Book just for Boys

I recently received a copy of The Dangerous Book for Boys by Gonn & Hal Iggulden. If you have even one boy in the family, you should definately have this book on your bookcase! Filled with such things as how to make the airplane ever, to rules of soccer & rugby, even how to skip the perfect stone. I personally liked the chapter with advice on girls.

"It is important to listen. Human beings are often very self-centered and like to talk about themselves. In addition, it's an easy subject if someone is nervous. It is good advice to listen closely- unless she has also been given this advice, in which case an uneasy silence could develop, like towo owls sitting together"

How cute is that? I think any young boy, or even said young man's dad, would get a kick out of this book. Now saying that, let's flip it over. I'm sure plenty of girls would like this book too. Heck, I'm a girl & I liked looking thru it! lol Now we need someone to write The Dangerous Book for Girls. Any volunteers?

It's a Boy, It's a Girl, It's a Cyber Baby Shower!

Take one computer, add adorable unique baby gifts, sprinkle in lots of new friends- you now have the ingredients for a great Cyber Baby Shower! Mamanista is having just such a party & we are all invited. Woohoo! (Click here to join Baby CyberShower Games and Unique Baby Shower Gifts Mamanista! ). Being a mom is the most challenging & wonderful job I have ever had. Having gone down this road 5 times now, I wanted to share some of the tidbits of "knowledge" that I have picked up along the way.

-Sleep whenever you can. Even 5 minute catnaps will help. This will be a bit easier if the baby is the only baby you have. If you have other children, it will be harder to find time to nap. Trust me on this- you DO NOT want to accidently nod off while they are awake. My older kids ( 6,4 & 3) have built in sensors that instantly kick in if I nod off in my rocking chair. The consequences? Any & all gum in the house is consumed, lotions & powders will be applied the every available surface in the bathroom, and snacks will be pillaged from the kitchen. I swear my dh has superhero blood in his family, as my kids are FAST! lol

-When changing diapers, make sure you have clean diapers, wipes & extra change of clothes if needed, within arms reach. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT take off diapers slowly, do not stop to smell the roses, do not pass go, do not collect $200. More than likely, you will be pee'd on at least once! Boys are notorious for waiting til you have taken the old diaper off, smiling, and letting loose! Now that I've let you in on this little tidbit, feel free NOT to share it with your signifigant other- while it's not fun to be the Pee-ee, it's pretty darn hilarious to watch it happen to your dh. :D

-Take time everyday to just enjoy your baby. As my oldest son turns 14 next week, I can tell you that time goes by waaay too fast. Revel in the little things- take the morning smile that only mommy can bring out, the baby coos, that sweet baby smell, and the way he holds your finger when you rock him to sleep- lock these in your heart! My youngest will soon be 4 months old, and I already am starting to tear up over milestones Joshua is flying by. :(

Imagination

It is amazes me how my children't minds work. Everyday it seems like one of them says something that is cute and so far out there at the same time. lol Brandon seems to be the one who makes me laugh the most. He has told me such random things as "I hope monsters don't come take the baby away" to his "hecka-megatron-rocket firecracker" fast. :) See doesn't that just make you smile? If he is happy & in a good mood, he will literally talk your ear off. Yesterday, he was outside helping with the garage sale. While waiting for customers, I traced his hand on notebook paper, then he traced mine. We drew stars, flowers, and other things that needed imagination to tell what exactly they were. It was just a nice quiet time for the two of us.
Andrew has a partial imaginary friend. He talks about his friend Joey ALL the time! I'm not sure if he is talking about his second cousin Joey.We went to Joey's brother Riley's first bday party at the end of March, But it's hard to believe that one afternoon influenced him. He constantly asks to go to his friend Joey's house, or that Joey's mom has a baby too, or that his friend Joey has this toy, or like that food. Again, this is something that makes me smile. :D

I dont' get it....

How is it my fault that you won't talk to me about what we owe for rent, our finances on your end, that you aren't going to work each day, and that apparantly I'm "not helping" you? I thought since I am taking care of 5 kids, doing a big majority of the household chores, doing all grocery shopping, making sure the bills are paid, being a chauffeur, taking care of the everyone on ALL holidays (including making sure the kids have presents, family, food, christmas light looking, trick or treating, easter baskets, etc), and all the other 9004759834534734 things that I do around here, I was helping. Yeah, maybe I don't have a 40 a week job that is garaunte payday, but last time I checked neither do you! I'm trying to be as creative as I can, to make a bit of money on the side. You know that is why I do my sweepstakes. Hell, you've even benifited from my wins- who got the Ipod Shuffle? The Norelco Body Goomer? Don't you get to download songs on the computer I won? And all the free food coupons, hell the Freschetta ones alone are almost $100 of free pizza!!!! Yeah, I do spend money when I go to the thrift store. Look around- are you having to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes for the kids each year? No, because I shop for everyone at the thrift store, or on super cheap clearance. I don't have the luxury of spending $50 on a damn sweatshirt, or $40 on new shoes. Sometimes I would love to buy brand spanking new things too. Just like the stupid fan you bought. $50 on one little fan, when you easily could have bought 3 of the stand fans for that price, so the kids would have one in their room, and one for our bedroom. I hate that you only think of yourself. If you don't ever wnat to put me first, thats fine. But damn't- PUT YOUR KIDS BEFORE YOURSELF!!!!! I'm not saying all the time, but half the time would be nice! Their needs should always come first!!!

