My Kitchen

I know you guys are probably tired of hearing me go on and on about how much I love the apartment the kids and I are living in.  The truth is, I am happier here than I have been anywhere we have ever lived.  Everything works.  We have heat and air conditioning.  We have fans in the bathrooms and over the stove.  We have huge closets.  We have happiness.

I always thought that I needed a huge kitchen, but the truth of the matter is, I think what I was looking for was a kitchen that was laid out properly.  The kitchen here is pretty small, but it's built as part of our living/dining room area, so it's open and inviting.  I love my kitchen cabinets, too.  Here is a shot I took a few minutes ago.  Pleas excuse the pots and pans...I just finished cooking supper.

The kitchen cabinets are two different colors, and I love the way the white looks on the wood.  I also love that they aren't set up against the ceiling.  I mean, where else would I put those huge elephants?   Each cabinet has two shelves, which I didn't have the last place we lived.  It makes storage so much easier.  One of these days I am going to empty every cabinet and reorganize, because I wasn't the one who unpacked the kitchen stuff when we moved, so it's kind of thrown all over the place with no sense of purpose.

The problem will be finding the time and energy to actually do it.

Jewelry

I love jewelry.  I have this bracelet that I wear every single day.  Brandi gave it to me a couple of years ago for Christmas.  It's a silver bangle, and on it, the word "mom" is written in several different languages.  On the inside, it says "a mother's love is the greatest gift of all".  It's beautiful.

I also wear earrings every day.  These are my newest obsession.  I buy several from handmade online stores, because I love the beauty of something made with love by someone who loves what they do.  Did that just make sense?  I would love to try and make my own someday, if I could ever find the time.  Sites like beadcrafty.com  have the most beautiful beads.  My problem is deciding which beads would look good together.  I could probably assemble something halfway decent from a kit, but I just don't have an artist's eye, so picking different beads that compliment each other is over my head. 

My mom makes beautiful jewelry.  She most definitely has an eye for it.  I don't think she has had the time to make anything new in a while, unless she is hiding it all to give as Christmas gifts.

Yes, mom, that was a not so subtle hint that I want jewelry for Christmas.  Slick, right?

My Feet Are Happy

The last house we lived in didn't have a single room that was carpeted.  It didn't have real hard wood floor, but the flooring was made to look like hardwood.  I hated it.  In the winter, the floor was always cold, and I had to wear slippers or socks all the time, which made my feet sweat.  I am looking forward to winter in the apartment, because every room, with the exception of the kitchen and bathrooms, are carpeted.  My feet will be very happy.

I used to have two area rugs at the old place, and they were not picked out by me.  In fact, they were display models that we got for a really good price that we just couldn't pass up.  These rugs looked almost oriental, and I am more of a contemporary rug girl.  I have a thing for squares when it comes to rugs which is kind of weird, I think.  I also like subtle colors better that bright or bold colors.  If I could pick any rug, without worrying about the price, I would want this one in my house:

It's beautiful, isn't it?  I used to lean more towards grays and blacks (I know, that's a pretty bold color, but mixed with grays it can be beautiful) but these days, I am more into neutral colors.  I guess as we get older, our tastes change.  Goodness knows my taste in men sure has changed.

It's That Time Of Year Again

Every year for Ryan's birthday, I throw a Halloween themed bash.  It started about four or five years ago, and the kids always have so much fun.  I was debating having it this year since we are in the apartment, but decided to go ahead with it.  I love decorating the house, and making scary themed foods.

I usually buy decorations when they go on clearance after Halloween every year, so I have quite a bit.  Some of them, however, are getting old, so this year, I want to get some new stuff.  I was looking in a party supply store online and found some pretty awesome things.   We have a little porch outside with a railing about it, and I need decorations for that.  I want to hang things from the hooks we have out there, and these shrunken heads will work perfectly. 

Aren't they great?  I'll probably get a few sets and hang some inside, too.  I also found these little figures that I want to put on the food table.  They're pretty great, too, don't you think?

I have all kinds or bowls and platters that I bought last year, but still have to get plates and napkins.  I usually buy black and orange ones, but I think this year I want to get Halloween themed ones.   I hope I can find some scary ones, and not cute ones.  I mean, ghosts with smiley faces just won't cut it for 16 year old boys.

