Love those 90's!

I was listening to XM 54- Lucy- in the car tonight. I love this station because it plays the music- they call "alternative rock" that was popular during my college years (90's). My husband, a bit older than me, listens to the 80's station. There is also a 90's station, but it is actually a lot of pop type songs that I did not get into. I just love having the satellite radio!

One of my latest favorite promo lines is "For the generation that did not understand Twin Peaks, to the generation that does not understand Lost." So true!

Tonight there was a song from Jane's Addiction and Red Hot Chile Peppers--- it was great!

Blogtipping Day

I am joining in with other work at home mom blogs to blogtip other blogs.
I learned about this from Bev's Easy Craft Site.

Blogtipping Definition: Blogtipping is where you publish a blog post in which you link to three unsuspecting blogs and offer three compliments and/or one helpful tip to each blogger. (Or adapt those numbers to your own preferences; the principle of selflessness is what matters most here.) Blogtipping is a refreshing and useful surprise that can start a blogger’s month with a huge smile!

It is great to find other blogs that have wonderful information and to encourage others to view your blog. If you would like to participate July 1, visit our Smart Mom forum for more information. I will post the blogs I tip from this blog here, but check out the other two blogs, Smart Moms Biz and 4fabmoms to see who I tipped too!

My blogtipping for this blog... These are members of the Smart Mom Forum.
1. Core Insight Blog- read this great article on stress. Suzy has great information and support!
2.My Friend Amber's New Blog- HomeSchoolDiva- it is new, but already full of information.
3. The DollyMama- a great site to view and fun things to read.

A Day At The Beach

June 1 is truly summer in Florida. It is normally the beginning of the hot days, only getting hotter.

It will only get hotter from today!

My husband decided earlier this week that we should go to the beach today. Now we are in the middle of a drought, and they said rain was coming, but who thought it actually would!

We did get to the beach on the west coast around 10:30 am. It was a little hazy and windy, but not bad. The water was unusually cool, I thought, but since I live near lakes that are very warm, I thought maybe I was confused.

So it starts to sprinkle about 1 and a half hours after we get there. We stayed and let the kids play. Then it gets a little harder, but still not too much. But we did leave to go home.

One the way home... it was 68 degrees in Florida on June 1! I tried to research the lowest temp for this area, and all I found were averages for Tampa- high of 89, low of 75!

So who knew, the day I finally get my husband to go to the beach, we have a cold snap! In JUNE!

P.S. After I wrote this blog, I found out that we actually have a tropical storm in the Gulf. It would have helped if I had checked the weather... but we are thankful for the rain. It is suppose to rain all day tomorrow too. At least we got in a few hours!
P.S.S. The low today got down to 66 degrees- in JUNE!

We have had a success in potty training.... well almost!

My daughter is just over two and we have been working towards potty-training, but not forcing the issue. But since she has wanted to be naked the past few days, it has actually helped, because she will "hold it" when she does not have a diaper on. Well tonight, she started crying and I put her on the potty chair and SUCCESS! But only a little bit. She stopped. And then she started crying again, so I tried again, but she would not go. So I put her on the actual toilet with a potty seat on it and she started screaming like a crazy person! BUT she did finish up! BUT she kept screaming. So although this is a success, I think it could be trauma too, so we will just let it go and see what happens. I am not in any rush... well, yes I am- to be without diapers would great!

My Dear Friend Amber is Homeschooling

My children are young, but I am often asked if I will homeschool them. The same goes for my friend Amber, who is beginning her homeschool journey.

