Am I a backseat driver??? Mmmm...I dunno. Let's go over my list:
I constantly stare at the speedometer, making sure we are exactly on our designated speed. There is to be no OVER or UNDER.
When we are going too fast I put my foot on my imaginary break.
When we are going to slow...you guessed it, I step on my imaginary gas pedal.
I brace for a collision at least once, or at least grab my chest so my heart doesn't jump right out!
I check mirrors constantly.
I point out what other cars are doing wrong.
I make sure lights have been turned on after dusk, sometimes double check.
I announce the when the light changes colour...any colour.
I point out stop signs as soon as I have them in my sights.
After going over my list, I think I am definitely a backseat driver! But you know what, I am a really, really good backseat driver. All the safety checks I do, and speed control, I bet I've saved us numerous tickets.
I point
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
"Lock your doors kids!!"
I had one of those "Lock your doors kids, RIGHT NOW!!" moments.
I had gone to a store I don't normally go to. A little ways from my house, on a busy street, in a not so familiar part of town. I pulled into the little parking lot and it being a Saturday, obviously the lot was packed full. I had my van (extended cab) and I am still not use to driving in small spaces with it...like parking it in a stall, there must not be cars on both sides of me...maybe one day I'll be able to park that sucker. But for now, I cringe with full parking lots, little turn around space and cars right on my arse following me...
So, I realize the parking lot is full. I have some options:
1. Leave and come back another day
2. Sit and wait for someone to come out and leave and then try to take their spot
3. Find parking down the street and drag the kids on a long walk back to the store
4. Call the store and tell them to evacuate everyone immediately.
OK, #4 is so not gonna happen, but would have been cool. I mean, think of all those people coming out at once, parking lot totally opens up for me and I don't have to worry about parking my beast of a van next to anyone....ahhh....the daydreams!
So, I decide that I will look for spot down the street, when all of a sudden I realize that there is a WHOLE lot in the back of the store. I had no idea. It was kinda hidden down the side. SCORE~
I drive to the back of the store, and I see some open spots, and I'm having a lucky day, I found a spot with no parked car on the left. Parking would be somewhat painless today.
We all hop out of the van and invade the store. I do my return and we are on our way back to the van in about ten minutes, pretty good timing, considering I had to wrangle an 8 year old and a 4 year old that had scattered in different directions to look at toys.
We are walking back to the van and I look over to my right and see a big group of not so friendly individuals. Crap. I didn't notice them before. There was some kind of bar/club/pool hall around the back and I guess all 50 people came out for a smoke break at the same time. I felt a little uneasy, it was stormy out too, which made me think "horror movie" like right away, and I was going to be one of the victims...Oh gosh...We had to get back to the van fast. My darn daydreams were starting again. I piled the kiddies into the van, I even got in the side door. Strapped the baby in the car seat, told the girls to buckle up and put the keys in the ignition ASAP.
Now, I know my thoughts were silly. But, when you have 3 kiddies hanging off of you, walking in the alley on a windy, gray, stormy day, what do you expect me to think. Wouldn't "Horror Movie" come to your minds too?
So, I start to back out of my parking space and all eyes are on me. The crowd of 50 (which I think I exaggerated on, it's more like 15) were watching me, maybe to see if my beast was going to scratch up their rides. This in turn makes me more nervous. I had to forward and reverse like it was going out of style! FINALLY, I get out of the spot and now all that is left is to pass the crowd of not-so-happy-smokers.
As I turn in front of them, I am being very cautious of my surroundings. There are cars just parked anywhere, people standing in the middle of the road, obstacles every-freakin'-where! As I get close, a totally hairy dude moves towards the van, and I kick into panic mode. It's lock down time kiddies!! "Lock your doors kids, RIGHT NOW!!" I belt out. No one moves. I say it again, "Lock your doors kids, RIGHT NOW!!".
"Um, mom, our new van has doors that lock when you turn the car on, 'member?" says my sassy 8 year old
Right, the childproof locks that I am still getting used to. Our old van was soooo 1996 and these are all new to me!!
Anyways, we pass the crowd, and the hairy dude that was walking towards us passes by and I see he was just picking up some garbage on the ground. How was I suppose to know he wasn't walking towards us to kidnap and kill us all!!!
The drive home was silent except the little whispers and giggles from the girls. I have a feeling there were talking about how I may have slightly exaggerated the situation. But I still think NOT!! haha
I had gone to a store I don't normally go to. A little ways from my house, on a busy street, in a not so familiar part of town. I pulled into the little parking lot and it being a Saturday, obviously the lot was packed full. I had my van (extended cab) and I am still not use to driving in small spaces with it...like parking it in a stall, there must not be cars on both sides of me...maybe one day I'll be able to park that sucker. But for now, I cringe with full parking lots, little turn around space and cars right on my arse following me...
