Cute Dresses...Giveaway!

Check out this great giveaway! So many cute dresses!

Shoo Foo...

Another great giveaway....Here. Shoo Foo.

Great Giveaway!

Look at these cute sboots! Click here to enter to win!

Grandparents Shouldn't Play Favorites

I've been told that being a grandparent is a wonderful thing. You can delight in your grandchildren without having to deal with the daily grind that parents do. That's what I've been told. I have wonderful grandparents. I love them all, and I always felt loved by them too. I have one grandma specifically who has a special gift for making ALL of her grandchildren feel loved and appreciated. She loves us all equally no matter what we're accomplishing or doing in our lives.

Maybe this is why I am so irked with my mother-in-law right now. Normally, I like her a lot, but she does NOT have the gift of loving all of her grandchildren equally. I can deal with other quirky things she says or does, no big deal, but when it comes to loving my children and the way she treats them, I am less tolerant.

I think a grandma should at least TRY her best to love all grandchildren the same. At least TRY to want to spend time with them, TRY to tell them you love them, TRY to act like you like them, TRY to be equal with your time and attention. Kids love their grandparents automatically, and it hurts me when I don't see that love returned.

Why would you ever invite some of your grandchildren over, but say, "but don't bring so and so?" I just think it is so rude, and thoughtless, and eventually damaging to the child. I really believe children can sense an adults' attitude towards them. Babies can tell when adults are stressed, toddlers can tell when adults don't like them, kids can tell when they're not wanted around.

I just think GRANDPARENTS SHOULD NOT PLAY FAVORITES! Even if they do have a favorite family or child, they should at least TRY to make the others feel loved and not like they just don't matter. Don't invite some but not the others. Don't give gifts to some and not the others. Don't visit some and not the others. Don't just hold some and not the others. It doesn't have to all happen at the same time, but my goodness, make an effort to make it happen eventually! Hmphf!! It's important for children to feel loved by their grandparents. That's not asking much! Not money, not presents, not things, just good old fashioned love and attention. A knowledge that their grandparents love them...equally, just like the others!

Plastic Surgery, Enhancements, Tucks...

Do I dare write this post? Controversial, yes, but something that seems to be on my mind. Let me start by saying, if you've had it done, I don't judge you. I don't fault you. I don't need to know your reasoning. I still like you! If you haven't had it done, and are thinking about it, I guess this is for you, from me.

I don't think you need it! The way a person looks does NOT in any way affect the way I look at them or consider them as a person. Some of my favorite people are obese, flat, big-nosed, whatever...It isn't their looks that make me like them, it's their personality.

Why do people feel they need to be a certain shape or size? Will being that shape or size really make them happy? Is there a reason why so many people are trying to artificially mold themselves? What's wrong with variety? What's wrong with being flat or having a saggy chest? What's wrong with being a size 10 or 16?

"Flat" and Beautiful

"Large" and full of personality and smiles"Ugly" but nice. Ok, I know she's fictional, but you get the idea. Some of the most caring and influential people in the world aren't exactly "eye candy."

Granted, I believe we should all be healthy and take care of ourselves, and there are definitely medically valid reasons for surgery, but really, why can't we all be happy with the bodies that we've been given? Especially if we are lucky enough to have healthy and working bodies?

I guess I just wish that women could have enough self-confidence to walk proudly in their skin, and not worry so much about their outward appearance. The world would be a more meaningful place if people would spend just as much time worrying about how they're treating other people rather than what people thought of them.

11 days of Giveaways

12 days of giveaways

Check this out for some great Tip Junkie giveaways and Christmas shopping from Mom-preneurers...

When You're Sick...

Have you ever paid attention to the comments people make to you when they find out you're sick? I've decided they usually fall into one of three categories.

1. Sympathetic. They feel bad for you and tell you they hope you feel better soon, and ask if there is anything they can do for you.

2. Apathetic. It seems to go in one ear and out the other. They treat you the same as any other day, including asking you to watch their children, or talking your ear off when you'd rather be resting.

3. Selfish. The only thing they want to know is if you're contagious. Nevermind if you feel horrible, as long as you don't pass it on to them...

When Your Child Throws a Fit...

The other day I had a good friend visiting from out of town. It was great to see her and her 2-yr-old little boy. We had a nice visit and it was fun to catch up. Just as it was time for them to go, her 2-yr-old (who was obviously tired from the travel schedule) starting throwing a tantrum. Crying, throwing toys, backing away from his mom, etc... I place no judgement, I have children of my own, all moms have been there, but here's my question. What do you do when your child throws a fit? My friend just stood there and watched her child cry and cry, occasionally asking, "what's wrong?" At first, I figured, she knows her child, maybe this will pass quickly as soon as he gets it out of his system. But the crying went on and on for several minutes, with my friend just watching.

When my kids melt-down, my first instinct is to remove my child as quickly as possible so that others don't have to witness the scene. Or maybe it's because I don't want others to witness the scene. But she just calmly stood there and finally after about 10 minutes, they started making their way out the door. At this point, I was just as exhausted as the 2-yr-old. Once they got outside, everything was fine and they proceeded to get in the car and leave. Although it was great to see them, I'm embarrassed to say, that I was kind of glad to see them go. I still love them, and I'll be excited to see them again, but ending on the never-ending tantrum was kind of a downer. Kids will be kids, and I know that, but it got me thinking about the way I would handle the situation. What would you do?

Photoshopping

It seems that photography is all the rage these days. I love it. My friends love it. Strangers love it. It's a great hobby and a great skill. However, what I am learning, is that even though I have a fancy new SLR, half the skill is not in just taking pictures, but in the photoshopping.

So here's my internal debate. If you're editing and photoshopping your pictures every time, how great is the photography, really? Don't get me wrong, I think the photos look awesome after they've been edited, but if you smooth out every blemish, and tweak all the lighting, are you really capturing the moment? Part of the reason I love photographs is so I can capture the moment and the person or thing. I want to remember them just how they are in that moment. But if each photo is edited, I'll be remembering a false memory.

Before

After

What do you think? How much editing is too much? Obviously, magazines edit their covergirls to make beautiful covers. But we all know that. They're not real. I want to take real photos. However, I also realize that photography is an art form, so editing and tweaking enhances a photographers ability to be creative and artsy, and I'm all for that.

So, that's my internal conversation on photoshopping. I'm for it and against it. I'll admit, I find myself spending a lot of time playing around with my photos in photoshop. You can get great results. Just know, that I plan on leaving a few of those scrapes and bruises in place on my children's faces, so I can remember them exactly how they are!

Internal Conversations

Frequently, at night, I find myself having internal conversations with myself, preventing me from falling asleep. I don't so much mind the conversations, it's the fact that I'm exhausted and want to fall asleep, but am unwillingly preventing myself from doing so because my mind is racing. So in an attempt to solve this problem, I have decided to start a blog, releasing these internal conversations, in hopes that I will be able to fall asleep more easily at night.

This blog is not intended to offend, hurt, or cause frustration to anyone, it is merely a way for me to express the random thoughts that cross my mind. It will be PG rated, and hopefully thought provoking and interesting, mingled with nonsense and rambling. So feel free to agree, enlighten, share, challenge, or give an amen to what you read. (In a polite, non-offensive, non-profane manner of course. ) And if you don't like what you find here, simply move on to another blog that suits your fancy. I've learned I can't please everyone, but to those who are interested, you're welcome to the Soapbox...On My Mind.