It all started with raisins....

I'm so PO'd, I really can't even write well right now, so let me take a deep breath........*exhale* and try to organize my thoughts.

It all started with raisins. I needed some raisins to make my famous homemade applesauce. The Hubs went in late today and Jade spent the night with granny, so I didn't have the kids with me when I made a quick run to Publix.

After missing the raisin aisle twice, I grabbed a box and headed to the checkout. I spied one with no line. As I speed walked over to the checkout lane, I was stopped in my tracks by the shocking imagery on a magazine cover

WTF?????? I need to see this when I'm checking out because???

I just think this type of 'art' needs to be in a brown wrapper, in the magazine aisle or something. NOT in the checkout lane. I was just at this same grocery store two days ago with both of my kids. They could have easily been there with me this time and if they had been, you know Jade would have had something to say. How the hell could I have explained that?

Of course, I complained to the manager and they apologized profusely and agreed to remove it stat. I'm just writing to warn you....be on the look out for smutty, pornography in the checkout lane and if you see it, please take the time to insist that they remove it!

Home At Last

Today Jade had her classroom visit. She was able to get a feel for her classroom, meet some of her classmates and meet her three teachers.



Yes, I said three teachers.....for twenty kids. Does it sound like I'm excited? You guys have been with me on this journey of determining the best way to educate Jade, so you know how much this means to me. So if it sounds like I'm bragging, I'm not. But if it sounds like I'm over the top thrilled, I am. I really, really, am.

Tonight there was a class social for all the Kindergarten parents. Ok, these are some of the nicest, most down to earth people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

I feel so at home here. I think this is shaping up to be a great year.



Please remind me of this post when I'm pulling my hair out in six months.

P. U.

So, earlier this summer I was in the market for a pair of cute, comfortable, casual shoes.
Of course, I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg so my first stop was DSW. I was almost immediately drawn to these beauties

They seemed to fit the bill. Cute? Check. Comfy? I tried them on and them were very comfortable...check. Casual but not flip-flop casual? Check. They were neutral, so they looked pretty good with most of my summer wardrobe. At $49.95, it wasn't the basement bargain I was hoping for, but I was kind of desperate because the shoes that I was rocking at the time were, uh, let's just say it was time for them to find their final resting place.

So, I've had these shoes for about five weeks and I have only one complaint.


It's kind of embarrassing....


Oh, I can't even say what the problem is, but by now you've probably guessed......




MY FEET STINK!!!

Oh my goodness, my feet are so funky!!! What in the world can I do about this? Wearing socks with the shoes is not cute, but I have to imagine that is the cause of this malodorous situation.

Have you ever had stinky feet? Any suggestions? Be gentle with me, please.

School News!!!

Remember way back when I was so stressed out over Jade's school?

Well, I have excellent news to report on that front. It's a long story even for a blog post, but I'll try to condense it as much as possible.

Shortly after I posted about my confusion, I began to pray earnestly for God to reveal to me the path that I should take.

I felt that He was leading me to pull Jade out of her current foreign language immersion school. So I did.

Four days later, I got an e-mail that this private school had openings and scholarship money. I went to check out the school's website and instantly fell in love with the school's philosophy. Just about as close to my views on education as you can get in an institution.

I called them and found out that the scholarship money was earmarked for grades three and higher.

Disappointment.

Couldn't stop thinking about it, so I asked a friend of mine to introduce me to the director of the school. She did and that got me an 'in'.

Once I got the Director on the phone, he said they 'might' be able to find some money for Kindergarten. He suggested I come in for a tour.

Jade and I went in and Jade wowed them (no coaching, I swear!).

They asked us to apply. We did.

They called us today. Jade was accepted and we got a scholarship.

Can you say ECSTATIC?!!!!

Praise God! I feel so at ease about this decision. No knots in my stomach, no wondering if she really is getting a quality education. Just peace. Peace feels so good.

School starts Monday! Woohooo!!!!

Boo!

I am totally cracking up as I write this post.

For some reason O woke up at 4 am and couldn't go back to sleep. He was wide awake and wriggled out of my arms down to the floor and proceeded to play.

Sleepy and not in the mood for shenanigans, I made sure that there were no safety concerns and I got back in the bed. O played with toys on the floor, in my room, in the dark for several minutes.

After a while he decided that playing would be much more fun if his sister could join in. He went into her room and instead of gently opening the door and walking over to her, he slammed open the door and walked in making a loud noise.

Have you ever heard someone make one of those truly startled screams?
Ughaaaagh!!!!

Oh my goodness, it was hilarious!!! I know it's terrible for me to laugh, but the sound of the scream was so funny and then she was sleepy and confused. She told him, "I'm going to tell mommy that you got out of your crib!" Oh my, it was too funny.

I know, I know. I have a sick sense of humor. I watch America's Funniest Home Video and crack up.

Back, Beat, Blast

I'm back and may I just tell you that I had a B.L.A.S.T!!!!

BLAST!!!!

Chicago is still trying to recover!!

I will definitely fill you in later, but for right now, I'm beat!!!

Whirlwind

This week has been a complete whirlwind.

Hubby went out of town Monday and came home late Tuesday night. Up and out of the house early Wednesday and didn't get home until after 11 pm.
Meanwhile, I'm schlepping the kids from activity to activity and trying to get ready for a mini- getaway in the crevices of time available to me.

