I'm Not Perfect and Either are You AND That's OK.

Progress, not perfection. That's been my motto lately. I think if didn't say that, I'd go bonkers comparing myself to others. Let me start out by telling you things about myself that I wish you didn't know: I yell more than I should, I used to work out daily and now I just go for short walks with the kids so I've kind of let myself go, I can be impatient, I get up too early then stay up too late, I don't like being told what to do so I can't decide on a curriculum, I can be critical(I am actively working on this one), I can be a push over, I hate to cook unless I am in the "Zone", then I like it, I hate doing laundry and am bad at putting it away, I let my dogs kiss my face.

Whew!!! That wasn't so bad but, it's hard to see it all in print. I am sure there is a ton more but, I have to clean tonight because we are having people over tomorrow. I have found that, when I became a mom I was guilty of making judgement's. Experience has taught me that there is no BETTER way. There are lots of ways to do things and I can usually find some way that they would make sense to me if I try. Lets make it a point not to be so hard on each other. As women, we are constantly pitted against each other in the media. Whether we work or not or whether our lifestyles are the same shouldn't matter. The point we need to see is that most of us are doing our best each day for those we love. Period. We could learn so much from each other if we focused on that and let go of our judgement. For me, judgement comes from my insecurities. For this next week I am going to make it a point to read about those whose lifestyles are different from mine for inspiration. Will you join me?

http://wwwthatcrazyhomeschooler.blogspot.com/2012/08/as-promised-here-is-list-of-great.htm

As promised, here is a list of great resources for both HS families and mainstream families alike:

1-Memrise: Learning based on Science, fun and community. http://www.memrise.com/home/

2-Time4learning: A wonderful Full Online curriculum for HS, summer, or after school that will keep your kids up to speed. We have used it and it is our main source of curriculum. http://www.time4learning.com/

3-Ted Ed- Animated adventures and gripping video's to enhance your knowledge. http://ed.ted.com/

4-Mentormob- The youtube of learning materials. http://www.mentormob.com/

5-Open Culture- A giant collection of over 400 Ivy league course. Free learning at it's best! http://www.openculture.com/

6-Khans Academy- http://www.khanacademy.org/

7- learnist- http://learni.st/

8-Coursera- https://www.coursera.org/
free higher education

List of useful stuff for HS or for moms who want their kids to learn cool stuff!

I've got to go to a B day party now but, I'm compiling a list of great websites and books that would benefit homeschoolers, unschoolers or families with kids k-12. Look for it later today!

Say this every night to your kids....

Memories....and other musings about the 1st day of unschooling

So, I was just thinking back to a few years ago when I embarked on homeschooling the first time. My boys were ages 6 & 7 and , at the time, I had custody of my teenage God-daughter. Wow, how life has changed! My God daughter is on her own in the world, we have moved, my kids are older and life couldn't be any more different! On that note, I tried "unschooling" full throttle today and frankly, it was really hard for me. My kids bickered a lot more without ANY structure. I am pretty happy with the way things were so I am not completely sure if this philosophy is going to be for us, full time. I like it for when we need to switch things up or need to have a break. I will stick with it for next week but, as of now, I didn't see how it could be a positive thing for my household. Here's how my day went:

  We all woke up, one by one then the kids jumped on the computers to play roadblox. Then Nikolas decided to play Scrabble with my mom online. Lexi ran around like a crazy person just trying on all of her brothers clothes because they were in "media zone" and weren't paying attention. Then the kids decided to play "store". They fought over every aspect of how the store would work. Then they decided to play restaurant. The problem started there, when Andy envisioned a fine dining restaurant and Nikolas envisioned a burger joint. Then the boys argued about how the menu would look. Andy thought it should have calligraphy on it and Nikolas thought it should have men farting and propelling through time. Next, we gave up on the restaurant and went for a short walk. That ended with Nikolas storming home because he was still upset over the menu choice(he is our resident grudge-holder) and me finding a stray dog who literally tried to jump inside my body!!! He had on one of those shock collars that goes with an invisible fence so, even though I kept trying to get him to go back in his yard, he was afraid to get shocked so just kept sitting next to me giving me big, lab, puppy dog eyes. I can't say I blame him.
  On a side note, I have a new Ergo baby sling that is great! However, my 4 month old is a little sweaty beast and when we got home and took him out of it, he looked like Elvis. Finally, by noon, my kids decided to make brunch. That was a lot of fun! My kids can really cook well! I hate to admit this but, they cook a much better breakfast than me. After that, the kids all curled up and read for a while, which was really nice. Then, the fury erupted again when Andy and Lexi started playing make believe. Nikolas tried to "play" too. His idea of "playing" was repeating over and over "you know this is not real right?' Needless to say, this didn't go over well!

