Promises Are Made To Be Broken?

For years now my son has been begging for a dog and so far I pacified him by saying to hold on until he is 10. He was 5 then when I made that promise. He is now 6 and he hasn’t forgotten. I know, I know – I shouldn’t make false promises. I don’t know why I did that. I feel like such a bad Mommy.

I don’t hate dogs. Infact, I grew up with my parents having pets all the time and I can totally see why they would be great companions. But what I can’t take is to be responsible for another life other than my own human baby. I live in Chicago where the winters and summers are both extremely skin-biting, and I cannot imagine having to walk the dog on frigid mornings/nights or sweltering summer heat which is more than likely done with toting my kids along.

I’m sure it sounds like excuses to some but really that is true in MY case. If you are a Mom from the cold weather spot of the world (and I don’t mean 40 F degrees which is considered heat wave for us…I mean temperatures in the teens, and negatives for wind chills on normal days), then I know you will understand my dilemma.

On these frigidly cold days, I normally stay put at home with the kids, but if we have to go out for anything then they are dressed like they can’t move anymore just like in the movie “The Christmas Story”. Can you imagine having to walk the dog too? And for the most part, all the commotion in dressing them is just to be hurriedly taken to the hopefully heated car if they’re lucky. When we get to wherever we are supposed to go to, then they strip everything down and I am left having to carry what looks like a laundry full of clothes. The sweaters, the down jackets, the hats, the scarves, the mittens, and don’t forget my stuff too.

I haven’t even started to complain about what the dog house-training would have become. Heck, I just finished potty training my 3 year old, and I’m so over thinking about poopies. Oh, and I don't even have a backyard! Well we do, but it's all cemented - just the basic modern urban living. How in the hell am I going to have a doggy? What am I to do?

Ok, maybe by then he’ll forget the promise – you think?

Smacked Silly

I’ve never been smacked so good - it hurts!

Well a couple of weekends ago I was smacked by Italk2much.com, and for those of you who have never heard of IT2M before, here is my little intro on them: IT2M is another blog consist of six contributing writers (whom appropriately call themselves Bosley & The Bitches) that can unapologetically tear up other blogs pieces by pieces, especially on Mommy Blogs because they normally find us oh so ho-hum.

So you know how surprised I was that I actually survived their smacking. I was for sure that they were going to have me cringe with every comment, but lo and behold – My IT2M reviewer; Bitter Bitch, was actually nice and if anything has gone real soft on me.

Well here’s what she said:
Or click here to see it directly from IT2M.com site
-----------------------------------------------------




I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl

There’s two suggestions I have for this blog template: Put the content box on a white background. Box off the sidebar to differentiate from the content area. The grey boxes work well, maybe do separate boxes like that for all the sidebar content.

There’s a couple of other things that could be done with the sidebar: make the sponsor and home business button smaller...the same size if possible. Add a drop-down menu for archives. Other than that, not bad.

Now I like this blog quite a bit. I like the little disclaimer in the ‘about me’ box. I love it that she’s a mommy who sells sex toys. Boo-yah!

The first post is very touching and sweet. It’s well written and easy to read as well. The rest of the content varies from good to mommy blog to meh. It’s not a bad read at all. I might actually read it from time to time.

A few tweaks to the template and this could be a keeper.

I give it
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 out 5 of smacks are definitely not what I was expecting. I was jumping from chandelier to chandelier when I saw this! Ok, I don't have a chandelier, but my brain was doing somersaults with excitement when I expected to get all crushed and dust off the all the embarrassments instead.

I know, I know - it's not like I was given 5 smacks, but it is definitely better than the boot or the finger that they seem to easily hand out.



Bitter Bitches' suggestions were actually great. Now I just need to spend some money to have my blog improved because what you see is as far as my html knowledge can go. And I'm also excited that Bitter Bitch will be visiting back (I'm kissing butt now), albeit the pressure of doing a better job that comes with her presence.


