Beautiful boudoir photo
I love doing what I do :)
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Some of my favorites
No big in-depth discussion today. I'm just sharing some of my favorite websites......
For great recipes and cooking from scratch, I love....
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/
For crafty, fun information on different projects that I an do.....
http://www.littlepinkmonster.com/
For awesome wall letters, wreaths, furniture, etc (great resource for wedding and baby gifts)....
http://www.paperjackstudio.com/
For custom tutu sets and other such goodies....
http://www.delaneygraceboutique.com/
Best Denver area family photographer (and other stuff), in my opinion....
www.hopelessadorationportraits.com
For great recipes and cooking from scratch, I love....
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/
For crafty, fun information on different projects that I an do.....
http://www.littlepinkmonster.com/
For awesome wall letters, wreaths, furniture, etc (great resource for wedding and baby gifts)....
http://www.paperjackstudio.com/
For custom tutu sets and other such goodies....
http://www.delaneygraceboutique.com/
Best Denver area family photographer (and other stuff), in my opinion....
www.hopelessadorationportraits.com
Life is unfair
Life is unfair. That's a fact. Good people get bad circumstances and a lot of really big jerks get what looks to be a tremendous life. With that being said, looks can be deceiving and a lot of times, things just aren't what they seem.....
1. Sometimes, even if you're the most qualified person, you don't get the job. Sometimes it really IS who you know and a matter of getting your foot in the door. Sometimes people that are far less qualified get the job.
2. Sometimes what appears to be the best relationship falls to shambles. This an be a friendship, a family relationship or a love relationship. It appears to be fantastic and then it turns out that the other person doesn't like you, finds some fault in what you're doing, or is just discontent with life.
3. Sometimes people judge you on one mistake. This is quite possibly the common theme of a lot of people's lives, especially if you come from a tight knit neighborhood where everyone knows the business of their neighbors. You can do a million things right and one thing wrong and you'll be judged.
4. Sometimes people spread rumors just to make themselves look better. It's more about them than you but it still isn't fair.
These are just SOME examples but, in my opinion, the truth is this: Karma is real. What you put out really does come back to you so while you may go through struggles that aren't fair and that you don't deserve, there is probably something better on the other side of it.
1. Sometimes, even if you're the most qualified person, you don't get the job. Sometimes it really IS who you know and a matter of getting your foot in the door. Sometimes people that are far less qualified get the job.
2. Sometimes what appears to be the best relationship falls to shambles. This an be a friendship, a family relationship or a love relationship. It appears to be fantastic and then it turns out that the other person doesn't like you, finds some fault in what you're doing, or is just discontent with life.
3. Sometimes people judge you on one mistake. This is quite possibly the common theme of a lot of people's lives, especially if you come from a tight knit neighborhood where everyone knows the business of their neighbors. You can do a million things right and one thing wrong and you'll be judged.
4. Sometimes people spread rumors just to make themselves look better. It's more about them than you but it still isn't fair.
These are just SOME examples but, in my opinion, the truth is this: Karma is real. What you put out really does come back to you so while you may go through struggles that aren't fair and that you don't deserve, there is probably something better on the other side of it.
Laundry
Laundry, laundry, laundry. It's piling up as I type. In order to keep up with the laundry in my household, I have to do an average of 1-2 loads per day with more on the weekends when the linens are washed. Currently, my dryer is only blowing cold air so the laundry is piling up until the landlord checks it out. This is my favorite new laundry tip on how to refresh your towels courtesy of lifehack.com
http://lifehacker.com/5362234/use-vinegar-and-baking-soda-to-recharge-your-towels
http://lifehacker.com/5362234/use-vinegar-and-baking-soda-to-recharge-your-towels
Friday, July 26, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Vengeant Little Teenager
My oldest is becoming a teenager and, with that, comes a lot of hormonal yumminess. Unfortunately, she's becoming a bit of a mean girl and I DON'T mean towards the other girls. She's becoming mean to her siblings. This isn't entirely new but she's taking it to a whole different level at this point and it's making me a teeny (and by teeny, I mean ENORMOUS) bit aggravated. So what to do, what to do?
When she was younger (Sydney was only 3 at the time), her younger sister got a big stuffed giraffe for her birthday. Sydney loved that giraffe and slept with it every single night. Alyssa got mad at me for punishing her for bad behavior so she went into her bedroom and cut the mane off of Sydney's giraffe. How did she get punished? She had to use her saved up chore and birthday money to buy Sydney a new one. She got irritated with me another time not too long after and cut Sydney's bangs. That one earned her two weeks in her bedroom after school instead of playing with her friends. On and off, she pulls these little vengeance plots when she gets mad at me but it's never directed at me...it's always at one of her siblings.
Most recently, I caught Alyssa literally punching (and I'm talking sitting on his stomach to pin him down and punching relentlessly) her 8 year old brother for throwing a flip flop repeatedly in her direction. Did he get into trouble for irritating her? Yes. Did she get into bigger trouble for physically assaulting someone? Yes. She got off relatively easy in the scheme of things and didn't end up grounded long-term or anything. She was just punished for the rest of the day. That didn't stop her from getting mad, though.
Her first post-anger stunt was soaping all of her siblings' toothbrushes. Yes, you read correctly; she applied hand soap to their toothbrushes so that they had to taste soap when they brushed their teeth. Creative? Yes (and I gotta confess, I was a little proud of her for being so innovative). Absolutely 100% wrong and punishable? YES! Again, she got off relatively easy, punished for the rest of the night.
The next morning, she wakes up, comes out to say "good morning" and cops the biggest attitude she could have....not a good way to start Mom's day. She, then, goes on to yell and scream at her siblings for watching what they wanted on the TV and then kicks someone to get them off the sofa. Yep, sister, you just earned yourself extra chores. So I announced to her that she would be cleaning the tile floors in the house Cinderella-style. She rolled her eyes and copped more attitude. Oy, I'm not fighting this battle...just clean the floors.
When I get home, it's like a completely different child. Did she learn some huge lesson from the floors? Nah, probably not. I doubt she learned a lesson at all...she just wanted something and thought a perky attitude was the way to get it. "Mom can I go to Lilly's house?" Ummmm nope. Dinner's getting cooked right now and I'm not going to hunt you down. Attitude's a-go-go. Attitude continues all night and I'm in need of a tall glass of some beverage of the alcoholic variety.
Point of the story? I'm gonna need a Benadryl blow dart stockpile to make it through their teenage years with my sanity.
When she was younger (Sydney was only 3 at the time), her younger sister got a big stuffed giraffe for her birthday. Sydney loved that giraffe and slept with it every single night. Alyssa got mad at me for punishing her for bad behavior so she went into her bedroom and cut the mane off of Sydney's giraffe. How did she get punished? She had to use her saved up chore and birthday money to buy Sydney a new one. She got irritated with me another time not too long after and cut Sydney's bangs. That one earned her two weeks in her bedroom after school instead of playing with her friends. On and off, she pulls these little vengeance plots when she gets mad at me but it's never directed at me...it's always at one of her siblings.
Most recently, I caught Alyssa literally punching (and I'm talking sitting on his stomach to pin him down and punching relentlessly) her 8 year old brother for throwing a flip flop repeatedly in her direction. Did he get into trouble for irritating her? Yes. Did she get into bigger trouble for physically assaulting someone? Yes. She got off relatively easy in the scheme of things and didn't end up grounded long-term or anything. She was just punished for the rest of the day. That didn't stop her from getting mad, though.
Her first post-anger stunt was soaping all of her siblings' toothbrushes. Yes, you read correctly; she applied hand soap to their toothbrushes so that they had to taste soap when they brushed their teeth. Creative? Yes (and I gotta confess, I was a little proud of her for being so innovative). Absolutely 100% wrong and punishable? YES! Again, she got off relatively easy, punished for the rest of the night.
The next morning, she wakes up, comes out to say "good morning" and cops the biggest attitude she could have....not a good way to start Mom's day. She, then, goes on to yell and scream at her siblings for watching what they wanted on the TV and then kicks someone to get them off the sofa. Yep, sister, you just earned yourself extra chores. So I announced to her that she would be cleaning the tile floors in the house Cinderella-style. She rolled her eyes and copped more attitude. Oy, I'm not fighting this battle...just clean the floors.
When I get home, it's like a completely different child. Did she learn some huge lesson from the floors? Nah, probably not. I doubt she learned a lesson at all...she just wanted something and thought a perky attitude was the way to get it. "Mom can I go to Lilly's house?" Ummmm nope. Dinner's getting cooked right now and I'm not going to hunt you down. Attitude's a-go-go. Attitude continues all night and I'm in need of a tall glass of some beverage of the alcoholic variety.
Point of the story? I'm gonna need a Benadryl blow dart stockpile to make it through their teenage years with my sanity.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Getting into a Morning Routine & Itchy Leg Update
A couple of years ago, I used to do yoga and pilates every single morning and then jogged at night. In fact, I used to log about 10 miles every single night and I loved it! I moved to Colorado and had to get used to the altitude and the fact that all jogs are uphill but still made time for working out when I could. Then I started experiencing health issues with my blood sugar and the ridiculous IUD fiasco. Because of all of the health stuff going on, workouts were a thing of the past. My energy level was far too low and there was just too many complications with it. Then my surgery came and went and I started doing little walks. It's a progression.
I'm starting to get back into working out hard core again (not hardcore workouts; just my dedication is hardcore.) Every weekday morning I'm attempting to get up early and go for a walk. I'm hoping the walks can progress to longer walks each day and then progress to walk/jog and then back to running again. It's going to take time to get to that goal (just like it did when I first started a running regimen) but a year from now, I want to be logging long-distance running again. My goal is to run some really cool races (Dirty Girl Mud Run, etc) in the very near future.
I'm also attempting to get more into my yoga routine again. I crave the flexibility that it brought as well as the general sense of well-being and health that it produced. I inadvertently stopped drinking soda a few months ago (aside from the occasional one socially) and went back to water, full time. I'm attempting to make better decisions for my health. I don't necessarily have an ideal weight or measurement but I'm working on feeling healthy and being happy with my appearance regardless of size or measurement. I think that's ultimately all that anyone can do. Healthy behaviors and habits beget healthy attitudes and bodies.
And now for an itchy leg update.....
The itchy legs I mentioned being largely due to hormones have been solved. Yes, hormones are playing a factor in drying out my skin and reapplying lotion in the evening is still something I have to do. With that being said, I am sad to report that the itchy legs were an allergic reaction to the Victoria's Secret body butters that I bought. Though I've always been an avid Bath & Body Works lotion user, apparently, Victoria's Secret contains different chemicals or more perfumes and it made me have an allergic reaction. I stopped using the products for two days and my legs were only itching the normal dry skin amount and no more breakouts. I'm definitely not condemning Victoria's Secret, in general, OR Victoria's Secret body products for everyone. I think they are an amazing scent and consistency and, barring skin sensitivity, I would actually recommend them to others. With that being said, I can no longer use the products. It's a sad day in my household.
The good news is that with the itchy legs under control, I can wear shorts again without (1) a greasy grime left everywhere I sit from so much lotion having to be applied to me (2) itching my legs to the point of bleeding (3) an ugly bumpy mess on my legs from my skin not liking what I'm applying to it. I can once again work in my shorts (instead of yoga pants in the blistering heat) and only be a slightly sweaty mess after work :)
I'm starting to get back into working out hard core again (not hardcore workouts; just my dedication is hardcore.) Every weekday morning I'm attempting to get up early and go for a walk. I'm hoping the walks can progress to longer walks each day and then progress to walk/jog and then back to running again. It's going to take time to get to that goal (just like it did when I first started a running regimen) but a year from now, I want to be logging long-distance running again. My goal is to run some really cool races (Dirty Girl Mud Run, etc) in the very near future.
