My Life In Photos - March 14 - March 22

March 14 - We take our class out everyday. The weather doesn't matter. The need the fresh air and it breaks up the day. We were searching for 4 leaf clovers. They all thought they found one of course. Very cute.

March 15 - NADA

March 16 - Sage and her beautiful face!

March 17 - My girl's art of course needs to be included. My life definitely is better with her work. I love every new piece.

March 18 - I took photos but I cannot include them. They show too many preschool faces and I do not have permission to post them.

March 19 - A view from my sunroof or moonroof depending on who you talk to. Which is it for you?

March 20 - I get so excited at Scholastic Book Fairs. We bought $80 worth of books. How about you. Can you get through there without buying books?

March 21 - Isn't she cute? My daughter definitely has a style to her art. I can tell it anywhere.

March 22 - Cause this is normal.

My Life In Photos - March 1 - March 13

March 1 - NADA

March 2 - Luna is a gorgeous cat and I love taking photos of her.

March 3 - We love our cats. My daughter and I will do anything to get one of the cats to lay down with us. Luna was loving our attention.

March 4 - Snow, snow and more snow.

March 5 - Not sure what they thought would happen but when my prism from Wish came in I couldn't wait to try it.

March 6 - Showed this photo to my daughter of our hands from when she was a toddler. She decided we should try to reenact it. I kinda like it.

March 7 - The month of February I decided to write a note on a heart every day for each of my kids up until Valentine's Day. The hearts are still there. I think they liked it.

March 8 - I took one of my empty Valentine Hears and filled it with colored paper and a matching pom-pom for my class to color match. It came out really cute and they loved it.

March 9 - I have been trying my hand at couponing. I got all this at Dollar General for under $12.00 ($11.76)

March 10 - NADA

March 11 - He did NOT want his photo taken but I try to take a pic a day and he is never in my photos. Teens UGH!

March 12 - Ahhh My girl and her friends. LOVE THEM ALL.

March 13 - We were doing a post for Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. She will hate this photo but I love it.

My Life In Pictures February 23 - February 28 OMG Why Am I So Far Behind?

February 23 - Took my family to Medieval Times. My in-laws live so close but have never been. So happy they experienced it with us.

February 24 - Took my Goddess out for the day. We headed to Walmart looking for any Spring deals. The decorations were cute but we ended up buying nothing that day.

February 25 - Got to love co-workers who bring in homemade Sofrito. It was delicious. Don't know what Sofritio is? Check out this recipe from Kitchen Gidget

February 26 - Food Glorious Food. I made sauteed veggies and steamed shrimp over quinoa. It was amazing.

February 27 - I want to change my hair color so bad but I am so scared. Maybe one day but until now I will just use Snapchat.

February 28 - I love taking photos of Luna and since I need to always throw a cat picture into the mix, this one was as good as any.

My Son Is Navigating Bullies In High School

So I found out through a friend that my son was offered $10 to grab a girl’s butt at school fortunately he is smart enough to know this is NOT something any boy should do and refused saying, “I am not doing that, I don’t want to get arrested.” Smart boy. 

These are the kinds of things that have scared me and kept me up at night while he was in middle school. Kids quickly pick out the kids they can use and will try. When he was in middle school I had a lot of eyes and ears in the school. We are there for 5 years and live in a small town. I also worked in the school as a temp and were friends with many teachers and assistants. There were people who kept their eyes on him making sure no one tried to get over on him. I was told “they ask him to do stupid things. Nothing big but things that can get him in trouble and he thinks everyone is his friend.” 

Fortunately he was smart enough to refuse $10 this time. Fortunately, all our talks haven’t fallen on deaf ears. Fortunately he told someone who told me and now we can build on the lesson quietly without him getting upset or realizing that this has anything to do with what was said so he continues to be open with the student who told his mom. Unfortunately this kid will be graduating this year. Unfortunately my son thinks everyone is his friend. 

I can only hope that the next time some black-hearted punk decides to try to talk my son into doing something for entertainment he again refuses.  It is what I pray for every night before I go to bed. Lord help him navigate life and come to us if he ever needs help or has questions. 

