Oh. My. Goodness

It has been soooooo long.

My apologies. How the heck was summer?? Full of swimming, vacation, and heat
Things to note:

• Zak learned to officially swim, including the diving board and slide. So proud.
• Paige is trying to run the family. She's quite bossy, and actually says the things I would say to correct her brother and sister. While I'd love to just sit back and watch her run things, I try to remind her, she's just the sister.
• Rene' - oh Rene'. Nap time today produced blue marker all over her body, hands and mouth, oh, and her brothers bed.
• Andy's started a new part time job in the evenings at UPS to get him out of the house.

Schools starting and my house is bustling! Promise I'll be back more often!!

Okie

You know you live in Oklahoma when your kids play "tornado" and can be seen running to the couch screaming "take cover, take cover" and throwing blankets on themselves. Only to go running away screaming again "thats not safe enough, we have to find somewhere else, hurry, hurry".

Writers Block

I've got it.

Bedtime

Bedtime at our house is very routine. Sometimes there's a bath. Sometimes there's crying. But every night, there's some singing by mom, and prayers by dad. I don't know about you, but bedtime is when my kids open up. When Zak asks his most pending heartfelt questions about life, tells me about something important that happened during his day, and seems way too old for his age. He insists on me singing "Dream a Little Dream" every single night. I try really hard to get it out of it, but the reminder that someday, he is not going to want me to sing it, makes me do it. The girls aren't quite there yet, but the singing is of utmost important to them. We have our standby songs. Rene's right now is "twinkle, twinkle". And last night, she told Paige and I not to sing, and that she would sing it by herself. As I sat on her bed, listening to that little 3 year old voice, I told myself to remember it. Remember her shiny, freshly washed hair, the little red bump on her lip, her running her fingers through the holes in her favorite purple blanket, and most of all, that little voice singing her little heart out to the tune of twinkle, twinkle little star.

That's what its all about people, that's what its all about.

Things you might find in your tennis shoe

• a plastic chicken wing
• a large clear ball with a shark floating in it.
• a leapster cartridge
• a green bracelet
• a sheep magnet
• the lid to your son's tooth tin

And then, when you get to work, and are in the locker room putting on your tennis shoe and you feel something in the toe, you pull out a pink fluffy bootie.

Rene' totally made my day today.

Not your everyday conversation

Its 8:30 - mom's in the bath tub, Paige is taking care of her business in the bathroom too.

Paige: Mom, who makes panties?
Me: Huh?
Paige: who makes panties?
Me: people who work at the panty factory
Paige: But how do they do it?
Me: they take some fabric, cut it out, and sew it.
Paige: That is so cool

silence

Paige: Can I go there someday and watch them make them?
Me: Um...sure. Someday.

Hope she doesn't hold me to that one.

The fun of being 7

I may be biased, but it doesn't get any cuter than that.

The front 2 teeth out look is a classic

Now its too bad the tooth fairy forgot to come last night......Whoopsie

The push

This is really a post for my running blog. But I'm going to be a rebel and post it here. I'm back in the running groove after completing my first ever half marathon and then taking a little time off to nurse my "runners knee". If you care to relive my entire experience from training to marathon, you can click here. I wish I could make everyone who says to me "I could never run" understand that I was that girl, just over a year ago. I seriously was. Then in 11 months I was running a half marathon. And I was that girl who never finished anything either. Especially if it didn't come easy. And running did not come easy.

I've settled back into my usual 3 miles, 3 times a week. I'm doing a 7 mile leg for the Memorial Marathon in a couple of weeks and I hate to say it, but my training has been sub par. My neighbor/running partner Jen runs with me a couple of mornings a week, if we make it. Yesterday, I got a text from her at 448am that it was too windy and we should skip. I happily obliged and plopped myself back into bed, running clothes and all. So that meant at work, I was going to need to squeeze in a run at lunch. Which is actually, a great break for me in the middle of the day. So as "fighter" by Cristina Agulerra played, I thought to myself how I hadn't challenged myself enough lately. So I had this crazy idea to run my 3 miles faster than I normally do. Just to see what happened. See here's my little secret - you can run forever, as long as you don't run fast. When you kick up the speed, that's when you lose me. So, with deep breaths, I cranked that treadmill up to 6.5. I checked the pace, just to see how fast a mile that would be for me. 9.15. I run a 10-11 min mile. And I'm really happy there. So I told myself to zone out to the music, and I covered the timer with a towel. It was really hot in the gym, and I was sweating buckets, but man, did I feel good. I made the whole 3 miles at a 915 pace. That may not be fast for some, but that's the beauty of running! You can run against yourself and its really the only thing that matters. So I beat myself yesterday.

