Aimless Wandering

That's what I do. Wander aimlessly. So today, cup of Seattle's best (I know, forgive me Starbucks) in hand, I was pushing an empty cart through the PX. I got the cart for the sole purpose of holding my purse. Its heavy. So I walked around for a while, looking at crap I don't need, crap I want but can't afford, and crap I should buy but doesn't interest me at the moment. U know, like cleaning supplies and organizational tools? After strolling around, picking stuff up turning it over in my hand, contemplating its use and need/want rating, and ultimately putting it back, I run across something amazing. I mean, really. Your going to love it. I did. Enough to put it in my cart. I almost bought 2. Now you might think I'm crazy, or simple minded or something, for thinking that anything this simple is so freakin fantastic. But if your one of those people, well, keep it to yourself. Don't burst my happy shopping bubble OK?

Moms, remember all the times you have been out shopping with your kids? You know, hell on earth? Well, Think back to the aisle wandering, cart pushing and eventual trip to the car loaded down with bags and kids. Whats one of the never ending problems we run across? Not enough hands for holding am I right? Of course I am. How many times have you wondered how exactly are you going to hold your child's hand while crossing the street or dodging idiot drivers in the parking lot on the way to your car? Pushing a loaded cart, or carrying a ton of bags make it impossible. For real. You end up hoping for the best. Or if you are an especially careful mom, like me, you make sure the little kiddos are holding on to something on your person. Like your pants pocket. Or belt loop, or purse handle. Any of these options suck by the way. Whats most likely to happen when they are holding on to your belt loop is this: Your pants fall down. I know seeing my butt crack is appealing to most everyone, however I try to save it for special occasions. Like your Birthday. Well my crack is safe from exposure from here on out. You know why? Cause I found this today:

Not just your Regular Canvas shopping bag. No. This is the MotherChildBag by reisenthel

You see that awesome little handle that looks like it has no use? ITS FOR YOUR KID!!! Holy Crap. Someone actually came up with something to make my life easier. And its CUTE. They come in other colors too! Yeah, I almost got em all. I thought that might be over kill. NO? This baby is made well and has a reinforced bottom to boot. And get this: has a zipper pocket on the inside too. Yup. I'm in love. Am I easy to please or what? This flippin made my Day. And I think that you should buy one too. Its what any responsible mother would do. No more butt cracks please. ;)

Headed to Hershey!

I wish I was headed in the direction of a HERSHEY BAR *drool*, but I mean the town in PA and the amusement park! Off to go spend 5 dollars each on bottles water and wait in 30 min lines for 80 second intervals of entertainment! Not to mention purchase every cute thing imaginable in the shape of a Hershey's Kiss Because we want to make our children feel loved via retail bonding and end the summer on a fun note. I know it doesn't sound like I am very excited... I am. REALLY. I just hope that the two demon children who were in my home today decide to stay here, and the sweet fun loving, energetic, happy children I gave birth to and love dearly will come along instead. Just Sayin. It should be a good day (it damn well better be). My Brother is meeting us there too! So fun times. One extra adult so we outnumber them (muaaahhahahahaha) "UNCLE JOSH...." oh, Um, anyway... Finishing up the laundry for the weekend trip to NY after The day of Chocolate/Amusement Bliss. I think its going to be hard not to cheat on my diet at a Friggen park that is CHOCOLATE themed don't you? Sheesh. Will power, will power...will... power. Um we'll see how that goes. So I will be gone for the weekend and wont have time to BLOG! I know, its a tragedy. But I will be back. And I will be posting pics of our trip. Any and all pictures that may or may not be taken of me licking chocolate off my happy fingers will be promptly deleted and forgotten. I will also post my newest award and be passing it along. :) Thanks Alicia. I am off to start, I mean finish, packing and then take my butt to bed. So wish us luck on our adventure and think strong thoughts for me so that I don't dive into a Vat of chocolate at the factory and get kicked out of the park. (THAT has to have happened before don't you think?)

Oooh the Shame....

So I'm getting ready, took a shower, blow dried my hair, getting ready to put my make-up on while the curling iron is heating up. My Daughter wakes up from her nap and sees me half dressed, and half ready she says: "Where are we going Mamma?"
Hey JUST because I took off the Pajamas and took my hair out of a ponytail and washed my booty, DOES not automatically mean we are LEAVING the house!!! Ok ok, maybe it does. A little. I mean is that the only time I actually make myself presentable? When I am going in public?! I mean I refuse to leave the house without at least mascara (the very least) and my hair must be washed and done. But I do that when we are not going anywhere too. Right? Crap. That's who I have become. The wife who is still in her Jammies when the Money Maker gets home from work. How flippin SAD is that? Because guess what, when little miss perceptive woke up from her nap and asked her question. I was getting ready to go somewhere. My poor husband. Maybe I should try a little harder to be cute when he comes home! But damn, its so nice to shower in PEACE after he gets home... Oh well, guess I will have to sacrifice peace for cuteness/pride. How unfair is it that your 3 year old can shame you?!!

