A day in the life

Today was just a day. Nothing on the schedule, nothing to do. I even did all the laundry yesterday (I know, right? It is a crazy idea. Normally, I am so behind. Ask my husband). So really, nothing to do. We woke up, had breakfast, did the normal routine. The even got up early today, so I think we were dressed, fed, and ready at 9am. Even the beds were made.

We started out playing a Thomas game, because that's what you do when you have a boy who loves Thomas. You play Thomas games. After that I thought I would go on the computer, check some emails, do the Facebook thing, etc. It was then that I just sorta snapped a bit. James was playing with his Bronco Mr. Potato head, and insisted that I have an arm. I said no, I don't want an arm, I'm on the computer! He kept on insisting, and I kept refusing. Finally, I snapped and threw the arm the other way and declared (not very nicely) that No James, I did not want the arm! He got really sad, and rightly so. I knew I shouldn't have been computing away (doing nothing really productive, of course) and that I should be giving my kids love and attention. I notice that I become the mean, grouchy mom when I start to do the things that I want to do at not the right or good time. Like whenever I try to sneak on the computer for the umpteenth time, and the kids all start to hover, it's then that I snap at them to leave me alone- when really, I don't need to be on the computer anyway. Guh. I don't like when I'm out of sorts like I was today. My kids were totally good and fine, but for some reason, little things would make me snap. Patience was not my virtue.

In an effort to redeem myself, we had spurts of good times today.

We made monster pictures:

We played with chalk:

We were superheros:

We went on a walk:

  (Clara's idea for good walking shoes are one strappy high heal and one old flip flop. It's rather unbalanced).

There were ups and downs, goods and bads. I have no idea why at times I felt off. Nothing really was wrong in my world or heart today, and like I said, we had really nothing to do. I guess that is the rollercoaster that is motherhood, isn't it? (Or being a woman? Or human? Or maybe it's just me). (On a sidenote, I find that pictures are so funny too, because if I had just posted the pictures, it looks like a completely different day, perhaps a good one. But when I share some of the moments in between the snapshots, a different one unfolds. But I digress...). I just hope my kids keep all the good moments, and the bad ones just fade away.

So that's it. I don't know what the purpose was in sharing this post or this day, but it felt good to get off my chest. There you go, world. I wasn't perfect today.



Just around the corner...

I know fall is almost here. I can just about feel the cool, crisp days inching closer. I'm envisioning crock pots full of steaming soup, hot orange spiced tea, and warm, cozy sweaters. I can feel it. It's almost here.

Oh, and football season started. That always gets me in the mood...

Yes, once we start having those weekly match ups at high schools across the greater southwest Michigan area, I know that fall will soon be here. And I love it. (Did I mention I love fall? I love it. I didn't know how much I loved it 'til I moved to the midwest where there is an actual legitimite fall).

Tonight was the first game of the season. It was an unusual game since it was not held at a high school field, but at Waldo stadium, the home field of the Broncos at WMU. I've never been to Waldo before and it was a cool experience for me and the kids, minus the dozens of steps we had to climb up and down to get to our seats. That was not fun.  Though the football playing was very fallish, the weather, however, wasn't getting the memo and was instead very hot. Oh well, it will get the message sooner or later. It was also (and always) great to see my hubby in action. I love seeing him coach- he has such a passion for these kids.

He's the one in the gray hat. Bringing a three year old and eighteen month old to a football game does present its challenges as to actually watching the game, but was able to enjoy at a lot of it and catch the two touchdowns made by our team. (Sidenote to my dad: This is as close as you'll get to Dave wearing USC colors. Beggars can't be choosers, so you better enjoy it!)

Touchdown GA!

The kids favorite part of the game was half time with the band. After each song, Clara said,"More, more!" She's pretty sweet and dear. Though being quite unequally matched to our opponent, I think the team put up a good fight and hopefully feel good with how they played. Though we lost, it was a fun first game, and I'm excited for the next ten Friday Nights!

Snakejuice

  A while ago, we got rid of our cable TV and just went to your basic TV, with those digital converter boxes that the government were giving away for free. Since then, I haven't really watched much TV. In fact, I have maybe turned on that box twice. I should clarify though, because I have been watching lots of shows, just not things that are live TV.  Specifically, I've been consumed with Scrubs on DVD. Since last Christmas or so I've been working my way through seasons 1-8 graciously loaned to me by my beautiful sister-in-law. After finally finishing the show a good eight months later, my evenings have been, well, empty. It is a couple weeks before all my favorite shows start for fall, and too late to get into any of the regular summer programming, as they are almost over. So besides watching Dr. Katz at night with my hubby, I've been rewatching some of last season's episodes of Parks and Recreation. Do you all watch that show? I just started this past year even though it's two (or three?) seasons in. If you are not watching it, you need to, because it's hilarious. First of all, it has Amy Poehler, which like Tina Fey, needs to be my best friend. Also, it's based in Indiana which is always fun because they reference a lot of Indiantonian (?) things that I know and love. Lastly, it's just awesome.
  So I was rewatching an episode called "The Fight," and one of my all time favorite scenes is in this episode- it just might be my favorite scene from any other show that I have known and loved. I have the clip here, but if you want the back story or the whole episode, you can watch it here. (Basically, the office staff goes out to support one of their own workers and one of his enterprenual (?) ideas, which leads to some fun...)