All of this to say, if you don't challenge yourself, your really missing out. Whether that's in sports, a hobby, work, or life in general. How do you know if your better, if you don't push yourself to find out?

Dinner

Dinner begins. Kids are sitting at the table, I'm in the kitchen getting drinks. Andy's still cooking

Paige: poopy butt
Me: Paige - to your room
Zak: ohhh I don't think I'm going to like this. (We are having cheeseburgers.)
Me (at the table now): Rene' how do we eat our food?
Rene': with our spoon
Me: ok, so why are you eating your applesauce with your fingers????
Zak: how much do I have to eat?
Me: I only gave you a half of a mini burger
Zak: I know so how much?
Me: Half of the half. That's a quarter (trying to sneak in a quick math lesson)
Zak (whiny): ohhhhhhh

Paige yelling at the top of her lungs: Can i get up yet????
Me to Paige's room - Paige - when we're at the table, you don't use potty words. Want to try again?
Paige: yes

Back at the table
Zak pulling up his shirt and squeezing the skin around his belly button making it talk and laughing, which in turn makes his sisters laugh hysterically
Me (rolling my eyes): Zak, don't do that at the table.
Me: I don't think any one's getting candy because everyone has such bad manners tonight.
Paige: not me
Me: yes, you just got sent to your room for saying poopy butt
Rene' : poopy butt
Me: Rene', to your room (she must have felt left out)
Me: Andy - are you about done cooking????
Zak: Mom, I can not eat the rest of this
Me: Zak, its meat, cheese and bread - yes you can
Zak: its gonna make me yak
Me: yak away.

I'm going to spare you the rest. That was just the first 5 minutes.

The elevator

There's an elevator where I work. There are 4 floors. I started out on floor 2. I never took the elevator. I thought it'd be a little embarrassing to take it just one floor up. So I became a stairs girl. Well, a few weeks ago, I moved to the 4th floor. Feeling ambitious, I decided, I was going to continue to take the stairs. Another opportunity to burn a few extra calories. That lasted a day. 4 flights of stairs, with full coffee cup, workout bag, and heels is NOT pleasant. I'm not that tough. And I'm not going to pretend to be tough. So, the elevator it is.

And boy, was I missing out. The elevator provides me some comic relief. I didn't realize how much I was missing!! So I'm going to describe just a few elevator moments for you.

1. You have the morning person in with about 10 non morning people. Morning person has a vase of flowers from her garden and is humming. It was all I could do to not laugh at the blank, or annoyed stares she got.
2. The awkward silence ride. This happens more often then not. Just 2 of you, in an enclosed area, each of you hugging the opposite wall. I usually try to small talk it when I'm in this situation.
3. The talk your leg off ride. That's where one person is telling you waaaaay too much information in a short amount of time.
4. The cell phone guy. For some reason, I've gotten on with him like twice a week. He's talking REALLY LOUD and everyone is listening to his conversation because they are a captive audience. Really, people, no cell phone conversations on the elevator.
5. And the no manners person. This actually happened to me. I had my bagel on a plate from the cafeteria. During our short ride to 4, no manners person sneezes. And fills the elevator with her sneeze spray. Now here was my delima. I was STARVING. Do I trash the bagel or just eat it? I'm leaving that one open ended.
6. The people who hate each other ride. I watched 2 people, who I knew had had an altercation, awkwardly get on the elevator together. It gave me a chuckle.
7. And finally, the ride by yourself hair and makeup check. This is a personal fav. The entire backside of the elevator is mirrors. So if I am lucky enough to get an elevator all to myself, I wait until the doors close and then immediately spin around to check my hair and makeup. Multitasking at its best.

