Its been a while!

Its been a while since I've blogged! Lots has been happening in and around my life! New career changes, demanding mommy tasks, laundry, laundry and of course more laundry. Really, I have been enjoying all the changes that have been happening regardless that some have been overwhelming while others are simply just life.

Being the mother of a nine year old has prooved challenging these last few months. My son is definately coming into his own. I have yet to figure out how to parent perfectly, but when he has an awe moments of compassion and consideration it reminds me that my husband and I as parents must be doing something right. Despite the arguing and sibling riverly life as the mother of a stubborn, strong headed arguing 9 year old, and dramatic, over reacting 3 year old could not be better! I absolutely love being their mother!

Today I am thankful that of all the kids in the universe I was privedged enough and blessed enough to be chosen to be Ethan and Mylees mommy....

-Corrina Starr

Sibling Rivalry

While sibling rivalry is very common amongst all siblings. For some reason I thought that the 6 year age difference between my kids would have deferred most if not all of it! Ha, where was my brain in this one? I think my kids tease, pester, fight and argue more than most. This is what I get for thinking. I have days when I swear my oldest picks on his sister just purely for his own entertainment. This drives a mother crazy! It doesn't matter if the consequences are set in stone and strictly followed through. Oh, but don't get me wrong, his two year old sister has some tricks up her sleeve as well. I am beginning to wonder if this is a joint effort ploy just to driver their mother crazy. Like little skilled soldiers carrying out their plot. I can entertain the thought of their conversations in the morning. "Okay, so here's what we're gonna do. At breakfast, you look at me and stick your tongue out. When you do, I will start whining about it. Then you do it again. I will start my temper tantrum because your still looking at me! Once we have moms attention you throw cereal at me until I whack you upside the head with my spoon. Once mom loses it. Just for fun we will give it a couple minutes and do it all over again. Sound good?" Yep, their little ploy to drive mommy mad! In light of their tactics I had decided to stop the army in their tracks, the next time sibling rivalry happened in my home I decided I was going to join in. Imagine if you will the look on my children's faces when mom looked at them square in the eye stuck out her tongue and started throwing cereal! Lets just say it was a look of complete and utmost shock and breakfast in our home has become quite peaceful. Guess that games no fun, when there's no one to drive nuts!

Feel Like a Good Scream is in Order!!!

For the last few years I have been trying to make since of the clutter that has taken anchor in my home. I can hardly stand the stuffed closets and the constant rat race to chase all the messes that my kids are making. I feel as soon as I get one room under control I move to the next and before I am finished my kids have distroyed the previous one I was working on.. I decided that it would be a great idea to just eliminate items from our home. Why is this so hard to do? Everytime I think I can focus enough to complete this big task I find a box of keepsakes and it sucks my time right out of me, and my quest is all but conquered! Because rather than sorting through things I am engulfed in memory lane and remembering the time Ethan wore this outfit, oh and look at this picture do you rememebr that day? Or there is the chore of cleaning out the closet and saying, "Someday we might play this game!" and you keep the thought in the back of your mind but the truth is that life is going by so quickly when are you ever going to have time to play THAT game? "Someday I may wear this jacket!" Even though I have owned it for 6 years and NEVER wore it! I almost wonder what chemical reaction takes place in my brain on the days when I am unstoppable and can stay focused long enough to make some headway  (because there are times)... I would love to duplicate this brain reaction, bottle it up and use it when necessary! Is this possible? Probably not! SLAP!!!! Right back to reality I go!  Maybe I need a tutor or a life coach! Any takers? Well I am in this mood today and feel like I might accomplish something rather than be thrown around like a rag doll through out my day! The task of elimination is a difficult one... I can't quite come to the reality that this house is just what it is and there isnt anything I can do.. Maybe I just need some guidence and a garbage bag!!!! Wish me luck!

Famous Words of Wisdom

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."- Theodore Roosevelt

He's a Dork........ But He's My Dork!!!

My husband makes random purchases on occasion that I personally feel are weird, useless and at times childish to say the least. (Just to clear it up a bit, I do this at times as well, which is why I am okay with it). His most recent purchase... an army helmet. Why? Why would you buy this? I asked him this question hoping for a logical explanation. Knowing that he isn't in the army nor does he plan on joining anytime soon. His response, "It's Cool!!!" WOW, okay! My next question, "How much was it?" To my complete surprise I receive an answer of, "Oh, something like $20 bucks" I quickly vacated the conversation, as I walked away saying" Oh, Twenty bucks ain't bad!" Later that day my curiosity stuck and I decided to observe the helmet. Much to my surprise written inside with bright red marker the numbers $69.95. I immediately looked at my husband and said, "Please tell me you did not pay 69 bucks for this thing!" He looked at me and then his eyes gazed up towards the sky as he whistled a little and said, "Maybe?" I will admit this made me a little irritated, not so much that he paid that much for something I felt was a little useless but that the lie seemed to flow out of him like water from a tipped glass!!! I showed my irritation with continuous sarcasm and this sarcasm continues with that fantastic photo!! My husband, playing a video game with his over priced army helmet! Thanks baby for the fantastic entertainment! I believe this makes us even!!!

