Tis the season~!

Well, we survived! Most importantly, no one was vomiting! The last two out of three years
Sheridan has been sick. Not Just sick I mean vomiting, ER visits, and none stop worry. This year was a blissful breeze. Eric and I were sick with colds thank the lord my kids were healthy as horses!
Of course they were spoiled above and beyond. But Sheridan learned an important lesson. YOU don't always get what you ask for. These were her three requests from Santa. Pinkie Pie & Rarity(my little ponies) and a golden trumpet! When she asked Santa for a golden trumpet I nearly had a stroke. I mean really a golden trumpet? I asked her does it have to be golden? and this is her response... "MOM I just really need a golden trumpet so I can blow it like this do do dooo da dooooooo!" I couldn't believe she would think of this... I mean where did she hear of a golden trumpet? and seriously Santa you can't tell a child you will bring them everything they ask for especially when it is 4 days before Christmas and mom is done shopping! So I frantically ran around Rochester looking for a golden trumpet! With each let down at another store I started to envision knocking out another one of Santa's teeth! That is when it hit me! SANTA DOESN'T HAVE TO BRING EVERYTHING! Sweet sweet Jesus! Why didn't anyone pass along this information???!!!? So Xmas morning when the kids woke up to their gifts Sheridan noticed instantly that Santa did not bring her a golden trumpet so this is where my years of manipulating my parents kicked in. I had written Sheridan a note from Santa explaining that she in fact did not get a golden trumpet because she didn't work hard enough at eating her veggies! The look on her face was priceless! "But mom, he stamped my arm that I was on the nice list!" I said "I know toots but Santa wants you to try even harder to eat your veggies then maybe just maybe he will bring you a golden trumpet" So since that delightful morning she has eaten mash potato's, a shred of cauliflower, and today a carrot! We are making strides! They may be small ones but they are strides. Sawyer did well with he first holiday that he was awake! We gave him the little people barn and honestly he just wanted the box. He did OK through gift opening.. Got naked halfway through and was doing happy dance on every ones gifts that came in boxes but he truly enjoyed himself!
As the new year approaches we are excited to continue to watch our children grow. I will admit the baby itch has hit but I know in my heart that two is a good number and that my poor uterus would throw a fit if it had to house another child. I quite possibly have the most inhospitable uterus around and its strange because I love to throw parties! Who knows maybe I will convince Eric to let us get another dog.
I ask that you pray for Shannon O'Hara as she continues to fight for her life and battle against a tumor on her brain stem. For the family of the local Mayo clinic Dr. that was killed in the helicopter accident, and for our dear friends Paul and Jamie as Pauls mom continues to battle brain cancer... Sometimes our lives seem so complicated when really they are the most simple of them all... blessings to you all as you welcome 2012 and embrace all that is to come~

meowie christmouse...

I love christmas but not as much as I love watching my kids fall in love with tradition, Santa, and the birth of baby Jesus....

This is the first year that Sheridan has totally grasped the concept of celebrating, family, and of course SANTA/GIFTS! Sawyer has not a clue! All of my nephews encouraged him to open his gifts today but he just climbed on every box and totally enjoyed himself! I honestly don't know what we will talk about when christmas is over. Sheridan don't do that Santa is watching! Sheridan eat your veggies, santa is watching! Sheridan......... "I know mom santa is watching!!!"

It's like parenting 101: always use SANTA as a threat! Today we celebrated with Erics family. We went to the dollar store(aka the worst place to take 3.5 yr old with 5,000 different pieces of crap at her eye level and you can get it all for only a $1!) to get gift bags, tissue paper, and coffee filters! Every piece of blinged out crap called to Sheridan today! With everyturn of the cart Sheridan squealed "OH mom do you think that we should get this, oh this is sooo cute, I think we should get this for Jacob(our next door neighbor) for christmas!" It was like a 3 year old on xmas dollar store steroids.. Lord have mercy! But as we were leaving Sheridan sees the Salvation Army bell ringers at Sam's Club! She screams "MOM we have to go and put some money in that little bucket for all the little kids who's parents can't afford presents for their children" I asked "oh tooty we can go but where did you learn all of that?" She responds with "MOM you taught me that!!!"" My heart rings so proud with delight! She is getting it! So we walked over only to put in 14 cents because that was all that I had in my wallet! I apologized to the girl and Sheridan chimes in "Every penny counts!"

We spent today celebrating with each other, watching our kids grow one year older, eating way to much food, laughing, football, giftexchanging, and wine!! One more weekend of celebrating and we can put it all aside for a year...

