365 Random Days of Team Zybko

Day # 71

December, 15 2011

Forgotten Days of Summer

Found this un-finished blog sitting very patiently in the EDIT POSTS section of my dashboard.



I'm pretty sure back in July or August I had something very meaningful to write about these pictures. Ya know, a truly memorable story the kids will want to tell their own little ones down the road.

"I love that one about Grandma!"

Tell it again!

Tell it again!

Tell it again!



As I sit here racking my brain, it's smack dab in the middle of December.

Nothings coming to me.

All I see is a funky picture of the pool water.

Dylan starring at his six pack in the window refection

Pruney hands and feet

and

A Christmas card picture that will never be sent out.





Having just finished my new favorite late night treat.

Natural Breyer's Vanilla ice cream with rainbow 'sprinklers'. My mind is frozen.

HHHmmmm I could make up something totally believable about this sunny, fun, family pool day.

OR

Get another mug full of dessert. Oh yea baby. I teach 3 classes tomorrow at the gym. I will surely dance these calories off. I check on the kids in bed before I run to the outside freezer in my un-tied Nike Shox. All the littles, sound asleep!

I lay down a fresh layer of multi-colored sugar pieces and fill my cup to the brim with more creamy goodness. Pushing down hard with the back of the scooper as I go. Don't mess with my ice cream routine. Big time, type A thing going on between me and my Breyer's. Yes, it's always Breyer's. I only eat ice cream from a coffee mug and I very rarely share out of my cup with the kids. OK, never. I really, really, really dislike sharing my ice cream with anyone. Even baby Daddy. He doesn't even ask anymore. A sticky smile brightens my face. I was so busy eating leftover sprinkles off my cheek I forgot. No one is up but me. No need to eat in the back of a dark closet tonight.



I may have been wrong, there is a story here for the grand kids.

"Let me tell you something about your grandma kids. Yep gather around, this one never gets old.

Grandma was a total freak about her ice cream. One time I tried to sneak a bite, she caught me and bit my finger. Made it bleed even. 2 stitches I tell you. Look closely, I still have a scar.

Oh, and this one time Food Lion was out of Breyer's so I just bought the generic brand. Big mistake children. She threw it at me. Seriously, straight at my face. Luckily I had ninja like reflexes back then. I barely saw it coming but had just enough time to bend over backwards. Matrix style and all. Flew right past my head, hard as a rock, the half gallon hit the wall and broke a frame. Crazy I tell you. Back in the old days....

OK, don't put this part on Face Book or anything.....BUT....grandma would even dance for her dessert."

Tell it again!

Tell it again!

Tell it again!

365 Random days of Team Zybko

Day #55

9/3/11

Guitar UN-hero

Oh yea, sure Delaney I will totally play guitar hero with you!

The mountain of clean laundry dumped haphazardly atop the pool table can certainly wait. My heart wasn't into the chore anyway, or my work ethic. In efforts to just get-er-done I didn't even sort that last load by color before washing. No worries though, I'm pretty hopeful when confronted by "Quality Control" I could sweet talk my way out of it. The schmoozie Irish side of me is quite dominant and persuasive.

Mom, I'm gonna set you up on easy and you can even pick the song. I'm warning you though, all the songs are all kinda weird and really, really long.

I scroll down the list of jamz from the late 70's and early 80's.

I take that back

Delaney does it for me.

I'm not really sure how this lightweight, fake, plastic guitar works.
Wait, wait, wait go back up.

No, not that one Delaney.

Down...no...no....not that one either.

The goofy lit up arrow seems to be bouncing all over the flat screen.

Was Atari this hard to set up?

Mom, really? We re burning daylight here. Just pick any of them, it's doesn't matter.

I choose to ignore her sarcasm and slightly rude tone.

Monkey hear monkey say.

Props for her memory, and dramatic interpretation.

I've stood at many a Chuck-E-Cheese ticket counters around the nation,

desperate and praying for patience.

Uttering those same exact words.

JUST PICK ANYTHING

I'm thankful when my tired Mom eyes finally focus long enough to recognize a

"classic"

Oh, sorry....yep, yep, yep that one.

Free Bird
I totally got this one in the bag.

I think confidently to myself.

