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Friday, August 29, 2008

Listen to Your Mother



If only my daughter had, today. I tell her over and over again, not to run in the house, but she just doesn't listen.

Lilly was running through the house today, tripped on something and fell, head first, into the edge of a wall. She busted her head open pretty badly. It looked like the corner of a wall was taken right out of her head.

It was really terrifying as a parent, to see something like that happen right in front of you. You expect kids to get hurt, but this so out of the blue, in our own home, a place you feel safe, that it was even more mortifying.

We had to call 911, something I had never worried about before. In fact, when we moved here, we selected Vonnage as our phone company, not even considering that 911 was different, and it does take just a little longer. Something we will always consider from here on out.

The first responders and an ambulance came. We had kept a towel and ice on the wound the entire time. So, it wasn't bleeding profusely anymore by the time they got here. The crazy thing is that I knew the fire fighter who seemed to take the lead! His wife has been in my moms group for a while. I had no idea that he worked right by our house. Made that a little more comforting.

A friend of ours and her son were at the house with us when this all happened. Thankfully, my friend volunteered to stay with Ava while we went to the hospital. They took us to the ER by ambulance. Lilly was pretty cool the during the ride. She was even trying to impress the EMTs by doing math for them on the way. I guess math is impressive to a five year old.

She had to get 6 staples in her head. They couldn't numb her before hand, because she wouldn't' let them. It was pretty horrible, but she was a tough little trooper all in all.

As petty as it may sound, I am really glad they didn't have to shave her head with school starting next week. Bless her little heart.

Now, I keep telling her, this is why you should listen to me when I tell you not to bounce on the couch, run in the house, etc. Let this be a lesson to all kids everywhere. We as parents try to look out for you, not try to keep you from having fun. We don't want things like that to happen to anyone. Read them this post, and show them the picture. Tell them that they should always listen to you. Hopefully she learned a lesson from it all.

Lilly will be fine, and no one will ever see her scar unless she shows them. She will have a gnarly one to show off when she wants, for sure, though.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

What are you doing?

This election has seriously had me in turmoil. I don't like any of the candidates. I don't. It seems like they are getting father and farther away from mainstream America and representing the extreme fringe elements on both sides more and more.

How did we let this happen? How has our nation moved so far away from what it really wants?

I don't know. I wish I did. The whole process has had me a bit down in the dumps. I feel like I have somehow been left out of the process before it is even over. I feel ineffective. It seems like all I can do is bitch and moan about how all the candidates suck this time. It has really left me feeling lost.

I don't like the candidate that I know I am going to vote for, but I vehemently oppose the other guy.

So, what's a girl to do? How do you get over feeling lost in this terrible storm of an election cycle?

Well, this girl has decided to take action in the only way she can. I can't in all honesty campaign for my candidate, but I can campaign against the other guy. That's what I am going to do.

I know that sounds crazy, a group that isn't designed to support anyone, but to campaign against someone instead. However, I feel like this is something that is really needed. I finally feel like part of the process again.

What are you doing to feel like part of this process?

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Some Days....

Some days, I am not a good mother. I lose my temper with my kids, and I yell. I am bad mother. At least, it feels that way. Today is one of those days.

Some days, you wake up well before the crack of dawn to a child who simply refuses to go back to sleep. That child refuses to take naps, and demands all of your attention, in a tired stressed out continual melt down way. Today is one of those days.

Some days, you find your self going to to toe with a 5 year old over absolutely everything under the sun. Neither one of you is willing to back down, and though you are the parental authority, you seem to forget, in the heat of the moment, that fighting is for naught and you could simply send them to their room, instead, continuing the inane process of the fight. Today is one of those days.

Some days, when you are at your wits end, you realize that Mommy needs a time out, as much as the kids do. Sometimes more. Today is one of those days.

Some days, you just have to know in your heart that all the tears, the hurt, the pain, all of that is temporary, but that the love is forever. You have to muddle through knowing that there will be better days. That this is all just a phase, and that eventually, they grow up, and you will long for the days when they were 5 years old, and brave enough to go toe to toe with you. Today is one of those days.

Some days, you just need a hug. Today is one of those days.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Please, Please, Be Offended

It seems like just about every day I get into a discussion either about something that has offended someone, someone who wouldn't act out of fear of offending, or just the way that everybody and everything seems to be offensive these days.

Well, I personally, am not offended, but it seems like the rest of the world is constantly in the state of being offended or another. The act of being offended has gone well beyond ridiculous, and straight to asinine. More over, we aren't just offended anymore. The things people say and do are not simple offensive, but hateful. The term "Hate Speech" raises my ire more that most things right now. Everything is hate speech. If you disagree with someone, you are a hater. You know nothing, and you are nothing, because you cease to exist, one you are found to be a hater, who only uses hate speech.

Seriously, people, give it a rest. If you don't like something, don't support it, but then get over it. Were a nation of ridiculous people who are terrified to open their mouth for fear over offending someone.

Our current presidential election is a great example. If I hear one more person or candidate apologize for an attack add, or talk about how they oppose of any attacks on their opponent, etc, I think I am going to upchuck. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen If you can't take the political shots, don't run for office. These men are supposed to lead our nation, and they can't even stand up for themselves. Man up, fellas. I am terrified of the next 4 years no matter who wins.

The next time some one tells me I am fat, I am going to tell them that I don't appreciate their hate speech, that they should know better then to be so offensive, and since they are now a hater, I won't be talking to them anymore. Now, I just have to hope it isn't my Dr, because I really like her, and don't want to find another one.

