Saturday, December 15, 2012

“Dance, I say! DANCE!”

 

My Tink has been running around all day getting ready for her “Family Party” she said EVERYONE is to attend. And you HAVE to dress up.
Boys wear ties, girls wear dresses.

Blue said “We’re not really doing this are we?” I walked out of our room in an old bridesmaid dress. He said “Looks like we are!”

He sported a tie, suit coat over his white undershirt and sweat pants.
Buzz wore his matching white t-shirt and running pants. Borrowed Dad’s tie. These are our formal men of the house.

Dance Alex Daddy 12

I bust out a hand me down bridesmaids dress, and Tink had on what she calls her “Princess Sophia Dress” (aka Garage sale recital dress)

Dance Mia Mommy 12

 

We had a blast taking pictures with each other…

Dance Alex Mommy 12Dance Daddy Mia12

My other favorite part was when Tink bust out her pretend CD player that plays Disney songs on speed (not sure what is up with it. It’s the way it came!)

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We bust out our best dance moves, even Sophie joined in the party. I’m happy that we take the time to dance, to get creative and to participate in whatever their little minds come up for us to do each day.

We are thankful for their health, for their spirits, for their energy. I love to capture days like this, the memories we make. Thank you for the invite Tink and Buzz.

Love,

Mommy
(JCat McGack)

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Life Lesson while getting spoiled.

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This little girl of mine had a WONDRFUL Monday and Tuesday.

On Monday her Papa brought over the BIG GIANT two story bed he had been hand crafting for the last two months.
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Mia has been smitten with it every since! Loading it full of her stuffie friends, putting her reading nook below, along with her art desk as well.
Then on Tuesday she was taken up to Chicago’s famous Water Tower Place to shop at the American Girl Place store.

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Where she was able to pick out accessories for her American Girl doll, Kit. They now both have their ears pierced, matching glasses, Kit has a tote bag, and new shoes. Of coarse they wore matching dresses there. And this picture was taken in their excusive American Girl dining room.

We enjoyed the day, full of family, laughter and memories. While walking outside, freezing in Chicago’s 30 degree weather, on Michigan Ave. Mia saw her Gigi walk over to a man and give him some money.

Mia said “Why did she give that stranger some money?”
I took this as my cue to give Mia, a life lesson.

I said “Mia, do you see where he’s sitting?”
She said “Yes. But it’s cold outside. He should go home.”
I said “That is his home.”
She looked at me… confused. And said “I mean his bed, in HIS home” I then said “No Mi. He doesn’t HAVE a home. He doesn’t HAVE a bed. He doesn’t have ANYTHING. THAT is where he will sleep tonight, he won’t lay down, it’s too cold. He only has that thin blanket to keep him warm.”
She looked at me. Sad face. She said “But I HAVE so many things, and I can sleep anywhere in our big warm house. Where are his toys?” I said “Mia all he really wants is simply things. Food, water and to stay warm.” She bowed her head. As if she felt bad for having all the nice things we did.
I said “We are SO lucky. A home. Heat. Water. Food. Clothes. And our families that love us so much. We need to remember how lucky we are. Toys are just an extra thing, and this man only wants the things that we assume we will always have. And Gigi knows this, so she is giving money to him. Because she can.”

We walked away hand in hand. She smiled and said “I sure am lucky. I’ve got you.”
If only she knows that I am the lucky one, and that I’m thankful there was that moment in her spoiled loved weekend that she was able to see that not everyone has it as wonderful as she does.

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I can’t help that Mia and Alex are the only two Grandchildren that the four grandparents will get. That everyone loves to spoil them. That is fine with me. My job is to raise them to appreciate everything. To respect their toys, and the people that give them things. And to know that they are lucky to have this kind of life. And to pay it forward to those who are less fortunate then they are.

JCat McGack

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Date Night with some Late Night

Planning dinner Friday night, Blue asks me if we have any gift cards with money left on them. I check and we’ve got a Lettuce Entertain You, gift card. This covers a good amount of restaurants… BUT it’s not a cheap night out, and we’ve only got $50 on it. It needs to be a date night out.

So he asked me to look up the restaurants, and pick one in Chicago… I about fell off my chair. I mean a DATE… AND Chicago?!

We decided to eat breakfast for dinner that night, and set up with his parents to take the kids Saturday night so we could go out.

I DE.STROY.ED our closet and bedroom, trying like hell to find ANYTHING that would look good for a date night in Chicago. I mean it’s Chicago. The last time a “Date night” in Chicago existed, it was July 2008. The restaurant had a dress code. So no jeans. I’ve got only TWO other pants that fit me. Black dress pants (those are good for a family Christmas party, NOT a trendy Chicago night out) or my black leggings… damn why I didn’t diet sooner… so the black leggings won. With a purple top. It was TIGHT and long enough to cover most of my ass, pair it with my Happy Place black heels, and I was good to go. And Blue, by the way, gave me hell about what I did to the closet. HE did the same thing! 

Date Night 2012

Plans for the night were to go as such…

Reservations for 5:30 at Hub51 restaurant downtown. Then after that possibly some walking on Michigan Avenue.

This is how it went…

Dropped off the kids at his parent, he was visiting with them, I said I don’t mean to be rude but we have 1 hour and 25 minutes to be IN Chicago AT our reservation. LETS. GO.

He gave me a hard time, joking that it’s a 40 minute ride… obviously he forgot it was a 60 degree December night in Chicago on.a.Saturday! It was a ZOO down there!

We made ONE wrong turn, AND if you know anything about Chicago, that damn upper and lower Wacker will get me EVERY time. YES there are TWO street levels to Chicago. YES the are both at ground level. If you are not confused yet, try it yourself and understand I was driving back and forth on Michigan Ave. State Street and just COULDN’T figure out how to get DOWN. I did a HUGE U turn in the middle of Michigan ave I was so frustrated!
(I studied the map, knew the area, and am VERY good at directions… sadly it didn’t work out that way)

Thankfully his good friend, 101 works downtown, so we called him to help us get there, and we were ONLY 45 minutes late. (I did call the restaurant and told them we were coming!)

Parking was a breeze, I prepaid online for a ticket in a garage. $8.50 for the night! That’s about $20 less then you normally pay in Chicago for parking!

We only had a 20 minute wait for a table, the restaurant was crowded! It was everything from dressy to casual. Bouncers at the door. Décor was dark, contemporary and fun.

