Because I am in this kind of mood

Song brought back to my attention thanks to Rants from Mommyland

Happy 29th Birthday (for the 6th time), Brenda!!

This, world, is one of the most amazing people I have ever known, Brenda. We met in 7th grade and she instantly hated me. By 8th grade we were best of friends. I owe many of my better qualities to having her as a best friend for all these years. She is funny, the kind of funny we all want to be. She is creative and talented. She is beautiful. She is loving, kind, and patient when she really has to be. She is also a cynic and a doubter. But she is by far the bravest and strongest person I know by far.

We were a family one Halloween. This is Brenda as Mom. 

When we were in school Brenda would bring in stickers for the entire month of February and put them on our hands each day so that we would not forget her birthday. We would have sleepovers at her house pretty often and usually watch The Princess Bride or Say Anything. And M & Ms had to be part of the gathering.

She has 3 brothers and 2 sisters who are all beautiful and creative and smart and funny. And her parents are wonderful, friendly, loving people who embraced all her wacky friends with open arms. I miss those days of hanging out at her house. So many year have passed.

But I have been lucky because she and I have kept in touch. We are not in touch always. We lost track a few times and then found each other again. We live across the country from each other now and rarely are both home at the same holidays. But I feel like she has never really been gone from me. 

I missed her wedding. That was very hard for me. I wanted to be there so badly. And it was awhile before I met her husband, Matt. Even then we really did not get a chance to know each other. Then nearly a year and a half ago he passed away. I can't imagine what she has been through. Yet, she still listens to my petty issues and can always make me smile.

She and Matt have 3 beautiful boys. I don't know how she keeps up with them. I know the thought makes me weak. Yet she not only is there for them, she goes the extra mile. She makes the best Halloween costumes ever. Her home looks like a magazine for the holidays. And she finds time to blog, make quilts, bake and who knows what else! How can she be so amazing?

So, today I wanted her to know that I was thinking of her. To know that she means the world to me. And I know I am not the only person who feels this way.

So, Happy Birthday, 

Brenda Marie! I love you. 

  

Seth as Nacho Libre last Halloween.

Please don't kill me for some of the photos I have shared today. And forgive me that it is up the night before. I would have been very upset if I had forgotten while at work tomorrow.

How hot is this woman? WOW.

Moving On

Most of you have been with me over the last year and know all my ups and downs. I think I have done a reasonably good job moving on. Don't  you? The problem is, I guess I haven't.

Hernan came to take the girls hiking today. It is my weekend, but I have a lot of cleaning to do and thought it would be good for them. Why does that mean anything? Well, it must have something to do with the fact that he has decided to make his secret girlfriend public and introduce the girls to her.

Really, theoretically, this is fine. I have known about her for some time. He is really bad at keeping secrets. I am sure she is a nice person. The kids will probably like her. So, if I have moved on, why do I feel so so horrible? Is it because I am alone? Is it because I miss him? Is it because I feel threatened? I honestly don't know. I do feel confused and utterly miserable right now.

I am sorry to be such a downer today. I just had to get it off my chest somehow.

This is a photo of us all together, the last time we were happy. December 2008.

The reason all this insanity does not put me over the edge.

Most of you have heard all about how absolutely hilarious, and probably a bit unbalanced, my 5 year old is. I have bits and pieces that I toss out on facebook once in awhile. What I don't think you understand is that the ones I post are just the few I remember or that really stand out. On an average she tosses out at least 5 or 6 of these gems each day. I have decided that it is too unfair to keep them to myself. I am going to give a few today that I can remember and sprinkle in some of the better photos of my little diva along the way.

*WARNING*
You might want to read this over the course of a few days. Sometimes Diva can be too much to take.

 This is my most favoritest picture of all time! (Rest assured these were clean panties.) 

She was 14 months old and only had her legs in when I decided to help her out a bit. 

(Keep in mind this was pre-Borat, he stole this bit from her.)

Today I was blessed with 3 gems from my little angel. 

1. Imagine you are driving. The kids are in the back seat. They are actually being quiet. (I know, but this really is a true story.) Then Diva perks up, very matter of fact and for no reason at all, and says to her 7 year old sister, "Sissy, if I had a little sister I would not yell at her." Amazingly this was met by silence on Sissy's part. 

2. Not long after this incidence I received a phone call from their father. He told me that on Saturday while Sissy was at a birthday party he took Diva to Walmart with him. While he was getting razors she loudly announced to him, "Daddy, you need that hair color for men. You have a lot of gray hairs and I can see them. I don't like them, they make you look old." (I got a HUGE laugh out of this one.)

3. On the way home in this same ride, this little piece of knowledge was thrown at me. (Try to keep up, sometimes its not easy.)

"If there was a zombie (later she said she meant mummy) and he was made of dirt with red glowing eyes and hot lava rocks hit him he would fall apart...the hot lava rocks hit first then the hot lava comes out of them....volcanoes are really old, they lived before we did...sometimes animals run away when a volcano happens, but some don't....some monkeys get stuck in the trees.....when they get unstuck they ride alligators to safety, alligators or crocodiles, but only friendly ones..." (I did have to leave a lot of mumbling and other mumbo jumbo out that I could not remember.)

