Teen & Dating

Today was the first real day G and I had to address the issue of Teen and dating. Teen has had boyfriends and has had them over, has gone to the movies with them within a group but she's never been on an official date...as far as I know.

When she started High School we (G included) set some rules. No dating anyone over 10th grade and no official dates until she was 16. This has worked out just fine for both her and us. Until today. She was invited to go to Tropical Smoothie by a boy, a Junior. She mentioned this to me yesterday and because the meeting time was going to be in the afternoon, I was willing to let her go. G was too.

Fast forward to today. I asked Teen to baby sit the kids along with YaYa because I was giving myself the rare opportunity to go out with friends. She, of course, gave me some grief about it but finally agreed. We then began the following text exchange:

Teen - I'm going to go to Tropical Smoothie at 6, can YaYa watch the kids for an hour?
Me - How do you  plan on getting there?
Teen - He's picking me up ?
Me - That's a no. I can take you at 5 and pick you up at 6.
Teen - Why not? He's the guy that takes me to school all the time. Well I'm not doing that

***interupt for clarificaiton*** This boy has picked her up twice and is the older brother of a friend of Teens. So, she's never been alone in the car with him....as far as I know***back to our text***

Teen - Pleasee
Me - I'm sorry no. You're not suppose to be going out with anyone over 10th anyway. Be thankful I'm letting you go at all.
Teen - Wow. I'm not even dating him. He invited me to tropical smoothie!
Me - That was very nice of him, you can meet him there.
Teen - I'm not going
Me - ok
Teen - k

Now, I'm sure I'm on her hate list for the evening but I stand by my decision. And because one day my kids will be reading this, (as I'm writing this Teen is reading past posts) I want to reiterate my reasons why:

1. Our initital rule was - no boyfriends/dates over 10th grade
2. I've never met the boy
3. She was going to be alone in the car with him. With a boy I've never met.
4. She's 15.
5. If I say yes to Tropical Smoothie today, next week it will be dinner, and then a movie and then a senior....no thank you.
6. And finally, maybe it makes no difference or not but Teen has been badly hurt by her ex BFF. This BFF has started horrible rumors about Teen that has affected her reputation with the upper classmen at school. I feel pretty confident that these rumors are just that. From conversations I've had with her and her reactions to certain situations gives me the impression that the rumors are false. However, I can help the nagging mom feeling that if I let her go out with this junior, it will only add fuel to the fire.

I know for now it sucks. I'm sure I would have been pissed at my mom too. But one day, when Teen is a mom of a hormonal teenager, I hope she'll understand.

As a side note - I was asked earlier why I chose Juno Mom as my name. And the answer is ....my husband gave me the nickname because of my super sexy outfits I wear to bed. If you've seen the movie you can imagine what those outfits are :) Hey, between my house being super cold, a dog sleeping in my bed and kids in and out of the bedroom at all ours of the night, he's lucky he even gets some :)

Friday Night Leftovers

• As a follow up to my red meat post and to the suggestions of eating dark and leafy greens, I made a spinach soup this evening. I came upon this yummy goodness at Wegman's yesterday and I was surprised at how good and low fat it was. No cream! Unfortunately, no one else in my family thought the same thing and I have enough spinach soup to last me until Easter. Fun.
• I hate my husband's job. No, that is incorrect, I hate the line of work he is in. I know he loves it and therefore I feel guilty but his hours suck. He closes 6 nights a week, which means he works from 2pm to 3-4am. The kids never see him and I'm left with doing EVERYTHING. I'm not ungrateful, especially since he was unemployed for so long but it's hard. And I'm tired. And this is my blog. He knows he's not contributing and feels badly about it. I've even gotten a few "I promise I'll clean on such and such date". Mmhmm. I'm lucky now if he even makes the bed before he leaves. We've been told this type of schedule is temporary and will lighten up soon. I hope so.
• AJ knows how to count 1. It's so cute. Earlier today (or yesterday?) I, out of the blue, asked AJ to count something with me and piped right in with "one". 
• I have a secret fascination with The Duggars. Not that I want to have 20 or however many kids they have, I'm just curious HOW they do it. I know some of it is TV stuff but they're very religious so I can't imagine they would deliberately lie or be deceitful. How does she manage to raise all those kids, homeschool them and have, what appears like, a happy, respectful and organized home. I'm actually reading their book. I clearly have issues but I may get some new ideas.
• We're back to having major issues with bed wetting and soiled pants with the missy. I finally gave in and bought her pull-ups. It took a lot to get her to finally agree to where them but she's wearing them (at night only).
• It appears Teen has picked up G's sarcastic wittiness and sense of humor. She's quite funny.
• Seena is still obsessed with Teen being only her "half sister" but it's all behind my back. Today, she told her old 2's teacher at daycare while we were picking up AJ. I only found out because the teacher pulled my aside to tell me. I wonder where she got all this from and why she seems to be obsessed with it. I believe some deeper investigation is in order.

