Picture Perfect...

So there's a new photo linky party going on....over at 

Here are the rules...

TO ENTER

1)  Make a post on their own blog that features their photo entry (and any text if you want)

2)  Add the Picture Perfect button to a post on your blog.    Just copy the code under the Picture Perfect button and paste it into the body of yourPicture Perfect post where you'd like the button to be displayed.  The botton and the code is right over there on the right side bar on top.  When you click "publish" it it will show up fine.  {I hope}

and...!}  ***If you don't have a blog, feel free to link-up to a photo in Flickr or Photobucket or Picas or THIS MONTH'S THEME

Your Muse!

I told you I'd keep it easy and fun!  Who do you just LOVE to take photos of recently or who was your must in the past? 

The winner will be announced May 1st here at the Crazy 8.

Seriously... this Crazy lady rocks it out with her super duper cool family!

I am ALL about this...eh... I may not EVER win...but I know I am going to see a bunch of wicked cool photos!

Here's the button...

Cute isn't it.

Come joint the party...I have a feeling it's gonna be a goooood time!

That being said...here it is...

My Muse....

Black and White Wednesday...sometimes I go back...

Sometimes I go back...

and edit a picture..

from a while ago...

just because...

it makes me smile..

like this one....

last year I coached Reagan's team...

and I had a blast...

Reagan opted out of T-ball this year...

not so much her thing...

She's going to give soccer a shot...

which I won't be coaching....

but I'll be on the sidelines...

watching...

and

cheering her on...

and taking loads of pictures...

Come on over to The long road to China for some amazing black and whites...

The big bad MEAN Mom...

I am so very tired of being the big, bad, mean Mom.  I truly want whats best for my children.  I want them to be happy, productive members of society.  I want them to grow and learn every day.  I want them to smile and laugh with unbridled enthusiasm.  I want them to love wildly and completely.  I want them to push themselves and try new things.  I know they will fall but I want them to know that when they get back up and try again...they will be all the stronger for it...I want them to have unbelievable friendships that last a lifetime.  Someone to count on when everyone else has turned their backs...I want them to try new things until they find out what they are passionate about...

That being said....

I am so tired of being the big, bad, mean, Mom.

I am tired of being the Mom who is constantly nagging....
clean your room..do your homework...eat your dinner...bring down your dirty clothes...get ready for school...get ready for bed...brush your teeth...wear your retainer...change your clothes...take a shower...watch your sister...brush your hair...

the list goes on and on..

and the looks I get...

Seriously...

the looks that I get from my teenager..well if looks could kill..I'm just saying...

When I tell you to go do your homework...it's not because I just want you out of my hair...it's because...um... I dunno..you have to do your homework...it's your job and I expect you to do it right.

When I tell you to clean your room it isn't because I know how much you hate it and it makes me happy to piss you off....nope...it's because it's my job to teach you to respect your things.  To take care of your space.  And more importantly it is because I know that you work so much better in an environment that is straightened...

I do the things I do because I love you.

I hate that I have become the "yeller".   It is the mere fact that I have to ask my children 15 times to do something...and it still doesn't get done.  The first 15 times I ask... I try to do it nicely...by the 10th time...well... I have started raising my voice...and once I get to the 15th time...I am one yelling, screaming Mama...Just do it the first time and I wouldn't have to yell....

It is my job to prepare you for life...it's my job to teach you the the things you need to learn before you leave the nest...It's my job to give you the tools...to go out and kick some major butt in life....it's my job to give you wings...so you can fly. 

I always knew it was going to be hard...having a teenager.  I never went into it thinking it was going to be easy.  I always expected the yelling and the fighting... I just always thought I would always know what to do...that I wouldn't feel so incompetent.  There are whole days that go by that I think I am a terrible Mother.  There are fights that occur and before they are even over I know I didn't handle them  correctly.  There are times when I know I could have done things differently...

and from all of this....

I have figured out...

that neither one of us know what we are doing here...
her with her teenager hormones...
and me with my menopause hormones...
we are a mess.
but we love each other..
and we will get through this.
yes, we will fight...and scream and yell...
but we'll get through it...
she loves me in spite of my faults...
and I love her in spite of hers...
because even though there are so many things she does that drive me absolutely crazy...
she does so many other things that are good, and kind.
and although there might be things about her that I would change...
there are so many more things about her that I wouldn't change...
and yes...there are days when being the big bad mean mother is going to push me right over the edge...
most days...being her Mama..
is...
by far...
the most wonderful thing that has happened to me.

If I were a monster...my color would be GREEN...big ole' jealous GREEN!

There is no doubt about it.

I have the hardest working husband around.

