The Floundering SAHM

Welcome 2012! Bring It On…

2012-01-02T09:27:00.001-05:00

A new year has begun and another one has ended. I have to say, I’m typically sad during New Years having to ‘say goodbye’ to the previous year, but this year, I am happy to see 2011 leave.

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer this year. She went through the chemo and radiation and surgery. She had many problems after surgery (dehydration, pain, slow healing.) Right before Christmas she found out the cancer had returned, spread, and would require additional treatment.

So, looking forward to 2012, I hope it brings much health to my family. In addition to that, I’d like to focus on the following this year…

Healthy pregnancy – I hope to finish this pregnancy without any pre-eclampsia signs. I’d like to make it to my scheduled c-section date.

Healthy 40 – I’ll be turning 40 at the end of the year, so I’d like to make it the healthiest 40 I can be. After having baby #3 in April, I will be focusing on exercise and diet. Real weight goals are not ideal at this point since I don’t know how much I’ll gain with the pregnancy!

Write – I want to write every day. It doesn’t matter if it is a blog entry here, an app review over at TechTools4Mom or AppTudes, or a letter to one of my girls. I just want to write every day.

Family – As always, I want to spend more quality time with my family, which requires me to become more strict on my routines. Cleaning, writing, and all the rest need a schedule –one that I can stick to.

Three Things You Should Do While Waiting To Be A SAHM

2011-10-25T07:22:00.000-04:00

If you’ve made the decision to become a stay at home mom, there are a few important things you should do while waiting for your little bundle to arrive.

I decided to become a SAHM when I became pregnant with my second child. So, once I knew, I did a few things to make it work.

Bank your paycheck – Since you’ll become a stay at home mom, you are going to be living on only one paycheck. Start as early as possible so that you can prove to yourself that you can do it. Not to mention the sweet little nest egg you’ll have once you leave your job.
Couponing – Start couponing to save money. It seems obvious, but cutting an entire paycheck from the income can make a deep cut. Try cutting back on groceries by learning to use coupons to their full advantage.
Create a routine – Creating a cleaning routine is important. Although you will be at home for the most part, life kind of gets in the way. Having a written routine lets you manage the house while you live your life and care for your family.

We Are Expanding!!

2011-09-09T15:56:00.001-04:00

Image by gracobaby via Flickr

The cat is out of the bag so to speak. We will be expanding out family by another two feet due to be here in April. Of course, having two little girls, hubby is under the impression he HAS to have a boy. I’m a little bit more blasé about the whole thing.

Yeah, I’d like a boy to mix things up a bit and to continue my husbands name. But, come on. If we had another girl I wouldn’t have to redo the nursery, get many new clothes or bouncy seat or anything else..really. Of course, a new infant car seat will be required! Oh, and a new vehicle to sit 3 car seats –Yikes!

Okay, freaking out a bit. Nah, not really. I’m a kind of go with the flow kind of person. We’ll work it out some how.

I’m feeling good, more tired but I think that has more to do with chasing two children while pregnant than anything else! More dizzy and nauseous than previous pregnancies, but no morning sickness! Now, let’s hope the high blood pressure doesn’t kick in later in the pregnancy!

Life And Times Of This Mom

2011-08-23T22:22:00.001-04:00

My baby Gianna is growing up. At 22 months she is quickly catching up to her big sister in size. It is strange having had a preemie (Joey) and full term baby. Joey is currently, and finally, in the 50th percentile in everything. Gianna is in the high 90's! Most people ask if she is 2 and a half or 3. Her fine motor skills are off the charts, but her speech is not good. I can understand her but not many others can. BUT, I kind of remember Joey being the same way at this age. (I'm sure I complained about it on this blog)

Things are very hectic lately for us. Although we are not officially at the back to school stage, we are getting ready for a new preschool for Joey. We had an issue with the director at the last school so we are moving on. Joey still needs constant attention. At four, I would think she should be able to entertain herself for short periods of time. But, so far, it hasn't happened.

