life with WE

Thankful for thanksgiving and the end of the month.

And scared shitless for December.  Because do you know what that means?  Christmas is RIGHT around the corner.  And I haven't done a THING.  Oy to the vey folks.

We depart today for Indiana - the Hoosier State.  Two thanksgivings will be had there.  Sa-weet.  And I am super thankful for all the usual things (in no particular order):

• family
• health
• mike's job
• friends
• zoloft
• wine
• Pringles Sweet potato chips (OMG you have to try them)
• Always Sunny in Philadelphia
• Cell phones and email
• this blog
• and all the other things I was thankful for this month...

I hope you have a wonderful holiday.  I'll see you back here, Monday, December 1st.  (Silently freaks out and wonders if she could steal presents for Christmas.  No - too guilty of a conscience.)

I leave you with this Thanksgiving wish I just made up now WITHOUT ANY COFFEE:

May your turkey be tender, your potatoes just right,
May you and your relatives not get into fights.

May all your potatoes be nothing but smooth,
May your thanksgiving be full of good moods.

When you eat your pie, please think of me,
Mine will go straight to my thighs, you'll see!

Have a wonderful time with your family and friends,
And may the things you are thankful for never come to an end!

Inquisitive thanks

Today I am thankful for the inquisitive mind of my Warren.  I thought kindergarten was such a burst of learning.  Silly me.  Reading in first grade is where it's at! 

On any given day, the boy is filling me with facts he's learned at school and asking for more information.  He's reading everything - signs, labels, books - and spelling words out loud to ask me what they are.  And what they mean.  And if I don't know, "could you look it up on your computer?"  I'm amazed.

And there are times when it is annoying.  The nonstop chatter, the stream of conscious thought that trickles out every minute his mouth is open.  But overall, I love it.  I love that he loves learning.  I am thankful that he has a love of learning and that he talks to me. 

Here is a sample of some of the random information my son has shared with me.

• Do you think this book about trucks is nonfiction?  Because I do.  Do you want to know why?  Because it has pictures of real trucks and real truck facts.  Its not a story.  I think Curious George is fiction, because I don't know many monkeys that can paint.  Remember that monkey that ran into the glass when we were at the zoo?  Was it a monkey, gorilla, or a chimp?  You remember it was black with a pink butt.
• I think I know who sent us that present in a lot of pieces.  You know that important present - the Statue of Liberty?  It was France, wasn't it?  Because I know it is either France or England.  Upstairs is a compound word isn't it?  And hey, now is hiding in know, even though you don't say it like that.
• Why are people putting up Christmas decorations already?  It's still November and it's not even Thanksgiving yet.  I wonder if they are worried they will miss it?  What do you think?

So, I'm thankful today for my son's inquisitive mind.  What are you thankful for today? 

Playing around with gratitude

I am (and should be) thankful that recently my children have been playing together nonstop.  There have been times where they couldn't stand each other, and I'm sure there will be more.  But right now, they can't get enough of playing together. 

Of course, this play results in LOUDNESS and someone getting hurt or pissing the other one off, so there are tears and more yelling.  It's then that I'm not nearly as thankful.  (Who knew that as you got older, you'd really want things much quieter?)

A less sweaty thanks

I am thankful today for Degree Clinical Protection.   And here's why.  You know I've put the poison in my pits before - botox that is.  And I LOVED IT.  Of course, it lasted a little over 10 months and viola, insurance would prefer not to cover it.  I am too lazy at the moment to wage the battle, and I do not have 500 bucks to pay for it myself, so I have begun once again researching alternatives.

Prescription for Drysol.  Didn't work and burned like and SOB and was a lot of steps and remembering.
Certain Dri.  Didn't work.
Super powered Secret (which is my fave deodorant/antiperspirant).  Didn't work.

All of these options cost at least 7 bucks each.  So there's 21 bucks down the drain.  I gave up, and began just using regular old Secret deodorant/antiperspirant.  I would literally put it on 3 times or more a day.  Which is ridiculous.  And disgusting.  And I hate that I sweat this much, but what can a gal do?

