Today for you. Tomorrow for ME!

The only catch about my title is tomorrow never comes.

I recently got together with a few friends of mind for a scrumptious dinner. Afterwards, we started reminiscing about how 2009 had treated us. All three of us are currently single. All three of us had numerous dating horror stories from 2009. It was at that moment we proclaimed that 2010 was going to be the year of the good men.

I don't even know if it's physically possible to dedicate an entire year to good men...so it got me thinking. What could I dedicate 2010 to? And then it hit me like a freight train...

I am going to dedicate 2010 to ME!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...it sounds selfish, I know. You see, I think it's high time I deserve some good, old fashioned quality "me" time. A treat here. Kicking my feet up there. Patting myself on the back here. Taking a vacation there.

In 26.5 years of life, I've never had the gall to proclaim I was actually going to take care of me. Look out for me. And be my own awesome self advocate. I don't know why...I've always thought about being a self advocate..but thinking and doing are two totally different things.

The Plan:
Dedicate 2010 to me.

The Action:
Start the year out right by scheduling a hair cut between today, and January 1st. (CHECK)

Go to see a movie in the Theater that isn't a kids movie. (CHECK...Little man is lined up to have a sleepover with his cousin AT his cousin's house the night of the first)

Go to the spa. (CHECK. I have an appointment for the morning of January 2nd)

Get in shape. (CHECK. I've started daily workouts...I'll post more on this in a week or two...)

Take one candle lit bubble bath a week...(CHECK. And let me tell you, what a GREAT way to unwind and clear your head!!)

Take a vacation. (CHECK. My trip is booked for the beginning of March...I'M SO EXCITED!!)

I think I'm off to a brilliant start. Did I mention that I'm roughly three laundry loads away from being COMPLETELY CAUGHT UP ON MY LAUNDRY TOO!?!?! Yup. 2010 is starting off on the right foot, so help me God!

Do you have any other suggestions for me? Are you making any resolutions or dedications for 2010?

The Loot.

When I was young, I would immediately get on the phone following Xmas and compare what presents we got from our parents.

It was a completely juvenile trivial discussion...and at some points turned into a small competition with which nobody was in control...but it's what we did, and we did it well.

Looking back at those days, I can't believe I actually spent my time bragging about the gifts I received....kids!

This year people were very generous to both myself and little man. From coworkers to my own parents. I wish I had unlimited resources to shower those around me with gifts of gratitude...but I don't. All I have is my actual gratitude...and a phone for me to dial them and thank them non-stop.

I hope you were spoiled this holiday season...be it with love, friendship, family or fun little surprises!

Christmas and Colds.

The holidays were fine in my hood....but I'm not here to give you a holiday recap..I'm here to tell you a story, and ask for your feedback.

Lets rewind to last Wednesday. I was set to have people from both my mom and dad's side of the family over for the second annual family festivus christmas party. I graciously began hosting this event because my family had stopped getting together...I digress.

I had invited my niece to spend the night since she and her mother would be attending a low key Christmas eve dinner the following evening (for those of you unaware, the Midwest was set to get get a monstrous blizzard the 23rd through 25th last week).

When the kids saw each other, they began shrieking in joy. They were running around, playing happily...and then my niece started gagging. She looked as if she was going to throw up, so I cupped her mouth and rushed her to the bathroom. She said she wasn't feeling well from being around cigarettes a few days before (they were visiting friends who were smokers). I was slightly concerned, but blew it off, thinking I'd address it further if her symptoms grew worse.

We had a great night, followed by a fun morning. My niece's mom was let out of work early due to the weather, so she came to my house to hang out. I informed her of the gagging incident from the night before, and my niece's mom responded with "Oh yeah...she was probably gagging from drainage because she has been sick."

WHAT?!

Yeah, you read that right. My niece's mom sent her to my house (a NOW HEALTHY HOUSE) sick. I was furious.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my niece...but when you have a sick kid, you keep her home...you don't send her into a perfectly healthy household to infect EVERYONE ELSE! I don't care if it's Christmas. I don't care if it's Hanukkah. You keep a sick kid home because that's where sick kids belong. Period, the end. Am I wrong to think that this woman has ZERO common sense?!?!?!

So, today I write this post with a cold...because OF COURSE I caught the nasty little bug from her.

I wonder if I should send her the doctor bill for when little man comes down with an ear infection in a weeks time from said cold? I am completely tempted to do so. Seriously.


So...back to the part where I ask for your opinion...

Would you send a sick kid to someone's house? (Christmas or no Christmas...and for that matter, does it even matter if it's a holiday?)

Rent.

Growing up, I was never/rarely exposed to musical theater. Granted, we had tickets to the Children's Theater (and don't get me wrong, the kids who put on those productions work really really hard), but I think it was a way for my parents to get me and my brother to sit still without fighting for a couple hours every month than to really expose me to the world of theater.

It wasn't until post high school where I learned or Rent, and explored Broadway (I use the term "explore" very loosely, as I've really only seen one Broadway show, Hairspray, and locally seen Rent a few times).

The first time I saw Rent I was utterly disappointed. The sound techs had effed everything up, so it was very difficult to follow. The second time I saw Rent, I cried.

Where am I going with all of this? Well, I'll tell ya! I've got most of the soundtrack of Rent burned onto a (rather) large MP3 disk...and I play it in my car quite often...with little man sitting in the back seat.

This weekend, he actually started singing lyrics to some of the songs*. He seems to enjoy them (almost) as much as I do...but then I have to stop myself and think: Am I a horrible parent for allowing my near four year old to listen to music that makes drug and sexual references? As selfish as this might sound, listening to the Rent soundtrack really cheers me up...and I think little man feeds off of me being excited about the songs....so for now, I think I'll still listen to Rent, with little man in tote...but maybe not quite as often as this past weekend.

*I busted him singing "honest living, honest living, honest living" from the Christmas Bells song...as well as "Follow the man, follow the man..with his pockets full of the jam."

Christmas Bells Are Ringing.

I love Christmas. I really really do.

Being the single mom that I am, and having a child who is just under the age of caring what I buy at the store...90% of my Christmas shopping was completed with little man in tote. I doubt he'll really realize, but to be safe I managed to take a solo trip to Target last night and buy some Lightning McQueen wrapping paper, cool bows, some candy canes and a special ornament for myself and little man...to make the morning a little more special. I truly hope he is surprised, and cannot wait to see the look on his face on Christmas morning.

In the next five days, I will be hosting two family Christmas parties, making a boat-load of chicken wings, and putting on my first Christmas Eve dinner. There's so much to be done, but this time of year I hardly mind.

I don't know what it is, but Christmas is magical to me. A time to get together, laugh, eat and be merry. A time where, with a little bit of work and an insane amount of creativity, I can make little man's tangible dreams come true.

I'm TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP!

Same and Different.

Physically I am in the same place today as I was a year ago..but something is different.

I still work for the same company today as I did a year ago, but again, something is different.

I still live in the same place today as I did a year ago, and (surprise) something is different.

I can't quite put my finger on it. I just have my "hasn't failed me yet" mom-gut feeling that something is different.

I'm pretty sure I was happy a year ago...but I feel VERY happy today.
I'm pretty sure I was in control of life a year ago...but I feel more in control today.

Maybe adding another year of life to my belt has left me with a tinge more confidence(?).

Maybe deciding to do things that make me happy instead of waiting for others to invite me is helping me feel refreshed(?).

I am still the same person today as I was last year...but I'm also different...and I'm very happy to admit that.

Travel Bug

Since booking my vacay...all I can think about is traveling. I have traveled more than some, but very little compared to others. I haven't really thought about this for a while, but here are the places I would LOVE to visit before I die (in no particular order):

1. Backpacking through Europe. Nothing fancy..just going across the ocean, getting on a train, spending a few days in each country/city I visit, and soaking up the rich history and/or culture.

2. Taking little man to "Mickey Mouse's House" (or as rest of you know as Disneyland). I can't wait to see the look on his face when we go to Disneyland. It won't happen for a couple of years, but I'm really looking forward to it!!!

3. South Africa. An amazing country.

4. The Grand Canyon.

5. Alaska.

6. Hawaii.

7. South America. I haven't decided which country, but I think it would be fun to see and experience the culture of our neighbors to the south.

8. Yellowstone National Park.

9. Niagara Falls.

10. Australia.

And an extra place for good measure...Las Vegas. Yeah yeah yeah...I'm getting closer to age 30 by the day and I STILL haven't been to Vegas. I'll get there...eventually!!!

While some of my top-10 list is easy to achieve...others will take a bit more planning. I can't wait for the day I have everything crossed off...can you imagine the stories I'll have?

Letters from the heart.

Dear Minnesota,
I don't mind that you 're cold for six months out of the year. I don't mind that you dump white snow that turns to brown nasty mush either. What I do mind are the idiot drivers you allow to dwell in your state. Could ya do something about that? Thanks.


Dear Idiot Drivers,
I'm sure you're thinking "Who are you calling an idiot driver?! Wasn't it YOU who almost got into two spin outs/accidents in the past 24-hours???"....I will not allow you to group me with you. Nice try.
Do me a favor and move to Wisconsin. We don't need your kind around here...especially between the hours of 7am and Midnight.
Thanks.

Living for Today.

January 1st is right around the corner. The first day of a new year. A time where most people set goals for the upcoming year. A time where most people reflect on their accomplishments to date, their failures. A time to process where you are at in life.

This year, I've decided to look at the new year with a different perspective. With the road bumps, extreme highs and extreme lows the past has brought me, I've realized that focusing on things I can't change or predict is a waste of time. Sure, I think it's a good idea to have long term goals in mind...but I feel that setting too many goals clouds your vision of the now.

