Solitaire is a game for one.

My cousin sat down at the table last night and said he was going to play solitaire. 

Then, he asked if anyone wanted to play with him.

My face completely fell as I took on this dumbfounded/astounded look and said, "Isn't solitaire for one person?"

He explained that you can play with as many people as you want and there is a version called speed solitaire that's for two people.

I continued with my thought line, "But solitaire means for one?" (me holding up one finger quizzically)

Then my sisters fiance explains to me that there is a chinese solitaire game that is for more than one player and it's really fun.

I persist with my thought line, "But solitaire is solitary. It HAS to be called something else if it's for two players!"

At this point as I am raising my voice and getting rather insistent they both give up on me and I walk away. I walk down the stairs shaking my head in wonderment at how they can not understand this basic concept and word meaning.

Once downstairs I am still perplexed and almost to the point where I am feeling the need to go back upstairs and argue my point when I have an AHA! moment :)

Oooooooohhh yeah....they are not trying to trick me or lie to me and it doesn't matter what a game is called.

(seriously took me like 5 minutes to realize this. I may be a little slow on the uptake folks.)

I didn't think I was someone who really got fixated on things like that (I have some family members that love to argue about things like this so I am VERY familiar with the sort of someone it takes). Whoa, what was I becoming! I shook my head at myself and resolved to chill out a little bit.

Then my sisters fiance comes out by where I am exercising and just shakes his head and laughs at me saying, " man, that solitaire thing..."and that makes it official, I am such a dork.

p.s. Was very tempted to put the definition of solitaire here to rub in the fact that I must be right. I resisted.

Are you pregnant?

I'm not.

Really.

I promise.

Stop asking.

:)

But I am overweight and I do work around elementary age children so I get asked a lot.

And I mean A LOT!!!!!

This sweet little 6 yr old girl that I adore was waiting in line with me for the bathroom this week. Right when it was my turn to go in she says, "Wait!" grabs my stomach and says with the sweetest smile and most excited voice, "Is there a baby in there?" A quickly smiled, said "No" and rushed in to the bathroom so I could miss the inevitable follow up question that 6 yr olds always have, "Then why is your tummy so big?"

It doesn't bother me......that much :( I am trying to look at it as motivation every time I don't want to work out or start craving bread. This morning I was biking with my dog and for some reason it just kept running through my head, the scores of children that have asked me if I was pregnant.

So today I am getting my vindication and asking everyone who reads this (that's right all 7 of you) Are you pregnant?

Don't worry I won't ask the followup question :)

Hope you all have a great non-pregnant day, I know I plan to.

Why? Because I am not pregnant.

It could be something else.

At least twice recently I have had friends on facebook rant about harmless things.One was about someone not returning a cart when the return was 20 ft away. The other was about a lady that was bothered when my friend was on the treadmill more than the allotted 30 minutes and the fact that when she did get on she only went 1.7mph.

This got me thinking about 2 things:

1. How social media takes away social boundaries
2. How people could really stand to give others some leeway.

Now, let's blog about it.

1. When we can tweet it or post it it's like someone turns our filters off. A CNN writer just wrote a story about how mean some people were when posting comments about his articles. They posted mean, personal, derogatory attacks to a person they had never met. In real life it turns out the ones he tracked down were decent people and very apologetic when reproached for their behavior, they noted that they were mad about something he had written and spewed that anger without thinking there was a real person behind the written words.

It constantly amazes me to read on facebook how people lose their filters. All of a sudden it's okay to say things that hurt others, that don't honor who you are as a person? I value those that I see as the same person online as they are in person. It makes me leerier (is this a word?) than ever about making an online friend. It's way to easy to misrepresent yourself purposely or accidentally. I'm still learning techno jargon and all the time I am discovering new meanings to things like capital letters, italics, extra exclamation points etc...I bet I have pissed off a lot of people (I hope it was mostly unintentional) by my ramblings, judgements or miss use of semi-colons.

2. Now on to spreading some grace around. On the one friends post I made a comment that I leave my cart if I feel it's unsafe to leave my children unattended in the car or if I am so preoccupied (usually by my children) that I don't notice that the cart return is right next to me. It's not always laziness as he assumed it to be, there are a whole host of reasons why people do what they do. As for me, I choose to think positively and hope they didn't mean to be stupid, mean, rude etc...

