Oh, Wonderful Blog! How I've missed you!

                        Ok. If anyone is still out there, I'm back. If anyone would have told me just HOW hard starting a business was I don't know if I would have believed them.
                        This darn "Premier Design' business is running me ragged. I really am enjoying being away from my kids for about 6 hours every week (if I'm LUCKY). I am really enjoying meeting some really great women. And I am enjoying thinking about something other then kids and husband and dog. BUT, I had no idea just how much time I would have to invest everyday on something as simple as selling jewelry. Between home schooling, normal everyday chores & errands, and now 'Premier' I am not left with very much time to do anything else. Such as my Blog.
                      Soo, much has been going on and I haven't had even a minute to write about it. Ok. Maybe I have had a minute or two but I used those minutes to just sit and enjoy the silence and the nothingness.
                       And silly me. I am trying to figure out a way to finish an "Interior Design" Course before next May, I am volunteering at my daughters school again this year and quite possibly making lunch every Thursday for the school. There are only 34-35 kids (haven't counted yet) so it really isn't that big of a deal, it's just one more thing. I guess sometimes we need to ask our selves what is MOST important.
                       Well, I know one thing that I miss and is important that I must make time for and that is my Blog. So again, if anyone is still out there I am back and hopefully it went be so long and in between posts ever again.
                        It is sooo nice to be back!!
                        

I'm a Jewelry Lady!!



4 pieces of Premier Designs jewelry that I own.



               I finally did it. I signed up with Premier Designs Jewelry and am officially a jewelry consultant. Yeah!!! If you haven't heard of Premier Designs, let me tell you it is some very pretty stuff. Some pieces I would go as far as saying, are stunning.  The jewelry is much prettier in person. I had trouble deciding on this company or another company and am hoping, in the very near future, to do both.

              I am so excited to finally be starting my business! And that's what it is, too. My business. I didn't realize when I signed up and paid about $430, that I was going to need so much business "STUFF". When you sign up for the price I did, you don't get any jewelry to start with.  I am going to be hosting my training show June 4th and am trying so hard to get as many people there as I can! If I can make a certain amount I can purchase a jewelry package that would be perfect in getting me started. Or at least buy a few pieces more than what I have already. A friend of mine so kindly said I could host her jewelry party and I don't have but 4 pieces of  jewelry to show. AAHHGG!

                  I just got my start up package today! It had some catalogs and order forms that I needed and lots of great info. on how to get started and get the most out of my business. I still need to get and do so much before my show and it is only 2 weeks away! I really need to get my wiggle on!

                  Well, I have hope that my training show will be a success. I don't know how I will do at it. I hate standing up in front of people and am usually shy. I have been working on my shyness though and I will do my best! I do so love jewelry and I do believe in this jewelry.

                  I can't wait to get my feet wet and I can't wait to be able to spend some time with some women and do fashion stuff. What fun!! One thing I know, is parties! I love 'em! I just have to remember not to go overboard on the prizes and even the games. Oooooohhh!! Maybe some themes might make the parties even more fun! Maybe.

We went "Camping"!

                       We (Rene, Sagan, Ayla, the folks and I) went "camping". If you can call what we did camping. The folks (Rene's parents) bought a pop up camper about a year ago and refused to use it without us, so we finally said "Let's do it".   
                    First the sleeping and bathroom situation was a pain in the bum!  I am not using a toilet with just a curtain around it just 1 foot away from where the folks are sleeping! So I had to wake Rene up in the middle of the night (just one beer will do that to you) and he and I had to walk across the grounds about 200 feet or more to go use the public toilets (which were very clean) and then back again. As for sleeping, the darn night light the folks needed to see when they got up to use the bathroom was down at the other end of the camper by our bed and was shining in my eyes all night long. It turned out to be very cold that night and we didn't bring enough blankets, so I was freezing! The camper has built in heaters under the mattresses that Rene turned on and warmed us up, but half way through the night I started feeling like a slice of bacon sizzling in a pan. And I woke up every time someone got up to use the bathroom. Even Dad wouldn't use the camper toilet and would get in his truck and drive over to the public toilets. Loud truck.  
                  Other then that it wasn't all bad, even with all my complaints. I got to relax a little and play games on my iPad (no one would play any board games with me) and we had 'KINGS INN' for dinner. If you don't live around here, 'Kings Inn' is a great seafood restaurant. They have this horseradish sauce that is just fantastic! And the firmest tomatoes to put the sauce on! Excellent salad and wonderful fried shrimp and fish. I'm getting hungry just writing about it!