I'm also attempting to get more into my yoga routine again. I crave the flexibility that it brought as well as the general sense of well-being and health that it produced. I inadvertently stopped drinking soda a few months ago (aside from the occasional one socially) and went back to water, full time. I'm attempting to make better decisions for my health. I don't necessarily have an ideal weight or measurement but I'm working on feeling healthy and being happy with my appearance regardless of size or measurement. I think that's ultimately all that anyone can do. Healthy behaviors and habits beget healthy attitudes and bodies.
And now for an itchy leg update.....
The itchy legs I mentioned being largely due to hormones have been solved. Yes, hormones are playing a factor in drying out my skin and reapplying lotion in the evening is still something I have to do. With that being said, I am sad to report that the itchy legs were an allergic reaction to the Victoria's Secret body butters that I bought. Though I've always been an avid Bath & Body Works lotion user, apparently, Victoria's Secret contains different chemicals or more perfumes and it made me have an allergic reaction. I stopped using the products for two days and my legs were only itching the normal dry skin amount and no more breakouts. I'm definitely not condemning Victoria's Secret, in general, OR Victoria's Secret body products for everyone. I think they are an amazing scent and consistency and, barring skin sensitivity, I would actually recommend them to others. With that being said, I can no longer use the products. It's a sad day in my household.
The good news is that with the itchy legs under control, I can wear shorts again without (1) a greasy grime left everywhere I sit from so much lotion having to be applied to me (2) itching my legs to the point of bleeding (3) an ugly bumpy mess on my legs from my skin not liking what I'm applying to it. I can once again work in my shorts (instead of yoga pants in the blistering heat) and only be a slightly sweaty mess after work :)
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The Obsession with Underboob
Let me take a moment to preface by saying the following: I'm a naturally small-busted girl. I'm built thin and tiny and, for the most part, I own it. I have my days where I feel self-conscious (just like everyone else) but generally, I truly own the way I look. There are things I wish I could change but I think that even if I had the money to initiate plastic surgery, I just wouldn't. Being that I'm always in the .0001% of things, I'd be the one with the botched boob job walking around with nipples pointing in opposite diagonal directions.
With that being said, I am so over-the-top annoyed with the amount of obsession placed on boobs that it's ridiculous. Look at who flashed under-boob.....look at who's showing off their cleavage.....look who's suffered a wardrobe malfunction....on and on and on. The obsession with boobs makes me feel like the media is run by a bunch of "breast men" who were denied the ability to nurse when they were babies so they're over-obsessed now. (Yes, I understand that's not entirely accurate but that's how I feel). While I understand that there's a lot of desire to see what celebrities are doing, I ask myself why in the world their boobs are so important.
On an entirely different level of this, it makes me afraid for my girls. Chances are that they might end up small-busted too. If the world is so obsessed with breasts having to be perfect and D cup, how are they going to feel about themselves. I can build up their confidence all I want but, in the end, the outsiders are going to make their opinions known. How do I get them to own their bodies in a world obsessed with porn star bodies? I can only roll my eyes and attempt to shield them from this phenomenon so long, especially when the "Disney stars" they've been watching for years are "exploring their sexuality" by finding it necessary to pose nude, dress like skanks or show off their breasts in skimpy little outfits.
The reality of it is this: Everyone was born with certain genes. Way back when, you accepted what you had and flaunted your assets instead of attempting to fix everything to be perfect. I'm not a Barbie doll and I'm not trying to be. My body is what it is. I try to eat healthy and work out to maintain my health but the chances of me magically floating into perfect, D cup boob heaven are pretty slim (unless some parting of the Red Sea miracle comes along). I've had four kids...my body's not perfect and quite frankly anyone who wants to gripe about that can go pack sand. I wish that more people would focus on owning your body (pre AND post children) as it ages and accept and own the reality that perfection is not something that's worth trying to achieve because it will never happen. Implants are giving you years of maintenance. Lipo only works if you work out to keep the weight off. Plastic surgery is great for some people (especially if it helps them feel better about themselves) but owning what you have is an even better option!
*Steps down off soapbox*
With that being said, I am so over-the-top annoyed with the amount of obsession placed on boobs that it's ridiculous. Look at who flashed under-boob.....look at who's showing off their cleavage.....look who's suffered a wardrobe malfunction....on and on and on. The obsession with boobs makes me feel like the media is run by a bunch of "breast men" who were denied the ability to nurse when they were babies so they're over-obsessed now. (Yes, I understand that's not entirely accurate but that's how I feel). While I understand that there's a lot of desire to see what celebrities are doing, I ask myself why in the world their boobs are so important.
On an entirely different level of this, it makes me afraid for my girls. Chances are that they might end up small-busted too. If the world is so obsessed with breasts having to be perfect and D cup, how are they going to feel about themselves. I can build up their confidence all I want but, in the end, the outsiders are going to make their opinions known. How do I get them to own their bodies in a world obsessed with porn star bodies? I can only roll my eyes and attempt to shield them from this phenomenon so long, especially when the "Disney stars" they've been watching for years are "exploring their sexuality" by finding it necessary to pose nude, dress like skanks or show off their breasts in skimpy little outfits.
The reality of it is this: Everyone was born with certain genes. Way back when, you accepted what you had and flaunted your assets instead of attempting to fix everything to be perfect. I'm not a Barbie doll and I'm not trying to be. My body is what it is. I try to eat healthy and work out to maintain my health but the chances of me magically floating into perfect, D cup boob heaven are pretty slim (unless some parting of the Red Sea miracle comes along). I've had four kids...my body's not perfect and quite frankly anyone who wants to gripe about that can go pack sand. I wish that more people would focus on owning your body (pre AND post children) as it ages and accept and own the reality that perfection is not something that's worth trying to achieve because it will never happen. Implants are giving you years of maintenance. Lipo only works if you work out to keep the weight off. Plastic surgery is great for some people (especially if it helps them feel better about themselves) but owning what you have is an even better option!
*Steps down off soapbox*
Monday, July 22, 2013
My Favorite Restaurant
I thought, today, that I would take a moment to brag on my favorite restaurant. Some people just have a particular favorite restaurant chain but I have a favorite restaurant IN the chain. I am in love with the Mellow Mushroom 16th Street Mall location in Downtown Denver. Allow me to elaborate.
Mellow Mushroom is famous for it's pizza but also serves hoagies/sandwiches, salads, and a fine selection of beers. While I do not have a particular favorite pizza (as it varies with my moods), I have a few that hold a special place in my heart because of special occasions that took place while eating them. So what else is great about the restaurant?
Let me start with the atmosphere. The staff is friendly and fun, always willing to make a recommendation and they seem to have a great time working there. I'll extend into saying that the location itself is wonderful....downtown Denver is a beautiful place and working there gives you a wonderfully fun place to hang your hat (so to speak).
My recommendation is to try it out at least one time and you'll always want to go back for your pizza needs.
Mellow Mushroom is famous for it's pizza but also serves hoagies/sandwiches, salads, and a fine selection of beers. While I do not have a particular favorite pizza (as it varies with my moods), I have a few that hold a special place in my heart because of special occasions that took place while eating them. So what else is great about the restaurant?
Let me start with the atmosphere. The staff is friendly and fun, always willing to make a recommendation and they seem to have a great time working there. I'll extend into saying that the location itself is wonderful....downtown Denver is a beautiful place and working there gives you a wonderfully fun place to hang your hat (so to speak).
My recommendation is to try it out at least one time and you'll always want to go back for your pizza needs.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Menu Planning Meals
I used to do a lot of menu planning and got out of the habit awhile back because I claimed to be "too busy." The fact is that menu planning has a lot of perks and I'm trying to bribe myself to get back into it. Here are the perks that I can see with it........
Menu Planning Makes me make a list Menu planning forces me to make a list to make sure that I have the ingredients. When I have a list, I'm more inclined to stick to it instead of making impulse buys; thereby saving me money.
Menu Planning Helps Me Be More Decisive As much as I have to think a little about what to cook, I spend once a week/every two weeks sitting down and planning what to cook. After that, it's just a matter of taking out what I need.
Menu Planning Helps Me Be More Healthy Instead of slipping into the "just have a bowl of cereal" mentality, menu planning helps me have the stuff on-hand to make a healthier option.
Menu Planning Helps Me Use Coupons If I look at the coupons I have, I can menu plan meals that allow me to use those foods, thus allowing me to save money.
Menu Planning Helps Me Know Ahead if Friends Can Stay This is particularly helpful when the kids ask, "Can ___ stay for dinner?" If I know what I'm having, I know that there's enough (more often than not, spaghetti nights have enough while steak nights don't.
I need to get back into a few organizational habits to help me save cash. I'm holding myself accountable and saying I'll be doing it. Updates coming :)
Menu Planning Makes me make a list Menu planning forces me to make a list to make sure that I have the ingredients. When I have a list, I'm more inclined to stick to it instead of making impulse buys; thereby saving me money.
Menu Planning Helps Me Be More Decisive As much as I have to think a little about what to cook, I spend once a week/every two weeks sitting down and planning what to cook. After that, it's just a matter of taking out what I need.
Menu Planning Helps Me Be More Healthy Instead of slipping into the "just have a bowl of cereal" mentality, menu planning helps me have the stuff on-hand to make a healthier option.
Menu Planning Helps Me Use Coupons If I look at the coupons I have, I can menu plan meals that allow me to use those foods, thus allowing me to save money.
Menu Planning Helps Me Know Ahead if Friends Can Stay This is particularly helpful when the kids ask, "Can ___ stay for dinner?" If I know what I'm having, I know that there's enough (more often than not, spaghetti nights have enough while steak nights don't.
I need to get back into a few organizational habits to help me save cash. I'm holding myself accountable and saying I'll be doing it. Updates coming :)
Saturday, July 20, 2013
The Farmer's Market
I'm honestly a very lucky mama. Why? All four of my crazies LOVE fresh fruit and veggies. I mean, LOVE them. Last night's dessert was fruit with a tiny dollop of whipped cream on top and they were so excited that they chattered about it for hours. They prefer veggies and ranch dressing to chips.
So this morning, Crazy #1 goes off with her friend to a softball game and I'm sitting around wondering what to do with the other three crazies. What to do, what to do....hmmm we need to run to the store anyway. Why not hit the farmer's market while we're at it? So I ask them if they want to go....resounding YES!!! They love it!
What do they love so much? They love being able to go and pick out whatever they like or even what they want to try. I love inexpensive prices, fresh local produce and picking out something different from the norm. A cooler full of fruits and veggies for under $30 is my kind of bargain. If I had the refrigerator space for the enormous watermelons that were 33 cents/pound, I would have snatched one up in a heartbeat!
I wish I had a bigger refrigerator, extra room for produce and more opportunity to go and get the fresh food from the Farmer's Market. I think I'd rarely shop anywhere else!
So this morning, Crazy #1 goes off with her friend to a softball game and I'm sitting around wondering what to do with the other three crazies. What to do, what to do....hmmm we need to run to the store anyway. Why not hit the farmer's market while we're at it? So I ask them if they want to go....resounding YES!!! They love it!
What do they love so much? They love being able to go and pick out whatever they like or even what they want to try. I love inexpensive prices, fresh local produce and picking out something different from the norm. A cooler full of fruits and veggies for under $30 is my kind of bargain. If I had the refrigerator space for the enormous watermelons that were 33 cents/pound, I would have snatched one up in a heartbeat!
I wish I had a bigger refrigerator, extra room for produce and more opportunity to go and get the fresh food from the Farmer's Market. I think I'd rarely shop anywhere else!
Flashback Friday
I forgot to post yesterday (on Friday) so here it is......
2 1/2 years ago...was she ever this small. Look at that little chubby loveable face!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Preparing Them For the Real World
I'm going to step up on my soapbox for a minute on an issue that I am quite passionate about. Let me preface this by saying that I don't normally like to tell people how to parent or judge them on their parenting choices because everyone has their own style, quirks, etc and no one knows your child better than you do. With that being said, I am very steadfastly set that every parent should be preparing their child for the real world and for the realities that come with it. I'm not saying that you should treat your child like some tyrannical boss who screams, carries on, and throws fits at your child to prepare him for a possible future workplace scenario. What I am saying is that preparing your child for and teaching them about the qualities you need to develop as a person to be successful in life is your job as a parent. Parents that are too soft and cuddly when it comes to allowing their child to realize that you can't treat people however you desire are often (not always but often) the people who end up with entitled, jackass children who treat other kids and adults like peasants or dirt under their feet. Here are a few realities I think you need to actively teach your child....
