Ringing in 2008

So we are riding on the heels of yet another New Year and the people of the world are going crazy with lists of ideas on how to "reinvent" themselves in the new year. I think I haev written a previous blog about "the Secret" I mean if anyone out there is lookign to reinvent, or change their lives. Right there is your road map. What good is a resolution? If you can quit smoking today, why would you be able to quit 4 days later?? Oh that's right becase it's a new year.
China's new year isnt untill february, and our New Year wasn't adopted untill about 250 years ago! It used to be in July or something ( I'm not sure of that, but Iknow it wasn't always in Jan.)
In short, I think that making a decision to do somethign better for yourself and or others you care abotu is great. Just do it because you know it's right, not because it's January. That's why no ones resolution lasts, it's based on false pretenses ( might not be the word I wanted to use, but you get it) so, go out and party. Have a good time. Don't drink and drive, kiss the one you love or at least kind of like, ah hell if your drunk and their ugly you won't remember anyhow, at the stroke of midnight. But overall, just be thankful to have made it another year.
From me to you Happy New Year!

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is approaching and as cliche' as this is, I feel the need to give thanks for the wonderful things I have in my life.
I have been trying to live by a different "set of rules" if you will. You see, I have taken a liking to The Secret which is basically the law of positive attraction. I am a chrisitain so this is all in the Bible, but if you arn't religous and you watch this, you will not have religion stuffed down your gullet.
Anyway, this is all the more reason for me to be thankful because the more thankful I am the better my life will be (according to the laws of attraction)
My life has changed a lot over the years and lately I feel as though I too am changing at an incredible rate. My emotions are growing from adolescent to adult and it's a tranformation I'm trying to get used to. However, it's a good thing. I am thankful for my family and my children. My true and wonderful friends which are few. I am thankful for the life I have and all that I have been through.
In short, when Thanksgiving gets here, I will be more then happy to share what it is I am thankful for.

Ad-Sense

I was having a major problem with google ad-sense and it was making me crazy. Usually I am the one who handles phone calls and organizes the bills, etc. So when my ad-sense wasn't working you would think I would be all over it. Sadly I wasn't I somehow convinced myself that the problem would go away or fix itself. (by the way, the problem was un-targeted ads)

Eventually I did send google an email. It was through the trouble shooting. They sent me back some lame auto response about how maybe they hadn't scanned my site yet or something. So I waited, keep in mind I've had this blog for months at this point. Nothing.

One day, when I was feeling a little irritated I decided to take out my frustrations at the lack of targeted ads. I sent another email, went onto the self-help forum. I even went through the help thing where they guide you through steps. I eventually had to again e mail them. I e mailed 2 different people, and wouldn't you know it? I got a response from a real person! She told me she was going to look into the problem and get back to me. A few days later I received another e mail from her telling me she was going to forward the problem to her supervisor.

Guess what? Supervisor fixed everything and even sent me an e mail telling me things were all better and if I ever had another problem to feel free to e mail him! Now I was amazed because this is the customer service I live for. I have worked in the customer service industry for years and that is the types of service I provide. It is very rare that I get that back in return.

It may be a sad day when excitement comes from a place you should expect, but when you've got lemons......make lemonade!

A Year Gone By

The birthday girl will be one in 3 days and I can't believe it! I have been totally consumed with the party I've been planning and today was the first time I sat back and thought "this time last year I was beyond pregnant" now a whole year has passed.
I'm not sure how I feel about that. Don't get me wrong, I am more then excited at my little girl growing up, but how can I not be a little sad at the same time? She is 1 now and that means my son will be 3. You really start to realize how fast time goes by once you have kids and have something actually in your face saying "it's been a year, it's been 10 years, it's been 16, 20, 50 years!" With time moving so fast, it's hard to not feel like you could have done more in that time frame. Like maybe you failed this year. Maybe life should be a lot different then it was a year ago. For me, things are the same. Outside of the fact that I am not pregnant, my life hasn't changed much, if at all.
As I said before, I'm not sure how I feel about that. Being a parent seems to make time move so much faster then it used to, I don't think it's something that anyone can get used to, but it shows that you have to make the most of even the smallest things because they will all be gone too soon.

