Not Me! Monday

It's been a while since I've participated in MckMama's awesome blog carnival--Not Me! Monday. If you'd like to check our her blog, and other bloggers who are participating. It's like free therapy.

Here goes:

This week I did not have to chase Wiggle Man through not one, but two kitchen restaurants.

I did not eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

I did not let Wiggle Man eat an inordinate amount of french fries while we traveled, simply to avoid meal time arguments.

I did not sleep in my clothes one night while we were away, simply because I was too lazy to change into jammies. That same night I did not let Wiggle Man sleep all by himself on the air mattress because he was too afraid to sleep in the pack n' play in a new place for the third time that week and every time I rolled over on the air mattress it woke him up so I slept on the floor beside the air mattress and made Hubba Hubba sleep on the couch.

I do not enjoy the use of run-on sentences.

I do not have several baskets of clean laundry to put away.

That being said, I need to start procrastinating. While it's not likely I'll tackle that completely fictional laundry right now, I should be a little productive this afternoon.

Ta-ta!

Not Me! Monday Returns

Well, it's been awhile friends, but MckMama is home with her MckMuffin and Not Me! Monday is back! Check out her blog for links to hundreds of bloggers participating, as well as her own Not Me! Monday post.

Well, here goes nothing...

This week I did not avoid laundry because of a large (and I mean LARGE) spider in the cellar where the washer and dryer is. I was not totally skeeved out even after Hubba Hubba washed the pile of clothes that the spider was last seen under. I certainly do not still have two baskets of clothes waiting to be put away.

This week I did not go to Target and come out with twice as much as I'd originally intended on buying. (Oh wait...Hubba Hubba reads this. Scratch that, he'll know it was me.) In my defense, had I done that, it would have all been necessary. Really.

Yesterday, I did not have M&Ms and baked barbecue potato chips for "brunch" when I got home from church.

This week I did not start breaking in new shoes for next weekend.

This week I did not blog about a missing cream egg. (Oh, wait...some of you read my blog regularly, so you know that was me.) I did not then skillfully interrogate my prime suspect until he finally cracked and confessed. I did not then proceed to take his mugshots. In case you're curious.

So there you have it, friends. At least, as much as I can remember. Now that we're back in the NM!M swing of things, perhaps I'll do a better job this week of keeping track of...the things I didn't do.

Not Me! Monday

Well, I may have missed last week, but I assure you. There are always plenty of things I may or may not have done in a given week. For a huge list of other bloggers who participate, check out MckMama's blog for the home of the Not Me! Monday carnival.

This week I did not eat 4 Pop Tarts in one day. I do not blame this on the face that I was sick, and too lazy to make real food for myself. I would certainly take better care of myself when ill, because I know that being sick means I'm more in need of healthy food, rather than junk.

I also did not live in my jammies while sick, and let Wiggle Man do the same. I did not even realise my sister-in-law had bought Wiggle Man new clothes and put them away until a day later because we'd been living in jammies.

I did not immediately blame the post office for not one, but two packages that were not delivered to me, only to find out that the packages were, indeed delivered. It wasn't that we just hadn't checked the mail. That certainly would not have been me.

Oh, and if you were at the grocery store with me on Friday, then you know it wasn't me holding the screaming child. You know, the one whose Mommy wouldn't let him ride in the special shopping carts with the cars on the front. Also, it would not have been me reciting I Love You Through and Through to get him to calm down. (Hey, whatever works.) Oh, and if you actually believe that this was not me and my child, please don't read this post.

I am most definitely not typing this whilst gazing at some gunge in the door frame to my bedroom that could use cleaning. I do not frequently use made-up words like "gunge", in either my speech or my writing. I'm much too professional. Seriously.

I do not research various physical and mental ailments online to see if either I or any of my loved ones might suffer from said ailments. And, even if I did, it really wouldn't be on a semi-regular basis. Like, two or three times a week, or anything like that.

If you go to my church, then you know it wasn't me who plunked one very loud, very random note on my keyboard at the end of the prayer time. You probably also noticed that it was definitely not me who left the white board o' rehearsal notes on stages until 30 seconds before the service began.

