Well played murphy well played

Last time I returned home from a visit at my folks I had ants in my pants.

Or more specifically ants, TONS of them, in my underwear drawer after they found my stash of dash-2's potty treats, dum dum lollipops.

This time I thought I had a handle on things. I no longer keep any stashes of food in my underwear drawer and well, what else could go wrong. Ha, how stupid of me to even wonder. I returned home this afternoon to find it raining.

IN MY CENTER HALLWAY

In case there is anyone out there who needs clarification, rain should be on the outside of ones house, not in their center hallway. And certainly not coming from a bathroom pipe by way of the ceiling.

Imagine my surprise as I drop the mail on the table only to notice simultaneously an odd musty smell and a strange whooshing sound.

Good times, good times.

More frustrations were piled on when you add in the following factors,
-of course flyboy is not around
-I skipped a shower this morning to take a nice refreshing one in my own shower this evening
-I don't have any water
-I couldn't go over to my friends house to shower as she so nicely offered because the "handyman" who was coming to check out the mess was 2 hours late
-dash-1 has school in the morning and then we must go to base to take care of tricare stuff so even if the water gets turned on before tomorrow night (which see below to see why it probably wont) I'll have to run my errands looking like a hot mess
and finally
-it would appear that we have the B team working on getting this mess fixed.

Really murphy, I'd rather have had the ants.

What every good blogger needs

I know a couple of other bloggers have posted about this but I'm gonna jump on the bandwagon as well. You know what every good blogger needs?

An email address linked to their blog and linked to their profile.

I know a lot of bloggers out there who like to respond to comments left on their post, especially when the person leaves a funny comment or a compliment that is just begging for a witty response.

And nothing is worse then when I hit reply and the no reply address comes up.

(Insert sad face here)

It's super simple and if you aren't comfortable with using your personal email its, again to use the phrase, super simple to set up an account thru yahoo or something with an email just for the ole blogaroo. And then to add it on in your profile section.

Who knows you may get to know other bloggers better and if nothing else, you'll probably get an email or two from me.

That makes it totally worth it doesn't it?

you cant stop some things

I love my husband.

You know its going to be a good post when it starts out like that don't you?

But seriously my husband amuses me, he's got a thing about the kids getting sick. A thing as in he treats it as some indication of our parenting and or cleanliness.

Sometimes I think this is because his experience with kids is limited to the three that live in our house and he's not the one with them 24/7 to experience kids being kids.

And by that I mean kids being friggin germ magnets. You can NOT keep them away from germs or germs away from them. Impossible.

Well there was that boy in the bubble....

Now to his defense we do have some concerns when it comes to germies, dash-2 gets a cold and its just a cold, dash-1 gets a cold and it becomes a two week ordeal with his asthma kicking in and that whole mess. Not to mention the fact that he can't get vaccinated for the flu because of the egg allergy and the last time he got the flu he was sick for weeks and ended up with an all expense paid stay at Walter Reed.

He has suggested that this year to stave off the sickness I could mop the floors every other day in our house, our rather spacious all wood floor farm house.

Yeah sign me up for that.

Again to our defense if he was around he would probably do it. In fact I know he would.

However the pure fact of the matter is that with three small kids on my own, I probably wont get to the floors much.

But I will make sure to feed and water them so that has to count for something.

I know that shoes have germs on them, but for the most part we take our shoes off when we come inside. Cause I know some of you are out there thinking "Wow he's on to something". I know he's got some validity to his point, but again, it ain't gonna happen.

While he's been away I've been thinking about this, with humor of course. I understand why kids get sick. Before having kids I worked with kids. I know what they do, I know how icky they can be.

However having kids has totally enlightened me.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that mopping the floors at home isn't going to help a whole lot if one kid is licking the walmart cart and the other is sitting, touching the floor at the checkout.

Not to mention the nose picking. And the sneezing on each other in line at school.

Or fishing a toy out of the toilet. Or perhaps their fathers toothbrush. Which by the way he is still not keeping out of dash-2's reach.

