Mom's Daily Dish

Eek! What happened?

2009-07-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

Okay so, I fell off the wagon. Plain and simple, un-sugar coated, I did it, I have been a bad Mom blogger. I always hate to make excuses for myself as there really are only a few "acceptable" excuses for each responsibility that you have failed to complete. So, I won't bore you with any sob stories or details....let's just say.....LIFE HAPPENED. Shocker, eh?

So, to kick things off again, I want to post today about a blog (and wonderful family) that I found out about through my digi scrapping activities.

I am not going to give much information about this wonderful family and their touching story as I just can not do it justice. I am simply going to direct you to their blog, which I HOPE and PRAY you will visit and leave some love for the family. Trust me, it is worth the read.

The Bradburn's

Quote for the day:

This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.

ROBBERY......

2009-01-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I realize that my blog is supposed to be dedicated to enriching, rejuvenating, simplifying your lives, etc. But, I feel compelled to tell you about my day yesterday. The best I could come up with is that by telling you my story, you will perhaps be more cautious and aware, thus saving yourself some later greif and hassle. Yes, that's it.....simplifying and enriching!!!

My beautiful, tiny little 5 foot tall, 93 pound, 17 year old daughter, seen here (LOL):

(this last picture is included so you see if we find out who did this, this guy and all of his friends are coming for you!) LOL

works in a shop in the nicest area of our city. Granted, we do live in one of the 10 biggest cities in the country but, still!

Yesterday she was working from after school to closing (usually around 9 p.m.). She called however at 8:30, which she never does. Upon answering the phone, she told me that her car had been broken into and her radio stolen. The passenger side window had been busted out to grant access. Though a bit startled, she was okay and not crying. Her Dad and I gave her instruction to call the police and file a report and get her manager to help her cover her window, remove glass from her seat, etc.

My daughter does not have a new, expensive car, which was good and bad in this instance. Because the car is old, it has no alarm system. Therefore, an easy target. However, if it were a newer, more expensive car the same thing still could have happened and I would have been more angry. So, good - it is not a "keeper" car anyway. Bad - it is an "easy" target.

When the phone rang at 9 p.m. I assumed she was calling to give me an update on the call to the police. NOPE! She had just realized that tonight, something she NEVER does, she had left her purse in her car. Something had jogged her memory and when she remembered leaving her purse in her car she went out to check for it and sure enough - GONE! By this time, the poor baby was sobbing uncontrollably. You see, she keeps alot of valuable stuff in there. Something I am sure alot of teen girls do these days, electronics being what they are. Her Ipod that she had just received from us for Christmas (her only gift from us, by the way), her digital camera, over $75 in gift cards that she had received for Christmas as well, a James Avery ring, ALL of her makeup, her stop watch (she's a runner), etc. The most upsetting for her was her Ipod. You see, she had an Ipod once before and she lost it. She went without one for 6 months and asked for a new one for Christmas. This time, we even bought her a better one! The poor thing is NOT meant to have an Ipod!

After talking to her and calming her down, she was going to finish helping close and head home. At this point my dear husband tells me that now some thug or thugs knows what our daughter drives, what she looks like and how cute she is, where she works, where she goes to school, where she LIVES, etc. Thanks Dad. I feel so much better at this point. NOT!

Immediately I called the bank and cancelled her ATM card as it has a VISA logo and can be used like a credit card like most are these days.

Of course, I am waiting on the porch when she arrives home and we set the alarm immediately upon her entry. We sit down at the table and she's crying, talking about how violated she feels and how could someone do this to a child? Poor thing, she is really starting to understand the world we live in and why we are so protective over her.

Then, she thinks...."hmm, my backpack. I had my backpack in the car." I tell her to go out and check for it. She opens front door, alarm starts blarring! We forgot to turn it off. Wonder why? Wait.....it gets better! The alarm company calls and requests the "secret" word. Guess what? We can't remember what it is! So, after getting that wrong the police are dispatched to our home. What else????

