Get to know me!

Good morning friends! It's been  a while (I start way too many posts like that...). After the brain tumor walk, things were busy and I felt a little spent, so I took a little time "off;" but with summer coming, the proverbial wind is back in my writing sails; so you can expect a summer of posts-a-palooza! (you're ecstatic, I KNOW!).  I'll start with the fact that Kenny is doing great- his last two scans were fantastic. As per how we live, we take our victories where we get them (and in 3 month increments).

That said, I realized recently that it's been 5 years since I started blogging.  FIVE YEARS.  I started this particular blog location a year ago (you can read my old blog life Here), when I didn't want to risk losing my work because I was using a free site. I actually started when I was 29; I was just learning to navigate the world of being a mom (and stay at home mom), I was closing in on 30 and challenging myself to try new things.  Honestly, I feel like I barely know that girl anymore; and that got me thinking- I kind of feel like most of you don't know me so well either.  Lots of you started reading to keep tabs on my husband's (and our family's) journey through his brain tumor diagnosis and treatment, which is what I've mostly written about (and we SO appreciate that you have!).  But now that he's  doing well, and we have a little break, I thought maybe I'd do a little blurb about myself (aside from Kenny's noggin' problem).  So, without further ado...

Stuff I love

FOOD (usually the super fattening kind). Fatty cuts of meat on the bones. Cheese Fries. My Dad used to make this unreal homemade baked mac and cheese that was covered in bacon. I rarely eat any of these things, but oh man, I love them! Kenny and I consider ourselves "foodies" who love random "hole in the wall" type places that serve weird food.

Coffee. I mean, duh. But especially hot coffee at the beach first thing in the morning, or by the fire pit on a cold morning.

My kids. Everything that encompasses them. The way they smell, their laughs, their quirks. I don't love everything they do, but lord baby jesus, I love those little hellions.

John Oliver. Game of Thrones. The Americans. Silicon Valley.

Stuff I don't love

Politics on social media. Nothing can start a shitstorm faster.

Ramsay Bolton. I have to fast forward through any/all scenes with him in it.

Those "Share if you hate cancer, abused kids/animals, the designated hitter," etc.  Does ANYONE ever say, "hmm, you know what? I think cancer is awesome..."

Incessant articles on why being a parent is hard. I know this might not be the most popular thought- but honestly, did anyone ever say to you "parenting is a breeze, and cheap, too!" Nope. Can we all commiserate that being a parent is tough? Sure. But the seemingly endless articles that pretty much say the same thing over, and over, and over again are starting to sound like whining to me.

Cancer. Share this if you agree...(HA!)

Tidbits of shit

I've become a foul mouth the last couple of years. I didn't used to be, but apparently it's good for you, and we all know I'm about doing stuff that's good for you!

I laugh inappropriately when people injure themselves (not seriously, just a trip or something). Only at adults, not kids...well, sometimes the kids...ok, kids too.

I will laugh when I hear the word "balls" in ANY capacity.  Yes, I'm just about 35. Yes I'm a mom of 3.  But it WILL get me. Every time.

My dad was an addict (he died from his addiction).  Even at 35 I worry that people will judge me based on that. I also worry that on the occasions I drink to buzzed or drunk, that people will assume I am, or will become, an addict as well.

I started working out for sanity.  I can't say I'm sane yet, but I now have two tickets to the gun show!! Just kidding...I mean I AM a one woman gun show, but the working out is DEFINITELY helping me find a wee bit of sanity (and a little bit of myself again).

I have struggled with my weight pretty much since puberty. I haven't been super heavy (aside from pregnancy) in a good long while (6 years?), but I still pretty much always "feel"  heavy.

I wanted to be an actress when I was younger.  Yes, I know a lot of kids dream of being "movie stars," but I went as far as to take lessons in high school. My friends made fun of me, so I quit (clearly, I could not have handled Hollywood!).  I had a professor in college tell me (after acting out a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream with some of my classmates) that I was missing my calling, and should be acting.  I'm glad my boyfriend (now husband) was actually there to witness this, otherwise I'm pretty sure no one would believe me.  I was still too chickenshit to try doing it...

Speaking of chickenshit, I've had many a person tell me over the last four years that I should really take a stab at writing (like, for real writing...as in not for free on my couch while my children do crack in the next room...or play with knives...you know I'm not really sure what they're doing in there). Yet, clucker that I am, have yet to give it a real shot.

I don't know about you, but I'm noticing a lot of my tidbits have to do with me being a chicken. Which I totally am, by the way. If being afraid of stuff were an Olympic event, I'd totally medal in that.  Although with the Zika crap going on, I'd probably be afraid to go, and skip it altogether.

My parenting style when I had 1 kid: germaphobe, agoraphobe, she will know algebra before she says Mama, and I would never feed her anything with sugar before she's like, 14.  Parenting style with 3 kids: Keep them all alive until bedtime.  Don't laugh, it's harder than it sounds!!!!

I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for more than 7 years. Now that my last baby is getting old enough to start envisioning being done in the coming months, I feel like I'm on the cusp of an identity crisis.

Last but not least, I miss writing all the time!!! When I started doing it on the regular 5 years ago, I literally wrote about trying new sushi or drinks, or trying new products or recipes; all things I do now, just things I haven't had the chance to talk about the last few years.  I think people (and this goes for us, too!) forget that we are not a walking, talking diagnosis.  Before all this began we were just people with lives, like everyone else. I chose (and still choose) to share to spread awareness and share our story, but right now our story is simple for the next few months.  So with that, I hope you hang out and get to know the "non-brain tumor" side of our lives. XOXO!