One. I am not a mommy blogger. I blog about my kids, yes. But only because they are the neatest kids I know. I am a blogger who likes to share funny or inspiration or show my friends and family the happenings of goings on around here. Blogger - yes. Mommy blogger - no.
Two. When I say “I need a vacation” or “I’m done” that means help me I’m loosing my mind. My job is a gift I know that for absolute certain. It can also be way too much for me handle at times. I am not from Wonder Mom stock. I can only go a few days without crying into my pillow at night hoping the next day I won’t suck too badly.
Three. Liking to punch things (or stupid people) is not a bad thing. Sugar Ray Leonard didn’t think it was a bad thing. Some people are just born with a little more fight in them and it needs to travel out of their fists…or in 2-16 cuss words.
Four. 11 meals a day is not an acceptable nutrition schedule for anyone, let alone children.
Five. If you are psycho and you treated me like trash in high school, then there is no way on this holy earth I am accepting your friend request. It’s not going to happen. no.
Today my little bloggie is 1 year old! I would like to thank all 4 of my readers and the hundreds of spam bots that visit my beautifully designed site! Thank you for letting me share with you. I hope to inspire you and make you laugh for many more years.
Love to all! ♥
Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it.
Henry David Thoreau
January 13, 2007
Three years ago…
January 13, 2010
Train Party!
Thank you for my tractor Jack!
Having Scottish ancestors, brings out the warrior in him…
“Fight!”
He loves to play die, it makes me cringe but he does it so cutely that I can’t help but smile. James loves it too!
“uuuggghhh!”
Happy 3 years baby! ♥
Old School Volume One
That’s me holding my little brother’s hand, in the cutest little dress.
And here I am sitting on my Auntie’s lap with my little brother. I have no clue why the grumpy face, but I love it!
This is my Kindergarten picture. I think it’s very cute, I remember being teased for wearing a tie by the other little kids.
I was in second grade and we were playing “blob” in P.E. A game I despised because kids dropped like flies getting hurt and crying. So just as I mumbled “This game is dumb” this maniac boy child slammed his rock of a head into my eye and this was the result of that! This shirt was my favorite of all time too!
I met James at the door a little excited because like the great husband that he is, he picked up my glasses we ordered last weekend, on his lunch hour. As he walked through the gate he handed me a case with my new eyes inside. Then, to sweeten his position as the greatest man to have ever lived, he revealed celebratory nachos…and dark chocolate!
Now, whether he was softening the blow of needing glasses, or he likes the look on my face when he finds the best dark chocolate in town, I’ll never know. But I can say that it’s absolutely fantastic and I am blessed in every way!
So glasses. How in the world do people wear these things all day everyday?? It’s such a foreign thing to me right now. Like, here, wear this sleepy raccoon as a back pack! All day! everyday! To make things just a tad bit more frustrating, my grandmother HAD to hand down her little bitty nose to my face and now I HAVE to balance some thin plastic on the edge of it!
This is where the chocolate came in nice and handy…
I’ll learn the way of the glasses. I’m sure it’s just going to take some time. I can actually see a lot better now, even my guys’ faces are more clear and that’s a huge plus!
If you’re going sword shopping, don’t walk out with a pocket knife. Don’t sell yourself short! Get the biggest, longest, and the most badass sword you can carry!
My hopes and wishes for the new year??
More of this,
and lots of this,
and this,
Oh! and more kisses from my James too! ♥
Usually I don’t talk publicly about how many gifts we buy each other or how much we spend. Because I know that many people cannot afford to have Christmas. James and I have been there several times, when we couldn’t do as much as we wanted or those years when there was no tree. We have always put a lot of pressure on ourselves to give our babies the best that we could possibly offer.
We have always talked to our kids about the importance of showing compassion and understanding. We also have discussions about what we can afford as a family and that it’s not about the gifts or the amount spent on gifts. And we must have done something right, because they are very understanding that we cannot just go and buy toys r us for them.
Every year when Christmas comes I fret and worry, unnecessarily I know, about gifts and making special memories for my family. So I had an idea, and James and I discussed making this Christmas and all subsequent Christmases more enjoyable by changing a few things, including our attitudes, mostly mine.
I thought that I would share my genius idea, in case others are having my same problem.
GREATEST IDEA TO COME OUT OF MY BRAIN
First, we are going to plan and purchase all of our family holiday gifts, Christmas, birthdays and anniversary, several months ahead of time. Ideally six. So James’ birthday is done in January and Christmas is done in July. Instead of waiting until the last minute, and scrambling to find a certain Uncharted 2, PS3 game.
Second, I will use my “crazy dee episodes” to fight crime.
Third, each of us will receive 3 gifts plus a stocking. I know it doesn’t sound like very much but that is the basis of my idea. Less is and should be more. There’s not a whole lot to wrap which makes less work and less waste. (side note: James does not like to wrap gifts AT ALL, but he wrapped my gifts and the boys’ gifts with no complaints! Pretty awesome Christmas miracle right there!)
Examples:
Dee
gift 1~ 2 can’t wait to read books wrapped together (from James) He cheated a little.
gift 2~ Shiny purple nike shoes in size sasquach (from Liam, Bryce & Cameron)
gift 3 which we call the “big gift”~ Awesome Ukulele that I need someone with loads of patience to teach me to play (from James)
Liam
gift 1~ Guinness book of world records (from Bryce & Cameron)
gift 2~ Pokemon mystery dungeon ds game (from Santa, who he knows is mom and daddy but plays along really great for the younger boys.)
gift 3~ a 26” men’s bike (from Mom and Pop)
James
gift 1~ Ratchet and Clank Future: A crack in time (from Liam, Bryce & Cameron) They love watching him play games on the PS3
gift 2~ Eoin Colfer’s And Another thing book (from me)
gift 3~ Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the ds, wrapped with Uncharted 2 strategy guide…grrr… (from me)
Bryce
gift 1~ Lego mine defender’s set (from Liam and Cameron)
gift 2~ Pokemon Mystery dungeon ds game (from Santa, who he has sneaking suspicions about)
gift 3~ Casio keyboard something he’s had his eye on since he was 3 (from Mom and Daddy)
Cameron
gift 1~ Thomas the Tank Engine fold up track (From Liam and Bryce)
gift 2~ Thomas the Tank Engine buttons with sounds book (from Santa)
gift 3~ Thomas the Tank Engine play mat (from Mommy and Daddy) He asked for Thomas and we delivered.
We’ve had several ideas over the years about gifts for our boys. How many and how much to spend on each boy. But this year we followed our new 3 gift plan and discovered that we spent less money and more love on each gift and the day was really great! As the boys get older they can go shopping and pick out gifts together and for each other, which will make it even more special.
To nourish children and raise them against odds is in any time, any place, more valuable than to fix bolts in cars or design nuclear weapons.
Marilyn French
