Happy 300 to Me!!

**UPDATED** Yep! My 300th post! Wow, I am chatty! LOL! I chose this alter-ego of mine (Mimi has my original) as my illustration as this is how I skipped through my SCBWI conference yesterday! "I'm a writer! Look at me! I'm a writer!" I am secure in calling myself a writer but sharing breathing space with some of the most creative and talented people on the planet just brings it all home! -----------o0o------------ Well, thanks to those of you who commented prior to even knowing what the contest was. So, here's the scoop. As always, I am writing, writing, writing...I have numerous kids books written, all of which have passed with flying colors if you ask my writing instructors, my critique groups and other writer friends. FLYING COLORS I TELL YOU! Just haven't matched with the right agent. I have spent hours writing books for kids, I have polished them, re-written them, scrapped some and started series for others. I have characters such as Macy-Sue LaRue, Morton the Moose, Henrietta Hamsterface, Lola Littleton and even a Doogie Howser-esque kid named Jake. But I am patient, my day will come. I dream of that day when I can sit at Barnes & Noble and look out across a sea of little faces as they giggle at my words. I think about the fun activities I will do with them after the book. Cute tie-ins for holidays and the changing seasons. The teacher in me thinks a lot about the last part. I am friends with children's authors and we chat quite often about cool ideas and trends. Peter H. Reynolds, Linda Oatman-High and Elizabeth Kann are only some of my sounding boards on any given day! I vent to them when I am frustrated with my thousandth rejection (I don't really have that many) and I throw out ideas to them and ask them about their agents and publishers. I don't spend all this time writing and researching for any other reason than...children are my passion. They always have been. Children are like little sponges. They soak it all in. There is so much out there in today's world that I hope mine don't soak up. So much hate and evil. If one child can get lost in any one of my books and feel like they have a place to go when their day is less than something to smile about...then I have succeeded. So, on that note...this CONTEST is going to be fun! It is going to take a little work on your part but you will enjoy the fruits of your labors. I want to CELEBRATE all the amazing children's authors that help kids escape when they need to. I would like for each of you to choose your favorite children's book (from your childhood or something out now) and write a post on YOUR blog about WHY it's your favorite. Please, include a cover photo and link to it on Amazon. Don't forget to link back to me and invite your readers to join in the fun. Comment on this post so I know we can ALL come peek when you have your choice up. It will be like a virtual tour of the best of the best of the children's section of the library. The person who chooses one of my top 3 favorites (which you will only know if you live in MY head and although there are lots of voices up there...I don't think any of them are yours) will win an original illustration from Moi...cuz I'm all artsy, too. I apologize to those of you who don't have a blog. Maybe you need to start one of your own!!! :) Get busy! Go find your favorites and inspire us! You have until Friday....get movin' people!

Boston Globe...celebrates little heroes!

The Boston Globe just did an amazing photo essay of Childhood Cancer. Click and see some familiar faces Don't turn away. Read their stories. PRAY! GIVE! www.CureSearch.com Bless you.

Chili's is all about the KIDS...

Most of you know September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month and if you don't, well then shame on you! Just watch this and you won't forget September again! All month, Chili's has been donating a portion of their proceeds to St. Jude's Children's Hospital but on MONDAY the 29th they will donate 100% of their proceeds! Consider Monday your night off. Let Chili's take care of your family that night! Make sure that this information doesn't stop with you! Pass it on! The children thank you!

SCBWI here I come....

SCWBI (Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators) Fall Philly Conference is this weekend. I am headed there this afternoon!

I have a group critique tonight and tomorrow is a FULL day of speakers to listen to, authors to meet, books to buy, autographs to get, editors to rub shoulders with...WHEW! It's a children's writer's dream! I paid the extra fee for a one-on-one with a big time editor who currently has my manuscript in her hands! We will chat about it and she will give me her opinions, make suggestions and hopefully impart enough constructive criticism to put all these

behind me!

(my pages upon pages of rejections)

Gabbin' Mama is at it again!

Don't forget....

Monday, September 29th ALL proceeds @ Chili's will be donated for Childhood Cancer!

Weekend, Wimp-outs and Winners!

