MOMVERSATION MONDAYS: Can Single Moms Be Friends With Married Moms?

Today's edition of Momversation guest blogger Alaina Sheer from Ms. Single Mama asks: Can single moms be friends with married moms.

And yes they can!! I can see what Alaina is saying though, as we change so do our friendships. you tend to relate more to the people who have been on the same boat as you. I find I relate to many military moms, because we see and go through many of the same issues and fears. I won't understand what a single mom goes through but I won't rule her out as a friend. I think a single mom would have the best tips to keeping organized, maybe that's a stereotype, I'm not sure.

A friend to me is someone who is going to be there for you and listen to you when you need a shoulder to lean on and vice versa. Someone who will call me on my BS and be completely honest with me. Should they have someone in their life is irrelevant to our friendship.


If we have things in common and we connect there is nothing that is stopping me from talking to you. Married, single, window, divorce, happily married or not.

You Don't Own Me....

I haven't been around much lately. My husband came home and we've been having some fun with the kiddies!

Then today, while hubby and my son napped, I turned the television on to the W Network and my all time favorite movie came on.

"The First Wives Club"

I'm sure you all know the movie. A college friend falls to her death bringing three ladies together to morn her. They all realize that each one of their husbands have left them from a much younger woman and they decide to get even with their significant other.

This movies always puts a smile on my face. From the witty banter between Bette Midler, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn. To the comedic timing they have with each other.

But I realized something while I was watching the movie. All three women sacrificed different things to please their husbands. In some ways they got lost in their marriages that they forgot who they were.

I've spent weeks waiting for my husband to come and "complete" something. Have I lost who I am? Have I forgotten all about me?

No, I haven't lost myself in my marriage and I'm still the same person that I was when I said "I do". But it's a hard process to keep me from becoming obsolete.
I know it's not the same thing with my husband. He has a career that makes himself a single person every day. For me I'm at home with the kids, saying things like, "we" and "us".

This is why I blog for the most part. It's something just for me. My thoughts and feelings, just me. Yes, I started it specifically for my husband while he was away to keep up to date about what was going on at home but it became so much more than just updates and funny stories about my kids.

I think we all need to remember that after we put those wedding bands on that we are still individuals. We can't lose ourselves in our marriages. If we are left on our own, could you survive being you? Unfortunately in the movie these ladies were divorced, which is as common as marriage now a days. I hate notion that after you get married that person completes you somehow. Were we missing something our entire lives before that special someone popped the question? Were we no one special until we walked down that aisle in the flowing white gown? If that were the case we should be wearing black to morn the passing of our individual selves.

My husband and I compliment each other. We are not a single unit but two people with very different personalities that happened to fall in love. I love the fact that we are not one. How boring would that be? Yes we butt heads on various topics (find out what I mean in an upcoming post), but we love being individuals! I'm not perfect and neither is my husband, and when we are together we are not perfect. Keeps things interesting if you ask me.

"You Don't Own Me" became my theme song for many reasons. One, the song is very catchy! Two it reminds me to put myself first every once in a while. Three, it reminds my husband that I will not change and the woman that he married with all her quirks and silly habits are going to be there forever. That does include him, too. He knows I'm not going to change him either.

So just for fun, here it is:

Angels and Demons: Is It Meant For Tots?

Going to the movies is an outlet that I enjoy. Although expensive at times.

But on our base we have a great theatre that is cheap, clean and nice! The theatre plays the new movie a couple of weeks after the come out in the bigger movie theatres but it's worth the wait! Where are you going to see the 60 year old owner of the place do a handstand?

Tuesdays are their five dollar nights so a friends and I were looking forward to seeing Angels and Demons the sequel to the popular books by author Dan Brown.


As I indulge in the popcorn that is a staple in the movie going experience. I notice that there is guy bringing in a booster seat. No, it can't be. Then out of nowhere a woman brings her 5 year old into the theatre. Ok, I'm not one to judge one's parenting but why would take your child to see an R rated movie? The movies was gruesome, with a lot of violence and graphic scenes that made me look away.


Is it just me? I get that sometimes it's hard to get or even be able to afford a sitter, but those parents better be ready to save on some therapy for that poor girl because there was way too many things that I feel that my own kids should never watch. Ever!