Make Money Online

I was a stay at home mom for many years while I was married.  I was happy to take care of the house and be home for the kids to help with homework or whatever.  I never drove, so it was easy for me to dedicate myself to my family, and always being there.  Money was tight, so one day I decided to see if could make money online.  I learned that there are several different ways this can be done, and for me, blogging was the way to go.

You can also work from home, if you have the dedication and time.  When my husband left, I wasn't able to dedicate the time necessary to keep the money coming in like it was.  I had to go out and get a "real job" that guaranteed me a paycheck each week.  I still make money with my blogs, though now instead of it being my only source of income, I consider it my "eating money".  The money I make blogging pays for my lunches during the week when I am on the road. 

There are several websites out there that can guide you through the steps of getting started working online.  Work From Home Coach offers several different options for making money online, and it's a good source of information when you are deciding if this is something you want to do.  

I know I made the right decision when I started making money online.  I just wish I could make more. I still love blogging, though I don't have the time to do it full time anymore.  If you are reading this, chances are you have a blog of your own.  If you are looking to make some extra money, do some research and find the way that works best for you.  These days, any extra money coming in is a blessing.

Neighbors

The kids and I have been in this apartment for almost five months now.  Last night, I realized how truly happy we are here.  I don't have any desire to find Calgary apartments for rent or apartments anywhere else for that matter. 

A couple of months ago, a family moved in downstairs.  The woman is super nice, and they have kids who are Ryan and Brandi's ages.  Their son and Ryan became fast friends.  In fact, the kid spent the night here last night and the two of them went to a festival this morning.  Brandi and their daughter are also friends.  There are so many kids in this neighborhood, and for the most part they all get along well. 

Yesterday, I had a pretty crappy day.  In fact, I was crying at one point, stressing about money and life in general.  My neighbor was outside when I got home from work, so I stopped and talked to her for a while.  I talk to her almost every day, so she knows how stressed I am. 

Last night, I went out to smoke a cigarette around 9, and she came out to smoke at the same time.  She looked at me, said she had a surprise for me, and went back inside.  She came back out a minute later, and walked upstairs to sit with me on my bench, bringing strawberry daiquiri wine coolers with her.  We sat outside and drank for a while, watching the kids ride their bikes in the dark, talking about just how hard life can be sometimes.  It was so nice to have an adult to talk to; someone who understands where I am right now.

So, we plan on staying in this apartment for a while.  Hopefully, they do too.

Better!

Check out my leg!  It looks awesome, doesn't it?  I finished all my medications, and all the red is gone.  There is still a tiny bump underneath the skin, but it is a whole lot better. 

Thanks again for all the well wishes.

Getting To My Goal Weight

For most of my life I have been overweight.  I think there was a time when I was about two years old when I was thin, but that's about it.  I have recently lost almost one hundred pounds (yeah, I know, go me!) and it was hard.  What's even harder is losing these last forty or so pounds that I still want to lose.  I know that if I would start exercising again with the wii fit the weight would come off, but after working all day, I just don't have the energy.

When I first started working, I lost a few pounds.  After being a stay at home mom for many years, actually moving every day was doing wonders for my body.  There was a time when I considered taking diet pills, but I have always been afraid of the effect they would have on me.  You see, I have a horrible time with any type of medication.   Even tylenol pm can make me sleep for days.  So, for me personally, the weight comes off with exercise and hard work.  I have been saying since my husband left that I am looking forward to turning 40 in February, and I was going to do it at my goal weight.

I guess I need to get motivated.

Cows

 A few weeks ago, I went to some yard sales with a friend of mine.  I had been a long time since we had hung out, and I had forgotten how much fun she is to be around.  At one point, she climbed inside an inflatable ball and two guys rolled her down a hill.  I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.

She is getting married soon, and her fiance has cows.  Being from New York, I really don't know much about cows, so I was asking a lot of question.  My main question was whether or not they killed and ate the cows. She said they don't, but they do sell them at cattle auctions, and the people who buy them do.  I was curious how much they make per cow, and she said it depends on how much they weigh.  They use cattle scales to weigh them, and then sell them to the highest bidder, I guess.  I'm not really sure, but she said they sold one cow for almost two grand last year.

That's a lot of money for a cow.  It kind of makes me want to get some cows of my own.  Not to eat, but to raise and sell.  Or maybe to eat.  Hamburgers are good.  And so are steaks. 

