Sunshine!

We are encountering a beautiful weather week here in Ohio! Absolutely beautiful, let me tell ya! Yesterday was the coolest day we will have at 66. The rest of the week is mid-70's through low 80's! So exciting!

Yesterday the kids and I went to a local greenhouse and picked up some orange poppy plants to put on our "mountain"..the hill on the back of our yard that is covered in trees and other bushes. Everything is so green and we needed a nice burst of color and what better way to do that than with POPPIES!

Then I mowed the yard. I had intended to save it for my husband to do. But Monday's are our busy days with ball practice and dance class in the evening and I knew he wouldn't have time. With the rest of the week being much warmer I thought it would be nice to get it done for him so he wouldn't have to sweat like a crazy man getting it done.

Now our week is free of outdoor chores, and we can just enjoy the warmth and HAVE FUN!

Today the kids and I are going to plant some banana peppers, jalapenos and cucumbers along the side of our house. My attempt at learning to garden. And then, it's nothing but play!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and I will hopefully be full of funny stories to share as the days progress!

Rats!

Oh how I hate to write this. I just want to put out a notice that I have no problem AT ALL helping companies get the word out about their websites/products. But I need you to ask me first! My email link is right on the sidebar! Just shoot me an email so I can review your site/product and if I find it to be something that my readers would be interested in hearing about then we can talk about how best to get the word out. Be it a post like this one, or an advertisement on one of my sidebars. I will, however, not allow comments to be left on my posts with links to sites. They will be immediately deleted as soon as I see they have been posted. Thank you.


OKAY! Now that I got THAT off of my chest..let me tell you my sad story for today. I had a moment of "bad mommy" syndrome this morning. I was busy filling up the kids' juice cups when Punk came into the kitchen all teary-eyed and said. "I'm still really scared about what you said about those rats."

At first my mind went blank, "Huh? Rats? What is he talking about??" But then I remembered. I have been constantly getting on the kids to stop leaving crumb trails all over the family room carpet. I am constantly picking up sticky crumbs of Pop Tarts, or tramping on Cheerios that then get ground into the carpet. I had had enough of the the kids making such messes. And never getting it through their thick little skulls that they needed to be cleaning this stuff up or better yet, not being so darn messy to begin with!!

So yesterday, in a moment of "I've had enough!!" I said, "You guys, if you keep leaving messes like this all over the floor, rats will get in our house!" Then I laughed and said "Just pick it up!"

I seriously thought they knew I was joking. Apparently not.

Poor Punk was freaked out about it and once I told him that I had been joking and thought he KNEW that I had been joking, he just started crying and said "I didn't know, and I was SO SCARED in there this morning!!"

Oy. What a fantastic way to start the day.

Blessings & A Recipe

Oh how tired I am! I've been working out every morning for the past almost 2 weeks, and I forgot how exhausting that is! I think I need to add more calories to my diet..so I am sipping on a fantastic protein shake as I type this. Oh and I also just finished mowing my yard..hills in both front in back!

I just have to say..there is nothing, NOTHING better in my world than the feeling of sore muscles, knowing I'm trimming up again, drinking a healthy snack, enjoying a tall glass of ice water, listening to LOUD country music, all while sitting on my breezeway watching my kids play and BLOGGING! HELLO!! I love my life!!! Seriously. I DO!!

What are the things in your life that YOU love? The simple things, you know. We all know we love our husbands/significant others, children, God, all those big things are obvious ones. But what are the little things? Those are the things we tend to overlook. And then we get grumpy because our husband fell asleep on the couch instead of talking with us after a long day. Or we get grumpy because our kids refuse to listen to us and keep breaking the rules. Or we get grumpy because we prayed for a new toaster and God didn't follow though (no I have never done that, but you get the idea right?).

But you know, through all of the "let downs" in our lives we never should be grumpy because of those things. We should take that time to reflect on those little things that we are thankful for.

So, today, if you are mad about a squabble with husband, kids, God..whomever..take a moment to remember the little things that make you happy and I know that your state of mind will start to change and it will make it possible to forgive and move on from the other challenges.

Now, let me step of my soap box, and get back to that yummy protein shake! While I'm at it..let me share the recipe with you!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie
1 scoop Beachbody Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (hint: you can order from my website!)
1 cup skim or 1% milk
1T unsweetened cocoa
1T peanut butter
1 banana
1tsp honey
a little ice

**2 servings**

Blend in a blender until smooth! (EASY RIGHT??)

Calories/serving 205
Fat/serving 5g
Sat. Fat/serving 2g
Carbs 26g
Fiber 3g
Protein 17g WOO HOO!!