Mothering Until She Tells Me To Stop

Two weeks ago a friend heard I had to make my daughter’s lunch for school and said “You still make her lunch?” My quick reply was “yup” but the longer answer was absolutely, I will continue making her lunch until she tells me to stop.”

Being a motherless daughter I want to mother my kids for as long as possible. My mother didn’t make my lunch but I longed for it. A bag with my name on it and a folded up napkin with a sandwich made with love, maybe a thermos with something to drink and a “treat”. I received hot lunch at school and traded it every day with anyone who would trade their bologna and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. Knowing their mom had made it with love in her heart just for them made me feel so warm inside. While I am not sure if my daughter feels warm inside when she eats my prepared lunches I hope she knows that I love and adore her every day when she opens that lunch box and sees something I put in there just for her. All the yummy things she likes. A yogurt, a fruit, an icepack, spoon and napkin in the bottom portion and in the top a treat or two or three. Nothing big just things I know she loves.

When she was younger I added a note, joke or sticker. Now that she is older I have stopped but I am thinking of starting again. Maybe not everyday but the surprise note once in a while.

While she is 14 years old and many kids are putting together their own lunch and moms are celebrating that they no longer have to worry about lunch for their school kids I will always make her lunch while she lives home with me. My days of being able to Mommy her daily are numbered. She is getting older and I am going to need friends to surround me when she moves out but for now Mothering is what I do best. 

Breaking Glass Pictures - ‘Carga’ On DVD A Review

The 411:

Knowing this is very real in our world, made the movie much harder to watch.

We follow two main characters Viktoriya a woman trying to escape her life only to be forced into a human trafficking situation and Antonio the driver with a conscious who is using his truck to transport people for the mafia to help take care of his wife, daughter and granddaughter.

The dark shadows used in the film transmit the vile organizations that support and exhibit selling human beings. It all felt all too real and harsh. Selling souls is a obviously a lucrative business run by power and money hungry degenerates who will hopefully burn in hell yet the film has you seeing the monsters as struggling souls as well. Everyone is trying to make their way through this sometimes difficult life. . I am not a huge fan of subtitles but there is very little dialogue in the movie so it didn't take away from the acting which was stupendous. My heart hurt after watching.

Sibling Day Delayed

I took this photo for Sibling Day and shared it on social media but realized I haven't shared it on my blog. I share it here because each year I make a book of my posts and I wanted this in the book.

It took forever to get all for of these sibs in the pic but it was worth it. I wish everyone was looking at the camera but after going through 10 photos this was the best one.

Handsome holding his hairy brother Jinxy and Goddess with her fur sister Sage. Mykids look way more alike that these two furry sibs. You would never know they had the same mama.

Budsies Makes Your Child's Art Into Stuffed Animals They Will Love Forever

Guys...let me fill you in on Budsies a custom stuffed animals made from your child's original drawn character. It's a great STEAM toy, because unlike other toys and stuffed animals, a child uses his or her imagination to create and draw their very own character, and then they see that creation come to life as a toy that they can play with for years to come. 
  

The 411:

This is incredible and I have been thinking of doing this with one of Goddess creations since I first heard of them a few years ago but it was just to hard to pick on OC. 


When I had the opportunity to see for myself what a Budsies creation looked I couldn't wait and had no expectations but man I was shook! (Is anyone else using this term? I am actually not into it but it fit there). This is a high end stuffed animal. They put so much into the details. The stuffy we received looked exactly like the drawing that came with it. There was so much detail added to match the child's creations. Budsies uses hypo-allergenic material and quality stitching so you know your stuffy is safe for your child and will through all the last years of love from your child.  

My daughter who never gets excited about anything anymore, was really impressed with the vibrant colors and detail included on the stuffy to match the drawing.

We definitely think this is a wonderful idea for a gift and got lost in the Budsies page of stuffed pets created from artwork. There are some amazing kid artists in the world and Budsies can create a favorite stuffed animal that your child will be amazed at. 

Watch our unboxing and review here.