Never "Promise" When Your Betting On The Odds

How is your day? Mine was spectacular. I had another "life lesson learned" today. I took my children to the dreaded monstrosity called WalMart to buy test strips for our swimming pool. As usual we took a little detour and walked the toy isle. Long story short: my children found "Transformers" and if I was the best mom in the whole world, they would have come home with us.

They are new and shiny and do cool things and can battle each other, PLEASE MOM PLEEEEEEASE We simply can not live with out them. We will do anything......

Sorry kiddo's, not in the budget this week BUT since we are going to run by the Thrift Store on the way home so that Mommy can get a book for this weekend I promise that if you can find transformers at the Thrift Store and if they have all the little pieces and if it is in good shape, I will buy every one of them for you.

Now really, I am such a clever mother. My children think I just offered to buy them the moon and we are exiting the store at lightning speed. Yea! I will grab a quick book, run passed the toys and we will be outta there and home in no time flat! I am so pleased with myself!

(on a side note: In the last five years we have found two "used" transformers. Even if my children did find one I was getting off pretty good. Under six bucks with a book at the most!!!) I told you, I am Clever and Thrify. I had a goooooood plan... You see what's coming don't you?

In less than three minutes I found a quick no brainer book to make my time spent trying to turn my Lilly White Legs a more muted shade of white more bearable. We turn the corner towards the toys and the kids make it there six seconds before me.

YEA!!!!!! WHOOOHOOOO!!!!! OH MAN,OH MAN,OH MAN,OH MAN!!!!!! (jumping and squealing. Little girl noises issue forth) Oh crap I thought as I rounded the bend, Now what did they find that was sooooo cool.

There are my little bundles of happiness holding three BRAND SPANKING NEW TRANSFORMERS STILL IN THE PACKAGE! THREE EACH!!!! Yep. Six of the dang things. not even a popped seal in the plastic vortex that takes an engineer to break through.

Now I ask you, what are the odds? WHAT ARE THE ODDS??? Could I EVER walk myself into a situation like that again? I am so clever, I am so thrifty, I had such a good plan!!! I so completely set myself up.

I am a Mother of my word. There was no way I was getting out of this one. Never make a promise if it's based on the fact that you think there's not a chance in heck of having to fulfill it.

I am eating Robot Pie.

There is a "battle to end all battles" going on in my living room as I write this. Cybertron something is looking for something called a Primus. Someone named "override" might not make it. (T informs me that this is mainly because she is a girl transformer and so she might have to die.....) My children may as well have been handed the keys to Disneyland.

I hope they enjoy eating Mac and cheese for the rest of the week.

I will be excited and happy for them tomorrow. Right now I am going to take my cleverless white legged self out onto the deck and read....

Little Boy Training

B & T had me sit on the upstairs couch this afternoon to show me their “special moves.” This activity, I am positive, is ingrained in their male blood by genetics, and is practiced at every available opportunity.

B wanted to show me his new “sharkwando” moves which consisted of being as “Shark-like” as possible while spinning and kicking and chopping his way in circles around the living room with jaws open and teeth flaring. Pretty comical, believe me… (we just happen to own a shark head costume too.)

T on the other hand wanted to show me his “kongdough” moves. Assaults of kicking and flying ended in a death defying move of a mid air catapult followed by a heavy thud on his bottom. He rolled over and busted out in a fit of giggles. A full fledged crack yourself up and can’t get a hold of yourself moment. When he was finally done I asked him if he was ok and he said “sure mom, that was just my “falling duck” move, I meant to do that.”

Sure…….

Sunlight and Blueberries

I am sitting here with a frosty glass of super iced blueberry lemonade. (yea, I had a Martha moment yesterday. Lemonade and blueberries, try it, it's gooood.) The sun has reappeared and it is just gorgeous out. I am feeling tired today. I guess sore and slow would be a more accurate description. I had a nice pain med shot at the Dr. This morning and was told to go home and take it easy. So, unlike what I normally do, I am doing exactly as I was told. The kids have been allowed to watch more TV this afternoon than usual so its turned out to be a pretty pleasant day. I have been catnapping curled up in a pile of blankets on the floor with the sun coming in on me from the window. I felt like a lazy cat!

I started hanging pictures on the walls yesterday so I assume that means that we are truly moved in. Last weekend Shad and I spent a considerable amount of time at the home improvement store trying to decide on paint colors for the interiors of the house. Talk about overwhelming possibilities. For someone like me that was like dumping a four year old in the middle of a five thousand square foot candy store and telling them they can choose only one thing..... I think it will take a while to narrow things down. We may actually paint the living room by the time "T" graduates! Now we have a little stock pile of lighting fixtures and things to install this weekend. I hate to admit it but I LOVE it. I will never be bored again, I will always have SOMETHING to do. (or change or repaint for the twentieth time!)
(:

I am going in for surgery again the first weekend of August. I guess somewhere in my late teens I broke my nose and didn't know it. Now all those little broken parts have grown little bone spurs and my nasal passages look like a swirling maze of crinkled tinfoil. Hence the reason I have had a major sinus infection for three months strait! I am antibiotic resistant at this point so surgery was the answer. I am definatly tired of the fevers and head pain. I will spare you the gruesome horrors the doctor blessed upon me but it looks like I will be down for a week and a half or so. Of all the times I have been in the hospital this one has me freaked out. Its not normal to butterfly your nose like it was a fish and RotoRooter your head out! I asked him since he was going to "rebuild" my nose if that meant I could choose any nose I wanted... He laughed and said he was not in the business of cosmetic surgery. It may look a little different but alas I will still have a "ski jump" nose. Doc said I was going to hate him more than anyone on the planet for several weeks but then he was going to become my best friend. Hey! Who knows. I just may be able to breathe for the first time in years! Since I really have no option but to go through with this I am trying to be positive. I just feel bad for Shad, he has to take care of me and the kids while still working all night. Poor man, I will find him some help before then. We have had to suspend all my immune suppressing meds before the surgery so that is why I am hurting so bad. My RA is rebelling.

