Chameleon/Who ARE You??

About a year(ish) after giving birth to each of my three children, I've always had to ask myself this: Who am I?

I get lost. Maybe it's because of the lack of sleep? Or, maybe it's just the chaos that comes with, you know, creating another life and figuring out the best way to parent this new person while coexisting with the rest of the family and balancing the life that was already going on.

So, here I am. Asking myself - who am I? What am I doing?? Short term - I'm catching up on my The Soup clips on Hulu (love Joel McHale ;) ). Long term - ... <crickets> (well that is the question...)

Sometimes I compare myself to a chameleon.

I do this: I find something to follow, read up on, club/activity to fit in to and can totally and absolutely morph myself into that activity, lifestyle, fashion or whatever it is. Most of the time, I do this unconsciously.

Example 1: When deciding on a high chair for Zoie - I had this vision of a simple red high chair. I found it at IKEA. It was perfect - the exact vision I had in my head. My price range, sturdy, small, easy to clean - perfect! We purchased and THEN I realized it was the exact same high chair I had seen on my favorite blog C. Jane, Enjoy It.

Example 2: Yesterday, Christopher and I saw a movie, Our Idiot Brother. It was a good movie and I seemed to really identify with the characters.  Suddenly I can't seem to get it out of my head that I need bangs, a haircut and to be more honest to improve my interpersonal relationships.

Is this what normal people do?

Does this make me a sucker?

Or, am I just avoiding finding out who I really am just to make myself more like the people I admire or identify with?

I get frustrated. My Mom always said, "Be a leader and not a follower."

I'm following and not leading. :(

I see traits in other people that I would like to have and would like to make my own. Does this make me unoriginal?

Anyways.... I'm just contemplating.  :)

Another First Today

Wham! They keep coming! Check this juicy little tidbit!

 

Zoie Rainbow Deneweth:
Not a baby anymore <sigh> as of August 24th, 2011.

Who am I kidding? She's still my baby. :)

Ode to the OBX

I visit you every August since as long as I can remember...

the summer's last hurrah before the dreaded September.

Breathe in deep.... your salty air and cool ocean breezes...

Sandy toes, sticky salt water skin - then into the A/C freezes. 

It's about breakfasts with pancakes, eggs and never ending bacon :)

Big beach houses, salty snacks, spending time in the sun.

Catching up with family: sisters, husbands, Moms and Dads

and climbing huge sand hills, using muscles you never knew you had.

Thanks Mom and Dad, for another perfect family vacation. <3

(NOT a poet, and I DO know it)
:)

Back to School (with a bang?)

Roxy's First Day of Kindergarten
"She's so cute!"

 

<sob> My baby girl started school today <sob>...

Wow! What a Tuesday! Major things were happening today.

1. Roxy started kindergarten. Her first day at Cimino Elementary went smooth. So far, so good! She likes her teacher, she woke up and arrived on time, no tears and she wants to do it again tomorrow. Win!
2. We have wiggly tooth numero uno... wham! Not only do I now have a kid in elementary school - but she's also trying to get rid of baby teeth now?!? I keep telling this girl to slow down - she tells me her body can't listen to me.
3. Earthquake in DC!!! (Well Virginia - but felt from NY to NC) I first heard this while stuck in the mile long pick up line at school (not exaggerating). Of course, I couldn't get through to any of my family members via cell phone. I learned today that Facebook and Twitter are the only reliable sources of communication in natural disasters. (Everyone was okay - phew!)
4. Zoie was a Daddy's girl (for a hot 10 minutes)!!! Today is the first time ever my girlie has picked Daddy over Mommy. Not just once, but it lasted for at least 10 minutes. Too bad Daddy had to go to work, I would've liked to see how long that lasted. Don't worry, it didn't hurt my feelings. Bonus: I think it gave Daddy some warm fuzzies to go to work with. ;)

School Year 2011-2012: here we go!!

The Drive to OBX: Hour by Hour

Last Saturday, we packed the 6 of us up in our minivan and made the trek up to OBX for our annual family vacay. Below is an hour by hour (ish) photographic synopsis of our travels. :)

3:47 am, Brandon FL
EVERYONE woke up for the beginning of our travels. As you can see by our start time - this was NOT or intention.

5:01 am, Oxford FL
BUT it still worked out. :)

6:00 am, Gainesville FL

7:13 am, Macclenny FL
Everyone's up and ready for snacks.

