aye-yah-yiye!

*I did it. I agreed to participate in a 50 mile bike tour this weekend. Yikes. The part that scares me the most? There are seven of us and I don't really know these ladies. Except my aunt, the organizer. Yikes. Oh, well. I am going to be able to add 50 miles to my trip to Boston. So it makes it all worth it. That, and the beautiful fall colors that are making an appearance. This state is really beautiful, isn't it?
*I don't like the new FB. I realize it is a free service. But I feel more out of touch on it.
*This Tax Prep class is a lot to soak in. But I love it. My brain is being put to use!!
*My friends back in NM are planning the annual Halloween bash for people/families in the same field of work as ZZtop and I'm missing out. Boo. I didn't hate the weekly lunches with the girls.
*Kaija + crayon = a house that looks like an art gallery. Including my walls and counter tops. UGH. Besides banning every writing utensil from the house, how do I stop the madness?! BTW: it's what I get. I always swore that I wouldn't be one of those moms with scribbles all over my walls. So. Now I am. Be careful what you proclaim. Even if it is just to yourself.
*My company is gone. Which means life should slow down. That isn't necessarily a good thing. I like it busy. And I like having people around me.
*Still waiting on Logan's x-ray results... Don't know when our next trip to MN will be.
*But we have had Logan in PT 7 months post-op and he still walks with a limp. Sigh. I didn't realize it would take that long. We are, however, thankful that he can walk without pain.
*This is my favoritist season. All the sights, sounds and smells- apples, pumpkins, leaves... Sigh.

Enjoy it!!

Workout Wednesday #1

Years back, I lived on a diet consisting of mainly mountain dew and greasy food. And chased it down with a cigarette. Then when I started to have kids, I realized what a mistake that whole idea was. I had most likely shaved years off of my life before the thought of seeing my kids and grandkids growing up was even more than a passing thought. Yikes. It was for that reason, and the fact that both of my Grandpas had died of a heart attack, that I got my butt in gear. And here I am, years later and I still haven't stopped for longer than a six-week-after-baby-hiatus here and there. and there. and there.

I am forever trying to compensate for the abuse I put my body through in the past. And continue to. I still can't resist grease. It just isn't my go-to anymore. Sniff. And I kicked the tobaccy (it wasn't wacky) a long while ago.

Anywho. I'm actually not here to preach or pretend like I'm some sort of know it all. My apologies, if it sounds that way. I'm not going to list all the reasons why you should exercise. You already know. And, quite frankly, if you don't exercise- it's your loss. Not mine.

HOWEVER. I am going to try to show you why your excuses don't hold water. You don't have a good reason to not exercise, except that you plain old don't want to. That's all. FYI: Nobody actually wants to at first. It isn't until you have been doing it for a while and start to see results that you get hooked. And then you still have days that you don't want to.

*You could have time if you made it. That being said, I realize there are days really are too busy for exercise. Don't beat yourself up over it.
*Prego? Walk. You actually should. The more I exercised, the more it helped in labor and delivery. I did an hour long, high-impact cardio class just hours before giving birth to Kaija. I had her within a few hours of going into labor. And I only pushed twice, if I remember right.
*You can work around most injuries. I taught class with broken toe and a knee that bothered me. It can be done.
*Sick? or just had a baby? Please. I'm not a drill sargeant. Those are very valid excuses.
*And you don't need a gym. Most of the workouts that I am going to post can be done at home. I squeezed this one in today while Kaija napped. It's short and sweet, but perfect for when you are pressed for time and homebound- like I was today. Also, no equipment needed!

Workout #1:
30 jumping jacks
5 push-ups
25 high knees (Jog in place with knees up really high. I did a total of 25/leg.)
7 burpees
10 crunches
7 squats
5 push-ups
10 crunches
5 push-ups
7 squats
30 jumping jacks
1 minute wall sit (your break! yay!)
5 push-ups
25 high knees

Repeat at least twice, but as many times as you want!
*As with any workout, modify for injuries and make it harder/easier depending on what kind of shape you are in.

Well.

There you have it, Dr. Urgent Care. Today I was "absolved of my parental guilt" by the ENT. I like him. Always have. And always will. Especially now. He couldn't tell exactly how bad the ear was, but he assured me it would be okay. Both her ears and keeping the q-tips around.

