Friday for me means it's time for The (Un) Experienced Mom's Fill in the Blank Friday. Super easy to play along. Just grab her button, cut and paste her question, answer it and link it back to her. As always, I gladly accept your answers right here in the comments as well. To all of you who have been taking part, thanks! Keep it up and we will keep it around ;)
Her question today is: If I had spare money that had to be donated to 3 charities, they would be _________, _________, and __________.
Here's the thing, I am deviating from the question just a wee little bit. We don't really have spare money this year, but we are already donating to two charities. One I blogged about before. It doesn't actually require extra money, just extra stuff. It is a local charity, and we donated a TON of our gently used toys and clothes to them. It is a children specific charity, and they ensure that all the items go to less fortunate boys and girls. Next, we have put aside some money this year to adopt a family via the Salvation Army. We have been assigned a family of five. It is a single mother and four children. They can't even afford a tree this year let alone any gifts. I feel grateful that we are in a position to be able to help her and her children this Christmas. Finally, about the third...if I had an endless amount of cash, I would donate again to String of Pearls. I say again because we didn't donate for the holidays, but we have donated to them before. Fortunately we have not experienced infant loss, but can not imagine the pain for those who do/have.
How about you? Do you feel moved to give to any charity? Do you volunteer your time? Do you wait for the holidays or do you participate all through the year?
Friday in Blogland just couldn't get any better. Mama M. has some really great questions this week, and I couldn't keep away (not that I would try). Something about question and answer that is just so...well, simply fun!
This week's questions are:
1. What is better, growing old with out money or dying young and wealthy? This is not a difficult question at all. I would absolutely say growing old without money. Money is great, don't get me wrong, and we are doing our best to earn a penny or two, and I'm glad we have it, but it's not what makes my world go 'round. I think about my kids, and how happy they are...seemingly without a care in the world. They would be just as happy if we were all living together in a one room apartment with no toys. All that they need is food in their tummies, a roof over their heads and mommy and daddy to love them. We could all learn a lot from our little ones.
2. Who takes out the garbage at your house? Either Drew or Andy. On the very rare ocassion, I do. That happens only when no one has done it, the boys are not around, and I can't even cram in one more gum wrapper.
3. Have you ever had the same dream many times? Yes, unfortunately I wouldn't classify it as a dream. I have recurring nightmares of either sharks, or someone chasing me. The chasing me nightmares are not that big of a deal because I have taken to flying in my dreams, and when someone chases me, I just take off in flight ;) The sharks are a little trickier...haven't quite managed to master them yet.
4. Can you play a musical instrument? I played the flute for many, many years and still can. I also have had some piano lessons as an adult, and can play at an amateur level. I stopped just before Colton was born, and would love to take it up again.
5. If you owned your own store, what would you sell? Child muzzles.
If you have not seen Lisa Leonard's designs then you are missing out, big time. Each piece is hand crafted in sterling silver. Perfect for me as I am a silver kinda girl...are you? I was hoping you'd say yes, because Lisa is going to grant one of my awesome readers a $40.00 gift certificate to her store. You can get yourself a little something, or put the money toward a whole lotta somethings. Here's how to win...
Each comment will be equal to one entry (with a couple of exceptions), and you can enter any or all of the following ways:
1. Go check out Lisa Leonard's site (link is above), look around, come back and leave me a comment telling me what you would buy or put your money toward if you win for one entry.
2. Follow (current or new) me here and join my BlogFrog community for two entries...then leave two comments to let me know.
3. Tweet about the giveaway with a link for one entry...comment to let me know.
4. Post about the giveaway with a link to this post for two entries...comment twice please, to let me know.
5. Start a discussion in my community for one entry...you know the drill, comment to notify.
Entries will be accepted until further notice. So how 'bout it?...get busy and win yourself some Lisa Leonard jewelry. Oh, and just in case you can't wait, you can head over to her site and use 'arizonamamma' at checkout for 10% off. Nice. Now get busy winning ;)
P.S. Please be sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. Winner will be drawn via a random number generator.
Almost three weeks ago we brought our furry little bundle of joy home to join our family, and today he is fighting for his life.
I debated about posting this, but I fear my head may explode if I don’t hash it all out.
