Friday, November 27, 2015

When life gets you down, turn on Netflix

When your husband takes the kids to the mall on Black Friday JUST so you can write, you write!

Or, maybe not.

We all know that I have been sadly neglecting this little beauty of a blog recently. Life threw us a bit of a curveball, with an unexpected pregnancy that has knocked me flat on my backside for the better of two months now. I swear, I was beginning to think that the morning sickness was NEVER going to leave me alone. Most days, just getting out of bed, getting dressed, and heading to work was more than I could manage. And, because I have four kids and a husband who all depend on me too.....it was bye-bye writing!

So today, while I am FINALLY starting to feel pretty good, the hubs decided to give me a morning alone to get some much needed writing completed. It all sounded good in theory, but I should have known, given my recent turn of events, that NOTHING would go the way that I was expecting.

First, I had a complete shut-down of all creative juices. No matter WHAT I tried, my mind was a blank canvas. I went to Facebook to try and gain some inspiration, but even the great ideas my friends shot off at me went completely to poo as soon as I tried to form them into cohesive thought. FINALLY, after more than an hour of "brainstorming" I decided I better just fire up the ole laptop and write SOMETHING!

Too bad my crappy laptop had other plans. It took over an hour just to boot the stupid thing up! (I guess taking a couple months off, made this sucker get lazy on me!) Then, once I got the dumb thing running, I couldn't get the internet to work. Then I couldn't get the page to load. Then my computer completely froze and I had to start the WHOLE PROCESS OVER. Ugh. I was JUST about to give up, when my blog FINALLY popped up.

Man, am I glad that I had Netflix to keep me occupied while I was desperately trying to make use of my little bit of quiet "writing" time. I decided that because Black Friday OFFICIALLY marks the start of the crazy Christmas season, I would like to watch a good holiday inspired movie. Netflix has lots of choices in this genre, from traditional classics like "White Christmas" and "The Legend of Frosty Snowman" to funny films like "Christmas with the Kranks" and kid UN-friendly "Bad Santa."

I decided to go with a movie I had never watched before, called "The Mistletones," about a girl who desperately wanted to be part of a popular singing group but had some major obstacles along the way. I thought I could probably relate, given my life the last couple months and even my challenging morning.

It was a good choice. I loved all the Christmas music and fun singing and it kept me humming even though I was getting pretty frustrated with my junky laptop. Sometimes, you just have to find joy in the little things. That is a lesson that is becoming more and more obvious to me as I battle my way through this pregnancy. Each day we need to look around us and find SOMETHING that is good, even if it is only Netflix and the endless choices of shows and movies. Because, some days, let's face it, pjs and tv is about all that I can endure!

Until next time....keep streaming <3

I am a Netflix Brand ambassador. I am compensated with free service and other products for promoting Netflix on my blog, but trust me, I would be watching and recommending even if I wasn't!


Hey you...do me a favor and give this banner a click! Every time you do, I am rated a little bit higher over at Top Mommy Blogs, a resource that sends readers and sponsors to my blog. I appreciate all you guys. Thanks for reading. AND for clicking! xoxo
If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers







Friday, October 2, 2015

How Mighty Mug saved my life (or at least my morning commute)

It never fails. Buy something nice for me....the kids ruin it. My favorite coffee travel mug was the latest casualty to this phenomenon. Despite repeatedly asking the kids to NOT put it into the dishwasher, I found it on those racks morning after morning, until the seal just fell off. I was so bummed. I LOVED that mug.

And I NEEDED my morning coffee.

I had to resort to taking mine to-go in a regular coffee cup which didn't even fit in my car cup holder.

I am sure you can imagine how that turned out.

So imagine my delight when, like magic, a couple days after my coffee wearing experience, I received an email asking me if I would like A FREE TRAVEL MUG.

Ummm. Yeah! Sign. Me. Up. Yo!

It was like divine intervention. I think I heard the angels singing the Hallelujah chorus! ....But it might have just been the abnormally loud TV. Dang kids.

Regardless, I don't think I have EVER responded to an email so fast. The people over at Mighty Mug were quick to respond and apparently have a good sense of humor because my response may have included the bit about the angels. IT WAS TRUE! They wanted to GIVE me a mug. And all they wanted in return was for me to tell you guys all about my new mug and then give you a chance to win one too.

Okay. I could do that. I mean...FREE MUG PEOPLE. And I could NOT keep taking my coffee to work in a stupid regular mug. I was desperate.

But not for long.

As soon as I received my online code, I went straight to their website to choose my mug. There were so many to choose from! Several different colors and sizes, some tall, some short, some plastic, some metal. I chose a pretty teal one that would for sure fit in my car cupholder. Unfortunately it does not fit under my k-cup coffee maker spout, but they do have choices that will.

Once making my selection, I proceeded to checkout, which was an incredibly easy affair, even when using a coupon code. All that was left was the wait, but thankfully even that was short! I received my mug a few short days later (THANK GOODNESS because my solution of stopping at McDonald's for a coffee every morning was starting to add up and my coffee was getting cold pretty darn fast!)