Okay so, backpack is gone as well. They were obviously looking for anything that could have something valuable in it. And boy, did they get it. If we had to replace the things she lost, NOT including the replacement of her window....over $700. And she is only a teen, what are the contents of your car worth?

Oh, and about knowing where she lives and all. She carries a little zipper wallet that has her drivers license, cash, etc. in it and when she does not feel like carrying her big purse around, she carries just the wallet. Well, thank heaven, she had that with her in the store. But, oops....I cancelled her card! Oh well, better safe than sorry.

So, moral of the story is.....NEVER leave any valuables in your car. You never do that though, right?

Quote for the day: If you don't think it will happen to you, find the person who had it happen to them.

Amazingly Simple Home Remedies

2009-01-08T03:43:00.000-08:00

I got this in one of my weekly emails from a quilt shop. It was too funny not to share and hopefully get a laugh out of you today! Enjoy.

1. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold the vegetables while you chop.

2. Avoid arguments with the females about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

3. For high blood pressure sufferers - simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure on your veins. Remember to use a timer. (Not really, gals! It's just a joke!)

4. A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives. Then you'll be afraid to cough.

6. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move, and does, use the duct tape.

7. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

Quote of the Day:
Some people are like slinkies - not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

What a nice break.....

2009-01-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

Whew....two weeks off from work sure has been nice. Although, it still just was not enough. It never seems to be, does it? I got to have those two weeks with my hubby and my children and that was AWESOME! We did not go anywhere, just spent time with each other at home. Why is it that spending time with your family is such a rarity these days?

Thank you all for your patience while I took some much needed time. I did miss blogging, I have to admit. But, in return for blogging I spent many, many hours improving my graphic design skills. Hubby had to pry my fingers from the laptop at times. My neck even got stiff for a day and I had to take a break from it after 4 days straight working on it! Crazy, obsessive....I know.

Speaking of laptops....my wonderful friends Courtney and Jeff blessed me with the most wonderful gift this Christmas. Are you ready for this one? I got a LAPTOP from them! So wonderful and it could not have come at a better time. And just in case I didn't say it enough already....THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH YOU TWO!

I really did need this break. I briefly mentioned in one of my posts a few weeks ago that I was dealing with health issues. You see, about 3 1/2 weeks ago I found a huge lump on my esophagus. It was a Thursday night and I was extremely concerned as I have had issues with my thyroid before. Friday morning the stars aligned for me and I was able to get in that day with a specialist. At my appointment an ultrasound was done and revealed a 1 1/2" nodule on my thyroid gland. The doctor suggested we do a fine needle biopsy to rule out any possibility of cancer. I went back in the next Friday and had the biopsy done but, the results would not be delivered to me until my follow up appointment on the 30th of December. Of course we knew that the odds of it being cancer were extremely slim but, you can always seem to torture yourself with the "what if's"?

During the break I was so involved in being with my family and focusing on getting my business going that I had litte time to dwell on the unknown. Before I knew it, it was "reveal" day.

And it was a good day. The nodule is benign and does not need to be removed unless it starts to impair my swallowing or speaking. Other than that, we just keep an eye on it - a blood panel every 6 months along with an ultrasound.

I do however have a reason for getting so personal. You see, my Grandmother passed away last year and my family and I traveled to Missouri for her funeral. Now, if you don't know by now, you should, I am an avid quilter with over 70 quilts made. My Grandmother, she happened to be a quilter as well. At my request, my Grandfather pulled out some of her beautiful quilts that I used along with some of my own to set up a beautiful display at her service.

While looking through the quilts before the service, my sister and I came across one with a name on the back that we did not recognize. When I asked my Grandfather if he knew of the name, he replied, "Well yes, that was my Mother."

Tears immediately filled my eyes. I was holding a quilt made by my Great-Grandmother. You see, as much as I love and truly appreciate quilts, I did not have any handed down to me to treasure.