Hubby's on the sofa asleep now and I am (in addition to blogging) cooking dinner for the next two nights, packing (for myself), giving myself a pedicure, packing for the kids (staying with granny for a couple of nights) and writing out a slightly less detailed schedule for the next few days. Oh and I'm also trying not to forget anything and did I mention that Jade and I have an appointment bright and early in the morning with a potential school? Yeah.

Additionally, after the meeting at the school I have to run several errands (one of which is to the warehouse store to get pull-ups) before dropping Jade at grandma's and (without spending any time with O) jetting to catch a late afternoon flight.

What the hell am I doing sitting here blogging?

See ya!!!

Do I hear $200?

A few days ago, The Hubs and I went to a glitzy charity auction at a fancy schmancy hotel in the city. We scored free tickets courtesy of his boss who was double booked for the evening.


I got all dressed up and looked fabulous, if I do say so myself. The Hubs looked pretty good as well. I mean, I did allow him to stand next to me , y'know? ;)


It was a great time. Open bar, delicious food, open bar, good company, open bar, wonderful entertainment. Did I mention open bar?

The mistress of ceremonies mentioned that the silent auction would be closing in just a few minutes time, so I decided to go take a look at the wares. Just a look. Of course, I knew that we weren't going to be bidding on anything. You know with us not having any income and all. So, I just wanted to take a looksy.

As I perused the items with glass of wine in hand, I noticed that there was a fabulous item that only had one bidder. A private 5 course lunch and makeover for four at an upscale department store. Ha! The lone bidder was to become the owner of such a prize for the low, low price of $100. Almost a shame considering the auction was for charity, don't you think?

I knew you would agree with me. I immediately knew what had to be done and wasted no time doing it. In these difficult economic times, charities need our generosity, right? So, I bid against bidder 96 and upped the ante just a little bit. I mean, I've solicited for auctions before and whoever snagged this prize, surely thought it would bring in more money than a measly $100.

Just as I thought, after I added my bid, Bidder 96 decided that she wanted to own that item. Instead of going up one increment, she went up two increments!

Now, at this point, I really can't explain what happened. Something came over me. It's probably the same thing that comes over gamblers when they are at the Roulette table or shopaholics when they are at the mall. Perhaps it is just that thing that comes over people when they are on their (now) third glass of wine after being cooped up with two kids all week. ahem.

In any event, completely unbeknownst to The Hubs, I began a bidding war with Bidder 96. She played along. Finally, with just two minutes before closing, I snapped out of it and took my little self into the ballroom to eat the third course which was being served. I thought for sure Bidder 96 would swoop in at the last possible second and claim her prize.

Two hours later, as we were preparing to leave, I inquired at the check-out table, just in case.
Would you believe that Bidder 96 choked in the end and let me win the item? I was shocked (plus my wine had worn off). I was now the proud owner of the fabulous prize and the volunteer thanked me for my generosity.

Let's just say that Hubby was not as impressed.

Just go to sleep already!

Lately Jade has taken to calling for us a million times after we put her to bed. "I'm having trouble sleeping. Will you stay with me a little while?" is usually what she'll say. That or, "I don't want to be all by myself." It is so annoying because I put 150% into every day (okay, maybe not 150% and maybe not everyday but I work hard) and I really look forward to relaxing after the kids are in bed and the last thing I want to hear is, "Moooommmy. Moooooommmmmyyyyyyyy."

This issue is compounded by the fact that The Hubs has been working late a lot. So after I do the whole getting in bed routine, then I have to answer the calls. So annoying.

Yesterday I had the kids up and out of the house by 9:30am. We went to the park and played hard. I mean, I was right there playing with them. Chasing them with a spray bottle and pretending to go on a road trip and everything. Then we stopped for lunch and went back to the park for more playing ( a friend called while we were having lunch and wanted to connect). I sang songs in the car all the way home to keep them awake so they could have a good nap.

When they woke up from their nap, we had a snack and then went to the library. After the library we went and visited with my inlaws. The Hubs was working late as usual, so by the time we got home (after 8:00p) it was on me to do the whole bedtime routine.

Needless to say, I was not in the mood for any shenanigans. This is what I told Jade as I tucked her in:

Me: Do not call my name. If you need to potty, go potty. If you need a drink, get some water out of the sink. If you have trouble sleeping, say a prayer, but whatever you do, do not call my name or you will have significant consequences.
Jade: What kind of consequences?
Me: Do you really want to find out?
Jade: Ummmm, no....


She didn't make a peep!

One Decision Down...

Well, I made the decision to pull Jade from her preschool.
I have no idea what happens now. I guess we'll just keep enjoying our summer vacation while I explore all other options. It just got to the point with her school where I couldn't take it anymore. I found that I was rationalizing all of my concerns with the fact that she was doing so well with her foreign languages. Well, you know what? Foreign language isn't everything. Although it is super important to me. *sigh*

Anywhoo, in other news, have you seen this story in the Vancouver Sun?

"A typical street whore." "A bunch of ghetto thugs." "Ghetto street trash." "Wonder when she will get her first abortion."

These are a small selection of some of the racially-charged comments posted to the conservative 'Free Republic' blog Thursday, aimed at U.S. President Barack Obama's 11-year-old daughter Malia after she was photographed wearing a t-shirt with a peace sign on the front.

