Daily Doses of Mama Drama

How To Read A Book In One Day

2011-07-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

There are many wonderful ways I can think of to be able to read a book in one day ........

1) In a hammock on the beach with a "mommy" lemonade nearby,

2) In my cozy bed on a rainy Sunday with a chai tea on my bedside table,

3) At home ALONE sitting on the couch with my favorite blankie (yes, I have a blankie),

4) On a blanket spread on the grass on a beautiful Spring day while my children play cooperatively with one another in peace and harmony (ok, now I'm just smoking crack, but you get the idea)

These are what I would consider NOT ideal ways in which to read a book in one day.....

1) Sitting in a not so ergonomical plastic chair,

2) Having a lady who talks obnoxiously on her cell to her bff about her female problems on one side,

3) A man who constantly makes a noise that sounds a lot like he's beginning to hock a loogie on the other.

4) All of the above at one time

Gotta LOVE jury duty

Cheesy-Sexy

2011-06-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Lady with the ridiculously fake tan,

Please look in a mirror and realize the "I just rolled in cheetos" look is out. I know, I know....you're one "sexy grandma" and want everyone to recognize. However, that color is neither good nor natural at ANY age. Also, I'm just going to believe that it was all just a bad experiment gone wrong at home with some self-tanner, because I most certainly don't want to believe that some poor girl at a tanning salon had to spray your naked ass. Now go get some lemons and scrub that crap off!

Sincerely,

Me

P.S. You may want to re-think those low rider jeans as well. The thong sticking out of the top is also not a good look at any age. However, it is particularly traumatizing to see it on some one who is of a "certain age" AND who is orange to boot.

Exhibit A In the case of... Lady Di vs. The Land Line

2011-06-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

So, I ran an errand earlier today. As I grabbed my purse on my way out the door I noticed that it seemed a bit heavier than usual, but continued on my way. Then as I'm driving I start to have cell phone anxiety. You know, it's like the feeling you get when you can't remember if you turned the curling iron off or not. You think you did but you didn't make a mental note of it so now you're not sure if your house is going to burn down thanks to the plugged in curling iron. Forgetting my cell phone is the same thing. I could carry that damn thing around all day and no one would call, but the one time I do forget it will be the time my kid falls and breaks his arm or something....I just know it!

So, (while I'm driving mind you) I begin to fumble around the side pockets of the purse. That's where I usually put the damn thing and I can't feel it. Therefore, I try the inside next. However, my purse is one of those "black hole" purses that seem to go on forever on the inside. Think Mary Poppins....pulling everything out but the kitchen sink. I'm trying to concentrate on driving, my hand feels nothing that resembles my cell phone so I decide to give up and look more thoroughly when I'm parked.

Okay, so there I was in the parking lot with my purse, ready to find that mother effing cell phone. I just have to find that thing, even though I will be done with my errand and back home in 15 minutes. Well, I found a phone all right AND the reason my purse was so heavy. I pulled out my lame cordless land line phone. Do people still even use land lines anymore? Apparently this chick does. Then because she is a dork, she tucks it into her purse due to what I am going to call... cell phone/land line confusion. So, this just pleads the case that I have been trying to make to my husband all along. We should cancel the land line and just use our cells. I mean really? Who uses those land lines anyway besides telemarketers? The fact that I don't want to be pulling out my cordless phone while I'm checking out at Safeway has absolutely NOTHING to do with it!!!

To Keep Or Not To Keep?...that was the question

2011-06-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

So a while back my husband asked, "What is this seventeen-something that is being charged every month to the bank account?" At first, I had no idea as to what he was talking about. Then my over active imagination took hold as I started to think some middle-aged hacker that still lives at home with his mom had hacked my bank account. However, no, it was the weight watchers online subscription that someone (who shall not disclose herself) started like, oh I don't know.....let's just say a little while ago.

It's not that I completely forgot about my subscription per say. It was something I decided to do in a moment of extreme motivation that just quickly deflated. So a million excuses later there I sat with a blank look on my face with my husband asking, "What is this seventeen-something that is being charged every month to the bank account?" A contemplative look replaced the blank look when he asked, "Well, do you want to keep this and do it or not?" Hmmm....

Well, I decided that I had no more excuses and kept the subscription. So here I am eating cantaloupe while my son eats a snack size McFlurry ( I owed it to him because of the torture he endured while waiting for me to get my hair done). This is also my second week of attending daily classes at the gym. I haven't done a "weigh in" yet, I'm saving that lovely moment for Friday. So, I guess it's official. Operation Muffin Top has commenced.

My Summer Resolution

2011-05-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a while since I last blogged......a LONG, LONG while. It's been a crazy year. So much has happened since the last time I wrote. I've had kid issues, marriage issues, work issues, you name it issues. Things are usually a little hectic around here but I've always been able to stay afloat despite the occasional curve ball life can throw. However, I've been completely overwhelmed for quite sometime now.

My writing style in the past has been a sort of a light hearted, sarcastic take on my life as a mom, sharing silly stories about my kids. I'm afraid my writing style may be a little more "heavy" these days. Don't get me wrong, my kids (especially my son) are still good for some crazy stories and I will be sure to share. I just don't take things in stride like I used to. I think it's this stage of life I am in. I'm in my thirties and as I reflect on my life so far I get disappointed, because when I was a young pup I thought for some stupid reason that when you get to your thirties you have it all figured out. Basically, I thought I would have my shit together by now....and I so clearly DO NOT.

It's not that my life is so terrible, it's just not exactly the best it could be (if that makes sense). So, rather than feeling sorry for myself I've decided to take action. I have devised a master plan that will begin this summer. I call it my master plan because it's made up of various small personal goals that will (hopefully) help make some good changes in my life. I like to think of it as a summer resolution. Why wait for New Years?

I've decided to blog about this because for me like many others, writing is therapeutic. So even if no one ever reads this it doesn't matter. I always feel better after writing. So, come along for the ride as I chronicle my ups, my downs, and don't forget those crazy kid stories.

Working My A** Off Lately....

2010-10-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

My son has had a rough couple of weeks. One day he did really well in school, but had a major meltdown at daycare. The very next day, he had a great day at daycare, but got sent to the office at school. I use all the strategies read in the books and remind him of the calming techniques learned at therapy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I always post about the musings of my boy. The word unique comes up a lot when I write about our conversations. The reason he has such a unique outlook on things is because he has a lovely combination of ADHD, OCD, and "Asperger like traits" (as quoted by the psychologist). This makes life REAL interesting in the Lady Di household.

I was watching a documentary on parenting children with Autism and Aspergers and one parent said something very profound. He said, "We kept looking for a "fix". Then we realized there is no fix, just work." He is exactly right. These children don't fit inside the box of what many would consider "normal". Instead of trying to stuff them inside this "box" we need to accept them for who they are and change OUR way of thinking. It may be work, but it's worth it....because hey let's face it, being normal can be so boring.

Keep your face to the sunshine and you can not see the shadow - Helen Keller

LADY DI

Random Thought #3, 764

2010-10-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

"So how do you put lipstick on a guinea pig?"

Just another random thought from my son during a Homecoming football game last night. I don't even try to understand that boys mind. I did however want to answer him with "Well you get into grandma's (my MIL) purse and...." BUT, I stopped myself. Hence, the guinea pig will remain makeup-less. Good thing because the guinea pig is a boy.

Lady Di

Fall Is Here.....Sort Of...Uh, Okay Not Really

2010-10-03T17:01:00.000-07:00

Fall has arrived. Time for blustery winds, falling leaves, and pumpkins. I love Fall. I love wearing sweaters, going to the pumpkin patch, the smell of spices while apple cider cake bakes in the oven. Too bad, I'm not wearing sweaters or baking some yummy apple cake or pumpkin bread. I just spent the last week in capri's and flip flops. AND I sure as H-E-Double Hockey Sticks wasn't firing up the oven in this triple digit weather. You see, apparently my neck of the woods didn't get the memo that it is indeed FALL. In fact, it never does. We historically have what is known as an Indian Summer this time of year. We usually have very mild weather here, yet every October there is a spike in the temperature that lasts until around Halloween. This year is turning out to be no exception. I think it was hotter last week than our entire summer.

First, let me explain that for the most part I love the mild central coast weather here in my part of California. However, I wish just once we could get a taste of a true Fall season. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I don't get those warm fuzzy Fall feelings while the family and I are out searching for the perfect pumpkin in shorts and sandals.

I don't think I would feel so bad if it weren't for all the books and holiday cartoon specials that portray the idyllic Fall season. For years since I was a little girl have read story after story, seen pictures and watched shows about that mythical season called Fall. The vibrant orange, red, and yellow colors of the trees is beautiful..or so I've heard. Children jumping into leaf piles as high as mountains. I think if I gathered every leaf in this whole town I would have a pile large enough to stick my big toe in it.

I'm traumatized I tell you. Just once I wish that I could open a book about Fall and see a picture of someone walking down the street in shorts eating an ice cream. But no....what do I see? Granny making a nice cup of warm apple cider for the grandkiddos, families all bundled up going on the hay ride through the pumpkin patch, a bubbling stew on the stove, I can't go on...it's just too much. It's regional weather discrimination I say. I know I'm in the minority, but we need some representation. You'd think in this age of political correctness there'd be a least one book by now that would portray MY kind of Fall. Please, don't even get me started about Christmas. Not everyone lives in place where it snows....that's all I have to say about that.

So, I will continue to fight the good fight and advocate for people everywhere that live in such weather zones. We don't need "no stinkin'leaf piles". I will feel no shame for my scant appareal. I will proudly put on my capris and say with confidence to my children, "It's Fall, now let's go out and get some pumpkins.....and yes we will be going for ice cream later."

Lady Di

Tough Choices....Blog or Do Laundry???

2010-10-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

WOW! It's been a while since I've been on the ol' blog. Let's just say I have been beyond busy. Technically, I don't even have the time to be doing this post now. However, blogging seemed a lot more fun than cleaning the house and doing laundry. I know, I'm just weird like that.

Well for those of you that are new or have just plain forgotten about me because it's been so long, I am Lady Di. You know, the best good friend that Amy mentions from time to time in her posts. You know, the one with the goofy 8 yr. o ld son known as JD Boy because he is obsessed (understatement) with John Deere tractors. I have two daughters as well, but JD Boy gets the most press on the blog because we have such interesting, unique and sometimes just ridiculously, outrageously funny conversations. He also is famous for spouting off the most random comment or question. Since it's been such a long time I thought I would share some of our more memorable chats.

JD Boy: Hey mom did you know that army ants are strong.

Me: Uh, okay.

JD Boy: Yeah, they can carry a caterpillar. I think they live in Africa, not in New York.

Me: And why would you think they live in New York?

JD Boy: You know because Uncle Matt lives there, but I don't think they live with him.

Me: And why would army ants live with Uncle Matt?

JD Boy: You know because he was in the Army.

Me: OHHH-KAYYY...so what do you want for dinner?

"So how many years did it take for Abraham Lincoln to invent the light bulb?"

Let me set the stage for this one: JD Boy is in the shower and I notice two large rug burns on back of each shoulder. Earlier that day he had been freaking out at a cousin's party, running around saying his back was on fire because his older cousin dragged him out of her room. Older cousin said, "Well, he wouldn't get out of my room." OK, so of course I was like "whatever" he is being dramatic blah, blah, blah never looked at his back until the shower. This is the following conversation about the rugburn.

Me: Well, your cousin shouldn't have dragged you across the room BUT YOU should get out of people's rooms when they ask. You know, she did that because you were being stubborn.

JD Boy: Uh, I asked her to do that.

Me: (thinking AH-HA) So, you asked her to do it?

JD Boy: Yeah. She said, "Do you want me to drag you out of here?" and I said, "Yeah".......but I forgot about the carpet-fire.

Me: (big sigh) You mean rug burn????

JD Boy: HUH???? (he looks at me like I am the one who is confused)

Me: (big sigh while shaking head) OHH-KAY well, are ya done in there? It's time for bed.

Well, that's all for this post. Trust me, there are more where these came from.

Happy Birthday America!

2010-07-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

RAGGED OLD FLAG

THE DRAMA MAMAS SALUTE YOU!

AMY AND LADY DI

Allergist- Here We Come

2010-06-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

Finally! Hopefully we will get some answers.

Good Things to Come

2010-06-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

No matter your faith this is a great message. A friend forwarded this to me this morning because she knows I am struggling. I just thought I would share it with all of you. It just might help you as well.

I feel the need to explain.

2010-06-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh. This feels good. Staring at this blogger compose screen. Typing. I haven't been here in what seems like years. I haven't even visited our blog for fear that I would see that all our fans have left.

See I am trying to find a balance. Trying and failing. We have lived here in the great state of Montana for 8 months and I am still adjusting. My girls are still adjusting. We have had so much change that I just can't seem to get it together.

I used to find refuge in my blog and now I just can't seem to find the time to sit in front of a computer for any length of time. It makes me sad that I haven't been able to blog or read any of the blogs I follow so I feel the need to explain.

When we moved here we thought we would be okay for a while financially. We had a plan. The Hubs' job required him to travel but all would be well. I started helping a family member clean houses just for some extra cash. I wanted to contribute plus it helped out my family member. Soon after we were here my husbands job went through a slow spell and he and I HAD to work. He found another job that he hated and I started cleaning more houses. It got us through and now his other job is picking up and he was able to quit his not so great job. I however am still cleaning houses.

I have not been able to admit this until now. See I am not above cleaning a toilet or mopping a floor. I just feel like a failure. I have a bachelor's degree and I scrub toilets. It is frustrating to me and I feel ashamed. I am not supposed to work everyday but have been the last few weeks for one reason or another, hence the lack of blog posts. I am feeling the sting of not being with my girls. As of right now I have not had to put them in daycare - which I am so thankful for. Either the hubs or friends take them.

I have so many emotions running through my head and no outlet for them. I am going to try to blog more but I make no promises. When I am home I feel so scattered trying to get everything done. I feel as though sitting at the computer is just not an option. We are not even done unpacking. My girls miss me. Laundry is piling up. Housework to be done. The Hubs and I barely see each other. It just stinks.

I miss my life. My quiet little life in the Land of Nowhere. I feel as though I had my perfect and now it is gone. Perhaps I took it for granted and it was taken from me. Like I am being punished for not appreciating it more. For not being more thankful.

I worry about what people think about me, about being judged. I worry about what my girls think. It stings when I hear the Bug say to people, "my mom cleans houses". Or when I kiss the Bear goodbye and she says, "you go clean, Mommy?" Makes me sick to my stomach. I always thought that if I worked while my kids were young that it would be for something that would make them proud. That they could say "My mom was a rock star!" Not, "My mom scrubbed toilets."

Well I just had to get this out there. So you know- when you stop by and see that there are no posts that I am busy but still thinking about you and the blog world.

This too shall pass. I just have to find my new normal. I will. I have too.

Whew, It's Gone. I hope.

2010-05-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry I was gone....................

