Good Mornings

Surprisingly, we have been having the best mornings ever! I have no idea how it happened (well, actually I do know how it happened but I never thought it would be this good).

Let me back track here with a little history...since I can remember I have been reading magazines, books, and now blogs on tips about how to run a household and more importanly, how to run a household smoothly. I have always held an image in my head on how it "should" be. I have never really had a plan on how to make the "should" image happen. Until this year. I decided that I needed a plan. So, I gathered up all the advice I've read over the years and put it into action AND that fits my life style. The "Plan Ahead" mantra is now in my head.

 *Another little note... in my opinion...advice is like a really great Italian suit...you have to tailor it to fit you and your life...one size does not fit all.*

Last year, was chaos. Every morning, I felt stressed out trying to get kids ready and out the door...it was a mess. Sadly, it usually, ended with yelling and rushing out the door. Poor Jett! By the time he got to his classroom he would be so angry at me...then there was the cover up..."geeze, have no idea why this kid is so grumpy? maybe he needs more sleep." I knew that he spent at least an hour in the morning after an episode like that picking up the pieces from our chaotic morning. Believe me, when I write that I felt like a loser, a terrible mother...and whole other slew of self deprecating thoughts. The thought that got me the most was, "what the heck is wrong with me and why can't I seem to get it together?" The answer that I would answer back to myself "because, your LAZY!" Simple, sad and true. I knew that I needed to get off my duff and make some changes. 

 *Note...last year was our first year getting used to the whole school scene...so I give us a little grace (well, I give myslef a little grace)* 

This year, I was determined to make things better.

Here are some things that I do now that have made our mornings a lot smoother:

I treat Monday through Friday just like a job (Mom, Inc.). We have a pretty strict schedule. I really try not to fly by the seat of my pants (even though there are days that I do...but because I planned in advance for that too...it's not as bad as before). Since, the boys go to bed between 7:00 pm and 7:30 pm, we only have 4 hours to get stuff done for the next day and the time flies by! So I have to be on my game if I want the next day to run smoothly. My day is sliced up into chunks...or blocks of time. That has helped me organize my time better. So rather than getting overwhelmed by the whole day of what has to be done, the block of time approach has helped me stay on track.

I have a carpool pal. He and I have a good thing going! He has every Monday and Tuesday (we alternate Wednesdays) and I have every Thursday and Friday.

*If you do not have a carpool pal, get one! Really, I have two mornings a week when I do not have rush out the door (that is the block of time I use to get all my household stuff done) and every other week it's three days! The mornings I carpool are my workout & errand running days* 

My planning for the next day begins right when I pick up Jett from school (I know a little sick, uh?). I make sure we empty his backpack right when he walks through the front door. He knows this is the drill now. I immediately take out his lunch box, empty it and start filling it with all new snacks, I clean it out and switch it out if I have to with a clean one (we have 2 so that I can do this if I need to). I pop it in the fridge, with the plan to make his sandwich right after dinner.

The next thing I do, is organize all paperwork. I read everything right then and there, pencil in stuff on calendar, recycle paper for artwork, all homework goes in a folder, I sign papers, write checks and pop it all back in Jett's backpack. I usually only have to do this on Mondays, but the point is I do it right away to keep it all moving forward.

Pretty much doing these little things has helped our mornings run more smoothly. There are still times when things are a little hectic...but they are few and far between now. What is amazing about having a plan...is how much better the boys are! That's the reward. I know Jett is so much happier...his actions tell me so. Actually, both boys have been telling me lately, that they are happy. That's all the encouragement I need to stay on track and focused. Even though there are days when I feel like I'm living in the movie  "Groundhogs Day" I know that the payoff is huge. If the boys are happy, then I'm happy.

What about you? What do you do to "Plan Ahead"?

xoc

Is it Live or is it Memorex?

Back in the 70's (wow! am I dating myself or what?) there was a commercial in which Ella Fitzgerald held a high note for a long period of  time until her voice broke a wine glass. While she was doing this "live" a recording was being made on a Memorex tape, then the tape was played back and the "recording" was so "live" sounding that it too broke a wine glass. The Memorex recording was so good, that you could not tell the real thing from the recording.

The other day I was thinking about my "real life" and my "blog/internet life." Recently, I have added real world folks (people I see in my "real" life) to my Facebook page and some have visited my blog. I started to wonder about my two lives and if my "real life" mimics my "Memorex" life? It was a "reality" check, if you will.

My whole quest in life is to lead an authentic life. I want the life I lead here and the life I "really" live to be the same. I would cringe if someone thought that they were not one in the same.

It would be really easy to write my life better or worse than what it really is. The thing that I find hard about writing is making it plain and simple. I don't want my children or readers to read between the lines, unless I intend it. I don't want a lot of double talk. If I write that I had a bad day...then I really did have a bad day, I really did yell at the boys, I really did feel sick over it, I really did ignore my hubs on purpose, because I was mad, I really did cry over the fact, that sometimes things don't turn out the way I want, and there are times, when we really are cashed strapped. If I write that things are going well, then they really are going well. I believe in the power of words, so most of the time I try to write about the good stuff rather than the bad. There is enough bad news in the world and not enough good news. Sometimes, I would rather write something positive and believe in it...to make it so...does that make sense? 