Food was bar food, some GREAT bar food. Prices were not outrageous, as in we figured $50 could cover most of the meal. I enjoyed my first day of eating healthy by destroying THIS… man sized pulled chicken nachos. OMG it was a never ending bowl.

Ed went with the First-rate Cheese burger and fries. THAT was a good dinner.

Nachos and a burger 

Sadly I didn’t get a picture of their carrot cake and giant brownie we had for desert. It didn’t last long enough to get a picture of! Note their carrot cake is A.MAZ.ING. and they are known for it.

We both said we’d go there again. Wish we wouldn’t have had a table next to the bar with rude douche bags leaning on our table. I MAY have poked him with a fork on accident a few times. Asshole just WASN’T getting the message.

We did say we’d want to go during the week, where we could enjoy conversation and hoping no bar side view! I came prepared with a list of questions to help date night go smoothly.

YES questions to talk about. I found them in a magazine over a year ago, and have had them in my wallet. It’s questions for parents who’ve been married for a while. Questions that did NOT involve the kids. They were fun, like “What would you do with $10,000,000?” or “What would you do for a whole day by yourself?” we had a good time thinking out and talking out ideas and dreams, and then we ended up coming up with some of our own. Happy that Blue played along, and we had fun with our questions.

Blue’s good friend 101 and his wife JUST so happened to be having a date night in the big city themselves! JUST down the street from us. So they picked us up and we headed to a fun place called Eno, right next to Michael Jordan’s restaurant on Michigan Avenue, It was a wine tasting place.

Now understand this Blue and I are NOT wine people. I drink Boones farm. So this was ALL new to us, but we went with it. It was A TINY little restaurant, full of bamboo looking tables (or IKEA) dim lighting and a menu with things called flights and stuff.

Blue ordered a beer, I had a Sprite (driving!) and we checked out the chocolate list. I had seen when we came in a large display of ALL the chocolates, and saw Espresso. So I chose the trio called “Late Night”

Late Night

Starting at the top I had…

Chai Ganache. Organic Masala Chai tea and buck wheat honey infused into amber milk chocolate.
That was GOOD.

Cinnamon Cappuccino. Hint of warming spice, with bittersweet chocolate. Again good.

THEN there was Epsresso Fusion. Fresh ground medium roast espresso with vanilla. 70% dark chocolate. LOVED it.

YES we paid $11 for three tiny chocolates, BUT you cut them up with a knife, and enjoy them! Not like the bag of MnM’s where you shovel handfuls into your mouth. These people knew their stuff, telling us about what pairs well with each other, I was just happy eating chocolate and having a good time with friends.

Date night friends 2012

Afterwards we walked to our parking garage, but enjoyed the stroll down Michigan ave one more time, this time on foot and not frustrated in the car. Each couple holding hands, smitten with the idea of freedom from our kids for the night, conversation as adults, dreams of our futures, and life together.

On the road and into bed by midnight. Pretty much a perfect night out in my book. Now THAT’S how you start off December!

JCat McGack

Friday, November 30, 2012

Work it Out

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There it is. THE chart.

This is hanging on my wall, in our loft. It’s a LARGE picture frame. I bought one for each of us years ago, flipped the paper inside of it over to show the white side. Now we’ve each got our own dry erase boards.

Blue and I each use our to chart weight loss and working out. Seeing it on a chart is motivational for us. The kids have their list of daily chores on them.

I’ve been eating better since Thanksgiving weekend. Having treats here and there. REALLY trying to get myself set for tomorrow. Yep it’s been 17 days since my
35 by 35 post here. Tomorrow starts the working out, and the no cheating part. So far I’ve been prepping myself, coaching myself, and here and there walking, bike riding and trying to get psyched up for this.

My goal was originally 35 by 35. Sadly after I came up with that brilliant idea, I gained a few more pounds. So it went to 38 by 35. NOW I’m back to 35… so if you were trying to do some math by my board… oh and I ran out of room for the last 4 pounds. It should go to 107 (which is what my drivers license says!) Shit, if I get down to 111 I’ll make a chart JUST for the the last 4 pounds!

A side note. PLEASE don’t freak about the numbers. Note I am ONLY 5 feet tall. My average weight for my height is 105-110 lbs.! I can’t stand it when people freak out about the numbers. I’m LITTLE and SHOULD be a little number.

SO… that being said. Here’s to me. Here’s to getting healthy. Here’s to a start of a new me getting back the old me in a new way…? I like that I’m starting a month before everyone else on this too.

Go here to my Pinterest motivation to work out, be healthy and live better!!

Work it Out Pinterest Link!

Happy Friday!

JCat McGack

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thankful

Fireplace

In just this one picture I can count SO many reasons to be thankful.

First the obvious. My two children.
I’m blessed to have been able to have them both, when I wanted. I wanted two spring babies approx. two years apart. I was rewarded with one June baby, Tink. One April baby, Buzz. And they are 22 months apart. THAT I’m incredibly thankful for.

Seeing my children, makes me thankful for Blue. My husband of over 11 years. My best friend, the one person I love to laugh with, dream with, and spend my life with all while enjoying watching our two beautiful children grow into amazing little people.

I see a fire, in a beautiful fireplace.
That resembles home to me. This is my parents, Queen and Carrots, beautiful home.  A place where we are welcomed, fed and loved. I have both of my parents, alive and well. For that I am thankful.

I am thankful to have my sister and parents living so close to us. It’s not the 45 second drive like it used to be. But I’ll take 20 minutes, and enjoy the ride.

I’m thankful for our families and their selflessness to take care of each other. Ed’s family is just as giving, and welcoming. We were both raised by amazing parents. Loved by them. Taught by them. And no matter how dark and cold the world may be. We both know we have family that reminds us of home and comfort.

We are both grateful for what we have. We live with in our means, and remember to be thankful for what we have, not complain about what we don’t have.

Wishing everyone a wonderful and happy thanksgiving. Full of food, friends, family, loved ones, and something to be thankful for.

Gobble till you Wobble!

JCat McGack

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Shopping for food and bigger boobs

Today is the 4th day of our “Eating Healthy and working out” life changing event. I’m way less stabby.

Ed cookie ecard

I posted a few days ago about how motivated I was… I still am. I have to be honest the first day was one of my lower moments.
I cried. I sat in front of the open fridge drinking Boones Farm Sangria to numb my pain of not being able to eat pasta for every meal. My food heart was broken. I went to my Pinterest board of “Work It Out” and looked for inspiration.

