Huh...

The last 3 out of 4 days my husband has had to stay home with the kids while I went out and did things. He is so grumpy and bitter. Does he realize that I have been doing nothing but taking care of the kids 24/7 minus 9 days for the last 7.5 years? I don't just sit around in my PJs sulking either. If I only accomplish dishes, laundry, and making meals from scratch, it was a lazy day. I ask him if he wants to go out, if he wants to do something...not always the luxury a mom gets, and I get a grunt. 

I don't get it. 

15 and lost

A beautiful girl very close to me is miserable. She is 15 at life cross roads. She lives in a city where there is more plastic than live cells. Her family is surviving on financial fumes paying $1800 for a 2/2 under 1000 sq ft. and she has been saving money her whole life to buy a car. 

Her father left when he was told he would have to support a family that he could not beat. Her mom doesn't always make the hard choices, but waits for them to be made for her. Her older brother has no qualm taking advantage of the poor to build up himself. Her younger smiles and keeps giving. She tries so hard to fit into a city she doesn't belong.

She spends the night crying herself to sleeping wishing for a life that doesn't exist. Dreaming of a future where she is loved, treasured, and cared for by a man who treats her well. Dreaming of 4 wheels and a way to escape. Dreaming of a job she loves that pays the rent. 

She cries all night wishing her life would change. Wishing the grades came easy and the love rolled in. 

2 more days and I'll try my best to heal the pain and tell her with time things will change. 

Sewing

It is a rare occasion that I take out my sewing machine, but with a teen and pre-teen coming to spend the holidays with us, it was time to take her out.

Kids love lounge pants aka flannel pajama bottoms. Before attempting adult sizes, I wanted to try a toddler size. I followed the directions from here http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Sew-Your-Own-Pajama-Pants/?ALLSTEPS and what do you know it worked. 

Here is what they looked like before finishing the waist or hemming the legs. The project took me 3.5 hours from beginning to end with a few interruptions. 

Once my toddler put on the pants she was in love. She loves puppies and picked the print herself. 

I call that a success.

The Christmas "IT" toy for girls

In case you have been living in a cave, Goldie Blox is "it" for girls 5-8 years old.  (http://www.goldieblox.com/)

I know it is the "it" toy when my husband comes home and says we need to get this for Christmas for Z.  1st- We don't celebrate Christmas. 2nd- We are on a spending freeze for the moment.

So what is this toy exactly?

It uses a storybook, figurines, a pegboard, wheels, axles, blocks, washers, a crank, and a ribbon to teach girls about belt drives.

It will help girls improve their spatial and engineering skills while becoming better problem solvers. 

I just purchased this online today and it will be interesting to see if it gets a lot of use or gets pushed aside behind the Legos and ponies. 

Trying to move my butt and the scale

This year my goal is to get down to 125lbs. (I am only 5'2".) I started 2013 at 142.

 This summer I went down to 128, but now I am back to 132. I love chocolate and it does not return the love. 

 I did get some help from the Tupler Technique (there is only a couple of weeks difference in these two pictures and at most 2lbs.) My other secret it an old school NordicTrek. Typing now as I use it :)