My mother in law has been going through treatment for cancer, although successful so far it has wrecked havoc on our emotions lately. Yesterday she went through her five hour surgery. On that same day, my 11yo dog was having problems which required me to bring both girls and the dog to the vet....since hubs was waiting with his father at the hospital. Dog should be fine and mil's surgery was successful, so we survived emotionally.

I will have more to update you on in a few weeks. It's a secret! I'm so busy with app reviews it isn't even funny. I've got about 20 of them right now waiting in the wings....a few nights with no sleep should get me all caught up!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T20:26:00.001-04:00

Gianna’s Puddin’ Face

This picture was taken at my grocery store on July 30th. WHY?!?!

Preschool Learning Game: Promising In Theory.

2011-07-25T08:09:00.000-04:00

Joey's latest fascination is with puzzles. It is one of the few things that will keep her busy and content for any amount of time. Yes, we are still having issues with her behavior, but still trying to deal with it!

Puzzles give her a chance to be quiet and concentrate. So, being the mom that I am, I purchased a game that was puzzle-like to help her recognize her numbers and letters. Yeah..she still doesn't get them all right. She even calls numbers letters and letters numbers...but anyway.

I can't remember where I got the game, or really even when. I buy things and hold onto them for a bite before giving them to her. The game is by Eeboo and called Simple Pairs, Letters and Numbers. The idea of the game is great. Each pair fits together like a puzzle piece. For the letters, one side has the up re and lower case of a letter and the other half is a word and picture that matches that letter. The number pairs have the number on one side and dots on the other. Your child counts the dots and matches the number with the correct dots.

Simple, right? It is and Joey loves playing it with me. Some frustration, but she is starting to get it more and more. My only complaint? If you are making a toy to help letter recognition, why would you use different fonts on the pieces? It screws with the kids still learning their letters. It is only really noticeable on the W and the I....pictures below:

So, is it me? I don't think it is too much to ask for, do you?

Summer Is Here

2011-06-01T20:14:00.001-04:00

Although it is still technically Spring here in Pennsylvania, we have been in the 90’s for about 4 days now with HIGH humidity. If you aren’t familiar with humidity, imagine walking out your front door and getting smacked in the face by the air. Really, that is what it feels like.

Have I mentioned I detest being hot? I would rather it be freezing than hot. In my mind, you can always get warm. Cooling off? That’s another story!

Earlier this evening (when I should have been making dinner) it got a tiny bit cooler out and a little cloudy. I decided it was time to let the girls run through the sprinklers.

We had fun for about 20 minutes and then Joey started being nasty so we went in. But those 20 minutes where fun and I’m holding on to those few minutes as the highlight of my day. This is Joey playing in the sprinklers….

I’m Back! Miss Me?

2011-05-31T17:54:00.001-04:00

Okay, so it’s been a looong time since I last posted. No, I’m not going to apologize, no fear. Life happens. I’m here. I’ve lost quite a bit of readers, but I’m okay with that.

This blog is my outlet. My outreach and, sometimes, my salvation.

Joey will soon be 4 years old and pretty much completely potty trained –finally! I still put her in a pullup at night simply because she ALWAYS ends up in our bed every night, but that is another story.

My iPhone and iPad app review blog is doing well and I’m extremely happy with the friends and developers I’m meeting. I’ve learned a lot with that blog…some of which I will be sharing on this blog.

Gianna is now 19 months old, walking on tip-toes still, but everything is fine. She is so big compared to Joey’s size at this age. But I guess that is the difference between a preemie and full term child. Below are both girls in recent pictures…..

For those that I haven’t chatted with lately, I do miss you. It’s amazing how virtual blogging friendships can mean a lot. I look forward to catching up with everyone!

Are You Reactive or Non-Reactive?

2011-04-04T07:46:00.000-04:00

Image by Arenamontanus via Flickr

Do you know if you are a reactive or a non-reactive personality? I’ve been told I was one, but never truly believed it. Non-Reactive, me? Please. Have you seen my temper? Those that really know me think it is pretty funny. But, when it really comes down to the important things in my life, apparently I am a non-reactive personality.

