Welcome! My name is Erica and I'll be your server today!

Instead of saying, "Good Morning!" to my girls each morning, I should be saying,

"Welcome! My name is Erica and I'll be your server today!"

I de-clare... it seems as if my entire day is spent waiting hand and foot on them.

"Mommy scoot me!"
"Mommy, can I have a cup?"
"Mommy, can we have a snack?"
"Mommy, I thirsty!"
"Mommy, can we have a lolli?"
"Mommy, I poo-poo'd. Change my diaper?"
"I can't reach it!"

Oh, you get it.... I could go on forever, but I'll spare you the monotony. I just hope they leave me a good tip, because this waitress business is tough stuff!

Drive time conversation

I have to literally pull information out Elisan regarding her day at school.

I ask her, "What did you do today at school?" and it mainly consists of the highlights of the day - recess and lunchtime!

(Daddy's little girl, for sure!)

When asked, "Did you learn any letters today?" she tells me that she didn't learn any letters because she already knows them all.

(I'm sure the teacher thinks she is a peach. Yes?)

When asked, "Were you a good girl today?" she'll say yes, then tell me about the student's who had their names written on the board. Today she said there were five names written on the board. I asked her if her name was one of the names on the board and she said, "Nooooo Mommy! I never get my name on the board!"

(At least she learned something at home!)


P.S.
Don't forget to join me in this week's photo assignment!

Blog Photo Assignment - Week #1 - Where do you blog?

This is my office! We recently purchased a desktop computer because the laptop died due to overload.

My Dell laser printer rocks and I got it at a great deal of $89.00 and free shipping -- no, I haven't had to buy toner yet... yes, I know it's outrageously expensive!

My iPod rules and if you don't have one, GET ONE!

The pink standing files hold everything from my camera to school papers to stuff that needs to go into the trash.

And finally, my beloved stool. I just bought the stool about a month ago.

Now...since this is an assignment, complete it and turn it in and link your site below! Have fun!

Good Bye BMW... Hello Mini-Van

The title says it all.

On of my friend said, "Welcome to the Club" in a recent IM exchange! WHAT? There was a CLUB? Had I known there was a club, I would have joined sooner!

So, it's official... I'm a Mom! Whew... that was a close one. I'd hate to think that I was just impersonating a mom by driving a fun sporty little car!

Goodbye my friend! Have a nice life!
You were a great companion!

My very own personal trainer!

I'm excited to announce that I now have a personal trainer to help me get into shape!

I've been needing to get some kind of exercise program going, but I'm not the kind of person who does well in organized classes and/or gym atmosphere... there's something about doing aerobics in a class full of women that intimidates me... not to mention that "white girl has no rhythm!"

So, I bought myself a pair of roller blades from my favorite store and a jogger stroller from my favorite online classifieds ads.

(Sidebar: I know, I know... roller blading behind a jogger stroller seems like a recipe for disaster, but really it isn't! Even with my history of roller blading, it's really easy and oh...how my booty burns! But, I digress...)

And now, to complete the equation, I now have a personal trainer!

Who, you ask? It's KM!

As soon as we come home from dropping Elisan off at school, KM brings me my skates. She reminds me to grab a bottle of water and off we go!

She even coaches me! She will say, "Fasta mommy, fasta!" over and over again.

Then as we come to an intersection, she asks me if I'm ready for "watey" and we share a drink together.

When we're done doing our mile lap (because that is all I can muster right now!) we go inside and she tells me, "I hot, mommy." and I agree. It's nice to have someone to commiserate with.

So, there you have it. My very own (free) personal trainer.

I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship.

Oh my! I've been critiqued!

I was perusing through my site meter hits and came across this! Read this (totally unsolicited) critique from Billy Mac about my blog (no! seriously... totally unsolicited!)

Thanks goodness he was very generous with his critique, otherwise I would have left the computer crying, swearing to never return to blog-world again!

Thanks Billy Mac...who ever you are!

Fit Over Function

The last time I wrote about a new car was back in July and in the end, I resolved to keep my super teeny tiny sports sedan another year.

But worry no more people, because this weekend, WE'RE GOING CAR SHOPPIN'!

Those who know me best can remember the mantra that I professed over and over (and over) again...

• "We'll never get an SUV or a Mini-Van. Period. End of discussion."
• "No, I don't care that a car cannot haul 8 passengers."
• "So what, that I can barely fit my stroller in the truck of my car."
• "No, I don't really care about carpooling. Why would I carpool, my car gets super duper gas mileage (and that was when gas prices were a measly $1.30/gallon)."
• "No, I don't want to drive a big mom-box down the freeway!"
• "I love my car because it is sporty and I can go 0-60 in 7 seconds!"
  

