Halloween - a pictorial...

It's been a while, but we've been busy.

Enjoy our Halloween and Pumpkin Farm Pics.

Mia on the hay ride

Bella and Olivia, also on the hayride

Corn maze - the key is to put a lookout on your shoulders.
Or else you may end up calling 911.

Love this picture



Giving the costume a try when we brought it home.



Practicing their synchronized swimming



Trick or Treating



Seven year old undead.  Love that she has lipstick on her teeth.



Seven year old attitude.



Sweet flapper blondie



Love the gym shoes with white tights.  I mean, who dresses this kid?



Soccer Mom-itis...

Soccer Mom-itis is a disease that I have.

First and foremost, I do not like soccer moms.  I am not friends with the other moms.  I do not fraternize with them, unless they talk to me first.  I'm not rude.  I see them now and again, at games at practice, but I really just keep to myself.  I mean, really, who needs friends?

However, I go to the games and I go to practices.  I watch my kid playing and do everything I can to encourage her and try to make her a more skilled player.

I do not lie to myself.  My daughter is not the next Pele.  Far from it.  But as long as she tries, and has fun, I'm going to support her.

Here's my symptoms of this disease.  I am the mom who is yelling from the sidelines.  I want the team to win.  I will tell Olivia what to do.  I want them to be more aggressive.  I cheer when they do well.  I clap for them.  I tell my kid to knock down the other players.  What?  She's bigger than them and slower.  She should use what she's got to make an advantage for herself.

But, that is all.  I will not dress up in their team colors.  I will not make signs for them.  I will not try to craft out some cute hair bands for the girls.  They are lucky to get snacks from me on my snack week.  I go to cheer on my kid, and that is all.  And I love to do it.  So, don't stand near me, or you will get an earful.  I don't care about your ears.  I want my daughter to win.

How many games has she won in her two seasons, you ask? NONE.  This may be one reason that she doesn't want to play anymore.  Two losing seasons in a row can be hard.

How many goals has she scored, you ask? NONE, except once in practice.  I'm really just happy that she has learned to not just stand there and let the other kids run past her with the ball.

This one is my favorite!

This is what seems to happen every saturday afternoon, once our morning adventures are over.

Olivia - the picture of perfection?

This morning, as I was making my morning rounds to open the blinds on the windows and let in the beautiful sun, this is what I came across at my front door.  Not that I was surprised, just angry for the millionth time.

We have given Olivia her own space to keep her back pack, her jackets, soccer crap and apparantly dirty socks and shoes.  But the part that makes me angry?

Note the lovely hooks that are at just the right height for an Olivia.  Also, note how there is nothing hanging from them.  But...

all this crap on the floor.  Blocking the door.  This is a FIRE HAZARD for chrissake!!!

So, after calmly and nicely informing yelling about the consequences for leaving all this crap on my floor, I pulled out my camera and started taking pictures.

This got Olivia's attention.

"What are you doing, Mommy?"

"I'm taking pictures of how you leave your stuff.  I'm going to write a blog about it."

Picture - terrified Olivia.

NOOOOOOO!!!

Crying ensues.  She's devastated.  She sits on the stairs to have a dramatic emotional episode.

Being the loving mother that I am, I jump on this and push the buttons even further.

"Oh yes.  Everyone will know that you are not perfect."

This pushes her over the edge.  She's truly upset, but still sitting on the stairs doing nothing to change my mind.

"You know, Olivia.  You could actually clean up this mess."

Now, her crap is on the hooks.  And you are aware that my precious Olivia is not perfect, if you did not know already.  But don't ler her know. It just might break her heart.  We'll wait for her teenage years to do that.

Weight Watchers Update...

I caught part of an episode of Modern Family this week in which Cameron and Mitchell were on a juice fast.  Mitchell narrated while Cameron got to show all the phases of dieting.  The ones I remember clearly were the despair and anger phases.

These resonated with me because since I have started Weight Watchers, I have been a daily emotional mess regarding my relationship with food and my weight.

Eating my 18th salad in two weeks, I get angry and tired of eating it.  I want something different.  I am depressed because the scale is not moving fast enough for me.  I have also been getting some random energy, usually when I have no time/place to expel it so I start yelling, singing, car dancing and talking at a speed that would make you think I've been coked up my whole life.

I miss all the fried food, bread, cheese and fatty meats that I used to love to eat.  I hate whole wheat because it's chewy and never gets crunchy.  I have been wary of venturing out of my comfort zone with food because I am scared of how much points I might use.
I am mourning the self I used to be - the self that didn't care what I ate, and obviously, this self went overboard.

All in all, this weight loss is very important to me.  And I have seen results - which is awesome!  I lost 6 lbs the first week, and 2.4 the second.  I then gained 1.2 lbs the third week and got pissed - then got on my treadmill. I lost 4.2 this week, and have lost 11.4 in total.  WW is actually telling me I am losing to fast - what?  I am getting very close to moving down a pant size, at least in my work pants.  Jeans may take a bit longer.

Also, Olivia has more energy and is losing some weight, which is so awesome to me, I almost want to cry (see - emotional mess).

As these food choices become my life choices and the weight continues to come off, I am hoping the emotionality of all this gets somewhat steady again.

I'll check in, in a month or so to let you know how this is going still. 

Thank you to everyone that showed such awesome support to me when I first posted.  You guys are so wonderful and I am super lucky to have you all in my life!

10 questions (and maybe more) not to be asked from a spouse...and why.

I'm linking up with Mama Kat for the first time at Mama's Losin' It, with one of her writing prompts. (Sorry Mama Kat, but technical difficulties are not allowing me to show your rockin' button.)

