Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Moment of silence.....

I just ran out of Buffalo Sauce.


Whimper.

Jobs

The kids have jobs to do every day. They aren't difficult. But they are required in order to keep your membership in the family...OK required is a bit harsh, but I'm sure all you moms out there know what I mean.

The jobs consist of:

Making your bed
Getting dressed
And brushing your teeth

Those are everyday before school

EVERYDAY, and I mean, E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y. Beckham throws a tantrum about how he can't make his bed or he can't remember how to get dressed. And yet, everyday he makes it, by himself, just fine, and somehow manages to pull out from the dark abysmal crevasses of his memory how to clothe himself.

I am not talking about a little whining. This is a full, blown out, screaming, kicking, tantrum.

I walk away.

Everyday.

You would think by now he would "get" that he doesn't get rewarded for such behavior. And yet, it still happens.

I get him needing to be disappointed, frustrated about having to do jobs daily. I feel the same way. So I give him a minute to get it all out.

After that......The Timer.

Oh, the horror!

Not the Timer!!!!

I cannot even begin to tell you the torture the timer inflicts on that 4 year old's mentality! It's like someone has him by the hair and is dragging him down the hall.

It's not that he's in trouble, it's that he now has a limited amount of time to complete his tasks. If he chooses to wallow in his misery rather than get stuff done, he will get more jobs to do. He knows this and has been the receiver of many additional jobs because of it.

What usually happens is another 5 minutes of wailing and gnashing of teeth followed by break neck speed of job doing. Seriously, he can get everything done in 5 minutes if that timer is getting close to the end.

It frustrates me to no end that he can complete things that quickly and yet it takes SOOOOOOO long to get past the complaining.

I've tried having heart to hearts about this with him after he has settled down and finished his jobs.

This is the conversation from this morning, after a particularly fine spectacle of a royal tantrum again closely followed by monumental speeds to beat the timer.

Me: Do you enjoy whining everyday?

B: No

Me: I don't like when it happens either. Does it take you longer or shorter to get your jobs done when you whine?

B: Longer

Me: Is that what you...

B: Yeah, but do you love me?

Me: Yes. But the point is I do not....

B: But, you still love me?

Me: I always love you, but I do not like when you....

B: I love you too. Bye!

And off he runs.

It's like he knows he can be horrible and since I'll still love him, he's cool with me getting a bit angry. Totally worth it to him.

ARGHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Someone please tell me this is a phase.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

6 lbs, Buffalo wings, OH and candy

I had my midwife appointment 2 weeks ago. Upon being weighed it was discovered that I had gained 6 lbs in the 5 weeks between my appointments.

Um.......that's not really supposed to happen.

Also something that is not supposed to happen is doubling your overall weight gain in one appointment. I accomplished that as well.

They were very kind and did not make me feel like the uncontrolled eater I have become. I was way more freaked out by the whole thing then they were. But they did mention I probably should try not to do that again.

The problem is my insatiable appetite for buffalo wings. The sauce by itself only has 5 calories per Tbs. So pretty much I can slather it's magical goodness on whatever I want. See that's the problem, it's the wings I want.

It doesn't matter if you are pregnant or not. If you eat boneless, breaded, food-from-all-things-good-and-wonderful, wings and dip them in yummy blue cheese dressing twice a day for two weeks straight proceeding to chase them with a nice after meal of 3 - 5 mini Halloween chocolates you WILL gain some weight. It's even been proven scientifically.

Yes, yes. I know what you are saying. But the taste is so worth the end result. I whole heartedly agree with you.....right now.....when my stomach can't be flat anyway.

But come 5 months from now you can bet you will see a post from me complaining about the difficulty of eliminating the unwanted fat that such glorious food deposited on my rear end. Nobody wants to hear that. I might even feel inclined post pictures of the "Before" me. And that in of itself is enough to keep young children up at night. It's better if we just try and avoid the situation all together.

