This Meme is from Mrs. Schmitty's blog. She had hilarious answers so I'm going to give it a go!

1. MY ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Tildy Plymouth

2. MY GANGSTA NAME: (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Winter White Chocolate chip

3. MY "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) JWag

4. MY DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Pink Rottweiler

5. MY SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Louise Victoria

6. MY STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) WAGJa

7. MY SUPERHERO NAME: (“The” plus 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Purple Martini

8. MY NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Robert Ernest

9. MY STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Accenti JU JU

10.MY WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names ) Louise Stanley

11. MY TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Homberg Houston

12. MY SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Autumn Freesia

13. MY CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) Banana Jammie

14. MY HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Kashi Willow

15. MY ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your favorite hobby/craft, favorite weather element + “Tour") The Stamping Snow Tour

Thanks Mrs. Schmitty!! That was FUN!! lmao!

Change of the Season

Fall has arrived on the West Coast even though it's not official until tomorrow. Today it is overcast, cooler and forecast for rain. For it's arrival I prepared! Last night I went downstairs into the dungeon, I mean garage, and brought up my big buckets labelled "FALL DECORATIONS". I tried to do this quietly as the kids go bananas over decorating, which they should, but I have my own little Type A complex of wanting certain things in a certain place. So out came the foam pumpkins, the beaded pumpkins, the door wreath, Jack O' Lantern place mats, Fall tablecloth, millions of candles, my big ceramic pumpkin for my table, strands of leaves and the like and my Scarecrow Flag for the front of the house. Yes, if you haven't caught on I LOVE to decorate. I love to create a feel for the Season in the house. I have oils for every season that I put in my burners that let off the most delicious smells of Apple pie, Cherry pie, Pumpkin Spice omg it's amazing I haven't dumped them in my coffee! I am going to work on little Fall personalized door signs for the kid's bedrooms with their names and leaves, pumpkins, etc in the hopes that they can be infected by this decorating bug too. Poor kids!

Another collection was changed over last night as well. My Fall coffee mug selection was brought forward. I have a small obsession with coffee mugs. I LOVE COFFEE MUGS. Ok it has been said. Hello, my name is Janis and I am a mugoholic. Hmm sounds like I go around mugging people..haven't slumped that low yet. I have mugs that have Halloween, pumpkins, leaves and ghosts on them. My favorite is this one that looks like a pumpkin with a leaf and twig handle. I feel like I should go and jump out in a pile of leaves after drinking my coffee out of it. Never have, but feel like it. That would be a sight for the neighbours! One that would probably get me committed.

So I am trying to go with the warm fuzzy feel of Fall today despite my kids. I have already had to clean up half a JUG of Fruit and Veggie juice off my kitchen floor, pick up a million Rice Krispies on my carpet and explain to my 4 year old that you don't squeeze your Minigo yogurt out of the container like Popeye does his Spinach.

Maybe I'll go light up my oil burner and stare at my mug collection one more time.

On the Chain Gang

So I have worked full time for the past 2 weeks. Full time in the dental world is 4 days a week so I am finishing up my last day tomorrow (thank the LORD). I seriously do not know how I did this prior to kids! I am DEAD at the end of a day and have no drive to exercise or make dinner or stand upright. Working combined with getting the kids to school, lunches, swimming, skating and playdates and I am tired.

Last night was awful on many levels. First, this month's PMS is like triple packed. Either I had it easy the past few months or I'm going to get off easy the months after this one coming because I was like a ravenous bear going through the kitchen last night. Nothing was off limits. I may confess that I may have exhibited semi-eating disorder characteristics during my raid. There was a chocolate chip bag raid, the chew, the "hmm these taste like wax" and finally the spit out into the garbage. IT can have those waxy calories. Is that normal? So I had the guilt complex following me around the kitchen. I would open the freezer, look at the Ice Cream, take it out of the freezer, look at the fat grams, put in back in the freezer and go onto the fridge again. Then the cupboards...hmm granola bars? nah...too many carbs, mini animal cookies? no the kids need those for school. I did manage to ditch the guilt and eat a Rice Krispie bar, Curves bar and a tonne of almonds. Not great but not totally bad either.

I went this afternoon and signed up at the local gym for a 2 year contract. Hopefully they can help me gain my energy back. I go on Wednesday for my "Real Age" test with "Dan". I am scared...what if it says I am really 50. EEk. This test better not involve a scale or all bets are OFF. Dan will be testing himself cause I do not need THAT much real in my life THAT early in the morning thanks. Plus AF will be around by then and I will be looking like a Blow fish with a peanut allergy after eating a PB &J. Hmm maybe I should go make a call.

A Teenager snuck in my house!

Something is disappearing in my house faster than I can stock it and it is driving me CRAZY! No, it doesn't help that I have raging PMS hormones but my husband is regressing back to a teenager and drinking all my skim milk in buckets! WTF??! Every time I turn around I am having to go buy more milk and I am one glass away from buying my own rigged up taser for my fridge!! (hmm I wonder if that would make nice foam for my lattes? ) HUGE glasses full..like 2-3 a DAY. I would have no problem (or less of one) if he was trying to diet, low on Calcium or hadn't grown pubic hair yet, but he is not and has plenty of the last item *cough cough* I digress..

So he drinks all MY skim milk and then eats bowls of ICE CREAM at night *raises one eyebrow* I have told him that he better show up with the odd gallon here and there because I don't enjoy spending all my time in the grocery store contrary to popular belief. Either that or buy a cow.

