2012

I saw a copy of the card that some people on Facebook created.  It was their family's Christmas card and it listed various things that their family did or accomplished in 2012.  I thought it was a really cute idea, but I'm not smart enough to be that creative (plus I'm too lazy to make Christmas cards) so I thought I would do it on here.

2012:
1.  On January 31, 2012- The Ex was hired as a fireman.  It took him 6 years to get on and it was one of the happiest moments of our marriage when he got the call offering him the position.
2.  The Ex finished the Fire Academy and passed his EMT exam (big relief!)
3.  Mh2 started Kindergarten
4.  I went back to school and started my work on getting certified in Administration so that I might be a principal one day (after this degree I will have over 90 graduate degree hours, which is only 30 away from a PhD, probably should have planned that a little better)

This is all I've got.  Short list but FULL.  It sounds cliche but this year has gone by faster than any other year in my life.  It was exciting, stressful, and mostly happy.

Christmas

My vacation started on Friday the 21st.  I spent part of that day at the doctor's office getting my yearly exam.  Most women dread this experience, I, on the other hand, love the peace and quiet of the Dr.'s office. I can't take my kids with me so I can take my Nook.  I sit in the waiting room and read, I socialize with the office staff, and they laugh at me for enjoying my time alone (at the gynecologist).  After that, I went and got my nails done (more time alone)...then it all begins:
Friday:  Drive to Oldham Co. and spend time with my mom's family
Saturday:  Drive to Lodiburg, KY (1 hr 20 min. away) and spend the day with The Ex's family
Sunday:  1:00, take the girls to see the other side of The Ex's family while he is at the fire house, then be back at my house by 4:00 to celebrate with my mom, sister and nieces
Monday:  Make dinner and have The Ex's dad, brother, and brother's girlfriend and son over to celebrate
Tuesday:  Wake up and see what Santa brought, go to Dad's house for breakfast (very different from previous years, a bit somber), go back to my house and prepare to have my Dad's family over

WOW!  Busy, busy, busy!   Though it was NONstop for 5 day and I was SO tired by last night (tired in the way where I was sensitive to every comment that The Ex made, tired like when I got teared up while washing dishes and putting things away) I KNOW how VERY blessed I am to have that much family to spend time with over the holidays.  There are some people that have strained relationships with their family, have no family, or are overseas and cannot see their family.  I am so very lucky to be able to run around like a crazy person and/or entertain at my house.

I got some very nice gifts this year, my favorite gift is either my new DVD Lawless that The Ex bought me, or the marble jewelry box that my uncle made for me by hand.

My Dad bought me some Birkenstocks (they're purple) that I have been wanting since my stepmom bought them for him two years ago.  I also got a men's watch that is huge and manly and I love it.  The Birkenstocks combined with the oversized men's watch prompted my Dad to call me a lesbian.  That's family love on Christmas!

Old stuff

I was looking through some of my old posts and came across several posts that I started but never published. If you are interested here is some of the random crap I was thinking at various times but never finished or shared (when I read this stuff, it's like reading something someone else wrote- I don't remember writing any of it)...

"My reasons" dated 11/8/12

I have seen two comments about republicans in the last two days that I must address.

1. "Always been fascinated that in any state, counties with big cities or institutions of higher learning, vote democrat".
2. "I'm a democrat that voted for Obama, I don't receive welfare and I do pay taxes, and pay for my kids healthcare (no medical card). But according to every republican I know, my entire party is a bunch of welfare sucking, tax evading, abortion having, entitlement seekers. 
   I advise you all not to be so hypocritical and definitely don't classify.an entire group based on a little bit of information.  I understand that not all democrats (and this was all I wrote)

"This Week" dated 10/19/12
I got the urge to write but I don't really have much to talk about.  So, I'll just blab about random things.  

As the election gets closer I get more and more angry.  I start thinking about what is going on in the world and it makes me wonder why I was so lucky to be born as an American.  I know that I am privileged and I also know that I have no idea how privileged I am.  

If you had to pick the person you were voting for based on only one topic, what is the most important topic to you?  The most important issue for me is foreign policy.  That alone is enough for my vote.  

