Showing posts with label being kind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being kind. Show all posts

Friday, November 20, 2015

Fly on the Wall: November 2015 "Everything"


Hello, Friends!  Welcome to the November Fly on the Wall Group Challenge. This month, 11 awesome bloggers and I are describing what it would be like if you were to take a peek inside our homes....



Have a "look" around mine, and then go visit the other blogger's pages. There's always something fun, sentimental, or better yet, embarrassing going on. It's like your house, only we're admitting to the craziness. You have our permission. Buzz on over!

Cast:
Me
The man
Alex, the eldest 
Micah, Alex's husband 
C., The middle (son, 17)
J., The youngest (son, 11)


I have to be honest. This last month has not been an easy one. While my family has shared some laughs and accomplishments, we have also been torn to the core over personal events. Some stories are not mine to tell, others are just too painful to write about at this time. I keep trying to decide if any of this even needs to be said. Yet, I know I'm not alone. I know others are struggling with their own stories.  For those of you carrying a weight on your shoulders, I say without pity or any condescension, "Fight for and celebrate each smile."

Here are some of mine:

Everything old is new again?


Me: (to no one in particular) "I think I'm ready to paint the fireplace."
The Man: "You always say that. Then you say it's a cardinal sin to paint brick."
Me: "I know, but I think I'm going to paint it."
All three kids and probably everyone else in the world: "Don't paint it!!"
Uh... 
Photos to come.
***

Alex: (texting me this photo) "Mom, do you remember when you had one of these? We are at the Salvation Army and it's really cheap. Do you want it?"
Me: "NO!!!"
Alex: "Why not? "
Me: "Because your dad and I just dropped it off this weekend."

The boy with many faces:
 J. had a busy month!

"Dress like a NERD day." This would be a funnier photo if I took a picture of J. standing next to the man on any given day.


 J. not moving a muscle. It was "Wax Museum Day"

 Dressed for the school Halloween Party,  because TWO costumes!
(James Bond)

 Evening Costume: "1st Order Storm Trooper" because, MASKS!

Everything is NOT "New Again"?

The man was back east for a week for work. Usually he sends me photos of his cool hotel rooms or awesome food I would never make. (This time it was scallops) Ack. I usually send back pics of PB and Js or Mac and Cheese. You know, something to make him miss home.

On a Tuesday, I receive a text with these photos:

The Man: Yes, I'm booked here for the next three days.  It's an old Farmhouse from the 1700's. Kind of creepy. You would not love it.


Me: "Oh Good Gravy. (not the words I used.) That place looks haunted. Do NOT bring home any evil spirits. I'm definitely painting our fireplace now. 
The Man: "I know. I don't have a car, so I'm kind of stuck here. At least the Internet is good."

I share the photo/text with C.

Me: "Well, you could always sew a flag in the corner rocking chair..."
C.: "Are they going to make you go outside and chop lumber for your room?"
The Man: "No. I already miked the cows, so I did my part."
C.: Of course. How else were you going to get butter for the continental breakfast?"

Everything Great and Mom's not ready!

C. was accepted into the Aerospace Engineering program at Utah State this week. We were thrilled to learn that he also earned a Presidential Scholarship, which pays for his first four years of school. Some call it a "free ride", but we say that he worked for every bit of it.

Everything Comes Down to a Smile:

J. (bringing in the mail) "Well, I guess she found out her secret!"
Me: "Who?"
J.: "Victoria." He looks closely. "There's no secret."
Me: (running toward the door, trying to grab the catalog this 11 year old is probably already gawking at.) "Oh. Ha ha!" 

It's an English magazine I received as a gift.

Whew. 
Buzz around, see what you think, then click on these links for a peek into some other homes:


Baking in a Tornado                         
Spatulas on Parade                         
Follow Me Home                           
Menopausal Mother                          
Never Ever Give Up Hope                                   
The Momisodes                                        
Someone Else's Genius                            
Southern Belle Charm                       
Dinosaur Superhero Mommy                                  
The Angrivated Mom                
Go Mama O            

Happy Friday, Friends,

-Michele              

Friday, December 19, 2014

Fly on the Wall: December 2014

Hey there!  Welcome to the December Fly on the Wall Group Challenge. This month, 14 amazing bloggers and I are describing what it would be like if you were to take a peek inside our homes....



Have a "look" around mine, and then go visit the other blogger's pages. There's always something fun, sentimental, or better yet, embarrassing going on. It's like your house, only we're admitting to the craziness. You have our permission. Buzz on over!

