Monday, May 19, 2014
SO LONG - FAREWELL...I LOVE YOU ALL
OKAY...so, the official announcement on my blog is this....As of right now, I am giving up Adventures of a Broken Housewife (and Mom). It was a wonderful experience for me and has helped my career in many ways. Unfortunately, the world of mommy blogging is not one I wish to be a part of anymore. I have met some wonderful, amazing people through the journey and I hope to remain fans and friends of these awesome ladies. But there is an aspect of the whole realm that I just can not be a part of at this point in my life. Moms need to be helpful and non judgmental to each other and I refuse to lower myself to a standard that is hurtful to anyone. I reserve the right to resurrect the blog if there comes a time when I have the time and patience to deal with the negativity. This has been an amazing experience - one that I will always cherish. Meanwhile my blog will still be located at http://www.brokenwifeandmom.com for anyone who wants to give it a read. Love and hugs to all of my friends, family and fans. Now is MY time to concentrate fully on my romance writing....sooooooo, wish me luck!!!
Friday, February 28, 2014
LET IT SNOW!!! - DON'T MAKE ME BEAT YOU DOWN!
Today I was going to write about Miss Crazy's incompetent teacher, but I am still so very upset about what happened (no clue why, it's not something that was life threatening or super bad) that I think I will wait until I calm down a bit more. Maybe Monday or next Friday. I guess I am probably just completely fed up with this district and that makes every little thing that happens bother me more.
How about this winter we've been having? Holy smokes, I am as done with it as I am with NCSD - Natrona County School District #1!!! As many of you who read this blog regularly know, I love the cold and I used to love the snow. Not so much now that it hurts me to wade through it and walk carefully on the ice that comes after melting begins. It started off in October with about 16 inches in one day and we have basically had snow every few days since then. Just when the earth turns brown again, someone sees fit to make it white! This weekend and of course starting before I pick the kids up today, we are expecting six to twelve inches, wind and below zero temps.
Now, I love the cold, but the below zero temps of this winter are just insane and can feel free to go away soon - as in before they get here with this storm. We have had the meter area of our water pipes freeze twice this year and it is a bit annoying. Will this be the last storm of the season? Why do I have a feeling that it won't? I hope we at least get good weather for spring break (we have it a couple of weeks earlier than most of the country because NCSD is brilliant like that <<<dripping sarcasm>>>!)
So I propose that we get together and start a petition to mother nature using change.org...or have worldwide protests...or we spit in the face of old man winter...ah hell, who am I kidding. We will sit here and take it like the wuss's we are because really, we have no other choice. Winter will end eventually (I sure as hell hope) and it will be on to a beautiful spring and summer. And maybe, just maybe, all of the planets will align perfectly and I will be on my way to a warmer, less snowy place by the time the kids start the next school year. Wow, now wouldn't that be great!
Until Next Time...Stay warm, if you love this kind of weather enjoy it, and by all means, don't hurt your hips shoveling snow!!! There is only room for one hip hurtin, broken mama on this blog...although a different blog would be kinda cool. ;)
FIRST SNOW STORM OF THE SEASON IN OCTOBER - AND IT JUST KEPT COMING!!!!
NOTE: This blog, and any derivatives of it, are totally random, crazy, spur of the moment thoughts. I do not have a proofreader or an editor because then it would seem too stiff...less real. I sit down, I write, and then I publish. Period end of story. I refuse to write any other way (for Broken Housewife) because I want you all to feel like you know me, like we are having a conversation over coffee. Or better yet, like you are reading my personal journal. I don't know how many people have their journals professionally edited. I don't want you to feel like you are reading fiction or something, you know? And I am definitely not an editor/english teacher by any stretch of the imagination. That is why I hire someone to do it for my fictional works.
Think of this as a one sided dialogue we are having. Dialogue is far from 'the perfect written word', and that is the way I like having a blog be. I hope you'll stick around to have more coffee and conversation with the Broken Housewife.
How about this winter we've been having? Holy smokes, I am as done with it as I am with NCSD - Natrona County School District #1!!! As many of you who read this blog regularly know, I love the cold and I used to love the snow. Not so much now that it hurts me to wade through it and walk carefully on the ice that comes after melting begins. It started off in October with about 16 inches in one day and we have basically had snow every few days since then. Just when the earth turns brown again, someone sees fit to make it white! This weekend and of course starting before I pick the kids up today, we are expecting six to twelve inches, wind and below zero temps.Now, I love the cold, but the below zero temps of this winter are just insane and can feel free to go away soon - as in before they get here with this storm. We have had the meter area of our water pipes freeze twice this year and it is a bit annoying. Will this be the last storm of the season? Why do I have a feeling that it won't? I hope we at least get good weather for spring break (we have it a couple of weeks earlier than most of the country because NCSD is brilliant like that <<<dripping sarcasm>>>!)
So I propose that we get together and start a petition to mother nature using change.org...or have worldwide protests...or we spit in the face of old man winter...ah hell, who am I kidding. We will sit here and take it like the wuss's we are because really, we have no other choice. Winter will end eventually (I sure as hell hope) and it will be on to a beautiful spring and summer. And maybe, just maybe, all of the planets will align perfectly and I will be on my way to a warmer, less snowy place by the time the kids start the next school year. Wow, now wouldn't that be great!Until Next Time...Stay warm, if you love this kind of weather enjoy it, and by all means, don't hurt your hips shoveling snow!!! There is only room for one hip hurtin, broken mama on this blog...although a different blog would be kinda cool. ;)
FIRST SNOW STORM OF THE SEASON IN OCTOBER - AND IT JUST KEPT COMING!!!!Think of this as a one sided dialogue we are having. Dialogue is far from 'the perfect written word', and that is the way I like having a blog be. I hope you'll stick around to have more coffee and conversation with the Broken Housewife.
Monday, February 24, 2014
BEING NEKKIE, SUMMER OF 69, UPDATES, & MUSIC
So, I've been sitting here all day trying to get a video of Little Butt singing one of her favorite songs - there are many. But she refuses to put clothes on... again. She got out of the nekkie all day stage there for awhile but seems to be going through it again...sigh. It would be fine if it was helping her to potty train, but no, she just pees on the couch...sigh again. Ever since her oldest sister moved out she has refused to use the potty (we almost had her completely trained!!! LOL ). So now I finally sit here with a good blog idea, and I can't really do it because someone is running around my house nekkie. No video's today huh?. Wish I could do sound only because she LOVES to sing...I mean LOVES to sing, and I would love to share it with you.
So, what else have we been up to lately you might ask. Well, for one, I have released all five books in my romance novel series and am seeing a bit of success, although much more success is what I am striving for so we can get out of Wyoming quicker. :) I am co-writing with my husband now. We have an upcoming Wyoming series (not cowboy though). Our next work is a novel about the parents in the Sunset Destiny series I wrote - they fall in love in the summer of '69...ooh, that gives me an idea. I now have a video I can post. :D Enjoy!!!
The kids are all doing pretty good. Mr. Insane is thriving in Kindergarten, and continues to behave daily (keep your fingers crossed) I am still contemplating taking him in for testing for ADHD or something, but we'll see. Miss Crazy is doing great in second grade and is becoming quite the beauty. She has a bit of trouble with how much her little sister loves her, but I catch them snuggling and loving too and it is oh so sweet! The Sophomore is thriving too. She has a great group of friends at school, something we though Asperger's was going to keep from her. She is also doing well in school and seems to now know how to manage school work and play time. The Hubs is working two jobs so maybe we can get the hell out of here sooner. If nothing else it will help us pay off all our debts quicker. And he seems to be enjoying co-writing romance novels while working on a novel of his own (not romance). Our marriage has taken a turn for the better I would say - the best part of the horrid last few months.
NOTE: This blog, and any derivatives of it, are totally random, crazy, spur of the moment thoughts. I do not have a proofreader or an editor because then it would seem too stiff...less real. I sit down, I write, and then I publish. Period end of story. I refuse to write any other way (for Broken Housewife) because I want you all to feel like you know me, like we are having a conversation over coffee. Or better yet, like you are reading my personal journal. I don't know how many people have their journals professionally edited. I don't want you to feel like you are reading fiction or something, you know? And I am definitely not an editor/english teacher by any stretch of the imagination. That is why I hire someone to do it for my fictional works.
