The TRUTH About Motherhood

Search results for: “american girl”

Kindergarten Jitters
There is officially 14 days until the first day of kindergarten for my oldest, Bella. I knew it was coming… but I forgot how quickly. I don’t know why I was surprised their entire lives thus far have been a wonderful and crazy whirlwind. I’m just along for the ride and hanging on for dear life most days but enjoying every single second of it.I was so wrapped up in prepping her for the actual education that she needed before entering school that I never took into consideration what I was going to feel like when the time actually came to let her go to that first day of school. Not that that’s what is important ( well, it is a little to me..hell, a lot).
My 2 little Goofballs! God how I Love ’em!
Anyways, I was picking up some uniforms for her and she had to try them on. My daughters have their Daddy’s height and its legs for days, so to be safe we must try everything on. After all, I can’t send her to her first day at Catholic school looking like a little tartlet. She’s trying on the uniforms in the changing room. We are all crammed into one of those family changing rooms. You know the ones.As her goof ball little sister, runs around screaming at the very top of her lungs in the highest, most annoying little chipmunk voice you’ve ever heard pass human lips: “Mommy, it stinks. Somebody Faaaahhhhted!” I’m trying to get her to lower it all down an octave( or three) totally engrossed in trying to put out the Gabi fire of 2010.
Meanwhile, Bella ( ever turning into such a big and independent little girl) gets her outfit on and calls out to me, in her still very heavily babified voice(my bestie calls them her 2 little kitties ( meow, meow, meow, meow, meow) “How does this look Mommy?” As I raise my head up to look at her, my eyes meet hers, she is completing a spin ( ever the spinning ballerina) and then it hit me. Right there. Like a ton of bricks….My baby is starting kindergarten in less than a month. I was a little in shock, and a little bit teary eyed, a little bit proud, and a lot sad. It feels like the beginning of the end….of her childhood. What a place to have an A-HA moment. Now, I am in a mad dash to enjoy every single day left with my babies before school starts. I just want to linger here in preschool/toddler land for a bit more and soak it all up ,like the last glimpses of the summer sun.
I am so dreading the first day, like most of you can imagine.
2010/08/05
Truthful Tuesdays, March 30,2010; Mommy Breakdown in Progress
It’s Tuesday once again. Time for us to unload some of the things weighting us down in life. No judgment, just an ear to bend, a shoulder to cry on, and a helpful hand to help you up when you feel as if you have fallen in the proverbial crap of life. I missed last week, but I need to expunge today!
Let’s start by confessing that I am a miserable sick person. When I am sick, I just want to be left alone in a dark room to sleep it all away. Just let me sleep for a week straight with nothing but liquids pushed under the door to keep me alive. I know I’ve been cranky and grouchy with the girls.Hell,I even called my husband at work 3 states away to unleash my miserableness on him. Not my proudest moment. Sorry. I even bit my brothers head off, who is visiting and helping me with my girls this week. I am truly a wench!
I also would like to confess that it’s a little embarrassing walking around town with my little brother (who is 19) and my 2 girls because people are looking at us as if 1) he is my “boyfriend or husband” and I am a friggin cradle robber .Ewww, gross! Or 2) I am his Mother! Which is equally as EWWWW, because it makes me feel not only old but like I was promiscuous in my early teen years, to boot. Which I don’t really care about now except for how hard I worked to obtain that ‘Good Catholic girl’ image back then. The worst part is either way you slice it..it makes ME feel old!
Next, this list could go on for days this week, I am about to tear my hair out with all this crap I am having to do by myself. It is making me feel overwhelmed and like I can’t accomplish anything I start, like I am a loser! I know I usually bite off more than I can chew (its the nature of the beast) but I muddle through , spread myself as thin as possible, and I get it done. That’s me!It’s how I work. But this week, for some reason, I feel like a bumbling idiot who can’t get anything done. My husband is encouraging me to eliminate some of my extracurriculars with the girls, so I don’t have a meltdown. I get insulted that he thinks I can’t do it all. WTH is going on with me? He may be right, at least this week. I’ve worn myself, metaphorically, paper thin and one wrong pull may be the one that breaks me down.
Thank God for Truthful Tuesdays and wonderful friends.If it weren’t for your emails, phone calls, texts, comments and unconditional love and support…I’d have hit my breakdown threshold a long time ago!