As I left the office they were all giggling because they realized, and kindly pointed out, that my next appointment comes shortly after Thanksgiving and they have already witnessed the extent of my will power.

Somebody hand me a carrot stick.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Giveaway



Tip Junkie is hosting a Mom-preneur Shop-A-thon. It's one stop shopping for all your Christmas gifts. Not only are they homemade, huge plus, but they are all made by moms. Who doesn't want to support women like that?

Tip Junkie is doing some free giveaways so go and check them out.

I SO want the fabric!!! But the baby bundle would be fantastic as well.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Beckhamisms

#1

Beckham: Mom, will you do me a favor?

Me: Sure.

Beckham: Will you do me a favor and clean the bathrooms today?

Me: (stunned silence accompanied with much biting of the tongue.)


Guess who helped me with the bathrooms.

For the record, they had just been cleaned less than a week ago.


#2
(During FHE)

Kevin: (After explaining the 5th article of faith)
Beckham, what did I just say?

Beckham: I don't know, Dad. I wasn't listening.

At least he's honest.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Crafty

I've alluded to becoming crafty recently. I thought I'd post one of the items I have been making in mass recently, along with my first ever tutorial! Just in case you would like to make some too. Remember this is my first tutorial. There's bound to be some confusion. Just ask questions at the end.

This, is a stationary holder.




It's a darling little project that can be personalized and filled with all sorts of treasures. I got the idea from here.


It's very easy to make. A one hour project if you will.

Buy a 13" x 14" canvas bag at your local craft store.

Cut off the bottom and the sides.



Turn the two cut pieces so the handles are opposite each other. Cut out fabric to fit between the handle seam and the edge (about 10 1/4"--but it depends on how much you cut off the bottom) and half way up (about 5 1/2 "). I cut out a double layer of fabric for each pocket. Set the fabric aside.



On iron-on interface draw or copy the monogram of the child who the holder is for.


Remember to draw/copy it backwards on the paper side of the interface. Cut it out. Iron it onto the wrong side of the fabric you wish to use for the monogram.


Cut out the letter, peel off the interfacing and position and iron onto the front of the holder.


Sew around the edges of the letter to ensure stability. You can do this with contrasting or matching thread.


Sew the two fabric pieces of each pocket together. Then position the pockets onto their correct positions on the holder and sew along both sides and the bottom leaving the top open. (You are going to want to sew along all the cut edges of the canvas bag so that it can fray without unraveling. I incorporate sewing the bottom of pockets in at the same time I sew along the bottom of the bag.)

Once the pockets are in place and the bag has a seam along the top and bottom cut edges, then match the two halves of the bag up, pockets facing each other, and sew them together.



Add some velcro between each handle and your quick and easy project is completed.

Have fun!

Adult Break




I am WAY behind on my posting. I think of things to post all the time, but then I think, "No. I still haven't posted about X, Y, OR Z" And I stop myself. I'm afraid you have missed out on some really, really amazing posts because of this. SO I've decided I'm am going to post as it comes to me and if it's out of chronological order then so be it.

I had the chance to travel to Washington D.C. to spend some time with Kevin the beginning of October. He was there for two weeks on a work assignment (He was actually IN the Senate room when they passed the bailout bill--He said he now knows why people vote on looks. Obama looked pretty smooth and put together. McCain, well, he looked old) ANYWAY. To break up the two weeks we decided I would fly out for the weekend. SANS KIDS!!!

I got to fly first class on the way there and conversed with a young man, 5 years my junior, who's occupation was taking wealthy people around hunting big game. Who knew there was a market for such things.

In D.C. the weather was perfect and the company adorable. We would really love to take our kids there some day. All the free culture. Who could ask for more?



Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Lake Powell

Wow.

Look at that!

She has her pictures from the end of September already posted on her blog and it's only the middle of November. I just don't know how she does it. I suppose we should just chalk it up to a case of Super Women powers.