All You Need is Love

Our Take on Slide the City

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 13:30:00 +0000

I was compensated 4 VIP tickets from Slide the City. All opinions are honest and my own.

How many times do you get to see a 1,000 foot slip 'n' slide?

Probably not many.

But that's exactly what this is!

Growing up, there was a Slip 'n' Slide across my back yard almost every day during the summer. Honestly, I'm surprised the grass in my parent's yard ever grew back. So you can only imagine how excited I was when I heard Slide the City was coming to Pittsburgh. There was no question about it. We HAD to go! The kids were over the moon excited when we told them we had tickets to go.

Thankfully those clouds you see in the picture above moved on as we were waiting at the registration table to get our stuff. With our inner tubes in hand, we made our way towards to top of the slide. Each slider was required to have an inner tube. Although they were handed out to every ticket holder, people had the option to bring their own. We also had the option to pay for the volunteers to inflate them, but we chose not to. The kids struggled to blow theirs up so after blowing up FOUR inner tubes, we did regret not paying a few bucks to have someone else do it for us. But once we were done blowing, we were ready to start sliding.

Because we weren't sure how the kids would do, we chose to go into the family / group line so we could slide together. All it took was one slide for all of us to be hooked!

Because we had VIP tickets, we could slide as many times as we wanted. Those tickets also got us early entry. During the time we were there, the slide was shut down twice. At first we were told to go down head first. I'm not sure if laying that directions really made you go faster or if it just seemed faster, but I was not a fan. Everyone was eventually told they had to sit on their tubes, but some people were still going down the slide faster than anticipated. For anyone ready from this area, you know what Sunny Slopes looks like. That hill is a bit steep. Steeper than it looks in my pictures. I don't think the owners of Slide the City realized how that hill would effect the slide, but I am glad for the stoppages so they could make it safer for us sliders. The husband didn't go down as many times as the kids and I did. He is recovering from an ankle injury so after being told he had to sit, he didn't want to injure it again so he chose to watch the three of us continue to slide.

We continued to slide away for over two hours, but once the slide opened to the general public, we decided to call it a day. The lines were getting rather long, we were all getting hungry, it wasn't exactly a hot day, and whether the kids would admit it or not, they were getting tired. All of those are a recipe for disaster.

Participating in Slide the City definitely brought out the kid in me. And I know my actual kids had a blast. Both of them thanking us multiple times for taking them is usually a good indicator of a good time. If Slide the City were to come back next year, it would for sure be on our summer to-do list!

Until next time...

When a Haircut Turns into Something More

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 13:00:00 +0000

My daughter, she's 13, but she's not the type of teenage girl I expected. When I think teenage girls, I think girls who are into the latest clothes, the newest boy band, boys, make-up, and probably more girly thing I can't think of at the moment. My daughter is not like that. She's a jeans a tee kind of kid. She loves Doctor Who. Make-up has never touched her face outside of Halloween and she hasn't expressed a desire to change that. This is why I was a little thrown off guard when she asked about getting a haircut. And not just a trim, but a major hairstyle change.

She was closer to two years old when her hair finally started to grow. Since then, she's always had long hair. The shortest it was ever cut was below the shoulders.This new hair cut she wanted? It was closer to a longer pixie cut. I talked her out of it for a year for fear it wouldn't look right. She has a hint of her chubby cheeks from when she was a baby. She wears glasses. Would those things work with super short hair? That's why I continued to say no.

Until last week.

I told her to pull up some pictures of what styles she liked. I wasn't sold on any of them, but I continued to nod and smile. I spent an hour helping her brush her hair. Her long hair almost always had giant knots in it. Once we finally got all the knots out, off to the salon we went. Thankfully a stylist took some time to pull out hairstyle books and go over a few styles with her. And then it was time.

The pile of hair on the floor nearly made me cry. In the end, I love her new 'do, but looking back, I realized that pile of hair on the floor at the salon was more than just a pile of hair. My daughter was letting go of her hair as I was letting go of my daughter. She is and always will be my baby, but it took something as simple as a haircut for me to realize that she is of the age where I need to pull back so she can start to figure out who she is as a person.

As a parent letting go is one of the hardest things to do, but seeing a smile on your child's face makes it all worth it. Also, my daughter giggling for the rest of the day because she loved her new 'do that much... you can't put a price on that!

Until next time...

I Want to Slide the City

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 20:01:00 +0000

When I was a kid, my friends and I would play on my Slip 'n' Slide ALL the time. We would run and slide from one side of the yard to the other. I can't tell you how many beed I stepped on over the years sliding across the yard, but on those hot summer days, it was so worth it. So can only imagine how excited I was to hear that Slide the City was coming to my town. A 1,000 (yes one thousand!!) foot slip 'n' slide and it's going on a very popular sled riding hill?! Heck ya... sign me up!!

If you've never heard of Slide the City and live in the Pittsburgh area, keep reading. I guarantee this is an event you and your family won't want to miss!

Slide The City Comes to Pittsburgh - Saturday, June 6, 2015 11am-7pm

Best Rates - Early Bird Registration begins Wednesday, April 22, 2015!

Summer time is approaching fast and we are bringing 1000 feet of slick vinyl to brighten your city streets. Slide the City is a family friendly slip-and-slide water party event. There will be live music, food, drinks, water, and of course the biggest slip and slide ever to hit Pittsburgh!

Come dressed to impress because it's not every day you can strut through town with your hot bod, cool dance moves and slick slides. Did we mention 1000 feet? Yeah, that's over 3 football fields.

Make sure to bring your water buckets, floaties, and water guns (non-realistic of course), to squirt, spray, splash, and get all attending soaked.

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Is there an age or height limit?
All who are over 46 inches tall and over 5 years old are invited to slide, but remember if you're under 18 you'll need to get a sign off from your legal guardians.

Are there group rates available?
If you have a group with 20 or more participants send us an email.

What do you do to address water conservation?
Water conservation is also a priority at our events. We strive to have zero environmental impact on the community. The Slide was designed to have zero water loss, and it treats and recycles the water safely and efficiently throughout the day. When permitted, we donate the water back to the community. Methods of disposal include local reclamation centers, parks, golf courses and other places dependent upon local regulations.
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Additional Information:
Instagram - https://instagram.com/slidethecity/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/slidethecity or http://www.slidethecity.com/events/pittsburgh/

Twitter - @slidethecity

Don't live in the Pittsburgh area? Check out http://www.slidethecity.com to see if this fun event will be in a town near you!

