STAR OF THE DAY!

Years ago, on a girls night out, I painted a plate at one of those fun pottery places. I made our family 'Star of Day Plate'. To be the star of the day you have to do something outstanding, help someone in a HUGE way (WITHOUT being asked), you know positively reinforcing the GOOD STUFF our cherubs do.

Cherub 2 worked sooooo hard all week on his unit spelling test (review 122 words). I told him I was so proud of all his effort he could get the star of the day plate.

Cherub 2: YAY! Because I have them all right?
Me: No honey, because you worked so hard!!
Me: Mommy doesn't care if you get half of them wrong on the test buddy, as long as you worked really hard, that is all that matters.
Cherub 2: YAY!

He was proud as a peacock tonight eating off that plate. He deserved it!

My cup runneth over.

Day vs. Night

Yesterday. Snow day. Fun day. PJ day. Great day.
Played, crafts, unpacked toys, etc. All in their jammies. Cherub 1 had her new friend from next door over. The little chefs made english muffin pizzas for lunch. Played hide-n-seek. Snow day. Fun day. School free day.

Last night. Leak night. Wet night. Mad night. Bad night.
Right before supper I was on the treadmill (btw, don't try to do the 'run' program until you can run-very different from jogging) and cherub 2 screamed, "Mom, it's another leak!" So here is how the next few hours goes:

Use towels to mop up leak. Confirm leak is still in same place it was last time the basement leaked during a snow/ice storm. Pondering why we haven't fixed that. Hmmm.


After temporarily fixing area of leak, I become SOAKED as water is POURING off of roof. Get on ladder to determine that the gutter is FILLED WITH SOLID ICE. Hubby & FIL had JUST cleaned out this gutter like 2 1/2 weeks ago. Grrr to nature. Try to free gutter. Fear causing avalanche on top of me. Stop.


Try to catch water in a cooler. Sure that this will buy me some time to reach hubby in TX and get advice. Within 25 minutes, cooler FULL. Three times in a row I empty cooler. Well, can't do this all night. FIL suggests I pitch wood under the deck so when it goes through it won't leak in basement. Hubby confirms we have no scrap wood. It is at the old house. Prop sleds under to deflect water. Hubby calls to check on me and tells me that I am must be confusing the situation? WHA?

Remember. I am SOAKED, COLD and have been working on this for about an hour and a half. ALL WHILE cookin dinner for cherubs.

I freak out b/c he is thousands of miles away, and I am not sure why he is focusing on the part I am wrong about (I was not explaining where the water was pouring down from correctly-so sue me). He in turn spout out some not nice words.


I finally give up after that call. I took a deep breath. Enjoyed the rest of the night with kids...put them to bed, then sat down with this. All while wondering:
1) if hubby will forgive my temper tantrum,
2) if he can quell his urges to tell me I am wrong when it DOESN'T matter,
3) and if the challenge gods will skip us for a week and let us just live. Happily.

Contagious?

I am not sure if adult A.D.D. is contagious. Hubby has clearly been on the A.D.D. spectrum for some time now. Cherub 2 definitely is as well. Cherub 1 has a touch of it. Lately though, add me to the mix.

Most recent scenario:
Mid email to someone. Realize I didn't do the dishes from lunch. Get up. Go to sink. Decide I am hungry. Eat a clementine. (Forget dishes.) See laundry hall out of corner of eye. (Previously forgotten to switch laundry.) Get to laundry hall and see the box that is half unpacked from this morning. (I wonder when I forgot I was doing that?) Switch laundry. Get a drink. See 'inbox'. Refile some paperwork. Realize I forget to finish my email. Sit down. Realize I didn't finish unpacking. Get idea for blog about A.D.D.. Blog.

Notice: Never finished email, filing, unpacking or dishes. Intervention needed.

Etiquette is a lost concept?

Daddy not home, mommy not cookin.

I picked up the cherub's and they were starving after school. Off to Friendly's we went. It was one of those bizarre nights that they actually got along, liked their food and shared stories.

There was a mom with an approx 15 yr old daughter sitting next to us. The mom kept trying to talk to me b/c her daughter was texting her friends THE WHOLE TIME. She said that my kids were bringing back memories b/c now her's don't talk to her.

I was horrified that the WHOLE time we ate, this teenager did not get off her cell. Text,text,text. How about manners,manners,manners? I am not saying that will not happen to me someday but I think I would simply TAKE IT AWAY.

What is wrong with our world? Those of us that still remember Emily Post are cringing right now over the lack of table etiquette.

A New Goal

Officially, I am in training. Over many drinks Sat night it was decided. We (hubby, L, B, & I) set a goal to run a half marathon this fall. At the time I thought it was hysterical but when I woke up this morning feeling like my body was 90 instead of 37 I put on my running shoes.

After the kids got off to school I took care of a few odds & ends and set off. Here is my first day:

1) Huh, the missing sole of my sneaker actually is a problem b/c when I was running little pebbles get in there. New sneakers needed. Yes, baby sis, I am finally giving in.

2) It is very important to have your ipod charged ALL the way. When it clicked off half way through I fought to keep my mojo. It is already plugged in for the next run. :o)

3) Don't answer your cell while running, even if it is the much awaited doctors office b/c you don't have your calender in front of you. I now have to call back to reschedule the appointment I made.

4) I realized how much I MISSED running. Alone. Without my little cherubs in tow. I can fly, not be paranoid about traffic and lose myself in my tunes. I feel guilty about that. Pause. I am over the guilt.

5) When it is 9 degrees out it takes approx 1 minute not to feel your nose and 15 minutes until your legs feel funny.

6) I now need to wash my gloves b/c it was 9 degrees out and I didn't bring any tissues.

7) I know, you want the skinny. How far. I ran for 20 minutes and walked for another 30. For me that is probably almost 2 miles running. Remember, I haven't run in a while.

8) I can't wait for the next one. :o)

A Mom's Heart Breaks

Cherub 3 is so little. If you have been following our crazy blog you will know that this is his second year battling GI issues. The doctors were leading towards reflux but now his response to the medicine is inconsistent. I feel like he has been through too much already. CAT SCANS, blood work, Xrays, blech. They are now sending him for an upper GI.

This morning he started vomiting again (more than you need to know right before lunch time). While he was sick this is what he said to me:

Cherub 3: (with tears in his eyes) Mom, maybe I put too much salad dressing on my salad last night. Maybe that is why I am sick.

Me: (feeling my heart skip a beat) Buddy, you didn't do ANYTHING wrong. It isn't your fault that your belly hurts. It is nothing you did. The doctors are going to try to help us figure it out, ok? I love you! We are going make everything better.

I had to turn away so he could not see my tears. My little cherub. I think his little comment broke my heart. He is SO little to think he is doing something wrong. Arggh.

What field are you on?

Today is my day to be a floater sub at work. In other words, I 'float' from classroom to classroom, as needed, to cover meetings that the teachers have. During downtown today, I covered in the front office. Now, I NEVER blog much about work but I have to say that something happened today that made me feel MUCH better as a mom.

Approximately 11 items (homework folders, gym sneakers, snacks, water bottles, etc, etc, etc) were dropped off within the first 45 minutes of the day today. I felt on a more level playing field as I realized that I am not the only one that has forgotten to send the gym sneakers or whatever on the correct day.

Maybe that playing field is low, slummy mummy playing field, but hey, at least I am not alone.