Think of this as a one sided dialogue we are having. Dialogue is far from 'the perfect written word', and that is the way I like having a blog be. I hope you'll stick around to have more coffee and conversation with the Broken Housewife.
Until Next Time...When all else fails, and all else goes to shit, listen to some great music. It can be professionally done, courtesy of youtube, pandora etc. Or it can be listening to your little three year old sing her heart out. I opt for the second whenever I can. <3
So, what else have we been up to lately you might ask. Well, for one, I have released all five books in my romance novel series and am seeing a bit of success, although much more success is what I am striving for so we can get out of Wyoming quicker. :) I am co-writing with my husband now. We have an upcoming Wyoming series (not cowboy though). Our next work is a novel about the parents in the Sunset Destiny series I wrote - they fall in love in the summer of '69...ooh, that gives me an idea. I now have a video I can post. :D Enjoy!!!
The kids are all doing pretty good. Mr. Insane is thriving in Kindergarten, and continues to behave daily (keep your fingers crossed) I am still contemplating taking him in for testing for ADHD or something, but we'll see. Miss Crazy is doing great in second grade and is becoming quite the beauty. She has a bit of trouble with how much her little sister loves her, but I catch them snuggling and loving too and it is oh so sweet! The Sophomore is thriving too. She has a great group of friends at school, something we though Asperger's was going to keep from her. She is also doing well in school and seems to now know how to manage school work and play time. The Hubs is working two jobs so maybe we can get the hell out of here sooner. If nothing else it will help us pay off all our debts quicker. And he seems to be enjoying co-writing romance novels while working on a novel of his own (not romance). Our marriage has taken a turn for the better I would say - the best part of the horrid last few months.
NOTE: This blog, and any derivatives of it, are totally random, crazy, spur of the moment thoughts. I do not have a proofreader or an editor because then it would seem too stiff...less real. I sit down, I write, and then I publish. Period end of story. I refuse to write any other way (for Broken Housewife) because I want you all to feel like you know me, like we are having a conversation over coffee. Or better yet, like you are reading my personal journal. I don't know how many people have their journals professionally edited. I don't want you to feel like you are reading fiction or something, you know? And I am definitely not an editor/english teacher by any stretch of the imagination. That is why I hire someone to do it for my fictional works.
Think of this as a one sided dialogue we are having. Dialogue is far from 'the perfect written word', and that is the way I like having a blog be. I hope you'll stick around to have more coffee and conversation with the Broken Housewife.
Until Next Time...When all else fails, and all else goes to shit, listen to some great music. It can be professionally done, courtesy of youtube, pandora etc. Or it can be listening to your little three year old sing her heart out. I opt for the second whenever I can. <3
Saturday, February 22, 2014
AN OPEN LETTER TO MY READERS
This is a blog post I wrote two months ago, but am just now thinking it's time to put out there.
12/25/13
Truthfully these last few months have been...must be honest here, must be honest here...SHIT. What sucks the most is not being able to confide in all of you as to what happened. It would violate the privacy of someone and I just can't do that. All I can say is that my family, the one I prided myself on so much for this blog, was torn apart by outside forces. Needless to say, if someone asks me if I want to go on a free vacation - even if it is to Alaska - I will say OH HELL NO!!! in the future. And if my child's 'friend's' mother contacts me over FB and threatens me I won't just sit idly by and let it happen. I will put my foot down and limit contact.
So, it is kind of hard to write about the 'perfect' little family that I used to write about when it no longer exists. And truthfully, I'm not sure what to write about. The kids who remain in my home are still pretty much the same. Mr. Insane is still insane; Miss Crazy is still crazy although she's calming somewhat; and the Sophomore is still...well, the Sophomore. And Little Butt, well she has changed a bit. She just turned three!!!! It's like things are at a standstill and I don't know where to go from here.
My career is having its ups and downs which is really just a pain in my butt. lol. But I can only write so much about my struggles and triumphs there before you all think I'm trying to sell you something. (It would be great if you bought my new 2nd edition books, but I won't push it. ;) ) And that's a whole other story about being taken in by a formatter/uploader that I will save for another time.
So, this is why I have been gone for so long. I sit down to write a blog and I just come up blank. I think it is the worst kind of writer's block and I'm not sure how to deal with it...how to end it. Maybe this open letter to all of you will do that.
We have decided, definitively, that we are moving. I will announce where soon enough, if you don't already know. But for now it remains a secret. And on top of it all, we aren't sure when. Everything has to come together perfectly, at just the right time, before we can go. But we will go, and hopefully soon!!!
So, if you can all bear with me, I will return. I hope to have at least one new blog a week. It might not be super exciting, or new, but I promise to entertain you. Thanks for sticking with me this whole time!!!
NOTE: This blog, and any derivatives of it, are totally random, crazy, spur of the moment thoughts. I do not have a proofreader or an editor because then it would seem too stiff...less real. I sit down, I write, and then I publish. Period end of story. I refuse to write any other way (for Broken Housewife) because I want you all to feel like you know me, like we are having a conversation over coffee. Or better yet, like you are reading my personal journal. I don't know how many people have their journals professionally edited. I don't want you to feel like you are reading fiction or something, you know? And I am definitely not an editor/english teacher by any stretch of the imagination. That is why I hire someone to do it for my fictional works.
Think of this as a one sided dialogue we are having. Dialogue is far from 'the perfect written word', and that is the way I like having a blog be. I hope you'll stick around to have more coffee and conversation with the Broken Housewife.
Until Next Time...Love to all of you. I'll see you soon!!!
12/25/13
Truthfully these last few months have been...must be honest here, must be honest here...SHIT. What sucks the most is not being able to confide in all of you as to what happened. It would violate the privacy of someone and I just can't do that. All I can say is that my family, the one I prided myself on so much for this blog, was torn apart by outside forces. Needless to say, if someone asks me if I want to go on a free vacation - even if it is to Alaska - I will say OH HELL NO!!! in the future. And if my child's 'friend's' mother contacts me over FB and threatens me I won't just sit idly by and let it happen. I will put my foot down and limit contact.
So, it is kind of hard to write about the 'perfect' little family that I used to write about when it no longer exists. And truthfully, I'm not sure what to write about. The kids who remain in my home are still pretty much the same. Mr. Insane is still insane; Miss Crazy is still crazy although she's calming somewhat; and the Sophomore is still...well, the Sophomore. And Little Butt, well she has changed a bit. She just turned three!!!! It's like things are at a standstill and I don't know where to go from here.
My career is having its ups and downs which is really just a pain in my butt. lol. But I can only write so much about my struggles and triumphs there before you all think I'm trying to sell you something. (It would be great if you bought my new 2nd edition books, but I won't push it. ;) ) And that's a whole other story about being taken in by a formatter/uploader that I will save for another time.
So, this is why I have been gone for so long. I sit down to write a blog and I just come up blank. I think it is the worst kind of writer's block and I'm not sure how to deal with it...how to end it. Maybe this open letter to all of you will do that.
We have decided, definitively, that we are moving. I will announce where soon enough, if you don't already know. But for now it remains a secret. And on top of it all, we aren't sure when. Everything has to come together perfectly, at just the right time, before we can go. But we will go, and hopefully soon!!!
So, if you can all bear with me, I will return. I hope to have at least one new blog a week. It might not be super exciting, or new, but I promise to entertain you. Thanks for sticking with me this whole time!!!
NOTE: This blog, and any derivatives of it, are totally random, crazy, spur of the moment thoughts. I do not have a proofreader or an editor because then it would seem too stiff...less real. I sit down, I write, and then I publish. Period end of story. I refuse to write any other way (for Broken Housewife) because I want you all to feel like you know me, like we are having a conversation over coffee. Or better yet, like you are reading my personal journal. I don't know how many people have their journals professionally edited. I don't want you to feel like you are reading fiction or something, you know? And I am definitely not an editor/english teacher by any stretch of the imagination. That is why I hire someone to do it for my fictional works.