Until next time...

One More Day

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 01:38:00 +0000

One more day until things begin to change for us. I'm mostly excited, but I'm also scared, nervous and a bunch of other emotions that I can't put into words.

A friend of the husband's was bugging him to talk to the people at the company where he works because they were hiring. The husband wasn't searching for a new job but he agreed to talk. Probably to get his friend to stop bugging him. One talk led to another and that talk led to a trip to meet these people in person. This process lasted a few weeks and to say it wasn't nerve wracking would be a lie. A big one. The husband claimed he wasn't nervous. or at least at first. If things didn't pan out, he would still have a job. A good job that paid the bills, put food on our plates and a roof over our heads. But this new potential job... it was good. And I was a mess over it.

I couldn't sleep. I couldn't sit still. I know my husband is smart and I know he is very good at what he does. But what if. I hate what if's. I didn't want to doubt him. And I really didn't. But what if.

And it turns out my what if's didn't matter. I'm so proud to say that I have one more day of driving him to and from work and I couldn't be happier. I am so excited to see where this next chapter takes us. And him!

But the selfish part of me is so very thankful for that one more day and no more. Having to take him to work means more time in the car for me and less time to do the things that I need to get done. I always feel rushed. I hate feeling rushed. But after our drive today, I'm honestly scared to get back in the car and be on the highway.

I was in the car with the Dude and we were almost to our exit off the highway and a few minutes away from the husband's office. Suddenly all three lanes of traffic stopped. When traffic in the right lane slows or stops, it's usually because someone is driving entirely too slow for the highway or lots of people are lined up waiting to get off at the next exit. But all three lanes? Something bad happens to cause that and today was no different.

Driving on the highway everyday, you see things. Bad things. Probably more than most drivers because more bad things tend to happen on a highway compared to a residential street. And today? It was bad. very bad. I didn't see what happened. From what I'm reading in the news, I'm very thankful I only saw the aftermath. But I wish I didn't see anything at all. I've never seen CPR being done on someone in a true emergency. I've also never seen a dead person outside of a funeral home. I quietly cried as I drove by to get to my exit. the last I wanted to was explain what I just saw to my 9 year old. Childhood innocence only lasts a short while and he didn't need to know what we had just passed. My heart goes out to the deceased's family. I know bad things will continue to happen, but I'm so very thankful for one more day. One more day on a road where these things happen. One more day before one chapter closes and another exciting one begins. One more day at life.

Until next time...

Let Them Be Safe

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 12:00:00 +0000

I'm not really sure when it came to be a thing but apparently bomb threats are a thing.

It breaks my heart when I watch the news and hear about office buildings, schools, even neighborhoods that are on lock down because someone threatened to detonate a bomb. I'm sure it makes me sound older than I am, but when I was growing up, if you had a problem with someone, you met outside in the parking lot at the end of the day and released your frustrations with words and fists. Now, children are scared when they see a threat written on a bathroom wall in a building where they're supposed to be safe. All the kid wanted to do was pee!

I'm not naive, but I also don't live in fear. We've talked to our kids about bad people in the world and things they can do to keep themselves safe. I want them to live their lives, but also be aware of what is going on around them. We talk about how to stay safe when they want to walk to or from school. We've also had conversations about what others can do to keep them safe after hearing about tragedies such as Sandy Hook. New security policies were put into place at the schools here. Teachers and staff were trained. Book bags are to be kept in lockers.

All that being said, having these conversations and actually dealing with a potential issue are two totally different things.

My daughter recently came home with a letter from her middle school. A serious threat had been discovered written on a bathroom wall. The letter detailed what was found, what was done by the police and was would be done in the coming days to ensure the safety of the students and staff. I'm confident everyone is doing what needs done and my daughter will be safe, but it scares the hell out of me that this is happening in our neighborhood and in our schools. These threats can happen anywhere and, unfortunately, they do. I'm lucky if I can properly hard boil an egg so it blows my mind to think that a middle schooler knows how to make a bomb. I'd like to think they can't, but again, I'm not naive. The internet can be used for good and evil.

I know I can't put my children in a bubble to shield them from the evils of the world. What I can do is give them the tools to go out there and live and be safe. I just don't understand how it has come to this - sending our children out into a world riddled with evil. Sometimes all the security and training can't help as much as you'd hope.

Until next time...

Social Media Introvert

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 13:30:00 +0000

Introvert

Some people think those people are rude, but really, it's the opposite. I'm an introvert. I love people, but most days, I need a break. I need to retreat back into my bubble and regroup before stepping back out to face the world. You would think interacting with people from behind the comfort of a computer screen would make it easier. But I'm finding that's not always the case. And that's sometimes a problem.

You see, being online is a part of my job. If you haven't looked over on the right side of my little blog, you should. Over there you'll see a little snippet of my Etsy shop, Cuppa Stitches. Part of having that little shop is promoting it. If you don't promote, no one knows about it and my shop goes nowhere. I do use Instagram (@evonneu) to share what I'm working on.

Usually I push pictures like this on over to Twitter.

I also have a business page for my shop on Facebook. And that my friend is where I run into the problems. I try to post and be active but everything I post comes across as an ad. At least to me. I love interacting with people. Sometimes it is easier to do from behind a screen. Sometimes I can't figure out what to say.

I'll share links to new additions to my shop

I've shared funny pictures related to crafting and crocheting.

But where do I go from there?

For anyone who wants to run an online business.....

This shit ain't easy! It's fun. I absolutely love what I do. I am so very thankful for the people I have met along the way and the sales that I continue to get. But man, it's not always sunshine and rainbows!

Maybe I need to make some sunshine and rainbows. But I also need to focus on this social media stuff.

Tips are always welcome.

PS. I apologize if this post sounds like an ad. That wasn't my intention.

PPS. The above statement may not be completely true. But I honestly do need to work on my social skills. Online and off.

Until next time...

She is Not Seventeen

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 03:43:00 +0000

A few months ago, my daughter turned the big 1-3. Becoming a teenager is kind of a big deal. She got a new computer and for the first time ever, a friend was allowed to spend the night. I wasn't ready to deal with the fact that I had a teenager, but it is what it is and we made a big deal out of it. Another things I wasn't ready to deal with was a present from a family member.

