Mrs. Merry Mack

Today we narrowly escaped swimming in a storm. Missy Mack and I have tried to swim several days to practice her new skills but each time we plan, we get rained out. This morning was no different except we had about an hour before the rain came down and stayed with us all day. She has gotten good. She will go under to catch rings in the shallow parts and can float on her back. It’s progress.

Next, I got her some new art supplies and set her to work. Have you have tried this lovely product? It is my fav of all colors (and let’s remember that I am also a teacher so this is big props):

I also bought these princess markers with paint brushes on one end and a stamper on the other end. She promptly lost the lids and they already don’t work. I think they lasted one week, maybe.

Missy Mack's grandmother sent her a Nemo paint by numbers, which wasn't really a paint by numbers because it would say things like 5-12, which means they want the child to mix colors 5-12 and paint that combo in a teeny tiny space. Here is how ours turned out.

Upon the return from the pool we changed into dry clothes, ate lunch and played store. Then Missy Mack must have channeled Coco’s turnips because she striped down and created art in her Ariel panties.

I can hardly write because I am so distracted by So You Think You Can Dance. Do yall watch that?

To answer Sara’s question about the stamps on the foreheads, the gym teacher gives them stamps at the end of class and Riley and Missy Mack always request it to be on their heads. Fun! I guess. This week they also had them on the tops of their feet.

Happy Hump Day!

I have decided that I want to rent another four year. I wanted this yesterday when I was asked to play by Missy Mack.

Play with Missy Mack goes like this:
Missy: Mommy, you do this _________ (insert whatever make believe play she has instructed me to do)

Me: I do as instructed.

Missy: No, Mommy, you aren’t doing it right. You are suppossed to do it like _______________

Me: I try again, but better

Missy: You are NOT DOING IT RIGHT, MOMMY!!!!!

Me: I give up!!!!

Three seconds later, ‘Mommy, will you play with me? ( in the whinest voice you have ever heard)

This goes on and on. All day.

After gymnastics yesterday, I offered to bring home her friend Riley so her mom could go grocery shopping and the girls could play. It was heaven!! They went up stairs and played lovely together. Pure bliss.

Then today, we went over to our BFF’s house and the kids ate and played while the mommies had sushi, wine and conversation. Another fun day as the cruise director.

So, I have decided that I really want to have another four year old around. Why didn’t have have two at once??? Anyway, I will pay for Missy Mack to have a friend to keep her entertained on her terms.

It’s been pretty lame around here. Mr. Mack has had a few out of town meetings so we have been stuck at home. One day we went swimming.

The next I taught Missy Mack the joys of walking to the corner store for a slurpie. She had to get all dolled and thought this was such an adventure.

On the way home, we stopped for the mail and our autographed Laurie Berkner song book had arrived so when Mr. Mack arrived home we had a sing a long.

I made some homemade pickles and they were oh so good.

While at the pool Missy Mack had a near drowning experience while I was trying to retrieve our noodle, so we got her a private swim lesson.

We need more but making progress. I am considering taking a lesson myself to get some breathing and technique advice. Am I too old for a lesson?

Missy Mack has also decided that she already has a Barbie Dream House because all her Barbies fit in the house she already has.

We got our first babysitter in 9 months and went to my friends wedding on Saturday. She might have been the happiest bride I have ever encountered. She was about to burst with pride and joy. It was infectious. The venue was gorgeous. There was a sour cream horshradish sauce I could have eaten with a spoon, an ice sculpture pouring cosmos, yummy beautiful cupcakes and a fun photo booth.

The babysitter was awesome. It was Missy Mack’s teacher from school and she arrived like Mary Poppins with a bag full of crafts. Missy Mack was also about to burst with pride and joy.

My child has discovered oroes so I fear we are in trouble. I don’t need those things in my house. I feel the going back to school ticking so loudly. I keep trying to run in the other direction but each day, I wake and we are one day closer. It makes me sad.

Barbie’s Damn Dream House!

Last week, while at my mom’s house, I was playing with Missy Mack and she was trying to play with her Princess Barbies in the Little People Fisher Price house. It occurred to me that maybe it was time to get her a Barbie Dream House. I had one in my childhood and I loved it. Turns out, I should have hung on to the ‘Vintage’ Barbie Dream House. Here is why:

This is the 2008 Barbie Dream House, which apparently, is the last time they updated Barbie’s house and it is on Amazon for $399.00.

WTF?

or you can get Barbie’s Townhouse for $149.00

On E-Bay, you can get the same Barbie Dream House that had as a child, which is now ‘Vintage’ for $149.00, as of tonight.