That night, I slept under that quilt and felt so comforted knowing that I was lovingly wrapped in something my Great-Grandmother had put some much of herself into. I knew at the end of our stay I would have to leave the quilt with my Grandfather as he had not even known he still possessed this beauty. But, the memory of how it felt, smelled and looked would stay with me forever.

During Thanksgiving my family and I drove to my parents for the holiday weekend. At that visit, I was given this same quilt which my Grandfather had left with my parents for me. Again, there were no words I could speak, just tears.

Upon arriving home, I placed the quilt on the chair in my bedroom knowing that given it's age, I would only be able to sleep with it on special occassions.

Four days later, I found the lump on my throat. When my husband and I returned home from the doctor not knowing what the future held for us, I immediately snuggled up under my quilt and let it caress me to sleep.

I kept that quilt on my bed until the day after I received my results, knowing it was now okay to put it aside until the day I will need it again.

Quote for the day: Quilting connects the past with the present and the future.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Sorry for missing posts lately. You will have to forgive me as it is the holidays and my favorite time of year and I get to spend lots of time with all of these wonderful people....

I'll be back soon! Until then, Have a great holiday!

A NEW LOVE

2008-12-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delayed post. Aside from working and dealing with a few medical issues.....this is what I have been up to.

My new found love...digi-scrapping! It is so much fun.
Granted, I am just learning therefore this seemingly simple layout took me about 2 hours to create. But, still so much fun! I am using ArcSoft Scrapbook Creator currently to design although I plan to start using Adobe Photoshop as soon as I have time to play with it a bit more as it has more of a learning curve.

The best part???? There are so many GREAT FREE digi-kits out there for the taking! A BIG THANK YOU to Jeanelle Paige for this FREEBIE kit! Go snag one for yourself at: http://www.acherryontop.com/digital/free/artist/jeanelle_paige/9003474 and be sure to read all about Jeanelle at : http://www.jeanellepaigedesigns.blogspot.com/

Are my two oldest girls gorgeous or what???????

Quote for the day: The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. ~Cali Rae Turner

Cookie Mania

2008-12-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

I love to make sugar cookies for every holiday. Of course, I do enjoy the baking part but eating them is even better. Although, I sure do not need them. But, who can resist right?

This Christmas, being that I work in a dental office, I had the bright idea that I would make tooth and toothbrush shaped cookies. I had no idea if there were cookie cutters in these shapes but, low and behold, I found them on Ebay. Gotta love Ebay!

I thought I would try a new sugar cookie and icing recipe this year as I have never really been in love with the previous recipe I have used. Wow! I picked an AWESOME one! Love it, love it, love it! You can find it here: http://www.joyofbaking.com/SugarCookie.html

Now, I had a full assembly line running in my kitchen to manufacture these cookies, it was crazy! I made 6 dozen of each, tooth and toothbrush. Thank Goodness my dear husband volunteered to help me out.

Here are some photos of the cookies, sure to brighten your day. They are definetly adorable and have been putting smiles on our patients faces all week. Those little touches go a long way!

There are cookie cutters out there for everything you can imagine! What a great idea for your child's next sporting event, next bridal shower or your company Christmas party. Theme the cookies around your company's business.

Quote for the day: A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. ~Anonymous

TGIF!!!!!

2008-12-05T06:22:00.001-08:00

Thought I would share cool new service:

Online Book Rental Club
BookSwim is the first online book rental library service lending you paperbacks and hardcovers, Netflix®-style, directly to your house, without the need to purchase! Whether it's new releases, bestsellers, or classics, we have something for everyone, with free shipping both ways! Read your books as long as you want — no late fees! Even choose to purchase and keep the titles you love!

Need a gift idea for someone special? Check this out.....

Check it out at http://www.bookswim.com/!

Quote for the Day:
“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
- Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

Wednesday Words of Woes........

2008-12-04T05:03:00.000-08:00

I found this while perusing the internet awhile back and it is a dead on ringer for how I am feeling this week. I know most of you will relate. I hope it gives you a bit of a chuckle to start your day off right!

