How much is that puppy in the window.....

Yes..... that was me this evening. We have been to the local pet store 4 times in the last few months. Cassie and I look at all the cute puppies and ooooooo and awwwwww. Then Cassie goes to look at the mice while mom stands there and tells herself that if Cassie had a puppy to chase, maybe mommy would get a break.
I know....... if you are reading this you are probably thinking, "Is she crazy?". Well I think we have covered my mental soundness, or lack of before. This is when having a second party who is still somewhat mentally sound being present is very helpful. The second party in this case was daddy, and he did a very good job of letting both of his girl down genitally.
A little time, and a little of the frigid air, and mommy has come to her senses. What was I thinking? Is it not bad enough that I am still trying to potty train my little angel? Do I really think I would be getting a little break by having a barking, drooling, pooping, peeing, and whining little ball of fur around. Oh yeah, I remember how this goes...... They also chew everything in sight. Oh.... and on really cold days like today, someone has to take them outside and walk them. So do I leave Cassie inside alone while I do it? Let her take the puppy out all by herself? (No, I am not serious) It would be more like me getting both of us all decked out in our winter wear, and then trying to convince Cassie that both the puppy and mommy are FREEZING so we need to go in.
Well at least we will not have to experience the reality of that for a while.

The Fung Shui Bedroom

I think everyone would agree that it is really important to have a relaxing bedroom. Well, I really like my bedroom, but as I was sitting in the chair in my room trying to figure out where I was going to put the speaker system for my IPod my wonderful hubby(still trying the if I say it enough they will become thing) got me for Christmas, I really started to look at my bedroom. And what to my dismay did I discover????? That the bad energy is coming right out the bathroom and spilling all over me!!!

So I come up with a game plan and start to move things around. Problem being everything is SO big. I don't get far and have to wait for the wonderful hubby to get home and help me.

He walks in the bedroom while I am making dinner and I hear,"What the heck!?" That would be my cue to glide(right) back there and give him a big kiss and tell him my plans for our evening. Being the great sport that he is, we got right to work after dinner. (American Idol was on soon so we were working fast.) The wonderful hubby(you can't say I am not giving this a good try) put everything where I wanted it.

Problem is, it didn't really work out the way I had hoped. Everything is great....... no more bad energy spill out on me, but now I have no night stand, and I have to crawl over the wonderful hubby to get in and out of bed. You would think he would enjoy that part....... so why all the complaining?

After all this is done, he looks at me and ask why the big change? So I went through the whole, I was sitting here thinking thing, and after I told him about the bad energy spilling on me he says," So, couldn't we just close the door?" Hummmmmmmmmmm, I really hope it would not have been as easy as closing the door. That was really hard moving all that furniture around.

Well, it might have been my imagination, but I felt a lot more relaxed in bed last night. Or I was just exhausted from moving everything.......... I am going with more relaxed.

Okay, I know you have probably been asking yourself "How is that potty training going?". I know I ask myself that at least once a day. Welllllll, it is going. We have still not done a poop in the potty, but we have our days when that is our only accident. Then when we have distractions, like a friend coming over to play, we have a lot more accidents. All and all we are headed the right direction. I am starting to think I make it through the potty training. I was having serious doubts there for a while.

The funny thing about the poopies..... she knows she is going to do it. She goes in her room and closes the door. If I open it and ask her if she needs to poopie, she screams at me "NOOOOOO!!!!!" and shuts herself in her closet. This is going to be interesting. Does she have poopie phobia? She has such a sensitive sense of smell you would think she would love to just flush those away. Well, wish me luck on that one.

Is this phone glued to my ear?

That is what Cassie was wondering about her mommy yesterday. It was one of those when it rain it pours days. The only person besides my hubby and little sweetheart Cassie (I am trying the if I say it enough she will become it approach for a while.) I talk to on a daily basis is my mother, my confident, my ever so funny muse. (the last 3 are the same person) But yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to so many of my friends. I still stay in touch with these friends, but we don't get to talk on the phone very often. Yesterday just happen to be the day they all called.

I started out the day talking to my mother, as usual, and then got a call and with much excitement told her I would call her back. I had a wonderful conversation with my eldest daughter while playing with my youngest, and then called my mother back.

Then on of my friends from Kansas called and I once again told my mother with much excitement I would call her back. Had a great conversation with my very patient friend while playing with my daughter, and then called my mother back.

