Happy Birthday to my 9 year old!

Okay, I haven't been a very good blogger this Holiday Season. I have been a little more busy than normal with shopping at the last minute and planning for family to visit on Chistmas day. I haven't posted those pics yet, but I have to take today to dedicated it to my BABY! Today is Runnin' Man's birthday! Okay, I'm just a little in shock that I'm old enough to have a 9 year old and YES I am holding back tears because it seems like YESTERDAY that he was a baby.

So does this mean that I have to stop calling him MY BABY?????

He is such a wonderful kid and I just had to take today to dedicate to him

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CJ!!!!

SCREAM SCREAM! YELL! POUT! CRY!

Okay, maybe it doesn't take all that temper tantrum stuff, but danggit! My truck is having issues! AND RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

Okay, so I'm already on a strict budget. Already having to leave people off this year. Already having to cut back on gift prices. And THEN this?!?!?! Are you kidding me?

I thought I had it all figured out, the Christmas budget and all. Had enough to get most people a little something. I was starting to smile, even though I was still in a Baa Humbug mood, but it was starting to feel good to know that I wasn't straining my budget that bad.

Then, coming home from Walmart yesterday, the Gator started sputtering. Immediately I call Hubs and let him know that something doesn't sound right.

"I'll check it tonight, call me and let me know you made it home."

I hang up and it gets worse. Every time I push the gas, it sputters. For a minute I think that I might not make it. I'm not use to having car trouble. I know the Gator is a '98 but she has only had to be put in the shop twice since we got her 4 years ago, and those were pretty minor issues.

So it sounds like spark plugs. I just had those replaced back Feb of '97. And I simply can't afford to have them done right now! Not when I haven't finished my Christmas shopping!

But, guess what? I HAVEN'T FINISHED MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! I NEED my truck to get around. I still have to shop for my moms gifts to the boys as she thought it would be better for ME to do HER shopping because, well, I don't have a job and have more time. HA! Sure!

And now I don't have no car! (Yeah I used and oxymoron. Shoot me!)

So yes! SCREAM SCREAM! YELL! POUT! CRY! seemed appropriate at the moment. Except I left out the part where I fell out on the floor kicking and banging my fists on the floor yellin' "WHY!!!!!!!!"

The Mom Song

Here's a little something for all moms because if you don't say these things already, you will!

Tell It Like It T-I-Z! Yes, Sweetie, there is a Santa Claus!

Anyone who knows me knows that I become a HUGE scrooge around Christmas time. Not a big fan of the season.

BUT.... I was over at one of my fave blogs reading a very interesting post she wrote about children and Santa. Ms. Bar B is an amazing mom, single parent, superwoman who was recently faced with the decision of whether to tell her Kindergartner "the truth" about Santa Claus. Now I won't spoil it for you how she approached the situation because you can stop by and read it for yourself, but I will tell you how I feel about Santa and the Spirit of Christmas.

Though I'm usually pretty grumpy at this time of year, I still thoroughly believe in the Spirit of Christmas and the innocence of children. When I started having the little jokers, there was no thought in my mind that I would bring them up to believe in Santa Claus. There is no better joy than to see the light in my children's' eyes on Christmas morning when Santa has come and filled the living room with Christmas cheer.

I remember when I was a kid and I would wake up in the middle of the night before everyone else and go peek under the tree at everything Santa had brought my brother and me. I did this for YEARS! I had to be about 15 when I stopped doing that. It was always so exciting to know that Santa had come.

It bewilders me why parents would choose to take that away. I look at children today and many of them loose their innocence way too young already. At 10 and 12, instead of playing with Barbie and Ken, many kids are already trying to play with the real thing. Little Jay Jay down the street. Kids grow up WAY too fast already, so to take away their imagination by telling them that Santa is fake and that Mom and Dad should get all the praise, I just couldn't do that. I want to see them experience their innocence and childhood as long as possible because that part of their lives will be gone far too soon already. And if that means that I have to tell my children a few little white lies about a wonderful old man whose only goal is to make the children around the world happy with a gift, what can it really hurt?

I don't need the glory for giving my children presents. Yes, we as parents work hard all year for their happiness, but seeing their faces light up when Santa comes is enough thanks for me!

