Bumper Sticker Wisdom

I was almost home yesterday when I stopped behind a car at a stop sign. Normally I tend not to pay attention to bumper stickers unless their the size of a billboard, but this one caught my eye...

"Guns Kill People Like Spoons Make People Fat"

Now, I'm not Pro-NRA or anti-gun...but the sticker made sense to me.

My Journey to NOT Being Diabetic

No, I'm not diabetic...yet. I have a very strong family history of diabetes though. My mother takes a medication twice a day to lower her blood sugar when she eats and my father was insulin dependent. Clearly genetics are not on my side. I had a physical and blood work done about 2 months ago and the results came back that I am insulin resistant. Which means, I'm on the road to diabetes. So, the doctor prescribed a medication (the same one my mother takes) to help lower my blood sugar and hopefully stave off diabetes by jump starting my pancreas. Since that time I have also seen a nutritionist, and who knew that a donut can be better for you than muffin? Go figure. Anyway, I've been making better dietary decisions which has led to what is the beginning of weight loss. I'd like to say that I've been working out every day...but I haven't. I haven't worked out at all other than taking the dog out. Maybe it's all the stairs I've been climbing in the process. Regardless, I've started to lose weight. How much? I don't know. I'm not getting on a scale to find out either. What I do know is this...I've had a shirt that I could BARELY fit into (and when I say "BARELY", I mean I could barely get it over my head, and I surely could not sit comfortably in it) in my closet since the end of the summer. Today, I'm wearing that shirt to work...and I look good in it. My jeans...well, good news there too. I accidentally dried my jeans the other day and as we all know, that's the kiss of death for many of us when it comes to clothing our lower halves. Today, those jeans that I just knew I was going to have to rid of actually FIT! And we're not talking "kind of". We're actually talking about kind of almost too big! I have to keep yanking them up! How cool is that??? It seems strange to say, but I'm excited about the choices I'm making when it comes to eating. No, I'm not surviving on lettuce with a bit of black pepper on it. I'm eating just about everything I want, just not in the same amounts. I know eventually I'm going to have to exercise on a regular basis. It's not an option, and of course it's going to have to happen sooner than later...but for now, I'm content to lose weight by controlling what I eat. I don't know if all my efforts will all be in vain...I may end up a diabetic in the long run, there's no way to tell for sure. But at least I'm giving myself a fighting chance to outrun it for a while.

Some times it just gets to ya...

Bear has allergies; both food and outdoor (along with asthma, yeah...good times). We've been dealing with this since he was a baby (he's 9 now). People ask me how I do it. I read labels, have meeting with everyone who comes in contact with him, medications, trips to the ER...it never ends. I don't have a choice. I just do it. Somewhere along the way I must have learned to compartmentalize the roller coaster of emotion that goes along with a child that has medical issues. When I go into crisis management mode I'm calm and collected. I don't overreact when Bear has an asthma attack or an allergic reaction. I administer his meds and take appropriate actions. I remember thinking that it would get easier as he gets older...but it doesn't. It actually gets harder. When he was little it was easy, I controlled everything that he was exposed to. Now he's in the third grade and I don't get to control who stands next to him in the line for the bus. Just recently a child who ate a chocolate candy with nuts grabbed him by the arm...now this child, including the entire third grade, yes, it's that serious that the entire grade was educated about food allergies; knows that Bear can't be touched by someone who has eaten nuts. So, what happened? Thankfully, nothing because the nurse was notified immediately and she gave him some Benedryl to head off the reaction. I had no control over that child and what she did. It's frustrating to say the least. And for the most part, I deal with it (emotionally speaking)...but sometimes it's just too much. Once in a while I'll sit down and think about everything that Bear has been through and I'm reduced to tears. I don't cry for me, but for him. The stress that goes with having a child with issues like Bears is a mother's burden. I know it could always be worse; and I'm truly thankful that it's not...but he will have these issues for the rest of his life. Knowing that my child doesn't know what it's like to not be this way is sometimes heart breaking. Sometimes just finding out that someone I know has a child that has been diagnosed with food allergies is frustrating to me because I know what they're going up against. It's an incredibly long road...

