The power of housewife word of mouth

Disciplining my CP child is tough

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:56:00 +0000

You would think a child this lovely could not possibly get in trouble or pull the things that she does. You would think that and be utterly wrong. I swear she just comes up with ways to make up for the fact that she can't physically do anything wrong....so she justs tests us in every other area.

I will say though this time it has nothing to do with being random on my cell phone there are no hidden charges for Ferrari parts or anything. Today at the gym Regan had my phone and received a text from John Mark asking what we would like him to make for dinner (yes he cooks most nights, aren't I lucky?). Regan called out the question to Rebecca and I because we were both coaching at the time.

I immediately requested grilled chicken ceasar salads, basically I was craving something delicious and not too heavy for an evening meal. I saw her texting away and gave it no more thought. During a break between classes I went over and checked my phone, and read Regan's reply to her dad.

"Mom says she wants steak, baked potatoes, and ciabatta bread for dinner"

Ummmmm, no I did not!!!! Sounds more like what Regan wanted for dinner.

We have four days until Regan's birthday party with her best friend from disability camp and normally my first instinct is to take the party away from her for being so disobedient. Unfortunately the tickets for "Disney on Ice" are already here and her friend has never gotten a night out with another friend....ever ( her mom is very hesitant with her disablity).

I hate that she pulls this right before a major event for her because I normally don't hesitate to go full force on discipline, so that it hits hard and makes an impact. So John Mark and I are indiscussion on how else to punish her. Any Ideas?

Tiny Prints and Christmas Cards

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:03:00 +0000

Every year I am bombarded with an entourage of beautiful family Christmas cards. The perfect family photos beautifully trimmed with holiday decor. My friend Kelly spends part of her year every year planning her girl's chirstmas card in some unique and adorable situation. My sister, Jennifer always produces the ideal Christmas look in coordinating outfits and beautiful smiles. Every year I have every intention of joining the legion of family friends who send out the prefect Christmas greeting.

Alas, I fail miserably.

This year I have fallen in love with the Tiny Prints holiday selection. I have dreams of the perfect family photo smiling out for all of our friends to see. See that stunning Black and white toile card. Did you know I have a weakness for all thinks toile?

Looking for your own Christmas cards for the holiday season? I can highly reccomend the the photocards, pop up cards, and charity celebrity designed cards from Tiny Prints. I bought the girls camp staion ary from Tiny Prints and I can tell you that this is a quality stationary company that I like so much that they are my first official advertiser (see right hand column for a direct link and example). I am off to plan outfits that match that toile!

Getting Kicked out of a Bingo Hall takes Talent

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:24:00 +0000

For the last several Fridays my family has gone against the Texas tradition of Friday Night Football, and stealthily snuck into the underbelly of small town life the Bingo halls. It is a guilty pleasure that I just adore, and have now exposed the rest of my family....to my utter shame and embarrassment.

We have smelled the fried food and lure of possibly easy money. The girls love that they are allowed to play and keep their winnings in a form of gambling that small town likes to call fundraising for charity.

I have discovered that there are many ways to nearly get kicked out of said Bingo halls, and my rambunctious group are testing out every theory.

Things the bingo loyalists do not find funny include

1. Yelling Go Fish instead of Bingo.
2. Annoyingly saying "got it" or "don't got it" after every number called.
3. Having Regan repeat every number called out to make sure she heard it right.
4. Having Rebecca speak quite loudly on the dangers of smoking as she passes the smoking section. (That is sure to increase our popularity)
5. Announcing quite loudly when you have one number left.
6. Saying "Doink" repeatedly as you dob each number on the paper that is called.
7. Having your husband make a snide comment and snicker when they call out " O 69" or your kids using the age old joke of "Before What?" everytime "B4" is called.

What has started out as a fun family activity has become my own personal nightmare as my family is determined to eventually get us kicked out of the bingo hall and then even the underbelly of small town life will cease to exist for us.

Go Fish!!!

The Suburban Outlaw Tales from the Edge: Book Review

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:30:00 +0000

I read Suburban Outlaw by Pam Sherman, about a month ago and have already loaned it out twice. First of all because it was laugh out loud funny and secondly beacuse it was a quick read that I knew several of my friends would enjoy. I love it when you read something that can be engagingly familiar without having to tug at heartstrings.

