Not worth the time...

Dear Lord,  Save me from books like this one...


I have wasted weeks mucking through this book - in the car, on the iPod, however and wherever I could just to

GET IT DONE. 

I have a bit of a quitting problem.  I don't like to quit books.  I've only quit one so far in my life and I still get the "rabbit ran across my grave" shakes from it...

I mean, does old what's her name ever end up with the Italian?  Now that she can finally focus enough during meditation and the fantastical blue lights appear and she is all zen-like, then what?  What happens in the end????  What is the point to it all????  I just kept feeling sorry for the husband that she left!  

Back to Wicked - it is just entirely too detailed and my friend, Wren, put it quite nicely when she said, "it's a book of tangents" and it is.  Finally in the end, it does come together, just a bit - barely.  Ok, so after weeks of wasting your time, the author does finally sew it together just enough to keep you from FREAKIN' JUMPING off a cliff. 

But you'll have to make the final decision for yourself. 

You do end up finding out why the Wicked Witch of the West is oh so green...

And that might be enough for you...

It is a bit enticing...

Sugar Bears!

The newest additions to our family are two little Sugar Bears (Sugar Gliders.) 

I'd love to share their names with you, but they change almost daily. Currently, this one is Pistol and her sister is Fuzzy. Oddly enough, both of my boys have decided that the Sugar Bears are also boys - so they get called he and him routinely. 
Pistol, here, is quite loving and friendly.  Fuzzy is, however, a bit obtuse and is taken with swatting and barking at us.  Our relentless trainer, the famed Jim Murphy, is not at all deterred by this behavior and works with Fuzzy daily to domesticate her, excuse me, him. 

Check back for Sugar Bear updates and name changes!  ha ha ha!

2012: The Year of Nearly Zero Commitments

Aren't we all critics in some manner or sort? I am my worst, but it is for good reason. I try to improve upon the subject matter at hand (me, myself and I) and by finding flaws, I am better able to hide them, or as the case may be in the year of 2012, flaunt them!


Candace is a homebody.  It's true!  (I hear you naysayers out there!)  Although I tend to look as if I am the life of the party and the consummate social butterfly, I really would rather be at home with zero plans, nor commitments to cloud my little head. 

Timelines, projects and events make a marketer, and boy do we make it look easy at the office - it's our job and we love it!  However, when I get home to my hubs and my babies, I like a clear plate with zero commitments and operate best by the seat of my pants.   If something feels good in that moment, I go with it - if it is planned in advance, I usually come to dread it.

So cheers to 2012, the year I plan to be commitment free as I can be!

Miles Murphy turns 6!

My little ham of a child, Milesy, turned six years old today.  For this precious birthday, I let him pick his favorite lunch spot - and of course, we headed straight for the golden arches.  (Yes, we watched the "Supersize Me" movie at least five times - I know, I know.)

Alas, all things in moderation - and so both boys ordered the dreaded Chicken McNuggets.  According to the movie, these gut bombs are made entirely from the breast meat of excessively-aged chickens that are no longer viable for anything else.  All of this served up with a side of crisp, salty fries!

Minutes later, this healthful decadence came together with a germ-encrusted finale -  crawling through McDonald's PlayLand for hours.  Yes, that bacteria-ridden maze of tubes and slides that my friend Jody jokingly said, "is cleaned once a year, whether it needs it or not."  Joy!  Life is good - at least for a six year old!

The lost art of saying "No..."

Or maybe this should be entitled, "The forgotten art of accepting the word 'no'."  Either way, the world has forgotten that "no" is an option.  The word "yes" is just a more acceptable answer, but for who?

In my long-standing struggle to become a better, more calm version of myself, I have learned that sometimes I have to say no.  I think that my brain knows my limit and in a last-ditch effort of self-protection, the word "No, I just can't..." finally comes through - and thank goodness!

This is rarely met with acceptance. 

The most common response is for my family/friends/co-workers/etc. to begin trying to shuffle around my responsibilities, so that I can attend/do/be what they want or need.  This relegates me into giving further details of why it just won't work out.  Always hopeful that this will be enough - and perhaps receive a "that's ok, I totally understand."  More commonly though, more shuffling from family/friend/co-worker ensues, in the hopes that I will relent. 

Sadly, I usually do.    