All well, I am sure the kids learned something today. If anything they learned how to resolve conflict by playing "who yells the loudest". Sigh"

I think I might need to invest in a good leash. Lexi could hold Andy.

Some books that might be helpful if you want to look at unschooling or just how we learn, in general:

In Their Own Way: Discovering and Encouraging Your Child's Personal Learning Style by Thomas Armstrong

Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation by Edward L. Deci

"Little Johnny learned to read at 4 months of age"

"I wonder if I can fit in there?"

Cuddles!!!

I want you to know that my kids fight. They bicker as a sport on some days and there are times I just want to run away. I say this because I think it's important to point out in these types of blogs. Do I love being with them 24/7?  Most of the time, yes. However, I also have times where I wonder what I got myself into. I used to work out religiously everyday. Now, I barely have time to walk the dog. I take walks with the children several times a week but, that could hardly be considered exercise! We stop 110 times to look at bugs or to have a conference about what the kids are eating for a snack when we get home. Needless to say, it's slow moving.

I have read so many home school books where the families sound unreal. They sound like prodigies in the making. I want my kids to be able to obtain success but, most importantly, I want them to be happy when they find it. If the road leading to it is filled with days upon days of cramming for things they might need to know, what's the point? If they are interested in, let's say science and pursue all types of "scientific" adventures, my guess is, the information will stick. This is what I am watching and waiting for. In each of our children they have the latent curiosity to discover things about the world. I just wish that in these home school books it didn't sound as if the kids are all going to grow up to win the noble peace prize! Of course, I hope for that for my kids. Don't we all secretly imagine our grown son or daughter accepting it and then saying to an audience packed full of people "most importantly, I would like to thank my mom for her dedication and love for me".(Come on, you know you've done it once or twice). However, my goal is for my kids to have the resourcefulness and knowledge to make his or her life "abundant" and "genuine". I want them to enjoy the journey, not just the destination...

Duplicity pulling at me.....

As I have embarked on our little Home school journey this summer, I have been torn about how I wanted to go about it. On one hand, I am pretty neurotic about curriculum and really do enjoy "teaching". I have spent SO many nights scouring the Internet for good buys on curriculum. I have read books on learning styles and have learned each of my kids "style". I have planned lessons and checked off lists and made "schedules". Then, I started reading several books on unschooling and they set a little fire in my belly. I tried to not like it. I even sat up late at night talking myself out of doing it. These "conversations" started off worrying that my kids would just eat snacks and watch tv all day if we adopted this philosophy. Then, once I began to read more in depth, my "conversations" with myself went to the opposite side of the spectrum. "I don't have the time or resources to explore each of my kids interests", I thought. Especially considering they change their minds like Lady Gaga changes clothes! No matter how much I try to put it out of my mind, unschooling keeps popping back in. I find myself reading blogs and seeking out those that do it. They seem to be having fun and learning SO much! My days of living vicariously through them are over! After cajoling my son Andy to do his perfunctory writing assignment and seeing how stagnant it makes him for hours afterward, it's time for change.

The next two weeks are going to be "unschool weeks". We have been homeschooling since the 3rd week in June and have only taken off for 4th of July so I have some breathing room if this doesn't work out. I spoke with the kids about it, in depth, and they can't wait to get started! We are making up an idea jar that has things in it like "play restaurant" where the kids will plan a menu, buy groceries, use a budget, be a chef, be a waiter, collect tips. That's filled with life skills and things like math and chemistry. plus, it's well, fun! Fun because they feel grown up and independent and irrefutably intelligent for doing it.I will be on hand to expedite this venture and those like it. They may also just read or draw or play barbies(Lexi, ok and maybe Andy, too...sshhh). I hope that I have elucidated what unschooling is and maybe the fallacy that it's just being a lazy mom will begin to change. I never thought of myself as a iconoclast. I'm not trying to make history. I'm simply trying to help my kids learn in a way that is salubrious and exciting. I want the information to stick. I will keep you posted. Wish me luck!

Breakfast the kids made!

Andy "reading"

Friends!

All leashed up and ready to go to Disney World!

Clearwater trip!

Kole: Our "official" homeschool/unschool mascot

Bro's

Little "Cootie"

Andy, my budding artist

If there were ever "soulmates", it's Nik & I

I'm lucky....