OK...so for the first time in a long time, I have no pictures for you! I could. I have them. But I am in "easy button" mode. Wouldn't ya love one of those things? The Easy Button. Ahhhh, life would be a breeze. "Ack! I have 30 seconds to get dinner ready so the kids get to soccer/baseball/dance/cheerleading on time." Enter Easy Button! VOILA!~ I would love it. So, our weekend was a blur. Way too busy but all in all we had a great time. I am one of those people who enjoys not having 13 billion things to get done/show my face at/participate in, etc. I like a mid-Sunday snooze on the couch. I think I had one in 1999. It was nice. Friday night was my 20th class reunion. I had a 3 o'clock appointment to have liposuction, a face-lift, and a butt-transplant and then it was off to an evening of trying to read the name tags (I wasn't planning on wearing my glasses) of people I hadn't seen in 20 years while carrying on a full conversation with them and trying to get out of the introduction to my husband, "Honey, this is cheerleader girl who stole my prom date right out from under me the week before the prom." Yeah, so I skipped it. I really did. We actually had a last-minute babysitting glitch that would have had us showing up late which for some reason had me too anxious. What is really funny is that I was never a nervous kind of person. Throw me into a room of people I don't know and give me 3 minutes. I will have them laughing and introducing me as their long lost sister. I am usually the fun one. So, I can't explain my fear of showing up late. The reunion was an adult dinner Friday night and a Saturday afternoon FAMILY picnic. Which I loved the whole premise for! Break the ice and have a good time with the grown ups and then show off your kids the next day. Well, that would have been fun except for the fact that I committed that date to memory and did not put it on my calendar so I inadvertently planned my son's 11th birthday party for the exact time as the picnic. I didn't realize it until AFTER I had sent him to school for 47 invitations. (Not really, but too many to re-schedule) His party was a rock climbing party and I am now know among my friends as Queen Belayer! I didn't know the term "belay" until a bald, tattooed guy with big wheel tires in his earlobes told me that I would be "clipped" to a rope and solely responsible for the child dangling 35 feet above my head. So, me and three other adults dangled children for 3 hours! I couldn't move my fingers the next morning! It was horrible. But all the kids had fun, no one fell and I ended up thinking Big Wheel Guy was really cute! We came home and the kids passed out for a couple hours and then it was off to a football game to watch my daughter cheer! Friends met us there and we clapped and squealed for her. Who won the football game? No idea, I am a cheerleader mom! We went out for a late-night snack and lots of giggles with friends while the baby was at home with our babysitter snoozing away! The baby was snoozing, not the babysitter! Yesterday I had a baby shower to go to and the coolest part was that a lot of my friends I was sad to miss from the reunion were at this shower. So, we reunited on a small scale and they filled me in on who was still hot...who was still the dancing queen, who had them in stitches and how many people asked where I was. I am a dork. I wish I had gone. ----o0o---- I LOOOVED all of your CIRCUS antics!! It was really hard to choose but I chose by the one who gave me the loudest giggle! And the WINNER is.................................... Jennifer from The Fun House! Jennifer wrote: "That's easy--I'm the Ringmaster!I coordinate the comings and goings of the clowns--including the "how many clowns can fit in the minivan" trick, the feeding of the animals, shouting to the acrobats to "get down!" when they are in danger, cleaning up the monkey's messes, and general supervision of the freakshow! I don't call my blog The Fun House for nothin'!" Thanks for playing! I want to use some of your CIRCUS references in an upcoming book I am planning. If you would like to continue sending references to what position you would hold in the circus and why, keep them coming! I need a lot of them! Think of the following positions: Lion tamer acrobat tightrope walker sideshow freak clown plate spinner trapeze artist ringmaster juggler magician fire walker

And, last but not least...

Back on September 7th I posed a question as to whom the 8 NAMESAKES I will be starting soon are for....

Karla with a K wins with her guess....Mady, Cara, Collin, Leah, Joel, Hannah, Aaden and Alexis!

Congrats Karla, email me with your details. I am finishing up orders and prizes this week.

The Circus is HERE...a CONTEST!

"Ladies and gentleman, children of all ages...."

I don't know about you but my house is like a FRIPPIN CIRCUS on most days! Somehow, probably because no one else wanted the job, I became the ringmaster. It's kind of like that phenomenon in gym class when the two popular kids get to pick teams and you are the last one picked. Well, apparently I am the least popular person in my house and I ended up with the proverbial shortest straw!