I guess because my daughter's age now has the word "teen" in it, it seemed like a good idea to this person to get her a subscription to Seventeen magazine. To say I was annoyed was an understatement. That was one of the magazines I would occasionally read as a teenager myself. I knew much hadn't changed as far as content through the years so I knew right off the bat after hearing the news that this was not a magazine for my daughter.

My girl's idea of fashion is jeans and a flannel shirt over her favorite tee. She doesn't fix her hair and has no desire to wear make-up. I was annoyed because it felt like a wasted gift. Not much within those pages would interest her.

So far, she has received three magazines in the mail. I flipped through the first one she got. Partly out of curiosity and I also wanted to know what my 13 year old was reading. Most of it was fashion and makeup how to's. Sher might read through, she might not. Than I came across this.....

Look closely. Those bottoms are marketed as shorts. SHORTS!!!

As a friend of mine said when I shared this lovely bit on Facebook, "In the immortal words of Bart Simpson: "Eat my shorts"... Sadly, you would be left terribly hungry." I gave that month's magazine to my daughter, who also laughed at the "shorts".

The next month it wasn't too bad. Again, fashion, make-up and a few other things she doesn't care about. She said she would flip through the magazine (out of respect for the gift giver?) but probably wouldn't read much. This month? that magazine is going straight in the trash.

This article wasn't the first to jump out at me until the husband said something. "I hope she dumped his sorry ass"

Well, I hope so, too, but looking at these bright red bold words in the middle of the page, I wasn't so sure.

She did, btw

The article that DID jump out at me was this one...

First of all, when it comes to Spring Break, the only thing my daughter cares about is staying up late and sleeping in because she doesn't have to go to school. Also, I'm not sure that 17 is a good age to let your kids go on a Spring Break trip. Especially after reading these confessions. Hot tub hook-ups, shower make out sessions... need I go on?

How is this magazine appropriate for a 13 year old? Hell, I'm not even sure ANY girl should read it! Looks like I'll be adding to the recycling bin for the next 9 months of this subscription.

Has your child ever received a gift that did nothing but infuriate you?

Until next time...

'Tis the Season

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 12:00:00 +0000

To be stressed out!

This time of year is always stressful. I don't care who you are. It's true. But these past few weeks have been nothing short of an emotional roller coaster.

I've talked about my Etsy shop before (Cuppa Stitches, in case you didn't know ;-) ). I was hoping for some sales in my shop this holiday season. I've come a long way since I first opened but I know that my shop is small potatoes compared to so many others out there. Etsy has forums for sellers and buyers. I keep reading about this so called "Christmas rush". No way my little shop will get hit with a rush, but a few sales would be nice.

At least that's what I thought.

The summer was a bit dry as far as sales, but things were starting to pick back up. And then Black Friday came, followed by Cyber Monday (Week? I really don't know what to think of or call these shopping days anymore!). I've lost track of how many bearded beanie hats I've made in the past two weeks. I know that number is in the double digits. If you want me to go in and count, it might send me into panic mode. I have more than one open order which has never happened since these past two weeks and I'm freaking out a bit. I'm right on track for making and shipping things out on time but knowing what I need to make and how many things is another story. If I don't make my list of what to make and by when, I start panicking, just like some do on that first drop of the roller coaster.

I ended last year with 7 total sales in my shop and as of yesterday, I hit the ever impressive 100. At least to me. I'm so proud of how far I've come and all I've done, but I can't celebrate until the last open order I have is complete. Or at least down to one.

A few other things have happened lately that have only added to that emotional roller coaster, but you'll have to wait until another day for me to share. I promise I'll share before week's end. I flew off the handle and only just calmed back down. If I bring those emotions back to the surface, I'll never get these orders done correctly.

Until next time...

Learn. Develop. Succeed! with Jump Start Sports Youth Programs

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 18:35:00 +0000

It's the end of August and summer is winding down! NOW is the time to get those kids registered for their favorite Fall sport!. Over the summer my son participated in the Jump Start Sports Deck hockey program. He loved it so much that we are signing him up to play again this Fall. Not only did he love it, but he learned so much. During practices he took what he learned and put those skills to the test. He has also used some of those skills when playing sports at home with his friends.

From Jump Start Sports:

Jump Start Sports provides children with a foundation for growth and nurture their love of sports. Through sports we teach character and life skills that lead to happiness and success.

Our recreational based camps, leagues, and programs teach fundamentals and values to children of all ages. Our programs are fun and well organized.

You can read more about their awesome programs HERE!

Unique sports camps for children ages 4 – 12. Jump Start Sports Camps are fun-oriented and highly instructional for the novice while more advanced players will learn more advanced concepts and will be coached at their ability and level of understanding. The relaxed and nurturing atmosphere enables children to learn, grow, make friends, and have a meaningful summer experience. Sports offered include baseball, basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, volleyball and more! These sports vary by area. Learn. Develop. Succeed!

Preschool Sports Programs

Children ages 3 – 6 have a blast learning the fundamentals of sports from trained staff coaches (NOT coached by parents of participants). Players are put on teams and play games so that the children learn teamwork, game concepts, and sportsmanship. The first half of the classes focus on skill development using terminology and fun drills designed to teach these concepts to such young children. Programs offered include Hummingbirds Soccer, T-Birds T-Ball, Rookie League Coach Pitch Baseball, Little Hoop Stars Basketball, Mini-Mites Flag Football, and Deck Hockey. These programs provide a special experience for the whole family while children gain an appreciation of sports, specific knowledge and skill, an appreciation of team, and a boost in confidence.

Youth Sports Programs

Children of all experience and skill levels improve fundamentals and learn about new sports in these fun oriented programs led by trained staff coaches (NOT coached by parents of participants). Players meet one day a week and are taught skills and fundamentals they will need to succeed in more competitive programs. Then they practice what they have learned in games that teach game concepts, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Sports offered include Introductory Lacrosse, Flag Football, Fall Baseball, Hoop Stars Basketball, Deck Hockey, Beginner/Intermediate Tennis, and Introductory Volleyball.