Think of this as a one sided dialogue we are having. Dialogue is far from 'the perfect written word', and that is the way I like having a blog be. I hope you'll stick around to have more coffee and conversation with the Broken Housewife.
Until Next Time...Love to all of you. I'll see you soon!!!
Monday, January 6, 2014
UPDATES AND OTHER CRAPPY STUFF. ;)
What has been going on with me? Here are some updates
CAREER: What an adventure I've been having lately with my career. Normally I, would be discouraged and think of giving up. But my writing means way to much to me and those I love so I am sticking it out and I'm going to win this battle.
Tip #1 - Don't trust anyone with your work - especially if they offer to help for free.
Tip #2 - Trust yourself to be able to learn to do stuff yourself
Tip #3 - When you upload something to kindle, make sure they are actually selling people what you uploaded. :/
Wrong files were uploaded - months later I found out about it - uploaded correct version - months later found out incorrect versions were still being downloaded. Sigh....So, when I had my giveaway, most of the 7200 downloads that people got were the incorrect, unedited versions of my first book. Yeah, not a good thing because the reviews can kill ya! After bad versions kept being sold by kindle, I pulled all of my books off the market. I will re release them in hopes that the system has been purged of the bad copies. I will probably slap a 2nd Edition qualifier on them so people will know that they have been re worked. And, while I'm at it, I think I will revise/reedit/reformat all of them. Why not right? Make sure that the product going out there is as close to perfect as it's going to get.
FAMILY: We had a great Christmas and New Year despite an illness in the house. At Christmas, Mr Insane had a high fever and a sore throat. When the fever had disappeared, he got a spotty rash. It started to clear up completely and then a couple of fever blisters appeared.
At New Year, Miss Crazy had the sore throat and high fever. After the fever ended she got a splotchy rash and a fever blister. Her rash faded quickly, but now she has red patches under her eyes and on one side of her face.
Little Butt has had a runny nose and a slight cough.
The Sophomore had a sore throat and swollen gums but no fever.
I have had swollen gums and sore teeth for almost two weeks - plus a stuffy nose.
I have absolutely no clue what this virus was, but it was a strange one. Except for the fever Mr Insane and Miss Crazy had, it really wasn't that traumatic. The fever blisters and rashes just look/looked nasty. All I can say is that I hope it is gone for good.
Despite the illnesses, we had a great time as a family during the holiday season. I will have pictures soon - I just have to cut certain people (Who don't like having pics taken and shown) out of them. Thanks for bearing with me while I have been gone. This thing we call life can sometimes drive you nuts!!!
Until Next Time...Enjoy your life now that the holidays are over, because before you know it, they will be back!!! Stay happy, healthy, and warm with this crazy winter! <3 <3 <3
CAREER: What an adventure I've been having lately with my career. Normally I, would be discouraged and think of giving up. But my writing means way to much to me and those I love so I am sticking it out and I'm going to win this battle.
Tip #1 - Don't trust anyone with your work - especially if they offer to help for free.
Tip #2 - Trust yourself to be able to learn to do stuff yourself
Tip #3 - When you upload something to kindle, make sure they are actually selling people what you uploaded. :/
Wrong files were uploaded - months later I found out about it - uploaded correct version - months later found out incorrect versions were still being downloaded. Sigh....So, when I had my giveaway, most of the 7200 downloads that people got were the incorrect, unedited versions of my first book. Yeah, not a good thing because the reviews can kill ya! After bad versions kept being sold by kindle, I pulled all of my books off the market. I will re release them in hopes that the system has been purged of the bad copies. I will probably slap a 2nd Edition qualifier on them so people will know that they have been re worked. And, while I'm at it, I think I will revise/reedit/reformat all of them. Why not right? Make sure that the product going out there is as close to perfect as it's going to get.
FAMILY: We had a great Christmas and New Year despite an illness in the house. At Christmas, Mr Insane had a high fever and a sore throat. When the fever had disappeared, he got a spotty rash. It started to clear up completely and then a couple of fever blisters appeared.
At New Year, Miss Crazy had the sore throat and high fever. After the fever ended she got a splotchy rash and a fever blister. Her rash faded quickly, but now she has red patches under her eyes and on one side of her face.
Little Butt has had a runny nose and a slight cough.
The Sophomore had a sore throat and swollen gums but no fever.
I have had swollen gums and sore teeth for almost two weeks - plus a stuffy nose.
I have absolutely no clue what this virus was, but it was a strange one. Except for the fever Mr Insane and Miss Crazy had, it really wasn't that traumatic. The fever blisters and rashes just look/looked nasty. All I can say is that I hope it is gone for good.
Despite the illnesses, we had a great time as a family during the holiday season. I will have pictures soon - I just have to cut certain people (Who don't like having pics taken and shown) out of them. Thanks for bearing with me while I have been gone. This thing we call life can sometimes drive you nuts!!!
Until Next Time...Enjoy your life now that the holidays are over, because before you know it, they will be back!!! Stay happy, healthy, and warm with this crazy winter! <3 <3 <3
Monday, December 23, 2013
MOTIVATION: I DON'T HAVE IT ;)
I have been having nothing but troubles with my new blog layout so I will be changing it soon! Sorry for the constant crazy changes. LOL
So, I've been having some motivational issues as you can tell. I didn't do a blog at all last week. I am eyeballs deep in trying to finish up my latest novel and that doesn't help get me interested in much else. I actually have it written, but I am in the process of typing. Then will come editing/beta reading and I may have to cut it a bit, which would be heartbreaking because I love it so much. I am at 66,000 words now and still have three chapters to type.
I am also enjoying the time off my kids are having for winter break. They have been relatively well behaved and it has been fun. Today, the boy is sick and I hope everyone is okay by Christmas. I'm not exactly sure what is wrong though. He was complaining about his throat which could mean nausea or sore throat (that's just how he manifests it) And he also sounds stuffy and is tired and a bit warm. He has thrown up once but that could have been him choking on fever reducer so we will just have to wait it out and see.
And now because my motivation is lagging, I am behind on the whole Christmas thing. I have to wrap presents and buy stocking stuffers still and it is Christmas eve, eve! Aaah, I'm feeling that busy crunch now, when I have other stuff that needs to be done. I told you it would come back to bite me in the ass! I hope to do some wrapping today/tonight and the stocking stuffers will have to wait until I figure out how many more we need. The package from my sister in law was delayed so we don't know how many stocking stuffers she sent. (The delay is a whole different story that I may chronicle in a future blog if I end up having to file a formal complaint with the postal service)
So now, my schedule for the day - Type, edit, wrap, shop, household chores, take care of sick boy (who is now feeling a bit better and is playing on the Xbox), wait for postal carrier, sort presents, fix tree that was knocked over...don't ask, start pre prep for Christmas dinner, make about a thousand phone calls...and I know there is stuff I'm forgetting. I will be doing this while being in the most pain of my life but thanks to support from great readers and fans like YOU! I've got this. :) And it's gonna be a great day. If I don't see you before then...Have a wonderful Christmas!!!! <3 <3 <3
Until Next Time...I still haven't figured out how to deal with lack of motivation except to just get off my butt and do what needs to be done. I'll be trying to do that today, and if I can't for some reason, I'll live with it because truthfully, what else can you do!
One of my novels is on sale until Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. mountain time if you are interested.
So, I've been having some motivational issues as you can tell. I didn't do a blog at all last week. I am eyeballs deep in trying to finish up my latest novel and that doesn't help get me interested in much else. I actually have it written, but I am in the process of typing. Then will come editing/beta reading and I may have to cut it a bit, which would be heartbreaking because I love it so much. I am at 66,000 words now and still have three chapters to type.
I am also enjoying the time off my kids are having for winter break. They have been relatively well behaved and it has been fun. Today, the boy is sick and I hope everyone is okay by Christmas. I'm not exactly sure what is wrong though. He was complaining about his throat which could mean nausea or sore throat (that's just how he manifests it) And he also sounds stuffy and is tired and a bit warm. He has thrown up once but that could have been him choking on fever reducer so we will just have to wait it out and see.
