Uncategorized

Calling the Cavalry for Some Guest Post and Facebook Love (And yes, some more Whyming)

3 Comments

Crying Uncle.  Waving the white flag.  Throwing in the towel!

As I sit here in bed alternating between shivering and sweating, with my whole body aching, I’ve reached the point that I hate to get to.  The point where I’m asking for HELP.

We are leaving for a much, much, much needed vacation soon and I am sick.  Sicker than normal I should say.  If I am too sick to enjoy my vacation, you will need to find  a padded room for me somewhere.

In addition to being a tough year health-wise, it has also been tough financially.  Well, I guess the two are related since it is my health issues that drain our bank account!  We usually take a trip to the beach every summer but this year we weren’t going to go anywhere.  But my health was bringing me to my breaking point and I realized I HAD to find somehow to get away.  So we maxed out the credit card for a more local trip to a lake.  I. need. this. trip. bad. ly.  Actually, I need to not be sick on this trip.  Badly.

(For any would be burglars reading this, let me save you the effort.  There is nothing in our house worth stealing.  Really, nothing.  And The Rock is housesitting for us anyway.  Well, maybe his name is Theodore Rockefeller.  But I’m SURE he’s as strong as The Rock.  So there.)

Anyway…

I’ve been putting pressure on myself recently over some (random) goals that I set for myself to meet by my first anniversary of my blog (which is next month).  I’ve ignored my blog for months and now I’ve suddenly decided to panic and try to play “catch up” at the 11th hour in order to reach these goals (yeah, not the brightest idea).

So, I’m giving myself permission to “officially” ignore writing (instead of UNofficially ignoring it like I’ve been doing for months) so I can get out of bed and get in the lake.

To help reduce the guilt of “blog neglect,” I’m calling on all my wonderful blogging friends for GUEST BLOG POST submissions!  This will allow all of my readers to be introduced to some wonderful writers and will allow me to hold out (a glimmer of) hope of reaching my goals by next month.

If you have a post (new or old is fine!) that would be a good fit for my audience (personal blogs only, not companies), please send it to momopolize@gmail.com.  I will give credit where credit is due,  including linking to your website (because I’m sure everyone will enjoy your post so much they will want to keep reading more!).  PG-13 please – my kids read my blog sometimes. 🙂

You can also lend me a hand and help me reach one of my goals by liking my Facebook Page and linking up below for the Facebook Love Hop that I’m co-hosting for the rest of July.

Now on to the hop…

_____

Here are the rules for the Facebook Hop:

    1. Linkup your Blog’s Facebook page URL.
    2. ‘LIKE‘ your host and co-hosts pages.
    3. Return the likes of other participants.
    4. Make sure to like from your PERSONAL FB Account since FB doesn’t “count” likes from other pages.
    5. After the Hop, check your Facebook SPAM content – Go to Edit Page, Activity Log and Spam which is over on the left sidebar.

FIRST MEET and ‘LIKE’ your Host and CO-HOSTs! Then click the little blue froggy guy below to add your link!

Mommy Mentionables (Host)

Momopolize (Co-Host)



Health, Illness, Inspiration, Life, Lupus, Lyme, Parenting, Uncategorized

A letter to my kids: My Roller Coaster Life

17 Comments

Dear kids,

You know I’m sick, but we don’t really talk about it.  I never want to worry you by telling you all the problems Lyme Disease and Lupus have caused me.  But by NOT telling you, I’m probably worrying you more.  So, let’s talk.

I’m sure it’s confusing for you.  Adults don’t even understand the ups and downs, so I don’t expect you to.  But I can try to explain a bit in terms you will relate to.

Ups and downs is the perfect way to describe it.  Like being on a roller coaster.  A never ending roller coaster.  Yeah, I know you are thinking “how cool would THAT be?!?”  But wait.  There’s more.  When you get on the ride and the harness clicks in, it is too tight.  Way too tight.  It hurts.  Reallllly hurts.  You wave frantically and yell at the operator but he just smiles an evil smile and pushes the GO button.

As the ride takes off, you try desperately to stop its grip on you.  You squirm, you pull, you hit it.  But nothing helps.

As you start to head up the first hill, the harness gradually loosens and by the time you reach the crest, it is finally comfortable.  You think you can now relax and enjoy the ride.  You get that moment where you are perched at the top of the hill.  It is exhilarating and exciting.  Time seems to stand still.

Then you start to plummet down the hill.  You feel the harness begin to tighten again.  It squeezes every inch of your body until you want to scream.  It takes your breath away.  Your head feels like it is spinning.

