Whatever....

Okay, my hectic Tuesday decided to not rear it's ugly head on Tuesday. Instead it decided to delay it's appearance until today, Wednesday.

Well, partly it's my fault too.

I'm not saying I'm to blame, but I decided to add another ingredient to the mix.

I needed to take pictures at eldest's school of the dance troupe for the yearbook.

Since I would be at the school later, and I couldn't leave Burbank alone at home for over 8 hours (I just don't like doing that. I mean sure, I'm sure the dog could hold his pee for 9 hours if he really had to, but I don't want to do that to him), I came home after picking up the youngest at preschool to let him out to pee and offer him some "token" people time with us.

Then I went back to work with the youngest, bribed her with a slurpee so I could be in a meeting (which incidentally she ended up sitting in it with me), and rushed out of there at 3:30 so I could get to the eldest's school to take pictures.

Once I was done with that, it was off to Wal-Mart for some ::::ahem::::: personal "women" things I needed (yea, and as soon as we went by that aisle, my eldest and her friend decided they need to go look at the fish instead).

Oh, and then since I was getting dog treats for the dog (I SO spoil him with dog treats! I just love buying them! Hubby once saw us giving him his daily treats and he was like, "Damn, how many treats do you GIVE him??" Yea, it's a lot. But to be fair, he IS a big German Shepard) we were right by the toy aisles and of course, if you're by a toy aisle and you have kids, it's like a magnet where they HAVE to go over there.

Now my youngest is totally into Strawberry Shortcake (okay, I admit it, I like smelling the dolls, especially Tea Blossom, she smells like Grape) and we saw one of the dolls she wanted. But I just can't give in and give them every toy they want, so I said, "Maybe the Easter Bunny will bring it to you in your basket". In the meantime, I'm thinking, "Damn, they only have ONE of those dolls, I sure hope it's there when I need to come back and get it to put it in her Easter Basket for the Easter Bunny!" Maybe I can have my friend pick it up for me tomorrow and I'll pay her back.

So after some kicking and screaming our way out of the toy aisle (at this point I don't even CARE if people are looking at us while she's having her fit, it's just too damn exhausting to worry about that), we headed on towards the exit.

The checkout.......

Whoever invented putting all those little gadgets or candy at the checkout aisle is probably a billionaire right now. Because that's all the kids see. The parents? They're looking to see which checkout line is the shortest so they can get the hell out of there, and to hurry things along and avoid another kicking and screaming episode, we say, "Only ONE thing! And hurry up!"

Yea, so by the time the cashier has scanned all your items (some of which mysteriously appear in the cart without YOU putting them there), you've had to pay another $3 or so for those "checkout items" as well.

Whatever.

Here's my money, just take it and let me get the hell out of here.

Saying No

I ran into a mom that I knew from eldest's old school this afternoon.

Can I just say that I do love living in the town I live in? I'm always running into people I know somewhere. I like it. Now the town isn't THAT small, mind you. Or maybe it's just because the eldest has been in different activities, that I've gotten to know more parents, that way.

ANYWAY...........

So we were talking about our hectic lives and I brought up the fact that I'm doing the yearbook for eldest's school. And it is a task. Especially since I wasn't able to even start it until January of this year and the deadline is the beginning of April! Yikes! So I'm trying to scramble and get as many pictures from people as I can, while bringing my camera to school to get as many pictures as I can as well. The good thing about this yearbook? It's all being done online! The bad thing about it being online? Not all the pictures I get from people are digital, which means I have to scan them in and upload them, which can take some time. Plus I've had to learn the system.

Okay, I got off the main subject again........

She was saying to me, "Can you ever just say NO?"

And while it may seem that I'm doing a lot right now, the only thing I am doing at the school is yearbook, which is a very daunting task though. I haven't volunteered to do any other projects at the school. If someone does ask me to do something, if I can, I'll do it. If I can't, I say no.

So yes, I can say no.

I don't let people walk all over me, but I'm not a bitch either.

Well, let me take that back. I can be a bitch when I want to be. But traditionally, I'm not a bitch at my child's school. That wouldn't be conducive.

Play Ball!

Today was Opening Day for softball season here. The eldest almost didn't play this season, but I "encouraged" her to give a go, one more year. And today she thanked me for doing that.

I never forced her into doing it, but I did tell her that she should try it one more year and see how she likes playing in the upper division. The team she got on seems to be a really good group of girls and I really like the coaches for her team. They are helping her and the girls to learn things and grow in their abilities, yet they are also making it fun for them too.

Today they had two scrimmage games, in which they won both of them. The eldest did really well at batting and the coach had her bunting too, which makes me think that she might be the "bunt girl" this season.

I'm not going to lie. My child is definitely not one of the best players on the team. But she's also not the worst either. She's a good middle player. She tries her hardest, comes to all the practices, and that's all I ask of her. To do her best.

