Confession: I love duct tape

I love duct tape.

I’m probably the only mom on the planet who keeps milk, eggs, bread, diapers, and duct tape on her grocery list. I simply must have duct tape in the house at all times.

Today I used duct tape to fix my daughter’s doll stroller. The seat kept slipping off, causing her to scream and ask me to fix it about a dozen times a day. I finally grabbed the duct tape and fixed it for good. No, I don’t think it looks tacky. I think it looks creative and frugal. Why dump a toy in the landfill, when my daughter plays with it constantly and it can be fixed for pennies?

Last week I duct taped my mailbox. Yes, you heard me correctly. After the last snow storm, the snow plow hit our mailbox and broke the 4×4 inch thick post in half. Since the bottom half was cemented in three feet of solid snow and ice, there was no removing it for repair. I didn’t feel like standing on the road in the ice with power tools. With the box sitting in the snow bank, the mail lady wasn’t able to deliver our mail. So I did the next best thing. I duct taped the two halves together. It is holding up great!

What have you duct taped lately?

Confession: Appearances can be deceiving

Guest Confession by Kristina Neild: June Cleaver and Carol Brady would be aghast, but contrary to what my invited guests might presume is an immaculate abode, reality is, if you were to stop by unannounced you would get a much clearer picture of what my house ‘really’ looks like. (On second thought, Carol Brady’s opinion really doesn’t count; after all, she had good ol’ Alice at her beck and call.)

Mine is a home where occasionally, like something out of an old Clint Eastwood Western, dust bunnies tumbleweed across the ceramic and hardwood floors. If you were to step onto one of several area rugs you might find yourself hip-deep in enough cat hair to make a creepy (yet warm) fur coat.

Venture into the kitchen and you’ll probably encounter last night’s pots soaking in a sink full of cold, stagnant dishwater – you know the kind where orange blotches of hardened fat float aimlessly around as if lost at sea? (Did you know that baked-on lasagna residue requires at least two days of submergence? Seriously.) Ultimately, the aforementioned pots will sit idle and dirty until some brave soul gives in and reluctantly plunges their trembling hand into the murky depths to pull the plug and begin the cleaning process anew.

My family room is guaranteed to contain at least three pairs of dirty socks whose owners have removed and subsequently abandoned them under various pieces of furniture. They are stuffed in between couch cushions, thrown behind the television, kicked under the coffee table and once, surprisingly, craftily hidden behind a collection of Disney DVDs on the bookshelf. Locating a matching pair is kind of like hunting for eggs at Easter, only smellier and not quite as rewarding.

Let’s not forget what I affectionately refer to as ‘Mount Laundry’, a mammoth hill of clothes, bedding and towels that teeters precariously on the brink of collapse. Its bulging girth encroaches into the hallway, threatening to expose itself to unsuspecting passersby. To one day be able to conquer its tower of hampers is something I can only fathom is akin to scaling Everest.

As you can imagine, I am not one of those people who gives my family and friends a standing carte blanche invitation to ‘stop by any time you want’. I guess in a way I’m kind of like a convenience store…No shirt, no shoes, no phone call, no entry!

Kristy Neild: Kristy is a Canadian domestic goddess extraordinaire with three cats, two kids, one husband and zero desire to grow up. She is a former legal secretary and daycare worker (not at the same time) who has rediscovered her love of the written word and is currently working on her first novel. You can visit Kristy’s blog at: http://khaosbecomesher.blogspot.com/  or to follow Kristy on Twitter, go to: http://twitter.com/KristywithaK

Confession: I like lots of lights on

I remember being hounded as a kid to shut the lights off. The trouble is I have come to realize that I have an adversity to the dark. It stresses me out. I like the lights on, but much more than you’d think.

The most important place to have lights on is when I’m eating. I hate eating in dim lighting. Yeah, I’ll tolerate it if I’m out to eat and can’t find their switch on the wall. However, you can bet your bottom dollar that if I know where the switch is in your house when I’m over for a meal, I’ll turn it on.

Why?

Light relaxes me; fire especially. I guess I’m a descendant of the cave man who invented fire. I love having additional “mood lighting” on, the fireplace lit, or the occasional candle on the counter.

In case you are wondering, yes, the TV counts. On the rare occasion my husband is away on business, I treat myself to sleeping with the lights and/or the TV on. I find it comforting and relaxing, and the funny thing is I’m not alone. I’ve found a few other people who also relax with light or love to sleep with TV on for the BEST night’s sleep EVER.

Water on the other hand makes me tense. Running water, trickling waterfalls, fish tanks, etc. What element is your favorite?

Confession: I let other Mom’s cook for my family

Guest Confession from Jackie Kaufenberg: As a mom who works full-time out of the home and has three kids ages four and younger, I do not have much free time. At times I would find myself getting home from work, instantly having kids asking me for snacks or throwing tantrums on the kitchen floor, all while I had no idea what I would make for dinner that night. I have always been a a bit of a foodie, but with kids, a foodie can suddenly find themselves emerged into the easy world of hamburger helper and macaroni and cheese.

