Sneaking, quick update

Yesterday Amber graduated from high school. I, to say the least, am very proud. I have snuck onto her new laptop that her godfather gave her so I have to be quick, but I wanted to let you all know that everything went well and I'll be back later today to post some pictures.

I'll also make my way to your place to see what you've been up to. I hope you had a great weekend.

Sisters and their shoes

With three out of four of my children being girls there are always some girl's shoes lying around and I have a hard time keeping up. This morning after I had gotten my youngest daughter dressed in a cute little summer outfit, I went to her closet to get out her shoes. Although she has several pairs, there wasn't anything that I was too thrilled about her wearing and also discovered that her feet had grown a little.

With a daughter only two years older than she is I went to my girls shoes stash in my closet to see what I could find. Not only did I find a few boxes of girls shoes, but I think I pulled out more than eight pairs of shoes that she can use between now and the time she grows some more. Of the shoes she can wear now and in the near future, there were a shiny, red pair of ballet slippers, several pairs of sneakers (one really cute pair that I hope she grows into soon), a pair of boots, a cute pair of black dress shoes and a dark pink pair of sandals similar to the ones her older sister had on at that moment.

Even though they were a little too big, I let her wear the sandals. It was cute to see my 2-year-old and 4-year-old daughters looking from their shoes to their faces as they noticed their shoes are alike. It's at that moment that I realized my 4 year old needed some more shoes - it was the tips of her toes touching the edge of the sandal that clued me in.

I did a little inventory and noticed that she has almost outgrown all the shoes that she has so it'll be fun to go shopping for some more girls shoes. This time when I shop (maybe I'll even take her with me) I will keep in mind that the majority of the shoes will be passed down to her younger sibling and try to get some that are top quality, easy to clean and that have a timeless style.

Wordless Wednesday: Mommy's beauty

Like this pic? Get more of my Wordless Wednesday here.

Birthday girl

My little Miss Anna was a trooper today. Even though she was tired, coughing and not feeling well she was a good girl. I took her to the doctor this afternoon and found out that she has an ear infection in her right ear. She's had a few this year and the doctor said that when she gets a cold or her sinuses are acting up the fluid is draining into her ear canal. This happens especially because she normally lays on her back while sleeping.

What makes this a little worrisome to me is that Anna has quite a high tolerance for pain. She doesn't normally pull or dig at her ears so it takes a fever to clue me in that something is really going on besides just a cold or sinuses. The decongestant wasn't really working to dry her sinuses out so I think that's what caused the continual drainage of fluid. I'll have to be sure to keep this at the front of my mind in the future.

... Now for more festive news...

Anna did not miss out on her "plan B" birthday activities. (I had originally planned on having her birthday party with her friends at the daycare provider's place.) Her big sister made cupcakes for her and all four of the children (as well as myself) thoroughly enjoyed them.

I guess putting the letter A on them is kind of cheating since all of the children's names begin with an A. (I just thought about that. I think they turned out so cute. Each one was different ... sorry, I forgot to take a picture of all of them.
Anna really enjoyed hearing the Happy Birthday song sung to her by her siblings. I think they enjoyed singing to her just as much. It was quite a sight and sound to experience. :)


After several tries (by mommy and Anna) we finally got the candles blown out. See how Amareah is pursing her lips as well?


Despite the runny, stuffy nose, which caused Anna to drool she still managed to enjoy her cupcake. She didn't eat all of it, but I'm glad she had the experience.


There's nothing like a messy face to show extreme party satisfaction!

Happy Birthday my sweet baby! I hope you feel better soon.

Mucking around

I know some of us ladies would rather get our toenails painted, put on a pair of pretty sandals and wear a cute, sexy dress to appeal to our guys. However, there are some guys out there who would love nothing better than for us to strap on some Muck Boots and do a little traipsing about outdoors with them.

Do you know where to get the latest ankle strapped sandals, but have no idea where to find muck boots? Well, that's easy. Get them from a company that knows their stuff. Hank's Clothing provides the best outdoor clothing and gear, and has done so since 1949.

So change things up a little. Show your guy you're a well-rounded girl and get a little dirty with them. :)

No party for the birthday girl

Today is my sweet little girl's, my youngest daughter's, second birthday. But our plans for today aren't going to go off quite like I thought. She started with a runny nose on Friday, which persisted all weekend. Then yesterday (belated Happy Memorial Day to everyone) after spending the day playing, eating and enjoying herself at our friend's home, we came home and she started to cough.

