Sunday, December 11, 2011

nina pea's birthday!

Today is Nina's (my mother's) birthday and she's 49 again! It freaks me out that I have two teenaged daughter peas, but my own mother has two teenaged *grand*daughter peas!

Last night, McKinney held their downtown Parade of Lights, which was so cool and homey. Abby Pea was in the Nutcracker float promoting the dance studio and recital next weekend. The reason I tell you all of this is because Abby Pea and I had a spat beforehand. A big spat.

Every time there is a big performance or big anything that has to do with dance, Abby Pea gets a little...testy. Yes, that's a nice way to put it. She likes to argue with me on a regular basis anyway, but when she's being "testy," there is no getting her to see anything in a different way.

For exampea-le, she had her full ballet costume on, shoes, bun, makeup...the works. She looked like she was about to go on stage. Which is exactly how Queen Pea thought she should look! I had made the most beautiful bun on her, quite a feat if you have ever tried to make a flat, perfect bun with long, thick hair. (You can be jealous of her hair; it's beautiful and I want it!)

Abby Pea wanted to take the awesome bun down and wear her goofy owl toboggan. Not the pea-rettiest with her lovely blue, velvet tutu. So, I have some really nifty earmuffs I wear when I run. (Haha, which is never anymore!) You can hardly see them and they fit perfectly without messing up the bun.

This was not in her plans, however! We seriously argued over earmuffs. Yes, earmuffs. How ridiculous! It made me remember how much I argued with my mom. I know I said and did horrible things when I was a teenager. Ugh! I was so mean! And I argued with her, not because she was wrong; just to argue with her! Like I told Abby Pea yesterday, "Even if Jesus agreed with me, you would still disagree!"

And then after the argument, I felt horrible! And I know that she is stubborn and strong-willed! Just like me, just like Nina, and just like Nonny. I told her how awful I was to my own mom. And I remember when my mom told me she argued with her mom and couldn't even stand her when she was a teenager. I thought, "Nonny?! My Nonny?! She's the most awesome woman on the planet!"

I hope Abby Pea thinks, "Nina?! My Nina?! She's the most awesome woman on the planet!" I never realized how much my mother loved me until I had Abby. I just pray that Abby will realize how much I love her when she has her own daughter pea. Many, many years from now! :)

Happy birthday, Nina Pea! I love you and hope you have a fabulous 49th year!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

dirty dogs

I think I want to humanely euthanize my dogs. Not really. If you know me at all, you know I am a sucker for dogs! I love them all, in every shape, size, and hair length! But my dogs got in T-R-O-U-B-L-E yesterday! After Anne Pea got in trouble first, however.

It all started on my way home from work....
(Doodly-doot, doodly-doot, doodly-doot)

How it was supposed to go:
Leave work at precisely 5:00 p.m.
Arrive in McKinney at 5:30.
Pick up Abby Pea at Claire's at 5:35.
Pick up Anne Pea at Hannah's at 5:45.
Get home to let dogs out and let Abby change by 5:50.
Leave house at 6:05 to take Abby to dance.
Arrive back home at 6:25 to Anne Pea supervising the dogs.
Begin dinner and live happily ever after (or at least until Abby must be picked up at 8:30).

How it *REALLY* went:
Leave work at precisely 5:00 p.m.
Arrive in McKinney at 5:30.
Pick up Abby Pea at Claire's at 5:35.
Drive around Hannah's neighborhood for 20 minutes whilst calling Anne Pea 15 times, leaving one voice mail.
Pass Hannah's house six times without knowing it.
Lecture Abby Pea (she's the one in the car with me) about how this is the reason to answer the phone when Mom Pea calls. Always.
Leave Anne Pea to annoy Hannah's family for a while.
Arrive home at 5:55 and have ten minutes to let the dogs out and let Abby change. 
Actually watch both dogs do their duty, or doodie. This is important for later in the story. Meanwhile, receive call from Anne Pea explaining new phone is broken and no calls or texts can go in or out.
Leave house at 6:10 to drive like Danica Pea-atrick to the dance studio. 
Throw oldest pea out of the car (she rolls really well from a car moving at 45 mph) in the parking lot as not to be late to class.
Head back to pick up Anne Pea while realizing I'm running on fumes (driving around a neighborhood for an unplanned 20 minutes has ruined my plan to drive to work on fumes the next morning and get gas at lunch at the last possible minute; so I hate pumping gas, sue me).
Pick up Anne Pea.
Proceed to berate her all the way home for not thinking to call from another phone sooner (there's a 98% chance friend has a phone, too) and/or waiting outside friend pea's house. (Hello?!? I drove by there six times! I would have seen you!)
Arrive back at the house and walk into a garbage dump. Literally.
Dogs decided while I was gone for less than 20 minutes that it would be a terrific time to inspect the bottom of the garbage can. And everything in between them and the bottom of the can on the way down. 
Did I mention one of them pea-ooped in the floor? Icing on the garbage?
Yell, curse, and basically have a full on Tourette syndrome breakdown (flailing and kicking the air were optional but complimentary). 
Pick up garbage with Anne Pea while discussing the probability of humane euthanasia (I think I could pay our vet enough money; Teddy's lived quite a long, full life after all. Georgia, well, it was good while it lasted.)
Get a phone call from King Pea after calming down a bit. Explain entire story behind dogs' impending deaths. Get asked why all phone calls from me are negative and all include "bitching." (It's called venting, duh.)

