**CLOSED!! Winner posted here**
I admit it.
Johnny Depp does nothing for me.
But I know he does tons for others. So I'm sure those people will appreciate a giveaway for his movie Dark Shadows, out on DVD October 2nd.
Here is what Dark Shadows is all about:
"From the incredible mind of Tim Burton comes the hit film Dark Shadows, based on the classic television series! Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) has been trapped for two centuries by an evil witch (Eva Green) who just happens to be an ex lover. Barnabas now has to struggle with the ever changing 1970s and save his families business! With an all star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller and more, Dark Shadows will be sure to whet your appetite for fun."
Sounds fun, right?
To continue on with the fun, check out this widget:
Take the QUIZ and find out if you are creepy enough. Check out Barnabas' Terror Trivia and see how much you know about him. The more you guess correctly, the better chance you have to unlock clips and downloads from Dark Shadows.
Want to win a copy of the Dark Shadows DVD courtesy of PartnersHub?
Giveaway Rules:
--Must be 18 or older
--Must live in the US
--No PO Boxes
Mandatory Entry: Tell me the results of the quiz on the widget and you'll be entered!
Extra Entries:
TWEET about the giveaway
POST the app (widget) on your Facebook page. (Click the icon under share)
Contest will run for a week. I will pick a winner October 7th.
Good luck!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Giveaway: 11X14 Canvas Print from Printcopia.com**CLOSED
**CLOSED!! Winner posted here**
Yes, it’s true.
I take a lot of pictures.
It’s just, kids grow so fast and I always said when I had them, that I’d have a house covered with pictures.
I’m so glad someone from Printcopia.com contacted me. They turn your pictures into fabulous Printcopia.com.canvas-prints. (Awhile back I even had the privledge of doing a review for their parent site BuildASign.com that creates fabulous signs.)
This was the 11X14 canvas that I received:
It was so incredibly easy to create. I just had to upload the photo onto the site and that was it! They don't only do canvas prints. They do regular prints, arcylic, framed prints, and panoramic.
The quality of my canvas print is incredible, I must say. It’s not made of cheap materials so I don’t have to worry about it breaking.
Printcopia has generously offered a free 11X14 canvas print to a lucky reader!
(If you can't wait to see if you win, Printcopia is currently having a special of 25% off canvas prints, plus free shipping.)
Giveaway Rules
--Must be 18 or older
--Must live in the US
Mandatory Entry: If you won, what picture would you use?
Extra Entries:
GO TO Printcopia.com and tell me what your favorite thing is that they offer. (I love their panoramic prints!)
LIKE Printcopia on Facebook
FOLLOW Printcopia on Twitter
TWEET about this giveaway
FOLLOW my blog
I will run the giveaway for one week and will pick a winner on Saturday, October 6th.
Good luck!
Yes, it’s true.
I take a lot of pictures.
It’s just, kids grow so fast and I always said when I had them, that I’d have a house covered with pictures.
I’m so glad someone from Printcopia.com contacted me. They turn your pictures into fabulous Printcopia.com.canvas-prints. (Awhile back I even had the privledge of doing a review for their parent site BuildASign.com that creates fabulous signs.)
This was the 11X14 canvas that I received:
It was so incredibly easy to create. I just had to upload the photo onto the site and that was it! They don't only do canvas prints. They do regular prints, arcylic, framed prints, and panoramic.
The quality of my canvas print is incredible, I must say. It’s not made of cheap materials so I don’t have to worry about it breaking.
Printcopia has generously offered a free 11X14 canvas print to a lucky reader!
(If you can't wait to see if you win, Printcopia is currently having a special of 25% off canvas prints, plus free shipping.)
Giveaway Rules
--Must be 18 or older
--Must live in the US
Mandatory Entry: If you won, what picture would you use?
Extra Entries:
GO TO Printcopia.com and tell me what your favorite thing is that they offer. (I love their panoramic prints!)
LIKE Printcopia on Facebook
FOLLOW Printcopia on Twitter
TWEET about this giveaway
FOLLOW my blog
I will run the giveaway for one week and will pick a winner on Saturday, October 6th.
Good luck!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Spelling Time
“N-O spells no!” Natalie said gleefully. “N-O spells noooooo!”
This would have been cute had she not done this at least twenty times already.
“Natalie,” I said, rubbing my temples. “Just eat your broccoli. It’ll make you big and strong.”
“N-O spells noooooo!”
“Stop it, Natalie. That’s annoying,” Tommy grumbled.
Yes. It was.
I mean, it’s great she’s learning to spell in Kindergarten. But does she have to constantly spell no at me?
And she not only spells it at me. She writes it all over the house. On paper, thank goodness, but she’ll silently hold up the paper and tap on it.
She does know how to spell yes. She just prefers to spell no. Apparently.
“If you don’t eat your broccoli, you won’t get a popcicle,” I explained.
Natalie clamped her mouth shut.
Fine. At least she was quiet. Tom isn’t around because he had to go on a work thing so it’s just been me and the kids. Natalie would never spell no at Tom. When he tells her to do something, she does it. Me? Well, she thinks I’m amusing. She gives me the same look she used to give me as an infant. “Really? THIS is my mother? She expects me to listen to HER?”
The spelling has been happening for a couple of weeks. Most of the time I don’t mind. She’ll randomly go, “T-H-E spells the! C-A-T spells cat. We have a C-A-T!”
But the no thing makes me twitch. I’ll tell her it’s time to take a bath.
“N-O,” she’ll say.
“I’ll add bubbles,” I promise.
“Y-E-S,” Natalie will go.
I know I shouldn’t bribe like that but when Tom isn’t around, my patience is thin. She knows this. I was an only child, raised without the constant noise and chatter, and one would think I’d be used to it at this point but no.
“What do you want for dinner?” I asked the other day. “Tacos?”
“N-O.”
“Chicken patties?”
“N-O!”
“Spaghetti?”
“Y-E-S!”
Still, sometimes it can be sweet. Sometimes. Like when I went, “Do you love your momma?” and Natalie went, “Y-E-S” while stroking my cheek.
However, it’s not sweet when Natalie holds up her paper and points at the word no dramatically.
Soon she’ll be spelling more words which means Tom and I can no longer spell things when we don’t want her to know what we’re talking about.
C-R-A-P.
This would have been cute had she not done this at least twenty times already.
“Natalie,” I said, rubbing my temples. “Just eat your broccoli. It’ll make you big and strong.”
“N-O spells noooooo!”
“Stop it, Natalie. That’s annoying,” Tommy grumbled.
Yes. It was.
I mean, it’s great she’s learning to spell in Kindergarten. But does she have to constantly spell no at me?
And she not only spells it at me. She writes it all over the house. On paper, thank goodness, but she’ll silently hold up the paper and tap on it.
She does know how to spell yes. She just prefers to spell no. Apparently.
“If you don’t eat your broccoli, you won’t get a popcicle,” I explained.
Natalie clamped her mouth shut.
Fine. At least she was quiet. Tom isn’t around because he had to go on a work thing so it’s just been me and the kids. Natalie would never spell no at Tom. When he tells her to do something, she does it. Me? Well, she thinks I’m amusing. She gives me the same look she used to give me as an infant. “Really? THIS is my mother? She expects me to listen to HER?”
The spelling has been happening for a couple of weeks. Most of the time I don’t mind. She’ll randomly go, “T-H-E spells the! C-A-T spells cat. We have a C-A-T!”
But the no thing makes me twitch. I’ll tell her it’s time to take a bath.
“N-O,” she’ll say.
“I’ll add bubbles,” I promise.
“Y-E-S,” Natalie will go.
I know I shouldn’t bribe like that but when Tom isn’t around, my patience is thin. She knows this. I was an only child, raised without the constant noise and chatter, and one would think I’d be used to it at this point but no.
“What do you want for dinner?” I asked the other day. “Tacos?”
“N-O.”
“Chicken patties?”
“N-O!”
“Spaghetti?”
“Y-E-S!”
Still, sometimes it can be sweet. Sometimes. Like when I went, “Do you love your momma?” and Natalie went, “Y-E-S” while stroking my cheek.
However, it’s not sweet when Natalie holds up her paper and points at the word no dramatically.
Soon she’ll be spelling more words which means Tom and I can no longer spell things when we don’t want her to know what we’re talking about.
C-R-A-P.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Things That Annoy Me Thursday: No iPhone 5
I’m not going to lie, I’m drooling a bit over the iPhone 5.
I’m incredibly jealous of the people who have one.
