Wiping my way up the corporate ladder

Thankful Monday.


No media for 2 days?
What was I thinking?
Seriously.
I must admit failure.

Why is it that something I was without for so long- way back in '07, before Internet graced the cables wrapped so ungracefully around my house- was so hard to once again not have- even for a measly 48 hours?

Through my husband's work, we have lap tops at our beckon call. There are 3 in the house right now.
It seemed every time I passed through my family room, they were taunting me. You know, like:
Camille, come to us....we are much more fun than dishes....or laundry........ we don't care if you stay in your pajamas all day. We will let your baby slobber on us.....we would love to waste untold amounts of your time......

So, of course, like the good, ambitious mother that I am, I snuck a few log-ins, checked a few blogs, perused a few fave sites and sent a few e-mails.

You all realize that the challenges I post each week are more for me, what I know I need to work on- not so much what I think all of the rest of you need. I am selfish like that.
I really needed this last one- but not necessarily so that I stop using the media- just to remind myself to prioritize a little better.
Why do I love blogging so much? My husband doesn't get it, but I think that I have finally figured it out.
Back in the day, I loved to go to work. I really did. It was fun. I thrived on the busy pace and in's and out's of the business world. There was always drama to hear about and new people to meet. I had great friends at work.
Ever since I joined the labor force as a teen, my social circles always included my co-workers. Meggan in high school. Amy in college. Debbie in my "career" days. Of course, I can't forget Lindsy, Breanne, Patty, Lori, Hillary........... you get the idea.
Then, I took an early retirement.....unfortunately, "retiring" at the age of 23 doesn't offer a pension plan........to be a stay-at-home-mom.
I moved across the state, and began my new life of seclusion with my children. And, don't get me wrong, I love it, and for me, staying home with my kids is very rewarding..... but I have missed the camaraderie of co-workers. Even after living in this area for 5 years, I still feel that my real friends are back home, the ones who I have experienced things with.

Voila. I discovered blogs. All of the sudden, I have co-workers again. Friends. Women out there doing amazing things in the corporate world and women doing amazing things in the home world. And, the best part is that we are all sharing it with each other- our feats, and our failures.

There are other women going through exactly the same things I am going through. We have the similar work hours. The pay scale is comparable (non-existent), there are unlimited available positions, and we all have the same glamorous duties of wiping.
Yes, that is right. Wiping.

I am thankful today, on the great Ponytail Challenge Thankful Monday, for you, my "co-workers" and of course, my wiping career. What is the job description of a Wiper you might ask- well.......'

The ability to wipe: poop, mud, (sometimes you are unsure of which), food, soap, and any other "smooshable" substance off of a variety of surfaces, including: skin, wood, walls, carpet, toys, leather, fabric, plastic or hair. If you are extremely skilled, the ability to wipe poop out of hair must be acknowledged, however, not monetarily rewarded. No further info available on this particular situation- which I surely have sent to my repressed memory.

So, co-workers: what are you thankful for today?
AND- what is your job description?

Front Stage in the Ugly Stage

For quite some time now I have had a theory about growing up. You should be familiar with the "ugly stage." Most of us endured this stage somewhere between ages 9-14. In some cases (mine), the stage lasted for that entire 5 year period.

Now, this is where the theorizing begins. You see, I think the current "let ourselves go" part of life is not our own fault. We are simply enduring another ugly stage. Mother Nature developed this long, long ago.

For example: When you pick up an elastic and find yourself reaching up to the top of your head in a hair slicking motion, it is not your fault! It is instinct.
When you pull those pajama pants on at night before bed and they stay on until the afternoon of the next day, it is instinct!

The point of this blog is to speed up the recovery process of this "stage". Since laughter is the best medicine, today's recovery will be in the form of cheap entertainment. Laugh my friends, laugh.
I am not asking for sympathy. I am quite proud of my ugly stage. In fact, I think I would happily win a contest for the best, (or would it be worst?), ugly stage.

Seriously though, what was I thinking?

.....like when I had permed bangs and the elastic belt stretching in the tummy (or is it stretching out the chub?).



.....or how about a year later, still with permed bangs, but with the addition of kinky hair and plaid.



....lets jump ahead to when I thought it was cool for a girl about to be in high school to walk llamas in the 4th of July parade with yes, once again plaid. (I remember planning this outfit for weeks. Yep, plaid- planned weeks in advance- as a teenager.)



Let us not forget how I forgot (at 10-years-old) to count the correct number of candles for this cake, so I drew the missing one on all of the pictures. There are those bangs again- without the perm- a mini mullet if you will.



Now, to solidify my standing in the ugly stage finals....the "rat tail." I know it is hard to see in the picture, so let me describe.
6th grade, one piece pants/shirt combo outfit with shoulder pads and a new shorter haircut- oh wait, they missed a spot. Nope, I, the 11-year-old beauty queen, requested that. It was braided each day and I also strung beads onto the end of the braid to match my wardrobe, especially the one piece wonder.



Now, I eagerly encourage you all to email in your own ugly stage photo (from childhood- time heals you know... I don't think my ego could handle laughing at today's ugly stage- check back in 5 years). If you do, it will be posted on the blog and we will have another fantastic prize drawing for the participants. If you don't- thats ok, I will just put more of mine up to entertain you all.

By the way...
I am sitting on my couch in plaid....pajama pants that is.....and they are green.... and they have a lot of holes.... where people shouldn't have holes..... and I have on a neon pink shirt.... that doesn't exactly fit the leftover just-had-a-baby love handles....at least I have on a bra.

Time to dream up the next challenge.