Her cough turned to a fever and persisted all night long despite the fever-reducing medication. She was drowsy and quiet this morning, and after all the other children left for the day I laid her in her crib for a rest. She didn't resist and eventually fell asleep. The fever wained during her sleep and finally abated around noon today.

She still has an appointment appointment for this afternoon just to make sure, and to determine what is best for her since she still has a cough. Luckily, as you can see below, she has cheered up and was quite talkative this afternoon.


The plans for a birthday party with her friends at her daycare provider will have to be put off, but her siblings and I will surprise her with ladybug cupcakes tonight to celebrate the big day.

I'll come back later to share some pictures. Right now we have to get prepared to pickup Andre and Amareah from school, and track down her big sister to watch them while we go to the doctor's office.

In the meantime, I'll be tracking down my Lysol or Oust to spray around in the hopes of thwarting the cold that is trying to attack me. My throat has been hurting since Friday and I hope we aren't going to pass this cold or virus around. Amber's high school graduation is this week and I don't want to risk anyone else being sick.

Hopefully you'll see me around... have a great week!

Ahhhh... a moment of quiet - or not

I've been enjoying a relaxing and busy Saturday. I know that sounds contradictory, but when I don't have to rush out of the house and I am able to accomplish more than one thing at a time I find that relaxing. And, of course, it keeps me busy.

Yes, that stack of papers is on my desk.

I've been processing paperwork, doing research on the Internet, going through email, doing laundry and taken care of the children. I started all of this around 9 a.m. this morning and I started to get a little tired around 2 or so. The three younger children were napping and the teenager was out, and I thought it was the perfect time to take a shower and wash my hair.

My teenager was so nice (yes, I'm being a little sarcastic) to keep me company while I sat at my desk trying to get some work done. The toddler was so kind as to run back and forth to tell me the same thing over and over again. Aren't they sweet?

As soon as I IM'ed Frankie and told him I was about to move away from the desk one of my little people strolled in. It was my 4-year-old daughter. She's pretty reliable when left to her own devices (alone!) and she decided to color while I showered.

I went in the bathroom, got the water to the perfect temperature, stepped in and was about to say, "Ahhhhh" when the 4 year old opened the bathroom door: "I need to boo boo."

It was a momentary interruption, but a reminder that I shouldn't take a long lingering shower, but focus on what I was supposed to be doing. And, the number one priority was taking care of the children.

My little miss went back to coloring and I was able to finish my shower in peace. Afterward I was relaxed enough to continue with the mounds of paperwork, the mountains of never ending laundry and the noise of four children home for a long weekend.

The best part right now is I'm about to goof off a little and watch the season finale of Criminal Minds that I recorded on the DVR. If you've watched it already don't tell me what happened. :)

New friend, award

My new friend at "A Woman Remembers..." recently gave me an award, which I really appreciate. I'm going to add her to my blogroll...

It's the One Lovely Blog Award and I think it's really pretty.

Here are the rules of the award:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I have been to quite a few new blogs lately and, unfortunately, I don't remember them as I pass by. Some I know I'll go back to again and think, "Oh yea! I really like this blog." If you know me then you know my memory is about as long as an ant is wide.

So this is what I'm going to do. (Yes, I know it's cheating.) If you know - remember! - that we are new blogging friends, please accept this award with love and blogging respect. :D And, also, forgive me for not naming you personally.

Have a great weekend.

Trip around the world

Today I had the pleasure of going on a little trip around the world. The school my two middle children attend had international day at their main location (the county's headstart program), and each class was assigned a country.

The children dressed up and carried items to represent their country: Andre's class did a superb job representing Haiti and Amareah's class was excellent as China. The children from each class, about 20 or so classes from three locations, paraded in front of family, friends and supporters. Other countries represented were Columbia and Japan. Unfortunately, I couldn't see everything from where I was standing and I was trying to help keep the children together.

Everyone kept telling Miss Amareah how beautiful she was. The robe she's wearing (which, actually is from Korea, if I remember correctly) belonged to my oldest daughter when she was that age. Her godfather had robes made for us while he was stationed there.

I thought Andre looked so cute in his straw hat and jean shorts. That's the first time he's worn a "wife beater" t-shirt and he thought it was so cool.

That's Andre's assistant teacher... She's really sweet and always looks after him.