I am a pro-home school certified teacher. I do almost all the homeschool evaluations for my county, since most teachers either don't think parents should be home schooling and/or they tell the parents they don't think homeschooling is a good choice. Most parents that I encounter do actually do a very good job at teaching their children. The curricula that is available for parents to use that has everything they need, with full details and explanations of how to teach to their child. There is even DVD driven curriculum that parents can use at home so they are not the teacher, just the facilitator. There are now two programs, available in some states, to have public school at home. These companies, Connections Academy and Florida Virtual Academy (obviously Florida only), give all the materials and guidance, but the child does not have to go to school each day. I think that some children and parents do not even need a curriculum since there are so many resources on the internet. I also think that there are so many ways to homeschool that parents should not limit themselves to the way they were taught. Books and worksheets are not the only way to teach a child content and facts. Parents have the choice to be creative. And just like when I was a teacher, many things can be called learning... games, discussions, art, explorations, field trips. As a homeschool parent, aren't you homeschooling every day and every minute? As parents, aren't we constantly teaching our children?

I think homeschooling is a wonderful thing. I think that if the parent has the desire to keep their child at home to learn, they should. I think some children should not be homeschooled and parents who should not teach their children. I believe each parent has the right to choose how to school their child. I am thankful that there are so many options and we have the freedom to choose.

Will I homeschool? I have a least one year to decide. My son is not attending K-4, he will stay home with me. He has a summer birthday, so he may not even start when he is 5. My husband and I will decide that when the time is right.

Until then, I hope I can be a resource to my friend Amber in the coming year and to other parents that choose to school their children at home.

Rick is Home

After another chest x-ray yesterday, they let Rick come home. He has to blow into this tube a few times per day to keep his lungs working and he has to go back to get a CT in 4-6 weeks. Other that that- it is an answered prayer! On Saturday, they actually moved him to the transplant floor- I guess because they want any transplant patients on the floor, no matter how long it has been. The funny thing, it was like going from the Super 8 hotel to a Ritz. His first room was small, old, nothing on the walls, and a view of the former courtyard that is now enclosed by buildings. He moved to a view of the bay and Raymond James Stadium, a room with a couch, a chair, pictures and a clock on the wall, and one nurse to every 3-5 patients! Too bad he only got that room for the last 24 hours! I told him to request that earlier if he has to go in again... which he won't... but just in case. :)

We do have to change our summer plans, we were going to go camping (which Rick did not want to really do anyway) and the doctor told him that was out- we can go to the beach, but not to camp! That sounds good to me!

A Cool Mom Site

Yesterday on my way to Tampa, I was listening to XM. My favorite stations on XM are Take 5, 155, and Oprah and Friends, I think it is 156. I love the fact that I can listen to talk radio for women all day long if I want to. If you love to have a variety of music and talk with limited commercials, you should check out XM. It is affordable and convenient, especially when traveling. You never lose the station while you change cities, plus they have every kind of music- kids, country, 30's - 90's stations, and TALK!

I digressed from my original thought- it is late and I am sleepy!

So I was listening to Jean Chatsky in the car. Since I did not have my kids with me, I got to listen to whatever I wanted!! I love Jean Chatsky because she offers great financial advice. Yesterday, she was speaking to two women that started their own business for moms called Mom Space. It is a mom resource for all types of businesses and has a great mom chat group I joined tonight with lots of groups to join. I highly recommend you check it out. It is new, so it is not huge, and if you live in one of the 50+ cities they offer a lists of resources for, you may find it saves you tons of time!

Of course if you are a work at home mom, the GREATEST chat/forum is the Smart Moms forum. I am biased on this one, since I am a co-owner of it! Check them both out and join both!

The Real Problem

I was able to drive over to see Rick today. My dear sister kept my kids all day! Finally, we saw the pulmonary doctor. Luckily I was there to ask the right questions and hear the answers! The first thing is that the chest x-ray did not really show the pneumonia but did show something. The CT scan they did showed the pneumonia, so if that had not been done, they would not have known he even had it! It is in his lower right lung and probably in the left. The main problem is that transplant patients sometimes get different strands of illnesses that cannot be treated the same way. So he is in the hospital for three more days, waiting to see if he has the common form of pneumonia and if these antibiotics work. If they do not work (if his symptoms do not go away by Sunday), he will have to have a procedure to get a sample of what is in his lungs on Monday. So keep praying that his lungs will clear and he can come home Monday.

