Wake up already!

His alarm went off.

My alarm went off.

...so why is my Hubby still in bed asleep?

It's 5:49am. He should be almost headed out the door.

Dang-doodle! I'm going to have to be the 'wake-up fairy' for him?

I'm off!

How would you react?

Okay people. Here's an email. If you parents received it from your adult child, how would you react?

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Hi folks! How are you doing? Hopefully all is well.

I'm wondering if you still had plans to move out here. Last I recall, you planned on putting the house up for sale in January. Does that mean if you sell it that you'd move out soon after? Or were you planning on waiting until after LilSis gets married in May?

I'm going to start a new part-time job. We had planned for me to start working part-time so that we could save some money for the three weddings we have to attend in a 6 week timespan next year (April - May) and lowering our debt. But as fate would have it, my car is breaking down and I'm having to get a new one. Instead of the money going to savings & paying down debt, it'll now be going to pay for my new car. So instead of getting ahead, we'll be standing still financially.

Yes, a full-time job would get me a bigger hourly rate which would mean a bigger paycheck. But there's no way I could manage a full-time job. I can only work part-time because I need to drive the Princess to and from school. And I don't want the Bear to be in daycare for 9 hours a day. It's hard enough for me to imagine him being in daycare for 6 hours a day.

Just to let you know that this is a hard email for me to write. You know I don't talk about my problems with anyone. I don't put my issues out there so that others will worry. I don't like to ask for anything from you. But I want you to know what's happening. Please read it a couple times to be sure to understand what I'm trying to say.

For the past 3 years or so you've been eluding to the fact that you were going to move out here. And I'm still waiting patiently for that to happen. I hate to ask (and you know that I do) but I want to be sure of your plans so I can figure out what I'm doing.

If you are serious about moving out here, could you give me some sort of time-frame on WHEN you'd be out here?

If you are NOT serious about moving out here, then I need to know that so I can plan accordingly.

You know I love you both with all my heart. Whatever you decide for your future is fine with me. Just let me know so I can do what I need to do.

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Okay. Now you've read what's been churning in my mind.

I never ask my parents for much. I paid for college. I bought my own car. In high school I would walk. I helped with their janitorial business in the evenings. I used to pick LilSis up from elementary school. I paid for 85% of my wedding. I found all my jobs on my own. I bought my own condo (no co-signing from the folks). Same holds true for Sis#2.

Sis#1? Has asked for money more than a handful of times. She's even asked for airfare when they come out for visits. My parents gave her their old van that they never use. And they gave her an old Tercel when her kids needed a vehicle to drive to and from high school.

LilSis? You regulars know that my folks bought her a fancy car. She's never worked for a paying job her entire life (she's currently interning and has volunteered places). She gets money to go to school because my father has 100% disability from the military (which wasn't the case when Sis#2 & I were in college). She comes and goes as she pleases.

My Dad told me that they would be moving out here "...to help with the kids..." "...it's your turn..."

When someone tells you that, would you think it would take years? I mean. I need help now. If you're not going to move out for 3 more years than FORGET IT! Both kids will be in school by then and I won't need help. But I can't SAY that to them.

I'm sure a lot of you probably think I'm being selfish. That I'm an adult and that I should be able to handle my own situation. Fine. I realize that. But when people tell me things? I rely on their word. Don't tell me things and then don't act accordingly. I'm frustrated with them is all.

[Big sigh]

I just need to shake off my disappointment. Deal with it. Move on. I know....

Snippets

The football game date? It was FUN! There's nothing like screaming at the top of your lungs for a couple hours. The screaming was very therapeutic for me. All that pent up Mommy rage gushing out as "cheering for the team!" I yelled more than my Hubs! And I didn't even attend that college.

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Tomorrow (around midday) I'll be headed back to that place where I had an interview on Friday. It was actually the 2nd place I've had an interview. It would be working for a writer. She runs her business out of her garage. She's got two ladies on staff already. The 3rd gal is leaving. The writer has been doing this for 15 years, so it's not a fly-by-night operation. It's legit. It would also be ideal because it's a casual office. Meaning I would NOT have to get gussied up each morning to look presentable. I'd just have to throw a t-shirt and some jeans each day. How fantastic would THAT be? When I told her my minimum hourly rate, she didn't balk. I hope meeting the rest of the staff goes well tomorrow!