1. Sometimes life isn't fair. I used to struggle with always making sure that the kids had the same amount of everything....Easter eggs, Christmas gifts, jelly beans..the list goes on and on. Then, I began to notice that by doing so, I was actually harboring in them a constant need for everything to be "fair" all the time! They'd go to a friend's house and, if their parents didn't count out every French fry to make sure that they all had the same amount, they'd pout and feel denied. By constantly being "fair," I wasn't preparing them for the fact that sometimes life isn't fair. Now, I'm not suggesting that you intentionally deny them of everything just to prove a point. What I'm saying is that they need to learn that sometimes people get things they don't deserve, get more than you get of something, or even have things that you don't have. Life isn't about fair. It's about appreciating what you DO have and focusing on that.
2. How you treat people is directly related to whether or not they want to be around you. There are some exceptions to this, such as teenage girls who seem to change on a whim who they do and don't want to be around. However, for the most part, how you treat people affects their behavior towards you. If you're manipulative and mean towards people, they're going to realize it eventually (or their parents will, if you're a child) and they're going to stop wanting to be around you. If you're spiteful and hateful, people are not going to want to be around that. Human nature leads us towards the easiest path and the easiest path is generally people that mesh well with our personalities and with whom we have a lot in common with.
3. Not every tiny scratch is life-altering. I am often looked down on for telling my kids to "get up and shake it off." If you baby your child every time they get a tiny scrape or scratch, you're teaching them that they need to make a big deal out of every little thing that happens. You're actually doing your child a disservice by not letting them learn to get up and move on with their life when it's not a big deal.
4. You are not the center of the universe. The moon revolves around the earth and the planets all revolve around one great big thing....and it's not YOU! You'd be smart to teach your kids that they aren't the center of the universe. How they act can directly affect other people's thoughts and actions. It can also affect far more than just some small part of your life.
5. Words can hurt but you are the master of your reactions. This is probably one of the most important lessons I'm working on with my kids. While I do want them to know and understand that words can hurt (even if they're spoken in jest), I also want them to understand that people are going to say ugly things sometimes and it's important to realize that they're JUST words. No one controls your reactions but you. If you internalize everything and start feeling like crap because someone insults you or start getting angry over something that someone says, you're poisoning yourself emotionally, not them. You're actually physically, mentally, and spiritually harming yourself by focusing on what other people think and say. If my kids can learn this lesson before embarking on their high school years, I think it will help prepare them for the trials and tribulations they'll face during that time (HELP, not prevent).
Preparing your children for the real world is not some unsympathetic, mean way to parent. It doesn't mean there can be a hug when they fall off a bike or encouragement when they're sad. I'm not suggesting that, nor do I parent that way. However, preparing them for the fact that people are not always going to make a fuss over them everywhere they go will help them go out into the real world and deal with life as it comes. Encourage independence but also let them know that they always have a soft place to fall if they need it.
1. Sometimes life isn't fair. I used to struggle with always making sure that the kids had the same amount of everything....Easter eggs, Christmas gifts, jelly beans..the list goes on and on. Then, I began to notice that by doing so, I was actually harboring in them a constant need for everything to be "fair" all the time! They'd go to a friend's house and, if their parents didn't count out every French fry to make sure that they all had the same amount, they'd pout and feel denied. By constantly being "fair," I wasn't preparing them for the fact that sometimes life isn't fair. Now, I'm not suggesting that you intentionally deny them of everything just to prove a point. What I'm saying is that they need to learn that sometimes people get things they don't deserve, get more than you get of something, or even have things that you don't have. Life isn't about fair. It's about appreciating what you DO have and focusing on that.
2. How you treat people is directly related to whether or not they want to be around you. There are some exceptions to this, such as teenage girls who seem to change on a whim who they do and don't want to be around. However, for the most part, how you treat people affects their behavior towards you. If you're manipulative and mean towards people, they're going to realize it eventually (or their parents will, if you're a child) and they're going to stop wanting to be around you. If you're spiteful and hateful, people are not going to want to be around that. Human nature leads us towards the easiest path and the easiest path is generally people that mesh well with our personalities and with whom we have a lot in common with.
3. Not every tiny scratch is life-altering. I am often looked down on for telling my kids to "get up and shake it off." If you baby your child every time they get a tiny scrape or scratch, you're teaching them that they need to make a big deal out of every little thing that happens. You're actually doing your child a disservice by not letting them learn to get up and move on with their life when it's not a big deal.
4. You are not the center of the universe. The moon revolves around the earth and the planets all revolve around one great big thing....and it's not YOU! You'd be smart to teach your kids that they aren't the center of the universe. How they act can directly affect other people's thoughts and actions. It can also affect far more than just some small part of your life.
5. Words can hurt but you are the master of your reactions. This is probably one of the most important lessons I'm working on with my kids. While I do want them to know and understand that words can hurt (even if they're spoken in jest), I also want them to understand that people are going to say ugly things sometimes and it's important to realize that they're JUST words. No one controls your reactions but you. If you internalize everything and start feeling like crap because someone insults you or start getting angry over something that someone says, you're poisoning yourself emotionally, not them. You're actually physically, mentally, and spiritually harming yourself by focusing on what other people think and say. If my kids can learn this lesson before embarking on their high school years, I think it will help prepare them for the trials and tribulations they'll face during that time (HELP, not prevent).
Preparing your children for the real world is not some unsympathetic, mean way to parent. It doesn't mean there can be a hug when they fall off a bike or encouragement when they're sad. I'm not suggesting that, nor do I parent that way. However, preparing them for the fact that people are not always going to make a fuss over them everywhere they go will help them go out into the real world and deal with life as it comes. Encourage independence but also let them know that they always have a soft place to fall if they need it.
THE ESPY AWARDS
I have some serious issues with the winners of the ESPY Awards. Granted, the winners are voted on and there are a large number of people that do not even bother watching the awards. However, some of the winners would be comparative to a squirrel winning a dog contest...it just doesn't make sense. Let me recap a few of my high and low-lights.
Best NHL player-Sydney Crosby. I could totally see this being a logical answer. The guy's a legend. However, I would have been more inclined to pick a few of the (hold your vomiting to a minimum, fellow Redwings fans) Blackhawks over Crosby any day of the week. Their overall play this year was phenomenal comparatively and, for God's sake, they won the Stanley Cup!
Best Breakthrough Athlete-Colin Kaepernick. Now THIS I can agree with. There were a lot of stellar choices but I would honestly cast my vote for Kaepernick a time or two again. The guy's a beast. He's a phenomenal player and he deserves the vote.
Lebron James winning 5 awards....are you f&^*^ing joking? Lebron James is a great player but the comparisons to and ideas that he's better than Michael Jordan are ludicrous. He's a player that you either love or hate...there's no in between. I personally loathe him because I think he's a cocky jerk who is a great player but often overrated. People dote on him and I'm more sick of it than the haters were during Tebow-mania!
Best Female Olympic Athlete-Missy Franklin...I LOVE this one. Missy Franklin is not only a stellar athlete but she has a heart of gold and she has her head on straight for her future. High point of selling me on Missy? The fact that she came back and wanted to swim her senior year on her swim team. It wasn't because she knew she was the best...it was because she enjoyed it. I like athletes with heart and she's got a lot of it.
But hands down, the most amazing moment is Robin Roberts receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. There could not be a more deserving or amazing recipient. The amount of courage she's had while fighting her battle with cancer is more than most people show in a lifetime. Congratulations and blessings going out to Robin!
In short, there's not a whole lot to be said for the ESPY's because they aren't based on performance and stats; they're based on popularity. Here's to hoping that next year, we can look past Lebron James' big head to give more deserving athletes the win.
Best NHL player-Sydney Crosby. I could totally see this being a logical answer. The guy's a legend. However, I would have been more inclined to pick a few of the (hold your vomiting to a minimum, fellow Redwings fans) Blackhawks over Crosby any day of the week. Their overall play this year was phenomenal comparatively and, for God's sake, they won the Stanley Cup!
Best Breakthrough Athlete-Colin Kaepernick. Now THIS I can agree with. There were a lot of stellar choices but I would honestly cast my vote for Kaepernick a time or two again. The guy's a beast. He's a phenomenal player and he deserves the vote.
Lebron James winning 5 awards....are you f&^*^ing joking? Lebron James is a great player but the comparisons to and ideas that he's better than Michael Jordan are ludicrous. He's a player that you either love or hate...there's no in between. I personally loathe him because I think he's a cocky jerk who is a great player but often overrated. People dote on him and I'm more sick of it than the haters were during Tebow-mania!
Best Female Olympic Athlete-Missy Franklin...I LOVE this one. Missy Franklin is not only a stellar athlete but she has a heart of gold and she has her head on straight for her future. High point of selling me on Missy? The fact that she came back and wanted to swim her senior year on her swim team. It wasn't because she knew she was the best...it was because she enjoyed it. I like athletes with heart and she's got a lot of it.
But hands down, the most amazing moment is Robin Roberts receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. There could not be a more deserving or amazing recipient. The amount of courage she's had while fighting her battle with cancer is more than most people show in a lifetime. Congratulations and blessings going out to Robin!
In short, there's not a whole lot to be said for the ESPY's because they aren't based on performance and stats; they're based on popularity. Here's to hoping that next year, we can look past Lebron James' big head to give more deserving athletes the win.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
ITCHY, ITCHY, ITCHY!!!
I am about eight weeks past my hysterectomy and I have definitely settled in to a rhythm with my body's new levels....well, sort of. I'm adjusting to some things and praising God for some of the others. With my ovaries left intact, I was told that I wouldn't go through menopause and that has proven true. However, I have experienced several symptoms of perimenopause/menopause due to my hormones fluctuating. So here's the update (shield your eyes if you're squeamish or easily embarrassed):
PROS/BLESSINGS
*No more periods. Squee! I was told that the IUD would probably stop my periods but, alas, it didn't even come close (of course that could have been because it was impacted in my uterus). I still haven't fully accepted the fact and have kept a box of panty liners in the bathroom like the surgery was some sort of crazy lie. Eventually I will have to accept the reality and move them to the other bathroom as an emergency guest back up in case someone needs them (or until my girls do).
*No more break outs. That's not to say that I don't occasionally suffer from a precarious pimple here or there but no more chin-line breakouts, back-ne, or excessive foundation to cover up the awful carnage on my neck from a trip to Zit City.
*Increased energy. Even pre-surgery, I was having to nap for 20-30 minutes every day. Now I'm lucky if I can make myself nap. I'm exhausted by the end of the day but what mom isn't!?!
*No more severe pain. I used to suffer awful abdominal cramping (again, probably due to the IUD and side effects from that). After the surgery, no more awful abdominal cramping. This is reason alone to be thankful.
*Improved general health. The IUD was causing issues with my blood sugar and more so my health has improved considerably after having the hysterectomy. I don't have to monitor my blood sugar quite as closely and don't go through hard candies like a grandmother coaxing her grandchildren to be quiet at church. Hypoglycemia is now my bitch!
CONS/GRRRR SIDE EFFECTS
*Hot flashes. Nuff said. They're not something that occurs every day all day but they happen...and usually at inopportune times.
*Night sweats. I used to be a night time cuddler and enjoy my big cushy blankets. Now, I'd rather sleep without the blankets most of the night....even if I'm sleeping in front of the AC.....or on an iceberg.
*General increase in body temperature. This probably isn't a bad thing since I used to always be cold. It kind of goes with the theme, thus far.