So instead of caving, I went to bed at 9:30pm. The next day was ok… I ate a lot. But all snacks. So eggs for breakfast, then a few hours later an apple, after that lunch was a measured cup of pasta (I NEED carbs) snack was pretzels, dinner was pork chops, corn and apple sauce.

I was wearing thin again that night. It’s our tv munching that gets us. So the next morning I dropped Buzz off at school and Blue and I went to shop for food. Aldi and Walmart later we came home with food we loved to eat. BUT was healthy. A variety of fruit for snacks, pretzel chips, yogurt, fish and chicken for dinners, and now we’ve added Hummus to our snack foods.

Work out routines for me haven’t started yet. No good reason. Soon… maybe today I’ll do the step routine I found in Shape’s recent magazine.

So yesterday my MIL called to celebrate my Christmas with her. It’s been YEARS since I’ve done this with her. It includes a day of clothes shopping and dinner afterwards.

My MIL was hesitant of buying me clothes, if I was going to loose all this weight. HA. I’ve been saying that for 4 years now. I need new clothes. At least feel good about clothes that I know fit me now.  I’ve got to get to that smaller size, before I start worrying about having to big of clothes. New clothes that fit THIS me, inspires me to loose weight, so I can fit into even smaller and cuter clothes!

Starting in Victoria Secrets Pink store. This is my SECOND time EVER in this store. First time was a few weeks ago, my best friend took me. She had to pay a bill… omg. I FEEL IN LOVE. HARD. Bright colors, comfy clothes, cute clothes, things I WEAR everyday!! I spent a good amount of my Christmas present in that store.

Now we ALL know how mean florescent lighting is. Those evil mirrors and all in a tiny room full of static electricity! Gah! It was an awakening to what size I fit in, and what I look like in it… almost like looking at myself through other peoples eyes. Gross.

I’ve had good self esteem most of my life. (thanks to my parents for ALWAYS boosting me up) I’ve got tough skin, but this was brutal.

I’m SUPER inspired to purge the HELL out of my closet. Donate, donate, donate. Again, the new years resolution of 2013, Simplify.

NOW onto the good news. I had my Pink girl, Cassie, measure me. FIRST time ever to be actually measured for a bra (sad I know) I was always a small B. Had kids, kept the big boobs… figured I was a small C now… Cassie said (and I’ve read this before) that 70% of women are in the wrong size bra. Well I walked in wearing a 36 B bra. She measured me. I had her measure me again. And still I doubted her… a 36D!?! WHAT?

ME?

Yes. She showed me on the measuring tape. She wrote it on the little boob card so I can keep it forever. Ah, if I could time travel and show this card to my 12 year old self, and say “You’ll get there someday”

The girl who for 16 years of her life prayed for nothing but boobs. I’m NOT kidding. Church every Sunday? boobs. Mass every morning before classes? Boobs.

I wanted boobs. Everyone else had them, I was tired of being made fun of for not having them. 16! I was 16 when I finally got them! Now don’t get me wrong, I know they are bigger due to my weight. I’m sure when I loose weight, they will get smaller too. I’ve enjoyed my big boobs, and living in big boob land. But I’d be MORE then happy to be my little self again with little self boobs… well not LITTLE boobs. You get my point.

Cassie might as well have said “You aren’t a large, you are a XS!” it was such a compliment… now if I could be an XS again, AND have boobs… life complete*.

JCat McGack

*Amazing that the world paints a picture for what we should be. Not saying I’m gullible and HAVE to fit a stereotype, if that is what my blog post reads as. I want to be healthy, but still have the curves.

Monday, November 12, 2012

35 by 35

That is my goal.

July 19th, 2013 I will be 35 years old. Age is just a number to me, 30 was just another candle on the cake for me. I said it then, 35 will probably hit me harder then 30 does! And I was right.

30 for me was a starting point. I had JUST had my son 3 month prior to my birthday. My plan in life? Married, a home, two kids. All before 30. Done, done, done and done. I rocked my check list. The new start at 30 was to enjoy our children, and the new life as four of us, instead of two.

All fine and dandy. I had a horrible time with PPD, leading to PTSD. I was good at hiding it. Just like most people with depression. You think you know… you have NO idea, what is going on in their heads. The most painful part for me was the kids. My daughter had said to me once “Will you always be an angry mommy?” I was crushed. I vowed to focus, to blog, to journal. And to give myself time outs when I just couldn’t handle the stress. If it was an over eventful few days, or even just a barking dog. Anything could set me off. I’d be sad, angry and short with everyone I came in contact with. Nothing seemed to calm me down faster then food did.

I have, like most people I know, loved carbs. Love them like I love my own children. I mean what’s more comforting on a shitty day, where NOTHING is going right, then a bowl of mashed potatoes? A big bowl of mush to just comfort your sad self.

Now if you’ve been reading my blogs (I’ve gone through a few) you know this isn’t my first attempt to eat right. Be healthy. Blah, blah blah.

But now… now that I feel that the PPD, the PTSD, is gone. That my husband and I are doing good, no fighting. Not much stress around the house, no drama with friends, I can focus on me.

I’ve got to say I thought about taking an easy way out. A friend of mine is taking special pills to help her loose weight super fast. I’m jealous. She’s beautiful to begin with, inside and out. AND now she’s dropping weight super fast?
I remind myself that has NOT worked for me in the past. I get freakishly jittery, and do not do well with drugs.

I tell myself that THIS time both Blue and I are serious about this. He’s doing this with the guys at work. Their company is hosting a get healthy sort of competition for 6 months. This is perfect, he’s my biggest motivation (He’s done the P90X work out 90 days, twice. And gave up his Coke cold turkey 3 years ago. Not drinking pop since)

NOW my motivation in the past has been doing it for the kids. So I’m healthy for them (good idea) I’ve also had reunions I wanted to look great for, or it’s summer, winter, fall, spring, so many reasons, some good some not so good. But none of them were for that ONE reason.

Me.

I had to get my mental self better before I could work on the physical me. I’m there. I’m not getting any younger. I attempted to jog in The Color Run 5K a month back. It was sad… a sad, sad day for me. I’m not a runner, but that was not my best game. I KNOW I can do better.

Proud that I did it. Proud that I did the Warrior Dash 5 months ago. It’s more then I was doing 6 months ago. But it’s not good enough.

