A Kiss and a Peck

Fed Up Dad Shoots Laptop and Shares on Daughter's Facebook Wall

2012-02-10T11:21:00.001-05:00

I'm still weighing how I feel about this. I don't know their history, which makes it harder. Obviously, he is fed up, and I can certainly relate to that. Reactions?

Guilty!

2012-02-09T16:13:00.003-05:00

I really want to believe that Ross wasn't intentionally blocking her brother's view of the TV, but it's hard to think of a defense when I caught her standing there in a giant yellow sun hat, flapping her arms up and down.

Hummingbird in Crochet

2012-02-09T09:27:00.000-05:00

A little crocheted hummingbird. I didn't have a pattern. I was trying to sleep, night before last, and started constructing this in my mind. Eventually had to get out of bed and see if I could make it work.

The Change ~ Day Five

2012-01-27T16:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday went off without a hitch. I had made up enough green juice to last me all day. I did have a lot of hip pain and it was worse today. :( But still no aching fingers, toes, etc...

After doing some research, I found that the norm is to do a 5 days on, 5 days off, juicing regimen. I had decided that might be best, instead of my planned 7 days. I still juice on the off days, but can also eat pretty much as many fruits and veggies as I like, even cooked ones. As long as they are steamed or with sauteed with olive oil, it's fine. So I roasted myself up a bunch of veggies today and sat down to enjoy my feast. Trouble was, I couldn't eat. I was not hungry. I decided not to force myself and chalked it up to a lesson learned. I'm guessing that the juice fills me so much that I just don't need that other food. At any rate, I abandoned my roasted veggies, and made a green juice instead.

I'm excited that the weather has taken a turn for the better. I plan to start walking daily now, beginning with this evening. I need to get out into nature. Not just for my health, but also for my sanity. I swear, I don't think my four year old daughter has stopped talking for even a second, in one whole week! lol She's been rising before daylight, sleeping with me in the evenings and talking till she passes out for the night. So, a 30 minute or so walk, in silence, will be absolute heaven.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

HUGS

The Change ~ Day Four

2012-01-26T10:47:00.001-05:00

Yesterday went well. I started out the day with a juice made mostly of fruit. I learned that, while this tastes great, it did not seem to pack the boost that my usual green juice does. Plus, I almost felt nauseous after drinking it. I went back to green juice for the rest of the day.

One undeniable difference that I have noticed, is the fact that I am not hobbling to the medicine cabinet for pain meds, within seconds of opening my eyes each morning. I am still taking my prescribed medication, it's just not something I require, before I can do or think about anything else. I actually have to remind myself to take it. Whereas, before, I was often counting the hours before my next dose. My body told me when it was time, as my pain levels were through the roof, by the time the first dose wore off. I am praying this means that I can slowly reduce the amount I take and eventually be off of them altogether.

I still get slapped with a craving when I smell yummy food. But it crossed my mind yesterday that I haven't felt my stomach growl even once. I am guessing this means that I am not truly hungry and the fast passing cravings are the same ones that would have had me impulse eating before.

I am up to five pounds of missing weight. Lets hope it doesn't sneak up and grab me from behind. : P I know this is just water weight, as I have not been working out or doing any sort of extra activities. I am holding off on that till week two.

HUGS!

Five Mom-Inspired Driving Tips

2012-01-25T21:04:00.000-05:00

Moms and dads spend numerous hours behind the wheel. We drive our kids to and from school, from one activity to another. Everything can become routine and second nature. So routine, in fact, that we can sometimes develop a sense of false security. Honestly, what could happen on a short trip to the corner market, or to the bus stop? Anything could happen. Most accidents happen close to a person's home, probably because our guard tends to drop in familiar territory. Here are some tips on being prepared and safe.

1.If you do not have a window breaking/seat belt cutting tool, in the glove box of every vehicle you own, purchase them right away. This tool could be the difference between your family having a close call and their not surviving a crash at all. Make everyone aware of where this is located and how to use it. These tools can slice a jammed seat belt and allow the shattering of a window, for faster escape from a sinking or burning vehicle.