Just when you think you can’t handle any more, you begin another ascent.  The harness begins to loosen again.  Relief.  Ahhhhh.  But this time you can’t enjoy it as much.  What goes up must come down.  And you now know that the coming down is excruciatingly painful.

This time when you reach the summit, you try to just focus on the joy of that moment.  But you can’t because the dread of the descent weighs heavily on your mind.

Each plunge breaks your spirit more and more but after enough hills and valleys, you finally learn to get the most out of that time when the harness isn’t squeezing.  You enjoy that part of the ride and look forward to the peak.  Even though you know the ride can’t end at the top of a hill.

Then – just when you think you have a handle on the ups and downs – out of nowhere you get slammed with a loop-de-loop (or maybe I should call it a lupus-de-lup) which brings a whole new set of problems.

And just as the ride should be coming to an end, the operator smiles his evil grin again and it all starts over.

Add a blindfold so you can’t see the twists and turns coming and that, my dears, is Mommy’s life.

Not being able to get off of this ride makes me sad.  Sad about all of the things I have missed out on with you guys.  Like the many nights I missed tucking you in because I fell asleep on the couch before your bedtime.  Or the days you had to wear mismatched socks because I hadn’t done laundry.  (But 2 different socks seems to be all the rage now.  You’re welcome fashion world.) 

But before I make YOU sad, let me add that there is actually some GOOD that has come out of me being ill.

I don’t have enough energy to be a helicopter Mom so since I don’t hover, you have taken off and soared.  You are growing up to be incredibly mature, independent young men!

You all know how to do your own laundry.  You don’t.  But you know how.

You all know how to use the oven, toaster, microwave and blender.  Greg, you have been able to fix your own lunch since you were 3.  Eric, you can take an almost rotten banana and turn it into an awesome loaf of bread.  Jake, you are now our pancake specialist (and you even got me published in a book.  Not for your culinary skills perhaps, but you’ve made many people laugh about what happens If You Give A Kid A Bag Of Pancake Mix.).  Jimmy, you make to-die-for peanut butter brownies.  No, seriously.  Sometimes I’m afraid you’ll kill your brothers if they eat more than their share.

Although I’m sure it drives your teachers insane that I am too foggy brained half the time to make sure you get your homework completed, you are slowly learning to be responsible for getting it done on your own.  As long as you manage to get enough homework turned in to actually GRADUATE, you are going to be kick ass butt college students.  All those kids who depend on their parents to stand over their shoulder to study will be struggling not to flunk out, but not you guys.  You guys will be cranking out solid Cs.

You all have compassion.  You may fight like cats and dogs most of the time, but when I REALLY need you to co-exist peacefully so I can rest you always seem to have my back.  (Well, since our cats and dogs get along, I will say you fight like praying mantises – manti? – and stink bugs.  I won’t say which ones of you are the stink bugs.)

AND *I* have had to learn not to sweat the small stuff, which is a very good thing.  I need all my energy for the big stuff, like making sure I take a shower at least once a week.

I’ve realized that the world won’t stop spinning because I didn’t get the sheets changed on your bed this week (or last, or the week before, or…ummm…you get the picture).  Plus, I can tell you “good night, don’t let the bed bugs bite” with meaning.  Psssh, no.  Of course there aren’t really bugs in your bed.

(As far as I know.)

I’ve learned to appreciate the days I DO feel healthy.  Not many kids get to see their Moms get downright GIDDY over feeling like a “normal” person for a day/week/month/however long it lasts.  You have to deal with the lowest of the lows, but you also get to see pure joy at the highest of the highs.  The times you get to see a glimpse of how I want to be all the time.  The times on the roller coaster when my hands are up in the air and I’m shouting “bring it on world.”

Unfortunately, it’s been a while since you’ve seen my hands up in the air.  Lately I’ve been hanging on for dear life while the coaster has been barreling down. It’s been a rough month summer year for my health.  The squeezing of the harness is definitely taking a toll on my body.

But don’t despair.  There has to be another ascent soon.  There just has to.

Then I will be back to my uphill battle.  And, in this case, an uphill battle is a good thing.

Humor, Joke, Life, Parenting

Facebook Funnies. At the Hop.

4 Comments

My response to Jake whacking Eric with a banana…

“Stop that!  You’re going to bruise the banana!”

I will make sure to add that story to my Mother of the Year acceptance speech.

