Not Me Monday, Post-Halloween Edition

*Updated to correct my horrible spelling*

So, I've had so much go on this last week that I can hardly think of things for this week's Not Me Monday.
How's this for a few...
I did not bribe a certain 4 year old with chocolate if they would poop in the toilet (and fail miserably while at it!)
I did not allow the pumpkins we carved to rot on my front porch, and have to end up using a snow shovel to take them to the compost bin.
I would never pull over into a parking lot to teach a certain child that we spit outside, not IN THE CAR. I did not make said child spit in the parking lot several times to prove my point.
I did not order Chinese delivery because I had no idea what to cook, delivery is so unhealthy and we always eat healthy here!
I did not eat dinner at my parent's house 5 times last week because I was feeling overwhelmed.
I was not overly excited when ADAM JONES, center fielder for the Orioles tweeted me.


Gosh, I didn't do a lot of stuff this week. What about you?

What did I agree to?

     For reasons unknown even to me, I have agreed to be a foster parent to a child that hardly knows me, that I barely know, and that is 4.  Lets call him Peanuts.  He's been through more transitions in the last month than I'd ever wish on a kid. Truthfully, I don't know what his home life was like entirely. I know his parents love him, and that they are doing the best they can. We're all just in the middle right now.
     Now, for the last two days we've been working to try to transition him into our family.  We've got crazy rules, like, we only eat 5 times a day (horrible, I know), we give hugs and kisses often, (germs!) and we take quiet time in our beds.  Oh, and 4 year olds go in the toilet.
     Today's biggest struggle was with the bathroom.  Peanuts is pretty shy.  He doesn't want to go to the bathroom for me at all.  Everytime I ask him if he has to go he says no, but we've had accidents two days in a row so today I was going to be on top of the situation.  Get back into the constant reminding and hand holding.  Be a potty training goddess.  I haven't done it in over a year, but I know I can get back into the swing of things.  I've done it with two kids already for heaven's sake!
     After the normal morning pee (having all the kids go at the same time) I urged lots of fluids to make it easier on him and to have lots of opportunity for success.  Still, he said no EVERY TIME!  I knew he had to go.  How long can a 4 year old hold it? 

 A LONG TIME! 

     I ended up resorting to bribery after nap (chocolate!), and this evening I gave him a choice: either go in the toilet or I'd have to put a diaper on him.  (It might of helped that the only diapers we still have in the house after a year of being potty trained are princess pull-ups)  So he finally went...Success of a sort... I can do this.
   And tomorrow is another day.

"Not Me" Monday 3rd Edition

Okay, it's that time again, time for me to let you know what I, a perfect wife and mother, *COUGH* would never do, and did not do this week.  Thanks go to MckMama for hosting this fun party every week, and check out my friends' Not Me's as well.

For example, I would never get so frustrated by the messy kitchen at work that I printed out a sign telling people to clean up their mess.

I am not more than a little excited that I'm in first place in my fantasy football league, even though its my first year ever doing one and my favorite team is the Chiefs. 

I did not try a new recipe for pumpkin muffins and have them turn out as big clumps of chewy mess, because my current recipe for pumpkin muffins is just fine!

I have not neglected my brand new blog in favor of watching TV at night or going to bed.  I am a very dedicated blogger. 

And I certainly was not more than a little relieved that one of my friends was not able to meet up with me after she told me later that her son had been diagnosed with H1N1. 

Well, I feel much better now.  What didn't you do this week?

Not Me Monday 2nd Edition

This week was not one of my best weeks, but I will spare you all the gory details.  I'll give you some of them though, since its quite cathartic to get these things off my chest.

I did not allow my husband to do all the housework on Sunday while I took a 2 hour nap on the couch, nope, not me!

I did not avoid posting on this blog because I was feeling very lazy this week.

I did not watch CSI, record Grey's Anatomy, and watch the Office on Hulu because they all come on on Thursday night and I am a TV addict.  I am not "out of the loop" if I don't watch one of my shows.  Not me! 