Last night was my last night to pig out. I had gone to the store, made a WHOLE pan of dumplings. I ate the WHOLE damn pan full. WOW.

Needless to say I’m good on that food for a while! Same goes for all the fast food I ate last week. It was a busy week, no excuse but I ate like crap just about every day, all day.

Not sure why, but when I have the thought of working out, and eating healthy, I have to say good bye to all my favorite foods by eating them all. Good bye Taco Bell Volcano Burrito (worst thing on the menu for you) good bye deep dish pizza, culvers, shells and cheese…

No more.

Time for 5 small meals a day. Proportions. Eating for the body I want, not the one I have (found the quote on Pinterest)

Oh, HUGE motivation for me. I’ve GOT to share this. I’m a visual girl. MUST see things to get it, to understand. I made myself a board on Pinterest, “Work It Out” I LOVE to read the quotes, thoughts and see the pictures of in shape people. It’s what works for me.

Picked up the newest copy of Shape magazine. Of coarse it’s perfect because my favorite rock star is on the cover, P!nk. So many great ideas, work outs, and tips are in there.

So… that’s all I’ve got for now. 249 days till July 19th. Fingers crossed, stay tuned. I’ll be posting more ideas, inspirations and pictures to come!

JCat McGack

Thursday, October 4, 2012

One Billion.

Today Mark Zuckerberg celebrates on his Facebook page the fact that one billion people are on Facebook daily. Here is what he wrote…

This morning, there are more than one billion people using Facebook actively each month.
If you're reading this: thank you for giving me and my little team the honor of serving you.
Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life.
I am committed to working every day to make Facebook better for you, and hopefully together one day we will be able to connect the rest of the world too.

If you go on his page, there is also a great video on this. About how things connect us. How we us simple things to remind us that we are not alone out there.

To many of my readers, you know me through facebook. Through some sort of personal life journey we’ve crossed paths. And too many times I hear about how people don’t have time to waste on facebook. They’d rather have a ‘real life’

I get that. It makes sense not to sit in front of your computer all day and read what everyone else is doing and do your own thing.

But understand WHY I do love facebook. And why I’m one of the proud billion that use it daily.

I’ve got friends and family far away. East coast, west coast, down south. I can’t afford air fare, and to have a phone conversation to catch up with a 4 and 6 year old underfoot… well it’s just that much easier to chat, share and connect on facebook.

I love that I can upload pictures of how I move around my furniture… to bad this is backwards…

Before After Frontroom 1-12

I can upload what is going on in my garden…

Pumpkin and flower 2012

Family get together with cousins can enjoy pictures afterwards. I mean do you remember growing up you’d say “Make me a copy of that, would you?” Not anymore. Now you can tag your friends, family and they can get their own pictures!

Beatz cousins

And who doesn’t get tired of seeing a bazillion pictures of a mom and her kids?! I don’t care! I’ll just post them anyway!! Bwahahaha!

We 3 9-2-12

I can post what I’m up to, how I feel, Facebook wants to know “what’s on your mind” which is a very dangerous thing for them to ask most times.

There is danger with it. Too much sharing, too many pictures, too strong of an opinion on religion and politics. The cyber bullies, the creepy stalkers. I do know the danger it can do to someone.

This coming from the girl who’s on her 4th blog due to over sharing, and too strong of an opinion. I’ve learned to hold back, but not to compromise myself.

Facebook is here. It’s staying around. Sadly MySpace and all it’s blinky lights and backgrounds just didn’t cut it. Sure I get sick of the blue trim on facebook. But for all the other reasons, I just can’t get enough of it.

Thanks to Mark Zukerberg and his team. You’ve changed lives, connected people I never thought I’d hear from again, and made me a fan for life.

JCat McGack

Bunny Hat

Monday, October 1, 2012

Quality time… at the nudist camp.

Accessorize

This kid. She never ceases to amaze me.

We just had the best conversation. I never take the time to sit and chat with her when it’s time for her to go to bed. I know I should more often, I used to when she was about 3. We’d talk about her day. In details.

Now that she’s 6. I want to get back into the habit of it. Of just letting her empty her brain out, get out all her ideas. And then me fill it full of fun new ideas. Of her sharing her adventures and me going with her.

Tonight we talked about how big she’s getting. How she wants to grow up SUPER fast. I said being a grown up is NO FUN. She said really? You are not having any fun?

I said unless you or Alex are around, I have to do grown up stuff.
“Like WHAT Mommy?”
“Like dishes. And clean up dog poop. Do you know I spent the morning scraping cat barf off the basement floor. ZERO fun”
“Well I just won’t have a cat. Or a dog… or eat food when I grow up”
I said “How about laundry”
She says “OH you HATE that. So we should be naked’s. Yes. No clothes”
I tell her “That would make us a Nudist Colony”
She says “Well if YOU and I were in a nudis colony. I’d want to be blind”
Then we burst into giggles!

She tells me how much she loves me being home every day. How much she thinks I’m her bestest friend in the whole wide world. And how she never likes to be apart from me.

She makes my heart happy. To hear her say all of this. Even though I’m the tougher parent, I’m the disciplinary, and I’m the one who pushes chores. She still adores me.

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With each new season I have a motto, or a theme of my life. Getting through PPD was “Baby Steps” every thing I did was a baby step in getting better.

Now I’m mentally at a better place. So I do believe this coming season will be “Quality Time” so instead of rushing everyone to bed. I want to make it a big ordeal. Maybe they’d stay in bed, if it was a place where we had more fun as a family.

Quality time also goes for my home. It’s clean. It’s picked up…on the surface. But open a closet… it’s clean, yet the floor is full of bins full of stuff. Just stuff, random things that pilled up and were tossed in this bin to speed along the cleaning process. I’ve got these bins all over. Then need quality time to go through and sort. Keep, toss and donate.

Quality time with Ed. Now that Wrigley Season is coming to an end, we can watch more movies at home. We can do things together. Every day after 2 he will be ours! Quality time must be had!!

Quality time with myself. Very important. One thing I’ve always enforced in my life. Even if it’s just a few minutes a day. Maybe it’s more, like a bath, or an hour in the art room. Something to just get me to a good place.

Quality time with friends and family. This is my parents and sister. To spend more time enjoying their company. Carugati 4 MK

To spend quality time with my best friend. We have been doing this a TON this summer, and it’s been a great summer at that. Jen & Me Letty Mae

To slow down. And spend time on ME and those I love around me.