There are reasons why there is a ratings chart for movies. An R rated movies are meant for adults. There were somethings that I didn't even understand in the movie, how did this 5 year old follow it?


Like I said before, every parent is different and THAT was different!

MOMVERSATION MONDAYS: ARE YOUR KIDS BAD EATERS?

Here's another edition of Momversation Mondays!


Rebecca Woolf of Girls Gone Child started this topic today about picky eaters. Do you have any?

Yes I do! Oh dear boy I do!!

My son ate everything we gave him. Liver, beans, beets. He ate it all! Then when he was two he just stopped eating everything and wanted to eat grilled cheese sandwiches.
Now we are still on the cheese sandwiches except they can't be grilled now. But he will eat all sorts of fruits, yogurt, cheese, applesauce and the some staple dinners in our house. You know them, spaghetti, nuggets and apple slices and mac n' cheese.
He's now exploring a little bit more now that he is in school but at home he eats the same things.

I was reading in the Momversation comments for this topic and a mom mentioned that she read a study that kids taste buds are very sensitive because they are still developing. I can believe that because now my daughter who ate EVERYTHING is now going through the same thing. Things she like yesterday, she's not interested in now.

I'm just happy that they have three meals they both enjoy so I don't mind making them something else if they don't want what we are having. I mean I don't make different meals all together, I still put what we are eating on their plates to try but I'm not going to force the issue. I don't want them to have a love/hate relationship with food. They will try it on their own terms. I'm not going to fight with them. We do enough of that with other things like bath time and clean up time.

I think eventually they will become normal human beings who eat their veggies and love their steaks... or tofu, I don't judge.

To My Father On Father's Day

WE ARE OPPOSITES!

You are calm... I am not

You are usually right... I'm usually not

You were born in Holland... I was born in Brazil

You are tall... I'm short

You are a rational thinker... I go with my emotions

You are saver... I'm a spender

You are strict... I'm flexible

You have plans... I don't follow any

You are set... I'm still trying

You have a green thumb... I've killed every plant I own

You are ahead of the pack... I usually the last to know

You are a mathematician... I barely passed the course

You love the news... I used to but now I barely watch now

WE ARE THE SAME

We love reality shows

We are suckers when it comes my kids

We have great debates

We love comedy

We are silly

We love our families

We lived in various parts of the world

We love warm weather

We love Skype

We enjoy each others company

We love wine

We love food

We love to laugh

We love to agree

We love to disagree

But best of all we love each other!

Happy Father's Day Papai!
I love you!
Keep looking at the moon!

I Love Awards!

I first have to thank Stephanie from A Pocket Full of Buttons for my first two awards!


I'm honored to receive the One Lovely Blog Award and The Love Ya Award!

Thank you and I'm sorry it took me so long to post this!!






Secondly I need to thank Nori from This Casual Life For this Honest Award.

I guess my next step is to follow the rules and tell you 10 things about myself that are true and then pass this award on to 5 other bloggers.



OK. Here it goes:

1. I'm a twin
2. I'm adopted
3. I have three tattoos but looking to re-touch one and add one more
4. I will never join the military! The great outdoors and I don't mesh well
5. Clowns scare me.
6. So do balloons. I feel sorry for my kids birthday parties!
7. I always asked for an older brother when I was a kid. I'm thankful for my big brother Matt.
8. I actually enjoy the drama that goes on between my two sisters and sometimes I instigate it. Not always! Sometimes.
9. I love photography, I'm looking to take a course through the New York Institute of Photography
10. My father nicknamed me "Minster of Planning", because I make lists but never do them!

Alright! There you have it! Some info about me!

I want to pass this award on to the following bloggers:

Sonja of The Full Nelson

Carrie Ann of Another Day, Another Thought... or two

Rebecca of Bit Of Momsense

Tatiana of It Was A Very Good Year

Michelle of My Crazy, Happy Life


Once again, thank you for these awards ladies I appreciate it!!

I hate when someone gets under my skin so bad that it results in a food binge for me.


I'm an emotional eater. I always have been. But I thought I had it under control! I learned to stop this horrible habit when hubby would go on yet another course. I mean, lets be serious here, if I ate like crap every time he left I don't want to know what I would look like today.


But this was the last straw!!


