At Least I'll Qualify for a Government Job

Why is it that institutions of higher learning feel the need to charge their students astronomical amounts of moola for parking? (As if the massive amounts of cash forked over in the name of tuition just isn't quite enough...) Once one has paid the fee and received the coveted parking pass, the real trick ensues...finding an actual space to park in. In the one week since this semester has commenced, I feel like I have spent more time and gas attempting to find a parking spot than I have actually commuting to campus. And I live 35 miles from campus, so that is a lot of time and gas! I have come to this conclusion: the parking does not actually exist! Nope. True, there are numerous parking lots and obviously many cars filling said lots. However, I now believe that all that money I and my fellow classmates have bestowed upon our university goes into a fund that purchases dummy cars. Those dummy cars are parked in every spot and just taunt us all with their "ha-ha-I'm-in-a-spot-and-you're-not" look. Yep, it's a big conspiracy! When that precious moment in which I finally (after hours of searching) manage to find a spot arrives, I feel like someone should rush out of the shadows and award me my degree just for succeeding in this next to impossible task. Because, let's face it, college is no longer about learning and achieving academic success. Successfully completing a college degree is about mastering the bureaucracy of it all. Oh, and being able to successfully read the moods of various professors. So, in short, every college graduate should be able to claim profiency in government affairs and psycology.

**And, yes, I realize I sound like a raving looney bin escapee...But this is what driving in circles for hours searching for a parking spot will do to you...attempt it at your own risk :)

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

Sorry, I've been so horrible about blogging this week. School started back up on Monday and I'm still getting back into the groove of things. I promise I'm gonna get back into a routine and keep more of my fabulousness headed your way.

Also, I want to say a big THANK YOU! to all the SITStas who have been stopping by from SITS to welcome me to the mix. I'm really enjoying being a part of such a wonderful group of bloggers. Keep the comments coming (they make me feel pretty) and I am getting around to each of your blogs to comment, it just takes me a minute :)

I Believe

Sometimes I find myself giving a lot of thought to what I believe. I think it is part of the "growing up" process. Although, I am 27 and still don't feel "grown up". In some respects, I feel like I've gained some wisdom but, for the most part, I still have a lot of growing to do. I have a lot of opinions (just ask anyone who knows me) and I have some very strong beliefs. Here are some of them:

I believe that every person has the right to be treated equally and to be granted equal opportunities, but that this does not guarantee equal results.

I believe that children should be taught to know right from wrongs, should be disciplined in a manner that works for the individual child and should be respected as individuals.

I believe that parents should be allowed to determine what is right for their own children without fear of being judged.

I believe that being the loudest voice does not make you right.

I believe that we should all strive to be educated citizens.

I believe that speed limits and dress codes should be enforced.

I believe in taking responsibility for yourself and owning up to your actions, for better or worse. If you make a mistake, admit it and face the consequences.

I believe in second chances, but not in third chances.

I believe that you should hug your children every day and more frequently when they frustrate you.

I believe that having a wealth of family and friends is far more important than the amount of wealth you have stored in a bank.

I believe that the world is a big place with plenty of room for many different opinions, view points and ideas.

I believe all of this and more.

I'm So Behind...

Geez, the week is just barely started, school just barely started, and already I feel like I'm behind...Welcome back, huh?! Anyhoo, it is that special time of week again! Around here, I call it RTT...It's a fun time when I empty all the random junk from my brain, you read it and question my sanity. So let's get started, shall we?


**Some people are complete, freakin' idiots...

**As I get older, I'm not sure if I become more optimistic or more realistic...I go back and forth on this one.

**I may not be as smart as I once thought myself to be.

**I wish I could go back to my freshman year in college and do better in my classes. Seriously, who knew that nearly 10 years later, those grades would come back to bite me in the ass?!

**I have accepted that my kids are going to hate me sometimes. I'm ok with that because someday they will have kids of their own and payback is hell...