So thanks for the reminder Tink. Thanks for the idea to slow down, and enjoy every moment of you, Buzz, Blue, Sophie and the Meows.

4 of us 

Everyone and everything else is going on the back burner for a while. I need to focus on what makes me, me.

JCat McGack

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Coffee Slut

Untitled

In honor of National Coffee Day. (today) I thought I’d do a post on coffee. I’ll tell you what it means to me.

I remember the smell of it growing up as a kid. Brewing everyday.
I remember the church I grew up in brewing it for everyone at every event.
I remember the Folgers commercials. I remember crying at them, especially at Christmas, when the boy would come home to surprise his parents.
I remember my grandmothers drinking coffee. Along with my aunts. I remember how I thought how crazy they all were to drink it black. Right from the pot. At least my mom and dad added sugar and cream to make it taste better.

I loved to smell it. But I never liked the taste. It was just BITTER to me.
I loved SWEET.

I had a boyfriend in H.S. he was nice, but he often thought that breaking up for me or how he’d say “I just need a break for a few days” would destroy me. So my amazing friend we will call, Death Before Decaf, would hang out with me. Listen to my sad story, broken heart. And just listen, tell me I could do better. But he supported me, like a best friend does. And often times we’d be at Georgio’s, in front of the bowling alley. That, is where I had my first best coffee.
bean me
I’d fill it almost half way, yes HALF way with pure sugar. Then the rest with coffee. It was good, sweet, with a hint of bitter.

The coffee thing stuck, but as a treat. As I got older and started working midnights at the local casino’s coffee was still a helpful friend.

It wasn’t until I had Tink that I truly welcomed coffee daily. I dusted off the coffee pot we got as a wedding present 5 years before (we’d use it when family came over) I drank a lot of coffee now with a new born. And I went through a LOT of sugar.

coffee pot

It wasn’t until Buzz was about 1 year old, Blue and I decided to try the P90X work out system. Reading the new healthy diet book we had to cut back. He stopped drinking pop, cold turkey. And I took the sugar out of my coffee, cold turkey.

(see even Buzz likes his coffee! Don’t freak, just a juice!)

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It’s 3 years later, he has yet to take a sip of pop, and sugar in my coffee is just TOO much sugar. I drink it black. NOTHING in it. Well maybe an ice cube.

I’m a Starbucks junkie. I’ll admit it. I LOVE their coffee, I’ve tried a few different once. The Tribute was hands down the best, most expensive (thanks to Death Before Decaf for that) I’m more of a Café Verona girl right now. The dark brew’s are my fav.

Oh and I have to tell you my dad and I have an ongoing friendly feud over coffee. For some weird reason he drinks the DD brand coffee and loves it. I get it, it’s a sissy coffee, not very strong. Good for the sissies. I do drink McD’s coffee out of desperation. It’s ok. It works, but for a strong coffee that does the job. Starbucks can not be replaced!
starbucks warning

I used to go into the Starbucks stores and order the Raspberry Mocha. Depending on my mood and the weather it was hot, iced or Frappuccino (blended) with chips on it! LOVE.

Oh, and sweet budget breakers they put a Starbucks RIGHT down the street from me! Sadly after 11 months they closed a ton of stores, that was one of them. I was sad. No really I cried. Bastards.
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A new mom friend from Tink’s preschool and I headed to Starbucks for a kid free break. She saw my order, and I said right away I knew how bad the Mocha’s were. TONS of sugar, carbs. But my treat. I do love the espresso part of them. Get the job done!
She said to try the “Americano” it’s what she gets. It’s nothing but espresso and water.
Sounds gross? It is. It’s straight bitter and strong, but throw in a shot of raspberry, or vanilla. It gets better. It is not for the weak of taste, but it’s a good time of espresso! (and cheaper then a Mocha!)

I’ve gotten my coffee fix so many other ways.

I drink it this way when I’m at a gas station…

starbucks_coffee_frappuccino

Or this way when I’m scrapbooking all night with friends….

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If I had it my way It’d be like this…

starbucks drip

I did try a French press coffee once. HANDS down, the best way to drink coffee, OMG. It was beautiful. I need one of those… hint hint… Christmas…

And not kidding, I think this all the time. Maybe that is why I love to go to bed by 10 so I can get up early and drink my coffee…

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Oh and I use my coffee pot so much that I had to get it replaced after 3 months this year. This was my beautiful red Mr. Coffee pot that my sister Frances bought me for Christmas 2011, by March it was fried. Good thing is JCP let’s you return it. No box, no receipt and lucky me, they had a red one. ALL better!

Bye Mr Coffee 5-12

But every other day of the year besides the Mocha, and American, gas station or scrapbook ways. it’s like this. In one of my many coffee cups. Mostly Starbucks. Otherwise Disney.

IMG_1950My new cup Mother Day 2012

 

SO Happy National Coffee Day!! Drink up however you take your coffee!!

JCat McGack

shiney starbucks

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Organize. Purge. Repeat

I’ve been on this mission. See I need to explain the madness of our mess. I will confess, I am a toy hoarder. My mother was a toy hoarder. She passed down to me almost ALL of my sister and my toys.

I’m not talking a few boxes. I mean FULL sets. ALL my Barbie's, the two 3 story houses my dad built. The bunk beds for our baby dolls, Tinker Toys, MY matchbox cars, Star Wars characters, Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Bright, Light Bright, Glow Worms, Playground Kids, Precious Places (this is a town that fills a 2x8 dresser top) O’Jenny town (same as Precious Places) and those are just all the big ones I can think of off the top of my head.

I’m excited to share my awesome toys with Mia and Alex. But of coarse it doesn’t stop there. My children are only Grandchildren. Both of our parents will only see Grandchildren through Ed and myself. This leaves them to be super spoiled loved.

At first I was frustrated, and didn’t want all the spoiled toys here. It was just too much. They couldn’t enjoy them if there was SO damn many of them.

But I was sitting in the over stuffed, unorganized attic a few weeks ago and thought to myself. “What would my mom do?” She’d organize the shit out of all these toys. That’s what she’d do. So I channeled my inner mom. And went to work.

