What My Single Friends Don't Understand

I don't have many single friends or childless friends. The one that comes to mind is getting married in two weeks so she won't be single for long...and hopefully she'll have babies very soon too!! Besides all that, she understands more than most single friends, and she definitely understands more than my husbands single male friends!! This list incorporates more of his friends than mine!

What Childless Friends Don't Understand:

-That I am really not sorry that my son broke your dye cast model whatever...he thought it was a toy...oh wait, because it IS A TOY!

-That I need multiple toys or distractions for my 2 year old and 6 month old if we go out to dinner...that's why I tried to encourage a BBQ in the comfort of my own home.

-That I really didn't want to go to your wedding with my kids. Because it ended up with me running around after the 2 year old the entire time, and me trying to apologize for him stealing the grooms cake off his plate.

-That going off into the woods to poke smot at your pig roast is NOT on my to do list...unless you want to change the 6 month olds diaper, and then the 2 year old...because all this fresh air is making.them.poop.

-That no, babies aren't born potty trained.

-That I would love to just pick up and leave this godforsaken part of the country every winter and drive to California in my vintage car, and then to Key West(like you). But I can't. I. HAVE. KIDS!

-That saying "AAAAH BAAAA!" to a two year old isn't necessary...he can talk now. USE YOUR WORDS!


This has been a part of Mama Kat's Writers Workshop...head on over, read other entries and write your own!

Childhood Fears

So I haven't participated in Mama Kat's writers workshop in FOREVER!!! It's summer in upstate NY, and that means that we're BUSY!! Also, it's been a task juggling the two little ones, and finding time to blog isn't top on my list. However, with summer ending and Fall just around the corner I'd like to start blogging again...when I can!

So here goes:

Childhood fears I've brought to my adult life...thankfully it's plural...because there are a few!

-I'm afraid of the ball...don't ever pick me to be on your volleyball team, because ever since I played volleyball for the first time at age 9...I've been afraid of the ball. I am the person who shirks away from the ball as it's flying toward my head and lets it land on the ground. You've all seen "Meet the Parents" right? Well that's me, I'd rather NOT get the bloody nose, so ya...don't pick me.

-Carousel Horses: I HATE THEM! They have got to be the freakiest part of the carnival/fair...well maybe not compared to the scary guys with abnormally large hands, who work the midway, but a close second. I mean, come on!! Have you looked at them? HAVE YOU? They are totally writhing in pain with a pole stuck in their backs, going in circles in a room full of mirrors and the creepiest music I've ever heard. NOPE, not a fan of Carousel Horses.

-Dams, and swimming in the lakes attached to them. I know it's probably unrealistic...but in my mind if I swim in a lake with a dam, I am bound to end up in one of the intake tanks and die. I'd just rather not, thank you very much.

That about sums that one up...Happy Thursday...and Happy Writing!

Photo Link Up

Well I know it's been forever since I posted, but I couldn't help link up to Mama Kat. My favorite photo of this week was when Baby A got her first taste of solids

Famous People

Another installment for Writers Workshop

I have had my share of run-ins with celebrities…what can I say? I am cool like that. Actually, I used to work at a private air terminal in southern California, and famous people frequent those. I had encounters with Jim Carrey, Oprah and her dogs, Mr. October aka Reggie Jackson, and I even helped Mark Maguire make a bottle for his baby. My most frequent interaction would have been with Harrison Ford. He flies his own small aircraft, and he was in and out a lot. There are two times that stick out in my mind…the time I harassed him, and the time his credit card declined.

The time I harassed him, he didn’t take it as well as I had hoped. I was just being funny sarcastic me…and well...he didn’t “get it.” Where I worked we offered pilots the use of a courtesy vehicle to make quick trips if they weren’t staying long. Harrison Ford made regular use of these vehicles. One time when he was going to fly out, he was in a hurry and he forgot to return the car keys to me. I ran after him calling his name “INDY, INDY!!! You forgot to leave the keys!!!” He didn’t stop. So I was all “HAN, the keys!!!” he kept going…I finally called out “HARRY, please don’t take my keys!” He finally stopped and I got the keys back. The next time he came through the terminal and asked to borrow the courtesy car, I told him, “sure, no problem, as long as you don’t take the keys with you” *wink-wink* He didn’t laugh, he didn’t even smile, instead he gave me the evil eye. I wanted to curl up in a ball, I got the evil eye from Indiana Jones. Not the highlight of my career.