INTERRUPTED MOM

Hey Mom, where are my hockey skates? Hey Mom, have you seen my homework folder? Hey Mom, can I go to Elliott's house on Saturday?

I have figured out why old people lose their hearing: its because they want to. After raising children, they have used up their allotment of hearing for this lifetime. And they don't want to listen to anyone anymore about anything.Hey Mom, where's the glue? Hey Mom, do I have to practice piano? Hey, Mom, can you see somebody's soul?

I have not had a complete thought in eleven years. Come to think of its probably been twelve. It started when I was pregnant: clearly it must have been the hormones at work. Somehow during pregnancy, your brain starts to short circuit in preparation for the coming events of the child raising years, including sleep deprivation and your child's vocabulary development. Much like nature prepares your body for labor and delivery; hormones now help your brain develop pause waves, which cause all coherent thoughts to immediately vaporize upon formation. In retrospect, its probably a good thing.

Hey Mom, what is a prism? Hey Mom, where's the milk? Hey Mom, did you get to ride the bus to school?

It all begins shortly after birth as we coo over our adorable little bundles. Operating under the delusion that our child is a superior genius, we mentally transform a belch into our child's first complete sentence at about 8 weeks. Before long, when the authoritative parenting books tell us they should be using ten words, were certain our child is beyond brilliant and is actually using 50 or 60 words. The reality is before long they really do know 300 words and they use them all - before you've had your first cup of coffee.

Hey Mom, where do babies come from? Hey Mom, how long till Christmas? Hey Mom, what's a square root?

When they are babies, the interruptions are natural the cry for I need food, I need a clean diaper, I need to be held. When they are toddlers, it is most often a matter of playing goalie as parent: catching them by the seat of the pants before they fall down the basement steps, grabbing their arm before they reach to pet the snarling dog, keeping them from walking into the street. But once they start talking the real interruptions flow freely and you may as well put away the books, magazines and newspapers as well as any hope of a coherent thought. You've just entered the Stream of Consciousness Zone of Parenting where every thought that enters your child's mind is verbalized the moment it hits the first brain cell. While your child's inner monologue will eventually develop, don't count on it anytime soon.

Hey Mom, the dog just threw up on the carpet. Hey Mom, can I have five dollars? Hey Mom, how long till I can learn how to drive?

Most of the time, you think you can outsmart this immutable law of nature. But as you learn, one way or another, it is simply not possible. Once you've read the same paragraph seventeen times, you know its over. If you are lucky, you might manage to read a caption in People Magazine in its entirety when they're in third grade. But for the most part, don't bother. You can read after they go to college.Hey Mom, have you seen my saxophone? Hey Mom, where's Ecuador? Hey Mom, how come the milk smells funny?

Pretty soon, the lobes of your brain actually begin to shut down from lack of use. The lobes that remain functional now operate more like a strobe light. Your auditory nerve begins to shrivel and go limp like a long forgotten piece of celery. You fear that your ears might actually bleed if they tell you about that scene from the Star Wars again. Hey Mom, did they have electricity when you were in school? Hey Mom, can I have some candy? Hey Mom, can we get a pet llama?

But there will come a day and time when you can no longer stand the interruptions, whether its from PMS, a bad day at work, or simply exasperation. The resonating sounds of your child's constant chatter threaten to reduce your ear canals hammer, anvil and stirrup into a tiny pile of dust. Years of verbal tap dancing on the acoustic nerve will at some point shrink your patience to zero and you will snap. And just when you think that you cant take it anymore, that's when. .Hey Mom. . .WHAT??!! I love you. Author ~ Denise Malloy

Quote for the Day: When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they're finished, I climb out. ~ Erma Bombeck

15 Minutes Can Be All You Need

2008-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

What could you get done in 15 minutes?

Ever have days when you just can not motivate yourself to get those mundane things done around the house? Yesterday was one of those days for me. Even though I would love to just let those dirty dishes stay piled up in the sink and the living room in disarray, part of what keeps me unmotivated is seeing these unattended to chores.

Next time you are faced with the "i just don't want to" blues, try this trick.