And then I saw a commercial for Degree Clinical Protection.  And I thought to myself, "self, what's another 7 bucks at this point?"  So self bought it.  And...

IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING!

Two clicks per arm once a day.  It lasts for 24 hours, and EVEN THROUGH A SHOWER.  So today, I am thankful for excellent pit protection.  For less stink, less sweat, and less stained armpits of shirts.  Thank you thank you Degree Clinical Protection.  You ROCK.  (Also, Degree people?  You should know I am not above whoring myself out for free product.  You wanna sponsor Life with WE?)  And dear readers, if you suffer with this same problem, there is a 2 dollar coupon on their site, and they make a version for men too!

What hygeine product are you thankful for?

Storytime thanks.

I'm thankful today for remembering stories told to me as a child.  Why so random you may be wondering.?.

Well, last night, I had kids who were up past their bedtime.  We were in the car heading back home and they were wound up - wild, loud, rowdy.  You've been there, I'm sure.  I turned off the radio and told them to chill.  They couldn't.  Warren began a never-ending string of questions about ican'tevenrememberwhat.  I begged them to clear their minds and close their eyes for the last 10 minutes of the drive.  And then I remembered.

"I'll tell you two a story, but you have to be quiet," I said.
And then I began the story of the three billy goats gruff.  You know the one?  With the clip clop clip clop on the bridge and the mean troll and the need for new grass to eat?  Dude, THEY FREAKING LOVED IT.  Complete silence while I told the story, other than giggling as I dramatically did the biggest billy goat's CLIP CLOP across the bridge.  They clapped and said "yea" when I finished.  And as I put them to bed they both asked me to tell them the story again tomorrow.

Calming children with a story I remember my mom telling me.  Now that's something to be thankful for.

Y'all have any good stories I should bust out and tell my kids?  And children calming strategies you are thankful for?  Any good stories you love to tell?

Drive on thru and give some thanks!

You know what I'm thankful for today?  The invention of the drive-thru.  For real, whomever invented that is a freaking genius. 

• Wanna cup of coffee?  Drive thru.
• Wanna big ass Diet Dr. Pepper?  Drive thru, McDonalds, Hugo, 88 cents
• Wanna give your kids some greasy food and a crappy ass plastic toy?  Drive thru, McD again.
• Wanna pick up your meds 24 hours a day while not leaving your car?  Drive thru, in your pjs and slippers, Walgreens
• Wanna drop off some dirty work shirts you need clean and pressed?  Drive thru dry cleaners
• Do you need money?  Drive thru banking and drive up ATMs.
• Want some donuts and a flu shot?  Drive thru Krispy Kreme dude!
• Did you need a gallon of milk on your way home?  Drive thru the convenience store attached to the gas station!

Almost as good as the drive thru?  Pay at the pump gas.  For real!  Go inside?  That's for losers.  And if my receipt won't print and it directs me inside?  I pass.  I'll just check that online later.

What modern convenience outside of the home are you thankful for?  Or do you have more drive thrus I am missing?  Because dude, I need to drive thru more things!

PS - According to WikiAnswers, it was Ray Croc (founder of McDonalds) who (whom?) invented the drive thru.  Technically, it was an employee that came up with the idea, but Ray pushed it through to implementation.  So HOLLA RAY CROC you freaking evil genius you!

Finding it hard to be thankful today...

Babysittee has generously given me her cold.  Isn't that sweet of her?  So I'm finding it hard to be thankful as it is difficult to breathe.

Perhaps in about an hour I'll be able to tell you if I'm thankful for Mucinex.  Cuz I'm putting a lot of faith in it to get me through today when I'll have Elaine, babysittee and the neighbors three kids (those three for only part of the day, but LUNCH time when chaos really kicks in).

Do you have a cold remedy you are thankful for?  If you do, I'll be going to buy it tonight!

