I Am Boymom

Bertolli "Make a Weeknight Meal Special" Challenge

2012-01-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

Mealtimes at my house can be pretty chaotic, mostly because I'm not a great cook. Coming up with interesting meal ideas that everyone likes can be pretty challenging. Part of that challenge comes from the fact that I only cook 5 or 6 things really well, so when we try to work a new recipe into the rotation, I kind of panic. Why? Because I'm one of those people that can follow a recipe to the letter and still not have the dish turn out right. It's true. I once messed up Hamburger Helper. HAMBURGER HELPER, people!!! Weeknight meals are even tougher to pull off because there is much less time to get things organized after a busy day at work and school, then get everyone fed before we have to take off for Scouts or other evening activities. So I often look for easy meals that don't take a lot of prep time, but that still taste yummy.

I had the opportunity tonight to try out new Bertolli Meal Soups. The challenge was to "Make a Weeknight Meal Special" using Bertolli Meal Soup and my own creativity. The catch is that I had to have it ready to go in just an hour. For some people that would be a walk in the park. For me? I was a little worried about meeting the 60 minute deadline. However, my fears quickly dissipated once I found the Bertolli Soup Meals in the supermarket and got them home. I grabbed two bags so the boys could have a choice:

Tuscan Style Beef and Vegetables

and Tomato Florentine and Tortellini with Chicken.

All I had to do was pour the contents of each bag in a pot and add a cup of water. NO WAY in heck I could mess this one up.

While the soups heated, I cleaned off the table which was filled with lots and lots of papers, mail and various handouts and homework assignments. I wanted to set it with the nice dishes and a pretty centerpiece, but all my good stuff is still packed in the garage from our recent (is 5 months still considered recent?) move. So I settled for a clutter free table, which I considered to be a decent size accomplishment all by itself! And given ther fact that Big Man works at night, having a meal at the table as a family was pretty special too. We don't get to do that too often because he usually leaves for work before dinnertime.

Tuscan Style Beef and Vegetables Tomato Florentine and Tortellini with Chicken

By the time the table was set, the soup was done. I added some crusty french bread rolls that I'd snagged when I was checking out of the grocery store and we all sat down to a yummy, easy to make meal that was ready in less than an hour.

I started the meal at 6:50 pm and we finished eating at 7:33. No stress, no mess and everybody left the table satisfied. SUCCESS!

Things we loved about the soups:

Fresh ingredients...the vegetables were not all mushy and wilted, the pasta was not overcooked and the meat chunks are real meat.
Hearty...the soups are not all broth. The pasta and veggies give them substance to make them filling enough that they satisfied all 3 of my hungry fellows!
Super fast to prepare! I'm not kidding...the soups heat up in 10-15 minutes!

The only negative comment about the taste of the soup came from my husband, who loved the Tuscan Style Beef, but thought the Tomato Florentine with Tortellini was a little sweet for his taste. I liked them both and found the Tomato Florentine to be perfectly lovely.

So tonight it was Bertolli Meal Soups for the win. Will I buy Bertolli Meal Soups again?! Yep, but to be honest, at $8.99 per bag at my local supermarket, I will definitely wait until I have coupons and couple those with a sale to make it a more affordable meal. I love Bertolli products because the quality and taste of the food is always outstanding and I have no problem paying a bit more for quality ingredients. But for a family on a really tight budget, this is not a meal we could do often without some help from sales and coupons.

Bertolli Meal Soups can be found in the freezer section of your local grocery store. You can find out which of your local grocers carries the soups at the Bertolli website. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook, where you can ask questions and leave comments about the Bertolli Meal Soups product line.

**Disclosure: I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge. However, the opinions in my reviews are my own.**

Yo cookie looks goooood!

2012-01-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

Little Man saw me working on my new blog, at home in {Boise}, yesterday and asked me to show him the post about our Christmas cookies so he could look at his Scary Santa cookie again. It hurt his feelings that I never posted the pics of our cookie decorating adventures with my new bestie, Jen Across the Street. That's what I call her. Because her name is Jen and she lives across the street. And she's a hoot. And she's a great neighbor who always thinks about others and actually acts on her thoughts. She also cooks really good food, which adds to the great neighbor feature, because she is one of those women who makes extra of whatever she's cooking and then shares it with us. I aspire to be like her one day.

She invited us over right before Christmas to decorate Christmas Cookies. I was thrilled, because that meant I didn't have to bake cookies myself, plus I love hanging out with Jen. We get a lot of talking done when we are together and I always leave her house feeling like I have a kindred spirit. Okay...back to the cookies. Jen totally outdid herself, because she made about 8000 cookies. Okay - I exaggerate. But there were a lot of cookies. And a lot of decorations. Cool cookie decorations. Jen likes to be creative and she inspired me to do something fun and creative with my cookies. So, without further ado, here are our 2011 Christmas Cookies...

What is it with boys and scary things? He wanted to make a "Scary Santa." I have to say...it was pretty scary!

The little colored lights? Were actually candy coated chocolate covered sunflower seeds. I told you Jen had some cool cookie decorations! They worked so well for the christmas light look. Too bad they did not taste as good as they looked. Seriously weird tasting little confections.

These were just a few of my favorite cookies. We actually decorated about 2 dozen cookies apiece. Around midnight Jen and I realized we were running out of ideas and motivation and finally quit, even though she had another eleventy billion undecorated cookies waiting to be iced.

So she sent us home with all of our creations and you know how I repaid her? I accidently melted the plastic platter that she lent me to carry the cookies home. I left it sitting on top of the stove that night and because my stupid rental stove is about 9000 years old, when the oven heats up all the burners get really hot too. Which I did not realize, because I usually don't leave plastic platters on the stovetop. So when I started to preheat the stove the next day, I couldn't figure out why I was smelling burnt plastic. Then I picked up the platter, which was kind of stuck to the burner. Nice.

But as I said, my new bestie really rocks. When I saw her that afternoon I sheepishly handed her the platter and explained what happened and she laughed. Really hard. And THAT is why we are friends.

My Son the Doppleganger

2012-01-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

So we're sitting in the tire place last week waiting for our tire to get repaired (remind to tell you about how it is STILL NOT REPAIRED after 2 hours at the tire shop!) and my Little Man is trying to occupy himself. Big Brother is manning the camera and after one particular shot he busts out with a snort laugh, which of course made me look up from my People magazine...

"What are you two doing?"

"Mom! He looks like Dwight from The Office!"

"Wait...how do you know who Dwight is? I don't let you watch that show."

"We watch it with Dad sometimes."

"Nice. Lemme see the picture..."

He does look a little like Dwight! That is so scary.

"Here - try it again with my glasses."

Oh MY GOSH!! He totally looks like Dwight.

"Quit it. Take off the glasses. That just freaks me out."

How does one go from looking like Opie Taylor

to Dwight Shrute!?

"Little Man, promise me you'll never do that again. You aren't a Dwight, you're a cute little Opie...got it?"

Goalforit Review

2012-01-05T00:12:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are...the beginning of a New Year. As usual, I am ~~procrastinating~~ having my yearly internal debate about what goals to set for myself and my family so we can feel like we are making progress. I used to be way more goal-oriented than I am. Something about adding kids to the equation really threw me off my game and in the 12 years since the first one was born, I haven't fully regained my footing when it comes to planning, goal-setting and achieving life dreams. So I am grateful for the opportunity to review tools and programs that help me as I search for ways to get on more solid ground when it comes to training my children and retraining myself to set goals in order to achieve the successes we seek in life.

Goalforit is a great new online resource that provides a variety of free solutions for personal success that are easy to use and can help bring more focus, balance and fulfillment into everyday living. Did I say FREE? YES!! I did!! Goalforit is free and the sign-up process takes about 30 seconds, so I was liking the program right from the start. Free and Easy? How often does that combination come up in life?!? Okay...back to the review...

The program allows users to create personalized charts to help track their progress in various areas of their lives. For example, my oldest son has decided that he wants to work on being healthier this year. So we sat down and made a chart that would help him see what he needs to work on each day to develop healthy habits. It looks like this:

He can check his own progress and we set it up with a daily email reminder so that if either one of us forgets to check the chart ( with his ADD and my hormonally induced "brain fog" we need all the help we can get!) we will get a gentle cyber nudge to keep us on track.

I also set up a Chore Chart for Little Man. The chore charts are customizable so you can create your own chores that aren't already listed on the site and there are fun stickers the kids can use to check off the chores they've done. Again, parents can set up email reminders or print the charts out so kids have a visual reminder.

The Chore Chart can help teach kids, tweens & teens many important lessons, including:

Responsibility; A Chore Chart is an ideal way to help your kids feel like they are making a contribution to their family by doing their part around the house.

Understanding right from wrong; Setting behavior goals is an important way to help children strengthen their character and judgment.

Healthy Habits; Teaching good habits involving nutrition and physical activity are the cornerstone of prevent obesity in children and adolescents.

Money Matters; The optional point system teaches children three important lessons for managing money; earning, spending and saving.

A unique feature that Goalforit has incorporated into its program is the ability to include friends and family in your plans through the use of the community settings Simply add the people you want to be able to view your progress and they can check in to see how you are doing and help cheer you on as you work toward your goals. I can see where this would be a great tool to help a person stay motivated with really big challenges, like weight loss or training for a marathon. Nothing like accountability and a cheering section to help spur you on when you are feeling a little less than positive, right?! If you're doing a group thing that includes friends and family in different locations you can all post your progress right to your Facebook pages to keep everybody updated and motivated.

Overall I think that Goalforit is a great online tool. And since it doesn't cost anything to try, my family and I will be using it over the next few months to try to bring some order and balance to our otherwise chaotic lives. Here's to a successful year of reaching our goals!

**Disclosure: This is a compensated post, written on behalf of GoalForIt. However, I am never under any obligation to write a positive review, and the opinions posted here are always mine and mine alone.**

Charity Never Faileth...My Holiday Post

2011-12-27T23:45:00.000-08:00

Well, another year is coming to an end and I have to say it has been a pretty traumatic year for my family and me. To be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to Christmas. I didn't even bother to go out to the garage to dig my tree out until December 16th, because it just didn't seem like we could celebrate the season with any kind of joy. Then I realized that my kids needed to feel something from their parents besides intense stress. So I forced myself to set up the tree and to decorate the house a little.

It took a few days of looking at an empty tree for me to find my Christmas spirit. Once the Holiday Fever finally made its way through the doom and gloom and depression I have been feeling lately, I was able to embrace it and use it to help shoo away the fog of unemployment and financial struggles that has plagued us for a while now. It was nice to have something to look forward to. More importantly, it was nice for my boys to have something to look forward to.

Honestly, this has been the most difficult Christmas I have ever faced in my life. The move we made to our new state was supposed to be a fresh start. Instead, it has turned into something akin to a modern day Grapes of Wrath story. The joy and excitement we felt when we landed here was quickly replaced by fear as our best laid plans fell apart in front of our eyes. Despite the rough start, we have held out hope that we could make it in this unique, homey town if fate would just give us a break and a fair shot at building a life here. Five months later, we are still struggling. And wondering if we are complete idiots for daring to make such a big life change. I'm sure there are a few of our family and friends who have already made that assessment and are wondering what has taken us so long to come to the same conclusion.

The thing is...I still believe with all of my heart that moving here was the right thing for my family. For six months before we came here, there was not a day that went by that my heart and mind didn't tell me that my family would thrive in this new environment. My spirit spoke to me in dreams and in prayers and everytime I tried to look at a different spot on the map as a relocation possibility, my inner being would all but scream that I needed to quit trying to avoid what I already knew. How do you ignore those kinds of thoughts and feelings and persisitent naggings?! I don't know about you, but I can't. Every good decision I have ever made in my life has come at the end of a long struggle with me trying to ignore and push away a force I could not explain, then ultimately giving in and accepting the message the universe was trying to send. So it made sense to me to finally quit fighting this path too. And when I quit fighting and accepted the possibility that the change might be good, things kind fo fell in place for us to make the move. I truly thought we were on the right track.

My husband felt okay about the move too, but he was much more reserved in his enthusiasm. He is no longer behind me on this one. He is struggling. He doesn't hate here, but so far he isn't finding a lot to love. In his defense, he is not good with change. I knew that about him, but hoped his desire to leave our old home state would be strong enough to help him overcome his fears. Of course, it didn't help that he was lied to about the job he was supposed to start upon our arrival. Having that rug yanked out from under him while he was trying to settle in a new place with his family left him unsettled and angry. Who tells a guy he has a job, knowing he's relocating his family and then changes his mind without calling to tell anyone? It doesn't matter anymore. We are here and we have decided to try to make it work. We just thought we would have things working before Christmas. Which is where I started this post a few thousand words ago.

Making it work here has truly been the fight of our lives. So we were not spiritually or mentally prepared for Christmas. Nor were we financially prepared. Gainful employment is hard to find here...not for lack of trying though. Big Man is working, but at a minimum wage job that is far beneath his capabilities and with earnings that are far below what we need to survive. We had no money for gifts for the kids. But we had a long talk with them about making sacrifices and we really tried hard, once we finally got our minds and hearts where they needed to be, to focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas and the birth of Christ. The kids were doing okay with the fact that Christmas was going to be very low-key this year. Then the miracles started happening.

Our church family quickly rallied around us, offering rides to Scouts, sending job leads, doing what they can to help us feel like we are part of the community. As Christmas approached, we were surprised by a Secret Santa this year who did the 12 Days of Christmas. The boys tried hard to catch them each night as they left a fun treat at the door and it inspired them to look for a way to give to someone else instead of focusing on their own desires. We were able to share an unopened toy from one of my product reviews with someone whose boys will love the gift and my kids were overjoyed that they were able to brighten someone else's holiday. Then...we had another Secret Santa! I know!! They came bearing bikes, coats and much needed shoes, with the request that we not tell our boys the gifts came from them, but from us. I don't know how they even knew about our situation. Their generosity left me in tears. THEN...another Not So Secret Santa showed up at our door on Christmas Eve with boxes of food and gifts that left me beyond speechless! More tears (actually it was the out and out sobbing, blubbering, ugly kind of crying), more amazement and more wondering why we were found worthy to be on the recieving end of such kindness from people we barely know. THEN...little surprises in the mail came as relatives sent cards filled with checks and gift cards to help us with our other needs. I have never been so grateful and felt so humbled in my entire life.

Even still, I sit here crying. I had been praying for miracles, expecting a job to come through, I guess. What I received instead was an amazing lesson about humility and gratitude that I will never, ever forget. My fear and sense of hopelessness was replaced with a renewed belief, that despite all our differences, mankind is generally, inherently good. And that when given the opportunity, people will look for ways to be charitable and care for their friends and neighbors. Seeing this side of our new community has shown me that I chose the right place to raise my family. How could we NOT want to be part of a place that values and actually practices these kinds of charitable acts?

Thank you, friends, family and people of Boise for giving my family one of the most unforgettable Christmas' we will ever have. Charity is the true love of Christ...we truly felt the sprit of love and service at work in our lives this season. Merry Christmas.

Oh Brussel Tree, Oh Brussel Tree

2011-12-14T23:30:00.000-08:00

When I was shopping a few weeks ago, I came across this in the produce section:

I swear I laughed out loud, because seriously!? When was the last time you saw a Brussel Sprout tree?!? Me? Never. I've never seen a little tree full of brussel sprouts. Okay, technically it's not a tree. The correct verbiage would be a brussel sprout stalk. Whatever you call it, I think it rocks. The lady next to me thought it was hilarious that I was so infatuated by a vegetable. I was trying to explain that it wasn't the vegetable per se, but the packaging that was so intriguing. She just shook her head and walked away. Whatever. I know she was secretly just as amazed as I was by the funky sprout tree, she just didn't want to walk through the store with the thing sticking out of her cart.

There were stacks of these stalks piled on top of each other and being the fun mom that I can sometimes be, I thought I had to buy one of the Brussel Sprout Trees for my kids. It did stick out of the cart. But I think it made me the most interesting person in the store that day. I definitely got lots of looks and the cashier was at a loss for how to bag it. Apparently I was the only person at that point of the midmorning to purchase the item ( Really? Am I really the only person in Boise who found these things cool enough to purchase?) and no one had discussed the bagging options with the cashiers prior to placing the stalk out for sale. I opted to skip the bag and carry it out in my hand, kind of like a marching band majorette. It was a great day at the grocery store.

I know...I totally geeked out over brussel sprouts. Obviously I need a more exciting life. But back to the story.

I've eaten brussel sprouts before. I like them. But I've always purchased them already cut off the stalk, so I never once wondered, as I was picking out my "baby cabbages", how the things grew. How old am I now? 47? And I just now found out how brussel sprouts grow. It also never occurred to me that someone had to do the work to get them to the little basket in the produce section as individual brussel sprouts for people like me to buy and enjoy.

After the hubby and kids also geeked out over the small tree, we decided to have them for dinner. Which brings me to my next discovery about Brussel Sprout Trees. They are damn hard to cut through!! Now I know why the produce clerk decided to just throw the whole stalks out onto the display instead of cutting off the brussel sprouts. I swear I was ready to have Big Man whip out the circular saw or his camping machete! Cutting through the stalk with my knife was seriouly, ridiculously labor intensive! Yeah...don't let the cuteness of the baby cabbages attached to the tree thing suck you in. Because it becomes way less cute after twenty minutes of cutting, sawing and pounding on the knife handle to remove the little buggers. Of course, it didn't help that my knife hasn't been sharpened since my grandma gave it to me in 1996. I never remember to get it sharpened until after I have to struggle through something like this.