So if you are in need of some honest, no sugar coated smackin' yourself, just go to IT2M.com and request to be smacked. But sorry, I can't guarantee any good reviews because those bitches can be beyond PMS bitchy. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Carpet, Curtsy and Cosmo

I don’t rent out my blog as often, but when I do - I nitpick thru my bidder’s blogs to see which one intrigues me the most.

So what does this blog I rented to have that got me to choose hers? Well for one thing - she has a welcoming big mug to greet you in her blog (which I’m sure is filled with a cosmo rather than coffee, why else would it say Joy?). Secondly –she’s also referred to as the Royal Highness of Bloglandia. So imagine how I had to clean up this place and even rolled down the red carpet upon her arrival! But besides cosmo and royalty, the real reason I was so happy to take her bid is because her daughter MJ and I happen to share the same name. So there, I had just revealed my name here for the first time. Hehe.

So won’t you please visit Self-Proclaimed Supermom (also shown in my sidebar) and let the Royal Highness know I've sent sugar her way.

Malfunction, Need Input!

Children are slowly rotting my brain away. I don’t know how really, but I feel dumb lately. I was then pretty sharp at remembering everything. Now I find myself having to track my every move just to remember what and where did I place stuff. Maybe it’s the constant repetitions of “No, please don’t do that!” or “ Didn’t I just say not to do that?” that made my brain go haywire.

I’ve thought about Gingko Biloba, but I’m afraid I’ll forget to take that daily, so that beats the purpose. Post-It-Notes everywhere will only drive me nuts and will cause my brain to melt down even faster. I need something really bad because I have been walking around saying “Malfunction – need input” just like that robot from the movie "Short Circuit". (I just happened to rent this movie for my kiddos last week…hehe)

Well yesterday I had attended my first book club meeting since the kids came along. I have been so excited since last month, because for once in a very long-- long time I am indulging myself with one of my most favorite thing to do and even get to share and talk to people about it.

My sister once said that whenever I read a book, I get so possessed with it. And she’s right. I get this burning desire to spill my 2 cents about the book with anyone willing to listen like my husband, my friends, etc. I get a bad case of verbal diarrhea that just won’t stop. And since I don’t get verbal feedbacks, then I find myself searching and researching for more points to ponder about the author, the book, and its characters.

So imagine my excitement in going to a book club. The book we just finished and discussed was The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. I read it and absorbed every single content of the book. I was giddy with excitement that I will be hearing other people talk about. And over a few glasses of wine, we did just that. (And of course along with many other topics such as kids, parenting, etc…) I’ve been waiting for something so stimulating like this to happen, and I am looking forward to our monthly meetings.

The best part was when I got home from the book club meeting, I didn’t have the slightest urge to google on or anything about the book. Amazing in my case. Our next book is Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. I can hardly wait to get started.

To All The Mommies!

Forget Mother's "Day", we deserve atleast a week's worth of celebration! But anyway, all Mommies out there - just milk it! hehe.
Enjoy some interesting Mother Trivias below.