2010/03/30
Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 19 – Let the other parent parent
Yesterday’s Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 18 – Get happy!
was fantastic and timely. I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the big K that was looming for today but I embraced it. We had a special last couple of days,with play dates with some of our favorite friends and Bella’s favorite meal. I was happy to be having these moments with her, living in the moment and trying to avoid dwelling on the sadness that I knew I would feel when she started kindergarten. So, I put on my big girl panties and I got HAPPY! How did you do?
Today’s Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 19 – Let the other parent parent
I’m positive that this challenge would be much easier for me if my husband was home more so that I’d be used to having another parent in the house, but it’s very hard for me to keep my mouth shut and let him do his parenting job when he is only here on weekends. The sad thing is that he is a very hands on Daddy, truly one of the most awesome Daddies that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. My husband is a testament to the term Father, seriously. Everything that I can do, he can do too; kiss boo boos, snuggle at bedtime, read stories, calm fears, rub legs riddled with growing pains, mend hearts broken by the pains of growing older and realizing the ways of the world. I trust him implicitly with the kids, so it’s not that I’m worried something will happen, but when I’m here, and I hear some of the things he says, or his reaction to some situations,or whatever it is that I’m listening to from the other room, it’s very difficult to keep my mouth shut ( refer again to my control freak nature).
If the kids were in imminent danger, or he was wrong I would certainly say something. But they never are and he’s usually not. Just because we parent differently doesn’t mean his way is wrong; its just different. He and I talk a lot about what is acceptable reactions to the girls behavior and what is not. The biggest problem is me relinquishing control, especially when I am in full control the entire week long. But, I will admit, sometimes on the weekend when I am super spent from the previous week of doing it all on my own,I want need the Big Guy to come in and rescue me. I guess the answer to my own request is to let him.
I do believe that there is a fine line, particularly when one of the parents is escalating, for the other parent to step in and remedy situation; take over the lead in the situation. That’s what I believe co-parenting is; two people working as ying and yang to help their children survive until adulthood:) When I’m about to lose my ever loving mind, I really want the Big Guy to step in and give me a breather and reign me back down to earth.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen very often as I’d like because the big Guy is gone. When he is home he tries to take control so that I don’t have to…always be the discipline tyrant. Really,sometimes the best co parenting is the Big Guy saying “Go take a break, I got this! ” We’ve been together so long, that he recognizes the crazy in my eyes almost immediately. He gives me the nod ( which means remove yourself lady you are about to lose your shit and you’ll feel really guilty if that happens) and I try and go.I think stuff like that can save both parents from unnecessary outbursts.I just he was around more to save me more.The Big Guy, my hero.
So today, do your best to let your co-parent (if you have one, that is) parent the kids in his/her own way. And if you have criticisms or issues, wait until after the kids are gone (or asleep) to discuss them.
Tomorrow, Bella wants the Big Guy to take her to school by himself. She draws her strength from her Daddy, when she is filled with trepidation. I will let him do his parenting thing and I will be happy that he can comfort her and be her Daddy, just like only he can be.
2010/08/19
Be a better parent – Day 26 – How to say sorry
Yesterday’s Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 25 – Get Some Sleep
was pretty easy , for once, to adhere to. The girls have been going to bed at 6 pm on school days. It rocks and is amazing ( remember just a few months a ago I was telling you of the bed time trauma). Of course, going to bed early for me is midnight. But midnight is awesome when you are used to going to bed at 2 am. It’s also amazing what a difference actually relaxing before bed makes in your restfulness.Hope you all got some extra sleep. When my girls were younger and full on bedtime crackheads, I would just go to bed with them. I had absolutely NO LIFE, but I got some sleep albeit if my bedtime was 9 pm. (more…)
2010/08/26
Daddy the superhero
Every morning, I keep seeing the Mommies attached to their hysterical children, clinging to their legs/waists for dear life and sobbing uncontrollably.And every morning, I thank God that Bella isn’t doing that. Mostly because I couldn’t handle it. I just can’t imagine how that would wear on your heartstrings, day after day, watching as your ~~child~~ baby is overcome with fear and anxiety at leaving the safety and love of their Mommies arms. I do realize that if Bella were doing this, you could find me every single morning after drop off, emotionally crumpled in a puddle of tears and snot. It would be awful for both of us. I mean I am, after all, the Mommy who laid in labor with her second child, crying at a cell phone photo of her first born, because I felt so sorry for abandoning her to go to the hospital and give birth. Yeah, the apron strings are pretty taut between me and my Bella. But I loosen them as needed, for her sake. I am mature enough to know that I have to let her grow up, no matter how much I may not like the idea.Then Monday came.