Dear Less-Than-Nice-Doctor Urgent Care Doctor

It's not that I don't agree with what you were trying to insinuate. I realize that I am not the world's best mother. Never have been, never will be. I don't even care. I just need to be Logan, Maddie, Haley, Izzy and Kaija's best mom.

However. I do defend myself on this: Q-tips are not the worst thing that a person could have in their home. They can be used for a number of things, including dusting corners and crevices. Which I do ALL THE TIME. The fact that I had a child trying to be extra helpful and cleaning another child's ear- when I was not home- isn't the end of the world. Yes. I realize how dangerous it could be (which is why we came in in the first place) and hopefully we get good news from a real doctor the ENT tomorrow. sinceyouweren'tsmartenoughtogivemeananswer


I made an educated guess -not from your sparkling personality- but from the fact that you were not wearing a ring, that it's a good possibility that you don't have children. And. You had time to go online and become a rent-a-Dr a Dr. That, and the fact that you don't realize that accidents do happen when you have kids. So I should probably give you a little leeway, because I used to think I had all the answers before I had kids, too. Then they came along and proved me wrong. But then again, it is me. The questionable mom.

Anyway, thank you for your valuable opinion. It's greatly appreciated, as I tend to surround myself with idiots/people who have questionable items in their houses. So you know how hard it is to engage in intellectual conversations these days. What with all the Q-tips laying around. Good luck in the future. I'm glad you didn't choose to go into customer service. Oh, and I won't be able to make it for a re-check with you. It kills me.

Sincerely,

The Mess of a Mom

P.S. I'm glad I didn't tell you your shoes were cute, because when I got a better glimpse- they actually were a little outdated. Not that that matters. It just seems that someone so incredibly brilliant, like yourself, would know these things. I'm just saying.

P.S. You should really read my previous post. It helped me to bite my tongue.

Why you should be kind.

Ohmygoodnessibawledlikeababywhenireadthis.
This story hit me in a place that most things don't. It makes you think.
I think it really hits home because there have been times in my life that
I really would have worn a sign. "My emotions are running high from just having a new baby".
"We have yet another hip problem to deal with". "I just lost my father in law".
Honestly. It would make life easier, in a way.
What's your sign? (You can sign in anonymously)

And many more.

Every once in a great while, I go through and delete posts. I have my reasons.

The downside to it all is that I have no idea how many posts I've done through the years.

But I do have friends that know exactly how many posts they have done. Like Jenny.

And it's her 500th post, which is cause for major celebration. Obviously.

And she has a contest going. And I've wracked my brain.

Written and crumpled. Written and crumpled.

And I couldn't come up with anything over the top awesome.

So instead, I will count my blessings. The blessings having a blog brings.

I meet people I wouldn't have otherwise met

Formed a network here before I even moved

Reconnected with past friends and family

Laugh and cry through lifes ups and downs

See the beauty others have to offer through their posts

Hear what others have to say

And weigh opinions

Discuss and debate

Get it off my chest

Catch a glimpse into others lives

Realize I'm not the only parent to not have all the answers

And. I'm not the only one with a HH

And who else carries the cards for the club

Share a cup of coffee from afar

Draw inspiration

Form friendships

Received a smiles in the mail

Hopefully sent some, too

Bonded over medical conditions

Found support in unexpected ways

Had my voice heard

Questions answered

Great recommendations, from recipes to books

Shared my dreams

And enjoyed every minute of it

Here's to 500 more!!

MUAH!!!!!!!

Give me a break, give me a break...

I'd take a piece of a Kit Kat bar.

I knew before my toes touched my carpet today that I really wasn't feeling up to snuff. And I decided to give myself a break.
And I feel guilty. How lame is that?!
I gave myself a SAHM's version of a sick day and I still feel guilty over the luxury.
Still in pj's.
Caught up with the Kardashians.
Laughed with Ellen.
Made sure the price is still right. It is.
And I feel guilty instead of enjoying the perfectly good excuse. I almost never allow myself those little pleasures. And definitely not all on the same day.
Guilty that the only good that sounds appetizing is Pirate's Booty and I'm eating it like it's going out of style.
In my pj's.
In the recliner.
In my house that needs a thorough cleaning.
Oh, and to make up for it all... I'm not even going to attempt to exercise today. Nope. Not going to happen.

