Pick A Name

Just as we can sum ourselves up with the name MacStewart, I feel like my married surname can be summed up with this:

Imbroglio

Unless you have a better one. Let me know. Then we can vote!

Something New

I learned something new last night.

I learned that if a two-year-old is constipated and you let her have chicken with ranch dressing...she won't necessarily poop, but her farts WILL leave a lingering ranch dressing odor.

I don't even want to know how that happens.

Someone, please post something else and elevate the level of dignity on this blog.

Here's What it Takes...

This is a general response to *someone* with whom I've been having an issue.

You have to ask me. But don't just ask. Listen. No eye rolling or doing that stupid exhale thing. Pay attention.

And be accountable. That's the biggest thing. Just step up and be accountable and no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel, take the time to admit to your part in it.

Cryptic? Yes. Honest? Absolutely.


P.S. I think it's PMS-related, but it's sort of like this...minus the part about leaving.

Lee Ann Womack - He Oughta Know That By Now

I guess he's working late again
I don't need to wonder where he is
But I do
He oughta know that by now
I know his job takes a lot of him
There's not much left for him to give
But I need more
He oughta know that by now
It's not like he's gotta read my mind
To know what I'm feeling after all this time
It's just too hard to hold onto what is never around
He oughta know that by now
He used to promise soon things would change
It's been years and it's still the same
And that hurts
He oughta know that by now
I've grown so used to being alone
Couldn't be much worse if I were gone
And in a way I am
He oughta know that by now
It's not like he's gotta read my mind
To know what I'm feelin' after all this time
It's just too hard to hold onto what is never around
He oughta know that by now
Heartache and coffee at midnight motel
Leavin' him was hard as hell, but I did
He oughta know that by now
I didn't try to explain
No good-bye underneath my ring
That was all I left
He oughta know that by now
That was all I left
And he oughta know that by now

...and then it all came crashing down...

I wrote this post earlier today.

Two hours later, I'm on my third load of puke-laden towels. Oh, and did I mention that she ate pinto beans? And a blueberry-lemon cupcake? That's the what the puke is laden with. Hence, I'm not happy about washing the puke-laden towels.

How is it that my husband gets all the fun days to be home with her and I get the puke days? Is there some kind of mommy law? I think I'm going to cry into the pile of snuggly-fresh clean towels that just came out of the dryer. Because I know in another hour, I'll be washing them again.

Pray for me. Please.

Just For Fun

Even though the base temperature outside today was below zero, and the wind chill ridiculously frigid, I went through the drive-thru and ordered a Strawberry Shake.

This is only sometimes true

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You?

"When your friends think smile, they think of you. There is not a day that goes by that you can't find something good about the world and your fellow human."

Interesting...

How do they figure these things out?

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

I knew this was coming....

I am a Daisy What Flower Are You?

"You are just a sweet person. When a friend needs a shoulder to cry on, you are happy to offer yours with a box of tissues as well. Once in awhile, you wish you could be a little more dramatic but then sensibility sets back in and you know that you are perfect the way you are."

Flowers

I took this little survey...I think there's some truth, except I don't really get pleasure out of letting people know that I'm such a rock star at life.

"You stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets in the way of what other people think. You are proud of yourself and your accomplishments and you enjoy letting people know that."

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

Food Frustration

With the exception of my indulgence of the delicious food at my birthday party, I have been eating very well to help manage the crazy issues I've been having with my weight. Yessiree, eating very well...or so I thought.

Over the past two months, I have worked myself into eating a variety of foods I never used to be fond of, but over time, they don't taste so bad. Cottage cheese, for example. Not my favorite food, but if it's sweetened with some fruit, it's not too bad. I try to eat it a few times a week as a healthy snack. I bought a different kind last week (it has pineapple in it) and the last two times I had some, I felt a little funny within a half-hour of eating it. Not food-poisoning weird, just weird. A little shaky, kind of thirsty, and then really, really tired. And then I remembered--it's how I feel when my insulin levels spike and crash. But it's cottage cheese, right? It shouldn't make my insulin spike.

