Weight Loss Update and New Fitness Challenge

This is it, folks. It's about to turn into March which means in one month I'll be celebrating my One Year Dietoversary! Whoa! In this past year, I've done the Wii Fit, the EA Sports Active, the Wii Fit Plus, and EA Sports Active More Workouts and I've lost almost 40 lbs. Wow!

Before pictures - March 25th 2009

April 4th - it's a waist!


June 12th - clothes getting looser


July 29th - even looser

9/13/09 - clothes falling off

Today (bloated, ugh. Such a problem lately!)
I switched clothes because, like I said, my others were falling off of me. I want clinging clothes so I can see the changes.


I've also added a back shot, so I can keep track of my back and butt, too. As you can see, I still have some work to do to tone my lower back area.

I look at these pictures and it's so remarkable to me to see the changes, because I don't actually see them with my own eyes everyday. Isn't that weird?! Don't get me wrong, I can feel the changes, and every so often I see my arms more toned, and see certain parts that have changed, but overall, I don't see that body when I see my reflection. When I look in the mirror, I see the person a few pictures up, still. It isn't until I take these pictures that I realize how well I'm doing, or how much I'm changing. It really, REALLY is a testament to how important it is that you photo-document your weight loss journey, if, for nothing else, to see the changes if you are like me and don't see them with your own eyes in your bathroom mirror.

Also, what else is important? Measurements. Take your measurements in various parts of your body, such as your arms, legs, neck as well as the typical waist and hips measurements, because at times (just like what's happening with me right now), the scale won't change much, if at all, but your inches? They will.

Unfortunately, despite the depicted changes in these pictures, I've hit a weight plateau again. In the past couple months I've been fluctuating between 136 and 141 religiously, and it's killing me to not hit the 130's solidly and stay there. So, my friends, it's time for Lisa to kick things up a notch.

Enter in the 30 Day Shred with Jillian Michaels. Hoo boy! I've just completed day two and I can tell you, I ache. Ha! Together with the Shrinking Jeans ladies, I'm working out with them by participating in their Sisterhood Spring Fling! Want to join us? I plan to get to that 40-pounds lost mark by the end of the challenge, which also coincides with my One Year Dietoversary. I want to celebrate by being able to definitively proclaim that I, Lisa Douglas, am will be 40-pounds lighter.

Forty pounds. Wow! I can't believe I'm coming up on that! That will be quite a feat. I'm so excited!

How about you? How are your weight loss goals coming along, what do you have going on with yourself right now? I would love to hear all about it!

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Dressing Up Kids is Ridiculously Fun

Oh me oh my!

I can't wait to get these on paper, in a frame, and on my wall.


We brought out some cutesy clothes, and played dress up. You can't go wrong with a pretty dress with matching coat and hat, now can you?

And my sweet Baby Don Johnson is rockin' the Miami Vice look with rolled up velour jacket, sweet dress up shoes and a rawkin' t-shirt that reads "That's how I roll" with a picture of a stroller. {respect knuckles for the creator of that shirt}


Entirely too much fun.

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To Do Tuesday Week 53

If this is your first time reading and you're wondering what To-Do Tuesday is all about, click to check out the first post to find out more.

First week into another year of To Do Tuesday, and I'm getting so much organizational/spring cleaning-ish stuff done, it's ridiculous. Unfortunately, I was unable to begin/finish before my nemesis reared it's ugly head, scaring the ever-loving crap out of me, making me consider torching the place and starting fresh.

But more on those adventures in spazzing out another time.

In the meantime, projects abound, boxes and bags to donate at the ready, I've been so busy that I haven't been around online too much. Cobwebs are forming here. Yikes! That and soccer started (OMGHELLOFOURTEAMS) so we're kind-of swamped. But it's a good swamped, the can't-slow-down, hair-on-fire, frenetic and fast-paced, causing you to fall asleep as you hit the couch, kind of swamped. I resemble a blur anymore.