I don't care if there is anything under the tree for this girl! Because there is a man and two small children that think I walk on water and believe you me I am not knocking on anybodies door to convince them otherwise! Tomorrow we will go and see Santa so I am sure there will be a laugh or two to follow that cluster with! Until then! Be blessed!

Well when did my ass get that big?!?!

Seriously people! It amazes me every time I have to have my picture taken! ITS like these extra L.B's just came out of no where just in time for my photo shoot... I am so over it! I remember being little and knowing that I had to wear clothes from Sears(not only because my dad had a discount there) because they offered half sizes... When I went into seventh grade the weight came off and boy if I didn't think I was fat before all the reassurance on how good I looked that year from the women teachers certainly put the nail in the coffin.
All through high school I thought I was fat, good god what I wouldn't do to be that "fat" again. I have been having some stomach issues lately and received the most embarrassing news of my life. I have fat deposits on my liver(which isn't uncommon for overweight people) and my liver and gullbladder aren't working properly because of it... I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. I know I am over weight but hearing someone else bring it up makes me want to cry! So hearing that my weight is now effecting my liver has brought me once again to a crossroads. I am being only as honest as I can here folks. It is like the turn to the left and I succeed to the right failure. Which is easier? This question may seem simple to some but I struggle with it. Do I do the right thing and focus, give up the convenience food, and do for me and not for everyone else? Or do I squeak by for ten days loose ten lbs only to start to feel good and fall straight off the wagon... Its do or die with myself and food. I can not have unhealthy things around. But now there is something different. I have two little ones that look up to me. I often cry to myself wondering when they will figure out that their mom is "fat" Lets be honest people I can't wear full body spanks to cover it, suck it in, or smooth it over forever! I need to realize that it won't happen over night. That everyone that I idolize works hard for their body and are very "dedicated" to their lifestyle. Why can't I get there? Why can't I dedicate myself? Why is it any string of bad emotion that runs through my blood brings me to fill my fists with food....So here is my plan. I succeeded at boot camp prior to getting pregnant with Sawyer. So I am going to start again here in town at the strip mall by Glynners pub. Its BOOTCAMP 3 DAYS A WEEK 5:30 AM for an hour. I am so excited. I need to get moving.. get a jump start and get this weight off for goooood! WHO IS WITH ME! I want to let go off all the baggage and vulnerability that being overweight brings me. I don't want to be the token fat girl anymore! I want to want to sit in front in group shots, not hide behind others, and most of all I want to have a family picture taken. Silly I know but the idea of paying someone to take our photo as a family only to have to hang it on the wall and remind myself of my swollen tickness daily makes me sick. I need to stop hiding and start living... Let the lifestyle change begin one pound at a time! Seriously if you are interested in joining me please email me alisonsaugen@hotmail.com and I can forward you the info! Sorry this wasn't filled with laughter but I need to wear my fat ars on my sleeve!

Wussy the infamous Elf on the Shelf

Elf on the Shelf has made its way into the Smith household and Sheridans world is now complete! For those of you who don't know Elf on the Shelf is a story book about an Elf who lives at your house during the day watching all the things you do both good and bad, then leaves at night to report to Santa. You pick a name for your Elf, Sheridan picked Wussy(don't ask, we have no idea where this came from) and every morning she runs out of her to dash around the house to find him and when she finally does she screams ELF ON THE SHELF!!! As a parent you have to spice things up with these "childish" games. So we put Wussy in fun unique locations and in inappropriate positions as well! Poor Wussy the stories he must tell Santa when he is there. The other day I screamed DANGIT when I dropped a glass dish and Sheridan waved her finger at me and pointed to Wussy! Without saying a word she got her point across! However, Wussy has not convinced her to eat her vegetables... insert sad face here! OH the latest thing Sheridan wants to ask Santa for is a golden trumpet??!?!?!?!? Really kid?! I'm hoping Santa will not leave a golden trumpet but a note saying he will next year if she eats fruits and veggies!

Another big deal in our family is Sawyer turning the big 1-4 months! Man alive this kid is a daredevil! He is truly the sweetest, kindest and cuddliest kid HOWEVER he has zero FEAR! At 3.5 years Sheridans knees still shake on stairs and she is sooo cautious. Sawyer on the other hand loves it when we leave a coat on the stairs and treats it like a sled... and praise the lord he wears diapers because he laughs so hard afterwards I know he is wetting himself.! He flirts with women everywhere! He is truly a ladies man! My mom and I were talking about what we are going to do when he uses his charm around the ladies when he has a full vocabulary. eeek.