Unless it's loaded with high fructose corn syrup.

Yup. I took the time to check the label just a few minutes ago and there it was. I'm good at checking other labels, but I never would have thought about high fructose corn syrup in cottage cheese, of all things. I expect to see it in artificially sweet snacks and I avoid those as much as I can, but in a "healthy" snack? Who knew?

THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN (of ultimate destiny)

    Okay, you may have heard me talk about how I am on this crazy email thread via my best friend Kristi. It's called (you guessed it): THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN (of ultimate destiny). It consists of over 654 match-ups between arbitrarily selected people/things vaguely connected to history and/or pop culture and arranged in about 23 rounds which will eventually lead to one final victor. Yes, somebody has too much time on their hands, but it's one of the most fun things I get in my inbox in any given week.

    I thought this week's was particularly funny/interesting, and so I've decided to share. Here's what you do, 1) pick your winner for each match-up; 2) put the name(s) in CAPITAL LETTERS and a brief reason why you think they are the winner. The best part is that you get to choose the match-up scenarios! So maybe it's hand-to-hand combat, a battle of the wits, or it takes place on adjacent telephone poles. No matter what, YOU get to choose the winner!

    This week's battles are:


Adolf Hitler vs. Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan

Double Dragon vs. Minnie Mouse

Magnum P.I. vs. The Three Amigos

Aslan vs. Rod Farva

Pecos Bill vs. Will Ferrell

Tom Sawyer vs. Superman

Saddam Hussein vs. A Bear with indigestion

Scrooge MacDuck vs. Dr. Quinn (medicine woman)

Jackie Chan vs. Big Bad Wolf

The Invisible Man vs. Muhammad the Prophet

Miles Davis vs. Mad Max

Bruno the gay fashion guy vs. the Care Bears

Sean Connery (not as James Bond, who will be appearing in a later match-up) vs. Joseph Stalin

Little Red Riding Hood vs. Q (from James bond)

King Tut vs. Andrew Carnegie

E.T. vs. Mr. Burns and Smithers

C3P0 vs. Wilbur and Orville Wright (on a team)

Waldo... where is he? vs. Shrek and Donkey

8 kids playing D & D in a basement vs. Charles Darwin

Julius and Ethel Rosenburg vs. John Wayne

Peace and Quiet, almost

Today was going to be my glorious day of peace and quiet--the day when the spouse and kids go back to their routine of work/school. But, as these things go in the universe, it didn't quite work out that way. My kindergartner is home sick, and all of my grand plans are out the window. It's a life lesson refresher. I've been waiting for today to do several things to get my own goals for the new year off and running. And now I remember why there's never a good reason for waiting: something will ALWAYS come along to shake up the best laid plan, so, just get started already!

Recap of 2007

Well, it looks like I'm the last one to post my list...

In 2007 I gained a handsome little nephew who is my first godson!

I lost a big part of myself that I'm afraid I might not find again.

I stopped listening to people who tell me what to do.

I started listening to my gut instincts again.

I was hugely satisfied by the progress I made on my book.

I am so embarrassed that I didn't finish the above mentioned book...I'm so close!

Once again, I haven't quite been able to let go of that thing...

The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is I'm smiling a little more.

The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this December is...I'm not sure. I'm sure there's a difference, but I don't know what.

I loved spending time with my beautiful daughter and my fellow crazy sisters. There's nothing like blood relation to understand me!

Why did I spend even two minutes looking up all that information when I knew full well I'm too good of a person to ever do anything with it?

I should have spent more time alone.

I regret buying a pair of pants a size too small thinking that I would fit into them eventually. Post-baby hips do NOT shrink.

I will never regret buying 8 pairs of flip flops even though with that money I could have bought a much more sensible pair of shoes for work.

I agonized about my weight way too much.

I didn't laugh enough.

My boss drove me crazy.