I am super tired but, I wanted to get this on paper before I closed my eyes. Today has been another one of those days where I know in my heart that the decision to take my kids out of public schools was the right one.I have nothing against public education or teachers. In fact, I am in awe of what teachers do on a daily basis. I just feel that I had my children. I am raising them and know their strengths and weaknesses more than anyone. Education lately is all about test scores and pressure to perform. Kindergarten starts off right but, then it's all downhill from there. Learning shouldn't have to be something one does by being lectured to. If you want to learn a new skill you will find a way. Much of what I learned in school I did not retain if I had no interest in it. What if you could only learn about all the things that interested you? What if that changed pretty frequently(which, it will and that's ok). Think about how much more you would retain. Think about how exciting each day would be if you had the FREEDOM to learn and learning wasn't something done to you like homework and quizzes? This is the gift I hope to give to my children. This is what I believe "EDUCATION' can be. For this reason I think I am lucky. I think our family is lucky. On that note, I need sleep. The kids and I have a lot to do tomorrow :) I hope I got you thinking a little outside the box.

DEEP THOUGHTS ABOUT THE "SKIN" I"M IN....

Life is filled with so many challenges and it seems that from the moment I decided to care for my physical state my entire outlook changed. I am sure that by moving the blood through our bodies, our brains, we drastically affect how we approach our journey through this world. It's not a quick fix nor does it happen instantaneously. It is a gradual by-product of caring for our bodies and challenging them on a regular basis. Exercise has become as much a part of my life as eating or sleeping. While I can't tell you that all of my days are simple and stress-free, I can tell you that, for the most part, stress does not carry the same weight as it once did. I have the ability to get back up from hardships that used to hold me down for what seemed like an eternity. Life takes on a completely different temperature in the face of adversity if you are consistent with exercise. It sounds so simple, doesn't it?
This is where I am going to dig a little deeper. I believe that we all have a soul. We hear about people wanting to be "truly happy and content". We hear about people searching for inner peace. What if I told you that those things are not possible if we ignore the external. I sincerely believe that, as humans, we need to nurture our bodies before we try to tap into our inner workings. On a biological level, all kinds of wonderful things happen when we exercise. From dopamine being released, to increased blood-flow to our brains and muscles, to the release of chemicals that allow us to get a more restful sleep, our bodies react to movement and momentum. Thus, exercise is a way to allow the same things to happen in our lives. If we are strong of body we will also become strong of mind, as well. Our world doesn't seem like a vast precipice but, an amazing journey to which we have a say in how it unfolds.
I am a very spiritual person and believe in God. I thank God all the time for giving me this gift of a body that carries me through the world. Maybe it's not as pretty as it once was and is filled with imperfections. Nevertheless, it is an amazing vessel that harbours the "me" that I have grown to rely on. For a woman that, 4 years ago could not walk up stairs without getting winded, I am constantly amazed at my body's ability to evolve and sustain me through this world. I feel most alive when I can feel the blood coursing through my veins and the sweat rolling down my back as I "run one more lap" or push myself just a little harder than I thought possible. I stopped being "hungry" all the time when I chose food for it's purpose not for it's taste. I stopped being so closed off when I faced my fears each time I walked into the gym feeling less than the other people in it. So you see, there is a simple way to change the barometer of your life. It begins with you and your willingness to commit to a life of sustenance. It starts with getting up one day and putting one foot in front of the other....and then....to keep going, keep moving, building momentum, gaining strength. As your heart begins to pound and you exhale everything else quiets and you can finally hear your inner voice.

Trying to keep my focus on the BIG picture!!!

