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Today...8.26.2010
Today I Am
Hanging with my girlies while Joshua attends his 3rd day of 3rd grade, spending time with my BF Amber, and preparing for a wedding this evening.
I LOVE
A warm, fresh-from-dryer towel to wrap myself in after a shower.The smell of Leah in the morning, she still has just a hint of that baby smell. When Hailey is cheerful and in a good mood. Smiley faces in Joshua's agenda when he comes home from school.
I HATE
Waking up early and being tired. Headaches. Piercing screams. Going to sleep with a messy house. A sink full of dishes.
I Hear
Leahs laughter and sing-song voice, Haileys footsteps, a noisy air vent, Handy Manny. A happy sounding bird just outside the window.
I Smell
Leah. Her sweet, sweet smell. {I could just eat her up.} A hint of soap on my skin from late night dish washing.
That's just a bit to get to know me!
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Ladies & Gentlemen we Have a THIRD Grader!
Joshua's first day of school went great! :) So far, so good. I am hoping and praying this will be a great year.
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Summer over? What?
Pssst! Hey!
Hey Summer! Yea you! You sweltering hot little biotch. Where the crap have you gone?! I mean OBVIOUSLY you're still sticking around. I mean the temperatures can attest to that, but the whole "No School" thing, ummm....yea. What happened there?
Tomorrow is the first day of school? I'm sorry, I'm just having a really hard time wrapping my head around this.
I haven't necessarily decided if I am ready to be a mom of a 3rd grader and kindergartner. Why don't we have a say in this? We should be able to chose how quickly our kiddo's grow up. It makes me super sad. :( I have only had a few short days to get used to the fact that my boy is eight years old and here he is, about to embark on his 3rd grade adventure.
Well, I guess I can only do like all the mothers before me. Wish he, and all of the other back-to-schoolers the best of days.
GOOD LUCK KIDDOS!!☺
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iPods
I feel like I am stuck.
I look at 10 year olds with cell phones and tell myself, "Psh, yea my kid will have a cell phone when he can PAY for one himself!!!"
Or I will see an 8 year old with a laptop and think, "Really?! You're 8 years old! I'm 25 and just got my first laptop a year ago!!!"
I sit on the fence of thinking that kids are overly-spoiled, yet I find myself WANTING to provide these indulgences for my children.
Why?
Well, because, don't we ALL want our children to have what we couldn't? I grew up poor. Like, really poor. I was lucky enough to never go without needs because of the love of churches, and some family, but I definitely knew what it was like to go without wants. During those times I wasn't thinking, "When I grow up I hope my children will go without so that can learn to appreciate things they are given."
Heck no! I was thinking, "When I have kids I will give them all that I can because I know how bad it hurts to see your friends have cool things that you will never have."
So yea, I'm on the fence.
What brings this up is the fact that Joshua just turned 8 and got an iPod for his birthday. Just a regular iPod, nothing to fancy schmancy, just something he can play music on, ya know? I remember seeing a kid at the mall not too long ago with an ipod touch and thinking, "REALLY?! What kind of parents get their kids an ipod touch?!"
I wasn't thinking this because there is anything WRONG with a child owning an iPod touch, I was thinking this because I was jealous that I could never afford an ipod touch for my kids or for myself for that matter.
I've noticed, when you are judging someone, are secretly judging yourself? When you find yourself having not-so-nice thoughts of others, what is fueling it? Jealousy? Pride?
I wonder how many people will see my son with an ipod and what will they be thinking? How many comments will I get?
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I look at 10 year olds with cell phones and tell myself, "Psh, yea my kid will have a cell phone when he can PAY for one himself!!!"
Or I will see an 8 year old with a laptop and think, "Really?! You're 8 years old! I'm 25 and just got my first laptop a year ago!!!"
I sit on the fence of thinking that kids are overly-spoiled, yet I find myself WANTING to provide these indulgences for my children.
Why?