Wednesday night we were playing with him in our living room, and he needed to go out for a potty break. Nothing unusual. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then ten minutes later he was at the back door wanting to come back in. When he did his breathing was very labored and his gums were going grey.
Within ten minutes I had him in my car headed for the emergency vet. There he has been since. He has pulmonary edema, which, in laymen's terms is fluid build up on the lungs. He has a severe case. There are two types. Cardiogenic (having to do with the heart), and non-cardiogenic (obviously not having to do with the heart). He has the second type.
Causes could be: anaphylactic shock (brought on by a sting/bite), choking, head trauma, electric shock, or heat stroke. We have no idea what it was, but we know it wasn’t any of the above with the exception of choking. We don’t know if he may have swallowed something and it restricted his airway for a few minutes, or if his collar got hung up on a bush he plays in and freaked out, thereby choking himself.
In any case, most cases of this typically resolve themselves within 24hours. Finnegan has been in the vet hospital since Wednesday night and shows no improvement. Because he hasn’t worsened, they keep suggesting more time. So…we’ve been continuing to give him more time.
My heart is sick with worry, I cry out of no where throughout the day, I look at his toys strewn about my living room and cry again. I am a huge mess. There is already a hole in his absence. I can’t imagine what will happen if he doesn’t make it, and yet the vet has said we need to start preparing for that. How? I am not God, nor do I want to play God. The thing is, we don’t have an endless supply of money either.
I think the consensus that we have reached is to try to give him until Monday to show improvement. If he doesn’t go into respiratory distress before then. If that happens, then I will consider it his way of letting us know he can’t do it anymore.
In the meantime we are trying to figure out how we will come up with the money to support our little guy until then. Our bill thus far is over $3,000.00. Now is one of those times when I wish I were still working.
So…we wait. Just like we’ve been doing since this began. Waiting and hoping that he starts to show us that he is going to pull through. Meanwhile, I am an emotional wreck and was ill prepared to answer my precocious daughter’s questions about his whereabouts. “The doctors will tell us when he can come home, right mama?” “Mama, Finnegan is our dog…so he needs to come home to be with us.” “Do you promise they will tell us when he is ready, mama?” What on earth do you say to that?
Since I have no shame, and I am trying to earn money to fund my trip to Russia, I am posting about my jewelry site...again.
If you have yet to come see me at my own custom jewelry shop, then what are you waiting for? I have some new additions, and some pieces that have proven to be favorites for many. My prices are reasonable, and I work on every piece as if I am going to wear it myself or give it to someone I love :)
Oh, and I have a new button there on the right. Any chance I can interest you in grabbing it? There might be a little giveaway related to it in the not so distant future.
So, I ask...what on earth could be better than treating yourself and helping another achieve a long awaited goal?
Come on over here have a look around. There might be just the thing for you or someone you know.
Having my son when my daughter was just 18 months old meant I would definitely need a double stroller. I researched endlessly for a week or so before settling on the Duo Glider by Graco (this is not a sponsored post in any way). I had read great things about it, and it was comparable in price to many other good ones. After searching online for the best deal, I bought it on Amazon. Couldn't wait to have it come in.
About a week later, the stroller arrived. Woo hoo! I had Andy put it together right away. Now, all I needed was my little boy to make his debut. He did, and it wasn't long before I got to test drive the new wheels. So I loaded the kids in and set out for a walk in the neighborhood.
At first, all was well. We were on a long road, and Addyson was loving having baby Colton with her. Then came the first corner. Ugh! I hadn't worked out in a while, and it took some real muscle to get that thing to turn. Hmmm...I was hoping it was just the road. Maybe it would work better on a smoother surface. Nope.
This stroller has accompanied us on countless walks, trips to the park, the zoo, and even a trip to New Orleans. Each and every time we got that bad boy out, I would complain to Andy "this stroller is a piece of S*&T! It is so hard to maneuver!" I'll be darned if I was going to spend any more money to get another one though. So we learned to live with it.
Today, 15 months later...something happened. I was at the mall with my two babes when another mother walked by and I noticed she had the same stroller. Feeling bold, I asked her if she had trouble turning hers and explained that mine turned about as well as the Titanic. Nope, she's never had any trouble. She even demonstrated how freely hers spins, and I looked on with envy.