Famous Words of Wisdom

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Where Did It All Come From?

I am determined to eliminate all this clutter. Where did it all come from. The sad thing  about all this useless stuff is that I have this aching inside me to go out on a yard sale day and hunt the town for the next coolest treasure. I am fighting off the urge to do so by diving in to these boxes of crap and tossing it out. Asking my self repeatedly, who needs this stuff? What was I thinking? Really I have a CD that teaches me french, I have no desire to learn French. There is that little box of match books and mechanical pencil lead however no mechanic pencil in sight or in this house for that matter. Then the box of....... WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? I have no idea! Why? Why do we have these things?
What causes a person to just collect useless, meaningless crap! I have no idea. What I do know it this girl right here has had enough! Time to clean out this house. So if you pass by our place and there's a dump truck outside you"ll find me somewhere spraying this house down with a garden hose and a bottle of bleach!
Should be a fun couple of days. And when all is said and done one word will cross my lips, FREEDOM!!!

Outwitted By An Eight Year Old

The other day I'm driving in the car with my eight year old son Ethan. The car is filled with the usual sounds, the radio humming in the background and Ethan filling my ear full of conversation about video games, sleep overs and skateboards when all of the sudden he screams, "Mom, you forgot to use your blinker!" in a way as if I had just run someone over. With my heart now pumping I simply say, "Oh, looks like I did thanks for noticing that!" Afterward Ethan would like an explanation as to how I missed that and I hear things like "don't you know its illegal? and' "Your going to go to jail!"
At this point I am silently thanking myself for offering up that lesson on driving a few months back. Ethan continues, "I was with dad the other day and he did the same thing. I told him that he forgot to use his blinker and he said don't tell him how to drive." He uses his grouchy face as he bobs his head back and forth as if he is imitating my husband. Clever as I am I used this to my advantage and told Ethan his dad is just getting old and cranky. Ha. I went on to explain to him that if that ever happens again he should look directly at his dad like a sad homeless puppy and quietly say, "But Dad, don't you love me?" I then told him this could work in a variety of situations. I said, "Trust me it will melt your father, he would probably do just about anything for you!" I could then see the little squirrels churning in his head. So we practiced for a bit until he had this down like he'd been pulling this stop for years. It was brilliant. And payback of course for the many times my husband taught him little things just to get on my nerves like the question why. Why mom? Why? Why mom? Why? I have to admit when he does this now laughter is usually the end result but it didn't used to be that way.
As we were perfecting our newest plan of attack, we arrived at the store to shop for some dinner items. Our conversation turns back to the normal sleep overs, skateboards and video games when all of the sudden Ethan turns to me and says, "Mom, can I get some of the Chinese food they have?" Ha, at 8.99/lb, not happening! I quickly say, "No." and continue with my shopping when the little guy looks right at me with the most pathetic look on his face, "Mommy, don't you love me?" There I was outwitted by an eight year old. Needless to say, guess who got Chinese food?

Just a Boring Introduction

Simple and sweet! My name is Corrina I am a busy business woman but most importantly a mother of two who lives vicariously through all stay at home moms. For two reasons, I would have the opportunity to spend more time with my kiddos and my house wouldn't look like it vomited all over itself each night as I poured myself into bed! Trying to find a balance in life is my biggest challenge as you will soon find out.
My biggest accomplishment in life are my kids. They are everything I want to be, everything I ever will be and everything that matters. They can turn my worst day into the most beautiful just by stepping into my line of vision. Their smiles are radiant and their personalities flawless. Even amongst, temper tantrums, poop, puke, arguing, fighting, hundreds of sippy-cups, stinky shoes, and messy rooms as long as it happening with them its worth being a part of. They are by far my life, as you will soon find this out as well.
I have been married to my husband for 7 years and love him with all my heart but will be the first to admit marriage is challenging and there are days that I daydream of what life would be like single. However as soon as I am catapulted back to reality I can honesty say while our marriage is normal with our moments of disagreement we are still very much in love. Because he is the one I like to cuddle with at night and he is the one I want to call when I have exciting news, he is the one I will always want to share the chore of parenting with, he is the one that will have my back. He is my best friend.
I am a partner in a busy property management company and a part-time photographer. Hard to believe my dream as a child was to be a criminal defense attorney. Not sure how I missed that but I did!
I have an amazing family, some would say the best. We are all very close and always there when we need each other. Coming from a large family has its challenges but in the end it is totally worth it.
Well, that's really it. My crazy little life in a nutshell. Its amazing, loving, frustrating, engaging, promising, scary and completely, entirely, strictly by chance. If I can say that I have learned anything in life thus far, it is that we can plan all we want but life will happen according to life and not according to us. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, some popcorn, a stiff drink (of course only if your 21 and not that I am promoting alcohol, because that would be wrong!), a blanket, and a tissue because this life is a roller coaster ride and at some point you may need one or all!
Enjoy!