So, I realize the parking lot is full. I have some options:
1. Leave and come back another day
2. Sit and wait for someone to come out and leave and then try to take their spot
3. Find parking down the street and drag the kids on a long walk back to the store
4. Call the store and tell them to evacuate everyone immediately.
OK, #4 is so not gonna happen, but would have been cool. I mean, think of all those people coming out at once, parking lot totally opens up for me and I don't have to worry about parking my beast of a van next to anyone....ahhh....the daydreams!
So, I decide that I will look for spot down the street, when all of a sudden I realize that there is a WHOLE lot in the back of the store. I had no idea. It was kinda hidden down the side. SCORE~
I drive to the back of the store, and I see some open spots, and I'm having a lucky day, I found a spot with no parked car on the left. Parking would be somewhat painless today.
We all hop out of the van and invade the store. I do my return and we are on our way back to the van in about ten minutes, pretty good timing, considering I had to wrangle an 8 year old and a 4 year old that had scattered in different directions to look at toys.
We are walking back to the van and I look over to my right and see a big group of not so friendly individuals. Crap. I didn't notice them before. There was some kind of bar/club/pool hall around the back and I guess all 50 people came out for a smoke break at the same time. I felt a little uneasy, it was stormy out too, which made me think "horror movie" like right away, and I was going to be one of the victims...Oh gosh...We had to get back to the van fast. My darn daydreams were starting again. I piled the kiddies into the van, I even got in the side door. Strapped the baby in the car seat, told the girls to buckle up and put the keys in the ignition ASAP.
Now, I know my thoughts were silly. But, when you have 3 kiddies hanging off of you, walking in the alley on a windy, gray, stormy day, what do you expect me to think. Wouldn't "Horror Movie" come to your minds too?
So, I start to back out of my parking space and all eyes are on me. The crowd of 50 (which I think I exaggerated on, it's more like 15) were watching me, maybe to see if my beast was going to scratch up their rides. This in turn makes me more nervous. I had to forward and reverse like it was going out of style! FINALLY, I get out of the spot and now all that is left is to pass the crowd of not-so-happy-smokers.
As I turn in front of them, I am being very cautious of my surroundings. There are cars just parked anywhere, people standing in the middle of the road, obstacles every-freakin'-where! As I get close, a totally hairy dude moves towards the van, and I kick into panic mode. It's lock down time kiddies!! "Lock your doors kids, RIGHT NOW!!" I belt out. No one moves. I say it again, "Lock your doors kids, RIGHT NOW!!".
"Um, mom, our new van has doors that lock when you turn the car on, 'member?" says my sassy 8 year old
Right, the childproof locks that I am still getting used to. Our old van was soooo 1996 and these are all new to me!!
Anyways, we pass the crowd, and the hairy dude that was walking towards us passes by and I see he was just picking up some garbage on the ground. How was I suppose to know he wasn't walking towards us to kidnap and kill us all!!!
The drive home was silent except the little whispers and giggles from the girls. I have a feeling there were talking about how I may have slightly exaggerated the situation. But I still think NOT!! haha
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Marissa Who?
Let me just start off by saying that I hate driving. Like, REALLY hate driving. Mostly because I don't trust other drivers. Everyone drives too fast. Rush, rush, rush! No one checks side mirrors, rear view mirrors. People are not to be trusted while driving! (in my opinion of course). Besides the fact that I don't trust other drivers, I kinda don't trust myself driving. I am a jumpy, thinks too much, doesn't think enough, no sense of direction kinda driver. So anyways....Here is what happened today on my latest driving endeavour:
I left the house to take my 8 year old to a birthday party. It was in another city, not far from ours, at a kids indoor play park. I had my husband program all the details into our trusty GPS named "Marissa". We arrived at our destination pretty much on time, no major incidents and no one (meaning ME) got lost. I was somewhat familiar with this area, so no big deal.
After saying goodbye and trying to give my daughter a kiss goodbye (she doesn't like to do the public goodbye kiss anymore), I got into the van and started on my way to do some errands while my daughter was partying it up.
My errands went well, no real hiccups with me losing my way. Marissa did her job well...up till I decided to take a little detour and meet up with some family a ways a way while waiting for my 8 year old to finish her party.
I feel like I need to take a really big deep breath before going on...YES, it was that stressful!!!
