Category Archives: Randomness

Parenting Confessions

Written on August 2, 2012 by in Little Monkeys, Mommydom, Pictures, Randomness

1. You know those library summer reading programs? Kids read a certain number of minutes or books and at the end of the summer, they get prizes. My kids? HATED it. HATED. IT. After a few weeks of yelling and tears to get them to read for a measly 20 minutes a day, I gave up. We watched lots of Netflix instead.

We are summer reading program drop outs and I’m okay with that.

2. We didn’t eat at Chick-Fil-A yesterday or anytime recently. Not because we were making a political statement, but because my kids don’t actually like eating chicken in general. They just go for the play area. Too bad our local sushi place doesn’t have a play area because THAT would really get my kids excited. They love sushi and that soup with the two mushrooms that Japanese restaurants serve.

3. I’m trying to influence Ella to choose gymnastics over soccer this fall. We only allow them to choose one activity to participate in at a time. Ella is actually doing well in gymnastics, but lately she’s been saying she wants to play soccer. Well. She has played soccer before and within a few weeks, grows bored, cries at games, and I just…would rather not deal with that. Also, gymnastics is once a week on Tuesdays! GLORY!! Yucky old soccer is twice a week, including early on Saturday mornings. BOOOOO! Add in the fact that Carson will be playing soccer, that means we’ll be at the soccer fields a minimum of four times a week. QUADRUPLE BOO!

I’ve been feeding her a steady diet of Olympics Women’s Gymnastics in hopes that I can tip the scales back to gymnastics.

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4. I’m feeling far less weepy about Ella starting Kindergarten than I was for Carson. In fact, I’m sort of giddy with excitement about it. Just think! FIVE DAYS A WEEK of sweet, sweet silence.

5. We have had a ridiculously busy summer. Two trips to St. Louis in two weeks, swimming lessons, more swimming, a visit to a waterpark, baseball games, children’s museum, local parks, splash pads, sprinklers, easy bake oven baking, ice cream making, bike riding, camping, fishing, boating….I have to say, I ROCK as mom.

6. I have ignored my kids quite a bit this summer while catching up on reading. So, yeah, I don’t always rock as a mom. So far I’ve read and liked: Bel Canto, The Dovekeepers, The Night Circus, The Devil in the White City, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,and The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. I’ve also read and didn’t really like: The Recipe Club and Petty Magic. I’m currently reading The Witching Hour and it’s SO GOOD. (All those links are affiliate links, suckers!) (Just kidding about the suckers part.) (I’m just trying to get extremely wealthy off affiliate links.) (Thanks for understanding.)

 

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My husband went to Europe, but luckily I’m not the jealous type

Written on April 3, 2012 by in Pictures, Quirky Me, Randomness

Tate was out of town-in SLOVAKIA-for two WHOLE weeks. While he was gone, I felt like actually giving it a go as a mommyblogger, but the only thing I could think of to talk about was: Tate is out of town! He’s in Slovakia! Slovakia! Can you even believe it?!

Since I don’t like to announce to potential stalkers that I’m a prime target and I couldn’t seem to pull thoughts together that didn’t have to do with Tate’s absence, I didn’t say anything at all.

Anyway, he’s home safe and sound and very cultured and filled with weinerschnitzel and apple streudel. I’m in no way jealous that he got to spend two weeks in Europe traveling to Vienna and through London.  Nope. Not jealous at all. Being home alone with the kids, filled with frozen pizza and oreos, was just dandy.

I feel like a lot has happened lately.

Ella started dance class. It is just about the cutest thing I ever saw. I’m over the moon that she chose dance over t-ball this year. I’m all for girls playing t-ball, but I just wanted to see her twirl and dance and do something girly.

My birthday just so happened to fall during Tate’s trip (alone, to Europe), but it really was a great day. Really. The kids surprised me with a new running tank. Ella took me out for sushi. Tate planned ahead (I KNOW!!) and had flowers sent to me. My girlfriends took me out for Mexican food and margaritas after running class. It was one of the best birthdays ever.

My brother and his wife had a baby! Well, actually his wife had the baby. Just want to be clear about that. I’m an aunt! She’s precious and perfect and I can’t wait to meet her.

During the month of March, I ran 93.5 miles.  I can’t even believe it.  It probably explains how I was able to survive two weeks as a suddenly single parent. Running is amazing therapy.