My aunt got the girls a slushy maker.  How many times do you think I have heard, "Can we make a slushy?" Probably only 283 times since Wednesday.  It makes me want to take a hammer to the children slushy machine.

I can't wait for basketball season to start!  

"This is not about you" dated 9/12/12

Most of you do not know this, but I have kept a handwritten journal since March of 1991.  I wrote in it mostly only when I was sad.  Over the past 2 years I have plugged away at this blog.  It is fun for ME.  It allows ME to vent.  It allows ME to laugh at myself.  It allows ME to laugh at the world.  It allows ME to journal and talk about the things that make ME happy or unhappy.  My handwritten journal is a pity party that I have never shared with anyone EVER.  This all being said, this blog is not about you, it is about ME. 
If you ever find this site offensive, annoying, upsetting, or disturbing (actually I am disturbed by some of the things in my life- so scratch that one), I got a real quick fix for you- quit reading it!  This is why I got off Facebook.  It wasn't your problem that I was irritated everytime I logged on, it was mine, because I logged on!
If you would like to talk to ME about what you find annoying, upsetting, or disturbing, by all means address it.  I don't think that anyone who knows me will argue that I am difficult to approach.  I can be considered abrasive, but I also like to get along. 
On to more fun things...I watch Lawless this weekend.  You should see it.  I (heart) Tom Hardy.  I think I am going to have to break up with David Beckham, he gets a little too jealous and Tommy

"So Boring" Dated 9/9/12  (this one made me laugh)

I try to think of things to write about besides my kids, but while I am trying to think about it I realize...my life is consumed by them so of course that's all I have to say.
I want to tell you a little bit about what it's like on a day that The Ex is at the Fire house and we don't have to get ready for school or work.  Mh2 gets up @ 7:00, comes to my room and asks me, "Mommy, can I get up now?"  She then goes and gets the remote and brings it to me so I can show her what button to push to turn the TV on.  I fall back to sleep.  At approximately 7:30am Mh1 wakes up.  How do I know she is up, you ask?  Because I start to hear the shrieks, slaps, and kicks that my girls use to show their love for one another.  This is when I walk to the coffee pot and pray (no lie) that The Ex was kind enough to make coffee for me.  Eight times out 10 it is made.  That's love, especially when he doesn't drink it himself.  I then try to sneak back to the bedroom unnoticed but it never works.  They're like little CIA agents and count my footsteps or something because I can never get under their radar.  They immediately start with the, "Mommy, I'm hungry." (I want to reply, "No sh!t, it has been 12 hours since your last meal") and "Mommy, what are we eating for breakfast?" and "Mommy are we going to the Y today?" and "Mommy, what are we doing today?".  Most times I answer their 50 questions and add that I am going to my room for a little bit.  This gives me time to drink my coffee.  Drinking my coffee in peace and quiet makes me feel a little more confident in my abilities to responsibly parent.  At about 8:00am mh3 starts yelling, "Mommy I'm up!" from her baby cage. 
By 9:00 everyone is fed, and dressed.  I do housework and then they're hungry again.  Why are kids hungry all the time?  Today we left around noon (between 9:00 and noon I screamed at them a million times and thought I lost my mind once or twice).  We went to Kroger.  Some people like to punish themselves by cutting or Trichotillomania (syndrome where one pulls out their own hair) but when I feel the need for self punishment I go Krogering on Sunday with every other person in this end of town, with all three of my kids while they are restocking their shelves.  I bought my groceries while trying not to be "that lady" that you all judge (you know, the one that yells at her kids nonstop).  By the time I am paying, I don't care if I'm "that lady".  I get the monsters home, don't let them get out of the car while I take in the groceries.  Put the cold stuff away, make them all a snack (see!  they eat all the time), and we head to the Y.  I work out for about a half hour (did this workout today- short but HARD), and then we all get back in the car and while I am helping them put their cleats on, they eat ANOTHER SNACK (hungry kids are a no go around here).  We get to Tball at 2:00, where my sweet best friend sees me coming and runs to my rescue.  Her daughter gets mh3 and takes her to the concession stand and Amber helps me carry all my belongings and makes me feel somewhat human again (I love her for stuff like that).  I watch an hour of tball (which I love), then go home and make dinner, clean the kitchen, and bathe 3 dirty bodies.  Put them in bed and sit on the couch realizing how much work I put in. 

