In Case you Were Wondering...

* I took the vacuum back.  I just couldn't justify keeping it when my old one was working just fine!

*I shaved my pits today!

*On Superbowl Sunday I became an Auntie again.  My older brother and his girlfriend just had their first baby.  Kyler David.  He really is beautiful.

*I am thinking about joining 30 tiny moments.

*Someone should sign me up for "Mother of the year" stat!  Today after lunch I started giving the nap countdown when Mason decided to throw a huge hissy.  

"NO!  I don't want to take a nap!"

Without even skipping a beat or raising my voice I just replied, "tough titty."

Cue the screeching record

What was I thinking?  Clearly, I wasn't.  I don't talk like that (around my kids) ever.

Classy! Like having a 4 year-old birthday party at a nudie bar.  

Totally embarrassing. 

No one I'd rather be with.

I always feel weird talking about this because it is so complex, but I feel this special bond with Mason.  Is it because he's my first? Is it because he's a boy?  Or, is it because we went through so much when he was a tiny premature baby?  Maybe it's all of those things combined, I am not really sure.  Sometimes  I let myself feel guilty about it which I shouldn't.  It is not at all that I love him more, it is just different, a lot like a father and his daughter I'd assume.  

I've been feeling like I wanted to spend some special time with Mason.  He's been really difficult lately and I start to feel like all I do is nag about what he's doing wrong, so I wanted to spend a few hour just with him. 

 

We decided on Saturday morning that we were going to go to a movie.  Mason was so excited! 

We got to the cinema and it was sold out!  You should have seen all the tears.  Mason didn't get why we couldn't just take a different seat.  Poor kid.  his first time to a movie and he got the shaft.  

Instead, he wanted to go into the arcade (a personal hell for me).  He first road this motorcycle that I helped him with.  We did awful.  He wanted to drive the race car next and I kept my hands to myself. 

 He did way better without me.  

Sheesh. I am so not ready to be saying that out loud.

We had a nice morning together.  We need to do it more often, my special little guy.

Suck it!

This morning we needed to run a few errands.  To me, there is nothing worse than coming home to a trashed house, so I always try to pick up before walking out the door.  The house was decent and I decided to whip out the vacuum.  I'm vacuuming away and it just stops.  Nothing strange was sucked in, it just stopped.  Immediately I asked Mason to plug the vacuum back in.  

"but it's already plugged in!"

So we added a new errand to our list, a new vacuum. We went to 2 stores and decided on the Hoover Mach 6 to replace our Hoover Fusion.  We loaded it in the car and home we went.  Just to be sure, I plugged our old vacuum in to make sure it didn't work and it was still dead.  Mason comes in and says he's going to fix the old vacuum.  He plugs it back into the wall an voila!  It works like a charm!  Now what do I do?  Do I return it and hope that my old one keeps kicking?  Or, do I sign my son up for the circus with his healing powers?

7 Things

I was tagged by the lovely MP for this 7 thing meme. As if you need any more proof, here are 7 more things that will comfirm your doubts about me.

"She's a strange one that Crunchy Girl..."

1. The smell of patchouli on me makes me insane, not in a good way. I despise it. On other people it smells heavenly. When Pedro smells like it, it makes me wild, in a good way. Roar Baby, Roar! It is my favorite, buy this for yourself or someone you like to sniff!

2. I hate to shave my pits. I do it (not often) but I hate it. My legs often, the beav often (did I really just write beav?) but the pits are such a chore for me. HATE.

3. I was a waitress for many years. I loved it! It paid my way through college and was such instant gratification...you do a good job, you get rewarded within an hour. With money! I still talk about missing it, often.

4. I was a ballet dancer for 13 years. I was told by my teacher often that I needed to lose 10 lbs starting at age 10. Some how I've never had any sort of an eating disorder.

5. I love to bake! I bake at least one thing every week. I blame this book I got about 8 years ago. When I got it I went crazy trying all sorts of recipes. Now I almost never use a recipe, I just know how much of everything to add. This is why I haven't yet come up with a recipe for this cake.

6. I love soup. I make soup just about every week, all from scratch. I like to make huge pots of it so I can have it for lunch throughout the week. This is the last pot of soup I made. Mmmmm, Minnestroni! Tonight I am making Cream of Broccoli.