Cast:
The man
Alex, the eldest (daughter, 21) 
C., The middle (son, 16)
J., The youngest (son, 10)
Henry and Lila- The dogs

Making the Olive Garden all it can be:
Alex to the Man (both are breadstick lovers): "You know what they need, Dad? They need a buzzer. When we get to that last breadstick, when our hand just touches it, the waitstaff should hear a buzz."
The Man: "Yes! Once we lift the breadstick to our mouths, the buzzers should become louder and louder, like a warning signal."
J: "Yeah! They could give off electric shocks!
Alex: "Wow. That escalated quickly...But, it might just work."

Naiveté you say?
I went with the teenager to pick my youngest up from school. There were four kids in the in front of us and they were playing instruments. IN THE CAR!
Me to the teenager: "Isn't that the oddest thing? What kind of teens play clarinets in their car?"
My son: (rolling his eyes) "None. Mom. Those are NOT clarinets. Those are hookahs."
I looked it up. He was right. I'm 100 years old.

Christmas time is near:
After 10 years, I finally run out of wrapping paper. Now, my husband's Christmas present looks like he will be celebrating his sweet 16. Or his diamond anniversary.

***
Alex to me: "Mom, I really didn't think this through."
Me: "What?"
Alex: "Being married. I just realized I won't wake up here on Christmas morning! I don't know if I'm ready for that."
Me: "Well, you two are welcome to sleep overnight here on Christmas Eve."
Alex: (relieved) "Oh. Okay!"
Me: "Um, don't you want to talk it over with your husband, first?"
Alex: "Why?"
***
Go, you chicken fat, go away:

We changed the dog's vat-o-food bucket to tiny, individual bowls. We're feeding them twice a day and walking with them each morning. Poor Lila. She loves to walk. She loves the whole pomp and circumstance of getting her leash, putting her coat in her teeth, getting to the door, and heading out. First though, I have to put on her coat. Each time, I velcro the first piece around her neck and she pants at me like we're BFFs. It's not until I go to put the large velcro attachment around her belly that she looks away. Each time, it's still a bit taut. She won't make eye contact with me. It's like I'm not even in the room. Once on, Lila heads out the door like nothing shameful has happened. We have the same soul. Together, we're going to work on it.

Not related: New lesson learned: Don't stuff stockings with dog treats and expect the stockings to neatly stay in their place.
Lila: "I'm not ready to talk about my figure right now. I am willing to talk about bacon, though."
Henry felt left out of the photo session.

Finally:

A fly on the wall would have seen me beaming with pride over the people up in that photo. The kid in the plaid has been singing his heart out in his school choir. The girl in pink? She just put away another successful semester of college. The young man in the tux just finished his winter band concert and was elected president of his high school's MESA program. The man? He holds us all up. I've said it a million times, the accolades are awesome, but the fact that those people up there are kind, supportive AND hilarious? Well, that makes my world go 'round.

Happy holidays, friends  :)
-Michele

Fly on over and check out all of this month's participants:

Baking in a Tornado                          
Just a Little Nutty                                
The Momisodes                                          
Spatulas on Parade                          
The Sadder but Wiser Girl                                   
Follow Me Home                           
Stacy Sews and Schools                 
Menopausal Mother                          
Battered Hope                            
Dinosaur Superhero Mommy                                 
Juicebox Confession                    
Risa Nye                                     
The Bergham's Life Chronicles               
Cluttered Genius                                    
              

Friday, February 7, 2014

Secret Subject Swap-February '14

Happy February, friends!

If you're a regular reader, you know that the Secret Subject Swap is a collaboration between various bloggers. We receive secret topics from a blogger in a secret e-mail and put our own spin on the subjects. The 11 blogs participating this time are listed at the end of this post. Go have a look and leave a comment. It will make my our day! :)

My “Secret Subject” is:
Martha Stewart, inspiration or horrible show off?
It was submitted by:  http://spinstersnacks.com

Martha, Martha, Martha.

I wrote a small note to Martha and Bob Villa a few years back. It sadly explained how we three were NOT alike in our decorating. I respect both for their careful, planned-out projects; but for the love of wood-glue and sawdust, I just can't be a step-by-step girl. I re-did my whole staircase with fall garland still on the banister. I begged my husband (ignoring his pleas) to install a glass door on our bathroom. I'm a little off. Admit it. That's why you're here in the first place.

