Preschool began today, at 12:30, for my youngest bug. He began asking if was time to go the moment his siblings stepped on their bus this morning. It was a long morning for him but the time finally arrived.

I walked him into his class and took my pictures for the scrapbook and waved goodbye. He gave me his hugs and kisses and moved on to his assigned task without so much as a "goodbye" or "I'll miss you mommy!" I just stepped back out of the way and watched the other mommies, all teary eyed, telling their offspring goodbye and to have fun while their little people clung to their necks uncertain about the whole situation.

I got into my family car that transports our family of six to and from their destinations...I was all alone in that big ole eight seater vehicle. I looked in my rear view mirror and watched my son's preschool grow smaller and smaller as I drove away. I then noticed all the empty seats behind me. I thought about how life is changing for this stay at home mom, how my children are spreading their wings and needing me less and I began to feel, well...wait...please give me a second...

I have tears streaming down my face and am finding it very hard to continue writing this. I know what you're thinking..."awe, poor mommy! She's shedding tears of sadness because she misses her babies." That is where you are wrong...nope not tears of sadness for me or tears of joy for them, but tears produced from the gut wrenching laughter! I cannot continue to paint a heartbroken mommy picture to you so here is the real picture....

I am driving down the road, window down, head hanging out, driving above the speed limit, waving my pinwheels and squealing like Maxwell the pig.......FREEEEEEEE FREE FREE FREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

That is all....

It's day three of "back to school" week. I have to admit that I am enjoying it more than I thought I would. The quiet is marvelous! I love my kids, please know that, but holy toledo! I had NO idea the sheer joy of not hearing anyone fight or having three, sometimes four, kids needing my attention for one reason or another, would be! I send my youngest little bug to pre-k next week and, as much as I love this little critter, I cannot wait to sit in my house and hear nothing but the voices in my head. I wonder if they could go to school too...?

I had always said that I was not one of those parents that counted down the days until school opens up again, but I can see myself, quietly (no need in upsetting the buggers), counting down the days until they return to school. I love them very very much, but it has been almost eight years since I have been left to my own devices for any amount of time. Long over due I think!

The sophomore bug will be busy with her honors classes this year, my second grade bug will be stepping up her learning and homework abilities compared to past years, the kinder-bug will be learning so much that his little head may explode, and the preschool bug will be preparing himself for the many years of school that lay ahead of him. Daddy bug will be working and providing for his family, now this is one bug I wish could work from home! A little alone time with the hubby would be fantastic, but since he cannot....the mommy bug will be doing whatever she wants! Oh, alright, she'll be cleaning, prepping meals, volunteering at school, running errands, laundry...and when all that's done she may read a book or take a nap! I'm not sure this world is ready for an outbreak of the mommy bug, she's going to spread like wildfire and wreak havoc wherever she goes!

I hope all you other mommy bugs out there are enjoying your first few days of a child free home! From one mommy to another: It's time well earned and DESERVED! Live it up ladies (and gentlemen! After all we know there are SAHD's too!)

I'm baaaaaccckkkk! WOW! It's been a LONG time, but in my defense, our summer was busy and fantastic! Blogging was not an option during this busy time of year. However, three of my bugs are in school full time and my littlest bug starts, half day, pre-k next week :)

I have been asked, over and over, "what are you going to do while they're all gone?" My response to this question is: "take a nap, finish a book, clean the whole house all at once, do all the laundry from start to finish, bake and BLOG! I cannot wait to get good and started.

My intentions this year is to keep it light and funny and informative. So please visit me often and tell a friend. I love feedback and look forward to sharing with you and hearing from you. I'm not getting paid to this. I just love to write and talk and make people smile!

Parents...It IS Our Fault!

Hello everyone! It's been a while, I know. I have been so busy and preoccupied that blogging has become obsolete lately. However, I am back, for now anyway, so enjoy!

I just had a conversation with a child within my home...I won't discuss the topic as to not embarrass anyone...but after the talk was over (via text, and shame on me...I'll get to that, so hang on) I realized that our children today are not lazy, we have disabled them to do anything on their own or face to face with other human beings . I for one, do EVERYTHING around the house. My husband works, often times out of state, and my job is to make sure the home fires are kept burning. I have recently discovered that, other than the ONE chore they have, I do the rest of the work. Is that their fault? Nope! It's all mine! Is it their fault that some never see the outside of the house with or without a hand held device? Nope, again, my fault!

Let me explain. It's easier and gets done right if I do it myself. I also allow them to sit and play XBox or Wii, or grab the extra iPhone and  play games or text all day long. We have created monsters! I have decided that some things need to change within myself and then maybe I can help my kids make changes that are in their best interest. 

I love that we have all this technology. It makes keeping in touch with distant family and friends so much easier, but I cannot help but feel we abuse the privilege. I remember calling a friend when I wanted to talk to them. I remember "hanging out" as a teen. These days they sit around the house with their phones glued to their hands and faces. It's really sad that human interaction is almost extinct these days.

I need to start my change and fast before my kids are too far gone. You all are going to help hold me accountable and check in with me...so I'm counting on you. Who knows, maybe we could all join forces and start a revolution!

I vow to:

Only check Facebook and emails before the kids get up and after they go to bed. Now to expect the kids to do this would be impossible...at first anyway.  They will, however, limit their time on handheld devices. They will go out into the world and interact while the phones and games take a break inside the house. They will make more phone calls and less texting.

