Mashup!

It's hard to believe my last post was in September! There have been many things in the works over the past few months- and taking the time to search and explore has opened several new avenues in my life. For one- the house seems to always be clean ;) a meal is mostly always on the table, if not, plans to get one are in the works mostly as a family. I'm exploring my inner foodie, and inner organizer.. (don't ask me where that's going, I still haven't figured it out!) The last of the home tour decorations will come down this week. We were featured in a few write up's as well as in local newspapers and magazines that are specific to the Heights. Last week we visited a local place Thai Spice, on 19th street- and there were a few Heights magazines laying on a bench by the door. Bryce casually said as we walked by them "hey mama, there's our house!" He enjoyed it as much as we did I think! We're busy making plans for the twins summer camps and activities and our yearly visit to Gulfshores Alabama- to stay in Beck Flacks fun and ultra cool condo at the Beach Club. I cant wait- and find that I'm getting spring fever already.. its only FEBRUARY!! ;) I'm also trying out some new technologies like building a website for the Heights Woman's Club (www.houstonheightswomansclub.com )and Google WAVE. It seems like a very useful technology. Esp. for project managers.

Checking back in!

I havent posted much lately. There have been lots of things going on. Life has proven again to only be as fun as the moment you are in! ;) For starters, my children started kindergarten two weeks ago. They were so precious with their little back packs and thermos's and uniforms... Brooke exclaimed as she left each morning for school "kindergarten is COOL"-- I love that she is so challenged and so receptive to this huge change in her life. Bryce on the other hand isnt as thrilled. He likes the new school- but cant seem to keep his yap shut long enough to keep his "green car" on the performace chart- in GREEN.. It is often "yellow" and apparently "yellow isnt perfect"... So-- thats whats up with the kids. On another front- I've closed the door on another chapter of my life. There were 40+ workers laid off this past week- and I was one of them. They let several project managers go- leaving the bare bones to run the projects. Im wondering if this is just the beginning of some significant cost savings mesures? In some ways this result makes me feel lucky. I was early enough to get a package and a gentle nudge out the door. I hope all behind me are so lucky. So, I'm taking a little time to re-set and figure out what it is that I "want" to do next. I'm thrilled that the economy seems to be in a up cycle and I am in the heart of energy country. There probably wont be much idle time spent.. so I'll enjoy it while I have the gift of that. Otherwise, things are well with us. We spent our first weekend up at Aggieland this weekend, watching A&M beat the hell-outa New Mexico State. Was a fun weekend- filled with friends, a few drinks and kids getting back into the football season. They always love being there- and I love that my beautiful, smart hubby enjoys our time spent at Aggie football! Take the time to write when you can.. I enjoy hearing from you! amydell@gmail.com :)

A little advice (to myself...)

I am a moderator for a group of ladies in the Heights who are all participants on an online forum called Heights Kids. This morning- someone posted that they thought they "couldn't do anymore without losing their minds..." With kids, partners, pets, jobs, etc.. You'd think that we as moms and partners couldn't be pulled in any other direction.... Honestly- I got home last night from a day trip to see my mom for mothers day- and all day long was about everyone else... I am happy to share my love, family and time with my parents- they wont be around forever. I want my kiddos to know them. But, after getting home and having spent the entire day on Saturday "decluttering" my living rooms built in shelves, I found that most of the cleaning on the second floor didn't get done.. and lunches weren't made, and dinner wasn't made, and there were at least 5 loads of laundry that needed to be done, not to mention the laundry still needing to be folded and put away. Dishes that needed to be unloaded, and re-loaded... Well, you get the picture... Just one evening in the life of a busy mom. When the anonymous poster posted their "gripe" this morning- it really resonated with me... I started to type a response and as I formulated it- I was given a gift- that I needed to listen to my own advice... Remembering the things that make me "loose my mind" and the things that help me "destress" really helped me get past the fact that I was literally bawling last night when I realized how much I had to get done before I left for work this morning. Here is the list I sent her: - ) any additions are welcome! ;)

"1.) Stop thinking that no one can do things better than you. Let it go. This will relieve a lot of stress.. (I have to work on this EVERY DAY!) Let your partner help you accomplish things, and don't go back and re-do them. Be at peace that its done!

