The Toy Box Years: Not Me! Monday

The Creators of the Toy Box Years

The creators of the Toy Box Years are my two beautiful daughters and wonderful, handsome soldier husband.

"Nani" (our oldest) is a 11 year old 6th grader who loves Taylor Swift, ballet, books, fashion designing and sewing. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and it changes daily to anything from "an artist" to "a teacher" to "a singer/dancer". Nani is also currently fighting a battle against brain cancer -- recently diagnosed in June 2016.

"Nudgie" (our youngest) is a very smiley, very happy, very giggly, very spirited 8 year old 3rd Grader who's favorite toys are anything that gives mommy an anxiety attack - ladders, stepstools, the climbing wall at the playground. Like her sister, she has a love of reading and coloring, loves gymnastics and still provides mommy lots of snuggle time!

"My Marine" is my high school sweetheart. We've been married over 20 years and met when we were 17. (You do the math....) His favorite toys are Blackhawk helicopters, the lawnmower, our steam cleaner, and microbrew beer bottles. My husband is also my hero in that he proudly serves his country as a Blackhawk crew chief (hence his favorite toy!). And need I say that there is nothing hotter than my man in uniform!

All About Me......

Once upon a time I had a career and worked in the corporate world. Once upon a time, I dreamed about leaving that all behind to follow my true calling -- being a wife and mommy.

The first part of my calling was fulfilled in 1995 when I married my Marine (now soldier) and my love. Little did I know that being a military wife would change me in so many ways and that because of that, I would have an extended family all over the world from Japan, to California, to North Carolina.

The second part of my calling took a little doing, but I finally achieved that dream in 2004 with the birth of our first child, followed 4 years later by her baby sister.

So now, when someone asks me what I do for a living - I simply smile and say proudly that I'm following my calling - I'm a mommy and a wife -- and I couldn't be HAPPIER -- I'm living in the Toy Box Years!!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Here's how the past week went here....

I did not lose my "blog virginity" by starting my first ever blog this past week. I did not stay up all hours of the night adding buttons, links, pictures, and widgets. I did not continually look at my blog over and over to see how many hits I got.

I did not totally overspend when it came to buying matching outfits for the girls for our trip back East at the end of the month. They really do not need to look adorably cute in matching blue & white checkered tops with matching capris. They really did not need the matching blue plaid dresses or the matching Old Navy 2-pc. capri sets. I really do not love having girls and all of the adorable outfits that are out there to choose from. I will never shop for them again.

I did not give my husband a hard time all weekend about buying meat out of the back of truck on Friday night. (See "The Meat Man Cometh" post from Saturday). I did not agree to grill said meat for Sunday's dinner.

I did not plan out a detailed to-do list for the week. I did not color-code everything by family member. I am not obessesive-compulsive about keeping my to-do list and Daytimer with me at all times.

I did not make yet another trip to the bookstore to buy yet another spiritual/religion book. I did not spend over an hour looking at all the book piles throughout my house and mutter that I still have nothing to read.

Who promised her husband that now that she started blogging she would never post such honest things about their family life for all to see -- NOT ME!

By the way, make sure you head on to http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ and check out MckMama's site!! I certainly DID NOT immediately fall in love with this awesome momma and her family!