Not Me Monday

It was another fun filled weekend with me and my kids.  I woke up Saturday morning to the following:

The girl is apparently on a roll with the "note" thing.  I would not count this as a love note from Abby either.  And do you think I followed and did what she requested? Oh no, NOT ME! That would just encourage more notes, right? It would have been nice if I could have received a thank you note after she received her "jelly sandwich" however...

I took the kids to my Mom's pool to hopefully wear them out, have a fun filled couple of hours.   I was not hoping that the pool would wear these 3 out so thoroughly that I could, perhaps, just maybe, get a nap. Oh no, NOT ME!  We did have a really good time, however, and here are a few photos:

My kids are truly "water babies" they live in the pool in the Summertime. Abby and Molly have both taken to swimming like fish to water. Abby is in her second season on a swim team and just loves it. It is such amazing exercise!  Molly was a little slow to get started this year, but is now loving her time in the pool. That picture above? That is Molly jumping in the deep end for about the hundredth time that day. 

Zach on the other hand? Well, he is getting there, but is still a little unsure of the pool. Notice he is in a float, with floaties on his arms, and a kick board in his hands? I don't think he is quite sure yet about this whole "pool thing".  I am sure he will find himself more comfortable as Summer wears on and the pool warms up a bit more!

Well, I hope you all had a great weekend, I know we did...and? I totally got that nap on Saturday...the pool did it's trick, they were worn out little things! :)

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to < target="_blank" href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net">her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday-Weekend Edition

It was a fun, family filled weekend. Julio and Bethanie came to visit us for another semi long weekend. We all just had a great time. 
Friday night my Mom and brother, Will, came over. Will made a Chicken Curry that was one of the best I had ever had. I am already craving some more. We had a bit of wine and hung out on my porch for a pretty long evening that actually flew by. I did NOT drink more wine than I can remember in a very long time. Oh no! NOT ME!  I would not do such a thing!  I did not progressively talk louder with each glass of wine consumed, nope, again, NOT ME!  I especially did NOT drunk tweet some of the evening, nope, I would never do anything like that.
Saturday morning I woke up with a little bit of a headache for some strange reason. Haven't quite figured that one out, yet. Huh. Anyway, I was treated like a queen with Julio getting up and making the kids breakfast and bringing me breakfast in bed. Wow. I cannot tell you the last time someone brought me breakfast in bed. (I am NOT getting spoiled by this, oh no!)
We took the kids to the pool on Saturday and Sunday and really had a great time. 

One of the nicest things about taking the kids to the pool is that it slap wears them out. They came back and took a nice nap on Sunday afternoon. It allowed for a very relaxing afternoon for all of us. 

Julio then cooked dinner as well (again, I will say I am not getting spoiled, oh no, NOT ME!).  He made us a wonderful homemade spaghetti. It was loved by all.  The kids were all asleep and peaceful pretty early on Saturday night. It was, again, a nice treat! Hey, when you have 4 kids under the same roof it can get crazy!  All in all they get along quite well and allow for some really fun, family times.

Sunday was pretty much a repeat of Saturday, complete with pool, naps and early bedtimes. By Monday morning we were all pretty worn out from the weekend but really dreading our goodbyes.  A few more weeks and we'll all be together again, so I will just focus on that for now.

Now...if only we could work on that Georgia Bulldog fan thing that he has going on...any advice on how to deal with that?? Help me out here, folks!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to < target="_blank" href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net">her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday and a Shout Out!

On Friday I decided that I deserved a little treat and decided to head over to Old Navy to see what they might have that I needed. Well, I found the cutest dress, pictured over there <====. I did NOT drive to three different Old Navy stores as I was working to see what other colors the other stores had, oh no NOT ME! I did not buy it in two colors, come home, hop online and seriously consider one MORE! Oh no! I did stop myself. So far. It is saved in my "shopping bag" on the site, along with an adorable long, strapless dress that I cannot stop thinking about. But, alas, my brain kicked in and I have not bought it. Yet.


I also did NOT buy a new dress for Molly, a new outfit for Abby and new bathing suits for Julio and Bethanie. Oh no, NOT ME! I mean this was originally a special treat for me (now you see why I did NOT order the other dress I am now obsessing over have decided I really do not need).


