The Toy Box Years: Not Me

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.

I did NOT allow my 15-month old to play with chopsticks in PF Changs just to keep her quiet so that I could have a few minutes to ~~gulp~~ eat my lunch in peace.

The next morning, I did NOT panic and think that Nudgie had worms when I changed her diaper and saw stringy things in her diaper. I did NOT remember that she ate all the bamboo shoots from my lunch at PF Changs the day before -- therefore turning them into a quasi-worm filled diaper.

I did NOT suppress my laughter when I heard Nani declare that she was "going to the doctor to get a baby like mommy did". She has NOT been dragging around a ratty toy dog and calling it her "baby".

I was NOT incredibly disappointed that I had to miss a dear friend's Pampered Chef launch on Saturday due to two little girls having the sniffles and slight fevers. Nani did NOT milk that one for all it was worth.

I did NOT have an anxiety attack in the middle of Safeway when it hit me that my mother was coming for a visit and that I really needed to get home and get my house in order. I'm really still NOT that little girl who desperately seeks her mother's approval.

I did NOT cry my eyes out when I had to take My Marine to the airport. It did NOT break my heart to hear Nani say to My Marine, I'll miss you daddy and pray for you every night. And afterwards, I did NOT look like a dermatological nightmare with swollen eyes and red splotches all over my face and neck. I am ALWAYS the model wife - composing myself and holding in my emotions when it comes to saying goodbye to My Marine.

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.

It's been awhile since I participated in a Not Me! Monday! I have to admit that I have missed it! I really haven't been keeping track this week, but I do have two Not Me's! that I will share for all to read!

This past Friday, My Marine, drove 5 hours to meet his best friend who was visiting our beautiful state. He was going to be spending the night and then drive back home the next morning. I was thoroughly excited about having ~~the remote~~ an evening to myself. I chose my movie, put on comfy jammies, made some popcorn and curled up under a blanket to watch a movie. I guess I was really involved in the movie...so involved that I didn't realize that I really made a mess of the popcorn. So, after the movie, I go up to bed and start to do my bedtime routine. As I'm preparing for bed, I feel a lump through my bra. I DID NOT immediately panic....thinking the worst. I DID NOT feel like a fool when I took off my jammie top and bra, and watched as half a bowl of popcorn fell out. I DID NOT still do a quick self-check.....and realize that the "lump" I felt was indeed half the bowl of popcorn that had dropped down my shirt. I DID NOT say a quick prayer of thanks and then decide that I needed to take a lesson from 14-month old Nudgie who is learning to feed herself -- SLOW DOWN!

My 2nd Not Me! happened last week after I met a friend for coffee. We left the Starbucks with only a few minutes to head over to pick up Nani at preschool. To save time, I DID NOT strap Nudgie into Nani's car seat, which is right behind the driver's seat. As we're driving along and I DID NOT look into the rear view mirror to talk to Nudgie - only to see that she's not in her car seat. I DID NOT slam on the brakes - nearly causing a 3-car pile up behind me - and go into panic mode because my first thought is that I left my baby at Starbucks! Then, I DID NOT hear Nudgie's sweet giggle and baby babble from behind my seat and THEN remember that I switched car seats. I DID NOT feel like the worst mom ever!

I AM NOT looking forward to a new week ahead!