You Say It's Your Birthday....Well It's My Birthday Too Yea!!!

It's official. In the great words of the hilarious movie "13 going on 30", I am 30 and flirty and thriving!!!

I have to admit, the build up to this day has been a bit of a depressor. I mean, where did the time go?? Am I seriously 30 years old?? My beloved grandmother just laughed at me and said " Honey, when you get to my age, you are ecstatic for another birthday because It means your not dead yet!" That kind of put things in prospective for me. Age is just a number right? Now that the day is actually here I feel great! My kids woke me up with a Happy Birthday serenade and surprised me with a present they picked out all on their own! My hubby had a hot cup of tea and a cake doughnut ready for my consumption. As if the day couldn't get any better, I'm spending a girls day out with my dear girlfriend! I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful life. If this is what turning 30 feels like than bring on the b-days! It's all down hill from here right? :)

My beautiful husband threw a surprise birthday party for me! Look at my cake!!

Trick or Treat

Halloween is always a fun time of year for our family! The kids look forward to it all year long and lets be honest, so do I! I love fall. It is my favorite time of the year! It brings back wonderful childhood memories. This year, my son got to participate in Trick or Treating. I was a little afraid he would spend most of the evening in tears due to his fear of just about everything lately, but he did really well! His big sisters really made an effort to help him feel comfortable and have fun! I love seeing them all interact so nicely together.

At the pumpkin Patch

Happy Trick or Treaters!

My fluffy little chick!

Little Red Riding Hood

My litle pumpkin in a pumpkin

Who's your daddy...

My Sweet Angel Boy!

I don't know why I'm surprised at anything my kids do anymore.That saying "Oh from the mouth of babes" is so true! My son just turned 19 mos old. He loves to get your attention with just about anything. Lately, he has taken to calling every man he sees in public "daddy". It was cute at first, but now its just plain EMBARRASSING!  I can't find a rhyme or reason for his association accept that they are male! At first, I thought that maybe it was because he saw a car like daddy's or a guy that kind of looked like daddy. However that doesn't seem to be the case. Old, young, big, small, bald, or not, they are daddy! Today, I was at the grocery store with all of the kids, which never fails to be anything short of a nightmare. The girls were doing their usual bickering and complaining because they didn't get a toy. I was playing referee as usual and trying to load my groceries when this huge, old "kidnapper" style van pulls into the space next to me. Out pop two older guys that certainly fit the stereotypical "kidnapper" profile. You know, mullets, dirty clothes, baseball caps, three teeth in their heads. You get the idea. I was trying to get my groceries and the kids loaded up as quickly as possible before I was sited for disturbing the peace with my girls' argument. All of a sudden my son points at these two men (neither of which looks anything like my husband) and yells "DADDY!" These guys start cracking up laughing. I hear one say " That kid thinks I'm his daddy". My son goes on and on. "Daddy", "daddy", "daddy". "Hi daddy"!  I was so embarrassed. I couldn't wait to get in my car and drive away!!

My kids say the darndest things...

I think every woman lives in some form of denial when it comes to unwanted weight gain, especially after having kids. I am no exception. I tell myself that the dryer shrunk my clothes or I'm retaining extra water today. Well, my daughter bless her heart, unknowingly burst...no OBLITERATED that bubble for me. One day while helping me fold my laundry, she picked up a piece of clothing and said "Mommy, whose shirt is this?" After closer examination I realized that it was not a shirt at all that she was holding up, It was a pair of my underwear!!!


My son and I have this little game we play where we squeeze each other's nose and say "Beep". He loves it and can't get enough. One day, I was changing his diaper and to distract him, I was asking him to name body parts. I pointed to my head and said "What's this?" He said, "Head". I praised him and then pointed to my eye and said, "What's this?" He said, "Eye". I was again clapping and praising him. I then pointed to my nose and said, "What's this?" He said, "Beep".


My five year old daughter just started kindergarten. At her school, they evaluate the kids for speech and hearing right off the bat. Luckily she passed everything with flying colors. She particularly enjoyed the hearing test and told me all about it.  Not long after, I was at the grocery store with the kids. I was in the checkout line and distracted with all that was going on. My daughter asked me a question but I wasn't really paying attention. I said to her, "What was that honey, I didn't hear you?" She let out a big frustrated sigh and said "Mom, I think you need one of those tests, where you wear that thing on your head and raise your hand when it beeps!

