Stop Already!!!

There is a new photo circulating on Facebook today.  One of a not someone posted on a gas pump (apparently feeling they were clever).  This note basically says that the high price of gas is due to President Obama.  That gas started going up when he became President.

Let's first explore just how it is wrong at the face of it.  A basic Google search will lead you to numerous sites that show the progression of gas and the increased prices.  So we find that it can easily be seen in 2004 when outcry's over the subject really started to come to fruition.  I found a posting for the gas free day in that year. BTW, that will never work.  See, we use gas in many forms, so one day of people not pumping is not going to stop the price from increasing.  Obama was not President in 2004. 

Now let's get to the blaming of Obama.  It seems that EVERYTHING that goes wrong or irritates someone is because of Obama.  It reminds me of when I was in high school and everything that happened, every illness or oddity was because of El Nino.  (You remember that too don't you?)  Really people, when are you going to stop?  Being President does not mean you get to speak and it's done.  Have we not learned that through all the fighting, bickering, etc in Congress? 

In fact, the issue with gas is the fault of the entire government.  No one has the balls to stand up against the oil companies.  Why? Simple.  Elections are not won by votes but by money.  If you think I am just being paranoid then you really are naive.  Is it really even a case of supply and demand?  I don't think so.  Not when year after year these oil companies are turning the highest profits ever. 

Now go forth and try to put a cap on the stupid.  Though watchers of FoxNews will still tell you you are wrong, that you have been brain washed, etc.  They are a special breed aren't they? 

Best Invention

Today is a very rainy super dark day.  I already have been feeling ill since yesterday.  I really do not feel like doing much of anything. 

Best thing ever invented has to be the crockpot.  I already have to be up to get the kids feed and off to school so I just popped a roast in and quartered an onion to add flavor.  By dinner tonight it will be ready!

I am so thankful for it.  Everything just seems to be pointing that this is why the crockpot was invented.  Now after I take the youngest to school and mail some bills, I can rest until time to get them. 

Another Piece of my Childhood

This evening I was doing my normal general search on the web when I found out.  Jan Berenstain co creator of the Berenstain Bears died today. 

I understand that her son has been helping with the books since her husband passed but it still feels like an end to the books I love. 

In fact, I love the books so much that my daughters are apt to buy them just because they know how much I enjoy them. Heck, I am even a fan on Facebook and have borrowed the dvds from the library.  Last year a new breed of yard sale, the online yard sale started to blossom in our area.  It was there that I found about 10 more of their books to add to my collection.  I also have been wanting the new Bible they came out with. 

There are so many great memories that include reading those books.  They are so sweet and teach great lessons.  They create this amazing town and images that I wished many times to live in a tree like they do.  Here I am at 31 still saying that the bench they have in the book is the type I want for our porches. 

I am hoping that they still have many great ideas planned for the books and that they do not get lost over time.  As for our family, I will keep sharing a wonderful treasure I have known since childhood.

Here goes nothing

These are the seeds Ava and I purchases today.  Now we rent and do not have a yard but it looks like we are planning on having a garden. 

I had gotten a tomato plant when the girls were 3 and 4 and just as my little green tomatoes were getting bigger Ava plucked them.  : (  Still sad about that.  She assures me that this year she will not do that. 

Now we do not get much direct sunlight so I am thinking of trying to plant most of this in containers. Maybe once they start to really grow well I can transfer into the small area in the back of our home?  Still not sure what to do but I know I have until April - June since every one of these packs have that as the sow time. 

Really I am hoping that this works since after reading all the weird things the government is doing to our foods I want to eat more natural.  It would be great to grow them on my own since organic foods are so high priced.  Since the government is going to crack down on junk food you would think they would help lower the cost of fresh foods.  Then again they do like to engineer foods.  (seriously read up on it if you think you can stomach it). 

The peppers and tomatoes need to first be planted inside for about a month and a half.  Maybe that will give them a fighting chance to survive.  Maybe the landlord would cut back the trees around our back porch so we can plant better in the area back there.  It never hurts to ask. 

Everyone pray that we can do this and it turns out well.  I love the idea of being able to grow our own foods, have them handy, and eventually have enough to start canning. 

Ahh I can picture it now.  Bright sunny day.  Walking in with a basket of veggies from our garden to cook for dinner. 

