E.T. and Gas Prices May 17, 2008

We DVR’d “E.T.” for Brianna last night. She has been dousing her eyeballs in it since about a 1/2 hour ago. I knew she’d love it. She does!! I told her last autumn that we’d go see Tinkerbell this autumn — just the two of us. She has been practically counting down the days. She knows that her 4th birthday comes first and then the following month Tinkerbell comes out in theatres. Amazing memory that girl has!

I paid a whopping $4.29 per gallon yesterday. That just sucks! Our trip to Orlando next weekend to see my uncle, aunt, and their family is going to cost us as much as it would to fly there. Well, just about!! Freakin’ gas! I have a gas hoggin’ minivan too. So that comes to $55.00 to fill ‘er up. [eyeball roll]

How much is gas in your neck of the woods right now?

And since we’re all becoming stat whores, here is another blog you should check out: Ragamuffin Soul. You can click here or click it on my sidebar. All of us stat whores try to lend each other a hand. Carlos needs some love on his site so go now, then come back, then go, then come back. See each time you do that we get a “hit” (or “slam” as I call it). Sweet!

Alright. Time to go be a mom now. Plus, I need some more coffee.

Peace! [lol]

Link Lovin’ May 16, 2008

There are several new blogs posted on the right. Check them out.

• Big Ear Creations by Dave
• Candid Carrie
• Deadly Viper Character Assassins
• Flowerdust by Anne
• Run’n Like a Vagabond
• Without Wax by Pete

I was out of coffee this morning. I went walking without having my morning Joe first. I had the worst headache when I got home. Thank GOD Starbucks is less than 5 min away. So I go grocery shopping today. Not because we were out of everything (which we were). No. I went TODAY because we were out of coffee.

Now      That      Is       Some       Pathetic       Addiction        Right        There

While I am Not Sleeping May 16, 2008

I am losing sleep over this whole bridesmaid dress thing. I could have had a beautiful night’s rest and slept until 7:00 this morning. That would have been wonderful. Except my mind was racing about “what am I going to do if this dress ends up not fitting?”, “what if the alteration lady can’t make it fit?”, “how will that make my sister feel who has put so much time, effort, and money into her wedding?”. Ugh! I just can’t bear the thoughts and not thinking about it is impossible. I will think about it because that is what I do.

So while I was tossing and turning and trying not to think about it I had this thought. I wonder if any of you have done anything in your lives that you said you’d never do. I know it’s only mildly related, but when I toss and turn my mind goes in about 500 different directions. It’s annoying.

Here are 5 things from me - you need only reveal 1 unless you want to tell more.

1. I said I’d never let the TV babysit my kids
2. I said I’d never drink coffee
3. I said I’d never get a tattoo
4. I said I’d never leave my ex-husband
5. I said I’d never leave Ohio

Spill it kids. What have you done that you said you’d NEVER do?

Happy MD to Me! May 15, 2008

Everything was perfect.

We had a wonderful time.

Brianna’s feet, Mommy’s feet, Jeremy’s feet (he has toes, he buried them).

The End

Beach Day and Wedding Pains May 14, 2008

So tomorrow is my Mother’s Day — albeit delayed a bit. We are going to the beach in the morning, taking sunburnt naps in the afternoon, having friends for dinner in the evening, having sex after the kids go to bed, and passing out with sweaty smiles on our faces. Now THAT’s what I’m talkin’ about!!

I got my dress for my sister’s wedding in the mail today. It is so pretty. It is so small. Boo Hoo! This upset me so much that I almost cried. I think it was ordered in the wrong size. I could have sworn I told her a size such-and-such. I guess I didn’t. I guess I thought I would have lost this weight by now. I am exercising and trying to eat healthy. And the weird part is that it’s only small in my ribs. Everywhere else it fits fine. Who gets fat ribs? Thankfully I have an awesome alteration lady who can perform a miracle (she promised me she could). Fingers crossed! Because if she can’t perform a miracle I am going to tear right thru that zipper like I’m the Incredible Hulk if I cough, laugh, take a deep breath, or sneeze. I WISH I was kidding! Wanna see a relatively thin girl get squeezed into a piece of sausage casing? Come to her wedding! Yeah. Not funny even a little bit.

