Better out than in

I know most of you think I'm an open book, and mostly I am. There are a few topics however that I only broach with very few. Politics, I believe what I believe and that's good enough for me. My volunteerism.. Not sure why, but I never feel the need to discuss how many hours I put in where doing what.. Ok that ones a little weird... The other one that I keep close to the cuff is parenting. Not because I think I'm doing a better or worse job than anyone else, but because I respect all my friends and family and how they parent. I recently joined a Facebook parenting group.. The funny thing is I had quit a military mamas group because of the drama.. Turns out civilian mamas are just as crazy or crazier. :) We are all on the same team kids! Respect give a bit, you'll get a bit. As I enter into the newest chapter of parenting the one where I'm the parent of an adult, I've done a lot of thinking about where I've been and where I'm going. 1. I am totally ok bein...

We are less than 60 days till graduation. I have so much to do.. So much to process.. I've decided to have Connor's party at my house... Eeeeek Teenagers are weird. I remember being a teenager.. I don't remember being weird. It's never okay to say mean things. If a "joke" is hurtful.. Best to keep it to yourself. That's true at any age. Our lives are changing. We will most likely be retiring from the Navy within a year. I go from excited, to terrified and back again. Pray for us as we enter this next adventure. I have accumulated A LOT of shit in the last 14 years!! I have a lot of culling to do. Anyone wanna come help? :) If you want a fabulous Connor graduation announcement, please message me your mailing address. I made some pretty amazing kids, and I am so super proud of all of them. They aren't perfect, but they are pretty darn awesome, I'm a pretty lucky mama. Someday I won't worry about money.. Someday I'll actually make it from pay...

Is it just me? I find myself asking myself all the time... I've come to the conclusion that it probably is. It took me a long time to grasp that not everyone thinks like me and most people don't do things the way I would.. Ok that might be a good thing ;) but it always gives me great pause. Friends One of my horde has recently found themselves being ignored and treated pretty poorly by long time friends. As a parent it's hard not to step in and try to fix it. I know my kid is hurt but I also know what a great person said child is. I guess that's a hard thing even as an adult. I know in my adult life I've had friends (some who've I've known for years) try to change who I am or be very critical of how I dress/act/clean/parent or just decided to ignore me, but for whatever reason I couldn't just walk away.. I also couldn't treat people that way... Maybe It's just me. Family To me family is family, pretty much through anything. (Obviously some except...

A few years ago I wrote this letter to my daughter. For those of you playing the home game, you know I also have 3 sons. Sons who are all three in various transition stages of life. One transitioning to an adult, one dealing with the fabulous angst and hormones that are issued to you in middle school, and one trying to disassociate from the title "baby of the family". So this letter is to my boys. My amazing boys, Whereas it is true that I have never myself been a boy, (shocking I know.. we'll have that talk later) I do understand where each of you are in your lives, and that some of the things you are facing are pretty terrifying, but here's the good news.... Everything is going to be ok. YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH When someone compliments you, it is coming from a place of love, don't brush it off.. Be the best YOU that you can be! Often times it isn't skill, knowledge, or ability that you don't possess, it's confidence. However being confident doesn't m...

I never knew that being the mom of three boys meant that all dinner conversations would forever involve bodily functions. Also the word "balls" gets said more in my house than at a basketball game. Garrett may need a 12 step program to get over his addiction to the "Frozen" soundtrack. Hands down the best version of "Always on my mind" was done by the Pet shop boys. I have sneezed more in the last two days, than I have in the last 10 years. I'm officially allergic to Southern California. I'm predicting the Chargers win tomorrow. I also predicted the Lions going to the Super Bowl... So take that for what it's worth. I am convinced that 2014 is going to be amazing! I have faith ( and a lottery ticket) woot!! I haven't won tickets to anything in almost 5 months!!! What da heck?!?! It's 2014... I was born in 1974.... I'm staring down the barrel of 40.. That's kinda surreal!! I REALLY want to go camping! I'm ready for summer brea...

I thought I had this whole parenting thing figured out. I thought I had everything under control. I was this super mom... Yah well that's not true. I am realizing more and more that even when things are going smoothly, it doesn't mean I have anything to do with that smoothness. I know now that I was/ am 100% NOT READY to be the mom of teenagers!! I'm really not. I do remember being a teenager, but I guess I blocked out the icky parts. I'm not ready: To not have all the answers To let them make their own mistakes To let them learn from those mistakes To not be able to fix everything When they were tiny hurts were caused by falling, and me telling them everything would be ok was enough to make it true. Now hurts are caused by being left out, long time friends deciding you aren't cool enough anymore. From the fear of the unknown. From school and society impressing upon you that you should have your whole life figured out by 17. I wasn't ready for that, and I wasn...

I have no price tag. No amount of money is equal to me. Joy is free Kindness has no cost. Christmas didn't used to come with a price tag. My stocking always had an orange and walnuts in it. My favorite Christmas present was a bike my dad rebuilt for me. Joy came from snowball fights and family visiting. Furthermore, no amount of money insures a good Christmas and lack of such does not mean a bad one. ( I don't care what Kay jewelers commercials say) So find your joy this Christmas, but not in a department store. My happiness can not be found under a tree. I will make presents, enjoy time with my family and have the most amazing holiday ever, I encourage you all to do the same.