Well, because, don't we ALL want our children to have what we couldn't? I grew up poor. Like, really poor. I was lucky enough to never go without needs because of the love of churches, and some family, but I definitely knew what it was like to go without wants. During those times I wasn't thinking, "When I grow up I hope my children will go without so that can learn to appreciate things they are given."
Heck no! I was thinking, "When I have kids I will give them all that I can because I know how bad it hurts to see your friends have cool things that you will never have."
So yea, I'm on the fence.
What brings this up is the fact that Joshua just turned 8 and got an iPod for his birthday. Just a regular iPod, nothing to fancy schmancy, just something he can play music on, ya know? I remember seeing a kid at the mall not too long ago with an ipod touch and thinking, "REALLY?! What kind of parents get their kids an ipod touch?!"
I wasn't thinking this because there is anything WRONG with a child owning an iPod touch, I was thinking this because I was jealous that I could never afford an ipod touch for my kids or for myself for that matter.
I've noticed, when you are judging someone, are secretly judging yourself? When you find yourself having not-so-nice thoughts of others, what is fueling it? Jealousy? Pride?
I wonder how many people will see my son with an ipod and what will they be thinking? How many comments will I get?
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8 Years can FLY...
At this exact moment, 8 years ago, I was holding my 3 minute old first born son. I don't remember being able to see him, I was OUT OF IT, but I remember feeling him. He felt just how you would think a just-born baby would feel. A warm slug. lol
After 29 hours of labor, and almost 3 hours of pushing Joshua literally ripped his way into the world a whopping 9 pounds 11 ounces. We're talking 4th degree tear people. And for poor Joshua, a broken collarbone. {We didn't find out about the broken collarbone until almost 3 weeks later, and then a few weeks after that I was having to go in to cauterize the 4th degree tear that was so bad it wasn't healing properly.}
Add to that the Dr. sewing me up without numbing me, and then telling me if I were more mature I would have ate better and not had had such a big baby. Needless to say it was a pretty traumatizing experience. (Yet not as bad as Hailey's birth believe it or not.)
It was ALL WORTH IT, and I would do it a million times again for him.
He is the SWEETEST kid ever, and was the first to make me "mom". You can read my fave Joshua post by clicking {HERE}.
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After 29 hours of labor, and almost 3 hours of pushing Joshua literally ripped his way into the world a whopping 9 pounds 11 ounces. We're talking 4th degree tear people. And for poor Joshua, a broken collarbone. {We didn't find out about the broken collarbone until almost 3 weeks later, and then a few weeks after that I was having to go in to cauterize the 4th degree tear that was so bad it wasn't healing properly.}
Add to that the Dr. sewing me up without numbing me, and then telling me if I were more mature I would have ate better and not had had such a big baby. Needless to say it was a pretty traumatizing experience. (Yet not as bad as Hailey's birth believe it or not.)
It was ALL WORTH IT, and I would do it a million times again for him.
He is the SWEETEST kid ever, and was the first to make me "mom". You can read my fave Joshua post by clicking {HERE}.
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Before and After
It's been a while since linking up with Pixel Perfects Before and After blog hop Thursdays.
My good friend Samantha came over to introduce me to her beautiful son and I snapped a couple of pics while they were here. {He is almost too cute for words.}
I recently downloaded the CS5 trial and this was my first time editing with it. It's quite an adjustment from Elements.
before
after
Even just trying to get some few pics were hard, I can't imagine actually doing a shoot or a session with such a little one! I have so much respect for newborn, infant, and children photographers!
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My good friend Samantha came over to introduce me to her beautiful son and I snapped a couple of pics while they were here. {He is almost too cute for words.}
I recently downloaded the CS5 trial and this was my first time editing with it. It's quite an adjustment from Elements.
before
after
Even just trying to get some few pics were hard, I can't imagine actually doing a shoot or a session with such a little one! I have so much respect for newborn, infant, and children photographers!