Staying at home

I think one of the best things you can do is to be a stay at home parent. I know this isn't possible for everyone, but I think it should be. It angers me that it is so hard to make a decent living while staying at home with your kids. You need to fill out surveys for $.40 cents a piece and then get a million ads in your inbox. Or you need to invest all kinds of money and have it maybe not work out.
Society knows it's a great thing to be able to stay home with your children, yet it's almost impossible. I sell Avon. I have been doing this for almost a year, and maybe I'm doing it wrong, but the money just isn't there. I heard all these testimonials about how women made 1 million dollars selling Avon, and I'm thinking, "where do you live?" I'm no idiot, and I just can't seem to catch a break. I have searched all over the web for good paying jobs I can do while staying home to take care of my family and I haven't found anything without a catch.
I guess this blog is more a rant then anything. I know if I was writing blogs about celebrities not wearing underwear, I would be on t.v, in magazines and being interviewed by Oprah. So what's up, has taking care of your family really taken a backseat to whether or not Brittany Spears will get custody of her kids?? Who cares?
I guess America does.

Party Time III

Oh! I'm running so behind. I am never this behind on party stuff. I'm
usually so organized that I have everything ready and I'm just waiting
for the party. So now what right? Well I finally finished the
invitations. When I say finished I mean that I still have 2 more to
make and I have yet to put on the eyes or write the actual info inside.
You could kind of call that finished right? Okay, Okay I know, it's no
where near finished, but I am patting myself on the back for actually
having them all cut out and put together. Took way too much time.
So, last minute bad news, I was going to have the party
at my moms like I do every year and she tells me that it's a no go. She
insists that she told me before and I'm sorry to say, but that simply
isn't true. ( see I knew there was a good reason why I hadn't filled
out the invites yet) Could you imagine thetrauma? The new dilemma is finding a new place to host the party, hmm....the jury is still out on that one.

I know that the party is mostly for the adults (especially when it's
the first one)but I enjoy looking back at my first b day party pics and
seeing everyone that was there. I think it's a generally nice gesture
to do for your kids. Besides I like planning parties.
I received a little party checklist in the mail from toys r us. Very cute, they
mentioned something though that I was unaware of. It said in the pamphlet to register for gifts. I remember when my son turned 1 ( now 3) and I thought " I wish I could register for specific gifts" there were so many things I specifically wanted him to have. However, I didn't want to be a jerk and have people thinking they HAD to get him certain things. However, here is toys r us, telling me to register for my daughters first birthday. Interesting....I'm going to look into that more. Awesome idea is if I do say so myself.
Which brings me to what I should even ask for. We own practically every toy known to man. I want her to have new things,but we have EVERYTHING!!!
Back to the party, I will finish the invitations for sure tomorrow. No matter what I will, I just have to get them off of my mind. I'm going to go through my addresses and make sure I have every ones address so i can then address envelopes. After that I have to go back over the menu and make sure everything in that department is in order. I will mail the invites and anxiously await my R.S.V.P.'s
More to come....stay tuned

What I have to say about Paula Deen

I love her! How could anyone not love, this southern food cookin,down to earth, rags to wishes, spunky woman? I recently had the joy of reading Paula Deen's new book "It A'int All About The Cookin" and what can I say? It's not. This woman has an amazing story and was even on Larry King last the other night.
For those of you unfamiliar, Paula has 2 shows on the food network. She is not a "chef" but she can cook. To me, that's what it's all about. Sure I enjoy watching the expertise of Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Alton Brown, but when it comes down to brass tacks, how many of us can cook like them. Shoot, how many of us would truly enjoy what they cook? (sea urchin anyone?) However, I know that no matter what day of the week I can turn on one of Paula's shows (Paula's Party or Paula's Home Cookin') and see somthing I might (and have) tried to cook myself.
This woman is a sucess in more ways then one. She is a mother of 2 boys and did everything she could to make a way for them. She is all about family, and found love over 50. You could say she has lived 2 lives. Both very different, however both connected by one common denomintor, FOOD. GOOD FOOD.
My grandmother is from louisiana, so some of the things Paula descibes in he rbook, I am familiar with. There are others that I am itching to try.
The book is an easy read. I ready a lot, however someone who doesn't should not be discouraged by it's thickness. The book was enjoyable and she even includes recipes not found in her cookbooks. She tells a story, the story of her life from her point of view. With her southern drawl and cussin. She calls us ya'll and makes you feel as though you are sitting in her kitchen and she is talking to you and only you.
Anyone who enjoys food,cookin', eating or just a good story told by a truly amazing woman, I suggest you read this book.

