Home for the Holidays...

This was the first time in many, many years that we haven't had to drive anywhere, I mean anywhere, for Christmas! What an amazing, stress-free, beautiful thing.... Home Christmas Eve, home Christmas morning, home ALL day on Christmas day. At home in our church to celebrate Christmas. Home cooked food that was oh so yummy. No stress in the car. Nothing but the sounds of children enjoying their day and the smiles of Grandparents watching.
Did I mention that I was happy to be HOME?
Hope your Christmas was as magical as ours was and that your New Year brings joy and love!

You Capture - You!

I am finally trying my friend Beth's photo challenge! And, of course, I would have to start with the hardest one...a photo of me! So, here I am.... And, be sure to check out Beth's blog...she Rocks!

It's never to late...

You know that feeling when someone surprises you? Like really in the most unexpected way kind of surprise... Well, that happened to me today.
When I opened my email this morning, I had an email from someone that I probably have not seen or spoken to in over 14 years. Now, I would never reveal the identity of this person, but I do want to share what this person said to me. The email said, "I know that this it completely out of know where, but I saw something the other day that reminded me of you. It got me thinking about what jerk I was to you. It's been bothering me ever since so I just wanted say that I am sorry for everything I did."
After I scraped my jaw off the floor, I really had a peaceful feeling come over me. This email answered a question for me that I have wanted an answer to for a very long time. Can people really change?
I have let most things go that plagued my existence in high school. However, I do know of many people who will never let go of things that hurt or embarrassed them in the past. What would it be like if everyone took the time to say they were sorry. Even if they thought that it was to late.
I would bet that it would make a difference. I know it did to me. So, to the people who take the time to think of others and even maybe pause to say "I'm sorry"... Thank you.

Applesauce and Cod

Funny how kids can make anything work. Tonight our 2 year old dipped her crispy cod nuggets into her applesauce and enjoyed it as if they were meant to be eaten together. Our children are often masters of putting odd things together and just making it work. Their imagination and openness to new possibilities in unending.
Why can't I be that way? I know I'm not the only adult who struggles to put the pieces of life together and make them work. When did I lose that childlike ability to be more open to possibility, change, growth, risk. Our darling daughter took the risk that the applesauce and cod would most likely taste like crap. But she went ahead, dug in, tried it and loved it!
We have recently taken on a new venture in our family... One that I am struggling to jump into with all of my passion and energy. I love the idea. I trust the person in charge with all of my heart. I am still afraid of uncharted waters. The freedom and growth that this "change" will give us in our lives could be amazing.
I think that from now on I must look at our world through the eyes of a child. Fear will only keep me from experiencing the many joys that are waiting.
Maybe tomorrow we will all try applesauce and cod for dinner...

Marley and Me

So, have you seen Marley and Me? I am always up for a good movie. Casey and I are huge fans of lounging on the couch or in bed on a Friday night and watching movies. In fact, in our first place together, we used to push the couches together in the living room to make a bed and watch movies all night. We had no TV in the bedroom so we thought is was so fun to camp in the living room. Anyway....back to Marley and Me. Usually, I am very well informed about movies that we will be watching. So as to protect myself from watching incredibly crappy movies like the movie Superbad, for example. Superbad, supersucked, and I would so like that 90 minutes of my life back. But, the point I am trying to make, is that I am very seldomly caught off guard by movies.
Then, came Marley and Me.
I had failed to my research. I thought simply, good actors, cute dog, sounds good to me.
Casey and I watched, laughed, then cried. Oh, the crying. Oh, how we couldn't stop the crying. We couldn't even look at each other because we were both embarrassed at how much we were crying.
We both love animals. We, up until a year ago, had our very own Marley. Two of them. They both died within a year of each other. And, there has been a hole in our family ever since where they used to bark, play and love us.
My husband and I got our first dog, Dallas, when we were just dating. We had been together for a year. We had gone out to dinner and were on our way to a sorority dance. Instead of going to the dance, we skipped out and got a puppy. We were your typical, irresponsible, college students. Our parents thought we were crazy, our roommates wondered where we were going to keep him. But, we didn't care, he was our new baby. A cute, fluffy, 12 week old Norwegian Elkhound.
Dallas grew up in the fraternity house with Casey. He was very well socialized, ahem...
Bailey, our lab Rottweiler mix, came a year later when we were engaged and had our own place.
They gave us many Marley and Me moments. They rode everywhere with us in the car, slept in bed with us and grew to watch over our kids with us. They had there own gigantic bed with pawprints all over it. They even shared their bed with the cat. They were huge dogs, but often liked to lay on our laps....they never knew how big they really were. They were great with the kids. I have beautiful photos of our oldest daughter reading stories to them when she was just a year old.
It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of them being gone. Bailey became ill and died at our home. Dallas died in my arms at the vets office. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done. It felt like a rock being shoved down my throat.
I think of Bailey when we play outside in the water because she loved getting wet. I think of Dallas when fireworks go off or it storms because he was so scared of loud noises.
I miss them, our Marley and Me.

