My Own Backyard

2012-01-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

Your political ideology falls right in line with your spiritual ideology, it's your's not mine and I'd prefer you kept it that way. I personally get offended when people let me know what they think about politics and/or religion, unsolicited. I get all weird Willy Wonka "Oh you read the newspaper/bible you must be so well informed." Mostly I get personally offended because they are either telling me
1. I have no clue what's going on in the world or
2. Only their opinion is right and mine is not.
Equally annoying.

Religion and Politics are based on unknown tangibles.
Will lowering taxes for the rich save the economy? or Will raising them?
Will God rain fire and brimstone on all earthly dwelling this year or 100 years from now?
It's all a crapshoot. Nobody's right. Nobody's wrong. It's just all one big guess.
I don't have all the answers, I just know what I believe. If I need to know more or I want more I will be sure to ask the people I trust. The people who show their opinions through action as oppose to words.

Peace out.

2012-01-23T11:15:00.000-08:00

It's always so interesting to go back to blogs you originally started reading when you first started reading and see where they are at. A lot don't blog any more. For years. I have been blogging for about five years. That's a lot of online years. I saw the advent of Twitter and when mommybloggers always had a trending topic on Twitter like every day. I remember there was a time when you didn't ask for sponsorship to conferences, you actually paid out of your own pocket. And when reviews were just fun things to do on occasion, a perk of this online world. When people cared more about their words than how much money they can make.
Blogging is such a funny thing.

Today and yesterday and the day before there was some sort of snow and or ice falling from the sky here. I hate driving in this weather. Driving in bad weather is an art form. You really have to manage a whole lot of different variables and if you mess one variable up you could be screwed.
Driving in snow is a skill you can lose if you don't use it. You have to go out every once and do practice runs.
This is probably true about everything in life.

Week of Jan 8, 2012

2012-01-14T06:15:00.000-08:00

I have been writing everything lately- every thought that comes into my head. I have a notebook by my side always. If the notebook is to far-away I write a small post in my post editor. I don't have anything to write on in my car and the other day I had this 'zap!' of thought I wanted to get down and couldn't, today I am buying a small notebook. This is what I am doing now- just writing whatever I feel. These thoughts are ramblings, sometimes they make no sense and sometimes they make perfect sense, but more often than naught they make no sense. They are never in perfect grammar so if that is what you need look away.
-----------------------

There is a teacher at my children's school that left his wife for one of the mother's at the school. It made great fodder for the desperate housewife sect, myself included.
I saw him today and he is growing his hair out.
At one time he was a young teacher with no hair and a young wife and a dog.
And now he is a teacher with hair and a girlfriend and two pseudo-children.
I just found the hair thing so weird.
_____________________________________________________________________________

I hate when they make something taste like something else. Like Mento's gum tasting like a Mento's mint drop. Cause when I put Mento's gum in my mouth I want to just chew and swallow, not chew and chew and chew. It's so unfulfilling (is this a word). I am for certain this is why they don't make Tic-Tac gum.
They make bacon gum and I think the above rule still applies.
Fruit flavored beverage do not apply to above stated rule. They are fake fruit disguised as fake fruit. Never once did I take a drink of strawberry kool-aid and say "OMG this is does not taste like strawberry." Kool-aid drinks have cartoon fruit on the packaging. Cartoon drawings of actual food implies that you are not actually getting the food that is on the package but a cheap, sugary substitute that doesn't even taste like it's original counterpart. This is an unspoken rule.
Sometimes I imagine I am a cartoon version of my real self. Pencil-drawn. Black out-lined. My hair one complete entity instead of the 100 little hairs that stand up on end like in the real version of me.
In the cartoon version of me I would smile more and worry less. A sweeter, sugary substitute that doesn't feel like its original counterpart.
_____________________________________________________

Sometimes, every once in awhile, I bite the ring on one of my husbands left finger. It is a test. Or some grand symbolic gesture. I imagine, as I bite down on the cold steel, that it chips my front tooth.

Or that I slice through it like butter against a warm spoon. And I imagine what we would do if my teeth sliced through it. Would we stop and stare at each other, fear in our eyes. Or would we laugh at this great anomaly that I had caused. Because I was the one that wanted to test that strength of the ring that sits on the finger, the finger that has a vein that goes straight to the heart.
______________________________________________

I thought the other day

Empathy

2012-01-07T06:24:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about Empathy. It can be a confusing word. Because you might get it confused with sympathy. I think sympathy is easy. Anyone can feel sorry for someone else. Everyday we feel bad for those who are somehow less than us. We frown for those who lost, and we thank God it wasn't us. Or we thank god. And that is the difference between sympathy and Empathy. When you thank God that it wasn't you you lost the Empathy game.

What would it feel like to put yourself in that person's shoes for one second. For one nanosecond.

I really questioned our ability to Empathize when people were cheering that teen mom for killing a home intruder. And all I could think/feel was bad for her.
Those people cheering her will be gone when the post-traumatic stress disorder starts.
She will not feel like a 'hero' when she can't sleep, when the sun goes down and the nightmares begin.
People said they wish they were there, or they wish they had pulled the trigger. I don't know what to say to that.
And everyday people cheer in the street when people die. People will always die at the hands of others. And sometimes it's for fear or self-defense or out of hate or out of love or for the freedom of all. But it is still death.
And it is still death. And death is final. And death hurts. And it is not without consequence.

And for a second. For a nanosecond I imagined that young mothers nightmares and I feel so sad for her. Because although she pulled that trigger for the safety of herself and for the safety of her child, she will never again feel safe.

Pharmacology

2012-01-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

Pharmacology

Really it is going to take me days/weeks to process everything in this book. I just hope in February, when my book club discusses Pharmacology with the author Christopher Herz, I will be able to form a coherent thought.
So good. So very good.
I am a book reviewer of few words.

Ruminate

2011-11-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

I have deep thoughts. Deep. Deep. Thoughts. All the time. They usually only make sense to me of course. I ruminate a lot. Some people use the word ruminate like it's a bad thing. My mom, who worked in a mental institution, said they used ruminate when talking about patients with certain mental disorders. Ruminate was the technical term they used for people who talked about the same thing over and over obsessively.
I like to think my ruminating is the completely healthy kind but it is not. I usually think of interactions with people and think of at least five different way I could have handled the situation. My social anxiety prevents me from getting an interaction right the first time. I usually resort to inappropriate humor. Inappropriate humor is deceiving. People always laugh at inappropriate humor. The question is are they laughing because they truly thought my inappropriateness was funny or because they are uncomfortable.

2011-11-27T06:06:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about anxiety, mostly because I suffer with it. I make jokes about it, a lot. I joke because it helps me cope.
I tried the whole medicine thing and it didn't work. I've heard medicine doesn't work for a lot of people. It makes it worse. Which is weird. Because everyone and every commercial makes you believe it will work, then your reality hits you and you realize you won't be that reality you see on T.V. You won't be that woman who one second was looking sad on the couch to happily buying flowers at the market the next. Your reality finds you on the couch. Always and forever. Or you think it will be always and forever. Because that is how it feels.
I'd love to explain what my anxiety feels like but I can't. It's a whole lot of feeling. It's a rush to the head and a tightening in the chest. It effects the whole body. And I take my hands and rub my face. I start at my forehead with the tips of my fingers and rub hard to the top of my hairline to the bottom of my chin. And back up again and around till I reach the top of my head. And part of me want to rub the skin off and see what it looks like underneath. I want to see what my brain is doing. I want to know what part of me is making me feel the way I feel. The not knowing makes it worse.
And now that the anxiety is bad enough it effect other parts of me. I grind my teeth and clench my jaw causing TMJ. And the blood vessels in my hands constrict and reopen to fast and my hands turn red and white and blue and they ache. And I ache all over.
The thoughts are the worst of it. Because they never end. Sometimes I sit in my room with the music way up just to make them stop. I put the bass up and let the vibration massage the tightness in my chest. Let something loud distract me from the thoughts that make it hard to breathe and concentrate and be. Me.
And to know that anxiety is not just mine. Because my family feels it everyday. In my silence.. And the verbal snaps. And in my tears. And I want it to stop. So bad. And I know there is no easy answer. I will not wake up one day and feel like that girl in the commercial. And so bad I want to buy flowers at the market and have it be just what it is.

This Post Makes No Sense.... You Are Welcome.

2011-11-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

What is it that makes me want to blog? I think that all the time. Why do I have to write something and put it out there? Why can't I just think a thought and idea and that be enough?
Because I'd go crazy that's why.
I have this insane....or inane....desire to put what I think and feel out into the universe. I wonder if that is how you define an artist. Anyone can paint a picture, an artist puts it out there. Anyone can write a song and play it, and artist makes it heard. Anyone could write a story, an artist lets his/her thoughts be known to the masses.
Now I feel kind of vain calling myself an artist.
Whenever I hear the song "You're So Vain" I always think what if they are not vain, what if they are just paranoid?? What if you sing that song they think anxiously 'What if this song is about me? What did I do wrong??' And that kind of makes Carly Simon a non-understanding bitch. It's called paranoia and it can be debilitating and just because you were married to James Taylor and were really cool in the 70's you think you can judge people, well fuck you Carly...FUCK YOU!!!
That is all....

This song is so old but when I have a rift with my hubby I sing this song. I don't know why.

Torn up Piece of Paper.

2011-11-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

*I love the movie Stealing Beauty. It is one of those movies that I watched over and over and still watch when it comes on T.V. When I was younger I wished my mom had died and my father had sent me away to an artist commune in Italy to smoke pot with Jeremy Irons and swim topless with Rachel Weisz and lose my virginity to an adorable pubic-haired Italian boy. These were my selfish years.
Now I watch the movie and I just want to run away to an artist commune in Italy and lose my virginity to an adorable pubic-haired Italian boy. A girl can still be a little selfish no matter what age.
In the movie Liv's character eats her words. She always writes on small scraps of paper, tears the paper and sticks it in her mouth. Or sometimes she burns the paper. I love this part of the movie because I know I am not that girl who runs away to an artist commune in Italy but I am that girl that hides her words.
Half the stuff I write does not get posted. The words sit as drafts burnt and torn and swallowed never to see the light of day.

*“I love you also means I love you more than anyone loves you, or has loved you, or will love you, and also, I love you in a way that no one loves you, or has loved you, or will love you, and also, I love you in a way that I love no one else, and never have loved anyone else, and never will love anyone else.”
― Jonathan Safran Foer

This is a quote I have on my fridge, the quote is printed on a torn up piece of paper framed on a piece of scrapbook paper. I love this quote about love. I put the scrap of paper at eye level so I can always see it. It's so much better than a picture of a pig telling me 'oink'.
Actually the quote isn't for losing weight, when I read it I think of my kids.
I don't have a favorite kid, as some people say. I don't love my kids in the same way but I do love them both just like the quote says- which I guess is loving them in the same way.
I think people get the 'favorite' and the love mixed up. Our kids need our love in different forms. My girl needs cuddling and affection. My boy needs tons of high-fives and an affectionate headlock.
One is more willing to help me on a daily basis, the other works to surprise me in amazing ways on a less frequent measure. One curses and swears like a sailor when they are mad, the other is prone to fits of crying.
One is not my favorite. I never mix-up these feelings up. The torn up piece of paper on my fridge is a reminder of those feelings.

*When you are working with your fancy scrap-booking paper it is important to remember to tear the piece of paper towards you.

2011-11-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

today ain't for nothing. That's two negatives making a positive, maybe things will look up. Maybe someone will knock on my door and just give me a hug. You know you are having a bad day when you wish someone would knock on your door to give you a hug as oppose to say a million dollars. That's how life works sometimes.

horse and carriage

2011-11-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

I woke up yesterday morning and I fake punched my hubby in the gut, he got all sad looking and I said "I'm prone to violence in the morning." and he shakes his head, and walks away.

And sometimes he kisses me goodnight. and sometimes he doesn't. and sometimes I get mad at him for not being affectionate and then I put super glossy lip gloss on and tell him he can't kiss me.

And we fight hard and get mad at each other and yell empty insults and threats and wave our fists and we apologize for our empty insults and threats. and for waving our fists in the air.

I've been thinking a lot about divorce. It isn't hard when the people around you seem to be doing it. A mother leaves. A father leaves. A car and a presences is missing in the neighborhood, it is not hard to miss. You wonder if those people are like you. If you can make their same mistakes. Am I making their same mistakes?

Divorce is like a plague, once one person gets it the person next to them is sure to get it and you end up praying to God that you got your immunizations to fight off the horrible disease that is divorce. You wonder if your marriage can make it.

And I fake punch my hubby in the gut and he got all sad looking and I say "I'm prone to violence in the morning." and he shakes his head and walks away and in that moment I know we are going to be okay.

“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”

― Dr. Seuss

shorts

2011-10-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

*you know when you tell your parents you are expecting your first child and you are mostly excited but then you realize you are admitting to your parents that you are actually having sex and a little part of you feels awkward.

*did you know you can slice your finger open by dusting a metal air vent? now you do.

*i am going on a kindergarten field trip tomorrow. to a corn maze. i have an insane fear of getting trapped in a maze and dying . this can't be good.

*you are welcome.

Just Kids Patti Smith

2011-10-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

Our Book Club just finished Just Kids by Patti Smith, which is a fabulous book for a book club. What makes a fabulous book club book you ask? A great book club book is a book that transends beyond the characters, a book that can relate to your own life. A story that connects to the individual and weaves people together.

A bunch of suburban housewives connecting with a rock goddess you ask? The answer is YES! YES! YES!

Just Kids does make a great book club book, the only thing it was IMPOSSIBLE to find great discussion questions. I looked and looked and had a hard time finding great comprehensive questions to really get the conversation going. After hours of Googeling and Re-Googling and pulling my hair out I decided to make my own questions. I pulled from a multitude of sites and reviewed highlighted passages from my Kindle to come up with a list of discussion questions.
Please feel free to use, alter, fix my grammatical errors for your own clubs use!

What were your thoughts on Patti Smith before you read the book? After? Have you ever listened to her music? Was/Is there a musician from your past/present that defines you?

The book gives a small glimpses into Patti and Robert's childhood and family life, how does this shape them as adults?

Patti refers to a story in her childhood, that she often tells Robert, about stealing a charm from a sick friend and her guilty feelings. When Patti left for New York and took the money from the purse she did not express an equal amount of guilt, Why? Where there other instances in the story that were a conflict of moral standards?

Were Patti and Robert equally supportive of each others careers?

What are your thoughts on Patti and Roberts romantic/sexual relationship? Do you think it hurt their friendship at any point? How were they able to maintain a friendship for so long?

Is an artist truer if he/she is obsessed with having to create?

If a piece of artwork is not something you'd want to exhibit in your own home, is it bad art? What defines art? In the case of Robert's art, what defines his work as art vs. pornography?

Should art be regulated? Is it okay to ban art and artist expression?

If you are not in a book club I still HIGHLY recommend Just Kids!

