The Chocolate and The Cheese

Is it truly Wednesday already?  Something about this week, heck this month, is flying by.  We've been busy around these parts with getting the house ready for market and being gone for various family reasons. Summer is truly a seriously busy time.  So busy that most days I feel like I'm running around like a chicken that has just had it's head lopped off.  Whew!  However, today I decided to change that and have a nice, easy day running errands.  Whoo-boy.  Was I wrong!  Here's how the day has shaped up this far: Little Lady woke at 5:15AM I thought I had written out my grocery list, but hadn't. Ditto on the weekly coupon clipping.  Seriously, where have I been? Finally made it to the gym at 10AM. (FIVE hours after I was woken up...) After a great run and shower, realize that I forgot to pack my bra. Clean shirt = thinnest T-Shirt I own. Let's just digress for a moment here, shall we?  Now, as I've mentioned before , I am kind of ...

Five things that I hate worse than tornadoes?  Or the "T" word, as I like to refer to them as when my anxiety gets particularly bad?  Let us see what that list would look like. Nothing Nada Not a Thing Nope Not unless you count werewolves, but I'm pretty sure those don't exist. Happy Friday!  

...if your floors were clean. ... it you didn't do it the way they wanted you to. ...if you made the most money. ...if the paint colors matched. ...if you ate that last slice. But, it does matter... ...if you told your kid you loved them. ...if you helped that person. ...if you were honest to yourself. ...if they made you smile. ...if, at the end of the day, you were happy just being you.

So a few months ago I decided I was going to become a runner.  I didn't buy any special gear, I didn't read anything about running; I simply jumped on the treadmill and ran.  Well, I proceeded to attempt to run.  I made it through the first two weeks.  At that point I repeated the phrase I've used since I learnt how to run, "I only run if I'm being chased...my body isn't made to run." Then Emily had to go and start the program. I'm not competitive.  It wasn't that I wanted to try and "beat" her.  But watching her go through the program and talk how much she hated it, but how it ultimately made her feel good made me think I should try it again.  Perhaps this time with some forethought.  I realized there was a podcast you could download that tells you when to run and walk, thus making watching the clock tick away unnecessary.  I bought a pair of running shoes.  Cheap, Target running shoes; just in case I couldn't stick with it.  ...

When I became a mom a lot of things changed.  And no, I'm not just talking about my shoes size, my waist and my unending need for Diet Coke.  The way I looked at the world changed.  I became a master of ten nanosecond risk management.  "Is this floor clean enough for you to crawl on?"  "Is a fall down these steps going to be a lesson about climbing or a trip to the ER?"  "How many doors does this room have and how many are viable exit routes for you?" And people wonder why I am so scattered brained. I also learned to look at the world through the eyes of my Little Lady.  Puddles have become the most entertaining half hour after a rain storm.  An empty coffee can and a chopstick have become, at once, the most terrific marching tools and migraine producers.  An empty hallway in the middle of a mall can become the best playground when you are with you buddies. A long hallway?  Nah, it's a race track, something new to explore. Giggles ...

It's true.  I have a little escape artist on my hands.  After months of deluding myself that the Little Lady was too short to open doors, she went and did it this afternoon during nap time.  The sound of that door opening was the single most frightening sound I've ever heard in my entire life.  I can't even begin to explain to you the mental upheaval I have right now.  No longer can I place her anywhere without her getting out by her own volition. No place is safe. I know I can get one of those door knob thingys so she can't get out of her room.  But now, the possibility of escape there.  So long "quiet" time.  However, the ramifications of this go far beyond my precious two hours of peace in the afternoon.  No, now I can't leave her on the porch to play without ensuring, beyond a shadow of a doubt that the door is locked.  Showers will be shared and I will probably find myself with a midnight wanderer once again. And I thought po...

The Mr. has been sick, I've been potty training the Little Lady; so let's just say that my house is currently covered in bodily fluids. So I'm ready for put in for some PTO.  Anyone know where I can send in the slip? Anyone? Hello?  ( tap, tap, tap )   Is anybody out there? Sigh, why didn't I negotiate that into my contract? Oh right, I don't have one.

Happy Friday everyone!  It's been a rainy, wet week around these parts, and although that is good for making us stay home to potty train, it does nothing to improve our cabin fever.  The weekend is supposed to be a bit nicer, but cloudy.  As long as it's not raining I'll be happy. I have never been a person to have rituals or routines or even a set way of doing something.  Or so I thought.  After my morning "non-routine" got went all kiddywampus this morning that I not only have a routine, if that routine heads south I am one crabby customer.  I won't go into the details of the derailment this morning, but I will say that by 7AM, the Little Lady was in the bathtub.  So in an effort to recognize my own routine during the day I decided to write down what I thought was my first, necessary five steps that I do every morning. Put on my glasses and a pair of yoga pants.  Seriously, if I don't have any clean and have to get dressed, the morning is o...

By the time Wednesday rolls around most weeks I'm tired, and this week is no exception. We're hitting the potty training hard and we've come far enough that we're not turning back. The Mr. has been super busy at work, which leaves me flying solo most nights until (or past) bedtime. But instead of dwelling on all of the things that have made this week seem long or that have gone wrong or that have left me feeling worn out, I have decided to write a quick list of all the good things this week. Accomplishments and happenings that have made me feel better than (or simply) fine. I encourage you to do the same. Leave a few in the comments, I'd love to hear about your week thus far! Pee hitting the potty. There's nothing that sounds better than that first success. Friends that come over at night to gab and gossip. BBQs with friends . Finishing sewing projects that seemed difficult at the time. Finishing them and loving the results. Chilling with the Mr. when h...

I needed a good laugh today, so I quickly Googled "bad Facebook statuses." Oh, boy. I got a good chuckle out of quite a few of these. Check out the list. Number One, in particular made me laugh. Facebook Nightmare. Enjoy!

When I first became a mom I was very concerned about the amount of socialization that my kid would (or would not) receive if I became a Stay At Home Mom. Luckily, and I didn't know this at the time, my kid is a pretty social kid. However, at the beginning I made it a point to hang out with my nephews and mother-in-law as much as possible. The only problem was that they lived almost thirty minutes away, and the amount of money I was spending on gas was starting to get out of hand. So, I needed to find another outlet. I started searching online for Mom's Groups and was lucky enough to find a great one. My kid has been making friends and learning from her peers for almost two years now. That's the first part of the Family Friend Trifecta. Your kid makes friends. They learn and grow and have a good time. The second portion of the trifecta deals with the moms. When I started attending get togethers I really wasn't looking for friends for myself. I thought I had e...