The Deception

Over the past couple days, I have been taking part in a deception. My brother made me do it! Of course, then I told Mom! Okay, it wasn't really a bad thing, it was all for a great surprise! To explain this better, I'll have to start a little further back.

Have you watched the musical Hairspray? In the newest version, Queen Latifah sings a song called "Big, Blonde and Beautiful." A couple of months ago, I saw this beautiful black wooden monstrosity at Hobby Lobby and my head instantly began singing the tune with a slight change in words... "Big, black, and beautiful." As a scrapbooker, this piece of furniture was singing out to me, even though I already have a pretty nice scrappin' center. Of course, I knew who would love this craft-it-all setup more than myself... my sister-in-law! I snapped a picture with that handy, dandy, iPhone and emailed it to her right away.

Just as I had suspected, she fell in love with it. However, my brother was not in love with the price tag. I can't say that I blame him one bit. At $999, it was definitely a bigger chunk of change than I had laying around. Hearts were broken, and every time one of us walked into Hobby Lobby we removed a tear before it trickled down our cheeks. Okay, not my brother, by my sister-in-law and I certainly did.

About a week ago, my husband and I were lucky enough to get a sitter for the evening. -- YAY! Thanks Mom! -- Hobby Lobby had scrapbooking adhesives on sale so we had to make a stop. With a few other errands to run, we went to the HL that was closest to our destination. When we walked through the door, there it was again in all it's glory. Only this time... wait! What does the extra price tag tacked on to it say? It's on closeout for $339?!? Not possible! I snapped a photo of the price tag and promised I'd be making a phone call as soon as we left the store.

Upon exiting HL, I made good on my promise. A voicemail was left. I jokingly told my husband that my brother would delete it before my sister-in-law heard it. He did try, but she happened to catch a tiny bit of the message. Little did she know what he had up his sleeve.

While I was on my way home, from a quick trip to the store with my oldest son, I received a phone call from my brother. His work involves travel, being a pilot usually does, so he was currently out of the state. My mission, should I choose to accept it, was to verify the price and availability of the furniture in question. I did my research and discovered that the one I saw would be our only chance at that price. Apparently there was some "damage" to it that caused the knock down in the amount. Lucky for us it was still available, but unable to be put on hold. I reported back and we decided that when he arrived we would meet at the rendezvous point and further assess the situation.

The next day, I waited for my brother's call. I was very anxious to determine the damage to the piece, and even more so to secure my sister-in-law's dream scrapbooking center. At the suspected time, my phone rang and the mission was a go. I rounded up my troops, and their commander, and headed out to the location.

When we arrived, my family piled out of the car and headed into the store. My sons were on lookout for their favorite uncle and were oblivious to the actual mission at hand. I inspected the furniture, having my husband look up higher where I was unable to see, and found nothing unfixable for my tool wielding brother. I felt relief that my sister-in-law would finally get this wonderful scrapbooking center that she so desired. Before long, my brother arrived and agreed with my assessment.

He got everything taken care of and was ready to load the heavy furniture into the back of his truck. Two male Hobby Lobby workers were giving the assist, my husband handled the kids, and I grabbed my camera to document the momentous occasion for my soon to be surprised sis-in-law. Scrap that sis! Of course, things don't always go according to plan and the tailgate got stuck. After a frustrating amount of time, for my brother that is, it was opened. I got the assist on that one. Yay me! Then it was loaded up and strapped in.

To me, it felt like Christmas. I love giving gifts that people love getting. Finding those special things that make someone smile, are entirely thoughtful, or the "just what I always wanted" kind. This was one of those times when I knew the reaction would be great. I let my brother know that I'd be calling later to hear all about it. Then we said our see you later's and went our separate ways.

I never had the chance to call my brother's home tonight, because my sister-in-law called me first! She was so excited that she just screamed. Not on the phone, but when she saw it. Happy doesn't describe how her voice sounded. Ecstatic is more like it! She teased me about keeping a secret from her and thanked me for helping my brother out. I let her know that I was just entirely excited and happy for her and that I wanted photos when it was all set up. I promised to pass along the photos I took, of it being loaded, on to her soon so she could scrap them. I didn't have to be there to see the smile on her face... ear to ear!

