tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12622529493077311952024-03-13T08:53:33.807-07:00The RudegeairsThe Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-86281758430852583452012-04-19T12:11:00.000-07:002012-04-19T12:11:45.840-07:00AddictionMy name is Dee, and I am an Instagram addict. There, I said it. If you're not familiar with Instagram, it's a photo editing/sharing application that until recently was only available on iPhones. FINALLY, they made an Android app, and while it's still nowhere near what the iPhone has (they promised upcoming upgrades will bring it more up to speed), I am obsessed! Check out these cool photos I've used their tools on: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zHhi6lmSzEw/T5BjJbCqjQI/AAAAAAAAANw/VlniDl23eq4/s1600/Pretty+Paigey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zHhi6lmSzEw/T5BjJbCqjQI/AAAAAAAAANw/VlniDl23eq4/s320/Pretty+Paigey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--WDcLXLyuC4/T5BjLmdaFSI/AAAAAAAAAN4/a5mZ0Ztpmi4/s1600/t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--WDcLXLyuC4/T5BjLmdaFSI/AAAAAAAAAN4/a5mZ0Ztpmi4/s320/t.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lSbuf3nOepw/T5BjSS3-YUI/AAAAAAAAAOA/Vtao-fCGsi0/s1600/freaks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lSbuf3nOepw/T5BjSS3-YUI/AAAAAAAAAOA/Vtao-fCGsi0/s320/freaks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Saljsyrvnak/T5BjSzI7IjI/AAAAAAAAAOI/2KfaBmgHZHM/s1600/home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Saljsyrvnak/T5BjSzI7IjI/AAAAAAAAAOI/2KfaBmgHZHM/s320/home.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So, welcome to my addiction. Have a seat. I'm sure to force more of my pictures upon you soon. :)The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-35718133109442253362012-04-18T06:17:00.002-07:002012-04-18T06:17:46.969-07:00OUTLET SALE!!!As you remember, I am a consultant with the company Thirty-One Gifts. Good news, kiddies! They are having an outlet sale...50-80% while supplies last today through Friday. Here's my link. Happy shopping!!!<br />
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<a href="http://shop.thirtyoneoutlet.com/">http://shop.thirtyoneoutlet.com/</a>The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-54493013241336896972012-04-17T12:24:00.000-07:002012-04-17T12:24:44.226-07:00Wait. I Never Said That, Did I? Aw, Crap.Well, the time has come. T is now sleeping through the night (usually), and I promised myself that once that happened I would start running again. *sigh* So, I have decided that beginning tomorrow morning at 5:00am, I will be hoofing it around my neighborhood to try and get back to having a pretty kick-ass personal image (because right now my personal image is jiggly and gross...doesn't matter if I look that way or not, that's how I feel). <br />
I really want to start signing up for races this year. We're entering the time of year that those bad boys are popping up left and right, and I know myself well enough to know that the only way I will run with any kind of discipline is to register for a race sometime in the near future. I'm way to cheap to pay for something and not get the most out of it. :)<br />
So, while you're all snuggled up in bed or having your coffee tomorrow morning, send me some good vibes, because God knows I'll be cussing up a storm as I huff and puff my way around my neihborhood.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-71413412104021121852012-03-16T12:20:00.000-07:002012-03-16T12:20:43.480-07:00Oops, I Crapped My Pants!Not literally, but pretty darn close. For those of you that don't already know, the kids and I were t-boned on the way to my mother-in-law's house on Wednesday. Someone exiting a parking lot didn't see me coming and slammed into the passenger side of my van...approximately a foot and a half away from where Teaghan was sound asleep in her car seat. Hole. E. Crap. I've been involved in a couple of fender benders before, but nothing like this. Add to that the fact that I had my 3 babies (I don't care how old they are...if my kids are in danger, they're my babies) in the car...terrifying. Fortunately, the guy that hit me <em>was </em>moving as fast as he was, because if I had made it any further along the road before he hit me, I can say with absolute certainty that at least one of my kids would have been hurt. And then I would have gone to jail for beating up and old man.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kV2bSb2kuVg/T2OR7qnyl4I/AAAAAAAAANY/AMeEizoWkc0/s1600/boom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kV2bSb2kuVg/T2OR7qnyl4I/AAAAAAAAANY/AMeEizoWkc0/s320/boom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CM5bqi8oWmU/T2OR80_ln_I/AAAAAAAAANg/ToojM6UR4KE/s1600/boom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CM5bqi8oWmU/T2OR80_ln_I/AAAAAAAAANg/ToojM6UR4KE/s320/boom2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g9nkptV9uRM/T2OR9ydItgI/AAAAAAAAANo/7_5JQIyOAgo/s1600/boom3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g9nkptV9uRM/T2OR9ydItgI/AAAAAAAAANo/7_5JQIyOAgo/s320/boom3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After my rental car was dropped off and I went to clean all of my crap out of the van, I got a good look at how close the point of impact was to T's seat and began thanking my lucky starts that if I had to be in an accident, at least we all walked away...well, except for T, but c'mon...she's only 4 months old. Not a lot of walking going on there. The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-8888912606203995612012-03-08T09:19:00.000-08:002012-03-08T09:19:20.503-08:00Kony 2012I usually try and keep things pretty light and funny because, let's face it, there's enough heavy stuff out there already and who needs any more, am I right? Well, I saw something online today that hit me really hard as a mother, so I'm going to lay a little heavy on you. Brace yourself. <br />