It is a hilarious book that combines a sharp urban sense of humor with an outtake on life in the suburbs. As a small town gal myself it is easy to relate to many of her frustrations such as finding the perfect hairdresser and the right type of clothing to suit the city girl removed from her element. Pam kept me hooting out loud as she talks about finding her people and her husband's "other" girlfriend. I completely related to her absolute loathing for nicknames for herself. Which even inspired me to write a post on that subject matter a while back.

She has the wit of Jen Lancaster in essay form so that each individual portion is easy to read and a story on its' own. I reccomend this to all my readers who find that sarcasm is indeed their hidden superpower and want to enjoy a book without feeling emotionally overwhelmed. This one is book shelf worthy which says a lot at my house.

Order from Amazon and enjoy!

Of South Park and Corn

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:22:00 +0000

About a week ago Rebecca came home and asked about the television show "South Park". A friend of hers was saying that it was his favorite show and how funny it was. He was shocked that she had never watched it. I'm pretty sure that up until this point she didn't even know the show existed. It is not a family show that we watch at all in our home. I know I watched a few episodes when it came out years ago, but really it had been eons since I even paid any attention to it.

When she asked me about the show and if she would be allowed to watch it, I responded with "let me watch an episode first and I will let you know if I think it is appropriate."

Wow!

Either I am really old, or this show is just disturbing and I didn't realize it when I watched it years ago. There were basically naked men having sex....on a cartoon, and lots of very degrading remarks. Nothing I would ever let my child watch....and certainly nothing I thought was the slightest bit funny.

I explained the next day that it was not going to be a show she would be able to watch. I told her there were naked people in cartoon form and that I considered it to be porn (a word I should have probably explained better).

Rebecca went of to school and came home later that day saying all of her friends looked confused when she said she was not allowed to watch South Park because it had way to much corn in it.

Yup, corn.
I wish that was South Park's only problem.

Halloween Costume Parade

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Halloween started yesterday for us with the annual costume parade at the girl's school. Regan went as a disability camp counselor which of course only needed me to buy a whistle. Rebecca and her best friend Kayla went as cats, and those eyelashes were incredible!. One of my favorite characters of the day was the girl's principal. He went as a pirate and kept in character the whole time, which just cracked us up. He was in accent the whole morning and took the time to talk to each kid about their costumes and welcomed them to be a part of his crew.

Some of my favorite costumes from the kids are those who are creative enough to use what they find around them at home. One fifth grader went as a tourist complete with her Samsonite luggage and a camera around her neck. The best though was my good friend Tammy whose son came in a box that was speckled on the top half and painted white on the bottom.

What was he?

A crouton dipped in ranch dressing! Isn't that he best?

Have a great Halloween and if you are in San Antonio, come find us at the Boo at the Zoo event.

Weekend Forecast: Sunny with a chance of ZhuZhu Pets

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:11:00 +0000

The options around small town for Halloween were limited this year. The girls are a little to old for trick-or treating now. None of their friends are throwing Halloween parties, and I didn't particularly feel up to it. They could hand out candy at John Mark's business for the community Pumpkin Patch Trail (which in their minds was about as thrilling as researching term life insurance rates). They could also go to a neighboring town for the haunted corn maze, but it is not handicapped friendly for Regan, and Rebecca gets nightmares way to easily.

Lucky for us a job opportunity has come our way that suits us all perfectly. I was asked if I would be available to travel to San Antonio for their annual "Boo at the Zoo" event and run the booth for the ZhuZu pets hamsters that are all the rage right now. Well the girls and I love the zoo, and we had good friends that want to work too. I am really excited to get the opportunity to have a fun Halloween in San Antonio with friends....plus get paid!

I hope I see some of my central Texas readers there and I know we are going to have hamsters to give away so come by, say hi!

The Sheet Search (say that 10x fast)

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Regan is almost fully recovered from her injury that happened in August. A quick recap...

She was walking around the school track in her walker with her aide during PE time in 100 plus degree weather, and fell to her knees. She not only got incredibly scraped up but also had minor burns as well. The recovery of her injuries has been less than pleasant to say the least.

Because the scrape and burn went through several layers of skin, but not deep enough for stitches or anything it has taken For-E-Ver to heal. For the first month we kept her in the wheelchair and applied ointments etc. This month we finally have her in her walker and working again, but one small scrape still someitmes opens. The problem is the longer Regan is out of her walker the harder it is for her to pick up walking again. Needless to say I hate it when she is in her wheelchair, because chances are down the road she will be stuck in one for life, so right now I want her as active as possible.

