Monday, May 30, 2011

Happy Memorial Day! Oh and Vote for ME!

Happy Memorial Day!

Thank a Soldier today!   To all of those who protect the freedoms we all enjoy everyday.  To those who serve, have served and will continue to serve on our behalf.  Thank you for your bravery and thank you for giving your ALL so that we may be free!

Thank you to My Husband!

Thank you to My Dad!

Thank you to My Sister!

Thank you to my MANY MANY Friends of the Armed Forces!


Now, Please take a moment to vote for our picture, A Soldier's Kiss in Mocha Dad's Photo Contest.  Click Here and type, I vote for A Soldier's Kiss in the comments!  

Here's the Pic! 

Isn't it awesome?!  He was about to get on the plane to go back to Iraq to finish his year tour after his 2 week visit. 

But you have to leave the comment in the link's comments!  

Thank you! and have a very Happy Memorial Day!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Wanted: New Blog Design

Okay, so I'm ready to redesign my blog.  Any suggestions?  

Looking for a blog that can really capture the many faces of Mommy Fabulous.  

I'm boring right now and I want something that will pop.  Like ME!

On the way to search the web!  

Friday, May 27, 2011

Being Mommy Fabulous when you're not-so-fabulous

I'm not one to go to my kids' schools looking any old kinda way.  I'm almost always in heals and makeup just to go to the school.

Yeah, I'm THAT mom.

But yesterday, I decided to run to the school in my morning-wear.  Exercise pants, a big shirt and gym shoes.  I was dropping off Caprisuns for the boys' classes for the last day of school, so only had to go as far as the office and run back home.




Well, I get there, only to find out that an awards ceremony is going on!

"I didn't hear anything about an awards ceremony."

"Oh, well we put it on the school website and had a sign here in the office.  I hope your kids weren't getting awards."

(thinking) Do you KNOW my kids?

(straight-face) 

"Well we don't advertise it because we just don't have room for all of the parents and all of the students."

Are you kidding me?  Parents are not invited to see their kids receive awards because you're afraid too many parents will show up?  WOW!  Is that not bass-ackwards?  Don't schools usually want parent participation?

So, being the supportive mom that I am, I went into the auditorium in my exercise pants, gym shoes, messed up hair and (GASP) no CAMERA in time enough to see CJ get the Principal's Honor Roll Award for ALL A's!  Embarrassed as I was to be seen at a event looking like this, I stayed until the end and went over to congratulate CJ on his accomplishments.  He came over and hugged me, seeming not to take notice of my ragged attire, just happy that I was there.  Cam's class had already gone back to the classroom, but not before he spotted me and enthusiastically smiled waved from his seat.  He is on A/B Honor Roll! 

Being Mommy Fabulous isn't about the way that I look, although I'm normally not the mom that comes to my kids' schools in pajamas or sweats.  Being Mommy Fabulous is about being there, when ever you can, however often you can.  The kids care more about seeing you there to support them.  Being Mommy Fabulous yesterday meant swallowing my pride and showing my un-made face, and  un-kept clothes to support my babies.  I felt Fabulous anyway!

~Mommy Fabulous~

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Fires to the left! Fires to the right!

Moving to Sierra Vista has posed more problems than I care to continue to keep on complaining about... at least not in this post.  But, here's another reason that I'm sure that Arizona is going to be the death of me.

We're surrounded by wildfires. 

There has been a wildfire brewing to the east of us for the last 3 weeks.  It's been far enough at bay that I've only been slightly concerned, keeping the thought of renting a Uhaul and packing up my entire home and livelihood in the back of my mind.  

Today, I went out for a stroll around the Walmart.  Walmart gets a "the" when it's like "the" mall of the city.  It's the only thing there is to do for fun around here.  

When I left the Walmart about an hour later, (that's about my normal time of strolling the Superstore) I was standing in the parking lot surrounded by smoke.  

Now the smoke is to the southwest as well.  




This is a picture I took from my doorstep.  The smoke is coming right over the mountains.  I've seen several planes, which I'm assuming are going to assist in trying to put the fire out.  The air was filled with smoke and clouding my lungs when I went outside.  

So that's 2 fires.  One on the left of the city and one on the right.  The air is contaminated and I couldn't walk if I wanted to... not that I was planning too... but just in case I was, I couldn't.




Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Writer's Prompt: My Dreams at 18

This week, I decided to blog with good ol’ Mama Kat.  I haven’t blogged with her writing prompts in a while.  As a matter of fact, I’ve been quite the slacker on this blogging thing since… well, a long time.  

This week, I’m choosing #1 of her five writing prompts to help get my creative juices flowing.   

1.)  What was your big dream for yourself when you were 18 and had graduated from high school?