I was watching the news and a little girl who couldn’t have been older than ten lifted her new iPhone 5 to the camera and announced, “My friends are going to be jealous.”
I’m jealous!
How does a CHILD have an iPhone 5 before I do?
Then again, the segment was shot in New York. Tons of rich kids wander New York and get whatever they want. Must be nice.
I so wish I could get an iPhone 5 but I have to wait. For, you know, funds. I could get it now but my kids are accustomed to eating every night.
So I will wait.
And who knows, maybe Santa will get me one.
I’m incredibly jealous of the people who have one.
I was watching the news and a little girl who couldn’t have been older than ten lifted her new iPhone 5 to the camera and announced, “My friends are going to be jealous.”
I’m jealous!
How does a CHILD have an iPhone 5 before I do?
Then again, the segment was shot in New York. Tons of rich kids wander New York and get whatever they want. Must be nice.
I so wish I could get an iPhone 5 but I have to wait. For, you know, funds. I could get it now but my kids are accustomed to eating every night.
So I will wait.
And who knows, maybe Santa will get me one.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Math Is Evil
So the kids got their progress reports last week.
Natalie comes home first so I checked hers out. She’s almost mastered everything she should.
This is probably one of the most important bits to me:
All those crosses mean mastered/excellent. Basically, she’s able to keep her hands to herself and stay quiet when the teacher is trying to talk.
“Some kids don’t listen,” Natalie informed me. “Some kids keep talking and don’t keep their hands in their laps.”
Yeah, one of those kids used to be her brother. He struggled in Kindergarten. Things improved with time, thank goodness, but he was one of the noisy ones.
Tommy came home fifteen minutes later looking troubled.
“Did you have a good day?” I asked. Sometimes school can get overwhelming to him because of his Aspergers. It can be a sensory overload and things don’t always come easy to him.
“I did…” Tommy set his backpack down but didn’t make a move to show me his progress report. He went into the kitchen and got some water.
“So,” I said, following him in. “Do you have something to show me?”
Tommy froze. “What?”
“Your progress report?”
Tommy set his water down on the counter with a thunk. “How did you know about that?”
I grinned. “I’m a Mom. I know all.”
Tommy looked nervous. He takes things literally and was probably thinking, “Does she?”
“So where is it?” I pressed.
Tommy chewed his lower lip. “I just…I…” He went to his backpack and slowly opened it. “Please don’t be mad.” He hates disappointing people.
Uh oh. I worried he might have a bad grade. Like a D. I’m cool with anything above a C. Would I prefer As and Bs? Yes. But I don’t put pressure on my kids for straight As. Some parents do and that’s their right but it’s not for me. I am no Tiger Mom.
“Here.” Tommy practically threw the progress report in my face and darted off into the kitchen.
Well. That wasn’t a good sign. I looked down and saw…well, As and Bs…and oh, there was what was troubling Tommy. A C in math.
I struggled with math. In elementary school I remember getting S’s in the subject—for satisfactory, which was basically like a C. Then when I got into high school I got Cs and yes, even some Ds because MATH IS EVIL. Who CARES what X is? You really don’t need to know how to do that in real life. There are APPS for that now. If you WANT to learn how to do it long hand, go ahead. But for us regular non-math folks, the APP or CALCULATOR is just fine, thanks.
Still, I knew I had to address Tommy.
“Tommy?” I called out.
He peeked around the corner. “Are you mad?” He chewed his lower lip.
“I’m not mad,” I promised. “And the C isn’t that low. You have a 78. You can bring it up.”
Tommy stared at the ground. “I’m stupid,” he mumbled.
My jaw fell open. Tommy is many things but STUPID is never one of them. “You are not. Don’t ever say that,” I said. “Math can be tricky.”
A tear slipped down Tommy’s cheek. “Long division is terrible.”
Ugh, it is. I hate it. Who cares what the remainder is anyway?
“You know, we can ask the teacher for help. Sometimes they’ll stay in at lunch so the student can get extra help. I had to do that in high school.” I made a face. My parents made me do it to bring my D up. I hated having to spend my lunch in a classroom. I wanted to be with my friends. But no, I had to sit on a plastic seat and figure out what X was even though I didn’t give a rat’s ass. Thus, the D.
“Okay.” Tommy wiped his face.
“Your other grades are great! I mean, an A in reading. That’s good!” I said. “And a 99 percent in Social Studies? Fantastic!”
Tommy began to perk up. “Yeah.”
“We’ll practice math, okay?
Tommy began to smile. “Okay.”
“So you’ll never be in the mathletes. No biggie. Science is more your subject anyway,” I said, winking.
“Yeah!”
So, for their first progress reports of the year, I’d say they both did pretty good. If Tommy can improve in math, great. If not, well, it means he takes after his mother.
Natalie comes home first so I checked hers out. She’s almost mastered everything she should.
This is probably one of the most important bits to me:
All those crosses mean mastered/excellent. Basically, she’s able to keep her hands to herself and stay quiet when the teacher is trying to talk.
“Some kids don’t listen,” Natalie informed me. “Some kids keep talking and don’t keep their hands in their laps.”
Yeah, one of those kids used to be her brother. He struggled in Kindergarten. Things improved with time, thank goodness, but he was one of the noisy ones.
Tommy came home fifteen minutes later looking troubled.
“Did you have a good day?” I asked. Sometimes school can get overwhelming to him because of his Aspergers. It can be a sensory overload and things don’t always come easy to him.
“I did…” Tommy set his backpack down but didn’t make a move to show me his progress report. He went into the kitchen and got some water.
“So,” I said, following him in. “Do you have something to show me?”
Tommy froze. “What?”
“Your progress report?”
Tommy set his water down on the counter with a thunk. “How did you know about that?”
I grinned. “I’m a Mom. I know all.”
Tommy looked nervous. He takes things literally and was probably thinking, “Does she?”
“So where is it?” I pressed.
Tommy chewed his lower lip. “I just…I…” He went to his backpack and slowly opened it. “Please don’t be mad.” He hates disappointing people.
Uh oh. I worried he might have a bad grade. Like a D. I’m cool with anything above a C. Would I prefer As and Bs? Yes. But I don’t put pressure on my kids for straight As. Some parents do and that’s their right but it’s not for me. I am no Tiger Mom.
“Here.” Tommy practically threw the progress report in my face and darted off into the kitchen.
Well. That wasn’t a good sign. I looked down and saw…well, As and Bs…and oh, there was what was troubling Tommy. A C in math.
I struggled with math. In elementary school I remember getting S’s in the subject—for satisfactory, which was basically like a C. Then when I got into high school I got Cs and yes, even some Ds because MATH IS EVIL. Who CARES what X is? You really don’t need to know how to do that in real life. There are APPS for that now. If you WANT to learn how to do it long hand, go ahead. But for us regular non-math folks, the APP or CALCULATOR is just fine, thanks.
Still, I knew I had to address Tommy.
“Tommy?” I called out.
He peeked around the corner. “Are you mad?” He chewed his lower lip.
“I’m not mad,” I promised. “And the C isn’t that low. You have a 78. You can bring it up.”
Tommy stared at the ground. “I’m stupid,” he mumbled.
My jaw fell open. Tommy is many things but STUPID is never one of them. “You are not. Don’t ever say that,” I said. “Math can be tricky.”
A tear slipped down Tommy’s cheek. “Long division is terrible.”
Ugh, it is. I hate it. Who cares what the remainder is anyway?
“You know, we can ask the teacher for help. Sometimes they’ll stay in at lunch so the student can get extra help. I had to do that in high school.” I made a face. My parents made me do it to bring my D up. I hated having to spend my lunch in a classroom. I wanted to be with my friends. But no, I had to sit on a plastic seat and figure out what X was even though I didn’t give a rat’s ass. Thus, the D.
“Okay.” Tommy wiped his face.
“Your other grades are great! I mean, an A in reading. That’s good!” I said. “And a 99 percent in Social Studies? Fantastic!”
Tommy began to perk up. “Yeah.”
“We’ll practice math, okay?
Tommy began to smile. “Okay.”
“So you’ll never be in the mathletes. No biggie. Science is more your subject anyway,” I said, winking.
“Yeah!”
So, for their first progress reports of the year, I’d say they both did pretty good. If Tommy can improve in math, great. If not, well, it means he takes after his mother.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!
I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.
-----------------------
To wish a whole neighborhood would break out into song like they do in The Muppets. Wouldn’t that be so much fun? Or maybe I’m just weird.
To be happy with the winner of Big Brother.