My ping pong hubby



Sagan with his prize



                   Rene and I also got to play some Pool and Ping Pong! I haven't played pool in about 5 years! I love to play pool, so that is truly sad. And I have never played ping pong before. I wasn't very good but it sure was fun! Even Sagan "played" a little pool. He had a great time putting the balls in the pockets and watching them roll back to him. Ayla didn't want to come.



Sagan "playing" pool



Me playing pool!



                   Sagan and I had a birthday party of a friends little boy to go to. He had just turned 3 and Sagan and he are best buds. So we left just a few hours after getting to the camp site and drove back home and went to his party. It was dinosaur themed and the kids had a great time. Sagan won a stuffed triceratops and has been sleeping with it ever since.



Sagan's dino nose from party



                  The place we stayed is called 'Sea Wind'. It is gated and very clean. Only $25 a night and it has a game room (hence the pool table and ping pong table), a rec hall (perfect for a family reunion or wedding which was held while we were there), a skeet shooting range, a pond, a laundry mat, horse shoes, and lots of other fun stuff. So, yeah, I think I could go back there to "Camp" out.





Enjoying grandpa's watermelon





Ayla playing iPod



                 

Sagan pretending that this chair is a camera and is "taking" pictures of us. What an imagination!













Home Schooling Success

               Well, I have been home schooling Sagan for about a month and a half now. And so far it is going pretty good. The little man is very smart. Smarter than he lets on most times. He is catching on to everything we have covered very quickly. Which makes me feel good about the whole home schooling thing. I know the 2 of us can do this.
               We started earlier then the school year so I could test the waters, so to speak. See how he would take to the structure. The everyday or almost everyday working on school related stuff. We haven't settled into a routine, yet. Partially because I don't want to fight him on what we are going to do and when we are going to do it. He is very head strong! If it isn't his idea, he usually doesn't want to do it. But I'm working on that.
                Home schooling a preschooler is a bit different then home schooling a, let's say, 4th grader. A 4th grader can be told/shown what to do and you can leave them to their work for awhile. You can go do the dishes or do something productive that needs to be done. A preschooler, however, needs the constant attention and instruction. Needless to say, I don't get my chores and other important things done. But I am learning to adjust. I am hoping by the start of this next school year, we will have a great schedule down that works for the both of us.
                During the summer I still have to work on the "lesson plans" and curriculum. I want to make sure we are going to touch every base and then some. Right now he chooses the letter of the alphabet he wants to work on and then we put it on the board. That is our letter of the week. We are learning any, even the vowels, that he chooses. We have already covered, D, J, M,  and O.
                 He LOVES to use my iPad for learning, too. I got him about 20 apps so far and he is really getting alot out of them. They really have some great Montisourri apps. I am trying to use as many different teaching aids as I can. It helps to keep his interest and even when he doesn't want to "work" that day he always ends up learning anyway.


Working on our shapes




Beading





Drilling fun






Roll Playing





Discovering Nature







Artist at work



                 When Ayla was little she was a true sponge. She soaked up any and everything that I taught her and was ready for more. Sagan on the other hand has taken his time with everything since the day he was born. I really have to be creative sometimes to get him and keep him interested. My children are almost night and day. (I wouldn't change them for anything though.)



Finger Painting




Our little classroom




Our Classroom



These are just a few pics of some of the stuff we do and will continue to do. I am hoping we can expand and set a good schedule that will still leave us with time to volunteer at the school, run our errands, get my chores done and 

iPad app

still have lots of fun. That is one really great thing about home schooling. We can set our OWN schedule. As long as the learning gets done we can do what we want.



(This app is a Montissouri geometry app. There are alot more colorful ones on the iPad for him to play.)