*Continue decluttering one area a day. Pictures are forthcoming this week. It has seriously made the HUGEST difference in our house.
*Schedule doctor's appointments
*Spray for bugs in the house, because we need it!
*Finish working on backyard
*Check obsessively for tax refund {snicker}
*Call housing and beg for a new house (post forthcoming. Again.)
*Grocery shopping/print coupons/list for this week

Staying on my diet every day* (AND ACTUALLY DO IT! Most of the chocolate is gone, holiday is over, time to get crackin' again! Ugh!)
Work out on EAS Active More Workouts ALL WEEK {ahem}* (After finishing my 6 weeks, I haven't been regular between soccer starting and sickness abound. Must get back into it!)

*Will weigh tomorrow for the first time in a bit. Kinda freaked about it.

Today's motivation - focus. I could use some, but then again, couldn't we all? Having kids brings about a semi-adult case of ADD in that, you're pulled eleventy-billion places at once, and sometimes, without focus, things get overlooked, we get tired, agitated, and grumpy. No one wins when we're grumpy and unfocused. I'm going to begin writing my weekly and daily focus down on our wipe-off board. Want to join me? Perhaps, we'll add it to our lists, too?

My weekly goal- donations donated and closet cleaned out
My daily goal- work out, in some form, every day

--

Would you like to join us this week for To-Do Tuesday? Start with just a few things. Don't over-do it your first couple of times. You'll grow to become a list-a-holic later, start small now, though, k?
Just so you know, you can join us at anytime, it doesn't have to be on Tuesdays - the list will go up every Tuesday for you to link to, but you can make your list and link to us at any point in the week!

Remember, with "To-Do Tuesday", we're attacking our to-do lists each week, blogging about our lists and what we've got going on, and sharing it with each other to help keep each other accountable. Everyone should come back here to link up in the MckLinky as the central "To-Do Tuesday Hub" so we can visit who's participating and offer encouragement to each other throughout the week. Don't forget to add the "To-Do Tuesday" button to your post, linking back to this post!

Let's continue to cross items off our list as we go and help support each other in completing our lists! Don't forget my useful HTML tutorial on how to effectively "cross-out" or √ "check off" your items on your to-do list!

Joining us? Please add your link below (to your To Do Tuesday post, and not the main page of your blog)

Participants for Week 53

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Kissy Face

He was upset.
For the eleventy-billionth time today.
He bit his lip.
And cried.
And cried.
Nothing heals better than mommy's kisses.
And so
I fired 'em up
(my lips)
and planted a few (thousand) on his snackable cheeks.
Pretty soon the tears dried up.

And mommy had tears of her own.
It's times like these that take your breath away.
They're only little for a little while.
So I guess
I'd better get crackin'
To make sure I get plenty of kisses in.

You Capture: kisses

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My Kids Sleep Weird. Period.

I swear, I don't know how my children sleep in these strange ways. Especially my toddler, who is a force to be reckoned with in the sleep department. Rivaling my kindergartner, even.

This time, she fell asleep on my office chair. Don't ask how. I've stopped asking my children "how," because it will lead no where. Just accept my children have mad-crazy skills in the sleep department (you really should know this by now).

Either that, or I'm just wicked awesome with magical sleeping powers, or something.


I should just be happy, sleep is sleep, right?

For more Wednesday fun, visit Wordless Wednesday, 5MFM, MomSpective, MomDot, Seven Clown Circus and We Are THAT Family.

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To Do Tuesday Week 52 - ONE YEAR OLD!

If this is your first time reading and you're wondering what To-Do Tuesday is all about, click to check out the first post to find out more.

It's official!! To Do Tuesday is officially a year old! Woo hoo!

To celebrate, I plan on purchasing for one lucky To Do Tuesday-er one of these GORGEOUS Mini List Takers by Bits 'n Pieces, etc on Etsy (shown there on the right). I went searching one day and found these, and I think they are the cah-yoo-test things ever! Available in many fabric choices, they hold mini legal pad and a mini pen/mechanical pencil with a pocket to hold coupons, receipts, tickets, or, well anything you can fit there. Like me. I want to fit there, and carry myself in this. (It doesn't matter if I'm too big. Are you not seeing the cuteness here?!)

