|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 If I do say so myself, I have a few mad mothering skills. Now, I may no longer be able to exclaim (with a fist in the air), “I have a mind like a steel trap!” but sometimes I do not give myself enough credit. I can be pretty self-deprecating when it comes to acknowledging my strengths, but honestly, there are some things I do that I am quite impressed with. If we are to survive at all, us mothers must recognize the amazing feats we accomplish daily.
For example, I have ALL kid-food items’ microwave cooking times completely memorized down to the perfect second. Macaroni and Cheese Easy Pouch?! Two-thirds cup water and three minutes – no more, no less! Graduates Lil’ Entrees cups and trays?! Forty-five seconds (even though the package says thirty seconds)!! Michelina’s smiley face potatoes and chicken?! Two minutes, thirty seconds!! Four Tyson Chicken Fries?! Twenty seconds, flip, twenty seconds!! Hah! I could go on, but you get the point.
I feel this is something to be very proud of. Also, I cannot resist pointing out the fact that anytime my husband needs to heat something up, he has to yell to wherever I am and ask how long the item cooks. I smugly yell back, “Three minutes.” I’m sure other mothers will now think, “I know, geesh, why can’t they READ the package themselves and problem solve accordingly?” But I’ll just say you thought it, and I didn’t say a word.
At the same time I am deftly preparing two entire dinners through microwave cooking (one dinner for my husband and me, and one dinner for the little maniac, of course), I can also step around play cars and tipped tractors (anyone who has seen Disney Pixar Cars as many times as me knows what tipped tractors are) while “disciplining” my child (e.g., “Stop! Get out of the way! Not right now!”). Impressive, huh?
If you have ever had two loads of laundry going while preparing a mental list of groceries, while watering the plants, while the waffle cooks in the toaster oven for your child, you know where I am coming from. Give yourself a pat on the back. We rock. Our skills cannot be denied, and we are allowed to be in awe of ourselves. I gotta go. I need to get back to watching Oprah and reading Us Weekly at the same time while planning our next dinner so I can maximize the time I have before my husband and son come home.
www.pampersandpinot.blogspot.com
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Coupons can be acquired from several different sources. I will explain to you a few of the sources that I know of that you can use to start building up your coupon supply.
The Sunday newspaper inserts are your best place to find coupons. Every Sunday you can expect to see 1-4 inserts in your paper. They will range from Proctor and Gamble, General Mills, Red Plum and Smart Source.
Double Coupon 101
Let's say you have a $.35 coupon if a store doubles it's worth $.70, but if you have a $.75 coupon it will only be double up to $1.00 and if you have a $1.00 coupon it will just be $1.00.
Here in Colorado we have two major retailers that doubles coupons everyday King Soopers (City Market) and Safeway. Albertsons do double coupons, but you have to watch their ads because it's not all the time!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When I turned 40, Botox and bifocals became part of my life. So did an extra five pounds which took up residence just above my beltline.
Far worse, however, are the medical situations that those I love face. From my husband's aging joints to my father's many ailments, it's not fun to see any of them suffer. Worse yet, funerals are coming more often.
On Tuesday, we will bury my great aunt for whom I was named. Carey never had any children of her own, and instead spoiled all of her sisters' kids. Being the youngest in my generation, I probably received more than my fair share of spoiling.
Aunt Carey made the most exquisite doll clothes and furnishings for me. For birthdays, I would meet the postman with delight, tearing into the boxes containing Madame Alexander dolls with complete wardrobes. I can still picture many of the clothes today, despite a house fire that destroyed most of them just days after my eleventh birthday. The Barbie houses, made of boxes with wallpaper coverings, came complete with curtains and puffy chairs crafted from half-open tuna cans.
Aunt Carey was prolific with her hand-beaded Christmas ornaments. Many of my parents' friends ended up with several apiece, with plenty to spare for ourselves. Her sister (my grandmother) and I each tried our hand at making these balls, but with only laughable results by comparison.
Aunt Carey even made Easter ornaments out of egg-shaped forms. These were hung from white branches with Easter "grass" at the base. They were so lovely that a crafters' magazine featured a picture of me as a tot, proudly showcasing this treasure.
We will miss Aunt Carey, but I know that she is now with Uncle George, singing with the angels. Our loss, his gain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-->
I have been known to be called a patient person. I have a Bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education. I have Masters and Specialists degrees in educational and school psychology. I have been a classroom teacher, special education teacher, and school psychologist. I deal with children everyday. I am a Positive Behavior Supports Coach. I have read all about Love and Logic parenting and teaching. HOWEVER, when I am home after work, getting dinner ready, and my own child is whining (ooohh, the whining), all I can do sometimes is GROAN LOUDLY and growl, “Stop! UGH!” You would think there would be a reservoir of strategies. But sometimes, none of that matters when you are a tired working mother, especially when dealing with whining. I am surprised whining does not cut glass. Or at least make it vibrate a little. It gives me an eye twitch. I used to think that the t-shirts that said something like, “Mommy drinks because you cry,” were terrible, but now I kind of get it. While my eyes roll back in my head for a moment and I take a big, deep breath, I will TRY to be a good mommy and say (in a sing-songy voice), “I will listen when you talk nice,” and then calmly go along with what I am doing until I hear “nice talk.” Barf. All I really have to say is whining sucks. And it’s killing me slowly.
www.pampersandpinot.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February is NOT my favorite month. What with my parents' "not" anniversary on the seventh, overblown expectations on the 14th, and another two months or more of snow to be expected, what's to like? Also, does anyone else hate the fact that we have to pay bills on a shorter paycheck (being self-employed, I only have 27 or 28 days to make as much money as in 30-31 day months)?
