hindsight is funny/funny

I had completely forgotten that I had these pictures from last week of the kids terrorizing me at Cheesecake Factory. We went out with my in-laws(about15 of us). The kids have NEVER acted out like they did that night, they pulled out all the stops! Asjia even said "oh shit" when she dropped her spoon on the floor. I had never heard nor expected to hear that word out of her sweet mouth. It would just figure that the table across from us was adoring them at just that moment. Having kids can be much like holding up a mirror to yourself at times. I have been working on my mouth, but obviously I need to clean it up real quick! I finally had enough embarrassment about an hour in to the evening, so I scooped up the boys and booked it out of there. We had a delightful time in the suburban and I finished my dinner at home in peace.

Here is me peeling the boys off the booth...so much for my idea of letting them try to do without highchairs!

silly little monkeys! Ok, this really is not funny, although his smile is adorable....
so we partied in the truck;)

This little man was the ring leader... Oh do I have stories for later on in life!

boy have I missed you guys!

Does anyone still check on me or have you guys given up on me completely?

Well, I swore I would be in bed by now but I can't put off posting for one more day. Oh my gosh, where do I start? I have sooooooooooooooooooo much to say. I have thought about all of you during the past two weeks. Wondered what funny things Loren was saying, how the Quilao cuties were doing, wondered how Angie's circus and Tammy's hellions were. Wondered how the Steece quads were growing and enjoying their new home and what insightful and touching things Lots of Scotts was posting just to name a few. So much has fallen by the waist side in the past two weeks, it's crazy. I never did come back to post on my first day at M.A.C and I know you guys were dying to hear the details, so here goes...

The past week has really changed my life. It has thoroughly changed my perspective. And, it has given me so many things to consider and digest. M.A.C is quite an amazing company with perks that would make you all really jealous. But truth be told, there was not any amount of free lipstick or eyeshadow that could have stopped the tears, mended the heartbreak, or relieved the sadness I felt from missing my kids last week. The first few days I cried every time I thought about them. Dropping them off at school was torturous. They screamed and held on to me for dear life. I felt like I was abandoning them. I would leave the school in tears and then want to kick myself for ruining my makeup on the way to work...lol serious basket case. I started last Wednesday, by Friday I told Chris I couldn't do it. I had decided that it was all a selfish fantasy and I needed to get my butt back home with my kids where I belonged. He was really disappointed that I was giving up so quickly, and quite frankly is probably the only reason I got a grip on my emotions and decided to give it some time. The weekend was better, I spent all day Sunday with them and was amazed at the new things they had learned in just 3 days at preschool.

This week things have settled down a bit. The kids are really warming up at school and enjoying it. They have learned their whole names, days of the week, months of the year, numbers 1-20, etc. etc. They love their teacher. Mason is still having some separation anxiety in the morning, but they say he calms down within about 20 minutes or so after I leave. Potty training? We are making progress, but still not consistent. I doubt the 2 week promise will stand, but we are on the right track:) Work is really fun and I'm glad I didn't turn around and run last weekend. I really considered it. The artists at my counter are awesome and I think it will be a really amazing experience. I need to find a way to balance it all out and find a new routine for keeping our household under control. Currently, I have no clean silverware or panties...lol

I promise to keep you posted, my brain needed time to process this past week. I hope you all are well, I am off to read your blogs!

Finally feeling at peace...

The past couple of weeks have taken a surprising toll on my mind. As much as I had going on in my brain, I could not force it out of my mouth. I have been battling feelings of nervousness, excitement, guilt, worry, and on and on. I started second guessing my decision about returning to work and it was really stressing me out. I think the whole anticipation of the kids starting school was weighing heavily on my mind. I was dreading the tears and the anguish that I saw a couple weeks back during our trial run. I think I have finally gotten over it and realized that this is something we all need.

Today was our official 1st day of school at the new place and I couldn't love it more. I was surprised that the kids were calm walking in this morning. As we entered the classroom, I felt much like a big tree trunk with three koala bears attached to my limbs. They wouldn't budge. I sat, they piled on top of me. Their teacher is wonderful. I stayed for a couple of hours and was really impressed. When the kids went out to play they seemed most comfortable, so I decided to make my escape. I gave the boys a kiss and told them I would be back in a little while. Asjia overheard me and ran to me screaming. I kissed her all up and gave her a big squeeze, then started making my way toward the gate. I could hear her fussing as I walked down the block, my poor little Angel. I checked back at nap and they were asleep, good sign. When I returned they were happy to see me but it took a minute. Overall, they did great and I feel so much better about leaving them.