So, on any given day I wipe butts which I think is similar to the guy with the shovel that follows the elephants around. I try NOT to feed my kids as much fiber as an elephant so I can stay on top of that job. And only one is still in diapers so I think I am good. I think I got this down.

Because I can wipe a butt, make a sandwich, clean the toilet, feed the dog, do a craft, sing a song and talk on the phone all at the same time...I think I qualify for the resident ACROBAT as well. Oh, that's just great...RINGMASTER AND ACROBAT...is NO ONE ELSE qualified for either of these jobs? Let me gather their resumes...

kid #1 - um, no...

kid #2 - nope...

kid #3 - yeah, right...

my dear hubby - BWAAAA HAAAA snort giggle giggle! Crap! It really IS all on me!

So, I was left to deal with the following things (and the reason I have not been blogging) just this week.

We had an injury...

the alligator was wrestling with the kids and my youngest tried to feed him the Polly Pockets and "he bite bite!" At least that's the story I got.

It's a more exciting story than what really happened which was simply a 3 year-old finding the tape in the junk drawer and pulling the end for all he was worth. While chasing him around the island in the kitchen and around the table and into the living room the tape wrapped itself around his flailing arms! Not funny. If it wouldn't have been cutting off the circulation to his hand I would have made him keep it on to show him it was a silly idea. And, it may have kept him still as he would have STUCK to something and I could have finished dinner.

Then there was the flood... In the kitchen. While I was otheriwse occupied and only a few steps away my son decided to play Noah without his ark. He was innocently playing in the sink which keeps him occupied and he loves it and is usually good about NOT making a mess (except for that one time when he realized the faucet is actually a hose you can pull out and aim). Today, he chose a coffee mug as his weapon and he filled and dumped. Apparently he dumped a couple times but because I had a towel on the floor I didn't hear the splat. I didn't hear until the WAVE came!

Apple Coring 101... was, I thought, my breaking point this day (did I mention this all happened within 30 minutes? *twitch twitch*). I was a cool mom and made craft/drawing supplies available so that after I finished "parting the SEA" I could get dinner on the table. I had also supplied a healthy snack. His favorite. "Bapple!"

Then I had to make the birthday cake for my oldest's (still scarred by the sex talk - scroll down to read that) 11th birthday.

Sweet success...

Wait...where did that extra piece come from?

You have GOT the be kidding me! Nice. Perfect ending to a perfect day! NOT!

---------o0o---------------

CONTEST:

Tell me about your life IN THE CIRCUS and what position at the circus you feel you are most worthy of...tightrope walker, the lion tamer, sideshow freak, trapeze artist, clown, the audience...did I miss anything?

The best "quote" or scenario will win this book.

Sidewalk Circus is a gorgeous wordless book about the anticipation of the coming circus. It is a Blue Ribbon Picture Book Award winner. By Paul Fleischman (Author), Kevin Hawkes (Illustrator)

Good LUCK!

And as always...refer, link, post! Everyone is welcome!

I am so sorry I asked...

I was dreading the day.

 

I didn't want to do it but I knew it was coming. I dug my heels in and tried to make it stop. It wouldn't. It was inevitable.

 

Someone.Help.Me.

My oldest son (who

just turned 11) started asking those kinds of questions...oh, you know the ones..."what did she mean they were trying to get pregnant?" "what are the facts of life and why won't you tell me what they are?" There were more burning questions but I am sure you are getting the point!

 

Stop laughing at me. This was making me crazy.

 

So we had a sex-talk date! Although that is not what I told him it was.

 

The 'date' was simply a way for me to get him away from his siblings long enough to delve into a subject he would need quiet time to digest. He knew it was coming. My daughter's friend (my daughter is soon-to-be 10) clued her into what a 'period' was a couple weeks ago. So I had gotten my feet wet to this "grown up" chatter when I gave her all the ins and outs of bleeding to death once a month. My son had walked in and she proceeded to fill him in "those things in the box that sit on the back of Mommy's toilet. They are NOT medicine! They are for...." He gagged and went running. So, my oldest, in his infinite wisdom figured there was MORE to this story and although horrified by Part I, insisted he was ready for Part II.

 

I tried to get out of it said, "Bud, listen, there is no rush for this. My only deadline for having the Part II conversation with you is that I be the one to tell you and NOT your friends." His response, "Then you better tell me this weekend."

