Wordless Wednesday

Belle applies stickers to Ariel

"Look Mom, Ariel's a kitty!"

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go here.

100 things you should know about me:

1. I Grew up going to church
2. in California
   
3. I was overweight growing up
4. In my early 20's I lost 50 pounds in 9 months
5. And kept it off
6. I have been evicted from my apartment
7. I had nowhere to go, so I slept at my office
8. and showered at the gym
9. My husband and I married March 1, 1997
   
10. My parents got divorced
    
11. We got a puppy, Hercules
    
12. My drivers license got taken away for too many tickets
13. I got my car impounded for driving without a license
14. We never got the car out of impound
15. we moved in with my in-laws
16. for 3 months
17. My husband got a job, we saved our money and moved out
    
18. I stayed at home so my husband could prove himself as a provider
19. He made some money and we bought a 2nd car
20. I got another puppy, AJ
    
21. I would temp whenever I got bored
22. My husband was really good at his job
23. He was in sales
24. He sold a lot
    
25. We bought a house in Fair Oaks, CA
26. 1150 square feet with a pool
27. It was cozy
28. He leased a 2001 BMW 525
29. Crashed it 3 months later
30. then got another one
31. My husband ordered a 2002 BMW X5 for me
32. It arrived from Germany the day we got back from Maui
33. Possibly the best week of my life
34. I once spent $1000 in one day on clothes
35. All for me
36. I was retaliating against my husband
37. He spent $1000 on clothes earlier that week
38. We’re talking cash, no credit cards
39. You get the point
40. I got a job working for a home builder
41. I made a lot of great friends
42. Husband lost his job
43. I wanted a baby
44. As soon as he got a new job, we got pregnant
45. I love being pregnant
46. Except for the weight gain
47. I gained 70 pounds
48. I made my husband get rid of his BMW
49. I told him to get something more affordable
50. He bought an Audi
51. Our Firstborn arrived Jan, 26 2004
    
52. Husband lost his job 2 months later
53. I went back to work
54. We decided to move to Washington
55. Sold our house for twice what we paid for it
56. Bought a house in Vancouver
57. Husband looked for work
58. And looked
59. And looked
60. I lost all my baby weight within 9 months
    
61. and found out I was pregnant again
    
62. I got a temp job
63. They eventually hired me part time
64. Our second daughter was born July 4th 2005
65. No job for husband
    
66. He enrolled in classes to finish his college degree
    
67. We were on WIC
68. Kids and I were on state medical insurance
69. and food stamps, too
70. Cashed out my IRA
71. Husband got a job!
72. We refinanced our house
73. Husband got fired
74. Husband looked for work
75. And looked
76. Someone said “you should flip a house”
77. Seemed like a good idea
78. Cashed out my husband’s IRA
79. The flip took longer than expected
80. And cost more
81. The housing market started to tank
82. It was a huge strain on our marriage
    
83. I asked my boss if he would hire me full time
84. I asked for a raise too
85. He gave me more money than I asked for
    
86. and a bonus
87. The bonus saved us from having to sell a car
88. We had a really hard time selling the flipped house
89. It sold 1 week before we were going to run out of cash
90. We lost money
91. I don't even want to count how much
    
92. We now have $57,000 in credit card debt
93. My husband crashed his remaining BMW
94. He mourns that car
    
95. Our Marriage is stronger than ever
96. My husband is a great stay-at-home-dad
97. I love my life, and wouldn't change a thing
98. I still go to church.
99. I praise God for all these experiences
100. And the ability to write about them
     

Awards

Awarded by Amy Shipp at Our Fun Funky Life!


Awarded by: Irene at Our little piece of the World.


Awarded by: The Sports Mama at You Don't Have to Like Me and TheVasquez3












Awarded by: Maria at Mommy of Four, OhMommy at Classy Chaos and The Sports Mama at You Don't Have to Like Me.










Awarded by: The Sports Mama at You Don't Have to Like Me.









Awarded by:Irene at The Green Greek.