So for those of you that choose to tell your children early on the "truth" about Santa, I can't tell you how to raise your kids, but do know that it helps keep children young. And in the same sense, don't send your non-believin' dream stealers to my house ruining it for my babies!

M.I.A. for a while, I know...... & SHOEt Yeah!

Okay, so I've been out of the loop for... what? About a week? Well some other things have come up that have been just a teensy bit important. Not that you guys aren't, but you know, I can't hang out with you all the time.

I'll start off with the video that I know everyone has seen, no one has missed and everyone was shocked by. Okay, maybe I was a little wrong. Maybe. But I laughed my you know what off at this one!




Who knew the old fart could move that fast?!?! That man tried to take his head off! Had that been McCain, he might have suceeded! Come on, you know that was funny!

You this those were alligator skinned?




So, I've been EXTREMELY busy with PTO stuff this past week. We had our "Breakfast with Santa" on Saturday and I think I put in just as many hours as the teachers last week. All in all it went over very smoothly........... except for that fact that the pictures with Santa came out horrible, the photographer sucked and he and Santa were arguing in front of the kids about how to take the darn pictures! YEAH! But it still went over well.


PTO decided that since we appreciate our teachers so much, we wanted to take Teacher Appreciation far beyond one week a year. This year, we wanted to celebrate our teachers monthly. Last month we did a breakfast for them consisting of donuts, bagels, pastries and all kinds of goodies. We also had a couple of students come in from a local massage school and give chair massages. Today, we aske PTO members to bake (or buy) sweets for all of our sweet teachers. I BAKED! Yeah, now so there! Spent all day yesterday doing it! I'm really becoming Mrs. Suzy Homemaker, these days as I actually baked some red velvet cupcakes FROM SCRATCH! And to this point NOBODY has fallen ill! LOL!



So now my stress level is rising because I really haven't taken the time to finish my Christmas shopping. I still have plenty of folks to buy for and little time and money to do it with. You know, if people would just take IOU's at Christmas time on all your bills.... if a law was past that during the month of December, EVERYONE is exempt for paying all bills without any concequences, NATIONAL NO BILL PAYING MONTH, MERRY CHRISTMAS, if this was the case then the world would be a happier place. I'd be a happier person. I need to write my congressman on that one!

Lesson on COLOR from children

My kids are amazing. No I mean like really REALLY amazing!

As you know, my kids are 4, 6, and 8 (and a half, LOL).

I know that all moms have had moments where they are driving and listening to their kids conversations in the back seat. Well, the other day, they had one of those conversations that just made me smile.

I'm waiting in the Walmart parking lot for a guy to pull out of a space and on the side of our car, Miss Missy notices a biracial couple putting groceries into their trunk.

"He can't be her husband. They are not the same." She spoke inquisitively, sounding a little confused.

Sir-Talks-A-Lot and Runnin' Man: "They could still be married, Kennedy."

Sir Talks-A-Lot: "It doesn't matter about your color. It matters about your heart."

Runnin' Man: "It matters about love."

It's moments like that that melt a mama's heart.

Why is it that the world can't think the same way? I teach my kids to not see color. To not judge people by the color of their skin. When Runnin' Man was about 4, he identified everyone by the color of their shirt. "That ORANGE guy right their.." "That BLUE guy on TV..."

That all worked fine for me until we were at my dad's job one day and he kept saying, "That WHITE guy over there That WHITE guy over there..." Okay, I was a bit embarrassed and tried to explain to the "white" guy that he was talking about the color of his shirt and that NO I do not teach my children to be racist. LOL!

But, to hear the kids recognize something so simple as love does not see color...... WOW!

I hear women all the time trying to figure out why Black men marry white women and coming to the conclusion that they are a SELL OUT for doing so.

Or that the reason that White women get with Black men is because of the stereotype about sex.

COME ON, PEOPLE! When are we going to get past the issue of color and see things as simple as children see them? When are we going to let people love who they love, regardless of the color of their skin? Whose business is it of yours, mine or anyone else to judge? Major barriers have obviously been broken with the election of a Black President, but there are many more to conquer. Take notes from children and know that they are innocent enough to see what we all should see. Love sees no color.

