But for the grace of God go I...

Ok, so my first after Christmas post was going to be mostly a compilation of pictures and a big ole whine about how my kids have too much stuff. But then I was watching Oprah (very productive in my time off) and I had to write about this story. This lady volunteered at a shelter for foster kids and learned that they don't have pajamas. The lady, like me, grew up with the routine of putting on pjs and going to bed. She brought in pjs for the 12 kids at the shelter, and one little girl looked at them, and said "What are those?" She was 6 years old and had never had pajamas. Call me premenstrual but the tears started flowing. Here I am griping because my family thinks my kids need to have 3499686 outfits and 234 pairs of pjs, and there are kids with none out there.

My cousin was telling me a story that also hit home. She's a teacher at the same elementary school where I went. She told me about a family who lives in a plywood house that's about 300 square feet. The kids have to walk through a creek with no bridge to get to the school bus. One kid is in the 4th grade and is up to recognizing about 1/2 the letters of the alphabet. My kids already know at least 80% of their letters and they're 2 1/2. The kids had very few clothes and no supplies, so the teachers got together and got them stuff.

With these stories, I'm committing to a New Year's resolution that actually matters. Well, I'm not pretending I'm Mother Teresa- I still have the selfish ones- lose weight, get in shape, all that. But I'm going to start doing more for charity. I talked to her about doing a backpack drive for local schools next summer, and she can get us a local family to adopt for Christmas. I have boxed up 4 boxes so far of kids toys and clothes for the local womens and childrens' shelter.

So now I challenge all you bloggers out there to do what you can. We can all do more. Frankly, just the thought of kids out there with no pajamas or sleeping on the floor and walking through creeks to get to school crushes me and I'm sure it does you too.

Tonight or tomorrow I'll be back to my regularly scheduled inane ramblings but for now I'm thanking God for all my blessings.

A day at the Museum

So, thanks to Desperate Housemommy, we took a trip to the Clay Center museum. Yep, two mommies and four kids under 3. I have to say, all in all I think it was a huge success. Unfortunately I didn't pull the camera out too much but did snap a few shots I thought I'd share.

Here's Emma with Max, playing on the giant magnet thingie. I'm pretty sure this is Maxey's favorite part of the museum since it's one of the only ones that he can participate in.

Here are Max, Hailey and Emma working on their magnetic masterpieces.
Hailey and Emma conspiring.
Here is Desperate Housemommy doing the weather. I totally think she should become a weather girl, she's way better than our local peeps.
Ethan and Emma at one of the coolest parts of the museum (even if they had no idea). You make a little movie shot by shot using the little cars. I think Ethan spent about an hour at this section, as it contained his two favorite things, cars and buttons to push.

We had a fabulous time, no fits, no crying, no fighting, no breakdowns. A fully successful trip that we'll definitely do again!

The visit to Santa on Tuesday went very well. We got there about 2 minutes before an entire daycare, so our timing was impeccable. I'll try to post the pics tomorrow, I had Grampsy scan them in and I have to edit them to the right size.

Dragons and swimming pools and popsicles, OH MY!

So, day 1 of my vacation at home (I'm off til January 3, the pleasures of state employment!). I have constantly been amazed lately at my kids' creativity. It's just amazing how they think and how complex their ideas are. I'm pretty sure they're smarter and more creative than I am already.

Their current favorite thing is pretend. They pretend play anything. One minute it's dragons chasing them down the hall, the next minute they're serving pretend popsicles from an ice cream truck. (And what's up with them being out of the blue ones when mommy wants a blue popsicle?). Then they're swimming on the rug in the living room, and 5 minutes later they're Alvin and the chipmunks (AAALLLLLVVVVIIIINNN! O-Kay!) or the Doodlebops (complete with guitar, drum and/or tambourine).

Tomorrow we're off on Errand Day, to Walmart, the mall and ending with Santa's lap. As you all know, it's always a crap shoot taking two year olds (especially two of them) out for that many errands. I'll post some Santa pics soon!

On a side note, please send thoughts and prayers to Neurotic Attorney.

Another I wonder

Good morning readers, I've been very lax with the camera lately, so here is yet another pictureless post. First off, Emma Bo Bemma's surgery is offically set for January 15, so please think good thoughts with us on that day. I'm sure I'll have a neurotic mommy blog on about January 13-14 so stay tuned. :)

Here's a blast from the past, another set of I wonders...