--------
The mother who gave birth to the most children was the wife of Russian Feodor Vassilyev. Her 69 children included 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.SOURCE: "1997 Guinness Book of World Records"
--------
"Happy Days," starring 1950s mom Marion Cunningham, started as a pilot segment on "Love, American Style." The episode was about a family getting their first TV set.SOURCE: Total Television
--------
Olive May Osmond is mother to musical siblings made famous by "The Osmond Family Show." The performing brothers and one sister include: Donny, Marie, Alan, Wayne, Jay, Merrill, and Jimmy. Donny and Marie also had (and have) their own show.SOURCE: Total Television
--------
Mother Jane Jetson's voice was provided by Penny Singleton for "The Jetsons," while Jean Vander Pyl portrayed mama Wilma Flintstone in "The Flintstones."SOURCE: Total Television
--------
On July 18, 1994, 63-year-old Rossanna Della Corte of Canino, Italy, became the oldest woman to give birth.SOURCE: "1997 Guinness Book of World Records"
--------
Lucy gave birth to Little Ricky during the January 19, 1953, episode of "I Love Lucy." Lucille Ball gave birth to son Desi Arnaz IV on the exact same day.SOURCE: Total Television
--------
In 1992, Dan Quayle said he considered the unwed mother played by Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown" an example of Hollywood irresponsibility.SOURCE: CNN
--------
The first woman to give birth in an airplane was Mrs. T.W. Evans on October 28,1929, over Miami.SOURCE: "Famous First Facts"
--------
Previously, Mother's Day was marked by a special church service at which members of the congregation wore white carnations.SOURCE: "The Folklore of American Holidays"
--------
The first Mother's Day was celebrated only in Philadelphia on May 10, 1908.SOURCE: "Famous First Facts"
--------
Stereotypical mom June Cleaver first appeared in households in "Leave it to Beaver" on October 4, 1957.SOURCE: Total Television
--------
President Clinton's father was killed in a car accident before he was born, leaving his mother, Virginia, to raise him alone until she remarried four years after his birth.SOURCE: "1998 NYT Almanac"
--------
The first woman to give birth in the White House was Martha Randolf, daughter of President Thomas Jefferson, on January 17, 1806.SOURCE: "Famous First Facts"
--------
Mother's Day was declared a national holiday in 1914 by presidential proclamation. It was conceived by Anne M. Jarvis of Philadelphia in 1907 after the death of her mother.SOURCE: "The Folklore of American Holidays"
--------
Augusta Bunge became a great-great-great-great-grandmother at age 109 on January 21, 1989.SOURCE: "1997 Guinness Book of World Records"
--------
Mother-in-Law Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in October. It was started in 1934 by a newspaper editor in Amarillo, Texas.SOURCE: "Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary"
--------
The first televised birth was on December 2, 1952, by KOA in Denver. Lillian Kerr had a Cesarean section as part of the "March of Medicine" program.SOURCE: "Famous First Facts"
--------
In 1907, Russian writer Maxim Gorky penned "Mother," later considered the first work of socialist realism.

I Want Power! Oohlala!

GreatDay has started this - and my inquisitive mind wanted to know. So here is mine!

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

And The Winner is....

(For those reading here for the first time, you should read my last 2 postings first and see what the contest is all about along with the touching entries I received.)

Ok Lights… Camera… Drum rolls please.

CAT! Come on down! You are the next recipient of the prestigious (so I say) Sugar Awards! So please accept this plaque award handed to you by the Academy and grace us with a speech.

You have also been awarded a $50.00 Gift Certificate by MackenzieMiller.com. Perfect timing for Mother's Day and upcoming Anniversary for you and your husband. Cat will also be listed in the Sugar Hall of Famers (found in my sidebar, along with our last month's vibe winner Dawn from WriteWingNut (and now A blonde and her blog).

Cat's beautiful story of her husband's loving gesture had definitely warmed my heart and I know some of the readers felt the same way. His selfless and simple act of love has brought you strength and more self love and that in itself is a true gift. Congratulations Cat!

Dawn honey, can you please hand over the crown to Cat so she can sashay down the ramp and do the victory wave. And Cat, remember to always dust your plaque award once in awhile and place it on some heavily guarded and motion-detected shelf. hehe

Thanks to all that participated in this contest - I so enjoyed everyone's entry! Next month's contest will be on the first week of June, so come back and play for some more shooga. :-)

Inspired By You

Wow, thank you to all those that participated in my latest contest. All of your submitted stories were so beautiful and I truly had the hardest time in choosing the winner. I also happen to be PMSing the week of this contest so I am over-emotional about everything. Every single time I read a new submitted entry, I was for the most part reduced into tears.