So He Had to be Admitted

Rick was admitted to the hospital at 3:00 am and the ER dr. said he thought it looked like he had bronchitis. So we were hopeful he would come home today. They did a CT and it turns out he has pneumonia. He has to stay tonight to get IV antibiotics. The nurse told him it would be once a day for four days! He saw a doctor this morning, but no since, so he told them he wanted the doctor to come see him tonight... and he still has not, even though it is 9:00 pm. It is very frustrating because the nurse tells you answers that may not be the correct answer and the doctor cannot be found to give the correct answer. Also, Rick did not want me to drive over there since I had the kids, so now he is lonely since he has not seen us for a day! So tomorrow we will make the drive and visit for a little while. Hopefully this won't be a long stay!

Just to vent about Emergency Rooms

My dear husband had to go to the emergency room tonight- not what we would consider and emergency, but his doctor told him to go straight there. Although "there" was two hours away in another city. With his kidney transplant, he has a doctor here, but the transplant hospital is in Tampa. He may have an infection in his lungs, his medicine has been making him feel funny, and he has lost some weight since they changed his meds. All signs of concern, but this has been going on for two weeks or so, he has been going to work, and is functioning. So of course he has to go because the doctor said so. SO here it is 1:23 am, 8 hours after the doctor told him to go, and he has STILL NOT SEEN THE DOCTOR! First, he had to drive (and stop to get something to eat thank goodness!), then he had to be admitted and seen by triage, then he had to wait. Since he was not critical (and could have waited until tomorrow when the doctors were working!) he was pushed back from getting an ER room. Finally at 11:30 pm he got a room. He had to give some blood, get the second x-ray of the day, and wait. I just called and he still has not seen a doctor. How is it possible that this was an emergency!!!!!! I am going to try to go to sleep now and wait for his call to tell me if they are keeping him or releasing him or if anything is even wrong. He will not drive back tonight, but do you think anyone there is offering him a place to stay! No hotel rooms at the hospital. Fortunately my parents have a home 30-45 minutes from there, but still- what time will it be when he has to drive?????

Okay now, I am done venting. I will update later this morning on his condition... if I am not over there.

Gas Price Increase

I have a little Pontiac Vibe. It is a great small car with reasonably good gas millage. Yesterday, I had to fill up for the first time in a few weeks. I live in a small town, and don't drive terribly far, especially over the last few weeks with sick kids... so I was shocked that the price here in town was $3.20. According the AAA fuel gauge report, our gas is at the top of the scale. We have added gas taxes in this town, supposedly some of the highest gas taxes in the state, but still... a little town in Florida with the highest gas prices? I was on my way on a 140 mile round trip to visit my friend and her children and I felt GUILTY! How could I go anywhere with gas prices so high?
This report that showed up on Yahoo this morning gives some great ways to increase you gas mileage. Some seem like they would not make much of a difference, but any difference can save you money and more than that, save the gas. So do your part! Save some gasoline, save some money!

Qualities of a Wealthy Woman

My friend Amber is posting a series about the qualities of a wealthy woman. On my car, I have "Smart Moms Finish Rich" as my advertisement for my business (see a picture here). As a church going woman, I get some remarks about what does it mean to "finish rich" (at least they are not questioning the smart part...). All people want to "be rich" but no one wants to admit it! Being rich means to be successful in all areas of life, your family, your church, your work, not just the amount of money you have (or don't have) in the bank. I am rich because I have a wonderful husband that loves and supports me with two wonderful children that keep me on my toes. I am rich because I have three wonderful business partners that are working to improve our lives and the lives of other women. I am rich because I attend a wonderful Bible believing church. I am rich because I have 4 loving siblings and parents that happen to all live in the same town. I could continue to list my "rich" areas of life... but there would not be enough room to continue on. If you are feeling "poor", reevaluate your life and what you do have. As Sheryl Crow stated, "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got." If your job is what is holding you back from being rich, visit our Smart Mom site and see if we have something to help you out. Don't go through life thinking you are poor, be RICH!