To still giggle when I see all the fashion trends on TV shows. I stick to jeans and a t-shirt. Almost always.
To not care who the judges are for American Idol. I stopped watching after season 2. Plus, I don’t get the point of Nicki Minaj.
To feel sorry for Kate Middleton for getting photographed topless. That photographer was a disgusting sleezeball. It’s a shame they can’t even relax. Would I have gone out topless? No. But then again, I don’t have Kate Middleton’s body. If I did, I might have.
To be excited to get some clothes at Gymboree this week. I have Gymbucks which means I only pay for half of everything.
To not really feel much of the “mom guilt” that other mothers seem to feel if they aren’t perfect. If my kids are alive and happy, I’m good to go.
To be happy that Army Wives was renewed for another season so long as it’s not so dang dramatic. It seems someone is always in the hospital. And if Roxy and Trevor return to Fort Marshall because of a mix up of orders, I’m not watching.
To not like the new Blogger look when you write new posts and such. I finally get used to the old one and it changes. No thanks! They should make it optional. I also hate when Facebook changes. Would Mark Zuckerberg like it if I went into HIS home and changed everything around?
-----------------------
To wish a whole neighborhood would break out into song like they do in The Muppets. Wouldn’t that be so much fun? Or maybe I’m just weird.
To be happy with the winner of Big Brother.
To still giggle when I see all the fashion trends on TV shows. I stick to jeans and a t-shirt. Almost always.
To not care who the judges are for American Idol. I stopped watching after season 2. Plus, I don’t get the point of Nicki Minaj.
To feel sorry for Kate Middleton for getting photographed topless. That photographer was a disgusting sleezeball. It’s a shame they can’t even relax. Would I have gone out topless? No. But then again, I don’t have Kate Middleton’s body. If I did, I might have.
To be excited to get some clothes at Gymboree this week. I have Gymbucks which means I only pay for half of everything.
To not really feel much of the “mom guilt” that other mothers seem to feel if they aren’t perfect. If my kids are alive and happy, I’m good to go.
To be happy that Army Wives was renewed for another season so long as it’s not so dang dramatic. It seems someone is always in the hospital. And if Roxy and Trevor return to Fort Marshall because of a mix up of orders, I’m not watching.
To not like the new Blogger look when you write new posts and such. I finally get used to the old one and it changes. No thanks! They should make it optional. I also hate when Facebook changes. Would Mark Zuckerberg like it if I went into HIS home and changed everything around?
Monday, September 24, 2012
Things That Make Me Go "Huh?"
I don’t know about all of you, but I’m tired of hearing about politics. And how bad food is for you these days. And who Amanda Bynes crashed into this week.
So.
I decided to take pictures of things that have made me go “huh” lately.
Would anyone actually wear this? If a friend of mine wore this, I wouldn’t know whether to laugh or pet it. It’s just not my style. And who would pay over $100 for one?!
How does this guy think he looks good? He’s clearly had too much plastic surgery, and don’t let me get started on the hair…
This man is in love with balloons. He loves rubbing up against them and cried when one popped. No surprisingly, he’s single. How would he even find a woman who could tolerate that? "Hi! I love balloons and they're all over my home. That cool?"
Our cat Max loves to have his stomach rubbed. I’ve never seen another cat who liked it.
Remember how Natalie used to just write "Na" for her name? Imagine my surprise when I saw this. I was like, "Ahh, she's regressing!" It turns out she was tired of spelling her name and wanted to try and spell out her friend Madelyn's name. Oh. Still. I told her she needed to spell HER name in school.
So is there anything that's making you go "huh?" this week?
So.
I decided to take pictures of things that have made me go “huh” lately.
Would anyone actually wear this? If a friend of mine wore this, I wouldn’t know whether to laugh or pet it. It’s just not my style. And who would pay over $100 for one?!
How does this guy think he looks good? He’s clearly had too much plastic surgery, and don’t let me get started on the hair…
This man is in love with balloons. He loves rubbing up against them and cried when one popped. No surprisingly, he’s single. How would he even find a woman who could tolerate that? "Hi! I love balloons and they're all over my home. That cool?"
Our cat Max loves to have his stomach rubbed. I’ve never seen another cat who liked it.
Remember how Natalie used to just write "Na" for her name? Imagine my surprise when I saw this. I was like, "Ahh, she's regressing!" It turns out she was tired of spelling her name and wanted to try and spell out her friend Madelyn's name. Oh. Still. I told her she needed to spell HER name in school.
So is there anything that's making you go "huh?" this week?
Sunday, September 23, 2012
In College? Check Out CampusBookRentals.Com!
College.
I was there once.
And I’ll be going there again. Well. Maybe not to a campus, but in the form of an online school.
One of the bad things about college? The cost of everything! I remember buying 4 books and wanting to pass out when the total was around $500.
Thank goodness there’s a place like CampusBookRentals. It’s a website where you can save 40-90% off bookstore prices. You rent the book you need and then you return it and yes, it’s even free shipping both ways. You might be thinking, “If I rent a book, how can I highlight the important stuff?” Well, you CAN highlight in the books from CampusBookRentals!
Look at the comparison in prices.
This College Keyboarding book is $22.94 on CampusBookRentals. On Amazon, the same book is $35.96.
For a more detailed explanation on how the site works, check out these videos on YouTube:
They also offer LIVE customer support which is a big help.
That’s not all. With each book you rent, CampusBookRentals donates to Operation Smile which is an organization that performs cleft lip operations for families who can’t afford it on their own.
So don’t fork over tons of money on a book you’ll probably only use once. Check out CampusBookRentals the next time you start a college class.
For more information, check out the CampusBookRental's Facebook and Twitter page.
I was compensated for this post but the opinions are my own.
I was there once.
And I’ll be going there again. Well. Maybe not to a campus, but in the form of an online school.
One of the bad things about college? The cost of everything! I remember buying 4 books and wanting to pass out when the total was around $500.
Thank goodness there’s a place like CampusBookRentals. It’s a website where you can save 40-90% off bookstore prices. You rent the book you need and then you return it and yes, it’s even free shipping both ways. You might be thinking, “If I rent a book, how can I highlight the important stuff?” Well, you CAN highlight in the books from CampusBookRentals!
Look at the comparison in prices.
This College Keyboarding book is $22.94 on CampusBookRentals. On Amazon, the same book is $35.96.
For a more detailed explanation on how the site works, check out these videos on YouTube:
They also offer LIVE customer support which is a big help.
That’s not all. With each book you rent, CampusBookRentals donates to Operation Smile which is an organization that performs cleft lip operations for families who can’t afford it on their own.
So don’t fork over tons of money on a book you’ll probably only use once. Check out CampusBookRentals the next time you start a college class.
For more information, check out the CampusBookRental's Facebook and Twitter page.
I was compensated for this post but the opinions are my own.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Disney on Ice
So my Mom came to visit and we planned a surprise for Natalie.
We were taking to her Disney On Ice.
Those who have been reading me for awhile know that Natalie is a big fan of Disney Princesses. Her current favorite? Rapunzel.
I took a picture of her in front of the ice:
See that thing she’s holding? It’s a light up toy. It was $22.
*Rant Begin* I totally understand that companies need to make money. But. The stuff that Disney on Ice was selling was a rip off. They were selling plush dolls for $30, the same ones you can get at the Disney Store for $20. They were selling programs for the show for $20. Those should have been free. Or at least make one of cheaper quality for free. I mean, honestly. I would have liked a program but no, not forking over $20 for one. I probably shouldn’t have even gotten the light up toy but I figure we’ll use it again when we go to Disney World in June. *Rant End*
Here’s Natalie with my Mom munching on $12 cotton candy. At least it came with the crown that’s on Natalie’s head.
Oh, and here’s a photo of a random dude in a Pawn Stars shirt. I really wanted to ask him if he’s been in the store but I didn’t want to scare him.
So the show begins and Mickey and Minnie come out. Talk. And then Tiana from The Princess and the Frog comes out and does her story.
“I know her!” Natalie said. “I KNOW HER!”
She almost fell off her seat with excitement.
After Tiana it was Cinderella.
“I know her too!” Natalie shouted. “Hi Cinderella!”
She did not like the evil stepsisters. Especially when they ripped Cinderella’s dress.
“Santa is watching them,” Natalie informed me. “They won’t be getting any presents for Christmas.”
Yes folks, when she’s naughty, I tell her that Santa is watching and that if she carries on, she won’t get any presents.
“I like this one,” Natalie said as Cinderella and the Prince danced because the shoe fit her foot. “But where is Rapunzel?”
