Do you know How LUCKY I AM?~ let me just tell you.

Honestly. This is going to sound soo cheesy, but I'm the luckiest person in the world (or the most blessed, or the most pittied) either way...you ought to be jealous.

Seriously. I have the greatest friends a girl could EVER have. I don't have to worry about letting them get too close...because I won't be judged. I don't have to worry about losing their trust...because they've got mine. My friends (and you know DAMN WELL who you are!!) make my world complete. I can e-mail you simply to say my mom's "best friend" is a horrible human being, sign off with ON THAT NOTE, I love you! and not worry about what I just wrote. I can call you simply to ask you to jump online and look up a phone number for me because I'm driving around town, and though you are 2,000 miles away--you still do it. And I don't have to feel guilty that that was the extent of our conversation. I can call and leave you a voicemail to let you know I miss you and ramble on about some insignificant details of my day...and not worry that you are going to think I just wasted three minutes of your time talking about scrubbing the toilets and walking to the mailbox in 107 degree heat because it's hotter than HELL down here...

and for those of you who can read this post and not judge me for being a total spaz are right up there with the best of them! I love my girlfriends.

YOU MAKE ME HAPPY.

Hmmm...

I had a good post.
I looked forward to blogging
once my munchkins went to bed.
Then...my mind went blank.

BLANK! nuthin' here.

nada.

where'd she go?!
where'd who go?!

*where the hell did I get that from?

On Becoming a Mother

"...my point is that I haven’t been the mother I always wanted to be. I’ve been overwhelmed by my emotions through these early years. I’ve often felt like I was treading water, biding my time until the waters weren’t as rough so I could finally swim towards shore where I could touch bottom and catch my breath. This week, I’ve begun to notice a change in the current. The water hasn’t been as choppy–or perhaps, I’ve finally built up the endurance to handle it."

-Sleeping Mommy

I can soo relate to this quote! (sleeping mommy, I love you!) Since returning home from our summer vacation, I have been working incredibly hard at becoming the mom I "want to be"-- TRYING to have family dinners together, TRYING not to lose my patience every 5 minutes, TRYING to embrace my children's silly behaviors and LAUGH more often...
I'm sure my children getting older has provided new freedoms, but at the same time, I also feel like I'm better at what I do because I've had years of practice. I truly feel I can handle my CREW with a certain degree of confidence, and you know what? I'm really proud of my little family.

Remind me of this post on days I feel I'm losing it, OK?

On the other hand, who can blame me if I drop the ball completely?? I mean, c'mon, I had a CRASH COURSE in becoming a mother!! 3 kids in under 3 years--wth were we thinking?! Other (sane) moms out there give themselves time to adjust to motherhood-- space them out a bit to ease into their new job but NO, NOT US!--those of us who didn't think that far into the future ended up with a litter
(insert: paid advertisement for birth control!- you're welcome)

p.s. did anyone notice NOT US can be rearranged: NUTSO?!
hmmph. I'm sure there's a reason for that.

Is This Goodbye?

Oh, I have been dreading this moment. It happened so suddenly and without warning. I'm just still not sure I'm truly ready to say goodbye...

It all started 11 days ago when my stomach was attacked by
some unknown virus. This evil bug has caused cramping, vomiting, and
diarrhea for days on end, making it damn near impossible (or simply not worth it) to
eat or drink much of anything.

As a result, my Coke Zero intake completely diminished, as
did my other fave, Diet Dr. Pepper. Today is the first "normal" day I've
had in 11 days...now the big question. I have neglected my caffeine
addiction for 11 days, suffered through headaches and irritability, late nights
and lack of sleep, and drowsiness throughout
every.single.day.

Having gone this long without ANY caffeine, do I simply say goodbye and allow only memories of the good ole days to get me through those early mornings and late nights?

Or do I stock up on fridge packs of Coke Zero and DDP and make up for lost time??!!

THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Travel Hangover

Well folks, we made it. We actually got on the plane this time and made it through Houston (stopping 3 times to use the bathroom but hey-I'm getting pretty familiar with the back of bathroom door stalls- remember in middle school? how they use to put ads on the back of doors? Like the school news and adds for tampons? whatever happened to such great advertising?) Anyway, I bought the munchkins a new toy before we left. And can I just tell you it was the best $15 ever spent?! Sweetie got a new horse, Bud-duh got some new dinosaurs, and Tiny got new Polly Pocket girls--kept them entertained for HOURS. Hey-I am sooo not past bribery! Anyway, I am thrilled to be back home. Even damn dog was so excited to see us last night that she kept falling over! I totally have travel hangover but at least it's better than the twilight zone that was my life--being stuck in Utah with sick kids and no luggage. My only saving grace was having Loralee and Jenn come to my rescue Monday night to celebrate my birthday--though once again I saw the back of bathroom doors more times than I care to see ever again--we still had a good time. Good chick flick, yummy food, cute pics (we are still camera whores after all).