__________
Eric wanted me to listen to his favorite song, Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. I thought I’d never heard of it,  but when it started playing I knew the song immediately. I’ve sung along many times as it played on the radio but instead of singing “Radioactive,” I thought the lyrics were “Ready to Whack You.”

It never occurred to me how ridiculous that was until I saw the expression on Eric’s face when I told him.

__________

(I should have sung along using MY lyrics while Jake hit Eric with the banana.)

For more funnies, make sure to like my facebook page, as well as checking out the other pages linked up below!  (I’m co-hosting the FacebookLove Hop every Thursday in July.)

__________

Welcome to the new FacebookLove blog hop!

Here are the rules:

  1. Linkup your Blog’s Facebook page URL.
  2. ‘LIKE‘ your host and co-hosts pages.
  3. Return the likes of other participants.
  4. Grab a Hop Button below and place it on your sidebar so others can join in.
Mommy Mentionables
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mommymentionables.com/category/blog-hop/" title="Mommy Mentionables"><img src="http://www.mommymentionables.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/250pxFBBlogHopButton1.jpg" alt="Mommy Mentionables" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Some Things to NOTE:

  • Like other FB pages from your PERSONAL profile. This important since Facebook does NOT count likes if you like a page from your PAGES.
  • We highly encourage you to return the like of everyone who has liked your page.
  • We recommend when liking a page, to please leave a comment on their page or send them a message that you are LIKING them from the FacebookLove Hop so you’re LIKE is not overlooked.
  • After the Hop, check your Facebook SPAM content – Go to Edit Page, Activity Log and Spam which is over on the left sidebar. Facebook is known to SPAM comments or messages from others if multiple comments or messages are sent in a short period of time.

Don’t forget to Tweet & Pin this Hop!

Now on to the Hop!

FIRST Meet and ‘LIKE’ your Host and Co-hosts!

Mommy Mentionables (Host)

Momopolize (Co-Host)

momopolize button 125x125
Momopolize (Co-Host)



Uncategorized

And Sometimes Clutter IS Clutter

6 Comments

shoeEvery time in my life that I’ve ever said “I would never let my child…” it has always come back to bite me.  When my oldest was a toddler, I can remember talking to a friend that had two pre-teens and they were buying a second video game system.  They were going to have a PS2 AND an Xbox.  I thought that was crazy.  Why on earth would you need TWO video game systems for two kids?  Couldn’t the kids share?  I would never let my child spend that much money for video games (insert judgmental eye roll). 

We now have multiple video games systems.  And by “multiple” I mean MORE than two.  In my defense, I DO have more than two kids.  (Hey, I saw that judgmental eye roll!)

I NEVER say “I would never let my child…” anymore.  Ever.

With these multiple gaming systems, come multiple games.  And by “multiple” I mean dozens and dozens.  And dozens.  Remember, I DO have more than two kids.  (So stop the judgmental eye roll.)

Photo: appcolt.com
CLASSIC PAC-MAN
Photo: appcolt.com

Speaking of the games, what happened to the good ole’ days when video games seemed unbeatable?  I remember playing the same games for years on my Atari (wow, I’m dating myself there.) – Pac-man, Space Invaders, Frogger.  THOSE were games.  It seems like way too often now when my kids buy a game, they “beat” it within a short period of time and then the almost brand new $60 game is added to the “I don’t want to play anymore” pile.

I posted “Sometimes Clutter Isn’t Clutter” the other day about having difficulty getting rid of old books and toys because of their sentimental value.  I have NO trouble letting go of video games.  No fond memories.  “Oh lookie in this bin.  It’s that cute little Mario game.  It seems like just yesterday we went to the store and picked it out with your allowance money.  Oh wait, it WAS just yesterday.”

The books and toys may stay, but it’s time to sell the bin of video games.  Because baby needs a new pair of shoes.  Or should I say boy needs a new pair of video games.  I heard that “Pac-man and the Ghostly Adventures” will be released soon.  Maybe we are going back to the good ole’ days after all.

Or maybe not…

Pac-man and the ghostly adventures
Pac-man and the ghostly adventures
Photo: gamefaq.com
Guest Blogger, Humor, Inspiration, Joke, Life

Featured On the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop Website. Life. Complete.

5 Comments

You read that right.  I have a post featured on the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop site!

For those of you who know how much I idolize Erma, you know this is just…just…I have no words.

Click here or the photo below to see the post.  I don’t care if you read it or not (ok, yeah I do.) but just go look.  Go see MY face right next to a video of ERMA.  When you click play, she is talking to ME.

What?  It is SO possible.  Haven’t you ever seen Long Island medium??