I didn't comment on the treadmill thing, I felt like I would be starting an argument rather than enlighten them if I did so (meaning: I was too chicken!). As I read the post, I thought of myself as that other woman. Maybe I hired a babysitter so I could actually get to the gym and then I waited to use that treadmill knowing I had precious little time. When I planned my exercise around getting on the treadmill and someone was using it past their allotted time, I might have given a frustrated look as well. But what really got me was the comment after that. My facebook friend noted that when the woman got on the treadmill she could see why she was in such a rush, because she needed to do a 1.7mph walk. Oh snap! Maybe 1.7 mph was all she could do. Maybe she just recovered from cancer and was building up her stamina. We don't know, who are we to judge? Or maybe she was just a snarky woman, they exist too.

I am going to end this post by telling you about a woman I know. She's the mom of a good friend of mine from high school. I constantly think of her when I get frustrated with people because she had the most unique take on it I had ever seen. A man was speeding and cut us off as we were turning a corner. It made her hit the brakes and was a little scary. Expecting her to yell or express frustration at the mans bad driving instead this is what I heard, "Lord bless that man wherever he is heading and please help him get there safely. I pray protection for him and anyone in his car." I was astounded! This event occurred when I was 16 and at 29 it is still burned into my brain. She chose to believe that the man who endangered her and her family with his driving did it with good cause and had a genuine need or concern. And above that she took an extra moment out of her day to bless that man rather than curse him. I encourage you to think of that the next time you're tempted to judge anothers actions, I know I always try to.

Remember what they teach our children, "If you don't have something nice to say..."

Sometimes the things I say aren't nice but I do try to use this rule, "If I can't say it to their face, I can't say it online."

Aaaaahhhh, the joys of the cyberworld we live in.

Holy Snowstorm Batman!

HOLY
I will only make it through the next few months by relying on God. This does not make me holy but the word does remind me that I don't have to shoulder all the worlds burdens alone, he is willing to help.

SNOWSTORM
You know how good things come in 3's? (I may have gotten this saying confused but... :P) Well concerning things come in the hundreds, it's like a snowstorm. One day you get some news and it stresses you a little, the next day there's more and things get worse, the next day five new problems arrive and all of a sudden your world is falling in. Also, it's easy to get lost in a snowstorm. That's where I am now. Not really stressed or concerned or overwhelmed or mad or anything I maybe should be. Just a little lost, it's like life turned into a blurry snowstorm.

BATMAN
My sons and one of my best friends favorite super hero. Also one of the only superheroes you could realistically hope to be since vats of radioactive waste or more sparse that one might have hoped. Thinking of Batman makes me think of my boys and it makes me smile. I imagine the many times they've dressed up as the caped avenger, played games and how whenever you can't understand my youngest it's usually because he is excitedly talking about Batman. Gotta keep the humor flowing peeps!

So, Holy Snowstorm, Batman!

You may hear me muttering this a lot in the days to come.

Don't worry, it's a good thing.

I'm THAT parent!

I've reached a profoundly horrifying, yet sort of amusingly awesome, moment in my life. I have become THAT parent. You know the one, or maybe you don't, don't worry I'll enlighten you.

I have become the parent that listens to their child's ideas intently and then snatches those sweet, innocent, cute, simple ideas and turns them in to my convulated, involved, exciting and totally not from a child ideas.

Yep, that's me.

Here's how I discovered this. Last weekend the twins spent the night at their grandparents and we kept the wee one with us. He was a little bummed to be missing out on the fun so we thought it was time we started the "date night" tradition with him, something we had been doing for awhile with the twins. He wanted ice cream and fun factory and to play at the mall. I turned that into, "Let's surprise him with a bunch of fun stuff other than his idea!" We still had fun but he did cry at the end because we hadn't done everything on his list. I shrugged it off as him being tired and me being awesome to think of so many fun things for him to do **patting myself on shoulder repeatedly**

Then came this weekend when the twins each had their"date night" The oldest didn't get to choose. We couldn't find a babysitter so he was instructed to go to daddy's work Christmas party (yes it was in January, whatever...) while mommy stayed home with the other two. He got to eat seafood (his favorite) and play a lot of games on daddys phone while the adults talked so he was pretty ok with it, it helped that he's 6 and we haven't fully explained the "date night" rules so he is unaware that we broke them by not letting him choose any part of it, at all.