Friday,

Saturday,

Sunday,

Monday,

I was Sick. I finally got it! IT was NOT fun. The A-Cat got sick last Sunday and Monday and then Tuesday night the B-Bear got it and had it Wednesday and Thursday. Then WHAM - I got it Friday. It hit me HARD. Thank heavens MR. Man walked from his trip about 10 minutes after my first round. I went to bed.

and I didn't really emerge until Sunday. Sunday I woke up and thought to myself, I sure hope my husband is here and I didn't hallucinate him. A little panic set in when I realized that I didn't know if my kids had eaten, got dressed or if they were running wild around the house managing themselves. SCARY!

Saturday the K-Bug got it and spent most of Saturday in bed with me. She is not a good sick person. Quite DRAMATIC!

Then Sunday the Poor MR. Man got it. He did. He was wishing he hadn't come home. He doesn't do sick well either especially the stomach bug. So he was out Sunday and Monday. Anyhow needless to say we haven't seen each other much. Perhaps four days this month. If that.

I spent Monday. Disinfecting. I waged a germ war. Washed all surfaces. Wash and disinfected all bedding. I still have some more to do but I am almost done. Cross your fingers. It better be gone.

I can't do round 3.

Thankful Thursday: Friends

2010-05-13T09:14:00.001-07:00

I am so Thankful for good friends.

Yesterday I got a text from a friend telling me how much she loves me and misses me.

Last night I got a late night ring of my doorbell. When I opened the door I saw a friend carrying a sack. She said, "I brought you a treat." She had to go to Bozeman yesterday and she went to her favorite taco place. A place she has told me that I just HAVE to try when I go over that way. She brought me two of her favorite tacos. I was regretting stuffing myself at dinner because I so wanted to try one. I looking forward to lunch today.

Then this morning I used this:

An Ebelskiver pan that my best good friend Lady Di sent to me a month or so ago.

and so I made these little guys which the munchkins loved. So fun. So Yum.

I just love my friends and I am so THANKFUL.

Wordful Wednesday: Flour Power

2010-05-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

With this girl it is like a moth to a flame. If Mama gets out the flour she is so THERE. Ready to mix, knead, roll. It doesn't matter as long as she can get her hands (and face) good and messy.

In this case it was little of everything. The finished product:

YUM!

Have a great Wednesday and don't forget to visit Angie's Place.

Table Topics Tuesday: Oh Where To GO?

2010-05-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

The Topic:

Where would you like to go on vacation this year?

I WOULD like to go here:

Nothing like a little Tahiti to de-clutter the brain.

Or perhaps Fiji? A little more privacy here:

I am kind of tired of neighbors.

I can pretty much say with 100% certainty that I will be not be visiting either. However there are a few things that are more likely.

Like this:

at The Canyons Resort in Park City Utah. It just sounds like fun. For more info click here. This is actually more like a mini vacation for Mom but it looks like the resort has some fun stuff for the kiddos. Plus there is all kinds of stuff to do in Utah for families.

Or I would love to go to Arizona and California to see some family and friends and perhaps hit Disneyland, The San Diego Zoo and Sea World. I love that kind of vacation.

Most likely however we will stick close to home and enjoy the summer in our new surroundings. There is a lot to do in Big Sky.

Play along in Table Topics Tuesdays at Welcome to the Nuthouse Where would you like to go?

Monday's Mama Drama - Distracted

2010-05-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

So DISTRACTED! I think I have too much brain clutter.

Must find a way to declutter quickly before I have a full meltdown.

Snoozin' In Saturday: Fort Snooze

2010-05-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

I think she got tired while she was building her fort and decided to take a siesta or maybe she was done, who knows.

It got quiet and I thought I better check and this is what I found.

Show me your snoozers!

Just leave me a comment if you are participiating.

Today is the last day of the Blog Party. If you haven't checked it out, please do.

Friday Five: Medication, 90 degrees, The blues cure, Neighbors and Obsessions

2010-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me.

Hello there! Happy Happy Friday.

The five things I learned this week are:

1. Everyone around me is medicated which makes me wonder.................................should I be medicated too? I thought I was normal but perhaps I am not? I don't know. Maybe it is just because now I live in a populated town and know more people. People who are depressed, anxious, paranoid, confused. I am all of those things at some point some of the time. Maybe it becomes a problem when you are all of those things all of the time. Or perhaps I should just move back to the Land of Nowhere.

2. My husband traveling to our old home for a week enjoying the sun and swimming in 90

+ degree weather while I am stuck here in the wet cold snow inside all day with my children bothers me. just a little.

3. Watching my girls rock out to Demi Lavato melts my blues away EVERY TIME.

4. I have a neighbor who annoys me. I might just have to go knock on his door. (More on this soon)

5. My daughters' obsession with babies worries me more and more each day. I push the worry out only for it to slowly creep back in. I worry that it is not normal to be so obsessed about something.

Well there you have it? Tell me what you have learned this week. Enquiring minds would like to know.

It is not too late to help. Please check out this wonderful event. To see what I have on auction please click HERE.

Is this a Joke?

2010-05-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

I am so NOT laughing.

Monkey SEE, Monkey DO!

2010-05-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

Whatever the CAT does...................................

............................... The BEAR follows.

These girls crack me up.

For more Wordful Wednesdays visit the circus,

p.s. Tuesday Blog Party is still happening. To see what I have up for auction click HERE.

Whew, it's Hot.

2010-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently we moved to the surface of the sun. Can someone send me some ice water?

I am a little parched.

Tuesday Blog Party Here

Blog Party In Honor of Tuesday - Please Donate

2010-05-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

From now until May 8th, I am holding this give-away to help benifit Whatchagonnado.org, which is an organization that was founded by Charley & Jessica Whitt to honor their daughter Tuesday. Although their site is not completely up and running yet, the idea they have is - it is planned to be up soon. Whatchagonnado.org is being set up to benefit families that are dealing directly with pediatric cancer. It will help to fund their medical costs, food & travel, and even funeral arrangements, if needed. Of course it will also help to provide funds for Pediatric Cancer Research.

Charley & Jess know all too well what it is to live with pediatric cancer..... Tuesday was their beautiful twin daughter who bravely fought and sadly lost her 8 month battle with stage 4 neuroblastoma in January of 2009. They learned firsthand what cancer does to a family and they want to turn their pain & their loss into something to help others.

So myself along with many other of Jess & Charley's friends want to do anything we can to help them achieve their goal and make sure that the loss of Tuesday is never forgotten and always has purpose.

Up for Auction:

One Custom Made Crocheted Newsboy Cap (you pick colors and size) I can do most any color and size.

All you have to do to enter to win this auction is simply leave me a comment letting me know you are interested in a hat like this (please tell me the color and size - 12 months to adult, flower or bow). Then be sure to donate $1 to the Tuesday Fiona Whitt Foundation, which benefits Whatchagonnado.org

Also, head on over to the Tuesday Blog Party to see what other fantastic items are being auctioned off by clicking the image below.

There are lots of wonderful auctions going on and all it costs is one dollar to enter each one (unless otherwise specified) If you would like to make one donation, instead of many individual donations, please feel free to donate however is easiest for you. If you end up donating $10, but only find 5 auctions you are interested in, you can use those additional dollars as additional entries.

Thank you so much for supporting a great cause.

Snoozin' In Saturday: Puppy Love

2010-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Meet Maddie. She is my Aunt and Uncle's pup. Actually she is almost a year the same as Graycee. She is kind of a pain but oh so cute. I was going through our summer photos and ran upon it and immediately thought of Saturday Snoozers.

So show me YOUR Snoozers. Just leave a link in the comment section for now.

Friday Five: i'm back

2010-04-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

It sure has been a while. I didn't even realize how long it has been since I shared the five things I have learned for the week. I truly am missing blogging but am having trouble managing my time - fitting it all in with our new life here in Big Sky. Life has thrown a curve ball these last 6 months and I am not a fan of change. I do promise to be on here more. Not only post but visit some friends. I so miss that.

Anyhow I learned this week that:

1. One of my least favorite words appears to be a fun word to say by a four year old - my four year old. "Diarrhea" Grrrrr.

2. Being alone with my thoughts for 4 hours. No noise, just silence - isn't really all that good. NOT a fan.

3. That some things just don't happen when you think you want them to - but that is okay. At least that is what I tell myself.

4. That the stomach flu, once exposed, is inevitable. So all that is left to do is prepare. Soups and liquids. So I wait...............

5. Always check the oven before leaving the kitchen. Because the next day when you open the oven to broil some bread and see that pan of scrumptious country ribs from the night before - you will be so mad at yourself.

Hey did you know it is time for the secong Annual Tuesday's Blog Party benefiting pediatric cancer. It starts May 2nd. Check it out! It is important.

We have a Visitor

2010-04-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Not a welcome one either. The stomach bug. That is part of the reason I have not been around this week. The Cat got it on Saturday. I thought the rest of us were in the clear until last night. The Bear got it. Poor little thing. First pneumonia then the stomach flu. She just can't win.

You know what that means? Yep I am a shoe in. I so am not looking forward to my certain date with the toilet. Mr. Man just left for a week so I think the children will be having a 24 hours of tv in the near future (minus sleep). Who am I kidding? Even if Mr. Man was here they would be having adequate time in front of the tv while I am hugging my date.

So today I watch Jungle Book 2 next to the Bear so she will rest and not follow me around. I think we will take a nap. I am a little exhausted - with every move I shot up in bed last night to hold her bowl. Oh how I wish there was something I could do to ward this thing off.

Any ideas? I could use some. I hate the stomach bug. A Lot!

You would think that us moms would be used to throwing up. I mean if you add up all the times I have hugged that toilet for either pregnancy or flu - we are talking over a year of throwing up. YUCK!

Oh happy day.

Got Shears?

2010-04-21T05:47:00.000-07:00

Do you think your having a bad hair day? This poor guy is.

Everyday we see this sheep on the way to my mom's house. MR. MAN wants to steal him in the middle of the night, shear him and then return him.

Wouldn't that be hilarious? The owners wake up and there is their naked sheep in a pile of wool.

It would make the newspaper for sure.

What do you think the headlines would be?

Go see more Wordful Wednesdays at Angie's

Crazy Commentary-Monday's Mama Drama

2010-04-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

You Know You Have Mama Drama When.....

1. Your son doesn't have any sandals that fit so he decides to wear his bright orange cowboy boots with his green and yellow plaid shorts to take a walk. YEAH SPRING WEATHER!!!

2. You hear the four yr. old hand out some advice on how to handle a bully to your seven yr. old. It went something like this.... 7 yr.old: I'm just having a hard time because "so and so" is calling me a fathead. 4 yr. old: Just call him a butt crack then.

3. You're standing at the back door waiting for the kids to come (who never come). After about the third white trash yodel of their names you decide to actually look for them and walk into the kitchen to find one kid smacking on a brownie and the other with a mouth full of Jolly Ranchers. Not the worst snack items except for the fact that it was 7:30 in the morning. However, you find yourself at a loss for words because you were just waiting by the door to get them in the car to go get some donuts. You know, brownie, Jolly Rancher, donut, heck...why don't I just throw in a couple of Mountain Dews to wash it all down!!

4. You're husband comes down with a severe case of strep throat. I'm talking, "shot in the butt with penicillin" severe. AND...the 4 yr. old develops some kind of mystery rash on both arms and the top of one foot. So the husband is in quarantine, the kid is asking for her "itchy cream" every 5 minutes and I am washing my hands like I have OCD.

And Finally....

5. You answer your sons comment of "I just don't know why we need manners." with "Because we live in a place that uses manners." To which he replies (with a giant sigh mind you), "I wish I lived in Africa." Uh...OK. Now why he thinks that in Africa one need not have manners I do not know. I gave up wondering what's going on in that crazy little mind of his the day he answered "nueve" when I asked him if he wanted juice. Ok...follow me, he watched a Baby Einstein video that taught different languages. One of the languages was German, in which "nein" means no. The word "neuve" in Spanish means nine. So when I asked if my then 3 yr. old son wanted juice he replied "nueve" which is "nein" in German which means no. See what I mean? So now, it doesn't even phase me when I hear his crazy commentary.

Phonics Sucks

2010-04-14T21:45:00.001-07:00

Dear Bugs' school,

The coding sheet you sent home is ri/dic/u/lous.

I can't believe that this stuff is THAT important to a second grader. I am a college graduate and I am 100 percent sure that I didn't have to code one single word in the four years it took to graduate.

I think my daughter staying up until 10:47 pm in tears and writing me letters like this:

is more damaging than not being able to code the word 'suspicious'.

Can you code, "cramcodingupyour -------------"? Well you get the idea.

Sincerely,

Mama of Miss I HATE school!

Kristin's Custom Creations

2010-04-14T16:26:00.001-07:00

Need or WANT a Mother's Day gift?

I have the perfect site of you. Oh boy do I!

Check it out and then if you are a MAN go get something for your wife! If you are a WOMAN go TELL your husbands what you want because if they are anything like MR. Man they are just waiting for you to DO just that. Trust me.

Go check out her blog as well. You won't be disappointed.

While your are at it and if you are feeling lucky go over to my bloggy friend Amy's and enter her giveway. Click here. I will let her tell you all the details.

Monday's Mama Drama - In Pictures

2010-04-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

I am going to do my (Amy) Monday Mama Drama in pictures today. I take lots of pictures so why not use them?

I know I(we) haven't been around lately. I can't speak for Lady Di but I am a little frantic these days. I had good intentions and quite a bit of blogging material last week but very little time to blog. In fact my computer hasn't seen very much of me at all. So very sad.

So here was my drama (in pictures) this past week:

A very sick Bear. Doesn't she look so sad?

Oh the fear I get when my girls are so sick. My nerves were shot. Many hairs turned grey!

These are all clean. Why can't I keep up?

These are all DIRTY! Oy Vay!

So many hats on order.................
Must keep up even if it means staying up till 2:30am. Crocheting until my eyes cross.

Note to self: keep girls away - far far away when attempting to do a yard sale. So much DRAMA!

Look at this face! She is MAD. I will show you the letter she wrote soon.

Look at this one. The Cat, she is so sad. "Please MOMMY - Don't sell this box!"

The Bug (the one above in the helmet) has now vowed to move into this tent in the backyard for 5 DAYS. To get some ALONE time. Why didn't I think of that?

I was Fancy Nancy at the school for the Read In. Now little kids see me at the store and yell, "there is Fancy Nancy!" I am sure the parents are thinking some odd things........

I must not forget my pie. Lemon Meringue pie. I have never once had problems with this pie. I did last week. Stupid meringue. Never bake when your angry.

AHhh this is better. After three tries.

My poor little itty bitty kitchen. It exploded upon itself. Thanks must be given to Mr. Man - who helped clean it.

Today's Drama:

Dogsitting:

She happens to hate..........

The Bear loves Olivia. Lots of barking and growling going on today.

Did I mention this:

We have lived here for 6 months ( I can't believe it). I am still unpacking.

Drama in the girls room. Oh yes. It has puked on itself this week. Must clean. Someday.