Slimmin' Up For Summer

The seasons are changing and I don't know about you, but I am in need of a little trimming before it's time to put those shorts back on! How am I going to get back to where I want to be? Well, the obvious choice for me is to use the program that got me fit in the first place! Slim in 6 by Beachbody! This program ROCKS! It helped me go from a size 12 to a size 6 in JUST 6 weeks last year! Exercising 6 days a week and eating within my caloric range got me slimmer and healthier than I had been since..well, I can't remember how long it had been since I looked that good!

THIS WAS ME BEFORE:



THIS WAS ME AFTER:




If YOU are serious about wanting to lose weight and look great! Then I highly suggest signing up to be a (free) Beachbody customer under ME! I will then be your coach, will help you choose which Beachbody videos and products are best for you and you can even join my new thread for daily discussion, venting, tips and MORE! The info for joining me is at the top of the left sidebar!

Now check out this video on Slim in 6..the program the helped me get fit and is going to help me tone up in time for shorts season!! JUST 6 WEEKS...

Hassle-Free Kids Bedroom Makeover Tips

My husband and I are in in the process of getting ready to redecorate our children's rooms. Last week I was asked by a company that sells children's furniture if I would let them write up a post for this blog that I could share with all of my readers! When I found out that one of the ideas was makeover tips for kids rooms I JUMPED at that chance. I really enjoyed the following article and I hope you do too! And don't forget to click on the link included in the post below to check out all the great furniture items they have to offer!


Hassle-Free Kids Bedroom Makeover Tips

As parents, we know all too well how fast a child can change his or her mind. Toys they love one week are discarded a week later, in favor of something newer and cooler. On the same token, a child can grow tired of his or her bedroom set up. This is why updating the look of your kids bedroom from time to time is a good idea.

From rearranging the position of your kids bed and updating the bedding to throwing up some wall decorations, here are some hassle-free bedroom makeover tips that are sure to keep your kids happy.

Beddy Good: If you're child has outgrown his or her bed, then investing in a new one isn't a bad idea. A car-shaped bed could be a fun addition to your kids' bedroom. Other good alternatives include a captain's bed or a bed with a bookcase headboard. These beds are both fun and functional, providing extra storage space that you likely didn't have before.

If you don't want to get a new bed, try rearranging the bed's position for a nice change of scene. Lofted bunk beds are great for kids and often come with optional desks and storage that can be added underneath the bed.

For a quick and easy change, consider updating your kids bedding. A new comforter or bed-in-a-bag set with your kids' favorite cartoon character is a great way to freshen things up. Throw on some matching accent pillows and stuffed animals for some additional fun.

Finishing Touches: If you don't want to bother with changing the furniture, by adding a fresh coat of paint, some wall art, a new rug, or maybe a new lamp - you have the ability to really transform the space without much incurring much cost.

• Change of Color: Freshen up the kids' space with a fresh coat of paint. Get your kids involved by having them help choose the paint color! Look for non-toxic low VOC or zero VOC paint to minimize harmful fumes in your kids bedroom.
  

  
  

• Extra Padding: Area rugs are great for a kids room. Whether you want to go the educational route with a rug showing the solar system or the fun route with a Princess-themed area rug - area rugs are a great way to add some color to the room. Placing an area rug beside the bed is also a good idea in case your child falls out during the night.
  

  
  

• Light Bright: Adding a fun lamp or night light to your kids bedroom is definitely a bright idea. Disney Lamps, Sports-themed lamps, or animal lamps all add a little bit of style and humor to your kids space. A fun night light will give your child an added sense of security, ensuring that he gets a good nightmare-free night's sleep.
  

Making over your kids bedroom doesn't have to be a big deal. A few small changes will keep your child happy while keeping costs down.

Helping Feed The Hungry

Teaching kids about people less fortunate than them is an important task that we as mothers must do. It teaches empathy, understanding and tolerance, not to mention responsibility!!

I know that I don't do this enough. We are a very typical middle-class family. My husband has a job where he makes enough money for me to stay home, but not enough money for us to provide a lot of luxuries. And to be honest, that is perfectly OKAY by me. To be completely honest, even if we did have lots and lots of money, my children still wouldn't get all of the stuff they think they need. I want them to grow up knowing the value of saving for items they want. I want them to understand that the money that their Daddy makes at work goes towards paying for our home, food, electric, water...nothing is free. And gifts are saved for special occasions. Very rarely do they get "treats" while out at the store. It's just a luxury that they don't need.

But on the other hand, when they do get these things, I want them to understand to be grateful that we are able to afford these things. Many families out there can't. Many families out there can't even afford housing or food.