The thread was accompanied by a photo of Michelle Obama speaking to Malia that featured the caption, "To entertain her daughter, Michelle Obama loves to make monkey sounds."

I mean, can you believe these people? I really would like to know, who are the people who think and speak like this because I don't know anyone who does and I certainly wouldn't stand by while someone did it in my presence.
Just sick people, really. She is a child!!!

*deep breath* Honestly, between Michael Jackson and this news about Malia Obama and the Gosselin drama, I have come to a conclusion. The last thing that I want for myself or my children is fame. It is simply not worth it. Honestly, I wouldn't run for office for all the tea in China. Just so that my entire life can be dragged across the tabloids for all to trash? Just so that every item of clothing, every comment, every morsel of food that crosses my lips can be scrutinized? No thank you. And I don't know how we expect to get quality people to serve when they see the kind of treatment that they get.

Honestly.

Oh Janet is NOT going to be happy about this!!!

Poor Joyce DeWitt. I loved her on Three's Company.


I bet she is more upset about the mugshot than about the fact that she got pulled over for DUI.
She actually doesn't look half-bad.....it's just that expression. It almost looks like she's saying....'Hey wouldja cut me some slack buddy? Whaddya say?"

Note to self - If ever arrested, no matter how bad I look, smile.

Mandate this!!!

I am a Libertarian. I am also an idealist. I think you kind of have to be an idealist to be a Libertarian. I just read an article online that really gets to the Libertarian in me.

Susie Kessler had a great idea. She was worried about her teenaged children driving on busy, dangerous roads. This worry was exacerbated by the fact that auto accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers. So she came up with a magnetized bumper sticker that reads 'CAUTION: NEWLY LICENSED'. The idea being that other drivers (the normal ones. not the sick, crazy people out there) will see the sticker and give the driver of the vehicle some grace when they wait forever to make a left turn or ride for miles with a turn signal on or drive 40 mph in the left lane. Sounds cool, right?


I think it's great. However, now she is working with a local legislator to make it the law that drivers have this magnet on the vehicle when they are driving. This drives me bananas.

Why do we have to have laws for everything? Good grief! Why does everything have to be mandated? I think this is a cute idea, Susie, but it doesn't have to be law. Share it with the other moms at your son's school. Share it with the local newpapers and magazines, go tell it on the mountain. I'm sure that other parents will think that it is a good idea and join you. Some parents won't think it is a good idea; whether it's because they are the kind of 'cool' parents who don't want to embarrass their children or because they think that announcing to the world that a teenager is driving the car makes them a target. Whatever the case may be, there will be some people that don't want to participate.....AND THAT'S OK!!!!

We are becomng a nation of people who don't do things because it is the right thing, we do it because it is the law. I think that is very sad. It takes the 'thinking' out of living. And not only that, as we continue down this path, we will get to the point where we won't do anything unless it is the law. We will look to the law to dictate every step that we take. College is good, should we mandate that? Exercise is good, should we mandate that? And if you think that I am taking the slippery slope to the next level, just think about it. We are on the precipice of offering a public option for healthcare. When people's unhealthy habits cost us money, I bet people will find a way to mandate certain behaviors.

I don't mean to go off on a political tangent, but we have got to do something. The more laws we have, the more government we need to enforce the laws.

I'm not for anarchy...I'm just saying.
PS
If you are interested in purchasing a bumper sticker or starting a campaign in your neighborhood/ school district/ burg check out www.newlylicensed.com

Ask Me 'After'

Does this sound familiar to any of you?

Mom, after my nap can we go outside and play with water balloons?

Mom, after I finish my vegetables can I have some graham crackers?

Mom, after I clean up my room, can I play with PlayDoh?

Mom, after school can we go to the park?

After, after, after. Sheesh! I feel like she's trying to back me into a corner. She will ask me can she do things/ have stuff hours before the after. Good grief!! And then, if I agree, you know what happens.

If you barely take a nap and you get up fifty times in thirty minutes and I finally throw up my hands and say forget it but you still want to go outside and play water balloons because I said we could, after.

If it takes you forty-five minutes to finish your vegetables and everyone else has already excused themselves from the table and I've already finished cleaning the kitchen but you still want graham crackers because I said you could, after.

If I pick you up from school and the weather report is calling for thunderstorms but it's not actually raining at the moment and I try to explain this to you but you have a hissy fit because I said we could, after.

New rule....don't ask me now. Ask me after!

Can we go to the park after school? Ask me after school.
Can I have a treat after dinner? Ask me after dinner.
Can I watch a movie after my nap? Ask me after your nap.

Ahhhh...much better.

From the heart.......

I am going through something right now and I really don't know what to do. I just have to let it rip, okay?

My daughter goes to a foreign language immersion preschool. It is a fairly new school and we've been with the school ever since it was still in the owner's home. Jade has absolutely blossomed in terms of her language acquisition. She can communicate well in both Japanese and French....even outside of school. She has gone up and started a conversation with people in Ikea who were speaking Japanese. So, I am very pleased with her language development.

Anywhoo, in my heart, I've always felt like a homeschooler. I have a well-defined educational philosophy which was heavily influenced by the book Dumbing Us Down. I believe in using the entire environment as the classroom. I reject out of hand the top-down approach to education where the teacher is the posessor of information and it is the job of the students to receive the knowledge. I believe in a child-led education environment, where children's natural curiosity is nurtured by a facilitator. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. So basically, the only way to give my children the kind of education I want them to have, the kind of education that is true to my philosphy, is to homeschool them. You are probably saying to yourself, 'well homeschool them, then!' aren't you? Not so fast.