And now because my motivation is lagging, I am behind on the whole Christmas thing. I have to wrap presents and buy stocking stuffers still and it is Christmas eve, eve! Aaah, I'm feeling that busy crunch now, when I have other stuff that needs to be done. I told you it would come back to bite me in the ass! I hope to do some wrapping today/tonight and the stocking stuffers will have to wait until I figure out how many more we need. The package from my sister in law was delayed so we don't know how many stocking stuffers she sent. (The delay is a whole different story that I may chronicle in a future blog if I end up having to file a formal complaint with the postal service)
So now, my schedule for the day - Type, edit, wrap, shop, household chores, take care of sick boy (who is now feeling a bit better and is playing on the Xbox), wait for postal carrier, sort presents, fix tree that was knocked over...don't ask, start pre prep for Christmas dinner, make about a thousand phone calls...and I know there is stuff I'm forgetting. I will be doing this while being in the most pain of my life but thanks to support from great readers and fans like YOU! I've got this. :) And it's gonna be a great day. If I don't see you before then...Have a wonderful Christmas!!!! <3 <3 <3
Until Next Time...I still haven't figured out how to deal with lack of motivation except to just get off my butt and do what needs to be done. I'll be trying to do that today, and if I can't for some reason, I'll live with it because truthfully, what else can you do!
One of my novels is on sale until Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. mountain time if you are interested.
This book will make you laugh, it will break your heart and it will give you hope. - And it's on sale for only 1.99 until Dec 24th at 5 p.m. MST! http://goo.gl/rOJOU0
Monday, December 9, 2013
BUSY, BUSY, BUSY...OR NOT!
Now that Thanksgiving is over and the house is decorated for Christmas, we find ourselves in a lull. The presents are bought (except for a few), it has been decided which ones will be from Santa and which ones from mom and dad, and wrapping has to wait until closer to the big day. Presents can't be put out yet because our tree is so close to the door and melting snow/mud/presents do not mix!
So what do we do now until the big day draws closer? The kids have more activities at school, but once I drop off the snacks and sign the permission slips, I'm done. I guess we could bake some cookies or other treats, but I really don't need those here in the house. Eh who am I kidding we will be doing some baking this year, I just need to wait until I dig the recipes out. But still, that doesn't take much time...maybe a half hour each night. We usually watch tons of Christmas shows, but this year, the XBox has taken center stage out front and nobody seems to be missing them much. I might have to venture into the bedroom and take anyone willing to come along with me. We have a TV in there it yes, it gets ABC Family...We'd be all set. But still that doesn't take all night either.
I think I know the problem! There is NO rush this year. The presents are bought (except a few), so we aren't running around all month getting this or that and wrapping this or that and buying batteries for this or that. Hell, even on Christmas Eve we will have it easy. Nothing needs to be put together this year. I know, I know, 'just relax and enjoy' you say. Do you know how hard it is to do that when for the last eighteen years this was the busy season??? I was emailing a friend the other day and I told her I would be having a busy week this week because I thought there was so much more to do than there really is. Well, it seems that I might be wrapping a few gifts and buying the last of the presents and maybe going to the post office. But that's it! Nothing Nada...(well except I will be writing, but that's not work, that's fun...most of the time).
Okay, Okay, I will try to relax and enjoy it because hopefully soon the Hubs will have a longer work schedule and I will be having to take the kids to and from school every day. I'm not going to like that, with my hip pain it will increase my work load ten fold. So, yes, I will relax and enjoy my first ever non-busy holiday season. I can do this right? Yep, I sure can!!!
Until Next Time...When you've got it easy, ENJOY! Because believe me, it might not always be that way. Take a moment, and smell the roses (or the Christmas Cookies) YUM! :)
So what do we do now until the big day draws closer? The kids have more activities at school, but once I drop off the snacks and sign the permission slips, I'm done. I guess we could bake some cookies or other treats, but I really don't need those here in the house. Eh who am I kidding we will be doing some baking this year, I just need to wait until I dig the recipes out. But still, that doesn't take much time...maybe a half hour each night. We usually watch tons of Christmas shows, but this year, the XBox has taken center stage out front and nobody seems to be missing them much. I might have to venture into the bedroom and take anyone willing to come along with me. We have a TV in there it yes, it gets ABC Family...We'd be all set. But still that doesn't take all night either.I think I know the problem! There is NO rush this year. The presents are bought (except a few), so we aren't running around all month getting this or that and wrapping this or that and buying batteries for this or that. Hell, even on Christmas Eve we will have it easy. Nothing needs to be put together this year. I know, I know, 'just relax and enjoy' you say. Do you know how hard it is to do that when for the last eighteen years this was the busy season??? I was emailing a friend the other day and I told her I would be having a busy week this week because I thought there was so much more to do than there really is. Well, it seems that I might be wrapping a few gifts and buying the last of the presents and maybe going to the post office. But that's it! Nothing Nada...(well except I will be writing, but that's not work, that's fun...most of the time).
Okay, Okay, I will try to relax and enjoy it because hopefully soon the Hubs will have a longer work schedule and I will be having to take the kids to and from school every day. I'm not going to like that, with my hip pain it will increase my work load ten fold. So, yes, I will relax and enjoy my first ever non-busy holiday season. I can do this right? Yep, I sure can!!!
Until Next Time...When you've got it easy, ENJOY! Because believe me, it might not always be that way. Take a moment, and smell the roses (or the Christmas Cookies) YUM! :)
Friday, December 6, 2013
WINTER WONDERLAND
So, as most of my regular followers know, I love the cold and I hate the heat. And that is why we moved to Wyoming, to have more of the cold and less of the heat. But when you get to a cold climate, snow usually follows. That's just how it is. No big deal I loved snow - until I had to drive in it in Casper, where the plowing sucks and the school district doesn't cancel school in dangerous situations. But hey, I tolerated it.
Well now I think I have come to the end of my tolerance and it isn't for reasons that you would think. It's not that I don't like the cold. It's not that I'm tired of the beauty. It's not that I want to move to Ketchikan, AK (where it doesn't snow nearly as much as people think) so bad I can barely stand it. It is because I can't walk in the snow anymore. As most of you know, snow and ice requires you to walk carefully (except for kids and skinny shits who move lightly). Well, that just won't do for me anymore. Walking carefully while trudging through the snow is doing my pain/hips/knees more damage than falling on ice probably would.
Now here it comes, those people who are going to say - 'I told you so, I told you not to move to a cold climate.' Well this is my message to you. IT ISN'T THE COLD CLIMATE THAT IS BOTHERING ME! It's just the damn snow. If I could find a place that gets really, really cold but doesn't snow, I would be there in a heartbeat. Bah bump, bah bump, bah bump.
I had to get the little's from school myself the other day. The thermometer in my car read 0 degrees. I stood out in it for about 10 minutes, waiting for them and it was actually refreshing. Yes, you heard me right, I said refreshing!!! I feel so alive after I have been out in the cold like that. But the walk to and from the car is what killed me. The plows obviously forgot to come out in our town with this storm because not only did I have to walk through near ankle deep snow on the sidewalks but also on the street in front of the school. ( They are supposedly a high priority for plowing, but not this storm). I have not hurt so bad since the minute I stood up for the first time after my first c-section. It was awful. Not to mention the snow that is in my driveway/yard that I have to herd the little one through a couple of times a day.