Maybe I'm not making a lick of sense. I just feel like the volatile state of the economy, and life in general, is too great to devote copious amounts of time worrying about what could've been or what can be.

Every day I wake up is a good day. Life is as simple as that.

Will Work For Food?

I don't get it. I don't get people who feel so low and desperate to earn a buck that they need to sit at the corner of freeway off ramps with a sign stating how much help they need.

I've been the good Samaritan and given money, or ran through a drive-thru and bought them breakfast...only to be scorned by friends and family after.

Today, however, I am annoyed by these people..even though my heart still goes out to them. Has life really gotten THAT BAD that they feel the need to beg on the corner to score their next meal? I'll be the first to tell you, although I've experienced MANY setbacks, life has never gotten that bad for me. Maybe that's something I should be thankful for.

Are these people who REALLY need help, or are they just scamming for a free ticket?

What are your thoughts on panhandlers/beggars/"will work for food" (but really want you to throw them a 20 and be on with your day) folks on the corner?

P.S. "Will work for food" does not mean sit on a corner with your dog, looking dirty and sad. Will work for food entails cleaning up, and applying yourself, be it through assistance or WHATEVER (there are many programs peeps...many many programs). (insert where I sound like an arse here).

This Just In...

I DID IT!

What did I do?

I booked a VACATION! YAHOOOOOO!!!!!!

This might not seem like big news to most...but to me, I am soo excited.

I haven't been on a true and tried vacation since BEFORE I was preggo with little man.

This will be a vacation of firsts:
First trip on an airplane for little man.
First time I'll be renting a car.
First time I'll be footing two hotel rooms (we're staying inland for half the trip and on the beach the second half of the trip).
First time little man will see the ocean.
First adult "tropical" vacation that I've planned....And yes, I live in Minnesota and consider Fort Myers FL to be a tropical place.

I'm extremely tempted to print out all of the directions to places I want to go to and see this VERY MOMENT...but I will refrain from doing so for a few weeks. Maybe.

Snow Bird.

I've been at a loss for words lately....and I can't seem to figure out why.

Life is as good as it's going to get.

Little man never fails to crack me up and boil my blood in the same breath of air.

The holidays are here and I couldn't me more excited or more terrified.

Oh!

Here's something that's kinda-sorta new. I want to go somewhere where the sun is shining over the winter!! Any inexpensive travel suggestions?

My budget is virtually non-existent, and where ever I end up has to be toddler-friendly, as little man will be tagging along on this adventure.

Flight and Hotel Ideal Budget: $600 total (for airfare and hotel for BOTH myself and little man)

Entertainment/Food: $200-ish (?) ...I don't know if that's too much or too little for entertainment/food...Honestly peeps, I haven't traveled ANYWHERE for leisure since BEFORE I WAS PREGGO. In a nutshell, that means I haven't gone ANYWHERE for over four years.

I'm tracking a couple of different flights around the middle of February. If the price of the airfare drops below 200 per ticket I will GLADLY book...but I think I'm hoping and praying for a miracle.

I'd totally be down for taking a cruise too...but I need to stay within the US, as filling out the paper work to get a passport for both myself AND little man seems a bit annoying to me at the moment.

What do y'all think?

Do you have any travel plans lined up for this coming winter?

If so...are you willing to let myself and a toddler sneak into your suitcase?? hehehe.

Hello.

Today is techincally my work-week hump day. I couldn't be more excited!

Happy hump day peeps!

Nice. Real Nice.

Why do I EVER open my mouth? Lady Luck, Fate, The "man" upstairs...whatever you want to call "it" never fails to slap me upside the head whenever I come close to gloating about little man's health.

Weekend Re-cap? SURE!

We (little man and I) found ourselves at an open house/housewarming party on Saturday evening. There were tons of kids, bouncing in an indoor bounce house...pretty much every childs wet dream.

There were tons of people. Everywhere.

The food was DELISH, a spread of homemade Chipotle style chicken, rice, beans and all of the fun fixins.

After supervising little man for a couple of hours, we were on our way home. We snuggled in on the couch, and watched a movie. Little man was in bed shortly before 9 (late, but don't judge, it was a SATURDAY after all).

Since I didn't feel like being productive, I managed to veg-out on the couch, catching some SNL, and falling asleep in the process.

Around midnight, little man came BOLTING out of his room, crying hysterically. I darted awake (still on the couch of course) and picked him up to try and decipher what was wrong...and then....I smelled it.

The poor little man had gotten sick all over his bed, floor and some various toys and books that he HAS to have next to his bed when he goes to sleep at night, including his Goodnight Moon book, and his Toy Story Woody doll.

My heart sank. Although my little man is growing up, when things like this happen I'm reminded at how little he actually is.

All was well as of Sunday morning. We were both very tired from the night, but we both survived (losing Goodnight Moon, and one stuffed animal in the process).

Remind me to NEVER EVER mention how happy I am that we're both healthy. Seriously.

It's that time of year...

KDWB Christmas Wish Season!!!

If you don't remember what happened last year, you can catch up here.

Since I'm fairly certain the link won't be clicked, here's what happened (in a nutshell).

KDWB, a local pop radio station, grants people going through tough times a Christmas wish. I took a chance, and submitted a friend of mine to have a KDWB Christmas Wish granted. She was a teacher at a local school, and had mentioned how the kids in her classroom came from tough homes, some without socks or beds to sleep in. I filled out the KDWB form and was extremely surprised when their office contacted me to say my friend's Christmas wish was going to be granted. Many many MANY tears were shed. It was a truly awesome experience, and I am so thankful my friend brought the needs of her school kids to my attention, and that my wish submission was chosen.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

After hearing all of the hub-bub about the Christmas wish I had granted for my friend, a person came up to me and said "I thought about submitting a Christmas wish for you and little man...I just didn't know how you'd think about it, so I didn't."

I was completely shocked.

I will be the first person to tell you that children are EX-PEN-SIVE. I know I've had moments of (what felt like) extreme struggle. Yes, my lights have been turned off (and were turned back on a day later). Yes, there was one Christmas that a last minute gift card from an uncle (which I should've saved for myself) allowed me to buy Christmas gifts for my niece and son. Sure, there have been times where I was uneasy about my rent check going through, or if I could afford to pay for little man's daycare.

With all of the struggles that I've been through, I've survived. I feel like I've come out of my struggles as "on-top of things" as I possibly could have. Never, while going through my struggles to survive as a single parent, did I think I'd be qualified to receive a Christmas wish. As grateful and honored as I am that the thought crossed someones mind, I'm also grateful for those with deeper struggles than my own who were afforded a Christmas "miracle."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How do the holidays look for me this year?

Not good, but not bad.

With having to take little man to the ER, missing seven days of work in three weeks due to little man's illness (and catching the crud myself), AND having to foot a hefty dental bill within a couple of weeks before Christmas...Sure, things could be better....

But people, they are nowhere NEAR bad.

I'm healthy.
Little man is healthy.
We've got a warm place to sleep (and the lights are ON).
We've got food in our cupboards.
We've got each other.
We've got friends.
We've got family.
We've got a Christmas tree that WILL go up (the day after thanksgiving).

Is there really much more I need this holiday season?

I don't think so.

Happy holidays everyone.

I See The Light

Just over two years ago, I started at my present company. At the time, I found out the health insurance of my current company was DIFFERENT than what I was previously accustomed to. At that very moment, my heart shattered into a million pieces.

See, I had been taking little man to the same clinic that I had gone to since I was a baby. I was familiar with their policies and procedures. The clinic felt like an extended family.

I was under the impression my favorite clinic ONLY accepted my former health insurance. Boohoo, litereally.

I have gone for two years (+) taking little man to various Minute-Clinic's for an ear infection or other miscellaneous illnesses. I broke down last winter, and tried out a pediatric office that was in-network....and wasn't impressed. It felt like a pediatric patient-factory. In and out, without much attention to personal details, not to mention, it was a HIKE to get to.

Recently, I discovered a small clinic close to my home. Little man wasn't due for a physical, so I hadn't fully assessed if they would be a fit for my #1 three year old (as well as his overprotective, semi-hypochondriac of a mother...me). It wasn't until he spiked a high fever last week that I took little man to this clinic. Let me tell you, it was a HORRIBLE experience (one which I'll share another time).

I was once told that you can (and should) only try and manage one change at a time. So, my blogging friends, today was the day I decided to call my insurance to get to the bottom of my issue: Could I take little man to his old clinic...or not?

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I should've made this call TWO YEARS AGO....but I was handling so much and blah blah blah, whatevs. The point is, I called today...spoke to a lovely lady named Brooke.

I CAN TAKE HIM BACK TO OUR OLD CLINIC.

I literally teared up on the phone. I consider this my first holidy miracle of 2009.

Karaoke S.O.S.

The beer is flowing.
The lighting is dim.
The music is blaring....

Karaoke style.

I always find myself paging through the song selections for what feels like HOURS...only to settle on songs I've sang a dozen times(+). My fail safes that aren't necessarily crowd pleasers (either because I suck at singing, because they're usually country tunes, or both of the previous...I digress). Ya know, Gretchen Wilson's Red Neck Woman and The Dixie Chicks's Some Days You Gotta Dance (honestly people...those are usually the ONLY TWO SONGS I WILL SING ATTEMPT TO SING).

On my way home a song comes on my radio and a lightbulb goes off in my head "THAT'S THE SONG I SHOULD'VE ATTEMPTED!!!!!! RAR!!!!!!!!!!!"

So, I ask you this...What are some classic, crowd pleasing karaoke tunes...and does such a thing actually exist? Give me some ideas peeps....puh-LEASE!

