My Real Life

May 11, 2012

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 6:00 am

1. What advice would you give a couple getting married?

Be each other’s best friend.

Make each other laugh.

Tell each other, every day, how very much you love each other.

Mean it.

Be willing to change together.

Fight.

Make up.

Be willing to do the hard work to make it forever.

2. If you could tell your 16 year old self ONE thing, what would it be?

It gets better.

3. What do you do to keep cool in the summer? (AC, windows, fans, swimming, etc.)

We join our local pool.

We use our ceiling fans.

We wear shorts and tank tops.

We run through the sprinklers.

We drink cold drinks.

We try really, really hard to not turn on the AC, but usually, by mid-July, we cave.

4. What did you (or your wife) crave most while pregnant?

Milk.

I normally drink milk regularly, but when I was pregnant (all four times) I drank more milk that any one person should ever drink.

5. Who is your favorite TV mom? Why?

As I told you in this week’s Truthful Tuesday, I watch a lot of tv.

A pathetic amount of tv.

However, I don’t think that I can pick a favorite tv Mom out of the shows I watch.

They are either too snarky or too sweet.

They are all just…too.

I’d like more of a balance of all of it.

That would be my favorite tv Mom.

May 10, 2012

Addendums and Randomness

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am

1.  Addendum to Truthful Tuesday:

Can’t believe that I left my favorite show off of the Truthful Tuesday post from this week.

How I Met Your Mother.

I will never delete this show.  Makes me laugh like crazy.

Neil Patrick Harris is unparalleled, and the rest of the cast is equally as hilarious.

(Yes, I realize that he actually IS paralleled if the rest of the cast is EQUALLY as hilarious.  You know what I mean, though.  I know you do.)

Love. That. Show.

2.  Being awakened at 2:15 am from an 8 year old with an ear infection wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t have to get out of bed to get the Tylenol.

Because, everyone knows that once you get out of bed, you are done with sleep for the night.

3.  Have seen the Hunger Games twice, now.

Once with Real Man, once with my 8th graders.

Peeta was miscast.

There should have been much more of Gale.

MUCH more of Gale.

4.  Heading to Washington, D.C. with my 8th graders next week.

Preparing myself for the verbal beatings I will endure from my fellow chaperones over the fanny pack I wear every year.

5.  The monkeys have discovered a new app for the iPad called “Happy Snowflake.”  It lets them cut snowflake after snowflake after snowflake, and save them all to a gallery.

I love this app because it feeds their creativity, they are actually using some geometric principles while playing, and, most importantly, I don’t wind up with a bag of snowflakes or a floor full of cuttings.

6.  Real Man’s cell contract was up last week.  In getting a new phone, he decided to try to get us a new plan, as well, because I go over my 200 texting minutes every month, and he is always way under.  We have over 2,000 rollover voice minutes, though, because we rarely talk on our cell phones.

In his conversations with AT&T they tried to tell him that he had to upgrade our voice plan in order to upgrade our text plan.  He said, “So, you want me to pay $10 more for something I don’t use so I can pay $20 more for something else?”

It took over an hour and three different cases to be opened before they finally “found a plan” that would allow us to lower the voice and raise the text.

Nonsense.

7.  I love when babies learn a new word.

This week, Michael learned “yellow.”

He was holding a yellow toy and said, “Yellow.”

We clapped and cheered and made a big deal and were calling Harvard about scholarship opportunities.

And then he picked up his blue toy and said “yellow.”

Parents are silly.

8.  I love Zumba for the Wii.

I’m currently borrowing Zumba and Zumba 2 for the Wii from some colleagues.

It totally rocks my socks.

I’ve made a few custom playlists, and when I get to it, I am a Zumba-ing fool.

I love a Latin beat, and I love that there are elements of Indian dance in there, as well.

It’s a great, fun workout if you love to dance.

Which I do.

9.  Michaela has a new page on Facebook that I’d like you to check out.

It’s called “Bites of the Big Apple.”

It’s stretching her creative legs and sharing her love of all things NYC.

She’s amazing, and I’d love for you to check her out!

10.  I’m wondering if anyone else has ever had to have this conversation.

Child:  “It’s not fair.”

Me:  “What’s not fair?”

Child:  “That you get a Mother’s Day and Daddy gets a Father’s Day, but there is no Children’s Day.”

Me:  “Honey…every day is Children’s Day.”

Child:  “No, it’s not!”

Me:  “Believe me.   It is.”

I know I can’t be the only one.

11.  I wouldn’t have slept for the rest of my life.

Check it out.