Then, giving my stoller a once over, she gave me a tip that would change my strollering experience for the better from here on out. Now, dear friends, I pass this tip on to you! If you have this stroller and you are having the same trouble I always had before this stroller angel freed me...I give you this: check the front wheels to see if they're locked. Um, yeah. That's it. My husband and I are both college graduates (he a graduate from Westpoint), not to mention the fact that his degree was in engineering, no less. Yet here we've been for the past 15 months, struggling with the demon stroller, whose wheels were all the while...locked. Genius.
For starters, I just want to say that I am not planning to do anymore giveaways...at least not for a while, or forever. I love that I am doing this one, but I think they are pushing me in a direction I am not really ready to follow. I love blogging, sharing my ideas through this medium, and I love the interaction I often get as a result. Like many (or I suspect there are many), I had secret hopes of earning money doing this thing. Ugh...no more is that my desire. I was beginning to feel like a slave to my blog, obsessed (in a not so good way) about how many people wanted to read what I have to say. Really, whocares?! Isn't it nuts when you think about it? Don't misunderstand...I do like people to read, but my first priority when writing a post should be whatever it is that inspired me to write...not "what will people think if I say this, or do that?"
When I started blogging, it was just so much fun. I was excited to post, and I enjoyed what I wrote. Once I started being more concerned with the numbers of it all, some of that (okay a lot of that) pleasure went right out the window. So, I'm busting the chains. I'm letting go of my secret desire to be a millionaire blogger ;) I'm gonna write about my kids, and show you pictures of the horrific fish cake I made Addyson...really, it's bad...and really I will share. I'm going to post my recipes, because I love them, and if even one person tries one and likes it, then I have given something in some small way. I am going to write selfish posts that no one really wants to read (except for my mom, and me in 40 years).
I wrote this post just a short time ago, and I think I missed the boat. I meant everything I said in it, and I believe it all 100%, but somehow I still derailed myself. Oh well. New start.
Not sure what compelled me to explain myself this way...maybe just my way of wiping the slate clean. Allowing me to get back to what I really loved about blogging to begin with, and if people decide to join me along the way...well, then all the better!
In an effort to do something I think would be a ton of fun...I decided to open the floor to any and all questions. BUT...the questions are for Andy (my husband). You can ask him anything you want. ANYTHING! Now, I will say this, he does reserve the right to not answer should something be out of line. But I have faith that nothing will be. I also give him free reign to answer anything about me. So, get your typing fingers ready, and ask away. What, my friends, would you like to know?
Okay, you all asked, and my husband answered. One of the qualifiers to get him to do this was that I could in no way edit what he wrote. So this is all him, without any meddling from me. I didn't say, however, that I wouldn't add my two cents if I felt it warranted. Just saying...and if my two cents does show up anywhere, it will be in orange. Now, on to your questions and his answers.
Melis of The Zookeeper's Diary asked: If your wife could have any profession BESIDES being a SAHM, what would you want it to be? And why? And do you read her blog? What do you think of it?And finally, would you ever consider moving your family to where I live and buying the house next-door so we can all be IRL friends? Is that weird?
Any profession – A photographer seeing as she has an eye and a passion for it.
Do I read her Blog? – Are you all kidding?…hardly ever, but I don’t need to…I live it everyday.
What do I think of her blog? – I have always thought her to possess a true gift when it comes to that of the written form…On the occasion when I curl up with a cup of coffee and my computer to catch up on the latest prose of “Arizonamamma,” she confirms my thoughts.
Would I consider moving to be your neighbors and is that weird? – I know you are joking…
Keely from MannLand5 wanted to know: What made you fall in love with your wife? How did you 2 meet?Will you have more kids? :-) What do all do for fun as a family? What do you think your wife's best physical feature is? What do you do for a living?
What made me fall in love with your wife? – her independence, beauty, charm and her complete acceptance of me.
How did we meet? -We worked together on an outside sales team.
Will we have more kids? – I can’t answer this one on my own…AZMAMMA has a pretty big stake in this answer as well…however, if it were up to me I think that there will be no more children conceived.