There has been a video plastered all over Facebook the past couple of days, but since it's 30 minutes long and I do most of my internet surfing at work, I hadn't watched it because of it's length...finding 30 uninterrupted minutes at my job is pretty rare. One of my bestest friends posted the video on his Facebook page, so I knew it was worthwhile, and took half an hour of my morning to check it out. Holy life-altering, Batman! Please, find 30 minutes and watch this: <br />
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If you actually took the time to watch that, thank you. As a mother I just cannot imagine a child having to fear being taken from my home on a daily basis. So, I decided to do something. I have sent a handfull of emails to various political figures as well as emailing a few of my fave celebs. I also got my "kit" and am going to encourage EVERYONE that I know to do the same. This is not something that can continue. It has already gone on for too long. <br />
To purchase your kit, read more about the war, or maybe just donate a few bucks simply click <a href="http://www.invisiblechildren.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/">here</a>.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-69202389953817304912012-03-01T08:39:00.001-08:002012-03-01T10:08:50.919-08:00The Times, They Are A-Changin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_m8IWdUftM/T0-mNaKpknI/AAAAAAAAANQ/hEQ_3kyLdQk/s1600/me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_m8IWdUftM/T0-mNaKpknI/AAAAAAAAANQ/hEQ_3kyLdQk/s1600/me.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Everyone knows that once you have kids, you sacrifice some, if not all of your "me" time. Time I would've spent putting on a little makeup before heading to the grocery store is now spent getting the last ounce of formula down T's throat before we have to run out the door. Time I would have spent going for a run is now spent grabbing a quick shower and a cup of coffee before the kids wake up. I realized just how much I have let myself go the other night when I had to run out to the grocery store at 8pm because I had forgotten it was Paige's day as snack sharer for school the next day. While in the juice aisle debating between Hi-C with Dora on the box or Juicy Juice with Lightning McQueen on the box a STUNNING woman around my age comes around the corner. She had perfectly styled hair, her makeup was flawless, her outfit was spit-up free, and her shoes were to die for. Cut to me: Hair in a ponytail, makeup that was done 15 hours ago by that point, a pair of sweats, a long sleeved tee shirt with spit up stains on the shoulder , and old fake Uggs. I had one of those, "What the hell happened to me?" moments. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I need to get all gussied up to go to ACME, but I'm finding myself sacrificing so many of the little things that make me feel good about myself. I'm not even doing it because it's necessary. Carl is perfectly capable and willing to put T to bed if I wanted to zip out for a quick jog after the big kids are in bed. I see a lot of this, not only in myself, but in other moms, too. Why do we insist on making sure that everyone else is so dependant on us for everything? From this point on I am making myself a priority. I suggest you do the same. :)The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-35870702857329686212012-02-29T11:42:00.000-08:002012-02-29T11:42:13.845-08:00I Think It's the ChiliFor months now we have been having dinner issues at our house. If Carl IV likes it, Paige doesn't. If Paige likes it, Carl doesn't. If I like it, nobody likes it. Oy! So we have held pretty firm in our, "We're having what we're having. If you don't like it, you're not eating," stance because I absolutely refuse to be a short-order cook and have kids that only eat chicken nuggets and macaroni. Needless to say there have been MANY nights of "Moooooom, I don't want this. It's grooooooooss!" and "Mommyyyyyyy, it's yuckyyyyyy!" (Allow me to interrupt myself here to state that I am not that bad a cook. I do not make "gross" of "yucky" food. They're just punks. Alright, moving on...) Well, the other night I made chili. Who doesn't like chili?!?! You can put cheese on it. It's awesome on a cold, damp day. I even made it super-wimpy mild so that nobody would complain about it being to spicy. One look at it and both kids were in teeth gnashing mode. "Eeeewwwwww! I don't want thiiiiis!!! Not thiiiiis! I want pizza! Waaaaah!" Rude. So, Carl III and I ignored them, had 2 bowls of my awesome, if wimpy, chili and the kids had no dinner. <br />
This morning Carl IV is eating his breakfast and tells me that his mouth hurts on his gums. I look at it, and it looks like he's just jabbed himself with his toothbrush. It hurts, but he'll live. That's the end of it, right? Well, I thought so, but was sorely mistaken. Apparently when he was at school he was complaining and whining so much about his teeth hurting that his teacher actually called my mother-in-law! She said he's complaining about his mouth and teeth hurting "really bad." I know exactly what it is. The kid is so OCD that he gets completely fixated on something and can't let it go, so he's probably been poking this scrape with his finger and/or tongue all morning so it's irritated. But, no...he'd never admit that. When Mrs. Porter asks him what happened he says, "I don't know, but I think it's the chili my mom made me eat." !!!!!! WHAT?!?!?! Now my chili is not only "gross" and "yucky" but causing physical harm to anyone within 5 feet?! Ugh. This kid...The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-25870387857523221532012-02-27T09:46:00.000-08:002012-02-27T09:46:22.137-08:00Mommy DementiaI remember once when I was about 5 or 6 my mom, sister, and I went somewhere (can't remember where, and it's not very important anyway...). After we'd finished up wherever the heck we were, we headed back to my mom's trusty old Toyota, Violet. This was back in the 80's before power locks, so it was determined by seniority the order of which you got your door unlocked. Mom, obviously, got in first and reached over to unlock the front door for Alie. As Alie's reaching around to unlock my door, mom starts to drive off. I. Am. Devastated. My own mother just drove off and left me! ...okay, okay, so she made it, like, 5 feet before she realized her mistake and I hopped in the car, but still...that was a horrifying 10 seconds for me. I remember thinking to myself, "How could she?! How does a mom not notice that one of her kids is NOT IN THE CAR?!?!" The answer: Mommy Dementia, of which I am now a victim. <br />