It was not me who ate the last cream egg, either.

How 'bout you? Anything you didn't do this week? Check out MckMama if you want to play along, or feel free to leave me a comment outlining your perfection this week!

Not Me! Monday

Once again, Monday has rolled around. But, with Monday comes...Not Me! Monday, the fabulous blog carnival started by MckMama. So head on over to her blog to check out her NM!M post, and don't forget that Mr. Linky will have a HUGE list of other bloggers participating. Plus, you can also see how close to the top I made it. (Last week I was #83--shooting for top 50 this week!)

This week I did not cut my finger on the blender. You might be thinking that would be a relatively understandable thing to do, what with the sharp blades, and all. If I did it. Which I didn't. But, being the queen of grace and lightness that I am, I certainly didn't injure myself on the plastic handle. Yes, the plastic handle. Good thing I didn't do that.

Along those same graceful lines, I did not manage to also twist my ankle this week. If I had twisted my ankle it would certainly have happened while doing something awe-inspiring--perhaps rock climbing, or taking Wiggle Man on a nature hike, or in tap lessons. Something. Anything. It's definitely a good thing I didn't twist it doing something silly like trying to scratch the bottom of one foot with the big toe of the other.

While packing this week, I did not repeatedly refer to the packing tape dispenser as "the son of Lucifer." This had nothing to do with the fact that this tape dispenser mangled the tape every other time you used it. Also, it was red.

I did not actually get excited when Wiggle Man pooped in the bath tub the other night. I was not excited to have a chance to actually show him his poop to get him thinking about potties.

I did not just blog about poop.

I did not buy cinnamon rolls to bake this morning because a snow storm was coming. I do not celebrate snow days as "random Sabbaths." I do not think they deserve special meals, and lots of relaxing. I totally agree with Hubba Hubba that we should spend the day packing.*

Also, I have not viewed packing as an opportunity to live in Hubba Hubba's sweatshirts.

Anyway, I'm off to bake cinnamon rolls. What did you not do this week?

*If you're not a regular reader, check out this post to see why we're packing, but not moving.

Not Me! Monday--Oscar Edition

Well, it's Monday morning again. You should head over to MckMama's for the best in Not Me! Monday fun, and a whole list of other bloggers who participate. Oh, and I really didn't watch the Oscars last night--unless you count the 20 minutes or so where I got to see Ben Stiller do his Joaquin Phoenix impression, and Hugh Jackman sing every musical known to creation. Hugh Jackman. The man could read a phone book, and I'd probably watch.

So, before I fixate on Hugh, let's move on to what I, ahem....didn't do.

I did not go snow tubing in utterly inappropriate clothing. I grew up in the True North Strong and Free, so I know a thing or two about proper gloves, and snow pants. I did not decide that I didn't feel like spending the money on the aforementioned winter gear, and try to "wing it."

I did not groan over the measurements taken this weekend to fit me for a bridesmaid's dress. I am a mature, grown woman who is ok with the fact that I am not teeny-tiny.

I did not start the morning by dumping Wiggle Man's cereal and milk all over the floor. Nope, not me. I am certainly more graceful than that.

I am not trying to reason with a toddler. Me: "Wiggle Man, just let Mommy finish her writing, then we'll go change your bum." Wiggle Man: "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."

I am not trying to convince him to dance to "All The Single Ladies." I am not letting him listen to it simply because he turned it on and I didn't feel like arguing that he's not allowed to touch the radio. I'm much more consistent than that, so it couldn't be me.

I'm not hungry again, an hour after I ate breakfast.

I did not put Wiggle Man in his high chair with his breakfast, which I then did not put in the bathroom so I could get a shower without him a) crying for me the whole time, b) trying to open the shower curtain to see me, and/or c) destroying the house. He did not return the favour by splashing milk everywhere.

And there you have it--proof that I am, in fact, the perfect mother. I did none of these things.

Not Me! Monday--The LOVE Edition

Happy Monday, friends! You should all head on over to MckMama's to check out the Not Me! Monday happiness she has going on over there. She's the queen of NM!M, and Mr. Linky can direct to you hundreds of other bloggers who participate.

