Friday Confessions

I'm not Catholic. But when I was about 11, I went with Jenny Sanchez on a Catechism overnighter at St. Josephs in my hometown I was fascinated with the confessional. It was carved wood and it had a bench and a screen. I knew that you didn't have to look at the Priest when you said your confession and that it was this anonymous thing where you had to tell every bad thing you did or worse yet...thought. I thought it was deliciously romantic, intriguing and scary all at the same time. I remember Jenny and her sisters had gone to confession the weekend before. I remember dying with curiosity about what Jenny told the Priest. Did any part of her confession include stuff about me? After all, we got into plenty of trouble, said swear words, lusted after boys named Steve, Scott, Chris and Robby and snooped through her dads "magazines". So was the Priest absolving Jenny and thinking...oh boy...that Amy Oliver is sure in trouble? Was I in trouble? In any case, I have always secretly wanted to go to confession. I think it's a good idea to get stuff off your chest, clear your conscious and be reminded that even though we all sin we are also all forgiven. I believe we can do this ourselves through prayer and receive the comfort of forgiveness through Christ and a peaceful feeling that comes over us when we promise to do better.

BUT...I still secretly long to go to confession. Maybe with a black veil over my face, a pillbox hat, a dress from the 50s and a Patten leather purse with a lace handkerchief peeking out. I would wear pearls and waterproof mascara and most definitely NOT red lipstick. Alas, this will never happen. So...I am going to start something I call Friday confession and get the things that have been bothering off my chest and off my obviously deranged mind.

I feel bad about criticizing passive aggressive people. They can't handle confrontation. So what? I'm not great at it either.

I ate most of the jelly beans I bought the girls. I told them the jelly beans were gone but not why. It's because I had a jelly bean party for one after they went down for a nap.

I drink entirely too much diet coke. I'm not planning on doing better on this one, I just know it's wrong.

I bought Mike a pair of shoes and brought them home like it was a surprise and a present for him given out of the kindness of my heart. I did not tell him there was a buy one get one free sale and my pair of more expensive espadrilles were in a box outside in the car. His new flip flops were free.

Ooooooohhhh that feels so much better. I would say 20 Hail Marys if I knew how. Instead, I will throw 20 Hail Mary passes with my kids nerf football.

peace out

Shout Out To Ron

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to my younger brother in law Ron. Ron is Mike's little brother. Ron was in 10th grade when Mike and I were big bad seniors. He was known as Little Meeker. Because he was younger. Than us. Yep, our younger brother Ron. Young, young and younger.

There ya go Ron. I have publically admitted to all persons in cyber space that happen to visit my blog (me&mike and maybe my mom every once in awhile if I beg her to look at it) that we are older than you. Ron the nimble studmuffin...is in fact YOUNGER than us. That should tide me over for the next few of your birthdays. Hope your birthday was fabulous.

Major Mikey

Mike will promoted to the rank of Major on June 3rd! Go MIKEY! We are all very excited and the girls will get to help me pin on an Oakleaf! It's the first Air Force official thing they'll get to go to. I can just hear it now..

"Mommy, why are we being quiet? Ooo Mommy a flag. A boy is holding the flag. Hey! A song Mom. They are playing a song. There's DADDY up there. HI DADDY. Why isn't Daddy waving? Wave to me Daddy! Daddy not waving Mom. We sit down now? Oooo a man speaking. There's DADDY! HI DADDY!" and continued and continued at the top of their very loud 3 year old voices.

Feeling Oh So Much Better!

After my foray into passive agressive people and my scarry rant that I posted last night, I am happy to report I feel so much better. I bought a pink shirt. And a green one. And a pink and white stripey one and a white one and a pink Lands End bag. Retail therapy is REAL!!! Prozac...it's okay. Xanex...it'll do in a pinch. A mall with plenty of pink, some new make-up and a day of sunshine...it works every time. xoxoxo to all my peeps...even the passive agressives. smooches kittens.

Passive Agressive People Make Me CRAZY

I know that's not a very kind, Christian, sweet thing to say. But it's really true. There are people in my life that say things in a sweet voice that are really horribly mean and critical once you think about them. There was a great movie in the 70's with Jack Nicholson called One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and the villian in this move was Nurse Ratched. (the spelling might be wrong) Anyway, she never spoke above a whisper but was so mean to her patients and said horribly mean things to them but justified it with this sanctimous tone and voice that just made your blood boil. Passive agressives are different than people that are passive. Passive people don't make waves, are the chilled out cool people that we bossy people love to be friends with because they honestly don't care. But the passive agressives are the ones that catch me flat footed with the knock out blow every single dang time because they lure you into thinking they are passive and chilled out but then blam-oh!!! They K.O you with their backhanded compliments and their hateful judgemental remarks delivered at the very moment you think it's safe to trust them again. They are the self righteous who always come through the back door when facing any and every issue. I do not respect passive agressive people. If you think I'm wrong, or bossy, or an idiot either tell me about it or shut up. Don't try to point out that I'm a bad mother with object lessons and don't let me know I don't measure up by saying stuff like "i am so sorry you are having such a hard time with your failures in life. I will keep you in my prayers."