I sent out invitations for the boy's birthday party last Friday. I went to the skating rink of Saturday to pay the deposit for the party and the girl can't find our reservation. "I've been emailing Kim for the past 2 weeks about this. Are you sure you don't see Dominique in there? Next Friday, March 2nd?" I'm starting to freak out at this point because I have already sent out the invitations. Aaaak! "No, but I see a Carl Rudegeair for Friday the 9th at 4:30...is that your son?" Me: "WHAT?! No, no, no...I emailed Kim. Look," I whip out my phone and pull up my emails. "Right here. 'Kim, let's go ahead and book the party for 4:30 on the...9th,' Oh, crap." Yep. I put the wrong date on the invitations. Yay, me! Ugh. So I had to write little 'I'm an Idiot' notes to all the parents of the kids in Carl's class to correct my whoopsie. And it doesn't stop there! Just the other day we're all piling in the car to go to a friend's house. I get the big kids in the car and Carl III get T all strapped in. Well, I hop in my seat and crank the engine and everyone's just looking at me as if I've grown a second head. "What?" I ask. "Were you planning on closing the door?" Yeah, I was about to head down the road with Paige's door WIDE open! Honestly, I'm thinking that with every kid you have it just gets progressively worse. Pretty soon you'll find me leaving the house without pants or without a kid...just do me a favor...do a quick head count if you see me out with the kids to make sure all are present and accounted for.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-34131411069918302522012-02-23T09:31:00.000-08:002012-02-23T09:31:48.383-08:00A Two-fer!I'm going to hit you with a twofer post today. The first is going to be me shamelessly plugging myself and my friend so that we can get a little business. The second will be my usual nonsensical ramblings. Alright? Alright. <br />
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I have recently signed on as a Thirty-One consultant. They sell really cute and functional bags, wallets, home storage solutions, etc. Check out my website <a href="http://www.mythirtyone.com/dominiquerudegeair/">www.mythirtyone.com/dominiquerudegeair/</a> and take a gander at the catalog and book a party for exclusive savings and potentially free items available for hosting a party! <br />
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Looking for a massage therapist that works with your schedule rather than having to try to get to a spa when they're open? Look no further! My dear friend, Kim Evans, is a licensed massage therapist and, get this...she will come to you! That's right kiddies, she will give you an amazing massage (I'm speaking from personal experience...the girl's amazing!) in the comfort of your own home! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/KimEvansLMT">Check her out on Facebook</a> and tell her I sent you. <br />
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Alright, on to the norm: <br />
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Carl IV will be 5 in 13 days. For the past 4 days I have been subjected to, "Mom...is it 1 or 2 days until my birthday?" from the boy. Me: *sigh* "Let's go look at the calendar and we'll count. 1, 2, 3, 4, blah, blah, blah, 13. Almost 2 weeks away, buddy." Him: "Aaaaaaaugh! That's soooo loooooooong!!! Why can't it be my birthday today?!" Me: "Because then your birthday would be February 23, not March 7." And away he stomps to lament the fact that he wasn't born early. Trust me, if I'd had my way he would've been born in January! <br />
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T is rolling over now. I almost feel sorry for the poor thing because as a third child, she's going to have to do a lot more than that to impress us now. I remember when Carl IV started rolling over. I think I probably texted everyone I knew like it was some monumental milestone (If you received one of those texts or emails, please accept my humble apology. First time mom...you know how it is.). <br />
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Paige is in all out 3 year old mode. I don't know how I forgot how nasty 3 year olds are sometimes. Carl IV went through the same thing. I must have blocked it out. She is super whiney, bursts into tears about practically everything. If this is her at 3, I'm moving out when she hits her tween years, because I don't know if I'll be able to take it. <br />
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That's all I've got for you now. Remember to check out <a href="http://www.mythirtyone.com/dominiquerudegeair/">my website</a> and pop on over to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/KimEvansLMT">Kim's Facebook page</a> to say hi and set up your massage. Peace!The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-65272835382806776492012-02-06T13:37:00.000-08:002012-02-06T13:37:14.825-08:00New VentureBecause kids are expensive, and I have 3 of 'em, I have started a new business venture. The link to my website for said venture is <a href="http://www.mythirtyone.com/DominiqueRudegeair/">here.</a> Give it a look-see. I'm new and don't know what the heck I'm doing, but I'm super chatty and pretty darn friendly, so I think I can make this work. So, long story short, have a look and schedule a party, okay? *mwah!*The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-24292406009638892382012-02-03T12:41:00.000-08:002012-02-03T12:41:11.823-08:00Friday Randomness- I talked to my best girlfriend, Carla, today. It made my day. I miss her a lot. All the states between Florida and Pennsylvania need to get out of the way so we're closer to each other. My heart hurts going so long without seeing her. Dang it, now I'm sad. Back to happy! I had a really nice talk with her today, and she's still my bestest. <br />