Rapunzel came next.
“My favorite!” Natalie said, clapping. “Pascal!”
Even Maximus the horse came out. Can you imagine having to be the butt part? I’d tell the person in front, “Please no farting.”
At the end Rapunzel and Flynn Rider danced:
“He loves her,” Natalie whispered.
Then they got married:
“Ugh, they gave Rapunzel long hair again. Why do they do that?” Natalie fumed. In the movie, Rapunzel still had her short hair when they got married.
All the princesses came out in the end and danced:
It was an awesome show. Natalie, naturally, loved it. She had mouthed along the words for Rapunzel, complete with arm movements.
“Is Rapunzel going back to Disney now so she can meet me when we go?” Natalie asked as we walked out.
“Er…yes,” I replied.
“The only thing was…where was Merida?” Natalie wanted to know.
Merida was the only missing princess.
“She was…riding horses with her mother,” I explained.
“Because her mother isn’t a bear anymore?” Natalie said happily.
“Yes. Because her mother isn’t a bear anymore.”
At home Natalie played with her $22 toy for awhile, so I suppose it was worth it.
We all had a fabulous time and now Natalie has decided she wants to learn how to skate on ice.
Fun.
We were taking to her Disney On Ice.
Those who have been reading me for awhile know that Natalie is a big fan of Disney Princesses. Her current favorite? Rapunzel.
I took a picture of her in front of the ice:
See that thing she’s holding? It’s a light up toy. It was $22.
*Rant Begin* I totally understand that companies need to make money. But. The stuff that Disney on Ice was selling was a rip off. They were selling plush dolls for $30, the same ones you can get at the Disney Store for $20. They were selling programs for the show for $20. Those should have been free. Or at least make one of cheaper quality for free. I mean, honestly. I would have liked a program but no, not forking over $20 for one. I probably shouldn’t have even gotten the light up toy but I figure we’ll use it again when we go to Disney World in June. *Rant End*
Here’s Natalie with my Mom munching on $12 cotton candy. At least it came with the crown that’s on Natalie’s head.
Oh, and here’s a photo of a random dude in a Pawn Stars shirt. I really wanted to ask him if he’s been in the store but I didn’t want to scare him.
So the show begins and Mickey and Minnie come out. Talk. And then Tiana from The Princess and the Frog comes out and does her story.
“I know her!” Natalie said. “I KNOW HER!”
She almost fell off her seat with excitement.
After Tiana it was Cinderella.
“I know her too!” Natalie shouted. “Hi Cinderella!”
She did not like the evil stepsisters. Especially when they ripped Cinderella’s dress.
“Santa is watching them,” Natalie informed me. “They won’t be getting any presents for Christmas.”
Yes folks, when she’s naughty, I tell her that Santa is watching and that if she carries on, she won’t get any presents.
“I like this one,” Natalie said as Cinderella and the Prince danced because the shoe fit her foot. “But where is Rapunzel?”
Rapunzel came next.
“My favorite!” Natalie said, clapping. “Pascal!”
Even Maximus the horse came out. Can you imagine having to be the butt part? I’d tell the person in front, “Please no farting.”
At the end Rapunzel and Flynn Rider danced:
“He loves her,” Natalie whispered.
Then they got married:
“Ugh, they gave Rapunzel long hair again. Why do they do that?” Natalie fumed. In the movie, Rapunzel still had her short hair when they got married.
All the princesses came out in the end and danced:
It was an awesome show. Natalie, naturally, loved it. She had mouthed along the words for Rapunzel, complete with arm movements.
“Is Rapunzel going back to Disney now so she can meet me when we go?” Natalie asked as we walked out.
“Er…yes,” I replied.
“The only thing was…where was Merida?” Natalie wanted to know.
Merida was the only missing princess.
“She was…riding horses with her mother,” I explained.
“Because her mother isn’t a bear anymore?” Natalie said happily.
“Yes. Because her mother isn’t a bear anymore.”
At home Natalie played with her $22 toy for awhile, so I suppose it was worth it.
We all had a fabulous time and now Natalie has decided she wants to learn how to skate on ice.
Fun.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Things That Annoy Me Thursday: Unable To Say Silly Words?!
Okay, so this isn’t really an ANNOYANCE per say.
After all, people have the right to make up their own rules for their house.
But.
I have to admit, it cracks me up when I hear that the word “fart” isn’t allowed to be used in a person’s home.
I mean????
What do they call it then?
Do they acknowledge that farts even exist?
If a fart does escape their clenched buttocks, what do they do? Continue on as though nothing happened? But what if it smells? Do they wordless take out some air freshner, spray it, and then go about their business?
I just don’t see what’s wrong with the word fart.
To the people who don’t allow the word to be used in their homes: never invite my kids over. Because they A) pass gas and announce it and B) if someone else passes gas, they’ll shout “Who farted?”
I don’t comprehend some people’s rules is all. I totally get if curse words aren’t allowed. But FART?
This word that we live in is weird.
After all, people have the right to make up their own rules for their house.
But.
I have to admit, it cracks me up when I hear that the word “fart” isn’t allowed to be used in a person’s home.
I mean????
What do they call it then?
Do they acknowledge that farts even exist?
If a fart does escape their clenched buttocks, what do they do? Continue on as though nothing happened? But what if it smells? Do they wordless take out some air freshner, spray it, and then go about their business?
I just don’t see what’s wrong with the word fart.
To the people who don’t allow the word to be used in their homes: never invite my kids over. Because they A) pass gas and announce it and B) if someone else passes gas, they’ll shout “Who farted?”
I don’t comprehend some people’s rules is all. I totally get if curse words aren’t allowed. But FART?
This word that we live in is weird.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!
I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.
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To think it’s awesome that a blind woman won on MasterChef. I don’t watch the show but I heard about it. It’s pretty sad that a woman who can’t see can cook better than I do.
To find it hard not to shop the Baby Sale going on at Gymboree. Natalie can still fit in 5T items so we can still shop the sale. But I have to hold out until Gymbuck Redemption.
To be embarrassed that a show like Honey Boo Boo is so popular. Way to go, America.
To use non-organic shampoo. It seems to be the thing for people to use organic shampoo now. No thanks.
To think the Gangham Style craze is odd. I feel like I’ve been doing that dance for years. I’ve always danced like a crazy person to music.
To have been shocked over Dan’s move on Big Brother. I’m still hoping Ian wins because he reminds me of Tommy.
To be surprised that people have already decorated their houses for Halloween. I get the fall theme but Halloween? There are people with fake gravestones and ghosts in their yards already.
To have checked these books out at the library. The Lego book is for Tommy. One of his current obsessions is the history of Legos. He loves the book.
----------------------
To think it’s awesome that a blind woman won on MasterChef. I don’t watch the show but I heard about it. It’s pretty sad that a woman who can’t see can cook better than I do.
To find it hard not to shop the Baby Sale going on at Gymboree. Natalie can still fit in 5T items so we can still shop the sale. But I have to hold out until Gymbuck Redemption.
To be embarrassed that a show like Honey Boo Boo is so popular. Way to go, America.
To use non-organic shampoo. It seems to be the thing for people to use organic shampoo now. No thanks.
To think the Gangham Style craze is odd. I feel like I’ve been doing that dance for years. I’ve always danced like a crazy person to music.
To have been shocked over Dan’s move on Big Brother. I’m still hoping Ian wins because he reminds me of Tommy.
To be surprised that people have already decorated their houses for Halloween. I get the fall theme but Halloween? There are people with fake gravestones and ghosts in their yards already.
To have checked these books out at the library. The Lego book is for Tommy. One of his current obsessions is the history of Legos. He loves the book.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Oklahoma State Fair
State fairs.
I love them.
Especially the food.
I mean, look:
That’s deep fried Kool-Aid. And my goal was to find it and try it. I was intrigued.
Here’s the thing though: there are so many vendors that sometimes things are impossible to find. Like deep fried Kool-Aid. I walked and walked and walked. I figured I had burned off the calories that I’d consume from deep fried Kool-Aid. I went up to another vendor and asked where the deep fried Kool-Aid was.
“Dunno. But can I interest you in an Indian Taco?” the guy asked me.
Tempting, but no. I wanted deep fried Kool-Aid! I walked some more and hoped that my Sketcher Shape Ups were helping to make my backside tighter. Probably not. Didn’t they get into legal trouble for saying that and then customers whined when their butts didn’t seem as tight as Jenny McCarthy’s?
