You’re the boss, Brandice

Pants on Fire

I can remember the first time I lied. I had also stolen my first object. I had a babysitter, and I really looked up to her older daughter. I must have been 3 or 4. The daughter had this awesome Mickey Mouse alarm clock with the 2 bells on top. OH!, How I coveted it. So one day, I just put it in my bag and took it home. I hid it very carefully under my pillow. I obviously knew I had done something wrong, and I guess I felt bad about it. I just wanted it SO BAD! My dad came in my room one morning, and was all casual, and then reached his arm under my pillow and was like, “WOW! Where did you get this?” Then he said, “Did mommy give it to you OR did Santa give it to you? Knowing all to well that Santa was a lot harder to get in touch with (even though my dad vowed he knew his phone number,) I said, “SANTA GAVE IT TO ME!”

The next thing I remember is my babysitter and her daughter standing at our front door with ginormous frowns on their faces. I had to give back the clock and apologize for it. Today, I can’t even accidentally take a pen from the register at the grocery store. I could honestly lose sleep over those things. I guess I learned my lesson :)

Overwhelmed much?

I am usually overwhelmed. Especially after being sick or hurt. The house is usually a disaster anyway, so after I’ve been doing even less than normal, it’s really bad. So, when this happens, when I wake up and realize that I have a house to run. I turn to my Control Journal that was inspired by the FlyLady.

In all reality if I would just go by this all the time, I wouldn’t have these moments. Maybe one day it will click.

See, I am not an organized person. My brain doesn’t work that way. In all actuality I thrive in chaos, but my family doesn’t. So I really can’t either. That’s why this Control Journal helps me so much. It keeps me from running around in circles trying to start 10 projects at once. If you ever come by my house and it’s not a disaster, it’s because of either 2 things. Either Ben has had enough and cleaned, or I have been using my Control Journal. More than likely it will be that Ben has been cleaning, only because when I keep the house clean no one seems to visit. Murphy’s Law, you know?

If you do decide to make yourself a Control Journal, try to remember that it’s a guideline, NOT THE LAW.

We Still Had Fun!

Even though we didn’t have lots of company for Aidan’s birthday, we still had a great time. We’ve been trying to teach her that birthdays are a celebration of the day you were born and not so much about TONS of presents. So this year, we had an opportunity to show what we meant. It was hard for her to grasp. Saturday morning she got to dress up in princess stuff and wear a crown and jewels. That was “OK”, she said. She still wondered when it was going to be her birthday, so that she could officially call herself a 5 year old. We tried explaining that it WAS HER BIRTHDAY, but she wasn’t satisfied. I kept thinking, “is this about people not being here, showering her with gifts?”

After supper, Ben and I pulled out her cake that we made together while the kids were napping. We put candles on it, and walked into the dining room with it, singing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!”. All of the sudden her face lights up and she exclaims, “ITS MY BIRTHDAY!” “I’M 5 NOW!” All she was waiting for was her cake. I was beaming with pride on the inside.

I made the cake and Ben decorated it. He did an awesome job! He had gone out and picked up some little things for her, because she had already gotten her real present like a month ago, which was a new comforter with a really cool strawberry pillow. Which in all honesty, calling it her BIRTHDAY PRESENT was just my way of justifying the purchase. It was on clearance! 50% off! I couldn’t pass it up. Laura said so!

Aidan loved all those little things! Of course we couldn’t leave the boys out. They got a new car!

Cheese Dip

Friday night, Ben suggested that he bring home the makings for cheese dip. I love cheese dip, but should only be allowed to have access to small quantities at a time. I was like, YEAH! CHEESE DIP!

Mind you, I have been grounded since my leg incident and I am not allowed to stand for long periods of time. We made enough cheese dip to last, say, I don’t know, 3 DAYS! and I consumed WAY TO MUCH.

I’m pretty sure I gained 10 pounds over the weekend at least. I’m pretty sure it may have been worth it.

Cross Your Fingers

Early this morning I was in bed and I stretched out my knee. It POPPED and it hurt so bad. But after that, it hurt a little less and now it doesn’t feel to bad at all. So maybe just maybe, my knee was dislocated and this morning it popped back into place. WOULDN’T THAT BE AWESOME? I think so.

Exaggeration…cha cha cha

Do you know people who stretch the truth, ALL THE TIME? Like, you can say, THEY THOUGHT I HAD A BLOOD CLOT IN MY LEG, BUT I DON’T. IT’S JUST HURT. Then the next thing you know, your grandmother is calling you to say, I JUST DON’T WANT ANYTHING YO HAPPEN TO YOU, in a tone of voice that’s really saying PLEASE DON’T DIE.

This sort of thing happens to me ALL THE TIME. I am to the point where I don’t want to tell anyone anything. When I was pregnant with Andrew, I had to go the ER because I experienced some bleeding. The doctor said, “This is what we’re going to find out, If your pregnant OR if your body just thinks your pregnant, in that case, we will have to do a DNC.” The next thing I hear outside of my room is,” COULD YOU TAKE ME OFF THE SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY? THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE BRANDICE A DNC.” Then after NOT having a DNC, I am home and the phone calls are pouring in. “YOU SCARED US TO DEATH, BRANDICE.”

I made a point to not tell any family members about my trip to the doctor last week, until I had to. I didn’t want them to know or worry. I told the people I go to church with and that was it. I was really trying to avoid the whole DRAMA thing, and everyone freaking out. Only because some have a tendency to freak out before they know anything really. Overall it wasn’t too bad, compared to the past.

::sigh:: I know they love me, and are concerned, but sometimes I think they just like DRAMA.

Jacksonville, VT

This is a picture of Jacksonville, Vermont. Ben and I had this view from our front porch when we first got married. It’s a tiny little town, not even a red light. There is a pottery store, Antique Store, General Store with an amazing butcher who whistles as he works. There is Tire store and Post Office. The North River Winery is there too. I worked there, and it was walking distance from our apartment. Here’s a picture of the winery. That black Camry there, was mine. It was my favorite car. There was an apartment there in the building, and my brother and sister-in-law lived there. I liked working there so much because I was close to home and close to family.

So much for that

So much for my Birthday Party Resolutions. We decided to cancel the birthday party. My knee just will not cooperate. We are going to make Aidan a cake and give her gifts and have a fun afternoon. Maybe, it will work out next weekend for my family to come up and see her.

I have a 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER! It doesn’t seem possible. ::sigh::