Before you read anything, PLEASE head over to this link for my WINGS GIVEAWAY!!!!!
TONS of glitter used on these wings!!!
Check out the gorgeous iridescence!
Orange butterfly is removable, if you prefer.
Right now entries are very low!!!! There are many ways to get entries- don't stop at just one! Follow the link above and comment on that post to tell me how many entries you deserve!!!
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5 things that are making me feel good today:
1. I have a new oven. It's pretty ridiculous, this story. A month ago, Brandon was washing a few dishes, and dropped a bowl, which he caught with his knee against the front of my oven, which, instead of saving the bowl, just shattered the glass on the front of the door.
We tried to order new glass from the manufacturer only to discover that our particular model was discontinued. For weeks we searched through glass companies, and none of them would custom make a pane for an oven- not even the people from the wood burning stove companies!!!
Finally, we got one brand new on clearance. It's not as high tech as my old one, but it's clean and new and much nicer than buying a refurbished one...for the exact same price.
So yeah! I am feeling good about that.
2. Pumpkin is back in stores!! Usually I buy it all year long. It is one of my favorite foods. There is absolutely nothing so delectable as pumpkin. Anything pumpkin.
Apparently, though, last year's crops flooded, and ruined the pumpkins. So there hasn't been any pumpkin available in stores since February.
It's BACK! And I'm going to make some pumpkin bread!
3. My kids are in bed and have been really good kids today. I love them. I love them SO MUCH.
4. Lilly's pictures are back from school, and she looks really cute. I was worried because every time I would ask her "How did you smile?" she would show me a grin that looked like someone had punched her in the belly and she was trying not to cry.
5. I'm feeling pretty good about life in general. Brandon is never here. He goes to school in the morning and works all night, gets about 5 hours of sleep or less each night, and when we DO see him, it's on Sundays- where we spend a huge chunk of the day at church. But I've been pleasantly surprised. Things are working out. We're dealing with it. We are in a good place, and while we're not rich, our finances are pretty decent. So, I'm content.
Dear Lady With A Cart Full Of Shampoo At Wal*Mart,
I'm sorry, but this place might be cheapo, redneck Wally-world, but it still is not a flea market. You cannot put a whole bunch of crap in a cart, offer to pay 40 bucks for all of it and then sit and argue with the manager about how it's a great deal, and it's more than the items are worth.
Haggling is frowned upon when you're at a retail store. Believe me, I was a manager at a Shopko store back in my single days, and people try it all the time. I'm sorry- but they just don't have that kind of power, especially when something isn't damaged in any way. You just want it for less.
If you want to debate a price, please go down town to the swap meet, and get out of the way so the rest of us can continue to check out.
Signed,
You're stupid.
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Dear Cashier guy at Wal*Mart-
I really have to say that you are NOT the world champion of checker-outers. You are SO SLOW.
However, I also have to say that what you lose in speed, you truly make up for in conversation. You are sweet to my children (much unlike the lady next to you, who, when my Lilly once said hello, she told me to get my child under control because this wasn't a playground. ~eye roll~) and talk to them like they're your friends. You have a sunny disposition, and you remind me very much of my grandfather.
Also, thanks for the tip on pumpkin cookies: Use butterscotch chips instead of chocolate. Absolute YUMMO!!!!
Thanks for being such a great guy in the midst of all the other Wal*Mart hell stories.
Signed,
Appreciative.
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Dear readers,
I know I've been gone a long time. I know I don't deserve for you all to come back rallying around me and making me feel like I'm wonderful.
I am truly sorry for ditching you for so long.
But I have this fantastic giveaway with these gorgeous wings going on (scroll up for a link, or scroll down to the post from yesterday) and they're my favorite that I've ever made so far. I really want this to be a good giveaway, and not just come down to 6 or 7 possible winners.
So, yes, I'm begging you. Please enter my giveaway.
Please come back and read my blog as though you care what I have to say. Because back in the day (3 months ago when I first got my debilitating morning sickness) you, your comments, and your support were really one of the bright highlights of my day.