Day 8 and still thinking thankful

Really, it is hard to come up with creative thankful titles.  So I give up!

Today I am thankful for the Cub Scout and Boy Scout scouting for food drive. 

Saturday Warren and I, along with the rest of his pack, distributed plastic bags for a food drive.  Next Saturday, we'll go collect those items and deliver them to a local food pantry.  The weather was freezing, but the kids really got into it.  They were excited about dropping off the bags and eager to return next weekend and see what we can collect.  Plans were made for wagons, wheelbarrows and cars to haul our load.  I hope the neighborhood does not disappoint, and for some reason, I doubt they will.

I know this economy is well, shitty.  I know times are tough, and things are tight and life is hard.  For some, it's harder than ever.  Our family is feeling it, as are many others.  But I have faith in the kindness and goodness of others.  After all, it's not that hard to check your pantry for something someone else could use, or to pick up an extra box of mac and cheese.  It makes a difference and it doesn't take much.

So I am thankful for food drives, and for generosity, and for my son learning generosity and kindness and hard work and hopefully an appreciation for what he has.

Yep, still thankful

I am thankful today is a new day.  Fresh with the possibilities of yet again making bad parenting decisions or at least questioning my parenting decisions and going to bed ridiculously exhausted.

You see, yesterday was a BAD day.  Filled with reluctant babysittee nappers, Warren in full drama mode, and Elaine just being Elaine and basically not listening to a darn thing I said.  Add to that my stomach being upset all day, Mike working late, and a cub scout pack meeting I had to take both kids to after dinner.

And the end result?  W still crying as he went to bed.  Elaine pretending to cry because she 'needed her daddy' which I call bullshit.  And me, still having stomach issues, wanting the day to END.

So today, I am thankful it is a new day.  SO VERY THANKFUL.  I'll take the rain, whatever.  Let's just have a calm day, okay?

Day 7 and thankful for commercials

I know, it's about the TV, again.  "Why is this girl such a tv junkie?"  Well, I am, and always have been.  There, I said it.

Today, let's talk commercials.

I love commercials.  Well, I take that back - not all of them.  I DO NOT like political ads and am SO VERY HAPPY those are over.  I also think some are completely ridiculous and I swear I could make better commercials at times.  But that's neither here nor there. 

I love a GOOD commercial.  And by good I mean: brief, eye catching, funny or sappy, that makes me appreciate the genius that is commercial making.

Back in the 80s, I was a huge fan of Spuds McKenzie.  Remember that dog for Bud Light?  And along those lines, I've enjoyed most Bud Light/Budweiser commercials.  The "wassssssup" guys were good.  Until they were overplayed.  The "real men of genius" still gets me, but I generally here those on the radio.  Ooh, and I also loved me some frogs who sat on the lily pads discussing beer.

I also am a fan of the Weekends Only guy who let me know what day it is.  "It's Wednesday, still closed.  It's Thursday, one more day."

I like the freecreditreport.com guy who sings about rolling in his subcompact and working at the restaurant.  I LOVED the stolen identity ones where the real people would talk in the stolen identity voice.  The middle aged man who says, "I got this great bustier!  I mean it lifts AND separates!"

I like the Geico gecko.  I like the Cavemen.  I like the one where everyone does one nice thing for a random stranger and then that person pays it forward.  (I wish the world was like that.)

My most recent commercial faves include the PC vs the Mac.  That there is some brilliant writing and makes me want to purchase a mac, but you know - no money, and PCs are cheaper and I currently have an HP laptop running Vista and it's been all good so far.  (Knock on wood, which is my head.)

I also CANNOT get enough of the "treadmill on" and "doors open" commercials.  I think they are for Microsoft Sync or whatever is in cars now?  I do enjoy watching someone walk into a door or fall face first on a treadmill.

So, basically I am thankful for silly 1 minute entertaining snippets that try to sell me things.  I know some of you must be as well, right?  Tell me some commercials you are thankful for!