If you, like me, always fall culprit to this muddled puddle of People Pleasing - stand up and just once this week say a profound "Sorry, I just can't."  Be strong.  We'll do it together! 

Because if we are loved as much as we seem to be loved, it will be ok.  People will understand.  I think... 

Ragusa - my new BFF...

I have a new BFF.  I didn't even know she existed until yesterday!  Meet Ragusa.  These cute little golden sticks of heaven are chocolate on two sides and hazelnut in the middle and oh my!  Thank you to Phillipe and Dani - what good little Swiss and French men they are!  God bless us, everyone! 

Dear Sam's Club Bakery Lady ...

Would you be my wife?

Sure, I know I appear to be married (and to a man, no less), however, you do such heavenly things to my senses that I know we must be soul mates. 

You maketh your cupcakes so tender and true, they tickle my nose as I breathe in the freshness. 

My heart goes a-flutter as I lean in for a bite. 

We are meant for each other, my cupcake-making friend.

Do not deny me!  I know you like me too!

Wind beneath my wings ...

Lots of you have heard me talk about my friend Jaime - the one that has five children and could any day be contacted by TLC - not because she has five kids, but because she has five kids and looks FABULOUS and her house is immaculate.

So Jaime has a little secret that she shared with me. Red Bull. It took awhile to get used to, but now I am on the band wagon, and I've even perfected a mini-cooler for my desk at work - to keep it super cold. It has to be super cold for me.  I can do big things after drinking one of these.  BIG, I tell ya!

Our Chinese clients at work did a double take when they saw this. I know they are at home laughing about American women right now and I just might be the reason why!

Priceless...

For the last three years, we have not sent out Christmas cards.  We've designed them online, saved them and then just not ordered them.  What with the cost of the cards, added with the cost of the stamps, we just sparkled over how much money we were saving by not sending them.  We were revelling in our smartness!

Then something happened ... we fell off of several of the most coveted cards' lists. 

I won't mention any names here, because I just nearly pass out with excitement in the driveway when these three cards arrive in the mailbox.  They are the ones I look forward to the most.  I actually hesitate and wonder if I should wait until Jim gets home from work, so that we can open them together.  (Freakish, I know!)  These women, the creators of these cards, are so talented and clever, well, I just can hardly keep up.  So last year, when one of these three cards never came - that was it!  We had to start sending cards again! 

This year, I was all over it (like white on rice, like bees on honey, like a fat girl on a doughnut - you get the picture.) 

See this stack? 

This is just the first draft of recipients - and it was done.  DONE.  DONE - at the end of November baby!  I had to wait - that is how early they were done.  I had to actually wait to send them - so I wouldn't look like the over-zealous freak that I really am. 

So there!  BAM!  YEAH BABY!  (Yes, the coffee has kicked in....)  Bring on those cards!  Two of the three have already shown up - I did survive in the driveway - I couldn't scare the neighbors, you know.

Much needed Girl's Trip to Columbia - Jonesy, here we come!

Most of you know of my adorable Amy Jones (aka Sweet Little Amy Jones, Jonesy, Amy J.)  We haven't seen her in forever.  (Forever, forever ever, forever ever.)  With the upcoming Breaking Dawn movie looming, we knew that we must see it together.  So off Jennifer and I went to meet her in Columbia with three main purposes in mind:

1.  To hang out in comfy clothes.
2.  To eat at every single cute spot in town.
3.  To see our beau, Edward Cullen, in Breaking Dawn.

Yes, we are thirty-somethings in love with a vampire.  So what, who cares? 

We had the best time.  We learned that there are things you can do with your girls that you cannot do with your husband.  (Yes, I am all about lists today, so here goes.)

1.  You can go into every single store, one after another, cause your girls want you to be happy and feel complete.
2.  You can look at anything and everything as many times as it takes to make a decision - cause there aren't any whining children to contend with, worry about and say over and over "No!" and "Stop That!"
3.  Can I say it one more time that there are not any husbands and zero children?  There just aren't!   

If you have not had a girls weekend, like me, up until this point - and your oldest is almost nine years old - you need to go away.  I worried over it and shredded a few napkins in my lap, but it was necessary and more over, it was gosh darned FABULOUS! 

