Mom to the Screaming Masses

Witches Abound

My Life is Now Over

I sent my husband to the grocery store last Thursday. I asked him to pick up a bag of tortilla chips and some cheese to go along with the chili that I'd made for dinner. A few minutes after he left, my phone rang. The caller ID indicated that it was him calling me. I wondered if he'd forgotten something and so I picked up the phone. Here is our conversation:

Me: Did you forget something?

Him: No. You'll never believe what just happened. I saw a sign in the grocery, and I realized something awesome!

Me: What? That you can buy food there?

Him: No! I am old enough to get the Senior Citizen Discount on Thursdays! I'll never pay full price again!

Duh-duh-duh. I'm married to a Senior Citizen. Life as I know it is now O-V-E-R.

(Note: this is totally tongue in cheek. It's not offensive to be married to a senior citizen. But I'm 40 and he's 55 - I didn't expect this type of stuff for a long time yet!)

Never Underestimate the Power Of...

I saw this in Oprah magazine and thought it was intriguing enough post.

Finish this sentence.

Never Underestimate the Power Of...

Some of the (famous and powerful) people said things like Passion. Gratitude. Waiting a situation out.

Some of my answers are:

• A kiss
• a nap
• a great meal
• one really stellar friend that you can call for anything - I happen to have one local and two in other states
• A restorative night in a hotel alone with your spouse - or without your spouse (!)
• the perfect cup of coffee as soon as you awaken

 

A Reader Asks a Question - Part X

Fyi - I'm really bad at Roman Numerals.

Also known as the final installment. My comments have been low, so I'm guessing that this wasn't an impressive series - although I really enjoyed it tremendously.

This comment was asked anon - What is your policy on commenting on your website? And the Gorgeous Jadine piggybacks with: I wonder about the following with regard to all the bloggers I read (I'm not saying *you* get negative comments, just wondering about if you did...) When you get negative comments, do your feelings get hurt? Do you delete them? Would you rather get negative comments than few comments? Do you like to get negative comments, because they elicit more comments/discussion? I would get my feelings hurt, and I'd have emotional scars forever. I'm not tough enough to blog.

True Confessions

1 - I listen to Cosmo Radio in the morning after I drop the kids off at school.

2 - I have never seen a single episode of Dexter, Mad Men or True Blood.  And I don't plan to remedy this.

3 - I went to the allergist for the hives, who told me that I had no food allergies. I finished the prednisone on Tuesday of last week. The hives came back on Sunday. I'm ready to shoot someone.

4 - I have no interest in the upcoming elections. This makes me a bad citizen. I don't care. I blame the commercials.

5 - I do not like the show Parenthood. I used to love it. But the story line with the doofy younger brother makes me crazy.

6 - I do not like the music of The Rolling Stones.

7 - Or Creedence Clearwater Revival.

There. I feel so much better, lol.

What do you want to confess?

Take Advantage of Every Opportunity Given You

Everyone should be able to wear Fairy Wings ONCE in their life...

I went to a wedding this weekend. It was a much anticipated event for me, and it was everything I expected. As I was leaving, one of the younger women said to me, I was really surprised to find out how much fun you were! You really like to have a good time - and to dance!

I guess, maybe, I don't give off that vibe?

The fairy wings were worn by the two flower girls, who were dressed in gorgeous hand made woodland fairy costumes. A few of us passed the wings around. I'm the only one who took pictures.

HA.

Suddenly, He Is Eleven

It just happened. I woke up and Gabriel, my gentle, sweet blond baby, turned 11.

Monday the 25th of October is that day.

He was born more than 2 weeks late - having to be "helped" into the world. He was a calm, sweet baby with a full head of almost white blond curls. He's still the sweetest child I think I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. He is concerned about EVERYONE and EVERYTHING - often to the detriment of himself.

I'm always finding notes like this around the house.

(In case you can't read them, each paper says 1 free chore by Gabe)

He is addicted to Legos, Star Wars and any combination thereof. He is kind to younger children and has a wacky sense of humor.

He picked this picture himself as the one he wanted me to post of him.

Mackenzie made up a wordle from words that the family used to explain him. Some of the words were: artist, 4th born, awesome, kind, paperfolder, (he's a origami addict and I'm ALWAYS finding paper hats and such), books, legos, reader, GMan (his nickname) and You Rock!