The other rather nasty side affect is her bedding. As much as I have tried to keep bandages and everything healing, for some reason she still ends up in her comfortable fetal position every night with all bandages mysteriously on the floor, and disgusting sheets.

I have never done so much bedding laundry on nearly a daily basis, and they have become threadbare and still stained no matter what additive I am using lately. I am ready for her to heal and buy her all new sheet sets. Some comfortable 300+ thread count, with wrinkle treatment, and luxurious softness. I am ready for this child's knees to heal once and for all. I think I will burn her sheets in celebration when that day finally does come.

Of course I would post a pic....but really who wants to see my darling's knees in all their nastiness. Just take my word for it people!

Commended Performance TAKS

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:14:00 +0000

There is no doubt that Regan struggles to some degree in school. Her cerebral palsy definitely affects some of her learning skills and ability to process information. There is no doubt in my mind though that once she understands, she has it forever. She has an amazing memory that continually astounds us.

For years the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) standardized tests have been modified for her to some degree. For example she is given special permission from the state to use a calculator for the math portion, and while it may seem really fortunate, it is because of her inability to properly align the numbers when she writes out a problem, hence major mistakes happen. On other tests though it is usually in regards to larger print, having questions read to her orally, or given the core questions without all the extra filler they put in for the average student.

There are definitely years when her TAKS scores have been less than thrilling, and there was the year we were horrified to learn that her bubbling in the answers had gotten off by a line, and the teacher could say nothing to her about it. But this year......we were in tears proud of my girl!!!!!!

She not only passed the 7th grade TAKS test in writing, but she scored 100%!!!! Yes, she really did. Today she received a special commendation and certificate from the school since her paper was graded much later than her classmates, so she was not recognized at last years awards ceremony. today she received applause from the entire school in the Monday morning assembly on a job well done.

She is awesome!

In case you didn't know.

My Horrific Honda Scare...Should be driving a GM

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:11:00 +0000

On our way to Wal-Mart yesterday where I was going to develop pictures (and play BINGO). The girls and I got stuck in a work zone. Traveling at about 25 mph behind a long line of cars and a Texas Highway Department Pilot car, somewhere up ahead somebody stepped on their brakes. I was the last car in the line and plowed into the truck in front of me. This is what my Honda looked like yesterday around 10:00 am.

The girls immediatey burst into tears, and luckily for all three of us no one was hurt at all. Rebecca pretty much snapped out of it immediately, and then wated to borrow my phone to call all of her friends to tell them what happened (isn't that crazy). Regan took a very long time to calm down, and was hysterical for the better part of a 1/2 hour, but that goes along with her cerebral palsy and inability to process things well.

We made it safely to the shoulder of the road, but my entire front at that time was smoking as we got out. I went straight into logic mode...which is always how I handle a crisis. For some reason I always get completely calm and logical, about what I should be doing. We called John Mark to come out (and the call center of our insurance company). I had Rebecca gather up everything we needed to get out of the car. I took pictures for my insurance. The truck we rear ended contained four guys that were traveling and they got out to assess their damage.

There was none.... not even a dent, and the one little bit of white paint that got on their steel constructed bumper, just chipped off. The American made farm truck was stalwart and standing, while my Honda was a testament to modern fiberglass and plastic....and for some reason no air bags deploying (going to research still why not). The guys looked at my wreck and their truck, and everyone pretty much agreed that was why American vehicles were made better.

The sherrif's department came out, as well as a representitive for the Texas Highway Department since it happened in a work zone, and everyone was amazed at the difference in the two vehicles. My battered Honda left for the wrecker yard, and the truck simply drove away.

There is something to be said for American made, and it's almost too late to realize it.

The New Smart Ones: Review

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:19:00 +0000

I have really focused on eating better since my girls have gone back to school. One of the biggest traps I can fall easily into is snacking out of sheer boredom. Does that happen to anyone else? Well to combat this I have been trying to drink a lot more water when I am bored instead of reaching for food in between meals. Then when I am ready to eat a meal I watch how many calories I am consuming. A great solution I have discovered are Smart Ones by the Weight Watchers company. Especially at lunch time when I only have myself to feed, and I do not need to worry about the rest of my family and making their meals.