Expired cake mix danger...

Hi everyone! This was an e-mail that my mother in law sent to me. I thought I would share with all of you because it is something I'd never thought of before and is pretty scary!  It reads:

Warning re: cake mixes - who knew ??

I always thought that "old" mixes that were past their expiration date would just not rise/bake correctly. This is scary! Note that it's confirmed on Snopes.

Somebody wrote:

Before my surgery I bought quite a few Duncan Hines cakes mixes that were on sale. A couple of months ago I decide to use one, I checked the expiration date and found it past, all the boxes were passed the expiration date. I phoned Duncan Hinds to ask if the one that was only two months passed if it was OK. She told me in no uncertain words to throw them all out, she even said to open the boxes and throw the mix in the garbage, just in case someone picked it up and used it





According to Snopes:



Subject: Cake Mixes & Toxins- **PLEASE READ** Pass this on to ALL in your address book. You never know whose life you may save by doing so. For those of you at work, PLEASE remember to check your cupboards when you get home tonight!!!



This is confirmed on Snopes http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp ;



A student at HBHS (high school) had pancakes this week and it almost became fatal. His Mom (registered nurse) made him pancakes, dropped him off at school and headed to play tennis. She never takes her cell phone on the court but did this time and her son called to say he was having trouble breathing. She told him to go to the nurse immediately and proceeded to call school and alert the nurse. The nurse called the paramedics and they were there in 3 minutes and worked on the boy all the way to the hospital. He came so close to dying. Evidently this is more common then I ever knew. Check the expiration dates on packages like pancakes and cake mixes that have yeast which over time develop spores. Apparently, the mold that forms in old mixes can be toxic! Throw away ALL OUTDATED pancake mix, brownie mixes, Bisquick, cake & cookie mixes, etc., you have in your home.



P.S. Tell this to your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and anyone else who keeps these types of mixes in the cupboard.

I'm Baaaack

No, I wasn't swallowed by a giant hole in the earth. I have been doing what I do best, trying to be everything to everyone and biting off more than I can chew.  A very dear friend of mine got married last month and asked me to be her maid of honor. I of course accepted and took on the grueling task of helping her plan her wedding.  I also volunteered to do her flowers for her. Flower arranging is sort of a hobby/talent of mine. Now, if I could just find a way to make money at it!  Anyway, planning her wedding consumed me for several months, hence the giant gap in my blog entries!  Now that my two precious girls are off to school (my youngest daughter started kindergarten) Sniffle, Sniffle, I have a little more time on my hands to write again. In between of course, keeping my son from sticking various objects in the light sockets (his tongue included) and hanging from the chandelier.

 In addition to all of these, my dirty little secret is that I suffer from depression. I'm usually able to keep it at bay, but once in a while the beast rears it's ugly head and consumes me for a time. I avoid talking about it in most cases, but since we are all parents, some of you may be able to relate.  At any rate, I'm back. Thank you to all of my loyal followers who have stuck with me in my time of chaos!

Morning Mayhem

The sun has risen again and cruelly peering through my bedroom blinds. I'm sooooo not ready to get out of bed! It can't be morning already! After being up with my son a half a dozen times last night(teething I think) It actually pisses me off that night is already gone. This is how my morning went, I was greeted by my oldest daughter blasting through my bedroom door:



"Moooom! Lili pooped in her panties again!"



(Lili screaming in the background) "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!


Me: "Shhh your gonna wake up your brother!"


Me: "I'll be there in a minute"


As I crawl out of bed and down the hall to clean up the poop mess that was sure to greet me, my oldest says, "Oh mom, I forgot to tell you, the toilet is clogged again!" Yes, the very toilet that my daughter was sitting on. Just then, my son starts crying from his crib. " Seriously, you have got to be kidding me!" Ahhhhhh!! "Where is the nanny?" "She is so going to be fired!" "Oh wait, that was a dream, I don't have a nanny!" Ahhhhh!

