Where have I been, What have I learned

I know, I know, I have not posted for a LONG time. Life has been insane at best. I have been trying to do it all.

Tell everyone, "Yes, I can do that." or "Sure no problem. I can fit that in between school pick-up, swim practice, baseball practice, and the Vet check up."

Between work, school, practices, the dog and other events and committees, I am going 24/7 on the wheel of perpetual insanity. Why? Beats me!

Who am I helping? No idea.

My kids think I'm stressed.

I feel like I'm having panic attacks-You know the ones-What did I forget? Where was I supposed to be today? Who has practice at 5 and who has it at 6? When was that due?

My husband wonders where I am half the time.

My solution?

I'm saying no to things. Why? Sanity.

Who will be mad? Likely the people I have to say no to.

How long? Until someone else says yes.

Will they get over it? Absolutely.

Will they be irritated? Maybe for awhile, but not forever.

Who will be happy? My family.

Why am I doing it? Opportunity to lower my blood pressure and smell the flowers.

How long will it last? Until I start feeling guilty again that I am letting too many people down, or I realize I actually prefer to live less stress. (I'm hoping for the latter.)

When does it start? Well, this week is pretty booked from Saturday the 30th to June 8th. So I'm thinking probably in two or three weeks. I'm sure I can make it until then without a stroke or heart attack. Right?!?

Latest Home Project

We are at it again. Or should I say Mr. Steve is at it again. I tell you, he has more creativity in one finger than I have in my whole body. Now he is building our deck. Again, it's amazing.

After 11 years in Colorado, we are finally really investing in our house. Why you ask? Well, I think I am finally convinced we are staying. Originally, we or should I say I agreed on this house because it is a great starter home for a young family. I thought we could unload it quick when Paul got transferred back to California. The place I didn't want to leave in the first place.

But time has passed and the jobs have changed, and we are still here. And I am completely thankful! My heart has really changed. Now I look at the house as our little sanctuary. It ain't big, but it ain't small either. My type A side is thankful that I can clean or should I say sanitize from top to bottom in a day. Our mortgage is less than most rent, and we can still enjoy life.

So after 11 years we are really making it ours. No time like the present.

Look How Big I Am

Koda is almost 12 weeks old and probably now close to 3 and 1/2 pounds.

As you can see, he is quite at home.

In the picture where Koda appears to be surrounded by fur, he is. He has taken charge of the oversized dogs the kids lay on to watch TV.

He has dominated them and told them whose boss. Now he snuggles in to sleep on them. It is so precious.

He is learning to fetch and the kids love it.

We took him to Hunter's practice on the leash. He was in heaven.

Wii Fit

Every year my in-laws give each of their boys and their wives a check as part of their Christmas gift. It is a very generous check that Paul and I greatly appreciate. It is unaccounted for, not for bills or practical use-it's for f-u-n. That spells fun.

This year I decided I would hold off on my purchase to see what kind of games became available for the Wii. Yes, truth be told, I am a bit of a gamer. Not like, Grand Theft Auto or anything, more like CSI detective type games.

I'm a geek. I admit it. I love the challenge of a good mind bender. I can spend hours on end playing games that require deductive reasoning skills.

I think my mom said it best. "If I hadn't been at the hospital when you were born, I'd swear they switched you." I don't process or think like anyone in my family. Shocker, I know.

Anyway, Wii came out with Wii Fit recently. I found my purchase. I even pre-ordered it to be sure that I would not have to wait while shelves were restocked due to sell out.

It came yesterday. Paul helped me sync it to the Wii. Yeah, Yeah, find my blog on my incompetence with the computer. Anyway...tonight was the big night. I embarked on my journey to Wii Fitness.

Even I know that the technology of this game is unbelievable. Within a matter of minutes, the thing calculated my BMI. That's short for Body Mass Index. It also calculated my Wii age. Depressing at best.

After that it asked me to set fitness goals. This I could embrace. My BMI-yeah not so much.

I have embarked on the Wii fit journey. In 3 months, my BMI should be down 22 points. I'll keep you up to date.

But let me tell you this...I look like a lunatic doing the hula hoop!

10 things I have learned since owning a dog

*3 am is NOT my favorite time of day!

*Teething has taken on a whole new meaning.

*Just when you think that you have the potty training down...OOPS!

*Dogs like kids will do anything for a treat.

*Don't let them fool you, dogs know EXACTLY what they are doing!

*I DEFINITELY have a false sense of control.

*You can no longer follow the 10 second rule in our house. If it hits the floor, eat at your own risk, or should I say peril.

*I should have bought stock in antibacterial.

*You can never have enough Lysol wipes.

*Dads have a mute button. Huh, Da Ja Vue

Blah, Blah, Blah

I am having one of those weeks.

You know the one I'm taking about.

The one where you are talking, but you're sure that all your children hear is the voice of Charlie Brown's teacher in the background.

If I give a direction, I'm met with the stare of horror as though they are saying, "Mom, you can't possibly expect me to do that."

Other times I'm met with the look that says, "Seriously, mom. Mother's day is over. You have to wait another 364 days to cash in on cooperation."

My problem. It's only Tuesday. Outside it is gloomy. The rain/snow mix is cold and biting to the bone. It won't be sunny until the weekend. Weather really affects me. But weather and this behavior-yeah that's a disaster waiting to happen!

Happy Mother's Day

I would love to write on and on about the great things a Mother is. But being that I like to be straight and to the point, and I feel that I shouldn't reinvent the wheel, and if it ain't broke I ain't gonna fix it. I decided to direct you to my friend Valinda's blog...