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Beautiful
Everyone has their own idea of beauty.
Isn't it comforting to know that someone, somewhere, no matter who are, finds you beautiful?
Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" makes me want to vomit. But I kinda sorta agree with it. In between the wretching that is.
In case someone hasn't told you today, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. Don't ever forget it.
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Just another mmmmmmmmmanic Moaning Monday
Remember my cranky, hungry raptor, getting poked with a stick post? You know... THIS one:
Yea, that is SO me this morning. Super tired. Super cranky. And a friggin' headache to boot! And Joshua, gosh Joshua is being so incredibly obnoxious and loud this morning! I feel like my eyes and ear drums are going to start bleeding any second.
Why the crap do most of my headaches hurt in my eyes?! I just so happen to need to use my eyes! I mean hello! Not only do I need to use them, but I need to use them on a VERY regular basis. It's rather inconvenient when such a rudimentary, yet significant need causes so much pain.
Especially when your children chose the EXACT moment of pain to have the most whiny/crying/obnoxious breakfast known to man. It's friggin' TOASTER STRUDEL! And not only that but we have 1 and half boxes. There is a not a toaster strudel shortage in the country, and it hasn't been DAYS since they have eaten. If I recorded all of the events this morning you would be shocked to know these things. You would think that there is in fact a breakfast pastry shortage and that my poor children have been deprived of nutritious substance for days on end.
I guess it's fitting to wake up Monday morning crabby, and bitchy, and moaning. I mean, after all it is Moaning Monday!
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Yea, that is SO me this morning. Super tired. Super cranky. And a friggin' headache to boot! And Joshua, gosh Joshua is being so incredibly obnoxious and loud this morning! I feel like my eyes and ear drums are going to start bleeding any second.
Why the crap do most of my headaches hurt in my eyes?! I just so happen to need to use my eyes! I mean hello! Not only do I need to use them, but I need to use them on a VERY regular basis. It's rather inconvenient when such a rudimentary, yet significant need causes so much pain.
Especially when your children chose the EXACT moment of pain to have the most whiny/crying/obnoxious breakfast known to man. It's friggin' TOASTER STRUDEL! And not only that but we have 1 and half boxes. There is a not a toaster strudel shortage in the country, and it hasn't been DAYS since they have eaten. If I recorded all of the events this morning you would be shocked to know these things. You would think that there is in fact a breakfast pastry shortage and that my poor children have been deprived of nutritious substance for days on end.
I guess it's fitting to wake up Monday morning crabby, and bitchy, and moaning. I mean, after all it is Moaning Monday!
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Tax Free Weekend RAWKS
I think last weekend was tax free weekend. I say I think, because to be honest I can't remember if it was last weekend or not. That is the kind of week I have had. It may have been the week before that. Or it could have been this weekend, but I am pretty sure it was last weekend. I will have to consult with my agenda before I make any promises. {My agenda keeps me sane.]
Anyway, sometime, recently, it was tax free weekend!!! We get to tell that 7.25, or 8.25 or 9% or whatever the eff that percentage is too SUCK it! "We ain't gonna PAY IT SNITCHES!!" And we get to SAVE on allll of our school stuff! How cool is that?!
Okay, I admit, in years past I turned my nose up and was all, "Whatevs, i am NOT going to put myself through hell beating crowds to save a measly few bucks....I mean puh-lease, it's just school stuff."
Well not anymore! I am thrifty mama this year and I was gonna save me some dough! {It has nothing to do with the fact that my sister forced me into going, insisting I would NOT regret saving this moola, nothing at all, so if she mentions anything like that, I mean, it's just nonsene.]
Anyway, we got up at like the CRACK of 8am, and was at the mall when it opened at 9am! And I went CA-RAZY! I was sooooooo excited to see that on TOP of the tax free goodness, there was like MAJOR SALEAGE GOING ON! It was a back-to-school clothes wonderland.