The second encounter I had with Harrison was probably about a year later. He had purchased some fuel from us for his small aircraft. He came inside to leave a credit card number, and then he flew away. I ran the card later that afternoon and it declined. WHAT? That can’t be right I thought. So I ran it again-DECLINED-the machine blinked at me. What now? Well, lucky for me Harrison left his phone number for us when he borrowed the courtesy car. So now I had the privilege of calling him and telling him his card declined, yay. I dialed the number expecting to hear his voice, instead I got some woman. “uh, er….I think I got the wrong number” I said. The woman answered “We’re an answering service for this number, you can tell me what you’re calling about and I will relay a message to the numbers owner” Well of course she is! Harrison Ford wouldn’t leave me his real number, duuuuh! It’s like he knew I would stalk him or something, weird. So I left my message, and two days later I got a call from a representative of Mr. Ford’s who gave me a credit card that was accepted.

Harrison kept coming in, despite the colorful girl behind the counter. I was even there when he introduced his mother to Calista Flockhart. It was interesting working in a place where you see famous people everyday. After awhile they just don’t seem famous anymore, and they’re everyday people like you and me…getting their credit cards declined and forgetting to return keys.

Because I was a snoop...

Writers Workshop presents:

The first book I luuuuuuuved:

It was 1990 and I was in my big sisters room snooping. The only thing interesting on this day was a collection of books on a shelf. I usually ignored the books in favor of juicy notes she’d passed in class or a letter she’d write to her boyfriend, but there wasn’t much along those lines. I looked over the books until I saw one that sounded good, If There be Thorns by V.C. Andrews. At eleven I was constantly trying to be grown-up like my 16 year old sister, so I “borrowed” it. But before I left her room, I made sure to spray myself with my sisters perfume “Escape”

I got around to reading maybe the first chapter of the book, and I was bored out of my mind! I didn’t care enough to return the book to her, and the book got lost in my mess of a room, until one day my sister happened to notice it in my room.

“What are you doing with this?” she asked
“Reading it, duuuh.” I answered

"Did you read any of the others?” she asked
“No…it’s boring” I responded, “and I didn’t even read all of that one”
“Well if you’re going to read it, then you need to read the series, and in a particular order” She explained.

And thus began my pre-teen, and into my teens, obsession with V.C. Andrews. I liken it to the Stephenie Meyers “Twi-hards” of today. Only back then there wasn’t quite the cult following as there is for Twilight. I mean we didn’t have the internet to follow up with Taylor Lautner(Go Team Jacob), or Robert Pattinson. All we had was Kristy Swanson(before she killed vampires-and before Sarah Michelle Gellar did) and an obscure movie made in 1987. That day in 1990, my sister taught me how to read a V.C. Andrews series…you start with the first book, which is actually the second book, and when you read the fifth and final book, it is actually the first book. Make sense? Yea, it did to me too. So I started reading Flowers in the Attic that afternoon, and I was hooked…no longer was I bored, all the sudden everything made sense to me! I followed the Dollanganger family through their fathers death, and into what they thought would be a life of wealth, that turned into a life of imprisonment in their grandmothers attic. I followed them through heartbreak and disappointment to death and incest…pretty heavy stuff for 11, especially the latter. Waaaay heavy, in fact looking back, I don’t think these books were much like the Twilight series at all! I read the Twilight books, and I don’t have a problem with my 13 year old niece reading them, but I would mind her or my own daughter reading Flowers in the Attic at that age. Nope, not happening…I mean I turned out okay, but what was okay for me isn’t necessarily for my own kids right?

What did I love about these books? It’s the world that V.C. Andrews created, that just drew me in. It was a dark world of drama and turmoil, the happiness in her books was minimal…and the romance drew me in…I used to imagine myself as an actress in the movie version. I just knew I would be perfect to play Cathy, my only downfall is that I wasn’t blonde...or a ballerina. I’ll still pick the books up from time to time, they’re good for a quick read, when and if I have the time. I imagine if these books were popular today they’d all be movies by now with a huge cult following and Zac Efron as Christopher…then again maybe not, because Flowers in the Attic is no High School Musical.

It's been awhile, so I wrote on all five....sorta

So it’s been awhile since I took part in Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop, hey I just had a baby 5 weeks ago. I have an excuse! But I’ve really wanted to get back into it, and just haven’t had the time. It’s been a little hairy around here with a 22 month old and a newborn. So I decided Tuesday, this will be the week where I will try to get back into it, and to make up for it I think I'll write on all five. Let’s take a look at the prompts…

Number one…the other day I ventured to ask my husband what my weakness is:

Me to wonderful husband: “What’s my weakness?”

Wonderful husband responds: “What do you mean? What do you think your weakness is?”
Me: “PLEASE stop answering my questions with QUESTIONS!”

WH: “You’re quick to anger”

And you can guess where that conversation went….so scratch number one.

Number two…I am in desperate need for positive affirmations these days. I am in serious doubt of my ability to be a good mother and wife. Having 2 kids under the age of 2 is so much more than I am able to handle right now. I plan on reading other Writers Workshops in search of some positive affirmations. Because I am fresh out.