Pittsburgh Area Locations:
Brentwood
Greensburg
Hempfield
Monroeville
Moon
Ohio Township
Penn Hills

Find out more at www.jumpstartsports.com or email us at info@jumpstartsports.com
Follow them on Twitter @JSSPittsburgh and Facebook - Jump Start Sports Pittsburgh

Jump Start Sports offers currently offers programs in PA, OH, MI and NC.

If you decide to sign your child(ren) up for one of their programs, let them know you heard about the program right here on my blog.

Until next time...

The Countdown is On!

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 18:33:00 +0000

Dear mom at the playground,

It was nice speaking to you while our sons were at practice. We haven't spoken since the end of last school year and I'm not sure I would consider us friends as we don't know much about one another, but adult conversations are always welcome. What wasn't nice was your judging of my emotions. You didn't have to say anything, and you didn't, but your look was enough.

You see, I've known for quite some time when the first day of school is. And I'm excited. Your judge-y look made it seem like I don't care about my kids. Just so you know, it's quite the opposite. I love spending summer break with my kids. We had so much fun going to parks and zoos. Playing a round of mini-golf at a newly opened center was fantastic and finding a new place for smoothies and coffee was the piece de resistance.

But it's time for a change.

As much as we all love sleeping in until the crack of noon, especially my almost-teenage daughter (wtf?!?), the morning routines of the school year need to make a return. Our fun, care-free schedule is getting a tad old. And the kids are really starting to miss some of their friends. Even though they would never admit it, I think my kids might also like school as well.

Oh, and I'd like to clean my house and have it stay clean for more than 15 minutes.

So mom at the playground, while you might be dreading that first day, I am counting down. Don't worry, I won't post any pictures of me celebrating on Facebook. Not only do I not like being in pictures, but no one needs to see my bed head and pajamas. Instead I'll enjoy another cup of coffee with my radio turned up because I won't have to worry about disturbing any one's slumber.

Until next time...

He Shoots, He Scores!

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Sat, 02 Aug 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Well, maybe not, but he sure tried.

For the past two months, Mike has been playing hockey through Jump Start Sports. He had been nugging us to play a sport, but we missed soccer sign-ups and he has never really had an interest in baseball. When a paper for Jump Start Sports came home with him at the end of the school year, I knew we had to sign him up for dek hockey. He was so excited to not only play a sport, but to play hockey. After last season watching the Pittsburgh Penguins play, he has turned into my hockey buddy.

The purpose of this specific dek hockey program through Jump Start Sports is to teach kids the ins and outs of the game. Each session is one hour, once a week. The first half of each session was spent learning how to hold the stick, the difference between offense and defense, and various drills. Mike's favorite was the Triangle. Three kids stand in a triangle, with a fourth in the center. The child in the center needs to get the ball from one of the three others. If the child in the middle is successful, he switches places with the child he took the ball from.

At first I didn't think much of this drill other than the kids were learning how to pass the ball, but after watching the World Cup finals with Mike, I realized how valuable this drill is. Many times through the soccer game, Mike pointed out certain players that were standing in a triangle formation. Not only was he having fun learning hockey, but he was really learning stuff!

The second half of each session, the group of kids was split into two teams and they would play a game. Just sticking to the basics, they had offense, defense and a goalie.

I was very impressed that the kids stayed where they were supposed to on the dek and put into practice some of the techniques they had been learning. I believe this says a lot about the coaches. Mike's coaches were not only knowledgeable, but they were fun. They kept the kids on task and at times, they even joined in on the games.

After a few sessions, Mike started asking about joining a league. He would come home after each practice a sweaty, tired mess. I knew he loved participating in this program, but like most parents, I wasn't ready for that yet. The last thing we want to do is drop a bunch of money on a sport only for him to lose interest after one season. He may not, but we're not ready top take that chance. Through Jump Start Sports, not only can he learn and master the basic skills, but as parents, it's a an affordable way for us to gauge his true interest.

Jump Start Sports currently offers various sports programs and camps in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina and they are continuing to grow. If you have a child interested in trying out a sport and Jump Start Sports is in your area, I highly recommend checking them out.

Until next time...

Rallying the Ducks

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:30:00 +0000

We've been talking about it for quite some time, but our ducks just wouldn't stay in a row. Just like life, things happened, forcing us to rally those ducks and force them into place. Once the ducks were in place, we finally did it.

WE MOVED!!!

We absolutely LOVE our new house! Everything in the house has been renovated or replaced within the past two years but the house itself was built in 1935. I would love to try and find out if there's any interesting history behind the place.

Unfortunately we don't have a garage or driveway. It looks like it's now or never as far as me perfecting parallel parking. I know we won't complain about the lack of a driveway in the Winter when it's one less thing to shovel snow from, but there are so many more pros than cons to this house.

I have a kitchen I can move around in.

A double sink. Go ahead... be jealous :-)

A place for a proper kitchen table.

Everyone has their own rooms. Our basement is beyond huge. The husband has not one, but TWO workrooms. There's a place to store our seasonal and yard stuff. And there's a room that will eventually become a game room. Between both kids having their own rooms and the game room, it means that the living room is toy free.

TOY FREE!!!!!

It's quite liberating. At least for me.

I feel so grown up.

There's also an extra room next to our bedroom which is slowly becoming my office. Hopefully this is what I need to help my Cuppa Stitches Etsy shop go to the next level.

A huge perk to the house is it being on a dead end street with plenty of kids to play with. Everyone can ride bikes without having to worry about traffic, except for a neighbor here and there who is coming or going. We also have an insanely big back yard.

All the way up to the trees is ours!
There's also room to play on the side and front of the house.

Our boy is quite excited about that. I love that both kids, but especially the boy, now have the room kids need to run around and properly play. The downfall to all of this room outside to play? The ridiculous amount of band-aids I'm realizing I will need for the summer.

In the past week alone, the boy has smacked his face off the porch railing, nearly breaking his nose, fallen off his bike and has gotten so many bumps and bruises on his legs I fear people will start to think we abuse him.

Awesome porch that almost broke my son's face.
I could sit out there for hours on end listening to the peace and quite.
Total opposite of where we used to live.

Every summer I say it will be a miracle if we don't need to go to the emergency room for stitches or a broken bone. The way things are going so far, it will definitely be a miracle if we make it through the summer alive. But finally being in a place where our kids can play outside more than inside is worth the risk.

