Duct Tape

This picture is for someone very special who is having a duct tape kind of day. I know this will make her smile...

If anybody else understands what a Duct Tape Day is, feel free to share your experience.

More Cleaning Tips

After writing about my bathtub trick, I decided you might enjoy a few more cleaning tips.

1) Give your little person a pack of diaper wipes. Let her clean the walls, the cabinets, the chairs, and just about anything else she finds that she wants to clean.

2) Give your little one a small broom. They make many of these in child sizes. My girls think sweeping is a special treat. I have no idea why. Sure, they don't get the floor as clean as I would like, but sometimes just a little bit goes a long way.

3) Give your little one a lint roller. Grandma Janet has a big lint roller that is on an extended rod. Kira loves using that thing on the kitchen floor to pick up dog hair and dirt.

4) Swiffer dust wipes are great 'toys' for little ones, too.

5) A pan with soapy water and a couple of washcloths will turn into a floor washing frenzy. Add a dry towel at the end and your floors will be shiny.

Feel free to add your own little tips here, too.

Clean Bathtub

Everybody loves having a sparkling clean bathtub.

Nobody likes to scrub the bathtub to make it sparkling clean.

Well - almost nobody....

If you need to entertain your preschool children, you can set them to work scrubbing your bathtub. Seriously, they won't mind at all.

Fill the tub with about 3 to 4 inches of warm water.

Strip your little one and put her in the tub.

Add a bar of soap, a washcloth, and a toothbrush. A few extra bath toys are always a good idea, too.

Stand back and watch as your little one begins scrubbing your tub with her soap and toothbrush. She will think it's all fun and games. You will know that you're getting her started early on household chores.

Now, your tub won't be perfectly clean. However, it is likely to get cleaner than it would have any other way. (Not that any of you simply overlook cleaning the tub...)

Save Money With Coupons

Everybody loves to save money. In fact, most of us really NEED to save money. One really good way to save is to use coupons consistently. I'm getting ready to do a bit of shopping, so I'm prepping my coupon notebook today and thought I would share some of my important information.

First, organization is very important when you want to save money. If you aren't organized, you'll get irritated. When you get irritated, you'll decide it just isn't worth the hassle. To keep my coupons organized, I have a 3 ring binder with a zipper. Inside the binder is a series of categories that are separated by tabs. Each category is filled with photo insert sheets to hold my coupons. I also have my coupons separated into FOOD and NONFOOD categories. Play around with a few different ideas to see what works best for you.

Second, you have to get your coupons. The Sunday paper is usually a good place to start, but you can also get coupons online or at the grocery store. You can sign up with companies that will actually mail you coupons for their products. You can even buy coupons on Ebay or other services. (Keep in mind that when you purchase coupons in this manner, you are actually paying for the person's time to cut those coupons out. You are NOT paying for the actual coupons.)

Well - one of my favorite tips is to check the website of your favorite grocery store. I visit Kroger frequently. I have a Kroger Plus Card. Kroger has a program called P&G eSaver. You can go to the Kroger website, click through to the eSaver program and then register your Kroger Plus Card with the program. After registration, you "clip" coupons that are downloaded directly to your card. All the coupons are for P&G products, so they are pretty popular. That isn't all, though. The really neat thing about the eSaver program is that you can still use PAPER coupons in the store. You buy the product, use your paper coupon, and the system will automatically 'use' your electronic coupon when you scan your card. You get DOUBLE savings this way. I just love this because I can look at my list of coupons and match up my paper coupons with the list. I end up getting great stuff for free or nearly free because the eSaver program lets me double dip my coupons. It's wonderful. (Lot's of stores participate in the eSaver program. There's a list on the website that gives the participating stores. )

I'm not sure if other stores have programs like this. I know Publix has printed store coupons that can be stacked with manufacturer's coupons to increase your savings. Beyond that, I'm not sure what individual stores might do. However, it's easy to find out. Just check out the website or call the store directly.

Now if I could just convince the Dollar Tree to start taking coupons...