I ended up getting this:
A deep fried Twinkie. It was delicious. (Last year I had deep fried Oreos. Also yummy.)
We took the kids on various rides. My Mom is here visiting so it was nice to have her around. Tommy wanted to do almost all of them. He loves the ones that spin.
Natalie isn’t tall enough for the ones that go fast so she picked a ferris wheel:
(That's Tommy with my Mom!)
I’m not a fan of heights so I tried to pretend that we weren’t high in the air.
Did I mention that we went yesterday? A weekend? Which meant people were EVERYWHERE. I thought we were in a recession! I mean, it wasn’t exactly cheap to go to the fair so how were people paying when so many are saying America is broke?
We went to some exhibits and found one dedicated to insects. Bees was among them.
“I hate bees,” Natalie announced when she saw this. “One stung me and I hate them now.”
I’ve always hated them. Mean bees that killed poor Thomas J. (“Vada, would you think of me?” “For what?” “Well, if you don’t get to marry Mr. Bixler..” “I guess…” And then Thomas J DIES!)
Natalie also got to ride a pony. She loves ponies.
“I want a pony!” she announced when we was finished with her ride.
I want a tummy tuck. Both things are probably NOT going to happen.
We stayed FIVE HOURS at the fair. With people all around us. But still, it was a blast. And maybe next year I’ll be able to find that deep fried Kool-Aid.
Or.
Maybe I can figure out where the booth is because we’re going BACK to the fair on Tuesday to surprise Natalie with Disney on Ice. (Everytime she sees the commercial she’s like, “I so want to go there!” and I’m like, “Well, maybe another time..”)
If not, the arena is across the way from the chocolate covered bacon and deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich…
I love them.
Especially the food.
I mean, look:
That’s deep fried Kool-Aid. And my goal was to find it and try it. I was intrigued.
Here’s the thing though: there are so many vendors that sometimes things are impossible to find. Like deep fried Kool-Aid. I walked and walked and walked. I figured I had burned off the calories that I’d consume from deep fried Kool-Aid. I went up to another vendor and asked where the deep fried Kool-Aid was.
“Dunno. But can I interest you in an Indian Taco?” the guy asked me.
Tempting, but no. I wanted deep fried Kool-Aid! I walked some more and hoped that my Sketcher Shape Ups were helping to make my backside tighter. Probably not. Didn’t they get into legal trouble for saying that and then customers whined when their butts didn’t seem as tight as Jenny McCarthy’s?
I ended up getting this:
A deep fried Twinkie. It was delicious. (Last year I had deep fried Oreos. Also yummy.)
We took the kids on various rides. My Mom is here visiting so it was nice to have her around. Tommy wanted to do almost all of them. He loves the ones that spin.
Natalie isn’t tall enough for the ones that go fast so she picked a ferris wheel:
(That's Tommy with my Mom!)
I’m not a fan of heights so I tried to pretend that we weren’t high in the air.
Did I mention that we went yesterday? A weekend? Which meant people were EVERYWHERE. I thought we were in a recession! I mean, it wasn’t exactly cheap to go to the fair so how were people paying when so many are saying America is broke?
We went to some exhibits and found one dedicated to insects. Bees was among them.
“I hate bees,” Natalie announced when she saw this. “One stung me and I hate them now.”
I’ve always hated them. Mean bees that killed poor Thomas J. (“Vada, would you think of me?” “For what?” “Well, if you don’t get to marry Mr. Bixler..” “I guess…” And then Thomas J DIES!)
Natalie also got to ride a pony. She loves ponies.
“I want a pony!” she announced when we was finished with her ride.
I want a tummy tuck. Both things are probably NOT going to happen.
We stayed FIVE HOURS at the fair. With people all around us. But still, it was a blast. And maybe next year I’ll be able to find that deep fried Kool-Aid.
Or.
Maybe I can figure out where the booth is because we’re going BACK to the fair on Tuesday to surprise Natalie with Disney on Ice. (Everytime she sees the commercial she’s like, “I so want to go there!” and I’m like, “Well, maybe another time..”)
If not, the arena is across the way from the chocolate covered bacon and deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich…
Sunday, September 16, 2012
The Company Store Pillowcase Friend Review
“Can we get another cat?” Natalie asked.
“No. One is enough,” I replied.
“What about a doggy?”
“Ha. Double no!”
“A fish?”
“Nope.”
“A frog?”
“Well…you can SORT OF have one..”
I said that because this came in the mail:
It’s a Pillowcase Friend by The Company Store. The awesome case houses your standard pillow and turns it into a fabulous friend.
Or, in Natalie’s case, the frog she yearned for.
She loved it the second she saw it:
“I’m going to sleep on him tonight!”
Then she insisted on carrying it everywhere she went:
I’ve always been impressed with products from The Company Store. From adorable bedding to monogrammed backpacks, they have a bunch of items that I would want to purchase.
If your kid is an animal lover, you can get your own Pillowcase Friend for $29. It doesn’t just come in a frog design. You can get a dog, cat, monkey, pony, or butterfly. It’s also machine washable, which is a good thing because my daughter isn’t what you’d exactly call neat.
Natalie has named her frog Pillowcase Friend Burt, by the way. I’m not sure why. It even rode in the car with us the other day.
So basically, this Pillowcase Friend has provided us with lots of entertainment, which is always a bonus in my eyes.
I was not compensated for this post. I was given a frog Pillowcase Friend to try out but my opinions are my own.
“No. One is enough,” I replied.
“What about a doggy?”
“Ha. Double no!”
“A fish?”
“Nope.”
“A frog?”
“Well…you can SORT OF have one..”
I said that because this came in the mail:
It’s a Pillowcase Friend by The Company Store. The awesome case houses your standard pillow and turns it into a fabulous friend.
Or, in Natalie’s case, the frog she yearned for.
She loved it the second she saw it:
“I’m going to sleep on him tonight!”
Then she insisted on carrying it everywhere she went:
I’ve always been impressed with products from The Company Store. From adorable bedding to monogrammed backpacks, they have a bunch of items that I would want to purchase.
If your kid is an animal lover, you can get your own Pillowcase Friend for $29. It doesn’t just come in a frog design. You can get a dog, cat, monkey, pony, or butterfly. It’s also machine washable, which is a good thing because my daughter isn’t what you’d exactly call neat.
Natalie has named her frog Pillowcase Friend Burt, by the way. I’m not sure why. It even rode in the car with us the other day.
So basically, this Pillowcase Friend has provided us with lots of entertainment, which is always a bonus in my eyes.
I was not compensated for this post. I was given a frog Pillowcase Friend to try out but my opinions are my own.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Candy Corn Oreos
So I have this reputation on liking sweets.
Many of my readers know this.
People who know me in real life know this.
Heck, people who I’ve just met figure it out early on.
So it wasn’t a surprise when I had five people telling me about these new Oreos that were coming out. Candy Corn Oreos. My interest was immediately peaked. I had to find the Oreos and try them.
I’m a big fan of trying new junk foods.
Like the Pumpkie Pie Pop Tarts. Mmmmmm….
Anyway, when I went to the commissary I checked to see if they had the Candy Corn Oreos. They didn’t. I came on Facebook and whined about it. Someone said, “I think they’re exclusive to Target.”
Oh.
Seeing as I’m at Target every week, I decided to look the next time I was there.
I still couldn’t find the cookies. Where were they?
I startled a worker who was putting out Halloween stuff.
“Are you going to get the Candy Corn Oreos?” I asked sweetly.
He blinked at me.
“Target is getting these Candy Corn Oreos and I must try them,” I said fervently.
His mouth fell open slightly. Did this not compute?
“Ugh,” he finally said as he set out some monster shaped fruit snacks. “I haven’t seen any of those. They sound gross.”
Gross!
GROSS!
Well, in the words of Stephanie Tanner, how rude.
Yesterday someone posted on one of the coupon groups I’m apart of that Target had marked their backpacks 70% off. Yes, finally! I always get backpacks 70% off for the following year because who wants to pay full price for one? Not me. I figured it would give me another chance to find the cookies.
Back to Target I went.
(I have been three times this week. I have problems. It’s not my fault that they mark things 70% off on DIFFERENT days.)
I found some 70% off backpacks for next year.
Then I wandered the Halloween section hoping to find the Oreos.
Nope.
Seriously, Target!
I was getting annoyed. I had seen some Facebook friends post pictures of the Oreos that they had found in THEIR Targets. What was wrong with mine?
I headed for the checkout, deflated. No Oreos for me. Ahh well.