So what is your drama? Enquiring minds would like to know.

Snoozin' In Saturday: The Bear Sleeps

2010-04-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

The B-Bear. I came downstairs to find her fast asleep like this:

She has been waking up early and then falling back asleep after an hour or so. Which is good because she is such a BEAR in the morning (like her mama).

Show me your snoozers!

Friday Five: Friday the 2nd.

2010-04-02T09:18:00.001-07:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me.

I know I have not been on top of this these days and once I have time to blog about why I will. Maybe.

Anyhow what I have learned:

1. It takes about 5 seconds to lose all respect for someone.

2. It is a lot easier to dress up as a Scarecrow then it is to dress up as Fancy Nancy. In the end though: I rocked Fancy Nancy (if I might say so myself.)

3. I learned that it was probably a blessing to leave Arizona. (check out Tuesday's and Wednesdays' posts.)

4. I also learned that getting ready for a yard sale is crazy. (never had one before)

5. I learned that the K-Bugs school only takes two days off for Spring Break. I was so looking forward to a whole week. Now what am I going to do?

Have a Fabulous (that is fancy for good) Friday. Did you learn anything this week.

Wordful Wednesday: Support Our Ranchers - Be AWARE.

2010-03-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

For today's Wordful Wednesday I am extending my post from yesterday in hopes that something great will come from this tragedy. I am just so passionate about this issue.

Some American Ranchers are in need of your HELP. They need your support right now. They need you to be AWARE. If you haven't heard about Robert Kentz. Please take the time to read yesterday's post. Go here or scroll down. This is important in so many ways. Please check it out. Do your own research and get the message out that OUR BORDERS NEED TO BE PROTECTED.

OUR people need to be protected.

**the picture is borrowed from Google images**

Fired UP

2010-03-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

It's political which I try to stay away from on my blog but it is time...............

It is time to get serious. Because this, Arizona Rancher Murdered, shouldn't have happened and I am upset about it. I am OUTRAGED. So I write.

I am mad that this happened and relieved that I don't live there anymore. The Hubs who is now going to be called Mr. Man (because I am tired of "Hubs" and because I call him Mr. all the time so it fits) knew this rancher. We lived not far from him and he had done business with him before. Such a sad sad story and IT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN.

When is something going to be done about our borders? When is THAT going to be a priority?Instead we waste months arguing about a health care bill that to quote a democrat on the hill the day it passed, "This bill is going to destroy America as we know it" and admitted that it passed just as a "We told you we could.......(pass a bill) to the Republicans." DISGUSTING.

Meanwhile people, OUR innocent good people are dying just because we can't seem to keep OUR borders protected and bad people out of OUR country. This has been weighing on my heart from some time. One - because I lived down there for six years and saw first hand the floods of immigrants that would cross our ranch. Two - in the last couple of years I saw the demographic of people that have come across change and it is scary. SCARY. It's ridiculous.

These immigrants that are coming over are NOT the immigrants of old. They are not looking for a better life, an education, or a place to work (hell we HAVE no work). They are running drugs that are infiltrating OUR schools. They are gang members that are infiltrating OUR communities and OUR schools. They are TERRORISTS.

I believed once that they were here for a better life. I have known a few that have come here illegally then made it legal and brought their family over to pursue and education - a better life. I am all for legal passage and immigration into the United States. Come on over be a part of a great nation. Be a working productive contributor not a sucking leach ( that could be said about some of our current American residents.) Bring your children leave your drugs and gangs.

Unfortunately those people are not the ones coming over. Instead the ones coming over are trafficking DRUGS. Drugs that are coming into OUR communities and being peddled to OUR children. They establish gang members in good communities. Just ask Lady Di who had a drive by shooting not too far from her house last year. They carry guns and are prepared to kill anyone who gets in there way. Innocent people who mistakenly lend a helping hand.

A year of so after we moved there. A farmer was going home and saw a car with it's hood up. He stopped to help and they SHOT him. A couple of years ago a women was shot in her HOME. Just last year we and several others were broke into. Luckily for us it was just our office and they didn't take anything they just trashed the place. However others were not so lucky. Also before we left a couple was forced into the trunk of their car and taken to the Mexico border. The immigrants just wanted a car to get back to Mexico. Thankfully they were unharmed - physically anyway. Their are many more stories out there but you never hear about them.

For every one case where the border patrol arrests a group of immigrants smuggling drugs (many were caught on our ranch) there are a hundred more and even more who never got caught because system is so overwhelmed. This should make everyone uneasy because if they can make it in anyone can. Any terrorist can come on in. Are you nervous? I am.

IT IS A PROBLEM! And the government burying their heads in the sand isn't going to solve it. How many lives are going to have to be lost before they pull their heads out and take action? I guess that have the "out of site, out of mind" philosophy up there in Washington. Or maybe they are too busy trying to figure out how to sneak little things such as student loan restructuring (that is important right now) into the Health Care Bill and I am hearing about all kinds of things that they slipped in.

It is sad that this happened to such a nice man. My heart is saddened that he lost his life over something so ridiculous. His poor family. Our family is praying for them. To quote this article that a friend emailed me today, " This country failed Robert Krentz, his family and all who work for him. As they have failed countless families all across the country."

It is time folks to protect OUR country and OUR citizens. I am not saying I know the answer. I don't. Well...............never mind that. I am saying that it is time to go to the drawing table and come up with some real solutions. We know the problem so let's start fixing it. WE have to. We can't just send down unarmed people to slap them on the hand and send them back just for them to come back the following week. That hasn't worked. Are we THAT stupid?

Treat this situation for what it is, a homeland security issue, make it priority one and FIX it. Fix it for us and for our future generations. They need to stop worrying about how many votes it will get them at election time and fix it.

Sorry for the rant. I am just mad and when I get mad - I blog. It helps.

I miss our home in many ways but am so relieved that we got our girls out of that area. I recall countless times where we were outside and were approached by illegals. My husband would rush into a car, a shop, the house, or somewhere out of sight as fast as he could and then he would go back out to see what they wanted. SCARY.

Become a Facebook fan of 'Protect AMERICAN Ranchers on the Mexican Border (In Memory of the Krentz Family)' Here.

Snoozin' In Saturday: A Trio

2010-03-27T05:43:00.001-07:00

Ally the dog loves when the girls come to stay at her house. It gives her an excuse to sleep on the bed all day.

Show me your Saturday snoozers!

A Poem

2010-03-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

by Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this........

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy" But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.....and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandt's. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy....and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away......because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But.....if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things.....

about Holland.

Table Topics Tuesday: I over think

2010-03-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

I am late to the party but at least I came

Topic: Would you rather live a week in the past or in the future?

At first glance I thought for sure the future. I am a 'What if?' girl to the core. So at first I thought - the future! Then I can see for myself that all is going to be okay and then I would be able to come back to the present and just be. Instead of being my worrisome anxious self.

Then the Hubs and I had a conversation about it. I said that it would be better to go forward and then come back and change the future (if you must) then go back and change the past because that could set forward a whole plan of events that could change the present beyond your control. Changing one moment in the past could change all kinds of things. Right? Makes sense to me. NOT to him. To him he says it is the same. So maybe I am CRAZY. So then I was really thinking about it and I thought no - I would go back. But not too far. I mean, I have made some mistakes but those mistakes have brought me to where I am today. For the most part I wouldn't change a thing. However with that said the last two years have not been the greatest. Losing a baby, Hubs not following a path he is passionate about - upon my request, only for him to lose his job 8 months later (i have incredible guilt). Then turning our world upside down by moving to Montana in the fall and both of us having to do things that we are not enjoying just to make ends meet. I would like to think, just as I have in the past, that everything happens for a reason. I truly believe that. But in these cases I think that a one simple tweak would be okay and would change things. If only.

However, if I truly believe that everything happens for a reason - then we are on a path that we are supposed to be on and it will lead us to great things. Then I shouldn't want to change a thing right? I just thought of that. I do that, often. Plus if I were to go back in the past to change the present- it would be tempting to go back even farther and I wouldn't want to risk losing what precious blessings I have in my life to change one single event.

See - who knows what would happen if you go back and mess with the past. I just read recently in a blog "Don't look back unless it's to gain understanding." It really hit me.

Maybe I am looking at this all wrong. I do tend to over think! I am sure you figured that out by now. Maybe I should just want to go to visit an era. I always loved the Victorian era. Go back and live with Queens and Kings. Nice. But....... who knows what kind of trouble I could cause in a week. It could change some seriously big events in history, right? Right.

So in the course of this I really confused myself. Round and Round I go. But I did come up with this......

To answer the question: Would you rather live a week in the past or in the future?

I know I just made a great argument for not going back. So you would most likely assume that I would go forward. However, I think I actually would travel to the past. I would go back to when my mom had my baby sister and I would hold her and love her. I would get my fill of her sweet little spirit in a weeks worth of time to last me a lifetime. I was two and a half when she passed away and I am not sure if the memories I have of her are my own or those that I have seen in pictures. All I know is this: I have a hole in my heart. I have a longing to see her and meet her so I think that is my answer. The past - but I would have to do it stealth like as to not change the present. Then I would also have to trust that the future is bright and perfect and that I have nothing to worry about. I am not very good at that!

Thanks Shannon from Welcome to the Nuthouse for letting me play along. I had fun.

It's Spring and Music Monday

2010-03-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring from the Drama Mama's to you! We hope it brings you much happiness and new beginnings.

I (Amy) for one am looking forward to what I hope spring has to offer. I am ready - How about you? Are you doing anything fun for Spring Break? The school here doesn't take a lot of time so I have no idea what we are going to do.

I am visiting all our followers this week and while cruising I found this: Music Monday over at Keeping Up With the Kelly's. So fun. This weeks theme is H.S. days. Originally I, before I went to the Tara's (the hosts) sight, I looked up Strawberry Wine by Deana Carter because for some odd reason it takes me back to my Senior year, 1996. But when I clicked on Tara's page she had posted it. So funny. So instead I picked a song that is both relevant to me and Lady Di because No Doubt was Lady Di's most favorite band back then and she introduced them to me. So it is perfect. Here you go:

Snoozin' In Saturday: Peace

2010-03-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I have not posted any pictures of the A-Cat, formerly known as the MP, snoozing. Doesn't she look so peaceful? This is a rare moment for this one - trust me. This was taken almost a year ago when she was three. I will miss the days when she no longer needs her lovey. I am not going to think about it.

Ok it is your turn - Show me your Saturday snoozers.

Friday Five: The Sun

2010-03-19T07:42:00.001-07:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me

1. That after experiencing -22 degrees: 50 degrees feels like beach weather.

2. That here: mother nature gives just to take it away again. It is snowing RIGHT now. We were taking walks and enjoying the nice weather and then BAM: Snow. Grrrrr.

3. Sun and blogging are vital components to my well being. It makes me ;0) and both are missing in my life right now.

4. The park can be a good place to meet people. Never had a park within walking distance. It is kind of fun.

5. The mama bear syndrome also applies to the Hubs. Don't mess with him - I take offense and the claws come out.

What have you learned this week?

Have a fabulous Friday and come back tomorrow to see who is snoozin' in on Saturday.

Rude People Suck

2010-03-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Hubs' new job brings him face to face with an array of people. Not really his favorite thing but it (his job) is paying the bills. I haven't blogged about it because our current situation is like so many others and we are just not really happy but getting by. It is just life for now and this too shall pass.

Anyhow his job takes him into people's homes and he has seen things that no one should ever see from porno dvd's just lying around, birds flying (in the house), food and bird/cat feces on the floor, kids peeing in cereal bowls. Our eyes have been opened. OPENED! Wish they hadn't but they have. Crazy stuff!

The hubs comes home and tells me stories and I cringe and then make him strip his clothes and take a shower.

So he came home yesterday and tells me that he had to stop for directions in a small town. He walks into a store and asks this lady and she turns around and says, "Do I look like a map to you?"

What the heck? Are you kidding me? He, being the man he is - apologizes. APOLOGIZES! what does he have to apologize for? That old hag should have apologized. Honestly i am not sure whether she was old or not but a hag(to put it nicely) never the less.

He tells her that he is not familiar with the area and thought she might be able to help. She says, "There's a post office across the street." Not in a nice voice. He, being in uniform, thought it not be a good idea to tell her off.

It just irritates me that people are so rude. I mean seriously. This was not the first time that he has encountered a rude person like her. Who peed in her corn flakes? Maybe she has one of those kids that I talked about above. Regardless there is no good reason to treat people like dirt. NONE. If I ever find myself in that town. I will be asking directions to that same lady because I am NOT wearing uniform and I have some words for her like, Oh excuse me? I thought you were human but now I see you are just a @%&*!. So sorry for the mistake. Have a wonderful day!

I might just go there for that because I have some pent up anger I need to release. I think it would help.

So I ask, What would you say or not say when encountered with the lovely person above?

Sometimes It is Just ALL about the DRAMA

2010-03-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

It just is. Have you ever had one of those weeks where it feels like you just can't get ahead? No matter what you do you are late to everything, the house just throws up on itself and the laundry room seems to be reproducing clothes? I just had one of those weeks. Hence the lack of blogging. I so miss blogging. I miss you. Actually I miss my computer. I haven't spent much time on it the past few weeks. Anyhow back to the drama Amy style!

You know you have Mama Drama when:

1. You are going on week 3 of the sickies. Somehow I have managed to keep it away from the girls and the Hubs but I just can't seem to kick the sniffles, cough, the nasty gunk.

2. Your 7 year old is home from school because she went into complete hysterics after you tell her that she absolutely can't where a sweater jacket with tights only. Not to mention having to cover her mirror with paper because you are just DONE with the constant staring of herself and talking to it instead of you. The previous day she had a melt down after she was told that there was no way you were letting her take down and wear her VALANCE to school. Yes VALANCE: hot pink and leopard print valance. OH MY GOSH: the DRAMA - the TEARS. I (we are in for it when she is a teenager.)

3. In an attempt to accept your current plight you try to embrace all things winter and attempt to go skiing with a group of kids that turn out to be your responsibility because the leader became ill the day before. YOU who has extreme ANXIETY soon realize that the possibility of returning these kids in one piece is going to be a chore and you start saying prayers as soon as you see the mountain. Thankfully I was heard.

4. In the same trip you decide not to get skis yourself but put your 7 year old in lessons and after lessons end up walking or riding up the mountain on a magic carpet to put on skis that have fallen off or just going up there because she is frustrated and needs a pep talk. My feet were frozen and my fingers felt (well they didn't feel at all). I had just planned on staying in the lodge all day. You have drama when you realize that you are completely unprepared for such an outing.

5. A new friend invites you to what you assume is just a few mom's talking over coffee for an hour about an hour ahead of time. So you throw on a track suit and hat grab some crackers for the girls and get out the door to find (1) you are actually a half an hour early and (2) this is a three hour thing with agendas and guest speakers. HOLY CATs did I feel a little uneasy.

