Category: Blog Spot

I really needed to get out of the house today…kid free! I put on my big girl panties (and mask) and said, “I got this!” I have a few returns from during quarantine. I felt like I could knock it all out in one day and then start the 14 day clock (yes, I am that paranoid)! I went INTO Michael’s for 2 things, store pick-up and a return. I tried the return first, no go. They can no longer look you up by your phone number. I needed my receipt from a couple months back and no, the emailed received will not suffice. Really? Really? I would have to call Customer Service for a reprinted receipt. I walked out of there with the return AND NO STORE PICK-UP ITEMS! I was so upset I forgot all about reason number 2 for being there. Ugh! Well, I ain’t going back in there!

Fine! That just happened! Let’s get Target’s return and drive-up out of the way. I must’ve crossed that parking lot and had to wait for allllll of these folks to cross the street in and out of the store. I mean, there were A LOT of people all willy nilly like it’s the norm. Not my norm! I decided to sit in a parking spot and wait for my drive-up order instead. The return is still on the front seat of my car! Better luck in 14 days…Maybe!

Sooooooo…after a year and a month of waiting, Syd is finally going to get two front teeth!! We were worried the doctor was going to have to force them out, which would make for one cranky kid, but the late bloomers are starting to show up. It’s bittersweet. I am happy she will no longer talk like Elmer Fudd, but I will miss the young-ness in her voice when she did. And oh how I’ll miss the snaggletooth little girl. Syd pointed out today that another tooth is loose. The one thing I won’t miss…the tooth fairy only having $5s and no $1s whilst these teeth keep dropping like flies! The tooth fairy is going to need a stimulus package or bail out in a minute!

The fort came! It’s a Crazy Fort. There are no pictures. Needless to say, that expensive plastic I just bought is going back. I don’t know what sheet they claim you can drape over it, but it will not support ours. It glowed in the dark and everything. I was just about to regain my Mother of the Year trophy…NOPE! Better luck next time! I guess I need to spy a pop up tent. To be continued…

Edited…I found a picture!

Soooooooooooo…I’m not going to get the mother of the year award!

My minions decided to build a fort a few nights ago. They used every chair, chip clip, heavy cubby, and blanket they could get their hands on. Viola! A fort!

Today, in my quest to clean the house, I was going to vacuum too. I asked the girls if they were done and if so, gather the blankets. The big kid said she’s done. The little kid said nothing. They BOTH moved the chairs and put the blankets in a pile. It must’ve finally sunk in that the fort was GONE GONE! That little one cried…the ugly cry…for 30 minutes straight AT LEAST! She wrote me a note to let me know just how upset she was. There was no consoling her. “We can’t build another one. It just won’t be the same. Cadence made it perfect. A new one just isn’t the same.” Her life will never be the same. She’s no longer happy. Nothing…will…do! She wants nothing to do with me!

In true mommy fashion, I took to Amazon. A glow in the dark fort with lights will be here tomorrow. It will be interesting to see if she accepts my peace offering. I really just wanted to vacuum…that’s all!

Once the hubby and I get started on something, it is so hard for us to focus on anything else. We keep it spicy by talking about what we’d each like to see in the basement. It’s all good until he likes something that my brain does not compute…like brown floors with gray walls. My brain…does…not…compute! This led us to take a trip out today. Yeah, I know…it’s July 4th! AND? Like I said, when we get started on something…

Floor & Decor, here we come! We found 4 options that we wanted to give a chance to wow us. We picked one, but we won’t make a final decision until some more samples come in the mail from Lumber Liquidators. Which one would you choose?

In true Kawandra fashion, I found another house project…THE BASEMENT! Now, it was always in the cards to finish the basement “one day,” but pre-COVID that day would have come after the kids moved out. So, here we are!

After staining the stairs, it was hard not to look at the basement with disgust. Like, ewww, the rest of the space just doesn’t match the beauty it took to get here. Since the next step was electrical, we asked a good friend and neighbor for his assistance. Because he and his family are so awesome, we were able to borrow him for a few days. He and my hubby went to work. Let me tell you…light never looked SO GOOD!

Soooooo…I understand my memory will run away at some point in my “young” age, but is there word on when it will return? I really miss the days where I could pin point a conversation, down to the clothes I was wearing. For some time now, I will tell the girls to do (or not do) something. They will follow suit, but at some point I forget. I get the, “but you said I could!” I used to not believe them because they are, uhhhh, kids. Here lately, though, they are right. My big one came in and said, “Can I have device time now?” Before “NO!” rolled off of my tongue she said, “but you said I could after I showered.” I guess she can go play Roblox now, but I am going to sit here for the next 15 minutes and run back when I said that. I need to get a handle on this quickly because if she sees my weakness too often she will start capitalizing on it. #IsItJustMe?

Believe it or not, this blog has been in the making for over a year. I needed a way to share with the world what life looks like from where I sit. From all of the good, the not so good, and everything in between, this will be my way of purging…reflecting…sharing…and remembering. It took just one text from a special friend to jump start my engine. I hope you all enjoy the ride you are about to go on because…

I really should go somewhere and sit down!

At about 430p, I excitedly told the hubby, “I should stain the basement stairs!” I had no game plan, just an end goal. I had stain, but no idea how much was left or if the color would work for me. I did know two things: I had to sand (dislike) and the project would take me the rest of the night. I powered up the sanding tool (no princess here) and went to work! Every part of me was covered in wood dust. I kept my eye on the prize. I tested out two stains…”HATED IT!” Then, my hubby (holding out on me), says, “I should have some old gel stain from when I made the dice trays for the guys. I don’t know how well gel stain will work for the stairs, but…” Really, dude? So, after sanding off the stain tests, I went to work. I was in LOVE! I didn’t even care that I failed to put gloves on. These chocolate brown, almost black, hands were getting it done! A few touch-ups and sealing will be required, but sweet baby Jesus…these steps LOOK GOOD! See for yourself!

We decided to venture out for another trip for lunch and a couple of store pick-ups. During these COVID times, it is hard to not go stir crazy being in the house all of the time, especially for the kids. As part of the “leaving the house” process, I ask both girls to potty before we go. I usually get, “But I don’t have to go.” I make them go anyway. See, that little one will say that and then go pee a gallon when I make her go. I don’t have time for public restrooms during this time. The kids haven’t seen the inside of a store since March 13th…their last day of in-school learning.

We get out, get our lunch, and are headed for store pick-ups. Then, it happened!!! I hear the words that I don’t like to hear during non-COVID times, let alone NOW! Right now, right now! “Mommy, I have to go boo boo!” SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA! My reaction, “Are you sure? Why didn’t you go before we left? Can you hold it? Wait, do I even have seat covers? OMG! OMG! WE GOTTA GO HOME!” I had to take a second and breathe. As luck would have it, I had a pack of seat covers in my mommy-sized purse. I came to my senses and said, “Let’s head into Target so you can potty. You shouldn’t hold it…but DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING!” I prepped those toilet covers in the car. We masked up and strategically ventured in like there were laser alarms all over. We cannot fall victim to this virus. Not on my watch!

Now, ordinarily, Syd is in and out. She is what I’d like to call, an efficient handler of business! Not today! Today I must have scared it away by my reaction and wanting her to hold it. Nevertheless, she was successful in her adventure. We scrubbed up and strategically ventured out the same way we ventured in…like there were laser alarms all over. I was sweating, but mission was accomplished!

Now Syd, don’t do that sugar to me ever again!