 

Because of the diaper I will guess she was 2 1/2 here. She had just eaten a firecracker popsicle

and was showing off her blue 'monster' mouth.

Last week we had are biggest and most obnoxious experience with the Diva's incredible mind. She had asked to wear a certain outfit to school Friday. It was a skirt and a very summery top. Aside from the fact that they did not match and that I had a Valentine's shirt for her to wear, it was also entirely too cold for this outfit. 

That afternoon I received a call from her babysitter that went like this:

Babysitter: "Why on earth  did you send Diva to school with a skirt and no tights!!!"

Me: "I sent her to school in jeans."

B: "Oh, that's what Sissy said."

M: "Is it a red skirt with white hearts?"

B: "White stars."

M: "ARRGGGHHHH!!!"

The rest you don't need to know, but the jist is that she kept asking to put her jeans on all afternoon so she could play outside and she was told no. I told Babysitter to let her play in the skirt, when her legs freeze off she can wear a skirt any day she wants!

BUT WAIT! Here is the kicker. When I came to pick her up I was explaining to her why she was in trouble. She looked up at me, teary eyed, and said, "But I just forgotted to change my clothes before I came home."

Babysitter and I exchanged looks, completely speechless. This kid is smarter than I thought. I have no idea how I will survive her middle and high school years. 

 

Here she is, the way I like her best. She and her sister were 'pretnending' to sleep 

when I came home and she just passed out. I have at least half a dozen photos of her in strange places,

fast asleep. Perhaps one day I will base a whole post on just that. 

Young Love

It seems that both of my daughters have a Valentine this year, but mommy does not. As pathetic as this is, it is really cute (as  long as it doesn't repeat itself next year).

Sissy (age 7) is very tight mouthed about hers. She has always been like that. Luckily for me her best friend tells all to her mother, who tells me. So I can at least hear 3rd hand (or is it 4th) about her romantic escapades. Seems that a little boy who was her boyfriend earlier in the year is now back on the scene and they were seen kissing (I certainly hope on the cheek) on the playground. This is all I know. I try my best to finagle information from her, but she is sly. But it's not new. She had a year long boyfriend in both kindergarten and first grade. I imagine that the boy from last year would still be in the picture if they had not been put in separate classes this year. And who can blame the boys? This is a beautiful big eyed girl who also LOVES superheroes, Star Wars and Pokemon. How could they resist that?

Diva (age 5) is a different story. She has be talking about Jake S. for some time. (There is apparently a Jacob in her class as well so his name is never uttered without the accompanying last initial. And when asked what his last name is, the answer, which is given with an expression of exasperation, is 'S.')

The story of their romance goes like this. Jake S. had 'falleded' in love with Riley, but she went to another class so he 'falleded' in love with Alyssa. There seems to be a little back and forth about this, but at the moment he is Diva's. According to Sissy, Diva has been in love with Jake S. this whole time. Now that they are back on I am hearing a lot about this Jake S. character. When we were writing out Valentines for the class she dreamily told me that she was saving his for last. The the other day we were all in the car, that is the girls and I, and Lily told me that she overheard a bit of a romantic interlude in the school hallways. Jake S. requested the honor of holding Diva's hand. She, knowing that guys love it when a girl plays hard to get, flatly refused him. Actually she said her hands were cold and up in the sleeves of her coat so she couldn't. I told Diva that I bet Jake S. thinks she is cute. She denied this. Sissy seconded my opinion. Diva calmly expressed that no, "He thinks I'm beautiful." Well, well, she has no shortage in self esteem. She then told he that Jake S. likes her hair in a 'little pony tail.' In Diva speak this means half of her hair pulled up while the rest is left down. She then asked if she could please wear her hair like that the next day. Smart kid. Find out what my man likes and impress him with it. Boys look out, this girl has game. (Maybe I need lessons.)

So there you have it. My life stretches out before me and I see weekend upon weekend home alone while my two beautiful girls have date after date. Mom will be enrolling them in self defense classes and arming them with mase soon. If they are anything like me, though, they will not use it. I have to go now, I think that last though gave me a stroke.

Gotta love Rants from Mommyland

I don't really have anything creative to say so I am going to comment on another blog post I read today. Before reading more please click
HERE

Ok, so I think that most of us have a little bit of most of these mommies. Maybe not a bit of every one, but most. I know I do. And when I think about my friends I am sure they do as well. I can tell you for sure I do not have one bit of #5 or #8 in me.

So, I started thinking, which one am I? And I then started thinking I would write a blog about it and ask all of you. THEN it hit me, I am #11. No, don't go back to see what you missed, there is no #11. So I am making her up.

#11
BassPro Mom

This mom is always fishing. She wants to know if her cookies taste good, but not just good, are they the best? If not who's are? Does everyone like my new haircut? What color does everyone else think I should get my hair colored? Do you think my kids are the funniest kids at this playdate because I do!!! You get my point? She craves validation so she fishes for it.

Once I realized this I started to feel a little bad about it. So, please, DO NOT comment on which mother you think I am here. But I would LOVE to hear which mother you think YOU are.