 

Oh, God help me! My husband was oh so happy to feed the other two dinner on 'date night' - he was just tickled pink that he was getting out of having to do it. My son and I giggled and chatted the whole way to Ruby Tuesday's. He is not used to having me all to himself. No sister or baby brother, no TV or iPod. I was praying he would forget all about Part II enjoying it, too. The waiter came and got our drink orders, Strawberry Lemonade in a fancy glass for him and a whole slew of shots large unsweetened iced tea for me.

 

We talked about...I have no idea what we were talking about...I was just composing THE speech in my head..."...horrible diseases...pregnancy...not until you are married...horns will grow our of your eyes if you do and then I will know and you will be grounded until you are married!" I was ready. Bring it on! Please forget!

 

The waiter took our orders. My son leaned across the table, took my hands in his and said, "So, ya gonna tell me the facts of life or what?!"

shaking, clammy

I took a deep breath and started with God. "You have heard the word 'sex,' (he nods) well, sex is something God created for married people to do to show how much they love each other. It is also something they do to make a baby."

(the room started to spin....WHERE ARE THOSE SHOTS??!!)

Some more was said and then I moved on. Chapter 2 of Part II: Sperm Chapter 3: Review of periods, eggs and such. Chapter 3: The sperm has to find the egg to make a baby. This is where the smoke appeared. The gears in his brain were fighting this connection tooth and nail! His eyebrows formed shapes I had never seen before. And then it got gory. I gave it to him. The whole shebang. There is something wrong with saying "P----" and "V-----" to your 11-year old son.

I even asked him weeks prior, "when it comes time for "the talk" who would you be most comfortable with, me or Daddy?" Hands down. I won that one! So, here I was..."p----" blah blah blah "v-----" blah blah blah DONE!"

Both of us wishing we were somewhere else. Of course, RIGHT THEN, the waiter came to drop off his mini-cheeseburgers and my salad bar plate. My son's head dangled between the palms of his hands, held up only by his elbows on the table. He looked at me with a glazed over, not-so-sure-what-to-say stare. He continued to stare. His mouth dropped open a bit and before the drool started to form in the corners of his lips he uttered six words I will giggle about for as long as I live, "I am so sorry I asked." Seeing his need to have some time to puke under the table make sense of it all, I said, "Do you want me to go grab my salad and give you a minute?" He nodded as well as he could; the pressure of his hands on his temples may have caused a bit of brain damage.

When I got back to the table he had changed positions although this one was quite close to the fetal position and he had moved to the corner of his side of his booth.

"You OK?" I asked, "Any questions?"

"Yeah. Is that the ONLY way to make a baby?"

"Uh, yeah, it is bud." He shook his head a bit, I believe trying to clear the visual he was then seeing!

"Um, well, that is the GROSSEST thing I have ever heard of. I am NEVER doing that. Well, actually, I will do it ONCE but ONLY ONCE!! I want at least one baby of my own that is from me and my wife but after that I am SOOOO adopting! Can we change the subject?!"

He ate NOTHING that night. We took his whole dinner home in a box. He was nauseous and horrified and has no interest in S-E-X!

He now gags when Ruby Tuesday commercials come on TV!

2 words... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

You asked for it...

"So, what do you do with all three of your in school for the first time?" I stay in my jammies longer, go to the gym alone, shower after the gym alone, have breakfast with my BFF, clean my house (well, it will be clean...next week....maybe) without someone following behind me dumping juice and cracker crumbs but most of all...LOTS AND LOTS of quality time when they come home!

(Yes, I do spend time with my other two, too. My little guy comes home first so he gets more Mommy Photo Opps.)

