Stubbornessest

Okay, so maybe that's not a word.

Yet.


We have rules at our house; rules about hitting (or not), rules about playing on the furniture (or not), rules about what television shows we can watch (or not - I'll stop doing that), rules about what words we can use, rules about where we sleep (long story for a later blog)....your getting the idea.

We also have rules about eating.

The rule is: at dinner you have to try it. However, if you want something else to eat (yes, I'm willing to allow that) you have to eat as many bites as you are old (ie: Bradley has to eat 6 bites if he want PB&J instead).

I know it sounds complicated, but my kids get it.

Now let me clarify something; to try it simply means: stick it in your mouth, chew for a second, and, if necessary, spit it out. You don't even have to swallow it! But before you get another meal (whether today or tomorrow), you HAVE TO TRY IT.

So, about once a month Emmy decides she's unwilling to try it. This means she goes to bed without food (I'm not a force feeder - though I may fantasize kneeling on her chest to get a piece of chicken -- really good chicken might I add -- past her clenched teeth).

Emmy can't go too long without food or else she gets nauseated. I'm not sure if the bile in her stomach builds up or what, but by 10 am the following morning, she's kneeling next to the throne.

Before you call CPS, I need to declare that I'm a fan of Love & Logic. What am I doing wrong here? I feel like I'm borderline abusing my child as she misses school because she refuses to eat for 18 hours.

I don't dare talk to my mom about this. I can't bear hearing, "What goes around...." or "The apple sure doesn't fall far". (Though out of my mom's mouth it would sound more like "Don't count the apples falling when you bark up the wrong tree." She struggles with cliche's. Love you, Marmee.)

Once I'm guilt ridden and Emmy's too weak to stand or hold up a cup of water, I cave and give her crackers and some gatorade.

DANG IT! I LOST THE BATTLE.

Really, am I being too demanding, too expectant of my 4 year old?

Is everyone else's child insistent on chicken nuggets, pizza and peanut butter sandwiches?

Now do you see the need for stubbornessest, Webster?

Declare Yourself

This year, most of us are having what I like to call "Voter's Dilemma".

First of all, does dilemma looks like its spelled wrong? Because it totally looks spelt rong 2 mee.

Secondly, I'm curious as to who you're voting for and why?

I'm also hoping you can explain yourself in a mere few words. No pressure.

And, no, Tina Fey is not an option.

Though I'm starting to think she could be.

The Ghost is Gone

Yesterday morning at 5 am-ish I awoke to someone playing a single note on the piano. Hindsight tells me it was all in my head - at least mostly in my head because everyone else slept through it (that being said, I have piano lessons in the morning on Tuesdays and they sleep through that, too). Steven finally stirred - probably because I was staring down at him until he woke up - and I made him go check it out.

"The piano's closed," he simply stated.

I rarely close my piano.

So it wasn't a huge consolation.

I had two nightmares about someone being in my house for the next hour until I awoke to get Bradley ready for school.

Luckily, Emmy had a book fair and I had a Pampered Chef party keeping me out of the house most of the morning. I just felt yicky all day long - I had that ominous feeeling like someone was in my house. I kept hearing things - mostly coming from the master bathroom. Like I said, Yicky.

Bradley and Emmy were done with school and Bradley went over to the neighbor's house while the ladies and I were having a quick snack. Then Emmy and I hear a crash from upstairs. Stupidly I yell out "HELLO?!"

Like someone's going to answer.

I grabbed Olivia and Emmy and we retrieved my neighbor.

He and I went through the entirety of my house together (thanks, Roarke!) - no one to be found (thought I still walked around the rest of the day with pepper spray in my pocket). He left and Emmy and I went back to our snack and we hear two more footsteps from the bathroom.

"Why don't we play outside for a while." I say after cursing under my breath.

I have a freaking ghost.

I had piano lessons with two students later that afternoon. I almost asked the parents stay, but I felt too stupid to ask them. And what do you know, one of them heard it, too. I heard some weird bump, thump, or thud (they're all different!) at least 15 times yesterday.

YICKY!

All that being said, Steven humored me last night and offered a prayer on our (my) behalf.

I had sweet, sweet dreams - of living in another house.

And today, I haven't heard from my ghost, ... yet.

And, yes, yicky is now a word.

And the LOSERS are...

...in order of achievement..... as well as how they did it.

• Fluffly LaRou (South Beach & Teaching 1st Grade)
• Clicky Vicky (Wii Fit & Calorie Counting)
• Aces (Nutrisystem)
• Twinkle Toes (Diet & Exercise - circuit classes/trainer)
• Mama Cass (South Beach & Exercise - and a last minute colon cleansing)
• Priceless Pounds (she hasnt' told me I'm guessing Diet & Exercise?....hmmm, she might have to correct me)

Congratulations, ladies. Treat yourself to a new pair of jeans with your winnings.

Anyone up for another contest in the new year? From Jan 5th - Mar 30th???
I'd begin another one now but dieting over the holiday season is a drag.

If you don't know what this entry is about, it all began back here.

Mags

I absolutely love magazines.

If you saw my monthly subscriptions laid out on a coffee table, you'd feel like you were at the dentist.

Thanks to my mamas as well as some healthy self-splurging, right now I have a subscription to:

Parenting,
Family Fun,
Consumer Reports (thanks mama Kay),
The Ensign,
Light Cooking,
Real Simple (thanks mama Ruth),
The Friend,
Parents (yes, a second parenting mag)

& a myriad of catalogues that don't technically count as magazines, but I look forward to all the same (ie: pottery barn, j.crew). What's worse is that we used to get Creating Keepsakes, Time, House & Garden, Golf Digest, Newsweek, Better Homes & Gardens, Money......I'm feeling awkward.

But here's the thing.

After having all these wonderful magazines at my fingertips,

All I really want is trashy gossip magazines like People or Us.

Is that weird?

Miss Ariel's Locks

Isn't she gorgeous?

She made homecoming royalty/court/whatever they call it where you live. She asked me to come over and curl her hair for her. I was so excited to get out of the house! She was all worried that her make-up wasn't done yet for this picture. I explained to her that she'd look ravishing standing next to me.

Yup.

Tonight was the night she got to strut her stuff at half time. Congrats ARIEL!