DaughterDog?

I don't know who's worse to clean up after - my daughter or the dog. Either way it stinks. My 2 year old thinks it's just part of a normal routine to pee and poo on the floor, just like the dog. (Actually, I think the dog does it a lot less) She also scratches, bites things, and barks. Should I be worried about this? I guess I should be happy she's not imitating me as I'm cursing, pulling my hair out, and banging my head on the wall. Oh, well - just another bright day in the Gautreaux house.

Distracted

Getting distracted while reading some blogs, a person I admire Noel had this on her blog and I thought it might be fun to try out.


How funny is this? I usually get told I look like one of the Olsen Twins, but here I am with some A list stars. Wish I was making the money that their faces are making.


And my husband, don't know about some of them, but hey compare him to Gerard Butler or Matthew Fox anyday.

So, lately I've been really having a task of more than I can handle. I'm trying the give it up to Him thing, so I don't "lose my religion". If it's not bad enough that our dog, Smokey will have accidents in the house every so often that I have to clean, now I have my daughter the streaker, who decides it's so much fun to run around the house with no diaper and sqwat (not sure how to spell that). Ugh! Well, I guess if I can handle Hunter, the Picasso of Poo - I can handle Claire the Sqwatting Stripper.

Alot has been on my mind lately, creatively. I want to go in so many directions with my business and personally. I was rejected for a chance to be chosen on a design team, but it might have been my technical default. My submission never reached her and by the time I knew it was too late to be placed in. So, now I don't know if my talent would have been good enough. Which really sucks, cuz I needed a little boost to carry out my plans. Guess I'll have to try something else. Stay tuned for what I do next. HEHE! Like I have such a large audience on a mini-series or something.

Stranger Things Have Happened!

You know there is a saying about me, yes me: "If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen to Michelle" Well I started thinking about all the things that have happened to me in my lifetime, like some really weird things and I thought about it ... and thought about it ... and I've come to the conclusion that God is just picking on me. I think he is up there laughing his butt off, saying, "Look at her, HAHA!" Well, maybe not, but I can't come up with any other reason for strange things happening to me.

So here's my compiled list of strange things:

My windsheild wiper flew off in mid drive down a main highway. This might not be that strange, but it has happened to me three times with three different vehicles.

I was once was run off the road by some random men in a red corvette. And not your typical swerve of the wheel one time, I mean a intentional try to run me off, laughing like they were high, bumping the horn, and I've never seen them before in my life.

I once was in the drive thru at Taco Bell and was just sitting with a bunch of friends waiting for our order after a night out when 5 guys from the vehicle in front of us, jump out their car and proceed to beat down my car. Punching and kicking it. Finally, one guy looks at me and screams to the others, "Shit, wrong car" and they drive off.

I was mistaken for another girl at a parade and was beat up.

New Year

With the coming of the new year, I believe it's time for some changes. A reflection if you will. I look at all I've done in the past year and think WOW! did I do all that. Where did the year go? So, I'm slowing down, if that's even possible. Not sure. I've somehow gotten lost along the way and I'm trying to make my way back again.

So, I pulled out one of my old prayers from a few years back that I used to recite daily. It's Jabez's prayer. What a powerful one too. I really believe that it will guide you and bless you if you let it. I'll be reciting this often, as I'm sure God realizes I need to. I guess it takes falling flat on your face a few times to realize that.

I'm also thinking I might cut my hair too. I always feel enlightened when I do something new with my hair - strange as it may sound - but I guess the weight of the world is as heavy as my hair (HEHE).

My relationships with others has changed. I used to be so close to everyone I knew. My life is an open book, but I haven't taken the time to hear other's stories. I've become distant and definitely not as empathetic as I once was. So, I'm taking the time to listen closely to short & long stories, rants, & lectures. You never know when that information will be useful.

I can't say enough how thankful I am for my husband, who is by all means the most hardworking, compassionate, loving, & beautiful person I've ever met. He definitely exudes the true meaning of unconditional love. My children who brighten up my dark hours and for all our good health. My family, my shelter, love, friends, & the earth are all things I appreciate greatly, but don't mention it enough. So to all - THANK YOU, especially God!

I used to also be a good deed "doer", haven't done a whole lot lately, so that will have to change.

Well, as you see I have a few things to straighten out, so I guess I'll be startin' on that list.

Joys of Motherhood

In relaxing one beautiful Friday with my husband and kids I took note of several things happening around me. I first noticed how peaceful my town is, how beautiful the weather is, and how wonderful my family gets along. Then I noticed how complicated others make life for you. I do realize it is ultimately up to me to parent my children, but some people don't make it any easier for me. When I think I'm taking two steps forward all it takes is one outing for me to take three steps back. Let me explain in detail my day.



