Thursday, March 30, 2017

Poop on a string, a gift of love...

If you have a child or know a child, you might also have been lucky enough to receive a home made gift from a child.  I have received quite a few over the years.  I usually wear them proudly, show them off to other family, or display them all over the house!  I love when the littles are so proud of themselves for creating something so special for their people...
I mean, who would not love a sweet little something from these two??
Well, last week over spring break, the littles went to childcare for a few days.  They had so much fun with friends, and one of the days, they created a little piece of wonderful for their momma.  (I know, I am so lucky).  Let me introduce.....
Poop on a string (a gift of love)...
Yes, I have now typed that 2 times.
Well this morning, I came into the kitchen and noticed that one of the "gifts" was broken.  The clay that was used has gotten really dried out and kind of disintegrated (such a praise)!!  Then Red came into the kitchen and noticed that it was broken.  There were tears, and she was so sad it got broken before I could wear it.  My guy came in, and asked where his necklace was (ya see, I already put his in a special place, seeing as his not only looks like a piece of poo but kinda like a "wenis"... if you've been reading here long, my guy a few years ago used that terminology when telling me how boys and girls were different), and he said, "momma, can you wear mine today, before it gets messed up"?

I just stood there.... contemplating picking it up and then clumsily dropping the necklace.... (I know, that is horrible)!
Then, I agreed and proudly (not super proudly) wore #2 necklace on the way to take the kids to school, and as soon as I got home the necklace came off!  It has even left a brown dusty residue on my shirt!!
Geez, the things I do for these two!
!

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

The morning after...

Let me begin by saying, what. a.. night!
Poor guy struggled for a few hours during the night with vomiting!  I can deal with a lot of things, but watching my littles scared of what their body is doing and so upset because they feel bad is the pits!  I will be honest and say, we did sleep.  I finally fell asleep close to midnight, and by 2 he was up and at it again.  I heard him moving around, so I jumped from the bed to the floor holding a bowl to catch whatever was happening (nothing happened, he was able to get up and run to the bathroom).  That happened again about an hour later.  He slept from 4 to 6:15, in the bed with me (I know, I am just begging to catch this stomach thing)!
Sister went to school and Bray and I have just laid low.  He finally ate a pancake and I have not seen it since (Praise The Lord)!  I am hoping that it is all over, and no one else will fall victim.  Until then lil Mexican restaurant down the street is on the NONO list for us.  Guess we will have to drive a bit further and go to our old faithful chip and dip places.
It has been kind of nice to just sit with my guy today.  We have talked and watched movies (none that I got to pick)!  We have watched Lego Star Wars cartoons, Sing, and now Trolls.
This is currently my view... he sleeps.
#WhyAmINotSleeping
I am just waiting for lil Red to be done with school and we will head out to pick her up.
*I know, I took one well kid to school that has been in close contact with sick kid!  Welp, I needed a break and Red seemed good to go, so, she gots to go!!

With all of my downtime today (ha.. that was funny, down time??) I have been able to play a bit of catch up and do some things that were super necessary to get done:
1.  clean my bathroom.... this was necessary since it smelled a bit contagious... like if you smelled it, you would for sure catch the virus that was coming out of sick kid.
(now that I type all of this out, this post may be the most disgusto one ever!  Should have put a warning on this one!)
2.  I have done laundry (not all of it, but some and it is folded and put away... in drawers)  SUCCESS!
3.  I did the dishes!  Yay!
4.  Started dinner!  Boom!

I know what all 10s of you are thinking.... Caryn, your life sounds so glamourous and amazing.
All I can say is, yes, you are right!

One of the more fun things I did get to work on was picking out invites for my cousin Mary's bridal luncheon!!  My momma, grandmother, myself, and aunts are giving her bridesmaids luncheon when we go to New Orleans in a few weeks...  eek!  I am so excited about this!
#ILoveLove and I love Mary Fran!
So, the invites are ordered, and I am waiting on the proofs!!  I spent over an hour this morning looking at different options.... y'all, I can get sooooooooo lost in Etsy, especially looking at invites.
I die over these, and one of these was the option I picked out!



I guess you can probably tell I am into floral prints.... guilty!

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Things I should be keeping to myself....

It is late night at la casa de Foresee, all are asleep and I decide this is the most a-prope time to be blogging!  SMH! 