Oh or remember this incident?

I'm all for hand washing, especially with a new baby we do it all the time and if I could cover the boys with purell I would, but I can't. If there are germs out there my kids will find them. Trust me I want nothing more for them to stay germ free. Not only do I hate to see them sick but well, it makes my life so much easier when they are healthy.

But mopping the floor cant undo licking a walmart cart. Not all the mopping in the world can undo that.

Need a good book? AND A GIVEAWAY!

In my dream world I am sitting on a white sand beach or a crystal clear pool, lounging in the sun, sipping a fruity drink with an umbrella in it brought to me by some cute pool boy named Jose. Nice huh?

In my actual world, I am sitting in the yard with the only water being the splash from the water ballons tossed at my feet and rather then a fruity drink its a coke and in the absence of a pool boy I have two boys bringing me bugs.

But I did have a great book to read. One that was just as perfect in my actual world as it would have been in my dream world. And quite frankly friends, I love a good book. A lot. I love a book that I don't want to put down, I just get absorbed in the characters and drive my dear husband crazy reading it at all hours of the night.

I should also share my feelings towards Brit Lit. Blah. Yuck, I can do without. I know that sounds small of me. But I'm just being honest with y'all.

When I saw this book, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy, and saw it was a modern take on Pride and Prejudice I had my doubts.

But I also didn't have anything else to read and dash-1's copy of A Diary of a Fly, while adorable wasn't really high on my list.

So I gave it a chance and loved it. Now because I am a brit lit idiot I'll take the cover's word about it being a modern take on a classic. Even if you are a fan of the old stuff, this book is great. The writing is witty and the characters and story line are so well developed.

There is a "stuffy" judge, a flirty lawyer, a love that you're cheering on and hoping will work out, disappointment.... sigh.... all that good stuff. I stink at telling a plot without giving it away. Trust me folks, its good.

The author, Sara Angelini did an incredible job of walking the chick lit line while still having a book with some bite to it. I mean I like chick lit, a lot actually. In fact I'm always defending to flyboy, my need to read a book that I don't have to think during, but this book wasn't as much "fluff" as normal chick lit. And that I found refreshing.

Sigh but then again, I was reading it while looking at dead bugs so hey, take what I say with a grain of salt, this is just my opinion.

But it seems like people are always looking for a good book to read, I know I am, really, its an eternal quest. So if your headed for a little getaway somewhere tropical and sunny or if its a book to read in the lunchroom take this one.

It fits in anywhere, pool boy not required. Damn.

And, for one lucky reader, you'll get a copy of this fantastic book! Who doesn't love a giveaway?

The rules are as always:
* for one entry leave a comment
* for another entry blog about this contest on your blog
* for another entry tweet to your twits about this giveaway
* and for yet another entry all you have to do is follow my blog

This giveaway will be open until Wednesday, September 30 at noon! Good luck!

I'm thankful

All right I was trying to get in a blogging groove but its proving harder then I thought. I thought while I was down at my parents I'd get caught up but lets face it, with three small kids there is always something going on. Or rather someone is always getting into something and at night, well, I'm just pooped. But I do still have a giveaway to do I just need to get a picture of it. So any day.

But today is a special day. Today, 29 years ago, I graced the world with my presences.

After giving birth three times I feel like I should really thank my mother, cripes this day should be more about her then me. Perhaps I should get her some flowers.

Birthdays are great fun after all its a day about you. Well you and everyone else born on that day. And lucky me I get to share today with my very best friend. How many of you all are lucky enough to have a very best friend born the same day as you?

Not many I'm guessing, we're special like that.

Today is going to be a fun day. I wish flyboy were around but he hasn't been home for a birthday since I was 18 so why should the Marine Corps cooperate now? But I have the rest of my posse with me and we shall have fun today.

I know some people get bummed out about their birthdays but I'm not going too. So what I'm getting older? Sure beats the alternative.

Rather then lamenting about being a year older I'm thankful.

Thankful for my fantastic husband, our strong marriage, our amazing boys who are not just smart but delightful little beings.

