No Excuses

I have no excuse as to why it has taken me over a week to post. I could give you a million reasons why I didn't have time this past week to continue my "100 Things About Me" list. For instance, a birthday party AND graduation party on the same day. Shopping for gift for said birthday party and shopping for new clothes for said graduation party (let's just say I'm not the same size as last summer and not in a good way.) Then, of course, there's always the house cleaning, doing the dishes and the never-ending laundry, all of which I try to avoid (if possible) but my family insists on eating every day and having clean underwear on a regular basis. Whatever. There was also the mowing of over 1 acre of grass that hasn't seen a tractor in two weeks. I survived the ordeal with help from Ben (Bebby) but that's two hours I'll never get back and I have the sunburn to prove it. A woman's work is never done.

And now, after much anticipation from my many readers (all of approximately none so far), I give you "100 THINGS ABOUT ME" (11-20):

11. It starts with the letter "i" and it's not Idaho, Indiana or Iowa.

12. Abraham Lincoln was from our state.

13. My children play with Lincoln logs (that was random but read on, my friends.)

14. My dad, husband and I built our house. It's a log house. See how I did that?

15. Ten years older and two children later, I couldn't build another house if you paid me.

16. Well, maybe. If the price was right.

17. Plus, I have easy access to cheap labor, what with a 7 and 5 year old at my disposal.

18. Oh, I'm kidding.

19. I would make them work for free.

20. Forty-eight hours of back labor with my first and gaining 63 lbs. with my second, they so owe me.

100 Things About Me

I've done my homework and I have learned, that if you have your own blog you MUST write a post entitled: "100 THINGS ABOUT ME." It's like the law or something. If you don't comply, the blog police will come knocking at your blog door. Since I'm new around here, I don't want to start off on the wrong foot with the law, so here's my list.

I'll start off with just 10 today and tomorrow I'll add to the list.

I hope you can stand the suspense.

"100 THINGS ABOUT ME" (first 10):

1. I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters.

2. Yes, we are the Brady Bunch.

3. I am second to the youngest.

4. My parents' names are Don and Donna.

5. It's true.

6. I was married at 25.

7. I had my first baby at 34, nine years into our marriage.

8. Spontaneous, I'm not. Remember?

9. I have lived in only one state.

10. It's in the midwest.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more! Are you sitting on the edge of your seat yet? I hope you can get some sleep tonight, what with all this excitement.

Pajama Mama Is Born

You might be wondering, why the name "pajama mama?" Then again, like me, you might be wondering what's on t.v. tonight. Anyway, I became pajama mama (in my mind) back in 2002 after our first baby was born (who is now a newly promoted second-grader!) Like most new moms, I didn't have it in me to take a shower every day or even brush my hair. Since it was February and cold outside, we mostly stayed indoors at home. I saw no good reason to change out of my pajamas. Except for a visit from the occasional Fed-Ex delivery man, I really had no motivation to look glamorous. Don't get me wrong, some days I actually did brush my teeth. I do have some hygiene pride you know. But in those early mommy days, my pajamas became my new best friend. They provided the comfort I needed when the baby wouldn't stop crying and the house was a disaster and I was too exhausted to even breathe. When baby number two came along in 2004 (who will be starting kindergarten in the fall), I also had an active toddler on my hands and didn't have the luxury of staying inside all day. So, I managed to work my way up to dressing in "real" clothes most days and venturing out of the house.

Old habits die hard, though. There are still some days that I just don't feel like changing out of the comfort of my pj's. I have driven my son to school in them, taken the kids to the park in them and, on occasion, have pumped gas wearing my jammies (talk about stylin' at the pump.) I have yet to go grocery shopping wearing pajamas but have seriously considered it on more than one occasion. I can imagine my mom's jaw dropping when she reads that! She reminds me that she used to do her grocery shopping in a dress and heels, with all 6 kids in tow! Mom, you are my hero!

So most days, I am usually out of my pajamas after breakfast. Other days, well let's just say, my hair and teeth might not see a brush.

Just sayin'....

My Blog

I finally decided to join the world of blogging. I've been thinking about it for a while now. My sister even said to me last month, "I thought you started that thing last year." Spontaneous I'm not. Anyway, for about a year now, I have been reading blog after blog of other moms who have taken the proverbial "blog jump," sharing the details of their daily lives. The good, the bad and the ugly. I've laughed. I've cried. I've been speechless, excited and confused. I've sat on the edge of my chair, unable to pull myself away from my computer until I find out if today is the day that a fellow mommy blogger's toddler will finally do poo poo on the big boy potty. Oh, and the pride you feel when that big day comes! It's as if her little guy is your own little one. It's a day to rejoice! Because as a mommy myself, I know the excitement that is being felt in that home. It's those kind of little moments that make all of the hard work of being a mom SO WORTH IT and it's fun to be there to share in that excitement. Yes, we moms find joy in the simplest of things.

The mommy blogging world, although huge in numbers, feels like a family. I have quickly come to know several blogging moms, none of whom I have actually met in "real life." However, I feel a special kinship with each of them. They help remind me that I am not alone in doing this mommy thing. I have come to realize that there are some pretty awesome and supportive women out there in cyber world who, just like me, are just trying to get through the ups and downs of each day. And even though I log on every day to catch up with my favorite "blogging friends," looking for a good laugh, secretly I'm hoping to be inspired. Let's just say, I'm never disappointed.

So, welcome to my new blog. I am so glad you found me! I can't promise that I will be all that inspiring but I will be honest and I promise to keep it real.

And to my dear hubby, thank you for surprising me with a new computer and high speed internet! Yes, we had dial-up until last week. I know. Honey, it was so sweet of you to help me start my blogging journey with all sorts of new bling! Even though when I first told you I was thinking about starting a blog, you said "what's a blog?" I know.