Should I play my hardest and crush Delaney

or

build her nine year guitar hero confidence?

The decision is quickly made for me.

The notes to the famous Lynard Skynard song whiz past my side of the split screen

Way too fast!

3 buttons.....
YELLOW

RED

GREEN

How hard could this be?

Oh my stars, my timing is terrible.

Maybe I have a left handed guitar or something.

Two minutes or more had past when Delaney finally asked

Mom, did you know we had started?

Yep!

Motioning with the end of her guitar she gets concerned.

Are you following the notes on that side?

Uh, well....I'm trying.
Almost as if she was on some sort of auto pilot encouraging mode.

She un-knowingly mimics me once again.

Don't freak out Mom

It just takes some people more time than others to catch on.

We are all made differently.

At first I think I'm being tortured by the length of this track.
Will this experience ever end?
Player one's groupie meter is loosing strength rapidly.
Mountains of unfolded clothes and mis-matched socks blur my thoughts.
I could abort and resume folding laundry.
Yep, I know how to do that chore.
Caught on to that game about 4,271 sorted loads ago.
I snap out of my pity-party and
Fill my positivity glass to the rim.
Quality time with the kids should trump pride any day.


Drexel, an innocent by-stander promotes himself to head photographer.
I'm proud that at his age he realized a Kodak moment before it was too late.
Laughing so hard in between clicks he begins to drool on my Nikon.
I ignore the saliva, hoping it was on AUTO and his fingers were not in front of the lens.


It's ok Mom, with a little bit of practice you will get better.
At this point I have tuned out my well meaning, cheerleading, mini-me.
My brain hurts from concentrating.
My lower lip has become numb.

WHITE MANS OVERBITE


Quality un-guitar hero time was well spent and perfect.
A good lesson for the kids and me.
For an hour or so my scores were beaten over and over again.
My rock star dreams also crushed.
No worries.
My kids don't want a famous Mom.
Just me.
So for now, on this quality time kinda afternoon.
My groupie meter needle reads
FULL

365 Random Days of Team Zybko

Day #53

July 18th 2011

LIVE -LAUGH -LOVE

Laughter is instinctive and contagious

Don't tell my kids but I got in trouble more than I should have while growing up. Not for really awful, terrible, kinda behavior. Mostly failure to pay attention, talking and well......laughing.

YES, LAUGHING

IN CLASS

DURING CHURCH

ON STAGE DURING ASSEMBLY'S

EVERY SPORTS TEAM I WAS ON

AT SLEEPOVERS

BAND CONCERTS

IN THE LIBRARY

AT THE GROCERY STORE

Did I say at school already?

"Vicky, please stop laughing, you are being quite disruptive"

THEY say laughing hard 100 times is the equivalent to riding your bike for 15 minutes. I'm not so sure about that. As a teen I definitely laughed while simultaneously riding my hand me down Schwinn 10 speed. No luck with that caloric formula, I was still a fat kid.

Maybe, just maybe THEY are wrong

OR

Maybe I should fess up that my joy ride destination was almost always the town's only 7-11. An extra large moon pie and a 64 ounce straight up fizzy Dr. Pepper. My hard earned babysitting money didn't last long, it seemed to burn a whole right through the pockets of my husky J C Penny jeans.

THEY also say the average kid laughs 400 times a day

BUT

The average adult only laughs a measly 15 a day.
15? Only 15 times a day do we get a good laugh in?

C'mon people, we can do better than that.
Laughing at yourself counts too.

Like that one time I bought a really cute $4 workout shirt. I threw it on over a tank top to teach Zumba that night. It got hot in Studio 2 fast, I didn't skip a beat and quickly took it off. Rescuing it from my already sweaty skin. Ahhh yes, much better. I'm not exactly sure how long I danced before I saw the horror of my reflection in the mirror.

The cheaply made inside of my cute shirt had come off and stuck to my skin. Not everywhere, that would have been better. The black fuzz had formed clumps under my armpits, refusing to let go, like that old crazy glue commercial from the 80's. I freaked out for a minute, when was the last time I shaved? Oh my stars, who knows? Knowing my schedule it could have been days, weeks.... months?......I'm not exactly sure. What I did know for sure was that my grossed out crowded class and I were gonna arms down merengue till I remembered or at least it until I thought it was funny. 32 or so beats later I give into my overly hairy new European tree hugger natural look and laugh til my abs hurts.