That's a good portion of the class. ... Not everyone made it. See my beautiful baby all the way on the right?

They also had a stilt walker (I'm not sure of the exact name). Amareah was so enthralled by him that she asked a million questions and I looked it up on the Internet when we got home so she could see more of them. This stilt dancer was very entertaining and talented.

There was music, vendors and food. It was a busy, fun day keeping the children together, making sure they were dressed, directing them to use the bathroom, handing out snacks, answering questions, taking pictures, serving lunch and assisting the teachers. I was so worn out from my "trip" that when I got home I laid down to rest and ended up taking a nap.

I am so glad and blessed that I am able to participate in things like this with my children, but - honestly - taking a trip around the world is extremely tiring. Most importantly, the children enjoyed themselves and they learned quite a bit today.

How was your day?

Stubborn lil potty trainer - update & product review

As a parent there are times when our children get the best of us, and although we shouldn't we sometimes give in. Potty training is not one of those times, but it seems like my baby is winning the battle.

I'm sure you remember when I told you about potty training my youngest child - my fourth! This little angel is the one that makes me think I've never been a mom before. She's stubborn, opinionated, determined as well as smart, funny and sweet... she's a few days shy of 2 and she isn't potty trained.

I originally started potty training her the same way I had trained my second and third children. It's the way that my daycare provider supported me in and between the two of us (well, three of us with their father), we were able to have potty training success. Right now, I am no where near success.

Even with the chance to test out the Baby Signs® Potty Training Complete Starter Kit, I still haven't been doing a good job. The kit comes with A Parent's Guide to Potty Training Made Easy with the Baby Signs® Program, the All Aboard the Potty Train DVD, All Aboard the Potty Train Lift-the-Flap Book, Job Well Done! Stickers and the All Aboard the Potty Train Conductor's Whistle.

Like I did with the other children, I began by keeping track of when Anna was using the bathroom and started putting her on the potty at those times, which is right in line with what it says in Chapter 2 - Laying the Tracks - of the book, "Discover your baby's signals and schedule of elimination." Little Miss Anna in all of her stubbornness and detective-like activities, deliberately changes her potty time and that ultimately results in my inconsistency.

Consistency is key. "...parents do need to be consistent and take the lead in establishing a regular routine that includes potty time - starting around 12 months of age," said Linda Easton who summarized the Baby Signs material for me. Easton is Baby Signs Director of Product Development and explained, "Some people think that if you take the lead like this, you might be pushing a child to do something he or she not ready to do. Dr. Acredolo* makes this analogy to help parents understand how "waiting" to start potty training doesn't make a lot of sense: She points out that because of our concern for our children's health, we start teaching babies at a very early age to wash their hands. Babies are getting a lot of help at first, but eventually, they learn to do more and more of the hand-washing routine independently. We don't wait until children are ready - or more importantly - interested in washing their hands before we start teaching them. We just treat it as a part of everyday life."

*Dr. Linda Acredolo and Dr. Susan Goodwyn are the founders of the Baby Signs® program, which is the leading sign language program for hearing babies. They are developmental psychologists who brought their program to potty training and have discovered that it's possible to start and finish potty training before age 2.

Anna loves everything about the program. She enjoys watching the DVD over and over and asks for it almost everyday, she has fun reading the book again and again (notice how she's intently reading and making the choo choo sound), and the sound of the whistle makes her laugh, clap and jump. She even knows the signs.

And still no luck. Now, I'm not going to give up, but I must admit that I'm waiting for life to slow down a bit so that I can be extra consistent. It could be because Anna isn't home with me during the day and that's causing the delay with the program working for us. It could also be because she's away from me every other weekend. Whatever it is, I need to figure it out soon because not only is buying diapers expensive, but I don't want her to be the only child in kindergarten that's not potty trained.

Okay, it's late and my imagination is running away again. :)

Overall, believe it or not, I am extremely impressed with the Baby Signs® program. Anna is enthralled with it and as long as I can get my act together she should be potty trained any day now. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed.

Here are my other potty training posts.

Protect, defend

This is a little off subject from what I normally write about, but I just couldn't resist having a little fun. I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, that told me about one of his second jobs. He freelances as a bodyguard for celebrities and regular rich folk.