This week:

*I did not write this early this week in another of my sad attempts to be the first on Mr. Linky's list. I do not happen to know that the best I've done is somewhere in the 60s. I do not hope every week to be #1.

*I did not make a mental list of all the yummy treats I'll be making this week because one of my dearest friends is coming to visit. This list does not include a massive amount of chocolatey things.

*I did not seriously consider taking a picture of the gorgeous flowers my "big" Valentine got me, because they're so beautiful I want to brag about them. I did not also want a picture of the chocolates my "little" valentine got me.

*I did not have to stifle laughter as I sat in the other room listening to Hubba Hubba: "Wiggle Man, take this present to Mommy. Here, Wiggle Man. Wiggle Man--take this to Mommy! NO, WIGGLE MAN! TAKE THESE TO MOMMY! WIGGLE! MOMMY!" Apparently, Wiggle Man thought that the gift bag containing my lovely chocolates was for him. How much he has to learn.

*I did not have dinner Saturday night at 10 pm, because that was the only reservation we could get at our favourite restaurant.

*Here's the pictures I did not take:

Not Me! Monday

Well, technically it's Sunday night, but I thought I'd get a jump on things. You won't see this until Monday morning, anyway. I highly recommend you head to MckMama's blog to check out her awesome Not Me! Monday, as well as a list of other bloggers who are not confessing their shortcomings to us all.

So, this week...

*I am not totally cranky while typing this. I have not been cranky all day. This has nothing to do with the fact that I had to try FOUR DIFFERENT shopping carts at a store that shall remain nameless in order to find one that worked. Of course, even Number Four had a strong tendency to veer off to the right. So strong, in fact, that by the time I left the store, my arms were sore from trying to steer the stupid thing straight. FOUR CARTS, people.

*As I said, I'm not cranky about this.

*I did not wear a maternity skirt at some point during this week. I will not share with you when I did not wear such a thing, because I'll likely not wear it again, and some of you saw me wear it. I want to not wear it again. It's so stinkin' comfortable.

*I am not craving the whoopie pie I bought this weekend at the farmer's market.

*I did not do laundry this week for the sole purpose of smelling my new detergent.

*I do not play Super Mario Brothers on Hubba Hubba's Nintendo thingy more than he does. It does not relax me.

*I am not seriously considering whether or not I have time for the whoopie pie before I have to head out.

*I do not have a love hate relationship with socks. Love, in that they keep my feet warm. Hate, in that I hate wearing them and find them grossly uncomfortable. Bare feet is not one huge reason I look forward to summer.

*The socks are not something else that's making me cranky.

*I'm not ending this post to go ask Hubba Hubba when we have to leave. The timing of which has nothing to do with the aforementioned whoopie pie.

Not Me! Monday

If you want some seriously good Not Me! Monday reading, head on over to MckMama's for the very best in non-confession, plus a huge list of other blogs participating in the fun. As for me, here goes:



This week:



*I did not just realise that I have leftover party invitations sitting on the desk. They are not from Wiggle Man's birthday. In September.



*I do not enjoy using sentence. Fragments.



*I am not a little bit worried this won't be interesting because I haven't been adding to it all week like I usually do, and am instead coming up with all this on the fly. This is not because I can't seem to remember anything anymore.



*I am not interrupting this to go change a very wet and very smelly child.



*That did not take longer than I thought it would. That's not because the aforementioned child managed to get my pants wet as he sat on my lap. Before I realised he was wet, of course.



*I am not ridiculously hungry. After what I ate last night, I shouldn't need to eat again until at least Wednesday.



*I do not occasionally think up things I would do if I were fabulously wealthy. Those things do not include hiring someone who will put moisturiser on that one spot I can't reach between my shoulders and, of course, laser hair removal. Ah, to never shave my legs again.



*I do not think it's cute to dress Wiggle Man in clothes that are too big. He does not remind me of being in high school when all the boys wore pants that were 4 sizes too big.



*I am not cutting this short to go eat breakfast.