After spending 5 hours, yes I said FIVE HOURS, at the mall {Hey at least two hours of that was lunch, and merry-go-round rides, and bathroom breaks, and then we had to take a trip to the car to unload some bags to make room for more stuff.] I came home and looked over my bounty with such pride and excitement for the new school year to come!!
Here's a view of the goods:
Look at all that STUFF!!!! The two childrens place bags are literaly STUFFED full of their clothes. One bag is Joshua's and one bag is Hailey's. I didn't catch pics of their shoes, but the each got a few pairs of hella cute shoes. We have to have a pair for school, a pair they can ruin playing outside, and a nice pair for church. Oh and the box is full of everything on their lists from school.
I was BLOWN away at how much they needed! I mean, what does a kindergarten need with 12 glue sticks? She needed more than her soon-to-be 3rd grader brother!
Joshua chose red camo, and of course we got a J embroidered, and he got the matching lunch box.
And this is what Miss Hai chose. {She loves blue.] And we got an H, and also the matching lunch box.
Amazingly, they hold ALL of their supplies. Luckily they won't be carrying around all of that everyday. :) {Oh and they are on SALE RIGHT NOW! Just in case you're still lookin' for a bookbag.]
Of course I will have T O N S of pics from their first day. So you will be able to see them in their supercute back-to-school get-ups complete with an overstuffed, pulling-them-backward bookbags!!
FYI Tomorrow is Hailey's kindergarten assessment. She's is like mega-super-excited. I think I even heard her use the word, "epic".
Then, dun-DUN-DUUUUN! School starts the 25th!!!! 5 days after Joshua's 8th birthday!
Anyway, did anyone else brave the crowds for some tax-freeness? Is that even like a nation-wide thing or is it just NC? I don't watch the news, so I don't know about stuff like that. I learn everything from E! and the style network.
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Anyway, sometime, recently, it was tax free weekend!!! We get to tell that 7.25, or 8.25 or 9% or whatever the eff that percentage is too SUCK it! "We ain't gonna PAY IT SNITCHES!!" And we get to SAVE on allll of our school stuff! How cool is that?!
Okay, I admit, in years past I turned my nose up and was all, "Whatevs, i am NOT going to put myself through hell beating crowds to save a measly few bucks....I mean puh-lease, it's just school stuff."
Well not anymore! I am thrifty mama this year and I was gonna save me some dough! {It has nothing to do with the fact that my sister forced me into going, insisting I would NOT regret saving this moola, nothing at all, so if she mentions anything like that, I mean, it's just nonsene.]
Anyway, we got up at like the CRACK of 8am, and was at the mall when it opened at 9am! And I went CA-RAZY! I was sooooooo excited to see that on TOP of the tax free goodness, there was like MAJOR SALEAGE GOING ON! It was a back-to-school clothes wonderland.
After spending 5 hours, yes I said FIVE HOURS, at the mall {Hey at least two hours of that was lunch, and merry-go-round rides, and bathroom breaks, and then we had to take a trip to the car to unload some bags to make room for more stuff.] I came home and looked over my bounty with such pride and excitement for the new school year to come!!
Here's a view of the goods:
Look at all that STUFF!!!! The two childrens place bags are literaly STUFFED full of their clothes. One bag is Joshua's and one bag is Hailey's. I didn't catch pics of their shoes, but the each got a few pairs of hella cute shoes. We have to have a pair for school, a pair they can ruin playing outside, and a nice pair for church. Oh and the box is full of everything on their lists from school.
I was BLOWN away at how much they needed! I mean, what does a kindergarten need with 12 glue sticks? She needed more than her soon-to-be 3rd grader brother!
Oh, and a few days later, their bookbags and lunch boxes arrived from L.L.Bean!!! I am sucker for L.L. Bean bookbags, but this is my first year getting lunch boxes. I let them pick out their own pattern, and although I haven't taken pics, here's what they got:
Amazingly, they hold ALL of their supplies. Luckily they won't be carrying around all of that everyday. :) {Oh and they are on SALE RIGHT NOW! Just in case you're still lookin' for a bookbag.]