I have failed

I was raised as a Catholic, my sisters and I went to Sunday school, Tuesday night CCD...of course we were all baptized, had First Communion and then Confirmation. It was some time after my Confirmation that I stopped going to church. I didn't stop believing, I just stopped attending. Seriously, it's not fun going to Catholic Mass. Stand up, sit down, kneel, Peace be with you... I'm not opposed to going, I just don't go. I think in the last 10 years I 've been to church maybe 3 times. Why am I bringing this up? Because I have failed. My sisters both carried on the tradition by torturing their children with the same up bringing that we had. I didn't. Out of my three children only Teenager is baptized and that's only because mother made it happen. Again, I'm not really into going to church.

All that being said...during the holidays Princess came running up to me and proclaimed, "Mommy! We're learning about Jesus!". Um...okay. I'll admit it. I was shocked. My kids go to public school, hello separation of church and state. Anyway, she was so excited to be learning about Jesus, so excited that she wants to learn more. Now, let me just say that I'm Mexican. I know, it's not big shocker. We Mexicans happen to have a um well, let's just say that we happen to believe certain things. So much so that this one Marine I worked with (yes, he was Mexican) once told me that the reason I was having such behavioral issues with Bear was that he is not baptized. Is there any truth to that? Maybe, I mean afterall, Teenager is baptized and I've never had problems with him. Okay, back to my story. I was having a conversation with Princess about Jesus when, out of nowhere, Bear turns around and says, "Yeah, and who is this "God" guy everyone is talking about???". There you have it ladies and gentlemen...my epic failure. I was raised Catholic and even though I have a relationship with God...my children have no idea who or what "God" is. I'm going to hell. Yes, I know I'll be in good company as all my friends will be there waiting on me, but that's not the point. Bear and Princess have asked me to start taking them to church...ughughughugh. Did I mention...I don't go to church.

Which way to the beach???

MEF and I have been friends for just about ever...I can't remember exactly when we met, but I know we've been friends for 20+ years now. Last night I was thinking about the time we were lost and looking for the beach. Okay, so we weren't really lost and we had already been to the beach (MEF, feel free to chime in if I get the details wrong...it's been a LONG time). But that's not what we told the officer that pulled us over for speeding. There we were in the car, wearing our bathing suits, sand covering the floor boards and looking like we had actually just spent the day at the beach, telling this officer that we were lost. I'm sure we thought we were clever..."I was speeding? Oh my gosh! We got lost on our way to the beach...". Seriously, who did we think we were fooling? I can't say for certain if the officer believed us, but we didn't get a ticket...and isn't that what matters? I'm sure the officer was thinking to himself, "Silly teenaged girls, I know you are not lost, I know you just left the beach, and stop looking at me with that please don't give me a ticket or my parents will kill me look." Whatever the case, we were told to lay off the lead foot and sent on our way. So, what did we do? We stopped along the road not far from where we got pulled over and took pictures of each other standing by speed limit signs and "buckle up for safety" signs. I'm going to look for the pictures tonight...and you can be sure that I find them they'll be on here tomorrow. I hope I can find the one of MEF mooning me at the beach. Yes, MEF...I love you too. :D

Wii Are Ridiculous...

We had a great Christmas...and I hope that you did as well. Santa brought us Guitar Hero III with two wireless guitars. We played for about two hours before heading over to the neighbor's house for breakfast. They got a Wii...my family and I spent the next TWELVE hours at Nurse's house playing Wii, eating and having a good time. Seriously, TWELVE hours. We played tennis and bowling. And let me tell ya, we got serious...about setting up tournaments and teams. All the adults had a hard time beating out the little kids (ages 5, 7, 8 and 9). The fact that the kids could get in on the action was probably the best part of the day. None of them felt the need to fight or throw temper tantrums because the adults were hogging the game.

Needless to say, we adults paid the price yesterday. Sore muscles seemed to be the theme of the day. I'd like to say that I was lucky and didn't have anything to complain about...of course it didn't happen that way. My arm is still recovering, as is my shoulder...yeah, we're SO getting a Wii!

