Premium Leaded, Please - NOT Special Blend

I have a fickle hubby. That's what makes me wonder why he's still with me sometimes. But I digress.

As you may well be aware, if you follow me on Facebook &/or Twitter, or caught my love affair post, that I love my coffee. I could drink it all day long. Just note that if I did, you'd better watch out. When I am out & order coffee, I always make sure it's leaded. None of that decaf crap for me. I need my jolt.

My hubby, on the other hand, can't have the full-frontal power of coffee. His system doesn't deal with it well. So we get that half-caf crappola. But any caffeine is good caffeine, I guess.

On top of "needing" half-caf, my hubby is truly fickle on the flavor. I'm not saying we have to have the $8/small bag of coffee, but we have done Folgers for a very long time. There are points in time when he just gets bored with what we have. So, we are currently on the look out for some decently tasting coffee that is a half-caf or that we can "blend" together with separate caf & decaf. If you know of any, please let me know. We are currently on Walmart's Great Value self-blend. It's OK, but I still want to look.

Now since I start our coffee pot later so it's fresher all the way around for hubby & I, and I want some further into the morning, I am going to take a friend's advice & get some Starbuck's Via packets. Then I can be like the guy in the commercial who is making himself sausage in one commercial & bacon in the other & he is cooking it on the stove & then heating some up in the microwave! That's what I'll be doing: having a fully-caffeinated packet of Via or two while waiting for the coffee pot to brew. Then I can get an early jolt (hopefully) before backing off to half-caf.
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Who is Going Postal?

Everyday, we still get the mail. And has anyone else noticed that the decline of the post office has affected the carriers and overall customer service?

Several weeks ago, our postman had a delivery for us. He actually left the package on the porch, turned around, got in his truck & put our mail in the mailbox. I wish I were kidding.

I have also noticed that he is just a super grumpy guy. He doesn't give a courtesy wave, he doesn't care if he's blocking your driveway. I'm not the person to say people are awful, but I'm willing to make an exception in this case.

I also don't think his truck runs really well. I can't help but think he's at our mailbox, but he's a block away. So for about 5-10 minutes, everyday there are deliveries, I hear this loud truck all over the neighborhood that sounds like it's at our house.

This guy makes me crazy. I think he's disgruntled.

Really, "disgruntled" and "going postal" came out a few years ago when there were angry carriers terrorizing their own offices. Since then, it's not supposed to be PC to use these terms along with the post office, but yet there are all kinds of circumstances and situations anymore that make the terms more than relevant.

It makes me want to go postal, but I may have to throw this guy off & meet him with cupcakes one day. That should teach him! It's better than leaving a small animal inside the mailbox with the flag up.
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My Daily Love Affairs

* a love letter of confession *

Every morning I wake up wrapped up in your warmth and comfort. You make me feel so good, no matter how I look. Even when I'm sick, you hold me tight and help me feel better.

But something comes over me; I cannot seem to help myself. I leave you for another. For this love is a hot and steamy one. I cannot help but to tear my clothes off for this encounter. What can I say? I turn him on. I am showered in the way he makes me feel all over my exposed skin, the overall massage he gives - just the way I'm touched, and, oh, the positions I get into to make sure he touches me everywhere. It is such an encounter, it takes using a close by towel before I can leave. I realize it sounds so dirty, but he makes me feel so much better.

I, then, confess that I have yet another rendezvous. This one is another hot one, but tends to stimulate me more. I don't think I could make it through the day without this meeting with him. And he smells so good. I love how he tastes, too. It's an interesting and intimate relationship. The company is so soothing.

Once in a while, there's another. This one just makes me calm at the end of a stressful day. He knows just how to make me feel when he goes down. I just need to sit back and let him take control. It's generally such a relaxing encounter. But it doesn't seem to last either.

So I come back to you. You always seem to take me back. It never matters what I've done or how I look. You welcome me, you hug me, snuggle me, and even comfort me. It's you in whom I truly rest. It's you who begins & ends my day no matter who else I've encountered. You even let me cry it out. You are even OK when I make it a threesome; letting someone else enjoy our company.

So, Bed, I want to say that I will continue to see the shower, coffee & a glass of wine, and let my husband sleep with us, but know that it's always you who is truly needed, even though I don't say it enough.

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Sneaking Nostalgia

I'm trying to figure out how to do this. We are in the midst of cleaning and clearing things out, especially from storage.

I recently came across a couple of fantastic pieces that I would love to get a hold of: a 1950's refrigerator along with a table & chairs. No words can express how wonderful they are. They are useful and I would love to use them for other things, too.

My problem is convincing my hubby that we NEED these things. They won't be available for very long. All I have to do is give the word and they are mine - I mean "ours". Now the question is, "How I can (and will) convince my hubby that we need these items in our possession?"