Is this not the most adorable creation? I am such a sucker for pink and browns, too. This fabric in particular is called "City Girl" by Kitty Yoshida. I need to buy the heck out of it and make curtains and bed spread for my girls, I love it that much. {ahem}

Back to celebrating - I want to personally thank every person who has ever participated in To Do Tuesday this year:

• Suzanne @ Crunchy Green Mom was my very first!
• Lindsay @ SAHM Need Coffee Breaks Too
  
• Amy @ Six Flower Mom
• Kate @ A Simple Walk
• Jen @ My Little Corner
• Lisa @ The Owl's Nest
• Trish @ Another Piece of the Puzzle (who sticks it out, week after week, and is the longest running To Do'er!)
• Steph @ Problem Solving Mom
• Summer @ Sublime Happiness
• Angie @ Annie's Home
• Learn to Love, Love to Learn
• Amanda @ The Hayden House
• Kim @ The Adventures of a SAHM
• Jess @ Life @ 30
• Buffie @ Pillaging with Buffie
• Lisa from Garden of Many
• Lisa from Life as Mommy to Princess Cadence and Duchess Bryleigh
  
• Amy from Swag Studio
• Stefany @ To Be Thode
• Laura@ Life of this SAHM
• Kristen @ A Day in the Life
• Our Little Wildflowers
• Shaye @ Miller Memories
• Michelle@Momstoppable
• Amanda @ Coping with Frugality
• JessieFinAZ @ The Geroux Crew
  
• Erika @MeSoupBlog
• Heather @ Home - Ec101
• Carolyn @ Taking The Time
• Christy @ At The Creek
• Katrina from Katrinas Home
• Lisa @ All That and a Box of Rocks
• Petula @ Its a womans world!
• Stephanie @ A High and Noble Calling
• Ang @ Just an Army Wife, Just A Mommy
• Sue @ Sue's Family, Fun & Flower Stuff
• Amy @ The Finer Things in Life
• Sky @ Seeryus Mama
• Nici @ PeasAndCoos
• Vanessa @ Military Wife Mayhem
• Sharee from This Young Mom
• Jeanine @ Neenee's Nook
• Amy Guzman
• Bobbi Janay @ When Did I Go From a Kid to a Grown Up?
• Vanessa @ Life Love Cats Couponing and Chocolate
• Tina @ Tales from Tina
• Joanna @ City Girl Gone Country
• Quirky Momma
• Marci @ Homeschooling - A Life
• Nicole @ A New Normal
• Adventures of a Military Family of 8
• Kim@Mission Mommy
• Carolyn @ Susan @Mommies are people too
• DeAna @ Balancing Act Basics
• Susan @ Monkey Mommy
• Elizabeth @ Suzy Q Homemaker
• klie0500 - God.Family.Life.
• The Domestic Contessa
  

Thanks to each and every one of you for sharing your list each week with us. Please, feel free to join us this week and link up your to do list for the chance to win that super-sweet etsy find above (in your choice of fabric)! (Note: one winner will be pulled from participating To Do Tuesday-ers on Tuesday, February 23rd)

This week, for my one-year To Do Tuesday anniversary list, here's what I have planned:

*Buy that fabric (above), because it is made of awesome and just owning it will make me happy
*Try not to eat my body weight in chocolate or sweets, as we have entirely too many in this house at present (dang Valentine's Day)
*Work out like a madwoman, we're on dessert overload here
*Get more of my declutterin' groove on!
*Grocery shopping/print coupons/list for this week
*External hard drive to the computer doctor
*Call IRS (yikes!)

Staying on my diet every day* (hello desserts, be kind to momma)
Work out on EAS Active More Workouts all week?* (Preferably, twice daily. I feel my ass growing already. Damn tasty chocolates!)

*Um. I call "V-day Week Off" - mainly because I'm too scaredy-cat afraid to hop on and see how much I might've gained from our feast 'n stuff. {ahem}

Today's motivation - celebration! Celebrate everything today - big, small and the in between. I love having celebrations and continuing the festivities days after, like eating birthday cake for breakfast the day after. So much fun! Try it, I bet you'll love it, too.

--

Would you like to join us this week for To-Do Tuesday? Start with just a few things. Don't over-do it your first couple of times. You'll grow to become a list-a-holic later, start small now, though, k?
Just so you know, you can join us at anytime, it doesn't have to be on Tuesdays - the list will go up every Tuesday for you to link to, but you can make your list and link to us at any point in the week!

