Guest Post~ Conversations With Strangers.

Thank God I have a Guest Post today!
I lost my day yesterday due to a 3 year old sticking a bead in her ear... Apparently she was creating an earring when the thing magically got lodged in her little ear..

Leaving the Emergency Room 3 hours later (bead came out with enough pain that she'll never do it again), I decided that wine just isn't strong enough these days,, I need to turn into a Vodka mommy. The possibilities are endless with vodka...  (**calm down, I'm half joking,, you don't have to call rehab clinics....yet!**)

Speaking of Vodka, my Guest Blogger today knows a whole lot about Vodka, and the need for it.
Sarah from BRING MOMMY THE VODKA, is awesome, and she gets "IT".. she totally gets it..
Whenever I'm having one of "those" days, I hop on over to her site and immediately feel better..
To give you a sneak peak of her personality, this is her welcome message : "Sit back and pour yourself a big one. I'm here to dish the dirt on Mommydom. June Cleaver was a liar and she set us all up for disappointment. "
Make sure when you're finished reading her post below, that you hop on over and check out her site.. You won't regret it, I promise!! Just make sure you leave her a comment so she knows you were there!


Without any further delay,,, I thank Sarah from Bring Mommy the Vodka for this great post!!

Conversations with Strangers

While sitting at the dinner table last night, there was a lull in the conversation. Then out of nowhere and breaking into the silence with a sledge hammer, my three-year-old son, Christopher, blurted out, "Hey Dadda- Momma let the mailman stay for lunch today." My husband choked on a mushroom.

My son is a liar.

Sort of. Okay, let me first start off by saying - I did not let the mailman stay for lunch.  Secondly, the "mailman" is a woman. But, she did show up at meal time. And I did have a lengthy conversation with her.

As I am sure many of you know, but for those of you who do not: stay-at-home moms have no one to talk to during the day. NO ONE. It's probably why we drink. Not entirely true, but it's hard to have a conversation with a two-year-old about the stock market or the newest politician entering the race for presidency. Of course, we could have these conversations, but our angel face child will only look back at us with a blank expression and reply, "I have to big poopie."

So therefore we are forced to resort to desperate measures. We will talk to anyone that crosses our path. The mailman. UPS. Cashiers. Trash collectors. The trick is, you have to stagger them. These are all people who deal with the public every single day. They know who the stay-at-home moms are and they know we'll talk their ear off.

The other day I was at the grocery store headed to check-out and as I was about to enter the lane of my favorite cashier, he turned his light off. It was probably the first time I ever realized the true extent of my ramblings. But as I've begun to take a closer look, I've noticed the UPS man start checking in my package before he reaches my door. He then tosses it on the front porch only placing a foot on the first step. It's as though he thinks if he takes a step further then he will be sucked into a conversation with me.  I've even driven my mother to insanity. While I'm sure she loves to hear updates about her two grandchildren, I'm also sure she's yawning on the other side of the line when I tell her about my hangnail that's been giving me a headache. The mailman even takes lighter steps these days as though not to let me know he's on my front porch.

So what do we do? How do we solve this problem? We blog. We drink. Well, mostly I drink, but I blog too. I think it's the reason there are so many "Mom Blogs." We need to have our voices heard. Most of us are no longer in an office or in a field where we have friends to ramble to. We type our daily or weekly thoughts online in hopes that one person will listen, will laugh, will comment.

What's amazing is that the readers of these our blogs are other mothers. I think we subconsciously know that other moms need a little gratification.  We are here to pour our hearts out and we are here to collect the thoughts of others. It's an amazing world, this blogosphere, and it has come full circle.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read this post. It's nice to talk to someone that isn't going to reply with, "Stop Momma. I think I just ate a boogie. I think a big one." And I hope that after you write your own post today you find time to listen and comment to at least one other mother in the blogging world - cause she certainly wants to know someone is listening. But in the true fashion of Bring Mommy the Vodka, don't forget to have a glass of wine next to your laptop while you do.

What Happened??

I realize that I didn't get a post up yesterday.. Sorry about that!!. I had a very busy but fun day!!
I spent the day yesterday at the splash pad with a good friend and her little guy. They're visiting from out of town.
She came over last night with her hubby and both boys, and we had a great time.

It's so hard when good friends move away.. We're trying to convince them to move back, but I don't think we're getting anywhere.. For now,, we have to settle with short visits...

When they first arrived, I realized that I had nothing to offer them to drink.(It wasn't a planned get together) We don't keep booze in the house very long.. lol
Anyway,, I offered to go get wine. My friend said that it wasn't necessary but I totally felt it was..

I left her with all the kids while the men did some work, and off I went..

I grabbed my keys and my bank card and high tailed it to the liquor store..

Upon leaving the liquor store, I caught a glimpse of myself. It was only my reflection in the door. but....

SWEET JESUS!!!!

I realized that I  didn't even so much as glance in a mirror before I left the house...
Let me just tell you,,, I wasn't a pretty site!

You know how you feel after spending the day in the sun, heat and water? Well, that is how I looked,, but probably worse..

This is when I realized just how much my life has changed since having children..

Before kids,,, not even maybe,, like over my dead body would I EVER have left my house without checking the mirrors (full body and closeup) to make sure that I looked presentable.
I checked to make sure my hair was perfect,, that there was no smudged makeup, no underwear lines.. I double checked to make sure that what I was wearing matched...
I was probably a little vain, but it was me...