Congrats to my sister-in-law on the great scrapbook center! Kudos to my big brother for being a super husband! I love you both!

I just love surprises like these! Don't you?

Cover Story

I love books! I'm sure you haven't figured that out yet. *wink* Often when I'm at the store, I can't resist going to the book aisles to peruse the titles and covers of the many beautifully bound published creations. I love looking at all of the different cover art and the catchy titles that grab my eye. At times, a magazine cover will also get my attention. Some of these masterpieces make me laugh, smile, or simply intrigue me. A book store to me is like Toys R Us to a kid.

Recently, I've began pulling out my trusty iPhone to take photos of a few books that I was interested in reading. My memory is awful and it's much easier than filling up the back of my grocery list that I'll end up misplacing later anyway. Since beginning this ritual, I've also began taking photos of the covers and titles that entertain me. I may or may not intend to read the books, but I just can't resist snapping a photo to show my husband later. Today, I'm going to share some of my recent finds with you.

This photo, and the one below it, are from IKEA. Everywhere you go in this store, they have books. It's a book lovers dream come true! Well, if you can read Swedish that is!

This was a magazine on a few coffee tables in the different IKEA display areas. I was impressed that "the year's smartest products" and nudity went so well together!

Dirty Sexy Knitting? Wow, things sure have changed over the years. Just don't tell Grandma!

Pixie perfect! I'm a big fan of pixies you know. Most faeries are usually tame. Wait what? This is a hot sexy novel about... umm... One question. Does this involve pixie dust?

My sister is a big Dorothy fan so these kinds of things always catch my eye. So if she clicks her heels 3 times and says "there's no place like here" does "here" become someplace totally unique?

The smart one and the pretty one... aww someone wrote a book about me. Oh wait, umm...

So does that mean you don't have to be sisters any other day of the week? 'Cause sometimes that would work for me. LOL Just kidding sis!

Okay, I loved these 2 covers. What's not to love about a big beautiful bouquet of roses, a gorgeous wedding dress, and hot shoes? As for the other... The combination of the sand, blue water, and bare feet makes me want to head out on a beach destination vacation.

You don't know each other, but you are standing back to back and completely invading each other's personal space. Can you say awkward?

Really? Then who's taking off with your baby, and in a basket no less?

There's something about the writer in me that had to love the look of this book. Writers all have notebooks like these, or their own versions of them anyway.

Gosh! I didn't know she was so cruel! How could she? Are you going to sue? Hmmm, maybe we should be more careful about what we write.

OMG Dorothy! Ripped nylons! Quick, somebody call What Not To Wear's Stacy & Clinton! Is a shrunken Glinda looking at Toto because she is also wondering why he's looking up Dorothy's skirt?

Oh, I wish we all could have an accident like that! Don't you?

Meet Me On Monday: The O & M of CMOM

Meet Me On Monday

This Monday, and random Mondays here after, my blog will reveal something about me. All Meet Me On Monday blogs will be clearly labeled.

Warning:

The rantings of an exhausted mother of 2 young boys to follow... proceed with caution at your own risk!

You are about to embrace the Mom side of me. Being a Mom is a major portion of my life. Often, I put my children ahead of myself, as most mothers do. Some days I am Super Mom and I fly through the day with ease, always coming to the rescue when a toy is missing or a boo-boo needs bandaging. Then there are the days where I feel as though I can't find one moment of peace and quiet, my kids are fighting without a chance of resolution, and my mind is stuck in the washing machine. Those days, I feel as though I could run out the door screaming! Don't we all have those days and those moments? Please tell me I am NOT the only one here!

My children have run me ragged today, and we are barely into the afternoon. Don't get me wrong, I love them dearly and would do just about anything for my boys. However, they have pushed me to my limits today. Actually, let me clarify, my youngest son is the one who has left me feeling drained.

Today, my youngest son, I'll call him M, has pushed every button that I have! The details would only aggravate me more at this point. He is my "Fudgie" (go read Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing -- Fudge book series). M has found ways to torment his mother, that his older brother never attempted. In fact, I don't think my oldest son, let's refer to him as O, ever imagined even trying to test me in the ways that M does. Aah yes, they are like day and night.