Number three… What could I be MADE into? Ugh, the possibilities are endless…really…because I would love to be anything other than what I am right now. I just can’t think of one thing.

Number four…this one makes me want to cry. I gave up a lot when we got married, I sold my house and my business. Then we had our first child a month later, who I’ve been home(locked up) with ever since. I feel like I did all the compromising(giving up) and my wonderful husband was able to keep and run our(his) business while I raise the kids. I love my husband and kids, I really do.

Number five…and finally the “No one ever asked me” prompt.

No one ever asked me the right question.

Well it’s not true; my husband asks me all the time “What do you want? How can I help? What can we do to make this better? What do you need? What can I get you?”

And me, being the selfish, confused, tired, and down right stubborn woman(psycho) cannot answer a single one of those questions, because I don’t know, and I wish I did.

10 Reasons while I'll never...

It's that time again...Mama Kat's Writers Workshop

1.) 10 Reasons why you’re better off without him….or her….or it.


10. I am a happier person with out IT--that's reason enough I think...

9. My husband won't leave me now

8. I can drink again

7. I can eat bleu cheese again, and sushi if I were so inclined...which I am not...if I want a cold dinner I'll eat a salad TYVM!

6. I can tie my own shoes again

5. I can dye my hair again, bye bye gray

4. No more indigestion

3. People will stop asking if I am going to "pop" any day now

2. I won't have to waddle like a penguin anymore

1. I can play with my kids without a boulder in the way

These are the 10 reasons why I am better off NEVER being pregnant EVER again! I hated it, I was not one of those women who glowed while pregnant. I was downright miserable, so make me a margarita because this baby-making mama is outta commission!

Random February Photo

Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop is brought to you by....the two cutest kids in the world...well MY world at least!!

I chose prompt 3.) Open your picture folders…find a random “February” picture from a past year and tell a story.

Well it's not that random, and I know the prompt said to pick one from last year. But this years was so much more fun! You see I just had a baby on Monday, and this is my 21 month old holding her for the first time this morning, and without provocation, he kissed her. I just love these two!!!

Happy Bloggy Valentines Day!!

So for The Valentine's Blog exchange I was lucky enough to be paired up with Kimberly at Mommie's Time Out Today How cool is it that she knew this very pregnant mama needed her chocolate!? I even shared some with my son, he liked it too!

Thanks Kim!

A place called home

It's the reason I started this blog...Mama Kat's Writers Workshop

4.) “How many homes have you had? Write a journal entry about ALL the places you’ve called ‘home’ in your life.”

At this point in my life I can say I have called two places “home.” I have lived plenty more places, too many to count. To me, home is where I have a sense of family and belonging.

The first place I called home was back in Washington where I grew up. It was in a house my dad built with his own two hands, to me it was a mansion in the middle of a magical forest. I lived in that home from ages four to ten…this happens(still) to be the longest I have ever lived in one place. Making that time, the most stable time of my entire upbringing. When I took my husband to visit my home state back in September, I could not wait to show him that house, of all the places I lived growing up. Driving down Sunset Avenue to my old house brought back so many memories: riding bikes down the road, walking to the school bus. And then I saw it…and it wasn’t as big as I remembered it, and it was….wait for it….yellow!! While it certainly wasn’t the mansion I had boasted about growing up in, it was still my beautiful home. That house held all the childhood memories I cherished, of Christmas mornings and lazy summer days. No matter how it looks to anyone else, it will always be my magical mansion in the forest.

B-Town, WA

The second place I call home happens to be the house we live in now. It is really nothing to write about, it is SO SMALL! It is a starter home, and the first house my husband has ever owned(at 41). We closed on the house right before we got married…literally. 8 days before we got married, and 6 weeks before our son was born…I know, one of “those” weddings…wink ;) wink ;)

The house is barely 900 sq ft. and it was uninhabited for 2 years before we came along. To say it wasn’t lived in isn’t exactly true…there were many woodland creatures who liked to call our place home, even after we moved in(that’s another blog, for another day). Whoever lived in the house 2 years prior to us, trashed it!! When we came along it was in need of some major repair, and TLC! We were crazy to take it on in the midst of getting married, and having a baby. But our options were limited, and we were determined to make it work. Or rather, my husband was determined to make his pregnant wife happy. I am so proud to call this little place home, my husband has put so much hard work, love, and dedication into this house. It in NO way resembles the place we bought 2 years ago; we have new carpets, floors, new paint, new fixtures, and all thanks to my husband’s handiwork. Not only did the house get a major face lift, but it also got a family. Our house has thrived with its new residents. Having our son play in his room, run through the house, and wake up here on Christmas morning has been a dream come true…and I finally feel at home again.

Somewhere-town-NY