Last night Gabi looked like this! Seemingly out of nowhere, her face became red and irritated. She was scratching and complaining. We applied Benadryl Ati-Itch Gel and then she complained of burning and scratched more! I gave her a cold pack for her face, ran to the store and bought oral Benadryl. After giving her the meds I asked a zillion questions and concluded that she must be having a reaction to some food. I put her to bed and hoped she’d wake up clear-faced and feeling good. Nope!

When she woke up her face was still red and irritated from last night’s scratching. I asked her, again, if she’d put something on her face. She said she hadn’t. I told her to get dressed but that she’d be staying with me and we’d head over to the doctor. While I was busy, getting ready to leave the house, Maddi brought me this

Hmmmm…Again I asked what she’d put on her face. “Nothing” was the reply.

I got the other kids off to school, made a Dr’s appointment and took her to work with me. After an hour of calmly watching a movie I noticed something…

No more scratching and no more complaining. I took the quiet moment to go over and look her in the eye and ask, AGAIN, what had happened and what she’d put on her face. New answer-she’d been coloring with marker and gotten it all over her hands and it got on her face. She didn’t want to get in trouble, so she went in the bathroom to scrub her face. Whatever she used irritated her face and made it itchy, hence all the scratching.

After a good talk about telling the truth, I let her enjoy the rest of her day off with Mom. When I got off work we decided to go eat together.

She says this is the face of a sushi lover. I’m just glad it’s the face of a little girl who doesn’t have anything wrong with her and who needed a a little extra love and attention.

Yes, I got snowed…again. But I can’t bring myself to care very much. Maybe I’m going soft, losing my edge. I don’t know. I think more so I’m all too aware of the fact that kids grow up really really quickly and that every so often a day of nothin’ but quiet, sushi and hangin’ with Mom is ok.

Doing the Dance of the Children and Grinning~

Spills, they’re part of every mom’s life and if you’re clumsy like me, they’re a part of life whether the kids are around or not!

Here are some tips on preventing the spills from reaching your carpet, protecting it when they do happen and helpful hints for cleaning them up when the 1st 2 suggestions aren’t enough.

Preventing spills-
Doormats and floor rugs are the biggest helpers in keeping both your carpets and your hard floor surfaces clean. I recommend using 2 mats per door-1st, a durable rubber or straw-like mat outside the door and second-a cotton, nylon or wool rug inside the door to absorb moisture and provide a place to remove shoes after entering the house.

Protect-whether its your children’s small feet, your pets or your guests, you can anticipate spills. Your carpets are automatically applied with a carpet protector when they are manufactured but with regular wear and tear that protection begins to wear off. It’s recommended that you have a reapplication done about once a year or when you have your carpets professionally cleaned.

Cleaning Up-
The first thing to remember when a spill has occurred to a carpeted area is to blot it, never rub. Rubbing can not only push the spill deeper into the rug and padding but can also fray the carpet fibers. Use a white, terry cloth towel to blot as much of the spill as possible. White paper towels can be used when terry cloth towels are unavailable.

If blotting doesn’t take care of the entire spill, here is a list of common spills and the best way to treat them-

*Blood-Yep, we’re moms, we’ve seen blood! The 1st worry is to take care of whomever is bleeding but afterwards, we’re left with the clean up. For light colored carpets (white, tan or grey) use a Q-tip dipped in 3% hydrogen peroxide. Dab the Q-tip on the blood spot until it changes color and is gone. Follow up with a white terry cloth or paper towel to dry. If your carpet is darker (blue, green, brown or dark grey), use a mixture of 1 tsp 3% hydrogen peroxide with 4 tsps warm water. Follow the same steps as above.

*Coffee or Tea-Ok, this is where I’m the biggest offender. I’ll grab my coffee in the wee hours of the morning and stumble through the dark house, dripping and spilling as I go. To clean it up-Use a mixture of 1/4 tsp laundry detergent and 1 cup warm water. Soak your white terry cloth towel in the solution and dab at the carpet. Continue dabbing for about 5 minutes (it would be easier and less time-consuming if I’d simply be more careful in the mornings!) and then switch to a mixture of vinegar and water (1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 cup warm water). Follow with a clean, dry, white terry cloth to dry.

