Fashion Tips...

Soft, quilted, padded, floral one-piece romper. Cute on 4 month old.

Not cute on 40 year old.

Ruffle bum with added tulle for more of a puffy butt. Cute on 4 year old.

Not cute on 40 year old.

Just trying to help you out here.
xoxo,t

The Power of a Link...

While I sit here and stay up all night fretting about whether or not to buy Chrissa, whether or not I will get it all done before Christmas, or whether or not Astrid will wake-up 6 times again tonight, or if it will take the whole City's water supply to flood our backyard ice rink....I will ponder the power of a simple link.

I get about 150 individual visits to my blog a day. Okay, that is nothing compared to the 15 gazillion, million that PW does, but it does make me smile. Especially because I don't even know 150 people. ..and who is that lurking from Jacksonville, Florida or Atlanta, Georgia or Peoria, Illinois? I also get all warm and fuzzy and chuckle when I see that I have had a visit from "Paul Bunyan" net and really cannot believe that the service in Northern Minnesota is called that. Now my California readers are wondering who Paul Bunyan is....

You guys didn't know I knew so much about you did you. I know your undies are pink today too.

Anyway, last week the Pioneer Woman posted a link to my blog, among many, that blogged about their book signing experience. BOOM! The Internet exploded and I had 3000 hits in 2 days. Crazy the power of the Internet.

So I thought I would share some links with my 150 regular readers because I want to have that kind of power too.

In this struggling economy, allow me to share some businesses that some friends own. I love entrepreneurs.

Rider Academy
-How about a gift certificate for your sweetie for a motorcycle safety course? Locally(Minnesota) owned by the father of my children coincidentally. I have a total in here if you need a discount.

A.C.E.S Flight Simulation
- How about taking a flight or a Gift Certificate to fly at ACES. How much fun is that??? Locally owned and operated here at the Mall of America by my uber talented and cute friend Kristi and her equally talented husband. They even used a really cute 4 year old in their commercial this year. I used to be in it - but they needed to replace me with a much younger model.

Golden Years Computer Services
- A good friend's husband started his own business this year in Oklahoma offering house calls to help you unpack, set-up and learn your computer and more - everything!!!! Not just for those in their Golden Years - but seriously what a cool concept!

Gustare Oils and Vinegar
- Owned by my old(old not old) boss from Europe. Fabulous products - they ship anywhere...or stop by and say hi if you are visiting the Cape.

Flirt Boutique
- A friend and fellow preschool mom owns this lingerie boutique. Love that she does and love her products.

Do you have a link or business you want to share? Please comment, share and keep it clean of course. (hint: Lingerie = good, sex toys = bad).

xoxo, happy linking, t.

Nobody likes a Skinny Santa...

She believes. In the big man in the red suit, in the magic, in the fact that he will make her dreams come true and fulfill her wishes and lists on Christmas morning.

But what is a Santa to do?

For six months, she has asked for the American Girl doll Julie. Check. Bought doll, bought clothing, bought accessories. Donated kidney to pay for it all. Check. Santa's shopping is done.

So on Saturday, she writes him a NEW letter, sits on his lap, and tells him that she has decided she really wants the American Girl doll Chrissa this year. She goes onto explain that she has to get Chrissa this year because she is the doll of the year and won't be available next year. Next year, she will ask for Julie.

Problem is, Santa doesn't have another $300 to spend on Chrissa this year and to save Julie for next year...and Santa hates returns.

What is a Santa to do - give her Julie, possibly breaking her heart by never getting Chrissa? Buy Chrissa while coughing up the debt and making my girl happy.

See, this is my problem with Santa. If Santa were just about the magic and not about the gifts, I would be fine. What if she knew it was just me buying her gifts? I could talk to her about it. Now I just stay up all night worrying about what to do to save her Christmas and to not have her lose her faith in Santa's magic.

Do I impose a deadline for Santa lists? November 15th is Santa lists set in stone date?

xoxo,t

Sign of the Times...

Most of the time my girls play restaurant or tea party. Sometimes store, bakery, wine store or generic princess dress-up.

I have even caught them playing American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.

My nephews used to play drive-up window with me.

A few days ago, Esther was playing quietly. I came out to the living room to find this.

Hey Esther - whatcha doing?

I am having an H1N1 vaccination clinic and am lining everyone up for their shots.

Wow - what a fun game!
xoxo,t

Today's Going to be a Good Day!

How could it not be when your birthday morning greats you with a Mickey Mouse pancake...

..with candles...

...and whip cream(reddiwhip no less)..before 6:30am.

When you mom really wants you to wear a pretty dress to school..

..but you wear jeans because you can and will. Because you are seven.

..but you wear a pretty shirt just so your mom won't cry.

Seven is a great age. You say things like "that is saweet" and "that is awesome" and your mom tries not to giggle.

Seven is a great age because you are showing your mature independence but still need a cuddle now and then.

..and you are so sweet to let your sister help blow out your candles, because you know she would never miss a party. Especially yours.



Happy 7th birthday my saweet, saweet baby girl. I am so proud of you and love you to pieces. Yes, you CAN have your cake and eat it too. Anytime my love.


You are like so totally awesome.
xoxo, Mom

No Surprises.

Have I ever told you that I hate surprises.

Hate them.

Hate them a lot. Squared.

I am type A and like to have control of everything. Surprises throw that right out the window and generally piss me off.

Because of this slight issue with my psyche, I stopped believing in Santa when I was 5. When my brother and I were like 4 or 5 years old, we started snooping for our presents every Christmas. When our parents would leave us alone in the house(yes, they left us alone..a lot..at that age..another post for another day...) we would lay out our game plan, divide and conquer the various hiding places in the house until we had unearthed every present meant for us that year.

When mom caught onto us, she started hiding presents in her car trunk(which we found), at our neighbors(which we found) and then just started wrapping them and putting them under the tree. We would them unwrap them and rewrap them before the holidays.

Every year I knew exactly what I was getting, and when it had that tag "From Santa" I would turn to my mom and say "I saw this in YOUR closet 2 weeks ago...Santa Smanta." The gig was up.

Not to say that Christmas wasn't magical. It was. The lights, the songs, the spirit, the love, the family. I just had no need to have these surprise presents under the tree or this illusion of some bearded man in a red suit delivering them.

I also kind of assumed that other kids knew that Santa didn't really come down their chimney and deliver their presents.

So Christmas is hard for me with my own kids because I feel like I am lying to them and trying to constantly remember what I said to them about him and making up more stuff up to cover my butt. What do you say when you see Santa at Macy's and they ask if it is the real Santa?

I want them to believe in the spirit and joy of Christmas, but do I really care if they believe a fat man in a red suit came down our chimney? Not really.

What I didn't expect though was a fellow snooper in the house. Now Eloise would NEVER and I mean EVER snoop for anything. That is like rule breaking. Now that other one though....tsk tsk tsk.

Sunday afternoon Esther comes over to me with the brightest eyes, her mouth open in amazement and trying to whisper when she wants to yell.

Mom, mom, mom...I am getting the complete Disney Princess Barbie set for Christmas!!!!

Really Esther, why do you think that?

Because I just found it along with all of our other presents. Can I have them now??

No, it isn't Christmas yet.

But that is okay, I don't need any surprises, I just want them now since I already saw them.

No.

Will you let me just look at them every day until Christmas?

How will she ever keep this secret from Eloise for the next 5 years?? ;)

xoxo,t