How is life different for your children than when you were growing up?

Today is the day that I have my weekly report to do from Ms. Kathy over at http://mamakatslosinit.blogspot.com/


Who does she think she is giving me MORE work to add to my ever increasing, yet never decreasing to-do list ? Who I ask? Well, a wonderfully funny person, that's who. One that is so nice & is willing to share the *luv* with us that not only is she giving us ideas of what to write, but she's letting us link from her site to ours, meaning that more than 1 person will likely be visiting. WoooooHooooo! That's exciting! So on to my assignment.


How is life different for your children than when you were growing up?

As a child myself, my mother never lied to me.
She believed in not lying to us EVER!
What she really meant was that she would not lie to us about Santa Claus.
She always clearly and distinctively told us he didn't exist.
She never lied about the Easter Bunny.
Again, doesn't exist.
She never lied about the Tooth Fairy either.
She made it very clear that we understood that she herself would give us money for our teeth, since other parents just put it under their kid's pillows anyways, pretending to be the tooth fairy because again, the tooth fairy doesn't exist.
I was a sad little kid that was taught that Santa never existed.
I was a sad little kid that was not taught how to believe.

The presents I received at Christmas were given to me by my mother, not by Santa.
She made sure we understood that.

The Santa that went to our school every year and gave us a present was not the real santa like I so wanted to believe.
He was just Mrs. So&So's husband dressed up in a Santa Suit.
She made sure we understood that.

Why Oh Why would she do that?

Why would she not just let us believe?

I love my mother to death, but what a way to crush a kid's heart. She didn't know that unknowingly she raised and taught us not to believe. Not to imagine. Not to hope.

But don't go hating on my mother thinking of her as a cruel woman. She was not a bad mother at all. On the contrary, she's a great mom and was only trying to protect us. The reasoning behind her truthfulness is this. She grew up in a family of 12 brothers and sisters. As you may well imagine, having so many kids to feed and clothe, my grandparents didn't have much money.... Yes, they always provided the basics but couldn't afford much more. Well, my mother had girl cousins whose family was better off than her own. So when she was a child, she couldn't understand why Santa would always give her cousins such beautiful dolls and toys, while he only left her pieces of candy or cookies.
Year after year the story repeated itself. When she questioned my grandma, she would tell her this story about how Santa would start his route over by her cousin's house, and unfortunatley by the time he got over to their house he'd ran out of the good toys. Well, my mom's heart was broken year after year. Even though her mother tried explaining the situation, she couldn't understand why he couldn't change his route and start at her house so she could get a doll just like she'd ask him to in her letters to him.
It never happened.
And her heart was crushed.

Santa never did give her the doll she always wanted. Then she grew up & was told the truth that there was no Santa Claus, and she realized how year after year she'd been disappointed and her heart was broken, and she swore that whenever she had children she would never lie to them about Santa. Her children would not know the heartbreak of wanting and not receiving the toy her cousins or friends received from Santa. Her children would not question themselves on why Santa didn't like them, or liked their cousins more. Her children would know that the gift they received, be it a toy or a candy, was from their mother, because that was what their mother could afford, and not from Santa. Because Santa didn't exist, and she made that very clear to us. Her children would know that the gift they receive is what their mother could afford to give then, and not what Santa thought they deserve.

So when I had children, what was I to do? Grandma lied to mother telling her Santa was real, only to crush her spirit when she never got the toys she asked for.

Mother never lied, telling us Santa was not real, only to crush our spirit by not allowing us to believe.

Well guess what I decided to do as a mother ? To lie of course.... Yes, little white lies.
This mother does have her children believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy. The Easter Bunny not so much, 'cause I never understood that one! But what a cruel little world where kids don't believe in Santa. What a cruel little world where kids don't believe in the tooth fairy. That's the world in which I lived. And that is the world that I chose not to let my daughters live in.

Sure, they've tried calling me out. After all, Monkey is 10 already and started doubting Santa ever since she started school and those stupid kids try telling her the truth. The truth! Don't you see, my baby can't handle the truth~ I like seeing my daughters live in the real world, yet mixed in with a little bit of magic. Because surely Santa requires at least a little bit of magic to make it all over the world in one night~ And it requires a little bit of magic for the tooth fairy to be able to fly each and every night, making her rounds, collecting all those baby teeth. And I see nothing wrong with little white lies that will provide my daughters with that little bit of magic in their lives. That little bit of hope. That little bit of make believe.

