Random Empowering Thought of the Day

The boys are asleep, Bryce is out working, and I've been cleaning like the Queen was coming to visit tomorrow. But you know what? I'm just NOT going to clean my baseboards. I mean, why? I don't want to. It's not like we're going to be licking them. If a major stain develops, sure, I'll wipe it up. Kid vomit splashes on the baseboards - I am so there with some bleach and an old rag. But other than that, nah. So I'll sweep, I'll mop, I'll wash some dishes and laundry and put it all away. Hell, I may even dust from time to time. But I'm just not going to worry about my baseboards. Not even when I have a party. And I'm not going to feel guilty about it anymore. I'm okay with that.

Indecisive Ida

I had put down on my Facebook status that I was shutting Skillywidden down and keeping it as a personal journal. But I don't really want that; I like updating everyone with pictures and stories and tidbits. The problem is that while I was pregnant and tired and hurting nonstop, I just got so burned out, and I haven't shaken that feeling quite yet, but I want to. Because of my lack of updating, the number of people who actually look at my blog has gone down to less than 10. When I very first starting writing a blog, I loved it and felt I was good at it. I want to enjoy it again, and will make more of an effort to get back to where I was before my pregnancy turned me into a shell of my former self. It's funny - my pregnancy with Ewan was mostly okay, but with Fynn and with Corgan - my butt was totally kicked. I used to be an avid gardener, but during my pregnancy with Fynn, I lost all interest and haven't really gotten it back yet. Then with Corgan it was my writing that I fell out of love with - and I haven't gotten it back, either.

Well, whatever the reason, I'm going to make an effort from now. I'm going to try to actually write something every day - not really for the sake of updating, but to get me back into the groove of writing. I do love to write, and always have. So you'll be hearing more from me.

I think.

No other words will suffice: SPARE ME!

Despite the fact that they are so extreme, I think PETA does a lot of good. But do you think PETA ever thinks about how much more good they could do if they weren't so damn crazy????

Just because I'm bored and it's cute

This is a picture of Ewan when he was one year old - his first Easter. I accidentally flipped to this last night in a photo album, and was shocked at how much I see Corgan in this little face. And I can't believe Ewan isn't this little baby anymore.

Sillyhearts

Have you ever seen the movie Uncle Buck? John Candy is in charge of his nieces and nephew while his brother and wife are away visiting sick family. He is called into the principal's office of his niece, who is five years old. The principal proceeds to tell him everything that is wrong with his niece. Here is the gist of the scene:

Principal: "I've been an educator for years... and in that time, I've seen a lot of bad eggs... I see a bad egg when I look at your niece. She is a twiddler, a dreamer... a silly heart and she is a jabberbox. And, frankly, I don't think she takes a thing in her life or her career as a student seriously."

Uncle Buck: "She's only six."

Principal: "That is not a valid excuse! I hear that every day and I dismiss it."

Uncle Buck: "I don't want to know a six-year-old who isn't a dreamer or a silly heart. I sure don't want to know one who takes their student career seriously..."

(The scene then gets quite funny - if you haven't seen this movie, I have one word for you: Netflix.)

That scene is the first thing that popped in my head when I saw just the headline for this article. What kindergartner isn't distracted or impulsive? I had a good chuckle, then became slightly disturbed that this was a study in the first place. It's still quite funny, and conjures up some priceless mental images of a bunch of short kids placing bets behind the portables. Now why don't they study something that matters?

For the little girl in all of you...

What I wouldn't give to go back in time for one day and play Barbies with my sister.  Oh, and this post on Go Fug Yourself pretty  much sums up my Barbie-playing as a kid.  It's completely hilarious.

I'm lame.

Thanks to Missy for this fun list. Copy and bold the things you have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (kind of)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (a bust)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Redwoods
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (Does saving a mouse's life count?)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Brycentonian

I haven't had much to blog about lately. Dooce posted some random questions and answers about her husband, and it was so fun to read more about her and him. She invited readers to do the same in her comments or on their own blog. I think I've posted a version of this before, so I apologize if any of this repeats. Before I get into it, however, there is a project Missy and I have been working on for about a month - and we are very excited about it. That's all I'll say about it for now - but check in next week for more details.  (And don't even ask me - I will so not tell you yet.  No matter who you are.)  Who knows... perhaps there will even be a lovely giveaway.  Or several...

What are your middle names?
My middle name is Nicole, his middle name is Patrick.

How long have you been together?
We were kind of "together" for over two years before we got married, so all totaled we've been together over eight years.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Maybe a month.