As of today, I have reconsidered. The dogs have been spared. This time....


Our ragamuffin, Teddy. He needs a haircut! And a bath. (He's kind of stinky.)


Abby Pea and Georgia. Don't be fooled by that sweet, sad looking face. She's a brat! And so is Georgia! ;)

Monday, December 5, 2011

fifteen years and counting

King Pea and I are coming up on our 15th anniversary. I know, it gives me heart palpitations. I did learn from my Sweet Tina that the 15th anniversary's present is Metal Chicken. So, I now have less than nine days to find a big metal chicken! (Read the story of the chicken here. It made me laugh so hard I cried!)


He may not get a giant metal chicken, or anything for that matter. We don't usually celebrate our anniversary until February (tax refund!). We're pinching pennies this time of year! 


Wow. 15 years. I can't believe it! I was just telling Abby how we met and fell in love the other day. It seems like it was not that long ago! Yet, I feel like I've known him forever! And we still have our "young" moments. Why, just today I accidentally sent Anne a naughty text that was meant for him. Whoops! (She claims she didn't "get it!" Not buying it, however. It wasn't that naughty, I swear.)


Tonight, he made supper for the family. Chicken soft tacos (I ate black beans on mine instead of chicken. I'm a semi-vegetarian.). I think I'll keep him around for a while! 


Oh, we have our issues. We probably argue at least every other day. Don't think he's all that, ladies! 


Now, if he'll take Abby to dance tonight, pick me up some saline, and fill my car with gas, then he may just get some, à la text!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

thankfulness

I am so late with updating my blog! So much has happened in the last couple weeks! We've had ups and downs, and been all over the place! Well, at least the state of Texas!

Abby Pea has had a roller coaster ride lately. Her Christmas recital is coming up, which means "The Nutcracker." We all thought she was a shoe in for the Arabian solo! We even sent her home...on a plane...by herself...to get home in time for an audition! The Saturday after Thanksgiving! She had to cut her holiday short, AND...

...She didn't get the solo! It broke her heart and mine! She is however, in a great piece and will be beautiful and wonderful!

Now, Abby Pea just needs to get her Spanish grade in line! :)


Anne Pea has just been a terrible, rotten girl! Just kidding! She's as mellow and easy going as ever! She's making straight A's and she's just about pea-erfect! She gets a little sassy here and there, but I'm not complaining! She was a great passenger on our drive home from Hale Center. It was just the two of us and it was splendid! 


King Pea...he's been working his tail off, if peas had tails! He worked through the Thanksgiving holiday so that he can be off for Christmas! We peas missed him terribly. His Mom and G.G. missed him (even his mother-in-law missed him)! 


So...the reason I am here! To let you know what Queen Pea is thankful for!


my iPhone
fluffy towels
my stinky dogs
television
computers
mustard
grapefruits


Okay, seriously...I am so thankful and blessed beyond measure! My cup runneth over! I am so thankful for our friends and family, and my friends who are family, and my family who are friends! I have the pea-rettiest daughters who are so extremely different and talented in their own ways. I thank God he let me be their Momma Pea! I am thankful for my King Pea who doesn't have enough time with his girlie peas, who works so hard for us, who always puts himself last, who holds and/or purchases purses, flowers, tutus, bows, ipods, rubber bands, lipstick, tote bags, boxes of feminine products, nail polish, straighteners, panties, and bottles of wine! And he sometimes brings us free food! :) 


And I am most thankful to God for blessing me with all of this! I know where my gifts come from, and I could never thank Him enough! 



We spent Thanksgiving Day with Jon's mom and her husband, Gary. It was great to see them and visit our hometown (okay, not MY hometown, per se, but the rest of my Peas'!)