I never realized it until these past couple of weeks. I’m typically an extremely emotional person. Good and bad. I have a bad (and short) temper and I’ve always been known to be a cry baby. I’ve always hated that I cry so much, most of the time I don’t even know why I’m doing it!

A little over a week ago, I was putting the girls to bed while my husband was on the phone with his father. He calls me and asks me what I’m doing…me, being, well me, gets pissy with him like hello? What do you think I’m doing?!?!

I finally get out into the living room and he is crying. Now, my husband doesn’t cry. It is one of those macho things, I guess. I’ve known him for almost 18 years and this was, maybe, the 5th time I’ve seen him cry.

He was actually on the phone with his mother, she just left the doctor’s office where they told her she has cancer. I took the information in, my mind was racing, but I didn’t cry. The entire night I think he kept looking over at me to see if I was crying and, to be honest, I think he was a little mad.

Maybe there is something wrong with me, I don’t know. He was upset, so I had to be strong. It was as simple as that in my mind. He could lose it, but I would be there for him. We didn’t have the entire story yet and yes, it was scary, but I didn’t get upset –visibly.

Yes, I ended up crying on the phone the following morning while talking to my BFF. But he never know about it.

Now, a week later, we have better details. It is treatable with radition, chemo, AND surgery. They think they caught it early and it didn’t spread. Both opinions stated it is not terminal, so the outlook is good.

After this little episode, I started thinking about my actions in the past and I’m starting to believe that I am a non-reactive person when it comes to emergency type situations. 1) MIL diagnosed with cancer 2) Joey turning blue and not breathing as a baby 3) witnessing a hit and run fatality. Everyday occurrences, I still over react, but when it comes right down to it…..I can handle the tough stuff.

Host Families Needed–The Fresh Air Fund

2011-03-17T10:13:00.001-04:00

The Fresh Air Fund is looking for host families in the upper Northeastern States and Canada. Some more information regarding the program below:

Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 18 years old, who live in New York City. Children on first-time visits are six to 12 years old and stay for either one or two weeks. Youngsters who are re-invited by the same family may continue with The Fund through age 18, and many enjoy longer summertime visits, year after year. A visit to the home of a warm and loving volunteer host family can make all the difference in the world to an inner-city child. All it takes to create lifelong memories is laughing in the sunshine and making new friends.

The majority of Fresh Air children are from low-income communities. These are often families without the resources to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open, outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.

Fresh Air children are registered by more than 90 participating social service and community organizations located in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the five boroughs of New York City. These community-based agencies are in close contact with children in need of summer experiences in rural and suburban areas. Each agency is responsible for registering children for the program.

What do Fresh Air children enjoy?

Playing in the backyard
Laughing in the sunshine
Catching fireflies
Riding bicycles
Learning to swim
Running barefoot through the grass
Gazing at the stars on moonlit nights
Building sandcastles
Making new friends
Simple pleasures of life away from the inner-city

Click here to learn more about becoming a host or call (800) 367-0003!

My Favorite Blogging Resources

2011-03-14T08:07:00.000-04:00

Image by ~C4Chaos via Flickr

Since I’ve been blogging, I’ve come across some of the best blogging resources. I’m obviously not a problogger, but I’ve learned a lot over the past could of years. I’ve started a few niche blogs, closed a few blogs, and I’m currently focusing on my TechTools4Mom blog.

The TT4M blog has been in existence since January 2011 and, although I’m not ranked by Google yet, my Alexa traffic score has gone from 13M to 759,000. Like I said, no problogger here, but I’m happy that the rank goes down on a daily basis. Below are a few of my favorite blogging resources. I’ve learned a lot from each of these sites.

The Link Medic – Free blogging resources and template tweaks. Aaron posts some incredible information over at his blog. I found him when I was looking for a magazine style template for blogger. He rounds up some of the best free templates on the net. All of the information he provides is useful and timely.
Ultimate Blog Challenge – I’ve done the UBC a few times on the different blogs I’ve created. It is a great way to get into the habit of blogging regularly. You meet some incredible bloggers from all different parts of the world, each focusing on different types of blogs.
Michelle Shaeffer – I met Michelle when I did my first UBC. She is one of the women involved with starting it and her website has so much information regarding marketing, blogging, and your overall online presence.

