Weekend Recap

Friday
Today I was hoping for some me time, but it did not go as planned. I took myself and my book to lunch at Sola's pizza, so yummy! While I was at lunch I received a phone call from the doctor that since Bubs had not passed his hearing tests that he was being referred to the audiologist. They thought it made the most sense to reschedule his ENT appointment for his chronic strep throat to be able to see the audiologist too. It is nice that I will only have to make one trip, but it did push his appointment back a month. When I finished eating I received a phone call from my SIL and MIL looking for my mister. His aunt was going to be removed from her ventilator and they wanted us to know. My heart breaks for his family. I wish I could have been there to give them big hugs.

On my way home I stopped to pick up my new prescription that is supposed to help slow down my hair loss. The pharmacist told me to take it immediately (3:30 p.m.) and that it would cause an increase in energy and I may have trouble sleeping. All future doses are to be taken in the morning. He was wrong about the increase in energy, but was not wrong with the sleeping. I didn't fall asleep until 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning! Ugh

I picked up a Starbucks Refresher and headed to the nail salon to get a pedicure. I got phone calls from 2 of my kids and my mister while I was sitting there. I should have silenced my phone, ha! I headed home to start getting dinner ready before I had to leave to pick up Lil Mama for the rest of the weekend. Ran around to softball practice, went home made dinner, picked up Mini from softball and then dropped her back off at home before I headed to my Board meeting. What a busy day. It is supposed to rain all weekend...bummer!

Saturday
3 hours of sleep is all I got today! I thought for sure that since it was storming all night and that all the football games had been canceled that soccer would be as well. I was wrong. We left at 7:30 a.m. to get to the fields, everyone was there and ready to rock! The rain took a break and held off until we were driving home from his game, which I was grateful for! I got back to the house and did Lil Mama's nails and we watched Paw Patrol before she laid down for her nap. I power napped on the couch for 20 minutes and then got ready for the night!

If you have never been to an Escape room I highly recommend that you check it out. I had so much fun! I went with my best friend, her husband, and another couple to celebrate Mel's birthday. It was a surprise put together by her husband, so sweet! My Mister had to work so he wasn't able to join since we would be an hour away.

The escape room was like a scene from the movie Saw, kinda creepy. We had 60 minutes to escape and we managed to do it with 5 minutes and 51 seconds to spare! We didn't think we would seeing as how it took us 40 minutes to figure out how to unhand-cuff ourselves from each other! After we were freed we went out for sushi. I have never eaten sushi before in my life! I am not an adventurous eater by any means, but I thought what the heck let's give it a try. It was a vegetable only sushi and it wasn't that bad. I ordered veggie fried rice for dinner and it was delicious! With a full belly I said goodbye and made the hour drive back to the Cities to meet my husband at his friends house for the fights. I don't really understand how it all works but it was nice to hang out with good company and get a bit of a break.

Sunday
Man oh man did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning! The day started crappy and no matter what I tried I wasn't able to pull it together. I was woken before 8:00 a.m. by Lil Mama who was up and ready for the day. I turned on cartoons and made her breakfast. It was probably about 2 hours later that I kept hearing this weird banging sound so I went to investigate as I realized I hadn't seen the cats since the day before. Sure enough they were both locked up in Bean's room. I don't know how long they had been there, but it was awhile. They went to the bathroom all over her room and tried to dig their way out, which destroyed the carpet. The kids were playing in her room (like they weren't supposed to) and shut the door locking the cats inside. I spent the remainder of the morning cleaning her carpets and washing her clothing and bedding so it would be done before she got back from her dad's house for softball.

I laid Lil Mama down for a nap before softball and put dinner in the crockpot. The girls play for a travel fall ball team so they have double headers on Sundays, crockpot meals are a lifesaver for days like these! We get to the field and I lugged all of our stuff to the field. Lil Mama was wiping mud on my bag I had just purchased with my birthday money and as I went to put it inside another bag to keep it clean I got hit on top of the head by a foul ball. Oh em gee! It hurt so bad! I had a nice goose egg on the crown of my head. Next thing I know the lightening sirens go off and we have to clear the field for 30 minutes and the sky opens up and starts pouring on us. I try to get Lil Mama and all of our belongings back to the van without losing my mind because my head was hurting. I finally load it all back into the van and the rain stops and they decide to resume play. *sigh* back across the fields I go.

The girls played well today. Bean kept getting hit by pitches and Mini was making some amazing plays on the field. They won their first game and lost their second. Other than the foul ball to my head it was a good time.