World Breastfeeding Week

August 1st marked the start of World Breastfeeding Week It's a big deal and is really recognized by the world. There is a video called The Breast Crawl that actually shows the newborn infants ability to crawl to the breast to nurse right after birth! Just amazing.
Part of the reason for world breastfeeding week is to pass along such vital information to mothers about the importance of breast feeding. Marsha Walker RN, has done extensive research on formula verses breastfeeding and you would be amazed at her findings. For example, did you know formula is 50 percent sugar? SUGAR!! Maybe that's why childhood diabetes is on the rise.
I could go on about this forever ( and I will all this week) so stay tuned for more information. Please check out the links I listed as well as My lactation consultants siteto familiarize yourself with the many benefits of breastfeeding.

At Wit's End?

This blog is courtesy of a magazine called Parent and Child. This article was in there and I wanted to share it with other moms and parents in general.

Forget yelling and nagging, focus on positive discipline to bring out the best in your kids and create a more harmonious household.

A Better Way: Positive Discipline, based on love and limits, is common sense. It's often the simple, sensible choices we tend to overlook as options, especially when we're in the heat of a kid battle. Unlike punishment, positive discipline works to maintain the dignity of both child and parent by helping the child want to cooperate because he knows it's the right thing to do, not because he feels he has to comply "or else" It has 3 main objectives:

• To put a stop to misbehavior
  
• To encourage good behaviors
• To strengthen the relationship between parent and child

8 Great Ways To Get Your Kids To Cooperate

1. Acknowledge strong feelings: A child who feels understood sees you as on his side rather then on his back and is more likely to cooperate.

2.Talk less: Say what needs to be done in a single word if you can. Children hate long explanations, which often turn into a screaming tirade of reasons it must be done. You're also modeling self control.

3. Tell your child what he can do, rather then what he cannot do: i.e. "we pet the cat" works better then "Don't pull the cat's tail like you did last time"

4. Give limited choices: Say to your child " you can get in your car seat all by yourself, or mommy can help you, do you need my help? It's your choice" ( but they have to get into their car seat) The more you do this, the more you'll get "self" cooperation

5. Lighten up: Make inanimate objects do the talking for you. Have your child shoes ask him to put them on.

6. Rewind!: This announcement means that your child will "take back" her words and actions and start anew with good behaviour. Silly babble and walking backwards indicate the bad behaviour has been "erased."

7. Take a break: To calm a frustrated child, stop and breathe together. Sitting across from one another hold hands and inhale slowly and deeply three times.

8. Take a silly break: A sense of humor is very positive and often works well to stop misbehaviour. When things are out of control, consider declaring " We need to get silly!" Dance, sing, tell a joke, talk in a silly voice or a foreign language. The children will join right in, or at least stop long enough to watch the show.

In truth, changing your ways and your children's isn't easy. and it can be especially difficult yo hold it together on crazy mornings. But even if you find that what comes out of your mouth is not what you had practiced, don't worry. Your child will give you another chance-sooner than you think-to say it better.

Written by:Gail Reichlin

The Singing Bee

I have to do this, I wasn't going to, but after last night, I decided I can't let it go. So, here we go.

I get it, ok, I get the idea of what the network is trying to do, but ultimately it all sums up to a show based on really bad karaoke. They try to get away with it with their slogan You don't have to sing it well, you just have to sing it right. Unfortunately for us, that means we have to sit through what feels like an eternity of bad singing.

Is it me or does it seem like ex boy bander Joey Fatone searches the audience for bad singers? Speaking of which, what is this the price is right?? I mean seriously, all they need is a guy yelling... Come On Down!!!!

In case you haven't caught the show, or don't know the rules, here is how it goes down. Joey goes through the audience to pick 6 contestants to start the show. Once on stage they narrow it down to 4 by having the band sing songs and each person gets a chance to finish where the band left off. Those four compete till they are down to 2. These 2 then sing a whole verse of a song and the person with the least amount of mistakes is left standing. I believe there is money involved although all they talk about is the coveted Singing Bee trophy. Give me a break!

To add insult to injury, they have dancers...yeah I know. The scantily clad girls are not only dressed like "Bees" but are only there to shake their butts at every opportunity. The sad part is, it's very obvious. Their dance skills are limited and let's just say, there are no ex-fly girls in that bunch. They also gave them a corny name which escapes me right now. You know something like, The Queen Bees, OH NO WAIT.... The Honey Bees!! Gag me with a spoon.

The MC is some black guy dressed in a HORRIBLE teal polyester suit that looks too big, and the bands singers dress like they shop at forever 21. ( Not that there is anything wrong with forever 21, but we're talking about national t.v. here)

I can't help but feel bad that with Justin Timberlake topping the charts, and Lance coming out of the closet, Joey has to add "The singing Bee Host" to his resume ( which believe me he will be using again soon)At least J.C. just fell off the face of the earth.