M is stubborn, shy, and his emotions are never invisible. If he's grumpy, you know it. If he's happy, he'll make you smile. When he's mad, look out! Giggles, silliness, and laughter are contagious with M. You always know where you stand, even if you don't understand why. M is a morning person and detail oriented. When M wants something, or decides something, it's not easy to sidetrack him. If he has a goal in mind, he's got his eye on the prize. He loves books, but prefers playing with cars and has a soft spot for Herbie the love bug. He is quiet and independent. M can be the most adorable and sweetest kid on the planet, when he wants to be.

O is outgoing, kind, and shows his emotions easily. He is extremely expressive and open with others. Often times you will hear him talking "older" than he is. O is the kid who is always willing to give a hug, kiss, or just cuddle with you. He LOVES to read and write. I see his future in the Arts (acting, music, or writing mostly). O is rarely quiet and is a very social child. He can be goofy or completely serious. Music is another love of my eldest son, always singing when he isn't talking. He is slightly obsessed with super heroes and Transformers, Bumblebee is #1 in his book. O will never be a fighter, except when necessary, but always a kind hearted soul.

These are my kids. They inspire me, exhaust me, enlighten me, scare me, make me laugh, make me cry, frustrate me, help me, encourage me, tease me, tolerate me, make me happy, and bring out the best, and worst, in me. Most of all, they love me and I love them too... with all of my heart and soul! I protect them like the biggest scariest Mama Lioness in the world, even though I'm probably one of the tiniest. These 2 "little men" of mine are the reason I want to be a better Mom and a better person. Without them, my life wouldn't be the same and wouldn't hold as much meaning, hope, or love. Knowing them is like knowing a part of me, because O & M are a huge part of my heart.

CMOM Productions

C - is for the man who loves me so

M - oh that's me, didn't you know?

O - is my first born son, he helped me grow

M - is my second born son, who completed my soul.

Productions- it's all about the life we live, people we love, and places we go.

Never Forgotten

Hero, Soldier, Friend: Remembering Dennis

It's been 3 years since this world lost a truly kind hearted soul. On July 24, 2006, SPC Dennis K. Samson Jr. was killed in action in Iraq. Today, I honor him and continue to keep my promise that he will never be forgotten.

I remember hearing the devastating news and being so completely heartbroken. The compassion I felt for his family cannot be explained with words. While experiencing such immense sadness, I also felt extremely grateful. Not one person who knew Dennis could tell you anything different. Many tears were shed over such a great loss in our community. We were all honored to have known him at some point in time in our lives. If you asked any one person what they remember about Dennis, most would answer the exact same thing. He had a smile that could light up the room! I can still picture that smile today.

Dennis came into my life when we were just kids. He was one of my sister's first real boyfriends and spent plenty of time with our family. The adoration for my sister, that I saw at times in his eyes, was so sweet and enduring. One of the best memories I have of him always makes me smile from ear to ear. My sister was going to perform an old song called "Stupid Cupid" for a school event. Dennis wanted to help her out and we decided to add him to the performance... as cupid! Without hesitation, or at least none that he showed, Dennis donned an outfit that most guys would have run away screaming from. Let's see... heart adorned boxer shorts (with something underneath of course), a plain shirt, homemade faux wings, and a toy bow & suction cup arrow set. With Dennis's deep tan skin, sparkling brown eyes, dark black hair, and gorgeous bright smile, he was the best looking teen cupid the world has ever seen. Mostly adorable, because he did it all for my little sister.

After I moved to Maine in 1998, I didn't have the opportunity to see or talk to Dennis often. In fact, many many years had gone by before I spoke to or saw him again. One day however, in April 2006 I believe, I was on Myspace and happened upon his profile. I sent him a friend request and shortly afterwards we were talking. We caught up a bit and it was so great to see how much he had grown up, and what a handsome man he'd become as well. He told me that he loved the family Star Wars pictures I had posted from Halloween and was amazed that I had made portions of the costumes. I remember feeling glad that he'd noticed those things, because I had worked so hard on them, and every time I look at those pictures now, I remember him and his comments. We talked about where he'd worked at one time and a number of other normal "catching up" topics. Dennis also spoke to me a little about his time in Iraq so far and about some of the reactions, comments, and questions he'd received since returning for a visit home. I won't divulge most of the conversation simply because this was something I promised him that he could speak freely and honestly to me about without questioning if it would be repeated. I will let you know that he didn't go into many details about life there, but in what he did say to me, I saw the kind heart that I'd seen when we were just kids. He had changed in many ways, but I was happy to see this part of him remain the same. What he did talk to me about, stuck with me. I think it always will.

