Whiny Baby

Just call me what I am - an approval-seeking, whiny baby! Seriously!  How did you guys put up with me yesterday???

I re-read my post this morning and thought - What a spoiled little brat!!!

I was having a bad, yucky day - I have had a few disappointments over the past few weeks and I took it out on my blog.  sorry.

But the strangest thing happened.

Within one hour, I had the most sweet, loving comments from y'all - God sent his little angels to me to lift my spirits. ONE HOUR Y'ALL - how did you know to look at my blog when I needed it the most?


Because He knew I needed you.


And the day kept getting better.

Bubba & I had the best trip to The Home Depot- I was buying paint for my Dining Room (Happy Camper!) and had so much advice given to me by the sweetest old man who had been a painter for 30 years.  I have never in my life been so excited to discover and use frog tape.  Yup.  Frog tape. Go google  that one y'all.

And while cleaning out my email, I found an email from the sweet Mamarazzi telling me that I had won this from her Taking Back Monday Giveaway last week:

how lucky blessed am i??

Funny thing is, I had the email sitting there in my inbox opened, as if I had read it, but I didn't really read it until yesterday when I needed it the most.  I don't believe in coincidences y'all - that happened that way for a reason.  

I contemplated pulling yesterdays post (because as I re-read it, I hate it!) but I realized it was what I was feeling at the time and it was me just being me....and all the comments were so very lovely, that I didn't want those to go away too! 

So, no more whiny baby-ness from me.  You all have embraced me and made me feel loved!!  Thank you all for your friendship - it means so much!  

Approval? Do I need it?

Nah....I just want to be liked.  Is that so wrong?  As childish and as silly as that sounds, that is who I am.  All my life - believe me, my momma dealt with some serious drama from me over this simple struggle.
Everyone has the need to feel included and when you are not - and it's obvious- it hurts.

I have come to terms with my personality - I generally like the world and want them to like me back.  I don't care what baggage you bring - I don't care how you treat me - I don't care if you aren't really "my type" of friend - I still want to be liked by you. ANd I will do my darnedest to win you over no matter how bad you treat me.

Others in my life don't have this "flaw" in their personality and  go through life not caring what other people think of them - As confident and poised as I seem, I do care.  I wish I didn't so much - would save me a ton of time spent analyzing and wondering "if".

Anyways, where am I going with this?

This blog.  I started it for family to see the kids growing up (I don't know if they even read it anymore....) but it has evolved into something so much more.  This is a place where I can type what I think and not worry about what I am thought of.

Until that little worry monster creeps in......do I have any comments?  why isn't so & so reading my blog anymore? why won't my family leave me comments?  have I offended someone?  why am I only getting 4 comments on that really funny post?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I hate it.

Really, I do.

This is not who I want to be.

To me, comments are feedback and another form of approval, so why this need for approval in the one area of my life that shouldn't matter?

I've read that people who seek approval from others have a problem with their own self-esteem.  I don't have that problem - hopefully you have seen by now that I am pretty confident and not ashamed to show it.

So what if I don't get someone's approval?  Will I curl up in the corner and shun myself from society.  uh no. Stop posting?  no.  I know all this, but how can I shake this damn monster on my shoulder?

I know I'm not the only one out there that feels like this??  Right???

Alright - enough complaining from me.  Just leave me some love and I'll shut up already.

thanks.


p.s. I struggled with even posting this...thinking y'all would think less of me...sheesh!

Tell me lies.....tell me sweet little lies...

Yup-I am going to Lie to you today.  A few weeks ago, Shawn, tagged a few of us to do this and it has taken me a while to get my post up.  I don't want to lie to y'all.  Exaggerate, maybe, but lie?  no way!!

So since Shawn is forcing me with my hands tied behind my back making me lie to you, here goes.

Which one of these is a lie???  Guess correctly and a super sweet prezzy will be on your way!!!


1. I have met the president of the United States.


2. I was the Valedictorian of my High School Class and graduated summa cum laude of my class in college.


3. I was on a reality tv show.


4. I love parachuting from planes - have done it several times, but this kids, I don't get to much anymore :(


5. I have lived on an Indian Reservation.

Y'all it is hard to lie!! Especially on a blog where I pretty much tell you everything!!!!

It was a great writing prompt - so join in the fun and try to stump us!

Happy Weekend Y'all!!

The Perfect Weekend

Do you ever have one of those weekends where every thing goes perfect?  You sit back and realize how much you needed that weekend?

I did.

And boy, I needed it.

We moved from Dallas almost 3 years ago and have remained close to our sweet friends.  The Linebargers are those friends that feel almost as close as family.  Scratch that...closer than family.  As soon as you see each other, you fall right back into step as if there was no time between you.

We were neighbors back in 2002 - it was totally a God thing that led us to that house and the best neighbors in the world.  These 2 girls have essentially grown up together and you should see how close they still are.

We traveled up to the Big D for one great reason.......

To celebrate Baby Emmy Linebarger!!  Due to arrive in less than 2 weeks!!!

