DATE ARCHIVES : November 2012

I Am "Mommy Cow"

   “Hi, Mommy Cow. Bye, Daddy Dog.” No, I’m not in a pet store. I’m home with my kids and this is now how my three-year-old greets us. For some odd reason she is now attaching animals to everyone’s name. Sure it may be cute…at first. But, for people who are not up on her new lingo, it can be embarrassing at times. My absolute favorite is when she doesn’t know people’s first names and simply says, “Bye pig, or bye horse.” Then, I have to explain the obsession to a new set of horse eyes or a new pig snout. Sometimes, I just want to hide in the barn.

   I’m trying to figure out where this animal obsession came from. We certainly don’t live on a farm. Yes, she’s been to a farm to see animals, but that was months ago. We don’t have animals. Heck, I don’t really even like animals all that much. She doesn’t watch any “animal” based cartoons. So, how in the world did it happen? It just kinda did one day. At first, I thought it was a fluke. I was going to file it under, “kids say the darnedest things.” But, I’m beginning to think this is going to stick around for awhile…kinda like Caillou, but perhaps not as annoying.

   My daughter not only assigns animals to people, but changes them on a daily basis. Yesterday her cousin was a squirrel. Today, she’s a cat. Yesterday her Grandmother was a duck. Today, she’s a dog. While everyone else gets to play musical animals, her father and I are destined to be dogs and cows. For some reason, I have the joy of being called a “cow.” Just what every woman dreams of!
Why can’t I be a cat, or perhaps even a squirrel? I would even settle for a duck every now and again. But no, I am “Mommy Cow”. I’ll let you know if things change. But for now, moo to you:)

   

Searching for the Big "O"

   If you’re like me, you’re always looking for it. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to achieve it. Sometimes you think you’ve got it, but you don’t. You used to be able to do it all the time. But, then the kids came, and well, you just don’t have the time because it just dropped down on the priority list. I’m talking about the big “O”. For those of you who have been reading the “Fifty Shades” trilogy like me, I’m not talking about that “O”. I’m talking about organization. Sorry to burst all your bubbles if you thought this was going to be a sex post. Maybe you should go back and spend some quality time with Christian Grey!

  Anyway, do any of you other mommas out there always feel like you are in a constant state of disorganization? It seems like no matter what I do, I just can’t seem to get things in order. For those of you who know me, you know that I used to be sooo organized pre-kids. Some may say I was even borderline OCD, but I prefer to say I was just E-O, that’s extremely organized for those of you who don’t know. Now I’m just S.O.L. If you don’t know what that means, look it up. 

   Let’s start with the housework. When did the house become such a mess? Oh yeah, that’s right, I have kids. It feels like there are just not enough hours in the day and not enough of me to go around. There are days I feel like I need a clone just to do all the grunt work. Wouldn’t that be a dream? That might even be better than a date with Christian Grey. Okay, maybe not! But, you get my drift. It seems like I am constantly loading and unloading the dishwasher. There are constant piles of laundry that need to be put away. Don’t get me started on the house cleaning! Dust bunnies have seemed to take refuge in every corner of my house. They used to just vacation here, but now they’ve moved in and they’ve brought their cousins. I don’t like it one bit. Then there’s just the stuff that’s lying around everywhere. Crayons, books, magazines, random toys, catalogues…I could on and on. Where did all this stuff come from? Sigh.

   Now I know a playroom is just that, a playroom, but why do I have to feel like I’m going to step on a land mine at any second? Sometimes you need protective gear to enter. Blocks are usually scattered everywhere along with crayons, teapots, tea cups, and lots of stuffed animals.I know it’s their room, but it would be nice to be able to walk without almost breaking your neck. Sigh.

  My DVR is even in need of organization. I am currently 16 episodes, make that 17 episodes, behind my favorite soap opera. I need to lock myself in my room with some major snacks in order to organize this bad boy. I’ll put that on the list of things that are not going to happen any time soon. Sigh.

   What happened to free time to just get things in order like pictures or, God forbid, time to finish my “Fifty Shades” trilogy? For the love of Pete, I’ve been reading this third book forever! Oh yeah, I have kids.

   Since it seems like true organization is not in my future anytime soon, I might as well suck it up. I know there are plenty of you out there who are in the same boat. For those of you who have kids and are still completely organized with a spotless house, no laundry to put away, and dinner on the table with a different “Food Network” recipe every night…I hate you. Just kidding…okay, not really. But, please share your secrets to success, unless you’re some kind of robot, because that would be the only explanation. Ciao Ciao for now…I’m off now to continue my quest for the big “O”. Sigh.

These Boots Were Made for Walking

   Okay, so winter is almost here and that means spending more time indoors…or does it? If you’re like me, you love to go for walks when the sun is shining with a nice warm breeze blowing through your hair. When the mercury starts to drop sometimes my initiative to get up and go is more like a no go. But, there are plenty of people out there who don’t let old man winter change their walking plans.
   If you’re one of those people, I really envy you. I know you bundle yourselves up and walk even faster to keep away the winter chill. That’s actually one plus for walking in the winter. At least you move a little faster!  Just like the song goes, there are plenty of boots that are made for walking too. You just have to find the right ones. There are plenty of cute ones for women and some real nice rugged looking ones for guys too. Maybe that’s what I need to get me moving in the right direction this winter. Lord knows it beats racking up the miles on the treadmill! Talk about boring with a capital “B”. We’ll see what happens!