Remember, with "To-Do Tuesday", we're attacking our to-do lists each week, blogging about our lists and what we've got going on, and sharing it with each other to help keep each other accountable. Everyone should come back here to link up in the MckLinky as the central "To-Do Tuesday Hub" so we can visit who's participating and offer encouragement to each other throughout the week. Don't forget to add the "To-Do Tuesday" button to your post, linking back to this post!

Let's continue to cross items off our list as we go and help support each other in completing our lists! Don't forget my useful HTML tutorial on how to effectively "cross-out" or √ "check off" your items on your to-do list!

Joining us? Please add your link below (to your To Do Tuesday post, and not the main page of your blog)

Participants for Week 52

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The Long Weekend and Happily Ever After at Home

The children had off from school for President's Day for a total of four days. They swore that their day off on Friday was because it snowed, despite it being marked on their school calendar long before the snow was forecasted. Silly kids.


We enjoyed a February snowman with chalk-colored eyes (which unfortunately appeared urine-colored. Ick.), knit hats with mittens and mushy snowball fights with splooshing boots in puddles of white.


And in true, Baby Dude-fashion, he cried in the snow. This time, because he didn't like the snow-wrestling taking place.


Although we discussed not getting each other presents, in true, husband-style-fashion, he surprised me anyway.


(And my kindergartner and toddler had to get in on decorating the card "just right")


We made quite a feast, filled with a little Prosciutto, Red Pepper and Spinach Stuffed Steak,


Shrimp Scampi for the seafood lovin' family folk,


Chicken Scampi for the unadventurous children (*cough*oldest-teenager-type-person*cough*)


Along with some lovely Seasoned Vegetables,


And Homemade Cheesy Garlic Bread.


But it was the desserts. Oh, the desserts! Homemade Pound Cake with Freshly Whipped Cream and Sugar-Coated Sliced Strawberries..


..and dreamy, silky, gorgeous Chocolate Pie from the heavens.


My husband and I spent the better part of Valentine's Day in the kitchen preparing this feast, filling our stomachs full with homemade splendor and our hearts full of love.

We may not have exchanged presents, but I can't imagine being given a better Valentine's Day.

{And to the handsome, husband-type person who stuck it out in the small(ish) kitchen with me yesterday (and every day), I adore you to pieces. Forever.}

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Mercy Like You've Never Seen

My kindergartner, Super M, says to me the other day at the dinner table, "Mommy? Do you weemember that chef-show that you was watching, dat had that big waydy (lady) who cooked sumfin awful? And she said 'Oh mercy!' Do you weemember it?"

I giggle. "Yes baby?"

He responds with a simple, "She was weawy (really) funny."

He made me laugh, but, because he's so sensitive, I didn't want to laugh outright. I stifled it as much as I could, giggled a little, but oh goodness me, he's so cute. "Okay, baby," I finally respond, snorting back more laughs as I clean my plate and head for the kitchen.

A few minutes later, I hear a commotion as I'm cleaning up. My toddler, I see, is making the hugest mess at the table, on all nights, spaghetti night. Super M announces while telling on her "Moooom! She's making mercy on her plaaaaate!"

Our new word for a mess - Mercy. For the win!

I. Love. It.

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When Life Gives You Oranges...

As I'm making dinner, my two youngest delve into the fridge into the produce drawer, and pull out two oranges. Moments later, I hear "thud" and "thump" and giggles. They're playing "ball" with the oranges, except they don't bounce, they just "thud."

Immediately, I call to them to put the oranges away.
More "thumping" and "thudding" and giggles.
And more huffing and puffing by me while I stir elbow macaroni and mash ground beef into a sizzling skillet.

I step away, hurriedly, to the laundry room, where I had discovered earlier a tennis ball had accidentally been tossed in with the laundry. A-ha! I think to myself, as though I've concocted the evilest of ideas. They want to play ball, I shall give them a ball, and they will be happy!

I re-enter the kitchen, to "thumps" and "bumps" and "thuds" with giggles. They had taken out even more oranges in their game of orange-ball to play with. Naturally, I confiscate them, replacing them with the lone tennis ball, showing them how to bounce it back and forth. My son looks at it, semi-intrigued, only mildly entertained, but he takes it, gladly, and begins his semi-throwing stance once more.

