Monday Mumbles 29

1. Holy holiday cleaning, I've heaped 8 bags of trash into my garage. It's a conglomeration of old toys, opened package/cardboard, random trash-able items from places like a bookshelf, and actual every day trash. Feels so good.

2. I've found a new musical love. Passenger. Here's a link to the song that I first loved, and two others that I really love as well. Song One. Song Two. Song Three. Okay I lied. There's a fourth. Song Four.

3. It's quite possible I'm really behind on loving these guys. I'm clearly aware that I am old and out of touch.

4. Owen had a successful Sunday afternoon. Two sharts that resulted in underpants changing. What an excellent end to the weekend.

5. Speaking of music, I am an admitted fan of Wrecking Ball, the Miley Cyrus song. I can't help myself. It's passionate. And the girl can sing.

6. Hubs and I were not supposed to get each other gifts. Guess who held up to their end of the deal? Yeah. Just me. So I had things to open and he did not. I felt like a jackass, but he's done this for the past few years now. He gets on my damn nerves.

7. I'm already sick of winter. Anyone else with me? It's not even January and how many days have been down into the 20s and 30s? Feels abnormally cold this year.

8. Did I mention I was rear-ended in stop and go rush hour traffic? I was. Here's my poor baby.

This has put me out of her for nearly two weeks while she gets repaired. And what kind of rental was a rewarded with? Oh yeah. The minivan. In case you're wondering, YES I am one of those people who can't stand the idea of being caught actually driving a minivan. I don't know why and everything logical tells me I shouldn't care and it's actually a great choice of transport. In fact, driving the one I'm renting for over a week has proven that it would be GREAT for our family and all the crap we haul around. But...I still can't think I'll seriously consider purchasing one, when it's time to get a new vehicle. This fact about myself makes me sad.

9. The kids received Despicable Me for Christmas. We had never seen it and have watched it 3 times in as many days. Very cute movie.

10. The highlight of the gift giving, however, is mine. The best gift award goes to my brother Jimmy. He gave me what I've been needing desperately - my Patrick Swayze fix. Dirty Dancing and Road House. Love him. (brother...Swayze...whatever. LOVE.)

Tuesday Owenisms 13

Monday morning, our family was at home. We had just come off a very long weekend of three Christmas celebrations and a wedding. Dad was relaxing in the back room, Evelyn had just woken up from her nap. Turner was busy playing with his neighborhood friend while Owen twiddled around, slowing down with every step.

He finally hit the wall. You know the wall. The one that suggests that every possible activity is utterly boring. The one that magnifies every teardrop and complaint. The wall that must be broken.

I broke it.

Mom:  Owen, I think it's time to take a break. Let's go relax for a minute.

Owen:  (sobbing)  Nooooo! I don't need a nap!!!

Mom:  (picking Owen up baby cradling style)  Sweetie, let's just go back to the bed and lie down for fifteen minutes. Let's just rest your body. I didn't say anything about a nap.

Owen:  (still sobbing)  Mooooooom. I don't wanna take a nap.

Mom:  (lying him down in the bed and covering him up without a tussle)  It'll be okay, Bubs. Just stay here for fifteen minutes and then you can come back out, refreshed. You'll feel much better.

Owen:  (tears rolling onto the pillow now)  But you won't come back in fifteen minutes! You're going to leave me here until I fall asleeeeeeeeeep!

He was spot on.

And it worked. 

Monday Mumbles 28

1. I know it's been awhile. I think I just wanted your thoughts to ruminate in Owen's badness so that I could regale you in his goodness.

2. So, yeah................

3. Truthfully, he is so thoughtless and thoughtful all rolled into one bundle of all boy joy. I don't get it, but maybe in time I will.

4. We just celebrated Christmas gift exchanges at my Dad's, my Mom's, and my mother's family this past weekend. With Jim and Rachel moving FURTHER away, we allowed our holiday schedule to coordinate with what they could do. They kids were great, all in all, and I'm feeling less worn down by it than in past years.

5. I am staring at a living room full of new toy joys, however, and trying to figure out where they'll end up. It's nice that I have tomorrow and Tuesday off before we celebrate our Christmas here at home.

6. Oh, did I mention we threw in a wedding that Hubs was in as well? He was busy doing rehearsal things Friday afternoon and I met him for some rehearsal dinner and socializing that evening. Saturday he was busy doing wedding things and the kids and I joined him for wedding socializing that evening for a bit.

7. Snow. It came this weekend as well, while we were holed up in Lawrence, an hour from home. We stayed down there Friday and Saturday night, and the snow came Saturday while we were prepping for and then AT the wedding. Snow. Ugh.

8. I was reminded in a Christmas card about what my dear friend said once about snow. It's just little pieces of love. Indeed. If that's what love was, I'd be throwing it out and at someone else too. Gross.