Recentli, I was sent three coupons to try some of Smart Ones newest products. I bought the Artisan Creations Stone Fired Pizza in pepperoni, the Smart Ones Pizza Minis also in pepperoni, and the Artisan Creations Grilled Flatbread in chicken marinara. All three of these are tasty lunchtime options that fall between the five to eight points if you follow Weight Watchers and their points system. As for me with just trying to eat a little healthier and a lot less, these come in perfect lunchtime sizes and I was not hungry afterwards and since I have been eating healthier I love that there are tasty options available for me at lunch.

I really appreciate how much effort Smart Ones has put into their lunches. I thought all three were tasty and I have gone back and bought more fore me to have as my lunchtime options at home. My favorite are the flatbreads which I can't get enough, and I also really enjoy the Fruit Inspirations line. These are a healthy, affordable, and tasty too, how could you go wrong with that?

Disney On Ice Celebrates: 100 Years of Magic

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:24:00 +0000

For Regan's birthday this year we are going to see Disney On Ice. We had gone a few years ago and the girls just loved it when we saw Beauty and the Beast as an ice show. They still talk about the memories we made as a family on that day. To me it is so much more important that the girls get these wonderful experiences to cherish then have stuff cluttering their rooms. Often for Christmas and Birthdays I look for them to have experiences rather than stuff.

This year at the Reliant Center in Houston the family is excited about spending time together and celebrating my darling girl turning another year older and causing me many more gray hairs. Luckily, for that evening we look forward to the joy and magic that is Disney, and spending time together as a family. Would you like to enjoy some quality time with your family at a great price? Right now there is a coupon code through Mom Central for really great ticket prices that your family can take advantage of too.

Come experience

Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic

playing Reliant Stadium with your family!

A SPECIAL OFFER FOR YOU!

Purchase a 4‐pack of ;ckets for only $44 for weekday shows

or receive $4 off weekend tickets by logging onto

http://www.ticketmaster.com/ and entering the coupon code:

MOM**

Bored in Wal-Mart? Play Bingo!

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:09:00 +0000

Do you just hate those Wal-Mart runs?

Are you lookng for ways to make your trip just a little more interesting? Need some entertainment while you glance through endless racks of clothing and shelves of weight loss supplements. Well then I have the perfect game for you!

I mean really aren't these the strange unexplainable kinds of people you can see at any given day at this place. Last year we saw a lady who had transformed a pair of men's tidy whities into a tank top. To this day I am baffled if it was for pure necessity, or whether she was trying to make a fashion statement. So enjoy your next trip to the theme park that is Wally World, and play the game that is all the rage. Come back and tell me if you get a Bingo!

Side note....no this is not my own invention, just found it oddly humorous when it was sent to me in an email. If this offends you in any way....I suggest don't shop at Wal-Mart

And if you see the unattended crying children sorry those are my girls I wouldn't let them have the free kittens.

Real Estate drives me crazy

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:39:00 +0000

My house is unofficially on the market. What does that mean? Well it means that we happen to know a few people who had expressed interest in our home over the year. It helps that we have a larger house in a semi-nice neighborhood: well except for the crack trailer house across the street, and the other one around the corner, and oh yeah the wandering chickens and goats that we randomly see because this town has virtually no zoning laws.

Despite all those flaws we have what is considered by some to be a relatively nice house with great country views and a privacy fence but all the amenities of the city. It has me feeling confident enough that I am scoping homes for rent in the neighboring town that has the school district I want for the girls to go to.

Basically right now I have three different families that have previously shown interest. We have quoted a price to the first one, and they are getting back to us. If that falls through we talk to the next one. What this also means, is that my efforts to fix it have slowed a bit, because we are willing to go a bit lower on the price to not make some of the required changes. Let's hope I can get this house sold with out ever really putting it on the market.

Relaxation "My Yoga 2 Go": Review and Giveaway

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:53:00 +0000

I am a Yoga kind of girl. As high energy as I can be, I do not like high energy exercise. I like slow stretching that works your body muscles, allows for further flexibility, and gives you well-sculpted muscles. I actually love to incorporate my yoga in the swimming pool in the summer because it is a great work out, and I never have to sweat (bonus, Right!). One other wonderful thing about yoga is that it is very good for Regan. A lot of the moves we can incorporate easily into her physical therapy routines needed to address her tight muscles due to her cerebral palsy. Over the years we have noticed a marked difference in her abilities in part due to the stretching exercises we have used.