7. I'd rather have a really good chewy bagel than a donut, any day. I used to be anble to say "no thanks" when donuts were offered until I got pregnant with Mason. Now I'll eat either and rarely say "no thanks" but mostly "yes please!"

Wow. That took forever. Just so you know this post was started on Dec 14th. Holla!

Don't be J!

My Dad is a really good guy. He's been an awesome Dad and a great Grandpa. When he works he dresses great. His shoes always match his belt and his suits are always perfectly tailored. When he's not working, Oh Sweet Lord!

One time my Dad went up to our cottage by himself. It is so peaceful and beautiful up there, that one of the things all of us do when we're there is to just sit quietly at the end of the dock. My Dad was sitting there were a boat drove up to him and asked him if he needed help. His red sweatpants, bright blue sweatshirt and obnoxious hat were taken as S.O.S. He laughs every time he talks about it but the red sweatpants are still up at the cottage and I am pretty sure he still wears them every time he's up there.

The other night when we got home from our little road trip, I ripped off my clothes and put on my most comfy duds. I looked okay, I think, until I realized I needed to take the dog out and put some more clothes on. Once I was ready to head out the door to walk the dog around the block, it hit me. "What am I wearing?"

I looked totally hot! No. I looked HAWT! So hawt in fact that Pedro grabbed my camera and started snapping. I posed for a few, then off I went to walk the dog. I think the dog may have been a little embarrassed.

I bet I make my Dad so proud some days!

I am mean.

I really didn't plan on leaving you guy hanging, I swear. I just couldn't take anymore whining and crying so I pushed publish! Then you got all mad at me.

We've come to the conclusion that the owners really don't want to let the house go. They built it themselves 31 years ago and lived there for 30. Serious attachment issues. And also that their realtor is an idiot. After our FINAL OFFER in bold, they came back last night with another counter offer. Yes, they did. And we politely gave them the finger. The middle one.

Last night we went out to dinner, after having chocolate cake, and I am now totally convinced that there is some reason that house isn't for us. It wasn't perfect, but I was ready to work some magic on it and make it really rad. You guys were right though. I am not at all ready to say goodbye to this house, although we'll have to soon enough. Now Pedro's got the bug, he spent all last night of the computer looking at more houses. I am on hold.

But guess what? They called again this morning to counter again. Douche Bags. That's OK! I still have half a chocolate cake here and it's the best damn chocolate cake ever!

Dream Home, part 4: The Waiting Game

I don't know about you but when I am waiting for something, I try to keep myself busy.

First my worry wart genes wake my ass up at 4: 15 am.


Then I turn into a Betty Crocker/ Martha Stewart wannabe.



That'd be a spinach and feta omlet, potatoes and sausages!



"I like it when my Mom is trying to keep herself busy!"

Then I make my kids go outside and "have fun" in the blizzard we are having just so I can take pictures of them.





Then when the kids are good and worn out I put them both down for a long winters nap and wait some more!

The floors get scrubbed, clothes get washed, and then my crazy domestic brain starts to think about chocolate cake! Hot Damn! Some how we happen to have all the ingredients to make it, with homemade chocolate frosting too!



My kids wake up just in time to help me frost.





Then we eat a totally Weight Watcher Friendly Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting!
And I am very, very good at lying to myself at this point!


And then we finally get a phone call...

Later today, I swear. I cannot neglect my kids any longer!

Do you hear it?

...tick, tock, tick, tock...

*EDITED- The owners who no longer live in town (they moved to a resort town) want an extension to make their decision. They are coming to town to discuss with their realtor...so looks like more waiting. Good times Everyone!

Dream Home, part 3: a new twist

Within hours after seeing the house, Pedro and I decided we wanted to make an offer. Our realtor who is very conservative when it comes to buying and selling advised us to offer significantly lower than the asking price(which we could not afford) because of all the updating that would be necessary to live in.

We offered. They countered. We offered our max bid and they countered again. We were 10,000 dollars apart and we were done.

For some reason I was relieved. I don't know how I would've handled having a house on the market with two kids who love to pay with 8,076 different toys each day. I would miss my little house that we brought 2 babies home to even though we are outgrowing it. Have I mentioned that we only have one bathroom? It blows.

This all happened 2 weeks ago. Since then our realtor has been sending us various other listings. I haven't had the slightest desire to look at any of them. To get me to move it's going to have to be something special. And quirky. And have a whole bunch of potential...