Well I think it's obvious from the way that I am rattling on that the pain meds are doing their job... I am going back upstairs to lay by the window in the sunlight and rest after I get another glass of lemonade.

Restroom Etiquette

I took my son out to lunch today, and against my better "maternal instincts" I allowed him to go to the men's restroom on his own. Hey, the poor child is eight years old now, I can't exactly drag him into the women's restroom for the rest of his life.

Anyway, after we went over the bathroom "rules" he took off on his first solo flight. He came back to the table, very coolly took his seat and informed me that he had to remind the gentleman who had the stall before him that he forgot to flush the toilet. "You what?" I asked, crunching through my salad, thinking I had not heard him correctly. No I had heard right. The man in front of Boo did not flush the toilet and so Boo politely asked him to return and flush the toilet because he needed to use it and not flushing the toilet afterward was just gross for the next person. I asked him what the man said. Boo said he just shook his head, laughed, flushed, washed his hands again and left.

I guess we need a more in depth conversation on the "bathroom rules." But, true to his nature, that's my little superhero. Saving the world one little flush at a time.

My little Heroes

This is one of my husbands favorite sayings. (Sorry, I can't remember who wrote it.) I felt compelled to share this after a heart warming afternoon spent with my "little men."

The mysteries and science of cooking. The care and nurturing of a found snail. The awesome power of a tickle. And just how fabulous and handsome you can feel in a new pair of eye glasses.

My sons are my delight, my wonder, my world. It's interesting that after I became a parent I no longer really cared as much to what other people thought of me. I no longer felt a need to take up emotional time in my life keeping tabs on it. I guess the insecurities of youth went by the way side. My life is richer and more peaceful because of it. The interesting part is that it matters a great deal to me what two little dirty kneed, chocolate smeared, sassy and vivacious little boys think. There are many times when I would prefer to do something a little less dirty and a little more "grown up" but taking the time to allow them to discover all the fascinating possibilities of life is what I now hold dear. Do they think I am kind, patient, loving, understanding, fair? Those questions are what now occupies my inner thoughts. What a great trade. There is no better gift than a huge hug and kiss out of nowhere and a "your beautiful mom, I love you" from your Sons. Well OK, its not so bad from your husband either! (: Sometimes it hits me just how great my life is...

My children actually greeted me at my bedroom door very early yesterday morning and sang me a "Goodmorning we love you, what's for breakfast" song while dancing their little legs off. Talk about a great start to your day after I took one moment not to be irritated that it was six in the morning and I was going to have to head for the kitchen to cook before I even had a chance to make some coffee.

I guess that's what I am continually trying to learn, thanks to them. Lighten up, have a little humor, dirt isn't the end of the world. It is my constant struggle to gain more patience, understanding and humor. I was not overly blessed with it at birth. BUT I no longer care if my nails are perfectly manicured at all times but whether or not we have an ample supply of sidewalk chalk and antibacterial soap. Instead of all the time handwashing my delicate and expensive clothing I now spend my time turning out pockets of hot wheels cars, special rocks and poorly departed bugs. I am not complaining. I hold great value in each and every moment of it for what it has taught me.

Slow down. Take a breathe and enjoy the moment in front of you for what it's worth. The best thing you can do for yourself is to make someone else laugh and feel loved. You may be surprised at just how much pure joy can come to your life by shaking your booty at six in the morning doing the blueberry pancake dance!

Beef and Beer and Blowing Stuff Up

Ah, I have survived the war reenactment that was disguised as Fourth of July. The smoke has finally settled and my poor asthmatic lungs can breathe again... This small town takes its fireworks quite seriously. For five solid hours there was not more than a five second break between illuminating bursts of color. Even the poor street lamps of my cul-de-sac could not break through the smoke and sulfur. They looked like fuzzy little doughnuts sitting on a cloud of black. Pretty they may be, and awed were my children by the sheer volume and constant brilliance, but I was glad when it was finally over... five hours is a loooong time. I did have to laugh at the great show of testosterone out in the paved circle. Men blowing up things... smoke and fire...grilled meats....beer.....pure joy. If ever there was going to be a Holiday that was specifically geared towards men, this must be it. My car looked like a volcano had spit all over it the next morning. Cardboard shrapnel is littering my garden beds. Ok, I don’t mean to sound like I hate it because I don’t. I like all the pretty colors and the look on the faces of my boys was priceless but "excessive" is the word that comes to mind. Anyway, I will go and clean the flowerbeds, wash the car and continue oxygen therapy for my lungs while my Hubby plots on how to blow something even bigger up next year and just how much raw meat our grill can handle at one time. (: