Relax

This has not been a good day. Something that was supposed to happen, that someone in a position of making it happen said would happen, didn't happen, mainly because that someone renigged on her word and now I am not only back to square one I think I may have moved into negative numbers.

I have also made the decision I spoke about earlier, more on that another time. On top of all this, today's is Adam's bday and he is refusing to go out for a traditional birthday dinner. Then to top it off, my daughter told me "Fuck you" today. Doesn't that just put the cherry on top of the shit pile?

In an effort to relax, I turn to my computer (it seems to be my closest confidante of late). I found these cool Singing Bowls at Silver Sky. Tradition holds that each Crystal Singing Bowl is manufactured to create a beautiful song perfect for meditation and healing. I could sure use some meditation and healing right now. They have many different types of relaxation methods most related to Yoga and such. I have tried Yoga once and it was simply not my cup of tea. Let's just say I had more coming out of me, than I would like to emit in public.

this cool video I found on You Tube shows you the cool sounds, I could start relaxing now.











This is a sponsored post.

Tide Loads of Hope

When Marisa was little, she would run around the apartment in VA, mimicking a tv commerical, specifically "If it's gotta be clean it's gotta be Tide!" At 3 years old she was sold on Tide detergent. Now 20 years later (ack!) Tide is still going strong and doing it's share to help out those in need.

Tide Loads of Hope helps in the aftermath of a natural disaster by providing clean clothes and a sense of comfort to families in need. Partnering with Feeding America, we travel to disaster affected neighborhoods with the Tide Loads of Hope truck or vans, our free mobile laundry service.

Where it all started In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the need for clean clothing became critical, and Tide found a way to help. So in November 2005, the Tide Loads of Hope truck headed to Camp Hope in the Metairie, LA area and cleaned over 10,000 loads of laundry. The spirit of this first venture informs and inspires everything Tide Loads of Hope program does.

Tide Loads of Hope truck:
32 high-effiency washers and dryers stationed on the truck
Can do 300 wash and dry cycles a day -equal to one year's worth of laundry for a single family
Will wash about 9,000 loads of laundry over a four-week period
Leveraged during massive disasters where electricity is unavailable in the region

Tide Loads of Hope vans:

In partnership with a local laundromat, the Tide Loads of Hope vans provide free laundry service at the same load rate as the trucks
Leveraged during disasters where neighboring communities still have a source of electricity

To date, Tide Loads of Hope has washed more than 35,000 loads of laundry for over 20,000 families. Most importantly, the Tide Loads of Hope program means we're equipped to take action whenever and wherever there is a need in our country.

Tide Loads of Hope Vintage Tees: Tide Loads of Hope can also be supported through the purchase of a Tide Vintage Tee. All profits go to support families affected by disaster.

If you would like to help this venture futher, you can purchase a Vintage Tee from the link above 100% of all proceeds from the t-shirt sales go directly to the program.

W.I.C

My daughter recieves W.I.C. it is a special supplemental nutrition prgram for Women Infants and Children. She will continue to receive this supplement as long as her youngest child is under 5 and she remains in the low income category. It is not food stamps per se but it can be equivocated to goverment cheese.

She recieves foodstuffs to fortify herself and the kids in the way of - formula for the babies, milk, cereal, peanut butter, beans and juice. Items are for specific quantities and sometimes specific brands.

Since I am the main grocery shopper in the house I am on her form as a signer and shopper. The formula is a whole nother post because the cost of formula is beyond outrageous and I don't know how any new parents can afford it without help. The milk is a big help as we go through approx a gallon or more a day if me Marisa and Caitlyn are all home. The peanut butter is a definate staple as Caitlyn's favorite food is a peanut butter sandwich preferably on wheat but the change of the wind or air pressure could change the bread preference at any given moment - even after the peanut butter is spread. The cereal is a bit much, Caitlyn will only eat so many cheerios (cereal is something that is limited to certain brands), but we can get some that Adam likes and that helps on my grocery bill. The juices are apple and pineapple, apple is great. All the kids drink that (when I say kids I mean mine and theirs). It's the pineapple that no one likes. It has to be a 100% pineapple juice with 120% vitamin C, and only 1 brand meets those critereon - Langer's. We have 2 of the 3 bottles from last month left over and a coupon for 3 more that will expire in a couple of weeks.

Herin lies my dilema - should we get the juice and give it to a friend of the family (if anyone wants it), should we just not get it or should we get it and give it to a food bank (all the local food banks are really hurting)? And no, she can't switch it for anything else.

She's Been Well Loved

Those of you that have had an active role in raising and loving my daughter will recognize Risa Baby.

For those that are unfamiliar with her, let me introduce you.

Risa Baby came into Marisa's life when she was about 2. I believe it was Easter of '88. She was a beautiful doll close to lifesize and the perfect friend for her at that age. risa baby went everywhere. In the dirt, in the tub, in the pool, that doll and Marisa were inseperable. As time wore on her hair became matted and beyond rasta dreads. Taj took Risa baby home with him one night and strand by strand performed a complete hair transplant.

Flash forward 20 years, Marisa has a beautiful daughter who has adopted Risa Baby as her own. This poor doll is just disgusting full of love. She has been used as a pillow (note the drool stains), as a sicky friend (note the stains of urps), her fingers and toes have been chewed on (I would like to think by the dog, but I doubt it.)

Why am I telling you all of this? Because Tara over at Feels Like Home is having a Build A Bear contest. Although Caity loves Risa Baby immensely and she is a part of the family. I would like to win a Build A Bear Gift Certificate and maybe get something for the twins that will be here sooner rather than later.

Bellabands

Marisa (in case you didn't know) is expecting twins in February. Her belly has grown larger, quicker. Which I guess is to be expected. One day she looked the same and the next BAM there's a belly there. And she seems to be carrying pretty low.

With the sudden growth her shirts weren't quite covering all they should and her maternity pants were few with new ones being quite expensive. So I was looking into how I could help her out. I checked ebay for maternity pants, but sizing is iffy when you are pregnant and I am not willing to spend on something I can't return. then I noticed one of my Twitter friends @Supermomz had a website selling maternity stuff. One item in particular was the Bella Band. I mentioned this to Marisa and she says "Yeah, some place in North Hollywood sells them, but when I went there they said they were internet only". Me: "Uh, would that be Supermomz?" Marisa: "Yeah". So I explained the situation to her and immediately placed an order. I emailed Julie asking for special delivery sevice (as in Marisa would drive over there and pick them up) and was gratiously obliged.

The description above says it completely it is perfect for the not quite ready for maternity clothes, to the nothing will cover this damn belly, to the not quite ready for regular clothes again.

Marisa also finds it helps her feel more supported with her belly being fairly low riding and heavy with both babies (who are both at term weight and doing well). She did have a bit of a problem because she was wearing it upside down for the first couple of days. But once she figured it out all was well.

An Open Letter to my Children

This was written about 2 weeks ago to both of my kids. One has taken heed and has tried to "clean up his act". The other is oblivious to the world around her and I take total and complete blame for her insensitivity and selfishness. Perhaps a public embarrassment will help. Perhaps not. Perhaps it is snarky of me to post this. At this point I have come very very close to the point of giving up. I don't want to reach that point, but truly I can see it on the horizon.


A letter to my children

Hi, I am your mother. I am not your housekeeper, your personal assistant, your laundress or your slave.

I have loved you from the moment you were conceived and will continue to do so until I no longer exist on this earth.

I am usually at your beck and call. Have I once refused a request from either of you? I have shown you both a penultimate amount of respect, and consideration. I request a modicum of each in return. Why is it that when I make a request of you, I get eye rolling, sighs and grunts in response?

You are both adults and should be able to do basic things to keep yourself and your surroundings in good repair. A bare minimum of upkeep in this house is requested of you it should be of no shock or take anymore than a minor bit of your energy to comply.

A. Do not put your dirty dishes in the sink or leave them on the counter. Put them in the dishwasher. If the dishwasher is full and clean, empty it. If it is full and dirty, run it, then empty it.

B. Do not leave your clothes (or the clothes of your children) lying around anywhere in the house other than your own bedroom. Dirty clothes piles should not exist in the hallways, or the bathrooms. No one else wants to pick up your dirty underpants.

C. Leave the towels in the bathroom. There is no reason for a towel that you did not purchase to ever leave the bathroom. If you happen to mistakenly take one out or send your child out in one, take the extra three steps to put it back when done.

D. If you use something, put it away. That includes anything used by your offspring or your significant others.

E. When doing your laundry, be considerate of others. Do not leave the house with laundry in the washer. Do not leave your dry laundry to live in the dryer. It is very inconvenient to others to expect them to finish your laundry for you.

I realize you are not children and do not expect you to do “chores”, but I expect you to pick up after yourselves at all times and to be responsible enough to see something that might need to be done and do it.

I also realize that my having to remind you of these simple exercises of adulthood means that I have failed in a part of my parenting you. I accept that. I have made many mistakes while raising you and I guess this is one more. But this is your chance to be better than me, to make your life better for yourselves, better than I have made it for you. Take this chance and run with it.

Love,
Mom