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- Carl IV has a birthday coming up. He'll be 5. I'm having trouble coming to terms with this. I just don't feel old enough to have a 5 year old. I must've counted wrong...1,2,3,4...crap. Nope, he's 5. And I'm getting old.<br />
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- I've decided it's time for me to start running again because, as much as I hate to admit it, I actually <em>do </em>feel better when I exercise. Dang it.<br />
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- 3 kids = a lot of kids. Really. They've figured out that they outnumber us and are using it to their advantage. I am a little worried. <br />
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- Teaghan is thisclose to sleeping through the night. I am soooo ready for uninterrupted sleep again. I miss it. <br />
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- I'm going to a purse party tonight (sort of like a Tupperware party, but with purses). I'm going to try my hardest not to spend bajillions of dollars. I love purses. Like, a lot.<br />
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- I am so tired that I can't come up with much more to say. The end.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-21312406279048182332012-01-30T09:09:00.000-08:002012-01-30T09:09:53.388-08:00My Morning PlaylistEvery weekday morning the kids and I pile into the car and head to my mother-in-law's house around 8:00 am. Every morning, without fail, once we're in the car the first words out of the boy's mouth are: "Mom, can we listen to the robot song?" He has renamed Daft Punk's song <a href="http://youtu.be/iPVczV7JefQ">'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger'</a> "The Robot Song." So, we listen to the robot song, after which I hear from Prissy Pants, "MOMMY!! I want MY song, too!" So, next on our playlist is Toni Basil's classic <a href="http://youtu.be/y4CyNvEfWoE">'Mickey'</a> which causes Paige to dissolve into fits of giggles and what I refer to as "car dancing." She kicks her legs around like a crazed horse and shouts, "Look at my legs, Mommy! They dancing!" After those two songs have concluded we move onto, "Let's play Daddy's song! The Potty song! Pwease?!" Okay, let me clarify... it's not a song about a potty. It's actually LMFAO's <a href="http://youtu.be/KQ6zr6kCPj8">'Party Rock Anthem',</a> but it was relatively new when we started potty training Paige, and she LOVED it, so I changed the words to 'Potty Rock' because, well, you do what you have to do when potty training a stubborn little girl. All of this, and we're almost to Debbie's. Time for one more song. Carl IV chimes in from the back seat: "MOM! Can we listen to the song that goes "UNGH!" in that part? You know...the UNGH part?" After I make him say "UNGH" about 12 more times I play <a href="http://youtu.be/_-3JYuv9w4U">Michael Jackson's 'P.Y.T.'</a> which has a grunt a few times about halfway through the song that Carl IV find heee-larious! By that time we're pulling into the driveway, I boot the kids out of the car and rock out to whatever songs suit my mood that day. This morning I was in a Metric kind of mood, and having just watched Scott Pilgram vs. The World (good movie!), I chose <a href="http://youtu.be/-jMruFHTwrY">'Black Sheep.'</a> And, well, that's my morning. Now you know. Aren't you glad I shared? :o)The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-80793674869789640052012-01-25T10:17:00.000-08:002012-01-25T10:17:05.012-08:00How Does She Know?!Since coming back to work, the #1 thing that people ask me about Teaghan is, "How is she sleeping?" It never fails...every time I answer with a, "Great! She's usually down by 8:30 and sleeps until around 4 or 5:00," the following night is a complete disaster! It's like she hears me and thinks, "Wait! She's sleeping, too?! Hmm. Can't have that!" Just yesterday I was telling a customer that she's doing better than my other 2 were at this age and BAM! Last night was uuuuuuuuuugly. So, God forgive me, but in the name of self preservation I am going to start lying when people ask about her sleep habits. "Awful. Up every 10 minutes." Hell, maybe she'll sleep 12 hours solid then.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-65753485114929168672012-01-10T10:14:00.000-08:002012-01-10T10:14:19.197-08:00Catching UpWow. To say a lot has happened since I last updated this is the understatement of the year! In case you don't already know, I had the baby! Hooray! <br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150480914531349.428298.550041348&type=1&l=cf00dfd004">Click here to see pics of when T was brand new.</a><br />
Teaghan Renee was born 11/7/2011 weighing in at 9lb 4oz and measuring 21 1/4" in length. And, hey. Wanna know something cool? My sister had her kid the same day! Daniel I'materribleauntbecauseIdon'tknowhismiddlename Collins was born across the pond in London on 11/7/2011! How cool is that?! <br />
While I was home with all 3 kids (allow me to interrupt myself here by saying GOD BLESS STAY AT HOME MOMS! I only did it for 2 months and I was ready to go insane!) I decided that it was time to crack down and potty train Paige. Well, to say she was tough is the understatement of the year. Wait...what? I already have one of those? Hmph. Alright, fine. It's the runner up understatement of the year. There. Back to Paige's potty training. I'll spare you the gruesome details, but one particularly poopy day for both Paige & Teaghan I had had it up to <em>here </em>*picture me holding my hand about neck level* with wiping butts. Going from changing a newborn to changing an almost three year old...it just felt like wiping a 35 year old's behind! Wrong in so many ways. So, that was my breaking point, and I'm proud to say that within 2 weeks she was accident free (aside from the sporadic 2am "MOMMY, I peed my pants! Waaaaah!"). <br />
