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Sunday, August 23, 2009

The time has come...

All of my life I have been lucky enough to have a fairly clear complexion. I attribute it to the Latin blood! The past 6-8 weeks have been stressful at times beyond comprehension. I have had a community of zits setting up camp on my chin for the past two months! One moves out, and one moves in on the other side of the grounds.

It's time to start taking care of my skin, so I can look as healthy as I wish I felt for years to come. It's time to start washing my face with skin care product, and using a clarifier of some sort.

Any suggestions? What brand/product works for you?

The evolution of parenting

I don't know many parents who do not have the best interest of their children at heart. While "best interests" may vary greatly from my own interpretation, I believe all parents are inherently good, or have the potential to be.

I'm noticing a new trend with my soon to be teen childrens friends parents, and I just don't get it. It seems as suddenly the priority has shifted and "what's best" is turning into "What is best for their social status"

I think it is totally absurd for a family who struggles to pay their bills to spend $100 of the hottest sneaks (which, BTW-me using the term sneaks surely makes me the most uncool parent of a preteen out there!), and to spend $20 on a T-shirt from a mall store, when big box retailers have trendy shirts of similar style for $5.

I'm not going to say I don't feel the desire from my own children to have things. They certainly do. They also know that if they want an expensive item that we would normally buy a less pricey version of, they are welcome to save up for it and spend their own gift monies on it!

There seems to be a new pressure for parents going into the teen parenthood to make their kid more popular. Many parents seem to think that their childs world could very well come to an end if they do not buy them these things. The sad thing is that many of them don't appreciate that which they have, and do not understand the basics of economy, which they should by Middle School!

I see these parents bending the rules, and breaking the bank all in the name of wanting their child to be the popular one...or is that really it? Maybe it's that the parent is living vicariously through the child and it's being the parent of the popular child that they really desire.

I find myself looking into the future and seeing a rough road ahead for these kids. The sense of entitlement is disturbing, and I find it more and more difficult for me to relate to these parents.

I think it's really okay to tell your child NO, or to compromise with them at any age. Of course, I think it's okay to buy your child a brand name label here and there. I wait until I can get that $25 Nike Tee on clearance for $7. It's not in our budget for all the Tshirts to be name brand, but of course if I find one at a reasonable price I think it's a good compromise. I just don't see how people justify the entire wardrobe being so pricey.

Well...believe it or not, this was supposed to be about a lot of things, but not clothing. I'm not sure how this blog took that road, but there it is.

My point was that some parents are trying to hard to make their kid the uber cool classmate and it's just really embarassing to watch these parents try so hard to make their kid the one everyone wants to be friends with.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Day 4 was not much better

Today was our Mommymoon Network Charity yard sale. I overslept so I woke up immediately stressed. I shouldn't have been...it's not like the word will come to an end if a yard sale starts a little late, but I was stressed.

In the words of Nike, I have to learn how to just do it. period. I gotta stop caving in! I think I am going to try a few things this week to supplement. I am going to buy a lb of Twizzlers, and take pretzle sticks everywhere I go.

My nails are still there, so that's something I guess. We had a 50th anniversary celebration for DHs family, and the pool was open at the party so my nerves were on high alert most of the night.

Tomorrow is a new day....again...and I will try to make it a better one.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Day 3 = FAIL!

Look at that MESS! Pegs and socks all over the place! It's a wonder I didn't flip out on a teenager today at work! Argh!
Well, today was not a good day for commit to quit! I had an unexpected stressful day at work and by noon the patch was peeling off. Apparently I had applied my lotion before the patch and it just didn't stick.


I ended up smoking the rest of the day :(It's okay...a moment of weakness and I will start over fresh tomorrow with a clean arm and patch. I should be very busy tomorrow so that should help me to forget about the cravings.


On a side note, I did make it through the day without a nap, which I hadn't managed the past 2 days, but I attribute that to the stimulant.Thanks for the kind words and support. Tomorrow will be better!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

This is day two.


It was a slightly better day. I'm still very tired. I got a lot more work done today and was in better spirits. I found music to be very helpful when I was driving. Driving is always going to be hard for me. I may have to get some non-melting gum to keep in the van to chew the heck out of when I drive.


Oddly enough I stopped biting my nails last weekend. I didn't plan this, it just kinda happened. So...I used to chew gum, bite my nails, and smoke. 1 down, 1 in progress, and the gum will likely be a lifelong habit.


I did make it later into the day before the sleepyness set in. By 3pm I was exaughsted and fell asleep for an hour. By 5pm I was still dragging.


I removed the patch at 5pm. I just didn't feel like it was helping once again. I went to the Back to school night which was thankfully relatively stress free. Coming home to face dinner at 8pm...not so stress free!


All in all, not a bad day!


Wednesday, August 12, 2009

This is day one...




...and oh what a day it has been! I have got to tell ya..those whom have never tried to quit smoking have absolutely, positively no idea whatsoever how incredibly difficult it can be! I am so sick of hearing people say they quit "Cold Turkey". It makes me want to hit them upside the head with a frozen Turkey and ask them if it is cold enough!

