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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: mom, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 25 of 36
1. My mom’s letters

My mom's letters about me

My mom was something like a mommy-blogger, in 1973. From the time I was two to two-and-a-half, she wrote these astoundingly detailed letters about our lives and me and Miami, typed them up in quintuplicate, and mailed them to the whole family. I have multiple copies of some of them.

They’re an amazing resource for my book, and they prove, as she’s always claimed and I’ve doubted, that I was talking in complete sentences when I turned two. Apparently I was also always concerned with remembering everything that happened.

On the one hand the letters make me happy, because I can verrrry hazily remember some of what she describes, and because they’re so full of pride and love, but they also make me sad, because I can see how lonely she was.

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2. Samples–“Wishbone”

I’m behind in sharing published pieces. Here’s a single-page spread that came out in the November ’14 issue of HighFive magazine. It’s fun to do the images for these fun, little poems!

h5-tg14-cover-pageh5-tg-wishbone-2

h5-tg-wishbone-3

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3. A Crown of Flowers

I remember happy hours spent tying the stems of clover flowers into a chain. Looking forward to picnic weather!

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4. Oh, the Places You’ll Go

bookCoverShannon Bowers’ son Alex loves Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go.

Shannon gets teary-eyed when they read it together. Someday Alex will grow up, go to college and live out his dreams. Alex gets teary-eyed when Shannon reads too many of the pages. He’s five now. That’s his job.

Recently, Alex and his classmates, students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, all picked out brand-new books from First Book to take home. They chose stories about history, princesses and sharks. Their excitement was overflowing; many of them had no books at home.

Shannon Bowers family 2014Books have always been an important part of Shannon’s life. Her parents read to her as a child, and she and her husband Paul entered parenthood sharing the belief that education creates opportunities. They have always made an effort to fill their home with books.

Since Alex was born, Shannon and Paul have made reading as a family part of their nightly routine. Alex picks out a book; they all pile into his bed and share the story together. These days, Alex really likes to read to one-year-old Michael. He gets frustrated if mom or dad interrupts.

Shannon hopes reading will help take Alex and Michael all the places they want to go – in their imaginations and in life. She hopes financial issues won’t stand in their way. She hopes the same can be true for all kids.

“Our kids, they’re five years old,” she said. “None of them are thinking about [the future] right now. But we are. We think about that kind of thing… I want all of these kids to know if they make good enough grades, and they do what they need to do, then it’s there. They can do whatever they want.”

Together we can prepare kids for brighter future. Please consider making a gift to First Book today.

The post Oh, the Places You’ll Go appeared first on First Book Blog.

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5. In Praise of the Mom-Traffic Controller

Yesterday was one of those days. It is beyond my man-sized mind how everything fit together. I had nothing to do with its success or organization. But like a giant fuel-guzzling puzzle, the last piece set in perfectly about nine o’clock. Until then, my family ranged in different directions all across the metro area. The amazing thing is that the MTC (Mom-Traffic Controller) was absent for a good portion of it.

I had business on the other side of the city that kept me away until most of the flights were filed and done. If you know Atlanta traffic, you know that being on the other side of it on a weekday means that, while only thirty miles away, I may as well have been in Guatemala in case of an emergency. Sometimes, there is just no getting home. But the MTC needed me not.

flights

The Grandaddy taxi (my kids’ favorite ride because it often stops for a milkshake) had a few trips, she called in a favor from another middle-school parent, my nephew’s girlfriend made a pick-up, and I think there were two dog sleds and a rickshaw involved. Of course, this day involved multiple after school activities for every child that required extra commutes. Here is where I think the MTC was just showing off – she drove an hour north of the city on a college visit and took the only other driver of the house with her. So she wasn’t even around to oversee her masterpiece!

Through some mystery of mother magic, everything worked out. I counted two children when I got home and the other two trudged through the door soon after. They looked haggard but familiar, so I’m fairly certain they are mine.

Men, lest you think you could handle this task, let me recount for you my experience on Saturday (Car Day). I had one assigned job, ONE: pick up dancer daughter at 12:30. The brakes took a little longer than expected, but I finished and went inside to wipe the grime off of my fingertips so I could handle food. While at the sink, my phone lit up with a missed text. Instantly, I had that “Oh Crap!” moment when I saw the digital readout. You guessed it, 12:40. I forgot my one job, along with my daughter who sat waiting twenty minutes away. The forgotten child’s next text went to the MTC, who was at a play. I had planned to bribe my daughter’s silence with ice cream. But on the frantic trip to get her, I received from the MTC saying, “Nice job, Dad.” Exposed.

 

So, all hail the MTC! I don’t know where you received your degree in family flight management, but the entire (and somehow intact) family is glad you have it!


10 Comments on In Praise of the Mom-Traffic Controller, last added: 3/25/2014
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6. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Nora Henry earily 1950s
Nora Henry earily 1950sMom red hat
















Today would have ben my mom's birthday.  This is what I said at her funeral on October 26th:

My mom was no ordinary mom.  I think sometimes she wanted to be ordinary, she wanted to blend in, but that wasn’t how God made her.  She was tall, she was an extrovert, she followed her heart, she spoke her mind.

She taught me so many things, but three were most important: to laugh, to listen, and to love.

Mom had a crazy sense of humor. I remember one April Fool’s Day I watched her pour cat food into the cat’s dish.  She said, “You know, this actually looks pretty good,” shook some in her hand, and ate it.  It turned out it was a new cereal that she had noticed looked a lot like cat food.  She had put the bag inside an empty box of Friskies.

Back in July, mom was hospitalized for three days.  A few days after she was discharged, a nurse called to follow up. My mom was in the bathroom and so I answered and started talking for her. Figuring the nurse would want to talk with her directly, I handed her the phone when she came out .

The first thing she said - and mind you, she knew this was a stranger - was "Help! Help! They've got me tied up in a closet and they're not feeding me."

A week or so before she died, we were talking about how everyone has something at their core. Mom said she realized hers was to listen. She made friends everywhere she went, and it didn’t matter if they were young or old or homeless or rich. She loved meeting new people. A few months ago we went for a walk in the Eastwood Cemetery.  She was so weak that she only made it a few feet inside the entrance. But then a young woman she had never talked to walked by. And of course Mom perked up and learned all about her.  It completely rejuvenated her.

And finally, Mom was all about God and about love.  And for her the two were the same.  When I go back and look in my emails, there are dozens from her that have the word “love” in the subject line. She said love is the only thing, that love is all there is and that’s plenty.

I’m going to try to be more like mom - to laugh more, listen more, and love more.

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7. illustration friday~lush

an older illustration done for stories for children magazine, but i thought it was fitting for this week's IF prompt, *lush*.

the oranges looked so juicy and lush that tanner just couldn't resist giving one a grab. oops...;)

PRINTS AVAILABLE HERE:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/80471321/a-little-helper-reproduction

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8. Juggling Motherhood, Work & Dinner time

Without a doubt, it's a challenge being a mom, working full-time, writing, promoting a book, and being an MFA student.

Sometimes, I feel like I go from one job to another, so when it's time to cook dinner, it's a source of major stress. I actually like to cook, but I don't know how to cook too many things. This past year, I've focused on eating fresher foods so I'm not in favor of box-a-meals, although I do use them.

I'm fortunate to have a dietitian at work and I've recently starting keeping a food diary on My Fitness Pal. My meals are too carb heavy so I was challenged to come up with some other ideas.

I'd like to branch out and learn more quick meals so she gave me an awesome cookbook, The New Soul Food Cookbook. It's actually a book for diabetics which I'm not, but I am trying to make meals low in carbs and sugars to help me lose weight.

It has delicious looking recipes with only a few ingredients-Perfect for a working mom. I can't wait to try some.

Tonight we made a really tasty meal and my daughter actually made the hot dog dish. I made the quinoa salad.

Here's how we did it:

Hot Dogs: (Let your kids make this)

I put some melted butter in a small bowl, and she painted slices of 100% whole wheat bread.
She put a turkey hot dog in the middle, then wrapped the bread (buttered side out) around the hot dog. We fastened it with a skewer because I didn't have a toothpick.

We baked for 18 minutes on 325 degrees.

Quinoa:

I made the quinoa according to the instructions on the box, except I used vegetarian broth instead of water to give it extra flavor. I put some yellow squash, carrots, and zucchini in my mini food processor, then added that to the quinoa. I also threw in some grape tomatoes and green beans from our garden.

Quinoa is a good alternative to rice or pasta. It has protein in it and isn't as starchy. Plus it's a great dish to hide your veggies in.

We added some fresh strawberries as another side dish.

It was a filling meal, not to mention nutritious. It was great to have my daughter actually make part of the meal and she was so proud of herself. It only took 20 minutes, and was minimal clean-up. Two big positives in my house.

Here's a photo:





3 Comments on Juggling Motherhood, Work & Dinner time, last added: 8/8/2013
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9. Funny memories with my Dad.

My family and I each made photo collages for my Dad's funeral. I had a little fun with mine, adding some good, funny memories. I'll let this speak for itself....


You may have to right click and open in a new window in order to see it clearly. I would also recommend enlarging it in your browser a bit.

2 Comments on Funny memories with my Dad., last added: 5/3/2013
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10. Do you need a round rock?

round rockI found this round rock today while I was running. When I was a toddler, my mom was having a difficult time. My dad was working at an all-news radio station that was going down the tubes (and would soon become an all-rock-and-roll station). My dad had chased jobs across four states, and they were so broke they couldn't even afford a stroller.


My grandmother came to visit and later went for a walk. She bounded back into the house, calling, "Nora, guess what?" She was so excited that my mom thought she must have figured out some way to solve their problems. Instead, she handed my mom a rock, exclaiming excitedly over how round it was.

After she left, my mom laughed until she cried (or maybe it was cried until she laughed). She carried that rock in her purse for years, and there were times there was no money in the purse, just the rock. But she always said, if all else failed, she had a round rock.