Flat Carter

I have a HUGE favor to ask. A friend of mine has a son named Carter. His class is reading a book called Flat Stanley about a boy who get flattened by a bulletin board and then gets mailed to California for a visit.

Well, Carter has made himself a Flat Carter. Flat Carter would like to visit lots of different places.

If you would like to host Flat Carter for a visit, please go to this link (or any other link in this post) and print out Flat Carter.

If you're going to participate, there is information on the website about how to send your Flat Carter story via email.

Toni --- I already told my friend that Flat Carter would be visiting your area.

Upcoming Event ...

I do believe one of the most exciting things has happened to me - and this blog - since the beginning of my entrance into the blogosphere. (Well, okay, that's stretching it a bit. Kira crossing her legs was definitely more exciting...)

In the near future, I will be receiving this really cool school pack from CSN Stores. They want a review from me.

ME!!!

How cool is that?

I even got to pick the item to be reviewed. I can't wait to check out this item and see what Miss Kira thinks of it. She's a bit over the top about horses. I'll be writing all about it here in the near future, so keep an eye out.

They have a luggage store and a mattress store that they asked me to check out.

Let me tell you, I spent about an hour roaming around their online stores yesterday. I had such a wonderful time just shopping around for all the different items that I would love to have. I found LOTS of items that I would just love to add to my chaos. I settled on the school pack for Kira, though.

What I really enjoyed about my experience shopping around their stores yesterday is just how darn easy it was. I hate going to sites where navigating between locations is more difficult than walking through a warehouse sized shopping center without a map. This was not an issue with the CSN Stores. I went from spot to spot to spot without any effort at all. The site is so user friendly. I love user friendly.

Anyways, be prepared to hear more about this from me in the near future. I'm pretty darn sure that Kira will be thrilled with the backpack. Anything with horses on it is an instant hit around here...

Taking It Easy

Just bear with me while I recover - SLOWLY - from this horrible experience called Strep.

It's taking me a while to get my strength back.

Walgreen's Clinic

I had the opportunity to visit the Take Care Health Clinic at Walgreen's over the weekend.

Sadly, Mom is sick. Mom has strep. It isn't a fun place to be. The kids have been packed off to Grandma's house because I'm contagious.

Well, Randall forced me to the clinic on Sunday because I could hardly get out of bed. (Really, though, there wasn't a whole lot of forcing other than forcing me out of my bed. I was ready to see a doctor.)

We went to the closest Walgreen's to visit their clinic. There was a bit of a wait, because two people were in front of me. Considering that there is only one person running the show at the clinic, though, the wait wasn't really all that bad. It was much less than any visit to the ER has ever been.

When we were finally called, the nurse practitioner was very nice and considerate. She told me her name, but I seriously don't recall much of the visit beyond her jabbing that swab stick down my throat and trying to rip out my tonsils with it. She was nice about it, though. (yeah - right...)

She started the strep test before she finished the paperwork so that the test could be processing while we were doing the administrative necessities.

She did tell me I have strep - which was disappointing, but not really surprising. My husband's step-mother had already told me I had strep. That's why we went to the clinic in the first place.

She kindly searched the Publix list of free antibiotics before she decided what to prescribe for me. Free is always good.

All in all, it was a good experience. If you find that you or one of your kids need attention on the weekend, I highly recommend a visit to Walgreen's health clinics. They serve anyone over the age of 18 months for minor illnesses. It's faster - and much less expensive - than the emergency room.

Now, I have to go back to bed. Strep is kicking me in the behind.

Helpful Tips: Tweens

By request, I shall delve into the world of parenting the older kids.

From this site, I found the following interesting information.


(Be sure to read both lists. It is not a misprint.)

Helpful Tips for Parenting Teenagers

The teenage years offer many stresses for the family system. Adolescents often challenge the rules and boundaries of the family system while they are engaged in seeking their own identities. At this same time, parents have their own issues such as confronting their own mortality in the form of a mid-life crisis and possibly dealing with their own aging parents. This creates a turbulent time for a parent in balancing the adult issues with the developmental crises of their adolescent children. The following are some key points to keep in mind as you work through this time.