Guess what happened? Yep, another friend called..... my mother laughed and told me with excitement to call her back. This friend had just started blogging and so we had lots to talk about. As I listen to my daughter not taking a nap in her room.

So back to my mother...... I had lots to talk about since I had to update her on my friends lives too. I am sure by this point you will not be surprised to hear that I got another call. By now my mother is not sounding very excited about me hanging up with her so I can talk to another friend, but lets face it..... she is my mother and ever understanding.

Now I decided Cassie is not going to take a nap, so I just get her up and call my mother back.......annnnnnnddddd, Yep, get another call. Have i said how patient and understanding my mother is? And while I am on the apprecitation thing...... I have to say that not only do I appreciate my friends in Kansas, but my wonderful and understanding friend Diana in New Orleans........ she very nicely reminded my that she was not mentioned in my appreciation blog. But I did apologize in advance :)

Well all this talking and playing with my daughter, and looking at my computer made for a very full day. It was great fun for me, and I was in the best mood I have been in a long time, but my poor hubby did not get his homemade egg rolls for dinner. (those things take a while to make) One can not be entertain her daughter, mother and friends all day and then be expected to whip up some fabulous egg rolls. I am sure they will taste better tonight!

Favorite email of the day...
This is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Chicago ...........
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you live in Chicago .
If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Chicago
If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Chicago .
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in Chicago .
If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of I-80 for the weekend, you live in Chicago .
If you measure distance in hours, you live in Chicago .If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you live in Chicago .
If you can drive (75) mph through (2) feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Chicago .
If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you live in Chicago .
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Chicago .
If the speed limit on the highway is (55) mph -- you're going (80) and everybody is passing you, you live in Chicago .
If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in 2 Chicago .
If you know all (4) seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you live in Chicago .
If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in Chicago .
If you find (10) degrees 'a little chilly', you live in Chicago .
If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all your Chicago friends & others, you live, or have lived, in Chicago.

Big Trouble for our Big Screen!

Well it is not really a big screen...... it is only 37inch. LCD we bought on black Friday for the living room. It was an early Christmas present for me...... early because I had to help research and find the best buy. Well anyway back to what I was going to say....... My wonderful little angel has had a fascination with this new TV. Really she has a fascination with all TVs, but this one is new.... and it is right down where her little hands can get all over it. We have had several very serious talks about not touching the TV. Well somehow, I never manage to actually see her do any of this, but our NEW TV is covered with little scratches.

My stepson was over and noticed the first ones. When we asked my daughter if she did it, she very enthusiastically said "yes!"...... We asked what she did it with and she went and brought a screw back to us........ Now how in the heck did she get a screw?

As for all the other scratches, she has not confessed. ( that might be a result of the trouble she got into the first time) Since I have not seen her do any of the other scratches, it could be gremlins....... but my bet is still on my daughter.

This afternoon she had her little Handy Mandy hammer and she was posed to strike the TV. He dad yell at her and she started to cry and came up to me saying" Mommy I hear something." I informed her that yes,,,,, that was her father yelling at her.

Daddy is now trying to think of a way to protect the TV. Me, I think it is already scratched and I will just keep and eye out for those gremlins :)

Girls Night Out!!!

WooHoo!!!! I had a night out with the girls! We were all adults too, or at least the age of adults. If you know me, you know I do not get this treat very often. It is not like my hubby doesn't like me to go out with my friends. It is just more of a case of me and my friends just don't make the time. Of course several times through out the evening we would say," this is so much fun, we need to do this more often". We have good intentions, but alas we seem to forget to take the time.

It was nice to have grown up talk and be able to just take my time and enjoy my dinner. I would love to make more friends, but being home with Cassie has limited my opportunities to meet new people. We go to meet ups with other mothers and kids her age, but the problem is that the mothers of these kids are so much young than me, I have trouble connecting with them. I keep trying to think of ways to meet new friends, but it is hard with Cassie and with me being so shy. This really makes me appreciate my friendships I had in Kansas. Isn't that the way things go...... sometimes you don't really appreciate things until you don't have them anymore.

Okay, that makes me want to put a little shout out for all the things I am grateful for..... feel free to skip this part, and if you do not make the list, know I do appreciate you, but I am loosing my mind!