There was absolutely nothing special per se about Monday, at least not noticeable to the untrained eye. The only thing that was different, was that the Big Guy had gone back to Iowa on Sunday night. You know to his hole that he lives in for work during the weekdays.Sunday’s are always hard on all of us but I had totally forgot about this Monday.I have noticed over the years that though I may be Bella’s “Best Friend” ( as she lovingly refers to me), Daddy has always been her rock. There is just something about a 6’5″ man, with a big strong body and an equally as big heart, that makes a girl feel safe and makes it easy to draw strength from. That is the Big Guy. Monday morning we followed the same routine that we had on Thursday and Friday; the absolute only thing missing was her Daddy. There were no tears from my Bella amidst the plethora of tears falling that morning amongst her classmates. I assumed all was fine.
When Gabs and I picked Bella up from school that afternoon, she seemed a little rattled as if something were missing. In retrospect, she was looking for the Big Guy. We drove home, as she rattled off the days events at a furied pace. We got home and things started going south. She proclaimed, almost angrily, that she didn’t like her outfit and promptly discarded it onto the floor. I was a little annoyed and quite confused by her behavior. I asked her to pick up her clothes; she responded with whining. I asked her close the front door; she responded with tears. I asked her what she wanted for lunch; she barked a hostile “NOTHING!” at me. The responses were becoming increasingly inappropriate to, what I thought was, seemingly innocuous requests. It was quickly a train wreck speeding out of control from bad to worse. Then Gabs had the audacity to ask her how school was; then the sobbing began.A fly landed on her and all hell broke lose! I was baffled. Is a 5 year old supposed to get PMS?
Concern trumped annoyance and I asked, in every possible way, what was wrong. After an eternity of sobbing and undecipherable blubbering, once she hit the point f hyperventilation from hard and ugly crying, she had Gabs joining in on the hysteria. I was a hair away from breaking down myself. Then she leans in and wraps her little arms around me, hugging me tighter than she has in a LONG time ( tighter than all those aforementioned Kindergartners holding on for dear life to their Mommies) and whispers this through her sobs (in her little baby kitty sounding voice) “Mommy, I don’t want to go to school. I just want to stay home with you and Gabs!I only love Mommy!” How could I not feel my insides turn to goo and my heart start to fall apart?
I held back my own tears,even though I wanted to curl up into a crumpled mess of snot and tears on the floor. It made me realize how hard all of this Daddy being out of town business has been on the girls. Sure its been difficult on the Big Guy and I but we are adults, most of the time. She misses her Rock and the collateral damage was a small nervous breakdown. I held her tight for almost forever and then a little longer and told her how we were so proud of her for being so brave and going to school. I told her how much we loved her, about all the exciting things she will do, the friends she will make and that Daddy wished he could be here with her. Then I told her, whenever she felt sad and missed us,to close her eyes and think of us and we would be at home thinking of her at the same time, because we are always thinking about her. We ended it with a nose kiss, a group hug, and a promise to walk her into class the next morning.
She called her Daddy in Iowa and he assured her that he was so proud of her, loved her more than life itself, and that he was thinking of her always. She seemed to take comfort in this.Apparently, everything sounds better coming out of his mouth. He also told her that we would send a photo to school in her backpack of all of us together. She hung up the phone, renewed and relaxed. Her entire body unclenched. Daddy the superhero. In the end, she felt better; we felt worse about the letting go. She grew up and we broke down. The letting go is the hardest part of growing up.
2010/08/25
Be A Better Challenge- Day 21-23
Friday’s Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 20 – Keep a journal
I’d love to say I did a fabulous job but that would be a total lie. I had visitors from out of town and it was impossible to find time to post , little lone journal. I am however going to give it a try this week. I’ll keep you posted. How did you ladies do?
Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 21 – Fake it
Try curtailing your “anger” (which The New Girl determined was more of an impulse control issue rather than anger) by actually faking it. Rolling your eyes, moving along, and pretending.
You’ll see in the comments that she’s not at all saying that you should fake how you’re feeling. Big difference. So that’s not what I’m talking about at all.
But in many cases, we often let ourselves blow up quickly when really, if we just rolled our eyes and looked at the bigger picture, we’d have way fewer massive blow-ups.Basically,we need to fake our reaction. Feel your feelings but fake control:)
Let me know how that works out for you. I know I will have to work hard on this one. I have a quick temper and I have to work hard to step back and think. I am interested to see how this works out.
Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 22 – Dates with your kids
Whether you’ve got one kid or a bunch, it’s really important to spend individual time with them. It’s obviously a little easier when you have just one, and then, increasingly more challenging the more you add to your brood.God knows I spend most days feeling like one is being left out. It was so much easier for me when I only had one. I adore both, but its hard work making sure everybody gets the same attention and no one feels left out or slighted. Lucky for me, they have no issue with letting me know!
So #22: Plan a date night with your kids
Granted, it doesn’t need to be a night, obviously, and it certainly doesn’t need to be anything extravagant. In fact, it could be something that you always do together, month after month. Breakfast out? Trip to a special playground? An afternoon at a museum? This is difficult for us Mommies who are part time single Mothers or those who are actual full time single mothers but it is possible. It’s hard for me to give them each individual personal time because they are so close in age and I can’t justify leaving one out. I am planning on making the time while my 5 year old is on school, special time for my 3 year old and I. I will do the same for my 5 year old, while the 3 year old naps. It’s the best Ic an do.
There are so many fantastic ways for you to connect individually with your kiddos, especially outside of your home, which always seems to be bogged down with 400 things that you need to do other than spend alone time with them. But if you can look past the laundry and the ignore the dishes, quality time can easily be spent int he comfort of your own home.Let me know what ideas you have fro “Date Night” with your kids. How did it go?
And how did faking it go?
Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 23 – Give ’em choices
Only a little over a week left, folks. I hope you’re still with me.I hope that you are feeling like you’re getting something out of this. I am loving the challenges and feel like I am being proactive in my parenting.
I also have noticed by utilizing these techniques I have eliminated a lot of the regular tantrums and meltdowns that we were having, which is AWESOME!!!
And I do hope you found some ideas for date “nights” with your kids. I realize that those are a little hard to do impromptu, but you can certainly plan ahead.
#23: Give ’em choices
Giving your kids choices is a fantastic way to get them to do what you want without a battle (ha) but also to allow them some control, which is super important – particularly for the younger set (i.e. 2-5ish). The key here is to only give them TWO. Yes, and only choices that you actually want to abide by, Don’t make offers that you have no intention of keeping. This is how I have always done choices and it seems to work pretty well. It creates a sense of autonomy without letting them get out of your realm of control.
Forget “What do you want for lunch?” questions and give them options. Just two.
Or when it comes to getting out of the house “You can put your shoes on and come with us, or leave them off and stay here.”This is one of my favorites, Basically, look kiddo you can do as I say and get to go do something fun or we can just stay here. My girls chomp at the bit to get out of the house ( they have their Mama’s cabin fever gene) so usually it goes as I plan. Of course, if you are dealing with a overtired or sick child, expect the unexpected sometimes they go rogue and you find yourself punished and unable to leave the house:(
My favorite: “You can pick up your clothes off the floor or I can pick them up and take them all to Goodwill.” Desperate times, mamas.Desperate measures. This works with my girls because they are clothes fanatics. But you get the picture….”Pick up the Barbie dolls or I will pick them up and give then to the homeless!” See, its easy..just be sure to follow through or you will lose all control….forever!
Anyway, you get the idea. Now go give it a try. Let me know how it goes!
Just a reminder, the Month of September, I will be doing a month long Be a Better Me (You) Challenge in celebration of my Birthday! Hope you can all join me. There’s more to us than just being a Mommy, so next month we will give some attention to that woman:) Also, I am trying to reach a goal of 1000 followers by my birthday September 25, so if you are not already following please do.If you already are please pass it on to your friends who you think might like it, tweet it, Facebook it. Only 432 more followers needed:)Happy Mothering!