Common Sense

Dear Mr. Redneck in PetSmart,
We all know that pet supply stores welcome people to bring in their pets while shopping. But, why on Earth would you bring your absolutely vicious pit bull that weighs probably 95 pounds into a pet store if you can not control it even with the spiked choke collar you've put on it and then stand next to my children while we're looking for snacks for our dog? Why, with your insulated plaid flannel jacket and denim bib overalls, would you laugh when your monster on a chain attempts to use my 5 months old puppy for a chew toy? We get it, as a matter of fact, everyone in the store probably got it...your dog is bigger, badder and meaner than anything in a radius of 10 miles. So, Mr. Redneck, muster your strength and drag your monster, that is apparently too dumb to realize that it's choking on it's collar, back to your vehicle, which no doubt is a huge, rusted out muddin' truck with dual exhaust so everyone can hear you coming, and go home. Go home and relax Mr. Redneck. Take a shower, get cleaned up, maybe have a couple of your missing teeth replaced, tie your dog to the house (c'mon, if you tie it to the tree the beast will most likely uproot the damn thing), get back in your truck and come back to PetSmart. There is no need to terrorize small children and animals with your dog.

Thank you for your attention to this matter,

A concerned mother...

A WoW Widow Once Again

For those of you who are new to the planet and do not know what WoW is, it's an online RPG. No, I don't mean "RPG" as in a Rocket Propelled Grenade, although that is what I'd like to use to destroy the computer. RPG in this case mean Role Playing Game. And "WoW" for those of you who happen to not know, "WoW" is World of Warcraft". I have no idea what the game is about...but I know that Teenager spent the entire summer playing it, as did Husband. About three months ago Husband canceled his subscription to the game and unistalled it from the PC. YES! I had my family back! Much to my dismay, over the weekend Husband started up the subscription and re-installed the game.
So, I'm back to being a WoW Widow. Here is an example of what being a Wow Widow means...
Me, "Dinner's ready!"
Husband, "Okay, be there in a minute"
Twenty minutes later...
Me, "Husband, are you going to eat???"
Husband, "Yeah, sorry I was doing a mission with a group of people"
That's right folks, doing a "mission with a group of people"(all of whom he has never met in person) is more important than eating the meal which his over worked and exhausted wife cooked. Normally one of my favorites responses from him is "I couldn't just leave them!"...uh, yes you could! It's a GAME! These are people he has never met, and most likely never will...yet, they come before dinner. **Sigh** I hate computer/video games.

Blog candy!

As everyone knows I'm not really rockin' the blog lately. BUT! Who can resist a contest?? Jaci at Ravings of a Mad Housewife is giving away a fantastic set of dishes (thanks to MEF for posting on her blog...I hadn't gotten around to Jaci's yet this morning). All you have to do is post a comment on her blog letting her know which color you'd like if you won. And if you link up to her you'll get an extra 3 entries...

Meet Sam

Everybody, this is Sam. Sam, this is everybody. Yep, that's right! We have a new addition to the family. I'm no great lover of animals...for the most part I can do without them. My neighbor, Nurse, has a really awesome dog so whenever I thought about getting a pet, I'd just go over there and give the Rude Dog some love. Problem solved!
About two weeks ago Husband told me that he was thinking about getting our offspring a dog for Christmas. Part of me was excited and another part me of was saying "HELL TO THE NO!!". I thought about it for a week and became accustomed to the idea of having a dog. This past weekend Husband and I took the kids (Bear and Princess only because Teenager was at wrestling) to PetSmart. The local animal shelters bring their animals to PetSmart on the weekends to try and adopt them out. There were puppies everywhere! We decided to take "Sheba" out of her crate to play with her for a little while. I think we spent about an hour with her. When Husband made mention that it was time to go home (without a dog) my heart broke instantly. There was no way I could let that sweet puppy go back in that crate and go back to the shelter. So, we named her Samantha and brought her home. She is a 5 month old boxer/golden retriever. She's built like a golden, but has the face of a boxer. Sam is the sweetest puppy. She's almost potty trained and only barks when someone knocks at the door. I've been told by several people that Sam is the perfect mix of breeds for our family. I guess only time will tell.
We're going through the normal puppy drama...pooping in the house, peeing in the house, trying to establish who the pack leader is....but overall, she's great. I couldn't be happier that she's with us...