Yesterday, sunshine returned to the Sunshine State and the temperature here got to 80 degrees. Today, rainy and cool. Spring is being quite fickle this year.
But on to another topic since blogging about the weather is boring. (you know it's true)
MiniMe says today "This week is going to be the longest week of my life."
I understand completely, because the end of this week we leave for our spring break cruise. Kinda like waiting for Christmas for all of us. In preparation, my sassy little daughter and I had mani-pedis yesterday. (for all my male readers, that means we got our nails done and had pedicures) MiniMe wanted yellow nail polish. Thank god the salon was all out of yellow. Must be a popular color! So she had to settle for green.
Is Florida the cruise capital of the U.S.? I'm not sure but we have several ports within a short driving distance of anywhere in the state. In the news today, there was a report that the U.S. cruise industry is posting strong gains. Apparently in bad economic times, cruising is a popular choice for the small part of the American population who can still afford a vacation. So what is the cruise industry doing in response to their strong sales - you guessed it, they're raising prices. Good thing we booked our cruise so long ago we still got a cheap rate.
Which leads me to a question for all of you. Cruising. Have you ever done it? Love it or hate it?
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
I get by with a little help from my friends
I've had a rough couple of weeks. A don't sleep, don't eat, be cranky kinda week. But don't worry, this won't be a bitter blog. Instead, I'm gonna share a kindness shown me today by a co-worker, friend and a brand new addition to the blogosphere - ShakeNTakeMom.
This lady is the best. Not only is she the most creative individual, she runs her own business with integrity and a positive attitude. All while raising two very busy little boys (are there any other kind?). Today she stopped what she was doing to help me out with my work. And it made a big difference in my day.
This is a real change for me. I'm usually a "glass half empty" kinda chick. No, let's be honest, I'm usually a "how come everyone else got a full glass and I got a broken beer mug?" kinda chick. But ShakeNTakeMom's support, along with all the other kind and thoughtful things my family and friends have done for me the last few weeks, has given me a more positive outlook. And I'm spreading it around .. .
Have I told all you NativeMom readers how great you are? Well you rock! And you're a good lookin' bunch, too!
This lady is the best. Not only is she the most creative individual, she runs her own business with integrity and a positive attitude. All while raising two very busy little boys (are there any other kind?). Today she stopped what she was doing to help me out with my work. And it made a big difference in my day.
This is a real change for me. I'm usually a "glass half empty" kinda chick. No, let's be honest, I'm usually a "how come everyone else got a full glass and I got a broken beer mug?" kinda chick. But ShakeNTakeMom's support, along with all the other kind and thoughtful things my family and friends have done for me the last few weeks, has given me a more positive outlook. And I'm spreading it around .. .
Have I told all you NativeMom readers how great you are? Well you rock! And you're a good lookin' bunch, too!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Spring Fever
Since the sun actually came out this weekend and the temperature got above 60 degrees, I have caught spring fever! Been cleaning out closets and looking wistfully at the summer calendar. We won't be taking a vacation this summer (thanks to the economy) but I do look forward to summertime.
If you have spring fever (or even if you don't) sign up for your chance to win this month's Native Mom give-away. It is a weekend at Perry's Ocean Edge resort in Daytona Beach. Ocean front room, indoor and outdoor pools, tiki-bar, suites with kitchen, kid's suite rooms with bunks and games, and they serve fresh, hot, homemade donuts to guests every morning. For free!
Simply send an e-mail to my address at flnativemom@gmail.com and you'll be entered to win. Entries will be taken through March 31 when a winner will be drawn at random!
Go ahead, catch spring fever and good luck!
If you have spring fever (or even if you don't) sign up for your chance to win this month's Native Mom give-away. It is a weekend at Perry's Ocean Edge resort in Daytona Beach. Ocean front room, indoor and outdoor pools, tiki-bar, suites with kitchen, kid's suite rooms with bunks and games, and they serve fresh, hot, homemade donuts to guests every morning. For free!
Simply send an e-mail to my address at flnativemom@gmail.com and you'll be entered to win. Entries will be taken through March 31 when a winner will be drawn at random!
Go ahead, catch spring fever and good luck!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Mommies Night Out
My fellow working mommies and I get together every Wednesday night after work for a little girl time. Our husbands don't mind that we're AWOL for a little while each Wednesday because they've come to realize the positive benefits of giving mommy an hour away from home each week with her girlfriends, i.e. her head does not explode and everyone at home lives to see another day.
We had a rather large ladies group this week. And I was amazed at the range of topics we managed to cover. I've broken them down below:
We had a rather large ladies group this week. And I was amazed at the range of topics we managed to cover. I've broken them down below:
- Our upcoming cruise and what to wear on the drive to the cruiseship
- Art
- Business and jobs
- Boy Scout camping trips
- Dogs
- Bowling
- Botox (for and against)
- And the size of Head Gin Mom's teenage son's feet (size 13 yikes!)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Summer Fun minus a Diving Board
Since the sun actually peaked out and the temperature got above 60 degrees for a few minutes this weekend, I started thinking about getting my pool and pool deck cleaned up and ready for use. My kids enjoy swimming in the summer as much as I did when I was their age. They've got it even better now than we did because they have the benefit of waterproof sunscreen, more access to pools, swim classes at an earlier age, and pool toys that are much cooler than the inflatable rings and the random penny we had to play with growing up.