6. After not so GENTLE prompting from you mom you go to her chiropractor for what you thought was a regular adjustment. After 2 hours of tests he decides you need x-rays before he will even touch my spine and he says, "has anyone ever talked to you about sclerosis?" FANTASTIC! What the heck is that?

7. To enjoy the SUN you decide to take the dogs and the little girls for a walk to pick up the K- BUG (aka the OP) from school. You grab the wagon and dog leashes and head out. About half way you realize this was the DUMBEST idea in the world and wish you had turned around. When you think it can't get any worse one of your dogs takes a huge DUMP on someone's yard and you not being used to the whole dogs-on-a-leash thing because you used to live in the middle- of-no-where- desert have forgotten some sort of dump removal system ( bags ). So after standing at such yard for 5 minutes praying that no one has just witnessed such violation you keep walking. You then find a ziplock on the side of road and run back to clean up your stupid dogs mess. So really I did two civic duties that day: I picked up trash and cleaned up after my dog.

8. It is another beautiful day and you decide to walk to the park with the kids (no dogs) to enjoy the sun. After 10 minutes the B-Bear (aka the YP) has to go potty so you make a mad dash for the restrooms, open the door and feel like you just fell into a sewage plant. You hold back the urge to puke and open the stall door to now have visual to go along with the smell. Next door the results in the same visual. I think crap (literally) what the heck? So in complete desperation you throw paper towels into the sink and hold her over it to pee. I mean she is two and she can't hold it! All the while thinking of the people you are going to write a letter to about this! RIDICULOUS! The B-Bear gets done and you throw away the paper towels and go to turn on the faucet- NO WATER! GRRR! %!@*

and last but not least. You KNOW you have Mama Drama when:

9. The Hubs has to sleep on the couch because, after coming home at 1:30am from being out on a ride-a-long with the local pd, finds that the Basset hound has peed on his side of the bed. I let the dogs sleep with me and the B-Bear, not sure why, and apparently he must have dreamed he was peeing on a tree and actually peed because he never got up. Nice.

I told you it was one of those weeks! Crazy. What I ask was your drama?

Monday's Mama Drama

2010-03-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

You Know You Have Mama Drama When.....

1. You cook "breakfast for dinner" 3x during the week because you didn't have time to go grocery shopping. No worries however, my kids LOVE breakfast for dinner.

2. You have to haul all your laundry to your in-law's house because your washer decided to go kaput.

3. You go to the gym for your first class named Boot Camp and after seeing the trainer show up in full fatigues (he's an ex-drill Sargent) realize they REALLY do mean BOOT CAMP. I didn't know the human body could produce that much sweat.

And Finally...

4. Your back begins to hurt so bad while on a walk with your husband and kids that by the end of the walk you're in the wagon and the kids are walking. Must have been the boot camp...

Snoozin' In Saturday: Tuckered Out

2010-03-06T09:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry this is late - i was snoozin' in. The hubs finally came home and I took advantage.

So here is the B-Bear aka the YP. She tuckered out at the counter while I was blogging. Just laid down covered her head with her lovey and took a little siesta.

Show me your Snoozer(s). Did you see last week at Our Life with Multiples? She played along and oh my word - so cute. Also Lady Di made an appearance today- Yippee. Check it out below or click here. Have a great Saturday - It is beautiful here in Montana. FINALLY!

Sitting With My Girl- Six Word Saturday

2010-03-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

Little curls resting on my shoulder.

Monday Mama Drama

2010-02-28T20:42:00.000-08:00

You Know You Have Mama Drama When.....

1. Your 4 yr. old asks how old you are during dinner. When you reply, her eyes get real big and she looks over at older brother and whispers, "Hey, she's 32." To which your darling son replies, "See, I told you she was old."

2. You find yourself leaving a message on your husband's Facebook wall asking him to get off the computer in the bedroom and meet you in the living room so you can watch T.V. together.

3. You fall asleep with wet hair (not good when you have curly hair), then wake up in the morning late. So you're looking in the mirror trying to figure out how you are going to tame your wild fro hair when the lil' fro head walks in and says, "Hey mom your hair looks like mine now....pretty." Great, thanks honey, curly mop-top bedhead was EXACTLY the look I was going for.

4. You wake up one morning SOOO happy it is finally Friday, only to realize that is in fact Thursday. MAN, that was a long day!!!

And Finally,

5. Your son goes into the bathroom, then yells, "Hey, does anyone have any fart juice?" I didn't even go near that one.....

Snoozin' In Saturday: Favorite Spot

2010-02-27T07:56:00.000-08:00

Here he is the infamous Bassethound and the number one snoozer in our house, Disney. This is his favorite spot to sleep in - the arm of the couch. I think it is so he can see outside when the Hubs comes home. That or he dreams about his days at the ranch: chasing rabbits and lounging in the sun.

Now show me some Snoozers!

PS. Sorry this is late - I slept in! I am still sick but much better. But the Hubs left town for a couple of weeks so it has been a little crazy here in the house of insanity. Crazy, Insane - yep that describes it very well. Have a wonderful weekend.

Yuck

2010-02-22T09:11:00.000-08:00

*Shiver - Cough - Sniffle, Sniffle - blow nose* ** repeat**

This Drama Mama has caught the FLU! and it was my birthday yesterday. I think I am going to cry right after I spray my entire house with Lysol.

So I ask...............

What do you do when you are sick? Do you turn on a movie for the kids while you sleep? Do you just say screw it and let them run feral and hope they don't burn down the house? Do you suck it up and just grin through the pain while making them waffles, bacon and eggs and play play -doh?

Snoozin' In Saturday: On the Edge

2010-02-20T06:36:00.000-08:00

I don't know how she managed not falling off. This one reminds me of another one starring the infamous basset- i will post it next Saturday.

Show me your Snoozers.

Friday Five: Someone find me some sugar!

2010-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me

1. It IS possible to hit your own face with a shovel. click here.

2. Snow turns into ice and ice IS not my friend.

3. Olympians are AMAZING. Did you see that cross country skier? Skied over 5 miles with 4 broken ribs and won a bronze metal. Amazing determination.

4. Sometimes life hands you lemons and it is hard to find the sugar to make the lemonade.

5. Flowers from a long distance friend can make a day brighter.

What I ask have you learned this week?

I have a HEADache (amongst other things)

2010-02-18T11:29:00.000-08:00

See this shovel?

WE had WORDS! Then there was a little BRAWL and the shovel won. It knocked me out for a second but I am back to my senses, a little wounded and embarrassed but THERE will be another round and I will WIN!

I hope to high heaven no one was watching except for the heavens themselves and I hope their view was obscured by the clouds. I am positive someone was watching and got a great LAUGH. The kind of laugh that will hit them even days after when they pass my house.

See I have some OCD tendencies and my driveway was driving me CRAZY. I couldn't stand it any longer. The SNOW, the ICE it was bad. The HUBS and I just are not used to this whole snow thing and let it get out of control. So yesterday the weather had warmed up a bit and I thought what the heck I will go out and try to clear my driveway. Well - once I got started I wasn't about to give up. It was coming OFF. I started at 10:00, took a couple of breaks to make lunch, pick up kids, etc. and around 3:30 my driveway was looking pretty nice.

You have to picture this: Me the Arizonan in tennis shoes, yoga pants, a light sweatshirt, snow shovel, a hammer, a tea pot and soup pot. A tea pot and soup pot, you ask? HOT WATER of course. What I was determined and some spots were stubborn.

Anyhow now that you have a clear picture. There I was on the last few spots, using all my might to get some stubborn FROZEN ice. I was kicking the shovel with the bottom of my foot when WHAP!! It (the shovel) took its first punch. Honestly I am not even sure what the heck I did, seriously I blacked out for a split second, but I am pretty sure that my foot came down on it wrong and flipped the shovel handle up and it got me right in my neck/jaw. HARD! I gasped grabbed my throat and started walking towards the house. I cried. I cursed the stupid shovel, the snow, my house. EVERYTHING. Somewhere in all this I also go a fat lip. I think that when I kind of blacked out the shovel came back for another hit and got my lip. Stupid shovel.

I look like I got in a pretty bad scuffle. The bruising, the swelling - its ugly. I am going to think of a great story to tell people, not that I got attacked by a snow shovel.

However THIS made me feel a tad bit better. If your having a bad day it will make you feel better too.

Snoozin' In Saturday: I miss these days.

2010-02-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

My baby is no longer a baby. This was taken April of 2008. The YP was just 7 months old. Where does time go?

Show me your Saturday Snoozers

Friday Five: snow, ice, dogs, cars, and life

2010-02-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me.

1. NEVER walk outside BAREFOOT in winter in Montana. Even if it is just for a minute (ie. to pullout car so it can warm up ). It takes like 15 minutes to feel your toes!

2. Pushing a shopping cart in slushy melting snow and ice is almost impossible and even more difficult when it is loaded with children.

3. That a clean car is just as good as a clean house. Gives you warm fuzzy's inside.

4. That you sometimes don't know what it is that you want until you experience what it is you don't want.

5. Melting Snow + two dogs + small yard = insanity for a neat freak.

There you have it. What I learned. What did you learn this week? Please do share.

Today is Amy over at Keeping Up With the Schultz Framily's Round Robin. Go check it out she has a lot of creative people linking up today.

**Don't forget tomorrow is my new Snoozin' in Saturday. Post a picture of someone sleeping. I am still trying to figure out the Mr. Linky thing so if it isn't up just leave me a comment with a link.

Have a happy Friday.

Thankful Thursday: Laundry Fairy

2010-02-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

It's Thursday. It is a good day to be thankful (the Mama Drama way) don't you think? I am sure they have some thankful Thursday meme but it is most likely not the same so here we go.

I am thankful for the laundry fairy who obviously was looking over me when I unknowingly put a RED sock into a load of WHITES! Oh yes I did! It's all good though because I have a fairy.

and I LOVE her.

Oh yes, and I am thankful I didn't burn down my house when I got busy looking for something to do for the OP Valentine's Party (that just got put in my hands). I forgot about the pan of oil with a kernel that I started on the stove to make me some popcorn. Oh yes it was a SMOKEY!

My "Baby " Turned 4!!...Sniff, Sniff- Wordful Wednesday

2010-02-09T20:59:00.000-08:00

Well, my little curly top hit the big FO-ORE, and boy does she think she is big time now. All day I heard, "I can have 2 snacks now, I'm 4", "You can't talk to me like that, I'm 4" (to her brother), "I don't need to wash my hair anymore, I'm 4", "Hey look mom, I am almost as tall as you, I'm 4".

So, this kid is a major thumb sucker. I have a sonogram picture of her sucking her thumb and I distinctly remember hearing her vigorously sucking her thumb as she was being cleaned up by the nurses right after her delivery. Do we have such as thing as Thumb Suckers Anonymous??? Anyway, she told me these last few months that when she turns 4 she will cease and desist all thumb sucking activity (maybe not exactly in those words). So, the actual b-day was on Monday and I asked her if she was going to stop sucking her thumb now that she was officially 4. She replied, "Um, not today, I'm going to stop after my party on Friday." Can I get that number for T.S.A please?

Closing her eyes as her birthday present rolls in....

TA-DA....she sees the pink Barbie bike

She can ditch that tricycle now, she's 4 you know....

Monday's Mama Drama - Lady Di is ditching.

2010-02-08T09:31:00.000-08:00

Well Lady Di has ditched us again. She says that she has a good excuse. Something about not getting home until 1 am. Whatever! I know she was just drinking Mai Tai's watching the football game and forgot all about us.

So my drama isn't all that exciting this week.

1. It's snowing (which means I am stuck inside again)

2. I caught a stinky virus that makes me feel like I got hit by a truck.

3. My two year old (who is potty trained) refuses to take herself to the bathroom but instead she will just stand in front of the toilet yelling, Mooooommmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyy, Pooooooooooooooottttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy and wet herself.

4. My four year old is saying things like: "if you won't let me, I will cry", "you DON'T want to make me sad", or (this one is nice) "for God's sakes". Honestly I have no idea where she got that from. I don't say that.

5. Then the hubs (who KNOWS I am mindful of what goes in my kids mouths. I try really hard) brings home a case of a drink with the ingredients list as follows: water, high fructose corn syrup, and 2% or LESS of the following juice concentrate: tangerine, orange, grapes. ARE YOU KIDDING! Plus it had 230 mg of sodium. SODIUM. STAB me why don't you. He says, "I had NO idea!"

Ok so that is it. I ask you, What is your drama? I am also asking you this ( I need advice):

4 weeks ago I took my new neighbor cinnamon rolls in one of my cake pans and she hasn't returned it. What should I do? I need it.

I haven't had neighbors in over 8 years.

Sunday In My City: Shovel Needed

2010-02-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

This is fun! I {heart} snow. I'm being sarcastic just in case you didn't catch that. Someone recently told me that it takes 2 years to become acclimated to the temperature. My luck in two years we will probably move back to Arizona and be so darn hot we will have to run around naked! At least she is having fun until she couldn't feel her fingers and she realized that there was just too much snow.

Be sure to visit Unknown Mami and take a peek at her city and others who are participating.

Snoozin' In Saturday: Kink in the Neck

2010-02-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

Looking through my pictures I noticed that I have a ton of pictures of my family sleeping. I guess I like to take them. So I have now dubbed Saturday's: Snoozin In Saturdays here at the Daily Doses of Mama Drama for those times we don't have time for a post. Weekends are crazy. If you want to participate please do - just let us know. If there is enough interest I will start a Mr. Linky.

For our first Snoozin' In Saturday I give you Disney the Basset Hound. He is currently the #1 snoozer in this house. If I slept this way I would for sure wake up with a kink in my neck.

Panic Button

2010-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

My Mama always had a saying, "Don't push the panic button until you need to." I am not my Mama. I push - I push hard. I don't know why but when an emergency arises - I panic. I freak out. I try not to but I do.

The assignment:

prompt # 2

Explain a time there was an emergency. What "mode" did you go into? Freaking out, calm and collected, etc. (inspired by Jennifer from Momma Made It Look Easy)

We have had multiple situations: When the MP hit the BACK of her head and her teeth flew out. PANIC.

When the YP recently had an allergic reaction to her Varicella shot. PANIC.

Anytime my girls hit there head. I PANIC. I Freak out in my own way. Grab the flashlight, check there eyes, keep them awake.

I know - horrible. I shouldn't but I do. I think part of the problem is that I always think worst case scenario. First thing that pops into my head. What if? I shutter to think but I DO. I really really dislike emergencies because I think it actually ages me by ten years each time. I physically feel pain when something happens to my kids. Does that happen to you? My nerves go haywire or something. I feel it even when they fall down. It just happens.