1. I wonder why people would say things on the internet that they'd NEVER say to someone's face. A wonderful blogger got some nasty comments and had to privatize her blog. That stinks, because she only blogs about her kids and her life, and includes her pictures (which are super great by the way) and I can't see how THAT could ever offend anyone. She's like the least offensive blogger I've ever read.
2. I wonder why people feel the need to send the exact same set of exhibits that the litigants on the other side sent. Do they think if they send them twice I'll pay more attention?
3. I wonder why it's a headline that teachers in WV are ranked 48th in national pay scale. Um, the ENTIRE STATE is ranked 49th or 50th in median income, why would teachers be paid more than any other occupation in WV???? If money's an issue I'd suggest not living in WV, there ain't none here.
4. I wonder why I can't slap any attorney who files an appeal without a docketing statement. I'm about to designate myself as the Supreme Court slapper.
5. I wonder why people feel the need to back into parking spaces in a busy parking lot or parking garage. And if you feel the need to do this, at least hone your skills so it doesn't take you 15 attempts while 30 ticked off drivers line up behind you.
6. I wonder where the dude who works in my building gets his he capris. Seriously, where does a dude go to buy dress pant capris? They even have a nice little button below the knee and different colors in the pleat by the button. And he wears them with wool knee socks, I guess to keep his legs warm.
7. I wonder how Bruce Springsteen has an alleged hit album. Has he even put out a song in the past 20 years? And isn't he like 65?
8. I wonder how great my life will be now that I'm getting not one, but TWO DVRs on Saturday. And how many shows will pile up on it before I get to watch them.
9. I wonder if the mall is less insane during a weekday. I think I'm gonna try to do the whole Santa's lap thing on Monday or Tuesday.

Have a great day!

Christmas spirit

I have to admit, for the most part, I think the vast majority of people are not great. Frankly, people really suck sometimes. But I’m trying to believe I’m wrong, at least for the sake of my kids, because I really don’t want them growing up in a world where people don’t care about others and are only looking out for themselves. So, in that vain, I’ve been trying to be nice to strangers, especially during the Christmas season, and I’ve been watching for people to show the Christmas spirit, so I can point out to the kids that people really ARE good.

Here are my examples so far:

*Thank you to the super nice lady in Target on Sunday who gave us the only dry cart so the kids didn’t have to sit in a wet one. She gave it up because she saw us looking for one and knew the kids would be sitting in it.

*A nice old guy in Fruth yesterday who had his hands full of items let a nice little old lady go first because she had a gallon of milk in her hand.

*Thanks to the maroon car who let me over this morning as I had gotten squished out and would have totally missed my turn at the fork in the road had she not let me out.

Anyone else want to share some Christmas spirit? Don’t forget to pass on the spirit.

Christmas party tour 2007 is nearly complete

This past week was one of those weeks. I think that everyone planning a Christmas party/dinner thought the first week of December was the week to do it. I had a Christmas party or dinner Monday evening, Tuesday evening, Thursday evening, two on Friday, and one on Sunday. Phew. Of course, many of these meant baking, wrapping and getting kids ready. Fun times. I think my Christmas spirit suffered a hit, but I'm trying to get back on the saddle.

So, I have to say, I'm constantly amazed by my kids. I worry sometimes that not being in daycare will make them antisocial or something, but that could not be more true! Sometimes I think I hit the kid lottery. I mean just LOOK at these faces... We went to a party last night where they didn't know one person there, and when we went to the kids' playroom area, they just jumped right in and left us in the dust. I was so proud of them! They didn't care a bit that they didn't know these other kids, they walked up and told them their names and started playing! They played so hard that they wouldn't eat, and we had to go through a drive thru on the way home to feed them! And, to top it off, they were younger than 90% of the kids by at least 3 years, but they didn't care. Santa made an appearance, and Ethan and Emma quickly learned that being the smallest affords you the fastest access to the fat man in red, as they squeezed right through the adults and bigger kids for their shot at Ho Ho. Both have always loved Santa, from their first Christmas at 7 months. When the pics are emailed to me I'll be sure to post. I was shocked that there were some older kids (like 6-7) who were scared. I mean, come on, it's SANTA. I can see a little one, but that old? Maybe it's like a clown, some adults are still scared of them.

Anywho, it did put to rest some of my paranoid mother fears that my kids will be the ones who grab a toy and play alone in a corner while all the other kids play together. They never have done that, but again, I'm the same one who fully convinced herself that Ethan was autistic when he was like 6 months old. Yay for outgoing kids!

This is what SPOILED looks like...

spoil (spoil) Pronunciation Key v. spoiled or spoilt (spoilt), spoil·ing, spoils : To do harm to the character, nature, or attitude of by oversolicitude, overindulgence, or excessive praise

See Also: Ethan and Emma

Yes, my children are spoiled. And it's not my fault. Christmas is going to be one hot mess in our house, as it seems everyone is trying to outdo the others with their gifts. Fun times. But, since Auntie Lala has bought so much for Christmas that she's not sure it will all fit in her car to bring it from NC, she brought these this weekend.



Yep, my kids now have their very own Nascar cars. Personalized and everything. Ethan's reads "Ethan Racecar Driver" and Emma's reads "Princess Emma Ballerina." For those not "in the know" these are their alter egos.

Here is the top of Ethan's car.
Here is the top of Emma's.
Side view:
And, they have Dora and Diego holding hands on the trunk of each car, along with each of their names over the doors, just like real Nascar drivers have. They'll be the coolest kids in the Hood come spring.