The kids today do miss out on one thing that was perhaps the best part of swimming in Florida every summer. The diving board. (just one more reason to luv the insurance industry!)
My sister and I used to wear ourselves out on the diving board. There were the swan dive contests that had to be judged by my Mammaw (over and over and over and over . . . ). Then there were the scary but thrilling efforts to learn to do a backflip off the board (Kids, you'll crack your head open! coming from my mom). And of course no pool day would be complete without our favorite game. The diver had to catch a ball thrown by a friend from the side of the pool before it hit the water. Even belly flops were fun.
Kids today just don't know what they're missing.
The kids today do miss out on one thing that was perhaps the best part of swimming in Florida every summer. The diving board. (just one more reason to luv the insurance industry!)
My sister and I used to wear ourselves out on the diving board. There were the swan dive contests that had to be judged by my Mammaw (over and over and over and over . . . ). Then there were the scary but thrilling efforts to learn to do a backflip off the board (Kids, you'll crack your head open! coming from my mom). And of course no pool day would be complete without our favorite game. The diver had to catch a ball thrown by a friend from the side of the pool before it hit the water. Even belly flops were fun.Kids today just don't know what they're missing.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Future Bike Week Babe
My route to and from MiniMe's elementary school takes me right through the heart of Bike Week activities. There's just no way to avoid it. And so there's no way for MiniMe to avoid seeing some things that can be a little hard for this NativeMom to explain to a fifth grader. Although, she's seen it all for several years now and has gotten over the icky factor a little, and I've gotten over my uncomfortableness at explaining things like girls in g-strings on the back of motorcycles.
This week, MiniMe sees a couple of young ladies in bathing suits standing in front of one of the bars we pass in our travels. They are holding signs and inviting bikers in for a "bike wash."
"Mom, what are those girls doing?"
They are washing people's motorcycles. Kind of like a car wash to raise money.
"How do you get that job?"
(Hmmm, I never thought of that) Well, I guess you go to the bar and put in an application before Bike Week.
"Why would the girls want to wash people's motorcycles?"
Well, they make a lot of money since the bikers pay them and give them tips. Maybe you and your friend Thing 1 could work Bike Week in about 10 or 15 years to help you earn money for college (or the downpayment on your first house).
"We'd get a lot of money? How much?"
A few hundred dollars a day, maybe more.
"Really? But would we have to let bikers drink beer out of our belly buttons?"
Honey, you never have to let anyone drink anything out of your belly button, no matter how much money they offer you.
Blog Update: From the comments I realize a disclaimer is needed. MiniMe did not see the "drinking from the belly button" at one of Mommie's parties. Whew! She unfortunately saw this demonstration on Beach Street last bike week, which doesn't even have a bar!
This week, MiniMe sees a couple of young ladies in bathing suits standing in front of one of the bars we pass in our travels. They are holding signs and inviting bikers in for a "bike wash."
"Mom, what are those girls doing?"
They are washing people's motorcycles. Kind of like a car wash to raise money.
"How do you get that job?"
(Hmmm, I never thought of that) Well, I guess you go to the bar and put in an application before Bike Week.
"Why would the girls want to wash people's motorcycles?"
Well, they make a lot of money since the bikers pay them and give them tips. Maybe you and your friend Thing 1 could work Bike Week in about 10 or 15 years to help you earn money for college (or the downpayment on your first house).
"We'd get a lot of money? How much?"
A few hundred dollars a day, maybe more.
"Really? But would we have to let bikers drink beer out of our belly buttons?"
Honey, you never have to let anyone drink anything out of your belly button, no matter how much money they offer you.
Blog Update: From the comments I realize a disclaimer is needed. MiniMe did not see the "drinking from the belly button" at one of Mommie's parties. Whew! She unfortunately saw this demonstration on Beach Street last bike week, which doesn't even have a bar!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wet & Wild Bike Week
It is officially Bike Week(s) here in Daytona Beach. Unfortunately it is also cold, raining and windy. Makes coleslaw wrestling even more uncomfortable. (yes, they do have women who will wrestle in coleslaw during bike week and no, I am not one of them).
I saw something kind of fun in my travels about town yesterday. A small makeshift campsite had been set up in the yard of a neighborhood near by. I guess the owner of the home invited his friends down for bike week. There were about 6 guys dressed in biker type gear poking around a campfire that was surrounded by tents and a small pop-up camper in the side yard of a home. I thought to myself, "So you invite your friends down for bike week but instead of putting them up in your home you make them pitch tents in the yard?"
I guess I'd been doing it wrong. I always let my friends stay in my actual house, shower in my actual bathroom and eat my actual food in my actual kitchen. I didn't know they'd be just as happy pitching a tent in my (rainy cold) front yard.
Hmmm.
