Break Ups, Shaving Legs, Pooping at School and Peri-Menopause
This has been a long week. A very long week. There have been a lot of firsts in my home for my kiddos that have been painfully new endeavors for me as a mother. Kid 3 decided it was time to shave her legs, which is a massive indicator that she is growing up, much to my dismay. It's one thing for my oldest kids to be growing up - but for one of my littler ones, not so much. And speaking of growing up, Kid 4 - the youngest, actually pooped at school. This too, is a huge, massive … Continue Reading
Judging Judgy Mc-Judgeypants
If you are reading this, than chances are you have spent some time on the internet. And you have probably heard the word 'judgy' (which isn't even a REAL word) or 'judgment' or some variation thereof thrown around with as much velocity as the 'f' word and with as much frequency as the word 'the' is used in general text. Yes, it seems that everyone is becoming or accused of being Judgy Mc-Judgypants with the same disdain that we use for armed robbers. People accuse us of judging … Continue Reading
Compassion – Who Really Gives a Rats @ss Anymore?
The other day, my 15-year-old and I were having a conversation about the state of the world. It was prompted by the Boston Bombings, and became a discussion about the tangled trail of human tragedies and her belief that people today don't really give a crap about other people. In fact, she said, "People don't really give a rats @ss about things or other people unless it is happening to them or affects them personally." I tried with a hopeful heart to point out all the good things … Continue Reading
Welcome to Yard Sale Hell! Or Not?
This spring, my family and I decided to take on a little spring project that includes revamping a 100-year-old building that is filled with junk. The building is large, and was used long ago as a store, serving biscuits and hot coffee to the miners that mined for gold and copper in my neck of the woods during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Unfortunately, for the last 50 years however, it has been 'that place' where I store everything and anything that I don't have room for in my … Continue Reading
3 Ways Cash-Strapped Parents Can Save for Their Kids’ Summer Activities
Remember when we wrote about buying clothes for girls when you're broke? Well, if you're still broke - which most of us are when we have kids (even if our income tax returns don't quite reflect that) - and you're heading into a season of summer sports and activities, you're about to find life gets a whole lot more expensive and you're probably pulling your hair out trying to determine how you can afford to do it all. You know, you've got your kids whining (errrr, asking?) if they can go to … Continue Reading
Where Has Mom-Spirational Gone? Bloggers Gone WILD!
For the amazing 5 of you who are actually subscribed to this blog - you might be worried that perhaps I have fallen off the face of the Earth or something. And for those that follow along on Facebook - it may seem like I have taken a complete hiatus from writing anything new on the blog - since its been several weeks since I have added anything new. I appreciate the deep concern. And I am here to tell you that I am okay. Totally fine. Wonderful. Hunky Dory! (You may now wipe the … Continue Reading
Can a Licensed Professional Counselor Get You OUT of the Mom Funk
A few weeks ago, I wrote my article about the Mom Funk. (If you haven't read the article check it out!) The article was inspired by my waking up one rainy morning at 6:15 am, rushing to the kitchen and realizing that making peanut butter sandwiches that early in the day - for other people (no matter how much I love those other people) was a tad depressing. After all, I do the same thing every day, at the same time every day. (Although some days, I make ham sandwiches instead of peanut … Continue Reading
Buying Clothes For Girls – (When You Are Broke)
One of the problems with kids, is that they just keep growing. That means that with each new season - I have the lovely chore of forcing the kids to try on last years clothes, only to find that their shorts are inches too short - or their shirts barely cover their mid-section, and their heels are hanging off the end of their shoes. I don't know about you, but the LAST thing that I strive for when it comes to what my kids wear, is allowing them to roam around scantily dressed … Continue Reading
That’s My Chair!!!
