Send your own ElfYourself eCards
It was so fun - I did it twice !!! See below!!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
I should know better by now...
than to get into a conversation with my mom about my parenting.
The first time - I actually asked the question, "Mom, do you think I am a good parent?" And after she "ummed" for a few moments, she began to tell me that "No, I believe that Jake could be kept cleaner. His fingernails usually need to be cut and they are always dirty."
That was it - that was how she summed up my parenting. Jake's fingernails.
Well, the other day she was commenting on my niece (the one that stays at the bar all hours of the day and night) .. and her parenting. She said of her, "well - I can say one thing, she always keeps her children clean."
So, under my breath, I said - "I guess that makes her a better parent than me." I knew that it shouldn't have been said out loud... but it was... I couldn't take it back no matter how hard I tried. She asked me what I said, and I said nothing - but she had heard it... got mad and got out of the car.
Today she came over and asked me, "Is there something bothering you in your life?"
My reply - "well, isn't there something bothering most people in their life? Is there something specific you are referring to?"
So, then she brought up yesterday's conversation and as a Christian how could I not be happy that someone has something nice said about someone else? I thought, "so, now I am a bad mom and a bad Christian"...I was smart enough not to say that one out loud.
I answered "yes, I said that but it's because you said to me that I am a bad parent because I don't keep my kids clean enough."
She didn't deny that conversation but said that she did not say that I was a bad parent... I told her that "yes, in fact, she did." More denial...
I then told her that she is very critical of me and nothing I ever do is good enough... she left.
Whenever my mom comes to my house she has to make sure that she inspects each and every room... she makes up some excuse as to why she has to be in my bedroom standing there looking around. She goes through the kids drawers to make sure they are neat and orderly... she counts my husbands clothes to make sure they are all there (and not left in his truck like he has a habit of doing)... she looks in my refrigerator and freezer to see if I have too much food (yes you read right - it drives her crazy if my freezer is full)...she will open my washer and dryer to see if I have clothes left in there... my sister has even caught her going through my trash to look for receipts so she can see what we buy....She is inspecting my home and summing up my job as a wife and a mother....
If she finds anything she doesn't like - she takes it upon herself to fix it. I have come home with everything in my freezer or fridge lined up on my kitchen counter ... so that she can check all the dates and then I can put it all back in correctly...
And I guess the worst part of it all is that she has done this even before she has said hello to anyone! I beg her - please come over to VISIT... spend time with Jake.. talk to Christopher... Don't clean my house!!! I'm not talking about in a time of crisis or when I am sick - lending a hand and helping me out... I'm talking just any 'ol random day she feels that she can and has to take upon herself MY house...
I guess it seems that I am talking about 2 different issues here - but it really sums up into one... She thinks that I am not capable of doing anything on my own.... whatever it is that I do do - it's not good enough.
I'm pretty sure that is why I strive so hard to prove to the world just the opposite .... well, I don't know where I'm going anymore other than just to vent.... but at least you know now why I am so neurotic at times....
The first time - I actually asked the question, "Mom, do you think I am a good parent?" And after she "ummed" for a few moments, she began to tell me that "No, I believe that Jake could be kept cleaner. His fingernails usually need to be cut and they are always dirty."
That was it - that was how she summed up my parenting. Jake's fingernails.
Well, the other day she was commenting on my niece (the one that stays at the bar all hours of the day and night) .. and her parenting. She said of her, "well - I can say one thing, she always keeps her children clean."
So, under my breath, I said - "I guess that makes her a better parent than me." I knew that it shouldn't have been said out loud... but it was... I couldn't take it back no matter how hard I tried. She asked me what I said, and I said nothing - but she had heard it... got mad and got out of the car.
Today she came over and asked me, "Is there something bothering you in your life?"
My reply - "well, isn't there something bothering most people in their life? Is there something specific you are referring to?"
So, then she brought up yesterday's conversation and as a Christian how could I not be happy that someone has something nice said about someone else? I thought, "so, now I am a bad mom and a bad Christian"...I was smart enough not to say that one out loud.
I answered "yes, I said that but it's because you said to me that I am a bad parent because I don't keep my kids clean enough."
She didn't deny that conversation but said that she did not say that I was a bad parent... I told her that "yes, in fact, she did." More denial...
I then told her that she is very critical of me and nothing I ever do is good enough... she left.
Whenever my mom comes to my house she has to make sure that she inspects each and every room... she makes up some excuse as to why she has to be in my bedroom standing there looking around. She goes through the kids drawers to make sure they are neat and orderly... she counts my husbands clothes to make sure they are all there (and not left in his truck like he has a habit of doing)... she looks in my refrigerator and freezer to see if I have too much food (yes you read right - it drives her crazy if my freezer is full)...she will open my washer and dryer to see if I have clothes left in there... my sister has even caught her going through my trash to look for receipts so she can see what we buy....She is inspecting my home and summing up my job as a wife and a mother....