I also highly value multilingualism and I can't give that to my kids if I homeschool them, since I am monolingual. Additionally, I have some other things I want to do with my life, in case you haven't noticed my 'About' section lately. May sound selfish, but I'm just being honest. Further, my situation is complicated by a lack of resources and by resources I mean money. I think I could easily homeschool if I could afford to hire a part time nanny (so I would have some time to work on my other interests), a regular housekeeper (I'm not good at cleaning now, forget about it if I'm homeschooling and pursuing my interests), memberships to every museum and cultural institute in my city (for field trips. remember, the entire world is the classroom) and regular travel. Don't forget money for the extracurriculars and of course, foreign language tutor. I'm so not exaggerating. If I were to homeschool, I would really want all of the above. Does that sound crazy?

To further complicate matters, I am not completely comfortable with Jade's school. It was fine when she was young, but now I am starting to be more critical of their curriculum and teaching methods. I know that my philosophy is almost impossible outside of a home environment, but still....I'm just not sure if the director knows what she is doing. I mean, she had a great idea and the resources to pull it off, but she is kinda making it up as she goes along.

What am I going to do? I feel so tormented over this issue. Am I denying my kids a valuable education over minute issues? Am I wanting to homeschool because I am a control freak? Do I need a reality check?
OR
Am I just sending my kids to school so that I can selfishly pursue my interests? Am I selling my kids and myself out by settling for less than the best education (best being homeschooling)?

School starts August 10. I have got to make a decision and I am so lost.
I welcome your opinions and suggestions.

You know how.......

....when your kids are small, you sometimes allow them to play with things that normally you wouldn't give them, but they are little and can't really hurt themselves or anything with it, so you give it to them? You know, like letting your small child play with a jar of nail polish because you know they can't open it? No? Just me? Well, that's good....'cause if you did, then this might happen....

Mother, Daughter, Wife, Sister, Friend

7:00am - My kids are up, I'm up. Combing hair, picking out clothes, preparing breakfast, playing, laughing, scolding, rushing.....getting the day started.

11:00am - I'm taking my dad to his Dr.'s appointment and to our local farmers' market. He brought a large cooler with him this visit and has plans to purchase ten pounds of the turkey sausage that they only sell at this farmers' market. He wants me with him when he gets his first PSA results after his surgery and he wants me with him at the farmers' market, to make sure he is getting the right kind of sausage.

4:00pm - I'm marinating a turkey breast in jerk sauce because I know that the Hubs loves jerk seasoning and we haven't had it in a while. I'm also taking care of some household business....faxing a document, calling the lawn guy, transferring money, etc.

8:00pm - I'm talking to my baby sister on the phone. I'm giving her advice on her relationship with her boyfriend, her relationship with our brother and our mother, talking to her professors, managing her employees at work, managing her supervisors at work and we end the conversation with a lesson in how to make macaroni and cheese.

11:00pm - I'm speeding on the highway, trying to make it as quickly and safely as possible to my girlfriend's house. She called me hysterical......she had to call 911.......her 2o month old is having trouble breathing.......her five year old is with her.......she can't find her husband.....
I'm on my way, I say.

2:00 am - I collapse into bed after seeing her five year old safely to a mutual friend's house for the night and staying with her at the children's hospital until her husband finally arrived.

No time to blog, too busy living!

Hello friends!
I am a little tied up. My dad surprised me with a drop in visit just in time for Father's Day. It was great because I had asked him if he would take me to this Father Daughter dance that the Hubs was planning on attending with Jade. Dad said he couldn't make it, but he and the Hubs conspired to surprise me and we ended up going as well. So much fun!

However, it's been a busy weekend with the Father Daughter dance, Father's Day and my dad still in town, so time is limited.

I'll be back at it in a day or two...or three, you know how it goes!!! ;)

Counting Calories, now? Say it ain't so!!!

I joined caloriecount.about.com this weekend, as I really try to get serious about my weight loss. This was my introduction and as I typed it, I realized that lots of my bloggy friends don't know the whole story, so here it is.

Hello!!

I am a just turned 30, stay at home mom of two great kids. My daughter Jade is 4 1/2 and my son Onyx is 18 months. I am 5'3 and currently 148 pounds. My goal weight is 125, but that is kind of my fantasy goal weight. I would be happy at 130, if I could stay right there.

My history with weight loss is tied to my sugar addiction and my emotional eating. I lost 30 pounds when I was in college. I had a demanding job and demanding school schedule and I ballooned up to almost 150. At the end of that semester, I got serious about working out and eating right. I was down to 120 and eventually gained back about 6 pounds, but held it steady at around 126 until after I got married.

After marriage and the stress of being a new wife, having a relative move in with me and working and going to school, along with having a job where the treats were plentiful (I was a private school teacher. Free lunch, candy for the kids, bagels in the break room, birthday parties, holiday parties.....you get the picture) within 9 months I was almost 140 again. 137 to be exact. I know because they weighed me at the Dr.'s office right before they told me I was pregnant. I had just told myself that I needed to go on a diet.