My theme for the show would "Bee" If you can't sing it well...go the hell home!
Thank you and Goodnight

Party Time Part 2 ( The Invitations)

The part planning continues for the kids. I have managed to keep both
parties "going" on in my head at the same time. Meaning I have oh, I
don't know about a thousand ideas for each and I have remembered to
keep them separate.

I finally started on the invitations for my soon to be one year old daughter. The plan was to make ladybug invitations. I got the idea for the template from an awesome website and changed it a little bit so that the wings were attached rather then a separate piece.

I headed off to the craft store and once there wandered the aisles for black and white paper, only to be side tracked by the fact that they also had pink
paper....hmmmm...pink paper. This may seem strange to you, but let me show you the theme of the party long story short, I went with the pink.

Making them was a whole different story. The first one took me 10 minutes from start to finish. The next day I made 5 more over an hours time. I now only have 22 left to make.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

My take on Maroon 5

I have been considering writing this blog for awhile. You see, I was putting it off because I wanted to find just the right thing to say to get my point across. The words may never come, and I can't afford to miss this opportunity.

Maroon 5's new CD (It Won't Be Soon Before Long) kicks a%$ you see I have found that listening to the CD puts me in a different place. My mind almost wanders, but not in the way that would cause you to miss your turn off on the freeway, or zone out completely. But the kind that makes it so you can think of nothing more then the music. As if you ARE the music. You may not even know the feeling he is expressing, but you become that feeling. You are who he is talking to or talking about.

Adam Levine's (lead vocals) voice is not like a voice at all, but an instrument that you can feel without understanding what he is even saying. Although his voice is heard over the awesome background music, it doesn't cut through, but flows with the sounds. It's all one easy flowing masterpiece.

The slow songs are sweet and leave a satisfied feeling in the pit of your stomach, and the up beat ones make your blood almost rush to your ears in hope that the sound will get sweeter. I LOVE THIS CD. Here is an example, put any other way and sung by any other group this would be thought of as dirty or derogatory:

See I touch myself like it's somebody else,
But to you I touch oh,
Oh na na oh I miss you

When you hear the song, as he says it, you won't even hear it, it's like it's part of you.

My musical taste has never been picky, but I know AWESOME when I hear it, and this my friends is awesome. No matter who you are, this CD will make you a fan.
Maroon 5 Official Website

Fourth of July

This year I am really excited about the 4th of July. I'm not sure why, I have never been extremely patriotic,however, I do love the US of A. But I have this undying need to buy all that is red, white and blue and wear it around town for the next week or two. I also would like to catch an awesome fireworks show sometime soon. I always see good ones on t.v., but i want to be there. Well, this was something to write because I'm bored and needed something to do.
I'm going to share this with all of you because it's fitting for this blog.


Mariah Carey Lyrics
Fourth Of July Lyrics:

Trembling starry eyed
As you put your hand in mine...
It was twilight
On the Fourth of July
Sparkling colors were
Strewn across the sky
And we sat close enough
That we just barely touched
While roman candles
Went soaring above us and baby

Then you put your hand in mine
And we wandered away
I was trembling inside
But I wanted to stay
Pressed against you there
and leave the world behind
On that Fourth of July

So starry eyed
On the flowery hillside
Breathless and fervid
Amid the dandelions
As it swept over me
Like the wind trough the trees
I felt you sigh with a
Sweet intensity and baby

Then you put your hand in mine
And we floated away
Delicately lay entwined
In an intimate daze
A crescent moon began to shine
And I wanted to stay
Tangled up with you among the fireflies
On that Fourth of July

Thunder clouds
Hung around
So threateningly
Ominously hovering
And the sky
Opened wide
Showering

Then you put your hand in mine
And we ran from the rain
Tentatively kissed goodnight
And went our separate ways
And I've never truly felt the way that I
Felt the Fourth of July
Truly I have never felt the same inside
Like that Fourth of July
Truly I could never feel the same as I
Felt that Fourth of July

