Resolutions

This week's spin cycle is about resolutions. I have a couple that I think I will try really hard to accomplish them!

My first resolution is to try to take a picture of the monkey every day. I saw the idea from another blog and then read about a 365 day resolution (where you do something everything day for the year) in one of my parenting magazines. I think that would be an amazing way to chronicle the life of my almost-3-year-old!

My second resolution is of course to eat better and working out, hopefully leading to lost weight. I have definitely been a lot better about the working out part but for the last couple of weeks I have slacked off (as I'm sure the rest of the world!). But the part I really need to focus on is the eating better.

And finally, my third resolution is to try to be a better wifey and mother. Just trying to stay not as stressed and let the little things go! I have a lot of things to look forward to in the upcoming year so I don't want to ruin it by being a bitch!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah (sp?) and if you don't celebrate either a happy holidays! :) And have a safe New Year. In the next couple of days I will be posting pics of the monkey's Christmas! And if you want to check out other resolutions check out http://www.spriteskeeper.com

Christmas time

We have finished our Christmas shopping except for one last thing. It is a Backyardigans hopscotch that the monkey saw on Nick Jr. and that is what he keeps telling all the santas we see that he wants. The problem with this...I can't buy it. I have to freaking make it. If you know me I am not that crafty. But my mom is. And she has vowed to help me. She even bought some of the stuff that I need because I wouldn't have even known where to begin. So for the next 2 days before we leave to go out of town I will be scrambling to make this hopscotch and all be damned if that kid doesn't play with this hopscotch game for a decade to make it worth my while!

Also, Vodka mom over at http://waitressbringmeanother.blogspot.com is having a giveaway for a $30 gift card. So go check her out and all the good stuff she does!

Too funny

I was watching Accidentally on Purpose (the show with Jenna Elfman) and her sister on the show had the most perfect line...

"No time to be distracted by a penis I have to much to do."

She was seeing her sister's baby daddy's by accident but I feel that is my life. Unfortunately the one I see way to regularly is my little boy's! And there is too much stuff I need to be doing instead of changing diapers. I can't wait for him to be completely potty-trained. We were hoping by the end of this year and that is not going to happen.

Lady Gaga, bad music and Christmas time!

It’s Tuesday again and that means a bunch of nonsense from my neck of the woods…

I am so sick of Lady Gaga. She annoys me and they are giving away tickets to a show that is coming close to Wichita. And so they play all her songs and they play commercials with her songs in them. Go away. To go with that though…I am sad to say that I do like ridiculously stupid music. I love that Tick Tock song by Ke$ha. I can’t quit singing it. I also loved a song that I heard one time awhile ago, Who’s Got Your Money by Tina Parol. Yeah, never heard another song from her. I don’t know what it is but I am sucker for crappy music.

I do also like good music though. I am waiting to see if I get a ticket to the Elton John/Billy Joel concert that is coming here in March. That would be super amazing. My brother waited in line for 3 hours to get tickets and he had a terrible time. He was the 9th person in line at the place he was buying them from and when he went to get them the ticket printer jammed. And because of the line they wouldn’t reprint the tickets right then. It seemed pretty scandalous but I am waiting to hear from him if he ended up getting the tickets or not. Hopefully so. If not, I guess I will just buy a music video DVD and watch it the night of the concert to make myself feel better!

I am a walking potty-training parent fail. I went to the monkeys daycare the other day and the teacher asked me if he was going to the bathroom at home. I told her no and she started laughing. She said that Leo had told her that he didn’t go at home and she didn’t believe him. She said he goes great at school. I think peer pressure is working at school but not at home. I even tried to bribe him with a present to go numero dos on the pot but he said no thank you. Even when the present (a Christmas present) was wafted under his little nose.

I also read a blog about a parent that has cut her children off from television. I think that is amazing. But I could never do it. Firstly because I love watching TV so I would set a terrible example. Also, because whatever cartoon is on, be Dora, Diego, Handy Manny, Mickey…the list goes on…it keeps the monkey out of my hair if I am trying to get ready for work, get dinner ready, clean up…again the list goes on. I feel bad but I don’t think a little TV is too bad. If it was on all day every day then I would start to get worried. Or if he stopped wanting to play outside in negative 20 million degree weather. I had to tell him that he couldn’t play golf outside because it was too cold. He then told me it wasn’t cold outside because it was sunny. He cracks me up sometimes with his intuitiveness (even if he is a little off-base sometimes!)