Thanks in part to the Family Review Network and My Yoga 2 Go I was allowed the opportunity to review a really neat yoga travel or at home system.

From the website:

My Yoga 2 Go offers unique, quality products that inspire practice. The My Yoga 2 Go Practice System combines the flexibility of working out at home, the versatility of a yoga class and the hands-on guidance of an experienced yoga instructor all in one yoga practice system.

The My Yoga 2 Go Practice System will help you to achieve all of your yoga fitness goals without expensive yoga classes or yoga DVD’s. And let’s face it, most of us barely have time to eat, let alone get a yoga workout in! The My Yoga 2 Go Practice System provides an excellent way to set up your own yoga routine to do at home.

If you are interested in either enhancing your current at home practice or beginning a new yoga practice in the comforts and convenience of home, anytime, anywhere, My Yoga 2 Go is for you.

My experience is that it suits my style of exercise perfectly. There is just enough beginner and intermeidate level exrecises to keep me working and challenging exercise to look forward too as my flexibility improves. There are also several exercise I look forward to adapting to my swimming routine.

For a limited time My Yoga 2 Go is being offered at a discount to anyone interested in purchasing the system for themselves. The discount code, “BLOGYOGA”, which is good for 15% off the My Yoga 2 Go Practice System when purchased at the website is active through November 15. This makes a great gift for the exercise enthusiast in your life, or as you look forward to a new you in 2010.

Deacon vs Beacon in the Southern Baptist Church

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:24:00 +0000

Yesterday evening we ventured out to see my in-laws who live a little over an hour away from us. It was a very special evening for my FIL who was being ordained as a deacon in the Baptist Church.

Now I grew up Presbyterian and currently attend a Methodist church. I have always enjoyed the sermons when I have attended Baptist services, but honestly sometimes their theology just confuses me. I don't understand a lot of their particular rules. For instance last night while I am watching a very solemn ceremony and really enjoying the music I come to the realization that all four incoming deacons are men. The 12 deacons that already exist in the church are all men.

Is there a reason for this?

I asked my husband who grew up Southern Baptist and his reply was that it just was tradition (ummm okay, but probably wrong). What is the real theory or doctrine behind this? I know I am a feminist and I raise my girls to know they will be capable of anything they set their minds too. They are not being raised as girly balls of fluff with no brains and a mind only for choosing the best eye cream and nail polish.

Of course my girls jumped right on my bandwagon in the car. They wanted to know why their grandmother was good enough to only be a sunday school teacher in that faith but not really much else. As much as I love the church and all that it stands for, I can't help but think this demeans women. If there is a biblical reason for it I really want to know so that I better understand, Anyone?????

On a side note, Rebecca was telling a friend yesterday that she was heading to her grandad's church to see him become a beacon.

I love this because he certainly is shining a light to bring others into the fold, and we can all be beacons.....just not deacons.

Rummino : Get your Head in the Game

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:13:00 +0000

We are a game playing family. To tell you the truth it can get kind of ugly around here because we are an extrememly competitive game playing family. I have been known to chart moves in battleship and move my ships accordingly. Yeah.....it is all about the win.

Recently we had the chance to play Rummino thanks to Marina Games and Family Review Network. I am already a fan of gin rummy the card game and had taught Regan and Rebecca over the summer how to play. This made playing Rummino very easy to adapt to because it is really a fun domino version of Rummy. The object is to get the highest score at the end of the game.

Last weekend I had to work at the gym running a birthday party so the girls and two of their friends occupied themselves with their newest game of choice Rummino

Don't they look intensely into the game? They were more interested in playing several rounds than getting involved in helping me run the birthday party. I love that our family game night now has another game added in to our rotation and I know we will be playing it for years to come.

I reccomend Rummino if you enjoy card and domino type games. The game is geared to the ages eight and up crowd and can be played with a minimum of two players which is great when John Mark and I are looking for a game for just the two of us.

Tech Teach on Tuesday

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:40:00 +0000

Well this is me on Tuesday. I spent a bit of time learning all about my new Logitech Webcam Pro 9000. I logged onto a virtual conference which was taking place in Dallas, and had the opportunity to interact with another mom blogger who was at the conference in person. She and I chatted for a while and then had an assignment to complete for Logitech. I then spent quite a bit of time contemplating how exactly to work out the rest of the details of this camera. I learned that I could do web shows using the webcam, and I can skype with my family from my desktop. I can also use an avatar...the shark one just cracks me up that will do my talking for me. This is not a bad idea, as I am looking at this photo taken with the webcam, and realize that some anti wrinkle cream would not be amiss. Overall though I learned a lot, and I am excited about my new little upgrade in technology. It is definitely not too late for this old dog to learn some new tricks.