My Dad came down on Saturday to help me replace a broken ceramic tile in my kitchen. I have needed to do this for ages and am so glad to have it all done. We did NOT break another tile as we were fixing that one, oh no, not US!  Luckily I am a pretty good judge of shapes and noticed the one we broke looked a lot like the piece we had cut off the other tile and low and behold it was, whew, crisis averted. I now have a complete kitchen floor again. Yay!


Well, lastly I guess I am not very good at stirring things up, oh no NOT ME! I received more comments on my last blog post Nanny State than any other post I have written. I have figured out nothing makes you guys feel you need to offer a comment than taking a stand politically. I have to say I love it. Thank you all so very much for all your comments. I appreciate the ones that agree with me and also the ones that have the courage to make their opinions known when they differ with mine. That's what makes this so much fun. I am always interested in hearing what ya'll have to say, even with and especially when you differ with me, who knows, maybe you will change my mind about something! 

As a follow up, my good (albeit apparently fake) friend, Jay, posted a terrific post, Suggestions for New Nanny State Rules. If you have not read this post, or are not reading Jay's blog you MUST! He is hilarious, always good for a terrific laugh and even pretty insightful at times. (I am not posting these links and great things about Jay because he has done it several times for me and I feel I owe him, OH NO NOT ME! But, I did figured I better give him a shout out so he will keep thinking of me from time to time!!) Now, YOU! Go! Read his blog! NOW!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to < target="_blank" href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net">her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me! Monday

This weekend the kids spent the day at the beach with their Dad, his girlfriend, their Aunt, their cousin and their great grandmother. I am sure they had a blast. I certainly think they looked the part prior to leaving the house:

I was not a little too excited about my first 24 hours to myself. Oh no not me! I also most certainly did not find myself thinking I needed to go check on the kids because they were so quiet...no I knew they had left. I knew they weren't home.   I also did NOT find myself missing them just a couple of hours later. Oh NO! Not ME!  I do have to say it was a nice little break.  A much needed bit of "mental health time".

I did not spend the entire weekend catching up on DVR'd shows, oh no, NOT me!  That would be an awfully lazy thing to do, now wouldn't it?

When my babies arrived home, sunburned and exhausted on Sunday I could not have been more happy. I did NOT cry as Abby read me her Mother's Day book, oh no NOT ME!  It was an amazingly sweet book in which Abby told me she loves to shop with me, she thinks I'm as pretty as a daisy, that she loves when I tickle her, that my favorite thing to do is to text (um, hmm...might have to work on that one) and that she hopes I get a "break" for Mother's Day...cue the guilt. Wow. That one stung a little.  But I received so many nice hugs and kisses from them when we got home that my day was complete.

Little Zach was pretty worn out from his great beach adventure. Just a few minutes after sitting down with him this is how he ended up:

 

Not a bad way to end the weekend. Not too bad at all.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to < target="_blank" href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net">her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me! Monday

 


Friday night I had to go to Walmart. Yes, I said Friday night and Walmart in the same sentence (yes I should probably have my head examined). Ed and his girlfriend took Abby to Frankie's Fun Park for the evening so in all honesty only have 2 in the store seemed a breeze. I, of course, did NOT buy Happy Meals from the in store McDonald's in order to ensure an easy visit. Oh no NOT ME! That would NOT be a Happy Meal toy on Molly's head, nope...I would NOT bribe my kids! Oh NO! Certainly NOT ME! (But, seriously, is she not the most adorable princess??)

On Saturday night the three kids all climbed into bed together. I did not take this picture and tweet about it being an early night, OH NO! That would just be asking for trouble!  I actually got very lucky. Shortly after I took this picture I put Zach in his crib, settled the girls into their own beds with "Jaws" (I know, I would never let my kids watch "Jaws" and would certainly not let them call it their favorite movie!) and proceeded to take an uninterrupted bubble bath. It was amazing, I had my favorite guilty pleasure magazine (Oh get your minds out of the gutter, I'm talking about US Magazine), my bubbles, the jacuzzi jets and peace. When I got out of the bath I found the girls were sound asleep in their beds! I was in shock! Now, keep in mind, I did not lock myself in the bathroom, I could hear them if they needed me! But, wow, who would have ever expected them to fall asleep! Certainly, NOT ME!


I have been working with Molly on potty training. She has just about got the hang of it. I realized how in depth we had been focusing on it when I saw Zach look in the potty and shout, "ALRIGHT" for no reason at all!  Overreact much? Oh, no, NOT ME!!


So that's just a little bit of what I did NOT do this weekend!  What about you? What did you NOT do??


