Endless Pursuit for Mom of the Year

When I shop, the world gets better,  and the world is better, but then it's not,  and I need to do it again. (Confessions of a Shopaholic-the movie) ~ Sophie Kinsella --------------------------------------------- I love to shop.   I mean, I  love to shop.  I'm not sure I remember a time when I didn't love shopping.  No matter what place, what time, or what item, I wish I could shop every day.  It's probably better that I don't have that type of freedom or my bank account would be non-existent.   However, it's pretty tough to be the mom of two girls who don't so much like to shop.  I know, daughters of the year aren't that old yet, so you're probably thinking, give it time.  I would hope in time they would come out of it or I see lots of shopping by myself in my future.   This weekend, dad of the year decided to take me to one of my most favorite places to shop - Coach!  No, I do not have a closet fu...

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.  ~ Clarence Budington Kelland ------------------- Daughter of the year #1 is an incredibly picky eater.  It drives me nuts!  I know this is really some sort of sick revenge from my mother as I, too, was a horribly picky eater.  I also accept full responsibility for her picky eating by not always forcing her to eat what we eat.  Most nights, I end up feeling like a short order cook.  I make our dinner and then determine if daughters of the year will eat that and sometimes, mostly when I'm really tired and not up for a fight, I will make something else for the girls.  Hey, I said I accept full responsibility, so don't bust my chops, OK? You would think with the way I dread dinnertime, I'd be much thinner than I am.  However, night after night I give in more than I should and make more than one meal.  Frankly, it's exhausting.  I also see how I am no...

Lent, which seems so long, is short at other men's tables.   ~ Italian Proverb ----------------------------------- I was raised Catholic.  Therefore, that meant church not only on Sundays but also holy days.  Easter was always the toughest and involved marathon church goings.  And that brings me to  Lent.  I hadn't really given up anything in a while.  Aside from that year I gave up swearing.  We can all guess how far I got in that sacrifice.  This year, I felt inspired through a co-worker to actually give something up, truly sacrifice, and stick to it.  After all, she not only gives up something new but also everything she has given up in the past.  Wow!  Seriously, I couldn't give up one little thing?  Eee-gads, what was I teaching my children?!?! So, I pondered.  I contemplated.  I decided.  I stuck to it.  I gave up something I felt would be a challenge for me - food!  Specifically, Panda E...

Today, watching television often means fighting,  violence and foul language -  and that's just deciding who gets to   hold the remote control. ~ Donna Gephart ------------------------------------------ I'm a reality TV junkie.  There!  I said it!  Now, you may commence with judging me.   As many of you may have heard, dad of the year is out of town.  You may also know I've been rather outspoken about what his absence means to me - ruling the remote.  In order to get you to fully understand, this means one week of no shows about alligator hunting, mining for gold, grown men converting mini-vans into rafts, or Larry the Cable guy.  Ok, that sentence may get me into a bit of trouble.  Sorry, honey!  Perhaps you're into gold, fish or other shows involving accents so thick subtitles are needed.  I happen to be into housewives, ballerinas, and wedding dresses - and yes, sometimes those shows need subtitles too.   To ea...

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more things that you learn, the more places you'll go. ~ Dr. Seuss -------------------------------------- This piece should be familiar to anyone who has read a book to a child.  I don't know about you, but both of my children have had favorite books.  You know, the one you must read every night.  Daughter of the year #1's was Dr. Seuss's ABC book.  I think it was fate since I nearly had it memorized before I even had children as it was a popular book among my sister's children.  Dad of the year and I used to recite it in the car when daughter of the year #1 got restless on long car rides.  She loved it.   Daughter of the year #2's choice is Goodnight Moon.  Daughter of the year #1 received the book when she was a baby and never took much to it, except for chewing.  You'll see the lovely bite marks in the corner.  I do remember removing it from her constantly hoping to salva...

All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them. ~ Erma Bombeck ---------------------------------- This year, I've traveled more for work than ever before.  I'd simply be lying to you if I said I didn't enjoy the mommy break.  I have.  Although, I could do without the taxi rides, the bed that is not my own, and the many bad choices that would challenge even the best of dieters.  I think that's been hardest and my waistline is showing it.  Ugh.  I do like exploring new places, learning new things about the industry in which I work, and meeting new people.  While I miss my family, I've enjoyed many of the other things that come with it.  I'll admit, I have been worried about dad of the year.  Now, I'm fairly well versed in being the only parent at home.  By no means am I saying he is not capable as he very much is, but I don't think he gets t...

Remember kid, there's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered but legends never die, follow your heart kid, and you'll never go wrong. ~ "The Babe" from The Sandlot ------------------------------------------- Daughter of the year #2 has turned two.  Enough said!  She is so smart, funny and absorbs absolutely everything around her.  I love how she makes us appreciate the humor in life and not to take things too seriously. Around Christmastime, we begin using the term "You're killin' me smalls."  We both love the movie The Sandlot.  It's so fitting for her so we kept saying it well afterwards.  We must use it a lot. She is also potty training.  Ugh.  I can't complain, as she's been fairly easy given the number of times her sister has traipsed her into the bathroom to give her the step by step process of going potty.  She really looks up to her big sister.  It just adds a whole other element to our life, which means askin...