Playing hooky

I'm not going to go to work today. It is my 15th Wedding anniversary so I am playing hooky! My husband is too. I have no idea what we are going to do besides enjoy each others company. It's been a long time since we were able to be together and not get interrupted by kids. They will be at school all day! Even after all these years I really love his company. He makes me laugh and he makes me think. And sometimes we even think alike. He's made these 15 years fly by.
We've shared so much together it's nice to celebrate all those events and reflect back on how our lives have grown together. And of course to think about the future and the dreams we still have of things to do together.
This is still my most favorite post from last year.
Happy Anniversary BOb. Thanks for being my rock and making my life so much fun!

Too good not to share...

My oldest found this and shared it with me. I thought I'd share it with all of you.
http://jscottsavage.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-are-we-teaching-our-children.html

Take this job and

LOVE IT! I really do like my current job. Yes, I know it has only been 2 full weeks of working or just 10 days but it is fun and challenging. So, here's the story of how I became employed.

I was so excited for summer and to spend all this extra time with my kids. But they found friends and spent most of their time outside with them. I soon became bored. There is only so much cleaning you can do and only so far my budget can give for decorating. So I started thinking really hard about getting a part time job.

I don't have a college degree, I haven't worked for 10 years and I'm not really qualified for much. I wanted a job where I could still take care of my family and spend quality time together. I didn't really want to work nights and I definitely did not want to work weekends. So, I thought I'd start looking for a lunch lady postion in the schools around here. I soon found out there were ALOT more jobs in the district then just lunch lady. I went crazy applying for jobs, even if I didn't think I was qualified I went ahead and applied. I really didn't have anything to lose. I think I applied for over 20 jobs with the schools in my area. I only had 2 interviews for those applications.

My first interview was with a school down the hill from us. It was for the severly disabled kids. I was very nervous but felt that the interview went well. However, I didn't get the job. I was a little disappointed because I thought the school and hours would be a great fit for me. So I started applying for more jobs as a paraeducator. My second interview went well too but the hours would not have worked at all. I was getting no calls but lots of emails saying the positions I was applying for had already been filled. I resigned myself to the fact that it was going to take longer and I'd find things to do while the kids were at school.

However, I got a phone call the same week school started around here. It was from the first school I interviewed with for a paraeducator. They had an opening and wante to know if I was still interested!!! I took that job and started the following week! I then became an employeed mom!

I have only worked 10 days at the school but I love it. Some days aren't very fun but it's challenging and I am really good at taking care of people. I am a permanent sub in the building so I get to work in various classrooms. I get to help wherever they need me and I'm really good at that! I have fallen in love with many of the students already. Some are very challenging but in a good way. I have a different sense of fulfillment now. I have changed lots of diapers and had so much food wiped on me I feel like I have babies again. These students are wonderful. I may have actually found what I want to be when I grow up! Maybe even the teacher and not an aide!

It has also been good at home. Instead of me cleaning everything we have one hour every week where we all clean! My house is actually cleaner. And my kids seem to love it. They still complain but they love the responsibility. It really has been an easy transition. I was worried it might not be. It makes me feel that the time was definitely right for me to do this. I don't feel like I'm taking any time away from my family and that we are actually growing instead!

I didn't want to be a mom

I did play with dolls, I'm not going to lie. I really only played with them because of all the STUFF and the cute clothes you could get with the dolls. Barbies were more my thing because she had cars and beach houses, Barbie is my girl! I mostly thought of having kids AFTER I had a career. I needed the money to live like Barbie! I always thought I was too selfish to be a mom and would never make a very good mom.

All of this changed one day in August at the ripe young age of 22. I was pregnant. Bob and I were going to be parents. I kind of had a mini freak out. AND THEN.....I wanted to be a mom more than anything. I was ready. I was willing to be unselfish.

