Minivan Momma

Of Mice & Men

2010-03-08T01:56:00Z

As often happens during the winter, critters move inside. And our house may as well have a flashing Vacancy sign over the roof! All winter long, we’ve shared a house with a mouse. A pregnant mouse. We know she was pregnant because about a week after we discovered she had eaten through a half of a loaf of bread, we discovered her babies! The daughters were very generous – albeit unknowingly – and fed the little mouse family with their crumbs and morsels and crusts...(read more)

50 / 50

2010-02-28T22:58:00Z

The Dad and I are equal partners in our relationship. We always have been and I foresee that we always will be. We have one checking account that we each share equal responsibility with. While I cook dinners, he’s in charge of breakfasts and lunches. Please – don’t say, “WAIT! That’s two meals!” Because by breakfast, I mean the unwrapping of a cereal bar. And by lunch I mean a yogurt, cheese stick and box of raisins tossed into a sack. If he has extra time,...(read more)

Home Alone

2010-02-22T02:29:00Z

Contrary to what the title suggests, I have not been graced with any alone time at my own home. You’ll know when this happens because you’ll experience the sigh heard round the world, right before I stretch across the entire bed and snooze! No… No time alone for me. See, Daughter 1 has been sick. She woke me up about midnight telling me that her tummy hurt. She had already sat on the toilet for 24 minutes (she’s a bit obsessive like that, so I believe she really...(read more)

Valentine's Gas

2010-02-15T03:59:00Z

The first Valentine’s Day The Dad and I spent as a married couple found me without a voice. Do you hear that? All the other Dads out there are saying, “Wow! How’d he score that??!? No nagging about the lack of flowers and chocolate. A DAY OF SILENCE FROM HIS WIFE? He’s one lucky man!” And let me just stop that particular little story right there and say, “Hardy-har-har!” Let me also say that The Dad is not a traditional Valentine’s...(read more)

Par-TAY!

2010-02-08T02:59:00Z

Daughter 2 FINALLY finished her birthday celebration this weekend and all I have to say about that is Whew! I do this to myself every year. Daughter 1 celebrates her birthday right before Christmas and Daughter 2 celebrates right after Christmas. So, from November to February we do nothing but celebrate! And as soon as Daughter 2’s celebration wraps up, we start planning for the Birthday/Christmas celebration again! (For those of you keeping track, yes… I’m a bit...(read more)

Better than a barometer

2010-01-31T21:45:00Z

Even before Al Roker predicted an Arctic Winter Snow Blast for my neck of the woods, I made the call. Keep in mind I have no meteorology training. (Really, I couldn’t even spell it without spell check!) I don’t make it a hobby of studying climate transitions and low pressure systems. I’m more of a high pressure system myself. (Ask The Dad.) I don’t read The Farmer’s Almanac nor do I stalk the weather station at 8:08, 9:08, 10:08 or any other :08 time! I don’t...(read more)

Not It

2010-01-25T03:41:00Z

Over Christmas break, The Daughters had several of their friends over quite a few times for “play dates.” I love play dates. They give The Daughters a chance to play with their friends outside of school. They get to play games that require more than 2 players (and none of the players HAVE to be me or The Dad, gah!). They get to make crafts and projects. They get to share jokes and books and riddles. They get to be creative and imaginative… They get to have...(read more)

They Don't Understand

2010-01-18T17:58:00Z

Daughter 1 & I (and this year Daughter 2) had this conversation. We've had it almost every year since Daughter 1's started school. It starts with this question: Mom? Why is Martin Luther King's birthday a holiday? Daughter 1 (and now Daughter 2) doesn't get that there was a time in this country that we thought of African Americans as inferior human beings. They don't understand that there was a time when they would not have gotten to go to...(read more)

NEVER!

2010-01-18T03:16:00Z

I have just returned from my 15th trip into Daughter 1’s room this evening. We put her to bed about 45 minutes ago. The first time she called me back to bring her a glass of water. She’d already had a large glass of water right before she went to bed. I know this for a fact because it was MY large glass of water. I told her no. Goodnight. Sweet dreams. And as I walked out the door she...(read more)

Fool Proof

2010-01-04T03:29:00Z

The Dad & I rang in the New Year with some great friends while the kids played the Wii in the other room. (Santa ROCKS!) And as we bid our friends a “Happy New Year” with kisses and hugs all around at about 12:13 (because we lost all track of time playing Battle of the Sexes), one of my friends dared to utter those dreaded words: What are your New Years Resolutions? ...(read more)

Christmas Morning Conversation

2009-12-28T03:10:00Z

The following is an actual transcript of a conversation that happened at our house on Christmas morning: Daughter 1: {in an excited but hushed tone} Momma! Momma! Me: {in a mumbled, half asleep grumbly, mumbly mumble} Wha--?? Daughter 1: Momma! Me: Say --- Wha --- ? Who ---??!!? Daughter 1: It’s me, Momma! Daughter 1, Momma! Are you awake? Me: O. M. G! {really, I said “O. M. G.” ...(read more)

My REAL Grown Up Christmas List

2009-12-21T23:50:00Z

Several years ago, Natalie Cole – in what must have been a collaborative effort with Miss America-wannabes – released a Christmas song called, “A Grown Up Christmas List.” I adored this song. I thought the message was well thought out and spoke to the universal heart of every person who had ears to hear. “No more lives torn apart! Wars would never start! Time would heal all hearts!” Honestly, there’s no more sincere prayer out there than this of Natalie’s!...(read more)

Merry Christmas! You're not Mother of the Year!

2009-12-14T04:58:00Z

I love my cousin Whitty dearly. She’s a lot of fun to hang out with and we always end up laughing… Mostly I’m laughing AT her, let’s be clear on that point, but we’re laughing none the less. Whitty has three boys: A pair of twins (set of twins? Two twins … would that be four?) … ANYWAY, twin boys who were born one year after Daughter 1 and an ornery little booger born one year after Daughter 2. This...(read more)

It's a wrap

2009-12-07T04:41:00Z

I’m a night owl. Plain and simple: If the world would start at around 11:30 and let me sleep in until about 10:30, I’d be one happy momma. I’d stay up late and do my thing and life would be good… assuming that The Daughters still go to bed at 8:00, of course, and then sleep for 14 hours. Life would be GRAND!! I do my best work late at night. This is not just because I’m a momma and it’s the best time for me to get stuff done without wiping snot or refereeing...(read more)

DECKing Our Halls!

2009-11-29T23:54:00Z

I let the Turkey Day have it’s 24 hours of glory and then I break out the dozens – no, hundreds – of Rubbermaid boxes that hold my most precious items (please, don’t call Human Services; The Daughters haven’t been kept in Rubbermaid boxes since they started school!): I get out my Christmas decorations! Each...(read more)