Plus, it's great to be able to say " Santa's watching. If you want a nice gift then you better behave!" which they do! Because they believe............

Let's Try to Turn a Hobby Into Cash !

Sound like a plan?
Good!

I'll show you my homemade crafts & you all show me the money !
=0D

I really like the sound of that!
Now if only it was really that easy, right?


Well just a little fyi... I have my mind running around in circles.
We recently bought our very 1st home (Woooooohooooo!),
only to lose my job less than a month later !
bummer =0(
Thank God my husband has a good job where there's lots & lots of overtime, or else I just don't know what we would do! If at all interested, you can get a little bit more info in my other blog http://supermom-not.blogspot.com/ and he just told me yesterday that come next week they'll be cutting on overtime. They'll still have it, but not as much. I'm happy for him 'cause he surely works waaaaaaaaay too much! But then come paycheck day, we'll have less... but oh well. That brings me to the point of this here post.

I would love to help hubby with our little money issue, and being that I have little interest (lol) in getting a real job because I'm enjoying being here at home for my girls (AND the 7 hrs of complete and total silence in the house all by myself!) and the lack of after school care, and this and that... I would totally just LOOOOOOOOOOOVE to be able to make some $extra cash$ for much needed food & such to help hubby out a bit. All from my lovely little home.
A girl can dream can't she?
So I came up with a plan. Since I blog (hahahhaha, excuse me while I laugh at myself) NOT that I'm a professional blogger by ANY stretch of the imagination, I thought that I could post pics here and there of things I make, and if by any little miracle anybody would be interested, then we can do an even exchange.
My crafty products for your hard earned money!

I told you I'm nuts! But hey, it's worth a chance.
Now mind you I have a miniscule amount of readers, but you are out there.
I know you are!
And I love you for even taking the time of looking and even coming back!
And surprisingly enough, I have readers outside of the US, how cool is that?
So please, don't be shy!
If you like me... Speak up.
If you don't... hmmmm, why wouldn't you, lol.
and if you like my products, then don't let your wallet be shy, 'k?


*edited to add
Please, please, please, please, please, please, please..............
DO NOT ( and I repeat) DO NOT take this as a pitty party post.
I will be showing you items that I make, and if you like them, I would surely love to sell them to you. But please, DO NOT ( and I repeat ) DO NOT think that my children will not have dinner on the table if you don't purchase anything! although we might have steak if you do! ;D
Ok, let me stop rambling and get things straight!
Basically I would like the ability to work from home.
Yup! That's it. Pretty much!
I will show be showing some items I make.
And if you like such items, then you will be buying them...
If and only if you like them. Not because I'm asking for a handout, because I'm not.
It's just that re-reading my post, it somewhat seems like that.
Maybe I should have just erased it and started all over, but I was too lazy to do that, PLUS, it's almost time for school to let out and I have to at least do something in the house. Throw in a load & wash the dishes, so they think I've been productive & not spent all day on the computer, lol.



** sorry for the technical difficulties people... I will be back as soon as I figure out how to post a picture on here =0D

haha! how about just clicking the button that says 'add image'? Duh!

Ok, so here's my first project that Im sharing with you all.

Newborn Baby Gift Candle

Did somebody you know just have a baby? Are you looking for a unique gift that will be sure to stand out from the rest? Sure, baby clothes is A-do-ra-ble!!! But they just outgrow it. Give them a gift they will be sure to become a keepsake & they will treasure forever! ( Seeing that they don't actually burn the candle!) It's a beautiful 6 inch candle, either in pink for a little girl or blue for a little boy. What I do with the candle is personalize it with the baby's birth information which is the following:

Baby's Name ( first and last or first only. Your choice)

Baby's Date of Birth

Baby's Weight

Baby's Length

and color of choice (pink or blue)

All the info goes into the text box that has the bow & cute baby footprints! Just like the picture above. I have sold these locally to friends & such, and they LOVE them. Although the idea is mainly for newborns, I have had friends order for their own grown children as a keepsake. So dont' be shy that you want one for somebody born in 1998. That's okay! It's just how often do you see such cute and unique personalized items at such an affordable price? Something the parents surely will love and treasure.

Oh, almost forgot... The price. I am willing to stop reading my favorite blogs & start making your candle for the super reasonable price of.................................................... $15.00 (US)

PLUS, add the matching album (shown in bottom picture) for only $5.00 more. The personalized album has baby's name & Date of Birth. And of course, I am custom making these items for you, so if you'd like to tweak it a little bit (not the design but the name & dob) just let me know.