ANYWAY...I was almost finished cutting when my very smart 10 year old suggested that I just hit them at a downward angle ("just karate chop them, Mom!") to knock them loose from the stalk. I tried that. It worked really well. On the last eight brussel sprouts. Who knew? And where was he 18 minutes ago?

Whe I was done, I was left with an almost naked brussel sprout stalk. That looked like this:

Am I weird or does this look like a beautiful piece of greenery that could somehow be incorporated into a floral arrangement? Don't ask me how to do it, I'm not good at flower arrangements. I'm just the idea person here. I was just really struck by the lovely patterns that the left behind leaves made on the stalk. It seems like one could throw some flowers and ribbon and other cool florist type stuff in there and make something really unique and beautiful to gaze upon. Just sayin'. You know how people put out pine bough wreaths and centerpeices for Christmas? Maybe a shucked brussel sprout stalk could be the centerpiece for Festivus. It's the centerpiece for the rest of us.

I can't believe I just wrote a whole post about brussel sprout stalks.

When Good Trees Go Bad

2011-11-20T22:21:00.000-08:00

We knew when we moved here to Idaho that we would experience a different climate. We have actually looked forward to the cooler weather and actual seasons, not just the hot and less hot seasons of Phoenix. The leaves and trees and all the colors are absolutely amazing! I feel like a kid sometimes in that I am awestruck by all the new scenery and sights and smells.

Credit: Roadsidepictures/Flickr

It's all such a refreshing change of pace from the dry, brown desert we have lived in forever. FOREVER. FOR. EVER.

It's funny though, how things that look so cool on the surface can suddenly be not so cool in reality. Like the changing leaves, for instance. They are a canvas of colors and patterns that are so enjoyable to look at while we walk along the river banks. When they started falling one by one from the tree in our front yard, they became individual pieces of art that the boys studied and collected. Then we had an extremely cold night. And when we opened the door to go to school the next morning we found this:

A Naked Tree!! Just days before we were wondering why our neighbors' trees were all but bare, while ours was still full of green, healthy foliage! Then BAM! Just like that we have a 4 inch deep carpet of leaves covering our yard and driveway. Apparently, our neighbors' trees have figured out that if they disrobe a little at a time, their owners can keep up with the raking and the bagging. Our lovely tree decided to give us a hearty fall welcome with a full-blown, leaf-filled ticker tape parade! Which we missed, by the way, because it happened at night! While we were sleeping!! Either our tree isn't a very good event planner or it is an accomplished practical joker. Either way we were shocked at how many leaves the thing had once worn!

The first thing Little Man wanted to do was make a leaf angel. I know! What a great idea, right? I was ~~hormonal~~ cold and grumpy when he asked and we were running late for school so I told him no. Why did I say that? I have no idea. I just blurted it out. It wasn't a complicated request. It's not like he asked if we could snowshoe to Russia or use the leaves for toilet paper (oh, don't think he didn't think about that option, he's totally into Survivorman and Man Vs Wild. It's only a matter of time until he tries it, believe me!). It wouldn't have caused any harm. What was my problem? Gees, I've got to loosen up!

Rather than start raking the minute I got home, I decided to ~~ignore the leaves and check my email~~ save the leaves for Little Man so he could have some fun before we disposed of the giant gift from our tree friend. He and a few friends rolled around in them, jumped in them, made piles our of them and threw them for about an hour before they decided they were done.

(Leaf Angels)

The weather man kept saying it was going to snow, so Big Man and I left the leaves where they were for a few days, hoping that maybe we'd get enough snow to cover them and then they could just kind of hibernate and compost over the winter, thereby saving us from clean up duty. No such luck. We had no snow. Just some rain. Which made the leaves wet. And heavy. So the blower didn't work and we had to rake.

Two hours and eight giant, stuffed bags later we had a clean yard again. Actually, when I think about it, the tree kind of did us favor. There are still a lot of trees around town waiting to shed the last of their fall foliage. Everybody else has been raking intermittently for 3 weeks now and many probably have one more big clean up to do before the snow hits. We got ours done in one shot. Maybe this tree ain't so bad after all.

So yeah...the fall colors and changing leaves are beautiful to look at, but not as much fun to clean up. Still - I'd rather rake leaves in the crisp fall air that pull weeds in the hot desert sun any day.

PS - I forgot to do the Hexbug Giveaway, tune in Tuesday for the winner!!

Veterans Day Thank You

2011-11-11T19:46:00.000-08:00

(Grandpa Russ)

I have two grandfathers who fought in World War II. One of them, actually my step-grandfather, has spent the last month and a half in rehab after some health problems. He's not happy there, it's not his home. So we visit him often and ask him to tell us stories about his life. He's told us some of his war stories. They are at the same time both interesting and horrifying. He barely touches on the part where he landed on the beach on D-Day. He said he could not even begin to describe the things he saw, other than there were hundreds and hundreds of bodies lying in the sand and the water. I'm guessing the scenes from Saving Private Ryan barely touched on the reality of what those men experienced that day. Despite the nightmarish memories that were part of his experiences as a soldier, Grandpa Russ shares some good experiences too and very fond memories of the years after the war that he spent working for the Veterans Administration in Idaho. That's where he met my grandmother. ; )

I have never met my other grandfather. It's a long story. Suffice it to say that he chose to isolate himself from his family and my mother has not seen him since she left home as a teenager during one of his rages. Now he lives about 30 minutes from where I recently moved and I have to make the decision about whether or not to try to establish a relationship with him. He flew bombing missions during the war. Apparently his experiences were pretty harrowing too, as my mom talks about episodes he had after the war that lead me to believe he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. His issues were so severe that in the end my grandmother had to leave him for her safety and the safety of her son. My mother had already moved out by then. So I don't know alot about him, other than the fact that my mom says he was such a fun person to be around when she was little and she remembers a very different person than the man he became later in her life.

Why am I telling you all this? I guess I'm pointing out the contrast in how each man was able to handle the experience of war. One managed to find coping skills that allowed him to get on with his life. Will the memories ever go away? No. They are a part of who he is now. But he was able to comparmentalize and put those painful thoughts in a box in his brain somewhere where he didn't have to face them all of the time so he could work and focus on raising his family. He is such a good man and accepted us as his own grandkids from the minute we met him.

Grandpa Bill( I guess that's what I would call him), my mother's real father, obviously had a harder time putting those memories to rest and they affected his ability to raise his family and lead a happy life. His family suffered greatly because of that. And so began the dysfunction that has impacted more than one generation. It makes me wonder if things would be different for us now had people known about PTSD back then and had he been able to get help in dealing with his emotional trauma. Doesn't matter I guess. We can't go back and change things.

We can change things going forward though. We can ensure that there coninue to be programs and tools available for our warriors, so that regardless of what stage in life they find themselves, they and their families will have the necessary skills and ability to cope. Please donate your time or your dollars to a worthy nonprofit that supports our military families. The burden they carry is heavy to bear. Let's do all we can to let them know that we are willing to help lift that burden however and whenever we can.

From our family to the many veterans and military families stationed all over the world: We value your service and sacrifices and are grateful for your willingness to endure whatever hardships with with you are faced to serve this wonderful country. Thank you.

Independence Day

2011-11-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

Ya know what this is?

It's Freedom, Baby!! This was the first day EVER that they got to ride their bikes to school without an adult. They were so excited they barely took time to give me a wave before they rolled down the driveway and wheeled off to their new school with the neighbor kid. It was a great moment for all of us. A real taste of independence for them and a realization for me that it was okay to let them have a longer leash. Not to mention the rush of gratitude I felt that we are blessed to have found a good, safe neighborhood so the boys can have these kinds of experiences!

I have to admit that the first morning was bittersweet. I had mixed emotions. My initial thought was that for the first time in 6 years, I wouldn't have to fight the traffic in the drop-off lane or worry about getting to the school early in the afternoon so I could find a parking space! Whoo-hoo! Then the emotions kicked in and started talking to me. And my Mommy Heart felt kind of sad and heavy for a few moments because it heard this:

"Your little boys are growing up - they aren't little boys anymore. You're should savor these moments because one day they're going to drive off and not come back for a long time. They'll be busy creating lives of their own and you'll be lucky to get a phone call once in awhile." Wow. Even typing the words out makes me want to start crying. I cannot begin to imagine a life without some kind of daily interaction with my boys.

I remember what my life was like before the boys came. And if I'm honest, there have been moments where I wistfully yearned for just a few of those "before the kids" days. The days when I was free to do whatever I wanted to do, how and when I wanted to do it. Usually those yearnings came after a week of cleaning up kid poo and vomit. Or maybe after the 15 hour drive that left us all wondering which genius thought a road trip would be "fun." But those wishes were fleeting thoughts that only lingered for a moment. A grubby little hug and a wet smack on the cheek chased those wishes away, making space for warm thoughts and smiles about the life I have now - "with the kids."

So while days like "the first day we rode our bikes to school" may evoke feelings of uncertainty about my future with them, I am trying to not dwell on what I will be missing and focus instead on what I have now - two really great boys who are enjoying their new home, happily pedaling through the neighborhood and looking for adventure. And who doesn't need a little adventure once in awhile?

New Glow-in-the-Dark Hexbug Review and Giveaway

2011-10-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Technology never ceases to amaze me. I was gonna say that I couldn't even begin to imagine what life was like before all these amazing advances, but then I remembered that I was born 47 years ago...before all of these amazing advances.

I was amazed again this week when we had our Glow-in-the-Dark Hexbug Party, thanks to MommyParties and Hexbug. The makers of the original Hexbugs took it up a notch with their newest creatures and tracks that truly glow in the dark!

(I know, not a very good image. I had to borrow it because my camera could not pick up the amazing glow in the dark features, because my camera is old and it sucks. But that it a post for another day. For now, just bask in the glow of this neon bug thingy.)

We received our kit a few weeks ago, which was chock full of Glow-in-the-Dark Hexbug Nanos and Habitat sets, as well as some wicked cool Halloween Mutant Zombie Nanos.

A new addition to the Hexbug family found its way into the box too...Hexbug Larvae. I know...just the name makes me squeamish. Larvae. If you click on the link, you can watch it squirm. I don't like to watch it squirm, but be my guest. The boys love it.

They really got a kick out of the Mutant Zombie Nanos with the glowing exoskeleton. They all immediately ran into the garage where it is pitch dark and let the little bugs run around. Again...lame camera couldn't get any of the action. They fun with the lights on too though, as evidenced here:

I love that the glow-in-the-dark feature has renewed their interest in these little robotic toys. I do have to admit that one of the larvae already lost it's life to experimentation. The power switch was broken, so they performed a surgical procedure, which unfortunately for the larvae was unsuccessful, but it was very enlightening and interesting for the two amatuer scientists. If I had paid for that Hexbug, I might have been a little peeved that it broke after 5 minutes of use, but the other two seem fine.

The Zombie Mutant Hexbugs are availble for a very limited time at Radio Shack and the Glow-in-the-Dark Nanos and Habitats are in retail stores like Walmart and Target. If your kids are Hexbug junkies, then keep an eye out during the upcoming holiday season for more cutting edge Hexbug products!

Win a Glow-in-the-Dark Hexbug Nano and a Mutant Zombie Nano! Just leave a comment and let me know which of the Hexbug creatures is your favorite. Contest will end at 12 Midnight PST November 12th. U.S. Residents only. Winner will be chosen at random.

***Disclosure: I received a Hexbug Halloween Party Kit from MommyParties and Hexbug to facilitate this review. As always, my honest opinions are my own. ***

A Few Things on My Bucket List

2011-10-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 things that I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health. Want to enter? Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.

I have been so consumed with finding work and creating income since we moved to our new state that the thought of filling out just one more job application or revamping my resume one more time makes me want to slit my wrists. Yeah...I'm that burned out. So I thought I'd take a break from the job hunt and focus on some of the really motivating things I would like to accomplish in my life, in the hopes that I might regain some of my sanity and maybe win an awesome family vacation in the process!

There are about a billion things I'd like to do before I leave this world, here are 15 of them:

1. Write a book. I know. Everyone wants to write a book, right? And actually, just about anyone can do it these days with all the self-publishing options and e-books, but I can't remember a time when I didn't want to write a book, so even if it seems like a trendy, "everybody's-doing-it" kind of goal, it is a goal I choose to keep on my bucket list. Don't ask me about the book topic, I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete. Although I had an amazing idea today for a coffee table book that involves Dog the Bounty Hunter. Intrigued? I know, right? How did someone not think of it already!?!

2. Learn how to design and build a website. Because then I could more easily pursue some of my other goals that are sitting and waiting for a finished website to call home so they can come to life. Which reminds me of #3 on this list.

3. Go back to school and finish my education. I have a 20 year old Associates degree in an industry where my skills are no longer relevant. I learned ad design and graphics before the computer! Ever heard of amberlith, rapidographs and Prismacolor markers? How about a Varitype Typesetter? Ever made a photostat copy of something? No? I KNOW!! Because all these things are obsolete! Time to start over and learn how to use all the spiffy new design programs out there like Dreamweaver, Photoshop, InDesign and whatever video editing software the kids are using these days.

4. Learn to play the banjo. The redneck in me needs an outlet once in awhile. I have this vision of sittin' around on the porch Andy Griffith style with a cool guitar player, a fine fiddler and a rad harmonica-nista. We'll be a pickin' and a grinnin' while the neighbors clap and the kids dance on the lawn. I cannot WAIT to post the video one day to prove to y'all that this one actually happened.

5. Own a 1965-68 Mustang with a big V-8 and cool mag wheels. Va-rooom! I LOVE those cars!

6. Move to a farm where I can raise my boys and live out the rest of my life growing amazing things and taking care of funny animals.

7. Lose weight and get healthy...so I can learn to do things like #8.

8. Ski with my family! Even when I am thin, I have never been really athletic, but skiing down a mountain of snow sounds like a hoot. Even if I never make it off the bunny hill, I'd like to try it once before I die. And the weight loss thing would also be of great importance when it comes to finding a snowsuit that wouldn't make me look like the Michelin Man's wife.

9. Travel across the country in a decked out motor home to visit places like Mt. Rushmore and The Bigfoot Discovery Museum while eating really cool road food like "Rippers" from Rutt's Hutt in New Jersey and tossed rolls at Lambert's Cafe in Missouri.

10. Buy a really great digital camera and take a photography class with Arizona Highways or National Geographic photographers. .

11.Accomplish something physical that I never thought I would be capable of doing, like running a marathon or hiking the Grand Canyon.

12. Find a cure for cankles. Seriously. I hate my ankles. Even when I'm not heavy, I still have cankles. Not from fat or water retention, but from giant bones and muscles. I have thick ankle DNA. I will never look good in a dress and strappy sandals until cankles become a thing of the past. Please donate today to the "Cure for Cankles" Foundation. Your contribution will help women like myself, my mom and Hillary Clinton shun pantsuits and long skirts forever.

13. Visit Ireland and come home with a wicked Irish accent.

14. Become a published author in a magazine or newspaper.

15. Visit Grandmother/Great-grandmother's old home in Virginia with Mom and Sister. My mom has always wanted to know more about her mother's side of the family and where they came from. She has relatives there she has never met. It would be wonderful to help her reconnect with family there and learn more about her southern heritage.

I'm Working on a Post

2011-10-17T22:57:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a post for about 2 weeks now. For some reason I just can't get it right. It's one of those heartfelt, emotional posts and I just can't get what I feel into words. I hate when that happens. So, I just wanted to let you know that there is a new post coming sometime soon. As soon as I can figure out how to say what I want to say.

In the meantime, please enjoy these photos of my kids at the park by the river a few weeks ago. It was one of those really great days when they actually liked each other and they spent the day laughing and poking things they found along the trail with sticks.

I Am "Boy Scout" Mom

2011-09-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

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

Many of you know we just relocated. The move has been challenging in many respects. Anyone who has kids knows that such a big change can trigger a chain of emotional chaos that even the best child psychologist would struggle to deal with. So I am thankful for little things that have helped us quickly resume some semblance of normalcy in our new home.

It was a blessing that school started the week after we arrived, not only for my boys, but for me too. Having them in school part of the day helped me regain some sanity while I unpacked our necessaries and tried to create a decent living space for my family.

It was also fortuitous that we are active in the Boy Scouts of America Program. The boys were able to start attending meetings here almost immediately, which brought something familiar to their lives in an unfamiliar place. It was good for them to fall right back into the routine of meeting their pack at the local church once a week to participate in different activities. This week my youngest visited a police station and was thrilled to get to ask a police officer all kinds of questions about how to catch bad guys.

I've been asked a lot lately about the Boy Scouts of America, mostly by moms who are trying to decide if the program would be a good fit for their own boys. I am happy to share our family experiences concerning the Scouting program, because it has been such a positive experience for both of my boys. And for me too!

