I've become one of those moms...

Yep, I'm getting old. Two things this past week have made it pretty clear that I've crossed the line.

1. I have gray hair - not just one or two, lots. It became very apparent when I parted my hair to put into a very sleek and modern ponytail (I can't do my hair worth a lick) and smack dab in the front was a small 'skunk patch' as I call it. Horrified, I tried to part my hair someplace else, that darn skunk patch was everywhere. You'd better believe I called to get my hair done.

2. I didn't buy Halloween candy, nor do I plan on buying any. I've not gone as far as handing out toothbrushes, but we are doing wax lips and some sticky, slimy eyeball things you throw against the wall. I bought mini granola bars for Randy to hand out at the office. I just couldn't do it for several reasons:

1. Mostly because I eat all the candy and I've been working hard at exercising. Last year, Halloween was the beginning of my downward spiral which bottomed out just after New Years, it got so bad that I had convinced myself that it was completely fashionable if I wore maternity pants for the rest of my life.

2. My kids eat enough junk anyway. Yes, my kids will still get Halloween candy from all the neighbors, but they really enjoyed the pencils and erasers they got last year.

3. I don't like sucker sticks or candy wrappers all over the floor. I REALLY hate half-eaten candy. Isn't it a problem when your kids have so much candy they don't even want to finish once piece before starting another? Talk about over-indulgent.

4. Ellie can't eat half the candy out there. You'd be surprised at how many things have wheat and gluten in them. Odd things. Which is another reason why we are doing the candy thing different this year - I can't have her getting into their candy and is it really fair for her to have to be relegated to the not as yummy stuff which consequently is mostly suckers - which I hate? So, the kids can eat all they want on Halloween night and the next day, after that, it all gets thrown away. I've made a little treat bag for Ellie so she can have some candy.

Lest you think I am a Halloween Grinch, I am planning on dressing up - I'll have to post pictures after, but I plan on wearing a costume to a party and something else to the kids' school on Friday.

One more thing - I'm not a health nut, I just ate a carrot cake cupcake and washed it down with Coke. Hypocrite, probably - but I'm the Mom.

Does it matter?

Now I'm not looking for hundreds of comments (or am I?:), but the thought of updating my blog, which is essentially a journal, is not the most appealing to me - no wonder why I stink at journal keeping. I mean, how interesting am I really? Nothing super exciting happens (minus our recent trip to China, pulling our kids out of school for a family vacation for a week, chasing down the H1S1 or whatever vaccine, etc.) Does anyone want to hear about another Mom blogging about her life? Do my kids want to read about it? Am I really that funny? Who knows... just feeling like it doesn't matter, three people read my blog (and I know it's not about the readership) and they all know these stories and what my kids look like.

Just some thoughts. Now I'm tired and I need to clean my office.

Why I have gray hair

One two year old who continually tries to exert her independence - mostly through refusing to take off her Halloween Costume I ordered (side note: confirming the fact I HATE glitter) which I'm sure will be in threads next week and throwing herself on the ground and going limp. Or, getting up as early as she wants and then refuses to go back to sleep, when I do, she sticks her finger up my nose and scratches. Visual: not pretty.

One six year old boy who refuses to get ready faster than a snail in the mornings. I think he finds secret joy with me getting so frustrated when he's eating breakfast or in the bathroom after everyone has been loaded into the car ready to go (and we're always running late as it is). I won't mention the times I've found him in the bathtub when we've been loaded ready to go places - just because he wants to take a bath.

One eight year old who misplaces everything. "Mom, where did my (you fill in the blank) go?" I must have super human radar abilities since he keeps asking me where things go I've never seen before.

One four year old who uses the "I don't feel very well" line a lot. Like in school so she gets sympathy. Or when she collapes on the soccer field because the ball goes past her and she didn't kick it and then screams out for all to hear, "Now I don't get to get an ice cream because I lost the ball" - like I'm some sort of obsessed soccer parent (BTW: I never told her anything about ice cream) and crumples into a heap and sobs. Coaches check on her, parents give her that sweet, "Oh, poor child" look and her mother - dragging her off the field for the 10th time with a screaming Ellie in a football hold in the other arm and telling her to "Cowboy Up". Probably doesn't do much to dissuade someone that I'm not a crazy sports obsessed parent. Mostly It's because I've already dealt with 2 boys who have to go to the bathroom...bad..and it's not the easy run to the trees type..a baby who throws all the contents out of my purse, it's hot, I've lugged all the chairs, blankets, and other paraphernalia to the game...realizing I look like a disheveled woman who has far to many kids for her abilities.

Seeing how fast they are growing up, I'll take gray hair any day.