First of all I am very appreciative of the wonderful gifts I have in all my family...... I was raised to think family first....... and they are what matters. My 4 children are the most wonderful and challenging gifts. Cassie drives me crazy.... but I would not trade her for anything. Not having my other children around me very ofter has really made me appreciate how much they mean to me. I even cherish my ever building relationship with my new step children.

My husband is right up there...... and probably the one I take the most for granted. We are very different people and we were raised very differently, but he is so many things I wished for. I just have a tendency to see the things that drive me crazy and take the really wonderful things for granted.

My parents are such a source of comfort for me. I know that they are very aware of how much I love them, but maybe they don't realize just how much they mean to me. Especially during some of the very difficult times that I have had. I always know they love me and will be there for me. It is really great having that kind of comfort. I don't know how hard it will be when they are gone, but I know I will feel the loss to my very core, so I pray that is not for a very long time.

I love where I live, I just wish I was closer to family. But what a wonderful opportunity to be able to visit all of the wonderful museums and places around here. I really look forward to going to some of the shows downtown when Cassie is a little older.

I do appreciate the friendships I have been able to hold on to even after moving from Kansas. It is hard to keep these going when they are not in my immediate circle of life, just like I am not in theirs. For most of them, they still have so many of the same people in their lives, and I feel like mine was turned upside down, but that was my choice.

One last thing...... I am very appreciative of the change in our government. I am very hopeful that this will be a turning point for our country to get back on track.

Mostly....... I am appreciative of my wonderful GIRLS NIGHT OUT last night. It did a lot to help me appreciate my wonderful family that I came home to, and to just feel the bond with other women for a little while.

Scrub, Rinse and Repeat....

I am a fan of the Rachel Maddow show and she has a new segment called "Scrub, Rinse and Repeat". The segment can be interesting, but what caught my attention was the title. It came to me while I was watching her that the title hits really close to home. Now remember..... I am a grumpy menopausal woman dealing with potty training a toddler. But that does seem like what I go through on a daily basis. Scrub, Rinse and Repeat. I mean this both figuratively and literally. As a mother of this toddler, it seems like all I do some days is clean, turn around and have to clean the same things again. You would not believe how fast a little one can "help" you right back into a mess. It is really hard to get mad when they are looking up at you with this big smile, saying "I help mommy!!!".

Out of frustration I have tried leaving things and not cleaning up all day long. But there is something about a house in disorder that really stresses me out. I am sure this is just an issue I have, but if things are at least picked up and have the appearance of being clean, I can physically relax. Okay, that does not happen much with Cassie around, but I give it a good try. I am really trying to teach her how to pick up after herself, and she has her moments, but this in itself is an ongoing trail. I suppose the pay off is after sticking with it for a while. But I do have older children , if fact one of them is a teenage, and it is still a battle. I must be doing something wrong. Probably the fact I get frustrated and end up doing things my self is not a good thing. Hmmmmm, I think these kids are turning my mind to mush. My house into a pit and my mind to mush....... Oh such is my life. Then comes the big smile, mushy kiss, and the hug that threatens to break your neck as they say they love you. Yep, it is all worth it.

So now we are back to the Scrub, Rinse and Repeat........I love being a mom!

Here's hoping.........

I am sitting here watching the inauguration activities...... and I have to confess, this is the first time in my life I have watched the long TV coverage with great anticipation. I could not even tell you if they have had this kind of coverage. They are swearing him in as I type...... I have goose bumps!! Cassie just said there is Obama...... He talks! Isn't that so cute. I have been telling her all morning how special today is. She says Yay Obama! and goes on to play. LOL, she is now saying Gobama, gobama, while they are chanting Obama on TV. ( I hope we don't need a potty break while he is speaking.)

It is so cool to hear the delay in the cheering of the crowd as they here President Obama's speech....... Maybe it is because I am menopausal, but his speech is moving me to tears. I am so hopeful for the future of our country under his leadership. My mother go an email from a friend, and it said to pray for Obama's failure. This made me sooooooo made. Even if you did not vote for this man, or do not like him, how could anyone pray for his failure? That would mean failure for our country...... I think if someone thinks like that they should just move to another country. They do not deserve to live in this country.

Well enough of that...... I am looking towards the future with a positive out look. Just think, Cassie is almost potty train! That in it self shows how things are starting to get better!