Yo Mama! What's your hustle?

Okay, so I've been searching for a SIDE HUSTLE for quite some time. You know, something to accomodate 'pay. I've been a stay at home mom for years and next year I do plan on going back to work..... somewhere. But until then, I'm on a search for something that I can do from home that can make me a little spending cash so that I don't feel like a butt having to ask hubs if it's okay if I buy a pair of jeans, you know?

Many many things have come into my path. Some I have even tried out. After Miss Missy was born, I dabbled in a company called AmeriPlan. This was a discount dental health care company. It worked similar to or with your insurance. Well, with that, I just didn't have any luck. As I said, I wanted to do it from home and I HATED the cold calls and the hang ups! I mean people were really rude and rarely stayed on the phone long enough to hear my sales pitch. And trying to recruit people was a drag.

Then I moved on to PrePaid Legal. Wasn't really feeling this company either. It was another MLM with the same type of thing going on. Trying to get people to join under me to make money off of what they sold.

Well I gave that up and a few months back, my neighbor introduced me to diaper cakes. I've sold a few here and there and I do plenty for showers I go to. But I'm just not thrilled with the demand for these things. My friends and my friends' friends just seem to not be having babies anymore! What's up with that?

My next idea for a money making venture is becoming a sex toy consultant for a company like Pleasure Parties, Passion Parties or Slumber Parties. I KNOW for a fact that THAT would be a heck of a lot of fun, but in today's economy, are we still trying to get our freak on with sexy lingerie and sensual stimulators? Hmmmm.

So now I need something else I can get into. A good side hustle that I don't have to pay to get into cause a sista can't afford it! I want to get into something that I can do from the comforts of my home in the beginning, at least.

I need some ideas, or at least some ideas as to where to look. I'm a fairly creative person and love to make things, sew things create things, but I just can't seem to find that ONE thing that I want to take and turn into MY THING. For now, anything will work.

Tell me bloggettes and blogdudes, what do YOU do for a SIDE HUSTLE?

Okay, okay! I'll read it!

I was planning on NOT jumping on the Twilight bandwagon even though it seemed that all of you have read it and now seen the movie and RAVED over it like it was the greatest thing since sliced bread (I watched Annie last weekend to get that one). I mean, I'm a rebel, you know? I like to go against the odds. Mom mom always asked me, if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you? NO I WOULDN'T!



Well, I guess in this case, I was peer pressured into jumping off that bridge. Because my great and wonderful neighbors lent me a copy of their beloved Twilight with all the great reviews about this totally awesome Edward dude. I have had the book sitting next to my bed for three days and, well.... I can't take it anymore! I HAVE to read it. Yeah, I'm so behind the rest of you groupies and I usually don't read a book once the movie comes out because... well... it's kinda redundant. But today, as I sit staring at the cover of the book, the words on the inside just keep calling me and begging me to open to the first page.



So here I go. But you know what? I'm going in with skepticism and if I don't like it after the first 3 chapters or so, I'm blaming each and every one of you! Because now, after reading all of your post on how great it is, I expect a LOT! So it better be good!

High School Friends

So Mama Kat did another Assignment this week. And although I seemed to have missed quite a few lately in an effort to cut back on my internet usaged and actually spend time with my daughter who has been entertaining herself lately, I decided to join in on this one. Even though it's LATE....................


2.) Are you still friends with you high school friends? Describe them.


Okay, so I have to admit that I wasn't the friendliest person in high school. I mean, I wasn't one of those mean snobby girls that thought they were better than everybody else or anything. I just wasn't one to take on many friends as I didn't like fake people. I found that girls just don't get along well. One minute they are all in your face smiling, pretending to be you BFF and the next minute they are behind the stage making out with your soon-to-be ex...................... Not that it has ever happened to me............... but that's just because I never really hung out with a lot of people or took on a lot of friends.

I had three real, true to the heart friends in High School.