Clothing Of The Future - Clothing in The Year 2000

They were pretty close in some areas. Women have done away with skirts for the most part. Plus, at the end with the man and how he has a phone, well we do carry cell phones around. Now if I could only find a guy with the candy for cuties. : )

Also I love the sound effect around 1:05.

Secret Sister

At MOPS we are doing Secret Sister exchanges.  As moms we tend to get forgotten so it's a nice thing to do for one another.  Plus once a month we send a card to our sister and that helps since normally all the mail is are bills.

This month one of the gifts from my Secret Sister was a Valentine Cookie Pop kit.  She sent it with a note that the girls and I could make them together. 

Katherine went to stay with my mom and Ava wanted to do lots of fun things with Mommy.  So today we made them.

 

 

Ava adding the candy heart sprinkles

Ava and I had fun making them.  She got to lick the icing from the bowl and everything.  Now to wait for them to dry. 

Thanks for the great gift Secret Sister! 

Another Reminder

The other day Ava and I were cleaning her room up.  I know, Ava cleaning?  Well she wanted the Hello Kitty wall decals up but I told her not until her room was neat. 

As we were cleaning she found a pile of binkys.  What can I say?  I took them away from her but could not let them go. 

Of course once she found them we had to let them go.  She thought we were donating them and was fine with that.  When I told her the truth that they needed thrown away she was sad.  She then said she needed a picture to remember them. 

We have now thrown them away and it's sad.  Another reminder to me that the girls are growing up and not babies anymore. 

Stupid stuff you hear when you have daughters

1.  "Awe you are so lucky to be able to get cute girlie items." ----  Just because that is the gender does not make them just love all things pink and frilly.  Walk into my girls rooms and you will see matchbox cars, posters from Cars and Toy Story, books about dinosaurs and ninjas, etc.

2.  "Wish I had a girl to dress them up in cute dresses."  -----  Katherine would cry and refuse to wear anything dress like when she was 2 and 3.  Also dressing up a young child?  Really?  They get into so many messes and kids clothes may be small but still come with a big price tag.

3.  "Girls are so much calmer than boys" ---- Trust me, these little balls of energy are just as hyper as boys.  Lord knows everyday I have to remind them that fighting is not a game so stop play fighting. 

4.  " Girls are easier to potty train." ---- Let's see boys can aim at Cheerios to potty train.  What can girls do?  yeah think about that. 

5.  "Girls are so emotional". ---- Yes but I have seen many boys have diva fits too.  Something tells me it has to do with the age more so than gender.

6. "Girls are better behaved." ---- My children behave because I have taught and enforced polite behaviors.  This may also be because people like to use the old "boys will be boys" and let them act however.  Trust me, we have a son he will listen the same as my girls.

I hope you enjoyed this short list.  I am in the process of working on the laundry before the kids get home from school.  Who knows I may think of more later.  Now go forth and make sure never to utter any of the mentioned stupid comments.  : )

Anniversary

I can not remember the specific day but know what time of year it was.  So I have officially gone 1 year since I last cut myself.  Well cut myself on purpose - I do tend to get clumsy in the kitchen. 

So if anyone out there is have a hard time with self mutilation, you can get past it.  It's hard and takes time but is achievable.  7 years ago I wouldn't have thought I could stop.  At the height of it I could have a dozen cuts at any given time.  The past several years seemed like I would do well but not be able to make it an entire year.

Cutting is a way to handle pain.  It's not done for attention.  It becomes natural.  That is to say, I would start to feel bad and automatically when for the blade.   It was during a time like that that I realized I needed help.  I hadn't even realized I had grabbed the scissors.

Here I am now, a year cut free.  Still trying to handle stress and pain but also finding healthy ways to do it.  I still get urges and probably always will.  It's the same principle as alcoholics, they will always be alcoholics.  I will always be a cutter and need to be able to recognize the triggers and signs so I can avoid falling back into it.

Good luck to all who are fighting the same battle of pain.  If you know someone who is harming themselves encourage them to get help.  Being able to talk it out, to hear others going through the same feelings, or just being able to journal and have a place to vent everything.

It takes time but will get better.

Book

I finally found a book that has caught my interest and has held it.  I have had a number of let downs this year.  Actually was going to just give up reading until one of my favorite authors came out with another one. Luckily I found a book to read and am loving it. 

It is a mystery but soft boiled. Nothing super gruesome.  We all know the rule is to get through three chapters of a book because most get interesting then.  Well, I was hooked and wanting to read more from the start.