*Soda, Wine and Sports Drinks- First of all, be careful! You’re a mom, you need that wine! But if you do happen to spill or the kids come tearing through the house with one of their drinks dripping along with them, blot up as much of the moisture with a clean dry, white, terry cloth or paper towel as possible and follow with the warm water, white vinegar mixture from above.

*Urine or Vomit-2 of the things moms end up dealing with more often than any human being would like. First of all, blot up as much of the offending projectile, bodily fluid as quickly as possible with dry terry cloth towels or paper towels. Next;

If the area is small (less than 6 inches), consider yourself fortunate and your own gagging may be avoided. Try the above white vinegar and warm water solution and follow the above steps.

If the area is larger than 6 inches, get a bowel for yourself since gagging is almost sure to occur and then sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the area to absorb the odor. Then, give Delight Cleaning a call (if you’re not local, be sure to call in a professional carpet cleaner). If not treated thoroughly and properly, the stains left behind from these spills can spread and cause irreversible damage to your carpet and padding.

~Mom2Mom tips are brought to you by the professionals at Delight Cleaning and Mommy of Many® (a professional mom).

Be sure to visit Delight Cleaning’s Facebook Fan page to find more helpful cleaning tips and to ask your cleaning questions.

Today the kids took advantage of the beautiful weather-Anna and a friend went over to the field to practice for tomorrow’s softball tryouts. Gabi went with them and had fun being part of something the big girls were doing. Max spent a good part of the day cleaning up all his clothes that were hiding his bedroom floor. Lex played outside, running through brush, hitting rocks with a stick, jumping on the trampoline and riding his Plasma Car. Maddi and Tristan rode bikes over to the store and picked up a ton of baking supplies.

The days baking consisted of; a cake, cupcakes, snicker doodles, precut and decorated Valentine’s cookies and chocolate chip cookies.

Maddi decided we should celebrate my UnBirthday and presented me with these cupcakes.

I made an UnBirthday wish and blew out the candles.

It was a good day around here! We were due for one.

Doing the Dance of the Children~

Yesterday I received texts from both my teen girls in the same minute and they said nearly the same thing, “come pick me up, right now”. I texted one of them back and asked if they were ok and that I thought it was weird to hear from both of them at the same time. Did something happen at school? Was everything ok? She answered back that crying was involved and I needed to come right away. My Mommy heart hurt and my head worried as I tried to think of what could’ve happened. I got to the school, checked them both out and waited for them to come out to the car. “What’s wrong?! What happened? Do I need to talk to anyone?”

My questioning was met with a fit of giggles. M.O.M. had taken the bait and fell into the trap. All that was wrong was that 2 girls each had the same idea to get out of school and then collaborated to make it happen. As I drove them home I reminded them of the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf~

Then there was today. Today…

Maddi is my 5th teenage girl. Each and every one of them has tested and broken my house rule of no piercings, other than ears. I’ve had tricky nose-pierced daughters who kept a small plug in their piercing when at home and covered it with foundation and powder. I’ve had blatant cartilage pierced girls who basically told me that my rule didn’t matter and what was I gonna do, physically remove it from her? I’ve had to stick to my guns, put my foot down, turn off phones, remove privileges and ask for backing from their father. But today…ugh! Today was my first time having to enforce the rule by demanding that a bellybutton ring be removed and handed over. There was much discussion afterward, lots of angry words directed at me and the “stupidity” of my rules. I was asked “why?” over and over and no matter how many times I gave the same answer, it was not going to be readily accepted. I gave my reasoning-”ears only until you’re 18, not in my house, and have had plenty of time to think about whatever piercings, tattoos or alterations you plan to make to your body”. It’s really not so unreasonable. And honestly, unreasonable or not, it’s my rule and that’s the end of it.

If there’s one thing that sucks the life out of me, it’s when teens start the circle of conversation that leads nowhere. They are going to continue to say the same things, ask the same questions and throw out the same insults in the hope that if they say it/ask it enough times, you’ll give a different answer. Somewhere in the circle is the claim that you don’t hear them and are not listening to them because if you were, surely the final answer would change. Circles, circles, circles…

I know I will continue to be tested by all my kids, little ones and teens alike. I hope they don’t take me to the breaking point before I’m done with the job.

