A Definitive Diagnosis

I've known there was something wrong with Sissy for a long time and I have not wanted to admit it. There are several members of my family that suffer with the same ailment. I have been living in denial for many years, but I knew definitively last night that Sis was in fact a... HOARDER!

My first inclination that Allie had a serious problem was when I found THIS...

under her bed in 2004. I wanted to believe that it was just the untrained cleaning of a young girl, but in my heart I always wondered. I wondered if the gene that compelled my Grammie to wrap a turkey leg in foil and fly it from Michigan to Phoenix would strike down Allie. I wondered if the gene that compelled my sister, as a young girl, to reuse Christmas tinsel as an adornment to her window shade would derail Allie. I wondered if Allie would simply buy an additional house to store her treasures rather than part with ANYTHING just like my Grammie. Then last night I KNEW the answer and it's was big fat Y-E-S!

Allie has been wanting to rearrange her room. I have been completely opposed to the idea because her room is full to the brim with crap treasures, you know her "special to me" things. FYI I believe every single thing is important and special to Allie. I told her we would compromise and if she could get rid of some crap stuff I would help her move the furniture around. That's when I was hit with a bolt of lightening, she said, " I can not get rid of anything because it's all special and people gave me those things as gifts, so I have to keep it all."

So, I BEG you if you have ever given Allie anything ( I mean anything because she's kept things as small as pencils, cheapo bracelets, coloring books, broken dolls and much much much more) please let her know it's okay to throw stuff out once in awhile! Damn this recessive hoarder gene! Just for your piece of mind, I do NOT suffer from this terrible affliction! It IS safe to come to my house, just not Allie's room!

Does green suit me??

A couple of weeks ago a college girl stopped by our house in the hopes of selling some encyclopedia type books to our family. Russ and I listened to her spiel and when she came to the cost part I decided that the benefits to the children did not out way the damage to my check book. I gave my thoughts and excused myself to prepare lunch for the little boys.

Russ remained in our living room shooting the proverbial bull with this girl for quite some time. Turns out she grew up not too far from Russ' home stomping grounds and blah blah blah. As the minutes ticked away, I felt a monster start to well inside. It has been a while since I was jealous. That's not to imply that I am not a jealous person because to the contrary I am very jealous indeed. When I had reached my limits, I gave Russ the death look and tossed Miss. Blonde-pigtail-abercrombie-no wrinkles-underage-baylor student-feet on my couch hinney out!

I then proceeded to communicate my dislike of the situation to hubs in my passive aggressive I'm teasing, but not really, way. Of course there was something lost in the translation and I continued to stew for the rest of the day. After the posse was in bed I had a more direct conversation with much more pleasing results and an apology. I'm not sure if he "got" it or not, but a good sorry always soothes a bruised ego.

In spite of the apology and the vows of undying love, the situation continued to gnaw at me. What the heck about it torked me off so much? It wasn't as if they were flirting or being inappropriate. That would have been a good one. In MY house with two crazy kids running a muck. Funny! It wasn't that she was that cute. I can hold my own in that department and what I lack (which IS significant) I make up for in humor and wit. So what the hell?? I finally realized that it was her youth! Damn, I am defiantly lacking in that department. There is something I envy so much about a whole life laid out in front with the endless possibilities. As much as I love routine and structure it can wear on a person! And it seems that my possibilities are becoming quite narrowed with age. Ahhh, youth wasted totally on the young!

Maybe it's time for a change. I already cut my hair, so the next logical step is a blog makeover! Do you like green???

Because I'm The Mom...That's Why! Wednesday

I'm the Mom and with that comes a certain amount of latitude in child rearing.
Leniency that might not be afforded to let's say... the Dad.

Prime examples from my every day life...

* A missing plum pit. I only meant to let the baby have a bite. The next thing I know the whole friggin thing is gone... pit and all. (YES, I am fully aware of the potential for choking, it never occurred to me that he would actually woof down the whole thing in less time than it took for me to make a sandwich.) I am still hoping to find it under a table or counter or some where bizarre, it has yet to make an appearance in the Huggies.

* Lack of sunscreen. A mistake I almost never make, but I couldn't find the stinkin spray and we were only going to be out for a bit. Next thing I know fried crispy. Sorry white boys!

* DVD as a perfectly responsible babysitter. Some times the Mom just needs a few minute break. I think the guys from Wiggles are VERY nice!

* Yelling, yelling and more yelling. I can yell because I'm the Mom and because it's not really yelling but rather a highly effective mom technique to regain control and focus.

* Look of Death! This tactic is not for unskilled dads, it just looks goofy!

* Mom time ** any where from on time to 5 minutes late. Unacceptable for dads to run by mom time. Dads don't have an uterus or a universal connection hence pick those kids up on time.

Why do I get special concessions?? Because I'm the Mom...That's Why!

Quick Shoot

My girl friend Janelle and her super dog Izzy stopped by today for a quick visit and I could NOT resist shooting some pictures of her new baby belly. She's 6 months along with her first child, a baby boy and her bump is ADORABLE!

This tree in my front yard sure does make a lot of photo appearances!