If you’d like to blog with Mama Kat, you can choose this prompt or any other of her 5 prompts for the week here.

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When I was 18, I have to admit that I didn’t have a whole lot of ambition to do much with myself.  I was not college material and was not about to waste my time or my parents’ money pretending I was.  I had plans to go into the Air Force. 

My father had just gotten out of the Army and I was use to being an Army Brat.  For me, it was an obvious choice.  I, like most teenagers, was more than ready to get out of my parents’ house and be grown. 

What was I thinking?!?!?!

I was young, ready to do my own thing, and had NO intention of having any kids!  Nuh uh!  Wasn’t going to happen.  Didn’t like kids.  Had a sister 12 years younger than me and I was scarred.  Not scared.  SCARRED!  She. Was. A. Demon!
Aaaanywho, I procrastinated on this dream for the summer after graduation and on through the following year.  

And then I got married.  

To an Army Soldier.  

GREAT!

That meant that I’d still get the benefits of being An Army Brat, without actually having to do the hard work…

Or so I thought!

Being an Army Spouse is quite possible just as hard as actually being the Soldier!  Oh, and that part about not having kids…

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Morning comes too early.

Up early this morning.  Sleeping after 5:30 is hard around here.  The sun comes up before 5 and when I manage to sleep longer, the construction trucks start work at before 6:30.  

Sleeping in is darn near impossible.  Is Arizona closer to the sun?  

Today, I'm heading out to buy some dark curtains for my bed room.  I don't know what has taken me so long.  We've been in this house since the end of February and I can't get a good sleep unless I sleep on the couch.

So, I'm up.  And cranky.  Wishing I was a coffee drinker.  Researching multivitamins that might give me a boost of energy in the morning.  Any suggestions?  I take my prenatal vitamins right now (before you ask, no, I'm NOT!), but as of lately, nothing I do gives me the energy or motivation to get up and workout.

Today I will also be purchasing a pair of curtains for my bathroom window.
Yesterday evening, Hubs too the boys for a bike ride.  Behind our house, they are doing a lot of construction on other houses and other structures.  Well, it was coming up on dark and when they came home, Hubs told me that they saw me in the bathroom.  The window is that frosted window that people put in bathrooms.  How much could they possibly see?  Well, Hubs took me out for a walk to that I could see for myself.  When we got up the hill behind our house, the silhouette of Cam was was jumping around in my bathroom.  I knew it was him and I could see the blue shirt he was wearing.  

Not good.  You could clearly see a person standing there and you could probably clearly tell of said person was naked or clothed.  

That window is right in front of my tub.  Luckily no one lives in the houses behind us yet, but could you imagine?

"Hey CJ!  Saw your mom in the bathroom last night.  She has some big...."

OMG!  Heading to get curtains immediately!





 



Monday, May 16, 2011

Please God, don't let me die an Arizonian!

My new motto is NO EXCUSES!  

That's for my working out and my education.  

So, let's see how long I can abide my that.  Been feeling less than motivated.

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Please God, don't let me die an Arizonian!

This weather is sure to kill me.  

If it doesn't kill me, I'm sure to leave here looking like an old wrinkled woman!

It's amazingly horrible how DRY this air is, how DRY my skin is and how DRY my hair is!

Living in Arizona is detrimental to my health!  

Nose - My nose is constantly burning because of the dry air and I wake up with a nose full of blood and mucus.  Eeww, I know, but this is why I think that I'm sure to end up in a casket before our two-year tour is over.  

Breathing - And, I have tried to run in the fabulous outdoor weather, only to find out that I get maybe ten steps before I'm gasping for air.  Okay, keep in mind that Sierra Vista is way above any altitude I've every lived in.  We're pretty much in the mountains.  Surrounded.  Beautiful, yes.  Ideal for running? No!  Well... especially considering the fact that's I'm not a runner.  Why am I kidding myself.

Hair - Miss Missy and I have SERIOUS hair issues.  She has lost at least 3-4 inches off of her length and mine is dry and breaking off like CRAZY!  I couldn't take it anymore so I too a trip to Sally's and spent a whole lotta money on hair products to try to regain some moisture to our dried out, damaged tresses. I'm so thin in the back that I really would probably benefit from cutting it all off and starting over.  Miss Missy, however, however would simply choke me in my sleep if I even thought about cutting her hair, so I'm working on treating it.  I never had this issue in Georgia.

Skin - OMG!  Why do I look like a LIZARD??  I have scales!  My hands are so dry because I'm constantly washing them and even though I SLATHER myself in everything from deep moisture lotions to cocoa butter to coconut oil to Vaseline, not lotions or potions seem to take the dry itch away!  I read somewhere that this kind of weather ages you fast because it sucks all the moisture out of your skin cause you to get... (gasp) WRINKLES!