So, my friends and family members stopped asking me about it.

Well, 'fit over function' finally won out. The car is just too small for us. That, we can all agree upon.

What we (Randy and me) could not agree upon was what. So, after internet shopping and comparing various makes/models of every car, SUV and mini-van known to man, we just can't deny the fact that a mini-van is second to none in size and function.

So, there ya have it, people who know me best. A mini-van... yep... I'm joining the ranks of moms everywhere! Carpool here I come.

(Stay tuned. More vehicle updates - with photos! - coming soon.)

Just a little bit of pride

Randy loves the fact, that by Springtime, his yard is full of green lush grass, while most of the neighborhood's grass is still coming out of hibernation.

He drives down the streets comparing the green-ness of his grass to the other yards and beats himself on his chest and says, "Me man!"

This Summer however, has yielded nearly no rain whatsoever... translation: dead grass abounds. And to top it off, our grass has some kind of grub worm that is destroying the grass at it's root.

Enter new neighbor: Mr. Buford (the names have been changed to protect the unaware!)

Mr. Buford is a nice old man. He's a retired minister and he and his family are super nice.

Anyway, one day Mr. Buford comes to the house asking Randy to take a look at his lawn mower for him. Well, come to find out, Mr. Buford put the gasoline into the oil tank. Randy was able to help him out and drain the gasoline for him.

Randy came back and was chuckling that Mr. Buford probably didn't know too much about lawn work. And truthfully, being a minister, he probably didn't do too much lawn tending, since his former parishioners likely did it for him as a courtesy.

Fast foward a month or two... Randy's lawn is getting crispy and dry and is on the brink of death. Randy is outside surveying the lay of the land when Mr. Buford comes over and they begin to chat. Mr. Buford gives Randy some lawn tending advice that perhaps, Randy is cutting the grass too short. Randy, being the gracious one in the family, tells him he is probably right.

Fast forward to the weekend, Randy is setting up the sprinklers outside, when Mr. Buford comes on over and fires up a conversation. He tells Randy that watering the grass in the heat of the day is not good because it evaporates immediately. Randy, the ever gracious one, tells Mr. Buford, that yes, he is probably right.

I asked Randy if Mr. Buford has given him anymore "handy" lawn tending advice. But, Randy being such a gracious, God-fearing man and knowing what the Bible says about honoring and holding to the highest regard the men of the church, he didn't have a foul word to say about Mr. Buford. He just shook his head, said 'yeah' and went on with his business.

There's a lesson to be learned here somewhere, but I'm not sure what. My original intent of this post was to poke fun at Randy, but really, I think I can learn from him instead.

There's a reason why I love this man, even if his grass is dry, crispy and on the brink of death.

Bugs

Since having kids, I've been the victim of stomach bugs/viruses that apparently my kids are picking up from other germ infested rodents, er...um...I mean, kids and bringing them home to spread generously around me.

I used to never get sick...not like this, anyway. I can recall, just in the last six months having been plagued with the nastiest stomach virus imaginable - which included diarrhea and vomiting. That was fun.

And, so I write to say, that yes... I'm sick with a stomach virus... again, making my day today pretty miserable.

And what's worse, is that we're leaving this afternoon to travel three hours by car for an overnight trip. So, right now, I'm eating Kaopectate like it was candy, hoping that by this afternoon I'll be travel worthy.

Until then... I need to get some rest while KM is being babysat by the tube!

I laughed, I cried... It moved me

Today was the first day of kindergarten.

I laughed...

Call me crazy, but there were moms (and dads) there with video cameras filming the child as they were walking into the class and finding their seats. I told Randy that we must be bad parents because the thought did not even occur to me to bring my digital camera, much less a video camera.

I cried...

The teacher had a "Parent's Care Package" sitting on the table at each child's assigned seat. It consisted of a tissue, a note from the teacher and a tea bag. The tissue, well...that is self-explanatory. The note thanked us, the parents, for entrusting our precious children to them as they travel the learning journey together. And the tea bag was for us to go home, have a hot cup of tea and relax while we know that our children are in good hands. (I'll admit, my tea bag is still in it's original package. I opted for errands instead.) So, yes, I cried... more than what I expected I'd do. I'm such a wimp.

It moved me...

I breathed a sigh of relief when I picked up Elisan today and the first thing she said to me was, "I had fun today!" All that worry for nothing.

Now, if I can just get that drop off/pick up thing down, I'll have it made!

The Diarrhea Loophole

WARNING: Poop talk ahead...




Elisan has just recently learned to wipe herself after having a bowel movement.

I know, I know, she's five!