2.) Pick one night a week or one day on the weekends to get things done for yourself. Even if you are grocery shopping or doing something like dropping off dry cleaning- which is about you and your partner, do it ALONE!, drive with the windows down, music cranked up- and sing at the top of your lungs... This also relieves stress, and gives you some fresh air! ;)

3.) At least once a week- work out an alternating "responsibility" morning.. That means your partner gets to dress them, feed them, make lunches, drop them at school, and you get to pad to the shower 45 mins earlier.. or take a walk before you have to greet your "other life" at the office.

4.) At a very early age, make your kids pick up after themselves- make them drop their plates in the sink, make them place milk they haven't drunk in the fridge. Make them pick up their pajamas and drop them in the hamper or on the floor of the laundry room. Make them place shoes and socks in a SUPER EASY place to find (mine is the drawer in our downstairs TV Armoire) All of these things will help you in the future.

5.) Make lunches the night before- not the morning of- its too stressful to get them, you and your husband out the door and to be remembering at that point your out of bread!

6.) MAKE A GROCERY list and HANG IT ON your fridge door! As you run out of things, get the kids to remind you to write it on the list- my twins love this little game, and they feel like they are contributing to the grocery buying process. If we're out of something- its because they "forgot" to put it on the list. If we have something- its because the "magic mommy grocery shopping fairy" took "Their" list and bought what they asked for. This avoids a lot of hassle in the mornings... Also helps our partners take responsibility for things they need, and avoids unnecessary trips to the store.

7.) Lock the door to your bathroom at least once a week. Soak your toes, paint them... A fresh coat of paint always makes people wonder how you found the time... and it takes all of 30 mins... and its FREE!

8.) Drink wine... lots of it... ;)

9.) Keep your girlfriends on speed dial. I have a GF in college station that texts me once a week and asks for a "phone date"... Its usually after we've put the tike's down for the night, and usually WITH a glass of wine and usually on my patio. or front porch. Take the bug spray and the bottle of wine. The stress this relieves is immeasurable.. ;) The "brutality" of bitching about life, kids, partners etc. is not as bad when your talking to someone else that is going through it!

10.) Keep date nights- religiously... Remember, you and your partner really liked each other before you brought the tike's into the world.. Even if you don't "go out" make sure the kids are in bed and you are able to spend some time together each day... (BTW- This is our greatest challenge... )

11.) Don't be too hard on yourself. EACH of us goes through this... Its just so damn hard to be perfect.. Not only are you trying to do it for you, your job, your partner, but now your trying to do it for a kiddo/s too. I fall short all of the time... I have 2 HUGE baskets full of laundry that have been sitting on the floor of my study for 2 weeks now- WAITING to be folded! (Maybe that's where all of my underwear is?? ;) -- I walk past them each morning and say to myself, "this wouldn't have been sitting here, 6 years ago.." But realistically, I had nothing else to do before the twins came... Now, I have PLENTY to do!

12.) Its okay to be greedy and spend time alone or doing things you love.

13.) If you cook, and do the dishes, your partner should be bathing and getting kiddos ready for bed. If you cook, and he/she wants to do the dishes, then you get the kiddos ready for bed. You shouldn't have to do both...

14.) If All else fails, listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_lUnFjXg8 Lastly, you will have breakdowns, you will have difficulties, you have to learn to laugh at yourself, your situation, and the impossibilities that life throws at you. I promise you one thing.. Your kiddos wont remember if the clothes were folded or the dishes were done the morning after dinner was made... They will remember things like you reading to them, bathing them, tucking them in, etc.. They will also remember whether you were sane or not... So take care of yourself! ;)" Happy Mothers Day to all of you moms that I missed talking to yesterday! ;)

Annabelle

IMG_6379, originally uploaded by amydell.