****PLEASE!! Before reading my writer's prompts, PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK TO ENTER MY WINGS GIVEAWAY!!!! GORGEOUS wings up for grabs! Thanks friends!!****
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On many a Thursday, I have been inspired to write my Mama Kat's Writer's Prompts. Because of my lovely giveaway, I was going to put it off this week and focus on that- BUT, then I saw the prompts, and they are FAR too tempting to ignore.
There is a certain teacher that I have wanted to immortalize in infamy for a good long time. Now is my chance.
2.) But teachers know everything!! Write about a time a teacher disappointed you.
I suppose that there have been many teachers who have disappointed me. Most of them for different reasons, or because they were terrible, or because they embarrassed me somehow.
But one that sticks out very clearly in my mind is a teacher I had in College. I was in my 3rd year. I was just about to finally get my Associates (yeah- I'm a slacker and took a few too many "Mickey Mouse" classes) and my whole semester was full of classes that, well, sucked. Math classes, science classes, all the ones I don't care for.
Unfortunately for me, I was above and beyond what I needed for my most beloved and preferred English requirements and the school, for some reason, would not let me continue in those classes (poetry, creative writing, literature, etc.) until I finished off the math and science portion of the requirements.
I WAS, however, able to take a class that was BELOW my level. So I took an entry level English class- I believe it was English 1020 or something of the like.
I was really excited for this because while, for me, it was very basic and covered pretty much everything I had studied in my AP English class in High School (we even used the exact same book) I was looking forward to discussing some of my favorite classic novels, short stories and poetry. I was even looking forward to the essays I would be writing. And I was hoping that something new would be thrown in there too.
Unfortunately, I learned from the first day that my teacher had a very different idea of what a "classic" novel was, as he told us we could read anything we wanted as long as it was "popular" which included Harry Potter, anything by Stephen King, or Beverly Cleary.
I was shocked. And for my first novel, I picked The Scarlet Letter, which, after reading my first essay, he concluded that I was not advanced enough for such reading and insisted that I delve into a book called Prince Of Tides (which was disturbing, sickening and absolutely NOT a classic, in my mind) because it would "help me solve all of my obvious family problems." How he would know about any family problems I had after a week of class and one essay about The Scarlet Letter, I have no idea.
The semester went on with the same kind of things happening left and right. My interpretations of short stories were cut down, even though my research and other past, more advanced training in the subject screamed that I was correct.
He even said he hated Shakespeare and gave a lecture about how Shakespeare's sonnet # 130:
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
was about a man who was trapped within his own self loathing because of a "fatal attraction" to a woman who was less than beautiful, in fact, she was ugly, and smelly, and altogether not good enough for him, which would, ultimately lead to murder.
My OWN interpretation was that this sonnet is beautiful and hope for all women as none of us can ever hope to be absolutely perfect, and that a man will someday love us dearly, despite our faults.
Clearly, I was mistaken.
My disappointment was absolutely sealed at the end of the year, when his last assignment was that we watch a movie of our choice, and write about all the Atheist/Anarchy symbolism, which, according to him, was the nature of man and thus lay in everything we create.
My essay was a 5 page bunch of bovine excrement about Mandy Moore's movie "A Walk To Remember."
Of course, if you've seen the movie, you'll be able to imagine that my intentions were completely satirical. But he was too dumb to see it.
It was the only paper in that class that I received an A on.
This is my second giveaway on this blog, and I am so infinitely excited about them!
As a matter of fact, I love these wings so much, I second guessed the whole thing because they very well may be my favorite wings to date- and I have made a LOT of wings!!!
Here: Take a peak at the lovely things that YOU or your daughter could be wearing soon!
(Orange butterfly is removable)
See the iridescence?
Curious how to enter?
Well, I'm going to give you A LOT of chances to win this pair of my FAVORITE wings!!!
Contest dates: TODAY, September 30 - Thursday, October 7th
***VERY IMPORTANT: If you qualify for ANY of these entries, I need you to COMMENT and tell me ALL of the things you have done to earn entries. For example, if you grab my button or blog about my giveaway, I might not know unless you tell me!!!*****
1. YOU MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT! (I am SO SORRY! It just costs a LOT of money to send these out of the country!!!)
