Some Potpourri

A Mix of Everything From the Week

April Has come to an end? I can't believe how the time is flying. Since my last post (akhem...a week ago...sorry) I have been walking on lunch breaks, which cuts into my blogging. I am trying to jump start the weight loss AGAIN. So far it's not helping, and I just keep wishing I was at my desk blogging. My Solution: Wake up at the @$$ crack of dawn and walk the hill on my street instead of walking on lunch break. This will also cut down on the pit stains at work on hot days too.

Vivian's scrape has totally healed. No scar! still as beautiful as ever! She is just totally sick of everyone making a big deal about it. The nice weather mixed with being home to play all day with dad has made her very happy

Mr. Kyle needs another Vacation. Coming off spring break and heading back to school was not easy. He has turned into a whiny broken record. He asks....I say no.....he asks the same thing 50 more times hoping my answer will change....I get furious........(you know the drill). needless to say, Kyle is grounded for not listening, whining, being a mean brother, whining, not doing his homework without a 2 hour ordeal about wanting to do it in the morning, and whining! The only thing that saved me from having to drag him onto the school bus this week, was the anticipation of classroom science experiments. Did you know that baking soda + vinegar in a soda bottle with a balloon on top will blow up the balloon? Did you know that corn starch + water make a goopy goopy messy weird feeling thing called ooblick? These things are so exciting to a budding scientist.

Kerrigan has been a little clingy---Gary says she just misses her Mommy. I am constantly thinking she must be getting sick, but so far no signs........and with this recent scare of a SWINE flu, I am even more paranoid! If any such flu cases hit any more close to home, I think we will all be taking a vacation and quarantining ourselves to the house.

Last night I dove back into some yard work. I always feel so good after doing yard work. Our yard needs and requires a lot of work, but it is definitely work I enjoy. There is nothing like getting out there and getting dirty. And the Payoff is nice to look at. The worst part about yard work is raking all of the leaves. We started out full steam ahead as soon as the snow melted, but the worst part of the yard got the best of us and we cooled our heels a bit on it. Yesterday, I was finally ready to conquer the rest of the leaves - besides, they were starting to blow all over what we had already done! Brother-in-law Dan lent me his big ride-on tractor with a yard sweeper.......aahhhh - no rake needed! It took a lot of passes over those stubborn leaves, but Vivian and I ( there is always at least one kid who can't resist a ride on the mower right?) we made big progress. I think we just have a little clean up left. - aahh now we can concentrate on pruning and planting. - I always have enough help with that too.

Although this Potpourri doesn't smell real nice, hopefully I'm caught up. Next week I will be more diligent

Saving Face

4 Year old + Stool on wheels + Garage Floor =

picture taken the day after

Oh my poor baby!

Just a surface scratch.......but look at the location!!!!

"please oh please let it heal without a scar.....PLEeeeaaase!"

picture taken 3 days after

I think we are in the clear. my little girl will have her beauty all in tact again real soon.

lotion...lotion....lotion......STOP PICKING AT IT!!!

The WEAK need not apply!

Job Description for Parents

POSITION:

Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma

Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment.

Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.

Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.

Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.

Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.

Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.

Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.

Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.

Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.

Must always hope for the be st but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability forthe quality of the end product.

Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.

Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.

On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them!

Offering frequent raises and bonuses.

A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.

When you die, you give them whatever is left.

The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

I received this as an e-mail today, and I just wanted to share it with the blogging world. I thought it was very cute. How many of those descriptions could you identify with?

Note to self ;)

Remember The Saturday Night Live skit from the 90's where Norm Macdonald would take a small tape recorder from his front pocket and say "note to self"..blah blah blah!

(those were the great SNL days)

Well, these are my Notes to Self today:

Note to self ~ The next time hubby thinks it would safe to leave a bowl of spaghetti - o's on the counter (no matter how far he says he pushed it back) even just for 10 Minutes.... Remind him of the rage he was feeling upon his return from preschool pick-up to find that Sandler had somehow reached the bowl at the back of the counter, did who knows what kind of acrobatics that would cause the spaghetti - o's to end up splattered all over the kitchen including the opposite wall and mirror, and proceeded to eat the rest of it on the living room rug.