I am ready for Christmas! I am ready for the seeing of family. For the eating of ridiculous amounts of good food. For the presents (the giving and receiving!). Only 10 days away! Woot woot!

I hope this was random enough for you! Too see other random check out Keely at www.theunmom.com

Christmas Gifts in the form of food

This weeks spin was easy enough...a dessert. I got plenty of those but I will choose a family favorite. This was put into a family cookbook that was given to one whole side of my family and i make it on almost every occassion that I bring something.

First Layer-Crust (for a 9X13 cake pan)
In a small to medium size pan, on medium-low heat melt 1-1/2 sticks of butter (or margarine) and 3 tablspoons of sugar stirring constantly.
Add: 1 1/3 cups flour and
1/3 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Press into the cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees until crust is light brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes before adding the next layer.

Second Layer-Cream Cheese:
In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer blend 8 oz. cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar. Cream together. Add half of a large (16 oz) carton of Cool Whip.

Third Layer-Pudding Mix:
In a medium mixing bowl (with mixer or by hand) blend the following:
2 small packages or 1 large package of chocolate* instant pudding mix and
3 cups of milk
* You can substitue any flavor of pudding that you choose. Banana is also a very delicious flavor!

Fourth Layer-Cool Whip:
Add the rest of the cool whip and spread over the top.

Refrigerate for about 3 hours before serving. Serve cold.

This takes awhile to make but while you are waiting for it to cool check out other delicious desserts over at www.spriteskeeper.com

Thanksgiving came in December

So the hubby really enjoys turkey dinners. I have never made a turkey but I figured I could try. I bought a turkey breast and it sat in my refrigerator for a week because that's how long it took to thaw. I got it out this afternoon and popped it in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours. Got it out and made mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and rolls. The meal turned out delicious and now the hubby is trying to sleep and I'm assuming because it's a turkey orgasm that put him to sleep. Or the triptophan(sp?). But whatever because we will be eating turkey for a week. Pure amazingness!

Meow

So I know everyone is jumping on or off the whole Tiger fiasco but I just have a few things to say about him. First off...to Elin...I feel sorry for you because I'm sure when you're not with him she's taking care of their kids. It would be terrible to be at home while your hubby is off galavanting around. We try to make it fair around our household. If one person gets a night out the other gets one soon after. Second...dear Lord Tiger. There are now 11 women (so far) that you have done the nasty with. And not even cute girls. You are married to a model for heaven's sake! Go home to your wife. She's way better looking. I don't care if you're tired of her. You signed on for the long haul. Isn't that why you had her sign that pre-nup?!? Third...from what I've heard (re: because I read the tabloids) you "had relations" with multiple women without using protection. The only thing I have to say about that is ewww. Fourthly...to all you gold diggers out there, in the US Weekly from last week it had one of the girls (the one that was on Tool Academy. I won't even dignify her with a name) showed a picture of her cell phone with the name Tiger W. Really? Do you know that many Tigers that you need to put a last initial? Seems like she wanted everyone who ever looked in her phone to know exactly who that was. And finally...I know you are only a human being and people make mistakes. I get that, I really do. But if you are going to do these things don't be surprised they end up in the tabloids. You are a much bigger star than Serena Williams but they have her frollicking in the sand with Common and talking about her penalty for her ugly outburst. You don't think they are going to run a frontpage story about your sordid affairs? Geta clue. People care about you, especially when you are representing many different companies that have good reputations. And when you are caught, just come out and say it because that will make you look more genuine in the longrun. You made your bed now you need to lay in it.

Hiding

I think the funniest thing that Leo has been doing lately is "hiding." He will hide from anyone. And he is not the greatest hider. He can be, like the time I lost him for about 15 minutes and he was in my closet the whole time. He never laughed...but I was freaking out! But it's usually like he covers his eyes or hides under blankets like a big blob. It's really funny. That's all I really wanted to say, because my kid cracks me up!

Random Thoughts

It's Tuesday and you all know what that means...Random Thoughts that no one really cares about!

I am having lunch with my "Little Sister" from Big Brothers Big Sisters. She's a really nice girl but the things she says about her family is interesting. I'll give you a few tidbits:
"We were trying to help my aunt and uncle look for a house to move here and my dad saw a hose he liked and we accidentally took it home with us."
"My mom was going to be a bumblebee with me for Halloween but she decided to be a butterfly because the dress was shorter."
And now we all know why she needs a big sister.