I write this blog entry with a little bit of frustration. I am humbled by so many aspects of my life but, I have to say that having a thyroid disorder is a challenging problem for me. In order to understand my dismay, let back up a little bit. After being diagnosed with a condition called Hashimotos thyroiditis right after giving birth to my 3rd child, I found myself in a very frightening state. I literally fell asleep at a red-light! I was exhausted but, after having a baby, I believed that I was just tired. However, I was gaining weight a rapid pace, instead of losing it. I also was having trouble producing breastmilk. All of this culminated into a very scary time in my life. After some time of being hypothyroid I began to feel beside myself with pain. I had never been obese. At 5'3' and 200lbs I was extremely unhealthy. Most of you know the cycle I was in. I would wake up on a diet and yet by midafternoon I would head to the refrigerator out of self pity, not once but, many times before bed. I eventually reached a point of no return where I saw myself declining rapidly. My young body was giving out in ways I could not allow to continue. So, I pulled my big girl britches on and began a journey of determination to change the way I lived. I began walking no matter what everyday. In a short period I started feeling my spirit begin to latch on to something I hadn't felt in a long while. I felt a shimmer of hope that I could find my way out of this. I started the atkins diet and joined a gym. Within 7 months I reached my goal and was down to my previous size, a size 4. I wish I could tell you it was easy but, there were many, many nights I went to bed crying. Regardless, I got up the next day and kept moving forward, one day at a time.
Now, let move forward to the present. I have maintained my weight through the years( as a vegetarian now) but, last fall I started feeling exhausted all the time and put on 10lbs within a month. I also started breaking out in hives and despite my exhaustion could rarely stay asleep. My doctor explained that I had been on the same amount of thyroid hormone for the past 3 years that was given to me when I was 200lbs. I was suffering from adrenal exhaustion from being on too much. Now, I was hyperthyroid. So, I have been gradually reducing my amount of synthroid to more closely match my present body size. For anyone with a thyroid disorder, this a slow process. Since the last reduction I am extremely sleepy and get headaches a lot. I have a husband who is gone most of the time for work(months at a time) and my parents are out of the country right now. It's just me and my 3 school-aged children(who, I might add, are out of school for the summer) right now and I am not feeling like myself. I try to make the most of the short bursts of energy I get after working out to swim with the kids or play basketball but, I yearn for my old self to come back. I hope and pray that this transition period is short-lived. I wish there was more for me to do to hurry it along but, I have been through this enough to know it's a fruitless to try. This blog is not about feeling sorry for myself. I think that sometimes when you put your worries on paper, it has a way of taking away their power. I am blessed with 3 healthy, happy(ok and eager to bicker) children with whom I plan on spending the lazy days of summer playing in every corner of our town. I won't let this "thing" get me down. One foot in front the other Jennifer.....

DOES PHYSICAL HEALTH LEAD TO FULFILLMENT IN LIFE OR IS IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND?

We all have passions in life! I believe that throughout our existence they tend to evolve. What started as a love of dance and movement, has become a genuine appreciation for health and vitality. I have come to realize how fragile our bodies are, in that, we only get one of them. Lately, I have found myself worrying about my friends and loved ones. All of this concern has me wondering why the general population doesn't seem to grasp how much of our life can be altered by whether we take care of our physical bodies! So let me pose the question: "Is it possible to be truley content and fulfilled if we ignore our physical state?"
For me personally, this is no-brainer. I know that I would never be able to feel "whole" if I ignored the state of my body. After the birth of my 3rd child I developed a thyroid condition that made me lethargic and bloated. I rapidly gained weight and often felt too tired to exercise. As my bodyweight increased, my appetite for food did ,as well. It seemed like a negative cycle that kept me a prisoner in my own skin. Oddly, even though the scale didn't lie, I still saw myself as the same lean woman I had always been. It wasn't until I saw myself in a home video that my world came crashing down. I didn't recognize myself at all! Still, this wasn't enough for me to make changes. I wasn't ready. I tried to convince both the world and myself, that I was sincerely happy.
