Accountable

I have so much to say, and as always, I am going to dive right back in.  I have taken a few hiatuses (is that even a word?) over the last 7 years and I make no excuses.  This blog has always been, and will remain unplanned, unscheduled and unapologetically me.

I have some serious qualms about the next 4 months (not that I am counting down to Granny Camp or anything).  The boys are about to start 2 different sports in 2 different cities and I haven't worked full time through a spring season before.  It's always a bit of a circus to get everyone where they need to be when they need to be there, but this year in particular is going to be even more so.

In the end, I know it will all work itself out, it always does. But this year, I am putting my foot down.  I refuse to put myself last, again.  I will not be the mom dragging arse everyday because I stayed up too late, ate gummy bears for lunch and put everyone's needs before my own.  This year, I am making myself a priority, and if that means asking for more help, so be it. If it means that everyone has to be more patient and chip in more, then that's what will happen.  The boys are getting older, and they are certainly less demanding of my every moment.  I need to grant them more independence and with that, more responsibility.

Working from home is wonderful.  I have a 20 step commute to my home office and I frequently work in my pajamas.  I pick the children up from school and I sure as hell get to meet my girlfriends for lunch on occasion.  Ok, like a lot. 

But it's still "new" to me.  This fall, the boys didn't play any sports (don't ask...it was a shiot show and the details of that decision would bore you to tears) and this winter, basketball and Lego Robotics were both at school, with minimal effort required from me.

It's going to be a test of what I am made of.  How much I can stick to my guns and not ignore my needs.  Every spring, I run myself so ragged I end up getting so sick that I need reinforcements and the ER.  I won't do that this year.

I won't.  Watch me.

But I will need someone(s) and something(s) to keep me accountable.  I had a great conversation today with a friend and we talked through some of the things I want to keep on track.  I also gave a new gym a test run. Yeah, yeah, go ahead and call me out on the erratic (at best) nature of my physical whatnot.   In any case, I decided that the 20-something college girls at the local gym would motivate me and keep me accountable.

Be careful what you wish for.  There is no one quite as able to keep you accountable and honest as the person I worked out next to tonight. 

My priest. 

Sugar and Sass

There is quite a bit of planning that goes into Christmas, and as my friend Quinn says, sometimes it tries to kill you.  But this year has been blissfully easy.  Partly because we have been in the house for the longest stretch EVER, so everything is basically routine.  The tree and the decorations went up weeks ago, so the party was simple.  Of course I made it a smidge more complicated than it needed to be, but let's be honest.  The water bottle labels with polka dots and chevron just made me happier that day.  ;)

Ryan took this photo the day before Cupcakes and Coffee when I was taking these balloons to the mailbox.  Although I hardly needed to indicate which house was mine, my next door neighbors have some inflatable situation happening, a white fake tree and of course, an enormous plastic pumpkin (see also: matches their long-dead mums) in the front yard.  So I am fairly sure (read: fracking positive) no one thought that was my house. 

Barf.

Mine is the mailbox with the argyle Christmas ribbon and the simple green garland.  Obvs.  I will say I could use a new flag, mine is a country Santa, but otherwise my decorations are spot on.  I love the metal peppermint candy and flower themed stakes in my pots!

Sunday morning after 9a Mass we made the weekly pilgrimage to Waffle House.  Ryan got some extra wear out of his Cotillion tie and I played black and white cheetah in this House of Target faux silk whatnot and some suit pants.  It was super comfy and I exchanged the red Mass pumps for black riding boots when I got home.

I took the leaf out of the kitchen table and shoved it against the window because the Casa de Chaos is small.  Of course, that also eliminated 6 chairs, but my cutie friends rolled with it.  I am not saying people ended up sitting on the floor in the family room, but I am not saying they didn't.

I snagged the "Merry & Bright" banner and the little flags from Mara Mi when I was in Chicago this Thanksgiving.  My mom snuck some cute cupcake napkins into my bag that week too as a surprise and  those were the only new additions to the 7th annual drop-in.