I instantly took it out of the package to give it a try. I was intrigued by their claim that this mug WOULD NOT FALL OVER yet was easy to pick up.

How on Earth would THAT work?

Well, it has a little suction-cup type thing on the bottom, that helps attach the mug to any smooth service (your desk, the kitchen counter, the TV tray that I use to write with my laptop) and keeps it from being knocked over. COOLEST FEATURE EVER! I can't even TELL you how many times my kids have knocked over my cup of coffee on whatever I was working on the minute I stepped away!.

Not anymore! Bring it on kids!

Brennan and I had some fun trying to knock it over on the counter, but didn't succeed. Yet, when lifted straight up, the mug easily released it's kung-fu grip on my counter. Just. Like. Magic.

How cool is that?!

I have been using my mug for over a week now and have had ZERO coffee casualties. I have also used it to take some orange juice to work, so you don't even have to be a coffee drinker to benefit from this sucker. I have also washed it in the top rack of the dishwasher (the package said this was okay!) and it is still working great.

And I am not worried because they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

So what are you waiting for? GET YOURSELF ONE OF THESE! And maybe one for your best friend or your mom too. Visit www.themightymug.com and order your favorite.

AND JUST FOR YOU (because you are my favorite!) the awesome people over at Mighty Mug have volunteered to give a $30 giftcard (enough for a mug AND shipping in the U.S) to one lucky reader of this blog. All you have to do is ----> CLICK THIS LINK <---- and fill out the form for your chance! GOOD LUCK!

Anyone who applies is eligible to win. Readers outside of the U.S.A may have to pay additional shipping charges if they were to win. The giveaway ends next Thursday, October 8, at 9pm EST. So don't delay! The winner will be notified by the Mighty Mug company via email.

DISCLAIMER: I received a free mug in exchange for my review of this company. As always, I have given you my honest opinion based on my experience. Your experience may be different, but I highly doubt it.

If you have enjoyed this blog, please take a minute to CLICK. THIS. BANNER. and help my ranking over at Top Mommy Blogs. You guys rock! xoxo
If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers

Monday, September 14, 2015

The Great Tooth Tragedy

I am not a perfect parent. Despite my feeble efforts, I make a TON of mistakes.

I know. Hard to believe, huh?

For instance, there was the time that one teeny-tiny tooth ruined any chances for me being crowned "Mother of the Year."

My nine year old daughter, Kk, had been trying to lose that stubborn little tooth for several weeks. You see, her grown up tooth was coming in and pushing on it, and it hurt!

So I encouraged her to start wiggling it.

"Wiggle it every. single. day," I told her.

What I did NOT tell her was to tell me every single time she did it.  Needless to say, I heard a lot about that little ole tooth.

Then, one day, during dinner. It finally happened. That stubborn little tooth was hanging by a thread and so I told Kk, "Just pull that sucker out already!" and SURPRISE! She actually did it!

Out it popped. One tiny little white baby tooth. I told her very specifically "put the tooth in a baggie right now, so we don't lose it" and went on my way, assuming (I know! Stupid, stupid, stupid!) that she would follow my directions.

A little while later, I was cleaning up the kitchen (Man those kids make a mess quick!) and there were a whole bunch of cups and bowls on the counter filled with water. So I emptied them. I cleaned out the sink, ran the disposer, washed down the counters and went on my merry way.

I was feeling pretty proud that for once my kitchen was clean.

Fast forward to bedtime. Kk comes running from the kitchen, frantic and crying something about a bowl and a tooth and wha wha wha....

I don't speak whinese very well, but thankfully her older sister, Jessi, was there to translate,

"Mom! Did you dump that bowl on the counter?"

To which I happily replied, "Yea! I cleaned the whole kitchen up. Man, you guys really need to learn to pick up after yourselves...."

"MOM! KK's TOOTH WAS IN THERE!"

Say what? "I thought I told you guys to put it in a BAGGIE??"

And then Kk chimes in (in whinese of course) "Buuuuuuuut Jesssiiiiiiii tooooooold meeeee toooo puuuuuut it in waaaaaater to get cleeeeeaaaaaan!" (Well, kid, that was your FIRST mistake. Don't EVER listen to your older sister's advice over your mother's! Then you wouldn't have these kinds of regrets! It's kind of too late now. That sucker is loooong gone. )

"Ooooooh. I'm so sorry sweetie. Next time you better just follow directions. Then we wouldn't have these kinds of tooth tragedies..."

A half hour later, apology note to tooth fairy written and placed ever so carefully under her pillow, she finally calmed down enough for bed.

Whew!

What a lot of hassle over one little tooth.

Now, if the tooth fairy could only remember to come to our house...we'd be golden.
photo credit: antpkr via freedigitalphotos.net

Thanks so much for reading! Please take a minute and click this banner. Each click helps more awesome readers find their way to this blog and could even help me make some money from this sucker! xoxo
Vote for me @ Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory

Friday, September 11, 2015

How to accomplish things on your day off in 16 easy steps

Step 1
Peel yourself out of a warm bed at the horrible screeching of your alarm clock. Find solace in the fact that in exactly one hour you will have EIGHT HOURS of uninterrupted silence.