What do we all do for fun as a family? – Every Saturday morning we get up just as the sun is about to rise in the East…saying East is silly…doesn’t it always rise in the East? Anyway, we ALL get up just before the sun rises…we bring plenty of water, lunch and our trimming shears…we hike 13 miles (AZMAMMA and I take turns pulling our two youngest children in the wagon, they certainly couldn’t make the trek on their own) to the llama farm and we sneak into their grazing area….On even days AZMAMMA lasso’s three of these creatures while I teach the children how to shave cool designs into their fur….on odd days, we switch places…The kids find this absolutely hysterical and the llamas, well they don’t seem to mind one bit either….On the way home we usually dig 2 random holes with a large baking spoon (I don’t find this particular activity “fun” at all, but the rest of the family does and sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do). (If you all think this is serious, then you haven't been reading my blog for very long...I would never let anyone use my baking spoon to dig holes).
What do I think my wife’s best physical feature is? – AZMAMMA was very blessed when it comes to her ‘4th point of contact,” her rear end. This, in my humble opinion, is her best physical feature….****This is where I must put my disclaimer, I am sure that ALL of you were hoping for some romantic answer like the beautiful sparkle in her eyes when she is truly happy, or the curls in her hair when she styles it my favorite way…maybe you even wanted me to answer with the color of her lips after she has had a glass of wine…but what can I say? I am an ass man and even after two children that shit ROCKS!!!!(Sorry, there should have been a disclaimer regarding the PG13 language...this is the only spot though).
What do I do for a living? – I work in a sales management job for ADP
Dondi at Confessions of a Housewife asked: Westpoint. Did you like it, was it worth it...I wanna know. West Point is one of those places that is wonderful to be from and not be at…but looking back, in a warped demented type of way, I did enjoy it. I certainly took it seriously and internalized the discipline. Was it worth it? Yes, I would not go back and do it any differently
Liz from Harmonysong wanted to know: Most favorite (material) gift you have ever given Mamma? I would have to say the amethyst heart and chain that I got for her on her 1st Mother’s Day. (I can't resist...I have to explain a little more why this one is so great. It has amethyst which is Addyson's birthstone, and a tiny bit of diamond, which is mine...it was the most perfect Mother's Day gift ever...very thoughtful).
Julie of The Peanut Gallery kindly asked: What is the weirdest thing that your lovely wife has done since you've known her? I can choose only one?…That hardly seems fair as many situations I find myself in with her are weird, not to mention all the stories I have heard of the weird antics of this person…and they are weird because she makes them so. I have struggled with this one and I thought, could it be the time that she clucked like a rooster as she was following behind a group of people? Could it be the time that she dissected a water dog while bored on a fishing trip? Could it be the time she shouted a reminder out of the car window as I trekked through the busy supermarket parking lot, “Don’t forget your hemorrhoid cream!”…No, these are all weird, but I gotta say one of her finest moments occurred on this blog. Her post about peeing while she laughs was a little uncomfortable for me. Many of you may disagree, but the whole time I was reading that rather strange post, I couldn’t help but be mortified. I mean I kept thinking to myself, “Why is she sharing this with the whole blog reading world? Hell, I didn’t even know that she was stricken with this rather strange condition!”….NOW THAT’S JUST WEIRD! (To save you the trouble you can read the post here...it's not as bad as he says...I never claimed to pee when I laugh).
Kate of Kate's Life wants to know: 1) What does your wife do or say that just makes you melt? 2) What do you love the most about her? 3) Do you have a nickname for her? 4) Is there a limit to how many questions I can ask?
OK KATE IT’S FINALLY YOUR TURN…..
What does AZMAMMA say that makes me melt? – You wanna (bow-chicka-bow-bow)…?(Kate, I never say bow chicka bow bow...not ever).
What do I love most about her? – The wonderful mother that she is…
Do I have a nickname for her? – No I do not.
Is there a limit to how many questions you can ask? – you just reached it…
Desert Rose asked: Seeing how AZ Mamma and I are fellow Arizonans...just what is it that she likes to do around these parts?
She likes to spend time with her family in Phoenix…she is extremely close to her family
His sister Melissa asked: Andy, if you were stranded on a island with one of your siblings, which one would you rather it be and why? Seeing as how this was asked by one of my siblings I can’t, in good conscience, answer this. A very fine gentlemen recently advised me to steer clear of offending any one of my siblings, because if you do it may permanently damage a relationship no matter how many “I’m sorry’s” you try to throw at said situation…
Drea of Peanut Butter Jelly Days asked: Honestly, what do you think of your wife blogging? do you think it has taken too much time from everyday things, or do you see it as a good outlet for her?
