Not My Child MONDAY

It was NOT my 7 year old stepson that decided his curiosity outweighed his fear of getting into trouble. Big Trouble. He did NOT find a turquoise thong on Laundry Day and decide he wanted to show his friends in school!

I did NOT find it in the side pocket of his backpack, while looking for his missing glove.. (which, by the way, has been lost since the day I bought them...) And he did NOT get grounded from everything but homework and reading for the entire weekend. Nope, not MY child!!

Drab to Fab Transformation-Day 1

I have hit a rut... Recently, I began to realize that my needs have taken a backseat to the needs (and wants) of my children, and I have decided to take my life back! I am going to FIND freetime to do the things that I want to do-just for me. I'm not sure what this will mean yet, but it will include those much-deserved bubble baths, painted toenails, facials, and maybe even exercise!! :) Whatever I decide I want to do.

I realize that this cannot happen without a schedule... and that is where my problem lies. I am horrible at keeping my OWN schedule. When I was working outside the home, I followed other people's deadlines. And it worked. But trying to maintain my OWN schedule has been a real struggle for me. I find myself lounging around until the last minute, then racing the clock to get the job done. Whether it be getting out of the house to pick the kids up... or cleaning for company... Moving into a 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom house with THREE living rooms has been a dream come true... AND A NIGHTMARE! I was NOT prepared for the upkeep!!

So here it is. My New Years Resolution? No. My life-changing goal? Maybe. I think I will call it "My attempt at living a more productive life." Sure, why not?

So, here it goes. I have my schedule written out, all of my i's (and j's) dotted and my t's crossed.. The hardest part will be enlisting the help of my capable children.

Getting to Know You

1. Waffles, pancakes or french toast?
All are great, but there is nothing better than a Waffle with Whipped Cream and Strawberries!! Yum!! (besides these fabulous Strawberry Crepes-with or without lime.. you GOTTA try this recipe..)

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/breakfast-wraps/1e2bbf7b-4c6e-444f-83fd-a427ea964f18

2. Dream home..What would it look like?I used to think i wanted a HUGE house, but now that I have one, I'm not sure about that :) unless there was a maid..... This is the floorplan I designed in College-my computer wouldn't let me type, so I had to draw the words out.. sorry if it is illegible.





3. Favorite sport to watch during the Winter Olympics? I have tried to watch the Winter Olympics on television, but after watching several of them in PERSON in 2002, it's hardly comparable..

4. The first word that comes to mind when describing yourself? Tall :)really, that was the first thing that came to mind...

5. Dresses, pants (jeans, leggings, etc.) or skirts? Any, with the right outfit.. I am an all-or-nothing kinda gal, so you will either see me in workout clothes, or dressed up head to toe.. I have made it a goal not to leave the house without being totally ready though..

6. What is your favorite time of day? I am definitely a night person, but it is only my favorite when I know I can sleep in the next morning..

7. Beach or Mountains..which do you prefer? Growing up with mountains, I would have to say the Beach- Totally different and exciting!

8.Will you watch the Super Bowl? Watch? I dunno. But I DO plan on sitting in the room chatting (and eating!) until the funny commercials come on!

Fabulous Finds (Friday)

I am a bit late reading blogs, so this is my post for Friday's Fabulous Finds..

I stumbled upon this cedar chest for $5... it has been painted navy blue, to match the previous owner's Americana decorations, but she never finished it.. It has already been sanded and everything.. AND ITS A LANE! One of the best brands out there!!

I felt guilty taking it for such a cheap price, and even asked if the price tag had accidentally been switched! But I know it will be well-appreciated in my home, and I am so excited to give it a good paint job, and possibly upholstering the top with microfiber/leather.. This is a great project for January! I will be posting pictures as soon as it is completed...

Change of Plans.....

Like many others, I was waiting until January to begin working out and losing my weight that I gained AFTER my now 14 month was born baby weight. I bought a Jillian Michaels Workout DVD, picked out some workout clothes, and waited for January 1, 2010 to arrive. Once January was here, I was actually getting excited to start working out and getting a "beach body" for the summer...

While taking my kids sledding that day, I was asked several times to go down... but I didn't feel like I should. So, when the kids were done, I had gone down a total of TWO times... I got home, and quickly my suspicions were proven correct.

P.R.E.G.N.A.N.T.