I'm thankful for being blessed with another year to spend with my family, to get the chance to grow as a better wife and to help guide my children thru their life.

I am thankful for my littlest one and for the peace that he brings to our bunch and for the calm that his breath brings to my heart.

I am thankful that while my days might be filled with poop and spit up that they are also filled with big hugs, little wet kisses, lots of "I love you's" and the best part of the day, bedtime. I am very thankful for bedtime.

I am thankful for my friends, I don't have a whole lot but the ones I have are fantastic and so are my friends in the blog world, and strange as it may seem I consider many of you guys friends.

And now, I must take my thankfulness and go feed my littlest one.

Have a great day everyone, I know I will!

And to my dear penny, HAPPY 29!

The star winner!

And the star winner is.... Ann M!

If only you still were local around my parents, I'm down here with the star and I could have saved on shipping, what a pisser. Oh and I just realized I still have that book for you, again, I'm not working at my full potential lately.

Email me your address again today just so I make sure it goes to the right place and I'll be off to UPS as soon as I get it.

Thanks to everyone who entered and my mother is actually working out a few kinks to perhaps make just the stars to sell them without the frames. Shipping the frames is what pushes it over the edge expense wise but shes looking into making the star portion and people can purchase their own frames so I'll keep you all updated.

Oh and another September giveaway coming today or tomorrow... I just have to take a picture to go with the post.

And more stupidness

Dash 3 had his two week checkup yesterday. All is well, weighing in nicely at 8.11 lbs and 22 inches. He does have a small case of thrush but really its nothing out of the ordinary. For those of you who aren't up on the infant stuff its basically a yeast infection that they can get in their mouth in the way of small white spots on their tongue.

Don't worry he's not foaming yeast out of the mouth or anything.

Since its in his mouth and well he's latched to me every three hours throughout the day (and night) it can be passed back and forth so the ointment he uses I have to use too.

However yesterday I got excellent medical advice from a doctor who was so old I'm pretty sure when he was on active duty he served in the war of 1812. And was old during that war too. Oh and he had a foreign accent so thick I could barely understand him. So there was a lot of me smiling like an idiot just nodding.

Until.

Until he told me to air out my nipples three times a day in sunlight.

Yeah. Lets think about that. Should I just press them up against the window or hang them out? Or better yet I'll just lay in the front yard topless.

The neighbors will love that.

I gave him a strange look, he then noticed my two other children (ahem BOYS) who were being rather obnoxious and asked if I had privacy at home.

HA! I haven't peed alone in 4 1/2 years you think I can air out my nips three times a day?! I'm just going to settle for putting the ointment on them and hoping I don't get thrush. The last thing I need -1 to tell his preschool class is that mommy likes to get some air on her nips.

And he told me to take a 30 min nap daily. That isn't happening either. Actually airing out the nips is more plausible some days then that.

Stupid questions

Just so all you non children people don't think your the only ones who get the obnoxious questions prying into your reproductive habits, we procreating folks get them too.

Last week the boys and I ran out to S@m's club to pick up some fruit. Since I am feeding 1 Marine and two little boys we need to buy our produce in bulk but back to the story.

As I was checking out the cashier asked if dash-3 was a boy or girl. He was wearing a blue onesie and had a blue and brown blanket over him but since it's my third kid I'm not really offended anymore. Here's the conversation:

her "Oh how cute! How old?"

me "Ummm, five days, no four days, no no I was right the first time, five days."

her "Adorable, is it a he or a she?"

me, "He's a he."

her "Oh my you have three boys? Are you going to try for a girl?"

I swear you could hear crickets chirping while I just looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.

Umm hello?! Not to be too graphic but I still have stitches healing in a place that one should not have stitches and you want to know if I'm popping anymore out right now? This little one is DAYS old, Christ give me a chance to get to the point when I can go to the bathroom without wincing and I'll get back to you.

See folks, we get it too.

It's back to normal

Life is going back to normal around here.