Happy Birthday, Gabriel. Mommy Loves You.

A Reader Asks a Question - Part IX

Part 9 of 10. Yes, there is an ending to this series. BTW, there is an opportunity to win a $50 gift certificate to The Vintage Pearl. There aren't many entries, so what are you waiting for?

Marvelous Megsie ponders: The mast head of your blog subtly tells the reader you've heard many comments about having a large family. What would be a good thing to say when "we" hear some one say that they have a bajillion and a half kids? Is it okay to say, "you must have a big heart" or would you prefer to be asked (again) if they're "all yours"?

Well, we kind of covered this topic this past week with the Redbook article. That being said, I don't have a bigger heart than anyone who has any number of kids, and I have to wonder if people in general wonder if a woman with any number of kids -if those kids are hers. Does that even make sense? What I wonder is, why do people want to know if the kids I have with me are all mine? Does it matter? And I'm not trying to be smarmy, but it has always puzzled me that of alll the things one could chat with me about - they pick the number of kids I have.

I get the argument that You are doing something that is counter culture, so of course people will be curious. Curious shouldn't equal rude, and I know comments often cross the line.

Refuting the Gossip

I am so mad right now. So mad. Angry and Infuriated.

I was told that a person I used to look up to, a person who I thought was a friend, although I haven't seen her in quite a while - has told a falsehood about me.

For the record.

I lost 80 pounds. EIGHTY pounds. That's as much as my 13 year old weighs. And I did it by myself.

I did not have a tummy tuck. I did not have breast augmentation. I have had absolutely NO cosmetic surgery. I had a inguinal hernia repaired three (?) years ago. I had an endometrial ablation last year. I have had melanoma cut out of me in a couple of places.

I have - let me be totally clear - not had liposuction. Not had a tummy tuck. Not had breast augumentation. If anyone reading here HAS had those things - I don't care. It is NONE of my business.

And whatever "PROOF" that you have that I did have those surgeries - I want to see it.

My (imperfect) body is the result of hard, hard work. I work out at least once a day for an hour. Some days I work out twice a day an hour each time. I take boxing class. I do Crossfit workouts. I do crazy insane Gym Jones workouts that make me want to barf my spleen onto the mat. I walk. I run. I do P90X Ab routines that make me scream. I have weights that I use, I jump rope, and I walk to the grocery store if it's at all possible time wise.

I try as much as I can to eat clean 80-90% of the time. I struggle with breads and cakes, and have to work HARD to resist the call of the soda and the mixed drinks. I've been open and honest that I've gained back 12-15 pounds of my lost weight.

But I did it. And you can do it too. It is possible to lose weight. It is HARD. But it is possible. Don't you dare try to take away from the work that I did by minimizing it.

Comments are closed. I don't need affirmation.

I badly need to be adult about this. I know this woman and her older children read here.

Here me now. Gossip and slander are areas of weakness for me and areas that I work on daily. (Along with pride and I'm sure lots of other areas that many people would love to share with me.) I suggest you do the same.

By minimizing my effort - and hear me now, losing weight was the hardest thing I've ever done - you minimize the effort of every single person who has ever lost weight and cast doubt on those who need to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. It can be done. It can.

 

A Reader Asks a Question - Part VIII

The Splendiferous Liz Hawks wonders: Oh the irony - I posted last week about my own bottom-barrel scraping complete with zombie grocery shopping. I'd love to know this: if you could select one current celebrity and make him/her do anything you'd like for a full day (your own personal puppet), who would you pick and what would they do?

Hmm. Interesting question. I think I might pick someone who needs a slap upside the head of what it takes to actually parent a bunch of kids without a large income at your disposal. I think mostly anyone can parent a lot of kids if they have access to nannies/housekeepers/cooks and maids. Angelina Jolie seems like an involved parent, but I wonder if it'd be so easy without a large income and lots of help. Or maybe let Meredith Viera be me for a day - she always seems so absolutely unruffled, like nothing ever gets under her skin ever. Someone who seems like it's all SO easy and if we just did it like her, we'd NEVER have trouble again. I'd venture to say, it's easier to be a parent when you can pay someone to do a lot of the necessary grunt work for you.

Who would you pick?