Guilty or not, I'm making a stand for all of us Moms that rarely give ourselves a break. Yay, me! Just promise me that you'll do the same next time you wake up feeling less than awesome. Then maybe I'll feel less guilt. If not for yourself, then for me. Just like I'm doing this for you, too. All in the name of friendship, right? Thanks. You are nice.

Awesomeness.

You, my friend, are awesome. I hope you know it. (There is a link there. Check it out. It's AWESOME.)

Beached whale.

Well, all-righty then. We are going with the beach theme. I must admit, I was a little bummed. Magenta sounded fun. HOWEVER. The beach theme will match my washer/dryer better, be easier to do and cost less. I have three beach scenes that I bought over the summer and now I will have a spot for them. A few less accessories to buy. Heaven knows I like blue. I currently have three rooms with some form of blue paint on the walls.

Thanks for your input! And I'm always surprised by the number of votes I get. I'd love to hear from you quiet people who vote but never comment. I'm just sayin'. Makes me wonder how many people do not vote or comment.

Book It!

Regardless of the noise levels over the summer, I was able to sneak in some great reading and thought I'd share. (Although, the majority of them are from Leanne's blog, if you'd just dig around there under "literature".)

Between Two Worlds- by Zainab Salbi. This is a true story about the daughter of Saddam Hussein's pilot. One line in this book pretty much sums up the strongest message (IMHO) of this book. "Any society that stops questioning its leaders is vulnerable to dictatorship..." It's amazing what can actually happen in our world. We need to take a stand against the things that we don't agree with. This book will open your eyes to the way women suffer in this world and how it's accepted as the norm in some cultures. It should be at the top of your list.

Kate Morton- great author. Read her books. You will not be disappointed.

Slave My True Story- by Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis. According to the date of publication and the "about the author" section of the book, this girl is approximately my age. It's horrifying to me that in this day and age, there are actually slaves. My age, no less. This is a must read book. Meaning, you MUST READ IT. I am so fortunate to have been born when, where and to whom I was born.

Dancing Under The Red Star- by Karl Tobien. Another true story that makes me thankful for the when, where and whom of my birth. This story is about a young girl whose family was transferred, by Henry Ford, from Detroit to Gorky, Russia right before the reign of Stalin. Another example of a tyrant running a country. It's amazing how easy and blessed my life is. And how we, thus far, have had relatively decent leaders who have not completely overturned our lives, as a whole. Another must read.

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay- by Suzanne Collins, I think. It's crazy the imagination some people have. Seriously. I kept thinking that through this series. While it's so unlike my usual books, I could not put the books down. They are so good.

Look Me In The EyeMy Life With Asperberger's- by John Elder Robison. So interesting. Maybe not the actual storyline itself, but it gave me a greater understanding of Aspberger's. I recommend this book. It would be interesting to get this perspective from someone on the other end of the autism spectrum. I realize that is unlikely. But I would love to read that book.I do not, however, recommend his brother's book, Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. I'm sorry. It was creepy and made me uncomfortable.

The Book Thief- by Markus Zusak. Why aren't you at the library getting it?

Sing Me Home- by Jodi Picoult. Hmmm. It wasn't as good as some of her others, but it wasn't the worst, either.

Bringing Adam HomeThe Abduction That Changed America-by Les Standiford. This was interesting because it's a true story about John Walsh's son that was abducted. It was hard because it's a true story. And you hear things you don't want to hear. But I wanted to know the story. And I got the story.

Dirty Sexy Politics- by Meghan McCain. So-so. Nothing earth-shattering. I'm actually not 100% sure why she felt compelled to write a book. Basically, she went on the campaign trail and didn't conform to rules that go with campaigning. And she didn't like everyone. Other than that... Oh! One thing that did confuse me- I'm pretty sure that she said in this book that she was a straight woman. Didn't she come out of the closet? I read the sentence more than once to make sure my eyes didn't deceive me. Even still, I feel like I must be mistaken. Anyone else catch that? It was at the end of the book, so maybe you didn't get that far... ;)

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid-by Jeff Kinney. SO FUNNY. You don't even have to be 9. Although, it helps if your 9 year old checks out the book at the library. I'm just sayin.