The main character is in her late 40s and just got fired from the newspaper she works at.  Before leaving she looked up the ads and found a new job.  She then goes to work reading manuscripts.  No one seems to last through the intern part but she has bills to pay and a teenage son in college to try and pay for.  On her first day there is a murder at the office.  She feels she owes it to the deceased to find out who would do such a thing and the tangled web starts. 

This is really a great book to read.  The author has created a very charming town and made sure to add fun characters.  (Did I mention the main characters mother is a psychic and predicted the murder?) 

Definitely one I would suggest you check out.

When Mommy is sick

Last night as I was sleeping I started to feel sick on my stomach.  Hoping it was just from laying on my stomach I went back to sleep.  This morning I am still feeling under the weather.  In fact, the weather is dreary, cold, and rainy today here so maybe I match it. 

What does it mean when Mommy is sick?  Guilt.  See this Mommy does not drive.  Someone picks Katherine up in the mornings so she is at school now, but Ava is in Pre K and they go half day.  I tried ask the one mom I have a number for if her son was going today but have not gotten an answer.  Therefore, Ava gets to stay home with Mommy. 

I feel bad.  She likes school and will be upset to miss it.  I just know I am not up to the walk down and back. 

Ugh.  Feeling sick and guilty..... not a fun day.

boredom buster - crayon making

This past weekend we were just sitting around the house due to snow/ rain.  I was cleaning up a pencil case of crayons that had been knocked over and thought about the colorful swirled crayons we had when I was younger.  Not sure what happened to them but I have not seen any anywhere.  I loved them!  So I thought since we have so many crayons we would make our own.

It's really easy.  Set the oven to 350 degrees.  Choose what mold or pan you would like to use.  We used a standard muffin tin that was at the dollar tree.  The only mold I had was for pumpkins and it was too shallow which I knew would mean the crayons would break very easily.  Spray the mold with any cooking spray you have around. 

Now comes the tedious part.  I didn't realize how long it would really take so if you have small children you may want to work ahead and prep.  You need to peel the crayons.  Get all the paper off and if some are really gluey just rub your fingers over it and the glue comes off.

Here are my girls peeling.  (We had already finger painted that day too).  You will judge how many you need depending on your mold. 

Peeled and ready to go.  The girls LOVED the next step.  Maybe because they are always told to be careful with their crayons.  Have you guessed it?  That's right.....

Time to break the crayons!  Now if you are using broken crayons already you can probably skip this step.  If you are using mainly whole crayons like we did, I snapped them in three pieces each to fit.  Again, it depends on your mold. 

We filled the muffin cups about half way.  It seemed like a good size.  They will melt down but I also wanted them to melt completely.

Put them in the oven for 7 - 8 minutes.  This is what they looked like when melted.  It actually only took about 20 minutes for them to cool completely.  Thanks to the cooking spray they were easy to pop out too.

We ended up with three for each girl.  They love them and had so much fun making them.  This morning one of Katherine's friends came here before school and I heard Katherine telling her how we made them.  A very simple useful craft to make.                                                                                                                           

Progress

Again this months habit is decluttering on the FlyLady program.  I have been slowly working at it.  Now I'm not sure if I have been doing the 15 minutes a day because I don't just sit down and say "Okay 15 minutes starting now".  I have just been more free with releasing items. 

My Ava is getting taller and so her 3t clothes that still fit on the waist are too short.  Again, this is where MOPS comes in handy.  I have sent all the clothes to a friend there, Heather.  What she doesn't want or need for her daughter I am guessing she gives to someone else or sends it to the host churches clothing closet. 

We have already gotten rid of toys.  They went to MOPS, mom friends, and Goodwill. 

I have a box of magazines here for another mom at MOPS.  Not sure if she will like them all but I am sure she will find something to do with them.  If nothing else let her little boy tear them up.  Katherine and Ava used to love doing that as babies/ toddlers.  It also kept them from wanting to use our books to destroy.

There is still a lot to go through but I am doing better.  I even started throwing away all the work sheets the girls bring home from school.  They can stay if the teachers wrote something special on them or if it is a picture with a story that my girls created.  Don't worry, I do it when they are not around so they don't get upset or think I don't care about their work.

My living room is starting to clear out now.  Definite progress has been made.

Choosing

"Its not my fault I have anger problems depression anxiety. You should be mad at the people who caused it not me."