Hubby and I LOVE softball season. We love being out there at the fields, watching the games, enjoying the atmosphere out there, conversing with the parents. We have both said that once the youngest gets older and hubby's not going out to sea, that we want to join a co-ed softball team.

It was a long day today though. I had set my alarm for 6 a.m., but I either didn't turn the alarm on, or turned it off and went back to sleep. I can't remember. I just remember waking up, noticing the sun was out, looking at the clock and it saying 6:40 and saying, "OH SHIT!"

Yea, that was my daughter's alarm clock this morning, me saying "OH SHIT!" Nice........

We had to be there by 7:30 a.m. and we didn't end up leaving the fields until almost 1:30 this afternoon. Eldest wanted to watch a couple of the games.

Oh, and did I mention that my life at the fields is always at either the snack bar or the bathrooms? Yea, because the youngest likes to go to both places. All I ask is that she waits until sister has gotten to bat first. Oh, and I have to make sure she's dressed in grungy clothes because she likes to play in the dirt there too.

And new rule at the house too, one MUST take off their shoes before coming in the house after softball because WAY too much dirt gets tracked in the house.

Okay, I'm complaining, I know, but seriously, we do love softball season.

And next year? The youngest will get to start playing t-ball. I can't wait to see that! :D

Mean Mommy

I'm telling you, it sucks when I have to be the mean mom.

The disciplinarian.

The one where your child won't talk to you because she's mad at you.

Because you had to punish her.

Because she was being mean to her sister.

She certainly did not like it at all when I told her she couldn't go to her friend's house and play after school.

But I think I'm doing something right because after I talked with her about it after school and left her alone for a little while, she went up to her sister and apologized and has been nice ever since.

So I think she "gets" it when I talk to her.

Either that or she's just playing me and blowing smoke up my ass.

I'm really hoping it's the first one though.

Love Thursday - Sisters

Love is getting to spend an afternoon with your youngest sister, sharing how you each have Mom's hand gestures, having people notice you have the same profile, and just enjoying each other's company.

Guilty Pleasure

Do you ever have those movies that you just love, even though people might think you're dorky for liking it?

Yesterday I watched The Idolmaker. I LOVE this movie!! It stars Ray Sharkey, and this was Peter Gallagher's very first movie too, and that is really his voice singing! The other guy, Paul Land did not do his own singing in the movie. Peter Gallagher looked HOT too, when he was singing!! I have it saved on my DVR so I can watch it anytime I want. Yummy.......

Sometimes it's so nice just sitting in front of the TV getting lost in a favorite movie. You know the words and all the scenes too.

Memories Monday - Hollywood

This past Saturday afternoon, hubby, children and I were driving to Burbank to see our family. Now, I've driven this drive too many times to count. And I have NEVER taken the wrong freeway.

Until Saturday.

I was in a zone driving, traffic, like there always is and all of the sudden, I'm looking around and it certainly doesn't look very familiar to me at all. I'm like, "Where am I?"

I found myself on the 101, instead of staying on the 5.

Sure, I could have turned around and gotten back on the 5, but since I grew up in Los Angeles, I knew that the 101 would take me to an exit to get to Burbank.

Plus my eldest got the chance to see the infamous "HOLLYWOOD" sign. Something that I, myself, had not seen in years. She was so excited to see it! It's funny how growing up around things like that, you just take it for granted and it's not that exciting.

We drove past the exit signs for Melrose and Sunset.

I've actually only been to Melrose once in my life. It was fun though, perusing down the street looking at all the shops.

Now, Sunset?

Yea, been there.

The Whisky-A-Go-Go, The Roxy, Gazarri's.

What a time in my life! Going down to Hollywood was fun, that's for sure!

When I think back of all the good times I had at that time in my life with my friends, I smile.

I do wish, at times, that my girls get to experience that type of experience too, but then the "mom" in me takes over and says, "NO WAY!" I mean, I want them to experience life, but I do know that it's not always fun. There are things out there that I wish they would never have to see. I just hope that I can raise them well enough so that if they do come across things, they will know how to handle it.

Hollywood. Whether you lived it in the 60's the 80's, 90's or even today, everyone has their own story to tell and remember.

Love Thursday - Silly

Love is letting your sister dress you up silly and take pictures of you.

A Hug, A Kiss and Four Little Words

I Love you Momma.

That's what my youngest said to me as I was drying her off from her bath. Never mind the fact that I was trying to hurry her through the bath, as I had another stressful day. (My Tuesdays just suck lately!)

She gave me a hug and a kiss and said, "I Love You Momma"

How did she know I needed that?

All my stress just melted away after that.

Racing around all day going to work, picking up kids, getting new tires on, grocery shopping, yada, yada, yada just made me wind up into a huge stress ball.