Awarded by: Rachel at "From the Land of Monkeys and Princesses".

The Players

Some names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Amy - Working mom working on being a good mom and wife.
Loves: husband, kids and blogging.

Jeff (a.k.a. Husband, Superdad) - Stay-at-home dad, Househusband and Friend.
Loves: basketball, his theater room and German cars.

Belle (a.k.a Firstborn) - Daughter born January 26, 2004.
Loves: wearing her crown, playing dress up and kindergarten.

Ariel (a.k.a LittleOne) - Daughter born July 4, 2005.
Loves: princess dolls, singing and playing with her sister.

Prince Charming (a.k.a The Baby) - Son born June 16, 2009.
Loves: being loved.

Stupid Elmo

I have the today off, a chance to play stay-at-home mom. It's been 6 months and I miss it. Husband is taking the car in for service, I'm taking the kids to story time at the Library. I get to have the kids to myself, and prove I can still manage the craziness.

I think I have loss all of my stay-at-home mom superpowers. Husband has all the recent experience of getting the kids out the door on time. I thought I would be able do it, but instead I'm like a deer caught in the headlights. Husband took pity on me. He had some time before he needed to leave, so he helped with breakfast and choosing outfits.

When Husband left, all I had left to do was pack lunches. I turned on Sesame Street for the girls. That is when Elmo conspired against me. The subject of Elmo's World was art. Elmo thought it would be a wonderful idea to show kids drawing and painting. LittleOne wants to draw too. I want to pack lunches and get out the door.

LittleOne is chanting "I wanna draw too, I wanna draw too, I wanna draw too!" I break away from my task to grab markers and a piece of paper for LittleOne. Problem solved. Right? Wrong.

LittleOne is still chanting. Now it sounds something like this. "I can't, I can't, I caaaan't draw a cow MOM!"

Stupid Elmo.

TV has a purpose in our house. The purpose is NOT to cause more work for me. The purpose is happy children. LittleOne is not happy.

I'm spreading mayo on bread saying, "Its really easy honey, just draw an oval for a body"......why isn't Elmo explaining how to draw a cow. It's Elmo's fault that she wants to draw a cow in the first place, stupid Elmo....."Then draw a circle for a head."
LittleOne has not stopped crying "I caaaaaan't". I have no choice now, I have to stop what I am doing and help LittleOne. The result is this picture.Not a bad picture of a cow for a 2 year, right? Wrong. LittleOne did not draw that picture. I did. LittleOne's contribution is the black scribbling as she was screaming "THAT IS NOT A COW, MOM!!!"

Stupid Elmo!

My Finger, My Finger

Firstborn and LittleOne are happily coloring. All the sudden Firstborn is crying. I rush over to see what the drama is all about.
Me: What happened?
Firstborn(crying): I got a paper cut. It hurts so badly.
Me: Let me see.
I look, its pretty bad, blood and everything.
Me: I'm sorry that happened. I'll get you a band-aid.
Halfway to the first aid supplies I hear LittleOne crying.
LittleOne: My finger, my finger it weally hurts!
I go over to LittleOne. I look at her finger and I don't see anything.
Me: Where does it hurt, honey?
LittleOne: My hand. I need a band-aid.

Her hand? A second ago it was her finger. I examine both her hands and all her fingers. Yep, just what I thought, She just wants a band-aid just like her sister. It's been a rough morning. I lovingly apply first aid to both my daughters fingers, complete with sympathy and kisses.

2 minutes later

Firstborn is now back to drawing, content with the soothing effects of the band-aid.
LittleOne is still crying. Wailing really.

Now this is out of control. I go upstairs to get a temporary reprieve from the crying and to tell my Husband the story. Husband reminds me of the time LittleOne tipped her tricycle over and laid down on the ground shortly after her sister had fallen off her bike. If our neighbor hadn't seen LittleOne set the whole accident scene up, it would have been believable.

I go back downstairs. LittleOne is still crying. I pick her up, and do the only thing left to do.
Turn on Dora the Explorer.