*Extremely dry, itchy skin. Having always been an oily skinned individual, this is new ground for me. Gone are the days of taking a nice hot shower and slathering on lotion right after to have nice, comfortable, smooth legs. Now, it's cooler showers (so as not to dry it out further) and moisturizing 3-4+ times per day. It also means scratching my legs to a bloody pulp (or rubbing, to avoid scratching, them to a nice comfortable rugburn-style texture) when moisturizer isn't available. I'm still trying out solutions to this to stay tuned!
NOTE the fact that most of the cons are related to body temperature and if you combine them all into one big con titled "Hot, hot, hot", there are clearly a lot more perks to how I'm feeling. Now that I'm released back to work outs, I need to get my butt in gear and start running again and doing yoga on a daily basis and seeing how much that helps. I shall continue with updates as the time passes.
PROS/BLESSINGS
*No more periods. Squee! I was told that the IUD would probably stop my periods but, alas, it didn't even come close (of course that could have been because it was impacted in my uterus). I still haven't fully accepted the fact and have kept a box of panty liners in the bathroom like the surgery was some sort of crazy lie. Eventually I will have to accept the reality and move them to the other bathroom as an emergency guest back up in case someone needs them (or until my girls do).
*No more break outs. That's not to say that I don't occasionally suffer from a precarious pimple here or there but no more chin-line breakouts, back-ne, or excessive foundation to cover up the awful carnage on my neck from a trip to Zit City.
*Increased energy. Even pre-surgery, I was having to nap for 20-30 minutes every day. Now I'm lucky if I can make myself nap. I'm exhausted by the end of the day but what mom isn't!?!
*No more severe pain. I used to suffer awful abdominal cramping (again, probably due to the IUD and side effects from that). After the surgery, no more awful abdominal cramping. This is reason alone to be thankful.
*Improved general health. The IUD was causing issues with my blood sugar and more so my health has improved considerably after having the hysterectomy. I don't have to monitor my blood sugar quite as closely and don't go through hard candies like a grandmother coaxing her grandchildren to be quiet at church. Hypoglycemia is now my bitch!
CONS/GRRRR SIDE EFFECTS
*Hot flashes. Nuff said. They're not something that occurs every day all day but they happen...and usually at inopportune times.
*Night sweats. I used to be a night time cuddler and enjoy my big cushy blankets. Now, I'd rather sleep without the blankets most of the night....even if I'm sleeping in front of the AC.....or on an iceberg.
*General increase in body temperature. This probably isn't a bad thing since I used to always be cold. It kind of goes with the theme, thus far.
*Extremely dry, itchy skin. Having always been an oily skinned individual, this is new ground for me. Gone are the days of taking a nice hot shower and slathering on lotion right after to have nice, comfortable, smooth legs. Now, it's cooler showers (so as not to dry it out further) and moisturizing 3-4+ times per day. It also means scratching my legs to a bloody pulp (or rubbing, to avoid scratching, them to a nice comfortable rugburn-style texture) when moisturizer isn't available. I'm still trying out solutions to this to stay tuned!
NOTE the fact that most of the cons are related to body temperature and if you combine them all into one big con titled "Hot, hot, hot", there are clearly a lot more perks to how I'm feeling. Now that I'm released back to work outs, I need to get my butt in gear and start running again and doing yoga on a daily basis and seeing how much that helps. I shall continue with updates as the time passes.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Shopping Carts and Manners
I took Daniel with me for a quick run to King Soopers last night and he showed me how mature he's getting and how much his manners are ingrained into him. When we came out of the store, toting just a few items, we loaded them into the car and he offered to take the cart back to the cart corral. I happily took him up on it and watched him carefully look both ways, cross the parking lot's lane, and walk to the corral. The problem was that he had about 8 carts that were all zig zagged and half sticking out of the corral and couldn't get it in. Instead of directing him, I watched to see what he'd do.
First, he pushed the cart against the corral so it was not moving. Then, he walked in and moved every last cart into a line. Finally, he pushed in his cart. I was so proud of him for taking the time to do it correctly. I was even more proud that he did it without me prompting him. What came next was even more astounding to me, though.
He walked to all three of the carts that were in random parking spots nearby and pushed them into the corral, too! He carefully watched for cars each time and maneuvered them to avoiding hitting anyone but moved them all back into the cart corral. As he was moving in the last one, he couldn't quite get it into the line and a King Soopers employee was coming out to bring the carts in. Daniel waited patiently for him to get to the corral and then asked if he'd help put the cart in because someone had left it in the parking lot.
As I watched my little man come back to the car, I was beaming with pride. I told him what a great job he did and his response was, "Well it's really rude for people to leave their shopping carts out and not put them back." I told him that he was right and that I didn't like it either because I felt like it was a selfish thing to do (because they could hit another car or a child, for that matter, if they rolled with the wind) and a lazy thing to do (because 99% of people who do it are perfectly capable of walking to the corral). I told him how proud I was of him and he said that it was the polite thing to do. I also told him it was very nice of him to wait on the boy to help him and he said that THAT was the polite thing to do and he wanted to help the boy but he had to hurry up so we could get home and the milk wouldn't get bad. I told him that corralling those carts was the boy's job and I'm sure he didn't mind and Daniel said, "It doesn't matter if it's his job. It's still nice to help him."
I have to say that there are times that my kids make me want to pull my hair out. I'm constantly worried that they're going to pick up other people's bad habits or grow up to be rude, entitled jerks like a lot of the kids I run into. The fact is, though, that these kids have incredible manners and are genuinely sweet children. Do they act up sometimes? Absolutely. But I will take acting up occasionally to jerky, mean little kids any day of the week! I am feeling very proud of my crazies today.
First, he pushed the cart against the corral so it was not moving. Then, he walked in and moved every last cart into a line. Finally, he pushed in his cart. I was so proud of him for taking the time to do it correctly. I was even more proud that he did it without me prompting him. What came next was even more astounding to me, though.
He walked to all three of the carts that were in random parking spots nearby and pushed them into the corral, too! He carefully watched for cars each time and maneuvered them to avoiding hitting anyone but moved them all back into the cart corral. As he was moving in the last one, he couldn't quite get it into the line and a King Soopers employee was coming out to bring the carts in. Daniel waited patiently for him to get to the corral and then asked if he'd help put the cart in because someone had left it in the parking lot.
As I watched my little man come back to the car, I was beaming with pride. I told him what a great job he did and his response was, "Well it's really rude for people to leave their shopping carts out and not put them back." I told him that he was right and that I didn't like it either because I felt like it was a selfish thing to do (because they could hit another car or a child, for that matter, if they rolled with the wind) and a lazy thing to do (because 99% of people who do it are perfectly capable of walking to the corral). I told him how proud I was of him and he said that it was the polite thing to do. I also told him it was very nice of him to wait on the boy to help him and he said that THAT was the polite thing to do and he wanted to help the boy but he had to hurry up so we could get home and the milk wouldn't get bad. I told him that corralling those carts was the boy's job and I'm sure he didn't mind and Daniel said, "It doesn't matter if it's his job. It's still nice to help him."
I have to say that there are times that my kids make me want to pull my hair out. I'm constantly worried that they're going to pick up other people's bad habits or grow up to be rude, entitled jerks like a lot of the kids I run into. The fact is, though, that these kids have incredible manners and are genuinely sweet children. Do they act up sometimes? Absolutely. But I will take acting up occasionally to jerky, mean little kids any day of the week! I am feeling very proud of my crazies today.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Must-have pasta salad
I made some pretty killer pasta by just throwing stuff together so I wanted to share....
1 box tri color rotini, cooked to al dente and cooled
1 can large pitted black olives
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 of a large onion, diced
1 bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch Farmhouse Originals Southwest Chipotle dressing
Red pepper to taste (I added a lot but I like it hot!)
It's like a weird twist on taco style pasta salad but DELICIOUS!!!
1 box tri color rotini, cooked to al dente and cooled
1 can large pitted black olives
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 of a large onion, diced
1 bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch Farmhouse Originals Southwest Chipotle dressing
Red pepper to taste (I added a lot but I like it hot!)
It's like a weird twist on taco style pasta salad but DELICIOUS!!!
My Dream Home
Short and sweet this post. I have found my dream home. It's an amazing house in Evergreen, Colorado in a FANTASTIC school zone with 5 bedrooms (i.e. enough bedrooms for each of them to have their own) on several acres of land with a pool and a Jacuzzi enclosed in the house. If you're feeling generous, a whopping couple of million could make my life very very happy. LOL
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Picky Eaters.....Oy!
Everyone has different taste in food and, like their opinion, I respect that. Nearly everyone has something they're not fond of. I, personally, have a texture issue. I don't like applesauce or similarly textured foods because it makes me gag. I have a friend who dislikes all fruit and fruit-related products. One of my daughters really doesn't like cheese and loathes deviled eggs. I know several people who won't touch what I refer to as "picnic salads". It's all a matter of preference.
With that being said, children are a horse of a different color. I know plenty of picky eaters when it comes to children. I had a niece who would only eat pancakes that were tiny, premade, thumb sized pancakes. I used to nanny for a little boy who would only eat chicken nuggets from the most expensive restaurant on the block (and his parents catered to this). I know someone who's daughter went through a phase that she didn't want anything her mom fixed, even if she'd liked it the day before. Children are infamous for picky eating...and sometimes they never grow up.
I don't really have picky eaters at all. My children are big eaters and they'll try nearly anything. Sometimes they like it and sometimes they don't. Most of the time, if they aren't big fans, it's more of a "I prefer not to eat it but I'll eat it if you fix it" approach. With that being said, here's the rules in my house regarding foods.....
1. This is NOT a restaurant. You get what's put in front of you. I'm not fixing four separate meals and I'm not accommodating your every whim when it comes to meals.
2. You are NOT allowed to just eyeball something and say that you don't like it. Before you make a decision, you have to try at least 5 bites of something. (Note: Most of the time, they end up deciding they like it after 5 bites anyway). The exception is Brussel Sprouts; you only have to eat one if you're not fond of them.
3. I'm fine with adding condiments to something but don't flood your plate. I wouldn't ever comply with eating a salad with no dressing so why would I expect the kids too?
4. You don't get dessert unless you eat a good dinner. It's not necessarily that you have to clean your plate but you have to show that you ate a good meal, ate until you were full, and made an effort.
5. You don't get snacks unless you finish your lunch. Granted, snacks are almost always fruit or veggies anyway, but the point remains the same: If you aren't going to finish your meal, you aren't getting a snack.
6. No grazing You are not spending all day eating. Eat a big breakfast, eat a good lunch, and eat a good dinner. If you've eaten well, you can definitely have a snack and maybe a dessert.
7. Lots of water. Period. Yes, we occasionally do Kool Aid. They get a choice between milk and juice for breakfast and have milk with dinner. Aside from that, you drink water and.....get ready for this....it's from the tap (screams of horror!).
I'm definitely not saying that my rules are why they aren't picky eaters but I'm thankful that the rules are so easy to enforce most of the time.....for now anyway. LOL
With that being said, children are a horse of a different color. I know plenty of picky eaters when it comes to children. I had a niece who would only eat pancakes that were tiny, premade, thumb sized pancakes. I used to nanny for a little boy who would only eat chicken nuggets from the most expensive restaurant on the block (and his parents catered to this). I know someone who's daughter went through a phase that she didn't want anything her mom fixed, even if she'd liked it the day before. Children are infamous for picky eating...and sometimes they never grow up.
I don't really have picky eaters at all. My children are big eaters and they'll try nearly anything. Sometimes they like it and sometimes they don't. Most of the time, if they aren't big fans, it's more of a "I prefer not to eat it but I'll eat it if you fix it" approach. With that being said, here's the rules in my house regarding foods.....
1. This is NOT a restaurant. You get what's put in front of you. I'm not fixing four separate meals and I'm not accommodating your every whim when it comes to meals.
2. You are NOT allowed to just eyeball something and say that you don't like it. Before you make a decision, you have to try at least 5 bites of something. (Note: Most of the time, they end up deciding they like it after 5 bites anyway). The exception is Brussel Sprouts; you only have to eat one if you're not fond of them.