2. Make room in your trunk for a box of essentials. Enough to last for several hours, possibly days, should you and your family be stranded. Even if it never snows where you are, this box is still important. Fill this box with first aid supplies, especially Benadryl and or an Epi-pen, for anyone with a severe allergy. Hard candy and shelf stable juice for a diabetic. A warm blanket, if you use the emergency kind, they are thin enough to allow you to have several of these on hand. Emergency cell phone power. These are cheap and a real Godsend. Just be certain to store the batteries for this and any other electronics in the box, not in the item, to avoid corrosion.

Also include water, snacks, a few diapers and formula (you just never know), along with baby wipes. A set of walkies-talkies would also be great, as they will allow you to keep in touch, should one of you need to walk for help, or enable you to possibly make contact with another radio user in the area. Don't forget flash lights, flares, and a can of emergency tire sealant. This seems like a lot of stuff, but it will bring such comfort and piece of mind.

3. Keep your car tidy! This isn't just a rule for appearance sake. I was in a terrible accident once and one thing I remember clearly is that everything that was not secured in the car became a projectile. Transport sports equipment in the trunk of the car. The same goes for groceries and tools. It is worth the few seconds it takes to secure the items.

4. Make your car a library. Actually, just make sure it sounds like one. It is so important that children learn early to behave in the car. Distracted driving causes accidents. A few occasions of pulling over until the noise dies down, quickly lets them know how they are expected to behave in the car. Keeping some small toys or books in the vehicle that are used only on car trips will help give them something to occupy their time.

5.Everyone knows not to drive drunk, yet many people feel they have no choice but to drive when they are sleepy, or upset. Both of these are just as dangerous. Refuse to drive when you are sleepy, the world will not end, I promise. Also, if you are upset, never get behind the wheel. The risk just is not worth it.

I hope you find these tips helpful.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here .

Why I'm Ready to Break Up With Some Pages on Facebook

2012-01-25T13:49:00.001-05:00

This post may possibly generate a plethora of hate emails and seething blog comments in my honor. So be it. I am not writing this to offend. Honestly, I am just curious if anyone else is feeling the same way...

First, why I love blogs... A few short years ago, I didn't even know what a blog was. I'm sure I was searching for information on this or that one day and a blog happened to have the information that I needed. I found myself immersed in the posts of a homesteader's blog. I was hooked. I followed that blog and then used her list of favorites to find more blogs that I enjoyed, and so on. The posts made me feel like I was sitting at the writer's kitchen table with him/her and learning about how their life was day to day. I could comment and add my two cents. Usually they would respond. It was all about the connection. I still have that with most of those same bloggers. Some of them have also created Facebook pages for their blogs and I "LIKED" those. While most have remained the same, down-to-earth folks that I adored to begin with, some have turned into something else.Something I don't like.Something I don't have a name for.

   There is a pretty popular blogger that I stopped following, around a year ago. I really admired this person's values in the beginning. Slowly, the popularity began going to her head. She basically appointed herself as representative for all things blog. Eventually, anything news-worthy in the blogisphere, promised to have her discussing it on the next day's morning programs. Watching her take credit for another blogger's actions turned my stomach. But I told myself that maybe the other person had requested that she do this, as maybe they didn't want the national attention. I discovered later that this was not the case.

The straw that broke the proverbial camel's back came the day that this woman announced that she would be hosting a live chat with her readers ( she referred to them as her fans). Nothing wrong with the chat part. Maybe even nothing wrong with the "fans" part. It was how she promoted it that made my stomach curdle."Be here tonight and chat live with [insert blog persona]!" She could have simply said "me", but she headlined it like she was freaking Elvis or something. A few weeks before this, she had completely abandoned replying to reader comments at all. I understand that, when a person has as many comments as she did, it would have been too much to reply to them all, but she could have at least replied to some. No biggie. I unfollowed her and I'm willing to bet that I haven't missed one beneficial thing. I have no idea if she has a Facebook page.

   There is a self-help blogger who does have a page on FB. Somewhere during his expansion to FB, he morphed from self-help into self-absorbed. I UNLIKED him with a quickness, the day he updated his status with, "All my fans, take a picture of yourselves holding up my book, then make that your profile pic. I want to see the love!" If he'd asked me to post what color my panties were, I don't think I would have felt much sicker. I shudder to think what he was doing, while perusing the new profile pics of the poor sheep that followed obliged his request.

My biggest heartbreak has been the money saving bloggers. The ones that share great deals and coupons. Most have remained true to themselves, but I can't help but feel that some have completely lost touch with what they started out to do and still claim to do, saving money and helping others save money.