The school is awesome. It is a "pre-school academy". They wear uniforms and pull-ups, how funny is that? They have to be in by 9am or have a Dr.'s note. The teacher also promised to help me have them potty trained within two weeks! Mason went pee pee for the very first time in the potty today! Guess seeing all the kids brought out the competitive spirit. Then when we got home Kai took a giant man poop in the toilet. We all clapped and cheered and took turns wow'ing over it before he made his first big boy flush. We had dinner, took a bath, jumped on the bed, read a story and lights out at 7:15. I am amazed. Can this really be happening? Structure in my home? Tomorrow is my first day of work, we will see how the day goes with that layered in. Wish me luck!

Cat has my tongue?

I'm not sure if I have nothing to write about or if my brain just can't seem to pick one of the million things going on up there... I'm still keeping up with your blogs though:)Be back soon!

Tag I'm it! And read on, you could be next!

How fun is this? One of my favorite Bloggers, Angie, in honor of her 150th post started this game of tag. I got tagged and have come up with 8 random facts about me. You could be next, look for your name at the end of the post!

One.
In 1st grade we were asked to draw a picture of our best memory with our family. Living in Southern California, going to Las Vegas was a quick & fun trip. Back in the early 80's however, it was not so much the family friendly hot spot it has become today. Circus Circus was the place to be. Anyhoo, my teacher was a little concerned when I finished my drawing and it was of a slot machine with 777 across it. My poor Mom was mortified, but we still die laughing about it to this day.

Two.
Since the first fact was sort of revealing about the goings on in my mind(slightly different than most) this next one shouldn't scare you. One of my most favorite past times as an adult is driving through downtown DC after dinner or a night out and looking at all of the hookers. Can you believe that I'm admitting this to you? I can't get over it, the whole dynamic continues to intrigue me over and over again. Now that I think about it, I wonder if this has any tie to what I saw as a child cruising the streets of Las Vegas? I should mention thatI get super excited when the pimps are out supervising.

Three.
My nick name growing up was Missy Pissy. I was given the name because I would laugh until I was on the floor wetting myself. My little sister still does this at 21, glad I grew out of it. Just don't hold me down and tickle me.

Four.
I still have a Great Grandpa. He is in his 90's, still volunteers, vacations abroad, and golfs a few times a week. He's basically amazing. He's absolutely adorable, his skin is beautiful and he is probably healthier than most of his offspring. He is the Great Great Grandfather of my children!

Five.
I lived in Arizona for 14 years and never saw the Grand Canyon. I went to High School & College there and lived in Flagstaff, Tucson, and Phoenix without ever seeing it.

Six.
Earlier this year I read the book "What would Jesus eat", and was forever changed. I now try and stick with organic and naturally raised foods for myself and my family. I can't eat pork or shrimp without gagging. Sometimes the Outback ribs still make me try to forget what I know.

Seven.
I once went out on two dates in one night. Just a year or so before I met my Husband actually. I came home from the first, changed my outfit, and went out to a second dinner. Needless to say I ate very lightly during round two. Carma got me back not long after.

Eight.
When my Husband and I were living across the country from one another, early in our relationship, we proved that great minds think alike. During a middle of the night grocery trip with my roommate I wandered off down the isles of the grocery store. Since our anniversary was coming up I started browsing the card section. I found a really beautifully written card that expressed my feelings perfectly. The only thing was that it wasn't very pretty so I decided to change the envelope in an effort to make it look nicer. Chris called me a few days after I sent it out and told me something weird had happened to him but that I would soon see for myself, he could not reveal what exactly it was. The next day I went to my mailbox to find that he had picked out the very same card AND changed the envelope to the very same color as I had! What are the chances? I was in Arizona, he was in Washington, DC. Crazy!


Ok, there you have it! Now, TAG YOUR IT, and I have quite a few...Angie B, Sweetened Taters, Undomestic Goddess, Erickson 5, Four Silly Sisters, 3 Peas in a Pod, and Four Times the Fun

Food for thought...

