When The Storm Clears

I've been a bitch this week.

Life has been hard for me. I know things can be worse but we all feel this way sometimes.

Work has been overwhelming and I’ve been on the verge of exploding.

I have other things in my life that have been frustrating and find that I have become easily annoyed.

Wednesday was a particular bad day for me. Work was almost as worse as it’s ever been and it was hot and I was all bitchy.

My hubby decided we should go out to eat and so we went and met his mother at Friday’s.

We got on the road and a monster thunderstorm came and I was annoyed that we had to drive in it.

I argued with hubby about his driving. It wasn’t pretty. But we made it safely.

I filled my belly but still the grumpiness still had a hold on me.

Lael wasn’t listening to anything I said and I just wanted a shower and my bed.

We left the restaurant and as we got in the car and pulled off Lael kept yelling at me to look out the window.

I grumbled something and ignored her. She begged me to look and with much hesitation I finally did.

I’m glad I did because the site I saw instantly made me happy.

There are always storms in our lives but if we just ride it out and seek shelter the skies will eventually clear.

And when they do you will see the light.

(Photos taken by Lael with my phone)

I hope you ride out all your storms.

Happy Friday!

Wordless Wednesday (My Husband)

Because there is nothing sexier than seeing your husband flex his muscles and hit a ball with a pink and white bat.

Also, because I rarely get pictures of him. He's shy like that.

When Good Is Enough

Lael went to daycare on base from 6 weeks until 2 months prior to her 4th birthday. She could have stayed in daycare another year and started Kindergarten at almost 5 but me and her teachers saw that extra something in her that screamed of her need to go to school.

In DC a lot of the schools have all day Pre-K. Back in 2006, your child could start Pre-K as long as they turned 4 by Dec 31st. Shortly thereafter that they changed the cutoff to Sep 30th. Plenty of parents didn’t get the notice so they allowed it for 1 more year. That put us at 2007 when Lael was 3. She was allowed to start Pre-K at 3 because she turned 4 in October. Because of the short notice I had I was not able to secure her a spot in one of the “good” schools.

DC is separated by wards and your child is supposed to attend a school in their Ward unless you apply for the Out-Of-Boundary lottery. It’s basically an online system where you pick your top 5 out of bounds schools and they randomly give away the spots.

I didn’t have time to enter this lottery so I physically visited 10-12 schools and then filtered it to a few that I thought would be the most beneficial to Lael. I wasn’t able to get her into my top few choices but the school I ended up enrolling her in turned out to be everything I could have wanted. While the school itself was really old, the staff was seasoned and her teacher was one that I adored!

Lael ended up staying there for Pre-K and most of Kindergarten. She was reading before the end of Pre-K and by K she was reading and writing full sentences. I could not have been happier. Except in the back of my head I knew she had to move on to another school. You see the school I got her in only went up to Kindergarten. I fished around again and was able to get her a spot in one of those “good” schools I had looked at a few years earlier. They didn’t have a spot for her for the 1st graded but one school said that if I transferred her out of the school she was in they could give her a Kindergarten spot and that would secure her for a 1st grade spot.

I did it. I felt horrible but I did it anyway. I moved Lael out of school in April to this other school. They welcomed her with open arms and she expressed that she missed her old school but not enough to go back. I finally felt as if I had made a wise choice.

Then I got a voicemail Thursday. One of the other schools that is considered to be more prestigious had opened up a spot they wanted Lael to fill it. What to do?

I had just transferred her in April and the lady there had bent over backwards to get her a spot. She liked the school, should I move her again? I pondered over it all weekend and decided that I’m going to leave her where she is. It’s a great school in a great neighborhood and I think she will do just great.

Is it the right decision? I don’t know. What I do know is that there will always be something better that comes along and sometimes you have to decide when good is enough and I’ve thrown in the towel.

I hope it’s the right choice……

Or I Could Just Throw Everything Away

I live with slobs. My husband is a slob therefore Lael has turned into one as well.

