Thursday, November 29, 2007

FINALLY A FREE WEEKEND!

For the last 20 months our weekends have been spilt between Sage and my parents. See, before I moved here I lived with my parents for six years. It totally worked for us. I was a single mom of three and needed help taking care of the kids while I worked crazy hours. It also helped that my parents are my best friends. I know it sounds unimaginable but it’s very true. We all loved living together in a big house and working together to raise what my mom and I like to refer to as “OUR KIDS”. So when we moved to Georgia it was very difficult getting used to not seeing them every day so we made a pact…to help the kids get used to being away from their grandparents, we promised them that on weekends we don’t have Sage we would go to Maggie Valley. I told my mom it was like her having visitation of us. We have been very faithful about going every two weeks, I feel after all they did for us while I was a single mom, I owe my parents, my kids and myself, to visit them every other weekend. Now Sam and I have fallen in love with their place up there. We all look forward to our visits.  It’s almost like a mini-vacation

Back to the free weekend. My parents spent Thanksgiving with us and stayed through the week. I told the kids we were going to stay home this weekend since Grandma and Pop just left last Sunday.  Of course they yelled we don’t have Sage, we always go when we don’t have her. I said yeah but won’t it be nice to stay home sleep in on Saturday and just have a lazy weekend. So now they are thinking of a million things we could do, places we could go. I’m pretty sure the FREE WEEKEND is gone!  I am sure my husband has plans for the both of us after the kids are asleep. Then the laundry will be sitting there screaming WASH ME! The floors could use a shampoo. The hall closet needs to be cleaned since my husband threw all the empty Christmas boxes in there after we decorated. Then I need to write out Christmas cards, wrap presents, and put the garland and lights around the balcony. Of course, the kids will want to have three meals plus a snack. Mama/Wife’s work is never done. It’s a 24/7 job. I paid my dues for six years as a single mom. I give all single moms the praise! I am very lucky to have found a wonderful man like Sam. He’s can wash laundry, cook, vacuum, sweep, mop, clean bathrooms, fix computers, do homework, make beds, be my best friend, lover, provider, strength. Now only if I can get him to do windows?

Goodbye free weekend!. Hello to what makes my world go around, makes my life complete, and makes me happy inside and out: my beautiful kids and wonderful husband. I will take that any day over a free weekend!!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

TIME TO MAKE THE DONUTS

Remember the commercial of the old man getting up early in the morning saying time to make the doughnuts? Think it was Dunkin Donuts, not sure though. Anyway, that’s it what it felt like Friday morning when the alarm went off at 2:30 a.m.  Sam and I did our “Breakfast with Santa” thing Friday morning, which means spending all day Thursday looking through sales papers, going over Christmas list from all four children.  I must add we really have great children who didn’t really ask for outrageous things. Steven wants a PSP, Jewel anything Tinkerbell, Jessica a scooter, Sage a pink Nintendo DS Lite, plus a bag of Dove candy. Once we had the kids’ lists and our list of gifts and stores in line we were all set for “Breakfast with Santa”.  See, on Friday after Thanksgiving our kids have been told we go eat breakfast with Santa, walk around the stores and show him what every kid wants and then give Santa some money to help pay for the toys, feed the elves, and reindeer food of course.

So 2:30 a.m. beep...beep…beep……….Quick shower, sales papers in hand, off to our first stop. JC Penney opened at 4 a.m. and had what I wanted!  Hey, I deserve a little something for getting up that early.  They had my George Foreman grill on sale.  At 3:30 a.m. I dropped Sam off at Target to wait in line for their 6 a.m. opening.  I went to the 4 a.m. opening at JC Penney and was out of there at 4:05 and off to Toys R Us for a 5 a.m. opening.  Got everything there and was out at 5:45 only to rush back to Target to meet Sam who was like 10th in a line of 200.  All of a sudden the doors open and what a rush. Everyone took off running and I was cheering Sam on. Go baby, run baby, there will be a reward for you tonight if you get there quickly.  By 7 a.m. we had been to JC Penney, Toys R Us, Target and Old Navy.  Finally it was breakfast time--off to Chick Fil A for food and to strategize. Then off to Best Buy and back to Target. We got home around 11:45 a.m. dragging like you wouldn’t believe.

While waiting in line at 4:00 in the morning you meet some strange people, like the girls who just left a club and came to JC Penney just to get a free snow globe. They were probably having the most fun. There was the 50ish man who came from Dawsonville to buy a Christmas tree. Toys R Us was no different: a young couple behind me were in line for a Wii for his 65 year old parents who are addicted to his game. Then on the inside was a lawyer who was getting the Wii for his son.  The funniest part was he was arguing with his wife that they could afford a Wii off sale so what in the hell are we doing here at 5 a.m. I talked with a more reasonable mom who was just trying to give her children and get Christmas and not remortgage her home in the process. I told here we are both guaranteed a room with a view at the nursing home after standing in line for Hannah Montana.

All in all it was well worth the 2:30 a.m. wake up. I know we are going to have a lot of smiling faces on Christmas morning. We have maybe four more things to get and we are totally done shopping and it’s not even December yet!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

" Dancing with the Stars"

Our little Jessica is trying out for the Dance Team at her school this week.  She is attending a 3 -day clinic to learn a routine, which will determine if she makes it or not. I picked her up at 4 yesterday and I can still hear her in my head 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and bow! I went to bed counting, woke up counting and I am sure the rest of my day will be counting. She is so excited about dancing. 28 girls are trying out for the team, 20 will make it, 5 will be stand by's and 3 will go home. I am like praying please let her make it. I wonder if we could call the dance team teachers and place a vote for her, just like dancing with the stars! So everyone call 1-800 Dunwoody Springs Charter School and vote for Jessica Shirey.
 
 
In other news our twins turned 10 last week. When they were born I didn't want to dress them alike cause I wanted them to be individual little girls. But of course that changed when my mom decided  to buy everything the same. Then I got hooked on it and every since they have the same clothes, shoes, coats, socks, panties. I always felt guilty if one girl didn't have the same as the other girl. Almost like I was cheating one twin out of something.  Well we went birthday shopping for a new outfit like we do every year. New clothes and shoes to start their birthday right. Jessica runs to these cute little pink cowgirl boots. Jewel runs to these high heels that she would never be able to walk in . When I suggested the cowgirl boots Jewel flipped. She said "LIKE I WOULD EVER WEAR THOSE!" I had to realize I no longer have twins. I have Jessica who will forever be my little baby. Jewel who is too independent until she has a nightmare. Needless to say I gave in and Jessica got cowgirl boots and Jewel got suede boots with a tiny heel. I can't believe my babies are 10. Sam and I talked of having a baby but  I think we have come to the conclusion 4 kids, 1 dog, 2 jobs are enough for us now. Then we have several adoptee from the neighborhood and all my kids at school.