Thursday, March 31, 2011

Another Challenge!

(We'll see if I can complete this one!)

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with 15 facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of a habit you wish you didnt have.
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 - A picture of a letter
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 - A picture of your day
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

Monday, March 21, 2011

Questioning Character

So, as parents we have to make choices everyday that concern our kids. A lot of the choices we make, we make because it is what is in the best interest of our child and/or family, but some of the choices we make because they are in the best interest for us. Those are the choices we may look at and consider our selfish choices. They're the choices we stress over for a long time about did I really make the right choice? Should I have chosen X or Y instead of Z? Was it too selfish of me to coose that?

Ok, so where am I going with this? Well. we all hear and/or say all the time that we would do anything for our children. You see in movies and shows where parents push the kid out of the way so they get hurt instead or something along those lines. Now, I know I love my kids, I hope my kids know I love them. But I'll admit it, I'm good at making those selfish choices sometimes and I've wondered "What would *I* really do in a situation like that?" I got my answer last week. Now, don't worry, it was nothing too dire and no one got hurt but it still answered my question.

I was in Arizona visiting Laura and we went and visited an old friend from High School who owns a pool. I had Rebecca in the pool, who wasn't loving it so much, when Charity trying to be funny on a floatie device decided to "pretend" to slip out of it and call for help, only problem was she got herself into a situation where she couldn't get back on. So, I decided to go over and save her. We were in the shallow end of the pool and I'd been doing my best to make sure my kids didn't go to the deep end since I wouldn't be able to get over to them easily while holding the baby. So, I head over to where she is. Well, as I took a step off the stair I'd been on while holding Rebecca, down we went. Down Down Down. I hadn't realized the pool was already deep at this point.

So, what were my first thoughts as my baby and I became submerged in the pool? They were about Rebecca. Get her up out of the water and safe. Make sure she was OK, and then check on Charity. Not for a moment did I think about me until I knew my kids were safe.

Made me very happy later when I was thinking about it to realize that yes, in our day to day lives I may occasionally make that selfish choice but when it really matters, I put my kids first. And honestly, what good parent doesn't stress over a choice they view as selfish (even though we all need to make those choices occasionally), we wouldn't be good parents if we didn't worry about how our choices affect our children.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

How Many Have You Seen?

Supposedly if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are over 270 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog and paste it in a new post. Then, put X's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number. Have fun!

() Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
() Grease 2
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End
() Boondock Saints
() Fight Club
() Starsky and Hutch
() Blazing Saddles
Total This Group: 4

(x) The Neverending Story
(x) The Neverending Story II
(x) The Neverending Story III
() Airplane
(x) The Princess Bride
(x) Willow
() Anchorman
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
Total so far:11

() Saw
() Saw II
() Saw III
() Saw IV
() Saw V
() White Noise
() White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
Total So Far: 13

(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
() Scream 3
(x) I Know What You Did Last Summer
(x) I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
() The Shining
() Candyman
() Stand By Me
Total So Far: 19

() Scary Movie
() Scary Movie 2
() Scary Movie 3
() Scary Movie 4
() Resident Evil 1
() Resident Evil 2
() American Pie
() American Pie 2
() American Wedding
() American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 19

(x) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
(x) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
(x) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
(x) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
(x) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
(x) The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
(x) Finding Nemo
Total so far: 28

(x) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
() White Chicks
() Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
(x) Robots
Total so far:34

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
() Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
() King Pin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
() Eight Crazy Nights
Total so far:41

() Joe Dirt
(x) King Kong
(x) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
(x) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
() Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
(x) Dumber & Dumberer
(x) Halloween
() Surviving X-MAS
Total so far:48

() Final Destination
() Final Destination 2
() Final Destination 3
(x) The Ring
() The Ring 2
(x) Flubber
(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
(x) Ghost Ship
Total so far: 54

() From Hell
(x) Hellboy
() Secret Window
(x) I Am Sam
(x) The Day After Tomorrow
() Child's Play
() Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
Total so far:57

(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
(x) Just Married
() Gothika
() Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Remember the Titans
()Coach Carter
() The Grudge
() The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
() Son Of The Mask
Total so far:61

() Bad Boys
() Bad Boys 2
() Joy Ride
() Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Ocean's Thirteen
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremacy
(x) Bourne Ultimatum
Total so far:67