I did work for awhile after my oldest was born. He was 3 when I decided to quit working for a paycheck and become a full time mom and work for kisses and hugs instead. That was 10 years ago and I have loved being a mom and hated being a mom. It is one of the most rewarding and heartbreaking jobs I will ever have. It can also be very thankless. The main goal in parenting is to teach these little humans how to leave you and live on their own one day. I think that is very thankless!

I have found out over these many years that I am good at being a mom. I excel when I am taking care of other people and their needs. I like them wanting and needing ME! I like being my own boss or as I said many times the CEO of the HOME! I like thinking of new things to do with the kids, I love seeing when they learn new things. Of course their need and want of me actually fed into my selfishness! Who would have thought?

Many days I stayed in jammies and didn't once venture out of the house. I was in charge of EVERYTHING! It was good and it was bad. So many days I wondered what the heck I was doing and I wasn't cut out to be a mom. So many days I wouldn't give up because I was there with my kids during temper tantrums, illnesses, quiet days, loud days and happy days.

I have loved and hated every single minute of being a full time mother. I have truly enjoyed being with my kids. I am one of those moms that can't wait for school breaks and is sad to see them go back, even if they did drive me crazy all vacation! I may not have always been the best mom but they were not always the best of kids either so I think we are even.

Then this year my youngest started 1st grade! He is in school ALL DAY! I was going to just "retire" and enjoy my time off. But as the summer started slipping by I decided I wanted to get a job. I was getting bored at home. So, I began to search for something, anything because I was unsure of what I wanted to do. And finally I found a job!! (another post later about this one)

So I am now a mom with a paying job! But my most important and self satisfying job is being a mom to 3 beautiful and smart and funny kids. My kids have taught me so much about me and I really do miss them when they are gone. I would never in a million years picked motherhood as the one job I would love and be good at but I'm so glad that I stumbled upon it. And it will be so nice to open this next chapter in my life....working mom!

You must go check this out

Not sure how many of you are aware that my oldest has his own blogs but you must go check out this post.....
http://ssenrahnaboo2.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-words-and-expressions.html
HILARIOUS. Maybe just because I was there when these words and phrases were "created". Funny stuff for a 13 year old. I sure love him.

Passive-Aggressive

I use to be a very Passive-aggressive person. Instead of saying anything that bothered me about you or your actions I would say snide remarks or ignore you all together. I hated that about me and feel it made me a very bitter and depressed person. Not really the way I want people to view me.
I now feel that being a passive-aggressive person robs others of the chance to grow as a person. How else will someone know what behaviors are bothersome unless someone tells them? Now I'm not saying to go tell your neighbor that her choice of flowers is disgusting because there should be some tact involved. However, if something offends me or I take something the wrong way I will ask. For my own peace of mind. I need to know. If I do not ask the other person may not know how offensive it is and I could end up carrying a grudge for something that may be easily explainable. Not really the way I want to live my life.
It is hard to ask for clarification sometimes but it has given me a more peaceful existence. I'm sure many of my friends are tired of me asking "what do you mean"? It is also hard to explain something that you either said without thinking, something that wasn't meant the way it was taken. I'm really bad at this and can sometimes make things harder-you know "dig your own grave". But my good friends and family understand this about me and still hear me out because sooner or later I get the right point across that I was trying to in the first place. Or I just apologize. This makes my life so much more enjoyable.
I've been seeing a lot of passive-aggressive behavior lately. It really stresses me out and leaves me with such a bad feeling. I think the world would be such a better place if people were honest and open, especially with those they love and care about. How else can people move forward and create lasting bonds or grow to be better people? From my limited years of experience I really haven't seen any good come from being passive-aggressive. Hurtful rumors and bad relationships are about all I've seen come from passive-aggressive behaviors. Just not the way I am choosing to live my life.
I still have things to work on in my life. I can still be passive-aggressive, I can still have low self-esteem, and I still want to throw things when I get really mad and frustrated. Those are the things I know I need to work on. I know there are more but if others play the passive-aggressive game how am I to know some of those other bad habits of mine?