He normally has to wear all black and accompanies clients to clubs, dinner or wherever they want to go. And, of course, he carries his gun. (Don't worry, he's licensed and experienced.) Sometimes he tells me about the gigs that he accepts and the ones he doesn't. The other night one of the guys he works with got into a fight after the man he was guarding started mouthing off to someone else. My friend said he was glad he wasn't there, but I got a picture in my head of him wearing tactical pants, rolling like Rambo and pulling his gun to take down the threat. ... Yea, I have an active imagination.

Block those rays - product review

As the heat of summer rises most moms are thinking about protecting their babies and young children from the sun. I know that's what I was thinking about as I noticed that my children, who have been insisting on spending more and more time outside, were already getting darker and it's still Spring.

That's why when I got the chance, as a BzzAgent, to review Neutrogena® Pure & Free™ Baby Sunblock SPF 60+ I jumped at the chance. My youngest daughter is almost two years old and she's the lightest of the bunch. Not only did I need to protect her skin, but it's necessary to protect all of my children (and myself!) from the harmful rays of the sun.


Some people may assume that darker skin tones don't need to be protected, but that isn't true and it especially isn't true of babies. Research shows that a baby's skin is 10 times more sensitive to the environment. And that's where the Neutrogena® sunblock comes in.

It's touted as being the only sunblock that protects with Purescreen™, which is a blend of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Both are naturally-sourced sunblocks without irritating chemicals. Purescreen™ forms a physical barrier over delicate skin and reflects and scatters UVA and UVB rays before they touch the skin.

Now that's effective sun protection.

My experience
I have tried the Neutrogena® Pure & Free™ sunblock lotion on my three youngest children who are 5, 4 and a week shy of 2. One of the best things about it is it's fragrance free. So I can apply it to their skin before school - just in case they go outside to play - and not worry about annoying everyone with the smell that typically comes with sunblock. It also rubs into the skin really easily and a little goes a long way. However, I've noticed that it leaves a slight white look especially on my middle daughter who's a darker brown than the rest of the children. If I use just a small amount then I don't notice the white look as much, but when I'm rushing I'm not always paying attention to how much I squirt into my hand.


Overall, I am really impressed with a sunblock that I can use on a daily basis and not have to worry about my sensitive-skinned children breaking out or smelling like sunblock. It retails at about $9.99 to $11.99 and you can find it in the baby care section or sunscreen aisle of your favorite store.

I'm going to continue protecting my children from the sun so I don't have to worry about the time they spend frolicking outdoors. Don't forget to do the same.

Take a look at some other product reviews.

Wordless Wednesday: Hello?

For more WW pics visit 5 Minutes for Mom, but check out my other WW posts before you go.

Coupons are a mom's best friend

Have you gotten on the coupon bandwagon? If not, then you don't know what you're missing. Saving money by using coupons is not only a way to stretch your budget, but it's also a way to add a little fun into your life.

I get pleasure from using coupons while shopping at the grocery store, but my ultimate pleasure is when I can purchase something "special" that isn't in my current budget. For instance, not too long ago I had a coupon to a department store and was able to get a pair of cute summer wedge sandals, which were regularly $22, for $1.50.

Yup, you read that right.

How did I do it? The shoes were on sale and the value of the coupon was $10. There are two things that make this deal even better: 1) I needed a pair of summer shoes. 2) The shoes were similar to ones I wanted at Payless ShoeSource, which is one of my favorite stores to shop for shoes.

I'm pretty excited about my savings, but what I'm more excited about is the fact that because I saved some money I can still get a Payless coupon and buy another pair of shoes there. Now it's your turn. Take a few minutes to search for your own coupons and you'll be well on your way to saving money too.

What's going on?

My health and weight loss journal

(FYI: If you're new here you can learn a little more about me by clicking the links in this post. Each one is to a previous post.)

Every once in awhile real life interrupts my virtual life. Unfortunately that means I will miss visiting all of my favorites sites and blogs, my comments and visitors will wane a little and I'll may miss out on paid posts and whatnot and I'll get behind on checking my email. However, I'm going to try to keep up as much as I can.

Concerning my weight: I think the scale made a slight movement from 164 to 163 1/2. Yippee! If you remember, I've been at 164 for more than six months. So any movement on the scale is an accomplishment. Although I'm not going to complain since I've kept 35 pounds off for quite some time now.

On the health front: Things have been a little rocky. Although I have been feeling pretty fibro normal (if you know what I mean), the last week or so I have been feeling more pain, aches, burning, tingling... extreme exhaustion. Not to complain, but it can be a lot.