 We had a wonderful shower and it was so great to see old friends and relax and visit with everyone.

Sweet Chris took both Sis & ChellBell as his date for the Dads & Daughters dance.  Matt was out of town, so Chris graciously stepped in.

 These 3 are best of friends - they al had their hair done before, did each other's makeup and then stayed up until the wee hours of the night giggling until we made them turn the lights out.

Christie & I had the evening to ourselves, as we headed out for a margarita (me) and fajitas.  But the best part of all was just the hours and hours of talking we did.  Nothing can replace amazing conversations with a girlfriend.  Nothing.  We talked about everything, analyzing situations, coming up with solutions, decorating Bubba's big boy bedroom, online shopping for the kids, checking out this very cool show, "The Unpoppables", sweet Emmy's arrival, and planning the next time we see each other (very soon!!).

The weekend also included great bonding time with my mom, where she insisted I buy 4....FOUR....pairs of shoes (it was all her fault Matt!) and we FINALLY figured out Facetime on our 4Gs.  Yay!!  She kept the boys all weekend where the baby became attached to PaPa and Brody was able to play with his cousin.

It was just one of those great weekends, where you walk away refreshed and ready for the week.  Can't we have those kind more often???

A Vlogging We Will Go!

So a few weeks ago I tried out a little thing called "vlogging" and oh...I liked it so much (seriously IA, you HAVE to try it) probably b/c I like to hear myself talk.....ahem.  My sweet IRL friend Shawn and soon-to-be IRL friend Mamarazzi have started a monthly vlogging party.  I had so much fun visiting everyone's "conversations" this morning!  So, here I am,"Linking" up.  You guys need to try it - it is so super easy!  And don't say you don't have a camera cause you can use your phone (JennyK did it!)
Anyways, take a listen....


And one more quick one....

Thanks girls!  That was fun!!

YAY! IT'S SOCCER TIME!!!!

Yes, you heard me correctly!  I am so excited that spring soccer has started up!  I LOVE watching my girl play soccer, even if it is a bit difficult with a fussy 21 month old and a completely bored 8 year old. And I know I've complained in the past about soccer (ahem...here and here), but this is my girl playing, not the family dealing with Dad's obsession.  There is a big difference.

So EARLY (6:45 early) Saturday morning, we were packed in the car and headed to Sis's first game of the season.  This spring we are with an Academy team, so we have more intense practices and games where we are traveling quite a bit.

3 iPhones, 1 iPod, 1 DSi, 1 Kindle, 3 books, 2 yogurt sticks, 1 banana, 1 thermos full of Gingerbread coffee, 2 chairs, 1 jogging stroller, 2 blankets, and 3 kids later, we were on our way!!  This momma is prepared to entertain every way possible so I can watch the girl play soccer.

And oh how she played!

 I look at these pictures in amazement.

 She plays with such sureness and confidence.

 As if it's all second nature to her.

 And she's only 9.

The best part of the game came when she had a corner kick, was passed the ball back and kicked it perfectly to curve right into the goal.  It was amazing y'all.  It looked so perfect and planned.  I wanted to jump out of my skin I was so proud of her.  That has to be one of the best feelings in the world.  To see your child work so hard at something and then succeed.  It was awesome.

So yes, I welcome the soccer season - Brody starts this week too and soon we will have 2-3 games each weekend.

Hmm...wonder when the baby can start???

It's easy with an iPhone...

Guess who got an iPhone for Valentine's Day??  And I got it in a pretty special way.....

did ya' hear the sarcasm in my voice??

Super Sweet Hubby thought he was being clever - I had hinted all week that it might be difficult to get an iPhone b/c Verizon started selling them too.....

He **thought** he had one on hold for me at Bust Buy when he sent this. Uh no.

Let's just say, I worked really hard to get my Valentine's Gift.  

(I walked into the AT&T store...shhh.....don't tell him it was that easy....)

Nevertheless.....I got my new 4G iPhone (cue the squealing)!!  And it is WONDERFUL - so super fast - now if only I can get my mom to learn how to work the Facetime feature, we'd be set.....

As I was transferring all my "stuff" from my old to my new, I came across so many great pictures I had taken on the iPhone.  And it made me realize how lucky we are to grow up in an era where we can capture anything with our camera phones.  Or are we?

 my little hobbit....

 he loves his trains so much he just wanted to crawl in there with them and get stuck?

 what, don't all moms teach their kids to feed themselves by 18 months?

 he definitely didn't like the hair bow...

 and this my friends, is how we restrain our kids in the Darling house...

(I kid...I kid...)

 This is how we really do it...

 my own Boba Fett bobble head... how lucky am I?

 I'm stuck mom - 

wait, let me take a picture instead of helping you get out of the box.....

 yep- I took a picture before getting him down from the table.

 or helping him get his hand unstuck....

 and this was to document the nutritional value of a cup of "non-fat" yogurt

But then you have those super-sweet moments that you have been able to capture as well:

ah yes, what would we do without our iPhones to capture every single moment in our lives???