I have a condition called hyperemisis, so during pregnancy I have an incredibly vicious form of morning sickness that afflicted me for 5.5 months at all times of day. I lost 25 pounds in my first trimester. Over the course of my pregnancy, I gained 35 pounds for a net total of 10 pounds gained. Trust me, I was miserable and wouldn't wish hyperemisis on my worst enemy.

After I delivered Jade and began nursing, my weight stabilized at a lovely 126. Woohoo!!! I was ecstatic. Add 12 months of snacking like crazy, indulging almost every whim and I was still only 132. That's one thing I finally noticed about myself, I gain slowly and lose slowly which has deceived me in the past. But I'm empowered now because I recognize it. Anywhoo, a year later I was closing in on 140. I started a workout regimen, but barely changed my diet. To make a long story short, by the time I discovered that I was pregnant with my son, I was 157.

I knew what was going to happen and consoled myself with the fact that this time, I would definitely keep it off. As expected, I was absolutely miserable and couldn't keep any food down. The hyperemisis gets worse with each pregnancy and this time I lost 38 pounds in my first trimester. Again, I eventually started gaining and ended with a net gain of about 15 pounds. And again, once I delivered and began nursing I was around 124. I went to a formal dance about two months after I delivered my son and wore a size 4 designer gown. I looked incredible!!! Jaws dropped when I entered and all night I heard, "Didn't you just have a baby?" Oh, what a wonderful night that was. Too bad six months later I was already up ten pounds.

I knew the routine, so this time I really tried not to allow the same thing to happen, however, at the time I Didn't realize that I gain and lose slowly, so after a week of eating horribly, I would weigh myself and see no change, so I would keep eating what I wanted. Or after a week of working out and watching my diet, I would see no change, so I would say, "It's not working!" and go back to eating whatever. At my son's first birthday party I was 136.

I stopped nursing in March and have put on ten pounds since then. I am vowing to stop it right here and right now. I refuse to let sweets control my life. Because, basically that is my problem. I like sweets. Cookies, cakes, brownies, ice cream, sorbet; I like it, I want it. But not enough to watch my weight and health get out of control. I'm nipping it for myself and to be a good example to my kids.

Plus, I plan on rewarding myself with a boudoir photo shoot when I get to my magic weight. I think that will motivate me to keep it off.

Poor people shouldn't get fat

Because when people get fat, then their clothes don't fit. And if you're poor and you're clothes don't fit, then you can't buy new clothes that fit. Then you walk around town with clothes that look like this




and like this
So, if you are poor, do your best not to get fat. Or if you start to get fat, you might want to consider getting pregnant, because you can always borrow some maternity clothes and everyone will understand why you are getting fat. However, you better figure out a way to get unpoor should you decided to go that route because babies can be pretty expensive.
Or, if you are poor and you are getting fat, you better figure out how to get unfat.

Since I have no plans on having more kids, and I find myself in the aforementioned predicament, I've decided to get unfat. I'm on day 3 of the 30 Day Shred. I've heard some pretty awful things about Jillian Michaels, but she's not so bad. Of course, I am doing Level 1, the modified exercises and using two pound weights, but you gotta start somewhere.

Keep the Change

How was your weekend? Mine was very busy, but we still managed to get some relaxing in. Check out this hilarious situation from Saturday and let me know what you think....

Being the wonderful wife that I am, I decided to give my hubby a nice treat and take the kids out for the entire day on Saturday so that he could have some relax time. I know from first hand experience how rare it is to be alone in the house. You can go out to a coffee shop to grab a few minutes of alone time or you can have girls' night out, but how often do you have the luxury of being alone in your own home? For those of us with little kids, not very often. So, I took the kids out for the entire day. I left home around 11am and came home around 6pm. That's right, I even skipped their nap, opting instead to let them catnap in the car as we made the rounds visiting and running various errands.
There was just one stipulation....I asked hubby to clean the kids' bathroom (which had been out of order since my dad left more than a month ago). So basically, I asked him to do a chore that is normally mine and in exchange for doing me a favor, I would take the kids and give him some alone time. To thoroughly clean the bathroom would have only taken, at the most forty minutes. And that includes mopping the floor and cleaning the mirror. It's a tiny bathroom.


So tell me why I came home at around 6pm and hubby had not cleaned the bathroom. He was in good spirits, happy and appreciative of the alone time, but he hadn't cleaned the bathroom. But then he said, 'a deal's a deal and I will get right to it'.

Uh, dude, no. You were supposed to clean the bathroom while we were gone. Now that we are back, I'm ready to relax, not keep the kids away from you while you clean. The deal wasn't that you would clean the bathroom eventually, it was that you would clean the bathroom while we were gone. He didn't get why I was annoyed, so I gave him this analogy which I thought was pretty clever:

Honey, imagine a mother sending a child to the store to pick up a few items and telling the child to keep the change. Now imagine that the child goes to the store, doesn't get the items that the mom requested but instead spends all of the money on candy. Then the child comes back home and asks for more money to get the groceries. That's what you did.

That was a good analogy, right?

When is the right time to talk about it?

I've been talking about this all over FB, Twitter and Yahoo! groups, so excuse my brusqueness.
I took Jade and O to the library for storytime. I was just trying to fill our morning with a quick activity so that the kids would take an early nap, so that we could go swimming with friends in the afternoon.
Anywhoo, so we go to storytime and the librarian picks up the book Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles. I'm thinking, okay.....never heard of this book, what's it about. Then the librarian reads the author's note. Sidenote- are you even supposed to read the author's note to the kids? Here is an excerpt from the author's note....

