An Iowa Mom

Tinkerbell Anyone?

7:30am -
 "Mom, can we watch Tinkerbell?"
--- "No, not right now, why don't you color?"

8:15am -
"Mom, can we watch Tinkerkbell?"
--- "No, not right now, why don't we do a puzzle?"

9:00am -
"Mom, can we watch Tinkerbell?"
--- "No, let's get you into the bathtub!"

10am -
"Mom, can we watch Tinkerbell?"
---  "No, it's time to clean up the mess we've made playing!"

10:45am -
"Mom, can we watch Tinkerbell?"
--- "NO!!!!!!!"
"Oh, I'm so glad, because I don't like that movie very much!"

A Year Already?

Last year, on this very day, we said goodbye to our sweet Jessie. 

We all still miss her.

It is not uncommon at all to bring her up in conversation.

Because the girls are young, I expected them to forget ... and they haven't.

I don't think any of us ever will.

This photo was taken 2 weeks after Jake was born ... so 11 years ago.  Can someone really age THAT much in only 11 years?

I'm going back to bed.

========================================================

- Originally Posted on February 27, 2008 -

When Big Daddy and I had just been dating for a few months, and lived in separate cities, I was in Chicago visiting him for the weekend.  Just like every weekend.

Going for ice cream was a normality, and the pet store was right next door to the ice cream parlor.  And there was a really really really cute, down right irresistible puppy in the window.

A puppy I had to have.  A puppy that had no choice but to come home and be mine.  A puppy that turned out to be the best darned dog.  EVER.

Her name is Jessie.  And she has been with us from the very beginning.  Before our marriage.  Before any children.  There was Jessie.

Before the kiddos arrived, it was just her.  Doing crazy puppy around the around the condo making us proud.  Finding her spot in between us on the bed and mastering the way she could move her paws just so to PUSH ME OFF THE BED.

Jessie has never chewed anything in her life that she shouldn't have.  I've only heard her bark a handful of times.  She has endured many tail pulls, even more ear tugs, and too many body slam embraces to even count. 

Though I've complained about the amount of fur she sheds, and all the trips outdoors in sub-zero weather ... I love her.  She is a part of our family and I can't even begin to imagine what life will be like without her.

But, I'll soon know.

Today, Big Daddy and I are saying goodbye to our sweet Jessie girl.  It is time for her to run free in the great big yard in the sky.

I don't know how I will handle this.
I don't know how Big Daddy will handle this.
I don't know how the kids will handle this.

I do know that we will miss her terribly.

And that we will always remember her as a part of this family ... with a smile.

Can An Old Dog Learn New Tricks?

I don't know the answer to that question ... but damn it, I'm gonna try.  I woke up this morning thinking, "Hmmm, I'm ready to take on the world!  I'm so up for a challenge.  What can I do to push myself beyond the norm today?"

Instantly I thought of my kids.

And how they're always irritating me by doing things they KNOW are wrong and I swear are just doing it to see if my head really will start spinning as smoke pours out of my ears.  I believe they are convinced this will indeed happen ... if they can just push me to that point.

Anyway.  My challenge.

I am going to attempt to not yell or even raise my voice to the kids ALL DAY TODAY!

Impossible?

Probably.

But feel free to join me in this challenge ... do you think you can do it?

And, for those perfect mothers out there that are reading this and do not find this a challenge at all ... SHUT UP! 

It's just because MY children aren't YOUR children.

So, be sure to check back to this post throughout the day ... I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Wish me luck!  I'm My kids are gonna need it.

UPDATE #1 - 1:23pm and so far so good.  Emily is home sick and Molly had preschool this morning, so that might have something to do with my success thus far ...

UPDATE #2 - 2:46pm and it's getting harder.  I've had a couple close calls, but managed to work through it.  Emily is feeling better.  I think that's half the problem.  Well ... maybe ... ALL of the problem.  Molly is playing nicely with her Groovy Girls.

UPDATE #3 - 6:45pm and I'm here to tell ya ... I didn't make it.  Yup, couldn't do it.  Maybe I'll give it another shot ... someday!

Always A Savior ...

Obviously, I haven't posted today.

I'm usually FULL of stuff to share with you all ... but miraculously my children have been somewhat well behaved. 

And what fun is THAT? 

Really puts a cramp in my Bloggy Style.  That's for sure.

Anyway ... it's not much of a story ... so I won't even go there ... but I had to say one thing ...

"THANK THE SWEET LORD ABOVE FOR WHOEVER CREATED  MAGIC ERASER!!!"

Because if it weren't for that Magic Eraser ... I might just have one less honyock to blog about. 

Really.

Oh ...  and I'd love to say the word "honyock" is courtesy of my bloggy friend, Paula, ... but it's not! 

So Sorry.

That's all I've got.

What the heck do you want from me?

Okay ... I'll load my kids full of sugar tomorrow and then ignore them, maybe send them out into on-coming traffic  ... surely I'll come up with some great blog material.

Talk to ya then ...

I Swear I Do Have A Brain. Really.

Okay ... I don't know why, but some reason I got a wild hair and decided that it would be a great idea to have a turkey dinner.  Don't worry ... that "wild hair" ... didn't find it's way into the food.

I'm just sayin'.

So anyway ... I decide to make this feast ....

Today.

I'm talkin' full dinner.  With mashed potatoes.  Dressing.  Cranberries.  Corn.  Gravy.  Rolls.  And of course, the turkey.  DUH.  I said TURKEY dinner.  Weren't you paying attention?  Geez.

Do you wanna know why I would do this? 

Simple, because I'm the only idiot on this great planet who can't accomplish everything she has to do in a day ... so she decides to recreate Thanksgiving Dinner. 

In February.

Hello?  Isn't that what every mother of four does, on a Tuesday afternoon, as she periodically glances at her to do list sitting on the counter full of other things she could (and should) be doing?

No?

Damn.

Too late.

As Rachel Ray would say, "I wish there was "SMELLIVISION", because dang it smells good in here.

So not only am I an idiot ... I'm also a bitch ... because now I know you all are wishin' you were here right now, huh?

Suddenly, It All Made Perfect Sense!

Big Daddy came home for lunch today.  As he scarfed down 2 BBQ pork sandwiches, mac & cheese and grapes he browsed the Sunday paper from yesterday.

"Hhhhmmm, so that's why I've been so depressed lately!!!"

I don't know.

Maybe you just had to be here, but that cracked me the heck up.

And yes, he posed so that I could take a picture and blog it.  He's too good to me!

How Does That Happen?

This afternoon I was driving down the street, on the way to pick up my sweet daughter (who is still wearing glasses she doesn't like, by the way) as I approach something on the side of the road.

Assuming it was a dead raccoon or maybe even an unlucky farm cat ... I didn't really think much of it.

And then I passed it.

It was a tennis shoe. 

A gray one.  Or maybe it was white and was just really dirty.  I was going 55 mph people, I was unable to see what the exact color was.

Anyway ... it got me thinking.  And yes, I know, that can be dangerous.

But seriously, I pondered this the entire rest of the three minute drive.

How does a single tennis shoe end up on the side of a road?

I mean really.

Tell me.  How does that happen?