Just in case you are wondering how fabulous - pictures do not lie...

Insanely happy girl in the kitchen of bakery, Cupcake, in Columbia, SC. 

So hurry up - grab your girls and go away to some sort of local and super cute place.  Your hubsie will do fine without you and he might even say, "I don't know how you get it all done when I am out of town..."  and that will be music to your ears!

Fave tasty treat ... from the Dollar General?

Looky what I found at the Dollar General of all places ... Dolce Delights!  Just the name alone enticed me to buy a pack. 

 

They are delish alone and best with your favorite cuppa.  Stop by your local Dollar General and enjoy this sinful little cheapy, but decadent treat!

(Yes, this is empty - did you notice that?  I was hoping you wouldn't.... they are that good!)



Sewing badge for Moms?

Moms of scouts will agree when I say that moms should be able to earn badges too.  The first of which should be a sewing badge.  The second, a camping badge.

I know, because I am a mom to a cubscout and I am going through my own little initiation. I do not have a sewing machine folks!  How about the perfect alignment of the pack number?  Pretty spiffy for a brand new scout mama!

Favorite birthday gift from my boys...

Mama didn't ask for diamonds or pearls.  All she wanted was a bright, shiny pack of Sharpies for her birthday.  Mama like!

Soccer is over...

YMCA Effingham County District winners ...

The team played their hearts out, but lost the second game in a shoot out match after neither team was able to score during overtime.  Everyone was exhausted - the parents paced and shouted, the kids gave their all.  Still, I can't say I am glad it's over.  We eat, sleep and breathe soccer in this house! 

RJ says that gymnastics is an awesome companion sport to build flexibility and bounce.  Maybe these boys will suit up in leotards!  Anything is possible!

Owen and Coach RJ

Room Mom Mahem

The Room Mom...

Everybody has one or a few depending on the number of children in your brood.  Her letters begin entirely too perky, alternating between passive and agressive.  In the past, I admit to reading through flyers sent home by the Room Mom, with my red pen in hand, ready to catch a grammar error or two.  I can remember one year, the room mom was a former friend of mine - and I greatly enjoyed reading her form letter flyers.  The only personal touch she added was her name ... at the end. 

(When I see her in the parking lot, I hum the tune to the Wicked Witch of the West (aka Mrs. Gulch from The Wizard of Oz.)    Just so you get the full effect of this former friend o' mine... click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=r4kiXh8YOzk

Well, now I am the room mom times 2. 

Let me just clear a few things up.  It is hard work. 

Do not laugh at the room mom, she is on the verge.  The verge of going crazy, the verge of complete insanity, the verge of tears, of heinous laughing.  She is overworked and completely unpaid. 

She is Volunteer Numero Uno. 

She is stressed and she has to drag a few of you into whatever it is that she has to do - and be sure of it - she doesn't even want to do "it" herself.  Appease her, thank her.  Do not giggle and say, "ha ha ha - I really don't want tooooo..... , but if you can't find anyone else, I guess you can call me back...."  The room mom foots the bill for a lot of things in the classroom.  Cupcakes, juice boxes, decorations for the room door, printer ink, paper, the list goes on and on and on. 

Did you know that room moms decorate the room door?  Oh yes, you can be sure of it. 

The room mom collects money for teacher gifts and usually pays for a portion of it herself, out of her own pocket over and over again.  She makes spreadsheets of names and addresses - and do you know how precarious it is to assume or not that parents are still together and should be typed as Mrs. & Mrs. So and So?  Because what if they are divorced, and the mom stilll has the same last name, but DOES NOT want her name on the same line as his?  Oh my.

Room Mom-ing is a competitive sport.  Well, maybe I am just competitive with myself.  I just want to make cute treat bags ...

Somewhere around the 4th bag out of 40, I throw my hands up and question for the millionth time "Why can't I be normal and just buy cellophane bags and be done with it?"  It is a constant internal struggle. 

So the next time you see the room mom, or one of her entirely too perked-up and threatening letters, please know that she is over-worked.   Please know that she is not paid.  Please volunteer to bring juice boxes or cupcakes FOR SOMETHING.  Because she means well.  She wants your child to have a grand year with a few jolts of candy and cupcakes thrown in, with a door that says "Come in and stay awhile." 

God bless the Room Moms!