2011 Worst Mom of the Year

I bake cookies for the bake sale.  I volunteer for Scouts.  I help out in the classroom when needed.  I take the children to their sports and activities.  I sound like a Super Mom huh?  Well lately I feel far from Super Mom!  In fact I'm pretty sure I won't be receiving an application for Mother of the Year this year, and most likely never.  I've come to terms with this after seven years of wanting to be the best mother ever.  I will be bald and down right bitchy if I continue to try.  What good would that do right?  So I'm embracing my motherhood failures and I welcome you to embrace yours as well.  After all just because we become mother's that doesn't make us perfect.

Here are a few things that qualify me for the Worst Mom of the Year:

I hate following through with punishment, because really I'm punishing myself

I have used TV as a babysitter

I've allowed my children to have cookies for breakfast

I once told my oldest child to find a new family since she didn't like her own

Oh there's plenty more I could tell, but I'm hoping to hear from some of you!  So tell me what qualifies you for the Worst Mom of 2011?  Spill it and you could win a prize!

Here's a Worlds Best Mom Key chain that you can personalize with boys or girls, after all, qualifying for Worst Mom of the Year means you'd probably never get one of these key chains otherwise, right?

Here's how to enter.

Leave a comment on this post confessing what qualifies you for Worst Mom of the Year = 1 entry

Leave a comment on our facebook page confessing what qualifies you for Worst Mom of the Year = 1 entry

Publicly follow this blog = 1 entry

Share this post on your facebook page = 1 entry per share per day

Refer a friend who confesses in a comment on this post = 1 entry (be sure to comment and tell us they're your friend)

Refer a friend who confesses in a comment on our facebook page = 1 entry (be sure to comment and tell us they're your friend)

Follow us on Twitter = 1 entry (comment here saying your follow)

Retweet this blog post = 1 entry (comment here that you retweeted)

The drawing will be held on August 6th so confess now for your chance to win!

Unpacking Blues

I despise unpacking.  Actually I despise putting nearly anyting away, laundry, groceries, dishes, etc.  We went on a mini-vacation and I REALLY don't want to unpack.  I wonder if I just left the suitcase and bags just sit in the living room if anyone would truly miss the things they packed? 

Save My Seats!!!!

So today I took the munchkins to the movies and it brought up a good question, and who couldn't I wait to ask..........you!

One of our local theaters offers a great summer movie program.  Every Wednesday they show a fairly recent family movie for free.  They advertise that the doors open one hour before the movie starts. And when the theater is full, well it's full.  Today they were playing a movie that the munchkins and I haven't seen and it was my first time going, so I wanted to be there shortly after the doors open so that we could get a seat.  We arrive about 5 minutes after the doors had opened.  Before we walked in we were each handed a ticket.  We took this ticket inside and gave it to the employee at the ticket booth.  Then we paid a ridiculous price for a large popcorn and headed into the theater to find a seat.  By this time it was about 12 minutes after they opened the doors.  We walked into the theater and there was plenty of seats.  In fact I'd say there were probably only 20 people or so there.  I approached a row in the center section of the theater (there was a 4 seat section on the left & right and a larger section in the center) when a woman told me that she was saving 4 rows.  We ended up sitting just behind the rows she was saving.  Many more people approached these rows, and all were told that those seats were being saved.  After about 15 more minutes, people were piling in.  The seat-saver was still saving her seats and many people were not happy.  After another 10 minutes or so, she was still saving her seats and it wasn't going so well for her.  One family said too bad, we're sitting here, and many followed suit after.  Now, while I arrived early, so we still had a great seat, I could see why these people weren't happy about her saving all of these seats.  I mean, it's a free event, and it's first come first served.  I get that it's difficult to have children sit and behave for 60 minutes before you ask them to sit and behave again for a 90 minute movie.  I really do get it.............but I had to do it, so why does your group get the benefit of coming in 3 minutes (yes that is when they showed up) before the movie starts and still get to sit in the best seats?  When the seat-savers friends arrived, they were quite upset that people had filled their seats.  They didn't end up needing 4 rows, so it all worked out for them.  Now as you can see from my constant observation, my children made it through the wait.  Of course the expensive popcorn helped, but non the less, it's what we had to do.