We have a strict rule in our house that the bathroom door must be closed at all times because Liam (my son) will go in and fish in the toilet. After cleaning Lili up and getting my son out of bed, I headed to the kitchen for my morning tea fix (I'm not a coffee drinker). After putting on the tea kettle and letting the dog out,it dawns on me that my son is being way too quiet. That is never a good sign unless he is sleeping. I immediately headed for the bathroom and sure enough there he is fishing in the toilet. I could suddenly hear the theme to "Jaws" in my head... Dun,Dun,Dun,Dun...to my horror, he was holding a TURD!"Oh this will be a great story to tell on prom night!" One of the girls had not only failed to leave the bathroom door open but neglected to flush the toilet as well! "OMG! could this morning get any worse!?" I just had to ask. Murphy's Law was working in overtime apparently, because shortly after the toilet mishap, my door bell rings. "Oh goody, maybe it's Publisher's Clearinghouse!" No, just the opposite. The mail man with a certified letter from the IRS! "Alright, you got me, where's the hidden camera!?" To quote the line of a famous old commercial..."Calgon take me away!!!!"

<>

If Barbie really had kids....

 Barbie, I know how you feel!

The thrifty mom in me

I have always considered myself thrifty. I attribute that to my mom and my grandmother.  I was raised by a single mother with four children on one income! My mom could stretch a dime in five different directions and still have change left over!  My grandmother who is a self proclaimed "Pack Rat" taught me the importance of reusing and recycling things. "Don't throw it away because you never know when it might come in handy" was sort of her motto. Well,that and "One mans junk is another man's treasure". You get the idea.   It was sure cool when we were kids! If we needed something fixed or just needed something to further enhance our imaginative play, Mornie(my grandma) most likely had it or could make it!
So, needless to say, I have a greater appreciation for coupons, bargains and junk.  I love to decorate.  It's a passion of mine. Unfortunately, my income does not support the expense that goes into such a hobby. You could say that I have a caviar taste on a mac'n cheese budget. So, I have learned how to cut corners and improvise to obtain some of the same results as buying something new and expensive.  I've had a lot of friends and family compliment me on my decorating skills over the years and ask me for advise and tips on how they can do the same.  It's really not that difficult. You don't really even need to have a huge imagination.  The number one thing I tell people is if you see something you like and it's out of your price range, copy it!  Take a picture of it and chances are you can copy it for much cheaper with results you will be just as happy with. Here is a list of some of my favorite places to shop where I think some of the best deals can be found:

1. Ross Dress For Less is a great place to find knick knacks of various kinds such as wall decor, picture frames, lamps and my favorite items to purchase there are curtains and window hardware! All at super low prices!

2. Jo-Ann Fabrics is not just for crafts and fabric! They carry lots of decorating items for the home as well.They are a great place to go if you are looking for a gift. They carry lots of seasonal items such as yard and patio decor.

3.Goodwill or other local thrift shops are a great resource for decorating also.  Yes, they can be a little dingy and smell like a nursing home, but items like lamps, furniture, frames etc. can be spruced up with a little paint and no one would ever know they came from a thrift store. Just the other day, I found an adorable lamp base at Goodwill that matched a lamp shade I had previously made for my daughter's room. It matched perfectly! I bought is for $4!

4.Yard sales are another great resource! My grandmother always says "One man's junk is another man's treasure!"  You can really get some great deals and don't be afraid to barter! People expect you to. I bought my son's whole wardrobe for next winter over the course of the summer. I think I paid around $30!
 
5.Pier One Imports sounds a little funny to find bargains I know, but you would be surprised at some of the things I have found in the clearance section. The stuff that is on clearance is not junk. You can find candles, mirrors, picture frames, candle holders and more! At Christmas time you can find an even better deal on ornaments, dishes and candles.

6. Target is my favorite place to shop as far as the "everything" stores go. (I am not a fan of Wal Mart! The isles are too small and It gives me isle rage to be in there!) I think Target's prices are just as comparable in most cases and It is a much friendlier shopping atmosphere and experience. Be sure to check their clearance sections on the end caps of the isles. I have found some really great buys there!
*NOTE* One thing that I always buy at Wal Mart though is paint! Their paint is good quality and much, much cheaper than other stores. It's a great place to buy painting supplies too!