What To do:

1.Provide and maintain clear boundaries and limits.
Use discussion and negotiation rather than arguments.
Realize some conflict is unavoidable.
Be flexible with rules and roles.

2. Exemplify the attributes you wish your adolescent to emulate.
Behavior must be consistent with words

3. Provide positive reinforcement on a daily basis for something, even if seemingly insignificant

4. Spend time with your adolescent daily.

5. Educate yourself about issues facing adolescents today.
Read books, articles
Communicate with professionals as needed

6. Recognize warning signs of problematic behavior.
Alcohol Drugs
Depression
Eating Disorders
Gang Involvement

Recognizing:

Eating Disorders
Refusal to eat enough to maintain body weight.
Fear of becoming fat, even when clearly underweight.
Abnormal body image.
Absence of menstruation in young women for a period of 3 consecutive months.
Compulsive behavior with regards to exercise.

Chemical Dependency
Making new friends and abandoning old ones. Poor grades - decreasing - suspensions
Behavior problems (i.e. lying, running away)
Isolation from family members.

Gang Activity
Changes in clothing and Jewelry.
Changes in Behavior.
Changes in Friends.
Changes in finances.

Depression
Change in mood, behavior.
Change in eating.
Change in sleeping.

Change in academic performance.
Change in grooming.

Always provide and maintain open lines of communication!

----------

Now for Mom's version.

Helpful Tips for Parenting Teenagers

The teenage years offer many stresses for the family system. Adolescents often challenge the rules and boundaries of the family system while they are engaged in seeking their own identities. At this same time, parents have their own issues such as confronting their own mortality in the form of a mid-life crisis and possibly dealing with their own aging parents. This creates a turbulent time for a parent in balancing the adult issues with the developmental crises of their adolescent children. The following are some key points to keep in mind as you work through this time.

What To do:

1.Provide and maintain clear boundaries and limits.
Use discussion and negotiation rather than arguments.
Realize some conflict is unavoidable.
Be flexible with rules and roles.

Oh yeah! Let ME set my own rules and my own consequences. Be sure to be flexible when I'm telling you what my expectations are, after all - consistency is not what I'm after. I really want what I want when I want it, regardless of what possible side effects may come my way.

2. Exemplify the attributes you wish your adolescent to emulate.
Behavior must be consistent with words.

Definitely! I'm going to act JUST LIKE YOU! After all, I love and adore everything you do. (**insert eye rolls here**)

3. Provide positive reinforcement on a daily basis for something, even if seemingly insignificant.

Praise me! Praise me! Praise me! For I am wonderful and amazing. The world does revolve around me. Just ask me...

4. Spend time with your adolescent daily.

You want me to spend TIME with YOU! Are YOU kidding ME. Well, okay, but only if we stay home and none of my friends see us together and you never tell a soul and DON'T expect me to ENJOY it.

5. Educate yourself about issues facing adolescents today.
Read books, articles and other resources.

Communicate with professionals as needed.

Check out Mom's Site daily.

Mom. Stop trying to behave like my friends. It's just gross when you dress like us, sing like us, dance like us, play like us, etc. etc. etc.

6. Recognize warning signs of problematic behavior.
Alcohol Drugs
Depression
Eating Disorders
Gang Involvement

Recognizing: **Okay, I'm only going to comment on a couple of these because I feel that most of this information is very serious and should not be taken lightly. There are some concepts here, though, that bear consideration.

Eating Disorders
Refusal to eat enough to maintain body weight.
Fear of becoming fat, even when clearly underweight.
Abnormal body image.
Absence of menstruation in young women for a period of 3 consecutive months.
Compulsive behavior with regards to exercise.

Chemical Dependency
Making new friends and abandoning old ones. Poor grades - decreasing - suspensions
Behavior problems (i.e. lying, running away)
Isolation from family members.