**Anyone know anything about William Blake? Wanna tell me why I decided it was a good idea to take an honors course on the man when the only knowledge I have of Blake is limited to a brief mention in Bull Durham?!

**I cannot sleep with wet hair. It goes back to my childhood when my grandmother told me that sleeping with wet hair would cause me to get sick. I'm sure that's an old wives' tale, but I'm not risking it because the one thing I hate more than wet hair is being sick.

**Sasquatch is a funny word...more funny words are liquor, sticker and poker.

**Sorry, my mind went into the gutter momentarily but I am now back from junior-high-land.

**Bacon sounds good...nice, warm bacon on a fluffy biscuit with a slice of cheese...yummy...I'm hungry.

Yep, now that I mentioned bacon, I'm too hungry to continue with the randomness so you are now on your own. Enjoy your Tuesday and don't forget to head on over to The UnMom for some more randomness.

It Shouldn't Be That Complicated

Apparently, diaper rash ointment is complicated. Here's the conversation I had with the secretary at my daughter's daycare this morning to prove it:

Me: Hi! I need to turn this form in for the director to sign.

Secretary: Ok...ummm....you need to fill in where you want the providers to apply the product.

Me: It's diaper rash ointment. It goes on her hoo-hoo...want me to write that?

Secretary: Oh, I don't think that's necessary.

**Crickets while she scans the rest of the oh-so-complicated-form**

Secretary: We can't apply it "as needed"...

Me: What?!

Secretary: Well, you have to specify when you want it applied. Do you want them to put it on every diaper change or every other diaper change...

Me (mumbling): Yeah, because that wouldn't be complicated...

Finally, I take the sheet and write "after each diaper change" after the "as needed" that I had already written...

If only I'd known it was going to be sooo complicated...

Thousand Words or More...Again

So, you may or may not recall last Thursday's blog. To recap, I tried to take a picture of my three kids together, and it didn't go over so well. Well, this evening, the planets aligned and they all smiled at the same time!!

I'm Just Like A Spelling...

Not really...but I am going to write an open letter here on my little bloggy. Yes, I could do the respectable thing and keep this matter just between the addressee and myself, but where would the fun be in that. So, here it is. Feel free to enjoy the little feud :)

Dear Elliptical Trainer,

I am not sure how you have fooled the masses. For years now, I have heard about how wonderful you are. People rave about the low impact workout they receive from you. Let me tell you something: You are nothing but a cuter version of that evil stair climber machine sitting next to you! You killed me this morning. I am not impressed.

Painfully yours,
Cole

P.S. Why must you mock my lack of coordination?!

P.S.S. Thanks for the killer butt :) I don't hate you as much as I pretend.

Hair, Lost Socks & Other Randomness

It's Tuesday! It's random! It's Random Tuesday Thoughts!! Yay, my favorite day of the week! If you're here frequently, you know how this works. If not, head on over to The Unmom to get the skinny on RTT...read my randomness first though :)

**I can't blow dry my hair and then fix my hair because I get bored with it...

**I've been to the gym two days in a row and am feeling quite proud of myself.

**My classes start next week!! WOO HOO!! I love being home with the kiddos and all, but I feel my brain slowly turning to mush and it sucks.

**I want to go get a pedicure today, but hubby needs a few errands run...I'm totally considering putting myself first for once though and going to get the pedi...registering his Jeeps can wait...at least another day...

**I believe that the stair climber machine might just be the handy work of the devil himself...Seriously! The 35 minutes I spent on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the bike were heavenly compared to the 10 minutes I spent on that stupid machine.

**I thought my hair was dry but I just discovered that I totally missed a spot...I got bored...

**Kacey lost a sock at daycare yesterday.

**My kids never put their shoes up, no matter how many times I remind them. They have a box to throw all their shoes in, yet they leave the shoes all over the house. Sometimes I hide a shoe just because...