I really have nowhere in this post to add this picture but I can't not share it. This little shelf sits in the hallway by the kids' rooms. It almost makes me want to get a landline, but the fountain works just as well.

Because this was a sudden and unexpected move, the entire process was so very stressful. Packing was a nightmare and quite frankly, after being here a month, there are still things we can't find! But now that we're all settled I think this house was fate or whatever you want to call it. Having more room and being in a neighborhood where kids can play is something I have wanted for years.

And we're finally on a street where the ice cream truck comes to. The kids are happy. Our wallets? Not so much. Again, it's worth it!

Until next time...

Being a Girl Doesn't Mean She Can't

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 02:05:00 +0000

If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that stereotypes exist for a reason. There truly are some people who fit into certain categories. But that does not mean we need to categorize all the people. This is something we try to explain to our own kids.

If my daughter wants to grab some trucks and play in the mud, so be it. If my son wants to run around wearing nothing but pink, so be it.

Ok, that example of my son is a bad one because he is a boy through and through. But he would wear pink if he had it.

A few months ago, my daughter expressed to me that she wanted to play baseball. I admit, the first thing I asked was if she could. I knew younger baseball teams in our borough are co-ed, but I wasn't sure about her age group. She's 12. She said yes. I even asked on Facebook. We all know that the internet isn't always correct, but in this case, her answer was confirmed.

In January, her and I went up to our library to sign her up for a season of baseball. Having never played before, the husband and I were a bit nervous, but it's what she wanted to play and we want our kids involved in what interests them.

I walked over to one of the volunteers and said we were there for baseball sign ups. His response?

"Fast pitch or slow pitch?"

Um, neither. She wants to play baseball. With a bit of hesitation, he proceeded with signing her up. No where on the paperwork or their website did it say baseball is just for boys. Yes, I was annoyed.

Fast forward a few weeks and I get a phone call from the head of the league. He wanted clarification.

"Your daughter is signed up for baseball. I just want to make sure this is correct."

What I wanted to say was I am not a dumbass. I know how to read and yes, I did indeed sign her up for BASEBALL!! But I bit my tongue and politely responded that we signed her up correctly. He then went on to tell me that there was a girl who was really good and it's a shame they won't play together. This girl moved onto playing softball.

This was one of those moments where I wanted to reach through the phone and throat punch someone.

My DAUGHTER wants to play BASEBALL!!!!! Is it really that difficult to understand? If you allow it, why do I continue to be questioned about this? I understand she has never played this sport on an official team, but she knows what to do. Her skills might need a bit of refining, but she's quick to catch on.

My DAUGHTER is going to play BASEBALL. I'll be the crazy mother cheering in the stands secretly hoping she blows all those boys out of the water.

Don't ever tell a girl she can't do something just because she's a girl.

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Until next time...

Just Get Angry

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 12:00:00 +0000

I think I finally figured out how to get sales in my Etsy shop. I might have mentioned my shop a time or two here.

Or a lot.

Cuppa Stitches, in case you didn't know ;)

I've been on a bit of a dry spell as far as sales. Only a month, but it feels like much longer.

I reworked titles.

Nada

Tweaked descriptions.

Nothing

Added more items.

Zilch

Finally, I just got pissed off.

Then it happened. A middle of the night sale for one of these bad boy hats.

I guess you could say my hard worked paid off, but I really think getting pissed off helps. Driving factor? Perhaps.

The cha-ching notification on my phone woke me up. I was ready to jump out of bed, run downstairs and start packing up what was sold. But I contained myself. After all, it was 2 am. Parenting rule #1: Never do anything to risk waking a child.

After I read the notification, I think I was more excited about where this awesome hat is going than the sale itself.

Ready?

It's going to Greece! I get giddy just thinking about something I made being on the other side of the world.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish putting this hat together so it can be shipped on it's merry way.

Hopefully the recipient is happier with the hat than my own child.

I have more than just hats for sale, but I'd be happy to make one for you, too!
https://www.CuppaStitches.etsy.com

Until next time...

What Happens When Electronics Collide

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 12:00:00 +0000

My son.

Isn't he cute?

Good thing he has his looks.

Every other Sunday, Paige and I have our Girl Scout meetings. The past few meeting nights as we're walking out the door, that boy up there hits me with, "Can you turn on the WiiU for me?" Now, he knows how to change the input on the tv and he knows how to turn the WiiU on. I reminded him that he knew what to do and he could play as I pulled the door closed behind us.

We get to my friend's house for our meeting, get the girls settled and started on their work and 20 minutes in, Peter Griffin starts singing "Bird is the Word". That's my husband's ringtone. He knows where I am and what I'm doing so I can only assume something bad has happened. So I answer.

"The tv is dead. He broke it."

Excuse me? What is dead and who did what?

Mike was playing a Zelda game we recently discovered and he apparently got a little too into pretending to be Link. Well, more like a lot too into it.

While he was swinging the Wii-mote around like a sword he got a tad too close to the tv. He usually wears the wrist strap, but since I wasn't there, I can't be sure. There's always the chance he swung his sword and that sword came flying out of his hand. Either way, the Wii-mote met the tv screen.

Needless to say I was fuming and had a hard time staying focused on Girl Scouts over the next 90 minutes. You might think that would be enough time for one to calm down and return home not as mad as when they first found out what happened.

You would be wrong.

I honestly expected to come home and see a Wii-mote sticking out of the tv screen. Or at the very least see a shattered screen. I saw neither when Paige and I walked in the door. Confused, I calmly walked upstairs to talk to Mike. I say calmly (or at least as calm as I could be) because the husband had already told him the yelling was done. It's never pretty when the husband really gets mad so I can only imagine how it went over when he discovered what happened. You can also congratulate me here for abiding to the no yelling. My temper? It's an ugly one, too.

I told Mike I understood it was an accident, and even though he owned up to what he did to both me and the husband, he was still in trouble. We discussed how long he's grounded for and what he needs to do around the house to pay us back for the damage he caused. I calmly walked back downstairs to find out just how bad the damage was. From what I was told, I didn't think the tv would even turn on.

Don't tell my son this, but it's really not as bad as I expected. For his safety, that's probably a good thing.