In my family, it's an honor to go through hard times and earn your round rock. So if you're in need of a round rock today, think of this one as yours.

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11. My Mom's Eulogy

Hi Everyone,

I am so sorry I haven't blogged for a bit, but my mother died. A bunch of people asked me to post her eulogy here, so I will. I tried to channel the amazing actor Tom Hiddleston when I gave it, but since I am neither tall nor British, nor male, nor possess a cool voice of awesome, that didn't work so well. 

It feels a bit weird to post this on my blog/website, but I'm not sure how else to get it out there other than a mass email, and the truth is that I think my mom would kind of like her eulogy to posted for the internet world to randomly see if they randomly come here. My mom was like that. She'd like to be remembered.  

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Eulogy

Our mom, Betty, was propped up in a hospital bed in Manchester, NH just about a week ago today, and if she saw herself then she would have had a fit. Believe me. She didn’t like to be out of the house if her hair wasn’t combed or her lipstick wasn’t perfectly applied. I can not begin to tell you how many times I sat in her car, waiting to go to the grocery store, the library, a birthday party or even the dump and counted the seconds while she reapplied her lipstick in that painstaking way that mothers have.  Let’s just say that she took her time, and I was a very impatient kid. But there was a reason she wanted to put that lipstick on: She wanted to make sure she looked beautiful.

And in the hospital last week, ravaged from illness, with her heart trying so hard to beat, with her lungs trying so hard to breathe, my mother wouldn’t have thought she was beautiful. But she was.

She sat up in that hospital bed and Bruce and Debbie used a plastic spoon to feed her some chocolate and vanilla ice cream from a tiny Styrofoam cup. The moment that first spoonful of ice cream hit her lips, our mother, with her eyes closed and her heart failing, broke into a smile that lit up her entire face with a joy so sheer and absolute that it brought tears to everyone’s eyes.       She was beautiful.     She was always beautiful, but that beauty didn’t come from her lipstick, or even from her smile. That beauty came from her soul. That beauty came from her love.

Our mother was an expert in love. “I love you with every ounce of my being,” she would write on birthday cards, Easter cards, those little tags that go on Christmas presents and emails.

And proud? She was brilliant at proud. Every grandchild was a trophy to her – shiny and gleaming full of light and importance. She polished them with her love and words and pride in their deeds. Keith, her firefighting hero boy, her handy man, the first of her grandbabies. Kevin, the one she thought looked the most like her – so smart and now a hero boy police officer who helped bring her the great grandbabies that she thought were so beautiful. Kayla. She would tell me sooo many soccer stories about Kayla but her favorite story was how when Kayla was in first grade or something like that she learned sign language

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12. a little helper

here is the finished illustration for the november 2011 issue of SFC magazine http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com. AND it's 5 days BEFORE deadline! yay me!
to sum up the story entitled " a little helper", it's about a little boy named tanner who wants so desperately to help out his mama. he figures he might not be tall enough to reach that rye bread or those bananas, but boy is he ever going to take a shot at those yummy oranges...since they are on her shopping list. oops...;)
i'll post the link for the issue as soon as it is available!
next up....an awesome contest i discovered on a wonderful website entitled they draw and cook http://www.theydrawandcook.com/. i can't tell you how long i have been aching to pump out a recipe/illustration for these guys. super excited. have my idea all ready to go...just need to sketch it out!:)

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13. Happy Birthday, Mom

I parted with a big bag of fresh picked green beans and a copy of The Soldier's Wife by Margaret LeRoy today as I gave them to my Mom for her 85th birthday.  My Mom is a Mom among Moms.  I think she might stand 5 feet tall if she throws her shoulders back.  I'm about 5'5".  One of my brothers is 6'5".  Every one of my Mom's kids is taller than she is and we all were by the time we were 14.  Tiny as she is, my Mom is a wonder. She is, hands down, the sweetest, happiest person I know, even after bringing nine children into the world, making a home for two Cuban teens, and a couple of foster babies.

The bunch of us got together and gave Mom a Kindle for her birthday.  It was Mariane's idea, but she was urged to action by Heidi and our sister-in-law, Gail.  Mom is thrilled with this new gadget.  She is an old hand at Skypeing, since the youngest of the clan lives in Japan with his wife and two sons.  So, even though she bothers her sons, daughters and grandchildren for help in getting things done, there is no moss growing on my Mom technology wise.  Her cell phone is even nicer than mine!

I didn't forget my Dad today.  I took him my ARC of Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff. I want to read the book myself but I got caught up in Radio Shangri-La by Lisa Napoli which is a slimmer book and has gotten a lot of attention in the enewsletters I read.  I am quite taken by memoirs of people who are younger than I.  Hmmm, just wait til they get to be MY age - or better yet, my mother's age.  They'll have stories to tell then.

At Story FUSION, this past Spring, there was an opportunity for people to record their life stories on DVD.  I think we called it Life Stories.  I was too busy being a volunteer. to take advantage of it.  Next year, I think I'm going to drag my Mom and Dad into the booth and get some of their tales down.  My Dad's a willing raconteur. Telemarketers should know better than to call him, because he will ask them how they feel about religion or politics and before you know it 20 minutes have passed.  He got a call from the Republican party - of which he is a member - while I was there one day and after waiting ten minutes for him to get off the phone I just waved good-bye and left.  He was still giving that man a piece of his mind.  It's a wonder he has any pieces left the way he hands them out left and right.

My Mom on the other hand has trouble getting a word in edgewise.  But as they grow older she has been speaking up.  "Oh we've heard that story a dozen times," she tells my Dad, not that any of us expect that it will make any difference.  And she says it with a smile and he rarely takes offense.

I once went to a talk on How to Be Happy.  There were seven rules and the first one was:  Have Happy Parents.  I got that rule down pat.  Happy Birthday, Mom.  Here's hoping you get to have a bunch more.

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14. Donut Days from Hell

Saturday was not a good mommy moment for me. Another #mommyfail to add to my long lists of #mommyfails.

So this past Saturday after my husband leaves for work (yes on a Saturday! But we wont get into that in this post) I decide to take kids for a donut run.

Donuts + kids = happy times. Right? WRONG! Donut + kids = Disaster waiting to happen.

Let me set it up for you (Insert great character tip: you must get the reader to sympathize with your Main Character so they care about the story and stick with them even when they do things the reader may not like)

Background/History
My kids have been out of camp for a couple weeks. After an exhausting week at LA, my dad had major surgery and my daughter was out of camp the same week. We had to get her ready for school and then my son was out all last week. Meanwhile, I am fighting a cold and my hubby was working long hours so there was no reprieve. Needless to say, I started to feel my kids were slowing picking away at my armor, my invisible force field. arguing, complaining, tired.

Mommy Offense #1 Lacking in necessary equipment
Now for the record, I do not have the latest model in Mommy Force Fields. I have a very old model that has been banged on, torn at, and picked at. So there are hairline cracks, yes it is my fault I have not upgraded to the newest and latest model.

Though I have seen some woman who have them and I envy the capabilities: The 24/7 smile feature, The nothing cracks me feature, the one that gives 100% patience guarantee, the one that can lasts for over 5000 meltdowns while doing a million chores.

The MFF 5000 (Mommy ForceField 5000).

No, I have the one that was on Clearance a few years ago b/c I could not afford a new one. The used model. The FF100.

You see where I am going.(do you sympathize with yet?)

Offense #2 - Giving 6 and 3 year old Choices they are not equipped to handle
I asked 2 innocent children the age old question that seems to cause controversy even in adults: Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme?

I have realized since this Episode that I give my kids waaaaaaaay to many choic

24 Comments on Donut Days from Hell, last added: 8/18/2010
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15. Dad.



My Dad taught me to fish like no one's business so don't ask me to teach you because it is none of your business.


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16. MommyFail or Mommysuccess?

I have never been someone who thought I would be great at being a mom. And since I've had kids, I'm sure other would say my #mommyfails are off the charts.

1) Patience of a Saint? #mommyfail! I have no patience. I'm the person who pops the toast early.

2) Craft Mom? #mommyfail! I am soooooooo not crafty. To me, using a crayon is an art. This includes sewing buttons, hemming, making American Girl clothes. Nuttin honey!

3) Kids are the center of my world? #mommyfail! Yes, I can be a bit self-centered. It's just now, it's with a kid. I go to story time at B&N so I can look at books in the kid section while my kids listen to other people read. I'm still working on it.

4) Mommy Speak? #mommyfail! I don't enjoy talking about my kids all day, every day. Really I don't. And, when I go out with my friends, I don't want to hear about their friends kids even more. I dont' want to compare nap schedules, poop routines, and discipline techniques from Supernanny.

5) Mommy and Me? #mommyfail! I do not attend these classes. One because on a grammar level - its just plain wrong. Two - I do not like to sing in large groups. Three, they lie - it is not just Mommy and me - its 20 other mommies and their 20 kids. I prefer to conduct my own classes at home. Cheaper and quieter. I heard once that the class should be changed to: "Scared Sh*tless women who have kids and are going out of their freaking' minds so they need to get out of the house before they go certifiably nuts" class. Wait, maybe that's too long for a brochure.

7) Mommy clothes? #mommyfail! I've never bought into mommy jeans, mommy hair cuts, and mommy stores. Excuse me but I don't want to LOOK like I haven't had sex in a couple months. Whether I have or not.

8) Hot mamma? #mommyfail! I'd like to think I've "still got it" and maybe to my husband I still do. But at for drinks, going to concerts, I realize the phrases like MILF and "hot mama," do not apply to me. Being a mommy is only sexy to us and our husbands. And that might only be b/c we take care of their kids so they pretend we're as hot as we used to be.

Now don't go calling DFAX.

I feed my kids. Even if it is from a microwave.

I pack their lunch. Even if it is a lunchable.

I read them books. Even if it is the same one every night.

I bathe them. Even if it is every OTHER night.

I sacrifice writing, sleep, and exercise to make sure they are happy. Even though I may grumble about it sometimes.