courtesy of: lyrics.com

Kids say the darndest things

Being a mother of 2 and an older sister to a now 6 year old, I knew this day would come. My son who is almost three has become very very verbal. He began speaking fairly early and seems to absorb everything he hears so it's not surprising, that now his vocabulary is extensive.
Yesterday, we were in the grocery store and I was looking to buy ice cream ( not that it matters what I was doing) and my son i in the back of the cart waiting patiently with his daddy and sister. ( 9 months old) the aisle that we are in is packed with people and just as a couple walk by he shouts ( although I am very close to him) "Mommy, Mommy.....I FARTED!!!" The couple ( who obviously doesn't have kids) got a look on their faces that said they wanted to laugh but felt they shouldn't. What did I do? I said " thank you for sharing that with me....and everyone else honey" Then I did what anyone else would do, I laughed uncontrollably. I mean this is what kids do. There is no way I could get upset at that. We went to the Dr. for his sister the other day. Since they share the same Dr. the Dr. asked him for a hug, and he says no. She asks him again, and he walks up to me and says " mommy, i don't like her" Now, the Dr. isn't the one who gives him the shots, but needless to say, she wasn't getting a hug from him that day.
Right now, it's all fun and games, and I look forward to his little outbursts, so that on prom night I can embarrass him, by telling these stories to his date. We will see how I feel, when we are in a store and he shouts " mommy, she's fat!"

Party Time

Well, this is officially MOM BLOG. You see it's getting close to birthday time for both of my kids. ( one is Sept. and one in Oct.) I have a way of having giant parties for my son. He will be three this year and the theme will be "Cars" the movie, which I must add he watches 3 times a day! My daughter is turning one, which means it is a big deal. Her theme will be Ladybugs.
I have already made myself, a pile of internet printed ideas. I have prob. mountains of scrap paper, where I have thought of things randomly and written them down while shopping, or ugh.....driving. lol Don't tell ok? So, let the planning begin. I will say I have to pat myself on the back because my parties come out awesome, that should be my job, a professional party planner. I have planned parties for things other then kids B-days also. I have done company parties, baby showers etc. whoa, sorry I got carried away there. Anyway, to give props where they are due, here are a few websites that I have gotten ideas from. dltk-kidz birthday in a box and Celebrate Express to name a few. Check them out, or write me if your planning a party and need ideas. I'll post more on my progress as I go. Wish me luck!

Mondegreen ( incorrect lyrics)

I bet you didn't know that all those wrong lyrics you belt out in the shower actually have a name: Mondegreen To give credit where it's due, Sylvia Wright, as a child heard a poem as a child "They had slain the Earl of Moray/And the lady of Mondegreen. (Actual Lyrics "they had slain the Earl of Moray/And laid him on the green." So here are a few of my ( and I'm sure your) Mondegreens, feel free to add more.

Shakira ft. Wyclef:"You make a brotha wanna see spandex" (curtosy of my hubby)
Actual Lyrics:"You make a brotha wanna speak spanish"

Elton John: " Hold me closer Tony Danza"
Actual Lyrics: "Hold me closer tiny dancer"

Michael Jackson: " Thiller, Thiller Knife"
Actual Lyrics: "Thiller Thiller Night"

George Michael: "If you were the dentist, I'd be the sea"
Actual Lyrics: "If you were the desert, I'd be the sea"

Earth Wind and Fire : "Do you remember?.blahblahblah September!"
hahahaha

And does anyone really know what the hell Aretha Franklin is saying: "R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out what it means to me, R-E-S-P-E-C-T....???????"
I'm utterly clueless to that one.
The funny thing about these, is even after you learn the proper words to the song, you will find that you will forever sing them "your way" so go ahead, with my blessing at least, roll down your windows and let tony danza hold you closer, be my dentist, watch out for that thiller knife and blah blah blah to Aretha with the rest of us!

I love Old People

I got a bright idea from Corrine today, who said that I should write about my life as a concierge for the elderly facility I work for. I have worked here for 6 years and through all the stories I have told, have never written any of them down.

I'm a concierge, I work at a high end retirement home so they are too good to call me a receptionist. Face it, we arn't in france, I sit here answering the phone all night, I'm a damn receptionist. My job consists of answering the phone and making sure the not quite sane residents don't escape. It's not too bad, but I admit it gets a little boring.

Since I'm here at the desk and not working on the floor I dont know all the residents names anymore, so I resort to nicknames for those who don't bug me so much that I have to know thier names.

Here she comes....I know her name, but she has earned a nickname, miss thing. She is on the verge of crazy, but sane enouph to know what she's saying. You know, only crazy when it's convinient?

Today it's a newspaper, it's 6pm and she wants to know if I deliver her newspaper. I politely say the newspapers come in the morning and I dont know if she got one. She misinterprets that as "you dont get a damn paper!" because she turns into "miss thing" before my eyes. " OH I GET A PAPER, I GOT A PAPER!!!"