When you were born, you were so tiny and red.. Look at you now, almost 5 years old, beautiful and smart. (I can say that, I'm your mother!)

I wanted to name you something that meant something to me.. I know that this is a poem about death- but more than that- its about love... The kind of love that lasts forever...

ANNABELLE LEE

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love -
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.
And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher
In this kingdom by the sea.
The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me
Yes! that was the reason
(as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we
Of many far wiser than we
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In the sepulcher there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

How would I taste to a Cannibal? :)

Created by Recipe Star

"Go Celts!"

IMG_6187, originally uploaded by amydell.

Not only is that the mantra of my Alma Mater- but the guy in the middle was quite a cutie! ;) Maybe it was the red socks I was attracted to? Or the salt & pepper hair? Regardless- I enjoyed being out and about with some of my "peeps" at yesterdays Celtic festival, in the Heights. The Scotch Eggs weren't bad either! (This was my first try- I was a virgin Scotch egg Irish-lady" ;) My obviously German children needed to know where their mama's peeps come from- so this was a great festival for them. They think all of our men run around in brightly colored skirts- and that we have jumpies on our church grounds! Not a bad way to get them indoctrinated! ;)

Three Musketeers!

IMG_6158, originally uploaded by amydell.

Look what our daddy just built! AND, we even got to "help" ;) Take that, Hurricane Ike! ;)

I'm Tired!

I'm wondering why I lay in bed and hear my children (4 year olds) in the next room?? ITS FREAKING 10:30! Aren't they the least bit tired? I certainly am- and I'm pretty sure I didn't have the exhausting recess they did today or the jaunt around the park with the nanny. Needless to say- we're exhausted. We've pretty much been cursing our friends who have "insta-parents" who hover over their children at the slightest mention of maybe wanting to go and grab a Starbuck$ or maybe when the baby needs changing... I'm going to vomit if I hear how one more of them ran to "Vegas" for the weekend with their spouse" or ran off to the spa with their girlfriend for the weekend... Where do these parents come from? Mine can barely make it through a football weekend without bringing them back to us mid-way through a weekend! Our kids are our greatest joy- and our biggest responsibility- all at the same time, ALL of the time!! Geesh- that's a lot of pressure! They've tested for the G&T program next year (in Kinder) and they are right on track to start up this coming fall. We've basically been planning on this since their birth... No one tells you when you have a baby how expensive or heart wrenching or exhausting-wait I think I already used exhausting-- it is... Not to mention with TWINS! They never let up... We're trying to keep our spirits up by telling ourselves- "its only an 18-25 year commitment"- 5 of which we've completed-- but I don't think it will ever end!! (Not that I want it to...) It will help when we all get over the bird flu that the kids brought home from school, no doubt! In the mean time,, I'm just going to wallow in self pity- and despair... and wish a "fairy-spa-mother" would drop some fairy dust on me- complete with a hot rock massage, mani-pedi, and a facial.. Just an entire weekend of silence and solitude. No yelling about who stole who's Lego or endless questions about why the moon is round like cheese or why birds feathers fall off... Ahhh.. the joys of motherhood. x2!!!

McClain Family Christmas

IMG_5963, originally uploaded by amydell.

Shot 2- with the whole group. (And this isnt even the whole family!)

Christmas with the siblings

IMG_5952, originally uploaded by amydell.

This past weekend, several generations of my family gathered at mine and Bills house in the Heights to enjoy a Christmas brunch. Lots of children, lots of fun and lots of mimosas! ;) Merry Christmas McClains! ;)

Brooke and Bryce Christmas 2008

Brooke and Bryce Christmas 2008, originally uploaded by amydell.

Merry Christmas!

Brooke and Bryce Christmas 2008

Brooke and Bryce Christmas 2008, originally uploaded by amydell.

