Blame It On the Dark Side, Again.

This is a repost from April, 2010.  It's one of my most favoritest posts because it's a lesson in the need for humility as a mama.  Therefore, it's perfect for a Motherhood is Calling Monday.

It's my 100th post!!

Can I get a whoot, whoot?

C'mon! Don't be a party pooper.

WHOOT! WHOOT!

Thank you very much.

Now, some people may have fantabulous giveaways for their readers for their 100th post. Some people may wax poetic and write a love sonnet to their blog.

Alas, I'll be doing neither today. I'm feeling quite prosaic and I have nothing to give away except a few broken oatmeal butterscotch cookies. Not really celebratory enough in my mind, even if they are incredibly yummy.

Instead, today I'm going to do something that I do so well. I'm going to tattle on myself, laughing all the way.

About two years ago, Bubba had just turned three and Mama had decided that it was now time for him to use the throne. (You know the one.) I had just gotten pregnant with Ju-Ju and Ya-Ya was almost two and I did. not. need. three. children. in. diapers.

It was going pretty well until one bright morning when I made a terrible discovery on his bedroom carpet. There in front of his bed was a perfect circle of wetness.

Note to the readers: I was struggling through morning sickness at this time. Don't judge me.

Continuing on...

The frustration level went immediately sky high. No warning, no gradual increase. Nope. It was instant irritability.

"What is that?" I said with my index finger pointed fiercely at the offending spot.

Bubba replies quite casually, "Oh, Darth Vader did that."



Ex-cuse me?

Another note if you will: He was going through a stage where Star Wars was the epitome of coolness. No, I should rephrase this. Darth Vader was the epitome of coolness. In fact, he was to the point of insisting that we call him that rather than his beautiful name. I was very worried. The worry only increased when I realized my not quite two-year-old was humming Darth Vader's march non-stop. She didn't even know Jesus Loves Me, yet.

Continuing again...

My reply, "Darth Vader? Darth Vader did not do that. Bubba did that."

"No, Mama. Darth Vader did that."

This exchange went back and forth for several minutes before I finally came to the end of my patience.

"Darth Vader DID NOT do that! Your name is NOT Darth Vader. Your name is Bubba."

"No, Mama. I promise Darth Vader did that."

I'm pretty sure I was just about to keel over from a heart attack. Luckily, Gi-Gi walked in right then.

"What's the matter, Mama?"

"Bubba is saying that Darth Vader made that wet spot on the floor right there."

"Yeah, he did. Darth Vader did that" was her reply.

OH. MY. WORD. She's doing it too. This pregnancy was draining me of my mental capabilities rapidly.

"HIS NAME IS NOT DARTH VADER!!"

And then in one of the funny little shows of God's humor, I realized. Darth Vader had done it.

As in Darth Vader the squeezable bath toy. He had had an "accident" on the bedroom floor when Bubba brought him in the bedroom from the bath tub.

I'm pretty sure the neighbors were considering calling the asylum after hearing the uncontrollable hysterical laughter coming from our house. And I don't think my husband couldn't even understand what I was saying through the gasps of air I was trying to get into my lungs between the laughing fits.

I'm telling you, I laughed for months after that.

In fact, I'm still laughing right now.

Here's to another 100 posts!






Yes, it's that time again!  It's time to link up for Motherhood Is Calling Mondays!  Join us in celebrating our sacred calling of motherhood...or just venting to other like-minded mamas out there.  Post your favorite story, picture or even tips then link back here.  You can even use my fun button if you'd like. 

Spring Cuteness

Ah, it's that time of year again.  It's the time that I get itchy fingers and a non-stop mind. 

It's spring, spring, SPRING!!  Lovely spring, how I adore thee.  (Fall is my favorite season, but shhhhh, don't tell spring.  I don't want to hurt feelings here.  And spring is a close second.)

I don't know about you, but I feel so crafty and energetic in the spring.  I also feel like I could be like a lazy cat and just curl up in front of a warm window soaking up the Arizona sun.  You know, before it becomes like a blow torch.  So here I am, a crafty, energetic, lazy cat-like person soaking up the spring, which is totally weird because I'm totally not a cat person.  I think I'm an oxymoron.

Oxymoron Jamie.  Hey, I like it.

Wait.  Where was I?