If you are looking to learn more about the world of blogging, either for your personal mommy blog or if you are looking to branch out with an online business, I suggest you visit each of these sites. I promise, you will learn SOMETHING from each of these.

Happy Blogging!

Our First Divorce

2011-02-28T13:43:00.001-05:00

Image by DrJohnBullas via Flickr

No, hubby and I are not getting a divorce. Our first ‘couple’ friends are going through a divorce. It wasn’t a shock, how it played out was definitely a shock. Unfortunately, I was unwittingly used during the process.

I always thought that if this were to happen we would stay neutral. Hubby and I went to school together when we were in our 20’s and that is how we met. They started dating before we graduated. He was in our wedding, and his wife and I traded babysitting and had weekly play dates.

The fact that she didn’t tell me what she was doing or planning, I can’t blame her. I wouldn’t have done it either because the four of us were too close. I wouldn’t want to put her in a situation where she would have to keep something from her husband, so I can understand why we didn’t discuss it or why she didn’t confide in me.

I don’t like how it was done, I lost a lot of respect for her because of it. I don’t like how I was used, unknowingly, in the process. The only thing I can do is be there for the husband who has reached out to us. I haven’t decided what to do if the wife reaches out. Personally, I doubt she will. My gut feeling is that any type of relationship we had was convenience only.

I now have to figure out how to explain to Joey, when she brings it up, why she doesn’t get to see her friends any more.

Another Challenge–I Accept!

2011-02-25T08:21:00.001-05:00

Michelle Shaeffer is starting a new blog challenge beginning March 1, 2011. Unlike her past Ultimate Challenges, this one is going to be based off of the 31 Days to Building a Better Blog book by ProBlogger, Darren Rowse. I already have the book, but never truly worked the advice given. This time I plan to incorporate all the steps into my other blog, Tech Tools 4 Mom.

Michelle has teamed up with Lisbeth Tanz to host this challenge and I’m looking forward to it. Doing Michelle’s Ultimate Blog Challenge in the past has allowed me to grow my blogs, increase ranking, and meet some incredible bloggers.

If you’re interested in the challenge, it is free to register and they have a discount code for the 31DBB book once registered. The challenge is running until April 12th –weekends off on this one! Let me know if you plan on joining so we can work it together.

My experiences with blog challenges:

I Forgot Friendship

2011-02-22T08:18:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Monday night, DH went to rehearsal after a three day weekend from work. Girls went to bed early. I cracked open a bottle of wine. My best friend called me, we chatted about my issues, she shared hers. Then we both got on Facebook (yes, while on the phone.) Our other bff –who moved 9 hours away – was online. The three of us started messing with each other, laughing, and reminiscing.

After I hung up and signed off of Facebook, I felt lighter. Happier. I’ve always been somewhat of an outsider, I’ve said it before. I’ve known these two girls for 27 years. We’ve been through everything together, good and bad. I know I can count on them. But, this weekend, and probably for a while, I forgot how friendships can help. Silly, right?

I don’t have a ton of friends. I don’t complain about that because the ones I do have mean a lot to me. These two girls have saved me. Just being connected to them, making me laugh….brought me out of my funk. They will never read this, but I wanted to share.

Don’t. Forget. Friendship.

Leftover Meatloaf Recipe

2011-02-17T18:04:00.001-05:00

Am I the only woman in the world who has a husband that does not like leftovers? Seriously, he is the first man I’ve ever encountered that doesn’t like leftover meatloaf! My step-father actually prefers leftover meatloaf than having it fresh out of the oven.

So, I have to get creative. I had leftover meatloaf and macaroni and cheese. Don’t ask me why, but I ended up making two boxes of the mac-n-cheese so I had a lot. Reheated, it doesn’t taste that great. This is what I made tonight…..