1.  Here it is, 10:20, there are bad storms getting ready to blow on through in our area, and I am just thinking how in about an hour the dog will start acting a lil nutty (knocking his bowl around, crying, and trying to jump the baby gate from the laundry room (yes, that is right, I put my dog in the laundry room during the night... all night), and with all of the jumping comes all of the peeing!  Not just a spot of pee, but rivers of it!  It is so gross, and then he steps in it , and it is a mess.  So, this is just something that I try to avoid, so I will try to go and get him and put him in the bed with me (man friend totally loves  hates that with a passion).  Chip and I, we are obvi two "pees" in a pod (ya see what I did there?  peas in a pod to pees in a pod??  cause we have the bladders of an untrained toddler)!  Ya get it??

2.  Anyways, that is not the only reason I am awake.  Right before bed, my little guy started complaining of stomach pain.  (this is totally something that I should be keeping to myself)
After the complaints, started (dun..dun....duh) the yakking!  I know, people that have been around me or my littles are probably thinking... I will be next!!  Hopefully not.  Hopefully, he just ate something that did not agree with his tummy (which makes me sad bc the restaurant is one of our go- tos for a quick bite.. it is Mexican and it is within walking distance to our house.... just an FYI, we DO NOT walk there, just saying if our car broke down, we could totally walk there).  Finally, he has fallen asleep, and I am just kinda staying up to make sure that he is okay.  I never sleep when littles have a stomach issues, I just am a major worrier!

3.  Since sick kid is on the floor (yes, he is on the floor) and pee dog will probably be in here within the hour, that means that man friend is sleeping on the couch.  Now, don't go starting the rumor mill that we are on the outs... not the case!  He will never get any rest with sick kid in the room, me tip typing on the laptop, and then the dog gnawing on his feet for the duration of the night!  I was trying to be kind, he needs his sleep... me on the other hand... I run on mom fuel.
* side note, I walked out into the living room earlier to get my phone charger and just happened to pick something up so he would not step on it in the middle of the night (Lego people + the dark= crying man friend), so I stand up and was kind of standing over him and he opened his eyes (I guess he could feel someone standing there) and I scared the ba-jeezes out of him.  I wish I had his startled sound on tape... #AmericasFunniestHomeVideoWinner
Man friend... sorry, I shared, I shoulda kept it to myself.

# 4 thing I should keep to myself... I ate chips and queso for dinner (and I do not feel bad about it... at all).  I would have eaten all of the cheese dip, but I noticed that lil Red was triple dipping her chips which made me a lil squeemy feeling on the inside.  Should have had more, now my stomach is growling, but do I take a chance and fill it with something?  Or leave it empty because I could get a stomach bug from sick kid on the floor???  Decisions... decisions.

5th thing that should be kept under wraps tonight... I attended parent teacher conferences tonight and my fears of the kids becoming elementary school drop outs have vanished.  Turns out the littles are doing amazingly in school, and that just validates my claims that my wee ones are tiny geniuses!  Seriously though, they are doing so well, and I was surprised to learn that my guy can read... not a novel, but is sounding out words and really figuring things out!  Praise the Lord for his sweet teacher for working so hard with him and his class (because his momma has kinda been a slacker... just keeping it reals).  Red is reading and writing so well too.  I was even able to read/ decipher some of her prompts with her teacher.  So pleased with how well they are doing in school and I was so proud to call them mine!!

6.... I have not run/ walked in a few days (4 to be exact).  Hello, I am supposed to be doing this whole marathon thing in a month!  Back to the grind tomorrow!  I am just gonna be honest... working out is kind of hard!  I want to do it (kinda just saying that).... but I also want to sit down and do nothing!  It is the worst!!  I feel so conflicted!

7.  I ordered a tea at 2:40 today (before teacher conferences) and I am still drinking it.  That.  Is.. Gross!  It does not even taste like tea, all of the ice is water, and just so y'all know, I will sip on it all through the night.  I am so weird!

8.  My most favorite pair of Spanx ripped today.  I know, I know, keep it to yourself Caryn!!  I am so upset!  I am sad because now, I have to go and buy more (every time I do go shopping for under things, I always see someone I went to high school with (and it is always a someone that is buying cute lingerie and still a size 2) and there I am diggin' through a bin of granny panties while holding my nude color "power panties" with matching color over the shoulder boulder holder... #NothingAboutMyUndergarmentsArePretty  I guess you know where you will catch me this weekend!

9.  One of the last things that I should be keeping to myself... This morning, I had volunteered to take a few items to the school, the PTO was feeding all of the staff since they would be there late tonight for parent teacher conferences.  I waited until the last moment... stopping at the store before work to buy a thing of pre-cut French bread, a bag of chocolate candies, a chocolate cake, and lemon cake slices. #NeverShopWhileHungry I was so hungry that I opened the French bread and took 3 slices of the bread, and then packaged it back up (as if it had never been disturbed)!  I ate all 3 pieces in 4 minutes!  I am sure the school cameras have me on film carb loading in the car!  What is wrong with me!  For pitys sake, I had Fruit Loops in a snack bag for my breakfast (which I ate later, but said... while eating it, I had not eaten anything all day)!  I have got issues.

