Somebody Messed This Up.

I've decided to skip my run this morning.  Ballsy, I know.  But Yoga was calling my name.  Jeez, Mommy McD, your life is so filled with spontaneity!  Skipping running to do Yoga? Where do you get your spunk? 
I know, if only they could bottle it, right?


B-rox this morning so eloquently stated, I believe, an entire nation's feelings about daylight saving's time:
"Somebody messed this up".  


It was a bit of a rough start, to put it mildly.


SOOOO, on that note, I'm going to get on with answering some questions.  Bestest's little sister tagged me.  In my sleep deprived haze, I'm going to answer them.  HOLD ON TO YOUR SEAT BELTS!  Or something like that. 


1. What is your favorite piece of decor in your house?

I would have to say.... I HAVE NO IDEA.  You see, we've only really begun decorating this past year.  We painted, and lived happily with Rubik's Cube walls.  But we didn't know if we were going to be PCSing somewhere in three years.  Now that we know we're kind of here for... forever, we've begun to put a little more effort into the place.  I'm working on a couple of projects (Thank you Pinterest), and will post pictures as I complete.  

2. What TV show is a guilty pleasure for you?

OOoooh.  This is a tough one.  I am currently completely caught up on "Vampire Diaries".  (ZOMG, kill me now - I can't believe I just admitted that).  Another show, I feel completely guilty for watching is BBC's "Robin Hood".  Some aspects of that show are just ridiculous.  But, oh my, that Robin Hood is deeeee-lish-us!  

3. What is your favorite restaurant?

Another tough one.  I really love me some Moe's Southwestern Grill.  But, I think my ultimate eat out (which ends up actually being an eat in) is a little local pizza take 'n' bake place.  Scramble bread is amazing.  One of the best things I've ever tasted.  Ever. 

4. If you could live in any other state, where would you choose?

Dream state: Oregon

Second Choice: Hawaii

More likely to possibly happen than the above two: NorCal or Washington (NOT DC)

5. What kind of car do you drive?

An "Atlantis Green" Ford Fusion.

No minivans for this mom.  

6. What is the thing you do that wastes the most amount of time in your day?

Drive five miles to drop boys off at school.

Drive three miles to gym.

Drive three miles to house.

Drive five miles to pick up Kenny.

Drive five miles home.

Drive five miles to pick up B-rox.

Drive five miles home.  

Those 31 miles amount to 2.5 hours spent in the car every day.  Every. Day. 

7. What is your favorite website right now?

Uhm... I dont' know.  Facespace?  Runnersworld?  No clue.  It's like children.  I can't name a favorite. 

8. Do you have any special talents?

I sleepwalk.  Pretty cool, right?  

9. What is your favorite feature about yourself?

I'm told I'm oddly positive.  I take this to be a good thing, despite the "oddly" preceding it. 

10. How did you meet your significant other, if you have one?

He voluntold me for the swim team.  Saw him in his swim jammer, discovered I was a "legs and butt" lady.  The rest is history. 

11. What is your favorite color?

Always and forever, Orange.  Orange, Orange, Orange.  

Extras.  Just because it's Monday.  

1. What is the first materialistic thing you would buy with 1 million dollars?

Gut reaction: Pay off house and car.  Then go to Jamaica. 

What I would actually do:  Pay off house and car.  Then take WHOLE family to Jamaica. 

And uhm, shoes.  There would be A LOT of shoes. 

2. What were you doing 5 years ago?

Enjoying life with ONE baby.  ONE.  I didn't know I was pregnant again, I was just... ENJOYING LIFE WITH ONE BABY! 

3. Your last meal on Earth would be?

Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese.  

4. What is something you would change about yourself?

Erm....  Longer legs?  Unbreak my nose? Braces. Definitely Braces.   Mentally?  I'd PMS less.  

5. Is there a specific time you remember being extra mean to your siblings?

This is a trick question. I know it. 

Uhm, hello.  We were siblings.  But, if you need an actual example.  I purposely dropped my sister on her head.  Twice. 

6. If you had your own reality show, what would people's reaction be?

What I'd want them to think:  "Lady has some FINE shoes". 

What they would really think: "Whoa. There. Are. NO. Words. For. This. Mess.  Turn on the Kardashians, I can't handle this ridiculosity.  

7. What is your dream job?

Athletic trainer/nutritionist.  More specifically for pre/post-natal women.  There is NOT enough help out there for women who want to be healthy and fit during pregnancy.
Also, Nursing.  I'm currently trying to figure out how to meld the two.  

8. What genre do you pin on Pinterest the most? Why?

Food and things to do with the kiddos.  

Because I get hungry and because my kids are crazy.  Duh. 

9. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Shel Silverstein.  Because he seemed to get life. 

Also, because he wrote a poem with my name in it.  (Even if she was a pretty naughty girl.)  

10. Who would be the other 3 members in your Wolf-Pack?

Well, now generally, I'm against going in search of strippers and cocaine.  

But if other activities are on the menu, I'd probably throw a bestest in there.  After that... I don't know.  Depends on what activities we're talking about.  

Two Adults, Three Kids, and One Dog. In A Sedan.

For three hours.

Sounds like a joke, right?

I'll admit, it kind of felt like one as we were loading up.  I even had to hand over the reins (steering wheel) to Hubband, because he wouldn't have been able to cram into the seat with the dog like my stubby little legs could.  


But, the trip down to VA Beach went swimmingly, seeing naps from the two younger boys and silence from the third, thanks to a certain quiet button, called "Nintendo".

El Pooch, en route.  She looks rather comfy, eh?

B-rox is currently learning about various presidents in class, the current one being Abraham Lincoln.  So, staying in a log cabin garnered MANY references to Honest Abe over the three day period, as well as many questions like "Do you think Abe Lincoln slept in little beds like this?".