Tonight,, I am completely embarrassed to say that I left the house with unstraightened, humidity frizzed hair. Not only was my eye makeup smudged,, it was mostly gone.. My shirt and my skirt were both stained, and neither matched my flip flops..

I believe the modern term for what I left the house looking like tonight is "HOT MESS"!!!

Yep, that's me!

Thank GOD I didn't run into anyone that I knew..

What has happened to me? What is my world coming to?
I'm usually still very "on my game" when it comes to going out..
Tonight though,, I failed..

My HOT days may officially be over..
Why don't I care?? I should care!?
What possessed me to walk out of my house without glancing in a mirror??
Do you know how many people I've looked at and said (out loud) "do you think she looked in a mirror before she left the house?"

Tonight, without a doubt in my mind,,, people were asking the same thing about me..

Maybe I've just grown up? Maybe I'm not that girl that needs people's accepting looks any more...

Or.... Maybe I'm just a mommy who really NEEDED wine, and I'll never, ever let that happen again!!

Have a great day ladies!! Make sure you check back tomorrow for my first ever Guest Post.. I'm really excited about it, and I know you're going to love it!!!

Enjoy your evening,,, drink responsibly and PLEASE, PLEASE Check the mirror before leaving your house!
xo

Mommies shouldn't wear dresses....

It's a beautiful day here in Southern Ontario today.
I decided as soon as I woke up that I didn't want to sit at home all day. So, we all got dressed in our cute little sun dresses, and out the door we went..

We did a few things and finally made our way to Walmart.. I put Lylah in the cart. Of course Gracie had to walk by herself. Off we went, in our pretty little dresses to blow some money.

I stopped to look at something.
While I was checking it out, Lylah started bouncing around and kicking her feet.. She quickly realized that she could get her foot under my dress just enough to kick it up into the air..

Belly laughs filled the store.. My child thought this was the funniest thing ever..
Me?? Not so much..

Once she realized not only that she could do it, but that mommy didn't like it, that was it..
Every 5 feet, she kicked her foot up and under my dress.
I can't even imagine how many people I flashed.

All I could think was,Thank God I'm wearing underwear. And, Thank god they're nice black underwear.
I'm hoping that if anyone when people saw them, they were thinking they belonged to the dress.. Sort of like skorts,, but a dress..... It's possible, right??!!


Up until that point, she was doing it from the front. so lifting the front of my dress. I thought that I had finally got her to stop and I let my guard down!
I stopped holding on to the dress. (STUPID!!!)
YEP! Sure enough, I stopped, turned to look at something, and she got me from the back...

I almost feel like I need to write another letter to Walmart Customers today, apologizing for the sorry site they had to see. I'm sure that seeing my big white dimply ass was not something they'd hoped to see on their trip to Walmart.. (or maybe it was?! I don't judge!) lol

My giving thanks for wearing nice underwear suddenly switched to wishing that I had a pair of Granny panties on..
These.....

Didn't leave much to the imagination... My butt doesn't look like that by the way!!

I quickly glanced to see who had and hadn't just seen the newest LaSenza thongs, and all I saw was about 3 people's heads spin the other way..
Yep,, obviously they caught the show..
Of course I couldn't have been down a side aisle when this happened. Nope, it was right out in the open. I flashed everyone right middle of the of the store..

I dealt surprisingly well with the embarrassment and quickly moved on.. I got what I needed and moved on.. If I could just get to the check out, and McDonalds,, we could get out of there..

I don't remember what caught my eye, but I stopped again..
Lylah was busy looking at something, so I knew it wasn't her when once again, my dress flew up and I flashed the world.
Apparently a nice old man (who had probably seen the first 3 flashing incidents) smiled and said hello to Gracie.
I guess she didn't like him because she grabbed on to my leg and dove (up and under) my dress to hide from him..
At this point, I didn't even care that my undies were exposed. I'm sure everyone in the store had seen them at this point anyway..

So,,, we eat lunch at McDonalds (don't judge, it was a rough day), pack up our stuff, and head out to the car. I'm pushing the the cart with Lylah in it, and Gracie is walking behind us because she refuses to hold my hand..
We're almost to the car when I hear "THUD"... I turned around and saw Gracie face first on the pavement and she was SCREAMING,,,,, I had to stop and laugh before picking her up because (picture this!) there  she was, laying flat on the ground, dress up around her waist,,,, with NO UNDIES!!!!!! LMAO!!!
After me flashing the customers of Walmart 4 or 5 times,, my 3 year old decided to follow in my shoes!!!

Like Mother, Like daughter I guess!!

So,, lesson learned for today..
1. don't wear (short and flowy) sundresses when going shopping for the day with my girls,,
2. make sure my 3 year old puts on underwear BEFORE leaving the house!!

Walmart probably should have paid me today.. I'm sure that my girls and I were great entertainment for their customers...

Have a great day ladies..

GRATEFUL FOR... INNOCENCE

****UPADATE~ GRACIE LET ME TAKE A PICTURE TODAY!****

Well, it's Sunday. That means that it's time for me to dig deep and find something that I'm really thankful for.

Today, I didn't have to dig deep.
Today, I am Thankful for the innocence in children. The innocence that prevents them from being able to see the ignorance in so many people. The innocence to believe that if someone is looking at them , its always a good thing.

Let me explain.......