Of course I will have T O N S of pics from their first day. So you will be able to see them in their supercute back-to-school get-ups complete with an overstuffed, pulling-them-backward bookbags!!
FYI Tomorrow is Hailey's kindergarten assessment. She's is like mega-super-excited. I think I even heard her use the word, "epic".
Then, dun-DUN-DUUUUN! School starts the 25th!!!! 5 days after Joshua's 8th birthday!
Anyway, did anyone else brave the crowds for some tax-freeness? Is that even like a nation-wide thing or is it just NC? I don't watch the news, so I don't know about stuff like that. I learn everything from E! and the style network.
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I have returned...
So....I'm back.
I shriveled up into a "ohmygodwhatamidoingidontdogiveawaysithinkimdying" ball of nothingness and blew away in the wind.
I was hiding in the dark corners of my home hissing at innocent walk-byers.
Then I removed the giveaway and it's like I returned. To me. The Photog Nazi was back. Instantly. I don't know what was going on some sort of giveaway voodoo that I didn't like was choking me out of my bloggy mojo, and once it was gone, I could breathe, and type and blog again!
Yes, I gave up free crap because it killed my mojo. I slayed the beast and I am the victor.
Actually there was other stuff going on too. Was/Is, either way, yea mega dramatic stuff that also ruins my blogy mojo. And I don't want the responsibility of having to keep track of people entering, and deadlines, and other things that actually required me to be responsible and keep a schedule like a normal adult.
But I finally am not scared of the 'puter anymore.
Oh, I also went back to church today! It was actually quite lovely, and I have pretty much come to the conclusion that I need to get my head out of my behind crevices and start going again.
I was behind on my google reader by like triple digits, so while I have been reading up on all my bloggy friends, I haven't been commenting because I would be like commenting until the wee hours of the morning.
Um, so if you will forgive me, for {a] being a slacking slacker commentor and {b] being so rudely absent and last but not least {c] posting something that wasn't true to my blog I promise to love you FOREVER. And I mean forever. I will get your name tatted on my skin for proof of my love for you. Not really but we can go with it.
You can't stay mad at me forever, I mean, look at those cute dinosaurs up there. You can't look at them and feel anything but love and adoration.
Please come back follower 133! You are missed!!
Millions of exes and oh's my dears!
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Moaning Monday 8.9.10
"If you would like to order service, say 'Order Service', if you you are having problems with your service please say 'Problems with Service'."
"Problems with Service"
"Did you say, 'Order Service'?"
"No"
"You chose, 'Order Service', please hold while we transfer you to an ordering specialist."
"NO! NO!! NOOOOOO!"
There are not many things in life that I hate MORE than a voice activated automated service.
I would rather talk to someone that can barely speak English than a friggin' computer!!!!!
Nothing can put me in a rage quicker than the second a computer tells me that for convenience I can now SPEAK my answers! Whose convenience?!?! Because it sure as HELL isn't a convenience to me.
First of all they pick up the SLIGHTEST background noise. If I fart I have to start over! Second of all, they NEVER understand you. I don't have much of an accent, and I consider myself somewhat educated. I have never had anyone tell me that they have a hard time understanding me, and I am always sure to enunciate while speaking my answers.
It doesn't help.
Too all of the companies who have decided to use the "speak your answer" services, STOP. JUST STOP. Seriously. We hate you. All of us. NO ONE prefers to speak their answer!!! No one likes it! WE ALL HATE IT.
Unless you are okay with me going Mel Gibson on your employees, let me TALK TO SOMEONE! Or at least press a dang button!!!
That's all I've got to say about that.