9. Finally, I will begin the Hunger Games series. I know, I know. I received book one for Christmas though, so away we will go. Once I finish book five of the Game of Thrones. Ha!

10. Have I ever told you that Turner calls me Mama? Still? I love it. I hope he never stops.

Tuesday Owenisms 12

Owen had an unusually ornery day on Sunday. At dinner time, I'd had enough and I simply asked him,

"Owen, what's WRONG with you?"

The question came with a great big sigh, covered in fatigue. His response was simply,

"I'm just BAD."

There you have it. Honesty. Self-awareness. Simplicity. Just the way I like it.

Monday Mumbles

1. Instead of fighting Owen's destructive behavior (every toy must crash into everything in sight before dying a horribly loud, crushing death), I chose to allow it. But only if he goes to his room, shuts the door, and doesn't holler and scream.

2. Turner is just like me. It's scary. From his need to explain and correct to his need to keep things balanced (i.e. his quantity of dollars in Monopoly. He'd rather be owed some ones in the future as change, than to give away his remaining few he has and pay exact rent due), it's downright eerie.

3. Whenever Hubs tells the story of his knee surgery in 2009 (we were playing kickball with the kids), he always describes "HOW" he did it as "I made a football move and...". Seriously? A football move....in kickball? He needs to let this die.

4. My grandmother (and a couple of other family members) purchased a Kansas football tailgate package at a charity auction, and the event was this past weekend. Hubs took Owen, Turner and Turner's friend. Sis and I just tailgated and then headed to a house to watch from the comforts of a couch.

5. KU WON THE GAME.

6. Oh, and last Tuesday? KU basketball beat Duke. Hell yeah. Early season victories like this are sweet. Very, very sweet.

7. I almost bought myself a black Bah Humbug 'santa' hat today. Almost.

8. On a happier note, I have already started a list of fun things I might want to get the children. Things they've mentioned in passing, that I know they definitely want. That makes me feel good. Progress.

9. Hubs watched a movie on TV and wanted me to watch it as well, thinking I'd like it since it's a chick flick and all. He was right. Something Borrowed. But it also put me onto a fine fellow, Colin Egglesfield. Yum.

10. But alas, my only other marriage is to work. In case you wondered, I'm still lovin' it.

Monday Mumbles 27

1. I really cannot believe a week went by already. It felt like just yesterday when I wrote you those three, heartfelt mumbles.

2. Although I love Owen's curls, I'm happy he likes having his hair cut low. We have to keep it low so it's better he likes it. You ask WHY we have to keep it low? Because he's created a habit for himself where he twirls his curls around a finger, and he does this most all the time. When he eats, watches TV, stands, sits, gets sleepy. Just picture a boy on some high school sports "stage", twirling his hair before catching some ball. Yeesh.

3. Did I mention I have the day off? Whispering that to Evelyn last night was my only way to escape the house and get to Costco alone. When she heard I was going, she burst into tears knowing she couldn't go with me since she was already bathed and in pajamas. Now she's probably thinking we're going shopping today.

4. So I mentioned I was having a Patrick Swayze need going unfulfilled. Guess what was on TV Saturday night!? Yup. Dirty Dancing.

5. It made me happy to hear Turner say he liked to rake the leaves. And follow it up with how he dislikes jumping into the pile. He's just like his mama. How in the world can you bring yourself to do all that work, make such a big neat pile of leaves, and then screw it up by jumping in it?

6. We finally "saw" our first KU basketball game of the season. Hubs and I went to a bar, leaving the kids at dad's, so we were able to watch but had a lot of distractions with Hubs' group of playmates. I paid semi-attention while the chicks talked too much and I was also working on a client issue during more than half of the game.

7. The chicks were cool, though. Fun and relaxing even if they were a decade younger than me.

8. I really cannot stand watching the Chiefs win. They didn't even play this weekend (bye week) and they were able to annoy me.

9. I'm still reading book 5 of the Game of Thrones, and progressing, but picked up a smaller paperback for my most recent work trip. I'm already halfway through it, and highly recommend it. The Book Thief. It's into a movie now, or will be soon, but the book is phenomenal thus far.

10. Evelyn likes to brush my hair. I love to have my hair brushed. Therefore I love her. That might not be exactly correct per my geometry rules, but it's how it works in this house.

Bonus:
1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!

2. To the Veteran's, thank you.

Monday Mumbles 26

1. I worked from home on Friday and guess what? I am not a fan. There are too many other chores staring me in the face, too many trashy TV shows at my fingertips, and snacks far too handy.

2. Traveling to New York for work  can be energizing. I'm traveling to across the river to New Jersey for work today, and I have a feeling I'll be gazing over at Manhattan with longing and envy.

3. And on that note...I have to cut out of here. Sorry for the short mumbles. I plan on doing a Halloween recap this week, with photos.