Gracie got her haircut today.. She loves getting her haircut! While she was getting her hair blown dry, I went and picked out a STREAK FOR CANCER extension to be put in her hair.
My niece had one a few weeks back, and I knew she would love it.

For those of you who aren't aware of Streak for Cancer, check out the link to learn more.In the meantime, here is a brief description
"Streak for Cancer's concept is simple: selected hair salons in Guelph, Ontario will have available for purchase, coloured hair extensions which reflect the colours associated with a corresponding cancer. (ie. Prostate Cancer would be a BLUE hair extension streak; Breast Cancer would be a PINK hair extension streak... etc.) 

"Streak for Cancer", an intentional play on words, will encourage visual awareness toward a public display of support, while raising funds for research in the twelve specific cancers we have chosen. "


Gracie was thrilled to have the "streak" braided into her hair.. She thought she was pretty cool!! (it looked pretty damn cute too! Sorry, she wouldn't let me take her pic)

We left the salon all smiles, and headed out to Walmart.


The reception that my daughter and her purple streak received at Walmart was something that I never would have expected.
Dirty looks, whispers, people shaking their head in disgust.. 
I was appalled! Clearly these people had no idea what they were shaking their heads at.


The way that I feel most comfortable in dealing with this, is to write a letter to these people... I apologize in advance for the long winded post..


DEAREST WALMART CUSTOMERS:


You don't know me.
I'm sure you'll remember me when I tell you that I am the mommy of the little girl in Walmart today. .
You remember the 3 year old that you were shaking your head at, right?


I'm the mommy that you looked at with disgust when you saw a purple streak in my daughter's hair.


I'm sure you wondered what kind of mother would ever put a purple streak in such a little girls hair, right? I must have looked pretty irresponsible.


Let me explain.


The streak in my little girls hair was a coloured "clip in" hair extension. 
It was coloured purple to represent CHILDHOOD CANCER. 
We bought it at our local hair salon to support children with cancer. To support cancer research in general.
We paid ten dollars for it, and that money went directly to cancer research.


My little 3 year old, the one that you scowled at, was very proud to be sporting her "purple hair", because she wants to help "sick little boys and girls". 
She wants to help her Uncle who is fighting a very tough battle with Cancer right now. 
Even though she doesn't fully understand what Cancer is, she doesn't like for anyone to be sick, she wants to help "girls and boys get better".


You see, I thought that I was being a responsible Mommy by teaching my daughter about a subject that is very scary. 
I thought that I was being a good mommy by teaching her about giving, and support. 
I thought that I was being a responsible mommy by making the experience fun for her so that it wasn't absolutely terrifying.


I'm sorry that I disturbed you while you were shopping.
I'm sorry that you felt the need to judge me, to judge and shake your head at my 3 year old little girl.


I am mostly sorry though, that the purple streak prevented you from seeing the beauty that was staring back at you.


I wish that you would have known, just what a special little girl you were shaking your head at.
I wish that you could have given her the smiles that she deserved today.
I wish that you would have had the courtesy to ask her why she had purple in her hair.
Had you asked, she would have told you. My brave little 3 year old would have told you that the 
purple was in her hair "for all girls and boys who are sick"..
I just wish that you could have helped to make her feel as special as she is, as special as she felt.


Today, on a day that I've started thinking about what I'm thankful for each week, I realized that I'm thankful for innocence. 
I'm thankful that the innocence in my little girl saved her from seeing the scowls on your face. I'm thankful that innocence saved her from seeing you whispering to your husband and shaking your head.
I'm thankful for her innocence and the fact that she didn't care that you were looking at her or glaring at her mommy. 
I'm thankful that because of her innocence, she thought you were just admiring her hair.
In her eyes, she was proud that people were looking at her "cool" new purple streak. That is why she was smiling proudly as she walked through the store. That is why she was smiling, even as you scowled at her.


I hope that next time you're out doing your shopping and see someone, old or young with a streak in their hair, you'll stop, and you'll smile at them.
I hope you'll smile at how brave they are being for showing their support. Smile at them because they care about all of the children and adults suffering with and fighting with such a horrible disease.. 


I know that I smile when I my 3 year old, and her purple hair. 
I smile because I am proud of her for wearing it, and for knowing what it is for. I smile because of what that purple streak symbolizes.
It symbolizes that at only 3 years of age, my daughter is already helping in the fight against Cancer.


I forgive you for your scowls and the shaking of your heads. I forgive you for looking at a 3 year old in disgust.
Obviously, your excuse is that you haven't been educated about the Streak for Cancer.


Now however, you HAVE been educated. 
You have been educated by an innocent little 3 year old, who is so very proud of her purple streak!


Have a great day.


Sincerely
A VERY proud mommy.




There you go ladies,,, I'm SO thankful for my Gracie's innocence... I hope she never changes!!

Saturday Fav.

It's Saturday!!!

For all of my new followers, Saturday is the day that I spotlight some of my favorite blogging Mommies.. I pick my favorite post from the week and share the love!!

My favorite post this week comes from  "Tails of Motherhood" ~
I found this site quite a while ago and always love the posts that are written by this mommy...
This mommy writes about her "thoughts and feelings on life as a mother,,,, the good, the bad, the ugly....and nothing but truth"

Check out her "Anonymous Letter" to another mommy at the pool. HILARIOUS!
Be sure to check out some of her other great posts while you're there!!!

Have a great weekend ladies, and don't forget to check back tomorrow to find out what I'm most Thankful for this week! I promise it won't be red wine or vodka!!