We have been involved in the Scouting program since the boys turned 7. They started out as Cub Scouts and my oldest is now a Boy Scout. When we first started I knew absolutely nothing about Boy Scouts other than they teach boys how to camp. Turns out there is so much more to the program! As Cub Scouts, both of my boys have learned very valuable life lessons about what it means to be a good person and a good citizen. These skills are taught during weekly meetings, but parents are expected to be involved at this level and a good part of what the boys are learning and achieving during Cub Scouts is being learned through activities that include the entire family. It has been really great for me to go through the manuals with the boys during each stage of their Cub Scout career and choose activities that we can work on together. I get to see their strengths and weaknesses from a different perspective and I get a great handle on where their outside interests may lie. For example, my youngest likes to collect things. All kinds of things...sticks, rocks, bottle caps, string, cards, keychains, dirt. You name it, he's picked it up and put it in his pocket at some point to use later. Helping him organize and preserve his "collections" so he could pass off that requirement was really enlightening and created an opportunity for us to talk and bond that might not have happened otherwise. I would ask questions about where that rock came from and why he liked it and he would explain his rationale for picking each one up. I have to admit, I didn't see the beauty in some of his choices, but he did and that's what matters. And it was a great experience for him to get up in front of his fellow cub scouts and explain his collection. Not only did he learn some geology, he's learning valuable communication skills that will give him confidence.

My oldest just transitioned into Boy Scouts. It was a really emotional experience watching him during the "crossover" ceremony, because I could tell that in his mind, this was a turning point in his life. He no longer felt like a little boy. He had accomplished so much in Cub Scouts, including getting his Arrow of Light, that he was ready to move on and take on the challenges that the Boy Scout program presents. I was a little worried, because he is not as much of a nature boy as my youngest and I wasn't sure he would enjoy all of the physical activities. But Boy Scouts offers so much more than "camping." We were really excited to find out about their STEM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). They can earn 31 merit badges from from this curriculum, including 1 for Robotics! For some reason, when he is doing things like this at school, it feels like work to him. But at Scouts, it's fun. I don't know about other moms, but I am happy to have my young man participate in activities that help him develop critical skills that are relevant in today's technical world.

As a Boy Scout, he also gets the opportunity to help plan the activities and hold a position within the troop. He learns personal responsibility and leadership skills in an environment that encourages team efforts and offers constant support. And he enjoys it!

I can honestly say that being a Scout has made him a more confident, capable person. As a mom, I want to know that when he goes out into the world, he feels like he can face the challenges that are put before him. Every time he earns a merit badge he walks away feeling more capable and confident in his abilities. How much more could a parent ask?

So would I recommend the Scouting Program? Heck yeah!! I know they've gotten a bad rap for some of the issues that have come up in the news in recent years. But I believe that bad things happen in every segment of society. Schools, churches, businesses, politics - none of them are exempt from public scrutiny and all have been found to have issues that affect people and society in a negative way at some point during their tenure. The Boy Scouts of America is a wonderful program that teaches Scouts a wholesome set of values and beliefs while strengthening relationships and instilling confidence in young men who need these skills to successfully navigate adulthood. Our family values and honors the BSA program.

So c'mon and join us... Be A Scout!!

Settling Down in My New Town

2011-09-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

So...it dawns on me that since my move, not only am I Boymom, I am also now a Boise Mom! It's been great getting to know the city and while I miss Surprise, Arizona and my wonderful friends and neighbors, I honestly have no desire at this particular moment to EVER return to the desert heat that I have endured for years now. One of these days I'll have to tell you about our ridiculous trip, but I just don't feel like backtracking and reliving the whole thing at this moment. But there are some really ~~painful~~ hilarious moments I should probably chronicle for future generations, so I promise, I will do my trip post in the nest few days. I would rather spend my blog time today telling and showing you guys some of the things I love about our new place of residence.

One of the first places we found to eat when we got here is Hugo's Deli. Hugo's is yummy and the customer service there is awesome. They were very patient with Little Man, who always takes just under a decade to make any kind of food selection and they made sure he had extra pickles, just like he asked. The owner was there and he was gracious enough to meet and talk to us when we mentioned that we were new in town. Who does that anymore? I have a confession to make here: I forgot the guy's name. It's not Hugo. Or else I would have remembered. How sad is it that he went out of his way to show us some kindness and I can't even remember his name? I'm blaming it on ~~menopause~~ the stress of the relocation. So yeah...Hugo's and the guy who owns Hugo's rock. Great sandwiches, nice employees, clean and inviting store.

Another thing I love about Boise? The amazing gardens and farms here! Everybody grows stuff! My granddad's caretaker, Darlene and her brother own a farm. Darlene has a kick-butt garden and everytime I go visit her and Grandpa she loads me up with cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, greenbeans, corn and watermelon.

My sister's sister-in-law (did you follow that?) went from being a major corporate star in San Francisco to being a major Mommy star and Master Gardener in Idaho. She sent home some amazing jalapenos, green chilis and tomatoes, from which we made some kickin' salsa!! We made a huge batch that filled a huge bowl and this is all that is left 3 days later.

I think my body is in shock from all of the freshly grown, nutrient rich fruits and veggies I have consumed in the last 4 weeks. Seriously, I have probably eaten more produce in the last 4 weeks than I did in the 8 months previous to my my move. Consequently, even though I feel a little healthlier and more energetic, my gut doth protest at times. I'll spare you the gory details. Suffice it to say that I have definitely shown the menfolk in my family that having someone lock the windows so they can't be unrolled after I "release" ain't so funny when it happens to them! I can't tell you how many times I have fallen victim to this little prank. I would like to thank all those who have contributed to my recent bout of retribution. Revenge is...well it's stinky. But also pretty hilarious.

When I said everybody grows stuff here? I mean stuff just grows. Like you are walking down by the river and you see this:

Yeah. Blackberry bushes just growing by the river. I love that I can pick a berry and eat it while I am checking out the river and walking the trails. The river area is getting pretty picked over though, so today we went to The Berry Ranch to pick our own berries.

Little Man threw a major fit, the likes of which I have not seen since he was about 2. I have NO idea what he thought we would be doing, but apparently he envisioned something akin to a prison labor camp. So we pretended to ignore his meltdown, even though secretly I was plotting a chore agenda that would make his prison labor camp look like a day at the fair. He finally pulled it together when we pulled into the dirt lot at The Berry Ranch. We spent about an hour picking blackberries and raspberries and ate a few along the way. Of course I forgot my camera, so no pics this time in the fields, but here are the pics of our harvest:

Little Man apologized for his behavior and talked the whole way home about how he wants to have a farm so he can grow stuff too. He talked and talked and TALKED about it. I know, Little Man. That would be the goal. Because then I wouldn't be paying someone else $3.00/lb for berries that I had to pick myself! Dang! I think I could have bought them at the grocery store for half that! But...we had a wonderful day together. And we supported local farmers who work hard to grow good food for us. And that? Was Priceless.

NerdyShirts Review

2011-09-02T22:55:00.000-07:00

T-shirts are the uniform of choice in my home. Any kind of button up shirt that actually makes it to my boys' rooms is quickly relegated to the furthest corner of the closet, where it spends the majority of its life looking out, just hoping for a chance to make the cut and join the rotation of "comfortable" clothes. So anytime I get an offer to review a T-shirt company and try their merchandise, I jump at it.

Trevor from NerdyShirts contacted me a few weeks ago and asked me to check out their merchandise. So I did. The first thing I realized is that I must have a lot of nerdy friends because I am familiar with a lot of the subjects shown on those t-shirts! Who knew?!?

The second thing I realized is that I know a LOT about Star Trek and Star Wars and Comic Book guys. Most of this knowledge has been gleaned from time spent watching movies and cartoons with my husband and boys. They patiently explain the ins and outs and whos and whats for me. Which is cool. Because now I do not look like an idiot when someone asks me whether Batman was a Marvel or DC comic (Batman was DC). Not a lot of 47 year old moms have the capacity to discuss Star Wars or Green Lantern or X-men with any kind of intelligence. At least now I can fake it. NerdyShirts has so much comic and retro Star Trek kind of stuff that you would be hard pressed not to find something perfect for the comic geek or Trekkie in your life. My personal favorite among this genre is the Batman Old School Logo, although that Thor Costume shirt is kind of hilarious. NerdyShirts used to have a Wolverine Costume shirt too, but I think it must have sold out, which makes me extremely sad. I am actually caught in the middle of an epic Batman vs. Wolverine debate and I wanted to get t-shirts for friends on each side of the battle for Christmas. I am so bummed!

Anyway...Nerdyshirts has a large selection of designs to choose from, including references and characters from movies, video games, TV and internet. Anyone who loves pop culture will dig these shirts. A few of my favorites:

NerdyShirts was kind enough to send a shirt for each of my boys. Big Brother got a Bruce Lee shirt and Little Man loves his Iron Man Core shirt that glows in the dark. Both shirts are made with high quality fabric that holds its shape and color well. We had no bleeding colors in the wash and no flimsy, stretched out fabric after a few days of wear. The graphics have not cracked or peeled and the boys find the shirts very comfortable and easy to wear.

BTW, NerdyShirts shipping is ninja fast and right now they have free shipping when you purchase 4 shirts. I'm more than happy to recommend NerdyShirts and am looking forward to suprising a few people at Christmas with some hilarious t-shirts.

***Disclosure - I received 2 t-shirts from NerdyShirts in order to facilitate this review. My opinions are my own and my reviews reflect my own experiences with products I receive.***

My "Qwest" for Internet Continues

2011-08-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

How many days ago did I post about not having an internet connection? Was it 10 days? Yes. Was that a long time to wait for Qwest to get out here to put some tiny clamps on a few wires so I can get online? Yes. Should I be surfing the web like a woman possessed today after suffering such a lengthy isolation from all my social media activities? Yes, I should be. But alas, I am NOT tweeting and blogging with a vigor. I am sitting here wondering how I can survive another 2 days while Qwest reissues my order because apparently my first order was never submitted. So I waited 10 days for nothing.

So am I mad at Qwest? Yes. Actually it's more like fury. I kind of wanted to scream out loud and lay on the floor and kick and scream when they told me what had happened. But I didn't, since I have no other viable options for internet service. Does not having options suck? Yes. Does Qwest suck? I don't know yet. That depends on whether or not they expedite my installation and follow through with the other promises the CSR offered to try to keep my business.

Was I right when I surmised that CenturyLinks new name had ominous overtones? YES! And although I may not have to wait an entire century to be reconnected to cyberspace, it FEELS like an eternity! Am I over reacting? Maybe. Wait...NO! Hello!?! I just moved! I need to pay bills and change addresses and communicate with people with whom I am no longer geographically close! I can't do the Pony Express thing in this day and age! AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!

Two days from now will I appreciate the dexterity skills I developed because I had to write blog posts on a tiny android smart phone keyboard? Yeah, actually I might, because I'm gettin' wicked fast now at pounding out texts and tweets from my cellphone. Can I get paid for that? How ironic would it be if I ended up getting a job as a Master Texter Chick making major coin because Qwest screwed up. Could it happen? Yes. Anything's possible. Will it happen? Probably not.

Will I have DSL on Thursday? One can only hope.

Livin' on Boise Time

2011-08-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

Things are a little slower paced here in Idaho, which is what I thought I wanted. Until I tried to get my high speed internet connection set up. When they told me the earliest day they had was August 30th I started hyperventilating. The CSR had no sympathy and thanked me for my patience, then hung up.

So this is what I'm reduced to...writing my blogpost from my cellphone because Qwest (now Centurylink) is so busy getting BSU students set up with high speed that I have to wait 10 days for them to get to me! I think there might be a clue in Qwest's new moniker (Centurylink) as to the length of time you might have to wait for service.

ANYWAY...I have so much to write about my recent relocation adventure, but my giant ham thumbs make writing a lengthy blogpost on a tiny cellphone keyboard a very exasperating experience. Not to worry though, I remember every single detail and will make sure to include each and every thought and feeling about my move to Idaho so you don't feel like you missed out. Because I know all of my readers are waiting with bated breath to hear about the journey. I SAID, I know you are all extremely excited to hear about my trip, right? **Crickets**

Gifts of Nature

2011-08-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

The entire 4 years that I have lived in my house at the edge of the desert, I have watched all my neighbors' agave plants bloom and grow and put forth that giant stem thingy that shoots out of the middle of the plant right towards heaven. Mine just kind of sat there not doing much. I worked hard to care for my agave, pulling the weeds that kept trying to choke it out, making sure it got some water now and then, threatening the neighborhood boys with hours of chores if they didn't quit running over it with their bikes. And still nothing. I finally gave up believing that my agave would ever flower like everybody else's.

A few weeks ago, as we started packing to move, the agave plant must have sensed that change is on the horizon. Imagine my delight when I walked out one day to find this:

This thing appeared overnight!! Out of nowhere! And it grows like an inch a week, I swear! I don't think I'll be here long enough to see it actually flower on top, but that's okay. I'm good with the efforts my little plant put forth.

Thank you, Little Agave Plant, for the wonderful going away present.

Reconnaissance or Bad Landing?

2011-06-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

As a Boymom, there are things I see in my home that I don't think Girlmoms see very often, if at all. Like this:

It's a toy paratrooper. Hanging out of one of my kitchen drawers. I happened to catch him out of the corner of my eye as I was grabbing my purse this morning. He kind of caught me off guard. It's not something I expected to see at 8 a.m. in the morning.

So I immediately did what any other good Boymom would do and started talking to the guy. "Hey Dude! How long have you been hanging here? Let's see if we can get you untangled and to a more stable location, away from enemy fire." As I was talking I noticed Blackie Chan the Ninja Cat staring at me. I couldn't tell if he thought I was talking to him or if he was mad that I was removing a potential play toy from his path. Either way, he looked disgusted with me.

I started to open the drawer to remove the guy, then didn't. I know. I KNOW!! How could I leave that poor paratrooper just hanging there, waiting to be attacked? Well...because it occured to me that this guy might be there because someone wanted him there. He might be part of an elaborately strategized battle plan that I know nothing about and by removing him, I might sway the entire outcome of this war reinactment. I didn't want to be responsible for that.

I've done that before, you know. Ruined an entire 2 weeks of planning and staging, along with the outcome of a major battle because I moved 1 army guy from his post on the bathroom counter to the top of a dresser. It was utter chaos for 15 minutes while everyone had to adjust strategies and move guys around to compensate for mom's lack of military training and knowledge. It was a big "Duh, Mom" moment that I don't care to repeat.

After almost 12 years of raising boys, I've learned my lesson: Leave the army guys where you find them.

Sad for Paratrooper Man, but safe for Boymom.

Defiants 4 x 4s Review

2011-06-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

This is how we spent last Saturday...

These little Defiant trucks are a blast! Their climbing ability is pretty amazing. As you can tell, the boys loved them.

(I had more boys there, but some of the parents don't like me taking pics of their kids and posting them on the internet...I try to be respectful of their feelings, but sometimes it kinda kills my blog post. Ummm, HELLO!! How can I rock the review posts when I can't show your kids loving or hating the things I review?! I'm so KIDDING! Kind of. But seriously, I get it...some parents don't want their kids pasted all over the internet because of safety concerns. I don't always like it, but I get it.)

So, the boys ran the trucks until the batteries died (2 AAA's), then we had some snacks and refueled. Caramel Rocks and Boulders with Road Rally Gully Punch to drink for the boys. More batteries for the trucks.

We'll be taking them out into the desert this weekend to see how they do on the rocky terrain outside, so look for some more videos in a few days. Also, check out the Defiants 4 x 4s website for more product info.

Defiants 4 x 4s made their debut in Phoenix and so are only available right now in select Walmart and Toys R Us stores in Arizona. Again, check the Defiants 4 x 4s website for purchase locations.

I love that the company supports our troops and will be contacting them to see if they will work on a fund-raising project with my non-profit: Helping Our Warriors.

Birthday Gift FAIL

2011-06-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

Here's what my husband gave me for my birthday today-

Sunflowers are one of my most favorite flowers. I absolutely adore them.

Here's what I gave him for his birthday last week -

FAIL!

His gift was so romantic and thoughtful. Mine was really practical and well...NOT romantic.

I think I need to regroup for Father's Day and try again.

Here, Home, Hope Book Review

2011-06-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to One2One Network, I was able to actually sit down and read a book this last week, for the first time in a very long time. I love reading, it used to sustain me when I was a kid looking for an escape from my weird, dysfunctional life. I forgot how much I loved the process of getting to know the characters and really trying to put myself into the story.

Here, Home, Hope is a "chick lit" novel written by Kaira Rouda. The whole story revolves around main character Kelly Mills Johnson, a stay-at-home mom living in an up-scale suburban neighborhood called Grandville. 39-year old Kelly has a successful lawyer husband, well-behaved kids and beautiful friends with whom she shares her life, but she finds herself feeling restless and depressed after a breast cancer scare. When her boys go off to summer camp she finds herself feeling even more lonely and directionless, so she decides change is in order and embarks on a "Things to Change (T2C)" campaign to improve her life. The fact that Post-It Notes became part of that campaign immediately caught my attention and made me laugh, because I am seriously THE Post-It Queen.

As Kelly puts her T2C Plan into motion, she quickly learns that things are seldom as cut and dry as they may seem. The two perfectly put together, succesful friends she admires so much are not as perfect and put together as she had assumed and have issues of their own that end up becoming issues for Kelly too! The rest of the book winds its way through Kelly's attempts to make sense of her life and make the changes she needs to make, while dealing with the changes going on in the lives of those around her.