If she finds anything she doesn't like - she takes it upon herself to fix it. I have come home with everything in my freezer or fridge lined up on my kitchen counter ... so that she can check all the dates and then I can put it all back in correctly...
And I guess the worst part of it all is that she has done this even before she has said hello to anyone! I beg her - please come over to VISIT... spend time with Jake.. talk to Christopher... Don't clean my house!!! I'm not talking about in a time of crisis or when I am sick - lending a hand and helping me out... I'm talking just any 'ol random day she feels that she can and has to take upon herself MY house...
I guess it seems that I am talking about 2 different issues here - but it really sums up into one... She thinks that I am not capable of doing anything on my own.... whatever it is that I do do - it's not good enough.
I'm pretty sure that is why I strive so hard to prove to the world just the opposite .... well, I don't know where I'm going anymore other than just to vent.... but at least you know now why I am so neurotic at times....
Monday, November 10, 2008
Tagged..... hmmm...
Well, I was tagged I think 3 times so I guess I have to do this... but hmmmm... what to say that everyone doesn't already know? I don't keep much secret....
Guess I will have to think about it... check back later... I need coffee first.
1st Edit:
Hmmm... 1/2 a cup of coffee down... what do I have to share? You already know I have 3 tattoos - that's not new news... hmmm...
1. I can't stand the taste of cloves or black licorice. My mom used to put cloves all over ham ... and I bit into one once....ugggghhh... and black licorice - that's just yuk.
2. My sister's dad thought for the longest time (don't know if he ever really believed differently) that I was her child and not my mom's. He believed that my dad, my mom, 2 of my brothers and my sister all squeezed into a Volkswagen Bug and drove from Cali to Texas because my sister was pregnant.... in fact it was my mom that was pregnant - with me.
Ok ... drawing a blank... have to think some more....
2nd Try:
3. I desperately want a house with a wrap around porch. My grandmother (the only one I knew - my dad's mom) had a huge front porch with a swing on it - the best memories of childhood come from that home.
4. I went to college to become a Elem Ed Teacher... I didn't finish because I let some boy rule me... The desire to teach began for me in 6th grade when my elem school started a program for the GT kids in 6th grade to tutor the slower kids in 1st and 2nd in reading.. We had to develop our own lesson plans, flash cards, etc - I had a girl in 1st who was painfully shy and wouldn't speak and a boy in the 2nd who was ADHD before there was ADHD... they were both in the bottom level of reading and by the end of the year had moved to the top! I was hooked... even though I didn't finish college and become a public school teacher - God has been so gracious to allow me many opportunities to fulfill this desire...
5. It makes my blood boil to see someone get bullied... I was bullied constantly by my brother. He would take my stuffed bear and hold it above his head ... I would cry and my mother would tell me to leave my brother alone.
6. In elem school I was always the last one picked for kickball. I hated recess. Maybe that is why today I still don't enjoy sports... and maybe another reason why I so looked forward to going to the library to tutor.
Stuck again... gotta think some more...
3rd go around: Thought so much I came up with 2 more! So now I have 8
7. I enjoy math. I'm not the greatest at it but I like higher math like Algebra and Geometry - I see it as a puzzle and then it becomes fun. I also had a slight crush on my Algebra teacher in high school....
8. When John and I used to have a boat we used to take days off and play hookey from work and the kids. We were both working full time then... I would call in sick and he was self employed... My mom was watching the kids back then and we would both tell her we were going to work and would take the boat out to the harbor. John would fish and I would fish some but mainly read. We didn't talk much... just enjoyed each others company and the peace and quiet. As much as we all know how I like to stay busy, I miss those days.
OK - now I'm done.... let's see - what readers do I have that are not tagged in others blogs?? Heather? I don't know who else actually reads my blogs - so if you do - consider yourself tagged!
EDIT AGAIN: now I keep thinking of more - here's another: I'm allergic to CoverGirl Makeup... for the same reason I am allergic to Noxema - they both contain Noxell...
Guess I will have to think about it... check back later... I need coffee first.
1st Edit:
Hmmm... 1/2 a cup of coffee down... what do I have to share? You already know I have 3 tattoos - that's not new news... hmmm...
1. I can't stand the taste of cloves or black licorice. My mom used to put cloves all over ham ... and I bit into one once....ugggghhh... and black licorice - that's just yuk.
2. My sister's dad thought for the longest time (don't know if he ever really believed differently) that I was her child and not my mom's. He believed that my dad, my mom, 2 of my brothers and my sister all squeezed into a Volkswagen Bug and drove from Cali to Texas because my sister was pregnant.... in fact it was my mom that was pregnant - with me.
Ok ... drawing a blank... have to think some more....
2nd Try:
3. I desperately want a house with a wrap around porch. My grandmother (the only one I knew - my dad's mom) had a huge front porch with a swing on it - the best memories of childhood come from that home.