Also in the summer of 1964, civil rights workers in Mississippi organized "Freedom Summer," a movement to register black Americans to vote. It was a time of great racial violence and change. That was the summer I began to pay attention: I noticed that black Americans used back doors, were waited on only after every white had been helped, and were treated poorly, all because of the color of their skin ... and no matter what any law said. I realized that a white person openly having a black friend, and vice versa, could be a dangerous thing.

Okay, I'm thinking to myself, 'are you kidding?' I want to leave but I don't want to cause a scene and getting Jade to leave storytime before the story would definitely cause a scene. The librarian starts reading the story and it's all about two friends, one white and one black. After the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the town pours tar in the town pool rather than allow black people to swim in it. Is it just me or is this a little, um, heavy for story time?

I have a lot of issues with this.

1. Shouldn't there be some sort of warning if the subject matter is going to be uh, sensitive?
2. Isn't it my job as a parent to determine when and how I want to discuss sensitive topics with my children?
3. The slave trade, American slavery and the Jim Crow period that followed are very serious, very....what's the word I'm looking for.....layered, multi-faceted...deep. I think that conversations like these deserve more than a 15 minute story time. This would be an ongoing conversation in my house, but I don't want the library forcing my hand.

So, I want to hear from you. Tell me what you think. Am I overreacting or am I right that this was not a great choice for story time?

And while we are talking about it, what hard topics have you addressed with your young kids? One woman on Twitter told me that she had discussed Prop. 8 with her three year old. Uh, wowza!

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!!

My blog was awarded!!! Can I just be really honest? I'm so happy to have finally won an award. I'm sure that you're not supposed to want awards, just like you're not supposed to want followers and you're not supposed to want comments, but I guess I'm just that shallow...I want it all and I don't mind saying it. LOL!!




Sometimes (I've heard from my other, more popular bloggy friends) awards can be a double edged sword in that they come with a bunch of strings attached. You know, tag 40 other bloggers, make a list of 800 random things about you, take a picture of yourself while standing on your head, etc. But my bloggy buddies know me for the sometimes slacker blogger that I am. These awards have no strings!! Wooohooo!!!

Cynthia K. gave me the lovely blog award and the timing is perfect because I get to pass it on to blogs that I've recently discovered and I just discovered an amazing blog! Now, a lot of my bloggy friends read this particular blog, but I had never heard of her before, so she is new to me.
Her name is Angela and her blog is Becoming Me. I'm newly in blog love. I'd also like to pass the award on to:

Shanta at Life As I Know
She's a stay-at-home mom of three who knits, crochets, sews, bakes, makes jewelry, etc. She is my hero and my nemesis at the same time! LOL!!

Dori at From A Yellow House In England
I'm just totally fascinated with expats

Sandi at Lucky 13 and Counting
Sandi has 13 kids!!! 'Nough said!!

and finally

Stormy at Wonder Woman
She is really an inspiration

Stormy gave me the 'Friends' award. I want to pass this award on to people with whom I feel that I am really developing a bloggy connection.

That would be

K at Interstitial Life
Kathy B! at The World According To Me
Martha at A Sense of Humor is Essential
The Rambler at My Rambling Thoughts
Cynthia K at Crumbs in the Minivan

These ladies make blogging fun for me because it feels more like a conversation with them.
And ladies, there are no strings attached to this award. Just sending some love!

Anywhoo, I would like to thank my very special bloggy friends Cynthia K. over at Crumbs in the Minivan and Stormy over at Wonder Woman for my first awards!!! Thanks so much. I feel sooooo special!!!

Preschool Pissing Contest

Oh, today was a great day friends! We woke up and The Hubs surprised me by taking us out to breakfast. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and we went to one of my favorite restaurants. So this was a wonderful surprise.
Then, even better, I convinced Hubby to take the kids for a little walk right after we ordered which made our meal so much more pleasant. They came back from their walk just as the food arrived.

Then after breakfast we took the kids to the park where I was picked up by another mom. Yes, she was drawn in by my mommy pheremones and she couldn't resist slipping me her number and begging to get a spot on O's playdate card. LOL!!

But the most hilarious thing that happened involved Jade. We were hanging around the monkey bars and I was explaining to Jade that you have to develop a lot of arm strength to go from just hanging on the bars, to swinging across the bars. She listened intently and then decided to give it a try. She was hanging on the first bar and you could see her willing one of her hands to move to the next bar, but she just couldn't bring herself to let go and try to walk across the bars.


While Jade was hanging there another little girl walked over, jumped on the bars and easily swung across. You can imagine that Jade was hot! The girl heard me explaining about the whole 'need a lot of arm strength' thing, so she said..."You also need a lot of arm strength to do this!" And she jumps off the monkey bars and does a semi-cartwheel. Well, Jade was just too put out! She jumped off the monkey bars and did a perfect cartwheel and ended with a flourish. She said, "I have a lot of arm strength and I can do a cartwheel the right way." The other little girl asks Jade, "How old are you?" Jade says with indignation, "I'm four!". The other girl says, "Well, I'm five!" And trounced away!!!
LOL!!!! Jade was not happy, but she felt like she had no comeback. I guess when you are a preschooler, age trumps all!!!