8:27 am, Woodbine GA

8:28 am, Woodbine GA

9:04 am, Townsend GA
Bored? Needing a pee break? One of those I'm sure.

10:19 am, Hardeeville SC

10:58 am, Walterboro SC

10:58 am, Walterboro SC

11:50 am, Alcolu SC

1:00 pm, Timmonsville SC

2:14 pm, Parkton NC

2:59 pm, Wade NC

4:10 pm, Rocky Mount NC

4:55 pm, Williamston NC
My hero! He drove the whole trip by himself. <3
And he looks SO happy about it.

6:22 pm, Dare NC

6:34 pm, Outer Banks NC !!!!!!!
Woop Woop!

We made it safe and sound and was actually a LOT easier than I had imagined. :) It only took us 15 hours, $150 worth of gas and about a pound of Pirate's Booty.

Two more weeks of summer

My to do list for the week

Last week I took it slow. Intentionally. Not because I was being lazy, but because I knew it was my last chance to do it. Summer is over. It went way too fast.

This week, Christopher is scheduled to work 56 hours - no days off (ugh). And I will be trying hard to squeeze in my workouts, fun activities for the kids and prepping for our vacation next week.

Wish - me - luck. 

Reflections on Episode I: The Phantom Menace

General Grievous (note: NOT in Episode 1)

It's official - the Deneweth kids are going through their Star Wars phase now. It's a milestone - all kids go through it, right? By all kids, I mean kids that are boys or kids with brothers - maybe? (I'm backtracking) I'm just saying - us Kohansby girls didn't go through it.

My point is that I know NOTHING about Star Wars, and we are learning together and it's kind of fun! Riley has been running around with the Lego Star Wars figures he has stolen from his big brother's stash for weeks now. They have light sabers, they play Darth Vader and Princess Leia. Riley got this awesome General Grievous mask (see above).... aaaand we just watched our first movie today.

I asked around and the general consensus was to start with Episode 1, Episode 2 and so on (and not chronological order as I had thought). So today, we watched Episode I: The Phantom Menace. If you haven't seen it, small spoiler below - don't read on.

Our reflections:

• Jedis are cool!
• ... But Darth Maul is cooler! He has spikes on his head!!!
• Alien Planet Queens are so pretty. And have really awesome/elaborate wardrobes. Plus, they are really down to earth and friendly. Lots of good qualities.
• On watching the scene where Darth Maul kills one of the Jedis (the one that wasn't Obi Wan), Roxy's reaction:
  

  <Gasp!> I thought the good guys always won?!?!?!? Why did the authors do that?!?!? 

Roxy with her Queen Amidala makeup - we couldn't figure out the hair.

That is all. May the force be with you.

(I can't wait for Episode 2!!!)

Goal: Purge and Organize

"A HOME DOESN'T NEED TO BE BIG, JUST SMART"

If you know me then you know I <3 IKEA. Something about Swedish design makes me swoon. I can't think of a bad thing to say about IKEA, their products, their store, their prices or even their cafeteria.

Yesterday, much to my surprise, I received my copy of the 2012 IKEA catalog in the mail. :D

And now, I am motivated and on a mission to purge this little house of all unnecessary, unneeded and/or unwanted items a la Clean House style and organize organize organize. I want this place to look like it belongs in that catalog. I'm convinced it will make a happy Deneweth family.

I need to write about this so I don't forget about it. BIG PLANS.

I have 5 1/2 family members + 2 dogs in a 1475 sq. ft home. There are 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a dining room, a 2 car garage (laundry room in garage), a screened in porch and a weird room between the kitchen and the master bedroom we call 'the office'. We use it to pile junk in.

Currently, every room in the house is a toy room. My goal is to de-clutter and give every kid at least one spot they can call their own AND make it so maybe we can have a living room without toys (gasp!). Get rid of 'the office' and turn it into a space for filing paperwork and extra storage for the kitchen (shelving? some type of cabinet?)... maybe a trolley or two?

Recap.
What are we doing? Purging and organizing.
When? Starting in September.
Why? To make a happy Deneweth family and prepare for upcoming birthdays and Christmas.
How? Lots of coffee, patience and yard sale/craigslisting.

Ooh. I'm so excited! :D
Expect before and after pictures.

Oh. And wish me luck. I will need it.

Confessions of a SAHM

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I would listen to my Caspar Babypants Pandora station every day even if my kids weren't here to listen with me.

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My trofast helps me stay in my state of denial over how much junk my kids actually have.

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