4. I went to college to become a Elem Ed Teacher... I didn't finish because I let some boy rule me... The desire to teach began for me in 6th grade when my elem school started a program for the GT kids in 6th grade to tutor the slower kids in 1st and 2nd in reading.. We had to develop our own lesson plans, flash cards, etc - I had a girl in 1st who was painfully shy and wouldn't speak and a boy in the 2nd who was ADHD before there was ADHD... they were both in the bottom level of reading and by the end of the year had moved to the top! I was hooked... even though I didn't finish college and become a public school teacher - God has been so gracious to allow me many opportunities to fulfill this desire...
5. It makes my blood boil to see someone get bullied... I was bullied constantly by my brother. He would take my stuffed bear and hold it above his head ... I would cry and my mother would tell me to leave my brother alone.
6. In elem school I was always the last one picked for kickball. I hated recess. Maybe that is why today I still don't enjoy sports... and maybe another reason why I so looked forward to going to the library to tutor.
Stuck again... gotta think some more...
3rd go around: Thought so much I came up with 2 more! So now I have 8
7. I enjoy math. I'm not the greatest at it but I like higher math like Algebra and Geometry - I see it as a puzzle and then it becomes fun. I also had a slight crush on my Algebra teacher in high school....
8. When John and I used to have a boat we used to take days off and play hookey from work and the kids. We were both working full time then... I would call in sick and he was self employed... My mom was watching the kids back then and we would both tell her we were going to work and would take the boat out to the harbor. John would fish and I would fish some but mainly read. We didn't talk much... just enjoyed each others company and the peace and quiet. As much as we all know how I like to stay busy, I miss those days.
OK - now I'm done.... let's see - what readers do I have that are not tagged in others blogs?? Heather? I don't know who else actually reads my blogs - so if you do - consider yourself tagged!
EDIT AGAIN: now I keep thinking of more - here's another: I'm allergic to CoverGirl Makeup... for the same reason I am allergic to Noxema - they both contain Noxell...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
RE: Election
I have read 2 blogs that best sum up my feelings about this election...
Candice's blog
and one that Mike Huckebee (who was my choice for President all along) posted on his myspace:
We Will Be Back in Strength
by Mike Huckabee
I'm very proud to have supported Senator McCain and the only regret is that more Americans didn't share my conviction that he would have made an outstanding President. I not only recognize, but respect that we are a nation in which the people choose and tonight they have chosen Senator Obama. He was not my choice, but he will be my President and I will pray for him to lead this great nation with God's help and grace. He will face serious challenges to lead our country and he will need all Americans to give him a chance.
The campaign is over and now is the time for governing and leading. The Republican Party must now reassess where it is and where it is going. Our problem is not that our views aren't acceptable, it is that many in our party have abandoned the very principles that once drew Americans to trust us. Our party will be back with strength, but tonight we should all celebrate the historic nature of this election and put our country ahead of our party.
As disappointed as I am that we have lost the election, I can't help but feel that many courageous leaders of the civil rights movement look down from heaven tonight with a smile that the day has come when a man is elected without regard to his color. I salute President-elect Obama for his discipline and tenacity that has given our country the opportunity to witness this significant event.
Politics is not an event but a process. We sometimes lose the events but it never gives us the right to stop being faithful to our principles that enlisted us in the process. We shall live to fight another day.
In short - like him or not, Obama will be our President for the next 4 years. I feel as an American, our country should unite as one and support our leader. Division will only make us weaker.... and that is just what the enemy is hoping for.
Candice's blog
and one that Mike Huckebee (who was my choice for President all along) posted on his myspace:
We Will Be Back in Strength
by Mike Huckabee
I'm very proud to have supported Senator McCain and the only regret is that more Americans didn't share my conviction that he would have made an outstanding President. I not only recognize, but respect that we are a nation in which the people choose and tonight they have chosen Senator Obama. He was not my choice, but he will be my President and I will pray for him to lead this great nation with God's help and grace. He will face serious challenges to lead our country and he will need all Americans to give him a chance.
The campaign is over and now is the time for governing and leading. The Republican Party must now reassess where it is and where it is going. Our problem is not that our views aren't acceptable, it is that many in our party have abandoned the very principles that once drew Americans to trust us. Our party will be back with strength, but tonight we should all celebrate the historic nature of this election and put our country ahead of our party.
As disappointed as I am that we have lost the election, I can't help but feel that many courageous leaders of the civil rights movement look down from heaven tonight with a smile that the day has come when a man is elected without regard to his color. I salute President-elect Obama for his discipline and tenacity that has given our country the opportunity to witness this significant event.
Politics is not an event but a process. We sometimes lose the events but it never gives us the right to stop being faithful to our principles that enlisted us in the process. We shall live to fight another day.
In short - like him or not, Obama will be our President for the next 4 years. I feel as an American, our country should unite as one and support our leader. Division will only make us weaker.... and that is just what the enemy is hoping for.
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