Oh, yes.  Spring, crafts, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Well, because I love you, I wanted to share some of the things I've doing around here.

First off, we have our wonderful St. Patrick's Day Rainbow Pancakes.  My kids were totally impressed, however a little reluctant to eat them at first.  It was pretty peculiar to eat purple pancakes. 

Ju-Ju's second birthday cake.  This was so simple and fun!  I just made a Jel-lo poke cake (ever made one of those?  Way yummy!) and frosted it with homemade whipped cream (yumminess level just jumped about 100 times).  Then I took a piece of white string that I had laying about, hot glued little scrapbook paper triangles, tied the ends to wooden skewers and voila! a birthday cake banner.  Seeing as I had everything, it cost nada, took three minutes and looked super cute.  I didn't get a fantastic picture of it, but it was lots of fun and easy.  Can't get better than that!

This is my spring fabric flower bracelet inspired by A Little Tipsy's blog post about her spring-time fabric flowers.  I had a little bit of time the other day and decided to make one.  Again, it took me about five minutes, and since I had scrap fabric and a button already it cost me zero, zip, nada.  I just stretchy hairband ribbon for the bracelet and worked perfectly.  I love that it's so simple and lovely.  I like the raw edge because I think it's very shabby chic.  And I'm nothing if not shabby.  Or is it chic?

 

 Okay, I admit I didn't make this.  BUT, I love it sooo much I had to include it.  And, I think I'm getting enough confidence in my craftiness skills (not really, but I'm trying to convince myself) that I could make some of these...perhaps even sell some?  Egads!!  It's hard when you have short hair not to get a little bored with it at times.  My hair-do is the same day after day, so change and cuteness is always welcome.  I cannot wait to try some!  I'll let you know how it goes.

And last but not least...this is my husband's idea of spring cuteness.  Wait, this is his idea of any season's cuteness.  Our ideas of what is cute and what is not are on completely different ends of the spectrum.

I think I'll stick with my ideas, thank you very much.

My Bed and Me. A Love Story

Once upon a time, a young couple were getting married.  This couple needed to buy a couple of things for their new life together. 

One of their purchases was a beautiful four-poster, king-size bed with a pillow-top mattress.

And they all lived happily ever after.

It's a true story.  I know because that bed is mine and the girl is me.  Hubby plays second fiddle in this story.

Sorry, Babe.  I know you understand.

He understands because he, too, sometimes actually sheds a tear, like I, when crawling into bed at night, giving himself up to the heaven-sent comfort we're cradled in.

I swear.  Real tears.  By both of us.

Because when you have five children, you take any second of comfort and rest you can snatch from the fangs of time and responsibility.

Can I get an Amen, sista?

Then morning comes and I have to pull myself out of its arms of warmth and comfort. And I want to cry.

Real tears.

Unless it's a weekend morning and five children crawl into our bed and I look like the old woman who lived in a shoe.  There are knees and feet, elbows and hands all over the place... pillows strewn on the floor, sheets pulled out every which way...and a smiling Daddy and Mama, because even though our bed is nice and quiet before they get in there, we'd be lonely without them.

And that's the real happy ending of this story.

Through My Daughter's Eyes

My daughter thinks I'm beautiful.

I admit that most of the time I don't believe her.  Especially lately.

Five children, interrupted sleep, and a post c-section body will do that to a girl.  Especially if that girl is me.

Maternity clothes are too big (at least the shirts), regular clothes are too small, and this mama's ego is deflated.

Yet she thinks I'm beautiful.

This morning as I was walking around in my very non-attractive jammies, complete with bed head and glasses, she looked at me with her melted chocolate eyes and said, "You're beautiful, Mama."

I just about laughed, like Sarah did when she heard the promise of her coming son.  "Surely you jest," she thought to herself.

But when I saw the sincerity and love pouring out of her eyes at me...I couldn't laugh.  It would have confused her..broken her heart.  And I never want to break her heart.

It reminded me...that's how my God sees me, too.

Thank you, my Olivia.

Your mama thinks that you and your sister's beauty surpasses them all.



 
Motherhood is Calling Mondays are back, baby!  Can I get a whoop, whoop?!  I would love, love, LOVE for you to link up with me.  Mondays are kind of special around here.  On Mondays, we mamas link up and share the joys of motherhood from this past week.  They can be tips, funny stories, precious pictures or just anything that has touched your heart and want to share.  Our calling as mamas is truly holy and we need all the support we can get.  So link up (don't forget the cute-sy Motherhood is Calling button from over there <---- and then to link back here, One Blessed Lady) and fellowship with us!