Why is it that when you skip your exercises for 2 days it kills you for the next two when you start back up. Were those 2 days that detrimental (sp?) to Jillian's evil plan that she makes it worse to skip days? I don't know that I will be skipping any more.

The monkey has hit a bi-polar high lately. One minute he is hugging and kissing you and the next minute he is screaming like a lunatic. And even telling him that Santa is not going to come and visit doesn't work. The only thing that seems to work is the dreaded call to Grandpa. Unfortunately he is on a weeklong hunting trip and can't help up. Damn him and his much needed vacation!

On the note of bi-polar...I have spoken to many parents and before I have even said anything about it they have made mention of their children being bi-polar. I scolded my hubby when he first made mention of it but hearing other parents say it makes me feel a little bit better. Also, this is in no way being disrespectful of anyone with the illness. I just find it rather helpful to describe because of the extreme highs and lows.

The monkey has also moved into the next room and the teacher said he was sad because he didn't have pull-ups like the bigger kids. Couldn't she just have shown him the kids in underwear so he would want to progress to that? And in the new room they have show and tell. Really, what's my 2-year-old going to bring and be able to explain about "something green?" I don't know what we are going to do for tomorrow but my husband conveniently forgot "something red" last week. Hmmmm...

I don't understand how in less than 12 hours I can have 30 unread posts. You people blog way to much! And having 4 days off in a row I can see how you do it. I have blogged 3 of the 4. Most working weeks I'm lucky to get off 2. So well done!

That's about all I have time for right now. There is much more swimming in my head but that's all you get. I'm keeping some for myself! To see more head over to Keely's the queen of random at http://www.theunmom.com

The freezing abyss

I know it's December and all but dang it was cold today. Today was my grandma, my mom's and I's annual Christmas shopping day. We go every year shopping around town to help get Christmas taken care of for everyone. And today I must say was a success. I spent $85 and I took care of all the finishing touches on my list. The only person left to buy for is my father-in-law and I have an idea of what we are getting him if my husband decides that the tickets to the KU game are not going to work. HOpefully they will work and we can take the monkey to his first KU basketball game and he can chant Rock Chalk Jayhawk...but I don't know if it is gonna work. Anyways...back to the shopping. I was incredibly satisfied with the deals that I got today. I got a tie for my brosef for only $7! An amazing find! And I got his son a few New Orleans Saints items that will hopefully brighten his holidays! And rounding off the list were a few items for my sis-in-law who reads this sometimes so that will be kept a secret! I hope everyone's Christmas lists are dwindling down because according to our snowman calendar there are only 17 days until Christmas!

Spin Cycle...Dear Santa

This week over at the Spin Cycle is our wish lists. Now I should not be shallow in any way and say that all I want for Christmas is my family to all be together and that we have a safe and happy holidays. But I'm not going that route. I'll go with a few things that I wish Santa would slap underneath my tree. Some real and some wishful thinking...

1. I wish for about 20...oh what the hell, this is a wish list...40 pounds to be taken from myself. I don't care where it goes as long as it gets off of me.
2. I wish that when we spend Christmas Eve at my in-laws that they would let Santa come on Christmas morning and not have stockings filled on Christmas Eve. Last time I read Twas The Night Before Christmas Santa came when the kiddos were sleeping Christmas Eve.
3. I wish for lots and lots of money. And if Santa doesn't pay in cash then I can just leave my bills and he can go ahead and pay them for me.
4. I wish that Leo would be able to use the toilet without fighting me, stop fighting me over dumb things and also just still be a 2-year-old without the crazy terrible twos.
5. Now on to some real things...I would like the new Mario Brothers Wii game.
6. The new Harry Potter and Johnny Depp movies.
7. Giftcards to spend an evening out with the hubby
8. And finally I will say that I would like to have enough time to spend during the holidays with my family and that everyone makes it to all their places safely.

Please Santa. I have been a good girl this year so if you could even throw in a few of my items I would appreciate it! And please know that these delicious, fresh-baked cookies and this ice cold glass of milk is definitely there as a bribe to maybe throw in a few extras that you know I would like!

Sincerely,

Kendra

To see other Christmas lists from other good boys and girls check out http://www.spriteskeeper.com. I hope everyone gets what they ask for!