Publix and Trader Joe's did the baking and the Kuerig made the drinks.  It's possible that I was half in the bag but I don't tote tales on myself this close to Christmas.

Better not pout...

Tis the {Clemson} Season

Outside the boys' bathroom at the top of the stairs...right next to a basket of laundry that has been giving me the side eye.  It's one step up from a Charlie Brown tree, but the orange and purple makes up for all of that.

Merry Merry!

Thanksgiving Week Recap

We made it back safely from a week in suburban Chicago, and while I promised I'd blog, I am pretty busy today, so this will be brief.  Awesome, as always, but brief.  heehee

 I was so happy to be able to spend the better part of one day with my mom, we goofed off and shopped a little. One of our favorite stops is always The Little Traveler in Geneva, we have been going there for 100 years together.  Ok, since I was 11, so more like 26 years.  We always end up regretting not buying more!

She took me to a new (new to me!) restaurant on the way home and we had the yummiest tapas; skirt steak tacos and corn with lemon-aioli.  I would drop the name of the place, except it is so tiny and hard to get a table as it is... Fact is I also had a yummy mojito, but...I deserved some day drinking. 

  

 It's been said that I am a little overprotective of my boys, and rightfully so.  However, I made the executive parenting decision to allow them to see Skyfall (we saw Wreck It Ralph the night before).  I love Bond movies, and my research told me that this one was probably ok for them. Admittedly, I missed probably 15 minutes of the movie because I covered my eyes a few times, but they boys were riveted.  I know I will get some flack from some of you uber conservative moms for taking a 4th and 6th grader to it...but you know what?  Long hair, don't care.  I kid, I kid.  Of course I care what you think.  Kind of.  Maybe not really. Eve Moneypenny and I, well we are sort of independent thinkers like that.  I have never touched a gun, so I am pretty sure she's a better shot than I am, but she's got nothing on my parallel parking or table setting skills.

The cousins are finally all of the age where they can be left to their own devices without the threat of disaster.  They played some four square and heaven knows what else.  None of them were very happy to part ways, that I can assure you. 

Saturday's Clemson v Carolina game.  Ugh.  No words, but I made good with my Gamecock friend and we went for Sunday mani/pedis.  Our friendship was only divided for 4 hours, things are delightfully (and well polished) back to normal.

Sunday I put up the majority of the Christmas decorations and rewarded myself with the first margarita of the Christmas season.  Caught up on 2 shows on the DVR (the Thanksgiving Happy Endings episode was a disappointment, FTR) and watched a quarter of the Packers game.  That's how I roll these days. 

Happy Monday Sweets, gotta scoot!

Road Trippin'

I think road trips are awesome.

Late Sunday morning, after a Waffle House stop with the college BFFS,  the boys and I piled into the (now ORANGE monogrammed!) minivan and drove to my parents' house.

719 miles of progressively flatter interstate from Atlanta to Chicago.  (If that sentence confuses you please Utilize The Google and learn about glaciers, kthanks.)  Satellite radio (albeit less stations due to the recent subscription update, boo) and a cooler of road trip snacks.  Said snacks included dark chocolate with sea salt, myriad boxes of crackers, Flavor Blasted Goldfish, pretzel M&Ms and 2 packs of bubble gum.  In the car is really the only place it's ok for a girl (read: anyone) to chew gum.  It's gross and rude.  Make a note.

An old book of CDs which included but was not limited to Annie Lennox, Cravin' Melon and Jump Little Children.  CDs so old they had my maiden name written on them in Sharpie.  My love of office supplies runs deep and long.  CDs in fact, that have been all over the world.  Well, except Asia and Australia, I've not been there, yet. 