Gang Activity
Changes in clothing and Jewelry. What I wore yesterday just won't do for today. It's not in style anymore. It's just not good enough.
Changes in Behavior. MOOD SWINGS!!!
Changes in Friends. Can you say D-R-A-M-A. (and gossip and backbiting and did we mention mood swings?)
Changes in finances. This age range has finances.... Yeah - Mom, I need money. Mom, I need more money. Mom ---- can I PPPLLLLEEEAAASSSSEEE have some money...

Depression
Change in mood, behavior. MOOD SWINGS
Change in eating. MOOD SWINGS
Change in sleeping. UM - MOOD SWINGS

Change in academic performance. THE WORK IS HARDER, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
Change in grooming. DID WE MENTION THE WHOLE HORMONAL MOOD SWINGS THING?

Always provide and maintain open lines of communication! Yelling does not count as communicating.

Helpful Tips: Toddlers

I had so much fun with my last post that I decided I would do it again. I hope you enjoy this second installment of Helpful Tips.

(Be sure to read both lists. It is not a misprint.)

What are typical behavioral characteristics and challenges?

Children are in the Toddler Years from 1 ½ years old until their 3rd birthday. During this time, they go through many new physical, emotional and intellectual experiences, such as:

• High energy levels. Toddlers have lots of energy! This is a period of rapid motor growth. Your child is learning to walk, run, climb, throw and feed himself.
• Curiosity. Toddlers are very interested in how the world works. Your child will want to explore everything in her environment and test how people respond to her behavior.
• Impulsivity. Toddlers begin experiencing impulses and do not have control over them! Remember your child will need your guidance in areas such as safety, manners and empathy.
• Frustration. Toddlers only know how to use a limited number of words and may get frustrated because they cannot express themselves.
• Tantrums. You may see anger in the form of outbursts, typically called "tantrums," during this age. Outbursts peak from 16-24 months and then decline. Your toddler may need your extra help in calming down.
• Independence. Toddlers want to do things by themselves. It's important to be patient and allow enough time for your child to practice everyday tasks such as getting dressed or feeding herself.
• "Mine." Children can become extremely possessive at this age and "mine" is a word you will hear often!

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Now for Mom's version.

What are typical behavioral characteristics and challenges?

Children are in the Toddler Years from 1 ½ years old until their 3rd birthday. During this time, they go through many new physical, emotional and intellectual experiences, such as:

• High energy levels. Here she comes. There she goes. Here she comes. There she goes.
  
• Curiosity. NOTHING is safe.
  
• Impulsivity. If I want to do it, that's what I'm gonna do. If you tell me "No," I won't listen. If you make me stop, I'll get mad. If you try to distract me, I'll go right back to doing whatever it was that I wanted to do.
  
• Frustration. Is THAT what they call it?
  
• Tantrums. Um - "May see outbursts" ??? "MAY SEE OUTBURSTS" --- I think somebody was being highly optimistic. This should have been worded --- "You WILL see outbursts".
  
• Independence. "I do it myself." "No. I do it. " "Go away. I do it."
  
• "Mine." Mine. It's mine mine mine. It's all mine. Everything is mine. Mine mine mine.
  

Helpful Tips: Preschoolers

I have been doing some research this morning, and came across this website that offers helpful information about children. I felt that this bit of information was very - (What's the word?) - appropriate, so of course I decided to share with you.

(Be sure to read both lists. It is not a misprint.)

----------

What are typical behavioral characteristics and challenges?

