The Open Check Book

I write all the checks in our house. All of our bills are paid electronically and we use our debit card for purchases, therefore the only time we write checks in our house is when the kids need us to pay fees for school, add money to their lunch cards, sports registration fees, membership fees, monthly activity tuition and soon I can add the cost of our nanny to that list -- but that's a post for another day.

My check book has been very quiet until recently. The last check I wrote was on May 21st for our Summer Swim Club membership -- which hasn't been cashed yet, which is driving me nuts, but again that is a post for another day. So from May 22nd to July 31st I've written ZERO checks. Starting August 1st to today, I've written 15 checks and am bracing myself to write at least 6 more by the end of the month. Then beginning in September it will slow down a bit, but each month I will write at least 3 checks a month for each of my children, which isn't bad, but that doesn't count all the other stuff we're paying for without the check book.

Some of the checks I've written are for necessities, such as the technology fees for school, class room party fees, money to put on their lunch cards. Some of the checks have been for activity registrations for piano, gymnastics, football and cheerleading. The rest of the checks are for the items required to participate in those activities -- sheet music, leotards, equipment and uniforms (some uniform parts are provided others are not). I know there are some people that don't spend money like we do on our kids, however this is a decision we've consciously made and can afford. We also chose to live in an area where most of the kids are fairly privileged and while we don't play the "Keeping Up with the Jone's Game", to some degree we do have to embrace some of the culture we live in, while still maintaining our values as a family. If we didn't accept it, the solution is to move and honestly we like where we live -- does that make sense? We do make our kids work for some privileges and do tell our kids no, but when they want to participate in an activity we try to encourage their interest. I will also say that I was one of those parents that when my kids were younger thought people that over programmed their school aged kids were nuts. However, when my kids became school aged I learned that kids want to do participate and compete in activities with their friends and really it's not as bad as it sounds. My two older kids participate in piano all year round and one sport per season, usually taking the late winter season off -- Early February to mid March. They will also participate in a special interest class here and there, but it varies. They enjoy it and to some degree we do to -- we're really enjoying this football and cheerleading thing, definitely our cup of tea.

Each stage has it's expense. When they are babies it's diapers, when they're school aged it's activities, high school it's car insurance and cell phones, and college it's the tuition, then it's weddings and grandchildren and a whole lot in between -- clothes for growing toddlers, food for growing kids, emergency room visits, prescriptions for their illnesses and disorders, dresses for prom, supplies for college and the list goes on. Bottom line, kids are expensive. No matter how much you penny pinch, you're still paying out more money than before you had kids and doing with a little less yourself to make sure they're taken care of properly.

The Bird

Friday I was driving South on a fairly busy state route. The road is six lanes wide, each side has two driving lanes, a left turn lane and a median divides the North and South route. The speed limit varies from 40 to 50 miles per hour depending on the pattern of the traffic lights and highway entrance and exit ramps. While the road isn't they type of road to be crossed, there are a few crosswalks in areas where there are small shopping plazas and restaurants. I hope my description is doing the busy-ness of the road justice, because its an important element to the story.

There I was driving in my car, windows down, kids in the car, travelling South on the route and entering a left turning lane when I saw three boys around 12 years old riding North into the turning lane trying to cross six lanes of road. If I wasn't paying close attention I easily could have hit one of these boys. I used this as an opportunity to teach my kids a lesson on bike safety and loudly pointed out how stupid these boys were being -- remember my windows were down. Next thing I know, I hear one of the boys yell "Stupid bitch!" and then he flipped me off and glared at me as he brazenly crossed the road. Me being mature with a cool head taught my kids another lesson screamed "Right back at you!" and gave them the middle finger back. Believe me, I know that wasn't right especially in front of my kids, but it was such an instinctive knee jerk reaction. Thankfully, it was quick enough that the kids think I just pointed at him -- but to be honest it really felt good. I haven't flipped someone the bird probably since high school.

What I also thought was interesting was how defensive my son got at the boys calling me a bitch. He's seen enough movies and has attended enough NFL football games to know what words are "bad words". My son started ranting in the car how the boy doesn't even know me, and that I'm "So not the 'B' word" and how he thinks I'm so nice. -- Oh the love of a boy for his Mama.

My Mind is Blank

I have a few things I want to write about -- new blogging attitude; being a football mom; seasonal affectiveness disorder; my 22 month old learning to crawl out of her crib; the Summer Olympics and more -- but every time I go to draft a post my mind goes blank. I think it's because I have a lot going on and I can't organize my life let alone my thoughts.

The fabric is coming for my chair today or tomorrow, so I'm hoping to work on that project this weekend -- and I should have pics for you next week -- it's really coming along nicely. I need to spackle and sand my walls for the painter that's coming next week. We're heading out to Brown's training camp Saturday, so that should be fun -- I get to see my Mrs. Robinson crush Brady Quinn. I also may be meeting Amy from The Mommy Chronicles on Monday if her schedule shakes out how we hope. With all that going on hopefully I'll be able to gather my thoughts and have some good posts next week.

Also, as a follow up to my chemically burned face. The redness has faded and most of the scabbiness has peeled away. I still have a little discoloration under my chin and flakiness around my mouth, but it looks much better. The stinker is the hair is already growing back and I'll need to go get waxed next week! Damn this dark hair.

You all have a super weekend!

A Pink Goatee

Since I was 12 years old I've been waxing, shaving and tweezing various body hair. While I resemble my blond hair, blue eyed Polish mother; I have inherited my Italian fathers dark hair and eyes -- unfortunately the hair is not limited to my head I have a LOT of it --everywhere.