The boys had a backpack that I don't think was ever unpacked as we spent the entire drive either watching movies (Little Rascals, Looney Tunes and Disney everything ever produced) and seat dancing.  In the event that you were wondering, you can ABSOLUTELY choreograph dances with a seat belt and one hand (mostly) on the steering wheel.  If you screw up the lyrics to anything by Skynyrd, Ice, Ice Baby or Call Me Maybe, I will repeat the song and give you a second chance.  Then I will just laugh at you for another 10 miles.

We laughed so hard on that trip.  I had the boys undivided attention, well mostly.  Except for the hour and half during the Anime movie. I am a dork, admittedly, but that level of dorkdom is too much even for me.  So I let them have that to themselves while I indulged in some Beach Music and some Scritti Politti.  We decided that our Musical Palette needs it own zip code it's so wide. 

We made a few stops, for necessaries (read: non fat lattes and petrol in Tennessee) and had lunch in Kentucky and dinner in Indiana. 

Around 8:30p I started getting a little antsy.  My left arm gets sore when I drive that long.  Something to think about: wearing a ponytail when driving on a road trip SEEMS like a good idea.  Natch, it is not.  You can't lean your head back and eventually that ponytail is going to make you stabby.  Ergo you have 2 choices, wear it down (which I did until 8:30p) or sport pigtails.  Check and check. 

(I am not ashamed to admit I and took a selfie in the Starbucks ladies' room sporting some sweats on this trip, purple ones at that, and trainers with fluorescent yellow laces.)

We pulled in to my parents' drive sometime after 10p, and were greeted with a glass of wine, turndown services and hollers of, "Let the ruckus begin!"

I won't be a cliche and say how thankful I was to be home, and especially to see my dad after his heart surgery.  But I will tell you I am pretty sure he had mascara on his shirt from my tears of relief when I hugged him.

Happy Monday Loves...Let the Ruckus Begin!

Winner!

Morning Lovelies! 

 It's Thursday, which means it's the day to choose a winner for the Artisans Design Gallery Giveaway of the Andrea Barnett bracelet (which I rocked at Homecoming stacked with my watch and 3 other less amazing bracelets!) 

Congratulations to Susie from For Whom the Belle Tolls...please email me your mailing address so we can get the bracelet to you, maybe you can even wear it on Thanksgiving!

xx

Cupcakes and Coffee

Every year since we moved to Atlanta, I have hosted a Christmas Drop-In (that's the Southern version of an Open House for those of you North of the Mason-Dixon).  I have called it Cupcakes and Coffee, because it starts early in the day, like 9a.

My girlfriends drop their children off at school, and pull up to my casa.  No cookie exchange, no white elephant gift.  I don't want them to do anything, no work, no stress.  Then we sit around for the majority of the day and drink coffee and make fancy hot chocolates from the bar.  Freebase on sugar and icing and generally just take a few hours off duty.

Of course, there are always a couple of special guests, because at least one of my girlfriends is bound to have had a baby, but otherwise there are no children.  We all ooh and ahh over the latest peanut, vacillating between wanting to hold her and thanking the Good Lord that our children are older and we slept all night.

There is not much discussion of being SO INCREDIBLY BUSY and of CHRISTMAS TRYING TO KILL US, because we are all in it together.  We all know how hard it is, but this day, we tend to focus on each other.  The elements of those friendships that transcend the busyness of the season.  Giggling and much discussion of what (if any) ridiculous gifts the men in our lives will manage to have picked out.  Some mention of putting on our winter weight, but then vehement insistence to one another that, YOU LOOK AMAZING and JUST EAT ANOTHER CUPCAKE PRETTY GIRL!

It's one of my favorite things.  No stress, no work. I don't do the baking, I order everything and just sass it up with my magic.  Before we realize it, it's time to run afternoon carpool and everyone scoots out with promises not to go so long without seeing each other.

I love my girlfriends.

I am getting ready to order invitations for this years Cupcakes and Coffee, and I found these cute options on Tiny Prints.  I haven't decided which one, what do you think?