365 Days of Random Team Zybko

Day #52

July 8, 2011

We finally got rain the other night, lots of it.

The kinda storm that usually floods our garage.

Heavy winds slam loud sheets of rain against the house.

A serious but funny hour of explaining to La-La,

No honey, I promise

"Cats and Dogs" aren't really gonna fall from the sky.

The next morning everything is still moist.

Like walking into an outdoor steam room.

It takes my breathe away as I smile inside.

Only in SC can one sweat on contact with the Summer air

at 7:51 am

I jump in the van to take a kid to soccer.

My seat is dry, so thankful I remembered to 'roll' up the windows up.

I turn my sleepy soccer mom neck as far as it will go.

Checking for kids, bikes and other stray objects not put away properly.

Our red 'Creepy Myrtles' catch my eye as I roll backwards.

It's blooms look so pretty in the morning light.

Were they like that yesterday? I don't remember.

Come to think of it, I can't really remember yesterday at all.

I take a sip of my coffee to spark a memory.

I'm still holding the hot mug like precious gold.

I swallow and look again through the rain dropped smudgy window.

My eyes can't resist the bright red flowers.

They seem to be on fire against the blue sky.

My posture improves and instantly I perk up.

Like a kinda caffeine for the eyes or something.

A big heavenly smile takes over my entire face.

GOD is so cool.

He gives us natural, visual alarm clocks everywhere.

His beauty is all around us.

24/7/365

Regardless of the time of the day you wake up.

MOM? MOM? I can't be late. If we aren't on time we have to run laps.

OK, yes yes yes, got it sweetie, we're going.

A near miss of the trash cans while in reverse and off to the fields we go.

My camera doesn't like the humidity as I begin to click away.

In my mind I blame a dirty fingered kid until I turn the lens around to find a thick layer of 'fog'

It reminds me of the special 'hide the wrinkles' filter those fancy photographers use.

Seems to work well, I should look into getting one.

I'm mesmerized

Water droplets hang onto the flowers with all their might.

Clinging for minutes

Then, suddendly with out warning

drop quickly to their death onto my grassy flip flop.

The ground is wet and littered with fallen flowers.
A bead of salty sweat falls from my forehead

Hitting the square 'viewing screen' with a splat.
I squint to see the shots and can't believe how hot it is.

My Super Summer Challenge is to memorize

JAMES

CHAPTER ONE
With GODS help I am reminded of verse 10 and 11

"But the one who is rich should pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even as he goes about his business."

It was no accident I happen to notice that pretty bush.

Even though it's been in our yard for years.

GOD knew I needed to see its beauty at just the right time.

GOD is cool like that.

His timing is perfect.

He is never late for anything or anyone.

I abandon picture taking and reread JAMES before the house is fully awake.

I ride on HIS coat tails this morning.

My timing for once seems perfect too.

No late laps run here today.

365 Randon Days Of Team Zybko

Day # 56

September 29th, 2011

Google Eyes and Belly Buttons

My standards seemed to have dropped a little over the years.

In most areas of my life.

Well, I should say the....

Will this be important in 20 years....areas of my life?

No question about it.

Not always a bad thing, just a

Survival Thing

Do the kids clothes really need to match? Ever?

Are shoes necessary everywhere in public?

Aren't homemade cards better than those Hallmark ones?
Should you really be able eat off your kitchen floor?

Nah....

Ya know, some days simple don't produce enough minutes for vacuuming behind the couch.

Swapping that time for a sunny bike ride, nature walk or a visit with a friend.

Oh, yea....that's the good stuff.

We are simply living.

Squeezing life like a lemon.
I'm OK with slipping standards, as long I'm using the floor scrubbing time for good stuff.

Good character building, double stuff, between the cookie sweetness.

The kinda goodness that re-news the mind and heart.

My sense of humor has apparently hit rock bottom as well.

I stumbled across these belly button pictures, realizing a few things.

I will always be a BIG fan of googly eyes.

Belly buttons are pretty gross.

AND

I need to get out more.

I recently took a class about World Missions Awareness.