3. I'm fine with adding condiments to something but don't flood your plate. I wouldn't ever comply with eating a salad with no dressing so why would I expect the kids too?
4. You don't get dessert unless you eat a good dinner. It's not necessarily that you have to clean your plate but you have to show that you ate a good meal, ate until you were full, and made an effort.
5. You don't get snacks unless you finish your lunch. Granted, snacks are almost always fruit or veggies anyway, but the point remains the same: If you aren't going to finish your meal, you aren't getting a snack.
6. No grazing You are not spending all day eating. Eat a big breakfast, eat a good lunch, and eat a good dinner. If you've eaten well, you can definitely have a snack and maybe a dessert.
7. Lots of water. Period. Yes, we occasionally do Kool Aid. They get a choice between milk and juice for breakfast and have milk with dinner. Aside from that, you drink water and.....get ready for this....it's from the tap (screams of horror!).
I'm definitely not saying that my rules are why they aren't picky eaters but I'm thankful that the rules are so easy to enforce most of the time.....for now anyway. LOL
Thursday, July 11, 2013
One wish
If I had just one wish, it would be an abundance of good things in every area of my life. (Yes, it's a thought out wish because I'm a Virgo and I'm weird like that. LOL).
An Abundance of love between myself and my family...a love like no other. One that cannot be contained or described.
An Abundance of House and Property so I can always entertain friends and family, hosting happily to everyone I love (and then some).
An Abundance of Money to be able to give, help, and be a positive force for financial freedom with those I love.
An Abundance of energy to be able to play with my kids, volunteer, work hard, and then some.
An abundance of knowledge to create, innovate and help.
An abundance of health and physical goodness. To be beautiful and yet gentle and sweet.
An Abundance of everything because I want to share freely of everything that I have. I am blessed with what I have but if I was given a wish, this would be it.
An Abundance of love between myself and my family...a love like no other. One that cannot be contained or described.
An Abundance of House and Property so I can always entertain friends and family, hosting happily to everyone I love (and then some).
An Abundance of Money to be able to give, help, and be a positive force for financial freedom with those I love.
An Abundance of energy to be able to play with my kids, volunteer, work hard, and then some.
An abundance of knowledge to create, innovate and help.
An abundance of health and physical goodness. To be beautiful and yet gentle and sweet.
An Abundance of everything because I want to share freely of everything that I have. I am blessed with what I have but if I was given a wish, this would be it.
My Carpe Diem train of thought for the day
Carpe Diem...it's Latin for "Seize the day". It became a famous phrase for a lot of people after watching "Dead Poet's Society" and it's a phrase that we should live by a lot more often. I was sitting up last night having a train of thought that led me to this post and the train goes like this....
Carpe Diem is the start of the train. It's the engine, leading the way. It's about taking chances even when it's scary. It's about stretching yourself to the limit so you can see how strong you really are. It's about being the best at whatever you're the best at and not making excuses about it. It's about living knowing that each moment could be your last. We're not promised tomorrow and the engine of this train is all about realizing that.
Live without regret would be the first car of the train (after the engine). It's about learning from your mistakes and moving on, realizing that you can't change the past. If you screwed up, apologize but understand that you don't control other people's reactions to an apology. If you made a wrong turn in your own personal path, accept that the stumbling blocks were put there for a reason, learn from what you experienced (good and bad) and move forward with your life, trying not to repeat the same mistakes.
Let God/Karma deal with the people that hurt you. Revenge isn't worth your time and it hurts you more than it hurts the other person in the long run. Everyone gets their godsmack (what goes around comes around) so don't spend your time or energy worrying about someone else's bull crap. What's done is done.
Finally, the last car would be to appreciate what you have or someone else will. Look at the people in your life and the things they do for you. Maybe they seem like a small deal to you but they're the person's best efforts to be supportive for you. Maybe it seems like a small deal to them but it's a huge deal to you that they took time out of their day to do something for you. When you start taking what you have for granted, it always winds up poorly. Be thankful, be humble and be appreciative to those who love you.
Carpe Diem is the start of the train. It's the engine, leading the way. It's about taking chances even when it's scary. It's about stretching yourself to the limit so you can see how strong you really are. It's about being the best at whatever you're the best at and not making excuses about it. It's about living knowing that each moment could be your last. We're not promised tomorrow and the engine of this train is all about realizing that.
Live without regret would be the first car of the train (after the engine). It's about learning from your mistakes and moving on, realizing that you can't change the past. If you screwed up, apologize but understand that you don't control other people's reactions to an apology. If you made a wrong turn in your own personal path, accept that the stumbling blocks were put there for a reason, learn from what you experienced (good and bad) and move forward with your life, trying not to repeat the same mistakes.
Let God/Karma deal with the people that hurt you. Revenge isn't worth your time and it hurts you more than it hurts the other person in the long run. Everyone gets their godsmack (what goes around comes around) so don't spend your time or energy worrying about someone else's bull crap. What's done is done.
Finally, the last car would be to appreciate what you have or someone else will. Look at the people in your life and the things they do for you. Maybe they seem like a small deal to you but they're the person's best efforts to be supportive for you. Maybe it seems like a small deal to them but it's a huge deal to you that they took time out of their day to do something for you. When you start taking what you have for granted, it always winds up poorly. Be thankful, be humble and be appreciative to those who love you.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
The Value of Being a Stay at Home Parent
After talking to a cousin of mine this morning, I feel it important to touch on a topic I have been on both sides of: being a stay at home parent. Let me start this off saying something incredibly important here. I am not judging either side of the spectrum or saying that one side is better than the other (working moms vs stay at home moms). I'm not saying that either side of the argument is better than the other or that one is harder or easier. I'm simply discussing something from a perspective that I truly believe in, one I've lived and I miss terribly.
I have heard the argument that stay at home parents don't work as hard. I've heard people say things about how they must just sit around all day or how they should have time to do whatever they want because they "don't have a job." I've heard every insult in the book and I've been on the defensive side of this battle. It seems as though stay at home moms (or dads, I'm just using mom for the sake of saving time) are a black or white issue with most people; either they're the best thing since sliced bread or they're a waste of time and don't do anything. Either way, it seems to be something that a lot of people are very opinionated about and quite passionate, in most cases.
With that being said, let me express how I feel....
1. Being a stay at home parent IS a job when it's done right. Yes, there are some stay at home parents that do sit vegged out in front of the TV every single day, expecting someone else to clean and cook and whatever else needs to be done (and NO I'm not talking about moms taking a day off to have a PJ day or someone in the family being sick). The majority, though, are involved and active parents who take care of the house, the kids and keep everything running like a well-oiled machine.
2. Stay at home parents give their child a head start in a lot of ways because the kids are well-supervised in a home environment. Again, there are always bad apples but I can honestly say that my kids got away with a lot less when I stayed home with them.
3. Stay at home parents often get the benefit of being more involved in school and other activities. I think this is a HUGE perk to being a stay at home parent. I miss being able to organize parties and attend all the PTA events and meetings.
4. Stay at home parents are generally helpful to other parents. When you stay home, you have the opportunity to help a friend or neighbor out when their kids are sick or they just need a night out.
5. Stay at home parents don't get vacation and I'm not just talking about an actual out of state vacation. I'm saying that a lot of stay at home parents don't even get a five minute break from the house without kids on a regular basis. Some can't even go to the bathroom without toting them along.
6. Being a stay at home mom is a rewarding experience but not in the traditional way. You get to savor every single little moment and THAT'S what counts.
7. I miss it. I miss being a stay at home mom but single mama with a job, it is! If I ever had the opportunity to work from home (an entirely different discussion), I'd do it in a heartbeat and spend those precious fleeting moments with my family, pulling my hair out when they wrestle in the house again or just won't stop leaving messes scattered about.
So Salute to the stay at home parents and may I join your masses again (even as a work from home mom) and sing your praises from the other side of the battle line again!
I have heard the argument that stay at home parents don't work as hard. I've heard people say things about how they must just sit around all day or how they should have time to do whatever they want because they "don't have a job." I've heard every insult in the book and I've been on the defensive side of this battle. It seems as though stay at home moms (or dads, I'm just using mom for the sake of saving time) are a black or white issue with most people; either they're the best thing since sliced bread or they're a waste of time and don't do anything. Either way, it seems to be something that a lot of people are very opinionated about and quite passionate, in most cases.
With that being said, let me express how I feel....
1. Being a stay at home parent IS a job when it's done right. Yes, there are some stay at home parents that do sit vegged out in front of the TV every single day, expecting someone else to clean and cook and whatever else needs to be done (and NO I'm not talking about moms taking a day off to have a PJ day or someone in the family being sick). The majority, though, are involved and active parents who take care of the house, the kids and keep everything running like a well-oiled machine.
2. Stay at home parents give their child a head start in a lot of ways because the kids are well-supervised in a home environment. Again, there are always bad apples but I can honestly say that my kids got away with a lot less when I stayed home with them.
3. Stay at home parents often get the benefit of being more involved in school and other activities. I think this is a HUGE perk to being a stay at home parent. I miss being able to organize parties and attend all the PTA events and meetings.
4. Stay at home parents are generally helpful to other parents. When you stay home, you have the opportunity to help a friend or neighbor out when their kids are sick or they just need a night out.
5. Stay at home parents don't get vacation and I'm not just talking about an actual out of state vacation. I'm saying that a lot of stay at home parents don't even get a five minute break from the house without kids on a regular basis. Some can't even go to the bathroom without toting them along.
6. Being a stay at home mom is a rewarding experience but not in the traditional way. You get to savor every single little moment and THAT'S what counts.
7. I miss it. I miss being a stay at home mom but single mama with a job, it is! If I ever had the opportunity to work from home (an entirely different discussion), I'd do it in a heartbeat and spend those precious fleeting moments with my family, pulling my hair out when they wrestle in the house again or just won't stop leaving messes scattered about.
So Salute to the stay at home parents and may I join your masses again (even as a work from home mom) and sing your praises from the other side of the battle line again!
Monday, July 8, 2013
The Importance of Grandparents
I would like to start out by saying that I had the two most amazing sets of grandparents on the planet. My maternal grandparents passed away in 1992 and 1997, respectively. My grandfather, who died when I was 11 years old babysat me frequently and I can remember being dropped off there early in the mornings with my older sister. My grandmother, who died when I was 16, I didn't know quite as well because she suffered from Parkinson's Disease and was wheelchair and bed-bound starting when I was very young. Both of them were amazing people and had hearts of gold and I think nothing but amazing things about them.
My paternal grandparents, however, will always have a special place in my heart. I used to spend summers with them, garage saling and going to the flea markets. I used to sit for hours at the top of their staircase, reading books from their bookshelves. I used to sleep in a cot in their bedroom because they knew I was afraid of the dark. I used to push my Cabbage Patch Dolls around in Grandma's antique doll buggy. I have incredibly fond memories of my childhood that revolve around my paternal grandparents.
If you asked me today to tell you the five most influential people in my life, my grandparents would rank front and center. I still talk to them at least once a week for at least 45 minutes. I still send them cards for Mother's and Father's day, send letters, and send pictures as often as I can. When I'm in town, I set aside an entire day just to visit with them. Why? Because they are an integral part of my life. They have been there for me through thick and thin, nurtured me, told me they were proud, supported me even when very few other people would, defended me when someone said something negative.....they were like a second set of parents....only grander. :)
My opinion is that grandparents (both biological and "adopted") are an important part of a child's upbringing. They have wisdom that a parent can't have because they haven't had the same life experiences. They are softer with age and, thus, more likely to be sensitive when you fall down in life's big bumps. They love and care for you and are so proud of every little achievement. They listen to you talk for hours, even if it's boring to other people because it's NOT boring to them...they think it's wonderful.
I am extremely grateful for the grandparents in my life, both my own and the ones that my children have. I'm also thankful for the "adoptive" grandparents who have been there in my life and the life of my kids even in the hardest of times. Life just wouldn't be quite as wonderful without them!