Healing

Look how much better my leg looks!  The antibiotics and other meds have been working overtime I think, and I am well on my way to being all healed up.  In fact, all of the other spots have completely healed up.  The yeast infection is gone, too. The only thing that sucks is that I have round little scars all over my legs from the spots.  I'm hoping they will fade away in time...we shall see.  I want to thank all of you for your prayers and well wishes...keep them coming!  There is still a little bubble under this one, and I need for that to go away, too.

I'll keep you updated!

Upgrading My Television...Someday

I am going to share something with you that you might not know about me.  I'm kind of a Trekkie.  That's right...I like Star Trek.  Specifically, Star Trek Voyager.  I have tried to watch the other ones, but for some reason, I don't like them.  But Voyager, I just can't get enough.  I recently found it on Netflix, and have started from the first episode and plan on watching the entire series.  That's 168 episodes, just in case you were wondering.  The kids are even starting to get into it.  I have already seem most of them, since I watched it when it was on actual television, and I love it.

The only thing that would make them better this time around was if I was watching them on a new television.  I still have an old, regular, bulky television, which works fine.  In fact, that is one of the main reasons I have yet to buy a Flat Screen TV.  Why replace something that isn't broken?  

When I do finally upgrade, I want the best for my money.  I have lived my life settling for the cheapest of everything, but not anymore.  I am going to do some research and find the best deal for the amount I have to spend, and who knows how much that will be.  Hopefully, the TV I have now will last a few more years, and by then, who knows what kind of options will be available.

Save Money On Eyeglasses

I know I have said it before, but it's worth repeating.  This single mom thing is hard.  Seriously, I don't know how some women do it.  There is never enough hours in the day to get everything done, and there certainly is never enough money.  Every time I think about Christmas, I have a panic attack.  It's going to be pitiful when the kids see very little under the tree this year.  The good thing, if there is a good thing, about it is that none of them believe in Santa anymore, and they know I am struggling for us just to live day to day.  But, I am doing it, hard as it is.

I have been trying really hard to make every cent count, and one of the things that helps is never paying full price for anything.  Okay, so many never isn't the right word.  If something is cheap enough regular price, I will buy it.  One of the things that I know you can get for a good price, if you know where to go, is prescription eyeglasses. My nephew just got new glasses from Zennioptical.com, and they are awesome. In fact, if I remember correctly, his parents got him two pairs, just in case one breaks.  I desperately need new glasses, and have been debating using them.  Now, after hearing about my brother's experience, I think I am going to order a pair.  My problem will be picking out which ones, because they have a huge selection.

Clark Howard just released a new book called "Living Large in Lean Times", and in it he shares his secrets to saving money, spending less, and not getting ripped off.  One of the things he talks about is buying your eyeglasses from Zennioptical.com, and since he is a money expert and nationally syndicated consumer advocate, I think he knows what he is talking about.

Visiting The FSU Indoor Practice Facility

My son has recently shown an interest in football, which is pretty funny to me since he is almost 16 and never showed an ounce of interest in sports before.   My sister always says he should play football because of his size, but his interest is in watching it.  Specifically, high school football.

Down here in the south, Friday night games are a big deal.  Restaurants stay open late to feed the hungry crowds after games, and rivalries are fierce.  Since my kids changed school districts this year, they are rooting for a new team.  Or so I thought.  Ryan informed me that he wants to go to a game between his new high school and his old high school, and root for his old team.

Nice.

Some of these athletes have real talent for the game, and they go on to play college football.  Now, I do not claim to know the first thing about any sport, but I do know that college football is almost as popular as regular football.  Places like Tallahassee are taking school ball seriously, and have the FSU Indoor Practice Facility for their players to practice in.   These poor high school kids have to practice outdoors no matter what the weather is, but colleges take their football playing seriously, and having indoor practice facilities makes it easier for the players to practice, no matter what the weather.  I know Ryan would love to visit the one in Florida.  My dad has been talking about taking him to an open practice for our local football team, and he seems excited about it.

Now if we could just talk him into playing.  I am sure that would help him drop this weight the doctor wants him to loose really quickly. Plus, it will give him something to do besides sit in his room on his computer all day long.  

Two ER Trips Later...

