Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut

I'm a mom. You know what they say, parenting is a thankless job. That's not totally true, though. It's just that kids don't think to say thank you. But you can read it in their actions and words, if you look hard enough.

Hugs are my favorite form of thanks from all three kids. Jace likes to be sure he gets cuddle time every day and I know that those days are numbered. He's six already and discovering all sorts of things, like that mama and dada kissing is gross and that you can scrape the yogurt off yogurt raisins using that hole you have when you lose your first two baby teeth. Eventually he'll learn that cozying up to mama isn't cool. Until then, I'll take it and let him know I love every minute of it...and that I can tickle him to the ground if necessary. It's important to keep the underhand.

Tyler's been known to wobble back and forth and screech and coo, some sort of crazy dance when he sees dada or I. It's funny and endearing. It's love it's it's purest, most joyful form. He also gives spontaneous hugs and sloppy, open-mouthed kisses. Nothing says "thanks mom" like being wet from nose to chin!

Gracie said something the other day that really let me know I was appreciated. They were talking in class about what they all do when they're sad. Gracie raised her hand, because she's all about the rules. When she was called on, she stood up and said, "Well, sometimes you want mama and sometimes you want a milkshake." Could she have been more right?

Even though most of our thanks won't come until our kids have kids of their own, I mine all the nuggets of thanks out of the raw ore that our kids are...they're a gold mine!

Kid Speak

I know how you love to read the funny and frustrating things my kids say. I know it's just because it makes you feel better about your life, and that's OK. I'm glad to help. And, apparently so are my kids because they just keep popping out with some doosies!

Notables of Late

Jace, 6:
"That's not pink, Gracie. It's apricot." He was right.

"I don't like these. I asked for slacks." If you're wondering why he wants slacks in August in Georgia, it's because somebody (mama) made a crazy rule that you can only wear cowboy boots with pants, and not on P.E. days. He's outgrown last years dress pants and asked for new slacks, "Cream ones please," not black or navy blue.

"I'm bored at school. Can I go to second grade?"

Gracie, 4:
Her: "You better pull over right now and get me the book out of the trunk!"
Me: (thought) "If I pull over it won't be to get you a book..."
(spoken) "I don't think you'll be getting that book even once we're home. You don't talk to your mother that way, do you?"
Her: "No, Ma'am." See, she's gittin' brung up right here in the South.

Her: "Are pickles a vegetable?"
Me: "Um...maybe? Cucumbers are and pickles come from cucumbers."
Her: "Well, then, there's a vegetable I like!"

"At my school you're not supposed to run in the classroom but Passion and Nathaniel and Morgan always run in the classroom and I remind them not to run but they don't listen to me so I tell the teachers. I say, 'Teacher, Passion and Nathaniel and Morgan were running in the classroom and I told them they're not supposed to and they didn't stop.' Then they don't get three smiley faces. And we're supposed to sit criss-cross applesauce on the rug when we sit on the rug and I get to sit on G because my names starts with G and I'm the only one in my class whose name starts with G and I sit on G. But Nathaniel sits behind me and he never sits criss-cross applesauce like he's supposed to because he doesn't make good choices for himself and he kicks me and I remind him that the rules are to sit criss-cross applesauce and he doesn't listen so I raise my hand to tell the teacher...." You get the idea, I'm sure.

Tyler, 20 months:
"Mama."

"Mama, mama, mama....Ma! Ma!"

"araaahh arrrahhhaaah mama!"

Oh, Wednesday!

Wednesday used to be my favorite day of the week. "Why," you may ask. Mainly because it's the middle child, like me. No one really likes Wednesday, but not in the same way they don't like Monday. Monday's aren't good because that's the day you actually have to get up and dressed and drag yourself to work or school. By Wednesday you're over dreading that, but you're at hump day.

Hump day? What kind of nickname is that? It just shows people don't really enjoy Wednesdays. They tolerate them and get excited once they're over, then we're on the down slope to the weekend again. So, why not call give poor Wednesday a better nickname, like peak day? Consider how our view of Wednesday would change if we thought of it like a majestic mountain top peaking the the clouds of Tuesday and Thursday? If instead of thinking to ourselves, "oh, it's only Wednesday," we could celebrate the climb and summit of the wonderful middle of our week?