Leftover meatloaf (crumbled)
Leftover macaroni and cheese
Can of condensed tomato soup
Half can of water
1/2 cup of shredded cheese

Mix everything together in a pot to heat up and serve. Kind of like hamburger helper. No seasonings needed because the meatloaf has its own seasonings.
Serve with salad and some buttered bread. My husband thought it was a new meal…..I’m not telling him the truth!

**America's Restaurant Recipes Cookbook Now on Sale!**

FB Changes Filtering Your Pages OUT Of Newsfeed.

2011-02-16T10:39:00.001-05:00

Image via CrunchBase

If you are on Facebook, or if you connect with your readers on Facebook, you may want to read this.

A recent change in how the newsfeed is filtered may be removing pages you do not actively communicate with. I have tons of pages on my personal account and I’ve noticed recently that there haven’t been many updates. Knowing that some of these pages didn’t just drop out of existence I did some research.

The newsfeed is now filtered so that it only shows friends and pages with which you recently interacted. To change this:

Log into Facebook
Click arrow on Most Recent
Select Edit Options
Select All of your friends and pages from the Show Posts From selection.
Click Save
Alternatively, you can select the friends, apps, and pages you would like to hide.

Tell your friends and your readers so that they know. This is a post that has been circulating in the last 24 hours.

FB is taking matters into its own hands again...Wonder why you only see status updates from the same people?? FB has changed its News Feed so that by default you can only see updates from people with whom you have recently interacted. To change this click "most recent" then "edit options" and click the box to receive updates from ALL friends. Repost this!! Remember only a few of your friends will actually see it.

You Take The Good, You Take The Bad, And There You Have….

2011-02-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

Image by wildphotons via Flickr

My life! Yeah, I know, you are now signing in your head the theme song to one of my favorite shows growing up. The Facts of Life….one of the many reasons my first daughter is named Josephine.

I’ve written in the past about the issues we’ve had with my darling girl, Jo. She went through the terrible two’s and we are now in the horrifying threes. Her tantrums are, at times, full of rage. I’ve spent a good portion of the last month or two in tears by the end of the night because I don’t know what else to do. I’ve tried it all.

This weekend has been the worst (so far.) Tantrums a few times each day, and we ended the weekend with her taking a chuck out of my shoulder while I was tickling her on the couch. We had problems with her biting when she was about a year, but that ended quickly. I’m still unsure whether it was intentional or an accident. After 24 hours, the teeth punctures are still raised and hurt.

Today, she was an angel. Well, for her she was. Although she is a VERY independent three year old, she needs constant attention. When I mean constant, I’m not exaggerating. Saturday we spent one on one time together, just her and I. After we got home, I had to continue to be attached at the hip to her. I love the girl more than life itself, but I feel like I’m not giving Gianna the attention that she deserves.

I’ve just been very frustrated with the whole situation. It is emotionally and physically draining. I swear I am not going to survive when she hits puberty if this is any indication!

Any words of advice for a mom on the edge? Am I the only one that feels like she is failing their children at being a parent? –sometimes it feels that way!

Are You An Entrepreneur?

2011-02-05T21:23:00.001-05:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I was contacted recently to contribute to a new, yet to be launched, website dedicated to SAHM Entrepreneurs. My first article was posted today, Technology For SAHM Entrepreneurs.

I believe the site has a future and has a lot to offer everyone starting out to those looking to grow their business. If you have a business or your looking for information about starting a business, or if you just want to keep up with some of the things I’m writing about, check it out.

Needless to say, I’ve been busy with my writing on all fronts. Writing for SAHM Entrepreneurs, my Tech Tools 4 Mom blog, iPhone Journal, and a few online content sites. I’ve been neglecting my mommy blog. More mommy posts to come. I have plenty to talk about!

Have You Challenged Yourself Lately?

2011-02-01T07:47:00.000-05:00

I challenged myself with getting a niche blog up and running at the beginning of this year. I also decided to open the blog while doing the Ultimate Blog Challenge in January. Write 31 posts in 31 days, on a new blog….I could do it, right?