CD

2011-10-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

True to my 18 year old self I am spending my days trapped in my house listening to Tori Amos all day, 'cept for wine I am drinking coffee. It's been about a decade since I have listened to one of Tori's albums all the way through. I blame technology. When is the last time you bought an actual CD? One that you have to actually open the package to get to. Shiny mirrored image disc. One that has all the tracks on it, and a booklet. One that you start at the begining and listen all the way through? Heard from start to finish a musicians story. Been awhile I bet.
I didn't buy Tori's CD, I downloaded it. Hypocrite I know. I needed the instant gratification. The idea of going in my car, driving fifteen minutes to the store, praying they had the CD, purchasing said CD, driving home giddy with anticipation, spending 20 minutes trying to open said CD, plugging in my stereo, placing CD in tray and pushing play is just too much. Now I hit a button, wait less than five minutes and BAM! Tori in my media player.
When I was in my younger years I always went to the music shop on my town's main street. Because I was a hipster. I'd go to the record store because it was way cooler to buy the new Tool album in a store that smelled like patchouli and sold certain paraphernalia in the back than at a store that sold adult diapers. I'd walk home, put the CD in my player and listen. Ahh! the good old days.
One day I will go back into a record store and visit the good old days. Maybe I will even buy a CD for old time sake. Than I'll bitch and moan because I can't get it open- because that was the best part of buying a CD, bitching and moaning about the wrapping.
Today I will enjoy a little Tori and a lot of coffee.
Till next time.

I highly recommend Tori's new album if you are into that kinda of music. Night Of Hunters is in a song cycle so to get the full effect you have to listen to the whole CD from start to finish.

on death

2011-10-08T05:43:00.000-07:00

I think people's fascination with death is strange. Growing up we were taught that death and the pain we experience was private. We cried and we prayed and lit candles and baked casseroles and prayed and dressed up and went to wakes and funerals and prayed and endured the burn of incense on our nose hairs and sang 'On Eagle's Wings' and said good-bye and we'd go home and life went on.
We didn't dwell or put up pictures or post memorials on walls. In a way we had to come to terms with our loss in our own time and place, and allow others to do the same. I was taught that my mourning was mine and that how I mourn could effect other people. That the pain I feel for the person who is gone is no greater than I can handle.
I remember in high school a friend passed and all my friends were upset and crying in the halls and holding each other. Their bodies convulsed and they dropped to their knees and they expressed great pain. And I watched fascinated like an anthropologist because it was strange their outward display of grief. I couldn't bring myself to be so easy with my pain. I must of seemed callous with my emotion-less reaction. But I was sad, beyond sad, to me it was too much to convulse and drop to my knees and express great pain. I went home, locked myself in my room and cried and my family silently supported me in small acts of kindness.
And still to this day I see people react to death and I think 'how strange'.
Maybe it's because I have not seen great personal loss. Maybe I have yet to experience that pain that brings you to your knees over a loved one. This thought scares me.
I know if I were to die I would want none of the convulsing and the dropping of knees. I would want people to pray and light candles and bake casseroles and pray and get dressed up and go to my wake and my funeral and have their nose hair burned by the incense and sing 'On Eagle's Wings' and say good-bye and go home and have life go on. Because that is all they can do. They have to live.

Random Thoughts on Verbage Filters and Opposites Attracting

2011-10-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

*I promised my sister my verbage filter this weekend. Not that it's a very good verbage filter, word that are better left unsaid are always slipping through. My mom has issues with my sister and I be out alone together. Something always seems to go awry. Like the time my sister called one of her teachers a Nazi at her boss' daughter's Bat Mitzvah. Or me making obscene comments about people and those people being right behind me. And we go home and laugh about our social defectiveness and my mom shakes her head and says "I can't let you two out of the house together." And then we laugh some more.
Sisters.
Hopefully her verbage filter and my verbage filter will equal a somewhat workable, functioning filter.

*I am having a hard time being a mother to an 8 year-old boy. You know the direct and total opposite of a 34 year-old woman is an 8 year-old boy. Sometimes I'll turn on his favorite T.V. show and watch it with him and laugh at all the part he laughs at, even though I don't really find it funny. And I will purposefully say poop or pee or farts just to make him laugh, even though I hate the words poop and pee and fart. Those words are tops to an eight year old. And I make his favorite meals and snacks all the time and tell him I made them just for him. Because you have to always find a way to connect.

*Being a mom to a 5 year old girl is easy, clear sailing, although I imagine the complete and total opposite of a 15 year-old girl will be a 44 year-old woman. I have no idea what I will do to connect. I have 10 years to figure it out.

*My husband is working out. With weights. And while he works out I mix his protein shake. As I am making his shake I always wonder if making a protein shake for a 'weight-lifter' ruins my street cred. It can't be helping it.

cake

2011-10-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

I made pumpkin cake and no one ate it.
Strike that.
I made a pumpkin and no one ate it, but little girl licked off the cream cheese frosting.
I make a lot of things that no one eats but me. Sometimes I wonder if I do that on purpose. A treat for me and only me. That putting a mushed up fruit and./or a form of large squash into a dessert is the same as putting a "Mom Only" sign on it.
It's a delirious cake. A cake I don't have share. Well except for the cream cheese frosting.

This song has nothing to do with cake or cream cheese frosting or mushed up fruit and/or a form of large squash. It has nothing at all to do with this blog post.
Just listen. Listen with a large of pumpkin cake minus the cream cheese frosting.

Random Thoughts of a Bitter TMJ Sufferer

2011-09-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

*I gave birth to my children au' naturel. I did. I don't bring this up in normal everyday conversation. Even when people mention their birth stories I usually keep my mouth shut. I don't tell many people that I did natural child birth unless they ask or I am in so much fucking pain and I am trying to get the doctor to understand that I can't bear another minute of it.
I swear to GOD I used this phrase to nurse this past week:
"I DID NATURAL CHILD BIRTH.... TWICE! I AM NOT SOME CRACKED UP OXY-WHORE I AM IN PAIN!"
She told me to take Aleve.
I shit you not.
Realizing that my outburst did make me sound like a cracked-up-oxy-whore is beside the point. I was in fricken pain and after all my misdiagnoses and unnecessary antibiotics I was ready to cut a bitch.
Needless to say I am in the works of finding a new doctor.
What a bitch to do.

* I stated to my mom and sister that an appointment with a Physicians Assistant is tantamount to a pity fuck. I am sure P.A.s serve their purpose but the last thing I want you to give me is an appointment with someone who can only dole out Ibuprofen and Amoxicillin.

*Did you know that taking an antibiotic can give you stomach problems. And if you already have issues with your stomoach you are basically up shit creek. Literally it ain't pretty.
Also taking an antibiotic can give you a monster of a yeast infection. I am not trying to be gross, these are just the facts man. Antibiotics get rid of all the bad bacteria that makes you sick and all the good bacteria that helps with digestion and the good bacteria that gets rid of yeasts in your va-jay-jay area.
So when you have taken like seven antibiotics you are a walking yeasty-petri dish that has uncontrollable farts. Good times.

*I am just so bitter right now.

*Catch my daily TMJ reports on my Twitter page.

*Unrelated to TMJ, my hubby and I came up with a new word. "Vaginanormous" Used in a sentence: 'After having 20 kids Michelle Dugger is vagainanormous.'

*Also unrelated to TMJ I have a mad crush on Clay Matthews. He plays for the Packers. I call him my boyfriend. I tell my husband Clay can tackle me anytime. And that I want to lick Clay's hair. And then I simulate licking his hair by actually licking my hand.
Clay is known for his tendency to ramble incoherently which means him and I are soul mates.
He is also a Republican so my status as 'Republican Shiksa' would still be intact.
Winning.

quote

2011-09-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Quotes can be totally awesome and equally annoying. I ride the line on posting quotes. Because sometimes you want to give inspiration the middle finger. "Yeah, well fuck you and your ideas and making me feel guilty for wanting to sit around all day and watch this Project Runway marathon!"
Two of my favorite quotaters are actually children writers. Because sometimes the simple resonate more with me. Simple is truth. Words get used too much. They become something less when you try too hard.
I try too hard a lot.
AA Milnes tops my list. I see a quote and think 'WOO who wrote that? I die from that inspiration.' And it is almost always AA Milnes. And then I think about how much Mr. Milnes wants bitch-slap Walt Disney for putting a red shirt on Winnie the Pooh. Because all the other characters are sans clothing, why was it important to put clothes on the bear??
Sometimes when I feel something I love to listen to 'Disobedience' and I think how cool to write about a child taking care of his mother. Because it happens a lot. Kids taking care of their parents. It's poetic. And sad. Poetically sad.

Theodor Seuss Geisel aka Dr. Seuss is my other favorite quoter. I read him and then think how much would he love to kick Mike Myer's ass? Because that Cat in the Hat was bad. Equal to spitting on Mr. Geisel's grave.
And then I think how awesome Dr. Suess was to make children's books about war and environmentalism and consumerism and Hitler. I love to go back and re-read his books as an adult, they say so much. And it is all simple, so simple. And the words aren't big. I don't have to refer to a dictionary or feel less than. Because words mean so much when you understand them.
Words are beautiful creatures. They have this way of combining and mutating to be something more than just a single thing. Words are righteous.

“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
― A.A. Milne

“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”
― Dr. Seuss

Beautiful

Create

2011-09-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had a dream that I was pregnant. It was one of those dreams that was so real, it didn't feel or act like a normal dream. You know those kind of dreams? The ones where you wake up and you have to take a breath and minute before you realize everything and anything that went on was all just a life lived in your sleep. Those are the dreams that stick with you.
I had this dream that I was pregnant, it was so real in fact that I actually felt the baby kick inside me. Little kicks that when you put your hand on your belly you can almost swear you feel the arch of the baby's heel. I loved those kicks. The kicks that literally knocks you on your ass. Not because they are that strong, but strong in a way that reminds you there is a life growing in you and you are going to be a mother. To a baby growing in you.
I had this dream that I was pregnant. It scared the crap out of me because I am done. My youngest is in kindergarten. We have a small house perfect for a family of four. I have declared to myself and to anyone who cares that I am done carrying children. And nursing them. I like sleeping. I am in a place that feels good. I lead no illusions that this is entirely my decisions and anything. ANYTHING can happen and if anything were to happen we'd deal and love any new member to our family. It would just be a surprise of epic proportions.
I had this dream that I was pregnant. Having a very close family member that is pregnant I worried she would hate me for stealing her thunder. Even though it's nice having someone to commiserate with you on the woes of morning sickness and bladder issues, it is wonderful having that undivided attention to you and only you. Sometimes it's nice to hear "Oh I know what you mean" and sometimes you want to punch the person in the ear because, 'no you don't know what it feels like to be me and feel my pain. My pain is mine and you are not making me feel better by comparing your pain to mine. I just want someone to rub my back and tell me I am going to be a fricken awesome mom and I look so beautiful'
I had this dream that I was pregnant. I was so scared that I looked the dream up online.

"Pregnancy often represents new growth in your life, growing creativity. The baby kicking inside could represent the idea that your creation or creative potential is trying to kick you to get your attention. Focusing on the arm might be a clue for you. An arm might represent something specific for you. What do you think of when you think of an arm? Could it represent using the arm to direct or point or does it represent your creativity? Are you an artist or do you use your arm physically in your hobby or passion such as writing or sports? You must think about this and try to draw your own meaning from it" ~Dream and nightmares.com

I had this dream that I was pregnant. And its not about having a baby it's about starting something new. And I realized I have a new life to start. A life where I consider what I need to do for me, I can be a little more selfish. And I have time to spread my wings. And I am a creative person and I have something to say and I can say it.
It's crazy how a dream can scare you into something new. A rebirth of yourself. Totally Awesome.

bad day

2011-09-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Today is going to be a very bad day.

Isn't it sad that you wake up and you know this will not be your day. And for five seconds you think it will all be alright and you step outside yourself and you trip on a rock or the sun blinds you or you run straight into a pole that has always been there. SMACK right in the head. And you say 'fuck this shit' and you lock yourself back in yourself. You try again tomorrow.

I love those days.

It sounds almost depressing mostly because it is depressing. But you have to realize that it is okay to have those days where nothing goes right because it makes those days where everything goes right so totally righteous.

Mostly I will just stay in today and lick my wounds and eat ice cream and not deal with people. And realize how lucky I am that I can sit in here and eat ice cream and not be bothered by people. It sure is lovely.

And also pray that tomorrow is better. Because really it's just a day. A day in a life, a life that means more than the sun in my eye and the rock I tripped over and the hurt in my head.

anniversary 12

2011-09-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

12 year ago today, 9-11, my husband and I were wed. our anniversary is usually overshadowed by the other 9-11 anniversary.
every year i play 'the prayer'. it was the song that was played at our wedding ceremony. i can't help but get goosebumps thinking how 'the prayer' perfectly works for both anniversaries. it speaks of love and peace and hope for the future.

We ask that life be kind
And watch us from above.
We hope each soul will find
Another soul to love.
Let this be our prayer,
Just like every child.

Needs to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

Petal Stays Home

2011-09-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

Digital scrapbooking design generated with Smilebox

Megan left her bunny, Petal, in my capable hands today. For those of you who know Petal know this is a BIG deal. I wanted Meg to see that Petal is in good hands so I made this digital scrapbook of our day. Hopefully Petal and I will have more days together.

Reading Goals.

2011-09-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

This is becoming a dirty habit. It can't be helped. I listen to music all day long.I like to listen to music when I cook/clean/read/craft/lounge/journal/blog.

The other day I came upstairs and told my husband I was crafting and listening to Jay-Z.
I was Gangsta Scrappin'.

I thought it was hilarious. Him, not so much.

I have my own little craft area, that I share with my five-year-old daughter. She's a little creative genius. The other day her friends came over and she said, "Just so you know I am not painting, I am Mod-Podging."

I was a proud mommy. (Wipes tear)

This weekend I worked on creating a way to keep track of the chillens' reading.
Our school district is limiting homework, but they are encouraging independent reading time. To start the year off they suggested 60 minutes of reading a week, and by the end of the year they are hoping for 120 minutes, minimum, of reading a week.
To me this is a drop in the bucket, to my eight-year-old it is pure torture.

I wanted to find a way to have the kids see their goal and track their progress. I decided to use goal thermometers....

I couldn't do it plain. I had to jazz it up a bit. It's a sickness.

Cute right? It's right on the freezer door, easily accessible and easily viewed.
I found the printable thermometers here.
I divided the thermometer to match our goal....


Excuse the horrible glare.

At the bottom of the thermometer I have a magnet marker for each kid. These magnet were some small circle ones I had on the fridge, I decorated them a bit...What? I'm sorry, it's a sickness.

As they read the magnet goes up....

And up.

And hopefully every week we are off the charts.

A little motivation. That Dr. Seuss, what a smart man.

Happy Reading!

Hallelujah

2011-09-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

I am linking another song.

You know this song. Even if you say you don't, you do. This song, sung by Jeff Buckley, was the unofficial, official song of 9/11. I heard it everywhere. At the time it seemed apropos but if you really listened to it, like REALLY listen, it's all about King David and Bathsheba getting it on. And some Samson and Delilah thrown in for good measure.

Hallelujah is a kinda of a biblical song. Sung by not so biblical people.

A song that people seem to cling to when something awful happens.
A hurricane.
An earthquake.
A terrorist attack.

But it's a song about betrayal and sex.

It's weird. Or just weird to me.

