Not Me Monday 11/10/08

It's that time again...time to bare our souls for all the blogosphere to witness.



Here is the TRUTH.

I did NOT take my kids to the doctor EIGHT times in the past two weeks...cause that would just be insane...especially since we had not been since SPRING!!!!

I did not do SEVEN loads of laundry on Saturday...cause I do not do laundry on Saturday....and having SEVEN loads to do on a Saturday would mean that I must have either flaked out on my motherly duties, or was at the Doctor ALL week long...and I have already denied that.

I did not eat FIVE helpings of shrimp last week...in one sitting...cause that would mean my petite girly figure would have been blown.

I did not completely freak out last week when I did a family themed night...and discovered what a complete amount of insane work it takes...cause I am SUPERWOMAN and I don't sweat the small stuff...or the blue pasta, or the HUGE American flag tablecloth, or the All American Apple Pie(that was a disaster)

I did not take all of my kids to vote with me on Tuesday...cause that would be just a little too freaky for my small community to handle.

I did not ditch a date night with my darling hubby, and spend the evening with my sister instead...NOT ME!!!

I did not cry myself to sleep one night because the a fore mentioned sister does not live right behind me anymore...cause I am a big girl.

I did not steal all of my kids Reese's Pieces from Trick or Treating...No really I didn't because, instead I just went and bought myself a 44oz. bag that I can instead keep ALL TO MYSELF(so much for that girlish figure)

What we did last night....11/4

It's ELECTION CENTRAL at our house tonight. This was our first real family themed night -a la Whittaker Woman. The kids painted a HUGE flag for our table cloth...hand prints for the red stripes, and cookie cutter blue stars...yes there were 50...and do not fret about the white stripe at the top...it was cut off so the 13 stripes were right too!!!!

(technically the red was mixed with pink...but work with me here...I have a 5 year old girly girl and pink rules!!!!)

These were Stars and Stripes appetizers...homemade Stripes a la mozzarella sicks and Homemade Stars which were cheddar, artichoke, and bacon cheese.

Blue pasta, with Maverick Meatballs, and Red Sauce

Then we did Alaskan/Palin Moose Munch...in three different flavors...the perfect Election Night Snack. This one was Chocolate/Caramel.

This one was Chocolate and Caramel, dusted with powder sugar.

This one was just Caramel

Get out and VOTE!!!!

Whether you are an ELEPHANT or a DONKEY...GET OUT AND VOTE.

I took all three of our kids with me to cast our vote…I live in the sticks “where everybody knows your name” so after a quick hello…we headed to our touch screen and after I voted for Pres/Vice Pres, I let each of them help with the rest(not the choosing of the candidate, just the touch screen part).

Now we are back home, doing patriotic art and character studies on past Presidents.

Tonight will be an “Election” Themed Family Night (with FoxNews on as background music)

GET OUT AND VOTE!!!! And remember, in the end, it is just you and the machine…our freedom to vote is even sweeter since we do it privately…Vote with your conscience,the cool kids won’t be looking over your shoulder.

Not Me Monday

Is it that time again already???? I thought for sure that I would be carted off to the looney house before another "Not Me!" Monday rolled around. But here goes...

I did not fall out-as in have a melt down- in the shower everyday last week because Saturday was drawing near, which meant my BFF and Little Sister would be moving away.

I did not wander aimlessly around Sam's Club and Walmart on Friday, because coming home would mean seeing the moving truck in my backyard...which is nextdoor to my BFF and Little Sisters house.

I did not

About Last Night 11/1 - The Move

Saturday was D-Day.
My BFF and Sister, her hubby and my precious little beastly niece drove off and moved 105 miles away. We spent the day unloading and unpacking, and bawling our eyes out. Then we packed up and headed to dinner. These are the pics...but they do not tell the REAL story.

Team CAT...Gunkle JW with the Big Boys

My WONDERFUL Hubby, drove all the way by himself so that the Boys could ride with JW and I could ride with my Sister and the Girls....but don't feel to sorry about him...he had Billy Idol.

Vowing to NOT cry on the way "Brandy"...I think we ALMOST made it.

The Beast found the best new thing about her new house...the door stop.

The Beast's New Crib

My Hubby, under the cover of the shades is completely passed out.

Dinner with no eye makeup since we had cried it all off.

CHEESE!!!

Crack and The Beast

Beez was eating this plate of salad...and somehow was chewing around this one piece of lettuce that was hanging out of her mouth.


Gunkle JW and The Beast, with Snake and Beez in the background.

Here is the REAL STORY...it was awful. Possibly the worst thing ever is to help unpack your BFF and little sister in her new apartment 105 miles away. There was nothing that was pleasant...except the company. Putting dishes away, knowing that lunch would not be shared the following week...was awful. Putting her coffee cups away was the worst because we share a cup of Joe at least 4 days a week.

Setting up The Beasts room was bitter sweet...a new big girl bed....but it was too far away. Playing on the playground was fun...but not as fun as playing in our backyard.

Leaving after dinner as possibly the worst thing ever. I have been thinking about why this was hard. I mean, we have been through some really tough times together. But this was different. Instead of one of us leading the other through a trial, or heartache, or even joy...we were both in over our heads, and unable to help the other one. All of this was made worse by the fact the ALL THREE of my kids were in full blown ugly cries as we tried to get in the car to leave. The Beez, was understandably the hardest hit, and I was no help, for I was the leader of the Ugly Cry Movement.

I could name a hundred other things that would be worse...but it does not matter. For my heart is broken, and I am not sure I want it fixed. I want to miss them as much in a month as I do today. And for that matter, in a year as well.

So, today and tomorrow and I am sure next week, will be filled with many tears, but hopefully the ugly will wear off soon. I have made a pact with the kids to try not to cry on the phone...only because we do not want to miss out on the happy times...which in turn means, that a lot of our phone calls have abruptly cut off like this...."(tear, sob, deep breath) I have got to go"

What we did last night....10/31

The Vigilante, The Escaped Convict, The Pirate, and Lola (Hannah Montanas BFF)

Me, and My Pirate...I called myself the "The Pirates Wench"

Lola and her cousin, Roll Tides "Big Al"

This was too funny to me...it should be a campaign poster....Get out and VOTE

Lola and her real BFF, The Pirate

A few trick or treats on our way home

The one candy I steal from my kids...Great minds think alike.

Our Halloween tradition...Caramel Apples

Mamaw as Lola

Pumpkin Soup

Last week we bought little pumpkins from our youth group at church so that the kids could design their own faces with permanent markers...all the fun and none of the mess like carving.

Since its been so cold here, soup was definitely on the menu this week so I decided to make "Pumpkin Soup" , and have us eat right out of our little pumpkins faces. The kids made me promise that I would not actually use any pumpkin in the soup...and I didn't. Instead I pureed carrots and cauliflower with chicken broth for the base and then added a little extra orange food coloring. Then I cooked up some Italian sausage, added it to the creamy base along with potatoes and spinach...and ta-da...pumpkin soup.

Pumpkins, soup, changing leaves, cold weather, bonfires, and time change to boot...I love the fall/winter.