May 9, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: All Communioned Out

Filed under: Wordless Wednesday — Amy @ 6:00 am

May 8, 2012

Truthful Tuesday

Filed under: Truthful Tuesday — Amy @ 6:00 am

I have a confession to make.

I guess, as far as confessions go, it’s not a huge confession, because it’s not much of a secret among those who know me, but after re-reading what I’ve already written, it does make me feel a little pathetic.

I love television.

I’m not a trendy TV watcher.

I know the big thing is reality tv, and EVERYONE is watching it, but it doesn’t hold much appeal for me.

I watch The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and the first few episodes of Dancing with the Stars.

I will admit to even watching the last season of Bachelor Pad.

I’m embarrassed by that one.

I give Big Brother a good ole’ college try each season, but usually am out two or three episodes in.

Overall, reality tv doesn’t do it for me.

I love shows with stories.

Shows that let me take a break from reality and get lost in the story of some fictional character.

Shows that are more like books than like real life.

It’s why I love movies and Broadway, as well.

It piques my imagination.

Normally, people can enjoy television and it’s not a problem.

I am not one of those people.

The problem lies in the fact that as much as I enjoy television, I enjoy being outside and playing with my kids more.  I love tv, but have a hard time sitting and watching tv, because there are so many other things I could be doing, so, I record things and then they build up until I get the message that I don’t have any more memory left on the DVR and it’s time to either sit down and watch for three days, uninterrupted or start deleting.

Let me share with you what is currently on my DVR.

The Office

30 Rock

Revenge

Modern Family

Suburgatory

The Middle

Private Practice

Unforgettable

New Girl

NCIS

House

GCB

Desperate Housewives

The Mentalist

Rules of Engagement

Fairly Legal

Smash

Bones

Castle

Grimm

Scandal

Awake

Up All Night

Touch

Criminal Minds

Glee

Happy Endings

Bent

Breaking In

The Vampire Diaries

Gossip Girl

Once Upon a Time

Game of Thrones

In Plain Sight

Seriously.  This is like digital hoarding.  Someday, there will be a TLC show about me.

And I’ll DVR it.

So, it’s time to cut the proverbial fat, my friends.  And I’m going to do it here, as I type, because I need to be held accountable.

First, we have the non-negotiables.

These are shows that I will not, under any circumstances delete or stop recording.  They are just that good.

Modern Family, The Middle, Suburgatory, New Girl, and Happy Endings are the comedic non-negotiables.

I watch Modern Family and The Middle with Real Man, and we both enjoy them.

Suburgatory and Happy Endings I watch alone and they make me smile.

New Girl I watch alone (although Real Man seems to be in the room more and more when it’s on) and I laugh like a freaking hyena.  Absolutely non-negotiable.

My non-negotiable dramas are: Unforgettable, Fairly Legal, In Plain Sight, Castle, Criminal Minds, Game of Thrones and Once Upon a Time.

Unforgettable and Once Upon a Time are shows I watch with Monkey Girl.  We DVR Unforgettable and try to watch Once Upon a Time when it’s actually on.  It’s like our Sunday night date.

Castle, Criminal Minds and Game of Thrones are shows I watch with Real Man.  Castle: one of the smartest shows on television.  Criminal Minds: just so enjoyable.  Game of Thrones: satisfies the inner (and outer) geek in both of us.

Fairly Legal and In Plain Sight are cable shows that I really enjoy.  I think cable shows are so witty and entertaining.  In Plain Sight is ending this season…in fact, the episode I have DVR’d is the series finale, so I don’t feel badly about keeping this, since it will be no more.  It’s okay, though, because over the summer, I love Necessary Roughness, another cable show, and that will take it’s place.

Now, I have some that can go immediately

Private Practice – used to watch, lost interest, tried to watch again, diligently recorded, don’t care.  Gone.

NCIS – Love me some Leroy “Jethro” Gibbs and really love me some Agent DiNozzo.  However, I’m not loving the show anymore and when it’s time to watch something, I never pick this.  Buh-bye.

Desperate Housewives – I’ve never been a regular watcher, but it’s the final season and I love beginnings and goodbyes and so I tried.  Unfortunately, I’m not loving the lives of the women on Wisteria Lane, so farewell, ladies.  You had a good run.  Just not with me.

Scandal, Awake, Touch, Bent, Breaking In – They all intrigued me when I saw the commercials.  So, I recorded all the episodes.  Never got around to them.  Clearly, they didn’t intrigue me enough.  See ya.

Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries – Deleted.  But, I’m cheating.  I love these shows that are 100% not made for people of my demographic profile.  So, I watch them on my computer when I’m folding clothes.  Gotta love cwtv.com

Grimm – I’m a big fan of the supernatural.  In fact, Supernatural, is a show I used to record pretty regularly until I realized the stories were just being recycled.  Love me some Sam and Dean, but how many times can they die and go to hell and come back and chat with God and Lucifer like they were high school football buddies?  Grimm, despite it’s good intentions, also appears to be a one-trick pony.  Guy is descended from the Grimm brothers and can see the creatures and is trying to do right by the world by getting rid of the evil beasties.  I get it.  I saw it.  I’m good now.

GCB – I really, really enjoyed the first three episodes of this show.  Then, I kinda lost it.  It was a too passionate romance.  We fell in love, burned like wildfire, and then petered out.  No staying power.  Sorry, GCB.  You weren’t the one.

Up All Night – I will pretty much watch anything with Christina Applegate.  I’ve always been a fan.  Add Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph and you should have GOLD!  Except, it also has one storyline and it’s played out.  So, away it goes.

The rest are harder to deal with, as there are mixed feelings involved.

Relationships.  They’re tough.

The Office.  We’ve been together a long time.  A very long time.  But, it’s gone through some changes and I don’t think it’s weathered those changes very well.  Steve Carrell…I miss ya, buddy.  James Spader…You should have called it a day with Sex, Lies and Videotape.

30 Rock and Rules of Engagement.  These are shows that Real Man and I watch together, but we don’t always keep up with them.  We’ve missed episodes, here and there.  30 Rock is hysterical.  Tina Fey is one of my favorite funny women.  Genius.  Alec Baldwin.  Horrifying human being.  Wonderful comedic actor.  Rules of Engagement.  Since his days as David Puddy, I’ve loved Patrick Warburton.  Add David Spade and I’m good to go.  However, neither Real Man nor I can stand Oliver Hudson’s wife in this show, and I’m not a great fan of Warburton’s wife, either.  Get rid of the women and I’d love this show more.

We love House.  I love Hugh Laurie and am absolutely intrigued/repulsed by/in love with Gregory House.  He’s a train wreck and I can’t stop watching.  I haven’t been totally loving this season.  However, we keep taping and keep watching, albeit weeks and weeks after the original air dates.  Tough call.

Bones and the Mentalist.  Love Bones.  Love David Boreanz.  Angel was one of my favorite characters EVER and I’d watch anything with David Boreanz.  However, I’m so backed up on this show, I haven’t even watched the one where she had the baby, yet.  I’m on the fence.  I love the Mentalist, as well.  Just a good cast with good stories.  Except…I really don’t like Robin Tunney as an actress.  Nothing against her, personally…I’m sure she’s lovely.  I just don’t quite gel with stuff she’s been in.  And, she and Simon Baker don’t really have any chemistry, and I kinda miss that in a show.  Eh…I don’t know.

Glee.  Love to dance.  Love to sing.  Would have loved to have gone to a high school where it wouldn’t have been frowned upon to just burst into song at random times, and where I would have had a backup band whenever I did so.  So, despite the almost painful-to-watch storylines this year, I keep watching.  We’ll see if I give it another year.

Revenge.  I’m digging this show.  Seriously.  But then Daniel got arrested and I haven’t watched any more episodes.  Not sure why.  I think I’m just wondering how they can keep this story going, and instead of watching and seeing, I’ve just kinda turned my back on it.  I don’t know.  Just don’t know.

And finally, Smash.  I’ve recorded every episode of this show.  Haven’t watched a one.  Everyone says it’s a show that I would fall in love with.  But, seriously…you’ve read this post…I just don’t think I have time for it.  I’m kinda saving it for summer.  We’ll see.  It’s tempting just to delete them all and let them go.

So, there it is.  While you’re all watching fashion reality shows or The Voice or American Idol, I’m watching (or recording) these things.  Through this post, I’ve deleted quite a few, and I think I have a few more to go, but don’t judge me.  I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, but I like my television.  And yet, I can give it up pretty easily, too.  Erin and I didn’t turn on our tv once in Cancun, and get my nose in a good book and I’ll forget we even have a tv.

I’ll play outside, go for a hike, play a board game, or read a book; all before watching tv.  But, when I do settle down for some tv time, I’m in for awhile.  It’s my vice.  Deal with it.

May 7, 2012

The Bus

Filed under: Posts with Video,Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am

Every day, around the same time, the bus comes.

And when it comes, it drops off five sweet, beautiful children.