When I'm Not Blogging...

It seems to me that I've been a little absent around here lately.  I've had the best intentions, but alas! no follow through.  Oh dear.

It's not that I haven't wanted to blog.  It's been in my heart, really it has.  I've wanted to connect with you who may or may not be reading this, who may or may not have even realized that I've been slightly MIA.  However, I've known that I've been MIA and that's muy bothersome to me.

So, I'd feel much better if I might explain myself and my absence.  Really, I would.

Here we go:  The Top Ten Reasons I Haven't Been Making My Appearance Around Here Lately

10.  Laundry.  My evil nemesis.

9.  Our two doggies, George and Gracie got fixed this past Friday.  They were not pleased.  They required more work than usual.  Good times, good times.

8.  Switching out four children's winter and summer wardrobes. Think this is a quick job?  Ha, ha, HA!  Surely it would just be easier to buy them new clothes every season.

7.  I found Pollyanna, The Parent Trap and The Love Bug at a second-hand bookstore and introduced my children to them.  It was a good weekend.

6.  Reading crafty people's blogs.  I have lots of ideas, but no energy, time or money to see them materialize.  At least for today.

5.  Trying to keep my children from killing each other because we've been cooped up in a house all together for almost a month now.  Apparently, they want to hang out with other children.  Go figure.

4.  Contemplating packing up a rather large house.  Where will we be moving to?  Near, far, we know not.  A whole new level of trusting...

3.  Watching movies while nursing Jack and feeling badly that I'm not as thin as any of those actresses.  Then I comfort myself with the knowledge that they don't have five children  and won't have any of my ice cream.  That's when I start to feel better.

2.  I now have five (five?!) children.

1.  I. AM. POOPED. (see #2)

I have had time to gather everyone onto the couch so that a family picture could be taken.

Here's what we ended up with.  It's a lot easier than trying to get everyone to smile and look at the same time.

{sigh}

Can you see now why I've been gone?

Two.

My heart broke just a little bit yesterday.  It's the curse that has haunted every mother ever since Eve.  There were, oh so many tears that fell.  (I blamed it on those handy-dandy post partum hormones.)

March 2009

You see, Ju-Ju turned two.  (cue the waterworks)

For whatever reason (post-pregnancy hormone denial here),  I had a really, really hard time accepting this.

I just don't want to believe that he's two.  And no one can make me.  Well, except for the fact that he's been running around yelling "BUH-DAY" and saying that he's two.

I keep telling his father and siblings not to encourage him.  But are they listening to me?  Not so much.

I'm beginning to think it's all a conspiracy to make my children want to leave me someday.

Slow down, my dear, wonderful mama's boy.  Let me enjoy your precious mispronunciations, your awkward football throw, our snuggle time in the chair.  Let me wrap you in my arms for a little bit longer before you run off with the big boys.

Drat these hormones making me run for the tissue box.

I can only imagine how I'm going to be when I turn thirty-two in a couple of days.

Heaven help us.

The New Normal?

Oh, I hope not.  Really, truly I do.

This week has been, well, rough.  We've had three doctors appointments, one trip to the urgent care, hubby back to his normal work schedule, hives, sores, five prescriptions, one of my children stowaway in a cousin's car (not saying who, but her name rhymes with saggy), and a partidge in a pear tree.

Heaven help me.

No wonder I didn't feel up to blogging this week.  I did however get some gorgeous shots of my family:

One of my favorite things to see - a happy daddy and a

sleeping baby.

Presh...

Always making his mama laugh

Well, maybe not gorgeous,

but adorable anyway.

Okay, in no way gorgeous, but lots of fun.  No

makeup has become my reality.  Just

missing one of my little ducklings...

We'll see how this next week goes...





It's Motherhood is Calling Monday again!  Can I get whoop-whoop?  Really, if I can share my no makeup face then you can certainly share your favorite (or maybe not so favorite) Motherhood moment from this past week, month, year whatever.  As usual, all you have to do is link up your post right here then using my handy-dandy button full of adorable-ness and link back to me so others can link up too.  I can't wait to read some of your motherhood moments!