Part of me wants to ask- Do you remember 9/11? Which is of course a dumb question.
What I really want to know is do you REMEMBER 9/11?
Do you remember what time you woke up?
And how you felt at that moment?
Do you remember the clear blue sky?
Did you know the conditions across the country were perfect?
And we all looked up and saw the same sky? We did. Everyones sky that day was blue.
Did you know we all looked up and saw that sky?

Is it weird that a decade later I watch clips of that day and I pray for the planes not to hit the buildings? I do. I know it is going to happen and I don't want it to. If I pray hard enough maybe they won't.
And when they do I jump. It still catches me. And I cry. Because seeing 9/11 still makes me weep.
And I think about how everything made no sense.
It still makes no sense.

And when things go bad we cling to the things that make sense. And we sing 'Hallelujah' because that is what we know. And it makes sense, even if it makes no sense at all.

Because even though it's a song about sex and betrayal and hurt and being tied to a chair and cutting someone's hair; through all that we all still sing Hallelujah. Because it's what we do. It makes sense.

And now it doesn't seem so weird after all.

Lyric

2011-09-02T06:04:00.000-07:00

Like every latte drinking/thick black framed eye-glass wearing/hipster wanna-be I ~~like~~ love Mumford and Sons. You know when you are listening/reading/watching anything and you are all like "Oh, my God this is so cool and the next big thing- I have to tell everyone I know about this. I am like an awesome trend-setter." And than you figure out everyone already knows about it and actually you are just the last person on that next big thing's band-wagon.
That was me and Mumford and Sons.

I was listening to my Mumford and Sons' Pandora station, because yes I am that obvious, and I heard the above song. It's called Timeshel.

You know when you are listening to a song and you actually catch the lyrics and you are all like "Oh my God that is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard." And than you find yourself crying.
Me, all the time.
I am a sucker for a good lyric.

I was that moody teen listening to Tori Amos.
Alone.
In my room.
In the dark.
Pathetic, yes.
But I swore Tori got me. She just really got me. And I'd listen to Precious Things and rewind that one part, if you are/were a Tori fan you know that one part I am talking about, and listen to it over and over, and be all like "YES! God, Tori gets me, that's SO how my moody teen-self feels." But I was actually a total virgin so now I look back at my moody teen-self and laugh at her.
Silly, silly girl.
She should have been at the mall instead.

Back to Mumford and Sons.
So I was listening to Timeshel and I heard these lyrics:

"And you are the mother
The mother of your baby child
The one to whom you gave life
And you have your choices
And these are what make man great
His ladder to the stars."

And this is where I get all serious.
Because sometimes being a mom is hard. There are those moments when all I want to do is run away. And I feel like I can't do another minute of this thing we call motherhood. And all my decisions suck eggs. And I am doing it all wrong.

How do we do this thing called motherhood? Everyday. And not fear screwing it all up?

But I do this thing called motherhood. Everyday.
And everyday my choices matter. And even the bad ones matter. Because he and she are mine.
They are mine.
And they matter.
And my choices shape who and what they are.
And who they will be.

Man, that is heavy.
But as much as that weighs on me it makes me feel better. Because I AM doing this thing called motherhood. Everyday. And even though, at times, I feel like I am doing it all wrong, I am still am doing it. And that matters.

"But you are not alone in this
And you are not alone in this
As sisters we will stand and we'll hold your hand
Hold your hand."

2011-08-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

I have taken to writing in private journal. Writing my thoughts and keeping them, private. It is quite nice.

Tomorrow is back to school and tonight I am planning family dinner, one where the TV is off and we all sit at the table and enjoy the pleasure of each others' company. Is it weird that we never do this ~~on regular basis~~ at all. This is my daily confession. I know we should and studies show and all that jazz but we just don't. It is sad.

I can't think of anything else to write. Maybe when my house is settled and quiet I will attempt to write more.

Oh yeah, read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I promise you will not be sorry.

Notebook-Mark

2011-08-25T05:47:00.000-07:00

If you know me you would know I love to read. It's an addiction. I am a self-proclaimed reading Nerd. Notice the capital 'N' in nerd.

Things I leave the house with.

My keys
My purse
My Kindle or a book.

I am known to forget my keys and my purse but never, NEVER my Kindle/book.

Have I told you how much I love my Kindle?
I have?
When?
I do not remember sharing my pure devotion the best e-reader ever, but if you say so I'll take your word for it.....
I LOVE MY KINDLE!!!!!
I named her Kinderlee
One of the best features of Kinderlee is the fact that I can highlight passages that I love. Those highlighted passages are stored on my Kindle and on my Kindle website. Sometimes I like to go back and read the passages that made me think, made me laugh or just plain touched my heart.
Now that I have been spoiled by the highlighting feature on Kindle I find it hard to sit down and read a paper book. I find myself aching to highlight and I can't. Well I could sit there with a highlighter and mark up a perfectly good book but I don't want to. It seems wrong to deface a book. Like killing a puppy wrong.
I like to pass books on, and allow people to enjoy it without my influences. I come from a time and place where writing in books was frowned upon.
So I came up with a great solution! I get to document my favorite passages, have them easily accessible and not deface fine works of literature.

'It's just a bookmark!' you say?
Well no, look closer....

Ahhh! It opens up to form a little notebook...A notebook-mark if you must.
And you must.
All I did was take about five or six pieces of plain white paper and cut them all to the same size. I used my Cricut, thus the shape and uniform appearance. Note you can just free-hand cut this, it comes out just fine Than I cut a fancy piece of paper for the cover. Stack all the papers together, punch a hole at the top, string a ribbon through the hole and add a brad to keep it all together.
When I come to a passage I love I write the page number and either the whole passage or a shortened version. .
This bookmark will stay in this book forever and ever for me to reference anytime I come back to it.
Okay you can say it.
'Nerd!'
I know, and proud of it!

Back to School Scrapbooking Journal

2011-08-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

Once a long, long time ago my sister-in-law gave me an altered composition book to write in. The book is super cute and part of the inspiration for my next, on-going scrapbooking project.

Oh so colorful and oh not-so altered comp books.

These are Meg and Nolan's "School Year Journals." I did nothing to the outside but the inside is a different story.


PICTURES!

This year I am filling all their school pictures, notes and school stories into each composition book.
The above pages are of each kids' "Back-to-School supply list and a picture of their supplies.

Our trip to see who their teacher is this year....

...and we sat down and mapped out our goals for the new school year!
We will keep filling in the book as the year goes on.

I purchased a school pack of scrap-booking paper at Target, it has a ton of school themed paper, stickers and die-cuts.
Composition books are super cheap right now, I paid about $.40 each for mine.
Happy Scrappin'!!

The Ears Have it

2011-08-23T04:21:00.000-07:00

You know that saying 'You don't know what you got until it's gone?' It's a rock song too, I think.
There is a similar saying 'You don't know what you got till its causing you extreme pain and you can't function properly.' It's a country song too, I think. I learned this statement is oh so true this summer.
I had a ear infection this summer. Make your jokes now about me being five and 'did I get a lollipop after I visited the pediatrician' Har! har!
Laugh if you must but I wasn't laughing when the vertigo hit. Or when the nausea from the vertigo hit. Or when after I took three ibuprofen and three Tylenol along with the 2000 mg of amoxicillin and was all like "I WANT MY MOMMY!" Well, because one she's my mommy and two she's a nurse. And to give you an idea of the last time I stated that I wanted my mommy, I was two minutes from delivering my second child and I was on a gurney, in the elevator and the doctors were telling me to hold the baby in till we got to the delivery room. Have you ever held in a baby? It's like holding your poop in but like A MILLION TIMES WORSE.
Anyhoo I called my mommy and she told me to go to the E.R. like two seconds ago.
And so I went. When mommy speaks, you listen.
I got some nice IV antibiotics and pain relieve. I had a cat scan to make sure I didn't break my ear bone. My ear canal was swollen shut so they had to put this thing in to drain it, and make sure all the yummy medicine went in. I left with the medicine they give to Anthrax victims, two kinds of it, and some strong pain relieve that I took two of and could probably sell the rest and make a ton of money but I won't because that is wrong.
Now I am almost all better- the wind makes my ears feel weird and sometimes I have a hard time filtering out background noise. I am better enough to sit here and tell you that the ears are important. And all the stuff in the ears that controls how you move and function is not something to mess with. If you feel ear pain, don't play it off. Go to your doctor and have it checked out!

My public service for the year is done.
Be in good health and listen to your body- you only got one.

Pet Peeves and Hates and The Great Fall of Ketchup

2011-08-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

I hate when people say "Oh, I would never have time to do that."
or any variation of that statement:
"How do you find the time- I am way too busy."
"Oh you are so lucky you have time to do that."
"I wish I could enjoy that but I have to make my life seem more valuable than yours so I will imply in a round-about way that I am better than you because I fill my day with needless shit so I can seem superior."
I was once told by a wise person, if you love something enough you will find the time to do it. Even if it's just a minute. I think that is so true.
It's so important to do the things that make you happy.

You know what else I hate, when people joke that they have OCD. Really OCD is a serious disorder and just because you clean your bathroom once a day doesn't mean you have a severe anxiety disorder that debilitates those who actually have it. If you are obsessively clean that is one thing. If you are obsessively clean and you have to wipe the counter five times right to left in a perfectly straight line or your mother will die a slow and painful death, you have OCD. It really is no joke.

You know what else I hate. Ketchup. This is a new thing. I used to like ketchup. Than slowly I noticed I was eating it less and less. Of course NEVER on a hot dog or brat- NEVER. Now I don't eat ketchup on hamburgers and fries I eat plain.
Okay hate is a strong word for ketchup. I have a strong dislike for it.

I also think the word Kangaroo is a strange word.
***********************************************************************
Just in case you wanted to know this week I am reading:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
and
Something Borrowed

Last week I read:
An Object of Beauty
and
Just Kids

Googled

2011-08-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

You know when you write a word and for some reason it doesn't look right and you are like "OMG! I know that is how you spell that word but it just doesn't look right." And you sit there all worried you'll look like an idiot so you Google the word to make sure you aren't as stupid as you feel. And than you feel stupid that you actually looked up that word because 1. You actually should know how to spell that word and 2. It's kind of a word that might have people asking 'Why are you looking up that word?" And there that word sits in your Google quick--search toolbar and you're worried about someone seeing it even though it's five in the morning and you're the only one awake so you quick put in another word, the first word that comes to mind and than you laugh because the second word totally goes with the first word in a round about way.
Yeah I knew you'd totally get it.

Birthday Card Scrapbooks

2011-08-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

I am faced with the horrid joy of having all my children in school. All day school, not that half day stuff. 8:00 to 3:00 is all mine. Mine MINE ALL MINE!!! BWAHAHAHAHAH!
Well, not exactly. I do so babysit three days a week and after the dust has settled I am hoping to hop on board the Christmas retail train.
If you never worked retail than you have never worked. People suck People buying shit they don't need suck more. I think every person in the whole world should work retail once.

One of the many things I plan on getting back to is Scrapbooking. This desire stems from having everything I need to scrapbook collecting dust in my basement. Also having a butt load of pictures that were sitting on my computer that were deleted by THE COMPUTER VIRUS FROM THE NINTH CIRCLE OF HELL. I cried.
No, I didn't back them up and yes I know I should have.
Even if I did back-up all those pictures would still have just sat there. I made a goal to start scrapbooking again and By George I have.
First up birthday party pictures.

1. I took all the birthday cards the kids received and formed a little scrapbook. Simply punch holes at the top left corner of each card. I used a regular hand held, office supply hole punch and punched them one at a time. Use your first card as a template, the corners don't have to match up perfectly, maybe semi-perfect to give it some symmetry.

2. Decide the order you want your cards in and start decorating.
For Nolan's I used a baseball card with no words on the front for the title page...

Yes, I have a Cricut, from Santa three year ago- I was a good gal.
If you have a Cricut you know what a miracle it is. You also know everyone who knows you have a Cricut wants to use your Cricut.
If you don't have a Cricut you can use sticker on your cards . I put the date of the party on the bottom.

For Megan I had a card that didn't even need special decorating....

She is five, the card says "five" Simple.

3. Decorate each page of your card. I only used the left side, leaving the right side with the birthday greeting as-is, you want to see who gave you that pretty card!

See like that!
All the card are made with pretty paper so little design elements from you are needed. Use up your scraps!

See like that!
Fill your pages with pictures, a list of guests and the gifts they gave and a list of all that party food you slaved over.
Let your kids know how much you worked to put that party on!

4. Starting with the title page card, through the holes you punched earlier, string a long ribbon through each hole, going in the order. Once you have all your card strung into a little book, tie that ribbon in a knot- not to tight, you want to be able to open each card.
See again...

Fun and easy, each book took me about an hour!

Happy scrappin' g-dawgs.

Things I Learned This Week/ Sicker Than Hell Edition

2011-08-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

1. Taking two medicines that causes confusion is way more fun than taking one medicine that causes confusion.

2. When taking the same medicine that is given to victims of bio-terrorism attacks it is important to have lots and lots of raspberry sherbert.

3. Having a cat scan is like going into a giant donut that hums.

4. Although a movie and song make vertigo sound really cool it actually is fricken horrid.

5. I eat way to much dairy.

6. It is hard not to blog about being sick because you don't want to seem like you trying to gain sympathy and get lots of attention than you realize you're a blogger.

8. You'd think after having three different antibiotics they give you the fourth for free, sadly that is not the case.

7. 2000mg of Amoxicillan might sound like a lot of Amoxicillan but it actually does nothing for a raging ear infection.

8. "Raging ear infections, they're not just for toddlers." is the official slogan for Summer 2011

The Cost of E-books

2011-07-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

I got in a slightly heated debate online about the rising cost of e-books. Actually it was a one sided debate and I gave a different perspective and was shot down immediately. Well rather than fighting a one againest twenty battle I thought what better place to vent than on my blog.
You know cause no one really talks back to me on here.
So the question: Do I find the cost of e-books to be high?
The answer, my answer, is not simple.
On the surface all is find and dandy on planet Kindle. I have the opportunity to download a lot of free books, some good, some not so good. I have read many books ranging in price from $.99 to $4.00. Again some good, some not so good.
Most of the books that I have purchased under the $4 mark are also "lendable." This means I can pass on this book to a fellow Kindle reader to read. After you lend that book to someone you can no longer lend it to anybody. So if you lend that book to Sally, Timmy is going to have to get his own copy.
Now this is all good. An author will get their fair shake at making money off a format that should be considerably cheaper than the paper format.
All is right with the world, right?
I mean the reader is happy because they get a low cost book that they can pass on at least once. The publisher is happy because they can make money with little overhead.
So what is wrong in the world of e-book?
Cost.
Okay didn't I make it look all sunshine and roses a minute ago?
Well I can't help but to see a growing trend, the rising cost of e-books.
The new Sookie Stackhouse book came out early summer and there was some rumbling about the cost of the e-book. Was it cheaper than the paper copy? Yes, but not by much. The cost of the e-book and the hardcover had only a few dollars difference .
The cost of the hard cover of the new Sookie book is $16.21 on Amazon.
The Kindle version is $14.99.
Less than a $2 difference.
When it came time to purchase the book I bought the hardcover, at Target which was approximately $15. The deciding factor was the fact that the Kindle version of the book was not lendable, and a friend and I both love the series and share the cost.
Now I know if an author were to read this we would condone the practice of sharing copies. I get it, I do. BUT lending copies introduces people to an author's body of work. I started friends on books and they in turn either bought their own copy, or continued the series on their own dime.
In the end though, the cost to produce an e-book is significantly lower than the cost to produce a hard cover and paperback. The practice of sharing copies is greatly reduced with e-book formats as well, giving book publishing companies a chance to make larger profits.

