Superwoman

So I knew today would be an AWESOME day when...

1) I got around 5 hours of sleep last night and my eyes are bloodshot
2) Olivia cried during most of the 20 minute drive to her preschool this morning
3) I looked down and the 'check engine' light was on in my car

But there's still hope for the rest of today, right? (Right?!!)

On a more positive note, I found this song online the other day and thought it had a pretty cool message so I thought I'd share...

Superwoman by Alicia Keys

Everywhere I'm turning

Nothing seems complete

I stand up and I'm searching

For the better part of me

I hang my head from sorrow

Slave to humanity

I wear it on my shoulders

Gotta find the strength in me

Cause I am a Superwoman

Yes I am

Yes she is

Still when I'm a mess

I still put on a vest

With an S on my chest

Oh yes

I'm a Superwoman

For all the mothers fighting

For better days to come

And all my women, all my women sitting here trying

To come home before the sun

And all my sisters

Coming together

Say yes I will

Yes I can

Cause I am a Superwoman

Yes I am

Yes she is

Still when I'm a mess

I still put on a vest

With an S on my chest

Oh yes

I'm a Superwoman

When I'm breaking down

And I can't be found

And I start to get weak

Cause no one knows

Me underneath these clothes

But I can fly

We can fly, Oooohh

Cause I am a Superwoman

Yes I am

Yes she is

Still when I'm a mess

I still put on a vest

With an S on my chest

Oh yes

I'm a Superwoman

Oh yes

You are a Superwoman

Wanting Less

Seems like a simple concept, but oh so hard to do. I was explaining to my husband the other day that I realized if I just started wanting less then I wouldn’t torture myself about all the things I don’t have. I wouldn’t be bothered by all the thoughts of when I get this, or when I get that, it will make me happy. To be honest, I’ve always been a little materialistic—I like things. Things for my house, things to wear, things for my kids; I like getting new stuff. Don’t we all? But at what point will it be enough to really satisfy me? That’s when I decided that that time will never come. I will never be completely satisfied with things. I’ll always want more; my paycheck will never be enough.

I look back to when my husband and I had our very first apartment---we had nothing. I’ll spare you the details of our shabbily furnished apartment, but trust me when I say we owned not one nice thing. So I compare that to now and how far we’ve come, but it still doesn’t lessen the urge of wanting so much more. New floors, new paint job, new bedroom furniture, a new car, a landscaping overhaul in the backyard….I could go on and on. But instead I’ll get to my point: If I wanted less, I could focus on what I have and be oh so grateful for it. I have been blessed a thousand times over in my life. Not only that, but I have blessings that some women will never receive—a supportive family, children of my own, a loving {albeit annoying} husband, the chance to finish my college education, a job I like, and the opportunity to start a meaningful career--but for some reason I choose to focus on the fact that I drive an old car, my kitchen doesn’t look like the ones in magazines, and my bedroom furniture is worn out.

So I guess my real question is can it be done? Is it possible to live in this country the way it is today, and not constantly worry about more and better while taking for granted what we already have?

Nope, Not Me!

I have NOT been watching MckMama’s blog since 7AM so that I can be one of the first on the list this morning, because I’m tired of always being like 300th………NO, that would be a little too obsessive.

I do NOT still have Christmas shopping to do that will probably get done on Wednesday {better known as Christmas Eve}……not me! That would be way too stressful.

I did NOT go pick out my own Christmas present, order it, pay for it, and then hand my husband the pick up receipt……that would be a little too controlling, you think? Yeah, I DIDN’T do that. {Just like I later DIDN’T tell Alexandria what I would really like her and Olivia to get me…..in case daddy asks}

I am NOT already thinking of breaking into my lunch (at 8AM) because I skipped breakfast and dinner last night….nope, that would be silly to eat a chicken pot pie this early in the day……besides what would I eat later for lunch?......yeah, that’s why I’m NOT thinking of doing something like that.

Enjoy more "Not Me Monday" postings at MckMama's blog!

My 40th post!

In honor of my 40th post {and because I’m bored out of my mind right now} I’ve decided to list 20 things I hate and 20 things I love……

I LOVE…..

1. cheeseburgers and fries
2. my family! {u like how they come second to cheeseburgers?}
3. eating out
4. Christmas time
5. Summer nights
6. LOST (television series)
7. having BBQ’s in the summer
8. Music
9. the fact that I played the flute in jr high/high school band
10. to read
11. Papa Rollo’s pizza
12. the snuggly feel and smell of a newborn baby
13. to sleep…love it.
14. Britney’s new song Womanizer
15. FOOD
16. my career field
17. Lifetime movies
18. the Twilight series written by Stephanie Meyer!
19. having children
20. the peaceful feeling I get when I’m able to surrender………
That one is worth repeating........the peaceful feeling I get when I'm able to surrender...