Merry Christmas to All! ;)

Thanksgiving Ying & Yang

Before my parents divorced when I was 1- they had been married for 12 years. They had lots of stories of how wonderful their lives had been together and how great my older brother was, yada, yada, yada, then.. well the rest is history. I often wonder how my life would have been had my mother and step father not raised me and loved me dearly. To say that nature over nurture is correct or vice-versa- really doesn't make much sense to me. I have two walking, talking, screaming, sassing pitre dishes of individuality marked with likenesses too large to quantify, in my home on a daily basis, for 4 years. They can be as different as night and day- often banding together to wear their father and I out on an almost nightly basis. When it really comes down to it though- they are the wonders of our existence- the center of our "beings", our Ying & Yang... Who we are makes us all different- where we come from makes us alike too. So, on this Thanksgiving week- I have a lot to be "Thankful" for! Most of all- my children and darling husband- and equally so, the experiences that brought me to this place. Bad or good- they got us 4 here, to this place- happiness, thankfulness, fulfilled.

This is my list of 10 quick things I can think of that make you both so different, special and unique:

Brooke:

10.) You fake cry- often, even when you KNOW we KNOW that you are faking

9.) You do the "tee-tee" dance, with wild abandon, lest we experience a "world change" in the 30 seconds that you are gone from the room.

8.) You love to run, jump, play and laugh- like no other I know.

7.) You love life (even at the age of 4!)

6.) You are the "girliest" girl I know!

5.) You smile and every face in the room lights up.

4.) You sass like Paris Hilton, without a credit card!

3.) You hate shoes (which is weird, because I thought that was in every girls D.N.A.?)

2.) You will do ANYTHING to sidetrack your brother. (Even if it entails fake crying)

1.) You hung the moon for your daddy and I.

Brycie:

10.) You are the most sensitive, of sensitive boys on earth

9.) You would rather be close to a train than any other toy you posses

8.) You still like for your sister to be close to you when you go up a dark flight of stairs or go to your room, she is your stability.

7.) You are a passionate forehead kisser- (for fear of "germs!")

6.) You love to be tickled & proclaim- "I'm Done!" when you want us to stop :)

5.) You are a fantastic "helper"- and often set the table, remove your dishes from the table and love to vacuum. (thank you God, for at least one family member who loves to clean as much as I do!)

4.) You're beyond unhappy when you get sick, and usually no one can make you feel better than your sister

3.) You compliment like no other... In fact- you often tell me "You look gorgeous mommy"- even when I'm in a robe and house slippers.

2.) You love mac n' cheese- more than anything and would eat it for every meal if you could

1.) You are the stars and the moon for us- you shine like no other boy ever has. You have just the right amount of "puppy dog tails & snails"- and we adore you!

I love you!

Mom

Loved this!