Snow Day!!!

Okay, we can chalk this one up to one of those "What was I thinking?" things. I read out outdoor thermometer, and it said 52 degrees. Me not thinking that the sun is shining on it thought it would be a great afternoon to go play in the snow. With all the sub-zero days we have not been playing in the snow much. So we get all dressed to go outside and when we step outside, mom figures out that it is a wee bit chilly outside. Of course Cassie is all decked out in her snow gear, so she is fine. So after about 45 mins. mom started to turn into a popsicle, but I got some cute pictures. We know that is really why mom wanted to go play in the snow!

By the way, I did not get that nap :(

My little angel?

Who would ever believe this little girl could turn my world upside down? She scared me to death last night. When she was at the top of the stairs she pulled styrofoam out of her dress pocket and said she had a gift for me..... how sweet right? Well when she turned to go back down she lost her balance and fell all the way down the stairs......... I have never felt so helpless, as I did watching her and not being able to do anything to stop it. Gratefully she only has a few bumps and bruises...... Now mom and dad, it might take us a few days to recover.

On the potty training front, things have been going very well. The last two days the only accidents she has had have been poppies. She was even dry both mornings. Last night when she could not have a bottle she decided she didn't like to go potty. When I told her that is why I read her extra books now, she informed me she doesn't like books either. All that really mattered was having the bottle....... but after a few tears she slept all night.

I don't know why the potty training is working out this time. The only thing I am doing different about it is blogging this time. Hmmmmmmmm, maybe that is the key? I should try that for loosing weight!!!! That will be my other blog. "Co's Yo-Yo life". Well lately I there hasn't been much going down..... just up and up and up......Maybe I am an emotional eater. If that is so, I am in trouble, between a toddler giving me a run for my sanity, and being menopausal. But maybe if I blog my achievements that will give me some accountability? What could be more boring than writing about raising a toddler? WEIGHT LOSS!!! Well actually the weight "loss" would be great. It is all the ups and down that would be boring.

Well I am feeling hopeful about a nap today! Wish me luck!

Finally,,,,,,, It has been a crazy day and I was starting to think I would not be blogging today. I love my little Avatar girl. That is how I would like to look, if I was animated and 3 inches tall, but I am sure you get what I mean.

Okay, I had this whole blog written in my mind at 1 in the morning after Cassie woke me up because she had to pee. Does that mean we are having success when I have to take her to the potty in the middle of the night, or does that mean I just need to quit giving her a bottle before bed? Yes, I said bottle, and I am all about one battle at a time. I was under the misguided impression that since she drinks everything else all day out of a cup the bottle would just go by the way side and there would be no battle. I think we have covered that fact that I am slightly off balance before.

You will never believe this..... as Cassie is going potty in the middle of the night she says"I need a bottle." and my reply was, "Okay, when you are done going potty." But then the fog started to clear...... thank god! .... and I realised that maybe a bottle was not the best bet. So I informed Cassie she could not have anymore to drink until the morning. She was like, okay,,,,, night mom.

So then I am awake thinking about how this would look in my blog. Then I start to think about the fact that dad was sleeping during all of this, and why didn't I get to sleep though it while he took care of it? I took care of all the potty trips during the day. Then I remember what a control freak I am, and knew I would have been up anyway even if he didn't sleep threw it. I then I also remembered how nice he was to take us out to dinner and then ToysRUs. (I think I was having trouble sleeping because I started to have a hot flash!) So by this time he is okay in my book again. (Did I not mention I am menopausal? That explains a lot, doesn't it?)

Hey on this menopausal thing,,,,, our sub-zero temps are very helpful. As soon as I threw off the covers, I started to cool down in no time. Boy, when you think about it, my husband is dealing with a menopausal wife, a potty training toddler, and a teenage step-son. Wow, no wonder he has dark circles under his eyes. This guy is a saint. Just don't tell him, I will never hear the end of it.

Well, the potty training has been going pretty well. I just need to train her not to run and yell frantically "I pee, I pee!" At least not until after she actually has peed. Then we sing the "pee pee in the potty" song.

Obscure thought for the day: Why does buttered popcorn smell so good unless someone else is eating it and you are not?

Well I am sure that you are wondering how the potty training went yesterday...... I will cover that in a moment..... right now I want to share what a wonderful 15 year old son I have. I am sure he is not unlike most other 15 year old boys, and I have even had a son who was 15 once. I think that is why I can appreciate how wonderful Marc is.