Finally, it was time for my "aha!" moment. The younger twin asked to have his date night the next two nights, both times I forgot I was supposed to take him out and we had other family things planned. So we said how about a week night? He said ok and then his idea was to go to Lahaina for pizookies. I didn't want to drive to Lahaina on a weeknight so I began to guide his "date night" ideas.

I suggested we could make pizookies at home and daddy could keep brothers out of our way. He loves to bake and has this whole plan abotu opening a dessert bar restaurant when he grows up. So, needless to say, he was like, "Yeah, let's stay home and watch a movie and bake and brothers won't be allowed upstairs!"

Good plan right?

Except that I couldn't leave it at that. I had already guided his idea, he was overwhelmingly excited about getting in some dedicated baking time, but I had to suggest more. I then went on to plan that he do a trial run of his restaurant, invite over 20 of our closest friends (I may be exaggerating), have it on a weekend so he could stay up late, bake like 20 things (none of which come from his recipe book collection that he really wants to use), put them in sample sizes, make a sign and a menu and serve them to guests.

At this point it's going to take a week of planning and a lot of me pushing him to make it happen. But now it's been promised and he sort of thinks it's his plan and why did I go and turn this into a big thing and become that person who takes over that no one likes but everyone is scared to tell off?!?!

It's because I'm that parent. I know I should be proud of my children and their ideas and gently guide where needed but give them space to grow and learn on their own. But every once in awhile something comes over me and I become the one that will make all the plans and will make everything great and everyone happy and if I have to make them cry to get there.

I think I need to chill out.

Anyone want to come to the grand opening of Mallo Brothers Dessert bar?

:)

I am trying everything!

I am determined to go back to having an active lifestyle. The other day someone tried to compliment me by saying they were so proud that I was really exercising for the first time in my life. I had trouble saying thank you.

The deal is twofold, one I am not trying to "really" exercise. I am trying to go back to the times when I had an active lifestyle (this lifestyle has disappeared every time I have ever had an office job) It's hard to combat sitting on your butt for 7 hours! I am just trying to get off my butt more and play with my kids or take my dog for walks. I tried "real" exercise yesterday. It sucked and now my legs hurt so that's a big thumbs down. Secondly, it's not the first time in my life. I know now (back then I thought I was overweight) that I was a healthy weight for me from sixth grade thru my second year in college. My weight remained constant that entire time and I remained active. I walked everywhere, rode bikes, went hiking and played a lot of frisbee. I most definitely did not sit on my butt all the time.

So here I am today, very overweight due in large part to my lack of exercise and in small part to my three children and poor eating habits (which I have always had). I am trying everything I can think of to get more active with my day. So far getting up early has led to more chores. Right after school has proven to be too hot. Early evening is very dependent on when my husband gets home and how much patience I have with my kids. Evenings just suck. I like walking, jogging or hiking the most as forms of exercise. I could do them 10 times a day and not get bored, it's just finding the time because according to myfitnesspal I need about an hour everyday.

That is where I am at in my challenge to get healthy. Now I will go back to posting funnier things I promise.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

It all started with getting up late and not finishing my morning chores. "Oh well" I tell myself as I head off to work, grabbing a piece of french bread I found on the counter as a quick breakfast to eat in the car.

Hi, ho, hi, ho it's off to work I went. Forgot to pack lunch so a handful of cheetos and a green apple had to be the substitute. At work there was a lot to be done. Went to check on a project that was being done to find it way behind schedule despite my best efforts all week to speed it up. 3 hrs later a project I shouldn't have had to do is complete. I go to volunteer in my sons class and discover that he was on morning broadcast, and I missed it :( Another huge bummer. Back to work where I did not complete a survey I promised to create and sent out the weekly email missing one big piece of information and redid the newsletter for like the tenth time and still managed to leave a typo in when I went and made 500 copies.

As my work day winds down my sons finish school and I take them with me to the post office. 500 letters needed to be posted by that day or else. Not thinking clearly I followed someone elses instructions which meant I had ot go to the post office that I can't stand, lesson learned for next time. The line is freakishly long and my twins are freakishly impatient so I decide we can put the letters in the mail slots for in town and out of town. The only place to setup for this endeavor is right in front of the P.O. boxes so I do. This prompts a line to form behind me as my sons and I impede their efforts of getting their own mail. We stuff the slots to overflowing and I have to stick my arm in up to my elbow to get the bit to stay in and not fall back onto the floor. Five harrowing minutes of mailbox adventures and the job is finally done. It felt like a hundred minutes.

