Wash the Windshield

Keeping the view of the road ahead clear.



Friday, February 4, 2011

You're only 7 Once

Thank you all for your sweet comments and encouragement regarding my struggle that i mentioned earlier.

I do feel better.

I know it's not about the amount of money or things you buy your kids that make them happy, but I do truly enjoy giving them fun memories.  ... things they can look back on and remember good times, happy things or the way they felt at a cerain time.

Bekah's birthday party was great.

All of the girls had an awesome time and i really hope that someday, they will remember the limo ride as they recollect on fun times as a child.


When the limo pulled up in front of our house, Bekah started crying.  It was a sweet moment, because i think she was embarrassed, excited and overwhelmed all at the same time.   It didn't take her long to warm up to the idea and hop in :)

We rode to McDonald's, where all of the kiddos got happy meals to eat on the way there.  We arrived at the pottery shop right on time and had a wonderful party there.  Each of the kids got to paint their own piece of pottery (which i will pick up next week) and they really did a great job of hosting the birthday party.  I was completely impressed. 

All in all - the birthday party was a success.  And I feel like i'm not so bad of a mom; not  because she had a really cool birthday party, but moreso because i helped create a fun memory.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Birthday Party

In keeping with the theme of my entire blog, I am trying to clean off the windshield from the 'bird that pooped' on it yesterday and move on.

Tonight is Bekah's birthday party.  I'm really excited for it too! 

Every other year, we do something outside our house and then, on other years we stay in.  This is her year for something outside of our house, sooooo...

we are going to paint pottery!  Yahoo!

6 of her little girlfriends are meeting at our house tonight and leaving in a limo that will drive us to the pottery place in Carmel.

I'm really excited.  It's the same limo company i used to transport my girl scout troop to  Brown County 3 years in a row (with all that girl scout cookie sale money!) , so they gave me a great deal, and Bekah has been dying to ride in a limo. 

So, I think it will be a fun memory of her 7th birthday.

She knows we are going to paint pottery, but she has no idea that we are taking a limo. 

...and neither do any of her friends.

So anyway, I'm excited for tonight!

Day 3

I have to get something off my chest because it's eating at me. 

I'm a severe people approval addict, at times.  If people don't like me or agree with what I say or rather, think i'm wrong for something.... it literally eats at me.

So, yesterday i posted on my facebook status that the kids needed to go back to school.  Not so much because i am "sick" of them, but more because i still have to get my job done, so I can get paid to support my wonderful children.

I vented.

And you know what?  I meant it!

Snow days are tough.  Whether you want to admit it or not, it throws everyone off schedule.  Now, if i were at home snowed in, where i could enjoy my kids and do something fun and creative, it would be one thing. 

But when i'm trying to manage training on a conference call with two kids in the background.... it's tough.

It's not a cake walk.

And in my opinion, that's ok.

So then, someone posted a negative comment on my status about how sad it is that we can't slow down and enjoy spending time with our kids/families.

Again, i would and I do enjoy spending time with my kids....

When i'm not trying to WORK.


But then, someone else (who has no experience with parenting whatsoever) posted on their own status ....

(let me side step here for a second.  ... Facebook can be so immature.  i can't believe i'm seriously upset/affected by what someone else posted as their status that i don't even really know if it was aimed at me!)

but anyway - i read a status about something like "if you are sick of your kids after 2 snow days, you shouldn't have had kids.... I will never take a little smile for granted.  There are millions of people that can't have kids - you should be lucky you have them.  What an honor."

I guess it just, quite frankly ... pissed me off.

Because I love my kids.

I don't take them for granted.

I know that there are people that can't have kids, but let me tell you right now...

even the best parents in the world that planned their children for YEARS before they were born...

....get frustrated.

They always love their children, but often... don't like them.

And i mean that with all the love in the world.  I truly believe you can love someone and not like them at the moment.

Maybe i"m wrong for that.

I don't know.

But it absolutely goes right through me when someone puts on their status "if you are sick of your kids after 2 days, you shouldn't have had them".

REALLY!?


And i seriously do not know WHY i am so affected by this!  It's ridiculous!  I don't even know that that comment was aimed at me, but it was pretty ironic if it wasn't.

Part of me wants to totally deactivate my entire facebook page because half of the time, the crap on there just makes me mad.

Then, the other half of me needs to accept that people have their own opinions, and what happens in my home is my business, and people dont' have to agree with it.

I guess it just upsets me because I feel like I really do enjoy kids, I think i am pretty good with kids.  I had a freaking girl scout troop for 3 years, i help out in the kids classrooms when they need volunteers.

But again, who am i trying to prove myself to!? 

What is wrong with me!!!!

I'm still not over it, i just want to go out on my front porch and yell at the world (or maybe just those couple of people) ....

I AM A REAL PERSON!  My KIDS GET ON MY NERVES!  YOU TRY WORKING A FULL 8 HOUR DAY AND HAVING YOUR KIDS AROUND! 

DAMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.

That felt good.