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me! Monday

I did not really think I had a Not Me post this week, but, turns out I have a very good one. When Abby was born over 7 years ago I did everything "buy the book" as they say. She NEVER slept in the bed with me, ever. She slept swaddled in her bassinet by my bed for the first few months, then we moved her to her crib, let her learn to "cry it out" and never looked back. She transitioned to her toddler bed and then her twin bed by the time she was two. We never had any sleep issues with her, at all. She was off the bottle and pacifier by 9 months old and we lived peacefully.

Fast forward four years and we had Molly. My big blue eyed angel. She nursed like a champ and I learned the beauty of letting her lie beside me to nurse therefore I was able to sleep more and she nursed longer than Abby did. I transitioned her to her crib and she did fine. Until...she was 8 months old and I was pregnant, again. Ok, so all went well with Zach, my third, until it was time to transition him to the crib which meant at 23 months transitioning Molly from her crib to a twin bed, skipping the toddler bed stage, as Zach was now 6 months old and needed to be in the crib.
This was challenging. Zach did fine. Molly did not. I am a sucker for my big, blue eyed angel, too. She has me wrapped around her finger. She is now a little over 3 years old and I have to convince her that her bed with the new Princess sheets is much more enticing than my bed. I have enjoyed cuddling my little Molly all this time. She was there to cuddle with as I struggled with my Dad's death. She's been there to cuddle with me as we adjust to not having Ed in the house anymore, but I know it is time. Ok, it is past time. 

I never intended to let things go this long. But she really has been a comfort to me. I never thought I would be one of those parents who let their kids climb in bed for nights on end, oh no, Not ME! After years of telling my loving sister in law she really needed to get her child out of her bed I am sure it has been sweet poetic justice for her to see me in this predicament! And I totally don't blame her! I would enjoy laughing at me, too! Funny how it is so easy to try to "help" someone else until you are in the situation (and if you are reading this, Deanna, I love you, Sis!!)
So two nights ago I rocked Molly to sleep (yes, I also am trapped into the rocking her each night, another thing I swore I would never do, oh no, NOT ME!) and put her in her bed. She lasted until about 2 am. I caved and cuddled. Strike one for me. But I did see it as a partial victory!  Last night I put her in her bed and she only stayed asleep a little while, but she did stay in her bed watching TV (oh no, I would not let her watch tv all hours of the night, oh no, NOT ME!) Mind you I had to walk her back to bed no less than a bazillion times, and sit with her as she finally fell asleep, but I stuck to my guns and she did at least begin the night in her bed. I think she came into mine around 3am. Hey, a full hour later than the night before. We are on the right track.

Now, poor Molly, she is learning to sleep in her own bed and learning to potty all at the same time but is so excited about being a "big girl". This morning she sat on the potty and pee peed in it for the very first time. I embarrassed to say Abby was potty trained completely in one day at the age of 32 months and yet, here I am struggling with Molly.  In all honestly I really have not pushed her, nor taken the time to truly work with her as I should. We are making up for lost time now, however. So there is a lot going on in her little life these days. She really seems to be handling it quite well.  As you all know  positive encouragement goes a long way.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday

 

So another edition of Not Me Monday. This will likely be a brief version as I am one worn out Mommy.


During today's follow up Dr's appointment for Molly we discovered Zach has a double ear infection.  So 2 out of 3 with full blown sicknesses. I have been in constant Mommy mode for over 48 hours and am ready for a break. No, not really, not me! 

So one night last week the girls were off playing quietly in their room. I was so enjoying the peace and quiet. However, I would never notice how quiet my girls were being and not go check and see what they were doing...oh no...not me...and then discover they had taken my red nail polish and painted their own toes and fingers...no, no, no...that just sounds very irresponsible...

While in the ER Saturday night I warned the nurse that Molly did not take oral medication well. Did he listen to me? Oh no, not him! He came back in the room with a huge amount of liquid Motrin and another man to help hold Molly down and force the medication down her throat. Did I try to warn him, again? OH no, not me! Did I get rewarded for his stubbornness? Oh yes I did. My sweet little Molly threw up all over herself and me.  Of course we were in the ER, where I had rushed her to, without a change of clothes. I do not deal well with vomit. But I guess I was in Mommy mode and I got her all cleaned up and she spent the rest of the evening without a shirt and I spent the next 12 hours smelling really nice.  Did I save the shirt that so cutely matched her pajamas? Oh no, not me, that sucker went in the biohazard trash!