Lessons Learned A.K.A Friday Five..

I thought that Friday would never get here this week! Was it a long week, or what??

This week was an "okay" week. Nothing horrible to report, nothing great to report.. I guess that is a good week!

I'm not going to link up this week as my response just hasn't been good enough. What a Fail that attempt has been. No biggie, but it's a pain in the REAR end to get the linky set up for nothing...
SO.... if you want to link up,,, post your link in the comment section.. If i start getting a good response, I'll start doing the link up again..

Readers, be sure to check out the comments to see if there are any other great " Lessons learned".. (because that's what Friday Five is called now)

What did I learn this week....????

1. 8 EXTRA POUNDS MAY AS WELL BE 20!!~ Seriously,, I've put on 8lbs and none of my clothes fit. I can't get my rings off, and I look all puffy and gross... maybe it's all water retention (wonder why?) but seriously it sucks and I need to do something about it!

2. LIME VODKA = Mmmmmmm~ 'nough said!!

YUMMMMMMY!!!

Well,,, not really.. Lime vodka mixed with Club soda is extremely tasty, and has  a LOT less calories than one of those fruity coolers that I've been sipping on lately... Reducing calories HAS been known to help with weight loss issues. hmmm.. (see lesson #1)

3.There is a need for "Man jobs" and "women jobs" ~ Seriously,, if I have to change explosive diapers all day, daddy can be in charge of picking up dog poop. My stomach can't handle it! Try to imagine me tip toeing around the backyard, shovel in hand and gagging... yep,, that's me.. Cleaning up dog poop should be a MAN JOB! Oh,,add taking out the garbage, cutting the grass, and watering flowers to that list!!

A Blessing

4.ADVIL puts TYLENOL to SHAME ~ this is not a paid endorsement! When it comes to headaches,especially migraines, Advil gets the job done. Tylenol,,, not so much.. it should stick to being a fever reducer..

5.CHROME YELLOW ~ it's the name of the paint colour used on school buses. No motor vehicle other than a school bus can be (legally) painted chrome yellow. (in Ontario at least)
Imagine,,, I learned this while picking my 3 year old up from nursery school today.. I had no clue!!! 

In case you didn't know..because I didn't!

Have a great weekend ladies! Don't forget to check out Saturdays Favourite Post,, and Sunday's "I'm Grateful for" post....

THIS IS ME!

***WARNING!! I've been known to "ramble on" in some of my posts,, and this may be one of them!***

I've been asked a few times recently, if I'm not worried about "certain" people reading my blog?

I guess because I have chosen to be "me" on my site and not use an alias, some people are shocked by that.

I'll be honest, it wasn't until after about a month of blogging that I thought,, "hmmmm, maybe I should be making up a different name for myself and my children. Maybe I shouldn't be putting personal pictures and stories/experiences on here."
I did give thought to the fact that family members or friends might come across my blog. Hell, my hubby didn't even know this site existed until a month ago.. lol

I went through about a day of panic. I thought about it over a glass of wine.  (I KNOW!! CRAZY EH?? ME HAVING A GLASS OF WINE?! lol)

I decided that I wasn't changing a thing.

First,, Pictures.. I put them on because I like seeing other pictures.. I feel like I "know" a person better when I can put a face to the name and behind the words that I'm reading.. I love when people have pictures..
As far as people being worried about creeps looking at the pictures... I can't control that.
I read on a blog post a little while ago (and it's so true),, that there are so many creeps out there that can get off on ANYTHING! Pictures of feet or toes, pictures of hands, pictures of animals..  Gross, I know!
So, what I have to be worried about is my girls and their physical safety..I know that my girls are safe with me, and they will always be safe with me.
I can't let the FEAR of some creep hold me back from doing what I love.

And when it comes to my posts...
THIS IS ME PEOPLE! If you don't like it, don't read it! If you're shocked by some of the things that I say, or at who I "really" am... SURPRISE!!
This is my life. It's crazy. I'm crazy, but it's my life!

I'm sure there are things on here that certain people wouldn't want to read. I'm sure my mom  or mother in law doesn't want to hear about fights with my hubby, or fights with my children... lol.. but again,, it's my life.

THIS IS ME!! THIS IS MY FAMILY!

I'm not one that goes into deep detail on every aspect of my life. I don't get "too" personal. DO I??!!!

The reason that I started this site though was to connect with other women. To show my life. The good, the bad, and very often the ugly. By showing this, I hope to make other women feel better about themselves, about their marriages, their body, their parenting skills (or lack of).

If people want to read my posts and judge me, go nuts. I've been judged my whole life and I'm doing just fine.
If I can put my life "out there" and help even just one person at my expense, it's totally worth it to me.

So, I will continue to write about my life, and everything that goes on it. There may be some posts about friends, there may be some about my hubby, my family, whatever.. The will even be posts about people that I know are reading (try not to piss me off people! lol)
I will never name names, I will never give personal info about someone else, and I will never be hurtful. I will just continue to write my "story".

I have nothing to hide, (not saying that those of you using an alias do. I totally understand why some people choose to be private, and don't blame them at all.)
I am me and this is my life..

There are people reading that don't realize I KNOW they are reading. In fact there are people that I'm sure are reading, just so that they can judge me and my life and maybe even report to someone else.
Guess what? That's okay too! I hope you're enjoying and I hope you're getting what you're looking for!