I resume cooking.
I think all is well.
Until, as I'm draining the macaroni, I hear the fridge open.
Again.
And the drawer open.
Again.
And giggles.
Along with "thumps" and "thuds"..
Again.

And it's about this time I realize, bounced oranges aren't so horrible. So what, they're softened a little for my school-aged kids' lunches the next day. I say, they were bounced with love, played with joyfully before being sent off to the slaughter by my children for their mid-day feast.

When life gives you oranges, bounce 'em!
Besides, they do kind-of make a funny sound when they fall.
A contagious one.
One that makes you giggle.
And think.
And love.
And let go.
And live.

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Valentine's Day Heart-Shaped Cookie Goodness

I have this old Betty Crocker cookbook from the 70's.

I used to use this with my mother while growing up. It gives me great pleasure to pull it from my cookbook shelf, delve into it with my grown-up fingers, knowing my child-like fingers used to strum these very pages while my mother, covered in flour and love would thumb through to find the very recipe I'm about to create for my children.

The feeling that comes over me is like a wash of tea down your throat after coming in from the cold. It almost tingles. It is just that good!

To peruse the tea-colored pages from years of wear. To see old ear-marks on pages I've never visited and see recipes my mother used.

Tingles.

And the heart-shaped sugar cookies for my children? So sweet. So perfect. Child-me would be so proud of Adult-me. See?


So. Much. Yum.

Sugar Cookies (the roll-out kind)

Ingredients:
3 1/4 flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp double-acting baking powder
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In large bowl, measure in all ingredients. With mixer at medium speed, beat until well mixed, occasionally scraping bowl.

2. Shape dough into a ball, wrap with waxed paper; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours untili easy to handle. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

3. On lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time, keeping rest refrigerated. For crisp cookies, roll paper thin. For softer cookies, roll 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.

4. With cookie cutters lightly floured, cut dough into various shapes (I used a heart, obviously). Reroll dough trimmings and continues to cut shapes.

5. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on greased cookie sheets.

6. Bake cookies for 8 minutes or until very lightly brown. With pancake turner, remove cookies to racks; cool completely.

To sugar or use sprinkles, brush tops with beat egg white and water to add sprinkles or sugar. I made a simple glaze using confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, vanilla and milk to glaze the top, and used a spoon to lightly spread it to cover the tops.

Enjoy!

For more Wednesday fun, visit Wordless Wednesday, 5MFM, MomSpective, MomDot, Seven Clown Circus and We Are THAT Family.

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To Do Tuesday Week 51

If this is your first time reading and you're wondering what To-Do Tuesday is all about, click to check out the first post to find out more.

While we may not be out from under the blanket of snot and coughing here, we are seemingly on the mend *fingers crossed* But Holy Antibiotics, Batman! I can hardly keep it all straight! The least they could've done was prescribe us all the same medicines, but noooo! I think the doc's in kahootz with Mr. Pharmacist, anyway.

More good news - I'm (slowly) getting back into the swing of things, here. Or at least, trying to. My husband is back from his week-long lock-picking class, so I'm no longer flying solo at home (which is stressful enough as it is, without being sick on top of it).

Things "behind the scenes" aren't moving or progressing either way yet, which is hard. Being stuck in the land of no information is difficult, because you don't know how to prepare or move on. Totally stuck in limbo right now. I will get into more detail on all of it soon, as soon as I get more information, I promise. I'm just keeping it close to my chest for now, in hopes it's all really nothing.

It's week 51. Next week is the big 5-2, the one year blogoversary of To-Do Tuesday! Wow! What can we do to celebrate, anyone have any ideas?

*Continue decluttering one area a day. I tell you, picking a project to fix, one at a time, and doing it helps SO MUCH, even if it is only a little here, a little there. It's making such a huge difference. I can't wait to take pictures and share what I've been up to!
*Valentine's Day preparations - need to make Valentine's for the class, shop for goodies, and bake. Class parties and such this week.
*Make a Mardi Grads float with my kindergartner. I can't believe they're gonna let him "pull his own float" in a parade at school. We're going to decorate our wagon! How cute is that!?
*Pay bills√
*Grocery shopping/print coupons/list for this week
*E-file Taxes (hopefully later today)

Staying on my diet every day*
Work out on EAS Active More Workouts again all week?* (Finished my 6 week challenge, woohoo!)