For the best Mother's day chuckle please visit... http://valindak.blogspot.com. You can find the link on my blog under the "Can't miss blogs" spot on the left side of my page.

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!!

The Nerve

Paul called me this afternoon at work to report in on Koda. He told me that he had successfully gone potty outside.

"In the rain?"

"Yep."

"Wow that's great. (Side note, Koda's not a fan of being outside on wet grass) Did you blow dry him with the blow dryer so he isn't cold?"

Silence

"Honey, I don't want him to get a cold."

"He is still a dog, right?!

"And your point is?"

Can you believe I even had to ask? Hello. No wonder girls are the moms.

What Did I Tell You!

Koda has me wrapped around his itty-bitty paws. I absolutely love him to death.

What's not to love?

He is the smartest little puppers ever!

But I must confess that during the thunderstorm this morning, he made his way to my side of the bed. Only for 30 minutes or so, I promise. But gosh, he's so itty bitty and the thunder was so big and booming. How could I leave him in his kennel all alone?

Balbi says I'm in for it now. He wasn't even whimpering at the time. But hey, if Hunter came in scared surely Koda at 2.8 pounds had to feel a little fear, right?

Oh well, like I told Paul with the kids, he's only gonna be a puppy for a while. Right?

Oh dear. What have I started?

Are You Kidding?!

I decided to change my work week this week in order to have one extra day for Koda to adjust to his new family. It is a beautiful day in the Rockies today. So, I decided to work in the yard.

I put the sprinkler on and began to pull weeds. I'm in the process of "hardening" some rose bushes so that I can plant them this weekend. So, I put them out in the sun. Then, I started pulling weeds.

It came time to move the sprinkler.

As I was moving it, I noticed Koda had dropped a package for me. I found this odd however, that I hadn't "seen" it happen. (Surprisingly enough, I am monitoring close to his every move. Shocked I'm sure.) I decided he must have done it when the kids had taken him out. So, I called them to find out and to remind them of the "proper procedure" for removing said package.

The response I received was, how should I say, irritating to say the VERY least. Hunter, having learned his lesson on lying responded with, "Oh, yeah that's from yesterday." Straight and to the point.

"Excuse me? And you left it for me?"

"Well, dad was with me."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Get your father on the phone right now."

Paul sweetly started the conversation with, "Hi Sweetie, how's it going?"

"Don't you sweetie me, mister. The next time you leave a package for me to clean up, you are on night duty. You got that buster! I don't care how many 'special events' you have this week."

He had the nerve to sort of chuckle then still half laughing said, "Huh sorry."

"WHAT-EVER!" He got the message.

He is slammed this week at work. Out of kindness, I offered to take the night shift the entire week. What an Idiot.

And he wonders why I duhhed him on my last blog.

Crisis Averted

11:34 pm-I wake from my pre-REM state and decided to check on Koda because he hasn't whimpered yet.

I find him staring out at me, waiting patiently...This could be a good sign...I take him out...He does his business...I put him back no crying...Good puppers...

2:28 am-Slight whimpering...I nudge Paul...can you check him this time...He returns a minute later..."I opened the kennel. He came out and snuggled me and went back in."

Duh, you can't give the puppy a choice...

2:34 am-more whimpering...I head to the kennel...I take him out...Huh, big surprise he has to go again...hello...puppy...needs to pee about every two hours...De ja vu...2 am feedings...on my own.

This time Koda's not so ready to return to the kennel..."Hey lady, where are you going? Let's hang for awhile"...Yeah I'll see you in a couple of hours...Some whimpering...a few...Koda, hush...Koda, hush...Good job...

5:48 am-Whimpering...Sleep for the night is over...Potty time...Good Puppy...Let's go inside...play time...Hey Koda...wait...what are you...No KODA...OUTSIDE...

Slight jog with poop hanging on for dear life...But we made it outside...Night number one...Success.

Love at First Sight

OK, so I am the biggest sap ever. We arrived to pick up Koda from the breeder today. Paul and I took one look at him and knew immediately which of the two puppy's was going to join the family. We shared only a look and knew we agreed.

Debbie brought both boys down for us to look at an make our choice. Their was no choice to make. Koda was unique, playful and loved the kids immediately. As a Bischon, he should have been white. He is a soft tan color making him unique. His brother was a bit more timid with the kids. He was stark white.

Hunter was initially sad because he didn't want to leave the brother. But after some discussion that another family was on the way to get Koda's brother, he came around.

I know in the future there will be numerous posts with my typical tone. But right now we are blissfully happy with our new pet.

P.S. He went potty OUTSIDE the first try! I am so gonna have this dog trained by tomorrow. Yeah-I know-Good luck with that.

Ta-da...

Serenity Now! Sanity Later!

I looked at Paul last night and said, "Do you have any idea how much money we have wasted in our life time?"

He looked at me with a blank look.

I responded with, "I think we should just walk away from the deposit and skip the dog."

Yeah that's gonna happen.

He told me I was welcome to sit the kids down and tell them myself.

What? Why do I have to be the bad guy? Oh, right it was my idea. But seriously would walking away from the deposit be that bad? Really? How much do I spend a year at Starbuck's? MD's? Wendy's? In reality those are wastes of money when you think about it right?

Well, given that I don't want to face the jury, Koda will be making his way to the family--TOMORROW! UGH!

Serenity NOW!

Goodbye clean carpets...Goodbye quiet house...Goodbye restful nights...

Hello...Yappy dog..

Sanity later!

Watch...I'll be the most attached...Figures.

The After