So, I reprogram Marissa to take me to my new location. No problems. I start driving and get stuck in some snarly traffic. This was no good. By the time I got on the highway, Marissa indicated to me that I was not going to have much time to make my pit stop before picking up my daughter. Change of plans. I told Marissa to take me back to the indoor party place....This is where Marissa and I ended our GPS friendship.
She told I had to exit off the hwy I was on, but oops, for some reason I missed the exit. I had to take the next exit after the huge bridge.
Marissa started directing me to take left turns, right turns, sharp turns, U turns, you name it. She wanted me to take rights, when no rights existed, U turns, when they were prohibited. Veer left, but not too far left. All this while dealing with the other drivers, whom I mentioned earlier, I don't trust.
I will give Marissa a slight break, there was a lot of construction detours going on, and I suppose she doesn't update herself on a daily basis (she really should, for jumpy drivers like me).
I was rattled with getting lost for all that time, freaking out that I would be lost forever and my 8 year old would never be picked up....Oh the crazy daydreams I have sometimes!! haha.
I really was freaking out that I wouldn't be there on time. I really was just getting more and more lost. But eventually, I found my way. I will tell you, I did it without Marissa's help. I was back on track, a little scattered, but I knew where I was going. About 4 blocks from the indoor party place I was beginning to calm down, and just as I sighed in relief, relief that my journey was almost over, a FREAKIN idiot ran out into the road. He was crossing this crazy 4 lane mini hwy and as far as I could tell, he was oblivious to any motor vehicle zooming past him at 80 clicks!!! Can you say heart attack ! I just about had one.
Finally I pulled into the parking lot. I was a tad bit early, but trust me, at this point I didn't mind sitting and waiting in the car, nope, not one bit.
Pick up was successful. Trip home was perfectly, perfect. Marissa was put away (I got tired of her bossing me around).
I learned a lesson today: Read the map before you go! And Marissa and myself are no longer friends.
I left the house to take my 8 year old to a birthday party. It was in another city, not far from ours, at a kids indoor play park. I had my husband program all the details into our trusty GPS named "Marissa". We arrived at our destination pretty much on time, no major incidents and no one (meaning ME) got lost. I was somewhat familiar with this area, so no big deal.
After saying goodbye and trying to give my daughter a kiss goodbye (she doesn't like to do the public goodbye kiss anymore), I got into the van and started on my way to do some errands while my daughter was partying it up.
My errands went well, no real hiccups with me losing my way. Marissa did her job well...up till I decided to take a little detour and meet up with some family a ways a way while waiting for my 8 year old to finish her party.
I feel like I need to take a really big deep breath before going on...YES, it was that stressful!!!
So, I reprogram Marissa to take me to my new location. No problems. I start driving and get stuck in some snarly traffic. This was no good. By the time I got on the highway, Marissa indicated to me that I was not going to have much time to make my pit stop before picking up my daughter. Change of plans. I told Marissa to take me back to the indoor party place....This is where Marissa and I ended our GPS friendship.
She told I had to exit off the hwy I was on, but oops, for some reason I missed the exit. I had to take the next exit after the huge bridge.
Marissa started directing me to take left turns, right turns, sharp turns, U turns, you name it. She wanted me to take rights, when no rights existed, U turns, when they were prohibited. Veer left, but not too far left. All this while dealing with the other drivers, whom I mentioned earlier, I don't trust.
I will give Marissa a slight break, there was a lot of construction detours going on, and I suppose she doesn't update herself on a daily basis (she really should, for jumpy drivers like me).
I was rattled with getting lost for all that time, freaking out that I would be lost forever and my 8 year old would never be picked up....Oh the crazy daydreams I have sometimes!! haha.
I really was freaking out that I wouldn't be there on time. I really was just getting more and more lost. But eventually, I found my way. I will tell you, I did it without Marissa's help. I was back on track, a little scattered, but I knew where I was going. About 4 blocks from the indoor party place I was beginning to calm down, and just as I sighed in relief, relief that my journey was almost over, a FREAKIN idiot ran out into the road. He was crossing this crazy 4 lane mini hwy and as far as I could tell, he was oblivious to any motor vehicle zooming past him at 80 clicks!!! Can you say heart attack ! I just about had one.
Finally I pulled into the parking lot. I was a tad bit early, but trust me, at this point I didn't mind sitting and waiting in the car, nope, not one bit.
Pick up was successful. Trip home was perfectly, perfect. Marissa was put away (I got tired of her bossing me around).
