Yesterday, I did not spend well over 3 hours folding laundry. There were not 5 baskets of laundry and one very, very large trash bag (not leaf sized) not full of clothes. That Dad did not again tell me that I do not have too many articles of clothing, and I did not fill that non-leaf sized bag back up with clothing to not be given away. This bag did not contain almost all of my pants, because they are not too big and they were not falling down all of the time.
I also did not fill a large bag from COAL'S (you see what I did there? :) ) with clothing belonging to That Kid, also to not be given away.
Last night, I did not make chicken Parmesan (well, provolone...) for dinner, and That Dad did not fall asleep in the basement after I did not tell him dinner would be ready in 10 minutes. This did not cause me to get so mad that I stomped around the house yelling about how everyone could just not make their own dinner from now on. I was not mad because That Dad asked me to have dinner ready at 9:30 and then fell asleep; which did not mean that after my tantrum I did not finish dinner until 10:30, and I did not gain 4 ounces, thus pushing me back over the 30 pound line.
And I am not nervous right now...I do not have an appointment with the broadcasting school tomorrow to not discuss admissions. I'm not excited, because I do not think that this will be a great thing for me and That Family; but I also do not know that this is going to be a huge commitment.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
30 down, 89 to go...
This morning, like I do every morning, I stepped on my scale. And every morning I look at the number, and how close I am to losing 30 pounds (since January...), and every morning I get discouraged because that number, while so close, was not getting closer.
Yesterday morning, I woke up and weighed myself. I looked at the number, so very, very close to 30 pounds, but not there. I weighed myself a gazillion times yesterday, as I always do. And yesterday, I also went to the gym and walked over two and a half miles, and burned over 300 calories. And I weighed myself before I went to bed, just like I always do (that way I know how much I lost while I was asleep. Trust me...sleeping is a HUGE weight burner!!).
This morning, I woke up and stepped on the scale. Knowing that my weight was LESS before I went to bed than it was when I woke up yesterday, I wasn't expecting anything big. Maybe a couple of ounces. But no, I lost over a pound, and I finally hit my 30 pound weight loss!!! It has taken me a month of being "so close" (I'm sure my friends were all tired of hearing how close I was every time they asked me how much I have lost...) to finally be HERE!!! And I'm going to put on my reward this morning, and wear it with pride!
Yesterday morning, I woke up and weighed myself. I looked at the number, so very, very close to 30 pounds, but not there. I weighed myself a gazillion times yesterday, as I always do. And yesterday, I also went to the gym and walked over two and a half miles, and burned over 300 calories. And I weighed myself before I went to bed, just like I always do (that way I know how much I lost while I was asleep. Trust me...sleeping is a HUGE weight burner!!).
This morning, I woke up and stepped on the scale. Knowing that my weight was LESS before I went to bed than it was when I woke up yesterday, I wasn't expecting anything big. Maybe a couple of ounces. But no, I lost over a pound, and I finally hit my 30 pound weight loss!!! It has taken me a month of being "so close" (I'm sure my friends were all tired of hearing how close I was every time they asked me how much I have lost...) to finally be HERE!!! And I'm going to put on my reward this morning, and wear it with pride!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
School days, School days...
Yesterday was That Kid's first day back to school. And may I just say...it was time. :)
I love my baby boy...everyone who reads this blog knows that. However, it's good for *both* of us for him to have some time at school. That Kid has become quite...well...I call it sassy. Others would probably call it bratty. He spanks me, he yells at me, he tells me to "go 'a you room!". And yesterday, while fighting with him over a Garfield Holiday DVD, I injured my finger. Yes, you read that right. I was fighting. With my 3 year old. Over a DVD of a cartoon cat from the 80's. Of HOLIDAY specials.
I know what you're thinking...a child that is THIS cute...
most certainly canNOT be bratty. I assure you, yes he can. But he's a cute bratty. And we love him. :) And I am so happy that school has started again, and I have 3 kid free hours a day to have lunch with That Dad, or coffee with a friend. :)
I love my baby boy...everyone who reads this blog knows that. However, it's good for *both* of us for him to have some time at school. That Kid has become quite...well...I call it sassy. Others would probably call it bratty. He spanks me, he yells at me, he tells me to "go 'a you room!". And yesterday, while fighting with him over a Garfield Holiday DVD, I injured my finger. Yes, you read that right. I was fighting. With my 3 year old. Over a DVD of a cartoon cat from the 80's. Of HOLIDAY specials.