Hi, ho, hi, ho it's off to home we went. At this point my husband calls to see how our days went. I am short and cross on the phone and very flustered so I say I'll call him back. We get home and I call him back having come to the realization that I was very tired, very hungry, and very hot which was combining to make me into an angry little ball of fury. I go inside and see all the things I need to do. I decide to start by picking up the kitchen which leads to me feeding my children large slices of chocolate cake so that it won't be in the fridge anymore and then regretting that I fed them that instead of offering a healthy choice, blah!

Then I begin work on refinishing our dining table which has been upside down in our upstairs for a week and is driving me a little bit crazier every time I look at it, which is often. I open up a new can of stain which is so full that I promptly spill it on myself and the counter. I cleaned up the mess and then very carefully go over to the table to begin work. My sons have finished their massive slices of cake and my oldest runs in to the kitchen shouting about ice water. Unbeknownst to me he climbs on the cupboard and gets a cup from the adult cupboard, a large heavy glass to be exact. He fills it up as I am unknowingly destressing and sweating while staining the table. He takes a flying leap and a twirl into the room shouting, "Who wants ice water?" which ends with the very full glass crashing to the floor and water and ice and glass spreading across the entire room. I look up at the sudden unexpected noises and lose focus on the very full stain container in my hand which leads to me tipping it a little too much so that a large amount of it hits the floor and table in a gigantic splatter pattern.

These events led to the classic conundrum, save the children or save the house? I screamed until every vein I had popped out for my younger twin to get me paper towels. He proceeds to climb on the counter and get me a half a sheet. I then turn purple as I loudly explain I need the entire roll and I need it now! It should be noted at this time that this moment is the only time I yelled all day, me being who I am, this is a monumental fact. I clean the stain off myself, corral  twins and the dog in the corner and clean up broken glass and water. Finally I get to the stain and pick up the heavy table one handed channeling my hulk like energy and mostly save my floor and table from utter ruination.

At this time I explain to the twins that maybe they should play outside. They go off happily while I decide I better lay down for a bit to avoid spontaneous combustion. Not 5 minutes later Twin A comes running in asking for stakes. After several minutes of baffling discussion I discover he is trying to make a fort. I suggest they move a lightweight outside table wherever they need to make a quick fort. He goes off happily on his way.

30 minutes later the next event has occurred. My neighbor comes home with a friend and her children who are laughing raucously at mine. I go out to see what's up and discover that they made a mud wrestling pit under the front porch. They then painted themselves, and their new clothes, with the mud. Then they painted the fence. Then they painted the front porch. Then they brought all the outside furniture to the front of the house and painted it as well. No wonder the neighbors were laughing. I hosed down children and fences and porches while the neighbors watched. I reached the point where it was time to yell or cry or something and announced to my neighbor, "I'm not going to get mad. You just take this moment and realize how great your children are.My bad example can make you feel really good about your kids." Then I went inside.

Then my best friend, who is very understanding, came very early with her daughter who I was supposed to watch. They navigated to soaking wet pathway and porch and carefully made it into the house. The daughter is only a year old and I pointed out that the entire upstairs is unsafe and we go to the movie room which I am thinking should be clean and safe. Or not.

Someone knocked my new clock off the wall which then hit the carefully organized legos spreading them everywhere they could possibly go. So the one year old and I play pick up. My friend goes off leaving me with her child (she really trusts me because  I know I looked like some sort of extra crazy at that point in my day) I get the boys in shower and sit down waiting for my husband and youngest son to get home. They are 45 minutes late because they got stuck on a road that was closed due to all the flooding.

He was cranky from getting stalled on his way home but he had no idea what he was walking into. At this point I was speaking only in whispers in my attempt to stay calm, it wasn't working. After a brief debate about dinner it became clear that I wasn't cooking it so pizza was ordered (I did not want pizza). My friends husband arrived to get his daughter and everyone played Lego Rockband and ate pizza. At 8 my boys went to bed and I immediately left the house (looking very cool with a headlamp to stay safe in the dark) to run off some of the building anger. A lot of toads scared the crap out of me and I think a neighbor may have reported me for lurking. I got home and played Lego Rock Band (yes we have the adult version but I didn't play that) til midnight. My bandmates mocked me loudly and I hate video games but it was a decent stress release.