I makes it hard for me because I already despise cleaning but I do clean but I get NO HELP!

When my hubby calls himself helping he does a piss poor job.

Lael has so much shit Santa would need a list of things she DOES have to cross-reference.

This was the last time I was able to get her to voluntarily vacuum. It was nice while it lasted.

My husband is a lost cause. I gave up on him way back when we were dating and I went to retrieve my ahem....undergarments and found his whole life stuffed under his bed. (I thought his bachelor pad was unusually clean…and empty.)

I’ve tried many different methods to Lael in the cleaning mode. I tried the 15 minute race. I set the timer for 15 minutes and we clean as much as we can in that time frame. She caught on to me and says she doesn’t like that game.

I’ve bagged up her toys that she leaves laying around but her dad always gives them back.

She’s gotten better but I still know there is room for improvement. She will be 6 in October and will be starting the 1st grade in a few weeks.

I talked to her about putting up a chore chart for her and she seemed really excited. I kept forgetting to do it and SHE has actually been bugging me about it.

I found this site and I thought she would think it was swoon over the Sweetheart chart. I printed it out on some card stock (from work of course!)and now I am lost as to how to fill it out.

What chores are appropriate for her age? Should she get a reward? How often? Should she get an allowance at the end of the week?

I would love your opinion. What do you do to get your little people to pitch in around the house?

White Things

NOTE: (If talking about menstrual cycles gross you out then move on to another blog.)


So I have started the “let’s have another baby that’s actually planned” process. Today makes it a month since I’ve had my IUD taken out. I had it in for 2 years and yes I didn’t have a period for most of the whole 2 years. Nice.

My doctor recommended waiting a few cycles to get the hormones that are released cleared from mommy area. No problem I thought.

OMFG! I had seriously forgotten what it was like to have a cycle WITHOUT any type of birth control to taper it off a bit. For the first 10 days I seriously thought I was bleeding to death. It was not pretty.

This week I started my 2nd cycle and it started off with me feeling nauseous every morning but my flow was a teensy bit lighter. It seemed to taper off yesterday which meant my cycle was only for 4 days. Not bad.

I’ve tried be discreet about these things in my house. Of course hubby know that if I start suggesting other forms of sex that my shop is closed but Lael has no clue. At least that’s what I thought.

She’s asked a question or 2 about my purchase of tampons or panty liners in the past put I gave her some lame ass answer and she moved on.

She’s walked in on me before “changing” myself and I quickly shut the door and distracted her with candy and whatnot. She’s said “Mommy there is blood, are you ok, are you hurt” and I’ve told her I cut myself but I’m ok now.

I just haven’t felt the need to traumatize her by letting her know that she will bleed from her Poo Poo (yes, that’s what we call it!) when she becomes older. It’s just NOT a conversation I’m ready to have with my 5 year old yet.

That brings us to last night. I go to to shower and as I’m using the bathroom I proceed to remove my panty liner and discard of it right as Lael walks into the bathroom. I froze for a second and our eyes met. We stared at each other for a few seconds and then she said.

“No fair! That’s how you keep your underwear clean. You get to use those white things.”

I think that talk can wait a few years.

Daddy Day Camp

Hubby is a stay at home dad.

Last summer Lael went to a summer camp that ended badly.

They took her to a go-cart racing place (without my knowledge) and as a result of that received a 2nd degree burn to her hand.

This year we smartened up and decided to save money by just letting Lael stay with dad. I’ve signed her up for swim lessons and when she’s not swimming she is with her grandmother or out doing other fun things.

But there have been a few days when they hang out at home all day.

This scares me for a few reasons.

1. My husband LOVES his Xbox and when he’s playing he can be oblivious to things going on around him (not good with a 5 year old in the house)
2. See reason #1

Tuesday was one of those stay-at-home-and-do-nothing-all-day type of days.

I came home and everything seemed fine. I took Lael to the pool for an hour or so. When we got back she hopped in the shower and I went into the kitchen.