But, blame it on her anal mother (no pun intended) who is just a little, well...anal... when it comes to bathroom cleanliness. I would rather take matters into my own hands, so that explains why I've waited so long to teach her how to wipe.

Well, that... and the fact that Elisan hates to wipe herself.

With Kindergarten starting this week, I'm glad that she has finally learned to wipe herself. I don't imagine that the teacher would be impressed with Elisan (or with me, for that matter) if she was still hollering, "I'm donnnnnnne!" once she finished her business.

But, leave it to my little girl to discover a loophole in the B.M. wiping department.

It's diarrhea.

She knows me well enough, to know that I will wipe a diarrhea poop because... well...I'm anal like that. And because of this, she uses the diarrhea loophole A LOT. Even when there isn't just cause.

So, now, instead of hearing "I'm donnnnnne!" I hear, "Mommy, it's a diarrhea and it's naaaaasty!"

I can't wait for the first note to come home in Elisan's backpack explaining that in Kindergarten, they do not wipe the student's rear-ends.

The Family Pet

"I'm really, really, super really, telling you the truth!" she says. "Mommy. Really. I am!"

Okay, I have fallen for this little performance before, I'll admit it. But, not anymore.

Yesterday, I asked her what she wanted for lunch and she told me, "Chocolate sandwich." So, when it came time to sit down for lunch, she said, "I don't want this."

Me, "Well, you asked for it, so you are eating it."

Her, "I didn't! I super really didn't ask for a chocolate sandwich! Really!"

Randy joins in, "Yes you did, I heard you. Now, eat."

This, of course, goes on for a few minutes, which resulted in a final ultimatum from me, "You don't get down, until you eat it."

So, about 20 minutes later passes, along with a potty break and she finally decides to eat her lunch. KM has finished her lunch, but is hovering nearby.

I leave the room for two seconds... Okay, more like 2 minutes and I come back and see KM with a mouth-full of food.

I ask Elisan, "Is she eating your food?"

Elisan, "No. She super really isn't!"

I ask KM, "What's in your mouth?"

She opens her mouth to show me a mouth full of chocolate sandwich and says, "Chwocwate sawich."

So, now, not only is Elisan just lying for the sake of super really lying, and meanwhile, KM is now the family pet.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Girl

Today is my baby's birthday!

She's five, going on fifteen.

I love you my sweet baby girl!

Love, Mommy

Inspiration

For the last year, at least two of my posts have been about the grocery store. (Read about them here and here.)

Yet again, a post inspiration centers around the check-out line.

Yesterday, I had some last minute shopping to do before my folks and two nephews arrive for their 3 day stay. I needed to get those items that are a must for two growin' boys - soda, chips... you know, the staple food.

So, I get to the line and I see the check out guy doesn't have anyone to bag the groceries for his lane.

(Sidebar: If you are reading my blog and do not live in Texas where they BAG YOUR GROCERIES for you...well, I'm sorry. It's just another reason to love living in Texas!

I didn't realize this was NOT normal, until I moved out of Texas!

But, at least in Minnesota, they provided the bags! In Denmark, heck... you had to buy your own grocery sacks AND then bag them yourself! Hmph! Europeans! But, I digress.)

I happily jump in and begin bagging my own groceries because I didn't want to hold up the line with all of my stuff piling at the end and no one there to bag it.

So, I'm bagging my stuff, albeit, not properly, and a girl comes up and tells me she'll take over.

Well, then I noticed, that she is taking my stuff out of the grocery cart and is re-bagging it. Um? Hello?

I mean, I know I didn't do it right, but geez, y'all were short handed! I was helping you! And now... you are showing me, that I was doing it wrong!

Okay, so I was put in my place, that I don't belong in the bagging end of things, but that's okay. I mean, I hated bagging my own stuff in Minnesota and in Denmark.

So, from now on... I'll let my stuff pile at the end and hold up the line! That will show 'em!

Me? Jealous?

This afternoon, the girls and I headed out to one of our favorite local restuarants.

Unfortunately, it was also "Happy Hour" and we were there with a bunch of business types taking advantage of the cheap margaritas and dollar drafts.

So, I'm sitting there, looking all 'mom-like' with my almost dry hair (still wet from the swimming pool earlier), barely a stitch of make-up on and the same clothes I've been wearing since 7:00 a.m. this morning. The girls... well, they didn't look much better than I did.

I couldn't help but look around at all of the stylishly dressed women and one in particular caught my attention. She was sitting at the table next to ours, so close, in fact, that I could overhear bits and pieces of her conversation.