Ok, that's about all I am up to admitting this week. I am going to bed. It has been an exhausting few days!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me! Monday

Alrighty, another version of come clean Monday. Well, I can tell you folks I had a heck of a week last week, it is not one I'd like to repeat ever again, in my lifetime. However, things ended up amazingly, incredibly better than I would have ever imagined. I am happier and more energized than I have felt in a very long time. Rest assured there will be more on this coming soon.

So last week I decided to work in downtown Charleston one day. I totally did NOT forget it was St Patrick's Day. Oh no, not me. I am always more on top of things than that! Not only did I NOT forget it was St Patty's Day I did not forget there was a parade and absolutely did not get stuck by said parade for an hour. Oh no, you know me much better than that!  Productivity was at an all time high, I assure you!


I did not let my kids watch Snow White and The Princess and the Frog over and over this weekend, oh no, not me! Ok, I did...BUT they also had hours of play time outside. I feel this quite adequately balanced out. It's all about balance, after all!  And, I did have to have time to clean house and do the laundry! Not to mention clean up the girl's room and closet...always a fun chore...

I did a little bit of shopping for the kids today. Zach and Abby both needed a a few things for Spring (Poor Molly gets a whole lot of hand me downs). It is so nice living close to the outlets. I can find things at Gymboree, Carter's, Children's Place and OshKosh every bit as inexpensively as I can at consignment shops, IF I'm careful. I absolutely love Gymboree. Unfortunately I get so distracted in there. I can shop for all 3 kids in the same spot and that makes it a bit hard for me to focus and therefore I can quickly overspend if I'm not careful. Of course, I would NEVER overspend, oh no not me! I found several cute things at Carter's for Zach, I mean whole outfits for $5! I totally did not make my selections, pay for them and then find a few more on my way out! Oh no, not me! How silly is that?


Well, that's about all that I didn't do last week. As is always the case I'd love to hear more about what you didn't do!  Did you stay up late and watch the Health Care Reform? Did you write your congressman? Did you over indulge this weekend in a little bit of adult beverages? Did you do anything embarrassing? Do tell...we're all friends here!


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me! Monday

They (who is "they" anyway??) say confession is good for the soul. That is what "Not Me! Monday is all about, a way to tell the world all the things you certainly did NOT do this past week. This way you can start fresh with a clean conscience this week.


So, let's see what did I NOT do this past week, that I would like to share?? Not much, folks! 


I did NOT go out of town for a long weekend leaving my kids and husband behind, oh NO! Certainly NOT me! I would NEVER do such a thing, ok, yes, I would, but hey, all Mom's (and Dad's for that matter) need time away to recharge their batteries! Are you with me fellow parents?


Ok, so I did have the chance to sing karaoke this weekend. I did NOT do it. Seriously, I really didn't, no sarcasm there (I know, shocking, right??). So, no blackmail videos or photos. As I suspected, there was not enough beer in that town to support my singing habit. I suppose I will one day get up the courage, in fact I am pretty certain I will, but I just couldn't quite bring myself to it. There was one woman that was truly awful, but hey, she has more nerve than I do! It probably was the perfect time to do it, but I just can't quite get up the nerve! I just would feel so vulnerable! OH well...it is just one thing I did NOT do this past weekend.


I am certainly NOT using the fact that Zach (my 21 month old) is with me tonight at The Little Gym as an excuse as to why I cannot join the other parents in the gym as they jump and run around. Oh, NO! Not me! Hey, it's exhausting going out of town for a long weekend, I'm still recooperating! 


Ok, ya'll...what did YOU not do this past week? Clear your consciences...share with the group, you will feel so much better. Remember, what is discussed at GamecockMama stays at GamecockMama!


Have a great week!


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Monday! Yay, Monday! I am NOT being sarcastic, it's all in your perspective. If it's Monday we must be that much closer to the weekend, and since I am taking Friday off and going out of town, this is really my Tuesday! Woot! I am already a day ahead of you guys!!

I had to go to Charlotte this past weekend for work. When I go out of town I always take my favorite pillow, this trip was no exception. And, no, I did NOT leave said favorite pillow, with my favorite pillow case in my hotel room. Nope, not me. I did not hit the snooze so many times that I was running late, rushing, and just plain forgot to grab it on the way out the door. Nope, actually I was the first one to the meeting, I am a whiz at getting up and out the door quickly. Just not such a whiz at remembering to turn around on the way out the door and make sure I didn't leave anything behind!