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a small little pimple on my leg.  Fast forward a week, and I had several angry looking blisters.  They weren't painful, just annoying, because I couldn't shave my legs.  Then last Wednesday, the one you see in the picture above showed up.  At first, it was a little spot.  After about 24 hours, it started hurting.  Bad.  I showed my mom, who is a nurse, and she suggested I go to the ER, saying she thought it might be an infection of some sort.  Up until this point, I thought they were from sweating, because they were mostly on the backs of my thighs, and sitting in the van all day, I sweat there.

I put off going to the ER for a couple of days, but by Friday, the pain was bad enough that I went.  The doctor took one look at my legs and said I am fighting some type of infection, and put me on antibiotics.  He said if that blister up there was a little more "well formed" they would have cut it.

Um, no thanks.

After three doses of the antibiotic, I woke up this morning with a nasty rash on my upper legs.  I called my mom again, thinking I was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics, since I am allergic to penicillin.  She said I needed to go back to the ER, so that's what I did.

Turns out, I have a pretty bad yeast infection.  I thought you only got those on your girly parts, but the doctor said you could get them anywhere.  He said it could be from the antibiotics or that my body is simply fighting the other infection so hard that I will pick up every other little thing.  Fun, right?

So he gave me a prescription cream and another type of pill, so now I am on three different medicines. He also suggested I take benedryl, which if you know me at all, you know how bad an idea that is.  I do not do well on medicines that cause drowsiness, so my mom gave me some children's benedryl, and I took a 1/4 tsp, and at this moment, I am fighting to stay awake.

I just hope that by the end of this week everything is cleared up and I am back to normal.

I Wish Ryan Was A Boy Scout

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boy Scouts of America for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis know that my son is having some issues with his blood pressure.  A couple of weeks ago it was high enough to cause major headaches and fatigue.  His doctor took him off his ADHD medicine, and thankfully, his blood pressure came back down to a normal level.  Yesterday, he started a new medication, and we are hoping this one will not raise his blood pressure. 

One of the other concerns his doctor has is his weight.  He's not necessarily fat, but he is a big boy.  His doctor recommended he lose some weight, so we have adopted a healthier way of eating and are walking every day.  Or trying to walk every day.  Some days, like today, there just aren't enough hours in the day.

I wish I has signed him up for Boy Scouts of America when he was younger.  From what I have heard, these boys are really active, and I think that would have been good for him.  These days, there is so much more to scouting than just camping.  They have new merit badges that focus on technology, which can help these kids in the future.

I also think Ryan missed out on developing lifelong friendships.  I know some of the troops have had the same kids in them for years and years.  We have done a lot of moving over the years, and especially this year, starting a new school would have been easier for him if he had a core group of friends to lean on and lend support.

If you have a young son, think seriously about getting involved in Boy Scouts.  I wish I had when Ryan was younger.

That's Mine!

I love going to the zoo.  You all know the elephants are my favorite, but I also love the birds.  They have this huge cage that you can go into with a little cup of nectar and feed the birds.  It's pretty awesome!  The birds will land on you and drink up.  Sometimes, they like to fight over who gets to drink more.  I snapped the picture above right as two birds were fighting over my cup.  The one below is pretty awesome, too, because not only did I catch a bird landing on my arm, but you can see the way the other birds are ticked off that he is trying to get their nectar.

Hoodies And Exercise

 I loved our weather last week.  I woke up Wednesday morning, and it was actually chilly outside when I left for work.  I was able to wear jeans, which I haven't done since May.  I also had to go back inside and get a jacket, because I was cold.  I, of course, don't have a light jacket, so I stole Ryan's hoodie.  It is the most comfortable jacket I have ever worn.  I need to get all the kids hoodies.  I may need to find one for myself, too, so I can give Rayn's back to him.  

My problem is that I don't want to invest too much money on myself while I am still losing weight, though I have been at a standstill with weight loss this summer.  I need to get back into the habit of doing the wii fit and walking, but after working all day, I am always so tired when I get home.  I know what you are thinking...exercise actually gives you more energy.  I agree.  It's just that I need to find the energy to exercise. I know once I start back I will see results, which makes it worth it.

Anyone have any extra energy or motivation to send my way?

Church

I grew up going to church.  Every Sunday, my grandparents would come to our house at 9:15 and pick up my siblings and I to go to Sunday School.  I made great friends this way, and I truly believe that is why we were all such good kids.  As I got older, I would ride to church with my best friend.  Eventually, I started working, and stopped going to church altogether.