Who asked whom out?
Pretty much I asked him out. I was pretty confident and bold, which is not usually like me, and I actually used some pick-up lines. "Wow, your eyes are so pretty." I had a wonderful guy friend plant the seed in his head about me, and then I started asking for rides to everything. "I just don't have a way to get there, can I get your number and I'll call you to give you directions...?" Next thing I knew, rides turned into spending full days together, each outing more elaborate and "datelike," often ending in an all-night phone call.

How old are each of you?
I'm 32 and he's 29.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
About the same. I have eight siblings, five of which live in Utah. He hasn't even met one of my brothers. I have Ashley that we see fairly often, and Amy lives in Austin so we only see her occasionally. We see my brother Erik maybe once every six months. Bryce has two brothers, one in Chicago and one in Houston. We just see them whenever they are in town.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Right now, adjusting to life after Corgan. The pregnancy was so incredibly hard on me in so many ways, and I'm still recovering - mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually - you name it. Plus, Corgan has been our most difficult baby. He's quite the crier, and won't ever be consoled by Bryce.

Did you go to the same school?
No.

Are you from the same home town?
Close. Him - Duncanville. Me - Grand Prairie. For non-Texans, that's less than ten miles.

Who is smarter?
We are both smart in very different ways. I'm more of a word/English smart, and he's more math/computer smart.

Who is the most sensitive?
Both.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Usually wherever I pick. He's good about that.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Oregon.

Who has the craziest exes?
I would have to say me, just because I have more exes. The odds are in my favor.

Who has the worst temper?
ME.

Who does the cooking?
Me, IF it gets done. I hate cooking.

Who is the neat-freak?
I try to be.

Who is more stubborn?
Me.

Who hogs the bed?
Corgan. :)

Who wakes up earlier?
Bryce. Or Ewan, the little booger.

Where was your first date?
There were many "first dates." Friendly "I don't want to admit I like you" date was On the Border. Friendlier "I totally dig you, man, but don't want you to know. But I'll still take you to this totally expensive restaurant" date was at a place called Aquanox. Then there was just watching the rain in his backyard. No one certain first date, really.

Who is more jealous?
Bryce. Bryce. Bryce. Bryce. Bryce.

How long did it take to get serious?
Maybe two weeks.

Who eats more?
Totally me. He orders salads and water. I order steak with double fries, a side of mashed potatoes and a trough of Coke. But he snacks CONSTANTLY, whereas I do not.

Who does the laundry?
Me.

Who's better with the computer?
Bryce

Who drives when you are together?
Usually Bryce.

Feel free to copy!

"A pirate, a pirate, a pirate says 'Argh!'"

Completely random, but WHY HAVE I NOT SEEN THIS?!

*I feel the need to clarify that I am being totally facetious. I got an e-mail from Bryce's mom asking if I liked Snoop Dogg, and then Jenny's comment made me realize perhaps my sarcasm didn't shine forth the way I intended. But really, a movie this "awful" has to be seen by someone. Any volunteers?
Description from Netflix: "Jimmy Bones (Snoop Doggy Dogg) is a tough but fair pillar of his community who works hard to keep drugs out of the hood. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop fellow community members from turning on, murdering and then burying him in the basement of his home. Two decades later, the children of the man who betrayed him are about to turn Bones's property into a nightclub. Though his house is gone, Jimmy is not -- and through his spirit he vows revenge!"

Spare me

I guess my boys don't stand a chance.

Honesty is the best policy.

I've been tagged and I am supposed to tell ten completely honest things about me.  I don't think I have anything that interesting to say, but I shall try.

1.  I like pina coladas, long walks on the beach, and soft caresses.

2.  I could get lost looking in your eyes.  

3.  I once rode bareback on a horse through the Italian countryside.

4.  Everywhere I go, I keep a fan blowing on me so my hair can fly around my face all romantic like.  I also wear lipgloss so strands of my hair will stick seductively to my lips.

5.  I've had my butt surgically altered as to be reminiscent of J. Lo.

6.  I'm secretly in love with Carrot Top.  Meow...

7.  You.  Me.  Caviar.  On the cliffs of Ireland.  Need I say more?

8.  My longest relationship was with a midget.  He had the hair of a stallion.

9.  I wash my hair in the urine of the duck-billed platypus.  That's how it gets that "new penny" shine.

10.  I'm your mama.

Sorry, I just couldn't think of anything.

Life is so uneventful right now...

...that all I have to post about is a chair. Let me rephrase it, however, it's not exactly "uneventful." Last week, having three kids went from difficult and ratcheted up to really friggin' difficult, with a dash of harder than crap and a twist of pull-my-hair-out frustrating. But I love being a mom, don't get me wrong, I have the three best boys ever. It's just... you know... really hard. ANYWAY...