**I probably shouldn't have told you that thing about the shoes...

**Our clock that chimes on the hour is 10 minutes slow...must need new batteries...

**I am totally craving Ruby Tuesday...they have super yummy cheese fries...yeah, they would totally blow my two days at the gym...

Well, I'm out...and I've gotta go finish drying my hair. Hope you all have a fabulous Tuesday!

A Mother's Guilt

Today was my baby girl's first day at daycare. In the days leading up to this, I have been feeling so guilty for putting her in daycare. My older kids were both in daycare, but not until they were 2 years old. Putting Kacey in daycare was pretty much unavoidable because I have to finish my degree (or go to work to pay off my gazillion dollars worth of student loans). As I left her this morning, she was smiling. Her little eyes were twinkling as they took in all the new toys she was going to get to play with. Basically, she was happy. So, why then, as I left the building was I so racked with guilt over leaving her?

As mothers, we feel guilty over so much when it comes to our kids. They get sick, and we somehow think we could've prevented it. We leave them at daycare, and we feel like we are abandoning our precious ones. Give them formula and feel bad for not giving them breastmilk. As the kiddos get older, tell them no and then feel guilty for not giving in. It is a never ending thing. I don't understand why we put ourselves through it. My kids are healthy, happy and well-adjusted. Obviously, I don't need to feel guilty about stupid stuff all the time. Geez, if only I could be the dad (not really, but you know what I mean)!

Sweet Bedtime

I think that bedtime is my favorite time of day. Yes, it gets quiet around here. But that's not the reason why I adore this time so much. I love tucking the kiddos into bed because, for some reason, at bedtime all of that day fades away. It no longer matters to them that I said "no" to some silly thing or that I made them eat their dinner even though they swore they didn't like it. None of that seems to matter anymore. As I give them a hug and a little kiss and tuck them into their beds, they always have the sweetest four words to say. "I love you, Mama." My heart melts every night when I hear them say it. And of course, I always respond with "I love you too, baby." Then I turn the lights off and they slip away into their dreams...Until the next morning, when they no longer love me and I'm a big meany head for waking them up so early and forcing them to go off to school.

My Favorite Books

Anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis (or who knows me in real life) knows that I love, love, love reading. I'm an English major, for goodness sake, of course I have an obsession with books. So, today I decided that I'd make a list of my top 10 favorite books. Here, in no particular order, they are for your literary pleasure:

1. A Separate Peace by John Knowles

2. Harry Potter 1-7 by JK Rowling

3. Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich

4. The Unvanquished by William Faulkner

5. Oh, The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

7. The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw

8. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss

9. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

10. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

As you can tell, I love books from all genres and times. I'm almost finished reading The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. It won't replace any of these books on my top 10 favorites list, but it is good. I plan to read another book by Louise Erdrich when I finish the Wharton novel. So, what are your favorites? What are you, my dear internet friends, reading?

A Thousand Words or More

My brain is on strike today, so I've decided to let a picture speak for me. Recently, I attempted to take a pic of my three kiddos together (because the family pesters me to no end when they aren't frequently bombarded by pics of the kids). Here's what I got...







Worth at least a thousand words, don't ya think?

He Shares Everything

My hubby likes to share everything with me. Here is an example in the form of a text conversation we had yesterday afternoon while I was waiting for middle kiddo at school:

Hubby: Did you know that you can change your cell plan on your phone

Me: Nope, didn't know that. Please don't b experimenting with our plan

Hubby: I just found it while going poop thought i would share

Me: Wow tmi

Not sure about anyone else, but sometimes my hubby is like a fourth child...