I always LOVE, LOVE, LOVE hearing my children say "I Love You" without any premise behind it. Without me saying it first. Without the eldest wanting something. Unconditional.

That's the best.

It's times like this when I do just sit back and relax. Enjoy my girls. Snuggle with them to watch a show or read a book, or even spend a 1/2 hour blowdrying the eldest's hair for her so she can have "straight" hair.

I've got too much shit going on right now that sometimes I forget to "stop and smell the roses".

I've got to work on making my lists again to help me get back in control of it all. It helped before, I've got to start doing it again.

Memories Monday - Fitting In

Yesterday I had a talk with my eldest. In the next year and a half, she will enter the world of "officially becoming a teenager". So for right now, it's the pre-teen years, which are pretty hard in themselves.

She hates her hair.

She hates her freckles.

She wants to have straight hair like her friends.

She feels like she doesn't have as much as her friends.

Sometimes she feels like she doesn't fit in.

I can totally remember going through most of that too. And I remember friends wanting their hair totally straight too.

I remember not feeling like I fit in sometimes.

Just about all of my friends were only children.

They didn't have to share a bedroom (and I remind my eldest how lucky she is not to have to share a room). Since they were the only child, the money for clothes didn't have to be split 3 ways. They had two parents. They were the lucky ones.

Yes, I do remember feeling sorry for myself at times, and feeling left out because I couldn't get this or that, or feeling like I was the "poor relation" friend. I felt that my friends were WAY prettier than I ever was, WAY more confident in themselves.

I was insecure.

I may have not shown it, but I felt it on the inside.

I remember one night when ALL of my friends had dates and I didn't. I sat next to my stereo listening to Duran Duran while they were all out on dates. I felt so alone then.

And I told my eldest all about this, and how I felt.

I want her to know that it's not just something she has to go through alone. And she's not alone in it. I would have to say that probably every teenage girl goes through this at some point in their life.

I told her that even though I didn't have as much as my friends, I was still their friend. They didn't think that I wasn't worth "hanging out with" because I didn't have all the Guess? Clothing or other designer brands. They liked me for me. (okay, at least I HOPE SO! ).

I reminded her that her aunt does NOT have perfectly straight hair like it looks. She has to work HARD at making it straight. That if she didn't blow it dry and use a straightening iron (and she actually used to have my mom iron her hair with an iron at one point), she would have very curly hair. It would look like she had a perm.

I keep reminding my eldest that things don't always come easy. Sometimes you have to work hard at it.

And that it's not always about what you look like on the outside, because it's what's on the inside that makes the outside shine through and make you appealing to others.

Even now, being an adult, a mom, married, etc., I STILL get the feeling of not fitting in sometimes. I don't have a big house, I can't just go and spend money when I feel like it, there are still "clicks" with other women too. Although I do notice that it's not nearly as much as in high school.

I tell her that just because someone doesn't talk to you, doesn't mean they're stuck up or don't like you. Maybe they don't know you and maybe they are shy themselves. When someone is shy, they can come across as being "stuck up".

But then I do have to remind myself of what I DO have and appreciate what I do have. And remind my children to do the same.

I have to remind myself to enjoy life. Don't sweat the small stuff. Be grateful for what I do have. And I am extremely grateful for all of it. My husband, my children, my friends, my house and everything else.

I have to be an example to my children to show them to do the same.

Love Thursday - Friends Forever

I first met her in the backyard of a neighbor's house.

We were 10 years old and we hit it off immediately.

We lived 9 houses apart, growing up.

She shared her Barbie Dream House with me when I didn't get one.

She went camping with me in the summer with my family, and silly us, we read The Amityville Horror together up there.

We were always spending the night at each other's houses, although I liked spending the night at her house, as she had her own room.

I called her from my Aunt's wedding reception when we were 14 to let her know that John Stamos was there with the band, and I got to meet him.

We both LOVED the movie Times Square and Roller Boogie, two opposite ends of the spectrum, in my opinion.

We went to see Def Leppard together the night before the first day of high school.

We both had other friends that we hung out with, but still stayed friends.

We beat just about all the boys playing pool at her house (well, she was better than I, but then the pool table WAS at her house) when she had parties.

We were roommates for about a year.

She was my maid of honor at my wedding and I flew to a different state to go to her wedding.

We've shared secrets.

She was there for me when my mom died and my panic attacks last year.

I'll always be there for her, whenever she needs me.

Friends for almost 29 years, and even though we don't see each other that often, we still keep in touch, thanks to emails, blogs, and the phone.

One of my best friends, forever and ever.

Sometimes You Just Have To Laugh

What a day this has been!

Talk about being stressed to the max!