I read Here, Home, Hope in two days and although I enjoyed the book and definitely identified with the character's need for growth and fulfillment as she transitioned from mother of small children to mother of more self-sufficient teens, there were parts of Kelly's life that I could not necessarily come to terms with. Maybe it was the $300 hair cut and the shopping trip to the high end boutique. Or the perfect husband who always says and does the right thing at just the right moment. Or the perfect suburban neighborhood that Kelly describes as her home. I don't know anyone who lives like that, so that's not real life...to me. But then again, I 'spose it is real for some people...I just never ran with the "Country Club" crowd, so my version of reality comes from a whole different place.

The book really is a nice, easy read and there was much to enjoy about Kelly's journey to peace and happiness. I think it does address some very real issues for women. Trying to be everything to everybody is something with which most of the women I know struggle. Here, Home, Hope addresses the feelings and frustrations we all feel when we try to bring more joy and fulfillment to our lives. It also addresses the reality that not everybody deals with their problems the same way, hence marriages end, families fall apart, people inflict pain on themselves and life gets messy. And as humans, we tend to be judgemental about people's problem solving skills and choices. I liked the sense of empowerment that author Kaira Rouda tried to bring out in her female characters throughout the storyline. I loved that the underlying message is one of support and nuturing, rather than criticizing. And honesly...I loved the T2C Post-Its and Kelly's T2C List. I have a few T2C's on my walls now.

Here, Home, Hope was a decent, light, quick read that did give me some ideas, some motivation and some hope that I can make the transisitions I need to make in my own life as I struggle to find "my place" in the Universe. And it reminded me that while I am on my journey, I need to feed and care for my sister friends (T2C #5) without judgement.

Sending lots of love out to all of you who continue to support me as I work through my issues and find my path to fulfillment!

***Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review and the opinions expressed are my own. I did recieve a digital copy of Here, Home, Hope from One 2 One Network in order to facilitate this review. ***

FyreFlyz Giveaway Winner

2011-06-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

FyrFlyz Review and Giveaway

2011-05-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the simplest things bring the greatest pleasure. We were fortunate enough to participate in another product review this last week and I have to say, I am really, really amazed at the awesomeness that is FyrFlyz.

The whole toy consists of this small plastic piece with LED lights on each end that is attached to strings with handholds. The fun comes when you start to twist and spin and pull the strings using the handholds. All that motion causes the plastic part with the lights to start moving around to create scenes like this one that took place when the boys had some friends sleep over:

Sorry for the speedy replay on the video, I'm still trying to get a good video converter/editor to work with.

ANYWAAAYYY...how cool are these things!?! Here are some things we loved about FyrFlyz:

Fun for all ages
Encourages coordination development
Encourages creative play as kids try to learn new tricks to create different light patterns
Easy to operate, no setup time
Addictive!! We sat for at least an hour trying to create new patterns!

Things we did not like:

Improper placement of fingers while using FyrFlyz will lead to a very sharp whack to your thumbnail or knuckle. It freaking hurts! (Remember old school Clackers?! Same kind of pain.)

I have to state though, that if you follow instructions, place your fingers properly on the holds and don't get too crazy with the speed and maneuvering, you can avoid the whacked finger issue. The issue really is a result of operator error, but it is something that moms with small kids should be aware of. Other than a throbbing thumbnail, we found everything about FyrFlyz to be entertaining and fun. After our own experimenting, we went to the FyrFlyz website and learned more about how to achieve different light patterns. My boys are still working on some of them and are looking forward to amazing their friends with the new tricks.

FyrFlyz come in 4 different colors and are being sold in the Phoenix area right now for under $10. They'll be released for purchase nationwide sometime in September. We are planning to use them as part of our 4th of July celebration...should be an intersting and colorful night!!

Wanna Win One? Do any or all of these things:

Leave a comment on my blog
Refer a friend to follow my blog
Tweet about the contest
Post this contest to your Facebook page
Like FyrFlyz on Facebook

The more of these things you do, the more opportunities you will have to win! The FyrFlyz contest will end on May 29th, 2011 @ 12 midnight.

***Disclosure: MomSelect and FyrFlyz provided me with product in order to facilitate this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my opinions, which are my own. ***

DaGeDar Review

2011-05-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Remember the good folks at Cepia? They're the company that did Zhu-Zhu Pets...the robotic hamster things? Well, they've come up with a new toy that we got to try out last weekend called DaGeDar (pronounced DAH-geh-DAAR). Here's some background on DaGeDar:

"DaGeDar™ (pronounced DAH-geh-DAAR) collectible supercharged battle balls have a special feel and weight that almost demand to be raced! Each DaGeDar™ battle ball boasts a graphic design that reflects the true energy contained within. More than 240 different DaGeDar™ ball graphics are planned for release this year, with varying degrees of rarity. Each ball carries a special code number that when registered on the DaGeDar™ website (www.dagedar.com) will reveal the true spirit contained within the DaGeDar™ ball, as well as its hidden powers, which can assist in racing strategy and let kids unleash the power within!

Racing DaGeDar™ balls requires skill, practice, agility and finesse. Players must control the speed and velocity of DaGeDar™ balls in order to propel them through thrilling loops and turns without forcing the balls off the tracks. Exciting tricks and stunts can be refined by whirling DaGeDar™ balls in Spinners or loading several balls into Battle Launchers to unleash them with supercharged battle play."

They seem a little simplistic at first, I mean really they are nothing but steel bearings encased in foam rubber stuff with some really cool looking designs on them. But...put them in the hands of little boys and add some tracks to race them on, suddenly they are amazing to watch and play with!

I could not believe how much they enjoyed these things! I heard nothing but constant laughter and strategizing for 2 solid hours! It took the boys some time to figure out different ways to spin and launch their DaGeDar balls to get them to stay on the track and to make them go faster, but after some practice they got much better results on the track. I love that the balls encourage creative and analytical thinking, as well as some agility and coordination. The boys love the collectible feature and since last week have spent almost every day comparing and trading their DaGeDar balls with friends and neighbors who recieved some of their own at our DaGeDar launch party. The track comes out almost daily during playtime now, it is quick to set up and break down, and the boys haul it around the neighborhood to various friends' houses to race.

DaGeDar was just launched this month in the Phoenix area, so look for them in select Phoenix area Wal-Mart and Toys R Us stores. The price ranges from $4.99 for a DaGeDar ball to $19.99 for various racing and launching components and sets. Don't forget to check out the DaGeDar website for some AWESOME videos and really interesting facts!

I Am Still Here...Albeit A Little Worse for Wear These Days

2011-05-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since I posted about myself and my family that I have almost forgotten how to blog! Don't get me wrong, I love doing the product reveiws and giveaways, but lately I'm feeling like I need to get back to basics with my posts and really focus on chronicling the adventures of Boymom and family. That's because I have completely lost control of my life. I feel like I am careening through the days at 1000 miles an hour and everything around me is just a giant blur that I see out of the corner of my eye. My only goal these days is to keep myself from crashing into oncoming issues! How did I get to this place?

Well, work is one of the contributing factors. As a former stay-at-home mom, I had forgotten what a time suck a job can be. How the heck do women do this? Work and raise a family, I mean? I have always admired and stood in awe of single parents and the way they juggle work life with the demands of raising a family. I have help at home (well...in theory) and still can't seem to manage the hectic schedules of 2 boys and 2 adults and a job! I so get the whole "do what you love and then it doesn't feel like work" thing now. Suddenly being at home with my family doesn't feel like work anymore. Now I just have to figure out how to make my job not feel like work anymore.

I have many other theories as to why I am so lost these days. One of them relates to age and being an "older parent." As a person who didn't start my family until I was in my mid thirties, I now find myself in the over 45 category of moms who are still raising pre-teens. It's kind of exhausting. From an energy standpoint, it is so much smarter to have kids when you're in your early twenties. There's still an abundance of excess fuel to burn at that age! I use to think I had a lot more wisdom and patience than younger parents. Now I know that no matter how much you think you know? Raising kids will prove you know nothing and that your resevoir of patience is FAR from endless. Those realizations have left me wandering around these days wondering how the heck any of us are going to survive until the boys get out on their own.

Then there's the inability to concentrate that seems to plague me lately. Is there such a thing as Adult Onset ADD? Oh, that's right...it's called perimenopause. And I hate it. I'm not one of those women that embraces all of my womanly-ness when it comes to this hormonal crap. I'm ready to be done with this so I can get back to being a normal, functional human being that can multi-task and remember something for longer than a minute.

Kids, work, getting older and the state of the world in general have left me feeling a bit discombobulated and disconnected. Am I the only one who feels like we are in some kind of weird "speed-life" relay race or something? Cause honestly? If it is a race? I really don't care about getting to the finish line first anymore. I just want to finish the thing somewhat intact and coherent, with a few good memories to take home as a consulation prize.

Giveaway Winners

2011-05-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Wow, the time flies around here! Life has been crazy hectic lately with sick kids, work and a gall bladder issue that has really slowed me down. Sorry for the delay in getting to the winners of the giveaways...

Clean and Green giveaway winner is: Cherl F - The Lucky Ladybug!

And Random.org says the winner of the Silk giveaway is:

Miss Hope Wins the SIlk Milk!

Congrats to both winners and as always, thanks to my die hard readers who keep stopping by even when I haven't posted for awhile!

Silk for Milk 10-Day Challenge and Giveaway

2011-04-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

I have a family that loves them some ice cold milk. Add some chocolate and they are ecstatic! So when I was asked to participate in the Silk for Milk 10-Day Challenge I jumped at the chance to try to bring some healthier options to the table for me and the men folk. So for the last 10 days I have been substituting Silk Milks for regular milk in various meals and recipes at my house. Here's how it all went down...

I started the challenge on April 11th. The first milk I got was Silk Soymilk in the Vanilla flavor. I decided that when the kids or hubby asked for ice cream, I would make smoothies instead. The Vanilla Silk Soymilk was perfect for the mixture. It added some great flavor to the berries and orange juice and gave the smoothies a creamy texture. They were such a big hit that we had them almost every afternoon!

Using some of the suggestions from the Silk website, I also used the Vanilla flavored Silk in place of regular milk to make chocolate pudding and I added it to the custard mixture when I made french toast! I like the fact that Silk has no cholesterol and no saturated fats, which makes me feel like the french toast and pudding were just a little more healthy than they would have been otherwise!

This is actually the 12th day of my challenge. I finished it today by having what was left of my 2nd carton of Silk Soymilk on my oatmeal. It was just the regular flavor and it was just as tasty as regular milk. Throughout the week we used the plain Silk Soymilk to make fluffier scrambled eggs, in our cereal and in mashed potatoes. Me and the boys agree that we couldn't drink a glass of the Silk plain like we do with real milk, but it was really easy to substitute it into various recipes and snacks!

To help one of my readers take the Silk to Milk 10-day Challenge, I'm giving away a Free Silk coupon along with a cute little Chico bag (courtesy of Silk)! To win, leave me a comment telling us how you would substitue Silk for regular milk in your daily routine. Contest ends on May 7th at 12 midnight, MST. US Residents Only.

*Disclosure* - I was not compensated monetarily for this post. SILK provided me with a product sample in order to facilitate this review. My product reviews are always honest and my opinions are my own.

Blackie Chan Strikes Again...Clean and Green Review/Giveaway

2011-04-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to say it out loud. I haven't been a responsible pet owner. I have had Blackie Chan for 3 years now and have still not had him neutered. I know. I KNOW!!! It is irresponsible. In my defense though, there are no spay/neuter clinics close to my house, they are all like an hour away and I have to have the cat there at 6 a.m.! I used to use that as an excuse a lot...until my awesome neighbor who has the energy of five Energizer bunnies told me she made the trip for her cat a few months ago. She's got kids and a job and all of the issues I have, but she was responsible and did the right thing. And now I need to finally get my cat crap together and do the right thing too. For my cat and for my neighbors. Also because "Kitty Karma" paid me back in spades a few weeks ago for not taking care of Blackie Chan's maleness.

Here's how Blackie Chan's Ninja attack went down. We're all sitting in the family room one day, watching TV. Blackie is getting a major rubdown by Big Brother and loving life. You could here him purring all the way upstairs. Then all of the sudden he jumps up and starts running toward the front door, yowling his head off to go outside. Well, apparently no one got there fast enough for him because while he was waiting he decided to spray my really nice, big brown, velvet comfy chair.  You know the smell, right? It's freaking noxious and I swear I have never made it across a room as fast as I did that day to open the door and chase that cat outside. I think I said some not very lady-like words while I was running him out the door.

AAUUGGHHH!!!  Cat spray is one of the nastiest smells in the world, and now it was in my house!!!!   The kids were freaking out, Big Man was ready to nueter the cat himself and I was trying not to gag when I remembered a can of stuff I received in the mail a few weeks prior to the spraying, so I ran into the kitchen to grab it.

It's called Clean and Green and it is the most fabulous stuff on earth for removing pet odors! I am so not making this up, people. This really did happen and I really did get a sample of this stuff to try and I am telling you all about it because it is one of those wonderful products that actually does what it says it will do!  It literally saved my cat and my furniture.  I sprayed it on the area as directed and almost imediately noticed that at least the smell in the air started to dissapate.  As far as the chair goes, it took three applications to totally remove the smell, but I swear to you there is not one bit of lingering odor left on that chair. It really is amazing stuff. It's made by SeaYu® Enterprises. Here's their bio:

At SeaYu®, we love animals – and we care about the world we live in. That’s why we’ve carefully developed safe, effective, pet cleaning products. Clean+Green® are eco-friendly aerosol pet cleaning products, delivering instant results in a non-toxic, eco-friendly solution. Based in San Francisco, SeaYu was founded 2002 by two fun-loving dog owners – one a former high-tech executive who is passionate about pets and cleaning her house, and the other a former apparel marketing executive who loves animals as much as he loves the planet. For more information, visit us at www.odorandstainremover.com.

So what's the moral here?  People who don't get their cats neutered will eventually be victims of their own negligence. So I have made an appointment at one of the clinics to get my cat neutered. And I will drag my lazy butt out of bed at 5 a.m. to get him there so that no one has to endure his smelly spray again, although I am told that getting him neutered may not stop him from spraying, which means I'd better stock up on Clean and Green.

In the meantime, you can win a can of Clean and Green! It's good for neutralizing all kinds of pet odors, so it works for dog owners too! All you have to do is "LIKE" Clean and Green on Facebook, then come back here and leave me a comment telling me you did so. Easy peasy, right? Contest will end on April 24th at 12 pm. Midnight. US addresses only.

I Want Another BABY!

2011-03-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

I love this video. It reminds me of when my boys were little and how much I loved to watch them when they play together.

OMG! Have I been bitten by the baby bug?!? I think I have! I am so missing my little boys! I just caught myself wishing I could have another one!! Aauuggghhhhh!!

Curse these blasted hormones and their mixed messages! First they tell my reproductive system to go into shutdown mode because I'm too old to deal with childbirth again, THEN they go all crazy and make me want more babies!! I don't have the energy for this. Guess I'll go dig through my boys' baby pictures and reminisce to fill the void.

SoftScrub Total All Purpose Giveaway

2011-03-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

OOPS!! So sorry! I have been so crazy busy that I forgot to do the drawing for our giveaway! Two lucky readers will be receiving 2 coupons each for some serious cleaning product courtesy of Soft Scrub! So, without further delay...The winners are:

Wait for it...

TAH-DAH!!!

Congrats to Johnson Team Mom and Melanie!! Your coupons are on the way!! And just cuz I love my other commenting blog friends so very much and made everyone wait so long to find out who won, I'm sending something to Miss Hope and Sports Mama too. Yay!! Freebies for all my friends!

Soft Scrub Total Review and Giveaway

2011-02-23T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hey Bloggy Friends...guess what!? Soft Scrub sent me a new cleaner to try out...Soft Scrub Total All-Purpose with Bleach.

And it couldn't have come at a better time, as I am in the midst of a major purge at home and working like a madwoman in between my new job and family stuff to get organized and have a really clean home. (Is that laughing I hear in the background? Do NOT mock my attempts to turn over a new leaf this year, friends. I am in the midst of a major life change and this year is going to prove that. It might take me all 12 months to make it happen, but I promise you will see major changes from Boymom on or before December 31, 2011.)

So what does this new found desire for change have to do with Soft Scrub Total? Well...first off, it's makes cleaning a lot easier for someone like me who doesn't like to clean. One cleaner for the entire bathroom (or kitchen, or garage, or whatever you need to clean). I can do the toilet, the shower, the counters, the sink and even clean the mirrors with one cleaner. I love that I can switch from spray to foam and can even spray the bottle upside down to get under the toilet rim.

I've found it to be a really good cleaner that gets baked-on, caked-on soap scum and other icky stuff quickly so I can get back to blogging! Whoo-hoo!

I tried the Soft Scrub Total Bathroom cleaner awhile back and really liked it, but I like the fact that this Soft Scrub Total All Purpose cleaner has bleach in it, especially when it comes to killing germs and such in the grubbier areas of the house, like the bathrooms. I also used it to wipe down the heavily touched areas of the house, like light switches, the doorbell, the button to open the garage door, the door handles, etc. You know...the places that are covered with kid prints where all the killer germs congregate to await a victim with a weak immune system.

