Category: Junk Drawer

Dec. 1st: This isn’t just a post, it’s your present.

~ Lenore Diane ~ 1 Comment
Triplet Mom's sister, Me and Triplet Mom (pre-kids) in the Spring of 1988. Oh, it's Triplet Mom's sister's birthday, too. They are twins. Funny how that works - sharing the same birthday and all.

My dream? To be featured on WordPress’ Freshly Pressed. The dream of others? To be featured in my post. Huh? What? Is that wrong? Your dream, I mean? Well, I was hoping at least someone I knew wanted to be featured in my post. Because, Ms. Mom to triplets and a singleton, this is your post!

No, I’m kidding. I won’t talk about you throughout my entire post. However, on December 1st, I always remember two things: 1.) World AIDS Day and 2.) your birthday, which happens to be your 40th one. So, remember, Ms. Mom to triplets and a singleton, AIDS is preventable. If you have sex, practice safer sex; and, if you use needles, don’t share needles! Oh, and happy 40th birthday!

World AIDS Day 2010 - Take Action and Tackle HIV/AIDS

In other news, the end of this month marks a full year of blogging for me. I am certain all of you are thankful for the words of wisdom I have posted over the 2010 year. My faithful and loyal readers are too many to thank personally. Okay, that’s a lie, and you know that’s a lie. So, I say “Thanks!” to my few, but loyal, fans: Crazy Puppy Lady, Tortey, Triplet Mom, Betty (or is it Veronica?) and Andrea HT. And, I will get around to paying the five of you, I promise.

I am working on my last post of the 2010 year, and I am looking forward to writing during the 2011 year. Whether you feel I’ve junked-up the blogosphere or added quality posts, I’ve enjoyed myself. And, assuming this is not your first time visiting my blog, I further assume you’ve enjoyed yourself, too. A little? Maybe?

With the start of December, a list reviewing the highs and lows of the year start popping up all over the place. The year in review seems to begin the first day of the month, as if there aren’t an additional 30 days to follow. Among the year-end lists comes a list of famous people we’ve lost during the year. Added to the list this week: Leslie Nielsen. “Who are you? How did you get in here?” “I’m a locksmith. And, I’m a locksmith.”

What are some of your top memories of 2010? What are some of your highs and lows from this year? And, if you’ve read several of my posts, which one was your favorite? Which post was your least favorite? If you don’t mind sharing, I’d really like to read what you have to say.

To date, I have received the highest number of hits during the month of March, totaling 901. And yet, the busiest week was in September, with 335 hits during the 37th week of the year. The busiest day took place that week, September 13th, when I received 167 hits. Supposedly, WordPress doesn’t count me hitting myself – hitting my own blog, I mean. If it did, I’d break 100 every day!

Now, I realize me talking stats about my blog may not make for good reading, but I am amazed that I’ve received any hits at all. I mean, aside from the five folks I mentioned earlier, I didn’t expect to break 5 hits in a day, let alone 30. And yet – I get an average of 30 hits a day. OK. Don’t laugh. I am small potatoes, I know. I may not even be a potato. I get that. Still I write. And I will continue to write – for the five of you or the five hundred of you. Hmm… I wonder if I could get five hundred hits in a month. Something to shoot for in 2011, perhaps.

Happy birthday, Ms. Mom to triplets and a singleton! Happy 40th birthday! Have a super dooper day and a magnunderful birthday week! And again, even in your 40s, if you have sex, remember to practice safer sex, and if you use needles, don’t share needles!

The Crazy Behind the Curtain

~ Lenore Diane ~ 5 Comments

Getting up and heading to church on Sundays is something we do more often than not. The morning pace is slow, but we manage to make it to the church on time. The boys go to their Sunday school classes, and Rob and I go to our Sunday school class. This past Sunday was different. We were given the task (honor, really) to light the first candle of the advent season. We were to light the candle during the 9:30 am church service.

Our morning routine was a little more rushed, wanting to look our very best for the congregation. I wanted to make sure the boys wore their pants without holes, and shirts/sweaters that actually matched their pants. On this particular Sunday – socks and sandals would not be acceptable. We were rushing around in an attempt to look like the ‘perfect’ family.

As we were heading to church, I noticed several other cars on the road. And, from what I could see, many of the cars had folks dressed in their ‘Sunday’ best. I reflected back to Thanksgiving, when my niece took a picture of me, Rob and the boys, because the holiday season typically brings with it greeting cards. Many greeting cards. And, many of the greeting cards include a picture of the family. Most pictures show a happy family, smiling beautifully in their best holiday clothes. Or perhaps, the picture was taken at the beach, and they are donning similar outfits – white tops and blue bottoms. Regardless of the pose or the clothes, taking the perfect holiday picture is a ritual for many families. And, wanting to include a picture of our perfect family in our holiday card, I made sure our family took part in the ritual.

Perhaps, if you peel back the curtain in our family you may find: the rushing around the house; the bickering and snapping over this and that, because of this and that; the pull in the pantyhose that leads to a run, because of an attempt to chase the dog off the bed and out of the bedroom, while also trying to get dressed; the grape jelly that falls off the toast and lands on a clean Sunday shirt, as a 4yr old eats while also bouncing in his chair; the glitter glue picture that had to be completed by a 5yr old and ends up in his lap – leaving globs of glue behind on his Sunday pants; etc.

Then again, you may find a perfectly composed family, clean and neat, with freshly washed and pressed clothes, brushed teeth and hair, all smiles and ready to please. Though, as I shake a Magic 8 Ball, I’m not at all surprised to find, “Looks Doubtful.”

What follows is a series of photo mishaps, in the effort of getting the ‘perfect’ shot. Starting with my boys, in a series of pictures where one realizes he is tickling the other to the point of no return. And, I am not including the perfect shots, because really, there is more fun to be had while living in the crazy.

Look. Charlie is a little ticklish.
Charlie is ticklish, Mom.
This is kind of fun!
And, we're done!
While positioning the kids, my friend (and photographer) saw a chance and took it.
How many more pictures do we have to take?!

Be kind, take care of yourself and each other, and make sure you have fun while living in the crazy!

Fat Friday

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:: Prep Time
Today, if you celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday, you may be suffering from a food or family hangover. As we loaded up our car and got ready for the drive to my sister’s house for Thanksgiving, I had to laugh at the grumbling and groaning taking place. So much hustle bustle in preparing for a family function can make for cranky kids and cranky spouses. Once everyone was in the car, I noticed a long period of silence. (Which is no small feat with two boys under the age of 6.) Apparently, we all needed a moment (or five) to decompress from the prep.

Once we reached my sister’s house an hour later, we were all smiles. Happy to be at our destination, we were ready to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. My smile grew wider when my brother arrived. My brother’s drive is shorter, just 5 minutes, which leaves little decompression time. And, based on the facial expression of my brother’s two boys, it seemed as though their family prep time also brought with it some grumbling, groaning and crankiness. Ah, the holidays!

Tonight, some of my siblings are heading to our house. We will enjoy dinner together, and then we’ll head out to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus. We’re all looking forward to it. Although, since folks are coming here – Rob, the boys and I won’t have decompression time after we tackle the family-visiting-prep. Uh-oh.

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The holiday craziness has begun –
‘Tis the season for food, folks and fun.

Shopping, wrapping and baking, too –
The list is long – so much to do.

The family time makes life worth living.
So, enjoy the crazy and thanks keep giving.

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Be kind, and take care of yourself and each other.