At work I'm trying to get everything done, stop for a 1/2 hour, grab the youngest from preschool, bring her back to work with me, try and get more stuff done, but entertain the youngest at the same time, then race to get the eldest from school, then race home to give hubby a couple of checks and an important paper he needs, balance the checkbook, make dinner, get the eldest to softball practice, come home, grade papers for her teacher, make lunches for tomorrow, give the youngest a bath, go back to the field to grab the eldest and come home.

Oh, and did I mention that our dryer decided to take a dump right when hubby was drying his uniform? Oh, and THEN, about an hour later, the washing machine decides that IT doesn't want to work either!

By that time, hubby and I are just laughing about it. I mean, come on, what else can you do? When you are stressed to the max, and shit starts happening, and then more shit happens, you just get to a point where you have to laugh about it, or else check yourself into the funny farm.

We JUST bought a new water heater too, because our old one was on it's last legs. You know that's happening when you have to keep turning down the cold water in the shower to have a nice warm/hot shower. Well apparently the dryer AND the washer decided they didn't want to work either!

So it's to the laundrymat this weekend for me!

When hubby comes back from out to sea in a week or so, we'll be shopping for a new washer and dryer. But here's the kicker. They're outside.

Our washer and dryer hookups are outside on the back patio.

We had PLANNED on getting a new washer and dryer once we enclosed the back patio into a "three-season type" porch back there. Once it was more protected by the elements.

Yea, not so much.

We are going to look at getting a shed of some sorts or enclosure to put around the washer and dryer to protect it so that the new ones will be protected and last longer, since we can't wait until the porch is enclosed.

Like I said, sometimes you just have to laugh......

Memories Monday - Superbowl Sunday

Ahhhhh.....Superbowl Sunday......

Did I watch the game yesterday? Nope!

Do I ever watch the Superbowl? Rarely...

Do I like football? Actually, yes I do.

I liked going to the high school football games in high school. To even watch the game too!

I LOVE the TV show Friday Night Lights! I especially love Kyle Chandler!! I have loved him since he was in the TV show Homefront, back in 1991.

Okay, back to the Superbowl Sunday.

Back before we had children, I did remember watching the Superbowl on occasion. We would watch it with friends.

And even before we were married, I would go to the "Superbowl Parties" that would be going on, mostly just to hang out with friends.

There was one Superbowl Party, in particular, that will always stand out for me. It was 15 years ago, 1992.

I went to someone's house (I can't even remember whose house it was) and met up with friends over there. I had a nice time, but I was thinking about hubby (who wasn't there and wasn't hubby at the time, just someone who I truly thought I was going to marry and be with for the rest of my life, but wasn't too sure he thought that at the time, as we were just on again, off again, here and there, etc..... you get the picture ....).

See, in the town I grew up, it was a Gossip Mill. Everyone talked about everyone. Things were said. Rumors were started, you get the gist.

So I was talking to one of our mutual friends, Tracy, and I was telling her how I was unsure if I wanted to keep my interest in future hubby. That I wanted to, but I wasn't sure if I should, etc....

She told me something that I'll never forget. She told me to screw listening to everyone else. She told me to go with MY gut feeling. To believe in my feelings. If this was something that I wanted and I think would happen, then to go for it. It was MY life and I should do what I wanted. What I believed in. And Tracy was more of a friend to hubby than she was to me, so I was thinking that if she was saying this to me, about how I felt about a friend of hers, then she probably knew what she was talking about. Maybe she saw something there that I had thought I had seen too.

So I persevered. I decided to continue feeling what I was feeling. And just when I thought I was about to give up again? The man told me he loved me. And then proposed a week after he told me he loved me.

It was just a matter of time.

I guess she was right, huh?

Thank goodness for that!!!

Half-Birthdays

Here in our household, we celebrate 1/2 birthdays. Actually only the kids do, as us adults don't feel the need to have to celebrate every six months how much older we are getting.

It all started way back when my eldest was maybe 4 or 5 years old. She always wanted to know when she was turning the next "1/2" year every year. She was anal about that. And so, since we've been doing it with her, it's natural to do it with our youngest.

We don't do a big "To-Do" about it, we just get a small Carvel ice-cream cake, that's just enough for everyone to have a piece. No presents, just an ice cream cake.

There's one sitting in the freezer right now, waiting to be eaten tomorrow. It's my youngest's 4 1/2 birthday tomorrow. She can't wait!

I also think part of this "celebrating 1/2 birthdays" comes from my mom.

Not that she, or we, celebrated our 1/2 birthdays growing up.

But growing up, since my mom couldn't afford to get us a lot, she would do little things on Valentine's Day, etc.

And so that's what we're doing with our girls. Little things, like 1/2 birthdays.

Plus it's a good excuse to have ice cream.

Love Thursday - A Man and His Dog

Nothing says Love like a Man and His Dog