Blondies

Recently, I was at Starbucks and drooled over some blondies that I shouldn't eat because I'm still in the process of losing baby weight. Ever since then, I have been dreaming of blondies (blondies, not blondes, weirdos...) I finally got around to making some last night. My hubby, who prides himself on having more cooking/baking knowledge than me, had never had one and didn't have a clue as to what blondies were. Tragic! However, we have corrected that with this fab recipe:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), melted
1 cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt (honestly, I have a measuring spoon for a "pinch"...if you don't have one, a "pinch" is less than 1/8 tsp.)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Chocolate chips (or butterscotch chips, or chocolate covered candies, or whatever strikes your fancy)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan. (I like to line mine with foil, then grease the foil, so the whole confection comes out much more smoothly)

Stir together the butter and sugar in a medium bowl.

Next, stir in the egg and vanilla. Then add the baking powder, baking soda, flour and salt. Stir it all together. Add in the chocolate chips or whatever your little heart desires (I like about 1/2 cup, but use whatever you prefer).

Pour into the pan, spread evenly around, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, cut and serve (or hide in a corner and devour by yourself...but do not blame me when you gain 50 pounds, I told you to share!).

Fair, Balanced...and Humorous?!

It's Tuesday and that means it's time for some more random thoughts! I love getting to be random!

**Who knew that the news channels have a sense of humor?! Yesterday, Fox News announced that the story after the break would be about Congress ordering a bunch of private jets (which is a big sensation because of how they ripped into auto execs for their private jets) and the song they were playing the in the background was Glamorous by Fergie. Funny!

**I have a really cute picture idea for my little Kacey...we'll see if I actually ever get around to it.

**I'm willing to bet that Pelosi won't be re-elected. While I'm on politics, isn't a town hall meeting like a group appointment? Yeah, so the politicians need to get their shit together.

**I have a ton of bug bites...I hate bugs!

**Don't faint when I say this, but I am thinking about taking up running.

**I wish the whole blogging my way through Julia Child's cookbook had been my idea...but I suppose "Cole & Julia" just doesn't have the same ring...oh well...

**I taught the middle kiddo a new joke last night...A dog walks into a bar and says to the bartender "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw".

**I need a haircut.

**My sister made the most super-duper cute invitations for my niece's first birthday party.

**The other night the hubby and I were sitting outside and I swear I felt a bug fly into my ear, but the hubby didn't see one and the ear drops didn't force one out so I think I may have just imagined it.

**I want to see so many places that the hubby and I may just have to be on a permanent vacay when he retires...I love love love to travel...

**I feel a little boring this week...ever have a week like that?

I hope you all enjoy your Tuesday and don't forget to head on over to The Unmom for some more fabulous randomness.

The Lessons That Parents Teach

Parents are the ultimate teachers in life. When I was younger, my parents would take my sister and I on road trips. Obviously, my parents were crazy. (Just kidding....kind of....) My mom has always been a huge fan of old Southern plantation homes. As a result, most of our destinations had some sort of historical value to them. For instance, I've been to pretty much every plantation home in Natchez, Mississippi. I have also been to a fair number of Civil War battlefields. Once, they ventured so far away from home that we got to see Jefferson's Monticello. Anyhoo, you get my point. Vacations in my family were spent exploring historical locales. As a result of this, I learned to appreciate history and even enjoy visiting the places where history was made. (Doesn't mean that I didn't envy those kids who got to spend their vacay getting sunburned or breaking their legs on the ski slopes...)

Now that I have kids of my own, I love watching them learn new things. I love that they enjoy learning. Learning can be fun and kids sometimes don't even realize they are doing it. I have always wanted to take my kiddos to historical places and allow them to experience that chill that runs through you when you realize you are standing in the same place that history was made. The boys have both been to the USS Arizona Memorial (numerous times) and several other great places. (I love that the Army gives us such opportunities!) This weekend we took them out to Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace. It was pretty cool. We took a picnic lunch, then did a little tour around the area. The boys' favorite part was that they got to become Jr. Park Rangers...

Here they are with their "training manuals"

They also enjoyed seeing the spring where Lincoln probably took his first drink of water...



