Wordless Wednesday ~~~~ Five Fingers

Mommy Confession ~~~~~~ Organization

I would love to be more organized. I would love to say I am an organized person. That would be lying though. I wish my book shelves and house looked more like this. So picturesque, so organized and it looks so nice. I love looking at magazines and seeing these systems but the reality is not as pretty 

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My "organizational system" looks more like this

and this

I do know where things are most of the time so there must be some organization to it it just is not know to anyone else other than me. This is clearly not nearly as neat and organized as I would like it to be. I wont even show you the boys bookshelf for fear of any actually organized people may have a heart failure and die on me. I do NOT want to be responsible for that! My goal for the year is to have some organization. That may honestly involve a lot of getting rid of stuff first. We aren't TV worthy hoarders but we still have a lot of STUFF!

You may have YOUNG children if.......

I don't know where the original came from but I have seen it circle around Facebook a few times

I put a question out to my mommy friends and this is a mixture of what came back. I had a good laugh putting this together I hope you do too!

- You house looks like has been robbed. It hasn't at least you don't think so

- You know more about the newest toy then the newest restruant

- You have more toys than money in your purse
- The song stuck in your head was written by Raffi or the wiggles and is sung by a puppet
- Last time anyone wore the burgundy lace thong, it was by the two year old as a mask
- You know all the words to your child's favorite book by memory
- Your idea of me time is a trip to the dentist
- You mentally pencil-in time to poop, hopefully solo
- You can't remember the last time you peed alone
- Someone is usually watching you shower, and it's not completely creepy
- The batteries come out of "mommy's toys" to go into the TV remote, instead of the other way around
- You've walked out of the house with your shirt on inside out, and backwards
- You have left the house with puke or snot  on your shirt. You didn't change because it would just happen       again
- The plastic Monistat insert tubs are in the toy box and not the Monistat box
- Half your tampon box is missing, it's also in the toy box ?!?!?! o_O
- At least one kid has worn a panty liner as a sticker
- You reach for your tampon box and it has bite marks. ( vicious little monsters )

I know that are with kids and feminine hygiene products they seem to be fascinated by them.  Any ways back to what we are talking about.

- You have taken the diaper bag to work instead of your work bag
- You get an awesome no-kid idea and it leaves your head almost instantly. Your thoughts are more consumed with the next kid friendly activity.
- You would do just about anything for a warm meal that hasn't been reheated
- Every shirt you own has a stain
- Bad weather days make you want to cry
- You go for a "date" to the Home Show because it's something you can easily leave is the kids need you
- The vacation route is based on where the parks are.
- You need multiple kitchen utensils to keep kids busy while you are cooking
- You would like a new couch but wont buy one, because they will just destroy that one too! Waiting  few years
- You can only take extra kids in the van because car seats occupy the extra seats
- You don't wear your good makeup because it is locked up, literally in the safe.
- The baby pooped sparkles and you don't know how the baby got sparkles
- Some days your face hurts from laughing at the antic of your kids

If you have more please share them. I love my kids, the make me laugh on regular days. They get into everything and leave a wake of disaster in their path. It is awesome and I wouldn't change it for anything.

It's okay dirt is good for you.......

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I let my children get dirty. In fact I regularly encourage it. I am in no way at all the sanitary police. You will not find a bottle of sanitizer in my diaper bag or purse. I simply don't believe in the stuff. Now I usually gets a knee jerk reaction from a lot of parents, when they find out that I don't have any.

" What do you mean you don't sanitize your children? Do you want them to be clean and safe? What about GERMS?????"

Eh, Germs are cool with us. I actually want my children exposed to bacteria, germs and all things microscopic. I believe in the need for natural immunity. Letting my child experience the world and all that is in it. I figure if I let their bodies be exposed to the little things they will better fight off the big things. 

Now I know parents who carry the little bottles everywhere with them some have two or three with them at all times. That is cool with them and if the feel the need for it that is their choice. It is just a choice I don't make for my children.