Step 1
Attic.
Funny thing is I wanted to clean out the basement toy room but to do that I had to clean out the attic, and both kids rooms first.
So I sorted. Purged. And organized the attic. A HUGE bin to the garbage, two more to donate (set on curb with free sign)
Now I’ve got the space. Next is to go to Target. Get bins. I found the Sterelite bins. 5 for $6, I have 20 of those. Also bought 5 more big storage bins. (it’s a start)

Step 2.
Bedrooms.
I caught some slack on facebook for this. Since all I kept posting was that I was cleaning my kids rooms. It was probably worded so it looked like all I do is clean their rooms, and they are mess monsters. It’s not what it was.
I was taking all the toys that were in their rooms and moving them to the attic. This was a 2 week process (with regular life in the way) moving it all to the attic. Finding space for it all. Sorting every.single.little.piece. I mean LaLaLoopsy shoes, to Polly Pocket shoes, and Barbie shoes. Every different character or themed toy has a bin. Phew. THAT was a lot of work. And the kids? Right by my side. Mia enjoyed the organizing process. And it taught her how we will be from now on.

Step 3.
Attic Again.
Now back to the attic, we are putting bins where they go. Finding a place for EVERY toy.

Step 4.
Toy Room.
YES there is a WHOLE room just for their toys to be played in. Our basement has one half finished as a toy room. Also known as a room with a t.v. and futon. Tables for toy set up. And their art desks are there.
Issue down there was simple. I trusted that if I let them have a good majority of their toys down there, that they’d put them away. Sigh… not possible. Even if I had the rule “Nothing On The Floor” it didn’t last long, and it being the basement, it was overlooked.
Our two cats life 99% of their life down there. Long story short. After the messes they’ve made on the first and second floor (destruction of a whole sectional couch due to confusion thinking it was a litter box) they should be happy they still have a home here. I can’t get rid of them. They are 8 and 9 years old. No one would take them. So I put up with them in the basement rooms.
SO. That is where I’m at now.

Step 5.
Attic. Toy Room. Repeat.
Toys from the basement toy room to the attic storage space. Scrub the basement floor. Set up all pretty.

Now for the rules.
1. Toys live in the attic.
2. You may have ONE toy in your bed room.
3. You may have ONE toy in the basement Toy Room.

It’s not as strict as it reads to be. ONE toy may be Star Wars. Well this includes ALL the Star Wars bins, so you could just throw yourself a damn good time. Or Disney Princess, well we have about 15 different houses and two boxes of people/accessories. Again, a damn good time for a kid.

This will be overall a great thing for our house hold. Wish I would have thought of this years ago. But I wasn’t there mentally. I was fighting myself, and the best I could do was just shove it all into the basement toy room and call it a day.

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Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m washing the basement toy room floor today, in hopes to be done in that room today!

Happy Tuesday,

 

JCat McGack

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Sleeping Arrangements

Bed for 5

This is my family.

Well minus two cats, who have already been banned from this room. THIS is 5 of us. I’m the frowny stick figure at the bottom edge of this picture.

It ALL started with my husband working his LONG job at Wrigley Field. I get to go to bed, aaalllll stretched out. Enjoying this king to myself.

Of coarse before long, our beloved boxer, Sophie, needs to sleep here with me. I usually push for her to sleep in her bed on the floor in our room. But since Ed was at work, I’ll let the 60 pound baby take his spot!

Blue comes home and as always it’s us, with Sophie. Now Mr. Alex comes along lately and finds himself some property on our bed. USUALLY all sad like a lost puppy curled up at the end of the bed.

And this is rare for Miss Mia, she’s a rock star of sleeping in her own bed. But if you get up in the middle of the night. Why who would want to be left out of this party?

Not really all to sure WHEN Ed decided to sleep at an angle. All I know is I woke up with the alarm at 6:45 am with Ed’s foot on my face (lucky for him I’m a foot person. Didn’t bother me. Just confused) I sit up to find this arrangement of bodies in my bed.

First thought.

We COULD fit the two cat in here.

Second thought.

Get the camera. Edit with doodle circles. Blog about it.

So how does one deal with these bed buddies? I mean I LOVE my children, love my dog like my child, BUT I draw the line at MY bed. Anyone else have this issue? Will it ever end? Will I be hugging the edge of my bed forever? Should I move onto the Princess/Tinkerbell bedroom, and Ed to the Star Wars bedroom?

JCat McGack

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

We Mustache You A Question

 

Does this mustache make us look silly?

Tink 2012 Mustache

Buzz 2012 Mustache

“Never take life too serious.

 You’ll never get out alive”

Van Wilder from National Lampoon’s Van Wilder.


Happy Wednesday people!

JCat McGack

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

“I like paint and friends.”

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I had a chat with Buzz this morning. I did my best not to cry, and hold back tears as so I don’t freak him out.

"Hey you. You know tomorrow Daddy and I take you to preschool" I said.


He says back with a mouthful of egg burrito
"Yep. Mia, Sophie and Daddy leave me... But not you"
I TRY so hard to hold back the tears.


“Well tomorrow, Daddy and I get to stay with you. But, on Friday, in a few days, Daddy and I will take you and we have to leave you there, on your own” I say strongly, no tears. No tears. No tears I tell myself.


He thinks and says
“Who will be with me then?”


I reply “Your teachers. Your new friends. You will play, learn your ABC’s and how to count, you will do art, and play at the playground too” I tell him ALL the positive things I can think of, hoping this won’t be a disaster. I mean his sister, Tink did A.MAZ.ING when she started school. But he’s my baby, and a momma’s boy. But I need him to be strong, independent, and smart on his own… still a momma’s boy though.


He says “OK! Because I like paint. And friends.” as he looks back to his Star Wars squinkie toys. I realize that conversation is over. And he is OK with the idea of being on his own.
I just watch him play… I think, he’s going to do JUST fine on Friday. Me? That’s another story.

My baby, that is becoming SO independent. My big boy that has his own thoughts, his own idea’s. I can’t slow him down. I can only enjoy this ride of life. Take it all in, because damn it, it’s going way to fast.

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To my 4 year old, Buzz. I loves you. xoxo… and for all of you, I want to share with you OUR song. We’ve danced to since he was a baby.