The boys in their "Little special area".  (loft with two twin beds - perfect!)

Saturday, while Hubs was drilling, the boys and I indulged in a day at the Aquarium.

Geeking out over rocks.  So, definitely, my kids. 

This is just for me.  Because it is SO cool.  I love fossils! 

Shark Tank.  

The best moment of the trip.  BEST.
Kenny got to pet a manta ray.  Well, he petted every manta ray, I'm sure.
He sat there petting them for 30 minutes.
The look of wonder on his face, alone, was worth the $50 spent to get in.
Quote upon seeing the picture:
"Oh, that's me, petting a most beautiful manta ray". 

B-rox: Oh my goodness.  I don't ever want to get eaten by one of these guys!
Duh... 

Don't you just love the faces they have?  

The new Cape Henry lighthouse (Left) and the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse (Right).
Our cabin was just a couple hundred yards away from the old lighthouse.
Pretty awesome spot to stay.
(They give tours, but the two big boys were too short and you can't carry babies up. BOOOO!)

I. Love. The. Beach.

Time for home.  

And, the soundtrack that accompanied most of the trip.
(We may not make it to 2 years rear-facing.  It's just not ok with my brain - this screaming thing.) 

And with that weekend, we are officially a part of the military system again.  Hello, Navy Reserves.

I am going to BLOW your brain up!

Teeth Brushing time!!!!
I honestly don't know why this picture warmed my heart so much,
I hate bathtime/bedtime ablutions.
It's like they don't know it's coming EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!  

I was sick.
Kenny wanted to cuddle. And look slightly evil... 

When you've lived in your house for three years, you should probably make it a point to put art on the walls.
Go Beavs!!!!

For anybody not short, you won't get this:
B-rox is tall enough to REACH THE MONKEY BARS BY HIMSELF!
AAAAAND get across all by himself.
I choose weird moments to have serious maternal pride, don't I?

They're boys.  Doing things by the book, is not in their repertoire...

Holdeezy pulled one of the cook books my grandmother gave me off the shelf.
Out came this REALLY old coupon.
A whopping Seven Cents off a roll of Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls.
Hold the phone, I'm going to be rich!

A small peak at my "in progress" project.

Wipe your nose with the left, not the right.
Trust me... 

Breakfast of champions?
Pineapple slices with yogurt in the middle.  

Over 400 points in WwFs.  Oh yes.  

I will NEVER tire of watching my babies sleep. 

He wore this to school to pick up B-rox in order to "trick everybody into thinking he was a dad coming to pick up his kid."
Nutcase...

Latest completed project, inspired by Pinterest.

I HATE the "what's for dinner game".  I hate having to decide what we're having, most of the time at the last minute.
My wonderful hubband is usually no help, as he defers with the question, "What would you like?".
When I saw this one, I knew I'd struck gold.
I don't have to try and plan out a weeks worth of meals - all I have to do is draw them out of the top box and put them in their slot.
Then, I take a gander and write down my grocery list, based on what is on the menu.
Brain strain free!
Also, the boys enjoy it - because there are two cards in there with "Kenny's choice" and "Braxton's Choice".

 Yes, he knows he's not supposed to be climbing...

Spoiled baby much?

HE WALKS!!!


There you have it.  The last month(ish) from Miphone point of view.

Such handsome faces.

These are some of the "other" pictures I took while trying to get a shot for their Valentine's day cards for their class.  

Ryan Gosling wannabe - right here. 

They are SUCH good buddies.  It's awesome. 

This is a video of B-rox and one of this classemates' guitar "solo" during their winter concert.  They stole the show.  Braxton ATE IT UP!

I love these boys.  I mean, how could you not?

Reset.

Last week was a downer.

So, this week we're resetting.
We're alive.  We (mostly) have our health. We're together.

So, with that announcement - here's a little puppy love.

Hello, Monday.  It is good to have you here.

I am NOT carpe-ing this freaking Diem.

This article kicked off a week of phlegm, pneumonia, ear infections, vomit and no sleep.

It helped me not feel so guilty for the tears I sprung during serious moments of near-mental-breakdown-ness.
[B-rox having an asthma attack, Kenny crying because his legs/ears/head hurts, and Holdeezy puking on anything in sight, is one particular moment.]


Today, I've received word that my Grandpa passed.  While it sounds callous, it was time. His mind was gone and his body was struggling.  He didn't deserve that.  I often thanked my lucky stars that I was 3,000 miles away from it, because strong is definitely a word that could be used to describe him, and I didn't feel brave enough to want to see his decline.

A friend of mine from college died from cancer, yesterday.  He was 27.
I dated him a few times, before we decided that going to the movies together was about all it was going to be. Our friendship had become a little more thin over the years, as we married (other people, obvs.) and life went on, 3,000 miles apart.  I'm still sad.  And taking a reality check from it.  It's time to make some of the appointments I've been putting off.

A friend, who has become very special to me (maybe because our kids are the same age, go to the same school, and we both love running? I don't know.  She's an awesome woman.) told me she's been diagnosed with breast cancer.
I had nothing adequate to say to her today.  I started crying, which I'm sure, looked way cool.  I will probably not have anything adequate to say to her.  I'm sorry doesn't seem adequate, and yet I am.  It doesn't seem fair.

And, so, you know.  I'm not carpe-ing this diem.  I'm, in fact, going to take a nap.

Uhm... No. Just... NO.

We are NOT expanding our family in anyway in the coming year.  No adoptions.  No pregnancies.  No more trips for fish filters.


Imagine I am a hive of 30,000 bees.  Imagine the boys are 30 Japanese hornets.

Yes.  Now you understand. Our big news has nothing to do with family expansion.

I have all I can handle, right here.