How to win the game of sharing a living space....

It happened again today.  As I was putting clean dishes away, I opened up the cabinet with the mugs and liquid measuring cups, and there it was, in all its glory, again.

This measuring cup sustained an irrevocable and usefullness-terminating injury over the 2013 holiday season.  Seeing how this is a plastic cup, you can imagine that this crack can be pulled apart and will let liquid leak out rendering the cup un-useable.

I remember the day my husband pointed this out (a few weeks ago).  "Look, Tara.  Look what your family did."

Alright, alright.  We have no idea who did this to my measuring cup, but it's always fun to blame the people that are staying in your home.

"Hmmm.  Well, what do you want me to do about it?  Let's throw it away.  We have two other measuring cups.  Both only 2 cups big, but good enough."

"But this one had the ounces on it."  And then he walked away, leaving the cup on the counter.  I interpreted this to be a sad sigh, saying goodbye to this measuring cup that got us through formula with our firstborn when we didn't know how many ounces were in a cup and the days of 'googling' questions were not yet commonplace.  I figured, since he would take the garbage out, this cup would end up in the garbage, or recycling or whatever.

Either way, it was gone the next time I was in the kitchen.  But then I found it again.  In the cupboard again.  I exclaimed to him that this needs to be thrown away.  He just shrugged, and left it on the counter.  And I found it in the cupboard.  Again. And again.  And rinse. And repeat.

Today, brilliance struck and I came up with a new plan.  Today, I've taken a new step in this passive-aggressive pack rat game of his.  Today, I bought this:

Today, I put this new measuring cup into rotation.  Let's see how long it takes him to notice that his precious cracked and bleeding, on its deathbed measuring cup is no longer in the cupboard, replaced by this newer, glassier, Pyrex monster of a measuring cup.

Goodbye broken, hello Pyrex.

P.s. This is how I win.  :)

Why I don't work as a day care provider and Project 365...

I walked into Mia's daycare, and the principal was at the front desk. 

"Is she still in the room?"

"Yep.  She's still back there."

I thanked her and made my way back to the darkened hallway.  It was "quiet time", aka nap time at day care and the rooms were darkened leaving the hallway dark too.

The lights were on when I got to Mia's room.  There were 3 or 4 kids huddled together in the reading circle, one with her hand over her face.  As I stepped inside, searching for my child, I took in the few kids that were still sleeping in their cots, blissfully unaware of the war that had been waged on their fellow students, teachers and classroom.  The one visible teacher had folded a garbage bag and tied it around her face to cover her nose and mouth, a makeshift mask.  She was armed with paper towels and a spray bottle and cleaning up in the classroom.  She motioned toward the bathroom, where I could hear the other teacher trying to hide her gags from the other children.  

As I came to the bathroom, I saw the other unhappy teacher, unmasked trying valiantly to not be ill.  Behind her another child, upset, uncomfortable, vomit sticking to his blue sweatshirt and sweatpants.  And finally, the child I came for, standing by the door, tired, upset, shy.  Vomit beginning to dry on her gray leopard print jeans that I had convinced her to wear this morning.

I asked her to go stand by the door as a maneuvered my way to her cubby, around the cots of sleeping students and the cots that had been discarded by awake children.  Around the tables and chairs, traversing the vomit that was still on the floor, in the process of being cleaned up by the teachers.  I grabbed Mia's things, her blanket and clothes in plastic bags waiting for my washing machine, her backpack and coat.  I turned and once again was picking my way among the debris in the day care war zone to get to my child and the door.

And finally, we are out of the chaos of a day care room that has been besieged by the vomit of our very young.  And this is why I could never be a day care provider.  I would have lost it, my temper, my cool, my lunch when this happened.  I salute those teachers, and will try to get you some nice Valentine's Gifts to thank them for taking care of my daughter when she woke up and puked in the classroom.

Since this happened today, we'll go backward through the week in pictures, starting with today:

Mia, at home, after Vomitgate 2014, and before she puked on herself in the car (1-15):

1-14 - The only picture I took, wearing my crown at work.  

1-13 - This is on the door to my work.  Reminding people now that concealed carry is legal in Illinois, you still can't bring your gun to work:

1-12 - We had a birthday party to go to for the kids.

P.s. Yes, I have 2 daughters.  But lately, this is what I get from Olivia, which is why there are so many more pictures of Mia:

1-11 - Mia had her winter program and was on stage singing:

1-10 - Nohemi came over and she and Mia zipped themselves into my hoodie, making themselves a 2-headed-4-handed monster:

1-9 - Dinner - healthy and yum!

1-8 - This is how I entertain myself twice a week at dance class.

My first Project 365 post...ever...

Okay.  So, remember when I told you about my goals?  And one of them was to do that "Project 365" thing?  Yeah - so, I'm starting this.

Project 365 is a project where you take a picture everyday of the year.  Then, I'll share them on this blog.  I'm starting with the first of the year, and I know it hasn't been a week yet, but Tuesday's will be the best day for me to post, so it'll be a full week next week.

Week 1, January 1 through January 7, 2014.

This was Wednesday, New Year's Day.  We dressed up to go to Mima and Pop- Pop's house for a bit of Christmas remixed.  Mia wore her new Winter dress.

Thursday we went to Target and hit the sales.  We came away with many replacement Christmas lights, a light timer, fleece pajamas (pictured) when I "pajama-suited up".

 

From the Children's Museum - hanging at the tree fort.

On Saturday, we finally put away our Christmas decorations, and then decided to move some of our furniture around.  Mia enjoyed sticking her feet in daddy's face, and daddy didn't seem to enjoy feet in his face that much.

Sunday brought us Sticker fun from one of our Christmas books.

On Monday, the day care was closed due to the weather AND daddy's work was out of power, so there was an impromptu daddy daughter date at the mall.

On Tuesday, after being in the house for three days, my inspiration for photos started to wane.  And, I was upset for my poor lady bug because that spade is not going to help her get her legs free.