Mrs. Mike- by Benedict Freedman. One of my mom's favorite books of all time. It's a good book.

I'm always looking for a good book to read, so please recommend a few to me. My list is dwindling, causing me to have a small anxiety attack.

May God bless and protect this country.

Now and forever.

Misk-ellanious.

Get out and vote!!------------->

The picture (below) is sideways, but you get the idea.

If you don't, I really can't help you. Sorry.

That's a whole 'nother set of issues.

Now I just hope your monitor is adjusted so this green doesn't come out to funky.

Also, I hope your monitor isn't adjusted so that it

looks like my house has random items laying around.

I hate when computers do that. So. Anyhow.
I start school next week! Wahoo! Time to go out and buy
new jumps and a new outfit. And a backpack. ;) They are on clearance right now.

Other than that...
My windows are supah dupah clean. If you need a guy, I got a guy for you.
Seriously. I have 30+ windows in my house. And two sliding glass doors. He charged about
$100 less than I was expecting, as this wasn't my first rodeo.
FYI, I don't do windows. Because I can't make them disappear like I want them to.
So, yeah. You need a guy? I got a guy.

Aimee, you can come here now. Hurry up before Kaija touches the window.
She's getting tired of wearing gloves. ;) Oh. Wait. Never mind.
She just licked the window.

Oh. And.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION MONTH TO MY
WONDERFUL FRIEND AMY!!!!!!
May you be blessed with rain in Texas. Raining Converse, that is. Or at least ONE pair.

Your choice.

Is it weird that I want to stand in my bathroom and twirl?
I painted it the other day and all I can scream is: LOVE!!!!
It's fabulous. Green and fabulous.
So that leaves me with my next tackle: the laundry room/mudroom.
I've picked some color schemes over there to the right.
Vote on what I should do. Thanks. You're nice.

Wishing,washing.

And that's how it goes. I find out that I'm going to have overnight guests and it's all systems go. Suddenly, it's imperative that the dust balls underneath my bed are gonzo. Because, duh! That's exactly where people look when they come over. Always.


I worry about the wrong things. I remember one time, a friend of mine came to visit and I tackled the apartment with gusto. I had everything spit polished. Or so I thought. She sat down and jokingly ran her finger across my candle holder. The tip of her finger resembled a furry little mouse. Duh. Dust the stuff you see, Mindi, don't waste your time organizing your pencil drawer.


Thankfully, I have relaxed since then. And, it's my family that is coming. They already know what kind of mess I am capable of. After all, they lived with me for a lot of my life. It still is, however, a very good excuse to clean the nooks and crannies that are overdue for TLC. So, if it isn't done by Friday, it isn't going to be done for a while. Had these visits not coincided with my kids going back to school, I would have been more lax. In the past month, I've been twitching over the deep cleaning this house so desperately needs. Kids home 'round the clock = more cleaning for me. And so the combo of the two put a very hot fire under my rumpus.


Disclaimer: Just because I blogged about this doesn't mean my house is going to be immaculate when you come. It will hopefully be cleaner than it was. And you will never know what kind of a yardstick "was" was, will you?

On another note, we made the hard decision (any decision that Zztop and I need to make together is hard. We wish and we wash.) that we will be unable to make it to MN for Christmas again this year. There's a lot that went into it. Part of it? We will be there for Logan's pins and plates removal later in the winter. So. For now, that's the dealio. You know how we operate. Wishywashy, squishysquashy.

Speaking of hard decisions, I *think* we have really figured out, in our heart of hearts, where we really want to be. I'm not announcing it here to jinx it. But I think we know. I feel really at peace about it and have not second guessed it since, which usually happens when I really do come to a decision. That being said, it is still mostly out of our control, so... Life can change.

For the record, I like it here at the moment. Zztop and I balance each other out on this. When I hate it here, he likes it. When he hates it, I like it. Right now, I'm the happy one. It might have to do with the change of the season. There isn't much I hate at the moment.

So, here's to making decisions that hopefully stick. Just not on my clean walls, thankyouverymuch.