The Yearly Wrap-Up

December 30 2011

Posted in: General · Tags: teh internetz

How was your holiday? Good I hope. You may have gathered by now that I’ve taken a bit of a break this month, as a way to figure out where I wanted to take this site. I mean, there’s only so many kid stories one can tell before they all start to sound the same. Except, I like telling our kid stories. So it seems the direction I want to go is the one I’ve been on all along. And I’ll be back after the new year, now with more redundancy. In the meantime, here are my 12 personal favorite posts of 2011, one for each month.

Laughing at a Bad Day
Whatever Gets Us Through the Day
Kids Break Stuff
Bursts
Just Like Rocky Fighting that Russian Guy
How I Imagine it Went
Fudging Gosh Dang Shoot Doesn’t Have the Same Ring to it
Some Mornings
I am a Nosy Neighbor
From the Scent of Powder
What I’m Here For
A Big Box of Knives

I also did a few guest posts that I’m proud of.

Not an Ideal Match at BlogHer
The Joy of Simple Toys at Scary Mommy
How to Live Life with Type 1 Diabetes at Work It, Mom

Have a safe and happy New Year! I’ll see you back here soon.

Santa Claus is Coming!

December 23 2011

Posted in: The Kids · Tags: Abby, Christmas, holiday, video

Untitled from c (kid things) on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas!

Home for the Holidays

December 15 2011

Posted in: Daily · Tags: life, sponsored

There are cold germs currently wreaking havoc on my exhausted immune system, forcing my head to feel as if it’s stuck in a mucus-encrusted vice. Pleasant. I have to be honest, it’s been hard not to wallow in my suffering. But then I look around, at the Christmas tree shimmers twinkling against the early December nights and the presents I can’t wait to wrap, and I realize there’s so much to be thankful for.

Even, and maybe especially, when I’m sick.

Such as them. My 3 kids. Brilliant and beautiful each in their own. Completely and totally individual, they’re so different it’s almost astonishing they’re related. But I don’t know where I’d be without the many facets of these diamonds in my life. One with her curly hair, one with his missing teeth, and the other. That other. He surprises me every day.

And this. Here. Home. With them, because it’s not home without them. Where I can be a shivering sick in a comfortable chair that I’ve worn to the shape of me while draped in a blanket most likely smeared with pieces of Pop Tart and crumbs that I keep forgetting to wash. Sitting in front of our glowing white artificial Christmas tree, with a growing collection of sentimental ornaments. With a mess of toys in every direction. It’s not extravagant, but this, here, tells the story of us. My life with them. There’s no place else I’d rather be.

There’s no place like home for the holidays.

This post is sponsored by T-Mobile

A Big Box of Knives

December 13 2011

Posted in: Daily · Tags: conversation, Jedi

I’ve been doing most of my Christmas shopping online this year, which means there have been your standard, non-descript shipping boxes coming through here with secret toys inside. My dilemma is how to hide those boxes since I have nowhere else to store them. Luckily, I have an open area above my kitchen cabinets that is just enough space to house a big brown box.

A really big box.

The great thing is that the kids can’t get to it. They can see it, however. And it was the first thing Jedi noticed.

“What’s that box for?”, he asked.

“Um, it’s just stuff. Nothing important”, I replied.

“Is it clothes?”, he continued.

“No.”

“Kitchen stuff?”, he still wouldn’t let it go.

Realizing that this would probably result in a game of a thousand questions, I gave in. “Sure, fine, it’s kitchen stuff.”

But that wasn’t good enough. “Is it a box of knives?”

“Yes, Jedi. It’s a giant box of knives. Sharp knives. Dangling precariously above our heads. So you should probably stay away from here, huh?” With that, he slowly backed up out of the kitchen. There’s hasn’t been a word said about it since. And that is one way to make sure your kids don’t find their Christmas presents.

Send Wine

December 12 2011

Posted in: Daily · Tags: Abby, Buzz, motherhood, sibling love

It was during dinner, which always seems to be a rambunctious time for my kids. I’ve retired the notion of ever achieving a relaxing family meal for now, we’ll work on that later, but I do prefer they sit somewhere and at the very least pick at their food. This time, however, Abby and Buzz were more interested in playing. Jumping on the chair, running around in circles, screaming songs, and pretending to bite each other. Their food sitting on the table untouched.

They were driving me crazy.

That entire meal was spent trying to separate the two deviants to no avail. Sit down and eat your food was my main subject of dinnertime banter, with each instance the words escalating louder and louder until I could envision the top of my bright red face coming off with steam blowing out.

I was already in this mood when, after I had enough and the plates were put away, Abby knocked a basket containing an assortment of pieces off a living room table. And I may have yelled, more at the situation and the day and myself than at her. But it was not one of my stellar parenting moments.

When, as if he knew exactly what I needed, Buzz picked up the handle of a play phone and dialed.

“Hello, Grandma…”, Buzz greeted.

Why yes, now would be a perfect time to call Grandma. And tell her to send reinforcements. Wine would work.