This past winter a local shelter opened up. Our church bulletin put out a list of needs for this shelter. Number one, blankets. We had recently gotten a box of my mother in law's old blankets (why she thought we needed them, I couldn't tell ya) but I saw this as a perfect opportunity for the kids to learn about giving to others. So we spent an afternoon washing them up and putting them into a box for the woman who ran the shelter to pick up. I explained to the kids what we were doing and they seemed to get it.

But that was months ago, and I haven't done anything since to help people in our community. I really should try to do something weekly with the kids to give them more of an understanding. Yesterday, an opportunity arose for another learning experience with the kids, and I jumped on it! Of all things, the USPS is having a food drive called "Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive" where tomorrow, May 9th, you can put non-perishable food items in your mailbox for your mailman to pick up and deliver to local food pantries. Isn't this awesome!! And it's so EASY! No running out to deliver the items. I can spend time with the kids bagging up cans of soup, tuna, spaghetti sauce; things we have in our cupboards that we can afford to replace so that we can be responsible citizens for helping others in our community who can not afford even simple grocery store items.

The kids are very excited about the idea of putting the food in the mailbox. But they also are showing a huge amount of concern about it. I explained that the food goes to families that can't afford groceries. That there are many kids out there who have to go to bed hungry at night. This started an onslaught of questions:

"But if their bellies are growling because they're so hungry, I bet those kids can't sleep very well. Right, Mommy?" -Punk, 5

That's right baby, that's why it's so important that we take this opportunity to help these families.

"If we give all of our food to the mailman, then will we have to go to bed hungry?" -Twinkletoes, 3

No, we are helping them because we have enough money to buy more food for ourselves. You will not go hungry, and neither will the kids whose families we will be helping.

So, I highly encourage you to take some time with your kids today to pack up a bag of food, and talk about the responsibility we have in helping others. The way the economy is right now, who knows which one of us may be the family needing such food drives in the future, and I would hope that as our children grow they continue to give to those less fortunate, fulfilling the responsibility of a concerned citizen of our great country!

A Whole New Look!

I DID IT!!! I know it's not "professional"..but I like it!

The "Experts" Don't Know It All

This morning, as I was sitting out on my breezeway, drinking my 1st cup of coffee and lazily skimming the April issue of Parent's Magazine, I came across an article about night terrors.

Just a small little tidbit, but as I was reading it, I came across this quote, "While the episodes can be scary for you, your child won't remember a thing."

Not true!

As a young child, I suffered from night terrors. From about the age 2-6 I would have about 3 of them a year. I remember every single one.

I would have very vivid dreams where I was being chased by a bear, hunted by a wolf, covered in ants, or would be being attacked by puppies and kitties. Yes, the last one is true, and my mom humiliated me years later by announcing that I used to have bad dreams about puppies and kitties to all the kids in my 5th grade class while on a field trip. It was one of those "DUH!" mommy moments that she knew she'd regret as soon as the words were out of her mouth. But that's not the point of this story. Obviously, that is a whole 'nother post.

I remember all of these dreams. I'd start screaming and fighting and would actually SEE the menaces of my dreams in my room! I was technically still asleep. My mom or dad would race to my room after having been ripped from their own peaceful sleep by my terrifying screams and would have to just stand there until the terror had passed and I would peacefully, fall back to sleep.

But, I always remembered them. I remember telling my mom and dad about them the next day. In detail. My mom remembers hearing me scream "GET AWAY FROM ME! LOOK OUT! THE WOLF IS RIGHT THERE!" While pointing to an empty corner of my room. At about age 3.

So, lesson to parents. The experts don't always know what they are talking about. Night terrors, can be remembered by children. So make sure that if your child has one, you talk about it the next day. Maybe they wont remember. But if they do, make sure you are there to comfort them and explain that it was all pretend, you were there, and there was nothing in their room. They were and always will be safe!! Even from puppies and kitties!!

The Sickbed

Last night, SB and I loaded up the kids to head out on our hour journey to the town where my stepdaughter lives to watch her school play. We got about 15 minutes into our drive when SB said he wasn't feeling well. He felt like he could throw up and was very light-headed. We decided to turn around and go home because it would be a very long night if he ended up getting sick at the school play and I was left to wrangle all of our kids and then drive us back home.

We hit the McDonald's drive-thru on our way back into town because nothing had been planned for dinner and as soon as we walked in the door SB headed for bed to rest and told me to wake him up at 7:30pm so he didn't sleep all evening.

Hmm.

