Michael's 10th Birthday

Tuesday, my first baby turned 10. Maybe that is why I have been a little depressed lately. WE took the day off of school and did what he wanted to do. He wanted to go to the five story mall? We went to the Galleria. They wanted to walk through the whole thing. We did. They wanted to ice skate, so I let them. They actually both did really good. They would skate over to the wall where Major and I were sitting and talk to Major thru the glass. He would go over and touch the glass. It was really very sweet. On the way home we went by Toys R Us. Mavrick bought him a guitar, so we had to sneak it into the car while he was in the store. Then when Mark got home, we went to eat at Chili’s. It was a very fun day!

On the way to the mall, I looked at Michael and saw a pimple on his nose! OMG! I realized at that very moment that I am not ready for puberty! And lately, he has had this “man stank” thing going on. My baby is growing up! He is almost as tall as me and already weighs 110 lbs! WOW!

He is a great boy. He tests me a lot, but he is a wonderful little man, a great son, and a fabulous BIG brother. We have been so blessed!

Me and JC (written 10/14)

That’s right. I joined Jenny Craig (again) today. I realized just a few weeks ago that in a mere 17 months I will be 40. I don’t want to be fat and 40. I want to be HOT and 40.

It doesn’t help that the media has jumped in their new bandwagon of “40 is the new 20.” It is getting to be as difficult on the 40 year olds as it has always been on the younger women. Shows like Cougar Town and women like Madonna, Valarie Bertinelli and Demi Moore don’t help either. All those skinny women of my youth are now skinny women of my late 30’s! This aspect of being a woman sucks.

What really sent me over the edge was a picture that was taken of me last weekend at our family reunion. I was tagged in a picture on Facebook from over the weekend. I am huge. It was heart breaking! I have literally been depressed since I saw that picture. I removed the tag because I didn’t want anyone else to see me like that! So I am hanging it here, in the hall of shame!




I chose JC because on Sunday, my mom said “That is what I would like to see Michelle do. She did really well on Jenny Craig before.” Sunday night Mark asked me what was up, why now? I told him about my turning 40 thing and that I felt like if I turned 40 weighing what I do now, I would wake up the next year and weigh 30 pounds more and 30 pounds more the next year. That is so not what I want. On Monday, Mark brought up JC. I took it as a sign and called on Tuesday. I went in today, and start tomorrow… which happens to be the 15th, which is exactly 17 months till my 40th birthday.

I am not overly excited. I know that I can do it. I have done it before. The keeping it off is the biggest issue. I will admit, I never learned the “lifestyle change” part. I may be eating their food forever. I am probably more cautiously optimistic than I have been before. Maybe I will be excited in the next week or two.

Another Cube Story

So I have another story that some of you may be able to appreciate. In the Cube last Friday, I was with the Kindergarten and 1st graders in the first hour. The kids were standing in a line playing “Mother May I.” This one little girl starts moving … kind of swaying back and forth. Next thing we know, she is hurling on the floor. Those of you who know me well know what I started doing…

I have a very weak stomach, and a very high gag reflex. So, when she is barfing I start choking. I ran and got some paper towels to throw over the mess, then I got the garbage can. The lead teacher took her out of the room. I put chairs around it so the kids wouldn’t step in it… but I had to leave it there. The lead teacher got back in the room and I told her that I have a weak stomach and couldn’t clean it up.

Wonder if they will put me in a K/1st grade class next semester.

Girl Crazy

We all know that Mavrick is girl crazy. He came home from the first day K4 in love. He is a charmer. He admits that is how he got through the first 4 years of school. So, it should be of no surprise that he has a crush at “The Cube.”

The Cube is a Home Schooling Co-op that we attend on Friday’s at our church. There are about 70 member families, and each family has anywhere from 1 to 10 kids – really! This was our third week to attend. But, I am sure as you have guessed by now; Mavrick came home with a crush on the first week. Her name is Isabelle. She is one of 6 or 7 kids in a family in the co-op. Mav and Isabella have three out of their four classes together.

Each Friday we start off with praise and worship, all together in a big room at the church. This morning we had just started singing when I saw some movement to the right of me, where my boys were sitting. I turned and looked and it was Isabelle. She had walked over five kids to get right beside Mavrick and said “Hi.” Then, she sat down right between Michael and Mavrick. I told Mav that I thought that she might have a crush on him too!

This afternoon, on the way home, I commented on worship this morning and Mavrick laughed and said “I Know!” Then he told me that when he left fourth hour, she followed him out and said “Hey, Hey, Hey.” And when he stopped she gave him a hug. He was telling me that he wants to ask her to be his girlfriend. I asked him what would change if he did…nothing… so I don’t know what exactly his plan is for now.

20 Years Ago

WOW! A month has passed since my last blog entry. And so much has happened… we cruised, started our home school, started at our co-op, and now, this weekend is the first of my two 20 year high school reunions!

Saturday morning Mark and I will travel to Texarkana, Texas, for my 20 year high school reunion. I missed my 10 year because I was about twelve months pregnant with Michael and couldn’t travel. So, many of these folks I have not seen in a good 18-19 years. I am a ball of emotions right now; excited, nervous, even sad thinking about the friends we have lost and who won’t be there.

I must admit that at my current weight, I am not happy with myself. We are talking 47 pounds in 20 years… WOW! But, seeing that I haven’t done anything about it, and I have obviously know for 20 years that this day would come, it is what it is and I have no one to blame but myself. So, rather than dwell on that, I will just drink and act like I was still young and cute!