So that brings me to this next small dilemma. Maybe you can help. My youngest sister, who for the past few years has also been my closest sister, is getting married in February ‘09. At our house, we are actively trying to conceive. For those of you who aren’t good at math, that means I’ll either have a brandly spankin’ newborn baby (the third in line) or I’ll still be pregnant, hopefully in the final months (so think large, think very, very large — I am short so it goes out and I mean WAY out). I know my sister wants me in her wedding. But after having this long distance task of trying to be included in my other sister’s wedding, I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. And with a potential newborn and 2 other kids under the age of 5, how do I swing this trip anyway? “Oh why do they have to have 2 weddings in less than a year?”, I think selfishly.

Two weddings and a baby. Hey, now that might be a good book! Hmmm…

Ok. Gotta go organize for beach day. Heavy stuff goin’ on around here today. THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by and/or commented on my site or on this site regarding my post. Thank you VagabondRunn for the traffic. It is much appreciated.

See you peeps tamara! G’nite!

See Post Below May 14, 2008

I got rid of today’s post “Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap” because I still think the post below (”Abortion”) needs some blog time. 

I’ll be back later or tomorrow with something funny. Today needs to be focused on an issue. Not on a giggle.

Abortion May 13, 2008

I have so much I’d like to say about this atrocity of humanity.

I have grieved over this too many times. I cried for 3 days straight and finally asked God to take away the pain. I stopped reading stories and statistics. I had to walk away from it.

Even though I’ve had to protect my sanity regarding this issue, it continues to rage on every single day. It’s too big for me. It cuts me to the core.

You know how when something horrible happens in your life you wish the world would stop and take notice yet it continues to rage on without even a flicker. That’s how it is. Behind the dark curtain the problem gets bigger.

Who can help?

Right now I know of about 10 women trying so desperately to get pregnant that they are taking their temperatures, charting their cycles, checking their cervical mucous, peeing on ovulation detection sticks, and crossing their fingers in hopes of that one little egg being fertilized in order to have a baby.

Right now there are several women grieving the losses of their babies with no answers — because they had miscarriages or stillborn babies or babies who were born too early and died from immaturity of some sort.

Right now there are several women grieving the losses of their babies with answers — because they went through with an abortion. They will be scarred for life.

I personally know 2 women who have had an abortion. One has had 2 abortions. Neither of them forgives herself. Both of them feel immense guilt even though the acts were many, many years ago. They don’t forget.

Abortion physically kills an unborn child.

Abortion emotionally kills that baby’s mother.

How do we make it stop?

How?

I don’t have the answer. Not one answer.

I am left with grief for the loss of life (millions per year).

I am left with brokenness for the moms whose choices cannot be reversed.

And so many questions.

They are humans. They are alive. How can they be murdered?

This is what a baby looks like in utero.

I have a book that would absolutely amaze you.

It’s called “A Child is Born“.

Anyone considering abortion should see it.

Positive Tuesday May 13, 2008

Let’s see if anyone will participate today. Click “comments” and brag about your good self!

Today’s challenge:

If there is a moment today when you feel overwhelmed or defeated, tell yourself you CAN, you WILL, and you ARE!

You CAN do it, overcome it, persevere

You WILL achieve your goals, make a difference, go the extra mile

You ARE fearfully and wonderfully made, beautiful, worthy

Today is all about the positive within you. Now go be good to yourself!

                          Go ahead, baby — Kiss yourself!!

Evolution of Motherhood May 12, 2008

When I had Brianna, my firstborn:

• I sterilized everything
• If a pacifier fell on the floor I would not let her suck on it again until it had been sterilized.
• I washed her bedding and changing station every 2 days
• I got peed on, pooped on, and spit up on a lot
• I decided I no longer liked my cats and one by one starting planning their disappearances
• Sabrina (the pretty but stupid cat) started sleeping in her pack-n-play and hissed at her. Took that dumb, ignorant, sorry, stupid cat to the Humane Society the very next day. She’s lucky I didn’t kick her.
• I warned Sampson (the smart cat with a crooked tail) that he had better just watch it! He took me seriously, I could tell. He was smart as a whip, that one.
• I put her in her bouncy seat in the bathroom while I showered. Or I didn’t shower until she was asleep.
• I read all the books about raising intelligent babies. I did tummy time even though she hated it. I coaxed her to roll over and video taped it when she finally did it on her own. I was so excited!
• I held her and held her and held her. I rocked her and rocked her and rocked her. I sang and sang and sang. I read and read and read to her (still do).
• I did a lot of things one-handed. I learned how to wash my hands one at a time and got pretty darn good at it. I had to learn this because I was always holding her.
• If she cried I did everything I could to help her stop. That’s probably why I held her so much. She cried a lot (still does).
• I took her to the doctor every week. Ok - several times a week.
• I fed her nothing but Similac formula.
• I diapered her with nothing but Pampers.
• I dressed her in nothing but Gymboree (practically).
• I adore her every breath.