Okay then, you got a paper, I'm happy for you, no I didnt deliver it, no I don't know who does, yes your room is upstairs, yes that is your room number and no I am NOT being sarcastic with you. (Although I feel as I have a right considering you just yelled at me for no reason.)

The chickens are here, 2 ladies who constantly talk about how people sneak into thier rooms to steal thier glasses and hearing aids (ewww) tomorrow they won't remember this conversation, yet they are fuming mad. Back and forth they go wispering and pointing. I feel bad for chicken number one, she feels genuinly sorry for chicken number 2 who has lived here much longer then her and does this every other day, she doesnt even own hearing aids. Besides no one would dare enter her room with those damn cats it smells like ammonia in there, stings your eyes from the hall. I wonder if she'll call the cops again?

Fast Food

Whats up with Fast food places? I mean they give you what they call a deal with the dollar menu right? I bet it cost them less then 20 cents for all the stuff thats on there put together.
I went to burger King today and I ordered a whopper jr with cheese ( on the 1.00 menu) oh, wait i thought, does that come with cheese? The lathargic voice comes through the speaker box "no, ma'am, thats extra" ok I think and say, can you add cheese? Before I continue, I ask you, how much SHOULD the cheese cost on a burger that is one dollar? 10 cents? No, 25 freakin cents!!!!! How can a piece of generic american cheese cost 1/4 of a patty, bread, pickles, onions, mayonaise, ketchup and mustard?? I mean do they really need to charge you 25 cents for 1 piece of cheese?
Needless to say, I paid it.....but I HAD to say something

Children And Bedtimes

There is no denying that bedtimes are a must in my house, for a number of reasons. You see, no matter what, I crave that itty bitty bit of time to myself after the 2 little ones are in bed. Sometimes I spend my time during the day making a mental list of what I will do once they are asleep. (i.e. paint my toenails, watch a DVD, stare into space) So I am constantly reading book upon book, searching site after site for things like what is an appropriate bedtime for a 2 year old. Or whats the best way to get the kids to sleep so they will stay asleep. Although all have "nice" ideas, they are all the same. You know the ones, "let them cry it out" why in the world would I want to allow my child to cry himself to sleep? That stresses me out. I also saw Dr. Sears on Dr. Phil who happens to be one of the nations leading pediatricians. He says that it is unhealthy to let your babies cry and cry. It raises their temperature and blood pressure etc etc. So I'm not going that route. I breastfed both of my babies and I sometimes will put the baby to bed in her crib after she is asleep. ( whoever suggested putting them in there while they are still awake must not have tried that) all that doe sis wake up the baby and piss them off to the point where there is no going back to sleep. At least with my kids anyway.I find that sleeping with them in bed until they are either A) no longer breastfeeding at night or B) about 14 months old works the best. I then put them in their own bed.

Once this is accomplished I move to getting them to sleep all night in it. I never give in to the middle of the night, sneak into my bed routine. As much as I would like to. I sit next to the bed and wait patiently without talking un till they fall asleep and leave the room. I do this even if they wake in the middle of the night and it works great. My son understands that once he is asleep, mommy will leave the room and that I am always close by if he has a bad dream.
My son goes to bed at 8:30, that may be late for some, but he needs 10 to 12 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period for his age of 2 and a half. He wakes at 7 and sometimes takes a half hour nap. This routine ( see future blogs for my take on children having a routine) works well for him and me because of the predictability of it all. I put my 8 month old to bed at the same time. It's fair and this way they are both asleep together and I am free. lol

My thoughts on the loss of Steve Irwin

I haven't been online and so this is coming later then i wanted. However I want to take a time out and say something about Steve Irwin. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I know all about him, or that I know about all the great things he did for the animals and people of this world, but I am deeply saddened that he has left this world.

It was such a fluke the way he left us that it was obvious that it was his time. I am sad because this man enjoyed life SO SO much. This is a man who had passion for everything he did. True he loved the animals and loved his job, but he loved his family and his fans and everything about life and the world. You could see it in his eyes through a television screen! There are so many people out there who are miserable with their lives for no reason. Who sit at home and sulk and dwell on all the bad things in this world and in their lives. Yet here you have a man who was still smiling when he was on his way to the hospital to get anti venom after a snake bite. To me his motto would have been " that's the way the cookie crumbles"

He was a father of 2 kids 8 and 2 and a half and a husband. i am sad for his family and friends that knew him well. I am glad that I got to experience his passion and love for life evn if just through television airwaves.