Lessons: One Year Later October 21, 2009

I am back, I am back, I am back!!!!  So after the toughest year of my life and some of the hardest lessons I have learned, I am finally ready to come up for some air.  I became so consumed with projects and problems, that my life revolved around nothing more than the Home Depot, emotional meltdowns and the school of hard knocks for the past few months.  So after my summer from hell and a very tough year I thought I would share my lessons with others, you know, so that others won’t repeat my mistakes!

Lessons of 2009

After any hard life change, renovating your house is an excellent way to divert built up anger

It is amazing how much can be fixed with duct tape and baling wire

No matter how cute you look…Never weed-eat and mow your lawn in a skirt, grass clippings get EVERYWHERE!

When you lose your temper and throw something…God makes sure it hits something breakable..never a good idea

If you give an 8-year-old boy a bathroom of his own, you need to check the toilet every once in a while

Always buy all the materials you need for a project…..at the beginning.

Keeping the house cat happy should always be a top priority

Be able to laugh at yourself, never take yourself to seriously and look only to the future!

So with my few little lessons, I am happy to say I finally feel grounded and back so after almost 4 months of absence the blog posts are back.  Thanks for your patience and support, more to come.

The Things You’ll do for a 7-year-old… July 14, 2009

All in a days work as a busy mom, I know we have all been here….

Get up early so you have plenty of time to perfect a “faux hawk”

Drive down town to drop young one off at camp. Not a big deal except the ride consisted of listening to show tunes the entire time.

Rush back down town at the end of day to pick young one up and drive to other end of town for drum lessons.

Walk through entire school black top to drop child off.  118 degrees and high heels are melting into tar.

Drum teacher is running late, walk through black to again to get into hot car.

Drum lessons finally over drive home and start cooking dinner.  Turn and find young one on the couch naked because he is too hot.

End the evening on YouTube and Google searching for the world’s best hula hooper because the 6-year-old at summer camp is telling everyone he is and there is just no way.

Put young one to bed wearing race car driver/ninja costume armed with three laser guns.

Children; they brighten your day, remind you to not take yourself too serious and keep you young at heart.

Daily Highlight July 1, 2009

Today was a ok day, and then I was informed that we have a contractor who just so happens to be a proud third generation Barstownian (aka the family never left Barstow, California) and he is very interested in bidding my project and his vast knowledge of the surrounding areas will prove to be beneficial.  So of course this was the best, most exciting news I have heard all day.  It was nice to hear someone be so proud of where they are from even if it is Barstow. Really, Barstow, wow…maybe I should be more open minded but I don’t know if I would be bragging that information.  None the less it was hands down the most interesting news I heard all day……………until 4:55.

Erica opens gymnasium door……young child is playing with another young child.

“Mom, mom!!! Guess what I learned today???!!!”  “How to fart from my armpit!!”  “Listen…”  young child cups had in armpit and makes fart noises.  “Is that the most awesome thing? Do you know how to do that?”

So I have to agree, farting from your armpit is so awesome, and I wish I could have been there to see him do it the first time.  Now my question is, can I armpit fart in the middle of a boring meeting in Barstow? Because that would be pretty awesome!

Catching Curve Balls June 25, 2009

Growing up you always envision your life a certain way.  Some picture a beautiful house, a spouse, 2 kids and a dog, others see a successful career and lots of nice things, while another may picture a balance between the two and then there is always the one who pictures winning the lottery and buying an island.  All very different visions but they all are perfect in their own respect.

So my question is, why do we all picture these perfect lives when it is completely delusional?  Is it because we are all brought up thinking that fairy tales do come true, or do we just convince ourselves that they do?  Don’t get me wrong, this is not a “bah humbug” post on happily ever after, but more of an inquisition as to why the hell we aren’t more honest with ourselves.

Now, for the record, my life is wonderful.  I have a healthy child, a nice house, a good job, family and friends. Or is that just what I convince myself of?  Is it the peer pressure of smoke and mirrors that inhibits us from sharing our true feelings with others.  I think so, when I announced my divorce it was shocking to most, but we were at the end of our ropes and we were the only ones that knew that.  So as I read through blogs that are sappy and perfect, instead of becoming irritated and increasingly cynical, I know that it is either really good meds or personal delusion.

I think people really just want to know what is really going on, now we all don’t want all the dirty laundry, but a slight hint of reality.  Communication is my weakest skill, I am always afraid of upsetting someone.  Well, I may offend  you because I am too honest, offensive or just  because it doesn’t whisk you away to Wisteria Lane, but life isn’t simple.  And as I get older and realize life isn’t perfect, I get more pissed about it. 

I was always told that life throws you curve balls, I just didn’t think about who would catch them in my perfect world. Damn it, I guess that would be me.

So I will end with my dose of reality.  I do, for the record, have a brilliantly perfect kid, but my house is not that great, my job sucks right now and I really miss my family and friends.  So I have caught this reality curve ball, now it is up to me on how I throw the ball back.

The Summer of “San” Tour June 1, 2009

Yippee, it is finally here….. June 1st!  The significance of this day is great, as Gavin and I step out on an adventure, just the two of us.  We are off to San Diego and San Francisco, then my little guy heads to Tahoe with his grandparents and I head home for a little “Stay-cation”.  Much needed time to do home repairs and organization without the help of a 7-year-old.  Stay tuned, I won’t be blogging from the road as I am actually leaving the laptop, it is a strange feeling to remove that ankle chain.  We will, however, be tweeting our way through California so stick with us on twitter!