Honestly what do I think of my wife blogging? – She enjoys it…I say blog away
Do I think that it has taken too much time from everyday things or do I see it as a good outlet for her? Sometimes I feel it interferes with our time together…She never lets it interfere with the childrens' time…but when I ask her if I can get some of her time she obliges…As far as a good outlet for her – sure, I guess so.
Scott of This Daddy's Blog asked: Being a sports fan the best event I have ever been to was the Army-Navy game many years ago at the Meadowlands since you were part of that tradition, besides that what is the best sporting event you have ever attended? Back when I was 12 my Dad took me to a rodeo. I thought that the rodeo was pretty cool, but the idea that pops and I got to spend some time together – that was truly spectacular. He is one of two men that I truly idolize in life…(His dad really is a wonderful man, and though this may make it seem so, was not absent from Andy's life...he did travel a lot in the military, but Andy just treasures any and all time with his dad).
Heide of From 3 to 5 asked: Do you love Seinfeld as much as AZ Mamma? What is your favorite TV show?What is your favortie thing to do in your free time? Did you contribute to Addyson and Colton's name selection? Az Mamma is quirky about the sheets, what is your quirk? Do you leave the seat up? What is your favorite room in your house? Are you originally from AZ? If not what brought you there? If you are from there is there any where else you would like to live? Can the AZ Mamma come visit me?
Do I love Seinfeld as much as AZMAMMA? Does she even like that show? Hahahaha….I like that show, is it as much as her? Not sure :-)
AZ MAMMA is quirky about the sheets…Holy S**t she IS quirky about the sheets! I don’t have quite the breadth of quirks that she does.
Do I leave the seat up? Only on purpose.(No he doesn't...he's very good about it).
What is my favorite room in the house? Our eat-in kitchen…some of the most scrumptious things in the entire world are created in that space just awaiting my consumption…but more importantly, AZMAMMA and I both agree that sitting down as a family for dinner is extremely important. Over the last five years some of my most cherished memories are those that were shared and created while we have broken bread over dinner…
Am I originally from AZ? Nope, my Dad was a career Marine so I don’t have an original home…I ended up in AZ after my short stint in the Army came to a conclusion. I found my first corporate career in PHX.
Can the AZ MAMMA come and visit you? See one of my first answers – AZMAMMA is extremely independent and does not need to ask my permission. In fact, many may say that AZMAMMA wears the pants in the family, so you may be better off asking her this question.
Lula Lola asked: If time and money weren't a factor, how would you spend the next year? And, what's he think is the coolest thing about you?
If money were not a factor how would I spend the next year? I would want to travel to Australia, Ireland, Brazil, Hawaii and Iceland… I would also like to spend several weeks with our out of state family.
Coolest thing about her? She puts up with me.
Sheila of My Crazy Life asked: Why do men start projects and then never totally complete them? Is this a question for me? If it is, my answer would be that we get distracted by women…
Abby of Murdocks Mama wanted to know: What kind of vehicles do you own? What is your favorite household chore to do/help with? What is your favorite meal that your wife makes?
What kind of vehicles do we own? We own a Ford Expedition (Our second vehicle is one issued to him through work...it's a Mercury).
What is my favorite household chore to do/help with? While I do not consider this a chore, it is a task that needs to be done -- Giving our two young children a bath and getting them ready for bed, followed up by reading them 3 stories.(He does this every night! Every.single.night.)
My favorite meal? Salmon Scallopini or Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. (Irony of this is I don't make these that often, and neither has been a Tasty Tuesday feature...yet).
That's it! This is Mamma again, and I just want to give a huge thank you to my husband for being (mostly) a good sport about this. Can I let you all in on a little secret? I did mention this idea to him in a passive way, but I never actually got his consent before I drove forward with it. He was thrilled, let me tell you! He thinks I am bound and determined to have him start a blog. In any case, I think he did a great job. Thanks again, Andy for taking the better part of an evening to get these answered. I love you!
