Writing challenge day 3- describe your day in detail

4:45am brings my eyes wide open. Here I am again, unable to sleep. As I strip myself out of my toddler's warm, sweaty brace I blow a kiss to my snoring husband and climb over the three baskets of clean laundry that has yet to be put away. I quietly, and ever so gently motion for my dog, leela to get out of the room, if I don't her wet nose will soon be jabbed in my husband's face making for a very grumpy day. As I wait for the lifeline that is coffee to brew I realize I still have last nights "blues clues" song stuck in my head, and I've been unconsciously humming it for how long? I'm not sure. I think, "god I'm pathetic" only I say it out loud and the dog cocks her head to the side.

I love the morning, I love how quiet my house is. I love turning on the heat, and waiting for the horrid bang, cough, sputter it makes as it comes to life. It's become a comfort to me. I gingerly take my first few sips, and contimplate my day. Sierra needs her wigwam project done soon, I need to pick up the rest of the supplies for both her, and Chloe's halloween party, and I have a hell of a lot of baking to do. The dogs need to go out, I rush to the door before they start barking and mauling me, because my efforts to keep quiet always fail. This is my time, my precious time, and if one of my 4 sleeping loves I may have to sedate them to get back to my wonderful alone time. Pinterest calls my name, and soon I'm lost in imaginary crafts I made with my own two hands displaying them around my luxurious house for all to see much like I did when I colored inside the lines and showed my mom.

A hour, a half full cup of cold coffee, and a sleepy self realizes it's been a hour and the little loves of my life are all waking. Me time is over. I throw breakfast at them, give the half dead husband a kiss goodbye, he's mastered waking up a whole ten minutes before shuffling off to work, and my day is in full swing. I chase Chloe (the five year old) with a bowl of Cheerios begging and pleading for her to eat, while the Allie (the two year old) attacks my leg like a rabid dog screaming with fat crocodile years streaming down her face, wanting to "hold me". I swing her onto my hip, throw clothes at the kids and get them ready for the bus that Chloe has exclaimed for the millionth time she wants to ride this morning. What a treat! I don't have to get dressed! Sierra (the nine year old), God love her has become self sufficient and only needs me to find her left shoe, a brush, and her homework all while throwing her legendary morning tantrum because she's "exahuuassteeed". I get the shoe, run a brush through her hair, notice Chloe isn't wearing underwear, get it on her, put allie's breakfast on her tray, and find the homework. They're out the door and the craziness has subsided. Until about thirty seconds later where the shrill sound of Chloe screaming comes raining through my house like a freight train. She "doesn't want to take the bus!!!" As she runs up the walk way the bus passes.

Without putting more suitable clothing on, (I should mention we live in a pretty upscale town) did I mention Allie now has syrup in her hair? And stained hand-me-down Mickey Jammie's on? This should be fun. I throw them all in the car muttering curses under my breath for being such a pushover, while Chloe now cries she doesn't want to go to school. Explaining the importance of kindergarten to a five year old is like trying to reason with a goldfish. It just doesn't happen. I pull up to the school, calmly I try to convince her of the greatness she's about to embark on while trying not to cry and scream myself. There are now seven cars behind me patiently waiting to drop their littles off in the very spot I'm blocking. As parents usher their kids in they start to watch as this little five year old throws the mother of all tantrums and I start to simultaneously rip my bed head out while banging it against the steering wheel. Finally I convince her that if she goes I'll take care of all her children when she grows up so she can sit quietly at home not having to deal with this. Did I mention I was out of the car by now? And the seven cars turned into nine with a mini bus waiting... Not my proudest moment.

I quickly run home and wash what I can of myself with a baby wipe, do the same to Allie. I quickly decide I don't have time to wash syrup hair, and opt for a pony tail. Her hair is insanely curly so it had the look of "something about Mary" and "frankensteins bride", thanks to all of this I am now late (as always) for the orthadontist, because to add insult to injury I am a 31 year old who needed braces for a incredible jaw problem that makes me feel like my head is imploding. Good times. Luckily the nurses there know what a lunatic I am. I'll spare you the details of that visit but it involved a "super chain" and a pair of pliers that hurt worse than giving birth.

