Bullet your whole day

8 am drag myself out of bed after staying at la daynas too late and having to finish pirate cookies when i got home. Yawn.

815 am coloring fondant and making pirates to put on zachs cake. Big project that i put off too long.

10 am shower time! Ahhh.

1047 am running out the door for basketball. Late and with wet hair.

1104 am basketball game.

Noon leave basketball head to Costco.

1215 pm Costco for cake, hot dogs and chips.

1230 pm home to make hot chocolate.

1250 pm head to the park for zachs party.

1 pm PARTY TIME.

200 pm cake

230 pm pinata. I was freeeeeeeezing! Kids were leaving toys behind because their hands were so cold.

300 pm home! Change out of wet cold clothes. Get Chelsea in a warm bath. Make Zach change clothes before
opening gifts.

305 pm open Zachs gifts. He asked for animal shelter donations instead of gifts. Got $208 in cash and boxes and bags of food, treats and toys.

345 pm sitting on the couch in jammies.

415 pm discuss going to the super hero place for dinner (aka Nacho Libre)

420 pm realize its snowing and we are in pjs and don't really want to go out to dinner. Brandon says he will go pick up dinner and we can have a movie night! Yay!

500 pm still haven't decided where to get dinner from. Brandon got a new toy and is more interested in it then dinner. Silly boys.

526 pm Brandon is off getting dinner and I am reading other peoples blogs and feeling guilty that I didn't do my challenge yesterday. Going to have 2 today.

550 pm dishing up dragon diner. Yum yum!

556 pm  the great remote search

557 pm start watching Indiana Jones

608 pm pause for a happy birthday call for Zach. He is mighty popular.

633 pm Chelsea is playing with animals instead of watching the movie. Makes me smile.

851 pm Eating another pirate cookie. I really need to stop.

900 pm Writing up my post for Zachs birthday. And finishing off this one! G'night all!

My 7 year old

Wow. 7 years old. I cant believe how big he has gotten. When and how did this happen?!?

For his birthday he asked that people bring donations for the animal shelter instead of gifts. He got $208 and tons of food, treats, cleaning supplies and toys. When he said that he wanted to ask for donations instead, I tried to talk him out of it. I was afraid that he would be disappointed on his birthday if he didn't get many gifts. He told me 'mom, pets are way more important then people and I want to help them until they find their families'. There isn't a lot I can argue there. Then today when he was opening his cards I told him how proud I was of him for being so incredible and sweet. His reply was 'mom, why are CRYING?!?' 

I am proud of my son. He is so amazing and fantastic and sweet. He has the kindest heart of any 7 year old I  know. I hope that he had a great birthday in the cold and rain. And I hope he always knows how special he is. 

I love you Zach, Happy Birthday! 

Put your ipod on shuffle and post the first 10 songs.

YAY! I love it! Cant believe I missed I yesterday. Here we go!

1. Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen

2. Paris - Grace Potter & The Nocturnal (one of my very favorite songs!)

3. Single me out - Lisa Loeb

4. I'll think of a reason later - Lee Ann Womack

5. Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden

6. 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

7. Jaded - Aerosmith

8. If I were a Carpenter - Johnny & June Carter Cash

9. Womanizer - Brittney Spears

10. Livin' la Vida Loca - Ricky Martin

So there ya go! My first 10 songs. Makes me smile. =D

Guilty Pleasures

A guilty pleasure is something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it.

Yeah, I know. Fake sugar will kill me.
But at least its pretty much the worst thing I put in my body. 

Any cinnamon candy. I will make myself sick with it. 

Any job in the world

If I could have any job in the world, what would it be. What an awesome question. Oh wait, despair doesn't come through in text, does it?  Who hasn't struggled with this question? Its a big decision in anyone's life. What thing would I enjoy doing EVERY DAY for 30 years?  