Step 2
Hurry and help the kids get around for school. After all, nothing motivates a mother more than the promise of solitude! Be sure to almost forget to pack their lunches because last minute panic really gets your blood pumping.

Step 3
Dutifully stand at the bus stop with your kids and pretend to look disappointed when the bus FINALLY pulls in. Refrain from doing cartwheels the whole way home. You don't want to spend your day off in the hospital (or give the neighbors anything else to whisper about you!)

Step 4
Make yourself a giant-sized cup of coffee to help you focus.  Walk away while it brews and forget that you made it.

Step 5
Hunt down a piece of paper and a pen to make a To-Do list for the day. Maybe in the desk? Nope. Not there. In the kitchen junk drawer? Of course not. WHERE ON EARTH ARE ALL THE WRITING UTENSILS IN THIS HOUSE?!!! Finally find a crayon in the bathroom and an old grocery store receipt. Whatever. It works.

Step 6
Begin writing your list. Set it down in the counter when you remember about your cup of coffee. Add creamer to your coffee and then set your cup down on the counter when you realize that you HAVE to at least do ONE load of laundry today.

Step 7
Head off to the laundry room. Try hard to refrain from looking into the children's rooms for dirty laundry, no sense getting yourself all worked up on your day off. Besides, if they have to wear dirty clothes tomorrow it will provide them with a valuable lesson about listening to their mother. Put some laundry in the washing machine. Head back to the kitchen to tackle that list.

Step 8
Completely ignoring the list, settle in at the kitchen table with your phone and catch up on the daily down-low (by scrolling through Facebook.) Remember about that cup of coffee. Oooh, it is still hot! Try to recall the last time you were able to enjoy your coffee without having to reheat it in the microwave fifteen times.

Step 9
Realize that it has been over an hour since putting the kids on the bus and you have not accomplished a thing on your list. Try and remember where you set that dumb ole thing. While searching for your list, remember that you work better when listening to music. Turn on the TV and search for the remote. Now where did the kids put that stupid thing? Turn the living room upside down looking for it. Find it in the bathroom.

Step 10
Now that you have the remote in hand, forget WHY you were looking for it, and settle in on the couch to catch up on some Netflix. You vaguely remember what it is like to pick the program. It feels good!

Step 11
After watching five episodes of your favorite show (THANK YOU, NETFLIX!), realize that you were SUPPOSED to be tackling that list! Whoops. Back to the list.

Step 12
OH NO! You forgot the laundry! Head to the laundry room to move the laundry to the dryer and start another load. Pat yourself on the back that you remembered BEFORE the mildew set in this time. You are so awesome.

Step 13
Open the dishwasher to start a load of dishes. Your phone rings. It's your mother. Answer it. After all, when was the last time you were able to chat without sounding like you had a severe case of Tourettes? And she knows that you are home alone and don't have an excuse for NOT answering. Catch up on ALL the latest family gossip. Realize you have been on the phone for almost half an hour. Tell your mother that you REALLY need to accomplish something today, so you will have to get off the phone. Listen as she tells you five more "important" things. Gently remind her that you need to hang up. Continue listening to her for another half hour. Pretend your other line is ringing to finally get off the phone.

Step 14
Head back to that list.

Step 15
Hear the distinct sound of a school bus rumbling down the road. Look at the clock. WHAT? It must be wrong! It is 3:00 already? Run to the laundry room to look like you are hard at work folding laundry as you hear the children's shouts outside, followed by the slamming of the door and the inevitable "MOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM" that follows.

Step 16
Concede that you can't live in a perfectly clean house AND enjoy your day off. It just wasn't meant to be. Besides, kids NEED chores to help build character and responsibility. You can try again next week. Now you get to tackle making dinner while helping with homework.

And that is a whole new list.
photo credit: stock images at freedigitalphotos.net

How do you enjoy YOUR day off? Share it with me in the comments!

Won't you please take a moment to click this banner? Every click helps improve my ranking on Top Mommy Blogs and makes me more visible to awesome readers like you. A quick review or comment on their site helps me even more. Thanks for all of your support!



If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers


DISCLOSURE: I am a Netflix Brand Ambassador. I receive free products and service for mentioning them in blog posts. But don't let this announcement fool you, I LOVE me some Netflix and would mention them for free.

Looking for something new to binge-on? Check out Netflix's new fall lineup! There is definitely something for everyone.
Scandal
Once Upon a Time
Gotham
Walking Dead
Blacklist
Grey s Anatomy
The League
Heroes

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Bus Driver From Hell

Back to school. The time of year that parents everywhere have been counting down towards for the past several weeks. Not because we don't love our kids, but because we have been so busy caring for their every. single. desire for so long that now we need a breather.
















photo courtesy of Rawich at freedigitalphotos.net
Sure, I have joked with the best of them about how much I want, no NEED, my kiddos to head back to school (and I certainly meant it at least half of the time!) But the reality is, as much as I need some sane time to refresh, and clean this giant pit-hole-of-a-house, I do miss them during the day and want for them to be safe. They are my babies. I am excited right alongside them. I cry for them when they hurt. I am scared for them, which brings me to today's topic: school buses.