First, I understand wanting to be liked. It's human nature. I don't really understand the push for LIKES on Facebook. Is there a prize being offered for the page with the most FB LIKES? How have I not heard about this? I have never understood this. It's akin to people being your friend because you have fame or money. Who wants that? Not me? I see it every day, "If my page hits 3,000 Likes by 5PM, I'll host a giveaway." Sure enough, the LIKES reach the 3,000 mark and a link for the giveaway is posted. I click the link and am led to a Rafflecopter form where, more often than not, there are already over 1,000 entries, in the minute it took me to get there. First, I complete the required entry, which is usually to LIKE the page of said blog on Facebook.Of course, I have already completed this step, which is how I was able to see the contest posted to my feed in the first place. But I have to click an Enter button to verify this.

Then I move on to the optional entries. This usually means following the blog on Twitter, subscribing to their newsletter, and maybe following on Google Friend Connect, along with Tweeting about the contest and sharing the contest with my friends on FB. But, wait, there's more! I've only competed a handful of entries out of a possible 30, 40, maybe even 50 more! There are more FB pages listed to LIKE, Tweet about. and share of FB. Most have started adding an encouraging note, stating that to enter, one need not follow all those pages and blogs, and just complete the required entries.Well, that might be a relief, if I didn't know that this gives me a snowball's chance in hell of winning against the other people who can actual spare the additional 20 minutes it takes to complete the other entries.

I will say that I was completely pissed off, a few weeks ago. One of these pages had posted a flash giveaway for a $5.00 Amazon gift code. I bit the bullet and jumped through the hoops of LIKING, Tweeting, Sharing, Following blah, blah, blah. A few hours later, when the winner should have been chosen, she posted an announcement to say that "sadly", she had decided to cancel the giveaway. She then proceeded into a rant about how she couldn't believe that more people had not entered.How it was crazy that someone would not want to win $5.00, especially in today's economy, so, so forth, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah.

I think this was so rude. First of all, this was a big, nose-thumbing, "eff you" to all the people that did take time to enter. Secondly, with all the steps one had to take to even have a decent chance at winning, she shouldn't be shocked that some folks didn't feel it was worth their time for $5.00. Third, and most important of all, even if only one person entered, she should have followed through with awarding the prize. As it stands now, the contest had a lot of entries, just not as many as she had hoped for, and each of those people gave their information and followed a load of other pages that they probably wouldn't have otherwise. She benefited and they got screwed. Plain and simple. I UNLIKED her.

Plus, if one presents themselves as a person who is there to help others save money, do it. Be honest while doing it. I cannot even count the Amazon affiliate links I see posted each hour with the message, "This is a great deal, HURRY! Stock Up NOW!!!!" Without ever letting these people know that you will get a percentage of everything they buy at Amazon, once they follow that link. I am not saying that most of these people are sincerely sharing a deal with the intention of helping someone save money. I am saying that anyone that is counting on the money saving advise that you have promised should know when you will be making money when they purchase the item(s). Knowing this, they may not be so quick to spend their hard earned money on a split second decision.

   I do share links, deals, etc... but I post the link and let folks make up their own mind. If you do see me post a deal, screaming and shouting like my legs are on fire and my ass is catching, you should probably check it out, as I have surely found tuna for a dime a can, diapers for a nickel each, or some other once-in-a-lifetime deal.

I'll shut-up. For now anyway : P

The Change ~ Day Three

2012-01-25T10:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's juice consisted of cucumber, tomato, celery, pear, apples, ginger, lemon, red lettuce, carrots, and ginger. I made enough for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so it would be easily on hand, should hunger pangs hit.

I was headache free yesterday, most likely due to the weather being warmer. I did notice that my joint pain was greatly reduced. My joints hurt, even on warmer days. So I know this was either a result of my juicing or that fact that I have not drank any soda since I started this. Plus, as a long time hater of drinking water, I find that I actual crave it and have been drinking lots of it. So any of those changes could be a factor.

I weighed at bedtime and was four pounds less than before I started. I feel a little rough today but am sure that is due to barking dogs waking me at 2 AM and not shutting up before daylight today. I never did find out what they were protecting the castle from, but it must have been pretty annoying to them. Of course, I was too paranoid to sleep with the dogs acting psycho. lol

HUGS!