It’s Time to Face Winter

   Like it or not, winter will be here before you know it. If you haven’t already, that means finally having to say goodbye to our tank tops and flip flops (tear drop), and saying hello to our jackets and boots. The only good thing about the weather getting colder is that it gives me a good excuse to go shopping.  Not like I really need an excuse, but everyone has to get some new clothes for the new season, right? Exactly, that’s what I thought.
   So, what kind of things do you look for when shopping for the next few months of winter that lie ahead of us? Well, besides picking up some new sweaters and boots, a staple of any winter wardrobe is a good jacket. You have to stay warm when the chill hits. There’s nothing worse than walking around in the cold and being cold. Trust me, I’ve been there, done that. If you’re not one to actually go out and buy yourself some new stuff, then why not put it on your Christmas list? Who knows, maybe you’ll find it under your tree. You can ask Santa; just make sure you’ve been nice over the past year and not naughty!

Gearing Up for Winter

   I’ll admit it; I’m not a big fan of winter. I’ll take a day on the beach over a snowball fight any day. But, I know plenty of people who love to hit the slopes as soon as there’s enough snow coating the ground. Kudos to you! I know you guys have to wrap yourselves up in a lot of layers and take a lot of time bundling up and keeping warm.  As with any other activity or outing, you have to put a lot of thought into what kind of outdoor gear you’ll be sporting. There are the hats, the gloves, the scarves, the snow pants, the footwear…the list goes on and on. It’s not like the summer when you can throw on a pair of shorts and flip flops and run out the door!
    From what I hear from a lot of you winter outdoor lovers, waterproof clothing is a staple of your wardrobe. To my summer loving surprise, a lot of those warm and waterproof jackets and other gear are actually stylish. Who knew? Maybe I haven’t been giving winter a fair shake all these years! Maybe one way to warm up to winter is through a shopping trip. What do you think?

Keeping Out the Winter Chill

   Depending on where you live, you may have already shoveled through your first significant snowfall of the year. That’s definitely the case where I live. I have to keep reminding myself that winter is not even here yet. Sigh. When it does arrive, it doesn’t leave very quickly. Double sigh. In fact it seems as though it loves to linger much longer than the summer months. That means more snow and more chilly temperatures. Triple sigh!
  Since I can’t do anything to avoid the impending chill, I might as well just suck it up. If that’s the case, I might as well go along with it and do it in style.  You know the saying…”if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”  That’s definitely the case here. As much as I may not want to admit it, there are a lot of cute winter clothes out there. From coats to scarves to jackets…there’s plenty to work with out there. With Christmas looming, there are also a lot of deals out there too on winter coats and other gear to keep you warm and get you through the season. Perhaps that’s the silver lining here? Who knows! Everyone loves a bargain, myself included!

How Much is Your Furniture Worth?

   It’s kind of hard to believe that the holidays are here and the end of the year is approaching. It seems like only yesterday I was watching Ryan Seacrest in Times Square. But anyway, for a lot of us the promise of a new year brings a new resolution. For some that means cleaning up our houses and finally getting organized. If you’re getting organized, it may be time to part with some items that you have been clinging to, just like that pair of size two jeans you know you’re never going to fit into again no matter how many miles you run!

  For some people that “clingy” item may be an old piece of furniture that was either handed down or was bought as a “real steal” at a yard sale. You may be surprised, but a lot of old furniture could bring you some new cash. We’re not just talking coffee money either. Some furniture could be worth tens of thousands of dollars. It’s crazy to think but it’s true. Something that’s just taking up space in your house or collecting dust could help you collect some cash. What a better way to ring in the new year than with some new green!

Antiques Could = Cash

   It’s that time of year when we could all use a little extra cash to complete our holiday shopping list. For some people that means picking up an extra shift at work or maybe even a seasonal job. For others it means looking at your own stuff to see what can be traded in for extra cash. What you may think is junk just lying around the house may actually be antiques that are worth money. We all have those knick knacks that have been collecting dust or that vase we toyed with selling at a tag sale, but kept for some odd reason. Come on, admit it, you know what I’m talking about here!

   It’s really interesting to see how people determine if you have a real gem on your hands or if you really have a piece of junk. While you can play a guessing game, the only true way to find out is to have someone experienced take a look for you. I know we’re all busy this time of year, but taking a little time out to see what you have may actually make you money. Even if you don’t use the money to buy something for someone else, why not buy something for yourself?

The Art of Appraising

   We’ve all heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  But, I’ve also heard a lot of people say their paintings are worth a thousand bucks or sometimes even ten times more. Has that ever happened to you? I can honestly say it hasn’t happened to me, but I wish it would someday! I know a lot of people who are going to have antiques and art appraised to see if they can be that lucky too. Sometimes you really don’t know what you have until someone dusts off the cobwebs and takes a good hard look!
  You can call it a sign of the times, but I think a lot of people are raiding their attics and basements because of the rising popularity of television shows that show just how much stuff you find in storage may actually be worth. My husband is totally into those shows and I get sucked into watching them too. Sometimes they can be annoying, but other times it really is amazing to see how much value something that appears to be worthless can actually hold. It actually makes you want to look at your own stuff to hunt for hidden treasures.

Open Up a Roll of Bubbly

  Some people call it a stress reliever, others say it’s just fun, and of course, plenty of others use it for what it was made to be used for. I’m talking about bubble wrap. It may sound silly, but I used to love (heck, I still do!) to pop bubble wrap. Of course my mom used to tell me how annoying the sound was, but who cares? There are plenty of other things that are far worse! Bubble wrap is one of those little things in life that can really put a smile on your face. In fact, there’s even something called bubble wrap appreciation day or BWAD, as the cool kids like to call it! There are even fun games you can play with bubble wrap too. Who knew?
   Although bubble wrap appreciation day is still a few months away, bubble wrap is getting plenty of love this time of year. It’s that time of year to wrap and ship those Christmas gifts. No one wants to ship some expensive vase or ornament only to have it arrive in hundreds of pieces of broken glass. ‘Tis the season to open up a roll of bubbly. The person opening that special package will appreciate it!