Absolute Mommy: InstaFriday

Showing posts with label InstaFriday. Show all posts

First, the good stuff...

I have a million things on my heart. Two million thoughts in my brain. How to share them all here has been the question of the week. Hence the paralyzing writers block, that was, of course, broken at six o'clock Thursday morning. Isn't that the way?

I've decided to go with the good stuff first. Not because I'm being fake or only telling you about the good parts. I want to celebrate the good stuff first. I want to savor those moments and be thankful for them. I want them to be the moments we remember about this summer that was over way too quickly. So the good stuff first. So I don't forget.

Breakfast for dinner. Because it was way too hot to turn on an oven. And because waffles and eggs take fifteen minutes max. It's always a crowd pleaser, but it's also my favorite because I feel like it creates memories for my kids. They will never know that breakfast for dinner was because "mom just couldn't do one more thing". It will always be my secret.

New school shoes for my second grader. Because she is unbelievably hard on her shoes we went to the Van's store where she picked out these Half Cabs. Ok, maybe they aren't specifically Half Cabs, but they are to me. I did a victory dance as I am raising the daughter I somewhat conjured in my seventeen year old mind, while I wore similar Van's and a Girls Kick Ass baby T.

In the same Van's store I caught this girl rocking out to some punk rock mix. Again, happy dance. She was totally enjoying herself. Who wouldn't enjoy themselves when their mother pushes their four year old bum around in a pink stroller. This is for ease, as she will cry seven minutes into a mall trip about her legs hurting. I've learned to pick my battles.

This check came. "Pay to the order of", Me. I got paid for my writing. For the first time ever. And while it's didn't pay any bills specifically, it did buy me moisturizer, hair dye, and concealer. That's how writers do it I guess. Savor the check. Think about framing it, and then because the money is few and far between for their writing they break down and cash them for real life things. But it's a start. And I had to start somewhere.

Crazy Costco trip with both my girls. Who love to watch the the rotisserie chickens cook. Who can't get enough of the samples. Who beg for things like double boxes of Lucky Charms because they promise this time they will eat the cereal too, and not just the marshmallows. Even the craziest Costco trips provide little moments to document. To say we were here.

Text conversations that deserve top billing on Facebook statuses. For the days I literally can't even. For the days that I just want to hide in my bed with ice cream and Grey's Anatomy. On those days, things like this save me.

Our Fresno State season tickets came in, and it was like Christmas. The girls don't even go, but they were born into the madness, so they get it. They get how excited Daddy is for home openers and tailgating and fall. I get it too. It just takes me a little while to get acclimated.

Hilarious pictures taken in the car on our way to somewhere or nowhere. Mommy always has her camera out, trying to document the things. Most days we cooperate, but on this day. It was just too good not to post. She simply did not want her picture taken, and her sister was trying not to laugh. And of course I could not wait to post it on Instagram. Because if this ain't the life, I don't know what is.

Late night grocery store trips are things of the past since school has started, but this picture... Oh, these girls. I just had to run to the store for one thing at 9:30 at night and they just had to come. They picked out their shoes of course, and I was way too tired to fight. So I had them pose, next to the soda, and it was way too perfect. Two kids, out way past their "bedtime". I should be receiving the Life Time Achievement Award from the Mother of The Year committee any day now.

Summer came to a close Monday. But we didn't have time to dwell on it since we were too busy getting ourselves ready for the first day. My best friend asked me if Caitlin put this "look" together herself. Yes, yes she did. Down to the sunglasses. Those crutches didn't stop her either. I'm proud of her. She knows what she wants and who she is. I pray that she never loses that along the way.

Mac went back to preschool on Tuesday. This is it folks. The year before kindergarten. The year before real school. And I'm ready and not ready and my uterus is crying all at the same time. There were a few tears (hers), but for the most part, she was excited.

And even more excited when I picked her up.

So the good stuff first. Like Instagram filters and days off from work. Let's just remember the good stuff first. Goodbye Summer. Hello reality, please bring more good stuff.

Scenes from a chaotic life

"The thing about chaos, is that while

it disturbs us,

it too, forces

our hearts to roar

in a way we secretly find

magnificent.

-Christopher Poindexter

Girl Scout cookies just may be the death of me.

These boys may also be the death of me.

Triplet boys.

Who all require Caitlin's undivided attention.

Doesn't look like she minds much.

This is how ladies sit when they eat Cheetos.

So delicate and dainty with orange stained fingers and cheeks.

We all have our bad days.

We are sometimes purposely late for school.

Because mom had to close and didn't really see them all day.

Off to Starbucks for a cookie and some tea.

No one remembers tardies, everyone remembers cookies.

Snuggles are the cure for everything that ails.

Fro-yo cannot be fully enjoyed unless you make a mess.

That is scientific fact.

Hearing her little voice sing "Yellow Submarine" makes my heart swoon.

I hope she grows up with music in her heart.

And one day has her own personal soundtrack.

Proof of a morning without tears, without fights, without drama.

Proof that we can have good mornings.

Especially if those mornings are Fridays.

California mornings can be crazy cool, with high temps in the afternoon.

Good thing we can transition well.

Bedhead and sprinkles are a great start to a great Saturday.

A cluttered kitchen table will not stop us.

She asked to bake cupcakes after watching YouTube videos.

It wasn't even nine in the morning, but I said yes anyway.

Because I miss her terribly when I have to work an evening shift

followed by a morning shift.

Because I say "no" too much.

Because these are the mornings she will remember.

Thankfully I'm a cake mix hoarder and had some funfetti from Christmas.

They said "Mommy take our picture".

They never say that.

I was trying to get the perfect picture for St. Patrick's Day.

Instead I got this.

This is better than perfect.

And in the midst of all the chaos we try to carve out time for us.