Children are in the Preschool Years from 3 years old until they start school. These children are starting to show personality traits and more intellectual development, including:

• Egotism. A preschooler is the center of the world. Your child believes that everything in the world revolves around her.
• Independence. A preschooler will want to dress by himself and want to help you with the household chores. Be patient as your child practices these skills.
• Creativity. Imaginations are constantly "on." Your child's world is full of magical things at this time.
• "Why?" Preschoolers are trying to learn all about their environments; they will ask "why" constantly! Take the time to help your child learn about what causes the events happening around him.
• Sociality. Preschoolers are learning to be a good companion or friend to other children their age. Preschool, day care, play dates or playgroups provide wonderful opportunities for your child to learn important social skills.
• Listening. Preschoolers must also learn to listen to others with interest. Model appropriate listening behavior for your preschooler by actively listening when she tells you about her day, her friends and her discoveries.
• Motor skills. Preschoolers are also learning complex movements such as hopping, climbing, and skipping. Let your child practice and make it fun!
• Adventurous. Children can be very active during this time period. Make sure to provide helmets when riding tricycles and do regular safety checks on play equipment.
• Language. Pronunciation improves during this time. Don't be alarmed if your child leaves out word sounds occasionally.
• Principles. Preschoolers are also learning the difference between right and wrong. You can help by setting firm and consistent limits for your child.
• Reality vs. fantasy. Preschoolers must learn the difference between reality and fantasy. By the end of the preschool years, your child will have a better understanding of past, present and future.
• Phobias. New fears, especially to unfamiliar sights and sounds are common at this age. Be supportive while trying to ease irrational fears.
• Poor sportsmanship. Preschoolers learn to follow simple rules in the games they play, but they will always want to win and be in "first place." Playing "fair" will come later in your child's development.
• Highly impressionable. Preschoolers are heavily influenced by what they see. It's important to actively supervise what your child is exposed to on television and in the real world.
• Sexual curiosity. It is normal for preschoolers to engage in sexual exploration. Help your child learn what is appropriate.

----------

Now, for Mom's version.

• Egotism. ME! ME! ME! It's all about ME!
  
• Independence. I'll do it. No, YOU do it. No, I want to do it. Mommy - can you do this for me. LEAVE ME ALONE!!! I CAN DO IT ALL BY MYSELF!!!(Followed the next day by "I want you to do it. I can't do it. I don't know how!" )
  
• Creativity. I'm not a little girl. I'm a pony. Oh wait, I'm a dog. No no no, I'm a cat who chases my tail. I'm a princess. I'm going to marry my ponies when I grow up.
• "Why?" Why? Why? What's that? How's that work? What are you doing? Where are we going? Who will be there? Why? Why? Why?
  
• Sociality. "Mommy, I made a new best friend." (What's her name?) "I don't know." (Didn't you ask?) "No. We're playing."
  
• Listening. The act of listening is an unknown concept to anybody under the age of, say, 20... Bwa ha ha!!!!
  
• Motor skills. Did you see me, Mommy? I can skip. (over and over and over and over and over...)
  
• Adventurous. Adventurous? Is that what they call it?
  
• Language. Kira, it's very important to speak properly. You know how to speak in complete sentences. Stop talking like a baby.
  
• Principles. (No, we are not taking any toys with us.) "I'm ready, Mommy." (Kira, is there anything you need to tell me?) "Nope. I'm ready to go." (noting the bulge under kira's shirt.... Kira, you know we're not taking any toys with us, right?) "Yep. I'm ready to go. I don't have anything but my blanket. There's nothing at all hiding under my shirt." (as the toys begin to fall ... Kira, do you know what it means to tell a lie?) "Yes, Mommy" (complete look of innocence...Are you telling me a story?) .... yeah - you can pretty much fill in the rest.
  
• Reality vs. fantasy. Reality? There is no such thing as reality.
  
• Phobias. Irrational fears --- play with worms, slugs, beetles, and any other critter available then scream your head off at the sight of a tiny little ant crawling on the ground 5 miles away.
  
• Poor sportsmanship. I win. I win. I win. I win. I win.
  
• Highly impressionable. I want. I want. I want. I want. I want.
  
• Sexual curiosity. It's your body. Nobody else gets to touch your body.
  

I hope you've enjoyed today's helpful tips for preschoolers.

On the Road Again...

Today found me driving from Acworth to Athens. The distance isn't particularly far - only about 100 miles - but the length of the drive can be somewhat daunting because the traffic that one generally encounters along the required route of travel. It's pretty brutal at times.