I did not fall asleep on the couch on Saturday night after a great dinner out with my husband.  I am not OLD!!

I did not then wear my calf-high boots to church on Sunday to prove to myself that I am not OLD!!

I do not feel the need to write OLD!! everytime I think about my upcoming birthday.  I know that 30 is not OLD!!

And I absolutely would never ever give my mother a bright pink Snuggie for her birthday. Or cut out her picture and place it on the box.

Ok, I feel much better.  What didn't you do this week?

Not Me! Monday First Edition

There are so many competing reasons on why I started this blog, but this post in particular is one of the more fun ones. Started by http://www.mycharmingkids.net/, I don't know, a long time ago, it gives me a chance to let you know what I Definitely Did Not Do this past week.

I, for one, did not tell my children that if they let me take a nap I would take them to the park. I never bargain with my children since that breaks all sorts of parenting rules, and I would Never Ever nap on the couch while my children play in the toy room. Nope, Not Me!

I did not consider this enough appropriate exercise for the day/week/month.

I am diligent about exercising every day, right?

I did not avoid my husband for several days in hopes of postponing and possibly avoiding completely the fight that had been building up. Nope, we always sit down and communicate any and all issues as soon as they arise for the health of our marriage.

There is no way that I would lose my patience at work with my fellow beloved co-workers and then very huffily tell my boss "I have absolutely no idea" when he asked me a very simple question. Nope, not me! I am always respectful and loving in all my workplace relationships.

I also did not hide in my office later on in the day when I was tired and trying to avoid any more questions. I always face my responsibilities and am cheerful and helpful at all times.

There is no way that I would ever sit in my car in the driveway for 30 minutes just reading my iPhone because this was in my back seat.

Nope, Not Me! I am always sure to get my things done every day and don't let my daughter sleep in the car just for the sake of some quiet me time.

And I would never actually miss my parents when they were gone for the ENTIRE last week. Nope, I'm not dependant on them for a drink, dinner, or a sounding board several times a week. I can totally do this whole Mom/Wife thing all by myself.

What about you? Anything that you didn't do this week that you need to get off your chest? Let me know!

Mine Mine Mine

Yeah, he's adorable, and he's mine. He loves to read, he's mostly quiet, and he would rather be behind the camera than in front of it. Today, however, my normally camera shy boy was more than willing to let me take pictures of him.

And so I did, take picture after picture of his adorable face, and his funny antics, and him being super sweet to his sister for the first time in a long long time.

Princess Pea, on the other hand....

Is never shy.

How Much Chocolate is Really Enough?

So I've had one of those weeks. One of those fight with your husband, too many meetings, not enough money, children upset at me. lots of self-added stress kind of weeks. And last night I was thinking, what in the world did the pastor talk about last Sunday? Something about Peace=Faith, or there is only peace when you surrender to God, or something else equally important and probably seriously helpful this week in particular. In fact, someone probably knew that I would have this week ahead of time and so led somebody to preach on it last week.

Unfortunately for me, I am worn out, too worn out to do what is for my own good and dive into the Word and find out what it is that I desperately need to find peace in my home and my heart.

My solution, instead, last night, after dinner was in the oven and I was waiting for dear Hubby and son to get home, was to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough with my adorable, lovable, loves to lick the bowl daughter. (Don't tell Daddy we lick the bowl because for some reason he's worried about ebola, or swine flu, or something bad for you) We decided to bake half of the dough, and keep the rest of it in the fridge for later batches, (or late night snacks for mom)

Of course, considering the above mentioned week that I've been having, I had to leave the house as soon as the rest of the family got home, so I didn't get any dinner, or cookies, or peace until much later. But later it did come, later that night when I'm sitting on the couch watching Jay Leno and eating cookies for dinner.

It wasn't perfect, no human attempt is, but I'm telling you now, there aren't any more cookies and I had a much better day today.