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My new car? The one I need to use for the next 6-7 years? It's at the broker. I should be able to pick it up late tomorrow or Wednesday. We chose to use a broker because I wanted a certain configuration. Turns out we aren't going to have to pay sales tax going through the broker too. So that saves some money. Once I pick-up the car, I'll post some photos of it! I am just SO jazzed that I'll have it soon! I actually looked at my current vehicle's mileage range and didn't realize how horrible it is - 16city/20hwy! Another thing that surprised us that our bank is charging us about a point less than the prime interest rate on our loan. A big but terrific surprise because our payments will be a little less than we'd originally thought they'd be.

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I've almost got all my 'ducks' in a row for the Princess birthday party this Saturday. Out of the 15 kids that are invited, I know that 3 aren't going to be able to make it. The two brothers from up the street have to attend a baptism. The one girl in the Princess class broke her arm AND her mother is having minor surgery this Friday.

Did I tell you that it's a Luau themed party? I wanted something different than the Princess theme that everyone my daughter's age seems to be having. I picked up some leis, some Hawaiian themed wall decorations, and some palm-tree centerpieces. The kids are going to sit cross-legged on some straw mats on the back patio. I still have to call the pizza place to figure out when they can deliver Saturday morning. We're also going to have some sandwiches for the adults (who are tired of pizza at these parties) and cut-up fruit & chips with cip to munch on. Oh yeah! I did order the cake today. It's called the "Hawaiian Flower" cake. It's going to be so colorful!

Today, I organized all the give-away bags for the kids. Even the ones who aren't going to make the party have one. I decorated the bags and stuffed them with little goodies. No. NOT CANDY. They are already going to get cake and ice cream. I don't think I need to give them any more sugar. They got little sunglasses. Bookmarks with the shapes of birds, fish, & palm trees on top. Pencils. Glow in the dark bracelets. Bubble containers with fish on top.

I made arrangements for a jumper that'll be in our backyard. We're going to get it at 9am so the Princess and the Bear will be able to have it to themselves for an hour or so. The one thing I'm trying to track down are some temporary tattoos. That way when the kids take a break from the jumper, they can be 'getting' something. I've still got to blow up all the small beach balls that'll be strewn in our backyard. The kids can throw these. Kick these. Whatever.

Hopefully everyone will have a good time!

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And my BIL? He is accepting a job in a different state. This means he'll be about a 7 hour drive away from my ILs. This'll be the first time he'll be living away from them in his entire (36 year) life. He and his fiancee are going to sell the house they have now and purchase one where his job will be. For now, she is going to move in with her parents while he works in this other state. She is currently going to school and wants to finish her studies before she moves out there.

I am SO excited for him and his fiancee. He's actually going it alone. No family to fall back on. It'll be a time to grow up. It'll be a time to be thoroughly independent. A wonderful growing experience.

Ra-ra-ra! Sis-boom-bah!

That's right people. CHEER! I'm going on a date with the Hubs. To a football game.

Oh yippee! [Can't you just hear the sarcasm?]

But a date is a date. No kids. Just me and him. And the 10,000 other fans in the stadium.

The kidlings will be at my ILs house while we're at the game. I'm sure they'll be running around and leading the ILs around to do their will.

The great thing about the plans for tonight? We are not spending the night. We are leaving the game around 9:30pm so we can drive (1-1/2 hours) back home.

WHY are we doing that? Because the kidlings never seem to get a restful night's sleep at my ILs house. The Hubs and I cannot sleep comfortably (on the carpeted den floor) there either. So we are going to pile the sleepy-heads into the car around 10pm and getting a short but fitfull night's sleep at our house. Plus, we always feel like we're not welcome at their house when we spend the night.

So I'll have a good time with the Hubs - even though we won't be alone. We'll be together. That'll be nice.