Just go watch.  She is staring RIGHT AT ME while she talks.  You’ll see.

Erma Bombeck featured post

(I accept your apology and won’t say “I told you so.”)

I LOVE that in the video, she tells of a writing class she took and was feeling much doubt about being able to do it.  Her instructor said 3 words to her after he read her class project that stuck with her and inspired her for the rest of her career.  “You. Can. Write.”

When I first started blogging, there was a writing challenge called “Stylish Imitation.”  The whole “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” concept.  The tribute I wrote, “Bombecked: Beyond Wit’s End” tells why I admire Erma with a feeble attempt to copy her UNcopyable style by telling imperfect stories about my family (the stories ARE pretty funny, even if they don’t sound like Erma.  So you should go read it.).

Erma was the original Imperfect Mom and shared that with the world, perfectly.  And hysterically.

“If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it.” ~Erma Bombeck

I could quote her all day.  But then you wouldn’t go see my posts.

“If you can’t make it better, you can drink a lot.” ~Angela McKeown

P.S. A huge thank you to my blogging friend Vikki at Laugh Lines for making this possible.  I think Vikki has Erma’s spirit at the keyboard with her.  I have many, many new laugh lines from reading her posts.  Since you’ve already got your reading glasses on (and you know you do), you should go read her blog also.)

Life, Parenting, Uncategorized

Sometimes Clutter Isn’t Clutter

5 Comments

I’m a little late on spring cleaning (and by a little I mean 5 years).                                     Now that my shoeyoungest is almost 9 and the oldest is almost an adult (gasp) there are many bins from “toddlerhood” that were outgrown years ago, cluttering up the joint.

We have so many neglected toys in our storage room, I sometimes wonder if we have an ongoing Toy Story 4 movie in there.  Heck, we even have a Buzz and Woody.  I could easily sneak the bins out of the house without anyone noticing.  But I am the one having issues letting go.

Out of all the bins and boxes, the hardest thing for me to think about parting with is the books.  You know the favorite baby books that you read over and over (and over) at bedtime.  The ones that would elicit a hopeful “again?” before you could even say “The End.”  The ones you knew so well you could mumble the words while you fell asleep.  The ones with wrinkled, torn pages from so much use.  The ones you can still recite years later just by looking at the cover.

Seeing one of those books brings me right back to the moments of sitting in the rocking chair with one of them on my lap.   The moments that seem like yesterday but were years ago.  The moments I didn’t always enjoy at the time but cherish now.

Photo: efsavage.com
Photo: efsavage.com

Those books hold more than pages with words.  They hold memories.

Aaaaah. 

Sorry, I got lost in the Hallmark moment there.

The toys bring back many memories also.

I look at the “Rescue Heroes” and remember Jimmy’s obsession with them.  He had big plans to be a Firefighter, Policeman, Paramedic, Astronaut AND Lumber Jack when he “growed up.”  I look at those toys and realize that as Jimmy begins the college application process, he IS almost grown up and figuring out what his profession will actually be.

The Thomas the Tank Engine track and trains remind me of when Jake was a toddler.  Those trains saved my sanity.  The ONLY time he would sit still was when he was playing with them.  Well, the only time he would HAPPILY sit still.  Even when he slept, he was tossing and turning, turning and tossing, tossing and turning all night (You’re welcome for the song that is now stuck in your head.).

Little Pet Shop was Eric’s favorite and he loved those cute little animals – even though the tiny accessories drove me nuts.  But stepping on a miniature dog bowl barefoot beat stepping on a Lego any day.  (I think the Lego nubs actually DO turn into daggers in the dark.) Eric still has that love of animals (just real ones now) and I just KNOW one day when he’s a veterinarian, he will want those toys to decorate his office.

Greg loved the Fisher Price Little People toys.  He’s my littlest, so it was appropriate.  That was one of the few toys that had stood the test of time since I was a kid, although the ones I played with probably had lead paint.  That would explain a lot.

So the books and toys will stay.  One day I can read the yellowed pages to my Grandkids while reminiscing.  “When your Dad was your age…”  They will just LOVE that, right??

And by the way, Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  I have never seen a blue horse OR a purple cat.  Have you heard of the color grey??

Uncategorized

Show some FacebookLove

9 Comments

Welcome to the new FacebookLove blog hop!