He works seven days weeks, for weeks on end, so that the girls and I can have the things we need and want.  It can't be fun to have to work all the time.  He works Holiday's and weekends, he picks up overtime whenever he can.  He goes on trips to Connecticut, San Diego, Virginia and even as far as Hawaii, to provide for us. There are times when he is away for weeks, and even months.

I say all of this because I want it to be known.  To be stated that I know how hard he works, and that no one.  NO ONE.  Appreciates it more than I do.

That being said...sometimes it sucks being the one left at home.

I would LOVE to go away.  Stay at a hotel.  Have someone else clean my room and wash my sheets.  Have someone else make ALL of my meals and have nothing left to clean up afterwards... I would LOVE to get to wake up 10 minutes before I have to be at work...jump in the shower and get MYSELF ready, without worrying about anyone else.  I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I could come home from work and lay down and watch TV or read a book without having to give someone a tub or get someone ready for bed.

Now Pu-leeeese don't get me wrong.  I love being a Mama....There is nothing I love more than being a Mama... and I love that I have ALWAYS been there to do those things... I have always been there to tuck them in.  I have always been there to make sure their homework is done and to make sure they eat their vegetables.  I love being a Mama....and I know my husband works so very very hard so that I can do these things....because he knows doing these things is what makes me happy...

but it sure would be nice to not have to worry about anyone but myself...for a week or two...or maybe even a whole month...(who are we kidding...I could never leave them for that long...I would miss the crap-ola out of them!)

or to get a little recognition for being the one left behind. 

There is a huge part of my that feels like I am going to be super duper judged for that last line...

That because I am the "Mother" I should want to be with my kids all the time.  That I should be grateful  even, for the opportunity to be their Mother...

and I do want to be with my kids A LOT.  and I am grateful for the opportunity to Mother them...

but every once in a while I think we all need some down town...
and the thing is... as much as Ryan is working...he works 7 days a week here...at home...and he works 7 days a week there...where ever there happens to be....but when he is there...away... for awhile... he is getting a break.  A break I deserve too.  A break without feeling like someone should be calling DCYF on me. 

I've heard it all... "Oh, poor guy!  He must hate being away so much!"
"Oh that stinks he is missing so much...he must be sad about that"

how about a little more of this...

"Oh wow, that must suck doing it all by yourself..."
or
"Oh, you must be exhausted"

I am tired.  I am tired of doing ALL the laundry.  I am tired of being the ONLY one cooking dinner...and doing the dishes... I wish there was someone else around to car pool when someone else needs a tub or to get to bed just a little earlier.

We aren't right now nor will we be any time in the near future in a place where I can go away. 

Get away...and I need it. 

So much so...that apparently even going away for work looks good to me...

Thanks babe...for all you do.  I REALLY really  really appreciate and love you for it.... <3

Sunday Snapshot....Daddy

Yes... this was my Black and White Wednesday this week...

but I love it....

I love the pictures...

I love the words...

and I didn't really think anyone would mind...

if I recycled...

Recycling is a good thing right?

Come on over and join us for some fun @ 

"Fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too"

"So I didn't cry when I got a black eye

As bad as it hurt, I just grinned

But when tough little boys grow up to be dads

They turn into big babies again."

"She was riding her first bike

Bouncing on the bed

And looking for a pillow fight

Running through the sprinkler

With a big popsicle grin

Dancing with her dad

Looking up at him"

"So let them be little,

'Cause they're only that way for a while.

Give 'em hope, give them praise,

Give them love every day.

Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,

Let 'em sleep in the middle,

Oh, but let them be little."

"There goes my life.

There goes my future, my everything.

I love you, daddy good-night.

There goes my life."

 You're going to miss this

You're going to want this back

You're going to wish these days

Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're going to miss this

"Your beautiful baby from the outside in
Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again
Go on, take on this whole world
But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl"



"Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have
done something right.
To deserve your love every morning and butterfly
kisses at night"

Sunday Snapshot {these days}

There used to be a time when a good time meant getting all dressed up...it meant meeting up with friends and having a few drinks...it meant staying up all night and sleeping in until noon...

but these days... 

it's more about this...

and this..

these days...  A good time is about getting up at 6 to get two girls up and dressed...it's about using more hairspray and gel than any human ever should.  It's about leaving the house by 7:00am and sitting on hard wooden bleachers for 10 hours straight...It's about watching them take the mat and being blown away by how amazing they are.

it's about them.

These days... it's all about them...

and what they love...

and it just doesn't get any better than that....

and the fact that I get to watch them...
with this guy...

well that's just the icing on the cake.

Happy Sunday folks...

Link up with Sunday Snapshot for some wicked fun blogs....



  

 

She's FLIPPING amazing!

She's 5 folks..

what the heck is she going to be doing at 15?

Wish me luck folks.

I have a feeling I'm gonna need it.