2. For a grand total of 3 ENTRIES, BLOG about my giveaway to get more traffic to this site!
3. 1 ENTRY- FOLLOW ME! And for an additional entry, if you hop on over to my OTHER blog (the one about fairies) at http://www.thegossamerjewelbox.blogspot.com/ and FOLLOW ME THERE TOO!!!
4. 1 ENTRY- Grab my button!!! This counts for either THIS blog's button or the one on http://www.thegossamerjewelbox.blogspot.com/ - and YES!!! If you grab both, you can get 2 ENTRIES!!!
5. 1 ENTRY- PLEASE click on the TOP MOMMY BLOGS button on the left side of my blog so as to vote for my blog- (after all, we know this is just a big popularity contest, right?? LOL- I'm kidding...sort of.)
6. 1 LAST ENTRY- Leave a comment on a DIFFERENT post of mine here, or at http://www.thegossamerjewelbox.blogspot.com/ - once again, yes, doing it in both places earns you an extra entry!
As you can tell, not only is this giveaway something that I want to do because A-My wings are awesome and I want to share them with you (and possibly sell some- hint, hint: http://www.gossamerjewelbox.etsy.com/ ) B- I LOVE MY READERS and it's such a wonderful way to say THANKS! C-Duh- to get more followers...
BUT...I'm trying to direct more traffic to my Fairy blog too.
Good luck with the contest friends!! You have a week!!!
Today is Wordless Wednesday over at 5 Minutes For Mom - by all means, hop on over and link up!
Today, my wordless Wednesday is meant to give you a sneak peek at my upcoming giveaway!!! To see more stunning pictures of these GORGEOUS sunflower fairy wings, please visit my Gossamer Jewel Box blog.
Tomorrow (THURSDAY) visit EITHER of my blogs for instructions on HOW TO ENTER the giveaway!!!
*Disclaimer- ONLY FRIENDLY COMMENTS PLEASE: this does not mean you cannot disagree or state your opinion, but I will NOT be subject to personal attacks, nor will I allow my readers to be subject to them either. If you leave a rude comment or a personal attack, your comment WILL be deleted, without warning, without further discussion. *
This particular topic was inspired by a good bloggy-friend of mine back in May. I would LOVE for you guys to hop on over and visit her blog, read her opinion, and then come here to further discuss the topic.
In MY personal opinion, Laurie hit the nail on the head with this one. Her opinion is MY opinion.
Obviously, you all already know that I am a pro vaccine mom. ALL of my children are current and up to date on their vaccines. YES, including chickenpox. And they had them ON TIME.
I have pretty strong opinions on just about EVERY topic out there. But for the most part, I feel they are strong and correct for ME and my family, not for everyone (ie. topics such as: family bed, breastfeeding, circumcising, attachment parenting, CIO, preschool, and so on.) and while I'm ALWAYS a sucker for a well directed discussion on such things, for the most part, I don't really give a darn about what you do with your children. I am of the opinion that there are a million different correct and wonderful ways to raise a child. Just because my parenting, discipline, bedtime or cooking style may be different from yours does not mean that I feel you are "wrong". I just feel that I'm right for me and my children. We ALL want what's best for our children. And what's best for one family isn't necessarily what's best for another.
And because I have strong opinions, it has to be said that I didn't GET those strong opinions based on biased internet articles or because it's the 'norm' or because someone told me to do it. I got those opinions because I have done MUCH research on my own, and in many cases discussed my child's welfare with doctors, and did some 'crunchy' research on the side.
All of that being said, vaccinations are one of the very VERY few things that get me going. I DO, as a matter of fact, feel that it is a menace to society to let a child wander around unvaccinated. There are SO many arguments that parents come up with about why they don't vaccinate their children, from not wanting to introduce toxins into their bodies, to religious reasons, to autism, to the idea that if everyone else is vaccinated, then their child won't catch or spread illnesses (which is completely untrue, and, in my opinion, is very irresponsible and rather morbid to be honest) and my very most favorite (sarcasm) : "It's better for them to build their own immunity."