This past weekend, I ran in the Knoxville Marathon as part of a relay team.  I ran the 7.9 mile leg of the race and other than being hilly, hot, and semi-ugly scenery, it was a blast. Tate and the kids came out and cheered me on around mile 3.5, which meant a lot to me. In less than one month, I’ll be running the Country Music Half-Marathon in Nashville.  Woo!

What’s new with you?

 

 

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It’s because I desperately miss the share function on Google Reader

Written on January 20, 2012 by in blogging, Hallmark, Quirky Me, Randomness

How has it already been a week since I last posted?!  Grand plans I had!  There were so many times this week that I thought, I need to sit down and write about this.  And yet.

I’ve just recently signed on with Hallmark as part of their Life is a Special Occasion campaign.  I’m really excited because I will now have no excuse to not write here in this space and talk about the little, big, and everything in between events happening ’round these, here parts.  I’m also excited because, well, it’s Hallmark!

Continuing with the theme of: Talking About Myself, here’s what I’ve been talking about on my Babble Voices blog, Southern By Proxy…(I’d be so honored if you’d visit me there.  Yes, of course I realize that it’s a lot to ask.  It’s just that, I miss you, my regular blog readers, and I feel like I’m fumbling around over there trying to find my voice and the type of post that “works.”)

* Carson has nightly homework in Kindergarten-yes, KINDERGARTEN-and I’m just trying to figure out what the point of busy work really is.

* I got grazed by the sleepover bullet and I’m hoping that I don’t get hit with it again any time soon.

* Don’t get your panties in a bunch, but I don’t really think it’s that horrible when someone says to you, “you sure have your hands full!”

And now to the more selfless portion of the program: I want to start a feature on either Thursdays or Fridays…or you know, whenever the mood strikes, to feature great posts I’ve read around the Internets.  With the share function gone from Google Reader, I just feel like I never get to tell the world what they should be reading.  It was one place I could be totally bossy and get away with it.

Jennie’s posts are always thoughtful and insightful, but I love this post-it’s romantic in a the very best of ways.  Eight.

Having devoted a good portion of January to unsubscribing to EVERYTHING in an effort to manage my email better, this post by Marinka had me chuckling out loud (COL).

I love reading birth stories, I think in another life I’d like to be a doula, and I loved Emily’s birth story about her precious fourth baby, Paul Richard.

And that’s all I’ve got for now, folks.  Any good news to share?

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The Sun’ll Come Out

Written on January 6, 2012 by in Quirky Me, Randomness

I should never look at the Pottery Barn catalog when I’m already in a foul mood, especially after noticing the artificial Christmas tree needles still stuck in my carpet that I haven’t had time to vacuum.  All those perfect scenes, with their accessories neatly placed, and walls-painted and adorned with eclectic works d’art-they can just make me even grumpier.

You can bet that I won’t be playing around on Pinterest today.  I certainly don’t need anymore reason to feel inferior.

Carson went to bed last night without stories because he yelled at me one time too many.  Tate went to bed at 9 pm, silently.  I wasn’t particularly proud of my parenting or my wife-ing last night, but to be fair, there were two other people who shouldn’t be proud of their behavior either. Punks.

Two wrongs don’t make a right.  It’s the unresolved wrongs that invade dreams with streaky, anxiety-filled, nonsensical scenes that leave you bleary eyed in the morning.

“Never go to bed angry,” they say.  Well THEY are right, but THEY are also not practical.  Sometimes there’s really nothing left to be said.  You just have to be angry and decide to get over it.

I guess the same should be said for my mood.

I think today needs the fancy body wash, extra mascara, and waffles.  Definitely waffles.  They’re scientifically proven to be mood perker-uppers.  It’s true.

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Christmas Arrives Unexpectedly, Surprising Families Everywhere

Written on December 20, 2011 by in Quirky Me, Randomness

I’ve seen at least a million status updates or tweets referring to the shock that Christmas is THIS SUNDAY! OH EM GEE!

It’s amazing that a holiday that for centuries has been on December 25th, can completely floor us with it’s arrival.  If there wasn’t so much to do to prepare for this one twenty-four hour period, maybe we would feel better prepared for it’s arrival?

The good news is that I am 100% done with shopping. (Imagine that I’m doing the Arsenio Hall arm pump thingy accompanied by some hooting.)  However, I’m not done wrapping, meal planning, or cleaning.  I was kinda sorta hoping for your help, kind reader, with the meal planning part.