So I have come to my end. I must get away from the snow. But I will mourn the extreme cold. I might even be willing to move back home to heatsville since I can't leave the house much anymore anyway, but then again I don't want to mourn the loss of the extreme cold for the rest of my life either. Hmmm. This is something I will have to think about. The two places I want to move are cool and can even get downright cold sometimes so I think that might be our compromise. I will have cool with occasional cold and maybe even the occasional extreme cold day. Yeah, I think I can live with that. Too bad it will most likely be several years before we can move. Until then, I think I will invent a way to walk on air to get to and from places in the snow. Hey, that could be a solution. Hmmmm. ;)
Until Next Time... Don't judge people for choices they made when those choices seem to start to go south. When we first moved to cold country I had no clue that my occasional hip/back problems would become permanent or that my migraines would go form pain to aura (which are bothered by the brightness of snow). Therefore, I had no clue that I wouldn't be able to live in cold country for the rest of my life. We didn't make the wrong decision to move here, we made the right one. But it seems there were other plans for us and it will be exciting to see where they take us. <3
Well now I think I have come to the end of my tolerance and it isn't for reasons that you would think. It's not that I don't like the cold. It's not that I'm tired of the beauty. It's not that I want to move to Ketchikan, AK (where it doesn't snow nearly as much as people think) so bad I can barely stand it. It is because I can't walk in the snow anymore. As most of you know, snow and ice requires you to walk carefully (except for kids and skinny shits who move lightly). Well, that just won't do for me anymore. Walking carefully while trudging through the snow is doing my pain/hips/knees more damage than falling on ice probably would.Now here it comes, those people who are going to say - 'I told you so, I told you not to move to a cold climate.' Well this is my message to you. IT ISN'T THE COLD CLIMATE THAT IS BOTHERING ME! It's just the damn snow. If I could find a place that gets really, really cold but doesn't snow, I would be there in a heartbeat. Bah bump, bah bump, bah bump.
I had to get the little's from school myself the other day. The thermometer in my car read 0 degrees. I stood out in it for about 10 minutes, waiting for them and it was actually refreshing. Yes, you heard me right, I said refreshing!!! I feel so alive after I have been out in the cold like that. But the walk to and from the car is what killed me. The plows obviously forgot to come out in our town with this storm because not only did I have to walk through near ankle deep snow on the sidewalks but also on the street in front of the school. ( They are supposedly a high priority for plowing, but not this storm). I have not hurt so bad since the minute I stood up for the first time after my first c-section. It was awful. Not to mention the snow that is in my driveway/yard that I have to herd the little one through a couple of times a day.
So I have come to my end. I must get away from the snow. But I will mourn the extreme cold. I might even be willing to move back home to heatsville since I can't leave the house much anymore anyway, but then again I don't want to mourn the loss of the extreme cold for the rest of my life either. Hmmm. This is something I will have to think about. The two places I want to move are cool and can even get downright cold sometimes so I think that might be our compromise. I will have cool with occasional cold and maybe even the occasional extreme cold day. Yeah, I think I can live with that. Too bad it will most likely be several years before we can move. Until then, I think I will invent a way to walk on air to get to and from places in the snow. Hey, that could be a solution. Hmmmm. ;)Until Next Time... Don't judge people for choices they made when those choices seem to start to go south. When we first moved to cold country I had no clue that my occasional hip/back problems would become permanent or that my migraines would go form pain to aura (which are bothered by the brightness of snow). Therefore, I had no clue that I wouldn't be able to live in cold country for the rest of my life. We didn't make the wrong decision to move here, we made the right one. But it seems there were other plans for us and it will be exciting to see where they take us. <3
Monday, December 2, 2013
GETTING READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Our weekend was great - how about yours??? Eating, shopping, spending time as a family, playing, having fun!
We had a pretty good Thanksgiving even though we were missing one person. It was strange not having her here or even being able to talk to her on the phone, but we made the best of the situation. I must say that the food was excellent this year! We were luckier than some to be able to have our feast.
There is so much we have to be thankful for. Our family may have been torn partially apart by outside sources, but at least everyone was healthy!!! We have plenty of food, a roof over our heads and a furnace that works (but breaks every year ;) ). We have the holiday season to show us how important friends and family are.
The day after Thanksgiving, The Hubs was off to work and the kids and I were prepared to decorate all day. But first a trip to the store, which I was surprisingly able to make myself despite my issues. I left the baby and The Sophomore sleeping and took the two 'littles' with me. It was an amazing morning! Both kids behaved and I actually got to spend quality time with them. We were able to talk and really communicate with each other. And we were looking forward to the instant repeat of our previous night's dinner!!! Then it was home again for decorating. And here is how that turned out...
Until Next Time...Cherish your family, you don't know when something might happen to disrupt your life plan. Happy Holidays everyone!
We had a pretty good Thanksgiving even though we were missing one person. It was strange not having her here or even being able to talk to her on the phone, but we made the best of the situation. I must say that the food was excellent this year! We were luckier than some to be able to have our feast.
There is so much we have to be thankful for. Our family may have been torn partially apart by outside sources, but at least everyone was healthy!!! We have plenty of food, a roof over our heads and a furnace that works (but breaks every year ;) ). We have the holiday season to show us how important friends and family are.
The day after Thanksgiving, The Hubs was off to work and the kids and I were prepared to decorate all day. But first a trip to the store, which I was surprisingly able to make myself despite my issues. I left the baby and The Sophomore sleeping and took the two 'littles' with me. It was an amazing morning! Both kids behaved and I actually got to spend quality time with them. We were able to talk and really communicate with each other. And we were looking forward to the instant repeat of our previous night's dinner!!! Then it was home again for decorating. And here is how that turned out...
 |
| Before decoration |
 |
| Cheesy girls ready to decorate |
 |
| More cheesy girls |
 |
| Tree hugger ;) |
 |
| Trying to be a tree hugger |
 |
| Decorated, finally! |
 |
| Decorated with lights off! |
 |
| The final product! |
 |
| The stockings were hung on the wall with care ;) |
 |
| One missing :( |
 |
| The counter (left) |
 |
| The counter middle |
 |
| The counter right |
 |
| Our TV stand and yes, that is marker on it. Hope it comes off! ;) |
Until Next Time...Cherish your family, you don't know when something might happen to disrupt your life plan. Happy Holidays everyone!
Monday, November 25, 2013
SCHOOL BREAKS, PUSHING KIDS TOO HARD AND OTHER UNPOPULAR OPINIONS
Today is the beginning of the school week - a short school week. The kids go to class Monday and Tuesday and then have Wednesday and Thursday off. I'm trying hard to understand why my kids are even going to school at all this week. They will not do any learning. They will have parties and 'fun centers'. They will have no homework. They will basically do nothing, except enjoy the holidays - in the school environment. In the long run I believe that can be counter productive. I like how they do Halloween - parade and party the last forty five minutes of the day but before and after that it is business as usual. I can not tell you how many 'fun' things they will have to do over the next month and then in there somewhere is two or more weeks of standardized testing. So basically my kids aren't learning until after Christmas Break.
So hey, why not give them the whole week of Thanksgiving off and let families have the time to travel to see the loved ones they are thankful for. Then they can start fresh after Christmas break.
~~~~~DREAM SEQUENCE~~~~~
I remember the days when I was a little kid. We did all of our fun stuff leading up to holiday's during our music/art/drama sections of class. The rest however was business as usual. Then about halfway through the last day of class before break, we finally put our books away and had a party to end all parties. They were always so much fun. Hours of food, games, family visits and just plain fun! This is how it was with all of the major holidays. And kids loved it, but we still learned something WHILE having fun. We had something to look forward to, but still knew that School was about learning. The kids in our schools here, get lax and start to feel relaxed at the holidays and are hit hard with testing and intensive learning (to get caught up) after the Holidays become just a memory.
WARNING!!! UNPOPULAR OPINION COMING ;)
Maybe I'm just old school and like how things were done in the 'good ol' days' but hey, I think it worked better. Did you know that I read an article shortly after Miss Crazy started Kindergarten, that said because of the intensity of pre-school/kindergarten and the 'non-learning' phases of school, that most kids, even the very bright ones will start to struggle by second grade. And you know what? She is in second grade now and there are areas where she was advanced before, that she is now starting to struggle in. She is burning out - in second grade. :/
Until Next Time...Society says push your kids hard, make sure they can read by the time they are three etc...but studies are starting to show that this might not be the best course of action. I am a prime example. I was put into an advanced learner program as a child and although I don't fault my parent's for it, I literally struggled to the point of suicidal thoughts just to get B's and a couple of C's in high school and college. Kids brains are ripe for learning when they are young, but ONLY if they do it at THEIR pace. If it is forced upon them (even if they seem to be having fun), it could, and many times does end in disaster. i.e. instead of making them sit down everyday and making them learn, how about getting them involved in activities that teach them without them knowing it. Videos, book, or even when you talk to them say 'I like your green dress' or 'bring mommy the yellow book'. They will learn their colors much faster than if you sit down daily and grill them on it by just pointing them out on a chart. (Kid tested, this mom approved.)