Usually, when people judge another person, it is because they see something within that person that reminds them of themselves.. Something that they don't like about themselves...  Hmmm... makes you think, eh?!

I probably should have done it a long time ago, but better late than never.
That is the just of it.
That is why I have chosen to be me, and not use an alias or hide behind the computer.
I think that my final quote will sum it up for everyone..


"I'd rather you hate me for who I am, than love me for something I'm not."

Poor, Poor Daddy!

Peter had some yard work to do after dinner last night.

When he gets home at night, that's it. The girls do not will not leave his side.
He didn't hesitate, and took them outside with him. Usually I would leave the cleanup and go outside for some family time. Instead, I decided that I would take that opportunity to get the house tidied up from dinner. I would put a load of laundry on, clean up some toys and well, just enjoy the peace.

As I walked around my living room throwing toys in the toy box and picking rice up off the floor, I couldn't help but laugh at everything I could hear though the windows..

It went a little something like this:

"Gracie, don't touch that! Lylah, get down from there. Gracie, i told you not to touch that! Lylah, you're going to fall!"

HA!! Does it get any better than that?
My first instinct is always to run to the rescue. Tonight, however, the evil inside me took over.
I stood there and giggled. Alone in a room, giggling away like a school girl.

I was thinking "TAKE THAT!"...
Big deal!! He's having trouble controlling the two of them for 20 minutes while they're outside.. I do it 12 hours a day, 7 days a week!

So, I continued to do what any other resentful mommy would do... I hid behind the blinds and listened, and laughed.. (thank god no one could see me,,, I would have looked like a complete freak, peeking out the windows,, laughing hysterically by myself)

I could hear the irritation in Peter's voice getting stronger and stronger..and then I heard water spraying. "GRACIE!!!! Give me that! Get the hose off my patio... UGGGHHH"

LMFAO,,, at this point I could have rolled on the floor laughing. I honestly almost peed my pants..
Next I hear Gracie's little voice saying:
"Sorry Daddy!"
SILENCE
"SORRY DADDY!"
SILENCE
"DADDY! I'm sorry!!"

This is when I piped up. I was unable to wipe the smirk off of my face. I peeked out the door and said "DADDY!"
"WHAT?!"
"Do you need a time out?" laughing out loud again at the look on his face
"WHY?"
"Umm you don't seem to have much patience tonight"

He gave me the dirtiest look, shook his head and continued watering the flowers..

Me? I went back inside laughing.... by myself! A little while longer with the "angels" wouldn't hurt him!

I always say that it is good for the men to experience these situations.
I'm thinking hoping that after a situation like this, Peter will have a little more empathy when he gets home at night and sees that I have absolutely no patience left. Instead of asking me why I have no patience, he'll keep his mouth shut and just "get it".. If he doesn't, I'll just send him in the backyard with the 2 girls and a hose again!!

Have a great day ladies!!

Lose Weight, End Marriage???

K, so call this a rant, a vent/bitch session... Call it what you want. I call it me being frustrated and needing to talk.. I tend to do that a lot, don't I??

Once again this weekend, I heard about another marriage crumbling..
Big deal right? Marriages crumble every day...

The thing that is starting to get to me though, is the fact that so many of the marriages that are crumbling have 1 main common factor.
A factor that makes me shake my head and wonder what the hell is going on...

I know of at least 3 marriages (with this factor) that have crumbled this year. Why? I don't know. Typically (unless something like adultery or addictions) people don't discuss the cause of the breakup.. That by the way, is fine by me. The less I know, the better!!

The thing (factor) that I notice in all of these separations, is the fact that in each case, the wife has just lost a bunch of weight..

What is with that??

Obviously if a marriage crumbles, there are some huge issues.. Issues that none of us want or need to know about. That being said, I would still like to know the reason these women are  leaving after they've lost a bunch of weight?

Again, I know that every situation is different and no one truly knows the ins and outs of a relationship but I can't help but think that these women are going to be very sorry in the future.

For the women that I know, I so badly wish that I could ask them what they are thinking..
These men have loved them though (literally) thick and thin. I've seen this with my own eyes. A couple of these men even met/married these girls when they were at their bigger weights..
Obviously these men love these women inside and out, for who they are, not what they look like.

I can't help but wonder if these women were with the men because they had no self confidence or esteem? Did they stay with these men out of fear that they couldn't find anyone else? Why is it so easy to leave once the weight is gone?

These women have not only gone and lost the weight, (which I think is fabulous) but then they have gone and grabbed a hold of new lifestyles.. Going out to the clubs, going out with their girlfriends, wearing clothes that they never would have before, and obviously they become completely different people. I've noticed the different personalities in them and it's not always for the best.
Confidence is one thing.....

As these women change, how could the marriage not?

I feel sorry for the men in these situations. They must feel like they've been hit by a train that they never saw coming. These men (the ones that I know) haven't changed. They're going about their lives the way they always have. All of the sudden their wives lose 30lbs (which I'm sure they're thrilled about too) but turn into different people with different attitudes and interests. Maybe that is the problem? Maybe these women expect that the men will change, and when they don't, they lose interest.

In my own head, once again, I'm just trying to figure out whats going on here. I'm sure that this could be a very controversial subject with many different opinions,,, but I want to hear them. I want to hear what you ladies think.

Why do so many (not all) women change so drastically after losing weight, and what makes them want a life overhaul?? Will they regret it, or are they just finally going after the life they've always wanted? Were they settling when they had the extra weight??