-------------------o0o------------------------- You, my loyal fans, read me daily (some of you even subscribe, yay!) and you leave the best comments (with some exceptions of those left by my un-friend, the Anonymous disgruntled blogger! But, hey, there's gotta be one in the bunch, right?) and many of you leave questions, too. I have always tried to answer your questions in the comments section after the posts but sometimes I forget and even when I do, I often wonder if anyone goes back to read the comments again, after leaving them. Being that it is a TGIF kind of day. I got all the kids on the bus and they were all smiling, no one forgot anything, no meltdowns (them OR me) and I am feeling relaxed because there is NOTHING/NADA/ZILCH on my calendar for today...I thought I would take some time to answer your questions. Here's the first installment Dear Mrs. Sanity: "What happened to the OHM (One Hot Mama Weight Loss) club?" I got fat, so it's over. Nah. Quite honestly, there was one week that it slipped my mind, not because I was not thinking about getting back to my HOT, SEXY, OTHER SELF in time for my reunion, but because I found something that I was trying out and wanted to give it my full focus so I could share it with you. I will post it soon. "Do you ever have trouble with the TV and your kids?" Yes, sometimes they won't watch the stupid thing and I can't get anything done. Actually, since the "boring summer" is over they have been playing outside with old and new friends and not watching a whole lot of it. I have "let go" lately and let my older two travel out of my line of vision to ask friends to play. I have found that now, they run in the door, grab a snack and jump on their bikes and head out to organize their own armies of kids to play until dusk. Of course, I haven't been "cracking the homework whip" (they usually can't play until their homework is done) so there is still some homework being done at the breakfast table the next morning but I think I would rather that than having their bodies' imprints permanently embedded in my couch. "I'm constantly finding gross, moldy food in strange areas of my house. How can I stop my kids from turning my home into a petri dish?" I have this problem, too, but it usually is contained to their lunchboxes. My husband is kind of a FREAK when it comes to food in the house. When my older two were little they were only allowed to eat and drink at the kitchen table. Yes, watch TV...run to the table to throw a handful of pop-corn into their mouths...chew, chew, crunch, crunch, gulp...mad dash back to the couch...Crap. Thirsty...run to the table...glug, sip, sip, glug...madder dash back to the couch. We lightened up once they were old enough to NOT spill and leave candy bars under the cushions or crackers in the A/C vents. Of course, then came a baby. How fair would it be for HIM to have to log 10,000 steps on his pedometer to and from the table during NEMO while my older two sit and chill and eat to their hearts' content? So, my advice (finally) to you would be, "He who left it, digests it!" Rotten strawberries and all. Of course, I wouldn't make them do it...but makes for a good threat when they see it sliced up on their plate @ dinner. "You seem to be the Martha Stewart of the Mommy Blogosphere. How do you have time to do crafts with your kids? Do you own stock in a craft store or something?" This question makes me laugh because my DREAM would be to write craft books (I have written one and periodically shop it around) and have my own show on one of the crafty/DIY networks. The fact that the words, "you" and "Martha Stewart" are in the same sentence gives me goosebumps. To answer your question, and apparently make you feel better, I do far less creative projects with my kids now that I have three. I truly think I could handle a threesome (I am talking kid-crafts, people!) if my third wasn't so orally fixated. My older two never put things in their mouth. I could have filled the tub with pennies and put them in and NOTHIN' - not a one would have gone in their mouths. My third...well here is a list of things he has tried to eat: (today) bird poop a push pin marbles money play-doh grass (while pretending he was a cow) random flowers dog fur found on floor bellybutton lint his elbow small rodents (ok...I used creative license for the last couple - but. funny, right?) So, crafting has become something we do on the weekends when he is napping. When the big kids were toddlers, we actually had a craft time each day. We would throw paint on paper and blow it with straws, make our own wrapping paper for birthday parties, hand-make each Valentine for every HUMAN we knew, create full villages out of cardboard boxes in the basement, and the list goes on. My best advice to you if you want to be creative and are scared: Start with supplies that don't scare you. Colored pencils are bright and colorful and don't color as easily on furniture as crayons. They won't melt into the carpet and they are hard to chew. Hope this helps. And, no, I do NOT have stock in AC MOORE or MICHAELS, but if anyone is giving those away...ME! ME! ME! "How old are you?" I am happily remaining in my 20's for a couple more years...well, I am actually 30. OK! Add 8 years. I just turned 38. Almost 40. Double the age I wanna be! Thanks for ruining my day. You may no longer ask questions here! "Do you really know Kate Gosselin of "Jon & Kate + 8"? No. But she would like me, right? I am fun. LOL! Jon and Kate live close to me and I know a bunch of people who know them. I have emailed her a couple times and begged her to be my friend thanked her for her show or asked her if I could babysit commented on something funny she did/said. I am holding out that she will speak at our church's Moms' group. If I meet her, I will let you know. But, honestly, it truly has nothing to do with the fact that she is famous. I am in awe of her. I think she is a great mom. I think he have similar mom-qualities and I would be honored to hang with Kate and her 8! "Have you just been a mom your whole adult life?" (ok...first "just a mom"? Meet me around back, I'll show you "just a mom!") Actually no. I was a HS/MS art teacher, I started my own summer art school, organized an annual community event, did the craft show circuit, had a couple online stores, painted murals at Children's Hopsital of Philadelphia, opened my own craft store in a 17th century farm house, taught a homeschool group and became a freelance writer and aspiring children's author. Whew. I'm gonna go take a nap. "What is your favorite thing about being a mom?" THIS...