So now I’m asking the rest of you guys to help me decide who will be the lucky winner to receive a $50 Gift Certificate from MackenzieMiller.com

The contest? - I had asked that you tell me about the nicest, most romantic gestures that you have ever received or given. The gesture can be "received from" or "given to anyone"…spouse, friends, kids…etc." I'm looking for the most touching and inspiring story.

Out of my 4 top picks below, which of these stories touched and inspired you the most? And why?

Oh, and check back tomorrow - I will be announcing the winner in the afternoon.
----------------------------------------------

Bluepaintred said...
wow this is a toughy! hubby and i have been married for seven years this coming augist, our first baby was born two months after the wedding.. it was tough having an ew baby , every time baby cried i took him from his dad just assuming that because he was male, he could not comfort the baby! how wrong was i!i got exauhsted! one morening i woke up to flowers on teh table with a note saying to use this to have a good day on the "boys" . he had left spa gift certificates and taken the baby out for the day .. i have never asked ( said baby is now almost seven ) i never asked what they did on their " boys day out" as it was between them, but baby and daddy sure bonded that day and it has lasted thru the years.
i returned home to supper ( home cooked) on the table and to find a cleaning service had scrubbed the house top to bottom, piled up baby bibs tiny socks and everything , it was spotless. it was extra surprising as hubby is NOT the romantic type ( i have never gotten so much as flowers before!)

Jenn said...
My husband and I started dating in August and his birthday is in October. As the date got closer he told me that he always had the worst birthdays, nothing ever went right, no one ever came, his mom forgot one year, he got dumped on time, etc. I've always had really good birthdays and I wanted to give him one. So, the morning of his birthday I took him out for a surprise breakfast. We then went to see a movie he'd been waiting for (I don't remember what it was), and then had lunch at HIS favorite restaurant. That afternoon I sent him on a special "treasure hunt" that I'd planned with the help of some close friends. We had a person with a balloon waiting at each of 10 locations with a clue to the next location. The last person he had to chase down was me, and I escorted him blindfolded to my parents house were the rest of his friends and family were hiding. When we walked through the door, everyone jumped out yelling "surprise!" He was so shocked and touched that he started to get tears in his eyes, gave me a big hug and kiss, which he had never done in front of his family before and told the whole room that "he loved me more than anything." We were engaged by Thanksgiving of the same year. Later he told me that day he had fallen deeper in love with me than ever before because I had not only listened to him, but done something about it!

WriteWingNut said...
Okay, here's my stab at this:When my husband and I were first married, we were young and dirt poor. So gifts for each other were out of the question.My husband, though, always found creative ways to tell me he loves me. I came home one day on our anniversary to find our bedroom covered in sticky notes with messages like "I love you!" and "Happy Anniversary."Then, on one of my birthdays, we were at the grocery store of all places. He went off to get something in another aisle, or so I thought, and he had the manager announce happy birthday to me over the loud speaker and tell me that my husband loves me very much! I turned a dozen shades of red! Rob actually won the "Most Romantic Husband" contest for a woman's magazine years ago when I wrote about his thoughtfullness!

Cat said...
My husband was out of town at a meeting and I had a rough weekend. He arrived to find a stressed out wife with two children that really missed him. He had a smile on his face and expressed what a good conference he attended. Just after dinner he ushered me into the bedroom and had me sit on the bed. I had no idea what was going on. He gathered some things from the other room and walked into our bedroom.He got on his knees and put a bowl of warm water at my feet. He had a very soft rag in his hands and dipped it into the bowl of warm water. He reached for my feet and began washing them.I was speechless. He then began telling me what a special woman I was. He talked of my daily journey as a woman, a wife, a mother. He expressed his love for me as he washed both of my feet. Tears filled my eyes and I felt unworthy of such affection.At this time we knew I had many things happen to me in the past that involved abuse. I was a broken woman trying desperately to be happy. He knew this and was taking the steps to bring me back to a position of confidence.I will NEVER forget this action. Such a small gesture that brought me strength for my journeys ahead with more self-love than I would have had. We have been through good times and bad together. I think of this memory he gave me and it always gives me a respect that nobody could understand, for him.(Incidentally, I will have my 10th anniversary with this 'angel' of a husband on May 11th)

Win Some Sugar! A Contest!