She was talking about her day, and apparently it was her first day on a new job. I could hear her tell her husband how "they" thought she was "one of the girls" and how "they" - the staff - talked about her all day long. I gathered that she was some sort of hot-shot at this new job, by the way she was talking about "them".

Eavesdropping on her conversation made feel somewhat jealous. I don't know why. Maybe it was because she was a 'big-shot' and wore fancy clothes? Or maybe because she was having a conversation that didn't start with, "Today, the girls did (fill in the blank here)."

But, then I noticed that she didn't seem very happy at all. She only laughed when she refered to the staff members when they thought she was "one of them". She looked tired and she was not smiling.

Then I looked over at my dinner guests and they were happy and they were smiling, which in turn, made me happy and made me smile. They were talking (even if it was incessantly) about the ice cream they were going to eat after dinner and the fun they had today with their friends at the pool. They were even grabbing my hand and giving me wet sticky ice cream kisses on my hand.

So, jealous that I was not having an adult conversation? Yeah, sure.

Jealous, that I was not wearing fancy designer label clothes? Yeah, for sure.

Jealous that she is a big shot at her new job that will indelibly create unwanted stress in return? Maybe...

But, jealous of not being happy? Of not smiling? No way!

I love my life and my job as a wife and mother. It's a job I take very seriously. And, although the pay is low, the reward is high.

It's a reward that lasts a lifetime!

Big K (no, not K-Mart)

Kindergarten is starting NEXT WEEK. Yikes!

I am really nervous about Kindergarten! And, how is it that I'm old enough to have a kid in Kindergarten?

I know Elisan will love, love, love it. Me? Not so much.

I worry that I will fail. How's that for turning the tables?

There's so much pressure now... getting there on time, packing lunches and/or remembering lunch money, picking her up on time. And what's worse, our commute is on the worst stretch of road imaginable in Texas, so traffic will be horrid some days.

What about the teacher? I mean, do I try too hard for her to like me? Or do I step back and just observe? Should I make efforts to be (overly) involved in Elisan's class and be the mom that does everything and not give anyone else a chance? And should I try to out-do the other moms? Or just go with the flow....?

It's so hard! Will I be the goody-goody mother? Or the slacker mother? Or will KM preclude me from doing anything remotely related to the school because she will run hog-wild in any situation that requires thought and preparation?

Who knew Kindergarten would be so hard?

But, as far seeing my big girl head off to Kindergarten... I'm proud! She will love it, because that is the kind of kid she is!

Her mother on the hand...she's had 33 (nearly 34 years) of neurosis built up... just enough to make her a little loopy sometimes!

The Nerd Test

Brought to you by Amanda, my lightly nerdy friend.

Here's my score:
"Not nerdy, but definitely not hip."



**UPDATED: Randy scored an 80! Haha!

Mixing it up

This afternoon, Elisan asked me if I would play a game of Candyland with her. I told her I would, but I needed to finish up some work before I was able to play.

She said okay, and told me that she'd mix (or shuffle) the cards for me.

So, I sit down to play with Elisan and KM. KM goes first because she is the youngest and draws a gumdrop. Whoohoo... she's half-way there.

Next, it's Elisan's turn and before the card is even turned over completely, she's whooping and hollering because she drew the ice cream card - which takes her to 3/4 of the way to the end!

Hmmm, something's fishy.

She's all giddy because she's going to win and of course I called her out on her cheatin'.

So, all that time she was supposed to be mixing the cards, she was actually 'fixing' the cards.

The little sneak!

Everyone gets a turn

When it comes to meal time blessings, we all get a turn.

Recently, KM has shown an interest in saying the prayer and here's how it goes:

"Jesus. (mumble mumble mumble) food. (mumble mumble mumble) Mommy and Daddy. (mumble mumble mumble) all th' blessin's. (mumble mumble mumble) Mommy and Daddy."

(At this point, I'm usually having to guide her to the Amen part.)

Then she raises both arms and says, "I did it!"

It's sweet and so super cute. It's one of those moments you wish you could capture forever.

But, then reality sets in, when you hear your oldest child chime in and say, "No you didn't! Mommy had to help you!"

Ahhhh, those sweet, sweet memories!

Business Order

Yesterday, I sent KM to the bathroom before we headed out to the pool.

KM ran to the bathroom and Elisan, on her own accord, followed her into the bathroom to supervise.

KM got out potty seat and positioned it correctly over the toilet. She pulled the stool up to the toilet and then sat on the seat.

She reached for the toilet paper and pulled off just the right amount of paper and THEN...it happened.

She wiped BEFORE she peed.

Mayhem broke out.

Elisan started screaming, "That's not potty training! You don't wipe yet! You have to pee first!"

This is my life.