NOTE: I did before and am now trying to participate in studies to prove/disprove all of this, and truthfully I am so excited!!!
DID YOU KNOW: We standardize test all of our students from special ed to super advanced, where a majority of the countries that we want to be so much like in education, only test their upper level students - The ones bound for college...Maybe that's why we don't compare???? ( So glad I took cultural studies.) :)
So hey, why not give them the whole week of Thanksgiving off and let families have the time to travel to see the loved ones they are thankful for. Then they can start fresh after Christmas break.
~~~~~DREAM SEQUENCE~~~~~
I remember the days when I was a little kid. We did all of our fun stuff leading up to holiday's during our music/art/drama sections of class. The rest however was business as usual. Then about halfway through the last day of class before break, we finally put our books away and had a party to end all parties. They were always so much fun. Hours of food, games, family visits and just plain fun! This is how it was with all of the major holidays. And kids loved it, but we still learned something WHILE having fun. We had something to look forward to, but still knew that School was about learning. The kids in our schools here, get lax and start to feel relaxed at the holidays and are hit hard with testing and intensive learning (to get caught up) after the Holidays become just a memory.WARNING!!! UNPOPULAR OPINION COMING ;)
Maybe I'm just old school and like how things were done in the 'good ol' days' but hey, I think it worked better. Did you know that I read an article shortly after Miss Crazy started Kindergarten, that said because of the intensity of pre-school/kindergarten and the 'non-learning' phases of school, that most kids, even the very bright ones will start to struggle by second grade. And you know what? She is in second grade now and there are areas where she was advanced before, that she is now starting to struggle in. She is burning out - in second grade. :/
Until Next Time...Society says push your kids hard, make sure they can read by the time they are three etc...but studies are starting to show that this might not be the best course of action. I am a prime example. I was put into an advanced learner program as a child and although I don't fault my parent's for it, I literally struggled to the point of suicidal thoughts just to get B's and a couple of C's in high school and college. Kids brains are ripe for learning when they are young, but ONLY if they do it at THEIR pace. If it is forced upon them (even if they seem to be having fun), it could, and many times does end in disaster. i.e. instead of making them sit down everyday and making them learn, how about getting them involved in activities that teach them without them knowing it. Videos, book, or even when you talk to them say 'I like your green dress' or 'bring mommy the yellow book'. They will learn their colors much faster than if you sit down daily and grill them on it by just pointing them out on a chart. (Kid tested, this mom approved.)
NOTE: I did before and am now trying to participate in studies to prove/disprove all of this, and truthfully I am so excited!!!
DID YOU KNOW: We standardize test all of our students from special ed to super advanced, where a majority of the countries that we want to be so much like in education, only test their upper level students - The ones bound for college...Maybe that's why we don't compare???? ( So glad I took cultural studies.) :)
Thursday, November 21, 2013
THANKSGIVING
It is so hard to believe that Thanksgiving is upon us again already. It seems just like yesterday we had cooked a turkey and all the trimmings at sat down as a family to eat and be thankful. But now here it is time to do it all over again.Do you have traditions you follow for Thanksgiving? We do. We put the Turkey on first thing in the morning and are usually eating by two. It is usually just a family/hang around and be together day (unless someone has to work, or take naps so they can work overnight). And sometimes if there are too many quiet times, I will get out the Christmas decorations to prepare them for the following day. On a very rare occasion, if we are unable or unwilling to cook the whole big meal, we go out for dinner.
The day after thanksgiving we have an 'instant repeat' of Thanksgiving dinner and decorate the house for Christmas. It is a really nice, fun family time. (Although the hubs usually has to work, being in retail and all)
This year, our Thanksgiving will be a little different if only for the fact that one family member is missing. However, the rest should remain the same. We will either cook a big meal (or we have been offered the opportunity to go out if we want) depending on timing and weather etc. And then we will hang out and have fun for the rest of the day. Relaxing and getting caught up on life!
And then the day after, I might go shopping if there are good enough deals (when you have a huge family, you can't pass up deals!!!) And of course we will decorate the house. The tree will go up. The figurines and musical animals will be put out and the outside lights may even go up. Then it will be time to start preparing and enjoying the next part of this wonderful season because, after all, Christmas will be less than a month away!Until Next Time...Have a great Thanksgiving and remember don't eat too much, or shop too much, just enjoy the time with your family. And if you can't be with your family or friends, enjoy a little bit of alone time to rejuvenate your soul. And know that someone, somewhere is thinking of you because I will think of all of you and say a quick prayer for everyone on Thanksgiving Day!!!
Monday, November 18, 2013
FROM THE HEART
Sorry about slacking again, but we had a major family problem that had to be taken care of. Although it would be great fodder for a mommy blog, I just don't feel safe talking about it. I may at some point, but then again I may never feel safe again. So I will just go on with a blog post about making sure to have a mind of your own. Hope you enjoy it!
So, I think it is very important to have a mind of your own in life. If you don't it will ALWAYS end in disaster. And by ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS. If you let other people do your thinking for you, then you really are living their life and not yours right? That is how I see it in any case.
I know someone (Well a couple of someones but for the sake of this blog, I will use only one example) who has never before thought for 'him/her self', ever and it kills me everytime I think about it. It has made a person with a leader type personality a follower. It has ruined a young persons family. It has devastated everyone who has ever TRULY cared about this person. And boy did people pick up on it and milk it for all it was worth. If you sense that weakness in someone it is easy to take advantage of it.
One thing I have noticed is that people who have this type of personality like attention and they will lie to get it. It is these lies that perpetuate people taking advantage of them. And the sad thing is that they don't even realize they are lying. They take little bits of the truth and turn them into big lies in their own head. One person I met always had to help their family out around the house so when they wanted attention they told someone that they were being forced to do everything around the house and it led people to feel sorry for them. And this in turn led to these so called 'friends' manipulating them into thinking they were super special/didn't have to do anything in life. This person is two steps away from being destitute and alone forever now. It really is quite sad. Because eventually the people they lied to, find out the truth and purge them from their lives. It is a horrifically vicious cycle and every time I think about it I come close to tears. To have seen someone in my life go through it is heartbreaking and does nothing to help me have faith in humanity. But then, maybe I am being too harsh on the people who perpetuate this problem because after all they are being lied to and might not know any better (or SOME OF THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING).
So, here is how it goes. These people lie to a 'friend'. The friend feels sorry for them or thinks they need to help this person. Next step? The new friend tells them how to go about fixing their life and the messed up person believes EVERY DAMN WORD their friend says and they run with it. Even if the advice is bad. They start to ignore the people who know them and try to get them to face the truth in their situation. It can get really messy. All of the people they once trusted become the enemy and these new influencers run with their newfound power and it just really messes up many lives.
A mental disorder that goes hand in hand with it is narcissistic personality disorder (LINK). I am far from an expert so I will let you read up on it on your own (Just click the link). Unfortunately in this day and age, more and more people seem to be suffering from it and it is a recipe for disaster without help.
Until Next Time...It is really hard to get through to someone who can't think for themselves so if you notice it young, please get them help. It can be overcome, but it will take years of therapy. I know a mommy out there who wishes she'd had this advice many years ago. <3
So, I think it is very important to have a mind of your own in life. If you don't it will ALWAYS end in disaster. And by ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS. If you let other people do your thinking for you, then you really are living their life and not yours right? That is how I see it in any case.