We actually avoid chemical antibacterial things in out house. We have a few cleaners For good deep cleaning and the toilet and such. I don't use anti bacterial cleansers on a regular day to day cleaning, just good ol' soap and water. My big thing with anti bacterial soap is they kill 99% of bacteria, that sounds great right? Well there is good and bad bacteria and you need the good ones around. They are little bacteria climbing all over everything right now. All over your skin hair and even side you, and that is a good thing. Your immune system is better for all of it.
Generally my kids are pretty healthy little guys. When they get sick, it is not for very long.We do keep a clean enviroment. They (usually) wash their hands on a regular basis. If they are excessively dirt covered I'll wipe them down with a cloth and warm water.  I do not whip out the sanitizer before they eat anything. Not even when we are out and at the park. I also let my children play in those indoor play centers, yup with out sanitizer, with out the bubble, and without being sick for the next two weeks. You know what they haven't died, and if they find something really gross and yucky ( which they never have, knock on wood) they know not to touch stuff. 

Go ahead get dirty let your kids play. Dirt and germs are okay they really are. Did you grow up in a bubble, or did you eat bugs and drink water from the hose?

Wordless Wednesday Exploring science

Mommy Confession ~~~~~~ Vacuuming

I don't vacuum nearly regularly enough. I do usually once a week or so but it gets pretty grim. I have this pretty and expensive vacuum. So I really have no excuse other than I don't want to haul it out and deal with everything that goes on with it.


It seems whenever I vacuumed the dog think the powerhose is some evil monster who is out the get the family. She tries to bite the powerhead, she does that with the lawn mower too! It is likely a loud noise thing. One of the kids usually wants to help, which would be fine if that didn't make all of them want to. I know, let them help. I do but three little boys trying to vacuum, usually ends up in something getting vacuumed up. I do clean the floor first but Lil Squish transports things everywhere. Laundry with him awake is a whole new ball game. Eventually the floors get cleaned, usually when hubby is home and can distract the monkeys.
So that's my mommy confession. I do not vacuum and cleans the floors as often as I should.

Humiliation in Schools? Is it okay?

Simple answer according to me NO. A big giant resounding NO! Recently i read this story on Yahoo,

Grade 3 student receives ‘catastrophe award’ for most homework excuses. I was honestly appalled by it, I couldn't believe that this was given out to a child. In this day and age where we are recognizing bullying and trying to put a stop to it, why is it okay for a teacher to do this to a child. I would love to think that maybe this was an isolated event, but no, a simple Google search will bring up thousands of results. Now I didn't go through every single one of them, I don't have that kind of time. Also my blood pressure I don't think would take the strain, and my blood pressure is usually just fine.
Now I really have thoughts on shame parenting. It doesn't work for us, it doesn't fly with me. Though I have tried it, in moments of desperation. I really don't see how shaming someone into doing something is going to be beneficial in the long run. Sure they may do it but it will not be with a willing heart, and likely with resentment.
I feel that as a society we really need to have a better understanding of supporting our children. Shaming them and embarrassing them is not a method to raise good functional members of society. It will just perpetuate society. Now I know there are many folks who think differently and that is your choice. Heck life would be pretty boring if we all agreed on everything.
What I do think more people should agree on it that when you are in a place of authority, you should uphold some sort of  appropriate behavior. Had it been a student that did this to another student it would not have been acceptable. Though for some reason when an adult does it. it should be seen as funny and acceptable. This is an awful double standard. We treat children as if they are greatly less than adults. You should remember they are the ones who are eventually going to be deciding which nursing home you go into.  Give them some respect and love and you will get it in return, eventually. Be the example for the next generation. If you don't like what you are seeing change it.
If we learn to treat others with love and respect life will work out. Working together like pieces of a puzzle. When forced they may go where you want them to go but it may not be where they belong.

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