For more leftover see our host Danifred.

No Red Meat = No Energy

And as any mom knows, no energy is not an option. What I can say is that I'm pooped, literally. I am dragging a$$. All I think about all day is closing my eyes and going to sleep. Up until today I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I'm never like this unless I'm sick and that even only lasts 24 hours. I don't think it's my job overload. Even working all 4 in one week, it still doesn't make 40 hours...not that I want it to but I'm just saying...it's not the work that's making me tired. It's not the kids either, as hectic and nonstop as they are, I'm used to that. So, I'm left with the red meat. It's the only change I've made recenlty. And in just one week it may already be kicking my butt. I've been yawning and have been exhausted all week. All I want to do is lay in bed. My poor husband is just appalled that I would have the "audacity" to yawn around him. I know, dude, I get it, your tired, you work until 3am every night and only get 4 hours of sleep....but I'm not getting any red meat and I'm tired too! I guess that's what it is...It's the only thing that has changed. I guess it's the lack of iron. It's started to affect my running again. Today I ran with lead weights for legs. It sucked.

I suppose I will need to do some research on some dietary alternatives as I intend to stick this through. One of the main reasons I chose to give this up was to see how my body would react. I've been doing a lot of reading on eating a plant-based diet and all of the health benefits associated with it. I'm not saying that I want to be vegan, I don't think I could, but it still intrigues me.

I've heard some rumors of being allowed to indulge in your Lental sacrifice on Sundays. If things don't improve mighty quickly I may be cooking up an all-beef buffet this Sunday!

How do these vegetarian athletes do it? Where do they get their energy from? In just the time it has taken me to write this blog, I think I've fallen asleep 4 times. As a matter of fact, I don't even know if what I have written makes sense or is even interesting...I need to go to sleep...I'm getting delirious.

Any suggestions for iron intake (besides a vitamin?)

Friday Night Leftovers

Between a squirmy toddler on my lap and my painfully slow computer I've given up trying to share the love on fellow Friday Night bloggers for tonight. Sorry ladies, I'll catch up this weekend...

• Of the 3 days Seena was in school this week I juggled all 4 of my jobs and ended up having to run, in heels no less, to pick up Seena from school on time. I suppose I need to revisit my time management skills. I really felt silly, especially in my heels, but with all of this darn snow piled up everywhere, there was no place to park close to the school and the traffic to just get close to the school was ridiculous! I was so super late today that I risked serious car damage and probably some heated words by parking in someone's "cleared" parking spot just so I could get closer to the school. I'm so glad it's Friday!
• To further elaborate on my time management issues, I could put Seena back in aftercare to give me more time in the day but I just can't. One, it doesn't make financial sense at all and two, there are only 2-3 other girls in the program, all of whom leave usually by 5:00pm if not earlier. There have been so many days where I've walked by the classroom at 5:15 and the class is full of boys only. Seena would be so miserable there and I just can't put her through that just to give me an extra hour to do whatever. I just need to tighten up my schedule.
• AJ plays with dolls and barbies. No big deal....I know it makes no difference but it's another thing to see my son rolling around on the floor at daycare wearing a full blown princess dress and tutu skirt. Apparently he was dancing. And ooh, he was so proud of his dress when I got there.
• This evening before movie night started, Seena gave me some choices of activities that she would show me..kind of like a show. The list was karate, dance, down floor, turn dance, cool dance or 2 karate girls. I picked cool dance but we never got to it because Seena's playdate arrived for movie night. Tomorrow I get to see down floor and turn dance (raise eyebrow here).
• Seena got her first social call the other night. Out of the blue a classmate (and Daisy mate) called Seena to chit-chat. After the initial confused look, Seena took the phone and jabbered away. G thought I was joking when I told him. It appears we may have another little social butterfly on our hands. 
• I've decided to give up red meat and desserts/sweets for Lent. No, I'm not trying to be a vegetarian, I'm just interested to see what happens if I don't eat meat for 40 days. I don't think it will be too hard since I don't really crave to eat it other than an occasional craving for a juicy hamburger.  We'll see. I usually give up Diet Coke and chocolate but I think I'm going for the extreme this time around. I'm going hardcore and no sweets! This is going to be painful...my GS cookies just came in and I love me some Tag-a-longs!
• I think it's time for me to go since my squirmy toddler has now left my lap and is sleeping on the floor next to me.