We got home and our garage door wouldn't shut. That was my final straw for the day. I threw in the towel and just wanted to make it through the day until bed time. Lil Mama got picked up by her mom about 10:00 p.m. I submitted my meeting Minutes and called it a day.

Life gets crazy and chaotic at times, but it is very beautiful and I am very grateful for my life and all the wonderful people in it.

Until next time,

xoxo

Power Struggle

I don't really remember much of my childhood and my teenage years. I have many memories of both, of course, but the memories are of significant things that happened not the mundane every day life things. I know that I was a difficult teenager and I don't know how my parents survived, but they did, and that gives me some hope.

There is always a power struggle between parents and their child(ren). The child(ren) wants to be able to express themselves, use their voice, and be in control of their life. Parents, on the other hand, have a job to do with raising them and a certain way they want to do it. Of course we want our child(ren) to express themselves, find their voice and make their own choices. However, we want them to do it on our terms. 

It seems to me the older the kids get the more they want to push back against me and stand on their own two feet. However, they aren't at a place yet where they are willing to accept the consequences of their actions. They want to do things when and how they want, but when it doesn't work out like they thought it would it must be someone else's fault. No responsibility is taken by them for their choice; instead they make excuses and point blame everywhere but where it belongs. 

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt that is exactly how I behaved as a teenager. I know my parents, especially my father, preached about owning up and taking responsibility for ourselves. I can only speak for myself, but I do know that I was pretty good at taking ownership of my actions. I am not perfect and neither are my kids. This is something that I need to remind myself of from time to time.

The power struggle between a stepparent and their stepchild(rent) is at a very different level than that of a biological relationship. I am a custodial stepmom, which means my step kids live with us full time and I am a key player in how they're being raised and their daily well being. While I do all the same things for my step kids that I do my biological kids, I am constantly reminded that I am nothing more than a stepmom. When, where, how did being a stepmom become such a negative thing? I love and care for these kids every single day. The expectations are that I do all of the work that a "real" mom does, but get none of the respect. I get it, life's not fair, but damn is it ever frustrating.

Anyway, just some food for thought.

Until next time,

xoxo

Monday Mumblings

When I had a life outside of my home I would dread Mondays like everyone else, but now I have no real feelings about it. My Mondays usually consist of piles of laundry, creating my to do list for the week, and decorating my planner. I fell of the gym wagon and I need to get back on it and soon! I am feeling frumpy again so the sooner I get back into my routine the better. 

Last week I read "The Girl on the Train" and it was amazing! This week I am reading "The Gift of Fear" and I have only managed to get through one chapter so far. I've had this book now for over a year, as I got it from the instructor of the Self Defense class that my girls and I took. I know it is a book that I will get a lot out of. 

Christmas is only a few weeks away at this point and I've got nothing done. We brought the tree in from the garage, but it has been sitting in it's box for over a week now. It's on my list for this week so I hope that I can get it before the weekend. We are doing the Four Rules of Christmas (Want, Need, Wear, and Read) this year for our kids and they've been working on their lists. I am really excited to see what they will be asking for. I hope that they are putting some good thought into it. The Mister and I will also be doing this for each other, including a stocking for us this year as well! I have had a really hard time coming up with ideas for my list. There isn't anything I can think of that I really want. I did put down a Rose Gold Apple Watch, because I think it is beautiful, but it is not realistically in our budget. I find that the older I get the less things I can think of that I want. It may be because if I need really need something I just go and buy it. Who knew it making a wish list could be so stressful?! 

The boys had their first ever wrestling tournament over the weekend. They both did a wonderful job and they both placed 2nd! I am so proud of them. They have a home wrestling tournament next weekend and we are required to volunteer at it. I received an email today that said if you didn't volunteer they would charge you $200. Ummm what?! I absolutely think that is crap! We parents already spend a lot of money for our kids to participate in these activities and then we are going to get charged an insane amount of money if we don't volunteer? I didn't sign a contract that said I agreed to this, so I'm not sure that they could enforce it. However, I don't want my kids kicked out of this club because of it. I feel that this information should be provided at registration. Anyway, enough about that. 

The last couple of days have been rough on me emotionally. Adulting is so hard sometimes and I don't always deal with it well. Between hormones, the first anniversary of the death of my aunt, and the missed communications between me and the Mister I just want to curl up on the couch and cry. I won't...or maybe I will...I don't know. I do know that sometimes a good cry makes you feel better. 

I spend too much time in my head so I come here to write and then I feel like I can't get it all out like I want. 

Today makes 4 weeks until I go back to school! I am so excited to do be doing something for me. 

These Monday night football games lately have been so intense! Game is almost over so I'm signing off and heading to bed. 

Until next time, 

xxoo