My girl, Leri, and I started our friendship in middle school. I was fairly new to the area as I had recently come from Germany. She was this quiet shy chick that was a total nerd. All A's. Wanted to be a scientist or a Sergent or something like that. Nothing like myself, but we stuck together like glue until a new school was build and I had to transfer. We ended up in two different high school, but still talked and hung out all the time. We kept that friendship and she was always considered one of my bestest friends, even though as time moved on, I got married, moved away, she went to college and started a career, we grew apart, but ALWAYS found our way back. She was the sweetest friend I had, the one with the most sensible attitude, the one with the level head. In January of this year, I got a message through Myspace that my friend had died. I knew she was sick, but I didn't know it was that serious. I felt like I'd lost a piece of myself the day that we buried her.



Then there was Annette. This girl was. a. NUT! I have to admit that I didn't like the chick much at all when we first met. She was a loud mouth, foul-mouth little bitch that always had something smart to say and wasn't as big as a minute. But our boyfriends at the time were BEST FRIENDS and somehow I guess we just grew together. I hung out with her all the time. She introduced me to my "life of crime". This was during the time when I thought it was cool to shoplift candy out of the Shoppette. Too stupid to realize how dumb it was until I actually got caught doing it. That's another story all together.

Anywho, she got pregnant at a really young age. And ended up having to drop out of school. But we hung tight for YEARS thereafter. I have to admit that she has always gotten on my last nerve with her immature attitude and horrible sailor's potty mouth, but she was still my girl.

Recently, we had a fall out. She decided it was time to leave her husband, one of my good friends since high school as well. They have four kids together and she never kept a real job (remember I said she had to drop out). Well I didn't agree with what she was doing simply for the fact that she was leaving him for another man who she had recently "reconnected" with over the Internet. The guy was someone she "went out with" in the 8th grade. Yeah, 8th grade. No contact since. Just met up a few months earlier on Myspace.

WOW! Was my thought! Are you crazy? To leave your husband for an Internet love affair with 4 children and no job? Well, we fell out over the fact that she wanted me to be happy for her and I couldn't when I was worried about her future. Since then, we've gone months without speaking and still really don't except by short text messages.



Nee-C is my best friend of all times. I met Nee-C in middle school as well. She and I have remained down like four flat tires on a pinto from day ONE! We started hanging out when she decided that little ol' geeky me needed to be hooked up with one of her friend's cousins because he had a big crush on me. At that time I wasn't trying to be no body's girlfriend because my daddy wasn't trying to hear it and I wasn't trying to get my butt beat. But she tried anyway and we started hanging out everyday. Now, I credit Nee-C with rescuing me from a life as a geek because the people that I was hanging out with were people that couldn't SPELL popular, much less have a chance of breathing in the same air as the popular kids did. Yeah, I was kind of in with the geeky crowd. Not really geeky. Just not IN.

Well, when Nee-C and me started hanging out, I came out of that quiet girl mode. It was Me, Nee-C and My girl Leri inseparable and when the new school was built, Nee-C moved too. I don't know what it was, but we stayed extremely close all through high school. She was my shoulder. I was hers. I cheated for me. I cheated for her. She failed a grade, I failed a grade. We were just down like that! LOL! Yeah, we weren't exactly scholars! LOL! She had my back iany and everything and I couldn't have love her more.

Still today, 12 years after graduation we are true BFFs. Both married to Soldiers. We live different lives in two different places. And she is still the closest friend a girl could have.

It's funny how different we are from way back then in high school. Funny how are priorities have changed and how we have changed. Each in different ways. But it's funny how you just have special friends whose love can never die.

Visions of Sugar Plums

As I slept last night, I had many many visions dancing through my head. And you know what? NONE of them were sugar plums. Before I went to sleep last night, I was up sorting out the kids' Christmas lists and deciding what to buy and what to pass off to the grandparents to buy. So as I was supposed to be sleeping, all I could think about, all I could dream about was online shopping, Toys 'r' Us, and the friggin' bank account.

MP3 players and Build-A-Bears, remote control planes and Littlest Pet Shop toys

danced through my head the entire night, taunting me as my bank account threw dollars at the cashiers.

Oh what an aweful night that was. And sadly, it marks the beginning of my holiday stress.

20 days left!

I won a contest! I won a contest!

I am in AWE right now. I actully won a contest today. My first out of so many that I've entered.