I am very happy with how well the Total All Purpose cleaner worked, but I have to say...the fumes were a bit strong in the one bathroom without a window. Even with the little exhaust fan going, I was momentarily overpowered by the strong bleach odor and had to let it dissapate a bit before I could return to the cleaning. My husband says I have an overdeveloped sense of smell though and the smell of bleach didn't bother him at all, so...maybe it's just me. I didn't have the same problems in the other 2 bathrooms, as long as I had a window opened in both for ventilation.

Wanna try it for yourself? I have 2 sets of 2 coupons each good for FREE Soft Scrub Total, so you can stock up and try a few different kinds. Just leave a comment about your least favorite cleaning chore! Contest ends on Saturday March 5th at 12 midnight PST. US Residents only.

For extra enties, you can:

Follow my blog
Tweet the contest
Post the giveaway on Facebook

*Disclosure: I was not compensated monetarily for this post. I am a Soft Scrub Club Captain, which means I receive free product from Soft Scrub in return for my reviews.*

My Work Computer

2011-02-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

is AWESOME! The internet connection is wicked fast and I even have time to blog on occasion, which my boss doesn't mind! Woot! The best thing about the work computer? Is this:

Do you see that massive 27 inch flat screen monitor? I am soooo digging on it. I can see it from across the room. My boss is jealous. He has a new Macbook, which is also way cool, but it only has a tiny little 12 inch screen. Sure he has a fun little photo program that lets him make a pic of himself standing in Machu Piccu somewhere, even though he's really in the office. But I have a massive screen with a slideshow screensaver that makes me feel like I could really be there. My whole lifesize head could actually fit on my screen. Hey...I'm just sayin'. So while he is all hunched over and squinting, trying to read his email? I can dance across the office while reading mine and never miss a word.

Oh. And BONUS!? I can fit all of my Post-it reminders around the screen! All 18 of them. Or 22...depends on the day. Most cool. So...just want to thank my uber-cool boss and Joe the computer guy for hooking me up. Office life ain't so bad when you got a big screen to keep you busy.

Bad Hair Day

2011-02-02T14:48:00.000-08:00

There's a reason I have boys. God knew that while I like beautiful things and can be quite feminine when I want to be, I'm not a girly girl. So he sent me little dudes who are interested in building stuff and digging holes. Which is good. Because I am not always interested in dressing up and looking fantastically model-esque everyday, so I'm not sure I would be the best role model for a little girly who loves to shop and wear frilly things and put on makeup. Ya know?

And while I do enjoy a little pampering once in awhile? Sitting around while my kids style my hair is not my thing. It's not my boys' thing either. They barely wanna comb their own hair, let alone someone else's!

Apparently though, it is something lots of little girls like to do. And I found out the hard way that little girls don't always understand the intricacies of using a comb...(shout out to my neighbor's daughter, Ava and her ~~mad~~ stylist skills)

I have no idea how she got my hair so wrapped up in that evil device, I just know it took me about 20 minutes to get it loose from my scalp.

Note to self: Ava needs a doll to play with when she comes to the house. One with long, pretty hair.

And So It Begins...

2011-01-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we are 18 days into the New Year and so far, so good. Kids are back in school after an extremely long Christmas break and they are extremely unhappy about it, so that's all normal. I gained my typical holiday weight, so again, all normal. I am working again, which is good financially, but I must confess, I am at heart a stay-at-home mom. Not because I don't like to work, but because I feel like when I try to juggle both home and work, my family ends up suffering. Actually, that's not true. My family doesn't really suffer, my housework and laundry are what really suffer. But if I'm honest, those things are a struggle for me whether I'm home or not, so I guess I really just need to let go of some of the things I stress about and move on. Luckily I have a really decent boss who has his own family to take care of and he gets the struggle.

So...what did I learn last year? That you have to roll with the punches. I'm kind of done being black and blue from fighting back when I probably shouldn't. For some reason, when I wrote that sentence just now? I totally started laughing, because I just had this vison in my head of me hitting myself over and over, like when I was a kid and my cousin would smack me with my own arm and go "Quit hitting yourself!" Whack. "Why are you hitting yourself?" Whack. "Quit hitting yourself." Not sure why I had that vision, because I wasn't thinking that I was the one I was fighting with when I made the statement about rolling with the punches. Ummm...is that like an "AHA" moment? Am I the one beating me up!? How 'bout that for some instant self-enlightenment! Wow!

Anyway, I was looking back at some of the first posts I wrote when I started this blog...I was a lot more fun then. I am striving to get back to being that person, so bear with me while I get my groove back. That's the goal this year - Boymom Gets Her Groove Back. I'll be working on my attitude, my body, my brain and my blog! I'm looking forward to big changes in all of those areas!

On that note then, let's call it a day and I'll go home tonight and dream up some really great blog posts to keep you all interested and laughing this year...K?

Late Merry Christmas Post!

2010-12-28T23:10:00.000-08:00

It seems like this entire year has found me constantly running behind, in almost every aspect of my life. It has been a chaotic, unpredictable, rough and tumble year for Boymom and my family! So it seems fitting that I should end the year like I started, frantically trying to pull together a Holiday blog post before the year ends and I miss the opportunity to thank my friends, family and my wonderful readers for sticking with me and coming back here from time to time to read my...stuff.

So...how was your Christmas? Ours, although hectic, ended up being a pretty good Christmas. This year we really tried to focus more on the spiritual aspects of the holiday and less on the gift giving (lack of money was how that idea started, we decided to run with it!). The gifts we did give were a lot more practical than in years past and thanks to the generosity of friends, family and a Secret Santa, the boys got more than they (or we) expected. By the end of Christmas Day, I was feeling pretty grateful and extremely blessed.

I think this year, more so than any in the recent past, I truly felt the Spirit of Christmas in my own heart. Maybe because I quit focusing on what we didn't have and what wasn't working and started focusing on what I could give back. It was a joy and a pleasure to watch my boys get excited about our own Secret Santa project, which didn't amount to a whole lot of money, but definitely showed my boys that there are people in the world who are so much worse off than we are. Little Man almost broke into tears when he realized that there are people who literally have nothing other than the clothes on their backs. Listening to him pray that night for the well-being of a stranger we met who was living under a tree in a park is a Christmas experience his dad and I will cherish the rest of our lives.

I'm glad we took the time to help my boys understand that it's not about the gifts. It's about being a good human being during a season when we celebrate the birth of one of the greatest beings ever to walk the earth.

(Ignore the tighty whities and focus on the Nativity, please. The nativity set, people!!!

Merry Christmas, my dear bloggy friends. Thank you for your wonderful examples, your kind and caring words, your generosity of spirit and good will. You have made a difference in this Boymom's life.

Roman Town Review

2010-12-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

Mommy Parties sent me a box a few weeks ago, with some knit caps, water bottles and a computer game called Roman Town. It came just in time for Little Man's birthday, which was great for him, because he has always wanted to be an archaeologist or a paleontologist. Bottom line: He likes to explore and dig. How much does he like to dig? Exhibit #1:

Remember the fort? It's getting bigger every day! Look at how he and Big Bro dug holes into the side to put important pieces of equipment.

Back to Roman Town. We had a computer game party last week to show off our new game and the kids really liked it. (Pics coming soon, having problems downloading them!) I wish I could have had the game going on more than one computer, because all the kids were hovered around it trying to take a turn.

So what is Roman Town? It's an educational game that lets kids explore ancient ruins as an archaeologist would. The game starts with a professor giving you information and instructions, so the kids have some guidance as to what to do next until they get the hang of things. They get to place diggers in various spots to try to unearth Roman Ruins. They can choose the tools the diggers use and as an artifact is unearthe,d then they have to use a different tool to gently brush the dirt away to expose what they found. Once all the pieces to an artifact are found, the kids categorize them and then they can do things like put the pieces together to see what exactly what they found.

There are tests throughout the game that ask the kids questions about ancient Rome to see if they are paying attention to the facts that are being taught during their exploration. Little Man and I both found it very interesting and it held the interest of about 3/4 of the kids that were here for the party. I think had we had more computers the other few may have stuck around a few minutes longer.

I really think this would be a fantastic game for teachers to use in class! Little Man hasn't finished the game yet, so he is excited to have some time over Christmas break to delve into it even more. He is definitely a little "treasure hunter" and this game has sparked his interest in ancient civilizations all over again.

After our computer time we had some snacks (Mummy Juice and King Tut's Fingers - Drinks colored green and pigs in a blanket) and had our own treasure hunt out in the desert, where the kids looked for their own buried treasure. They received water bottles and knit caps as party favors, courtesy of Dig It, so they looked like quite an expedition heading out into the desert! They came home with a broken scooter, some kind of jawbone from something or other and a snake skin that some snake had recently shed. Nice. I was kind of hoping for some pottery or an arrowhead, but I didn't want to be a buzz kill so I thanked them for their lovely artifacts and sent them on their way. It was a good day and we all learned a lot about Rome! Thanks Mommy Parties and Dig It for a chance to try out Roman Town.

Little Man Needs a New Nickname

2010-12-04T16:40:00.000-08:00

Little Man had a birthday this week and I every time I look at him I am reminded that his "little boy" stage is rapidly coming to a halt.

Until he does something like this:

Then I wonder if he'll ever grow up.

Somedays I really need him to grow up because things like fighting with him over taking a shower when he smells like a wet dog just gets old. Other days, when he looks like this:

I wish he could stay my Little Man forever. Then he wakes up.

Truth be told, Little Man really is an amazing creature. He is the quintessential little boy. He loves dirt and creatures and rocks and animals and wierd looking, stinky things and nature. He is kind to his friends, he loves his family and he has a wicked sense of humor. He is the kind of kid who challenges his mama with his boyish nature, and sometimes he makes me so mad I could spit. Then the second he realizes he's crossed a line or hurt my feelings or trashed my dryer with his "rock tumbling" experiment, he will hug my neck so hard that I feel his little heart through his chest. His remorse is so real and so heartfelt that I can't stay mad. Because that heart is so pure and innocent and loving that to stay mad at him for being who he is? Would ruin who he is. So who is he? He is an amazing gift from a loving Heavenly Father who knew that I would need someone in my life who can love me wholeheartedly, without condition, regardless of my weight, my haircut or my lack of patience with curious, active little boys.

He is my Little Man...at least for a few more years.

MixBook Photobook Winner!

2010-12-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

What the heck was going on with my eyes while I was making this video?!?!!! This is why I don't do stuff like this more often. Major Vlog FAIL!!!

But oh yeah...Congrats to Melanie for winning the MixBook Giveaway!! Have fun putting your photobook together, Melanie!!

Episencial Skin Care Products Review

2010-12-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I received some really great skin care products from Episencial and Mommy Parties to try out. They arrived at the perfect time, because here in the desert, as the air gets colder, it also gets even drier than in the hot summer months, if you can believe that! My boys both look like they have alligator skin right now, but I have to be really careful about what I use on Little Man because his skin is super sensitive.

Episencial makes several all natural skin care products specially formulated for babies and kids (but adults can use them too!). Free from the bad stuff like parabens, phthalates and fragrances, Episencial products are loaded with all-natural goodness and healthy organics. All of the formulas are safe for newborns and actually contain an exclusive "skin immune complex" to help the boost the skin's immune functions.

I got together with some friends and we tested some of the lotions on some of the toddlers in the group:

We used the Better Body Butter and everybody really loved the feel and smell of it, it wasn't oily at all.

Melisa was happy to get the Nurturing Balm for her 3 month old baby girl to help keep the diaper rash under control and the "Kristys"( two of my neighbors are good friends who live next to each other...both named Kristy!) were both excited about the Playful Foaming Wash.

My camera had a meltdown, so couldn't take any more pics, but all of the guests received gift bags full of samples so they can try out several Episencial products. I came home after the party and used the Soothing Cream on Little Man who always struggles with a bit of eczema behind his knees and on his arms. He usually hates using lotion on those spots, because it either burns or feels greasy and iscky to him. To his and my delight, he felt no burning or irritation and he said the itching started to go away pretty quickly. Yay! Something that actually works for him!

It was a fun to get together and I want to thank Episencial and Mommy Parties for letting us try out their new line of all natural, organic skin care products for little ones. We love what we have tried so far!

**Disclosure - I was not compensated for this product review. Episencial and Mommy Parties provided me with skin care products to help facilitate this review. **

Like Mother, Like Son...

2010-11-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

Remember the Toe post? I do. Because it was my toe. You should take a minute to read it. It is absolutely hilarious. Despite the fact that it happened to me.

Why do I bring this up? Because my little guy recently suffered a like injury.

Only unlike his numbskull father, I did not run boiling hot lava water over his toe in an attempt to cauterize the wound. I calmly cut away the torn skin and remnants of his toenail while he flailed and screamed and acted as if I were amputating his entire leg. All this from my normally tough guy who takes injuries with a grain of salt and moves on to the next challenge. Seriously? You would have thought I was using a rusty saw to remove his last limb the way he went on and on and on. I have no doubt it hurt, but the reaction was waaaaay over the top, even for a drama prone kid, which Little Man is NOT!

When I finally asked him what all the drama was for? He stopped crying for a moment, looked at me with his huge brown, tear-filled eyes and said..."I was afraid you wouldn't be here and I didn't know who would take care of my toe." Ouch. I know! Dagger through the heart moment, right?

What I can't figure out is why he thought I wouldn't be here for him. I was home when he left to go outside to play, did he think I would get in the car and leave while he was gone? Does he not know that I spend every waking hour worrying and thinking about him and praying for his well-being and happiness? Does he not realize that the worst nightmares I have involve me not being able to get to my children to help them when they are in the most desperate of circumstances? How could he think I would just go away?

I guess he had an irrational moment. Just like his mama does when, on occasion, out of the blue I imagine something horrific happening to my family. Have you ever had that happen? I hate that!

Now, there might come a day when he hopes I'm not home when he walks in the door. And if he hopes that because he is being accompanied by the police for some idiotic prank he pulled, then I would say for his sake he'd better hope pretty dang hard that his father answers the door. But until that day comes, I hope he knows that there is nothing that would get in the way of making sure I am here for my boys whenever they need me. Why? I Am Boymom. It's what I do.

LikeWear "Military Chic" a Big Hit with Big Brother

2010-11-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

I wrote about LikeWear maybe a year ago? When I was first asked to review some of their clothing, I wasn't sure what my kids would think. Turns out, the t-shirts I got from LikeWear are some of the boys favorite items of clothing.

LikeWear has some new designs in their "Military Chic" line and we were excited to check them out as Big Brother is a major military fan, so this new line is right up his alley and trendy to boot.

He loves his new shirt! He wears it almost every day, so I have to take full advantage of his sleep time to wash it. So far it's holding up well.

Things I like about LikeWear:

Well-made clothing - the t-shirts are not made of thin, flimsy material and they are put together well.
Trendy, unique, kid-friendly designs.
Business opportunities for stay-at-home moms. (See LikeWear website for more details!)

They have lots of cute girl clothes too! Stop by the site and check out some of their fun designs and find out more about how you can earn a few bucks working with LikeWear. "Mom designed - kid approved!" (that's my slogan for LikeWear, not their slogan. But they can have it if they want it!)

Mixbook Review and Giveaway

2010-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Are you one of those photo people who constanly has a camera with them, taking pics of everything and everybody (not so hard now that cell phones all have cameras on them!)? Then do you take those pics and do amazing things with them like scrapbook or make video montages? You are? Then I so hate you right now. Kidding! I kid. I'm actually super jealous of your organizational skills and creativity, both of which seem to be just out of my reach since having kids.

If you are one of those people who loves to document life events with photos and scrapbooks and such, then you need to check out Mixbook. Mixbooks are photobooks that are 100% customizable in that you can choose to start with blank pages or use a template that can be edited to your liking. Mixbook even has "stickers" that allow you to personalize your pages, giving it more of a scrapbook feel and look.

Here are the things I like about Mixbook:

You can choose a "theme" to help you get a certain look, and Mixbook will create a template for your book, so all you have to do is drop in the photos and maybe add a few embellishments. This a great time management tool for someone like me who tends to get stuck when I have too many choices.
Mixbook also lets you choose and change backgrounds from all of their themes to use on individual pages. So if you don't like the background that the template gave you on one page, you can create something totally different by pulling individual components from other themes. If you like a sticker from a Wedding theme, you can add that to your stockpile of stickers. If you want a background from a holiday theme, you just add it to the background choices that came with your theme.
You don't have to choose a theme at all! You can go completely custom and use your imagination to create some amazing and unique designs by pulling different backgrounds and design elements from all of the choices Mixbook has to offer. Personally, I need help getting started, as the ideas and flow of creativity seem to be stifled lately. But I have friends who are amazingly talented scrapbookers who would love Love LOVE this feature!
You can access your Photobucket, Facebook and Picaso accounts right from Mixbook to pull photos from those sites, as well as from your computer.
You can invite other people to contribute to your book! Say you and your siblings are spread out across the country and want to do an "anniversary book" or a "memory book" for Mom and Dad. Instead of just emailing photos and putting one person in charge of designing and putting the photo book together, each family can log into Mixbooks and do their own page, with their own unique design! The end result is a book that everybody helped create and it's totally personalized. And nobody had to travel across 6 states or spend tons of money and time scanning and mailing photos. The whole family can participate from their own homes! (Okay, does anyone here have the brother or uncle who always trys to throw in an unflattering photo and then when you bring it up they go find an even MORE unflattering photo? Because I could totally see that being an issue in some households.)
Mixbook has lots of help and tutorials available if you get stuck. They also let users post their projects for others to view, which is a great resource to help you get ideas for your own book. There is even a live chat feature on the site so someone can walk you through whatever issue you might have while you work on your book.

