Colorful chaos!

4.) Write a blog post inspired by the word: leaves

 

 

 

Leaves

Colorful chaos

floating down

Autumn crashes in

Winter waits

lurking in the shadows

whilst Spring bides

her time

Summer memories

drift

in the falling

Leaves

Now I Know!

  A much overdue blog post on my behalf.....what better way to jump back in than to answer one of Mama Kat's writing prompt...so here it goes....    

1.) Share something your child taught YOU about parenting.

Today, August 29th, is my Mom's 85th Birthday.  It has been a very hard year for her and for all of us. She had several falls and broke her hip.  She will never walk again.  Some days are better than others but she has alzheimers and sometimes doesn't know who I am.  She is on hospice and we do not know how much time we have left to be with her.  You may be asking "What does this have to do with the prompt?"  Well, what I now know, thanks to my children, is to completely and whole heartedly THANK my Mom for what she did for us.  I now know how hard it is to be a Mother and how much you give of yourself for your children.   I understand all that my Mother would say to us because I am now living her life, although I just have two children and my Mom raised four of us.  I now know to THANK my Mom for the countless loads of laundry she did, the millions of meals lovingly made, and taking us to our multitude of activities... sports, scouting, dance, recitals, school.  I think it takes our own children to finally have the appreciation and understanding of what our parents experienced.. both the good and the bad.  I also know that childhood goes by in a blink of an eye and suddenly you are all grown up raising kids of your own.  I hope that my children will have the wonderful, carefree childhood that my Mom provided us.  Someday, their children, my grandkids, will teach them what I now know.

 

 

Dear Blog...

Dear Blog,

              I am here to apologize to you.  It's been soooooo long since I last wrote a post.  Excuses, excuses...yes I have plenty of those.  Illness for me and then my Mom deteriorating big time.  A major fall for her, and 3 week hospitalization right before Christmas.  Alzheimers.  It sucks.  Imagine your very own Mom forgetting who you are.  Calling you and others, including my Dad, other names.  Sometimes I'm Barbara.  My Dad "Andy" is George and now Jack.  Upon putting my Mom back to bed one morning.. she looked at me and asked "Who are you?".  I told her my name... spelling it out A... N... N...E but it didn't register.  Then there are the hallucinations/dreams that are so real to her but nonsensical to us.   I'm sure the aides must think she is living a wild life.  Stories of parties and a train wreck she was just in.  Didn't I hear about it??? It was all over the news.  Smile, nod and redirect.  Reassure.  Did I mention... it really sucks?  Memory snatcher, stealer... no good cheat... give her back I yell... I scream... I cry! 
             So, my blog... again I am sorry I haven't written.  Somehow my heart isn't into it.  My heart isn't into much these days.  I am in the "sandwich" generation.  Trying my best to take care of my family... both my own and my parents.  And there I am in between...the peanut butter trying to hold it all together without falling to pieces.  
             Hope to write more.  But I make no promises.  No New Years resolutions.  Just each day.  Getting through each day.  It's the best I can do for now.
                                                                                             Love,  A... N... N...E....

Ode to My Dish Washer!

 It's been awhile but I'm back for Vlog Talk.  For this weeks prompt I'm going with #3 Vlog a tribute to your favorite appliance, so I wrote an Ode To My Dish Washer.  Now... please don't be jeaolous ladies!!  LOL  

   

A Hoarding I Will Go....

Got to get out of my Writer's Block( ahem... procrastination!)The kids have been home the whole effin summer, then had an earthquake the first day of school followed by Hurricane Irene and two days off school without power....aghhhhh.  Now I hope to get back into the swing of things:)

One of Mama Kat's brilliant prompts for this week is:  If you were going to be a hoarder, what kind of hoarder would you be?  What would you hoard or what do you think people would say you would hoard?

Well ......it could be wine.  But I drink it all so really I'm not hoarding it.  Or chocolate but the same goes for that too.  Let me give you a hint:  you can have it with scones... or with the Queen of England, put your pinkie up, add cream and sugar, ______ and bisquits, ______ for two and two for ______.   If you guessed tea.... you are absolutely correct!  Sadly I can't pass by on ALL those neat flavors I find at the store.  The problem is most of them end up tasting horrible IMO but I keep them around forever (you never know when the Queen may stop by for a visit!)  and it drives my husband crazy. 