When I had Jeremy, my second born:

• I sterilized things when they first came out of the package for the first 3 months. After that, a good washing with some soapy water did the trick. Who has time to sterilize?
• If he dropped his pacifier on the floor I would run it under the faucet in some hot water.
• I washed his bedding whenever he peed or pooped on it.
• I got peed on once. He peed on the wall or himself a few times. I finally got the hang of a baby with a weiner and no more peeing on anyone. He never pooped on me. I learned that lesson. Spit up was not as severe as Brianna’s reflux, but I never went without a burp cloth. I learned that one too.
• Sampson ran away. He had had enough I suppose. I rejoiced! Rich was upset (he loved that cat — I did too before I had kids). Brianna was disappointed too. Again, I rejoiced!!
• I put him in his bouncy seat in the bathroom while I showered too. This was to keep his sister away from him. She was all of 19 months when he was born. I didn’t want her to kill him or anything.
• What are books? He watches Baby Einstein. He’s a genius. Who needs books? Ok, ok, I do read to him before naps and bedtime. Geesh!
• I laid him down every chance I got. The boy squirmed. He did that in utero and he does it still. Squirmy little tyke. He wore me out and made my back hurt.
• If he cried for no good reason, I ignored him unless he sounded like he’d gag on his own throat. He is better adjusted and calmer than his sister. Now what is up with that?
• I realized all those mommy books are lies.
• He goes to the doctor on his regularly scheduled check-ups unless I’m torn between giving him Children’s Motrin or going to the ER.
• I fed him Parents Choice (Walmart brand) Organic Formula and it cost $10 less than Similac
• I diapered him in whatever was on sale: Pampers or Huggies. Now I diaper him in Publix generic brand. The generic works just as good as the other kinds and costs HALF as much. The third child doesn’t stand a chance now.
• I was less concerned with tummy time. I didn’t worry about him rolling over. He sat on his own without much help. He started talking about the time he started crawling. By the time he was walking he was doing 2 to 3 word sentences. Now he’s a walking, talking, running, jumping, climbing, kicking, crazy funny, little genius boy.
• He wears whatever is given to him or on sale at Macy’s, Walmart, Target, or Boomerang consignment.
• He stole my heart and I hope he never gives it back.

When the third child is born… ?? But I’ll bet I won’t even run the dang pacifier under water. I’ll probably just wipe it on my shirt and carry on.

Help! May 12, 2008

A person who I sort-of know e-mailed me with an urgent note to call her. I know her from my last class at IRCC. We sat next to each other. That is the extent of our relationship – a class, a semester, at school. 

Anyway, I called her, but her phone had been disconnected. So I e-mailed her, “tried to call you but your phone isn’t working”. Long story short — she e-mailed me back with, “my husband tried to commit suicide…900mg of methamphetamine…in hospital…might be diagnosed with bipolar disorder”. Homey Heck No!! That is NOT the response I thought I would get.

So why “help!” in the title? Because I am flat out clueless on this one. I asked her if she was ok and if she needs anything. I don’t know what else. It took me about 5 minutes of hands positioned on the keyboard and mind racing with blank expression on my face to come up with that much.

When people shock me with their realities, I don’t know what to say or do or say or do. I get all knotted up inside and for those moments in my life I am rather speechless. My mind goes, “say something…but what…I don’t know but it better be good…say something…blank, blank, blank, fuzzzzzz”. While my brain is short-circuiting my face is all shocked expression and blinking eyes and that’s about it. I go frozen all over in about -2 seconds.

What would you do in this situation? Remember, I hardly know her.

Click on “comments” and give me the advice of the century. Please!

Thanks!