the secret kleenex

It seems that Sadie has been hiding Kleenex with secret codes written on it all over my house. I have found them hidden in books, tucked under pillows, in coats pockets, inside a DVD case, and my favorite wrapped around a fork stuck back in the silverware drawer. I love Sadie's randomness, and I hope to one day crack the code.

like mother like daughter

Annie had her first recital Thursday. I was so excited. She was not. I'm really sad to report that Annie has inherited my very awkward stage presence. It's a mix of stage fright and the inability to make a normal facial expression when standing in front of people. It's bad enough we're scared to death, why must we add the awkward stance and the strange face. I can't say I'm surprised I've been that way my whole life. Why should I expect different from Annie. I guess I was just hoping she'd be better than me.

Night terrors

For two nights I have woken up screaming from nightmares. Yes, screaming. I'm very lucky Annie is such a heavy sleeper. I don't know what is going on, but I am now afraid to go to sleep. I stopped watching scary shows (sorry Fringe, but it has to end here). I don't watch movies. I don't read scary books. I can't remember the last time I even had a nightmare, or if I ever had them at all. I am getting little to no sleep, which definitely makes me the life of the party (yeah, two in the last two days). Is there a magic button for this?

Thank you

Thank you to whoever the sweet person/persons was who left me and Annie the gift certificates in the mail. It totally made me cry, and caused Annie ask "is the mail hurting you?"

The house

I had this deranged thought I was going to get lots of help decorating. Here's what I got. Three kids Hyped up on a sugar, two wild dogs, an 82 year old who kept sneaking roof tiles and me sitting with my friend Carol bickering about how to decorate the house. Evidently, I do not share the creative process well. I wanted to pipe the windows and cut the pieces to fit just right, but the kids ate the icing and people do not seem to share my love of tedious measuring and cutting.

Step one everyone together.


Step two they all leave.


Step three they sneak back for candy.

12 hours and counting

Our gingerbread house for Harriet. It's modeled after her house, which she is letting us live in.     Note to self, next time build house to specs of oven. I had to make the roof and front pieces in sections because they were to big to fit the oven.   I'm thinking it's going to take more than just me to move it to Harriet's once it's covered in 80 pounds of candy.

Goodbye

I foolishly plucked Annie from her Gigi's house without allowing her to give a proper goodbye to all inside. I thought a quick goodbye from the door would suffice. I was surely wrong. As we pull away from the curb Annie burst to tears (fake one's, I'm almost certain). "You didn't let me say goodbye." I'm not turning back, it takes me 5 minutes to get her buckled in the car, with all her things properly placed around her. She asks for my phone and dials Gigi's house.
"Gigi, I didn't get to say goodbye. Goodbye. Can I take to Papa? "
"Papa, I didn't get to say goodbye, goodbye. Can I talk to Sadie? "
"Sadie, I didn't get to say goodbye, goodbye."
She hung up the phone and I assumed we were good now and they were be no more issues. Before I realize what she's doing I here Annie say
"Aunt Greta? My mommy and me left Gigi's house. My mommy and me are going home. Can I say goodnight to Ruby and Ruby's daddy?"
(talking to Sam) "My mommy and me left Gigi's. My mommy and me are going home. Goodnight. Can I talk to Ruby?"
You get the pattern.
After she finishes with my sister she asks me for Aunt Debbie's number. Thankfully no answer. I fear had Debbie answered she would have just continued calling all through the night. Instead she hangs up and says "She not answer, I think everyone sleeping now."

Annie's comment to me

"Do you know what makes you special? is that you are the coolest mommy.  God gave me that idea."   Annie 12/10/09

My new filtering system

So I decided to put up a little warning to possibly help filter the unwanted winks and emails.

Surgeon General's Warning:
Dating this woman can cause serious side affects. This woman has a serious aversion to pot and all other illegal substances. If you partake in such illegal activities, dating this woman can result in community service or possible jail time. Winking or e-mail has been proven to cause irritation to those who haven't read closely. Avoiding church can increase the risks of rejection and possible spiritual cancer.

Not sure if it's working yet. I'll let you all know in a few days.

the ginger bread house

Finishing this house required staying up late into the night covered in sticky icing glue.  You better like it.  

No match for me

I'm starting to see a startling trend in my match.com connections. I'm getting a lot of winks/emails from people with head lines like... Looking for my hippie chick, Gr8ful_dead, or my favorite dreads_man. Is there something wrong with my profile? I am not a hippie. First off I have an aversion to pot and all other illegal substances like you wouldn't believe. Yes, I would turn in my own mother if I caught her smoking pot. I do shower. In fact I love to shower and be clean. I don't wear patchwork clothing and I am not going to live with you on a "clothing optional" organic farm (that's just gross).

My half day

A gingerbread house half made. A tree half strung with lights. A pile of laundry half done and tomorrow I work all day, so it's going to sit until Wednesday. So much for my day off.

The tree angel

"Look mommy, she loves me. Can we snuggle her tonight?"
"No sweetie, we can't. She's not for snuggling."
"Yes she is, mommy. She told me so! Banjo heard her too."

How exactly do I win an argument against Annie and the dog?

The Purchase

So I bought a pair of boots. It was not a snap decision or impulse purchase, but it was my first big purchase on me in a long time. I not only agonized, but I more or less tortured myself over it. At one point I had myself convinced that buying these boots would surely mean Annie and I would find ourselves homeless and on the street. Not sure how I got to that thought, but it was there.
After obsessing this long over one pair of boots (8 months to be exact), I'm sure they aren't going to fix my life, but I do love them.

latest nap excuse

"Mommy, I was sleeping and a serious noise woke me up."

The uneaten breakfast

Today was one of those days I would rather have slept through. Annie woke up more or less a mess. I'm pretty sure the tears actually started before her eyes were open, but I can't prove it. I thought perhaps if I made her both of her favorite morning foods for breakfast it would cheer her up. Oops. It somehow manages to make her even more upset, which only made me mad, because no one's making me breakfast every morning, and setting it before me as I relax on the sofa wrapped in warm Blankets.
The morning ended with me giving in. I called work and let them know I wouldn't be able to make it and spent the day with Annie. I foolishly thought that my staying home from work to spend the entire day with her would make her happy. Oops again. The whole day was a mix of tears and screams, and I'm pretty sure I'll wake up with a couple bruises I didn't had before.

"Annie don't play with mommy's new cards."
"GRRRRRRRRR......" is her reply as she dumps them on the ground and then stomps on them.