So all in all, for only $20.00, you'll get both the candle AND the album!

What a GREAT gift (imho) for only $20.00.

$20.00 for matching candle & album (personalized)

I would really appreciate any comments, be it to ask questions, comments, suggestions..... Especially from anybody that might actually want to order.

( I haven't gotten to the part of how I'm actually going to do that. Maybe ebay or etsy... We'll cross that bridge once we get to it)

Look forward to getting to work for you!

It's My Day Off! Woooooo-Hooooooo!

It's my day off! Woooo-Hoooo!
How frieking awesome is that?

Hubby's at work. Won't get home 'til at least 6 or 7 at night.

Princess & Monkey are off to school filling their gorgeous little brains with lots of useful, smart stuff that I must have learned years & years ago that I've already forgotten.

And me, I'm off of work today!!!!!!!!! And I get to stay
Home alone!!!

Oh yeah!
Uh-huh!
That's right!
Home alone!
No kids!
No hubby!
Just me!
Uh-huh!
Drinking coffee!
Reading blogs!
Uh-huh!
Lucky me!

Extra Big-Mac Sauce, on the side please!

Is that too much to ask for?

Come on, really!

Every.Single.Time. Yup, every single time I ask for 'extra big-mac sauce on the side' the drive-thru order taker seems confused for some reason. They always stay quiet for a while (while they ask their mgr if it's ok to do what this crazy person is asking for, I'm sure) and then say "ok, extra sauce on the side, drive up to the 1st window please"

Yes! they finally get it. It's a regular #1, WITH a side of extra sauce. Cool. Drive up to the 1st window, pay the sucker, eh cashier working there. (please, take no offense to this is you yourself, your dear children or someone you know works there. I did my share of "do you want fries with that?" It happens to the best of us, really!) I Drive up to the 2nd window, get my drink & bag of food, which SHOULD have the extra sauce in there. You know, the sauce I asked for at the beginning when I first placed my order. The same sauce the drive-thru order taker asked his mgr about. The same sauce he said yes to. Yup, THAT sauce. Well I look in my bag (I've learned to do this after many, many disappointments in which i realize I'm missing an order of fries, a sandwich, the napkins, ketchup, straws, etc. after I drive off & then I get home only to discover what I'm missing. Then of course, I don't want to get bk in the car, drive back, blah, blah blah blah blah) Anyways, focus. I look in the bag and guess what????

No.frieking.big-mac.sauce.on.the.side!!!!!!!!

Come on now, I ask you again, is that too much to ask for?

Procrastinator that I am

As the great procrastinator that I am, the Pilates dvd is STILL in its original wrapping. THAT really should surprise no one! (and I mean no one because no one's reading!!!) Ha! I made a funny!

No but really, I am the world's BEST procrastinator. (see how easy it is to look for the positive vs. the negative?)
I will not let the fact that the act of "procrastinating" is generally considered a relatively negative term.... Oh no! Let's look for the "positive". And the positive is = I am the world's BEST procrastinator.

The unwrapping of my pilates dvd will have to get in line along with all the other shit, eh stuff on my to do list. (actually i don't have a to-do list, that'd only mean 1 more thing to do. You know, like actually sitting down and writing it, and then SEEING all I really have to do. Oh shit no! That's scary. I started hyperventilating just imagining that)
No! My "to do" list is in my head.

Maybe that's the problem.... Poor thing must really feel lonely in there.

Summer's Almost Here

That time of year again folks... time to go shopping for bathing suits! Ooooooooh the horror!

Now if you EVER, ever, ever, ever, ever, eeeeeever want to torture me, just tell me I need a new bathing suit. Done. Finito. You are now on my enemy list.

However (and thank Goodness for my very own sanity) the shopping torture, eh spree... wasn't for me! Eeewh! I tortured myself about 2 months ago on that one! As much as I love to procrastinate about everything I possibly can, when it comes to bathing suits, I need as much of a head start as I can. Nothing, and I mean nothing (in terms of bathing suits where EVERYTHING is exposed, come on , it's like going around in your underwear for crying out loud. And I do almost cry out loud over bathing suits) is ever flattering on my skinny ass body as it is, and then having to choose from what's left over. I don't fucken think so. I CANNOT work like that. I need fresh new inventory. First dibs. On EVERYTHING. Even if it is only to prove that nothing fits just right.

hmmm, I think I have to change my strategy next time I grow out of my bathing suit, eh my bathing suit shrinks. I should probably just go shopping at the end of the season, that way I won't feel so bad that the leftovers don't fit, because of course they don't fit ANYBODY or else somebody would have already bought them. See, I'm not the problem, it's the suit. Think that'll work? Me neither, but it was worth a shot.