It looks like a bullet went through the bottom right corner of the screen. And those two shapes sticking up? They look like silhouettes of buildings with psychedelic rainbow stripes. Annoying, but still a bit neat. The black lines going across the bottom and up the right side I could do without, but the odd thing is, the longer I had the tv on last night, the better they got. Things at the top of the screen were no longer showing up at the bottom. Which is a really good thing since Conan O'Brian's head during his commercials was not only where it should be, but it was also showing up on his crotch.

In the meantime, we do have a back-up tv in case this one really does give out because of this incident (thank you, friend! You know who you are!), but I'm glad it wasn't as bad as I expected. And I'm still glad I wasn't home when it happened.

The lessons to take from this, for you and for me - always wear the wrist straps, stand far back from the tv, and maybe avoid sword fighting games.

I'm not the only parent this has happened to, right?

Until next time...

Success

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 12:00:00 +0000

It's something we all want, but if we really look, it's something all of us already have.

I won't lie when I say I suck at New Year's resolutions. The proof? Our house is nowhere near as organized as I would like even though that has been my resolution for the past too many years to count. Approaching this past New's Years Eve, I noticed a few friends talking about a theme instead of a resolution. Maybe on some level it means the same thing, but I'm choosing to ignore that.

My theme for 2014 is success. Not that last year wasn't a success. In fact, that's far from the truth. We all succeeded at little things throughout the year but there some biggies that none us will forget any time soon.

The husband completed his first full marathon, which we also tied into a beach vacation for the family. It may have been in March and too chilly to fully enjoy the beach, but both a marathon and beach vacation were on our lists of things to do.

By the end of summer, we had two successful bike riders. Not only that, but both kids were able to get mountain bikes that they desperately wanted.

My big accomplishment last year was finally opening my Etsy shop, Cuppa Stitches. Learning to crochet a few years was one of the best things I ever learned to do. I love creating, but I also find it very relaxing. Once I opened my shop, I worked on it for months. I edited pictures, changed descriptions, added more inventory and did everything else I could think of. I was starting to give up hope. Then out of the blue a few weeks before Thanksgiving (almost 7 months after opening!) I got my first sale. To be perfectly honest, I would have been happy closing up shop after that one sale. It was proof that I set my mind to something and accomplished it. But to this day, my store is happily moving along.

Success in my shop for the coming year is just one piece of the pie. I want success to be a part of every aspect of my life and my family this coming year

For the rest of the year, I want to focus on little things in every aspect of my life. Whether it's teaching one of the kids something new, learning something new myself, organizing a room and keeping it organized, watching my husband accomplish something he sets his mind to. Everything.

January isn't even half way over and we've already experienced a bit of success. Dude recently had his Pinewood Derby race for Cub Scouts. He came in 3rd place and gets to move on to the next set of races.

GG learned a new skill a few night ago. She received a polymer clay kit for Christmas and she's already made a few animals and winged hearts that she wants to bake. If she sticks with it, maybe I'll give her her own little section of my shop.

Success doesn't just have to be monetary. Oh, believe you me, that is on our lists as well, but saving money is a resolution. It is a promise to yourself that focuses on one aspect of your life. Succeeding at what you put your mind to is much more. It applies to every aspect, not just one. Hopefully that mindset will lead to great things in this new year. Not only for me, but for my family. I hope it gives us the strength and motivation to continue down that path of success.

Do you have goals for the coming year? I'd love to hear them!

Until next time...

'Tis the Season

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 11:00:00 +0000

To be busy, busy, busy.

This time of year has always been crazy for me. Not only because of the upcoming holidays, but because of Paige's birthday. A few weeks ago, my baby-who's-not-really-a-baby-anymore turned 12. I'm not sure how that happened. I surely didn't allow it, yet here it is. I officially have a tween.

Gah!!

To say she had a good birthday would be a huge understatement. Not only did she have a great friend party, something we weren't able to pull off last year, but she got some awesome gifts. She may have said one more than one occasion that this was the best birthday ever.

No pressure for future years, right? Sigh...

For the first and probably not the last time, the husband and I caved on one of our big decisions. We refused to get Paige her own phone until she was at least 13. Talking and texting certainly weren't something she needed to survive. And a smart phone? No way! I've seen what happens to the husband's phones and he's a grown man. Giving one to a 12 year old would surely be disastrous!

But we caved.

She involved in one club or another at least 3 days of the week. Combine that with asking to go to the library after school to do homework or to hang out in their teen room and us not having a land line at home and we realized a phone for her was a necessity. The phone she now has is almost the same one I had almost a decade ago - a simple talk and text only flip phone. The only difference is her screen is in color whereas mine was shades of blah.

Paige also got her own Chrome Book, which she is over the moon about. we can just keep it between ourselves that we didn't pay for the Chrome Book. No, I didn't steal it! I won it in a contest. I need more than a Chrome Book can offer for what I do on the computer so I felt it would make a great gift.

And she got new fuzzy boots. For a tween girl, that is just as exciting as new electronics. Let's hope her expectations for Christmas weren't raised by this birthday.

All of her birthday hoopla wasn't the only thing on my plate as of late. I've been busy with PTA stuff, Girl Scout stuff and of course, my online shop, Cuppa Stitches. Earlier this week, I made my very first sale through my shop. And to someone I do NOT know! I was so excited that I almost wrecked the car (I happened to be driving when I heard the cha-ching notification sound on my phone).I have never been so happy to drop something off at the post office. Since then I have been working on some new items for Cuppa Stitches. I don't ever want to focus on one particular theme or holiday in my shop because what do you do with the stuff if it doesn't sell? Storage in this house only goes so far. But I did add a few items, such as a Rudolph coffee cup sleeve...

I always have a few projects in the works, either for my shop or friends and the day-to-day life of having a family always gives me something to do. I might complain about being exhausted and never being able to cross everything off my to-do list, but at the end of the day, I really am happy with what I am able to accomplish. Even if it is a bit at a time.

Until next time...

Superwoman I Am Not

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 02:43:00 +0000

But I'll be damned if that will stop me from trying!

I have a lot of stuff that I'm in charge of. Or at least part of. When we decided that I would be a stay-at-home mom, I put my name on the imaginary line signing myself up it all. I may not have known at the time what exactly I was signing up for, but I was all in.

Along with family and house stuff, I'm involved with the kids' schools, a Girl Scout leader, a publisher to not one but TWO online newsletters (Macaroni Kid South Hills and Mon Valley), and now I'm trying hard to sell whatever I crochet. (I'm tired from just reading that!)