Well, as of today, I wrote 31 posts in 31 days on my Tech Tools 4 Mom blog. I’m happy I completed the challenge, after failing miserably with it a few months ago!

My Success

Although I have a long way to go with that blog, I did pretty good for the first month, in my book.

December 31, 2010 Alexa Traffic Rank was 13,000,000 –ish
January 31, 2011 Alexa Traffic Rank is now 1,500,000 –ish
Total pageviews in one month 2,700 –ish
Way to young of a page for a Google page rank.

What I’ve Learned

This is my third time on the Ultimate Blog Challenge. My second time completing it successfully, but I’ve learned something each time I participated…

Using the proper hashtags in Twitter, grabs the right followers.
Not to be afraid of rejection. The worst people can say is no.
Being proactive is a good thing, being honest is even better.
Focus, plan, schedule, and a timer are key to just about everything for me!

I definitely see myself rejoining the challenge again in the future. I enjoy challenges, it is just part of who I am. Competitive by nature… and I see that same nature coming out in Joey every single day. But, that’s a post for another day!

My Three Year Old’s Chores – I’m A Slave Driver!

2011-01-19T10:17:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

I’ve gotten some slack from a few people. Family and friends think I’m being a slave driver I guess. Some are shocked, some are appalled that I actually have Joey doing chores. Judge me if you want, but she has her own chore list.

Her Chore List (take a deep breath, it’s LONG)

Make Bed – This is a tough one, really it is. The girl doesn’t sleep with a blanket, or sheets. She never has. The only thing she needs to do is put her pillow where it belongs (because it is usually in OUR bed come morning), and straighten the blanket out.
Toy Clean-up – Before daddy comes home, we straighten up the living room. Her job is to put her toys away. This usually entails her throwing the toys in her room, which makes it difficult to walk in her room at night.
Clothes Clean-up – Put all the dirty clothes (hers and her sisters) in the hamper. For some reason, Joey does two or three outfit changes throughout the day. If she were tall enough to do the wash, I’d make her do that!! <seriously, just kidding with this.>
Dusting – When I dust the living room, her job is to dust the television stand.

I lied, I said it was long….really it isn’t. Slave driver, right?

Why She Has Chores

It keeps her busy.
She actually likes it.
She behaves better after her chores.
It gives her a sense of responsibility.

I actually use an iPad app to help her do her chores. I reviewed it on Tech Tools 4 Mom, she loves getting stars and trading them in for special things like one-on-one time with mommy or daddy, or ice cream.

Annoyed With Google Search Results

2011-01-18T07:31:00.000-05:00

Am I the only one getting really annoyed with the search results that are coming up in Google lately? It’s absolutely ridiculous. You search for a topic, click on the link, and it is nothing but keyword filled crap. Complete waste of time that I just don’t have.

I have a Google alert set up for this blog, so that any time my address or name is posted it tells me the link. The alerts are coming back with spammers as well! They are placing “The Floundering SAHM” on a page with a link to one of their internal sites. It is nothing but spam.

I’m not going to give them a backlink, but here is a screenprint of one of the spam sites.

I’m sure I’m not the only one this is happening to, but it is rather annoying. I fear Google is headed down the drain when it comes to searching. I’ve been using Bing lately and find the results there are much better with much less spam.

I just started looking at their webmaster tools, but haven’t delved in completely. If I find anything interesting, I’ll be sure to share. If, however, you’re familiar with their tools please let us know!

iPhone, iPad, Android Mom?

2011-01-17T14:40:00.001-05:00

I wanted to take a quick minute to introduce you to my new endeavor, Tech Tools 4 Mom.

I started the blog at the beginning of the year to bring attention to all the technology available to moms around the world; technology that makes their lives just a little bit easier. On my Tech Tools 4 Mom blog, I highlight and review apps, websites, and other technologies that moms can use throughout their busy day.