Not getting into too many details on who pissed me off to the point of eating everything in sight. But the fact that I did eat so much is what is making me even more upset. I shouldn't have to eat to make myself feel better. As a matter of fact I don't even remember if I was feeding myself to make me feel better. It could have been out of anger, I was really enraged!


I can't give my self a binge like that! I'm not even allowed to workout at this point. I can only watch my calories. I'm way off my goal that I set for myself and I have already put the bikini away for next summer. Not because of this one binge, but I'm not even looking at my bikini that was on sale and I was looking forward to wearing around the lake this summer.... Damn you, Anemia!!


I need to get out of this funk....


Oh look brownies....

Update: Put the brownies away... in the cupboard... not in my mouth!

Momversation Monday: Do You Keep a Gun in Your Home?

This is another edition of Momversation. Dana Loesch of mamalogues starts off the topic today of guns and do you have one in your home.

We are a military family, so my husband needs to know how to use them. He and his family are also hunters, so he has been exposed to firearms most of his life.

We live in Private Married Quarters so from what I know we are not allowed to have firearms in the house. Which is alright by me! My husband might have the knowledge of guns, I'm not interested in them at all. I lived in house that did not believe in having guns in the house. I've never even fired a gun, although I have to admit that I have been tempted to go to the gun ranges and see what all the fuss is about.

My son has seen guns and what they do when the military does their demonstrations and he has many friends who play make believe guns in school and some who own paintball guns. I can't shield him from it, its a part of the community we live in. But there won't be a gun in my house. I will put both my children in self defense classes so they are prepared for anything.

At one point during an almost attempted break in at an old apartment of mine I really considered having a gun, I don't think we can have one in Canada (correct me if I'm wrong), but I always thought that if the perpetrator got into my house there would be a great chance that the weapon I had for my protection could be used against me.

A hard topic but the discussion happening at Momversation is amazing!

A Great Day

Yesterday was my son's graduation from Kiddie Kollege. Next year he will be attending Junior Kindergarten. I know! My baby boy is growing up!

He walked in with his graduation cap on while the graduation march was playing. You can hear the teacher hollering at my boy to slow down, typical.

They all sit down in their chairs and Miss Nancy tells us what going to happen during the ceremony:

The kids are going to sing three song and then they are going to get their "diplomas" and a Kiddie Kollege memory book of everything they have done and learned that year.

While the kids are told to stand up to sing, my son decides to break the mold and stayed in his chair with his hand to ears telling everyone to stop singing! I love my little non-conformist!

Then Miss Nancy tells us what the kids decided to be when they grow up, while giving each child their memory book. Ducky has decided to be a giant so he can stomp, stomp, stomp, says Miss Nancy. My son the yells out, "No! I want to be small!". He'll grow up to be a lawyer!

After some cake and photographs we go home for lunch and play date with a boy from Kiddie Kollege. Ice Coffee for the parents and some fun for the kids. The weather was perfect! Nice and sunny, not too hot but enough to knock the kids out after bath time!

Once the play date comes to an end we stop to get some dinner because I did promise him some McDonald's because it was graduation day!

Bedtime for Chicky and then Ducky and I are outside to play for a little in the backyard. The neighbour has a trampoline so he gets on there while I do my gardening and cleaning the car out after ice coffee landed in the backseat. Ducky offers to help which is very nice so he hold the bag while I empty out the car and waters the flower pots.

The best part of my day could have been the worst part of the day.

After Ducky was on the trampoline for 15 minutes, he decided to dart out into the street. I grab a hold of him and tell him that was a big no-no and he knew that if he did we would have to go inside.

Well, Stubborn Stu decided to visit my son and he completely took over. The world's worse tantrum. But I wasn't having it. So I sat there in the front of my mudroom while threw shoes, tried to go back outside and screamed until he was blue in the face.

Then something happened. Stubborn Stu just vanished and Ducky asked me for a snack and informed me that after his snack he would go take a bath.....

I WON!! I WON A TANTRUM!! I didn't lose my temper, I didn't scream with him or cry. I WON!!!

What a great day... WAIT! It gets better!

Once both kids were asleep, the doorbell rang.

The Corporal is home for the weekend!!!!