My paternal grandparents, however, will always have a special place in my heart. I used to spend summers with them, garage saling and going to the flea markets. I used to sit for hours at the top of their staircase, reading books from their bookshelves. I used to sleep in a cot in their bedroom because they knew I was afraid of the dark. I used to push my Cabbage Patch Dolls around in Grandma's antique doll buggy. I have incredibly fond memories of my childhood that revolve around my paternal grandparents.
If you asked me today to tell you the five most influential people in my life, my grandparents would rank front and center. I still talk to them at least once a week for at least 45 minutes. I still send them cards for Mother's and Father's day, send letters, and send pictures as often as I can. When I'm in town, I set aside an entire day just to visit with them. Why? Because they are an integral part of my life. They have been there for me through thick and thin, nurtured me, told me they were proud, supported me even when very few other people would, defended me when someone said something negative.....they were like a second set of parents....only grander. :)
My opinion is that grandparents (both biological and "adopted") are an important part of a child's upbringing. They have wisdom that a parent can't have because they haven't had the same life experiences. They are softer with age and, thus, more likely to be sensitive when you fall down in life's big bumps. They love and care for you and are so proud of every little achievement. They listen to you talk for hours, even if it's boring to other people because it's NOT boring to them...they think it's wonderful.
I am extremely grateful for the grandparents in my life, both my own and the ones that my children have. I'm also thankful for the "adoptive" grandparents who have been there in my life and the life of my kids even in the hardest of times. Life just wouldn't be quite as wonderful without them!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Super Fun Session I Just Had to Share!
I got a chance to see a family I haven't seen in about a year to do some family and children's portraits today. They haven't had anyone else do their pictures since the last time I did them and needed updated pictures of the kids, family and couples shots done in a relaxed atmosphere. I think I managed to nail it.
I love the kind of candid, fun shots that show off how happy a family is together!
A pretty little princess with a flower
A Character shot? I think so! (These are the kind of shots that end up on my wall)
Character shot....yep!
Divine close up of an adorable princess
Adorable shot of an active little boy
What's more fun than playing with your best friend/sibling?
SPD and bike rides
Sensory Processing Disorder. It's not very widely known and it's not something that a lot of parents discuss very openly. As the matter of fact, I find that a lot of other SPD parents I've met have been inclined to hide it, fearing that their son or daughter would be judged. To quote the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation, "Sensory Processing Disorder is a condition that exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses." In short, it means that someone with SPD's brain is somewhat confused by different sensory experiences (some more severe than others). People with SPD are sometimes confused with having Autism and this is simply not the case. Symptoms can vary but in our case, it's extreme need for constant and outstanding sensation (which was part of an ADHD diagnosis too, ironically), inability to master large motor skills, inability to process complicated or "overwhelming" situations and much more. Some people blow it off and say it's just a kid being a kid but it's a reality for my 8 year old, son.
When Daniel was younger, he was not a talker. I attributed this to a lot of things and just basically had the theory that he would talk when he was ready. When he finally did begin speaking (only spoke about 8 words until age 2), it seemed very frustrating and almost overwhelming to him. He wanted to form sentences sometimes but he just couldn't seem to put it together. Then there were motor skills activities. Small motor skills were nearly impossible for him to grasp with intense work on it; even something as simple as writing his name was difficult for him. Large motor skills were equally as upsetting for him. What truly tipped me off that there was some reason for concern, though, was an inability to handle anything without a complete meltdown. We're not just talking about a tantrum but completely shutting down, sometimes screaming at the top of his lungs for hours (no matter if I tried to hug him, talk to him...I tried everything) and other times just completely shutting off the world and ignoring everyone until he could calm himself down.
After testing him thoroughly, he was diagnosed with ADHD and SPD. They had a lot of paperwork pre-printed about ADHD but nobody could explain a whole lot about SPD. It was a diagnosis but not truly any help in knowing how to work with him. As I researched more on the topic, and the decision was made to cease ADHD meds after only a couple of months (because of lack of appetite), I began working with him with the help of an occupational therapist friend and the speech therapist assigned to him. The occupational therapist helped me to know how to approach working with him on some of his large motor skills functions and small motor skills functions as well as (my biggest concern) dealing with his "cycling" (inability to slow down his brain thus leading to the meltdowns). It was a big hurdle to climb over and it wasn't without some setbacks, particularly when big changes occurred in his life but we kept pushing through and he had a lot of loved ones surrounding him through the process.
Today, Daniel is an honor roll student. His handwriting is greatly improving (with a lot of work) and his large motor skills are making progress every day. He's getting over his fears of everything that he has struggled with and is finding ways to explore his sensory needs without risking his safety. Most importantly, though, he is learning to cope with things getting overwhelming. Today, we have very limited meltdowns and he knows that he can vocalize if he needs to take a few minutes to "regroup". The screaming tantrums are pretty well over and done with and he's progressing at an amazing pace. No one around him seems to even notice that he's got SPD (or anything else going on). I believe that helps him to progress even more.
I say all of that to say this: Daniel mastered his two wheeler yesterday. He'd gotten down the straight riding but he mastered pushing off to start on his own and doing turns yesterday. He's still getting the balance down and has to stop sometimes and restart but he's got it. He's a two wheel bike rider. This is a HUGE accomplishment for him and it makes me want say, "Haha SPD! He wins!" I'm the proudest mama on the block!
For more information on SPD, you can check out this website:
http://www.spdfoundation.net/about-sensory-processing-disorder.html
When Daniel was younger, he was not a talker. I attributed this to a lot of things and just basically had the theory that he would talk when he was ready. When he finally did begin speaking (only spoke about 8 words until age 2), it seemed very frustrating and almost overwhelming to him. He wanted to form sentences sometimes but he just couldn't seem to put it together. Then there were motor skills activities. Small motor skills were nearly impossible for him to grasp with intense work on it; even something as simple as writing his name was difficult for him. Large motor skills were equally as upsetting for him. What truly tipped me off that there was some reason for concern, though, was an inability to handle anything without a complete meltdown. We're not just talking about a tantrum but completely shutting down, sometimes screaming at the top of his lungs for hours (no matter if I tried to hug him, talk to him...I tried everything) and other times just completely shutting off the world and ignoring everyone until he could calm himself down.
After testing him thoroughly, he was diagnosed with ADHD and SPD. They had a lot of paperwork pre-printed about ADHD but nobody could explain a whole lot about SPD. It was a diagnosis but not truly any help in knowing how to work with him. As I researched more on the topic, and the decision was made to cease ADHD meds after only a couple of months (because of lack of appetite), I began working with him with the help of an occupational therapist friend and the speech therapist assigned to him. The occupational therapist helped me to know how to approach working with him on some of his large motor skills functions and small motor skills functions as well as (my biggest concern) dealing with his "cycling" (inability to slow down his brain thus leading to the meltdowns). It was a big hurdle to climb over and it wasn't without some setbacks, particularly when big changes occurred in his life but we kept pushing through and he had a lot of loved ones surrounding him through the process.
Today, Daniel is an honor roll student. His handwriting is greatly improving (with a lot of work) and his large motor skills are making progress every day. He's getting over his fears of everything that he has struggled with and is finding ways to explore his sensory needs without risking his safety. Most importantly, though, he is learning to cope with things getting overwhelming. Today, we have very limited meltdowns and he knows that he can vocalize if he needs to take a few minutes to "regroup". The screaming tantrums are pretty well over and done with and he's progressing at an amazing pace. No one around him seems to even notice that he's got SPD (or anything else going on). I believe that helps him to progress even more.
I say all of that to say this: Daniel mastered his two wheeler yesterday. He'd gotten down the straight riding but he mastered pushing off to start on his own and doing turns yesterday. He's still getting the balance down and has to stop sometimes and restart but he's got it. He's a two wheel bike rider. This is a HUGE accomplishment for him and it makes me want say, "Haha SPD! He wins!" I'm the proudest mama on the block!
For more information on SPD, you can check out this website:
http://www.spdfoundation.net/about-sensory-processing-disorder.html
Friday, July 5, 2013
Our Military and Military Families: Underappreciated in my opinion
Our military is one of the strongholds of our nation, in my opinion. There are five military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. They all serve very important and unique purposes but they are all cogs in our nation's greatest asset (again, my opinion). People outside of the military like to poke fun at certain branches and I find it aggravating to the point of hair-pulling. I don't think there are nearly enough people that truly know how important each and every single military man and woman is to our great country. I start by saying an enormous THANK YOU to past, present and future military men and women. You are the reason that our nation is great!
One of my greatest pet peeves is for someone to generalize and stereotype the military about big-ticket issues like sexual harassment and assault, post-traumatic stress disorder, and on and on. Let's be honest: unless you've actually served and gone through it, you have no clue what you're talking about. Yes, military spouses/families are probably the closest ones to understanding but even THEY don't fully understand everything about the military. Do bad things happen within military branches? Yes. Should we focus every bit of our attention on it and concern ourselves with the negatives of that instead of the amazingly positive aspects of what our soldiers fight for on a daily basis? I certainly do not believe so.
Another pet peeve is generalizing returning servicepeople with PTSD as "crazy" or "ticking time bombs." I've read more than enough articles and heard the comments from people. PTSD does not make you crazy, nor does it mean that you're going to fly off the handle. There is not enough education on the topic, nor is the government doing a good enough job offering resources to our returning servicemen (and women) . Having never been in combat, I have no idea what it's like for them but I know that it cannot be easy for them to just try to return home and get back into the daily grind without some help. Instead of focusing all of our attention on paying our governmental officials more than they'll ever spend or use, why don't we focus some of our attention on taking care of our military personnel at ALL levels of the military?
Finally, I'd like to cover the general disregard for military families. Quite frankly, these men and women of all ages hold the house and home together while their soldiers are gone. They, not only, deal with life as single parents essentially but they also have to try to deal with the emotions, responsibilities, and everything else that comes with their soldier being away. Add on the fact that they're having to worry 24/7 about what's going on, whether or not their spouse/son/dad (or the gender-happy daughter/mom so I don't get accused of being sexist) is safe and how much longer this is going to go on. They often have to go stretches of days, weeks and (sometimes) months between getting to hear their loved ones' voices and have to settle for emails or letters. I could go on for hours but I think you understand the gest of it. Give a military family a hug. They probably need it.
I doubt there is enough words to even express my gratitude to every service person on the planet (and their families) so I simply say this: Thank You!
One of my greatest pet peeves is for someone to generalize and stereotype the military about big-ticket issues like sexual harassment and assault, post-traumatic stress disorder, and on and on. Let's be honest: unless you've actually served and gone through it, you have no clue what you're talking about. Yes, military spouses/families are probably the closest ones to understanding but even THEY don't fully understand everything about the military. Do bad things happen within military branches? Yes. Should we focus every bit of our attention on it and concern ourselves with the negatives of that instead of the amazingly positive aspects of what our soldiers fight for on a daily basis? I certainly do not believe so.
Another pet peeve is generalizing returning servicepeople with PTSD as "crazy" or "ticking time bombs." I've read more than enough articles and heard the comments from people. PTSD does not make you crazy, nor does it mean that you're going to fly off the handle. There is not enough education on the topic, nor is the government doing a good enough job offering resources to our returning servicemen (and women) . Having never been in combat, I have no idea what it's like for them but I know that it cannot be easy for them to just try to return home and get back into the daily grind without some help. Instead of focusing all of our attention on paying our governmental officials more than they'll ever spend or use, why don't we focus some of our attention on taking care of our military personnel at ALL levels of the military?
Finally, I'd like to cover the general disregard for military families. Quite frankly, these men and women of all ages hold the house and home together while their soldiers are gone. They, not only, deal with life as single parents essentially but they also have to try to deal with the emotions, responsibilities, and everything else that comes with their soldier being away. Add on the fact that they're having to worry 24/7 about what's going on, whether or not their spouse/son/dad (or the gender-happy daughter/mom so I don't get accused of being sexist) is safe and how much longer this is going to go on. They often have to go stretches of days, weeks and (sometimes) months between getting to hear their loved ones' voices and have to settle for emails or letters. I could go on for hours but I think you understand the gest of it. Give a military family a hug. They probably need it.