Great post by http://chizumatic.mee.nu/

Not the end of the world It's easy to let yourself go in despair and start thinking things like "We are well-and-truly fucked" or "This is the worst of all possible outcomes". But it isn't true. I think this election is going to be a "coming of age" moment for a lot of people. They say, "Be careful what you wish for" and a lot of people got their wish yesterday. And now they're bound to be disappointed. Not even Jesus could satisfy all the expectations of Obama's most vocal supporters, or fulfill all the promises Obama has made. I think Obama is going to turn out to be the worst president since Carter, and for the same reason: good intentions do not guarantee good results. Idealists often stub their toes on the wayward rocks of reality, and fall on their faces. And the world doesn't respond to benign behavior benignly. But there's another reason why: Obama has been hiding his light under a basket. A lot of people bought a pig in a poke today, and now they're going to find out what they bought. Obama isn't what most of them think he is. The intoxication of the cult will wear off, leaving a monumental hangover. And four years from now they'll be older and much wiser. A lot of bad things are going to happen during this term. But I don't think that this is an irreversible catastrophe for the union. I've lived long enough to absorb this basic truth: the US is too large and too strong to destroy in just 4 years. Or even in 8. We survived 6 years of Nixon. We survived 4 years of Carter. We even survived 8 years of Clinton, God alone knows how. The President of the United States is the most powerful political figure in the world, but as national executives go his powers are actually quite restricted. Obama will become President, but he won't be dictator or king, let alone deity. He still has to work with the House and the Senate, and he still has to live within Constitutional restrictions, and with a judiciary that he mostly didn't appoint. The main reason this will be a "coming of age" moment is that now Obama and the Democrats have to put up or shut up. Obama got elected by making himself a blank slate, with vapid promises about "hope" and "change" -- but now he actually has to do something. Now he has to reveal his true agenda. And with the Democrats also having a majority in both chambers of Congress, now the Democrats really have to lead. And they're not going to do a very good job of it. It's going to be amusing to watch. And the people who fell for the demagoguery will learn an invaluable lesson. Oh, the Democrats try to blame failure on Republican filibusters, of which there will be many. But that's always been a factor in our system, and many people believe it's an important check on government excess. The tradition in the Senate is that it is supposed to be a buffer against transient political fads, and the filibuster is a major part of that. If the Democrats go all in, and change the filibuster rule, then they'll have truly seized the nettle with both hands and won't have any excuses any longer. That's why they won't do it. It's their last fig-leaf. But even with the filibuster rule in place, they'll be stuck trying to deliver now on all the promises implied, or inferred, during this election. The Republicans can only filibuster on bills the Democrats have already proposed. And it ain't possible for the Democrats to deliver what's been promised. Gonna be a hell of a lot of disillusioned lefties out there. A lot of people who felt they were deceived. A lot of people who will eventually realize that the Obama campaign was something of a cult. Disillusionment will turn to a feeling of betrayal. And that will, in turn, convert to anger. In the mean time, Obama and Congressional Democrats will do things that cause harm, but very little of it will be irreversible. I would have enjoyed watching lefty heads explode if McCain had won. But we're going to see lefty heads exploding anyway; it's just going to take longer. In the mean time, those of us who didn't want Obama to be president have to accept that he is. And let's not give in to the kind of paranoid fever dreams that have consumed the left for the last 8 years. Let us collectively take a vow tonight: no "Obama derangement syndrome". Obama is a politician. He isn't the devil incarnate. So what are the good sides of what just happened? 1. It is no longer possible for anyone to deny that the MSM is heavily biased. The MSM have been biased for decades but managed an illusion of fairness. That is no longer possible; the MSM have squandered their credibility during this campaign. They'll never get that credibility back again. 2. Since the Democrats got nearly everything they hoped for in this campaign, they'll have no excuses and will have to produce. They'll have to reveal their true agenda -- or else make clear that they don't really have any beyond gaining power. 3. Every few decades the American people have to be reminded that peace only comes with strength. The next four years will be this generation's lesson. Now, a few predictions for the next four years: 1. Obama's "hold out your hand to everyone" foreign policy is going to be a catastrophe. They'll love it in Europe. They're probably laughing their heads off about it in the middle east already. 2. The US hasn't suffered a terrorist attack by al Qaeda since 9/11, but we'll get at least one during Obama's term. 3. We're going to lose in Afghanistan. 4. Iran will get nuclear weapons. There will be nuclear war between Iran and Israel. (This is the only irreversibly terrible thing I see upcoming, and it's very bad indeed.) 5. There will eventually be a press backlash against Obama which will make their treatment of Bush look mild. Partly that's going to be because Obama is going to disappoint them just as much as all his other supporters. Partly it will be the MSM desperately trying to regain its own credibility, by trying to show that they're not in his tank any longer. And because of that they are eventually going to do the reporting they should have done during this campaign, about Obama's less-than-savory friends, and about voter fraud, and about illegal fund-raising, and about a lot of other things. and 6. Obama will not be re-elected in 2012. He may even end up doing an LBJ and not even running again. One last thing: I'm not saying I'm happy with this outcome. I would much rather have had McCain win. But this is not the end of the world, or the end of this nation. We've survived much worse. And now we need to show the lefties how to lose. Our mission for the next four years is to be in opposition without becoming deranged. UPDATE: One other good thing: no one will be spinning grand conspiracy theories about this administration's Vice President being an evil, conniving genius who is the true power behind the throne.