Here comes March! April brings Easter and my little one's birthday, two noteworthy events. April brings us one month closer to summer, when I don't have to plan my travels according to the weather forecast. April brings us one month closer to spending more time with my two schoolagers.
Let's all march into march with a renewed attitude to enjoy what's left of winter and to plan ahead for the best spring and summer ever! What do you want to do with it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We all need different ideas on how to approach parenthood. One thing is for sure, we all don't have the time or money to go seek the advice of a family therapist. We are giving away a copy of Gary Unruh's new book Unleashing the Power of Parental Love. Post a question to Gary or send us an email at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. Tune in to Channel 5 Sunday and Monday morning for more information about Gary and his book. Below are some of the great things from the book.
Children are born fundamentally good. A child's life-sustaining need, equal to food, is to feel "I'm good,""I'm lovable," and to avoid "I'm bad."
A child's joy and self-confidence is dependent on the degree to which parents focus on the good at the center of their child. I call this the unleashed power of parental love.
Consistently focusing on the child's good requires a difficult but achievable learned skill: consistently setting aside your own thoughts and feelings at the beginning of a conflict and concentrating instead on those of your child.
This parental-love skill of consistently focusing on the child's good is best achieved when the parent learns and applies key human-condition information during a parent-child exchange.
For information go to www.unleashingparentallove.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
So the shoe has dropped. My little guy has RSV. Have you ever noticed it's really hard to absorb what the pediatrician is saying when your child is biting you in the leg and throwing himself into walls? Anyway, from what I gleaned from the conversation it could get really bad. I need to just watch him. So I am watching him, not right now because I'm on the computer, but like every ten minutes I'm watching him........
So here are my questions 719 Moms, be charitable and lend me your expertise!
- Have you had a child with RSV?
- What can I expect?
- What can I do to make him feel better?
- What can I feed him? His throat hurts!
- How long does it last?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For crying out loud, people, why can’t it be normal to wear gowns as a swimming suit? And if this can’t be normal, then why can’t cellulite and varicose veins be considered beautiful? You may ask, “Why is Kristy ranting so?”
Well, you guessed it.
I did a little swim suit shopping today.
Well, I did a little swim suit shopping in my own home. I ordered a variety of one-pieces with new “magic” sucking-in technology, some with skirts attached, some with detachable skirts, some with sashes and things that can serve a variety of functions (the primary function being DISTRACTION from above-mentioned cellulite, veins, and bulgy things).
I did end up choosing one that caused the least amount of psychotic babble. I sounded like my son, repeating over and over, “Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, dear.”
There is a bit of relief in at least having the damn thing chosen. Now the only step left is to buy a few bottles of self-tanner and wonder just how much I can slather on to make a difference in the appearance of my pasty legs.
You may ask, “Why is Kristy so worried about this in February in Colorado with snow on the ground?”
Well, Spring Break is coming, and no, I am not going to do what I secretly and guiltily picture myself doing sometimes (dancing on the beach too drunk to care what I look like and being wildly excited that “Shoop” by Salt N Pepa just came on. I can here you now, ladies! “Here I go, here I go, here I go again! What’s my weakness? Men!”).
I digress.
My family’s plan for Spring Break is visiting the extended fam in Phoenix, and of course, spending some time at the pool. And here’s the thing, in spite of the body and swim suit issues, I am really, truly looking forward to taking my son to the pool. Parker loves the water. It will be great to see his little two year old face light up when he goes to the pool for the first time again since last summer. I’ll be damned if I let my own insecurities get in the way of having fun with my child. I’ll be the one at the pool, in a black Lycra gown, holding my precious two year old. I’ll have a big silly grin on my face, living it up, and enjoying the best things in life. It took me many years and one child to realize that the BEST things in life are not tanned, toned thighs and a flat stomach. The best things in life are the people you love and who love you (cellulite and all).
pampersandpinot.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This week, I lost 24 hours to computer woes. It began innocently enough when I tried to sync my old PDA with my daughter's profile on my laptop with remote tech assistance. Inexplicably, this seemed to take down my Excel. When a second agent attempted to fix it, my whole Microsoft Office suite was wiped out - Outlook, Word, all of it. It was not possible to reinstall Office using the CD I have because my CD drive was fried! This was not a good night in our household.
The next day, my husband purchased an external CD drive for $100. When tech support called (they are in Florida and were closing when the Office issue was in full swing), it took another three hours to get Office up and running and to do a backup to my hard drive and a defrag of my C drive.