In all seriousness...this is scary stuff! I see a side of me that I NEVER see when I am trying to quit. I get angry, violent, and just down right bitchy!


Today I had my morning cigarette...which for me, as silly as it sounds, is supposed to be a peaceful ritual for me. Think Indians passing a peace pipe around the fire pit...minus the Indians, the pipe, and the fire, LOL! It's how I have started almost every day of my life for over 20 years now. After my shower this morning I put on the patch. A system I had tried back in April, but had to stop because the 1st patch gave me heart beat issues, the shakes, and made me feel just sick!


So, my Dr. gave me the okay to start on stage 3 patches which are a much lower doseage of nicotine. Too low I think. It didn't seem to give me any relief. This is no surprise considering that my addiction is, I believe, more about the oral fixation than it is about nicotine.


Now, please don't tell me to try the gum, try sucking on this and that. Believe me...I have tried it all. From dum dums to jolly ranchers, gum to pixie stix. None of it helps stave off the craving for more that 10 minutes.


Today I was just so tired. I started to doze off while driving twice. I felt like I was drowsy. A friend suggested maybe it was the lack of stimulant. So after work I came home and slept for 2 hours. All I want to do when the craving gets the best of me is sleep. I sure hope that passes in the coming days. I will say that I do notice when I quit that I do sleep so much better, which makes since because it is a stimulant.


I was doing okay until things got off schedule. We had planned to go to the fair and we picked today because our oldest child didn't have practice, and we should have been able to leave by 4:30. We ended up not leaving until 5:15...which in everyday life is not a big deal, but on day 1 of not smoking...it wqas a huge ordeal. So uge in fact that after several small hiccups in our schedule I lost my cool and beat the hell out of my steering wheel to vent the rage.


As much as I know this is the very best thing I could do for myself, it doesn't change the fact that I HATE being short, snippy, and impatient with my children. HATE IT!!! But, I am once again sticking to my guns. Tomorrow is a new day, with loads of new adventures, and I will start again tomorrow.

I ripped off that patch at the fair and came home and smoked after the kids went to bed. I gave up, but as I learned on my weight loss adventure from last year...it's okay. I can start again tomorrrow. Just because I caved tonight does not mean I have to give up on quitting.

So, here's to tomorrow. A new day. A better day. A day where I will give this goal my all and try my best to keep my cool!

Dear loved ones, please know that I do not mean anyting I say or do right now. Just give me my personal space, time, and watch for a flying frozen turkey!
Have a great night!






8/11 Indiana State Fair, round 1!

We went to the Indiana STate Fair tonight and met up with Krista, Mike, and the kids.
We didn't get to see nearly half of it, so we may be back next week :)
That's dane on the Tug boat ride!
Youngin's on the Hot air balloon ride!
Dane sliding
Nadine & Ian sliding
Kids on the Crazy Mouse
Kids on the Blizzard
Petting baby pigs *oink oink*
Kids on the stairs
Kids eating corn dogs (except Nadine...she didn't want one?!?)
Kids petting a goat

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

8/4 BTS Orientation at SMS

I cannot believe it. My 1st born is in Middle School! We had orientation today and he is as cool as a pickle.

He said other than the lockers being taller, not much is different than the Academy :)

8/4 Back to School for JGE!

Danes 1st day of 2nd grade, and Nadines 1st day of 5th grade!

Monday, August 3, 2009

8/3 Nadines BTS new Do!

Nadine cut off all her hair and donated it! I couldn't believe she actually did it. Her hair has been long all of her life, and just last year she cut it to the middle of her back...and mom thought that was a change!
I took all four kids with us, and the boys were well behaved...even if the salon manager didn't like them being in the salon vs alone in the reception area. I was pretty pleased that they sat for so long!
First theu put some chunk blonde and carmelish highlights in her hair.
Time to say goodbye to the hair!
She couldn't believe how long it was!
After the cut...
Before and after unstyled
As soon as we got home she wanted it styled!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

To my sons future wife:

I am sure by now you are wondering what pack of wolves raised my dear son. I assure you that I gave it my very best effort. I only asked him 10,000 times during his childhood to please not wipe his hands on his pants as a napkin at the dinner table. I have showed him a million crumbs on the floor to try and visually show him the effects of not eating at the table. I even walked his T-shirt around on the floor giving it a squeaky voice to try and explain why we cannot wear the same shirt and sleep in it for 2 days straight.

No matter how many times I reminded him to brush his teeth, he never seemed to get that it was a natural part of our daily routine for bed and breakfast. I've tried many a hamper, and have decided that his innability to manage to get the clothing onto it surely means he's not cut for the NBA.

I've tried teaching him to groom his hair, but he seems to think bed head is the style to have. No amount of being made fun of seemed to matter when it came to personal hygiene. He doesn't care what other people think. While I find this quality desireable and admirable in a person, it drives me crazy!

I hope seeing that my 3 other children have no problem in these areas will show you that I was not a poor mother. He's just a stubborn learner!

Good Luck to you! I hope you can find a way to teach him not to be a slob!

Love,
Your future Mother in Law


Andrew, now you know why I buy you so much black and navy clothing!