It's lunchtime when we return from our morning errands, and today I decide we will eat healthy...until I open the fridge and see I need to go grocery shopping. PB&J it is! My poor husband comes home for lunch to a very grumpy wife who is in desperate need of a nap, and a hard drink. I make a note that I need to start drinking as Allie not only feeds the dogs the entire contents of her lunch but finds it funny to shower them with her milk. I try to carry on a conversation with him  about his work for the day while juggling anythig I can grab for a ten minute pick-up time before Allie is released from her high chair to just destroy it again. As he leaves I think to myself that I should take Allie for a walk, the fresh air will do us good. No sooner do I get her on the road does she start yelling at a fellow walker to watch out for a car that was a half mile away, yelling "you're gonna go to the hospital!", just doesn't sound right coming from a two year old.

After we find every pretty leaf we can I load her into the car to surprise Chloe, and pick her up early from school so we can enjoy the afternoon playing at the park. Sierra will be going to a play date before her choir practice, and poor Chloe is the middle child, that statement always fills me with guilt but what they say about the middle child is true, they get the short end of the stick. Plus, Chloe is short. Her teacher drops her off to me with new requests for the halloween party and pleads with me to come early to help for a parade that day. 18 kindergarteners being rangles while wearing costumes sounds like a good time to me! We head off with Chloe happily chirping away about her surprise park day. I give her and Allie a million under doggies, and tornado spins on the swings till my arms hurt, and we blissfully go home to a house that smells like baby poop. The dog has a certain craving for such things and feels the need to shred any diaper within sniffing radius. I clean again.

Allie needs a nap, but we have to pick Sierra and her friend up from choir practice, they rambunctiously get into the van and her friend says "your van is so messy!" , thanks kid. I drop her off and head home to start dinner only to realize for the second time, I need to go grocery shopping..leftovers! The husband returns from a hard days work to children fighting, mad chaos ensuing, and again a very grumpy wife who needs a drink...haven't started it yet, damn. I beg for a few minutes to run to the store for a few things, and praise him when he concedes that I "need a break", it was a lovely experience. Twenty minutes of no interruptions. They all eat while screaming at each other over who gets what cup we read a few halloween books, Allie needs to re-read "where's BOO hiding", and the knock knock part over a few thousand times.

Jammie's are handed out, faces are washed, teeth are brushed and bed time snuggles are given. Just as I sit down, ready to watch our favorite show with the love of my life (whom noticeably has been ignored throughout this story) Chloe comes out to announce she will not be going to school in a fit of tears. I console, I give love, Stephen puts her back to bed after singing her song "you are my sunshine" and we nestle in to "our time". Only it's not our time because Allie still sleeps with us and will not be retiring till we do. While we watch our show we alternate playing peek-a-boo, tinkle bug, coloring on out faces (not by choice believe me) and the famous "get me this, get me that game" till we are too tired to keep our eyes open, but early enough to feel old and lame. I digress, and settle in to sleep next to the stranger that is the love of my life, with promises of all the alone time we will ever want when the girls are older. He kisses me, rubs my back, and with a sigh slowly starts snoring beside me.

This is my life. It may seem mundane, and boring, but it is my crazy, comical life. Some days are great, and others not so much. I wouldn't change a thing, we are all a team, and the love that fills our house is contagious. I'm proud of my family, and of each individual piece that makes us a unit. Thank you for taking the time to read the novel of a blog post, sorry about the typos I'm too tired to re-read this.

Writing challenge 2- 10 things I love, and 10 things not so much

Obviously I love my family, and the easy stuff I could list so I'll put my own spin on this.

1. I love chai tea on a fall day, I always say it's like drinking fall in a cup. It reminds me of one of the dearest friends I've ever had. If you couple it with fuzzy sweats and a good book I'm in heaven.