On Dec. 21st we piled into the van and headed to Pensacola for Christmas with the family. The whole family. My parents rented a SWEET house on Pensacola Beach that was right on the Gulf. So we drove down, my sister and her crew flew over from London, my grandparents drove down from Tennessee, and of course my parents were there. That's 9 adults and 5 kids (including 2 newborns) in one house for almost a week. It was quite an adventure! I know my kids had an absolute blast taking 547 walks on the beach per day, and it was so great to hang out with the family! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9l_HUXy52bo/Twx9w9reONI/AAAAAAAAAL4/S5tis_KMzrE/s1600/c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9l_HUXy52bo/Twx9w9reONI/AAAAAAAAAL4/S5tis_KMzrE/s320/c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsMR13FVpRo/Twx9ySgzdtI/AAAAAAAAAMA/XOrJxg-_23A/s1600/p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsMR13FVpRo/Twx9ySgzdtI/AAAAAAAAAMA/XOrJxg-_23A/s320/p.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJDHxHLqY3g/Twx93u3kVCI/AAAAAAAAAMI/IAh9F5aWLdU/s1600/fam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJDHxHLqY3g/Twx93u3kVCI/AAAAAAAAAMI/IAh9F5aWLdU/s320/fam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My Christmas gift to the fam was to have the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150480914531349.428298.550041348&type=3#!/jessifieldphoto">amazing Jessi Field</a> (a friend from high school who is now the most amazing photographer) take some great shots on the beach, so I'll be sure to share those once she edits them to make me ... errr...I mean <em>us </em>look incredible. Heeheehee. <br />
Once we said farewell to the beach and returned home I started work the following Monday. I had been at my desk less than 30 minutes when my boss walked over to me and said he had absolutely no idea how much I did on a daily basis and that I would definitely be getting a nice raise this year! BOO-YAAAAH! It's a shame that it took me not being here for 2 months to get recognition, but it's nice to be appreciated all the same! :)<br />
So...I think that about wraps it up. I'm sure I left out some stuff here and there, but I'll make sure to post them as things pop into my head. Glad to be back! Happy New Year!! <br />
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P.S. - Just to show how shockingly similar Teaghan and Carl IV look, check this out: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r-fBys8kRB8/Twx_pjNDOCI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/ioCNJ82nDsk/s1600/cIV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r-fBys8kRB8/Twx_pjNDOCI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/ioCNJ82nDsk/s320/cIV.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-urZqq6MFeUA/Twx_sHcnyAI/AAAAAAAAAMY/npY2XOCcEqI/s1600/t2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-urZqq6MFeUA/Twx_sHcnyAI/AAAAAAAAAMY/npY2XOCcEqI/s320/t2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-37043318288931539262011-10-28T06:42:00.000-07:002011-10-28T06:42:36.010-07:00Top 10 Things I Never Thought I Would Have to Say...I knew becoming a mother would change my life. I'm not stupid. But, really...the things that I find myself having to say to my children...it's really just frightening. Here's my top 10 (in no particular order):<br />
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1) "Do I look like a tissue? Please don't wipe your nose on me!"<br />
2) "Do you have underpants on? Don't lie to me." <-- said with surprising regularity to the boy.<br />
3) "Get that out of your mouth! Gross!"<br />
4) "No, actually, I don't think the worm is cute."<br />
5) "Yeah, well I want a LOT of things." <--- Said in reply to the inevitable "Mom, I want...."<br />
6) "Quit chewing on your sleeves!" <--- I'm convinced the boy has an oral fixation. Half the time I feel like I'm talking to a puppy instead of a kid.<br />
7) "No, you cannot ride the dog."<br />
8) "Because Popsicles are not something you eat for breakfast!"<br />
9) "Ew! Please don't lick me!"<br />
...and now for my all time favorite:<br />
10) "Dude, if you don't get your hand out of your pants, I'm going to take your penis away." <--- Oh, yeah. I've said that.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-74873523121188033192011-10-21T11:21:00.000-07:002011-10-21T11:21:44.670-07:00Kids Say (and Do) the Darndest ThingsRemember when Bill Cosby did those prime time specials with all the funny things kids say? I live that. Every day. It's probably the only thing that keeps me sane some days. Last night Carl III told me a story about Paige and I thought to myself, "I should really type this stuff out, because these are the things that I need to remember when I'm ready to flick my kids in the eye."<br />
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- When Carl III arrived at his mom's house to pick the kids up yesterday afternoon, Paige was sitting in the room that she and Carl IV share and was reading a book. Carl III poked his head in and said, "Alright, Paige. It's time to go." She looks up from her book and says, "Get outta my woom." Carl III patiently says again, "Paige. It's time to leave. Let's go." But, alas, "Weave me awone!" is her snotty response. He walks in the room to get her, and she looks at him and says, very matter of fact, "Nobody wuves (loves) me." WHAT?! He looked down at her and said, "Now, that's just not true. You know a lot of people that love you very much. Me, mommy, grandmom, Carl, Aunt Leah, and a bunch of other people." After considering this for a moment she says, "Oh, okay," gets up, and walks to the door. What a weirdo.<br />