Treasure Your True Treasures

          I watched the news this morning. I usually don't get to watch the news. I am too busy in the mornings before Sagan gets up and then after he's up it goes to child appropriate viewing. Watching the news just reminded me of just how lucky I am. I actually try to remind myself what is truly important everyday. But sometimes it hits home more then others. Watching the news really made it hit home today.
           With the flooding in Mississippi and so many people having to abandon their homes, the first full face transplant in America to a man who got his whole face burned off in an electrical  accident where he worked two years earlier  http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ , all the
tornadoes hitting the east coast and all the people loosing not only their homes but loved ones as well, the terrible earthquakes in Japan and all that devastation and all the acts of violence that surrounds us everyday it shouldn't be hard, at all, to realize what is truly important.
            Life truly is too short. You never know just how much time you have, so enjoy every minute of it. Show your children how much you love them. Spend some extra quality time with them. If they have been extra naughty, take a pause and rethink the punishment. Have some friends over and play some board games. Throw a party. Tell those you love, you love them. Take a deep breath and feel how good it feels to breath. Enjoy a sunset, a sunrise.  "Live! Live! Live! Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!" As Auntie Mame would say http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4218159129/ .

My handsome little man

getting along

Molly



Friends



 

Like father, like daughter





Cheetah



              So look at all you have and be thankful. Take a few moments and don't worry about the bills, the chores or any of the other numerous worries we have these days and just be thankful for what really matters. Treasure the true treasures!!



(I would put up a picture of all my friends, family and the kids at school if there were enough space. I treasure each and everyone! I am a truly lucky person!!)







What a Great Mother's Day!

                   Happy Mother's Day to ALL Mother's!! Mother's Day isn't even over yet and I have had a wonderful Mother's Day this year. My wonderful hubby has been spoiling me rotten. And it hasn't even been just today. My fun started Friday.


My garage sale loot



                   Friday I went to a garage sale and got 125 pieces of clothing (name brands in excellent condition), 14 kids story books, and a real Eureka 4-in-1 multi purpose vacuum cleaner for Sagan. It works great and Sagan loves to help me vacuum and now he can help for real. The total was $15.50!  Most of he clothing items were only $ .10 each. The vacuum was $1!  Saturday I went back to the same garage sale and got 17 more clothing items (mostly jeans) and 8 more books for $13.30. I ended up with 142 garments, 22 books and the vacuum for the grand total of only $28.80!! Most of the clothes were Ayla's size and what doesn't fit her or she can't grow into, I can eBay. I LOVE garage sales! And later that evening my honey took me out to Asian Buffet for dinner. I LOVE my sushi!



My little Helper



                   In addition to getting to enjoy a good garage sale Saturday, The kids, husband and I went to our towns annual Old Time Fair. We didn't do much but walk around and look at the items each booth had for sale but it was still fun. The kids wanted to play on some blow up rides they had but we decided $10 a child was too much. Especially if Sagan couldn't play on any but 1 or 2. And there were alot of big kids. So we went home and set up the pool, our own jump-o-line, and the kids tent. Then we went to lunch at Dairy Queen. (I haven't cooked a meal since lunch Friday.)



My shopping rewards



                   Later that afternoon, I got my hair cut and actually got a style (one that I always revert back to because it suits me). I had considered going shoulder length but chickened out. They say people look younger with shorter hair styles and it is so true. I look like a little girl with short hair. So, I opted to keep my length and go for what I know works for me. I LOVE it! Then I went shopping and the hubby said he didn't know what to get me for Mother's Day so treat myself, so I did. I found 6 tops (on sale no less) at Rue 21. I don't usually like their stuff but actually found quite a few things I liked this time. Then I stepped next door to my favorite store to shop for clothes, Maurices! I intended to go there first but since I spent a bit at Rue 21 had to watch myself at Maurices. I found 3 tanks (on sale) and a great cream vest. I didn't go in looking for the sales, they just found me. :-) The best part of the afternoon was that I got to do it all without the children. I went home and again didn't have to cook. The hubby made me a bowl of cereal. (I like cereal.)

                   Sunday morning Rene made breakfast and cleaned up after! What a great hubby!