Back at the blog...

OK, so I know that I haven't written for a long time. Like a really long time...And, I changed my blog title. Shows total lack of commitment, right? But, I really do have a good excuse, a lot of them in fact.
We have been Sooooo busy... Do you know how long I've waited to utter those words? I'm soooooo busy, I always wanted to be one of THOSE moms, you know, the ones who are sooooo busy. The ones who are running to swimming lessons, practices, church meetings, camps, cooking dinner and keeping the house perfectly clean. HA! It sooooo doesn't work that way.
We moved into our new house in May. So, being organized is not something that I can even come close to claim being.
Moving, ahhh, moving. Who ever thought that was a good idea. I have decided that I would much rather be told that I will be staying in a house forever. Forever. End.of.story. There is no choice, Miss, you must live here forever, and you will never, ever be allowed to move again.
Oh, and did I mention that we moved back to my hometown, where I grew up. Now, I will say there are several benefits to this move. My family is finally close. Like really close. Like pajamas in the afternoon are no longer an option close.
But, seriously, I do love being here. The girls love it and it is great to have so many friends and family that I have known forever here to help us and share in our life. I have spent much of the summer showing our girls the things that I enjoyed as a child.
Which is really special.

One would think...

My day today started out like most... The kids usually get up early. They're like little roosters...they wake up way to early, hungry and pecking and all. Like usual, they all curled up in front of the TV with bowls of cereal and juice. I walked around the house for a few minutes, surveying the damage....oh what to do first. Pack more boxes, nope...do more laundry, nope....maybe dishes. Counters wiped, check. Dishwasher loaded, check. Dishwashing detergent in...crud...how could I be out of dishwashing detergent? I really need to just get these done. No time to run to the store now. So, being the brilliant person that I am, I go with plan B. A little liquid dish soap in the cup should do the trick...
Now, I know that most of you are already saying, "Oh no she didn't..." OK, so apparently I didn't get that memo, 'kay. One would think that I would know that this was a really bad idea. I already knew I was in trouble when I could hear a rather muted sound coming out of the dishwasher that just.didn't.sound.normal. And, then, of course, as if off of a cue card, the bubbles started pouring out of the bottom of the dishwasher. It was just like one of those scenes from a movie...you know the one where the dumb blonde spills something on her shirt and has to wash it at her date's house and fills the washer with way to much laundry detergent. Except in that scene, it turns into a sexy suds fight that ultimately ends up with hot making out on the laundry room floor in the middle of the mess. This was so not that.
So, now I am turning my mess into "Spring Cleaning" as one of my friends suggested. I'm thinking that the house will smell really fresh when I am all done. And, my dear hubby will think that I worked really hard today!

Dear maker of Bratz Dolls (MGM Entertainment)

To Whom it may concern,

Could you please stop making your little whore dolls. As a mom of three young girls, I can hardly stand to see such a disgusting little doll in the toy aisles. I think Bratz should at least have there own little section behind a curtain so that those of us who don't want to see them, don't have to. We live in a society where several woman's magazines have to be partially covered with a piece of black plastic to hide the cover because they have been deemed to provocative to be shown in the check out line....so I ask, "How are these dolls different?" They aren't just different, they're worse in my opinion than the magazines because they are made FOR children. Just because you put a "z" at the end of a name, that doesn't make it cute. They might as well be called Lil hoochiez...or Skankz....Oh but wait, the marketing wouldn't have been quite as promising then, would it?
I know that I am not the only mom who feels this way. I have several friends who will not allow their daughters to have the dolls either. Please put these dolls out of site in our stores! It will make it so much easier to go toy shopping for the things that our children really need to grow into intelligent, strong young women!

Sincerely,
Mom

Sisters.

My sister came to visit for a few days and help me start packing for our move in a few weeks. She only lives an hour away but our busy lives seem to keep us from having time to get together. When we hang out there is always shopping involved and usually junk food and movies. This time it was chocolate chip cookies...lots and lots of chocolate chip cookies. My sister and I are 7 years apart, so we are basically making up for lost time....because we completely hated each other growing up. Now, we are building our friendship...slowly learning new things about each other every time we talk. I think we will have the bond, eventually, that you think of when you hear the word sisters. I feel like we are proving that it is never to late to make a relationship strong and happy.