But I love my kids more than my life. I mean, I've given it up, haven't I? ;)

Besides, if any of you tried to harm them, I would personally gouge your heart out with my son's Elmo knife and serve it on my daughter's Dora plate.

See? I'm a good mommy.

Who says these things are all #mommyfails??

So #mommyfail or not.

I have realized I cannot let others tells me what a #mommysuccess looks like.

Except my kids :)


24 Comments on MommyFail or Mommysuccess?, last added: 5/11/2010
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17. Mom.



It is time I confessed a secret to the world. I know it, the government knows it and now you, too, will know it. It may sound crazy but you must trust me and hear me out. The truth is that all Al Qaeda really wants is my Mother's Meatloaf recipe. Honestly, I have lost count of the amount of people who have sworn off meatloaf but upon tasting my Mother's recipe have completely changed their minds. Because of this recipe lives have been changed and the balance of power in the West has depended on its survival.

Lucky for us it has been preserved in the National Archives under H for, "Holy Mother of God, that is really good meatloaf." Don't ask any government employee to show you, they will deny it's existence. That is all.

1 Comments on Mom., last added: 5/10/2010
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18. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY




A little picture from "Just One More, Mom" with Kaeden Books done a couple years ago. All you Mama's know that call from the next room. Of course after "I want something to drink, read me a story" and other such things. So Happy Day to you! ( Mother or not )

2 Comments on HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, last added: 5/4/2010
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19. I am no Super Mom!


My kids were stuck home today from school - for the flooding - and we went to the bookstore.
So did a ton of other moms.

A lot of them were talking about what they do with their kids and what they dont' do. Some of them i thought "I do that.". Some i thought "What? I would never do that!"

I realized there is a difference between Good moms and Super moms.

  • Super mom - helps her kids throw up when they are sick
  • Good mom - helps her kids throw up but..... in reality is gagging and about to throw up herself
  • Super mom - picks a paci (or food) off the floor and washes it off
  • Good mom - picks up a paci (or food) blows on it and shoves it back in kids mouth to build up immune system
  • Super mom - loves to play with her kids
  • Good mom - loves to play with her kids but... only for so long before she feels like she just cant be the dog anymore.
  • Super mom - never yells and is always calm
  • Good mom - yells at least once a week and then apologizes for "losing it"
  • Super mom - has kids who eat spinach and broccoli
  • Good mom - gets excited when a bad eater loves spinach pretzels at B&N and then happily counts that as one of the daily vegetables.
  • Super mom - is always dressed in super cute outfit (cape and all)
  • Good mom - is lucky if she gets to take a shower and throws on what is clean (or not)
  • Super mom - negotiate with kids in stores to avoid arguments and effectively uses time outs at the checkout
  • Good mom - lets kid fall on the floor and then asks others around if they want to "watch the show" (while waiting for fit to be over)
  • Super mom - packs a lunch for her kids everyday with love - keeping the four food groups in mind
  • Good mom - packs a lunch for her kids everyday with love- but some days throws in a lunchable and tells herself its a treat
  • Super mom - lays out the perfect outfit so her kid looks perfect for school
  • Good mom - lets kids pick out clothes and as long as they are wearing pants - lets the unmatched socks and contrasting stripe patterns pass inspection
  • Super mom - only gives kids TV if the American Pediatric Assoc recommends it
  • Good mom - commands "movie day" and sticks her kid in front of TV to get a break.
  • Super mom - volunteers to be the head of the PTA
  • Good mom - wants to be on the PTA and knows when the meetings are, but somehow even with best intentions never gets there on time
  • Super mom - loves to clean the grime in the toilets b/c "cleanliness is next to godliness".
  • Good mom - love to pay someone else to reach those places.
  • Super mom - loves to get up in the middle of the night with kids when they wake, go potty, or are in the bathroom
  • Good mom - does rock paper scissors with hubby to see who wins and gets to sleep in
  • Super mom - sings Elmo and Sesame Street songs in the car everyday, all day
  • Good mom - gets her kids to like Justin Timberlake and sing "I'm bringing sexy back"
  • Super mom - cooks homemade meals every night from scratch
  • Good mom - cooks hot meals from the four food groups even if three of them are processed and heated in microwave
  • Super mom - would rather be with their kids 24/7
  • Good moms - loves time with kids but sighs a breath of relief when kids are finally tucked in bed and a bottle of wine is already open.
  • Super mom - loves to share her food with her kids, giving them the last bite
  • Good mom - resents giving away the last bite b/c she loves sweets
  • Super mom - loves every bowel movement their child takes - 1 or 2
  • Good mom - cringes when she hears the words "Booty check!!!" coming from the bathroom (that also happens to be flawed in its flushing ability)
  • Super mom - loves being pregnant
  • Good mom - doesn't like being pregnant (really through the first 3 months of babyhood) but loves her kids unconditionally
  • Super mom - loves to talk about everything their kid does, all day, all the time
  • Good mom - loves to talk about her kids but only for so long then she likes to talk about herself.
  • Super mom - loves to play chase and run after her kids, up and down the playgyms
  • Good mom - loves to play "hide and seek" so she can hide in a corner and get at least 5 minutes of peace and quiet.
I have a confession: I am a Good mom. I will never be a Super mom. I'm Ok with that.