The Corporal turns 30

30 Reason Why I Love You

1. You are the kindest person I know

2. You are honest with me

3. You make me laugh

4. You think of me and the kids

5. You put up with my weirdness

6. You enjoy spending time with me even if we are doing what I want

7. You don't hesitate to call me on my BS

8. You have the most amazing eyes!

9. You are an amazing father to our troops

10. You make me feel like I'm the only female in the world
11. You support all my wacky ideas

12. Even though there are days where I get mad, I still love when you grab my bum!

13. I love that you enjoy arguing with me

14. I love that no matter if I'm right, you still manage to convince me that it's my fault and I end up apologizing

15. I love your smile

16. I love that you love your career

17. I love that you want to help others


18. I love that you have accepted my every flaw

19. I love that you point them out!

20. I love it when you stop everything you are doing to give me a kiss

21. I love it when you laugh

22. I love that you surprise me with the little things from movie nights to flowers

23. I love that you spoil me

24.. I love that no matter how much you say you suck at golf, you still love the sport

25. I love that you put your children first

26. I love how smart you are

27. I love your cooking

28. I love that we are still crazy for each other

29. I love the way you love me

30. I love that even though you are not a fan of birthdays you will smile about this post!

We love you and we miss you!

We can't wait to have you home!

Happy Birthday Corporal Mayhem!!

And The Plot Thickens...

It's 2100 hours. Tuesday.

The television is on but the sound is nothing but a whisper. Reruns of The Mentalist flash before the screen. All is quiet but it's the calm before the storm.

What was that?

Through the door to the master bedroom a noise that is familiar but there is a hope that it's nothing. The rustling continues. As I lay in my bed I haven't been able to enjoy the moments of quiet that I have been longing to have.

The rustling continues, could it be happening again? My sanity cannot take it anymore. I open the bedroom door to look at what the noise could possible be....

"Mommy, I'm tired.."

"Then go back to sleep!"

Tucking him in his Spiderman comforter, a noise from the baby's room. It's the same noise that has been heard the night before and the night before that. Do I check on her. She isn't crying.

I jump back into my warm sheets, thinking Mr. Sandman will finally grace me with his presence.

And then the noise comes back again, but this time in a loud wail that can be heard throughout the second floor.

I jump out of bed to tend to the babe and to prevent the boy from hearing her. I change her diaper, give her a song and a rub on the back. She's slowly goes back to her own little dreamland. A place I haven't visited lately but really wish I could get a ticket to ride!

The television is now off. The night has become silent, a sound rare in my house but once it happens it's enjoyable.

As my head hits the pillow, I sigh with the anticipation of finally resting from the past couple of days of stress, when a thought enters my mind.

Why did my son wake up to tell me he was tired?!?

Tiring Days Ahead!

For the past couple of days we have hit a slump in my household. Things are not getting done, I'm giving in to every whim and my kids seem to have more energy than ever! As from myself... I'm drained!

Who knows why, it could be the lack of sleep, or the fact that I don't have a lot of energy to go around anyway but even the small things are becoming harder to do. The thought of even emptying out the dishwasher is taking a toll on my body.

And you know what I keep hearing? Everyone telling me that there is a solution to my problem. Just go to bed earlier!

Well that would be great only if my son would comply with his own bedtime! I tried to be in bed by 9:30pm, which is crazy early for me, but he was still kicking around at quarter to eleven! WHY?!?!

It's raining today which will slow him down, I think a movie/ book reading afternoon will be in store for us once my daughter goes for a nap. Then we'll burn a ton of energy dancing to Kid Bop Cd's by the time dinner and baths roll around he'll have to be tired out by then, right?

Update: I would like to thank my husband for reading my blog and correcting me on my mistakes! I love you! Did you notice the title... "Tiring Days Ahead". Grammar was not really on my high priority list! But I still love you!

Patriotic Tees Available at Cafe Press!

Cafe Press has partnered with OPERATION GRATITUDE is offering a special edition premium 4th of July t-shirts for the entire family!!

A percentage of the proceeds from the sales will go to OPERATION GRATITUDE.

OPERATION GRATITUDE mission is to provide soldiers overseas with a little taste of home while they are deployed in hostile and remote regions of the world.
A great organization that needs your help to provide a boost of morale for the troops while they are away from their friends and family. OPERATION GRATITUDE sends packages to individual soldiers with food, hygiene products, entertainment items and personal letters.