This is what I saw on the counter.




He claims that he was watching her closely until I called and it happened while we were talking.

Yeah, he said it’s my fault because he would have been watching her had he not have to turn around to answer the phone.

Jerk.

Always Tell The Truth..Even If You Have To Make It Up

It's been a while since I have been tagged but it has happened again. My friend Dusty is the culprit. Thanks Dusty, now that I have to be honest my 5 readers will dwindle to 2. LOL!

Ok, so here's what I have to do:

* Thank the person who nominated you for this award {that would be me}

* Copy the logo and place it on your blog

* Link to the person who nominated you for this award

* Name 10 things about yourself that people might find interesting

* Nominate 10 Honest Scrap Bloggers

* Post links to the 10 blogs you nominate

* Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated

Ready? Here goes.

1-I can't touch cotton balls. They make me gag. Like chalkboard noise to some. I'm grossed out just typing about it. Thankyouverymuch.

2-I'm and only girl. I have 4 brothers and they don't let me forget it.

3-My stepfather adopted me and my brother when I was 14. He and my mom married when I was 8.

4-I am terrified of flying and get teased for joining the Air Force.

5-I don't wear makeup. Never have and probably never will. Like none. Not lipstick, face powder stuff or mascara. All natural.

6-I can't walk in heels. My mom tried, my friends tried, I just can't do it. I have feet made for tennis shoes and flip flops.

7-I had something like a stroke when I was 15. Bell's Palsy is what it's called. The right side of my face was paralyzed for a month or so and I had to stay out of school and take steroids. My hair fell out and I got fat. But I got better and it recovered 100%.

8-I don't let people see me cry. My husband has only seen me cry a handful of times in the 9 years we've been together. I have to REALLY feel comfortable to cry around someone. I'm just stubborn like that.

9-I despise doing laundry. I will wait until I have no clean underwear sometimes before I will break down and wash clothes. One time I just went to the store to buy more.

10-When I was 16 me and my youngest brother were involved in a head on collision. He almost died and it still haunts me and probably always will.

Ok. So now that you think I'm a freak I will break the rules.

I am not going to nominate anyone because I'm sure they won't do it! But....surprise me. Let me know if you do decide to follow along and be a little honest about yourself!

The Park

They left the house hoping the clouds wouldn’t bring in rain.

They stopped on the way to the park and took pictures of a bunny in the grass.

They held hands as they walked towards the empty playground.

One usually sits on the bench just watching the other one play.

Today she sat but suddenly got the urge to run.

So she did. She chased the other one around and got tickled by her laughter.

They ran up the slides, hung upside down on the monkey bars and kicked their shoes off.

Barefooted on the soft ground they ran after each other, sweating and smiling with delight.

Their imaginations turned the separate playgrounds into pirate ships.

They tossed imaginary water balloons at each other.

Then they were tired. They were hot and thirsty. They left hand in hand and headed home for drinks and a hot bath.

Me and Lael played yesterday. The real kind of play. You know the kind of playing you did when YOU were 5.

I sometimes forget that there is more to parenting than supervising. Being part of her world opened my eyes.

Yesterday I did not sit on the bench reading a book or texting. I played. Just me and her….

And the pirates of course.

A Post In Which I Will Curse….A LOT

Alternately named: In Which I Wanted To RIP Her Braces Out Of Her MOUTH!!!

I went to see Harry Potter Saturday night. It was a GREAT movie, but the whole movie experience…..not.so.much.

Let me give you a few reasons why it may be ok to wait for it to come on DVD.

*Teenage girl sitting next to her mother WITH braces DEVOURING popcorn with her mouth open using both hands (got the visual)

*Said teenage girls narrating EVERYSINGLEFUCKINGTHING to her mother who OBVIOUSLY hadn’t read the books

*Couple who brought newborn baby who obviously wasn’t movie trained

*Arriving to the movies 30 minutes early to pick the perfect seat and have latecomers DARE ask me to scooch. Hell to the No I won’t scooch. Asshole.