Yesterday after two weeks had passed, we placed one last offer on the log house. We increased our bid by a measly $3,000 and included the words, FINAL OFFER.

Those of you who are reading and playing along, wondering how the story ends? Your guess is as good as mine. They have 48 hours...

Dream Home: part two *Updated with Photos*

I really didn't plan on leaving you all hanging for the entire weekend, but we were busy moving in!

Just kidding.

We went on a last minute road trip Friday. Let's get on with the show, eh!

Because Pedro knows me well, he sent me a link to this log cabin that was in a fantastic neighborhood near us. We weren't at all in the market for a new house, but I was intregued, I called our family friend who was also a realtor and made an appointment to see the house the very next day.

We walked in and oh my God, the quirkiness! And also oh my God the potential! My wheels were cranking and I immediately had a half a bazillion ideas. The house was built in the late 70's by the current owner. He built it to suit his taste and kept it perfectly maintained. But I shit you not, the curtains matched the carpet in every single room. Each of the four bedrooms had a different primary colored carpet with mini-blinds to match.


It needed lots of updating, but I was confident that we could handle it after conquering "Button". Besides being outdated it was open and rustic with all exposed beams. It had four bedrooms and two bathrooms, a wood burning stove and the coziest feeling ever. But still, the brass light fixtures a the emerald green carpet (that matched the crocheted emerald valence) were nearly obscene.



Pedro and I had some things to talk about. Did we really want to move? We loved our house and finally started getting it to where we wanted it. On the other hand, could we get the house for a great price since it had been on the market for 18 months. Wow. Decisions, decisions. What should we do?

What did we do?

***100 % Actual photos***

Dream Home, part 1: because I could go on for days.

I don't think I've ever talked about this before, but I have a very clear picture of my dream home. Two pictures in fact for my two very different homes. The first one is a small beach bungalow. Not a home just a few blocks from the beach, I'm talking a house built in the sand, baby! It's fresh and airy and just fits my little family. I would be caught most days chasing my kids around on the beach in a swimsuit (without muffin top of course). The inside would be simple and crisp and mostly white-washed wood and I promise I'd never complain about sweeping the tracked-in sand 8 times each day. Dinners woud most likely consist of fresh fish thrown on the grill with roasted veggies and a tart and salty margarita to sip.

Think something like...






My other dream house couldn't be more different. It would again be small but nearly completely wooded; It would be a log cabin. It would have big rustic logs as beams, ceilings would not exist in this home. The fireplace would be crackling as I sip my coffee on my distressed leather furniture. The room wouldn't be a perfect picture without a brown and white cowhide beneath my feet. Ah, there, now I am in love.

Think something like...





Beautiful, no? I know they are as different as can be, but I like to think of it as being prepared. Prepared for the day I have more money than GOD! Who wouldn't want a warm weather house and also a cozy inviting log cabin?

Guess what? We found one of these two houses.

Still kickin' it.

Hi there. How YOU doin'? So much has been going on here, but I 've just not wanted to write lately.

Pedro came down with the flu last Friday and while I wanted to take care of him and make sure he was OK, I wanted nothing more than to stay away! The rest of us had been healthy for just one week, we couldn't get a whole other flu again! It would be the death of me. Each time Pedro would run to throw a puker, I'd get my bucket with hot water and disinfectant and be ready to sanitize the bathroom. Psycho much? We are all healthy and we never got it!

Saturday my sister and I threw a baby shower for my brother's girlfriend who is having a baby in just a few weeks. It was perfect! My mom was there and I did my best to not be all weird. I probably didn't do so well. We talked fluff- about the cupcakes and my cinnamon rolls and that was about it. We haven't talked since.

I need a girls night out. Bad! Any takers?

P.S .We put an offer in on a house. Want to hear about it? Next.

In with a BANG!

Today my mom and I got in a fight. It was a huge, nasty, dirty fight. It was by far the worst adult fight that I've ever had with her and I feel sick about it. The hard thing is that I said everything I've been needing to say for years but my delivery? Sucked! I turned into a person that I am not and never want to be.

If there is a good part that has come from this, it makes me value my babies that much more. I want to be the best mom I can be in 2008. I want to yell less. I want to play more. I don't ever, ever want to scare them. This is who I want to be.