Riding the school bus is a necessity in our house. My husband and I both work outside of the home, making it near impossible to shuttle our four children (in three different schools with different school hours) back and forth to school each day. And so, each morning, we entrust our children's lives into the hands of another human being. The bus driver.

Now, I don't envy that job for one single second. Just the mere thought of a vehicle full of excited, screaming, sometimes crying children makes me cringe. It certainly takes a certain (very brave) type of person to tackle that challenging job.

And I respect that.

With that being said, it is my opinion that is a person can not handle those types of situations with finesse (and an obscene amount of patience that I do not possess) than maybe the job of bus driver is not a good fit. It is not like that is the only job in the world. There are plenty more to choose from, and we live in a country where we are allowed the luxury of choosing.

This is why I cannot seem to wrap my head around the fact that for the past several years we have been un-blessed with a HORRIBLE bus driver. She is rude. She is mean. She starts each day with a scowl and a gruff "Hurry up and sit down" and ends it with the same. And no amount of my kindness has been able to change it.

She is The Grinch of the bus garage.

Now, before you think I am just exaggerating, let me tell you how I know she is so horrible. Three years ago, she literally shut me in the bus door.

Let that sink in. SHUT. ME. IN. THE. DOOR. OF. HER. BUS.

After pulling in to the bus stop at the end of the day, she kept the bus door shut and was yelling at the kids. I could hear her from my apartment, which is around 100 feet from the bus stop. I proceeded to walk to the bus stop and patiently wait for her to open the bus door, which took her another five minutes, during which, she continued to scream at the children on the bus. Upon opening the door, I approached the bus stairs and kindly asked "Is there a problem on the bus today?" to which she proceeded to scream at me about how awful my children are. This took me aback, because even though they can be a challenge at home, they are always good at school. So, I apologized for her frustrations and nicely asked her to "Please refrain from screaming at my children on the bus. If they are challenging you, please let ME know and we will handle it appropriately at home." Apparently that statement sent this loon over the edge, because she shut the door, while I was still standing in it, put the bus into gear, and started to drive off. I had to JUMP out of the way!

That whole debacle turned into a FULL YEAR of us battling the bus garage, because the bus tapes "mysteriously" dissappeared from that day, and we ended up driving our children to and from school daily for the rest of the school year. At the end of that school year, we were told by the bus garage that she had been "disciplined" and our children should be fine on the bus.

The following year, we put our children back on the bus, only to have another issue. This time, she yanked my daughter back onto the bus by her backpack when she tried to exit the bus while being bitched out. And again, the tapes magically were not working that day. It took us several months, AGAIN, to battle the bus garage, and after threats of a lawsuit, we were given a new bus driver and a new bus route.

Finally, we felt peace about our children riding the school bus.

This year, our youngest child starts kindergarten. What a magical time of our lives! It should be exciting to see her skip to the bus stop, braids swinging. It was exciting this morning as I walked her to the bus stop for the very first day of school.

Until the bus pulled in and we saw that same grumpy-faced bus driver of our nightmares sitting behind the wheel.

Here's to hoping that we have a fun and safe school year. But if we don't, I won't be dealing with an extremely unhelpful and unjust bus garage this time around. This year, Momma Bear has her claws out.

And the police department on speed dial.

Do your kids have to ride a school bus? How do you feel about that? Share your stories with me!



Miss me this summer? I sure missed you! We had a super busy (and fun) summer and I just couldn't find the time to write and my ranking over at Top Mommy proves it... I have slipped from the top of the list to the very bottom! Won't you please take a moment and give this banner a click? Every click helps improve my ranking and makes me more visible to awesome readers like you. Thanks for all of your support!
If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers

Monday, August 31, 2015

Four fun science experiments for your little scientist

Has the summer turned your kids brains to mush? There is nothing like a little "science" to get their little minds turning again. (And JUST in time for school! Yay!)

My kids LOVE science experiments. And they love making a big ole mess even more. We have done many a science "project" around this house and they ALWAYS end a ginormous mess. Thankfully, I have found a way for them to have some science fun and keep the clean-up to a minimum. Score!


So, if you have a blossoming scientist in your house, here are some quick and easy experiments that will satisfy their ever-growing curiosity. (Or at least give you a FEW minutes of peace. Hey, we gotta take what we can get as parents.)


1. The Lava Lamp
What you need:
Water bottle
Vegetable oil
Food coloring
Effervescent tablet (Denture cleaner)

Remove the label from the water bottle. Pour out 1/4 of the water. Add a couple drops of food coloring to the remaining water in the bottle. Mix well. Fill the bottle the rest of the way up with vegetable oil (leave a small space at the top of the bottle) Drop an effervescent tablet into the bottle and cap tightly. Watch the colored bubbles float around just like a lava lamp! For even more fun, shine a flashlight through the bottom of the water bottle.