There are more posts but I'm sure you've seen enough for now.

Blessed

I am still angry about the shootings earlier this week.  I am angry now that people think that more gun laws and more help by the government for the mentally ill will stop things like this from ever happening again.  People, I would bet all the money I have that if the murderer was unable to get his hands on an assault rifle (in a state with very strict gun laws, I should add), that he would have used a bomb or some other means of mass destruction of innocent lives. So, riddle me that

As most of my readers are Americans, I recommend that you read up on your 2nd amendment right.  I have had conversation with two different people this week that thought the same thing about why the 2nd amendment was written.  They were both wrong (and they are both smart people)- this leads me to believe that the general public is either truly uninformed or super naive.

Moving on to happier topics:  Christmas is almost here!  This is going to be the best yet because my miniature humans are old enough to really get into it.  You want to watch a kid go ape sh!t, make a video here and video them while they are watching it.  Mh1 almost had a heart attack watching the video- it actually made me tear up because she was so excited!  I can't wait to see their faces on Christmas morning when Santa has left them all of their goodies.  Also, The Ex climbed on the roof of our house and put lights on all of the edges.  It looks awesome and I have never had Christmas lights on my house (ever in my life) and he made me so happy by doing that for us.  **I have to be totally honest and admit that once when I was like 8, my mom put a string of lights on this little dog wood tree in the front yard, but it looked about like this:

(source)

Plus we didn't take the lights down for like 3 years (literally).

Update:  this week I received my first "fix" from stitchfix.com.  You can read how I got started here.  In the box I received right on my front porch, it included a dress, 3 tops and a scarf.  I LOVED the scarf, liked everything else.  One of the tops was too big, and the dress was a little short but other than that, I was really happy with the "fix".  Even though the clothes were slightly out of my price range, it is fun to have someone pick out things for you that you probably wouldn't pick for yourself, that fit well and are very stylish.  The stylist must have paid close attention to the survey I filled out, because they really did send things that were right up my alley.  Check it out.  If you ever decide to sign up, please use this link so that I can get a referral credit.  http://stitchfix.com/sign_up?referrer_id=3035686  

The girls had a holiday performance at school tonight.  Am I a bad parent because I was disappointed that they had to miss a basketball game to sing "Jingle Bells" and "Santa Claus in coming to Town"?  Asking them to put their bball uniforms on is soooo much easier than actually finding tights to go with their Christmas dresses and combing out their hair.   I should also mention that they are the worst 2 players on the team (they have no idea- they are just happy to be playing and that makes me happy).  That being said, the funny part is that every time that they do anything "right" on the court, I feel so stinking proud of the benchwarmers that they are.

Update #2 :  Hot yoga at Yoga on Baxter is not for me.  I am strong enough, but I'm not flexible enough.  I didn't get anywhere near the "workout" or sweat that I was told hot yoga would get me.  I think the room isn't hot enough (they say it's 80 but it feels like 70-75).  I barely broke a sweat and my heart rate hardly went up a couple of time during the 60 minutes.  Plus, they were all like, "Namaste" and I was all like, "Oh shut up, hippies".

Can't stop

thinking about the mothers of those babies.  I hear all these people, "Waaaa, waaa, those with mental illness need help!"  Get real .  If that is the case, why are these "mentally ill" people always smart enough to go kill innocents in places that they can do the most damage?  How are the mentally ill smart enough not to walk into a police station and start blasting?  Or a firehouse, military base, or a freaking construction site even?  These EVIL beings capitalize on the helpless- they are calculated and need to be exterminated.

Soon enough I will be taking a concealed weapons class so that I have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  I am not sure that I will actually have a gun on me (I have never even touched  gun) but I want to start preparing for the day when I do want to carry a gun on my person.  I am definitely in the market of purchasing a shot gun for my house.  Yes, I will make sure to keep them away from my kids!  (Why does everyone make sure to remind me that I have little kids in my house).  No sh!t, why do you think I want a gun there?