*Haven't weighed in because I was sick, and wasn't working out. But now that I'm feeling better, will get on the scale and check it out ;)

Today's motivation - decluttering. Spring cleaning doesn't have to be just in the spring, nor does it have to be horrible. Plan in advance by doing what I'm doing, and just one spot, one declutter challenge at a time. I've been finding relatively simple decluttering solutions for hot-spot areas of my house that BREED clutter. How about you?

--

Would you like to join us this week for To-Do Tuesday? Start with just a few things. Don't over-do it your first couple of times. You'll grow to become a list-a-holic later, start small now, though, k?
Just so you know, you can join us at anytime, it doesn't have to be on Tuesdays - the list will go up every Tuesday for you to link to, but you can make your list and link to us at any point in the week!

Remember, with "To-Do Tuesday", we're attacking our to-do lists each week, blogging about our lists and what we've got going on, and sharing it with each other to help keep each other accountable. Everyone should come back here to link up in the MckLinky as the central "To-Do Tuesday Hub" so we can visit who's participating and offer encouragement to each other throughout the week. Don't forget to add the "To-Do Tuesday" button to your post, linking back to this post!

Let's continue to cross items off our list as we go and help support each other in completing our lists! Don't forget my useful HTML tutorial on how to effectively "cross-out" or √ "check off" your items on your to-do list!

Joining us? Please add your link below (to your To Do Tuesday post, and not the main page of your blog)

Participants for Week 51

Never miss a post! Subscribe here for all kinds of crazy parenting fun!

Custom T-Shirts Made of Awesome

I am so freakin' excited! Lookie, lookie at what I got!

Isn't my shirt awesome!?

Making a custom T-shirt of your choice with Swarovski crystal rhinestones with your blog's name on it - yeah, I have to admit, that's pretty money right there. Oh yeah, baby! Bring on the blogging conferences! I can't wait to show this bad boy off!

JustJen.com has the absolute CUTEST options for custom T-shirts, personalized T-shirts, and rhinestone Clothing. My teenage daughter won't stop oogling my new fandangled shirt. Makes Christmas and birthday shopping for her easier for me!

(Psst! Hey Saints fans, they have Fleur de Lis clothing! How adorable are they?)

JustJen.com was just featured on the Today Show! How awesome is that?

I want to wear it all day. I'm so proud of it, I want to show it off everywhere. It's pretty comfy, to boot. In fact, I'm hoping a certain husband-type person buys me one of their Valentine's T-shirts {cough} (And if husband-type person is wondering, I love the Winged Heart T Shirt, the Hearts Valentine T Shirt, and the Chinese Love Symbol Shirt. Although I can totally see you buying me the I Love Panty with your name on it, of course.)

{ahem}

Thank you so much, JustJen.com, for sending me a custom t-shirt of my choice to review, and for creating such a wonderful shirt for me. I really do love it, and I can't wait to order more.

In case you're wondering what shirt/gem choices I ordered, firstly, I ordered my shirt in a size large, to allow for shrinkage in the wash, because they are form-fitting, and because, well, I breastfeed, and I need room up top for expansion for the twins, y'know. I would recommend ordering it a size larger, even if you aren't breastfeeding (just to be on the safe side). My t-shirt is organic, too, in the natural color, and the font is "Curly." My gem colors are amethyst for the word "Crazy", Crystal AB (opalescent) for the words "Adventures in", and Volcano for the word "Parenting."

So, what do you think? Do you like it? What would you get if you got one?

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A Mother's Prayer - "Today"

Today I'm going to smile, and mean it.
I won't half- listen,
or be too busy to respond.
I won't shoo them away if I'm occupied.

Today, I will try,
I will fight hard to not be cranky,
and I will hear it all for myself, not second-hand.

Today I'm going to snack on some baby cheeks
as much as possible.
I'm going to play tickle wars,
and video games,
and read and read and read,
and pretend the Jonas Brothers,
playing monsters,
and the princesses are the awesomest things ever.