(x) Sixteen Candles
(x) Pretty in Pink
() Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator
() Predator II
(x) The Princess and the Frog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(x) Curious George
Total so far:75

(x) Independence Day
() Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
(x) Darkness Falls
() Christine
(x) ET
() Children of the Corn
(x) My Boss's Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
Total so far: 81

(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
(x) Rush Hour 3
() Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
() Calendar Girls
() Sideways
() Mars Attacks
(x) Event Horizon
Total so far:87

(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
() Big Trouble in Little China
() The Terminator
() The Terminator 2
() The Terminator 3
(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-Men:The Last Stand
Total so far:93

(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
(x) Spider-Man 3
() Sky High
() Jeepers Creepers
() Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
(x) Reign of Fire
Total so far:100


() The Skulls
() Cruel Intentions
() Cruel Intentions 2
(x) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
(x) Shrek the Third
() Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
Total so far:106


(x) The Notebook
() K-Pax
() Krippendorf's Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
() Ice Castles
() Boogeyman
() The 40-Year-Old Virgin
(x) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
(x) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(x) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Total so far:111

(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
(x) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
() Love and Basketball
() Hostel
() Waiting for Guffman
() House of 1000 Corpses
() Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
Total so far:116


(x) Highlander
(x) Mothman Prophecies
() American History X
() Three
() The Jacket
() Kung Fu Hustle
() Shaolin Soccer
() Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
Total so far:120

(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
() Shaun Of the Dead
() Willard
() High Tension
() Club Dread
(x) The Incredible Hulk
() Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x) Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Total so far:125


(x) 28 days later
() Orgazmo
() Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
() Kill Bill vol 1
() Kill Bill vol 2
(x) Mortal Kombat
() Wolf Creek
(x) Kingdom of Heaven
() The Hills Have Eyes
Total so far:129

() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
() The Last House on the Left
(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
() Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
() Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far:135

() Re-Animator
() Army of Darkness
(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
() Animatrix
() Evil Dead
() Evil Dead 2
() Team America: World Police
() Ghost Town
Total so far:138

(x) Red Dragon
() Silence of the Lambs
() Hannibal
(x) Wall-E
(x) Batman Begins
(x) The Dark Knight
(x) The Prestige
(x) Cars
() Gone With The Wind
(x) Top Gun

145, out of this list of movies!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Clarifying

OK, so some people pointed out to me that my last post sounded a bit sad. Dad said for people who didn't know me well they'd think I was depressed. A friend sent me a long pick-me up message with advice and ideas (which was greatly appreciated BTW :), Dennis read it and told me I just sounded sad. It's odd he read it though, he rarely reads this blog, even though it's e-mailed to him, unless I tell him to read it. But anyway, it wasn't supposed to sound sad, just frustrated. Life with 3 small kids can be hard! And I'll admit there are days I consider going out and getting job just to get to run away :) My friend Andrea commented on someone's post on facebook and said that "Trying to clean with awake children is like trying to brush your teeth while eating an Oreo!" That's the sentiment where the last post came from, lol.

But my kids will only stay little for a short time. Look at Charity, she's almost 5 already! And normally I focus on the good things in life, because there are so many. But sometimes when I've had a rough day (or night as the case may be, I was tired that morning) then I focus on the negatives around.

I really am blessed, however, to be able to stay home with the kids. Blessed to have such a wonderful loving husband who is able to work and support his family. And not only is he there for us financially but emotionally as well. He loves to spend time with his children playing with them, teaching them and he loves to spend time with me. Of course you already know I love to spend time with him as well! Life is good and I wouldn't trade it away for anything.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Formerly Sarah Dennis and Kiddos, Now Daddy's Girls!

So for those of you receiving my blog posts by e-mail. Sorry I changed the name! I didn't realize what the e-mails looked like until my Dad pointed out today that he wouldn't have known they were from me except that I mentioned Rebecca's name.

So, instead of receiving e-mails with the subject Sarah, Dennis and Kiddos. It is now Daddy's Girls! I hope you're all enjoying keeping caught up with our lives! :)

General Dissatisfaction

As I was lying awake at 5 in the morning thinking about life and not being able to get back to sleep after Danielle was up in the middle of the night AGAIN. I realized I have a general dissatisfaction with life lately and I don't know what to do about it.

I don't keep the house as clean as I'd like... and I can't seem to find a system yet that works.