2. Ice Fishing
What you need:
Small plastic container
Ice cubes
Table salt
String

Fill the container 2/3 full with water. Add a couple ice cubes. Sprinkle some salt on top of the ice cubes and then lay the ice on top of the salted ice cubes. Wait about a minute, then lift the string to see how many ice cubes you caught. Try it again without the salt. How many do you catch both ways?

3. Green Penny
What you need:
Small petri dish with lid (or a shallow container works just as well)
Penny
Paper towel
Vinegar

Fold a paper towel a few times so that it fits into the bottom of the petri dish. Pour in enough vinegar to soak the paper towel. Put the penny on the paper towel and cover the container. Take a look at the penny every few hours to see what happens. (Keep the penny in the dish for an entire day for best results.) Try the experiment with other coins and see what happens. Are the results the same?

4. Morphing Straw
What you need:
Clear plastic jar
Drinking Straws
Cooking oil

Fill the jar 1/2 full with oil. Put the straw into the jar until it touches the bottom and push it to one side of the jar. Bring the jar up to eye level and turn the jar slowly. Watch the straw. How does its appearance change as the jar turns? Can you make part of the straw dissapear? Try the experiment again using water instead of oil. Do you get the same results?

**These experiments are brought to you courtesy of Netflix who provided my daughters with a very cool (and Top Secret) experiment kit in exchange for this post.


If you want more fun, check out the new original Netflix series Project MC2, where smart is the new cool. My girls really love this show and yours probably will too! Here is a sneak peak:


Here are a few more shows that will get their little minds back into gear for the school year!


60021788 hd1080 426x607
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
70208106 hd1080 426x607
How the State Got Their Shapes
80062985 hd1080 426x607
Odd Squad

80063156 hd1080 426x607
Reading Rainbow
70264612 hd1080 426x607
Magic School Bus
70180293 hd1080 426x607
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
As always, thanks for reading! If you would please take a minute to click this banner, I would really appreciate it! 
If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers
Every click helps improve my ranking at Top Mommy Blogs which brings more traffic to this blog and it only takes a second of your time! xoxo

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

A walk to the park

If it is warm and sunny, chances are, your kids will want to go to the park. And since you have been on a fitness kick, you will decide that walking the half mile to the park is a great way to burn some extra calories so that you can afford to eat that bowl of ice cream you have been craving.

So you will grab your phone and a book, lock the door, and you will walk.

With your kids.

Along that walk, your kids will notice some wildflowers growing, and they will pick you some. Their beautiful yellow bouquet will remind you that you are allergic to dandelions. Unfortunately it won't remind the kids, who will find that blowing the dandelion seeds is a delightful game that makes mom sneeze.

All that laughter will remind the kids that it is always super fun to cross a busy street. Thankfully there aren't any cars coming as your five year old darts across it without looking. So you will run across the street too, screaming like a wild banshee, which will remind the kids that while crossing the street is fun, it is even more fun to run way ahead of you so that you have to chase them.

All that running will remind you why you don't like running. It will remind the kids that trespassing through people's front yards and picking flowers out of their flower beds is even more fun than darting across a street while mom screams.

You will finally reach the park, though your sanity may be trailing slightly behind the pack.

Reaching the park will remind you that you brought a book and can maybe have five minutes of peace and quiet to catch up on some reading.

Reaching the park will remind your kids that it is always fun to climb up to the top of the rope tower and scream for help getting down.

You put down your book and head out to the rescue.

Coaxing a frightened five year old down from the top of the playground equipment will remind you why it is stupid to bring a book to the park. It will remind your five year old that she really does love to climb that thing and she will climb back up again. And again. And again.

You finally persuade her to try something different so that you can sit down with your book.

Then your phone rings. It is your husband. He is on his way home from work. You attempt to spend two minutes talking to him and of course, that is when your five year old decides to climb up a twisty pole on her own and bumps her chin. You hang up the phone to comfort her.

Bumping her chin will remind her that she hasn't been up the rope tower in a while and she will start that fun game all over again.

You will finally get the kids playing independently and sit down to read your book.

That is when you will notice that the temperature has dropped slightly and the sky is starting to get a little darker. Wait. Was that a raindrop? You are reminded that you have to walk home and you attempt to gather up the kids to start the trek back home.

You telling the kids that it is about to rain and you need to leave, reminds them that they never went down the slide. And because you can't go to the park without going down the slide (five hundred times) they will run up the steps to go down the slide.

You will feel another raindrop and remember that not only did you walk to the park, you are carrying a book and a cell phone and don't have any pockets. You will tell the kids that if they don't come now, they will have to find a new family because you are leaving, with or without them.

This announcement will make your five year old run back up the steps to the top of the slide for "one last time."

You feel another rain drop.

Feeling the rain drop will remind your kids that you have to walk home. And they will come running. It will remind you that you don't have a safe place to put your phone to keep it from getting wet and you will set a faster pace.