As an honest reviewer, I do have to say, I was a little disappointed that Mixbook doesn't have more "boy" type themes or stickers. I mean, I Am Boymom, right? So most of my pics are about boys. They have a few sports themes and one for boy babies, but nothing really for boys my age. Having said that, I'm not sure I have a lot of input regarding how they can fix that issue, other than adding more "boy" oriented stickers, like maybe army guys, legos, bottle caps, pebbles and rocks, skateboards, bikes, cool flame type things, little crawly creatures - you know...boy stuff. That is really the only downside I have found about Mixbook.

So basically, Mixbook is like Shutterfly on steroids. So many more choices and options and after some research, I found the prices are lower at Mixbook as well. And right now? You can save even more money at Mixbook! I Am Boymom readers can get an extra 20% off with this code: BOYMIX20

Okay, I'll tell you! I wanted to wait until my Mixbook was done to tell you about it. But it is taking me waaaaay longer than I had planned to finish it because of the custom options that are allowing me to create the "exact" look I want and because I am still sorting through some old photos to put in the book. But I want to get the giveaway underway so the winner can use their book as a gift if they want to. So...

Wanna Win a Mixbook Photobook? The good people at Mixbook are giving away a 20 page, 11x8.5 hardcover landscape photo books with free US ground shipping to one of my readers! The winner will have until January 31st to redeem the prize code, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. The contest will end on November 30th, 12 Midnight MST. US residents only. You can gain extra entries by

Following my blog (if you already follow, just leave a comment saying so)
Posting the giveaway on Facebook
blogging about the giveaway
Tweeting the giveaway on Twitter

Be sure to leave a separate comment for each extra entry so I can count each one.

**Disclosure - I did not receive monetary compensation for this post. Mixbook gave me a Mixbook photobook to help facilitiate this review.**

Holiday Wish List Meme

2010-11-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

Times are tough for a lot of people right now, right? We don't have ~~a lot of money~~ any money for gifts this year, so in the spirit of hope and believing in the power of positive thinking, I am entering lots and lots of contests to help supplement the lame homemade gifts I will be giving. I like this contest, because along with gaining me entry to win, I can share a little bit about myself with my friends and readers.

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

Todays Mama (http://bit.ly/tmwishlist) and GameStop (http://bit.ly/gamestop10) are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family? To find our path. We have been struggling for 13 years now to figure out how to become the family we want to be. We want a healthy family dynamic, a home filled with love and acceptance and the skillset to deal with and overcome adversity without losing our minds and our bearings in life. And we want to find where we belong. We want to find the place where we all feel like we're finally home.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition? Sadly, we haven't really established anything really great. We all just kind of get up and watch the kids open gifts then I get breakfast. Maybe I'll put on some Christmas music. We didn't grow up with traditions, so we are still struggling to find one that means something to us. Maybe that will be my goal this year is to really hone in on a Christmas morning tradition that will have some meaning for our family.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be? To have the money to attend a really great blog conference! I love social media and I have so many ideas that I need help to flesh out and a blog conference would be the perfect place for me to network with the experts and get their input and advice. Plus I would finally get to meet some of my great blog friends! A vacation and a learning experience, all rolled into one awesome package!

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money? We try to focus on the real reasons we celebrate the holidays. On Thanksgiving, we talk a lot about the blessings we've received throughout the year and we take time to thank our Heavenly Father for his love and support. Throughout the Christmas season we talk a lot about our belief in Christ and really focus on loving and serving others as much as we can to create a spirit of warmth and love. We try to give gifts that have meaning, rather than gifts that cost a lot of money, like photo albums, handmade cards, homemade treats, etc.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up? Ummm...we didn't play games. We didn't really play as a family at all. We didn't really have that kind of family dynamic. My sister and I lived in many different homes with different family members, so there wasn't a lot of game playing, mostly just trying to adjust and survive. To be fair, when we did live with my mom, she worked 7 days a week, so there wasn't really a lot of time for "playing" or doing stuff with the kids. But enough of the whining! I'm trying to leave those issues behind! I do remember a few times, back when Atari Pong came out, sitting with my step-dad and playing Pong with him for $25 a game. I KNOW!! He played for some serious cash!! Now that I think about it, he had to purposely lose the first game because neither of us kids had $25 to start with! Wonder why that never occurred to me then? Ahhh...good times.

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood? Like I said, we never really had holiday traditions growing up. I guess no matter where we lived or who we lived with it seems like we always made sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles. And I can always remember being able to watch the Christmas specials and It's a Wonderful Life. I do make sure my kids make cookies and we watch some of the classic specials and Christmas movies every year, so I guess we do have a tradition! Yay!!!! We're making progress!

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip? I would love to go to Switzerland and see the Alps and eat lots of hot, melted cheese dishes while I watch the snow fall and listen to milking maids yodel about hot chocolate. Seriously though, Switzerland sounds like a wonderfully, picturesque place to spend at least one Christmas, with it's pretty little villages nestled among huge snow covered mountains.

8. Check out GameStop (http://bit.ly/gamestop10) and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?

1) A Nintendo Red DSi Bundle for Little Man, his Gameboy is antiquated and hard to find games for.

2) An Xbox 360 w/Kinect for The Man and Big Brother, because apparently PS2 is no longer relevant in the gaming world.

3) A Wii Fit Plus w/ Balance Board or EA Sports Fitness Bundle for me so I can get my fat butt moving in 2011 to something fun and finally get in shape!

Well, that's my meme. It actually made me a little depressed. My goal right now is to be extremely positive, so I really need to work hard this year to create a different experience for myself and my family! No more mourning the past! Now you know a little bit more about me, I would love to hear about some of your family traditions and Christmas wishes!! Maybe I can borrow from some of you to start creating better memories for my kids. Here's to a happy, memorable Holiday Season!!

Hilarious Radio Call

2010-11-13T22:53:00.000-08:00

Something for you to giggle about...have a good Sunday!

Texas Man Witnesses a Car Accident

(When you get to the site, click the PLAY button in the box that says Roger Rick and Marilyn Morning Show Bits)

Not All Bubbles Are Fun

2010-10-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Conversation that took place in the back seat on the way to school today:

Little Man: Look! I can blow bubbles with my spit! Can you?

Big Bro: Yeah. Mine are bigger. Watch this one.

Little Man: What if we could blow bubbles with out butts!?

(Hysterical laughter, snorts and guffaws)

Big Bro: Then Dad's Butt Bubbles would be HUGE!!

(More hysterical laughter)

I did not participate in this conversation. But had I chosen to make a remark, it would have been something to this affect:

"Yes, Dad's Butt Bubbles would be huge! They would also contain an incredibly noxious, nuclear-like odor that could lay waste to an entire third world country in about 5 seconds flat. I know, because I sleep in the same bed as the man. And apparently, night time is the best time to practice butt bubble blowing, because I notice that's when he does his best work."

The Stress of Transistions

2010-10-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

Transitioning is always stressful. We have lots of decisions to make in our house, but no information to make them with. So here we sit, in limbo, waiting to know if we have the job or not before committing to Plan B, which is not all that strong at the moment either. I've had a lot of time to stress over not being able to control the situation, which has led to me getting very sick this week. Lots of stress = weakened immune system = me getting hit with a chest cold and flu-like symptoms that knocked me on my butt. Lots of crying and general malaise.

Today, I forced myself to get up and get the kids to church because Little Man had to read the monthly scripture today in Primary. It required putting forth effort that I really didn't want to put forth when I feel like hammered poo. But I did it for my kid, because that's what moms do, right? My son was magnificent, he read his very long scripture perfectly and he even understood what it meant. Was it worth the effort? Of course. And in return for my willingness to sacrifice my comfort for my son's church participation, I was blessed too.

No, my lungs did not magically open up and expel the foul virus that is making me ill, nor did a bag of money or a job offer drop from the sky. But my eyes did manage to open up and take notice of the beautiful cornflower blue sky laced with wispy white clouds. And my poor, dried out skin took delight in the wonderfully cool breeze that brushed over my arms and gently swept over my face as it hurried toward the trees to tickle their branches and leaves. My nose breathed it in deeply and despite a few hacks and coughs, the crisp, clean air filled my lungs and I felt renewed and refreshed for a few moments. My mind instantly recognized the signs of fall and my soul truly jumped for joy at the realization that the brutal heat of summer is finally gone. We have officially survived another hellish Arizona summer! And just like that, I had one less thing to stress about. Deep breath (cough, hack, cough) and sigh. My shoulders just relaxed a little.

As I write this, I am sitting by the open window, not hearing the constant drone of the air conditioning unit. Instead, I hear my boys laugh, play, giggle and yell while they take in all the neighborhood has to offer a couple of active boys who have been cooped up for 3 months by the intense summer sun. The cooler weather has lifted their spirits too. They frolic and kick like spirited colts running through fields of perfect, green alfalfa, but instead of whinnies and neighs, I hear laser and machine gun sound effects and instead of alfalfa, the frolicking takes place in the dirt fort next to our house. No matter...as long as they are happy. I love that I can hear them so clearly - their plots, their dreams, their gross boy humor. I remember having a few great play days like this when I was kid. You know them...those days when everything and everyone from the neighborhood comes together in perfect harmony to create the ultimate perfect day; great weather, good friends, awesome snacks, no arguing, no hurt feelings, no bike wrecks...just pure, unadulterated fun that you never want to end. Suddenly I am aware that my chest feels a little less tight and I realize that I have pretty good, generally happy, well-adjusted kids. And with that realization comes one more release...Now I have two less thing to stress about. Is there nothing more healing to a sick mom's heart and mind than the laughter of her happy kids?

So I thought I'd take a minute to make sure I got this day down in writing. The day that I remembered what fall feels like in the desert. The day I remembered a few good days from my childood. The day I remembered to enjoy my kids. The day I remembered that hard times (or excessive heat) don't last forever. The day that I was reminded that there are so many good things in the world to think about and enjoy as we struggle through our trials and tribulations. It's been a good day to just sit and remember.

Transitions - Part 1

2010-10-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Along with other life transitions, I am working on a new look for the blog. It might get kind of crazy around here 'til I figure out which direction I want to take it, so try to hang on while I get it figured out!

As far as life outside of my blog?

It seems like my life has been in transition for a long, long time now. I keep trying to evolve to fit my current set of circumstances, but none of the changes I make seem to take hold on a permanent basis. As I write this, I realize that just being human makes life transitory by nature. We are always learning and growing and adapting. But right now? I'd like to just chill until I can see a clear path.

This really all relates to stability. Emotional stability, financial stability, domestic stability...it seems like when I get one of those elements lined out, another one spins out of control. Some of my instability is due to choices I have made in my life, and some of it has had to do with circumstances and choices that others made on my behalf. I get that I can't go back and change that. Finally, I get that. At this moment I want to create a more stable life going forward, not just for me, but for my kids! Stability is all I want right now.

So...here I sit, on the precipice of several HUGE life choices. All of them will directly affect my life and the lives of my children, especially when it comes to our ability to feel safe and comfortable. For me, it's really hard when financial instability becomes the driving force behind our decision making process because then the process feels frenzied and chaotic and desperate. It's hard to stay calm when you're backed up against the wall. Having said that, had we had a Plan B on file in the first place, we probably would have made better choices at the beginning of this trial and could have avoided some of the last minute misery and debate we are dealing with now. Hindsight, right?

Now we are facing the inevitable...Do we move to another state and try to start over in a new environment or do we stay put and try to slug it out in a place where both of us have spent what seems like an eternity trying to carve out a niche for ourselves? My vote? Stay here. Which is weird, because we've always talked about the day we can finally move out of Arizona! But now that I face that possibility, I'm not ready to go. I'm still trying to decide if my lack of enthusiasm has more to do with the location my husband is leaning toward or having to pack the house up all over again. Either way, I'm not ready to deal with this change. I know the demons I face here! I know the economy (or lack therof), the streets, the politics, the weather, the people...all of the things which I gripe about on a daily basis! Isn't it ironic how familiarity can sometimes ease the lack of stability of our lives, but that same familiarity also leads us to feel contempt and boredom for our same old surroundings? We are weird, complex creatures sometimes, that is certain.

All of this comes down to what? Me being too afraid and tired to try something new. Before I had kids I probably would have jumped at the chance to see another part of the country. Now I just want to get where we need to be and stay there. I want to put down roots and become part of the community and live my life there and know that at last, I am home and I never have to leave. If I thought for one second that the place my husband wants to move was that place? I'd be all over it. But I don't feel that way about his choice. In fact I work hard everyday to try to imagine life there and I can't.

So why is it even a consideration? If I'm not gonna be happy there, why would we even consider it? Because Big Man has a brother there whom he adores and who brings out all the good and wonderful qualities in the man I married. Their love for each other is deep and strong and without judgement. My husband doesn't have kind of relationship with most of his other siblings. Big Man feels like maybe with his brother's help and support, he can get back on his feet and create a new career path. More importantly, he feels like he will finally be away from the many people he has grown up with here who seem to always see him as a failure. His road here has been a tough one, not filled with very many positive experiences.

So maybe a change is warranted. Sometimes all one needs to shake old habits and demons is a change of scenery. Some place to start over again, with a new outlook and new perspective. Some place where you get to be who you really are, where no one has preconcieved ideas about you based on who you used to be.

I just wish that place wasn't Florida.

We Are FAM-I-LY

2010-10-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

Grandpa hates pictures. Like really, really hates them. He hates pictures like the rest of the family hates the work jumpsuits he wears everyday, regardless of the occasion. Which is why I took this quick snapshot of him and Big Man a few months ago. Because I knew it would be one of the few that I get of him during his time here on earth. And I want my grandkids to know who their great grandpa was...jumpsuits and all.

I realized the other day that my kids have no idea who their ancestors are. There aren't a lot of stories about the men and women who came before them being told around the campfire or the kitchen table.

I remember some of my family's history being told to me when I was doing a report for school in Junior High, and I've read little bits and pieces about some of them here and there, but other than that, it wasn't until just recently that I made some really amazing discoveries about my lineage. And I know this sounds stupid, but knowing where I came from has helped me deal with some of my most deepset issues.

I am finally starting to feel there is more to who I am than my issues and my feelings and my past. Does that make sense? I belong to something bigger than my little semi-dysfunctional unit. For some reason, learning more about my forefathers has helped me see things from a different perspective. Maybe it was just the fact that my world got a little larger when I began to own my heritage.

Anyway...the more I learn about some of these people who started the gene pool to which I belong, the more grateful I am for amazingly strong ancestors who were willing to make some pretty tough choices and some big sacrifices for future generations. So it occurred to me that my boys need to know about these amazing people too. They need to know that their world started long before they were ever born and that there were folks who paved the way for them. They need to know their people.

Hexbug Winners!

2010-10-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's announce the Hexbug Winners!! I gave Hope 2 entries, 1 for her comment and one for the facebook post, Danielle had 3 entries, for a total of 5 entries.

Miss Hope
Miss Hope
Danielle
Danielle
Danielle

So here's the draw:

Looks like Danielle is the winner!! Woot!! Congrats Danielle! Thanks for stopping by!

Movie Review: "Life As We Know It"

2010-10-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Lucky me, I actually got to go on a date with my husband last night, thanks to Mom Central! We were invited to see a pre-screening of Life As We Know It starring Kathryn Heigl and Josh Duhamel. I had seen a few commercials for the movie and it looked really entertaining, but you never know until you actually get there if the movie lives up to the hype.

Well, I'm here to tell you, the movie is really, really funny and touching at the same time. The basic premise of the movie is this:

"After a disastrous first date, the only thing Holly, an up and coming caterer, and Eric, a network sports director, have in common is their dislike for each other and their love for their goddaughter Sophie. But when they suddenly become all Sophie has in the world, Holly and Eric are forced to put their differences aside and juggle career ambitions and competing social calendars to find some common ground while living under one roof."

First of all, I had to laugh at the whole Holly/Eric relationship, because we all have single friends like those two characters...the ones who irritate each other so badly, but would really be a great couple!? The casting for those two parts was so dead on! Kathryn Heigl and Josh Duhamel made such a cute couple and they played off each other really well!!

So Holly (Kathryn Heigl) and Eric (Josh Duhamel) get thrown into the whole parenting thing with no warning and have to figure out how to deal with each other and a child, as well as the loss of their best friends. As life issues go, definitely not how I would want to start my child-rearing gig. But as a parent, there was so much about this movie that I could relate to. The thought of a child losing her parents immediately triggered my nurturing side and I was totally moved to tears watching that whole issue unfold. Then as the main characters took on the parenting roles, I remembered how I felt so overwhelmed when I had my first child, even with 9 months to get used to the idea! So it was really easy to be sympathetic and even laugh when these two single people, who had parenthood thrust upon them, struggled with basics like changing diapers (Josh's character gagging and running out of the room) and trying to calm an inconsolable baby at 2 a.m. Kathryn and Josh made the struggle seem believable, not campy or trite.