I'm also a bit stressed over the pending divorce and all the paperwork as well as finances, but who isn't these days. Unfortunately for me the stress results in more pain. I'm exhausted despite getting more sleep than I usually do. Well, that's not counting the day I went to bed at around 1 a.m. and for some reason woke up around 5 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep 'til late that night.

Yesterday and today I was at the Veteran's Hospital for most of the day - right up until it was time to pick up the two middle children. That's one reason I missed doing my Monday's Muse, which I really love to do. It's also why I'm late posting today and haven't been dropping lately.

The one thing most interesting about all of my doctor's appointments was the one with the rheumatologist. I am getting a bone survey, which I had done years ago, because of some of the results of my blood work and to ensure that I'm being treated for the correct thing. One of the medicines that I am on is not something she would normally prescribe for fibromyalgia so... well, that's why my VA primary care referred me to go there so we'll see what happens.

It could be, according to the doctor, that one of the other illnesses or diseases that presents like fibro is the culprit. Or that I have more than one thing going on.
All in all, I guess it's pretty par for the course around here. How's your week going thus far?

Update on the update: It took me all afternoon to write this because the two middle children kept coming in from outside to ask something, do something, get something. Then my middle daughter got herself stuck up a tree and stung by a bee all at the same time. I climbed the tree to get her down, almost fell because I just started climbing without taking off my slippers... it was her screaming that made me think she was being attacked by a swarm of bees. Luckily, neither one of us fell, she's not allergic and the swelling is already going down. And... to top it off: While trying to clean up her hand and get her calmed down I broke my cell phone.

More of prom night

The moment you've all been waiting for... More pictures from Amber's prom night. Enjoy.

Reign her in a little

Want to help me with a little parenting dilemma? I knew you'd say yes. :) Just head over to my From Toddlers2Teens blog to read about my youngest child, view another cute photo of her and leave your advice.

Here's a preview, "...five minutes later, as I try to sit her on the toilet for her routine please-pee-pee-in-the-toilet moment she turns into another person. ..."

Parents have to stick together, right?

What's your favorite ringtone?

Every time I hear someone else’s cell phone ring and they have the ringtone of a song I’ve heard before or that I like, I always want to get my own of one of my favorite songs. The problem is that each time I try to get one I can never find a site that has what I’m looking for, that is easy to use or that is available for the mobile service that I have.

Ringtones-direct has a wide selection of ringtones that are easy to search for and listen to in order to decide if you want to get it. There’s a list of top artists, which is good when you want to do a quick search.

The only downside for me right now is when I tried to get a ringtone a message appeared that they currently only supply to the UK. It will be good when it’s available for me because I’m quite excited to have found a site that seems easy to use with so many options. What’s available? There’s real music, true tones, polyphonic and mono ringtones. You can also search by phone manufacturer, which is a great way to make sure that the tune you want is available for you. Besides just searching for your favorite tunes, there are other features available on the site. You can search for graphics like logos and picture messages as well as action including themes, videos and java games.

What type of ringtones do you have on your phone? Although most of my ringtones are polyphonic, I prefer real music. Tell me which type of ringtone you prefer on your phone. If you don’t have what you want then tell me what you’d like to have. Then take a minute to check out Ringtones-direct to see what they have to offer.

Favorite phrase, book

A few years ago I read a book that I saw highlighted on Oprah's talk show. You'll have to bear with me a bit while I work my way up to the point... The title of the book is a phrase that I've used quite often because it's so catchy and I enjoyed the author's interview on the show. So, when I read the lede of the article "Considering an Eye-Lift?" by Robin Wolaner in the February issue of More magazine, I just had to share with you.

Wolaner wrote,

"I'm not the kind of woman who has plastic surgery. In my high school, when nose jobs were de rigueur, mine looked perfectly fine without one. During my thirties and forties, when I noticed signs of "work" on other women, I didn't feel, to quote Nora Ephron, bad about my neck. Of face."

Ephron is the author of "I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman," which is a wonderfully written and hilarious account of noticing the signs of aging. The title stuck with me so much that I've often used that phrase when telling my daughter about moisturizing:

"Be sure to moisturize your neck in the morning and the evening 'cause you don't want to feel bad about your neck." To which she gives a slight smile and a roll of the eyes that I've said it again.