Not Me! Monday Again

Once again, it's Monday morning, and thanks to MckMama, we can all purge ourselves from the memories of things we didn't do this week. I give you my weekly offering:

This week:

*I did not repeatedly smell Wiggle Man's rear and exclaim "OOOOOH...SMELLY!" simply because it sent him into a fit of belly laughs. Every time. I certainly wouldn't subject myself to that kind of odourous torture for a laugh.

*I do not put Wiggle Man on display every time company comes over, hoping he'll demonstrate for our guests his vast knowledge of animal sounds and body parts. (For although he's not actually speaking yet, he can mimick--on cue--the sounds of a handful of animals, and show you his nose. And ears. And tongue. You get the point.) But I would never use my child like a trained monkey. Never.

*I do not tell Wiggle Man that my work-out time (thank you, Tony Horton and your magical 10 minutes) is actually dancing time, in the hopes that he'll think it's fun and not whine the entire time.

*I did not try to explain to Wiggle Man that Mommy took away his ball because sometimes we do things that have consequences. I mean, who uses a 12-letter word with a child whose current vocabulary consists of "woof", "quack", and a handful of other animal/machine sounds?

*I did not splurge on a fresh, Amish-made donut this weekend. And certainly not on the same day I got some rich, creamy chocolate milk from my local "micro-moo-ery." (Their clever wordplay, not mine. Thank you, Trickling Springs.) And while I'm on the food portion of my NM!M, there was not a whole lotta pasta involved from our favourite Italian place. And there certainly wasn't blush sauce piled on top.

Once again, friends, a weekly listing of things it's possible I did. But I didn't. Of course.

The Not Me! Mondays

As always, head on over to MckMama's for the best in Not Me! Monday-ness. Check out her weekly confessionals, and don't forget to visit Mr. Linky to see tons of other NM!Mers.

This week:

*I did not start working on this last Monday, saving updates to my drafts. This was not done because I'm so forgetful I can't remember all my shortcomings (which really helps in the self-esteem department, I'll admit.)

*I did not pre-moistened facial cloths to wipe down my bathroom sink. And the floor. And certainly not the toilet.

*Speaking of toilets, I have never, ever purchased bathroom cleaning products because the animated scrubbies were cute. Not I. And the fact that advertising works so well on me is definitely not a running joke in our household.

*I did not succumb to an ad on the sidebar of a website I was using. See above.

*I did not resort to opening a free sample of in-shower lotion with my teeth. Because I was already in said shower. And those things get darn slippery. Seriously--free sample makers out there--invent something that can be opened in the shower without the use of teeth. Because after all that, I still couldn't get the thing open.


*I am not chowing down on a bag of Cinnamon and Sugar Pita Chips while I type this.

*I do not think I have Super-Mommy senses, just because I could "sense" that the cup Wiggle Man was playing with was not actually empty.

Well, there you have it. Proof positive that I am not perfect. Or, at least, I wouldn't be perfect if I did any of those things. Which, of course, I didn't.

Not Me! Monday

Not Me! Monday is, for me, the start of every week. Generally it's the first thing I do after the baby's fed on Monday mornings. And every morning I sit here and ask myself if it's really Monday again. Everyone always told me that time would fly once I was a parent--I guess it's true!

If you're itching for more NM!M craziness, head on over to Mckmama for her NM!M (the first and best) as well as links to other bloggers participating. And while you're there, stick around and read her other posts--she's one of my favourites!

This week:

*I did not polish off the tub of cream cheese I bought at the farmer's market in a mere two days. I did not justify it to myself by focusing on the facts that it was a small tub, and fat free.

*I did not also finish off the baggie of chocolate covered pretzel balls. With Hubba Hubba's help.

*I did not drive Hubba Hubba to work in my jammies.

*I did not go out and buy a new baby monitor this week even though there was nothing technically wrong with the old one, besides that it drove me nuts.

*I did not secretly rejoice in the fact that I had an hour to myself yesterday to drink hot chocolate and read the paper.

*I did not go to bed at 8 o'clock last night. I was not still tired when I had to get up this morning.

Well, that's my weekly confessional. Head on over to Mckmama to read others' posts, and learn how to join in yourself!