So tell me........is saving seats acceptable at a first come first serve event?

Is it Just Me? Monday



Today is "Is it just me? Monday"  and I'll get right to it.  Is it just me or is Summer vacation FAR from a vacation?  I'm shuttling children from one activity to another, breaking up fights, packing snacks, crafts and activities at home, breaking up fights, hosting play date after play date, etc.  I'm just not seeing the Vacation part?  School just ended two weeks ago and I'm already pulling my hair out and counting down the days until it starts again.  When I was a kid, summer meant playing outside from breakfast until dinner, only coming in for bathroom breaks and to grab a drink, just to head back out after dinner until the street lights came on.  Maybe the kids are enjoying this vacation, but I'll confess, so far this Summer has been anything but a vacation for this Mommie!  I long for a lounge chair on the beach with just my tablet and a margarita.

Hello Again!

I'mmmmmmmmmm baaaaaaack!!!  I apologize for my absence.  There was a family emergency that needed my constant attention for quite some time.  All is settled and well here I am!  Now.....let's dish!

This Mommie's Got a Goal

You see, I have this something I've always wanted.  Only now I'm getting serious about it and I've set a goal.  This is a long term goal, a VERY long term goal.  However in order to reach the long term goal, I've made several short term goals to be met along the way.  As with things we want, this something involves money, so therefore this Mommie's on a budget.  A strict budget.  A really strict budget. I'm sure in the coming months I'll be whining and complaining about the little things I want, or the places we're NOT going, so when I do, just remind of that something that I've always wanted.  In the mean time I'm cutting all corners and having a big piece of budget pie.

Educational TV at it's Finest!

Preschool on TV.......that's what they call themselves right?  Am I the only one that thinks NOT?  Now, don't get me wrong I find a number of these shows cute and entertaining, but some, I just wonder where the education is? 

Max & Ruby was one of Sunshine's (my first grader) favorite shows when she was preschool aged.  It taught her a lot.  She learned to talk in an annoying whiny voice, to always be the one in control of things, never compromise, not having supervision is perfectly normal, and it's acceptable to respond with only one word. 

Then there's Oobi, another show with no parents.  Even Grandpoo couldn't speak using complete sentences.  I liked how much they used their imagination, you know as much as a talking hand could, is it necessary to speak in third person constantly? 

When Sunshine was younger and watched The Wiggles, I never said anything remotely negative, but now that Monkey (my toddler) watches it and hottie Greg Wiggle is off the show, I'll say it...............WTH?  Four grown men living together, each will only wear one color clothing, and who's best friend is a pirate who's sword is a feather?  (Disclaimer:  I reserve the right to retract this opinion if Greg Wiggle ever returns) 

Dora.  Now that's a girl who loves adventure.  I think she's a little young to be off on her own so much.  Instead maybe her parents should schedule some play dates for her.  You know........with another human!

Little Bill, now here's a well rounded show.  He's got parent's and a grandparent, lives at home with his family, has human friends, and depicts real family situations.  The only negative thing I can say about Little Bill is that there are not enough episodes. 

Monkey's favorite show is Sesame Street.  While sometimes the voices can be annoying, Monkey loves it and it really is educational.  Questions have been raised about Bert and Ernie, but they're probably right.  They do argue like an old married couple.  The Count is awesome.  Being a Dracula is close enough to a vampire.......right?

There are a number of shows I find educational and plenty I find questionable in content, but I think they're cute, so I give them a pass.  Maybe I shouldn't care.  After all most of the cartoons I watched didn't have speaking characters.  Or something shipped from Acme was always blowing up.  Maybe children's programing has come a long way and I'm just to stuck up to see it?

Just because I might complain, or find some of these showing nauseating slightly annoying, it hasn't stopped me from having Dora or whoever else was available at the time, babysit while I get a much needed shower, or make that phone call where I actually needed to hear what the other person was saying.