I know what you're thinking...a child that is THIS cute...
most certainly canNOT be bratty. I assure you, yes he can. But he's a cute bratty. And we love him. :) And I am so happy that school has started again, and I have 3 kid free hours a day to have lunch with That Dad, or coffee with a friend. :)
Sunday, August 22, 2010
If you're going to dream, dream BIG!!
Thursday night, That Dad and I went to see the brilliant Adam Carolla at Comedy Works. He cracks me up...and we had a great night!!
At the end of the night, Adam said, "I want to leave you with something inspirational!" and pulled out his earnings from the Social Security Administration starting with his first job in 1980 (when he made $252 at McDonalds).
There were years when he made nothing. ZERO. A 24 year old man, living with his buddy in a one bedroom apartment, making nothing. And there were years when he made $25,000. Then, something happened. He met Jimmy Kimmel, who said, "Adam, you're funny! You need to be on the radio!" and those numbers started going up. And up, and up, and up. At one point, the man who made nothing, and was at age 24 living with his buddy in a one bedroom apartment, was making over $2M.
He said, "I'm not telling you this to show off. I'm telling you this to inspire you! Monday, make your dream happen!"
One thing I've always wanted to do is be in radio. Friday afternoon, I requested information from a trade school that teaches broadcast, both television and radio. Do I think that one day I will wake up literally a millionaire? No...but I'm going to have fun. And who knows...maybe I'll get to do entertainment reporting and go to shows and concerts. Maybe I'll get to introduce That Dad to Sammy Hagar, or Eddie Van Halen, or James Hetfield. Maybe I'll get to bring Crunchy Mama and Buggy Mama to another NKOTB concert where we will have backstage passes and get to meet Jordan, Joey, Jon, Danny, and Donnie. Or.......maybe the biggest celebrity I'll meet is Chris Parente, the entertainment reporter for KWGN. But that would be OK, too. :) I'm gonna dream, and I'm gonna dream big!
At the end of the night, Adam said, "I want to leave you with something inspirational!" and pulled out his earnings from the Social Security Administration starting with his first job in 1980 (when he made $252 at McDonalds).
There were years when he made nothing. ZERO. A 24 year old man, living with his buddy in a one bedroom apartment, making nothing. And there were years when he made $25,000. Then, something happened. He met Jimmy Kimmel, who said, "Adam, you're funny! You need to be on the radio!" and those numbers started going up. And up, and up, and up. At one point, the man who made nothing, and was at age 24 living with his buddy in a one bedroom apartment, was making over $2M.
He said, "I'm not telling you this to show off. I'm telling you this to inspire you! Monday, make your dream happen!"
One thing I've always wanted to do is be in radio. Friday afternoon, I requested information from a trade school that teaches broadcast, both television and radio. Do I think that one day I will wake up literally a millionaire? No...but I'm going to have fun. And who knows...maybe I'll get to do entertainment reporting and go to shows and concerts. Maybe I'll get to introduce That Dad to Sammy Hagar, or Eddie Van Halen, or James Hetfield. Maybe I'll get to bring Crunchy Mama and Buggy Mama to another NKOTB concert where we will have backstage passes and get to meet Jordan, Joey, Jon, Danny, and Donnie. Or.......maybe the biggest celebrity I'll meet is Chris Parente, the entertainment reporter for KWGN. But that would be OK, too. :) I'm gonna dream, and I'm gonna dream big!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Chip-Chip is not fulfilling his duty
There was a reason That Kid got Chip-Chip. You see, That Kid doesn't sleep in his own bed. He doesn't even sleep in his own room. If he would sleep on the floor in our room that would be fine...but he doesn't. He sleeps in our bed. Horizontally. Across our heads. That Dad and I dodge feet and flailing hands all night long.
But, even with Chip-Chip in his room, That Kid refuses to sleep in there. I think he's even more reluctant to sleep in his room since "The Great Hamster Bite of '10". That Kid was playing with Chip-Chip while I was on the phone. I told him repeatedly to put Chip-Chip away and That Kid kept telling me he was giving Chip-Chip "big hugs". I got off the phone and heard That Kid giggling, so I went to check on him and discovered he was playing with his Little Einsteins Pat Pat Rocket. I said, "Where is Chip-Chip?" and he told me that Chip-Chip was in rocket. Sure enough, there was poor little Chip-Chip sitting in Annie's seat, scared half to death. I think the flying scared him. And now Rocket smells like a hamster.
But it didn't stop there! After I rescued Chip-Chip (this is beginning to sound like The Little Einsteins meet The Wonder Pets!) and put him back in his cage, I gave That Kid instructions to not play with Chip-Chip unless Mama or Daddy were there with him. "OK, Mama!", he said. And I went to finish making dinner.