Doing the Dance of the Children~

Wooden furniture pieces, they’re beautiful and we want them to stay that way. These tips will help you keep those pieces looking fresh and beautiful for years to come.

- There are distinct differences between hard woods and soft woods. However, all wooden pieces should be kept out of direct sunlight and humidity and should always be protected from direct contact with moisture.

-Hard wood furniture typically comes from mahogany, maple, oak or teak. These pieces are often heavier than furniture made from soft woods and can last centuries if properly cared for.

-Soft wood furniture is typically made from pine, cedar or redwood and requires a more delicate touch, as it can more easily be scratched and dented.

-Start by dusting. Use a microfiber cloth to pick up dust and keep from simply pushing the dust from place to place. There are great disposable cloths available that quickly and easily allow dust to cling to them.

-Start with touch-up cleaning. Use a product such as Weiman Furniture Cleaner to get rid of finger prints or smudges.

-For weekly cleaning a product such as Weiman Lemon Oil Furniture Polish will work beautifully. It’s not greasy and will not show fingerprints, while leaving your pieces gleaming.

-On occasion you’ll want to deeply clean the furniture by using a product such as Howard Feed-N-Wax. This will help prevent drying and cracking.

Now enjoy the beauty of your living space!

~Mom2Mom tips are brought to you by the cleaning professionals at Delight Cleaning and Mommy of Many® (a professional mom)~

Got cleaning questions? Visit Delight Cleanings Facebook page and post your questions to their wall.

Lex-”Mom, just so you know, kids who stay home, sick, get lots of candy.”

Me-”Oh really? Who gives these sick kids candy?”

Lex-”The moms and dads do.”

Me-”Why would parents give sick kids candy?”

Lex-”Because they feel so bad for them that they’re sick.”

He’s getting no candy, but he does make me smile!

Doing the Dance of the Children~

“When you don’t follow the instructions I’ve given you and I find you wasting time, you take away my choice to say, ‘Good job, Gabi!’ Instead I’m left with only things like, ‘what are you doing?’ or ‘Gabi, I told you to go take a shower’ and then you feel like I’m yelling at you. I don’t like it when you take away my choice to tell you how great you’re doing and instead have to tell you AGAIN to do what you KNOW you’re supposed to be doing.”

She didn’t particularly like the answer, but it’s the truth. Kids take away the possibility for us to tell them what a great job they’re doing. I’m sure there are those that disagree. I suppose I could give such praise as, “Great job disobeying! You’ve got that DOWN!” Or “You are SO good at doing the opposite of what I’ve asked you!”. But that just seems like it would mess with their heads more than straight up, stern-voiced reminding.

Doing the Dance of the Children~

Once a month, fabulous, local business owners and  entrepreneurs meet up at a local business (venue changes monthly) to meet, share ideas and help to grow and support all the wonderful ventures happening in our area.

This month’s Tweetup (we all try to be connected through the convenience and ease of Twitter and/or Facebook) will be held at The Place, a locally owned and operated Italian Restaurant in Old Roseville (221 Vernon St).

A friend and I headed over there yesterday to have some lunch and get a feel for the vibe of the place. Our plan was to be able to bring you a little of the goodness that we’ve heard they offer. We were hungry and ready! There was just one problem-the door was locked tight! Had we done a little homework, we would’ve known that The Place is open for business Wed-Sun. Do like we did, show up on a Tues afternoon for lunch, and you’ll end up an Outsider. We were stuck drooling over the menu posted in the window.

Wanna be an Insider?! RSVP for the Placer Business Tweetup by clicking here and registering. Once that’s done, head on over to “like” The Place on their Facebook page. Then show up on Tuesday, February 21st at 6pm (they’re opening just for the event) and voila…Insider!

I can’t wait to finally try out some of the delish sounding items I read on their window-posted menu! See you there~

Max is smart! Max is determined! Max is incredibly stubborn!

At 9 years old, Max has spent the last 4 years of so letting me know that he “doesn’t ride bikes”. Instead he would scooter like a champ, or he would run. He liked the control of the scooter and that he could easily put his foot to the ground for stability. The thing is, he had great balance and was somewhat of a daredevil. Because of this, I knew, KNEW he could ride a bike. But he was having NONE of it. I do believe he’s owned no less than 4 bikes in these last years, but they all just sat, unridden.