I didn't know him as well as many others. His family and many other close friends were more connected to Dennis than I was. I knew him mostly as a boy and for a brief time as a grown man. Regardless of how much or little time spent with him, he affected many lives. Even many of those who have never met SPC Dennis K. Samson Jr., and sadly never will. Due to his sacrifice, and the sacrifices of so many others, we are able to do a great many things in this country. It is with great respect that I say... Thank you to Dennis and the many men & women of this country, along with their families, for the many sacrifices you have all made.

Dennis Samson touched my life and I hope that reading a little about him will touch yours.

***

We miss you Dennis! You are never forgotten, but we know that you are bringing even more light to the streets of Heaven with your radiant smile and kind heart.

Songs & Soundtracks

"Our song is the slamming screen door, Sneakin' out late, tappin on your window. When you're on the phone and you talk real slow Cause it's late and your mama don't know Our song is the way you laugh First date 'man I didn't kiss her but I should have And when I got home... before I said amen Asking God if he could play it again....

I've heard every album, listened to the radio Waited for something to come along That was as good as our song..." ~Taylor Swift (Our Song)

Aaaah... How great is Taylor Swift? Pretty darn great in my book! This song, "Our Song," has such a great chorus & bridge! Honestly, it is one of my favorites, as is she! Not only does she have a voice, but she writes, plays, and from everything I've seen and heard of her, she has amazing stage presence! Really, I'm not just saying all this because my son is in love with her either! I'm even a little jealous, actually it's more like excited for her, because I would love to be doing what she is doing. I could envy her talent, and her height as well, but instead I admire the amazing young woman with more talent in her pinkie than most will have in their lives! She kind of rocks... in a country music way that is. I'm impressed!

Every time I hear "Our Song," which I must admit is often because I am always playing it and like I said, my young son is infatuated with her, I can't help but think about how my husband and I don't really have one. A song that we call "ours" that is. I know, it's kind of embarrassing for me to admit. Anyone who knows me, or has gathered enough information about me thus far, realizes that I'm in love with music. For my husband and I to have been together over 12 years and married over 10 years and not have a song is truly shocking. It isn't that it hasn't been discussed, but we just can't seem to make up our minds. Maybe we both have a horrible problem with indecision. Maybe we like too many songs. Or maybe the right one hasn't sung to us yet! Either way, we are without a tune to call our own.

Should we stick with the song that I sang to him at our wedding? Something with a memory attached? A song that speaks about the 2 of us? Write our own? Okay, so I did write lyrics for us a long time ago but I don't feel it's really "our song" in this sense. How about a classic? Something new? Something from the time we met? A classic sang by someone new, or currently popular? We never can decide! I guess, I like to say that we don't have a "song," but we do have a soundtrack more or less. Yes, my husband and I have multiple songs that would make up the soundtrack to our lives. Hmmm, I think Ashley Parker Angel (formerly of O-Town) wrote a song with a similar theme to it. Oh yes, back to our soundtrack. It's made up of the song we heard constantly when we first met, the medley of songs we heard at various concerts over the years, songs from our wedding, songs that make us think of our kids, themes to our favorite movies, Disney music (of course), and everything here, there, & in between.

Today, I would love to hear from you. Do you and your loved one have a song? If so, why is it your song (was it in your wedding or playing during a special moment in your lives)? The BONUS question: If you know my husband & myself, what would you pick as our song?

My Soundtrack for Today's Blog:

Taylor Swift's "Our Song" (from her debut album)

Taylor Swift, Fearless (album)

Meet Me On Monday: Romantic Notions

Meet Me On Monday

This Monday, and random Mondays here after, my blog will reveal something about me. All Meet Me on Monday blogs will be clearly labeled.