When I need a break at work, forget the break room. I'm riding the elevators.

The Battle

Now I'm not one of those parents who makes their kids eat all their dinner. I'm not knocking them at all. Its just not my style. My rule, is the "no thank you" bite. That means, you take at least one bite of what is on your plate. And if you don't like it, you say no thank you. My theory is that they'll be hungry the rest of the night and the kitchen will be closed and that is how they will learn to eat their dinner.

Rene' is 3 now. Terrible 2's - don't hit my children. Its the 3's where you wonder why in the world you took on child rearing. Its not pretty for some reason, when my kids turn 3. Dinner last night was a simple tortilla wrap. Kudos to Andy for these - I could have bought mine in a deli for $5.95, it was soooo good. Turkey, cheese, avocado, sunflower seeds, lettuce, then lightly heated in a skillet to warm - delicious!!!Now the kids was a little more tame. Turkey, cheese, tortilla. Not asking much for a no thank you bite there - right? Wrong. Rene' was having none of that. She gobbled up here tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar. And even had 2nds and 3rds on those. But I cut her off at 3rds and said she needed to eat her turkey wrap. This produced a dramatic shove of the plate and an emphatic "no". So we drug out the chips. Whoever ate their wrap, got chips. Zak and Paige happily scarfed down their wraps in order to get chips, while Rene' sat and cried. "Just one bite, Rene', that's all it takes to get chips". Another plate shove and "no". So we all finish dinner. Rene' has tried to get down from her chair about 20 times, and I've just put her back each time. I decide, this is a battle of wills. And I am soooo not losing. Then we break out the ice cream. We all sit at the table, with Rene' and eat our ice cream, while she is crying because she STILL will not take one bite of her wrap. So then I had to ponder my next move. Since I am not going to lose this battle, what do I do? Do I make her sit at the table, even if its hours, to produce one bite? She's tired, I know this, because she didn't take a nap. So I changed my strategy. I said, ok, Rene', if your done, that's fine, but your going to bed. Right now. It was 6. Through tears she screams "I want to go to bed". So I whisked her off, while the other kids got to go outside and play with dad. She got her bath, 3 books, and was in bed by 630.

Now I don't know if I won that one or not. I guess we'll see at dinner time tonight. If we have the same song, 2nd verse, I just might be coming back here to ask for some advice on this one.

Big Daddy

So Paige starts calling Andy "Big Daddy". She was holding out the TV remote to him yesterday and was getting annoyed that he wouldn't take it. Then she was like "HERE Big Daddy". The look on Andy's face was priceless. I started laughing so hard. So then at bedtime, I'm in with Carson, and Andy's in with the girls - Paige is like hey mom - while Dad was praying, I just said "And thanks for my Big Daddy". So Andy's taking it personally. I think she picked it up somewhere, because she says it with such enthusiasm.

Not so impressed with Princess and the Frog. Too much Voo Doo stuff. So Paige and I are having a conversation about it and she says, why do they have to put that scary stuff in? Zak chimes in, matter of factly "All Disney movies are like that, it makes for a good story". Wow. So true Zak, thanks for that 7 year old perspective

So Zak comes in and tells Andy he's going to open a store where everything is just a dollar - like good stuff, like DS's, Wii games, etc. (he didn't say etc, that was me). Andy says, you won't make any money. He says, "Dad, I don't care about the money, I care about the people". Who the heck is raising these kids???

Zak - reading the yogurt container "99% fat free"
Paige - "don't you mean debt free?"
Now I know that one is thanks to the Dave Ramsey radio show on in the van on the way home from school.

Kids are fun sometimes.

Crack or no crack - he was taking care of business

Ok - I've been formulating this blog in my mind all week. Because this happened last Sunday. And I really want to do it justice in word form. Because I need to paint just the right picture for you. It was a normal Sunday morning at church for us. Great music, great message, and people taking care of business at the altar. Now I'll let you in on a little secret. I cant keep my eyes closed the entire time when a prayer time is any more than 3 minutes. So I was taking in the candle light, acoustic band, and general spirit led mood.

Until.......