I HATE….

1. drivers who don’t know how to DRIVE
2. the fact that there are way too many people who get confused at 4-way stops
3. when people are fake
4. surprises and secrets
5.not being in control
6. cheesy commercials
7. being told what to do
8. getting up early in the morning! Yuck.
9. the fact that men drive women crazy and then have the nerve to call them psycho……bastards
10. being micro managed
11. people who are critical of things like tattoos, piercings, slang words--get over it!
12. people who are rude for no apparent reason
13. being the center of attention
14. people who smile at me but don’t really mean it
15. that I can’t control my blushing. It happens at random and when I’m not even embarrassed.
16. when I’m really tired and I get woken up
17. when people make a billion wrong assumptions about me!!
18. running out of hot water in the middle of a shower
19. cleaning up after an indoor pet that isn’t house trained yet!
20. anxiety…….such a bummer

A Day Late? Not Me!

My internet was down at work yesterday and when I got home I was too tired to get on the computer, but since I already had the darn thing written, I'm posting it!

First of all, I am NOT sitting here falling asleep at my desk…..literally.

I did NOT groan out loud when I thought a client was being brought in for me to see…….I would NEVER do that……I love my job even when I’m soooooooo sleepy.

I did NOT see someone I know in the grocery store last week and then proceed to go out of my way to avoid this person…. {who am I kidding? this happens at least once a week.}

While out shopping this weekend I did NOT get so tired of the gum in my mouth and so frustrated that I couldn’t find any paper or a trashcan to get rid of it, that I finally tossed it in a remote corner of the Disney store. And I definitely, most certainly did NOT tell my child to do the same thing with an unwanted mint later in the day………{I’m probably not as embarrassed about this as I should be, but the point is to be brutally honest here, right?!}

I did NOT allow my 7 yr old to skip school today (and stay home with daddy) because we got in late from Austin last night…and I did NOT email the school saying she was sick…..shhhh……… {I’m working on ‘mother of the year’ here, aren’t I?}

And finally, no matter what anyone tells you, I do NOT want to skip today and go back to bed…….not me!

Enjoy more "Not Me Monday" postings at MckMama's blog!

What Have You Done?

I got this post idea from the blog, Life In Beverly Hills.

The bolded items are what I have done…..

1.started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland - WORLD
8. Climbed a mountain…..part of one anyway
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (does driving in my car count? I don’t think so)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping….partially
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Seen the Lincoln Memorial in person
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life…(if this counts)…I’ve gotten lodged food out of both my daughter’s mouths before when they were choking
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92.Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else’s blog to your own

What have you done? Post on your blog and link back to the site/blog where you found this list!

Goal, Shmoal

Okay, I’m going off on a soapbox here………This little rant all started with an innocent comment made by Olivia’s (my 2 yr old) preschool teacher. In a weekly progress note, she made the comment that she is hoping for Olivia to be completely potty trained by December. Well here’s my problem with that: you DON’T set goals for babies and toddlers who are trying to make their way through the developmental milestones…….unless you’re God I guess. Olivia has been peeing in the potty (among other things) since she was a few months shy of her 2 yr birthday in May. We were surprised because we don’t push these kinds of things EVER, but we figured it must have been because she has a big sis who she sees pee in the potty all the time. The thing is, she isn’t potty trained completely because she still wets her pull up at night sometimes and occasionally during the day. She still alternates wearing panties and pull ups at school and at home. So that got me to thinking about the strong opinions I’ve formed over my last 7 years as a parent on reaching milestones.

My stance on babies/tots reaching their milestones is this: leave them alone, it will happen. Every child has their own plan, their own strengths and weaknesses, their own mind! If you’re getting the thumbs up from your pediatrician at the well baby check ups, and you don’t have any instinctual gut feelings that something is off, then RELAX and leave the kid alone! I hate to see moms who will have their baby “practice” walking….it’s ridiculous and it can ruin the muscles in their feet. You dragging them by their arms up and down the hallway isn’t helping…..that’s not walking! And don’t even get me started on walkers. I hate those things. I believe in open, free play space. Quit worrying about what your neighbor’s kid is doing, or what your sister’s kids all did, or what your mother says you did when you were little (believe me, she doesn’t really remember, it’s been 20-30 years ago).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to ignore the kid, I do believe in encouraging words and claps and cheers for effort, attempts and milestones completed. I just can’t stand to hear people compare their baby to other babies (or even worse, their siblings) like it’s a big competition about who cuts teeth first, or why their kid isn’t walking, etc. Have you ever seen a healthy 7 yr old who doesn’t pee on the potty, or who still drinks from a bottle? That’s right; it doesn’t happen that way folks. So ultimately it doesn’t really matter what day they chuck the bottle or pacifier, take their first step, or stop using diapers/pull-ups; what matters is that they get the job done and most importantly in their own time.