I learned a lesson today: Read the map before you go! And Marissa and myself are no longer friends.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Family Movie Night
We have started this new thing: Family Movie Night. So far, kinda, so good. I know one day in the distant future we will all be sitting around the living room, with our massive flat screen TV, all eating popcorn, laughing at all the jokes in the movie, no one getting up to go pee, no one losing interest in the movie and pulling out the barbies, no one whining because their sister is being too loud, no baby trying to escape into the kitchen to get into who knows what, no parents falling asleep on the couch after a long day. It will be just pure quiet, concentrated movie watching!! Who am I kidding. There will never be a day like that in this house!! HAHA
Friday, April 2, 2010
101 Things
Do you ever get sent those emails where you have to fill out stuff about you and then send it to 10 friends or be cursed for life with bad luck or what have-yous. Well, I don't tend do to them. I enjoy reading them though. So for all the times that I received the emails and read about my friends and didn't send anything back, here are the goods. 101 random things about myself.
101. I am not a morning person
100. I have 3 kiddies
99. I have 1 husband
98. I have always wanted to fly on the trapeze
97. I am uber emotional
96. I wish I could wear flip flops all year round
95. I would die without cheese!
94. My favourite colour is purple
93. Vomit makes me vomit
92. I don't enjoy the constant cartoons that are on my TV
91. I am very shy
90. I hate the way sand feels on my feet
89. My shoe size is 9, but I squeeze into 8 1/2
88. I wish I could sing.
87. My favourite soda is Dr. Pepper, but I never drink it.
86. I would love to be on the reality show Big Brother
85. I cannot ice skate
84. I hate, hate, hate spiders
83. At night I sometimes think there are monsters under my bed
82. I wish I could dress up more
81. I lack creativity in the kitchen.
80. I hate driving over bridges
79. I think diamonds are beautiful, but over rated
78. Flowers and plants don't stand a chance in my house or garden
77. I have brown eyes
76. I hate bees and wasps...like really, I usually run from them
75. I prefer tea
74. I have never had a speeding ticket
73. 4 years of my life was devoted to the New Kids on the Block
72. I hate needles
71. I wish I had curly hair
70. I hate doing dishes
69. I have had the same best friend for nearly 17 years!
68. I think a dishwasher is a must
67. I get seasick
66. I don't want to be rich and famous, Just rich!
65. I believe in Karma
64. I am a fast typer (thank you grade 9 type class)
63. My very first concert was Bryan Adams
62. I have re gifted (shame on me)
61. I hate carving pumpkins for Halloween, slimy yuck!
60. I laugh at myself all the time
59. I laugh at others all the time
58. I hate having my seat kicked by kiddies while at a movie
57. I don't really like computers
56. I LOVE perfume
55. I hate the smell that rain leaves on a warm summer day
54. Team Edward
53. I would like to read more
52. I do not enjoy roller coasters
51. I enjoy my job
50. I am nearly 30 and so far, kinda OK with it
49. I speak 2.5 languages (Spanish is not so hot since high school)
48. I am considered a slow driver by my family as I drive the speed limit
47. I hate the taste of beer
46. I do not like clothing reminiscent of the 70's.
45. I wish I was on time more often
44. I don't care about designer labels
43. I wish I could have a massage everyday
42. I love lip balm
41. I always pull over for a passing ambulance
40. My car always seems messy
39. I think every cop car that I pass will turn around and bust me for something
38. I think I am running out of random facts about me
37. I want to learn to scuba dive, but in a pool. *see fact #36
36. I think I will be eaten by a shark if I swim too deep in the ocean
35. I do not enjoy doing puzzles
34. I miss good customer service (have not seen any in years)
33. I LOVE playing crib with my grandma, but don't get to do it often enough
32. Taking the kids to the beach is very relaxing for me
31. I wish I had a bigger house, with a bigger yard, and a bigger closet
30. I complain too much (I think)
29. I love watching my kiddies at swimming lessons
28. I am a sucker for reality TV
27. I know CPR, but fear I will forget it in an emergency
26. I embarrass my 8 year old when I sing in the car, and I love it!!
25. I always think I should be prepared in case of a natural disaster, but never do anything about it
24. I love Pizza
23. I hate pulling my children's loose teeth out
22. I get nervous if being followed too close by another car while driving
21. I find teenage girls slightly annoying if they are in large groups
20. I wish I could pick and choose my children's friends (this alas cannot be)
19. I have a lucky number
18. I enjoy reading about the messed up celebrity world
17. I think it is wayyyy to expensive to go out to the movies these days
16. If I was a super hero, my talent would be flying