Warning:

Overactive reader and writer with romantic notions...

proceed with caution at your own risk!

I sit here ready to take on a topic that almost everyone can identify with in some form or another. Love! We all love, okay so there may be a few exceptions to the rule but love is a part of life. In most cases, we are loved from the very moment we are born. Some, including myself, fall in love with their children before they are even born. Children themselves, love unconditionally. We love pets, nature, cars, careers, books (yes of course books!), & hobbies. As a Christian, I personally believe in a loving God! Love is all around us in many different forms.

I find that one of the biggest, scariest, and most important kinds of love is one that we all strive to find in our lives! Sometimes we look in the worst places, like reality tv because really how often do those things pan out? Sometimes we look in the best places, which is different for everyone because no two people are alike. Often times, we take a chance on love and walk away with a heartbreak the size of Texas and enough teardrops to fill Lake Michigan. Then there are the moments when the Heavens open up just to pour a radiant beam of sunlight down upon you and the true love of your dreams as birds sing a beautiful melodic love song. My mistake, you were the one who had fireworks shooting off in every direction as fireflies danced nearby you and your sweet beloved. Oh, well, it doesn't happen that way for everyone I guess. In my case, I heard the now ancient sounds of dial up Internet (okay so some people still use it) before logging in to a now extinct chat room through the blessed chat website, wbs.net. It was love at first click click click type type type. Yes, I met my one and only prince charming on the Internet, before it was normal, accepted, or cool!

Our love story involves an abundance of Internet chats, many many miles & states of distance, expensive phone cards that were used far too quickly, letters sent via snail mail, and a first meeting (in person) that can rarely be topped. Our first date was 5 months after we met online, in Walt Disney World, Florida. Don't worry, I'll skip right to the good part. Once inside the park, I paced at the entry to Main Street USA while waiting for my TransAmGuy, his Internet chat room name, to arrive and sweep me off of my feet. He approached his SingingSensation (yes my chat handle), with obvious butterflies, before catching my attention with the words, "nice shirt." Yes, we had planned to wear a certain shirt so there would be no mistaken identities. I turned around and stepped off the curb to hug him, which he always insists was me jumping on him. Really, I'm just incredibly short and I had to put some spring in my step to get my arms around his neck. The rest of our 4 days of Disney were spent getting to know each other better and spending half of our time with his parents (he also met my grandmother, an aunt, and an uncle). We discovered a lot of firsts in our relationship on Disney property. Beyond the first look into each other's eyes as we met face to face for the first time, we also held hands for the first time, shared our first kiss, said our first real goodbyes, and after we were married, we even came back to spend our honeymoon in Disney World (as there was no better place to be). We even have our own brick on the ticket and transportation center walkway. Yeah, I prefer to think of myself as a Disney princess or maybe a pixie.


Since the day I met my husband online, I somehow knew he was the one for me. I can't explain it, but it's true. This isn't how it happens for everyone, but it is how it happened for me. I had already fallen before our meeting in Disney world. The face to face in front of Cinderella's castle, well that was just the moment my fairytale dreams became reality. That's not to say that our relationship didn't have it's challenges, and it still does of course, but we love each other enough to work through life's speed bumps. Being married to my one and only true love and prince charming is worth it!

Met... March 23, 1997
Married... March 23, 1999
10 years... March 23, 2009

I love you C.

My soundtrack for today's blog:

Michael Buble, because to me romance & Buble go hand in hand

Got Bite?