2010/08/23
Be A Better Parent Challenge- Day 21-23
Friday’s Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 20 – Keep a journal
I’d love to say I did a fabulous job but that would be a total lie. I had visitors from out of town and it was impossible to find time to post , little lone journal. I am however going to give it a try this week. I’ll keep you posted. How did you ladies do?
Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 21 – Fake it
Try curtailing your “anger” (which The New Girl determined was more of an impulse control issue rather than anger) by actually faking it. Rolling your eyes, moving along, and pretending.
You’ll see in the comments that she’s not at all saying that you should fake how you’re feeling. Big difference. So that’s not what I’m talking about at all.
But in many cases, we often let ourselves blow up quickly when really, if we just rolled our eyes and looked at the bigger picture, we’d have way fewer massive blow-ups.Basically,we need to fake our reaction. Feel your feelings but fake control:)
Let me know how that works out for you. I know I will have to work hard on this one. I have a quick temper and I have to work hard to step back and think. I am interested to see how this works out.
Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 22 – Dates with your kids
Whether you’ve got one kid or a bunch, it’s really important to spend individual time with them. It’s obviously a little easier when you have just one, and then, increasingly more challenging the more you add to your brood.God knows I spend most days feeling like one is being left out. It was so much easier for me when I only had one. I adore both, but its hard work making sure everybody gets the same attention and no one feels left out or slighted. Lucky for me, they have no issue with letting me know!
So #22: Plan a date night with your kids
Granted, it doesn’t need to be a night, obviously, and it certainly doesn’t need to be anything extravagant. In fact, it could be something that you always do together, month after month. Breakfast out? Trip to a special playground? An afternoon at a museum? This is difficult for us Mommies who are part time single Mothers or those who are actual full time single mothers but it is possible. It’s hard for me to give them each individual personal time because they are so close in age and I can’t justify leaving one out. I am planning on making the time while my 5 year old is on school, special time for my 3 year old and I. I will do the same for my 5 year old, while the 3 year old naps. It’s the best Ic an do.
There are so many fantastic ways for you to connect individually with your kiddos, especially outside of your home, which always seems to be bogged down with 400 things that you need to do other than spend alone time with them. But if you can look past the laundry and the ignore the dishes, quality time can easily be spent int he comfort of your own home.Let me know what ideas you have fro “Date Night” with your kids. How did it go?
And how did faking it go?
Be a Better Parent Challenge – Day 23 – Give ’em choices
Only a little over a week left, folks. I hope you’re still with me.I hope that you are feeling like you’re getting something out of this. I am loving the challenges and feel like I am being proactive in my parenting.
I also have noticed by utilizing these techniques I have eliminated a lot of the regular tantrums and meltdowns that we were having, which is AWESOME!!!
And I do hope you found some ideas for date “nights” with your kids. I realize that those are a little hard to do impromptu, but you can certainly plan ahead.
#23: Give ’em choices
Giving your kids choices is a fantastic way to get them to do what you want without a battle (ha) but also to allow them some control, which is super important – particularly for the younger set (i.e. 2-5ish). The key here is to only give them TWO. Yes, and only choices that you actually want to abide by, Don’t make offers that you have no intention of keeping. This is how I have always done choices and it seems to work pretty well. It creates a sense of autonomy without letting them get out of your realm of control.
Forget “What do you want for lunch?” questions and give them options. Just two.
Or when it comes to getting out of the house “You can put your shoes on and come with us, or leave them off and stay here.”This is one of my favorites, Basically, look kiddo you can do as I say and get to go do something fun or we can just stay here. My girls chomp at the bit to get out of the house ( they have their Mama’s cabin fever gene) so usually it goes as I plan. Of course, if you are dealing with a overtired or sick child, expect the unexpected sometimes they go rogue and you find yourself punished and unable to leave the house:(
My favorite: “You can pick up your clothes off the floor or I can pick them up and take them all to Goodwill.” Desperate times, mamas.Desperate measures. This works with my girls because they are clothes fanatics. But you get the picture….”Pick up the Barbie dolls or I will pick them up and give then to the homeless!” See, its easy..just be sure to follow through or you will lose all control….forever!
Anyway, you get the idea. Now go give it a try. Let me know how it goes!