I know for me, when I lost my 40lbs after Lylah, it brought Peter and I closer. We have fun trying to eat healthy together. It also makes me so happy to know that he loved me no matter what. He loved me at my biggest and he loves me at my smallest. Sure I get some more looks now that I'm back to my normal size. Those looks can be great for the confidence levels, but not great enough to leave my husband who's been there and loves me no matter what.

I fear that these women are falling for the "grass is greener" theory. When they realize what they've lost along with the 20, 30, 40 + pounds, or when they get tired or their new "fit" friends, or running buddies, or maybe even when they gain the 20,30,40 pounds back, they're going to be surprised..

What do you guys think?? I'm sure if I've seen 3 marriages fail after the wife losing weight, you ladies have too... What are your opinions???

What a Day, Week, Month.......

I had a rough week last week..

I've got lots going on in my life, and then last week there was incident after incident that tested my emotional stability.
To most people, I probably seem like a pretty "strong" person. I fool them! Emotionally, I'm a bit of a loose cannon.. I'm aware of it, and I'm okay with it...
I felt like I was handling last week pretty well.
On top of everything else in my life, I ended up at the local emergency room 3 times.
Trip 1 was Gracie and Strep throat.. It was worse than it sounds though. She couldn't keep anything in her. Even a tsp of Gatorade found it's way out of her little body within minutes..
A couple of days later, it was my turn. I spent the day in the hospital with a "killer" migraine and viral sinus infection... Not fun.. Some crazy drugs, and some fluids,, fixed me up. They fixed me up alright, I was out of commission for the remainder of that day and the next..
Fast forward a day and and a bit, and I'm waking up to my 3 year old (with strep throat) trying to talk to me. Every time she got about 3 words out, she would do this little gasp for air.. Yep! Scary!
Back to the hospital we went.. On top of the Strep throat, she has croup..

It seems to be that we're all on our way to recovery physically, and emotionally, I think that I did really good. I was pretty proud of myself...
We had a great day yesterday for Daddy's day and I knew that when we woke up this morning, it was a new day, a new week. It's going to be a great one dammit!!

So, I got up this morning and told the girls we were going to Tim Hortons to get breakfast.. Mommy just really wanted a coffee (my Keurig is broken!!)
Away we go, singing away in the car...
I feel remarkably good today, so I must have been really on my game.
As I was approaching an intersection very close to our destination, I saw a mini van coming down another street towards us and towards a STOP sign.. I didn't think anything of it, but soon realized that she wasn't slowing down enough, and she wasn't looking in my direction to see if anyone was coming..
( I was driving straight ahead (obviously) and she was going to turn right onto the street that I was on.She would then be in front of me. Does that make sense?)
Anyway,, I hit my brakes and pounded my horn with more force than I knew I had in my body. I am so thankful that I was paying attention today..
I will never forget the look on this lady's face as she looked up and saw me coming directly as her drivers side door.
By the time both of us were stopped, I would guess that I was about 2 feet from her vehicle.
I stayed completely calm, hit the gas, and proceeded to get coffee. As I drove past the lady, her face was of pure devastation and I could read her lips enough to know that she was saying "Oh my God, I'm So Sorry!"
I feel sorry for her now, as I'm sure that she was probably needing to go home and change her underwear..

Gracie started asking a bunch of questions. What was that big bump? Why did I blow the horn so loud? Why did that lady throw her hands up in the air? Why did that lady almost crash our car? Would daddy fix our car?
I answered all the questions calmly, got our coffee and bagels, started driving home and then started shaking.
Then it hit me.

Any emotional strength that I had left in me, left me at that very moment. The tears flowed.. A weeks worth of crap, a year worth of crap, finally hit me.. (I'm good now though,, it's amazing what a good cry can do!)
The thoughts of what possibly could have happened  are haunting me. I'm sure that we would have been badly injured but I'm also sure that the lady in that other vehicle wouldn't have been as lucky..
In that instant, all of our lives could have changed.

I'm trying not to think about "what ifs" because I know that there is no point. Its hard though.

I'm not a religious person, but I believe in some sort of higher power, and I believe in angels. If I had any doubt before today, I no longer do.
Someone was looking out for my girls and I today, and I am so very grateful for that..
Now, I just need someone to look out for my emotional state and I'll be doing good! lol... I think I'll leave that to a glass of Merlot tonight. That is if I can stop shaking long enough to drink it..

I'm not really sure what the point to my post is today, I just needed to talk about it..
Today, I will hold my little girls a little bit closer and a little bit longer.
I learned today that it's true what they say.. It only take a second and our lives could be changed forever..
For some reason, I needed that reminder today,, and if my angels are listening "THANK YOU, I GOT YOUR MEMO,, LOUD AND CLEAR"..

Have a great day ladies.. and please be careful driving!

GRATEFUL FOR A CHANGE

It's so easy to get caught up in complaining. It's easy to  find the bad in a situation or a person. It's easy to find things we're not happy with, or that annoy/irritate the crap out of us..

How often do we really stop to find something that we're grateful for? I don't mean the "yeah, I'm grateful for my house and kids". I'm talking about sitting down at the end of the week and finding something that we're REALLY grateful for.  Maybe it's the corkscrew that opened the bottle of wine that helped avoid a breakdown, or the phone which gave you contact with your friend who lives 5 hours away...or maybe it's the rain that stopped us from having to water the new sod that hubby just laid (wink wink)..
Whatever it is, no matter how silly, let's start thinking about it..