Martha's likes: delicate china, bidets, and building things "plumb, level and square."
My likes: eating cookie dough from the mixer,  peeing when the kids will let me, and using tons of caulk.


So. Is Martha a show-off? I'm not sure. Anytime I think of the ridiculous, glitterific-dodecagon crafts she comes up with, I try to remember that she has a huge staff behind her. Those people are probably coming up (hourly) with more ways to make humans feel inadequate. I doubt it's purposeful. I also doubt that Martha milks her own cows and rips her own cheese cloth to come up with cream for her morning coffee. She's a brand. There are things I disagree with regarding her process, but she's obviously doing something right to be where she is today. Rather than tear her down as a person, I thought I'd high-light a few differences between ol' Martha and me. There are many solutions to problems. Some are careful, calculated, precise and thorough, and some are mine.

Here are a few quotes from Martha and me:

Martha: "I have cotton or flannel sheets, depending on the weather. They have to be ironed, and I get my bed changed nearly everyday.".-brainyquote.com

Me: "If I make it to bed without having to shake off a pound of dog hair, without having my fitted sheet pop up from where the fabric pulled away from the elastic, or even if I have to kick off a few jellybeans/popcorn/kids from the bed, I've had a good day. The man knows when the sheets have been freshly washed because there is always a "damp spot" that the dryer has missed; and somehow, that always ends up on his side."
***
Martha: "I have a minor gripe…Who are these bloggers? They're not trained editors at Vogue magazine. I mean, there are bloggers writing recipes that aren't tested, that aren't necessarily any good, or are copies of everything that really good editors have created or done. So, bloggers create kind of a popularity, but they are not the experts. We have to understand that."- Bloomberg TV

Me: (gritting my teeth) "Bloggers are wonderful. They've used social media to benefit their businesses, build contacts and network. They connect with others offering advice, support or an often-needed smile. Many bloggers are beyond educated. Not only by holding college degrees, but by raising children without "guides". We pull foods for dinner out of what we have left in our pantries (not from french cookbooks). When our children are crying, we are the only ones who get to solve their problems. Most of us do not have a "staff." I have about 100 followers, which is anything but popular. Still, I write for my sanity as well as to share my ideas. As for using our recipes and having them work? If they can feed a husband, three finicky children and 2 dogs, I say they are more than tested. Dang it, I can rock a grilled cheese sandwich! Can an editor at Vogue make micro-wave popcorn ala shellybean? I think not. You know what? That's okay too. I'm happy to share the recipe. You're always welcome to read about my world; my successes and my epic fails. That's what bloggers do."
Micro-wave popcorn ala' shellybean


***
Martha: "It's a good thing."
Me: "On the eighth day, God made caulk, and it was good."


***

Martha: "I'm never sick. Why get sick? It's a waste of time." -brainyquote.com
* "I love to be sick! There is nothing like throwing up or writhing in pain on my 'down-time."- said no woman EVER.
***

Martha: "I find that when you have a real interest in life and a curious life, that sleep is not the most important thing"- thinkexist.com

Me: "I find that in order to walk upright and produce clear thoughts, one needs to sleep. Lack of it often makes the creative dull; it makes workers (blue and white collar) incapable of properly doing their jobs. Most of all, it makes for one grouchy household. We all know it: When mama ain't happy….COME ON NOW."


studying sleep :)



***
Martha: "Never ate fast food. I proudly can tell you that I've eaten one Burger King and I think maybe two McDonald's... and today I ate an In-N-Out burger. It was okay. You know, it's not my favorite food. I would much rather have a salad or sushi or something like that.-credit: Foodista
Me: "God Bless you, Martha Stewart."

If you are interested in joining us for the next Subject Swap, you can visit its creator, the wonderful Karen @ Baking in a Tornado. She is an amazing woman. You can also read all about the swaps by clicking on the SSS icon on the side of my blog.

Don't forget to check out this month's 15 talented participants!



Baking in a Tornado                          
The Momisodes                                       
Stacy Sews and Schools               
follow me home                     
Dinosaur Superhero Mommy                                   
Dates 2 Diapers 2                       
Confessions of a Part-time Working Mom                        
Evil Joy Speaks                   
Spinster Snacks                                         
FBX Adventures (In Parenting)                           
More Than Cheese and Beer        
Searching for Sanity                     
Small Talk Mama                                          
Juicebox Confession                         
Spatulas on Parade 
     
Digital cartoon credits: CJM Happy Friday, friends :)
-Michele