PBN-School Zone Product Review

The arrival of the School Zone Discovery Cards was a big deal in our house. It’s my first product to review for the Parent Bloggers Network and of course, new toys are always welcome. I was not prepared however, for the enthusiasm that spewed forth from my one-year old daughter when I took the brightly colored packages out of the shipping box.Her little eyes lit up and her tiny hands reached out for the parcels. She started squawking and begging for them immediately. I got only halfway through the instructions on how to use the Peek-a-Boo-Bunny (I didn’t get the bear one) when the cries that translate to “GIMMEE! NOW!” became too much. I handed over the Peek-a-Boo-Bunny first. In mere seconds, she had the cards out of the box and all over the kitchen floor. She inspected the bunny’s … [Read more...]

Bone Ass Tired

I am tired. Bone Tired. I can't understand it. T.D. actually slept through the night sans pacifier. We've gone two days now and counting and it's getting easier. I'll admit that today when she started a meltdown at the grocery store I almost dug out the emergency bink from my purse. I didn't though. I stayed the course. I'm the "decider" you know. Instead I tossed her a McCall's seasoning packet to gnaw on and it was all good. Really. I'm amazed myself. I digress though. Back to me being bone ass tired. Somehow between sleepy time last night and now I feel as if I got hit by a mack truck.I might be that hour and a half long Power Sculpt weight class I took yesterday. Oh yeah. That's right. It seemed only semi-difficult at the time. Ha. I'm not even that sore. I thought my body … [Read more...]

Cold Turkey

For some weekend fun H and I decided that maybe T.D.'s sleep problems wasn't just a malicious form of torture on her us, her subjects. Maybe it was the pacifier. Bink, Binky, Never a Pacy, a Tun, whatever you want to call it. It was driving a wedge into our family. It had to go.To be fair it wasn't until lately that the kid seemed to have an addiction to the pacifier. It started out small. They always do don't they? Just a few short months ago she didn't care which one she had in her mouth. As long as it worked. Then she started favoring certain ones. A tiny part of my brain said, "Warning! This could be bad! Watch out!". Did I listen? Nope. I just kept using it and aiding in her addiction. Panic would ensue when her favorites couldn't be found. Mayhem and swearing occured at 3 … [Read more...]

Nosferatu! That’s Me!

Every dictator has his thing. Some bomb their own people. Others choose to pillage or starve their people. T.D. she likes sleep deprivation. Stupidly I used to be able to smile and say, "Oh, T.D.? She sleeps through the night." Oh for days gone by. Since Christmastime that child has probably managed three measly full nights of sleep. They are random and not being conditioned to them I still wake up fitfully through the night listening for the sounds of a cry. Last night though, was the last night. I can't deal with it anymore. The people of this land, all two of us, are taking back the night! After spending two hours trying to put her overtired ass down for the night, another new ploy she's using on us, I just decided I couldn't take it. Then the midnight hour tolled and she woke … [Read more...]

This Writer’s Life

It's no surprise that working from home is a daily and sometimes minute by minute juggle. Each day I wake up with an idea in my head as to what I want and need to accomplish. I make lists. Endless lists somedays. Those are the dangerous days. When more than one list has cropped up at various locations around the house I know I have too much going on. It doesn't stop me though, I just pile them on top of each other and hope for peace. Ha.A typical day runs through like this:7:30 a.m. The czar awakens. I'm usually up before this, though sometimes by only mere miliseconds. Other days I've already got my shit together and have at least thrown out the trash or started a load of laundry. Sometimes I've eaten Gasp written something. 8 a.m. T.D. has breakfast and so do I. The radio is … [Read more...]

The Trip/I Heart My Friends

Ok, ok already the trip. I hear you people. Seriously. I've dragged it out long enough. The trip to Los Angeles started off with this, "Excuse me, Ma'am? Is anyone sitting there?" This said by the twenty-something girl with boyfriend sutured to her side. Sigh... no one was next to me. They plopped themselves down and instantly the row reaked of pastrami and old sweat. Ick. Why? I huffed a bit and wanted to ask in a snooty voice, "Excuse me, but did you just get off a 12 hour shift from some all night Chicago deli? Do you work at D'anjelos? You smell like a D'angelo's. You stink! Both of you! Git!" Instead, I took out my tiny red leather book and started making notes. This seems to creep some people out and sure enough the old meat couple left. Aaah, a nice whole row to myself. … [Read more...]