No matter what your views on the war is support the soldiers that are away from home by going to Cafe Press and buy one of these awesome tees that would look great on your 4th of July event this year!

Oh and I didn't forget the Canadians!! Cafe Press is also has a Canadian site!

Class Is Not Over Yet..

OK class!

Pop Quiz! Take out your number 2 pencils and lets begin. It's multiple choice.

Question #1: When you ask your child to clean up they...

A. Start to pick up their things right away.

B. Negotiate with you on how many toys needs to be picked up.

C. They ask for your help then watch you do their chores.

D. Look blankly at you. "What's cleaning up?"

E. All but answer A.

The answer in my house is E. "The Chore Avoidance Theory" is caused when a child has no interest in cleaning up and will try every method he has in his or her back pocket to avoid the task at hand.

Question #2: When you are cleaning the house and are not looking for help your kid...

A. Wants to clean up with you

B. Makes the cleaning process harder to do because they are in the way.

C. They will fight you for the broom

D. All of the above

The answer in my house is D. "The Mommy Shadow Theory" is when a child wants to do everything you are doing but doesn't aid in the task at hand.

DING, DING, DING! Time's up!

But we do have time for a bonus question.

Why do kids seem more interested in the chores you have to do and not there own?!? Let me know!

A Look In The Future...

Today was my son's Trike-a-thon for his school. His school does two big fundraisers each year and we had missed the Halloween Party. I wasn't really planning on going but I decided from 5:30-6:30 would be a great time to have the kids burn some energy then off to bed when they got home.



My son had a blast riding around on one of the bikes and it made me think of the future when he starts to drive. I already say "no, no, no, no, no!" to him on a daily basis. I could envision myself yelling "Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!" when he's sixteen years old and getting his drivers license.

My daughter had a great time too! They was a real cop there to direct traffic, someone had a speed monitor thingy (yeah English!) and the teachers were giving out tickets. There was a "Drive-In" and a Gas Station. I know Lex had a great time because by the end of it he didn't want to leave (typical) and his face was bright red!!
It was a great time!

Neither one of them are getting my car keys!

The Adult Conversations Children Are Having

While at the park yesterday I overheard the world's most bizarre conversation between a pack of kids between the ages of 7 and 10.

Here's the short version of it:

Conversation #1
Boy #1- So you are going to ask her to date right

Boy #2- Well it's either Chelsea or Julie (names have been changed, not that it really matters...)

Boy #1- Well you better hurry up and decide because I hear Jason was going to date Chelsea.

Conversation #2

Girl #1- You should have seen me I had 5 cans pop, I was like sooo drunk!

Girl #2- I've done worse!


Conversation #3

Boy #1- Hey Girl #2 are you dating anyone?

Girl #2- No today, but maybe tomorrow. I can't decided between Keith or Connor. Maybe Connor tomorrow and Keith on the weekend.


OK!

Can I just say that I was so weirded out by the conversation that I felt the urge to ask them how old they were and where did they pick that stuff up!

Where did they get the idea that "getting drunk" is cool? I mean what kind of cartoons are they watching? Multiple "dates" in a week. I didn't even know you could do that! You kids are barely pre-teens. What's the worst thing you could have done? Skipped school? Talked back to your parents? Sneak into a PG-13 movie (Which would explain the lingo)! It's not cool that you are talking in that adult tone while you are at a park that was made by Lil Tykes! That's not cool! Keep swinging on the monkey bars and sliding down the slide and talk about kids stuff like G.I. Joe's ( I know it's old school but my kids haven't quite reached that toy phase yet) and Barbie Dolls!

Let me tell you, while I'm still looking at my daughters first pigtail photos and my watching my son still excited about Power Rangers I'm never letting them leave the house until they are married!

Unfortunately that ruins my plans of having them out the door by the age of 18 but I'm willing to do it!

Stay as young as you can kids!
And parents... mind your conversations they are listening to you!

Wordless Wednesday... Sort Of...

I just had to post photos of my baby girl! Look how cute she is with her pig tails that I was FINALLY able to do!



















What a poser! LOL!

And just because my son has a needs to be in the spotlight..