Everytime I see it I about cry. And I do watch it alot, so I do cry alot. It makes my day, so hopefully it brings a smile to yours!


Also, don't forget to enter my contest, as time is running out! I am not sure when the last day to enter is, but mark my words, it will be soon!

A Giveaway, of sorts.

I like reading blogs. Alot. In fact, I would say that its about 60% of what I do online, besides obsessively checking Facebook and reading articles about Harry Potter. I like blogs of all sorts, from my friends and their daily lives to those famous mom blogs that are too funny (seriously, if you don't read RFML on a regular basis, you need to now. Go, do it. Then come back to me please!)  and some fashion blogs (though I seriously lack in that department). I have found that many of the more "famous" blogs out there, who have more followers than people I have even met in my entire life, always seem to have giveaways. Not giveaways in the sense like, "Hey, I've got some old crap in my garage and I'm giving it away! Come by and pick it up!" No, no. Giveaways like "If you comment on my page and follow my twitter and email me and text me and Facebook me and....then you could be entered to win all this free makeup from Clinique because the Clinique presidents liked my blog and therefore sent me all this fabulous stuff so I am giving it out to one of you, who I'll pick at random." Phew. That was a mouthful. Ya'll know what I am talking about?

Well, my blog isn't that cool. I have no corporate sponsers and I believe my only readers are my relatives and three friends (maybe four). So I'll never have a cool giveaway like a free frip to Paris. But I thought to myself that that shouldn't stop me from having one! Let's call it The Unpopular Blog Giveaway, sponsored by me. Cool, right?

So here's the deal, to enter, you have to put your work into it. First, go to wikipedia and find the article on the state you were born in, then go to the line in the article that corresponds with the month you were born in, and using any words found in that line, create your own movie or book title. Leave a comment with your winning title and my panel of judges (well, just me) will select the winning entry. Additionally, all non winning contestants will automatically be entered into a drawing for the second place prize.

For example, I entered "California" and the twelfth line (since I'm born in December) read as

"American victory in the war led to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in which Mexico ceded Alta California to the United States. Western areas of Alta California became the state of California..."

so my movie title is "The State of United Victory: The Guadalupe Areas." Who knows what that movie would be about!

Here's the important stuff, the prizes:
-First place will recive ONE candy bar of their choosing and an entire blog post written about them on my blog.
-Second place will receive ONE candy bar of their choosing.

Choose wisely.


Fine Print. My husband thinks that I am a complete nerd for doing this, but I am doing it anyway.

A little try at DIY

I have some really crafty friends. Friends who make their own scrapbooks and cards, who make dresses out of old t-shirts, who make purses and wallets, and the list go on. I have awesome friends. Unfortuantely, I am not that crafty. It also seems that every time I find a new "mommy blog" on the interweb, not only are they super crafty and pros at DIY projects, they even have their own little shop on Etsy with all their cute things. Apparently, being cute and crafty is a requirement to be a mom, a category that I don't grade the highest. Yes, I can scrapbook, and yes, I can whip up a cute project for my kids to do every now and then. I can't, however, make my own curtains out of scraps found along the roadside and have them happen to match my bedroom. In fact when I was telling Dave the other day that I would like just a little sewing kit for Christmas with some needles and thread and such to do mending type things around the house, he jokingly laughed and said, "Why? Isn't that why we live so close to my mom, to send our things to her?" Ha. Ha.
With a little inspiration from my dear friend, Erin, I attempted a little project of my own. For a while, I have had a nice little black and white bedspread that I love. The furniture in my room, however, was very not black. She has a dresser in her room that was at one point white and is now black. She said it was pretty simple to do, all she used was spray paint! Well, seemed easy enough for me! Off to Wal-Mart I went with a renewed crafty sense of purpose and energy.

The Before Shot.
I have one book shelf, one night stand, and a kids rocking chair I found at a garage sale for 25 cents! The chair had a little rust, but since I was feeling brave, I got a can of white spray paint to change the it from green to white.

My great husband helping me out. He's such a trooper.

Here I am, midway through the project. As you can see, it was pretty dark, so we stopped and finished up another day.


And the finished projects, if you please....

I am pretty happy with how they turned out. My bedroom definitely feels more uniform now! I am glad I did it! Here's the rocking chair...

I am pleased with the chair as well. Clara reeeally loves it. I just need the help of Lauren or Jes or someone else to help me make a cover for the seat and back. It's not too horribly ugly now, but I would like it to match Clara's room somehow, with pinks and reds. If you can help a girl out, let me know!

I am glad I got brave and did some little projects. I feel a little better the next time I want to do something around the house!