2. I love the smell of my girls hair after they've played outside, I think it must be what the sun smells like. They often get annoyed with me for sticking my nose in their hair, but I never want to forget that smell do I breath it in as often as I can.

3. I love taking my socks off in bed, I can't do it before I get into bed, I have to take them off with my toes and relish in the soft blanket beneath them.

4. I love the feeling  of conditioner running out of my hair while showering, it is the sweetest cleanse.

5. I love the number 13, and anything in 3's. Sets of 3's, it's a obsession. My husband has even jumped on that band wagon, the main reason is "I love you" is 3 words, so 3 kisses, 3, squeezes, 3 anything can say I love you without saying it. The girls even do the 3's too. 13 is because I was born on the 13th, it's my lucky number haha.

6. I love to wrap up in a pile of my family, all snuggles up watching a good Disney movie. Those are some of my favorite times.

7. I love watching the sunrise, it always makes me feel closer to god and is often when I pray the most. Especially because I usually fall asleep while I'm praying at night. The sunrise offers a new beginning to me, so in that for me everyday is a new beginning.

8. Off the the sunrise I love full moons. The moonlight is enchanting, and magical. I love how the night gets lot up, and I love the crazy things it does to my body and those around me. I'm most emotional and will not sleep when the moon is full. As a child I practically lived at the nursing homes my mother worked at, and I will attest the full moon did crazy things to the residents.

9. I love Phil Collins. I love music, most of it surrounds me with memories of my parents, and brother. They each have their own musical artists I associate them with, and certain memories of mundane things we were doing while listening along. But Phil Collins was just for my dad and I, he gave me the gift of cranking up the part in "in the air tonight" when the drums go crazy, I will always air drum the crap out of that. I've passed the musical love to my girls and Stephen, even they do the drum part too.

10. This goes off the last one, the thing I think I love most is that whenever "dancing with myself" by billy idol comes on everyone in our family, (or whoever is visiting) has to stop what they are doing to dance to it. We all run and dance around each other, which is ironic since it's about dancing alone. I've always said I want that song played at my funeral, because since I was a baby dancing has been a huge love in my life.

Things that I don't like-

1. The smell of 90 weight, I can taste it when Stephen walks in the door with it covering him from a car he worked on. When I was pregnant he had to change at work before he was able to come in.

2. Living across the street from a busy business. I love people, and socializing, but when I'm having a bad day and going to my car while people are yelling across at me that "there sure a lot of toys in your yard, you should start a daycare" it's not something I want to hear and only makes me feel self conscious that my house looks dumpy.

3. Not being able to sleep in because my body won't let me. Gone are the days of wishing my kids would sleep in so I could start my day a little later. Now I'm up before the sun no matter how late I've gone to bed.

4. Judgement. Who likes to be judged? Unless your life is perfect don't judge anyone. It bothers me when it's me who's being judged or anyone else, you don't know their life, you don't own rights to it, so you should just learn to keep your opinions to yourself.

5. When people who are supposed to are about me talk behind my back. I understand venting but in situations where the relationship was fine, and I've been nothing but nice please watch what you say. People listen, people tell, and all you're doing is causing pain. It hurts.

6. Raking leaves. I love it for the first few swipes, and I love when the girls jump in piles. When my body is screaming and feels like the fires from the seventh ring of hell is coursing through my arms as they shake uncontrollably,I could do without it.

7. The bottoms of my pants getting wet from stepping on them, or my feet getting we with socks on. Not fun.

8. Revenge. You will only cause more problems, and hurt while seeking it.

9. Grudges. Let it go, the world is filled with so much goodness and love, a grudge can steal the wonderful, amazing person you are capable of being.

10. Not finishing what I started, this ties with  folding and putting laundry away. Both are not my favorites!

So this gives some insight to me a little more, now on to the next challenge!