What I have come to realize is this: "If you constantly are trying to show people how happy you are, deep down, there is work to be done." My body started giving me small signs that I was ignoring it. They were whispers. I was out of breathe when holding son. I stopped wearing heels as my feet hurt all the time from trying to adjust to my new form. Then, I went to the doctor and was shocked that those little whispers were becoming screams! My blood pressure was dangerously high and my doctor explained that if I wanted raise my children into adulthood, I would have to begin exercising and changing both HOW MUCH and WHAT I ate. Of course, I hated my doctor and vowed to never go back to see him again! I couldn't believe he had the nerve to bring up the elephant in the room! Nobody talks about a womans weight! In hindsight, I know that if something gets under your skin that much, it's because there is an element of truth to it.
As I drove home, I cried so hard that I broke the capillaries around my eyes. I pulled over and started to pray for God's help. I wish I could tell you that I woke up the very next day inclined with a new zest for life, but I didn't. However, I am fully convinced that's where the clarity began. As, I was sitting in my car on the side of a road, I caught a glimpse of a bumper sticker that read: "Take care of your body, it's the only place your soul has to live!!" Why hadn't I thought of that before? Why had I thought that my life could be complete if my body was falling apart? Part of it was my youth. I had never really had any major health crises so I could easily convince myself that I was fine. The other part was that I didn't believe in myself. I would rather spend my energy on convincing myself and everyone around me about how "fabulous" I was than actually put in the work! Exercise, seemed like a good past time for aerobics instructors, not for normal people like myself!(Oh, the lies we tell ourselves! I used to tell people that the only way I would run is if somebody was chasing me)Plus, I had tried to curtail my food intake many times and always went to bed feeling defeated. It seemed like an impossible battle!
I knew I had to start somewhere so, after careful consideration, I decided consistency was of the most importance. I lived in Colorodo when I was 21 years old and I remember a local man of 82 years of age, that I met once. He was in amazing health! He could have passed for a 50 year old! He gave me great advice that I completely ignored. (I was 21! I knew EVERYTHING!)He said that the secret to his vitality could be summed up by 3 things, all of equal importance: 1)Exercise everday, rain or shine, no matter what! If you don't love it now, give it time. It will become a part of your existence and you won't feel quite right if you don't do it.2)Eat slowly, eat small amounts, and eat well. He said that our diets should mainly consist of veggies, fruits,legumes and grains and to stay clear of processed ingredients, meats and sweets.I know this sounds like a diet that only a rabbit might enjoy but, eventually it allows you to feel energized and light on your feet. He pointed out that if I ate this way my focus would become less about taste and convenience and more about how my food made me feel after I was finished eating it. He also, stressed the importance of not overeating. He said that is the quickest way to become detached from our deepest thoughts. If our digestive system is overloaded it clouds our brain.3)His last piece of advice was to nurture my close relationships without fear or reservations. He had been happily married for 52 years. His wife, his children and close friends were the relationships he chose to put his time and energy into. He said that he never went a day without spending time in their company or letting them know how much he loved them. He was also proud to share how his philosophies on wellness were being passed down to future generations within his family. Family gatherings were usually spent moving their bodies, not sitting at tables, with the focus on food. Coming from a Greek/Italian lineage, this concept seemed foreign. Needless to say, I have come to embrace it.
Happiness means different things to different people. It is my belief that if we set out on our prospective journeys through life and ignore the very vessel that carries us through it, eventually we will run into limitations. God has given us these amazing, resilient bodies to charter our existence. My hope is that, you too, will nurture yours and find joy in doing so. It can be the start of a life you never knew possible.Getting the most joy out of life is a universal desire. While, we can't know God's plan we can certainly find strength in the decisions we make everday.We must respect our physical self, and in doing so, we will have the strength to nurture our souls. In many ways, they are one in the same. They can either bind us or set us free. I hope that we can all be like the wise gentleman I met in Colorado, running with our granchildren, without breaking a sweat!