My eyes fell across the large bald man at the alter. Now normally my eyes would pass without stopping on this scene. Except HIS CRACK WAS SHOWING. And I need to fill in this word picture for you. It was not a little tiny bit of crack. It was not an inch, it was not 2 inches, it was not 3 inches. It was 4 INCHES PEOPLE. I know, because I made sure I looked at my ruler when I got home to accurately gauge it.

Now getting tickled in prayer time is torture. Because I felt like when I was a little kid and wasn't supposed to be laughing, so it made it even worse. So I of course jabbed Andy in the side with my elbow. He had his eyes dutifully closed. So he looks at me with a dirty look and a sharp "WHAT". I point up front and giggle to myself. Well, Andy's face made me laugh even more. So he is laughing - giving me stern looks and telling me to be quiet - and then laughing again. I keep looking down, and then up again, because I think to myself - Can he SERIOUSLY not feel that????? So then some men go up to pray with him and I'm like - thank goodness - surely one of them will stand behind him and at least block it.

NO. They didn't. Which made me even more tickled. Because I couldn't get out of my mind what a funny picture that would be. With the candles in the background - people all around him praying - but no one blocking the crack.

So then Andy jabs our friend Jeff who is next to him - points - and then Jeff says "I can't believe you guys would crack a joke like that".

So others start to leave the alter - I'm like surely this guy is about done. But he ends up being the LAST one up there. I'm seriously about to leave because I know I'm being totally disrespectful. Well he finally get up and DOESN'T EVEN PULL UP HIS PANTS.

God really does know what everyone needs. He knew I needed a laugh after a hard week at work. And he gave it to me.

The things people miss out on when they don't go to church.

Here you go, Amber

My friend Amber was kind enough to remind me I hadn't posted in awhile. So Amber, this one's for you! You might regret requesting one....

I am flat worn. out. I'm going to try my best to not let this post be too...hmmm.....how shall i say it. I'm usually a glass half full girl. For the most part. But the past 2 weeks have moved me to the other side, I'm afraid. Lots of things are cyclical for me. I'll feel one way really strongly, work through it, only to find myself there again in a few weeks, months, or years - whatever the cycle is. So its like all those cycles I have going, are all hitting the "glass half empty" side of me at the same time. I'll be the first to say, a lot of it is my fault. Anyone who has ever read this blog knows I'm no stranger to over committing. But here's the problem with that. I really, really do, want to do everything. I want to be super mom for my kids, the best wife ever to my husband, the friend who's always there for you, the party planner, the most efficient at work, the one who sends little cards/gifts to everyone who means something to me in my life, exercise an hour a day, alright - I do believe you got the point. But the past 2 weeks, I've had quite a few people and or things, burst my bubble. And I don't like it. So what's a girl to do about it?

Well tonight - I'm going to go pop some popcorn, and watch "The Office" and hope tomorrow's going to be the beginning of either an upswing, or the day I figure out how to do all that.

Motivation

I'd just like to thank the following songs for getting my through my 3 mile treadmill run today.

1. No Surprise - Daughtry
2. Ignigtion - Toby Mac
3. Stars - Switchfoot
4. Tonights gonna be a good night - Black Eyed Peas
5. She Wouldn't be Gone - Blake Shelton

Bullet points

• I am dying to try Bare Escentuals makeup. The problem is coming up with and justifying the $60 to spend on the starter kit.
• I need to run. Its drizzling today. Would I enjoy that? Idk
• I just ate some key lime pie, and now I don't feel so good.
• Just because your an accountant, doesn't mean you do taxes people.
• Trying to explain to my 4 year old about the body dying and spirit going to eternity was mentally taxing. That funeral procession started a 30 minute conversation.
• If you purchase shoes at DSW next weekend, you get the CUTEST tote bag free. I heart tote bags.
• I'm seriously ready for Zak's Star Wars phase to end. But since his dad is the one egging it on, I'm afraid its not a phase....
• I'm going to take a nap now.

Because, lets be honest, only about 3 of you read this

Which is fine with me, by the way. This is my outlet. And today, I'll be using it. To complain about my outlet.