Final thing that I should be keeping to myself.... I am starting to feel a little bit squeamish.  Maybe it is just sympathy pains for Bray, or maybe it is just real deal gonna be a long night sick stomach pains??  I am kicking myself for letting him drink from my cup yesterday!  #WhatWasIThinking






Thursday, March 23, 2017

Hi, I might be a bit obsessed with you...

First things first!  Today would have been my MamMaw's birthday, and today she celebrates in heaven.
I still miss my girl terribly!  I would talk with her everyday and we would just laugh and talk and then laugh some more..... and then she'd just say...."okay, .... " then I would hear a dial tone.  Every single call, she would end like that!  Every time I would call her back and say, you just hung up on me, thus starting another conversation!  Ughhh, I miss those chats.
Happy birthday MamMaw, I am sure you are watching over us!

..... and back to the obsessions!!  I love to write in my blog... but I also am a bit obsessed with other peoples blogs.  It is a fun little peak into another persons world.  When I first started blogging, I did not even know what a blog was.  I started working a merchandising job at the Wal-Mart, and I met a girl who became a for-eva friend for me.  We bonded over children.  She had them and I wanted them.  I confided in her my desire to have kids, but it was just not a happening (all Gods timing... not my timing).  My for-eva friend told me about a girl that went to our church, and that she had a blog.  She would often share of her struggles to be pregnant and her pregnancy losses.  I went home that night and looked this chick up (Kelly Stamps, it was you my friend).  I voraciously read from all of her posts it was just like her heart opened up on the screen (not physically, but she was very open).  It was so personal, and I felt a little bit strange reading it.  (a little strange.... but that did not stop the reading).  I began following her (not in a weird way on the street or in the Wal-Mart) but following her blog.  I got to know her without really "knowing her".  I realized that as I read her story, it was helping me to have a peace about my own story and I realized that I was not alone.  Someone else shared my thoughts, and it was a good feeling.
Fast forward a few months, my for-eva friend (we will call her Jessica, because that is her name and nothing really rhymes or fits with Jessica... maybe Jerrica, yea, okay so my friend Jerrica invited me to come to Sunday school.
me and Jerr, this was in the wayyyyyy back, I was invited to come and play bunco with the girls from Sunday school.  I loved that time meeting new girls and making friends
I was all..... ummmm no thanks, I don't really do that (attend Sunday school).  We go to church, but we are not super involved.
She was all..... ummmmmm, no you need to come.
I was like..... ummmmmm, you're a bit pushy (and I really did not like that I also did not say that out loud, but felt it in my guts) and told her maybe this weekend we will go.
She was like...... good.
So, Sunday came, we got dressed and got to church.  I remember thinking how we will run out quick after the service ends and just tell Jerrica and her husband Willy (not real name y'all) that ooops, sorry I forgot that they were doing that whole Sunday school thing after the service (like they had done ever since I had started attending that church in the early 90s.
Little did I know "Stalky McStalkerson" would be waiting for me when we exited the sanctuary and pretty much walked us to Sunday school.  It was not in a drag us there kind of way, but it was a way that I felt I could not just leave her hanging.  I mean what if she had a friend quota she had to meet in Sunday school and man friend and I were her 2 people and she would get like a free devotional book or maybe a calendar or something....
Anyways, we get to the class and it was filled with some of the sweetest couples.
God loving, Bible reading, normal and kind couples.
It was a small group, possibly 12-15 couples, and they were precious.  I instantly fell in love with the group.  One of the last couples we met was Kelly's Korner. (I guess I thought that might be her last name, I don't know, but that is what I knew).  I wanted to hug her and tell her thanks for sharing her thoughts because I knew I was NOT alone.
(FYI, I totally just did not say anything but hi and nice to meet you, and I left it at that)!  Ha!!

This is kind of how my blog took flight.  I kind of thought her stories were helping to drag me outta a little pit of sadness, and I was thinking maybe my thoughts could help someone else too.

Voila.... the blog was born!  I started with some lame name (that I cannot even remember) and after Brayden it was changed it to Sophia + 1 More Makes Four

I still read Kelly's blog, and I think that is where some of my 10s of readers have come from!  Welcome 10s!!