Today I'm not going to snap,
or overreact.
I'm not going to get upset,
(please don't let me get upset)
I will promise to count to ten before reacting,
while taking deep breaths.

Today I'm going to laugh a little bit more,
and be brave a little bit more.
I will hug and kiss them,
and remember they're still learning,
just as I'm still learning, too.

Today I will try not to forget their feelings,
and hope and pray they remember mine, too.
(And perhaps my sanity)

Even if it's not okay,
I will live and breathe as though it is.
Because they are worth it.
And so am I.

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Adventures with Child Proof Caps, and the Pharmacist is Out to Get Me

The Pharmacist-jerk is mocking me, I tell you. Child proof caps my ass! I know I'm all-kinds-of stuffed up and sick-like, but c'mon, I can't twist the damn caps to save. my. life. (or, should I say, save my cough). What the hell did you do, superglue them shut? Oh, you did, didn't you?

I just spilled cough medicine all over the floor, wrestling the bottle into a Full Nelson to get it open. Why? Why must you mock me, Mr. Pharmacist? Did I stop you with my eye daggers in the middle of your diatribe as you were about to explain there is some super-secret handshake to get the bottles open? Did I miss the memo where you enter a code, or push the circular shape at the bottom of the bottle for it to click-pop open?

Or am I just ridiculous exhausted, sick, and apparently too stupid to work child proof caps?

I say, you're mocking me, dude.

I know you saw me there again, today. And I know your game, pal. I know you told your little Pharmacist-buddy to read me my labels today, too. Thank goodness there weren't as many as yesterday (nor as many children), or I might've hopped over the counter and clubbed your ass like a baby seal. Or maybe I wouldn't have, because you make those counters so high. Is that why those counters are so high? To prevent sleep-deprived, strep-infected moms-of-many from jumping through and terrorizing you Sybil-style?

Oh yeah, dude. I'm on to your games, now.

And little do you know, despite your super-squirrelly efforts to mess with my head and super glue my meds shut, I gotcha, pal. I. Got. You.

It's called a blow-fricken-torch, baby. WHAT UP!

{high fives self}

(Wait, can you high five yourself? Or is it just a clap? Did I just clap for myself? That's.. um.. weird.)

Hmm.. methinks I drank too much cough medicine by sucking it up from the floor with a straw. Whoops.

(What? The floor was clean. So was the straw.)

Too bad the straw didn't have a measurement on it like the measuring cup. Double-whoops.

(Wait, where'd that unicorn come from? Oh my crap, the pharmacist sent you, didn't he? To SPY on me!!

(Um, I think I need to go to bed.)

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Dear Mr. Pharmacist - Don't Be a Jerk-Nugget

(I couldn't stop myself from venting about this after my fiasco of an experience yesterday...)
Dear Mr. Pharmacist-type person,

I'm sure you're just doing your "job" in an attempt to be overly thorough. Or perhaps you're just new at it, and doing your job the way it was originally intended (and subsequently seen as 'overkill' by those who have been at it for a while). Or maybe you thought I was just some young, stupid Army wife who can't read, or something. But Mr. Pharmacist AKA Killer of Any Remaining Joy, I beg of you, if I'm there with four of my six children in tow, SICK children in fact, and we're all red-eyed, teary, sniffly, coughing and whiny, and I'm hunched over your desk desperately picking up eleventy-billion friggin' medicines from you for all of us, please, for the love of whatever you consider holy, DO NOT STOP AND TAKE THE TIME TO READ ALL ELEVENTY-BILLION LABELS TO ME, ONE AT A TIME!

Dude, my kids were literally about to set friggin' FIRE to the pharmacy, and there you were talking to me like I was four-years-old, instructing me on how, when and with whom to administer each set of medications. I mean, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, do you not have children? Did you not see snotty noses, coughing and kids tugging at their ears, wanting their naps and lunch?

But noooo, you had to take the time to READ. EACH. STINKIN'. LABEL. and then ask me which kid was which, so you could then POINT. EACH. KID'S. MEDICINE. OUT to me. Are you @$%&*&*% kidding me? Do I have a big "I'm an idiot" sign on my forehead?

Oh yeah, I do, for having to take four sick kids to the doctor's by myself, and expect the pharmacist not be a douche-bag. My mistake.


{bangs head}


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