All this "thinking" led me to this post. I truly hope that my online life is exactly what someone would find if they ran into me at the beach, the mall, the grocery store or here at home. 

What are your thoughts about your online life and your real life? Is it live or is it Memorex?

xoc 

What's In and What's Out

At the beginning of the school year (roughly) Jett decided that he was going to wear a fauxhawk (for those of you who are not aware of what a fauxhawk is...it's a way of spiking the hair into a mohawk with out actually shaving the sides of the head) to school (he only wore it to school, never on the weekend). I thought that there must be some sort of fad going on at school and he wanted to get on the band wagon. However, this was not the case. Jett, unknowingly, became a little trendsetter (even though the trend has been around for awhile---but none of her school pals were sporting the look). While on Winter Break  the fauxhawk took a break as well. When it was time to go back to school Jett said he "over it" and no longer wanted to wear the fauxhawk. When I asked him why? He said "there are some other kids wearing them.. and that he was almost out of hair gel...and he was now a rocker boy...and he needed to wear gold chains and a really cool baseball hat." Hilarious!

I had no idea that we would be going through "fashion phases" so soon. I thought this was something that happened when the little tyke became teenager. He wore his hat and bling one day  to school and his teacher said he could only wear it on the playground...that did not sit well with Mr. Jett. He told me he was "over the whole thing" and is now just back to "normal looking Jett." 

I love the fact that Jett is willingly to branch out. He's not really shy or afraid, but he's a normal kid and if he feels like he is being made fun of or that he being told he can't do something then he will let the whole thing go. I just wonder what's next?

xoc

Mommy why you Naked?

I don't know about you...but I'm a bed person. I love my bed! I love what it represents...it's otherworldlyness...I love to dream...I love climbing into clean sheets...I love to wake up and wonder what the day will bring...ahh...bed...I keep two wonderful, down comforters on my bed and I use high thread count sheets. I love to take a bath or shower just before bed, crawl in and go off to other places...It's my escape.

Now, that I have a husband and kids it adds to the fun. The boys love my bed as much as I do. They join me every morning for cuddles and talk. Jett usually tells me about his dreams and Owen just wants to get warm and be close to mommy. 

Saturday morning was no different...both boys came bounding into my room...like little puppys scrambling for warmth and love. Both were talking a mile a minute and this is how it went:

Jett: Mom, so, we are born babies, then we grow old and die...do we come back as babies again? I mean, where do go? Do we come back to this planet or are we born to another planet?

*in the meantime Owen is talking at the sametime while Jett is asking me existential questions*

Owen: Mom, mom why are you naked? Mom, why you always naked in bed, mommy, why you don't have on jammies and I do. Why you not have a diaper mommy?

Jett: Mom are you listening to me?

Whew! I looked over at the clock and it was just barely 6:50 am!

Me: Jett, mommy believes that when we die we go to heaven. Remember, we talked about heaven when papa Bill died? Owen, mommy's clothes fell off in the middle of the night and I need to go put them back on, and no, for the last time... mommy does not wear diapers, mommy wears panties.

Jett: What? heaven, you said that it was another planet?

Owen: Oh, you don't wear diapers! I get it.

Me: Jett we just die and I'm not really sure where we go...Owen, glad you get it.

Jett: What? You mean I'm going to be stuck in a cemetery forever!?

Owen: Mommy, why you still naked?

....Mommy really needs some coffee and a moment....I think my eyes were still sealed shut from the night...maybe I was still dreaming?

That's how my Saturday morning started and I would'nt have it anyother way.

Happy Monday,

xoc

On the Road Again...

"I just can't wait to get on the road again...hm mm...hm mm...hm mm...just can't wait to get on the road again." Thank you Willie for such a catchy tune. Hubs is a pilot. When we first started dating he asked me if I could handle being with a pilot. I'm an adventurous gal. I love to travel, I have a gypsies heart. I lived for 5 years out of a duffel bag...I think I was made to be a wanderer.

The months of December and January tend to be a lot of travel time for hubs, which turn makes me want to pack up and go too. However, the months of December and January are not really good times for us to pack up and go. There are the holidays and now with Jettson in school it makes it a lot more tricky to make plans. Hubs is a corporate pilot, so I don't think the CEO's and CFO's and General Managers would'nt take too kindly to the boys and I tagging along, no matter how much we would love to.

