This year was another quiet evening on New Years Eve, ringing in the New Year with the boys and my inlaws.  We usually have a pajama party at our house but most everyone had other plans.  We still had a great time.  Lots of board games were played…checkers and Guess Who? specifically.  We brought out a ton of puzzles and spent a lot of time putting them together.  It was relaxing and fun.  Had pizza for dinner with some ice cream cake and coconut cream pie for desert…yummy.  After Dick Clark counted us down to the new year it was pancakes on the griddle.  Even had some family members come by after their new years parties to eat some pancakes.  The boys stayed up just as late as we did and they had such a good time.  It was 3am before we all went to bed.  To say the least, today we are dragging butt.  It’s yet another pajama day.  Going to take advantage of these days before reality hits us on Monday.  I refuse to start thinking about it until Sunday afternoon.  Hope everyone has a great 2010!

You never realize when you first become a mom all the things that you will do for your child.  I guess I’m feeling triumphant because I was just awakened by my 7 year old that vomited all over himself and his little brother sleeping in the bed with him.  This is the same child that threw up almost daily for the first year of his life due to a severe gag reflex.  I remember each and every day of that year how I would almost gag and throw up alongside him because of that horrible smell of vomit.  I would cringe and get teary eyed, because I just couldn’t handle the cleanup.  And the time he was sleeping in the top bunk and vomited, not IN his bed but off the side of his bed and into the dresser drawers that were not all the way closed.  I remember those days and I remember the cold sweats I would break into at the mere thought of having to clean up that mess.  But today was different.  I heard him calling for me.  I walked into his room and was faced with the reality that I would spend the next 3 hours of my evening washing every piece of bedding individually.  I had to undress him and his brother without getting that nasty stuff all over their hair and put them in a bath, because only a bath can get rid of that horrible stench.  And it didn’t bother me.  It smelled gross, but didn’t make me gag.  It looked gross, but I was able to see past it.  I had a job to do, and God knows no one else is going to do it.  So I did it.  And today I no longer fear the vomit.  Bring it on…I can handle it.

Rachel over at www.homesanctuary.com suggested we talk about a Christmas memory.  I felt this was appropriate for the season, and a good idea considering I have an AWFUL memory and often forget the little details.  For me my fondest Christmas memories as a child were our Christmas’ in Massachusetts spent with aunts, uncles and cousins.  We would get together for dinner on Christmas Eve and have to stay up until midnight when “Santa” would come so we could open our presents.  I remember how much we would BEG to open presents early but the parents were pretty adament about us waiting till midnight.  By the time we were done opening all the gifts and loading up the car we always got home super late.  The one present I remember the most was a huge plastic toy box in the shape of an elephant.  Don’t ask me why but I think it had something to do with trying to figure out how the heck to fit it in the back of our Monte Carlo.  When we moved to California in 1987 not only was it culture shock when there was no snow on the ground on Christmas day, but also weird that our family here in California was not up for the staying up late tradition.  They were in bed pretty early. 

As an adult, I have revived the tradition somewhat, especially since our boys have been born.  We always celebrate Christmas Eve at our home and invite family and friends for dinner.  We don’t wait till midnight, but we do wait till Santa gets here in the evening to open our gifts.  This has been a great priveledge to be able to give my children these memories and surround them with people that love and care about them so much.  I’m hoping that we can continue this tradition and that my boys will someday look back on our Christmas’ and remember how loved they were.

Here it is…the week before Christmas and there is still Christmas shopping to be completed.  Of course it would have made more sense to get this done before the kids went on Christmas break, but come on…what kind of fun would that be?  Over time I’ve learned that you can only do what you can do and I choose not to stress.  I want to enjoy my kids this week and do as much with them as possible that will make them remember the week of Christmas as fun and relaxing at home with mommy.  I’ll let you know how that works out by the time Friday gets here  )

Today we should have been in Maine celebrating with my cousin and his beautiful bride on their wedding day.  Unfortunately it just wasn’t in the cards this time.  Considering the horrible storm they are experiencing on the East coast, it was probably a better idea we didn’t go, considering I haven’t experienced an East Coast winter in 22 years, I would have been freaked out.  Still, I am anxiously awaiting pictures to be uploaded on facebook and can’t wait to call my cousin tomorrow and get the scoop on how it all went. 

So this week will include menu planning for our Family Christmas Eve at our home, activities with the kids, finishing up christmas shopping and prepping the house for company. 

