Getting back into the swing of things

I am finally catching up with my old favorite blogs. I am so glad I did because Play at Home Mom has a kick butt burger recipe, which I so want to try...Anne Nahm is getting little sleep these days but at least still has a sense of humor about poop and neighbors. She also has some beautiful pictures of her neighborhood on her blog. I don't know where she lives...and she won't tell you because she is anonymous but really, the land is beautiful.

Really though revising blogs is awesome. I am so sorry that I have been lost. These days I can't seem to catch up on everything an then I remembered...I don't have to keep up on everything! I remembered to give myself a friggin break and let the laundry build up and the dirt accumulate. I have been also trying to figure out ways of making my work faster like using custom software. Hey, if you can make something easier for yourself, even if it takes some time to setup, do it!

Now I have to get back my favorite blogs...starting back with I'd Rather be Blogging.

Don't take this with a grain of salt

There have been some real horrible stories in the news lately...even more sad is that they are not really new. People have been doing these horrid things for a long time now. A woman has a baby in a porta potty and leaves it there, by some amazing force, the baby has survived. A child care worker leaves a kid in the car all day, forgetting that she picked him up at the parents house to bring him to her center for the day, he died. A serial killer is rampant in South Carolina.

The one about the child being left in the car and dying of heat stroke really nabs me though. Why? Because it has happened so many times. Go ahead, google "child left in car, news" and see how many articles come up. A ton! Either it was because the child was thought to be taken into their daycare or they thought the mother was going to do it and the father thought vice versa or they just plain out forgot the child was in there. Holy smokes, you drive somewhere with your kid in the car and FORGET they are in there and get out and go about your day? How does that happen? Are we so busy in working, shopping, doing housework that we forget about a LIFE?

I think people are starting to think a little too much about all the stupid things in life, like did I remember my umbrella or what about my cell phone? I have to rush into work to get that email out before my boss comes in, or if I get in early I can leave early today...People! It is time to STOP and think about the more important things. Stop worrying about texting back your boyfriend RIGHT that second and DRIVE the damn car with all your faculties. There ain't anything you should be doing when driving but DRIVING!

Stop worrying about that email at work or if you will have enough time to get this or that done and SLOW DOWN and make sure you are paying attention to what really matters, those things that are alive!

Bloggers...I implore you to write about something on your blog to reach out to everyone to remind them again what life is all about and not to get too caught up in the hustle and bustle and to remember what our priorities are. People need to FOCUS on what they are doing and not all the little crap. So what if you forgot a bag of groceries at the store...if you were too worried about making sure you got every little thing but forgot your child there, that would be a big problem wouldn't it. So what that you didn't get that blog post done...your kid didn't fall down the stairs because you weren't paying attention while sitting at your computer! So what you forgot your dry cleaning when you walked up to the counter after having to park in the back of the lot, you have your child on your hip, good. You can always go back and get the clothes. Remember the important things!

A gift he'll remember

The little guy's birthday is coming up...Friday to be exact and I feel so not ready! I need to get him something good but I am not sure yet. He's turning six and he already has a million Pokemon cards, Bakugans and all that other crazy boy stuff. I just want to get something more sentimental, not just toys. He does like clothes but I really don't think that is a gift, not when your the parent and have to clothe the kid anyway. Plus I don't want to go out and buy some last minute gift and not get a deal. I really need to find the best buy. I tend to impulse buy enough already.

So what the heck can I get my six year old little man that will really make him feel special, something he can keep around a while?

I need to stop...just stop

I am so drained...yep, stick a fork in me. This week has been work week from hell and then my overly-motivated self wants to also up and do a million other things. I literally try to squeeze something into every second of every day.

Then every once in awhile when I go to complain about it to someone I stop and think, "why the heck am I doing this?" I mean aren't I in control of my own life? I guess I just feel guilty for relaxing, even if it is just taking a few minutes to sit in front of the TV, by myself for a half an hour.

I am sure this is some deep seated problem which is rooted in my parents upbringing...maybe they felt like I was lazy at one time so made me feel to always need to be doing something. It has progressively gotten worse over the years. And I am paying for it too, not just mentally but physically. My body doesn't relax. I get muscle spasms all the time now, just out of the blue when I am sitting down working. When I do try to mediate, like when I went to yoga and the instructor was walking around the room touching our shoulders to help with the mediation...I was stiff as a board. I have been told by masseuses too that I am not relaxed enough.

Physically it has given me GERD, gastrointestinal reflux disease...I have constant burning, belching, sour stomach and pain. I know what I eat affects it too but stress makes it so much worse. I have to get control of my body somehow, get control of the need to do it all. Maybe I will start tonight by stopping all work and reading a book in bed.

Boys and Girls

It is so interesting right now watching my son interact with his friends. We had his 6th birthday "friends party" yesterday and at this age, he still has as many (if not more) girl/friends as he does boy. I think it is pretty cute and I do love it that he gets along well with girls...I actually prefer it a bit because I think it calms him down. Hanging with other boys, there is so much room for rough-housing. Seriously, I have already had the visions of him hanging out at the park ripping it up on the skateboard ramps, wearing his hat backwards and jeans hanging off his butt. I can tell you...it scares me.