I hurt...

OK, I know that this is supposed to be an entry about Dancing with the Stars...but plans kind of changed. Don't worry there will be plenty of time to make fun of the "Stars" in the coming weeks. Just so you know, it is a secret "dream" of mine to BE on Dancing with the Stars. And, now that they have Melissa Rycroft on the show....I know that I finally have a chance! Seriously, I can just see the lineup for next season...maybe Nadia Suleman....COME ON! They really need to draw the line somewhere to determine who is considered "celebrity" enough to be on that show.
The reason that I am so behind is because I got hurt....again... After my third little girl was born, I started having major problems with my shoulder. I had been using my right arm so much to carry the kids that I popped my shoulder out of joint. Now, whenever I lift to much or even sleep crooked I end up stranded in my chair with a bag of ice...totally helpless.
I'll be better in a few days. Until then, the kids are on autopilot... It's good for them to have to wait on mommy!

Try it before you buy it?

Do you ever go to Walmart and sometimes feel like you're at a garage sale...or Goodwill....you get my drift? The other day I went to my local hometown Walmart and managed to make it home with a packaged of used...yes, I said USED deodorant and a broken lamp. How did this happen you ask? One would think that I would notice these things before leaving the store, right? Or is it just to much to ask of a store to sell new deodorant and lamps that acutually produce light.... I guess not. After all, this is the same place that I have gone to before and stumbled across half eaten food in the grocery department and discovered someones old shoes in a new shoebox on the shelf. It kind of makes you wonder....WHODOESSTUFFLIKETHAT!
Upon returning the disgusting used deodorant...eww, I just threw up in my mouth a little thinking about it again, and my broke ass lamp, I received the typical no fuss Walmart service. Actually...the Walmart employee was nice and kind of funny... When I told her why I was returning the deodorant, she responded, "That's nasty...they must have needed it pretty bad..."
In conclusion, I give everyone the Walmart challenge. See if you can go one month without going there!! I'm not going to get all preachy and say to boycott Walmart....I've seen the Walmart movie (you should see it, it's so interesting.) But, just try it for a short time anyways. Raise your shopping standards! We ALL deserve better!
That's all I've got for tonight. Tune in tomorrow for my recap of tonight's Dancing With The Stars...

Vaseline on the cat...

OK, so you all need to know that first off, I am a really good mom. I really do watch my kids very closely to make sure that they don't get into things... However, I have a two year old who operates like a stealth bomber and has arms like gumby. So, anyways, awhile back, as I cleaned and did laundry my stealth baby found her way into the bathroom to a container of Vaseline. Now before I tell you what she did with the Vaseline...I must tell you about our beautiful cat. Our cat, Oz, is a handsome thing. He is a Ragdoll cat with soft, long, fluffy hair. Oz has a great, easy going personality. He lets the girls dress him, put ribbons in his hair...you get my point. So, back to the Vaseline. Where childen are concerned, quiet is NEVER a good thing unless there is sleep involved. As I went to check on my little one, the first thing I noticed was a pair of greasy smudged hand prints on the door...oh wait on the wall, too. Oh crap! Where is she...? I hear giggling...oh crap...that's even worse. Now as I round the corner to our bedroom I am fully expecting the worst. And, sure enough, there she is, in the corner loving on the cat with her thickly coated Vaseline hands. I pulled her away from the cat and tried to put on my tough as nails mom face. Into the bathroom I go with her. I sit her in the middle of the bath mat and point my finger to express my disappointment with her. Then....I turn to the poor cat...which, of course, is when I could no longer keep a straight face. Poor Oz, frozen in the corner, covered with Vaseline.
Now we jump to the present day. The cat has been bathed SO many times...and still greasy fur and clumps of matted fur. I finally broke down and called the vet (who is also the person that we got Oz from.) Now, our cat with beautiful, long, fluffy hair.....will be BALD! It is the only way to fix him... Don't worry, I will definitely post a picture once the shaving is done...

Until next time...

Welcome to my blog!

Welcome to my first blog! I have started this as a way to share my life and thoughts with family, friends and others who stop in. As a mom of three young girls, I have often thought, "I should really be writing this down," during many random life moments. I hope to share many daily moments as well as "flashback" moments that I have wanted to write about. So, enjoy as you read!

Sarah