I think I see some 1950's coming. I plan to go back to the future. Now crossing my fingers that hubby agrees, or there will be some explaining to do when they just "appear". Then the question becomes, "How do I steal his truck to get them?"

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Whine for Wine

If you've noticed, we have a teenage daughter. A pretty mouthy one, too. And she likes to try to push buttons. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

We had taken her with us to her high school open house so she could show us where her classes were at. We made jokes all night about how we would have to friend all of the teachers for the times we would have to stay in contact. I only slightly joke.

When we left that evening, we were laying down more laws for the school year as well as reminder her of the ones already set. Of course she got sassy - it's what she does. I got on to her for her nasty attitude & reminder her that she knew it was coming. She didn't like that answer & gave a very hateful response; so daddy got onto her for her attitude. She came back with, "Does Daddy need a beer?"

Are you kidding me? I'm thinking Mommy needs a wine! But was that even considered?

How is it that she is willing to make sure dad chilled out, but mom has to stay stressed?

Yes, you are reading this right: I'm whining about the lack of wining. Can I get an amen from other winey/whiney mamas?

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First Eff Off Friday

...for me, anyway.

Another great mom came up with the idea of a Fantasy Eff Off Friday! It's the end of the week & it's been taxing...so we get to say "eff off" to whomever or whatever we need to that you can't do in the real world! Well, you could, but it would be super mean & awful. Still, I love this idea! You can just get it off your chest.

If you saw a previous post of mine, you saw I considered this week Omelette Week. So you will understand that what should have been a lazier, easier week, turning into 5+ days of being scrambled, filled, flipped & fried.

As Monday (usually the "dreaded day of the week") came around, it was pretty OK. I procrastinated that day knowing I would have a few days to follow that I could get my stuff done. That changed in a heartbeat. Found out Monday night that Tuesday would begin a week of total chaos. From last minutes soccer practices, to two surprise open houses, to escalated family drama (that I married into, by the way), to orthodontist appointments, to taking things to kids at school because they were "forgotten", now to added day trips to help grandma go through stuff to finish packing, an impromptu breakfast with more family, fitting in a grocery run, extra trips to the store since the kids think they need to eat extra in the house, to lunch dates turning into shop talk & sounding boards...no coffee is strong enough to keep up with this omelette week! A few of the listed ingredients are on top of the already-scheduled ingredients of this week. Oh, and let's make sure to top it off with some rich & creamy high school drama.

Do you understand where I'm coming from?

So, I just want to say to Omelette Week: Eff Off!!



Now, let me get some coffee, and we can continue with our regularly scheduled (cough, cough) Friday.

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Messy Car Kid Valet

I'm such a loving mom that I relish in the moment that I can get yet another kid on the bus. It happens 3 times in a morning. Imagine a sense of relief when I get the 3rd one done! Crazy mornings!

There is a "tradition" at our house that involves car rides on the 1st day of school or sometime in the 1st week. My diva 15yo daughter believes this goes to her no matter what, even if it screws up a morning or day for anyone else. So she made my hubby take her on the 1st day...AND pick her up! Geesh! But that meant that the other boys would not be taken by parent chauffeur. However, my hubby worked it that he could pickup the older boy to bring him home. The youngest was looking forward to riding the bus to & from school! Whew! That helped the chaos a little bit.

Well, the kids have been in school a week, and I think the youngest has now figured out that he has not yet been a car rider. So he asked WAY too late yesterday morning...so we worked it out today. So, as I pull up to the school, I start realizing that there is a school staff member opening the back doors of the cars to let the kid(s) out...like a valet. Uh...ruh-roh! My car is a disaster! Then...I realize my son is going to have to crawl across the back seat to await this particular school "valet". I was just hoping that papers, paper towels, old pop tarts, expired sales ads or a jacket didn't jump out at this woman's feet! D'oh!

Even worse? I volunteered at the school once a week last year. These people know me. Guess who will likely be the teachers' lounge conversation focus? Pretty sure my hand goes up here.

Well, they are lucky I decided to put on a bra before I left the house. Baby steps...and a lot of bus rides!

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Omelette Week

If you think that Omelette Week sounds yummy & exciting, then read on & see how it's more like Shark Week.

School started back for my kids last week. The 1st day (Wednesday) was a half day, the high school lets out an hour early every Thursday, and my hubby has Fridays off. I have been looking forward to school starting so I can attempt to get my sanity back. I love my kids, but they were making each other crazy, which was making me crazy. But having three days that were really discombobulated, I was looking forward to the 2nd week of school - a full week with three full days for me to get my stuff done! Right? RIGHT?

I was looking forward to this week. Monday wasn't too bad. It was more of a lazy day as I was basking in the thought I would have a few days coming to do my stuff. Then I found out that my younger son had finally agreed to do soccer (after WEEKS of deliberation), so we were finding out about practice times. Come to find out, he would be having practice on Tuesday night.