It was really emotional for me to watch the Hurricane Katrina coverage that has been on marking the 2nd Anniversary. As I watched the footage and listened to story after story It really hit home that this sort of catastrophe could happen to any of us at any given moment. We have are guard down, or at least I believe mine is down. These people had no idea that their entire lives would be turned upside down, and for most of them life would never be the same again. A disaster could affect any of us. I think we are just so used to hearing about trauma on the news and never really stop to imagine it at our own doorstep. Which leads my busy brain to stir up all kinds of questions for myself...

What would I do? Say my home was destroyed and the insurance company was exhausted and looking for every way out of covering the damage. Say my family was living in a shelter, at the mercy of perfect strangers to help us rebuild our lives. I feel like I have things under control in my life, but what happens when things spin out of my control?

This evening I was chatting with my Dad and he asked me about an emergency plan. Hmmmmm? Well, I would load everyone up and drive to safety right? What happens if we are all trapped in the house for an extended period of time with no power? What if, God forbid, there is a terrorist attack on our own soil and driving to safety is not an option?

• How do I plan survive and keep my family safe?
• Do I know where to find a flashlight?
• Candles, lighter, matches?
• Would I be able to track down all of the items for the kids in the pitch dark?
-diapers, wipes, medicine, sippy cups, blankets, etc.
• Would I have clean water for them to drink in case of a shortage?
• Food, milk, etc?
• Important documents in one safe place, cash, important phone numbers?
• How about some way to entertain the kids and keep them calm?
The answer to some of these questions is No, scary as it is. We rarely stop to think of these things, so call me paranoid, but I am bumping it to the top of my list of priorities. Things have changed a whole lot from the days of me worrying about just me, I need a plan! Do you guys think about these things? Do you have a plan of action? Why in the world I am spinning my wheels about this I have no idea, maybe I need a good book;)

Happy News! Happy News!

Just got a surprise & I am so excited! One of my Best Friends is coming in for my Birthday! Can't wait to see her and ring in my big 30....yep gettin up there. Then my other Best Friend is coming in for business on Oct 29th for 2 whole weeks, Yay!!! I am feeling very spoiled right now, I miss my girls♥

more on our 1st day of school...

Yesterday when I got back to the kids school, I found them all parked in little tykes cars on the playground just staring at the parking lot. Tears. For me that is, they had finally calmed down. Asjia spotted me first and smiled, then a look of disbelief, then she put her head down and ignored me. The boys both smiled and started showing me the cars. I walked over to Asjia and knelt down, she looked at me and with some hesitation muttered, "I like you neck-a-lace". How sweet is she? She gives her Mama a compliment after I abandoned her. She stood up and let me smother her with hugs and kisses. The smell of your kids is so sweet when you have missed it if only for a few short hours. I am lucky that they are still young enough to be ok with a little PDA, I would have really felt awful if I wasn't able to hug and kiss all over them. After so much resistance, the boys actually didn't want to leave. It wasn't until I started to leave without them that they ran after me. We climbed in to the truck and I asked if they had fun at school, "yeah, fun at school", was the response. Do you want to come back to school tomorrow? "No, go home see Daya" ok got it, it was fun but not fun enough to go back...lol Well, they actually will not be going back to that particular school. I was not at all impressed with the staff and their teacher in particular. I didn't like her tone with the children and her ghetto slang was unacceptable in my book. I don't speak to my children that way and neither will anyone else. The last thing I would want is for them to learn that it is appropriate to communicate in such a way. So, they will be home with me for the next two weeks until I start work and the original school that I had them enrolled in is finished being built. It is due to open on Sept 17th and I will start work on the 18th, perfect timing! The school is a beautiful new facility, I have met much of the staff and they are all very professional, and my kids will get to start new with all of the other kids. So that was our test run with pre-school, I am going to be grooming them for the next two weeks for round two...

I had to laugh at this one

Oh Kyle. You are such a determined little man. Mommy is proud that you have such a strong mind and will. However, you are giving me lots of grey hair and I am going to document your every move for blackmail purposes later on down the road. Yesterday at Target he refused to sit down in the basket, after warning him three times I pinched his leg and sat him down. He got an ugly look on his face and yelled, "don't hit Kyle!" OMG, is this my sweet little boy Kyle? Today he figured he would catch me off guard. I had snatched the Desitin from him earlier and put it up high(so I thought). I answered the phone and was having a short conversation when I smelled Desitin, I peeked down and on the floor next to me and there he was. Guess his arms are even longer than I thought!