Random patriotic birthday thoughts

Tis a week for birthdays, I think.  Today my nephews turn 5.  I’m not sure how that’s possible.  And I’m also not that OK with it since it means next month their big sister will be 7 and three months from today my daughter will also be 5.  What in the world is going on?  How did that happen?! Along with my nephews, America celebrates its birthday this week.  I don’t feel nearly as nostalgic about America getting older as I do the kiddos.  I am thankful, though, for the country in which I live.  I am thankful for the country in which my children and my niece and nephews are growing up in.  It’s a bit of a different America than the one it was when I was a child, but it’s also very much the same.

As a journalist, one of my favorite things about this country is the whole free speech thing.  However, it is sometimes one of my least favorite parts as well just because I get to hear so many opinions and mindless thoughts that would be better off left unsaid many times.  Political and religious happenings this week have brought out the best and worst in people.  I’ve heard all sorts of opinions and thoughts.  I have my own opinions and thoughts, of course, but I don’t feel the need to enter the fray and noise of it all.

So, in honor of free speech, I offer some random thoughts from my head that have nothing to do with pretty much anything.  (And, in full disclosure, I’m running low on topic ideas at the moment.  So there!)

– I’m still marveling that the boys are 5 today.  That’s just not possible.

– I think I’m completely becoming a geek.  Last night my husband and I were discussing our upcoming vacation.  He mentioned that he’d like to visit a cave in the area sometime.  I told him it’d been years since I’d been in a cave and now it would remind me of the Underdark (a complete D&D reference thanks in great part to The Legend of Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore).

– I have a very long to-do list for today.  I’m making a decent dent in it thus far at least.

My new purse

– I bought a new purse yesterday for the first time in a couple of years. It’s nothing fancy, but I’m quite excited about it.  My daughter gave it rave reviews.  I like that about her at 4.  I know that will change in about 10 years, so I’m enjoying her constant support for now.

– I got my hair cut yesterday.  And when I say cut, I really mean trim.  I almost never make dramatic hair changes.  It freaks me out for some reason.  But, I’m happy enough with the trim.  And now I need to tweeze my eyebrows a bit since my bangs aren’t covering them so much.

– I need a vacation from getting ready for vacation.  And I’m not going to pretend that a vacation is nearly as relaxing now with a 1 and 4-year-old as it used to be before they were born.  But, that’s OK, too.

– I am thinking very seriously about having dinner out tonight since we have to get out for a trip to the drug store anyway.  I know.  Earth shattering information!

– About three weeks ago, I went for the second pedicure I’ve had in my life and got purple sparkly toes.  I quite enjoy purple sparkly anything.  One of my nine piggies got chipped, though.  Unsurprisingly, I had a huge amount of purple nail polish in my drawer to wade through and touch it up.  It now looks pretty much like the other nine toes and has bought me some time for redoing them.  Sweet!

– I decided not to buy my son a 4th of July shirt this year.  My daughter’s from last year still fits her.  My son, however, will be patriotic with Spider-man. I mean, superhero red and blue is pretty darn patriotic, right?  It is for my family!

– I am perplexed that it is 2014 and no one has come up with a good design for baby bibs to keep them in place and from being pulled off by determined toddlers.  I should come up with something and make a fortune.  But then again, I’m far from an inventor.

– My husband has a bag of rubber bands.  I thought it was party mix and got excited.  I may need a life.  Or a snack.  Or both.

– Sometimes I get an extra five minutes to myself before getting my son up from his nap or for the day simply by turning off the baby monitor.  (He’s happy and playing in his crib.  I’d be right in there if he were upset.)

– I realized earlier today that I had given my daughter expired children’s Benadryl when she was sick last week.  It was only expired by a few months, but I still feel bad about it.

– Speaking of expired, a few years ago I found a container of Parmesan cheese in my parents’ pantry that had expired something like six years before.  Evidently once I got married and moved out they didn’t go through very much Parmesan cheese.  This is still true and for my birthday in May, my mom sent me home with the small container she’d bought just for my birthday dinner.  What’s wrong with those people?  Who doesn’t love Parmesan cheese?!  I’m happy to report that though my husband doesn’t like it, my daughter has the same affinity for it that I do.

– I think I may talk about food too much when it comes to random thoughts I post on here.

– I’d better stop typing now and go get the boy out of his crib before he tries to jump out of it or something.  That kid.  He is going to give me a heart attack with all his daredevil attempts!

And thanks to living in the land of the free and the home of the brave, I can share these random thoughts freely without worry.  Happy birthday, America, on Friday!  I also need to call three little guys so their cousins and I can wish them a happy birthday today!