The Queen of Mean Rules against Cell Phones

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:26:00 +0000

I have schemers and dreamers,
I will be the first to admit it, and lately they both have tried every trick in the book to try to get their very own cell phones. Luckily I am the Queen of Mean and will not give in easily....although I have been enjoying each well thought out attempt.

Attempt by Regan: She just got her paycheck in from doing a focus group job and can not wait to spend her money. Her first want of utmost importance is a cell phone of her very own. She loves to chat and text with her good friend Robbie who she met at disability camps. She and Robbie talk endlessly about computer and playstation games, and gossip about their former campers and councelors and what they appear to be up to on Facebook updates.

The Failure of Regan: She has no continuing plan to work and maintain the finances of a cell phone. She tries to hide conversations on my phone, and random searches. A few months ago my phone had a subscription attached to "who will i marry.com" and she posted inapropriately on Facebook. She will randomly search odd things on my cell phone like a Pleasanton motorcycle accident attorney she heard about on TV. All these things she does without my expressed permission, and has a three strikes and your out rule now placed upon her. She is currently on strike two and trying to behave.

Giving this child a cell phone is a disaster waiting to happen

Attempt By Rebecca: Rebecca has a monthly paycheck from the gym due to her coaching dance classes, and her beginning to babysit on occasion. She found a phone that outright costs about 20.00 she is sure that she could maintain her own bills if we would give her the chance to get a cell phone before the determined time. She had a business plan ready to present her dad and I and had all of her pros and cons mapped out (she is pretty clever)

Failure of Rebecca: We just switched to unlimited texting in my phone and it is a good thing too. I went from 200 texts a month (In which I maybe used about 50) at some cost, and John Mark moved to unlimited, and my texts went to 1200 this month alone. WOW, that child is social. A lot of her friends live in neighboring towns and she doesn't see them on a daily basis, but several have phones. The rule is the entire conversation stays on my phone so that I can read every detail, and I erase texts....not her. The other rule is that she is not allowed to text boys first, but she can answer as long as she did not initiate the conversation.

Giving This child a phone and her social life threatens to overpower her family life.

The girls can scheme and dream to their hearts content, right now it is just not happening.

Cheerleading Stunts

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:38:00 +0000

My Sunday afternoons have become filled with cheer....and I don't mean joy. It is competitive cheer season again and Rebecca's obsession is in full force. Every day at our house is filled with choreography, stretches, practice, and making weird faces in the mirror. This all accounts to the fact that the child eats constantly in between her boundless energy and still has not an ounce of belly fat(must be nice). Rebecca is at the top of the stunt in this video, but to be fair, has been in every position over the years. She loves being the flyer (top) best of all just for the drama and showmanship of it. I took the video to show her stunt group where they needed to improve...and as soon as I took out the camera they did their best practice yet, enjoy!

Living Virtually

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Today I am attending my first ever virtual conference. As excited as I am to have received a coveted invitation to an event, I also laugh that it isn't in person or anything because in today's high tech world why should it be, right?

To celebrate my first ever virtual invite I am sending you all margaritas and cigars online, virtually of course. I would not want to be really responsible for giving all my readers vices. I will be sending you some virtual money to play online poker with all real winnings going to me, and if your vices run any deeper than those offered than I want no part of it (you strange people).

Since my girls are at school and my darling at work perhaps I should create a family to attend my conference with me or maybe create virtual friends....but wait I already have those.

****Waving at readers******

Hi Friend!

Mall Tweens

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Today it was official.
I was no longer "cool" enough to hang out with at the mall.
I had taken Regan, Rebecca, and an extra friend of the girls to the mall today as part of my shopping list of things I needed to get done with when we made it agin to our neighboring "big town". My list included stopping by the cell phone store, running errands at the hardware store, clothes shopping for Regan, taking a look at potential christmas photo cards, and talking to several places about laptops and desktops to see what is coming available in two weeks when the next windows version comes out.