My new hair cut and two new tops



Then after a leisurely morning doing a few chores like laundry (laundry waits for no man. It just keeps getting bigger if not attended to) and tiding up I went to Walmart, again without the children, to do a little grocery shopping. I took a detour before heading to Walmart and stopped off at Rue 21 again to pick up a purse I had seen but didn't get the day before. I left with 3 more blouses, 2 t-shirts ($3 each) and a canary yellow purse. (They have a cute matching wallet I think I will have to go back for later.) All items on sale!





                After getting home and putting away the groceries I met the family over at the folks house (grandmas and grandpas). Again I didn't have to cook! Mom made Tacos. They were great! Thank you mom!! Now that the kids are in bed and it's quiet, I think I'll play my new mystery game app I got for my iPad and close out a wonderful weekend.

                I hope all you moms out there had just as good a Mother's Day as I had!! Again, Happy Mother's Day!! You deserve it!

I Won! I Won! I Won a Book!!

             The book is Rock Hard - Sinners on Tour by Olivia Cunning the follow-up book of Backstage Pass and I won it from  Amy J. and her blog My Overstuffed Bookshelf. I was visiting her site and trying to catch up on all my reading and found a character review and description of the main character Sed Lionheart (written by the author herself, Olivia Cunning) and then noticed the contest. I thought, "Why not?" So I entered. And I WON!!
            Sed is the lead singer of the rock band Sinners. And From Olivia's excellent description I can visualize him perfectly. OMG *Fanning myself*! You can read the description for yourself and get to see all the wonderful pics she included at http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-giveaway-with-author-olivia.html# . I am still reading the book and so far it is VERY good. I was drawn into the story from the beginning! I can't wait to finish reading this book (if my kids will leave me alone!!). It is getting better and better each chapter I read.  am definitely going to have to get the first book Backstage Pass.
             I will write more of a review when I am done with the book. Which will be soon, I hope.

"HOORAY" for Stay-at-Home Moms

         Did you know, That there are over 421,000 SAHM with blogs just on blogspot alone?? And that doesn't count those that don't blog or whom are blogging elsewhere.
If there are so many of us Stay-at-home moms, why are we still getting such a bad rap. Why are we not getting the respect and appreciation we deserve??!! Why are the "working" moms still giving us the dirty looks?? Why does every Tom, Dick and Harry think we don't work and that we have all the time in the world to do something for them and the next person thinks we have time for them and so on. So many times I have gotten the old "Since you don't work" line.
        For me, I'm doing something for so many people because they think I don't do anything all day. Taking care of and raising 2 kids and now home schooling the youngest, a dog whom wants constant attention, an old cat of 17 (who has a thyroid condition and cries incessantly to be fed and needs medication twice a day for the rest of her life), a husband , a house with laundry, mopping, cooking, vacuuming, constantly organizing, shopping (with a hyper 3 year old who never listens), dusting, dishes, on the side eBay and an occasional garage sale to bring in extra money. And now I am going to try to sell jewelry to bring in extra money if I can. If that isn't working I don't know what is! I sit on my bum and eat bon-bons and watch soap operas all day. Yeah right!
         Most people who have jobs outside the home think it's a piece of cake to stay home all day taking care of children and household duties. It isn't. I have done the job outside of home and then come home to more to do at home. I know what it's like. I have been there, done that. Staying home is sooo much harder!! At least when I was working outside the home I would get a day off. Staying at home is a 24-7 job with no days off. When I was working outside the home I could actually finish a task. Not so with staying home. A finished task around here is cause for celebration. I get so tired of the constant interruptions.
         Don't get me wrong. I LOVE being home with my son and  being there when my daughter needs me. I like helping others when I can. I like volunteering at Ayla's school and seeing all the other kids. But I am just a little sick and tired of people thinking I have sooo much time on my hands because I don't "work"! I am tired of people thinking just because I stay at home with my son, I don't have any kind of schedule or daily plans. They think my time is dispensable.
          I say "Horray" to the stay-at-home moms! Good job Moms and thank you!! It's time we stay-at-home mom's toot our own horns. At least just a little. We do so much more than watch the Wiggles and pick up toys all day. Stand up and cheer Moms and give yourselves a great big pat on the back. You deserve it!!
Happy mothers day!