Just a reminder, the Month of September, I will be doing a month long Be a Better Me (You) Challenge in celebration of my Birthday! Hope you can all join me. There’s more to us than just being a Mommy, so next month we will give some attention to that woman:) Also, I am trying to reach a goal of 1000 followers by my birthday September 25, so if you are not already following please do.If you already are please pass it on to your friends who you think might like it, tweet it, Facebook it. Only 432 more followers needed:)Happy Mothering!
2010/08/23
Be a Better Me (You) Challenge- Day 4 ~Bring Your sexy back
Yesterday’s Be a Better Me ( YOU) Challenge-Day 3~ You are what you think you are
went well. I am trying to be who I want to be and not be enslaved by who I think I’ve become. This one will take work. As it took years for me to fall into my rut and devolve into what a feel is a lesser version of who I was meant to be, it will take me time to change my way of thinking; to believe I am who I say I am. It takes time to build yourself up. So, like a very wise woman once said ” Fake it til you make it!”
Today’s Be a Better Me Challenge~ Do something sexy
I don’t mean that you have to go shag your husband on the L, or go commando..though if that’s what gets your motor running, I say go for it. No, what I a referring to is do something that makes you feel sexy… in your own skin. It could be wearing something sexy, not wearing something, a scent, a food, a hair do, a dance, sing a song,a way you talk, a way you kiss your husband, whatever it is..do it. I know, for me, that after playing Mommy all day, every day, sometimes its hard to turn on “Debi”the woman. The self confident, loving her body, feeling sexy woman that my husband met has pretty much left the building most days of the week. It’s not like before you had kids and you could just make out on the couch, the kitchen counter, or the living room floor..anytime you wanted. Now, things have to be planned and calculated and taking away spontaneity can lead to us not feeling as sexy. Add to that wiping asses, being spit up on, wearing those dreadful yoga pants and being called Mommy all day long, it becomes damn near impossible to feel like we pass for presentable, much less sexy. Unless, you are one of those women who feels all kinds of sexy covered in baby fluids, buried under laundry , and wreaking of Pinesol; if so, you go girl! Me, I need to feel sexy to myself before I can be sexy for anyone else. Right now, I have less time to work out, clean up, or dress myself than I have ever had in my entire life so when I feel unattractive, its hard to feel sexual. But most of us have something that takes us back and reminds us of the women we are. The sex kitten hiding inside the Mommy. Our Aye Mami ! You remember her? I bet your husband does. For me, its a particular red nightie that takes me right back to that 25 year old version of me that I actually felt hot being. Summons that bitch up. Do whatever makes YOU feel sexy and then grab your husband after the kids go down (or before they wake up) and be as sexy as you want to be. You will feel more confident, more relaxed, and you’ll walk a little taller that day plus your husband will be smiling for days. There is nothing sexier than a woman who feels sexy in her own skin. Now go bring your sexy back!
Link up your post about how you bring your sexy back! If you link up and you do not have a post in response to the challenge, it will be removed. Can’t wait to hear all of your great ideas!
2010/09/05
Hopping, Fawking & a pretty much all around Good Time!
Happy Friday everyone! It’s that day of the week again when its time to get your socialization on! Once again, I am blog hopping like a madwoman trying to reach my birthday goal of 1000 followers by September 25th. So, if you are visiting please follow and if you already follow..thank you so much!
Just wanted to let everyone know that the Be a better ME Challenge is in full swing already.Please stop by and link up! We all deserve to be a priority on our to do list! So let’s get our self love on!
Hope you all have a glorious long weekend with your lovely families ; enjoy one another, relax,and just embrace the now! Happy Mothering!And if you are a Mommy Blogger please grab the badge to the right

1. If I didn’t have to work anymore I would…. travel the world with my family and then travel some more!
2. My favorite thing about a vacation is …. getting away from the minutia of my everyday;experiencing new things, people, places, and the vacation mentality…all bets are off, there are no limits.
3. When packing for a trip I…. pack half the house up because I have little kids, then I squeeze all of my husbands and my stuff into a carry on bag. Always over packing ( cause lets face it all I really need is a pair of shorts, t-shirt,a bathing suit,a pair of jeans, a nice shirt and a dress & undies, of course) and never actually bringing what I actually want to wear.

