Mommin' It Up!

September 30, 2014September 29, 2014

I’m Kind of a Cruncher Now, FYI

A while back, Green BEAN Delivery asked me if I wanted to review a bin, and I kind of half-heartedly said “OK”. It’s not that I didn’t want to try fresh, organic produce delivered to my door, it’s just that I thought I’d never-in-my-life actually pay for it myself. Guess what? I was TOTALLY WRONG.

Turns out I totally LOVE having fresh, organic produce delivered to my door and I think it’s totally worth the $35! Truly, no one was more surprised than me! Here’s what I love about it:

I pick what’s in the bin. Green Bean sends me an email and I customize what I want in my bin. You can see prices and pictures of what you’re getting and you just clicky clicky and pick out what you want delivered. The minimum order is $35 but you can order more if you want.
Everything tastes awesome. We have loved EVERYTHING we’ve gotten, from apples to avocados to cilantro to corn on the cob.
I don’t have to leave the house to get it. IT COMES TO MY DOOR. Now that I work from home, my time is money more than ever before. Not having to spend time + gas at the grocery store is definitely saving me money.
It’s organic and good for us!
Thanks to Green BEAN Ohio, I can pick some items from local farms. WIN!

Here are some of my most recent Green Bean goodies!

produce haul — Such a variety: red onion, red potatoes, pomegranate, avocado, pear, garlic, and celery.

Here’s a lovely lunch I made myself with my bounty:

Little known fact: I’m a great lover of the chopped salad.

I honestly couldn’t be happier with Green Bean Delivery; since my first box, I’ve ordered 4 more! That’s another thing I like about it, once you sign up, you can pick when you have your deliveries, so if you’re going to be out of town or you just don’t need a delivery that week, you can suspend orders until you’re ready to get them again. LOVE IT!

If you’ve been wondering about Green Bean Delivery, here’s a chance to try it at a discount! If you use the coupon code 15MIUml, you will get $15 off your first bin! Hurry, the code expires one week from today: October 7, 2014.

Thanks Green Bean Delivery, for letting my try out your service and for your continued great service!

Have you tried Green Bean Delivery? If so, leave me a comment and let me know what YOU like about it!

September 29, 2014September 28, 2014

My Life is a Meme

So the other day I came across this internet gold: 34 Hilarious Photos of Kids Losing it Over Nothing. You should check it out because it’s hysterical! But as soon as I posted it and shared it with all my friends…Jonah began to adapt his behavior to fit the meme AND IT’S NOT AS FUNNY WHEN YOU’RE LIVING IT!

Yesterday when I picked him up from Sunday School, the teacher was all, “He’s so sweet! He’s so good! I bet you just smile at him all day!” And I was like “Aww, I’m so glad you enjoyed him.”

Fast forward to one hour later when he threw a giant fit at lunch because…

Then he had a pleasant afternoon with my brother and SIL at Aunt Bethie’s house of fun while we were at a wedding, but 12 seconds after we walked in the door to our house, he was all writhing like a psycho on the kitchen floor because…

So basically, I have a #threenager on my hands. I hope he has a better day today…but if he doesn’t…I will make sure to take and caption photographs of his meltdowns for your viewing pleasure. I’m just that giving.

September 26, 2014

When Your Children Hurt Your Feelings

Tuesday the big kids had an early dismissal. As a work from home mom, early dismissals are my kryptonite. What complicates things even more is that our school’s early dismissals are always on Tuesdays. At 1:00. Jonah has speech on Tuesdays. At 1:15.

I can’t get from school to speech in 15 minutes, so I have to make elaborate plans to get my kids taken care of on these days. Happily, this past Tuesday, the mom we carpool with was able to take them to another friend’s house nearby after school, where I could pick them up after speech at 2:15.

The big kids were SUPER excited to be going to their friend’s house. Win-win, right? I told them they would only be there about an hour, maybe a little less. I told them I would be there to pick them up about 2:15.

Speech ran a little late, so I actually arrived at 2:20. When I got there, I looked through the glass door and Joshua was sitting right there, 3 feet away from me on the couch, playing Minecraft or Terraria or something ridiculous like that with his buddy. He looked up and saw me and Jonah standing there.

The look on his face when he saw me was pure disgust.

It reminded me of that Michael Douglas line from “A Perfect Murder”. That’s not happiness to see me, is it?

I walked in the house, and immediately it started.

“Mom, why are you here already?”

“This is when I told you I’d be here.”

“Why can’t I stay?”

I offered up a few reasons. (Like, you know, maybe this family has plans and they need me to get my kids the heck out of their house.)

He had answers for all of them. Indignant, angry.

“I’m serious. WHY can’t I stay?” He was so mad, so disrespectful. In front of his friend. I thanked God that his friend’s mom wasn’t in the room and I tried to control my anger. “Go get your sister.” I said in a low voice.

Sophie came into the room. “ALREADY???” she half-whined/half-yelled.

I calmly informed both kids that the needed to shut their mouths and get their shoes on or a serious punishment would follow. We made our exit. I was enraged and humiliated at their ungratefulness and about the disrespect they showed me in front of their friends.

When we got home, I sat them down on the couch, told them what they did wrong and what their punishment would be. I had tears in my eyes and I explained to them how their treatment of me made me feel. So much wailing ensued. Wailing but no apologies. I sent them away from my presence. I was exhausted. Exhausted from being hurt by them, exhausted from having to control myself. Because let me tell you: screaming and yelling and hitting are not the right choices, but they are cathartic. Controlling yourself? Is exhausting.

Great angst ensued in the house. Eventually, a couple hours later, each came to me separately and apologized. Forgiveness was extended, though no clemency from punishment. But the rest of my day was shot. I often respond to emotional stress in a physical way, and I. Was. Spent. Just exhausted. I know I’ve used that word ad nauseum, but that’s what I was. Completely tapped out. I sat in my recliner with my laptop and tried to work and keep my eyes open.

Of course by the time Daddy came home at 7, all was cheerful. The kids found things to do and play within the confines of their punishment and decided life would go on. I made some coffee and tried to perk up. We had an ok evening.

But that look of disgust on Joshua’s face when he saw me played over and over in my mind. I guess I feel like neither of them was really sorry. I’m not ready to believe that next time will be any different. I guess we’ll see.

It’s just really tough when your kids hurt your feelings, and my skin is not so thick where they are concerned.