Whew...that was just a few. Have some burning questions? Leave them, I will try to answer ALL of them.

Please vote for me if you haven't already. I was nominated for the LOVE! THIS SITE award...$250 VISA GIFT CARD! I am currently in 10th place of 130+ parenting blogs nominated.

Thanks!!

Coffee...here I come! No gym today...it's Friday!

Get out your ballots...

I am in the TOP 10 out of 111 Parenting Blogs on DIVINE CAROLINE! Click and vote!

As I was sayin'...

(Disclaimer: A contest winner, plea to vote for me, some mind-numbing rambling and a huge prayer request going on below...get ready, your eyes may burn, your mouth could go dry, you may shed a tear but it's all worth it, I tell ya. It's all worth it!) Let me start at 7:47am. Do you know what I did at that time this morning? Here are your hints: 1. I squeezed tightly. 2. Giggled. 3. Smooched. 4. Waved. 5. Cried like a baby! My youngest, only the tender age of 3, got on a bus and started his trek to pre-school. I am still in shock. My house is quiet. I have been quite productive this morning. I was out to the post office and back within 10 minutes with no shoes to tie, diapers to change, or cajoling to do. He is at school. I am missing him terribly! This child of mine has been a miracle from the start. He came home April 25, 2006 as a severely neglected and abandoned 9-month old foster child. He was emotionally inept and had the pain tolerance of an elephant. For 3 months he did not have tears when he cried. I questioned the doctors about dehydration. They told me that tears are the body's way of SHOWING a need. When needs are not met for an extensive period, the body stops making tears. Like many of his firsts to be celebrated, I remember the day his tears "came in." Then, on April 9, 2008 he became a BROWNLOW! His adoption was final. We all shed tears that day! Tears of joy! This is my baby who got on the bus today. He has issues from his past that make him quite a handful on some days. But this baby can love like there's no tomorrow. He woke his brother and sister this morning with tender kisses and said, "Me bus!" He hugged them goodbye and waved and giggled as the aide buckled him into his seat. Here's a peek at my little wonder!

(btw...YES, I saved the tears until the bus pulled away...I read the books, people, I know what I am doing! LOL!) ----------------------o0o-------------------- CONTEST WINNER!!! Wow, I heard lots of advice from your moms and got a lot of giggles, too! My mom always told me about the "clean underwear" trick, too. Somehow, I hoped that if I was ever in a life or death situation (which I have been and ironically was not wearing underwear...because I was having a baby!) the doctors would be more concerned with SAVING me than with the documentation of "clean or dirty"! But of all your advice there was one that stood out above the rest...one that I will start sharing with my children!

"Choose your friends, don't let your friends choose you!" Pink Heather from Penguin Pie is our winning entrant and Dawn of Because I Said So is the other winner for referring Pink Heather here. Pink Heather wins the AMAZING magabook, between us girls by Vicki Courtney! Enjoy! Congratulations PH, we hope you will stay and enjoy MY SEMBLANCE regularly! I love your blog! If you haven't checked her out yet...click on her...she is one talented mom! --------------o0o----------------- Check the sidebar and vote for me for the DIVINE CAROLINE contest! I could win a $250 VISA gift card! The winning blog has only 70 votes more than me! HELP! --------------o0o------------------ On a more somber note...there has been a tragedy in the blogosphere! Read this story about famed Mommy Blogger Mrs. Nielson from the Nie Nie Dialogues. Her family is in need of your prayers and support! Read the article and if you find it in your heart, search out the auctions on eBay and bid! What an amazing outpouring of love for this "virtual friend" - Go Mommy Bloggers! A friend needs us now! ---------------------o0o--------------------- Peace!

I have been nominated...