It is so easy to get lost in the world of blogs when you have a spare hour or so, which I absolutely do not have these days. But when I did, it was fun. Its like you can snoop in all these people's lives and they are letting you, but have know idea your doing it. Then there's the flip side. I find myself feeling inferior, not spiritual enough, not fun enough, not busy enough, not friendly enough. And that's when I know its time to stop reading the blogs. When every one's perfect world starts to invade my reality, and give me the wants, I know I need to take a step back. So that's what I'm going to do as of today for at least a week. I'm going to nix the blog reading. I'll still try to blog myself during my little hiatus.

I do want to say to my 3 readers, I hope I never make it look like I have the perfect family, friends, or life. Because, well, that's just not life.

Here's to keeping it real.

Getting Soft

I am the bedtime Nazi. Bedtime is at 8, if not sooner. And don't be getting up cause you'll be sorry you did. My kids need the sleep, and Andy and I need the alone time. But Sunday night, I got soft. Zak and Paige had already fallen asleep, and Rene' had taken a very long nap that day. So when she came down the hall, dragging her purple "lankie", I didn't scoop her up and whisk her back to bed, I grabbed her and sat her on the couch with Andy and to watch the rest of the football game. I let her sit on my lap for a few minutes, then said, "ok, next commercial, your going to bed". Andy said, "oh let her stay up and watch the rest of the game, mom." I couldn't say no. She was all cuddled up between us, asking why those guys were pushing each other down. It was a moment, you don't get very often at all with child #3. And had I broken out the bedtime Nazi persona, I would have missed it. And I'm so glad I didn't.

Monday

Yeah. Its Monday. And I can SO tell. Woke up this morning to Rene' wanting to get in our bed. So sleepily, I let her. Then 2 min later I realize she's wet. Nice. Potty training with Rene' has not gone well. So I get her up, put dry clothes on her and tell her she has to go back to bed because my bed is wet. I lay her in her bed, that is not just wet, its soaked. I get her back up and take her back to our room and put her in bed with dad and whisper that her bed is wet so she's going to sleep with him. (Still in a whisper), oh and btw, don't roll over to my side of the bed because its wet too. Andy shot up, clearly mad, ranting and raving about the potty training issue, steps on her wet clothes in the dark bathroom (whoopsie, forgot to take those to the laundry room). So now, he's really mad. After finally settling him down and settling him in on the couch, I finish getting ready and head off to work.

Enter work, where first thing I have 3 emails from the Auditors needing information from me, a looming deadline today that is not going to be met, for reasons beyond my control, and a person I am needing to avoid.

Happy.
Monday.
to
me.

The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree

When it comes to Paige, my 4 year old, I can't seem to relate. First of all, she doesn't like jeans. HATES to wear jeans. She insists on "stretchy pants" or dresses. Jeans are a staple girl, especially a really good pair that always make you feel good in them. Next, she's an imagination girl. I don't know which side of the brain is creative and which is structure, but I got the structure, type A side and she got the carefree spirit, no need for rules side.

But Friday night, I was looking at myself. We went to some friends house for pizza and misc. Rock Band broke out on the Wii, which is a personal fav of mine. I don't care about playing the drums, or guitar, I want to sing. There has always been something magical about holding a microphone in my hand. Now I don't have a fabulous voice, but I can pick out some harmony, and stay on key. As a young girl, I had dreams and aspirations of being a professional singer. As a side note, I lived the dream one time at a girlfriend's bachelorette party where me and my friends went to a bar, had no alcohol, and owned the place in karaoke. I had the entire place up on their feet clapping over their heads to me singing Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name". I'm sure I know why God didn't give me a phenomenal voice. I would have gotten wrapped up in fame and fortune and never made it back to reality. Ok, back to Rock Band. So Jake, who is a drummer, is on the drums, Andy on the guitar, and Zak on the guitar. Paige and I decide to take the mike. We're doing a personal family fav of Taylor Swift's. Well, as the song progresses, I find myself pulling the mike closer to me, because I wanted to make sure we got all the points, right? Well then Paige starts pulling the microphone her way, because she's my daughter and wants it all to herself. It started a little microphone battle that ensued the entire song. Me. And my daughter. Fighting for who gets to hold the microphone.

Did I just say that?