None of it is easy. I never expected any of it to be. Right now my current hang-up is my crochet stuff. Since I first taught myself how a few years back, I have come across so many patterns I want to make. Some of those patterns are for things that no one I know would use or like, but it is too great not to make. That's why I decided a few months ago to open up my own shop on Etsy.

For those who don't know, Etsy is an online market place where people can sign up and create their own virtual shop to sell whatever it is they make.

Some people can open a shop and BOOM! Business. I haven't figured out how they do it, but I do know that is not the case for the majority of shop owners and I am in that majority. Have I sold things? Yes! Have I officially sold anything through my shop? No. And that is incredibly frustrating. Does that mean I should close the virtual doors on my shop? No. It means I need to keep on pushing. I recently started a Facebook page for my shop, Cuppa Stitches. I am always rearranging and rewording things in my shop and trying to add new items.

Just like life, this takes work.

Just like life, this is a constant learning process.

Just like life, I have to learn to be flexible.

As my Girl Scout leader always says,

"Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape."

I have my lazy days. Admit it, so do you. But most days I am busy doing something. It isn't always rewarding, but you know what? I'm ok with that because I am doing what I love. But sometimes, when I get frustrated and, despite having a brand new Keurig, there's not enough coffee in the world to keep me going, I need to remind myself it's ok to take a break.

When one of the kids throws a fit, take a break before trying to resolve the issue.

When a fundraising idea for school doesn't pan out, take a break before thinking of ideas for next time.

When I can't think of anything to write for one of the newsletters, take a break. Inspiration strikes at the least expected moments.

When something in my shop isn't going as planned, take a break and regroup. The motivational gears will turn once again.

What do you do to keep yourself going?

This post is linked up with...

Until next time...

What a Shock

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:58:00 +0000

Thank goodness no one was actually shocked, but things were a little hairy for a bit. We had some electrical issues within the 4 walls we call our house. An outlet next to our bed was acting all kinds of crazy. Maybe that's why I haven't been able to sleep??

This outlet didn't like to be bothered. Try to use it or even just bump into it, sparks would fly and power to part of the house would go out. Let me tell you how fun it was to watch my shows last night in the dark. We're not a movie theater. I like my lights on please!

This morning I gave the landlord a call and he sent someone right out. Well, if you consider an hour later "right out", than it's all good. Lucky for me (him?), it gave me just enough time to throw real clothes on and look somewhat decent. We just won't discuss the state of our bedroom.

The first thing the electrical guy asks after I explain the problem is if we have a flashlight because he couldn't find the app on his iPhone. Not being a fan of iAnything, I was of no help and off he went to get some light. He returned with a spotlight and proceeded to plug it into the outlet in the bathroom. This is where I had to step in and explain that that outlet doesn't work either due to a separate issue. He turned around, walked back into the bathroom and pushed the little red reset button and BAM! He had light!

I would just like to take a moment to explain that this outlet hasn't worked since we had to get the sink repaired in the bathroom over a year ago. I have pushed that little red reset button more times than I can count!

Five minutes later he was done swapping out the outlet. I might have been panicking a bit thinking it would take all day because that's what happens when you have a full schedule.

Long story short, we have power, we can safely sleep and I don't have to watch Grey's Anatomy in the dark.

Until next time...

My One Regret

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:00:00 +0000

It's no secret that I love to crochet. A fact that may be a little less known about me is that I try not to have any regrets. Yes, there are things in my past that I wish I would have done differently, but that doesn't mean I regret doing those things. Many of them, if they never happened I wouldn't be where I am today, married to a great man with two of the best kids ever. But today I realized there is one thing I regret.

It is no secret that I have an Etsy shop. I love to crochet things for friends and family, but often times I come across patterns that are so adorable I just have to make them and I have no one to gift it to. One of those more recent items is a crochet cowboy hat.

A friend posted a picture of one on my Facebook timeline a while ago. I took that picture as a challenge. you think it's cute. I think it's cute. Dammit, I'm going to find a way to make it. I searched the interwebs for days. Maybe weeks. And then I finally caved and bought a pattern. After many failed attempts, I think it's safe to say I have mastered this teeny hat. Through my large collection of patterns, I have also made itty bitty cowboy boots and a matching diaper cover.

This is where my regret comes in to play.

If I learned how to crochet much earlier than I had, our kids would have had the cutest newborn pictures. Ever.

Stuff like this would have exponentially increased the chances of our kids having newborn pictures.

I plead the fifth on if they actually do have professional newborn pictures or not.

To see more in my shop, please visit: www.CuppaStitches.etsy.com

Until next time...

Firsts

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 18:27:00 +0000

So this happened...

Yes, those are the ever so famous First Day of School pictures. We take them every year, but this year was different.

In years past, the First Day picture was the two of them together right before we walked to the school. This year is different because they need to be at school at different times. Why? Because this year GG is a big ole middle school kid.

How that happened? I have no idea!

But she looks happy. And she was. She was nervous about being late for class or not being able to open her locker, but she was ready. Last night my attempt to let me walk her up our hill to meet her friends at the top were met with a brush of the hand. I guess being a middle schooler she was too old for her mom to walk her anywhere. Sheesh!

Thirty seconds before leaving, she changed her mind. In other words i walked her up our hill in my yoga pants, hair unbrushed and coffee cup in hand. I was a hot mess but if it made GG feel a little less nervous, I was willing to make the sacrifice.

Little Dude has been ready for weeks. He has said more times than we can count that he was ready to see his friends again and learn new stuff. Being a little nervous as well, he asked me to walk him into school. I haven't received any phone calls from the school so I assume all went well.

Now if only I could get used to having the house to myself for a few hours. I love it, but, good gravy, is it oddly quiet!

Until next time...

New items are being added! I would love it if you gave my shop a visit!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CuppaStitches

Toys and Noise

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Too many and too loud. That pretty much describes all the kids stuff in this house of ours. I'm not one to buy my kids a toy every time we go to the store, but in this case I had no choice.

About a month ago I came across myjobchart.com. It's a free site where parents can set up chores for their kids. Kids earn point for each job they do and they can redeem those points for rewards. The website loves to tell you that each point is worth one penny and when enough points are earned, they can be redeemed for toys from Amazon. I know points won't magically get my kids toys. Only a credit card does that. We're trying to watch what we spend, but we let each of the kids pick a few inexpensive retail rewards.