Then something amazing happened. Lex learned to ride a bike. Lex is 5 and came to me a few months ago and announced that it was the day he would learn to ride his bike and asked me to pump up the tires, take off the training wheels and watch him go. So I did…and he did. Max stood on the sidewalk and watched and cheered him on. Lex has been perfecting his riding skills ever since and Max has continued to watch.

That is, until 2 weeks ago when Max came to me with a handwritten note (because I was on the phone) that said, “MOM! I just rode Gabi’s bike with NO help!” That was it! Max had simply made the decision that he DOES ride bikes, got onto his sister’s bike and off he rode. Done! He now has a bike of his own and has had NO trouble riding.

I understand that he just needed to make the decision and be ready and that his fears kept him from trying. I understand that he’s going to have these sorts of markers all along his life and I understand that the very best thing I can do for him is to continue to present him with opportunities to try new things but not push him too hard. There’s a delicate balance in play here. He is completely capable of doing EVERYTHING. Yes, his fine motor skills and his gross motor skills are challenged by his being identified with Aspergers. But even beyond that, it’s his super-brilliant, stubbornness that we’re really going to have to overcome.

I’m so proud of him for this new accomplishment and SO happy to see him SO happy! Now…let’s tackle shoe-tying. Perhaps if he sees Lex do it first~

Doing the Dance of the Children~

De-cluttering a space…ANY space, can be overwhelming. Often we make mental notes of how badly the space needs to be cleaned and organized, long before we ever DO anything about it. Whether it’s your desk, your closet or your children’s play area, here are a few tips to help ease the anxiety of digging in and cleaning up;

-Survey the space. Make mental (or written) notes on what can immediately go and what you want to do with what remains.

-Make a pile. Seriously! Pile everything from the tops of your spaces in ONE spot so you can look at everything cleaned off and see what needs to be gone through.

-Go through your pile. This is going to require making smaller piles of like-itemed things or papers.

-REMOVE the piles from the room or space. Take them to the hall or onto a counter. Just get them out of there!

-Clean all the surfaces that are to remain. Wipe them down. Vacuum or sweep.

-Now resurvey your area. What’s coming back in? Where is it going? If you don’t have a space for it, get rid of it. Don’t be afraid to put that pile of papers that needs to be filed into a box or bag and tuck it neatly into the closet for the afternoon you designate for filing. At least you’ll know where they are and be able to still clean the space. And if you’re dealing with toys and games, get rid of those long-ago-forgotten items that take up space but are no longer used!

-Now that the space is cleared out and cleaned up, start putting things back. Do some items need to be replaced? If so, remove the old item and leave the space open for the new one. It’s ok that it looks sparse!

Now breathe deeply! Space de-cluttered! You’ll feel ready to make notes for your next project.

~Mom2Mom tips are brought to you by the cleaning professionals at Delight Cleaning and Mommy of Many® (a professional mom)~

Like Delight Cleaning’s Facebook page for more helpful cleaning tips. Got cleaning questions? Ask them on their wall.

I haven’t had a haircut since mid August. Why? Because that was the last time I was able to go to San Diego and after finding a stylist I loved and trusted and following her to 3 different salons over a period of 4 years, I just can’t bring myself to find a local stylist. But my hair is driving me crazy! There’s simply nothing that can be done with it other than grab it into a ponytail and move on.

This is what my hair is SUPPOSED to look like.

Even a little overgrown it’s not so bad.

But NOW?! After 5 months of growing, if I want to wear it down, THIS is what I must resort to.

So instead, this is what ends up happening each day.

Yes, it’s not terrible, but it’s certainly not what I want to have to do each day!

Someone tell me who the stylist is that you LOVE. I mean it! You must LOVE them to pass their info onto me. The fact is, I’m simply not going to make it to San Diego anytime soon and I’m over this look.

Doing the Dance of Needing Some ME Pampering~

Recycle, reuse, repurpose! It goes for your leftovers too!

Leftovers get a bum wrap because they’re no fun when they’re simply reheated and reserved. But repurposed and reserved?! That’s a whole different game.