Then...there was the whole "neighborhood support" issue, which had me in stitches, because again...I could relate to the whole dynamic! The lady who brings casseroles, the endless unsolicited parenting tips, the married couple with 9 kids who always looks tired and wrung out...it's true to life and it made me reflect on my own neighbors with both affection and irritation. There were seriously some very funny scenes involving the neighbors. Gotta love 'em!

I won't give anymore of the movie away, but I will say, I was a little concerned at first that there wouldn't be enough meat to carry the plot and that it would just be a bunch of poopy diaper and spit-up jokes, both of which were part of the script, but there was a lot more going on in the story.

Life As We Know It really is a light-hearted, somewhat realistic snapshot of what people face everyday as they decide to merge lives and raise a child. Careers, income, even which TV shows to watch...everything changes when you bring a baby into the picture! It was refreshing to watch Kathryn Heigl and Josh Duhamel play out everyday situations that most of us face with great comedic timing and with the emotion that we all feel when it comes to choosing a partner and raising a family. And yes, I get that this is a movie and movies generally tend to have happy endings, but sometimes life has happy endings too. This movie gave me some perspective and helped me laugh at my parenting challenges and made me want to try harder for my own happy ending.

Life As We Know It opens October 8th. Go see it! It's totally worth the admission price!

**Disclosure: “I attended a complimentary screening of this movie to facilitate my review and received a gift card from Mom Central as a thank you for my time.”**

When Scouts RePurpose

2010-09-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember this?

Back in the day it was used to make these:

Which are no longer considered potholders. Apparently they are now being used as:

Ear Warmers for Cub Scouts.

For those long, cold nights out in the backyard. The backyard that is located right in the middle of the Arizona desert. Where it's always summer.

We've Been Invaded! Hexbugs Review & Giveaway

2010-09-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes raising boys can be a little challenging, especially when you're a mom who isn't big on all the little creatures that boys seem to be attracted to. We have been home to a number of lizards over the last few years, which means we have to keep crickets and mealworms for the lizards to eat. I really HATE having these icky things in my house. I've found the boys poking at beetles, grasshoppers and even a scorpion once, albeit from a distance, with a VERY long stick. That one about gave me a heart attack!

A few weeks ago, we got a package from the UPS man FILLED with bugs! Lucky for me, they are of a robotic/electronic nature, so they were very welcome inside our living room. HEXBUGS are swarming the country and I gotta say, for little tiny toys, they are pretty interesting.

So what are they? HEXBUG Nanos are these little robotic toys that look and act like bugs! They use vibration to scurry around on their twelve little rubber legs and when they hit a wall or get stuck, they just redirect themselves (in a freaked out, chaotic way like a real trapped bug would) until they find an escape point, then they're off again! They can even right themselves when they get flipped on their backs! They really do look and act like real bugs. Kind of freaky, but in a good way!

The HEXBUG Nanos come in test tubes, each with a unique code that kids can register online to track their collection. Once online, they can play games and learn intersting scientific facts. I liked the fact that the manufacturer (Innovation First International) encourages learning as a part of the HEXBUG experience. My oldest is really enjoying the website, my youngest seemed a little overwhelmed by it, but he's not the computer kid in the family, so either his brother or myself will have to help him navigate the website at some point.

According to the HEXBUG website, "the first prototypes of the Nano were inspired by the old vibrating football games...Thirty some iterations, a few years, and dozens of designs later the Nano was born. To give just a taste of how much development went into this product, we engineered and rapid prototyped over 150 variations of legs alone." Which is why I'm not a scientist. I have no patience for the fine tuning process I guess. But people who are interested in what makes the HEXBUGS tick should check out the Design portion of the website. It gives LOTS of information on what makes the HEXBUGS work. The site also has instructions on how to change the batteries and other helpful info to keep your bugs working properly. A "How to Care for Your New Hexbug" handbook, if you will.

Thanks to HEXBUGS and MomSelect, we had the chance to invite some of the boys' friends over to try out the HEXBUG Nanos on their Habitat set. Boys and girls both loved the little creatures and spent 3 hours at our little bug party racing them in the habitat and all over the house.

Along with using the habitat, we also played a few games with the HEXBUGS. The kids favorite game was called Anthill. We cut some holes in a box and assigned each hole points. The HEXBUGS all got turned on and set on the floor then we quickly (and I mean quickly! Those little dudes are fast!) turned the box over on top of them. We could hear the bugs bouncing off the sides of the box looking for and escape, which made the kids laugh hysterically. Eventually one of them would find a hole and emerge, winning the points assigned to the hole. The HEXBUG with the most points after 3 rounds won the game.

It was a fun day for the boys and their friends and the HEXBUGS and Habitat continue to be a source of entertainment for our boy filled neighborhood, as well as for Blackie Chan the Ninja Cat, who on occasion will appear out of nowhere to pounce on one of the unsuspecting robotic creatures. His fun is shortlived though. As soon as he realizes he can't bite through them, he bats them across the room and walks away.

Wanna win a HEXBUG Nano of your own? I have 2 Nano test tubes to give away to one lucky reader!! You know the drill, right? Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win! For extra enteries you can

Post the contest on Facebook
Tweet the contest on Twitter
Blog about the contest
Link the contest to a Mr Linky somewhere on the internet
Follow my blog!

Let me know in a separate comment what you've done so I can make sure you get credit for each effort! Contest will end on September 30th 2010 at 12 midnight PST. U.S. residents only (sorry, shipping costs!).

Where Did My Little Boy Go?

2010-09-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

This post is late. About 4 weeks late. Man how the time flies! Is it just me or does it seem like the days go by in a matter of just a few hours lately??

Eleven years ago in the middle of August, I had my first baby boy. He was the easiest, most well behaved, happy little baby I had ever had the pleasure to know. And he was mine. I still remember the overwhelming love that rushed into my heart when I saw my son for the first time. I used to waste hour after hour just staring at him and watching him and talking to him and loving him. He was, for me, the perfect little dude.

Back then, he looked like this:

Now he looks like this!

It seems like the little boy in him is trying his hardest to escape and run away. In his place? I find this giant Man-Child who is only a few inches shorter than me with feet the size of a small Sasquatch!! Inside of his growing body are hormones that have turned my normally relaxed little kid into a frustrated wanna-be man. Not old enough to hang out with the teenagers, but too old to hang out with the little kids. Not old enough to watch certain TV shows or movies, but too old for many of the cartoons he used to love. It's a tough place to be, for him and for me. We have lots of issues now that we didn't have before, because he feels the need to voice his opinion A LOT more than he used to. He's struggling with delivering his disdain for our rules in an appropriate manner. We are struggling with the fact that he is struggling.

I wasn't prepared for this stage of his life. I didn't really know who he would be heading into puberty. I didn't realize that his normally laid back personality would change so much! Of course, I am recognizing that part of his discomfort and lack of enthusiasm these days in due in part to the fact that more and more expectations are being put upon him as he ages. Big Brother isn't a guy who thrives on challenges. He likes his livin' easy. He prefers a slower pace with lots of social interaction. And he prefers that social interaction to take place without his parents present. It seems we block his Chi or something.

His independence is nothing new. He's always been comfortable being by himself and he was the one who was happy to start school and have his "me" time away from mom. I want him to be able to be independent. But I want him to be aware too! Big Brother doesn't always get that simply being away from Mom and Dad doesn't make you independent and functional. He thinks things will just kind of take care of themselves. It's one thing to think you can handle life on your own because YOU think you're smart enough to deal with challenge. It's another to be fully aware that, at times, life will be tough and in order to successfully navigate it emotionally intact and independently, you need to be truly prepared with proper coping skills. I'm not quite sure he's ready to make some of the decisions he will have to make about who he hangs out with and whether or not he will participate in questionable activities, ya know? There's so much he still doesn't know. He just doesn't know that he doesn't know it yet. I know what he doesn't know though, because I flew out of my childhood nest completely unprepared for what the world was really like. I found it to be a pretty brutal and unforgiving place when I was young, because I really believed that everyone around me was who they said they were. Unfortunately, people aren't always honest and a lot of those people have no problem preying on naive, kind-hearted teenagers who are looking for acceptance. Funny thing is? I think I was a lot like my son. I thought I was pretty world-wise and could handle just about anything or anyone. Turns out I couldn't. And some of my choices (or lack of action) left some pretty big emotional scars. So I worry about Big Brother.

But...Big Brother is growing up. And because he is growing up? I have to grow up. Maybe that's what all this melancholy I feel is really about. I should rejoice that he is growing up and becoming a wonderful young man, because he really is a wonderful young man. He is kind and loving. He loves to experience new things. He has this really incredible laugh. And he is working so hard to find himself. I should be happy. But I'll be honest. I don't know that I am that much more emotionally mature than my son is. He is actually striving to be a mature adult! I think I spend half of my time running away from that concept! How can I help him be the man he needs to be to have a full and happy life when I can't even figure out how to have a full and happy life of my own!?

My son, my small man, turned 11 this year. He reminds me every day that when I chose to be a mother, I chose to help another human being come into this world and make a life for himself. He's reached the age where I am way out of my comfort level when it comes to answering his questions and teaching him the life skills he'll so desperately need to function well in the world. I've reached the end of my skill set. So I worry. Because I'm not sure I can stay ahead of the curve enough to make sure he always has a well-adjusted parent available to offer support and guidance and direction. I have to step up my game now - big time! And I'm really feeling the pressure.

WaterPik Sinusense Review

2010-09-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

Everyone in my neighborhood is sick right now with horrible head colds that turn into horrible chest colds. I've been lucky so far and have somehow remained untouched by this rotten pre-winter cold/flu stuff (crossing fingers, knocking on wood!). My husband was not lucky, however and found himself waking up a few weeks ago with a head full of icky stuff and a nasty sinus infection.

As fate would have it, the Fed-X man delivered a package that very afternoon, just minutes after my husband went to work wondering how he was going to manage this illness without calling in sick to his parttime job, which is all we have going for us right now since my census job ended!

Even more of an issue is that we don't have insurance right now either, so a trip to the doctor just seemed impossible. So the question of how to help him get his sinus infection under control was looming large. But miracles do happen people! The box that was delivered in such a timely manner? Contained this:

and also this:

I KNOW! How fortuitous, right? WaterPik has some new products out that are specifically geared toward sinus health! We know that WaterPik has a wonderful reputation in the dental car world, but had never heard of their Sinusense products. My husband took advantage of our opportunity to review the products by immediately ripping the boxes open as soon as he walked in the door from work. He headed straight upstairs to the bathroom and began to put the Sinusense products to the test!

He tried the Neti Bottle first, just because he had heard so much about the benefits of Neti Pots and wanted to see what the difference was between using a Neti device vs. a regular squeeze bottle. Following the directions, he filled the Neti bottle with warm, distilled water and the Saline Packs that were included in the Sinusense kits. His first reaction as he squeezed the solution out of the bottle into his sinus cavities was that it didn't burn like regualr salt water does. Waterpik's Soothing Saline Packs contains eucalyptus oil and aloe vera to help take the sting out of siuns cleansing. His second comment was that the neti bottle seemed to somehow get the solution further back into his sinus passages than a normal spray bottle does and that it does so gently. No shocking blasts of water to make you choke and gag.

He went to bed that night breathing much better and was actually able to sleep through the night, which was good for me too, as I was completely exhausted from his previous night of coughing and snorting. The following morning he used the Squeeze Bottle instead of the Neti Bottle, just to compare the two. He found that with the bottle he could get a much more powerful spray of water into his sinuses and he was able to manipulate the bottle easier. He also mentioned that he appreciated the flow control mechanism on both of the bottles that prevented the water in his nose from going back into the bottle when it came running out. Ummm...yeah. Nose backwash would be kind of gross. So that is really a nice feature.

In the end, he liked both kits for different reasons and ended up alternating between the two of them all week long. While our neighbors suffered through their stuff for a few weeks, my husband moved through his infection in about 5 days. The final verdict? Easy squeezy, no more sneezy! We are definitely attributing his ability to get over his sinus issues so quickly and without medication to the Waterpik Sinusense kits. We will continue to use them throughout the winter to fight off cold and flu season.

Wanna try WaterPik Sinusense yourself? Go to their website and print out a coupon good for $2 off any Sinusense product! While you're there you can find out more about the entire Sinusense line. Stay well this winter, my bloggy friends!

Things I Heard While Waiting for my Kids at School

2010-09-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

Conversation #1

Girl: Justin Bieber sucks.

Girl's friend who apparently loves Justin Bieber: No, you suck.

Different kid: Seriously? Justin Bieber totally sucks! He's lame! He looks like a girl!

Bieber Fan Girl (almost crying): You guys are lame. Justin Bieber is so awesome.

Random Mom standing next to me: Justin Bieber does suck. I hate that kid.

Me (Laughing): Yep. Glad I have boys so I don't have to listen to him.

Random Mom: Lucky.

Conversation #2

Kid: Dude! Your legs are really hairy!

Other Kid: Dude, I know! It's weird. They just started getting that way during the summer.

Kid: Dude! You gotta shave that! It's nasty!

Other Kid: Dude! Guys don't shave their legs, what's wrong witchu?

Kid: Dude...you look like a gorilla.

Other Kid: Man, shut up! You're just jealous that you ain't a man yet, like me.

Kid: Dude. You're 12. You ain't no man yet either.

Other kid: Whatever dude.

3rd Kid: I'm the only man around here. I got a 'stache. Now what?

Kid: Dude...that's just some peach fuzz. That ain't no mustache.

Me: Dude. Quit hatin'. He's 12 and he's already got dark, manly facial hair. That's pretty impressive.

Conversation #3

Girl, halfway to car: Mom, I gotta go to the bathroom.

Mom: Honey! Why didn't go before we got to the car?

Girl: I didn't have to go then!

Mom: You didn't have to go 2 minutes ago, but you have to go now?

Girl: Yeah. Bad. I have to go bad.

Mom: Fine. Hurry up! (Heads back to sidewalk then looks at me as daughter runs to the bathroom) She does this every day! You'd think I'd figure out to ask her before we head to the car!

Me: I know. Mine does the same thing. See ya later! (heads to car with my kids who just walked up)

My Son, halfway to car: Mom, I gotta go pee.

Me: Seriously? How come you didn't go before you met me at the gate?

My Son: I forgot. I gotta go, Mom. Really Bad.

Me: Fine. Hurry UP!! (looks at 1st Mom as we walk back to the sidewalk)...so what were we talking about?

She Say You So Pretty...

2010-08-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

I needed to laugh today. I love this comedienne, she's hilarious! This nail salon routine is funny...cuz it's true.

Anjelah Johnson (stand up) Nail Salon

RiceFisherman | MySpace Video

Mom Strength

2010-08-22T00:41:00.000-07:00

This is a hard post for me to write tonight. And I'm writing for purely selfish reasons, which is the last reason I should be writing, given the subject of this post and the example that has been set for me today. Selfishness has no place in this drama I have watched play out over the last few days. And yet, here I am, with my high maintenance ways, selfishly working through my issues at the expense of my readers. Sorry...the grief is too much to bear alone.

Having said that, the grief and sadness I feel today is NOTHING compared to the loss and suffering my friends have had to endure the last few days as they deal with the tragic loss of their 2 year old son. What makes the loss even more unbearable is that the little boy's caretaker was the one who unknowingly took his life when she backed over him in the driveway. In an instant, 2 families who are the best of friends have been changed forever and a little bundle of energy and mischief is gone.

As I sat at the church waiting for the funeral to begin, I was immediately struck by the fact that the large chapel was full to capacity. That was not surprising. My friends are amazing people who are so easy to love. And the town where they live - where I used to live - is a kind and giving community, full of people who truly care about one another and who delight in serving and supporting their neighbors. I miss my old town.

The service was full of spiritual moments and incredible music that sounded as if it had been flown in on the wings of angels. The people who were there to support this dear family, including those of us in the congregation, offered our hearts and our voices, doing our utmost to usher in a feeling of love, reverence and faith though melody and lyrics that brought even the strongest man there to his knees.

As I struggled to maintain even a modicum of composure, thoughts raced through my head at a breakneck pace. How does a person even begin to deal with the loss of a child? How does the babysitter ever recover from the guilt she must be feeling? How is my friend still standing and talking? Why has she not fallen to the ground by now in a broken, sobbing heap?

I stopped to think about that last question for quite awhile. The question arose when I watched my friends get up to speak about their son. The father did such a great job of supporting his sweet wife. He was trying to be strong for her, for his other children. He spoke with great tenderness, then broke down for just a moment. As he regained his composure, he had no more words, so he turned to his wife - my friend. She stood there in front of a few hundred people with quivering lips and swollen eyes. That's when I wondered if she was going to collapse under the weight of the situation. I watched with tears streaming down my own face as she put her hand out on the podium to steady herself. Two or three times she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, only choked back sobs. She hung her head for a few moments and her shoulders shook visibly as her body tried hard to fight back the grief. We all felt her pain and sat helplessly, offering our heartfelt love and support through silent prayer.