Ugg. All of screaming people do about hate filled, offensive speech from haters is on my last nerve. Actually, I find it all rather offensive. Harumph.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Friendly, Not Overlyfriendly, Please.

I really prefer my service industry personnel to be friendly, but not over friendly. I mean that. I have issues with people that are just needlessly over friendly.

I was out shopping with a friend today, and she convinced me that I should go into Macy's with her to shop.

Let me stop here to say that I am not a Macy's shopper. It is not in my price range. Not even in my price hemisphere on a general basis. However, my friend has been telling me for years, and I mean years, that they have great clearance sales on kid's clothes. My usual reply is, "MmmmHmmmm" and then I keep walking. However, I decided to go today. Low and behold she was right! I found some kick butt deals, and this is coming from someone who would admit to buying kids clothes at KMart, if we still had one.

So, anyway, I bought a top of crap. When it is $3.99 a piece, and your daughter needs school clothes, it is ok to buy a ton. I go to check out, and wait what seemed like forever for just 2 other people to pay.

Now, it wasn't that the people has a lot of stuff, or that I was just so impatient that it seemed like forever. This time, it was the cashier. She was overly, and I mean overly, friendly. In fact, I would say that she hoped right over the line from friendly to annoying an kind of bothersome. No one could just pay and leave because she kept wanting to have a real conversation with people. She wanted to actually tell you about her family, her friends, who she buys clothes for her self, that cousin Sue called her today and told her that she bought and outfit for JR, so now she has to pick something out for cousin Sue's kid after work, and on, and on, and on. It took forever, I tell you. And all of us in line were uncomfortable, and irritated.

Its ok to tell me that you have kids too, but don't tell me that you can't wait for school to start, because your kids have been driving you crazy. I'm sorry that your grandmomma wouldn't let you play video games, and that has affected the way you raise your own children, but in all honestly, that has no bearing on our business situation. That is what this is; a business transaction. Plain, quick, and simple. Business.

For whatever reason, I get people like this all the time. I don't know if it is because I smile, and try to be polite to everyone, but that doesn't mean that I want to hear your life's story.

So, overly friendly people, take note. If I do not know you personally, I do not want to know when your lunch break is, what you are having for lunch, what your children do that drives you crazy, how badly you want to quit your job, how many other jobs you have had, how many times a day you talk to your mother, how many days it has been since your boyfriend went to jail, what he did to get put in jail, (seriously had someone at a retail establishment lay those on me), if you actually believe in dragons (that is a real one too), or anything else as such!

What I want you to do, is be courteous. Say hello. You can make small talk, but I mean small talk. One comment about my children will suffice. When I ask how you are doing in response to your courteous efforts, give me a one sentence answer that is either positive or apathetic if you are having a bad day, but don't be negative. Lie if you must. That should suffice for all non essential conversation, except, of course, for the obligatory, "Thanks you"s, and "Have a good rest of the day"s. Really, nothing else is needed, warranted, or wanted.

I would much appreciate that.

Then, when I reply with a "You have a good day, too", I will actually mean it.

Thank you for your co-operation, from here on out.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Lychee - Good for dishpan hands


My husband is a little odd when it comes to food. While he won't eat a tomato to save his life, he loves some of the oddest tasting foods ever, including Lychee. He brought home a big bag of them yesterday from the grocery store, pleased as punch with himself for getting them.

He and the little one ate about half the bag as soon as they got them home. My baby is going to have an iron stomach, I swear.

So, last night, he forces me to taste this thing. Now, first of all, I am completely grossed out by just the sight. They look like big eyeballs. Really. They do. After that image hit me, and I shared it, he made it worse by pretending they were big eyeballs. Have a mentioned that he is really just a big kid before? After he pesters me to eat the eyeball for a while longer, I realize that there is no way he is going to let up, until I try.

I give in, and get the smallest taste I can manage. They taste about as good as they look, in my opinion. I do not understand why so many people love these things. It has to be an acquired taste. To me, they tasted like dish soap. Yup, go take a big whiff of the bottle of dawn sitting on your sink, and that's exactly what they tasted like to me. My husband vehemently disagrees. I finally looked them up online. Guess what. Lychee are members of the soapberry family. I don't make this stuff up. Couldn't if I tried. So, I am right, and I have proof.
Lychee - good for dishpan hands, and takes the grease right off. Or, at least they taste that way.

Good Teeth or a Car

I feel like my husband and I need to ask our oldest daughter, Lilly, if she wants to have pretty teeth, or a car when she turns 16, because after the visit we had with the dentist, that looks like what it is going to come down to.

Why is dental care so frigin expensive?? More importantly, why is dental insurance worth crap???

Already, were talking serious money, and this is just her baby teeth. Once her real ones start to come in, the kid is going to have some seriously sucky issues with over crowding. He pretty much laid out our path, and I am not kidding that I fully expect to end up paying as much on her teeth as I would have a cheap car for her.
I just do not get it. Why is it that we, as a society, just accept that dental insurance is crap, and either go into the poor house to keep a pretty smile, or don't take care of our teeth because we know we can't afford it. I know I avoid the dentist like the plague because I live in fear of that bill they will send me.

Speaking of sending a bill, Dental offices don't even tell you up front how much they will pay. The receptionist told me that she would send me a written estimate of how much it would cost. Seriously? Now I really do feel more like the car and the teeth are similar, because I feel like I am dealing with a car salesman. Can I slide that paper back to them with a smaller number on it? Think that would work?

I'm sure it wouldn't. Now I need to go out and find a second insurance plan, so that hopefully, having two insurance plans pay together toward her teeth will take us from paying for a sedan to a Yugo. Hopefully.