I will probably take this post down in a few days after I calm down. If you are reading this and your face is flushed and red and you are breaking out in a sweat because you KNOW that it's you that I'm talking aobut...guess what? You are right on the money. Just grow a set and try being honest for a change. Or better yet, cut me some freakin slack and realize that everybody including you can not be perfect and that we are all just trying to love the best we can, live the best we can and hold on until tomorrow. Geez la freakin weez!

Are My Kids Freaks? Please comment...

I am a blog stalker. Even if you don't know me and you stalk my blog like I probably stalk yours, just leave a comment. I won't think you are weird and maybe we'll become friends.

This is mostly for my own "journal keeping" sake so I won't forget. My twin girls are 2 years and 10 months old. They eat ANYTHING. Here's what I mean by anything. These are their favorites: broccoli, butter, blueberries, strawberries, soup, corn, ice cream, bread, peanut butter, artichoke hearts, olives (black & green), multi grain bread with crust, shredded wheat, raisin bran, celery (plain), shrimp, fish, crab, lobster, brie cheese, all salad and salad dressing, avocado, onion, rice, bananas, oranges, watermelon, cherries, jello, pineapple, pickles, cake, chocolate, chicken, lasagna, yogurt, cottage cheese, canned fruit of all kinds, french fries, cheese, grapes, carrots, asparagus, sour cream, cream cheese, bacon, pancakes, muffins, granola, dried cranberries, diet coke, any kind of juice, tofu, milk, all Japanese, Chinese, Mexican and Italian cuisine and the list goes on and on.

The stuff they don't like consists of: chicken nuggets, pepperoni pizza, meatloaf and Jessica isn't crazy about spicy stuff like salsa.

Is this weird? I think it's weird they first had brie and shrimp at 15 months but hey that's the house we live in. But we honestly could not come up with anything Katie doesn't like to eat except nuggets. Jessica owns the rest of the don't like list. Sometimes they aren't hungry and don't feel like eating but most of the time they will chow on whatever we put in front of them focusing on the fruit and veggies. Is it weird or am I just brainwashed by the news media saying all kids will eat is hamburgers and soda so I'm surprised that while my kids love "hangaburs" and "fuff pies" they would pick broccoli over these any day.

I swear I'm not being braggie. I fully expect them to revolt at any moment and demand Totinos Pizza Rolls and Captain Crunch but it seems like they are getting LESS picky and not more. Any thoughts?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMBERLY!

Tomorrow is my sister in law Amber's birthday. She is married to Mike's brother Chuck. I am very thankful for Amber in my life and that I get to be her sister. Amber is fun, funny, has great taste and is a great friend. I don't have sisters of my own, but I am very lucky with the sisters in law that I got. Amber and I hit it off from the very beginning and being friends with was easy and fun. Happy birthday Amber! Even though I'm A LOT older than you, I still think you rock.

Love Aim

Forecast Says: Sound Sleeping In The Future!

So the girls come into our bedroom every morning. Normally they come in around 8 o'clock and we lay in bed and watch 2 cartoons then we get up. (i know, i don't have to get out of bed until normally 9am i have a very rough life) Mike is normally gone by 6:00 so there is plenty of snuggle room for the chicks and me. However, they also come in on Saturdays and Sundays. This is one of our favorite things. The 4 of us snuggle up together and watch a couple of cartoons, talk about our day and make plans etc. My parents and I did this for my entire life and once Mike joined the family, he joined us for Saturday morning meetings in my mom and dad's bed. It sounds wierd but I swear it's not. Anyhoo...we love this time with the girls because they are all warm from sleep and cozy and they stay still and we just get to bask in their presence and parenthood. But lately, we have had a problem. The 4 of us don't fit in our college queen sized bed that is broken down and mushed from 7 moves and 13 years of use. So Saturday & Sunday snuggle time has been hosted by one parent while the other catches an extra hour of "z's" in the spare twin bed in the girls' room.

This brings me to fantastic and great news. We just bought a KING sized SELECT COMFORT mattress and foundation. I've been test driving these puppies for years and swore it would be my next bed. Mike likes a firm mattress and I like a softer pillow top feel. We can NEVER agree (big surprise) and because you can adjust the select comfort settings you both can get what you want. We each have our own sleep chamber and we can set it to anything we feel like. It will be here in 2 weeks. I have included photos of my new lover...I mean - bed as well as our new comforter that we BOTH selected. I would have chosen something more trendy and cool but Mr. Dull is more of a muted, peaceful sort of ensemble person. I'm happy with the overall outcome though! Happy slumber people...I'm so excited!