Sometimes that means late night movies in bed.

Or late night texting when he's out of town.

But in the chaos of it all we still try.

Chaos really does force out hears to roar and fight for what matters most. To cherish the little moments like cupcakes for breakfast and fro-yo for dinner. To make those memories that make you forget that your house was a mess, and your kids stayed up way too late. Chaos has a way of making us soar.

Linking up with Instafriday and Coffee Date

December Confessions {2013}

Happy Friday. Let's say we were friends in real life. Maybe you are my neighbor, maybe my blogging bestie, or maybe even my real bestie. If we were both in the same place at the same time, I'd invite you over. Ask you to ignore the toys in the living room floor, the ring around my toilet, the paint hand prints around the sink. I'd offer you a beer, a cup of tea, some wine, or maybe a cup of coffee if my filters that I've had since 2008 are still where I put them last... We don't make much coffee around these parts. Then I'd sit in my recliner, and you'd sit on my sofa and by the light of my tree I'd tell you all the embarrassing, real life, messy, hilarious things I've done so far this month. Perhaps you're going to need something stronger than beer...
I served chicken nuggets and Pringles for breakfast because that's what was requested and I couldn't negotiate any longer. It's better than Cheetos and chocolate by far, but I still felt a little strange.
I went and got a pedicure with hairy legs. I'm talking Big Foot long. I even warned the gal and gave her a chance to decline. Nope she did them anyway. The lady sitting next to me stared at me the whole time in disgust. Not my finest moment.

That's the same night I took both my girls to get pedis. On a school night. It was after 7pm. Oh well, homework was done, and the Hubbs approved the outing, so... I'll be a stricter mother with a better kept schedule next week, or the week after or in 2014.
I made time for a shower, knowing my daughter would be late to school because I couldn't go in and talk to the Vice Principle with hair three days past a shower. I promise I skipped make up and obviously any leg shaving as noted in my sentence about Big Foot pedicures.

I'm making McDonald's part of the food pyramid. It's the holidays. Sue me.
I bought a Ken Doll Tuxedo for my Elf on the Shelf. You don't have to say it. I already know. Pretty nifty video featuring said tuxedo here.
I bought a $2 advent candy calendar because I could not craft one. I had zero motivation, and I didn't want to set myself up for failure. Also it was December 2nd. So you know. The amazing thing is that my kids LOVE it. Like can't wait to rip into it. I shouldn't be surprised as chocolate is one of our major food groups.
I bought my kids another boxed set of the claymation Holiday movies because I couldn't bring myself to look through a million and one DVDs to find the originals. I'm also convinced even if I did look and possibly find them, they are probably scratched and wouldn't play anyway. As you can see I can justify my way out of anything.
I watched the Glee Christmas episode last week and was totally disgusted. I'm not easily offended people, but if you are getting paid a gazillion dollars to write a Christmas episode, for the love of Baby Jesus write a good one. A believable one. One that doesn't make me want to wash my eyes with bleach. Also I don't think Becky Jackson needs to continually say the words, "bitches", "sluts", and "horny" in every episode. We get it, she's shocking and foul mouthed. Ugh! Also there was no Blaine and Kurt Christmas Duet. Done.
So I downloaded the last two Christmas episodes of Glee and watched them while I did some crafty business. And you know what I heard? A Blaine and Kurt Duet. And you know what my kids have been singing ever since? "Last Christmas". My work is obviously done here.
I have been fighting with my six year old on a daily basis, as if I was a six year old too. Not my proudest moments, let me tell you. Then this week I read this by Hands Free Mama and cried buckets. It was as if she had looked in my heart and head and wrote my life. I'm not proud, but now I am aware, and now I'm on a movement to change directions. Bullies come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes you can see one when you look in the mirror. How my heart has changed, and it only took a few lines of her post!

I made my kid take this picture after her Christmas program that she basically cried through. She got through the first part, and by the end didn't look on the verge anymore. I was asked a few times if I should get her, but I didn't. Even though I wanted to. She made it and when I went to get her after her performance she was really ticked that she couldn't see me in the audience. Oops.

I let this kid stay home today. Because today was her school's Christmas program. The one that has been causing an endless stream of tears for three weeks. The music program and song that she has been losing sleep over and making her self have stomach aches with anxiety. So last week I spoke to her teacher and her school's vice principal and said we wouldn't be in school that day. So we cut school today. We went shopping, we made cookies, we did our homework, and now we are watching Tangled. I know, as a mother I'm supposed to teach my girls to do "the hard stuff". The stuff that scares them, the stuff that challenges them. But this "hard" thing is still a mystery to us, and until we get some answers, this seemed the best and easiest solution for now.
I also wore the same shirt as my daughter to our Girl Scout meeting. That's just for general info. I kind of did that ensemble I put together. In my former life I was all about fashion. Today I'm all about what fits in my closet!

Also this. Yeah I sort of bad mouthed a company on Twitter. I tend to fly of the handle when I'm mad. This wasn't my only tweet and as the tweets flowed so did the eff bombs. My apologies. They did respond back to me and my blog post. More on that next week. Promise.

I'm wearing the crap out of this cardigan I got at Kiki LaRue. Sorry and not sorry about it's overgramming. It's so warm. And no, they are not paying me to say that! I bought that with some pocket change... rough translation the Hubbs' Discover card. Oh, hey Honey, I bought this. Thanks and Merry Christmas to me... Right?
I wish y'all lived close. I'd love to have you over for some beverages. Or some food. Or meet you at Target to talk and shop. I'd love to sit with you and talk. Because that's what I do, I talk. And hopefully you would listen, and somewhere in the middle of all my talking, tell me to shut the hell up so you could talk.

Linking up with Rags to Stitches and Life Rearranged