I don't even want to think about how much money I have spent in the last six years on diapers and disposable training pants! Just the thought makes me cringe. So, I have begun a quest for the best coupon offers out there! What started as a hunt for printable diaper coupons, turned into an "everything" coupon hunt! Below you find my pics for the best, user friendly ,free online coupon sites:

http://www.coupondivas.com  Coupon Divas is my favorite site! It is user friendly and easy to navigate. They usually have great diaper coupons you can print right from home among others!

http://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com P&G Every Day Solutions is another great site. They are a little different than some of the others I have found. You register with them and request samples from participating companies. They send you all the samples you requested really quickly in a cute little box along with a bunch of great coupons! You can request samples with every new edition. They send it directly to your email.

http://www.target.com Target online is a great place to print in store coupons. Plus, once you start printing them they will start mailing you coupons as well. 

Check back with me frequently because I will be adding more sites as I find them! Happy bargain hunting!

A day at the lake

We had our first family outing of the summer yesterday! We packed up the kids, a picnic lunch and headed for the lake. It was a beautiful day! Warm, sunny and not a cloud in the sky.

I was hoping to get some sun on this pale body of mine! It's getting scary. I'm starting to think my "Twilight" obsession is taking it's toll. I should audition for the next movie. I wouldn't even need makeup! Step a side Bella, there is a new wanna be vampire in town! Wait...Do vampires have cellulite??

This turned out to be a really great day despite the fact that when we were almost to our destination my husband remembered he forgot the play pen aka: (Baby Jail). Oh great! So much for any chance of relaxation.

This may sound funny, but this little day trip really helped me remember some of the true joys of parenting.  My son (16 months old today) was the most precious he could be! He was so easy going the whole day.  He didn't complain one bit about having to wear the life jacket that made him closely resemble the "State Puff Marshmallow Man".
He didn't wander off at all! That was the thing that amazed us the most. Normally he will take off to explore, the second you take your eyes off of him! Hence the concern for not having the" baby jail ". On this day though, he was perfectly content sitting on the shore line splashing in the water and picking up rocks which he insisted were balls! Right now balls are his most favorite thing in the world...his own included (he, he).

My girls didn't argue once and gladly took turns sitting with their little brother and practicing learning to swim with daddy.  And.....now brace yourself for this one, my mother in law, who was in town for the weekend came with us. We didn't argue ONCE! It's a miracle, HALLELUJAH!

It really was a fun relaxing day. God knows I've needed some relaxation lately.  I feel like, if you took me, my husband and kids and all of my responsibilities and threw them in one of those "Tilt O'Whirls" at the fair, you would have my life! Complete with the motion sickness and anxiety! Just when I think I have my footing in this whole marriage/parenting thing, something happens to prove me wrong!  You would think after nine years of marriage and three kids, I would have figured out, somewhere along the line, that the only thing predictable about life is that it's unpredictable! Oh wait... I just figured that out!  Well, better late than never!

Twilight Junkie!

I suppose I can't poke fun of my husband's obsession with "Star Wars" any more. 
 Yes, I too have been bitten by the "Twilight" bug, BIG TIME! I feel like such a nerd.  I've read all the books, I own the movies and the soundtracks to both.
"Stephanie Meyers, you are a genius!"
This did however, put a strain on my marriage.  My husband complained all the time, that all I wanted to do was read my books and I didn't pay enough attention to him anymore. What that really translated to in husband language was (Put the damn book down! I need to get laid!)  "Ohhh please! You've got your hand! I'm reading here!" (Ha, Ha)   Maybe I was a little harsh but they are really good books!!
I was in mourning for weeks after I finished "Breaking Dawn", the conclusion to the series. 
I found the most hilarious video on (YouTube). Check it out!

Shallow Day -TWILIGHT (what have you done to my wife?)

Supermom

Faster than a runny nose.

More powerful with a shot of espresso...(or five).

Able to leap over mounds of laundry in a single bound.

Look! In the mirror!