After I saw Ephron on Oprah I continued to say, "'cause I don't wanna feel bad about my neck" in order to remind myself to apply moisturizer and creams to an area of my body that a lot of women seemed to have neglected. Don't take my word for it - just look around when you're out at the mall or in the grocery store.

For months after seeing Ephron and reading her book I was obsessed with noticing women's necks especially on television. I admit I became a little over the top, but I know one thing is for sure: I refuse to feel bad about my neck!

A sneak peek

I've had such a busy and crazy week that I haven't had a chance to do a lot of the things I need and want to do including write more posts and visit your blogs. However, I am taking a moment before I relax for a little while (then go to bed) to give you a sneak peak of a couple of the pictures I took tonight of...

Amber dressed for her senior prom.

Isn't she beautiful?

There are a very cute couple. (That's the BF.) Sorry it's a little blurry.

I know several of you asked me to share pictures and they turned out so beautifully that I had to get a couple posted now. I will come back later this weekend and let you see some more. 'Cause I know you're excited to see the rest of the dress! :)

The eyes have it

Renee at Cutie Booty Cakes has a fab column that she writes: Bringing Sexy Back. This time she's talking about wearing a little makeup to get her sexy back and asking us (her readers!) how we're bringing our own sexy back.

In honor of that, she's giving away two Maybelline Pulse Perfection Vibrating Mascaras, which haven't even hit store shelves yet. Check out the giveaway on her blog.

Just call me Peaches

An old disabled veteran walked pass me today and said, "If you were a fruit, your name would be Peaches." I smiled politely as he hobbled away.

As I drove away in my car, I heard someone yell, "Peaches!" I looked over and saw the old man waving. And I chuckled.

I thought how cute, I have a nickname. Then, later, I got to thinking a little about that: 'What was he trying to say? Should I start dancing?' I mean I was dressed conservatively in jean capris and a black shirt with wedged sandals so I don't think he was saying that. I dismissed the thought and went about my day.

When I sat down to tell you about it I did a search on peaches to find some pictures. There were only a few pictures of the actual fruit, nothing kind of cute and the rest were pictures of ladies scantily clad.

Hmmm... Just call me Peaches? I think not.

Wordless Wednesday: Restless sleep

Pop over to 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday and be sure to check out more of mine before you go.

Take Twitter, blogging to the next level

One of the things that makes a successful blog - besides great content - is the supportive and wonderful readers. And although I enjoy writing and blogging immensely it's not as fun if no one reads or comments. That's why I'm trying out BeTweeted. The concept is fairly simple: Grow your Subscribers and Twitter Following.

Why don't you give it a try too? I'll let you know if it works for me and, after you try it out, come back and let me know how it works for you.

Can I get a do over?

It looks like the harder I try to get things accomplished today the more I'm messing them up. For some reason the 1,000 things I had to do today are still at about 1,000 and the few things I did manage to do I messed up.

Okay, it was one thing, but it was kind of major so that upset me and made me feel like the day was wasted. Now it's time to leave to pick up the two middle children, I haven't had lunch and ... well, instead of wasting time typing this I should try to grab a bite to eat.

I hope your day has been more productive than mine.

I wonder if I can rewind. I can go to sleep, decide I need to start the day over and it'll be Monday morning again.

Monday's Muse: Taking care of me

My inspiration is simple and short this week, and I think I have written about it before. I was inspired by Mother's Day to take care of myself. My teenager cared for the younger kids while I relaxed. I went out to the kitchen in the morning for breakfast and she said, "You're supposed to have breakfast in bed." So, without argument, I returned to my bed with a few magazines.

I ate eggs, pancakes and watermelon and had a cup of coffee. Then I reclined and read magazines. I turned from side to side, rolled over, propped myself and kept on reading. After a little while I sat on the couch with my feet propped up and watched television. Then I went back to lay on the bed again... LOL. I napped and later took a shower using every moisturizer, cleanser, exfoliater, buffer and so forth. I painted my nails...

Today, I told someone that I relaxed so much my bottom hurt! :) Now the downside of all of that is I'm a little sluggish today and, amazingly, sleepy... But the lesson is a day of rest and relaxation is exactly what every mother should experience and not just once a year on Mother's Day.

Remember to take care of yourself and schedule relaxation. You'll be surprised how it'll fuel your muse.

For more Monday's Muse visit Maternal Spark.