Every Monday evening for 3 months I listened on the edge of my seat. Not even getting up for the rest room, I listened intently not wanting to miss a word.

Men and Women with years of experience and stories from all over the world.

Their own American babies born in hospitals with dirt floors and straw roofs.

What? Are you serious?

Featured speakers spoke about countries I couldn't pronounce or even locate on a map.

One week a beat up picture was gingerly passed around the scattered round tables.

A rough looking jungle guy held a machete, a finger from the other hand plugged into the white mans belly button.The now 60ish life long Missionary couldn't help but smile as we looked up from the Kodak moment a little puzzled.

LET ME EXPLAIN....

In this particular jungle tribe it was custom to greet each other by putting your finger in ones naval.

I automatically think of a belly button wet willy and cringe just a bit. He continues explaining and saliva apparently is not part of the process.

Whew!

The next morning I re-tell this interesting custom to the kids.

They think it's funny.....all except 6 year Drexel. His face is way to serious.

What's wrong Bud?

Well Mom, if they say hello by putting a finger in the belly button.

Where do they put their finger when they say good bye?

365 RANDOM DAYS OF TEAM ZYBKO

DAY #50

JULY 4TH 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

A special shout out to my Niece, Theresa. She is currently serving overseas in her first tour as an Army officer. We pray for her and so many others in the same situation. We thank them for their service and ask GOD to watch over them.

We love you Tee-Taw!

365 Random Days of Team Zybko

Day #51

July 6, 2011

$8 Well Wasted

MOM!!!! We are bored.

5 weeks in and half way through the most casual kinda, freestylin' Summer ever.
Some people might call our Summer schedule
LAZY
or
NOT STRUCTURED ENOUGH
not me
I call it
PERFECT
Without activities on tap the troops get restless.
Some people might call this
BOREDOM
not me
I call it
TIME TO BE CREATIVE
I need an idea from the depths of my Mom Magic Bag.
Pushing aside glitter glue, play-dough and 'pearler' beads.
Nope, too messy
Nah, too high maintenience
No way, not in the mood to clean up
The search continues until.....
Ah yes, at last I find them....it's perfect
A bag of plastic cups from Sam's.
Here kids, go to town, you guys should have a contest or something.
What can you do with $8 worth of plastic cups?
Come get me in 30 minutes for judging.
Oh, yea baby cakes.
I just bought a ticket for a half hour of quiet non-interrupted bloggin' time.
Some people might call this
SLEAZY PARENTING
not me
I call it
GENIUS

Bryson, your tower was the best for sure!

Until the Drex monster.....well

It looks like it was an accident anyway.

By the way peeps

next time you come to my house

don't worry

We don't reuse these cups for drinking.

They are marked and put away neatly

back into the

Magic Summer Boredom Bag of Wonders

Some people might call this

A WASTE

not me

call it

RECYCLING

365 Random Days of Team Zybko

Day #49

Kids are Animals

06/26/11

While turning, sorting, saving and deleting recent pictures from our zoo trip, a light bulb appeared directly over my head.

Haven't I seen these before?

Did I dream about them?

Am I having an old lady Brain Spaz Moment?

YES, I have seen these before.

NO, It wasn't a dream.

and

YES, I am getting old but not losing my mind.....YET.

Lined up for feeding time.

Yes, all these pictures have a place in my Real Life


Chillin' on a rail

Colorful little guy in a tree

Cat Nap in the sunshine

Something not quite right with the eyes

Just sayin'

We watched these cuddly bears friendly wrestle for about 20 minutes

Yep, about 20 minutes here too

Fun in the mud

So, the light bulb tells me.....my kids are ANIMALS!

365 Random Days of Team Zybko

Day #47

06/18/11

I really must confess.....I don't really look forward to trips to the zoo.

I have kept this a secret for years.

Any Mom who loves being a Mom should love taking her kids to the zoo.

Right? Well.......

I'm sorry people. It's just not my favorite thing.

I don't love the freaky smells that agitate my already sensitive sniffer.

I'm certainly not a natural animal lover.

I don't love paying $3.50 for a slushy.

I don't love eating packed sandwiches outside the elephant house.

I don't love it always seems to be 8 million degrees on any given zoo day.

I don't love the "petting" part.

I would rather scrub a toilet with my tooth brush than touch a goat.