Was my husband's family crazier than ever last year? Or was it me?

The most relaxing place I went was to the local nail salon for a pedicure.

I feel so wistful when I write that down.

Why did I go to that one after-work party?

The best thing I did for someone else was be there for her and listen, even though I completely disagree with the choices she's making in her personal life.

The best thing I did for myself was take some time to feel those feelings. Nobody said there's a designated time frame in which I'm supposed to feel better.

The one thing I'd like to do again but do it better is revenge. I did something not nice (nobody was hurt, don't worry) and even though it had the desired effect, I think maybe I shouldn't have done it all and just let God work it out in His own time.

Looking Back

I'm really looking forward to all of the things 2008 has to offer, but I'm going to remember what I've learned from 2007.

In 2007, I gained another son...my best behaved baby.

I lost my my favorite pair of earrings, but then St. Anthony helped me find them.

I stopped hoping for a reconciliation for my husband and some of his family.

I started praying a little bit more for other things.

I was hugely satisfied by my other children's loving affection for their new baby brother.

And frustrated by the selfish people on this Earth.

I am so embarrassed that I scrambled my novel without saving it first...now half of it is gone forever (except in my heart).

Once again, I called on St. Anthony to save my hide more often than anyone should.

Once again, I did not speak my mind as often as I should have.

The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is my non-pregnant belly!

The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this December is my determination for the future.

I loved spending time with my loving MacStewart family. No one loves the way we do.

Why did I spend even two minutes thinking they would become better people after their mother nearly died?

I should have spent more time writing and writing.

I regret buying the wrong size bra. I should have paid more attention to the tag.

I will never regret buying my red coat even though with that money I could have bought a lot of diapers!

I expected way too much.

I didn't push back enough.

My husband's projects drove me crazy.

Was the timing of life crazier than ever last year? Or was it me?

The most relaxing place I went was St. Mary of the Angels.

I feel so at peace when I write that down.

Why did I go to the garden shop? I wasn't able to garden much last summer.

The best thing I did for someone else was say I was going to be a little sad, instead of saying my heart felt as though it was breaking.

The best thing I did for myself was remember who I really am.

The best thing someone did for me was hand me my new baby boy.

The one thing I'd like to do again, but do it better, is plan my time wisely.

Goodbye and Good Riddance!

    I have been done with 2007 since last month, so it's a relief to be embracing 2008 (a Leap Year, an even-numbered year, and the Year of the Rat) at long last. That being said, doing this reminded me that it wasn't all bad. Not by a long shot.


In 2007, I gained a nephew! And fresh appreciation for life.

I lost my head/heart.

I stopped being a college student (although one might say I’ve only “paused” it. Two degrees might not be enough, you never know).

I started a new Franklin Covey planner.

I was hugely satisfied by the watercolor painting I did of Maine.

And frustrated by my job search and living situation.

I am so embarrassed that I handled Francis so poorly at first.

Once again, I hoped with all my might for Mathew’s happiness.

Once again, I did not write letters regularly to the people I love.

The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is apparently my lighter hair color. Unemployment and sunshine worked wonders on me this summer!

The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this December is that I am no longer afraid of the way I feel.

I loved spending time at the National Gallery.

Why did I spend even two minutes worrying about sharing my feelings?

I should have spent more time telling people I love and appreciate them.

I regret buying anything with high fructose corn syrup in it.

I will never regret buying my locket timepiece even though with that money I could have bought another ticket to New York!

I worried way too much.

I didn't give enough.

My boss drove me crazy.

Was the political debate crazier than ever last year? Or was it me?

The most relaxing place I went was Maine.

I feel so free when I write that down.

Why did I go to see “Hitman”?

The best thing I did for someone else was bake them a pie.

The best thing I did for myself was go to New York (each and every time).

The best thing someone did for me was give me a massage that resulted in the most intense relaxation I’ve ever known.

The one thing I'd like to do again, but do it better, is NaNoWriMo.