Mother Natures' Cruelty - CWCG #2

The words for glass halffull gals's CWCG #2 are:

Eyebrow - the bony arch over each eye or the hair growing on this
Disharmony - discord, absence of harmony
Frailty - being frail, a moral weakness
Intransigent - refusing to compromise
Thesis - a proposition to be defended in an argument; a long research paper written by 
                 a candidate for a masters degree

Theme: weather

Picture:

I know this was supposed to be done April 29th, but better late then never. This is my first poem writing attempt in years. Here is my Poem. (Please be gentle.)

Mother Natures' Cruelty

Mother Natures' frailty is evident

With every baby that is born,

She can be ever so gentle

Like a bird in the hand.

When I think of Her

I think of rebirth,

Flowers of beauty

The color green across the land.

Her power is just as apparent

Out of nowhere causing disharmony,

Her weather completely intransigent,

Giving little warning.

Tornadoes tearing up the land

Destroying everything in their path,

Hail smashing and bruising 

Nothing the same in the morning.

Rain pouring down and  flooding

All Her creations drowning,

Wind blowing and crashing

Destruction all around.

Snow storms freezing

The cold cutting,

Thunder booming and lightening flashing

Fires blazing on the ground.

Some are raising an eyebrow 

To this thesis I make,

It's hard to accept the truth

Even when it's right in your face.

Mother nature can be very cruel

She can take away her gifts, 

But She can also give

With gentleness and grace.

Shopping For The Perfect Wardrobe

              So many of us only have 1 size in our closets. When shopping we are reluctant to try on anything that "isn't our size".  We grimace to think anyone would even suggest such a thing! I say that's the wrong way to think. 

            And then there are others who have 2 sizes in their closets- the size they are in now and the size they use to be. Not good. Having clothing in our closets that are too small for us only make us feel bad about our size and figure we have now. We need to feel good about how we look and our clothes should fit and be comfortable. We SHOULD feel confident and even sexy.  

              Don't be afraid to have 2 or 3 different sizes in your closet, it's only a label (no one else knows what the label says). When out shopping, the important thing is to have the garment fit and fit well, even if that means you have to go up a size or if your lucky, down. We all know women's clothes are not like men's. One size DOES NOT fit all. Different designers vary in their sizes. The New York & Company size 6 may not fit the same as the size 6 of the Maurices brand. Also, not all the same exact garments (such as a cute blue t-shirt at Maurices) fit the same. They pile the fabric into a thick stack and as the cutter is cutting, the fabric on top is cut the right size but the bottom ones are just a bit bigger. It's like when you are trying to cut a thick stack of paper. The top cuts are right but the bottom are a little bigger. So, try on a few in the same size before you give up on that cute blue t-shirt.

            When out shopping, I have found it easier to have an idea of what it is you are looking for. Unless I am just looking for that new spring dress or blouse to add a little more color to my wardrobe, I make a note on my iPhone and even take a pic of the item I am trying to match. It's like going grocery shopping with a list and a full stomach. It keeps you from too much impulse buying and you actually get wearable additions. I'm sure you have all heard before, try to buy classic pieces. Pieces that will carry your wardrobe for years and years to come and add a few trendy pieces to that. 

           I have found that my key pieces that never go out of style are: a knee length denim skirt, a white button up (long and short sleeve), simple solid color tanks, khaki pants (in between  jeans and slacks), black slacks (be careful on your choice- you don't want look older), a knee length straight black skirt, of-course a great pair of darker washed jeans (nothing fancy-no rhinestones, patches, weird washes, etc.), a simple little black dress, a khaki skirt, a denim jacket (again nothing too trendy), black heels, red heels, brown boots, brown wedges and black wedges and a black summer sweater. All of these pieces can carry through for years and can be dressed up and down depending on mood and occasion. By adding some colorful, trendy and now pieces you have a complete wardrobe.

           And don't forget Jewelry!! By just changing a necklace, you can change the whole look and feel of the same outfit. And a lot of the time a cute necklace is less expensive than a new blouse. Accessories like belts, scarfs, vests, and purses are great in helping to change up your wardrobe, too.

          Some of my favorite brands are Ann Taylor Loft, New York & Company, Maurices (any brand that makes me feel thinner then I am gets my business), and Express. http://www.maurices.com/home/index.jsp

           Let's feel good about ourselves ladies. Let's dress to impress-ourselves!