Smile by Uncle Kracker

You’re better than the best
I’m lucky just to linger in your light
Cooler than the flipside of my pillow, that’s right
Completely unaware
Nothin’ can compare to where you send me
Lets me know that it’s okay, yeah it’s okay
And the moments when my good times start to fade

You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed
Sing like a bird
Dizzy in my head
Spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh you make me smile

Even when you’re gone
Somehow you come along just like a flower
Poking through the sidewalk crack
And just like that, you steal away the rain
And just like that

You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed
Sing like a bird
Dizzy in my head
Spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh you make me smile

Don’t know how I lived without you
‘Cause every time that I get around you
I see the best of me inside your eyes
You make me smile

You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild

You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed
Sing like a bird
Dizzy in my head
Spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh you make me smile

(Oh you make me smile) oh you make me smile
(Oh you make me smile) oh you make me smile


Love you more then you’ll ever know,

Mommy

Monday, August 27, 2012

Purple Dreams

We park the cars and everyone gets out. My dad Carrots, and my sister Frances lead the way. Followed by myself, and my mom the Queen. We are holding hands. Blue says to go on ahead, he will get Tink and Buzz from their car seats.

We walk down to the concrete water channels. The kind you find in movies, where drag races are often held. This was just like that. Left over water puddles from a past rain in places. Grey cold concrete. But the sun was shining. No clouds in the sky.

On our walk into the channel we see others, some racing, sprinting. Some walking, and some in wheel chairs going at almost a backwards pace they are so slow.

As we travel through we try to let the crowd go ahead, and stay ahead of the others, to make our own journey through the channel together, with out so much crowd around. We heard it works better that way.

We come to many tunnels, none of them the wrong choice, all of them an option. Just depending on how many people go to each one. We wait… let the crowd choose theirs. We chose after.

Well, Frances chose. It was her journey after all. She chose one far to the right… it had a cat. Small. About one year old, and she was black, but with a grey tone, and these jade green eyes. Wearing a thin purple ribbon with a small purple bell around his neck.

The crowd stayed FAR away from the tunnel with the black cat crossing the opening back and forth. All believing in the myth about bad luck when a black cat crosses your path.

Frances and her love for cats, took it as a sign, this one wanted her to follow him.

As Frances went towards the tunnel. Her dad, protective didn’t want to release her hand. But she knew she needed to go first. Alone.

Papa Carrots grabbed Queen Gigi’s hand, I grabbed for Blue and the children held hands, but they were going in behind Frances. It was like an order of family, but with the power that children have, that they see things and feel things that adults have pushed away over the years. They were brave to go right after Frances.

Now when Frances arrived she was as is. The Frances we all know today in 2012. Silent and generator powered keeping her Dystonia in check.

As she ventured into the tunnel, the lights low, we all quickly noticed her Dystonia worsened. As if the tunnel turned her generators from her Deep Brain Surgery off. Instantly our hearts were sad. We all wanted to run back.

Frances was having a hard time seeing where she was going. Her Dystonia had twisted her head as hard and far to the left as possible, then it pushed her forward, bent over and turning her torso hard to the left. She started to whimper, struggling to see where she was going but knowing this journey was where she was supposed to go. But she was having such a hard time moving on.

The black cat with the purple ribbon and purple bells. Came to the children and instinctively knew to follow the cats lead, each of them took a side by their Aunt Frances, they held her hands, which those too were curled up by the Dystonia into tight fists. So they held her fists. And lead on, following the cat.

The tunnel was the challenge. To face the Dystonia at it’s worst. Frances bark coughed, she twisted, and shook, she drooled uncontrollably, she cried from anger, she cried from hate, she cried from frustration of no control.

My mother the Queen sobbed quietly. I can’t imagine the heartache. Ed and I had tears run down our faces. But my father… he was so optimistic. So intrigued by what would happen next he was quietly, urging everyone to keep on. To see where this went. My mother was terribly afraid. They Dystonia seemed to be getting worse, to a point we were now moving at the backwards slow pace I had mocked the people before.

Tink was the first to see the light. Yes a light at the end of the tunnel. Buzz was just as excited and they said “Come on Aunt Frances! We are here! We can’t wait!” and with that the cat sprinted to the light. Frances, in her twisted and awkward state, started a trot of a run, and we all did as well.

The tunnel light became a small door way. Covered with moss around all the edges. Light purple flowers here and there. That cloudless sky above. And there was no grey concrete either. This was still huge water channels, but now filled with a mossy carpet, corkscrew willow trees everywhere, almost a symbol of her twisted Dystonia in a tree like form. The entire channel was filled with purple flowers. Tall ones, big ones, miniature ones. Dark shades of plum, to light shades of violet. And the smell of lavender filled the air.Frances loves purple, and she loves cats. This channel was the right one. We felt it.

Not sure what to do we let Frances lead. She took a step out into the sunlight alone. She took a few steps. Turned to us. Twisted, drooling, coughing. And crying. But these seemed to be tears of happiness? And she was smiling the best that the Dystonia would let. We saw it in her eyes though.

We all stood, hovered in the doorway. The six of us, waiting for our moment to come in. If there was one.

Frances seemed to forget us for a moment. She was with herself, facing her Dystonia with things around her that made her happy. As she walked along the cat stopped and came to her. He put his paws up onto her leg and she reached her twisted hand down to pet him, as her hand touched his fur her fingers uncurled and were able to pet him as she once did her beloved cats before.

Her heart sang. Full hand movements. A small improvement, not the first thing she’d want to fix. But she’d take it. She turned to us and ushered us in, we slowly walked in together. Blue and the kids stayed back. I stayed with my mom. My dad however, went ahead to Frances, held her hand and they started to walk.

We walked over hills and enjoyed the view. Out of habit Frances went to wipe drool from her face and it wasn’t there though.

As we walked, enjoying the view, the clear blue sky, the beautiful hidden garden, noticing almost with each step Frances’ Dystonia was going back to the way it was when we started out today. Happy to see it was like her generators were back on. And at least she wasn’t twisted.

Besides her hands, nothing else amazing had happened. Well not to us anyway. Frances swallowed. For the first time in years, many years, she swallowed like a normal person. She quickly looked around trying to find water, food anything to test this thought she had.

There up ahead was a table. A small wooden table, from what looked like one of our grandmothers homes and held one small beautiful purple glass goblet. Inside of it was cranberry juice, Frances’ favorite. She hesitated, looking for the straw, and napkin. Two items she needs to attempt to drink anything.

But she just had that feeling. We all look in shock as she raised the glass to her face, fearing she will wear most of this drink and cough spit out the rest, covering her shirt in drool and the dark staining juice, making this a painful moment for her full of embarrassment.