Over the years I have stuck with many other blogs and here are a few that I love reading....

Brittany is an amazing wife, momma, and decorator!  Y'all, I die!  She uses colors, patters, has the most fun tastes and it works.  I wish I was as brave!!  If I could just have her come over on Friday evenings and Saturdays and she just tell me what to do with my house... I would be so over the moon!  Brit.... consider this your invite to come to B-town!

Amber Fillerup Clark is so fun.  I think that we would bond instantly, talking kids, clothes, travel, and life.  We would do this while sitting on the floor French braiding each others hair.  (check out her blog, you will see what I mean... her hair is too fun... kinda Rapunzel-ish)

Ree Drummond!  Can she be anymore fantastic?  Girlfriend is a BIG deal, living on a ranch, whipping up dishes for her cowboy husband and alllllllllll of their children.  She is a blogger, author, cuisine extroidinaire, and I know that we would meet and she would want to make me something yummy in the kitchen!

What?  I know!  Yes, I read Tori's blog and I think that she is just fascinating.  I like her style and her decorating.  I used to read all of her books (yes, she is a writer) but now I no longer have to wait for a book, I can read the blog!

Casey Leigh!  She is always sharing her family and their adventures.... and the pictures are always flawless (this is a far cry from all of my blurry mouth-breathing pics)  She is just lovely!  I know we would be friends!

Honestly, the girl changed the blog name to her name... Erin Akin Carroll, and I hate that she has not posted in a year!  Ughhhhh, a year!  I check back often, still waiting for an update.... is that strange?  Possibly, yes, but not psych ward strange.... right??  I loved getting book reviews from her!

Last one....
This blogger lives in my town, and she is the only blogger I have had an encounter with that I actually almost died!  My mom, grandmother, and I went on a tour of homes in our down town area.  I was so beautiful.  Well, we walked into one of the homes, and I instantly recognized her from the blog.  I was starring at her and she introduced herself, and......
(please know, this is only how I remember the story)
I said.... oh, I know, I am a super fan of your blog, not a fan I read.... I can read.... I mean, I read your blog.  I did a weird laugh and I may have snorted.
That was the last time I ever told anyone I read their blog.... it was like meeting a famous person, and I became all tongue tied and acted like a ding-bat!

Any good blogs I should be reading??  Do tell!




Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Mom Fail

I have not even made it to 8 o'clock and I am already wanting to jump back in the bed and start my morning over!  It is chilly outside, the time change (3 days ago) still has me as a sleepy mess, and my "Mom of the Day Award" has already been taken away!!  (Whomp whomp)  Mornings are tough.... in fact mornings with little people are tough.... Mornings with little people, a momma who overslept, kids that will not put on shoes, and kids who are not listening are tough!!
Do any other mommas have mornings like this or am I all alone??
I hate that before 7 the kids had already been scolded and had to hear my crazy loud mom voice!  It comes out everyday, but sheesh, before 7 (I was even annoyed with me)!  We had not even been awake 40 minutes!
On the way to school everyone was quiet and the only thing that I could hear was my dragon breathing (What??  I am still struggling with a bit of nasal blockage which is causing mouth breathing!)  I was already feeling bad, and I am thinking we were moving so slowly but we actually left the house 9 minutes before we would normally leave.  So it looks like all of my overreacting was for nothing, and there was no reason for me to even lose my "mom of the day award".
I was feeling so guilty about how the kids day had started out that I had to pull over the car and tell them I am sorry.
Ugggggh!
I am not good at saying that I am sorry, and it is hard to tell your little people sorry.
As soon as I turned around and saw their sad faces, I knew it was the right thing to do.  I grabbed their little cold hands (one of them was a bit gross because I had just witnessed Brayden using it as a Kleenex when wiping his nose... so that reminds me I need to disinfect my hands) but anyways, I just held them and looked at their sad faces and told them that sometimes when mommy is stressed and is in a hurry she acts like a nut job.  This morning I was a complete and total nut job and I yelled at you and I did not need to do that.  I said my sorrys and asked for their forgiveness. 
I love the rebound rate of a little.  They were very quick to forgive me, tell me that they loved me, and that I was the best.
Now that all of the crazy is out of the way, I am sure I will be able to move forward and have a good day, I just hate that sometimes we freak out on the ones we LOVE the MOST!!  Hopeful that they will not need to much therapy in their future.
Thankful that tomorrow I will get a redo-



Monday, March 13, 2017

What's White Lightning Been Up To??