In March, my husband conned, I mean convinced, me to watch Twilight on dvd. I do NOT do scary movies! Just the mention of the word "vampire" makes me want to wear a turtleneck, even in the Summer! I don't like ghost stories or anything remotely close to that world of fiction. I'm even slightly afraid of the dark. Although I put on a brave face when my kids are around and tell them there is no reason to be afraid, I simply can't believe it myself. So, here I am with a husband who says "I rented a movie to watch. It's that Twilight movie. I want to see what the hype is all about. I'm sure it's no big deal. You'll be fine. Just watch it with me." I surrendered to his persuasion and agreed to scare myself halfway into hysterics by watching a "vampire movie." The only stipulation... that he was willing to check the closets, look under the bed, sleep with every light on, and be willing to have me shake him awake from a deep sleep at the slightest noise while I lay bug eyed in bed with the covers up to my chin. "Deal," he said. So I grabbed a blanket and got settled on the uncomfortable old couch and prepared to watch a movie that would give me sleepless nights for the next year. Of course, I sat so close to him that I was practically on his lap, and I don't think he minded that at all. I was hurling myself head first into an evening of watching a "scary movie" that I was practically ignorant about. You see, although I'd seen a lot of the Twilight mania happening around me, I ignored every bit of it to the absolute possible degree! I closed my eyes and plugged my ears during commercials or flicked the remote to quickly turn the tv to a vampire free channel, as I do with all scary movies and shows. If I didn't hear it, read it, or look at it... it didn't exist to me. Ignorance is bliss right? But alas, the world of Twilight caught up to me when my husband was so inclined to "see what the hype was all about." Amazingly as I watched, it began to draw me in, just like vampires do I guess. I found myself becoming more intrigued and less frightened than I expected. I was however very nervous and untrusting, just waiting for the most horrifying gory thing to pop out at any second. I hid my face a few times, expecting the worst, but my fears were quickly squashed like a pesky mosquito (great another blood sucker). I can't bring myself to put any spoilers here, for the few people on the planet who have not seen the movie or read the books, so I won't go into details about my reactions throughout the movie. I'll just get to the overall nitty gritty of it all... the movie was something I could really sink my teeth into! Oh come on, now you didn't really expect me not to throw something like that in?!? I found myself awake that night, but not for the reasons I initially imagined. I was so caught up in the story that I lay awake and went over it all again and again in my mind. Seriously? A vampire story that doesn't scare the beejeepers outta me?!? I of course was not yet willing to admit this fact to my husband... but by the next evening the topic came up in conversation. I simply let him know that "it wasn't what I expected." He agreed and actually mentioned that he was interested in reading the books.

Within the week, my husband returned home from a day at work with Twilight (the book). In April, the remainder of the saga found our home as well. I'm not one to hold off on reading any book within reaching distance, but I watched my husband finish Twilight and begin New Moon before I even touched one of them. We decided that we would both read the series together, kind of like our own personal book club. I devoured the books! I couldn't stop myself from making late nights turn into early mornings... I read till 2am just to finish one or two of them! Once I began, it was hard to stop. I read Twilight at a pretty steady pace, New Moon went even quicker, then I took a break to read the final book in another series (the Sisters Ink series, by Rebeca Seitz) before picking up Eclipse. I believe I conquered Eclipse in 3 days and absorbed Breaking Dawn in 2 (could have been 1 if I'd started earlier the first day lol). My husband is almost done with Eclipse and then on to Breaking Dawn. I'm anxious for him to finish so we can talk about everything we've read! Honestly, we have bonded over reading these books. We'd never read the same book before and it amazed us that we both have enjoyed discussing the different elements of it all, the plot, the characters, and of course the inevitable "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob" question. I love them both by the way! I'm completely amazed at my turn around on this entire story as well! My husband even went out and bought an Edward action figure for me to place on our shelf (he'll be getting an Alice as soon as she becomes available). More than anything, I've just enjoyed experiencing these stories with my husband! It's funny how things turn out sometimes... We are already talking about moving on to another book series when he finishes these. Harry Potter has been the number one suggested series so far. I read book 1 when it first came out and have considered picking it up again and continuing to read the remainder. I'm pretty sure it would hold my husband's attention. Any other good suggestions?

I want to add a very heartfelt thank you to Stephenie Meyer... for creating a world that sucked me in. For keeping it just scary enough, but not too scary for me, to enjoy! Who'd have thought that a bunch of vampires and werewolves would bring my husband and I closer together? Not me... not in a million years!

Great Expectations Goes To The Beach

Today I have been thinking a lot about expectations. We all have them right? Sometimes they are as simple as expecting your husband to take out the trash. They can be as complex as anticipating your wedding and reception to be flawlessly perfect in every way. Expectations can be good, such as a sunny day that was predicted by the faithful weather man. They can also be bad, like a monthly cell phone bill when you have gone over your minutes. Everyone's expectations are different. Some people have very high expectations in their life, others very low. It all goes hand in hand with our vacations, careers, goals, and just about everything in our daily lives.