Some of the crazy flavors I have accumulated include:

Jasmine Pearls

Green & Ginseng Tea Blend

Eggnogg'n

Cinnamon Stick

Plantation Mint

Earl Grey Green

Harney & Sons Holiday Tea

Pomegranate Rasberry Green Tea

Green Tea with citrus

100% Green Tea

Spice Chai Latte

Vanilla/Ginger Spice

Cranberry Ginseng

Happy Tummy

Lipton

Rasberry Green tea

Chamomile Mint

& Spiced Ciders

So if you are really hankering for a good ol' cup o' tea.... you now know where to find one.  I may not be entertaining the Queen but I'll treat you like royalty... especially if you vote for me (see below).  THANK YOU!

http://baltimore.blogger.cbslocal.com/most-valuable-blogger/vote/lifestyle/

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

http://baltimore.blogger.cbslocal.com/most-valuable-blogger/vote/lifestyle/

The kids are officially back in school and I survived yet another summer!  I'm singing a song and it goes like this "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!"  Yippee, Hurray, Woot Woot!  You get the picture.  I'm hoping I'm not the only Mom out there feeling this way.  If not, then I'm a BAD Mom. Shame on me!!!

So as I said... I survived another summer!  I use the word survived because by the time the kids go back to school I feel like I've been through Armageddon.  My house is a total war zone and the damage is immense.  I don't know where to begin putting it back together.  What to do? What to do?  So I'm figuring out my first day alone in too many days to even count and here are some of my choices:

Massive amounts of laundry   OR   bons bons and pink fuzzy slippers?

Clean/organize the disaster area (kids rooms!)  OR  Calgon take me away?

Reassemble the playroom/basement  OR  Be a couch potato and watch my favorite shows?

Figure out what is lurking in the piles of mail/bills/etc. of the office OR Sip (ok chug) wine on the back porch?

Take the poor neglected doggie for a much needed walk OR Catch a catnap with the cat?

Oh my......the choices are endless!   What would you do?  Help me out here!  I know what I'd rather be doing but somehow picking that which would please me most is ruined by the immense amount of guilt I would feel!  The Catch 22 of Motherhood!

Well folks....I'm heading into the war zone for now but don't be surprised if I end the day in pink fuzzy slippers, sipping a cocktail while lounging in front of the boob tube.  And if I do, please don't judge me.   I need a day of rest and relaxation before the onslaught of homework, assignments, endless school forms and after school activities start.  One battle survived.. a new one coming.  Comrades...wish me luck!

Mad About Mad Libs!

Mama Kat's World Famous Writer's Workshop. Notice I took out the Pretty Much because despite her modesty I think it's fair to say in the blogging world Kat is World Famous.

Without further ado...I will promptly address prompt 4.) Share a favorite craft or game that will keep your kids busy for at least 20 minutes.

I have to tell you that my kids are drawn to a game that I loved as a kid (heck I love it as an adult). It is super silly, educational (must know your verbs, adverbs, adjectives, nouns, plural nouns), can be played anywhere (great for car rides, camping, sleepovers and more) and it's guaranteed to make you giggle. Yes.. we are Mad about Mad Libs. The Mad Lib topics are endless. A few that have crossed out path are: Mad Libs on the Road, Pirates Mad Libs, Dinosaur Mad Libs, Mad Libs For President, Night of the Living Mad Libs, Cool Mad Libs, Goofy Mad Libs, Off The Wall Mad Libs, and Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, MAD LIBS.

Forget just 20 minutes.. we've had hours of fun with this game. Plus if you remember to use a pencil.. you can erase... and reuse over and over creating new silly stories.

For your reading pleasure I've included a Mad Lib clip:
*Warning: gross body parts and bodily functions are always a big hit with the younger crowd.


Hawaii, A Must Visit

Whether it's exploring coral boogers at the bottom of the Pacific heinie or teeing up for a game of cloud on a championship cake, Hawaii is nature's paradise. Everywhere in this tropical underwear, there is beauty for the toes to behold. Nowhere else in the world will you find such meanly elegant hotels nestled between majestic black mountains and tranquil waters. Hawaii should be at the top of your bike if you desire a romantic poke away or need to experience the thrill of deep sign fishing or just want to bask in the sun on the grumpy sands of the finest pretzels in existence. That's why three out of four diapers agree that Hawaii is a must for the best vacation for every member of your winkie (what the kids call boy's privates).


So if you're looking for some fun play some Mad Libs... or head to Hawaii to explore coral boogers or to get away for a romantic poke!