I don't love avoiding piles of random poopie on the walkways.

OK, OK enough negativity.

There are plenty of things I do love about the zoo.

I love the curious smiles the unique little penguins bring to my kids faces.

They stare in amazement as they waddle around the fake plastic ice.

I love how La-La holds her nose the entire 2 hours to protect her sensitive gag reflex.

I love how Diane proclaims her lemon-lime custom made slushy was the best evah!

I love how Drexel pretends his right arm is an elephant trunk to eat his PB+J.

I love how they all run to the super cool 'air mister'.

They seem happy it's 8 million degrees so at least it's turned on.

I love how all the animals in the petting zoo gravitate toward Lil David.

He gives them all a pet, every single one of the smelly goats.

I love how Delaney has obviously gotten my love for animals.

She only poses for pictures next to or on replicas of real animals.

I love how Dylan decides NOT to take off his shirt and go Werewolf as we pass the Apes.

I love how some kid always manages NOT to avoid a random poopie pile.

Well gee whiz, maybe I do LOVE the zoo after all.

Maybe? Yes? I hope.

I wanna be normal....like the other parents....they seem to love the zoo.

Nah. No way, I won't get carried away and think I'm cured.

Me thinks I just love my kids.

Drexel could have stood here forever. Looking through the 4 inch protective thick glass at the fancy fish. Very still and un-Drexel like he would wait patiently for this cool shark to swim back through the colorful coral pass the spectator window.

What a cute little shark.

It's a black tip reef shark Mom.

Oh sorry shark boy, let me get a picture of you with it.

Ya know I'm gonna be a professional scuba diver when I grow up.
I don't doubt that Drex, I don't don't that at all.
Hey Mom says Delilah, I'm gonna be a mermaid when I grow up.

Ok, honey...that's nice, good luck with that.

365 Random Days of Team Zybko

Day #48

06/23/11

My Breakfast of Champions

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat English Muffin

Turkey Sausage

Pepper Jack Cheese

Egg: Scrambled or Sunny Side Up

Peppered to taste and a Mini Dash of Salt

SIDE ITEM #1

Your Choice of Current Fruit in Fridge

SIDE ITEM #2

Unlimited Portion of Kids Playing Nicely

SIDE ITEM #3

Morning Sunshine, Straight From Heaven

365 RANDOM DAYS OF TEAM ZYBKO

DAY #46

06/10/11

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABY DADDY

Getting a card slipped my mind. I hope this will do.

So many reasons I will always LOVE you!

365 DAYS OF RANDOM TEAM ZYBKO

DAY #45

BIG MAN GRADUATES 5K

Felt as if I had won the picture lottery when I came across this one. I involuntarily shook my head while in a smiley, kinda, desperate voice muttered Drexel, Drexel, Drexel. No other way to put it, this look means trouble. His sneaky sideways grin reminds me of Harrison Ford. I'm pretty sure I had a crush on Indian Jones for close to a decade. Maybe it wasn't the smile at all, that cool hat was pretty much the bomb and don't even get me get started on his seriously BAD whip. Well, Drexel doesn't have access to a whip, mostly for the safety of others and he's not a movie star.

He did graduate Kindergarten today. Our seats were way in the back, couldn't really see a lot. After standing on the junior, cafeteria bench seats we spot his big ole Zybko head. A few tears begin to blur my vision.

Wasn't he just born? YES, I am certain of it. Seriously can't believe I'm one of those people who declares.

It really does go by fast.

I am pulled back to present day. La La is relentlessly yanking on my fancy new $14.99 sundress. Whoa kid, chill. This suckers gotta last until...well you graduate Kindergarten, at least. I busy her with my phone. She turns down the volume herself and settles in to a serious game of Fruit Ninja.

I enjoy the rest of the ceremony with completely dry eyes. Cheery, silly songs sung by toothless miniature graduates. Who can get enough of that? Even in the nose bleed seats I could feel the kids excitement and pride. Most of them won't even remember this particular 42 minutes of their life. With the help of the above snapshot which seems to capture my Drexel's personality, I certainly will remember. Yep, this Mom whose once prominent dimples now blend with her aging face, smiles sideways and knows as her heart swells a bit she could never forget.