Good night....for more leftovers check-out our host Sippy Cups.

Positive Reinforcement

In my ever quest to find the appropriate and most successful discpline for my crazy toddler I am settling on the positive reinforcement method (for now). Other than the occassional no.no.no.no.NO.NO AJ!, I am really, really, really trying not to yell at my kids. Seena is a backtalker and is already an emotional mess and well, AJ, just thinks it's all funny. So with positive reinforcement I am patiently with gritted teeth remembering NOT to focus on the wrong but on all the good AJ does. Naturally, there is a lot of "Good boy, AJ", high 5's so on, what have you. Good right? Remember the emotional mess up there? Well, she's starting to show a little jealousy. Anytime I say "good boy", "good job" or seem super happy of over something positive AJ did, I get a pouty lipped 5 year old asking why she's not getting a "good job". Instead of going along with it and just giving her a high five or a "you're always doing a good job" response, I dive right into a full explanation of how mommy is trying to show AJ how HAPPY mommy is when he does the right thing instead of yelling when he does something naughty...you know...positive reinforcement.

In return I get a blank stare followed by, "yeah, I don't understand that. You'll need to draw me a picture."

Wordless Wednesday

A favorite past-time of Seena's - playing dress-up with my clothes

Friday Night Leftovers

• 
  
  I really am disliking this new blogger, mainly because of the missing spellcheck button. If it's really there and I can't see please let me know. I'm not a horrible misspeller but I like having the comfort zone of having the "button" to catch any mistakes. Especially now since I really do think I'm losing brain cells. I am "forgetting" how to talk, spell, write...I'm assuming it's because I lack adult conversation on a regular/daily basis but maybe not...maybe I am losing brain cells..yikes!
• 
  
  I can't believe how raw my fingertips are. Between the constant washing dishes, laundry, wet gloves from shoveling/playing in the snow, the snow period, baby wipes, washing my hands, washing AJ's hands and face my fingertips HURT! They're cracking all over the place and they are dry, dry, dry! I wonder if YaYa still has the hand wax kit I gave her years ago ;)
• 
  
  I don't like playing dollies with Seena. There I said it. Anything else, no problem. I can color, do puzzles, play games, play restaurant, etc....but just nothing to do with playing house, caring for babies, going to school...I do that stuff all day everyday..I don't want to play it too. And that's all she wants to do.
• 
  
  The other favorite past time of Seena's is throwing parties. The other day she threw a "restaurant party" for G going back to work at a restaurant. This I enjoy doing ;)
• 
  
  AJ is just AJ.
• 
  
  Teen and I's relationship has gotten better and better by the day. I think we both can say now that we actually do enjoy each other's company and mean it :) I had hoped this would happen once she reached high school and I'm quite pleased with how things are going.

For more Friday Night Leftovers please visit our host Sippy Cups.

Snow Choo-Choo

Major crazy snow storm resulting in 2 feet ++ of accumulated snow....$1,234,567 county clean up dollars

Yard sale find - $2.00

Borrowed sleigh - $0.00

Snow Choo-Choo - priceless

For everything else there is hot chocolate and warm cookies :)

Wordless Wednesday

After being trapped home with my kids due to the mountains of snow outside our home, my kids have sucked the life out of my brain therefore we have wordless Wednesday today....