While I am truly disappointed to put off working out... Again... I am so excited and can't wait for my little one to get here. (Anyone that knows my story is aware that I was not supposed to be able to HAVE children-and if I would have listened to my doctor's advice, I never would have been able to...) My daughter will be 2 years old when the baby comes, which is how far apart I would have hoped for them to be... I feel like this couldn't have worked out better!

Christmas Traditions

I posted this on someone else's blog, but after I started writing, I decided I should post on my own as well.. Some people feel that Santa shouldn't be celebrated at Christmastime, because he takes away from Jesus...

While I do agree that Santa should not get all the credit at Christmas time, I don't feel that he should be omitted completely...

What my husband and I do each year is this- Christmas Eve we have a "birthday party" complete with a birthday cake.. for Jesus (Corny I know, but the kids love it!!) (We also set out carrots on our roof for the reindeer..)

Then the next morning... The kids each get their stocking, filled by "Santa" with socks, a new toothbrush, a few toys, and some candy.. Then they get to see our tree. In front of our fireplace, we place ONE gift for each child, not wrapped, from santa. Everything else is from us, so we get the credit we deserve, while they are still able to believe. And here is why I think they should believe in Santa...

When I was a child, I believed in Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, etc... When I was in 3rd Grade, (a few weeks before Easter) I went to my mom with a simple question, expecting a simple answer. I asked, "Mom, if Easter is supposed to be about Jesus, why is there an Easter Bunny?" She called my older brother (Who also still believed)into the room and said, "We need to talk. Santa Clause isn't real." She went on to explain that all of the child traditions I was used to were, in fact, make believe. I remember wishing that I never asked.. I was the second of six children. That year, we had to do a separate egg hunt that was REALLY hard!! and everyone else in my family got to do the normal one. We had to pretend, for the younger kids, that we still believed in Santa, or we wouldn't get our gift from him... when Honestly, I just wished I DID still believe.

My honest opinion is-let them be kids as long as they can!! It is getting more and more difficult to maintain "childhood innocence"... and as long as other kids his age believe it, he should be able to also. You can always choose to tell him later...

Thanksgiving

Wow. Four years ago the holidays took on a new meaning for my family and me. Sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday... Living in a 2 bedroom house with my family of 8... No electricity-which also meant no fridge, no microwave, no oven, of course no washer OR dryer... We put our milk outside the back door to keep it cold, and ate food that had to be room temperature for every meal. Our christmas tree in the front room was barely visible, because there were no lights to brighten it up... I was a Senior in High School, and had to do my hair and makeup in the rear view mirror of my car.. (forget popularity.. not an option..) This could have easily been labeled the worst thanksgiving EVER, but at the same time, I learned a lot. Gratitude-for the people i worked with at the hospital.. for being kind enough to deliver an entire Thanksgiving dinner to my doorstep.. Friendship-for a family living in such tight quarters, it would be impossible not to interact with eachother.. Compassion-for the many families that were also in need that year.. Appreciation-for the simple things that I overlooked before.. I could go on and on, but what I am really getting at here- is that sometimes the hardest times a person may face may eventually be the ones you remember the most. Simple things like hanging Christmas lights now hold a special meaning to me...

I wrote a christmas poem in 2002, but it wasn't until 2005 that I could really apply it to my own life.. I am writing it all from memory, so I'm sure I am missing something, but here it is anyway..

The Truth About Christmas

What does Christmas really mean? What is it all about?
Is it the Christmas carols we sing, or the mistletoe that is hung out?
Is it about Saint Nicholas, or the presents in his sleigh?
Is it the places we go shopping, each and every day?
When you wake up Christmas morning, what are you excited for?
Is it the presents you hoped were left, or the snow outside your door?
Christmas isn't only that.. it is also so much more..
It is about family, and giving to the poor..
Christmas is for kindly deeds, and being near those you love..
It is about forgiveness and thinking of God above.
If it weren't for our loved ones, then what would be the use-
of drinking warm Hot Chocolate, and putting lights up on your roof?
Most of all, we must NEVER forget, the reason this came to be.
God's son, Jesus Christ, was born. A miracle for all to see.
He was born to a virgin mother, and wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Three wise men came to visit him, bringing Frankincense, Myrrh, and Gold.
Think of all he gave for us, it was MORE than just his death.
Jesus gave his entire LIFE, just to help us pass our "test".
So when you think of Christmas, think of those you love on earth.
But also think of Jesus Christ, and the meaning of his birth.