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- In our area, the students of Penn State have a few weekends a year that they collect money for childhood cancer research/treatment. One of these weekends was about 3 weeks ago, and while driving around I gave a few bucks to one of the kids while I was stopped at a light. Carl IV was immediately all over me with questions. "Mom, why'd you give that guy dollars?" So, I explained that they were collecting money to help sick kids and their families. "Sick kids?" he asks. I go on to explain that sometimes little boys and girls get so sick that they can't leave the hospital and all their medicine can get really expensive, so these students were out raising money to help their families pay for that stuff. He chewed this over and I thought that was the end of it. The following week my mother in law tells me a story that while in Wal Mart, Carl and Paige had their money (a hand full of change) that they wanted to use to buy a prize. Paige got some candy or something, but Carl couldn't decide on anything. While walking around, he noticed one of those big donation stands that have the slot for you to put your change in and it twirls down these slopes and stuff. Carl asked what it was, Debbie told him it was for sick kids. Carl looks up at her and asks, "Can I put my money in there? I want them to get better." *sniff* Are you kidding me?! Little things like that are so great to hear. It's reassuring to know that I'm doing something right, you know? <br />
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- Carl IV is working on writing the letters of the alphabet and corresponding letters with words that start with that letter, etc. Well, this weeks letter is 'E.' So, we're talking the other night about words that start with 'E.' So I say, "Elephant starts with E...egg, excellent, enormous..." At this point he starts cracking up, looks at me and says, "Hahaha! <em>YOU'RE </em>enormous, mom!" .... Yeah. Thanks, punk.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-65724886834010388002011-10-20T09:11:00.000-07:002011-10-20T09:11:34.035-07:00It's a Mess in Here!The title of this post refers to my mind. I've got so much going on right now that I am completely incapable of forming a coherent post, so I'm just going to type some random thoughs flying around in there and hope that it provides you with some entertainment.<br />
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- We moved into a house in King of Prussia last weekend. Actually, Carl III moved us into a house in King of Prussia. I basically sat on the couch (until he took that to the new house) and watched him move. The house is smaller, but absolutely fantastic! <br />
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- I've been trying to organize all the baby stuff for Teaghan's pending arrival (only 2 1/2 more weeks!!!) and am just in absolute awe at the amount of crap that Paige accumulated during her infant-stage. <br />
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- Baby clothes (especially girls') can make anyone mooshy. Example: I'm digging through bins of Paige's old clothes to wash and organize by size. Carl III comes walking through the living room, pauses for a second in the doorway, turns around and says, "I don't care how lame it sounds...baby clothes are just so freakin' adorable." <br />
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- Next Friday is my last day of work before maternity leave. I absolutely cannot <em>wait </em>for my boss to get a feel for all of the things that I do every day around here. Knowing in the back of my mind that he will have a new appreciation for me when I come back is making the last 2 weeks here much more bearable. <br />
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- I still haven't packed my bag for the hospital. For my first pregnancy I shaved my legs every day for the last month of pregnancy, had my bag packed the second I entered my third trimester, had my doctor's number on speed dial, etc. This time around I have to be honest...I'm not even sure who I should call if/when I go into labor. <br />
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- I have woken up before 3am the past 3 nights. *yawn*<br />
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- I want a big slice of pecan pie right now. Mmmmm...<br />
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- We're going <a href="http://www.linvilla.com/events/pumpkinland.php">here</a> on Sunday to pick apples and pumpkins. I think I might be more excited than the kids. Fresh apples?! Yes, please!!!<br />
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- I got a pedicure on Tuesday. My toes are hot pink. The girl working there looked at me like I was nuts when I picked my color. Why do people feel that loud colors are only for the summer time? If anything, I need that splash of fun more now than I did in July. Dur!<br />
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- My ankles have reached 'cankle' status. What are cankles, you ask? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zm7YZ6fIvc0/TqBID3-FaWI/AAAAAAAAALs/nMyG53OhvoQ/s1600/cankle-illustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zm7YZ6fIvc0/TqBID3-FaWI/AAAAAAAAALs/nMyG53OhvoQ/s200/cankle-illustration.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-66644809366425823042011-10-19T12:59:00.000-07:002011-10-19T12:59:32.204-07:00Have You Seen This Child?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o1udCY31myQ/Tp8ryrBRdHI/AAAAAAAAALk/cCGwxc3JF8M/s1600/baby+p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o1udCY31myQ/Tp8ryrBRdHI/AAAAAAAAALk/cCGwxc3JF8M/s320/baby+p.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Carl III found this picture on his phone's memory today. This was a little over 2 years ago. Have you seen this baby? Where did she go? Would you look at those cheeks?! </div>The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-41561490138138251082011-10-04T11:22:00.000-07:002011-10-04T11:22:03.884-07:00Trey Love Needs Your PrayersYou may remember my post on a local boy from earlier this year <a href="http://rudegeairs.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-serious-note.html">http://rudegeairs.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-serious-note.html</a><br />
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I just saw this on his parents' facebook page: <br />
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<span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">From MikeandMissy Love: Trey is at chop. Hes as limp as a dish towel. We are waiting are his blood work to see whats up. His heart rate and blood pressure are both elevated. He lost a lot of weight. His temperature is normal. Please just pray very hard that nothing is seriously wrong. Please pass this on to as many people as possible. We need your prayers badly.</span><br />