After a few moments, she stood up straight, wiped her tears, took a deep breath and stepped up to the microphone. She had a renewed strength about her. It was her Mom Strength kicking in. It's that strength that magically appears when we are beyond exhausted and longing for peace and sleep, but we keep going because a sick child needs us. It's the kind of strength that allows you to sit back and watch your child make mistakes, even when you know it will cause them great pain. It's the same strength that God gives you to keep having babies, even when the pain is so unbearable that you think it might kill you. Her Mom Strength was getting her through this. And with everything she had, she began to offer up her thoughts, her memories, her feelings, her testimony and her thanks to God for the precious gift of motherhood that she had been given. She recognized that it had been their privilege to bring that sweet little child into their home and thanked Heavenly Father for blessing them with the opportunity to share in their son's short life here on earth.

And then, this incredible friend of mine, this broken, hurting human being, did the most humbling thing I have ever witnessed. She looked to the babysitter, who by some miracle had managed to drag herself to what I can only imagine must have been the second most torutuous event of her life (the first being the horrible drive backward out of my friend's driveway), and thanked her for taking such good care of their son while my friend went to work each day. She offered her love and condolences to the caretaker, knowing that she too must be consumed with grief and overwrought with sadness. My friend did the most unselfish thing a person can do...she reached out and offered a hand of forgiveness to someone that others might have cast off as unlovable because of a life-ending mistake. There was no hate, no harsh words, no blame. Only solace. My dear, sweet, incredibly strong friend rose to the occasion and offered the ultimate sacrifice and example of Christ-like love. She laid her anger at the alter so that everyone could heal and move on.

You would think I would leave there trying to live up to my friend's example of strength. And yet, here I sit, in my own selfishness tonight, sobbing like a baby. I lost nothing because of this tragedy. In fact, it opened my eyes and I gained a much better perpective of what matters and what doesn't. But I still sit here with giant tears pouring out of my face...horrified at the thought of having to go through something so traumatic with one of my own children; racked with guilt that I did not make a bigger effort to spend more time with my dear friends since moving from that little town; overwhelmed with homesickness and a desire to move back to the only place that ever felt like home; heartbroken for a friend who suffers so greatly and for whom I can do nothing to ease her pain; and finally, feeling incredibly moved by my friend's selfless actions. All of which keep the tears flowing. I guess this is how I process. I write and I ramble and I cry.

So thanks, dear readers and friends, for indulging my need to sob on your shoulders. I hope I cry enough tonight to wash the selfishness and grief away so I can be a source of support for my friend and her family. She gave me a great gift today when she offered up her example of courage, faith and selflessness. I would like to return her the favor.

Staples Gift Card Winner

2010-08-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here's the winner of the Stapels Gift Card, as chosen by Random.org!!

Congratulations Stacy! Keep your eyes on the mailbox for your giftcard delivery!!

It's Back to School Time! Staples Gift Card Giveaway

2010-08-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

The boys started school last week. They were not too happy about it. They were even less happy that I would embarrass them by taking a picture in front of their friends at school, as evidenced by this photo. It was a rough start for all of us, to be sure.

So we are 6 days into the new school year and things have smoothed out immensely. We are all settling back into the much needed routine and school life seems tolerable - for the moment. I have to thank Staples and MomSelect for helping out with the Back to School transition. LOOK what the Fed-X Guy dropped off yesterday!! The boys were so excited to have some cool new school supplies that they kind of forgot that they were mad about the short summer!

Staples has a lot of new items this year, including some "green" gear that kids will love, like pencil sharpeners and rulers made out of recycled materials. It'll be really handy for the boys to have an example right in their desks when the class discussion about how kids can help the environment takes place!

I love the organizer that came with the notebooks and comp books and am keeping that for myself so I can actually make an attempt at being organized and efficient this year! So thanks for that, Staples. My kids and their teachers and their coaches and my friends and doctors and anyone else who watches me flounder in a sea of forgotten information will appreciate the organizer too.

The DoSomething.org notebooks and comp books have cool designs and teens can check out the website and learn about various social issues. Notice the word "teens" used there...Staples has definitely geared this DoSomething.org campaign and these products toward older teenagers. (Warning: Honest Mom Review Alert!!) While I appreciate the intent and the effort to educate kids about service and charity, as a parent I am pretty careful about steering my kids through the world of "social issues." These are impressionable years and I want to make sure that what is being thown at them is appropriate for their maturity level. So, I have to state that the DoSomething.org website is NOT something I would allow my pre-teen kids to explore without adult supervision, given their age. The website discusses things like STD's and teen pregnancy and reproductive rights, as well as other issues that I'm not ready for my 8 year old to be exposed to yet. But that's just me.

Having said that, there are also inummerable ideas on the website that encourage kids to get involved in helping around their community, an idea which I really support.

Other than that, I loved the products we received! Big Brother immediatley snagged the Omnitech portable MP3 player speaker and is thrilled with his ability to rock out in his room without earphones.

Little Man was fast on the draw and took the cool Soccer Buddy calculator.

The new school supplies and fun little items made our 2nd week of going back to school a little more bearable. Both boys left the house this morning excited to share their new notebooks and cool gadgets with their friends.

Staples has some great Back-to-School specials on all of these products and more, so be sure to check out their website for more fun items to fill your students' backpacks this year!

And to help fill your backpacks? Staples and MomSelect are giving one of my lucky readers a $25 Staples gift card to help with your Back-to-School shopping! Just visit Staples' Back to School website, then come back here and leave a comment telling me which item you might purchase with your gift card. Contest is gonna be a quickie, it will end on Sunday, August 15th, 2010 @ 12 Midnight PST. Open to US Residents only.

And don't forget, you can earn extra entries by:

Tweeting this contest
Posting the contest on Facebook
Becoming a Follower of I Am Boymom
Listing this blog on a Mr. Linky somewhere on the internet
Blogging about it on Your blog!

Good luck with the contest and with your Back-to-School experiences!!

**DISCLOSURE: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post. Staples provided me with various products to try in order to facilitate this review.**

What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

2010-08-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Little Man begs on a daily basis for deviled eggs. He thinks they are the bomb. When I make them he asks how many he can have. We made some together this weekend, just so he could help. Because Little Man wants to be a chef someday. While he looks for dinosaur bones and ancient civilizations and buried treasure. He can't decide between archeology or paleontolgy. But he figures he might as well eat good while he explores the universe. Not a bad plan, actually. He may need to rethink his food of choice though...I'm not sure how well deviled eggs will travel.

Kung Zhu Pets Are...Totally Ninja!

2010-07-29T00:17:00.000-07:00

A while back Mom Select and Cepia LLC gave my family the opportunity to try out Zhu Zhu Pets before they hit the stores. They were a hit, to be sure, and so were my boys because we got to check out the Hamsters before they were even in stores!

This year we were again honored and grateful to be able to check out the newest line of Hamsters. They're called Kung Zhu pets and can I just say? They really rock! I am so glad that Cepia took the time to actually think about what boys like and need in the way of play. Because while they really enjoyed the original Zhu Zhu pets? Khung Zhu pets immediately brought out the "boy" in them and they took a whole new interest in the robotic hamsters!

So why are Khung Zhu pets so much more attractive to the boys? Take a look:

Cool boy colors

ninja body armor

wicked armored combat vehicles

and an amazingly challenging training course!

Oh yeah...and the battle arena!!

I mean seriously...if I'm a boy? What's not to like!? Big Brother, my military guy, gets to strategize and make battle plans and work out his aggressions in the battle arena with some really cool looking little hamster dudes. Kung Zhus come in two groups: Special Forces and Ninja Warriors. Big Bro always, ALWAYS takes Special Forces and makes his little brother be the Ninja. He figures out which armor works best with which hamster warrior and experiments with different training course designs. Little Man gets to know each hamster's quirks and personalities and he loves to find out which part of the obstacle course works best for each hamster. He gets to know each Kung Zhu's speech pattern and often tries to get our cat involved in his play, hoping Blackie Chan will pull some sweet Ninja moves himself.

So we had a neighborhood party and invited some good friends over to help us try out Kung Zhu Pets and see them in action! I let the kids put the track together this time. All by themselves. No help from the adults. And they did it. Then after the obstacle course was put together (took 4 boys about an hour), everybody joined in the fun, taking turns racing their Kung Zhus through the course and then having the Battle of all Battles in the Battle Arena.

As you can see, the entire set is quite large, so you need a space where it can kind of stay once it's put together. I just left mine in what was supposed to be the formal living room since we have no real furniture in there right now anyway. It's actually becoming more of a game room I guess. The good thing is you can purchase the accessories separately and kind of grow into the set one piece at a time. Our Kung Zhu course gets rearranged weekly, depending on which friends are over, so I guess it's good they have lots of space to redesign! Future Engineers of America!!

Cepia LLC has done a great job re-engineering the original Zhu Zhu pet to create something that appeals to boys. Kung Zhu definitely made a big impression in my neighborhood...so much so that we had almost a whole summer with no "Star Wars" talk! I know! So thanks, Cepia. You've helped me out on sooooo many levels!

**Disclosure: I was not compensated monetarily for this post. I did receive Kung Zhu Pets and an obstacle course from MomSelect and Cepia LLC in order to host a Kung Zhu party and facilitate this review.**

Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming...

2010-07-20T01:49:00.000-07:00

Watching the kids swim. Not something I love to do in 114 degree weather, but I was tired of hearing them argue and fight. So I sat in the shade while they worked out their aggressions in the water. Playing with my new phone, which was free. Remind me to tell you the phone story...it is an awesome story. Seriously. It's good.

Back to the swimming. Do you remember swimming as a kid? I do. It was one of those activities that could change the course of your entire day. Too hot to play? Let's go swimming. Friend was mean to you? Let's go swimming. Bad haircut? Let's go swimming. Your a pre-teen or maybe a barely teen girl and you just started your monthly? Let's...not go there. That was one thing swimming couldn't fix. That just flat out sucked. But I don't have girls, which is probably good. Can't hardly deal with my own girly crap, let alone someone else's. But enough of the hormonal talk.

Back to swimming. Remember the smell of chlorine as you rushed over to the edge of the pool? The sun glinting off the water, right into your eye, temporary blinding you to the beautiful blue color of the liquid coolness that awaited you? Right about that time was when you would realize that your feet were being fried on the cool deck, so you had to either jump in or quickly splash some water onto the deck under your feet. Either way, relief from heat and boredom was just a dive or a jump away. And the minute you hit the surface and the water engulfed you? Life just got better.

Mostly. Except for that one time when you jumped in and the pressure from the impact of the water pushed your swimsuit top up over your boobs, mostly because you didn't have much of a chest yet. None of this would have been too big of a deal, except maybe you didn't notice the top thing when you came up out of the water, because you were so focused on how great the water felt. And while you are standing there wringing your hair out and getting it out of your eyes, you begin to realize that some of the kids, expecially the boys, are pointing and laughing. Then you feel a slight breeze and HOLY FREAKING COW! your top isn't where it's supposed to be and even though you yank it down as quickly as you can it's too late - the boys have seen you in all your glory (not much glory at the time) and now the course of your day has changed...again. Remember sinking back into the water and trying to get lost in the crowd? Remember thinking that the person who had the idea to go swimming suddenly seems like an idiot? Remember that? Ummm...me neither. Much. It's only an occasional flashback now.

So I'm watching my boys and remembering my summer days at the pool. Wondering what kinds of things they will remember about swimming when they are my age. Hopefully their memories will be of friends and splashing and general water frivolity. Or maybe they'll think of the sacrifices their mom makes for them, wilting in the heat while I sit poolside because I'm unwilling to see myself in a swimsuit, much less wear one in public! Which I would blame on childbirth, but I was fat before I had them. But I digress.

Back to swimming. Maybe, just maybe, they'll sit and chat about that one time they saw that girl come up out of the water with no swimsuit top...at which point I will have to kaibosh the conversation. They'll think it's because I think the topic is inappropriate. I won't tell them it's because I have war memories.

I'm Doing Some House Cleaning...

2010-07-15T00:48:00.000-07:00

Trying to clear out old habits and clutter and things that are bringin' me doooowwwnn. You have to say that phrase - "bringin' me dooowwwwwwnn" - in a low voice. Say it again... get into your hippie place and be all like, laid back and annoyed at the same time, ya know? Like..."Yeah man, the establishment is bringin' me doowwwnn." Are you in that place? Do you get the vibe that I'm goin' for? Cool. So yeah...I'm doing a little house cleaning and I'm trying to rid myself of clutter and baggage and all the old ideas and habits and general crud that's bringin' me dooowwwnn.

Which is why I haven't posted for awhile. Trying to dig out from under the old and and toss some stuff, ya know? I figured while I was at it, I might clean up the ole' blog a little too. So you will notice changes in the next week or so while I experiement with a new look. My goal is to eventually get together enough money to pay someone to actually create a really kick-butt blog for me, but until then, I'm gonna mess around a bit and see what I come up with.

So lemme know what you think. I live for you input. But you already know that about me, right?

The Circus Was Here!

2010-07-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

Ringling Bros. Barnum Bailey, along with Feld Entertainment, really does put on a great show...this year's Funundrum totally lived up to it's name! Lots of action and non-stop thrills! My boys loved the Bionic Brothers with their feats of strength and balance. Their other favorite act was the Torres Family, who ride motorcycles in the steel cage (they talked about that for days after the performance). Here are a few pics, along with some info on where you can get tickets when it comes to YOUR hometown!

Be sure to check Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey website for information about Funundrum and when it will be in your area! You can read up on the various acts and learn about the performers before you go. Then head over to ticketmaster.com and get your tickets before the show sells out! Use the code MOM to get special pricing - 4 tickets for $44 and just $11 more for additional tickets!

When the weather gets this hot, it's nice to have something fun to look forward to that doesn't require melting in the heat. The circus really is a great family activity and I want to thank Feld Entertainment for allowing me and my family the opportunity to participate in some wonderful summer outings!!

**Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I did receive complimentary event tickets in order to facilitate this review.**

Geri Geri Quite Contrary...

2010-07-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is how my garden is growing:

Okay, okay. It's not a garden, it's two freaking plants in some pots. But this is the furthest we've ever gotten with growing anything around our house, so we're actually kind of proud of ourselves! I'm a little worried about the Pumpkin plant (the one with the big leaves). It started out gangbusters. But in the last few days we lost one whole offshoot and soemthing is eating the heck out of the leaves. It's looking kind of weak and droopy. Not near as big and lovely as the picture.

The watermelon plant seems to be doing fine, though! We'll see if we actually get any melons off it in a few months. This whole gardening thing? Can be kind of stressful. I spend more time worrying about these plants than I do about my kids some days!

I'm HOME again!! For a few weeks anyway...

2010-06-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

I made it! My Census job is done and while I am sad at how the whole "ending" thing went down, I can honestly say that I am completely relieved to be done with the drive and the 2nd shift schedule. Sometime I will go into detail about the pros and cons of working at the Census. Right now, none of that matters. What matters is that I am back home and have had 3 glorious days of time with my family. Kind of. Actually, my husband has been working the entire weekend, so I haven't seen him much, but the work is good, because it is the first real job his demolition business has had since he started it a few months ago. YAY!!! Whoo-hoo!!

And the weekend hasn't necessarily been glorious. It has been...well...it's life. Injured kids, housework, bills. All that stuff that makes work seem like a good place to be some days. So maybe glorious is the wrong word. I'm not sure I have the right word to explain how I have felt the last few days, as I fold clothes and load the dishwasher. I just know I'm home. You know that feeling? The one that makes you feel like you are right where you should be, even if your circumstances are chaotic and stressful? That's what my weekend felt like.

I have to be truthful though...it took me a few hours to get to the point where I was glad to be home. When I woke up Friday morning it was the most awesome feeling in the world...no work today! Then I opened my eyes. The house looks like a bomb hit it. There are dishes and clothes everywhere. I don't have a clue what's dirty and clean with the clothes, so I'm spending hours rewashing and folding and putting things away. The bathrooms are seriously in need of a major hosing down. Like with a fire hose.

But inspite of all the extra housework I have to do, along with finding a new job? It feels so nice to be here and to be needed. My house needs my attention. My kids need my attention. My husband needs my attention. I feel like I have worth and value as a wife and stay-at-home mom that I never felt before. My people actually appreciate me! My kids hug me...like all day long. For no reason. They just walk up and hug me and tell me they love me. My husband thanks me for trying so hard to get the house back into shape. (Funny, it was never in that great of shape to begin with, but it really looks bad now!) Everyone is so excited that I went grocery shopping and that there is actually food in the house again!

Now I'm not stupid. I know the appreciation won't last. My being home all day again is still new. In about a week (maybe two if I work really hard to stretch it out) I will no longer be a novelty in our house and things will go back to the normal lack of attention and proper appreciation. But a woman can hope, can't she? And in the meantime, I am going to suck up all of the praise and glory I can from my male family members and remind them constantly about how lucky they are that I have a few weeks off between jobs to ~~nag and complain at them and make them do chores~~ care for them and nurture them and teach them.

So...I'm back home. For a few weeks. And the house is a wreck and my kids need haircuts and my husband is working 2 jobs and life is...normal again. I'm kinda diggin' on that.