That Dad came upstairs and wasn't impressed by seeing Chip-Chip in Rocket, and so when we heard MORE giggles coming from That Kid's room, That Dad went to investigate. He found That Kid, playing with Chip-Chip. Well, actually I guess you could say he found Chip-Chip snacking on That Kid. That Kid had Chip-Chip dangling from his index finger. He was laughing, until That Dad yelled and took his hamster away. Then he cried. And cried, and cried. For about 15 minutes. We got Peroxide and cleaned the bite mark, and then put two Band Aids on, and gave That Kid about a million "big hugs". And That Kid wouldn't go back into his room last night.
But, this morning, he woke up and said, "Where Chip-Chip?!? He in trouble!" So we went to check, and Chip-Chip was fine...and That Kid was a little scared and worried. Lesson learned? I think so. But will That Kid sleep with Chip-Chip? Probably not. Dang it!
But, even with Chip-Chip in his room, That Kid refuses to sleep in there. I think he's even more reluctant to sleep in his room since "The Great Hamster Bite of '10". That Kid was playing with Chip-Chip while I was on the phone. I told him repeatedly to put Chip-Chip away and That Kid kept telling me he was giving Chip-Chip "big hugs". I got off the phone and heard That Kid giggling, so I went to check on him and discovered he was playing with his Little Einsteins Pat Pat Rocket. I said, "Where is Chip-Chip?" and he told me that Chip-Chip was in rocket. Sure enough, there was poor little Chip-Chip sitting in Annie's seat, scared half to death. I think the flying scared him. And now Rocket smells like a hamster.
But it didn't stop there! After I rescued Chip-Chip (this is beginning to sound like The Little Einsteins meet The Wonder Pets!) and put him back in his cage, I gave That Kid instructions to not play with Chip-Chip unless Mama or Daddy were there with him. "OK, Mama!", he said. And I went to finish making dinner.
That Dad came upstairs and wasn't impressed by seeing Chip-Chip in Rocket, and so when we heard MORE giggles coming from That Kid's room, That Dad went to investigate. He found That Kid, playing with Chip-Chip. Well, actually I guess you could say he found Chip-Chip snacking on That Kid. That Kid had Chip-Chip dangling from his index finger. He was laughing, until That Dad yelled and took his hamster away. Then he cried. And cried, and cried. For about 15 minutes. We got Peroxide and cleaned the bite mark, and then put two Band Aids on, and gave That Kid about a million "big hugs". And That Kid wouldn't go back into his room last night.
But, this morning, he woke up and said, "Where Chip-Chip?!? He in trouble!" So we went to check, and Chip-Chip was fine...and That Kid was a little scared and worried. Lesson learned? I think so. But will That Kid sleep with Chip-Chip? Probably not. Dang it!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Our Newest Family Member...
CHIP-CHIP!! A.K.A. That Hamster. :)
That Kid loves him. That Hamster is supposed to encourage That Kid to sleep in his own room. Night One?? Didn't happen. Let's see what Night Two brings!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
It's OVER
This week, That Kid and I went to VBS. I lead the Bible Memory group, along with my friend Em. We saw three different groups (K-1; 2-3; 4-5-6) for 20 minutes a night. We tried to teach them a memory verse and put a craft together, and then the next night they would return and were supposed to tell us the verse from the previous night.
I'm a softy. I don't like it when kids cry because they didn't win a prize. So, the first night I made a rule that as long as the kids *tried* to say the verse they would get a lollypop. On the third night, Em mentioned that her son didn't want to memorize the verse (he's going into kindergarten) because "Mandee will let me have candy, anyway!" Em also told me that kids were telling her, "I don't know the verse, but I want my candy!" So I had to make a rule that the kids had to at least know part of the verse for it to count. Kids are smart. And they only want to do exactly what they *have* to do. And last night, they started *reading* the verse off the paper I sent home with them. So, I decided if the kid *memorized* the verse, they got to chose what flavor lollypop they wanted. Otherwise, if they just read it, I just handed them a lollypop. I had a lot of angry kids who didn't want butterscotch, or root beer, or mango...and I told them if they had taken the time to memorize the verse I would have let them chose. :)
I'm already thinking about next year. I really want to do the same thing; but I'm going to have a different rule. No crafts; they were time consuming, and we needed so many supplies. It was also hard because we had no idea how many kids were coming, so we over-estimated what we would need. Thankfully we'll have those supplies for next year, and for other uses through the Children's Ministry.