First of all, I will NEVER argue with someone who says they have "religious" reasons for not wanting to vaccinate. People do all kinds of things for religious reasons. I do. I'm a very religious person. But I don't buy it when someone from MY church tries to convince me that vaccinations are of the devil. If it were, I am 100% sure that our church leaders would say so. When that happens, I'll obey and let my kids go au natural. But I don't think that'll ever happen. And I think it's a low trick to SAY that it's for religious reasons when it really is not.
As far as Autism goes, there is not now and never has been any link between vaccines and Autism.
Yes, I know. It's all over the internet, celebrities by the throngs speak out about it, ect. etc. etc. Unfortunately for the all knowing Gods of the Silver Screen (more sarcasm) the only study ever done on the subject that came up with evidence that the MMR vaccine caused Autism was done by a man who very clearly MADE the results the way he wanted. His study was corrupt in the WORST way. He was paid by a company to FIND something wrong with the vaccine, he used a very small group of children for his study and had no control group. Dozens of studies have since been done in more correct patterns and the findings have never once been duplicated or even neared.
You can read more about this Here and even watch a video Here.
Many parents blame the Thermosil (mercury) in the vaccine for causing their child's Autism. BUT, mercury hasn't been used in vaccines since 2004. (It IS still prevalent in flu shots, though, just for a heads up.)
The problem with all the parents who see their child "contract" autism after getting that round of shots is that Autism is one of those things that manifests and is diagnosed at about the same time that a child is given shots. It doesn't mean there's a cause or even correlation.
*SIDE TOPIC BECAUSE I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT*
The thing about Autism is that it's such a broad spectrum. There are so many different types of Autism that range from high functioning to low functioning to behavioral problems.
So many parents are concerned that Autism is on the rise. Well, it is. But not because of vaccinations, it's because of MEDICATION.
Truly. Thirty years ago, a child with Autism would have simply been labeled "socially inappropriate" or "anti social" and "outcast". Now a days, there is such a deeper understanding of the disorder (though, there is still a LONG way to go) and more and more people are being diagnosed with it than would have been before. Furthermore, there are medications and therapies and treatments that parents and doctors can use to help these diagnosed individuals to reach further, more full potential. Thirty years ago, those people would not have been able to hold a normal relationship with a person, much less marry or procreate. Now, though, many of them have EVERY possibility of doing so. Thus, they go on in life, marry, and have children, passing on that Autistic tendency.
My conclusion? Autism is genetic. Not contracted. Perhaps there ARE outside sources that can, as they say, flip the switch. But a person who has Autism was already hard wired for it.
*SIDE TOPIC OVER*
One of the biggest problems I have (though, the absolute biggest is coming up next.) is that so many parents have this idea in their head that if they don't vaccinate their child, it's okay, because everyone else has their children vaccinated, and that will protect their child from illness, and if everyone else's child is vaccinated, then IF their kid DOES get sick, no one else will catch it.
I really fail to see how this argument is valid.
Okay. For the most part, my older two children have me worry free. Lilly has had her 5 year old shots and for the most part- until she needs boosters in Junior High, is done and done. My 4 year old is up to date and will have the rest of his shots next year before he goes to Kindergarten. Scarlet is only 2, however. And she has fewer shots than my older two just because of her age. And I will be having a baby in January, who will be fresh from the womb without any protection at all.
Well, my older kids, I'm sure, won't get sick. And probably not Scarlet, as she's almost 3 and her shots are kind of winding down.
But my new baby? Well, Lilly goes to school. And there are probably parents there who feel that their child is above the responsibility we all have to protect each other's health. It's very likely that that child may get sick. Maybe not with measles, or polio, because those really ARE well controlled. But Pertussis kills over 50,000 infants per year and that number is rising DUE TO THE NUMBER OF UNVACCINATED CHILDREN THAT RISES EACH YEAR AS WELL!