We have already had one Christmas with Tate’s side of the family where we served turkey AND we had turkey at Thanksgiving AND I’m plain sick of turkey.  One of our Christmas guests doesn’t eat ham.  I’m completely baffled about what I should make for our Christmas dinner! My husband suggested venison.  I suggested he stop talking nonsense.

Do you have any good ideas for what I could serve?  Please and THANK YOU.

(photo source)

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If you’re one of those people who’s already done with cookingcleaningshoppingwrapping and are looking for some most excellent reads, here are a few to keep you busy.  No, no…YOU’RE welcome.

Answering the door, scantily clad, for the delivery man was at least better than Ella answering the door without me around.

We discussed eggnog here a few years back, but it’s a very, VERY important subject, yes? My son had some very pointed words to say about eggnog.

I was interviewed at Care.com regarding my thoughts on New Year’s resolutions.  I think your early resolution could be to click RIGHT HERE.

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Ketchup

Written on November 14, 2011 by in Pictures, Randomness

I’m playing catch-up today after a weekend filled with carbohydrates and Harry Potter movie marathons.  Instead of sitting at the computer, I should probably go run off that movie marathon with a real marathon.

Anyways.

It’s not too late for a Halloween photo, is it?  No?  Good.  Presenting…a very intimidating Raphael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a fifteen-year-old-boy dressed as Carson, dressed as a member of Lightning McQueen’s pit crew!

We had a lousy showing of only four kids begging for candy on Halloween.  Not even one ill mannered teenager, or grown women, without costumes.  I mean, how the heck am I supposed to blog about Halloween if nobody shows up to offer fodder?!

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This is…random….but I was sent a copy of the documentary, The Sound of Mumbai: A Musical.  I’m a sucker for a good documentary, so when they asked if I wanted a copy, I said, “okay.” This documentary is currently airing on HBO2 and it’s about these kids from the slums of India that are going to perform songs from the Sound of Music at the fanciest performing arts center in Mumbai.

Documentaries this like and the radio show, This American Life, and the human interest articles in newspapers, and blogs…I LOVE those kind of things.  Learning about other people, their stories, their lives…I especially enjoy seeing how despite completely different cultures and life circumstances, people are people no matter where you go.  The little boy in the documentary, Ashish, his personality was like any ten-year-old boy you’d meet here in the US.

Sound of Mumbai was a good documentary, hopeful, sad, but realistic.

Disclaimer:  yes, they sent me a copy of this documentary, but I wasn’t really under any obligation to blog about it.  I wasn’t reimbursed in any way and these brief opinions are my own.

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I keep meaning to brag on Nap Warden from NW Designs for the awesome job she did on my website, Family Friendly Knoxville.  So I’ll do that now.

Nap Warden did an awesome job on my website, Family Friendly Knoxville.  She took my ideas, some hand drawn, some poorly worded, and was able to create the look I was going for.

So if you’re looking for a blog designer or logo designer, you should look NW Designs up.

Another disclaimer!  She didn’t ask me to say anything, although she did give me a great deal with the design AND web hosting.  Nap Warden is just good at what she does and I wanted to tell you about her.

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I’ve written quite a few posts over at my Babble blog, Southern by Proxy.

A waitress yelled at Carson in a restaurant which led me to ask, “Should you reprimand another person’s child?” Several of the comments have really made me think.

I wrote about who I am, as part of the Phenomenal Women project headed up by Alli Worthington.

Now that I’ve finished Friday Night Lights (WAH!), I’m wondering what I should watch next?

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Amuse bouche

Written on July 10, 2011 by in Quirky Me, Randomness

I really amaze myself with what an awesome parent I can be.  Why, just yesterday this happened…(take notes!):

“YOU REALLY HAVE TO STOP YELLING AT ME, CARSON!!” I yelled.

“WELL STOP YELLING AT ME!” Carson yelled back.

He makes a good point.

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You know how I’ve been training to run the past several months?  (Don’t worry if this is news to you, just go with it.)

Well, on the Fourth of July, Tate and I ran a 5K.  He hasn’t trained for one, lousy second.  I’ve been running 10 miles a week ALL DANG SUMMER, sweating and toiling.  TOILING.

His final time was 24:56, mine was 30:56.

It just ISN’T FAIR.

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Carson learned how to ride a bike without training wheels this weekend.  He starts Kindergarten in less than a month.   I fully expect him to start driving, grow a beard and get married within the year.

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Ella could kick your kid’s butt in a tantrum throwing contest.

At least I win at something.

 

 

 

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