Just a few things...
1.  My hair has been out of control as of late.  It has been a combo of 80s hair band and hot mess express.  I rarely ever get my hair cut, it just takes too much time (that I hate to spend on myself), and I hate to spend the extra money when I think that it should go to something else.  (Do any other mommas feel like this?)
Anyways, it was a bit long, a bit frizzy (honestly, because I stopped putting gel in it, and that is a natural curly hair nono), and dried out.
The bottom 6 inches did not even curl (which is strange since I have curly hair)!  Welp, today was the day.  I called up an old friend (not age old, just a friend who knows me and this mop on top)!  PTL she had an opening....  Upon walking in, I explained how it needed to be cut and she got right down to business (before I even sat down in the chair, she ponytailed it (yes, I made ponytail a verb) and then cut the ponytail off)!  There was NO looking back after that!  6 inches on the floor (possibly more)!
I know what you are thinking...
1.  Why is your collar popped?
I don't know!  I blame it on my 80s hair, and I think that poppin' a collar was a thing back in the day.

2.  Why is your shirt unbuttoned to your bubbies?
I don't know y'all!  Tomorrow I will make sure to utilize all buttons (there is no need for bubbies to be out on a Monday... geez, I was at the beauty shop!)

3.  Is that your best pose when taking a selfie?
Possibly.  It is what it is.  Most of my selfies CANNOT be photo shopped, and in most of them I am being a mouth breather!  #CantFixThat

Anyways... I left the shop feeling so much better about my hair and myself.  Sometimes it is good for mommas to take a few minutes out for themselves.  Tonight, I feel 10 pound lighter and a little bit happier about myself!


2.  This morning, I was looking in the mirror... like super close in the mirror, and I was very surprised to see not gray hairs, but WHITE hairs!  WTH?  Fa-reeking WHITE!  I am 37 and turning into a white haired middle aged woman?  It just doesn't make sense.  I would pull them, but I am afraid that 10 would grow in their places!

3.  I cannot believe that I am typing this, but I have been walking/ running (and when I type running, I really mean very fast walking.... like super fast jogging, you might even call me White Lighning).  It is a new thing I am trying.  It is not easy, I am 37 and my physical activity is well.... nada.  In fact, I am doing all of this to run/ jog/ walk fast in a marathon with my Red!  There is a 5K and a fun run, and I have not decided what I will be able to accomplish, but I am going for it!  I know it will NOT be easy, and that I will possibly pee all over myself, and that I might die (just die die or die of embarrassment), but my Red will see me work hard to do this with her, and my husband will also see how athletic I am (or not)! 

4.  When I am not jog- walking, mommin', or wifin', I am spending WAAAAAY to much time playing some silly game on my phone... ToyBlast.  It has become such a time-suck for me and I def need to delete it from my phone, and that is a struggle since I am completely ADDICTED!  I feel like I need to go to "Gamers Anonymous". I wonder if there is such a thing?  The other night I was playing and I looked at the clock and it was not even night anymore, it was morning- 1 something!  I could not believe it!  The last thing I was completely obsessive with was that Friday Night Lights show, remember when I watched all of the seasons/100 episodes of the show in almost 2 weeks?  Which reminds me......
#YoureWelcome #Riggins

5.  Our family is planning a little vaca in a few months to New Orleans!  We have never been before, but are so excited to go.  My cousin Mary (that is her real name) is getting married, and we will be coming for her BIG day!  So far we are planning on taking the kids to the zoo, maybe the aquarium, and we are planning on giving a luncheon before the wedding!  It will be such a packed trip of family, but I am hoping we can have a little bit of fun on the side!  The kids are most excited to see their cousins (and I cannot wait to see mine)!!
Tens of readers.... have you been to New Orleans?  What is something that we should check out... family friendly!!

6.  The other day before work I turned on the television and I was able to watch the pilot episode of Growing Pains!  Ughhhh, I adored Kirk Cameron... like I thought he would make his way to Btown and take me away to be his wife one day!  Ha!  I even wrote him a letter (thinking that he would write back) and I gave it to my daddy to mail.  Sad.... he NEVER mailed it!  He placed it in his sock drawer, and he gave it to me a few years ago!  I was half sad and half relieved!  Sad because I just knew he woulda read my super deep pre-pre teen thoughts and felt a connection between us, and I was embarrassed because of all of the words I misspelled and all of the hearts that were doodled all over were a bit much!  Sheesh!  I needed spell check!  #NeverTheSpellingBeQueen #OneDoodledHeartIsOkayButTwelveNOWAY
Anyways, that was such a good show!  I have watched a few episodes this week, and I love that I grew up watching it.  They just do not make tv like that anymore!

7.  and just because I think it is funny...