Dear Friday,

You only come around once a week, and I'm not sure if I'm alright with that. Most times, you seem to sneak up on me...and I'll tell you one thing for certain, I'm ALWAYS glad when you're here. Why can't you come around more often? Would that be too much to ask?
Most of the time you think you're high and mighty...which, I don't blame you for. I mean, your competition is pretty weak. If my competition was Tuesday I'd feel high and mighty too...because we both know Tuesday's are usually rotten.
Is there something I can do to make you come around more? I'll be good, I swear! I hope you take my request into serious consideration.
Looking forward to seeing you in seven more days...

Sincerely,
Stacy

Clean Sweep.

I'm not afraid to admit that I loathe cleaning. It's a task I find extremely mundane, and boring...and I always have better things to do than to sit at home and clean, which is why my home is usually is shambles.
For the past month, I've been particularly HORRIBLE at doing simple chores like picking up the house, laundry, doing the dishes, etc. I felt justified since every weekend for the past month I have dealt with a sickness of my own, or a sick little man.
For as much as I HATE cleaning, I approached this weekend with a spark of cleaning motivation. I had made a list that is LITERALLY two pages long, and was determined to cross two things off of the list (note: each "thing" is a sub-list of about ten things).
I started with my kitchen, rationalizing that it's the first room you see when you enter my place. One by one, I emptied each and every cupboard, scrubbing the bottom surfaces, decided what I wanted to toss and what I wanted to keep. Since my kitchen is relatively small, I only had to go through four cupboards. Once finished with mission cupboard clean/organize, I moved onto the dreaded ABOVE the cupboards (note: my kitchen cabinets sit a foot below my ceiling, making them the perfect spot to collect random odd things...and copious amounts of gunk).
My kitchen now sits clean, decluttered, de-gunked, and smelling fresh. I love it. I still feel very overwhelmed with the tasks that are remaining on my list...but at least I've started.

Are you a cleaner? Do you loathe cleaning as much as I do?

Motivation

Laughter
Love
Accomplishment
Self Worth
Little Man
Camaraderie
Respect
Dignity

These are the things that motivate me.

What motivates you?

NaBloPoMo

I missed the mark on this one for the THIRD TIME! Argh.

The first year I was blogging, I was mystified by the fact that people participated in a "contest" and posted interesting stuff DAILY for the ENTIRE month of November. The second time I missed signing up by sheer happenstance...and this time? Well, this time I had been sick the entire last week of October, and don't have the internet at home....so yeah, another year without trying NaBloPoMo out.

I'm not SUPER bummed about missing out on this years festivities...I mean, I can hardly find the time to gather up my thoughts and opinions on life these days, let alone come up with THIRTY daily posts...Yeah...maybe next year!

Are you participating? What do you think of the NaBloPoMo concept?

Happy Hump Day, world of bloggers and readers!!

Back.

So, the past week and a half have been a whirlwind of one sickness after another....I took little man to the ER just over a week ago (he was diagnosed with pneumonia, my guess as a result of the dreaded H1N1). Then, I proceeded to get sick the day that little man could return to daycare...I went to work, only to be scoffed at for coming into the office sick, and sent home shortly after. I was in bed the rest of the week...
When I'm at home, I'm without internet access (BOO!!), hence, no posts or updates in a while.
But, like I've already mentioned once....I'm BACK!
I'll try and think of something thought provoking to share....tomorrow.

Toodles!

Jacob's Hope.

Since I was only six years old, the day is completely foggy in my memory, but twenty years ago today, my life changed forever.
My mother is cousins with Patty Wetterling. If you are unfamiliar with the story, Patty's sons and one friend were biking up to a Tom Thumb in their small town of St. Joseph, MN. On a country road, a man stopped the three boys, telling them he had a gun. The man directed the boys to throw their bikes in a ditch, and lay face down in the dirt. The frightened boys obeyed, and when the man demanded Jacob to stand up and come to him, Jacob did so. The man then told the remaining two to run across a field towards trees, and if they turned around while doing so, he would kill Jacob.
Jacob was never seen again.
To this day, the story of Jacob Wetterling sends shivers down my spine, and brings tears to my eyes for many reasons.
With the close family ties I was kept on a very short leash from that day forward. If we went outside to play, one of my parents was always with...even if it was only to play in our front yard.
Looking back, I know my mom tried to shelter me from the horrible happenings of that day. It took me fifteen years to figure out the real story of how Jacob was taken, as all my parents told me as a child was "he was taken by a bad, bad person." I completely respect my parents' attempt to guard my childhood innocence in that way. Instead of attending searches, our family attended benefit concerts which included Jacob's favorite performer, Red Grammer. I remember having to dress up, and sit in an auditorium for what felt like forever. I knew we were there because someone horrible had taken a little boy that I was related to, but I still didn't "get it" (with good reason, of course).
Every single body that turned up in the news, found floating in the Mississippi River, made those around me whisper "I bet you that's Jacob" or "there's no WAY he's still alive". I scowled at the negativity. I would quickly respond with a mature "STOP IT! YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!"...which would lead into the grade school "oh yeah?", and I'd go "YEAH! You need to stop saying that...did you KNOW I WAS RELATED TO HIM?!"...For most kids, that was enough to shut them up, and for others, I'd have to explain the relation.
Jacob's grandmother, who I knew as Aunt Eunie (pronounced U-knee), was a Saint Paul native. Soon after her grandson was taken, she displayed a large sign made up of white christmas lights that read "Jacobs Hope", that was designed to change to "Jacobs Home" once he was found. The sign was displayed in her front window for years, but unfortunately, Aunt Eunie did not live to see the day of Jacob's safe return home.
As the years have passed, the pain I've felt for the Wetterling family, and all they've been put through has intensified. Maybe it's become more real because I couldn't imagine having the strength of Patty if something happened to little man. Maybe I've become more aware of the physically nauseating reality of losing a child (...?).
Seeing how Patty and her family have persevered, and become active in educating the public inspires me. Instead of wallowing, and letting Jacob's disappearance define her (them), she has been speaking publicly about child sex offenders, and informing the community in Minnesota, and across the nation, about how to talk with your children about strangers. She is, without a doubt, one of my heroes.


Today, I invite you to share in my hope.
My hope for Jacob, and his safe return home.
My hope for other families who have been tormented from childhood abductions.
My hope for a brighter tomorrow.

If, by some miraculous chance, you know details to assist in unfolding the mystery of Jacob's disappearance, please please PLEASE contact your local authorities.

Poll

Let's pretend there is a person in your life who drives you CRAZY. This person invites you to be in her wedding, but when she finds out she's pregnant and has to do a shotgun wedding (and plans the ENTIRE THING in less than two months) she turns to you for advice about how to cut her bridesmaids down from 8 to 5. She confides that she tried notifying the other 7 girls about this, and they all came back, assuming they'd still be in the wedding. And since we're playing the "pretend game", let's say you gave her your two-cents on the matter...which basically said they should feel honored to be included in the wedding as is, bridesmaid or not (not thinking you'd be the person excluded).
Now...fast forward to this "friend" ignoring you for two days...so you confront the friend via email and ask her if she's ignoring you because she's demoting you from her wedding...and the friend tells you that you're no longer apart of the bridal party.
Keep in mind, this friend has NEVER said a positive thing about the other people she decided to keep in her wedding..and said she would've asked YOU to be her maid of honor but knew the other girls would get EXTREMELY dramatic about it.
After an afternoon of exchanging horribly dramatic emails, you feel like this friend isn't as close as you once had originally thought....so you decide it's best to just cut off all ties, and fore go the entire thing.

Is that the wrong thing to do?

Recipe for Smiles

1 Mixed CD
2 sets of lungs for singing
1 Bedtime Story
1 Giggling Toddler
Hugs and Kisses as desired

Directions:
Insert CD into car while driving home. Play tracks at high volume, during which time, begin to use 2 sets of lungs to belt out the tunes as loud as you can. Once home, go inside and put pajamas on. Proceed to bed and read one (1) bedtime story to one (1) giggling toddler.

Insert hugs and kisses as needed.

Really?

I can't recall publicly admitting this, but one of my most embarrassing guilty pleasures is watching TMZ. Yeah, that's right. A ridiculously immature, yet extremely hilarious program that highlights paparazzi semi-stalking celebrities with video cameras, asking them ridiculous questions.
Last night, the asked the guy who hosts America's Most Wanted if he could help Jessica Simpson find the Coyote that took her dog*. See? Funny stuff.
The only gripe I have is that TMZ is on late at night (too late for me really...but I just can't resist it!!).
No matter what kind of day I'm having, I know that at 10:30 I can flip on the television and watch a 30 minute program that cracks.me.up.
Do you watch any television programs that make you laugh out loud?


*in case you live in a cave, Jessica Simpson's dog, Daisy, was stolen by a wild Coyote...never to be found again...sad, right? (a story I also learned about via TMZ).

**I also laugh out loud at How I Met Your Mother, and The Office.

Happy Sigh.

Today, I am happy.
Some would call me crazy...but if you knew me, you'd already know I'm all sorts of crazy.
The past few days have been whimsical. It has snowed in my neck of the woods...the first time in seven years we've had snow this early, and it makes me smile. Granted, I don't have many negative repercussions in terms of snow. I don't have to shovel or plow. I'm allowed the joys of kicking back, watching the flakes peacefully fall, and soaking it all up.
Since the first measurable snow came so early this year, it melted ALMOST as fast as it poured down. The air outside was warm while the flakes drifted down..unlike December when the air is generally VERY cold and frigid.
Some are claiming that summer went straight to winter...but they're overlooking the fact that September in MN had temperatures consistently higher than normal...if anything, the MN fall has been AWESOME thus far.
This morning, the sun has been shining. The leaves that are still clinging to the trees are glistening. The realization that the holidays are right around the corner can't escape my mind...and I am happy. Happy because the holidays mean seeing people....and people generally make me feel warm and loved.
At the first sight of snow, little man came rip-roaring into my room shouting "MOM! MOM! IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (bless his heart). I had to pull out my calendar to explain to him that Christmas was still a couple of months away...but lucky for me, his excitement was contagious.
I'm not only excited to be around people this holiday season...but also excited to show and teach him the importance and shear awesomeness of giving. Be it to a food shelter, or a toys for tots drive..my goal this year is not to shower him with gifts, but show him how to shower others around him.
So yeah...I'm happy today. Happy for the weather. Happy for my health. Happy for what's to come. Plain and simple, I'm happy.