Seeing you walk faster, will remind the kids how fun it is to run way ahead of mom on the side of a busy street. You will run after them, screaming like a wild banshee. Again.

You will feel more rain, as it starts to come down in a light sprinkle. This will remind your five year old that she really doesn't like rain which will set her into a panic. She will cry and carry on and act like she is sugar and the rain is going to wash her away.

During all that fuss, the rain will start to come down even harder. That will remind your five year old that rain is wet. It will also remind her that when it rains on you, your clothes stick to you. That will cause her to panic even more. All that crying and carrying on will remind you why it is smart to check the weather before going on a walk to the park.

You somehow make it home from the park without your five year old melting or you blowing your top. You get inside right as the rain stops. When the rain stops, the sun will come back out which will remind your kids that when it is warm and sunny...

You want to go play at the park.

This time, you drive.

Do me a favor, would ya? Click this banner. Every click is a vote which improves my ranking on Top Mommy blogs and brings new visitors to this site daily! You're the best. xoxo
If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers

Love what you read here? Follow me on Facebook and Twitter too! And be sure to leave a comment, I love reading what you think of this blog! Without you, I would just be talking to myself and that's just weird.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

It Takes a Village


Have you ever felt your life spiraling out of control?

The bills. The laundry. The kids. THINGS. Just piling up.

This was my life.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

The 2015 Best of the Guest Blog Awards and Voter Giveaway Rules and Regulations

Welcome to DQM's very first 

Best of the Guest Blog Awards!


This week marks a very special 1-year Blogiversary for A Day in the Life of a Drama Queen's Momma! I would have never gotten this far without ALL of you, my awesome readers and a few really great bloggers who offered to write guest posts for me when I was too busy to keep you all entertained. SO A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU!

As a reward for lending me their awesome writing skills (and keeping you guys laughing), I am announcing the very 1st Best of the Guest Blog Awards where my amazing guest bloggers have a chance to win a cool prize based on YOUR votes!

Friday, May 8, 2015

It's the Little Things

A mother has a big job. From wiping snotty noses, to never-ending laundry piles, to feeding bottomless pit stomachs, to pulling all-nighters with a sick child, some days seriously do feel like they will never end.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire: Outrageous lies told by kids


If you have a child, chances are you have been lied to on one occasion or another. And if you are super lucky, you will have a grand embellisher like we do. Our middle daughter knows how to spin a tale, let me tell ya.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Kids Say The Darndest Things 2


I had so much fun with my original "Kids say the darndest things" post that I couldn't even help but to put together another addition! This time around, my delightful Facebook fans provided the fodder for this laugh-filled post on the hilariously inappropriate things that kids say.


WARNING: Use the bathroom before reading this post

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Brennan's Reviews: Fazoli's Restaurant

A Restaurant Review as seen through the eyes of a 5 year old, written by her mother (Because she can't really write yet.) 


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Marriage is like a Bra...

Marriage is like a bra.

Well, that's an analogy you probably haven't heard before! But it is true!

Marriage is like a stretchy well broken-in bra!

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Dinner & A Show: Not Your Momma's Grilled Cheese

I LOVE Netflix. But let's face it, they offer so many choices that sometimes it is just plain hard to choose! So, as a public service to YOU, I am going to share a new Netflix find and, as a bonus, I am going to include one of my favorite recipes to go along with it! So sit back, relax, and let me bring you the perfect night in courtesy of Netflix.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Kids say the darndest things.

This morning, as I was taking my morning constitutional, my 5 year old daughter, Brennan, came in to chat. Lucky me, right?! But, if you are a mother, you know that you can't even poop in peace! So not really THAT surprising.

Today was no different than normal, talking about important topics such as hair piece placement and jewelry box contents, until I finished and went to flush. Then it got weird.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

I Will Never Be a Pinterest Mom: A guest post by Harmony Hobbs


Find the brilliant Harmony Hobbs over on Modern Mommy Madness!
_________________________

I will Never be a Pinterest Mom
by Harmony Hobbs of Modern Mommy Madness


Recently my first-grader came home laden with Pinterest-worthy treats given to him by classmates at a school party, proving once again that I am "that" mom. You know. The lazy one.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Netflix: A Family Affair

As most of you know, I am a HUGE fan of Netflix. They have saved my sanity on more than one occasion. (Can we say "Snow Days"?!) And I enjoy writing for them once a month as part of their "stream team" of bloggers because the posts seriously write themselves. (Who doesn't already LOVE Netflix?!) But lately I have been so busy with work and life that it has been harder and harder to carve out some writing time.

So when they reached out to me this month and asked if I would be interested in letting my daughters write my post this month, I was ALL ears. You see, they have an original series called Mako Mermaids that my daughters LOVE. We already watch it.

A LOT.

And what better way to truly make Netflix a family affair, than to bring it full circle and let them do the talking for me this month.

When I asked my oldest daughter (who is 12) how she felt about writing a review on the show and the youngest girls if they would draw the pictures to go with their older sister's review, they all were super hyped! (And the icing on the cake was Netflix sending them a pretty awesome "mermaid" kit in the mail as a thank-you for all their hard work!)