Smart Mom Tips for Saving Energy

One of the largest expenses in a household is the power bill. It does not matter where you live, whether you have a mild winter or a mild summer- most places have one extreme or the other- a hot summer or a cold winter, each being able to strain a families household budget. Without being an electrician, there are some ways to lowering you electricity bill. These are simple steps you family can take to lower your bill each month and throughout the year.

1. Turn off the lights. It seems simple, but it is a hard habit to make. How many times do you walk out of a room without flipping the switch? Many times you do not even notice until the next time you come into the room, which could be hours later. Turning off the lights is the easiest no-cost way to reducing your energy bill. Also, replace your five most used light bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs to save $60 each year in energy costs. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer.
2. Unplug appliances your are not using. Not only are you lowering the possibility of starting a fire, but by unplugging the appliances that are not is use, you will lower your bill. If it is plugged in, it is using electricity. Unplug the coffee pot, toaster, and the blender. If you keep these appliances on your counter, they do not have to be plugged in if you are not using them.
3. Unplug cell phone chargers and turn off power strips. Again, if is plugged in, it uses electricity. If you plug your computer, cell phone, printer, and fax all into one power strip, you can turn the power strip off when it is not in use with one click.
4. Turn the computer off: do not let it hibernate. Hibernating computers or computers on stand by are still using electricity. Again, turn them off or turn off the power strip when not in use. However, hibernation is better than being on. Set your computer to turn off if not in use, but make sure to turn it off if you will not be using it for a long period.
5. Use the microwave, crock pot, or counter top oven in the summer. Unless you want your house to heat up, do not use your oven in the summer time. By cooking meals in smaller appliances, you will decrease the amount of work your air conditioner has to do to cool the house back down. A small counter top oven (similar to a toaster oven, but better) can cook almost everything a large oven can, but it takes less time to preheat and does not heat up the entire kitchen. In the winter, you may want your house to heat up, so use the oven! Also, do not self-clean the oven in the summer time. The 500 degree temperatures really heat up the house.
6. Turn off ceiling fans if no one is in the room. Ceiling fans are great to cool a room while increasing the thermostat temperature. But if no one is in the room, it is not helping anyone. Ceiling fans are "instant gratification" appliances. They cool immediately and do not provide for a build up of cool air. Also, reverse the fan in the winter to help move the warm air around. All fans have a small switch to reverse the blade direction. That will help to move the warm air that has risen to warm the house.
7. Get window treatments. Blinds and curtains are more than a designer statement. They help keep the sun out in the summer and keep the cool air out in the winter. Even insulated windows can use the extra boost. Close the curtains and blinds at night to regulate the temperature, especially in the winter. Close the curtains during the day in the summer to keep the cool air in. Open the curtains in the winter to let the sunlight in.
8. Wash clothes in cold water. With the new cold water detergents, almost all clothes can be washed in cold water. That can lower an electricity bill by $63 in a year. Do full loads instead of partial loads. Do not do laundry during peak energy use times- when people are getting ready to go to work and when people are making dinner.
9. Do a few loads of laundry in a row. The dryer will remain warm and will not need to reheat from being cold. Do not overload your dryer since it will take more time to dry. Also be sure your the warm air is venting out of your house. If you have a utility room, close the door to keep the house from heating. Unless it is winter and then use the heat to your advantage!
10. Get a water heater blanket. This is an easy way to decrease your bill by keeping the water heater insulated. During the winter, the water heater is trying to keep up with the cool air. A blanket will keep the temperature regulated. It is so easy to install, you can do it yourself.

As a smart mom, you want to teach your children to make good choices and form good habits that will last forever. And of course, the benefit to the environment is another great reward. If needed, provide an incentive to your children for following the energy rules. The money you will save in the long room will be worth the time and effort to get your family into good habits. A little consistency and work up front will help your household over the long term.

My friends got me a fire extinguisher!

Today my dear friends Ali and Stephen called and told us they had bought us a present... so they came over with a fire extinguisher! In case my oven catches on fire, they want me to be ready.... LOL!