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Thursday Thirteen
13 Ways I Can Tell I'm Getting OLDER*
*This topic was inspired by Riding the Roller Coaster
1. I can't STAND the "BOOM BOOM BOOM" sound systems in cars. Oh my gosh. I HATE them. "Oh look at me, my car vibrates and makes big boom sounds along with the bass to CRAPPY music." Yuck...
So yea, that's definitely one way I can tell I'm getting older. I remember riding around in cars like that at one time, and semi-enjoying it.
2. MTV SUCKS. I truly hate it. First of all why is it even called MTV anymore? Isn't that supposed to stand for MUSIC TELEVISION? Where is the music videos? I mean other than the hour or so of the videos they play first thing in the morning. They need to change the name to BRSTV aka Bad Reality Show Television. In fact I used to think that VH1 was for old people, and MTV was for young people. Well they both suck now.
3. I order more than the "usual" at restaurants. Okay, I don't know why this makes me feel older. I just remember always ordering chicken fingers no matter WHERE I ate when I was younger. I feel much more mature and grown up when I order things that aren't on the children's menu.
4. I buy clothes for comfort not for style. Yea, don't know when that happened. Now don't get me wrong there are some things that I won't wear because comfort can only go so far. *ahem* crocs *ahem* And if you can find comfortable that's cute than MAJOR SCORE, but anywho...I remember the days of uncomfortable shoes that made my calves ROCK, or too tight jeans that created an illusion that I actually have an ass. Well no more. I no longer believe in suffering for fashion. And that kinda makes me feel old. Not just older, but flat out OLD.
5. I can't get by with having a snickers bar, and a coca cola for lunch. Not without having indigestion, a stomach ache, heartburn, and gaining 5 lbs.
6. I cook and eat more than ramen, mac 'n cheese, grilled cheese, and soup. I still eat that stuff, don't get me wrong, lets just say my culinary skills have expanded massively. Which in-turn makes me feel much more grown-up.
7. I love Seinfield. This is sad for me because this show no longer airs and I can only watch reruns. I used to hate Seinfield. I didn't "get it". Well I get it now. And it's flippin' FUNNY!!! You know, I'll even do a twofer and add in I laugh at the Golden Girls. Have you watched that show?! It's so funny! I never knew it was funny, and it so is... granted I've only seen bits and pieces, but it made me laugh. I never even knew it was a comedy...
8. I have noticed that my priorities have changed. Family comes first no matter what. Friends come and go, but family is forever. No one will ever love you more. No one will be there for you unconditionally. But family will.
9. My tastes in music have changed. While I still LOVE music, I have noticed a big change in my tastes for tunes. I have noticed that "music" I once LOVED I can't even listen to anymore. It's not only awful, it's unbearable. It doesn't even deserve to be called music. It's disgusting. And I'm ashamed to have ever liked it.
10. I couldn't care LESS about "status". I don't HAVE to have that purse because it's made by the designer that everyone loves right now, I don't mind waiting for movies to get to the $1.50 theater to see them, and I don't care that "so-and-so" drives this, or spent that.
11. I love coffee. Granted, I like a little coffee with my cream and sugar. I also LOVE, LOVE, LURV Cappuccino Blasts from Dunkin Donuts. It makes me feel totally adultish to love something with coffee in it. Only really mature adults drink coffee. I'm totally a super mature adult now.
12. I *gulp* don't get carded anymore. The last time I was carded, the guy said, "That's a really good picture...", I thanked him and told him how much I hated it. He preceded to tell me he just meant that it really looked like me, not that it was a good picture. Gee thanks. Then he told me that no matter how much weight you gain or lose you always look the same in the eyes. Even if you dye your hair, etc. I mean, WHAT was he trying to tell me?!
13. I use Facebook and not MySpace. Haha! This makes me laugh. I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way MySpace started sucking, and facebook starting rocking. It seems like you don't realize that MySpace sucks and facebook is better until you reach a certain age. And now that I have reached that age, I feel grown-up.
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