I am a stressful person which is so not what my mom was. Cool, calm and collected. My brother once shoved a PVC pipe THROUGH his abdomen. He was running down a hill with it and it caught on a rock and well you get the picture. OUCH. My mom - she's cool. Totally handles the situation. Even took out the stitches when the time came. I knock my teeth out when I was like 5. We were out checking on a Sow (female pig - I lived on a ranch) who was supposed to farrow (give birth) that night. I was in the front seat of an old pickup ( you know they didn't have extended cabs back in those days) when the passenger door flew open. She slammed on the brakes and I hit the radio. Bye bye front teeth! My mom - no panic. Totally calm. Speaking of my mom, she lost her finger (I was like 8) in a horse accident. The horse rared up and the rope wrapped around her pinkie and POP. Gone. Hanging by a thread. Gross right. Do you think she panicked? Nope. Her best friend did but she stayed collected through the whole ordeal.

I guess that gene didn't get passed on to me because I am not cool, calm, nor collected in any emergency situation. Good thing The Hubs is. He is truly the Yin to my Yang. He NEVER thinks of the worst case scenario and I have never seen him panic or freak out. He recently said, after one of my worst case scenario, "I am SO glad you said that because I would have never thought of that." Totally sarcastic too. It is true though. I often think of those things that no one else would.

That's me! I am trying to change because the OP is the same. The other day the YP fell face first at Hobby Lobby. She fell HARD. Blood everywhere. I immediately grabbed her and ran to the bathroom. I thought for sure she lost her teeth. I mean, really? It is not to far fetched to think. We have issues with teeth! Teeth and fingers (my mom's other pinkie was broken and then healed with it bent permanently) Anyway, I panicked a little but the OP FREAKED. Immediately the tears started flowing. I thought to myself. Great AMY! Nice job. You sure win Mama of the year.

I guess she didn't get the super cool calm collected under pressure gene either. I'll work on it. I promise Mom!

Go check out what other people are doing today at Mama Kat's

Help

2010-02-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

I have done good. I started exercising slow and steady. Every other day. Trying real hard to nurse my shins into a slow start.

Today I woke up and OUCH! They hurt. My shin splints are back. HELP. There must be something I can do. There just has to be. This is why I stopped last spring. I took a break because they hurt so bad. In the meantime I gained 30 lbs. I eat good - always have. I HAVE to exercise to get in shape.

So anyone know what you can do for shin splints? I will do anything but take "nothing can be done" for an answer.

Did you see we got a Twitter account. I have no idea what to do with it but we got one. I got it so I can take part in this:

get more info here.

Mama Drama Monday: My four year old is driving me crazy

2010-02-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

Well it's Monday FEBRUARY first. Can you believe it? I can't. January just flew by.

How about them Grammy's? Some awesome performances: Pink - holy cats! Dave Matthews Band - Awesome. Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, and Smokey Robinson - Fantastic.

Well on with the drama. Lady Di is super busy these days so I am filling in. Look for some changes in regards to Mama Drama Mondays. They are coming soon. Hopefully.

You know you have Mama Drama when:

1. Your favorite, very sharp scissors are missing. Ahh they will turn up soon, I imagine. It is just a matter of how much damage is done in the mean time.

2. In the course of a week: a remote, a bowl, a coaster ( all from Grammy's house), scissors, a crochet hook, a watch, glasses, an ipod, and some other misc. items have all gone missing. Luckily most have been found and returned to there rightful owner. Except the scissors of course and the crochet hook. You know it is bad when you have to perform a pat down of your child before you leave some where.

3. Your out to dinner and your 4 year old (MP) who seems to be a vegetarian (wait, that would require you to actually eat vegetables) a vegan (oh wait she eats cheese and milk) a meat hater then is gagging, like seriously gagging: Going - to - throw - up - her - grilled - cheese - sandwich GAGGING because her Dad is eating a burger and she can smell it. He had to move and face away from her to eat his burger. It is getting bad folks. I really dislike dinner time.

4. Your 4 year old (again) runs down stairs ( I only had been down there 1 minute ) screaming that the YP is eating dog food. You have a mild panic attack thinking that the protein source is probably peanuts in your all natural dog food and run frantically upstairs to make sure she is breathing all the while trying to remember where the epi pen is and where the dog food came from. When you get there you see her with a cute little bowl, saucer, and spoon from the MP's tea set filled with the dog food. Looks as if the MP brought her little sister a snack and then realized perhaps that wasn't a great idea when she started eating it. (pictures of this on Wednesday).

5. The Hubs brings up a plastic drawer full of play dishes and containers that have been filled with the Kool Aid he had made for 20 minutes prior. He is rambling on how the MP is NOT ALLOWED to have any food or drink ANY WHERE except the kitchen table. I've heard this before.

and finally you know you have mama drama when

6. When your Hubs and you are finally watching TV thinking all is well when you hear a lot of racket upstairs. You go to investigate and find a container of empty cous cous, water, and dried cranberries all over your carpet in your room. Have you guessed yet? That is right - The MP. She was making "soup". Do you know what Cous Cous is? It is very tiny Moroccan style pasta. VERY SMALL in moderately long carpet.

I am going to be institutionalized by my four year old daughter.

Ok so things change and my cast of characters need to be changed due to changing personalities. They have all lost there princess status! Just kidding (not really). Anyhow I need some names. I am thinking historical fiction or even fictional characters in novels or films. Actresses, even. Any ideas? The Oldest Princess has to be the MOST dramatic person I know. The Middle Princess well - you can guess from the drama above how she is - DIFFICULT, hard headed, stubborn, and she steals things. Then the Youngest Princess well she is pretty dramatic herself even at 2. She has a look for everything ( she gets that from me). She doesn't like many people and she has some serious attitude but can be pretty cute. I need some ideas.

Happy Monday.

Friday Five:I know it's late and Tag Your it.

2010-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

This was supposed to be Thursday's post. As I was typing away in my comfy jammies thinking that I had all the time in the world, I happened to look up and it was 11:27am and I was supposed to be dressed and ready to pick up the OP for an appointment at 11:30. CRAP! Shut computer and run! Hence no post. Then Friday - BUSY ALL DAY. Hence no post. Saturday - Lady Di made an appearance Friday night and I wanted to give her some face time. Did you see? Her post? It's here. Or just scroll on down past this post and check it out.

Anyhow I deleted some of this post because some pertained to Mama Kat's WW. That's over.

Anyhow...

I was tagged by Being Me at Mother Always.

First here are the five things I learned this week:

1. I learned what it felt like to slide into the middle of an intersection after NOT stopping at a stop sign. I LOVE ice.

2. That I must have the most popular bra size and shoe size because the store never has them in stock. So ANNOYING.

3. That "Gorp" is another word for trail mix. Did you know that?

4. That I can not turn my back on the Middle Princess - she is very sneaky these days.

5. I say "Crap" too much - The Youngest is walking around saying "cwap." I guess it could be worse.

Now for the tag:

Shows I like to Watch

The OP and I love Food Network. So our favorites are Chopped and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. I love to watch Olivia and Jacks Big Music Show with the MP and YP when I get the chance. With The Hubs it's all about: House, Criminal Minds, Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, The Mentalist and Castle. I also like Private Practice and Desperate Housewives and So You Think You Can Dance. Thank heavens for TIVO. Usually we have enough stacked up for most of the off season.

8 things I look forward to:

- The Weekends

- Fall (my most favorite season)

- When the OP comes home from school.

- NAP TIME

- Alone time with The Hubs.

- Baking

- Conversations with good friends.

- Family vacations.

8 things that happened yesterday:

- The MP fed the YP dog food. (That is another post in itself - with pictures. Stay tuned)

- The phone rang off the hook.

- I crocheted the cutest hat and started another.

- I didn't workout to Jillian.

- I blogged.

- The MP emptied a whole container of Cous Cous on my bedroom floor, "making soup".

- Bath time occurred in the middle of the day. Not my favorite time.

- I cried. I am a little emotional these days.

8 things I love about Winter:

Really I am not the one to ask this right now

- Christmas

- Thanksgiving

- Cold (well I did before we moved here.)

- Blankets

- Soup

- Beautiful clear crisp days

- My birthday

- Hot Tea any time of the day.

8 things on my wish list:

- good health

- Wii Fit so I can look HOT by summer.

- contentment

- The Hubs lands his dream job and is happy.

- Success at raising well rounded happy children.

- A cure for cancer and heart disease.

- The economy to turn back around.

- Own my own coffee/pie shop.

8 things I am passionate about:

- The OP

- The MP

- The YP

- The Hubs

- Baking Pies

- Natural Medicine and remedies

- My children's education.

- Raising 3 strong, independent, healthy, beautiful, passionate, happy, loving, successful girls.

I could have just said my girls in one but each one is so different. They are there own little person and I am passionate about nurturing there spirits separately.

8 phrases I use often:

- Crap

- Give me kisses.

- Where's your sippy?

- What did you do with my_____________? The MP is taking a lot of stuff these days.

- Stupid dogs!

- Knock it off!

- I love you so so much.

- Stop whining!

8 things I have learned from the past

- It takes a long time to get over.

- Things can change in an instant.

- Cherish the ones around you.

- Love isn't hard if it is right.

- Follow your heart.

- Try to do something everyday that makes you happy.

- The most important thing in life is your loved ones. As long as you have each other that is all that matters.

- We meet some people at just the right time in life and some friends become family.

8 places I want to visit:

- Australia

- Italy

- Ireland

- Hawaii

- New York

- Germany

- Florida

- Alaska

8 things I want/need:

- Peace of mind

- to be healthy physically and emotionally

- a million dollars

- a ranch in the country with a huge house.

- my anxiety to go away for good

- to lose these extra pounds.

- My dogs to stop shedding.

- A fun relaxing trip with my best gals.

8 blogs I would like to tag (actually just 5 - Lady Di can pick the last 3 when she does this) :

John Deere Mom

Monica @ The Jonas Family

Amy @ Keeping Up With the Schultz Family

Lady Di here at the Daily Doses of Mama Drama

Short Mama @ Family of Shorts

Erin @ My Little Miracles

There you have it. If you want to be tagged - Your tagged! Just come back and let me know you did it so I can come check it out.

I'm Not Bitter Or Anything.....

2010-01-29T20:03:00.000-08:00

Dear Teachers I Sub For,

I know times are hard and education has taken a big hit. I understand the stress that comes with the great responsibility of teaching our young children. However, when has it ever been alright to leave sub plans that include an entire HOUR of "quiet" study time for a class of 30 sixth graders?!! Then, add another 45 minutes of "free choice" in the computer lab that is short about 10 computers right after. Oh yeah, and first graders can NOT sit still for 30 minutes of "story time". That Dr. Seuss art project is really cute, but I'm pretty sure I'd rather stick the brads in my own eyes by the time I have attached the last leg on Mr. Cat in the Hat. Each masterpiece little Johnny and Suzie make has 2 arms and 2 legs, and there are 20+ little Johnnys and Suzies. You're all college graduates, do the math.

Furthermore, just because there's a sub in your grade level doesn't mean she gets BOTH recess duties and ALL 30 minutes of "free play" P.E. by herself. I never EVER want to see these words written, "Calendar Routine-kids know what to do". Maybe you can get away with this crap in a third grade or above class and you actually have a routine that they DO know. However, twenty-something kindergartners who can't even blow their own noses properly can not be held responsible to "know" the routine. I have to admit, there's a part of me that thinks its kind of funny to see how passionate 5 yr. olds can be about the order in which you present days of the week, months of the year, and number of days in school. However, really, just take the extra ONE minute to actually write out the routine. Can you say VODKA? I can and I have to consume copious amounts of it after a day with plans like that.

So, the next time you decide to be "sick" on the Friday of a 3 day weekend, on the Wednesday that a staff meeting is scheduled after school, or the day before Christmas break try to leave a plan that doesn't essentially say F IT ALL!!!! You and I both know that YOU wouldn't ask your sixth graders to study for an hour and you certainly would not say, "Okay guys, you know what to do, so go ahead and start calendar while I check my emails." Let's agree that it is in everyone's best interest that specific, detailed sub plans which include actual work are the way to go. I know, sounds crazy, but just try. My liver and I will thank you for it.

Sincerely,

The Sub (Who, by the way, is a teacher and is only doing this because she got laid off like every other new teacher in California. So I'm totally on to you)

Oh Lolli Lolli Lolli LOLLIPOP!

2010-01-27T06:47:00.000-08:00

Lollipops are sweet sugary magic. Just hand them out and listen to the silence.

Check out those blue socks! Who dressed that child? Didn't you know? It is the in - thing to wear blue socks with pink leopard print. I pick my battles these days with that one.

Sometimes you just have to let it go.

For more Wordful Wednesday go to the Circus - The

at Angie's place. Have a Wonderful Wordful Wednesday.

Writers Workshop: Home

2010-01-21T08:12:00.000-08:00

Mama Kat has my Thursdays (well when I remember and when I have time - that is!) So this week I want to do two of the prompts but I probably will only do one.

I could have done three but I would have to pick ONE crazy dream and that would be hard because most of my dreams are crazy, strange and well.... down right weird. If I told you one you would want more and then I would have to start a new blog just about my dreams. Oh what would I name that one? Drama Mama Dreams - Scary!

Anyhow. I want to do #1 - developing a elevator pitch ( i/we have actually been thinking about something like that. I was totally unaware that there was such a name for it. That is what that little area above this post is for that says about us and under it says coming soon. That has been there for a long time - What? It takes time for developing a catchy sentence that encompasses what we write about, who we are and why you should LOVE us. Sometime at some point when there is free time to think - it will get done. *sigh*

Lady Di's suggestion was "Just two wild and crazy gals and all their drama" The hubs started to tell me one but I stopped listening after the word "old". We will keep working on our Elevator Pitch.

However I can do #4

"How many homes have you had? Write a journal entry about ALL the places you've called 'home' in your life."

I have had 13 homes. No. My Dad was not in the service. Wow, right? Even writing that seems so odd. 13 different places! I have though and each one holds a memory.

I was born in San Diego and lived somewhere down there for the first couple years of my life. Ok so I don't have a lot of memories (obviously) of that home. Then we moved next door to my Grandma (where I always felt at home and have so many memories). That home holds the first memory of my Dad. I was three and I remember it like yesterday. He wasn't my biological donor but he is my dad and I wouldn't change a thing.

Shortly after, when I was four, we moved to my home of 15 years. A ranch in Southern California. It is where I grew up, where I have most of my memories. We had horses, cows, pigs, sheep. 60 acres to roam and explore. In the course of 15 years we actually moved to two other places for circumstances that I was too young to totally understand. One was an apartment where I got my first puppy ( I was in third grade) and the other was a small house where I met on of my many best friends. I can't remember how long we stayed there until we moved back to the ranch, maybe a year. I just remember how nice it was that I had my best friend next door. Then it was back at the ranch until I was 18.

After I graduated high school, Lady Di and I moved to central California for junior college. In the course of 3 years, we moved 4 times. First we had our little apartment. Two rooms, one bath barely any furniture and a whole lot of memories. First time away from home and we had a blast. One very fond memory I have of that apartment is carrying Lady Di up the stairs after our first party and having a conversation about birds at 2:00am. Fun times.