Your tired. Your roots are showing. Your lucky if you get a shower.

Your Supermom!

Yes, from the moment these little creatures exited my womb this is what I have strived to be. Impossible? Maybe. Never the less, I keep trying.

I guess I'm still not exactly sure what being a "Supermom" in tales. Does this breed of mother really exist? Or is it simply an urban legend created to further guilt us moms in to forever feeling inadequate? Am I supposed to selflessly sacrifice everything entirely for my kids? Or, am I allowed to do some things for me and not live in fear of the guilt?

Is letting them watch five episodes of "Scooby Doo" in a row so I can have some "me time" really so bad?

Does putting off buying one of them a new pair of shoes for a couple of weeks, and getting my hair cut instead make me a "bad" mom?

What if, not cleaning out that scratch on my daughter's knee, leads to some flesh eating bacteria outbreak?

Should I let them chew regular gum and risk cavities or sugarless gum and risk cancer?

These are questions that plague me on a regular basis.

Just the other day, I had a "Kirby" vacuum salesman come to my door. He was offering to clean the carpet in one room of my house for free if I listened to his spiel. I had absolutely NO intention of spending $3,000 on a vacuum cleaner! (Unless maybe it could cook dinner and fold the laundry.)

Normally I would have said no,but It just so happened that I had a particularly dirty area in my dining room (ground in gummy treats I think) that could use some TLC. So I agreed. I thought my husband was gonna kill me for letting him in the house, but I didn't have a carpet cleaner and "Free" was the operative word here.

Those "Kirby" salesman are good! By the end of the presentation I was ready to break out my check book! If you've never seen one of these machines in action, they are pretty impressive. They pull things out of your carpet you didn't even know were in there, they clean dust mites from your mattress and pillows and they even convert into a shampooer!

I didn't buy the vacuum of course. Luckily I had my husband there to rein me back to earth by dangling the $3,000 price tag in my face. I politely turned him down. When he left though, I felt really guilty for not buying it.

I'm a clean freak. One of my self qualifications for Supermom includes a spotless house that looks like its straight out of "Better Homes and Gardens" Magazine. Pretty Unrealistic with three kids, I know. In my mind I kept thinking that maybe I was being a bad mom by not buying this "miracle" machine, instead of using my plain old vacuum I bought at Wal -Mart. (How could I continue to let them waller in this unseen filth! What if I'm putting their health at risk?)

Yes, these are the rambling thoughts that go through my mind. Part of me knows these thoughts are crazy, but the sane part of me(If there is one left) questions weather or not the crazy part is right. (SIGH!)

What's a mom to do?? Perhaps I may just have to accept the fact that I'm only human after all.

Maybe in order to potentially keep myself out of a straight jacket in the future, I should hang up

my cape and settle for being a good mom instead.

Question of the day...

What is soooo exciting about bubbles?
Soap Bubbles.
Spit Bubbles.
Snot Bubbles?

Billboard Blunder

There is a billboard that I drive by several times a week that has successfully managed to rub me the wrong way.

I doubt that that was the reaction the business intended from passers by, or for all I know maybe it was, but it continues to irritate me all the same. I'm curious what others have to say on the subject so I decided to write about it.

It is no secret that most women in our society have self image issues. From birth, society practically places a list of expectations on each of our isolettes

in the hospital nursery. It might as well read:

ATTENTION! "In order to be popular, successful & desired (Things that every woman wants) You must maintain the following:

1. Be thin,tall and pretty.

2. You must have blemish, cellulite and stretch mark free skin.

3. Once you have hit the approximate age of 35 you are no longer allowed to age. You must do everything in your power to continue to look 35 no matter what the physical or monetary cost.

4. You must have adequately sized, firm breasts.

5. If you decide to have children, you must look like a supermodel throughout your pregnancy and return to your thin, pre-pregnancy self within a month of giving birth.

6. You must maintain a household that would make Martha proud.

7. You must be super mom.

8. Should you choose to work outside of the home, numbers 1-7 still apply.

PS... Stilettos are a plus.

