Mom to the Screaming Masses

Friday Fill-In #4

Hey, will you please drop by BlogHer  and leave a comment or two on the LG Text Ed post, where we are discussing parenting and (gulp) texting.  Each comment is worth a $.50 donation to DoSomething.org. And if you’re feeling extra crazy?  Once you’ve left a comment, click on one of the links to LG’s Text Ed site to see some hilarious Jane Lynch videos.  Seriously - she's a rip.

AND - are you a fan of my favorite book ever - Diana Gabaldon's Outlander? Right now, you can download it FOR FREE on your Kindle. Seriously. FREE for the best book ever.

As usual, this is from the archives of the Friday Fill-Ins. Please feel free to put this up on your own blog - let me know and I'll come visit - or leave your answers in the comments.

1. I'm going _____.

2. Laughter _______.

3. Perhaps today you can make it a point _____.

4. It's hard to know how much ________.

5. Compassion is _____

6. _____ no matter how difficult.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

No Pity Parties Allowed

But, oh how I wanted to have one today...

I decided, long about the time that the fourth kid came, when my first kid was ten, that I wasn't going to use the fact that we had a larger than average amount of children keep me from doing anything, or keep my kids from experiencing stuff. (Man, that's a long sentence.)

I made a firm promise to myself. I didn't want my kids to resent their siblings, to say that child X kept them from doing anything, that if only you didn't have the baby I could have done x/y/z. And that's a promise that I've stuck with, through thick and thin, even though it's caused me some stress and some angst and makes my life complicated. I still stand by it.

Didja Ever Just Get a Wild Hair?

Have you checked out the Blogher/LG Text Ed area, where Moms are discussing teens and texting and how totally crazy it gets?

Did your brain ever hold on to something and just not want to let it go? I happened to have caught an episode of Hoarders - just a minute or two of it and boom! My brain decided that I needed to make sure I never became one.

And then I walked into my garage. And died a little death.

It wasn't Hoarders level, by any stretch of the imagination - but I definitely could see the potential and so, after I took the kids to school  on Monday, I decided to clean out the garage.

The Uncomprehensible Goal of Perfection

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.

ee cummings, US poet

I read an AMAZING post this week. Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing, wrote: The Disease Called Perfection. ( I also swiped the thought of that quote from the post)

It was probably the single most inspiring post I've read this year, and maybe for several years. Please go and read it. I'll wait right here for you.

Did you find it inspiring? I certainly did. I strive for perfection all of the time, and beat myself silly when I fall flat. And yet, I will fall flat every single time I aim to be perfect, for there is no way that I ever COULD be perfect. I am perfectly imperfect, and I'm ok with that. Better than ok with it - I'm glad with it. I think it makes me a better friend.

Me and The Prednisone, We Don't Get Along So Well

About a month ago, I decided that it would be in the best interest of my training partners at boxing class if I shaved my legs before class. It's the little things I do for people that are the best, I'm convinced.

So I was in a rush and I sat on the edge of the tub and shaved. When I was finished, my legs looked weird. All covered with dots, and so, so itchy. I chalked it up to "shaving too fast" and "possibly using the wrong lotion" and went on with my day.

My legs, oh, how they itched. And when I woke up the next day it was to see my legs covered in long, ropey looking hives. I took a Zyrtec and went on. For about a week.  I had no idea why I'd have hives - no different detergent, no new lotion, no different foods, no new soaps.

Do For Others?

I'm having a little bit of a frustrating couple of days and it's brought to mind a question that I've been pondering for QUITE a while..,

How much do you do for others in your life? Do you feel like it's an equal equation, with regards to what others do for you?

Friday Fill-In #3

As always, from the wonderful Friday Fill-Ins. This one was several back. If you'd like to leave your comments here, I'd love to see them, but if you want to post it to your blog, just leave me a link!

1. On vacation, I like _____________.
2. _________ in the ocean.
3. One of my favorite vacation spots __________.
4. _____________ full moon.
5. Up, up and away ______________.
6. Bananas ________.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

Exercise, Much?

I am participating in a program sponsored by LG and Blogher, in which I have been selected as an “LG TextEd Ambassador”. I'll be posting about this on Scrutiny by The Masses in the next month, and in the meantime, you can check out the the latest topic on “Mobile Meanness”, and follow the other bloggers as we discuss texting and kids and the drama that can, often and does occur.

I do Crossfit three mornings a week. 15-45 minutes.

I train an hour of Muay Thai five days, occasionally six, a week. (Last week it was one.lonely.miserable.alone.day)

I try to walk and/or run 3-4 days a week.

I probably exercise too much. But I really love it. I'd rather exercise than do anything, except maybe eat, cook, sleep or read. My house DEFINITELY reflects it.

My husband calls the gym my home away from home, and if I didn't love to eat so much, and so often - I'd probably be in much better physical condition. But life is life and it's too short to avoid pie and cakes and mixed drinks. :)

How much do you exercise?

What is your preferred exercise? Mine is definitely boxing pad rounds.

No shame, no judgement - if you love Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies - and there is a LOT to be said for that! - share it with us. I am just curious to know - I know that many people wh love to exercise are VERY serious about their choice of exercise. If you don't exercsie, why? Time? Money? Interest?

The New Email

My ten year old son needed an email account. He's been asking for one for quite a while now, but it recently became necessary for school, (as in, required) and so we created one together. He was on top of the WORLD with excitement. He opens it up a million times a day to check and see if anyone emailed him.

I keep my main laptop in the kitchen most days, because I spend an INSANE amount of time in said place. I turn it so that I can read along with recipes as I'm cooking, and see if a new email pops up, or something on Twitter. (As an aside, I was one of the 70 bajillion people hit with that stoopid Twitter worm on Tuesday and so now I'm using Tweetdeck. Which is SO great for an easily distracted person like myself, when the alerts pop up every minute or so.)

Breakfast, I'll Be

You might think that the title of this post is a Southern reference, kind of like a Designing Women reference. You'd be wrong. Before you read this, or maybe after, though, please take a minute and check out some great posts I have on Scrutiny by the Masses. There are great stories and laundry and kitchen tips and I'd LOVE to have your stories added as well! AND, very important - did you enter for FREE money????

When you have a son that gives new meaning to the term Star Wars Fan, and you buy Star Wars Pancake Molds, you get all kinds of jokes at the breakfast table.

Breakfast, I'll Be...Eat Me, You Will...