*Mother who brought her son who decides it’s ok to make phone calls and TALK on her phone DURING the movie. MORE THAN ONCE!!!

*Same mother who would used her bright as iPhone to illuminate the whole row so that she could dig through her purse looking for GODKNOWSWHAT.

*Little boy who shouldn’t have been in the movie who obviously needed to go see and ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctor because he sniffed the whole 2 ½ hours.

*The couple who brought their toddler that ran back and forth on the carpet like he was at the fucking playground.

But I’m not angry or anything. Just wanted to give you a few reasons while the next time I will bring pliers to wire that little girl’s mouth shut. I’m just sayin’

Bedtime Battle

When I woke up this morning there was a little arm and little leg wrapped around me. Every now and then Lael creeps into my bedroom and slides under the covers. I don’t mind so much now as I did back when she was younger.

There’s a guy I work with who has a 6 month old son and we had an office discussion about the right time to move your baby to their own room.

Ok. So I thought he was arguing that his wife wanted the baby to stay in their room and he wanted him out. It was the other way around. It was him that could not sleep unless his “boy” was right there next to them in his pack ‘n play.

I joined in on the discussion and explained to him what happened to me.

Lael came home from the hospital and I had her a Mozart playing, nightlight attached, vibrating bassinet. It was awesome. The problem? She could stand the damn thing. I would lay her on her back, swaddle her, prop her on her side. Nothing. She would only sleep right under my armpit. I admit it became easier to breastfeed that way but eventually she stopped breastfeeding.

When she was about 3 months I tried to move her to her crib. You know in the room that I painted, bordered, hung shit and overall made it the best looking room in the house. Nothing. She wasn’t having it. I couldn’t even get her to nap in the crib.

She turned 1. Still sleeping with us. She turned 2. Still slept with us. She turned 3 and my husband stopped sleeping in the bed because it drove him insane.

I bought her a toddler bed and put it on my side of the bed hoping to get her to sleep in her pretty pink Dora bed and eventually move her to her newly decorated room. You know? The one she NEVER slept in. Nothing.

So it began right before her 4th birthday. I had finally gotten fed up. By this time I gave away the toddler bed and bought her a twin bed and redecorated our third bedroom. Dora comforter, Dora border, Nightlight, the works. Nothing.

But this time I wasn’t giving in to her. I spent a week. I mean a whole 7 days breaking her free from my bed. It was torture. I had to get up every hour to walk her back to her bed. By the second day she would stay in her bed but scream for me. Not the ahhhhh type of scream, but the whatthefuckareyoudoingtome type of scream.

It hurt me so bad. I knew it was my fault because I should have done it earlier. She would scream and cry “ I just want you mommy!” and I would sit outside her bedroom door crying. It pained me to put her through this.

But eventually it was over. She slept. By the second week she would go through changes to keep me in her room longer during story time but in the end she would stay in her room all night.

Even now as she will be turning 6 soon she still has relapses. When she gets sick and I let her sleep with me for a day or two she will start waking up every night coming into my room and I have to fuss at her all over again.

So this morning wasn’t just me waking up with my baby in my bed. But instead the end of a battle that I know I will win in the end.

That is until I have my next child. *Sigh*

Why My Cheeks Were Sore This Morning

What do you get when you mix a baby, 4 friends, Las Vegas, strippers, alcohol, and Mike Tyson?

The funniest movie I have seen in a long time.

The plan was for me to go see my beloved Harry Potter last night, but with Lael being gone for the night at my MIL’s, hubby decided he wanted to go to the movies with me but had a different movie in mind.

We went to see The Hangover. While I typically don’t like these type of movies. I have to say that it was hilarious!

What is also baffling is to see the variety of people that came out to see it.

You had me and hubby. -Young black married couple -White married couple (maybe mid-30’s) -Young white male teens –Young black male teens –Group of teen girls -Old couple (maybe 60 or so)

And the thing was EVERYONE was totally amused. The rating is: Rated R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.

