt the taste of freedom and went full on into holiday mode which then lead to me looking like this.

My husband made me promise I needed to either start earlier next year or not take on more than I should and not try and make every happy because that makes him unhappy because I turn into a crazed, stressed mad woman.

As I turn 41 this year some days I feel 91.  I try to be young, hip and sassy, but some days I think I need a new hip.  Ive come to the day where I have to write everything down or I'll forget, soon I'll have to remind myself to shower on a post it on my bathroom mirror.  It's a sad day when you have to set your phone alarm and carry a reminder to remember to pick up your child at school.  A friend gave me a mommy journal that had a date book, meal planner, weekly shopping list and journal. so far it has really helped me.  Maybe she gave it to me for a reason?? hmmmmm

My resolution is not to over commit, I have a bad habit of this.  I cant seem to say no and alot of people know this and then you have very easy prey, ME.  I am very determined to keep to this resolution for various reasons.

1) I don't want to be stressed at the end of the day and be up until midnight baking cookies, cake pops or some kind of baked good because I couldn't say NO.  I am all about baking for my family, friends and school or functions, but in moderation. I am going to manage my time better.   Maybe store bought cookies instead of homemade, ghastly, I know, but hey something's gotta give. I doubt at my funeral someone is going to stand up and say "oh the horror, she brought store bought cookies to the moms group valentines day party." or at least I hope not.  I'll be dead anyways so I doubt I'll care.  I want to enjoy my evenings more and not worry about pleasing everyone ( except my husband of course~LOL) and I don't want to feel exhausted all the time.


2) I want to commit to myself and a more healthier lifestyle.  I am healthy already and eat well and exercise but I want to commit more to it. I want the whole family to be a part of that.Parker is starting basketball, Regan already plays soccer and is going to play t-ball, so I am lucky my kids love sports & are super active, I just need to get Parker on board with more healthier foods. I also want to to start running again.  I know I have limitations but I just want to make it part of my exercise routine and if I just do 5 to 10k then that would be fine with me.


3) It gets expensive when you over commit and take on to much and that is not fair to my husband since he is the one who brings home the bacon.  We are all for helping those who need help, but another resolution is to budget better and save more since.


4)I want to think ahead so when you simplify you can better plan ahead and that is what I want to do.


Since January 1st I have been using the meal planner and grocery list, planned out our meals and make a daily list of what I need to do and plan out my week.  Now it's only the 2nd week, but I am determined to stick to this plan.

When mommy's happy everyone is happy, when mommy is miserable, everyone is miserable and that is good for no one.

So here is to 2012, the year of the happy mommy, the simpler mommy,the slimmer mommy, the sexier mommy the more sane mommy.  Cheers !!                                                      

summer fun or summer bummed

Last year when we moved to Oregon we had the most beautiful summer weather and I couldn't wait until summer arrived again.  Unfortunately it was a long winter and summer didn't seem like it was ever going to come.  All winter as it got dark early and rained, alot I had visions of bright sunny days, frolicking by the pool with my kids, playing at the park and having all sorts of summer fun.

I was spending alot of time in the gym determined to work off the weight I had gained since moving here and to have my old summer body that I apparently left in Cincinnati and am never getting back.  The one sunny day we got teased with I pulled out my shorts only to find out they were quite tight, damm all those Starbucks coffee's!

Sadly I had to go to Old Navy and buy some new shorts in a size I will never admit to anyone and I'm cursing myself for giving all the clothes I had post baby away.  How silly of me to think once I lost baby weight it would stay off forever and I would remain my size 3.  Joke was definitely on me.  I got better at hiding my mid section and expanding hips and spanx were my new best friend.  I decided I was going to exercise, eat healthy, but still have my splurges and accept my body the way it is.  That was until I walked into a little boutique called OLIVE in the mall one afternoon while I was waiting for my cell phone to be fixed.   It was there I was slapped with the harsh reality of being told by a man that I had MUFFIN TOP!!

Of course, those of you who know me know that I do not look like this, or at least I don't think I do.  Nor would I be caught dead wearing a crop top even if I had the body.  Well, when I was 18 I think I wore one but not at 40. Now that my self esteem was smashed like a bug, I wasn't sure whether to go home and never eat again or go home and eat an entire sleeve of Oreos.  A few days later we went on vacation and when looking at t-shirts I was told by some 21 year old kid ( a guy, again) that research has shown the typical woman beer drinker is not a smaller gal which is why they don't make t-shirts in medium and that medium would fit me just fine.  Is this a sign I need to apply to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser?  My summer was slowly becoming very depressing. I definitely was not frolicking by the pool for several reasons 1( according to 2 men I am a fat cow and should probably not subject any one to having to see my body, especially in a bathing suit 2) I don't think moms frolic anyways or maybe ones with nannies do.

3) it was never warm enough to even make me want to take the kids to the pool, even though it is heated and 4) my children weren't making my summer any better with there behavior these days.

Let's move onto my adorable children shall we.  I love my children, don't get me wrong.  When they are asleep, I watch them and thank God for giving me these beautiful children. When they give me hugs & kisses and tell me how much they love me and when we snuggle, read books and play games I think I would never want to be anywhere else than here.  Unfortunately those moments only last about maybe 30 minutes.  I thought as they got older, it was easier to go places and in some cases that may be true, it isn't always. 

So far this summer I have spent a great day at the park until Parker thought it would be funny to take off running down a big hill and into the middle of a busy street as I chased him down the hill holding my friends 8 month old baby  This picture was before Parker's mad dash to the street

. I have had Regan beg for a big girl bike only to have her terrified of it and refuse to touch it ( up until a few days ago).I had one talk non-stop through the CARS 2 movie while the other one was freaked out that the seat was going to fold up and suck him in.( although after I promised to keep my hand or foot on it the entire movie, he was as good as gold). I have gone berry picking only to have my kids want to stay in the air conditioned car watching the DVD player.  Meghan, I hope you don't mind Diego is in this picture.

. I have taken them to so many fun places, the park, farmer's market, movies, NW Kids Club splashpads, the carousel, playdates, dance classes, gymnastics just to name a few only to watch them fight, have meltdowns, cry and ask to go home.  When we are at home, they are bored, when we are out, they want to go home.... I can't win!! From the time they wake up until the time they go to bed, all I hear is she hit me, he hit me, he took this, she took this, he's doing this, she's doing that, I want this, I want that... mom, mom, mom, mom, mom.......... can I please freaking change my name??????  I always wonder about those super moms who claim to love mommyhood 27/7 and being with there kids non-stop.  I'm pretty convinced that if they are lying or very medicated.  Regan never stops talking and Parker is mostly mellow until his sister really pisses him off then it's all down hill.  I am still not sure how one little person can talk so freaking much.  She is as cute as can be and some of the stuff she says is freaking hilarious, but please for 10 minutes just SHUT UP WILL YA???? I have been very good about saying can you please be quiet and not using the word shut up, but since Looney Toons uses it, Parker loves to say ahhh SHUT UP.  I keep trying to explain that is not nice, but Daffy Duck says it so it must be ok, right?? No, not really. How can 1 little 5 year old have so much to say, she is going to be in so much trouble in school, I feel so sorry for her teachers.  

I feel like I yell alot  and my kids say I do but my friend Jenn says I am very calm and don't yell as much as I think I do. I am really trying to be more patient, but I am not as patient as a 40 year old mom as when I was a 22 year old mom.

As much as they make me crazy, want to scream, drive off a bridge or drink myself into oblivion I love them more than anything in the world and just keep remembering what my mom always tells me. Payback is a BITCH!!