Every Sunday from here on out,, I'm going to look back on my week and tell you what I was truly most grateful for. I will narrow it down to one thing.. and only one!!

I originally found this idea through Gemma @ My Big Nutshell . She was linked up to the Maxabella Loves~ I'm Grateful For... Blog Hop... Please check out both of these great sites.

I can't promise that I will take part in the hop every week, and I am changing up the way I do things a bit, but I definitely thank you ladies for the great idea..

When we stop to take time to be grateful, to notice the small things,, amazing things can happen. The way that we view our life starts to change.

This week was easy..
I was going to be grateful for our Canadian Healthcare system (which I am because I've been to the hospital 3 times this week) until I realized that it's Fathers Day..


So today,, I'm Grateful for.... MY DAD!!

I'm sure that every girl thinks it, but my dad really is the greatest.
I'm thankful for every thing about him...
My dad has taught me love, honour, respect, hard work, loyalty, honesty, discipline... the list could go on.

I am so proud of the man my dad is, and there is no doubt in my mind, that there are men out there wishing they could be more like him.
Sure, he has his faults. who doesn't?
He can have bad days, he can be grumpy or lose his temper. (He's real! He's human)
What he never does, is, he never EVER stops loving. He never, ever stops giving, and he never, ever stops being someone that I hope to be just like.

When I think back to growing up, there is one memory that always jumps out at me.
Every single night, no matter where we were, or what was going on, before my dad went to bed, he would come in kiss me goodnight and tell me that he loved me. I was always asleep, yet I remember night after night.  the kiss on my forehead and the whisper of "I Love You Baby".
Because of this memory, I make sure to continue that ritual with my girls. As long as we're all under the same roof, I never miss a night. I just hope that they remember me sneaking in, and love it as much as I loved my dad coming in every night.

My dad is the type of man who seems tough on the exterior. He can be tough, yet he still sheds tears when watching his grandchildren. He still sheds tears when he reads sappy birthday cards, and he still ALWAYS, no matter what gives me a hug and whispers "I Love You Baby" when I leave him.

My dad!!!!

There is nothing in this world that my dad wouldn't do for the people he loves, and I know that no matter what, my dad is always there for me.
When his children hurt, he hurts. When his children are happy, he is happy, and he does everything he can to make sure that we're happy.

His "tough" exterior must not be seen by children. When my girls see their "Gramps", their eyes shine and their faces light up. No one is like their "Gramps". Their Gramps can do no wrong.

I know that I could never ever repay my dad, (I'm not talking $$$) for everything that he has given me, everything he has taught me or shown me. He's helped to mold me into the person that I've become.Hopefully I can repay him, by making him proud. (because the lord knows I'll never be rich, lol)

"They" always say that girls subconsciously pick a man to marry, who is just like their father..
I've heard so many girls say "NEVER" to that.. That makes me sad.
I can't imagine not wanting to find a man like my dad.
And you know what? I did!
I had to kiss few frogs, but I found my prince and some days it's scary how much he is like my father.
I joke about it, but I am so happy that Peter has so many of the amazing qualities that I love about my dad..
And, my girls are lucky that they will have an amazing dad just like I did growing up.

I'm Grateful beyond words for the two very special Men in my life. Thank you both, but thank you dad for making me who I am and making my life what it is. You are the most amazing person I know, and don't you dare let anyone ever make you believe different...

HAPPY FATHERS DAY WITH LOVE FROM YOUR BABY.... XOXO

Weekly Favourite~ PLEASE READ!

This week, my Saturday Favourite isn't a blog post.. 

It's actually an article that was in my local newspaper.. 

This article is one that gives me goosebumps every time I read it.

It is an article that makes me want to be a better person, a better friend and a better mother. 

This article inspires me to teach my children about what it means to be a good person, and how to be a good friend. It inspires me to teach them how to treat people no matter who they are or what they look like.

This article touched me in a way that I didn't know was possible. 

This article has opened my eyes to how cruel society and even children can be. It frightens me. It frightens me to think that one day my child could be writing an article like this.

It inspires me to make sure that will never happen. It inspires me to be a part of making sure that no child has to write an article like this again.

When you read it, I hope that you are inspired in all the same ways..

He’s not ‘just a boy,’ he’s very special 

By Susan Farrelly, Guelph Mercury Community Editorial Board

I was out for lunch with some friends a few days ago and our conversation turned to our children. Most of our conversations do.

One friend began to tell us about the struggle that her son is having. He’s in Grade 8 in our community. She shared with us a piece of writing he had produced.

She had asked him to write a pro and con list about going on his school’s Grade 8 graduation trip. But for a spell-checking, this is what he wrote:

I am just a boy who didn’t have any choices about the hell I have endured.

I am just a boy who couldn’t wait to go to school and learn and be liked.

I am just a boy who wanted to make friends and be part of the team.

I am just a boy who didn’t get to realize this dream.

I am just a boy who would walk around the playground, alone and sad, as I watched other kids play soccer and wished they would call me over to join in — just once.

I am just a boy who never got picked for a team and was always last picked in gym class.

I am just a boy who was teased for lacking in athletic ability and mocked for the way I run.

I am just a boy who desperately wanted to share my story but had to suffer in silence for fear of more torment.