Tired Eyes

My thoughts on this weekend will hopefully group together soon. In a nutshell, I was at the Twins playoff game last night..and it was emotionally and physically draining. We lost, but I still love (and think) the boys that make up the Twinkies are hometown heros.

Sorry kids, but this chick has to focus on waking up right now. The coffee just isn't doing it!

Happy Monday!

Sunshine Committee

I rarely write about work. It's a taboo subject that makes me uneasy to write about..but this...THIS, I cannot resist.

Our office is having casual Twins attire day to celebrate the 163rd tie-breaker game against the Detroit Tigers, taking place today at 4pm Central time.

Not gonna lie, this day has me giddy. The Twins always seem to make a run for the playoffs interesting, and if I had more time on my hands, I'd research the facts for ya...woe is me.

If you are unfamiliar with the Minnesota Twins, let alone Major League Baseball (MLB), here are some cliffs notes that will help you understand how awesome the Twins are.

The MLB is divided into two leagues: National and American. In each league, there are a couple of divisions. Each division has a champ that makes it to the playoffs (aka, the run for the World Series), and each league has a "wild card" (aka, the team with the most wins that DOESN'T win their division).

The Twins have a few great competitors in their division, however, they're all on the lower end of the pay scale compared to the Yankee's and the Red Sox. The biggest competitors for MN are usually Detroit and Chicago.

In a nutshell, Minnesota has been on fire this past month, making up a large deficit the Detroit Tigers held over their head. I think I'm elated because about a month ago, everyone in my office had lost hope this day would come...except for me. I never gave up on the Twinkies....I always knew they could make it this far...and I have faith that they'll prevail and allow the Dome to have one more playoff run, and perhaps even a World Series to boot.

GO MINNESOTA!

BEEEP! BEEEP! We Interrupt this Program....

I swear...If I get ONE MORE TELEPHONE call from the Star Tribune asking if I want to subscribe to the newspaper we ALREADY RECEIVE I just might flip out.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program of daydreaming, including rainbows and butterflies.

The Odds.

A while back, I had a conversation with a fellow blogger about the odds of winning the powerball. She insisted the odds were one...and of COURSE I told her she was wrong.

So, who was actually right? We both were. While she was arguing the odds being one, my argument was that the odds were more than just one, for example one in (insert whatever HUGE number here).

Whenever the Powerball gets really really high (over 120 mil.) my office does a five dollar buy-in. I normally don't participate because:
1. I'm cheap.
2. I usually don't have the money to participate (even though it's only five dollars)
3. I feel like it's kind of a waste of five dollars.

Me being the scholarly person that I am, googled the odds of winning the powerball to feel better about myself....here's the site I found: http://www.durangobill.com/PowerballOdds.html

The site says the odds of one number winning are one in blah blah blah for the dollar amount you're trying to win. It's really interesting (at least to the geek inside of me).

Warning: The powerball explanation site contains a LOT of math, and a LOT of numbers...the last sentence in each section explains what the numbers mean...and if I can figure it out, I'm sure you can too!

The chances that I'll win the current Powerball is Zero. After all, you have to buy a ticket to win.*

*I'm sure someone I know will ACTUALLY win since I'm adamantly NOT buying a ticket...if so, please don't forget the little people (aka ME!).

Oh, the places I'll go...

An awesome blogger friend posted a map of the states she has visited. It was a pretty full map....mine, on the other hand, is QUITE empty!

States I've Visited:


create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide

I've pretty much stuck to the midwest, only traveling out of the midwest a handful of times (mostly by plane).

I think I want to take a road trip next summer. I don't know where I'll go, and I'll definitely be bringing little man with...but I know I'm going to go somewhere!! Any suggestions?

Also, for you more seasoned travelers....How much time should I take off of work, and approximately how much money should I have saved? As you can tell, I'm completely clueless!! Any parents out there who would know of a great road trip destination with a four year old?

Ideally, I'll plan the trip around another company holiday so I won't have to use ALL of my vacay days...

Keep The Faith

A while back, I posted a letter (that I'm too lazy to link to) about a walk I'm participating in. The walk is for the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI). The walk is tomorrow.
As of yesterday morning, I had raised zero funds...which is all fine and dandy. You aren't REQUIRED to raise funds, but my gut (and heart) felt very disappointed in myself. If I could afford to contribute monetarily, I probably wouldn't be doing the walk (who am I kidding, of COURSE I'd be doing the walk, I digress).
I turned to people who I rarely turn to for support...My family.
I put together a short email pleading for help, but telling them I understood that money is tight so as not to make them feel obligated. I hoped to get a response, but my faith was running on empty.

A little about the cause...
I grew up in Roseville, MN. It is nestled between Saint Paul and Minneapolis (AKA The Twin Cities)..Roseville is the closest thing to a metropolis without being a metropolis. It has a small town feel while maintaining a large population, great shopping, entertainment and restaurants. In a nutshell, Roseville is awesome.
Aaron lived less than a half mile from my home. We were never great friends, but we definitely knew each other. He was the boy every single girl had a crush on, with his blonde hair, blue eyes, and boyish (amazing) good looks. He was a prankster, and very intelligent. He was Aaron.
Last spring, Aaron lost his battle with Schizophrenia, a battle he had been fighting for a few years.
His death was the second death from my neighborhood in less than a year, as another Roseville native had passed away suddenly from acute onset leukemia seven months prior.
The mother of a Roseville native, and close friends of both families who had lost their sons, organized a team to walk in Aaron's name. She found a corporate sponsor, MelloSmello, to match ALL donations made to Team Johnson. She has kept us pumped up about the cause, and for this I am thankful.

Where is this long winded story going?

After I sent the email begging for support from my family, I heard nothing. Hours went by, and not even a phone call from a family member....nada.

At 10pm I received an email. It was from the NAMI website...I had received a donation.

$100.00 from an anonymous donor that left a message saying "Keep the faith". I broke down in tears.

I'll be honest, I know who the anonymous donor is, and I will allow the donor to remain anonymous...but the words left in that message will ALWAYS resonate in my heart.

So I sit here, on this gloomy Friday morning...Keeping the faith.

I know EVERYONE has a cause they love to support. Everyone is hit up at an alarming rate, being asked for donations to this fundraiser or that charity.

I don't expect anyone else to contribute, but if you have an extra dollar, it would really be appreciated. It's a safe, credible site. A little really does go a long way.

Happy Friday,
Keep the faith.

Step Two

I don't know where the surge of motivation came from, and frankly, I don't really care. What motivation, you ask? Well, the motivation to be a self advocate. To stop letting others make me feel bad. To put a stop to drama so I can expend energy on the positive things in my life.

I did a brash thing over the weekend. I unfriended every single family member on facebook (GASP! YOU DID WHAT?!). Yeah, you read that right. It's not that I really wanted to, but it's something that I had to do, and I am SO glad I took the plunge.

Why did I HAVE to unfriend my family members? Simple. I'm working very hard on reestablishing a healthy relationship with my mom...and I found out (over the weekend) that certain family members and friends of the family had taken facebook status updates out of context, and questioned my mom about them...making her feel like ALL I WANT TO DO IS GET WASTED AND PARTY...yeah...my family sucks at life rocks.

The drama is to be expected. If the drama in my family was put on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being WHOA DRAMA, and 1 being no drama...my family would be rated at 1 Million. No lie.

I'm sure there will be buzz as to why I'm not friends with them anymore...maybe I'll actually get some phone calls for a change, but I can't be too sure, nor will I lose sleep over it.

Maybe I'm being dramatic myself...but I strongly believe that by weeding out people that are causing my life strife, I can focus my energies elsewhere...and that makes me really excited!

How do you feel about having your family on facebook? Would you (or have you) ever unfriended anyone?

Thank You, Primetime

"If you don't walk out the door by the time I count to three, you're going to bed IMMEDIATELY when we get home."

"GO TO YOUR ROOM!"

"One more time and you will get a time-out!"

"STOP CRYING, SERIOUSLY!"

"I swear, you're going to make me freak out"

...Not the best or most mature dialogue to come out of my mouth. I'm tellin ya, toddlers are PRO'S at driving adults to the brink. I love little man dearly, but WOW has be been testing me lately.

"BUT I WANT TO BRING TWO HATS MOM! WAAAAAAHHHHHH"

"I DON'T WANT TO EAT THE CHICKEN IN THE PASTA"

"I DON'T WANT SAUCE ON MY NOODLES...WAAAHHHHHH"

"YOU'RE NOT MY BEST FRIEND!"

and the latest....

"YOU'RE NOT INVITED TO MY SLEEPOVER!"

Yeah...imagine hearing the previous...over and over and over again. Recollecting the dialogue between the two of us is enough to make ME cringe!!

Rewind to yesterday. We (little man and I) had experienced a challenging morning with one another, surrounding the amount of hats he could bring to daycare. I had told him he was going to bed immediately when daycare was over, and that he was frustrating me a LOT. I swear, the car ride to his daycare in the morning left me with a dozen unwanted grey hairs.

When I picked him up that afternoon, he had been good all day. A good report is enough to change my heart....hence, I did not send him to bed when we got home. However, when he threw a fit about WANTING CEREAL FOR DINNER I sent him to his room. I really don't like whining...so yeah.