Writing challenge day 1- Me

As she twirls and spins her brown curly hair flys around her face forming a mane of tangled dreams. Her mind is always working, to a fault. Dancing is her sweet obsession. Her life is full of love. When she was a child she dreamed of a life much like the one she lives today, in those dreams she never forsaw the happiness she would experience. Her family is the greatest accomplishment. When the wind blows the trees she tells her girls the noises they make as they wave is laughter because they're being tickled. She faces her fears head on. Music is her second love, it will change her outlook within the first few chords. She has faith in God. When she looks in the mirror she's trying very hard to see beauty. She loves holding hands, and bear hugs. Her guilty pleasure is listening to Cher like she used to with her mom as a child. She sings loudly. She's loud in every aspect of her life, especially when she's mad. She's sensitive. She loves waking up before her family, sipping warm coffee, and either reading or writing. Someday she wants to write something that helps at least one person. She cares too much if people like her or not, but is trying not to.

She can't lie, if she does most people can see right through her. She tries hard with everything she does. She starts things and doesn't always finish them. She can be passive aggressive because she never has the courage to stand up for herself or face confrontation. Her laughter is contagious, and again loud. Some perceive her kindness as a "act" but she's always been a genuinely nice person, and still believes every person has good inside of them. If you give her love she will flourish. She's a little crazy, and she likes it that way. A song lyric could be written about her, often her Facebook status consists of one. She often compares herself to others and reminds herself she's wonderful just the way she is. She will give you love and support till you feel suffocated. She will always be honest with you, and she will sugar coat things for fear of hurting feelings.

She is love. She is courage. She is friendly. She is weird. She can be depressed. She is anxiety. She is the robot dance on a Saturday night with her children. She is the kisses her husbands beard prickles on her face. She is warm baths. She is the imaginary friend. She is finger paintings. She is freshly baked cookies. She is her dogs shaking off the rain. She is a fizzy coke a cola. She is afraid of judgement. She prays often. She will splash a puddle even when her girls aren't around. She dances in the car. She will watch childrens movies with her husband, and again even when her girls aren't around. She tries to be selfless. She can be emotionally imature. She will listen. She relates. She wears her weaknesses on her sleeve.

Her family is her everything, this is all of me.

They were lessons learned

Your past doesn't define who you are today. Sure it helped you get to this point, but who you are is based on your actions. Giving the past that kind of power only robs you of your authentic self today. Often we worry about the choices we are making, and sadly if it was a mistake it's a hop, skip, and a jump to "well my mother didn't love me" or "it's a habit, I've done this my whole life" only you have the power to change the course of your life. Living with excuses, and entitlement will only get you so far. It's experiences that shape us. It's the mistakes. It's learning, always learning. Open minds. Open hearts. And when you make a mistake, or someone you love does, be quick to give yourself or them a break. The past should never be used as a weapon, as a tool you save in your bank to use again when convienantly, and revenge rules out against providing the proverbial low blow, just to gain a point in the "who's right game". When you love your life playing that game you'll quickly find yourself alone, unconditional love and acceptance is key in a healthy relationships, where grudges and judgment should be checked at the door.

We all have our hurts, and a quote I recently saw rang true for me, "you don't own the worlds problems". How true! To take a step out of our own lives and see the view around us, the beauty, and the ugly parts, and to truly feel empathy is a quality everyone should have. Empathy is a understanding of others feelings, sympathy is feeling sorry for others. I want empathy from others, I don't ever want a day to go by where anyone feels sorry for me, I just want others to feel what I've felt. To give compassion, stepping outside the box and truly seeing me. Personal experience has lead me to realize that victimized thinking is everywhere, and cynically I feel most people will never truly grasp the affect (negatively) they have on one another's life by a simple act of anger or resement. On the positive side, becoming at peace with myself I've found a way of channeling the bad energy and making room in my life both superficially, and spiritually for more love to be accepted. Rather than dwell on the hurt I've felt from being absolutely thrown away and betrayed in some of the worst ways (and believe me there was hurt I just had to move past it, and am still working on that) I'm focussing on not what's most important (I feel that statement is mean in it's own right since it takes away from those who at one point were or are important to you) but what gives me light in my life, and who I can give light to. My family. They deserve the best parts of me, and in that they love me for all the faulty mechanics I'm made of.