Now I was supportive that he should rest. Anyone with whom you love, when they're not feeling well you want them to rest, right? But I couldn't help being a little upset. There are many many times when I've been sick. Really sick. Not just feeling sick. That I have felt so much guilt over just going and laying in bed, behind a closed door and leaving SB to take care of the kids alone that I just don't do it. I suck it up and wait until the kids are down for the night and THEN I get my resting in.

Maybe I need to be less self-sacrificing and start following his lead. He seemed to have not one ounce of guilt that I then had to sit with the kids, alone, while they ate their dinner. Then I took them outside so their screeching and fighting wouldn't disturb him. And then I had to fight with each one individually when it was time to go in the house to go to bed. Ducky I put to bed at 7pm, Twinkletoes at 7:30 (she normally goes to bed with Ducky, but I was feeling nice and let her stay up a bit longer) and then, Punk was off to dreamland at 8.

Spoiled Housewife, my ass.

I did indulge in 2 glasses of chilled wine and finally got around to reading my April's edition of Family Circle and after I got all the kids tucked into bed I took a hot bubble bath. But frankly, I earned it.

I'm curious. How do YOU as a mother deal with sickness? When you're sick, do you take the time to nap and rest once your husband is home? What about your husband? Do you allow him to take that time to himself even if you don't do it for yourself? Let me know by commenting here, and if you're lurking around the shadows..come out come out wherever you are! I want to know who's visiting so I can visit YOU!

And if you noticed that you used to be on my sidebar, but are no longer there, please leave a comment. I lost my blogroll when I switched names, and now..I am having trouble getting everyone added again.

Drumroll Please...

No longer will this blog be referred to as "Kitchen Table Parenting". I am now, introducing myself as...

THE SPOILED HOUSEWIFE!

I have been thinking and thinking about what to rename my blog. How to really get my feelers out in the blog world with a new online personification. And this post inspired me.

No, I am not really spoiled in the sense that my "mean" neighbor thinks I am. But I am spoiled in lots of hugs and kisses from my babies. A husband who comes home to me every night and actually WANTS to spend time with me instead of sitting in front of the TV while I take sole care of the children. And in the fact that I "get" to stay at home and raise these little ones myself without having to rely on a child care provider.

So I figured. It works.

A little ironic, a little funny, a lot of happy..I am "The Spoiled Housewife"!!!!

**I am going to be having a custom blog layout made..I am now looking for recommendations for inexpensive blog designers.

**Please update your site readers or blog rolls to work with my new address**

**Please note that if you read back posts that have links to other posts that I wrote under the KTParenting name, you will no longer be directed to the post mentioned. I will slowly but surely get that fixed. In the meantime you can fix the address by deleting the "kitchentableparenting" and typing in "thespoiledhousewife". **

A Poem For My Love

I haven't written poetry since I was assigned it in high school. But this morning I was inspired to send a poem to my husband through email since he is off working on this cloudy Sunday morning, when I know he'd much rather be home with me & the kids.

Kids, kids, everywhere.
Make me want to pull out my hair.

Ducky peed all over her bed.
I seriously have no more hair on my head.

Please come home.
I feel so alone.
Come on baby, come home, come home!!

Yeah, not so romantic. But I figured, it sure is a sweet way to complain, right??

Ch-Ch-Changes??

So..I have been doing some thinking lately.

I think I am HATING the "Kitchen Table Parenting" name. I only named this blog that to go along with my fitness blog's name, but now...after my blog has come along I don't like it. At. All.

So..I am considering a name change. Although, I haven't decided WHAT to name it. That's the difficult part. Because once I rename, I'm not going back.

I used to blog a blog with the name "Mamaritaville". But I'm not thinking I want to bring that back. Any thoughts?

Also. I am SO wanting a custom blog design...but lack the funds to pay for one. Or pay VERY MUCH for one. Any suggestions there?

I promise I'll be better with posting next week. I've been a little "blah" this week. PMS has gotten to me. That and rainy weather.

I did finish reading "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer. Totally ROCKED! I had borrowed it from my (nice) neighbor, and now I am considering going out and buying it for myself. Although I will probably wait until it's in paperback. I really like paperback books better..and not just for the price. I absolutely despise the paper covers that go over a hardback book. They're annoying.

Now I'm reading "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates. Good. So far. But I was expecting it to be, I mean they have made a movie out of it right? And best of all..I got it for just 25 cents at Goodwill. I didn't even KNOW Goodwill sold books. I'm SO going to be a regular patron of their literary section from now on!

Have a great weekend. If you're lucky enough to have nice weather..enjoy it. We on the other hand will be bundled up in our sweatshirts and jeans and heading to the ballpark in a few hours. Woo. Hoo.