Note to self ~ remember to thank hubby for cleaning up that mess.

Note to self ~ Install hidden camera in the kitchen to catch the dog steeling the food off the counter. It could win us $10,000 on AFV.

Note to self~ Whenever we are ready to strangle the dog over all the trouble and stress he causes, throw in the movie Marley & Me to put it all in perspective!

Thinking of Your Birthday

Wishing Grampa Hoddie A Happy Birthday!

April 8 1923 ~ March 8 2005

Hope Heaven has cooked you a big pot of Bean and Potato Soup and some Stawberry Shortcake For Dessert.

Love you!

Just a tip:

Have you all visited the fishful thinking banner to the right??
In case you were wondering, I have joined the fishful thinking campaign. I think the message it offers is something worth looking into. It is all about helping parents build optimism in there children in order to help them deal with life's ups and downs. Each week, Fishful thinking gives parents new tips on communication, relationship builders, or just great fun activities to engage in with your children. Today I am offering up the chance for Moms to click on this link to check out some tips on how to be a happier Mom.

http://fishfulthinking.repnation.com/Log.ashx?a=2&i=136&r=333a67b1-d80e-4889-ab36-e1ca67e166fd

We all say we are really happy being moms, but lets face it, It isn't always peachy. This site identifies with those feelings. Check it out.

(each time someone checks out fishful thinking from my blog......I earn points toward awards.....no pressure)

*Or go here
http://fishfulthinking.repnation.com/Log.ashx?a=2&i=134&r=333a67b1-d80e-4889-ab36-e1ca67e166fd

And participate in

"Fishful Thinking Ingredient Activity 4: Grateful Sayings
This week, many families across the country will gather together and observe the Passover or Easter holiday, so this week’s Fishful Thinking Ingredient Activity is one that the whole family can appreciate and participate in."

200 TO GO

Today on the count down to our Disney Vacation marks 200 Days To Go! Yikes! - it's starting to feel Real. The excitement is mounting!

It is Kind of hard to relay how long 200 days is to 3 kids under the age of 7. Kyle of course, being the oldest, has a better concept of time than the other two. We tell Kyle that he just has the summer, then school will start, and about a month and 1/2 after that, we will be off to Florida. He gets a little hmmmf about that, because I'm sure that seems like forever away to him still.
I can remember when I was his age and the end of the school year was so fabulous because it felt like summer lasted forever. and the start of the next "school year" seemed so far off, I didn't have a care in the world. that all seemed to end when I started working at 14 yrs old - then the time started whizzing by.

But anyway, I have no idea what Vivian's perspective on 200 days is right now. I think she thinks it's closer than it really is..... She finds pennies on the floor and runs to my bedroom to add to the "Florida Fund" Jar. She is cute........ start finding a lot more pennies Viv!

Forget Kerrigan....What does time really mean to a 21 month old? She can't even wait 2 minutes for lunch, much less 200 days for a vacation. I just hope that by October, a then 2 1/2 year old will be a good traveler!

Things to do in 200 Days:

1. must loose 6 pounds per month. (not an unreachable goal I don't think?)
2. potty train Kerrigan ( so much less to lug around at Disney)
3. save spending money ( once the car is paid off this will be easier)
4. buy travelling clothes for Gary and I ( the kids wardrobe seems to be the healthiest)
5. Find Volunteers to take care of Sandler/freddie/oscar - shouldn't be too hard (right Reagan?)
6. stock up on the Valium for Gary on the plane!


Ok - the list isn't too long!

When we reached the 250 day mark, We all gathered at Gary's parent's house for Dinner to celebrate. We all wore our Disney Character shirts we got from his mom for Christmas to get in the spirit. Tonight we are having a cook out to mark the 200 day count down. Along with our character shirts.
lets see........May 26th marks 150 days........July 16th marks 100 days....September 4th marks just 50 days........and then we leave October 24th! ........ see, the breakdown makes it really seem close! We can't wait!!