Making the drive alone would be difficult enough. Today I brought Kira and Marisa along with me. They travel pretty well, but even the best behaved children can find lengthy drives to be overwhelming and irritating. Hey, I'm an adult and often find myself getting frustrated with long drives.

My drive today has inspired me to discuss all the different ways that parents can make long drives easier for their children.

I started my trip by explaining to both girls that we would be on the road for an extended length of time. I think communication is the best way to avoid difficulties with children. If you let them know what to expect and why things are happening, then children can become better prepared for whatever may come.

After talking to the girls, I asked them to gather a selection of toys that were appropriate for taking in the car. I gave them one bag to put all their toys in. If it didn't fit in the bag, it didn't get to take the trip with us. Trust me - Kira tried real hard to take her biggest stuffed pony with her. The "too big for the bag" rule comes in real handy when you need to maintain some sense of "reasonable" when it comes to travel toys.

When we all piled in the car, I made sure each child had a drink and a snack before we left the driveway. (Okay - honestly - I skipped this step today, but it is my usual standard procedure... it makes a huge difference when you do this.)

The kids had their toys close at hand so playing was an easy option.

I had my McDonald's Tea close at hand so drinking was an easy option.

We started on our way.

Here is where those nifty on-board DVD players come in real handy. Unfortunately for me, I don't have one of those in my car. The next car I buy ... there WILL BE a DVD player on-board. If I don't buy a new car before I embark on my epic road trip - I will be installing a DVD player in the car I have now.

Along the drive, it's important to keep a good sense of humor. Talk to your kids while you drive. Being on the road provides such a wonderful opportunity for education. My kids often make the most interesting observations as we travel. Today, Kira asked me why the big trucks are called 18-wheelers. When I told her that the big trucks have 18 wheels, she was amazed because she could only see 4 or 5 wheels. I explained to her how to look at the truck in order to see ALL of the wheels. The next time we passed a truck she took time to look very closely at how the trailer tires are "double stacked" to make the total of the wheels equal 18.

Long trips are not destined to be filled with drudgery and whining. You can make those times fun. It may take a bit of planning, and a really good sense of humor, but you CAN enjoy long trips with your children.

Walk this way

What do you do when you are at your wits-end with a child that would rather be in front of the television or computer instead of playing sports?

Go for a walk...

I hear you saying "What SoccerMom, are you serious?" You are a guest here and you are using Mom's space and telling us to go for a walk?" Yep, I sure I am. Go walk ~ turn off the electronics after you finish this post and reading my blog and enjoy! :o)

Now I don't want you to go for a boring walk where the kids will be asking are we there yet or can we go home, you are going to need a special friend for your fun walk. By special friend I am meaning someone fun, furry and has four legs.

You don't need to have a dog of your own you can borrow a dog from a neighbor, a friend or even head on over to your local SPCA. They always need someone to help walk the dogs. This way you can not only have your child out and exercising you will be teaching your children about responsibility and the importance of giving back to the community. I can guarantee you will definitely be making a furry friend happy.

If you have a dog and you think this is not going to thrill my child, turn your walk into a game. Your furry friend will be sniffing everything so play a game along the way like your furry friend; Can you smell the grass, the flowers, the sky? Or can you see a red house, a blue car, a bunny etc...?? Maybe collect items to make a craft with or take some sidewalk chalk and trace things along the way.

Here are some other things to do ~

1. Throw a ball back and forth

2. Go to a park where there is circuit or station training

3. Bring a voice recorder for the noises

4. See how long you can walk while balancing an object on your hand or head

5. Bring a Frisbee to toss

6. Reflect on your/their day

7. Dance, skip or march

8. Count different birds or animals that you see

9. Find shapes in clouds

10. Play follow the leader

Once you start to think of things to do on your walk your kids will love it.

If you have more then one child who is not so sports inclined and you want to get them out, you can use the time as their quality time with you. Make it special, make it fun and you will find in a few years they will reflect back and let you know how much fun they had.

Okay go get your shoes

See you back here or at my blog later.