Lilly doesn't have to CATCH the illness to bring it home. Did you know that? She does not have to CATCH it to have it on her hands, or on her backpack, or on her clothes. All she has to do is be within close proximity of someone who can cough into their hand, or wipe their nose on their sleeve, rub up againt my daughter, and viola! She brings it home and my helpless infant, who WOULD have been vaccinated as soon as s/he was old enough, because I am that kind of responsible parent, lands in the hospital, fighting for life.
Any parent can talk to me until they're blue in the face about how this is slim and will likely never happen. But it DOES happen. It has happened to many people I know personally as well as this beautiful, strong blogger http://www.natalienortonphoto.com/ whose 4 month old son died of Pertussis last year.
And it's also happened to one of my own children. Luckily, my son didn't die, but he caught Rubella from a friend of ours whose child was not vaccinated. SHE swore up and down that his rash (very light at the time as it was disappearing from his illness having run it's course) was just a reaction to a weed he was allergic to in their back yard. I cautiously believed her until about a week and a half later, a fever of 102 and rising, our poor not-yet-one-year-old looked like this:
It took an ER visit to confirm that my son had Rubella.
SO EASY TO PREVENT!
Now we come to my biggest pet peeve. People who think that it's so much better to let their child get sick and "build their own immune system".
(Due to my topic already being a stinking novel, I'll put up this video, which, I think explains it very well.)
In short, there is absolutely NO REASON to think that because a child is given a vaccination that their body isn't making it's own immune system. As a matter of fact, it is being trained to do that very thing. A person can inject a dead virus (what most vaccines are made of) into a person, and if their body responds and makes the antibodies it needs to have to safely encounter that disease, then it IS IN FACT building it's own immune system- never mind that they don't get sick because the virus isn't live or that they weren't exposed to it "naturally". I also don't think that many non vaxers understand the kind of harm that these preventable diseases can cause their children AFTER they get better:
Heart problems
Hearing problems
Lung problems
Blindness
Deafness
Infertility
DEATH
The list really can go on.
Really quickly before I end, I want to address the topic of the chickenpox vaccine.
Many parents- even those who are otherwise pro-vaccine- are against the chickenpox vaccine because they feel that it is a mild disease that their children should be able to handle.
On the subject of it being a mild disease that a child should handle, I agree. However, I am a person who contracted chickenpox when I was 14 years old. I was very sick for over a month with such a terrible case that it caused me to vomit for 3 of those 4 weeks. I lost hair. My tongue turned white and swelled until I could barely breathe due to the dehydration I suffered from when the vomiting prevented me from keeping anything down, including liquids. I lost a degree of my hearing for a temporary time, though I still have ear issues from it. I suffered from hallucinations due to the high fever I was fighting.
All the while, my sister (age5) and my brother (age 3) came through their chickenpox at the same time I did with a mild fever, and my mom telling them for around a week not to scratch. They ate popsicles in oatmeal baths and had hydrocortisone cream rubbed on their pox. Mine were too painful to rub anything on them.
All of this was due to my older age. The older a person gets, the worse the disease is.
Do I feel that it is important to vaccinate your children against chickenpox? Yes. I do. If ONLY because everyone else is doing it.
No, I'm not talking about jumping off bridges here.
The fact is, your child very well should be able to handle a chickenpox virus easily. However, with so many children being given the vaccine now, they are not likely to be exposed to it any time soon. If they are, then you can rest easy. If not, then they risk catching the virus when they are older. I was still a young girl when I had my complications and a person older than I was would have it much worse. A woman who contracts chickenpox in pregnancy is likely to deliver a still born baby, or miscarry.
The effects can be devastating.
In conclusion, of course, I have to add an exception.
I am well aware that there ARE children out there who have had bad reactions. There are possibilities for seizures and high fevers. There are children out there who have neurological disorders. There ARE children who are at risk for having complications with vaccines. While I think that the likelihood of those things happening are very slim in comparison, they DO happen. And if I were a parent of a child with a neurological issue, then I would likely keep that child away from vaccinations too. As it stands, none of my children have suffered from so much as a fever from their vaccines and so I will continue. While I admit that I do feel some resentment for parents who have no reason to deny their child and my child the help their immune systems deserve, and harbor an idea that they are somewhat irresponsible for not vaccinating their children, I truly am okay with those moms who have a GOOD, REAL REASON for choosing not to vaccinate.