Tomorrow is the VBS program. I can't wait! That Kid is going to perform...his first performance, ever! The video camera will be rolling! :)
I'm a softy. I don't like it when kids cry because they didn't win a prize. So, the first night I made a rule that as long as the kids *tried* to say the verse they would get a lollypop. On the third night, Em mentioned that her son didn't want to memorize the verse (he's going into kindergarten) because "Mandee will let me have candy, anyway!" Em also told me that kids were telling her, "I don't know the verse, but I want my candy!" So I had to make a rule that the kids had to at least know part of the verse for it to count. Kids are smart. And they only want to do exactly what they *have* to do. And last night, they started *reading* the verse off the paper I sent home with them. So, I decided if the kid *memorized* the verse, they got to chose what flavor lollypop they wanted. Otherwise, if they just read it, I just handed them a lollypop. I had a lot of angry kids who didn't want butterscotch, or root beer, or mango...and I told them if they had taken the time to memorize the verse I would have let them chose. :)
I'm already thinking about next year. I really want to do the same thing; but I'm going to have a different rule. No crafts; they were time consuming, and we needed so many supplies. It was also hard because we had no idea how many kids were coming, so we over-estimated what we would need. Thankfully we'll have those supplies for next year, and for other uses through the Children's Ministry.
Tomorrow is the VBS program. I can't wait! That Kid is going to perform...his first performance, ever! The video camera will be rolling! :)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Things we need to add to That Kid's prayer...
The biggest thing.....to help him stop biting. :'(
He apparently bit THREE separate kids at VBS last night. I truly don't know what to do with him. And I also don't know why he wasn't removed from the classroom after biting ONE person. Really. I have told him tonight is his last chance. If he is naughty again, I will be calling That Dad and having him come pick That Kid up.
I don't like That kid being...well...THAT Kid. The kid that everyone dislikes. That Kid is a wonderful, sweet, caring boy. He has some delays, and we need to figure out how to work with them...but I really thought the biting phase would be outgrown by now. I know That Kid isn't the first child to bite. I know That Kid isn't biting maliciously, he's biting in retaliation. There is a difference. He doesn't bite (as far as I know) when he wants something someone else has, he bites when someone tries to take a toy from him that HE is playing with.
Last night when we got home, I cried. For quite a while. That Kid saw me crying, and climbed up in my lap. I told him I was crying because he made my heart very, very sad. He got off my lap and sobbed. Threw himself at That Dad's feet and just sobbed. He said, "Mama heart hurt so so bad. I so so sorry Mama!" He's remorseful. He knows when he bites it makes me sad. Yet, he cannot stop. As many different things as I have tried, he won't stop. I just don't know what to do with my little vampire...
He apparently bit THREE separate kids at VBS last night. I truly don't know what to do with him. And I also don't know why he wasn't removed from the classroom after biting ONE person. Really. I have told him tonight is his last chance. If he is naughty again, I will be calling That Dad and having him come pick That Kid up.
I don't like That kid being...well...THAT Kid. The kid that everyone dislikes. That Kid is a wonderful, sweet, caring boy. He has some delays, and we need to figure out how to work with them...but I really thought the biting phase would be outgrown by now. I know That Kid isn't the first child to bite. I know That Kid isn't biting maliciously, he's biting in retaliation. There is a difference. He doesn't bite (as far as I know) when he wants something someone else has, he bites when someone tries to take a toy from him that HE is playing with.
Last night when we got home, I cried. For quite a while. That Kid saw me crying, and climbed up in my lap. I told him I was crying because he made my heart very, very sad. He got off my lap and sobbed. Threw himself at That Dad's feet and just sobbed. He said, "Mama heart hurt so so bad. I so so sorry Mama!" He's remorseful. He knows when he bites it makes me sad. Yet, he cannot stop. As many different things as I have tried, he won't stop. I just don't know what to do with my little vampire...
Monday, August 2, 2010
Wisdom from That Kid
That Kid has started praying before bed each night.
"Thank you a firetruck an fire fighters, thank you a Papa Coco, thank you a peanut butter jelly sammich, THE END!"
I wish everyone's prayers could be so simple...to be thankful for everything, and to have no need to pray for anything but things they were thankful for.
"Thank you a firetruck an fire fighters, thank you a Papa Coco, thank you a peanut butter jelly sammich, THE END!"
I wish everyone's prayers could be so simple...to be thankful for everything, and to have no need to pray for anything but things they were thankful for.
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