Needless to say, I am not running out to buy a Barbie Dream house, since we haven’t even officially begun the Barbie stage in this house. I just wanted her to have a house that the damn dolls could stand up in. She actually is very imaginative with her areas she comes up with play. She plays with her princess Barbies everyday. Today I watched them all put on a show. They are very talented, the Princess Barbies.

Then, Mr. Mack, said that he thought his sister had a Barbie Dream house and she is about 12 years younger than me so I texted her to ask her about it. She said, enthusiastically, oh yeah, I saved my ‘Barbie Dream House for Missy Mack with all the accessories’. Score! I was so excited, that I was trying to talk Mr. Mack into driving to San Antonio to get Barbie’s ‘Dream’ House. No luck, however, Mr. Mack had a meeting in San Antonio yesterday. He agreed to stop at his house and get Barbie’s ‘Dream’ House and bring it back. Yipee! We were both so excited. When he got there, he texted me this picture with the words ‘You mean Barbie’ Crackhouse’?

This is what Lizzy Mack is thinking is a Barbie ‘Dream’ House. I am always surprised by what these two children were fooled into believing as children.

I am still thinking that I can make this work. I could paint it. It will be fun. Mr. Mack was thinking the same thing. The problem was it was 80 lbs. and didn’t fit in our car. Bummer.

Oh, well, I didn’t want Missy Mack growing up thinking that this is a dream house. We have been looking at Barbie’s Dream House with her on the internet so she would think something was really wrong if this is what her dad arrived with.

Here’s what I want to know:

What happened to Barbie’s First Home? Why did she have to go straight the dream house? Didn’t she start somewhere modest and became Doctor Barbie and then moved into her Dream House? Couldn’t they come up with a whole variety of houses to correlate with each Barbie? Like Cheerleader Barbie lives in a different house than Vet Barbie? Then we would really be teaching our children something. This would be a great way for me to explain to Missy Mack that Teacher Barbie lives in a different house than Dentist Barbie.  It’s economics with Barbies and their homes.

We ultimately told her to start saving her pennies for Barbie’s Dream House because it was a costly investment, which I guess is still economics. And why I am losing sleep over this whole situation? I need the people at Mattel to call me!

I have become addicted to two new things in my life.

I have started a Twitter account. Mr. Mack has been on for awhile. He is always laughing out loud, sharing interesting things and learning about cool things in town. I decided why not? I didn’t think I would like it, but I do! It is fun. I haven’t figured it all out but I recommend. Especially if you are into celebrities. I have learned so many interesting things, gotten great recipes and found some neat products sine Twitter. It is very different than facebook and as soon as my computer is fixed, I will get my blog an account. Fun!

These Stieg Larsson books. Damn! Lisbeth Salander! I read through the first one in a week and a half, the second in a week and I am on the third one. I had to buy it because not a single library in the Austin area has one of these books available. Great stories. Different from what I usually read.

I have a book I have to read for school and one more on my wish list, Little Bee, with two and a half weeks until leisure time ends and work begins. Yikes!

If you are on twitter, send me an e mail from the contact page and I will follow you. I would also love to hear who you enjoy following.

Well, my meltdown is over. Sort of. I still feel a little fragile but Mr. Mack either read the blog or took his cues and did his best to bring me back to Earth.

First, I think sleep was in order for all of us on Friday. We all laid down for a nap and four hours later, we woke. I felt much better. Mr. Mack took Missy Mack to the grocery store while I read in peace. They cooked dinner together. Missy Mack would break to bring up her creation. The first course was salad with bacon and blueberries and no dressing. The second course was a banana. Interesting. She was proud. Then Mr. Mack brought me salad and steak with wine. They watched a movie downstairs and I watched one alone.

The next day, I went for one if these:

It was A-MAZ-ING. Until the next day when I was very sore. What is with that?

I will now interupt my recovery to share with you cute pictures of Missy Mack and Taylor in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Taylor’s mother and I grew up together, lived together, she introduced Mr. Mack and I and we spent ALOT of time in the stockyards back in the day.

The grown ups had fried corn, Risky’s BBQ and a few of these:

It brought back great memories. My dad went to Risky’s almost daily and when I was in town, I went with him and so did Taylor’s mom a lot. My dad owned a bar down in the stockyards so this place is dear to my heart and it was fun to take Missy Mack there. I just wish it wasn’t so damn hot.

I guess that is it. I could tell everyone was really worried about me so I wanted you to know I did get out of bed and resume my wife and mom duties- all weekend. Yeah me!

