Friday, March 6, 2009

I Have Been Telling You For Years, Kid

OMG, my kids are going to read this and say, "WHAT THE?"

I have been telling my kids for 24 and a half years now I hold this title. Now here is the proof. My precious, apparently psycho, friend Em at Life, Liberty and the Pursuit granted me this beautiful award. Thank you, dear Em. (Next time we go out, please order more than crab cakes. You make me feel like a cow.)

Okay, here are the rules (and everyone knows how I LOVE rules):


1. Admit ONE thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are NO LONGER allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a great mom!!

The one thing negative that comes to mind is i feel bad because I refuse to clean up after them and they make me scream because screaming is so much easier than cleaning. I don't feel bad for making them clean. I just feel rotten when I lose it and sling spit when I am having the meltdown. For about 10 seconds. Then I feel bad because I really don't feel all that bad. What was the question?



2. To remind yourself that you ARE a good mom, list SEVEN things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself of EVERY DAY that you rock!

1. I love that my kids are all so funny. They crack me up. Literally. I am cracked.

2. I love that my older boys are proud of the fact they are Momma's boys and brag to their friends about it. (plus it's easier to hand over cash to someone who is bragging, "Yeah, that's right, I'm a Momma's boy!")

3. I love watching my kids interact with one another, telling stories and sharing memories. (NOT the interaction of fighting. They are good at that, as well.)

4. I love that my kids kid me about not being able to cook. No culinary expectations are really a good thing. I really love it when my youngest says to me, "This meatloaf is better than dad's." I know he's a smoozer, but I still love the compliment.

5. I love to travel with my kids. They are so appreciative and seriously do not ask for much. It is a true joy to give them opportunities they have never experienced. They take nothing for granted and I love that about them.

6. I love that my kids all kiss me hello and goodbye. Even my too-cool almost-14 year old daughter. She is even known to tell me I am beautiful without expecting a handout.

7. I love that my kids can all take a joke. None of them have thin skin, and I find no greater joy than laughing with them. They can all laugh at themselves and making fun of one another is seldom an issue since we all make fun of ourselves. It works for us. Their friends have often said there is never any drama or fighting at our house because no one can stay mad at one another because someone always makes them laugh. I tell them individually that they are my favorite and not to tell their siblings. They all know I do it to each kid, because no one can keep a secret.




3. Hand out this beauty to deserving Moms and Dads (who don't mind being called "MOM" at times).

Again, you know I am lazy and I am just assigning it to everyone, male or female, who reads this. It's a GREAT subject to post about and I truly believe some of us are looking for some boosts in post ideas.

Update: My niece is who-knows where. Her mother, whom we have divorced and no longer consider our sister, moved to Washington and left her. Thank you for the thoughts and prayers. I will try to keep you as updated as I can.









25 comments:

Deb said...

oh, my wonderful, beautiful guru... you are so right... screaming IS so much easier than cleaning.

i am missing you somethin' fierce (why do i always start to write with a southern accent whenever i am on your blog??)...

i know your kids must adore you. i do.

hang in there and i am thinking about you.

Ronda's Rants said...

Funny! and then not-so-much...
I am sorry about your neice...please know I am praying that God is with her.
I am sure your children are blessed to have you!

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

I've been telling my kiddos for years as well Jill....
They wouldn't listen then but now that they are grwon they have found out that ole Mom was "occasionally" right (that's all they'll cede to). Thank God they are all grown. With jobs. And outta my house.
I miss them every single day and long for their young sweetness....it's gone before you blink :)

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Debbie said...

Well, you deserved this!
I am happy that my kids have a sense of humor as well. They need one living with me:)

That Janie Girl said...

I need a Jill fix. However, I'm being held hostage in Denver by ThatManILove.

You cracked me up with this list, girl. Tell the C and C I think they're the best thing since sliced bread and we will go shooting when we next get together. And ThatManILove really liked ThatManYouLove. Who knows? We may end up next door to y'all after all! ;)

Julie D said...

Well, frankly I had no doubt this was true. I think you've now won the Oscar for Best Mom! Congrats!