As we walked through the area, looking at the spring and the cabin in which Lincoln was born, Kacey cried because she was tired. It hit me while we were comforting her, that 200 years ago, in that same valley another mother was comforting her own baby. That baby grew into the man who held our nation together. It was a wonderful visit. And I thank my crazy parents for giving me a love for all places historic.

Blessings

When I was growing up, Sunday mornings would find my family and I seated on the next to last pew in our small church. (Seriously. Small. That next to last pew was the fifth one back from the pulpit. Yeah.) Religion was never beat into my head, but I was always reminded that God was responsible for all the good in my life and that I should never forget to thank Him for the many blessings He'd seen fit to give me. These days, it has been years since I stepped foot into a church (sad, I know). This isn't because I'm less religious than I was in those days. In reality, I am probably more religious. (Still, I could do better. Obviously.) This morning, I may not be sitting in a church but that doesn't mean that I have forgotten to count my blessings and be grateful for them. The biggest blessings in my life....well, let me just show them to you...











These three are even more amazing than the greatest blessings I could have ever imagined. Sometimes they drive me absolutely crazy and make me wonder why we didn't just get a puppy, but I love them with all that I am and I would never trade them for anything in the world. On Sunday mornings, I may not be in a church, but, thanks to this precious trio, I am constantly reminded of how wonderful God truly is.

My Lunch Companion

I had the best lunch today! And it wasn't because of the food. This morning, I decided to go out to lunch with myself. Yep, I walked into a restaurant and ate all by myself (well, Kacey was with me, but she's 4 months old). I believe that it takes a lot of confidence to eat at a table by yourself. It's something that, unfortunately, not every woman feels comfortable doing. You just have to go in there and not care what everyone thinks. In reality, they probably are too wrapped up in their own existence to even consider what you are doing at that table by yourself. There is something so wonderful and soothing about sitting there enjoying a meal alone. There is no pressure to be entertaining or to share the rolls or anything else. You don't have to be a mom and tell anyone to use their inside voice or to stop throwing straw wrappers at a sibling. It is great. I think every woman ought to be her own lunch (or dinner) companion every once in a while. Try it sometime and you'll see what I mean.

Insert Clever Title Here

Actually wrote this yesterday, but couldn't get it to post...Oh well, the randomness still applies :)

So, it is Tuesday again. Exactly where do the rest of the days get away to? Anyhoo, in celebration of another Tuesday, here are some random thoughts...

**I have become a news watcher. I think it's because I've seen everything else on TV.

**My hubby enjoys watching Fox News. I think it's because of the bottle blonds.

**The kiddos went back to school on Monday. The middle kiddo started kindergarten. He was nervous because he "didn't want to talk to the wrong kids."

**I am only 14 pounds away from my pre-preggo weight, YAY!

**I'm a fan of Bill Clinton. I've heard that hearing him speak in person is mesmorizing.

**My mom has a freckle on her eye.

**The "Dear Leader" freaks me out. You can just tell that he is freakin' craaaazy.

**I can't wait to go back to school but I'm totally not looking forward to putting my baby girl in daycare.

**What do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese!

**I am officially terrified of going near any forgein border....who knows when you're going to be scooped up and thrown into some forgein jail...

**I heart diet coke with lime and land o' lakes snack cheeses.

**I'm about half finished with The House of Mirth and am looking forward to finishing it so I can move on to The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich. I think after I finish that one I'm gonna try to read My Life by Bill Clinton....but we'll see, I'll probably be back to school by then so that puts a major damper on my recreational reading.

**Does anyone actually know what the healthcare reform will actually consist of? The talking heads spend hours debating it but never actually give specifics.

**I should stop watching so much news.

**I started drinking my coffee black...oh god, I'm getting old...news and black coffee...next thing you know I'm gonna be getting up at 5 am to wait on the mail and eating dinner at 4 pm...

I've gotta go do something young and hip...enjoy your random Tuesday...