I'm back into pants that actually have a button and a zipper on them and are completely absent of any elastic, I only have a couple pounds to go till I'm back at my pre-pregnancy weight (although I should go lower, sigh), and it would seem that we are settling into some sort of rhythm and routine.

Even if that routine is just survival.

And on today life really goes back to normal, back to the military normal of flying solo. Flyboy went back to work after baby leave this weekend (yes working on a weekend doesn't that suck) but of course, it isn't just going back to work, he's going back to work flyboy style, gone for five days, home for two, gone for a couple weeks.


Like I said, life is going back to normal. And I just want to cry.


I'm sure some of it is hormonal, having a baby isn't just physical work, your poor psyche goes thru the ringer too, but its more then that. This is the longest he's been home this year, about five or six weeks. And its been great. He's here to play with the boys, help with the discipline, back me up so I don't cave.... as much... and ladies... HE'S POTTY TRAINING DASH-2! It's also meant having someone to laugh with and hang out with, to sit in the yard and eat ice cream cones as a whole family, enjoy the quiet together once the kids are asleep.

It's been nice. Really nice.

And it's made me realize how hard this lifestyle can be sometimes. How much we just go thru the motions of the comings and goings, how it becomes our own kind of normal, of course its a kinda normal that is shared with so many other military families.

Last night was rough. The boys have obviously also gotten used to having daddy around, bedtime was a bitch, dash-1 was crying in his room about daddy leaving again. It wore on flyboy who was trying to get his things together to go into the field. You could tell he was pissed at himself when he shouldn't be and as a mom my heart was also breaking.

It's not huge long chunks of time, but obviously our kids are getting to be aware enough of the pattern that's going back into effect, daddy is here and then gone, repeat, repeat, repeat. It's tough.

I always joke that I don't know what life will be like when flyboy isn't flying anymore, when we live together like a "normal" family, when five or six weeks together at a time isn't some huge monumental time together. I worry that he'll drive me crazy and vice versa. Well ya know what, I think we'll like it.

A lot.

Another giveaway!!

I am losing all concept of what day it is. In fact the days are starting to run together, but that happens when your hanging out with a super cutie at 1 am (and 3 am and 5 am, etc, etc). I didn't realize until I turned on the news today that its September 11th.

Now the day is called Patriot day and in honor of our patriots I'm doing another star giveaway.

I have another beautifully stitched, quilted, and framed service star. Again for those of you who aren't familiar with the DoD service star you can get some info here.

I would type it all out in a lovely story for you but if I'm late picking up my little one from his first day of pre-k he'll be in therapy for years.

Anyways, this star is beautiful and of course, handmade by my momma because well, I might be wordy but sewing talented I am not. And I know my limitations.

It's in a beautiful five pointed blue star surrounded by the traditional red border in a very lovely 15 x21 inch frame. And don't worry, shipping is on me. Or rather on flyboy. But he's cool about this blogging giveaway stuff. I'm so lucky to have him.

Back to the giveaway. As always rules are simple, because well I can't handle complicated right now.

To enter just leave a comment.

For a second entry blog about this on your blog. I'd really like to get the word out there to as many military moms and military wives as possible.

For a third entry put a tweet out there that the mrs. is having an awesome military giveaway!

And like last time leave a comment per entry that made it so much easier.

The giveaway will be open until Friday September 18th at noon. good luck!

Winner!

Sorry it took me a few days to get to the giveaway drawing for Alpha Bravo Charlie. I've been a touch on the busy side.

Dash-2 did the drawing and Stephanie over at Planned Improvisation was the winner! I sent you an email, if you didn't get it then you can just forward your info tryingourbest (at) yahoo.

I'll be posting another giveaway tomorrow and who knows maybe an actual post one of these days.

The easy part is over

You know birthing really is the easy part. I mean really, squeezing another human being, an 8 lb one at that, is just a warm up.

Got to be honest, I'm not too worried about being outnumbered now. Let's face it, most of the time flyboy is away so I was already out numbered. Really, toss one more on the pile, shoot my sanity was eroded a long time ago.