I have never had an answer to this question. Actually, more accurately, I have had too many answers to this question. Lots of ideas, but no passion toward them. I could list them but what is the point? They don't answer this question.  They was never ONE job in the world I would most want. I never had a passion, a draw, a calling. I envy those who have. Both of my siblings have a passion, I have always been jealous of that. I love that they were able to look at themselves and say these are my strengths, these are my passions, this is what I want to do. And they work toward that. But I wonder what it says about me that I have never had that. I have been aimless.

That said, I always loved working. I viewed work as another competition. I love a competition. I want to win. I want to be the best. There doesn't have to be a prize or even praise at the end. I just want to be at the top. I was good, near the best (or THE best) at every job I had. Except one but we wont go into that now. I had drive toward... work. Too bad I could never apply that to schooling.

Becoming a stay at home mom was one of the hardest choices I ever made. I was against it from the time I was a kid. My best friend always talked about how its what she wanted to do when she grew up. I thought she was ridiculous. Then I fell in love a man who had no schedule and we had a baby together. I had to decide what was more important, my love of working or my love of this human I created. My love for the human obviously won out. But it wasn't easy. In fact for a very long time I was miserable. I did not adjust well. I went from a job I was good at to a job I was completely lost in. One where I had friends to one where I was ridiculously lonely.  One where I was the only person I had to count on financially to one where I felt like a leach. I made my own way before and suddenly I couldn't count on just me anymore. It was the hardest transition of my life. It took me a very long time to adjust. 

I am now 7 years into this job of mine. I still struggle daily. I never wanted to do it because I couldn't see the challenge. Now that I am in it, its the most challenging thing I have done. Ever. And it cant be a competition. I cant win. Who am I competing with? Every mom has different challenges, different expectations, different failures. I cant claw my way to the top in this job. I cant put in overtime to have it taught to me. I am making my own way again but this time I have others who are counting on me going the right path. That is a lot of expectation, especially considering I have no idea where we are going. 

I know this post isn't following my question today. I have been thinking about this question non-stop since last night. I have been trying to figure out what to say. Its really been tough. Then I read my moms blog (check it out here) and she made me cry. A lot. And it also answered my question for me. 

If I could have any job in the world, I would take the one I have. Its one I never imagined for myself. One I frankly didn't appreciate for the first couple of years in it. One that I still wonder every day if I can pull it off for one more day. One that I may not be cut out for, may not be the best in. But one that makes me try every day, not to beat out anyone else but still to do my best. My best for my family. The pay may suck, the hours are terrible and the expectations are high. But the perks are plentiful. I could spend hours going over them but I would never get through them all. 

One day I will be reentering the real world workforce but for today I am thankful to have the best job in the world. 

The moment I felt most satisfied with my life

Without a doubt, when I am snuggling my kids and even better is when they fall asleep on me. I love it. I just fills me with happiness. Makes me feel like I am doing something right along the way. I also just love kids in jammies, I love watching them run around in their snugglies. 

My favorite childhood toys

Oh my heavens! I almost forgot today! Its such an easy, light topic that I haven't spent the day thinking about what I was going to say so I just didn't think about it at all I guess! AHH!

Anyway, my favorite childhood toys... 3 come to mind immediately. So they are obviously my favorites!

First was Blushy. Ohh I adored her. I got her for Christmas one year. She was the prettiest thing. She was a rag doll with a red velvet dress. And bright pink cheeks. I cant even describe how beautiful she was. I still have her actually, in a box in our storage room. I kept very few of my toys but I could never give her up. Sadly, her hair is a big tangled mess. I don't know how to fix it and it makes me sad. If anyone knows how, lemme know!

 Next was Alphie. He was this stinkin' cute little robot guy. He came with a set of cards so you could play different games with him. He was really fun. My brother and sister adored him too. They took him into the tub with them. He never worked right after that. I have fond memories of Alphie. And when playschool rereleased him, I got one for Chelsea. Now she loves him too!