Vanilla Black Currant

Mike got me some bubblebath and lotion for Valentines Day from Bath & Body Works. The scent is vanilla black currant and it is one of the best smells ever. Check it out!

Tagged - I got tagged

5 things you DON'T know about me.

1. I have known my husband since we were 12. In our state you had to take Life Science in the 7th grade. Part of Life Science was a SexEd course. 7th graders are REAL mature when it comes to this topic. My first memory of Mike Meeker is when a boy shot a condom like a rubberband across the room and it hit me in the head and landed in my book; I remember Mike Meeker falling off his chair laughing hysterically and loudly while I sat there mortified and didn't know what to do with the "thingy" sitting in my open book in front of me.

2. I secretly dream of starring in a Broadway Musical. I cannot carry a tune in a bucket, however, I have always wanted to star in a Broadway musical and belt out a fantastic song and have people applaud.

3. I was student body president in high school. I went to a high school with over 2,000 kids and somehow managed to get elected Student Body President my senior year. It was so much fun and lead to lots of other fun stuff my senior year.

4. I worked on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. One of my greatest thrills was being able to work 6 blocks from the Capitol and 10 blocks from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue. I worked for the Healthcare Lobby and never got tired of working in the greatest city in the world. Across the street from my office was The National Archives where the Constitution and Declaration of Independece are kept and across the street in the other direction was the National Gallery of Art that houses Monets, Renoirs, Picassos and the other greats. Talk about a fun way to spend a lunch hour!

5. When I was a kid I got into 4 "official" fist fights. To make an official fist fight, someone had to "call you out", there had to be a specified meeting time a.k.a "meet me behind Taco Bell at 3:00 or ELSE" and there had to be a crowd. I personally feel my fighting record was 3-1 but Jenny Sanchez might think she won the fight even though her sister Jill had to step in and kick my butt.

WE WERE ROBBED!

So my dad was coming over to my house to watch the girls on Friday while I had a doctors appointment. I of course, picked up the living room, vaccumed, cleaned the kitchen and made the girls pick up their toys in their playroom. So we get up in the morning and Katie comes running into the bathroom saying "mom, we have a very big problem. follow me mama hurry!" So I follow her out to the living room and she says "look mama! All of our stuff is MISSING!" And I say "what stuff honey?" And she dramatically points to the floor and says "all the stuff from the FLOOR! Somebody took it!" I totally cracked up until I realized how sad it was that when our house is clean she thinks we have been robbed. For those of you with constantly clean houses (Amber) you are free to say as my mom did "that's pathetic". For those of you who step regularly on toys, shoes, throw pillows and blankets, you'll totally get it.

Twin - isms

A peek into my days. Here are some recent sayings that I like to call twinisms from Katie and Jessica.

Katie: I have a fever in my mouth. It's tiny and small and I like to lick it.

Jessica: Do not sing the ant song mom. It is Papa's song and you do not have the book.

Katie: I so happy. I so so excited. I like excited, it is my favorite.

Jessica: Katie got hurt on the fly boat Mama, quick she needs you. There is a very big problem.

Jessica & Katie: "Boo!" over and over and over and over again

Katie: I stuck. Help me wonderpets!

Jessica: There is an animal in trouble and I a wonderpet.

Katie: Jessica Rose, follow me and do what I say ....okay? Okay Jessica Rose? Okay?

Jessica: I no love pickles. My sister Katie loves pickles. I no love pickles. They too sour. oooo sour mama, so so sour.

Katie: Don't you pank my Jessica Rose. You a mean mama and Jessica is crwying. (Hits me with a mean right cross with her baby) I no talking to you right now.

Jessica: Katie is sad. Poor little Katie. Let's dance for her mama. Let's make up a dance and dance and dance and dance for my sister Katie.

Katie: (to my mom while frosting cupcakes for Papa's birthday) Grammie, do you know this is a KNIFE?

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad

My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary today. Now having been married 15 years myself I am starting to understand what a huge accomplishment this is. I am very thankful for their example of committment to each other and to our family. They were highschool sweethearts and began dating when my dad was 15. They had me almost 4 years after they were married. I know there must have been times that were not easy but they were committed to each other and to me and they worked to make sure our family would be intact today. It is not only intact, but it is strong. We enjoy spending time together and they are the best grandparents in the world to our girls. Thanks Mom & Dad for setting an example that Mike and I will try and live up to and Happy Anniversary!

My new recipe blog

Several of you have asked me for more recipes so I have started a recipe blog. I won't post recipes on this blog anymore but will post recipes, kitchen tips and cooking techniques on my new recipe blog called Cook With Amy! You can visit me at: http://cookwithamy.blogspot.com/