I went to bed overwhelmed by my day and my poor decisions. And that is the series of unfortunate events that started my weekend.

Spontaneity vs. Planning

I have had sooooooooo many ideas for sooooooo many fascinating post this week and I posted exactly 0 of them.

Oops.

I feel like I got completely swamped and that is what I am blaming it on.

Me getting swamped was a result of the aforementioned spontaniety and planning. I am trying out a new schedule where I get up early and do my chores before I wake the boys for school. It's leaving me more tired and I don't quite have the hang of it yet but I am getting there and I think it could become a good thing for me. I am also trying to better plan meals and my time with my sons so that both have a little more quality in them. Again, not quite there yet but I am working on it.

The down side of my self improvements is that I realized my brain can only handle so much at a time. My regular schedule plus adding at least 3 new things to think about each day has put me at maximum brain capacity.

But I didn't stop at maximum capacity, that would make too much sense!

I have several good friends who are teaching me (unbeknownst to them) the value of spontaneity. One amazing friend who kids love my kids and vice versa always plans ahead with me. Then one of us almost always has to cancel. So we've found that being more spontaneous and in the moment of, "Hey I'm free right now! Are you?" is working better for us. I like this but I have to remember to call and participate in our friendship even when it's not scheduled.

I can tell you flat out that unless you call/write me regularly I do not fall in the awesome friend category. If you put in the effort I am great at listening, offering advice, hanging out and being there for you. But if I am required to initiate it I slack off and so does our friendship :( I acknowledge the problem...we'll see if I can ever take the next step towards fixing it.

Another friend is a planner but she spontaneously invites me to be part of her plans. Normally this would stress me but for some with her it just works out every time. We have had our kids play together, gone on an amazing walk that was the highlight of my week, anwered random questions, shopped at the mall and more. Thanks to her I ma really starting to embrace more of a can do personality and realizing that I have more choices and options with how I spend my time than I realized. She inspires me with her energy and she is the best listener. It's a good thing because she is one of my few friends that cross over to the work side of my life and I really need to vent the work stuff sometimes.

Again I will note that it's always her intiating the spontaniety but I am oh so happily willing to go along for the ride. I love it and love that I now have a friend like this in my life.

Another friend, who's stuck with me for a very long time, is the epitomy of spontaneity! You never know what she'll wear, what she'll say, the places she'll go or ideas she'll have. She's beyond fabulous and I truly admire the freedom she allows herself. I know her well enough to know that it's not always easy being as different as she is but it makes her so special and so dear to my heart. She sends me random presents and notes. For my birthday she wrote me a list of reasons that I'm awesome. Today she texted me how many days it will be til I see her again. She just takes friendship to a whole other level! I don't do any of those things for her and yet she stays my friend. I constantly think of things I could/should do to be more spontaneous like she is. Someday I will do them, thank goodness she's patient because that someday is not coming soon.

So I am well over maximum capacity on brain space right now but I am enjoying it. I am juggling my regular schedule (the one where if you aren't on my calendar you don't exist), my new found need to plan better for children, chores and meals (in an effort to finally grow up a little bit) and my desire to be more spontaneous and just do things and call people.

Aaaaaahhhh, this is the life.

It's hard to stay home

I really, really want some entire days spent at home. I love my home, I love being here, I never get bored in it and yet it's very hard to stay here for an entire day. One of my many mental issues I suppose.

I resolved to stay home this entire weekend and announced it to my family Friday night. They were all fine with it. I woke up Saturday morning and realized Aikido had started so we couldn't stay home. So, change of plans and 1.5 hrs of twins at Aikido and the youngest and I at Home Depot and Walmart.

I could handle this. I felt slightly defeated because it was supposed to be the entire weekend, but I was coping.

Then about 15 times yesterday there was some reason to run an errand or someone that wanted to go somewhere. It was a mental battle to make myself realize I could run the errand later, there was no urgency. It was a battle with the kids to explain why I wanted us to stay home every time they came up with a fun plan to go somewhere. Most weekends I am begging them to want to do something or go somewhere but the one weekend I just wanted to be home everyone decided to change opposite of me. To top it all off last night my husband, who does not make plans, EVER, suggested we have a family day in Lahaina today! What?!? I went a little looney bins on him as I not so calmly explained that we were staying home no matter what!