In that case, I dearly hope that MY children's healthy immune systems CAN sustain your child's too.
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Alright! Open for discussion. Remember- DISCUSSION ONLY. PERSONAL ATTACKS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN ANY DEGREE.
First of all, before I get to my confessions, I'll start with NOT ME MONDAY so as to save the time of those who are here from MckMama's just to see what I'm NOT doing.
I have NOT been a terrible blogger lately. It has NOT been months since I've blogged, and I am NOT terribly sorry about it.
I am NOT incredibly busy though, and I (really) can NOT promise, without hesitation, that it will be better from here on out.
I am NOT terrified of getting a cavity filled tomorrow, as I have only had a few cavities in my entire life, and mouth pain is NOT (yes- it truly is) the worst kind of pain that I personally could ever go through. And I've given birth to 3 babies, so that's saying something. (I would literally rather have a baby 3 times OVER than to have a cavity filled.)
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CONFESSIONS TO MAKE:
I'm busy.
I'm sorry, but it's true. I know I have been a terribly disloyal blogger, and like I stated above, I cannot promise that it'll get better for me OR for you, though I do, in earnest honesty, appreciate those of you who still remember me, still check in, and still are waiting for me to post again. It really gives me great pleasure- something ridiculously akin to that of a child on Christmas morning.
The thing is, my excuse for missing out on regular posting from months May- mid August is simply that I was sick.
Many of you know that I am very happily and excitedly expecting our 4th child, and it's just a matter of fact that my body does not handle the first 16 or so weeks of pregnancy very well. As much as I think that mouth pain is the worst pain in the world (see my Not Me Monday above), and I would rather give birth a dozen times than have a cavity filled, I would literally rather die than throw up. Unfortunately for my maternal instincts, I want a lot of children, which means I have to put up with a lot of nausea, which unfortunately isn't referring to the daily issues of snotty noses, food that is chewed up and spit out because of varying reasons, or the endless cries of "MOM!!! COME WIPE MY BUM!!!!"
No, I was very sick. I spent the summer laid out on the couch, and since i blog when my children are asleep, or in school, and try to avoid the internet while they're awake, and for most of the first trimester, I crashed as soon as my kids were in bed at 8:00, I didn't get to blog.
As for the end of August through the present, my reasons for abandoning my poor helpless blog are vast.
I know it's probably not the wisest thing to share this with everyone, particularly those with an intent to stalk my family and commit serial crimes against us, but it's difficult to explain otherwise.
Mondays-
8:00: Drive Lilly to school
Once dropped off, I go grocery shopping, which is usually around 1 1/2 to 2 hours long.
10:00 ish: come home, unpack groceries
12:00: LUNCH TIME
3:30 Pick Lilly up from school
3:45 Do homework (which, for Mahone and Lilly includes them reading a book to me on their levels. For Scarlet, it's alphabet flashcards. Lilly does not get homework from Kindergarten yet, so I have a store bought Kindergarten booklet with math and other things in it for her to do. Mahone gets a packet from preschool to do, which is usually done on Wednesdays)
4:30: Make dinner
6:00- Get ready for bed, (takes at LEAST an hour) which includes the following routine:
Baths (usually every OTHER day, rather than every day. I'm lazy. So sue me.)
Teeth brushing and flossing
Scripture reading
Family Prayer
3 bedtime books 1 per child (this counts toward part of our 20 minutes of reading a day.)
Personal prayers
3 bedtime songs, one per child
Tucking into bed, and finally mom gets a break.
(Don't forget that in the missing time slots, i have dishes, laundry and other such cleaning jobs to do, like cleaning bathrooms, bedrooms and vacuuming. This goes for the empty slots in all the days. )
BRANDON is home in the morning, but leaves for School at 12:00 noon. He starts work at 3:30 and usually walks in the door at about 1:00 am or later.