So in conclusion I've made mistakes in my life, I'm proud of every single one of them. I do not hide behind my past for pitty, or personal gain, I learn from it. I have not sought out revenge for things that happened long ago, if I had there would be a broken heart here or there that I couldn't live with myself over. I will continue to move forward, all that matters is the people who walk beside me during it all. I may make mistakes, but I certainly don't fake perfection, not one ounce of my life is fake, the open book I've allowed people to read has had a few chapters closed off to those who have used things against me, I have learned that I am worth standing up for, and not to trust so easily. I trust with all my heart, and forgive quickly, but after one too many breaks in that bond my trust has given out, and that doesn't make me a bad person. Once again, I've learned. The next time I hear something about myself I will continue to do as I have, forgive, not stoop down and join in as they have, and as always-hold my head high and proud. I'm proud to be me.

This and that

This fall has been spectacular! The leaves have hung around longer than any year I can remember, and the colors are amazing. Deep reds, orange, and yellows everywhere. I feel like this fall has been more special than we've had in years. We've made sure to do as many activities relating to the season as possible, and instead of putting up the halloweeny decorations with the harvest ones I waited. I love my little orange lights, I think that's what makes it so special, is the warm lights. Much like Christmas it just adds a little twinkle, a little shine of magic.

Today, and yesterday has been very warm, which is not very seasonable. I go through this phase of "fall cleaning" just like spring cleaning but in the fall. I've kinda lost my mojo for it tho, and I blame the summer feel coupled with rainy days. So today Allie girl and I have been snuggling and watching tv all morning. I love doing this with the kids, I know it's totally not productive or educational but I love lounging with them on the couch. My mom used to do this with me and watch Disney movies, they are some of my favorite memories, minus the part where Bambi's mom gets shot which still makes me cry to this day. I've been making lists for everything in my life lately because it feels good to cross things off, and because I need to organize my life a little more. You'd think with a house to run I would be better at it.

Anyway, the reason I wrote all of this is because Allie and I have alone time now, and it's exhilarating to see her as her own person. Without her big sisters here to talk for her, or do things for her. The independence she has is surprising. I don't see it as much with the bigs around. I love playing patty cake with her, and honestly just talking to her. One on one time with the girls is so important to both Stephen and I, and having Allie to pal around with, even if it's just cleaning or watching a movie has been so fun. She's still my baby but she's growing her own place in the world, and I'm trying to nurture her independenc but hold on to the babyness as long as I can. So today we wil play and clean, no naps because I don't want to miss anymore time with her than I have to, as I write this she's gobbling up the last of a watermelon-summers last gift to us. I'm so thankful for the seasons change, it brings out the best in all of us because I think that's when we change the most. I'm thankful for days like this when I can truly see my blessings, life is good.

If you told me...

In my 9 years of being a mother (10 if you count pregnancy) I have learned some things. Some good, and some not so good. There are things I never would have imagined, and things I had to learn from experience. This is a open letter to mothers,both new and experienced,  this is advice, and encouragement.

Dear mommies,
           Welcome to the club! Pull up a chair for the next five minutes (scratch that, just read a few minutes here and there between your breaks of endless screaming demands from your newborn, or the thousandth question from your toddler, or the help you're so desperately trying to give the older one with their homework etc.) and listen to my words. You're ok. You will be ok. You are not a bad mother. You are not a bad mother when you don't know what your baby wants, we aren't programmed like the women on tv to just "know" what your baby wants. It comes with time, and experience, and even then you still might not know. You are not a bad mother if you haven't bathed the baby after they puked because they finally fell asleep. You are not a bad mother if your laundry is piled to the ceiling, and you litterally have to crawl over it to finally get into bed. You are not a bad mother if there are dishes in the sink, and a questional substance encrusted onto the plates. You're just tired. You're tired because you stayed up rocking your baby. You're tired because you had to help finish a last minute project that was due the next day. You're tired because while helping that child you also needed to get baking done for the bake sale in the morning and you had to run to the store on 5 different trips because while you were there your children thought it the best time to ask the deepest of philosophical questions, or grabbed anything within a six inch radius. You are not going crazy.