I did buy a great counter top oven- I love it! First, it does not heat up the house. Second, it takes minutes to preheat. Third, it came with a rotisserie! I have cooked frozen food like cheese sticks, those tear away cookies (just enough to eat right then), toasted bagels and waffles, and made french bread pizza. I do usually cook more, but with the family sick, not so much this week! I am hoping it will lower my power bill some this summer by not using the oven.

Crazy Kid Sleeping Positions

In this great blog I found, Crazy Hip Blog Mamas they have a posting for crazy kid sleeping positions. So I went and found one... sleeping sideways on Daddy!

Crafts That Are TOO Hard

My son did not want to go to Wednesday night church recently. He likes to stay home with Daddy, even though he used to call it "his school." So I asked him why he did not want to go. He answered, "Because the crafts are too hard. Crafts should not be that hard." He is almost 4, but there are kids in there that are almost 6. So it is probably too hard. But does that make him a perfectionist? Oh no!

My two year old needs to speak English!

My little girl is just 2 and 1 week. She was born when my son was 22 months old, and I believe I remember him talking so we could understand him. She is getting so frustrated because she knows what she is saying, but I have no idea! She takes me around the house, saying the same thing over and over and I have no idea what it is. I feel terrible that I cannot translate. My sister told me to ask my son what she is saying since he may understand her... ha ha ha! When I asked him, he repeated her sounds and added in some baby sounds for good measure! He has no clue either. So I need her to speak English, not 2 year old. She is getting angrier and angrier that we cannot understand her and I feel terrible! Any translators available?

VBS Game Day Central Cookies

A wonderful woman at our church made these cookies for our Game Day Central kick off event for our Team KID group. They are too cute and yummy too! She used cookie dough refrigerator batter on these big plates she got that you cook on (like Gladware, I think). Then she did the icing. I cannot give you all the details, but you can improvise from what you see.

A Real Mom's Mother's Day

What would a Mother's Day be if you got to sit back and relax? For a mom of a preschooler and toddler, it is just a dream. Today I am nursing back to health a 2 year old... she is throwing up! I always try to track down where we get the viruses from, but it was a busy week- the grocery store (and no wipes available to wipe down the cart), the library for story time, church on Wednesday night, MOPS on Thursday, the pet store and children's museum on Friday. Too many opportunities out there, huh? I usually am really good at wiping things down before they touch them and their hands after we leave, but I was not so good this week. Someone told me I needed to build up their immunity. Now my son has a slight fever, which is amazing, because he hardly ever gets sick! So my Mother's day lunch at my moms house is not going to happen, although I made some of the food this morning. We were also going to have birthday cake for Sophia's birthday last week. It is already ordered, so someone is going to eat it! Maybe I will have Rick record them singing Happy Birthday to her! LOL
I know the "sit back and relax" days may come some day, but so is the day of a mom... taking care of your children that cannot help it they are sick, making food for a party you were attending but can't make it to, and cleaning the house. Does that mean I get a rain check for next Sunday?

Naps or no naps?

My almost 4 year old son really stopped taking naps months ago- he could use a nap, but I am not in to him staying awake until 11:00 pm. If he does not take a nap, he is usually in bed at 8:00 pm, if not earlier. While I was in Las Vegas for a week, he got used to getting up when his daddy got up, at 6:00 am! Not my usual wake up time... so it has been killing me for the last few weeks, and him, since he is exhausted by 5:30 pm, too early for bed. So two nights ago, he went to sleep at 7:00 pm and woke up at 8:45 pm ready to go. He actually took a nap at 7:00 in the evening! And of course, who stayed up with him... ME! The next day, he got up early again, but this time I made him nap at 1:00 pm. He and his sister played for 1 hour before they both fell asleep. I let him sleep an hour (waking him up is a whole other story) and got him up. So he went to bed at 9:30 pm last night. It is such a hard choice to nap or not nap... peace in the evening because he is rested or an early bed time. I guess we will see how this continues to play out, and if I am the one that has to change and get up early!