It's called a LINE

There I was sitting patiently at the car wash. There are 5 stalls. All full. I park my car about 20 feet back on a diagonal with my blinker on. This way I have access to any of the stalls when one becomes available.

Then a car pulls up behind me. I think nothing of it. Until the guy drives ahead of me and parks his car about 15 feet behind that first stall (which is to my left).

"Hey you. Mister. The one in the silver Lexus. There's a LINE!"

No. I didn't SAY that. But that's what was going through my head.

I didn't do anything. I stayed vigilant watching all the stalls. Then I noticed the guy in the first stall had placed both the sprayer and the brush back on the holders. I got my vehicle into gear and slid in behind the car in the stall. I did this even before the driver in the stall had gotten his car into gear.

That's right folks. There I was RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE LEXUS. I drove my car right in front of him. I didn't care that he was in a Lexus. He was in a button down shirt. He was eating a freaking donut. I knew he wouldn't challenge what I did. I'm SURE he figured out that he was wrong.

No. I wasn't scared. I wasn't nervous. When he went to the change machine to get quarters (the machine is in front of the first stall), I looked right at him. Straight on eye-to-eye. I think I let him know with no words being spoken that he was a putz.

I'm a Mom out washing her car. I'm NOT a doormat. I will NOT be brushed aside. Hear me ROAR!

Cram it

My son. What am I going to do about my son?

He crammed Play-doh up his nose.

Yes. You read that correctly. He crammed neon green Play-doh up both his nostrils.

I didn't think I had to supervise him as he's played with the stuff for a few months now. The Princess was across the table from him coloring with markers. She happened to look up at him and nonchalantly told me...

Princess: "Mom! Bear put Plah-doh up his nose!"

Me: "WHAT?"

Princess: "He put Play-doh in his NOSE!"

My girl? Went on coloring. She continued to sit there and color with her markers.

I ran over from the bathroom (as I was cleaning it). I came to the breakfast table to find my son trying to swat the pieces of Play-doh (the EVIDENCE) quickly from his nose.

I grabbed him. In a vice grip in my left hand/arm. Steadied him against my left breast as I examined the situation and extricating the green stuff from his nose. It was fresh Play-doh people. It was gooey. I couldn't get big pieces out. He had been ingenious and had split the Play-doh into tiny pieces before shoving them into his nostrils. I got a bunch out by pinching each piece and pulling. But there was still more SHOVED up in there.

"Don't you move!"

I ran to my bathroom and found my tweezers. The ones I use to pluck my eyebrows. Hey! It was the only extrication tool I had in the house.

I got that kid back into my vice grip and slowly pulled each of those pieces (that were WAY up there) out. There was one piece that was too far up there. I couldn't get to it. Thankfully it was a small piece and I left it alone.

"Do not put Play-doh in your nose. Or your ears. Or your mouth. No. No. NO!"

He was upset. But he didn't cry. He knew he had done a BAD thing. That I was worried about him. That I was only trying to help him by getting the stuff out of his nose.

That one last piece? About 5 minutes after the 'emergency surgery' I saw him rubbing his nose. That little piece had worked its way back down to the front part of his nostril. I was able to get it with my fingers.

That boy. Man! Play-doh up the nose. I'll bet I'm going to have to watch him around paste too. I don't want him being one of those kids who eats paste! E-yuck!

Making Mommy Laugh

Me: "Bear, blow on the rice. It's hot."

[whew-whew]

The kid was blowing. Blowing at the container of rice. NOT the rice directly below his chin. You know, the rice that was on his plate? After a couple more puffs of air (towards the huge container), he promptly loaded his spork and shoved the rice into his mouth.

The LOOK on his face was priceless. His eyes grew wide. His mouth shut tight.

I could tell that the rice was still blazing hot.

What's funnier? Is that instead of opening his mouth and letting the hot rice out? He clamped his right hand over his mouth to keep all that steaming goodness inside his mouth.

The Hubs looked unconcerned. He continued loading the Princess' plate with a steaming heap of the rice.

Hubs: "That'll teach him to blow in the right place."

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Watching the Bear pick up each piece of steamed veggie and shove it into his mouth. Each one. Independently placed into his mouth.