You probably get where I'm going with this. This billboard, is for a local plastic surgery center. It pictures a lovely young pregnant woman adoringly looking down cradling her belly. The add says something to the effect of: " Restore the damage that pregnancy does to your body, come see us for a body make over!"

Ya, pregnancy is hard on your body but I'm one of those sick women who like being pregnant. I'm in awe of the process going on inside my body. It's probably the only time in my life that I feel totally beautiful. It is a process that should be respected. So to have this giant sign that makes women feel as though this beautiful sacred process comes at huge cost to your body, well, I think it is shameful! Don't get me wrong, If Plastic surgery is your choice then go for it!! I myself have considered it. But the choice should be yours alone not because society makes you feel as though you are less of a woman for having a few stretch marks and less than perky boobs.

You grew a life inside of you! Not to mention squeezed that little person through an opening a fraction of it's size!(Or had it cut from your womb for you C sectioners out there). There is no job,invention or discovery that compares to that feat! If you ask me, It should be against the law to make any negative comment about a woman's body! So the next time a magazine or commercial makes you feel less than happy about your body, just smile, extend your middle finger and tell society to SHOVE IT!!

Real life blonde joke

This is a real life blonde joke that I just had to tell! Sorry Mom and Jos but this was just too funny not to share!



So, two blonds go to the grocery store. One blonde decides to stay in the car but asks the other one to pick up two items for her: Tampons and a donut. While standing in the feminine care isle, the blonde texts the other, "Super or Regular?" She texts back "Do they have glazed?" The blonde in the store returns her text saying "NO, 4 tampons!" The blonde in the car texts back " I think I'm gonna need more than 4, get a whole box!"



Honestly people, this is my gene pool!!! (LOL!) Thanks Mom and Jos for letting me share! I love you!!

It's like searching for "Bigfoot".

You can't go a day with out hearing how bad the economy is lately! The Housing market is down, unemployment rate is up, blah, blah, blah. I can tell you what is up for sure, the stack of bills on my table and my stress level!

When I got married, nine years ago,I never imagined that I would be as broke as I am today. I think though, my frustration has reached its peak! Thus the reason I am sitting here with a pile of tissues feeling sorry for myself.

I lost my job almost a year ago. It was a crappy job anyway and in my mind it was God's way of pushing me to stay home with my kids and telling me something better was on the horizon.

I've always considered myself a person of faith. I believe that things happen for a reason. Some people believe that you choose your own destiny, but I happen to believe that your path is already laid out for you. You just have to hold on for the ride. Lately, this is the first time in my life that I'm really starting to question my faith.

My anxiety is out of control. My husband is working his ass off selling cars after several failed attempts in the insurance business and his measly paychecks still aren't covering our bills. I have tried looking for another job, but putting three kids in daycare at $1500/mo. would make working pointless. We even went to our local DHS (Department of Human Services) office inquiring about assistance with child care costs. Tell me this isn't completely backassword... The worker tells us that to qualify for child care assistance, both parents have to be working...DUH! but with two incomes we would most likely make too much money to qualify!!!! At that point I just threw up my hands. I mean, what sense does that make?

So, OK. We have established that I can't work outside the home, so I guess I will look for work that I can do from home. That gave me some hope...At first. Little did I know that searching for a legitimate "at home job" that pays decent and isn't a scam is like looking for "Bigfoot". Some say they exist, some say they have actually found one but no one can provide solid proof that such a job actually exists. If I got a nickel per minute for all the time I have spent online searching for a job working from home, I wouldn't need to look anymore!

It's soooooo depressing! If I have to look at one more website of a guy next to his zillion dollar yacht ,sipping champagne, talking about how his life was so hard before he discovered the "Key" to financial freedome, and for the low price of $199.99 he will share that secret with me, I'm gonna throw up!!!

Who ever said that money doesn't buy happiness, has obveously never been poor! Don't get me wrong, I am very hapily married with three beautiful children that I love more than life! I'm greatful every day for our health and deep down I know that is the most important thing. I'm already happy. I would just like to be happy with far less financial stress!!! In so many ways I attribute my financial success with good parenting. I want my kids to have it all which goes back to an earlier post I wrote, "Perfection and parenting don't mix".
There just has to be a solution out there somewhere!!!!