I will let go of my controlling nature and perfectionism (is that a word?). I will expect them to do their part in the house and do it right the first time. There is no reason to be lazy about it, take pride. It doesn't have to be up to my standards but they do need to be able to step back and say "look at what I did, I feel pride in my work."

I will not sit around and watch TV or make excuses to not go out and be active with my kids. The bugs are horrible, the heat can be sweltering and the sun is brutal...oh well, suck it up buttercup and get moving!  Do something active and productive!

I will not allow my children to become lazy and irresponsible. They will not lose contact with other human beings. They will breath fresh air and have meaningful, verbal, face to face conversations with others. 

I will teach these young ones how to live life to the fullest. I will not let them become so unattached to our world that they forget who they are suppose to be. They mean more to me than that.

I will practice what I preach.

Short and to the point!

short blog today....

NOT EVEN NOON, AND ALREADY I NEED A GLASS....

I love my kids but it's one of "those" days :) Gotta love territorial boys!

PS...it's all in fun, I'm really not going to have a drink right now. HAVE A GREAT DAY!

I Wine Because They Whine!: The Real Stick Family

I Wine Because They Whine!: The Real Stick Family: Aren't those freaking little stick people on the back of family car's freaking annoying? No? Well allow me to change your mind... There's ...

The Real Stick Family

Aren't those freaking little stick people on the back of family car's freaking annoying? No? Well allow me to change your mind...

There's dad first, he looks dashing in his work suit carrying his briefcase, or sporting his military uniform. He's smiling and ready to go out and earn some money to help support the family he has helped to create. He is strong and the head of the family, that is why he is first in line.

Mom is next. She is wearing whatever attire best suits her. Just for fun we'll say she's a stay at home mommy and she is wearing a cute dress and is all smiles. She looks like she should be mother of the year and never loses her cool. She has everything under control and runs her house with the greatest of ease.

Now we reach the first born child. I'm going with a teenage girl since I posses one of those. She is the tallest and she is just your average high school sweet pea. She loves her family so much more than anyone else in the entire world!

Second child is also a girl (again, going with what I own ;). She wears either a tutu or cheerleader outfit. She smiles...funny how everyone is so dang happy!...and she is so proud of her sport of choice. She never misses practices and excels at it!

The third child is a boy and he is a bit smaller. He would be wearing some sports attire and possibly have his jersey number on his shirt. Yep, you guessed it, this guy is smiling as well. He seems to be well behaved and is loved by the whole family.

Now, let's not forget that cute little adorable baby. He sits there in his little diaper with his one little hair sticking up out of his head. A smile is spread across his face, and why not, after all he has the entire family eating out of his hand! They all love him and smother him with hugs and kisses.

We can throw a pet in there too. I'll say a dog. That little puppy sits there beside that little baby and if that little tail could wag it would do so with gusto! Happiest little mutt in the all the land!

OK...now you have the image. You see what I see, right? One big happy family and their happy little dog!

HA! HA! HA! You've been fooled! Here is what my stick people would look like...

Dad is pretty much the same, only his hair is thinning and there are some wrinkles from late nights at the office. He pretty much carries the financial load and works hard at it. Then the poor man comes home to his family, and not the one described above, and becomes daddy and husband. He is brave and tired!

Mom really needs a makeover. She should be a little overweight (after all she just had all those kids and is at home with them all day and no time for exercise!). She would be wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt that has multiple unidentifiable stains all over it. That cute baby? She's holding it on one hip while she pushes the vacuum or mop with the other. That little life sucking parasite cannot stand to be out of her reach for any amount of time.

Child number one, the teenager. She may be wearing the cute clothes and a smile but it's not because she loves her family and is happy to see them, it's because she is holding a phone in one hand and iPod in the other. She's texting twelve people at once while listening to the latest whoever singing whatever that she thinks is so freaking dreamy on the iPod. She is daydreaming about her boyfriend and cannot stop talking about him or what that one girl said about that one boy in that one class at school today...like you know what I mean?

The Ballerina/Cheerleader is next. She has on her tutu but instead of a smile her mouth is wide open because she is screaming for mom to please make her brother (the kid in the baseball uniform) stop pulling her bun! She morphs into this thing that is not human and begins speaking in tongues. She is not putting up with it any longer and wants to move to grandma's house!

The little ball player is getting a quick thrill out of pulling on the ballerina's bun. It excites him. He's the middle child and feels he doesn't get the attention he deserves. He picks one question to ask over and over and over and over and over again, without breathing and allowing anyone to answer him. This frustrates him and he takes it out on his sister. She's such an easy target and if mom and dad actually let her go to grandma's maybe he can have her room!

We've heard where the baby is, mom's arms. That's where he's been most all day. His diaper is dirty, he's teething and won't stop crying and has something oozing from every hole in his little body. He refuses to sleep, which only adds to the crankiness and cannot tell you what he wants so he just keeps on screaming...hour after hour after hour!

Finally there's the beloved family pet, a dog. When the screaming oozing baby is in the floor the dog is severely abused. It's tail is chewed on, ears nearly bitten off, squeezed until it can barely yelp for help and has to share its food and water with the little mutant. The dog is deaf, snores when it sleeps and loves to fart out loud for all the hear and smell. It is old and tired and just wants to die.