In this one-sided "your argument sucks" debate was the argument of "if you can't afford it don't buy it." fair enough. Her argument being that if she wanted gold earrings and could only afford to buy the silver earrings she won't demand that they sell her the gold one.
This comparison makes no sense on so many different levels but brings up the subject of books and a free market.
In my town, on our Main Street, in a five mile radius we have three jewelry stores. In my town we have zero books stores.
In a fifteen mile radius from my house there are countless jewelry stores. In a fifteen mile radius from my house there are two books store. Okay, nope scratch that, one bookstore. So long Borders.
It really is not looking good for the brick and mortar book stores. They are a dying breed. Even mom and pop book stores are struggling. Online is taking over, and as consumers we should be concerned.
Competition keeps prices down. If you don't like the price of the gold earrings at one jewelry store your options to find a better price is greater. Jewelry you can actually barter to get a better price. There is a market that helps consumers with the true value on gold and silver.
The pool of places to buy books is getting smaller and smaller. There really is no competition to keep book cost low. Of course if this trend continues I am afraid that books and ebooks especially will go up even more for consumers.
Comparing gold and books is like well comparing...well no it isn't even comparable.

I will continue to monitor this trend. I have a feeling this is not the end of this debate.

What is your take?

Bobby Pinned

2011-07-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

I don't have many great ideas, but when I do they are REALLY GREAT!
Full of myself....um a little but I love this idea!!
So back story: I like bobby pins. They are a hair must for every woman. Short hair or long hair a bobby pin can be used. A bobby pin a day keeps the hair dresser at bay.
But they get everywhere. I swear if my husband were to divorce me it would be on the grounds of my bobby pin obsession and subsequent bobby pin in every corner of the house problem.
My new solution??

Magnet Tape!!
I placed strips on the inside of my vanity. The bobby pins line up perfectly, and I can add more tape as needed. The bobby pins sit perfectly and are at arms reach when I need them.

You are SO welcome.

Random.

2011-07-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

*I have mad love for Elmo. It wasn't always that way. I catered to the masses and spread Elmo hate all over this great nation. Then I saw this....

Any red furry monster who can hold their own against Mr. Gervais is alright in my book. Elmo has humor. Elmo can ad-lib. How can a hater hate?
If that wasn't enough to convince me, I saw this is clip about the man behind the muppet...

Is your mind blown? Mine was.
Then I read more about Kevin Clash, the man and voice behind the red furry cutie....

"(Kevin) Clash began building puppets at the age of ten. Clash's parents were supportive of his interest in puppetry, driving him to puppet shows, allowing for his love of television and craft...."(source)

Kevin was teased because of his passion, bullied you may say, but he persevered.
You still hating?
This fall, for their season premiere episode, Independent Lens will be featuring 'Being Elmo'. If you watch this and still hate on Elmo, well you are just a heartless person.

*My husband and I are very different creatures. This debate on Sammy Hagar vs. David Lee Roth points out our differences perfectly...
Husband: "Sammy can't touch David."
Me: "Everyone knows the Van Halen brothers are major douche bags (old news). Sammy is like the ugly step-child of rock-n-roll, always looking for approval. Plus Sammy's hair looks like the pubic hair on an old french whore's vagina."
We say the exact same thing. Him simple and to the point. Me in a total round-about, totally inappropriate way.
Well like the great Paula Abdul once said: "It ain't fiction , just a natural fact we come together it's opposites attract."

*We had our yearly birthday bash, and not to break from tradition, I forgot to take pictures. This is why the rich hire photographers. Between rolling forty wraps and making sure everyone had a drink in one hand and a plate in the other, no pictures were taken. Maybe next year.

*Due to birthday party prep I read no books, so I am still working on last weeks to be read pile.
Do you have any good book suggestions?

Back Porch Reading- Guilty Pleasures Edition

2011-07-05T04:36:00.000-07:00

A dirty book is rarely dusty. ~Author Unknown

I 'have to' read The Great Gatsby for my book club. Not a chore but a book I'd probably pass up on the shelf of the Kindle store. Let's face it, for most of us, if they made you read it in high school you probably pass it up as an adult. In saying this I know I am giving my many family members who taught/teach high school English hives. I am sorry guys/gals reading for pleasure is so much better than reading by force.

Not saying I hate reading fine literature. I love a great substantial novel. Some of my all-time favorite books include Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird.
But sometimes a girl has got to let her hair down and have a little fun.

Enter guilty pleasure reading. And when I say this in NO way do I feel guilty about reading any of these books. I proudly admit to loving these books and the authors who write them.

One of my favorite (not at all) guilty pleasure authors is Marie Force.

****-4 star read

I received an advance copy of Marie Force's new book Fatal Consequences, the third in Marie's Fatal series. Giving you a little background on the Fatal Series, Maire felt a challenge to make a romance series using the same couple. This challenge based on the unspoken rule that you can't use the same couple in a romance series. Because you know once you fall in love the story is over....

I am glad Marie tackled this challenge, because lets face it love isn't all tea and spontaneous sex scenes in obscure places. I for one will never believe that sex up against a tree is really that sexy. Bark up your ass, not pretty.

Back to Fatal Consequences. Our heroine Sam Holland, lead investigator for the Washington DC police, finds herself in the middle of another high-profile murder case. A woman is found murdered and the victim's connection to a U.S Senator leads Sam to investigate one of her fiancce's, Senator Nick Cappuano, closest allies. As the investigation starts to unravel a dark secret housed in the hall of the senate threatens to ruin some high-profile political careers and puts Sam in great danger.

In the middle of the investigation Sam's past comes back to haunt her, threatening her relationship with Nick. Although Sam and Nick's relationship problems are extreme, the underlying issues of honesty and understanding in a relationship is something anyone can relate to.

I'd say Marie is very successful with her self-imposed challenge. I have read all the Fatal series and Fatal Consequences is the perfect continuation of Sam and Nick's love story.

You have another two weeks till Fatal Consequences comes out, July 18, giving you plenty of time to read Fatal Affair and Fatal Justice. I promise you will be hooked from the first word. Be warned there are some hot and heavy sex scenes, none take place anywhere near trees.

Read all about the Fatal series at Marie Force's official website.

If you need a few more pleasure books, that will make you feel anything but guilty, check out:
Falling for You by Julie Ortolon
Romantically Challenged by Beth Orsoff
Staying at Daisy's by Jill Mansell
A Taste of Magic by Tracy Madison
Love at First Flight by Marie Force

This week I am reading:

Eyewall by H.W. "Buzz" Bernard

and will be tackling

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald...you know because I 'have to'.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of Fatal Consequences from Carina Press. I was not compensated to write this review or was asked to give a favorable review. The opinions are my own.

Back Porch Reading Take 2

2011-06-20T03:58:00.000-07:00

The back porch/deck is where I read all summer. Me, my Kindle and a glass of green ice tea. It's the life.

****-4 star review

I finished last weeks read,Lot's Return to Sodom: A Liv Bergen Mystery and it kept me up all night. Sandra Brannan is defiantly an Indie writer to watch.
Here's a little blurb from Amazon:

"The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is no place for button-downed citizens--unless they're trying to hide a murder. Sharp-witted Liv Bergen can't avoid becoming embroiled in murders, it seems. Her family's hometown of Sturgis, South Dakota, is quickly becoming the Sodom of the Black Hills during the dog days of summer as it hosts the infamous rally of grizzled hard-core motorcycle bikers--half a million of them. Crime comes too close for comfort when Liv must solve the mystery of a beautiful young townie to clear her brother's name."

I am weirdly interested in the 1% motorcycle club ideology, thanks 'Sons of Anarchy.' Loyalty in those types of clubs is astonishing and fascinating. Getting a little fictional glimpse into this world satisfies my curiosity.
If you like mysteries you will love Lot's Return to Sodom. Don't forget to read In the Belly of Jonah, the first book in the Liv Bergen Mystery Series.
And PSST! If you are a Kindle reader Lot's Return to Sodom is free for a short time!

I am just wrapping up Water for Elephants for my book club and than I can start:

Smokin' Seventeen

and than I have the pleasure of previewing :

Fatal Consequences

Marie Force is my guilty pleasure author of the moment. Fatal Consequences has not been released, I received an advanced copy from the publisher. Stay tuned next week and I will let you know what I think!

What are you reading this week?

More fun summer reads:

The Help

The Mudlark

Skipped Parts

Alice at Heart

*All links are through the Amazon Associate Program. If you click on the link and purchase the book I receive, VERY small, compensation.

Back Porch Reading

2011-06-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

What are you reading this week? I am reading

Lot's Return to Sodom: A Liv Bergen Mystery By: Sandra Brannan
The second in the Liv Bergen series, the first being In the Belly of Jonah.
Liv Bergen is a strong female lead (yeah girl-power!). Indie author Sandra Brannan shows great promise with this series and I can't wait to read more!

Water for Elephants
BOOK CLUB! I have to jump on this months Book Club selection. I have heard nothing but good things about this book, although I have heard it starts a little slow.
Have you read Water for Elephants? What did you think of it.

Other book suggestions:
How I Learned to Love the Walrus by Beth Orsoff
The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark
and The Last Block in Harlem by Christopher Herz

Happy reading!

Summer Binders

2011-06-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

I try to start our summer off with some sort of:
1. Plan for activities and outings
2. Organization for all the classes/sporting events I have to take the children to.
Of course by mid-July- oh all right 2 weeks into summer vacation- all my organization and planning falls apart.
I will not be deterred this year. I will plan and organize and pray to the goddesses of whatever goddesses are meant for domestication, that all my hard work is not for naught.
This year I am testing out "The Summer Binder." All my children's summer needs contained in one white, organized book.
Here is how it looks inside:

Binder pencil cases are the GREATEST things ever. I purchased mine at the dollar store than went to Wal-mart and found them for $.97 and when I got home one of the dollar store pouches zipper broke.
F-U dollar store F.U.
In the pencil cases are pencils (duh) and dry erase markers.

The first page is the oh so dreaded CHORE CHART! NOOOOOOOOO!
I have all their daily chores listed for the week. I slipped the chore chart, as well as the other papers in the binder, in a plastic sheet protector. Plastic sheet protectors are the greatest thing EVER. You can write on the sheet protector with dry-erase marker and wipe it off at the end of the week.
I found a bunch of AWESOME chore charts here.

This is a basic run down of all of one child's summer activities. I listed time, date and location for an easy reference.

Customized, printable calendars are the greatest THING ever!
I used a great printable calendar site (here) and listed what each child has each day. The kids are going to be mighty busy this summer. Weekends I left for visits to MiMi's and surprise trips.

Here is a list '100 things for kids to do when they are bored', I found it here. I tweaked it a bit to fit our needs.

Nolan came home with a lot of flash cards and learning aids he used during the school year. Did you know children can lose two months worth of learning during the summer? Having these cards on hand will hopefully keep their minds in learning mode.

Some cute folders to hold our reading log sheets! Does your local library have a summer reading program? Did you know that Barnes and Noble AND Borders rewards your children with free books when they read over the summer?
Who doesn't LOVE free books? They are the GREATEST THING EVER!

10 Questions Moms of Sick Children Ask Themselves

2011-05-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

Did I brush my hair today?
Did I brush my teeth today
Did I take a shower today?
WTF day is it?
Can I wear these pajama pants to bed even though I wore them all day?
How long has this puke been on my shirt?
How can he sleep through the kids puking at 2am?
How did the can opener get in the freezer?
Is it possible to be immune to the smell of vomit?
WILL THESE KIDS EVER GET BETTER???

Will I Watch The Lovely Bones Today?

2011-05-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

Long ago I read The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, a beautiful yet soul wrenching book. I had a real physical reaction when I read it. Literally after reading that one part, that I won't spoil, I was dry heaving with my head resting on the toilet. For reals.

I almost didn't finish it. I pushed through and I am glad I did. It is on my list of top 20 books.

Last month when we had an HBO free preview weekend I noticed the film version of 'The Lovely Bones' was playing. I taped it planning to watch it that night. Well nerves and the desire not to go to bed and have bald Stanley Tucci nightmares, I held off. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months and I still have yet to watch that movie.
This is not a decision I take lightly. Watching 'The Lovely Bones is a commitment I have to fully give of myself.

Every morning I ask myself:

"Will Today Be The Day That I Watch 'The Lovely Bones?"

Then I give myself this simple quiz:

1. Are you happy this morning?

yes: Today is not a good day to watch The Lovely Bones, be happy and enjoy this good feeling

no: Go to question 2

2. Are you sad this morning?

yes: You are overly emotional and need to center yourself, no Lovely Bones for you today!

no: You seem to be at a normal temperament proceed to question 3.

3. Have you watched any news channels in the past 48 hours?

yes: Truth is stranger the fiction. Try not to watch the news tonight and start again tomorrow.

no: You are safe to proceed to question number 4.

4. For any reason, be it necessary or for vanity reasons, are you wearing make-up today?

yes: Due to your overemotional self and the possibility of raccoon eyes you have to put off watching 'The Lovely Bones' for one more day.

no: You may jump to question 5.

5. Are you sick, stomach ache or any type of virus?

yes: Sorry, get well and try again when you feel better.

no: Go to question 6.

6. Are the kids home all day?
yes: Totally inappropriate for young viewers, try again on Monday!
no: You are a go for question 7.

7. Can you imagine Marky Mark as a father?
yes: Yeah that man looks good no matter what character he plays, proceed to question 8.
no: Get over it and come back tomorrow, you can't live in the 90's forever.

8. Are you expecting an important phone call?
yes: Probably best not to have any distractions, keep the phone on and try again later.
no: Turn the ringer off and proceed to question 9.

9. Do you have a bottle of wine on hand?
yes: pour yourself a glass and proceed to the last question.
no: WHAT! Go out a buy a bottle now! Try again later.

10. Are you ready for possible anxious behaviors?
yes: The wine is working already. Sit back and enjoy the movie.
no: Get a grip, have a Xanax and try again tomorrow.

I have yet to pass all 10 questions. Someday. Someday.....

Pepsi Refesh Vote Needed!

2011-05-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

One of my blogging friends, and cousin IRL, is working hard this week to get the word and the vote out on her very special Pepsi Refresh Project. She could use your help, go here and vote for her project!
Now if you are a wise voter, which I am sure you are, you want to know what you are voting for. Patty is trying to start a Lego Skills Club for children on the Autism Spectrum in her local area. What is a Lego Skills Club you ask?

"Children come together each week in developmentally staged groups from ages 5-17 years. During the sessions they focus on collaborative projects in a specifically designed LEGO® room. To prompt interaction among the children and help them come up with their own solutions, adult coaches divide up tasks so they have joint and interactive jobs to do. This collaboration requires close interaction and communication among group members naturally reinforcing social contact and good behavior." From CNNH.org

Supplies and training are need to get the Lego Skills Club off the ground and EVERY vote, EVERY day is important!
So go to the Pepsi Refresh Project and cast your vote. Then check out their Facebook page for more information!