A Not Me! Monday Manifesto

Happy Monday, everyone! Mckmama is back with her Not Me! Mondays, and I've decided to NM!M it up a little differently, this week. (I hope that's ok, MckMama!) Last night I came to an important realisation. Except, I've realised this before, so I guess it's a re-realisation. Or something like that. I'm calling it my Mommy Manifesto, and while it's the usual NM!M sarcastic "I do not" style, I'm making it a resolution this year to actually live this way. So maybe next year my Mommy Manifesto could be my way of life, instead of a NM!M post.

One more small detail: for those of you who know me well, or read this blog at all, you may wonder where references to my faith are. I've left them out on purpose, so that Mommies of different beliefs can relate, but know that my knowledge of God's love for me is what drives all of this.

Jenn's Mommy Manifesto:

*I do not let my jean size determine my value. That is a number with no relevance. Instead, I will focus on the number of slimy kisses Wiggle Man gives me in a day (much higher than my jean size, anyway), or the number of times Hubba Hubba squeezes my hand and tells me I'm the best wife. Ever.

*I do not let fancy jars of exfoliating cream sit in my shower for a year while I save them for a special occasion. I will use the fancy cream until it's gone, and then maybe even buy a new jar.

*I do not let myself get into the vicious cycle of not taking care of myself, feeling unattractive, and so therefore feeling I'm not worth taking care of. I will do something to make myself feel pretty, even if I'm wearing sweats at home all day with Wiggle Man.

*I do not beat myself up when I don't fit the mold of a perfect wife or a perfect mother. I will extend this grace to others, as well as myself.

*I do not have ridiculously high expectations for my fitness regime. My body does not whip itself into shape in a matter of months. I will be consistent, and believe Tony Horton when he says to do my best, and "forget the rest."

*I do not focus on the negative when it comes to myself. I will remind myself that I have great legs when I'm tempted to focus on my pudgy tummy.

There you have it, my Mommy Manifesto. Like me, it's a work in progress, so if you have any thoughts on what to add, just let me know!

Not Me! Monday Once Again!

Ah, Monday morning. With only a few days to go before Christmas, I still have a lot to do. Here, however, are some things I, ahem, didn't do this past week:

*I did not go to Walmart in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, totally sans makeup, with questionable hair. I did not then run into someone I knew. I did not then decide to chuck it all, and stay in said sweatpants and sweatshirt for the rest of the day, even when Hubba Hubba and I went to the Chinese buffet and then to rent a movie.

*I did not skip workouts this weekend because I felt blarghy. I realised, of course, than working out would probably make me feel better, so I totally did them. All.

*I do not have laundry sitting damp in the washer from two days ago.

*I did not eat chocolate cake for dinner last night.

*Wiggle Man does not have a stinky diaper that I'm ignoring to type this. He does not normally poop first thing in the morning when I'm trying to blog.

And, drumroll please--my favourite from this week:

*I did not come home from church last night only to find a giant booger stuck to the side of my face. It was not likely left there from when Wiggle Man and I had a huge kissy fight where I tickle him and he attacks me with very slobbery kisses and the occasional booger. This means that I did not spend the evening trying to sell crafts from Africa, with a booger ON MY FACE.

If that doesn't fill your need for Not Me! Monday confessions, check out MckMama for the original NM!M queen, as well as a whole list of other bloggers making their weekly confession.

Not Me! Monday

It's the most wonderful time...of the week. That's because it's Not Me! Monday time! To participate, or to read the blogs of other NM!Mers, check out MckMama, the first and best NM!Mer.

This week:

*I did not get angry when I realised the super high electric bill was likely my fault, for using space heaters in our very drafty old farmhouse. I did not then ask Hubba Hubba what the point of having space heaters was if I couldn't use them. I of course realised right away I simply needed to be more diligent about remembering to turn them off when they weren't needed. I would never snap at Hubba Hubba like that over something that simply was not his fault. Especially not after he booked me for a massage, knowing the past few weeks have been super stressful and busy. I'm certainly a better wife than that.