On my way to Charlotte, which I have driven so many times I can't count, I did not get distracted in Columbia during rush hour, make a wrong turn and end up adding 45 minutes to my travel time...oh NO, certainly NOT ME! Stupid rush hour traffic.

By the time I got home Saturday night I was exhausted and ready to see my kids. They, however, were in quite fun little moods. See, at my house, everyday from 5:00-7:00 is wild. The kids are fussy, hungry, and tired. I did NOT come home to a 7 year old full of tears, a 3 year old coughing her head off and a 1 year old hungry and fussy. Oh NO, not me...that would just mean I wasn't paying attention to the clock, because if I had, I would have come home much later...just kidding...I would NEVER do something like that, oh no, NOT ME!


So, again, I ask you, what did you NOT do this past week? Anything fun and juicy you want to share with me? Come on, I'd never laugh at you, oh no, NOT ME! 


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday

This weekend I absolutely did NOT drink any margaritas. Hard to believe isn't it? I had a brand new bottle all ready to go, but just didn't find myself in the mood. Crazy, huh? I know, that is really NOT me!

Also I did NOT find myself on Twitter and watching CNN to see if Hawaii was going to be spared the massive tsunami that was predicted all day. I did NOT find myself laughing in spite of the seriousness that could have been on the horizon. It is just not like me to find humor in something that could have been so devastating. Obviously, had it happened, it would not have been humorous, but you couldn't help but laugh at the newscasters, telling us the time (yeah, we don't have clocks), rehashing the obvious and just staring at the water. Not to mention those that were still walking along the beach as if it were any other day, though I'd call that survival of the fittest!

That's about it, that I can think about or want to share with you guys! As always, I want to know what you did NOT do this weekend or past week!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday

Not Me! Monday...again! As luck would have it I was so well behaved I have nothing to contribute this week. What? You don't believe me...huh.


Ok, fine. Let's see.

Well, Saturday has recently become somewhat of a "Twitter Party". Several of us just hang out, drink and joke around. I did NOT drink an entire 1.75L of Margaritas. Not Me! That would just be a little excessive. I mean, I might say something I would regret...No, Not ME!


In my defense, I LOVE margaritas. I believe it is my favorite drink, strong and not too sweet. Please, leave off the salt, however, ok? Also, today is National Margarita Day, so I was celebrating it early. You buy that right? Good.

The girls and I watched "Inkheart" this weekend, and not that I doubted it, (Oh No, Not ME!), I really liked it. It was different, imaginative and enjoyable enough that all three of us were quite captivated. In fact, I think it has been on a continuous loop on the DVD player since Saturday afternoon. Not that I let my kids watch a lot of TV so I can get things done, OH NO! Certainly NOT ME! It is quite refreshing to watch something with the kids that we can all enjoy!


I highly recommend this movie to all of you.


So, what about you? What did you NOT do this weekend?


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday-Whatever...

Welcome to another, albeit brief, edition of Not Me! Monday.

I did NOT decide I didn't feel like writing last night and put off putting together my Not Me! post...oh, no, NOT ME!

I would never to that to you the four people that just wait with bated breath for my musings on my crazy life. I know what waking up and finding my post not here must do to you four. I am sincerely sorry. I will say I feel I am getting sick and therefore feel great sarcasm coming on...I know this is a shocking discovery to you, as I am never sarcastic, oh no, NOT ME!

I have decided that will be my mantra today...am I getting sick? OH NO! NOT ME!

So that will be my Not ME! post for this week. I would like to hear what you did NOT do this past week. Update me and have a great, healthy week!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday-Molly Edition

What a great weekend. I did not leave the house. I did not put on makeup. I did not even get out of my "around the house comfy clothes". Ahhhh...those are the best kind of weekends sometimes, aren't they? All that relaxing can get me in a bit of trouble too...


Seems while I was relaxing on the couch watching some TiVo'd shows, Zach was asleep in his crib, Abby was watching a movie in her room and I THOUGHT Molly was asleep in my room...well this is how I found her:

I did NOT completely zone out while she played with my makeup...in my bed. I did NOT suddenly clue in when I smelled my very expensive perfume being sprayed generously around the room. No, not me! I am much more on top of things than that! I did NOT have an incredibly difficult time removing this makeup from  her tender face...in fact I did NOT just leave it most of the day to, hopefully, wear off...oh no NOT ME!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.