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<span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">So please say a quick prayer for Trey and his family. </span>The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-91636997048758169942011-10-03T07:55:00.000-07:002011-10-03T07:55:12.682-07:00OCTOBER?!?!?!Good grief. I have no excuse. I just really stink at updating this little blog o' mine. Okay, so what's been going on in our lives? A lot, actually. Our current landlord...we'll call her Poop-Head...made an agreement with us back in July that she would waive rent for August due to the house needing repairs that she didn't want to spend the money making. Our hopes were to find a new place by September and move on with our lives. Well, having a month to try and find a house that suites our needs and our budget turned out to be quite a bit more complicated than we had thought. So, we returned to our landlord offering to pay 1/2 rent for September in hopes that we could find somewhere by October. Well, Poop-Head makes a little grumbling, but no outright argument. Fast forward 1 week to us finding a letter from her lawyer demanding that we pay full rent for August and September now. Say, what?! Yeah, so we fire back with, "I'm not paying full rent for a house that is in need of repairs that aren't being addressed." Blah, blah, blah...lots of back and forth between us and the lawyer. Carl had the brilliant idea to contact a code enforcement agency to prove that the home was, in fact, in need of certain repairs that were more than just cosmetic or a convenience issue. So, the code guy came out, wrote up his report (which was SOOOOOO very much more than we even realized!) and we forwarded it to our landlord. Long story short: Poop-Head has realized that she doesn't have a proverbial leg to stand on, legally speaking, and she has agreed that we don't owe her any rents beyond what we have paid her. Whoo-hoo! <br />
We found a new house, in great condition, cool owners/landlords, and a fabulous neighborhood! Our official move-in is 10/15/2011, so we've got a really busy 2 weeks ahead of us! <br />
On the new baby front, we have decided on a name: Teaghan Renee Rudegeair. Also, I have officially reached the stage of pregnancy that picking up my other children results in my lying on the sofa scolding myself for 2 hours afterward. It also took me 5 minutes to put on my socks and shoes this morning...and the shoes are Uggs, so they just pull on. Maneuvering around this massive belly is posing more and more of a challenge every day. 5 more weeks to go!The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-62272297259110972832011-09-09T12:42:00.000-07:002011-09-09T12:42:04.063-07:00Things NOT to Say to a Pregnant Chick1) "Look how big you're getting!" Yeah, thanks, pal. Because I hadn't noticed that while pulling on my elastic waisted pants over the mound of flesh that used to be my abdomen this morning. Ugh.<br />
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2) "You're going to breastfeed, right?" Excuse me, how is this ANYONE's business? Honestly? And the people that ask this can swear up and down that they're asking because they care about your kid's well-being, and how breastfeeding is best...I'm convinced it's just an excuse for nosey biddies to get all judgey on those of us that choose to bottle-feed. Yes, I'm selfish. I've already dedicated my body to this child for almost an entire year. I'm ready to be able to leave the house without worrying about whether I'll have to pump or feed or risk my boobs exploding. That being said, I have the utmost admiration for women that can commit to breastfeeding for any length of time without going bonkers. Hats off to you, ladies.<br />
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3) "Have you decided on a name yet?" This one really bugs me for some reason. I think it's because, when you tell people names that you're considering, they take this as an open invitation to give their opinion on those names. Yeah...I didn't ask if you liked the name, lady. It's not your kid, so I don't care if you knew a girl named _____ in middle school and she was absolutely terrible and you could never stand the name from that point on. That's nice. Make sure to scratch that name off of your list of potential baby names, then. I can't tell you how many people gave me negative opinions about the name Paige. Now that it's her name, all we get are compliments (and be honest...if you've met the girl, there isn't another name out there that suits her, right?!). <br />
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4) "How much weight have you gained?" This one really requires no explanation...and, yes, someone asked me this last week. My reply? A VERY arched raised eyebrow and a closed mouth. <br />
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5) "How are you feeling?" Ugh! This is the first thing everyone says to a pregnant woman. Do you really want to hear all of the things ailing me at the moment?! Do you?! My ankles swell up to the size of my calf almost daily resulting in my having cankles for the first time in my life. My child's foot/knee/elbow has taken up residence between 2 of my floating ribs on the left side resulting in pain while sitting, sleeping, standing, etc. Shall I continue?<br />
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6) "Oh, you're coming back to work?" Again with the judgey. Yes, I am coming back to work. As much as I would love to be the stay-at-home mom type, I just don't have that in me (even if it was financially realistic...which it just isn't right now). I tried it, and I was borderline depressed. There were days that the boy and I never got out of pajamas (and I'm not talking 1 or 2 days here and there...multiple days per week). It's just not my thing. We're all much happier now that we're not in each other's pockets constantly. <em> </em><br />