This is what I found posted by someone on Facebook.  (She is fond of the passive aggressive posts).

 I want to respond to it but know that it's pointless.  However I feel it needs addressed somewhere so why not my blog?

First of all, we all have issues.  There is no exempt clause in life that everyone else can have issues but you need to be coddled.   That you're issues are worse than others.  

Second, and the point of this blog, you are choosing to act this way.  To act in a way that apparently blame needs placed.  Yes you may have issues triggered by someone or something but YOU chose how to handle it.  I for years cut.  I could have blamed someone else but I am the one that picked up the blade.  I am the one that chose to be around people that tended to work as a trigger.  

You are an adult and need to stop playing victim.  Go get help for your issues.  Learn to control anger.  Part of growing up is that you are held accountable for your actions.  Just because someone may say something that angers you does not give you the right to just lash out and then blame them.  

I know about anxiety and that in a moment of panic you become easily irritated.  Well at least I do because I am trying to focus to stop the panic attack and something may be distracting me.  

And as hard as what I am about to say may be for some to read, you are most likely the core person that is causing these issues.  You have to be mature enough and honest enough to see you are mad because people are not doing and saying the things you want them to be doing or saying.  That is control.  You want to control everything.  Thing is, people are not puppets, they chose for themselves what they will do and say.  If they are not what you are looking to be around or maybe let you down because they don't do as they say they will, then you need to walk away.  They are not the type of person you are looking for to add to your life.  

I just get irrated when I see things like this.  I understand people come to it in their own time. I just wish they would open their eyes. 

When Daddy has a birthday

This is what we make him wear......

Poor Daddy and the things we make him do.  What can i say?  The girls thought he needed a party hat and then they saw this at Dollar Tree.  You have to admit, it is funnier than a standard party hat would be.  Though I see it and immediately think of the Statue of Liberty. 

So he worked but was home around 5.  We made a devils food cake for him and dyed the white frosting blue (his favorite color), made sausage casserole (his favorite), and decorated with balloons and streamers in the living room for when he walked through the door. 

Our "party" theme was space.  We had left over candles, blowers, and table clothes from Katherine's Toy Story party last year.  This year she found these Star Wars cups at Walmart for .87.  It was the way to compromise since she wanted me to buy the entire Star Wars party collection for Daddy.  (Funny enough Ava said the same thing when it was dinner time). 

We have fun in our little family.  Daddy appreciates it.  Last year the girls had the theme of Dinosaurs for him.  Kind of wondering what they will come up with next year.

100th Day of School - The Outfit

So you have read our story of the "100" project.  The kids also had a note sent home to dress for the day.  Now, I thought of it in a dressing for dinner way (so did others. dont judge). 

Nope needed to be something that was about the 100th day of school.  What do you do when you have no clue?  Google it.  Turns out most schools that actually dress for it have the kids dress up as they would if they were 100 years old.  That would have been a easier idea but no.  My search turned up nothing.

Enter Pinterest.  Again nothing.  I tried several different ways of saying for the 100th day of school.  Then I was getting just classroom ideas.  No clothing ideas.  Finally when I was about to lose my mind I found one.  A woman had made a alien/ monster shape and put 100 googly eyes on it.  Easy enough right?  Read on.

I was able to use the puffy paint that our MOPS group has in the craft supplies.  Great!  We don't have the money to waste for all this stuff - this would help.  Next I was going to use an old t shirt at home, I mean, if it had stains we would cover them with the eyes right?  Nope.  Katherine has been growing as young children generally do.  We didn't have any plan shirts in the 7/8 size we needed. 

This makes our shopping list go from just googly eyes to the eyes and a t shirt.  Hurray!  The lady at Walmart was marking down shirts to 3.00.  Thing is they were turtle necks. Katherine doesn't like them.  I beg, reason, and even told her we would buy size 10/12 so there would be lots of room.  She mumbled and agreement but I knew that would just mean another argument later.  Finally got a plain long sleeve shirt (you would think they would be marked down too would you?)  for almost 6.00. 

Off we go for the eyes.  We needed 100 so we got two packs of 75 which was about 4.00.  They were peel and stick so I thought okay no need for fabric glue.  She only needs it one day right?  Wrong.  Katherine wants it to stick forever.  She likes the alien idea and plans on wearing it again. 