Will We Just Have to Make It Work?

                    O.K.  We found out that we are NOT getting the house. And we didn't lose our earnest money because it wasn't our fault. So I have been house hunting AGAIN all week, with a new Realtor. It is way harder to find a house than I thought it would be, that is for sure! These houses are terrible! You would think that at least one of the houses that I looked at would be decent. A lot looked good from the outside but were a wreck on the inside. Floors buckling, water damage, mold, holes in walls and floors, roof leaks, wack-a-do bathroom set ups (like a bath in the master bedroom but the other bathroom way across the other side of the house, practically in the kitchen.) People are asking way, WAY too much for their houses that need way, WAY too much work done to them to make them livable.

                   My first Realtor called me a day or so ago, and said he had some news for me. O.K. I'll bite. So, I call him up and he tells me I can call up the mortgage company that owns the house we had put a bid on and get an approval letter from them. 'ALRIGHT!' I call them as soon as I get off the phone with him. I find out that they CAN NOT give us an approval letter. It has to be the owner or the Realtor that asks, the mortgage company's Realtor has to complete things on the equator first (what ever that means), and that they aren't even taking bids on the house right now.

                  Am I in the TWILIGHT ZONE or something??! Didn't he (my Realtor) already tell me once before that we could bid on this house and he was wrong??! COME ON!!! I will not be messing with this guy again!

                  We haven't found a thing yet, and I don't really think we will. Part of me doesn't want to go through the whole moving thing. Packing, sorting, throwing things away and then unpacking, sorting again and trying to figure out where everything will go again. Then part of me can't stand every room we have doing double, triple and even quadruple duty. We NEED some more space.

                   We are considering another property, a part residential and commercial property, that might be something. But I am trying not to get my hopes up. It is completely unusual but could be very cool and has great potential. After this one, I think we are done looking for a while. I will just have to ,as the famous Tim Gunn would say,"MAKE IT WORK!" Some how.

Making Mistakes

                    It is now day 4 of the "Are we getting the house or not" waiting game. I couldn't sit by and wait patiently any longer so I called the Realtor this morning. He tells me he hasn't heard anything yet and that because the mortgage company is out of state it could take a while. Well HOW long is it going to take?? But I don't question the time frame, I just bite my tongue. I don't want to come across rude. 
                     Then he tells me that the loan we applied for doesn't cover this particular property because it has rental property attached and that IF we get it we will have to pay MORE out of pocket money than first  discussed. What the #%&*?! So.... If we get the house and we can't pay the extra thousands (we have no idea how much it could be) than we could still lose the house and our earnest money. Which by the way he tells us after we gave him the check, that that particular earnest money amount might not be enough for this mortgage company. This time I really have to bite my tongue and get off the phone before I say something I am going to be sorry for.
                    And from what I gather, IF we don't get the house, we could be losing it because we didn't originally qualify for that property and we didn't give enough earnest money. Now if that isn't a kick in the head!!
                    The crap we have gone through with this Realtor for this house is rediculous!!
                    All I know is, whether we get the house or not someone is going to be in deep dog poo! Because I am not going to stand by and get walked all over by anyone. I don't consider this a mistake that can be forgotten. Two people, the Realtor and the Loan officer dropped the ball here. This is what they do for a living for crying out loud! They should have their stuff together and they should be watching out for the client!!!~! This is our money and future they are being so careless with. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! 
                      Now who knows what is going to come of all this.   

Growing Up TOO Fast!

           About a month ago Ayla was playing in her room with her Barbies and insisted on having her door shut. Well, that's not too unusual, she's always fighting for privacy around here with Sagan. I walked in to ask her a question and she has several Barbies naked and a naked Ken. She has a Barbie bed out and Ken and Barbie on top of each other. I asked her in a bit of a surprised voice "What are you doing?" And right away without letting her answer, told her not to do that any more with her Barbies.



Ayla and Grandpa

            Now I know I handled the situation COMPLETELY wrong but I was shocked and SCARED to think that it is time to have "THE TALK". I mean she's ONLY 8 and a half years old! SHE'S TOO YOUNG to have the sex talk!! I thought I had a few more years to get the speech ready. What am I supposed to say to her?! I know, I know, just tell her the truth. Yeah right! That's easier said than done!!