My attempt at an Interview....

A couple of other bloggers I follow, have recently written posts where they "interviewed" their young children and reported there answers. Some interviews were successful, and some...not so much. The questions were pretty general...mostly just about life...nothing too leading. I liked these questions because they left it open to the children to answer freely and uninhibited. Kind of like the show Bill Cosby used to host called "kids say the darnedest things".

So I decided...I have a couple of spit fires at home that will think this idea is pretty cool....I bet they will come up with some knee slapping answers and it will make for a glorious post showcasing their sweet, imaginative, perceptive personalities. ......ummm, yeah, ...it was more like trying to have fun at the dentist.

I put a little thought into the interview before I actually did it. I started with Vivian. I knew that to have her undivided attention, I would have to administer the questions while we were in the car... you know, strapped in with no other choice but to listen to me. (by no means was this a Forced interview). I wanted some of the questions to be real easy, so she would confidently answer. and others to be something she would have to think about, and perhaps "make up" an answer to - That could be cute too.


I will get to the interview in a minute.....but first you must know that I also interviewed Kyle afterwards. He was a bit more skeptical about the whole thing. pretty soon he started asking ME questions, like, why are you asking me questions? When I told him I was going to blog about it.... he insisted I not put his answers on my "stupid blog"! I was made to promise that I would not put his answers here. I agreed......phfah!. I didn't sign anything! - I will sneak his answers in there somehow.

So on to the interview. My questions are in Green. Vivian's answers are in Purple. Kyle's Answers are in Blue...:


Hey vivian. Do you want to do something fun with Mommy on our way to pick up Brother?

Yes

Let's do an interview! It's where Mommy asks you some questions, and you answer them. It can be any answer you want... You aren't going to be right or wrong. It's just whatever you think - Ok?

OK

Ok.. - How old do you have to be to get married?

I don't know?

Can you guess?

I don't know?

are you old enough?

NO!

Is Greg old enough? (greg, my nephew is 13)

no?....You just gotta be out of school?

(Kyle's answer was 20)

Why do people get Married anyway?

I don't know?

Viv we aren't going to get very far with these questions if you keep answering with "I don't know". - just say whatever you think.

ok - because they are the Bosses.

Kyle: to not be alone, ...to take care of kids, and to get babysitters when you go to work.

(should I be worried that there was no mention of being in love as the reason for marriage??)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

ummm. I want to be the COOKer!!

Oh - you mean in a Restaurant?

No - At home. And I want to be the Mom.

Kyle: I'd like to be like Jeff Corwin - not like steve Erwin because he died!

Where would you like to live when you grow up?

At home.

Like with Mommy and daddy?

YUP!!!

OK! As long as you still want to be the COOker!

Kyle: the USA

(by now I think they thought these questions were stupid, so I decided to lighten them up - not make them think so hard I guess)

What is your Absolute Favorite Food?

Broccoli, Cottage Cheese and Sausages....and one something else that I like....POPCORN!!!!

(viv really liked answering this question. I'm glad she named such healthy foods...I could have sworn she was going to say CHIPS)

Kyle: Hamburger Casserole

What food is the Yuckiest?

Spicy stuff

kyle: Lemons

What happens when you really REALLY want to buy a special toy, but you don't have the money to buy it?

get something else....(which promted her to carry on about....) how about we get 2 DS's so we don't have to fight??? doesn't that sound like a good idea? because I really want one and...and....(yadda yadda yadda)

kyle: wait until you have the money

(oh yeah? really kyle? you don't whine and throw a fit and beg and finally end up saying you want to go to meme's then?)

And that concluded our interview. I think it was pretty cute. looking back, I think I should have tried it at bedtime maybe. oh well, maybe another time.

This interview was "out of the mouths of these babes:

Except for Kerrigan......just insert NO! for every question ....... it's her favorite word lately.

Thanks for listening!