Once I jumped all these hurdles I enjoyed my day yesterday and my whole family enjoyed theirs too. Then last night I was sanding the table and prepping it to be refinished. I worked on it for about 1.5 hrs and then I ran out of sand paper.

You can guess what happened next. I was no longer coping. I was pushed into a corner and feeling forced to leave my home.

So today I have to go to Lowes and buy sandpaper and since we'll be out already we have to stop at Borders for my oldest to spend his gift card.

So much for staying home :(

But maybe if I keep it under an hour and a half it doesn't need to count because then we are just equal to what happened yesterday.....

Yep, that'll work.

As long as it's balanced it won't drive me crazy that we are breaking the one rule I set for the weekend.

Now you know, and probably wish you didn't, the battles that have raged in my head this weekend.

Welcome to my crazy world!

3 random things that need to be blogged

1. I love comments on my blog :)
There are all these rules to blogging that I keep reading and measures of success like how many comments you get or followers you have. Mostly I'm like, "meh" when it comes to these rules and I just don't want to put in the work they say you need to. But, I love getting comments and I love that I have followers. So if you read this and don't comment or aren't my follower think about trying it, you'll make me feel popular!

2. I started My Fitness Pal this week.
It's a very cool website that has an app for my fancy phone that helps me track food, exercise and water intake daily and set goals to get healthier.
I started it because I think the reason I am round is mainly due to lack of exercise. I could definitely stand to eat healthier too, but I don't think that's why I am the shape I am. So I inputted all my information, set my goals and surged ahead. Today is my 5th day and I already failed. I am beyond bummed out. I do not want your words of pity or encouragement on this. I know I can do better, I know it's small steps and blah, blah, blah. My only goal for this week was to exercise for 30 minutes a day 5 days of the week. I only did 20 minutes of barely exercising on Wednesday, and yesterday I did none. Big boo and thumbs down. So my goal will be the same for next week and I guess I'll try exercising at night to see if that helps or hinders. Oh the anger, stress and utter dejection!

3. Amazing people in my life
Sometimes I forget how many amazing people I have in my life. My birthday was a good reminder. I have never had so many genuine birthday wishes. I have never had so many people even know it's my birthday. I generally don't do parties, don't tell anyone it's my birthday and don't expect much on the day. I am happy as long as I can have a normal day.
This year my boys remembered for the first time ever (I did have to remind them the day before but it's an improvement, still waiting for the handmade cards, they'll think of it someday). My husband was amazing as he always is on my birthday, he makes it all about me :) Everyone in my family called me to send well wishes. My in-laws celebrated with me in a low key manner the day before (which I really, really appreciated). Finally, I had wonderful calls from my 2 best friends. I had 7 good friends that either took me out or offered to sometime soon. I had received several really touching cards, sweet emails, texts and facebook comments.
This has never happened before. All you amazing people heped turn my non event into a really surprising and heartwarming day.

That's it. I probably could have written an entire entry for each of those but if you haven't noticed by now I like long blogs :)

I like the things I need

I love it when people get me. It doesn't happen often, expecially since I am a little off my rocker, but when it does, it's amazing!

Today is my birthday and almost every gift I received was something I needed.

How amazing my friends and family were today will be saved for another post, but here's a hint, it's really AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAmazing!

I was watching "Bones" last week and they discussed gifts in one episode. A friend was explaining to Bones that a gift shouldn't be something someone needs, that it's not appropriate. I thought it odd when I heard it and then forgot all about the comment til Monday when my sister called to ask what I wanted for my birthday.

I had to make sure she was prepared for the very long list that I had ready to go. Because I need lots of things, I want lots of things and I collect lots of things. The only thing I do not do is buy things for myself very often. So the list gets longer and longer.

I received a pretty sweet stash of gifts today and my favorites were the things I needed. You have to know me pretty well to know what I need and you have to really be comfortable in our relationship to make that thing my gift. Thanks to all of you who fit that bill, I appreciate you :)

Here's a quick rundown of some things I've liked today:

*From my parents - a new clock. I go a little nuttier every time I walk into my movie room and can't read the time. I get lost in a movie or a game or a nap or legos or...and then I need the time desperately and it is unavailable to me.

UUUUgggghhhh to having to walk to the other room or find my always missing phone to read the time.