I doubt there is enough words to even express my gratitude to every service person on the planet (and their families) so I simply say this: Thank You!
Short, Simple, Sweet Fourth of July message
Our country was born of a hard-fought battle for our independence and we sometimes take that for granted. Not only do we act like entitled brats but we act like blind, entitled brats. Our freedom and liberty are what makes us AMERICA! Our freedom to speak freely...yes sometimes we offend people but we still have the freedom to speak. Our freedom to bear arms...do people make bad choices with guns? Absolutely. Does everyone that owns a gun make bad choices? NO, not by a long shot. We have freedom to live where we want, practice whatever religion we want, vote...the list goes on and on and on. Thank GOD for those freedoms because they seem to grow smaller daily and every single time that we whine that the government needs to step in and make a law when something awful happens, we put another bar in our cage. Should their be laws? YES! Should there be a law restricting and guarding every single thing and idea in the United States? NO! Listen, I'm not Republican or Democratic. I'm not a Tea Party participant and I'm not a Socialist either. I believe that there are good ideas on both sides of the government but I think that our country needs to take a good, long, hard look at the Constitution and what our country was built on instead of the "Me, Me, Me" Agenda on BOTH sides. God bless the USA and all who live in it, fight for it, and have done either of these in the past!
Happy July 4th...no, wait....Happy INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
Happy July 4th...no, wait....Happy INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
An open opinion about cable
I'm convinced to the very core of my being that there are some very awesome people that work for Comcast but the company itself is a piece of junk. They overcharge for services that are so-so at best and say that they're only concerned with the customer. Well, bucko, I've had to call and complain to you damn near every week since I got your crappy service (which now requires a contract). You're crazy if you think that you've resolved my problems and NO, I do NOT want three free months of HBO to shut me up. I want you to resolve my issues and act like decent people! This post is purely based on my opinions and experiences so feel free to disagree.
I must admit that my Comcast repair guy today was amazing, though. Not only did he come out and fix everything but he fixed it with a great attitude and a nose-to-the-grindstone mentality. Sure, he flew off the handle when he thought he was outside of hearing range (in our driveway) on the phone with his friend about the half-ass job the tech before him had done and how he'd been a slacker. That just made me appreciate him more because he was willing to come out and fix what had been messed up. May the force be with you, dude and, although I'd never want to be with Comcast once this contract is up, if I ever become a millionaire, you're first on my list of people to "pay it forward" to.
In terms of the idiots you put on the customer service line, one word: MORON! They are acting like wreck analysts for car insurance company trying to give you the least amount of service for the most money. Well listen, sister, I'm not interested in upgrading because my signal already goes out every morning. No, I do NOT want to hear more about the new sports package because I already have to give you the blood of a virgin on a monthly basis just to get basic services. Wanna know what I'm interested in? The single working mom's cable budget....give me Nickelodeon, Disney, ESPN, and a couple other channels and don't bother with the rest...I don't need em. Don't bother giving me the whole set of Spanish speaking channels because (news flash), I don't speak Spanish.
The people at the Comcast office nearby me? AWESOME. They're helpful and honest. In fact, the last time I was in there, the lady said that if I call the local customer service line and get someone I don't like, hang up and try again because apparently the company is going through a transition.
Well let me just say that I hope that the transition involves some sort of kickass customer service upgrade and downgrade on the prices you charge, Comcast! I hope that you guys are starting to put the customer first and will give me what I actually deserve for the amount I pay instead of bullcrap, half-assed service.
Signed,
Me
I must admit that my Comcast repair guy today was amazing, though. Not only did he come out and fix everything but he fixed it with a great attitude and a nose-to-the-grindstone mentality. Sure, he flew off the handle when he thought he was outside of hearing range (in our driveway) on the phone with his friend about the half-ass job the tech before him had done and how he'd been a slacker. That just made me appreciate him more because he was willing to come out and fix what had been messed up. May the force be with you, dude and, although I'd never want to be with Comcast once this contract is up, if I ever become a millionaire, you're first on my list of people to "pay it forward" to.
In terms of the idiots you put on the customer service line, one word: MORON! They are acting like wreck analysts for car insurance company trying to give you the least amount of service for the most money. Well listen, sister, I'm not interested in upgrading because my signal already goes out every morning. No, I do NOT want to hear more about the new sports package because I already have to give you the blood of a virgin on a monthly basis just to get basic services. Wanna know what I'm interested in? The single working mom's cable budget....give me Nickelodeon, Disney, ESPN, and a couple other channels and don't bother with the rest...I don't need em. Don't bother giving me the whole set of Spanish speaking channels because (news flash), I don't speak Spanish.
The people at the Comcast office nearby me? AWESOME. They're helpful and honest. In fact, the last time I was in there, the lady said that if I call the local customer service line and get someone I don't like, hang up and try again because apparently the company is going through a transition.
Well let me just say that I hope that the transition involves some sort of kickass customer service upgrade and downgrade on the prices you charge, Comcast! I hope that you guys are starting to put the customer first and will give me what I actually deserve for the amount I pay instead of bullcrap, half-assed service.
Signed,
Me
If A Teenager Falls Over From a Club to the Head and No One's Around to Hear, Does She Really Make a Noise?
I am dead convinced that teenagers are like overgrown toddlers. They throw tantrums, stomp their feet, and expect the world to revolve around them...just like toddlers.
So here's the scenario:
A teenager in my household that we'll call "Alyssa" (just for shits and giggles) gets a phone call from a friend. Ironically, she doesn't even know WHICH friend is calling her and has a five minute conversation with her thinking that she's someone else. She gets asked to a birthday party and asks if she can go. Here's the conversation....
ALYSSA: Can I go to her birthday party?
ME: Who's HER?
ALYSSA: Melody, I think....(to person on phone) Wait, who is this? (pause then speaking back to me) It's Autumn.
ME: Yes, you can go to her party. When is it?
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) When is it? (to me) On a Sunday at 1:00
ME: Which Sunday? This Sunday, next Sunday, Sunday at the end of time......
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) This Sunday? (pause; still speaking to Autumn) Like the Sunday coming up?
Let me pause and tell you how agitated I was, at this point, not only that my daughter was NOT using ANY sort of phone etiquette, but also that this conversation seemed to be like talking to the dancing zebra with the rainbow afro wig on from Madagascar. You know the one....Da da da da da da da da CIRCUS da da da da da da da da AFRO, CIRCUS, AFRO, CIRCUS, AFRO, POLKA DOT, POLKA DOT, POLKA DOT, AFRO! But I digress....
ALYSSA: (to me) Sunday the 7th
ME: Okay, yes. I have a photo shoot that day but I'm pretty sure I can arrange it. What time?
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) What time? (pause) 1:00? (to me) 1:00-3:00
ME: Where is it?
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) Where is it? (pause) 1....4.......6......5.....off of Wadsworth and.....Wait can you just tell my parents instead?
ME: NO!!! You get the information. You're plenty old enough to get it yourself.....
ALYSSA: (to me; whining) But I can't remember all of it!
ME: Get a piece of paper and write it down!
Now this is the point where my frustration flew over the top. She rolled her eyes, sighed loud enough for the neighbors down the street to hear and then stomped....yes STOMPED across the room to make a dramatic event of it. Are you kidding me? Needless to say, there were words exchanged (because even though I love my daughter, that touchy-feely "I need to talk about everything instead of letting you know you're acting like a butthole" parenting is not my style). After she writes down the information and gets off the phone, she's like my daughter again: calm, happy-go-lucky...and then I have to speak to the person whom the demon was just exorcised from....
I don't care if you're the Queen, you do NOT speak to me like that. You're perfectly capable of writing down information. You're old enough to babysit, you're old enough to take care of this. This will be the LAST time you do that to me.
Sadly, it won't though. She'll continue it because she's a teenager. It's like when your loved one is transformed into a zombie...you don't WANT them to be a zombie but the damage is done. There's no turning back. The best you can do is contain it and give it boundaries and hope that someday it starts to act human again.
Until then, anyone up for a cocktail on a deserted island? Anyone?
So here's the scenario:
A teenager in my household that we'll call "Alyssa" (just for shits and giggles) gets a phone call from a friend. Ironically, she doesn't even know WHICH friend is calling her and has a five minute conversation with her thinking that she's someone else. She gets asked to a birthday party and asks if she can go. Here's the conversation....
ALYSSA: Can I go to her birthday party?
ME: Who's HER?
ALYSSA: Melody, I think....(to person on phone) Wait, who is this? (pause then speaking back to me) It's Autumn.
ME: Yes, you can go to her party. When is it?
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) When is it? (to me) On a Sunday at 1:00
ME: Which Sunday? This Sunday, next Sunday, Sunday at the end of time......
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) This Sunday? (pause; still speaking to Autumn) Like the Sunday coming up?
Let me pause and tell you how agitated I was, at this point, not only that my daughter was NOT using ANY sort of phone etiquette, but also that this conversation seemed to be like talking to the dancing zebra with the rainbow afro wig on from Madagascar. You know the one....Da da da da da da da da CIRCUS da da da da da da da da AFRO, CIRCUS, AFRO, CIRCUS, AFRO, POLKA DOT, POLKA DOT, POLKA DOT, AFRO! But I digress....
ALYSSA: (to me) Sunday the 7th
ME: Okay, yes. I have a photo shoot that day but I'm pretty sure I can arrange it. What time?
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) What time? (pause) 1:00? (to me) 1:00-3:00
ME: Where is it?
ALYSSA: (to Autumn) Where is it? (pause) 1....4.......6......5.....off of Wadsworth and.....Wait can you just tell my parents instead?
ME: NO!!! You get the information. You're plenty old enough to get it yourself.....
ALYSSA: (to me; whining) But I can't remember all of it!
ME: Get a piece of paper and write it down!
Now this is the point where my frustration flew over the top. She rolled her eyes, sighed loud enough for the neighbors down the street to hear and then stomped....yes STOMPED across the room to make a dramatic event of it. Are you kidding me? Needless to say, there were words exchanged (because even though I love my daughter, that touchy-feely "I need to talk about everything instead of letting you know you're acting like a butthole" parenting is not my style). After she writes down the information and gets off the phone, she's like my daughter again: calm, happy-go-lucky...and then I have to speak to the person whom the demon was just exorcised from....
I don't care if you're the Queen, you do NOT speak to me like that. You're perfectly capable of writing down information. You're old enough to babysit, you're old enough to take care of this. This will be the LAST time you do that to me.
Sadly, it won't though. She'll continue it because she's a teenager. It's like when your loved one is transformed into a zombie...you don't WANT them to be a zombie but the damage is done. There's no turning back. The best you can do is contain it and give it boundaries and hope that someday it starts to act human again.
Until then, anyone up for a cocktail on a deserted island? Anyone?
Monday, July 1, 2013
I Love My Gynecologist
It's not often that I get to hear the phrase "I love my gynecologist" spoken but it is definitely true in my case. Dr. Lewis runs her own practice close to my house and has a very close-knit, incredibly nice staff. Dr. Lewis, herself, is an absolute hoot! She's got an incredible bedside manner (straightforward and blunt but funny) and genuinely cares about her patients. Needless to say, I'm a fan!
Since I haven't entirely talked a lot about it, I should explain where my deep-seated affection comes from...my hysterectomy.
When I came into Dr. Lewis, I had an IUD impacted in my uterus. They tried to figure out how to get it out but it was jammed in there and causing some pretty awful side effects. Lo and behold, the hysterectomy becomes the treatment plan and we sprung into action. Not only did the doctor make sure that I was fully aware of the procedure, the side effects of every little thing, and what my long-term prognosis would be but she also laughed with me, talked with me about the positive points and made sure that I felt completely comfortable with what was going on with my body.