Now that I am a mom, I feel guilty that my kids don't go to church on a regular basis.  A few weeks ago when Brandi realized there was no Santa, she asked me if we made up Christmas being God's birthday, too.  How horrible is that?  My kids are going to need Spiritual Workshops or something to learn all the things I learned growing up in church.

Or I could start taking them to church on Sundays.  Ryan has been bugging me for a while now to go to a church that is right around the block from where we live now.  It looks like a nice church, and it's not too big.  That's important to me, because I don't want to go to a church where we will be lost in the crowd.  I want to find a small church that is friendly and accepting.  That shouldn't be too hard, right?

Buying My Daughter Perfume

Guest post written by Nikki Reid

My daughter's birthday is coming up and I'm so excited about it! She's turning 16 and I can't believe just how fast she's grown up. She's also growing up into such a responsible young woman and I know that she's making some great decisions for herself and has a really bright future. Well, I'm getting her a few things for her birthday but I thought that one of the best things I could give her is a nice perfume. She's worn body spray up until now and I think perfume is a very grown up thing to wear.

I went online to see if I could find some good tips on picking out a perfume for her. While I was looking through some ideas about that, I ran across some wireless internet Corpus Christi deals and decided to take advantage of one of them by switching our home internet service over to it.

I did find some pretty good tips on perfume selection. I actually found a chart that I think was pretty helpful in that and used it to pick out a fruity smelling Sarah Jessica Parker one for her. She really loves her movies so I'm sure that she's going to love it!

Uberhumor.com Has Some Funny Pictures

I love to laugh.  I mean, who doesn't?  If there was one thing that my ex and I could always do, it was finding the humor in everything and anything.   The kids and I still laugh all the time.  It's fun.  We laugh at each other and ourselves.

I love finding extremely funny pictures online, too.  And believe me, I have found some good ones.  

You know what just happened?  I clicked that link above, and spent the last 30 minutes looking at pictures.  Funny pictures, amazing pictures, and some pretty funny facebook status updates.  I'm not kidding.  I was looking for a picture to add to this post, and I just kept clicking through the pages.  And I couldn't decide on a picture because they are all great.

What you need to do is visit the site yourself and check it out.  Some of the pictures are a little sexy for me, but the funny ones are great. They also have some pretty amazing shots.  There is this one of camels in the desert at sunset, and you really can't see the camels; you can only see their shadows.  It's awesome. They also have a bunch of shots of money folded in some pretty interesting ways.

Go check it out for yourself.

Horses

Brandi has this horse.  I am not exactly sure where she got it, but it's big enough that my little niece can sit on it and pretend she is riding a real horse.  It's adorable. Brandi has had it for a while, but only recently decided that she loves to brush it's mane.  She braids it and puts ponytail holders in it.  I am waiting for her to ask for a real horse.  That will never happen, of course,so I hope she doesn't even ask.

I know a few people who have horses.  I do live in the south, you know.  Years ago, a friend of mine had a friend who owned a pregnant horse.  I was so excited to see the baby when she finally delivered it.  It was the cutest thing ever!  I can only imagine how much money this girl spent at the horse tack shop on supplies. 

The only time I've ever been on a horse was at this state park we used to go to when I was little.  They had a stable there and they offered rides on their horses, for a price.  We didn't get to do it often, but I remember a few times, on special occasions, we were able to. The stable worker would put us in the saddle and walk the horse in a little circle.  We didn't go far, but it was the greatest thing!  We were always so excited.  I remember the horses always looked so BIG. 

Brandi will have to settle for playing with her toy horse, and if she wants a real pet, we'll get a kitten. I'm not going to let her know that I plan on getting one anyway as soon as I can afford the $250 pet deposit required by the apartment manager.

My Phone Is Awesome

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

A few weeks ago, my boss asked me why I carry two cell phones.  My answer was simple.  I carry my work phone, which he provided me with the day he hired me, and I carry my personal cell phone so the kids can always get in touch with me.  He asked what I pay every month, and I told him I have one of those pay as you go phones and I love it. 

A couple of days after this conversation, he asked if I was interested in giving back my work phone, and just using my personal cell.  He offered to pay part of my cell phone bill every month if I agreed.  So of course I agreed.  Now, I not only have a great cell phone, I have help paying my bill every month.