Turns out Pinterest has no recipes for making fabric glue.  I finally found one on ehow and was assured I could make it with things around the house.  Well we do not stock pectin or glycerin here.  Fabric glue?  almost 7.00 a bottle.  No generic versions available.  Finally I found two fabric glue pens.  They cost 4.00. 

We get home.  It's bedtime.  Daddy takes the girls up while I start the project.  You would think that it would be simple.  Nope.  It took 45 minutes to make.  The alien itself was about 5 minutes, but those eyes.  Oy those eyes.  They wanted to stick to me, they were getting in the paint, and just an over all pain.

So this simple shirt that should have been easy and cheap ended up being almost $15.  I don't know about you but I do not even buy shirts that much for me.  Katherine has it though and loved it when I surprised her with the finished product this morning.  She loves the sound it makes when she walks too.  Now I am praying the eyes make it through the washing (after the required 48 hours as the glue states).  Oh and Katherine will not be wearing it again.  We are saving that for Ava to wear next year.  Though knowing my luck she will have the other teacher that just wanted the kids to wear their school shirts they got for a previous field trip.

100th Day of School - The Buttons

For the past week we have been prepping for this day.  Katherine's teacher sent home a big 100 for her to decorate with 100 things.  Did she choose stickers, the simple solution?  Nope.  Macaroni or beans which we have?  Nope.  She wanted buttons.  We have a place about 40 minutes from us that sells them but their hours are off from ours.  Also, the buttons are all gray - what fun is that?  Finally we don't have the money to buy super unnecessary items.

Luckily a woman I know mentioned having to clean out her crafting supplies a few months ago.  So one post on her Facebook page and three people responded that they had them.  Now I said to all of them to bring the buttons ( I wanted to make sure we had 100).  One woman kept forgetting, another had a few and even showed them to me but never gave me any, but luckily the original one I had asked was able to drop them off to me. 

Turns out they were different shades of purple (Katherine's favorite color) and she had 101 because her daughter had wanted buttons when she was in Kindergarten for the 100th day.  It worked out perfectly. 

These buttons were not going to stay on the poster board with Elmers glue.  Luckily my mother had given me a hot glue gun this past fall.  This meant that I was going to be the one actually gluing since Katherine is too small to use it.  Still I had to make sure she had actually done something to make it.  What to do?  What to do?  Of course GLITTER! 

So I helped get the glue all around the button maze and she poured on the glitter.  Good thing I did it because we couldn't find regular school glue.  That would have been too easy.  All I had was tacky glue and boy was it hard to squeeze out.

However we did it and it looks cute.  Now it is the teachers turn to figure out how to hang such a heavy poster.  : ) 

February means a new habit

So we kept our sinks shining last month and it is now habit right everyone?  Yeah, I didn't reshine it every night either but we have kept the dishes cleaned instead of letting them pile up.  Even when we let them go at night we get to them the next day - this is progress.  Right now I have some things from a dip I made for last nights MomsNext meeting, there are a few plates from the hoagies we ate last night, and the spoons and bowls from breakfast this morning.  I will get them all cleaned after I blog and the world will be right again.  : ) 

This month we will be decluttering for 15 minutes everyday.  As I look around this room I can say, "Yep.  I need this habit". 

What does it entail?  Well for 15 minutes you work on one spot (doing a whole room can get distracting and so nothing seems to get done).  In that time what ever you touch you decide to keep, throw out, or donate/ give away.  No second guessing yourself - go with your gut on this.  A great guideline FlyLady sets is think do you love this item?  If not get rid of it. 

Now I come from a place of "what if I need it"?  Well, honestly I tend to forget we have it because we aren't using it or I can not find it.  Hard to find that one thing when you keep everything.  I have been working on this and it is hard. Read past blogs and you will see I mention the difficulty I have in getting rid of items, especially my girls stuff. 

So this month I will continue this habit.  Of course that means my fellow MOPS moms may be getting more clutter for their homes.   : ) 

Oh and when your 15 minutes are done, throw away the trash pile and also take the giveaway pile out to the car.  This will help you fight the second guessing.  Also keeps it out of sight if your kids come home and see you are getting rid of old toys.  Amazing how they haven't played with an item in months but it is suddenly their favorite toy ever. 

Clearing clutter really does make you feel better.  I know when I was doing really well on the FlyLady program before I was happier.  The stuff everywhere really does cause stress.  The stress then has negative influence on the family and also ourselves. 

Happy cleaning!