I am just a boy who had to suck it up and pretend I was fine and it didn’t matter.

I am just a boy who wanted a friend and a confidant.

I am just a boy who wanted to be accepted for my differences but liked more because of them.

I am just a boy who looked forward to ending my primary school years better than they started.

I am just a boy who wanted to go on the year-end trip with my classmates feeling a sense of belonging.

I am just a boy who just learned that I am not accepted and I don’t belong.

I am just a boy who won’t be victimized anymore and will make choices that will not subject me to the constant messages of you don’t matter or you are a freak.

I am just a boy who will leave elementary school the same way I started, wanting a friend, wanting to feel accepted wanting to be “one of the gang.”

I am just a boy who had to be brave and pretend that none of this hurt.

I am just a boy who is funny and kind and plays by the rules.

I am just a boy who doesn’t understand why subtle yet constant badgering isn’t considered bullying — yet it hurts just as much.

I am just a boy who is tired of waiting for it to stop, waiting for adults to make kids accountable, waiting for a better tomorrow.

I am just a boy who is wishing his childhood away because I hear that adults don’t behave that way.

I am just a boy who loves life, and laughter, and all the things that other kids like and for that I am not different.

I am just a boy who hopes that one kid understands the impact of being so mean, so unkind.

I am just a boy who wonders if they think about the cruel things they say, the cruel things that they do.

I am just a boy who wonders if they are being mistreated and that is why they are so careless with their words that cut through my soul.

I am just a boy who promises to never ever treat anyone like this.

I am just a boy who promises to raise children to be kind and thoughtful and tough enough to stand up to those that don’t.

I am — just a boy.

I hope parents will read this with their children. I hope teachers will read this to their students. I hope teenagers will read it to themselves.

I hope after reading this, when young children are playing on the playground, others take a moment to look up for the child that is playing alone to ask that boy or girl to join them.

I hope when a teenager walks into the cafeteria, they aren’t looking for the table that they always sit at with their friends — but looking for that young person sitting alone to go and join.

I hope individuals learn to be careful with their words because they cannot be taken back.

I hope when individuals hear a person mocking another they have the strength and courage to stand up and say that is not OK, no matter what the situation is.

I want to thank this young man for letting me share this beautiful piece of writing with our community. I want to tell him he has a very strong voice. The act of writing is powerful. He is beautiful. He is strong. He is a very special boy.

http://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion/columns/article/543445--he-s-not-just-a-boy-he-s-very-special

FRIDAY FIVE~ June 17

It's Friday Five time!!

What a week I've had!!! I could do a really negative and nasty Friday Five today, but I'm going to try to be as fun and positive as I can.. Forgive me if I get nasty..

As usual, for all of my blogging readers: Make sure you link up with YOUR FRIDAY FIVE.... please don't link up with your random site about something that has nothing to do with what you've learned this week....Grrr that makes me mad....
Also,, feel free to link up between now and Sunday... I'm thinking that I should change the name of Friday Five,,, to something along the lines of Lessons Learned.... I'll keep the linky up until Sunday night. That way if you want to do a post on the things you've learned, one day this weekend, you can still link up!!!

Okay,, enough rambling.... HERE WE GO!!


1. CHECK THE PUKE BAG ~ If you're going to grab a bag to take to the hospital with hopes of using it for a "puke bag",, be sure to check it for HOLES first!!! Yep,,, enough said..


2. KIDS ARE TOUGHER THAN ADULTS ~ I still cry every time I puke.. Don't laugh!! I do... I hate everything about puking and being sick...  Gracie puked and puked like a little champ, went to the hospital, got examined, poked and prodded. She continued to smile the whole time!!


3. THERE ARE IGNORANT PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD ~ I know, this really isn't a new lesson, but it was thrown in my face a few times this week. If you want to find some, go to your local hospital's ER room..
While waiting in triage with a migraine that might have very well killed me,, I sat with my head down and hands over my eyes.. People actually snuck/sneaked(???) in front of me to see the nurse, when they could see that clearly, I might die!!! Karma people, KARMA!!!!!

4. I SHOULD HAVE MARRIED A DOCTOR ~ LOL ~ Really though,, I'm married to a contractor, so everything around our house goes unfinished while my hubby is off building/fixing houses everyday.. Heck, I can't even get my grass cut (not to worry, we're not "those" people YET)... Also,, a doctor in the house would have been really great this week.. However.. if doctors are the same as contractors/mechanics etc.,,, I guess we'd still be last to be seen... I'll stick to my contractor!!

5. SPORTS AND LARGE CROWDS COMBINED CAN BRING OUT EVIL~ It's not very often that I can say I'm ashamed to be a Canadian. After the Stanley Cup "RIOT" in Vancouver the other night, I was for an instant.. I quickly decided that I am still a very proud Canadian and that I am ashamed of some of those that live in this amazing country. I feel sorry for them that they are so miserable in their lives that they need to cause trouble and damage for no reason. I feel sorry that they bring the spotlight to Canada in such a negative way. I hope they have consciences, but I'm sure they don't.. Hopefully the rest of the world can remember that we're not all like those IDIOTS...

A very sad and scary truth! Grow up people!

There you have it people!! I learned a lot more than that this week,, but those ones were things I needed to get off my chest!! I guess I didn't do a GREAT job being positive and fun... sorry! Have a great weekend.. My weekly favourite will be tomorrow,, and I have something new for Sunday!!
Now get linking up!!!!