TUESDAYS:
8:00: Drop Lilly off at School and drive Mahone 45 minutes to preschool.
9:00- Mahone goes to preschool.
10:30- Scarlet and I watch Sid the Science kid in my mom's house until about 10:15, when we go to the library for Story time and craft, which starts at 10:30.
12:00: Preschool is over, we pick up Mahone and take everyone home for lunch.
1:00 Lunch.
3:30- Pick up Lilly.
3:45: Homework
4:30: Dinner
6:00: bedtime routine
On Tuesdays, Brandon wakes up at 5:30 am to go to school. He then goes to work at 3:30 and comes home, again, at 1am or later. My children don't see him at all on Tuesdays.
WEDNESDAY
8:00 am- Drop Lilly off at school.
9:55- Volunteer in Lilly's class room
11:30- Volunteer time is over, go home.
12:00 Lunch
1:15: Pick Lilly up from school (early day)
1:30 to 2:30: Play date for Lilly and Mahone (every other week Scarlet plays too, because they come to OUR house every other week) with some kids from our church.
3:30: Homework
4:30- Make dinner
6:00 bedtime routine.
Brandon has Wednesdays off- which is why I chose that day to volunteer at Lilly's school- he is home to watch the kids. This also means that we usually have date night on Wednesdays, though, it's usually take out and a rented movie because due to Mutual (church activities for kids ages 12-18) it's impossible to find a babysitter on a Wednesday night- not to mention, it's a school night.
THURSDAYS
SAME AS TUESDAYS, and Brandon's schedule is the same too: Up at 5am, home at 1am or later.
FRIDAYS
For lack of motivation, I'll just suffice it to say that the schedule for the kids and me is the same as on Monday, though Brandon doesn't have school on Friday, so he doesn't leave for work until 2:00 instead of noon.
The weekends are not weekends for us. Brandon works Saturday nights, and is off on Sunday- but then there's church, which is from 11- 2, and that's just a chunk out of the middle of the day.
Anyway, as you can see, I really am terribly busy. While during the beginning months of this year, I was able to blog easily during the time Lilly and Mahone were at preschool because Scarlet was napping (3 hours to myself- ample time to blog for a couple of days in advance, as well as get some networking time in) I no longer have that luxury.
Due to Lilly's Kindergarten schedule, Mahone has to be in the morning preschool instead of the afternoon, at which time Scarlet napped. However, even if he WERE able to be in the afternoon preschool, Scarlet gave up her nap over the summer. So, I wouldn't be able to blog because I would have her and she would need my attention.
HOWEVER, I do, since Brandon is gone every night except for Wednesdays, have all night to be able to blog, I intend on being better about making regular entries. Though, you should not be surprised if I miss a day here or there- particularly Thursdays, though, I'll try to add a quick blog hop or something.
Another confession: One of the reasons I will be missing days or so here is because I feel the need to be more devoted to my other blog http://www.thegossamerjewelbox.blogspot.com/
I love this blog because it gives me an outlet to express myself, my feelings, my downfalls, and my imperfections. It gives me a place to vent, and to write without limitations, and to talk about, brag about, and otherwise write things about my children that will someday embarrass them.
Unfortunately, an outlet (and source of positive reinforcement whenever I see that I have a new comment - yes, I am an attention whore and I need constant validation) is all this blog is to me. It doesn't really get me anywhere for the work I put into it. It doesn't make me money. It isn't ever going to make me famous enough to the point where someone will buy the movie rights to my life.
However, my other blog http://www.thegossamerjewelbox.blogspot.com/ is one that I am hoping will eventually morph itself into something that i can someday edit into book form and have published. As it stands, it's only a drawing board, but it's something I love, and am passionate about. I need to focus more on that blog. I would really appreciate feedback on that blog from you, my loyal readers, as well as feedback here. I will post a link here whenever I update that blog, which I hope to do at least twice a week.
The good news is, there is going to be a giveaway soon!!!
TONS of glitter used on these wings!!!
Check out the gorgeous iridescence!
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