Honestly, though, I didn't really need the help.  My phone has So many features, like unlimited talk, text, and web for one low price.  I don't have a contract with anyone, and there are no surprise bills every month.  I simply go to Walmart and buy a refill card every 30 days, and it's really simple to upload it onto my phone.  There are several different plans to choose from, too, that cost from $10 to $30.

Check out what some Real TracFone customers have to say about the features TracFone offers:

Bad Decisions, That's Alright

Yes, I am quoting a Pink song, who happens to be my new favorite singer. And no, that picture up there has nothing to do with this post, but I found it on my camera from a trip to the zoo a few months ago, and it's adorable...I mean, a monkey and it's baby...so I just had to share it. But anyway, I used to listen to only country music, but when I started driving all day, every day, it became really annoying to listen to the same songs over and over again every day.  My van doesn't have a CD player, or a way for me to plug in my MP3, so I started to randomly listen to different radio stations. The first toime I heard Perfect by Pink, I was hooked.  She is awesome.

I think I was talking about bad decisions. We've all made them.  Some of us have made more than others, and recently, I made a really, really bad decision.


I started smoking again.


I hate it.  I don't know why I do it, but I do.  At first I blamed all the stress in my life.  I was, and am, struggling with money, and I worry about it all the time.  Smoking hasn't helped the issue, because cigarettes are not cheap, which means I am spending money that I can't really spare on them. 


It's a vicious cycle.  I remember how easy it was for me to quit 10 years ago, but I am having a hard time this go around.  I wake up every morning convinced I can quit that day, but it hasn't happened yet.  I know that if I don't stop, I am going to end up sick.  Really sick.  We all know what can happen to smokers.

I really need to quit.

A Lazy Weekend

I am enjoying a nice, quiet, kid free three day weekend.  I have learned how to really appreciate extra days off from work, especially since they don't come around very often.  On a normal week, by this time, I am already stressing about the start of another work week.  Today, I am sitting on the couch, watching Mercy on Netflix, and being lazy.

Yesterday, I went to some yard sales with a friend, and we had a ball!  I bought a couple of things, one of which is a stocking stuffer for my mom.  Yes, that's right.  I bought my first Christmas gift of the year.  I'm really hoping that sometime between now and Christmas, I can find the money to buy everyone a gift.

I always have the hardest time figuring out what to get the people who I don't know well, but I feel I should give a gift to.  Sometimes a fine wine is perfect, but not everyone drinks.  It would be pretty embarrassing to pick out wine gifts for someone who has never had a drink before. I know some people keep a supply of generic gifts in the closet for those "drop by" guests around the holidays, and I am sure there is a bottle or two of wine in most of them. 

Getting Older

It's going to happen to all of us.  Hopefully, by the time I get older, my kids will be responsible adults living happy fulfilling lives.  I want to be sure that when the time comes, one of them will take care of me and not leave me lying in a nursing home somewhere.  I know there are very good nursing homes out there, but I would rather be with people who love me and not strangers who are being paid to take care of me.

I am sure that if I get to the point where I need some type of daily care, my kids can find a service like NJ senior care.  When I think about home health care, the television show Frasier always comes to mind.  I love that show!  I wish they would put it on Netfix.  I love Niles.  He seriously makes the show funny.  There was one episode where he is ironing his pants and he cuts his finger with a pair of scissors.  Every time he would see the blood he would faint.  It's hysterical.

Anyway, having the option of having a nurse come into the home can make taking care of on older relative easier. New Jersey elder care can provide part time, full time, and even live in care.  To me, this sounds like a better option than a nursing home.

Another Baby To Love

This coming December, I am going to be an aunt for the fifteenth time.  This niece will join my nine nephews and five other nieces in my heart.  I love all of them, and wish more of them lived closer.  I get to see one niece and nephew all the time, but the rest live pretty far away, and I don't get to see them as often as I would like.

When we all do get together, I am reminded why I love that my kids are older, especially when the little ones start getting cranky.  Don't get me wrong, my kids can get cranky.  The difference is, they are old enough where I can tell them to stop, and they know they better listen or they will be in serious trouble.  Gone are my days of dealing with cranky kids who can't communicate what is bothering them.  I don't have to worry about things like nib and well visits to the doctor.  I don't have to go online with questions that Dr Ginni could answer.   I can sleep in on the weekends, because my kids are old enough to get up on their own.

I may not miss my baby days, but I love babies.  I love the way they smell, and the way they cuddle up to you.  I can't wait until I can hold and cuddle my newest little niece in December.