Here are 10 (or more) questions that you should NOT ask your spouse - and why:

1. Do you mind if Junior sleeps in our room?  He had a nightmare, and, well, I thought.... he could sleep with us?  I know he's 17 3/4, but he's still a minor, aight! No explanation needed for this one - I hope.
2. Do you think that J Lo is pretty?  Prettier than me?  Let's face it ladies, J Lo is not only prettier than you, she can dance better, has an entourage to make her look more beautiful and take that empanada out of her hands so her butt can still inspire songs and Bentley gifts.  She has people to take care of her kids, so that she is not a raging Mama hopped up on soggy graham crackers and wine.  Plus, she makes a ton of money.  Yeah, your husband wishes he was married to her.
3. Tomorrow's Saturday.  For once, for the love of all that is holy, will you please get up with the kids?  Um, yeah, unless it's Mother's Day, you can expect a "Yes, of course, for you, anything" answer, but I guarantee you will be up to watch the sunrise with your kiddos the next morning plotting his imminent demise at your sleep deprived hands.
4. You wanna come see what I just produced in the bathroom?  This is something a husband should never ask.  This question = divorce, or at least no sex for 2 months.  Note:  Any wives asking this question, also grounds for divorce, and no orgasms for at least a year.
5. I wasn't so bad when I was pregnant, was I?  You will not like the answer.  You know you were a crazy person - who wouldn't be?  You're spouse put up with you because A. you had unprotected sex with him at some point and B. he will expect unprotected sex again sometime in the future.
6. Will you teach me to drive stick?  This will test your marriage like even toilet art cannot.  Do not agree to let him or her teach you to drive stick.  Things will be said, punches may be thrown, lines will be crossed, your gender and/or parents will be subject to insult, and one of you will end up walking at some point, probably the one who doesn't know how to drive stick.
7. Does this outfit make me look like a whore?  If the answer is yes - change, no questions asked and thank your honest husband! If the answer is no - change or find your best grandma cardigan to offset the whorey feeling of the outfit or... change.  If the answer is that he jumps on you and you don't get out the door, save the outfit for a rainy day, but do NOT go out in it.
8. Do you think I've gained weight?  Really?  What are you looking for with this?  You know you gained weight - your pants have told you so.  Also, do not answer this question if it is directed to you.  Take your spouse into your arms, kiss them, and tell them that you adore them.  Change subject.  At this point, you can ask the toilet question without fear of divorce.
9. Does your mom like me?  If you have to ask this question, the answer is no.  But, you will not get the truth from your spouse until the "best Mother-in-Law ever" has been gone for at least 2 years.
10. Would you like it if I got a boob job?  No, I like the way one is quite a bit bigger than the other, it gives my left hand a work out.  Also, the way they sag and hide your belly button is so much better than if they were Holly Madison's boobs, and way sexier.  I mean who wants someone that has symmetrical perky breasts?  Note:  do not offer this unless you are serious, because it will be the subject of conversations until you or he passes away.  Even divorce cannot cure this conversation.

What questions would you not ever ask your spouse?

The Chandelier...

As is a typical Thursday evening right now, I was sitting in my car, listening to Caillou while Olivia was at soccer practice and Mia was in the backseat watching Caillou.

Being bored, I called people - my brother, my mom, and the only one that answered, my husband.

After talking for a few minutes, he says to me, "Do you want a chandelier?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Do you want a chandelier?  A customer had it in the back of their car and didn't want it.  I'm bringing it home.  But really, it's too nice for our house."

"Um, ok.  Bring it home, I'll take a look at it."



My reaction may have been less than my husband expected.  I did not and do not like this chandelier.  It is NOT too nice for my house.  I may have fleetingly thought that it would bring down the value of my house.

I told him that was a Grandma chandelier.  And not MY Grandma's chandelier, because she has taste.

The chandelier is gone.  I don't know where.  Hopefully to a good home that will love the chandelier until it can chanda no longer.

Daddy love...

Ok, so my hubby has had it rough for awhile now.  Both of my girls are more Mama-girls than you would think, especially considering that I am their mama.

So, Tony gets upset when Miss Mia doesn't want to go to him, or just wants her mama, which is just about any time.  I have to tell her to be nice to daddy and hug him and kiss him.
Not that this bothers me all that much.  It's really the only time that anyone picks me over Tony.  It is hard to be married to someone that everyone (including my family) likes better than me.
So - I make sure that I am huggy, cuddly (as much as is possible for an angry bear - yes, I just likened myself to an angry bear), and tell my kids I love them, even in their sleep so that unconsciously, they choose mommy.  Shhhh - don't tell Tony my secrets.

Mia's been getting some much needed daddy time lately, and I have been taking over on the Olivia front.  So, in honor of daddy's and their little girls, here are a few pictures of Tony and his blond, blue-eyed female doppelganger.



See the resemblance?





It's Official!!!

I cannot tell you how proud I am!!!  She is doing so GREAT!!  This is the first time, riding on her own - whithout training wheels!!!

Duh-na-na-na-na-nah-nuh, they say it's your birthday!

Happy birthday to my precious Mia!! 

In honor of your Golden (ahem) birthday today, I thought we would have a bit of a picture montage from your birthday!

Oscar the Grouch Mini-Cake picked out by the birthday girl.

My sweet little three year old.

Getting ready to blow the candles out...
She almost lit her hair on fire, getting too close to the candles.

Opening presents

Yes, Mia.  It's a present and it won't hurt you.  This time.

The most played with toy of the night, My little pony.

Hannah, the cute cousin.

All three girls got necklaces from Meemaw

I <3 this kid.