Mommin' It Up!

March 11, 2011March 10, 2011

Love the ones you’re with

I’ve been thinking about this for over a month, but I haven’t been able to figure out how to say it. So bear with me as I muddle through.

The internet is great. I love that I have a place to come and spew forth my thoughts, my stories, my grief, my craziness, my joys. I love sharing this space with Emily, one more gift in a life we’ve shared as cousins and friends.

And I love the friends I’ve made through blogging, near and far.

But mostly near. Because there are amazing ladies I’ve met through blogging who actually live near me, and we’ve had the joy of investing in each other’s lives face-to-face. You know who you are, #bigdealmoms!

So when I leave a blogging conference and everyone is all mushy-gushy about how much they miiiiiiissss each other and how they’re going through withdrawal, the cynical jerkwad in me just can’t buy it. Maybe it’s just because I’m fortunate enough to have people. I’ve got cousins and brothers and sisters-in-law and really wonderful friends, real-live in-the-flesh people. And as much as I love the blogging community, it’s my girlfriend down the street that I want to be mushy-gushy about. The one who watches my kids when I’m in a pinch or helps me clean my house before my kid’s birthday party, and vice versa. The one who knows my crap, sees me lookin’ like a hobo, and tells me I’m ok when I think I’m losing my mind. It’s those people, my family and my friends that I love like family, that I want to embrace and be joyful with every time I see them. Even if I just saw them yesterday.

So, there, I said it.

Let the ones you’re with, be the ones you love. And love the crap out of them!

March 10, 2011March 9, 2011

The Holy Grail of minivans.

(I stole this picture from Cortney for reasons that will soon be apparent).

For the past almost-12 weeks, I have been shoving three kids, and consequently three car seats, in the back of my car. Now I have made no secret about the fact that I love my ol’ Lexus with over 300,000 miles on it, but even when it was brand new in 1994, it wasn’t made to haul three kids!

I. NEEEEEEEEEEED. a minivan.

{so badly!}

And this spring, Bobby and I WILL be purchasing one. That’s right, we have saved our pennies and we are jonesin’ for a van! The search is ON!

Since I am quite the Toyota fan, I was really excited to get the opportunity to test drive the 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE a couple of weeks ago.

And now, I have a Sienna-shaped HOLE in my heart. Oh my word. It. was. AMAZING!

Unfortunately, the day it was delivered to my house, Joshua came down with is first-ever ear infection. So, I did not get to do a lot of “joy riding”. Therefore this post is not filled with cute photos of my kids boppin’ around in it. 🙁 BUT, I did get to take it to the pediatrician, the pharmacy, and the preschool drop-off and pickup. And since I had all THREE kids because of Joshua being home sick, this van was a life-saver. You see, normally having to shove all three kids in the back of my car and get Sophie to preschool and get them all back OUT of the car would have been a majorly stressful ordeal. But with the Sienna’s keyless entry and power doors, it was a SNAP. I mean, easy as pie. It was ree-donkulously wonderful!

I NEED a smart key and power doors. NEED NEED NEED!

Another really convenient features of the Sienna are the rear seats are super-easy to lay down and put back up. I am pretty much terrible at all things of this nature and I could do it easily. So you could say it’s idiot-proof!

I also really, really enjoyed the touch screen on the dash. Navigation, music, a CAMERA that shows you what’s behind you when you are in reverse – wow! It’s all there! And there are so many more technical gadgets on this car. I connected my iPod touch via bluetooth – didn’t even have to plug it in (although I certainly could’ve via USB port to charge it and listen if I wanted to). There’s a real electrical plug, a totally unbelievable widescreen DVD player with wireless headphones, and you can even hook up your Wii and play it on the road!! How awesome would that make road trips??

Oh, and did I mention it drives like a dream? Oh my goodness. It dumped snow on us the Friday of the week I was driving the Sienna, and I had an early-morning appointment (which is of course, precisely WHY it snowed.) The roads were really not good, but the Sienna handled them perfectly. It was definitely the most stable I have ever felt driving in the snow. Ouch. My heart is hurting just thinking about it again. The Sienna is now My Precious.

So here’s the deal. I am going to buy a van. I don’t yet know what it will be, but I know what I want it to be – a Toyota Sienna. It’s the dream van, man. If you’re in the market, you’ve GOT to test-drive one!

I LOVE the Toyota Sienna, so I linked this up to Things I love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries. Head on over to see what everyone else loves!

March 7, 2011

Up & Out

Since I had baby Jonah, it’s been quite a dance getting both he and Sophie ready in the mornings before I take Sophie to school Monday-Thursday. Sophie has to be there at 9:25, and I always try to leave the house by 9:10 even though it only takes 7 or 8 minutes to get there. See, I have this “thing” about being late. I HATE it, and it makes my blood pressure skyrocket if I think I am going to be late. SO. We try to be ready a wee bit early in the mornings “just in case”. This has resulted in me having to drive around the block a few times when we get to school, but it has pretty much worked out.

This morning, my anal-retentive need to be early REALLY paid off! Because when I picked Jonah up out of his bouncy seat to put him in his car seat, he had pooped through his clothes up to his shoulders. (My first thought was, well THIS is what I get for daring to take the time to eat breakfast and put on makeup! FOOL!)

Emergency!! Diaper change AND clothes change at the last minute! Plus I still had to get Sophie in her coat, hat, mittens, etc. Eep! Fortunately there was a laundry basket with clean clothes unfolded in the dining room (yes! my slacker housekeeping pays off!) so I didn’t have to run upstairs and dig through his drawers for an outfit.

I stripped him, gave his back, shoulders, and nether-regions a baby wipes bath, and got him changed and dressed. Then popped him in his car seat and got Sophie ready to go.

We were in the car by 9:14.

Shew! {wipes forehead}.

Oh, crap. (Pun intended.) I just remembered I still have his poop-covered clothes sitting out! Yikes! Umm…gotta go!