They are all so cute and the price point is perfect.  I'd rather spend my budget on sprinkles and a new lip gloss...obviously! I am leaning toward the second one, I love the shape and the bright colors.

Priorities include packing for a week in Chicago, ordering invites, and getting an enormous latte to drink while I peruse these Christmas card options here at Tiny Prints and having them shipped rush... would be weird if I used a selfie pic from Twitter, right?  heehee

 Merry, merry y'all...

Clemson Homecoming

Saturday morning Coach and I loaded the boys in the car and took them to the Clemson Homecoming game. The boys hadn't been to a Clemson football game before and I could not have been more excited to take them.  I know you're wondering why they hadn't been before and I will tell you.  The thought of schlepping 2 toddlers, a stroller, a diaper bag and/or any of the gear required for wee ones to a ball game makes me PIMMAL.  Frankly I was delighted that the only thing I had to carry was my crossbody bag with lip gloss and 2 Sweetwater 420s.  Yeah, I double fisted through campus, judge away. 

 I wasn't pushing a double stroller though, so I win. 

We parked at the corner of East Bumble and West Jesus, past what Clemson folks call Syberia, up at the Rowing Center.  But thanks to hopeful lip glossing and possibly some flirting, we managed a golf cart ride.  Which was perfect, because our boots, while sassy, were not made for walking in gravel.

 Indeed, we did have grown up boys with us, but I hesistate to post the pics we took with them without permission.  You know, boys get all wacky about their mugs being on these girly "blog things", and besides, we are exponentially prettier than they are anyway. 

I am happy to report my discovery that Bud Light comes IN ORANGE CANS.  I opened a cooler and about fell out. Obvs I don't drink beer from a can, (I am not a Neanderthal, don't worry mom) but that sticking out of my monogrammed koozie might push me over the edge of Clemson happiness.  The kids played cornhole, which they are pretty good at, thanks to a year spent at Miami of Ohio, the home of all things cornhole related.

We walked without the boys over to the Quad, where our sorority hall now is. It was a far cry from what we experienced, sitting in the lobby waiting to be picked up for a football game.  It was cordoned off and a band was playing. We asked a couple of Thetas to take us into the house and into the chapter room.  Of course, I told them the story about me sitting on the glass top table in the old chapter room circa 1995 having been slightly overserved and breaking said table.  We found the composites with all of our pics and generally relived those days.  It was perfect!

Jack and I had seats together and he was kind enough to explain every single play to me.  I was genuinely surprised at how much he knew.  By the end of the 2nd quarter, I could even tell you what was happening.  If by "happening" you mean which team had the ball and which direction they were going. 

Baby steps my friends, baby steps. 

Couldn't pass up on pics of the boys in thier gear with the Tiger Cub.  Frankly, I'd like this on my porch, but that'd probably be a bit much.  Maybe in my next life...

Sunday morning we were exhausted, I slept in and we opted for noon Mass.  Can't you see the residual Clemson elation on our faces?  The great news is that basketball just started, and I know basketball.

Hold on while I pull up the schedule and plan our next trip...

Isn't She Lovely? A Giveaway...

Last night I fell asleep before 10p and woke up to 63 text messages from myriad girlfriends about what's really important in life.  What we are all wearing to the Clemson Homecoming game on Saturday obviously!  One has to be sure about what one is wearing.  Lots of factors to consider; weather, distance required to walk from car to other tailgates to TigerTown (some boots are not made for walking) and most importantly, does your jewelry accurately reflect your love of your team?  One can't be showing up in some randomly thrown together whatnot (ewww), particularly for Homecoming. 

I don't particularly love to shop, it can be stressful and overwhelming for me, especially when I am shopping for something specific (read: something I have invented in my head that may or may not actually exist).  So when I find something I love, I get it.  I am traditional and super modest in the way that I dress, and I am a huge fan of fun jewelry.  I think jewelry is the perfect way to change what you already have in your closet.

