Endless Pursuit for Mom of the Year

Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding place and let it be free and unashamed.  - William Saroyan ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are likely wondering what is this photo.  I snapped it at breakfast yesterday morning at Perkins.  Madison's coat apparently provided a wonderful shroud under which to hide...from the sun...and play her beloved Nintendo DS.  Where does this photo lead me?  Well, I guess it leads me to the subject of hiding.  We all know what it is like to hide, whether from someone you don't want to see or something you don't want to face.  However, I was reminded this week how hatred can rear its head and it truly is ugly .  I've worked hard as a parent to raise my children to be kind and not harm others.  We've squashed statements that shouldn't be said.  We've used phrases like "use your nice touches" and "we don't hurt our...

You just crapped in my Cheerios. - Rob Pontious ----------------------------------------------- Recently, someone asked why all my analogies have to do with poop.  I never really realized it until then, but she is right.  My theory is that because I have young children, and am still changing diapers so therefore, we readily talk about poop in our household.  That has led me to believe that everything I need to know about life, I can turn into a poop analogy.  So, take a seat on your own "throne" and enjoy! 1.  Worry about the poop in your own backyard.   I'm not sure where this one came from but I'm fairly sure it may have been my father.  Or perhaps I was scooping dog poop when this one came to mind.  Who really knows?!?!  The way I describe this one is that we all need to worry about the poop in our own backyard.  The minute you worry about the poop in your neighbor's yard, you don't realize how much your own is stin...

Have you ever noticed?  Anybody going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac.  - George Carlin ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- My license expired on my birthday this year.  I didn't notice it until I was about to go to Las Vegas and therefore, I waited until I got back to renew it.  The TSA in Iowa when I left didn't much care.  It did cause a certain amount of scrutiny when leaving Las Vegas as the TSA promptly informed me it was expired (nice consistency TSA).  In Las Vegas, a cranky pimple-faced punk promptly asked for a credit card.  Um, hello?  If I'm not who I say I am is it not possible that I also have a credit card with that name on it?   I failed to see how this proved I am who I say I am (nevermind the photo still looks like me).  Anyway, I had the day off today so started it with a trip to the Driver's License Stat...

Love is the condition in which the happiness of  another person is essential to your own.   - Robert Heinlein ------------------------------------------------------- Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Honestly, I used to be a hopeless romantic, but married someone I wouldn't consider overly romantic.  I'm going to blame that one on his father.  So, it goes without saying that I was shocked with this beautiful delivery of flowers to my office today.  Thanks honey!   My overt need for practicality did not go unnoticed - especially at Walmart.  I took Maddie there yesterday to spend some birthday money that was burning a hole in her pocket.  After selecting a new DS game, we went to the Valentine's section.  Maddie had already done Valentine's for her class at school, but she was allowed to take them to her afterschool program as well.  I honestly just couldn't send her with nothing.  So, as we walked the aisles, I tried...

In some families, please is described as the magic word.  In our house, however, it was sorry . ~Margaret Laurence ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Zero degrees.  The temperature when I left Iowa and apparently the temperature in my bedroom when I return home.  When I shot this photo yesterday, not knowing if I would even use it, who would have known it was a bit of a foreshadowing of what was to come.  So, when I began this blog, I made it known to my family (and not just my immediate family) that no one was off topic.  I find my life and my endless pursuit for mom of the year to be comical.  It was about writing what was on my mind and finding humor in the things that would otherwise make a person down-in-the-dumps.  Perhaps my need to write about family comes from my college years and taking a creative writing, non-fiction course taught by Deb Marquardt.  I loved that class and loved her as a professo...

The events of childhood do not pass but repeat themselves like seasons of the year. - Eleanor Farjeon -------------------------------------------------------------------- As some of you may have seen on Facebook, I am currently away for a conference.  This is the first time I have been away since Malea was born.  I'll admit, while not having a child screaming or someone calling your name 50 thousand times a day is enticing, I sure do miss my girls too.  Knowing that I haven't been away in a while has led me to wonder what exactly will go on while I am gone?  But then I was reminded of the day Aaron let Madison go to school with her shirt on backwards.  So really, what did I have to worry about?  Well, based on previous trips away, here are a few things to consider: 1.  Happy Meals.  While Happy Meals make daddy really cool in the eyes of Madison and well, Malea will eat anything, they do not make a balanced meal.  I've been known to ret...

She who waits for her knight must remember - she will have to clean up after his horse. - Unknown ------------------------------------------------------------------ Yesterday was Madison's 7th Birthday.  Being the mom of the year that I am, we spent the better part of the morning cleaning her room.  Why, you ask?  I believe a picture speaks a thousand words.  Now, it wasn't quite this bad, as this photo was taken when we started cleaning but her room has been known to look like this.  We sorted through every drawer, bin, cupboard, cabinet, shelf, under the bed, in the closet....well, you get the idea.  It was a pretty big mess.  I just couldn't tolerate it any more.  We discovered at least 5 unopened Hello Kitty watches from McDonalds Happy Meals.  We found Barbies she forgot she had (thus the Barbies lying on the floor as she got a little distracted when we started cleaning).  We unearthed stuffed animals she hugged adoringly at...

  He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt.  He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. -Albert Einstein ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's official!  Malea is a DeLashmutt.   When you become a parent, there is joy in simply watching yours and your spouse's traits come out in your child.  Aaron would say Madison gets her emotionalness from me.  I would say she gets that knack for walking around with something in her hand and asking where the item is, while it is in her hand the entire time, from him.  I will admit, however, that Madison is mostly me!  She looks like me, walks like me, talks like me and has been dubbed my mini-me.  Malea, on the other hand, has been a toss up.  I've always thought, since Malea was born, that she looked more like Aaron.  When we came home...