Life is happening so quickly these days.  There’s so much going on including a couple new adventures I’ll be embarking on.  I need to think about them a little more before I can post something worth reading.  I’m looking at these opportunities as growing expeiences and ways to better myself not only as a wife and mom but especially as a human being.  More to come on my new adventures…

Why are there PUMPKINS hanging all over the place at Starbucks?  Can someone please let them know we are in September and are having 95-100 degree days.  PUT THE PUMPKINS AWAY!!!  Can we at least enjoy Labor day first???  What is the rush?

Wow!  My Monday was everything BUT normal.  Started out with my third follow-up appointment for my sinus surgery.  “Today” the doctor says…”the packing must come out,”  and out it did.  OUCH!  Next up, 3 year old to the dentist.  I am so proud of him.  He did so well.  Took his x-rays, got his teeth cleaned and no complaining.  His reward; lunch at McDonalds with Mommy.  We rarely EVER go to McDonalds, much less play on the outside play structure…but I let him this time.  Even though I was sooo grossed out by it.  We had hand sanitizer though    After lunch we did some shopping for Noah’s birthday then went to pick up little Noah…he was still sleeping, so he stayed a little longer while I went to pick up Nathan….here is when I wanted to pull my hair out.

While still in car

(me)    Nathan, do you have your homework folder in your backpack?  Let me see it

(Nathan)  No, I don’t have it…I don’t think we have homework, or wait, it must have fallen out of my backpack…(quivery lip)  I’m going to have to do study hall tomorrow if I don’t have my homework…

quick u-turn

(me) We will go back and see if your teacher is in the classroom and we will find your folder

pull into school parking lot, kick him out at the curb so he can get a head start while I park

(Nathan) Teachers are in meetings, doors are locked (more quivery lip)I am going to be sooo busted.

Ok, so basically I called another mom in the class…she scanned the homework, emailed it to me and I printed it out.  Took me over an hour to get all this figured out so he could do his homework.  I even emailed the teacher to make sure she would accept his homework like this and she responded with a “tell Nathan not to worry, he won’t have study hall and I’ll accept his work as if he didn’t forget his homework folder.”

I don’t know about you guys, but I am exhausted just WRITING about this, nevermind living it. 

I let him read his teachers email and the kid CRIED with joy that he wouldn’t have study hall.

Did he learn his lesson?  Not sure, but I told him that NEXT time he forgets his homework, he will have to do study hall because I will not pick up the pieces again.  He has to learn to be responsible for his stuff.

So whatcha think…too harsh?

The last couple of weeks have been interesting.  My surgery went well and the kids did great under Daddy’s care.  I just haven’t been myself since the surgery.  Lots of headaches still and just feeling very out of it.  I’m thinking that tomorrow will be a new day and things will be back to normal.  I haven’t had sinus headaches for the last two days…which is great.  After dealing with these horrible headaches for the last 5 months I almost didn’t remember what it was like to not have a headache.  I still have another appointment tomorrow;still have to remove the rest of the packing up in my nose, but it’s got to get easier, right?  This week will be busy; our baby turns 2 on Sunday.  We will celebrate on Saturday.  It won’t be as big as most birthday parties, cause I still don’t feel like I’m ready for all the preparation our birthday parties usually require.  But it will still be fun and we’ll have great memories of our baby’s 2nd birthday party.  I had better start planning what kind of birthday cake I’ll be making.  A busy week with lots to do DEFINITELY means things are finally starting to get back to normal…

Ok, so for some reason, it appears my 7 year old has lost ability to engage the part of his brain that contains his knowledge of manners.  What the heck…  He is a good kid, but he all of a sudden chews with his mouth WIDE open, responds to me with “huh?” or “what?” when I call his name, and let’s NOT discuss the eye rolling.  As Bill Cosby used to say “I brought you into this world, I will take you out of it!”  That’s what I feel like right now….so anywho, I’m on a mission to implement some lists….manners at the table, manners when greeting people/adults in particular, bathroom manners (flush that damn toilet – another thing he now no longer remembers to do) and just other basics…I have found some great links.  Going to do some research and nip this before it becomes an issue.  I owe it to my future daughter in laws to raise these boys right~I want them to like me  )

Maybe it’s because I’m going to have this stupid surgery next week, but I’ve been feeling nostalgic.  Looking at old pictures of Paul and I and remembering days of no responsibility and being super excited about the next time we got to see each other.  A couple of the classic memories include Prom,

And then how can we forget the Stanislaus County Fair

I’m realizing that I’m feeling guilt over Paul having to be home by himself with the kids while I go and recover from surgery at my moms.  I know they will be fine and it will be a great bonding experience for the boys and their dad.  Who would have known that 18 years after these pics were taken we would be married for 14 years and have three gorgeous boys.  Love is great!  Good Luck with the boys baby  )