She raises the glass and drinks. She swallows and drinks till the glass is empty. Tears roll down our faces with pride. The small cat turns his head to watch. Frances doesn’t know if it’s a magical glass or if this is really happening. She lowers the glass for us to see a beautiful smile on her face. My mom wants to keep the glass. She looks to the cat, he rubs on her leg to approve, and he bounds down a path of crushed purple stones that lay ahead of us.

The cat stays to the right, awkward, since Frances is always to the left, but at once she turns her head. On her own to the right. Back to the left. And right again looking down to the cat. Smiling back to us. In return we all smile, anxiously waiting the next miracle.

At this point the crumpled hands, twisted fingers are straight and move fluently, the twisted body now in full control, sharp head turned to the left, are now swift movements by Frances herself, and the drooling and coughing have disappeared. Frances stood upright as tall as she could in her 4’ 9” frame. Her Scoliosis seeming to be gone as well.

She ran.

She ran after the cat, down the crushed purple gravel path, and we all followed, running. No pain, no thoughts of our own physical ailments that should have slowed us down, we followed along the crushed purple stone.

Carrots grabbed Frances hand and whispered something to her.

She laughed.

She laughed out loud.

She laughed like it was 1988 all over again. We cried to hear her sounds again, we laughed along with her, I’m almost sure the cat laughed as well. The smiles on my children's faces. The look of happiness on Blues.

My mother was overwhelmed with joy. My father besides himself. We all stood around smiling. Taking in every second we could. And then, our black cat guide ran to the top of a hill. He sat and waited, and from the other side of the hill came another cat.

This one we all recognized.

Frances’s heart was bursting with joy, could this be? I mean she had her body back, she laughed and drank for the first time in almost 10 years and now this?

“Punkie” said Frances.

And my alarm went off.

Dream fades.

But never to be forgotten.

Love you Frances now and forever. Your big sister. xo.

Gack

Sunday, July 22, 2012

How NOT to grow up.

 

Since I was a kid I loathed people who would say the words “Grow Up”. It’s probably one of the most insulting thing you could say to me. Call me every name in the book, yep I’ve heard it ALL. Talk a bunch behind my back, yeah, I’ve been there too often. Something about telling me to “Grow Up” is just down right rude.

It’s telling me that my light hearted ways. My giggling, my random funny thoughts, having a conversation as I pull out a mustache on a stick, YES I’m listening but life is just TO short NOT to throw a funny mustache in there once in a while.

Mustache this

I mean this particular mustache came out when I was up to my eyeballs in numbers working budget with my best friend at a TRAC event. I just had to stop and mustache some funny pictures. Drink my coffee. Do a little dance. Sit back down and then back to work.

When my husband and I were engaged we made a promise to each other. A promise that all couples, and good friends should make. That we never grow up.

YES I am a grown up at times. WAY more often the I’d like. I’m super serious about our house budget, about the care of my children, what we eat, about my pets lives and care, family and friends lives. When I have to be an adult I am.

BUT.

If you see me goof off, bust out the mustache, or just start doing the running man where I stand. If it’s in line at preschool dropping off my son. Or in the office at the TRAC house, know it’s to entertain myself, others around me. Hoping to put a smile on faces, lighten the mood, and just take a break from the stress of life.

I must confess I went to tell my 6 year old daughter to grow up, but before the words came out of my mouth I had a fast reality check with myself and reminded myself she’s ONLY 6. To remind her and her brother that life is what you make it. Be silly, be random, be down right weird, dance often, even with out music, own your unconventional self and be proud of it all.

Tink tub hawk 12

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I had posted this picture of myself on face book and a good friend of mine commented on how she envy’s my carefree ways, and wishes to be like that.IMG_1947

It’s super easy to not be a grown up. Here’s how I do it…

1. Go get mustaches. These on the stick were in Wal-Mart's under a dollar section. I also have one from a .25 vending machine. (note stickers hurt when removed)

2. Own it. Easy to say. Hard to do. Owning up to your silliness is hard if you’re worried what others think. Stop worrying about what others think. I’ve been doing it for 34 years.

3. Balance. Know that in a meeting it’s PROABLY not a good idea to bust out the mustache or running man dance. BUT at the end of the meeting do the running man out the door. That’s acceptable.

4. Don’t try. Again easy to say after 34 years, but people KNOW when your trying to be funny for attention. The goal is to be yourself, and let the funny random happen. I may make a foil hat for myself, BUT I don’t point it out. I don’t even do it when anyone’s in the room. Just do it. Wear it. Act like it’s normal. It’s normal to me!

5. Don’t do it to much. That get’s annoying.

6. Don’t push it. You QUICKLY learn who tolerates funny, silly random things and who’s got a stick in their ass so far they look constipated when they try to react to you. Some situations it’s just not worth my energy. That’s when I just take a nap. (not kidding. Note if your in a room with me and I look as if I’m sleeping, I’m trying to imagine anywhere else I’d rather be) If you get a serious person to smile or giggle. You’ve done it. Don’t push it. Just enjoy that one little giggle or smile.

7. Enjoy it for yourself. Along with #4 you have to enjoy doing this. It’s got to be from the heart. Something that entertains you. If others get amusement from my randomness good for me bonus for them.

8. Practice. It takes practice to be Un-grown-up. If you’ve been a serious person your whole life, and portray that image, trying to just bust out random weirdness could get you some fast judgments, possible scripts for medication you don’t want.  If you can handle the looks, the eye rolls, the rude whispers from the jealous, and the frowny faces from the judgers. Then you’ve got it.

9. Laugh at yourself. It’s YOUR life. It’s funny! I love to share stories of when I trip and fall and no one I know saw it. I love to share messed up hair, and bad make up. It makes you normal to others.

10. Life motto. “Life’s to short to take serious. No one get’s out alive anyway”

Hope my 10 ways to not be a grown up remind you that life is yours. Take it a bit less serious. I think my 4 year old son has it down perfect. Many of those 10 tips won’t work for everyone. I’m a extrovert so it comes easy to me to just be out there. Do what works for you. Oh and a back story, I grew up with rude clique-y people judging and mocking me through Jr. High, it wasn’t until High School when I found friends who accepted me for ME. I was often told to never change. I’ve never forgot those words and notes from friends. Be you. If you’ve got a freak flag. FLY it proud.

Now my question to you… how are you less grown up?

JCat McGack