Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Breaking Up Is(n't) Hard to Do

I had my first break up today.

"What do you mean?"*

S. told me she didn't want to be my BFF anymore. So I gave her back her phone number. She gave me back the friendship necklace I gave her.

It's ok though. We still talk to each other. We're still friends, we're just not BFFs.

***

*Yes, I was totally playing it cool because I totally thought she was talking about an ACTUAL break-up like with a BOY.

Middle school is so random.






Monday, November 26, 2007

Custody & Visitation: Act A Fool

For the moment, it was unexplainable.
A complete 360 degree change, much like the characteristic ebb of flow of behavior described by the DSMIII-R.
Suddenly, without warning Maleficent was being communicative.
Contrite.
(Apologizing for returning Cinderella late.)
Agreeable.
(Promising to bring her home on time.)
Generous.
(Offering to give up her visitation day so that Cinderella could spend time with Gretel on her birthday.)
(No we didn't ask & Cinderella didn't express any interest. So we planned a party on the weekend when Cinderella would be home.)
Prince Charming was stunned... and dare I say a showed a bit of hope.
Maybe our last email [in which court was threatened] finally got through to her.
He's been fooled by her before.
Fooled into thinking one day ... this day ... she will change and realize the error of her ways.
As is also characterized by her affliction, Maleficent is impulsive and too quickly reveals her motives for being so congenial.
She wants something.
(It's always about her wanting something. )
And that something is extra time with Cinderella.
Time that would result in her having her for three weekends in a row... right up until Christmas.
Time that would eliminate any chance for us to plan any family activity that would include all five of us.
Time that she claims is a "special family event" and one that Cinderella so desperately wants to attend.
(Cinderella hadn't once mentioned it.)
Maleficent is pushing. Playing the guilt card. Trying to make it seem as though it's about Cinderella. And not her.
Maleficent then has her father, Cinderella's grandfather, send a letter to our home asking Prince Charming for permission. "Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving," is his closing.
She finally prompts Cinderella to ask and "play dumb" by pretending she doesn't know what weekend said event falls upon, and then lie about her mother putting her up to asking Prince Charming.
Cinderella misses out on so much already because of family schedules that don't coincide with her visitation with her Mom.
She should not continue to be put in the middle, acting as her mother's messenger and being forced to lie to her father.
Prince Charming has called Maleficent to discuss this request, as well as several other issues of concern (i.e., her declining health that she has referenced as reason for why C is returned late.)
She of course does not answer his calls.
She continues to refuse to acknowledge him, except in email.
Criticizing HIM for not responding TO HER.

As I re-read this I grow even more weary of the entire situation which explains my silence as of late.
I can't help but wonder, aren't you tired of hearing about our petty plight?
I know I'm tired of writing about it.
(And even more tired of LIVING it.)
I'm sure to any reader, the answer seems so simple - let Cinderella go if it means so much and simply suggest a switching of weekends.
But the reality is, it's not that simple.
It never is.

Because the reality is that if Prince Charming reaches for that dangling carrot of hope and gives in to Maleficent's request, he will once again be made a fool.

Monday, November 19, 2007

In Need Of New Material

You're right. You're right. I *know* you're right.
But it's not every day that your youngest (and LAST child) turns TWO!
And y'all know you only stick around for the pictures of my cakes anyway.
So without further ado, here is...

MUMBLE, Happy Feet!


Prince Charming helped with the decorating this year. We were piping frosting and adding last minute touches right up to the start of her party.


And before you get all "EWW!" on me, you know you would have done the same thing.
(Yes, you would have.)
Prince Charming thought we should have added some red colored jelly as filling that would come pouring out when Mumble was decapitated. I simply suggested red velvet cake.
Yes, our children will need therapy. And we're ok with that.


Her hands and face were still stained the next day.


Toys? I don't need no stinkin' toys. Gimme shoes!
Gretel's Nanny bought her three pair of shoes for her birthday. Unfortunately for Gretel, she only had two feet. It was a touch decision as to which shoes she wanted to model.


She wore these shoes today because it was SNOWING this morning.
(ACK!)



"Ok, Mom. That's enough with the posts about me. Give the people something with a little more substance, mmm k?"

Monday, November 12, 2007

Cards for Kandahar

Can't think of a better way to spend this Veteran's Day than doing a little holiday card making for soldiers in Kandahar.
Soon, all of this will be turned into unique personal creations for each on the men serving under SGM Danny Allman in Lashkar, Gah.



(I say "unique" because I have quickly learned that card making is NOT my craft, but I am committed to completing this task and they WILL like them dammit!).

Hansel made sure these cards got the perfect snowflake stickers on the inside.



Want to help honor our brave men and women serving overseas?
Check out this site for tips on how you can get involved in sending your holiday cards.
My Twitter friend BlondeByDesign is also putting forth a spectacular effort on her own and is accepting PayPal donations to help with her holiday care packages, if you don't have the time of don't know how to get started. If you're looking to be inspired, take the time to read through the archives and see some of what she's sent to Kandahar so far.



Once the card project is complete, I get to work on my next care package - a snowball fight in a box!
Stay tuned.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

These Are The Days...


One 200 year old oak + one leaf blower + 3 exuberant kids = a day to remember.











Friday, November 2, 2007

October, In Reader's Digest Form

*blowing off the layer of dust that has accumulated on my blog*

*cough* *cough*

So, where did I leave off?

Oh, my ankle. It healed up well. Thanks for asking. After two days I was good as new.

Halloween was fantastic. Craftiness ran rampant.





(More pics on Flickr. Ya hafta be a contact to see the kids in costume otherwise you'll have to settle for anonymous random photos.)

I hosted a toddler costume party on Tuesday (8 toddlers and their Moms. I KNOW!), took Gretel to storytime/haunted house event at our local library on Wed and went trick-or-treating with the Pumpkin War neighbors. Cinderella ditched us in favor of going out with her friends. *sigh* We've lost her. ;)

The kids made out like bandits. BUT... I had to throw away ALL of the candy yesterday after eating a suspicious tasting Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! (Tasted like COUGH MEDICINE. WTF?!?!?!?)


And since we pool all the candy into one bucket, there was no way to know where it came from, if it was malicious or not. Raising kids today is scary. And that pisses me off. I had to promise Hansel that we would replace the candy with something safer. He was so sad. And *that* pissed me off more.

Hansel's had three headaches this month. Stayed home from school twice. We're contemplating taking him to a neurologist to rule out anything major and to confirm our suspicions that he's developing migraines.

Prince Charming and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary last weekend. Dinner and a movie. No kids. YAY!

Maleficent is up to her antics again (still) and is violating the terms of her visitation every chance she gets. Cinderella's law guardian, the appointed mediator for when such problems occur, has been MIA and very lax in her duties leaving PrinceCharming between a rock and a hard place. Court seems inevitable, but no progress has been made in that department. Where does that leave us? Helpless. Paralyzed. Forced to accept things on Maleficent's terms, waiting at the door for when she decides to come and get Cinderella (she is late every time) and never knowing when she will bring her home (again, late every time). I'm trying not to let it dominate my days, but it's so hard.

And remember when I posted about this? Yeah, well I'm beginning to think it may be more.