The Change~ Day Two

2012-01-24T12:31:00.002-05:00

Yesterday went OK. I did notice that I was craving food more than usual. It is strange to me that, when I am eating whatever I like, I have days where I may actually forget to eat. But yesterday, I seemed to want a bite of every food I saw. I was even tempted to take a bite of my son's corn dog and I don't even like those.

   After my green juice in the morning, I had it again at lunch. For my evening juice, I had a carrot juice, with apples, celery, a peach. It was a little more fruity, since I felt like that might stave off my craving for the spaghetti that I made everyone else for dinner. In between, I drank lots of water.

   I don't think I have peed so much in my life! Maybe only when I was a baby in diapers. lol I hopped on the scale last night and it read that I had lost two pounds. No excitement about that, as I am positive it was probably just water weight.

   I was very sleepy yesterday, slept fairly well last night, then slept in today. I have heard that, by the third day of a juice fast, the sluggishness leaves and is replaced by more energy and clarity of the mind, both of which I can use.

                 By the way, I did not give up my morning coffee. I may be able to do this at a later date, but for now, I know if I strip too much away from myself, I won't stick to this healthier way of life.

Wish me luck! HUGS

The Change

2012-01-23T06:31:00.001-05:00

No, not that one.

Today, I am beginning a major change in my life. I am so sick of being sick. So tired of being tired. I am beginning this change with a juice fast. I have not decided on 10 days or just 7. It depends on how well I feel after the first 7...

This is not about weight loss, though I'm sure I could stand to lose a few pounds. This is about ridding myself of terrible headaches (I went to bed with one last night), easing the pain that I constantly feel in my joints and bones, finally being rid of a chronic ear infection that has plagued me since I was 11 years old, and hopefully this will lead to an improved mood overall. I am tired of taking loads of medication just to move each day.

I've heard that the first few days of fasting can make a person feel like hell. That means I will pretty much feel just the same as I do now. Once my fast is complete, I plan to rotate, a week on, then a week off, with eating a micro-nutrient menu. This is not a diet, it is a forever change in the way I live.

I began today with a juice concocted of celery, cucumber, red lettuce, lemon, apple, and ginger. Did it taste as good as Mt. Dew? Heck no. But it wasn't that bad and I think it may grow on me, after a few days. I plan to post here nightly, reporting on how my day went, how I feel, and what I consumed. Along with any other information that I feel is pertinent.

Home Edition

2012-01-19T14:34:00.001-05:00

Thanks for the post from Lynn Guy

I saw a commercial the other day that advertised the series finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and I’ll admit it made me a little sad. I know the show has been on for years and has probably run its course, but I just love watching it so much. It’s a very therapeutic show for me, because regardless of the family being showcased I typically end up crying like a baby. I get teary eyed halfway through most of the time, and at the end by the time they’re yelling “Move that bus!” I’m pretty much a total emotional basketcase. What an incredible idea, right? Let’s band together with some really talented designers, ask for some help from the family’s community, and give them a new house! The back stories are always incredible; most of the families have gone through some very traumatic situation that has now made their house unlivable for them—a recently handicapped child, or a failed business making it impossible for them to make necessary improvements, for instance. Over the course of an hour the show manages to build a new home and completely transform the family’s life. I’ll definitely be tuning in for the last episode. Check out directv Cleveland to see when it airs locally.

Houzz

2012-01-18T13:45:00.002-05:00

Whether you are a full time house-flipper who remodels homes for profit, an interior decorator, or just someone who loves home decor, you will love Houzz.com. The site is laid out beautifully, allowing visitors to search by style preference or the room that they are planning to remodel/redecorate.

Houzz offers a bounty of eye candy, with 250,000 photos from top designers around the world. If you register, you can create your own Idea Book, filling it with any of these photos that inspire you. I could honestly spend hours there, pouring over the photos and getting wonderful design ideas.

When it's time to shop, simply click on the Products tab and you will find amazing items from all around the web, gathered for you in one easy to browse location. Simply reading about Houzz does not do it justice. You need to see it! Make a cup of coffee first and plan to be there a while as I promise you will soon find yourself absorbed.

$1 off coupon on Diet Dr Pepper and Orville Redenbacher's(R) popcorn!