My Monday musings

I'm feeling a little loopy today so please excuse my randomness. There are a lot of thoughts running through my head:

• blogging
• making money
• paying bills
  
• paperwork
• housework
• organizing
• Amber's prom this weekend
  
• getting everything together for Amber to begin the summer program at her college. (Yup, COLLEGE! OMG!)
• taking care of the younger children
• ...and everything in between...

Yesterday was such a relaxing day that I think it affected my brain somehow. I'm looking at my to-do list, but it seems to be missing something. The things listed are things I need to do, but something isn't right.

I'm going to take some deep breathes, maybe make some coffee and have my morning snack... It could be all a matter of centering myself and just starting my day without pressuring myself to get everything finished.

Truth be told I am nervous about quite a few things especially Amber leaving for college in a few weeks and not the few months we had originally planned. It's a little scary and although I am extremely proud of her there are a lot of responsibilities that come along with that. For her and for me.

How's your Monday going? Are you focused and ready for your week? Do share.

Smooches on Mother's Day

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day and receives all the love and joy that their heart can stand times infinity.

Happy Mother's Day!

What's your parenting question?

'Can I call a sitter and take a nap?'

'Is it normal for my 2 year old not to be potty trained?'

Parents everywhere ask questions like this and many others, but they often don't know where to turn for answers. Sometimes they're concerned that they aren't doing things correctly and need an impartial person to share with.

They can find that connection and share with others at Parents Connect. There isn't any judgment there about whether you're being a good parent and, if you're anything like me, then that's exactly what you need.

Parents Connect has information for every stage of your child's life: baby, toddler, preschool, kid, preteen and teen. And, for mommies to be, there's a pregnancy section. I will be able to make use of three sections: I have a toddler, two preschoolers and a teenager. That makes this a good online site to connect with other parents.

Maybe I should go there now and ask, "Is it normal for my toddler to be tugging on the pillow that my laptop is sitting on and trying to get me to let her lay on it?" I'd say it is, but I'd like to hear other parents' toddler stories.

Let's get together now and connect on Parents Connect.

On & off

Do you believe in ghosts? If not, maybe you should because there's one who lives with us. It turns the television on and off. Not everyday, but quite frequently.

Now, I'm not going to say whether I believe in ghosts or not, but I do know it's better than thinking the alternative: That my television is dying. It's been less than a year since I mourned the loss of a TV, and I would prefer not to deal with that pain again. Plus, I like this one.

Special dress for a special day

Now that the day is almost here, I feel like it came pretty quickly: My oldest daughter's graduation from high school.

She has her cap and gown. She has ordered her yearbook. She has almost everything she needs for the prom. She's finishing up final projects. Finalizing plans for the summer. So, we have thought about or planned for just about everything.

However there's one thing that we have not figured out yet. With family and friends coming in to celebrate the day with her, we have not decided on what to wear. Sure she'll have on a cap and gown, but I know my daughter and she'll want something special to wear for the day.

Then there's me. I have absolutely nothing in my closet that I think is appropriate for the mom of the graduate. Okay, I'll revise that and say: I probably do have something that's appropriate, but I really would like to get a cute little summer dress that's cool, comfortable and appropriate.

Ami Clubwear offers a few dresses that would be a good fit for the occasion and their prices are pretty fair. The dress pictures above, a green multi-colored maxi dress with beaded straps, exhibits some of my personality and is perfect for a hot summer day. Since the graduation is indoors, a light sweater thrown around my shoulders would be a good pick and then I would feel comfortable moving through my day for the rest of the day's activities.

Whether you're looking for the perfect dress like I am or need some other type of clothing for a special occasion this may just be the site for you.

Just me & my son

Today my teen daughter took her 4-year-old sister with her as she ran some errands so they could "do girl stuff" together. On the way back she stopped to get the toddler. To say that my son was unhappy that he was being left behind was an understatement, but the promise of watching a VHS movie in the office while I worked cheered him up.

In between working and his watching the movie I put in laundry, started and finished dinner and talked to him off and on. Then after I was finished writing I asked him, "Do you want to go ahead and have dinner?"

"No, I want to wait 'til they come back."

"Do you want to have dinner with mommy?"

To see the joy and light come into his eyes and face was music in my heart. After the dinner was ready he sat at the table with me and we talked. He told me about school, what a friend did, asked me a few questions and I asked him a few:

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A daddy," was his first answer.