If you know me at all, you know that what I will wear has been at the top of my OMG! List. Last week I had my hair colored and highlighted, mostly to cover the grey. Now, that is not something I just do, and spending a small fortune on my hair was difficult. But, my great friend, Angel, who does my hair was everso helpful in helping me decide what I would look for to wear. So, over the weekend I found a “stunning” (as Michael called it) blue dress to wear. Of course I got Mark a new tie to go with my dress, as coordinating is of the upmost importance.

On Monday, I started looking for the invitation to get things straight in my head. Well, I couldn’t find it. So on Tuesday, I started asking around… found out that my 20 year high school reunion is going to be a BYOB, held on a farm, in a barn, in Hooks, Texas. People are wearing jeans. Needless to say, the stunning blue dress would be a bit too much for this venue. The worst part is that I can’t bring myself to return it!

I spent the rest of the day, and all night trying to decide what to do now. Woke up on Wednesday and we finished school as fast as we could, then the boys and I hit the mall… As a sidebar, my boys are going to make great husbands. They know when to compliment and just what to say. They are patient when I want them to wait outside the dressing room, and Michael and Mavrick took great care of Major. We shopped for several hours and they were fantastic!... I found an outfit that I can feel good about. Not casual, but definitely not the blue dress. I also had to find Mark something, and seeing how I have the coordination issue, I had to find him something that would look nice with what I was wearing. I think we will look great!

Now, on the Thursday before the reunion, I am kind of excited. I have chatted with several friends and I am so looking forward to seeing everyone! I will let you know how it all went.

This was us back then!

Really?

This time next week, I will be on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico with the love of my life. To say I am excited would be an understatement! When I booked the cruise, Mark sent me to local tanning salon to get a month’s membership for both of us so we won’t burn to a crisp. I have a picture in my head of my B-I-L with a hand print on his chest and a sunburn all around it. Anyway, so we have been tanning for the last month.

We used to tan all the time before kids. Since kids we stopped tanning, my hair has gone back to being dark and I have basically fallen apart. That is not the point I am trying to make, just a side bar. Mark and I tanned for years. After a while we noticed that there was a place on my face that seemed to get more tan than the rest. Unfortunately for me, it was right above my lip, right below my nose…just where a mustache would be. That’s right my friends, I looked like I had a mustache. Not pretty. Splotches are not unusual. I had to start alternating covering my face and not covering it. You couldn’t see it when I had make-up on. Oh, but it was there.

That brings me to tonight. When I got home Mark was sitting in one of the living room chairs and I sat in his lap. This is what we do, not often enough, to talk about the day. In the middle of our conversation he said “I see your mustache is coming in really well.” My eyes and teeth simultaneously fell out of my head! I said “OH NO! Really?” Then he said, “Honey, I am sure those people at your reunion won’t even notice it.” He was so sincere, but totally joking. I laughed till I nearly wet my pants. I guess that means I will be wearing makeup for the cruise… and hoping it is gone by my reunion!

Just Another Day

My sleeping habits have gotten so bad over the summer. Last night I was up till about 2am with my mind racing in a thousand different directions at a hundred miles an hour. All the stuff I need to do before we leave! Between making sure the house is livable for my in-laws, packing for me, packing for Mark…I think my mind is on overload.

One thing I thought about last night was Gretchen Wilson and that song “Red Neck Woman.” In it she talks about Victoria Secret and that she can buy something at Wal-Mart for half price and still look as good. Well, I want to know what Wal-Mart she is shopping at, because yesterday doing my grocery shopping, I wheeled through the ladies undergarment and nighty section. I will stick with my 10 year old wife beater t-shirts and boxers. Thanks, Gretchen.

Today was a beating though. I started out tired. Then I had to take Mark’s samples to the Dr.s office. You see, he had his vasectomy last JUNE! But took the samples to be tested, so if you know Mark, you know he is not the risk taker… poor guy. Anyway, me and the boys loaded up and went to Baylor Plano. Parked. Walked to one of the buildings, and of course it was not the correct one. Went to the correct building and up to the 6^th floor office. “Ummm, we don’t take those here, you’ll have to go to our Medical City office.” Goody for me, must be our lucky day. Did I mention I am walking across their campus with a 25 lb. baby on my hip? So, everyone back in the car, we are going into Dallas.

If you don’t know where Medical City is, it is at 75 and Forest. So we go. Luckily, I know my way around MCD. We get there, find a parking spot, walk to the building, go to the 2^nd floor office. The window at the front desk is closed… well crap! Again, the three boys are with me. Two older ones are being wonderful! I slide the window back and start to explain why I am here. The lady tells me that they are at lunch and will open the window and be happy to help me at 1:00. It is now 12:25. I go and sit down with the boys and my first thought is who wants to see if they can run the fastest and yell the loudest? Rather than do that, I pulled a marker out of my purse and wrote our name and phone number on the bag then went back to the window. I pulled it open and just started talking. This time the lady was on the phone, but I made sure she heard me say, “All I need to do is drop this off. I have three kids with me and they are NOT going to make it till 1:00.” The directed me through the door to the lab where I could leave it. I would have been soooo Pissed if I had waited for 35 minutes just to walk through a door!

I just kept reminding myself that I don't want Major to be anyone's big brither!