Three of whom are mine.

Or, perhaps I should say, three of whom belong to Tiny.

At least he thinks so.

And when the bus approaches, Tiny’s whole world begins to tremble with joy.

Watch.

(Disclaimer #1:  It was Pajama Day.)

(Disclaimer #2:  We used the same letter for two of our children’s names.  Sometimes (often) I say the wrong name.  Sue me.)

May 6, 2012

Communion

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am

Monkey in the Middle celebrated his First Holy Communion yesterday.

I know he’s mine and all, and I might be biased, but man, this kid is handsome.

He did a great job during the mass, and even allowed us to take a few pictures afterward.

(The kid does NOT enjoy being the center of attention.  I was given a limit of how many pictures I could take, and he got final approval before any picture was posted here, on the blog.)

So, here are the approved shots:

My sweet, sweet monkeys.

Since I had to remind my cheesy, ham baby to smile for the camera, not at me, we took another try, this time with the grandparents.  (Had to ration my allowable pictures wisely.)

ShopRite makes a mean cake!

And, here’s what happened when Real Man gave me his thoughts about how big the pieces of cake were, that I was cutting.

Last shot aside, it was a truly great day full of family, laughs and good times.

May 5, 2012

Kindness

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am
Tags:

I think I may have mentioned, once or twice, that I’m head over heels in love with my children.

Maybe.

Wednesday was a perfect example of one of the things I love best about them.

Real Man and I spent the majority of the day at the ER with Tiny.

(4 hours of intravenous fluids later, he’s fine…story for another day)

When we got home, we were beat.

I popped a frozen pizza in the oven and kinda collapsed into a kitchen chair.

There was a piece of paper on the table, and I pulled it to me, thinking it was someone’s homework.

It said this:

Sweet note, but…huh?

So, I asked the kids what prompted this and they said, quite matter-of-factly, “We wrote the cleaning ladies a thank-you letter, this morning.”

“You did what?” I asked.

They proceeded to tell me that while they were picking up the basement to prepare for the cleaning ladies (1.  Those of you with cleaning people what I mean by cleaning for the cleaning ladies and 2.  Yes, I have cleaning ladies.  Judge away.) Monkey Girl suggested that they write them a letter to thank them for all of the hard work they do when they come to clean our home.

So, the three of them crafted a note saying “Dear Cleaning Ladies, Thank you for cleaning our house.  You do such a great job and we really appreciate it.  Thank you, also, for picking up the things we sometimes forget to pick up.  We’re sorry when we do that and we appreciate it when you pick up our toys, like Legos and stuff, that we forgot.  Love, Julia, Patrick and Matthew”

Seriously?

And so this is reason #1,987,302 that I love these monkeys.

Kindness.

May 4, 2012

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday,Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am
Tags:

1. What did you wear to prom? Include a picture if possible.

That, my friends, is Real Man and Yours Truly at the Junior Prom.

We. Were. So. Young.

2. Would you rather be on the biggest loser or a food eating challenge?

Uh, since the question isn’t which do I NEED to be on, I’ll go for food eating challenge.

Preferably a chocolate and peanut butter eating contest.

Hmmm…the peanut butter might slow me down.

Okay, just a chocolate eating contest.

Yeah, that’s the ticket.

3. What is your favorite refreshing summer drink?

If I could drink anything I want?

A massive cup of red Kool Aid that I’d drink until I had a red mustache and then I’d run through the wall, leaving a hole the shape of my body…or in the shape of an awesome, enormous glass Kool Aid pitcher that no one I knew ever actually owned.

Since I can’t?

Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade with lots and lots of ice.

I like a summer drink to be cold, cold, cold.

4. What was your first car, and what did you call it?

My first car was a 1985 Nissan Pulsar.

I called her Isabella.

It was black.  It was sporty.  It was way used when I got it, but it was new to me and I loved it.

Then, I crashed it.

Sold her for scrap.

And that was the end of Isabella.

Until I got my next car…a not-so-sporty Oldsmobile Achieva.

And I named her Isabella, too.

5. What’s one thing your child or spouse does that sends you over the edge? 

Debating whether or not I should answer this, because someone, in this house, might read it and then purposefully do whatever it is I write, just to push me over the edge.

Let’s see…

It drives me batty when:

-I’ve just finished emptying the sink and loading up the dishwasher, when someone walks over and puts a dirty dish in the sink.  Did you not notice what I’ve been doing for the past ten minutes?  Did it cross your mind, as you walked AROUND the open dishwasher door to pop your dirty dish in there?  And then, when they say “Oh, I didn’t know if the dishwasher was clean or dirty,” I think to myself, “Uh, so check.  And if it’s clean, empty it.  And if it’s dirty, drop in your dish.”