About a year and a half ago, a friend had forwarded me a video that was on a local news station, about a group of mom’s who had started a local cooking club. The idea seemed brilliant: 8 moms, one evening a month, cooking 10 meals for each family, all that can be frozen and cooked as needed during the month. The idea of this really excited me because it seemed like such a time saver. I want to provide healthy meals for my family, but without losing the family time to cooking or eating dinner at 7:30 at night. Luckily, Cindy at Tidy Tightwads who started the cooking club on the news video, was also able to help me start a cooking club.

Now my freezer is stocked with delicious meals, side dishes, and breads. I have started new friendships and reconnected with old friends through cooking club. I have a little more time with my family and less time worrying about what I am going to whip up for dinner. I have made recipes that I would not have made on my own, and have even learned a thing or two about cooking. As a bonus, we have developed a great relationship with our local grocer, who gathers the groceries on our list each month, and gives us a discount off the total, saving us some money too. It is a relief to know that a delicious meal is only a thaw away. So, even though a different mom may have cooked our meal of the evening, we enjoy every bite.

Confession: I have very stained carpets

One by one the carpet stains appeared through out my house. I like a clean and tidy house, but my carpets are another story.  As much as I try to keep the floors clean, my kids and dog work against me.

I’ve hired the carpets shampoo’d many times, but the stains only go away for a few months. Then they work their way back. I’m not willing to replace the carpeting until our kids are older and grow out of diapers, juice, mud puddles, and playdoe. For now I use area rugs and move the furniture around as creatively as I can…until the next spill.

Confession: I nearly gave birth on the way to the hospital-twice!

Guest Confession by Jackie: I am a proud new mama to a beautiful baby girl born in September. She has two big brothers to keep up with.

CJ was almost born on the way to the hospital, which is 30 minutes away from our house. It was a stressful drive but something we had been through before. With our second baby, I will admit, it was mostly my stubbornness that got us into the trouble. I was afraid of driving all the way to the hospital, just to be sent home, so I just continued to deal with the contractions at home, then my water broke and the baby was ready to be born – NOW.

With our third baby, I was extra cautious to not put my husband and myself through the stress of driving 80 MPH while in intense labor again. So, long story short, I went to the doctor early on when my contractions started. I was sent home, only to have my water break five minutes after walking into my living room. Both times, I had to use the lamaze “holding” techniques that I did not bother practicing (seriously, who needs those?). Let’s just say, true road rage is needing to give birth to a baby now, but you have to wait for the &#@$* red light to turn and the &#@$* four cars in front of you to move it and the &#@$* pedestrians to get the hell out of the way!

The end results were perfect, although I still am not happy with the doctor that sent me home.

Oh, and baby #1? My water broke in a church, about an hour before a wedding that my husband and I were suppose to be in. At least I was the best dressed mama that time.

Guest author Jackie Kaufenberg is one of the most motivated moms I have had the pleasure of working with in a variety of ways. Jackie is a Marketing Manager for Altimate Medical, Inc., mommy of two little boys and a new baby girl. She’s a mommy blogger at Inspiration of the Moon.

Confession: My coffee mug contains positive energy

I have a certain coffee mug (pictured left) that I love, because I believe it contains positive energy. I’ve actually given this topic much thought, since I have such a strong preference for this particular cup.

For quite some time, I noticed that when my mother-in-law came to visit, she would pour her coffee and choose my favorite mug. I didn’t think too much about it until it happened consistently. One day she finally said, “This is my favorite mug” to which I had to admit to her that it was mine too. Odd?

It’s a clay mug with a green and brown glaze. The colors are soothing; earthy. The handle is curved just right, and there’s a fun “thumb rest” at the top. I know that the mug was hand made by friends of mine who make clay pottery. I’ve concluded that something as simple as a coffee mug can contain positive “chi” when it is made by a person pouring thought and talent into it rather than a machine mass producing. It’s the only explanation I have for rummaging through my cupboard and dishwasher at 5am, passing up about 50 miscellaneous mugs, just to find the one I want.

In case you are interested, here’s a link to where I got my coffee mug at the Clay Coyote. 

What do you think? Do you find that hand made items feel different? I use homemade soap that I love, carry a hand quilted baby bag that is the best ever, cherish the crocheted baby blankets that my girls have received, feature original artwork and photographs in my home, and the list goes on… I think hand made things carry special energy. Am I crazy?

Confession: I Used My Kids Money for McDonalds Happy Meals

Is it right to make the kids pay for their own Happy Meal??