One truck that the Dude picked out happened to be the same one his Pap brought back for him from the beach. Because of that, we let the Dude choose another toy. He picked a dump truck. The first thing I noticed about this dump truck were the buttons. Like many of his other construction vehicles, I knew those little red buttons made noise. Loud noise! I've learned to tune those sounds out so I let him mark that truck as a reward.

On a recent trip to Target I let the kids browse through the toy section. We always browse, but I rarely purchase them something. Don't you know that same truck was at Target. And it was $10 cheaper than the Amazon price. I said I would buy it for him and deduct points from his account when we got home.

Stupidest thing I have ever done!!!

Not only did pushing the buttons on this truck make it beep and vroom, but bumping into it caused it to make noise! We were quite the sight as I precariously carried this truck through the store having it make noise the entire time even though no one was touching the actual truck. Just the box. The noise coming from this thing were so obnoxious that even the Dude asked me to take the batteries out after I opened it!

Once home, it was quite a production trying to get the thing out of the box. Most toys seem to be be secured pretty well in their precious boxes and it was a noisy process trying to cut the truck out! When I finally got the truck out, I did something I never expected to do after opening a noisy toy.

I danced.

A lot.

On the bottom of this truck was a teeny black switch. Do you know what this switch does?

IT SHUTS THE VOLUME OFF!!!!!!!!!

Best

Toy

Ever

Until next time...

New items are being added! I would love it if you gave my shop a visit!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CuppaStitches

A Cup, a Hook, Some Yarn, and a Business

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Busy, busy, busy. That's how my summer has been. Trying to keep the kids entertained with day trips while attempting to maintain a somewhat clean house and publishing Macaroni Kid South Hills.

No different than last summer, except for one ~~not so~~ little thing. My Etsy shop!

I've been crocheting for a few years now and quite frankly, I can only make so many things for the family and our house. Gifts for holidays and birthdays are great, but what about the rest of the year?

I've had an Etsy account for a while. I even had a shop name and a few items in it at one point. And I let ig fall tot he wayside. A few months ago, with the encouragement of friends, I decided to give it another go.

Don't get me wrong, I still have lots of crochet stuff in the house. But since I can now call it "inventory", I don't see it as taking up unnecessary space.

Is there a them to my shop? Of course! Crochet! :-)

I have never been one to stick with making just one thing. I've always considered myself a bit ADD when it comes to crafts. Right now I have items for babies, kids, adults and even for the house. Lately I have started making Fall and Christmas items. I hate to rush those seasons, but I do love crocheting things for that time of year.

I would love for you to check out my shop. If there is something you are looking for and I don't have, don't be afraid to contact me on Etsy or shoot me an email (eumbel@gmail.com). I'm always on the look out for new things to make!

Until next time...

Ask and You Shall Receive

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:43:00 +0000

Every couch that we have ever owned eats things. Even the last one that was barely an inch above the ground. Like a washing machine to socks. I don't understand how it happens, but things disappear.

It's no surprise that when one of the kids can't seem to find the match to one of their six zillion pairs of shoes, the first place they look is under the couch. We do have a nifty shoe rack right by the front door, but why would they ever think to look there first?!

Tennis shoes, flip flops, super awesome new sandals - I know where all of those are. But, no! The Dude (formally Little Dude, who is not so little anymore) wanted to wear his Steeler Crocs that are now duct taped together a la the husband.

The first place he looks to find the missing match? You guessed it. Under the couch. I feared what he would find because I knew it wouldn't be a shoe. At least not right away. Don't you know, the little punk pulls a $20 bill out from under the couch.

A twenty dollar bill!

What.the.hell?!

He later used that precious bill to purchase a brand spanking new fire truck. Complete with siren sounds. And no volume button. Opening that stupid truck is a post in itself!

Just this morning before being ~~forced~~ asked to clean his room in this lovely swampy Burgh weather, he decided to play with said ~~annoying as hell~~ truck. In the process he happens to look under his bookshelf. What does he find under there? More money! Eleven dollars to be exact.

Where's my money?

Foolishly I asked the Dude this very question.

He runs to his room and returns with this.

Forty-three cents.

Lesson learned.

Be careful what you ask for!

Until next time...

My kids have taught me...

noreply@blogger.com (Evonne) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Having kids has taught me many things. Patience is still a lesson I'm working on -some days are better than others. But one thing I have learned to do is pick my battles wisely.

Two of the many things I want for my children is for them to feel comfortable with who they are and for them to learn on their own from their mistakes. Like most things in life, we have rules, but we can't dictate every inch of their lives.

GG has been playing around with clothing trying to find what styles she likes and what colors suit her best. She knows that shorts no bigger than a pair of underwear are not allowed, but if I pick out her clothes every day, how is she going to figure out how to express herself?

Little Dude and his hair seem to be a big issue for most people, but not so much for me. His hair is now a few inches past his shoulder. He refuses to get it cut and with the husband having the longest hair in the house, how can I argue with the kid? Part of it, I'm sure, is due to the fact that this kid is more stubborn than any mule out there, but it's hair.

Do I get frustrated when people call him a girl even though most of his clothing consists of trucks, monsters and other boy things/colors? Of course. Sometimes I let it go, sometimes I speak up. We were recently at a carnival and an employee tried to get us "ladies" to play his game. I ignored him because I didn't want to waste money on games we would never win, but he called out to us ladies every time we walked past his booth. Finally I told him we weren't playing his game because he kept calling my son a girl. There is no handbook stating all boys have to have short hair and if you're not sure, don't assume.

Learning from mistakes - I am always there to help, but if I swoop in every time to try and fix a problem, my kids will never learn how to do it on their own. Sometimes I think people look at me as the mom who doesn't care or doesn't have rules. Do I get lazy? Of course I do. We all have those days. But spending who knows how long arguing with my son over his wanting to wear snow boots on a walk to a local yogurt place on a 80+ degree day is not worth my time. We would never get out the door! And I'm pretty sure by the time we got to the yogurt shop, Little Dude realize his choice of footwear was not a wise one.

I know I am not the perfect parent and I will never claim to be, but I hope my children learn that it's ok to express who they are, within reason of course, and that's it's also ok to fall down 7 times as long as they get back up 8.

Until next time...