The Marine Corps has been kind enough to help that along.

But now that I'm home wowza..... there is potty training to keep working on, which essentially means trying to stop a certain small one from being on the carpet or couch, school to get ready for with allergy stuff to get together and explaining to -1 that there is more education needed in life then that of nursery school.

There are still baby supplies to be bought because well, I was draggin my feet before hand and now I cant find any burp cloths...pads....milk bags...wipes.....

There is sleep to try to be had.

Little ones to give extra love and comfort too.

Laundry to be done, lots of that. Remember the whole potty training, new baby thing. Lots of laundry.

Grocery shopping and some cleaning since the inlaws are headed to town soon.

And of course, blogs to read and write. LOTS to read.

Flyboy has his baby leave which is very nice, but there is the reminder that when his vacay is over real life, real military life, is going to kick start. He's got trips on the board and come a bit over a week big mama is going to be flying solo.

Well, I suppose I'm never really solo. That is the nice thing about my life, there is always someones hand to hold, cheek to kiss, arms to wrap around, love to be given and love to be received.

Oh and butt to wipe. There is always a butt to wipe.

Another September birthday!

September is no longer merely the birth month of the mrs. it's also the birth month of Dash-3!

The flyboy family is very excited to announce that we have a newest crew member, pardon the cheesy pun, sometimes they just write themselves.

Born September 1st at 12:35pm weighing 8lbs 2 ounces and stretching out 21 inches.

He's a very handsome boy, nice smooth skin, light hair that will only get blonder and blue eyes that will only get bluer, just like his brothers. He also seems to have a very nice calm manner about him. Although we are only 24 hrs into this so really the screaming could start at any point. I lucked out with a super easy labor, a tad over three hours start to finish with mere minutes of pushing.

When I get home and get situated I'll figure out who won the baby pool and of course, post more pictures.

Hmmmm... September is shaping up to be a fine month. But now I'll have to come up with a giveaway from him so that he can celebrate his month... maybe a pacy or something.

**EDIT** I'm gonna pick two winners of the baby pool because, well, if I can push human life out of me then I can pick two winners. Casey for guessing the EXACT date and weight and JLS for guessing the time and darn near the weight. If you could both send me your address and give me some time to figure out what to send.

If you hurry me you might get one of the older dash boys.

Alpha Bravo Charlie - Giveaway!

Giveaway time! This month I wanted to host a couple of different giveaways to drag out the celebration of my birthday at the end of the month. Around these here parts September shall be known as the month of the mrs.

I figure if I give away free stuff I can be a tad on the obnoxious side about my birthday.

Ya know, bribe you all to just smile and nod.

But seriously, I have some good stuff in store... or at least I think its good stuff, because the point of this month is to giveaway stuff that I really like.

The first is a great kids book, perfect for military kiddos. I wish I could take credit for this great find but I can't I must give credit where credit is due. My sister saw this at her school's book fair and new right away my boys would love it. And love it they do. So much in fact that I ordered a copy to giveaway!Try to see past the Air Force jets on the cover, this book includes all the branches, even a Coast Guard boat or ship or whatever they call those things. The book is a pretty clear cut, you know, C for Charlie and c-130, D for Delta and a Navy Destroyer, E for Echo and paratroopers egressing from said c-130, you get the point.

A quick read, but lots of fun to flip thru with the kiddos. My boys love to read it at night. So much so we brought it home from grandma's with us after our last visit.

Even if you don't have kids you should still enter, this is one of those great hardback books to put on the shelf for the time that you do have little military brats, or give it away as a gift. I'm not above regifting people.

But don't worry, not all my giveaways are kid related.

As always the rules to enter are simple
- for one entry just leave a comment
- for another entry follow this blog
- for yet another entry mention this giveaway on your blog
- and for yet another entry tweet about my wonderful giveaway on twitter

and if you could, leave separate comments for each entry. It's just easier on my feeble mind.

This giveaway will be open till Tuesday, September 8 at noon! Good luck!