<----What little girl wouldn't be excited about getting all THIS in the mail? Shoot! Can *I* write some stuff about your show next time? I want some Bath & Body Works and Eos! I like to paint MY nails! I want beach worthy hair in the middle of winter! And they won't even SHARE it with me. Huh.

The kids worked very hard to let you know why Mako Mermaids is a great show that YOUR tweenage girls would enjoy too.

So without further ado, I give you my tween, Jess, with her debut on my blog.


 Why I Love Mako Mermaids and You Should Too
by Jessica, age 12


The show Mako Mermaids: H2O Adventures is about these three mermaids who have been banned from the other mermaids because they turned a human into a mermaid. They are just learning how to walk with legs and get into a lot of trouble in the human world. When they get wet anywhere on their body, anywhere at all, their legs transform back into tails. Then they have to wait to dry off completely to turn back to humans. 

I like this show because it is more realistic than other shows I have watched about mermaids. I don't think it is fair that mermaids have to choose between being a human or being a mermaid when they could be both! I also like this show because you don't have to watch ALL the episodes for it to make sense. When I first watched it, I was at my friend's house and we watched an episode that was in the middle of Season 1 because that was where she was in the series. We really loved it! We loved it so much, that when we got home, we tied our feet together and tried to walk around like mermaids. It was so funny!

My FAVORITE episode is the season finale of season 1. In this episode, the human friend of a merman tries to become a merman. He steals a trident and uses it in a fight against the mermaids so that he can fall into the moon pool and become a merman. (If you fall into the moon pool during a full moon, you will be transformed.) 

I am pretty excited about Season 2 being out now so I can continue watching this great show. If you love mystical creatures, mermaids, fantasy, suspense, or action shows, you should watch Mako Mermaids! It will leave you wanting to watch more.

What shows do YOUR kids love? Leave me a comment!


I receive complimentary Netflix service in return for my endorsement, but all opinions and referrals are 100% my own opinion.
Be sure to tune in to Mako Mermaids Season 2 available now on Netflix!

HELP ME BECOME THE BEST BLOGGER IN THE WHOLE WORLD!
Okay, that was a tad bit exaggerated. 
But clicking the banner below DOES give me a vote. And votes make me happy.
So help a sistah out, would ya?

If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers
Please take a minute and rate my blog while you are there.
You can find me in the humor section.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Compassion. Pass it on.

The recent trend of mom-bashing and internet bullying really gets on my nerves. It seems like every single day, as I am scrolling through my morning bulletin (Read: Facebook newsfeed), I see at least one instance of a mom calling another mom out about her choices.

And it doesn't stop there.

If you are dumb brave enough to click on the comments on that post, the bashing usually gets worse. Women ganging up together to completely word lash another woman, a fellow mom. Blast after blast, some mothers force their opinions on other mothers to the point of outright bullying.

But when does it STOP?

The answer to that question is simple: It stops when WE MAKE IT STOP. When we band together and realize that we are all just mothers. Mothers who are trying to make the best choice for our families. Mothers who are human and who make mistakes. Mothers with different backgrounds and upbringings, different income levels and different support systems. Mothers with different education, perspectives, and opinions. Not wrong, not right, just different.

When we realize that different isn't wrong, then, and only then, can we stop this horrible trend. Mothers judge themselves more harshly than anyone else ever could and what they are truly desperate for is compassion and understanding. If you can’t offer that, then ask yourself "What does it matter to you?" instead of lashing out.

If I want to give my baby a bottle of formula or if I want to breastfeed my child until she is five years old...

What does it matter to you?

If I choose to work because I need to get away from my family for a couple hours each day or because we need the extra income, or if I choose to stay home because I can't get enough of my children's sweet cherub faces and no one can raise them like I can and the monetary sacrifice is worth it to me...

What does it matter to you?

If I want to dress to the nines and wear makeup every single day or if I want to wear yoga pants all day, every day or even no pants at all...

What does it matter to you?

If I home-school my children to provide them with the best learning environment possible or if I choose to send my kids to public school in the heart of the ghetto to teach them diversity...

What does it matter to you?

If I put my kid in the shower with me to shave a couple minutes off of our morning routine or have a closed and locked bathroom door policy...

What does it matter to you?

The truth? It doesn't. None of your choices as a mother affect me. None of my choices as a mother affect you. Whatever choices I make, I make with my family's best interest at heart. I bet that mother who chooses the opposite of me does so with her family's best interest at heart as well.

Let's choose to be supportive when another mother puts herself out there for ridicule by posting a picture or defends a personal choice with her words. Even if we don't agree with it. It works for her.

Let's choose to be understanding of a different point of view. Just because we do not agree does not mean that we need to be harsh and condescending to someone who does. Let's agree to disagree.

Let's choose to love each other, faults and all. After all, we ALL make mistakes. And hate only begets hate.

Let's choose to embrace each other as mothers, as women, who are all battling the same fight to raise a family the best way we know how and not lose ourselves in the delicate balance between motherhood and womanhood.