WOW! Ignorance is alive....

Found this on one of my favorite news sites.
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/07/08/qotd/index.html?source=video&aim=/politics/war_room

What do you say to this? I'm part Irish so are my kids, does that mean we aren't "real" americans? And what truly is the real definition of "real" American? Wouldn't that be British or maybe AMERICAN Indian? Or maybe, just a little thought, we should be tolerant of other people! Who cares color of skin or ethnic or religious background we are all God's people!

Reading this makes me wonder how many people actually think this way? Probably more than I ever want to know.

Real Housewife....not me

Just found this quiz for a 1930's housewife. After taking the quiz my results sat at 34. This means that I am a failure as a housewife (for the 1930's).
1930s Marital Scale

1930s Marital Scale
34
As a 1930s wife, I amPoor
Scoring:
0-24 - Very Poor (Failure)
25-41 - Poor
42-58 - Average
59-75 - Superior
76+ - Very Superior

Some of those questions, like darning socks, who does that anymore? Get dressed before breakfast? Yeah, not me! Or wear hose? I think the last time I ever wore pantyhose was when I got married! Yeah, good thing I was born in the 1970's because I would have had to be a man to survive the 1930's!

Worst mother of the year award--Michael Jackson's kids mom

I don't believe this woman! Why even put this out there? I feel really bad for those kids. Not only did their father pass away but now they have to hear how their mom was "just a vessel". Goes back to something my mom taught me: If you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all"

Here's the story:


MICHAEL Jackson's two eldest kids face a tug-of-love battle after their mum Debbie Rowe confessed he was not their father.
In an astonishing interview Debbie - mother of Prince, 12, and Paris, 11 - said she was artificially inseminated by an anonymous donor.
And she told how, despite Jackson's death, she does not WANT custody of the children and NEVER expects to see them again.
Debbie (who lives on a farm surrounded by animals) said, ""I was just the vessel. It wasn't Michael's sperm. Just like I stick the sperm up my horse, this is what they did to me. I was his thoroughbred."....
After Debbie gave birth to second child Paris, she couldn't have kids again, "The delivery was so hard. My insides were all torn up and I was barren. When he knew I couldn't have any more babies he didn't want anything to do with me."
Debbie says she will not fight for custody of Prince Michael or Paris, "I know I will never see them again. I was never cut out to be a mother - I was no good. I don't want these children in my life. My children are my animals now."

Que Pasa

Last week we went into Downtown Boise for a lunch with Bob on Father's Day. We ended up looking around some of the little stores around there. They had some really cute ones but the one that stuck out the most was this one that had the best metal art I've ever seen. It's called Que Pasa and is owned by an amazing woman. There were also alot of other pieces of art there but the metal art was what drew us all in.
We stayed in this little shop for about an hour just talking to the lady who owned the shop and bought all the artwork. She has bought everything from a little town near Guadalajara from an art community. Everything is handmade and she can tell you the artist name and the name of the artwork, all in spanish. This lady will be 94 next month. She has a sweet soul and you can tell she is very passionate about her job.
We didn't buy anything that day but said we'd be back. Everything was well priced but I couldn't make up my mind and I couldn't afford to buy everything.
I couldn't get one piece of metal out of my head though and we returned today. We ended up buying the MOST amazing mermaid to go in our downstairs bathroom. She's beautiful.

We spent another hour or so talking to the owner again. Her name is Beverly Foster and she travels back to Mexico once a year and buys the artwork to go in her little shop. She loves what she does and knows alot of Spanish. She tried teaching the kids some and she even gave them a few little gifts. She recognized us when we came back in today and it really does make you feel special. She took an interest in not only our money but in us and it will make me feel good everyday I l0ok at our little mermaid.
I'm hoping to be able to buy some of her other metal art or even some of the blown glass. Everything was gorgeous whether it was my taste or not.