Don't Breathe a Word

2011-04-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Don't Breathe a Word by: Jennifer Mcmahon
Release Date: May 17, 2011
Rating: ****

I am totally one of those people that totally commits to a book, I dive right in and become totally invested in the story. I can suspend reality for a brief time and swim in the pool of make-believe. Then I leave the water and come back to reality where everything is real and explainable. Where everything has a reason and a place...

Okay I am not that delisional. Not everything is explainable. Not everything is cut and dry.

Fantasy has really become a booming genre. Fantasy is fun and not your everyday. Don't Breathe a Word embraces the idea of what if your normal, real life holds an element of fantasy. Our those stories that seem un-real real? Can you easily explain them away? What do you do when a fantasy becomes your reality?

This book is not to be read in the dark, the subtle suspense leaves your heart racing and your palms sweating. If you like the fantasy genre but want to read a more thought-provoking book this ones for you.

Book summary from publisher Harper Collins:
They say if you pass by on the right night of the year, you'll hear the devil whisper your name . . .

Once upon a soft, summer night in a small New England town, a 12-year-old girl named Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother Sam about a door—hidden among the ruins of an old town long forgotten—that led to a magical place.

A series of eerie occurrences—beginning with a mysterious phone call—begins to challenge Sam's hard-headed realism. Could there be a world beyond their own and is Lisa somehow a part of it? As events spin out of control, the couple finds themselves falling deeper into a vortex of evil and terror. And suddenly Sam is reminded of a terrible promise he made years ago . . . a promise that could destroy them all.

The Everything.

2011-04-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

*This blog is beginning to look like a book review blog. Reading has been taking over my life. My mother says reading could be my way of escaping from reality. I say better then smoking crack. My mom jokes. I do not.
Do you do that? Put off everything and anything and pull yourself into one thing to avoid the everything. I am so guilty of this. Soo guilty. Of course I blame the anxiety, because it is so easy to blame the anxiety. Of course I realizing I should be working through the anxiety, but sometimes, like now sometimes, I am so sick of it. I hate that I have to plow through and except. I hate working on my feelings first. Sometimes I want to just do and when that anxious feeling comes to play, I retreat. Does that mean I let anxiety win? Probably.

*On Facebook I magically joined a group that is connected with my high school. I didn't request and/or approve to be apart of the group. It's all good though.
One thing that I realize is that I do NOT recognize over half the people. They are like "Remember when our small little organization, that this Facebook group is based on, did that one time-specific thing?" And I am like "OH yeah I remember when our small little organization, that this Facebook group is based on, did that one time-specific thing! But who the fuck are you???"
Is this bad?

*My (cough cough-ahem)-teen year high school reunion is this year. I think the concept of school reunions are weird. I think the whole concept of having a desire to meet up with people you couldn't wait to get away from is weird. I really wonder if in going to a reunion you have the desire to relive some of those days from your younger, more carefree days.
Although I admit there is a few bitches, from those carefree days, I won't mind slappin'.

*I voted today. Did you?

Semi-Sweet: A Sweet Story

2011-04-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney
Release date: April 25, 2011
Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Just in time for that self-induced sugar Peep coma you will so wonderfully enjoy this Easter Holiday I bring you more sweet sweet goodness. No worries this little treat will not add those dreaded "L.B.s." It's a book. A good, super sweet book. But not super syrupy sweet. It's a subtle sweet. Like a nice little sea-salt caramel truffle. Sweet and salty melt in you mouth goodness...mmmm sea salt caramel.*

Top 5 reasons why I love this book:

5. The little sugary sweet stories that were sprinkled throughout the book. As much as the main character's story was important, so too were the supporting cast of characters. Every character played a role in the story and in a way each person's actions directly effected the next character. The author did a great job pulling you into everyone's story and weaving all the characters' story together.

4. CUPCAKES. Keep a few on hand while reading this book. Okay, you might add a few pounds, but it's all in good fun.

3. You will stand and cheer for the main character, Hannah. It's a perfect boy leaves girl, girl kicks boy's arse in game of life kinda story. I love when girl kicks arse.
Hannah didn't really kick guys arse, but she did overcome a HORRIBLE break-up while starting her own business.
See kick arse.

2. It takes place in Ireland. I love stories that take place in Ireland, they make me feel all happy and stuff, and Irish people love to say arse. Thank you Frank McCourt for introducing me to that wondrous word.

1. CUPCAKES. Oh dear lord the diet starts tomorrow.
Funny thing about cupcakes, they go right to my arse. Sorry, it couldn't be helped....

You can go to the author's website to find out more information on Semi-Sweet and her other books. Pre-order at Amazon here.

*If you would like more information on sea-salt caramel truffles go here.

Summary from Amazon.com:

Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she's too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend ...or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice's is falling apart. Her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she's figuring out what's really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.

Made to Play

2011-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00


Photo from MadebyJoel.com

I had the unique opportunity to preview a copy of Joel Henriques' new book Made to Play (release date Oct. 11, 2011). I do so enjoy children's crafts, as you well know...or if not go here. Or maybe see here...


ROAR!!

Or if you happen to be a neighbor of mine you were already on the receiving end of my manic Kool-aide-Glitter-play-dough-making festivities this week.

Good times. Good Times.

I am a crafting nut. So this book was right up my alley. I am in no way an expert at the fine art of children's crafting. I know this much though, a novice I am not. I recently graduated from the Tacky Glue Group to the Glue Gun Crew last month. Proud day.

OH NOES! "I can't craft!" you say.
"No worries!" I say!
That is what makes Made to Play by Joel Henriques so great, there are crafts for every skill level.

Glue Stick Brigade? How about some animal finger puppets? If you can trace and cut and glue you are set!

Don't even know what the heck glue is? How about some portable zoo animals, trace and cut and you are set.

These are just not crafts, these are toys that are to be played with and treasured.

The beauty of Joel's book is that everything in it is simple, clean and free from all the noise that plagues modern day toys. Truthfully our children crave simplicity. On Christmas morning, among all the bells and whistles of today's toys, our children gravitate to the boxes those noise-making toys come in. It is in their nature. Isn't our job to nurture that?

Toys are to be played with and enjoyed, and the toys I make bring my children great joy. The toys we create together makes memories. What's better then a toy made with love by you? A toy you made and played with together.

Check out and pre-order Made to Play today! And check out the author's blog here!

Mumford and Sons

2011-03-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

My new music love? Mumford and Sons.
I can has banjo?

umm of course!

Take a peek over at NPR and hear a LIVE recording of them.
No political approval or disapproval of NPR just linking a really cool recording.

Books I Love

2011-03-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

One of the things that has been keeping me from blogging is reading. Reading actual books.
Books are a funny thing, aren't they? I sit down and watch a good movie and it leaves me the next minute, hour or day. I read a good book and it sticks with me forever. I love books.

Here are a few of those good books I've read....

Swallow by Tonya Plank

At first glance I didn't know if I would like this book. No gimmicks, no mystery. Just a woman facing big change in her life. Those changes and past hurts manifests themselves into a physical aliment, the inability to Swallow.
I loved the main character and all her flaws. So many women character's, in modern day literature, come across as very weak and although the main character had issues you always felt an underlying strength.

The Dirty Parts of the Bible: A Novel by Sammy Conner

I couldn't resist the title and cover. Who could? You know what they say, you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, and it's true: this book was so much more than it's cover. So much better then I expected.
Once you get over catchy title and cover, deep within the pages of this book is a wonderful, funny story.

The Overnight Socialite: A Novel by Birdie Clark

A modern day Pygmalion, aka My Fair Lady, set in the social scene of New York City. A fun weekend read or, as the weather gets warmer, a fun beach read.
I love this new breed of smart "chick-lit".

How I Learned to Love the Walrus by Beth Orsoff

Another smart chick-lit book, and one that will inspire you to take a chance, that leap of faith. I loved LOVED the main character in this book, she was beautifully, wonderfully flawed and strong. Do you see a theme here?

And I saved the best for last...

The Last Block In Harlem by Christopher Herz

I don't think I can put into words here how GREAT this book is. I mean SUPER great. This is on my list of favorite all-time books, somewhere around The Red Tent and To Kill a Mockingbird.
I know this is a big claim I am making here. I rarely go all out for a book. It's been years since I had the urge to buy every one I know a copy of a book- but I do, I do, I so do wanna buy everyone I know a copy of this book.
But alas I can not- you should have seen the husbands face when he saw all the Amazon digital charges on our statement last month. Not good.

What is my favorite book you ask?

The Outsiders by SE Hinton

This is the book that started by love of reading. For that I am forever grateful.

What is your favorite book of all-time?
and If you have any book suggestions? Let me know.

How I Learned about Being Taken Advatage Of.

2011-03-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

When I was in high school I never had the "normal" job of dishing out soft-serve or deep-fattening french fries. I was socially inept at best and I didn't cling to those things my peers did. My weekends were not spend out partying, they were spent out baby-sitting the children of the neighborhood, as their parents enjoyed a night off.
I was good at baby-sitting and the only time I turned down work was when I had another baby-sitting commitment. I was the go-to girl for most of my mom's friends, and I enjoyed the money I made. My success was that I allowed the families to set the rate, and most of the time I walked away with more than if I set my dollar per child I had considered. For the most part, people were honest and paid accordingly. They rewarded hard work and appreciated the service that I provided.
Notice I said for the most part. Because sadly, someone is always ready to take advantage of another's gesture of good faith.
Entering the summer of my eighth grade year, "Desert Storm" began. I was baby-sitting one of my regulars when the wife got the call that her husband was called to serve. Serve as border patrol off the coast of Flordia.
Okay so he wasn't n the heat of battle but he had to leave his wife and two young children, and there was no stopping him being sent overseas. In our little microcosm it was a BIG deal and we all tied on a yellow ribbon. We all played our part, and after a talk with my mom I decided to offer this family free baby-sitting services. Being a one parent household was not going to be easy for this family and I was there when needed to make their live a little easier.
Or so we thought.
What started off as a gesture of good-will became any thirteen-year-old's worst nightmare. Almost every day I was there. Sometimes all day. Suddenly more children entered the deal. Instead of two, I would have four or five baby-sitting charges. One hour here and there turned into eight to twelve hour days. My Saturday's became their Saturday's and I came home tired and empty handed. Not a penny.
I found I couldn't say no, I was a kid and this family was far worse off than me.
I couldn't say no, but my mom did.
The last straw was when I started my day there at 7 am and didn't get home till 2 am the next morning.
My mom put her foot down. This lady was suppose to be a friend and she took advantage of others' kindness. And took advantage in worst way by doing it to a child.
Honestly when we started this my mom and I thought I'd be there if she needed to run to the grocery store, or needed a night out every once in awhile. We thought that even though we were offering this service she would pass a dollar or two, or maybe a thank you card. I got nothing. My mom knew enough was enough and if I continued on this path I would burn out fast.
I walked away from that situation learning two things. One, it is okay to offer your help but is equally okay to walk away if that help is taken advantage of. And two, when someone offers kindness you should always, in your own way, repay that kindness.
Never take advantage of those who have come to help you.

2011-03-05T06:37:00.000-08:00

Since my last

A House Divided.

2011-03-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have been struggling to write here lately. I have a lot of half written posts in my dashboard that will never see the light of day. Really life happens and goes on and I have come to the conclusion that I don't have to blog about it. The passion left and it is sad.

I live in Wisconsin so you think I would have plenty to write about. I do trust me. But truthfully my opinions are mine and living it everyday wears on a person. It is in my face 24-7. Having family and friends affected by it makes it harder to separate the policy from the personal.

Having a husband who has the exact opposite opinion as me makes life at home at times unbearable. I don't want to always agree on things, that would make life boring. But sometimes I want to be in my home and have it feel like a home. I have passions and strong opinions and sometimes it's hard to separate my feelings for a policy and my feeling for another person.

There are two sides to every story. There is no way of knowing who's story is right. Which story will lead us down the right path. All I know is I hold my values close to my heart. My value for equal rights and equal education and fairness for the richest of the rich to poorest of the poor shapes me into the person I was, am and always will be.

Thin

2011-01-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

I grouchy and crotchety and mean.
I am spread thin these days and some days I can bearly keep my head above. And I hate it. It will get better, that's what I keep saying. This has been my mantra. "It will get better. It will get better. It will get better."

Some days I am so down on myself that I can't even function as a normal person. I know what and when things need to be done, but I don't have the motivation to do them. I give up and then I am consumed with guilt that I gave in. I curse my conscience. I would like to meet the people who give it all up, and in, and ask how they did it without the guilt eating them up inside. Must be nice.

At this time in two weeks it will be better and I a lot of the stress will be gone. But till then keep my sanity in your thoughts and prayers.

Vampire Lover

2011-01-14T08:28:00.000-08:00

There I said it. I like vampire. Vampires. Vampires. Vampires.
Twilight.
Sookie I love you Sookie.
Sparkly.
Swedish.
Viking.
Civil War fighting.
True Blood drinkin'.
Animal blood suckin'.
Vampires.
Sometimes you just need an escape and those creatures of the night can be an entertaining bunch. Add in werewolves and fairies and witches and you got a PAR-TEE.

It all started a few years back, I was on a short vacation, I picked up a paperback copy of "Twilight" to see what all the crazy talk was about.
Two weeks later I finished the series.
Not high-brow literature mind you, but fun and funny and an escape.
The one thing I didn't like about that series is that Bella was a bit of a whiny thing. I get deep-true love but man get a job.

Then my sister turned me onto The Sookie Stackhouse series.
I devoured all the books in the series and I am patiently (?) awaiting the next book to come out this summer. I loved that Sookie was strong and independent. She embraced love but didn't take shiz from anyone.

So in other news, and still related to this vampire-otherworldly creature-orgy-love fest, I got my...
KINDLE!!!!!!!
It is awesome. I almost kissed the UPS man. Granted the men in trademarked brown are usually hawt, and this one was, the fact that he held my hearts desired, well made me love him.
I opened that sweet little box and the angels sang. I swear I heard Ode' to Joy.
I held the Kindle in my hands above my head and proclaimed "I HAVE A NEW GOD NOW!"
Okay I am a tad dramatic. But it is totally awesome although I am convinced they will add a verse in Genesis that states "And on the one billionty day the earth was made God, with the help of Jeff Bezos, created the KINDLE"

So I got down to downloading many free books and I read like crazy. Then I thought I'd one up myself and go for some great $.99 Kindle books.
And I found this....

I know they say never judge a book by it's cover. But I do. It's like food. You eat with your eyes first.

Well of course you read with your eyes first. Whatever. How could I resist that cute cover?

And it was $.99! And truly I'd pay more if I had to.
So I got down to reading and I fell in love.
So the next day I downloaded the next book in the series....

and devoured it in a day.
The Jolie Wilkins books are a perfect mix of fantasy, romance and cute manipulative vampires that don't sparkle.
Wait it gets better.
So I was on Amazon and I happen to see the author's, H.P. Mallory, web site linked so I followed it. I read her blog and just had to email her and she responded back. Guess what? She is super cool and awesome and loves her readers!
She loves her readers so much that she makes them characters in her book!
I highly recommend both Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, and Toil and Trouble for a fun weekend read!