4 or 14, Drama comes in all different ages

While our household always seems like it has some new drama waiting in the corner, this last week included filing a missing persons report &almost going to the ER for electrocution. Short but sweet version- last weekend two of Sam's friends were seen taking an alcoholic beverage from our house. When confronted on the phone & told to come home, Sam made the decesion, along with his friend, to play hide & go seek for the rest of the evening. Which prompted us (me & Shannon, his friends mom) to have to call the cops at midnite. The kids finally decided to come home the next day, after worrying us all night. Not sure what exactly happened to his friend, but Sam had his lifeline (his cell phone) taken away for the last week, and was only let off his groundation from going anywhere today, because he helped me alot in the garage & backyard.
Tonight, Brandon decided to put 2 of his keys ( my kids have a fascination with old keys. They are almost like money in our house! lol ) in the electrical socket in the bathroom. At almost 5 years old, not sure what made him decide to do this. All of our lights flipped off in the house, and I thought our new stove had tripped them. But when I went back in the hallway, I found him crying holding his hand. He told me what happened, and went in the bathroom to see the keys sticking out. After yelling out for Sam, freaking out slightly, to turn the all the breakers off, I used a towel to flick them out. I took Brandon to my moms to have her check him out- the only owie he has, is a little tiny burn mark on a finger, and some slight swelling in his hand. He was talking fine & could move all his fingers, etc. I think it scared him more than anything. He got a big talking to about outlets, and why he shouldn't be messing with them AT ALL!!!!

At least it isn't boring in my house........

Teaching children, when the parents can't be taught.

I think my hardest challenge to teach my children right from wrong, responsibilities, and to basically not lie, is when my not-so-better half doesn't seem to live by the same "values". I don't want to raise my kids with the "do as I say, not as I do" way. I am far far away from being the "perfect" parent. And I don't ask that my husband be perfect. I just want him to keep his word, and not lie to me. And treat me with some respect. Is that really so hard? We were supposed to have our backyard all cleaned up yesterday ( it's been a slight nightmare out there, as a catchall of stuff the mice destroyed, some full garbage bags from the garbage cans not being dragged out in time to be dumped, and the stuff for goodwill that was messed up with the last big storm we had- that the kids have dragged all over the place. And I won't get into the jungle growing on the side of the house.) Sam & I busted our asses, cleaning up. While Matt sat in here, in front of the fan. I came in to take a quick shower, so we could go take all the empty boxes to the cardboard recycle bin. I asked him if he would help Sam & Mikey put them in the car. He thru a hissy fit, because since he didn't make the mess, why should he have to clean it up. @@ I just don't understand why he can't do a few things once in a while to help me, when he expects me to jump thru hoops for him. He went out with his friend today,and told me he would be home by 1:30pm, so I could go pick up our fixed washer. He finally came home around 8pm. There are so many little things to add to this story, but it's just more of the same. Ugh. This is just making me mad all over again. He wants to bitch about the kids lying to us, or that Sam doesn't check in. Well , duh. In this regard, I think being a single parent could be easier. No other parent that you have to meld your disciplining ways with. What you say goes.

Mix it up good!

One of my favorite things to do with my kids, it to bake. With a whole shelf dedicated just to dessert type foods, we have plenty of recipes to choose from. The one thing that would make this job soo much easier, would be a really great stand mixer. At Ribbon Rock Star they want to help us with this problem- they are giving one lucky person a brand new Artisan Kitchenaid stand mixer (5qt)!!! I can't tell you how much I've drooled over these in the Sunday ads. I think the first thing I would make in this, if I were to win, is a Peanut Butter Cake, w/ peanut butter frosting of course. Taken off this great website, http://www.cakecentral.com, this cake is so moist & melt-in-your-mouth-good, you will definately be tempted to take more than one piece. lol

Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients

1 boxed yellow cake mix (I use one with pudding). 1 c sour cream (makes it more moist and homemade tasting) about 3/4 c peanut butter (I used the natural- no added sugar or fats) ingred. called for on the cake box 1 recipe buttercream and peanut butter to add (to taste) about 1-3 T milk to thin icing if needed

Mix cake according to instructions and add sour cream and peanut butter. Bake as usual and frost with chocolate or peanut butter buttercream frosting.Add peanut butter to taste, to buttercream. It tends to thicken up so thin w/milk.