I don’t know if it is a pile up of the last few weeks or months or just yesterday, but I am going to admit that I am in a true calgon moment. Almost since the second day of motherhood, and it may have been like day ten, I have had this fantasy of running away a creating a new life for myself like Julia Roberts did in Sleeping with the Enemy. Please understand that I don’t feel like this everyday but every once in a while it creeps up on me and all I can think is. .. Run!

Right now, I would really like to check myself into the relaxing resort down the street, turn out the lights to my room, let the comfy bed and sheets envelope me and disappear for at least 24 hours. Maybe I will order room service, maybe I will read, maybe I will watch what I want to on tv, maybe I will just sit in silence, but I want to get away.

It came to head yesterday on our way back to Austin after a less than successful business trip. My daughter is in the back talking, rather whining, constantly and demanding that I fix something for that I can’t while buckled into the front, my husband needs me to hear him talk through his troubles, he isn’t feel well physically or mentally, my mom is trying to start some shit about the step sisters soon to be ex over text messaging, my best friend’s grandfather died and I don’t have the emotion strengh to call her, I am tried of sharing a car, I am worried about paying bills and realizing school starts in 3 weeks and I think I might be happy about that. While all this is going on, I suddenly just want to jump out of the car and wave as they drive away.

This is as real as it gets. Would I really do it? Hell no! I love all these people to death. I just need a break.

Well… I feel better. How about you?

Now I am off to go to the fanciest tea party that is being prepared for me upstairs.

Life goes on and when you turn the corner, you realize you are blessed.

Yesterday, we went to pick up my computer- that has been with Computer Geek for a month, maybe more. Let the heavens sing. No more doing everything from my phone!

Mr. Mack went into Computer Geek store to pick it up. The conversation went something like this:

Mr. Mack: I am here to pick up my computer.

Computer Geek: Ok. I’ll get it. (with a puzzled look he brings the computer).

Uh… What did I say was wrong with it?

Mr. Mack: I told you ‘x’ was wrong with it.

Computer Geek: Oh! ….

And we couldn’t fix it?
(again with the puzzled look)

Mr. Mack: Nope.

Computer Geek: Duude.

(hands over the computer)

Mr. Mack leaves.

Mr. Mack was going to send me to do this task and I am so glad he didn’t because I might have a very different conversation with Computer Geek.

Needless to say, I am still posting from my phone and Mr. Mack thinks he knows a guy.

Great… She says with utter sarcasm.

Not much going on here. I have a hell of a headache and I am just trying to love my couch and bed before we return to the Dallas area for a meeting that will hopefully solve our money problems.

Missy Mack ran errands with me today and insisted on a pair of clearence house shoes and a headband. Here is what she wanted to wear to the pool.

Then she asked to help me make dinner and would I please wait for her to get dressed for cooking.

I also noticed that she has started explaining her misbavior by saying if I don’t do this or that, it will make me want to fight you guys. Fight? Where does she get that? Who does she think she is Mike Tyson? Funny girl.

She has earned her 40 stars so we are off to target in the AM to pick out a toy. Joy!

We returned last night from a one day too many stay at my mom’s house. It rained the whole time. We got to hook up with friends for frozen yogurt before our sweet friend went to get her tonsil’s out.

The surgery was successful. Yeah! The next day, my mom and I took Missy Mack to use her Build A Bear gift card. We have done this activity lots, but it is still a hit.

Making her wish on her new friend’s heart.

Giving Hello Kitty a hug.

And a bath

The final product complete with Hello Kitty t-shirt, sassy skirt, pink shoes and Hello Kitty pajamas with slippers to change into at night.

Then she rode the Merry Go Round with Hello Kitty and the guy was so nice, he buckled Hello Kitty in with her. She was so proud.

Then she had to try on a few hats.

Then we met Missy Mack’s Aunt for dinner with Hello Kitty.

After dinner we went to my favorite ice cream spot, Baskin Robbins. I love Peanut Butter and Chocolate. No one elses is comparable, but I went with my other favorite, Daquri Ice. It was a tough call. Just as I was beginning to savor my favorite treat, my step-sister drops the bomb of her divorce on us. She is heartbroken. We are heartbroken for her. We are all fighting back tears and trying to enjoy our ice cream. I was so pissed because her soon to be ex is a thorn in my side anyway and now he has ruined her life and my ice cream.

I can go into details if you guys are really curious, but the bottom line is they have been married for two years and have been in therapy since. Almost immediately he decided he didn’t really want to be married to her. She feels like a failure and hurts. It stinks. So Mr. Mack and I took her out and threw down this yummy goodness in an attempt to make her feel better. All it did is make me feel worse and long for an ice cream redo.