*Disclosure: I was neither paid nor asked by the author or publishing company to write this post. Both books were purchased with my own money. and really why are you sitting here reading this boring disclosure when you could be reading those two great books I just linked. Go. NOW!
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble was $.99 on the date this blog post was published and price is subject to change.

Felt Board Fun!

2011-01-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

I got the idea for this...

Here.

A few changes.
Use a piece of flannel for your background fabric, not felt.
And instead of adhering the flannel to the back of the picture frame, use a thin piece of cardboard or poster board to put the flannel on, then stick the flannel in the picture frame then put the back of the frame on.

Cut out felt figures, shapes etc.

I used iron-on transfers to make a farm set. Make sure your transfer paper is safe for felt, try Avery Light Fabric Transfer Sheet.
For the farm images go to DLTK.
Now have fun!

Retro Redo

2010-12-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

I have this weird thing for retro ads. Inappropriate retro ads. Sexist, inappropriate retro ads. They are so sad they are funny.
Mostly it is knowing we've come along way baby.
I had a little fun re-doing one of those old ad, giving it a update for modern times.
The Old:

The New:

Thank you to Rebecca at Raccoon School for the challenge.

Thoughts

2010-12-15T04:06:00.000-08:00

~Some mornings I sleep till seven am. My body jerks awake, a mental alarm clock reminds me there are kids to get dressed and fed and off to school. I rush around getting all that needs to be done done. My body is rested enough to endure the rush.
Some mornings I wake up early. I can sip my coffee while watching the news and surf the net. I sit in the silence before the rest of the day bogs me down.
There are pros and cons in sleeping in to meet the rush. Ther is pros and cons in waking up early to enjoy the peace. I like both. There are times I need one over the other. I'll take what I can get.

~I love "Boy With a Coin" it is one of my favorite songs. It is one of those songs that when it comes on I turn it up and listen. I can never turn it off or switch songs. I almost seems sacrilege.
I love the video.
At the end of the video all the dancers watch one dancer and as she moves art is created on the floor and birds fly from her dress and I think how lucky those birds are. To be created out of such beauty.

~No matter how hard I try to not say something I always say something and 90% of the time it makes no sense to anyone but me. I could say a million things. I always have to censor and filter. Some days I walk into a empty room and say all the things that I think aloud, to no one but me.
And although this makes no sense to you it makes total and complete sense to me.

Things that I say but probably shouldn't say

2010-12-10T04:39:00.000-08:00

I had a fight with my husband and as much as I wanted to write about it I knew I couldn't. I hate dragging out my dirty laundry. And as much as I wanted the validation of being right, because I was right, I still wanted someone to tell me I could be wrong. Is that weird? Does that make sense? Let me rephrase: I was right, I was so right, right about everything I said and did but I wanted someone to tell me I wrong because I didn't want to be right. And all you all would have told me I was right, and I just couldn't have that.
Shoo! That takes a load off.
The fight wasn't anything to horrid, like cheating or something that would break up a marriage. But it was about money and money can cause a marriage to break up but it wasn't that bad. It was about how money should be spent and how and if we have the money to spend should it be spend on what we want vs. what we need.
Fun right?
Yeah no. It did involve a 3 day "silent treatment" session.
I did kind of enjoy the peace.
Now that I am done being vague, I have other secrets that are keeping me from being a "full-time" blogger and I will update you soon on those.
No, I am not pregnant.
At least I don't think I am.
Oh God why did I say that?

5 reasons why I am not Blogging

2010-12-06T05:41:00.000-08:00

The holiday everything is keeping me busy.
Putting on "THE BIGGEST FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR" for my child's school is a lot harder then I thought.
Brain Farts.
I want to write about something, and I can't write about that something and because I want to write about that one thing and can't write about that one thing I can't think to write about anything else.
Helping out a friend.

Top 5 Ways to Become the Asshole of Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T05:08:00.000-08:00

5. While showing your son-in-law the proper mechanics of a spring-form pan, trip the spring and allow the pumpkin cheese cake to fall on the floor.

4. Show up without corn-bread stuffing.

3. Come upstairs announcing that you are here to help with the clean-up just as the last dish is being washed.

2. Phone it in.

and the #1 way to be the asshole of Thanksgiving.

1. Be a wild animal getting ready for hibernation and attack the families pet chicken the night before Thanksgiving.

To the worlds greatest chicken, Ruby. Rest in peace....

In a semi-asshole way submitted to:

Mom Gone Crazy

2010-11-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

Of course it would come to this.
Not a drop of patience left. Months and years.
The fighting
The arguing
The begging and pleading and praying.
What I did was send them both upstairs.
I got the garbage bags and loaded every toy on the floor and not in it proper spot in garbage bags and baskets. Then I put those full baskets and bags in the unused bathroom and locked the door.
Ultimately the fate of those toys rests on the decision lies between the daddy and I. But I would love your opinion too.

PS It was LIBERATING!!!!

Things that are Funny That Are Not Suppose to be Funny.

2010-11-22T03:32:00.000-08:00

1. Vaseline Twitter Parties
2. Fiber Plus Twitter Parties
3.Fiber Plus and Vaseline twitter Parties on the same night.
4. Animal cruelty.
5. Lard.
6.. Body Scanners
7. Mommybloggers complaining about being called Mommybloggers.
8. Boycotts
9. Photographers
10. Ron Johnson

When the mood suits me, list submitted to:

The Great Best Cat Ever Debate

2010-11-20T07:46:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a spirited debate on Facebook to make your day. Facebook, as well as blogs and Twitter, allows you some anonymity for the most part. If your family is on Facebook it is a whole new ballgame.
It is always important, if you feel strongly about something, to stand by your convictions and fight the good fight.
I had a small debate this past week with my mom, it all started with an innocent enough message to my mother.....

Let me explain. The fact that Joey Sparkles...
1. is a he
2. has three colors in his coat
2. And his testicles dropped
Makes him a bit of an anomaly. Most Calico male cats are sterile and don't drop their testicles. So the fact that my cat has the certain coloring and has testicles makes him very special. If he is a true calico is still in question, but the fact that he is tri-colored and with testes is kind of rare.
My mom has a point though, just because my cat has a certain gender-specific organ does not make him the best cat ever. But I was determined to make my case.
So I posted some photographic evidence...


Joey Sparkles assists with household chores, like washing dishes. BEST CAT EVER!

Not to be outdone my mom then posted this picture...


Lucy helping me make the bed....best cat EVER!!!

And this is is when the real debate began....

I have a feeling this debate will continue. Like all debates some things are subjective.
I will stand my ground, because I know for a fact my cat is the best cat EVER.

You're Happy Because You Eat Lard and HFCS/Corn Sugar

2010-11-18T20:56:00.000-08:00

I saw this online and about died. Died laughing. It's funny.
I imagine in 50 years my granddaughter will have a similar reaction to this..
Don't get me wrong I loves me some HFCS/corn sugar. Sweet sweet corn sugar.
I would bathe in lard if they let me. Lard is good, reals good.
But as a wise wise man* once said, "Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining."

*The wise wise man mentioned is actually my father, who also says "I'll slap you so hard you look pretty." The wise part is debatable.

I Want To Buy Her an Orange Tree

2010-11-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

She sits in the car, her and I, and we listen to our favorite song. She really thinks the song is about her, and I do nothing to make her think it's not.
"Mom, I am always dressed in white." she says
"Yes, you look lovely in white." I reply.
She quickly answers back, "I'm like an angel...."
"..and you burn my eyes." I reply laughing.
Then I tell her "And you move like a little girl."
and she says matter-of-factly "I am a little girl."
"Yes you are." I say "I become a child, you move my world"
and that's what makes the song about her.
She so moves my world.

Back To

2010-11-16T20:32:00.000-08:00

One of those weird songs I just love. I come back to time to time. It's nice to have things to come back to.

Giving Thanks and Giving Back

2010-11-15T07:21:00.000-08:00

I love Thanksgiving. I love the togetherness, the food, being with family, the food. I have so much to be thankful for this year. It was a pretty good year.
Talking about our Thanksgiving plans this weekend my sister mentioned that she needed help with a service project for her class. This year she is interning at a women's shelter and wants to share more then just her working hours with them. Some brain-storming and planing we came up with a great way to give back and have a little fun.

The First Annual Family Thanksgiving Day Challenge.

The rules:

Each family member is to spend $1 (before taxes) on any household item: shampoo, toilet paper, soap etc. The family member who gets the most "Bang for their buck" wins!

Wins what, you ask?

Well the first piece of pumpkin pie of course! And bragging rights for the year!

But you can only buy one thing for $1, you say?

It's not so much about the one thing you buy, but what that one thing contains. Get where I am going here?

What's the point of this challenge, you ask?

The point is to give back to those in need. To prove that giving is so easy, all you need is $1.

And if you give $1 and I give $1 and he gives $1 and she gives $1.....

Get where I am going here.

Our goal is to fill a laundry basket, heaping over, with everyday supplies for the women's shelter. And to have a little fun in the process.

So this Thanksgiving my family is working together to help families in need, will you do the same?

Cruelty to Animals

2010-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

I am not oppose to cruelty to animals.
Case in point....

I know what you are thinking. "Susan how can you put a shirt on a cat? That is so cruel!"
That is not the cruel part. Joey Sparkles has been wearing the shirt all morning without a fuss.
The cruel part is he's actually a Cubs fan.
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

2010-11-11T19:54:00.000-08:00

the thousand and one words i have to say must wait.
some days you just need to cry it out.

When A Boycott Is Not Worth It

2010-11-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

You all heard the horrid story, Amazon and their choice of books to allow in their Kindle self-publish store.
And as much as it horrifies and scares me that someone could write about on this subject.
And as much as I believe in free speech and this is one of those cases that really pushes the limits.
I am not going to talk about either of those things.
This whole boycott call infuriates me. People calling Amazon, emailing Amazon. DEMANDING removal of the book. Writing in the review section how terrible Amazon is and how they are going to BOYCOTT Amazon until they remove the book but not before the drive up the traffic and increase this book's sales.
The truth is IF Amazon decides to remove the book everyone will pat themselves on the back and move on with their life.
But they forget there are still children out there EVERYDAY being abused by people. Adult people. Adult people they don't know. Adult people they do know. Adult people they trust.
And not enough people are standing up for for the children and adults who suffer in silence. Everyday..
A boycott of Amazon doesn't stop pedophiles. It doesn't stop the cycle of abuse.
But IF the book is removed you will pat yourself on the back and think you have helped the greater good.
But you have done NOTHING.
If you for any reason wrote a comment on that books Amazon page. Or tweeted with a vengeance. Or called for boycotts I ask. I beg. I appeal to your concerned nature to do the real work that matters.
Email, call your lawmakers. DEMAND that THEY stiffen punishment for sexual offenders. DEMAND that THEY help support victim advocate groups.
Thumbing your nose at Amazon is not the real work.

Nite-Lite

2010-11-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

I discovered today this song is about a night-light. And now I want a night-light. And a birdhouse.

Today Laundry, Tomorrow the World

2010-11-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

*I am sitting here typing with my feet tucked tightly under my legs. "Criss-Cross Applesause" my kids would say, I still say Indian-style because you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I love the way my kids look at me when I say Indian-style. They are puzzled, like I just spoke some foreign language, words of a time gone by. I imagine it's the look I had when I moved to Wisconsin from Illinois and all the kids asked to go drink at the "Bubbler" and I called it a water fountain.

*I am sitting here typing with my feet tucked tightly under my legs because I have no clean socks and my feet are freezing. Yesterday I wore a pair of socks I wore the day before. I sniffed them to make sure they didn't smell too bad. They were passable. Now I have no other option but to do a load of laundry today. And basically the fate of the world rest on the laundry I do or don't do today. Because I have no clean socks. And the kids are down to their last clean pair. And is there anything worse then opening up your child's drawer to realize there is no clean socks to put on their toes? I am sure there is worse, but at the moment, in front of that top drawer I feel like I dropped the ball, it's a bad feeling to have.

It seems so cliche to talk about laundry on a Mommyblog. But it is what we do.

* I am sitting here typing with my feet tucked under my legs in almost silence. The kids are playing nicely by themselves, and I know the moment I go down there they will fight for my attention. I love to listen to children playing and using their imagination. I love listening to the stories they make-up and act out, what their little minds can create. It is those little things that keep you going.

* I am sitting here typing with my feet tucked under my legs even though I have a hundred things I should be doing, but I am here. Because I like it here. It is a wonderful place.

My Christmas Wish List

2010-11-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

Today I get semi-selfish and let you know what is on my Christmas wish-list. As much as I love coming up with what my children need/want for Christmas it is second only to my needs/wants. In fact throughout the year I think of all those little things that I really want but don't need but if you buy it for me then it's all okay.
So what is on my list this year??

First up....

Is it sad that I am thirty-(cough-cough) and I don't have a cast-iron skillet. My corn bread batter cries every time I put it in a glass baking dish. I can hear it. It is sad.

I want a Kindle* so bad it hurts. I dream about holding it and reading. I dream of going on vacation and finishing a book then going on my wireless connection and downloading another book. It's good to have dreams.

You can't have a Kindle without a cute Kindle case and this is the one I want. This case is made by Britgal Designs on Etsy.

This case is more expensive then other cases I previewed but the fact that you can actually read/use the Kindle in the case makes it worth the extra dough.

Susan, yoga pant?** You don't do yoga.

Of course I don't but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the extreme comfort and stretchiness of yoga pants.

But these my ladies are just not any yoga pants, these have a secret.

Wanna know what it is? Come close....a little closer. Shhh!

They have a tummy control panel. SHRIEEEK right I know!!!!

I have to tell you I received a pair of these awesome pants and they are HEAVEN. I wore them 3 times in one week. I could wear them all day everyday if it wasn't for my resistance to the laundry pile.

These pants make my body look good.

So what makes these pants better then other yoga pants.

Well first the company that makes them is called "The Girls" . Sometimes it's all in the name.

That and when you put them on they are like butter. BUTTER! It's the fabric. A nylon/spandex mix that has a technical name because it is that good. Everything that is good has a real technical name. But don't worry about that, just worry about how good you are gonna look in these pants!

That's it Santa/husband. I have been a real good girl this year so please make all my wishes come true!

*Disclosure: I did not receive a Kindle to write that I want a Kindle but if you click the link and purchase a Kindle I will receive a small percentage of the purchase price.

**Disclosure: I did receive a pair of The Girl yoga pants. No money was given to this write post. What I said is 100% true, I would like Santa to bring me one....or ten more pair of these pants. It's the tummy control, it gets me every time.

Don't forget to check out "The Girls" on Facebook

Why I Will Never Be a Big Name Blogger

2010-11-08T04:58:00.000-08:00

I give thought, every once in a harvest moon, about what direction I want to go with my blog. I don't have a very big audience and I don't work that hard to gain a following. The truth is I am afraid to work on my blog as a business. I don't want expectations here because truthfully this is the only place in my life that has no expectations. I can come as I want and not have to answer to anyone.
Okay, yes I take the occasional review but that is only because I want to. If I find I don't want to write about a product I receive I won't. That might not make me popular with PR peeps, but would they rather have a half ass review or a negative review? At the end of the day I like free stuff and of the hundred review requests I receive each week you are lucky if I take one of those opportunities.
So the other day I was thinking of all the things that make me a no-name, and will continue to keep me in my small blogger shell. Besides what I stated above this is what I came up with....