-I’ve been in a room for 20 minutes, and as soon as I get up, stretch, and walk out of the room, someone calls my name and calls me back to the room to tell me something.  Seriously?  I sat there for 20 freaking minutes and it was like I wasn’t in the room.  NOW you have something to tell me?

-I have to repeat myself.  I have serious issues with repeating myself and I have a husband with some serious hearing loss in one ear and a child who I suspect also has some hearing loss.  Good times.  By the third time, it takes all my control not to scream whatever it was I was saying at the top of my lungs.  “I SAID I LOVE YOU!!!  THERE!  ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?”

-I’m anticipating someone’s need and I am up, doing something like pouring someone a glass of milk, and as I walk over to the table with it, they say “Mom…can you please pour me a glass of milk?”  It seriously makes me want to just dump the glass of milk on the floor.

-Someone eats the last of some treat we have in the house and leaves the box or container in the pantry or fridge, and I think about having that treat all day long, and then, when I get home and go to have it, I pull out the box and its empty.  Kinda makes me want to be a food hoarder with secret stashes.

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday,Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am
Tags:

1. Do you make your kids finish all the food on their plates?

No.

I think it confuses the whole, eat until you are full mentality.

However, I also don’t give enormous portions, and if you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding.

Or, no dinner, no dessert.

We have fruit for dessert on weeknights, anyway, but my feeling is, if you are too full for dinner, then you are too full for dessert.

I’ve never understood when parents let their kids have dessert after not eating their dinners.

But, that’s just me.

If it’s something that I’m trying that is new and I think people might not like it, they get a little portion.

You don’t, however, have to finish your seconds.  If you’ve already cleared your plate once, you’re good with me.

2. Do you give an allowance?

No.

We ebb and flow with chore charts where the kids can earn money for doing chores.

However, we aren’t really good with keeping up with it.

I’m not a fan of giving kids money every week that they don’t work for, though, (because, seriously…I’ve never gotten money for doing nothing!) so there is no regular allowance.

They also are not of an age where they have any real monetary needs, so there hasn’t been a huge uproar about this.

Yet.

3. Do you actually park your car in the garage?

Yes.  We do.

We’ve never had a two-car garage, and when we purchased this home, (with a two car garage), we were adamant that we would use it for the cars.

Our first house had a separate one-car garage that I did use for my little Honda Civic.

Our second house had an attached one-car garage that was filled with stuff from the move…for the entire three years we lived there.

Our third house had a half of a one-car garage that was full of our bikes and lawn equipment.

This house?  Two-car, attached garage with OUR CARS in it!  Yeah!

4. What is one food you will NEVER cook?

Seafood is the obvious choice, because of my allergy.

However, I’ll go the non-allergy route and say liver.

I get gaggy just thinking about it.

I know I’ve told this story before.

My Mom used to make it when my Dad was out of town and make me eat it with her.

I told her it was so gross it was going to make me puke.

She made me eat it anyway.

Then, I puked.

Never again.

5. Do you have anything exciting planned for the summer?

We have two different beach vacations planned.

Then, lots of hitting the pool with the monkeys, going for walks, to parks, small day trips.

It’s going to relaxing, fun, and awesome.

May 3, 2012

Chatty Matty

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 6:00 am

Baby Monkey isn’t much for public speaking.

He keeps to himself in public situations and takes it all in and processes it on his own.

This leads people to think that he doesn’t really speak very much.

They say, “I can’t believe how quiet he is.  Does he ever talk?”

The truth is, he is our most talkative monkey, which is a big accomplishment because for the first 6 years of her life, Monkey Girl was the chattiest child I had ever met.

Report cards and conferences were full of “She needs to learn when it is time to speak and when it is time to listen.”

And then came Baby Monkey.

Life with Baby Monkey is a constant stream of consciousness about anything and everything.

And so, on the way home from my niece’s communion party, on Sunday, I decided to secretly record his chatter.

It’s a short drive, and for a minute, there, I was concerned that, because he was so tired, he wasn’t going to be his normal self.

But, I waited him out and the chatter began.

Give it a listen and know that once the recording ends and we got out of the car, the conversation continued as we walked in the house, turned on the bath, took a bath, put on his jammies, played with toys, and got him tucked into bed.

Never. Stopped. Once.

Click the numerical link below (because I can’t figure out how to make it pretty).

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