          

            When Ayla was little I always told her the truth and talked to her like an adult. None of that "baby" talk. She was and is a very bright child. She started walking at 6 months, talking at 7 months, she knew her alphabet and the phonics by 18 months and was already reading a bit by kindergarten. But, I find lately that I'm unsure of what to tell her and how to talk to her about certain things.



My beautiful littlegirl!

 

            I believe knowledge is power but sometimes some knowledge can get us into trouble. I don't want to shorten or hinder her childhood. Right now she still believes in Santa, The Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. I know she won't believe for much longer but I want her to believe in magic and fairy tales for as long as she can.The kids grow up too fast these days! Why can't they just be kids as long as they can? They will be adults for so long, childhood is so short! There's enough garbage on T.V. today desensitising the kids today. I am very careful about what the kids watch on T.V. and try to be careful with what music they listen to. I know I can't shield them from everything, life is going to happen. My childhood was NOT ideal to say the least. I don't want that for my little girl! I used to be way overprotective. I have backed off a bit. Enough to allow her to go to a friends for sleepovers but the entire time I am scared to death something will happen to her!!

            How do you tell an 8 and a half year old about sex??!! And what is that going to do to her psyche?? Her youth?? UUGH!! 

            I know I have to approach her and have the discussion soon. She NEEDS to know the facts and the truth before her friends confuse and scare her completely. Why does parenting have to be soo hard?!! What and How am I going to tell my little girl??!!

Making a Bid

(I have both the camera & the dog)

                   April 7th, just 2 Sunday's ago, My family and I thought it would be nice to take Molly (our Doberman) for a walk around the neighborhood. We decided to take a different route than we normally go. As we are out enjoying the scenery (joke) and soaking up the vitamin D, we came upon an empty store that my daughter and I used to go to to find treasure. (It was being rented out as a Used Stuff Store or you could say a Thrift Store, but they had moved out a while back. It is hard to keep any kind of business running in this rink-a-dink town.)

                  We thought it would be neat to walk around the building  and look in the windows and just plain check out the place, when Ayla said "It would be cool to live here!" That statement took both Rene, my husband, and myself back a little. We rent our house right now and haven't tried looking for a house to buy for some time. Then we notice the FOR SALE sign. This property would be a little unorthodox for a home, but had excellent possibilities. Well, that started the whole ball rolling. My husband gets on his iPhone and opens up the Zillow.com app and gets any info. he can on the place. We are all chattering away about the possibilities and the need to contact someone A.S.A.P., when we come across yet another property FOR SALE. Only this property is a little more down to earth and just 2 houses down from the house we use to rent years ago. (My Husband has always liked this particular house.) Again, my husband starts searching and comes up with some great news. The house just couldn't be the price he found!  The rest of the walk home is noisy and exciting with all of us spouting possibilities and hopes.

Some of our "Scenery"

                    That Monday I waste no time in calling around to try to get some information on these 2 properties and I make contact almost right away. A Realtor can show me the house the next day. Sagan, my son, and I go to see the house and we love it. I love it for it's charm and built-ins and Sagan loves it for the echo and space to run. I couldn't wait to get my husband there! We make another appointment the next day to see it again and to see the other property also. We all ended up liking the house best. So we tell the "folks" about it and then take them to see it. (Dad has a great eye for spotting trouble.) While we are taking our tour another Realtor shows up and rudely tells our Realtor " When are you going to be done?! I have clients that are here to see the house." I was a bit livid to say the least. I decide to take just a little bit longer and discuss with the "folks" what they think of the house. That little bit turned into 20 minutes. (Shame on me.)

                  Ultimately we decide to put in a bid but so does the other couple.  When we found out about the other couple making a bid, we agreed to to go up on our bid, which takes away that little extra cash we thought we might have had every month. The Realtor tells us it could be 3 to 4 days before we will hear anything. (DARN!) Now we have been waiting in suspense since Monday when the bids were presented to the morgage company who owns the property. This waiting is KILLING me! Well, O.K., it's just very distracting!  Are we going to finally get a house that we can call ours?!? I hope we hear soon!!