A great idea.

Not sure how long this has been available, but it's a great idea: the National Do Not Call List. There are exceptions to the rule, but your average telemarketer will have to leave you alone.

YAY!

You should add yourself to the list!

Skeletons Buried Under My Couch

My youngest child wonders what his mother has been hiding from him...some strange mysteries from the past perhaps?


This matter requires some further attention...


Ah! I see a complex problem from the past! It appears to be wanting attention.


Yikes! Another skeleton! I DO have problems!!


What sort of skeletons do you have that are creeping out from under YOUR couch?

Too early, too early, MUCH much too early.

The morning has come too soon,
I feel so tired I could almost swoon.

I blink
and I peer
I daze
and I stare
Trying to see more than the fuzz of my hair.

A screech
and a scream
a laugh
and a giggle,

Three little children have started to wiggle
and I can hear their little feet
patter.

Nothing for me could be better
Than a restful peaceful morning in bed
Some quiet
a tea
or a coffee
and a book to be read...
THAT is what I could use by my bed.

NOT three little energy-full children.

It does not seem to matter
That I'm in no mood for chatter

Nope, it does not matter at all to them
I feel all of my energy
drained
drained

and then...

All around me the voices have said
"It is time for Mommy to get out of bed!"

Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm just not feeling ok.
What's wrong?
I'm wearing a sweater, and I'm still actually

COLD.


I even enjoyed some tea.

Said I loved you but I lied

Today is a good day. I haven't even yelled at the kids, not even once yet. And it's the afternoon already!! Yuppers, it's true.


Matthew loves standing himself up now. Which is rather a nuisance when it's time for him to go down for his nap. (Note to self: make sure I put duct tape on the shopping list.) Usually when I check on him his grin is even wider than this one (he's confused by the camera's presence). So yeah, do I pick up the cute grinning kid or tell him off and lay him down again? That is a tough call! One of life's more complicated decisions. ;)


He's thinking, if you're gonna let me out, then get on with it! Melanie, on the other hand, thinks it's so much fun that she should join right in.


Matthew being a blockhead. As usual.


This is a fence with animals penned in. All sorts of animals. Having clutzy Melanie bump them, even ever so slightly, was not a positive experience for poor Nathan.


Melanie being her cute difficult self.


Me being relaxed and no longer being a really angry frustrated and goal driven mother. Because the battle is over. And I lost...at least it's over.


My brilliant idea of a new activity to keep the kids out of my hair while I'm prepping dinner. Not recommended. It lasted only 5 minutes peacefully, and required 2 minutes to set up. Very low pay off, for very little benefit.


Enjoying it...if only ever so briefly.


Nathan is concentrating hard, but also trying very hard to avoid the annoying photographer. (No, I couldn't possibly be referring to my lovely self.)


Getting-bored-already look.


Give me five!
(I could use a little more than five myself. :p )




All bundled up and ready for the park.


The long lost park has been found...its a bit like Atlantis these days...


I think a crazy carpet could help here.


Yup, kids are weird. She's trying to squish a snowball with her belly...and thinks it's the funniest thing she ever did do.



Just in case the snow melted in our yard, we thought we'd bring a little more to ours. It's not stealing is it?

Maybe I should get some counselling after all

Everything has been driving me crazy lately. Not least of all, being three wonderful cherubs. Some days I think that I should send them off for a week or a month so that I could get my act together, and then I'd also appreciate them more again. Get my act together? Yes, my act. Like, my housecleaning act, my everything wife-ly and mother-ly and organizing-ly and renovation-ly and seamstress-ly, and all that-ly act.

My house has been especially annoying too. Ugly paint, and peeling walls is ok to live with when you know it's temporary. But it's been over a year now, and it's been feeling a little too untemporary by now. STILL waiting for the fabric to come in (hopefully this week if I'm not being ripped off completely). Maybe by this weekend. Once it's in we can have a better idea on exactly what shades of blue and yellow we want. And then MAYBE we can actually go nuts with the brushes, but until then...I decided to get some decorations to cheer up the atmosphere and to maintain what little left I have of my sanity.

I'm very pleased with my center piece. It looks great. But there are always too many books and papers stashed on the table beside it, which kinda puts a damper on its effect. Anyone have a gold colored magazine rack for me? And the candle lid can come off...but it is a scented candle. Why do all candles have to have girlie scents? I could use one that smells lie oil and gasoline exhaust. Like the chainsaw exhaust I enjoyed sniffing the other day.


I added this red ribbon myself, and designed it myself. So lovely. I am so talented--some days. Maybe one day I'll get around to making a whole bunch more smallish ones and add them to my two other decoration pieces

to sort of unify the look.
Maybe one day I'll get around to it.
Stay optimistic my shrink would keep saying. ;)

Here are the minimal amount of explanations required to accompany the culmination of my recurring photographs.

It's a potty party! But unfortunately, that doesn't mean things have been going well.
*deep sighs of frustration*


Stranded on a desert island! Yup, he got up there himself, but also didn't dare get off of it by himself. Silly kid!


Yes I do wear sweaters sometimes! Even if they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I'm desperate--I'll try ANYTHING!

Well, it sounded like a good idea at the time.





However, the long term effectiveness of the idea was not as good.
Alas.
Back to square one.
But aren't those ear coverings styling? I made them myself. :) :)