When we made it to the mall, and knew we would be there for a couple of hours, Rebecca and her friend asked immediately if they could walk about by themselves for a while, and shop with their money (i.e. the cookie company shop and aeropostale). They had the friend's cell phone and check in times, so I let them go.

It was a little sad honestly. I was no longer fun to shop with or be around. They met up with other friends that were there and had a wonderful time taking pictures in the photo booth, and walking around all the stores. I was a nervous wreck to know that four 11-12 yr old girls were unleashed on the mall and I could not watch them like hawks or even stalk them without being caught.

They managed perfectly and pronounced the afternoon a success. They checked in at the proper times and there was no fussing when it was time to leave. They behaved perfectly.... but I hate those too grown up for mom moments.

Ziploc Making Lunch Time Easier: Review and Giveaway

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:55:00 +0000

Every day it is a mad scramble to get my girls out the door, organized, and fully packed for school. Part of our daily routine is making sure that lunch is packed qd ready to go. Lucky for me the girl's school cafeteria has microwaves for them to use. I can't tell you how much easier this makes my life. This morning the girls were loaded up with leftovers of last night's pork and rice casserole, salad, and fruit. The perfect transport for each of these items? Ziploc of course.

So what did I pack this nutritious healthy lunch in? First the casserole and the salad were placed in the Ziploc® Fresh Shield® Twist 'n Loc® Containers. They are made to lock in freshness, and the lids twist on and have a leak-resistant seal—-so you don't have to worry about spills or leaks. Perfect for leftovers that need to be nuked. For snacks and sandwiches I turn to the ever useful sandwich bags. Regan's was full of Craisins this morning her newest favorite snack.

Want to test out Ziploc for yourself to see how well their products work in your household? I am thrilled that Ziploc is allowing me to run a giveaway along with my review for one box of Ziploc sandwich bags and one group of storage conatsiners like those reviewed. This is open To US residents only, and will close October 12, 2009 midnight CST.

1. First Mandatory Entry: Tell me a great use for Ziploc Fresh Shield® Twist 'n Loc® containers.
2. 2nd entry: Become a Google Follower of my site.
3. Become a Twitter Follower of my site.
4. Stumble this Post using Stumbleupon
5. Tweet this post, and leave me a copy of the tweet in the comment.

This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and SC Johnson, who provided the item for review."

Baby Einstein World Animal Adventure Review

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:54:00 +0000

Of course anytime I can post gratuitous pictures of my super cute niece I will, but I promise this time it has purpose. My girls (Regan and Rebecca that is) were wondering why shows like baby einstein were of any use to babies at all. I explained to my children who are now way to old to remember when these shows were important to their child development, that this was an interactive way for babies to learn about the world aorund them. Particularly for their cousin Claire to learn more about animals in the new Baby Einstein DVD World Animal Adventure.

The girls and I watched the video and were entranced with the animals from all the continents, the mixture of music from all corners of the globe played upon native instruments, and the way that culture and nature were introduced at a level that their baby cousin would love. It has gotten the seal of approval from my girls, and we can't wait until we get to see Claire to give it to her.

I recomend this to children from the ages of 1-4 yrs. Any child who loves animals and music will lose themselves in the real life videos and of course the fun puppet show which was my personal favorite. I can't wait to garner favorite aunt status with this video for my niece.

A special thank you to Mom Central and baby einstein World Animal Adventure for providing the video to review.

Substitite Teaching Giggles

cebrain@sbcglobal.net (Christine) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:55:00 +0000

Today will be my third day in a row to substitute teach at my girls' school. Honestly the money is nice, but I really miss my blog and I feel like I am neglecting my work. I am runnig on "E" as I gear up for another day subbing. I know now why I was never cut out to actually teach school....just volunteer and sub from time to time. I could really use some R&R (maybe check in at destin fl hotels for a few days). Still I thought you would enjoy some of the things said to me over the last few days.

Geography Class:
student: What are cardinal directions?
me: That means the four main directions on a map North South East West
student: so nothing to do with birds at all? (while quickly erasing whatever he wrote)

Journal writing:
student: Can You buy lions at a pet shop?
me: No, that is considered an exotic wildlife and really just for zoos and wildlife preserves.
student: my grandma makes preserves all the time not with animals though.

Math:
me: 4th graders! I know your hot from P.E. but if you will sit still for a moment it will get cooler in here.
student: (mumbling to himself) still not as hot as Rebecca

ewww, were just talking about my daughter you little perv!!!!!