Domestically Challenged

Sicko & DC the column returning

So, my husband and I brought an unexpected souvenier back from Rome - pneumonia! I have been out of work all week with it and feel like i am breathing through styrofoam. So. Fun.

Anyways, I am planning on trying to get on a regular blogging schedule, so be prepared. I am planning on offering resources I like, cooking stuff and other fun things like that. If you have a suggestion, please let me know.

Also....I am planning to bring back my Domestically Challenged column, so watch for it here in the next few days!

Do you make resolutions?

I have never had much success with resolutions - I know I am not alone in this. Despite this, I think about resolutions every year.

This year I have a different focus. After losing my mom and being in a deep depression for months afterwards, I decided that 08 is my year to feel great. Yes, it sounds cheesy, but so what? If it works, it works.

I was sitting on the couch, trying to get rid of my raging sinus infection before my trip to Rome, and I was surfing the net. I found a great perspective on resolutions. Instead of setting a bunch of meaningless resolutions that overwhelm us, it suggests trying to build a new habit each month. How easy is that?

I know from my NaNoWriMo success that I do well in month long intervals, so this seems like a great idea. I have writing goals for many of the months in 08, but why not break down other goals this way?

Introducing, Sparky the hamster

Here are a few pics of the new pet hamster, Sparky. The little bastard critter was hauling ass on his wheel at 4 A.M.

He is a little hyper spazoid, but he's cute.

He also likes to poop on people. A lot.

And I realize these aren't the best pics - the thing wouldn't stop moving enough for me to get a good photo. Maybe this is a hint...

Be back soon, I promise!

Hellooooooo, blog land!

Well, I have successfully survived the first Xmas without my mom, though not totally unscathed, and am trying to begin 2008 with a new outlook on life. I plan on getting back into the habit of posting regularly.

Of course, this doesn't jive with the fact that I have a raging sinus infection. LOL

I will soon be posting info about my new writing blog, The Bent Pencil, where you can track my writing and get writing advice. I will also be tracking my personal goals from 2008 - which I still have to decide on, and of course, my wisdom about being a mom to two wickedly cute and devious kids.

Happy Holidays and be back in a few! :)

On hiatus...

I was planning to go on a short hiatus. I even had a joke - I knew I had hit rock bottom because I was perusing blogs with bad celebrity pics on them. No joke. And I hate celebrity stuff by nature.

But now this.

My husbands grandfather took his own life today. He was just diagnosed with cancer. He was doing well when my husband saw him two days ago. He will be sorely missed.

Seeing the cops and the detectives and hearing about autopsies and ME's reminds me too too much of everything with my mom, so I am leaving blog-land for a while. It may be two weeks or two months. I am going to focus on getting my mind right. Today just dredged up too much for me.

Be back when I can. :)

Menu Plan Monday - You MUST do this!!

OK, this is my number one tip of all time. For this week anyways. LOL

When school started back up, I decided to plan out my menu for the week. We are notarious for grabbing take out on the way home and are trying to curb the habit. So, I found some great recipes and decided this was the week. And you know what? It worked perfectly.We had a nice meal on the table everyday, despite starting school.

Then the next week came.

I was tired and didn't plan out the menus, even though I knew darn well that it worked. And, big surprise, we had takeout most of the week.

Now, I am back to planning. Hubby is giving me some static about using the crockpot (he doesn't like the idea of it being on all day while we aren't home - I told him that was the point. He wants me to put it in the garage (!)) but I love, love, love it!

I have determined that I can't plan out the daily menu - it works better for me to have a list to draw from. So, I am now in the process of compiling a list of recipes that I know I can cook, without too much trouble.

If I were smart motivated, I would do this on computer, so I could also keep lists of teh ingredients I need. Hmmm. Maybe one day!

Things I may be too old to do

Even though I am still 26 in my mind (which is all that counts, right?) here are a few things I may be too old to do.

1. Drive around with my music bumpin'. Especially when pulling into work. I always wonder what people think when they look at me when my music is loud and then see the booster seats in the back seat.

2. Go to a party, stay out until 3 A.M. and then try to get up with my kids at 6:30 A.M.

3. Scream and run when I try to kill a cricket and it jumps at me. And yes, they do jump AT me.

Friday Feast

I am working desperately to get back into writing...again. Here is one for ya - have a wonderful weekend!!

*Appetizer: Describe your laundry routine. Do you have a certain day when you do it all, or do you just wash whatever you need for the next day?* Saturday is laundry day. I. Hate. Laundry. It's a simple task, but I hate it nonetheless.

*Soup: In your opinion, what age will you be when you'll consider yourself to truly be old?* I think I will be old when I 1. act my age and 2. stop being so immature all the time. Which is really the same thing and may NEVER happen. Besides, in my mind, I am really 26.

*Salad: What is one of your goals? Is it short-term, long-term, or both?* To improve my health. I am still having issues after losing my mom, so I just want to take care of myself.

*Main Course: Name something unbelievable you've seen or read lately.* I saw my kids sit next to each other on the couch without hitting each other. In my house, this is truly unbelieveable.

*Dessert: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how happy are you today? 9. It's Friday!! How can you NOT be happy on a Friday?*

My biggest fear

I have a loud family. When I talk, I am loud. When my kids talk, it's even louder. When they scream or cry (which my daughter is a pro at) it is at ear splitting levels. I have always been worried that I would be in the bathroom, combing through my daughters hair (which is crazy curly) which incites screaming fits every single time and I would have a knock at the door...

*Toddler's tantrum brings three cops knocking *
** ** Can you imagine? Here's a quote -

*"The police who responded said they had to check everything as quickly as possible, given the number of children who suffered harm.*

*Police made no apologies yesterday for responding to an emergency call to the Titirangi property from a neighbour who told them: "I can hear a child screaming ... and I've heard it before."*

So, the neighbor said they had heard it before? In my neighbor, the person at the end of the block has heard my kids screaming before. I just can't get over it.

I miss her so much

It's really strange - there are some days that I cope with losing my mom ok and then there are days like today. Days where I am doing something and the loss just punches me in the gut when I'm not looking.

Today was obviously the latter.

I am in the middle of some tough decisions with work and childcare and I just wanted to talk to her. I just wanted to bounce ideas off of her. Losing her was like losing my own personal cheerleader. I know I have friends to talk about this with (thank God!) and my husband (who has been my pilar of strength - yes, I know it's corny) but it still isn't the same. It isn't the same as talking to her. It was like I could talk to her and get suggestions - they might not be even remotely helpful, but they were still supportive and she tried. I just still feel so empty about it all. <sigh>