I think Nutella is disgusting.

That is all.
Happy Monday!

Somewhat, very regularly, in a semi-stalker kinda way submitted to:

I Voted

2010-11-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Reasons Why I Voted....

Because millions of women suffered in silence not even 100 years ago and worked tirelessly to give me and the women of today a voice.
Because today in many countries women still are not given the right to vote.
Because I can.

I know only three and that's all I need. And even though it didn't come out how I wanted it, it was so worth it. Till next time...

Christmas Gift Ideas: Gift Cards and How to Gift Them

2010-11-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am not big on gift cards. I get the appeal but I much rather give a gift that a person can hold and use right away.
But sometimes the gift card can't be avoided.
Case in point: I have a niece who loves to read. I don't have a list of books that she has and I have a feeling it would take my sister-in-law a good couple hours to form a list of books she owns. I like my sister-in-law too much to do that to her.
So my only choice for my little-ferocious-reading niece is to give her a gift card so she can buy a book she knows she wants to read.
After I buy a gift card I like to put it in something other then a card. There is a lot of gift card holders out there, they are cute but not practical, they are never to be used again.
I love the idea of putting a gift card in a new wallet or purse or a pouch....


From Paper Sparrow on Etsy.com

I love the unique fabric, bright colors and their versatility. I can imagine my niece putting her watercolors or her jewelry or her sewing needles and thread in one of these little bags.
All fabrics are custom designed by the owner of Paper Sparrow and lined with a vintage fabric.
Super cute!

Disclosure: I was not asked nor paid to write this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Facebook. The Other White Meat

2010-11-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

Twitter is for blogging and Facebook is for family. That is my rule. Mostly because everything that a blogger post on Facebook they also post on Twitter, and I am bombarded twice with information, some I didn't care about the first go round.
Trying to weed through the latest blogging controversy to find out if my cousin had her baby is beyond annoying. I vowed to keep in simple so I spent a good forty-five minutes deleting every person who had/has a blog from my Facebook friends list last year, it was liberating.
Because of my Facebook snobbery I feel I am neglecting you my loyal reader from my Facebook gems. So today, for my list, I will highlight my top 5 favorite Facebook status updates.

What I thought I heard the 4 year old say: "Come upstairs Nolan Jesus is on!" What 4 year old actually said "Come upstairs Nolan Like a G-6 is on."
Stupid things to say to a four-year-old: "Come on, let's be reasonable here!"
Further proving that I am the reincarnation of a twelve year old boy; I giggled a little when I told Nolan's teacher "See You Next Tuesday."
Joey Sparkles routine for waking me up in the morning is 1. Play in the toilet water then 2. knead my face with his toilet-water-soaked paws.
Sadly today I realized my maturity level was no different from my 7 year old when I noticed "but" "nut" and "bun" all on the same spelling list.

Monday's list semi-faithfully submitted to ABDPBT

Fund Raising Take 2

2010-10-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

I happened across this article about the HORRORS of school fund-raising and of course I had to say something, so go over and read the article and then here is my opinion I posted in the comment section.

I could go on for days about all the wrong that is in this article.

1. You have to look at school size when looking at fundraisers. With a 100 student base like my daughter's school we find that food fundraisers work best for us. Profit are higher then most fund raisers and our parents, of young children, love the quick meal factor.
2. Schools who do silent auction get items donated by local businesses. The business gets a tax deduction and advertising for donating and the school get to walk away with 100% of the money made.
3. When each individual school considers fundraisers they also have to consider the other organizations in their community that are trying to raise funds. Our school would love to do Scrips, but there is already a number of organizations doing Scrip as a fundraiser. As much as we consider competition effecting our bottom line we also consider it for our other community organizations bottom line. We all have to be considerate of our neighbors and their efforts to raise money.
4. If you don't have the volunteer base to assist a lot of fund raising is out! Nothing is done by one person and if the school doesn't have the help to put on something like a walk-a-thon fundraisers then their only option is to send home an order form for wrapping paper, pizza etc.
5. Fund raising efforts are always evaluated. If wrapping paper brings money into the school, the school will keep selling it. If the money is not good the school will move on to the next fundraiser. fundraising decisions are not made arbitrarily, a lot of thought and planning go into it.
6. Not every school is the same. So not all school fund raising is the same. What works for one school might not work for another. All fund-raising efforts are based on demographic of the school and the community.

This article is so ill researched, shame on Shine for allowing it to be posted. Please don't shun school fund-raising efforts based on one persons personal experience.

Dance With Your Whole Body

2010-10-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

Last night we sat in the bedroom, rather I sat and she danced. She danced to the same song over and over and over. I couldn't help but notice that every part of her was in motion. How liberating,
Today I vow to move every part of me.

Bad Teacher

2010-10-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

When I was in third grade they called me "Sewer-Sue," it was a take-off on the Garbage Pail Kids. I cried endlessly. Not just because it hurt so bad, because it did, but mainly because I was having a rough home life and school was to be my oasis. I would get on the bus and hope and pray no one would pick on me. I wished that the teacher would stick up for me, but she didn't.
Mostly I cried. Or hid in the bathroom and cry. My teacher usually told me to buck-up. Stop crying. As a nine year old girl I felt lost and alone. All I wanted was for someone to stick up for me. For someone to tell me it was okay.
It never came that year.
Is it weird that I looked that teacher up? She still teaches at that same school and that same grade. Is it weird that I want to write to her and tell her she failed me? That when I needed a champion she wasn't there. That instead of bringing me up, she tore me down. That she failed to see my home life sucked bananas and that school made my life a living hell.
What would she say? What could she say? You think after 25 plus years she'd even remember me? Would me telling her all this make it any better for another girl or boy who struggles or whose school is their only safe haven.
Isn't funny that to this day she has this on her parent site...

"I do not shield them from all unhappy or trying experiences in the classroom or the playground, or fight their battles for them. Instead, I try to help them meet and face their problems now."

I almost laughed. Not because it was funny. It was an uncomfortable laugh. That uncomfortable laugh you have when you are too sad to cry or too angry to yell. That laugh of 25 plus years of hurt and pain bottled up so there is no other emotion then uncomfortable laughing.
She doesn't get it and she never will.
I am not sure a emotional email from me will help.
Because 25 years later it wasn't her ignoring the problem that helped me face "all my battles."
And as much as this one bad teacher caused me hurt, there has been nameless others who have guided me on the right path. Those are the teachers that taught me, in a loving and caring way, to fight my battles head on. The teachers who saw my hurt and worked tirelessly to help me, these are the people I want to remember.
I still remember their names and classrooms. When I close my eyes I can still smell the chalk and remember every inch of their classrooms. Where the books rested. Where the pencil sharpener was. I still have a Christmas "Thank You" note, from one of my favorite teachers. I gave her potpourri sachet. And I remember all this because she touched me in a positive way. And gave me hope and love.
To all the good teachers out there, Thank you!!!
And to that one bad one: please remember we are little and we need you.
So advice: as much as I know this one bad teacher will not change, should I contact her? Would you?

Christmas Gift Ideas: Bento Box

2010-10-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

I reserve the right, as a mother, to put one to two items on my children's Christmas wish list. Is this fair? I don't know and frankly I don't care. That is the great thing about being a mom, I get to make the rules.This year the item that I am putting on this kiddos' wish list is....
Bento Boxes!
Yes that is right I am making Santa bring the kids lunch boxes for Christmas. In an effort to help that jolly guy out I did my research to find the best bento/lunch box out there and this is what I came up with, The GoodByn Lunchbox.

For the Boy

For the Girl

Cute right. Not exactly what the kids expect to find under the Christmas tree. But I have my reasons in putting these on their wish lists.
The big reason: MY KIDS ARE THE PICKIEST EATERS IN THIS WHOLE WIDE GREAT WORLD!!!!
Okay maybe not the whole world but defiantly in this house. My husband runs a close third. And basically I will eat anything I can scrap off the refrigerator shelf .
My kids are grazers and snackers. They love a little of everything and that is why I love the idea of these Bento boxes for them. I could put some cheese in one compartment and some cracker in another and finish it off with some carrot sticks. Fill up the water bottle and lunch is done. Which may I say the Goodbyn lunchbox is the only one I could find with a built in water bottle. BONUS!!!
Now you are asking "Why don't you just buy it for them today? Why ruin their Christmas morning with lunch boxes?"
That is a very good question, didn't you see the part up above where I stated I make the rules? This is just a huge power trip. WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Just kidding. No, really I am not kidding.
Actually I am kind of a penny pinching cheapskate and if I went out today I'd buy the cheapest boxes I could find.
But Christmas brings out the spender in me. I can loosen up the purse strings and dig a little deeper in the wallet to spend a little more money to get good quality lunch boxes.
Mean or not I am super excited to wrap up these lunch boxes for the kids. And since they come with stickers to decorate each box, I don't think I'll hear much groaning. I actually think this gift will be a welcomed surprise!

Stay tuned here for more Christmas ideas for you and yours!

Disclaimer: I was not asked nor paid nor given any product to write this post. I am writing this post because I wanted to share with you the research I did in finding the perfect lunchbox for my kids. Go now to Goodbyn because they are having buy one get the second half off sale, enter "onehalfoff" at checkout. Offer end Nov.1, 2010

WTF Man? Moment

2010-10-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

My kids dislike mushrooms. They seem them and run the other way. I on the other hand love mushrooms, but my food loves play no part, when you have kids you consider their palette when planning a meal. So imagine my joy (sarcastic) when I pulled out a frozen pizza and it had mushrooms all over it. Shiz man frozen pizza is my fail-safe here. I counted on this sucker to provide me with a child-nom factor with little cleaning afterwards. Fast thinking I "magically" changed those mushrooms to "fairy-seeds". Fairy seeds that fairies drop on the ground to make beautiful flowers, the same fairy seeds that the fairies actually enjoy for a little nosh, or put on their fairy pizzas to make for a scrumptious feast.
That's right I have that kind of magical powers.
So after that magic and the story my children were happily sitting there eating their sausage and fairy seed pizza when my dear darling husband, who had been sitting there the ENTIRE TIME, asks "Is there mushrooms on this pizza?"
WTF Man??

Proof: Fairies love pizza

A demonstration of why I don't blog about politics

2010-10-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

image source

I don't get much into politics here, okay I don't get into it at all. I am one of those 70-80% that Jon's talking about. You won't see me in the picket lines, or shouting at a building with my fist in the air. I basically keep my political views to myself.
I get why people feel they have to protest and living near the State Capital it is common place to see someone protesting something; for some reason I always seem to make it down to the capital for the yearly legalize cannabis assembly, another topic for another time. I respect anyone's right to protest, if I don't like what the have to say I turn and walk away, my own little form of protest.
I can't help but get political now, it's all the TV ads, they have a way of igniting a flame.
And even though I won't get into deep political issues here or demonstrate why you should vote for one candidate or another, based on political ideology, I am going get into how dumb politicians think I am.
Now before I get into a big rant I will have a disclaimer, mainly I am talking about one candidate here in my state, he is running on this "Every-Man" campaign which is totally awesome, but when you say things like "getting off my rear" it doesn't make me wanna vote for you, it only makes me feel like you are talking down to me. You are a leader act like one.
Or when you say "There's a lot of lawyers in Washington" and you say it like lawyers are a crime against nature and you say it like I don't realize that when people consider a career in politics they consider the fact that...um duh they are making laws and if they are making laws they should....um.....KNOW the laws, so what kind of schooling will help them learn the laws that they are trying to protect and make...that's right Law school, so lawyers. That is why there is a lot of lawyers in Washington. And you making the "Lawyers are bad" joke to win my vote makes me think that you think I am dumb. And I am not.
Okay that was a rant. Do you see what politics do to me? Suddenly I turn into that other 20-30% that Stephen's talking about.
Deep breathes and relaxation tapes and I will be back to my normal sane self.
And this is why I don't write about politics.
But I still vote and you should too.
The end.

Banjo

2010-10-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

I have a secret, well not really a secret because I have discussed this before: I love Bluegrass music. Mainly I love the banjo.
While most woman swoon and drop their panties over the guitar player or the lead singer in the band, I get all hot and bothered over the banjo player. Because the banjo is hot and sexy.
Case in point...

Right that is sexy hot.... *SWOON*
Those guys are Punch Brothers.
My first Bluegrass love was Nickel Creek, and a few years ago they went their separate ways and their mandolin/banjo player joined Punch Brothers....

Cute right? **DOUBLE SWOON**
And may I say the mandolin is a close second to the banjo. Close. But second.
Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek are considered "modern bluegrass" and the old time Bluegrass banjo players had some lookers too. Okay not really but they had some really cool names.
Like....
Papa Charlie Johnson and Snuffy Jenkins and Bee Ho Gray
And did you know John Lennon played the banjo? That ups the banjo cool factor if I say so myself.
And he didn't really sing or play the banjo but George Clooney in Oh Brother Where Art Thou made Bluegrass music sexier still.
Now there is one banjo player that has my heart. I told my mom I had a banjo-daddy-complex for him and I think my mom was ready to pay for therapy right then and there.
No amount of head-shrinking will change my feelings though.
Well, I'll let you be the judge.

Right? Sexy hot!!!
Silver fox.... ***TRIPLE SWOON***
Steve Martin Banjo Player Extraordinaire.He's funny, talented, a genius writer and he plays the banjo. He can do no wrong in my eyes.

Before you go I will leave you with some banjo awesomeness and you be the judge. I will convert you all the banjo-lovin' people. That is why God and Jesus put me on this earth. Amen.

When your four year old is a better photographer

2010-10-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of pictures of our beloved cat Joey Sparkles, but leave it to my four-year-old to take the best Joey Sparkles picture EVER!
This just sums up him in a nut shell.

and no you can't have him.

What a four year old says to you after her hamster and favorite barn kitty die (all in a matter of 24 hours)

2010-10-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

When we go to MiMi's farm Meg usually picks out one barn kitty to smother with love Lenny Small style. Every time she begs to take the kitty home: she has only been told "yes" once.
Meg's beloved weekend kitty passed away on Sunday morning, after a Saturday of playful love. Then when we woke up this morning our beloved hamster passed away.
Sometimes life can be a total asshole to a four year old.

"But...but I saw the kitty's tail move and she winked her eye at me"
"Can I get a new hamster?...or a gerbil?"
Tears, tear and just more tears
"Can we give Joey Sparkles the hamster?
(Through tears and snot) "Now can you buy me a toy?"
"Can I use the hamster cage for my Zhu-Zhu pet now?"
"Are the kitty and hamster playing in ha-ban"
And just more tears

2010-10-15T12:48:00.001-07:00

Petal

2010-10-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

Her name: Petal....

Don't let her looks decieve you, she is a lean-mean-stress-causing machine. Have you ever been woken up at 3 am to find a Petal and then you can't find a Petal and you have a four year old crying "Where is Petal???" and you're like "I have no idea where Petal is, it's 3 am can't you sleep with Charlie Brown?"
Dumb question.
This pink bunny has seen a lot and been everywhere.
The grocery store. School. The Library. The Park. The Badger game...

The fire station....

