R.I.P. Phillip

Phillip has gone to swim in the great fishbowl in the sky.

He was very loved and will be sorely missed.

Carnival Dreams

There was a carnival in town this past weekend.

Do I really need to say more? We all can picture them in our heads. Set up in any ole' available dirt lot, carnies with bad hair, bad teeth, and bad body odor. Over priced rides.

This particular one was pretty rinky dink. Half the rides were inflatable.

Anyway, I gave in to the pressure and took the kids to the carnival.

Despite my attitude toward the rejected carnival, the little ones had lots of fun.

And so did Tracey. She won a goldfish.

Meet Philip.

Budding Artists

My house is their canvas. I'm just glad they didn't draw on my freshly painted wall right behind them.

I just had an epiphany.

We predestined Krysten to draw on every available surface. Her middle name is "Monet".

Maybe I can sell that piece of wood for millions...

Honesty Pays

Recently I ordered a pair of tennis shoes from Foot Locker. I never received them and when I called Customer Service, they told me the shoes had been returned. (I won't even go into delivery service to our house.) So I the kind lady sent me another pair. I got that pair in a few days and all things were right in my world.

Then I received a box from UPS...another pair of the same exacty pair of shoes. (I'm guessing they were the original pair.) What the heck? Two pair of ridiculously expensive shoes? The second pair being totally free? Score!

But wait...there's that pesky conscience again. I knew the right thing to do would be to call and return the shoes. Maybe they will say to go ahead and keep the shoes, since you know, it'd be such a hassle and all to send them back.

When I called Customer Service again the lady was surprised at my honesty. She said she would send me a mailing label to return them (so much for charity). Then she told me that FootLocker would send me a giftcard for being honest.

Well, that's a pleasant surprise. Thank you.

Yesterday I received my gift card in the mail.

What??? My honesty is only worth $10???? Those shoes were $115!!!!

***Despite the fact that the gift card is only $10, I am happy that I returned the shoes. I would never have been able to wear them and it would've eaten at my conscience.***

Things Every Mom Should Know

I was reading in my latest issue of Parents Magazine and came across an article that really hit home with me. It is "39 Things Every Mom Should Know", September 2009. It lists some things that, well...every mom should know. So I'm going to give you some of my favorites.

1. Don't make birthday parties a big deal.

2. Do your chores while kids are awake. Using up naptime to wash dishes or clean the bathroom is truly soul-crushing.

3. Just throw away the poopy underwear.

4. Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.

5. Don't forget about board games. You'll suffer through way too much Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, but Connect Four and Battleship aren't half bad. And Clue rocks.

6. Know this: That stain won't come out. And it's okay. (The sooner you accept this, the better.)

7. Embrace their quirks.

8. Answer this question: What is the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes?

9. Teach them to pump on the swings, ASAP.

10. Get used to the word zerrissenheit. It means a state of disjointedness, and it's the new normal for most of us. At least you can feel fancy because it's German.

11. Buy kids deodorant before they need it.

12. Teach your children to make their own breakfast.

13. Use duvet covers on your comforters and forget about a top sheet.

14. Remember: clogging lessons are not in the best interest of the child.

15. Make sure your kids know how they like their eggs and burgers cooked. You don't want them to feel stress when ordering at the restaurant.

16. It's fine to brag about yourself to your kids.

17. Buy quaint wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them.

18. Just say "No" to any toy or doll that comes withpackets that have to be mixed with water.
19. Teach them to like cool music.

20. Don't buy the most expensive school-picture package. It's a waste of money.

21. Put Band-Aids on everything your kids want you to. Why not?


Some of these I already do and this article made me feel less guilty about not doing them. Especially birthday parties. I always feel the need to have a big fancy shmancy party just because all my kids' friends do. Some of these things I am guilty of-- like being obsessive about not sleeping in their clothes and not playing enough board games with them.

Go Broncos!!

Here are a few pictures of the action from the 7th grade volleyball game tonight.