When I went in for my pre-op, I explained to the hospital staff that I was very nervous around needles. I've NEVER had a blood draw where I haven't felt the needle until that day. The staff was phenomenal! The staff fully explained to me what was going to happen the day of my surgery and what I could and couldn't do leading up to the surgery.
The day of my surgery, I woke up early and prepared myself as best as I could. The hospital staff was wonderful with getting my IV put in with minimal pain (numbed with a tiny needle so I didn't even feel the IV needle go in) and making sure that I knew what was going on but Dr Lewis was the one that calmed me down. She came in and met the man in my life, explained what was going to happen one more time and watched as they gave me the "happy juice."
What was supposed to be a 90 minute surgery was done in 45 minutes. She did a stellar job, didn't have to make an abdominal incision of any kind, and had me at a tolerable pain level and able to go home within less than 12 hours of the procedure. She checked up on me following the procedure and gave me a no-nonsense, simple answer to every question.
Today, I went in for my six week check up knowing that I won't have to see Dr. Lewis again for a year and found myself a little sad. I'd miss the staff and the doctor and be a bit sad that I wasn't going to be in to visit with them regularly (though the treatment was the whole reason I was there to begin with obviously). They'd become a bit of extended family to me. My post-op prognosis is great...released back to work full time, able to work out and do just about everything (ease back into it at my own comfort level). I'm thrilled to be a patient of Dr Lewis and I'm proud to say, "I love my gynecologist!"
Since I haven't entirely talked a lot about it, I should explain where my deep-seated affection comes from...my hysterectomy.
When I came into Dr. Lewis, I had an IUD impacted in my uterus. They tried to figure out how to get it out but it was jammed in there and causing some pretty awful side effects. Lo and behold, the hysterectomy becomes the treatment plan and we sprung into action. Not only did the doctor make sure that I was fully aware of the procedure, the side effects of every little thing, and what my long-term prognosis would be but she also laughed with me, talked with me about the positive points and made sure that I felt completely comfortable with what was going on with my body.
When I went in for my pre-op, I explained to the hospital staff that I was very nervous around needles. I've NEVER had a blood draw where I haven't felt the needle until that day. The staff was phenomenal! The staff fully explained to me what was going to happen the day of my surgery and what I could and couldn't do leading up to the surgery.
The day of my surgery, I woke up early and prepared myself as best as I could. The hospital staff was wonderful with getting my IV put in with minimal pain (numbed with a tiny needle so I didn't even feel the IV needle go in) and making sure that I knew what was going on but Dr Lewis was the one that calmed me down. She came in and met the man in my life, explained what was going to happen one more time and watched as they gave me the "happy juice."
What was supposed to be a 90 minute surgery was done in 45 minutes. She did a stellar job, didn't have to make an abdominal incision of any kind, and had me at a tolerable pain level and able to go home within less than 12 hours of the procedure. She checked up on me following the procedure and gave me a no-nonsense, simple answer to every question.
Today, I went in for my six week check up knowing that I won't have to see Dr. Lewis again for a year and found myself a little sad. I'd miss the staff and the doctor and be a bit sad that I wasn't going to be in to visit with them regularly (though the treatment was the whole reason I was there to begin with obviously). They'd become a bit of extended family to me. My post-op prognosis is great...released back to work full time, able to work out and do just about everything (ease back into it at my own comfort level). I'm thrilled to be a patient of Dr Lewis and I'm proud to say, "I love my gynecologist!"
Doctors....and me
Picking a physician can be a tedious task and one that I do not take lightly. I truly believe that the best physician for a friend might not be the best for me and the best physician by rating might be one that I don't prefer. I have a very specific list of qualifications I require of ANY physician before I'll let them treat me or any of my children. Here it is:
1. MAMA KNOWS BEST: While a doctor is trained in the medical areas, I stand firm to the adage that "mama knows best." I know my own body and my children better than a doctor. If I'm taking my child to a physician, it means that they're due for a well check or I know something's really wrong. With that being said, I do NOT like doctors telling me what I NEED to do with my kids or my own body. I appreciate the advice and I'll take it into consideration when researching and weighing my options but don't tell me what I HAVE to do. I think there are far too many antibiotics, antidepressants, and other drugs being handed out way too easily now and I prefer to let my body do what God created it to as often as possible.
2. LET'S TRY.... One of my favorite phrases to hear (especially from the pediatrician) is "Let's try...." It implies that the physician is willing to give some different, less drug-related options a try before jumping right into Medicine Heaven. Maybe that means trying Behavior Modification Therapy for ADHD or Sensory Processing Disorder. Maybe that means using the inhaler/nebulizer "as needed" and seeing how it goes before prescribing a daily regimen. Maybe that means suggesting locally produced honey instead of allergy medication or possibly even flushing with saline to prevent the allergies from taking over.. The fact is that these words tell me that there's some wiggle room and they're willing to work WITH me instead of telling me what to do.
3. BEDSIDE MANNER: For me, the preferred bedside manner is straight forward but not pushy. There's a rather thick line between explaining what's going on and telling me that my child's going to perish if I don't get a flu shot.
4. RESPECT THE ANSWER "NO": I know I've covered my aversion to certain vaccines before and I can honestly say that if I tell you "no" and explain my decision based on research of all kinds, I expect you to respect the answer and deal with it. No means no.
5. DON'T SPEAK DOWN TO ME: I am fine with "dumbing down" medical terminology (though I have an associate's degree that required me to take medical terminology AND years of anatomy under my belt from high school courses). What I don't like is being spoken to like a child, or worse, like someone who's illiterate.
That pretty well sums up the important factors (aside from the obvious, well-trained) for me. It's not the same for everyone but if a doctor doesn't meet these standards, they can kiss my happy ass goodbye as their patient.
1. MAMA KNOWS BEST: While a doctor is trained in the medical areas, I stand firm to the adage that "mama knows best." I know my own body and my children better than a doctor. If I'm taking my child to a physician, it means that they're due for a well check or I know something's really wrong. With that being said, I do NOT like doctors telling me what I NEED to do with my kids or my own body. I appreciate the advice and I'll take it into consideration when researching and weighing my options but don't tell me what I HAVE to do. I think there are far too many antibiotics, antidepressants, and other drugs being handed out way too easily now and I prefer to let my body do what God created it to as often as possible.
2. LET'S TRY.... One of my favorite phrases to hear (especially from the pediatrician) is "Let's try...." It implies that the physician is willing to give some different, less drug-related options a try before jumping right into Medicine Heaven. Maybe that means trying Behavior Modification Therapy for ADHD or Sensory Processing Disorder. Maybe that means using the inhaler/nebulizer "as needed" and seeing how it goes before prescribing a daily regimen. Maybe that means suggesting locally produced honey instead of allergy medication or possibly even flushing with saline to prevent the allergies from taking over.. The fact is that these words tell me that there's some wiggle room and they're willing to work WITH me instead of telling me what to do.
3. BEDSIDE MANNER: For me, the preferred bedside manner is straight forward but not pushy. There's a rather thick line between explaining what's going on and telling me that my child's going to perish if I don't get a flu shot.
4. RESPECT THE ANSWER "NO": I know I've covered my aversion to certain vaccines before and I can honestly say that if I tell you "no" and explain my decision based on research of all kinds, I expect you to respect the answer and deal with it. No means no.
5. DON'T SPEAK DOWN TO ME: I am fine with "dumbing down" medical terminology (though I have an associate's degree that required me to take medical terminology AND years of anatomy under my belt from high school courses). What I don't like is being spoken to like a child, or worse, like someone who's illiterate.
That pretty well sums up the important factors (aside from the obvious, well-trained) for me. It's not the same for everyone but if a doctor doesn't meet these standards, they can kiss my happy ass goodbye as their patient.
What Little Girls Are Made Of...
In my humble opinion, the old rhymes I heard as a child weren't always accurate. For example, the following is one I highly disagree with:
Sugar and spice and all that is nice; that's what little girls are made of
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails; that's what little boys are made of
Let's ignore the obvious sexism and favoritism in this little poem because everyone's entitled to their opinion. Let's also ignore it because I believe there is a degree of humor intended in this little ditty.
With that being said, I believe the poems should go a little more like this.....
Pouty lips, princesses, fairies and queens
Saying "you're ugly" just to be mean
Drama and whining and puppy dog eyes
When you don't get what you want, you should cry
BUT sweet little tutus and generous hugs
the way that they EEK when they see a big bug
Smiles and dollies and fun little tales
A kiss and encouragement when you feel like you fail
Hearts just as big as the universe wide
"Mom, it's okay" when you're just not sure why
Seeing your dreams come alive every day
....THAT'S what girls are made of
Dirt and farts and smells you can't pin
Getting angry and pouty every time you don't win
Staying up late and gross messy rooms
Pretending you don't know how to use a broom
BUT sensitive hearts underneath all that mud
Trying to be brave when their heads take a THUD!
Calling you super mom and saying you're best
Playing legos quietly when you have to get rest
Making you proud by opening doors
Acting a gentleman, manners galore
Making you realize you're doing a good job
....THAT'S what boys are made of.
Then again, maybe I'm a little biased.
Sugar and spice and all that is nice; that's what little girls are made of
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails; that's what little boys are made of
Let's ignore the obvious sexism and favoritism in this little poem because everyone's entitled to their opinion. Let's also ignore it because I believe there is a degree of humor intended in this little ditty.
With that being said, I believe the poems should go a little more like this.....
Pouty lips, princesses, fairies and queens
Saying "you're ugly" just to be mean
Drama and whining and puppy dog eyes
When you don't get what you want, you should cry
BUT sweet little tutus and generous hugs
the way that they EEK when they see a big bug
Smiles and dollies and fun little tales
A kiss and encouragement when you feel like you fail
Hearts just as big as the universe wide
"Mom, it's okay" when you're just not sure why
Seeing your dreams come alive every day
....THAT'S what girls are made of
Dirt and farts and smells you can't pin
Getting angry and pouty every time you don't win
Staying up late and gross messy rooms
Pretending you don't know how to use a broom
BUT sensitive hearts underneath all that mud
Trying to be brave when their heads take a THUD!
Calling you super mom and saying you're best
Playing legos quietly when you have to get rest
Making you proud by opening doors
Acting a gentleman, manners galore
Making you realize you're doing a good job
....THAT'S what boys are made of.
Then again, maybe I'm a little biased.
Coconut Oil for Moisturizing
Since I touched on "The Oil Cleansing Method" (which I am in love with for facial cleansing), I would also like to touch on using coconut oil for moisturizing my body. Maybe I am spoiled with Bath & Body Works thick creamy lotions but I have tried this coconut oil for months now and it's a no-go. It leaves me feeling dry a few hours after and has an oily feeling to start with (obviously because it's oil). I am NOT a fan, quite honestly.
Yes, I understand the risks of "artificial toxins" being put into my body. I've read the research. With that being said, call me crazy or selfish, I love my Bath & Body Works. I love the smell of it, the cream without oil, AND the way it keeps me from itching for an entire 24 hour period if applied right after a shower.
So keep your coconut oil for cooking and take a trip to the mall, in my opinion. It'll be well worth your while :)
Yes, I understand the risks of "artificial toxins" being put into my body. I've read the research. With that being said, call me crazy or selfish, I love my Bath & Body Works. I love the smell of it, the cream without oil, AND the way it keeps me from itching for an entire 24 hour period if applied right after a shower.
So keep your coconut oil for cooking and take a trip to the mall, in my opinion. It'll be well worth your while :)
The Miraculous Face Washing Regimen I'm in Love With
I confess that I was skeptical, to say the least, of a method of face-washing that added MORE oil to my skin, being that my skin already has adequate lubrication. With that being said, I was willing to try anything to deal with the rogue pimples and "bac(k)ne" that had invaded my shoulders and upper back. I found this method on Pinterest and decided to give it a try and IT WORKS! I've been doing it for two straight months and I am in love with this method. Not only does it give me an incredible, healthy glow but it keeps my skin feeling smooth and soft. I'm sold!
http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/
http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/
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