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7) "Was this a planned pregnancy?" This one usually comes immediately after first announcing that you're pregnant. How is this in any way appropriate, people? If it weren't a planned pregnancy, do you think I would want to discuss that with you?! Honestly...tact, people. Tact. Learn it. Use it. <br />
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8) "Are you going to have any more children?" Again, none of your business. And asking a woman that is 8 months pregnant this question...I can almost guarantee that her answer will be either "I don't know," or "Absolutely not." Also, there seems to be no answer to this question that satisfies the person asking. If you say yes, then they look at you like you're one of those families in Arkansas with 97 kids. One of my friends just had her first, and she and her husband are perfectly content with that. She actually got negative remarks from people when she said they probably weren't going to have any more. Ugh! BUTT OUT! <br />
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Sorry for the rant, but apparently these things needed to be pointed out because people can be a little stupid. The end.The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-13133621696569848022011-09-02T09:55:00.000-07:002011-09-02T09:55:56.357-07:00Extreme Coup -- Oooh, look! A butterfly.After living without power for 4 days, obviously I had to throw away a <strong><em>lot </em></strong>of food this week. I mean, really...A LOT! I am disgusted with how much frozen meat just got tossed into the trash can. Ugh. Such a waste of money. So, I decided I was going to buckle down with my coupons and the internet, find the best deals on as much as I could so that I can restock our food supply without draining our bank account. Yeeeeeaaaaahh...I'm having flashbacks to high school. I don't know if I have ADD or if I just get bored really fast. I'm digging through the sales ads, pulling up websites, all gung-ho about how much money I'm going to save and "Oooh! I can get free toothpaste!" then suddenly, *POOF* I'm bored and watching 'How I Met Your Mother' and eating 1/2 a bag of BBQ potato chips (<--- don't judge me). I'm trying. I really am. But it's just so hard for me to organize my own thoughts, much less 30 pages of coupons and remembering what store's ads are good from Thursday thru Wednesday and which ones run from Sunday to Saturday. My mind is boggled. Not to mention that looking at all these stupid ads is making me hungry. The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-49613277794024709272011-08-31T18:18:00.000-07:002011-08-31T18:18:42.644-07:00LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!!WE HAVE POWER!!!! Whoo-hooo!!!! I was cleaning all the food out of the fridge/freezer (and am ill at the amount of meat I had to throw away...what a waste) when I suddenly heard this humming. It took me a minute to realize it was the fridge kicking on! Hallelujah! That was one of those moments that I wish life was like a musical. I can think of no more appropriate time to spontaneously burst into song and dance! The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-73713994188966757472011-08-31T06:54:00.000-07:002011-08-31T06:54:02.625-07:00Wednesday, August 31, 2011Still no power. On the verge of a HUGE meltdown. The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262252949307731195.post-5629563691947816402011-08-30T13:52:00.000-07:002011-08-30T13:52:53.445-07:00Yes, I'm From Florida, but...Hurricane Irene hit our area Saturday night. My power went out at approximately 10:00pm. It is 4:36pm on Tuesday. I am still without power. Not cool. <dee head="" shakes=""> Not cool at all. "But aren't you from Florida?" people keep asking me. "You should be used to this." Grrrr. Yes, people of Pennsylvania. I am from Florida. And yes, I have done this whole 'no power' thing before many times. But that's the point. I've done this. I've done this for weeks on end before. Now I live in Pennsylvania, I shouldn't have to! Not to mention that when I lived in Florida I was doing this without kids. My biggest concern was getting enough ice to keep my beer from skunking. No electricity for 3 days + 2 kids = Unhappy Dee. Add to the mix the fact that we have well water, so no electricity means no running water...forget it. I'm done. I have given up. No point in getting upset over it. That sure hasn't helped thus far. So here are a few things that I have just resigned myself to accepting until I get power back:</dee><br />
- My house smells. It smells like the food that's going icky in my fridge that I'm afraid to clean out until I have enough light to <em>really </em>see what's in there. It smells like the toilets haven't flushed in 3 days. It smells like the husband who has been working 16 hours a day since Sunday and hasn't had a chance to shower (because remember? We don't have water.).<br />
- I will not get a full night's sleep until we get power back. This is due to several factors: 1) It's too damn quiet without the hum of the refrigerator or the fish tank or my fan. 2) The boy has decided that without his nightlight, his room is unfit for nightime habitation...in other words he's terrified of the dark and my mommy powers are the only thing that will keep him safe from the things that go bump in the night. So now I have a very leggy 4 year old taking up 3/4 of my bed and using every exposed body part of mine as a pillow. 3) Carl is working until 11:00pm every night. Our front door is loud. Do the math. <br />
- I am going to end up reading the same 4 Disney books every night. And, really, Disney? MUST you make the books so long? The kids are starting to catch on to my "skip a page" and "paraphrase" tactics. I'm sorry, but I just can't read a 50 page book to a 2 & 4 year old. <br />
Okay, enought whining...I'm heading home. Fingers crossed that by some miracle we have power. Puh-leeeeeeeeease, God! Please!The Rudegeairshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597643625340329748noreply@blogger.com0