While he was settling down in his room, I whipped up some homemade pizza (thanks to betty crocker just add water pizza crust, and other misc. ingredients I had laying around)...I baked the pie, and we enjoyed a delicious meal. When the meal was finished, we spent some time together, then I put him to bed (only to be met with resistance as is the norm these days..."JUST THESE MANY MORE MINUTES, MOM!").

After he settled in, I found myself channel surfing...only to come across Primetime. And what was the topic on "Primetime: The Outsiders"? Disciplining Children.

They followed three families; All raising a child/children alone. A single mom, a single father and a single grandmother (I was a bit annoyed that they didn't follow a fourth family that has both parents in the household, but whatevs). The single mom followed the time-out model....and she took it to an extreme that I could see myself doing, but I know I'm not THAT bad.

In a nutshell, I found it ironic that the day I had a blowout with my son was the same day this program aired. I'm glad I caught it, too....it taught me new techniques (although some I was already practicing) like ignoring the negative behavior, and praising the positive behavior (even if you're frustrated...).

A happy toddler equals a happy Mama...and vice versa!!

Here's a Turn

I remember back to my childhood (it was a good one, in case you were wondering). I was afforded many riches; going to parks, participating in any sport I asked to play, regular family meals (until I reached middle-school, when meal time turned into fend for yourself..I digress)...You get the point.

My basic needs were met. I laughed with friends and family alike. Life was simple. Life was good.

Fast forward to high school, when my world crumbled before my eyes. My parents divorced due to my mothers' infidelity. My grades dropped. I lost self worth. I stopped laughing with my family...I basically stopped communicating with my family altogether.

The pain of watching my world collapse was part of a deep wound that never fully healed. Instead of confronting the issue I moved on, leaving the wound to fester. It would be brought up on many occasions in the years following, and was a stake driving myself and my mother further apart.

Little man came into the picture, and my mother told me she would be there to help. She was (initially) very supportive, and although she never stopped helping me, getting help from her entailed an enormous struggle on my end. Hours of begging, pleading and tears. It hasn't been fun.

Turning point:

My mom and I actually scheduled a time to meet, just the two of us, to talk about things. We went to a local restaurant, and enjoyed the patio together whilst sipping soda and sharing some appetizers. It took a while for us to talk about some of our major issues...but it was a great starting point. Hopefully we can heal some wounds from the past, and learn how to laugh together again.

Here's a Twist

I've finally come to the realization that being around people make me happy. Weird, I know.

I've always known myself to be optimistic, and others around me have constantly told me that I'm an extrovert...I usually just shrugged my shoulders and muttered "well alrighty then!" and moved onto the next topic.

At a time when you're supposed to get to know yourself (aka college) I was almost always drunk. I had many internal issues I didn't want to deal with, so instead of turning to self discovery, I masked my issues with booze...and a lot of it, at that.

Becoming a mom has extremely tamed my wild horses. However, the horses inside me still yearn to run wild, but in a different way than six years ago. They yearn for spontaneity, and adult human contact. They yearn to be included, and accepted amongst my peers. My wild horses crave laughter with others, instead of laughter in the solace of my home, alone. They wish I am able socialize (with adults) in a casual social setting apart from the workplace on a regular basis.

A large part of my life I am still adjusting to is allowing my horses to run free, but doing so as a mother instead of a crazy young single 20-something....and also the way the people who were in my life pre-little man react differently towards me post little man. I can't really blame them...I mean, I was the first to have a child....and children really do change EVERYTHING. I can imagine seeing me sober most of the time, and slightly less wild'n crazy has also been an adjustment for them...but that's just an assumption.

Me, getting to know me, has been an extremely interesting process thus far. There's still a lot about me I haven't discovered...The path has been traveled since the day I became pregnant with little man, and everyday since I've been enjoying the ride as much as I can.

Single Parenthood.

I feel like this is a bold, bold statement...but sometimes I think I make single parenting look damn good.

Let me be the first to tell you that being a single parent has presented me with an intense list of con's that have weighed heavy on my heart. Here's a pro, and a con;

Pro:
I do (and deal with) everything alone - the only resistance I'm met with is my own subconscious (and that of a 3.5 year old).

Con:
I do (and deal with) everything alone - No second opinions for this chick. No ulterior way of handling an intense situation.

Coincidence that they're pretty much the same? I think not.

I'll venture to say I'm stubborn..and I RE-FUSE to let the con's prevent little man from experiencing a well-rounded childhood.

I came to the realization that I make single parenting look easy when I was browsing some pictures I had uploaded to shut your face facebook.

I have pictures of the two of us on the field of the Metrodome, of us ice skating at the excel center, of play dates at the park...Almost every single photo I've taken of myself and little man have been taken by strangers. I tell you this only to shed some light on my situation. Is it easy to ask a stranger to take a picture of you and your son? Nope. But it's worth the (slight) embarrassment to capture our moments together. By no means is this a pity party...just a small glimpse of my reality.

I know I've written about my struggle to remain an individual apart from being a mom...and in doing that, I haven't truly disclosed what I go through as a single mom. Sure, I write about little parenting things, about how I get frustrated when little man acts up...or how I feel like I don't fit in as much with my friends who don't have children...and don't forget my struggles to make friends with other parents...Maybe the majority of my thoughts are over shared musings because I yearn for someone to share the sweet (and bitter) moments with. All things considered, I get that I'm a "mom" now. I think know that it has been a change for the better.

I believe in "damning the man". If someone doubts me, I love proving them wrong. Maybe I feel like I'm doing a good job because I know how difficult the last three and a half years have been. I know I've had choices. I could've given up at anytime, but I didn't...and ya know what? It hasn't been easy. I've shed MANY a tear. I've laughed off much frustration...however, the struggles I've been faced with (and continue to face every single day) are absolutely worth it.

Dear Blogger,

STOP POSTING FOR ME WHEN I DON'T WANT YOU TO.

Thanks,
Miz

Dear Long Weekend,

Be-Boppin

A while back I made a photo slide show of little man to the tune of Natasha Bedingfield's Pocket Full of Sunshine. On my drive into work this morning the same song was played on the radio. It's not a very popular song, and doesn't get a whole lot of play time these days...but it's a beautiful song.

I'll spare you all of the lyrics (because I normally skip over copied lyrics when I come across them myself) but if you're really interested, you can read them here.

The song lyrics got me thinking (scary, yes...), music can be SO powerful...and can completely make or break a mood. Some people are so versed in music they can declare one song as their theme. I, on the other hand, am NOT well versed in music. Instead, I'm a simple top-40's chick...who loves all most things played on the radio.

Where am I going with all of this rambling? I am in dire need of good music in my life. Music I can sing to. Music that makes me bop my head to the catchy riff. Music that moves me.

I'm not necessarily begging for you to make me mixed cd's, but I wouldn't be opposed to it either!!

What kind of music makes you groove?

My Sweet Little Man

Little man is a 2.5 ft tall bundle of sensitivity...and here's why:

While watching a "best of" episode of So You Think You Can Dance (don't judge me, there's NOTHING on television these days), little man declared this after every slow dance:

"Mooooooom, that's AWESOME. Oh my gosh, I'm going to cry."

..Is it just me, or is he sweet?
...Is it just me, or does he need a serious dose of testosterone?!

I love him.

Googled.

Have you ever googled yourself? You know you have. EVERYONE has. For me, it had been a while since I typed my name into the search bar. The last time I wondered what one could find out about me via the net was when I had an unpleasant fellow from the Internet find out my address....creepy, I know.

Much to my surprise, I found out a few things when I googled my name today.

1) I have a twitter account, and I am a hard-working single mama.
2) I ran a 5K at a 9.06 minute pace.
3) I am participating in a National Alliance for Mental Illness walk (NAMI) in honor of a high school classmate that recently passed away.

All of these things actually put a smile on my face. They are all small details of my life that I am pleased to find out the Internet discloses, although they are nothing I'd bring up in an everyday convo.

So, since we've already covered that you HAVE googled yourself...have you googled yourself LATELY? Did you like what you found?

Happy Sigh.

Ever have one of those dreams where you're left completely disturbed? I totally had one of those on Friday night.

It was about my good friend, and her wedding that was to take place on August 29th. I won't lie, the dream was so disturbing I didn't tell a single person about it.

How did the actual wedding on Saturday go?

Perfect.

Although the weather for the outdoor ceremony was slightly on the chilly side, it was an absolutely perfect day.

Good people. Happy tears. Crazy-fun dance moves. Memories of pure happiness that will be ingrained in my head and my heart for the rest of my life.

Too Good, or Not Good Enough

If I was asked to label myself as a pessimist or an optimist I would almost always declare myself an optimist..ya know, a glass half-full kinda gal.

While doing some laundry last weekend, I found myself with a mixture of both pessimism and optimism, and I can't decide what to do about it.

OF COURSE it has to do with my (lack-there-of) dating life.

What, exactly, was nagging me?

Simple:

Whenever I talk to my friends about wanting to date they always respond with this fun tid-bit...."I don't know anyone I'd want to set you up with...none of the guys I know would be good enough for you to date." My friends are good people, with great morals...of course I (mostly) trust what they're saying.

...but then the little devil on my shoulder quietly whispers in my ear "really, YOU'RE the one not good enough for them! MWHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

I know, I know...I'm a good person. I do the best job I can with little man. I have a job (which is totally a bonus, considering I could milk the system and stay at home with little man...but my conscious would NEVER allow me to do that).... I'm also flawed.
I've got a minimum of 40lbs to lose. My face never seems to stay clear of blemishes (much like that of a 13 year old girl...grrr). My credit needs significant improving. When I PMS I am literally a biz-natch on wheels.

SO peeps...How can I come to a clear concise conclusion that I've yet to meet a guy good enough for me VERSUS me not being good enough for the guys I've met (and my friends have been too kind to actually say that to me).