Tuesday was also the afternoon that my older son had his orthodontist appointment, a longer one since they had to do extra stuff to his mouth this time. I was getting ready to run errands on Tuesday when my hubby called & wanted to know if I wanted to meet him for lunch. That was nice, but it was filled with shop talk. Then I needed to head on home due to timing & what should've taken me 10 minutes to get home, took me 25 minutes due to backed up traffic, an evacuation situation at a medical building with cops trying to get thru standstill traffic, a funeral procession that couldn't get thru the standstill traffic, and a fresh accident waiting for law enforcement due to...standstill traffic. Then we got dinner ordered (that was in the original plan, luckily), and then we got my youngest ready for soccer practice while my hubby got ready for a meeting.

I then find out that my daughter's high school open house is Wednesday night (tonight). Not a big deal. Then a get a text from her saying that she left a school book at home that she needs for the next class. So, I got that taken to the school just in time.

Apparently, my older son has his middle school open house tomorrow night. Of course.

In the meantime, I have been pulled into some family drama & shop talk this week, so I can't get my stuff done anyway.

So...it's "Omelette Week": scrambled, filled quickly, flipped & fried. Can you tell? And the week isn't over yet...

When I was talking to my mother about the craziness & said that I was just waiting to see how my weeks would actually look. She brought up the point that this is possibly how a regular week is going to look. Ouch.

Hmmmm...strangely, I'm hungry for an omelette now...

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SuperMom of Convenience Confession

I want to start this post by saying that we have 3 kids at home & I have a step-daughter. With these 4 children, we have a child in every level of the education system: elementary school, middle school, high school, college. This is the 2nd year in a row of this configuration.

So, with the three at home, they do go to three different schools, three different bus times, three different wake up times, three different breakfast times...I think you get the picture.

So every morning I fix up things like pancakes, waffles, bacon, hot tea, etc. You know, things that make up a good breakfast to start the day. A friend of mine was embarrassed that she thought she was being a great mommy by offering more than one type of cereal for her kids. But before you jump to conclusions of June Cleaver illusions wearing a cape...I have a confession:

I am truly thankful for the microwave. We get microwavable pancakes & bacon, and the waffles are done in the toaster or microwave. When my youngest asks for hot tea, I just pour the slightly sweet tea we have into a mug & nuke it in the microwave, too. OK, I will put out some grapes to make it better, but there you go.

My older son has braces & has issues eating school food (whole other issue), so I do make him a lunch that includes a sandwich & other things, but sometime, with the younger son, a lunchable is so much easier if he doesn't want what's at school. I tend to throw in a thing of string cheese to know I've put my stamp on it...and maybe some raisins, too. However, I do make cupcakes & will throw one in with the lunches & all of a sudden, it looks like a brilliantly put together meal that the other kids want.

So, who else is a SuperMom of Convenience...you LOOK like June Cleaver...but you're SO not! It's OK to raise your hands in this class. Stand up & be heard! You are not alone.
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Unprivate Private Times

As a mommy, whether I was working or staying at home, I run into a particular situation more often than not. I'm wondering if it happens to you, too.

When I have the family at home, especially the kids, there seems to be a radar setting they have that hones in when I am in the bathroom. If I am on the toilet or in the shower, it seems to be the only time my family needs me. They knock on the door (sometimes) or just start their question or conversation (that can generally wait) right through the door. Luckily my family knows not to open the door unless I say it's OK. There are families where the mom is interrupted by the abrupt opening of the bathroom door. My heart goes out to you. But when you are enjoying a moment of privacy, it is inevitable that it will be interrupted some way, some how. When I'm in the shower, even. As I am trying to get the shampoo out of my hair, the shower stream over my head, I realize there's a voice outside the bathroom door trying to holler at me over the fan & the sound of the shower. Then I have to have them open the door just so I can hear them & it's usually someone asking if they can have a snack...because it couldn't wait. *sigh*

My other unprivate private moment is whenever I am getting dressed/changed. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, if I am getting ready for the day, getting ready to head out, getting ready for church, trying out a new/different outfit...that's when the kids MUST come in. Usually it's to tell me they are bored, to fill me in on high school drama, to tell me they are hungry, or just to see what's up...it's me half-dressed & then they figure out it's not the best moment. My 15yo daughter & 6yo son seem to not care, even when I announce I'm getting dressed or changed. My 13yo son is the funny one - his freak out moments on this is the best & that kid can clear a room so fast, you'd think his name was Dash Parr.

I wish I knew how to change that radar setting in kids, but I think it's just gotta happen when they are in bed or out of the house. When are some other times that this happens? Because I've even tried hiding in my closet to get to get changed.

Um...the interrupted time with your significant other is a whole other post!

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