*I did not seriously consider cutting the cooked part of my roasted chicken off and letting the rest cook last night when I discovered that, despite the correct temperature read on my thermometer, it was, in fact, not done on the bottom. The fact that I had my in-laws over, and was already serving dinner later than I had promised had no bearing on the impulse to carve off half the chicken. (Fear not, I really did put the whole thing back in the oven and make everyone wait for dinner.)

*I did not wake up with a giant, curly ball of mess on top of my head. I wake up polished and ready to go every day. I did not stuff that ball of mess into a ponytail until I can get it straightened.

*When Hubba Hubba asked what I'd like to do with some unexpected moolah that came our way, I did not tell him I'd like to take part of it and blow it at Target, just for fun. I'm much more frugal than that.

*I did not let Wiggle Man eat two bananas the other day, just because it was the only thing he wanted to eat. I did not give him the second one just to quiet him down because Hubba Hubba and I were tired of his screaming. I am a very consistent mother.

*I did not put Wiggle Man in his very first time out yesterday, only to have him giggle and enjoy it the whole time. Perhaps it will be effective when it's no longer a novelty. I hope.

There you have it, folks. A listing of some of the things I certainly didn't do this week. How about you?

A Frosty Not Me! Monday

I'm telling you, the weeks just keep flying by. I woke up this morning, and was thinking of what to post about, when I realised it was Monday, and time for another NM!M. If my weekly confessionals aren't enough for you, go to MckMama's Blog for a whole lotta Not Me! Monday fun.

This week:

*I did not begin freaking out because the bridesmaid's dress I have to wear in NINETEEN days hadn't arrived yet. (Ok, so last week it was twenty-something days, but it's more dramatic to give you today's countdown.) I did not have to resort to being a total girl to get the postman to check to see if he had the package somewhere. He did. Apparently the note they left saying they had tried to deliver it got lost. In the mail. After a 5-minute, rather circular discussion, the conversation did not go something like this: (imagine it in a tone of voice bordering on hysteria) "Ok, listen. In that package is a bridesmaid's dress that I have to wear in LESS THAN A MONTH, and I still need to get it altered, and pressed, and...." "Ok, ma'am. This sounds important. Just let me go check."

*I did not laugh hysterically at my friend who was asked in Sunday School yesterday what a virgin was.

*I did not cheat on my diet the second day in because someone brought us lunch at the church yesterday.

*I did not have to decide which of a slew of outfits I was going to wear for the one song I played on in last night's recital. I, being a professional, was not distracted by the fact that Wiggle Man, who sat angelically with his Aunt and Grammy throughout the first half of the program, started crying as soon as he saw me onstage. I did not secretly enjoy it when my sister-in-law told me that he wouldn't take a bottle from her when she got him home, and that every time my picture came up on the digital frame, he would cry for me. I of course LOVED all the kisses Wiggle Man gave me when I did get home. (That part's true.)

*I am not cutting this short just to go shopping with my mother-in-law!

A Sleepy Not Me! Monday

It's been an amazing, eye-opening, Kenya-missing weekend for me. After all the Thanksgiving festivities (we're still eating leftovers at our house) we were so blessed to have a visitor all the way from Kenya! David has been traveling in the U.S. raising funds for his school, which focuses on orphaned and vulnerable children. I met David in 2006 when I was in Kenya, and consider myself privileged to have been able to sing some songs with his students. I have never enjoyed "Father Abraham" so much!

But, as so often happens, having visitors makes me sleepy. We always end up staying up later than we planned, talking and working on projects. And so, I offer you my sleepy Not Me! Monday:

This week:

*I did not lose my temper over a lost shoe. I mean, I have a toddler. He loses shoes. In the grand scheme of things, it's certainly not worth locking myself in the bathroom and jumping up and down.

*I did not let Wiggle Man eat a sandwich off the floor. That would be gross.

*I did not play more Tetris this week that I probably should have.

*I did not let Wiggle Man eat rolls for dinner last night simply to avoid a Dinner War in front of company. I am consistent in my parenting, regardless of who is joining us for dinner.

*I did not buy a "child harness" for Wiggle Man yesterday, something that I said I would never do. Of course, I said that before I became a parent and realised that some children are not content to sit in the cart, and will be very vocal in expressing their desire to explore.