Marriage is GRANDE ain't it?

Damn PMS!

So I have tried VERY hard for the past 2 weeks to rein in the calories and exercise daily and for the most part I have done awesome! Until this afternoon. I found myself doing mindless eating...3 Arrowroot cookies (do I have a diaper on?) my body weight in natural almonds (maybe I am part squirrel?) and a cheese stick (the shapes you can make are soo fun!) Not horrible but when I had been SOO good for the past 2 weeks it just BUGS me cause I see myself slipping into old habits..or maybe...JUST maybe..damn AF is sending her message that she's coming to town. DAMN HER!

So I find myself looking at my new bottle of EXTRA strength Midol. Never tried the things in my life but does it cure mindless eating and bitchiness? If so don't let my husband know or I will have my food laden in it! Losing the bloat would be nice too. May have to try it this month.

I did get up and go to the gym at the rec center with a friend and I ran on the treadmill for 30 mins STRAIGHT and then did 20 mins of strength machines. Not bad. Maybe that's why I'm extra hungry. But on the topic of gyms, I am thinking of doing something that I, as early as last NIGHT, said I would never do. I. am. thinking. of. REjoining. the. gym. There I said it and I'm sure the hubby will remind me of how awful I was at going last time. In my defense, just one month after I joined I found out I was pregnant for the first time and you all know you just CAN'T exercise when you're pregnant....right??

So was talking to my girlfriend and I was under the opinion that it was around $100 a month to go but I am VERY wrong. It is like $39 a month! $20 a PAYCHECK..that is PIDDLY and I can SOOOO do that! Plus all the cool Moms at the school are members so we can sweat and act all Wisteria Lane...what FUN! lol.

Been doing the 30 day Shred DVD, Prevention Mag 3-2-1 DVD and my good ole treadmill for exercise. Adding in some gossiping would add to the calorie burn...no?

Long weary days

Well I knew this would happen, or thought, but hoped it wouldn't. Mario has hit the wall. He was going all day to Grade One without any problems and was happy when you picked him up and had lots of stories to tell about teachers and friends. Today was the end of the happiness. Mario is TIRED. His eyes are purple and a general grumpy shell of himself has emerged. Oh no he would NEVER admit it..that would mean admitting that maybe he should go to bed a bit earlier tonight. Heaven FORBID!

He came into our room last night at 3am and when I shot up in bed he said "You said you would read a story for me". Ummmm are you SERIOUS??!! Get BACK in bed mister and I don't want to see you until the sun comes up! We have had issues with Mario staying in bed since about the age of 4 but that's a whole NOTHER post (or novel). So I think the reason he is MORE tired today stems mainly from our late night visit. Poor Mario, he just looks a mess.

So he is in bed now as well as Ariel who went to her first Kindy class with all the kids present. She just LOVES school and has made a tonne of friends already (according to her). The other day on her first day of school, they were showing the kids where the bathrooms were and I guess Ariel looked in and saw Mario in the boys bathroom. So she decided to run on in and proceed to pick up Mario in front of all his very manly 6 year old buddies. Ariel is very tall for her age and freakishly strong. So I was listening to the ego crushing story from Mario, waiting for the lifting him up part but that was not the reason he was upset. That didn't even make it in the story. He was more upset that she had the NERVE to come in the BOYS bathroom in front of all his friends and told me I "need to talk to her about that."

Ok Mario, I'll get right on that.

The first glass...

Well hello blogland I've missed you so! You see I had a blog and let it get covered with cobwebs and dust and instead of getting out the Pledge and cleaning it off anew, I thought I would just start another one...fresh.

So introductions. My name is Janis and I am married mom to 2 wonderful, crazy kids. They provide me with my daily theater, opera and comedy shows which helps me save on the entertainment budget. My son, Mario, is a gorgeous 6 year old boy who just started Grade One this September. He is a funny little guy who wants to grow up and be just like his Daddy. My daughter Ariel is 4 going on 24 and pushes my boundaries daily. She was diagnosed with ADHD last March and that keeps our days very "colourful" to say the least. She just started Kindergarten today and her teacher (Mrs. S) got a glimpse of her in action. I may need to add her to my wine list as well now. You never know what you are going to get with Ariel but that's what makes her so unique. She comes out with the best one liners that make you laugh until you cry. Other things she does just make you want to cry period. Hubby is a cop in a town here where the ladies dye their hair blue and call to have kitty's rescues from trees. Pretty unstressful job for him I would say on the whole. Me? I am a gum gardener, tooth picker, plaque crusader or more professionally known as a dental hygienist. I only work 2-3 days a week and really do love my job.

I am currently on a challenge of my own to loose around 30 lbs that have found their way BACK onto my butt. How did that happen??? I'll tell you how...lots of bad foods, no exercise and wine. Oh how I love my wine. Within REASON of course but there is nothing that compares, except maybe that first sip of coffee in the morning, with a glass of wine at night after the kids are tucked away and there is QUIET. Ahhhhh Mommy's happy time. But Mommy has to loose a few so the wine bottle is being put in the cabinet and she is drinking water instead and flopping around to Jillian Michaels DVD's at ungodly hours in the morning. It HAS to work dammit.

So hopefully you will join me in my daily challenges and triumphs and have a glass of wine if you feel like it! Cheers!