Then I spotted a woman chatting with a friend. And what did she have in her hands?
THE CANDY CORN OREOS!
I tried not to scare her when I rushed over. “Excuse me!” I gasped out.
She stared at me with wide eyes. Maybe she thought I was a robber. Only that would be weird, trying to steal right near the checkout. Plus, we weren’t at WalMart.
“Where did you find those cookies?” I asked.
“In the back on an endcap near the freezer section,” she replied, and then her friend giggled.
“Everyone is looking for those cookies!” she trilled.
Really? So I wasn’t the only one?
I hurried into the back area in case everyone was buying all the cookies. What if they were gone?
I made it to the endcap near the freezer and…
…yup! There they were! Why they weren’t by the Halloween stuff is beyond me.
I grabbed a package and stuck it in my cart. Then when I got in line I saw another display for them up front. D’oh! Oh well, I got my cardio in for the day.
So, what do they taste like?
Not candy corn.
BUT. They taste like cake.
And you can’t go wrong with cake.
(Natalie is also a fan. She licked off the cream and was like, “Mmmmmm!” She takes after her Mom.They freaked Tommy out. It was the cream colors, I think. He wouldn’t even try it. He’d be friends with that male Target worker I encountered.)
Many of my readers know this.
People who know me in real life know this.
Heck, people who I’ve just met figure it out early on.
So it wasn’t a surprise when I had five people telling me about these new Oreos that were coming out. Candy Corn Oreos. My interest was immediately peaked. I had to find the Oreos and try them.
I’m a big fan of trying new junk foods.
Like the Pumpkie Pie Pop Tarts. Mmmmmm….
Anyway, when I went to the commissary I checked to see if they had the Candy Corn Oreos. They didn’t. I came on Facebook and whined about it. Someone said, “I think they’re exclusive to Target.”
Oh.
Seeing as I’m at Target every week, I decided to look the next time I was there.
I still couldn’t find the cookies. Where were they?
I startled a worker who was putting out Halloween stuff.
“Are you going to get the Candy Corn Oreos?” I asked sweetly.
He blinked at me.
“Target is getting these Candy Corn Oreos and I must try them,” I said fervently.
His mouth fell open slightly. Did this not compute?
“Ugh,” he finally said as he set out some monster shaped fruit snacks. “I haven’t seen any of those. They sound gross.”
Gross!
GROSS!
Well, in the words of Stephanie Tanner, how rude.
Yesterday someone posted on one of the coupon groups I’m apart of that Target had marked their backpacks 70% off. Yes, finally! I always get backpacks 70% off for the following year because who wants to pay full price for one? Not me. I figured it would give me another chance to find the cookies.
Back to Target I went.
(I have been three times this week. I have problems. It’s not my fault that they mark things 70% off on DIFFERENT days.)
I found some 70% off backpacks for next year.
Then I wandered the Halloween section hoping to find the Oreos.
Nope.
Seriously, Target!
I was getting annoyed. I had seen some Facebook friends post pictures of the Oreos that they had found in THEIR Targets. What was wrong with mine?
I headed for the checkout, deflated. No Oreos for me. Ahh well.
Then I spotted a woman chatting with a friend. And what did she have in her hands?
THE CANDY CORN OREOS!
I tried not to scare her when I rushed over. “Excuse me!” I gasped out.
She stared at me with wide eyes. Maybe she thought I was a robber. Only that would be weird, trying to steal right near the checkout. Plus, we weren’t at WalMart.
“Where did you find those cookies?” I asked.
“In the back on an endcap near the freezer section,” she replied, and then her friend giggled.
“Everyone is looking for those cookies!” she trilled.
Really? So I wasn’t the only one?
I hurried into the back area in case everyone was buying all the cookies. What if they were gone?
I made it to the endcap near the freezer and…
…yup! There they were! Why they weren’t by the Halloween stuff is beyond me.
I grabbed a package and stuck it in my cart. Then when I got in line I saw another display for them up front. D’oh! Oh well, I got my cardio in for the day.
So, what do they taste like?
Not candy corn.
BUT. They taste like cake.
And you can’t go wrong with cake.
(Natalie is also a fan. She licked off the cream and was like, “Mmmmmm!” She takes after her Mom.They freaked Tommy out. It was the cream colors, I think. He wouldn’t even try it. He’d be friends with that male Target worker I encountered.)
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Things That Annoy Me Thursday: Littering
I’m always surprised when I’m behind a car and I see them roll down their window and toss out trash.
I mean, how lazy can you get?
How disgusting can you get?
I notice a lot of people like to toss their empty plastic soda bottles out their windows. Or fast food bags.
Here’s an idea: find a trash and put it in there.
I don’t care if you don’t want trash in your car. The world doesn’t want trash on it. Thanks.
I always wish that the trash will bounce back up and smack the person who threw it out in the face.
Because that would be hilarious.
I mean, how lazy can you get?
How disgusting can you get?
I notice a lot of people like to toss their empty plastic soda bottles out their windows. Or fast food bags.
Here’s an idea: find a trash and put it in there.
I don’t care if you don’t want trash in your car. The world doesn’t want trash on it. Thanks.
I always wish that the trash will bounce back up and smack the person who threw it out in the face.
Because that would be hilarious.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Student of the Month
“Guess what, Mommy?” Natalie said when I picked her up from school. “I’m student of the month! I get to go on stage and everything! What should I wear on stage? What should I do on stage? Should I bow?”
The words tumbled from her mouth at a mile a minute. That’s just how Natalie is. She’s rarely quiet. It’s a wonder she stays silent at school but apparently she does, because she always has green smiley faces in her agenda and her teacher has called her sweet.
“You got student of the month? That’s great!” I replied.
“I get to go on STAGE!” Natalie repeated.
She’s also not shy.
“What will I WEAR?”
She also loves clothes.
“Do I go on stage TOMORROW?”
She’s also impatient.
“No, usually student of the month is awarded during the first quarter awards,” I explained. “So probably not until October.”
Natalie sighed. “Oh. All right.”
When we got home she showed me this large paper that we had to fill out. It had spaces where we had to write what her favorite things were, she had to draw her family…just basically explaining who she was.
Then I saw another piece of paper that said that the parent had to decorate the bulletin board for the student of the month.
Wait. What?
A lot of mothers love to decorate. A lot of mothers are talented. They can take a simple t-shirt and sequin it in under an hour. Me? I don’t like to decorate. My eyes glaze over when women start talking about décor and the like. Who cares? When people ask what my style is, I’m like, “Uh?” I have no style. I generally go for what’s on sale.
I helped Natalie fill out her paper and she colored it. I added pictures for her to put on her bulletin board.
And that was basically it.
I’m sure some mothers would buy border for the bulletin board to make it pretty. They’d cut out pretty designs and the like, maybe toss some glitter on there for a sparkly effect.
Me?
Well, I figured the paper and pictures were enough.
The next day I told her teacher that I was ready to do the bulletin board. She handed me a stapler and off I went.
Do you see Natalie’s paper?
Um, well guess what? A woman walked in and prepared to set up HER kid’s bulletin board. She had taken all the information from that paper and placed it all on a shiny pink background. Complete with a border. And I swear I saw glitter.
I wanted to take a picture but there was a teacher watching me from the hall. She was either A) impressed with my daughter’s work or B) was snickering at my lack of decorating skills. Or C) my fly might have been down. It was first thing in the morning. I’m not totally with it then.
Oh well. I know I’ll never be able to make a doll from sticks or a gourmet meal. I can't take a milk carton and create a fancy vase. I’ll stare at things on Pinterest and think, “That’s nice,” but know I’d never have the patience to actually DO it.
But that’s okay. Natalie says I make the best jelly sandwiches (only jelly—she doesn’t like peanut butter. It feels “weird” in her teeth) and that has to account for something, right?
The words tumbled from her mouth at a mile a minute. That’s just how Natalie is. She’s rarely quiet. It’s a wonder she stays silent at school but apparently she does, because she always has green smiley faces in her agenda and her teacher has called her sweet.
“You got student of the month? That’s great!” I replied.
“I get to go on STAGE!” Natalie repeated.
She’s also not shy.
“What will I WEAR?”
She also loves clothes.
“Do I go on stage TOMORROW?”
She’s also impatient.
“No, usually student of the month is awarded during the first quarter awards,” I explained. “So probably not until October.”
Natalie sighed. “Oh. All right.”
When we got home she showed me this large paper that we had to fill out. It had spaces where we had to write what her favorite things were, she had to draw her family…just basically explaining who she was.