Eric is still on 3rd shift and we are still making it as a family of four. It is a struggle and I highfive all the single parents out there for doing it all on their own because lord knows I am drooling on myself by 7pm wishing and hoping for a breeze at bedtime! Sheridan, as you all know, has an opinion about everything so its a little harder without Eric there to even things out! Last night I was tucking her in and she says "mom you look tired, is it because you worked out today?" yep thats it.. lol

have a peaceful evening sweet sweet friends.. its a blessing to have you in our lives!

3.5 year old vs veggies and fruit

LORD HELP US ALL! I am struggling as a parent today well actually for the last two months! I feel like my child only wants to eat graham crackers and chocolate milk! Today I begged, pleaded, and manipulated her to eat the tiniest piece of orange! And she refused! I played the santa card, the no cartoons for the rest of the day card, and even the biggy you have to take a nap card!!! I just wish wish wish she wouldn't have lost the ability to enjoy all foods. Sawyer eats everything! IN fact somedays I think he is eyeing up the family pets! He loves it all except peas... He smashes each one, over and over! I have read a ton of stuff, talked to a ton of clients, and come to this conclusion: feed family style let her be in control(little do they know she already is) and choose atleast 3 different varieties of food! So I will report back and see how the next week or so!
OKAY! Final tidbit for this fabulous wednesday! Last xmas Aarah bought Sheridan a princess tent! I don't know how much she spent on this tent but it was wayyyyyy to much!! I spent atleast 30 minutes trying to put this glorified piece of tarp together! Fighting off a 1 year old who would not stop laying, rolling, and dancing on & in and all around the tent! Finally I succeeded. The tent was erect. Sheridans happy dance made it alllll worth it! 30 minutes of trying not to swear(small tidbit about me I swear like a trucker) 30 minutes of me not loosing my cool with the two cutest kids who kept trying to crawl in before it was up, 30 minutes of Sheridan saying over and over again "IS IT DONE IS IT READY WOW MOM THATS PINK SO COOL IS IT DONE" only to watch Sheridan and Sawyer climb in and celebrate with the tent dance! and here is the kicker it was up for maybe 4 minutes when the cat climbed on only to fall down the side and rip the s@#% out of the side with his nails..... I give this tent 3 days before it completely bites the dust!
Peace to you all this fine wednesday evening...

Tiny tootie dressses herself...

Today has been our average monday! I run around like a mad woman trying to get the house put back in order after being at work for 4 days. Today I decided to convince my children that in order for Santa to bring them new gifts they have to get rid of their old toys. This worked for about 20 minutes! I rushed to fill a cardboard box with the stuff(aka crap) they have accumulated since the last time I thinned out the heard! Its the little stuff like happy meal toys, impulse buys at target, or just stuff I can't pick up and put away one. more. time. Sheridan went to her room to play so I decided to dig a little deeper than the regular 15 minute purge I am used to. The box began to fill quickly, books that sing, baby cell phones, and moxi barbies from MCDS. I knew my time was limited so I worked quickly. The box began to overflow and suddenly she emerged from her bedroom! BEGGING me not to get rid of her "FAVORITE" toys. I let her dig two back out and when she wasn't looking I dove in an snatched them back up....
Now that Sheridan is 3.5 years old I am struggling at being sneaky and sometimes in control. Today she dressed herself ALL.BY.HERSELF. This is a challenge for me being the control freak that I am. Especially when I walked into her room and there she was pants and shirt on backwards with the biggest, proudest, most confident smile around. So I took a deep breathe and convinced her it would be even better if Olivia was on forward facing. We went to walmart and she fit right in with her pants on backwards, butt crack hanging out, three shades of pink. She told every 3rd person that she dressed herself! I just smiled and nodded knowing that my outfit wasn't all that impressive as well...
Another day off tomorrow to enjoy with the tiny loves!

Bla bla biggity BLOG

I have been told to write a book or start a blog! So here we go folks! JOIN me in my everyday attempt at motherhood, being a wife, and balancing work!
I am an open book... IF I feel it I say it! I love love love being a mom! It kills me that we make a decision to have a child wait 9 months, labor, get our carseats checked for safety and here we go.. READY SET PARENT.. Walk with me as I fail, succeed, and convince myself that I am doing it well!
In 5 years we have lived in 3 different houses, gotten married, had two children, adopted a cat, bought three new cars, gained weight, changed jobs and yet still hold it all together...