Yesterday, my family and I took our first beach trip of 2009 when my husband arrived home from work. I'll be honest, my expectations were low. I'm not a beach loving Summer girl. I don't enjoy the heat, sweat, sand, sunscreen (which is a MUST), and I don't swim well! A trip to the beach is more about letting my kids have fun and experience one more part of Summer. I had all of the beach toys, towels, and snacks packed up (did I mention that's another part I don't enjoy) so we headed out for the moments of "fun in the sun." Once we arrived, I marveled at the sandy beach, blue skies, and Lake Michigan sparkling in the sun! Well, at least it's pretty even if I don't have a great time right? I grabbed my camera and snapped a few scrapbook bound photos before my kids could go running towards their aunt, who arrived before we did. My husband and I lugged our gear half way across the beach and I watched, and snapped more photos, of my boys helping spread out our beach blanket. Then it was on with life jackets for the youngest non swimmers in the group and heading to the water. My youngest prefers to play in the sand at the water's edge, while my oldest loves to jump waves and splash everyone nearby. I am grateful for digital cameras, as we snapped photo after photo of the beachy keen fun. I braved the cool water with my oldest son and my sister, while my husband stayed on the shore with our sand castle man. As I got used to the water temps and watched my kids play, I really started to let go, relax, and enjoy myself. I guess the beach is fun after all! It wasn't until my water bug boy's lips started to get a little blue, from being in the cool water way too much, that we decided it was time to call it a day at the beach, dry off, and pack up. We said "see you later" to my sister and headed home. When we arrived home with 2 worn out kids (YAY for the beach!) I began to realize just how glad I was that we went. I, along with my kids, were anxious to head back again soon! Wow, that's a big change for me! I discovered that my low expectations were actually a benefit to my day. Had I expected to build a huge 3 story sand castle and develop a perfect swimming technique, I would have come home in utter disappointment. I'm grateful that I only anticipated my kids enjoying the sun, sand, and waves because it made my enjoyment that much better.

After realizing how much different things can turn out when you don't expect something specific, I started looking at a number of different scenarios that could change if I did just that. How often do we anticipate Christmas to be something huge and exciting? How often to people get depressed after the holidays because of those expectations? What about birthdays, anniversaries, proms, and weddings? If we didn't build things up to tower above us at a level we just can't reach, would we be happier with the outcome? That doesn't mean that we shouldn't expect good things in our lives or anticipate happy moments, but maybe we should be a little more willing to let things come as they may. This however does not include letting our expectations lapse when it comes to our husbands taking the trash out or helping with the kids. Seriously, that shouldn't even be questioned! lol I just know that I've learned to not set the bar so high that it's destined to be knocked down. With that being said, I am expecting that you will have enjoyed my blog today! ;)

Three Days A Week

Today is the big announcement... drum roll please...

The CMOMProductions Blog Spot will be producing new posts every Monday, Wednesday, & Friday!!!

I'm keeping this blog brief today, but come back on Wednesday!

I Hope Not Sporadically!

I am a planner! Ask my husband... he loves it! Okay, sometimes he loves it and sometimes it drives him batty. lol But as I've said before... I am who I am. Though at times I do tend to just "roll with it," my normal is all about making lists and schedules for myself. Organization is a friend to someone like me with an overactive brain.

Every time I think about my blog, the line "I hope not sporadically" pops into my head (I am a big fan of the movie Clueless)! You see I realize that I am not very consistent when it comes to blogging regularly. Tonight I began to feel slightly guilty about my lack of blogging, I have guilt over the silliest things sometimes. That's when it hit me. Why not create a blogging schedule! I've been trying to blog when the mood strikes me. I realized that blogging is like exercise, you have to get into a routine. Heck, you are even working your brain muscles when you blog right?!? See... totally exercise!

My plan tomorrow... give myself a blogging schedule! It'll be a lot easier for people to follow along won't it? So I guess I can now say... I'll be seeing you. Your response? "I hope not sporadically!"