One of my fondest memory as a little girl is when my Dad would wake all of us kids up early in the morning to do his daily jog routine with him. We picked up flowers of all kinds along the way and if we’re lucky, we also pick up some breakfast before heading back home.

When we get home my Dad have us help him quietly scatter flowers in their bed where my Mom is still soundly asleep. And even for a 7 year old, it was apparent to me how my parents truly love each other. Every single time we do this, we get completely excited and then we would burst into giggling. Our little noises always awoke her and then I sit and watch, and wait to see her smile…so beautifully in the morning.

I always knew I wanted to marry someone as romantic as my Dad. And I did. My husband isn’t the flower, or jewelry giving romantic kind of a guy (just like my Dad), but he is marvelously wonderful and romantic in his own way. Before the children ever existed in our lives and I was still working in the office, he would pack my lunch and place it in my bag without being asked, loads the laundry when it is needed, and spoilt me with daily rides to and fro although it is out of his way.

Now blessed with kids, he is even more thoughtful. He cleans my car and place gas on it so I don’t have to, he plugs my cell phone when it needs it, and he always rent all the movies he knows I would love to see. All this he does without having to expect a thank you. Mother’s Day is about to come, and I as always never expect to receive anything grand, because I have been given the best gift of all, the daily fulfillment of love that I receive from my family.

Which brings me to my sugar contest…Tell me about the nicest, most romantic gestures that you have ever received or given. The gesture can be “received from” or “given to anyone”…spouse, friends, kids…etc.

The most touching and inspiring (for me) entry will be awarded a $50.00 Gift Certificate prize from our contest prize sponsor: Mackenzie Miller. I will of course be the sole judge, but I will definitely ask everyone to help and vote before I make my decision. This is just in time for Mother’s Day gift for Mom or yourself. I will announce the winner by Thursday of next week (May 11th).

Also, if you guys could please let your blogger friends know about this contest, I would most certainly appreciate it. :-)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mackenzie Miller designs and creates custom jewelry and ceramics that are unique to each customer. Their pieces are not mass-produced and each piece of jewelry and ceramic ware is artfully hand crafted in their studio. They use only the finest crystals, metals, pearls, semi-precious stones, hand-blown glass and lamp-work beads available to fashion exquisite pieces of jewelry that you'll love to wear again and again.

Daniel-san Revisited

Remember the movie Karate Kid? Well I just rented it for my boys this weekend and they just loved it. They were practically glued to the TV screen, and they laughed and did the karate actions while watching the movie. And of course the most memorable parts are the “wax on-wax off” moments. Who could forget that?

Now my 6 year old is asking if that’s what they actually do in Martial Arts classes to train for Karate. I jokingly told him that when I ask him to help me vacuum (which he hates) it is because I want him to train his upper arm muscles. Hehe. And before I could even take the joke back, he ran and brought the vacuum back with him! Hahaha. Pfft, if I only knew that renting a movie made from my high school days of 1984 would finally get my son to help me pick up around the house, then I would’ve done it long time ago. Hehe

So now I’m scouring 80s movies from the top of my head that I think my boys will also enjoy. So far I thought of: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Zapped, Lucas, and Weird Science. Boy, those were the good old days!

Anyone else remember these movies?

---------------------------------------------------------------
It has been a crazy week in my end, and will only get crazier so I apologize for not responding back to my commenters just yet. I am starting to backtrack and may take me a day to check thru everything as well as visit my favorite blogs in my blogroll.

I also have been a terrible landlady lately and have not even mentioned my newest tenant until today. Won't you please visit The Crazy Housewife blog and don't forget to bring along some sugar from me.

By the way --- I have an awesome contest coming this Wednesday, so pls. come back and check by then.