Anyone looking to buy a "never before used" cape?

25 Comments on I am no Super Mom!, last added: 9/25/2009
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20. THE ARTIST'S MOTHER in More Magazine

The Artist's Mother is featured in this month's More magazine: "Mother as muse may not be a common theme in art history books, but great painters have often paid homage to the women who raised them. In The Artist's Mother, the editors at the Overlook Press have collected, for the first time, 36 portraits of famous artists' mothers: Anna van Gogh taught her son Vincent to draw, and Katherine Cassatt, a Victorian matron, encouraged her daughter Mary's bohemian lifestyle. While their offspring have long been anointed as geniuses, these women finally have their place in history too. Its one that is much richer than oil on canvas." —Rebecca Adler Warren

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21. Illustration Friday-Hierarchy

Not sure if it fits, but I think so. I also think it works for Mother's Day.

18 Comments on Illustration Friday-Hierarchy, last added: 5/22/2009
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22. Wednesday's Wacko Watch - To Pick or Not to Pick

Marketing Muse

Check out these tips on how to market fiction!


To Pick or Not to Pick

O.K I have a bone to pick! (no this post is not about picking bones!)

Yesterday, am taking a walk with my daughter. Its gorgeous outside, my little boy is in the stroller.

Along the way, my daughter is skipping and singing.

At the end of our street, there is an apartment complex. It has windy sidewalks through it and we always go through there because it is a nicer walk than staying on the street. (Don't even get me started on the sidewalk issue here!)

As we are walking through the complex, we come to a ratty old bush. And growing in the bush, is one single pink rose. My thought goes to: it only takes one. Which seems to be my daily mantra as I sift through the query process.

My daughter is thrilled and says: "Look, mommy that's pollination!" (She loves the Bee Movie). She squeals and proceeds to tell me all about pollination and how seeds move from flower to flower.

Then she says with wide, hopeful eyes: "Can I pick it?"

I usually always say no because most of the flowers we come across are in people's yard and that would be rude, not to mention probably illegal trespassing. I certainly don't need a 5 year old fugitive.

This time, I give in and say: "Sure honey."

She squeals again and picks the long beautiful rose, which again is not from anyone's rose bush or garden. Keep in mind, this is an apartment complex with hedges around it that are in the common area.

So who would care right?

Wrong.

Just as her little fingers pluck the puffy, sweet smelling pink bloom, a lady screams (and I mean screams) out from across the court, "OH NO!!!"

Now, first of all I never see anyone in this apartment complex because we usually walk before people start getting home from work.

Second, we NEVER pick anything. We don't even roll over grass and we don't even try to sneak into the apartment pool.

So of course the ONE time I let my daughter sneak a sample from nature is the ONE time some crabby old lady decides to make a stand.

The lady yells at us again, "Why did you just do that? That's awful!"

My daughter's eyes grow wide, almost as if she is about to cry. She whispers, "Mommy, am I in trouble?" This is a little girl that ALWAYS follows the rules. The one who actually reminds me of the rules because I actually forget them.

I turn to the lady and say, "Hi, my daughter found this random flower and picked it from a this bush."

Lady: "Why would you do that? It wasn't yours."

Me: "Oh no. We didn't take it from anyone's garden or anything. It was just stuck in this random bush."

She shakes her long, wiry white hair and proceeds to ash her cigarette as her white cockatoo perches on her shoulder squawking "hello, how are you?" in his polite birdy manner (which was actually much more polite than the old lady)

I apologize and say, "I'm sorry, have a good day."

I walk away (OK so I Stomped away) steaming. For 1/2 the walk home, I kept telling my daughter "It's OK. We didn't do anything wrong. Some people are just grumpy. We apologized."

Was I trying to convince her or myself?

You see, I am someone who cries if the person next to me cries. I am someone whose feelings are made of some kind of really fragile stuff even though I may come across as tough. I cry at commercials, I cry in movies, I cry to songs. (Sounds like I cry all the time but I dont) I am also someone who gets stuck on certain things. Someone who gets appalled at other people's actions. Someone who feels awful and beats herself up for days if she does anything wrong or hurts anyones feelings. (obviously - b/c I am still bothered today)

But to imply I am disrespecting nature? I celebrate Earth Day. I recycle. I pick up trash when I see it. I pay money every month to plant trees to offset my family's carbon. I even give enough to offset my neighbors carbon. I never let my daughter kill bugs and teach her to respect nature. I spend some time every day appreciating this world we have. So I am slightly offended and annoyed that it was implied I disturbed something sacred.

Maybe we shouldn't have picked the flower. I get that.

So what is my beef???

1) Why did she care? Granted maybe we should not have picked it. But technically it was a weed right? I think people focus on these smallish things when there are huge things to care about. If we all focused our energy on something bigger - like war or plastic or criminals, we'd be better off than yelling at a small girl for a single flower.