Oh, and once I was actually done with the torture of buying my suit ( of course, a tankini with a skirt over the bottom area. How lame!) I came home and modeled for my husband. Well guess what he said?

"That doesn't look like a bathing suit! It looks more like an outfit." says dear old hubby.

I could have killed him at this point.... but he was right.
Sooooo, the big ol' Mexican macho that he is, I proceded to lift up my skirt to show only the bottom (which is straight out underwear except in a different lycra material!) and then lifted the tankini top to make it a bra... come on people, that's what bathing suits really are, your underwear in material that's ok to get wet constantly, but yet has no support in the boob area at all!!! and makes your butt look flabby for some reason. Ok so I basically transformed my grandma outfit (although in very hip, cool colors I might add, not the grandma flower type but brown with polka dots, very cute) into a bikini. And I showed my hubby what a real suit should look like.

"Ok, so would you actually be ok with me walking around in a bikini like this, 'cause you know, it's just like if you're seeing me in my underwear?"

"Uh, well" (knowing very well he's put his foot in his mouth and can' t back out of this one) " well, yeah, I guess. if you want."

Woooooohooooooooo!!! So ok, I'm actually going to kick ass and work out big-time to fit my tiny ass into a bikini !!! First we gotta get rid of the small pouch, the small love handles, the cottage cheese & lift that tiny ass. Does anybody know of an excercise that'll lift the tiny tits as well? I need an excercise for that one! Lemme know, k?

So Pilates video, after about 6 months in my dvd stash without ever coming out, your packaging is finally coming off. I WILL get my ass into a bikini. I can't die without ever experiencing it, and now that I have the blessing from my hubby, I'm a go for it.

Kinda sad that I've never worn a bikini right? Let me explain.
I've been extremely skinny all my life, and when I was a teenager (before kids) I felt my stick legs & small tits wouldn't do a bikini justice, so I never went for it. Stupid kid! I should have when I had the opportunity.
Now, after kids. Well I already mentioned the small belly, the love handles, the cottage cheese & did I mention the drooping boobs????? Kind of sad when I'm not even 30 yet... So mark my words, i will fit my ass into a bikini. I will!

Edited to add: Yes, Monkey & Princess did get their bathing suits. They had tons to choose from & they ALL fit perfectly. Go figure! Their problem was narrowing it down to one they liked the most. My problem, narrowing it down to the one I hate the least.

" Your Mom's So Cool "

My head blew up the size of Texas just by overhearing a little girl's conversation with my oldest daughter Monkey...(yes, eavesdropping is my specialty, but shhh! don't tell my daughters) So imagine my surprise that while eavesdropping, that little girl uttered the most awesome, heart-warming phrase to my daughter. =D "Your mom's so cool!" Yes people, my job here has all been worthwhile! Who'd a thunk?

Me, a mom, is cool! C-O-O-L! Like, omg!

I knew this would happen in our very near future. That one day, not too far, far away, and as a result of having had my first child when I was only 18 (a baby myself) it would mean that I would not be the typical looking mom that looks like the grandma... Oh no! Not I! I refuse to let that be me, especially now. Now that I've been proclaimed with a very special title. I'm the COOL mom! Now I have a reputation to keep. ;D

I've always known that I'm the type of mom that most kids think is the older sister rather than the actual mom...(how cool is that?) My daughter just loves to roll her eyes at that one, hehe. "Mom, can you believe so&so thought you were my sister? And they think I'm joking when I tell them you're my mom!" Ha! I love that! I always have, but now it's gotten better. Not only do I get to hear this from my lovely daughter, but now others think of me as COOL! Little tweenage girls, who are so hard to please, think little ol' me is COOL!!! (doing the happy dance) I know. I know. I've been gloating, and bragging, & gloating & bragging & all.... but there, it's all out of my system......... but I'm still pretty stoaked, hehe!

And now that I have basked in all my glory, this 'cool mom' has to get off this 'puter to do some very, very cool things... Here's my list of cool things to be done today: Laundry, sweep & mop, vacuum, dust, make beds, clean bathroom & pay bills. There kiddos, still think I'm cool???

This "Cool Mom" is signing off!