We bought this yellow chair about three years ago at Salvation Army. I love me some color and print, and I needed a rocking chair. But my love affair with it has faded. It doesn't bring me flowers anymore, and I can't remember the last time it took me on a date. Seriously, though, the stuffing is coming out, it's dirty, clashes with my new curtains, is full of cat scratches, and the wooden rockers on the bottom are major hazards. I have smacked my ankle, stubbed my toe while the boys have smacked their head more times than I can count on those rockers. And it hurts! And oh, yeah, my biggest gripe?  When you rock in it, which I rock Corgan all the time, you migrate across the floor.  It's so slow, you can't tell it's happening, but suddenly you are across the room from where you started.  We've been wanting a different chair for a while, and we found the PERFECT one on Craigslist for CHEAP. Seriously, CHEAP. And it's nice. I was so excited.

Still love that pattern, but goodbye.

No more clashing with my curtains! No more stubbed toes! No more bumps on heads! And so comfy! YAY!

Let me count the ways

The number of reasons why I love this video are too many to count.  Cheesy and silly, maybe, but at least I've stopped short of hanging posters of kittens and babies on my walls.

Color me Flummoxed (A fashion post)

A while back, I posted this about how much I hated the booties and ankle boots that were coming into style.  I really hated those things.  And I mean LOATHED with the purple passion of a thousand  violent deaths.  But something has happened... Perhaps it's because I regularly read fashion magazines and websites and have thus been slowly brainwashed, or maybe I'm finally getting my style back after having babies.  Who knows, but suddenly - I LIKE THEM.  No, I love them.  Bryce told me I could pick some boots on clearance since every Fall I swear I am going to get some nice brown, knee-high boots, but the ones I want are either too expensive or I end up hating them after all and taking them back.  Then it occurred to me that I only wear them with jeans anyway, so I was looking for a cheaper alternative.  I found these and then there are these. And I think they are Friggin' Fabulous with two capital Fs.  And - OH MY GOSH - I must own these.  Don't get me wrong, I still hate peep-toe booties.  And I still love some good old Western brown boots and high fashion knee-highs, but until money is no object they aren't going to happen.  You can disagree with me, I'm okay with that.  But next Fall, I'll be sporting a pair of these bad boys.  Now to decide which pair I want...

I thought it was cute.

Walked around the corner and handed Ewan a mini Kit-Kat that he didn't ask for.  

"Why did you give me this?" he asked.

I answered, "Because I love you." 

A few minutes later, I did it again, and he said, "Wow, you must love me A LOT."

Annoying little furball with a stupid lisp...

As I sit here catching up on e-mails while the boys watch Sesame Street, I feel the need to say - I HATE Baby Bear.  That's all.

Don't disturb Mommy

I just want to state again for the record that I love winning contests.

Eyelashes for sale

How much do you think we could make off of these bad boys?  (Click on picture for full effect.)

Notes on the Day

A poorly written, random, in-no-particular-order post about what's on my mind right now:


Corgan is one month old today. I never did monthly pictures with Ewan or Fynn because I just didn't think of it, but I want to with Corgan. It will make up for the fact that as the third kid, the number of pictures of him will be far outnumbered by pictures of Ewan The Firstborn. I think the look on his face in the first picture is a peek at the look he'll give me frequently as a teenager.

We took the kids to a Primary party today, and when we got there, they told us we could just drop Ewan off. He wasn't totally thrilled with that, but we went grocery shopping with Fynn and Corgan. When we got back, they let Fynn have some pizza and a cookie as we were leaving. He really enjoyed that cookie, as you can tell. Before we left the party, Ewan came to me and said, "Mommy, what if a monster ate me when Fynn and Corgan were still in your belly? You would say, 'Oh, Ewan is my only son!' and you would cry and cry."

He likes to wear Bryce's hats. Oh, my gosh - look at this boy's face! He's a work of art!

What it looks like most of the time at our house now: a blur of rowdy boys. Fynn is old enough now to really be friends with Ewan. They wrestle and scream all day. Can't wait to have THREE of them wrestling and playing together. (Forgive the crumbs and canned goods on the floor. It was cleaning day. I was reorganizing.)

Lastly, um... I'm totally addicted to Facebook. It's a good thing I can browse the Internet on my iPod and that 80% of my time is spent sitting and nursing. It allows me to feed the addiction. Waiting for the novelty to wear off, but I can't believe some of the old friends I've found.