Seena's To Do List

Today I told Seena I wanted her to practice her reading while I was at work.

Her response, "No mommy, I'm sorry, I can't. I have too much stuff to do today." She then proceeded to make her list:

Seena's To Do List (see if you can figure these out....answers below)
1. bfers
2. TV (ok that was easy)
3. Lug
4. nap
5. Plaei
6. Mve
7. Piup
8. dranr

And the answers are......

1. bfers = breakfast
2. TV = TV
3. lug = lunch
4. nap = nap
5. Plaei = play
6. Mve = movie
7. Piup = pick up AJ
8. dranr = dinner

aaah, if only that was my to do list :)

Snow Crazy

Earlier today I thought I was going to go crazy...literally. This past week has been so busy with work(s), school being out and having to do everything alone has taken a toll on me. I love working from home but when school is out for something other than a holiday it is hard. Seena does not understand that even though she doesn't have school I still have work to do. It becomes very frustrating and very stressful. Things are made more difficult now because G is back to work on full-time++ restaurant hours. I've had no breaks from the kids, as much as I love them to pieces, I need a little a time for me...just a little. Now that I've picked up running again this has turned into that time. My sanity needs the exercise as much as my waistline does.

This past week I didn't run at all. And now with this snowstorm all I saw was being trapped for another week. I knew that I should have been loving this time to be hanging out with my kids but all I could think of was what could I do to distract them with something other than me??

But finally...the wind stopped blowing, the snow stopped coming down sideways and I saw my break! I grabbed my shoes, grabbed my coat and I was out the door! I only took a short walk but it was just what I needed! The snow was beautiful but the quietness was better.

And when I got back I was greeted by loving hugs from both my kids, which I quickly returned with bigger hugs and smooches.

These are the poor trees in my back yard...

which are suppose to look like these.

Real Sisters

Seena and Teen are half-sisters. Since Seena could understand, we've always told her that Teen has a different mommy but the same daddy. She accepted the explanation just fine. I never thought more of it until last night when I picked her up from a babysitting visit with Nana. Nana informed me that Seena was very upset and told Nana all about how Teen was not her sister and that they were only step-sisters, that I was not Teen's real mommy and that Teen was moving out. Yes, most of the above is true but I've never told Seena Teen was NOT her sister and Teen is definitely not moving out so I was completely perplexed at the sudden revelation. My mom of course wasn't too pleased, she thought I was feeding my daughter false information. So on our drive back home I reassured Seena that Teen was very much her sister and that half and step did not matter. Of course, this led to a bunch of whys and whos and I don't get that...

But for today's post, this will be a tribute to sisters and to show Seena how much they really are "real" sisters:

Billy Bob in the House!

Finally after 3 1/2 years Seena's dead tooth has finally, finally decided to come out. I thought for sure this tooth would be the first to go considering how badly it was hit years ago. Back when Seena was 2 she fell and hit her top gum right on the edge of a bookshelf. Yep, it looked as bad as you are probably imagining it. A chunk of her gum was missing. It was very gross and disgusting and then her tooth died.

But, fortunately, no real damage was done and all we had to deal with was a gray dead tooth....front and center.  To be honest I was very much looking forward to the day that a new beautiful white tooth would replace the icky gray but I had no idea this little chomper was determined to stick around for as long as it could hold on to any last piece of stringy nerves, skin, gum...or whatever it is that keeps it there.....ICK!

This is Ms. Seena with her teeth nicely aligned.

This is her now with her own set of Billy Bob teeth except hers are real. And yes, this is the same tooth that was up there.

Like any other loose tooth and like every other kiddie, she likes to move it around and gross me out. Every time she opens her mouth and wiggles it I get the eeby geebies. And this is coming from the girl who wanted to be a forensic scientist.

This tooth is just unnatural. Look closely below....the thing just hangs wrong. It doesn't belong there...it needs to come out!!!!

And just to gross you out a bit more...

Not that I wanted to share a picture of Seena's nostrils but I just wanted to show how much this darn tooth is hanging on. It has literally been pushed completely over and the new tooth behind it is almost half-way out. I mean, come on! Enough already. It's time to let go. It's time to say goodbye to all of the other tootheds (Seena vocab for teeth) and say hello to the Tooth Fairy.