I know someone (Well a couple of someones but for the sake of this blog, I will use only one example) who has never before thought for 'him/her self', ever and it kills me everytime I think about it. It has made a person with a leader type personality a follower. It has ruined a young persons family. It has devastated everyone who has ever TRULY cared about this person. And boy did people pick up on it and milk it for all it was worth. If you sense that weakness in someone it is easy to take advantage of it.One thing I have noticed is that people who have this type of personality like attention and they will lie to get it. It is these lies that perpetuate people taking advantage of them. And the sad thing is that they don't even realize they are lying. They take little bits of the truth and turn them into big lies in their own head. One person I met always had to help their family out around the house so when they wanted attention they told someone that they were being forced to do everything around the house and it led people to feel sorry for them. And this in turn led to these so called 'friends' manipulating them into thinking they were super special/didn't have to do anything in life. This person is two steps away from being destitute and alone forever now. It really is quite sad. Because eventually the people they lied to, find out the truth and purge them from their lives. It is a horrifically vicious cycle and every time I think about it I come close to tears. To have seen someone in my life go through it is heartbreaking and does nothing to help me have faith in humanity. But then, maybe I am being too harsh on the people who perpetuate this problem because after all they are being lied to and might not know any better (or SOME OF THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING).
So, here is how it goes. These people lie to a 'friend'. The friend feels sorry for them or thinks they need to help this person. Next step? The new friend tells them how to go about fixing their life and the messed up person believes EVERY DAMN WORD their friend says and they run with it. Even if the advice is bad. They start to ignore the people who know them and try to get them to face the truth in their situation. It can get really messy. All of the people they once trusted become the enemy and these new influencers run with their newfound power and it just really messes up many lives.
A mental disorder that goes hand in hand with it is narcissistic personality disorder (LINK). I am far from an expert so I will let you read up on it on your own (Just click the link). Unfortunately in this day and age, more and more people seem to be suffering from it and it is a recipe for disaster without help.Until Next Time...It is really hard to get through to someone who can't think for themselves so if you notice it young, please get them help. It can be overcome, but it will take years of therapy. I know a mommy out there who wishes she'd had this advice many years ago. <3
Monday, November 11, 2013
DID THE 6TH BIRTHDAY GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH?
Time completely got away from me last week. Between the pain I was in, a birthday, doctor visits/shots for some of the kids, and bustin A on NaNoWriMo, I have been crazy busy. I totally forgot to do a Thursday blog. But then I probably would have had to wait until Friday anyway because what I wanted to write about was my Son's 6th birthday. I can not believe my little boy (who was supposed to be my last child) is six already. Time is marching way too fast. How am a going to feel when my actual last child turns six....shhh shhh don't talk about that yet!!! Oh wait, that was me. Hmmm, okay I won't talk about that yet. Her turning three soon will be hard enough!
We had an Angry Birds cake (I don't see the appeal, but the kids love those little flappers). He got three presents - One on the kindle and then two hands on gifts. (Plus the one his sister got him) He chose his birthday dinner which was Grilled Hot Dogs and Mac and Cheese. It was overall a great time. Have you read my blog about how we celebrate birthdays on the cheap ( http://www.brokenwifeandmom.com/2012/11/trick-your-child.html)
It just seemed so weird having my boy in school during his birthday and I have no clue why because Gwen was always in school during hers. But The Sophomore and Miss Crazy have their birthdays during 'no school' time as did I so maybe that's why.
We took cupcakes for his class - Two packs of Angry Birds and a pack of Cars. The troops (2 kindergarten classes) really seemed to enjoy them. That is one part I actually like about the kids having to go to school during their birthday. It's fun to let them share a bit of their fun with their class. And seeing the colored frosting dyed faces is kinda funny too!
This year, it was a birthday that almost wasn't. Part of the misbehavior we had before Halloween had the birthday being threatened too. But as is usual with my kids, he squeaked it out just in time. I was so ready to take presents back for a refund, but in the end we got to sit down and watch a Star Wars Lego episode on DVD together and we got to play with his new Disney's Cars set/playmat. It was a fun evening with large pieces of cake and hyper children - you know, the usual in my house. ;)
Until Next Time...Celebrations don't have to be big to be special. I think my son (and his family) thoroughly enjoyed him turning six. Next up... My Little Butt turns 3, three short months from yesterday. Break out the tissues right?
We had an Angry Birds cake (I don't see the appeal, but the kids love those little flappers). He got three presents - One on the kindle and then two hands on gifts. (Plus the one his sister got him) He chose his birthday dinner which was Grilled Hot Dogs and Mac and Cheese. It was overall a great time. Have you read my blog about how we celebrate birthdays on the cheap ( http://www.brokenwifeandmom.com/2012/11/trick-your-child.html)It just seemed so weird having my boy in school during his birthday and I have no clue why because Gwen was always in school during hers. But The Sophomore and Miss Crazy have their birthdays during 'no school' time as did I so maybe that's why.
We took cupcakes for his class - Two packs of Angry Birds and a pack of Cars. The troops (2 kindergarten classes) really seemed to enjoy them. That is one part I actually like about the kids having to go to school during their birthday. It's fun to let them share a bit of their fun with their class. And seeing the colored frosting dyed faces is kinda funny too!
This year, it was a birthday that almost wasn't. Part of the misbehavior we had before Halloween had the birthday being threatened too. But as is usual with my kids, he squeaked it out just in time. I was so ready to take presents back for a refund, but in the end we got to sit down and watch a Star Wars Lego episode on DVD together and we got to play with his new Disney's Cars set/playmat. It was a fun evening with large pieces of cake and hyper children - you know, the usual in my house. ;)
Until Next Time...Celebrations don't have to be big to be special. I think my son (and his family) thoroughly enjoyed him turning six. Next up... My Little Butt turns 3, three short months from yesterday. Break out the tissues right?
Monday, November 4, 2013
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY TO ME!!! :)
Well folks, it has been a year since I first hit the publish button on this blog. And what a year it has been. There have been ups and downs. Heartbreaks and triumphs. Love and laughter. Good and bad. I just want to thank all of my loyal fans for giving me one of the best years of my life. So what did I do on the eve of my blogiversary? Well I spent the day marketing my special promotion for my novel Virgin Voyage and would you like to know what the results were?
Yep! I was moving those books off the shelf like crazy. :) Needless to say, I am one happy Mama.
So, I know a lot of you are wondering what happened with Halloween...Well, the monsters earned it back just in time. We went to the mall, which was a dud this year. The stores that participated were being stingy. And then we went over to Wal Mart and the kids made out like bandits!!!! They got so much candy it was unbelieveable. And then my back went out. Sigh... But the good news is, after some heat and some rest it actually is having less pain now than in over a year. The stiffness is still there, and the feeling of weights bearing down, but the pain is much better. I'll take it for now. Maybe I just need to get out and walk all over town (doctor, store, mall, walmart) all day... Hmmm let's see Black Friday is coming up soon. Anybody want to go shopping???? ( You can buy stuff, I'll just have to look because I don't have money. haha). Here are some pics I took on Halloween. Sorry if they are blurry, but my phone sucks and I can't find my darn camera....HEY KIDS WHERE DID YOU PUT MY CAMERA?!?!?! ;) Here are my zombie, power ranger, princess, huntress and doc mcstuffins!
So, I know a lot of you are wondering what happened with Halloween...Well, the monsters earned it back just in time. We went to the mall, which was a dud this year. The stores that participated were being stingy. And then we went over to Wal Mart and the kids made out like bandits!!!! They got so much candy it was unbelieveable. And then my back went out. Sigh... But the good news is, after some heat and some rest it actually is having less pain now than in over a year. The stiffness is still there, and the feeling of weights bearing down, but the pain is much better. I'll take it for now. Maybe I just need to get out and walk all over town (doctor, store, mall, walmart) all day... Hmmm let's see Black Friday is coming up soon. Anybody want to go shopping???? ( You can buy stuff, I'll just have to look because I don't have money. haha). Here are some pics I took on Halloween. Sorry if they are blurry, but my phone sucks and I can't find my darn camera....HEY KIDS WHERE DID YOU PUT MY CAMERA?!?!?! ;) Here are my zombie, power ranger, princess, huntress and doc mcstuffins!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
READER QUESTION ANSWERED!