Some topics I’ve already covered:

So, if you are interested in keeping up to date on how you can use technology to help with your hectic schedule, feel free to stop on by and follow Tech Tools 4 Mom. I’d love to hear about how you use technology for your daily routine!

Buys Some Art, Help A Country In Need

2011-01-11T22:03:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that crippled the country of Haiti. Over 200,000 people died in that quake and more than 300,000 people were injured. Those that survived are finding it hard to make a living due to the raw materials in Haiti being wiped out.

By partnering with Fairwind Tradings and BrandAid Haiti, Macy’s is helping by selling hand-crafted Haitian artisan creations. This program is called Heart of Haiti. Haitian artisans use recycled oil drums, wrought iron, paper mache, and stone to create beautiful hand crafted art. Macy’s sells these items through the Heart of Haiti project where 22% of the retail price goes directly to the artisan allowing them to support their family.

What Can You Do?

Go to Macy’s Heart of Haiti website:

Buy any item(s) that catch your fancy!
Share the site with your friends and family on Twitter or Facebook
Blog about the program yourself to get the word out!

My Favorite Item

The Heart of Haiti Bowls, Ceremonial Collection is, by far, my favorite item out of the artwork provided. They are so colorful and I think they would bring a bit of sunshine into my kind of bland colored kitchen. Not to mention, I so need a place to put my keys so I don’t lose them any more!

I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

The Christmas Present From Hell

2011-01-06T13:07:00.001-05:00

I’m not ungrateful, seriously, I’m not.

I don’t expect or ask for presents. I just want my girls to have a good Christmas and they do, every year. Two truck loads of presents come into this house every Christmas –and this doesn’t include what we get the girls. They have more than enough and I am grateful for it all.

But, there is always ONE present you realize later that you wish they did not receive. It is either really loud, too big, or much too messy (if I missed one, let me know, I must not have received one yet!)

This year, my Christmas present from hell award goes to……… MOON DOUGH!

To be fair, Joey had an absolute blast with it. She played with it for about an hour with my help and guidance. But, man…..that crap is a mess! I guess I can understand the point of it. If I had carpeting, it would be a breeze to vacuum up, I think. It doesn’t cling to things the way Play Dough does, so I would assume it doesn’t get stuck to the carpet.

I have laminate flooring and tile all through the house. The only carpeting I have is the area rug in the girls room. After sweeping the floors 10 times (seriously, 10 times) in that hour, I’m still finding pieces of the moon dough in my living room and kitchen areas. Apparently, it is so light it ‘floats’ across flooring.

Personal and Professional Goals for 2011

2011-01-04T07:34:00.000-05:00

Image by aloshbennett via Flickr

No, these aren’t resolutions. I’m done with that word. I’ve always been able to achieve most of my goals, but resolutions have never really worked for me. It could be the true definition of the words..

Resolution - a resolve or determination. (dictionary.com)

Goal - the result or achievement toward which effort is directed. (dictionary.com)

So, with that said. These are my personal and professional goals for 2011.

Get healthier – I lost 25 pounds in 2010 and I’d like to continue. You’ve seen me deal with the migraines of my low carbs. I’m going to continue that but maybe not so drastic this time around. Making better choices, hiding veggies in food, drinking more water instead of coffee…these are the changes I want to make. Oh, and throw in a little more exercise as well!
Blogging – Continue to post regularly, do more planning, do more marketing for my other blogs.
Writing – Work on my writing every day. Write something other than a blog post every day. Edit the following day and then post. Continue to network and get to know other writers better.
Family – Do something special with each child alone at least once a week. Do something fun with both girls once a week. Date night with hubby every couple of months.
Planning – Stop allowing time to be wasted by implementing some type of plan. Plan for Holidays in advance, plan meals, plan everything. But, be flexible enough to understand with two kids plans are not set in stone!
Me – I need to take some time for myself in order to be a better mother and wife. I need to work on me a bit! Not that I’m not a good mother or wife, just that I could be better –and a little more happier too!

It may not be a lot, but these are things I really want to focus on this year.

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Personal and Professional Goals for 2011