Then I saw another piece of paper that said that the parent had to decorate the bulletin board for the student of the month.
Wait. What?
A lot of mothers love to decorate. A lot of mothers are talented. They can take a simple t-shirt and sequin it in under an hour. Me? I don’t like to decorate. My eyes glaze over when women start talking about décor and the like. Who cares? When people ask what my style is, I’m like, “Uh?” I have no style. I generally go for what’s on sale.
I helped Natalie fill out her paper and she colored it. I added pictures for her to put on her bulletin board.
And that was basically it.
I’m sure some mothers would buy border for the bulletin board to make it pretty. They’d cut out pretty designs and the like, maybe toss some glitter on there for a sparkly effect.
Me?
Well, I figured the paper and pictures were enough.
The next day I told her teacher that I was ready to do the bulletin board. She handed me a stapler and off I went.
Do you see Natalie’s paper?
Um, well guess what? A woman walked in and prepared to set up HER kid’s bulletin board. She had taken all the information from that paper and placed it all on a shiny pink background. Complete with a border. And I swear I saw glitter.
I wanted to take a picture but there was a teacher watching me from the hall. She was either A) impressed with my daughter’s work or B) was snickering at my lack of decorating skills. Or C) my fly might have been down. It was first thing in the morning. I’m not totally with it then.
Oh well. I know I’ll never be able to make a doll from sticks or a gourmet meal. I can't take a milk carton and create a fancy vase. I’ll stare at things on Pinterest and think, “That’s nice,” but know I’d never have the patience to actually DO it.
But that’s okay. Natalie says I make the best jelly sandwiches (only jelly—she doesn’t like peanut butter. It feels “weird” in her teeth) and that has to account for something, right?
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!
I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.
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To find it refreshing that Jessica Simpson didn’t lose all her baby weight at once. Nothing annoys me more to see a celebrity on a cover a couple of weeks after giving birth saying that they lost it all “thanks to breastfeeding!” It doesn’t exactly work like that.
To have loved my pumpkin spice frappuccino from Starbucks. It had been so long since I had one. I’m glad they’re back!
To have finished watching The Walking Dead season 2. Can’t wait for season 3. Really wouldn’t be sad to see Carl go though.
To be excited that a bunch of shows start today. Go On, The New Normal, Parenthood…the list goes on. Thank goodness for my DVR.
To be glad no one in this family is really into sports. We rarely watch a football or baseball game.
To not understand why anyone would pay money to see one of the “stars” of Teen Mom talk. Apparently they make appearances to speak about their story.
To have bought the new Barbie A Princess and the Popstar for Natalie today. If you get it at Target you can get a free mini Barbie. I’ll be her hero for like a week.
To think it’s cool that Tommy likes to play weather. He draws stuff like this and tells me all about how the weather is going to be.
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To find it refreshing that Jessica Simpson didn’t lose all her baby weight at once. Nothing annoys me more to see a celebrity on a cover a couple of weeks after giving birth saying that they lost it all “thanks to breastfeeding!” It doesn’t exactly work like that.
To have loved my pumpkin spice frappuccino from Starbucks. It had been so long since I had one. I’m glad they’re back!
To have finished watching The Walking Dead season 2. Can’t wait for season 3. Really wouldn’t be sad to see Carl go though.
To be excited that a bunch of shows start today. Go On, The New Normal, Parenthood…the list goes on. Thank goodness for my DVR.
To be glad no one in this family is really into sports. We rarely watch a football or baseball game.
To not understand why anyone would pay money to see one of the “stars” of Teen Mom talk. Apparently they make appearances to speak about their story.
To have bought the new Barbie A Princess and the Popstar for Natalie today. If you get it at Target you can get a free mini Barbie. I’ll be her hero for like a week.
To think it’s cool that Tommy likes to play weather. He draws stuff like this and tells me all about how the weather is going to be.
Monday, September 10, 2012
A Day at the Zoo
Tom and I took the kids to the zoo last week.
It was hot. Like 100 degrees hot.
And Natalie wanted to keep almost every animal we saw.
For instance, she loved these things:
“Can we have one?” she asked.
“Um. No,” I replied. I have enough trouble keeping up with the beings that live in the house as it is.
“Oooo. Can we have one of these?”
(Rare photo of Tommy! Most of the time he groans when I suggest taking a photo of him.)
“No. This belongs to the zoo.”
“I want one of these!”
“Me too, actually! But we can’t.” Meerkats are adorable. Remember the show Meerkat Manor? I think that’s what it was called. I can’t believe I was even invested in a show like that but I was. I remember when some died and I was like, “Oh no!”
There was a Merry Go Round that Natalie had to ride on. Tommy said no way.
When the ride was over Natalie was like, “Can we buy one of these?”
“Sure, if your Daddy was Tom Cruise.”
She found a statue of a turtle:
“His name is Ralph!” she said.
Look! We found the owl from Labyrinth.
My kids don’t appreciate Labyrinth. Tommy was bored when I showed it to them. Natalie was freaked out by the goblins and the bulge in David Bowie’s pants.(She'll appreciate it when she's older.)
She found another statue:
And we saw an elephant and her baby.
Plus another statue.
Despite the heat, we ended up having a great time. We’ll probably go again when it cools down.
I can almost bet that Natalie will want to take something else home.
It was hot. Like 100 degrees hot.
And Natalie wanted to keep almost every animal we saw.
For instance, she loved these things:
“Can we have one?” she asked.
“Um. No,” I replied. I have enough trouble keeping up with the beings that live in the house as it is.
“Oooo. Can we have one of these?”
(Rare photo of Tommy! Most of the time he groans when I suggest taking a photo of him.)
“No. This belongs to the zoo.”
“I want one of these!”
“Me too, actually! But we can’t.” Meerkats are adorable. Remember the show Meerkat Manor? I think that’s what it was called. I can’t believe I was even invested in a show like that but I was. I remember when some died and I was like, “Oh no!”
There was a Merry Go Round that Natalie had to ride on. Tommy said no way.
When the ride was over Natalie was like, “Can we buy one of these?”
“Sure, if your Daddy was Tom Cruise.”
She found a statue of a turtle:
“His name is Ralph!” she said.
Look! We found the owl from Labyrinth.
My kids don’t appreciate Labyrinth. Tommy was bored when I showed it to them. Natalie was freaked out by the goblins and the bulge in David Bowie’s pants.(She'll appreciate it when she's older.)
She found another statue:
And we saw an elephant and her baby.
Plus another statue.
Despite the heat, we ended up having a great time. We’ll probably go again when it cools down.
I can almost bet that Natalie will want to take something else home.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Stung By A Bee
So Natalie and I were just about to walk into her school when she yelped, “Ouch! It bit me!”
I was thinking, “Huh? What bit you?” I wasn’t completely with it seeing as I was half asleep. I am not a morning person.
Natalie lifted up her shirt and a bee comes flying out. Then she burst into tears saying that her stomach hurt.
She had been stung.
People passed us and most didn’t seem keen on having to hear a five-year-old wail. They probably assumed she didn’t want to go to school. That couldn’t be the furthest from the truth. Natalie loves school.
It was just a mean bee had stung her.
I hate bees. I always have. This is why. My Mom is always like, “But they pollinate and blah blah blah..” That’s nice and all but they also STING. Therefore I shout and act like a wimp when I see one around me. Yes, I have ran around my yard in a panic when I thought a bee had landed on me. I do leap out of chairs if one gets too close.
I DO NOT LIKE BEES.
And now I hate them even more for hurting my kid.
I lifted up Natalie’s shirt and saw a red welt.
“Please don’t be allergic,” I muttered.
I didn’t think she would be. She’s not allergic to anything as far as I know. I’ve been stung before and was fine. Tom has been stung before and was fine. Tommy never has, but he’s just a lucky kid. He’s rarely hurt.
Natalie.
Well.
Let’s see.
She had a cyst on her leg that got bad enough for us to have to go to the hospital for a couple of days.
Then she got cut in her side and had to get those liquid stitches.
She got a hole in her head when she crashed into the corner of a wall. Had to get two staples to close them up.
Right before PreK started she landed straight on her face and got a gross bruise.
The kid…she’s hurt a lot.
And now she was stung.
“That bee was mean,” Natalie sniffled. She had calmed down, which I was impressed with. I thought she’d carry on for a bit. She seemed more affronted that the bee had dared to sting HER.
“Can you see my fingers? Are you okay?” I asked, wiggling my fingers at her. Oh please don’t let her be allergic.