It's December 5th and the only person guaranteed to get a present from us as it stands is my sister in law. Yes, M...you are loved. I have been so bad about getting my butt in gear to do shopping. It's just hard. I don't get into the spirit doing my shopping exclusively online, and I can't go out during the week because I have the little ones with me. Sigh. So I have to wait for the weekend when Andy can be here with the kids, and I can go get my shop on. Today is the day.
Another problem...I am fairly stumped. I don't like to just get things for others just to get them. I love seeing the look on someone's face when I got the right something. Nothing better. There is honestly only one Christmas where I know I got it really right with Andy. Isn't that sad? I'd love some suggestions. What are you all getting for your spouse? How about siblings? Kids? How about I send you some money and you just shop for me? No...I suppose that wouldn't be right. Not to mention it would be a sure fire way for me to not get in the spirit at all.
My jolliness will kick in when we get our tree. First things first though...I need to clean this house. I don't like to decorate my mess. Not cute. If only the layer of dust would pass as a snowscape for our Christmas village!
I used to be successful. Really successful. I was in sales for a fortune 500 company, and I was great at what I did. I had goals, and I blew them all out of the water. Financially, I was in a place of freedom that I never imagined possible. I averaged around $135,000.00 a year. Me! Not married, no kids. There are times when I miss those days. Not just the money aspect of it (though that was amazing), but the feeling of setting a goal and anihilating it. There is a sense of accomplishment in that. That sense of accomplishment brings about a sense of confidence and a sense of self. I never questioned whether I was good at what I did, or whether I was valued. I just knew it to be true.
Having me stay home with our children is one of the best decisions we ever could have made, yet there are times when I question how I am doing. Whether I am valued. Whether I am good. Part of me realizes this must be natural. Afterall, there is no tangible way to set a goal to be a good mom, and then measure the success. Not really. Nor is there a real sense of feeling valued on a regular basis. In the working world (sales for example), you sell an account, the boss shouts "hooray" and slaps you high five. At home, you shower before noon, get the dishes done, change a couple of diapers, make dinner, and no one is there to say "hooray!" No one high fives you on the days you actually manage to put on deodorant and brush your teeth.
Then, your three year old draws an "A" on her doodle pad, and proudly exclaims "Look, mama! I did it. I drew an A!" And, looking down at the doodle pad, you see that she did indeed draw an "A." That's the high five. Right then, right there.
Then, your children are playing outside when suddenly the baby falls and bumps his head. He is screaming when daddy scoops him up to give him kisses, and the screaming doesn't cease because only mommy will do. You're valued. Right then, right there.
Staying home with these little people is the hardest job I've ever had. There are so mnay ways to make mistakes. So many ways I fear I can mess them up. And while at first glance it seems often like a very thankless job, I know that it is the most rewarding job I've ever had. The most rewarding job I ever will have again.
So while I do miss the straight forward feeling of being successful in the corporate world, I recognize that I am blessed to be able to be present for all the "A's" and bumps. To be the one my children not only want to have kiss their hurts, but also the one with whom they want to share their wins. I'm blessed to have a husband that also believes in how important it is for me to be here with them. I know he values me as a wife and mother and more importantly a friend. Yes...I am valued.
So here it is...in a nutshell. I am a 33 year old wife to Andy, an amazing man who works beyond hard to support our family. Andy and I met in 2001 when we both worked for Cintas Corporation. We were fast friends and slowly evolved into something more...much more ;) We were married in March of '05 and I was blessed
to become step-mom to Drew.
Drew is my 10 year old step-son. He is a fairly laid back kid with a warm heart. He has been through quite a bit in his young life with his mother, and the blending of our family. He is a cub scout (soon to be boyscout) and lover of baseball.
Addyson is
our daughter. She is 2 and 1/2 and a little pistol. She is full of will and gives us a run for our money...every day. As our only girl, she has us (just a tad) wrapped around her tiny little finger. She is one of the smartest little girls I have ever known (and no, I am not just biased). She speaks as clearly as most 5 year olds, and has a memory like a steel trap!
Colton is our 14 month old son. He is by far our most affectionate child, and keeps
us all laughing. He is our rugged little explorer, always into something. It is so fun to watch him develop and see the differences between him and Addyson. Colton says some words, has a wobbly walk, and a wet kiss! So look out if he is coming at you with his mouth open.So there you have it. In a nutshell. Hopefully this will help to keep everyone up to snuff on our everyday happenings.