No, not for president! The country's not ready for my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants-stop-the-war-and-let's-all-sit-down-and-do-a-craft tactics!! Well, maybe they are. But they don't know it yet! Someone, hmmmmmm wonder who, nominated me for an award over at DIVINE CAROLINE! Check out my sidebar and vote if ya think I am fun!! -----------> So far, the blog winning has 75 votes...I know I have more readers than that so let's see how many of you are VOTERS, too! The contest goes through the end of November... Check out my couple posts below...there are some NAMESAKES that I just finished and there are 8 more on their way...hmmmm....people are guessing as to WHOM they will go to...have any ideas? I have a funny story to pass along so keep checking back...as long as nap time goes as planned I may get it written today! GO VOTE!

A couple more NAMESAKES...

To view more, CLICK HERE!

For those of you who are still waiting, I am now on to the last 3 orders...not too much longer!

Thinking about making 8 more...hmmmm...can you guess who they would be for?

First person to guess correctly wins their OWN NAMESAKE!

Vicki Courtney Contest winner will be announced Tuesday.

There is still time to win her book!!

Check out this post and leave your comment along with referring blog name!

Happy Monday!

Bragging rights...

A little look into my Friday night. It's called FX: Family Experience and it happens once a month @ my church! Check out the pretty girl in the middle of the back row (Yep, the one with the ponytails) and the handsome kid second from the right in the front row (also the rap star at the end). Yep....they are MINE. ALL MINE. And I am so proud! And here is their baby brother...wishing he was allowed on stage!

*I have posted a couple times in the last day or so.

**Don't miss the list of favorite posts from 2007 below.

***Don't miss the contest below that.

****Don't forget to...Grab my button! -----------------> HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Your Faves...The 'MY SEMBLANCE' Top 8...

You laugh at me. You scoff. You say my craftiness makes you look bad. Somehow you are still my readers. And I love it! In honor of my almost 300th post, I thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. The following were your favorite posts of 2007. September '07 - Woah, Nelly! - just one of those days! October '07 - Why SAHMs get Constipated! - the REAL deal! October '07 - Did you ever just wanna bite the dog? - seriously! I did! November '07 - Take a deep breath and count to... - don't even go there! November '07 - Mama Drama - where's the CALGON when Mom is sick? November '07 - Webster's says... - I have WHAT? WHERE? November '07 - "Poison Control, how can I help you?" - yep, he swallowed the... December '07 - Mommy Blogging makes for Fast Friends and Miracles - the story that changed my life! Enjoy and thanks for hanging in there and making ME laugh my way through life's craziness all because I could blog about it later! This my 285th post...there will be a BIG PAR-TAY for the 300th! Prizes and all! ....stay tuned....

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(thanks to Karen @ Simply Amusing Designs) SHE ROCKS!

between us girls...THE CONTEST for moms with daughters!

"The F-word means, pulling hair that's not on your head." "If you hold hands in public you could get pregnant." "Sharing a soda with a boy makes you look like a floozie." These are some of the heart-to-hearts MY mom had with HER mom. Back in the day. Back before cell phones, iPods and the dreaded Wii, mothers and daughters actually had time to sit and chat about life. Although, with chats like my Nanny had with my mom, I am not sure which is worse, having them or NOT having them. If you are a mom, most of your days are spent rushing around like Speedy Gonzales on crack. Bus stops, grocery shopping, work, the gym. Then whipping through the pick-up line at soccer practice only to spend the next 15 minutes tossing chicken nuggets to the back seat as your daughter changes out of cleats and into ballet slippers. Who's got time for good advice?

Sometimes I think to myself, "When does this ride stop? I don't remember being this busy as a kid." Then the panic sets in and I wonder what all I have been leaving out while I am carpooling to cheer and leaving late for guitar? Am I shaping my daughter into the wholesome, self-reliant, beautiful young woman I always dreamed she would be? Am I giving her all the tried and true tips (NOT my Nanny's!) of what is appropriate and what is not? Does she feel comfortable to talk to me when kids at school whisper about things she doesn't "get"?

Have you ever laid in bed at night and thought of all the things you said to your daughter that day and felt like a drill sergeant?

"Put that down."

"Grab your shoes."

"Clean your room."

"Stop looking in the mirror and look at me when I talk to you."

"Are you wearing make-up?"

"Tell me who that was on the phone." "No, you can't call HIM back!"

And, when we have a minute, when life slows down, what DO we talk about? Does your mind go blank? Does an OUT OF ORDER sign blink behind your eyelids? Now what? What do I say? What is she thinking? Should we have THE talk? Does she already know?