 After Alphie took a swim I got a PC Pal. Now that was cool! Could play so many different games and make music and so many things. That was awesome. 

I just realized how old I am so I'm going to go now. 

My Zodiac sign and if it fits my personality

The name derives from Latin, meaning literally, the crab.

LOVE IT! Love this question! YAY!

First off, lemme say, everything is about my sign. This blog you are reading is Crabby Mamma because crabs represent my sign. I have a crab tattoo. Crabby Mamma is my username for pretty much everything. Short answer, yeah I think it fits me. Now, I'm going to say that I don't read horoscopes. I don't go for all of the stuff that goes along with it. But I do think that the description describes me. And I think that if there was someone who could ACTUALLY read all of the stars and all that then they could tell me something. But I have some lingering doubt as to the guy in the broom closet at the newpaper.

Basic Trait: I FEEL...

That couldn't describe me more. I always FEEL. Sometime I feel like I sound like I have spent my life in tv therapy because I say it so often. I will always tell you how I FEEL.

One of the basic characteristics of a Cancerian is that he is very prone to mood swings, which are matched by changing emotions. At one point of time, you may have seen him in a typical party mood, enjoying himself and laughing at other people's jokes. He may come across as the most extroverted member in the entire group. However, another time, he may be completely introverted, sitting in a corner and lost in his own world. This single personality trait can help you in identifying a Cancer very easily. 

So true. I find it impossible to hide my moods. I have never understood how to do it. If I'm upset, everyone knows. If I am happy, I'm completely happy. Its all or nothing when it comes to my emotional balance. 

A Cancerian will never run behind fame and publicity, but if he ever gets it, he definitely knows how to bask in the limelight.

HA. Totally true. I have no dreams of being famous. But if I get the chance for a minute I totally love it. (newspaper article anyone?) Although, I do want to go on the Amazing Race. But not to be famous, because I want to do the cool crap they get to do.

When he cries, it is because he is deeply hurt from inside. A harsh glance or a rough tone can easily break Cancer's vulnerable heart.

Yep. 

Past intrigues them and they love to collect antiques, old treasures and ancient relics. They are the perfect keepers of secrets and people automatically confide in them.

 I love learning about the past, it comes to life for me when I hear a story. I love to know the history of everything. And people tell me their secrets a lot. I figure its because I forget my own history so they know I wont remember theirs. =)

However, their own thoughts and secrets are strictly off limits for everyone. A typical cancer will never discuss his personal life with anyone. 

Probably the truest thing about me on this list. I will be a vessel for all of your secrets but you will probably never hear mine. Ever. 

Compassion and intuition gel perfectly with the Cancer profile. He seldom judges people, just soaks up what comes his way and reflects the same. 

I feel like it sounds a bit conceited of me but I think I am a very compassionate person. In fact, I tend to be a bleeding heart. I want to fix the world. I told Brandon once that I wish I had joined the peace corp when I was younger. His reply was, good thing you didn't, you never would have come home again. First cause you found would have had you the rest of your life. And its true, I get so wound up in it. I want to right every wrong. As for the judgement, I don't judge. Thats not true, everyone judges. I work at not judging and I don't judge much. Everyone is different, its one of my favorite things in this world. I don't want everyone to be like me so it makes it easy not to judge them for who they are. 

Cancerian loves, rather reveres, his home and his loved ones. Too much is not even enough for him. He needs more, more security, more love and more care. Insecurity may lead him to depression and weaken him physically. However, Cancerians have this amazing quality of self-healing. All they require is happiness, optimism and laughter in large doses. 

Saying I love happiness, optimism and laughter seems a bit strange. I mean, doesn't everyone? I guess maybe I rely on it more then the average person though. 

Strengths	Weaknesses
Adaptable	Moody
Loyal	Sensitive
Attached to family	Emotional
Empathetic	May be indecisive at times

I am all of these things. I have all of the strengths and the weaknesses that go with my zodiac sign. I am happy with who it makes me.