Needless to say, at this age, I am starting to see some differences come out but it really depends on the kid. While some girls are more "girlie" and some boys more "boyish" there is a foggy in between group. My son definitely falls in this group. He loves fighting stuff like Pokemon and Bakugan but he definitely isn't one to get down and dirty. In fact, he has a thing for cleanliness. He also loves to decorate things, he loves crafts, even doing something as unboyish as dressing his sister up in her play outfits or decorating a table for a party. He is very in-between.

I don't know if it was because we never pushed him to only do "boy" things when he was a baby or if it doesn't mattter. I remember when he was about two, and we went into a Candy Shop on the boardwalk and he wanted a pink cat that was inside a pink and black purse. Luckily my husband wasn't there, so I gladly took it up to the register and said, "we'll take it." I can tell you he doesn't pick out the pink stuff now, whether deep down he likes it or not....somehow now they know the limits on what will and will not get them made fun of by their friends.

I have fallen into a black hole

I wish I had something interesting to say. This week has been like a black hole of thoughts for me. I have been too busy with work, too busy trying to keep up with my kid's schedules...just consumed, totally. I feel like the wind is knocked out of me sometimes. There are days when I just can't find balance. I feel like it is too much work or too much doing other things. Yesterday I woke up and ran, ran, ran (and I don't mean literally...cause I miss that).

Then when I laid down to sleep I was feeling like Groundhog day, like I had just laid my head down from the night before, and the night before that. Why do the days go so fast? Why do I feel like I am living but not really living?

Going somewhere?

It is hot and muggy, rainy and sloshy. I worry my garden will turn to mush. This week has just been the worst weather week ever. Cold, hot, rainy, cold, hot, rainy, humid...the cycle is relentless.

I just want a nice day! One nice day! I feel like it is time to move. Seriously, what state has the best weather all year round? I think its the west coast. Ah, I guess that would mean we'd have to move. Hmm...long distance moving, doesn't sound so fun. We moved halfway across the country once and it was H-E double hockey sticks. Yet, if it means beautiful weather all the time, heck, it might not be a bad option. Not at all.

Disney Planning is Nuts!

We are still trying to plan our Disney trip. I am so excited while I am checking out all the stuff they have going on in October. Epcot has the food and wine festival and then there is the Mickey's halloween party...which we HAVE to go to. I just have to figure out all the costs. I mean the character breakfast for 4 people is about $100. The Halloween party an additional $200. The park tickets for 5 days "Magic Your Way" is about $850...it's crazy!

We were originally going to do less days but the price difference is so nominal once you get to 3 days so it is worth it just to do the 5 day pass. Still, I need to figure out ways we can save on other things. Maybe we will just nix the character breakfast if we do the Mickey's Halloween party. I don't know. I need some experienced people for this one. The kids are going to be 6 and 3. Is it crazy to plan to go to parks 5 days in a row. Is that how the Magic passes work too, if you get 5 days you have to go 5 days in a row? I am getting so overwhelmed!

Useful site for moms and nurses

I have been feeling like I have been slacking on my grooming. I'm not talking about the basics, brushing my teeth, washing my hair...I am talking about the more in-depth beauty routine. There was a time...(how many times do I say that) but no, there was a time when I could spend an hour just plucking, moisturizing, or practicing my kissy face in the mirror.

No, with two kids driving me nuts every waking minute. I barely have enough time to get any of that done; especially the kissy face time. It can really be a downer. I was just checking out this site called Scrubs that has really has some useful info in that department and it is reminding me why I should be making time to do all that. They have tons of tips and secrets on keeping yourself looking good and in style.

They also have health and nutrition information which again, is something I should be paying more attention to these days. I have not completely let my GERD get out of control but I haven't exactly been treating my body as good as I should. I have vowed again to try to eat right and knock out all that nasty foods that I shouldn't be eating. Sometimes just reading about other people's stories gets me motivated again.

The Laundry...bah!

Sometimes I need to feel a sense of fulfillment, completion...like when I see this.

I just cannot let it sit for more than a few minutes. It's like it is calling out to me, "I'm wrinkling...I'm wrinkling. Fold me now or I will get up and walk out of here."

Actually I think only dirty laundry can walk on its own.

A little refreshing

I feel like taking on a new project. Something around the house to refresh the place a bit. I wish I had some good carpentry skills though. No one trusts me around a hand saw, that's for sure. Our friends just had some construction done to their basement and I heard it looks awesome. I would love to do something neat with glass tile in our bathroom.

That was one room in our house that we didn't quite choose the best match. It was just so exhausting when we first started having to choose the carpets, counters, cabinets...we just got tired I think by the time we designed our hall bathroom. It's funny though when you get used to it, you just don't notice it anymore. I have to step back again and really look at it.

A peek into their life

You know if I ever want to feel better about myself and my life I just head over to Anonymous Mom. It helps so much to hear other people's stories. It really does. Whether someone is hiding something (like they secretly smoke or they lied to their husband about their kid) or they are there to talk about stories or give feedback, it is really interesting. I could sit for hours reading this stuff. It is a peek into society, what other people's lives are like. Sometimes that's just what we all need.