After our apartment we rented a house with another friend - 3 bedrooms, 3 girls and 1 bath. I bought some seriously ugly furniture from an elderly lady for like 100 dollars and thought I scored big time. So many memories there. O my goodness. Let's just say there was more than once I would be sitting in class and here someone say, "Partay at 288 Birch". What? Di and I would look at each other and be like, "Dude that's our house!" *sigh* The local pd knew we were there and that we had many "get togethers" and they would watch out for us girls. Loved that town. .It had became home to me in so many ways. I met some of my most wonderful friends there including the hubs and while attending JC my parents had moved to Montana so home was redefined. After the house we moved back to the apartments we had started out at and then again to an even bigger apartment when the Hubs before he was The Hubs became mine and Di's roommate. That was such a nice apartment - 3 bedrooms, 3 bath with a big yard and tennis courts right outside our door.

After the hubs and I graduated JC we went to Fresno State and moved into a tiny single wide trailer in the middle of a walnut orchard. 2 rooms one bath. Poor college students - we didn't have enough money for propane and froze our tooshes off. It was so so cold in the winter. We had to get up at 4am to go to work at the college dairy. It was there the hubs proposed, where we were living when we got married and where we got preggers with the OP. I graduated college in that house and got my first big girl job. I miss that time in our lives as well.

We then moved out of town to a neighboring town about 45 minutes from Fresno. The hubs and I started our own business and it was there that we brought home the our first baby girl. I worked full time and was able to bring her with me to work. That was not much fun. Being full time first time mom and full time employee.

Fresno was home for 5 years and I cherish those memories so very much. I met and worked with some amazing people.

In 2004, the Hubs and I thought we would go on a new adventure and we moved to the Land of Nowhere in Arizona to a huge ranch. First we lived in a travel trailer, then a small one bedroom one bath caretakers home while our house was being finished. Our beautiful huge home: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and monstrous kitchen and two living rooms. It was the middle of nowhere but it was perfect in so many ways. We brought home two more girls. So many happy memories where made there and some sad ones too. I thought we would be there for a long time but things change and the Hubs got laid off and not only did he lose his job we lost our home because they were a packaged deal. I remember leaving thinking how sad it was to leave behind all those memories all those feelings. I brought home 2 babies and I lost a baby there too and a cherished pet. I didn't want to leave. I was angry and sad that the people who had given us so much took away even more. More than they realized.

So now we are here in Montana, freezing. We bought our very first home in October. 4 rooms, two bath . It is a new adventure. The hubs said recently, "that we are on auto pilot and forgot to look at our destination but we have terrain avoidance and all is going to be ok." That is exactly true. We have no idea where we are headed but for now we are here and we are safe and it is home.

I am not going to lie. It hasn't been easy being here. I have had some rough days and so has The Hubs and the girls. It is an adjustment but we are very blessed to have a roof over our head. We are very blessed to have such a healthy beautiful family. I recently bought this sign for our house. It hangs on the wall and reminds me that

"No Matter What, No Matter Where it's Always HOME if LOVE is There."

I read it every day and I remind myself how truly blessed we are and that it doesn't matter where home is because my memories are packed and stored in my heart. I take them where ever I am and where ever I go.

Thanks for the prompt Mama Kat and thanks for reading fellow bloggers. It was fun looking back.

13 homes and one huge heart packed full of cherished memories.

A Nap Is Better Than Cleaning

2010-01-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

I guess it was just too much for her to handle and nap sounded better.

I will give her the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps she laid down for a second to come up with a game plan on the best way to tackle the task at hand and accidentally fell asleep. Maybe it was so overwhelming to her that she thought that the best way was to rest up first and clean later.

Like that ever happened.

For more Wordful Wednesday go to Angie's Place

O Where is She?

2010-01-19T08:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a random thought:

Where o WHERE is my best good friend Lady Di?

Did she go to the Zoo,

kiss a Giraffe

and catch the flu?

Did she go to Sea World

scare a whale

and go to jail?

Where o WHERE is our Lady Di?

Perhaps she stopped off at the Wild Animal Park,

stayed after dark,

got eaten by a lion

named Ryan!

On Monday, I missed her the most

because she forgot her post!

O Where o where could she be?

Should I call the National Guard, the Army or

maybe the President and have him send some jets?

O what shall I do? Does any one know where she is?

If you see her - have her drop me a line

and I will be just fine.

Just leave me a comment

but make it rhyme!

I will forgive her in the end,

thats why she is my dear best good friend.

Just One Of Those Days!

2010-01-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

I KNOW you have had them too!

It Couldn't Have Just Disappeared into Thin Air?

2010-01-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

That's what I was thinking when I found this topless toothpaste. I searched and searched the bathroom, the bedroom (thinking perhaps she absent mindedly carried it into her room - I mean I have been know to do something like that). Nope - no lid. So I gave up and left. Came back later to do something (take the little one potty) and started to walk out and ..........................

VOILA! I mean where else would it be but stuck to the light switch? I mean really, of course I should have looked there. Duh mom!

When asked, she said - What? I thought it was a good place to put it!

Sometimes I wonder!

For more Wordful Wednesday go to Angie's Place

Click her name because for some reason the picture isn't working.

I Don't Think This is Normal

2010-01-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

You might be asking:

Um -- is that ICE?

I would answer:

Why - YES, yes it is.

You might then ask:

Is that in the HOUSE?

To which I would reply:

Um - YES it is.

Perhaps you would ask this:

Is that NORMAL?

and I would say:

I am not sure but I am thinking not - so - much!

(btw - I DID NOT paint the cable outlet - it came with the house and it is going to be changed soon. Along with the green walls, the green curtains, the green trim and the green carpet)

So then moving on through the house.

You: Is THAT a door in the HOUSE?

Me: Uh huh - It sure is!

CAN'T be normal, right?

Here is my favorite.................

THE WINDOWS:

That would be a pure solid COLD layer of ICE!

ON THE INSIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So not ideal!

Beam me home to Arizona Scotty! Preferable today.

Friday Five: thin blood, banning Facebook, missed forecast, and Wii funs

2010-01-08T08:01:00.000-08:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me.

1. Our thin blood isn't enduring these cold temperatures very well. I mean negative 26 degrees is just a tad bit cold for this warm weather gal. That's right, I said: NEGATIVE TWENTY SIX DEGREES. Holy Cats it's cold.

2. Facebook just ups the probability that you WILL hear bad news sometime during the week. I think I am going to stay clear for awhile. Just Livin' in my HAPPY bubble. That's me!

I know it is called DENIAL and I live smack dab in the middle.

3. The weather men up here must have graduated in the bottom of there class or something because they SELDOM get it right. Usually they are about 3 days off. So if they say it is going to snow and be super dee duper cold on Monday - they actually mean it is going to be beautiful on Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday and snow like the dickens on Thursday.

4. So - Wii Tennis is super fun and addictive. I LOVE it. Want to do it all the time. I guess that is what an addiction is.

5. and Wii Boxing is super tough and a great workout. Either that or I am in really poor shape. I am in pretty poor shape these days. I have to say I get great satisfaction at knocking out some super big dude in the beginning of round 2. Maybe I should see a therapist. Just no one can watch me do it because I think they would die in a fit of laughter. I haven't figured out what to do with my feet so they shuffle back and forth in lightening speed. I feel like an idiot but hey I haven't been knocked out yet.

What did you learn this week? Please share.

Have a wonderful Friday.

Hey does anyone know where I might find custom cut chalk boards? I need it to be 10 1/2 x 29 inches.

Also I am playing along in Amy's Round Robin over at Keeping Up With the Schultz Family. Check it out at our Eat Your Peas blog.

Writers Workshop: Year ago Today

2010-01-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I/we participated in Mama Kat's Workshop. So I meandered over to her place last night and found this prompt:

4) Choose the 7th picture you took from last January and write a poem

How could I not post this picture. It sums this girl up in on snap shot.

I don't have a lot of time for a poem so we will see how it comes out.

Here we go:

Cute, Sweet, Silly, Sassy, fun

All rolled up into one.

One I absolutely adore,

I couldn't enjoy her any more.

She makes me laugh and smile,

she makes life so worth while.

Everyday I thank the Lord above,

he sent this little one down for me to love.

Check out some more at Mama's Losin' It:

Just a Few Thoughts

2010-01-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

OK so I thought I would start my morning with a walk on the treadmill but my body had other ideas and scheduled something else for this week so instead I woke up and made cinnamon rolls - Is that bad? Maybe next week I will get started on my workout.

So many people I know are getting divorced. Makes you think, What the holy heck is going on?

I watched that Montel Williams infommercial about his Health Master. I fell asleep to it last night. I wonder if it really works. Does any one have one? I tried to use my blender - it didn't work.

It's snowing today - fun.

Why can't I ever get my kids to go to sleep at nap time? I put them down there in their cool awesome bed (I will post a picture soon) and all I hear is playing and giggling. I go down there, they end up crying, I give in and let them stay awake only for them to poop out at 6:00pm while I am making dinner. I am going to be strong..........I'll be right back...................

...............cross your fingers they will go to sleep.

What is up with Learning Designs Pull Ups anyway? They are irritating - What toddler looks down at there panties and says "Oh I think my designs are gone - I better use the potty" I get the cool release ones - those make sense but disappearing designs, really?

I have the cruddies. Stuffy nose and head, tight chest, ear ache. Fun times. Now my whole chest and back hurt from coughing so bad. I guess it was bound to set in some time at least it waited until after the holidays.

Update on Baby J - She got to go home yesterday. She has made some great progress and is doing well. Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes. She is beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen, and I am hope to post a picture of her soon.

Well I said a few so I am out of here. Have a great Tuesday.

Did you see Lady Di's Mama Drama? Hilarious.

want to see some others Random Thoughts? Go check it out at the Unmom's!

Leaks, Enough About Tractors, And Covert Operations

2010-01-03T21:41:00.000-08:00

You Know You Have Mama Drama When....

1. You decide you better go sit on the toilet during a bad coughing spell so you don't pee yourself. Hey, this mama popped out not one but TWO 9+ pound babies and the land down under has never been the same.

2. Your son unrolls an ENTIRE brand new roll of paper towels just to get the little tube in the middle so he can rig it up to one of his toy tractors and use it as a "drag bar". Yeah, it's a farming thing.

Speaking of tractors....

3. Your son is sooo excited about the new track tractor at Dad's work that it is ALL he talks about. So much so that even the 3 yr. old upon seeing her brother walk towards her, held up her hand to him and said, "NO!! I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE TRACK TRACTOR!!"

4. You're running late so you raid your kids piggy bank because you need your tall nonfat chai tea from Starbucks and you don't have time to go to the bank AND Starbucks. By the way...yes, I know you can use an ATM card at Starbucks but then that would leave evidence via the receipt which would not be good since I currently bet my hubs that I could kick my Starbucks addiction. See how this is wrong on soooo many levels....mama drama for sure!! Oh and don't worry, I repaid my debt to my child and vow never to pilfer funds again...girl scouts honor.

And Finally....

5. You're in the midst of devising an elaborate covert operation to return a missing crock pot lid to your mother-in-law which you have been swearing for the last year you have not had in your possession. Low and behold you find the stupid thing after stating with much conviction for many months that you most certainly DID NOT have it. Well, dear ol' mom-in-law just happens to be going on a little vacay this week and guess what is going to be shoved way back in a corner of one of her cupboards to await discovery by it's proper owner??? I'm not joking. This is highly classified information, she would never let me live it down. Operation "Make Her Think She Is The Crazy One That Misplaced Her Lid" will commence tomorrow morning.

You know you have mama drama when you can't get your stupid computer to do a simple task like copy and paste your signature.....ugh

LADY DI

I'm Distracted

2009-12-31T09:49:00.000-08:00

So much so that I almost burnt my house down. A Bisquick box never belongs on a stove top especially when the burner is on. Not a good idea. Not to worry - The Hubs caught it and saved the day. I was just standing around thinking - What is that smell? Smells like something is burning. Huh! Maybe it smelled like it because SOMETHING WAS!

I am distracted because our really good friends gave birth to a beautiful little girl on Monday. Daddy delivered her on the bathroom floor after the hospital sent them home. Trust me though when I say if there was any one I would trust delivering a baby other than the doctor and perhaps The Hubs - it is this guy. Truly amazing he is! Mama too. What a trooper!

So - things have not been so easy since and little Baby J is having some complications. She is now at Children's Hospital and has tested positive for Downs Syndrome. She is beautiful and seems to have a strong spirit - a real fighter. Her pictures are gorgeous and we can't wait to meet her.

So I am distracted and wish I could be there instead of here. I wish there was something I could do. These friends have been with us for every one of our three deliveries. They are truly amazing people and such special friends.

But I am here, what seems to be a million miles away, wishing and sending up prayers. Lots of prayers. So I am asking for everyone to pray with me. Please send up a prayer for our friends and there little blessing from above. Every little bit helps.

Have a wonderful, safe, and blessed New Year's Eve.

Doggone Happy

2009-12-22T11:28:00.000-08:00

Now doesn't HE look comfy? I don't know but I think he is pretty darn happy in his new home. On MY couch.

This Mama Needs a Vacation

2009-12-21T10:21:00.000-08:00

Okay - So I don't know where Lady Di is. Probably in bed like this:

I only say that because that was me this morning (well not really ME!) You get the point.

Just wanting to wish the world away. Having no desire to get up and go. What is going on? WE are in a funk and the FUNK seems to be going around this year. I have been reading some blogs and talking to friends and it is a reoccurring theme. So we are starting a movement - SAY NO TO THE FUNK!! Just do it! DON'T allow it to enter your day. If you start to feel a little down - Call a friend and talk about something exciting or fun. Plan a trip. Lady Di and I are going to Vegas in February with one of our college friends. We will probably just sleep but at least we will be uninterrupted. I dream of no interruptions. Go get a pedicure or a hand and foot massage. Something!

Anyway: That's it Ladies and Gents : Say NO to the funk!

So I am going to give this Mama Drama Monday a Whirl. Wish me luck:

You know you have Mama Drama if:

1. The YP gets ticked off at the hubs and is so stubborn that she refuses to ask for help when she has to go potty. You are completely unaware and realize something is wrong when you are in the kitchen and you and The Hubs keep asking, "What is that smell?" "Did you throw away a dirty diaper?" "Are you sure?" You finally go to investigate "the smell" and walk in on a scene that makes you gasp in utter dismay, gag, scream, and run.

She had to go, refused to call for help, removed dirty panties, tried to wipe, tried to put on new panties and when all the above failed she ran and hid in her sisters closet. Let's just say Barbies convertible ended up in the sanitize cycle in the dishwasher.

2. Same little girl is bare bottomed on your bed and pees all over your coveted, sacred Scandia Down pillow. You throw it in the washer and leave to make Tamales and come home to what looks like a mostly empty pillow case with clumps of stinky feathers. Lot's of drama - trust me! This is after The Hubs broke a tea cup from England and I chipped my favorite tea pot.