Tonight I took leftover Mr. Yoshida’s chicken from last night, saved some, too-wilty-too-be-eaten-fresh, tricolor peppers from being thrown in the trash, paired them with garlic and a whole, sliced, purple onion and made fajitas. They were served with the choice of refried beans, tortillas, cheese and salsa. Several of the kids ate the chicken/pepper/onion mixture without a tortilla and beans and others enjoyed them fajita style. No matter how the dish was enjoyed, the important part was the fact that leftovers got used and veggies got saved from the trash and everyone had a great dinner.

Use your leftovers! Make them into something completely new and help save your budget in the process.

Doing the Dance of the Children and of Dinner~

We’re busy mamas. Sometimes all we can muster together is 10 minutes. Here are a few tips for making that, seemingly tiny, piece of time make a difference in getting something done. Just imagine what can get done if you can carve out 10 minutes 2 or 3 times each day!

* Set an alarm for 10 minutes and have the kids race to see who can get the most picked up before the timer goes off. This may seem like trickery and older kids are sure to catch on, so I suggest making sure you’re in on the race too. And if they only go for it once, at least you had that ONE time

*Gather up non-dish, washables such as; vases, stove-top burners, your dish sponges (I recommend throwing them in a few times a week), glass or plastic candle-sticks and the kids’ small, plastic toys (place in a mesh bag) and run them through the dishwasher.

*Keep those beloved, stuffed animals dust-free by tossing them into the dryer with a dryer sheet on the the “fluff” or “touch-up” cycle.

*Choose one room, set the timer for 10 minutes and get as much as you can done in ONLY that room. You’ll be amazed at how much can actually get done in that concentrated bit of time!

*Grab baby wipes (or disinfecting wipes if you have them on hand) and walk through the house wiping those hard surfaces as you go.

*Spend just 10 minutes cleaning the mirrors and windows. Sparkling glass goes a long way in making the house feel clean.

*Walk through the house with a Mr. Clean Eraser (a store brand will also do). Nothing’s better at getting the deep-set grime from appliance handles or scuff marks from floors and walls (yes, kids scuff walls!).

*Clean the kitchen. For some reason, nothing makes the house feel cleaner than a clean kitchen. In 10 minutes, you will be able to wipe down counters, load the dishwasher, clean the glass on the microwave and stove and sweep the floor. Voila!

A 10 minute tidy can actually make a huge difference and will leave you feeling accomplished! Don’t be afraid to mandate 10 minute tidies to each of the members of your family. Imagine what can get done if everyone takes just 10 minutes to focus on keeping the home a cleaner and more organized place!

Got 10 minute cleaning tips that you use? Share them! It’s not Mom2Mom if we’re not sharing what we know works!

~Mom2Mom tips are brought to you by the cleaning professionals at Delight Cleaning (check out their facebook page for more cleaning tips) and Mommy of Many (a professional mom)~

I’ve partnered with the great people at Delight Cleaning to bring you Mom2Mom, a weekly blog full of cleaning tips and tricks. Every Monday (starting tomorrow) you’ll be able to log in and find answers to tricky cleaning questions and tips for getting things organized. From time to time there will even be a video to share. As we move through each week, the blogs will be archived under the “Mom2Mom” tab for easy referencing. If you have a cleaning question, please don’t hesitate to send it in. You can send it to me, here or you can go to Delight Cleaning’s facebook page and ask your questions right there. Head over and like them and then keep your eyes open for some specials and giveaways coming soon!

It’s all some Good Stuff to share with busy moms who are trying to get it all done and want to do it quickly, safely and cleanly.

Delight Cleaning, a greener cleaning company with busy moms in mind~

Gabriella, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to think I’ve taken on enough. She spent an entire evening of keeping me in stitches while she told me why I need to get married and that it should be before Easter and then detailed exactly how I should go about finding this new husband. Did you know that looking at people’s faces in the grocery store is a sure-fire way to figuring out who a good life-mate would be?! Gabi thinks so! She walked through the grocery store with me making such exclamations as, “Look at him, he looks like Rod Stewart.” Or, “He already has a son, so he’ll know what to do.” Then she pointed out that the guy checking us out had a job and liked talking to me. Nice! I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard, in a long time. I also don’t think I’ll be taking her grocery shopping with me again anytime soon.

Doing the Dance of the Children and Enjoying my Hat Collection~