Kids are ridiculous creatures. Sure, we love 'em, but spend almost 24 hours in a house without a power, and you will quickly be bowing your head in gratitude for technology, and TV's and everything else in the house that makes noise and therefore entertains children. During our stint without power, the kids seemed to work extra hard to get on my nerves. At first, they were full of new world problems that were fairly insignificant compared to all the newly bought meat that I worried … Continue Reading
Special Needs Child Meets “Me” The Asshole
I hope that most of you will read beyond the title, before berating me for what I realize now was discrimination against a special needs child. This is a story about awakening, about being re-acquainted with my value for each and every human - regardless (and sometimes despite) their behavior. But mostly, this is a tale of understanding. About never forgetting. As humans - we tend to find fault or anger or make false judgment against things we don't understand. That doesn't make … Continue Reading
Habemus Papam – Lessons for All of Us
The pope. If someone were to ask me a week ago what the Pope's name was, I would have said - with some authority - Pope John Paul the (insert number). I grew up a long time ago, during the John Paul Pope eras, and under the influence of Catholic churches. We went to mass, not church. Much of what was said during church was in Latin. We had CCD, and didn't go to church on Wednesdays. Now, I live immersed in the Bible Belt. Fire and brimstone Baptist churches on nearly every … Continue Reading
Confession – I Suffer From Dentist Dental Dread
I can still remember the name of my childhood dentist. His name was Dr. Pincock, and I hated him. Back then - you know in the days when parents could care less what kind of bed side manner a physician had with their children, nothing like those at Orem Dentist ,I would sit in his chair as quietly as possible while he did whatever it was he did with my teeth. We never got cool coins after cleanings, got berated for having cavities and certainly didn't have movies to watch while we lain … Continue Reading
The Mom Funk
Behind the mask of every mother there is at some point an undefinable emotion curdling under the surface that reeks of sour milk. It hits each of us at random times, and no matter what - we, as women, refuse to talk about it with anyone but our closest friends - and sometimes we dont even trust them worried that they will think if we reveal our feelings, they will think we are an ass. Instead, we put on our happy faces, cart the kids to school, show up at their games and performances, … Continue Reading
Pocketful of Joules – Blogger Winter Swap
I hate winter. And I hate mail. Winter is cold and the mail only seems to deliver me bills, or fancy catalogs filled with things that I cannot afford to buy. So when Joules over at Pocketful of Joules, (which by the way if you havent checked her out, YOU NEED TO) was looking for participants in her winter blogger swap, of course I opted in. Imagine, getting something in the mail that would make the trek through the cold wind to the mailbox actually worth it!!!! Plus, I am a firm … Continue Reading
I am NOT Menstruating and I am MAD Not Hormonal! (Dammit!)
Dad is having a conversation with Teen spawn 1, and she gets immediately pissed because he isn't saying what she wants to hear. (Normal, right!) As she saunters off to her room, sticking her ear plugs back in her ears, rolling her eyes and slamming the door with just enough force to get her point across, but not enough force to break the door of the hinges, her dad looks over at me and says in a whisper his pupils round and black, "Is she on her period?" REALLY? What difference … Continue Reading
School Pick Up Lines – Manners for Asshats
Let me confess that I have probably taught my children more bad words while waiting in and driving through school pick up lines than is considered socially acceptable. My kids go to a school where there are no such things as busses, which means that droves of parents are forced to drive their brattlings to school every day. Every day between the hours of 7:25am and 8:15am and 1:45pm and 3:15pm, the tiny dot of a town becomes the perfect poster child for minivan and SUV … Continue Reading
Stories of Us – Jane Doe
This weeks Stories of Us post is controversial at best. It is my desire to share this woman's story WITHOUT a backlash of judgmental, harsh opinions and religious crucifixion. Today's story is about a woman who wishes to remain anonymous, so we will call her Jane Doe. And it is a story about love, motherhood and loss. When Jane was 17 years old, she got mixed up in the wrong crowd. She started drinking and partying a little too hard. Her middle class family and moral … Continue Reading
Who the Hell Are YOU?
I am a little (no a lot) behind. Sadly, I don't have any really good excuses for why I am behind - except for the fact that I have 4 kids that have made it their life work to distract me. Or sing when I start to write. Or spill milk on the floor when I turn on the computer. Or decide that they need construction paper 8 minutes before the store closes the night before a project is due. Or a husband who thinks that I should be having more sex. I dunno, it just seems that the best … Continue Reading
Stories of Us – Stacy
This week, my Stories of Us Post is about someone who in all honestly, I don't know very well. I do know that we share the same 'escape to the beach as soon as the kids are grown' dream, but other than that, I don't know her as a friend. But I do know one thing when I see it, and that is PASSION! Stacy has passion. The kind of passion that makes people without passion realize that they are missing out on life by not taking themselves, or their dreams seriously. In my own life, I am … Continue Reading
I am Stef
Recently, one of my favorite blogs and facebook pages published and I am challenge on her blog. Her name is "You know it Happens at your House too, and her blog is fantastic. If you havent found her yet - please do check her out right here! . (And no, she's not paying me to say this because she doesn't even know I am alive.) At any rate. The "I am" Challenge. Sit quietly (if that is even possible in your house) and start a blank page with "I am." Then write, without thought, … Continue Reading