3. You have a migraine - It's 5:45 am haven't slept at all and not feeling well and the whole family converges on your bed talking away with 10:00am voices. Irritated, tired and not fully awake The Hubs says something with the words, 'why don't you.........' ( I seriously don't remember the rest of his sentence ) When you reply "Why don't you shut your mouth!" OOPS. Totally slipped out - not what I meant to say at all. Honestly! Thank heavens The Hubs is a saint because he just got up, closed the door and said calmly, "let's leave Mama alone." I couldn't sleep after that and got up and apologized.

4. When the Hubs has to literally pull apart the YP and the MP because of a full on brawl. Yep the 2 year old and the 4 year old were starring in there own mini version of WWF. Nice - Huh?

So after this whole week - This Mama was not in a good mood. So finally you know you have Mama Drama when.............

5. After a day of being on your feet for 9 hours making tamales with the background noise of fighting, yelling, whining, tattle telling - you blow and send everyone to bed. The OP is in her room crying and singing the blues, The MP is screaming for her Daddy and won't dare come out and the YP (the bravest of them all) comes running out (I am assuming to find The Hubs), sees mama and turns and runs back without a word and went to sleep. She knew.

Well there you have it - Amy's Mama drama. Really I find it all quite funny. It is just life! I wouldn't trade it for the world and honestly I don't last two days without missing this crew.

Maybe Lady Di will add hers later.

Spill it! What was your drama?

Are you ready?

2009-12-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for Christmas? I'm not! So today I am going shopping. Wish me luck. I am going to need it. You see, I had a plan. 'Had' being the key word. The plan never unfolded so now I am unsure of what I have, what I want, and what I need but it's all good, right? Right!

Honestly where is the time going? I missed a Friday Five and I think I actually missed the whole Friday! Just skipped on over it that is what I did! I think we should all be worried that an alien is sucking the time away through some sort of hole in the atmosphere. It's getting scary. Then the whole week passed me by and I don't even really remember what I did. Now that is SCARY! I am going to go with............ unpacked. Yep that is what I did.

Anyhow, it is Friday again and what did I learn? WHAT did I LEARN?

1. I learned that little boys toilets are less than pleasing. I am so so glad I have girls. SO GLAD! I think if I ever have a boy I will install a urinal and require aiming sessions with an experienced aimer. I know of one - he is trained!

2. I learned that my dream house is just 7 miles away from my house and I WANT it - then I want to move it to a warmer climate.

3. Never say never. Remember a couple posts ago - something about a friend and her horribly bad day that I was thankful not to have? I had it. Last night. I should have known when I said my little YP would never have such an experience that I would eat those words. Well it wasn't as bad - so I am still thankful. It could have been so much worse.

4. That the Hubs being home all the time while I am at home is probably not the best idea. Down time is not good. Down time will result in the possibility of having the problem stated in #1. I know. TMI. But hey it is something I learned. He will be blushing when he reads this. I love it when he blushes. Love it. It makes me feel like we are in High School again and not in our mid 30's - Which is just sad!

5. Wood floors + smallish house+ and two dogs = CRAZY OCD WOMAN!

What did you learn? Do share!

Have a FABULOUS DAY and a WONDERFUL weekend!

Next Stop...Crazytown (That's Where I Live)

2009-12-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

You Know You Have Mama Drama When....

1. Your sons says he wants to have a friend come for a sleepover, only to realize that the "friend" has four legs, is furry, and whistles...yes whistles at the butt crack of dawn when he wants to get breakfast. Yes, that's right, my son was asked to have the honors of taking care of the class pet over the weekend. Cooper the guinea pig has graced us with his presence the last TWO weekends.

2. You're trying to make dinner and two of your children run outside with out socks and shoes on (it's been freezing at night) when the neighbors pulled up, the youngest (who is sick) can't go outside so decides to climb onto kitchen counter and yell "HI" out the window at everyone with her little froggy voice. The door was left freakin' wide open, hubby is no where to be found, and you look over and see that our "guest" Cooper the guinea pig is just chillin' under the Christmas tree. Yep, it's an insane asylum here and the inmates are running it.

3. You find it amazing that in all your career as a mother not once has a little thing like being sick stop you from taking care of kids and things around the house. In fact, I remember getting strep throat 1 day after coming home from the hospital with a new baby. I nursed and took care of a new baby, a 3 year old, and the hubs was not around (because he started a new job, but still). However, it's a whole different story when the hubs gets sick. You know, the guy hardly ever gets sick, but the dude gets a cold...a cold and it might as well be H1N1. He was pathetic. I think the kids are less cranky when they have a cold.

And Finally,

4. Your 7 yr. old son is shreiking because the 3 yr. old is taunting him with a "moth". She's on the step waving the "moth" in front of him, hence not allowing him access to his beloved tractors upstairs. You go to investigate the situation only to find your son almost near tears, convinced that lil' Miss Thing has a moth in her hand. You ask her what the heck is actually in her hand and she says, "Oh mom it's not a moth it's just cwrap!" Sure enough, it was indeed just "cwrap", a piece of old tape that at first glance did indeed look like a moth or some type of bug. Now I deal with the fact that my little girl seems to be 3 going on 13 with the special talent of being able to easily taunt and tease her older brother, not to mention her colorful vocabulary skills!!

Awards and Yummy Treat Winners

2009-12-10T09:51:00.001-08:00

So Lady Di didn't do Mama Drama Monday this week because................ well she was having what else but DRAMA! Something to do with a sick husband and a hamster. So she promised Monday was going to be filled with exciting drama. She PROMISED! Then I had planned on doing some posts and The Hubs stole my computer. STOLE it and used it ALL DAY! Needless to say - no posts!

Anyhow while we were distracted we got some awards:

The ever so lovely One Lovely Blog Award came from Angela at This is Just Me and My Little World Her blog is cute - go check it out.

Thanks Angela we really appreciate the love. I/we have so many awards to pass off and as promised I/we will get to them soon. Such procrastination - I swear I have been busy and cold. Did I mention cold? Like -22 degrees cold. It has been an interesting week for us Arizona transplanted in Montana people.

Next we got this cute Lemonade Award:

from Always a Mom. Thanks ever so much! So the rules with this one are as follows:

1. Thank the giver of the award and link their blog.

2. List 5 Things about yourself

3. Link 5 new recipients and notify them.

5 Current things about me:

1. I love the holidays and can't wait to get my chores/unpacking done so that I can enjoy it a bit more.

2. I love to bake and miss my old kitchen tremendously.

3. I believe that pie really does fix everything! A homemade one does anyway. I have a new one that most surely fixes everything. I hope to post that one soon on Eat Your Peas.

4. I don't like having dog hair in my house and my OCD about cleanliness is getting worse because of the dog hair in my house. I am going INSANE.

5. My current favorite accessory item - Hats! Love them. Cute little newsboy hats. I just started making them and I love them.

So now I must pass this on. So I think I will go ahead and just do that right now

I pass this little Lemonade Award to:

Angela at This is Just Me and My Little World

A new bloggy friend and her blog has my current favorite colors

Amy at Where a Woman Shakes her Tablecloth

such a cute blog name and I love her name too!

Unknown Mami

I love her Sundays in My City and She has something new go check it out at:

Short Mama at Family of Shorts

another favorite of mine. Love her open letters

Being Me at Mothers Always

A new find.

So there's that and then there is this: Our winners of our very yummy treats just because we love you - so exciting. I say winners because I had so much fun picking one that I decided to pick another.

So Amy at Keeping Up With the Schultz Family and Lisa Anne at Smell The Coffee Lisa You Won! Just our little way of saying Thank you for sticking with us these past few months while we have not been ourselves. I am so so excited and can't wait for you to get your yummy prizes. Email me (Amy) your address.

Have a wonderful day from the Drama Mamas!

Oh I almost forgot! One more shout out. My GRANDMA started a blog. So funny! She is a great writer and I thought she needed a place to write and vent so I hooked her up. She is very Sassy and VERY opinionated, especially about the government. I enjoy reading what she has to say and figure she has been through more than the average person and has seen pretty much everything and has earned her right to be heard. Anyhow would you do me a favor and pay her a visit and leave her some comment love, The Old Lady Rants. Check it out. ~Amy~

Are You Having a Bad Day?

2009-12-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

So the other day I thought that I was having a pretty rotten day until my friend texted this text:

Today the boy has smeared poop on himself, my bed, some toys, and the toilet. He has poked me with a sharp object and has THROWN spaghetti with sauce ALL OVER my kitchen! I'm going to lose my mind!! HELP.

My day was suddenly looking up!

So this morning after a total of 3 hours of sleep between horrible anxiety and the YP not sleeping, she has a tooth coming in and was inconsolable all night. The hubs is away on a trip and the dogs got up at 5 ( i went to bed at 3), I broke the coffee pot and the paper towel dispenser, the Basset Hound PEED on my couch and I got a visitor (hence the anxiety) after a three month hiatus, and we are out of milk {which is more traumatic then you think}. All this before 9 am. So I opened my phone and read that message again and reminded myself that in comparison my day was still pretty good.

So if you are having a rotten day today or any day just remember it could be worse - you could have poop on your pillow and spaghetti in your hair!

Have a great day! I am off to take a Basset hound to the taxidermist. {Just Kidding}

Friday Five: Unthaw me!

2009-12-04T09:15:00.000-08:00

Help it is so cold here! I am freeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing! The OP said on the way to school as she noticed the temperature gauge display, -1 degree, "That is NOT good! I think we need to go back to Arizona so we can get warm again." I agree. I'll go pack?

Some things I learned this week:

1. When the weather man says the "highs will be in the single digits the next few days" he becomes public enemy number one and I want to hunt him down and throw something at him. SINGLE DIGITS for the HIGHS! YIKES! Did I say I moved from Arizona and before that I was born and raised in California? I am I was. The YP is not adjusting well. She doesn't like this cold weather. I think if she could - she would crawl back inside of me. She tries as soon as that coldness hits her in the face.

2. People here are GRUMPY and MOODY! Perhaps it is because they are FROZEN!

3. Grumpy people make me grumpy and I want to slap them until they snap out of it. { boy am I violent these days} I blame them - the grumpy people.

4. That next year I will not shop on black Friday because cyber Monday has better deals, which is/was annoying. Why wake up at 3am in the morning and shop non stop for 12 hours fighting crowds and grumpy pushy people when I can sit at home in my jammies and get better deals 3 days later? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

5. One of our dogs is not adjusting well to the city life. Our Basset Hound is homesick and I am afraid that we are going to have to get rid of him and that makes me sad. I hope he gets better. I don't blame him - at home he could chase rabbits lay in the sun and run around for miles. Here he is confined to a small yard or the house. There are no rabbits and his ears are about to freeze off. I would be sad too.

Well there you have it. What did you learn this week? Have a fabulous Friday and a great weekend. Stay warm.

Crazy Busy Frazzled Stressed and Something for You for Being You!

2009-12-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Wait. I'm kidding. Don't leave. Not yet anyway!

I found this on google images and thought I would share because it's funny and most of us are mom's and stress just comes along with the job. I know Lady Di is feeling the same way these days. I haven't talked to her much *boo* but I'm feelin' her vibes.

A Prayer for the Stressed!

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I cannot accept {Which, btw, are many right now},

and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people I had

to kill today because they pissed me off. {not really}

And also, help me to be careful of the toes I step on

today as they may be connected to the hiney {it didn't say "hiney" but you get the drift} that I may have

to kiss tomorrow.

Help me to always give 100% at work.......

12% on Monday

23% on Tuesday

40% on Wednesday

20% on Thursday

5% on Fridays {ya right - never happenin'}

And help me to remember...............

When I'm having a really bad day,

and it seems that people are trying to piss me off {they don't have to try real hard},

that it takes 42 muscles to frown and

only 4 to extend my middle finger and tell them to bite me! {I would NEVER do that!, really I wouldn't but Lady Di would. :0)}

Amen

On another note, a happy yummy one, if you have commented on a post in the last two months, well since things just got crazy busy around here - so maybe three, you have been entered in a giveaway - a very 'yummy make you happy all day' sort of giveaway. Are you not happy already? For each time you have commented you get an entry and if you follow you get two more. Winner will be announced on Monday Mama Drama. If I say it is so it will happen {clear my throat **wink wink** Lady Di}

Well have a fabulous day! I feel better already.

Home Team Players, Kicking Up The Romance, And Just Say No to Socks with Sandals

2009-11-23T07:22:00.000-08:00

You Know You Have Mama Drama When.....

1. You spend 15 minutes in the bathroom at Home Depot doing double "doo-ty" supervising both your young children while they do their business. They really need to learn to be home team players.

2. Your daughter is insisting she wear sandals and socks out in public and you just CAN NOT have that because you have serious issues about that crazy little fashion statement. So you confiscate all said sandals thinking you have solved the problem, only to pick up the little Wild Woman from day care to find her in jeans, socks, and SANDALS!!!!! Time to start doing a bag check for contraband before going to daycare again.....

3. You and some other moms make up stuff to talk about to add as "other business" at our service meeting because the meeting ended early and we couldn't go home because the kids wouldn't be in bed yet.

And Finally.....

4. Your idea of putting the romance back in your relationship is closing the door when you go to the bathroom. Whew, hadn't done that in like 8 years, I got a little claustrophobic.

Friday Five: I can do it!

2009-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

Sorry I am running late today. See my crazy self decided that I would go to the midnight showing of New Moon. Yep. So..................

I didn't get home until 3:30am this morning. Did I mention CRAZY? Yes. So what is the problem? Let's back track a bit.

See I recently had a conversation with The Hubs about how my days of partying like a rock star are forever behind me. I denied it. I want to go to Las Vegas in February with Lady Di and our other friend, Kj. (I hope you get to meet her one day. Talk about mama drama she has TWINS!) Anyway we are going for my birthday for 4 days and I am so ready to get my vegas GROOVE on and so are my peeps. We all are way over due for a girls weekend. The last time was like 5 years ago or something and let me tell you it was a trip to be remembered. We had a blast. BUT..........................

Since then Lady Di has had one child, I have had two and poor dear old Kj has had three. YIKES! We have aged and we are all a little tired. But I was in denial I thought I could do it. The Hubs is going but will be off shooting guns or something and he said I would have to find my own things to do (like that is a problem) because he will be gone from sun up to sun down. I said with confidence, " I will be gone from sun down to sun up so we won't see each other much." You know what he did? He LAUGHED!!!! He laughed a huge 'I DON'T THINK SO OLD LADY!' kind of laugh. WHAT? "I can do it!" I cried. "Your not 24 anymore!" was his response

Are you serious? I couldn't believe it. I thought, I will show him - I will go to New Moon at midnight I will come home at 3:30 and I will wake up at 6:00 bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to get the OP off to school and I will be AWAKE all day. I can do it..............................

I couldn't do it! *sigh* I am so sad. *sniff, sniff* I barely made the ride home. My cousin was talking, words were coming out of her mouth but I couldn't comprehend. I felt like I was on a heavy sedative. I wanted to stay awake. I mean really, I was scared to death she might hit a deer! I don't know why I wanted to be awake for that! She has a Ford Focus: we hit a deer and it isn't going to be pretty! I should have wanted to go to sleep but I am a freak like that and think that if I am awake I will some how ward off the possibility of any deer, elk, moose encounter.