Have fun

I'm a guest here

Hi Mom fans, it's very nice to meet you :o)

I scared Mom off her own blog and into the woods... This is where you hear that evil wahahahahahahaha!! There was one thing I did promised Mom and that was I would not use any bad words like ~ #$%#$ or &%^% (teasing) I did say I would share some of my parenting advice with you so here we go.

I present to you Computer Safety done SoccerMom style

Q ~ How safe are your kids on the computer?

A ~ Not as safe as you think, trust me.

Kids are super smart these days and even if you have parent locks and protection programs on the computer they know how to get around these safety programs. And if they don’t know how they can get in they will use a friend's computer and just Google how to break the code. There are tons of helpful to them horrific to you pages out there.

My daughter who is now 15 and I the talk about being safe and the dangers that lurk out there. But I know the reality and until something horrible actually happens to one of our kids or their close friends, our kids really do feel a false sense of security. That’s why in my house we have “The Hands Up Rule”

The rules are pretty basic;

1 ~ No accounts must ever be set-up on any site without my knowledge and when an account is set-up she has made-up information she can use. You can make up any info for you tween/teen and they can use it to set-up things that way they will be less tempted to use their own information or that which would make it easy for a predator to figure out.

2 ~ She must never delete the history or selectively delete the history (you can find out everything they have been into if you check the Cache)

3 ~ She is not to be in the room alone with the computer, and every so often I will take a peek at what she is doing

4 ~ I have every single password and it must not be changed unless I am aware of the change

5 ~ I have access to her MSN chat and I will go through the list and block and delete people she does not know in person

6 ~ And the reason why it is called the hands up rule; At any time I can say “hands-up” she must immediately stop what she is doing and hand me over the lap top so I can see what she is doing

I know my girl is smart, I know she knows how to be safe but, you never know! When kids feel comfortable that will be the time when danger will rear its ugly head!

Do you think I am being too tough on her?

What do you do to protect your kids while they are on the computer?

Invisible Mom

I got this through an email today. I figured I would give a little fluff before I head out of town and turn the reigns over to Ms. Toni.

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It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? & Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England .

Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte . I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.

It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my daughter to tell the friend she's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table..' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want her to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to her friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we're doing it right.

And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Back To School

It's time to head back to school for most of America. If you're sending your kids off to college, be aware that text books are an outrageous expense. I learned over halfway through my college career that there was a way to get my books for considerably less.

You can buy text books through Amazon or Half.com which is a division of Ebay. There are plenty of other online purchasing sites that allow you to get your college texts for a fraction of the cost.

Be sure to order as early as possible, though, to ensure that you receive those books before classes begin.

Guest Writer...

Over the next few days I will be out in the woods - camping without luxuries (like my computer... and Internet...).

So much has happened over the past few days that I haven't managed to plan ahead as I usually would.

In lieu of prescheduled posts, I decided to ask my dear friend Toni over at Mind of a Mom to do a bit of writing for me. I gave her free reign over my world....

Enjoy her visit while I'm away.

Special Day

Comments by ZingerBug.com

Today is our wedding anniversary. :-) Six wonderful years of marriage.

Moms Get to Play, Too...

I spent the afternoon playing with my Soccermom friend, Toni. She flew into Atlanta for a couple of days. We took the opportunity to get together and do a bit of goofing off. Oh - and there was definitely some goofing off going on. She even had me rolling on the floor at the Aquarium....

We teased the parking attendant mercilessly. We had a fabulous dinner at Olive Garden where we captivated the waiter with tales of foreign travels. Eventually I had to head home for some much needed sleep, though.

Luckily, she's hear for another day. I'll be seeing her tomorrow night for a fun trip to the mall. She really wants to meet my little girls, so they get to come along, too. She showed me the little treat she bought them - little stuffed squirrels from Canada. I know the girls will just adore their squirrels when she gives them their presents. It was very sweet and thoughtful of Toni to bring that.

It's pretty neat meeting blog friends. Now --- for that much needed sleep...