  Here are the rules:

  1. Linkup your Blog’s Facebook page URL.
  2. ‘LIKE‘ your host and co-hosts pages.
  3. Return the likes of other participants.
  4. Grab a Hop Button below and place it on your sidebar so others can join in.
Mommy Mentionables
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mommymentionables.com/category/blog-hop/" title="Mommy Mentionables"><img src="http://www.mommymentionables.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/250pxFBBlogHopButton1.jpg" alt="Mommy Mentionables" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

 

Some Things to NOTE:

  • Like other FB pages from your PERSONAL profile. This important since Facebook does NOT count likes if you like a page from your PAGES.
  • We highly encourage you to return the like of everyone who has liked your page.
  • We recommend when liking a page, to please leave a comment on their page or send them a message that you are LIKING them from the FacebookLove Hop so you’re LIKE is not overlooked.
  • After the Hop, check your Facebook SPAM content – Go to Edit Page, Activity Log and Spam which is over on the left sidebar. Facebook is known to SPAM comments or messages from others if multiple comments or messages are sent in a short period of time.

 

Don’t forget to Tweet & Pin this Hop!

Now on to the Hop!

  FIRST Meet and ‘LIKE’ your Host and Co-hosts!

Mommy Mentionables (Host)

Momopolize (Co-Host)
Your co-hosts are the first 5-6 spots on the link-up

 


Chores, Humor, Life, Parenting

“Summer Camp That Teaches Kids To Do Chores”

16 Comments

Every year I’m determined to get the boys to do chores without me constantly hounding them.  Every year I fail.

Today’s struggles reminded me of a text conversation last year (since it was a pre-iPhone text, I don’t have a pretty little screen shot)…

2:16pm Me: You still need to change the litter pans and mow.

<no response>

2:28pm Me: We are out of litter so Dad is bringing some on his way home from work.  Go ahead and start mowing to get that off your list.

<no response>

2:46pm Me: Do you want Chipotle?

2:46pm Jimmy:  Yes.

2:47pm Me: Oh, well we aren’t going to Chipotle.  I just wanted to make sure you were receiving the other texts from me.

Jimmy didn’t find that trick as funny as I did.  Weird.

Over the years I’ve made about 547 chore charts.  Ones with cute little photos when they were too young to read.  Ones with bright, cheery fonts.  Ones with blatant bribes.  Ones so detailed and well thought out that Super Nanny would hug me and exclaim “You don’t need me!”

But none of them worked. chore chart

This year they got illegible scribbling on a plain piece of paper.  (Eric accused me of spelling laundry wrong, but I assured him my spelling is fine…it is just my penmanship that is not.)

Some of the elaborate charts of years past took hours to create.  This one took seconds.

This one is just as effective ineffective as the others.

They obviously didn’t see the “Without NAGGING!” part.

Jimmy won’t fall for the Chipotle trickery any more (I’ve tried), so after a day of frustration I resorted to outright annoyance.

Scoop the pans now

It finally worked.  Anyone know how to set up texts to automatically send in a continuous loop daily??

Oh, I will save you the time of trying to find the camp I mentioned in the title…

Summer Camp That Teaches Kids To Do Chores

There really should be a Chore Boot Camp.  Someone’s missing out on a goldmine idea I tell ya’.

I did get an idea from Google though.  This one just may work.

Do your chores for the wifi password

—

P.S. You may have noticed my text is sent to “Dragon.”  About a year ago, I kept accidentally sending Jim’s texts to Jimmy and vice versa.  I told Jimmy I needed to change his name in my contacts so their names weren’t so similar.  He said change it to Dragon.  I don’t even find it odd anymore…until I see it in a post…

Happiness, Humor, Life

You are going to be soooo jealous of our 20th anniversary plans!

15 Comments

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary.  And boy do we have BIG plans.

Front row seats.

Unlimited ice cold beverages.

Fancy square plates.

Surrounded by cheers and applause.

Non-stop excitement.

Special honorary titles bestowed on us by adoring fans.

I will feel pampered like a trophy wife.

And my outfit is just striking.

It will be a swinging good time.

We will be in stitches all night.

Jim’s hoping to get past third base after all the effort he’s put into this night.

I know your curiosity is driving you batty, so I won’t keep you in suspense any longer…

We…

Are…

Going…

To…

The…

Little league baseball machine pitch semi-finals!!!

Yep.  You heard it right.  We have DUGOUT seats, with all the WATER bottles we want while hearing chants of “Bad call Coach” and “Hey Bench Mom, get that kid’s catcher’s gear on faster!”

We may even throw in some peanuts and cracker jacks.

‘Cause we really know how to live it up!

Don't ask me about my kids or I will Momopolize the conversation!