So, I have had quite a few questions about what I go through with my pain and stiffness etc. I don't want any sympathy with this post. I manage just fine. But I feel like so many of you are curious to what it feels like to be me so this is my response to all of you. And I know one person needs to know so they can understand their own pain and limitations and if I can help even one person, then I will be a happy woman!
First, the pain really isn't the main focus of what I feel day to day. Yes, I do have chronic pain and yes sometimes I just want it to END!!! But the main thing that keeps me from functioning is the stiffness (although I'm not sure that is even the right word for it). And of course there is the lack of mobility that goes along with it. In simple terms, walking from the house to the car feels like running a mile with a three hundred pound pack. (And the hubs just thought I breathed heavy over him - well some of it is over him, but quite a bit of it is from my limitations) ;)
I guess I can start when I get out of bed in the morning and go from there. I can't just sit up in bed like most people. I have to lift my whole upper body without being able to bend it, until I get into a sitting position. It literally feels like I have five or six twenty pound weights attached to my shoulder/upper back area, sewn on with a needle and thread that is also sewn through my lower back. So, once I lift what feels like that extra hundred pounds it feels like the thread rips all the way down my back and into my hips where the pain settles. (Pretty much any time I go from laying to sitting or sitting to standing)
Then once I go to stand up it feels like I have these hundred pounds worth of weight at my hips and I have another hundred or so pounds of weights attached to my chest, pulling one way while the ones at my hips pull the other. It makes it very hard to stand at all. So, once I am finally able to get the balance to move I add an extra hundred pounds of weights to my feet (and the pain is pretty constant still). See, not exactly stiffness but more like a heaviness.
So, basically, I walk around all day feeling like I have weights on my chest, lower back, and feet. It doesn't necessarily hurt to bend over to pick something up, but it is hard getting down with the weights on my hips and even harder getting up with the weights on my chest so I just don't bend very often. Now try walking around the store, or lifting pots and pans, or loads of laundry, or bending to get into the dryer or moving around in small spaces with all of that. It truly is nearly impossible. I have literally gotten stuck in my laundry room before between a laundry basket full of books and our freezer because I didn't have the freedom of movement I needed to turn just the right way to get out of there. (Thank goodness my then four year old son was strong enough to move the basket out of the way and give me room!)
Do I feel pain - yes! When I stand too long, sit wrong or when I do a complicated movement I feel the pain a lot (other times it is mostly just an ache), but it is trying to move that causes me the most trouble. It takes all of my energy just to lift my legs sometimes, or to bend over to change a diaper or pick up something off the floor. The bad part is that I'm like this no matter what my weight is. The pain gets better when I start losing weight, but the lack of mobility is still pretty bad. It doesn't mean I can't move fast if I have to - if my kids are in danger, I can move pretty quick, but I pay for it big time later. I used to think it was my joints but it's not, it is just a very hard feeling to explain. When my dad's back used to go out this is how his legs would feel, I believe.
So I know that it has to be because my pelvis is no longer supporting my body like it should. Now just to fix that while being on a budget. Hmmm.
Until Next Time...I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Halloween. I will be out with my kids (if they earn it back) no matter how uncomfortable it is because that is just something I have to do. I will pay for it on the first of November, but I will get plenty of snuggles, rest and love because most of my family understands why I can't do stuff (Not all unfortunately, but that is their problem, not mine). Happy and safe dressing up to all! <3
First, the pain really isn't the main focus of what I feel day to day. Yes, I do have chronic pain and yes sometimes I just want it to END!!! But the main thing that keeps me from functioning is the stiffness (although I'm not sure that is even the right word for it). And of course there is the lack of mobility that goes along with it. In simple terms, walking from the house to the car feels like running a mile with a three hundred pound pack. (And the hubs just thought I breathed heavy over him - well some of it is over him, but quite a bit of it is from my limitations) ;)I guess I can start when I get out of bed in the morning and go from there. I can't just sit up in bed like most people. I have to lift my whole upper body without being able to bend it, until I get into a sitting position. It literally feels like I have five or six twenty pound weights attached to my shoulder/upper back area, sewn on with a needle and thread that is also sewn through my lower back. So, once I lift what feels like that extra hundred pounds it feels like the thread rips all the way down my back and into my hips where the pain settles. (Pretty much any time I go from laying to sitting or sitting to standing)
Then once I go to stand up it feels like I have these hundred pounds worth of weight at my hips and I have another hundred or so pounds of weights attached to my chest, pulling one way while the ones at my hips pull the other. It makes it very hard to stand at all. So, once I am finally able to get the balance to move I add an extra hundred pounds of weights to my feet (and the pain is pretty constant still). See, not exactly stiffness but more like a heaviness.
So, basically, I walk around all day feeling like I have weights on my chest, lower back, and feet. It doesn't necessarily hurt to bend over to pick something up, but it is hard getting down with the weights on my hips and even harder getting up with the weights on my chest so I just don't bend very often. Now try walking around the store, or lifting pots and pans, or loads of laundry, or bending to get into the dryer or moving around in small spaces with all of that. It truly is nearly impossible. I have literally gotten stuck in my laundry room before between a laundry basket full of books and our freezer because I didn't have the freedom of movement I needed to turn just the right way to get out of there. (Thank goodness my then four year old son was strong enough to move the basket out of the way and give me room!)
Do I feel pain - yes! When I stand too long, sit wrong or when I do a complicated movement I feel the pain a lot (other times it is mostly just an ache), but it is trying to move that causes me the most trouble. It takes all of my energy just to lift my legs sometimes, or to bend over to change a diaper or pick up something off the floor. The bad part is that I'm like this no matter what my weight is. The pain gets better when I start losing weight, but the lack of mobility is still pretty bad. It doesn't mean I can't move fast if I have to - if my kids are in danger, I can move pretty quick, but I pay for it big time later. I used to think it was my joints but it's not, it is just a very hard feeling to explain. When my dad's back used to go out this is how his legs would feel, I believe.
So I know that it has to be because my pelvis is no longer supporting my body like it should. Now just to fix that while being on a budget. Hmmm.
Until Next Time...I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Halloween. I will be out with my kids (if they earn it back) no matter how uncomfortable it is because that is just something I have to do. I will pay for it on the first of November, but I will get plenty of snuggles, rest and love because most of my family understands why I can't do stuff (Not all unfortunately, but that is their problem, not mine). Happy and safe dressing up to all! <3
Monday, October 28, 2013
INSANE DAY?
I think today could possibly be a crazy, crazy day! I have all three of the littles home. This could very well be a make or break day for the whole 'will they get Halloween back' thing. Being smooshed into this house together all day, has in the past, been a recipe for disaster. It is now after 12:00 and so far so good...Keep your fingers crossed.The district gives kids the day off when the high schools have parent teacher conferences (except for The Sophomore's school this year). So while I have the older two still going to school/work, the younger two get to stay home with Little butt. So far we have watched some Disney XD, played on the computer, played soldiers (or some other 'crazy run around and shoot things game'). We have jumped on mattresses on the floor, sung and danced to songs on Youtube, and of course we had lunch (Little Butt stole half of mine :/). And by we, I most mean they because with the pain I'm in today (an unfortunate tickling accident - don't ask) I am more the cuddle bug than the hands on play mate.
As for the bad, well it really hasn't been that bad. Mr. Insane let loose a curse that he learned from the horrible neighbor kids, but immediately realized his mistake and apologized. I'm good with that. I like it when my kids finally start to realize that they've mad a mistake and admit to it. This makes me very proud. We have had a few arguments, a few tears and what I thought may have been a hit or two. A quick reminder about future birthdays and holidays put a quick end to all of that though.
So, by noon, the day has so far been a success. What is still to come, I don't know. Normally I would dread this kind of day (although I would be thrilled not to have to do any driving home from school!!!). But I'm thinking that this day might just be an okay kind of day - at least until the older kids get home and the littles have a new audience to act out for...but then again there is always the no Halloween thing. Hmmmm. Here is hoping that the remainder of this day is peaceful for all concerned.
Until Next Time...On those insane days I always say...Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. You might just be surprised at what happens. <3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)