His brother is wonderful in own special ways, especially now that he is 20 and not 15 anymore. 15 was a very difficult age for me with my eldest son. I was being challenged in ways I had never imagined. I look back and I can see how I could have handled things so much better for both of us. That is that whole 20/20 hindsight thing. I truly do not see Marc going down that road, if nothing else I really think he has learned from Brendan's mistakes. Marc has his own challenges, mostly moodiness and procrastination, and we all know that is so uncommon for a teenage boy. I just enjoy his company so much, and miss him so much. He left last night to go back to Kansas and go to school. He has been sick with the chicken pox for the last week and a half. Of course he got these right before he was suppose to go back to school. Now he is going to have lots of makeup work. This poor kid was so covered with spots, I felt so bad for him. I was going to post a picture of him from while he was sick, but I promised him I wouldn't. Since he is always so thoughtful and considerate, (typed with a straight face I might add) I will be considerate of his wishes.

Now the potty training..... Well we had our most successful day yet. It was ex hasting but at least I could see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope the part where after she is in bed for about 20mins. and then has to go potty will change. I am afraid I can see a habit she just might cling to, since she already looks for every reason not to go to bed. Oh well, one battle at a time.

Well today we are off on a repeating adventure...... Potty Training!!!! Yes, I know Cassie is almost 3 and we have been at this off and on for almost a year. For being so incredibly smart this little angel is incredibly stubborn. I have no idea why she got it in her head she did not want to go on the potty, but hopefully we will succeed this time. I have told her only babies where diapers, and she insist she is a big girl. I have also told her that to go to classes or play in the play area at IKEA that she has to go on the potty and not diapers. So now when we go to IKEA she all of the sudden has to go to the potty and all is well.
I think I heard something one time about how girls are easier to potty train. This was written by a mother of only sons. I think the stubbornness plays more of a factor than the sex of the child.
I am sure I will have a lot more to say on this subject later. In the meantime just wish me luck and lots of patience. (Have a mentioned patience is not my strong suit, thus the struggles with the toddler.)

This is a good example of one of the many looks that go across this little girls face. She is so expressive you would think I would always see the trouble coming. Well most of the time I know it is coming or know it has been and gone. It is the figuring out what to do when the storm hits. This little girl sometimes seems like she is two steps ahead of me.

This is the after picture. She must have decided the best course of action was a little sugar!!! This girl is already a master manipulator at 2.

I decided that if I was going to share the wonderful adventures that Cassie and I have, I should put a picture on here so you could see the devilish sparkle in her eyes. I adore this little lady, just like I do her siblings, but my oh my she is a handful. She is like a little energizer bunny. She just keeps going and going. She does not like to sleep. She is so sure she is going to miss something, or at least an opportunity to terrorise me in someway.

I am figuring out that maybe I should read some blogs before I attempt my own blog..... Well this is really a work in progress. You would not believe the variety of blogs out there! Okay, maybe unlike me you have actually looked at blogs before so it would not surprise you. I think I was thinking of this as more of an online journal..... I guess you could say some blogs are like that, but some of them have a wealth of information. That is not what mine will be like, unless the wealth of information you are looking for has to do with a mother in her 40's holding on to sanity by a thread. Or exactly what a very active toddler can do to that mothers thread hold on thus said sanity.

I guess my daughter feels the need to give me something more interesting to write about..... she decided while I was typing she would test the indestructibility of her new fisher price digital camera........ Wow, so far so good. It seems to take the powerful launch from standing on the bed to the floor at a high rate of speed with no damage so far. I think we will postpone anymore of her testing for now and put the camera up.

For being pregnant and separated from my kids, I was very happy at this time of my life. I had a new adventure ahead of me. I was really loving Chicago, even though I missed my kids something fierce. I was also missing all the friends I had in Kansas. Not working and not having kids really put me in a different position as far as making any friends. I have always been shy, but now I was totally out of my element.

The best year of my life!!!!

Okay...... time to start practicing all you preach. I love the thought behind Oprah's best year of my life. Imagine if you could really train yourself to live in the moment and not rehash your past, or worry about your future. This is going to be your everyday stay at home mother of a toddler and teenagers attempt at this.