I wasn't going to check my email today. Wasn't even gonna come to my blog, as I have SO many things that I need to be doing and my love for blogging always slows me down and there is always an email from PTO with something for me to do. But I did anyway. And do you know what was in there! An email from Amanda @ A Moms Review saying that I had wow a $10 Gift Certificate to Build-A-Bear! I was shock! As I've said, I NEVER win any of you guy's contest.



It was a "best comment wins" thing which REALLY shocks me that I won because so many of the ones before me seemed so much more deserving. Not quite as funny! But more deserving, nontheless. So here's what I wrote:

Diva Ma @ Mommy Fabulous Says: after publication. -->December 2nd, 2008 at 8:20 am
Okay, so I’d love to have some heart-felt reason as to why I want to win this gift certificate, but I don’t have one. BUT….(cue the violins) Miss Missy has been wanting one for quite a while and everytime we pass the store in the mall she just wants to go in to see them, “even though I know I can have one.” I wanted to start a tradition on her birthday this year and get her one every year, but our funds wouldn’t allow us to start that tradition this year. So now, the only things she wants for Christmas this year is “a pink Barbie laptop and a bear that you put a heart in…” (end violins)
She’ll get that bear. And this would sure help!

Miss Missy is gonna be thrilled when I take her to get this the day after Christmas! The great thing is, many now start at about $10 and I can afford to get her the accessories to go with the bunny she wants! So I'm excited. Simply because I know she's gonna love that gift!

No Snow Glistening Here!

Sleigh bells ring! Are you listening?

Okay, NOW I can start dragging myself into the Christmas Spirit. Now that it is officially December, I can see the holiday approaching. Not that I could help knowing it was on it's way since the stores started in on the friggin' Christmas music on the first of November.

In the lanes, snow is glistening!

There's no snow here. We're in the south. The only snow my children have experienced are a few flurries every now and then. They've never built a snowman, nor do they know what a sled looks like.

A beautiful sight we're havin' tonight. Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

Hmm, our winter wonderland would have to be the Santa display at the mall.

The only thing I miss about the north is a new blanket of snow. You know the one where you look out the window and get excited about how beautiful and white it is? The snow that you run outside to taste? Before the cars drive through it and create a disgusting slush on the side of the road... My kids have yet to experience that.

Instead, many Christmas mornings here are warm enough to go outside and play with that new bike or those great remote control cars with a sweater and a light jacket on.


Okay, I'm done babbling. Now go back to your Christmas bliss!

Christmas Shopping? Bah HUMBUG!

I've been neglect you, my fellow bloggers. I'm so sorry that I haven't been available with my fabulous posts that brighten your every day. I'm sure missing my posts is like missing your morning coffee.



Just a bit of an ego boost for myself!



I've been a little absent from the blog world this week. It seems that the holiday has worn me out because all I really wanna do is lay around the house. It took me an hour to make 2 lunches last night! I'm moving in slow motions.



I know that today was supposed to be TELL IT LIKE IT TIZ TUESDAY, but it's just not gonna happen. I have a lot that I need to be doing, like getting off my tail and getting on my treadmill, going grocery shopping and getting some food in this house before we are reduced to PB&J, (which I love, by the way), and Christmas shopping.



Christmas Shopping. Bah-freakin-HUMBUG! I get a little cranky around this time of year. There's always so many people that I want and need to buy for, but so few dollars to spread around. The kids I'm not so concerned with. It's the rest of the family that is hard to buy for.



And Hubs and I usually opt not to buy gifts for each other so that we can get gifts for our loved ones, but as selfless as that sounds, I'm kinda tired of it! I mean, we deserve to give gifts to each other too.



I guess my biggest problem is the fact that I've been a stay @ home mom for such a long time and never feel like I have contributed to the holiday financially and have to ask Hubs for money to buy things for my family.



This year, I plan on not stressing. This year, I plan on actually enjoying the holiday that I dread most. This year, I'll try to control my road rage as I am running around searching for that perfect gift for WHOEVER! This year, I'll try to say Bah HUMBUG a little less and sing a few more Christmas songs. I have kids after all. I have to enjoy it for them, right!



And Next year, I'm going to start shopping in JULY!