2) Why did she have to yell? Didn't she see my little 5 year old cringing away in fright. Didn't she see the joy on my 5 year old daughter's face as she help the rose in her hand, proudly. Was it necessary to yell and disrespect us like she THINKS we disrepected a flower?

3) Was she really so "earth conscious" that she was bothered by the picking of a single rose that was not even hers to begin with? Or was she mad because she wanted to pick it?

I don't know but here is my take on Flower Lady?

If you are smoking and ashing on the lawn with a wild rarish bird confined as a pet that lives in your dingy little apartment whose wings you've clipped so he remains a prisoner while you make him learn dumb human phrases as he dreams of flying in blue skies......

....then my daughter can pick a flower.

Who's with me!

What do you think? Was it awful to pick the flower?

13 Comments on Wednesday's Wacko Watch - To Pick or Not to Pick, last added: 5/1/2009
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23. 6 Things on a Saturday

1. Whooooo knows about Owl Medicine?
I woke up - once again - to an owl hooting. Of course my hubby did not hear it. But as soon as I looked out the window, the owl stopped. WTF is up with owls!!! Are they trying to tell me something? Read this if you want to know more about what Native Americans thought. (With this health stuff going on, I have to admit I'm freaked out a bit by them)

Owls come in all sizes, from a tiny miniature that actually lives inside the cactus in the desert, to the great horned owl, which is the only bird that can out fly the golden eagle. A fully grown great horned is an awe inspiring creature. Its talons are furry, and closely resemble the paws of a baby mountain lion with claws extended. It is a meat eater, which means it can be a fierce warrior if challenged, or if something dear to it is threatened. It is often referred to as Night Eagle. Owl is at home in the night. It has great awareness of all that is around it at all times. It has predator vision, which means it sees clearly what it looks at. It has great intuition: it is the totem of psychics and clairvoyants. It has the courage to follow its instincts. Owl's medicine includes seeing behind masks, silent and swift movement, keen sight, messenger of secrets and omens, shape-shifting, link between the dark, unseen world and the world of light, comfort with shadow self, moon power, freedom.

2. The Sleep Gods have Answered.
My hubby let me sleep until 10:30. AH! I have not done this in years. he even took the kids out of the house so it was quiet. Wasn't that nice. Of course after the owl incident, I had nightmares but at least I am a bit refreshed. Isn't he GREAT! Thx honey

3. Time for a trip to the Salon.
Going to get my hair done today. haven't had it done in a while. I was kind of thinking of going red. Don' t know why? I think its because I watched America' top Model this week. One of the girls (the plus size model and I use plus size term lightly because she is what a size 6??) had brown hair and blueish green eyes like me changed to red hair in her makeover. I thought she looked good. But is red really me? maybe we should ask the owls?

4. A 5 year old's Brilliance
  • Mommy - How to policeman stop you when you are speeding? I bet they just shoot you.
  • Mommy - Ms. Cheryl told me unicorns were not real. I told her that I can believe what I want to. She just can't see them like I can.
  • Don't worry Mommy, you have to keep trying. I know you can get published just don't be a giver upper!
  • What does instinct mean? that something stinks??
5. A man of few words (from a 20-month old)
Me: Did you poo poo?
Him: No! (he did!)
Me: Do you want to take a nap?
Him: No!
Me: Do you want to play trains?
Him: No!
Me: Give me a kiss.
Him: No!
*sigh*

6. Boy I could use me some of this!
NPR had an article today listed: Can fearful memories be erased? What I found funny is that one way was drugs! No S$%# Sherlock. Drugs can erase anything (not that I would know) Check out the article, it is interesting.)


Have a nice saturday!

20 Comments on 6 Things on a Saturday, last added: 4/6/2009
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24. Interview with a 5 year old Diva

Interview with a 5 year old Diva

This was fun. I grabbed this from Nice Mommy-Evil Editor's Blog (a great new find). Ask your kid the questions and write them down exactly how they respond.

1. What is something mommy/daddy always says to you?

Mom: No, but just sometimes

Dad: Good job (the dad's always get the credit :)


2. What makes mommy/daddy happy?

Mom: Me, when i listen to you

Dad: you (ahhhhhhh!)


3. What makes mommy/daddy sad?


Mom: when Gray hits you (my 18 month is going through a stage. hitting and everything is mine, no or stop

Dad: when Connor passed away (my hubby's dog dies last April :(


4. How do mommy/daddy do to make you laugh?

Mom: when you make your eyes big at me

Dad: when he tickles me


5. What were mommy/daddy like when they were little?


Mom: funny, but you still are.

Dad: a boy


6. How old are your mommy/daddy?

Mom: 37 (she gave a year back - thx honey :)

Dad: same as you. what are you again?




7. How tall are your mommy/daddy?

Mom: taller than me

Dad: taller than everyone!