Are you with me? If you are, maybe I'll get on board too. For now, though, I'm tired and can't help thinking, "It's only Wednesday?" Even I, an eternal positive thinker, struggles with the the five day work week. So, while Wednesday used to be my kindred spirit, I now look for the light of the weekend to shine through my mid-week clouds. Because, honestly, sometimes even Thursday and Friday are as rough as a Monday morning. All I really want to to be able to wake when I want instead of being roused by an alarm. Unfortunately, that's not likely to happen for a few years, or at least until summer.

So, while I'll try to be nice to Wednesday and look at it like a triumph in the middle of my week. Realistically I'll probably see it as a hump I have to drag my sleepy self over in my struggle to get to the weekend. So, although it used to be my favorite day of the week, I think it's time to be up front with Wednesday, in a public forum so it can't cause too big of a scene, of course.

Dear Wednesday,

Please try to understand that it's not you, it's me. Hold your head high. I know there's someone else out there who will understand you and care for you in the way you deserve. You'll always hold a special place in my life. No other day is spelled like you. I do hope we can be friends. After all, we have to see each other weekly.

Sincerely,

Annie

Now.

I don't think I'm alone in wanting things quickly. Sometimes, when it takes a few seconds for a page to load on the computer, I take deep breaths and remember the days of dial up or even before having a computer and try to be thankful for what I have. But most of the time, I just want what I want and I want it now.

Exercise is one of those things for me. I don't like to exercise. I do feel decent after doing it, but I really don't enjoy it while I'm doing it at all. Denise Austin always says, "Smile. You're doing great, " and I want to reach into the TV and give her a wedgie. But I like her workouts. Mostly I like them because they're quick. They're advertised as half an hour, but once you cut out the intro and credits, it's probably closer to 20 minutes. I even keep up my cardio during the commercials. Shouldn't I get a reward for that? Twenty minutes is decent, I think. Considering I was simply sleeping during that time a few weeks ago.

Now, here's the problem, though. Mrs. Austin says I'll see results in six weeks. She doesn't say what results, and I know she can't really, but I'd like to know. And six weeks? That's a long time. I've heard that something needs to be done for 30 days to become habit, and I've only been at this for a few weeks, last week being my first full week. I've got more work ahead of me before I see the results Denise is going to see through my TV. But I want results now!

I know, I'm being rather whiny. But you're just reading this so at least you don't have to listen to me.

This morning when I turned on the TV to start my recorded workout there was an infomercial for a Tony Horton program, 10 Minute Trainer. I really just wanted to turn the power off, reset my alarm and go back to sleep. Instead I kept listening to the infomercial. After a few minutes I got up and decided to forgo Denise Austin this morning but to stretch while learning about this other possibility.

I didn't buy the program, but I'm still very interested. Scott and I are discussing it. It promises great workouts in only ten minutes and, this is the REALLY cool part, results in ten days. In fact, it promises that I will lose a pant size in ten days, or my money back. Can it be true? If it is, that's about as close as I'm gonna get to exercising results now. I'm so tempted. Even I can do something for ten days.

We shall see...

Little Bits

For you: a compilation of things that have been on my mind. Imagine these tid bits presented on a grand platter, held firmly by the gloved hand of a handsomely dressed servant. There's a little something for everyone...crunchy, sweet, savory, smooth...take all you'd like and enjoy.

That little bit of fun imagery comes from a house my husband found online while looking for places to live someday without me. (It was brought to my attention that this sounds like Scott wants to live apart from me in the future. I don't think that's the plan. After all, who would keep my feet warm? What it should sound like is that Scott was looking, without me, at future homes, that we could live in together.) The rule is that we're not aloud to look/dream without the other, but he admitted he'd been naughty so he could show me this place he found in Victor, NY (one of our possible retirement areas). It's on the market for 3.9 million dollars. I told him he'll have to work for a long time to be able to afford that one! But it did have a nice covered entry so I, or the servants, could bring the groceries in without getting wet or snowed on.

******

The other day the kids and I were eating at the dining room table, which has a window into the front yard. Gracie excitedly announced that there was a baby butterfly fluttering about. Jace promptly told her, "There's no such thing as baby butterflies. That's a caterpillar." Of course Gracie got upset and wanted me to stand up for her. Alas, what's a mom to do? I told them it was probably a young butterfly and gave Jace a look that clearly asked him why he needed to torture his poor sister and urged him to stop. He reiterated that baby butterflies are caterpillars and left it alone. Thank goodness.