Do you feel lost? Wish you had a book?

*insert Hallelujah Chorus here*

Vicki Courtney is a best selling author, mom of teens, blogger and the creator of VirtuousReality.com. Her brand new "magabook" will have you and your girl(s) laughing like old friends, chatting about life and delving into conversations you couldn't have thought of on your own.

Laid out like a typical pre-teen magazine, between us girls is a fun jump into the life your daughter is already living. And you don't want to miss out on that. One of the 5 chapters is on the popularity of cell phones and iPods creatively discusses how having these things will not bring true happiness into her life and guides you in helping her to focus her energies away from material things and toward interests that really make a difference.

Fun surveys and and quizzes are sprinkled throughout, too. Bringing up your own embarrassing moments or how you felt about "cliques" when you were her age will open up the lines of communication and you will start to seem HUMAN to her. We all think our mothers were BORN in their 20s or 30s, when you share the story with your daughter about sneezing snot all over the homework of the boy you liked it will have no ill effect. I promise. Just lots of giggles!

Vicki Courtney was clever enough to also touch on subjects that are not easy ones to bring up like boobs, periods and body image while at the same time including crafts and silly stuff in between to ease the serious tone.

I have it! I love it! This has been a great resource to have floating around my home. A quick thing to pick up in between homework and baths to chat a little, connect and let her know I may be "mom" but I have also "been there, done that!"

Thanks to Vicki Courtney, I have TWO copies of her amazing magabook! You can win between us girls simply by sharing a nugget of advice your mom gave you. Be it funny, bizarre or heart-felt and meaningful. The blogger who refers the WINNING comment (not the most comments) will also receive a copy so PLEASE leave the referring blogger's link as well.

YAY!

Have fun with this! Blog about it! FWD it to friends! It may just change your relationship!

GIVE KATE A BREAK...

*photo coutesy of Koreamjournal.com

Wow! Somewhere there is a blog sending Kate-haters to my Jon & Kate + 8 + Me post. It kind of cracks me up that people like that actually take the time to search out people like me and THEN take even MORE time to leave insidious comments like those at the end of that post. What gets me even more is they don't comment in a way that I could respond only to them. They are either anonymous or their screen name doesn't link to anything. Real big of ya. Really, people? I truly don't get it. If I could comment directly to those people, it would go something like this: First of all, why do you care so much that I actually like Kate? You don't even know me. Because if you knew me, you would know that I am one of the most strong-headed-make-my-own-decisions person you will ever meet. Your opinions on anything wouldn't sway my own. It's just how I am. If I like Kate, I like Kate. Period. Second of all, I would like to know how many of you have never said anything to your spouse that would embarrass you if it were aired on National TV. Nothing? Are you sure? You are kidding yourself if you continue to refute the fact that there are a handful of comments you wish you could take back; an armload of attitude that would make you look bad. We have all had those times where our spouse's actions or comments have left us wondering why we don't just fillet him on the spot...call it hormones, call it insanity...it happens. Third, look away from the computer and count your children. Do you have 8? Count them, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-EIGHT! OF COURSE THE POOR WOMAN DOESN'T WANT A MESS....it would be EIGHT FREAKING times bigger than the normal mess a child can make. If you have a child, you know what I mean. If you don't have a child, (*laughs*) just wait. When you are cleaning spit-up off the back of your head and wondering how it got there, you will also be thanking the LORD ALMIGHTY that you do not have EIGHT! And you wanna talk about stress? Stress that makes you want to peel your own eyelids off because it couldn't feel worse? No one who has left a comment on my blog could POSSIBLY KNOW the stress Kate Gosselin feels in her own home! Here's the thing. I really like Kate. Not because she is famous and not because I am a stalker, but because I am a mom. I have LESS than HALF of Kate's kids and even just looking back over the last few days, there are moments that, if televised, would make me crawl into a hole and die. Let's be clear. Those moments don't make me a bad mom, it doesn't make me a horrible wife or a bad Christian, it makes me HUMAN! I give Kate Gosselin a huge pat on the back for being genuine. For not being afraid to bare her soul, good side and bad, to make the rest of us not-so-perfect moms realize that we are not alone. I am a big fan of the show and I am a BIGGER fan of REAL people who don't feel they need to "fake it" so the ignorant ones don't throw stones. Glass houses, people. Get it?