*I did not eat more chocolate pecan pie than anyone else this weekend.

So, what about you? What did you not do over the past week?

Here's one thing you should do. Check out MckMama's blog to see the list of bloggers participating in this week's Not Me! Monday, and to learn how you can participate.

A Late Not Me! Monday

Well, everyone...I'm sorry. I normally get this done much earlier in the day, but this cold I have is kicking my tail. I'm either miserable, or in a over-the-counter-drug induced haze.

Here are just a few of my meager offerings for this week. Check out MckMama's blog for the ultimate list of Not Me! Monday-ers.

This week I did not

*ignore Wiggle Man when he's playing with the pot lids that he's not allowed to play with. I'm a very consistent Mommy.

*I did not let most of the morning worship slip by me yesterday while I simply went through the motions. I have not been doing that for the past few days due to this monster cold.

*I am not having trouble typing simple words like "monster" and "typing."

*I did not let my brother-in-law give me a shot of "medicine" last night that totally cleared out my nasal passages, for a few minutes anyway.

*I did not try to use a coupon for fried onions to get 75 cents off of chicken today. I totally read that coupon, and knew it wasn't for the chicken.

That's all I can come up with for this week--hopefully next week I'll have a little more to offer you!

Oh, and to answer your question, Sky--I liked Twilight. The book is better--I felt like perhaps the movie was put together too quickly, in order to ride some of the hype from Breaking Dawn's release this summer. The movie just felt rushed--although Hubba Hubba thought it was the longest movie ever. Also, I want to see it again when there aren't hordes of 14 year old girls giggling and screaming at Edward's every line. :)

Did anyone else see it? What did you think?

And now it's time for...Not Me! Monday!

Good morning, everyone! I missed last week's Not Me! Monday for a pretty good reason, I think. I was enjoying a couple of days at a friend's beach house. It was very very very relaxing-if you don't count driving back into town to lead worship. But that's a whole other post. Seriously, check it out if you want a good laugh. At my expense.

Anyway, as always, check out MckMama's blog for the original and best in NM!M fun, as well as links to other bloggers participating this week.

Here are my shortcomings, in all my glorious denial:

This week...

*I did not start listening to Christmas music on the radio. I was not excited to find the all-Christmas station because I'm already sick of all my CDs.

*I did not put the cat outside because of the messy wound on her ear, fearing it would get all over the carpet/furniture/Wiggle Man. I am not listening to her whine outside as I type.

*I did not have to spend almost 2 hours cleaning my room because my sister-in-law was coming to stay with Wiggle Man while we went on our aforementioned mini-getaway. I did not remove several bags of trash along with multiple loads of laundry from our room. Or one half of our room, anyway. I did not discover dust I hadn't realised existed. Everywhere.

*I did not succumb to the many M&Ms we had out last night for our family get-together. I will not eat the leftovers today, because I have a bridesmaid's dress to look incredible in next month, and my willpower is invincible when it comes to M&Ms. And caramels. And brownies, and Ben and Jerry's and basically anything whose first ingredient is sugar.

*I did not let Wiggle Man eat the part of his sandwhich he dropped on the floor. Ew.

*I am not wondering what that smudge of goo is on the floor, because I cleaned it up last night when I first noticed it. Ahem.

*I am not trying to figure out how to smuggle Hubba Hubba out the door to work so that Wiggle Man does not realise he has left, thus avoiding his morning "Daddy's left" hysterics. No, I want Wiggle Man to learn that we leave sometimes, but we come back, and that we always say goodbye. I wouldn't sacrifice that just for a little peace this morning. No way.

That's it, friends. Or, more honestly, that's all I can think of right now. Check out MckMama if you want to see how to join in the fun, or if you're just looking for another amazing blog to read!

It's Not Me! Monday!

I really is Monday morning again. This week just flew by for me--I'm still a little exhausted from it all. Good thing Hubba Hubba and I are planning a little overnight getaway next weekend--hopefully it works out!

Well, with Monday morning come the Not Me! Mondays. As always, check out MckMama for the ultimate NM!M fun. She may or may not be posting today--after all, she did just arrive home from giving birth to the most precious miracle baby. So, check out her blog either way--you can join the NM!M party, or read about Stellan's miracle.