{Hey let me live in my bubble of unrealistic ideas}

With that said, { I was going to admit defeat } but I am NOT! I am going to take the ' NEVER SAY DIE' attitude even though I didn't wake up till 10:00am, I am bra less and still in my jammies (it's 1:15) . I AM going to get my LV GROOVE on and Partay like a ROCK STAR! I am, I will. I will show the HUBS I still GOT it!

Hey ladies and gents I leave you with this: I may not be in my 20's but I am not pushing a walker either and I have some SPUNK left in me. So I may not be able to party all night and wake up like I did back in the college days. So what? I will party all night and sleep all day. That is why they have black out curtains in the hotel rooms.

BTW, the movie, New Moon was so worth it. Much better than Twilight which most know I totally DID NOT like!

I think I have chatted long enough. As for my Friday Five, five things I learned this week:

1. When buying a house in places that snow. Be aware of where the sun hits and where it doesn't. Because...............

2. Slipping and falling on ice that you thought was just melted water and landing on your bottom - HURTS! and that teaches you real fast to ....................

3. be cautious and assume that all clear watery patches are indeed frozen slippery ice and..................

4. to walk like a person with COPD on said slippery surfaces to avoid falling in the future.

and last but not least.................

5. Going to bed at 3:30 and waking at 6:00am just not going to happen. But you already knew that. :0)

I am off to get dressed. Well at least put on a bra!

Happy Friday! What have you learned?

And the Awards are in...............

2009-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

We are so blessed to have such wonderful blog friends. Thanks so much for the awards. This my friends is going to have to be a two parter. So we will be passing these along soon.

Bridgette over at Life's a Beach gave us this award. So nice she is. Thanks so much.

Here's the rules:

1. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and their link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you have recently discovered and think are great.

Our pal Amy at Keeping Up With the Schutlz Family gave us this:

and then I stole this one from her because it is fun (she said to):

Honest Scrap Award Rules:

Requires that I write 10 honest things about me, and then I have to pass it on to 7 people with blogs, "I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me."

We mixed it up a bit. Amy is writing 10 honest things about Lady Di and vice versa.

Here are ten honest things about Amy written by Lady Di:

1. She is an excellent listener...and trust me, she has listened to plenty of drama over the years

2. She is an incredibly strong person. This girl can take what life throws at her.

3. She is a germaphobe. Sorry, Aim. You know it's true. You and Purell are in a totally committed relationship.

4. She makes FABULOUS pies ( the peach is my fave). Instead of going together like peas and carrots, we go together like cake and pie.

5. From weddings to birthdays, she can plan a party like no other.

6. She once typed me a letter using minimal words and those little emotion symbols to cheer me up. It was very creative and funny, AND totally did the trick to turn my mood around (I still have the letter).

7. She is doing a great job raising that gaggle of girls she's got. Lord knows, I would have willingly committed myself to the insane asylum by now having to deal with girl issues X3.

8. She is gag me with a spoon madly in love with her husband...just kidding, you know I think you guys are sooo cute.

9. She is the master of practical jokes. Don't even talk to her anywhere near or on April's Fool's Day....seriously, no joke.

10. I honestly don't know what I would do without her. And cue-AWWWW

and now for Lady Di written by Amy:

1. She is an amazing friend, wife and Mama.

2. She is a procrastinator but......

3. She does her best work under pressure.

4. She doesn't give herself enough credit.

5. She makes the most beautiful cakes and should go into business for herself.

6. She is incredibly funny and doesn't even know it.

7. She puts up with a lot of crud and deserves an Oscar.

8. She is super duper ally uper intelligent.

9. She is beautiful inside and out.

10. She is in need of a rockin' girls night out.

I am so lucky to have her as my friend and sister. We all need a Lady Di in our life.

Di - Ok, people are going to think we paid each other to write this stuff about one another. I think it's more like we are buttering each other up to score some good Christmas presents.

Amy - Ha Ha! True! I think I might be a little scared of the present you are going to get me. If the box is vibrating I think I might just stick it under the bed and then open in a moment of privacy - like I get those!

Erin over at My Little Miracles gave us this award:

The rules: "No one really likes rules, do they? I shall make mine simple. Make a cocktail, pick out some of your favorite bloggers. Send this award to 4 of them. Tell them why you think they give good blog. There are so many fascinating, witty, and fantastic bloggers; let's invite them all to the party. Or you can just put it on your mantle and watch it sparkle. If you think it sassy that I created my own award, just consider it a grown up and virtual version of a friendship bracelet."

Modern Mom from How To Survive Life in The Suburbs gave us this award:

Not any rules with this one.

and then there is this award:

This is bad. I can't find who gave it to us. I saved it to my files with good attentions and then forgot. I even wrote down the givers name and then lost the paper during the move- I stink. But it is so so cute. So if you gave it to us tell us and we are sending you something in the mail. Something fun.

Just recently, Always a Mom. Gave us this:

Way cool. Thanks so very much. We love scribbling. This one originates from The Scholastic Scribe and has some rules of it's own which will be posted in part 2 of this post. So stay tuned............

Random Tuesday Thoughts: Actually It is Just One RTT

2009-11-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a thought that has been rustling around in my head:

What the heck happened to Thanksgiving?!!!

I mean seriously? I truly love Christmas. I do. I love everything about it. I am like a little kid on Christmas morning. I love watching my girls come out to see what is under the tree. I am a christmas stocking freak. I am. My stockings ROCK! I love to bake, to cook, to eat. I love decorating. I LOVE it all.

BUT........................

I also love love Thanksgiving. Especially Thanksgiving dinner. LOVE IT! Lady Di and I once had Thanksgiving in September because I just couldn't wait any longer. I think it was September might have been August. I was preggers with the OP and she had just had the JD Boy. Anyway I love the fall: the colors, the decorations, the season. THANKSGIVING!

So what is the problem?

The PROBLEM is this: Every year Thanksgiving gets shoved aside for Christmas! That's right. It is like the day after Halloween and all the fall decorations are gone! The stores explode with Christmas stuff.

It is ANNOYING! RIDICULOUS!

I mean, come on give it some time to just be Thanksgiving! THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!! A time for Thanks!

I saw the most adorable scarecrow in a store window and thought I will wait until after Halloween and come get it for my door. I went back to get it and IT WAS GONE along with everything Halloween and Thanksgiving and fall. I expected Halloween to be put away but all the fall stuff? I mean seriously it isn't even technically winter yet. At least one little corner should be designated fall still. Oh no - THE WHOLE STORE was CHRISTMAS. It's NOVEMBER people.

I am realist. I know that they need more than 25 days to sell Christmas stuff - all I am asking is to still keep some stuff out for Thanksgiving and fall. I don't think that's asking too much?

Maybe it is just me? I like to give each holiday it's own time. I decorate for Halloween on October 1st, Thanksgiving on November 1 and Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Each Holiday is exclusive of each other. You won't see a snowman in or around my house in November. Just not going to happen.

Ok so I feel better. I ranted and raved a little..............or a lot!

Thanks for listening. Can you hear the irritation in my words? Ha.

Ok so maybe I have more thoughts like:

I am a little excited about New Moon. I hope it is better than Twilight. I hated the movie. Yes HATED. Loved the book.

I have some family drama and need some advice. Maybe I will ask for it tomorrow.

My floors stink. I thought I would love hard wood floors as opposed to my hard tile ones but I don't. I sweep ALL THE TIME. At least with my old ones you couldn't see the dirt.

I found some new candy that is divine. Oh my - is it DELISH. Almond Butter Crunch. Made here in Montana by two men. So so yummy. Don't worry I am going to share. I am. Soon. I promise. It's all part of a plan, a prize for one of our followers and commenters for just being you and being awesome. Soon. It is coming soon...........................

want to see some others Random Thoughts? Go check it out at the Unmom's!

Friday Five: Scarecrows, The Hubs, kitchens, Snow, and Bad Judgements.

2009-11-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me

1. That dressing up like a scarecrow, bringing cookies, and reading a book to my daughters class makes me a superstar and scores some points with the teacher. I had a blast too.

2. That having The Hubs here makes the new house more like our home. Speaking of the Hubs, he makes me calm in times of stress more than I realized.

3. The next house I live in will have a monstrosity of a kitchen. It is going to be huge. HUGE. Everyone I know will be able to come to my house and eat. I miss my old kitchen. My sweet, dear, big kitchen. The hubs misses it too.

4. Waking to clear blue skies and a blanket of white snow is really beautiful. I am sure once winter has come and gone my opinion will have changed.

and finally I learned:

5. That I think I was being a little too judgmental when it came to the OP's teacher. I hadn't really formed an opinion of my own but instead listened to many others. I think she is still going to be difficult but at the same time I see the reason behind most of her madness and it is good. She is teaching the kids accountability and how to be responsible instead of holding their hands and that is something I can stand behind. Again, this opinion is subject to change. I mean it's me, Amy, I change my mind a lot.

Have a Fabulous Friday. I should be unpacking but have lost all motivation. So instead, I am going to take some time this weekend to see what is going on in your world. See you soon.

Meet a Future Diva

2009-11-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

My little Fashionista:

So I just had to post this picture of the OP. I do have to say that I am almost 100% sure that she is the best dressed girl in her school. She is really the most fashion conscience 7 year old I know and I fear I am going to have some serious problems when she hits middle school. The Hubs better have a good job. That's right, I have no plans on working. I believe that even when these girls are in middle and high school that it is at utmost importance that I am available to them, that I am involved in there lives, that they know that there Mama is there number one biggest fan. Truly they make the biggest decisions in those years. I'm ranting - I'll stop.

Anyhow, isn't she cute? It is interesting to me that she is like this because I was and still am a shirt and jeans kind of Mama. I like comfort. However I am kind of digging jewelry these days. However, that is about the extent of my fashion contribution.

Now as for her younger sister, the MP, she has her own distinct style. Maybe I will capture that on film soon.

I will leave you with this: The other day The Hubs says, "I hear you are going to paint your room hot pink?" The OP: "NO! I am going to paint my room Hot Diva Pink!"

Were in trouble!

For other Wordful Wednesday's click on over to Angie's. Happy Wordful Wednesday Everyone! Hope your day is extra wordful wonderful.

Too Early To Make Sound Decisions, Clean Showers, And There Must Be Crack In Candy Land-Monday's Mama Drama

2009-11-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

You Know You Have Mama Drama When.....

1. Your son has taken your muttered response of "Have whatever you want for breakfast." quite literally as you find him at the dining room table with his entire bag of Halloween candy in front of him. Hey, it was 5:30 A.M. on a SATURDAY when the kid came bee-bopping into my bedroom and said, "Can you make waffles?" Me: "Uh No" JD Boy: "Then what can I have for breakfast?"...and you know the rest.

2. You are so peeved off at your husband that you end up cleaning the entire shower from top to bottom at 11:00 P.M. because the mindless task is actually therapeutic, plus it gave my hands something to do other than strangle my beloved, PLUS I used his little nail scrubber brush to do the job. It worked...I felt much better when I was done and my shower sparkles. He better be nice, the toilets need cleaning next and I hear a toothbrush works great for getting in all the little nooks.

3. The same morning that your son had his highly nutritious breakfast of Halloween candy, he continues to pester you in bed. Now it is 6:00 A.M. and he wants help finding a pair of pants so he can go to the ranch with Daddy. He can't find them (of course, he's a male). I'm in bed TRYING to sleep (crazy, I know) when I look on the floor and notice a pair of used pants he took off the night before and left on my floor (again, of course, he's a male). So, I tell him to put those on. I mean come on, do I really have to get out of my warm bed to get him a pair of clean pants just so he'll get them filthy dirty as soon as he gets to the ranch when there is already a perfectly filthy pair right there for him to put on by himself? See, there is a method to my madness.

And Finally....

4. You look your 3 yr. old in the face and say, "Sorry honey, I don't know where your Candy Land game is right now." You know it's tucked away safely under the bed, but you just can't play that stinking game ONE. MORE. TIME. Little did you know when you purchased said game that your daughter would turn into a Candy Land ADDICT and demand EVERYONE in the house play every five minutes. Not to mention the dang little kid wins every time. I don't know how she does it, but EVERY TIME...I'm not competitive or anything, I'm just saying.

Friday Five: Singleton's with vibrating toys, Skunk oil, clean toilets, and dinner parties. Ha!

2009-11-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me.

1. Singleton's live VERY interesting lives. I don't remember being like that pre marriage but then again that was a while ago and I don't think that I could actually qualify as a singleton back then. Regardless. WOW! is all I can say for the single lifestyle. WOW.

2. There is nothing like a vibrating friend catching on fire to ruin one's day. Okay so seriously this kind of goes hand and hand with number one and is not in any way shape or form been experienced first hand. Thank heavens she was just giving it a trial run and watching it do it's thing, for lack of better terminology, when it started smoking. SMOKING! Don't worry I told her that she should really call consumer reports because that is really dangerous. I mean seriously ,could you imagine? Anyway I had a great laugh and I needed one.

3. Skunk perfume is actually an oil. So don't wash clothes in hot water and it penetrates everything like campfire smoke.

4. Apparently I learned that I might possibly be the worlds most anal toilet cleaner. I thought everyone gets under there toilet to clean it. I guess not. What can I say I can clean me a mean toilet. Hey I am a domestic goddess and that is my job to make a toilet shine.

5. My princesses are shining in the spotlight. They love the attention from friends and family. The are experiencing a whole new world of people popping in, dinner parties, getting picked up to go to Grammy's. They are loving it.

Well there you have it. Have you learned anything lately? Let us know. Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend.

The Skunk Returns

2009-11-05T05:44:00.000-08:00

Remember this? The skunk story? I do but that is because I experienced the not so great feeling of the near encounter with the skunk first hand. Well he strikes again and my Dad is in the dog house. Anyone have an available room for awhile? I think this one has landed him in the dog house for quite awhile.

See, their dog got sprayed. Not a problem because if you remember correctly we found the miracle solution to removing stench from dog.

However it does become a problem when said stinky dog is let in the house and locked in living quarters while husband goes to find wife in bedroom to ask what the miracle solution is. First mistake and bad bad idea.

Dog left to wander jumps on furniture. Second mistake. All this leads to very very upset wife. Did you know that skunk perfume penetrates the whole house? Your clothes, your hair, your furniture? It does. So needless to say, Dad is in some super hot water. My mama is super ticked off. I would be too. I am betting that one of them will be down at my house soon.

My mama was even more ticked off when I told her to change into some of my clothes because she stunk like skunk and then again when the OP asked after getting in the truck, "Yuck, what smells like skunk, Grammy?" Bad Bad day for my Dad.

However I hear today that it (the smell) is getting better. The couch has been relocated outside- I am sure to await garbage day. So maybe my mama will be happy when she goes to buy herself the new couch she has been eyeing at the furniture store for quite some while.

The lord works in mysterious ways!