2012-01-17T20:58:00.001-05:00

$1 off coupon on Diet Dr Pepper and Orville Redenbacher's(R) popcorn! Get it. HERE

Free Sample Breathe Right Nasal Strips

2012-01-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

Complete the form HERE

RECALL ALERT: Bed, Bath & Beyond pulls tissue holders over radiation concerns.

2012-01-13T19:48:00.003-05:00

Bed, Bath & Beyond recalls tissue holder on radiation worry

Read the whole story HERE

Free Nescafe Taster's Choice Coffee Samples

2012-01-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

Go here like their FB page and fill out the form.

Track Santa on Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T04:15:00.000-05:00

NORAD Santa

Gift Cards Rock! and the Reasons They Make a Perect Gift

2011-12-21T16:14:00.001-05:00

There was a time that I would have never given a gift card as a gift. I felt they were impersonal. As if I were telling the recipient, "Here, pick out your own gift, you aren't worth the trouble." My ideas have changed over the years. Now there are gift cards for almost every store and nearly any product. I am now a convert that loves to give gift cards as well as receive them.

I feel that the way a gift card if received depends completely on the presentation. Stuffing one in an envelope and scrawling the recipients name across the front is a definite no go. I like to be more creative. I'll fill a small basket with snacks and a couple of packs of instant hot chocolate and tuck in a gift card for a local video store or vending machine. I'll purchase some oven mitts and print off a copy of my favorite recipe, then place them in a basket with a grocery store gift card that will cover the cost of the ingredients. The secret is to envision how the person will be using the card and then gift it along with other complimentary items.

One of the best gifts I ever received was a basketful of haircare items and a gift card for a local hair salon. Presenting someone with a gift card can be done in such a way that they still feel like you have put a lot of thought and love into choosing the perfect gift for them.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Gift Cards Rock blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Online Shopping Made Easy, With Become.com

2011-12-17T01:08:00.000-05:00

If someone had told me, a few short years ago, that I would eventually be doing most of my shopping online, I probably would have laughed at the very thought. After all, I loved to shop around for the best price, the perfect color, and I would settle for nothing less. Even if that meant visiting several brick and mortar stores and coming home victorious, but exhausted. Several years, a husband, and a next full of kids later, I just do not have the time or energy for such excursions.

It took a while before I became comfortable with shopping online. However, these days, I actually do the majority of my shopping on the World Wide Web and I couldn't be happier. The key to getting just what I'm looking for, at a price I want, is comparison shopping... Become.com makes comparison shopping a breeze! The site has everything I need to make a smart purchase, right at my fingertips, even all the most recent discount codes. If I am in the market for nautical lamp shades, I simply type that into the search box and click the SHOP button and immediately have results for my item listed from lowest to highest prices, with links right to the stores. Or I can click RESEARCH instead and instantly have access to product reviews, discussions, and loads of other information. The same goes for pink floor lamps, polka dot lamp shades, or anything else my heart desires. Online shopping doesn't get any easier than this! Of course, I do miss the long lines, grumpy sales clerks, and mile long walks, at the brick and mortar stores. NOT!

Who's Your Daddy?

2011-12-13T23:24:00.000-05:00

Hubs took Tallen with him to a little neighborhood store, this afternoon. While there, they bumped into Tallen's uncle, Hub's younger brother. He looks at Tallen and asks, "Hey boy! Do you know who I am?" Now, Tallen never forgets a name or a face, so I have no clue why he responded as he did, other than being a comedian. He looked up at his uncle, right there in front of God and a store full of people, smiled a big smile and LOUDLY asked, "Are you my daddy?"

Make Your Predictions Official

2011-12-13T10:33:00.000-05:00

How many times have you foretold future events and had no way to prove it? This happens to me all the time. I'm sure that the phrases, "I was just telling my husband last week..." or "I had a feeling this would happen!" probably come to mind. Of course, most people respond with a look that says,"Yeah.Right."

Now you can record your prediction and share it with your friends via Facebook and Twitter. With predictsthat.com , you can finally have proof that you were the first of your friends or family to predict a future event.
I've even made a prediction of my own ! Of course, I won't know if I am right for another 9.5 years. But it was all in fun and I can't wait to read the reactions to my prediction from my Facebook and Twitter friends. I love the bookmark feature that allows me to track the public predictions of other members and find out if there were correct. Pop on over and have some fun!