Set a timer (use the one on your stove or microwave) for 15 minutes. Use that 15 minutes to get as much done as you can around the house. I use this trick more often than I care to admit because it works. I am always amazed at how much I actually accomplish in just that short amount of time. In those 15 minutes, I have loaded the dishwasher, folded a basket of laundry, put in a new load of laundry, swept my kitchen and prepared tomorrows brew of joe.

The best thing about the trick is that it is contagious. I often find that after my first 15 minutes are up, I reset my timer for another 15 and do it all over again. It is motivating in itself to see how much you can accomplish and want to tackle more.

So, come on.......move away from this screen and go set your timer. Then come back and let me know what you got accomplished in your 15 (or 30 or 45) minutes! You can do it!

Quote for the day: It's all in the attitude - housework is exercise. Slim your way to a clean home! ~ Linda Solegato

When the day comes......

2008-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my family and I went to visit my parents. As an adult, I have always lived within twenty miles of my parents and even worked for them for seven plus years where I spent most of my days with them. Then, two years ago they retired. They had lived for thirty years in one small city and felt it was time for a change of pace. Unfortunately, they chose to retire about two hundred miles away. At first it was extremely difficult for me, being the youngest of four children and very spoiled, to accept that they were going to be such a far distance away. I was understanding however to the fact that this was a good change for them as they were retiring to the country where my mother could listen to birds sing, watch squirrels play and plant a beautiful flower garden. My father would have acres of land to manage and a shop to tinker in.

In time, I have adjusted to the miles between us and although it is not my ideal choice to have my beloved parents so far away, I can say that over the past two years I have come to appreciate and understand their love for me and my family in a way I never knew before.

You see, as a mother I have an undeniable, sometimes crippling love for my children. Over the seventeen plus years that I have marveled in my role as a mother, I have poured my heart and soul into caring for them, protecting them, carressing them, feeding them, and so on. I believe in living for oneself, not for others. However, my children give my life a meaning and purpose which surpasses all my own selfish hopes, dreams and cares. As they have grown, I have had to face the realization that they are growing up and in a way outgrowing me. I know that this is not an intentional thing, it is but the flow of life. In realizing this, I can only reflect on the feelings of my own parents. How much they love me and my siblings, how they must feel to love us all so very much that it aches in their hearts to not witness and behold the glory of our lives as innocent children any longer.

Over the past year, I have undoubtedly changed as a person, a mother and a wife. By realizing the longing that my own parents have for their children and grandchildren, I have come to take more value in the everyday ups and downs that being a mother has bestowed upon me.

When my parents moved away, I worried most about myself and how I would cope without their support and involvement in my everyday life. In turn, it is they that I believe ache more for us.

I truly dread the day my children leave home. I see the longing my parents have for days gone by when they wiped our tears, held us in their arms, laughed so hard at our silly jokes that it hurt and taught us how to drive.

I do not mean to paint a picture of my parents living somberly. They have had a wonderful life, blessed with so much to be grateful for. They enjoy the life they have lived together over the past forty-five years and look forward to many, many more.

Years ago, my husband and I spent some time with some very wonderful people during the last months of my grandmother's life. During her stay in an assisted living facility he and I would go to visit and serve coffee and cookies to the residents there while listening to them tell of their lives. I have never witnessed so much happiness come from a ailing man as when he spoke of his beloved wife and the children she blessed him with. Or from the fragile women whose eyes lit up as she told of the man she knew she would call her husband as soon as her eyes laid upon him and how that instinct led to their fifty wonderful years together in a house filled with children. Not one of them spoke of their business successes, awards or material possessions they acquired. They only spoke of the joyous lives they lived because of those they loved whom loved them in return.

When you are nearing the end of your life, when you have nothing but time to reflect on all that you are and what you have done in your time here, what will you find the most glory in? What will once again ignite a passion and love in your heart and a sparkle in your eye?

Quote for the day: The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed in the bosom of my family. ~ Thomas Jefferson