SOMEONE GET ME OUTTA HERE!

I CAN'T get wrinkles!  I'm so vain!  who ever heard of a... 21 year old... yeah I said it! .... being all wrinkled?!?!

Hearing this solidifies my decision.  I'm never going outside again!  I'm going to fill my tub with cooking oil and live in it!



Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Breastfeeding doll... hmmmm.

Guys, I'm all for breastfeeding. I nursed all 3 of my babies.  I nursed my first even after walking into the delivery room totally against breastfeeding.  By the time I left the hospital, my son was LATCHED!

This morning, I was watching Kathy Lee and Hoda.  Well, Kathie Lee pulled out a doll that was for little girls.  Now, I've seen dolls that pee, poop, and brush their teeth, but I've never seen a doll that teaches little girls to breastfeed.


Again, I have nursed 3 babies.  My personal opinion is that this breastfeeding doll is a little much for little girls!  I don't like it for my child.  

Yes breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world, but STILL!  Not into watching my 6 year old trying to breastfeed a plastic doll.  Breastfeeding was something that was between me and that baby.  Sex is natural as well... does that mean that there should be a doll to teach a boy to put on a... 

OKAY!!!  I won't go any farther.  Soooo what do you think???

Here are a few comments from people on Facebook:

The only problem that I have with the breastfeeding doll is that I feel that dolls like this force young girls to grow up too fast...girls at this age haven't even hit puberty yet and therefore shouldn't be encouraged to grow up too quickly. Who knows...maybe 15 years after this doll has been out there will be a rise in teenage pregnancy because this doll showed them how "cool" it is to breastfeed and make them want to have children earlier...WHO KNOWS, but I sure wouldn't want to encourage that...
 
Ok, i think this is so funny about the breast feeding baby. I had a baby 7 months ago. I have a huge family with many kids in it, ages 0-10. I am an avid breast feeder and i think this is the first time any of the kids have seen someone doing this and so of course they are very curious. They all want to know what she's doing under the blanket and so on. Well i was spening time with my sister in law who is 5 and she began breast feeding her doll. I thought it was so cute. My husband was mortified. THEN, my 5 year old nephew started breast feeding his DSi.....mmmm...he said "this is my baby. (little baby voice) ohhh baby are you hungry" and put it to his chest. wellllll.......
not a fan of the breast feeding doll, yes its a natural thing for a mother but not for a little girl to be doing or mimicking. there are other things adults do should we make a doll and show them its ok to start practicing??????
 
 Heather Bailey Nielson
My take on the breastfeeding doll presented on the Hoda and Kathly Lee show...nearly every doll comes with a bottle so that little girls can feed their "baby". What is this teaching? That babies are fed with bottles. We hear all the time that breastfeeding is the best thing we can do for our babies yet, until now, all the toy dolls we give our daughters come with bottles to feed them. This point became clearer to me once my 6th child was born in October of 2010 and my four older daughters, who all have played with dolls and bottles, kept asking me why I did not just give the baby a bottle. BREAST IS BEST. Now little girls have a doll that will let them emulate nursing their baby. It is not sexual or forcing them to grow up too soon. It is role playing which is what children do at that age.
 
 
 

Monday, May 2, 2011

Force Protection Level raised - Bin Laden is no more!

This morning when I dropped Miss Missy off at school, there was a 100% ID Card check at the front door.  

The post, and every other post in the US, has heightened the force protection status to Level B - Orange.  

In light of what has happened, and you'd have to be living under a rock to not know that Osama Bin Laden has finally been taken down, the country has heightened our security.  

It was pretty scary dropping her off this morning, just knowing.  

It is, however comforting to know that the post is doing everything it needs to do to assure my children's safety.  

Still, I probably won't breathe until they are home.


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Osama Bin Laden is no more.  Now, it is rare that I can find joy in anyone's death, no matter what they have done.  But I do find comfort in knowing that this horrible person is no longer able to carry out such horrible doings like 9/11. 


It is a great day for those who lost loved ones in 9/11.  I pray that it brings those families at least a small bit a comfort and maybe even a bit of closure.


It is a great day for those that have fought and served in this war, those that have given their lives and for the families that have waited and prayed on the homefront for their loved ones safe return. 


It a great day for the United States, for we have finally completed this mission.


Regardless of what your political views are, all Americans should feel comfort in these events.

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What is scary is that now we move on.  I can't help but wonder what is to come next.  What kind of retaliation will there be now? What has he asked his terroristic pawns to do in the event of his death.  So no, this is not over. As a matter of fact, it may be the beginning of SOMETHING.  

This is the time to pray even harder for our American Troops and their families.  - Amen!





Kay