Let's choose our words wisely and carefully when we see something come across our screens that is opposite of what we personally believe. A kind word goes so much further than a harshly spoken one.

Let's choose compassion, because it really is a choice.

This piece was written as part of a world-wide compassion movement. 
Find more great voices speaking compassion by clicking on the picture above 
and by searching both Facebook and Twitter for the hashtag #1000Speak. 
Join the Facebook Group 1000 Voices for Compassion for more information.
Photo credit goes to the very talented Qwiet Muse.

HELP ME BECOME THE BEST BLOGGER IN THE WHOLE WORLD!
Okay, that was a tad bit exaggerated. 
But clicking the banner below DOES give me a vote. And votes make me happy.
So help a sistah out, would ya?

If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers
Please take a minute and rate my blog while you are there.
You can find me in the humor section.

Following my blog makes you cool. Trust me.





Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Brennan's Reviews: Hibachi Grill Buffet

A Restaurant Review as seen through the eyes of a 5 year old, written by her mother (Because she can't really write yet.)



When my mom asks me where I want to eat, I ALWAYS choose the Chinese buffet.

She doesn't ask me very much. I don't really know why she doesn't cuz I know a LOT of things.

Like how to speak Chinese.

I like to practice it on the people who work at the buffet. Hola! That means "hello" in Chinese! I bet you didn't even know that! The girl who came to our table to bring us our drinks was VERY impressed.

My mom...not so much.

I guess she doesn't speak Chinese.

I like this place cuz I don't have to wait for my food to come to me. I don't like waiting. My mom says I have to have "patience" but I don't really like to go to the doctor's.

What I DO like to do is eat. And this place lets me get my own food that I pick myself. Sometimes my mom doesn't like me to get my own food. She thinks I am still a BABY who needs help.

Guess what! I'm not. I am very big. And I can use those pinchy things and get my OWN noodles. That's my favorite thing to eat here. Those long white noodles with EGGS in them. My mom doesn't NEVER make noodles with eggs in them.

It's probably cuz she's not Chinese.

I don't really like how there is carrots in there though. I think that there is sneaky business. Like how my mom tries to do at home with my dinner plate. But I am too smart for all that. So I am REAL careful to pick them ALL out.

I also don't eat the broccoli that comes in the chicken I like. I don't eat green things.

Ever.

Other than that, the food at this place is really good. It's so good that sometimes I need to just sneak a taste before I even get back to my chair!

My mom doesn't like when I do that.

She likes to ruin all my fun. "Use your silverware" she says. "Wait until we get to the table" she says. What kind of fun is THAT?

Not any fun. That's what.

But do you want to know what IS fun? Two words. Chop. Sticks. Did you know that Chinese people use them and not a fork? Well, since I know Chinese words, I need to know Chinese forks too.

And I like to practice using them sticks to eat my noodles. And sometimes jello too. But that is kind of hard cuz that stuff is slip-pry! I would use them to eat my ice cream too, but my mom says N-O in her mean voice when I do that. She makes me use a stupid ole SPOON. Boring!

But it's okay, cuz I REALLY like ice cream.

My mom always says I gotta eat my moneys worth when I go to the buffet.

I think my mom is silly cuz we aren't 'sposed to eat money! But I DO eat a lot of food here.

My mom says that is good cuz this place is EX-PEN-SIVE. My dad said we were gonna have to do LOTS of chores to work off this bill. I think he was just being silly though. He knows I don't like stupid chores.

There are LOTS of things that I like at this place! But want to know what I like the mostest? Fortune cookies!

When you are good and eat all your food, they bring you a cookie that has a message inside! I always make my mom read me mine.

This time my mom said that my message was REAL true. It said something about people liking me to come to their parties.

It's probably because I always pick good presents.

When we are all finished with our food, my mom always makes me tell her how many fingers I think the restaurant gets. She says 1 finger is bad and 5 fingers is I want to eat here my whole life every day.

This time I was tricky to her!

I said this restaurant gets 10 fingers. 10 super-clean-fingers. And I know they are super clean cuz I washed them in the bathroom. Even though there wasn't a stool to stand on.

I think that is kinda dumb.

But I still like this place. And you probably will too.



All opinions in these restaurant reviews are my own and given for free cuz I like to talk and tell stories. Nobody gives me any free food or moneys to tell about my 'ventures. (But if they wanted to, my ears would be listening for sure.)

Did you like my review? Did you know there are more of these suckers?! 
What can I say? I like to eat! You should probably read them too...
The Cracker Barrel Restaurant
Steak 'n Shake Restaurant
Fazoli's Restaurant

I also wrote about a cool movie that I love to watch. You can read that here:
Prima Princessa presents The Nutcracker
___________________________________________________________________
HELP ME BECOME THE BEST BLOGGER IN THE WHOLE WORLD!
Okay, that was a tad bit exaggerated. 
But clicking the banner below DOES give me a vote. And votes make me happy.
So help a sistah out, would ya?
If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers
Please take a minute and rate my blog while you are there.
You can find me in the humor section.