It did not start out as a typical day, it actually was like a vacation day we never get. We went to storyhour at our local library, which is always a pleasure to go to, but it seems like everytime you go you have that one kid running around, talking loudly, and their parents are doing the same and not paying attention, hence the child scurrying about. Don't really care if the child is doing this, but it makes it harder as my children try to mimic the child and when I tell my children to sit and listen to the stories, they ask me "Well why does he get to do it?" What am I supposed to say to that. I really don't know. All I think about is what my teachers would tell me, "Well now if I let you do it then the whole class will do it and then that will just be a mess." So basically they can run carefree and have fun and you can't but what I really want to do is just tell the parent, "Will you please get your child to sit and listen, so mine will too." But I'm sure I would be told, "It's not my fault your child is a follower and mine is a leader." Well, at least if mine were a leader, they wouldn't be leading the chain gang.

So, we then set up a picnic at the local park and it was beautiful. Everyone was actually eating their food, no picky eaters, and no fighting for drinks or anything - can you believe it, really I have pictures to prove it. So anyway, I ask the boys to throw away their stuff and they do, but then I see some numskull littering and I think, "Please God don't let my boys see this." They ask me all the time why do they have to put their trash in the dumpster and I have to go through the long explanation of polluting the earth, yada, yada, yada. Then of course I see a city worker smoking and putting out his butts in the grass. Why?!!!!

So after our wonderful picnic we were able to play, but of course not without seeing children throwing rocks and then my children throwing rocks and then me yelling like a mad woman for my children to stop and come here. Trying to make a point of yelling loud enough so the parent whose child is throwing the rocks might get the point that they should get up off their toosh and do something. Well, it didn't work. Of course, so I just looked like crazy momma!!! for nothing.

Our wonderful time playing around had ended and we decided to grab some ice cream at a local shop. We live in such a wonderful quaint town it was nice not to have to travel too far to do all these things. As we are sitting there enjoying our Banana Splits and Sundaes my oldest son out of the blue asks, "Why can't I have coffee?" I tell him obviously because he's too young, "You're too young and you don't need that." Then he says and points, "Well why does that girl from my school have one?" Sheezz!!! I can't win.

I know you are probably thinking gosh your children ask a lot of questions, .... but maybe they wouldn't have to if people followed the rules. And maybe my children wouldn't think I'm such a mean mom who never lets them do what others do. Am I crazy for expecting that we all play & work by the same rules. Ugh! Maybe one day my children will see I did it for their own good.

How Funny!!!

Okay so you know how as mothers we tend to dish out quite a bit of advice all out at once, well this Mom, happens to be the best at it, watch this video, you can't help but laugh. She is a riot. Return to blog after.

So, if you've watched it!!! Don't you see yourself yelling all those things out of breath, in the rush of things. I sure do. I spill out every word I can squeeze in and pray that he or she heard the most important ones. I'm famous for that as we are pulling into parent drop - off (by the way why do they call this parent drop off you are really dropping off students not parents - anyway) as we drive through the line, I began with my speech: "Okay, Seth tell everyone Bye! and you love them, don't forget to listen to your teacher, follow the rules, stay focused on your work, don't bully anyone - be nice "Spread the Honey", and if anyone bullies you tell the teacher" then as the door is closing I'm shouting, "I love you, Bye!" and he is off to school. He's probably saying to himself I've heard the same speech now for the past 3 years Mom - but instead he listens, (or at least I think so) and takes it all in, and leaves. No sassy mouth here. Love that!

I see how the trend over the years has been to just spill the same advice over and over again. You tell your kids the same things that your parents told you, even though you vowed to never be like your parents, but hey you didn't turn out so bad now did you? So, what's wrong with that! Absolutely nothing. Parents need to be consistent and if it ain't broke don't fix it. Do as your parents did.

I don't think it's a bad think to talk with your children and speak to them daily about what you expect out of them. It gives them some guidelines to life. So should you run into some down time with your child talk with them and let them know (just try not to have an emotional outburst)- we can't just assume they know the rules.

S-C-H-O-O-L What does that spell? Routine!!!!

Hey, I like when school is in. Don't get me wrong I love the summer vacation and trips, but after awhile the laid back lifestyle leads me to laziness. So off to school my boys go, off to the sitter for my girl and off to work for me. "Hunter Bunter" is ready to begin Pre-K and is really pumped up, "Sethocrates" could care less, and "Claire Bear" is just devasted. I want to jump up and down and say a cheer in the morning and all they want to do is beg and annoy me to sleep just 5 more minutes. How could they not love school? I've always loved school, couldn't wait to start, guess that gene skipped my oldest.