Ash said...

Awesome! The screaming thing, yeah, I'm afraid I can relate too well.

Thanks for playing along. And I love that you see that I'm psycho. I thought I had all you guys snowed.

Good thoughts and prayers to you my dear. Em

Debz said...

Oh jesus Jill are you kidding me? Y'all don't know where she is? Oh man, in her condition... I hope she turns up soon and is none the worse for wear.
I knew I should have said yes, I just knew it. Dammit.

Alpacamountain said...

OK I'm lost on the neice thing damnit. I hope she is ok.

Being a mommy is hard, being June Cleaver is impossible for me. I think I have all of the humor in this house...no one else thinks I'm funny!?

aterilli said...

Jilljillbobill,
I love you! You have the most wonderful personality. I really miss wetting my pants - we really have to get together more often. I can't talk about my kids today...I am feeling a little sad about the whole bringing them into the world thing and then having to let them go. So, enough said - You are a GREAT MOM!

Jill said...

I am a screamer myself. I hate to admit it but it is much easier than just doing the clean up yourself.

I hope you find your niece.. I am sorry that you are going through this. How old is she???

Ginger said...

Hi Jill:
Your kids are so lucky to have you as a mom, and having the "sense of humor" gene in your family has got to make life so much more fun.
I hope your niece is okay and will call someone to let them know where she is.
Ginger

Dawn said...

You are a wonderful mother. And, I'm sure one that is a lot of fun. =)

Unknown said...

It's about time you got here!

Swirl Girl said...

We all know you are Mom of the Year-...I stole this from Em, and since I wasn't actually award - I am thief and proud of it!

go read me!

(from one yeller to another)

Kristen H said...

We have a sister we want to divorce too. Her nickname growing up was Queenie! Mom would ask if she was born into royalty and our family just happened to adopt her.

I loved your blog today. I sometimes cry becuase I had a radical hysterectomy at 24 and never got to have kids. Then I look at some people's kids (not yours) and I actually thank God for Cancer. (That's sick I know, but honesty can be painful to some).

I have 4 grandkids through marriage though (and that really helps fill the void).

Happy Friday! Hope your weekend is most excellent!

Will keep ya'll in the prayers and thoughts. Luv!

Justine said...

This was a fabulous post! I do the same thing. Yelling, sometimes on and off for hours just to get one of the girls to clean one damn room. I guess I'd rather scream than clean, huh?
Justine :o )

binks said...

Awe - Mom of the year and now you won my giveaway!!!

Congrats!!

Tony@ That One Paticular Harbor said...

Jill Jill, Congrats. I was Mr. Mom for the first 6 yrs of my kids life while my wife was a Flight Attendant ( gone 3-4 days a week ). There is no tougher job on the planet. Period , end of discussion. I would not however trade those cray Mr. Mom times for anything. So rewarding. Great Post.

nikkicrumpet said...

I'm not sure where the heck I've been...but I'm lost on this niece thing. I sure hope things turn out okay...I'll be praying for you. And I loved reading this mom thing. I figure if you can laugh with and at your kids...life works pretty darn well. My daughter called me "toots" and "homeslice" the other night. Totally cracked me up.

Mary@Holy Mackerel said...

You must be a fab mommy!!

Hope everything turns out all right for your niece...

J'Ollie Primitives said...

Miss you JJBB!

Paste that Mom of the Year badge on your tiara. Those kids need to be reminded of their mom's awesomeness right? Awwww they know.

bernthis said...

I'm going to stick with the 7 seven I love about my kid or she loves about me:

Since she is 5 and likely cannot tell me, I will say that what I love about her is:

Her incredible enthusiasm for life
Her perpetual smile
her Tushy
Walking anywhere with her as long as she is holding my hand
Lying in bed with her at night
Holding her when she is hurt
When she eats all her string beans.

Deb said...

Thank you for this award. My 7 year old son told me last week I was the worst mom in the world.

Unknown said...

I often wonder why we couldn't have the grandkids before the regular kids.

Being a mom is the best/worst job in the world.

Great post. (You have 8 kids? God love ya and mean it)