Watch out Cali, here we come!!!

A Diva in Idaho May 25, 2009

Tonight I bid farewell (sort of) to a character in my life, Ms. Diva.  As Gavin explains it, due to the economy she must move on.  As much as it sucks, one door closes and many more open right?  So my dear friend, the Diva,  is moving to Idaho.  I know a Diva in Idaho is hard to comprehend, but I believe Idaho will embrace her, besides they really don’t have a choice.  I would imagine that state needs a little flair in it…Demi can’t do all the work.

A loss for me and a gain for Idaho. I know that my world will never be the same.  My Diva taught me to never put up with bullshit, women can work in a mans industry and be successful, you can look beautiful without makeup on, good food and friends are priceless and the proper shoes always make an outfit. 

So to my dear Diva, I wish you the following:

Lever handles and never knobs

The proper handbag when golfing

Seating with safety harnesses

The tops of all your hamburger buns

Sangria as good as Lola’s

The Idaho equivalent to the “Vig Rig”

Saturday morning mimosas in the sun

and

All the success and happiness the world has to offer and you so deserve.

I look forward to falling down manholes with you!

Cheers,

Erica

A Pearl of Wisdom May 24, 2009

“You know, they invented schools so that we would have a safe place to make mistakes..”

–Gavin, May 21, 2009, 7:10 am

Best intentions May 9, 2009

 

“I would never buy Cheetos, but his speech therapist recommended it.  I know, I am just so embarrassed.  But they are for medicinal purposes”…this was honestly overheard at Starbucks while waiting for theatre class to end.

I will start by saying, this motherhood thing is complicated.  There was no manual that showed up in the delivery room to give you all the easy answers.  I speak for myself when saying I started out with the best intentions, you know the ones; “wash your hands before you pick up the baby, I will breast feed for as long as he needs, he will only eat organic and homemade baby food.”   Then reality sets in…you realize you have been sick for the last 18 months because your child is really the petri dish of germs and you can wash your hands all you want but as long as you keep kissing him, you are going to be sick…breastfeeding sucks, hurts and once teeth appear all bets are off….homemade baby food, my ass…if the Gerber strained peas is heated we will consider that a good day. 

I started out with the best intentions but as I sit and listen to the other mothers poo-poo Cheetos and any food item with preservatives, I feel somewhat as a failure.  I fed my kid a pop tart(straight from the bag) and a Capri Sun this morning because we just couldn’t get up early enough for theatre class.   So yes, my intentions were so good at the beginning but now I wonder how any sane, non-medicated mother really does it?   I have watched the same SpongeBob episode 17 times this week because my child thinks it is hysterical, I have given in to the sugar cereal because it is ‘Fortified in 13 essential vitamins and minerals’, Nindento DS is okay when you are playing chess or some other thought provoking game, and if he wants to sleep in his new flip flops.. go for it.  I have come to terms with the fact that I am the best mom I know how to be and that there are so many other moms out there who are secretly feeding their kids Cheetos and unnecessarily feeling guilty about it.  So actually,  this little blog post goes out to my many friends who are expecting their first born…take it from one wise mother…no one has died from eating Cheetos and if you find that manual, let me know.

My People – My Cast of Characters March 31, 2009

Last Saturday my over dramatic child started theatre class.  I deemed it an appropriate outlet for his excessive amount of 7-year-old energy and yes for the critics out there, he has played and will play sports again.  Come on, as a stay-at-work mom I can only fit one extra curricular in at a time!  So as I listened to all the fun imaginative things my little guy did and the characterizations he can do, I couldn’t help but think about all the magnificent characters I have in my life. 

We all have them, those various characters (people)  that add color to our world.  I am lucky to have just enough characters, not too many, but just enough, very different ones, that I can barely keep up with them.  Thinking about all of you, I should really do little spot lights on you, just because you are more interesting than you thinnk you are,  but then again I don’t want to piss you off!

So to My People (and of course this is just a handful, but you know who you are) your rainbow of colors brightens my world.

Party Girl

Mr. Lopez

The Artichoke

Diva

Little Man

Ms. Reality Check

Cheap Guy

Dove Girl in Flannel

Stubborn Guy

Lil’ Frat Boy

Bachelor J.

PITA

Having people is a great thing, I appreciate you more than you know and with names like those how could I really resist a little blog post about you?  Don’t worry I will let you know before I hit “publish”

Year 32 March 9, 2009

As year 32 starts for me, I am oddly at peace.  As crazy as life has been recently I think my hurricane is almost over and I am coming out of this storm so much stronger than when it  started.  Year 32 will be a good year for me, even though times are crazy in the world, my world is finally spinning correctly.  I now know and honestly believe in many things I had forgotten.  Your true friends will always be there for you, even when you avoid conversation and don’t pick up the phone for months.  Family is irreplaceable and will always have your back.  Mothers love their children unconditionally and always are happy to help you clean your house.  Fathers will load up a car full of tools and drive for two days when a childs house and heart needs repair. Children keep you grounded and focused on the important things in life. Work is work and hard work is the most rewarding but don’t let it consume you.  Being able to love yourself and not settle for less than you deserve.  Knowing that you can’t control how other people treat you but you can control how they make you feel.

So here’s to 32, a much wiser year for me.