I thought that was so sweet. He said he also likes "cooking lunch" and something else I've already forgotten in the midst of the noise that the girls brought home with them. :)

After we were finished eating I asked him if he enjoyed having dinner with mommy and he said yes. I told him it was nice being able to talk to him one on one and that we'd have to do it more often.

What I learned about today's mother/son time was that I really enjoy having my children one on one. I'm not as good at the chaotic, multiple conversations that go on... well, "not good" may not be the right phrasing. But, I think all of you moms know what I mean.

When is the last time you spent one on one time with your child?

Redecorating with rustic

Have you ever thought about redecorating your home with rustic furniture? I'm always having little fantasies of redecorating my existing home or a newer home, and a variety of styles run through my head. I really like the six piece set of Cherry Office Furniture that Scenic Furniture has because it's a unique and streamline set that maximizes on space.

The set has an open bookcase, which is perfect for a book lover; two-door cabinet; a rolling base filing cabinet, another rolling cabinet and two rolling work stations. What type of furniture do you imagine in your office? Is rustic your style?

Testing my dream with "Put Your Dream to the Test" by John C. Maxwell

On the Woman’s Bookshelf

I’m an avid reader and I’ve been reviewing books for about 13 years. That’s why I started this column, On the Woman’s Bookshelf, so that I could continue doing one of the things I like most. Normally, I review books that are sent to me by publicists or books that I’ve had for awhile, but haven’t had the chance to read. It’s fun sharing books. (It’s okay, you can go ahead and call me a book nerd.)

When I found out that I can be a Book Review Blogger for Thomas Nelson Publishers, I jumped at the chance. The last book they sent was The Noticer by Andy Andrews and it was a great read. Honestly. I wouldn’t tell you that if it wasn’t true. Today’s review is about “Put Your Dream to the Test: 10 Questions to Help You See It and Seize It” by John C. Maxwell, a New York Times and Business Week best-selling author.

To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous about reading “Put Your Dream to the Test" because I thought, ‘What if I start reading this book and find out that I’m not pursuing the right dream?’ What I found out is not only am I pursuing the right dream, but I am learning key points to clarifying that dream and truly making it a reality in my life.

I must be honest here: I’m not exactly finished “reading” the book, but I have wrapped up the reviewing to tell you about it. I won’t mention that I missed my deadline and needed to get this done as soon as possible. ;) This book is compelling and has fueled me into action on each chapter instead of just barreling through without absorption. I am making notes, completing exercises and talking with those important to me about what I am reading.

The book consists of 10 chapters that pose questions and give guidance on what you should consider in regards to identifying your dream. Maxwell writes, “A dream worth pursuing is a picture and blueprint of a person’s purpose and potential” and later explains that it isn’t a vague notion of what you think may happen. It’s a specific outline of how you visualize it.

What I like most about the book is the fact that it has given me extreme clarity of my vision. I’m in the process of writing a specific vision statement that I’m going to post on my vision board, and I feel more in control of what will become of my future.

I find this book to be an invaluable tool to testing one’s dream and, of course, it’s high on my recommended reading list. “People who don’t possess compelling dreams are in danger of having their lives merely slip away,” Maxwell writes in the introduction. I know that I don’t want that to happen to me, and I’m almost positive you don’t want that to happen to you either.

review

Celebrity sightings in Kissimmee

Just the thought of a vacation has me daydreaming about where I would go and what I would do. Quite some time ago I passed through Kissimmee, Florida, and I was surprised at how much there is to do there. And, do you know what would make it even more fun? Enjoying my vacation with my favorite celebrity.

It may sound silly, but I can imagine hanging out at the Walt Disney World® Resort's two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, with Mickey Mouse. That would make it a fun and different vacation. What about getting a private golf lesson from Tiger Woods then chilling at the Canyon Ranch SpaClub® with his wife before taking a few hours to browse through galleries or shopping at Saks, Nordstrom and Jimmy Choo’s?

I don't know about any of that, but it's all there for me to do if I want. In reality, you'll probably find me relaxing on a beach or enjoying a little horseback riding. There's also Gatorland to enjoy with the children or some flying over the treetops on an exciting zip line safari. Almost anything I want to do is available in Kissimmee... with Tiger Woods in tow. :)

Anyone can have a celebrity sighting by going on a Kissimmee vacation. Kissimmee is giving away three weekend getaways (3 days/2 nights) for two and two week-long vacations for four. Drawings will be held on or around May 1 and June 1. One was already held on April 1. I'm going to enter... what about you?