makeup, mirrors and hair, oh my

Why is there MORE conflict now, with 2.5 bathrooms, than there ever was before with only 1 bathroom.

DH jokes that he wanted one child and I wanted two, so we "compromised."

Had I known then what I know now I would have let him win that one.

Two teenage girls in the morning in the bathroom. 'nuf said.

silver lining on cloudy days

I keep thinking that I got paint in my hair, but we have not painted anything silver.

There are just a few strands, right at the part and bangs, and they sparkle in the sunlight.

* Bam * I am going to own these silver hairs babe!

I grew the highlights out of my hair for my 40th birthday. I use to be blonde. I figured at 40 I needed to be myself and stop trying to be someone I thought everyone expected me to be.

rays of hope and stress relief

Be kind. You never know what someone else might be going through. Better to be a little ray of hope than the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Lately there have been a lot of straws. I have been trying to focus on the rays of hope, but that is often a difficult task, especially when emotional, tired and stressed.

Remember that your life is completely full.

Stress is a funny thing, it comes from many, often unrecognized, sources. It slowly accumulates until you break or fall apart.

black beans and quinoa

Do NOT touch your eye after dicing jalapeno peppers.

Just sayin'

One of the girls picked all of the tomato out of her dinner and the other picked out the peppers. This is why I cook.

panic attacks, freak outs and other moody and maddening traits of the teenage brain

Well, Tuesday smacked me upside the head for attempting a smile.

One teen home with panic attacks and the other one freaked out later that day with no hormonal excuse.

Is there something happening with the moon? planets colliding? mars going retrograde?

I read that National Geographic article about teenage brains.

irrational and incoherent, with a smile

Monday.

That is a complete status. The tip of a very deep iceberg.

I feel as if I am about ready to fall apart, but I am the wife and mother so I will hold it together.

At least try to hold it together. There was that smallish breakdown Saturday night when I sat crying on the kitchen floor, snot streaming down my face. Irrational and incoherent.

But by Monday at 5 am I had pulled it together and went through the routine.

Tuesday I will even try it with a smile.

family time versus Facebook

They are making me play cards...they are calling it "family time." Why can't they sit on Facebook all night like other teens?!

I was dead tired last night and really wanted to crash, but one of the teens was channeling her angst into a card game called Phase 10. Not only did I have to be awake, but I had to pay attention too. It was fun while I was winning, but in the end I lost BIG time!