Missing Friends...

Military life. It has its charms, its benefits, its sense of belonging and duty and patriotism.... yada yada. But one thing that I don't think I will ever get used to is leaving friends. The hubs grew up like this, so for him its "normal". For me, not so much. I grew up with the same people my whole life until I joined the Air Force, I am still friends with some of the people I was in 3rd and 4th grade with. So to me, not so normal. When I make a friend, a TRUE friend, I will do pretty much anything for you and we will be friends for a very long time. That's just how I am (or was apparently). Its not easy to settle into a place and create real friendships when you are moving around all the time. ESPECIALLY when you are a Stay At Home Mom, with no flippin LIFE outside your immediate Family. So when you find those friends and you become so close and your daily life almost always includes them, it is so friggen hard to leave them. When you spend Family dinners and Holidays and share milestones and run errands together, it changes part of your life when you leave, or when they do. You will remain friends, even close ones, but its just NOT THE SAME! The one benefit is that the bonds that you create are strong because without Family around, you create your own extended family. So in the end, you have close friends all over the world. Not a bad thing. My Best Friend lives in Italy. And I got to go see her! HOW fantastic is that? I miss Her Dearly though. She is the Ethel to My Lucy. She is the person I can tell EVERYTHING to. The person I would do ANYTHING for. And I would be so happy to live in the SAME STATE at least/
But I miss the Thanksgivings together , the Christmas parties, and the random shopping together, and sharing kids milestones, and even yelling at each others kids like you yell at your own. Because they feel like your family, and why not treat them like it? When we left our Last base, we left our close friends who we called our Step Family because we spent all our time together. How I miss the chaos. I miss their little girl, and I miss the twins. I missed their First Birthday, and their First steps and it kills me. I was looking at her Facebook page and the Pictures of their daughters First Day of Kindergarten. And the pics of the Twins who are now almost 18months old. They look HUGE. And I cried. Because I missed them, and I cried because My BUBS will not know who I am the next time I see him. My Friend Ashley, I miss her honesty and her humor, and I miss venting on the phone and escaping the hectic houses together. Hanging out in each others messy house and not feeling embarrassed because its "just them". I miss having BACKUP!!! Once, we were in Target will all 5 of our kids ( I know, NOT SMART, we should have known) and the kids were TERRIBLE (shocker). And My son, who if you have read my blogs, you know has some issues. Well, all hell broke loose. And I was carrying a screaming kid over my shoulder while pushing a stroller and carrying bags. She was still paying at the register and was following closely behind. This random woman who is coming out of the bathroom, I'll call her "Bitch", Pipes in "SOMEONE needs to get control of her kids". Oh, no, WTH, I HATE THAT. Well, I didn't hear this. But my BACKUP did!! hehehe so Ashley looks at her and says "Mind your F*ing Business! Who the hell are you?! Mom of the F*ing year?". THANK YOU ASHLEY for having my back. Thank you for Not being afraid to cuss out a stranger. After this Target episode we called BOTH of our husbands and demanded they come pick up "their" children. They did, and we continued shopping. In peace. I miss Midnight to 3 am Walmart Trips when the base gate is closed and we have no where else to go.
I digress, Having to leave friends really Bites the Big One. And Today I just found out that they got orders to a base RIGHT BY my awesome in-laws! I'm so freakin Jealous! How awesome would it be to finally live by family. We would have our Real Family and our "Step Family"!! Ugh, I wish we could just move. Damn it.

Do Try This At Home

Want your kids to think you ROCK? Or that you are off your rock-er!? Let them do something they are NEVER allowed to do!!! C'mon break the rules a little... They will thank you for it. Yesterday was a craptastic day, so near the end of the Day I wanted to have a little fun. We bought the kiddos new Mattresses, and I had to take the old ones out to the Garage, soooooo what could be better than INDOOR STAIR LUGE!!:

The Hubby didn't think that this was a good Idea. What does he know!? So I did it anyway. (I think he enjoyed it as much as we did! lol (notice he was the one taking the pics and Vid!) We are fun parents sometimes I SWEAR!!!

p.s. Ignore the pull-up on my 3 year old. she just woke up from a nap(we still have accidents at nap time).