8. What is your favorite thing to do?

cartwheels and running


9. What do mommy/daddy do when you’re not around?

Mom: work on computer

Dad: play with Gray (again, dad's get all the credit)


10. If mommy/daddy become famous, what will it be for?


Mom: skating (I have no idea where this came from. Scary!)

Dad: singing (Trust me, there is NO chance of this!)




11. What are mommy/daddy really good at?


Mom: scaring us and yelling when you're mad (so what - I am a scary yeller??)

Dad: chasing us




12. What are mommy/daddy not very good at?


Mom: cooking pizzas (she's right except I'm not good at cooking ANYTHING)

Dad: hiding


13. What do mommy/daddy do for their jobs?

Mom: type

Dad: go to work and bring home the bacon (you can see who's daughter she is :)




14. What is mommy/daddy’s favorite food?

Mom: salad (yeah right, I wish!)


Dad: what you made last night (I think it was burnt - I mean- baked potatoes??)




15. What makes you proud of mommy/daddy?

Mom: when you play the game where you place your face through the card. You are really good at that game. (she's talking about the new game - what am i? it's fun!)

Dad: he fixes things


16. If mommy/daddy were a cartoon character, what would they be?

Mom; Cinderella

Dad: Kung Fu Panda (my hubby is so smiling right now)

17. What do you do with mommy/daddy?

Mom: play games

Dad: i ride my bicycle and my daddy walks next to me


18. How are you and mommy/daddy the same?

Mom: we have long hair

Dad: we have same color hair (huh?)


19. How are you and mommy/daddy different?

Mom: our voice doesn't sound the same

Dad: he has short hair and I don't


20. How do you know mommy/daddy love you?

Mom: cuz you hug me - all the time (hopefully this makes up for my skill at yelling ;)

Dad: he tells you


22. Where is mommy’s/daddy's favorite place to go?

Mom: to see Tito and Tata's house (this is my brother and his wife. I would say the bookstore or the beach)

Dad: the park


23. Who is your favorite person in the whole world?

Tata's new baby (my new niece - she's a week old...whom she's never met :)

24. What is one thing you would change about mommy/daddy?

Mom: make your hair short

Dad: make him a girl like me



25. What do you like about Gray?

That he's my little brother


26. What don't you like about Gray?

That he hits me (do you see a pattern?)


27. What do you want to be when you grow up?

a doctor for kids (YES!)

28. why do you think writers should market their books?

so people wil buy them (she really said this :) It was not a plant.

29. lastly, what are your favorite books?

yours (confession - i almost cried. too bad she's not an agent :)




DONT FORGET: Monday, we have Laini Taylor, author of Blackbringer :)

28 Comments on Interview with a 5 year old Diva, last added: 3/11/2009
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25. A Slew of Friday Fives - A 5 year old's Word to the Wise

First Things First


I want to thank WOOF for the Premio Dardos award. This award is given to acknowledge blogs that have cultural, ethical, literary and personal values. (Really? I do that?) The award honors favorite blogs for reaching out to readers of all generations who encourage self-awareness, good will, and literacy throughout the world. (Me?)

The rules are:1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog with a link to the grantee. 2) Pass the award to other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement and let them know they've been selected.


Marketing Tip: 5 ways to cause Blog Traffic Jams (BTW you want those!)
  1. Comment on other blogs. Yes, that goes for all you lurkers. We can't visit you if you don't tell us who you are! :)
  2. Create Blog rolls to your favorite blogs. Not only do people come to your blog to read about you, they can also use your bog as a resource "rest stop"
  3. Post frequently. Keep it fresh. Don't let people come several times without an update. They will get bored.
  4. Check your stats and see what is popular and where people come from. It helps you keep your blog topics on target with your readers.
  5. Be courteous and respectful. Remember this is not a diary - people will read it. Does not mean you can't be honest. But be aware of your wording.
Don't forget: My Marvelous Marketer for Monday is Martha Mihalick from Greenwillow!
A 5 year old's Word to the Wise. (yes she is 5 now *sigh*)
Words she's trying to use:
  1. Compromise (Mommy mommy, lets comprise. Ill have fruit And cookies)
  2. Consequence (So if I don't take a bath, will there be a consequence?)
  3. Distracting (Mommy! Gray is distract me! I cant think.)
  4. Disgusting (Blah, that's gigusting)
  5. Exhausted (It's been a long day. I'm just e-zausted)
Things she says that touch my heart:
  1. "Mommy, I wrote a book for you!" (music to my ears)
  2. "I hope you feel better. Can I get you some water?" (all at once now....aaahhhhhhhh!)
  3. "Can I sell cookies and give money to the firemen? Not all of it, but like...a dollar?"
  4. "When I go to sleep, I think of the beach."
  5. "How come I never see a rainbow? Am I not magic enough?"
Naughty words she's found a word for:
  1. Butt - bum bum
  2. sucks - stinks
  3. OMG - oh my giddy aunt (my hubby is British)
  4. Damn - Crumbs (again British)
  5. hate - don't like
Have a good weekend! ;)

7 Comments on A Slew of Friday Fives - A 5 year old's Word to the Wise, last added: 1/23/2009
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