Ah-CHOO

The season of watery, itchy eyes and an equally uncomfortable nose is upon me. Late Summer allergy season. Gross.

The year of 2009 has brought me many new experiences, and Allergies.

It all started for me last spring. I don't know if it was my old age that finally did me in..but come spring time this year I felt like Hell had enveloped me for a solid week. My eyes were watering so severely that it looked as if I was crying.

I caved in and went to the doctor. Thankfully, I was given allergy medication (a nasal steroid {which always makes me chuckle when I say I'm on steroids} and an oral medication {which ALSO always makes me chuckle...I'm SOOO MATURE}).

I only took the meds for a couple of weeks, and slowly but surely was able to function normally without them.

and then BOOM! Last Friday rolls around and my symptoms were back! I knew a full blown allergy attack was upon me, but I played the denial card for a couple of days. I started taking my nose-roid on Saturday, and still haven't caved in and taken my oral (does that make you laugh too?? My maturity level revels that of a sixth grader).

All in all, I'm still surviving...but SERIOUSLY! Seasonal allergies blow goats.

Part Cuatro.

Emily said...
This sounds like fun... I might do it too. In the meantime:

What is one thing you take for granted in daily life that would make things impossible if it disappeared?

What's the best part of your day? The worst?

I think the one thing most people take for granted daily, myself included, is having a safe place to sleep at night, and food in their kitchen. It's the simplest luxury, and I know my life would be different if I was uncertain where my next meal would be coming from or if I would be able to find shelter come nighttime.

The best part of my day, without a doubt, is the morning time. Here's how it goes down. I typically set my alarm for 5:40-ish...and hit the five-minute snooze about four times. Sometimes, little man crawls into my bed around 5am, and snuggles in...Sometimes I get the pleasure of waking him up. Either way, the first time we see each other in the morning we both smile. It's lovely.

The worst part of my day is usually the car ride home from little man's daycare. I know his days are long, and he's a bit demanding in the seven minute car trip. My patience is intolerably low. It's quite unfortunate, but I'm thankful the ride is only seven minutes!!!

Part Tres.

sky girl said...
Most embarrassing moment?

Hmmm....Wow, thinking back I've had MANY embarrassing moments. Not many have fun, elaborate stories behind them.

There was the time the kid I had a crush on was told so by a classmate when I was young...At the time, Wayne's World was a popular movie. The boy was told that I thought he was "hot, shawing" and then was told that's exactly what I said (which it WAS exactly what I said...but he didn't need to know that).

Then there was the time in high school when my pants ripped down my arse seem in the middle of an Emergency Medical Technician class I was in. Yeah...that did a great deal of help to my already suffering self esteem.

The classic "I have to go big stinky mom!" in the middle of a public place could almost be counted as embarrassing...but then I look at little man and I laugh, interpreting the situation as adorable instead of mortifying.

Sidebar: I taught little man to say "Hey Bachelors! Mama's single!"...When the day comes and he actually says that to a random guy walking down the street will most likely be the day I have my most embarrassing moment. I should definitely start thinking before I teach my son fun Toddler Tricks.

Strange at it may sound, it's quite a challenge to recount all of the embarrassing moments in my life. I tend to block things out of my memory, and embarrassing moments are high on the list of "just forget it and it will be like it NEVER HAPPENED!"

Part Duece.

doahleigh said...

Do you prefer a bikini or a one-piece swimsuit?

What size shoe do you wear?

Are you a hat person?

Let me first start out by saying that I HATE swimsuits. Sorry...but I do. That comes along with having a poor self image, and spandex? Really...who LIKES spandex? Not this chick!!
That being said, I currently wear a two piece suit that looks like a one piece. It's totally a mom-suit that's trying to be hip (which I guess is fitting considering me...haha). It's a black and purple halter (that shows WAY TOO MUCH boob cleave) with black shorts with a skirt overlay..that's right, I wear a skirt bottom...Seriously, you try having a kid and becoming addicted to Coldstone Creamery your third Tri and you'll be wearing a skirt too...trust!

My feet have been referred to as ski's on many occasions. I wear size 10 shoes. I've been told by shoe guru's that size 10 is the most common size in the U.S...I'm not quite sure if that's true or not! I think I only know one other girl with the same size shoe as me. You know what they say about a girl with size 10 shoes???? Me neither!

Am I a hat person? Yes and no. I really like wearing stylish hats...but don't have many in my closet. I'm known for hat stealing/borrowing though. I'll also voluntarily wear a Twins cap to a ballgame.

The first couple answered...

Mandy said...
Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years.

If you could change one thing that would completely alter the course of your life as you know it today, would you?

Hmmm, let's see here. In 5 years I see myself with an EIGHT YEAR OlD BOY! Oh my god..I need a Xanax! (kidding...about the drugs of course).
If it were up to me, I would be happily married, expecting my second child. I would live in quaint house, and be Susie-homemaker. Aren't dreams great?
In reality, I will be single, continuing to struggle getting my life squared away. I think I'll have wrapped up school, and will also be in a different position but hopefully at the same company I'm currently at.

...FYI, that was poorly written because I have a really difficult time trying to figure out where my life is headed. You'd think it wouldn't be that difficult of a question!!

If I could change one thing that would completely alter the course of my life, I would move out of Minnesota. I would land somewhere with about six less weeks of winter..but a place that still would have a white Christmas. People are people, no matter what state or country you reside in..this i know. I just have a feeling that I'm not meant to settle in Minnesota. I don't feel like I belong here for some crazy reason.

Not only would a move alter my life, but it would alter little man's life. If I end up moving, I would feel the most comfortable moving before he enters kindergarten...which would only give me two years to get my act in order.
Generally I'm one to go where the wind blows me...but lately, I haven't felt much wind. Maybe life will start blowing around again...maybe it won't. For now, I've dedicated my focus on being happy and healthy.

What's that you say?

I'm struggling to find blog-spriation today (haha, "blogspiration" reminds me of perspiration...Can you tell it's my first day back in the working world after a long weekend? I digress.)

At the risk of being lame, what would y'all like to know? Anything. Just ask. I haven't quite decided if this is a positive trait or the like, but I'm pretty much an open book.

Ask away peeps.

Period. The end.

Of the few photographs taken of myself and little man together...this one is absolutely my favorite.



It was taken at the end of baseball season last year, on the actual metrodome field. I was sitting at home on a Sunday, and decided the two of us would go to a baseball game...just the two of us. No added adult to keep me company, just myself and my little man.

I was scared. I didn't know how I would manage to take a toddler to a game without an adult by my side to help me out. Yeah, I might sound like a huge baby, but between parking, getting to and from the ball field, watching the game...That's a lot for one person to handle, let alone one person WITH a toddler in tote.

Sundays are kid's day at the dome. We sat in the upper deck, and cheered for the Twins. We ate peanuts and hot dogs..and sipped on a root beer together. It was a perfect day, and it was just the two of us. After the game was over, the kids in attendance have an opportunity to "run the bases." OF COURSE little man was going to have that same opportunity, even though he was only 2!

Ya know, I don't even remember if the Twins won that day, but here's a few tidbits from that day that stand out strong in my mind:

1.) We survived the entire experience with a smile on our face.
2.) It was just the two of us...and it was still amazing.
3.) The smile on little man's face while running around the bases was PRICELESS (Although, I don't have a photo to prove it because mommy had to run with him because he was only two, and a bit intimidated...to be quite honest, I probably had just as much fun as he did..hehehe)

I never imagined I would be raising a child alone. It's a job I rarely get a break from.

No more running to the grocery store at 10pm for this chick.

Having to ask complete strangers to take your photo (as was the case in the picture above).

Trying to figure out if I can REALLY afford to go out because I have to weigh the cost of a babysitter into the cost of the movie, or the dinner tab.

I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again today. I'm in a great place. Yes, there are daily struggles that get me down. Yes, I have more stress in my life than I would like. All of those things cannot compare to the complete and absolute joy I am faced with every morning I get to wake up knowing my little man is loved...and knowing that my love for him CAN compare to the love that two parents would give to a child.

Period. The end....or is it just the beginning? I can't be too sure.

I'm Thankful.

I'm thankful when the sun rises.
I'm thankful for starry nights.
I'm thankful for my health.
I'm thankful for little man.
I'm thankful for my job.
I'm thankful that I can read.
I'm thankful that I can laugh.
I'm thankful that I have no shame belting out a song while driving in my car.
I'm thankful that I have amazing people in my life.
I'm thankful that I care.
I'm thankful for the ability to feel.
I'm thankful for every step I'm able to take.
I'm thankful that I have a safe, warm place to sleep at night.
I'm thankful for the food in my cupboards.
I'm thankful being me.

I'm in a great place right now. I have many freedoms others don't. Sometimes I'm very hard on myself, but today I have decided to put my negativity aside, and enjoy life. Period, the end.

Let it Snow.

Dummy Ass.

Those were the two words uttered by my (near) 3.5 year old on the way to daycare this morning. As I sat in my car, wishing I could get in little man's face to look him in the eye and remind him that words like Dummy Ass are naughty and inappropriate, I opted for the next best thing....Telling him he would go straight to bed or have his toys taken away if he continued to make poor language choices (yup, I'm one of "those moms").

Before I could finish my sentence, little man interjected and asked "Mama, do you have a Dad?" I felt frozen like a dear in headlights.

Was he trying to distract me from his poor behavior? Maybe.

Was his question pure and from his heart? Possibly.

I swallowed, took a deep breath, and was truthful with him.
"Yes honey, I have a Dad."
He immediately responded with "Why?" and the best I could come up with was "Well, it's just the way it is."

I have no way of knowing how his little brain interpreted my half-arsed answers. I could tell his little gears were grinding.