All of this came just as I blogged on pikespeakparent.com about what I recommend we all do for the homeless in our city. Talk about feeling spoiled, shallow and yet grateful! I am spoiled to live in a warm home with running water and food in the pantry. I am shallow to think, even for a moment, that a computer and its documents matter much in the long run. I am grateful that God has seen fit to give me these conveniences.
For what are you grateful?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am a hobby blogger. (Now, pay attention, this could get confusing!) I think that means my hobby is blogging about my other hobbies. I started my own website with four, (yes I'm a glutton for punishment) separate blogs. I was just having fun and messin' around. Imagine my surprise when, after asking My719Moms.com to do a link exchange with me I was invited to become a featured blogger and join the amazing moms already on the site. So hello to all you Colorado Mommies and I hope you enjoy my contributions. Which brings me to my first blog:
"My love/hate relationship with blogging"
(Now, pay attention, this also could get confusing!) For my first blog post here at My719Moms.com, I'm going to blog about blogging.
When I first started blogging I was in a rut. Ordering out for dinners and our family time consisted of "lets see who can pick up the most toys". I know! Sad huh? I'm not proud of it, but there it is. After starting my blogs which included kids crafting and recipes I found that I was actually making dinner for my family! Did you know that the metal box in the kitchen heats up to cook food!? Amazing! Of course I was taking pictures of the food before we could eat it, much to the annoyance of my two yr old. (He just hasn't the time for proper staging and lighting!)
Another amazing thing happened. For my crafts blog my kids and I started spending REAL time together. Well, I should say my 2 yr old and I, my 10 month old just eats the construction paper, but hey, that still quality time, right? So my son and I do our crafts and mommy takes pictures! We have a great time! I dare say that blogging about being a mommy has in turn made me a better mommy.
Another thing I love is that blogging gives me an outlet, both creative and emotional. If I have a hard day, I blog about it and somehow it becomes an interesting story instead of a frustrating experience. Now on the creative side I get to express myself to total strangers. I'm far to shy to do such a thing in person, so the web is the only place I feel comfortable letting loose on a subject. Also, I always wanted to be a writer, but I just didn't have the patience to stick to one subject long enough for a book. (Yeah, I tried to right a novel, didn't work out to well!) So blogging is the perfect medium for a mommy with a very short attention span.
Now for what I hate about blogging. I hate that I didn't find out what exactly blogging was until recently. That’s about it. Yeah, it takes up time and I don't always have the energy for it, but the negative are so far outweighed by the positives.
In conclusion If you are at all interested in starting your own blog, go for it. Nothing to lose and so much to gain.
So that was my first blogFor My719Moms.com. Is it any good? I dunno, but it was fun to write!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Indulgences have a whole different meaning as a mother. During pre-motherhood, I spent about every weekend morning in bed, sleeping, drinking coffee, and reading. I did not even leave the bed until lunchtime! Then, I would usually eat lunch and head off to the gym. I would even work out to the tune of, “I’ll be up at the gym just working on my fitness” (Fergie). Geez, Louise, just remembering this kind of a schedule sounds downright luxurious. Well, here is my new list of indulgences. Every single one of these things brings pleasure and gratitude into my daily life (or whenever they happen).
1. Showering
2. Showering AND getting to shave my legs
3. Showering without being watched
4. Going to the restroom without being watched
5. Snacking on something without having to share it
6. Sleeping past 8:00 am
7. Watching a TV show in its entirety in one sitting
8. Fixing my hair to satisfaction
9. Putting on lotion
10. Watching a movie without computer animated graphics
11. Being in my house alone
12. Online shopping and packages arriving at the door
13. Allowing myself pancake breakfast every Sunday
14. Happy hour with girlfriends about twice a year
15. Scrapbooking without sharing my glue sticks and stickers
16. Committing to laying on the couch long enough to put a blanket over myself
As you can see, having a child really shook things up. But, that is a really good thing. Small things are so much more delightful now. What are your indulgences and daily delights?
www.pampersandpinot.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I heard an interesting thought on my guilty pleasure show (which shall remain unnamed) this week (and, yes, Janay, you know the one I mean). One character said that men aren't accused of trying to "have it all" when they combine careers with families. Why is it that women get snickers about the same aspiration?
I spoke with a mom today who has figured out that she is a better mother for the time she spends on adult pursuits, such as the book study we share. I know another mom who is juggling a full-time career with school and a part-time business. I also am finishing my degree (July 2010!) while operating my businesses (The Clutter Cutters and Buy, Sell, Organize & Stage!, plus freelance writing and editing) and serving as Director of Outreach and Training for Family Manager Coaching.
Hopefully, we mothers are moving beyond backbiting and envy over the choices other moms are making. Instead of judging and sniping, if we all can offer our support and friendship to our fellow moms/coworkers/friends, won't this be a better place for our kids? Try it. Send an encouraging note (email is fine, but extra points for pretty paper or notecard) to a lady who is trying her best to reach her God-given potential for her sake - and her family's. Offer to watch someone's kids when the inevitable car issue comes up on the worst possible day. Take a batch of soup to a mom whose entire household has the flu. You'll feel like you do have it all - and hopefully, she will, too.
|
|
|
|
|
Page 1 of 5
|
|
Subscribe to RSS Feed