4. If I could go on a road trip with anyone (dead OR alive) I would choose…( aside from the big guy) my 2 best girlfriends; Nikki and Nicole because we would have an absolute blast and we would go somewhere in the Mediterranean were there is loads of sun, beaches, hot men for your viewing pleasure ( as we are all married and looking is all we can do:), good food, good wine, and good friends & conversation; really what more could I ask for?
OOPs, just saw that it said “ROAD TRIP” so same people, same, reason, but we would go from Chicago to the west coast, enjoying some girl time, the great outdoors, culminating in California with some good shopping and spa treatments!
5. My top 3 absolute travel essentials are …my iphone, my sunglasses, my toothbrush!

6. Vacations are … a well deserved break from every day life.

7. On vacation you must always …relax, enjoy your surroundings, live in the moment, leave your worries far, far away.
Now for my FAWK yous of the day:
- Fawk you to this jacked up sickness that has taken me hostage for the past week. Sure I love sounding like an old smoker, coughing up my lung, cold sweats,and general malaise as much as anyone but enough already!
- Fawk you to my RX laced cough syrup that helps me to sleep but makes me see unicorns and ligers. Oh wait, no ..no fawk you to that!
- Fawk you to having to “watch the money”! I just want to experience a little bit of excess of money sometime.
- Fawk you to Irish football starting this weekend; my town is overrun with crazed football fans jamming my route to Bella’s school. Get out of my way people!
  Fawk You to the little one catching whatever I have. Sick Mommy + Sick Baby = Not a good time!
- Fawk You to my 3 year old telling random people “You must be going to have baby. Your tummy is all lumpy!”
- Oh yeah, FAWK ME because she said it to me too:)
2010/09/03
Be A Better Me (You) Challenge -Day 10~Date Night
Yesterday’s Be a Better Me (You) Challenge -Day 9~ Pay Attention to the little things
was addressed pretty easily. You guessed it. I nipped that little Pedro sonofabitch right where he lives. Yes, me and my Nads had a date late last night. It was all going great until it was time to pull the trigger, then I had that hesitation. You know that hesitation you had when you were about to give birth. All of the sudden it was like, Oh shit….time to back pedal not sure I can handle this sort of pain. Well, same thing..every single time. Probably the only reason the Hairy Monkey Syndrome affects me at all. That’s why I always went to a professional but it gets hard when you have two little girls in tow. The facial expressions and sounds alone, well, that’s enough to turn to Nads but couple that with the fact I am probably scaring them to death of turning into a monkey, well,enough said. Nads it is!But hey, I’m a hairless Chihuahua today.Good thing, the Big Guy is coming home. I’m sure he will appreciate the effort! I got a lot of promises of shaven legs…hope you ladies followed through!Smooth legs always make you feel sexier than stubbly gams a la MOnique!
Today’s Be A Better Me (You) Challenge-Day 10 ~ Date Night
I know you are asking, how does that make me a better ME? Well, remember that girl you were before you became who you are? Well, that young lady is going to help you find your way back to who you want to be.Remember when you were dating Mr. Right and it was all about you? Getting primped and pampered? Long drawn out conversations about who and what you wanted to be?Where you wanted to go in life? How you were going to make your dreams come true?Back when he hinged on every word that came out of your mouth because you were so fucking fascinating? Well, you still are..everybody , including you, just forgot. Go way back, when your whole life was ahead of you before you were here…smack dab in the thick of it. Pencil in the time and date. Tell your big guy to make it happen, just like he used to. You just worry about you. Just worry about getting ready, setting expectations of having a good time and connecting with your Big Guy.Well, and maybe finding a sitter..but all the planning of this lovely romantic evening should be his responsibility.I promise by doing this, you will feel like the woman you were before you were a Mommy and wife. I am actually going to do this but my big date night isn’t until September 25th ( my birthday). There’s a weekend planned in the city; filled with romance, good food, great company, a hotel stay, 24 hours without my babies,some shopping and a whole lot of visits from DEBI. I’m looking forward to it and I am pretty sure the Big Guy is looking forward to having Debi all to himself for a night! So, when are you planning your big date night? What do you do? What makes you feel special for date night?
Link up your post in response to the challenge and share your ideas!Happy Date Night!

2010/09/10