Jett has been asking me where we're going to go for Spring Break and actually, I've been wondering the same thing...where to go, what to do? At this time in hubs new job we can't really go too far, however, Northern US has been calling my name since last spring. I really want to take the boys up to Vancouver and Victoria Island. Seems like a doable trip...but not sure it's realistic for a one week road trip? I went on a road trip up there in my 20's, and if I remember correctly we were gone for almost 2 weeks. That seems more like the amount of time you would need for that type of journey... I know we can fly up there, but the point is to drive and check out all that I-5 has to offer in terms of scenic beauty. Jett mentioned Legoland last night and honestly, we had fun when we went, but I do not want to spend another family vacay at an amusement park. The funny thing is Jett will only ride a select few rides, so the rest is just a waste of time. Thankfully, Jett already went to Disneyland and Owen could careless about Disney or it's characters, whew! Owen would rather, like Jett go back to Legoland. I really want the boys to see the US and experience travel vs. commercialism in the form of amusement parks. Sadly, it's my fault for letting the kids watch Nickelodeon...now they want to go on a Spongebob Cruise...heck no!!! There is no way I want to spend thousands of dollars on a cruise with Spongebob or Mickey Mouse...no offense to those who do...it's just me...and I'm thinking when I hear these commercials blare out..."trip of a lifetime with Spongebob and Patrick" I can't help but think of it being the trip from hell for me... I know, I know...I've heard the whole line "but the kids will be entertained the whole time and being doing kid stuff, while you are lounging around the pool." I'm a freak when it comes to leaving the boys...so, yeah, that would not work for me. I would have to be with them the whole time and again, I do not foresee a happy time me hanging out with Mr. Krabs and Plankton, unless of course I'm completely intoxicated and stoned...which, perhaps would be much more entertaining than I'm giving it credit for...but I digress...

Where to go, what to do...that's what's on my mind today...so if any of you out there in the virtual world have any creative ideas, that would be easy on the pocket book...please, don't hold out on me.

With that...I will bid adieu...with hubs being gone...I need to use my time wisely and go finish the never ending...always-one-load-away-from-being-done...laundry.

xoc

The year in review--2010

2010 is over and for some if us that's a huge relief! I know it is for us! Overall, it was a good year, but there were a few moments that I'm glad are now a memory.

A few highlights from our year include a trip to Legoland, a family trip to Idaho. Jettson completed Kindergarten and started 1st Grade, he did his first ever session of Littleguards and loved it! Jett turned 7. Owen turned 3 and is talking up a storm. I have slowly been building my crochet/knitting business. Hubs got a promotion, he is now the Cheif Pilot at Granite Construction the youngest cheif pilot they have ever had! And that friends are just the highlights. We have had our share of ups and downs. The only thought that I have about 2010 is a general feeling of being blessed. The biggest lesson of all that I feel I've learned this year is to keep short accounts with those I love and let the bullshit go. Sorry for the foul word, but it seems to sum it up completely.

Legoland!

Jett's last day of Kindergarten...love the looks on their faces!

Jett's first day of 1st Grade

Daddy and Jett on the last day of Littleguards! They swam in the ocean together!

My darling boys! on Owen's 3rd Birthday.

Jettson turns 7!

Jett helping mommy work.

One of the best photos of Owen in 2010!

Ten lessons I've learned this year:

1. Uniforms are good!

I have one for the gym, school & going out. I just add accessories to change it up.

2. I really don't care what others think about me as long as it's good!

I've always maintained that I don't care what others think ,but that's just a load of BS. I do care to some degree, but what I've learned this year is that I care that others see me as a thoughtful human being. That's what I care about, that's what I want others to think about when they think of me.

3. I have given over to my job as wife and mother. It has taken me a long time to get to this point and I admit that for the first time in 7 years I look forward to everyday with my boys and husband. This has not just been a lesson learned, this has been a hard won acceptance, and I'm not ashamed to write it or express it.

4. Life is long and short at the sametime.

5. The day will come when I'm going to die and so are the ones I love and care about, therefore I have learned this year to keep my accounts with people short, because I never know when that day will come. I want to know that the last words I said to anyone were kind and loving, or at least an apology for being an a$$hole.

6. My relationship with Chris, Jett and Owen is the #1 priority in my life. What matters to them matters to me. Nothing else in this world comes before them.

7. My relationship with God is tight.

8. I have accepted that there is an artist in me and I want to keep that flame burning.

9. I love to exercise, as long as my iPod list is charged and pumping, then I'm happy to be at the gym.

10. Exercise has helped me learn all the above ;)

Lastly, I learned to so much about myself through my blog and those who read and respond. Thanks. This blog is mostly for the boys to one day read and look at, and maybe get to know their mom a bit better. I'm looking forward to 2011. It already feels bright and happy. I know there are going to be some rough patches here and there, but with the lessons learned from last year I feel prepared for what lies ahead.

Happy New Year's Day.

xoc

Fun idea for your Christmas Bar

I thought this was a fun way to display candy canes...all you need is a glass, sugar, candy canes and marshmellows.

I scooped the sugar in the glasses then placed the canes in the sugar...viola! Instant bar fun. BTW...the choclates I got at Trader Joe's they are salted caramel and they are divine!!

Merry Christmas!