It’s just nice to see we could all get together for a nice, dirty laugh. Hee hee hee.

Yes, She's Too Hot To Handle

Yes, Lael is using her toy hairdryer (that works) to cool off her food.

Yes, that is hot dogs and beans in her bowl.

Yes, we do eat hot dogs and beans in my house.

Yes, she does get to eat while watching tv.

Yes, she is wearing a blue band on her wrist from the pool because she is hot shit. At 5 I might add.

Yes, I do think she is the cutest, smartest, funniest girl ever. But my opinion may be biased.

Just saying.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

I feel off today. Have you ever had that kind of day? You are there physically but not mentally.

I'm COMPLETELY unhappy at work and am desperate to move to a new one.

My best friend and I aren't as connected as we used to be and it makes me sad.

My close friend is getting ready to leave me and that makes me sad.

My mom still isn't talking to me. (That's a whole different post.)

Lael has been upset because she hasn't heard from my mom since June 10th.

I am doubting whether it's time to bring another child into my screwed up family (extended).

I need a drink. Ugh.

The Zoo Plus Two!

It's been a while since me and Lael had a day out to ourselves.

I've taken her to the National Zoo many times before but this was the first time we had been alone.

The night before she was filled with so much excitement she could barely sleep.

When she did get up she waisted no time in getting dressed and geared up.

Hubby dropped us off at the Metro because it’s the best way to get there and for Lael riding the train just added icing to the cake.

We started off with a picture at the entrance.


She was so hyped I thought her cheeks would explode!


The last 2 times we had been we didn’t get to see the famous Pandas.

Lael searched for them.


And then we found one!


She didn’t forget to bring her own camera. You know in case I forgot mine. (Ya like how I’m taking a picture of her taking a picture. Hee hee.)


We went to see birds and were lucky enough to catch a Peacock opening up! Beautiful!


She decided to pose with this bear even though it was on FIRE!


It turned out to be a hotter day expected so Lael took advantage of the sprayers.


We ended the day with a yummy snow cone. Look how goofy she looks.




Thanks Lael for spending the day with Mommy. It was refreshing to spend uninterupped time with you and I love you that much more.

I Don't Mind Flirting With Another Woman

Dear Dunkin’ Donuts Girl,

It started with a smile. I am typically not a morning person but I make an exception for those that handle my food.

I smiled the first time because I was really staring at your pierced eyebrow and got caught.

It was rude and I tried to play it off. You smiled back. I ordered my “usual”: a small hot chocolate with whipped cream.

I paid and thought it was over. To my surprise it was only the beginning.

You made a point to call me out of line to specifically take my order. I thought it was nice and you always gave me my change back with a wink. ;o)

I ignored it and walked away sipping my hot chocolaty goodness. Then one particular bad morning. It happened.

I ordered my drink and you weren’t there. I order my “usual” but got back a significantly smaller cup. Hmm. That was odd.

I questioned them on the sizes and the manager made me aware that what I was holding was a SMALL and the next size up was a MEDIUM.

You had been charging me for a small but hooking me up with the next size. Suddenly the winks made sense. Or did they?

A few weeks later you were back at the register and me and a co-worker got in line. I ordered my “usual” and you gave me your “usual”. But this time was different. You whispered something to me and waved away my money.

I ain’t no fool so I tried to pay you again. You refused and I hurried away. But I felt like I had stole.

During my next few visits I made sure to go to another cashier as to avoid you but you managed to slide over and take my order anyway. *Sigh*

Today I upped my ante a bit and ordered my “usual” and added a wheat bagel. You smiled winked, got the MEDIUM cup and filled it. There was another worker standing over your shoulder. You STILL only charged me for the bagel. You smiled at me.

I think you are trying to get fired. Seriously. But until you do, I will continue to smile back and order the “usual”. Who knew flirting with women across the counter could make me all warm inside.

4th Of July Weekend Photos

No need for words.