For the last 24 hours I have been asked a million and two times when Christmas was going to come. "Is it Christmas, mom?" "Now is it Christmas?" "Mom, it's Christmas?"

Following our morning discussion, and my lack-luster answers, little man asked if it was Christmas time. He mentioned he'd really like for Santa to bring him a Robot.
I don't know what his obsession with Christmas is truly about.

Speaking from experience, Christmas always seemed like a magical time to me. It wasn't magical because of presents...honestly. Christmas is magical because it just is. Although it's only August, I wish there was a way to harness the Christmas spirit right now....It sure would make life a little bit more sweet.

People are Crazy.

How does one feel before they conquer the world? Well, I'll tell ya.

Nervous.
Excited.
Slightly overwhelmed at the minute possibility of failure.

Most of all, I feel like it's about damn time. (please excuse my extremly cryptic messages...I guess I'm also becoming slightly self sensoring in my old age)

With each life experience that passes me by, I've slowly opened my eyes to the acceptance of change. I've been able to comfort myself knowing that I'd welcome change rather than living an unfulfilled life, be it personally or professionally.

An awesome friend and blogger recently referred to the phrase "God is great, beer is good and people are crazy." I'm totally digging that phrase right now, except the spoon fed catholic inside of me would rather say "Life is good, beer is great, and people are crazy!"

The Wonder Years.

I get by with a little help from my friends!!

Lately, I've been exploring my options. I've got a few things brewing and before I jump head-first into a foot of water, I'm making my best attempt at collecting some data.

Feel like helping me out? THANKS! It's very simple, really. All I am asking you to do is click on this link. It's a six question survery (multiple choice) and LITERALLY takes 30 seconds to complete.

What's the survey about? Diaper cakes.

No, it's not a cake made out of pooh. It's a bunch of CLEAN diapers, constructed into the shape of tiered wedding cake, adorned with fun baby trinkets and things to help out new parents. It's difficult to explain, and challenging to picture in your head without seeing one for yourself.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a photo of my most recent creation (to give you a better idea of what a cake made out of diapers looks like...)

Toys.

Either my son has been possessed by a demon, or he's just acting three. The truth is, I can't be too sure.

My only request was for him to pick up his toys. Lately, when I've asked him to do so he replies by showing my HOW to STEP OVER THEM. Cute..but not really. I'm sick of stepping over/on toys. He has a bucket shelf system..it's very easy.

See toys.
See buckets.
Put toys in buckets.
Done.

My guess is he thinks I'm making him play in his room alone when I ask him to pick up his toys and put them in his room...Our communication styles just aren't meshing.

So what did I do to counter his refusal to pick up his toys? I told him I was throwing them out and placed every toy I could find on the floor in a garbage bag. Moves like that put kids in therapy...but I feel like I'm at my whits end with him.

He was around his cousin this past weekend...and lets just say (for the sake of being nice) that his cousin's attitude is nail bitingly annoying (don't get me wrong...I love her DEARLY...I'm just not digging her attitude lately is all...yes, I'm going to hell).

Let me be the first to sarcastically tell you that I LOVE WHEN MY NIGHTS CONSIST OF FIGHTING WITH MY ATTITUDE RIDDEN TODDLER.

His saving grace is how he can flip on his sweet side almost instantaneously. After I had hugged and kissed him goodnight, I asked him if we were going to have a good day tomorrow...His response? "I love you mom. Have nice dreams. We're gonna have a good day tomorrow."

Bless his heart.

The Game Needs Polishing.

Bachelorette parties can be a BLAST! Last Saturday night was no exception. A great friend of mine is tying the knot at the end of August and this past Saturday was her "last hoorah"*. We ate great food, shared many laughs and equally as many shots of vodka. Our fun group ventured downtown with calculators around our necks...because the bride to be is an Actuary.
Many speakers were danced upon, and many poles were tended to.
However...let me tell you about me at the first bar we were at. All of us are dancing...we had planned on going to a few bars that night, and were about to head out to the next venue. I start doing some crazy-awesome dance moves with a guy (the calculator was a great starting point...a bit ironic considering how geeky a calculator necklace is). Then I (apparently) told the guy I needed to round up my friends..I was very concerned about keeping everyone together (a little too concerned I guess!!).
Once everyone got outside, a friend of mine came up to me shouting "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" We were both laughing. She witnessed the whole thing..she said he was really sweet and cute..and walked away looking like a kid who had lost his puppy when I unintentionally rejected him. I guess I need to work on my game a little bit more!
You can put the mom in downtown Minneapolis...but apparently you can't take the mama-hen outta the mom! Lucky for me, I'll have a chance to redeem myself as I head out to another bachelorette party this weekend!!!

Ick.

They always sneak up on me. There I am, minding my own business...and BAM! A migraine is upon me.

My vision becomes skewed. If I look at your face, I usually can only see your right eye. If I don't v-line for a dark room and a bed to sleep it off, I get extremely nauseous and my head begins to pound. Even the mere thought of the twinkling stars that cover the back of my eyelids as I lay in my bed, making a desperate attempt to fall asleep, makes my stomach churn.

Yes, I've seen doctors for this. Back in college, when I had five really strong migraines in one week, I was given a prescription. The drug was a miracle! It knocked me flat out, in about fifteen minutes flat...and I woke up a bit groggy, but without the migraine. I wish I could remember what drug this was...but have since discovered Excedrin Migraine. It's my savior these days when I need relief.

What have the (more recent) doctors told me? That my symptoms sound like I'm having a stroke. If that's the case then I'm the most functioning stroke patient that I know! I've had an MRI done..I've been told by a neurologist that I should start daily regiments of drugs...but I won't do it. The thought of having a daily chemical dependency freaks me out too much to go through with abiding by the doctors suggestion.

I've narrowed down the onset to one of three things:
1. Hormones
2. Food Preservatives
3. Burning the candle at both ends

What caused my migraine last night? I haven't the foggiest...it could be one of the three reasons listed above. All I know is when I'm hit with one...life sucks.

Hopefully you don't suffer from migraines like I do...they're really not a bowl full of cherries. I guess if this is the only health issue I have to deal with, I'm happy and lucky. Life might seem tough, but at lease I have my health (unless I've got a migraine!!)

Friday Fun-Day

As of this Saturday, wedding season officially begins for me.

Two bachelorette parties, two weddings and a bridal shower...in six weeks.

Needless to say, my mom has stepped up and will be taking little man for four out of the five weekends (I'll be taking him to the bridal shower, most likely developing new grey hairs and wrinkles in the process).

So....with a FREE FRIDAY looming...this chick wants to be bad...and make bad look so good. Yeah, you read that right!

Friday night, HERE I COME!

Any ideas on how I should spend my free friday nights?

So Fresh, So Clean.

Have you ever changed your laundry detergent? I know, such a "serious question."

Some people are die-hard Tide folks, while others are lean towards the alternative like Cheer, Gain or Era.

Me? I have two requirements for my laundry detergent.

1. Is it on sale?
2. Does it smell good?

If the answer is yes to both, then I'm not afraid to try it out. For a while, I used to swear that Era would make my clothes smell the best....then one day, Era was more expensive than Tide...so I tried Tide.

It's funny though, some scents work better than others for me. I swear there's a Tide scent that makes my clothes smell like B.O. and there are other Tide scents that blow my mind. Tide with Febreeze? LOVE IT...until I recently caved in and tried April Fresh Tide with Downy. Be still my heart.

Why spend five minutes organizing my thoughts about laundry soap? Because I'm sitting at my desk, and have been continuously adorned with April Fresh with Downy smelling clothes for the past hour. I might have found a new lover favorite laundry soap peeps!

Do you have a fav detergent, or a failsafe one? Are you as off the wall as I am?

Happy Hump Day!

Dilemma

Hey peeps....I need a bit of input.

With recently cancelling cable, and loathing the digital reception of the local channels, I'm looking into subscribing to a movie service. The question? Which service should I go with, Netflix or Blockbuster???

Pros of Netflix:
It's well established
I know a few people that use it and like it
It's mostly affordable

Cons of Netflix:
They charge more for renting Blue Rays

Pros of Blockbuster:
They don't charge more for renting Blue Rays
For two dollars more a month I can exchange three movies in their store instead of having to wait for the mail
It's also mostly affordable

Cons of Blockbuster:
I don't know of many people who use it!!

Overall, I feel that either subscription will be reasonable for my budget. I thought about just sticking with RedBox, but they don't have the selection like Netflix and Blockbuster.

On average, I'm planning on renting about 8 movies a month (1/2 adult comedies, 1/2 kid-friendly family flicks).

Do you have any experience with either? Any words of wisdom, or helpful input? Anything at all??

Thanks for your help!

...and seriously...I'm still planning on revealing my contest winner...I suck. Period. The end.

Where to start?

My mind is currently it's normal self; A constant whirlwind of thoughts that never stop bothering me.

I feel like I have so much to share, but can't tell where to start! That same feeling of "so much to do, where the eff do I start?!" greeted me at the office this morning as well.

I was privileged enough to have a four day weekend, and the first day back to the office (for me, at least) is spent going through emails and trying to sort out what was missed on my days off.

*A fun tidbit to share!! My toddler son says "Holy Shit" in the appropriate context. I couldn't be more proud mortified. At least he had the common courtesy to proclaim his cursing in the car...where it was only the two of us!

I guess it's high time I start a cursing fund for myself....The only trouble is I'm too broke to anty up! Ha...good times!!

Another fun tidbit to share...I (just so happened) to fun over little man's pointer finger with our Target cart on Friday morning. He was dinking around on the bottom of the cart, laying on his stomach...I told him five times to keep his hands off of the ground...and a minute later the cart was stopped...by his pointer finger.
The nail was all but ripped out. It was traumatic for him, as well as myself. Not gonna lie, after about five minutes of showing little man my brave face I broke down in tears (in front of a target manager, and a target clinic physician). There's not a whole lot that breaks me...but seeing my baby in pain, and knowing I was the one who ultimately caused it was the straw that broke my "mommy-strong back."