I hear little hearts breaking already!

Real-life Babydoll

What's grosser than gross?

Less than two weeks after the ER fiasco...Enter Stomach flu! Just in time for Pedro's 30th birthday, In-law house party and Christmas!

If my head is buried in the toilet for the next few days, Happy Barf-tastic Holidays!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Dear Mason,
Today is your fourth birthday. Part of me feels like the past four years have flown by, while the other part feels like you've been in my life forever. The past two years I wrote all about you. This year I want you to see all we've done together.
I love you, more than you'll ever know.
Mama

2nd Birthday here

3rd Birthday here

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Size Totally Matters

My camera? It's working again. It was the lens that took a poop, and a huge poop it was. For my birthday, after 869 tongue lashings Pedro bought me a new lens. It is huge! Almost intimidating; like it might hurt or something?

My photographer friend has gone all pro now so she uses all the red line lenses. This left her other lenses all sad and lonely. Not for long. She is letting me borrow her 28-90mm lens until she needs it, maybe, some day. I am giving it all kinds of lovin! Yeah Baby!




sweet little thang. 28-90mm


Big Black Bad Ass. 75-300mm

Quaaack!

Phew. I'm back. I just needed a few days to get my bearings back.

About two weeks ago we made plans the go to Minnesota and do some hardcore Christmas shopping. We were going with my parents and stay Friday through Sunday. Both my kids had been sick since Monday, but I figured they were at the tail end. Ha ha Ha. Stupid me. We packed up our car at noon on Friday. Both kids threw up on themselves in the car from coughing before we even left our city. We got there around 4 and checked into the hotel.

Mason coughed. We went out to dinner. Mason coughed. Harper was getting better and Mason was getting worse. By morning, after a rough 2-3 hours of sleep we knew we needed to take him in. He was so exhausted from coughing. We found the nearest Urgent Care and took him in. The Doctor called it croup and said there was really nothing that could be done. He highly suggested we take Mason to the nearest ER to be admitted for exhaustion. I paid $138.00 and was on my way. We headed back to the Hotel and packed up the car. I wasn't comfortable taking him to a hospital out of town and I wanted him to be at our local hospital if he had to.

We got home around 4 on Saturday and took him into our local ER. I told them what we'd already done and they were shocked. Shocked that the Doctor wanted to admit him for exhaustion but never thought to give him a breathing treatment to ease his coughing. They took x-rays, gave him a breathing treatment and we were on our way home. It wasn't croup, he had fluid around his lungs that was making him cough.

By Sunday morning after getting some sleep Mason was 90% better. Today he's 99% better. I am just pissed. The more I think about it the more angry I get that the Doctor said there was nothing that could be done. That he was probably at the worst day of the croup cycle, but that the exhaustion needed to be treated.

The Cherry? The clinic was private. Insurance not taken. (Bend over and let me have my way with you. Then you will pay! And say Thank You when I am finished!)

What would you do? We have been told to try and stop payment on our credit card. We have never done this but do you think it would work?

Holiday Cheer!

Thanks for all the Birthday wishes, yo! It came and went with a crazy HUGE snowstorm!

Harper was feeling better by the end of the week and by Sunday (that's 2 days people) her nose was running like a faucet again. This time it claimed Mason as well. The last few days I've spent waiting on my two sick children hand and foot. As much as I love all the snuggling and rocking, I am pretty sure if I never heard either of them whine again I'd be forever happy. It really does drive a person crazy especially when there are two of them whining in unison.

I think the sickness is claiming my brain now too. On Monday I invited Pedro's entire family over to my house for Christmas.

*Let's all have a moment of silence*

I've always known that I was nice person, but this? Above and beyond. I am not sure what got into me. Yes, right. The sickness eating my brain.

The Pro's

We are doing it on December 23 which means no traveling on Christmas.

At my house so my kids can nap when they need to nap.


The Con's

Pedro's entire family in my house, all at once.

Pedro's entire family in my house, all at once.

Pedro's entire family in my house, all at once.

Pedro's entire family in my house, all at once.

Pedro's entire family in my house, all at once.

Pedro's entire family in my house, all at once.

Really, I am sure it's going to be fine. I'll be on my best behavior and have lots holiday cheer, and beer, for everyone.

I am keeping the wine for me. All me.