******

In college we had a big piece of poster board or paper, can't remember what exactly. But, we kept it under the couch and occasionally pulled it out to write some great quotes that people came up with at random times. It was a fun little conversation starter. Every now and then I think of recreating it with things I never thought I'd hear my self say, especially quite as often as I do. My current least favorite thing to say is directed toward Tyler. "Keep your fingers out of my arm pit." It drives me nuts that he seems to constantly scratch me and play with my arm pits. I know their warm and whatever...but they're my pits! Arg. I hope he finds something better to do with his little pinchers, and soon.

******

Why is it that just when I think I've caught up with life I realize that the dishwasher never got run or that I forgot to empty the dryer and the clothes are all wrinkled? Just why? I'd like to get ahead for just a little bit. Maybe?

******

My least favorite thing to clean is the bathroom, specifically the toilet, and even more specifically the under side of that. And I have so many more years until the boys are supposedly old enough to not dribble over the edge of the tank and drip, drip, drip...anyway, what age is that again?

******

I'm starting to enjoy, more and more, being in the kitchen. I've always loved baking but have put in on the back shelf so we could eat healthier and not have so many cookies lying around. (Now when I say lying around...what I mean is barely making it off the counter and into the cookie jar. We love cookies around here!) I've gotten more into cooking to take the place of the baking I enjoy. The kids help me twice a week. Mostly we have a lot of fun! There are days, though...whew! Isn't anything like that, though? Can't love everything all the time.

Back to my point, I just joined a baking and cooking challenge blog. It's called The Daring Kitchen and there are monthly challenges to create and post about fun new recipes! I'm very excited about this. First of all, once a month I won't have to figure out what to cook for dinner. Also, we'll get to try new things, which I very much enjoy. So, along with the normal tales of Gebel family life, you can now look forward to daring baking and cooking challenge posts. Then you can try your hand at something new in the kitchen as well.

******

One more thing...I've been working out with Denise Austin and taking walks several times a week with Tyler. I really enjoy it. Well, not while Denise is kicking my tush first thing in the morning, but when we move into the stretching exercises at the end of her workout...then I love it. I like feeling a little sweaty, more active, and ready to go...

And, now, it's time for me to go...Tyler's awake and we need to go pick up Gracie and Jace. Have a great Monday. I hope you enjoyed your sampling of tasty tid bits!

Mama's Little Helpers

My kids are still pretty young. I know as they get older they won't want to help with anything, so I try to let their eager little hands give me a hand now.

Yesterday Gracie wanted to help fold laundry. She also enjoys emptying the dishwasher and putting dishes in the sudsy water. This is all wonderful, except that it takes twice as long.

Tyler loves putting clothes into and pulling them out of the dryer, and pulling weeds. I found that last one out this morning. I noticed a few things growing in the stones in front of the house. Our house is for sale, so I try to keep the only green in there the ornamental grasses that I planted for curb appeal. So, I started plucking the little weeds that had popped up and was making pretty quick work out of it. I knew Tyler was wondering about, but didn't realize he was helping until he brought me a piece of the grass that was supposed to be there and said, "Here."

So helpful, except when they're not.

Oh, Really?

I'm not a naturally political person. I don't like to rock the boat on any subject and there's no way around getting sea sick if politics are on the table. But sometimes my feathers get a little ruffled. If you know me, you might have a hard time picturing me with anything but well-preened feathers, but today...I'm ruffled!

On the radio I heard that Huckebee is in Israel and commented to someone or some group or whatever that "it would be unrealistic to have a Palestinian state in the middle of Israel." That may not be exactly what he said, but it's what the radio reported. Immediately I was ruffled. Really? Unrealistic? Because you say so?

Well, I say poppycock.

Rubbish.

Bull honkey.

Know how I know that it's not unrealistic? Because it exists already.

I happen to have a friend on the inside, if you will. She really is. She currently lives in Palestine. So, it must be a real place, right?

I'm not so oblivious to think that there are easy answers to having a Palestinian state within Israel. But I think it's a bit naive to say it's unrealistic. Just because someone doesn't believe something is possible doesn't mean it's impossible.

So, let's go back to what we teach our kids...think before you speak.

I've thought. I've spoken. And, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go smooth my fluff.