What was funnier was how he ate the lima bean. He picked it up. Observed it. Held the one end between his thumb and pointer finger. And took a ever so tiny bite out of the exposed end. He chewed a bit. Contemplated the taste. Then shoved the rest of the lima bean into his mouth.

Thank goodness the kid now eats all the items in the mixed vegetable frozen mix! Now if we could only get him to eat some steak or some shrimp!

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As we walked through Wally-World, I turned around and saw the 'look' on the Bear's face.

Me: "Bear. Are you going poo-poo?"

Bear: "No. No poo-poo."

His knees are slightly bent. His shoulders are slightly rolled forward. He's got that holding his breath look on his face. OBVIOUSLY he is doing something.

Me: "Okay. Well, I'm headed this way."

I start to walk slowly towards the cards & wrapping paper. I turn around and watch the Bear walk. He's walking all rigid and stiff. Like something is poking him in his bottom. A big wedgie.

It was a big piece of poo-poo! I couldn't believe he was trying to deny it. Oh that boy! I, of course, took care of the mess once we got to the car about 5 minutes later. He was all fresh and clean for the ride home.

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Princess: "Mommy? Hector from the kinder-first class sat at the lunch table with me today."

Me: "Oh yeah? Is he one of your friends?"

Princess: "Yes. One of the boys at lunch said something not nice."

Me: "Oh really? What did he say?"

Princess: "M. M. Mmmm.."

Me: "What WORD did he say?"

Princess: "M. M. Mary."

Me: "Mary who?"

Princess: "No Mom. Married!"

Me: "Married? Who's married?"

Princess: "No one."

Me: "What? Did that boy say he wanted to marry you or something?"

Princess: "Yes."

Me: "Well. You tell him that you're not interested until you've finished college and have started your career."

Princess: "Okay. I'll tell him that."

E-gads people! She's only been in kindergarten about 5 weeks and there's a boy who wants to marry her? Geez louise! Thankfully, I came up with a comeback that she can use for a long while.

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So what have YOUR kids done or said lately to make you laugh?

Catching some Zzz's

As a kid I had no trouble sleeping. I was always WIPED OUT by the end of the day.

As an adult? I crave more sleep. I just can't get enough. Now that we have children, my nightly snooze is usually interrupted by sounds from the kids' rooms (usually the Bear's).

But HOW do you sleep?

I'm basically a side-sleeper. I mainly sleep on my right side. If I slept on my left it was minimal. It just wasn't as comfortable. Even now I'm still sleeping mainly on my right side. I will sleep on my left, but only if the Hubs is faced away from me. I can't stand anyone breathing on me!

When I nap on the couch I'm not picky about what position I'm in. I can even nap on the floor. With the kids running around me. If I'm tired enough I'll konk out with no problems. Before I had kids I'd have to be in a quiet room to take a snooze. No more. I don't always have the luxury of being alone in a quiet room now. So it's the couch or the floor for naps.

When I was pregnant, I did have a weird habit. I actually was drawn to sleeping on my back. And you ladies know that is a big "no-no" during pregnancy. I had to prop a kingsize pillow behind me so I wouldn't roll fully onto my back. So I'd lay there at a 45 degree angle on the pillow. PLUS, I'd throw my left arm up straight against the side of my head (like I was raising my hand in class trying to get a teacher's attention). I think I did this because that position opened up my lungs more and I could get more oxygen into my system. I also snored like nobody's business while I was pregnant. I remember being half asleep sometimes and hearing snoring and wondering "Who is making that noise?" Then I'd realize that it was ME!

No matter what season it is, I am never fully covered. I tend to get warm when I'm sleeping (which is good for the Hubs always has a chill in his bones during winter). To alleviate the heat, I usually stick a foot out from under the covers. A foot you say? Yup! Having a foot out usually regulates my body temperature and I can sleep. It's like having that foot out 'vents' the warmth. The Hubs always chuckles to himself when he sees an exposed foot peaking out from under the sheets as he's getting ready in the morning. I'm sure there are a bunch of you out there that do the SAME thing, right? Right?