I don't go to the gym as often as I should, yet some days I go more than I want to.

It feels like I have to choose to either clean my house or go to the gym, I can't do both but both are so important.

I don't spend enough time with the kids, playing with them, teaching them; yet I don't get enough time for me.

I get frustrated and angry with the kids way too much, yet they don't seem to care or respond until someone gets upset with them. Daddy doesn't like to get upset with them so I have to be the bad guy.

I definitely don't get enough time with Dennis, even though we recently started swapping babysitting with some friends so we get to go out every other week.

Life has just become so complicated and hectic. It seems like we don't get enough time to talk about the big things, let alone the little ones. So trying to make decisions about things has become a huge hassle.

I started making the girls skirts, they're still not done, ok I got 1 for each of them done, but I'm not done with the ones I originally started (silly me picked out a complicated patten that requires a lot of work). I wanted to have some dresses made for them for our trip, out of some really cute pink material and that is so not going to happen unless I ignore everything else over the next week but I can't ignore everything because I've got to find time to pack on top of everything else that needs done.

I want to read more, but can't find the time really to get to sit and enjoy a book without feeling guilty over what else I'm not doing. It's been several weeks since my last one.

I feel like I watch way too much tv, or spend way too much time on the computer; yet most of that time is spent while I'm holding Rebecca or feeding her or something. Which then factors into me feeling like I don't spend enough time with them because I should be giving all my attention to her or the other kids, right?

I don't know, I just haven't been able to seem to get back in the swing of things yet. That's what I was talking about in my other post that maybe I've just taken on too much too soon. After Charity was born I didn't manage to cook dinner until she was 4 months old, sure Rebecca is 5 months now but I'm still only cooking occasionally when I can get around to it. Maybe it's a time management issue or simply not enough time issue, I don't know, but most days it seems that I'm barely keeping my head above water and I know I've let some important things slide lately that I shouldn't have due to either completely forgetting or lack of caring.

I used to keep track of things and get things taken care of so much better than I have over the past year. Some days I feel like this last pregnancy stole all of my brain cells but forgot to give them back when it was over. Can you get permanent brain damage from pregnancy? lol? My memory is shot, I forget so many things lately, it's frustrating.

Anyway, so there's my dissatisfaction with life right now. I don't know how so many things can fall on both ends of an issue! Maybe I'm just searching for some better balance, I hope I find it soon!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Craziness

So I have just felt completely overwhelmed with everything lately. I was saying something about it today with a friend and she asked what all I was doing. I have no idea! I found this a while back and figured maybe it explains it better :)

*************************************************
(Author Unknown)

Recently, I was diagnosed with C.A.A.D.D. - Child Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests: I decide to do the laundry. As I start toward the basement, I notice that there are cheerios all over the floor and my house keys are in the cereal bowl. I decide to pick up the cheerios before I do the laundry. I lay my keys down on the counter, put the cheerios in the trashcan under the counter, and notice that the trashcan is full. So, I decide to take out the trash. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash I may as well pay the bills first. I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left, my extra checks are in my desk in the office, so I go to my desk where I find a sippy cup full of juice. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I decide I should put the sippy cup in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the sippy cup a plant on the counter catches my eye--it needs to be watered. I set the sippy cup on the counter, and I discover baby wipes that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back in the bathroom, but first I'm going to water the plants. I set the wipes back down, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote, left on the kitchen table. I realize that when I go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the plants. I splash some water on the plant, but most of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down, get some paper towels and wipe up the spill. Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do. At the end of the day: the laundry isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm cup of juice sitting on the counter, the plants aren't watered, there is still only one check in my check book, I can't find the remote, I can't find the wipes, and I don't remember what I did with my keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today. I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.

***************************************

On a serious note. I really don't know, maybe it's having a newborn in the house, maybe it's having 3 young children in the house, or 2 younger kids plus a newborn, poor time management, too much laziness, or what, but I really do feel so much of the time that I'm not able to accomplish even half of the things that I should be getting done! Even the days I try really hard to get a lot of things done it just doesn't seem to work out.

Afternoons are hard because Rebecca just wants to be held and entertained, evenings are hard because there is just so much to do. So, if I don't get the things done in the morning that need done, then nothing seems to get done around here. Who knows, maybe in a few more months I'll have things better figured out...