The New Year Meme

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Hold my mom's hand in a hospital while she awoke from an operation. Purchase my first home. Become a soccer mom.

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions?
I slacked on the resolutions, as always. I was good up until July then I fell off big time.

3. Did anyone you know give birth?
Two of my best friends gave birth to Paityn Grace and Colin Bishop.

4. Did anyone you know die?
My Mother-In-Law.

5. What countries did you visit?
No countries, but a whole lot of states.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Commitment to my exercise regime.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory?
My surprise birthday party.
My son's first Birthday.
The day we closed on the house.
The Funeral.
Being at the wedding with my Dad.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The new job....without a doubt.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Probably being impatient or ill-tempered with my kids or my husband. I am a work in progress.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope. God is good.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A house! A plasma tv. A stainless steel stove.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My husband for never complaining during my many months of work related travel.
Tiki Barber for the great years and hard work. Thanks man!
My brother for becoming a man without me even noticing.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
George Bush. Musicians/Rappers. Video hoes. KKKramer. Anyone that hurt or molested a child. Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and the rest of the pantiless bandits. K-Fed or Fed-X. The NY Giants. The NY Mets. The NY Knicks. The NYPD.

14. Where did most of your money go?
House renovation and the Taliban. That's where ALL of the money goes.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My house. My kids birthday parties. Thanksgiving and Christmas. Damn, I have to get out more.

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2006?
Gnarls Barkley-Crazy

17. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travelling for pleasure. Saving for travelling. Working Out.

18. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Eating, Shopping, Talking to bullsh*t people.

19. Did you fall in love in 2006?
I fell in love all over again with my family.

20. How many one night stands in this last year?
None...unless you count the ones with Mr. 1969.

21. What was your favourite TV program?
Lost

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No room for hate.

23. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A trip to Paris.

24. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
Family is the truth. It's all that really matters.

25. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?

Don't call it a comeback, I been here for years!

I still want a hula hoop....

Christmas is gone. All of that running around shopping, hustling and bustling...all finished until next year. Hope everyone enjoyed and took the time to focus on why we were supposed to be joyous in the first place.

Now the next event is New Year's Eve. One of those times it sucks to be a parent. No one will babysit because they are all going out...so no parties for the 69's unless we throw one. Oh well, I will sit at home with the kids and drink all the good champagne currently chilling in the refrigerator.

Growing up, we had great Holidays. I remember that all of my family would head out to my Grandparent's house in New Jersey and there would be stacks and stacks of presents, loads of food and music, partying, etc. All of the kids played together. We always had such a good time.

Now that everyone has grown up, we still get together for the holidays. My aunt has taken to hosting the event. We were all together in New Jersey yesterday and she outdid herself with the food. I have stopped eating red meat and pork in the past month. I am trying to slowly but surely make some lifestyle changes and the red meat and bacon/ham had to go. So my aunt cooked salmon, shrimp and stewed chicken yesterday. I love that woman! So needless to say, I had a good meal.

My entire family cooks. My great grandmother owned a restaurant in Trinidad so my mom and all of my aunts (5 total) can cook. Heck, my uncle can cook too. We grew up around food. I seem to be the only granchild that can actually cook though...AHEM.
I have all male cousins who had cooking mothers so I guess those skills went out the window.

I am determined to raise men that can fend for themselves in the kitchen. What could be sexier than a rugged, tough man that can make you a gourmet meal? Ladies, you feel me? So I make sure to get the boys to help me in the kitchen. I think of it as an investment in their future. They will thank me one day.

So since I am the only one stuck in the office today....share some stories. How was your holiday? Did you all get what you wanted or did you get the lump of coal?

Relax, Relate, Release

So before I left yesterday, Mr. 1969 emailed me "I'm Sorry".

Just those words.

So I emailed back "Thanks"

When I got home, he had fed the boys, gave them baths and we ended up playing air hockey with the boys.

I am glad that the apology came from him. He did flip out for no reason. He also said that he admits that going to bed without dinner was extreme but he was trying to punish him without spanking him and that's what he felt was adequate. I agreed that might be adequate for an older child but not for a four year old. He would only get anxious. So after we talked......everything was cool.

Such is married life. Men have VERY DIFFERENT OPINIONS from women. Even more so when it comes to raising sons. They always feel like we are babying them. Sometimes we do.

One time, we were at soccer and my oldest got kicked and fell down on the field crying. I immediately jumped up and started running onto the field...my husband was like.."Where are you going?" "He's hurt!" He said "Don't move.You can't run out on the field in the middle of the game."

Then he yelled out to my son...."Get up, shake it off....are you here to play or not?" My son stopped crying, jumped up and ran off to play.

I admit, my natural instinct is to protect my baby at all costs. Even if it means battling my husband. On the soccer field, I was wrong.....But this last argument, I was right.