In other more happier news, tonight the girls and The Ex and I made reindeer cookies and I made homemade hot chocolate.   I am teared up right now just telling you about our boring, simple night.  I am so blessed to have been appointed to care for these little people.  Why was I given such a HUGE responsibility?  Jesus, please cover them tightly or take me home.

New adventure

I had a talk with The Ex about how he has a "life" outside of me and the girls.  Let me be clear, I have no problem with his extra-curricular activities (he's into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and he's pretty good at it), but I really need something to do with my time besides going to the YMCA.  I would REALLY love to join a Crossfit Box but there are none in this area of town and they do not provide childcare, so the Y will do, or so we may see.   For now, I decided to try Hot Yoga.  I follow @kylethegirl on twitter and she keeps raving about it, so I'm giving it a shot.

I should tell you I have the flexibility of a cinder block so this should be really funny.  On the studio's website it advising me to not eat for at least 2 hours prior to the class.  This only reinforces my biggest fear.  My fear being that I am going to let a loud stinky FART rip while I'm bent over doing the downward chihuahua.  What if I can't relax because all I keep thinking about are air biscuits?

My Dad thinks that yoga is bad because your not supposed to meditate or something.  He has said something like this to me,  "....area of concern in yoga is the concept of emptying the mind, which is contradictory to what Christianity teaches. As Laurette explained, “We are transformed by the renewing of our minds, not the emptying."

I'll be sure to update you all on how it goes, but for now just remember:  not only will I be worrying about butt wind, but I'll also be worried about burning in hell for it.

Helicopter parenting

I was reading a post asking what to do with toddlers that cry when you take something away from them.  Since I have dealt with a few toddler in my day (and they are hell on wheels, let me tell you), I think I am more of an expert than Dr. Spock.  What would I do?  Ignore.  It's that easy.  "No, you can't have that" baby- "Waaaaaa, Noooooo, Waaaaaa".  It's really annoying but they get the hint that crying and screaming doesn't work for mommy.  Then after she calms down I get down on one knee, look her in the eye, and tell her that I understand her feelings, she has the right to feel angry, I will always support her....Uh, no I don't,  cause she's two and not all that smart yet.  Hello, lack of language skills=tantrums, duh.  Lack of language skills= mommy is not reasoning with you.

Check out a book now called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.  My Dad gave it to me and as I was reading the first three pages, I realized, my favorite type of book to read is science fiction.  I never knew that until I started reading this weird book.  I have been a reader for at least 28 years and I never knew I had a favorite genre until yesterday, weird.  

I just signed up at a website called Stitchfix.  Basically, you sign up, fill out a survery, and pay $20 and then a stylist sends you clothes based on your size & style.  You keep what you want and you send back what you don't want.  The $20 is applied to whatever you keep (your card is charged for the difference).  If you don't keep anything, you still pay $20.   If you are interested please use this link, so that I can get a referral credit.  My first shipment is scheduled for 12/18, I'll let you know how it goes.

The spirit of Christmas is beginning to fill our house.  One of my Christmas trees is up, the other is on it's way.  The problem with the 2nd tree is that I got lazy last year and had The Ex carry the tree to the basement without taking any ornaments or the lights off.  It's only 5ft tall, so I thought it wouldn't be a big deal.  Well, we get it back upstairs last night, and half the dag on lights don't work.  This means, I had to take all ornaments, garland, and lights off to try to figure it out.  BLAH!  Going to get new lights today, and will have that tree up by tomorrow.

My Dad and I are taking the girls to see UK vs. UofL women's basketball tomorrow.  The Ex and I took them to a game earlier in the week.  Mh2 was most concerned with determining if the cheerleaders and dance team members had on shoes?  "I don't know baby, I'm here to watch basketball!"  Speaking of basketball, today is their first game.  I can't wait!  They probably will be the least skilled on the team, but it's a start.  Maybe one day, I'll be able to watch one of them play in the UK vs. UofL women's game?