Not only did they solve this need, they also got a really nice one that totally matches the room and is not available on this island and therefor coveted. They are saving me from a lot of future crazy moments!

*From my oldest - magnetic shopping list pads (10 of them, that match my kitchen and have stars, 2 very important things!!!) and reusable grocery totes (4 of them that are cute and fit in my purse, 2 very important things!!!) I know daddy helped and that makes it even better. They get me and my distinctly odd needs :)

* From the other twin - A Bananagrams calendar. I know you don't think this is a need, but it's cause you don't know me well enough. I need to know the day, I need to tear off old days to feel more accomplished and like time has passed and I need to use my mind on word puzzles daily so it stays only mildly mushy. Well done on the gift son!

*From my youngest - A new purse that fits me just right and new sunglasses that are the bees knees, seriously. Ok, truth be told, he went shopping with me the other day and I said, "Should I get these for my birthday?" and he said, "Yep. I will buy them." So I bought them and tell everyone they are from him. That counts right? I say yes, and I say he's wonderful for even wanting to buy them for me :)

The list gets longer but then so would this blog so I will finish off with this paragraph and quickly say that my hubby was responsible for a lot of the above plus he bought me shoes that make me sing "I'm walking on sunshine" every time I wear them and the movie "Ramona & Beezus" which I needed to own because it gave me an epiphany once. My friends took me to breakfast and I got a home depot gift card, a pile of magazines so I can focus more on my me time and a starbucks card.

They are good friends :)

Now I say goodbye so I can go use my Pier 1 gift card to buy candles to go in my new red lanterns that I desperately needed and my sister got me and then I will finish the day writing thank yous on my new stationery from my sister in law.

Told you, I like the things I need, the people in my life are seriously awesome, and I may have a weird definition of what I need.

Whatever.

Happy Birthday to me!

Collectivitis

I think I have discovered my disease, collectivitis.

I have a need to collect things. I am not a hoarder, I do not need to collect everything, but if it's something I like, I need it, all of it!

I  just recently discovered that this might be a problem for me, a disease of some sort.

The first indication was when I found myself researching and salivating over the new galactic heroes release. Like 15 new toys were released in the line, my sons only wanted one but I found myself arguing with them that they needed them all because they collected them. Thankfully 6 yr old reasoning prevailed and they have yet to even receive the one piece they wanted.

Looking around my house you can easily see what I like as I have great collections, or piles, of everything I am interested in. I'm like the Little Mermaid in her cave, "look at this stuff, isn't it neat, wouldn't you think my collections complete?...."

I know you just pictured me singing that, with a mermaid tale :) Also, I did sing it when I was typing :) Told you my life is a musical.

Having children has fed my obsessions. When they like a toy I research it, I find all of that type of toy on good deals and I lovingly organize and categorize it. They are not allowed to have toys that aren't part of their collections. I thought I did this to help with organization but I am coming to realize it is my own neurosis that caused these rules. They have one bucket, the anything bucket, where non-collection toys go. When it gets full they have to toss some. No matter how much they love them.

Because of my obsession they also can't start new collections without first getting rid of old ones. This meant that I denied them a toy they were in love with for over a year. Daddy finally bought our littlest one for his birthday. I couldn't handle just having one so for Christmas the little one bought some for his brothers and the collection began. It's a collection I don't want but I mentally can't handle them having just one of these toys.

Looney with a side of crazy sauce anyone?

Of course the first step is admitting you have a problem so things can only improve from here :)

I set limits on the boys collections and every time I pass the toy aisles I remind myself that they don't want all those toys and they don't need the complete collection.

Like I literally mutter that mantra under my breath as I shop :)

You should have seen when Legos went on sale, I grabbed every 50% off set and put them in my cart, halfway through the store I realized that I was getting them only because they were a good deal and would add to their collection. So I painstakingly went through each, picked out 3 that had the best pieces or were the most interesting, and put the rest back.

Progress right? I think it counts as long as not getting them doesn't keep me up at night.

I should go into remission since we only by our boys toys at Christmas and birthdays, that's a 5 month hiatus. Except it's almost my birthday and I find myself cleaning my house and setting out my teapots, organizing my paper, researching cricut cartridges, cataloging my handkerchiefs and I know that I am going to make at least one needless purchase to further my personal collections.

Maybe I am in the baby step program. Yep, that's it.

So it's still progress :)