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2011-12-12T18:27:00.002-05:00

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2011-12-08T12:56:00.002-05:00

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2011-12-06T12:37:00.001-05:00

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Little April

2011-12-06T05:54:00.001-05:00

Around this same time each year, it happens. A scent, a sound, or maybe just a cool breeze wafting through the room, takes my mind back to a time when I, a young mother of only 16, held in my arms a sweet little baby named April...

I awoke this morning at 1:30 on the dot. The house was quiet and dark, but for the glow of the TV that Hubs had left on when he fell asleep. The first thought to enter my mind was little April and I have spent the last few hours mulling over the events of that night so long ago. Regretting that I could not see into that sweet baby's future, nor into her present days for that matter, as they couldn't have been very good.

At the time, I lived my husband and our newborn baby daughter, in a small trailer, next door to my mama. We were both just 16 and he was an abuser. Still, I tried to make the best of things. He wasn't so important. I had my baby and she was my top priority. He wasn't abusive to her. Heck, he barely even gave her the time of day. At the time, I was in the process of planning my escape from the loser.

Having the experience of caring for my younger brother and nephew, since I was just a little kid, I transitioned easily from teenager to mother. He did not move into the role of being a father. My daughter had everything she needed but with no thanks to her father.

One cold Friday night in December, there was a knock at our door. I opened it to the familiar face of my brother-in-law, an non-working, alcoholic, loser. Along with him were two drunk women and one was holding a baby. The "mother" was stumbling and her words were slurred. I can't recall our exact conversation but the main idea was that she was wanting to dump the baby off somewhere, so she could go party with my brother-in-law, whom she had just met that day. I agreed to watch the baby as I knew if she would leave her with me, a woman that she had never met before, she would leave her with anyone. I knew the baby would be safe with me/ I couldn't be sure about the next person that the woman may have asked. The whole exchange took less than ten minutes and the were gone. I had managed to find out the name and age of the baby. Her name was April and she was 4 months old.

She was wrapped in a thin blanket. Too thin for such a cold night. She had been left without so much as a spare diaper or a bottle of milk. Luckily. I had everything she would need. I sat down in an arm chair and unwrapped her blanket. She was dressed in a blue sleeper and had beautiful blue eyes to match. Her hair was thick and dark, almost black. I noticed that her little ears were pierced. She was absolutely beautiful. As if she sensed my adoration, she looked right into my eyes and gave me a huge, toothless, smile. The whole room seemed to light up. I placed her little head on my shoulder and gave her a gentle hug, "Hello, little baby!" I can still almost feel her fuzzy little head brushing against my cheek.

April remained with me through the night. She was such a sweet baby and she seemed to love everything. I sang to her, she smiled. I rocked her, she smiled. She seemed to be one of the most content babies I had ever met. Her leaving is a bit blurry to me. I recall that my brother-in-law and the second of the two ladies came to retrieve her. I'm guessing the woman was a friend of the mother, or maybe her sister. I hated to let that baby go.

In the days that followed, I tried my best to find out any information I could as to where that woman lived etc... I didn't even know her name for sure. I felt uneasy for little April. My BIL would not give me any information, as he new I wanted to report the piece of trash that he had been with. I did manage to make a report with what little information I had, but I'm sure it was basically useless.

Five moths later, on a very warm day, I had stepped over to my mother home to borrow a fan. There on the table was a copy of our local newspaper. The front page story was about the horrible death of a local 9 month old baby girl named April. According to reports, her father had been watching her while the mother was working. He said he found her in her bed, not breathing, just after the mother left. The mother claimed that the baby was fine, when she had left for work. At any rate, the rescue crew was unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

As the weeks went on, the truth of the situation began to be revealed. An autopsy had shown that poor April had several old injuries. including broken bones, that had already healed. She had new bruises and old bruises. She had bleeding on the brain, and on and on and on. Neighbors at the had lived in the same building claimed to have reported the mother on several occasions. Once when the baby had a black eye and the mother claimed she had fell WHILE WALKING and hit her face on a coffee table that did not exist. Several times, the 5 year old brother had knocked on doors, asking for something to eat. The stories seemed to be endless and each neighbor claimed that their reports had fallen on deaf ears.

April was robbed of her life. She should be the same age as my daughter now. I feel like I let her down. I wish I had somehow been able to have kept her and have protected her. I let her down. Everyone did.

Rest in peace, little one. I will never forget you.