Confession #25: Things I Learned from my 5-Year-Old

While watching, talking, listening, and teaching my kid every now and then I actual learn something!

Lesson #1:

Don't stand around waiting for an apology and don't ask for one either; because you'll NEVER get one!

Lesson #2:

Always try and use humor to diffuse anger.

Lesson #3:
When in doubt, apologize but have two or three things to be apologetic for in case you are quizzed.

Lesson#4:

Saying "I Love You" is a good way to test the waters if I have recently been in trouble. Depending on the tone of voice and the response I receive, I can determine if I still am...

Lesson #5:

Standing there crying with real tears exclaiming that I don't want to do a particular task will either get me what I want or get me in trouble. Either way the odds are in my favor.

Lesson #6:
If I don't use it too often (or use it A LOT), I can use guilt to make others play with me.

Lesson #7:

I can have at least some (if not all) of what someone is drinking as long as I drink first and ask afterwards. This usually results in my having the complete contents of the drink (especially if it's dad's drink).

Lesson #8:

If I believe I have been real good all day (and I actually have) I can ask for a small to medium treat or prize and 9 times out of 10 I will receive it!

Lesson #9:

I can keep talking and talking, and eventually something I say will either make sense, be profound, or be funny...sometimes a combination of all three!

Well, I guess that's all that I've learned so far this year. This now means I am ready for school...so I can tell the teacher how smart I am and how much I don't really need her.... hmmm...

Dad-Confessions #1 Morning Person

Confessions of a Stay-At-Home-Mom Dad

All of my life I have been what I consider a morning person, not that I am excited to wake up, but once I do, I am up, and can think clearly about whatever I need to do. It is easy to blame the unhappy part of my mornings on the evil alarm clock, and move on.

In fact, before we had a kid the Stay-At-Home-Mom used to be highly jealous that I could regularly wake up like this:

It seems that it was beyond the realm of her believability that a person could be that way (perhaps she thought I was faking it). In any case, now we have Stay-At-Home-Kid, and every morning, right next to me either at my bedside, or actually in bed next to me is a variation of this:

As you can see, even in the picture, there is only one kid, but he is as loud and annoying as six. 

I try to sleep, and pretend that I still am asleep, but Stay-At-Home-Mom wants us to get things done, so she cheerfully wakes up and entertains Stay-At-Home-Kid, while getting a start on the day

I on the other hand, have spent many days trying not to be grumpy....

but I still wake up like this.                         

Confession #24: Patience is NOT a Virtue I Posses

Okay, maybe I'm not as bad as Ol' Verruca here, but I hear this song and I can relate.

I don't (usually) want Things, I want Answers, and those are THE hardest to wait for in my opinion. Answers to Questions seem like such a simple request that can be filled, but NO! These are things I have to wait for. Oh sure, I've had my share of waiting on Things and Stuff (still am, really) but I'm thinking with hard work and diligence I can eventually reap the benefits but Answers...why don't they come sooner?

I know that I'm supposed to be a good example to my kid and NOT mope around and stamp my feet until I get what I want, but it's so hard! I want to be a Lady and wait patiently, but...

 I'm just not that Gentile any longer. I gave that up a while ago...

Still...

YES! You finally understand! So, Answers?!

Aw, MAN!

Confession #23: Aspirations

I have aspirations of becoming a Hippie Homesteader and until now, I thought I was the only one. BUT as it turns out, this seems to be a new grass roots movement. For example, the Homesteading Hippy, Hippie Homesteaders, and even the community is getting involved as the Fundy Hills group. It's nice to know that I'm not alone and that there are examples of how to achieve my aspirations.

Although I'm not sure how far I want to go in this movement. Right now I can only do so much and I test myself and my skills to see how well I am doing.

I'm having fun doing it and I feel this is the way to go for me and my family...

Seriously, my dream car but with a little more get-up-and-go and prettiness

Maybe in the next hew years, if the Lord sees fit and it profits us (in a non-monetary way, per se) we will have our Homesteaded Hippie home.

Or we move here and Homestead the inside of our house...

Either way, we will make it a home.

Confession #22: Addicted to Snuggles

Okay, I think this might be my biggest Confession EVER! I gave up exercising so I wouldn't miss out on Morning Snuggles!

Okay, there it is. I said it. ...glad I got that off my chest...

Yes, I used to be one of "those" people that woke early in the morning to go jog around my neighborhood. I did that for almost three months! (Look, I'm chubby, don't judge me) I was getting amazing results. I was feeling good, looking good, sleeping good...but something was missing. During the day my Good Feeling would wear off and I'd become grumpy for no apparent reason! I would walk around with a frown on my face and not realize it. Then it hit me!

I was missing my Snuggles! I would try and sit closer to everyone but unsatisfied, I would still end up grumpy. This gave me food for thought while jogging around in the wee hours. It took me a couple of days to make the final decision. I knew I would have to give up my morning jogs. My morning cuddles were too important.

I know I should have found another time of day to go out, but the later in the day it got, the more reasons piled up not to go. And I couldn't get myself up any earlier than I had already...

So here I am: a little chubby, a lot happy, and filled with snuggles.

Confession #21: Good Mom/Bad Mom

   You ever have one of those days (or even weeks) where you simply love being a Mom and you think your kids are the most perfect and wonderful gifts you could ever have been blessed with? I'm sure you have, especially if you have more than one child. I know I have. Sometimes when I look at my son I think he is such a sweet and silly little angel I could not live without. The way he tilts his head, the way he smiles, the way he giggles at the simplest things...

And then there are those other days, weeks, and even a whole month...

Where you could just rip that little smirk off their sweet little faces and feed it to them! AMIRITE?!
It's okay, because I know we ALL have those days, weeks, and months. That's what being a parent is sometimes. We wish it was all sweet and snuggly. Realistically we hope the Bad doesn't last too long. Sadly, we know it will be back.

But that's okay, because dealing with the Ups and Downs of Mommy (and Daddy) -hood is what it's all about! Despite the Bad times, we know there are more Good times. More of the "Mommy I love you", less of the "You don't know anything" times. It's hard, but it's worth it!

Confession #20: Left the Sun for Snow and I LOVE It!

I know you must think I'm crazy to have left ^this for...

...THIS...

BUT I love it!

I gladly leave behind the 100+ degree Summers for the, at times, -0 degree Winters. I love the freedom I feel here. Yes, California is free too, but some of my feelings of freedom come from more than just less nanny laws and litigation! My kid feels free, too. He LOVES the snow and carpeted floors (we only had wood and tile in our last house). Being a Stay-At-Home Mom doesn't leave a bad taste in the mouths of people here. Often I felt I was being judged for wanting to stay home and be with my kid.

And Cali-folk may hate me for this, but Idahoans are more polite and nicer! It's true! Me and this other car were apparently going for the same parking spot. The other car felt I was the one that got there first and offered me the spot with a smile! That didn't happen in California.

Yes, this is all speculation of course, but it's how I feel.

I'm been in heat-stroke-inducing weather for far too long....

And I'm ready for the freeze-your-tuckus-off kind...

Confession #19: I Give To Receive...CARDS!

Okay, I admit it! I send out Christmas cards so I will get some in return. Especially this year since we moved and a lot of people didn't have our new address! And this year we sent out the loved/hated uniform family letter sans card. It was all we could do with the crazy move and trying to deal with our new situation. I finally bowed to the Christmas letter and got my much-beloved wall of Christmas love...

I think I achieved my goal very nicely, don't you think? ;-)