I can’t believe I’m actually confessing this to strangers. But other moms have done this, right?? I’ve dipped into the kids birthday/Christmas money envelopes to help pay for Happy Meals at McDs. (I have to stress I’ve only done this once.) Hey, times are tough, mom runs out of money, and for the sake of the family’s sanity we needed to get out! It technically is food for them and therefore could be paid for with their money. Will they ever notice the missing $3? Probably not, but the guilt is horrible. What kind of mommy makes the kids pay for their own meal? Why aren’t I creative enough to make a fun meal and find a fun activity to keep us occupied? Am I a bad mother because I can’t do these simple things….AND I make my kids pay for it?

OK, enough. I have to stop beating myself up about it. All moms reserve the right to loose their head from time to time and do something stupid, expensive, unnecessary or unfair. We’re only human. Besides, I’ve never duct taped my kids to the floor, left them on the side if the road during a backseat squirmish, or “forget” to pick them up at school (as tempting is it might be). So maybe grabbing a few bucks from their rainy day funds isn’t so bad.

This is a guest post by Jeni, a mom friend. Jeni has “Weddings by Jeni” and you can visit her on Facebook by clicking here or Jeni is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jenihemingson

Confession? No, It’s Honesty

Today’s Guest Confession is by Pamela, a stay at home mommy to a free-spirited two and a half year old little girl. She’s been married for almost four years without strangling her Husband. She likes to spend her free time by baking and writing.

I don’t bathe my daughter every day. I bathe her like 3 to four times a week. Because really? She doesn’t sweat much and she’s only two. But if she rolled around in the mud, poured yo baby yogurt all over her hair and its all a matted mess, then that’s a different story.

Sometimes, you just need a wipe to clean her hands because she just squished that spider with her cute little finger. Now, before you go saying that I have a stinky two year old, come and smell her. She smells way cleaner than you. She smells of peaches and chocolates because that’s what I bathe her in.

I don’t iron her clothes either. And honestly if she’s not going to meet the Queen of England or the President of the United States then why iron her clothes? She does look presentable and super cute, might I add but why should I iron her clothes if she’s going to be running, dancing, jumping, taking off her clothes and putting on new non-matching clothes? It’s just a waste of electricity if I chose to iron every item in her closet. I do, however run the iron on her dresses, before she wears them, if we are going to a special occasion like Christmas. I have a lot of photographers in my family that might take photographic proof that there is a wrinkle in her cute little dress or God forbid, her bloomers.

You can close your mouths now. I’m done. ‘Till next time!

Pamela can be found on her blog called A Day in the Life and you can follow her on Twitter.com/VampireSmitten

Confession: I am THAT Mom

This is a guest Confession from Michelle from the Mom Blog, TwoUnderTwoClub She was kind enough to share her confessions with us, and I promise this is a great article that is worth the read. It will make you laugh and cringe.

My daughter, Allyson, turned 4 years old the day before she was to start pre-K. This meant that it was my duty and responsibility to bring snacks in for fourteen children. And not just any snack, mind you…this is a completely nut-free facility, which means that even those items that are processed in the same facility as nuts (even if they don’t contain them) are off-limits. So, my hunt began for a completely un-nut contaminated snack that was relatively healthy.

Of course Whole Foods would have this, right? I immediately made plans to go. Hauling both children with me (amidst cries of, “I want a chip! Not a GREEN chip, Mom! A WHITE chip! Mom, can you get me some bread! What are these things in the bread, Mommmmmyyyy?!”), I enter the bakery section of Whole Foods. Now, I should add that having a child with food allergies myself has given me some insight into searching for products that will not violate the preschool policy. These products are typically found among items that contain, for example, carob…or hemp…or have pictures of hippies on the packaging. But I digress.

Alas, I spot my snacks! I can see the nut free label from 3 feet away! They are cute little cookies! They are chocolate! They are hearts! Kids love chocolate and cookies and hearts! I will be loved and adored by the whole class AND their parents!!

Here’s what I saw:

 

GREAT!! Cute, functional AND nut-free! So the next day, I proudly presented the cookies to the teacher, patted my little birthday angel on the back and kissed her goodbye.

Success!

Cut to Friday, as I drop Ally off from preschool that morning, the classroom aide comes chasing after me. “Mrs. Meyer? Mrs. Meyer. Um, here are your s n a c k s.” The look on her face was one of complete disapproval. The tone in her voice suggested a bit of condescension. I felt like I was in trouble, but couldn’t quite figure out why. I took the container from her and left the room.

It was about when I reached the stairwell that something caught my eye:

AND THEN:

 People, I had purchased APHRODISIAC COOKIES FOR A PRE-K CLASS!

Oh yes I did. But, it gets better! Here are pictures of what is imprinted on these little gems:

Yes, I do believe that little fish in the bottom is supposed to represent one of those little swimmers used for procreation (ahem: s-p-e-r-m). And what in tarnation is the little triangle??

So, yes. I have completely gone and formed a reputation as “that mom” in my daughter’s preschool class. At a United Methodist Church preschool no less. I don’t quite know where to go from here…perhaps start dressing the part?

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