I've easily spent thousands of dollars throughout my life on various hair removal treatments and products -- shaving, waxing, sugaring, lasers, creams and gadgets -- does anyone remember the Epilady? Every two weeks I get my eyebrows, upper lip and chin waxed -- yes, my chin. I am 37 years old and I already am getting those lovely goat hairs. The problem is that often times in between waxing I tweeze some rogue hairs, but the task is tedious and often I inflict myself with a small puncture would from the tweezers. I really should get a laser treatment because it lasts longer -- I've had it done in the past, but it's fairly expensive and it's not something I want to spend money on right now.

Sunday,at the drug store I wondered over to the hair removal section and noticed a depilatory cream for the face. It looked fairly easy and safe, but most of all it look quick and painless. The kids were busy watching the T.V., hubby was in in the shower so I decided to try the cream. The directions were easy enough: 1. Test a small area. 2. Put cream on unwanted hair, be careful not to rub in. 3. Leave on for a minimum 5 minutes, but no longer than 8 minutes. 4. Remove cream with a wet towel and rinse. Simple and easy right? Well who actually tests -- not me because I'm too excited to try the product and Step 1 would've taken too much time. I eagerly slathered the cream all over my upper lip and chin in the shape of a goatee, set the timer for 7 minutes and vacuumed the living room. This stuff is wonderful I thought because it allowed me to multitask. At minute 5 the cream started to burn a little bit, but I wanted to finish what I was doing. The timer went off I removed the cream and my skin was bright red and burning and now I had a red goatee. It turns out I chemically burned my face. It's two days later I now have a faded, very dry, semi scabby, pink reminder of by hair removal. I've been putting Neosporin on the area and it seems to be helping, but it's totally embarrassing. Lesson learned, if the directions say test, TEST.

Garbage Picking

While I do like unique furniture and accessories, normally I don't like old stuff, or antiques as some people call them. In my efforts to be a friend to the environment and my wallet I've kept an open mind to this whole reduce, reuse, recycle idea. One of my favorite home face lift tricks is reupholstering dining room chairs, stools, ottomans, even old metal framed office chairs. It is a simple project that takes little skill and can easily be done with fabric remnants and a staple gun -- oooh how I love my staple gun.

A few months ago I stumbled upon The Brassy Apple and was inspired by how she repurposes old picture frames, mirrors and furniture into funky home furnishings. Ever since I've wanted to tackle a similar project but haven't found the right piece. Yesterday, on my way home from work, I found the holy grail sitting on a tree lawn with the garbage and some other tossed furniture. It is a mission style wood and leather rocking chair that looks like it's from the 1950's. The chair is very dirty, the stained leather seat is terribly torn and lots of stuffing is missing from the springed seat too, but the construction is solid and the wood is in fairly good condition. I've been looking for a chair like this to place in the piano room, but haven't found it until now -- it's just a little dirtier than I imagined.

I've never garbage picked before , never and I have to tell you it's quite a rush finding a piece, placing it in your car, cleaning it up and knowing it was free is awesome. I'm heading to the hardware store and fabric store today to purchase supplies for my project. I've never refinished wood before so this will be a challenge. I'm going to buy some Formby's Furniture refinisher and restain it and it that fails miserably I'll paint it. The fabric is the fun part, the chair has three areas to be upholstered so I think I may get three different coordinating designs and tie it together with pillow crafted from all three fabrics and trim. This is a more ambitious than I'm used to, but hopefully it will turn out to be a nice addition to my home collection.

Peanut Butter Heaven

In my quest to eat better I've come across some pretty great products. One my latest finds is Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams. This is an all natural product with no hydrogenated oil, no refined sugar and is gluten free. This peanut butter really satisfies my sweet tooth because it tastes like a peanut butter cup. While it tastes great spread on an apple or banana, it also tastes fabulous right off the spoon. Look for it in your grocery store's organic section where they sell the regular peanut butter.

Other People's Problem

How do you feel about strangers correcting your children? This past weekend we attended my cousins wedding. My children were all invited and while I didn't want to bring them, my aunt insisted they attend. The wedding was beautiful, but very casual -- the groom wore flip-flops. It was at an old converted ski lodge in the hills of Pennsylvania and there was lots of room for the kids to run around and play. My 9 year old son was the oldest of the children attending the wedding. He was well behaved, but was running around outside. While he was running he accidentally kicked over a small glass votive lining the pathway to the lodge -- I saw the whole thing happen from afar. A young woman, a close friend of the bride probably in her mid 20's with no children, stopped my son and was yelling at him because he broke the votive and to stop running. When I saw this happening I immediately ran to the scene and suddenly the girl changed her tune with him. I sternly told her I'd take care of it and told my son to watch where he was going so we didn't have people that we don't know yelling at him. Later as we walked away I told him that the last comment was for her benefit not his.

I don't mind people that I know my kids correcting them. My family, friends and neighbors do it all the time -- and I do it to their children and we're okay with it. It's not a big deal to me, because they know what I expect of my children and how they normally behave. My son didn't intentionally break that candle, he is clumsy, it was an accident, he felt bad about it -- end of it. If she knew him or had children of her own, she would have known that. Some people may disagree, but I believe that people who don't have children of their own, truly don't understand how kids are in general. Before I had children I remember righteously saying things like "my kids will never behave like that" or "why can't they keep their kids under control" or "I will never take my screaming child to the grocery store" You learn when you have kids that they are all different, they all respond to situations differently and sometimes you do need to take a screaming kid to the grocery store because it's the only time available to go. I guess you live and learn -- hopefully that young woman who yelled at my boy will too.