It's a balance people.

Babysitting sucks

Men. I just think that sometimes, I could be alone with my kids. Enjoying them, caring for them, without the stress of a man. Husbands sometimes are like having another child. They need lots of attention. You have to cater to their egos.

When you are dating, that may be fun....when you work ten hours a day and come home to two children you grow tired of it.

Mr. 1969 and I had an argument last night. Taliban 1 was making jokes in school when the teacher was speaking (class clown) so he came home and was sent to bed. When I walked in the door, he was up in his room crying. I agreed that he needed to be taught a lesson and to understand the ramifications of his actions. However, after an hour, I asked if he had eaten dinner and Mr. 1969 said NO and he wasn't planning on giving him any. The child is 4. He hadn't eaten since lunchtime. C'mon people.

I made him some food and he ate it in his room and then I went up, took the plate away and made him go to bed (after having a very firm talk with him about consequences, respect, etc...).

My hubby flipped on me because he claims I never listen to him, I undermine him when he is dealing with Taliban 1, etc. I told him (very calmly) that I have no problem with him being sent to bed early and staying in his room for the rest of the night but a four year old needs his dinner. I didn't go to his room and play with him...I left the plate in there and shut the door. An hour later, I went up there and collected the plate, had another TALK with him and left.

Mr. 1969 starts yelling at me which then turns into a tirade about some other thing he's "really" mad at me for. After I let him get all of that off his chest I washed the dishes, gave the baby a bath and put him to bed. I left him downstairs watching football and went to bed. This morning, we didn't say a word to each other.

I know, I know....this is a fight that I am sure will blow over in a few days...however, I am so tired of dealing with immaturity. If you are angry about something, spit it out and stop holding sh*t in. Talk about it. I can't read minds.

I have a job and two kids to worry about. I know you need attention...hell, so do I, but guess what? Sometimes, you can't have it. We have two kids and a household to run. Our needs have to take a backseat sometimes. I have grasped that concept. And you?

Yes, I spent money on Christmas stuff that you didn't want me to spend. Then again, if we left Christmas to you.....everyone would get a pair of socks. Thrifty azz.

And why is it that to have peace in the house, the wife inevitably has to give in? WHY?

Guess what, we can celebrate the Holidays in silence. Silent Night for real.

I am bored *YAWN* by this whole tantrum thing. Hope he gets a lump of coal in his stocking cause 1969 is not moved. Am I wrong?

Music is my friend....

Do you guys ever have music moments? You know like you can remember the very first time you ever heard a song and it instantly touched a cord with you for some reason. It seems like my life can be linked to a series of special songs. I remember musical moments like they were long lost relatives.

Well this song means a lot to me....and I am really feeling it today. Not to mention, this is my favorite video of all time.

We interrupt this Blog for a Public Service Announcement

This is what happens when Mommy dresses you for your class picture....................


and here is what happens when Mommy is away on business and Daddy dresses you........

ANY QUESTIONS?

Mama's back!!!

Now cut all this shyt out!

I was away for a few days only to return, start reading blogs and finding out that ya'll have been acting up big time.

I counted five break ups, a death...correction, a FAKED death (What the fudge?), new templates everywhere and one foray into a gay bar. I mean damn. Can't you people keep it together for a minute?

I am supposed to be playing with the Taliban not engrossed in everyone's craziness.

Now straighten up and get all of your stuff together. I am back, not travelling for a while and I expect all of you to return to some semblance of normalcy.

For real though...who would fake their death? What kind of bad lifetime movie plot is that? Why call , email, talk to and involve all of these people in your sick depravity? For attention that you aren't getting at home? Is it ever that deep?

I posted a while back...here is your reminder...this is the INTERNET...take everything you read with a grain of salt and a margarita, okay? You really only know what you read. It's our faults for being so open.

I'll be on your blogs, checking up on you guys.....have a good weekend.

Catching up

Okay, the new gig is serious. Who knew that being a Director was so much work?

I have been immersed in training for the last couple of weeks. I spent last Tuesday in NY and last Thursday in Arlington/Alexandria training with my counterparts in other cities. I think I am starting to get the hang of what I am supposed to do.

Not much is going on with the 1969 crew. Work, holiday shopping, etc.

My football team has hit the skids so I can't celebrate there.

I am starting to check out everyone's blogs and I see that we lost a beautiful blogger (Rest in Peace Trizzy), we have a lot of breakups and many of you are losing your minds. That's what happens when I stay away too long!

I leave for Baltimore tomorrow and will be there for the next three days. After that, no more travel for a while! Hope all is well....I will post more when I get back to having a life.

Did I mention that we found out the policewoman across the street is a lesbian? Stay tuned.....