Enzo and I

Me and my big puppy!

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My Pets Are As Messed Up As I Am!

If my brand of religion included past lives then ,without a doubt, at least one of mine would have been of the canine species. I, like many of you, have a powerful affinity for animals. Dogs,in particular, make my heart skip a beat. However, I seem to attract the deranged, neurotic variety. As a matter of fact, if there is a willful, quirky dog within a 20 mile radius it will show up on my front porch. You might blame my neurosis on how my pets behave but, then your getting into the chicken or the egg argument and I assure you, it's got to be a little of both.
I had always envisioned having a dog like Lassie or Benji but, instead mine were more like the German Shepherd in the movie "K9". When I was 15 years old my parents finally gave into my plea's for a pet and bought me a beautiful male GS puppy. Upon bringing him home we quickly, realized we had some serious work ahead of us in the obedience department. Like all puppies, he enjoyed chewing to help alleviate his teething pain. When I arrived home from school and saw that half of our deck was missing I became alarmed. He also had "munched" on the screen door, the BBQ grill and had started to work on the siding of our home. There was an element of spitefulness in what "Enzo" chewed. If you put him outside, he chewed off all of the screens on the windows. If you locked him in the laundry room, he would chew off the chords to the washer and dryer. If you locked him in my room he would eat off the door to my closet then, one by one, eat off the soles to my shoes. If this wasn't enough he seemed to have emotional issue's ,as well. If he got in a "mood" he would go sit in my parents shower facing the wall and ignore ,any and all, plea's to look at at me. He was the "rock of Gibraltar" and short of picking him up(did I mention he grew to be 120lbs) he would sit there until he got over whatever was plaguing him.
I decided it would be a fun experience to take him to an obedience class. I entered our "class" with high hopes. This was short-lived as I entered the room with all the other "doggy/human" pairs sitting quietly waiting for our teacher to begin. Enzo pulled me,using all of his body weight, towards a kind woman with a Labrador. He lunged, full throttle, in attack mode, at this kind woman. The look of terror on her face was one I won't soon forget! After, this we were sequestered, for the remainder of the class, to the back of the room. Enzo was fitted with a "pronged collar". I started getting a sick feeling in my stomach.
Our first exercise consisted of teaching our pets "off". We were to hold out a hot dog and our "best friend" was supposed to "ignore" it. I've always heard of animals having a "conniption" but, I have never been an audience to an episode like this. I can only say that nothing can prepare you for it. Enzo's "shackles" on his back stood up vertically. He began salivating like 'Cujo" and using every ounce of his strength, pulled away from me, pronged collar, obviously, irrelevant. As the entire class sat in horror, he ,at lightening speed, managed to grab every hot dog out of the humans hands. Then, he jumped up on the instructor, and grabbed the entire package of hot dogs, and ate it in one bite, plastic and all! Needless to say, we did not obtain a graduation certificate that day, for passing the first exercise. Consequentially, we were asked to "never step foot in that building, again!"
In all fairness, I was fifteen years old when I became Enzo's "mommy". For those of you who knew me at this time, it was at the height of my teenage angst. However, as time as gone on it has become apparent that deranged animals seek me out. Through the years, I have had a dog that ate concrete,a dog that "humped" as a favorite pastime, with a special preference for purses, dogs that , when you called "come" would run the other direction. I had a cat that had separation anxiety, and would leave me a "present" if I closed her out of the room I was in. On the bright side I did have a poodle and a parakeet (Nik & click) who were the best of friends. The bird would "ride" the poodle and they would "sing" together as a way of bonding.
As I lay awake at night picturing what it would be like to have a "normal" pet, my chihuahua keeps trying to "hump" my leg, even though I repeatedly push her off. I sit, trying to ignore the fact that my big dog has been licking my pillow for the past 30 minutes. As bazarre as my pets have been, they add such joy and folly to my life, even if, at times, it is perverse. I've read books and tried umpteen amounts of training methods, all to no avail. Maybe, I am the one that needs training. I think, just like humans, our pets come with numorous quirks and personality challenges. I think mine would be the "Jersey Shore" variety. I am sure if you asked the parents of the kids on that show, they would focus, blindly, on their kids good points. For whatever reason, my pets have been the dysfunctional, slightly eccentric kind. I think my focus should be one of acceptance, instead of trying to fight this well known fact. They certainly add flavor to my life and even if they stubbornly, dig their heels in when I ask the smallest of commands, a quick lick on my ear is all it takes to remind me of why I love them so~

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You Know You Are Getting Older When....

1)Upon running braless, people hear you coming and confuse you with a galloping horse. 2) You feel hungover & "ate up" after a late night even though u didn't bother to drink. 3) When staying up late watching TV, you see an infomercial about a bun and thigh clencher and, just for a moment, consider dialing the number on the screen. 4) You have classifications of clothes in your closet ranging from "comfy clothes" to "Jeans that I will fit in again one day" that you have saved to "inspire" you. 5) You start sounding more and more like your mother when disciplining your kids. 6) People try "not to look" if you spontaneously break out in dancing at a party. 7) When your parents come for a visit they walk around with a "perma-grin" because your kids are talking to you much like you spoke to them when you were a kid. 8) If you decide to "party" with your friends the recovery period slaps you in your place for an entire week versus a day or two. 9) Seeing pictures of yourself makes you do a double take because, you start resembling grotesque caricatures of yourself, that people get done when going to the fair. 10)"Going to a Party" is more likely to involve "spongebob" or "Dora" than it is bongshots and playing the cardgame "Asshole". 11) Cleaning takes 3 times longer because half the time is spent walking into rooms and forgetting why you're there.
12) You can remember what it was like when microwaves and cell phones didn't exist. 13) The act of sleeping ,in and of itself, causes you pain. 14) You start avoiding the sun instead of baking in it like a Thanksgiving Day Turkey. 15) You begin trying to calculate how many calories are burned during a good romp with your husband. 16) You remember when reality TV meant watching "The Real World". 17) People confuse you with a homeless person when you go out to get the paper. 18) While yelling at your children(and trying your hardest to sound authoritive) , you sound like an idiot because you call them by the wrong names or combine their names. EX. Jenn or Alana= "Jalana"

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Nik & his boy...

My son & my dog

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Top O The Morning~

Andy bop/ fresh as a daisy...early in the morning...

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Beware...tiny cop woman here...

Alexia/ Halloween 2010

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Lexi..in Kole's Bed

Kid asleep in a dog bed....

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