This week:

*I did not ask myself on Thursday where the week had gone, because I had nothing done!

*I do not still have a pile of laundry in the bathroom sitting where the hamper should be, simply because said hamper is still in the basement from my laundry attempt a few days ago. There is also not a wet load sitting in the washer that will have to be re-washed for the second time.

*I did not bake a dozen cookies for Hubba Hubba and I to enjoy during our movie night. I did not eat most of them myself.

*I do not have a watermelon sitting on the counter that Wiggle Man managed to pull onto the floor and subsequently crack open. I was not too lazy to take it out to the chickens last night. I am not secretly hoping someone else just takes the darn thing out so I don't have to deal with it.

I am not still tired from the Phillies parade/Citizens Band Park extravaganza on Friday. I do not want to figure out a way to post my picture of the streaker without being offensive.

*I am not typing this with Wiggle Man's fireman's hat on. It is not the only hat he will wear. He is not, for reasons unbeknownst to me, smelling that hat right now. And, ironically, the fire hall's siren did not just go off.

*I am not debating having chocolate Pop Tarts for breakfast. I will eat Cheerios. Like the grown up that I am.

*I am not going to go work out now, just so I can feel better about the Pop Tarts I will not be eating.

Not Me! Monday Again...

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's Monday morning, and you know what that means. Well, actually, this week it means two things: Not Me! Mondays, and the unveiling of my big secret announcement at the end of this post. Check out MckMama at My Charming Kids for the ultimate Not Me! Mondays. She's the one who started it all, plus you can check out other bloggers who participate.

Wiggle Man decided to help me out this week, and give me one right off the bat:

This week I did not...

*let Wiggle Man play with an almost empty roll of toilet paper so he would stop playing with other unmentionables in the bathroom. That was not just this morning, and I did not just have to pick shredded toilet paper up off the floor. I am not thinking about how much of that he actually ate before I noticed.

*Speaking of Wiggle Man, I did not have to buy him shoes from the kids' section, as opposed to the baby section because his feet are now too big for baby shoes. I do not see that as a trait passed down from Hubba Hubba's family. I do not tell everyone this.

*I do not (secretly or otherwise) laugh at Wiggle Man's temper tantrums. I certainly do not find it amusing to see his adorable little face scrunched up while he rolls around on the floor, kicking his little legs for all he's worth. I also do not think it's cute when he cries. What kind of mother would that make me?

*I am not waiting until this post is finished before I change Wiggle Man's diaper. Even though it's smelly.

*I have not been staying up late watching the World Series. I am a responsible adult, and go to bed at a decent hour, especially when I have to get up early. To lead worship.

*I did not eat two brownies, two pieces of cornbread, and countless M&Ms last night in addition to the chili I had for dinner. I did not tell myself that "at least I had salad, too." Nope.

*I was not late to a music lesson this week because I got caught up reading a book. I did not breathe a sigh of relief to discover my students had been late, as well.

Those are my big confessions for the week. Or, non-confessions, more accurately. It's very freeing--check out MckMama's blog to see how to join in the fun!

And now....

Here it is. The Big Secret Announcement. I had no one guess what my actual secret was. Weeksie50 attempted a guess at the prize, so Weeksie--I'll give you part of the prize, if you want it! Email me your address, and I'll send a BabiesRUs gift card your way.

I had been hoping to wait until this was definite, but I just can't hold it in anymore! Hubba Hubba and I are hoping to move to Kenya sometime in the new year! We have been asked to come and minister to college students, as well as help run an English service. The pastor is a man I met on a previous trip to Kenya. Hubba Hubba has been there to meet the people we'd be working with, see the town and the college, and get a feel for what life would be like over there.

We're pretty excited about the opportunity, as you might imagine! However, it's not definite yet, as we still need to get a supporting church (something the denomination wants us to have) and raise funds. If you're a praying person, prayer support is something we could really use right now! We'd love your prayers as we work with our church to hammer out the details, raise our support, and keep discerning God's will in all this!