“I can see,” Natalie said, wiping her face. “I need an ice pack from the nurse!”
Yes folks, she’s fallen down enough at school that she knows what an ice pack is.
I brought her to the nurse’s office and explained what happened. She checked the wound and saw that there was no stinger, which was a good thing. It was just red. She made Natalie an ice pack and handed it over.
We waited for ten minutes to make sure Natalie didn’t have a reaction. She didn’t. Phew.
I walked her to class and told her teacher what happened.
“A bee stung me!” Natalie said and lifted up her shirt. “Hey kids. A bee stung me!”
Well. Clearly she was okay.
Want to know what’s amusing about this whole story?
This is what she was wearing:
Clearly, the bee was not amused.
I was thinking, “Huh? What bit you?” I wasn’t completely with it seeing as I was half asleep. I am not a morning person.
Natalie lifted up her shirt and a bee comes flying out. Then she burst into tears saying that her stomach hurt.
She had been stung.
People passed us and most didn’t seem keen on having to hear a five-year-old wail. They probably assumed she didn’t want to go to school. That couldn’t be the furthest from the truth. Natalie loves school.
It was just a mean bee had stung her.
I hate bees. I always have. This is why. My Mom is always like, “But they pollinate and blah blah blah..” That’s nice and all but they also STING. Therefore I shout and act like a wimp when I see one around me. Yes, I have ran around my yard in a panic when I thought a bee had landed on me. I do leap out of chairs if one gets too close.
I DO NOT LIKE BEES.
And now I hate them even more for hurting my kid.
I lifted up Natalie’s shirt and saw a red welt.
“Please don’t be allergic,” I muttered.
I didn’t think she would be. She’s not allergic to anything as far as I know. I’ve been stung before and was fine. Tom has been stung before and was fine. Tommy never has, but he’s just a lucky kid. He’s rarely hurt.
Natalie.
Well.
Let’s see.
She had a cyst on her leg that got bad enough for us to have to go to the hospital for a couple of days.
Then she got cut in her side and had to get those liquid stitches.
She got a hole in her head when she crashed into the corner of a wall. Had to get two staples to close them up.
Right before PreK started she landed straight on her face and got a gross bruise.
The kid…she’s hurt a lot.
And now she was stung.
“That bee was mean,” Natalie sniffled. She had calmed down, which I was impressed with. I thought she’d carry on for a bit. She seemed more affronted that the bee had dared to sting HER.
“Can you see my fingers? Are you okay?” I asked, wiggling my fingers at her. Oh please don’t let her be allergic.
“I can see,” Natalie said, wiping her face. “I need an ice pack from the nurse!”
Yes folks, she’s fallen down enough at school that she knows what an ice pack is.
I brought her to the nurse’s office and explained what happened. She checked the wound and saw that there was no stinger, which was a good thing. It was just red. She made Natalie an ice pack and handed it over.
We waited for ten minutes to make sure Natalie didn’t have a reaction. She didn’t. Phew.
I walked her to class and told her teacher what happened.
“A bee stung me!” Natalie said and lifted up her shirt. “Hey kids. A bee stung me!”
Well. Clearly she was okay.
Want to know what’s amusing about this whole story?
This is what she was wearing:
Clearly, the bee was not amused.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Things That Annoy Me Thursday: ASSuming
“I envy you for having no children at home. You get to relax and do nothing!” another mother once said when she found out that both my kids were in school full time.
I gave her a polite smile and said, “Well, I don’t only relax.”
I wasn’t sure if she believed me or not.
The thing is, yes, it is nice having the kids in school full time. But I don’t get to go home and do nothing or eat those bon bons that people assume stay-at-home-mothers consume. (Where did that even come from? Who buys bon bons? Eating Reeses Peanut Butter Cups would make more sense to me..)
Anyway.
I have set days that I do certain things. I go grocery shopping on Mondays. I run errands on other days. I clean different areas of the house. Even when I’m watching television I’m usually doing something. Clipping and organizing coupons, for one. With the kids at school, I can concentrate more on that. I try and make it my goal to save at least twenty bucks at the grocery store.
My point is, I’m not just “relaxing” when my kids are in school.
I’m being productive.
And enjoying Reeses Peanut Butter Cups in between it all.
I gave her a polite smile and said, “Well, I don’t only relax.”
I wasn’t sure if she believed me or not.
The thing is, yes, it is nice having the kids in school full time. But I don’t get to go home and do nothing or eat those bon bons that people assume stay-at-home-mothers consume. (Where did that even come from? Who buys bon bons? Eating Reeses Peanut Butter Cups would make more sense to me..)
Anyway.
I have set days that I do certain things. I go grocery shopping on Mondays. I run errands on other days. I clean different areas of the house. Even when I’m watching television I’m usually doing something. Clipping and organizing coupons, for one. With the kids at school, I can concentrate more on that. I try and make it my goal to save at least twenty bucks at the grocery store.
My point is, I’m not just “relaxing” when my kids are in school.
I’m being productive.
And enjoying Reeses Peanut Butter Cups in between it all.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
No Fancy Lunches Here
This is how I pack lunch for my kids.
This is how a lot of parents are packing lunch for their kids:
Fancy lunch:
What I pack:
It seems that with each year I’m a parent another craze pops up. I’m just…look, I’m old school. I don’t care if Bento lunches are in. There is nothing wrong with a regular sandwich with no face on it.
This is very cool:
But mine wouldn’t come out that neat, I assure you.
I don’t have the patience to do a Bento lunch. I barely have the patience to prepare the lunch I do make. It’s great if a parent wants to make an elaborate lunch.
But me?
I’ll stick to a sandwich with no face. (On white bread. The horror!)
This is how a lot of parents are packing lunch for their kids:
Fancy lunch:
What I pack:
It seems that with each year I’m a parent another craze pops up. I’m just…look, I’m old school. I don’t care if Bento lunches are in. There is nothing wrong with a regular sandwich with no face on it.
This is very cool:
But mine wouldn’t come out that neat, I assure you.
I don’t have the patience to do a Bento lunch. I barely have the patience to prepare the lunch I do make. It’s great if a parent wants to make an elaborate lunch.
But me?
I’ll stick to a sandwich with no face. (On white bread. The horror!)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!
I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.
-------------------------
To have thought Clint Eastwood’s speech was fantastic. I liked the whole empty chair bit.
To be watching the second seaon of The Walking Dead. A character just found out she’s pregnant. In a world full of zombies.
To wish I liked cooking more. I find a bunch of recipes on Pinterest but lack the motivation to actually MAKE them.
To still want to go to the pawn shop where Pawn Stars is filmed. I’ve read blog posts about it. Apparently there is a lot of Chumlee merchandise up front.
To know I could never join the PTA. Just not my scene.
To hate when I meet someone new and two seconds into meeting them they’re like, “Hey, so do you want to host a party for me? I sell candles/cookware/sex toys…”
To always feel like I’m going into another world whenever I shop at WalMart.
To be donating a bunch of books to the library. I want to cry, because I love my books, but I need to downsize. Plus, I know they’re going to a good home. So long as people don’t fold the pages down to keep their spots.
To have watched Friends with Kids on Netflix and not liked it much at all. All of the women in the movie were too skinny! The only one who looked normal was Maya Rudolph. The rest needed a Big Mac. It was distracting how skinny and gross they looked. I hate how that’s the norm in Hollywood.
-------------------------
To have thought Clint Eastwood’s speech was fantastic. I liked the whole empty chair bit.
To be watching the second seaon of The Walking Dead. A character just found out she’s pregnant. In a world full of zombies.
To wish I liked cooking more. I find a bunch of recipes on Pinterest but lack the motivation to actually MAKE them.
To still want to go to the pawn shop where Pawn Stars is filmed. I’ve read blog posts about it. Apparently there is a lot of Chumlee merchandise up front.
To know I could never join the PTA. Just not my scene.
To hate when I meet someone new and two seconds into meeting them they’re like, “Hey, so do you want to host a party for me? I sell candles/cookware/sex toys…”
To always feel like I’m going into another world whenever I shop at WalMart.
To be donating a bunch of books to the library. I want to cry, because I love my books, but I need to downsize. Plus, I know they’re going to a good home. So long as people don’t fold the pages down to keep their spots.
To have watched Friends with Kids on Netflix and not liked it much at all. All of the women in the movie were too skinny! The only one who looked normal was Maya Rudolph. The rest needed a Big Mac. It was distracting how skinny and gross they looked. I hate how that’s the norm in Hollywood.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
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