Snap shots! =) Happy kids? WHAT? imagine....

Wooo Hooo! I think my Kids are getting sick!! =)

Ok Ok, it really sucks that they are getting sick (honest). Little Miss Adrianna is all congested and Mr. Tre says his throat hurts. My Poor Monkeys =(. So whats the Plus side? Why all the "woo hoo" you ask?(hey, I know it sounds evil but there is one)... I GOT TO SLEEP TILL ALMOST NOON!!! *does happy dance*. I know this makes me sound terrible, that you probably think I'm a wack job, the bad mom who doesn't care that her kids are sick. I'm ok with that. I can handle it. You know why? I'M RESTED! *giggles* It will probably bite me in the buttocks later on today when they are so rested that they don't go to bed, but for now, they are feeling alright and they are playing. Because I got to sleep, Im not so cranky, and the screaming, well it's just back ground noise! =) Im off to clean the kitchen and blast some music while they Destroy their bedrooms and beat each other up, woops, I mean Play sweetly together with Educational toys and enrich their minds. What a Beautiful Day! =) All sunshine and Rainbows!

Oh yeah, and my sweet kids! Get Well My babies! xoxo Mommy Loves You!

College... GIRL?

Not quite sure I can call myself GIRL anymore!! but... YIKES I'm GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!!!Full time... (OK pending actual admission), but still, I'm sooo flippin excited, and NERVOUS. Its been quite some time since I was out there in the world with other ADULTS. I took some classes a while back, but they were online, and while it IS school, its not the same as being in CLASSES with other people. People. Huh, I used to be such a PEOPLE person, now Im freaking out that I am going to be the only "been at home with my kids for the past 7 years, don't know how to do the Cha Cha Slide, pushing 30 chick (hen)" in the class. Seriously people, I don't know how to do the Cha Cha Slide. Thats how much I get out. My 50 year old AUNT knows how, but me? Nope. freakin out a little! I am supposed to be Starting in August. I applied to a whole new school and everything. I'm actually going to do something FUN and something I will love doing! Amazing Right? Bachelors in Photographic Imaging Anyone? YAY!!! Now I'm trying to decide if I want to start in August or October. Because I have kids, October would be easier. Tre will be in School and I will have time to get Adrianna into a good Pre-K & get more time with the kiddos this summer. BUT that means I will be starting in the beginning of a Fall Semester, right along with all the freshouttahighschool peeps, and it also means larger classes. What to do, what to do? August? October? EEK. But really, Im STOKED. I Love love being a Stay at Home Mom. I am so incredibly grateful that I have had this much time to be home with my kids and not have to worry if not working was hurting our family. We truly are blessed. But I feel like I need something else, ya know? Like something that's just mine. So I'm going to do it! 9 years after graduating High School, Being in the Air Force, Marriage, 2 kids, and I'm finally going to really do the COLLEGE thing! OH MY!! Wish me luck!!

Anyway, Here is a couple pics from the 4th with the FAM!
Hmmm Bomb Pops, white clothes: Good Idea Dad!! ;)

Me & My Princess!

Watching the FIREWORKS! It was actually an impressive show!

And Last but certainly not Least, some adorably Cheesetastic Shots of my lovely kids! (all 3)

Grocery Shopping Fun with the Little one!

Today I decided to try to make the trip to the store less, um, craptastical than it usually is when heading out with kids in tow. I knew I only needed a few things and this probably wouldn't work if you need a whole buttload (or in this case cartload) of groceries. But I printed out a cute little PICTURE list of items for Adrianna to shop for!! Got online and searched google images for a few things we needed. copy. paste. print. Wa-la! list for a 3 year old!! All light things that she could carry in her own little pink shopping basket that she has.
I really did pick a horrible day to do this considering everyone and their 3rd cousin is out shopping for INDEPENDENCE DAY!! , but None the less it wasn't too bad! I have even better hopes for next time!! She had a blast, mostly because she didn't have to sit in the shopping cart (or buggy if you are from the south. btw: I really dislike that). I'm sure I looked like an idiot taking pictures in the commissary...but It was fun and it isn't the first time I've been a fool in public! =)
Here was where we got a little... Off Track! =)

This large item (grapefruit juice) wasn't on her list but she decided that it "FITS!!" so it was OK... hey lets put that back?....

Checking the list to make sure she got the right one. What an awesome little helper!

THUMBS UP MOM!!! task complete!!!