15. I wish my teeth were whiter
14. I almost always feel cold
13. I want to take a cooking class
12. I will tell it how I see it (usually)
11. I take lots of things personally
10. I enjoy grocery shopping immensely
9. I hate, hate, hate driving in snow
8. I dislike fake people
7. I love camping (must have toilet facilities)
6. I like to vacuum
5. I hate watching commercials (PVR baby)
4. I wish I had taken art class in junior high instead of band
3. I used to hate avocados until I had my second child, now I love them.
2. I am an excellent reader of body language
1. I love my life!
101. I am not a morning person
100. I have 3 kiddies
99. I have 1 husband
98. I have always wanted to fly on the trapeze
97. I am uber emotional
96. I wish I could wear flip flops all year round
95. I would die without cheese!
94. My favourite colour is purple
93. Vomit makes me vomit
92. I don't enjoy the constant cartoons that are on my TV
91. I am very shy
90. I hate the way sand feels on my feet
89. My shoe size is 9, but I squeeze into 8 1/2
88. I wish I could sing.
87. My favourite soda is Dr. Pepper, but I never drink it.
86. I would love to be on the reality show Big Brother
85. I cannot ice skate
84. I hate, hate, hate spiders
83. At night I sometimes think there are monsters under my bed
82. I wish I could dress up more
81. I lack creativity in the kitchen.
80. I hate driving over bridges
79. I think diamonds are beautiful, but over rated
78. Flowers and plants don't stand a chance in my house or garden
77. I have brown eyes
76. I hate bees and wasps...like really, I usually run from them
75. I prefer tea
74. I have never had a speeding ticket
73. 4 years of my life was devoted to the New Kids on the Block
72. I hate needles
71. I wish I had curly hair
70. I hate doing dishes
69. I have had the same best friend for nearly 17 years!
68. I think a dishwasher is a must
67. I get seasick
66. I don't want to be rich and famous, Just rich!
65. I believe in Karma
64. I am a fast typer (thank you grade 9 type class)
63. My very first concert was Bryan Adams
62. I have re gifted (shame on me)
61. I hate carving pumpkins for Halloween, slimy yuck!
60. I laugh at myself all the time
59. I laugh at others all the time
58. I hate having my seat kicked by kiddies while at a movie
57. I don't really like computers
56. I LOVE perfume
55. I hate the smell that rain leaves on a warm summer day
54. Team Edward
53. I would like to read more
52. I do not enjoy roller coasters
51. I enjoy my job
50. I am nearly 30 and so far, kinda OK with it
49. I speak 2.5 languages (Spanish is not so hot since high school)
48. I am considered a slow driver by my family as I drive the speed limit
47. I hate the taste of beer
46. I do not like clothing reminiscent of the 70's.
45. I wish I was on time more often
44. I don't care about designer labels
43. I wish I could have a massage everyday
42. I love lip balm
41. I always pull over for a passing ambulance
40. My car always seems messy
39. I think every cop car that I pass will turn around and bust me for something
38. I think I am running out of random facts about me
37. I want to learn to scuba dive, but in a pool. *see fact #36
36. I think I will be eaten by a shark if I swim too deep in the ocean
35. I do not enjoy doing puzzles
34. I miss good customer service (have not seen any in years)
33. I LOVE playing crib with my grandma, but don't get to do it often enough
32. Taking the kids to the beach is very relaxing for me
31. I wish I had a bigger house, with a bigger yard, and a bigger closet
30. I complain too much (I think)
29. I love watching my kiddies at swimming lessons
28. I am a sucker for reality TV
27. I know CPR, but fear I will forget it in an emergency
26. I embarrass my 8 year old when I sing in the car, and I love it!!
25. I always think I should be prepared in case of a natural disaster, but never do anything about it
24. I love Pizza
23. I hate pulling my children's loose teeth out
22. I get nervous if being followed too close by another car while driving
21. I find teenage girls slightly annoying if they are in large groups
20. I wish I could pick and choose my children's friends (this alas cannot be)
19. I have a lucky number
18. I enjoy reading about the messed up celebrity world
17. I think it is wayyyy to expensive to go out to the movies these days
16. If I was a super hero, my talent would be flying
15. I wish my teeth were whiter
14. I almost always feel cold
13. I want to take a cooking class
12. I will tell it how I see it (usually)
11. I take lots of things personally
10. I enjoy grocery shopping immensely
9. I hate, hate, hate driving in snow
8. I dislike fake people
7. I love camping (must have toilet facilities)
6. I like to vacuum
5. I hate watching commercials (PVR baby)
4. I wish I had taken art class in junior high instead of band
3. I used to hate avocados until I had my second child, now I love them.
2. I am an excellent reader of body language
1. I love my life!
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