Petal will even be in this year's school picture.
And the idea of leaving her at any of these places sends my blood pressure up.
"Where's Petal?" "Do you have Petal?" "Did you leave Petal in the cart?" "Fire Truck?" "On the book shelf?" "In the bleachers?" "On the swing?"
Because when the sun has set and the moon is high and it's time to tuck little girl into bed and there is no Petal, God have mercy on your soul.
Everyone says this too shall pass. One night she'll forget about Petal and fall asleep. But for now Petal is a part of our family. And who could resist that pink face...

or this pick face...

Arthur, What a Wonderful Kind of Day

2010-10-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

I am a product of a divorced family. Try explaining why you have two moms and two dads to a seven year old, it goes something like this:
Son: "Mom, why does your mom live in Wisconsin and your dad in Tennessee?"
Me: "Well mommy's mommy and daddy are divorced and my mommy and daddy don't love together."
Son: "You and daddy are divorced?"

It's a hard thing to explain and harder since there are few relatable characters for him to refrence , it is always easier to explain with characters that he sees on T.V. or in a book. Nolan is getting more curious about the world around him, he is starting to see differences and question them.

One of our favorite shows to watch is Arthur. Arthur has tackled some really cool issues that kids today face. Last year I was happy to see that Arthur brought on a character with Aspergers, Binky Barnes has a peanut allergies and Buster Bunny's parents are divorced. Using Buster's family has helped my kids understand divorce.

This season of Arthur is no different, starting off Arthur's friend The Brain learns about what life is like for those in a wheelchair. Elwood City new character Lydia Fox shows The Brain how to play basketball and how to deal with everyday situations in a wheelchair.

Also stay tuned for Arthur's very special Halloween episode with special guest Neil Gaiman, author of the book Coraline and The Graveyard Book, set to air October 25.

Arthur can be seen everyday on PBS Kids, check listings for channel and times. Check out PBS Kids.com for fun Arthur activities and games. Also check out great Arthur books by Marc Brown, two of our family faves are Arthur's Chicken Pox and D.W. Rides Again.

Disclosure: I received a screener of Arthur no other compensation was given. All opinions and stories above are my own. All pictures are owned by PBS KIDS.

On Wisconsin

2010-10-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

I live near a college town. A big college town. A Big 10 college town.
And at any given minute we can be blessed with football tickets and being only a hop, skip and a long wait on University Ave. away from the fun we are always on.
It doesn't hurt that it was Homecoming and we were playing our biggest rival, one of the LONGEST RUNNING rivalries in NCAA college football history. It doesn't hurt also that said school is, time and again, named one of the top party schools.
Good Times.
And if you don't have fun you got a giant stick shoved somewhere.

So what's up for grabs, besides bragging rights for a year?

Paul Bunyans Axe

No silly bell or jug, you are in real man country. A jug? You silly kids.

Yes, tailgating would have been nice, but like I said this was last minute. We start this journey passing through this magical arch. And it is magical. You walk through it, rich, poor, man, woman. Your love or hate for football does not matter, you pass these gates and we all become fans. These gates are only second to heaven's.

My boys ready for some football. No, excuse me. FOOTBALL!!!!

It's called Camp Randall. It's named for tradition, not a corporation. This is why I love it.

You come for the football you stay for the band. If you have never seen our marching band you are a sad mac. Sad. Mac.

Two young fans waiting for their team. They are some cute fans.

And here they come. Real men wear red. And white.

Double the U, Dot the I, Curve the S, Curve the C, Round the O, Slant the N, Curve the S, Dot the I....and N. I snapped too soon. I forgot the last N. Do not mistake, it is an important N.

Nice tight end. What? Really that's a tight end.
Okay who am I kidding. Nice butt.

Picture of the cheerleaders for this cheerleader...

Yum! good pom-poms. I am so glad I payed the 100% mark-up for those. She was one happy 4 year old.

"First and 10 Wisconsin" Our kid got everyone around him screaming that. And he got more then his share of high fives. He loves football. No, excuse me, HE LOVES FOOTBALL!!!

Jump Around!
See under the giant billboard? Those are all the students. They are crazy fun to watch. If you are going to a college game sit as close to the student seating as possible. But not in the student section, you're just asking to be puked on.

And the winner was....

....did you ever doubt it. The Axe comes back. It always does.

GO BADGERS!

Now as a public service I feel it is my duty to show you all How to Bucky. Because that is what I am. A giver.

Hey, How's Your Bowels Today?

2010-10-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

I have IBS. It is a little known fact about myself. Of course I don't like to talk about my bowels much, who does? It is not a topic that comes up in every day conversation. "Hey how's your bowels today?" "Did you take a nice crap today?" "Why no, I didn't, I have IBS so taking a crap is actually a pain in the ass, literally and figuratively!"
My IBS is part self-diagnosed and part clinically diagnosed. After months of pooping in a cup and smearing my shit on a card to no avail, I stopped short of them sticking things up my anus for a 100% diagnosis. There is only so much shit a girl can take. Literal and Figural.
This started out about 11 years ago after a case of adult acne and a round of the drug Accutane. You know those commercials you see on T.V.? They aren't just lip service, it is real issue. It's kind of scary that a drug can rip your stomach apart for the rest of your life just to repair a vanity issue.
Okay, it wasn't just a vanity issue, nodular acne is painful. I am serious it was painful. And when you are a new bride and your face looks like the surface of the moon on crack it breaks you a little inside. After rounds of creams and oral medicine, Accutane was a last hope.
Apart from the fact that I had to be on birth control to prevent having alien baby, and not being able to go outside all summer it went well. I had no acne. I felt good.
Then a short while later, after being off the drug, I would eat something and spend a night in bed doubled over in pain. I was constipated all the time. And a serious case of hemorrhoids that even Raymond couldn't fix.
I found myself in the doctors office. I was sent home a lot. I remember once asking the doctor if taking Accutane did this to me. I was told "NO!" Then one day reading some forgotten-titled magazine I read a story about Accutane and IBS.
"Thank you anyway I don't want a tube up my butt, I have my answer!" It was a relieve to say the least. I had my answer and I could live with it.
My IBS doesn't bother my everyday. It flares. It comes and goes, depending on stress or if I pig out on copious amounts of cheese and fried foods. Time has slowly healed me. Or I just know how to control the symptoms better. I spend less time in the fetal position and more time enjoying life.
And it is a lesson learned. I am more careful of what goes in my body. I thank God for Google and Web MD. I look at side effects and long term effect of drugs and decide if it is worth it.
IBS ain't got shit on me. Literally. Figuratively.

Love Will Come Set Me Free

2010-10-06T08:42:00.001-07:00

I couldn't help but catch the news about Tyler Clementi.

Because it is moments like that, when I first read these stories, that I realize how much I hate people. People are mean and cruel and terrible.
Then I remember hate is what got us here in the first place.

I have a lovely family member who is a part of the LGBT community, and if anyone- ANYONE tried to hurt them I'd....Well I'd...
....but then I remember I would be fighting fire with fire. My cruelness. My aggression with words or fist makes me no better then those who torment.

I don't know what to say or do....or do. I am but one small person with one small blog.
And what do I have to say? Does it matter?
Then I remember it matters to me. And it matters to that lovely family member, who I would protect to the ends of the earth.
Being gay is okay. It is more then okay. It is normal. It is who a person is. And when someone uses what a person is to weaken, deface, manipulate them, it is a crime against humanity. It makes my heart break. It makes the world break.
Please remember our words and our actions have power, use them wisely.

I heard this song today and it was everything I wanted to share here....

Little hands

2010-10-06T07:26:00.000-07:00


Little hands at work.

Bacon and the Cat

2010-10-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

This is where Joey Sparkles sits when I am frying up bacon. He looks up at me with longing eyes, waiting patiently for me to drop a juicy, crunchy morsel. I always oblige, who could resist that face??

Reviving Ophelia

2010-10-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the book"Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls," Lifetime TV has a new movie set to air October 11, 2010 at 9:00 pm et staring Jane Kaczmarek and Kim Dickens.

"In “Reviving Ophelia,” sisters Marie (Jane Kaczmarek) and Le Ann (Kim Dickens) have always leaned on one another through life’s challenges, but discover they need each other more than ever as they navigate the complexities of understanding and raising their teen daughters. Marie’s 17-year-old Elizabeth (Rebecca Williams) has the picture-perfect life, with a seemingly equally wonderful boyfriend. Meanwhile, Le Ann is raising 16-year-old Kelli (Carleigh Beverly) as a single parent and finds it difficult to relate to the pressures her daughter is facing with boys, friends and school. When Kelli starts to suspect Elizabeth may be abused by her boyfriend (Nick Thurston), no one will believe her. But when Elizabeth lands in the hospital, Kelli’s surprising insights help Marie give Elizabeth the courage to leave her violent relationship." ~ From Lifetime TV

I had an opportunity to preview "Reviving Ophelia" and felt the message of the movie was far greater then my personal opinion, and more important to share.
First I really wondered if this was a timely message? Is domestic abuse really an issue teens face? It is not front and center on the 100s of news channels, you don't read about it in the newspaper: frankly you just don't hear about it.
The truth is 1 in 5 teen girls have reported being physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. (source) In the conversation teens seem to be left out, the sad truth is nearly half of adult sexual offenders report committing their first offense before the age of 18 (source). The teenage years are when we really start forming those one-on-one connections, it is where the cycle starts.
I am not going to pretend I have all the answers here, because I don't . Truthfully I just learned these facts after watching "Reviving Ophelia." Knowing one day I will have to have this discuss with my girl is a bit scary, but now I know it has to happen. Watching this movie with your daughter just might be the perfect launch pad for discussing this scary but important issue.
See preview here.

Guides:
Lifetime TV works with Break The Cycle to help you have that talk with your daughter. Go to the"Reviving Ophelia" page and click on "Teen Dating Violence."

Disclaimer:
If you are someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, check out National Domestic Violence Hotline, with a "Quick Escape" button.
Also note that not only teen girls are subject to domestic violence, but teen boys as well. Any person, in any relationship, straight or same-sex, can experience domestic abuse. Domestic abuse does not discriminate.

Review Disclaimer:
I received a copy of Reviving Ophelia to review from Lifetime TV, no other compensation was given and the opinions above are my own.

Today's Pill Regimen

2010-10-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

This morning I remembered to take my vitamins:

1 fish oil tablet- The Doctor swears by these for physically and emotional well-being, it is the Jesus of supplements.
1 multi-vitamin- don't need to state the obvious here, do I?
1 calcium and vitamin d tablet- no slouchy-slouchies for me
2 Advil- as needed but find I need it most mornings, time to get my eyes checked....or my hair cut.
St. John's Wort- My happy ending.

Sadly I had to add one more pill to my regimen this morn: A sinus pill.
Yes, tis the season. I can hardly keep my eyes open my cheeks hurt so bad. So I end this story and you can give me pity, cause I need it.
So long cruel world.

The Figureheads

2010-09-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

Watchin' the show

My kids to shy to go on stage.

Good tunes

Good show, good times. The Figureheads are a positive Hip-Hop group for kids, listen here.
Thanks for visiting while you are here take a peek at my thoughts on School Fund-raising, from a different perspective. Also anger issues? I got em'.
This post was linked at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Fury: Take Two

2010-09-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

I was given the opportunity to review the book Fury: A Memoir by Koren Zailckas, author of the best-selling book Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood. I seized the chance to be able to, not only to read Koren's story but to possibly have the inspiration to share my own.
A secret that I carried, and briefly wrote about here, is that I am an angry person. I carry it with me everywhere I go. I smile with the best of them, but deep down my blood boils. Sometimes my anger causes me to lose my breath. The room spins. My anger turns into festering anxiety. It's a vicious cycle.
I grew up in two households filled with leftover anger of divorce. I do blame my parents as well as the circumstance. I enjoyed the days of love and caring and happy picture perfect life. And I prayed and lived in fear during the nights of yelling and rage filled disagreements.
I know that I carry that with me. I know when I spout off over a dirty dish or a sock on the floor, that it is never about that dirty dish or sock. It is about something else. Because I hold it in, the important things that need to be said that are never said.
And as much as my past lends itself to the anger I have today I know it is something I have to learn to control. Anger in itself is not bad, it is an emotion that everyone has to face. What truly matters is what you do with that anger, how you work to resolve it in a healthy way. As I continue my journey I promise to write about it here. One of the many thing's I took from Fury was that we should not shame our anger, that is when we get ourselves in trouble.
Although Fury: A Memoir is not a cure all, or a self-help book, Koren's story, infused with real research and fact, lends itself as a starter to a path of understanding and acceptance. If you are working on your anger issues and are ready to dive head first, I recommend reading Fury: A Memoir.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Fury: A Memoir to read and review, no other compensation was given. The thoughts and stories are my own. Links to the Amazon site are a part of the Associate program, if you click on the link and purchase the book I get a very small %.

School Fundraising: Straight from the Horse's Mouth

2010-09-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

School fund raising: it's about that time.
Or should I say OH MY GOD WHEN ARE WE NOT RECEIVING FUND RISING SHIT FROM OUR CHILD'S SCHOOL???
It is overwhelming. I know I was in that corner with you, waving my fist in the air when another pizza/t-shirt/ magazine/candy/wrapping paper order form came home in my child's folder. A roll of the eyes. a glimpse of the form, pick out the cheapest thing, order and write a check out. Been there. Done that. 100 times.
Then, for reasons still being investigated by the crazy police, I took on the job of Fund-raising coordinator for my daughter's school.
Right? I know. It's like jumping without a parachute crazy. CRAZY.
First thing I vowed I would use my power for good. I would not plug parents with a hundred fundraisers!! One good fundraiser that is all the people want... maybe two but that's it. I am putting my foot down. I am standing up for the little people. I will not surrender. I will not be defeated. VICTORY SHALL BE OURS!!!!!!!
Yeah well I didn't keep my vow. I join the ranks of fair weather politicians.
My first real day on the job, parent orientation, I was surrounded. "When are you doing this fundraiser?" "And so-and-so school does this are we gonna do it too." "Why aren't you doing that fundraiser it is so fun?"
WTF PEOPLE!!!! I thought you hated this shit??
So I listened and obliged. I gave in. I did what the people wanted.
And ended up doing up around 5 to 6 fundraisers.
Some might say that is not a lot, but for one person doing all the work, I was ALWAYS busy and then I still had people begging me to do more.
The truth.
Food fundraisers are the biggest and produce the most results. Not the healthiest options, but people buy the stuff. A lot of it.
A lot of fundraisers are courtesies. They don't produce a ton of money but are services and discounts only certain organizations get to provide. Schools and organizations can offer you opportunities that the general public is not privy too, and they possibly can save you money.
If you saw. If you knew. If you could only imagine the number of fundraisers that pass by my mailbox. Get suggested to me. The sure number of pamphlets that meet the recycling bin. You could built a forest.
The truth is you don't have to buy EVERY single fundraiser, That is why there is so many. This one might not fill your needs but this one might. You might not get anything out of selling pizzas, but a plant sale might be more your style.
Remember it is all for a good cause. Sit back relax and enjoy! Hey and you might even get a free pizza out of the deal, if you sell 10 pizzas and your entered into a drawing to win a.....
Sorry sometimes it's hard to turn off.