Works for Me: Homeade Oxyclean

Oxi-Clean is sodium percarbonate. What is that? It's hydrogen peroxide and washing soda.

I mixed up half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and about 1 T of washing soda. Works just like the store bought stuff, awesome laundry stain remover. Like any laundry product, be sure to test of color fastness.

But I birthed your BABIES!!!!!!!

We have this monstrous half German Shepherd/Half boxer Pony Puppy. She is a sweetheart, and a big hot mess. I think she might have puppy ADD, its nearly impossible to grab her attention. Lately, I have been able to grab her attention, much to Brian's surprise. Our other dog Mac seems to be in love with me, and is ignoring Brian. He was all impressed with the way I was able to order the dogs around and get obedience. Then he tried, and it didn't go so well. I very condescendingly, and patiently explained to him that animals can just 'sense' things about people..... until he noticed the cheese cubes in my hand. Okay, so I cheat a bit.

Well, Karma came around to bite my butt (again). All those treats created explosive diarrhea in the puppy pony. Brian is so lucky he wasn't here, I totally would have played the "you have to do this because I gave birth to your eight babies card". Whats that? I only have three? Okay fine... but those births were torture, with no drugs at all... What that? I had an epidural at 1cm? after begging the custodian to stab me with anything medicated? Okay maybe, but it was still awful, and it should totally buy me a "get out of cleaning the dog poop" card.

Old School Boardgame Geekery

We have recently decided that the kiddos are old enough for "family game night". (I have been waiting YEARS for this!!!! my inner nerd LOVES board games). I have insanely fond memories of playing sorry with my family and I got the game for free from freecycle, so it was the natural choice.

The first hurdle we had to clear was the concept that there is only one, clear winner. This was not a popular idea, at least not to the losers. We lived through several rounds of hysterical, throw yourself on the floor and weep or vomit tantrums. Once we established that none of this would change the outcome, we were able to move on. I am happy to report that we are now pretty good losers.

We are not very good winners. We gloat, we cackle with glee, and we shake our booties in the losers faces. Welcome to our next project. I am partially responsible for this. I taught the kids the "sorry dance" where you shake your booty and sing "sorry sorry sorry" to the tune of the hungry hungry hippo game commercial. Not sure why, don't question my creative genius.

I think playing board games gives parents the perfect opportunity to observe their children. For example, we have established whom we WON'T be naming executor of our estate later in life. One of our offspring (who shall remain nameless) is mercenary, cut-throat, devious, willing to cheat in order to win and has a mind for strategy that has convinced me that a career in politics or total world domination might not be too far off. Okay its not that bad, but we did laugh our behinds off about it.

On Winning the Lottery....

I totally won the lottery. Not the $$$ lotto... the one that really counts, the husband lotto. That same guy is probably going to kill me when he reads this. It will totally ruin his tough guy mojo.

I think he is like a really good chocolate, crunchy exterior, but sicky sweet on the inside.

Sometimes, when I miss him a bunch and he does something really sweet. Its all I can do not to scream it from rooftops. Knowing that he would be gone for awhile, he left notes strategically through the house for me and the kids. The photo below is of Emma's dresser (which faces her bed). She gathered up all her notes and put them so that she could see them while she goes to sleep.

I won't lie, it is very hard for us when he is gone. VERY. It creates a bit of a hole, a piece is missing and we all know it. We try to stay busy and distracted, but it only goes so far. It changes the dynamic, sometimes it stretches me thin and the kids notice. Its not like I turn into mommy dearest, but maybe things aren't as smooth as they normally are, dinner is a little late or bath time runs over (hopefully not onto the floor). We miss him, all of us do.

Brian always finds ways to remind us of how much he loves us. He makes the time we have with him feel much longer than it is. Because of his job, he has no hobbies. When he is home, he is 100 percent ours. It the greatest gift he could give us.

And that is why honey... In the words of Rick Astley... I am never going to give you up, let you down, run around.......

I grew something, and for once its not a baby...

I am so excited, and I am in full nerdy bliss. I grew something... ME! Jenny of the black thumb... I have grown sunflowers. I am queen of the garden! Okay .... not really.... they have only been sprouted for a couple of days....there is still plenty of time for me to kill them off.

See, I have killed off every plant I have ever tried to care for. I even managed to murder an aloe vera AND a cactus. Apparently, that is an accomplishment. All my instincts with plants are wrong. I over water, under light... I just have the wrong instincts.

Brian has started referring to my gardening projects as "victims". He makes sympathetic noises to my seed packets when I bring them home. Its so wrong.

This wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't so enthusiastic about gardening. I want to be able to grow things. Its ironic really.... I mean Brian and I were so fertile in the kid department, we could barely be in the same room without getting pregnant. You would think that would translate over into plants and crops. All that early cave man fertility deity stuff, If it translated we would live on a farm where the berry bushes had practically taken over the house.

But alas, I have my little crop of sunflowers... if they live, I am going to attempt an herb garden! Its like such a huge step up.... I warned you... full nerdiness here.

Monday Fun at the Splashpad

We met some friends of ours at the park/splashpad this morning. When we woke up it seemed chilly to me, but the kids were still game so we went. I was so glad we did. It shaped up into a wonderful day. The Mommies got to chat and the kids played till they dropped.

Cussing up a Storm.....

So, the kids have taken up cussing.... sort of... they are using Spongebob for material.



John (upon going into the water at schlitterbahn, when it got to the "tender" parts): "Mother of Pearl that is cold". (it came out more like "mudder of peerl"

Chloe (when she didn't get what she wanted): "oh barnacles!"

the other version of that is "don't be such a barnacle head"

I'm not sure why, but this just cracks me up....