We ended up in urgent care, and two more doctors later (the first, being seen briefly at Target) we left with a bandaged finger, a stock of fingertip band aids and a few packs of Neosporin.

All is well that ends well though. Little man is recovering, as is my guilty conscious.

Side note: Rented He's Just Not That Into You...and LOVED IT :). Pretty sure one of the characters is me...almost to a T.

*Thank you, Yahoo, for making my poor habits feel slightly more validated.

Bullet List

I could (most likely) write out my weekend in great detail....it would most likely be the length of Gone With The Wind if I did so....instead, I'll rely on my friend the bullet list.

*Cleaned my car out
*Had the oil changed and three exterior lights replaced on my car
*Spent three days at a cabin about an hour from the Twin Cities (in Wisconsin)
*Lived in my swim suit as the cabin had a beautiful beach
*Ate delicious food
*partook in swimming one length of the lake
*kayaked
*took a ride on a paddle boat
*sat around a camp fire
*saw an actual blue bird for the first time in my life
*had some great conversations
*laughed
*enjoyed a fun fireworks display put on by cabin neighbors

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a more lovely weekend.

Don't hate the player....

Here's the scene:

Guy meets girl.
Girl thinks guy is cute.
Girl talks to guy.
Girl messages guy.
Guy messages girl back.
Girl mentions they should get together.
Guy replies positively.

How can Girl figure out if Guy likes her....possibly as more than just friends?

I hate the game.

Hi, I'm Tom...

I forgot to put on deodorant this morning. I HATE IT WHEN I DO THAT!

...and what did I do yesterday? I locked my door, walked out to my car...and was like "HUH-WHA?! WHERE ARE MY KEYS??" I had to buzz a neighbor to unlock our exterior door...and there were my keys...sitting in my door. Der.

So far this week, I'm on a roll of forgetfulness!! I can only hope the week gets better...

Is there anything you've forgotten?

*Bonus points to the person who guesses where my title is from.

Teddy-Dino.

I know, I know, I know....I still haven't been able to post the results to last week's fun contest. I'm totally off my game (but at least I realize it, right?). No worries, I haven't forgotten...and will get RIGHT TO IT the minute I have a minute to breath (if that makes any sense).

I SHOULD'VE been able to wrap up my contest results over the weekend. Instead, I found myself searching for deals in order to get ready for a Fourth of July trip out of town.

Oh yeah...I was also busy bringing little man to his first live concert. Who did we go and see? The Teddy Bear Band. If only I had looked them up online, I would've been given the heads up that you're supposed to ACTUALLY BRING YOUR TEDDY BEAR FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!

On the way to the show, I was giving myself a pat on the back.

Little Man - Check
Blanket to sit on during the show - Check
Juice box for during the show - Check
McDonalds picked up for picnic on blanket before the show started - Check

As the shows start time grew closer, I noticed a million kids with their teddy bears in hand....and then it hit me. Dammit I was supposed to have little man bring a fricken teddy bear! So...seeing as I had clearly made a rookie mistake, I made the best of it. I snatched up this:



Yes, peeps...that's his Happy Meal toy. Since my mom-brain was on it's D-game, I said "hey honey, how about you use your dino for your teddy bear." He kindly obliged (THANK YOU JEEBUS) and on with the show.

I was only slightly nervous when the band instructed the kids to throw their soft, plushy teddies in the air...and there was little man, chucking his hard plastic dino. Thank god he didn't hit anyone!

High five for me.

The Man In The Mirror

I've ALWAYS been a top 40 girl when it comes to music. While a lot of people I know have a much deeper sense of music than me, tune into a top 40 song and I'll almost ALWAYS know the hook.
When I first caught news of MJ's passing yesterday afternoon my jaw was dropped. It's not that I was surprised...I mean, the man has been frail and virtually on his death bed for years.
But it's Michael Jackson.
As crazy as this sounds, the man almost seemed like an entity. Unfortunately, the entity that was Michael Jackson was human. Humans are mortal, and now he's gone.
I feel like the world is pretty damn lucky that he left his music behind...for all of us to jam out to. I mean, really...you could probably listen to MJ all day long and continuously find yourself bopping your head to an awesome guitar riff or a mind blowing beat.
Yes, the man made a million poor choices. Yes, the man was pretty far out there. One thing that cannot be forgotten is his musical genius. As many have already put it, I'm mourning what he was twenty years ago....and not necessarily the man he was in the end.
RIP MJ....rest in peace.

Spine Tingling.

Last night, I had a dream that I made out with a man. Not just any man...a man I've known for a while now. It was hot. It was steamy. It was an amazing kiss/makeout session....

Looking forward to the next man I make out with...in real life this time, not in my dreams.

Happy Thursday!!

Dear Perkins,

I visited store #3678 with a neighbor for dinner last night. We were immediately seated, and the restaurant was more than half empty. While waiting to be greeted and have our beverage order placed, I noticed only two servers tending to tables. Again, the restaurant was not particularly busy, but the two servers did seem a bit overwhelmed. Immediately, I also noticed that while there were two servers running around with the majority of the tables, two additional servers and the manager on duty were sitting at a table on the side of the restaurant rolling silverware and hanging out.
We sat at our table (with two three-year-olds, mind you) for twenty minutes before we were greeted by an employee. I could tell by the look on Rae's face (our server) that she was extremely overwhelmed. She took our order and was on her way.
An hour later we received our food.
I feel the food time was completely unacceptable, but do not hold our server responsible.
The person who upset me the most in this situation was the manager on duty. Throughout our entire wait, the manager continued to sit at a table with two other staff members while our server was running around overwhelmed and ultimately neglecting tables due to the lack of support from management. One of the servers sitting with the manager on duty placed a food order, received her food order and ate her food.
While our server was cashing out another table, the manager on duty brought a box to our table. At no time did the manager ask how our food was. In fact, I had to casually stop the manager and ask her if there was a reason why our food took an hour to make (which consisted of a salad, chicken tender melt, dollar pancakes and a kids grilled cheese).
She responded by having the audacity to tell me the restaurant was extremely busy and the kitchen only had two cooks. Her tone was off putting and very unprofessional. I could not believe my ears. I've been in the restaurant industry for years and I would love for you to run the numbers on what this store brought in last night. I am extremely confident that if you did so, you would find she was overstaffed and had low sales. Not once while we were in this restaurant were all of the tables full, nor was there a wait list for people to be seated.
I would also like to note that while we were waiting the hour for our food, three tables in the restaurant who had been seated after us, and had similar food orders as my table, received and paid for their food before my table had received our food.
After assertively approaching the manager on duty, I noticed she pulled Rae aside. Rae returned to our table and offered us desert, but at that point, I did not feel like staying in the restaurant due to my disdain for how the situation had been handled by the manager on duty. I feel very strongly that the manager should have reproached us and am very disappointed she did not do so.
While taking my son to the bathroom, Rae brought us a few pieces of pie in a to-go box, which was very kind on her behalf. Unfortunately a few of pieces of pie do not excuse the principal of the matter (the lack of professionalism, organization and support and poor communication skills from her lack luster manager). I can only hope this letter will prompt the General Manager to take a closer look at how poor the management at this location is. I can be quite certain I will not return to this location until I have been made fully aware that this will never happen again.
I have a copy of the check should you need to review it.
If asked what the best part of my experience at this establishment was, I can only come up with two things. The first being the great smelling bathrooms, and the second was leaving. Should you have any further questions, concerns or comments, please feel free to contact me.

Quote of the Day

If being single is cool, consider me Miles Davis.

Sobering Moment

Have you ever tried calling up friends and family on a Saturday afternoon, only to be met with:
1)going into people's voicemail.
2)being told they already had plans.

This is the story of my single life almost every weekend. I've successfully planned a party here and there...but most nights I am left with a singleton solitude that can only be empathized by those who are single parents..and whose friends are almost all in serious relationships sans children.

"Quit your bitchin' and do something about it then! Find new people to hang out with! Find other parents to hang out with!" ....yeah...my thoughts exactly...except it's not as easy as you would hope or imagine it to be.

Why? Well....first off, the people that I used to turn to for fun random nights out are good people. 90% of the time I have a lot of fun with them. Call me selfish, but I'm not ready nor am I willing to stop associating myself with these people. Besides, I can't hold a grudge against my friends for not having children with me, and for having a normal unmarried/married with out kids twenty something social life.
Second of all, socializing with other parents is tough for me. Most parents I encounter are married, and a few years older than me. I feel as if they judge me for being a young, single parent. It's quite pathetic on my part, really. I suppose our commonality will always be the kids...

Any suggestions on how I can:
Suck less at life?
Spark up convo's with the married, more responsible parents?
Find a man crazy enough to date me?

Here are the steps I have taken:
Cancelled cable which has forced me to become more of a "housewife" and less of a slug on the couch.
Sucked "being single" up, and have done my best to enjoy little man...over the weekend we indulged in old fashioned car watching, swimming, plus dinner and a movie.
Hosted a bbq which forced me to clean, organize and plan (which is more time consuming than one would think!).

In a rather large nutshell...being single can be very sobering. Not necessarily bad, not necessarily good...just sobering.

CONTEST UPDATE! I will close the polls for the contest on Wednesday...and try to have a "results post" up by Friday.

I'm really not quite as lame as this post makes me out to be. I have a difficult time finding the right words to describe my feelings...and, on Saturday when all was said and done I had a lovely dinner and a movie night with little man, followed by some spontaneous last minute crafting with an amazing bride to be.