Granny Panties

We all have them, right? They are so comfortable yet so unattractive. I love my granny panties.




Unfortunately, my granny panties look a lot worse than those. I had planned to take a picture of my actual granny panties for this post, but guess what? I'm wearing them!!!!! ROFL!!!!

Yes honey, I can't help it. They feel sooooo good. When I go to get dressed, if I see the granny panties, they are going on! They never give me a wedgie, they hug my bum just right, I can wear them with almost anything. Ahhhhh......I love my granny panties.

I remember the day I bought them. What a glorious day it was. We were shopping at an outlet center. I stopped by the L'eggs Hanes Bali Playtex Factory Outlet Store. My lovely granny panties came in a package of three. This is what they looked like when they were brand new...


only mine are black.

Problem is, they are getting a little, uh, worn. My granny panties look like this now



Yes. My granny panties are holey. And not just on the side. I've got quite a few, ahem, vents in my granny panties. ;)

Have no fear, friends. This post has a happy ending. If you are like me and have some granny panties that you need to get rid of, Vicki's Secret is making it easy for us to replace them.

Here's a coupon for free panties at Victoria's Secret, no purchase necessary!!! Hurry, go get some. It expires today!!!
Go!!!!

Send Me Your Gold and I'll Mail You A Check (heh,heh)

Have you seen these commercials? Mail in your gold and we'll mail you a check. Okay, um, I may be a little slow here, but who in the world would do this? You are going to sell your valuables by mail to someone you don't know and you haven't even agreed upon a price? Yeah, this strikes me as just plain crazy.

And the commercials are hilarious! Have you seen the one that is directed towards *ahem* ladies of leisure? The company is called Out of Your Life.com. Now, when I first saw this commercial I thought it was just a different spin on the old 'mail me your gold' routine. But when I watched the commercial a couple of times on the website, I realized something different.

I can't post the commercial, but here are the reasons I believe that these commercials are specifically targeting the type of women who you would see on the Millionaire Matchmaker:

1. She names 6, count them, 6 men who have given her expensive jewelry that she is now selling.
   
2. She names two guys at the same time, implying that she was, uh, dating (and I use the term loosely) them simultaneously and she accepted expensive gifts from both of them.
3. She is currently wearing a HUGE engagement ring and planning a trip to Tahiti, Ireland or Italy....which implies that she is engaged or newly married and going on a honeymoon

Check out the commercial here and tell me what you think!

What Would You Do?

The kids and I went to one of Jade's classmates' home for a PTA meeting.
While we were there, the son of the homeowner was being a little bossy and aggressive. This sometimes happens when kids have guests over; it's kind of like the 'you're in my world, now' syndrome. Well, at one point he scratched Jade's arm. It was a pretty bad scratch. So bad in fact, that I told Jade to ask the mom for a band-aid. The mom put Neosporin on it and a band-aid.
And she never said a word to me! Is that weird? I mean, if my child inflicted an injury on a child that required medical attention, I think I would say something to the parent. Something like, "Sapphire, I am so sorry. I don't know what got into little Johnny. Johnny, if you can't keep your hands to yourself, you are going to have a time-out while your friends play with your toys, do you understand me?"
Am I making too much of this? What do you think?

*Update - Just to give you an idea of how bad the scratch was, the meeting was last Wednesday and there is still a scab on Jade's arm, today.

BARF!!!!

I jumped at the opportunity to get out of the house alone had to run to Wal-Mart this evening to pick up a few things for my hubby's dessert (yeah, I know......that's another post!).

While there, I browsed the toy section, looking for dolls for Jade and cars for O (these are the toys that they have expressed interest in, this is not me pushing my gender bias on them).

This is the first thing I saw in the doll section:



I thought that was bad, but then I saw her friend.....




I looked at the next display and saw this....




Okay.....are you barfing yet? I'm sorry, but these 'dolls' look like call girls to me. The final insult? The Bratz First Date doll series.



I have so many issues with these dolls. Besides the obnoxious clothes and makeup, why do the features have to be so extra and unnatural? Huge, exaggerated, slanted eyes? Voluminous hair down to their ankles? Pouty, collagen infused lips? And why the 'First Date' series? And if you are going to do a 'First Date' series, why put lipstick on the date? ;)

Images convey powerful messages.
What messages are these dolls conveying to you? What messages are they conveying to the generation of girls who are growing up playing with them?

It's the book's fault

I'm so sorry guys. I have TONS of things to talk about, but I've been in a hostage situation. I think I mentioned a while ago that I am obsessive when reading, I just can't put it down until it's done. Well, I picked up a 700 page novel and I have literally been held hostage by it. Every free second, I've been reading which leaves no time for blogging.
I finished it last night.
And let me tell you the posts that I've been writing in my head.......

Granny Panties
The Bad Kid
It's the curriculum stupid!
Crisis of Purpose

I've had a lot going on. But I have to go run an errand now that is a story all by itself. Remember my cousin that I stood up on the day of the family meeting? Well, she's back.
Talk to you later!!!

We'll always have yesterday.....

AAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was a great day!!

Well, aside from my kids waking me up at the crack of dawn. Once I got up, I made a big pancake breakfast. Yummy!!! Then the Hubs cleaned the kitchen. Woohoo!!!! Then O and I took a nap while Jade and the Hubs had play time. Uh, hello! Can you say wonderful?