I cant wait to try it out again. Next time on a Wednesday mid-morning, not right after payday!

Whats a little sexism amongst family?

So I know you are supposed to treat boys and girls equally... boys can play with dolls, and girls can play with dinosaurs. Ok, Im cool with that. Im a hip Mom. Being that I just said "hip" totally proves my point too. So, equality of the sexes, feminism and all that goodness... yay! =)But really, sometimes you just EXPECT certain things from your Male children and certain things from your Female children. Atleast I know now that I aparently do. We had some fantabulous family bonding this past weekend. We packed a picnic (ok I packed a picnic), printed directions to Burke Lake, loaded up the new fishing poles, and all the fishy fisherman geer required to torture some innocent swimmers with thier lives , say "just kidding" and toss em back. Catch n release... Thats my game. Anywho, we loaded up the kids, the gear , the food, and OFF we went to go catch some fish. We took a bunch of non live bait, figured it was less messy, less cruel and all that. Turns out Burke Lake Fish arent really into Plastic worms or fish scented sparkly Playdough. They are into the living, squirming, slimey sort. So I shell out a few of my Man's Hard earned bucks to buy some WORMS, aka Canadian Night Crawlers, aka snakes in a jar. These suckers are HUGE! Its been some time since this girly girl has touched any wormy object voluntarily. But this was my idea, so I do the honors. Yep, Im the one who has to impail these massive suckers on the hooks. GO ME!! Yep I rock if I do say so myself! I squeeled like a toddler the first try though... *shudders* gross.

Well, Im thinking that My adorably handsome 7 year old Boy's Boy will be totally down with this whole worm and hook thing. Um.. not so much: "MOM!! Can you put the worm on the hook for me?" Wait. WHAT?! No no, you're a BOY, pick up the worm and stick the hook in it!!! Nope not happening. He used a LEAF to try to get it on there without touching it. *shakes head* Seriously? Unbelievable.

Meanwhile, here is my precious little princess, my girly girl, my baby, my angel... ya know, sugar and spice and everything nice? (remember I did say sexism people)

Well, she had no problems. In fact she was in love with these worms. "AAWWW" she says... "look at the wormies"

I probably DIDN'T traumatize her by taking this worm and putting it on my hook right?

Yep, this is my GIRL. I know Im not SUPPOSED to see this as backasswards, but really, It kindof is. So maybe Im a little sexist, ok, but it WAS rather amusing.

BUT...Drum roll please: Tre was the first to Catch a FISH!!! YAY! Thanks to my awesome worm threading skills *Woot Woot*

Here is My baby boy with his prized catch!:

Notice the brilliant worm skills I have mastered (worm still on hook) boo-ya!

He Didn't mind touching his fish.... Hmmmm? I have no clue! lol

We had such a good time. Of course fishing with children isnt the RELAXING experience we all hope to achieve with the popular passtime, however, there is nothing like seeing the face of your little kiddos with the reeling in of thier very first fish!! Im so proud!! One thing I will say, I made a great choice not putting a hook on Adriannas line. I think that bobber to the EYE I recieved would have hurt a whole lot worse with a hook attatched!! ;)

I love My Family! Im just too Flippin Blessed

Clowns and such

So people hire clowns, and magicians, and farm animals and reptile handlers for Birthday Parties and other Wonderfull Holiday Celebrations, right? Well I have decided that I am going to hire one to come to the house to soley to entertain my children while I clean. Why not? Its totally worth the money. To be able to do the dishes without worrying that the kids are in the living room dumping half a bottle of vanilla cupcake (yum) scented body wash on thier $100 robotic Dogs back (ya know buiscut the fur-real thing) and rubbing it in to make them "fluffy". In case you are wondering where I got this very specific example from, yes it happened to me today. If there were a magician in my living room, with all eyes glued on his awesome dissapearing sponge ball trick, I would be able to clean the table and not worry about someone having a raging tantrum while banging on the French doors (glass) beacause they arent allowed in the pool today. This being of course because getting OUT of the pool last night turned into Dad having to get in fully dressed to drag thier butts out. If I hired entertainment, I could totally grab my shuffle and enjoy some Mraz or Jack Johnson goodness and TUNE OUT the high pitched little voices and not feel one ounce of guilt. This might even be cheaper than hiring a maid. And babysitters arent cheap either. Lookout Local Reptile Farm!! Can I get a discount for booking 3 times a week?... Hmmmm Must look into that.



Ok Ok, I'll get a NICE clown. I love my Kids, Really I do.