This gorgeous bracelet is a great example of the kind of jewelry I love.  It's not dainty so it stands out, even with the long sleeves of a cardi or jacket.  The color is one of my favorites, and I'd love to see it with red! 
Lucky for you, I am able to give this away this stunning bracelet from international jewelry artist Andrea Barnett!

"Andrea creates stylish classic  jewelry  for those of us who are stylish classic women.  Choosing native materials, all Andrea Barnett's jewelry is made in America.   This bracelet of etched stone with vermeil stations  features a red bronze medal.  These religious medals are the best selling items in Andrea's collections.    Jewelry featuring the religious medals come in a variety of styles - necklaces, earrings and bracelets.   All is handmade in America, and  fabulous."

To enter, do any or all of the following and leave me a SEPARATE comment for each entry.

1. Visit the website and report back on your favorite piece.
2. "Like" their page on Facebook.
3.  Tell me what you'd wear this bracelet with or who you would give it to for Christmas.
4.  Wish my Tigers the best of luck on Saturday!

Making my list and checking it twice...

Loyalty

It has been said that your greatest strength can also be your greatest weakness.  In my case, one of my greatest strengths is loyalty.

To my school, to my family, to my friends.

My friends will be the first to tell you that I am loyal to a fault.  I am the first one to pipe up in defense of one of them, without even hearing both sides of the story.  If you are my friend, I am on your team.  When someone is hateful or unkind to one of my friends, I mentally place that person in the "NOPE" column.  It takes a long time for me to forgive someone who has crossed my friend.  May the Lord grant you the grace of fast feet if you cross my children, because that is a story that will not end well.  (insert: Mama Bear sideways glance, raised eyebrow and shout-y voice.)

This is so true that I recently had a friend say to me, "No, Jenn, I am cool with her now. You can be too."  It's not that I can't make my own decisions, it's that if I call you my friend, I value your judgement.  Ergo, you hate 'em? I hate 'em.  See how that works?  I want to pick up the phone and call those people and say, "You were mean to my friend.  That's the same as being mean to me."

On Sunday morning, my children were acting like a couple of fools. Being generally pokey about getting ready for Mass, whining about clothes and basically not being very helpful. I gave them the two minute warning and came downstairs.  Neither of them had shoes on and Jack had spiked up his hair in the most ridiculous way (the higher the hair, the closer to God?).  I was displeased to say the least. I am fairly sure they ate Halloween candy for breakfast, (which I am supportive of IF YOU HIDE THE EVIDENCE).

I got in the car and Ryan dumped my 24 oz Tervis of Diet Dr. Pepper on my leg (because he was being lazy and absentminded), on the console and in his brother's bag.  I flipped my proverbial shiot.

I pulled out the driveway and for the next 12 minutes I screamed at them.  I was so angry, and mostly at Ryan.  I took him on a 6 mile Catholic guilt trip that homeboy had not packed a bag for.  I was furious. I started bringing up things that had happened weeks ago and in typical Mom fashion, told him he was not appreciative of everything I do for him.  I chicken pecked and started to cry.  I couldn't get my emotions in check and JUST KEPT YELLING.

Admittedly, the little punk needed a come to Jesus.  He has been pulling attitude since summer break and is generally acting like a preteen. Moody and disinterested.  (Albeit he has straight As and is generally obedient, but let's not get sidetracked.)  He spends a lot of time with his head in a book or a DS and I have to beg him to participate in family activities outside. 

Regardless, he needed to be set straight. Damn, if I didn't set him stick straight.  He apologized, crying and wiping his nose by the time we pulled into 9a Mass. 

The boys got out of the car and I hissed, "You better toe the line today, gentlemen!" as we walked into Mass.  Jack turned around and glared at me, tears streaming down his little face.

I took him off to the side and asked him what he was so upset about, he hadn't even gotten in trouble.

He looked at me with his shoulders square and his eyes wet and said,

"You were mean to my brother.  That's the same as being mean to me."