After our naps I made lunch for everyone. For myself, I made the most incredible salad. Oh my goodness, it was delicious! Start with fancy field greens and top with egg whites, raisins, croutons, tomatoes, and the pièce de résistance......small chunks of smoked gouda! Mmmm -mmmm, good!!!
It was soooo filling and just lovely down to the last bite. Yum!!

Then we went out and enjoyed a lovely, fun-filled afternoon. There were several outdoor festivals in town and we had a blast. We came home around 8:40pm and let me tell you, I had those kids bathed and in bed by 9:01.

All in all a great day.
PS
I took a picture of my salad, but I can't upload it right now. So if tomorrow's post is just a picture of a salad, you know why.

Okay, Okay

I came back from a wonderful weekend and besides my hubby and kids I was greeted with this



and this.....






and this








So, I'll be back to blogging in a day or two, ok?


PS
These are not actual photos of my home, just pics I found online to illustrate my point.

No thanks, I'm taken.

I have a dilemma for you. So, I'm going out of town for a wedding. This morning after I checked in, I wanted to grab a bite to eat. The first restaurant I stopped in didn’t have any fresh fruit (I didn’t want a muffin or a fatty breakfast sandwich because I am having MAJOR weight issues, which we will discuss very soon) so I asked the employees where I could find something lighter. They suggested another restaurant and an airport employee, who was in line in front of me, volunteered to show me where the other restaurant was. I thanked him and told him it wasn’t necessary for him to show me the way. He replied that he was going that way anyway.

We engaged in a little small talk on the way to the restaurant. When we got there, I ordered two bananas. The guy quickly ordered right after me and instructed the cashier to put everything on one tab. It all happened very quickly and I was caught by surprise. I thanked him for his kindness but insisted on paying for my own, however he and the cashier were quicker on the draw than me. The order was rung up and paid for before I could start rummaging in my purse.

I thanked him again and as we began walking in the same direction; me towards the security line and him, I don’t know, we chatted. The he did it. He asked me if I had a ‘boyfriend or anything’.

I answered that I had a husband. The guy was obviously surprised and he said, “Wow. Your husband is a lucky man to get someone like you. You have a beautiful smile.” I rewarded him for his astuteness with a mega watt version of said ‘beautiful smile’ and he went on his way as I got in the long, winding security line.

As I walked fifty paces in one direction, turned and walked fifty paces in the other direction, I started thinking about the situation and wondered if I mishandled it. Should I have insisted on paying him back for the bananas? Was it inappropriate for me, a married woman to accept two bananas from a strange man? Did I mislead him in anyway? If so, what are the rules?

What do you think? I kind of feel like maybe I shouldn’t have allowed him to pay for my food just to turn around and dash his hopes, but I’m not sure at what point I should have done something different. I’d love to hear what you think.

From the mouths of babes.....

I've seen this cute little (activity? note? carnival?) thing around on FB and in blogland and I couldn't wait to try it with Jade.
Since I'm getting over being sick and getting ready to go out of town, today seemed like the perfect opportunity. I have to mention that Jade and I had this conversation one evening after dinner. She had had a long nap, so when The Hubs took O up to bed, I took a few minutes to ask her these questions.
Here goes!

Me: What is something mom always says to you?

Jade: Those little hands are going to get you in trouble.


Me: What makes mom happy?

Jade: Being excellent. Being good. (being excellent? Good grief, I sound like one of those moms!)

Me: What makes mom sad?

Jade: Being disobedient


Me: How does your mom make you laugh?

Jade: Saying jokes. Like, 'Hey, missy!' (she said this in a gruff voice, sort of like a man's voice. I have no idea what she is talking about.)


Me: What was your mom like as a child?

Jade: Doing a good example. Sapphire, I love you. (yes, she used my first name)

Me: How old is your mom?

Jade: 20% (HUH???)


Me: How tall is your mom? (I'm 5'3)

Jade: Very tall. Like this. *stands up in a chair*


Me: What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?

Jade: News *yawns*


Me: What does your mom do when you're not around?

Jade: Rest. (*snort* Don't I wish!!!!)


Me: If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

Jade: It will be for grown-up things.


Me: What is your mom really good at?

Jade: Teaching me. (Awwwwwww......)

Me: What is your mom not very good at?

Jade: Spanking. *BIG yawn*


Me: What does your mom do for her job?


Jade: Ummm…..*she goes into gibbereish*.
Me: What?
Jade: More gibbereish.
Me: *rephrasing* – What is mommy’s job?
Jade: Mommy’s job is to teach us.



Me: What is your mom's favorite food?

Jade: Tacos (that is not my favorite food.that’s just what we had for dinner). Mommy, may I go take a nap?


Me: What makes you proud of your mom?

Jade: Saying WOOHOO yeah *clapping hands*. And, when you put on a DVD. Mommy, I want to go take my bath. Now, please.

And with that, the interview ended. Between the yawns and the gibberish and the clearly articulated desire to go to bed, I decided against finishing this little activity tonight. I'll find another time to ask the final questions.

This was so much fun. Please do this with your kids and let me know. I can't wait to read the answers. Especially if you have kids of different ages, like four and eleven. I would be fascinated with their different answers.
Here are the remaining questions.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
17. What do you and your mom do together?
18. How are you and your mom the same?
19. How are you and your mom different?
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?