I saw something kind of fun in my travels about town yesterday. A small makeshift campsite had been set up in the yard of a neighborhood near by. I guess the owner of the home invited his friends down for bike week. There were about 6 guys dressed in biker type gear poking around a campfire that was surrounded by tents and a small pop-up camper in the side yard of a home. I thought to myself, "So you invite your friends down for bike week but instead of putting them up in your home you make them pitch tents in the yard?"
I guess I'd been doing it wrong. I always let my friends stay in my actual house, shower in my actual bathroom and eat my actual food in my actual kitchen. I didn't know they'd be just as happy pitching a tent in my (rainy cold) front yard.
Hmmm.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
3 Dog Night
At the encouragement of Beloved, I agreed to foster a dog again. The last time I fostered a dog was back in September and by blogging about her on one of my other blogs, Plain Brown Dog, I was able to get her a home within a week.
I've been blogging about this sweet dog Penny for more than a month. Sadly, despite my best efforts, she's had no one interested in her. Although she is an obvious favorite among the kennel staff and volunteers. If you ever find yourself in the position of adopting a dog, ask the shelter volunteers who are their favorites. The volunteers spend a lot of time with the animals and they know which ones have the most pet potential. And it usually isn't the cutest or smallest dog.
That's the case with Penny. I was surprised how quickly she settled into our home. She has no issues at all with other dogs, and luckily our dogs seem to be having no issues with her. She is a little starved for attention, but other than that has been completely well behaved, quiet, and friendly.
So now the hard part begins again. I'll be Crazy Dog Lady campaigning to find her a home and using my blog as my main weapon. Wish me luck!
I've been blogging about this sweet dog Penny for more than a month. Sadly, despite my best efforts, she's had no one interested in her. Although she is an obvious favorite among the kennel staff and volunteers. If you ever find yourself in the position of adopting a dog, ask the shelter volunteers who are their favorites. The volunteers spend a lot of time with the animals and they know which ones have the most pet potential. And it usually isn't the cutest or smallest dog.
That's the case with Penny. I was surprised how quickly she settled into our home. She has no issues at all with other dogs, and luckily our dogs seem to be having no issues with her. She is a little starved for attention, but other than that has been completely well behaved, quiet, and friendly.
So now the hard part begins again. I'll be Crazy Dog Lady campaigning to find her a home and using my blog as my main weapon. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Feeding Frenzy
I was inspired to write today's post by my blogger friend Sandcastle Momma who has a HI-larious post about her cooking skills.
Unexpectedly, I found out I was gonna have some extra mouths to feed for dinner last night. I shouldn't say it is unexpected since I often don't know how many kids I'll have around my table each night until sometime earlier that same day. Makes dinner planning akin to nailing jello to a wall.
So since my oldest stepson would be gracing us with his presence last night on a surprise pop-by visit from college (uh-oh, a Monday night visit, must mean he's out of money), I broke out "Momma's Little Helper." That's right, my gigantic Crock Pot.
I've become a crock pot culinary genius. It's simple really. Just toss in some sort of meat (any meat will do). Sprinkle with some seasoning. Add some vegis (frozen or fresh chopped work better than canned) and pour something over the whole mess - a can of soup, a jar of preserves or a jar of salsa. Cook for 6-8 hours. Serve over pasta or rice and you're done! Simple.
I think even Sandcastle Momma could make an edible non-burnt dinner using the should-be-patented Native Mom Crockpot system. However, I have to admit, when it comes to cooking bread, I burn it every time as well. I think the Pillsbury Dough Boy is out to get me.
Unexpectedly, I found out I was gonna have some extra mouths to feed for dinner last night. I shouldn't say it is unexpected since I often don't know how many kids I'll have around my table each night until sometime earlier that same day. Makes dinner planning akin to nailing jello to a wall.
So since my oldest stepson would be gracing us with his presence last night on a surprise pop-by visit from college (uh-oh, a Monday night visit, must mean he's out of money), I broke out "Momma's Little Helper." That's right, my gigantic Crock Pot.
I've become a crock pot culinary genius. It's simple really. Just toss in some sort of meat (any meat will do). Sprinkle with some seasoning. Add some vegis (frozen or fresh chopped work better than canned) and pour something over the whole mess - a can of soup, a jar of preserves or a jar of salsa. Cook for 6-8 hours. Serve over pasta or rice and you're done! Simple.
I think even Sandcastle Momma could make an edible non-burnt dinner using the should-be-patented Native Mom Crockpot system. However, I have to admit, when it comes to cooking bread, I burn it every time as well. I think the Pillsbury Dough Boy is out to get me.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Would you believe ...
Would you believe that all of you, my fans, are more loyal readers of my blog than my Beloved? I had suspected this for a while but my suspicions were confirmed when I logged on tonight and he started reading over my shoulder. I had to go back about 8 posts to catch him up!
I mean if a blog-girl can't count on her hubby for readership, who can she count on?
That would be all of you, my favorite people on earth!
Pbbbttthhhtttt!
(That's me giving the raspberry to Beloved) Thanks for checking in. You people crack me up!
I mean if a blog-girl can't count on her hubby for readership, who can she count on?
That would be all of you, my favorite people on earth!
Pbbbttthhhtttt!
(That's me giving the raspberry to Beloved) Thanks for checking in. You people crack me up!
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