          You're a good mom. There is no perfect mom, or perfect way to parent your littles. There's trial and error. When your five year old spits on their sibling or friend, and you're completely embarrassed by the looks other moms are giving you just know I've been there too. It doesn't mean they are destined to be a serial spitter, or a delinquent without a future. When other mothers whisper and diff at the miss matched socks, or unbrushed hair on you or your children, please understand that they too have been there, and somehwere along the way they mistakenly thought that putting down your abilities will some how make them feel better about theirs. When your house is trashed and you have a play date in a hour so you stuff whatever you can into a closet, a drawer, or a cabinet and buy cookies from the supermarket (gluten free of course!) placing them strategically on one of your plates and heating them five minutes before your guest will arrive so it looks like you're Betty freaking Crocker, I've been there.

      Don't beat yourself up, or hold yourself to a higher standard. What looks perfect on the outside, isn't. Don't judge, don't judge another parent in a way of thinking they're better than you, or worse. The competition of mommy life is never ending, and well just plain exhausting. As I tell my girls, there will always be someone better at something you do, and always worse, the only thing you need to worry about is if you're content with yourself. Give yourself a break. I know about the time you lock the door and cry, or steal a few minutes of loving with your husband while the kids pound like wild animals on the door. I know about the times you had to smell your laundry to make sure it was clean. I know about the times you thought of running away. I know about the times you checked your kids at night to make sure they were still breathing. I know about the time you sent your child to school thinking they were faking being sick only to get a call from a not so happy nurse to come and get them because they just puked, and subsequently sprinkled the hall with the aroma of rotten spaghetti that came out of the can the night before because you were too tired to make a "real" dinner.

         Love yourself. Your kids do. Celebrate small accomplishments like showering, or getting the kids out the door ON TIME! Celebrate the dinner you made. Celebrate coloring inside the lines while juggling fighting children. Celebrate snuggles with
the sick one on the couch when you should have
been getting other things done, or going to work. Celebrate working (if you do) and most of all celebrate yourself and any other mother out there. You both have it tough, but let's face it, you wouldn't trade a dirty face, sticky kiss, or crunchy hair for anything.

Look at the stars

As Allie and I sat outside tonight she kept saying "look at the stars mommy" sometimes I forget to. I bought her a tea set today and she has been having tea parties all day, even with our dog leela. Cute doesn't even describe it. Today I volunteered at the school making apple sauce with all the kids, it was super fun, and did wonders for me. As I was baking for the bake sale they're having tomorrow amidst all the crazyness and stress that I put myself under while doing such things, I realized I'm actually living the dream I always imagined for myself. I'm baking for a bake sale, as a little girl I dreamed of this day, of being a part of my childrens school, and being the cookie cutter mom.

Sure I'm not the picture perfect, squeaky clean mom I imagined for myself, but I'm doing it none the less. And I'm happy about it. It took that thought hitting me like a ton of bricks to calm down and just let it sink in. Very rarely do we get these moments in life, so I'm gonna save this one away for a rainy day. I joined back up with Facebook (hypocrite I know) and a mom on there was saying that she admires me, ME, I had to laugh. If she only knew she was one of the moms I often criticized myself about, one that I wished I was more like. It's strange the way other people view us, whether good or bad. And sad in a sense. But today I feel accomplished, and happy. My girls got their mom at their school, not just for a silly little party (that was about all I used to do) but as someone who was teaching them instead of their teachers doing it, and that felt good. I remember loving my mother being there with me during field trips, and wished she'd be a class mom, the war Sierra started kindergarten I became one. Sometimes it shocks me at how truly blessed I am. I need to keep this, and always be grateful.